Tag: #EasyandQuick

Posted in #Recipes

4-Ingredient Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

We’ve all been there: It’s 4 p.m. and you’re staring down a pack of boneless chicken breasts with no idea of what recipe to make. Or maybe you’re in a total dinner rut because it seems like you make the same meals over and over. I could keep going on and on, but you get the point. The next time these scenarios pop up, know that melt-in-your-mouth chicken is the answer — trust me!

This four-ingredient recipe makes the absolute juiciest, most flavorful chicken. And best of all, it comes together in three simple steps with just five minutes of easy upfront prep, so dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes. Pair it with some steamed broccoli, rice pilaf, or roasted green beans, and you’ve got an easy weeknight dinner.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The most incredibly juicy chicken. Not only does this prove how flavorful lean chicken breast can be, but every bite is also unbelievably tender and juicy. 
  • It couldn’t be easier. With just five minutes of prep, four ingredients, three simple steps, and hands-off cooking, it doesn’t get better than this in the middle of the week.
Pan-seared chicken fillets garnished with chopped herbs, golden brown and juicy.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Key Ingredients in Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken

  • Chicken: Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half to turn them into thinner chicken cutlets. 
  • Mayonnaise: Hear me out! This is the secret to keeping lean chicken breast super juicy. The mayo also contributes to the flavor, so it’s worth using a good-quality jar of mayonnaise.
  • Parmesan cheese: A generous amount of finely grated Parmesan adds flavor, holds the sauce together on the chicken, and picks up a beautiful brown color under the broiler.

The Kitch’n

Posted in #Recipes

28 Water Chestnut Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Water chestnuts are a fascinating vegetable and pantry staple. Little, round and unrelated to chestnuts, water chestnuts are the bulb of a marsh plant and incredibly versatile in recipes. Once peeled, they have a pretty white or ivory color, mild flavor and delicate crunch, like a jicama. They stay crisp, whether cooked hot and fast or slowly baked. These water chestnut recipes take advantage of their flavor, texture and quick-cooking nature for creative and delicious dinners, snacks and sides.

Canned water chestnuts can be purchased whole or sliced, ready to be drained and added immediately to hot soups or chopped finely for a stuffing or pastry filling. You can also leave them whole and wrap them in bacon for one of the easiest and best party appetizers. In baked rice dishes and comforting casseroles, water chestnuts add texture without detracting from the main flavors of the recipe.

If you can find fresh water chestnuts, use them just like canned ones after cleaning and peeling them. Choose firm and smooth water chestnuts with no soft spots or cracks, and store them in the fridge until you are ready to add them to your favorite Asian stir-fry recipes or lettuce wraps. Before you know it, you will find yourself reaching for a can of water chestnuts to perk up all your go-to dinners and sides.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Cashew Chicken

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Cashew chicken is one of those menu items that you’ll find at most Chinese or Asian restaurants, but you don’t always have to enjoy it as take-out. It’s easy and quick to make yourself at home. There are no traps or pitfalls between you and a restaurant-quality dish.

The secret to making the best chicken with cashew nuts is to slightly undercook your vegetables so that they’re still crunchy, and to use cornstarch for a velvety rather than watery sauce. Other than that, the ingredients make their own magic once combined. Stand back and enjoy.

Ingredients for Cashew Chicken

  • Cornstarch: This natural thickener gives the sauce a wonderfully velvety texture
  • Brown sugar: It’s not a sweet dish overall, but a little brown sugar gives that signature Asian character
  • Chicken broth: Make your own or use pre-prepared stock to create a smooth, savory sauce
  • Soy sauce: Choose light soy sauce, low-sodium if possible, to give the sauce some aromatic saltiness and umami
  • Canola oil: This is a good neutral-flavored oil for frying at higher temperatures
  • Chicken breasts: Cut into evenly sized pieces. Choose boneless for faster cooking and remove the skin so that it doesn’t turn the broth greasy.
  • Mushrooms: Fresh white or chestnut mushrooms bring texture, meatiness, and more umami flavor
  • Green pepper: Cut into strips, fresh green pepper adds sweetness, crunch, and color
  • Water chestnuts: Pick up a can of pre-sliced water chestnuts. They give stir-fries a distinctive snap in each bite.
  • Ginger: Grate fresh ginger root for its pungent aroma and pleasant heat
  • Green onions: Finely chopped scallions are a sweeter, more fragrant alternative to regular onions
  • Salted cashews: Crunchy at first then soft and creamy, cashew nuts are the dish’s star ingredient for many
  • Rice: Cook some basmati or jasmine rice to provide the starchy bed for the cashew chicken

