3/27/14 ChefElla's Crispy Chicken with Garlic Butter Noodles

CHEFELLA'S CRISPY CHICKEN WITH GARLIC BUTTER NOODLES

Sometimes my Dad makes dinner for us.  He only knows how to makes a few dishes, but they are really good.  He said he learned to make this dish from my Grandma.  It is not fancy, and it is not for every night, but I always look forward to him making it, and to me eating it.  This is a great recipe for you to teach your Dad how to cook.

For this recipe you will need to use the stove and a knife.  If you are not allowed to use the stove or a knife by yourself you can have a grown up help.

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring cups and spoons, a heat proof rubber spatula, a large mixing bowl, a saute pan, a pot for cooking pasta, a strainer , a knife and a cutting board.

ChefElla's Crispy Chicken with Garlic Butter Noodles

Ingredients: (This recipe will make 4 servings.)

1 Lbs.       Chicken Tenders, Raw, or Chicken Breast Sliced into long Strips

4 Tbl.        Olive Oil  

2 Tbl.        All Purpose Flour
                 -If you want to make this recipe gluten free you can use a gluten free flour.
6-7oz       Whole Wheat Spaghetti, Raw (1/2 a box)
                -If you want to make this recipe gluten free you can use a gluten free pasta.
1 Cup      Grape Tomatoes, Cut In Half
1 Tbl.       Butter or Butter Substitute
1/2 tsp    Salt
1/2 tsp    Granulated Garlic
1/8 tsp    Paprika
1 tsp        Oregano Leaves, Dried
Garnish   Parmesan Cheese
Garnish   Fresh Basil, Chopped or Scallions, Thin Sliced.             

3. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box and drain.
4. Return your pot back to the stove and turn on low.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter to your
    pot.  When the butter melts add tomatoes and pasta back to the pot and mix well.
5. Sprinkle salt, garlic, paprika and oregano to your pasta and tomatoes and mix well.
6. Pre-heat your saute pan on low.
7. In your large mixing bowl mix chicken and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  When the chicken is
    coated sprinkle flour over chicken and mix well until the flour coats the chicken.

8. Turn your pan to medium high.  When the pan is hot lay each piece of chicken in the pan.  Let the
    chicken cook for 3-4 minutes.  Turn the chicken over and cook for and additional 2-3 minutes.

9. Serve pasta with chicken and top with Parmesan Cheese, fresh chopped Basil or Scallions.

This is a quick and easy dish to make and enjoy with family and friends.

Enjoy

- ChefElla

3/22/14 ChefElla's Shrimp Cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce

CHEFELLA'S SHRIMP CAKES WITH SPICY AVOCADO SAUCE

I like seafood, but every time I tell my friends I like seafood they all say, "YUCK!"  I think my friends do not like seafood because they have not had the chance to try something they like.  I think they tried one thing once, and said, "I did not like that fish, or shrimp, or crab, so I do not like seafood."  I know they do not say the same thing with candy because I see them trying all sorts of candy until they find their favorite.  I like to share my love of food with my friends, so this week I made a recipe for them to give seafood one more try.  I hope it changes their minds about seafood and about trying new things even though they did not like something the first time.

For this recipe you will need to use the oven, a food processor (cuisinart) and a knife.  If you are not allowed to use the oven, appliances or a knife by yourself you can have a grown up help.

Note:  If you do not have a food processor you can still make this recipe.  You will just need to mince your shrimp and water chestnuts by hand.

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, a large mixing bowl, a small mixing bowl, a food processor, a cookie sheet, a butter knife and fork, and a cutting board.

ChefElla's Shrimp Cakes

Ingredients: (This recipe will make 20-24 appetizer servings.)

1 Lbs.       Shrimp, Cooked, Peeled, De-veined, Tail-off, and Thawed.
                 -A frozen shrimp is o.k. if you thaw it first.  An expensive shrimp is not necessary.
                 -If you like another kind of seafood feel free to substitute it instead of shrimp.

4 oz.        Water Chestnuts (After you drain one 8oz can you will be left with 4oz of Water Chestnuts.)  

