Post by nybirder on Sept 30, 2016 10:14:57 GMT -5
Cooking for Two
2012 November Recipes
1. Chart for onion sizes
2. At tip for Mushroom Lovers
3. Recipes using leeks
4. Links to Chowder Recipes
5. Hamburger Soup
6. Shrimp Wiggle
7. Chicken Paprika
8. Skillet Spaghetti
9. Italian Chicken Sausage & Escarole Soup
10. Coq au Vin, ala Lilly
How large are your onions?
NYBirder
So many recipe directions call for large, medium, or small onions--but does anyone really know what that means? One person's idea of size could be pretty different from another's. If you haven't done much cooking, relying on experience doesn't help.
Of course, being a little off doesn't usually make a big difference, but when you're making a recipe for the first time it's nice to follow it as closely as possible. And if you don't have the right-sized onion on hand, it's easy to substitute if you know a more definite measurement. As a result of checking a number of different sources, I have been using this rule of thumb that works for me:
Large onion - 16 oz. - about 2 cups chopped
Medium onion - 8 oz. - about 1 cup chopped
Small onion - 4 oz. - about 1/2 cup chopped
If you are cooking small and don't like having odds and ends of cut onions hanging around in the refrigerator, buy a few of the creaming-size white or yellow onions to have on hand--not pearl but the next larger size. They should yield a few tablespoons of diced onion without leftovers.
Re: How large are your onions?
Beema
Interesting topic, Birdy.... in one of the other forums there was a recent discussion similar to this about the size of garlic cloves. Your chart should be very helpful to learning cooks, and I am going to pass this along to Sarah, my granddaughter.
By the way, because we use a lot of chopped sweet onions, and bell peppers, too, I keep a ziploc baggie in the freezer full of chopped onion and one for chopped peppers. This really comes in handy when I need some for soups, stir fry, casseroles, etc. They lose a bit of their crisp so I don't usually use them in salads. A few taps on the outside of the baggie with the back of a table knife will break apart the amount of onion you need.
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
I do this with strips of bell pepper--both red and green--for making sausage and peppers. The pepper breaks down in cooking anyway so freezing them doesn't make any difference.
I was reminded about this topic this morning when watching America's Test Kitchen and a similar question came up from a viewer. I was please to find out that they agree with the numbers I had tracked down. I started checking out the onion size issue when I had to keep track of carbs when controlling my blood sugar. They have a surprising amount of carbs in them so you need to have a more accurate idea of how much you are using. Having a measurement that's more precise helps a lot when calculating nutrition numbers in my recipe software.
The size of garlic cloves aren't a problem for me--not because of my diet but because I like it so much I usually get carried away anyhow! If you get a whiff of garlic down there in Florida, you'll know the wind is coming from the direction of my house!
Re: How large are your onions?
Willie3
I'd like to see a small onion in our store. We only have an Albertsons store in our town, and they are never small ones. I need to start chopping the leftover part and freezing it so I don't waste so much. Glad somebody reminded me.
Re: How large are your onions?
tastycook1
When I was growing up in the UK, measurements were always by weight and every kitchen had a set of scales. I still use mine a lot - much more accurate, especially for baking
Re: How large are your onions?
16281628/Lilly
What a fun topic! I rarely measure onions, peppers, etc! I am sure I use more than what the recipe calls for!!! I love them - along with the other vegies and I just try to maintain something reasonable and in proportion to each other things. If it calls for a small onion - and I don't have small then I cut one in half, etc - bu htat is still probably too much. My large is probably an XL. I think produce is a lot bigger than when I was growing up and bigger than homegrown. I just use it or it might go to waste. I have never thought - wow this has too much onion, or this has too much pepper. And Birdy - I almost always double my garlic! And only use fresh. As for spices - I am generous. Almost double and have never had bitter or overwhelming taste of something - I just like things very seasoned - except for too much salt - I never increase the salt. Only add salt at end if it is needed. In most of my recipes I have noticed the the pepper is always 1/2 the salt - I always double the pepper to make it the same as the salt - and it is never over the top, too hot or too peppery.
Recipes - once I have made something a couple of times are just a guideline! I almost always have to pull a recipe out - even for simple things like beef BBQ (sloppy joes) - but then just follow enough to make sure I get the right ingredients and don't forget anything.
So that is how I cook!
Re: How large are your onions?
Beema
A little-known fun factoid about onions, the sweet ones, like Vidalia: I am sure you have noticed that some onions are round, and others are a kind of flat round, like someone pushed down on the top and made it a bit flat. The round ones are male onions and the flat ones are female, and the female onion is more flavorful and sweeter than the male. No kidding. I mentioned this about a year ago in another forum and had a guy who studied agriculture at two universities swear up and down that because he had never heard of it, it couldn't be true.... but, true it is. True to my gender, I always buy the female onion....
I also read somewhere that a good way to store onions was to put them into an old nylon stocking and hang the stocking in a dark closet.... this works for about as long it would if you stored them in the usual bin in your kitchen. I did that once, several years ago, and forgot they were there..... need I say I had onions growing sprouts everywhere, and I had to totally fumagate that closet. No moths ever invaded there, but the blankets took forever to air out. We went into a bed that smelled like an old sock.
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
Somehow I missed this post, Beema. I don't think there's anything that smells quite as bad as a rotten onion--unless it's a rotten potato!
There isn't anything as sublime as caramelized onions in my opinion. I'm usually disappointed when a restaurant uses that term on their menu and the onions are served barely brown. I was watching one of Julia Child's very early shows last week when she made French onion soup and she cooked them until they were the color of mahogany--it takes a good 30 minutes on low for that to happen. And a whole pot of raw onions cooks down to barely a cup--but what flavor! I've made that recipe over and over and it's always wonderful and inexpensive, too.
I live near an onion-growing area. In the spring, they clean out their warehouses and dump the onions that weren't shipped for one reason or another along a dirt road on their land where we bird. When I was a girl, my mother would often go through the culls and bring some home for cooking. Quite a few of them are still good--just not pretty. This spring, I think I will pick up some and try them for soup. Can't beat the price!
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
I just ran into a good suggestion when I was surfing the web.
If you need just a small amount of onion for a casserole, etc. and don't want to cut into a too-big onion, try using a shallot. They are on the mild side with a flavor like an onion with hints of garlic. Shallots have become much less expensive and are generally available in almost every market these days.
Re: How large are your onions?
tastycook1
Altho' I prefer to use fresh onions, I always keep some chopped dried onion as well as onion powder in the spie cupboard. It's handy if I'm really short on time or just want a tiny bit. This year I also have bags of chopped onions in the freezer, that came from our own garden. Found last year they didn't keep too well.
