Always On a Windsday When the Pins Begin To Flow.

Pardon my pun.   I plan to try new pin recipes each week otherwise, why am I pinning them??? just to look at the pretty pictures???  So Windsday will be Pinsday. This is my menu making day and I search through my pins to find something to add to my menu.  I love to try new recipes because the old stuff is getting old, just like me.  

On Windsday I will review the ones I tried and evaluate them for all to see.  I am sure Pooh Bear would approve.

From the last week there are three pin recipes I tried.   I finally tried the Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  There are many recipe versions on Pinterest.  I used this one:  http://www.sweetashoney.co.nz/cauliflower-pizza-crust-paleo-low-carb/
FYI the pin is on my board called 'Dairy, Sugar or Gluten Free'.  I searched forever to find where in the world I pinned it and finally had to pin it again and go to the prompt 'pin already saved' and click on the red portion to find out where.  It works.  I will fix that problem soon and open a new board called 'Pizza, Pizza' and coordinate all my pizza and pizza crust recipes.  

I made this pizza almost as it is listed.  I did put my pizza stone in the oven to heat up. before starting.  I also grated my cauliflower by hand because I didn't want to dirty the food processor.  Silly me.  I put the first baking process on parchment paper on my metal pizza pan and set that on top of the pizza stone for the first 10 minutes.  Then after peeling the pizza crust off of the paper I flipped it over and slid it off of the metal pan onto the stone for the second bake before topping it with spiced tomato sauce, Mozzarella and pepperoni, and finished cooking. 

Some cauliflower substitution are great and others are so, so, and other are not so good.  This one is good. but it tasted like there was just no crust on the pizza; like the topping were just holding together all alone.  It was different.  I am not saying it is not good, and the carb count is incredible.  I will make it again.  I do miss the bread.

The second recipe I did not get on Pinterest, but on TV from Sara Moulton's Work Week Meals, or something like that.  She had a guest chef, Joey Campanaro who has a restaurant in NY.  

The recipe is:  Salad Dressing Chicken.  He suggests using chicken legs because they are fatter and so more flavorful.

1 doz chicken legs (more or less)
Dressing:  
1 T Dijon Mustard
2  T Sherry Vinegar (I used Pomegranate Red Wine)
1 T Rice Vinegar
1 T Honey (adds depth of flavor and helps caramelize chicken)
2 shallots chopped
4 T EVOO
S&P

Place chicken in baking dish, cover with dressing.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. (I put mine in the crock pot for 3-4 hours on low for Sunday dinner)

Salad:
Chop escarole, herbs: dill, parsley, cilantro and add coarse salt.  Mix and place in serving bowl.  Top with 1 can drained Cannellini beans.  

When the chicken is done, remove to serving plate and pour the warm dressing and drippings over the greens and serve.  

This was good, but lots of oil/grease in the cooked dressing.  It added flavor (and fat grams). Chicken breasts can be used.  I would say not cooked so long if they are boneless.  The extra fat comes from the skin, I think, but it is tasty and crusty.

Last but not least, I made Cinnamon Roll Pancakes and I will do that tomorrow.  No more time for blogging today.  I need to clean the refrigerator and make a menu and go shopping at Sprouts because it is double ad day.  Ta, Ta.

I cannot find any pix on my camera for these.  Guess I didn't take any; I am becoming a slacker.  I'll try better next time.


HAPPY PINNING


CYBERGRAM

(Looking for a better moniker.  Any ideas?  Cyber seems to last decade.)


  

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

My tip for today: sweat the onions.  Always saute them for the best flavor of your soups, casseroles, and sauces.  The strong flavor in onions is volatile and will cook off if you saute them first. I use olive oil that doesn't like extreme high heat.  Any oil works fine.

If you throw them in the soup pot or casserole raw, they add a strong flavor and make your food taste like institutional food.  If you want a subtle seasoning that onions provide, saute them first.  I don't like raw onion, but have to have it in certain foods even though the aftertaste is too annoying to me.  What is a hamburger without a sweet onion?  I will put up with the aftertaste.  

Real sweet onions are Vidalias in the Spring, Walla Walla in the Summer and Peruvian onions in the winter.  Bermuda onions are not that sweet to me.

Did you know that you cannot get rid of onion or garlic breath by brushing or breath mints?--at least not for long.  Onion and garlic flavor goes into your bloodstream and you continue to breathe it out for many hours.  Just saying.  Sauteing the onion reduces that annoying problem.  

My recipe today is one I developed after trying those frozen pasta dinners like Birdseye Voila Garlic Chicken with frozen broccoli and carrots.  I like the convenience, but don't like the frozen veges. So I make my own--One Pot Garlic Chicken. 

Carrots, broccoli and cauliflower

Oops, I forgot the garlic.  Saute the garlic with the onions, but not as long.  Garlic burns easily.  Add carrots with garlic and saute a few minutes.  Heat cannot be too high.

Another tip:  Never turn the heat on your pan above medium unless it contains liquids.  You will warp the pan.  Been there, done that.

Add three cups of water and the pasta.  Turn up to medium high and lightly boil for four minutes stirring occasionally.  Place the broccoli, cauliflower and canned chicken breast on top.  (Need recipes to rotate my canned food storage. You can add cooked chicken strips or your own cooked chicken.) Do not stir; do not put a lid on the pot; cook four more minutes.  Let the veges steam on the top. Keep the temperature to a bubbling simmer, but not boiling because you will not be stirring.

Another tip:  Never put a lid on the pot when cooking green veges. They give off a chemical when cooked that turns the vegetable yellow if it is trapped in the pan.  Not pretty.

Stir in the bottled Bertolli's Alfredo Sauce.  I buy that brand at Costco when available.  It stores for a limited time.  Bertolli's is my favorite.  The pan will have a lot of liquid in it and the pasta may not be completely cooked. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about five minutes.  It will thicken and finish cooking the pasta.  Now, voila, serve with grated hard cheese sprinkled on top.

One pot pasta meal

One Pot Garlic Chicken

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots peeled or scrubbed, sliced

1-2 small heads of broccoli, cut in small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 of head of cauliflower, cut in small pieces

3 Cups water

1-2 Cups Rotini pasta

1 12.5 oz canned chicken gently broken apart

1/2 to 1 bottle Bertolli's Alfredo Sauce

Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese 

Gently saute onions in hot olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and carrots and saute 2 more minutes.  Add water and turn up heat to medium high.  Add pasta and gently boil for 4 minutes stirring occasionally.  Place broccoli, cauliflower and chicken on top, reduce heat to high simmer for 4 more minutes.  Do not stir; do not put on a lid for 4 more minutes.  Stir in Alfredo sauce, and turn off the heat.  Let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking the pasta.  Serve with grated cheese.

Makes about 5 servings.

Note:  this is a low carb meal with extra veges and much less pasta. I use only 1/2 bottle of Alfredo Sauce and save the rest for a later use. The chicken and sauce have plenty of salt for my taste.  Add more if you like.  Also, I never put more than 1/2 of an onion in my recipes no matter what it calls for.  I don't want the onion flavor to overpower the dish, and my husband doesn't like onions anyway.

Final Tip:  If your cauliflower gets black spots on it before you get it used, scrub it off with a vege scrubber then use it.

When I get the 'recipe' for this little scrubber, I will post it.  I received two of them for a Christmas gift.  They are crocheted with netting.  

Happy Cooking!