Rotisserie Chicken

This is not so much a recipe, but a creative kitchen spark!


The best bargain you can get at your grocery store is a rotisserie chicken! Even if the chicken is at full price for 8-10 dollars, it’s still a steal! I got ten meals, five different meals for 2, out of the last chicken I bought!

Meal 1 - Succulent warm breast meat from the chicken.

Meal 2 - Chicken in creamy gravy made with the juice from the container over rice.

This one’s an easy one! Use remaining breast meat with the drippings from the rotisserie chicken container, a little flour, salt and poultry seasoning to taste. I use a whisk while it’s cooking to keep it smooth. Serve over rice!

Meal 3,4 and 5 are after making broth!

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Meal three is chicken salad made with white and dark soup meat. The spices and extra cooking from making the soup add extra flavor to the chicken salad made with ranch dressing and shredded cheddar cheese.

Meal 4 - SOUP! Then there’s that Rotisserie Chicken Soup, using about half the stock you made.

Meal 5 - Italian Vegetable Soup


Using the rest of your broth, add about a quarter of a cabbage, chopped and sautéed lightly in a tablespoon of olive oil, and a half cup of soup noodles, like a quadritini and bring to a boil. Once the noodles and cabbage are soft, add a diced zucchini, a handful of green beans. a half can of canelli beans and a cup and a half of tomato juice. Cook until everything is ready to eat!



There are a ton of variations that I use in this soup. You can use a diced potato instead of the beans. Add that when you add the pasta. You can also add some oregano, basil and garlic to Italian it up a bit more. It’s also great served with croutons and parmesan cheese on top!

As my Noni always said, “MANGIA!”

Seafood Rockefeller alla Nani

Seafood Rockefeller alla Nani

1 slice bacon
3/4 lb seafood scallops, shrimp
3/4 cup cooked spinach
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/8 cup chopped green onions
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 450°F.

Clean seafood and place in a large stockpot. Pour in enough water to cover; bring to a boil.

Cook bacon over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

Drain and cool seafood

Using a food processor, chop the bacon, spinach, bread crumbs, green onions, and parsley. Add the salt, half and half and olive oil, process until finely chopped but not pureed, about 10 seconds.

Arrange the seafood in oven safe dish or ramekins. Spoon some of the spinach mixture on each dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake 10 minutes until cooked through, then change the oven's setting to broil and broil until browned on top.

2-3 servings
approx 250 calories

Chuck Tips

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Chuck Tips

1 lb beef chuck steak
1 medium onion, chopped
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup cabernet
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1//2 tsp salt

cut beef into cubes. brown in olive oil with chopped onions.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half and thickened.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Turkey Congee

Traditional Vietnamese Congee

This has often been the traditional day after Thanksgiving soup. It's a simple soup that I use to make the most of those wonderful leftovers. I was inspired by a recipe for Vietnamese Congee, which is a strong broth poured over rice, boiled meat and vegetables. Mine is little heartier using broth made from the Thanksgiving Turkey and leftovers like stuffing, potatoes and veggies in cream sauce.


Turkey Congee

The broth:

After cutting off the remaining meat and scooping out the last of the stuffing, put the carcass of your Thanksgiving turkey (or any roasted or baked poultry at any other time of the year) in a large soup pot. Add 3 or 4 celery ribs and about 3 carrots along with salt and peppercorns to taste. Cover the bird to about an inch over it's top with water. The seasonings can be adjusted through the cooking process, but I usually rely on the flavors from the spices I used on the turkey and dressing to flavor the broth. Bring to a boil on high heat and reduce the heat to medium low. Let the broth simmer for up to 6 hours.

When the broth has a rich flavor, remove it from the heat. Strain the broth into a soup tureen or a new pot. retain the celery and carrots to use in the base. Discard the carcass and any remaining pieces of bone.