1 tsp        Garlic, Fresh Minced (If you only have granulated garlic use 1/4 tsp granulated garlic instead)
                 -Minced is when you cut something into a small dice and then you chop down so that it is
                  in really small pieces.
1/2 Cup   Scallions (Green Onion), Thin Sliced, (2-3 green onions)
                -Wash the green onion and cut off the small root end.  Slice the green onion into thin circles.  Be
                careful because the green onion can roll while cutting it.
2 ea          Eggs
1.5 Cups  Panko Bread Crumbs.
                -There are different kinds of bread crumbs.  Panko are white Japanese bread crumbs that are
                made from a special bread and only contains the white part of the bread.  You can also use
                French bread crumbs called mie de pain (meaning middle of the bread).  Do not use plain bread
                crumbs they contain the crust and are heavier.
2 Tbl.        Sesame Seeds
1/2 tsp      Black Pepper
4 tsp         Soy Sauce

3. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
4. Cut cut shrimp into pieces and put into your food processor.  Chop your shrimp on low until it is in small
    pieces.  Do not blend into a paste.  You still want to be able to see some shrimp pieces.  Put shrimp into
    your mixing bowl.  (See ingredient picture below).

5. Add water chestnuts to the food processor, and chop them into small pieces.  Again do not blend into a
    paste.  Add water chestnuts to the bowl with the shrimp. 

6. In your small bowl mix your egg, soy sauce, and black pepper.

7. Add egg mix to your large bowl and mix well with your shrimp and water chestnuts.
8. Add remaining ingredients and mix until all of the ingredients are combined.  Do not beat or whip the
    mixture.
9. Cover your cookie sheet with foil and spray with pan spray.
10.  Wet your hands and take a heaping table spoon of the shrimp mixture and roll into a ball with your
       hands.  Put the shrimp ball on the pan and pat it gently so that it flattens out a little.
11.  Repeat the process until all of your mix is rolled and patted flat on the tray.  The cakes should not touch.
12.  Put the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
13.  When the shrimp cakes are done flip them over so that the browned side is facing up.

Spicy Avocado Sauce

Ingredients: (This recipe will make about 1 cup of sauce.)

1 ea         Avocado, Ripe

                -To figure out if an Avocado is ripe you can do one of two things.
                 1.  Ask the produce person nicely if they will pick out a nice ripe avocado for you, or
                 2.  Gently squeeze some avocados.  If they are hard as a rock they are not ready.  A ripe
                      avocado should be just a little soft when you press on the skin.

1 Tbl.      Mayonnaise

                -I use Canola Mayonnaise because it has 1/2 the calories of regular mayonnaise but still has all of
                 the flavor of regular mayonnaise.  You can use whatever kind you like best.

1/2 tsp     Soy Sauce

1/2 tsp     Wasabi Paste, ready to use
1/4 tsp     Garlic, Fresh Minced (If you have granulated garlic, just use a pinch.)

14. Clean the food processor and rubber spatula.
15. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise.  There is a large hard pit in the avocado so you will need to cut
      around it not through it.  Separate the two halves of the avocado and using your butter knife pry out the
      pit.  Take your knife and cut the Avocado while it is still in the skin (see picture below)  Do not cut
      through the skin.  Cut the Avocado one way and then the other to make small squares.  Scoop the
      Avocado out of the skin with your rubber spatula into the food processor. 

15. Add all of the ingredients to the food processor and mix until the sauce is smooth.

Serve your shrimp cakes warm with your spicy sauce.  If you do not like the Spicy Avocado Sauce serve your shrimp cakes with Teriyaki, Plum, or Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Enjoy

- ChefElla

3/13/14 ChefElla's Blueberry Secret Smoothie

CHEFELLA'S BLUEBERRY SECRET SMOOTHIE

When I get home from school I am so hungry.  After a long day of reading, math, and recess I just want something to eat.  Sometimes when you are really hungry you choose foods that are not good for you.  Lucky for me my mom makes the best smoothies.  Even though I know they are good for me, I still drink them because they taste great.  This week my Mom took over the blog to share one of her famous after school smoothie recipes.  Make sure you share this recipe with your Mom so that she can make a smoothie for you after school, or anytime you need a snack.
ChefElla.

For this recipe you will need to use a blender.  If you are not allowed to use a blender by yourself you can have a grown up help.

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring cups.

ChefElla's Blueberry Secret Smoothie (This recipe will make 2 servings)

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup    Blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 Cup    Strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/4 Cup    Spinach, frozen
                 -If you use fresh spinach it will be one 1/4 cup spinach packed full.
                 -If you would like to use a different green leaf vegetable like kale, arugula, or beet tops you
                  may need to use a different amount.  Other greens can be bitter and you may need to use
                  less or more berries to balance the flavor of the smoothie.
1/2            Large Ripe Banana                 

1/2 Cup     Orange Juice
1/3 Cup     Protein Powder (optional)
3/4 Cup     Ice

3. Add all ingredients to your blender, make sure you put the powder on top.
4. Blend on high until all of the ingredients move smoothly in the blender and you cannot see the
    spinach pieces anymore.

Make your own recipe by trying different kinds of fruits, vegetables and juices until you have your own secret recipe.

Enjoy.

- ChefElla