Essence Chicken and Cheesy Rice

It's been awhile since I've posted on this blog!  We haven't regularly gotten a basket during the winter - but we're starting to get them now!  This is a recipe I had done long time ago using some things in the basket.  It takes some time to prepare - but is so yummy!

Possible basket items used:  onion, yellow pepper, mushrooms, green onion

First off, you need to mix up some of Emeril's Essence seasoning:
2 1/2 T paprika
2 T salt
2 T garlic powder
1 T black pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T oregano
1 T thyme
Combine them all and shake (Store in a used seasoning container if you have an empty one)

Essence Chicken:
4 strips of bacon (we use turkey bacon) cooked and chopped
1 lbs chicken breasts
2 tsp Essence
1 c. diced yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz mushrooms
1 tsp thyme
1 c. chicken stock (or broth if you don't have stock)
1/4 c. chopped green onions
** Season chicken with essence and cook in large frying pan till almost cooked through.  Add bacon, onions and garlic and cook till onions are almost done.  Add mushrooms, thyme and chicken stock.  Cook till all heated through.  Sprinkle the green onions on top.

Cheesy Rice
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 c. diced yellow onion
1/2 c. diced yellow pepper
1 c. rice
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 c. chicken stock
1/2 lbs mozzarella grated cheese
** Melt butter in frying pan.  Add onions and pepper. Stir while cooking.  Add dry rice, salt and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute on medium high.  Add chicken stock and reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and discard.  Add cheese and mix into rice.  Serve with chicken!

(This picture is of a slightly different version of the recipe - I added black beans to it instead of the mushrooms because I didn't have all the ingredients needed to make it the right way.  It was still really good this way too!)

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Mix in bowl and set aside:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp heaped baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Beat together:

2 eggs

2 Tbsp Veggie oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 ripe mashed bananas

Add and mix just till moistened:

Dry ingredients

3/4 cup milk

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in well greased muffin tin.

(The muffins I made were done with rice flour and xanthan gum in place of the regular all-purpose flour - so they might look different than normal.)

 Thinking they would be super yummy with a little spread of Nutella on them!

Cabbage

Bountiful Basket items used: Cabbage, celery

Cabbage is not something I had ever cooked with before - so these recipes are all new to me! I used the large head of cabbage and cut it in half and got out the center core. I used half for each recipe.

Haluski

Boil noodles (we used 2 pkgs ramen with 1 pkg chicken seasoning)

Melt butter in large skillet (about 1 cube - but less would be okay too)

Add cut up cabbage (if I make it again, I would cut it up smaller)

Sprinkle about 1-2tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Cover and let cabbage cook down (I let it go too long - you still want a little crisp and color to it)

Then add the noodles with a small portion of the water and mix

Serve hot.

Sweet coleslaw

Use the second half of cabbage and slice thinly (or use food processor to shred)

Cut up 1 celery stalk very finely and add to cabbage (you can add any other veggies, like carrots, if you want to add more flavor and color)

Sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp dried onion flakes (or chop real onion) to cabbage

Mix. Then sprinkle about 4 Tbsp sugar onto mixture and mix to coat. Let sit for a couple minutes.

Add 1/3 cup of mayo and add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well. Chill till ready to serve.

Full Meal from Previous Baskets

Bountiful Basket items used: onions, grapes, bananas, pears, eggplant, potatoes

These items are pretty random...and I've been forgetting to post them! So they're from previous weeks baskets!

The first one really doesn't have to be a BB recipe...but I loved it!

Cook chicken on grill along with skewers of whole mushrooms, onion chunks and pepperoni pieces. Chop up the mushrooms, onions and pepperoni pieces once they're done. Spread honey mustard on the chicken and top with the chopped mixture and then cover with cheese of your choice (we used cheddar). Melt cheese over the chicken and serve!

This next one was a random fruit salad I made my girls to use up the fruit. I chopped up grapes, pears (peeled) and bananas. Then I put in 1 strawberry gogurt and 1 banana gogurt and mixed! (Any yogurt would work though!) The girls loved it!!

Tried out the eggplant by frying it. (Not a huge fan though and probably wouldn't do it again!) Whip up a few eggs and dip the slices of eggplant into the egg. Then put into italian seasoned bread crumbs and coat. Then put into hot oil and fry till golden brown on each side. Put hot slices onto paper towel to soak up the extra oil.

This last one isn't really a recipe...since I use a premade packet..but it's a yummy way to make potatoes! Cut the potatoes into wedges (half and then into thirds lengthwise). Place wedges into a plastic ziploc bag and add about 3 Tbsp oil. Then shake in Potato Seasoning mixture (found in the produce section near the potatoes). Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for about 35 minutes or until soft.

Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice Dessert

1c Thai Sweet Rice (also called "sticky rice", available at Asian food stores) *not gluten free
1 3/4 c water
1-2 ripe mangoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4c + 1T brown sugar
1 can good quality coconut milk (there is appx. 2c in a can, if you still need to use those coconuts)
1/4t salt
2t coconut flavoring (found by the food coloring on the baking aisle)
1t vanilla
2t cornstarch dissolved in 2T cold water

1- Soak the sweet rice in 1c water for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
2- The sticky rice can be steamed or made in a pot. To make it in a pot, do not drain. Add 3/4c more water to the rice, plus 1/4 can coconut milk (or 1/2c), 1/4t salt, 1tsp. coconut flavoring, and 1T brown sugar. Stir this into the rice, lifting and rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.
3- Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low.
4- Allow to simmer for 20 min, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 5-10 min.
5- Make sauce and serve the dessert right away, or store the rice (covered) in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
6- To make the sauce, warm the rest of the coconut milk (1 1/2c) together with 1/4c brown sugar, a pinch of salt, 1t coconut flavoring and 1t vanilla over med. heat (5 min.).
7- Add cornstarch (dissolved in water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat. Tip: Try not to boil the sauce, or you will lose that wonderful coconut flavor.

Place scoops of the sticky rice in bowls (may be served cold, warm or at room temp.). Ladle a generous amount of warm coconut sauce over the rice (creating an "island" of sticky rice). Add slices of ripe fresh mango and top with more sauce.
Enjoy!!!!

How to slice a Mango

The mango seed runs down the center of the fruit lengthwise and is very thin. To get the most out of this fruit cut down each side of the pit (appx. 1 cm from the stem).

Slice though the fruit just like an avocado (avoid slicing through the skin). You can make squares, slices, diamonds... whatever you want!!

Then, place your fingers under the skin and push the fruit inside out for a fun porcupine to eat off of.Or you can take a spoon and scrape it out for a salad or sticky rice.
So easy!!

Fried Plantains

Be careful not to mistake a Plantain for a banana. While similar in look they are far from similar in taste. A plantain must be cooked before consuming.

To peel a plantain run your knife lengthwise down the peel in several spots (be sure to cut only the peel, not the fruit). Carefully peel it off the fruit.

Cut the fruit into 1in. thick pieces.

Heat 1/2 in. cooking oil in a frying pan. Appx. 325 degrees (med/med-high heat).

Place Plantains in oil and cook 2 min. on each side.

Place fried plantains on a paper towell and let cool a little. Then place each piece between plastic wrap and smash with your hand until the plantain is about 1/2 it's original thickness.

Fry flatened plantains again in oil for 4 min. each side. Will be golden brown when done.

A great dipping sauce for these fabulous snacks:

1/4c sour cream
1/8t chipotle pepper
1T lime juice
1T lemon juice
Mix together and start dipping!!