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I love breakfast! I love eggs, and hashbrowns – biscuits and gravy – bacon! Yum!

I’m leaving in a few days for a two week vacation – so, I didn’t do much shopping this week b/c I’m just trying to use up the food that I have on hand. I usually have an egg with some toast and fruit in the morning – but this morning, no fruit. Bummer!

As I was scrounging around for one last clementine orange or pink lady apple hidden away, I came across a ½ bag of shredded potatoes – and the hashbrown craving sprung into action! I normally have a hard-boiled egg or fried egg – but today…with hashbrowns…scrambled eggs were definitely in order.

Now, I have to say – scrambled eggs are a specialty of mine. My friends rave about them. They have me make them all the time for them. I even had one of my best friends have me teach her before she got married…she says they still don’t come out the same.

A few months ago, Iattended a bridal shower sleepover and my friend Stephanie talked up my scrambled eggs so much, they all decided that I was the one that would be making them the next morning. I came armed with my own skillet b/c I was sure they would throw some yucky Teflon my way and I mentally and morally could not subject my friends…or my eggs…to that abuse. Well, as Stephanie and I lay next to each other that night, all tucked away in our sleeping bags, we said our good nights. After about five minutes of lying in the dark, I broke the silence, “Stephanie…you talked up my eggs so much, what if something goes horribly wrong tomorrow? I’m having performance anxiety – what if I can’t deliver?” and we both burst into laughter! (by the way…they were perfection!)

So – I hope you enjoy adding these two recipes to your next big breakfast – for breakfast…or lunch…or dinner!

Many Blessings,
Katie

Jumbo Hashbrown – for two

UTENSILS: Griddle or Large Skillet, Masterkut, large dinner plate

INGREDIENTS: 1 Large Baking Potato, ¼ Onion, Salt & Pepper, 1-2 TBSP butter or peanut oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

To begin, using the #1 cone on the master cut, shred the potato and onion onto a dishcloth. Wring out the potatoes and onion, squeezing out all the excess water over the sink. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, heat the skillet or griddle on medium heat. When water will bead on the surface, add the butter or oil (I prefer butter). Create a large hashbrown patty in the center of the pan, leaving room at the edges to remove from the pan and flip.

Let the hashbrowns cook until the edges begin to get golden brown. Then, Place the plate on top the hashrowns and flip out over to remove from the pan in one large patty. Add a bit more butter to the pan (1/4 tsp or so). And slide the hashbrown patty back onto the skillet to cook the other side.

Scrambled Eggs – for two

UTENSILS: 10” Saute Pan

Ingredients: 4 eggs, 1 ½ TBSP milk, 1 slice American Cheese, salt & pepper

In a small bowl, crack the eggs and whisk with the milk and salt & pepper. Tear the cheese into little pieces and add to the mixture.

Preheat the pan on just below medium heat. When it’s ready, add a little bit of butter to the pan to melt and then pour in the eggs. When the edges begin to cook, using a spatula, gently begin to push the cooked egg to the middle of the pan (it will kind of fold), to allow the uncooked egg to spill out the edges to cook. Keep repeating until all of the egg is cooked.

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So…I have a few vices. I know, shocking, right? It’s sort of a problem…shoulder bags, dressy ballet flats, green shirts, purple shirts, scarves, chap stick, bottled water, body wash, perfume, books, yarn, spices…okay, okay…maybe more than a few!

Naturally, being a signed, sealed, and not-so-delivered foodie, a few of those revolve around food. Over the past couple of years, I’ve mentioned a few – cream of mushroom soup, all things “itos” (Doritos…a particularly long standing love affair), cheese, casseroles – but none of them compare to my addiction to Mexican food. I really could eat it every single day – creamy, spicy, cheesy, crunchy – that just spells out culinary nirvana to me!

I tried my hand at a few side dishes this week to accompany my favorite meal – chicken quesadillas – and I’m proud to announce my guacamole and black bean salsa rice were AWESOME! So, take these recipes and make your Friday night a Mexican Fiesta!!!

