Elementary Chef

Here’s one of my favorite chicken recipes. It’s super easy and a big hit with the entire family!

Chicken Oregano
2 ½-3 pounds chicken (I use breasts)
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Lemon slices

Place chicken in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients, except lemon slices. Pour over chicken. Cook, uncovered, at 375 for 30 minutes, spooning oil mixture over chicken occasionally. Turn chicken. Bake 30 minutes more. Garnish with lemon slices.

Yes, I know that’s an oxymoron, I am, after all, an English teacher… But my kids think these are fries, and really that’s all that counts! One of our favorite quick side items is baked fries! These are the easiest thing in the world to make, and they’re oh-so-much better for you than that stuff at McDonald’s!

Stephanie’s Baked Fries

3 medium-sized red skin potatoes
Pam cooking spray or olive oil in a spray bottle
Seasoned Salt (I like Penzey’s)

First, take a cookie sheet and pizza sheet and lightly spray it with Pam spray or olive oil. Pre-heat oven to 375.

Slice the red skin potatoes (skin-on — it adds fiber!) into the shape of shoe-string fries. (You know, the kind you would get at McDonald’s!)

Place the “fries” on the cookie sheet, making sure they don’t touch each other. Dust with seasoned salt.

Bake at 375 until done (usually about 15 minutes, but can be longer, depending on how thick you cut your fries!)

Voila! Easy and at least somewhat healthy!

And if this recipe somehow gets you on a potato kick, let me re-recommend the grilled potato salad recipe I shared for Labor Day. This has a bit of a kick, but it’s fantastic! You start with the grill and some rice vinegar (which I love!) If you have a hard time finding rice vinegar, you might want to check the oriental section of your supermarket! Sometimes they store it with the vinegars/oils, other stores shelf it with the oriental selections.

Need another easy casserole recipe? The cheddar cheese in this makes it favorite with kids. Of course, if you prefer mozzarella, feel free to substitue!

Italian Casserole

8 oz. twist pasta (cooked and drained)
1 lb. hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger & drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce & pasta. Place in a casserole dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake at 350′F for 30 minutes.

Here’s good information (and a terrific recipe!) from the cranberry industry!

Do you know anyone who’s a Type-A personality? A multi-tasking, go-getter? Well, if fruit could take personality tests, the cranberry would turn out to be Type-A. There’s a lot of good stuff in these little red gems. But the antioxidants deserve some special attention.

Cranberries have a wide array of antioxidants, but one kind that is unique to cranberries is proanthocyanidins. This type of flavonoid antioxidant keeps certain bacteria from adhering to the walls of your bladder, helping you maintain a healthy urinary tract. In fact, research suggests daily consumption of cranberry juice cocktail can help maintain urinary tract health.

Fruits and vegetables, which supply fiber and essential vitamins and minerals, are important for good health and in reducing the risk to certain chronic diseases, including heart disease. So, when trying to meet the daily recommendations for fruit intake, don’t forget about the cranberry. The cranberry’s one-two punch of anti-adhesion and antioxidants means that doing good things for your health can be easy and delicious.

You can include cranberries throughout the day whether you enjoy fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, cranberry juice, or cranberry sauce. Try these simple tips:

– Start your day with a cup of 100 percent cranberry juice blend. According the latest Agricultural Research Service Report from the USDA, one cup of 100 percent cranberry juice blend has more naturally occurring antioxidants than one cup of orange juice or apple juice.

– Toss dried cranberries on your salad, or mix them in chicken salad for a sweet twist on a lunchtime sandwich.

– Create a satisfying afternoon snack by combining dried cranberries and your favorite nuts and seeds.

– Add cranberries to whole grain rice pilaf - you get added color and flavor!

Power Lunch Pita Pockets

Trade your routine sandwich for a cranberry-studded tuna pocket that everyone in the family will enjoy. Swap canned chicken for tuna if desired.

Makes: 3 sandwiches

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large (12-ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained, flaked

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped lettuce

1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated carrot

3 whole wheat pita bread pockets

Mix tuna and mayonnaise in a medium bowl until well combined. Mix in the remaining ingredients, except the pita bread. Cut each piece of pita bread in half, carefully open the pocket and spoon the mixture in.

For more information on cranberries, visit http://www.uscranberries.com.

If you’re looking for a quick dinner idea, Jackie had a burst of feta-loaded brilliance here!

