Sweetness In The Kitchen

Poached Eggs with Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Hash

For those of you who can bear the thought of yet another Turkey Sandwich from all that left over bird, here's our MOST favorite turkey recipe, good for breakfast, brunch or dinner!!

This recipe is from Ellie Krieger at Food Network and during non-holiday Turkey meals we make this dish with leftover roasted Organic Turkey Breast that was rubbed with a delectable combination of Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Olive Oil, and salt and pepper.  The resulting leftovers absolutely MAKE this dish!

2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme leaves
2 sweet potatoes, baked for 40 minutes at 400 degrees F, cooled, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups cooked diced Turkey Breast
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon white vinegar
4-6 eggs
Hot sauce for garnish (optional)

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, turkey, salt and some pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until th potatoes are beginning to brown, about 3 minutes longer. Add the broth, scraping up any brown bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pan. Keep warm while poaching the eggs.

Fill a saute pan with 1 1/2 inches of water and the vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a small bowl and then carefully pour it into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs spacing them so they do not touch. Poach at a gentle simmer until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the hash between amount of servings you have and top each with an egg. Serve with hot sauce, or garnish with thyme! Enjoy!

This is SO yummy and quite a meal in itself.  For dinner you could serve it with a delicious crunchy salad or simply enjoy on it's own!

I am SO thankful for this recipe and we will enjoy this ourselves for Sunday brunch for Christ the King...that is IF we can wait that long!!< p/>

Scrumptious Lemony Roast Herb & Garlic Chicken

This was extra yummy and so easy!!  I have been trying to buy Organic whenever I can, and especially when it comes to poultry, Organic is best!  Here is what I made:

One 4-5# Whole Roasting Chicken (pounds depends on family size) Remove giblets, Rinse and pat dry with paper towels, place in glass roasting pan or a non-stick roasting pan.

1 Lemon, halved
2 Garlic Cloves, minced, plus 2 whole cloves slightly crushed for inside the cavity
1 Tablespoon Each of Fresh Tarragon, Rosemary, Sage, chopped, plus a sprig of each for inside the cavity
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Salt & Pepper inside cavity.  Squeeze lemon halves over and inside chicken, discard one half and place the other inside the cavity. Place the fresh herb sprigs inside the cavity as well along with the two whole garlic cloves.  Mix chopped fresh herbs, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper and chopped garlic in a small bowl.  Rub herb mixture all over outside of chicken making a nice herb and garlic coating.  Roast for about 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees farenheit or until juices run clear and chicken is nicely browned.  If your oven cooks hot, either turn down to 325 or tent chicken with foil so it does not get over-browned.

We enjoyed our meal with steamed French Green Beans and Organic Wild Rice!  Let me know if you try this and how you like it!!  Blessings!!

 

Roasted Pumpkin and Garlic Soup

Michele and a few others kindly asked for my Pumpkin-ey Day Soup, so here it is, in all it's glory (and very simple and easy to make, I might add).

Roasted Pumpkin and Garlic Soup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.

1-2 Pumpkins, cut in half, seeded and cleaned, drizzled with about 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil and sprinkled with Salt and Pepper NOTE:  The pumpkin I used was only about 6 inches in diameter, so judge for your family size how large you need.  I would opt for a few small pumpkins rathr than one large one.

Roast pumpkins cut side up for about an hour or until very soft.  I just pierce the flesh with a knife tip and if it slides in easily, they're done.  Let cool for about 10 minutes or until cool enough to scoop into a blender or food processor.  Puree to desired texture, I made a pretty smooth soup, but see what you and your family prefer.

Meanwhile, on stove preheat soup pot with about 1 tablespoon olive Oil and saute 2 chopped garlic cloves until golden, do not let burn.  Add pureed pumpkin to garlic and let bubble for a few minutes stirring to blend flavors.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I also added a little bit of turmeric and cumin.

Cook for about 5 minutes and re-puree if you want to blend the garlic pieces, or continue to simmer for about 5 more minutes.  Turn the heat off and add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup heavy cream (or half-n-half) and check for seasonings.

This one is fun to serve alongside Crusty Bread and a big yummy spinach salad with cranberries, mandarin oranges sprinkled with roasted pumpkin seeds :-)  Make an easy Balsamic Vinegrette, it'll will be so good!

Enjoy!!  Let me know if you make this and how it turns out for you!!  Blessings!

Autumn Dining, Cozy Up With Some Comforting Eats!

Autmunal Dining is so comforting and cozy, it makes you just want to hunker down and stay in for some tasty soups and stews.  Here are some of our favorites to keep you cozy all Autumn long!

Golden Stew of Pumpkin, Cabbage, and Turmeric with Riso (from Potager by Georgeanne Brennan)

Here's an excerpt from the author:  "Baking the pumpkin in olive oil and herbs before combining it with the other ingredients gives this stew an added dimension of flavor." 

