One Pot Spaghetti Dish

One Pot Spaghetti Dish Recipe

Adapted from: https://food52.com/recipes/30147-martha-stewart-s-one-pan-pasta

Ingredients:

41/2 cups of water

1 pkg spaghetti

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, diced

2 dashes of red pepper sauce

1 palmful dry basil, crushed between palms

2 TBs olive oil

A small pinch of rock salt

Several grinds of black pepper

Garnish: parmesan cheese, a few grinds of black pepper, basil

Process:

Add water to large skillet with tall sides.

Break bunches of spaghetti in half, add to water.

Add the rest ingredients including the spices, except the garnish.

Bring mixture to a boil, boil for about 9-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to a very small amount. Stir frequently.

When serving, season again with a few grinds of pepper and a sprinkle of dry basil.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

As you can see, I had few of the original ingredients listed and had to make substitutions. This is a revelation because I could never make substitutions before but it is getting easier.

The dish was tasty but it took me almost 30 minutes to boil off the liquid on my finicky hot plate. Wonder how this would work in a microwave?

This was a surprise, I think the red pepper sauce brought out a lot of the flavor in this dish.

Note: Next time add more tomatoes.

Chicken Ensalada with Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Chunks

Chicken Ensalada & Pineapple Chunks Wrap or Taco recipe

A lightbulb went off in my mind the other day, I had been using precooked flour tortillas, right out of the package, as wraps because I did not want to cook them in a skillet with oil. Not only did I not want more dirty dishes, I wasn't sure I wanted the extra oil. Then I got the idea to just brown the tortillas slightly in an ungreased non-stick skillet. Great idea!!!

Regarding chicken, I have switched from buying a whole cooked chicken and taking the time to debone it and dice the meat to save for several uses. It is a messy job. It requires a sharp knife and the smell of the grease is a huge advertisement to ants.

Now a whole chicken at about $80 pesos when deboned does provide a lot of meat, and bones for soup. But, I was never successful at making chicken soup or chicken stock with bones, so besides the mess, the process became less appealing.

A can of chicken ensalada (chicken with mixed vegetables added) costs about 15.90 pesos, and after I add diced onions, another can of mixed vegetables and about 3 tablespoons of pineapple chunks, I can make about 5 chicken salad wraps which for me is 4-5 small meals.

Chicken Ensalada with Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Chunks Recipe

Ingredients:
1 135g (4.76oz) can of chicken ensalada
1 225g (8oz) can of mixed vegetables, drained
3 tablespoons pineapple chunks, drained
1/3 onion, diced
1/2 TB mayo (optional)
1/2 capful of lime juice concentrate
Ground black pepper to taste
1 flour tortilla

Process:
Mix the above ingredients together in a bowl or food storage container and season to taste.
Brown tortilla on both sides in ungreased skillet (one of those with a stick proof surface)
Put tortilla on a plate.
Fill center of tortilla with heaping tablespoon of the mixture.
Fold tortilla to enclose mixture or grasp like a taco.

Note: Consider adding curry powder.

Note: you can also get plain chicken breast (pechuga de pollo) or turkey with mixed vegetables (ensalada de pavo) in a can for a few more pesos.

Hotplate: Wheat Tortilla Pizza

Wheat Tortilla Pizza Recipe
(Inspired by: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/skillet_tortilla_pizza/)

 

My Wheat Tortilla Pizza Recipe is much different than the one noted above, but I do love "Simply Recipes", it's a great website for good, semi-easy recipes.

Ingredients:

 

1 tortilla, wheat or flour
1 garlic clove, diced
1/8 onion, diced
a handful of diced green or red bell peppers
1/2 plum tomato, diced or diced cherry tomatoes
1 olive, green or black, diced
1/2 or more grated hard white cheese
1 dash of oregano, dry
1 dash of red pepper, flakes
ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: imitation bacon bits

 

Process:

 

Add chopped garlic and vegetables to a small non-stick skillet.

Use low to medium heat. Simmer vegetables until they begin to smoke.

Stir, simmer for about 30 more seconds.

Remove sautéed vegetables, place in small bowl.

Place tortilla in skillet.

Cook until brown one side. Flip tortilla over

Top tortilla with sautéed vegetables.

Sprinkle spices over items.

Sprinkle graded cheese over all items.

Add bacon bits.

Heat items until cheese melts but watch, you want the tortilla to brown on the bottom, but not burn.

Using a turner, lift tortilla onto a plate.

Cut into 4 pieces for easy eating.

What I liked about this recipe and the results was the wheat tortilla got just the right amount of crispy and I did not use any oil to "smoke" the vegetables. It was easy and tasty.

Plus, I got to use my frozen red and green diced bell peppers.

I have not tried this with a flour tortilla and wonder if the wheat tortilla crisps up easier than a flour tortilla.

Use your imagination for other items to add to your pizza!

Feliz Año Nuevo!!! 2017 - Lentil Salad, Pickled Radishes, Simple Sauted Radishes Recipes

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

Spent New Year's Eve in Mexico with some friends.

After cleaning my space, I dumped the mop water out the front door to clean out the old new year.