A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
NYBirder
I love mushrooms. As a bonus, they very good for you. Most mushrooms are good sources of B vitamins, selenium, iron, and other minerals. And I just found out that although they aren't usually a source of vitamin D, if they are exposed to UV light, such as sunshine, they make vitamin D just like our bodies do. Who would've thought? As another bonus, besides being very tasty they are also low in calories and a useful way to bulk up recipes to reduced the amount of meat you're cooking.
One of the things I find most frustrating about cooking for one is the problem of using up mushrooms before they turn funky on me. The best prices for sales are usually for 8 oz. - 10 oz. packages. Even though I'm a mushroom lover, eating them up can be a challenge. I don't think you can freeze fresh uncooked mushrooms--at least I've never tried it. If you freeze cooked, they sometimes get tough, although that isn't necessarily a put-off depending on what you're making.
I just ran across the most interesting article about a way of cooking mushrooms that goes against just about every "rule" I've heard for years. And this method keeps them from soaking up fat and oil like little sponges. Check it out and see what you think. Also, there are some suggested recipes with the article for using up extra cooked mushrooms that sound interesting. cookingfortwo.about.com/od/techniques/tp/A-New-Way-To-Cook-Mushrooms.htm?nl=1
What do you do with a package of mushrooms? Do you have any favorite ways of cooking them? Or storage suggestions to extend their life?
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
c3clark
I like the idea of cooking mushrooms that way. I'm going to do that next time I buy some. There's a fruit market near us that sells bulk whole white mushrooms really cheap---$1.29 per pound. They have both paper and plastic bags to put them in. I always use the paper bag cause they stay fresh a lot longer in paper. I used to watch the Urban Peasant on TV all the time and James Barber said that he likes to buy the older mushrooms that are already a bit wrinkled since they have lost some of their moisture you're getting more for your money. I recently bought his book, Mushrooms are Marvelous, but haven't made anything from it yet. Sometimes I'll slice and fry a bunch of mushrooms and freeze them in small bags. I thought that they always tasted good when I'd add them to spaghetti sauce or stir fries. But I'm not always that ambitious!
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
Beema
None of the cooks in my family prepared anything with mushrooms, so it wasn't until I moved to Florida, the nation's second largest producer of mushrooms, that I began to cook them and to love them. I could eat a whole bowl or saute'd mushrooms and nothing else. And, since I didn't know how to cook them, had never read anything about the "rules," I just figured they would be cooked the same way you'd cook any other vegetable, boil them in water.
Once my kids were grown and time became available to play with my food, I learned many different things about cooking but kind of stuck with some of my original methods because they worked for me. So, without knowing, I have been using the method recommended in this article for many years. Every now and then I will vary, especially if I am sauteing other things too, like onions and green peppers all at the same time, but I discovered even then that the mushrooms release a lot of liquid so I start out with just a little liquid, usually a cooking wine, beer or unsweetened cranberry juice as opposed to oil.
Freezing cooked mushrooms has never been a problem.... I put them in a small portion sized baggie, with a bit of their natural liquid. I add the cooked mushrooms to soups, pasta sauces, scrambled eggs, quiche, meatloaf, stuffed green peppers, chili, you name it. I add them raw to pizza toppings but I cut them into tiny pieces to be sure they cook in those few minutes in the oven.
I have to admit to using canned mushroom stems and pieces for some recipes, usually when I am in a hurry or when a recipe calls for the canned product. With the canned mushrooms, if you don't use the whole can, the rest can be put into a small container with the liquid from the can and stored in the fridge for about a month.
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
tastycook1
Interesting how we all use them differently. We rarely have any leftover for long. I'll add them to just about anything if I have a few hanging around. Certainly stews, soups and spaghetti sauce. I rarely use tinned - they don't quite seem the same to me - too perfect. Sometimes I'll make a mushroom sauce to go over a cauliflower rather than cheese, just for a change.
One of the best recipes I ever used for mushrooms was one I got from TOH, many years ago which was 4lb mushrooms, 1lb butter and a bottle of red wine - simmer them long and slow, all day. I'd have to look it up to remember what seasonings were in there but I used it for dinner for the men after a curling spiel with steaks etc. Not a one left at the end of the night.
ISO: Recipes using a leek
NYBirder
I have one large leek in the refrigerator that needs to be used up. I have an abundance of soup at the moment and no freezer room so the obvious leek and potato soup isn't an option. Does anyone have any other good recipes for leeks that could be sized for one or two?
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
CanNerd
I have this one in my file which can easily be cut in half for one I think. I usually, however, dehydrate the Leeks I get at the farmers market so it is available at any time.
Leeks with Brown Butter
Leeks are an ancient vegetable and have been grown in Britain for thousand of years.
Servings: 2
3 leeks
1 1/2 ounces butter
2 teaspoons toasted breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 salt -- (to taste)
1. Clean the leeks by washing them in water and cutting away the tops of the green leaves and the roots.
2. Plunge them into a pan of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.
3. Before removing, test to make sure they are cooked by piercing them with a knife.
4. Drain and place in a serving dish.
5. Melt the butter in a separate pan and cook until it sizzles and turns a gold brown.
6. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice and salt and pour over the leeks.
7. Serve immediately.
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
annrms
Rachael Ray made a BLT (bacon, leek, & tomato) mashed potato. I didn't follow her recipe exactly, and it was still very tasty.
Make mashed potatoes for two. Fry 3 slices of bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble.
Slice, wash & drain a large leek. Saute in butter or oil until soft. Add a diced, seeded plum tomato and saute briefly.
Mix into mashed potato. Add a little Parmesan cheese, and season them with salt and pepper (I went heavy on the pepper), to taste. Place each serving in little casserole dishes. Rewarm in microwave.
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
NYBirder
Thanks. Both of these sound good and are now in my files. I'm also thinking about making a quiche with sauteed leek and maybe some ham I have in the freezer.
Chowdah, anyone?
NYBirder
I love chowder, be it clam, fish, seafood, or otherwise. I don't quite know how I did it, but this morning I stumbled on this website from the U. Mass. library--The New England Chowder Compendium. There are vintage chowder recipes dating back as far as the 1700's up until the 1970's. New Englanders take their chowder recipes seriously, and there are a number here that are simple and could easily be cut down. Enjoy browsing through this site--it's fun reading.
www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/chowder/
Here's another site where the first two recipes sound yummy--the Clammy Hands blog at chowdercompendium.wordpress.com/
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
Beema
Boy, what a find, Birdy. Very interesting. I have never taken a liking to seafood chowders, but I love potato and corn chowder... I guess basically the same thing without the fish. Now I have to ask, maybe someone knows, what is the difference between a chowder and a bisque? They both use milk and / or cream - so what makes them different from one another?
