6/26/14 ChefElla's Artichoke Chicken Salad

One of my secrets, is that I am always trying to make my favorite recipes a little better for me.  This does not mean that everything I make is completely free of fats, sugars, gluten, oil, or full of antioxidants, vitamins, lean proteins, whole grains, and vegetables.  I just try to keep my recipes balanced, and even if I change one thing for the better I know I am taking a step in the right direction.  For this recipe, I took my favorite chicken salad, and took out one ingredient, mayo.  I know you are all saying, "How can it be chicken salad without the mayo?"  I say, "Just try my recipe," and you will see.  This week when you are making one of your favorite recipes, try to change one thing, or use a little less of an ingredient to make it a little healthier for your family or friends.

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

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups, a knife, a rubber spatula or wooden spoon,
    a blender or cuisinart,  a large bowl, a strainer, and a cutting board.

ChefElla's Artichoke Chicken Salad (This recipe will make 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:
1 lb.            Chicken, Cooked
                   -For my chicken salad I buy a cooked rotisserie chicken from the store.  I let the chicken
                   cool down, I remove the skin, and I pick the meat from the bones for the salad.
1 Can         Artichokes, Drained (15 oz Can)
                   -You can buy the least expensive kind or brand.

1 Can         Diced Water Chestnuts, Drained  (8 oz Can)
1/4 Cup     White or Sweet Vidalia Onion (1/4 of a small onion)
1/2 Cup     Celery, Small Diced (2 small or 1 large stalk)
                  -Wash celery stalk.  Cut brown ends off of celery.  Cut celery in half lengthwise.  Cut each
                  half of celery lengthwise again.  You can continue to do this until the pieces are as thin as
                  you want them.  Chop the celery stalks into small pieces.  The thinner the celery is cut, the
                  smaller the pieces will be when you chop them.
1/4 Cup     Italian Parsley, remove leaves from the stems. (Not a packed cup the leaves should be loose)
                  -Italian parsley is also called flat leaf parsley.  Regular parsley is called curly parsley.
3 Tbl.         Olive Oil
1/2 tsp       Lemon Juice
1 tsp           Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp       Black Pepper
1/4 tsp       Garlic Powder
Optional:

1/4 Cup      Red Pepper, Small Diced
1/4 Cup      Walnuts, Chopped    
     

3. Chop up chicken into bite sized pieces.  Chop up onions, celery, and mince parsley, keep separate.
    Drain Artichokes and Water Chestnuts.
4. Add artichokes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic to the blender.  Puree
    ingredients into a paste.  There should be no lumps.  If the ingredients will not blend add one
    tablespoon of water.
5. Add all of the ingredients to your mixing bowl and mix well.

6. Let chicken salad cool and serve.

Serve as a sandwich, wrapped in a tortilla, or in a lettuce cup.
Enjoy

- ChefElla

6/13/14 ChefElla's Cowboy Calico Beans

I was invited to a picnic this week and I wanted to bring something a little different.  My Grandma told me about cowboy calico beans.  I told her I do not like baked beans because they are so sweet and syrupy.  My Grandma told me that recipes are not set in stone and that I could change the recipe to make it how I like it.  So I made my own version of cowboy calico beans.  I used turkey bacon and ground turkey meat so that there was less fat, and instead of using ketchup, bbq, sauce, and molasses, I used real tomatoes, brown sugar, and spices.  I guarantee you, you won't miss all the sugar, and with my recipe you can go back for seconds.

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

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups, a knife, a rubber spatula or wooden spoon,
    sauté pan,  a medium sauce pot with lid, a strainer, and a cutting board.

ChefElla's Cowboy Calico Beans (This recipe will make 8-10 servings)

Ingredients:
1 lb.            Ground Turkey
12 oz.         Turkey Bacon
                   -Open the package and put bacon on the cutting board.  Do not pull the bacon strips
                    apart, leave them in a brick.  Slice the bacon into thin strips.  This way you will not
                    need to cut each individual piece of bacon at a time.

