Easy Pan Fried Frozen Chicken Breasts with Your Favourite Seasonings

When I am feeling lazy, this is my favourite way to cook chicken breasts.  Sometimes, I buy chicken breasts on sale and freeze them individually for easy cooking.  Usually, boxes of frozen chicken breasts are on sale, so I get those instead.  

At first, I didn't plan on blogging this recipe as everyone has their own method to pan-fry chicken breasts.  Then I thought this would be good for my kiddies to see how "mommy cooks chicken breasts".   Maybe when they are older, they can make these for dinner!  

I packed McDreamy's lunch today:  seasoned herb chicken breast, red & white quinoa and spring mix/spinach salad greens topped with light marble cheddar, chopped cucumbers and red & yellow bell peppers.  Dressing:  extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  

This is not really a recipe, mainly a method that I have created for those "quick and easy" dinners and lunches.  I usually pack these leftover chicken breasts for hubby's lunch.  (And yes, my man eats salad!).  

Individually frozen chicken breasts are easy to grab and cook.

Preheat frying pan to medium-high heat.  Lightly coat the bottom of pan with your favourite cooking oil.  I use extra virgin olive oil and drizzle lightly.  It doesn't have to fully coat the pan since some water will be added later to steam/poach the chicken. 

Place frozen chicken breasts on lightly oiled, preheated frying pan.  

Sprinkle your favourite seasonings onto the frozen chicken breasts.  I used dried Italian Seasoning (I think it is a blend of oregano, basil, rosemary and other herbs).  You can use whatever like.  Herbs de Provence would be yummy too!  No amounts here, I just sprinkled until it looked good!  

Since the chicken breasts I am using are previously frozen and pre-seasoned (already has salt in it), I added a "no-salt seasoning" (a blend of dried onions, garlic, red bell pepper and other spices) and paprika.  

  

Again, no amounts, just sprinkled the herbs and spices! 

Add 1/2 cup water around the chicken breasts.  The excess salt from the chicken will go into the water as it cooks.  When adding water, make sure the water does not wash away the herbs and spices. 

Cover the frying pan with a lid and cook on medium heat (simmer) for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, flip over the chicken breasts.  I use a fork to loosen the chicken off the pan.  

I make 2-3 slits halfway down the chicken breast to speed up the cooking time.  Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, flip the chicken breasts over.   Note that most of the seasonings have stuck onto the chicken, even when immersed in water while cooking.  Ready to serve!

Pan Fried Frozen Chicken Breasts with Your Favourite Seasonings

• Frozen chicken breasts (enough to fill your frying pan)
• Cooking oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/2 cup water (adjust, depending on your frying pan.  I use 1/2 cup for 10" frying pan)
• Herb and spices of your choice: (here are some ideas... the possibilities are endless!)
• Italian seasoning
• no-salt seasoning
• Herbs de Provence
• basil, oregano
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• paprika
• Montreal steak spice (Note:  contains salt, use if your chicken breasts are unseasoned)

Preheat frying pan on medium-high heat.  Lightly coat pan with olive oil.  Place frozen chicken breasts on the pan and sprinkle with the herbs and seasonings of your choice.  Add 1/2 cup water, cover and let simmer on medium for 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes, flip chicken breasts over and cut 2-3 slits across the chicken breast half-way.  Cover and cook another 15 minutes or until done.  Serve hot or cold.  

I reused a McDonald's salad entree container.  I'm so glad I kept it so hubby can bring a nice salad for lunch.  This will be my lunch with dried cranberries instead of cheese!  And yes, I make 4 lunches every morning for the kiddies and hubby.  I guess my mornings can get pretty hectic.  

Enjoy!

Pin It

Curried Quinoa with Spinach and Goji Berries - Gluten-free and Vegan

Curried quinoa with spinach and goji berries were a great side dish for lunch yesterday.  I cooked up some fluffy quinoa and flavoured it with grated fresh ginger (I grated a slice of frozen ginger and it turned out great), turmeric powder, coconut oil, curry powder, cumin, coriander and no-salt seasoning (e.g. Mrs. Dash).  The dish needed a bit of colour, so I added some thawed frozen chopped spinach and soaked goji berries. I was inspired by a simple red lentil dahl recipe from the book Digestive Wellness.  Instead of lentils, I used quinoa.  