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
Tomcatlover
Been making New England Clam Chowder in the crock pot for years now! I entered the recipe in a contest for Simple Delicious magazine- I found the recipe in the early '90's from an email, and have been using it ever since. You make it with evaporated milk, so it works well with the crock pot slow cooking. I've seen many good recipes for slow cookers with chowders. This seems to be a good way to slow cook them!
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
NYBirder
Beema--in re your question about chowder vs. bisque. Chowders are generally more chunky with potatoes. Bisques are smoother with small bits of veggies or whatever. Also, from what I understand chowder is generally a New England term with origins from France where bisque has a Spanish/Western France origin. Today, some of these lines are crossed.
It never takes me very long to make chowder so I've never used a slow cooker--no patience, I guess. My favorite fish chowder takes less than 1/2 hour to put together, even counting cutting the veggies. I use Pacific cod for it but any firm white fish would work. www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Fish-Chowder
I don't like a chowder that's too thick but prefer what I've had traveling in New England that are in a milk base thickened only by the potatoes breaking down. Some restaurant versions have way too many thickening ingredients for my taste. The best one I ever had was in Maine. It was in a light base with a touch of butter and came piled high in the center with all kinds of seafood including lobster. Oh, that was sooooo good!
For years, I have made a corn chowder based on a very old Betty Crocker recipe I cut down in size with bacon, creamed corn, milk and potatoes. It's a pantry soup that I keep coming back to again and again.
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
tastycook1
OK - time for me to chime in on this too as I`ve just made a batch.
My favourite chowder is a chicken corn chowder that I`ve been making for years and this morning`s is somewhat based on that recipe but used also what I wanted to get used up.
Onions and carrots were sauteed in a butter & oil mix along with some celery and garlic. To this I added the chicken stcok from the chicken we had for dinner earlier this week and all the little bits of meat that were left on the carcass. To this I added a couple of diced potatoes, about half can of mushroom soup and a can of creamed corn, a couple of frozen cubes of spinach, some milk and seasonings. That is one good chowder (just had a bowl for lunch).
Hamburger Soup Inspired by Beema
NYBirder
Servings: 4
After Beema mentioned a soup that she had made with a base of condensed tomato soup, I decided to make something similar for myself that would fit some of the requirements of my diet. I used a ready-to-serve high-fiber soup instead of condensed and non-starchy veggies that I had on hand. It's hearty and high-fiber.
1/2 lb. ground beef, 93% lean
1 1/4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/8 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/4 – 1/2 cup celery, chopped
4 oz. kale, shredded
1 can Progresso High-Fiber Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
1 can reduced-sodium beef broth
4 tbsp. pearl barley
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. dried basil or to taste
1 tsp. Better than Bouillon beef base, regular or reduced sodium
4 oz. zucchini, sliced
Water as needed (I ended up adding about 1 1/2 cups as it cooked down and thickened from the barley and more to each serving after it had been refrigerated.)
Spray pan with olive oil and brown ground beef, breaking it up. When it has nicely browned in spots, remove.
Add 1 tsp. olive oil to pan. Add sliced mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Saute on medium heat until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned and onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add ground beef back to pan along with soup, broth, beef base, barley, and basil. Simmer for about 1 hour, add zucchini, and simmer until barley is done. Add additional water, salt and pepper if necessary.
Nutrition count from my recipe software based on 4 servings (using regular beef base):
Per serving: 251 calories, 8.1g total fat, <1g saturated fat, 32mg cholesterol, 921.5mg sodium, 29.2g carbohydrates, 22g net carbohydrates, 7.2g fiber, 8.9g sugar, 18.8g protein.
From Beema: I was lazy when I made my soup and it simmered almost six hours. I did not precook anything, including the 1/2 # hamburger. I used Kitchen Basics beef stock (about 3 cups) and 1 can condensed cream of tomato soup. To that I added onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, 1 can northern beans, shredded cabbage, black pepper, complete seasoning, basil, Worcestershire sauce, a small bit of acini di pepe (tiny pasta for soups) and barley. When it was reheated the second time around, I added a bit more stock....
My grandmother made this when she was cleaning out the fridge, and I can remember having corn, sweet green peas, green beans, potatoes, even noodles added at various different times. She called it "dump soup." Like many soups, it is easy to play with according to what you have on hand. But, it was my idea to add the canned tomato soup instead of tomatoes - and I will continue to do that more often.
Re: Hamburger Soup inspired by Beema
tastycook1
Many years ago, I got a recipe for an Italian beef soup that I use to this day for the curling club. One day, I needed to make it go a bit farther so added some water (having no extra stock at the club). It messed up the seasonings a bit so added a jar of spaghetti sauce that was in the cupboard there. Wow, that really was good and even now, will often replace some of the tomato sauce called for in the recipe with spaghetti sauce
Shrimp Wiggle (was a DH favorite)
thegeema
Make a White Sauce.
4 T butter or margarine (I usually use butter)
4 T flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery salt* (optional)
2 C milk
2 C cooked shrimp (I use 2 –3 cans of small shrimp*)
1 C cooked peas
Crackers (like Ritz or that type)
Melt butter/margarine and blend in flour, salt and celery salt*. Add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add shrimp and peas and heat thoroughly. Serve over crisp crackers. Serves about 6*. *You got to be kidding me! Not at our house!
*If desired, omit celery salt and cook 1/2 cup diced celery in the butter before adding the flour and seasonings for the sauce. Optional: Add 1 T diced pimiento or sprinkle freely with paprika. (I don’t)
P.S. I usually use 1 can of baby shrimp and some small ready to eat frozen shrimp, thawed and cut up.
A funny: DH was from R.I. and loved seafood. I love fish but at first when we had Oyster Stew I wouldn’t eat many oysters but as time went on it was 1 for you and 1 for me!!
Chicken Paprika
tastycook1
Based on a recipe from Canadian Living
3 tsp veg oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
a handful of mixed chopped peppers from the freezer
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 can tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken broth, divided
1 tbsp ap flour
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
In a Dutch oven heat half the oil over medium high heat, brown the chicken in batches. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onions and pepper over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Add tomato paste Stir in half a cup of broth. Return chicken and any juices to the pan, nestling the chicken in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes then remove cover and simmer further until the juices run clear, when chicken is pierced, about 8 minutes. Mix flour with remaining broth and stir into the sauce, simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.
When I tasted this before adding the sour cream, the paprika was a little harsh and I thought there was too much called for in the recipe, but the sour cream really mellowed the paprika. This to us was a keeper
I served this with mashed parsnip/potato mix.
Skillet Spaghetti
thegeema
1 T cooking oil (or olive oil)
1 small onion or 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 C hot water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
4 oz spaghetti
Brown onion in oil, then add ground beef and brown in a small skillet or saucepan. Add tomato sauce, hot water, salt, garlic salt or powder and bring to a boil. Break spaghetti in half, add. Reduce heat to barely boiling. Stir frequently and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Serve with Parmesan Cheese (or cheese of choice).
