Friday, March 27, 2015

Chicken Tetrazzini

     I was looking for something different to serve on Easter and this turns out to be perfect to serve with a green salad and a light dessert.  I made two which kept in the refrigerator for several days.  It was so good we didn't need to freeze it because we ate both of the casseroles within the week.  If you prefer dark chicken meat, substitute chicken thighs.

                                                               Chicken Tetrazzini

1 8 oz. box of mushrooms
2 1/2 tblsp. stick margarine
3 tblsp. Madeira wine (you can use any wine or omit it)
3 chicken breasts
3 tblsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 tblsp. olive oil
8 oz. noodles, favorite type
1/2 cup dairy free harvati cheese
2/3 cup panko crumbs
3 tblsp. melted stick margarine
1 14oz. can chicken broth
6 tblsp. flour
4 oz. soy cream cheese
1 tsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
4 oz. dairy free harvarti cheese


     Heat oven to 425 F.  Wash, dry and chop mushrooms. Brown in the melted 2 1/2 tblsp. margarine.  When the mushrooms are brown, turn off the flame, pour in the wine, turn the flame back on med-low until the wine is gone.  Put the mushrooms in a dish and set aside.
     Using the same skillet, spray with vegetable spray.  Put the chicken in a resealable bag with the flour, salt and pepper.  Shake until the chicken is coated on all sides.  Put the chicken in the skillet along with the remaining contents of the flour mixture in the bag.  Brown on both sides and make sure the chicken is cooked through as the juices will run clear.  Set aside to cool, then cut into cubes.
    While the chicken is cooking, put on a pan of water to boil.  When it does, add the noodles and cook to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
     To make the topping, combine the 1/2 cup finely grated harvati cheese, panko crumbs and 3 tblsp. melted margarine.  At first it will seem like they won't blend together, but continue to mix with a fork and they will blend.
     To make the sauce, put the chicken broth in a sauce pan and whisk in the flour.  Add the soy cream cheese, spices, and harvati cheese.  Make sure to keep all ingredients mixed together until they begin to bubble around the edges. 
     In a large bowl or pan combine the mushrooms, chicken, sauce and noodles.  Spoon or pour into a 13x 9 in. or 2 each 9 in. baking dishes sprayed with vegetable spray.  Top  with the panko crumb mixture.
     Bake at 425F for 10-15 minutes until heated through and the topping is brown.  It is possible for the topping to brown and the casserole not to be warm in the center yet, if so, let it continue to cook and lay a piece of foil across the top so it doesn't burn.  Makes 6 servings.
     I am working on more recipes in all categories.  Until next time.

    

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Flourless Chocolate Cake

     I'm often envious of other's when they order flourless chocolate cake knowing I can't have any so I was determined to find a way I could make it for myself.  After tinkering with the recipe a few times I was very pleased and even my husband liked it.  He's trying to cut down on sugar so I used some Splenda but you can use the same amount of sugar if you want.  Increase the amount of instant coffee if you want more of a mocha flavor

Cake:
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
4 tblsp. stick margarine
1/4 cup sugar plus 2 tblsp. Splenda
1/4 tsp. instant coffee
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup cocoa

Glaze:
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
3 tblsp. lactose free milk

     Cake:  preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Carefully melt the chocolate chips and margarine in the microwave or over low heat just until the chips are soft.  Remove from heat and stir until combined.  Stir in sugar, Splenda, instant coffee and vanilla, then add eggs, beating just until smooth.  Sift cocoa powder over the mixing bowl and mix just until combined.
     Pour into an 6 1/2 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and has waxed paper or parchment paper on the bottom that has also been sprayed.  I've tried doing this without the waxed paper and ended up glueing the pieces of my cake together with glaze.
     Bake 20-25 min., when done, the top should have a thin crust and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register a minimum of 200 degrees F.

     Glaze:  After the cake has cooled completely it can be glazed.  Combine the the chocolate  chips and milk and melt the same as with the cake.  Spread the glaze over the cake and allow it to drip over the sides.  The glaze should set for several hours before serving the cake. For a larger cake, use an 8" pan and double the ingredients, same temperature, start at 25 minutes and keep and eye on your cake.