Just as Autumn gives us another dimension of color in our lives with it's changing temperatures, leaves turning and falling from the trees, and lightness fading into darkness...

1/2 Pumpkin, 1/4 Hubbard Squash, or 1 Sweetmeat Squash
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1 teaspoon ground Turmeric
2 Tablespoons dried Marjoram
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Leek, including some tender green, chopped
4 cups Chicken Stock (we like Organic)
1/2 large head Cabbage, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
1/4 cup dry Sherry or dry White Wine
1/2 cup cooked Riso or pasta or White Rice
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Chives for garnish
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Tarragon for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.  Cut the pumpkin or other winter squash into 2-inch squares.  You should have about 5-6 cups cut up.  Leave the skin intact because it is much easier to remove once the squash is baked.  Put the squash pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, cumin, turmeric and marjoram.  Bake in preheated oven until tender, about an hour.  Add the water only if the pieces seem to be in danger of sticking or burning.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan large enough to hold the stew eventually, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the leek for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and cabbage.  Simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.  Set aside.

When the squash is done, remove the pieces from the baking sheet and cool slightly.  Add the sherry or white wine to the baking dish and cook over medium heat to deglaze the pan and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the resulting juices to the chicken stock mixture.

Peel the squash.  In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock mixture.  Repeat the process with the remaining squash.  Add the pureed squash to the stock mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cooked Riso or rice.  Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. 

Serve the stew sprinkled with the garnish of fresh herbs.

Next up is a delightful and warm Soup!

Chicken Barley Soup (from Susan Branch's Heart of the Home)

She says, "Truly the magical elixir ~ the well-known cure for the common cold"

Homemade Chicken Stock (or my favorite in a pinch Organic)
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups Barley, rinsed
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup parsley, minced
salt an pepper to taste
chicken meat, chopped
Parmesean Cheese (optional for garnish)

Reheat or heat stock to boiling.  Melt the butter in a stockpot, add onion and slow-cook until soft  and golden.  Rinse Barley and pick over for rocks.  When stock is boiling add barley and simmer till the barley is almost cooked througha nd soft.  Add slow-cooked onions, carrot, celery and parsley.  Cook until carrots are just tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste and the chopped chicken.  Heat through and serve.  The amount of vegetables and chicken can be altered depending on how much broth you have on hand.  You could also substitute potatoes for the barley and just add them at the same time as the other vegetables.  Enjoy!

I also wanted to include our recent Bread Baking recipe as it was quite an accomplishment for two of the Sweetness Gang :) 

Happy Autumn and please let me know if you try any of these cozy recipes with your families!  Many blessings and thanks so much for stopping by today!

Making Bread By Hand - Easy Recipe!!

From our Baking Bread with Love, and a Buddy post, here's the wonderful recipe shared by Lori from Montessori for Everyone to get you baking bread with your sweeties!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
1 cup milk
1/4 c. sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margerine
1 teaspoon salt
1 pkg. yeast (equal to 2 1/4 teaspoons loose yeast)
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur's organic is wonderful)

Directions:

First heat milk gently in a saucepan over low heat. Add sugar, butter and salt to hot milk and let cool.  In a small bowl, mix the 1/4 cup warm water and yeast, set aside until bubbly (about 5 minutes).  To cooled milk mixture, add one cup flour and mix well.  Then add one slightly beaten egg and yeast mixture.  Use a wire whisk to mix everything together (or a wooden spoon).  Add approximately 3 more cups of flour until the dough can be handled easily.  Knead on the counter and place in a greased bowl to rise (about an hour).  Then punch down and shape loaves into greased loaf pans (we did 3 mini-loaves) and let rise again covered with a damp cloth.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding!  Enjoy!!

Let us know with a link, if you bake your own, we'd love for you to share!!  Blessings!

Meatless Friday Meals

Along with many of my friends who are just beginning our Lenten Journey's we observe  Meatless Friday Meals throughout this beautiful season.  Ruth at Just Another Day in Paradise has graciously offered to host a Meatless Menues Carnival during Lent.

Here's what's cooking for us this week to kick off our first Friday of Lent!

Happy Lent and thanks so much Ruth for a great Carnival of Meatless Meals!

It's Four O'Clock, Do You Know Where Your Dinner Is? - Week Four Menues

Okay, it's time to empty the pantry and freezer, so this week's meal will reflect some of those kinds of meals!!

Sunday: Feast of Our Lady Of Lourdes: French Connection!!
Beef Bourguignonne, a variation on Ina Garten's lovely recipe, but with stew meat instead.
A little more economical, and I needed to use my stew meat from the freezer!
Butter Lettuce Salad, and Crusty Bread for the sauce!

Monday: A guest or dinner tonight!! Sean-Paul's Godmother is visiting tonight so we're having something easy and light for her!!
Lemon Chicken w/ Penne Pasta and Greek Salad!