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

20 Totally Indulgent Mocha Desserts

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

With these mocha desserts, you will never have to choose between chocolate and coffee in your cakes, pies and no-bake treats.

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

Something Warm from the Oven: Baking Memories, Making Memories

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A trove of classic recipes from the New York Timesbestselling novelist Eileen Goudge

One of six children, Eileen Goudge learned to bake at an early age, inspired by her mother, who made everything from scratch and baked all her own bread. She has fond memories of the banana cake, apple crisp, and baked Alaska she loved as a child, and many of her novels feature temptations in the form of sweets, from the fine chocolates of Such Devoted Sisters to the icebox cookies of One Last Dance.

In this volume, Goudge collects the best of her mother’s recipes, adds some of her own, and includes a few from friends and readers. She tells the story of each dish in mouthwatering detail, giving glimpses of her childhood and noting which treats are best for picnics, parties, and other special occasions. These are not difficult recipes, but they are brilliant, and each one is designed to soothe the soul as well as please the palate.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Eileen Goudge including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

Amazon

Posted in #Recipes

Sweet Potato Sugar Cookie Delight

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Even if you love sweet potato desserts, this sweet potato sugar cookie delight recipe is likely one you’ve never tried before! To start, we layer a soft and sweet sugar cookie dough on top of a buttery graham cracker crust. Then comes the highlight of this dish: a fluffy and rich sweet potato filling made with sweet potato puree, cream cheese and vanilla pudding. A layer of fluffy, ethereal Cool Whip tops the layered dessert.

Serve this sweet potato sugar cookie delight after a fall dinner party, or add it to your Thanksgiving menu. Either way it’s sure to impress as a creative fall dessert option that highlights the sweet orange tuber in a new way.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Sugar Cookie Delight

  • Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are the key to this layered treat, providing a rich, creamy texture and tasty flavor. Choose sweet potatoes vs. yams for the best dessert.
  • Brown sugar: Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the sweet potato puree to enhance the natural sweetness of the potatoes and add a slight molasses flavor. You can choose to use either light brown or dark brown sugar.
  • Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is incorporated into the sweet potato puree and sprinkled on top of the whipped topping for the ideal garnish.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: A small amount of pumpkin pie spice livens up the flavor of the sweet potatoes in this dish.
  • Salt: Just a touch of salt helps balance the sweetness in both the filling and the cookie dough layer.
  • Graham crackers: The first layer of this dessert is a graham cracker crust. You can use graham crackers and pulse them in a food processor to form crumbs, or you can purchase graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle.
  • Butter: Melted butter helps bind the ingredients together in this recipe. It’s incorporated into both the graham cracker crust and the cookie dough.
  • All-purpose flour: Flour provides structure to the cookie dough to create a proper texture.
  • Granulated sugar: The classic sweetener works its magic in the cookie dough layer.
  • Baking soda and baking powder: Both baking soda and baking powder are added to the cookie dough mixture to help it rise while baking.
  • Milk: Incorporate a small amount of milk into the cookie dough layer for moisture. Milk is also mixed with the instant vanilla pudding to make the filling. We used whole milk for this recipe, but you can swap in 2% milk if desired.
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is key to enhancing many baked goods. Here, it’s incorporated into the cookie dough layer for excellent flavor.
  • Cream cheese: The combination of sweet potato puree and cream cheese serves as the base for the filling. For the smoothest texture, use softened cream cheese to prevent lumps.
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix: Incorporate the vanilla pudding mix to add flavor and thicken the filling. This recipe uses instant pudding mix rather than cook-and-serve pudding.
  • Frozen whipped topping: A tub of thawed frozen whipped topping serves double duty in this recipe: Fold it into the filling for a fluffy texture, and then use it on top to finish the dessert.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

34 of Our Best Copycat Dessert Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Surprise your family by making these copycat dessert recipes of sweets made famous by The Cheesecake Factory, Bakers Square and more.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

70 Easy Chicken Dinners You’ll Make on Repeat

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Our Best Chicken Dinner Ideas

You don’t need to be a pro in the kitchen to whip up these delicious chicken recipes. Even beginner cooks will find that these no-sweat recipes come together with ease.

