I cheated a little here and used a pre-seasoned tri-tip from Costco. I cooked it slowly over an hour in its own juices so it would be nice and tender. When done, I allowed it to cool and Tge shredded the meat. Return the shredded meat to pan on low. Add some A1 sauce and a little of the left over juices from the meat. Combine and let the parts come together over heat. In another pan toss some thick cut onions until browned, add some bell peppers (I used a great frozen bag that has red yellow and green bell peppers). Finally, take your bread of choice, add a hearty amount of meat and onions and bell peppers and serve. For a party, I plan on using small flour tortillas, otherwise, sandwich bread would be delicious as well.

Sauté chicken in pan on medium high until cooked thoroughly and all water has evaporated. Spray with Pam (or add a little oil) and add in a little curry, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring on medium heat until chicken is fully coated in spices.

In another pan sauté mushrooms on medium high. Cook until all water has evaporated. Lower heat to medium and add a little Pam or oil and brown.

Cook or steam broccoli.

In large saucepan combine chicken, mushrooms, and broccoli. Add pasta sauce and salt to taste. Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens.

Cook Rotelle pasta. Add pasta to sauce and combine thoroughly. Allow to simmer on low heat until all parts are coated and tender.

Enjoy!

Take a look and enjoy!

Homemade Burger and Fries

I love burgers and fries.  Who doesn’t it?  But I’ve recently heard that it’s healthier to make your own burger and fries at home where you can control the ingredients and cooking methods.  So, last week I made burgers and homemade fries from scratch and it was delicious and indulgent!

Ingredients: Burger: Beef Patties (look for the leanest meat you can find), Bread (Organics sliced wheat bread was surprisingly delicious), and your choice of toppings (we chose sliced cheese, mayo, ketchup and barbeque sauce).  Fries: about 3-4 Russet Potatoes, Canola Oil, Salt, Pepper, Saffron (optional).

Directions:

Burger:  A burger is simple enough to make.  All you need is the patties, your bread and toppings of choice and a good hot pan.  I like to use a nice large pan so I can make several patties at once.  Heat the pan to about medium high.  When the pan is hot place the patties on the pan.  You don’t need to add any oil to the pan as the natural fats in the meat will come out and grease the pan itself.  I like to cook the burgers nice and long to remove as much fat as possible, flipping the patties every 5 minutes or so.  The patties are done when they are nicely browned on both sides and fully cooked in the middle.  If you’d like, add cheese while the patties are still on the pan.  Place on bread and add desired toppings.

Fries:  Wash potatoes and peel.  Cut into the desired thickness and length.  Do NOT rinse the potatoes after cutting them.  Water makes oil sputter and washing your potatoes and then placing them in the oil could result in sputter and burns.  Use a large saucepan.  Fill with canola oil so that it rises about half way up.  Put on medium-high heat and wait for oil to heat up.  You’ll know the oil is ready when it starts making waves in the pan.  You might want to test it out by dropping in just one piece at first.  The potato should sputter and fry as soon as dropped into the pan.  When your oil is ready add the potatoes in batches.  You don’t want to put in too many at a time or it may cause uneven cooking.  Be careful and maintain a distance from the pan as the oil is dangerous to work with.  When potatoes are browned to your liking, carefully remove with wood or metal utensils and place onto a plate.  Add salt and pepper while the fries are still hot so the oil will help the seasoning adhere to the potatoes.  I also like to add a pinch of saffron but this is optional.  Give the potatoes a light toss and serve warm.  Enjoy!

Chicken Devine

To be honest, I have no idea where this recipe originates but I suspect it might have come off a Campbell soup label. I learned it from my uncles wife. It tastes insanely bad for you due to it’s thick creaminess and instantly becomes everyone’s favorite dish. Everyone whose had it requests it over and over again.

Ingredients: 3-4 cups Broccoli, about 3-4 boneless skinless Chicken Breast, 3 cans Cream of Chicken (I prefer the 98% fat free healthy request), about 1/4 cup Mayo (try Kraft low fat Olive Oil Mayo), 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice, about 1-2 teaspoons Curry Powder.

Directions:  Boil chicken in a pot of water with a little salt until it is cooked thoroughly.  Allow to cool, shred into pieces and place aside.  Cook broccoli.  I just cut a corner and place the bag into the microwave for 3-4 minutes, but you can also boil or steam them.  In a medium sauce pan place on medium-high add the cans of cream of chicken and allow to heat.  Add Mayo, curry and lemon juice and stir in thoroughly.  Allow to cook until the color darkens a little.  In a casserole dish, pour a layer of broccoli, cover with about half of the sauce, then pour the shredded chicken and cover with the rest of the sauce.  Sprinkle bread crumbs all over the top and place in the oven at about 375 degrees until the sauce bubbles and the top browns.  If the sauce is bubbling but the top does not brown, you may want to turn on the broil feature of your oven just for a few minutes.  Enjoy!