I’ve been a very bad blogger. The past couple of weeks have simply been very trying, and I have neglected you! No longer! I’m back with a vengeance — and at my corniest! In honor of turning over a leaf, I offer you a fabulous recipe for my very favorite leaf vegetable — SPINACH!

Spinach in Tomato Sauce with Shallots and Carrots

Serving Size : 4
Preparation Time 30 minutes

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 pound fresh spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium shallots — minced
2 small carrots — peeled and diced
2 cups canned whole tomatoes — drained, juice resrv
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh basil — minced
1 pound pasta
parmesan cheese — freshly grated

Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the =
pasta

Stem the spinach and wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, =
changing the water several times until no sand appears in the bottom =
of the bowl. Shake the excess water from the spinach and roughly dry =
the leaves with paper towels. (Leaves can be damp, but not =
waterlogged.) Set the spinach aside.

Heat the oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven with a cover. Add the =
shallots and carrots and saut=E9 over medium heat until the =
vegetables soften but do not brown, about 8 minutes.

While the shallots and carrots are cooking, coarsely chop the =
tomatoes. Add chopped tomatoes to the pot, along with 1/2 cup of =
their packing juice, the salt, and basil. Use the back of a spoon to =
break apart the tomatoes. Simmer gently, continuing to crush the =
tomatoes as necessary, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

Add the spinach to the pot, tossing several times to coat leaves with =
tomato sauce. Cover and continue cooking, removing the lid once to =
stir, until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt =
and adjust seasonings if necessary.

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta. Toss the hot =
pasta with the spinach sauce. Mix well and transfer portions to warm =
pasta bowls. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately.

pasta, vegetarian, recipes, spinach

Here are some great — and easy — recipes to please everyone in the family! Clementines look like little oranges, and they are currently “in season” at your grocer. Try some of these for something fresh and new!

– Clementine Salsa
With this zesty salsa, your kids will simply devour their fruits and vegetables. Combine 2 cups sectioned and halved Clementines, 1 cup diced tomato, 1/4 cup minced red onion, 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn chips or spoon over pork chops, chicken and fish.

– Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Fresh Clementines and Olives
A perfect way to give your children their grains. For this delicious and satisfying lunch or side dish, combine 1 pound cooked whole wheat spiral pasta, 1 cup pitted Greek olives (such as kalamata), 1 cup halved Clementine sections, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup Clementine or orange juice, 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

– Clementine and White Bean Salad
Beans are a great nutritious choice for kids. For this incredible side dish, in a large bowl, combine 2 cans (drained) white or navy beans, 1 cup halved Clementine sections, 1 seeded and chopped red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over lettuce, in lettuce cups or in hollowed-out cucumbers if desired.

– Clementine Shortcakes
Cut baked biscuits or shortcakes in half and top the bottom half with whipped cream (or non-dairy whipped topping) and Clementine sections. Place remaining biscuit on top and spoon more whipped cream on top. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar and fresh mint if desired.

This one is honor of my husband… Italian Almond Cookies. If you don’t like them as sweet, you can go lighter on the confectioner’s dusting. In my opinion, they’re the perfect tea cookie!

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

1 c. butter
3 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. flour
1 c. slivered almonds

Cream butter, sugar and extract. Add flour and almonds; knead well. Shape into balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners sugar.

I’ve decided to offer you my favorite 12 cookie recipes between now and Christmas! It seems like a good theme — and a good way to make me dig out and use those recipes! Today, peanut butter cups. I love these.

Peanut Butter Cups
Makes: 4 dozen

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
13 oz. pkg. miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped (like Reece’s)

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray miniature muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine sugars, butter and peanut butter on med. speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix well. Shape dough into 1″ balls. Place each ball into prepared muffin cups. Bake 11-13 minutes till lightly browned. Remove from oven, press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Let cool 30 min. Remove from pan. Cool completely.

The folks at Honey Baked Ham have some good advice for picking the perfect holiday ham!

What would the holiday meal be without the ham? For many Americans, ham is the traditional centerpiece of
holiday celebrations. Yet, half of Americans admit they need help picking the perfect ham.

A Beautiful Presentation — Bone-in hams make an ideal meal centerpiece. They are attractive and offer outstanding flavor and
tenderness. You can purchase bone-in hams that you slice yourself or, for added convenience, you can purchase bone-in hams already sliced. All HoneyBaked Hams are spiral sliced and glazed fresh every day.

