Pesto Chicken Parmesan

Who would have thought this would be a hit?

Pesto Chicken Parmesan

1/2 jar of traditional basil pesto (though I'm toying with the idea of less)
1 can tomatoes
4 pieces chicken (boneless, skinless thighs preferred)
bread crumbs (optional)
mozzarella cheese (grated)
parmesan cheese
garlic and onions
salt and pepper

I start with a pot (Le Creuset) that can go in the oven - less to clean.

Saute the garlic and onions in oil.  Brown the chicken on all sides (if desired, coat in bread crumbs or flour first).  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove excess grease.

Spread the pesto over the chicken.  Pour the can of diced tomatoes over the pesto.  Cover with a liberal amount of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle pesto over all.  Bake at 350F until bubbly, and cheese is melted.

Serve with noodles - farfalle are a good choice.

Oatmeal Pancakes

I never use a recipe for this, so it goes something along these lines:

Oatmeal Pancakes

(for 2 and a half people)
1 egg
2 T yogurt/sour cream (optional)
1/3-1/2 c oats (quick doesn't have to soak; regular should be soaked in milk for 15 min-overnight)
1-2 tsp sugar (white or brown)
1/2 tsp baking soda
~1/3 c flour
~1/3 c milk (use more milk if no yogurt)

Adjust oats/flour/milk until proportions seem right.  I like them thick, just barely cooked through.  Keith prefers thin and near burnt.  Fry in oil/butter mixture.  Flip when bubbly.  Add a dollop of butter on top (can't have too much butter!).  Pancake is more or less done when the butter is melted.  Makes about 4 good sized pancakes.  I've also added wheat germ to the batter, and blueberries or apples while the pancake is frying.

Blueberry Wild Rice Muffins

The hint of anise makes these unique.  Mom tells me she doesn't like blueberry muffins, but since Keith likes these, maybe she will, too!  Liberally adapted from Lunds & Byerlys.

Blueberry Wild Rice Muffins

1 tsp anise extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream + some milk (to get desired consistency)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup cooked wild rice (caution, it takes at least 45 minutes to cook wild rice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin pans, or line with baking cups (these get rather sticky).

Combine wet ingredients.  Add dry ingredients.  Add more milk in skoshes, if you think the batter is too thick.  Fold in blueberries and wild rice last, and gently.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups.  Top with a sprinkling of brown sugar (a streusel would be wonderful).  Bake about 20-25 minutes.  Delicious warm or cold.

Variation:  Attempted to make this as a coffee cake, adding a brown sugar/flour streusel to the top, with a bit of butter.  It was 50 minutes baking, but I should probably have lowered the temperature - too crusty on the bottom.

Stuffed Zucchini

12-14 zucchini, 6" in length at most
1 onion
1 c uncooked rice
1 lb lamb ground
1/8 t cinnamon
salt & pepper
3 large tomatoes (or 1 can stewed tomatoes)

Core the zucchini to 1/2 inch of the edge, or so.  Saute the onion until transparent.  Mix the lamb, uncooked rice, and salt and pepper, with the onion.  Add 1/2 the tomatoes to the mixture.  Fill the zucchini.  Cover with the remaining tomatoes.  Barely cover the whole dish with water and cook until the lamb and rice are cooked.  Or, put some water in the dish (1/2" or so), cover and bake in the oven for awhile.

Zucchini Soup

3-4 zucchini
4-5 shallots, chopped
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T oil
1 t curry (+ more as needed)
1 1/2 c chicken broth/bouillon
1/2 c half & half
salt & pepper
sour cream (for garnish - optional)
chives (for garnish - optional)

Peel & slice the zucchini.  Saute with the shallots in butter and oil until transparent.  Add curry, chicken broth, and half & half.  Blend in a blender.  Season to taste.  Can be served hot or cold.

Spinach and Meat Pies

Time consuming, but great for picnics.

Dough:

1 cake/package yeast
1 T sugar
6 c flour
2 t salt
2 c water (lukewarm)
1/3 c milk

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c water with the sugar.  Let double in size.  Place flour and salt in a bowl, make depression.  Mix remaining water, milk, and yeast mixture and pour into flour.  Knead until smooth, dipping hands in water as necessary.

Cover, let rise until double in bulk (2-4 hours).  Punch down and use as directed.

Meat pies

1 lb lamb
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/8 t cinnamon
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients.  Roll out dough (about half a full recipe) into 4" rounds.  Place T of meat mixture on each round.  Fold sides down, forming a triangle, but leaving the center open so meat cooks well.

Bake at 400 F for about 20 min.

Spinach pies

2 bunches fresh spinach
1 bunch green onions
1 medium dry onion
1/8 t allspice
salt & pepper
3/4-1 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil
pomegranate (optional)
raisins (optional)

Chop spinach, green and dry onions.  Combine all ingredients.  Roll out dough into 4" rounds.  Place T of spinach mixture in center of each round (if touches the edges, they will not seal).  Fold sides down, forming a triangle.

Bake at 400 F until golden brown.

Tuna Burgers

A Papa and now Dmitri favorite.

Tuna Burgers

1 can tunafish (preferably solid)
1 egg
1/2 small onion
1/8 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c oatmeal (quick oatmeal is finer)
2-3 T flour
salt & pepper

Most amounts are approximations.  Mix the tuna and egg.  Chop the onion finely and add to the tuna.  Add in the oatmeal and enough breadcrumbs and flour to hold the mix in a hamburger shape.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shape into patties and fry in butter/oil.