Welcome to Thursday Coffee Hour. This is an open topic thread so help yourself to the goodies and sit awhile and let us know what is new with you. It has been hot and humid here and that always kicks up my arthritis. Of course it still means that I have to cook but I hate heating up my small kitchen. This is where my top three electronic kitchen devices come into play.
Three of my favorite things to use in the kitchen are my electric skillet, my electric wok, and my crockpot. They are perfect for a hot day and my kitchen doesn't feel like a sauna when I'm done. Both the wok and skillet are Teflon coated so cleanup is easy and the crock pot has a removable ceramic insert so it can go into the refrigerator without me having to find another container for the food.
Because of my arthritis I use OXO products most of the time. I can hold onto them without dropping them. I just finished using their mandolin to slice potatoes and onions for my Hot German Potato Salad.
Hot weather drains me of energy because if affects not only the arthritis but the C.O.P.D. I’ll baby myself during those times to make sure I don’t push my body so much that it goes into a major respiratory infection or the joints swell so much that I can’t do anything.
I’ll be working on my cookbook today but here are a few recipes using my favorite three electronic devices in the kitchen.
Hot German Potato Salad with Polish Kielbasa
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes -- sliced
1 medium sweet onion -- sliced
water -- to cover
4 slices bacon, thick-sliced -- diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon celery seed
⅓ cup cider vinegar
⅔ cup water
1 pound Polish sausage or Kielbasa
Slice the potatoes and onions and put in crockpot. Cover with water. Cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours or HIGH 2 to 3 hours.
Mix flour, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and celery seeds in a small bowl.
Cook bacon to desired doneness. Add flour mixture and cook for one minute. Add water and vinegar and scrape up all the fond from bacon. Heat to boiling and stir until thickened.
Drain potatoes and onions and return to crockpot. Slice Polish sausage and add to pot. Add sauce and stir to combine.
Cook on HIGH for 30 to 45 minutes until everything is heated through.
Per Serving: 403 Calories; 26g Fat (58.8% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 60mg Cholesterol; 919mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 2 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 4 Fat; ½ Other Carbohydrates.
Kung Pao Chicken With a Pow
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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12 ounces chicken breasts without skin – boneless
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
5 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 teaspoons ginger root -- minced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 cup green onions -- cut in ½ inch pieces
½ cup peanuts
2 cups hot cooked rice
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into ¾ inch pieces. In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, sherry and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Let stand for 15 minutes.
For sauce, in a small bowl, stir together water, soy sauce, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, sugar, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic and ginger root for 15 seconds.
Add chicken mixture; stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until meat is no longer pink inside. Push chicken from center of wok.
Stir sauce and add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.
Add green onions and peanuts and stir to coat with sauce. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve over hot rice.
Per Serving: 379 Calories; 14g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 674mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Burgundy Beef With Portobello Mushrooms and Pearl Onions
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 pounds beef bottom round
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 cup burgundy or other red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 ounces Portobello mushrooms -- sliced
5 ounces white pearl onions
2 cloves garlic -- minced fine
Mix together wine, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic.
Add sliced mushrooms and pearl onions and let marinate while browning meat.
Mix together the flour, salt, pepper and allspice. Coat meat on all sides. Keep reserved flour mixture.
Heat pan on high heat and add olive oil. Brown meat on all sides. Transfer to crockpot.
Pour wine marinade with mushrooms and onions over meat.
Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 4 to 5 hours.
Remove meat, onions and mushrooms from crockpot.
Remove any visible fat from liquid. Place liquid in small saucepan over med-high heat. Add saved flour mixture and stir until gravy is thickened. Serve over meat and mushrooms or on the side.
Per Serving: 587 Calories; 32g Fat (53.6% calories from fat); 52g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 159mg Cholesterol; 525mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 7 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Spicy Mongolian Beef
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 pounds flank steak -- sliced thin
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Tiger Sauce or other chili sauce
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds -- toasted
8 whole green onions -- sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon ginger root -- minced
Heat wok or large frying pan to medium-high. Add vegetable oil.
Stir fry meat in batches if necessary. Push meat to side.
Add green onions, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and red pepper. Stir fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Push aside.
Mix soy sauce, sherry, Tiger sauce and cornstarch together. Add sauce mixture. Stir until thickened.
Stir to coat meat and vegetables.
Per Serving: 333 Calories; 21g Fat (57.6% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 77mg Cholesterol; 351mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 4½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 2 Fat.
Fried Rice
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4½ cups cooked rice -- cooled
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
2 whole shallots -- minced
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon ginger root -- minced fine
8 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Heat wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Mix seasoned salt into eggs. Add egg mixture to wok and cook until soft curdles form. Remove from wok and set aside.
Increase heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Stir-fry shallots, ginger and garlic until soft.
Add mushrooms and peas and stir-fry until heated through about 2 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to wok. Rub rice with hands to separate and add to wok. Stir-fry about 2 minutes or until hot.
Add vegetable mixture, soy sauce, and eggs. Heat 1 minute or until heated through.
Per Serving: 321 Calories; 11g Fat (32.1% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 412mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2½ Grain (Starch); ½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Potato-Corn Chowder
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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28 ounces Potatoes O’Brien
30 ounces no salt added canned corn
15 ounces no-salt-added cream-style corn
2 ounces pimientos -- diced
12 ounces evaporated skim milk
8 ounces ham cubes – leave out for vegetarian
1 small onion -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon chives, freeze-dried
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Add all ingredients to a crockpot and mix well.
Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
Per Serving: 418 Calories; 15g Fat (31.2% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 538mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3½ Grain (Starch); ½ Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; ½ Non-Fat Milk; 2½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Crockpot Hearty Split Pea Soup With Ham
Serving Size: 10
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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16 ounces split peas
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes -- diced
1 cup celery -- sliced
1 cup carrot slices
2 cloves garlic -- minced fine
8 ounces ham cubes -- divided
1 small sweet onion -- minced
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup sweet sherry
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
Put the peas in the bottom of the crockpot. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, ham, and garlic in that order.
Sprinkle the salt, pepper, allspice, basil, thyme, and marjoram evenly over vegetables. Add Worcestershire sauce. Pour sherry and three cups of the chicken broth. Cover. Cook on LOW for five hours or cook on HIGH for two hours.
Add remaining two cups of chicken broth and stir to combine.
Cook on LOW for an additional three to five hours or HIGH for an additional two hours.
Per Serving: 306 Calories; 3g Fat (9.6% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 729mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 2 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Sweet Onions and Potatoes
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freeze-dried chives
1 medium sweet onion -- sliced
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes -- sliced
½ cup water
Melt butter in large frying pan. Layer onions and potatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil and chives.
Pour water over onions and potatoes. Cover and cook on medium for 30 minutes.
Per Serving: 88 Calories; 4g Fat (39.3% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 10mg Cholesterol; 360mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); ½ Vegetable; 1 Fat.
Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound sweet potatoes -- peeled and sliced
boiling water
⅓ cup maple syrup -- pure not artificial
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
In a large skillet bring one inch of water to boil. Put sliced potatoes in boiling water and cover skillet and boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender.
Drain potatoes and put back in skillet.
Add maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice to potatoes. Stir to cover potatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes spooning liquid over potatoes until potatoes are glazed.
Per Serving: 169 Calories; trace Fat (1.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 148mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Grain (Starch); 0 Fat; 1½ Other Carbohydrates.