1 Can         Pinto Beans, Drained and Rinsed (15 oz Can)
1 Can         Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed (15 oz Can)
1 Can         Great Northern or Cannellini Beans, Drained and Rinsed (15 oz Can)
1 Can         Petit Diced Tomatoes (14 oz Can)
1 Cup        Onion, Small Diced or Chopped (1 small or 1/2 medium onion)
                  -Chop the onion first and then measure in your cup.
1 tsp           Garlic Powder

2 tsp           Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Cup      Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp        Black Pepper
2 tsp           Yellow Mustard
1 1/2 Cup   Water
1 Tbl.          Olive Oil

3. Heat sauté pan on medium high heat.  Add turkey bacon and break pieces apart so that there are no
    large chunks and the pieces are separated.  Cook until the pieces are nice and crispy but not burnt.
    Stir the bacon and spread around the pan at first.  As the bacon cooks, stir more frequently so that
    it does not sit for too long and get burnt.
4. Pour bacon into the medium sauce pot.  Return pan to the stove and add olive oil.  Add onions and
    stir occasionally.  Cook for 3-5 minutes.
5. Pour onions into the medium sauce pot.  Return pan to the stove and add ground turkey.  Mash
    and break up the meat as it cooks.  When the meat is no longer pink it is done.
6. Add the meat to the medium sauce pot.  Add all of the remaining ingredients to the sauce pot.  Heat
    mixture on the stove covered on medium heat for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally.

7. Serve warm.

Serve this dish at a picnic, when you grill, or bring to a pot luck.  Your friends will never know you made a good for them bowl of cowboy calico beans.
Enjoy

- ChefElla

6/5/14 ChefElla's Asian Chicken Satays & Asian Noodle Salad

After a long day of playing in the sun, nothing tastes better then something off the grill.  My cold noodle salad and chicken satays are just the thing.  Satays are small pieces of marinated meat, skewered, and grilled.  The noodle salad is so light and tasty you will feel cool just looking at it.  My recipe is not a traditional asian recipe, but it has many ingredients that you can find in asian cuisine.  There have been many times in the past when I have tried to make asian foods, but there were just too many specialty ingredients to buy for one recipe.  This recipe is easy and only requires a few new ingredients.  So keep cool and enjoy.

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

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups, a knife, a rubber spatula or wooden spoon,
    medium sauce pot, a strainer, a blender, a cutting board, the grill, and a large mixing bowl.

ChefElla's Asian Chicken Satays & Cold Noodle Salad (This recipe will make 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:
6 oz            Buckwheat Noodles, Dried
                   -If you would like to make this recipe gluten free use a gluten free spaghetti.

3-4 ea.        Green Onions, Thin Sliced
1/2 ea.        Red Pepper, Thin Sliced
                  -Slice off the top and bottom of the red pepper.  Remove the core and seeds.
                   Stand the pepper up on one end.  Cut the pepper in half.  Cut out the white ribs of the
                   pepper and lay the pepper flat.  Cut into thin strips and then cut the strips in half.
11/4 Cups  Carrots, Julienned
                   -You can purchase these in the produce department of the grocery store.
1 Cup         Sugar Snap Peas, Cut in Half

14-16 oz.    Chicken Tenders, Sliced in Half Lengthwise
                  -You can also purchase whole chicken breasts and slice into thin strips.
12-15 ea    Skewers
Asian Dressing
1 cup            Vegetable Oil
4 Tbl+1 tsp   Soy Sauce, Low Sodium
                     -If you are making this recipe gluten free you can substitute Gluten Free Tamari.
4 tsp              Rice Vinegar
4 tsp              Garlic, Fresh Minced
4 tsp              Ginger, Chopped (About 1/2 oz)
                      -Peel ginger with a potato peeler.  Cut the ginger into thin coins and then chop into
                      small pieces.            
Dash             Cayenne Pepper
4 tsp              Honey
                      -Dip the measuring spoon in oil first and the honey will not stick to the spoon.

3. Submerge skewers with cold water.  This will keep them from burning when you put them on
    the grill
4. Add all of the dressing ingredients to the blender and puree.  If you do not cut your ginger down
    before putting it in the blender is will leave little strings in the dressing.
5. Cut chicken into strips, put into a plastic bag with 1/4 cup of dressing.  Mix the chicken and
    dressing well.  Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for later.
6. Slice up vegetables put into your large bowl and mix with 1/2 cup of dressing.
7. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.  Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

8. Add pasta to the vegetables and mix well.

9. Pre-heat one half of the grill.
10.  Skewer the chicken strips.  Make sure to thread the meat onto the skewers so that the chicken
       does not slide off the grill while cooking.
11.  Put the skewers on the grill when it is hot, with the wood side away from the heat.  Cook for  2-3
       minutes on each side over direct heat but not over a flame.
12.  Drizzle a little of the remaining dressing over the satays when they are done.

Garnish satays and asian pasta salad with fresh cilantro and cucumber strips.

Enjoy

- ChefElla