Asparagus & Ham Frittata

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced ham

1/2 cup frozen asparagus spears 

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 

2 green onions sliced 

6 eggs beaten

4 tbs. half & half

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated white cheddar 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

Dash olive oil 

Pam Olive oil spray

Salt & Pepper

Dill weed

Place olive oil in small skillet. Add asparagus, ham, mushrooms, and green onion. Cook and stir over medium heat about 6 minutes. Stir in fresh cracked salt and pepper. Spray pie plate with Pam. Pour asparagus ham mixture into pie plate. In bowl beat eggs, stir in half & half, mustard. Mix well. Stir in cheeses. Pour egg mixture over vegetables. Top with more cracked salt & pepper. Dash of dill weed over top. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until eggs are completely  set. 

This makes a filling and healthy breakfast and left overs reheat nicely. You can easily substitute asparagus with spinach or broccoli. Substitute ham with deli turkey or salmon. Subsitute mushrooms with cooked potatoes. Substitute just about any type of cheese. The possibilities are endless. 

Flank Steak & Snap Peas Stir Fry

Ingredients for marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tbs. sherry or wine

4 tbs. brown sugar

1 tbs. freshly grated ginger

2 tbs. corn starch

Ingredients:

2 lb. flank steak

16 oz. fresh sugar snap peas 

6 green onions 

3 tbs. canola oil

Red pepper flakes

1.5 cups of long grain rice

Directions:

Peel and grate ginger. Mix marinade. 

Slice flank steak very thin, against the grain and at a slight angle. 

In large bowl, pour marinade over steak. 

While marinading... Wash snap peas and slice the very tip off each end, place in bowl. 

Wash and dice the green onions and place in separate bowl.

In medium pot combine 1.5 cups of rice, 3 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to boil. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 minutes. 

In large wok heat 3 tbs. of oil over high heat. Oil must be very hot. Toss in snap peas. Stir for two minutes. Toss into clean bowl. 

Add more oil if needed and allow to get very hot again. Add 1/3 of meat try to spread out into single layer. Toss in 1/3 of green onions. Every 30 seconds stir and then spread out again until cooked through. Remove cooked meat to clean platter. 

Add the next 1/3 of meat and repeat process until all meat and onions have been cooked. 

Then add the cooked meat, any remaining marinade from the bowl, and the snap peas. Continue to stir for several minutes over high heat. 

Remove from heat and stir in a few shakes of pepper flakes. Serve over rice. 

Serves 4-6

Chicken & Dumplings

Broth:

1 Whole chicken

Enough water to cover 3/4 of chicken

1 white onion, peeled, quatered

2 large cloves garlic, peeled, cut in half

2 celery stalked, washed, cut in half

2 carrots, peeled, cut in half

2 tablespoons of kosher salt + more

1 tsp. cracked black pepper 

2 whole bay leaves 

In large pot place rinsed chicken and fill with water. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 1.5 to 2 hours. Chicken should be falling off the bone. After chicken is thoroughly cooked, taste for salt and add more as needed. Remove chicken and discard vegetables. Pour through fine strainer into a second large pot. Then rinse the original pot and then strain a second time back into the original pot. 

Chicken & Dumplings:

Broth 

Dash of tarragon leaves

Meat from whole chicken

One onion diced

2 stalks celery, rinsed, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, rinsed, chopped

1/4 cup cream or half and half

8 biscuits

Flour

Remove meat from chicken leaving in medium sized chunks and add to broth. Dice an onion, two stalks of rinsed celery and, two peeled washed carrots. Add fresh vegetables and tarragon to pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for salt and add as needed. Once vegetables are tender and broth is properly salted, pour in about 1/4 cup of cream or half and half. Either make your favorite biscuit recipe or use canned biscuits. Sprinkle flour on both sides of biscuits. Roll biscuits somewhat flat. Cut into small pieces. Turn heat up to medium to return to boil. Add biscuits, cover and cook at least 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes. 

Serve. 

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

8-10 lasagna noodles

3 cups shredded chicken

24 oz. jar of spicy marinara

2 cups grated mozzarella 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg, well beaten 

Salt & pepper 

Cook noodles al dente. Rinse and set aside. Mix 3/4 cup of the marinara with beaten egg. Mix well. Stir in 1 cup of mozzarella and chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Spread small amount of ricotta in thin layer across each noodle. Divide chicken among noodles and spread chicken over the ricotta. Spread 1/2 cup of marinara in bottom of casserole dish. Carefully roll up each noodle and place in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over roll ups. Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheeses. Bake at 345 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Chinese Chicken Salad

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup of chicken stock
1/4 cup of soy sauce

Place chicken in non stick metal pan. Pour chicken stock and soy sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 325° for 1 hour. Remove and cut into cubes. Allow to cool.

2 packages of chicken flavored ramen noodles (set flavor packets aside)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp. Sesame seeds

Spray cookie sheet with Pam. Crush uncooked ramen noodles. Spread ramen,  almonds,  and sesame seeds on sheet.  Bake at 350° for ten minutes until golden.

For dressing, in mason jar combine the following:

1 cup light olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp.  Mirin
2 tbsp.  Rice vinegar
1 tsp.  Black pepper
2 season packets from ramen

Shake well until sugar has dissolved.

In large mixing bowl combine 2 bags of sliced cabbage (Cole slaw mix),  6 green onions washed and sliced, cubed chicken,  and dressing.  Toss well. 

Sprinkle each serving with toast ramen almond mixture.  Will keep for several days in refrigerator.  Store ramen almond mixture in separate zip local to keep dry and crunchy.  Serve mandarin oranges on the side.

Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

Pork butt roast
Salt & pepper
2 cups Dr Pepper
1 onion
1 bottle barbeque sauce
3 tbs. honey
Buns

Add pork roast to large crock pot, fat side up. Salt and pepper well. Slice onion and toss on top.  Pour 2 cups Dr. Pepper over roast. Cook on high 10 hours. Turning once halfway through. Remove meat from pot.  Discard fat. Using two forks pull apart meat until shredded. The meat should fall apart. In large deep pan combine half of juices from crock, bottle of barbeque sauce, and honey. Whisk well.  Bring to boil and reduce to medium continue to refuse sauce until thickened.  Add meat to pan and stir to coat all meat. Serve on buns.

Shrimp Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. medium pasta shells
1 cup frozen peas
1 lb. small cooked cocktail shrimp
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 green onions, sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tbs. Dill weed
Dash cayenne
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix mayo, lemon, and spices the day before if possible and refrigerate. Boil pasta according to package instructions in well salted water. Add a dash of oil to keep pasta from sticking. Rinse pasta in cold water and drain well. Boil peas for about 4 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain.  Rinse and drain shrimp. Combine pasta, peas, shrimp, diced green onion, red bell peppers, and celery in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in sauce. If not creamy enough add more mayo. Refrigerate for at least one hour.