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
tastycook1
Geema 3 Thumbs up says it all. The only thing I added was some Italian seasoning (didn't measure anything either - just guessed my way thru it).
Lilly - it definitely works. Quick and easy to put together. I had never tried anything like this before so I was wary altho it sounded right up my alley. Will keep this one handy for those nights when I am short of time.
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
thegeema
I made this for my evening meal. I had a healthy serving with parmasan cheese sprinkled over and there is about 2 more good size servings. I cut the orginial recipe in half since I used to make it for my family. With a slice of fresh bread (buttered) it was plenty. Don't remember when I made it last!! Now I also have 1/2 a 15 oz can of tomato sauce to use in something. I think I will add some Italian seasoning to the leftovers. BUT it was okay as is!! IMO LOL, I see you added Italian seasoning. YES!!!!
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
NYBirder
As a variation, I bet this would be nice with Italian sausage substituted for the beef, either regular or turkey, sweet or hot. You could either use slices like little meatballs or take it out of the casing and fry it loose. I'd probably use about 6 oz. since the sausage is rich and drain it really well before adding everything. I do that sometimes when I make skillet goulash with macaroni.
Italian Chicken Sausage and Escarole Soup
NYBirder
I was trying to come up with a supper idea that was both filling and low-cal, low-carb yesterday when I found chicken sausage in the market. I decided to give the Italian sweet sausage variety a try for the first time in place of meatballs in a soup that I have made for years. At the same time, I ran across a fresh herb paste in a tube that sounded good. The recipe below is what came out of it. Chicken sausage comes in many different flavors so this could be the base for many variations.
Italian Chicken Sausage and Escarole Soup
Servings: 2 generous servings of about 1 3/4 cups each
2 links Italian chicken sausage (I used Bilinski’s)
1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil spray
3 cups chicken broth, low-fat and low-sodium plus extra if needed
1/2 tsp. Gourmet Garden Mediterranean Seasoning from a tube*
6 oz. escarole, cut in bite-sized pieces**
2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving
Optional--2 oz. precooked soup-cut pasta such as pastina or orzo
* In place of the herb paste, you can use a small pinch of oregano, basil, and a dash of garlic powder.
** Instead of escarole, I used part of a pre-cut Mediterranean salad mix that was on sale containing escarole, radicchio, endive, and lettuce. Kale would be good in this, too, but may need to be cooked longer depending on how old it is.
Cut the chicken sausage into soup-sized slices or chunks.
Spray a 2-quart saucepan with extra-virgin olive oil and brown the sausage lightly over medium heat.
Add the chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Cut the escarole into spoon-sized pieces. Add to the soup and simmer until it is wilted. Add any pasta just before serving and simmer to warm it up in the broth. If necessary, add additional broth and adjust seasonings. I found that the sausage had enough salt that I didn't need to add any more.
Serve with grated Parmesan or Romano on top and garlic bread as an accompaniment.
Nutrition (per serving calculated with Bilinski’s sausage at 90 cal. per link and without pasta):
192 calories, 4.7g total fat, 3.2g saturated fat, 4.4mg cholesterol, 673.1mg sodium, 8.1g carbohydrates, 5.5g net carbohydrates, 2.6g fiber, <1g sugar, 21g protein
Coq Au Vin - Lilly's simplified but dignified method
16281628/Lilly
Coq au Vin
1 lb pearl onions
8 chicken thighs (with skin and bone)
4 chicken breasts (with skin and bone)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs water
6 oz salt pork, slab bacon, or lardon, cubed (small)
1 lb button mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 (750-ml) bottles red wine, preferably pinot noir
4 Tbs tomato paste
1 medium onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, quartered
8 medium carrots, quartered
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock or broth
Read entire recipe first!!!
1. Add the 2 tablespoons of water to a large, 12-inch saute pan over medium heat along with the salt pork. Cover and cook until the water is gone, and then continue to cook until the salt pork cubes are golden brown and crispy, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the salt pork from the pan and set aside in a gallon baggie or 6-cup plastic container. Move to step #2 while salt pork is cooking.
2. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken pieces, a few at a time, into a large (1 or 2-gallon) sealable plastic bag along with the flour. Shake to coat all of the pieces of the chicken. Remove the chicken from the bag to a metal rack. (This is important - I just learned. Make sure the chicken sits while you cook these following items - it makes the chicken cook faster with less sticking to pan)
3. In the same pan that salt pork was cooked in, using the remaining fat, add the pearl onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until lightly brown, approximately 8 to10 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and add to salt pork (in bag or container), set aside.
4. Next, brown the chicken pieces on each side until golden brown, working in batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the chicken into a 7 to 8-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
5. Add the mushrooms to the same 12-inch saute pan, adding the 1 tablespoon of butter if needed, and saute until they give up their liquid, approximately 5 minutes. Add to onion and salt pork mixture. Store the onions, mushrooms and pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
6. Pour off any remaining fat and then deglaze the pan with approximately 1 cup of the wine. Pour this into the Dutch oven along with the chicken stock, tomato paste, quartered onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Add all of the remaining wine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I place thyme and bay leaves in a bouquet garni for easy removal later)
Sit down and have a glass of wine - you deserve it!
7. The next day, place the Dutch oven into the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. 3 1/2 - 4 horus before you are ready to eat.
8. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender. Maintain a very gentle simmer and stir occasionally.
9. Once the chicken is done, remove it and the carrots to a heat proof container, cover, and place it in the oven to keep warm. Strain the sauce in a colander and remove the onion, celery, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Return the sauce to the pot, place over medium-high heat, and reduce by 1/3. Depending on how much liquid you actually began with, this should take 20 to 45 minutes. (it always takes close to an hour for me) Consider if thickening of sauce needs to be done. (I have nto needed to thicken.)
(This can cook down while you and your guests are having appetizers and more wine!) It is that simple on the second day!)
10. Once the sauce has thickened, add the pearl onions, mushrooms, and pork and cook for another 15 minutes or until the heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, remove from the heat, add the chicken and serve. Serve over mashed potatoes if desired.
Servings: 14+
Tips
Cook’s Note: If the sauce is not thick enough at the end of reducing, you may add a mixture of equal parts butter and flour kneaded together. Start with 1 tablespoon of each. Whisk this into the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes and repeat, if necessary.
Source
Author: Originally from Alton Brown - however I have rewritten the entire recipe portion.
Source: Good Eats Episode: Cuckoo for Coq Au Vin
Now give me some time and I will try to figure out the Crock Pot version I made.
