Category Archives: Jinxie’s Kitchen

Mexican Chicken and Rice

Posted on by Jinxie G

I know, it’s been a long time since I posted a recipe, but I’ve been busy with other things and haven’t been experimenting much in the kitchen. Lucky for you, my sister-friend Deni has! She sent me this wonderful recipe last night. Though she said it tastes awesome, I have no idea, but we’re going to trust her opinion, especially since she’s learned how to cook. =)

Mexican Chicken and Rice

Photo credit: Deni

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice

4 cups chicken broth or water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Add salt to liquid in sauce pan, bring to boil.

Add rice, bring back to boil, cover, simmer for 20 minutes on low.

2-3 tablespoons bacon grease

1 diced red pepper

1 diced green pepper

1 dic ed medium onion

4 cloves of garlic pressed or diced

1 ½ -2 cups diced tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes 10 ounces)

In large skillet, sauté vegetables in bacon grease over medium heat until soft.  (5-7 minutes)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 can diced green chili (4 ounces)

1 can green enchilada sauce (10 ounces)

3 cups of cooked shredded chicken

Add sugar, green chili, enchilada sauce and chicken to the vegetables, allow to saute at medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes.  Salt and pepper as you prefer.  (about 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoons pepper)

Mix in cooked rice.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

(It also makes sense to top with a few black olives or slices of avocado for garnish.)

Raspberry Sauce & Olive Oil-brushed Asparagus

Posted on by Jinxie G

Today, we’re doing a couple of real easy recipes that have five minute prep times. Essentially, we’re doing a type of sauces today. One sauce and one basic olive oil brush.

 

Raspberry Sauce

Initially, this is for two servings, so if you want to make it for more than two people, you’ll need to double/triple the ingredients.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup light mayonnaise (you can use regular, if needed, but I’m on a diet)

2 tbls Fat free Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

1 tbls lemon juice

1 ½ tbls of fresh basil

You can go lighter on the basil. It’s pretty potent, especially if it’s fresh. Maybe only do 1 tablespoon.

Mix ingredients together and brush over meat. I’ve tried this on both halibut and chicken, and it’s good on either. Then cook the meat to proper specifications.

 

Olive Oil-Brushed Asparagus

This one is SUPER easy! All you need is a bushel of asparagus, olive oil, and salt and pepper. For something like this, I prefer the salt and pepper grinders because you get more flavor out of them.

Line a 13×9 pan with foil. Rinse off the asparagus and lay it in the pan. Brush the asparagus with olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil for everything), and grind the salt and pepper over it.

Place the asparagus in the oven at about 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

When I’m baking halibut or chicken, I have the temperature set at 375 degrees, and I still bake the asparagus for the last 10 minutes of the entrée.

This will also grill really well.

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often)

Tomato Sauce Stock

Posted on by Jinxie G

Okay, so I thought I’d give this recipe a shot, though I’m now wishing either of my grandmothers were still alive so I could pick their brains about it (put down the crossbow Juliette! I’m NOT a zombie!). It’s the first time I’ve made it (because I got it from someone who used to be a friend) and it was a success, so I’ll share it with you.

Tomato Sauce Stock

Ingredients:

Tomatoes (lots of them, like a few pounds or more)

Water

Pretty fucking simple, huh?

Fill a stock pot (I have a pretty damn big one I use mostly for crab legs) at least ¼ to ½ full, cut up tomatoes—I sliced in half, then in thirds, and then cut chunks off into the pot.

*Thanks to Umi for being my hand model

Cover but vent the pot and bring to a boil. This is going to boil and then simmer for a good amount of time, and the tomatoes will cook down, so you can more water as they do. I let it simmer for a few hours and mash the chunks as it cooks before letting it cool off and sectioning the sauce stock off into separate containers. Since I no longer have my handy little handheld purée mixer, I think I’ll throw it into a blender before packaging next time. I’ll let you know how it works until I can get a new mixer.

