Poor Man's Emergency Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 large bullion cube in 2 cups water)
1 (16-oz) frozen Ranchero Fiesto blend vegetables (Stop & Shop brand; made up of broccoli, white beans, dark red kidney beans, Garbanzo beans, carrots, Italian green beans, and red peppers)
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Method
1.  Heat oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, thyme, and curry powder and cook, stirring for about 1 minute.

2.  Add water, chicken stock, frozen vegetables, and brown sugar. Bring just to a boil.

3.  Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are heated through, about 10 minutes. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste.


Adapted from the Hartford Courant recipe Easy Vegetable Soup.

Breaded Dijon Chicken Breast

Ingredients
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Olive oil

Method
1.  Prepare an ungreased baking pan and set oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Pat the chicken dry using paper towels.

3.  In a shallow dish whisk the eggs with Dijon mustard until well blended.

4.  In another shallow dish, combine the dry bread crumbs with the garlic powder, seasoned salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

5.  Dip chicken breasts into the egg/mustard mixture allowing any excess to drip off, then place the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture turning to coat with the crumbs and pressing down with hands firmly to adhere the coating to the chicken; place onto a plate or the prepared baking sheet.

6.  Cover the bottom of a skillet with oil then heat over medium-high heat.

7.  Add in the breaded chicken one or two at a time and brown both sides (about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, do not cook thoroughly).

8.  Transfer to ungreased baking sheet and bake the chicken for 30 minutes or until cooked through.


Adapted from the Food.com recipe "Kittencal's Tender and Juicy Breaded Dijon Chicken Breast."

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato

1/2 cup milk

Method

1.  Sift together first five ingredients.

2.  Cut in butter until mealy.

3.  Add potato and milk and knead into a ball. Divide into smaller pieces.

4.  Turn onto a floured surface and roll dough into about 1/2 inch thickness. Fold in half and cut into circles.

5.  Bake on greased sheet at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Colonel Mustard Chicken

Ingredients
1/4 cup creamy Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Sea salt
Cracked pepper
8 chicken thighs, skin removed

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 475F.

2.  Lightly grease baking sheet.

3.  In a large bowl, mix mustard and Worcestershire until blended.

4.  In a shallow container, mix breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.

5.  Toss chicken thighs first in mustard mixture and then breadcrumb mixture.

6. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes; turn over and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients
3 medium very ripe bananas
1 egg
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or 1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp chocolate chips
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2.  In a large bowl, mash bananas with fork.

3.  Whisk in egg, milk, sugar, and brown sugar.

4.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

5.  Add flour mixture to banana mixture and combine well.

6.  Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

7.  Spoon equal amounts of batter into 12 muffin cups.

8.  Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

9.  Allow to cool slightly in pan, then remove to wire rack.


Adapted from the Food.com recipe Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Daddy's Fried Chicken

Ingredients
12 chicken thighs
Flour
Old Bay seasoning
Vegetable oil

Method

Breaded Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork chops
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
Red Hot sauce
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2.  Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Mix the egg, milk, and several dashes of Red Hot sauce together in a second bowl, and then mix together the bread crumbs, garlic powder, and pepper in a third bowl.

3.  Heat up the olive oil in a skillet. Brown each pork chop on both sides for about 1-2 minutes.

4.  Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked (time will need to be increased depending on the thickness of the chops).

Ramsay's Escalope of Chicken

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless and pounded thin
2 eggs, lightely beaten with 1 Tbsp milk
Flour
Breadcrumbs, seasoned
1 ball mozzarella (or bag of shredded mozzarella)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Olive oil
1 shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pint or 250g cherry tomatoes
Dried basil
Sea salt and ground pepper

Method
1.  Preheat the oven to 395F (200C).

2.  Dust each chicken filet in flour, then dip in the egg wash and next the breadcrumbs.

3.  Saute the escalopes in hot olive oil in a frying pain until golden brown, then transfer to a baking tray.

4.  Heat a little new olive oil in the same pan. Saute the shallots and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil and allow the tomatoes to soften. Season with a little salt and pepper.

5.  Spoon some tomato sauce over each escalope. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for approximately 8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is melted and golden.