2012 November Recipes
1. Chart for onion sizes
2. At tip for Mushroom Lovers
3. Recipes using leeks
4. Links to Chowder Recipes
5. Hamburger Soup
6. Shrimp Wiggle
7. Chicken Paprika
8. Skillet Spaghetti
9. Italian Chicken Sausage & Escarole Soup
10. Coq au Vin, ala Lilly
How large are your onions?
NYBirder
So many recipe directions call for large, medium, or small onions--but does anyone really know what that means? One person's idea of size could be pretty different from another's. If you haven't done much cooking, relying on experience doesn't help.
Of course, being a little off doesn't usually make a big difference, but when you're making a recipe for the first time it's nice to follow it as closely as possible. And if you don't have the right-sized onion on hand, it's easy to substitute if you know a more definite measurement. As a result of checking a number of different sources, I have been using this rule of thumb that works for me:
Large onion - 16 oz. - about 2 cups chopped
Medium onion - 8 oz. - about 1 cup chopped
Small onion - 4 oz. - about 1/2 cup chopped
If you are cooking small and don't like having odds and ends of cut onions hanging around in the refrigerator, buy a few of the creaming-size white or yellow onions to have on hand--not pearl but the next larger size. They should yield a few tablespoons of diced onion without leftovers.
Re: How large are your onions?
Beema
Interesting topic, Birdy.... in one of the other forums there was a recent discussion similar to this about the size of garlic cloves. Your chart should be very helpful to learning cooks, and I am going to pass this along to Sarah, my granddaughter.
By the way, because we use a lot of chopped sweet onions, and bell peppers, too, I keep a ziploc baggie in the freezer full of chopped onion and one for chopped peppers. This really comes in handy when I need some for soups, stir fry, casseroles, etc. They lose a bit of their crisp so I don't usually use them in salads. A few taps on the outside of the baggie with the back of a table knife will break apart the amount of onion you need.
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
I do this with strips of bell pepper--both red and green--for making sausage and peppers. The pepper breaks down in cooking anyway so freezing them doesn't make any difference.
I was reminded about this topic this morning when watching America's Test Kitchen and a similar question came up from a viewer. I was please to find out that they agree with the numbers I had tracked down. I started checking out the onion size issue when I had to keep track of carbs when controlling my blood sugar. They have a surprising amount of carbs in them so you need to have a more accurate idea of how much you are using. Having a measurement that's more precise helps a lot when calculating nutrition numbers in my recipe software.
The size of garlic cloves aren't a problem for me--not because of my diet but because I like it so much I usually get carried away anyhow! If you get a whiff of garlic down there in Florida, you'll know the wind is coming from the direction of my house!
Re: How large are your onions?
Willie3
I'd like to see a small onion in our store. We only have an Albertsons store in our town, and they are never small ones. I need to start chopping the leftover part and freezing it so I don't waste so much. Glad somebody reminded me.
Re: How large are your onions?
tastycook1
When I was growing up in the UK, measurements were always by weight and every kitchen had a set of scales. I still use mine a lot - much more accurate, especially for baking
Re: How large are your onions?
16281628/Lilly
What a fun topic! I rarely measure onions, peppers, etc! I am sure I use more than what the recipe calls for!!! I love them - along with the other vegies and I just try to maintain something reasonable and in proportion to each other things. If it calls for a small onion - and I don't have small then I cut one in half, etc - bu htat is still probably too much. My large is probably an XL. I think produce is a lot bigger than when I was growing up and bigger than homegrown. I just use it or it might go to waste. I have never thought - wow this has too much onion, or this has too much pepper. And Birdy - I almost always double my garlic! And only use fresh. As for spices - I am generous. Almost double and have never had bitter or overwhelming taste of something - I just like things very seasoned - except for too much salt - I never increase the salt. Only add salt at end if it is needed. In most of my recipes I have noticed the the pepper is always 1/2 the salt - I always double the pepper to make it the same as the salt - and it is never over the top, too hot or too peppery.
Recipes - once I have made something a couple of times are just a guideline! I almost always have to pull a recipe out - even for simple things like beef BBQ (sloppy joes) - but then just follow enough to make sure I get the right ingredients and don't forget anything.
So that is how I cook!
Re: How large are your onions?
Beema
A little-known fun factoid about onions, the sweet ones, like Vidalia: I am sure you have noticed that some onions are round, and others are a kind of flat round, like someone pushed down on the top and made it a bit flat. The round ones are male onions and the flat ones are female, and the female onion is more flavorful and sweeter than the male. No kidding. I mentioned this about a year ago in another forum and had a guy who studied agriculture at two universities swear up and down that because he had never heard of it, it couldn't be true.... but, true it is. True to my gender, I always buy the female onion....
I also read somewhere that a good way to store onions was to put them into an old nylon stocking and hang the stocking in a dark closet.... this works for about as long it would if you stored them in the usual bin in your kitchen. I did that once, several years ago, and forgot they were there..... need I say I had onions growing sprouts everywhere, and I had to totally fumagate that closet. No moths ever invaded there, but the blankets took forever to air out. We went into a bed that smelled like an old sock.
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
Somehow I missed this post, Beema. I don't think there's anything that smells quite as bad as a rotten onion--unless it's a rotten potato!
There isn't anything as sublime as caramelized onions in my opinion. I'm usually disappointed when a restaurant uses that term on their menu and the onions are served barely brown. I was watching one of Julia Child's very early shows last week when she made French onion soup and she cooked them until they were the color of mahogany--it takes a good 30 minutes on low for that to happen. And a whole pot of raw onions cooks down to barely a cup--but what flavor! I've made that recipe over and over and it's always wonderful and inexpensive, too.
I live near an onion-growing area. In the spring, they clean out their warehouses and dump the onions that weren't shipped for one reason or another along a dirt road on their land where we bird. When I was a girl, my mother would often go through the culls and bring some home for cooking. Quite a few of them are still good--just not pretty. This spring, I think I will pick up some and try them for soup. Can't beat the price!
Re: How large are your onions?
NYBirder
I just ran into a good suggestion when I was surfing the web.
If you need just a small amount of onion for a casserole, etc. and don't want to cut into a too-big onion, try using a shallot. They are on the mild side with a flavor like an onion with hints of garlic. Shallots have become much less expensive and are generally available in almost every market these days.
Re: How large are your onions?
tastycook1
Altho' I prefer to use fresh onions, I always keep some chopped dried onion as well as onion powder in the spie cupboard. It's handy if I'm really short on time or just want a tiny bit. This year I also have bags of chopped onions in the freezer, that came from our own garden. Found last year they didn't keep too well.
