White Chicken Chili can be prepared in under an hour, including cooking time – a perfect supper choice after a long busy day.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 can Ortega™ diced green chills, drained
4 cans white beans, un-drained
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups roasted chicken meat, removed from bones and shredded
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
Add onion and garlic – sauté slowly until soft (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Add cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper – stir well.
Add green chills, chicken broth, shredded chicken, and 2½ cans of beans.
Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
Place remaining 1½ cans of un-drained beans in blender or food processor to puree.
Add to soup to thicken.
Simmer 5 more minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.
Serve warm with warn, buttered crusty French bread.
NOTE: Watching your sodium intake? Drain and rinse beans thoroughly. Replace discarded liquid with an equal amount of water. Another option is to not add additional salt to the recipe.
Pork Chops and Potato Casserole is a busy mom’s dream. This creamy, hearty dish goes together in about 20 minutes and bakes for 90 minutes while you sit back, relax, and enjoy your family as dinner cooks.
INGREDIENTS
The Pork Chops
4 loin or shoulder pork chops
All purpose flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
The Vegetables and Sauce
4 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1½ cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1½ teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Generously butter a 13” X 9” X 2” baking pan.
Peel and slice all the potatoes and onions– keeping the two in separate piles.
Combine the sour cream, mushroom soup, salt and mustard in a 4 cup measuring cup or small bowl – set aside.
Mince the garlic.
Prepare the Pork Chops
Trim fat from the pork chops and dredge in flour until coated on both sides.
Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add minced garlic to heated oil and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the pork chops, season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned.
Assemble the Casserole
Layer the sliced potatoes across the bottom of the buttered baking pan.
Top the potatoes with the browned pork chops.
Separate onion slices into rings and arrange over the pork chops.
Pour the sour cream/soup mixture over the top, spreading as evenly as possible.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 90 minutes in the preheated oven.
To brown, remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Serve with a crisp green salad and warm crusty French bread and butter.
Sweet and Sour Pork has always been a popular choice among those of us who love Chinese food. This recipe is a great version of the dish so you can enjoy it anytime and anyplace, especially when a good Chinese take-out isn’t handy.
INGREDIENTS
The Pork
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1” cubes
½ cup flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup cold water
1 teaspoon regular soy sauce (If you use low sodium, you may need to add a little salt)
2 teaspoons baking powder
Oil – vegetable or peanut
The Sauce
1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces pineapple chunks in own juice
1 large green, yellow, or red pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dry sherry
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the Pork
Stir together and mix until it becomes a smooth batter: water, soy sauce, flour and cornstarch.
Fill a wok or heavy skillet 1/3 full of oil and heat.
While oil is heating……add the baking powder to the batter, and slowly add1 tablespoon hot oil.
Dip meat into batter and fry in hot oil until lightly brown.
Drain meat on paper towels and place in warm oven until ready to heat with the sauce.
Prepare the Sauce
Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.
Pour 1 tablespoon oil into the wok/skillet and heat.
Add onion, green pepper, and carrots – cook until fork tender, stirring occasionally.
In a separate large skillet stir the vinegar and cornstarch together until smooth, stirring constantly.
Stir in the corn syrup, sugar, salt, and pineapple juice and bring to a boil, stirring constantly
Stir in the pork, sautéed vegetables, pineapple, and sherry and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Serve over steamed white or brown Basmati rice.
Servings: 4
NOTE: Shrimp, boneless chicken cubes and fish are also good in this batter.
Baked Salmon is delicious and nutritious all by itself; but, when you pair it with Grape, Berry and Spinach Salad it becomes an extraordinary culinary event. It is incredibly easy to prepare and a delightfully healthy main dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup blueberries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup red or black grapes
1½ cups fresh baby spinach
¼ cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing
4 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon good quality virgin olive oil
1 lemon (juice only)
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Prepare the Salad
Rinse the blueberries, grapes and raspberries thoroughly and place on a paper towel to drain.
Wash to spinach carefully to be sure there is no sand caught in the leaves.
Shake the remaining water from the leaves and let it drain for a few minutes, then, shake again – absorb any excess water with paper towels.
Discard the stems and break the spinach into bite-sized pieces.
Place the fruit and spinach in a medium-sized bowl.
Drizzle the raspberry vinaigrette over everything and toss gently. Set the bowl in the refrigerator to chill.
Cook the Salmon
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the salmon on the paper.
Sprinkle the salmon with olive oil and lemon juice.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake the salmon for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork (DO NOT OVERCOOK)
NOTE: You can also grill the salmon in your oven broiler or over hot coals if you prefer.
Remove the salmon from the baking pan and place it on 4 dinner plates.
Serve immediately with the chilled salad and a bowl of steamed and buttered Basmati rice (brown or white).
Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Sauce is a wonderful dinner to prepare for guests or for Sunday dinner with the family. Lamb combined with the right combination of spices is exceptionally tasty. Serve over steamed Basmati rice (white or brown) and finish the meal with a crisp green vegetable salad for a nice complement of color and texture.
MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds ground lamb
1½ pounds lean ground beef
2 small onions, finely grated
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
5 garlic cloves, crushed
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons garam masala (ground Indian spices)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely ground almonds
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup flour
DIRECTIONS FOR MEATBALLS
Preheat your oven to 450º F.
Place the ground beef and ground lamb in a large bowl and mix together until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. (Use your hands or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.)
Roll walnut-sized pieces into evenly sized and shaped meatballs.
Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and roast them for about 20 minutes or until the centers are barely pink.
Remove from the baking sheet and set aside until sauce is ready.
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
½ cup onion, minced
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced (~1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon ground cumin, heated in a small, dry skillet over low heat until fragrant.
1 tablespoon ground coriander, heated in a small, dry skillet over low heat until fragrant.
4 cups tomato puree
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley leaves, minced
Slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish
Fresh mint leaves (chopped), for garnish
DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE
Heat the oil and heat In a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onions and saute until soft.
Add garlic, shallots, cinnamon sticks, cumin, and coriander and saute over low heat ~3 to 4 minutes.
Add tomato puree, stir well, and bring to a boil – then add the stock.
Season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Add the mint, and parsley.
Simmer ~ 10 minutes and remove the cinnamon sticks.
Add the prepared meatballs to the sauce and heat until warmed through.
Pour a small amount of sauce on the plate and add 5 meatballs per serving.
Garnish with toasted slivered almonds, mint, and warm pita wedges.