For the dinner, I wore white underwear for good health and brought a lentil salad for prosperity (lentils look like tiny coins).

We lit blue, red, yellow, green, orange and white candles for peace, passion, abundance, health, intelligence and clarity.

We made a toast to the New Year and to our good health with sparkling grape juice and said prayers for the meal and the New Year.

After dinner, we walked to the Remate and, a minute before midnight, we ate 12 grapes, each one representing a wish for the New Year as the Christmas Tree flashed its lights and at midnight spelled out Feliz Año Nueveo 2017!!!!

Firecrackers burst all around. Fireworks could be seen in the distance. We blew our whistles, and tossed streamers and confetti!!!

The romantic in me wanted to toss a coin in the Remate Fountain and make a wish, like a scene from the American movie Three Coins in a Fountain set in Italy. But, after tossing a coin in and making a wish, I thought I should get the coin back, so it wouldn't clog the fountain's machinery.

It was a delightful evening with friends and electronic contact with family and friends!!!!

***Wishing Everyone the World Over: Peace, Prosperity, Good Health & Hope. May all your wishes come true***

Lentil Salad Recipe

Adapted from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/lentil-salad/

I think I've found a lentil recipe I can make!

Ingredients:

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed

1/2 palmful thyme, dry, crushed

2 handfuls carrots, shredded

1/4 cup bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup onion, diced

10 sprigs of fresh parsley, torn from stalks and torn again

1 clove garlic, minced

2 capfuls lime juice concentrate

1 TB olive oil

Salt/ground black pepper to taste

1. Process:
2. In a medium saucepan add lentils and thyme.
3. Cover with enough water so there's an inch above lentils.
4. Bring to boil.
5. Reduce to simmer uncovered until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Drain lentils.
7. In serving bowl or covered container add: carrots, pepper, onion, parsley, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
8. Mix well.
9. Add lentils.
10. Mix well.
11. Cover and store in frig to chill before serving.

Note: my lentils were a bit crunchy because my hot plate is finicky, yes, I have watch the pot to see if it is simmering.

The real test will be my friends tonight because this is a New Years's Eve dish.

It was ok, no raves. While it tasted fresh, it had little flavor.

Note 2: I just added a little bit of table vinegar to some leftover lentil salad and that made all the difference, it brought out all the flavor of the ingredients!!!!

At the grocery store, I don't often buy radishes because they come in a bag of about 20 bulbs.  Normally, I couldn't use all those radishes before many went bad and that would be a waste. But, this time, I had 2 recipes I thought would solve the problem, so then I could have some fresh radishes, then saute some for a side dish and pickle the rest. Goal: No Food Waste.

Pickled Radishes Recipe

Adapted from:

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cook-with-fruits-and-vegetables/how-to-pickle-radishes/

Pickling Solution:

1/2 cup table vinegar? (see note)

4 TBs sugar

1 palmful dry thyme, crushed

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 TB black peppercorns

Mix and stir these together in a large jar with a lid.
Make sure the sugar has dissolved.

Next prepare:

6 medium radishes (cleaned and trimmed).
Slice radishes into thin slices.

1/4 onion, cut into small wedges

Add radish slices and onion wedges to the jar of pickling solution.

Refrig 8 hours

Note: hit a few sags, when the recipe said cover radishes with pickling solution, it didn't say the radishes would float above the liquid, so I added a lot more vinegar. But, I wasn't sure about the sugar to vinegar ratio. I didn't want to add more sugar, so I didn't.

Not knowing how pickled radishes should taste, they tasted fine to me.

Note 2: Just added some pickled radishes to a serving of leftover lentil salad, not bad. But, I ate a black peppercorn, I wouldn't recommend it.

A Simple Sauted Radishes Recipe

6-8 radish bulbs, cleaned, trimmed and cut in half.
a dollop of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

After putting the olive oil in a skillet, add the radishes.
Season to taste.
Cook on medium until radishes are brown and semi-soft.
Serve warm.

I added a video of the Christmas Tree but don't know why it won't play. Sorry.

Homemade Peach Ice Cream Success and more

While I am now in the process of assembling the next volume of Recipes from the Kitchen of a Frugal Non-Cook, which will take at least a year to complete, I still peruse recipes and try new ones.

During the process of looking for recipes to try for this volume of RKFNC, I asked my family and friends for some of their recipes. A cousin sent this one:

6 Threes Ice Cream Recipe

3 Cups sugar
3 Cups cream
3 Cups milk
3 mashed banana
3 Orange juice
3 Lemons juice

Stir and freeze.

While I had not intended to try all the recipes family or friends sent, I thought I’d give this one a try, especially since I had run out of commercial ice cream and wanted a dessert.

I thought the original recipe would make a lot of ice cream, so I cut the portions down and made a few changes:

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients:

3/4 c sugar
1 Cup cream
1 Cup milk
4oz plain yogurt
1/2 Cup diced peaches
1 Cup Orange Juice
1 Capful lime juice concentrate
A dollop of honey

Process:

I used an empty Ovaltine jar which was about a liter in size for the mixture.

I added all the ingredients to the jar.