I threw this together at lunchtime.  I like my flavours mild, but if you like spicier or more stronger flavours, please feel free to double or triple the amounts of spices and seasonings.  I am watching my sodium, so I used no-salt seasoning (e.g. Mrs. Dash) instead of salt.   

If the quinoa mixture is too dry, you can add a little extra water or liquid from the soaked goji berries.  I think a little vegetable broth, orange or apple juice would be nice too.  

Curried Quinoa with Spinach and Goji Berries - Gluten-free and Vegan
2 servings

1/2 cup rinsed quinoa + 1 cup water (or 2 cups cooked quinoa)

2 tsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (I grated frozen ginger)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp curry powder

1/8 tsp no-salt seasoning (or salt and pepper to taste)

1/4 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach, drained
2 Tbsp soaked goji berries*
optional:  1-2 Tbsp water or liquid from soaked goji berries, if quinoa mixture is too dry

*More ideas for add-ins:

- raisins, chopped apples, chopped mango, diced bell pepper, green onions, fresh spinach, parsley, cilantro, etc.  

Cook quinoa according to the package (In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa + 1 cup water to  a boil and simmer for 15 min, turn off heat and let stand for 5 min).  

When the quinoa is cooked, mix in the rest of the ingredients.  Enjoy!

- Adapted from Digestive Wellness Book:  Melody's Dahl

What I ate for lunch:  3 oz chicken breast topped with tomato/spinach/coconut milk sauce, curried quinoa, a large green salad and sauteed sugar snap peas.  

Enjoy!

Pin It

Italian Style Turkey Meatballs with Flaxseed - Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free

I am very happy with how my Italian style turkey meatballs turned out.  Hubby loved them so much, I made these two nights in a row!  Ground lean turkey meat is normally very dry, due to its low fat content.  Unlike conventional meatball recipes, I used a magic combination of ground flaxseed and water instead of breadcrumbs and egg to bind the meat together for a moist, soft meatball.  I also add ground flaxseed to my hamburger patties too. 

I quickly pan-fried the meatballs for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned and cooked.  I used a 1" ice cream/cookie dough scooper and dropped each meatball onto the hot frying pan without getting my hands dirty.  Note:  the uncooked turkey mixture is very soft but cooks up beautifully.      

I topped them with a tomato spinach sauce with coconut milk.  Hubby LOVED these and he normally prefers the classic all-beef Italian style meatball.  

Italian Style Turkey Meatballs with Flaxseed - Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Egg-free

1lb lean ground turkey

3 Tbsp ground flaxseed

3 Tbsp water

1 clove garlic, grated or chopped finely

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tsp dried parsley

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp dried basil or 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tsp salt or no-salt seasoning

1/4 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl, and combine with your hand or mixer. (I used my KitchenAid mixer.)   Form into desired sized meatballs.  Turkey mixture is very soft.  

Preheat pan on medium-high heat with about 2-3 tsp extra virgin olive oil.  Pan-fry each side for 2-3 minutes until browned and cooked.  Serve with your favourite sauce.  

- Adapted from Hamburger Patties with Flaxseed

Dinner tonight:  Italian style turkey meatballs and spaghetti squash smothered in a hearty tomato-spinach-coconut milk sauce.  Served with a huge green salad and sauteed kale with garlic and ginger.  The kiddies enjoyed their turkey meatballs with cheese tortellini and sauteed kale.  

Enjoy!

Pin It

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls and Asian Stir Fry Basics

Growing up in a Chinese household, stir fry dishes are a part of our normal rotation for dinner.  Because it is made so often, it becomes second nature for an Asian person to throw slices of meat or tofu, cut veggies and some seasonings together to make a luscious topping over rice.

Everyone and every family has a different way of making stir fry dishes.  It is mainly a method or guideline that I should archive for my kiddies.  I purposely make my Asian dishes on the bland side.  My children like mild flavours.   If I can get them to eat broccoli, carrots, zucchini, sugar snap peas, meat, tofu and other veggies for dinner, I have won the mommy lottery!  The other day, Nessa begged me to buy asparagus!  You can always add more salt, pepper, hot sauce or other seasonings to your own plate. Besides, it is easier to correct bland dishes than salty ones.

