Chicken Filled with Blueberries

1 Chicken, 3-3 1/2 lb
1 Spice Rub
1/2c blueberries
1/2 tsp brown sugar


Prepare a 3-3 1/2 lb bird your favorite way. Fill the bird with 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 tsp sugar. Roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until leg is easily moved, or thermometer reads 170F.

Jerk Seasoning

4 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/4tsp ground black pepper
1 crushed dried scotch bonnet pepper or habanera pepper

Mix or grind all ingredients well. Store in a cool dry place.

Chicken Mole

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp EVO oil
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
3 clove garlic, crushed
8 oz tomato sauce
1 c broth
1 slice bread, shredded
1/4tsp anise seeds, crushed
1/2tsp cinnamon, ground
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp ground chili *(approximately; see note below)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2c slivered blanched almonds
1 1/2oz unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 chicken, cut up (about 3 pounds)

Put the onion, garlic, and EVO oil in a large (3-quart) microwavable, covered casserole. Cover and microwave on half power for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is starting to soften. Mix in the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate and the chicken. Cover and microwave on high for 10 minutes, stirring after half the time. When the sauce is done, stir in the chocolate until it's melted. Add the chicken, coating each piece with sauce. Microwave covered, on high power for about 30 minutes. Rearrange the pieces twice during cooking so it cooks evenly. The chicken is done when it starts to fall away from the bone. *Use pure ground chili, not "chili powder" (which usually contains other ingredients). The hotness of the chili can vary considerably, so the most reliable procedure is to mix in a little at a time, tasting the sauce as you go along. Mole is supposed to be spicy, not scorching hot. You can substitute pine nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, or raisins for all or part of the almonds. In theory, you can cook this on top of the stove in a Dutch oven in the traditional style. Simmer the chicken in water for about an hour first, then make the sauce and cook the chicken in the sauce for another half hour.

Cuban Style Soy Steak Strips and Peppers

1/4c raisins
1/4c white rum or apple juice
1 pack Morningstar Farms Steak Strips
2 tbsp EVO oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced strips
To Taste red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic , minced
2 tbsp capers
1/4tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cumin
6 pimento-stuffed olives, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
2 c hot cooked Simply Wonderful Rice (see below)

Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl, and let stand 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add steak strips and garlic, and sauté 2-4 minutes or until browned. Add raisin mixture, capers, thyme, cumin, olives, and tomatoes. Reduce heat, then simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.
Simply Wonderful Rice

2 c Instant Brown Rice
2 c Water
1 tbsp chives, dried
1 tbsp parsley, dried
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp EVO oil

Combine all ingredients in a covered saucepan, and bring to a boil. As soon it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and stir well. Cover and let simmer until holes begin to form at the top of the rice, which shows the water is being absorbed. Then, push a spoon down the middle of the saucepan to see if any liquid remains at the bottom of the rice. If a small pool of water forms it is not ready. If a little bit of humidity remains, it is ready. Remove the rice from the simmering heat, then fluff and serve.

Cuban-Style Chicken

1/2c pineapple, diced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp orange marmalade
1 can black beans, (15-oz) rinsed and drained
1/4tsp ground red pepper, divided
1/2tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp paprika
4 chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless
Cooking spray
1/4c cilantro, chopped fresh

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Add 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Keep warm. Heat a large nonstick skillet over a medium heat. Combine the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, salt, and paprika, and sprinkle evenly over the chicken. Coat the chicken with cooking spray. Add the chicken to the pan, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with the bean mixture, and sprinkle with cilantro. Toss a green salad while the chicken cooks, then serve it with this dish and warm corn tortillas for a complete meal. To save time, use drained canned pineapple tidbits in place of fresh fruit.

Barbecued Bean Soup

1 can beans, (15-29 oz) drained and rinsed
3/4c chopped onion
1/8tsp ground black pepper
1 pack Steak Strips (Morningside Farms)
6 c water
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
3/4-1 c barbecue sauce, your favorite

In crock pot, combine beans with onion, pepper, and Steak Strips, and cover with the water. Cover and cook on LOW 10 to 14 hours. Stir in barbecue sauce and salt, to taste.

Chicken Char Siu

1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp Hoi sin sauce (see below)
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut into 18 strips
Cooking spray

Combine all ingredients except the cooking spray, then marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat broiler. Thread 1 chicken strip onto each of 18 (6-inch) skewers, reserving marinade. Place skewers on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil 6 minutes. Turn skewers over, then baste with reserved marinade. Broil 6 minutes or until done.

Hoi sin Sauce substitute
Another common Chinese condiment. This one can be used to add flavor to any stir fry as well as in barbecue sauces and other uses.

1 c Soy Sauce
1 cl Garlic
1 Dried Red Pepper, Crumbled
2 T Catsup
1 T Water, Boiling
1 t Dried Orange Peel
1 t Sesame Oil

In a bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. In a second bowl combine remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes. Pour into soy sauce mixture. blending thoroughly. Pour into jars. Cover and refrigerate.

