Fortunately or unfortunately some good things have come from this very bad thing…the covid virus; newly found hobbies, online classes, home cooking and learning a new kind of entertaining…social distance outdoor cocktail hours.
So, on a search for easy appetizer recipes, I have found this one on Delish.com. Let’s take that old deviled egg recipe, fry it up and serve it…..a new winner!!
FRIED DEVILED EGGS!
INGREDIENTS
8 large eggs, divided
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly grond black pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp.garlic powder
vegetable oil, for frying
Finely chopped chives, for garnish
Smoked paprika, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Place 6 eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Set pan over medium-high heat and bring water to a boil. Turn off heat, cover pan with a lid, and let sit for 11 minutes. Drain, rinse eggs under cold water, and peel.
Halve eggs lengthwise and scoop out yolks into a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, hot sauce, and Dijon mustard to bowl, then mash yolks with the back of a fork and stir until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate while frying eggs.
Place flour, remaining eggs, and panko into 3 separate shallow bowls. Add 1 teaspoon water to eggs and whisk with a fork to combine. Add garlic powder to bowl with flour and stir to combine. Dredge each egg white first in flour, then egg, then panko, and place on a plate.
Add about 3” oil to a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Heat oil to 350°, then gently drop breaded egg whites into oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove, drain on a paper-towel lined plate and season with salt.
Fill fried egg whites with yolk mixture and garnish with chives and paprika.
Dear Friends,
Thanks for swinging by! We’re all working hard to stay safe and keep each other safe. Face masks, social distancing, and hand washing will hopefully keep this virus at bay until they come up with a vaccine.
Until then, turn on some music and dance like no one is watching…because unless people are peeping in your windows…no one is!
Hey fellow quarantiners! I wonder if you are being as resourceful as I am trying to be….and surprising myself! Doing my own nails, highlighting my own hair, and yes……cutting my own hair….are my most recent activities.
This cutting my own hair thing is a daily event. Watching you tube videos of people cutting their own hair and other people’s hair has been entertaining but hasn’t helped, and I definitely don’t recommend it. My hair dresser, Devin, is going to shit herself when she see’s what I’ve done to my hair. I’m not quite sure what I’ve done either…
I did cut Steve’s hair the other evening after cocktails and every morning check to see which side needs evening up. He’s been super patient. Yesterday he told me that he thought his hairline was receding….I told him that it was probably his new haircut and maybe we should let it grow a little….What I really meant to say is that maybe we should do haircuts before cocktails?
My son and new daughter-in-law, who just got married in their home last weekend, have been our personal shoppers. I worry about them… As nursing home administrators, Jeffrey & Mackenzie are both on the front lines so I’d like to keep my grocery list short giving me a new challenge….which is also keeping me away from haircutting for a bit…..
MEALS CAN YOU MAKE WITH ONE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
There is nothing more delicious than a fresh, hot, store bought grocery store rotisserie chicken…Even smelling it in the car on your way home makes my mouth water…
Meal 1. I pull the thigh/leg off and serve it with any side. No magic, but delicious. Cut up the leftover chicken and tuck it in the fridge for the next creation..
More recipes:
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
Super easy and delicious…add fresh or frozen spinach & corn if you like…
Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes in juice (14.5 oz.)
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14.5 oz.)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups shredded Cheddar, divided
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
For the sauce, purée tomatoesin juice, chopped onion, and garlic in a food processor.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Stir in flour, chili powder, and cumin; cook 1 minute.
Whisk in puréed tomato mixture and broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until thickened, 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season sauce with salt and pepper and let cool.
For the filling, combine chicken, drained tomatoes, diced onion, and 1 cup Cheddar with 1/2 cup sauce to coat.
Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottomof a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place 1 tortilla into dish, spread on1 Tbsp. sauce, and flip.
Scoop 2 Tbsp. filling onto tortilla, and roll to enclose.
Place tortilla, seam side down, in the dish.
Repeat saucing, filling, and rolling with remaining tortillas.
Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and 1 cup Cheddar.
Bake enchiladas until Cheddar melts and sauce is bubbly, 30 minutes; let cool slightly before serving.
CHICKEN POT PIE WITH PHYLO CRUST
So easy and delicious! Substitute the phyla with refrigerated pie crust for an easy alternative.
INGREDIENTS
8 oz.cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flouR
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt, black pepper, and dry
sherry to taste
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and patted dry
1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed and patted dry
4 Tbsp. each unsalted butter and olive oil
16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed to room temperatureMAKE IT!