Tuesday: Burgers! What can I say?

Wednesday: Valentine's Day!
Spicy Shrimp Scampi on Angel Hair Pasta and
Gnudi: This was an awesome dinner, nice and light so we could indulge in our Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Puree, super yum!

Thursday: Marinated Flank Steak (Saving Dinner page 222)
White Rice and Baby Peas!

Friday: Foccacia Pizza's and Caesar Salad!

Saturday: Black Bean Stoup
Corn Muffins!

Hope you will try some of these and let me know how your family likes them!! Blessings to you!

Lemon Chicken w/ Pasta & Parmesean

This is one of my families FAVORITE Chicken dishes!! I can't even remember what cookbook it came from cause I've made it so many times, it's all in my head!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded about 1/2 inch thick or "filleted"
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup butter (divided)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oli

Penne Pasta or Bowties cooked and drained, then drizzle with a bit of Olive Oil to lightly coat
1/2 - 1 cup grated Parmesean cheese (I buy pre-shredded when on sale)

Heat a large skillet over med-high heat and add olive oil and 2 T of the butter. Saute the chicken on both sides until cooked, about 6-8 minutes (longer if thicker). Remove to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. With the pan still on, add the lemon to de-glaze the pan and cook about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and melt, then add the chicken pieces back in and turn to coat. Can keep warm on a low setting if pasta is still cooking.

Serve chicken over pasta with sauce and top with parmesean!! So yummy, make sure you have enough for seconds, or save for an awesome lunch next day!

Pretzel Crusted Chicken w/ Mustard-Cheddar Sauce #267

4 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1-5oz. bag of salted pretzels, any shape, blend until fine in food processor or blender
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 eggs, beaten with a splash of water in shallow dish
Vegetable Oil, for frying
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp yellow cheddar chees
1 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar (I used regular Vermont White Cheddar)
2 heaping tablespoons spicy brown mustard (I used Dijon, country style)
Coarse salt
4 cups fresh flat leaf parsely, chopped
1/4 small yellow onion, minced (for garnish)
1 large sour dill pickle (for garnish)
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving

Directions:
Prepare pretzel coating by adding to shallow dish like a pie plate and add the thyme and some ground black pepper. Dredge the pounded chicken in the pretzel mix, then egg, then pretzel again. Fry in batches 3-4 minutes per side or until fully cooked. (May finish in a 350 degree oven so as not to over brown chicken, but to cook through)

For the Sauce: Melt butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, add in the cheeses, mustard and stir with a wooden spoon. Season with little salt and remove from heat.

To serve, transfer a chicken breast to each plate, spoo sauce over, sprinkle on some chopped dill pickle, chopped parsely and minced onions! A squeeze of lemon made this SO yummy!! We also had coleslaw tossed with a little oil and vinegar!!

I'll do this one again for sure, the kids loved it!! Enjoy!

It's Four O'Clock, Do You Know Where Your Dinner Is? - Week Three Menues

Here's the plan for this third week of menues!!

Sunday: Grandmother's Chicken from Sunset Magazine, truly delightful, although next time I will add some carrots, this dish was just screaming for some yummy baby carrots! Served with Crusty Italian Bread and a salad would be nice!

The rest of this week's meals are all coming from Rachel Ray's 365: No Repeats!! I've yet to try any of her recipes in this wonderful cookbook, so I'm dedicating my week to Rachel Ray, and hopefully there will be lots of YUMMO'S at the dinner table this week, LOL!

Monday: Cumin and Lime Roasted Pork Tenderloin #169

Creamed Corn

Brown Rice

Tuesday: Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts w/ Cheddar-Mustard Sauce #267: This one didn't come up on the Foodtv.com link, so here it is!

Wednesday: Sauteed Salmon w/Mango-Pineapple Chutney #238, Spinach Salad with Craisins, Slivered Almonds, Mandarin Oranges & Blueberry/Pomegranite Dressing (Litehouse), Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Thursday: Salsa Stoup & Double Decker Quesadillas #24

Friday: Italian-Style Garlic Shrimp w/ Cherry Tomatoes and Thin Spaghetti #147, Mozarella, Tomato and Basil Crustinis (Like a Caprese salad on toasted baguettes, delicioso!!)

Saturday: Steaks w/ Horseradish Cream Sauce, Watercress Salad and Crusty Bread #123

Sunday: Jenn's Crock Coffee Roast, Multi-Grain Garlic Toasts, Green Salad

Oh, and here's my top five pantry must haves:
Chocolate Chips (I am serious, this is a mainstay, great for sauces and dessert items in a snap!!)
Organic Canned Tomatoes: Pastes, Diced, Stewed, Crushed and Whole and Sauces
Pastas
Brown Rice and Jasmine Rices
Cake Mixes, for those desserts in a pinch again, we're also VERY big on cupcakes here!!

Blessings, enjoy this week's meals, we sure did!!