Taste and Texture — The amount of water contained in a ham will affect its taste, texture and price. Most hams will fall into one of these categories.

– Ham — A ham labeled just “ham” must be at least 20.5% protein in its lean area and have no water added. The original, spiral-sliced HoneyBaked Ham(R) falls under this category.

– Ham with Natural Juices — Contains at least 18.5% protein and has had a small amount of water added.

– Ham - Water Added — Contains at least 17% protein and has no more than 10% added solution. This ham is versatile and ideal for steaks and thin slicing.

– Ham and Water Products — This ham product is less than 17% protein and can contain any amount of water. Commonly found in the deli, this is a good choice for sandwiches.

Ham nutrition — Ham is relatively low in fat, coming from one of the leanest pork cuts — the hind leg. Pork in general is an excellent source of protein, thiamin and vitamin B-1, as well as iron, zinc, niacin, and vitamins B-6 and B-12.

How much ham do I need? — Determine in advance how many people you will be serving and for what meal occasion. The HoneyBaked Ham Company recommends 1/2 to 3/4 pounds per serving for bone-in ham. A bone-in ham yields 2 to 3 servings per pound. Ham will typically feed more people when served buffet- style than when served in dinner portions.

Keeping your ham fresh — Different varieties of ham will call for different storage instruction. A HoneyBaked Ham(R) will keep in the refrigerator for six to eight days and in the freezer for 45 days.

According to the National Pork Board, ham is the number one in-home lunch sandwich, a perfect option for taking advantage of those leftovers! And for my favorite way to use leftover ham, try this variation on Eggs Benedict!

Tired of traditional pumpkin pie? (I’m not. I love it!) Or, maybe just looking or a supplementary Thanksgiving dessert? How about trying these amazing pumpkin cheese cake tarts?

This pumpkin cheesecake tart recipe from VeryBestBaking.com/Libbys fits the bill. Start with versatile and easy to use canned pumpkin, with its mellow, sweet flavor which pairs especially well with citrus, spices, chocolates and nuts. Then, add your own simple touch to dress-up your pumpkin desserts.

Simply drizzle a ribbon of melted chocolate over a pumpkin tart. Or spoon a sweet, cinnamon-scented pumpkin mousse into puff pastry shells. Decorate a layer pumpkin torte with fragrant curls of fresh orange rind. Finish off a pumpkin pie with orange-flavored cream topping. These simple additions make your dessert even more perfect for the holiday table.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart Recipe:
2/3 cup (about 15) crushed gingersnap cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
2 tablespoons Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Line 12-muffin pan with paper cups.

COMBINE cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press scant tablespoon onto bottom of each paper cup. Bake 5 minutes.

BEAT cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until blended. Add eggs; beat well. Pour into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.

BAKE 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove tarts from pan; refrigerate. Garnish with sour cream. If desired, place morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 20 seconds; knead.

Microwave at additional 10-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over tarts.

And for more Thanksgiving ideas, make sure to visit Let’s Talk Turkey–Carnival of Recipes!

Yes, I’m still in a crockpot frame of mind! Here’s one of my favorite stand-bys!

Savory Turkey Breast

6 1/2-pound bone-in turkey breast, thawed if frozen
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 c.)
1 medium stalk celery, chopped (1/2 c.)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup water

Remove gravy packet or extra parts from turkey breast. Place onion, celery and bay leaf in cavity of turkey. Place turkey in 5-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Mix bouillon and water until granules are dissolved; pour over turkey. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 hours or until juice of turkey is no longer pink when center is cut. Remove bay leaf. Serve turkey now.

It’s turning chilly. And chilly weather, in my opinion, requires at least one pot of soup a week. One of my favorite things to make this time of year is bean soup. I get this love from my mother. She made bean soup so frequently that some of the kids in our neighborhood (who liked eating at our house) came to the conclusion that we must be down on some really hard times. (I think in reality, she was probably trying to discourage their nightly trips to HER kitchen!)

I still remember my grandfather adding ketchup (or is it catsup?) to his soup. And yes, I admit, I sometimes do it, too. I think I like this particular recipe because it calls for tomatoes. I also like the mix of herbs.

Here’s a super-easy bean soup recipe using, what else?, your crockpot! It goes great with corn muffins.