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Cook mushrooms and thyme in 6 Tbsp. butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until browned and liquid nearly evaporates, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup sherry; cook until nearly evaporated. Whisk in broth and milk; cook until thickened to desired consistency, 10–12 minutes.
Add lemon juice; season with salt, pepper, and sherry.
Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables, and onions.
Divide mixture among four baking dishes arranged on prepared baking sheet.
Heat 4 Tbsp. butter with oil in microwave until butter melts. Place a phyllo sheet on a flat surface; cover remaining sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Lightly brush phyllo sheet with butter-oil mixture; roll into a loose tube. Repeat brushing and rolling with 3 more phyllo sheets, then starting at outer edge, place 4 phyllo tubes end to end in a spiral pattern on top of filling. Repeat phyllo steps for each pot pie. Drizzle any remaining butter- oil mixture over phyllo or coat with nonstick spray.
Bake pies until crust is golden and filling is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let pies cool 5–10 minutes before serving.
Depending upon the width of your dishes, the number of phyllo sheets needed may vary by one or two.
Creamy Pesto Lasagna with rotisserie chicken
Serves 12
Use no-boil lasagna sheets or regular sheets (cook them 5 minutes before assembling) Also, add spinach for added nutrition.
Ingredients:
FOR THE BÉCHAMEL
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup purchased refrigerated basil pesto
Salt and black pepper to taste
FOR THE LASAGNA
1 pkg. whole-milk ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup purchased refrigerated basil pesto
12 dry, flat, no-boil lasagna sheets
3 cups diced rotisserie chicken, divided
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
Preheat oven to 350°. For the béchamel, melt butterin a large saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in flour and cook2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in milk and nutmeg, bring to a simmer, and cook2 minutes more.
Off heat, stir in1/2 cup pesto; season with saltand pepper.
For the lasagna, stir together ricotta, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup pesto; season with salt and pepper.
Spread 2/3 cup béchamel in bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Lay 3 lasagna sheets side by side, top with 1/2 cup ricotta mixture, 3/4 cup chicken, 2/3 cup béchamel, and 3/4 cup mozzarella.
Repeat layering three more times, topping the final layer with 11/2 cups mozzarella.
Cover lasagna with foil. Bake lasagna until bubbly, about 45 minutes.
Remove foil andbake lasagna 15 minutes more, then broil on high until golden, 2–3 minutes.
Let lasagna rest15 minutes before serving.
Dear Friends,
Staying home and staying safe have become part of our new normal.
Making a list of things to accomplish each day has helped relieve boredom and frustration and gives me a sense of accomplishment. Organizing those boxes of pictures into labeled baggies or photo albums, making boxes of clothing and other items to be donated (there will be a huge need), and finding delicious recipes with items shoved into the back of the pantry are this week’s list.
Cheers to hoping that this will get better. If we all do our part in keeping our distance and staying home, we hope this will pass.
If you have any easy and delicious recipes to share, I’d love to hear from you!
I spent most of last week scrambling from store to store engaging in my own version of “Say Yes to the Dress” hoping to find the perfect dress for my son’s upcoming wedding. Little did I know that I was successfully exposing myself (and my family) to God knows what and hoping this invisible enemy would just disappear. The good news….I found the dress…The bad news….The wedding is off, or postponed for now.
My husband, Steve is happy because all of the ‘say no to the dresses’ have been successfully returned and the credit card is tucked away….for now.
What is the take away? Stay positive, worry about what we can control, and turn off the tv after the Today Show.
For me, self quarantining is a great time to search out recipes to share! Technically, I should be offering immune boosting recipes, but today, since our restaurant choices are limited, I found some great ‘restaurant quality’ recipes to share. Check this twist on chicken Parm from Cuisine Magazine!
Chicken Parmesan Roulades
with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Caesar Salad
For the roulades—
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves pounded thin (6 oz. each)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh Mozzarella sticks cut into eight, 2″ long pieces
For the coating—
1 C. panic bread crumbs (I use Italian blend)
1 C. Parmesan cheese shredded
1 T. minced fresh parsley
1/4 C. all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. olive oil
For the sauce—
1 C. chopped onions
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
3 C. cherry tomatoes
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
Salt to taste
serve WiTh:
Caesar Salad, 1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400* & coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Halve the chicken for the roulades.
Season & roll each with a piece of mozzarella.
Combine panko, Parmesan cheese & parsley
Dredge roulades in flour, dip in egg and coat in panko mixture.
Roast in the oven 10 min.
Sautés in skillet with 2T olive oil
FOR THE SAUCE:
Saute onions and pepper flakes in a sauce pan 2-3 min.
