Fish and Chips (Tyler Florence)

Eli's favorite meal. :)

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 3 large russet potatoes
• 2 cups rice flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 (12-ounce) can soda water
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 (8-ounce) cod or haddock fillets, cut in 1/2 on an angle
• 1/2 cup rice flour, for dredging
• Malt vinegar, for serving

Directions

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees F. Alternatively, use a deep heavy skillet.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips (that is, fries) about the size of your index finger. Put the potatoes in a fryer basket and lower into the oil. Fry the chips for 2 to 3 minutes; they should not be crisp or fully cooked at this point. Remove the chips to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Crank the oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine soda water and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter. Spread the rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.

Put the chips in the bottom of the fryer basket and carefully submerge in the hot oil. Carefully lower the battered fish into the bubbling oil on top of the chips. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove the basket and drain the fish and chips on paper towels; season lightly with salt. Serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or tartar sauce.

Menu Plan 12/13/11-12/22/11

Breakfast:


Blueberry Muffins
French Toast Sticks
Pancakes
Bagels


Lunch:


Quick Chicken Salad http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/10/quick-chicken-salad-real-mom-kitchen.html
Homemade Freezer Pizza Rolls http://whataboutpie.blogspot.com/2010/10/pepperoni-rolls.html
Panera Mac and Cheese http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/10/panera-mac-and-cheese-pinterest.html
PB and J
Leftovers


Dinner:

12/13 - Pesto and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/12/baked-chicken-stuffed-with-pesto-and.html/broccoli/cous cous
12/14 - Honey Dijon Salmon http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/11/baked-dijon-salmon-all-recipes.html/green beans/rice/rolls
12/15 - Taco's/corn
12/16 - Pizza
12/17 - out
12/18 - Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/12/easy-crockpot-baked-potato-soup.html/bread
12/19 - Mom's Meatloaf/asparagus/mash potatoes
12/20 - Spaghetti and Meatballs/bread/salad
12/21 - Creamy Chicken Bake http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/03/mrs-farmers-creamy-baked-chicken.html/broccoli/rice
12/22 - Tyler Florence Fish and Chips

Easy Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese 

  

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!

Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese (Kayln's Kitchen)

(Makes two servings)

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T Basil Pesto with Lemon or your favorite commercial pesto
2 T low-fat sour cream
2 T grated mozzarella cheese
(I used heaping tablespoons of pesto, sour cream and cheese)
2 eggs, beaten (or if they're large eggs one will probably be enough)
3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 T almond flour (or almond meal, but almond flour is better for this because it's more finely ground)
black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray. Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts, then put them one at a time inside a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until the chicken is as thin as you can get it. Don't worry too much about the shape or whether there are some loose pieces, you can tuck them in when you roll up the chicken.

In a small bowl mix together the basil pesto, sour cream, and grated mozzarella. Use a rubber scraper to spread a thin layer of this mixture over each chicken breast, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge of the chicken (so it doesn't run out so much as it cooks.) Roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with a couple of toothpicks.

Prepare two bowls, one with the beaten egg and the other with the grated Parmesan-almond flour mixture, seasoned with black pepper to taste. Dip each chicken breast roll first into the egg mixture and then into the Parmesan-almond flour mixture, patting it on so the chicken breast roll is well-coated with the mixture.

Put chicken breasts into the casserole dish and bake until the chicken is firm and lightly browned. (Start checking after about 25-30 minutes; total baking time will be 30-35 minutes.) Serve hot.

Green Bean Bundles (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/08/bacon-wrapped-green-bean-bundles/


Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans with the ends snapped off (buy or pick about 1 1/2 pounds so you'll have 1 lb. after the beans' ends have been snapped)

8 slices lean, regularly sliced bacon

3 Tbsp. real butter (no substitutions!)

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. white sugar

1 Tbsp. minced red onion

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

If you're using fresh green beans, wash and snap the ends off. Discard any sickly looking, overly skinny, limp, or yucky-looking beans.    When the water is boiling, briefly boil (blanch) the beans for 2-3 minutes or until you start hearing a popping noise and the beans have turned bright green. Quickly drain and rinse in cold water until the beans have cooled.

If you're planning on completing the beans immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 piles. Carefully bundle each pile of beans with one slice of bacon and return to the baking sheet. This step can be done up to a day ahead of time.

When the oven is ready, place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling. While the bundles are in the oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is bubbly, add in the onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened and fragrant. Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Caramelized Green Beans (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/caramelized-green-beans/


Ingredients:

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Directions:

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.

Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.

Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed (or minced…but I think if you don’t have a garlic press, the Easter Bunny needs to bring you one this year), and everything is ready to go.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it’s cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan.

Now return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot…add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then…add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you’re not cooking them until they’re done, just blanching them to take the edge off.

Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don’t scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink. Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy.

Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.

Sorry

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