Sunday, May 10, 2009

Delicious Fried Rice

So my hubs and son LOVE Chinese food, but because of my allergy to MSG we cannot eat it out together. Usually that is take out and bring home for them and I get something else. But I do like Chinese food when there is no MSG involved. So I often make Cashew Chicken and Fried rice.

My cashew chicken is so easy you don't really need a recipe. I just double dip chicken breast in egg and milk then flour then egg milk and flour then deep fry. I know so nutritious =)

And for the gravy I use Tamari and water and bring it to a boil and then make a slurry (cornstarch and water) and add to thicken it. It really is just to taste. I don't ever measure the Tamari and water, I just taste it. Soy sauce really doesn't work very good. Tamari is an aged soy sauce with a much richer flavor ~~ it's our fave.

But for the rice I have a recipe that is a combo of things I've tried and this one works well.

STIR FRIED RICE

1 Tbl oil
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbl Tamari (can use soy sauce)
2 cups rice
2 green onions chopped

Boil chicken broth, add rice, cook 5 mins (or until broth is absorbed). Move rice to side and add oil. Cook eggs in oil and add soy sauce and green onions at the end. It is really simple and Oh So Good!!! So please enjoy ~~ YUMMEE!!

Happy Cooking,
Dawn

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Spanish Rice with Chorizo ~~ Better known as Yummness in a Bowl ~~

So we tried a new recipe tonight. I heart new recipes (most of the time =)

There is a little history with me and Chorizo (which is Spanish Sausage). My BFF Carrie (Spanish teacher extraordinaire =) told me about it last year. Well, I went and found some at the store and was reading the ingredients (because, well, that's what I do), and lo and behold if it didn't say saliva glands ~~ what? Yes you read that right: saliva glands. Like those things in a pigs mouth that makes their mouth water, kind of saliva glands. Okay so, yeah I don't eat saliva glands.

So Carrie and I have gotten a big laugh out of that, and when her and her hubs eat Chorizo in anything, he'll pat his stomach and say, "MMMMM good saliva glands." There is just something messed up about that but,........moving on =)

Well, needless to say I have never fixed it for my family. Well, I was in the store in the vegetarian section and saw they had soy-chorizo, with NO saliva glands. So I bought it, because frankly I dig me a good vegetarian dish. Well today I was looking through some recipes and found this recipe. So when my BFF came by this afternoon to pick me up and take me to her new, beautiful house, I told her I had a recipe for saliva glands and asked her if she knew they made Chorizo in soy. Well she didn't and frankly I think she thought that was weird. And truth be told, it is kind of weird, because Chorizo is made with pork and well there is no pork in soy, you get it, anyway.......... =)

When I got home I made this recipe and it was actually delish even with the soy chorizo. So whether you use soy or regular chorizo, you should try this one out. It is yummee and spicy, and now you have a good story to tell about your friend in MO and her problem with eating saliva glands......just sayin' =)


Spanish Rice with Chorizo

1/2 package Chorizo Sausage (fully-cooked)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups instant rice (I use brown ~~ yep just the way we roll around here =)
1/2 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup chicken broth or water
1 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze Chorizo out of casing and cook with bell pepper and yellow onion in skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until pepper and onion is tender, stirring frequently. Add rice, tomatoes, chicken broth (or water) and green onions. Mix well.

Increase heat to high. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with torilla chips.

Side note: Dak likes his served with hot sauce too. (That's a little much for me, but what can I say, the boy likes his hot sauce =)

Enjoy.

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Monday, May 4, 2009

Hubb's Favorite Applesauce Brownies!!!

Go ahead and try these babies. These are my hubs fav!!!!!

He actually brought this recipe home from work. I know. There is a lady that is a tremendous cook and made this and my hubs just couldn't get enough. So he asked for the recipe and she obliged. Thanks Jean!!!

Applesauce Brownies

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tb cocoa
2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, unbeaten
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup nuts (optional, but really are nuts ever optional? not in our house ~~ but they may be totally optional in ya'll's and that's cool =)

Combine all ingredients and beat one minute. Pour into a greased 9"x13" pan.

Topping: (Here's the good part =)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 cup chocolate chips (I usually use organic dark chocolate but any will do. Come on it's chocolate =)
2 Tb sugar
1/4 cup (or so) of applesauce (enough to blend in the sugar)

Sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Pour a glass of (soy)milk and grab a fork and the pan (jk-ing ~~ get a plate or your family will look at ya funny =) and enjoy!!!

Try this bit of yumminess tonight!!!

Happy cooking,
Dawn

Easy Smothered Steak

This dish is get-out-of-town good and easy!!!!!

Now when I say it is good, I am not talking from personal experience. I cannot eat it, because of the whole allergic to MSG thing, but Dak and hubs LOVE IT!!!!!


1 1/2 lb. round steak
pkg brown gravy mix (powdered)
1 large can cream of chicken soup

Put steak in baking dish (I used a 13"x9") and sprinkle a little of the dry brown gravy mix on top of the steaks and rub it in. I'd say probably about 1/3 of the package or so. Just eyeball it.

Then pour soup down over the top and then pour the rest of the brown gravy package on top. Mix the dry gravy mix in just a little, then bake.

Bake at 300 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Delish!!!

Now I'm sure this could be done in a crock pot, but I've never tried it. If you do let me know how long you cook it, and how yummee it turns out!! =)

Happy cooking,
Dawn