The base:

This is where it becomes your personal soup! In the original Vietnamese recipe, it calls for rice spooned into the bowl with some cubed boiled meat and vegetables like bean sprouts or curly leaf cabbage. In my after Thanksgiving recipe, I cut into bite sized pieces some of the remaining turkey meat, make stuffing cubes with some of that Mom's Recipe Sage Dressing, and some of the leftover tortellini from our Thanksgiving Day soup. (Tortellini will usually absorb what's left of the broth over night and that adds even more flavor to the Congee) Every year I make a different kind of potato and veggie with Grandma. so every year the congee has a flair all of it's own. Sometimes the potatoes are roasted or they are done in parsley and butter, I use a dollop of mashed the years we do them that way. The veggies are usually in a butter, cream or cheese sauce and a spoon of that adds to the congee flavor too. I also cut the celery and carrots from making the broth and add those too. I even cube some of the leftover cheeses from the fruit and cheese tray. (Havarti in this congee is SO good!) The base ingredients don't have to be warned up, but get them on the table while the broth is reheating so they aren’t refrigerator-cold!


Dinner time!

To serve the congee, I put the tureen with the hot broth in the middle of the table and surround it with the smaller bowls with the base ingredients so everyone can choose their own things to add to the broth.

Spoon the base ingredients of your choice into the center of the bowl. Ladle hot broth over the base ingredients to cover and enjoy!

Congee is really great with a lightly toasted piece of bread or roll leftover from Turkey Day and a slice of that leftover pumpkin pie for dessert!

Froot Loop Chicken

This a variation of Planet Hollywood's Cap'n Crunch Chicken Strips

Froot Loop Chicken

1/2-2/3 lb chicken tenders
1/2 cup egg beaters
1-1/2 cups crushed Froot Loops cereal

Heat oven to 400˚

Dip each tender in egg beaters, then coat in the crushed Froot Loops.

Lay the tenders on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

makes 2 servings

Davine Stuffed Shells

This is my lower fat and calorie rendition of a traditional San Marinese dish. I made it with my own Bolognese-style sauce for my Dad the first time he came over for dinner after we'd finished our move-in cleaning. He was impressed, and he seldom expresses that out loud with food!


Davine Stuffed Shells

2 TBS margarine
1 lb ground Sirloin
1/2 lb low fat ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 quart Spaghetti Sauce (homemade or commercial)
22 jumbo shells

Brown the beef in the margarine, set aside to cool.

In a bowl combine the cheeses, add the cooled ground beef. Season to taste. Add egg and mix until well blended. cover bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Boil shells in salted water until al dente. Rinse with cold water and allow to cool enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 425.

Cover the bottom of a 9x18 baking pan with sauce. Fill each shell with meat mixture as they are filled place them on top of the sauce. When all of the shells are filled, pour remaining sauce over the tops. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese .

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes, until cooked all the way through.

Calorie count - 89 per shell with sauce.

Originally posted at Simply Davine October 2007

Mah-velous Meat Loaf

Mah-velous Meat Loaf

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 parmesan cheese
1/2 package of store brand meat loaf spices
ketchup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place ground beef in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup. Knead together the ingredients until well mixed.

Form the mixture into a loaf shape. put into a loaf pan or roaster that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Pour enough ketchup on top of loaf to evenly cover it.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until done

Serves 2-3

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2007

Peppery Beef Roast

If this is a dinner for two, you will have leftovers just from the size of even the smallest Chuck Roasts. When choosing the roast, keep in mind that there is also weight for bone and fat that won't be eaten. Plan 1/2 lb per portion, allowing for shrinkage during cooking.


Peppery Beef Roast

1 beef chuck roast
1/2 cup peppercorn melange (five color peppercorns)
1 package Knorr Peppercorn sauce
1 cups water

Heat oven to 450º

lay roast flat on cutting board or other protected working surface. spread peppercorns on top of roast and press them into the surface of the roast. If necessary, use additional peppercorns to cover roast.

Place roast in roaster and put in oven. Cook for about 30 minutes.

After roast with peppercorns has roasted for a half hour, remover the pan from the oven and pour contents of the peppercorn sauce mix around the sides. Add 2 cups water. Cover roaster and return to oven.

Cook for another hour or until roast is to the desired doneness. A meat thermometer will register 140 degrees for rare, 160 degrees for medium and 170 degrees for well done.

Let roast stand for about 10 minutes and serve with reserved sauce from pan on the side to pour over the roast pieces.

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2007

Honey Dijon Founder

Honey Dijon Founder

1/2 lb flounder fillets
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

preheat broiler to 400.

In a small bowl mix together honey and Dijon mustard.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay flounder pieces flat on tray. Using a pastry brush, coat each piece of flounder. Be sure to use all the sauce.

broil fillets for abut 10 minutes or until the sauce is soaked in and the fillets are flaky.