This is a basic guideline. The ingredients are approximate.  You decide if you like more/less of your favourite veggies and meat.  It can be fun to try one new vegetable at a time.  Asparagus, Chinese greens (bok choy), zucchini, sliced mushrooms, bean sprouts can also be added too.  It really is a forgiving recipe.  If you need more sauce, add more liquid.  Sauce too thin?  Add more thickener.  

This is what I (usually) do.  The post looks really long and wordy, but this dish really cooks up fast with whatever ingredients you have on hand.  I'm just writing everything down now so my kiddies can use this as a reference in the future.  Feel free to make changes and taste as you go!  

Heat a large pot or wok on medium high (Sorry about the dirty wok! I was cooking veggies earlier). Add about 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or canola oil to thinly cover the bottom of the pot. I use extra virgin olive oil.  It smokes up when it gets too hot, so I don't heat my pan to that point.  Throw in a crushed clove of garlic to infuse the oil. I'm lazy and just smash it with my palm against the counter top or cutting board.  Feel free to chop it up if you like.  Add 1 or 2 slices of ginger to the oil.  

Tip#1:  I slice all my ginger and freeze them on a lined cookie sheet.  Once frozen, transfer them to a zipped sandwich baggie and store it in the freezer for future use.  It drove me nuts to see my ginger root go moldy in the fridge.  Frozen sliced ginger is perfect for stir fries!  

Add your sliced meat to the hot pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on high heat, covered.  Do not disturb the meat.  Uncover and flip the meat over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  The meat will release from the pan if it is cooked. Transfer the cooked meat to a clean bowl and save for later.

If I have time, I marinate my meat with a bit of salt, pepper, a drizzle of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, mix it up and then drizzle 1/2-1 tsp oil to seal the marinade.  Most of the time, I skip this step and thinly slice up my chicken breast into slivers and dump it in the pan.  Again, it is completely up to you!

Tip#2:  Organize your veggies in the order of the longest cooking time to the shortest.  For example, carrots and celery take longer to cook than red peppers, bean sprouts and sugar snap peas.  Consider the veggies that can be cooked soft and cannot be easily overcooked, like carrots and celery.  Broccoli is tricky to cook.  My kiddies like cooked broccoli but they look horrible when overcooked (yellow) and not bright green.  The veggies that can be cooked in shorter times can be added last.

Now that the meat is cooked, it is time for the vegetables.

Add about 1 Tbsp oil (more or less) to thinly coat the bottom of a hot pan.  Add 1 smashed garlic clove and 1-2 slices of ginger.  I re-use the smashed garlic clove and slices of ginger from the sauteed meat.

Saute about 1 cup of sliced carrots for 2 minutes on medium-high heat.  Toss around from time to time for even cooking.   Add about 1 cup of sliced celery and cook for 2 minutes covered.

Next, I use about 4 cups, or 2 heads of chopped broccoli. You don't have to put that much broccoli in. Half the amount or another veggie is good too.  My children adore broccoli, so I go with it.  Toss it around in the oil and pour about 3/4 cups of chicken broth.  
If I don't have chicken broth on hand, I use water and add a 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon cube for flavour.  Water, vegetable broth or beef broth would be OK too.

Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes.  The children like broccoli on the softer side.  Use less time if you like crunchier vegetables.  Add the rest of the quick cooking veggies, like snow peas and peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.

Transfer the meat back to the veggies and heat it all up til the sauce on the bottom boils.  Make a cornstarch slurry of 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water.  Make sure there are no lumps and add it to the sauce to thicken it.  Mix well. If it is too thick or you would like more sauce, add a bit of broth or water to thin it out.  Make more cornstarch slurry if you need it thicker. 

Now is the fun time to season your stir-fry!  This is the part where you can change the flavours of this dish.  You can make it teriyaki, Chinese-style, black bean & garlic, spicy or sweet and sour.  It is really up to you.