I don’t add any seasoning to this other than a couple of dashes of salt (out of habit) to the water beforehand, and you can strain the peel and seeds out if you’d like, but I don’t. It makes for a nice chunky sauce too, which is great with chicken and pasta.

When I package it, I use at least 2-cup servings because 1 cup just doesn’t work. I’ll probably work with a larger amount of tomatoes and bigger servings next time because I’m trying to shy away from canned tomatoes, which are very bad for you, and I’d found myself still adding paste or diced tomatoes or sauce to it.

Essentially, this is the base for all your red sauces. I’ve now used it for the Red Clam Sauce and a Marinara, as well as a Chicken Parmesan recipe.

Be sure to write the date and time on the Ziploc bags or containers, though they can last in the freezer for a decent amount of time, but certainly not forever. Nothing lasts in the freezer forever without getting freezer burn. Blech.

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often)

Cooking Tips #12

Posted on by Jinxie G

I know this should be common sense, but some people fail to see the issue, so listen to me when I say…

If you have longer hair, always, ALWAYS pull your hair back/up BEFORE you start cooking, even in your own damn kitchen. I’m sorry, but finding a hair in my food makes me want to vomit and I’ll probably never eat at your house again. Just sayin’. I find it completely repulsive.

And that’s coming from a woman who’s owned dogs over the past 20 years and claims “The chef is not responsible for dog hair in the food.”

Spam Comment of the Week

Posted on by Jinxie G

No, I’m not talking about the meat-substitute wanna-be in a can that makes me gag when I walk past it in the store.

I get a ton of spam comments on my website daily, and I’m certain I’ll get some on this post, so on occasion, I get some really hilarious ones and I’d like to share. It’s not so much the comment itself that is funny, aside from the obvious “English is not their first language” issue, but it’s the posts they tend to comment on that usually have me rolling on the floor.

So, I give you this week’s Spam Comment extraordinaire from Blogger Tutorial (the name alone screams SPAM!):

Throughout the awesome pattern of things you actually receive an A+ just for effort and hard work. Where exactly you actually misplaced us was in the specifics. As they say, the devil is in the details… And it couldn’t be much more correct here. Having said that, permit me say to you what did do the job. Your article (parts of it) is actually rather convincing and that is possibly the reason why I am making the effort in order to opine. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. Second, despite the fact that I can easily see the leaps in reason you make, I am not necessarily convinced of just how you appear to connect your details which help to make your conclusion. For right now I will, no doubt yield to your issue however hope in the near future you actually link your facts much better.

This comment was posted on (drum roll, please): Spinach & Artichoke Cheese Dip

I know, right? How fucking ri-goddamn-diculous is that and don’t these idiots read the posts they’re commenting on? You’d think they’d at least skim the post so they can look like they know what the hell they’re talking about. But no…

I’m sorry I “misplaced” you, Blogger Tutorial. And I’m not certain you’d recognize the devil in the details if the Devil himself stuck you in the ass with his pitchfork.  It’s a fucking recipe, jackass. I’m glad, however, that you’re convinced by my “article” about how to make Spinach & Artichoke Cheese Dip. God forbid should you not be convinced. As for the “leaps in reason” I made…I’m actually speechless here. Oh, and by the way, my conclusion was in another language. Did you catch that? It obviously isn’t your first language either.

Spammers, beware! I’m posting at least one of you fuckers a month!

G-ma Rainie’s Swiss Steak

Posted on by Jinxie G

This should have posted yesterday, but I’ve been distracted by a friend in need for the past few days, so I apologize for the delay.

Both sides of my family have a Swiss Steak recipe and one is COMPLETELY different from the other, so I’m going to share both with you. You get one today, and one next Friday (if I can get Umi to write the damn thing down for me or dictate…whatever).