Chicken is often a go-to protein, mostly because it’s easy to cook and is considered a lean protein. Though chicken has a reputation for being bland, that couldn’t be further from the proof. Whether you prefer juicy chicken thighs or tender chicken breasts, there are so many easy ways to dress the meat up and turn it into a winning meal. If you’re looking for flavorful chicken recipes, we recommend starting with this Tuscan Chicken Skillet. It’s full of bacon, cream and Parmesan—is your mouth watering yet? There’s no need to go out to dinner when you can make this restaurant-style creamy, cheesy chicken and fettuccine at home.

Food Network

Posted in #Recipes

47 Vintage Recipes from the ’40s Worth Trying Today

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The 1940s were full of swing music, victory gardens and the invention of the microwave. Get a taste of the 40s with these vintage recipes that are sure to take you back!

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Beef Manhattan

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When cold weather arrives, nothing hits the spot more than warm and hearty comfort foods—and beef Manhattan is a new addition to my meal plan this winter. This beef slow-cooker recipe piles tender and juicy roast beef atop a dollop of creamy mashed potatoes and a savory slice of thick garlic bread. What’s not to love about that?

What’s even better is that this recipe calls for only a few simple ingredients, and your slow cooker does most of the work. This dish is also a tasty way to use up any leftover pot roast or mashed potatoes. Simply stack the reheated leftovers on a freshly baked slice of Texas toast and dinner is ready to be served!

What is beef Manhattan?

This open-faced sandwich owes its name to workers at the Naval Ordnance Plant in Indianapolis, Indiana, who enjoyed a similar dish while training in Manhattan during World War II. It quickly became a diner favorite in Indiana, and the recipe spread throughout the Midwest from there. It’s also known as a Manhattan hotshot or hot beef sandwich. A popular variation uses turkey in place of the roast beef to make a turkey Manhattan.

Ingredients for Beef Manhattan

  • Olive oil: Olive oil is used to sear the beef, adding flavor and a caramelized crust to the meat.
  • Salt and pepper: The chuck roast is seasoned simply yet generously with salt and pepper.
  • Beef chuck roast: The heart of this slow-cooker beef Manhattan recipe is a 3-pound beef chuck roast.
  • Low-sodium beef broth: A splash of low-sodium beef broth is used to deglaze the pan after searing the meat.
  • Brown gravy mix: A packet of brown gravy mix adds a savory flavor to the beef and contributes to a flavorful au jus. If you don’t have any brown gravy packets on hand, you can make homemade brown gravy mix with bouillon granules, flour, pepper and butter.
  • Onion soup mix: A packet of onion soup mix adds more savory flavor to the beef. You can easily make onion soup mix from scratch with simple ingredients from your pantry. If you have leftover mix, put it to use in other recipes with onion soup mix.
  • Red wine vinegar: The sharp flavor and fruity aroma of red wine vinegar add complexity to this dish’s flavors.
  • Mashed potatoes: Beef Manhattan is served atop mashed potatoes. Use your favorite mashed potato recipe or try our top-rated creamy mashed potatoes if you can’t decide. You can even use instant mashed potatoes if you prefer. Level them up with a few of our tips for making instant mashed potatoes taste better, such as mixing in a handful of herbs or some garlic.
  • Garlic toast: Thick-cut Texas toast-style garlic bread provides a hearty base for an open-faced beef Manhattan sandwich. Frozen Texas toast keeps this recipe as easy as can be.
  • Fresh chopped parsley: For a pop of color and fresh herb flavor, top each serving of beef Manhattan with fresh chopped parsley.

Taste of Home