Basic seasoning guideline:  

• salt, in 1/4 tsp increments
• 2-4 Tbsp bottled sauce
• drizzle of light soy sauce (gasp!  I never measure... approximately 1 tsp?)
• drizzle of dark soy sauce for colour if needed
• pepper, if desired
• hot chili sauce, if desired

There are so many Asian sauces in the grocery stores these days.  It can be overwhelming.  Each sauce has its own purpose.  Here is a quick run-down of the ones that are in my pantry.   I cook pretty bland and my local grocery store is quite limited.  There are so many different brands you can try and go from there.

Oyster Sauce:  I use Lee Kum Kee's Premium Oyster Sauce.  It is a family favourite.  You can also get a vegetarian version, called "Stir-fry sauce".  This stuff is very strong, so add 1 Tbsp at a time.  Up to 2 Tbsp max, since there is a strong oyster flavour.  

Regular or Light soy sauce. "Light" does not mean "reduced sodium" or reduced calorie.  It refers to its lighter colour.  When recipes call for "soy sauce", this is the one you use.  It is also saltier than the dark soy sauce. 

Dark Soy Sauce. It is darker in colour, not as salty, thicker and is aged longer. I use dark soy sauce to make sauces look dark brown.  I have also used dark soy sauce to enhance/darken the colour of beef or turkey gravy.

Black Bean and Garlic Sauce:  A pungent blend of fermented salted black beans and pureed garlic.  I add about 1-2 heaping tablespoons to my stir-fries to get a Garlic and Black Bean Chicken Stir-fry.  It is strong stuff, so add to taste.  

Teriyaki Sauce:  You can buy it bottled but I prefer to make it myself.  Traditional teriyaki sauce is a combination of soy sauce, mirin (sweetened rice wine) and sake.  Mirin is hard to come by in my little town, so I improvised with dry white wine and extra sugar. I use my own sauce that I cook and blend.  I will share my recipe in another blog post.  There are some great teriyaki sauce recipes online.  

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls and the Basic Asian Stir-fry

Ingredients:
1-2 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
1-2 slices ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, canola oil or extra virgin olive oil, approximately enough to cover bottom of pan

1 lb thinly sliced meat (chicken, beef, pork), tofu, prawns, scallops
3/4 cup chicken broth, water or vegetable broth, plus up to 1/2 cup more if more sauce is desired
*optional meat marinade:   Add a pinch of salt, pepper, a drizzle of soy sauce and approx. 1/2 tsp cornstarch to the meat.  Mix well and then drizzle 1/2-1 tsp oil to seal the marinade 

Vegetables: 
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
2-4 cups broccoli, cut in bite sized pieces (1-2 heads of broccoli)
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 cup sugar snap or snow peas

Seasoning:
1/4 tsp kosher salt, add more in 1/4 tsp increments
2-4 Tbsp homemade or bottled Teriyaki sauce* (I will post my homemade teriyaki sauce recipe in a later post)
1-2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water; mix well, no lumps
1 tsp light soy sauce, optional
1 tsp dark soy sauce, if darker brown sauce is desired
hot chili sauce, optional

Heat approximately 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (canola, extra virgin olive oil, etc) in a large pot or wok to medium-high.  Do not let pan overheat. Add 1-2 cloves crushed/minced garlic and 1-2 slices fresh/frozen ginger.  

Add sliced chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on high heat, covered.  Uncover and flip the meat over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  The chicken will release from the pan if it is cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl. 

Heat another 1 Tbsp oil to the wok and add garlic and ginger (from the meat) to the hot oil.  Add sliced carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add sliced celery and cook for 2 minutes, covered.  Add cut broccoli and mix it with the carrots and celery.  Pour 3/4 cup chicken broth (water or vegetable broth) to the vegetables.  Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes for tender crisp vegetables.  Add remaining vegetables and cook another 2 minutes.  

Return the cooked chicken back to the cooked vegetables and bring the liquid to boil.  Thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry and mix well to ensure the sauce thickens nicely.  If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup broth.  Season with salt, pepper, light and dark soy sauce (optional) and teriyaki* sauce to taste.  Serve over rice or noodles.

*Other sauce variations:

• Basic Chinese-style:  1-2 Tbsp Oyster sauce
• Black Bean & Garlic: 1-2 Tbsp Black Bean & Garlic Sauce

[Edited to add - April 12, 2013 ] I am so pleased to announce that this recipe is featured in SayItCanada's "Food & Drink" Section.  SayItCanada.ca is a rich lifestyle resource for communities across Canada.  