Serves 2

Originally posted at Simply Davine July 2006
Approved Spark Diet recipe 2006

Easy Shwarma

Easy Shwarma

2 boneless chicken breasts, partially frozen
3 TBS Garam Masala
1 TBS olive oil

Thinly slice both chicken breasts. The breasts are easier to slice if they are still partially frozen. Put the sliced chicken in a Zip Loc bag. Add the garam masala to the bag. Zip it shut and shake to coat the chicken. Add more garam masala to taste if desired.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook stir fry style, moving constantly until chicken is done.

Serve over prepared hummus or with tabouleh.

serves 2

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2006

Lovers Shrimp Scampi

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This is our traditional Valentines Day dinner

Lovers Shrimp Scampi

Serves 2-3

1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
3 T. olive oil
6 T. butter or margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. snipped fresh parsley
6 T. white wine

In a large skillet heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shrimp. Cook stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Stir in parsley and wine. Serve immediately.

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2006

Veggie Pancakes

Veggie Pancakes

Serves 1-2 people

1 medium potato
1/2 large carrot (or 6 baby carrots)
3" piece of medium sized zucchini
1 TBS flour
1 TBS fresh minced parsley
1 TBS chopped onion
1/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

preheat oven to 450º F

Grate potato, carrot and zucchini. Place in a clean cloth napkin to use as a sieve. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible.

Mix the sieved vegetables with the other ingredients in a bowl.

Spoon mixture onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray in mounds about 2" across about 1" apart.

Bake at 450 for 6-8 minutes. Take out and flip the pancakes to the other side. Return to oven and bake another 6-8 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with sour cream, apple sauce or apple butter.

Makes 6 pancakes or 2 servings at 122 calories a serving.

Originally posted at Simply Davine October 2005

Idaho Chicken Stir-Fry

Idaho Chicken Stir-Fry

2 boiled potatoes, mashed with butter and 1/8 cup of milk
OR
2 servings instant mashed potatoes
1 TBS Sesame Oil
8 oz chicken breast cut in strips
1 medium red onion
1 yellow bell Pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
1 medium carrot sliced thin
2 cups Chinese cabbage
Teriyaki sauce taste (I use about 1/4 cup)

Prepare potatoes and set in warming oven.

In frying pan or wok over medium to high heat, heat sesame oil to hot. Stir Fry Chicken breasts until they are almost done. remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add red onion, bell pepper, broccoli and carrots to pan. if vegetables begin to stick add a small amount of water. Stir fry until vegetables become tender.

Add chicken to vegetable mixture, stir fry anther 2 minutes. Add cabbage and teriyaki sauce. Stir fry until cabbage is done.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

makes 2 servings

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2005

Nacho Mountain

Nacho Mountain

1 large bag baked tortilla chips
1 jar prepared cheese dip (Nacho's Cheese)
1 16 oz bag shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
1 lb of prepared taco mean
(1 lb ground beef or turkey browned with a taco seasoning packet)
I 15 oz can fat free refried beans
I jar salsa (Mild to hot depending on taste)
Chopped tomatoes, green onions, bell pepper
shredded lettuce
sliced black olives
Sour cream

Put the tortilla chips in a large bowl in the center of a Lazy Susan to form the main part of the community mountain. (Can be just placed in the middle of the table if a Lazy Susan isn't available) Place the other ingredients in small bowls around the mountain to create the "foothills"

Each person places chips on their own plate or bowl, and builds their personal mountains from the assorted condiments.

Serves 4-6

Originally posted at Simply Davine June 2004
Featured at The Chronicles of Nani April 2008

Satay Sauce

Satay Sauce

1/3 cup of dry roasted unsalted peanuts or 1/4 cup of natural peanut butter
1 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cups water
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/4 cup shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled lemon grass or 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, chopped
salt to taste
1 lb chicken breast, pork or beef, pounded to flatten and cut in strips

Grind peanuts in food processor. set aside.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, lemon grass and garlic. Saute 1 minute or until ingredients are tender. Add peanuts or peanut butter, molasses, lime juice and water. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until it has reduced by half. Remover from heat.

Put meat in a ziploc bag. Add 1/4 cup of marinade and seal. Refrigerate for at east an hour to overnight.

Preparing to cook:

Thread meat onto wooden skewers. Grill on a barbecue or broil in oven 5 minutes each side. Serve with remaining marinade for dipping.

