RECIPES
Chicken or Veal Parmigiana
Calico Bean Hot Pot
Meat Loaf
Lasagna
Tacos
Chili Rellenos
CHICKEN OR VEAL PARMIGIANA
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (~1½ lbs). Trim any fat, remove the white tendon running through tenderloin. Flatten or pound to ⅜ to ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides salt and pepper.
Dredge in ½ c all purpose flour, then egg mixture (2 large eggs + 1 tbsp milk), then coat with fresh bread crumbs: crumbs + ½ c parmesan + 1 tbsp parsley or basil or 1 tsp rosemary, thyme or oregano + 1tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper. Press down on crumbs to adhere.
Heat heavy skillet medium heat 1½ tbsp butter + 1½ tbsp. olive oil until fragrant and nut-brown. Saute chicken for 2-3 minutes per side (1½ min for ¼” veal, four minutes for unpounded chicken). Drain on paper towels. Preheat over to 180° and keep warm in oven.
Tomato Sauce (2 ½ c). Heat large skillet medium with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 small carrot finely chopped, 1 celery rib with leaves finely chopped, 2 tbsp parsley f. ch. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15-20 minutes or till vegys soft. Add 2 small cloves garlic, 1 tbsp chopped basil, rosemary or thyme. Cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 1¾ lbs ripe tomatoes (or 28 oz whole tomatoes broken by hand), 2 tsp tomato paste, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper. Simmer uncovered 15-20 min. Pass through food mill if desired.
Sun Dried Tomato: substitute ½ c sundried tomato (not in oil, reconstituted with boiling water for 20 minutes). Chop finely. Replaces 8 oz of canned tomato.
Assembly: Preheat oven 350°. Oil 13×19” baking dish. Spoon ½ cup sauce. Overlap chicken, sprinkle 3-4 tbsp parmesan, 1 c sauce. Top 6oz mozzarella cheese thinly sliced + ½ c grated parmesan.
Cover foil, bake 20-30 min. Serve spaghetti. Sprinkle fresh parsley.
CALICO BEAN HOT POT
Cook 1 lb lean hamburger, drain and add to large casserole dish.
Cook ½ lb bacon cut into 1” pieces. Remove with slotted spoon. Add to casserole.
In bacon fat, sauté 1 onion ch, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 jalapeno, 1 stalk celery diced. Add to casserole.
Add 1 can each kidney beans, pork and beans, one of lima beans, black-eyed peas, or broad beans. ½ c ketchup, ½ c brown sugar, 1 tbsp mustard, 2 tsp vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. 1 c chicken or vegetable broth.
Bake open @350° for one hour.
Serve with mashed potatoes. This is a long time family favorite. My children love it. It is also my favorite home-cooked meal that I dehydrate and take backpacking. Because of the high fat, store dehydrated Hot Pot in single servings zip-locks, in freezer until use.
MEATLOAF
Saute in olive oil, 1 red pepper ch, 1 green pepper ch, 1 zuccchini thinly sliced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 1 medium onion ch, red pepper flakes. Reserve.
Add to large bowl: 1½ lb extra lean hamburger, ½c parmesan grated, 1 c Balderson’s old cheddar grated, ½ c bread crumbs or quick cook oats, 2 whisked eggs, ½ c ketchup, 2 tbsp parsley, 2 tbsp fresh thyme, ½ c balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper. Add vegetables and mix well. Place in large loaf pan.
Glaze: ½ c ketchup, ¼ c balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes. Coat top of loaf.
Bake at 350° for 60 minutes.
Serve mashed potatoes.
LASAGNE
Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.
Brown 1 lb lean ground beef, 1 onion finely ch, 1 clove garlic minced. Cook covered medium for 5 minutes. Drain fat. Add 10 oz can sliced mushrooms, 14 oz can tomato spaghetti sauce, 1 5.5oz can tomato paste, 1 tsp each salt and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes.
Combine in bowl: 300g pakg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, 250 ml cottage cheese, 75 ml grated Parmesan cheese grated.
Assembly: in 13×9 baking dish, spread ⅓ of meat sauce, ⅓ lasagna (7 overlapping noodles), Alternate another ⅓ of sauce and lasagna. Spread spinach mixture over, cover with remaining noodles and sauce. Arrange 1 200gm pkg sliced mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
TACOS – Meat, Vegetarian, Fish
I have visited Mexico on two long trips. The taco stand is ubiquitous. They would serve them on corn tortillas, spicy meat, thin piquante guacamole, salsa fresca and possibly some crema or lettuce.
I make 3 kinds: meat, vegetarian and fish.
Meat: sauté 1 lb hamburger or chicken with refried beans, break up all the chunks, 1 finely chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic minced. Add 1 package Old El Pas Taco Sauce and mix.
Vegetarian: Sauté in olive oil: ½ c onion ch, 2 clove garlic, add 1 can refried beans or 2 cans drained black beans/mashed, 2 tsp cumin, ¼ c diced red pepper, green Tabasco or black pepper. Heat thoroughly.
Fish: Fillet of fish of your choice (rinse, pat dry, salt and pepper), cut in thin strips 3-4” long. Beat 1 egg and mix with ¾ cup buttermilk. Soak fish in buttermilk for 30 minutes. Bread in: ¾ c white cornmeal seasoned with 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, 1tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Saute crispy on all sides.
Assembly: Flour tortilla, protein, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream or crema, lettuce.
CHILI RELLENOS
4 poblano peppers: char, cool, remove char, remove seeds. Fill from top.
Saute 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 c onions, 2 cloves garlic till soft, 5 minutes. Add 2 c corn kernels cooked, ½ tsp oregano, salt and pepper or taco sauce. Heat stirring for 2 minutes. Remove and cool.
Add ¼ c sour cream, 2 c Monterey Jack cheese grated. Stuff chilis with cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
In bowl, beat 3 egg yolks with 2 tbsp flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking powder. In large bowl, whip the 3 egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites into yolks and whisk together.
In heavy skillet, heat oil depth of 1” to 375° (cube bread browns in 60 seconds). Dip chilis in batter. Fry till golden on one side. Turn over and do other side. Drain and serve with green chili or ranchero sauce.
Other fillings:
1. white Chihuahua cheese and onions
2. Picadillo: ground meat cooked in tomatoes, onions, garlic, sour cream and jack cheese.
3. shredded chicken with tomato sauce, dried chilis, cilantro, parsley, sour cream, jack cheese?
4. hamburger, onion, cheddar, garlic, green chilis, green chile sauce, taco sauce mix, jack cheese?