Happy Cooking!
Miss K
BLACK BEAN SALSA RICE
UTENSILS: 2 qt or 3 qt saucepan

INGREDIENTS: 1 Cup Basmati Rice (Quick cooking), ½ Cup Black Bean Salsa, 1 ¾ Cup Chicken Stock, ½ tsp Cumin, ¼ tsp Chili Seasoning Blend, ¼ tsp Fajita Seasoning Blend

INSTRUCTIONS: Add all ingredients to a 2 qt saucepan and stir to combine. Cover, whistle open, and cook on Medium heat. When the whistle sounds, turn the knob to “V” for vent and down to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn to “C” for closed and turn the burner off. Allow to stand covered until the rest of the meal is finished.

GUACAMOLE:
UTENSILS: Medium Mixing Bowl, Zester or Grater, Avacado Pitter/Slicer, Citrus Squeezer, Fork

INGREDIENTS: 3 Ripe Avocados, 1 Lime, 1 TBSP minced Cilantro, 2 Garlic Clove, ½ Small Shallot, ½ Jalapeno Pepper (optional), 3 TBSP Sour Cream, 1 Small Roma Tomato (chopped), Salt & Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:
Slice and remove the avocado flesh; dice and add to the bowl. Using the zester or hand held grater, grate the garlic cloves, shallot, and jalapeno over the avocado. Slice the lime in half and using the citrus squeezer, squeeze of the avocado. Mix together, mashing the avocado into a paste. Combine with the minced cilantro, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Season with salt & pepper to your taste.

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
UTENSILS: Large Skillet, Master Kut w/ #1 Cone
INGREDIENTS: 3 Large Chicken Breasts, 8 small white corn tortillas, 3-4 cups Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese, Butter, Darn Good Seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the skillet on medium heat. Season the chicken on both sides with Darn Good. When the skillet is heated, add the chicken and cook covered, whistle open. When the whistle sounds, flip the chicken and recover. Reduce the temperature to low and cook for 8-10 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Dice the chicken and set aside. Remove the juices from the pan and return the heat to medium.
Lightly butter one side of two tortillas and place in the skillet. Add approximately ½ Cup of cheese to each tortilla and 1/6 of the chicken to one side. Allow to cook until crisp and then fold over. Repeat until 8 small quesadillas are made.

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It’s officially winter…which means tis the season for soups! I love soups and stews in the winter – they’re the perfect companion to a winter’s chill.

I made up a batch of Chicken tortilla soup for  a group of young ladies I work with last week to try it out on them – it was a HUGE hit! So…I made a big batch for myself today too. I shared some with the neighbor…I froze some…and I have about 3 servings to enjoy throughout this week left…after the two I’ve already consumed, that is!

This soup is so easy…so tasty…and sooo healthy! It’s an easy soup to make 100% organic and it doesn’t break the bank either. All in all, once a hit, always a hit!

So, this Sunday – stir up a pot of Chicken Tortilla Soup – relax with your family by the glow of Christmas lights for a few hours and then enjoy a hearty bowl for a leisurely Sunday dinner.

Happy Cooking!
Miss K

INGREDIENTS: 1 Sweet Yellow Onion (finely chopped), 4 Garlic Cloves (minced), 1 4oz can Green Chilies, ¼ Cup Olive Oil, ¼ Cup Flour, 2 10 oz jars Fire Roasted Salsa, 2 Cans Black Beans (drained), 2 Cups Frozen Corn, 1 Cup Long Grain Rice, 1 32 oz box Chicken Broth, 1 32 oz Box Creamy Tomato Soup, 1 TBSP Chili Seasoning Blend, 3 TBSP Fajita Seasoning Blend, 1 TBSP Cumin, Freshly Cracked Sea Salt to taste, 3 Boneless Chicken Breasts. 2 Bags Tortilla Chips (blue or yellow), Shredded Colby Jack Cheese (or whatever you prefer)

Yields: 10-12 servings

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the oil in the 6 or 8 qt Roaster until hot. Add the onion, garlic, & chilies to the oil and saute until soft and tender (8-10 minutes). Sift in the flour slowly to form a roux. Add the broth and soup, stir. Add the salsa, black beans, corn, and rice; stir. Add the seasonings and salt (to your taste) and stir. Bring to a simmer.

