Curry Chicken Salad

Coming soon...

Jambalaya

There is a sense of victory when you can transform leftovers into a completely different meal, don't you think? We really enjoyed this jambalaya made from leftover Easter ham. The flavor is rich and luscious, filled with exciting spicy flavors.

Nearby, we have a fantastic Cajun restaurant that inspired me to try my hand at making a thick, spicy jambalaya. It's one of the restaurants I often think about when my husband asks me where I'd like to go out to eat. They have a wonderful option where you can get a half serving of two different dishes. Usually, their jambalaya occupies half of my plate...

Jambalaya

1/2 c ham, cubed

1/2 c cooked chicken, cubed

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 celery stalks, diced

1/4 c onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can diced tomatoes

8 oz can tomato paste

1/2 c chicken stock

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp thyme

dash Worcestershire sauce

dash or two Tabasco sauce

cooked rice for two people

Heat the oil in a pan at medium heat. Saute the veggies until they are tender, but not brown. Add all the ingredients except rice. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes, then stir in the rice. Serves 3 people.

Even Better Chicken Cordon Bleu

I saw a couple of great techniques on tv and decided to revisit the chicken cordon bleu recipe. This is it! So, get out the fancy plates and candlesticks to set up dinner outside (think bistro)...

This is an absolutely lucious recipe. Every bite has a delicious blending of tender chicken, salty ham, and creamy melted cheese. We paired this with tender canned peas and rice for a wonderful meal. You don't need to tell anyone it is healthy!

By the way, panko breadcrumbs are the new hot ingredient for breading things since it apparently makes a crispier crust. I still have the old-fashioned Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, so that's what I used.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2 chicken breasts

2 slices Swiss cheese

6 thin slices deli ham

1/4 c Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs

Place each chicken breast in between layers of plastic wrap. Pound it thin, pushing outward with each stroke, not straight down. Then, cover with three slices of thinly-sliced deli ham and a slice of low-fat swiss cheese. Using the plastic wrap pulled tight as leverage, roll the chicken with the goodies tucked inside. Use the plastic wrap to do one final big tug to make the little roll tight, then wrap it fully in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to rest for a few minutes. Coat the outside of each roll in Dijon mustard, then roll in seasoned breadcrumbs. Bake for 40 minutes at 375. Serves 2 at 5 points each.

Sloppy Toms

Sloppy Joes, made with ground beef, are a classic go-to recipe for family dinners. This is a much healthier version of the classic. I actually (don't tell my mom) prefer the flavor of the turkey version to the beef version. The sauce is sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once. Plus, this is so quick, you can have dinner ready in a flash.


Sloppy Toms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c diced onion
1.2 lb lean ground turkey
1 3/4 c ketchup
1/4 c mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 packets Splenda
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 pkg whole grain buns

Warm the oil over medium-high heat and saute onions intil translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until brown, breaking up big pieces (about 10 minutes). Add the remaining ingredients except the red wine vinegar, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Finish by adding the red wine vinegar just before serving on your favorite whole grain buns. Serves 4.

Turkey Pot Pie

One of my all-time favorite meals is turkey pot pie with cottage cheese and peas. It fills your belly and warms your soul like a good hug. Casseroles make a great gift because they not only provide a quick and delicious dinner for the recipient, but also because someone cared enough to plan, grocery shop, and cook for you. It's edible love.

Tonight's casserole was part of my "prenatal collection". Before having our son, I made a bunch of casseroles to freeze for dinners. For the first three weeks (and several other subsequent evenings), my husband would cook a defrosted casserole and a vegetable for our dinner. I didn't need to do anything except rest and nurse our son. What a huge blessing to enjoy a healthy, delicious dinners! We rotated through about six types of casseroles frozen in a two-person portions, so we didn't eat the same meal too frequently. However, this pot pie was and continues to be my favorite.

Turkey Pot Pie
3 cups chopped turkey
2 lbs frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
Dough for a double crust pie
Chicken white sauce

Grease a pie plate with vegetable shortening or canola cooking spray and line it with one layer of pie dough. Combine the turkey, frozen vegetables, white sauce, and spices in a bowl, and then pour into then pie plate. Cover with the second layer of pie dough. Seal and flute the edges of the pie and create vents on top of the pie, using a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, when the top is golden brown. Alternatively, freeze the unbaked pie and defrost/bake when desired.

Dough for a Double Crust Pie
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
6-7 Tbsp water

Combine flour, salt, and shortening by using two butter knives or a pastry cutter. Cut in the water and finish combining by using clean hands. Divide dough in half. Roll out onto one half at a time on a floured surface.

Chicken White Sauce
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes

Melt butter or margarine in a pan, and then stir in flour. Pour in milk all at once. Add bouillon cubes and stir until mixture thickens.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I had a craving for something cheesy and thought of this classic French dish. Of course, the original version has lots of butter and Swiss cheese, but this delicious version is guilt-free and looks very impressive when your dinner partner slices into it. The chicken is succulent and every bite has lovely, melted cheese.

Rice and corn accompanied this chicken. Now, imagine the candlelight, an nice glass of your favorite Rose (or white wine), and some beautiful flowers from a very thoughtful husband... Why go to a restaurant?

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2 chicken breasts

4 slices deli ham

2 Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese wedges

1/3 c seasoned bread crumb

2 egg whites

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

Butterfly the chicken breasts and pound in between sheets of plastic wrap. This makes the chicken easier to roll and very tender when cooked. Set up an assemby line of three bowls. In the first bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. In the second bowl, place two egg whites. Lastly, pour the seasoned bread crumbs in the third bowl. Inside each chicken breast, place two slices of ham and a cheese wedge, thinly sliced to cover a larger area. Roll each chicken breast, dredge it in flour, dip the chicken roll in egg white, then dip the chicken roll in the bread crumbs and place in a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for one hour in a 350 degree oven.

Turkey Gratin - First Attempt

I watched an episode of Iron Chef today. I had DVR'd the competition between Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse in which they used vegetables from the White House garden. I'm amazed at the creativity of people like Bobby Flay. Some TV chefs seem to cook all recipes on a certain cuisine theme. Mr. Flay does a great job being inspired by an ingredient.

In the spirit of Iron Chef, my inspiration tonight is diced, cooked turkey. Like most Americans, I have leftover turkey after Thanksgiving and Christmas. I already have favorite recipes for Turkey Pot Pie and Turkey Tetrazzini. I want to make something different tonight.

Turkey Gratin (version 1)

2 c cooked, diced turkey

16 oz frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, and green beans)

1 egg

1 egg white

2 Tbsp margarine

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 c chicken broth

1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs

Melt margarine and stir in flour to make a paste. All at once, add milk and chicken broth. Stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Stir the chopped turkey, frozen veggies, and sauce together and transfer to a casserole dish. Combine the cheddar cheese and bread crumbs, then sprinkle the mixture over the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes. Uncover the casserole and bake for an additional ten minutes.

I served this over No Yolks egg noodles tonight. It was warm, filling, and old-fashioned. The dinner reminded me a lot of a cross between tuna casserole and turkey pot pie. Mike and I liked the egg noodles served under the casserole, rather than baked in the casserole. I didn't think this was cookbook material yet, though.

Variation ideas: roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, white wine in the sauce

The first thing my mom said when I told her I would like to write a cookbook was, "That will take a lot of experimentation." How true.