6.  Serve alongside a light salad.


Adapted from Gordon Ramsay's F-Word Recipe "Escalope of Chicken with Sauteed Potatoes and Red Chard."

Ramsay's Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

100g (3.5oz) dark chocolate

300ml double cream

1 large egg white

50g (1/4c) caster sugar

Method

1.  Break the chocolate into small pieces and set aside. In small saucepan, heat half of the cream (150ml) until it begins to boil. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

2.  Pour the mixture into a bowl set over a large bowl of iced water and add the rest of the cream. Using a handheld electric whisk, beat the mixture to soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the iced water.

3.  Meanwhile, whisk the egg white with a handheld electric beater until stiff peak. Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking to a soft meringue. Carefully fold the meringue through the chocolate mixture, then spoon or pipe into chilled serving glasses.

Shelly's Note: Since I don't have a handheld mixer, I use my stand mixer but chill the chocolate/cream before mixing. Though it doesn't work as well, in a pinch you can use cocoa powder mixed with canola oil/shortening and sugar as a substitution for the chocolate. This is equal to 4 oz chocolate, or just over 100g. 

Substitution for baking chocolate:

4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

8 tsp canola oil/shortening

14 tsp sugar

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay's F-Word recipe "Four Minute Chocolate Mousse."

Cajun Seasoning Mix

Ingredients
2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground black pepper

Method
Combine all ingredients.

Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. Use as needed.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
1 pkg chicken tenderloins, cut into thin strips
1 box rotini pasta
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp butter
2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Garlic powder
Dried basil
Parmesan cheese

Method
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a baggie and shake to coat thoroughly.

Saute chicken in butter until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta.

Reduce heat and add heavy cream, tomatoes, and several dashes of garlic powder and dried basil. Heat through, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly.

Pour over hot pasta and stir to mix. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.


Adapted from the Food.com recipe "Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta."

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

Ganache frosting
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup (6.4 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Method
For the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 baking cups, and a second pan with 6 baking cups.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

Add the cocoa powder, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.

Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are two-thirds full. 

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
Lay a large piece of wax paper on the work surface.

Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or two of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the bowl over the saucepan and let the mixture melt, stirring until it is shiny and smooth.

Remove the bowl of chocolate ganache from the saucepan; let it cool slightly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Working with 1 cupcake at a time, carefully dip each cupcake top in the warm ganache, twisting your wrist as needed to make sure the cupcake top gets completely coated. To prevent drips, quickly turn the cupcake right side up and place on the wax paper. Allow the ganache to set for 5 minutes before serving.

(If the cupcakes are dipped once, you'll have about 1/2 cup of ganache left over.)

Shelly's Note: I haven't tried the ganache frosting yet, but it's got to be good. Alternatively, you can use the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa powder box or the recipe from the Chocolate-Frosted Ice Cream Roll, or whatever your favorite frosting is!

Adapted from the ladies at Georgetown Cupcake.

Chocolate-Frosted Ice Cream Roll

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract (we've always left this out)

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened (or use whatever flavor strikes your fancy)

Frosting

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Grease a 15- x 10- x 1-inch jellyroll pan. Line pan with paper; grease paper, and set pan aside.

Sift first 4 ingredients together; set mixture aside.

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; stir in flavorings. Fold yolk mixture into egg white mixture; then gently fold in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes.

When cake is done, immediately loosen from sides of pan and turn out onto a damp towel. Peel off waxed paper. Starting at wide end, roll up cake and towel together; cool on wire rack, seam side down, 30 minutes.

Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread ice cream evenly over cake. Gently roll cake back up; carefully place on a large baking sheet, seam side down. Freeze until ice cream is firm.

While the cake is freezing, make the frosting. Combine all ingredients; beat until firm. Yield: enough frosting for one cake roll.

Frost cake with chocolate frosting; freeze until serving time. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Shelly's Note: This has been the traditional Tennant Family Birthday Cake Recipe since about the time the cookbook was written. The fact that you can personalize it with your favorite ice cream always made it that much more special! This is also one of the best frosting recipes I've ever tasted.

From Southern Living: 1984 Annual Recipes, p. 200