Then, I stirred the mixture, closed the jar and shook it until the contents appeared fully mixed.

While as a liquid it fit into the jar, there wasn't much space left.

I realized after putting it in the freezer and checking it every hour that the liquid needed space to expand as it froze, so I poured out a small amount of the mixture into a separate container and returned the mixture to the freezer.

I was surprised, every time I checked the mixture, it was partially frozen around the edges but not in the middle, so I stirred the frozen parts back into the liquid part.

I checked that mixture every couple of hours for 2 days. I was surprised how long it took to freeze but once it froze, it was ice cream and it was great.

Notes: I need to research the complexities of freezing various liquid mixtures. Plus, while the ice cream was sweet, it was too sweet for me, so I will reduce the sugar by half in my next batch.

Then, today, I decided I wanted a little dessert. So, I grabbed the container of leftover apple bread pudding I had pulled from the freezer a few days ago and heated it up. Then, I added a heaping tablespoon of the peach ice cream on top. Success! It was great.

Now, I can make my own ice cream at a savings. A local tienda sells 1 liter of ice cream for $56MX, my ingredients cost roughly $25MX.

As you can see, this ice cream recipe is adaptable. I added yogurt, honey and diced peaches for a delightful flavor. I suspect that other fruits or flavors can be used in this recipe to make a variety of homemade ice creams.

Other Recent Semi-Successful Recipes

Chicken Casserole with cheese topping, a variation on Amy Dacyzyn's Universal Casserole.

When I decided to use a can of chicken breast, I wanted a recipe that would make several meals, so I choose Amy's Universal Casserole Recipe, that recipe has never failed me.

Note: I topped the casserole with cheese slices, I should have torn the cheese up because the cheese slices hardened in the microwave cooking process.


Imitation Tuna Salad (without fish juice) topped with shredded carrots, no picture, see previous recipe.


Asparagus Rollup or Wrap
(This is the recipe that gave me the idea: http://www.cooks.com/recipe/5h5wk8ju/asparagus-appetizers.html)

1 tortilla
1-2 Asparagus Spear(s), canned
1/2 Tbspn Tomato, diced, drained
1/4 Tbspn horseradish sauce

Place asparagus spear(s) on top of tortilla
Add tomato
Add sauce
Roll up

Note: Every recipe can always be tweaked. For this one, the tomato juice did not make it possible to cut the rollup into pieces. Also, I used horseradish sauce instead of a white sauce. While the horseradish sauce was tasty, it overwhelmed the other flavors.


Toast Topped with Asparagus, Tomato, and Fried Egg

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Tomato slice(s)
1-2 Asparagus spear(s), canned
1 Slice of bread
Black pepper
1/2 Tbspn Horseradish sauce

Process:

Add oil to skillet
Place toast in skillet
Add pepper on toast
Heat medium to high
Cook until brown
Flip toast over and brown the other side
Remove and set aside on a plate

Fry egg in skillet, add extra oil if needed

Pour about a 1/2 tablespoon of sauce over toast
Add slice(s) of tomato
Add spear(s) of asparagus
Top with fried egg
Add more pepper

Note: While this was a tasty dish, asparagus, canned or fresh, has a delicate, delightful flavor, so choosing a sauce or accompanying ingredients can either enhance the flavor of asparagus or disguise it. Unfortunately, the use of horseradish sauce overwhelms the asparagus flavor. Knowing how to pair flavors is what makes a great cook.

Note to Self: Put on to do list, figure out how to pair flavors :-)

Hotplate: Turkey Reuben Sandwich

Hotplate: Turkey Reuben Sandwich Recipe


Ingredients:

2 slices of bread (Rye is recommended, but any type bread will do)
Olive oil
1 Slice of deli Turkey
1 Slice of Swiss or mild Cheese
1 Tbspn sauerkraut
French Dressing or DIY Thousand Island Dressing
Salt and pepper


Process:

In a skillet, add a dollop of oil.
Put in 1 slice of bread.
Cook at low-medium temperature.
Top with slice of cheese.
Add turkey slice.
Add sauerkraut.
Add dressing.
Season with salt and pepper to taste
When first slice is toasted on the bottom, put second slice of bread on top and flip the sandwich so the bread on the top can get toasted.
Once toasted, remove, place on plate and cut in half.

Enjoy!

Microwave: Mug O'Pinapple Bread Pudding

Microwave: Mug O'Pineapple Bread Pudding Recipe

This one worked right off the bat! It is easy, tasty and adaptable.

Ingredients:

1 8oz coffee cup

1/2 TB pineapple chunks
1 slice of bread, torn into pieces
1 egg
1 1-2 TB sugar
2 TB milk (or yogurt)
1 TB olive oil (or margarine)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Dashes of cinnamon

Process:

Add pineapple chunks to bottom of cup
Break bread into pieces, place in cup.
In separate bowl, mix rest of ingredients
Pour mixture over bread.
Push bread down into cup so all pieces are soaked in mixture.
I did not stir, I wanted the pineapple on the bottom.

Microwave 2 minutes on high.
Remove, let it cool for a bit before eating.

Cinnamon made it tasty.

Variations: use other types of fruit or no fruit.