Santa Fe Soy Meat Loaf

Cooking spray
1/2c chopped onion
1/3c finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2tsp ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb Prime Grillers, (Morningstar Farms)defrosted and crumbled
3/4c dry breadcrumbs
2/3c mild chunky salsa, divided
1 tsp dried oregano
6 slices Soy Bacon, well cooked and crumbled
2 egg whites
6 slices American Cheese or Smart Beat American Flavor Slices

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic to pan; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from pan; cool. Combine onion mixture, Prime Griller, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup salsa, oregano, Soy Bacon, and egg whites in a large bowl. Place half of Prime Griller mixture in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 slices of cheese over top, leaving a 1/2-inch border around outside edges. Arrange remaining Prime Griller mixture over cheese, pressing edges to pack. Spread the remaining 1/3 cup salsa over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cut into 12 slices.

Classic Soy Meatloaf

1 sliced bread (1 1/2 oz)
2 tbsp soy milk
1/2c ketchup, divided
1 pack ground soy beef or ground meat
1/2c chopped onion
1/3c chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried basil
3/4tsp kosher salt
1/4tsp ground black pepper
2 egg whites
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse breadcrumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Combine breadcrumbs and soy milk in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons ketchup and remaining ingredients except cooking spray. Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread remaining 6 tablespoons ketchup over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour (or until a thermometer registers 160° for meat.) Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the loaf into 12 slices.

Barbecued Soy Meat Loaf

1 pack Soy Ground Beef, or 1 1/2 lb ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1/2c dry breadcrumbs
1/2c chopped onion
1/3 c barbecue sauce, divided
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 1/2tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp ground black pepper
2 egg whites
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, and onion, 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread remaining barbecue sauce over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour (for Soy Beef) or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut loaf into 12 slices.

Meat Loaf Instructions (from Cooking Light)

Sauté the aromatics (onions, garlic, carrot, and the like), intensifying their flavor in the final product.

2. Use your hands to combine the ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Shape a free form meat loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Brush ketchup or other liquid across the top of the loaf.

5. Use a meat thermometer to test the loaf's internal temperature for doneness (160 degrees for ground beef, or veal; 165 degrees for ground poultry).

6. Let the loaf stand before slicing. Slice and serve.

Choose the Meat
Meat is the main ingredient, and the one that most influences texture and flavor. Fatty cuts like regular ground chuck or ground beef (may be called "85 percent lean," but it's a hefty 15 percent fat by weight) are out because nearly all that fat will end up in the final product. Breadcrumbs, crackers, or whatever is used to bind the loaf will absorb the extra fat cooked out of the meat. While that makes for a moist texture, it isn't nutritionally sound. We found that 92 percent lean and 96 percent extra lean ground beef work fine. Ultra lean ground turkey breast can also be used for a leaner meat loaf, but it makes for a dry final product. So we combined ground turkey breast with ground turkey and added a little extra liquid to the mix.

Bind It
We also experimented with various binding agents, including traditional breadcrumbs and eggs or egg whites. We learned to let the overall flavor of the meat loaf determine the binder. Our Diner Meat Loaf "Muffins" use crushed saltines, whereas our Asian-Style Meat Loaves use chopped rice crackers. You also can use fresh or dry breadcrumbs: It takes about twice as many fresh breadcrumbs to equal the binding capacity of dried. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs) for every 1 1/2 pounds of meat.

Add a Little Extra Liquid
Because lower-fat meat loaf relies on leaner cuts of meat and poultry, it helps to add slightly higher amounts of liquid flavorings like ketchup, salsa, and soymilk to keep the loaf moist and compensate for the lower amounts of fat.

Don't Forget the Eggs
Whole eggs and egg whites are interchangeable in most of these recipes, as both are adept at holding the multiple ingredients in a meat loaf together. We used egg whites most often in these recipes to keep fat down, and also because other higher-fat ingredients were already adding flavor.

Choose a Form
Meat loaf recipes can be made in a loaf pan, with a free-form shape, or in a muffin tin. Free-form loaves cook more quickly than those in a loaf pan, and muffin tin loaves cook in about half the time of a full-size loaf.

Let It Stand
Meat loaf firms as it stands: 10 minutes is usually sufficient. But you'll find that loaves become even firmer, and much easier to slice for sandwiches when allowed to stand in the refrigerator overnight. Slice what you need for dinner tonight, then refrigerate the leftovers in a chunk to cut, slice, or crumble as needed.

Handle with Care
Meat loaf is one of the easiest dinners to prepare and uses ingredients found in any supermarket. But you should use care when handling any raw meat.

•When shopping, pick up ground meat just before checking out.

•Refrigerate or freeze meat right away.

•Cook or freeze ground meat within 2 days. Use frozen meat within 4 months.

