Chicken in the Gloaming

The idea of mixing the taste of peaches with mushrooms and onion comes from Renaissance Italy. Of course back then they didn't care about calories, fats, or glutens. The fact is this dish is very healthy and will fit within most dietary restrictions. It is just an added plus that it is easy to make and inexpensive. So why not impress tonight with a new creation!

Baking a boneless skinless chicken breast in non fat yogurt and fruit is yummy enough but here we throw a twist and instead of serving this creamy delight on noodles (with all of that gluten), we serve this on a bed of cheap store brand puffed rice. Yes, trust me on this it works and you get some breakfast food for morning with the rest of the bag.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ lbs mushrooms, washed, drained, sliced

3 tbs diced red onion

2 peaches sliced thin (if from a can, use the juice packed not syrup)

2 tbs oil

2 tbs butter

2 tbs flour

3 tubs (5.3oz) non fat, plain, Greek style yogurt

Store equivalent for Rice Krispies cereal

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Directions:

Chop the red onion and place in a bowl of water with 1 tsp sugar for 5 minutes. The drought has caused the onions to have a bitter taste, this will help. Wash and dry the mushrooms then slice.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

• Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large pan and fry the onions, mushrooms, and peaches for about 3 minutes and remove.

• Add the chicken to the skillet and brown each side for about 4 minutes

• Place chicken in a sprayed baking dish and spoon the onion – mushroom mixture on top.
• Add butter to any left over oil and heat, then stir in the flour, cooking for about 1 minute while stirring.

• Mix in the yogurt, stirring until incorporated. Pour this over the chicken.
• Bake at 375 for an hour, covered with foil. Test with a thermometer, chicken breasts should reached 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest 4 minutes.
• Serve the breasts on a bed of puffed rice with the sauce mixture spooned over.

Ready for some music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWv359Foi_c

Always serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

Easy Sweet and Savory Dips

Here are a couple of dips to make any party, TV show or card game go better. They are completely different and both easy to throw together. Salt and sweet tastes have been combined in cooking for centuries. Even before we understood the chemical reason. A touch of salt sets up the sweet receptors on the tongue, making any thing taste sweeter.

On one hand the traditional French onion dip with a homemade flair. On the other hand a sweet yummy dip for graham crackers, ginger snaps or fresh fruit slices! Something for each taste! Dig out the fancy tooth picks and lets have a party.

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Easy Onion

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon

1 large yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 cup non fat plain Greek style yogurt

½ cup light mayonnaise

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

4 green onions sliced thinly

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the bacon until crisp on a medium heat remove bacon from pan to drain reserving the grease. When done start to slice the onion thinly. 

 

Mince the clove of garlic and keep separate. Slice the green onions, using only about an inch of white and the same of the green parts.

By now the skillet will have cooled, set it back on a medium low heat and start the onions in the reserved bacon grease. Sprinkle with salt.

Cover. Stir occasionally keeping the heat Medium low for about 30 minutes, the onion will start to turn a deep brown.

Add the garlic and cook for additional minute stirring it to keep from burning. (garlic burns easily). Remove and drain on a paper towel with the bacon. Let that cool completely.

When cool; chop this up finely all together.

In a large bowl mix the yogurt and the onion-bacon mixture. Stir in the mayonnaise. Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce and taste when blended. Adjust if needed with salt and pepper. Stir in the green onion and seal. Let it refrigerate overnight.

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Cheesecake-Cake Batter Dip:

Ingredients:

8 oz package of lower fat cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup non fat plain Greek style yogurt

½ cup yellow cake mix

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup sprinkles

Graham Crackers, Ginger snaps, or other cookies for dipping

Directions:

Place cream cheese in your mixing bowl and beat on medium high speed for 3 minutes, or until it becomes light and whipped.

Bring speed down to medium and add the yogurt and vanilla, mix until incorporated.

Slowly add the powdered sugar and cake mix to the bowl and mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Gently fold in the sprinkles.

NOTE: in the land of “down under” it is reported that “sprinkles” are referred to as "hundreds and thousands". Slave finds this enchanting and now always uses this name.

Cover and let refrigerate overnight.

Serve cold with graham crackers, pretzels, or even fresh fruit slices!

What a simple and balanced spread for your guests: Potato chips and Homemade onion dip and fresh fruit, graham crackers and a unique sweet dip.

Lets get the party going:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M

Serving my Master is always something to celebrate!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

Kicked up store bought Chex type mix

Wow, my best friend is coming over to watch the races on TV. What kind of munchies do I fix? Love the Chex Mix fresh from the oven but don't want to buy four boxes of cereal that will just go stale in the pantry. Try this: buy a couple of small bags of the store brand “knock-off” type. You can make it great at home while you are doing other things.

You probably have most of this in your pantry anyway, so dig it out and have a wonderful smelling kitchen when guests arrive.

Ingredients:

2 small bags of store brand party mix
• 1/3 cup (6 Tablespoons) butter, melted and hot
• 1 Tbs seasoned salt: If you don't have, try 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper,
  and ½ tsp paprika
• 2 Tbs low salt Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  

Directions:

Wipe out the slow cooker and spray it well. Set on low.

Empty the bags into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together butter and seasoned salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and garlic until combined.

Drizzle this over the cereal mix. Then give it a good, gentle stir to toss everything together. Use a rubber spatula in order to avoid breaking the cereal pieces.

Then put it in the slow cooker on low for about 3 hours.

HOWEVER remember two things! 

Leave a wooden spoon sticking out of the cooker to keep the lid from sealing (that would create steam and make everything soggy.)

Also every hour, lift the lid and give it a good stirring to keep anything from burning, you might do it twice in the final hour.

