Thursday, April 29, 2010

Mandarin Chicken Salad

3 c. fresh spinach leaves
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1/3 c. red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. red onion, diced
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
3 seasoned, grilled chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 c. Asian salad dressing

In a large bowl, gently mix spinach, almonds, bell pepper, onion, and oranges.

In a separate bowl, combine chicken and salad dressing. Pour over salad mixture and gently toss.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

When I'm ready for some Jacked-Up Turkey Sandwiches, I make a loaf of this delicious bread in my bread machine. Make the necessary adjustments for making some to bake in the oven.

8 1/2 oz. warm water (1 c. + 1 Tbsp.)
2 1/2 c. bread flour
2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast (or 2 tsp. active dry yeast)
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Add warm water to pan. Add bread flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to pan; tap to settle dry ingredients. Place butter into corners of pan. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker and being mixing.

When alert sounds, add cranberries and walnuts.

When done, remove bread from pan and cool on rack. Slice after cooling.

Jacked-Up Turkey Sandwich



My friend Cheri makes this delicious sandwich in her restaurant (PawPaw's Sweet Shop and Cafe, downtown Garland). I've come up with my own version of it.

1 slice cranberry walnut bread, cut in half
fat free cream cheese
Granny Smith apple slices (thin)
fresh spinach
deli-sliced turkey

*I bet this would be wonderful at Thanksgiving with some leftover turkey...!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Spanish Rice

Billy's mom gave me this recipe several years ago.

1 c. rice, uncooked
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1/3 c. diced onion
1/4 c. diced bell pepper
1 can chicken broth
3 Tbsp. tomato sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt, pepper, and ground cumin to taste

Brown rice in oil. Add onion and pepper; saute until soft. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, and seasonings (to taste). Cover and simmer until rice has soaked up liquid and is fluffy.

*Note: Minute Rice works fine and shortens the cooking time considerably. Also, I use my own frozen chicken broth, which I freeze in 2-cup containers. I don't know how that measures to a can.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Garlic Butter Shrimp II

40-50 medium shrimp*, peeled and deveined
1 stick butter
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach
1 pkg. pasta, your choice of size/shape
Parmesan cheese
cracked pepper, to taste

Prep onion, mushrooms, and shrimp.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add onion and garlic and saute until clear. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms and saute. Add spinach and cook until heated through; add shrimp and heat for about 2 minutes.

Cover and remove from heat for 5 minutes for shrimp to warm throughout. Serve over your choice of pasta; top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.

*The shrimp I use is already cooked and frozen - and I wait to buy it until it's on sale. (Brookshire's Food Club brand is the best I've found.) I just thaw it out, then toss it in the skillet a few minutes before cooking is finished.