Spanish chicken casserole, a la Alvaro

A fabulous chicken casserole; I think I love any food that is called Spanish. Sweet, salty, and tangy work well together. I roasted some baby Yukon potatoes to go along with this, and served it on brown rice.

Spanish chicken casserole, a la Alvaro

3 ounces chopped pancetta

4 pieces of chicken (I used 4 boneless breasts, cut into big chunks)

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup raisins

1 cup stuffed olives, sliced

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes

a bit of garlic

Fry the pancetta, then add the chicken and onions into the pan; cook until golden.

Add the tomato sauce with a teaspoon of salt, and a bit of sugar. Then add the peeled tomatoes, raisins, olives, and garlic.

Stir a few times and then let it cook on a slow fire for about 30 minutes. About 5 minutes before done, add a cup of frozen peas to the sauce. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

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Paella with chicken

I love paella. Although this is a vegetarian recipe, even the author added some shrimp at the end. The recipe lends itself to innovation and personal tastes. Very delicious.

Paella with chicken

Rice:

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts

1 1/2 cups brown rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon saffron, crumbled

Vegetables:

2 cups finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen green peas

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 – 2 grilled boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

salt and pepper to taste

(note – original recipe called for 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2″ piece. I had none, so I did without. Still great recipe!)

First make the rice: Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving the brine from the can. Quarter the artichoke hearts and set aside. Add water to the brine to make 2 1/2 cups liquid and combine it with the rice, salt, and saffron in a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and very gently simmer until rice is tender, about 40-45 mintues.

When the rice has simmered for about 25 minutes, start the vegetables. Saute the onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the thyme, bell pepper, and asparage if using; cover and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the peas, tomatoes, reserved artichoke hearts, and chicken. Stir gently, cover, and continue to simmer for another 5 – 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also add a splash of Frank’s Original Hot sauce

To serve the paella, spread the rice on a large platter and top with the vegetables and their juices. Makes 6 servings.

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Green bean casserole with Madeira mushrooms and chicken

Remember green bean casserole growing up? I do – cream of mushroom soup mixed with the beans, and those yummy canned fried onion bits on top. Fast forward to today – here is a more grown-up version. Much healthier in my opinion, and I added some cooked chicken to make it a complete meal. This was fabulous.

Green bean casserole with Madeira mushrooms and chicken (modified from Cooking Light, on My Recipes)

1 1/2 pounds green beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chopped sweet onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 cup canned fried onions (like French’s)

1/2 cup grated soy parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place beans into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Place beans in a large bowl; set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; add onion and thyme; saute 4 minutes until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; saute 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in wine, salt, pepper; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in chicken broth; bring to a oil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Add mushroom mixture to green beans. Add chicken. Toss well. Place green bean mixture in a 2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Combine fried onion and grated soy parmesan in a small bowl. Top green bean mixture evenly with fried onion mixture. Bake for 17 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Makes 8 servings.

 

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Stacked roasted vegetable enchiladas

 

 

Fabulous meal from Perrys’ Plate blog. Of course, I customized it to be nondairy. And a little less heat. We LOVED it.

Stacked roasted vegetable enchiladas

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks (I used several slices of jarred chiles)
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut (I used canola – no problem)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved
2 cups shredded soy or vegan cheese (I used
Daiya cheddar shreds)
soy sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

Place red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro and chiles into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

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Creamy macaroni and “cheese”

Nothing to me is more comforting than mac and cheese. I’ve tried my hand before at nondairy adaptations (here, here, and here) with much success. When I saw this recipe, I knew I’d be trying it. This was very very good.

Creamy macaroni and “cheese”

8 ounces regular pasta, any shape

3 cups Daiya style shreds

3 tablespoons vegan butter

2 cups unsweetened soy/or rice milk product

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly when done. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the cheese sauce while oven is warming. In a small pot melt the butter. When melted, add the pepper and nutritional yeast. Stir in the milk product. Add the cheddar, and cook over low/medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Stir in the macaroni and mix together. Transfer to an 8×8 casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs and paprika. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered, or until the cheese is bubbling and top is starting to brown.

Remove from oven and top with the parmesan just before serving. Makes 4 servings.

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Chicken noodle soup casserole

Not sure what made this more yummy – the hearty flavors of chicken noodle soup, or those slurpy noodles. Either way, a great little dinner.

Chicken noodle soup casserole (with my nondairy substitutions, from TastyKitchen blog)

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

12 ounces egg noodles

1 whole onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

2 tablespoons margarine

20 ounces cream of mushroom soup (I used Imagine – it’s dairy-free)

1/2 cup soy sour cream

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon dried parsley

about 8 ounces Ritz crackers (they’re dairy, so I used Whole Foods’ golden crackers – great!), crushed

In a large pot of boiling water drizzle some olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt. Boil the chicken until done, about 20 minutes.

