Charlotte’s Kitchen

Archive for January, 2008

We had this for supper last night and it makes enough for another night. I served this with rice and green beans. The leftover rice was mixed into the remaining chicken. Will try making this dish with the rice and chicken together to make it a one dish recipe except for the vegetable.

Ingredients:
4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon Watkins Ginger

1 teaspoon Watkins Paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic salt

3 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1/8 cup soy sauce – can use up to 1/4 cup

1 can crushed pineapple in syrup (20 ounce can)

1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the ginger, paprika, onion powder and garlic salt. Add the vinegar and mix well.

Brush 1/2 of above mixture over the chicken pieces and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Turn the chicken pieces, baste with the remaining 1/2 of the vinegar mixture and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the ketchup, soy sauce, pineapple and brown sugar. When chicken baking time us up, spoon the pineapple/soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Bake for another 30 minutes. Serve while hot.

I made this yesterday and took it to church last night.  It was well liked, in fact just about everyone there took home a copy of the recipe.  When I made this candy I didn’t have any chocolate chips so I used a bag of the mini Dove candies and chopped them up so they would melt faster. MMMMMMMM good.

1 sleeve Saltine crackers
1 C. melted butter (not margarine)
1 C. granulated (or brown) sugar
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate morsels — (12 oz.)
1 C. finely chopped nuts

Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place crackers in a single layer to cover the pan. Melt butter and sugar in saucepan.

Stir while cooking until thick (it will boil). Pour mixture over crackers, spreading evenly. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 min. till bubbly and golden (not brown) .

Remove cookie sheet from oven and sprinkle with chocolate morsels. Return to oven for a few minutes to melt chocolate. Spread chocolate evenly over crackers. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, pressing nuts into chocolate gently.

Place cookie sheet in freezer for about 30 min. Remove and peel off foil. Break into pieces. Best if stored cool. Stays well in freezer.

I haven’t made this for a few years but it is good and soooo easy!  It was especially good to make for a potluck at church.

Ingredients:
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine or beef broth
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon browing sauce, optional
1/2 teaspoon Watkins dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Pepper
2 pound lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 small red potatoes, quartered
2 celery ribs, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, water, wine or broth, tapioca, sugar, salt, browning sauce if desired, marjoram and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes. Add the meat, carrots, potatoes, celery, onion and bread crumbs.

Pour into a greased 13-inchx9inchx2inch baking dish. cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Uncover; stir in peas. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve in bowls.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

This is one of those dishes that if you’ve never made it, you think it must be difficult but I promise, it’s really quite easy.

Ingredients:

• 8         ounces boned cooked pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2         cups canned pineapple chunks (no sugar added)
• 3/4      cup green bell pepper strips
• 1/2      cup each slice celery and mushrooms
• 1/4      cup sliced onion (separated into rings.)
• 2/3      cup pineapple juice (no sugar added)
• 1/4      cup rice vinegar
• 1         tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1         tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4      teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a 2-quart microwave-safe casserole combine pork cubes, pineapple chunks, bell pepper, celery, mushrooms, and onion rings; toss to combine.
2. In small bowl combine pineapple juice, vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and salt, stirring to dissolve cornstarch;
3. Pour over pork mixture.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on High for 10 minutes* stirring once or twice during cooking, until thoroughly heated.
5. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

See, I told you it was easy.  Serve it over white rice and Enjoy!

*Don’t forget, everybody’s microwave is different so you may need to adjust the amount of time you heat it.

Here’s this weeks soup.  It goes great with the homemade tortilla chips.  You can either use uncooked beans or just use a can of beans.

Ingredients:

• 12         ounces sorted uncooked black turtle beans(frijoles negros),  rinsed or 1 can.
•             Water
• 2            tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2            cups chopped onions
• 2            tablespoons chopped seeded green chili pepper
• 6            garlic cloves, minced
• 2            cups canned Italian tomatoes (with liquid); drain, seed, and dice tomatoes, reserving liquid
• 2            teaspoons Watkins Cumin
• 1            teaspoon each Watkins Chili Powder and Watkins Coriander
• 1/2         teaspoon Watkins Crushed Red Pepper
• 2            cups plain low-fat yogurt
• 2            cans (15 ounce) tomatoes
• 1            pound Italian Sausage or Bratwurst

Directions:

1. If using dry beans, in medium mixing bowl combine beans with enough  water to cover beans by 2 inches.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight.
2. In 4-quart saucepan heat oil over medium heat; brown Italian Sausage or Bratwurst with onions, chili pepper, and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened.
3. Drain beans, discard soaking liquid, and add beans to saucepan along with 1 quart plus 3 cups water and the remaining ingredients except yogurt;
4. Mix well and bring to a boil. ( If using canned beans drain and follow directions above)
5. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 2 hours.
6. Remove from heat and let cool.
7. Pour 1 to 2 cups soup into blender container and process until smooth.
8. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart bowl and repeat procedure, 1 to 2 cups at a time, until half of the soup has been processed.
9. Pour soup back into saucepan with unprocessed soup and cook over medium heat until soup is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.
10. Serve each portion topped with 1/4 cup yogurt.

This is good even when you don’t use the blender on the beans.Makes 8 servings.

Homemade Tortilla Chips Ingredients:

• 12         corn tortillas
•             salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray 2 cookie sheets with no-stick spray.
3. Stack the tortillas and cut the stack into six wedges.
4. Place the tortillas on the prepared cookie sheets in a single layer.
5. Lightly spray with no-stick spray.
6. If desired, light sprinkle with the salt.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.*

Makes 72 chips: 12 servings.

*Sprinkle a sugar and cinnamon mixture instead of the salt for a sweet snack.

Another delicious chicken dish.

Ingredients: 

• 1         tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon margarine
• 2         tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2      teaspoon Watkins Powdered Mustard
• 1/4      teaspoon Watkins Rubbed Sage
• 1 1/2   cups skim milk
• 1         tablespoon Watkins Chicken Soup and Gravy Base
•           dash white pepper, or to taste
• 4         ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8         ounces skined and boned cooked chicken diced
• 1         cup each sliced carrots, stemmed sliced mushrooms, and sliced green beans (tender-crisp)
• 4         ready-to-bake refrigerated buttermilk flaky biscuits (1 ounce each)*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a 3-quart saucepan heat margarine over medium heat until bubbly and hot;
3. Add flour, mustard, and sage and stir quickly to combine thoroughly.
4. Stirring constantly, gradually add milk; continue to stir and cook, until smooth.
5. Add chicken soup and gravy base with pepper and mix well.
6. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, 5 to 10 mniutes;
7. Add cheese and cook, stirring, until melted.
8. Add chicken and vegetables and continue cooking until chicken and vegetables are heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes .
9. Spray 1 1/2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray and pour chicken mixture into casserole.
10. Carefully separate each biscuit into 2 layers of dough, make eight circles;
11. arrange biscuits over chicken mixture in an even layer, overlapping circles slightly.
12. Bake until biscuits are goldedn, 7 to 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

*Keep biscuits refrigerated until ready to use.  Separate dough into layers as soon as biscuits are removed from refrigreator; they will be difficult to work with if allowed to come to room temperature.