Spring Cooking Series with Angelle Batten and Me!

This year I have had many family events that have taken priority in my life.  I am looking forward to posting more and sharing great recipes and prepping tips that I used during this crazy time in my life! and yes I did fall off the healthy eating wagon here and there but for the most part I am happy to say that being prepared was a God send during this very busy time in my life. 

Sometimes you find yourself places where you can't make your own meals so you just have to make the best choices from what is available.  I admit there were days all I wanted was coffee with cream but I soon realized during stressful times it is more important than ever to give my body the fuel it needs to keep going.  I am refuelling and trying new recipes with excitement.  I' m back on the wagon and in the drivers seat!

I will begin teaching again next week with Angelle Batten, family wellness coach.  Classes will be held in Brighton and we still have some spaces left.  Click here to see what our spring class series has to offer.

I look forward to sharing new recipes and tips very soon!

Taking it one prep at a time,
Chef Jackie

Game Time Foods

Please visit Plumberry Pie for my sister Kim's favorite super bowl snacks; Avocado and Pepper Salsa and White Chicken Chili.

Here are my favorite game time snacks.....sorry no pictures.

Asian Beef Lettuce Cups

Beef 1 ½   lbs    ground grass fed beef 2      Tbs   minced garlic 2      Tbs   sesame oil Slaw Dressing 2      Tbs   olive oil 2      Tbs   apple cider vinegar 2      Tbs   wheat-free tamari or soy sauce 2      Tbs   raw honey 1      Tbs   minced fresh ginger 2      Tbs   cilantro, chopped

1                lime, zest ½               bunch scallions, chopped Asian Slaw: 1 ½   cups  Napa cabbage, shredded or Cole slaw mix 1      cup    shredded carrot ½               bunch green onion sliced Garnish: ½     cup    toasted sliced almonds or toasted pumpkin seeds 2                heads of Bibb (Boston lettuce) Cleaned and leaves separated into cups

Procedure

Beef

1   Heat sauté pan and add sesame oil.

2   Add garlic.  Cook till translucent.

3   Add beef and brown. Drain off fat.

Dressing

1   In a medium bowl whisk together dressing ingredients. Add vegetables to dressing.

Make the wraps.

1   Add warm beef to vegetables and place in lettuce cups, top with slaw and sprinkle with nuts.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

 

Baked Potato Skins

Add 45 minutes to prep time for baking potatoes if you do not have left over.

Butter for baking dish 8-10           potatoes, baked 3        Tbs   butter, melted 1        Tbs   grated Parmesan 1/2     tsp   Celtic sea salt 1/4     tsp   garlic powder

1/4      tsp     paprika 1/8      tsp     pepper, fresh ground 8                  strips bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 1/2   cups  cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2      cup    sour cream 4                  green onions, chopped

Procedure

1   Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and remove the pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell (reserve pulp for other use).

2   Place potato skins in a 9 X 13 baking dish.

3   Combine butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Brush all over potato skins both inside and out.

4   Bake at 475° for 7 minutes, turn baking dish and bake 7 minutes more until crisp.

5   Sprinkle bacon and cheddar on the inside of the skins. Bake 2 more minutes until cheese is melted. Remove from oven.

6   Top with sour cream and onions. Serve immediately.

Yield: 16 - 20 halves

Oven Temperature: 475°F

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Tips

Prep Ahead

Bake potatoes, cool and remove pulp.

Melt butter.

Cook and crumble bacon.

Chop green onions.

Grate Parmesan.

Shred cheddar cheese.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

Source: PLC

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

Allergen Info

Egg-free

Gluten-free

Comments

Try making this delicious dish with different toppings, ham, scrambled eggs and taco meat just to name a few.

Can be made ahead of time and reheated.

Do not add sour cream or onions until reheated.

Dill Dip

Dip taste best when refrigerated overnight.

1   cup   mayonnaise 1   cup   sour cream 2   Tbs   onion, minced

1/2   tsp   Celtic sea salt 2     Tbs   dried dill weed 1/2   Tbs   maple syrup

Procedure

1   In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients until well blended.

2   Refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.

Yield: 2 ¼ cups

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Tips

Prep Ahead

Mince onion.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

Source: PLC

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

Allergen Info

Egg-free, can be if you omit mayonnaise and use cream cheese or Greek yogurt

Gluten-free

Vegetarian

Comments

May also be used on baked potatoes or a sandwich spread. Egg allergies may substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or cream cheese.

Slow Cooker Calico Chicken Chili

2   lbs     chicken breast or thighs, boneless skinless               Celtic sea salt and pepper, enough to generously coat meat 4   cups  salsa 2   cups  tomato sauce 2   cups  black beans, soaked overnight in water with a splash of vinegar and cooked or canned rinsed 1   cup    white northern beans, prepared or canned rinsed

1                  medium onion, chopped 2      cloves  garlic, minced 2      tsp       chili powder 1 ½   tsp       cumin 1 ½   tsp       Celtic sea salt 1      tsp       fresh ground pepper         pinch    cayenne pepper (optional)

Procedure

1   Place chicken in a 6 quart slow cooker and add all the remaining ingredients.

2   Cook on low 4-6 hours until chicken is cooked through.

3   Remove the chicken to a plate and shred or dice. Add back to the slow cooker and stir.

4   Increase heat to medium and serve when desired temperature is reached and chili is hot throughout.

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours and 10 minutes

Recipe Tips

Prep ahead

Soak beans with a splash of vinegar overnight and cook or rinse canned beans.

Chop onion.

Mince garlic.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

Author Notes

Allergen Info

Casein-free

Egg-free

Gluten-free

Vegetarian - Omit chicken and add 3 more cups of beans.

Comments

A yummy easy change from beef chili.