Cook the noodles in boiling water according to package instructions.

While the noodles are cooking, cut up the chicken into 1/2″ pieces. Drain pasta and set aside. Finely chop onions, carrots, and celery.

In a pot, saute onion, pressed garlic, carrots, and celery in the margarine. Cook until the onions appear translucent. Add the mushroom soup and sour cream. Mix well. Salt and pepper if needed.

Add the noodles, chicken, and parsley. Stir until fully coated. Transfer to a greased 9×13″ pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with crackers and bake 10 minutes more. Makes 8 servings.

 

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Chinese no clay pot chicken casserole

This dish has all my favorite Chinese flavors. I used a spicy soy sausage instead of the real thing, and thought it added a great zing.

Chinese no clay pot chicken casserole (from TheKitchn blog)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 teasoons sugar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 boneless chicken breasts, about 1 pound, cut into 1/2″ cubes

3 scallions, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

3 garlic cloves, minced

1″ piece fresh ginger, roughly grated

2 ounces spicy soy sausage, cut into 1/4″ cubes

10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil

2 cups Chinese long grain rice

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups chicken stock

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Stir in the chicken, scallions, garlic, and ginger, and toss so that they are coated with the liquid. Place this mixture in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 15 minutes while you cook the mushrooms.

Place a 3-quart Dutch oven over medium high heat on the stove. When it is hot, add the sausage and brown. Add the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cook, without stirring them, for 5 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot, and saute the rice briefly to develop some toasty flavor, then add the salt and the chicken mixture from the fridge. Pour in the stock. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and bake for 45 minutes. Make sure to taste the rice for doneness before taking it out of the oven.

Let stand 5 minutes, covered, before serving. Stir up the rice before serving, as the chicken and mushrooms will have risen to the top during the baking.

Garnish with chopped scallions. Makes 6 servings.

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Bowtie chicken bake

A quick and easy dinner, I used cauliflower because I was out of broccoli. Still yummy.

Bowtie chicken bake (adapted from The Comfort of Cooking)

8 ounces bowtie pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1″ cubes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated soy parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded soy mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium pot, boil water for pasta. Cook according to package instructions, til al dente. Strain and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Once the chicken is still slightly pink, add cauliflower florets and mix gently. Cover the Dutch oven and let cook for 3 minutes. Mix in tomatoes. Mix in pasta. Add remaining spices. Lower the burner to medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Mix in the soy parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the burner.

Sprinkle the mixture with the 1/2 cup mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes in your Dutch oven. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

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Turkey-roni

We all remember beef-a-roni. Here is a healthier version, made with ground turkey breast. This was just as good as I remembered it as a kid, with all the added vegetables giving great substance to this classic.

Turkey-roni (adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen)

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 onion, finely diced

1 bell pepper, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon margarine

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 teaspoons sugar

salt and pepper

2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles

Cook the ground turkey, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, heat oil over medium heat and add margarine. Add the vegetables and garlic and stir to cook several minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for a minute. Add the undrained diced tomatoes to the pan and the cooked ground turkey. Add the spices and turn down the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 30 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni til tender; reserve 1 cup of pasta water; drain. Do not rinse. If your sauce seems to be drying out at any point, add in some of your reserved pasta water as needed.

Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Combine with noodles. Toss to mix well and separate noodles. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

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Sante Fe spaghetti pie

I just love spaghetti crusts. For this dish, I used a whole-grain spaghetti, which I believe added a lot of wholesomeness to it. It was kinda fun to eat spaghetti with southwest flavors; so different from the familiar Italian ones. I hope this photo conveys the “crust” formed by the spaghetti.

Sante Fe spaghetti pie (from the Family Health Cookbook, with nondairy adaptations by me)

vegetable oil spray

3 cups cooked spaghetti (1/2 pound uncooked)

2 egg whites

1/2 cup almond milk

2 tablespoons grated soy parmesan

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 small fresh jalapeno pepper, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

1 16-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups grated soy Jack or cheddar cheese

Lightly coat a 9 x 12″ baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Cook raw spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white with the almond milk until frothy, then stir in the hot pasta and soy parmesan cheese. Spread the pasta over the bottom and halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and cook the turkey, onion, and green pepper, stirring often over medium heat, until the turkey is white and the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, and chili powder, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cumin, oregano, cayenne, tomato sauce, and beans. Spread the mixture over the pasta crust. Sprinkle the soy Jack cheese evenly over the filling. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown, and the casserole is bubbly, about 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. Makes 8 servings.

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