A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
NYBirder
I love mushrooms. As a bonus, they very good for you. Most mushrooms are good sources of B vitamins, selenium, iron, and other minerals. And I just found out that although they aren't usually a source of vitamin D, if they are exposed to UV light, such as sunshine, they make vitamin D just like our bodies do. Who would've thought? As another bonus, besides being very tasty they are also low in calories and a useful way to bulk up recipes to reduced the amount of meat you're cooking.
One of the things I find most frustrating about cooking for one is the problem of using up mushrooms before they turn funky on me. The best prices for sales are usually for 8 oz. - 10 oz. packages. Even though I'm a mushroom lover, eating them up can be a challenge. I don't think you can freeze fresh uncooked mushrooms--at least I've never tried it. If you freeze cooked, they sometimes get tough, although that isn't necessarily a put-off depending on what you're making.
I just ran across the most interesting article about a way of cooking mushrooms that goes against just about every "rule" I've heard for years. And this method keeps them from soaking up fat and oil like little sponges. Check it out and see what you think. Also, there are some suggested recipes with the article for using up extra cooked mushrooms that sound interesting. cookingfortwo.about.com/od/techniques/tp/A-New-Way-To-Cook-Mushrooms.htm?nl=1
What do you do with a package of mushrooms? Do you have any favorite ways of cooking them? Or storage suggestions to extend their life?
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
c3clark
I like the idea of cooking mushrooms that way. I'm going to do that next time I buy some. There's a fruit market near us that sells bulk whole white mushrooms really cheap---$1.29 per pound. They have both paper and plastic bags to put them in. I always use the paper bag cause they stay fresh a lot longer in paper. I used to watch the Urban Peasant on TV all the time and James Barber said that he likes to buy the older mushrooms that are already a bit wrinkled since they have lost some of their moisture you're getting more for your money. I recently bought his book, Mushrooms are Marvelous, but haven't made anything from it yet. Sometimes I'll slice and fry a bunch of mushrooms and freeze them in small bags. I thought that they always tasted good when I'd add them to spaghetti sauce or stir fries. But I'm not always that ambitious!
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
Beema
None of the cooks in my family prepared anything with mushrooms, so it wasn't until I moved to Florida, the nation's second largest producer of mushrooms, that I began to cook them and to love them. I could eat a whole bowl or saute'd mushrooms and nothing else. And, since I didn't know how to cook them, had never read anything about the "rules," I just figured they would be cooked the same way you'd cook any other vegetable, boil them in water.
Once my kids were grown and time became available to play with my food, I learned many different things about cooking but kind of stuck with some of my original methods because they worked for me. So, without knowing, I have been using the method recommended in this article for many years. Every now and then I will vary, especially if I am sauteing other things too, like onions and green peppers all at the same time, but I discovered even then that the mushrooms release a lot of liquid so I start out with just a little liquid, usually a cooking wine, beer or unsweetened cranberry juice as opposed to oil.
Freezing cooked mushrooms has never been a problem.... I put them in a small portion sized baggie, with a bit of their natural liquid. I add the cooked mushrooms to soups, pasta sauces, scrambled eggs, quiche, meatloaf, stuffed green peppers, chili, you name it. I add them raw to pizza toppings but I cut them into tiny pieces to be sure they cook in those few minutes in the oven.
I have to admit to using canned mushroom stems and pieces for some recipes, usually when I am in a hurry or when a recipe calls for the canned product. With the canned mushrooms, if you don't use the whole can, the rest can be put into a small container with the liquid from the can and stored in the fridge for about a month.
Re: A Tip for Mushroom Lovers
tastycook1
Interesting how we all use them differently. We rarely have any leftover for long. I'll add them to just about anything if I have a few hanging around. Certainly stews, soups and spaghetti sauce. I rarely use tinned - they don't quite seem the same to me - too perfect. Sometimes I'll make a mushroom sauce to go over a cauliflower rather than cheese, just for a change.
One of the best recipes I ever used for mushrooms was one I got from TOH, many years ago which was 4lb mushrooms, 1lb butter and a bottle of red wine - simmer them long and slow, all day. I'd have to look it up to remember what seasonings were in there but I used it for dinner for the men after a curling spiel with steaks etc. Not a one left at the end of the night.
ISO: Recipes using a leek
NYBirder
I have one large leek in the refrigerator that needs to be used up. I have an abundance of soup at the moment and no freezer room so the obvious leek and potato soup isn't an option. Does anyone have any other good recipes for leeks that could be sized for one or two?
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
CanNerd
I have this one in my file which can easily be cut in half for one I think. I usually, however, dehydrate the Leeks I get at the farmers market so it is available at any time.
Leeks with Brown Butter
Leeks are an ancient vegetable and have been grown in Britain for thousand of years.
Servings: 2
3 leeks
1 1/2 ounces butter
2 teaspoons toasted breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 salt -- (to taste)
1. Clean the leeks by washing them in water and cutting away the tops of the green leaves and the roots.
2. Plunge them into a pan of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.
3. Before removing, test to make sure they are cooked by piercing them with a knife.
4. Drain and place in a serving dish.
5. Melt the butter in a separate pan and cook until it sizzles and turns a gold brown.
6. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice and salt and pour over the leeks.
7. Serve immediately.
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
annrms
Rachael Ray made a BLT (bacon, leek, & tomato) mashed potato. I didn't follow her recipe exactly, and it was still very tasty.
Make mashed potatoes for two. Fry 3 slices of bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble.
Slice, wash & drain a large leek. Saute in butter or oil until soft. Add a diced, seeded plum tomato and saute briefly.
Mix into mashed potato. Add a little Parmesan cheese, and season them with salt and pepper (I went heavy on the pepper), to taste. Place each serving in little casserole dishes. Rewarm in microwave.
Re: ISO: Recipes using a leek
NYBirder
Thanks. Both of these sound good and are now in my files. I'm also thinking about making a quiche with sauteed leek and maybe some ham I have in the freezer.
Chowdah, anyone?
NYBirder
I love chowder, be it clam, fish, seafood, or otherwise. I don't quite know how I did it, but this morning I stumbled on this website from the U. Mass. library--The New England Chowder Compendium. There are vintage chowder recipes dating back as far as the 1700's up until the 1970's. New Englanders take their chowder recipes seriously, and there are a number here that are simple and could easily be cut down. Enjoy browsing through this site--it's fun reading.
www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/chowder/
Here's another site where the first two recipes sound yummy--the Clammy Hands blog at chowdercompendium.wordpress.com/
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
Beema
Boy, what a find, Birdy. Very interesting. I have never taken a liking to seafood chowders, but I love potato and corn chowder... I guess basically the same thing without the fish. Now I have to ask, maybe someone knows, what is the difference between a chowder and a bisque? They both use milk and / or cream - so what makes them different from one another?