•Wash your hands before and after handling raw ground meat. Wash utensils, countertops, cutting boards, the sink, and anything else that comes into contact with raw meat with hot, soapy water.

•Use a meat thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of meat loaf. Cook ground beef, and veal to 160 degrees and ground poultry to 165 degrees. Reheat any type of meat loaf to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Note: We found that very lean ground beef may still be pink when fully cooked, so be sure to use a meat thermometer to test its doneness.


•Cooked meat loaf will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months (ground poultry) or 4 months (beef, or veal).

Burmese Curry Powder

2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2tsp ground nutmeg
1/4tsp ground cloves

Blend the above ingredients by pulsing in a food processor. Store in a cool place.

Tangine Spice Mix

1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric

Blend the above ingredients by pulsing in a food processor. Store in a cool place.

Harissa

3-1/3tbsp dried chili flakes, soaked in the same amount of hot water
1-2/3tbsp crushed garlic
1-2/3tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp caraway seed
2 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seeds, dry roasted then ground
1 tsp kosher salt
6 spearmint leaves, finely chopped

Blend the above ingredients by pulsing in a food processor until a thick paste is formed. Store in a refrigerator.

TOMATO JAM

1/2c EVO oil (in hot pan)
1/2 onion, chopped
To Taste Salt and pepper
To Taste Italian Seasoning
14-oz stewed tomatoes
1 1/2tsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2tbsp brown sugar
12-oz tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce for extra flavor

In heavy saucepan, sauté onion, salt and pepper in oil until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Add stewed tomatoes, vinegar, Italian Seasoning, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until caramelized. Add tomato sauce and cook an additional 15 minutes on medium low. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Burmese Chicken Curry with Yellow Lentils

1 1/2c dried yellow lentils
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
3/4tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp ground nutmeg
1/4tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp EVO oil
1 c chopped onion
2 3/4c chicken broth
3 bay leaves

Place lentils in a large saucepan, then cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. Combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through cloves) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken, seal, then shake to coat. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the mixture and sauté for 4 minutes. Stir in the broth, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Add lentils and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Eggs in Gehenim

1 onion, cut in half, then finely sliced or chopped
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch red pepper flakes, or more to taste
2 c tomato canned (hand crushed) whole tomatoes
1/4tsp dried marjoram
To Taste Kosher Salt
To Taste Ground Pepper
4-6 eggs
Parmesan cheese

In a 9- or 10-inch skillet, combine the onion, the olive oil and the hot pepper and cook over medium heat until the onion is lightly golden. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried marjoram, and a big pinch of salt to start. Simmer for 5 or 6 minutes, until the sauce has concentrated a little. Set the pan aside now (at room temperature or in the refrigerator) if you are not cooking the eggs until later. Before cooking the eggs, bring the sauce back to a simmer, taste and add more salt if necessary, then break the eggs into the bubbling sauce. Cover and cook until the eggs are fully set whites with runny yolks. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Drizzle more olive oil over the eggs when serving.

Chicken Soup Seasoning

1/4tsp turmeric powder
1/4tsp onion powder
1/4tsp celery seeds
1 tsp dried ginger root
1/2tsp garlic salt or garlic powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2tsp dried rosemary
1/2tsp dried marjoram
1/2tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2tsp dried oregano
1/4tsp pepper
2 tsp powdered soup mix, vegetable or onion

Put all ingredients into a mini food processor or small blender container and blend on low. Store in a cool area. (If the Chicken Soup does not cure you, this combo might.)

Seasoned Salt

6 tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2tsp dried marjoram
1/2tsp garlic powder
2 1/4tsp paprika
1/4tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp celery seeds

Put all ingredients into a mini food processor or small blender, and pulse several times. Store in a cool area.

Bell Pepper-and-Potato Tagine Over Couscous

2 tsp EVO oil
1 3/4c onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp dried mint flakes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
6 cloves garlic , crushed
2 baking potatoes, peeled, each cut into 6 wedges (about 1 pound)
2 c red bell pepper strips (1-inch)
2 c green bell pepper strips (1-inch)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained (15 1/2-oz)
3 c tomato, chopped, seeded (about 2 pounds)
3 c water
1 tsp harissa (optional)
3/4c couscous, uncooked
3 tbsp parsley, chopped fresh

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (onion through potatoes, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell peppers, salt, and chickpeas, then sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato and water. Bring to a boil, and partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Set aside, and keep warm. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Bring reserved cooking liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan, and stir in harissa, if desired. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat, and cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve with vegetables, then sprinkle with chopped parsley.
A tajine is a Moroccan dish as well as a special pot for preparing this dish. Famous tajine dishes are mqualli (chicken and citron), kefta (meatballs and tomato) and mrouzia (lamb, plums and almonds). Other ingredients for a tajine can be fish, pigeon, beef, dried fruits, olives and vegetables. Herbs used in tajines are cinnamon, saffron, ginger, garlic and peppers.