Bean Soup

1 package (20 oz.) 15- or 16-dried bean soup mix, sorted and rinsed
1/2 lb. smoked beef sausage ring, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
10 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. salt
1/s tsp. pepper
2 medium carrots, shredded (1 1/3 cup)
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

Mix all ingredients except carrots and tomatoes in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beans are tender.
Stir in carrots and tomatoes. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 15
minutes longer or until hot. Yields 12 servings.

I have been sick this week. It’s a bit early in the season yet for that, but it hit me. And made me once again grateful that God created Crockpot cooking. Here’s a slightly complicated recipe that I dearly love. 15 minutes of prep work. 9 hours of cooking. Then a borders-on-gourmet dinner when you get home! This particular recipe involves mostly meat. If you’re like I was, you’ve mainly used your slow cooker for soups, chowder, and chili. But, believe it or not, with the right recipes, you can have just about any dish waiting and ready when you get home at night! Indeed, after you try this pork roast recipe, jump over to this post for a great old-fashioned pot roast recipe!

Pork Roast with Creamy Mustard Sauce

2 1/2- to 3-lb. pork boneless sirloin roast
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 to 3 Tbsp. country-style Dijon mustard

Trim excess fat from pork. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook pork in oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Place pork in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients except half-and-half and mustard; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 9 hours or until pork is tender. Remove pork from slow cooker; cover and keep warm. Skim fat from pork juices in cooker if desired. Stir half-and-half and mustard into juices. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve sauce with pork. 8 servings.

recipes, pork, crockpot, slow cooker

I’m not really sure why this is called Italian roast beef. I think it might be the spices. But the reason you’re getting this recipe today is because, well, sirloin roast was on sale at our neighborhood grocery store. And I needed to find a recipe to cook this big honking slab of beef I bought for dinner tomorrow night. Browsing through my files, I found this one, with a note that I liked it.

I tend to like sirloin roast better than chuck roast (which is commonly used for pot roast.) Sirloin is usually a bit cheaper and it’s not as dry. I like the dryness. It seems to have less fat on it, but I haven’t actually researched that. It’s very easy to prepare and it makes GREAT sandwich cold cuts when you’re done with dinner! I’ll be serving mine with a garden salad and brussel sprouts. (My daughter and I both LOVE brussel sprouts, which I prepare in chicken broth — NO butter.) Check out this old post for some of my favorite salad toss-ins!

ITALIAN ROAST BEEF
Rump or sirloin roast
2 c. water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Few drops of Tabasco (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bake roast in 350 degree oven until it is rare. To pan drippings add water and beef bouillon cubes. (For more gravy, use 3 cups water and 3 bouillon cubes.) Add marjoram, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire, garlic, Tabasco and salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Slice roast very thin when it is cool. (Cornstarch can be added to gravy to thicken if desired.) Cooked strips of green pepper and onion can also be added to gravy. Add sliced beef to gravy a little at a time; simmer just long enough to heat beef. Serve on fresh French bread rolls.

I’ve had requests before for Thai recipes. Requests that I have largely ignored. Because by and large Thai food is NOT elementary. Is a complicated affair with lots of chopping and LOADS of steps involved to create the special curries and sauces you expect.

Recently, though, I saw a box of Thai Pavilion’s Green Curry with Noodles at the grocery store. I wasn’t sure about this Hamburger Helper version of Thai, but I thought it would be worth a try. Well, we finally tried it tonight, and I’m going to give is a less than enthusiastic thumbs up.

What I liked: It was super easy to prepare. First, you boil water and add the rice noodles. You simply let them simmer while preparing the meat. I already had half of a roasted chicken left over from the other night. So I picked the meat off of it and threw it in the wok with a little oil. Once the chicken had re-heated and fried a little, I turned down the heat and threw in the curry. I tossed the then-done noodles with the curry and chicken, and voila! The meal was ready.

What I didn’t like: The flavor is good, but not as good as our local Thai restaurant. The curry is somewhat oily to my taste.

All in all, we liked it. Not a gourmet meal, but this was a good alternative to eating the chicken as left-overs!

I served Thai tea with the curry, which is a must-have for us when we’re eating Thai food out. To properly prepare Thai tea, you need Thai tea leaves. These are CHEAP — like about $2.00/package. They come as loose tea, and they infuse to a reddish color.

Thai Tea
4-6 t Thai tea leaves
6 c boiling water
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

In an 8-cup teapot, mix all ingredients. (I use a large infuser so I don’t have to strain off the tea leaves.) Serve over ice. The tea is a peach-color and wonderfully sweet!

Thai tea, curry, recipes