Archive for August 2009
Produce Conversion Chart
August 11, 2009 | 
Author If a recipe calls for:
It measures about:
Apple – 1 medium………..1 cup sliced apple
Banana – 1 medium……..1/3 cup mashed
Bell Pepper – 1 large…….1 cup chopped pepper
Bell Pepper – 1 medium….3/4 cup chopped pepper
Bell Pepper – 1 small…….1/2 cup chopped pepper
Bread – 2 slices fresh……1 cup soft bread crumbs or bread cubes
Cabbage – 1 small……….4 cups shredded cabbage
Carrot – 1 large………….1 cup grated raw carrot
Cheese – 8 ounces………2 cups shredded
Eggs – 6-7 large…………1 cup egg whites
Green Beans – 1 pound…4 cups cooked cut fresh green beans
Lemon – 1 medium………1 tsp grated lemon rind or 2 TBSP juice
Mushrooms – 8 ounces…3 1/4 cups
Onion – 1 large………….1 cup chopped onion
Onion – 1 medium……….3/4 cup chopped onion
Onion – 1 small………….1/2 cup chopped onion
Orange – 1 medium……..4 tsp grated orange rind or 1/3 cup juice
Peach – 1 medium………1/2 cup sliced peaches
Potato – 1 medium……..1 cup raw sliced potato
Strawberries – 1 pint…..2 cups sliced
Tomato – 1 large……….1 cup chopped tomato
Tomatos – 16 oz can…..2 cups chopped tomato
Walnuts/Pecans – 1 pound shelled…..2 cups chopped
Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
Serves 4
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 1-inch strips
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves pressed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 (4-6-oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons flour
1 (15-oz.) can chicken broth
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chicken lightly in 2 tablespoons butter, add the garlic and mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and keep cooking till chicken mixture is smelling very garlicky.
Transfer browned chicken strips to a baking dish (for your extra casserole, use an aluminum pan that can be tossed after use); arrange artichoke hearts on top.
In the skillet, melt remaining butter and add the flour, whisking to blend (no lumps!). Add broth and cook until thickened then pour over chicken mixture.
Bake the casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes.
To freeze: After the casserole has totally cooled, carefully place your casserole in a zipper-topped plastic FREEZER bag and remove all air before sealing. Huge 1 1/2 to 2 gallon bags are perfect for this. (IMPORTANT note about freezer bags: This will aid in the casserole tasting fresh. These bags are designed to take the cold and regular bags are more permeable and will not keep your food as fresh.)
Next, mark the bag with what you made (“Cathy’s Cheesy Casserole,” for example) and the DATE. Add the heating instructions — like preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling, etc. Use a Sharpie pen for this task (it’s the only pen that will hold up to the freezer without running. To keep your Sharpie from running off with the nearest child, hide your Sharpie in the freezer bag box or you’ll never see it again.)
To cook the casserole, remove from the freezer the night before and place in the fridge to thaw overnight. By the time cooking time comes, it may not be completely thawed but that’s OK. You will most likely need to cook the casserole longer to reheat, but an easy way to do that is give the original cooking time and add the caveat, “OR until hot and bubbly.”
Getting your casserole dish back can be a hassle, so make sure you make yourself a note so you know where it is!
Serving Suggestions: Some brown rice, steamed broccoli and a big green salad.
NUTRITION per serving: 527 calories; 17g fat; 84g protein; 5g carbohydrate; 1g dietary fiber; 236mg cholesterol; 560mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain(starch); 11 1/2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 2 1/2 fat. Points: 12
Chicken Flavored Rice Mix
Serves 4-6
4 cups uncooked rice
4 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until evenly distributed. Put about 1 1/3 c. mixture each into three 1-pint containers. Label and store. Use within 6-8 months. Makes about 4 cups rice mix.
To use: combine 1 1/3 c. rice mix, 2 c. cold water, and 1 T. margarine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Makes 4-6 servings.
Chicken Nicoise
Serves 4
1 cup dry white wine, or use low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/3 cup frozen pearl onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small red bell pepper, deribbed, deseeded and sliced into strips
4 each olives, use what you like (I prefer Kalamatas)
Heat 1/4 cup of the wine (or chicken broth) to boiling in a non-stick skillet. Cook chicken in wine, turning once, until brown. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add garlic, onions, olive oil, Italian seasoning, bell peppers, olives and remaining wine (or broth) to skillet and heat till boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add chicken back to the skillet, reducing heat to medium low. Cook 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Chicken Nicoise
Serving Suggestions: Add some brown rice.
NUTRITION per serving: 330 calories; 6g fat; 55g protein; 4g carbohydrate; 1g dietary fiber; 137mg cholesterol; 196mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain (starch); 7 1/2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 1/2 fat. Points: 7
Christmas Eve Shortcut Cinnamon Buns
Makes 20 buns
These are made the night before and popped in the oven Christmas morning when the kids are attacking their stockings!
20 unbaked frozen dinner rolls (Bridgeport is a brand I have used)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
Lightly grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan. Place frozen rolls into the pan and sprinkle with brown sugar, the pudding mix and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over the top. If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can use a muffin tin, but they turn out better in a bundt pan.
Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave overnight at room temperature to rise.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Turn rolls out onto a serving plate and dig in!
Posted in Articles, Christmas, Holiday, Recipes | 
Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve Shortcut Cinnamon Buns | 
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