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
Tomcatlover
Been making New England Clam Chowder in the crock pot for years now! I entered the recipe in a contest for Simple Delicious magazine- I found the recipe in the early '90's from an email, and have been using it ever since. You make it with evaporated milk, so it works well with the crock pot slow cooking. I've seen many good recipes for slow cookers with chowders. This seems to be a good way to slow cook them!
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
NYBirder
Beema--in re your question about chowder vs. bisque. Chowders are generally more chunky with potatoes. Bisques are smoother with small bits of veggies or whatever. Also, from what I understand chowder is generally a New England term with origins from France where bisque has a Spanish/Western France origin. Today, some of these lines are crossed.
It never takes me very long to make chowder so I've never used a slow cooker--no patience, I guess. My favorite fish chowder takes less than 1/2 hour to put together, even counting cutting the veggies. I use Pacific cod for it but any firm white fish would work. www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Fish-Chowder
I don't like a chowder that's too thick but prefer what I've had traveling in New England that are in a milk base thickened only by the potatoes breaking down. Some restaurant versions have way too many thickening ingredients for my taste. The best one I ever had was in Maine. It was in a light base with a touch of butter and came piled high in the center with all kinds of seafood including lobster. Oh, that was sooooo good!
For years, I have made a corn chowder based on a very old Betty Crocker recipe I cut down in size with bacon, creamed corn, milk and potatoes. It's a pantry soup that I keep coming back to again and again.
Re: Chowdah, anyone?
tastycook1
OK - time for me to chime in on this too as I`ve just made a batch.
My favourite chowder is a chicken corn chowder that I`ve been making for years and this morning`s is somewhat based on that recipe but used also what I wanted to get used up.
Onions and carrots were sauteed in a butter & oil mix along with some celery and garlic. To this I added the chicken stcok from the chicken we had for dinner earlier this week and all the little bits of meat that were left on the carcass. To this I added a couple of diced potatoes, about half can of mushroom soup and a can of creamed corn, a couple of frozen cubes of spinach, some milk and seasonings. That is one good chowder (just had a bowl for lunch).
Hamburger Soup Inspired by Beema
NYBirder
Servings: 4
After Beema mentioned a soup that she had made with a base of condensed tomato soup, I decided to make something similar for myself that would fit some of the requirements of my diet. I used a ready-to-serve high-fiber soup instead of condensed and non-starchy veggies that I had on hand. It's hearty and high-fiber.
1/2 lb. ground beef, 93% lean
1 1/4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/8 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/4 – 1/2 cup celery, chopped
4 oz. kale, shredded
1 can Progresso High-Fiber Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
1 can reduced-sodium beef broth
4 tbsp. pearl barley
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. dried basil or to taste
1 tsp. Better than Bouillon beef base, regular or reduced sodium
4 oz. zucchini, sliced
Water as needed (I ended up adding about 1 1/2 cups as it cooked down and thickened from the barley and more to each serving after it had been refrigerated.)
Spray pan with olive oil and brown ground beef, breaking it up. When it has nicely browned in spots, remove.
Add 1 tsp. olive oil to pan. Add sliced mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Saute on medium heat until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned and onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add ground beef back to pan along with soup, broth, beef base, barley, and basil. Simmer for about 1 hour, add zucchini, and simmer until barley is done. Add additional water, salt and pepper if necessary.
Nutrition count from my recipe software based on 4 servings (using regular beef base):
Per serving: 251 calories, 8.1g total fat, <1g saturated fat, 32mg cholesterol, 921.5mg sodium, 29.2g carbohydrates, 22g net carbohydrates, 7.2g fiber, 8.9g sugar, 18.8g protein.
From Beema: I was lazy when I made my soup and it simmered almost six hours. I did not precook anything, including the 1/2 # hamburger. I used Kitchen Basics beef stock (about 3 cups) and 1 can condensed cream of tomato soup. To that I added onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, 1 can northern beans, shredded cabbage, black pepper, complete seasoning, basil, Worcestershire sauce, a small bit of acini di pepe (tiny pasta for soups) and barley. When it was reheated the second time around, I added a bit more stock....
My grandmother made this when she was cleaning out the fridge, and I can remember having corn, sweet green peas, green beans, potatoes, even noodles added at various different times. She called it "dump soup." Like many soups, it is easy to play with according to what you have on hand. But, it was my idea to add the canned tomato soup instead of tomatoes - and I will continue to do that more often.
Re: Hamburger Soup inspired by Beema
tastycook1
Many years ago, I got a recipe for an Italian beef soup that I use to this day for the curling club. One day, I needed to make it go a bit farther so added some water (having no extra stock at the club). It messed up the seasonings a bit so added a jar of spaghetti sauce that was in the cupboard there. Wow, that really was good and even now, will often replace some of the tomato sauce called for in the recipe with spaghetti sauce
Shrimp Wiggle (was a DH favorite)
thegeema
Make a White Sauce.
4 T butter or margarine (I usually use butter)
4 T flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery salt* (optional)
2 C milk
2 C cooked shrimp (I use 2 –3 cans of small shrimp*)
1 C cooked peas
Crackers (like Ritz or that type)
Melt butter/margarine and blend in flour, salt and celery salt*. Add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add shrimp and peas and heat thoroughly. Serve over crisp crackers. Serves about 6*. *You got to be kidding me! Not at our house!
*If desired, omit celery salt and cook 1/2 cup diced celery in the butter before adding the flour and seasonings for the sauce. Optional: Add 1 T diced pimiento or sprinkle freely with paprika. (I don’t)
P.S. I usually use 1 can of baby shrimp and some small ready to eat frozen shrimp, thawed and cut up.
A funny: DH was from R.I. and loved seafood. I love fish but at first when we had Oyster Stew I wouldn’t eat many oysters but as time went on it was 1 for you and 1 for me!!
Chicken Paprika
tastycook1
Based on a recipe from Canadian Living
3 tsp veg oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
a handful of mixed chopped peppers from the freezer
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 can tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken broth, divided
1 tbsp ap flour
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
In a Dutch oven heat half the oil over medium high heat, brown the chicken in batches. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onions and pepper over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Add tomato paste Stir in half a cup of broth. Return chicken and any juices to the pan, nestling the chicken in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes then remove cover and simmer further until the juices run clear, when chicken is pierced, about 8 minutes. Mix flour with remaining broth and stir into the sauce, simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.
When I tasted this before adding the sour cream, the paprika was a little harsh and I thought there was too much called for in the recipe, but the sour cream really mellowed the paprika. This to us was a keeper
I served this with mashed parsnip/potato mix.
Skillet Spaghetti
thegeema
1 T cooking oil (or olive oil)
1 small onion or 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 C hot water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
4 oz spaghetti
Brown onion in oil, then add ground beef and brown in a small skillet or saucepan. Add tomato sauce, hot water, salt, garlic salt or powder and bring to a boil. Break spaghetti in half, add. Reduce heat to barely boiling. Stir frequently and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Serve with Parmesan Cheese (or cheese of choice).