Serve over baked potatoes.

Substitute 2 cups chicken stock for 2 cups tomato sauce for another delicious chili.

Reheating with Steam

One simple thing you can do to make leftovers or planned overs taste better is to reheat them in a steam basket instead of a microwave.  I just place 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of a pan and place my steam basket insert on top.  I add my food to the basket, cover and turn on high; once it steams I lower the heat to medium.  I have a glass lid so I can see the food.  Most foods reheat in just a few minutes.  I reheat oatmeal, eggs and even steak.  The food does not dry out or get rubbery.

Add the water

 

Add the steam basket

 

Add the food

 

Cover

 

Turn on the heat

Checkout how my friends at Get REAL for Kids reheat in bamboo baskets.  A great way to reheat several meals at one time.  The baskets are even great for cooking.

Take it one prep at a time,
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: Snicker Pretzel Rods

Snicker Pretzel Rods

 

I used sprinkles not nuts this year.

 

1   lb  chocolate or chocolate candy coating 1        Bag (75) Anderson Long John Pretzels (these are about half the length of long pretzel rods)

1           package caramel apple wrappers ½   cup  crushed peanuts

Procedure

1   Slice caramel in 2 inch by ½ strips.

2   Wrap around pretzel rod leaving 1 inch at the end.

3   Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

4   Melt chocolate over a double boiler.

5   Dip pretzels in chocolate just to coat caramel leaving 1 inch at the end bare.

6   Place back on parchment.

7   Sprinkle with nuts or non pareils and drizzle with some chocolate.

8   Freeze until set.

Yield: yield 70 pieces

Recipe Tips

Serve at room temperature.  Can be frozen up to 3 months

1 package of caramel makes 90 pieces

1 pound of chocolate makes 72 pretzels

Source

Author: ChefJackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!
Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: 7 Layer Bars and Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

7 Layer Bars

 

 

Leftover 7 Layer Bars

 

 

My leftovers and broken cookies

 

 

Seven Layer Bars

1   cup    butter, unsalted 3   cups  graham cracker crumbs 2   cups  chocolate chips 2   cups  butterscotch chips

2        cups         chopped walnuts 2        14-ounce   cans sweetened condensed milk 2 2/3   cups         shredded coconut

Procedure

1   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 Spray or grease a 15x9 cookie sheet then with parchment paper.

3   In a bowl combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.  Press into prepared pan.

4   Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and walnuts.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over top.

5   Sprinkle coconut over sweetened condensed milk.

6   Bake until edges are brown.  Cool completely and cut into small squares. Cuts easier if frozen frozen for 1 hour.

Yield: 1-1/2 sheet tray

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

After cooling sheet pan may be frozen.  Bar cookies can then be removed in a slab then cut into squares.

 

Leftovers 7 layer cookies: After I am done with all of my cookies I put all of my leftover ingredients and broken cookies onto this crust and cover with the sweetened condensed milk and bake as above.  It is a great way to use everything up!

 

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

 

 

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs 

4     cups   all purpose flour, sifted 1/2   tsp     salt 1     tsp     baking powder. 1     cup    (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2   cups  sugar 2            large eggs 2   tsp     vanilla extract

Procedure

1   In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2   In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

3   Add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in vanilla.

4   Chill at least 1 hour. Roll dough to1/8 inch thick and cut in desired shapes.

5   Bake at 325F for 8-10 minutes.

6   Cool and decorate with royal icing.

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Source

Author: Chef Jackie White

preplikeachef.blgspot.com

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!

Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie

Cookie Exchange: Peppermint Bark and Rugalach

 

Peppermint Bark

 

Peppermint Bark

Chocolate candy coating or real chocolate works best for this recipe.

1   lb  white chocolate confectioner's coating or white chocolate 1   lb  dark chocolate confectioners coating or dark chocolate

10   oz   bag star-brite mints crushed

Procedure

1   Melt dark chocolate over double boiler on low heat stirring often (do not over heat).

2   Melt white chocolate in over double boiler on low heat stirring often (do not over heat).

3   Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

4   Pour a layer of dark chocolate and then stripes of white chocolate reserving ¼ cup of melted white chocolate.  Pull a knife through to marble.

5   Sprinkle crushed mints on top.  Dip the tines of a fork into reserved white chocolate and drizzle over top of bark.

6   Let harden or freeze.  Break into bit size pieces.

Source

Author: ChefJackie White

Web Page: preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Rugalach

 

 

 

Rugalach

Cookie Dough: 1     cup    butter, softened 1               (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 2     cups   flour                  Filling: 3/4   cup    finely chopped walnuts 1/2   cup    brown sugar 1/2   tsp     cinnamon 1/3   cup    apricot or raspberry preserves

1/4      cup  butter, melted Topping: 1        cup  finely chopped walnuts 1/4      cup  sugar 1 1/2   tsp   cinnamon Egg Wash: 1                egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

Procedure

1   In large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add flour, a little at a time, mixing until a stiff dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

2   Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine all filling ingredients except melted butter. Set aside.  Shape dough into as round and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

3   Remove dough from refrigerator and cut round into 4 pieces.  Shape each ¼ into a circle and roll on lightly floured board.  Roll out dough into an 8-inch circle. Brush each circle with melted butter. Cut each into 12 pie wedges.

4   Spread or pipe a scant ½ teaspoon filling on each wedge.

5   Roll up, starting at wide end and roll to a point.

6   Place, point side down, 1" apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.

7   In small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Brush top of each crescent with egg wash. Sprinkle nut-cinnamon mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove to racks to cool.

Source

Author: Chef Jackie

preplikeachef.blogspot.com

Author Notes

Recipe can double.

Feel free to share but send people to the post please!

Season's Eating's
Chef Jackie