Enjoy!

Pin It

Italian Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Crabapple Mustard Glaze

Pork tenderloin is one of my favourite dishes to make.  The meat is mild, tender and cooks up very fast in the oven.  Hubby and the children really enjoy it.  This is one of my quick and easy recipes that can be comparable to a restaurant meal.

Super easy recipe!  I trimmed all the connective tissue and fat from the meat, massaged the pork tenderloins with olive oil, rubbed the herbs and seasonings into the meat and threw it in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  I use the same ingredients for roast beef too, but somehow it tastes completely different. 

This recipe was inspired by Pioneer Woman's Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves.  She uses the French Herbs de Provence.  I can't get that here in my little rural BC town, so I improvised.  Being a mother of three little monkeys, I'm getting really good at it!  

Instead of French herbs, I used Italian seasoning (I think it is a blend of oregano, basil, rosemary and thyme).  I got it in the bulk section of my grocery store.  Instead of salt and pepper, I sprinkled Montreal Steak Spice since it has salt, pepper, garlic and other spices.  For fun, I also sprinkled some Old Bay seasoning.  I saw it at my local supermarket and bought it out of curiosity.  

This is a forgiving recipe and I don't measure my ingredients.  I just sprinkle the ingredients on top until it "looks good".  For my children's sake (when they read this entry in a few years), I should put approximate amounts!

The glaze is my creation. I used homemade crabapple jelly but any preserves will do. I will try apricot next. The crabapple jelly is very sweet, so I only used 1/4 cup.  I thought it would be a variation of the popular pork/apple combination.  I kept tasting it and adding ingredients until it was yummy.  I added a bit of thyme, a bit of balsamic vinegar and a few small squirts of mustard.  Boiled it up and thickened it with a slurry of cornstarch and water.  In the end, it tasted a lot like Asian sweet & sour plum sauce!  The children, especially my 3 year old, loved the pork and glaze. 

Italian Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Crabapple Mustard Glaze

2 Pork Tenderloins

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (can use more or less)

1 tsp Montreal Steak Spice

2-4 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning

sprinkle Old Bay seasoning (optional)

Glaze

1/4-1/2 cup preserves (I used 1/4 cup crabapple jelly. Will try apricot next)

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp thyme

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)

1/4 cup water + 1 Tbsp cornstarch 

Preheat oven to 425F.  Trim the outer fat and connective tissue from the pork tenderloins..  Drizzle and massage pork tenderloins with extra virgin olive oil.  Season with Montreal Steak Spice and then rub with Italian seasoning.

Place the pork on a rack or pan and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes (I needed 30-40 min) or until no longer pink.  Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the pork is resting, combine preserves, water, thyme, mustard  and vinegar in a small pan and bring to a simmer.  To thicken, make cornstarch slurry (water and cornstarch) and mix it in the simmering sauce.

Slice pork and spoon the glaze over the meat.  

- Adapted from Pioneer Woman's Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves

Everyone enjoyed this dinner.  I am in awe that 3 year old LOVED this!  

Enjoy!

Pin It

Whiskey Rum Barbecue Ribs

The past few weeks, pork ribs were on sale at the supermarket.  Baby back ribs cost a little more since they are very tender and meaty.  They were about CAN$5.49/lb, roughly $9 per rack. Last week, I was able to score CAN$1.99/lb for regular side pork ribs which were about $4 per rack!  Very delicious!

I love ribs.  I love getting my fingers messy.  I love the sweet and sticky rib sauce... I love that  "fall of the bone" experience when you take a bite and the meat simply falls apart... 

I was never able to get my ribs to "fall off the bone" until I removed the tough back membrane behind the bones.  This membrane is very tough and takes a long time to break down in cooking.  Doing this step made the ribs very tender.  Yes, it is extra work, but so worth it!  

I used a small sharp knife and trimmed the membrane off.  You can also rip this slippery membrane off with your hands and paper towel.   

In a rush?  You can also perforate the membrane with a knife so it can cook down better.  If I have the time, I prefer to cut away the membrane. 