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
tastycook1
Geema 3 Thumbs up says it all. The only thing I added was some Italian seasoning (didn't measure anything either - just guessed my way thru it).
Lilly - it definitely works. Quick and easy to put together. I had never tried anything like this before so I was wary altho it sounded right up my alley. Will keep this one handy for those nights when I am short of time.
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
thegeema
I made this for my evening meal. I had a healthy serving with parmasan cheese sprinkled over and there is about 2 more good size servings. I cut the orginial recipe in half since I used to make it for my family. With a slice of fresh bread (buttered) it was plenty. Don't remember when I made it last!! Now I also have 1/2 a 15 oz can of tomato sauce to use in something. I think I will add some Italian seasoning to the leftovers. BUT it was okay as is!! IMO LOL, I see you added Italian seasoning. YES!!!!
Re: Skillet Spaghetti
NYBirder
As a variation, I bet this would be nice with Italian sausage substituted for the beef, either regular or turkey, sweet or hot. You could either use slices like little meatballs or take it out of the casing and fry it loose. I'd probably use about 6 oz. since the sausage is rich and drain it really well before adding everything. I do that sometimes when I make skillet goulash with macaroni.
Italian Chicken Sausage and Escarole Soup
NYBirder
I was trying to come up with a supper idea that was both filling and low-cal, low-carb yesterday when I found chicken sausage in the market. I decided to give the Italian sweet sausage variety a try for the first time in place of meatballs in a soup that I have made for years. At the same time, I ran across a fresh herb paste in a tube that sounded good. The recipe below is what came out of it. Chicken sausage comes in many different flavors so this could be the base for many variations.
Italian Chicken Sausage and Escarole Soup
Servings: 2 generous servings of about 1 3/4 cups each
2 links Italian chicken sausage (I used Bilinski’s)
1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil spray
3 cups chicken broth, low-fat and low-sodium plus extra if needed
1/2 tsp. Gourmet Garden Mediterranean Seasoning from a tube*
6 oz. escarole, cut in bite-sized pieces**
2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving
Optional--2 oz. precooked soup-cut pasta such as pastina or orzo
* In place of the herb paste, you can use a small pinch of oregano, basil, and a dash of garlic powder.
** Instead of escarole, I used part of a pre-cut Mediterranean salad mix that was on sale containing escarole, radicchio, endive, and lettuce. Kale would be good in this, too, but may need to be cooked longer depending on how old it is.
Cut the chicken sausage into soup-sized slices or chunks.
Spray a 2-quart saucepan with extra-virgin olive oil and brown the sausage lightly over medium heat.
Add the chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Cut the escarole into spoon-sized pieces. Add to the soup and simmer until it is wilted. Add any pasta just before serving and simmer to warm it up in the broth. If necessary, add additional broth and adjust seasonings. I found that the sausage had enough salt that I didn't need to add any more.
Serve with grated Parmesan or Romano on top and garlic bread as an accompaniment.
Nutrition (per serving calculated with Bilinski’s sausage at 90 cal. per link and without pasta):
192 calories, 4.7g total fat, 3.2g saturated fat, 4.4mg cholesterol, 673.1mg sodium, 8.1g carbohydrates, 5.5g net carbohydrates, 2.6g fiber, <1g sugar, 21g protein
Coq Au Vin - Lilly's simplified but dignified method
16281628/Lilly
Coq au Vin
1 lb pearl onions
8 chicken thighs (with skin and bone)
4 chicken breasts (with skin and bone)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs water
6 oz salt pork, slab bacon, or lardon, cubed (small)
1 lb button mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 (750-ml) bottles red wine, preferably pinot noir
4 Tbs tomato paste
1 medium onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, quartered
8 medium carrots, quartered
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock or broth
Read entire recipe first!!!
1. Add the 2 tablespoons of water to a large, 12-inch saute pan over medium heat along with the salt pork. Cover and cook until the water is gone, and then continue to cook until the salt pork cubes are golden brown and crispy, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the salt pork from the pan and set aside in a gallon baggie or 6-cup plastic container. Move to step #2 while salt pork is cooking.
2. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken pieces, a few at a time, into a large (1 or 2-gallon) sealable plastic bag along with the flour. Shake to coat all of the pieces of the chicken. Remove the chicken from the bag to a metal rack. (This is important - I just learned. Make sure the chicken sits while you cook these following items - it makes the chicken cook faster with less sticking to pan)
3. In the same pan that salt pork was cooked in, using the remaining fat, add the pearl onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until lightly brown, approximately 8 to10 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and add to salt pork (in bag or container), set aside.
4. Next, brown the chicken pieces on each side until golden brown, working in batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the chicken into a 7 to 8-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
5. Add the mushrooms to the same 12-inch saute pan, adding the 1 tablespoon of butter if needed, and saute until they give up their liquid, approximately 5 minutes. Add to onion and salt pork mixture. Store the onions, mushrooms and pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
6. Pour off any remaining fat and then deglaze the pan with approximately 1 cup of the wine. Pour this into the Dutch oven along with the chicken stock, tomato paste, quartered onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Add all of the remaining wine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I place thyme and bay leaves in a bouquet garni for easy removal later)
Sit down and have a glass of wine - you deserve it!
7. The next day, place the Dutch oven into the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. 3 1/2 - 4 horus before you are ready to eat.
8. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender. Maintain a very gentle simmer and stir occasionally.
9. Once the chicken is done, remove it and the carrots to a heat proof container, cover, and place it in the oven to keep warm. Strain the sauce in a colander and remove the onion, celery, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Return the sauce to the pot, place over medium-high heat, and reduce by 1/3. Depending on how much liquid you actually began with, this should take 20 to 45 minutes. (it always takes close to an hour for me) Consider if thickening of sauce needs to be done. (I have nto needed to thicken.)
(This can cook down while you and your guests are having appetizers and more wine!) It is that simple on the second day!)
10. Once the sauce has thickened, add the pearl onions, mushrooms, and pork and cook for another 15 minutes or until the heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, remove from the heat, add the chicken and serve. Serve over mashed potatoes if desired.
Servings: 14+
Tips
Cook’s Note: If the sauce is not thick enough at the end of reducing, you may add a mixture of equal parts butter and flour kneaded together. Start with 1 tablespoon of each. Whisk this into the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes and repeat, if necessary.
Source
Author: Originally from Alton Brown - however I have rewritten the entire recipe portion.
Source: Good Eats Episode: Cuckoo for Coq Au Vin
Now give me some time and I will try to figure out the Crock Pot version I made.