When the mixture simmers, drop in the chicken breasts and cover the roaster, whistle open. When the soup whistles, turn the knob to “V” for vent and the burner to the lowest setting. Allow to simmer for 3-4 hours.

Before serving, remove the chicken breasts and shred; add the chicken back to the soup and stir. Serve over tortilla chips and top with a little shredded cheese.

Serving Options: sour cream, chopped green onion, guacamole

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What are you having for dinner tonight? Let Simplicity Gourmet’s Katie’s Kitchen help: Ginger Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry with Orange Almond Basmati Rice – Yum!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – when the meat is on sale…load up! Meat is the most expensive thing in the grocery store…so, when it’s on sale, you need to take advantage while it’s hot!

A few weeks ago, one of our local organic grocers had USDA certified organic chicken breasts on sale for…are you ready…$.79 a lb – I about had a fit right there in the meat isle. So…going with my own golden grocery rule…I bought about 20 lbs of organic chicken breasts!

When I got home, I put all my groceries away and brought out my assembly line: quart freezer baggies, gallon freezer baggies, Fat Free Italian dressing, Teriyaki Ginger Marinade, BBQ Sauce, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Sea Salt, Pepper, Dried Garlic Grinder, and of course, Darn Good Seasoning. First, I counted how many chicken breasts on hand that I had: 30. WOW! I immediately took out five and sprinkled them with fresh cracked sea salt, black pepper, and dried garlic. I put each one of those into an individual quart baggie and then all of them into a gallon baggie – label. Then I proceeded to do the rest of them by fives as well in the same manner.

Now, I have five each of my favorite flavors all marinated and ready to go in my freezer. I can cook just one for myself or as many as I need to for guests and family…and I won’t be buying chicken for MONTHS!

Yesterday, I had a hankering for some Asian cuisine, so, as my eyes roved over the situation in the freezer, I spotted the bag labeled “Teriyaki Ginger” – bingo! A while a go, I had also bought a giant bag of fresh stir fry veggies: cabbage, carrots, snap peas, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, and chopped garlic. I had put those in single serving baggies too. So, I grabbed a chicken breast, a bag of stir fry veggies, and I was off.

A lot of you know, I make a big batch of rice at the start of the week and just use it throughout the week with meals: Orange Almond Basmati Rice. The perfect rice in my opinion – and a wonderful addition to my Teriyaki Stir Fry!

So…I hope you enjoy adding this Asian flare to your menu this week – you will love it!

Happy Cooking!
Miss K

Ginger Teriyaki Chicken & Veggies
with Orange Almond Basmati Rice
(serves two)

UTENSILS: 2 qt saucepan, Small Skillet
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Basmati Rice, 1 Orange, 1 cup Chicken Broth, 1 Garlic Cloves (minced), 2 TBSP Almond Slivers, 2 Chicken Breasts, 2 cups of Stir Fry Veggies (your choice)
½ Cup Ginger Teriyaki Marinade (or your choice)

Marinate the chicken with the marinade over night. If it’s frozen with the marinade, like mine, allow to thaw for a few hours before cooking.

On medium heat, saute the dry rice and almond slivers until aromatic. Meanwhile, preheat the small skillet on medium heat.

When the rice is aromatic, add the chicken broth and garlic. Add fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper to taste. Zest the orange into the pan as well. Then, halve the orange and squeeze half of it over the rice. Stir and cover, whistle open.

When the skillet is heat, squeeze the other half of the orange into the skillet. Add the chicken and cover, whistle open, and cook on medium heat.

When the whistle sounds on the rice, turn the valve to “C” for closed and turn the burner off. Allow to stand covered until the meal is finished cooking. **For long grain rice, turn the whistle to “V” for vent and turn the burner to low – allow to cook for 20 minutes on low and then turn off until the meal is finished cooking.***Yields 2, ½ Cup servings

When the whistle sounds on the chicken, uncover and flip the chicken. Add the vegetables to the top of the chicken and recover, whistle open. When the whistle sounds again, turn the valve to “C” for closed and turn the burner low. Allow to cook on low for another 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. **If using chicken cutlets, when the whistle sounds for the second time, close the valve and turn the burner off. Allow to stand for 10 minutes covered.

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