Some people swear by boiling ribs.  My problem:  my pot is not big enough to boil several racks of ribs for an hour or so.   Instead, I use the oven and slowly roast them over low heat in aluminum foil.  While the fat melts out of the ribs, the flavour stays in the meat and not in the boiling water.  I can easily make ribs for a large crowd with this method.  

Double wrap the ribs in foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours at 275F.

Put the sauce together while the ribs are baking.   The original recipe calls for rum. When I ran out of rum, I used tequila and whisky with no complaints. A nice dark ale or beer (Guinness) would be tasty too.  The possibilities are endless!  Also, you can use your favourite salsa. We prefer mild salsa.  If you like medium or hot/spicy salsa, feel free to use it!

Let the sauce sit for a bit so the brown sugar can dissolve. 

After 2.5 hours in the oven, remove from foil and transfer the ribs to a container or pan.  

Coat the ribs with sauce and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.  I usually make this the day before and marinate overnight.

You can use the BBQ to finish the ribs.  I usually use the oven for easy cleanup.   Place the ribs on a parchment lined pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Baste with the marinade every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let the ribs rest for a few minutes.  They will be easier to cut when they cool down a little. 

Whiskey Rum Barbecue Ribs

The original recipe makes a lot of sauce for 4lbs, so I scale it down a little and it makes just enough sauce for basting in the oven or BBQ.

4lbs pork spare ribs, or 2 racks baby back ribs

1 cup brown sugar (I use 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup ketchup (I use 3 Tbsp)

1/4 cup soy sauce (3 Tbsp)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (3 Tbsp)

1/4 cup rum (3 Tbsp rum.  I like a combination of 2 Tbsp rum, 1 Tbsp whiskey)

1/2 cup chile sauce (I use 1/2 cup favourite salsa)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I use 3/4 tsp)

1 dash ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Cut spareribs into serving size portions or leave rack whole.  Wrap in double thickness of foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours.  

In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rum, chile sauce, garlic, mustard and pepper.  

Unwrap and drain drippings.  Place ribs in large roasting pan.  Coat ribs with sauce and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.  

BBQ method:  Preheat grill for medium heat.  Position grate four inches above heat source.  Brush grill grate with oil.  Place ribs on grill, and cook for 30 minutes, basting with marinade every 10 minutes.  

Oven method:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Bake for 30 minutes, basting with marinade every 10 minutes.  

- Adapted from Allrecipes.com:  Barbecue Ribs

MMmmmm.... My dinner:  a nice green salad with chicken and RIBS!  My youngest couldn't get enough of them! 

Enjoy!

Pin It

Homemade Pizza Crust

Busy! Busy! Busy!  That describes my household the past 2 weeks.  I haven't had the chance to sit down in front of the computer.  I've been pretty exhausted chasing after the kiddies since their summer holidays started!  

The children started their summer holidays at the end of June.  I'm not used to having all three at home everyday!  Hubby is also taking some time off work this month too.  So far, we have enjoyed spending our time together as a family:  in the garden, day trips, bike riding, going on walks, playing in the kiddie pool and picnic meals. 

Since we were spending the whole day at home, I decided to make homemade pizza with the kiddies' favourite toppings.  This is another recipe that I have been making for almost 10 years.  I love making bread and pizza dough but it does take a little time and planning.  To make things easier, I dumped all the ingredients into my bread machine on the "dough" setting in the late morning and by lunchtime, the pizza dough was ready to be baked.

Unfortunately, my bread machine stopped working properly during this batch. It was making grinding noises while mixing erratically.  Thank goodness, this recipe is very forgiving.  I have made this recipe by hand, mixer and bread machine with good results.  I am so disappointed that my bread machine only lasted 4 years!

I used 100% whole wheat bread flour this time.  It is also wonderful with all-purpose flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose.  A very flexible recipe.  

I rolled out my crust as thin as I could.  Instead of the standard red tomato sauce, I used up an opened jar of roasted garlic alfredo sauce and mixed in some tomato paste.  Toppings were: ham sausage, pepperoni, red peppers, olives, fresh pineapple, sauteed veggies (spinach, onions and mushrooms), and 4-cheese Italian shredded cheese blend.  Baked in the oven at 450F for 15-18 min, depending on the thickness of the crust and toppings. 