This will be hot! So spoon it out onto a lined baking pan to let cool slightly before serving to your guests. You will be saving money while building a reputation of a miracle worker in the kitchen!

Here's something different for the music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRUPblbV_LA

Who ever you find company with on this holiday weekend: enjoy and remember. That is what it is all about – building memories. For you and for them!

Serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a summer dish, just made for picnics, backyards, decks and patios where friends gather to enjoy sunlight and fresh air. It can be as simple as a elbow macaroni with mayonnaise, or as complicated as you can think of.

It provides endless possibilities for new flavor combinations and ingredients.

Since this weekend is traditionally the kick off of summer, what could bring to mind the sunny days ahead than something Hawaiian?

To make your pasta salad unique, try this:

Grab a bowl, it doesn't matter what kind, peel a garlic clove, cut it in half, and rub the cut side of each half all over the inside surface of the bowl. Now use that bowl to hold your pasta. In this case garlic will not be an ingredient, or even a “spice”, but rather like a warm summer breeze that awakes your mind with a flavor you can not taste!

Ingredients:

8 oz. Rotini or bow tie pasta

1 14oz can pineapple tidbits in juice

1 red pepper, diced

2 cups diced ham

1 green onion thinly sliced

¼ cup lower fat mayonnaise

1 5oz. container of non fat plain Greek style yogurt

1 Tbs mustard

1/3 cup of the reserved pineapple juice

1 tsp honey

¼ tsp garlic powder

pepper to taste

======================

Directions:

Put the water on to heat for the pasta. While that gets to a boil, do your cutting.

Cutting your green onion, cut the “root” end off, then leave about 4 inches and cut off the dark green ends – not worth keeping. Slice this very thin.

Cut the top and bottom off of the green pepper. Make a cut down the side and lay it out in a long strip. This makes dicing much easier.

When cutting the ham steaks, first run the tip of the knife all around the outside to trim off the “skin”. While this part is perfectly eatable and good tasting, you don't want to run across this in a pasta salad.

Cover these and set in refrigerator while the pasta cooks.

Cook pasta to package directions, run under cold water.

Drain and reserve the juice from pineapple.

Mix together the Mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, honey, and garlic powder. Whisk this together well adding the reserved juice a tablespoon at a time until a thick consistency is reached, cover and put in refrigerator.

Mix and cover the pasta with the ham, pineapple, and green onion.

Let both chill separately for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.

Do not mix in the dressing until ready to serve as the pasta will soak it all up.

This will store in refrigerator, even mixed together for about 5 days. If you can keep any left that long!

When ready to serve, even if you wait until you are at the picnic table, mix it well and maybe sprinkle the top with dried cranberries for a wonderful touch of color and sweetness.

Do you remember “The Cowsills”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJF6xSpDdZs

“mate the way the Indians do” ?

Serving my Master year in and year out!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

Appletastik

Wither you call it a cobbler, streusel, or crumb bake, just don't forget to call me when it's ready! This is a wonderful way to serve some apples given to me by friends.

While traditionally served with ice cream or for that matter some cheddar cheese, a light whipped non fat topping works as well. This dish is so good it needs nothing more than friends to share it with. OK, maybe big spoons! :-)

Ingredients:

7 to 8 large (9 cups) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced ¼-inch

½ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar + 1 cup brown sugar

2 lg. eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ teaspoon salt

½ tsp cinnamon

½ cup of crushed ginger snaps

1 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
Peel, core and slice the apples, keeping them under a damp paper towel until all are ready.
Crush the ginger snaps.
Place sliced apples in ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.

Combine ¾ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in bowl; sprinkle over apples.
Combine flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in bowl; beat at medium speed as you add the vanilla, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Spoon this over the apples. Sprinkle the crushed ginger snaps over that.
Carefully and slowly pour melted butter over everything. If you pour too fast it will just run over and on to the counter. Let it sink into the topping as you pour.

Place this baking dish on a large tray for the oven. This will catch any boil overs and much easier to clean.
Bake 45-55 minutes or until lightly browned and apples are tender.
Serve warm either with or without a topping or ice cream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMWLl4KcELI we will send this out to our friend Peggy who is driving a stretch of old Route 66 as slave types this out.

What a great holiday serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

Seven Layer Casserole

This is a recipe that has been knocking around for some time now, usually at the bottom of my lists. So it was about time to take it out and play with. You will recognize it as a learning step to building a real lasagna. A great first attempt. This is a very forgiving endeavor plus it tastes fantastic.

Just layer this together with good tasting, easy to find ingredients. It will be “your take” on lasagna that people will remember and ask for again and again.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg wide egg noodles
• 1 lbs. ground beef
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 8 ounce carton low fat sour cream
• 1 8 ounce package lower fat cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup milk
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry with paper towels
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz)
  

Directions

1. Spray a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. Chop the onion. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside. Pre heat the oven to 350.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook beef until brown. Drain off fat. Stir in pizza sauce, tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl beat together the sour cream and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth.

3. Stir in milk and chopped onion.

3. In prepared casserole or baking dish, layer half of the noodles (about 2 cups)

3. Next: half of the meat mixture (about 1½ cups),

3. half of the cream cheese mixture (about 1 cup), and all of the spinach. Top with the remaining meat mixture and noodles. Cover and chill remaining cream cheese mixture until needed.

4. Cover casserole or baking dish with lightly greased foil. Bake in 350 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle a layer of the grated cheddar cheese all over the top.
5. Bake, uncovered, about 10 – 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a green salad, no need for a vegetable or even a bread.

NOTE: if you wish, add sliced fresh mushrooms and or green onions.

How about some music to make this dinner complete?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_WlLYBfL-k&list=PLIJv-ESv0mZPSACjKalomCCcXIR8gqLdn&index=11

A wonderful hearty way to serve my Master Indy!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon