This is hard for me because most of what I cook is simple and I don’t think anyone needs a new recipe for spaghetti sauce now do they? And I typically don’t follow recipes so much as use methods to cook whatever we happen to have in the house at the moment. However … Here are a couple:
(I have no idea how to convert these recipes for the metric system etc, so you’re on your own there if you live in a rational country.)
Chicken and rice mushroom casserole
2 - 4 defrosted chicken breasts (with or w/o bones)
1 c. rice (not instant)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (you can use asparagus or whatever you like)
Preheat oven to 350.
Poor uncooked rice into a small casserole dish. Mix half the can of the cream of mushroom soup into the rice. Season the chicken breasts to taste. I usually use lemon pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place seasoned chicken breasts on the rice. Put the rest of the cream of mushroom soup over the chicken breasts and rice. Pour one can of water over everything. Cover with a lid or tin foil. Bake for approximately 45 minutes (however long it takes for chicken breasts to be done in your oven).
Balsamic, Garlic, and Rosemary Chicken
Balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh rosemary (you can used dried, but fresh tastes better)
chicken breasts
olive oil
Mince together three cloves of garlic and the leaves from two or three sprigs of rosemary (or a teaspoon or two of the dried stuff). In a shallow dish or bowl, pour about a half a cup of balsamic vinegar and then whisk in some olive oil until thick (I honestly don’t know how much olive oil I use, less than to make a salad dressing). Mix in garlic and rosemary. Season chicken breasts as desired and then marinate in balsamic mixture for at least ten minutes. Thirty minutes is better.
Heat a skillet to medium high heat and put the chicken breasts in. Pour the balsamic mixture on top. Saute until the chicken breasts are no longer pink. Make sure to leave them on each side for a long time so the balsamic mixture has time to caramelize on the outside. When the chicken is done, remove from the skillet and set aside. Add some liquid to the deglaze the skillet and make a quick pan sauce. I usually have canned chicken broth around so I use that. Cook until the sauce can coat a spoon and is nice and bubbly. Pour over chicken.
Quick and easy Americanized Shepherd’s Pie
2 large potatoes or 5 small ones
butter
milk or cream
frozen veggie mix (I use carrots, peas, green beans and lima beans)
1 lb ground beef
a clove or two of garlic
1/2 c chopped onion
1 c of your favorite cheese, grated
Preheat your oven to 350.
Cut up potatoes into chunks and boil. (Sometimes I use the peel and sometimes I don’t. If you cut the pieces up smaller, they’ll be done faster.) It usually takes about 15 or 20 minutes before the potatoes are ready.
In the meantime, saute the onion in a little bit of olive oil until translucent. Add frozen veggies and season to taste. After the veggies have warmed up, add minced garlic and then the ground meat. (I use lean so I don’t have to cook it seperately and drain.) Add water or chicken broth for juice to make gravy. If you use chicken broth, either use low sodium or make sure not to add salt to anything else. I cheat and use brown gravy powder, but adding some flour would work too. I like the gravy to taste a little tomato-ey so I’ll add a squirt or two of ketchup or some canned tomato sauce if it’s around. Turn down to a simmer.
Drain the potatoes and make into mashed potatoes however you like them. I usually add some butter and milk and hand mash.
Pour the meat mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer the mashed potatoes on top and then sprinkle the grated cheese. (Jalapeno jack gives it a nice kick.) Cover and cook for about 25 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for five minutes more.
Voila! Bastardized shepherd’s pie!!