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat bread flour.  Can also use a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour too)

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.  (Instead, I dumped all the ingredients into the bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions on "Dough" setting).

Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). (I baked mine at 450F).  If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.

Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

- Adapted from Allrecipes.com: Jay's Signature Pizza Crust Recipe

Enjoy!

Pin It

BBQ Pork and Tofu Chow Mein

Chow mein is another great family favourite.  It is a very versatile party side dish and is always a part of our family gatherings.  This recipe is my father's and I am glad he taught me how to make this. 

My dad's recipe is an awesome base chow mein.  Please note that this is a rough estimate of how I make chow mein at home.  Like most stir-fry dishes, the amounts are approximate and depend on what ingredients are in the refrigerator and what the kiddies like. In essence, this is a stir-fry with noodles tossed in like a salad!  

Feel free to use leftover roast chicken, pork or beef, so the meat is already cooked and easy to throw in.  Even the amount of liquid is approximate too.  If you find the noodles a little dry, don't be afraid to add an extra splash of chicken or vegetable stock.  When I don't have chicken stock, I have used water and added about 1/2 tsp amount of Knorr chicken stock cube too.  Again, very flexible.  

To season, I use oyster sauce or soy sauce.  I prefer oyster sauce and I have seen it at our local supermarket.  With the right amount, it gives the dish umami, or that "je ne sais quoi" pleasant savory flavour that one can't exactly pinpoint.  Because the ingredients are all an estimate, you have to taste the noodles to see if it is salty enough.  I usually add salt in 1/4 tsp increments.  Some people are watching their salt intake, so seasoning is very subjective.  Some may need more or less. *Disclaimer - so that people won't say this dish is too salty or too bland!

I usually make two batches of this recipe for my family.  It heats up great for the next day (or breakfast!) For potlucks and parties, I make 3 batches for a 9x13 glass or casserole dish.
  

I tried this brand from Superstore for about $0.98.  The noodles were slightly thicker but still good. 

There are different kinds of noodles out there.  I usually buy the dried egg noodles for about CAN$ 1.50 per package at the local supermarket (SaveOnFoods). Each package has about 8 dried noodle square pieces.  I cook 4 squares, or half a package at a time. 

You can also use the fresh egg chow mein noodles in the fresh produce section of the store. 

BBQ Pork Chow Mein 

from Michelle’s Dad 

1-2 Tbsp canola or extra virgin olive oil

1-2 medium carrots - julienned

1 large celery stalk- julienned

½ cup julienned cooked meat (chicken, pork, beef) or firm tofu

½ cup chicken or vegetable stock

1 Tbsp oyster sauce (or soy sauce - I prefer oyster sauce)

salt to taste (I use kosher salt)

1/2 package of 400g dried egg noodles,

Cook egg noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes max or until barely al-dente.  They should be chewy and not soft.  Take the noodles out of the water and spread onto a dinner plate, so the noodles can dry out. This will prevent the noodles from becoming mushy when they added to the vegetables and meat.  

Heat oil in a wok or large pot on medium-high heat. Saute carrots for 2 minutes, add sliced celery to the carrots and saute for 1 min.  Add ½ cup stock.  Cover with a lid and simmer for about 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender crisp (or softer to your liking).

Add cooked meat and/or tofu. Season with oyster or soy sauce and 1/4 tsp salt.

Turn off the heat and take the pot completely off the heat.  This step is important so your noodles will not get mushy.  Very important!  

Dump the cooked noodles to the vegetable, meat and stock mixture.  Use chopsticks or a fork to swish the noodles around the liquid.  As it absorbs the liquid, the noodles will loosen up and you can toss it around like "Italian pasta & sauce".

Taste the noodles and season again with salt & oyster sauce and serve.

Optional add-ins:  your favourite veggies, sliced cooked shitake mushrooms, bok choy, zucchini, etc.  Add this after the celery.  Snow peas and sugar snap peas do not need to be cooked very long.  I usually throw a handful with the cooked meat.   

Meat:  Char siu/chinese bbq roast pork, sliced chicken breast, leftover roast beef strips, cooked prawns (don’t overcook, or add it last!), sliced firm tofu

Enjoy!

Pin It