Stir in tomatoes and cook until slightly thickened 8-10 min.
Season with basal and salt.
TO SERVE:
Place roulade on top of Caesar salad, spoon tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
CAESAR SALAD
Makes 10 cups; Total time: 15 minutes
Mash TogeTher:
11/2 t. garlic, minced 1/4 t. kosher salt
Whisk in: 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated 2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. mayonnaise 1 t. anchovy paste 1 t. Dijon mustard 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 t. black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Toss WiTh: 10 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
Mash garlic and salt together with the flat side of a knife blade until it forms a paste, Whisk remaining ingredients together with the garlic paste until combined. Toss the romaine with the dressing just before serving.
Dear Friends,
I hope you enjoy today’s recipe. Shortcuts work….use jar sauce and store bought dressing…it’s all good.
Every day my daughter FaceTimes me with our 18 month old grandson doing everything from dying spaghetti noodles to finger-painting cards and mailing them to family members. Working full time from home and being so resourceful, I marvel at her positive outlook and commitment.
It’s a lesson. Without being preachy and trite….cheers to health and watching out for each other while doing the right thing…..Stay home….Stay healthy.
My search to spice up everyday meals have two requirements….they have to be super quick and super flavorful. This great recipe for a juicy and delicious turkey burger tickled my fancy.
I loved the combo with the pineapple, but it turned the bun into huge mess. My Steve wasn’t a huge fan of the pineapple, so he ate it on the side wrapped in a lettuce bun. I also went a little crazy with the Soy Vey Very Teriyaki, actually a lot crazy….the whole bottle at the end. LOVED IT!
TERIYAKI TURKEY BURGERS with GRILLED PINEAPPLE
Makes 4 burgers
COMBINE:
1 egg
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
4 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce, divided
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 lb. ground turkey
GRILL:
8 oz. sliced fresh pineapple or 1 can (8 oz.), drained
4 hamburger buns, split, buttered, and toasted (I recommend wrapping in lettuce)
Green leaf lettuce
Teriyaki sauce, (Soy Vey Very Teriyaki)
Preheat grill to medium.
Combine egg, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, 2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce, and onion powder in a bowl. Add turkey and mix until combined; shape
Baste patties with remaining 2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce (or the rest of the bottle) during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Grill pineapple slices until grill marks appear, 3–4 minutes per side. Assemble burgers on buns with lettuce, or wrap in lettuce, pineapple, and additional teriyaki sauce.
Dear Friends,
As summer draws toooo quickly to a close, I hope to keep my grill running as long as I can, filling my days with family, friends and yummy cocktails!
I saw a cute saying for this time of year….”Keep your pumpkin spice away from my margarita!” I like it and am happy to wait for cool fall nights….so until then….
Salad…..my favorite comfort food of summer, but anything fresh from the garden and smothered in cheese….now we’re talking! Summer’s bounty of eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes give rise to delicious and healthy twists on most loved recipes….like one of my faves, eggplant Parmesan!
This sheet pan eggplant parm is a super easy and flavorful without all the fuss and fat of the original version. Give it a try…..
SHEET PAN EGGPLANT PARMESAN
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsps olive oil or spray olive oil
3 C. marinara sauce
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or fresh
julienned fresh basil, optional
DIRECTIONS
Spread the sliced eggplant in a single layer onto paper towels. Lightly salt the eggplant and let it sit for 15 minutes. Flip the eggplant, salt the other side, and let sit for another 15 minutes. Rince the eggplant with water and pat dry with clean paper towels. (This step is optional)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In a separate dish, lightly beat the eggs with the water.
Dip the eggplant slices in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcumbs onto the eggplant to evenly coat both sides.
Spray a foil-lined sheet pan with the olive oil.
Place the breaded eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, flip the slices, then bake for an additional 10 minutes on the other side. Spoon sauce onto each slice and top with shredded or fresh mozzorella cheese.
Return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil right before serving.
Dear Friends,
Thanks for swinging by! I know it’s been awhile, but I hope to share more regularly!
When the kids come to visit, we always have leftover bananas. Try this delicious twist on the usual banana bread or cupcakes…..Banana Cookies! Soft, chewy and delicious. You may make them before the kids arrive!
Banana Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ripe smashed banana
3.4 oz package banana cream instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350*F
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
Combine butter and sugar and mix with an electric mixer. Add banana, dry pudding mix and the eggs, then mix together until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients into the mixing bowl with banana mixture.
Add the white chocolate chips.
Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking pan.
Bake at 350*F for 10 minutes or until slightly golden.
Cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Laura Nobil, Realtor® 