Favorite Recipes
Mediterranean Style Chicken
1 1/3 tbs. chopped garlic
5/8 tsp red chili pepper flakes
5/8 tsp salt
2 1/2 bay leaves
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/3 tbs. chopped basil
2-3 tbs.capers
5 or 6 pieces chicken
3/4 cup dried prunes
1/4 green olives
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 2/3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs. chopped oregano
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Combine chicken, prunes, olives, wine, vinegar, oil, oregano, capers, garlic, chili pepper flakes, sale and bay leaves. Cover and marinate in refrigerator in zip lock bag for a few hours.
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Put chicken in single layer in casserole dish. Pour marinade over chicken. Sprinkle sugar evenly over chicken. Wipe edges of casserole clean.
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Bake chicken till golden brown, about 50 minutes.
Deb's real life tips:
Feel free to substitute kalamata olives for the green ones, raisins if you don't have prunes, dried herbs work as well as fresh and play around with the measurements. I rarely use measuring spoons - the palm of my hand works just fine! This recipe is a variation on the one found in the Silver Skillet cookbook.
Kung Pao Chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts – cut into thin strips
1 tbs oil
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 tbs fresh ginger
2 tbs water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbs Hoisin sauce
3 tsp Rice wine vinegar
3 tbs. Soy sauce (low sodium)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
5 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
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Heat 1 oil, add broccoli and ginger. Saute two minutes. Add water, cover and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
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Heat 2 other tsp oil, add the rest of the ginger, pepper and chicken. Cook stirring constantly until chicken is browned, about 4, 5 minutes.
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In separate bowl, whish broth, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch.
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Add garlic. Add to chicken pan and stir until it thickens … one or two minutes. Add broccoli to reheat.
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Serve with peanuts and rice.
Deb's note:
Our local Chinese restaurant went out of business and the entire neighborhood has been in a state ever since. We’ve called around and tried to find a new favorite – but they all fall short.
That’s what prompted me to ‘go’ Chinese – and I’m developing some pretty delicious recipes.
Apple Walnut Cake
1 1/2 cups Wesson oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups chopped red apples (do not peel)
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
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Sift together dry ingredients; add oil, eggs, and vanilla.
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Stir in the apples and nuts. Grease, but do not flour a tube pan.
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Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes in pan and turn out on plate.
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Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Deb's note:
When Woman's Day was shooting a story for their February 2006 issue, they wanted me posed in the kitchen. How often does any mom just stand in the kitchen doing nothing? I felt like an idiot. I have never been idle in my kitchen and don't know any women who have been! So I grabbed a mixing bowl, cut up some apples and whipped together the Apple Walnut Cake you see here. It's a huge favorite of my family's. In fact, when my father-in-law comes to visit from Sweden, the first thing he does is search the kitchen for this cake. If it isn't there, he feels unwelcome! I bet anyone you bake this for will feel like they are very welcome in your home!
Banana Muffins
Mix these ingredients together the night before:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oats
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
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ADD these ingredients just before
baking. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees:
1 stick butter, softened overnight
2 eggs
3 ripened bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
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Mix together. Batter will be lumpy.
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Fill lined muffin cups approximately 2/3 full.
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Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes for standard sized muffins (10-12 minutes for mini-muffins).
Deb's note:
Sunday night, I was putting away fruit and decided the bananas had gone too mushy. Before I went to bed, I mixed up the dry ingredients for Banana Bread Muffins for the next morning. It was smiles all around at breakfast and because I had done the"thinking" the night before, I was able to finish up and get them in the oven while I was still half asleep! Note the addition of oatmeal to add to the fiber content.