Monday, August 27, 2007
Grill your corn for Labor Day
Firing up the grill is a great way to enjoy summer’s last fling. This year, try cooking some corn on the grill and serving something deliciously different.
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Grilled Corn on the Cob
6 ears corn in husks
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Peel back cornhusks and remove silk. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of corn; add salt and pepper to taste. Close husks. Wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the prepared grill. Cook approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is tender. Makes 6 servings.
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Zesty Grilled Corn
1/3 cup butter or margarine, cubed
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 ears sweet corn, husked
In a small saucepan, melt butter; add the mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon pepper. Place each ear of corn on a 13x12-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with butter mixture. Fold in edges of foil and seal, leaving space for expansion of steam.
Grill, uncovered, over medium heat until corn is tender, about 5 minutes on each side. Carefully unwrap foil. Makes 6 servings.
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Grilled Corn Pasta Salad
4 large ears sweet corn in husks
1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 2.25-ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Carefully peel back cornhusks to within 1 inch of bottom; remove silk. Rewrap corn in husks and secure with kitchen string. Place in a large kettle; cover with cold water. Soak for 20 minutes; drain.
Grill corn, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 25 minutes, turning often. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
When corn is cool enough to handle, remove kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Add the pasta, tomatoes, zucchini and olives. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When purchasing corn, look for husks with good green coloring. The silks should be pale and not dried, dark, or discolored.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, August 20, 2007
Whisk up some pancakes
Pancakes go by a variety of names, including griddle cakes, flap jacks, and hot cakes. No matter what name you use, these hot, golden brown treats are a wonderful tool for getting people to the table. And although pancakes are best known as breakfast food, they also make a quick and tasty dinner.
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Fluffy Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening, melted
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg, milk and shortening; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until the second side is golden brown. Makes 4 servings.
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Chocolate Chip Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup chocolate milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Sliced strawberries and bananas
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, oil, vanilla and chocolate chips. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle (stir the batter before pouring each batch). Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until the second side is brown. Top with strawberries and bananas. Makes about 8 pancakes.
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Buttermilk Buckwheat Pancakes
1 cup buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Whisk the egg, buttermilk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot nonstick griddle coated with nonstick cooking spray. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until second side is golden brown. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When mixing pancake batter, use a whisk or a fork and stop when ingredients are moistened. Lumps will disappear during baking.
To make 1 cup of buttermilk substitute, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, August 13, 2007
Grill your chicken breasts
As much as grillers love to cook burgers, sometimes dinner needs to be a little lighter. Chicken breasts have fewer calories and a lot less fat than red meat. But family members sometimes can complain that chicken is boring, especially if it’s prepared often. With the help of a marinade or a coating, chicken easily goes from bland to delicious.
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Easy Grilled Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup fat free Italian-style dressing
1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 zucchini, cut into thick slices
Lightly oil grill grate; preheat grill for medium heat. Place chicken breasts in large resealable bag. Add 3/4 cup Italian dressing and seal. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put green pepper, red pepper, and zucchini into another resealable bag; add remaining dressing. Grill chicken and vegetables over indirect heat until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Makes 4 servings.
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Grilled Lemon Chicken Breasts
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Seasoning salt to taste
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Lightly oil grill grate; preheat for medium-high heat. Dip chicken in lemon juice; sprinkle with onion powder, ground black pepper, seasoning salt, and parsley. Discard any remaining lemon juice. Grill until juices run clear, about 10 to 15 minutes per side, turning occasionally. Makes 4 servings.
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Mexican Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 envelope taco seasoning
8 4-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Lightly oil grill grate; preheat grill for medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lime juice and taco seasoning until blended. Grill, uncovered, until seared one side; turn and baste with marinade. Grill, uncovered, for 6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with marinade. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Vegetables such as peppers, onions, mushrooms, corn on the cob and summer squash cook well on the grill.
To get the best flavor from grilled vegetables, rub the vegetables with olive oil or vegetable oil or toss them with a light marinade prior to grilling.
For best results when grilling chicken, check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken breasts are done when the thermometer registers 170 degrees.
When plain chicken is on the grill, prepare a sauce or salsa for topping it.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Bite into fresh sugar snap peas
Sugar snap peas are a versatile vegetable because they are good raw, stir-fried, steamed, or roasted. Since the pods are edible, they don’t require a lot of preparation. Just remember that some mature pods may need to be “stringed,” which means removing the membranous string that runs along the top of the pod.
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Flavorful Sugar Snap Peas
1 pound fresh sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped fully cooked ham
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
In a small saucepan, bring 1 inch of water and peas to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet; add the ham, garlic and thyme. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Drain peas; add to skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
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Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
1/2 pound fresh sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and salt. Bake until tender but firm, about 6 to 8 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas
1 16-ounce package uncooked linguini pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes, or to taste
1-1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound fresh sugar snap pea pods
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil and chili flakes over medium-high heat. Mix in the shrimp, pea pods, and garlic. Cook and stir 2 minutes, until shrimp are almost opaque. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Pour the wine into the skillet; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by 1/3. Return shrimp, peas, and garlic to the skillet; stir in the reserved pasta water. Continue to cook and stir until shrimp are opaque. Remove wok from heat, and mix in the butter, lemon juice, and basil. Toss with the cooked pasta to serve. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When buying snap peas, choose bright green, flat, tender pods. Store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to three days.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com