Originally posted at Simply Davine May 2004

Greek Chicken

Greek Chicken

3 oz Boneless Chicken Breast
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1 clove minced Garlic

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until soft. Ad oregano and thyme and heat until bouquet of herbs is released. Reduce heat. Add chicken breast. Cook chicken, turning it to distribute herbs evenly until it is done. Add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Originally posted at Simply Davine January 2004

Apple Jack Pork Chops

If you have the patience to caramelize the onions it only adds to the flavor of this personal recipe, inspired by the Jack Daniel's Cookbook.


Apple Jack Pork Chops

2 large vidalia or other sweet onions, sliced
2 tsp cooking oil
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into wedges, skin on
4 one inch thick boneless pork chops
3 TBS butter or margarine
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 - 1 cup Jack Daniel's black label
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat oil and add sliced onions, sauteing until onions start to become clear. Reduce heat and add apples. simmer until apples start to become a little bit soft. remove from heat and set aside.

In another skillet, melt the butter or margarine. Sprinkle the pork chops evenly with the garlic, salt and pepper. Brown the chops in the butter.

Cover the browned chops with the apples ad onions. Reduce heat and add the Jack Daniel's. Simmer.

Stick a knife in the center of one of the chops to test doneness. When the fluid is clear, the chops are done. Remove from heat.

Light a match to the steam coming off the pan to burn off the alcohol and serve hot.

Originally posted at Simply Davine September 2003

A Midsummer Evening's Pasta

The aziago cheese in this recipe makes it a bold flavor that will be complimented, not overpowered by Cabernet or Merlot. It will even stand up to a Chianti.

A Midsummer Evening's Pasta

serves 2
2 cups of dry Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
2 roma tomatoes
1 cup of fresh basil leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
1 TBS. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup of freshly shredded Aziago cheese.

Boil pasta in water with an extra drop of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Cook pasta until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, dice the tomatoes and mix them with the fresh basil and olive oil. Adjust taste with salt and pepper.

When pasta is done cooking, drain it and put it in a serving bowl, immediately adding the tomato and basil mixture and the aziago cheese. Mix it to warm the additional ingredients and melt the cheese. Serve warm.

Originally posted at Simply Davine August 2003

Pocket Stew

I remember "introducing" this stew that we made at camp to my Dad for the first time. I was about six and he wanted so badly to add other things that my child's mind said was wrong because "that's not how we did it at camp." Now, my adult brain can tell you variations can be done on the classic pocket stew to cater more to the adult palate. You can try ground chicken or even bite size pieces of breast with teriyaki sauce or steak bites seasoned with A-1!


Pocket Stew

Each pocket serves one

1/4 - 1/2 lb ground meat of your choice
1 small onions
1 large potato
2 carrots
salt
pepper
ketchup & mustard
Aluminum Foil

The amounts are just a baseline - add as much or as little as you like depending on your personal tastes and how hungry you are.

On a large piece of aluminum foil laid flat on the table, place the ground meat, separated into pieces and dropped on open half of the foil, leaving room for "seams" Chop the vegetables into medium sized cubes and add them to the meat. Season them with ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper.

Fold over the other half of the Aluminum foil. Next, fold the open sides and pinch them to seal around the meat mixture to make a pocket.

Place on grill. The amount of time that it cooks will depend on how much you put in the aluminum foil and how well done you like your meat and potatoes. You can pull the largest packet off the grill and check it after they have been cooking a while. If it needs more cooking, fold the foil back up to reseal the stew. Potatoes and Carrots are done when a fork can go through them.

Originally posted at Simply Davine July 2003

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This one is just comfort food, plain and simple.


Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe makes a large Corning ware casserole dish and serves at least eight. The leftovers can be reheated in the oven or the microwave, but the crispy baked crust will not return when it's nuked!

1 1/2 lbs. Cooked shell shaped macaroni
1 1/2 lbs grated Colby cheese
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
salt and pepper to taste
milk

Generously grease a large Corning casserole dish with margarine. Layer macaroni, cheese, tomatoes and salt and pepper as you go until the dish is full. Cover top with remaining cheese. Pour in milk until about 3/4" from the top. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for about 40-60 minutes, or until all of the fluid is absorbed and the top is golden brown. Allow casserole to stand for about five minutes before serving.

Originally posted at Simply Davine March 2003