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Mastering the Art of Mom Cooking


Exchange your everyday recipes with others to add some variety to those 365 dinners you make every year.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Shrimp, Lemon, and Herb Fettuccine Recipe


Oh, my I love it, love it. It was so very good and super easy to make. This is one of the best recipes I have tried so far. Just a few minor changes. In lieu of white wine, I used sparkling white grape juice, also, I have no idea what kamut spaghetti is so I just used fettuccine. Lastly, the red pepper does give it quite a quick so you may want to half the amount if you are not a fan of spice, but it was just enough for me. 

YIELD
 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME
 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 pound kamut spaghetti
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 pound rock shrimp or small shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 1/4 cup dry white wine
    • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • Parmesan cheese, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
    2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add garlic and shrimp and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring rarely, until shrimp are cooked through and slightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the alcohol smell has cooked off, about 30 seconds, add red pepper flakes and lemon juice and stir to combine.
    3. Add reserved pasta, reserved cooking liquid, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and lemon zest to the pan and stir to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Indian Spiced Chicken

This recipe had so many ingredients, but it was very good. Its a mildly sweet dish, not spicy at all. Make sure you use regular yogurt, I used greek. I think it took away from the sweetness. The raisins really make the dish, I may up the quantity next time. Also I did not use basmati rice, it's super expensive, so I just used white and cooked it before adding it in. Lastly,  the phyllo dough was great, but I am tempted to try toasted coconut instead.

Indian Spiced Chicken
 YIELD Serves 4

NGREDIENTS

    • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the dish
    • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 carrots, diced
    • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
    • 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
    • 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
    • 1/2 cup golden raisins
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
    • 1 cup basmati rice
    • 6 to 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed (optional)
    • 4 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Heat oven to 400° F.
    2. Cut each thigh in half. Season the pieces with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
    3. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
    4. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the broth and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, for 1 minute.
    5. Add the cinnamon, ginger, and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the yogurt. Stir in the raisins, almonds, rice, and browned chicken.
    6. Transfer to an oiled 8-by-11-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole. If using the phyllo, butter the tops of 6 sheets, stack them on top of one another, and place on the casserole, molding to fit. If not using the phyllo, cover the casserole with foil. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Trying to use up a ham-bone

Duane is really into pork. So about once every three months or so we buy a spiral-cut ham (yum) and then freeze it in small baggies and eat it for breakfast meat and in other dishes but it means we sometimes stockpile the soup bones. I have been wanting to use one but none of the usual recipes sounded yummy so I just kind of made something up. It turned out to be delicious so I'll share my concoction with you!

I put a layer of dry pinto beans on the bottom of my crock pot and added the ham bone (with lots of leftover bits of meat on it), a pitcher full of water and a heaping tablespoon of chicken bullion. I put the crock pot on low for about 4 hours before I added some pealed and cubed potatoes and carrots along with a chopped up onion, some pepper, garlic, thyme, basil, and some extra chicken stock to taste. I took out the ham bone and let it cool. When the potatoes were done I added back the ham meat. At the last second I threw in some frozen okra for greens and some leftover mini pasta noodles I had around. I served it with garlic bread. Yum!

I love when an culinary experiment turns out well!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Greek Penne Pasta and Garlic Green Beans


Ok, so it did not turn out looking quite like this, but it will still yummy. I halfed the recipe and it was more than enough for my hubby and me, plus leftovers for lunch. Be sure to really rinse the artichoke hearts, if not it can be a bit on the vinegary side. My husband does not like tomatoes or artichokes, so it says alot when he ate it up. Very quick and easy.

Greek Penne and Chicken

Yield4 servings Active Time20 Min Total Time50 Min
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Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1.In a large pot with boiling salted water cook penne pasta until al dente. Drain.
2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter, add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped chicken and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3.Reduce heat to medium- low. Drain and chop artichoke hearts and add them, chopped tomato, feta cheese, fresh parsley, lemon juice, dried oregano, and drained penne pasta to the large skillet. Cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4.Season with salt and ground black pepper. Serve warm.
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I paired the pasta with this green bean recipe. Again so easy and just a hint of flavor to help you eat your veggies for the day. I am a bit of a garlic fan so I just left them in rather than picking them out, it really does not change anything. Enjoy.

Green Beans with Toasted Garlic

Yield4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
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Ingredients

1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

1.Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add beans; cook 5 minutes. Plunge beans into ice water; drain.
2.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil; swirl until butter melts. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Remove garlic; set aside. Add beans; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, tossing frequently. Top with garlic.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin


These were very yummy, but very spicy. I did not have a whole loin, but I did have some loin chops, so I just marinated those instead and cooked them in a skillet. Next time I will definitely cut the amount of chipotle powder in half and maybe add a touch more brown sugar. Also, I used real garlic. I prefer it to the powder. But I just love garlic anyway.
This is a good recipe for adults, but I would not recommend it for kids. My husband yummed them up, but he was sweeting. LOL
Yield
6 servings

Active Time
15 Min

Total Time
35 Min

Ingredients
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins


Instructions
1.Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
2.In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chile powder, salt, and brown sugar. Place tenderloins in bag and shake, coating meat evenly. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
3.Lightly oil grill grate, and arrange meat on grate. Cook for 20 minutes, turning meat every 5 minutes. Remove from grill, let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nuts

Here is this week's recipe. I would give it 3 stars. Good, but not fantastic, as all the fancy ingredients might imply. When you get a real good bite of chicken and the stuffing, it really does taste good. But you only get one or two good bites towards the middle of the chicken breast. Also the outside of the chicken,does not have much flavor. Not gross, just bland. I think when I try this recipe, I will be seasoning the outside with perhaps garlic. I had some left over filling and I put it in the middle of some crescent rolls, now that was yummy.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed chicken breast half)


Ingredients
5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350°.
2.Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach to pan; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing constantly. Place spinach in a colander; press until barely moist. Wipe pan clean.
3.Combine spinach, cheese, nuts, thyme, juice, and garlic. Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 3 tablespoons filling into each pocket. Seal with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
4.Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Add broth, and cover pan. Place pan in oven. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until done.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Friend Reccomended...

http://www.pepperplate.com/sharedrecipe.aspx?id=bc4a5b6d-45b0-49d7-b6ff-7f1d6b101cb9

Looks good!