No Sauce Linguine with Chicken

This dish was born of a leftover Rotissere Chicken and scant pantry options.  It turned out to be surprisingly good which is what it’s doing here.  My hubby and I like rotisserie chicken, but neither or us is crazy about the thighs, so this dish is the perfect idea so as not to waste that leftover meat.

Ingredients: Leftover Rotissere Chicken Meat, 1 box Wheat Linguine, 1 Teaspoon Oil, about 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan

Directions:  Shred chicken with your hands into small pieces and add to a medium pan on medium high and saute lightly to heat.  Set a pot to boil and cook linguine according to box directions until tender.  Add cooked linguine to chicken and saute lightly.  Add a teaspoon oil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Continue to saute until thoroughly combined.  Serve warm and enjoy!

Croque Madame

A croque madame is traditionally a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with an egg, sunny side up, placed on top.  I make it with healthy turkey, mozzarella, and cook the eggs over easy.  It’s healthy but decadent.  Perfect for a quick weekend lunch.

Ingredients: Sliced Bread, Shredded Mozzarella, Turkey Deli Meat, Eggs, Oil

Directions:  Put a medium pan on the stove and heat to about medium-high.  Meanwhile, assemble the sandwich by placing one piece of bread, a light sprinkling of mozzarella, one or two pieces of turkey, another sprinkling of mozzarella and the second piece of bread.  When the pan is sufficiently hot, spray one side of the sandwich with cooking spray and place on pan with spray side down.  When bottom side has become golden and the cheese has melted, spray the top side and turn over.  When other side is golden and cheese is melted, remove and place on plate.  Use same pan to prepare egg.  Spray with cooking spray and then cook egg to your liking.  Place egg over sandwich and enjoy.  When the yolk is still runny, this dish is best.  Enjoy!

Potato Kotlet

Kotlet is a persian dish made with ground beef that is a staple of every Persians childhood. I learned a vegetarian variation that I’ve perfect over time. It’s fantastic in a sandwich with cheese, tomatoes and pickles and is one of my Hubby’s favorites!

Ingredients: 4 Medium Russet Potatoes, 2 Eggs, 1 Medium Onion, 1 Teaspoon Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon Flour, a Pinch Saffron, Salt, Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Oil

Directions: Wash 4 medium potatoes, cut in half and place in a pot to boil until tender and cooked. Remove and allow to cool. Peel one medium onions and use a grate to shred. Squeeze away excess water and add to large bowl. Peel cooked and cooled potato and use grate to shred into the same bowl as onions. Break 2 eggs into bowl. Add a teaspoon each of flour and turmeric, add saffron, salt, and pepper. Place a medium pan on medium-high and fill with oil so that it thoroughly covers the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile mix the potato mixture throughly with your hands until combined and resembling a yellow paste. Fill a small dish with bread crumbs. When oil is hot, take medium handfuls of the potato mixture in your hands, pat bread crumbs on each side and place in oil. When the bottom side has browned, flip and allow to cook on other side. Continue until you’ve cooked all the potato mixture. I like to serve it on baguette with either feta cheese or laughing cow’s reduced fat cheese. You can also add tomatoes and pickles. Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Masala Pasta

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorite Pakistani dishes, especially when it’s creamy and mild.  My mother-in-law made one of the best Chicken Tikka Masala’s I’ve ever had for me this week.  It was so good that I wanted to do more with it.  It reminded me of a wedding I went to in New York last year where they had made a creamy masala tomato sauce over penne pasta.  So, I experimented a little and the result made my hubby and I swoon in delight.  Next time you have left over Chicken Tikka Masala try this recipe and you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients: Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala (preferably mild and creamy versions), 1 bag Farafelle Pasta, 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions: Bring a medium pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to the directions on the package.  Cut the pieces of chicken in your leftovers small and warm in the microwave with the sauce until warm.  When pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.  Do not rinse the pasta.  Add leftovers to the pasta and stir.  Add about a 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or more to taste and mix thoroughly until all parts are combined and pasta is coated.  The parmesan helps to adhere the sauce to the pasta so it’s a necessary and very delicious part of the dish.  Enjoy!

Baked Mac n Cheese with Hot Dogs

This is one of my quick and easy dishes I make when I have no time to prepare from scratch.  Baking and adding sautéed cut hot dogs makes it unique and gives it the hearty feeling of a home cooked comfort meal.

Ingredients: 2 boxes of either Kraft deluxe Mac n Cheese of Velveeta’s 2% deluxe Mac n Cheese, one package all beef Hot Dogs (such as Hebrew National 98% fat free), about 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs.

Directions: Pre-heat oven to about 375 degrees.  Prepare mac and cheese according to the directions on the package.  Meanwhile, add about a tablespoon of oil to a medium pan and heat to medium-high.  Cut hot dog horizontally into 1/4 inch pieces and add to pan.  Saute, stirring frequently until the hot dogs have carmelized on both sides and browned.  Add hot dogs to prepared mac and cheese and stir in until thoroughly combined.  Pour mixture into a large casserole dish.  Sprinkle bread crumbs over macaroni mixture until fully covered and place in oven.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden.  Enjoy!