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Ham, Asparagus, Mushroom Quiche & New Products

     Before I get to the recipe, I want to share some new lactose free products that are now available and will expand the possibilities for not only what you can eat but also what dishes you can make.  There is now lactose free cottage cheese as well as a variety of ice cream flavors.  Kraft also has a new line of block cheeses which if you look for the very small print says 0% lactose and comes in cheddar, white cheddar, harvati, and asiago flavors.
     Today's recipe would make a nice dinner with a soup or salad or brunch with a fruit salad.  If you don't care for asparagus, leave it out or substitute it for a different vegetable.

                                              Ham, Asparagus, Mushroom Quiche

1 refrigerated pie crust
1 box mushrooms
2 tblsp. stick margarine
3 tblsp. Marsala wine
1/3 cup asparagus tips
1 cup chopped ham
1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 egg
1 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup lactose free milk
1 tblsp. instant dried minced onion
3 slices each Muenster and light Swiss lactose free cheese

     Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line the inside of a pie plate with pie crust and pierce with a fork to keep it from bubbling up when  baking.  Bake for 10 minutes or when it is starting to brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
     Clean mushrooms.  In a frying pan melt the margarine.  Brown the mushrooms until the margarine and liquid is gone.  Turn off the flame and pour in the wine.  Turn the flame back on and simmer until the liquid is gone.  Turn the flame off and set the mushrooms aside.
     Cook asparagus tips in the microwave for one minute.  In a mixing bowl mix the remaining imgredients except the sliced cheese.  Add the mushrooms.  Pour into the crust.  Break up the cheese slices and sprinkle over the top.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the center is set.  If the crust edge is getting too brown make a foil collar around it to keep it from burning.
     See you next time



Sunday, March 1, 2015

Blackberry Raspberry Cheesecake

     I realize I have been absent for many months.  After my mother passed away, my husband and I decided we needed a change of scenery and decided to move.  We found a house we liked that was under construction which meant we were in a time constraint to sell our home.  Apparently that wasn't a problem because our home sold in three days.  The only problem was after living in our home for 29 years there was much purging to be done and limited time to do it.  The couple who bought our home generously rented our home back to us for one month so that we could finish packing and our new house could finish being built.
     If this was all that was going on in our lives that would have been enough, but of course it wasn't.  Just before we moved we attended a destination wedding for one of our nieces and two days after we moved we attended another destination wedding.
     When we came back we had one month to get our home presentable for guests staying with us for the shower of our second grandchild.
     Several days after everyone went home we left on a month long vacation to spend birthdays with our first grandchild and our daughter.
     By the time we got home my husband and I were exhausted.  It had been five months since we had sold our home until we returned from our vacation and we felt displaced.  Now we were finally going to have the chance to feel like we were home. 
     Most of our boxes are unpacked now and I have found most of what belongs in the kitchen.  I have been testing recipes.  Most have been a success, some after I remade them.  Some were hopeless.  But I have been working on quite a few to round out a fairly even number in all categories in the hope of making a cook book of them.  More about that later.
     Today's recipe is blackberry raspberry cheesecake.  You will notice that I will be including Splenda in future recipes.  My husband and I have both been told by our doctor that we need to watch certain parts of our diets and cutting down on sugar will help.

                                              Blackberry Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust   9 in. springform pan
2 1/2 tablespoons stick margarine, melted
7 Oreos
8 squares graham crackers

Filling
2 ea. 8 oz. soy cream cheese, softened
2 ea. 5.5 oz. goat cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/4 cup Splenda
2 tblsp. blackberry spreadable fruit
2 tblsp. raspberry spreadable fruit
1 tsp. vanilla ext.
1 tsp. raspberry ext.
1 tsp. blackberry ext.

Topping
1/4 cup each blackberry and raspberry spreadable fruit

     To make the crust, spray the inside of the pan with vegetable cooking spray.  Crush the Oreos and graham crackers together and mix with the melted margarine.  Press in the bottom of the pan.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 7 minutes.  Set aside.
     To make the filling put the soy cream cheese and goat cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined and smooth.  Add eggs and beat until smooth.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until blended and smooth.  Pour over crust.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until center is set.
     To make topping, let cheesecake cool for 10 minutes. Mix the two flavors of spreadable fruit together and spread evenly on the cheesecake.  When the cheesecake is thoroughly cooled, cover and put in the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.

     I have several recipes I have been working on for my next writing and I haven't decided which to do next so I guess it will be a surprise for all of us.  See you next time.