G-ma Rainie’s Swiss Steak

Ingredients:

1 boneless chuck beef roast (or roast beast, as I like to call it)

4 – 6 cups crushed tomatoes (canned or homemade)

1 cup diced onions, sliced carrots, and diced celery (optional)

After searing* and seasoning the roast beast with salt and pepper, put it in a Dutch oven (or slow cooker/crock pot).

 

Add the tomatoes, onions, carrots, and celery (each are optional – I don’t like cooked carrots), and add desired spices.

 

Cover and simmer for about an hour or so until beef is tender. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if so desired. Experiment with other seasonings as well. I added garlic powder and Italian seasonings this time around. Next time, I’ll likely experiment with a few others.

Now, the timing is based on using a Dutch oven. I used a slow cooker (or crock pot) and cooked it over several hours on a low setting while I slept all day. If you have a lot of experience using a crock pot, you’ll know what setting to cook it and for how long.

Instead of using diced celery and onion, I used celery salt and onion powder. Also, when I use salt and pepper, I use the kind you have to grind. Sea salt is much better than regular salt.

My g-ma Rainie always served this dish over mashed potatoes. It’s quite tasty! I have it next to the mashed potatoes.

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often)

* Don’t know what “searing” is? What I’m telling you to do there is brown all sides of the roast before placing it in the Dutch oven or crock pot.

Cholesterol…Damn It!

Posted on by Jinxie G

In lieu of my typical recipe post, we’ll be talking about my health today. Why is this important, aside from the fact that not eating healthy can kill me? Well, mainly because it’s going to change the recipes I post on this here little blog. But that’s a good thing, trust me, because I can’t stand bland food, so I’ll be finding ways to make healthy good-for-you-food taste great. Hey, it’s what I do.

So my arteries are getting clogged up. That’s what high cholesterol does to you, which puts you at risk for heart disease. Awesome! But here’s the kicker….high cholesterol is 240 mg/dL and higher; mine is at 1900+. Wait, WTF? Yeah. Shouldn’t I be dead?

So here are the things I can’t eat anymore with my notes attached:

Butter, margarine and shortening - um, WTF? How am I supposed to cook and bake now?

Coconut and palm oils - not a problem! They aren’t in my diet to begin with.

Cheese – But I LOVE cheese!!! *pouts*

French fries – don’t care much for these anyway

Doughnuts – *gasps*

Whole milk – looks like I’m going back to 1% milk

Cookies – are you fucking kidding me???

On the plus side, olive oil, avocado, walnuts & almonds (neither of which I eat), sunflower seeds (along with sesame and pumpkin seeds), and seafood along the lines of salmon, mackerel, and herring are IN.

And on top of this, I essentially need to switch to a low carb diet with anti-inflammatory foods. Hey! Avocado is an anti-inflammatory food! Homemade guacamole, here I come!

Time to start looking up recipes….and of course, modifying them. :)

Grandma’s Pot Pie

Posted on by Jinxie G

Today’s recipe comes from my late g-ma Ethel. She also called it meat ‘n’ potato pie. Why? Because that’s pretty much what’s in it. You can add carrots or whatever, but I like it this way.

Pot Pie Crust

4 cups flour

1 cup shortening

2 teaspoons salt

Enough water to mix*

Combine ingredients in a bowl until dough is formed. Knead the dough in bowl or on counter (preferably flour-covered). Split dough in half, place one back in the bowl and roll out the other until it is large enough to fit in a 2-quart casserole dish. Line the dish with the dough and roll out the other one for the top.

Note: if you don’t have a lot of room in your kitchen (like me these days), you can buy one of those Pillsbury ready-made crusts. It’s not really the same, but it works.

 

Pot Pie

Cut potatoes and cooked roast into small pieces (like for a stew), place in pot and fill with water, then bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add flour to make gravy. Amount is to thickness desired.

Once potatoes are soft, pour into dough-lined casserole dish until full, and top with the other rolled out dough. Be certain to cut slits (at least 3 or 4) into the top so it can breathe (I know that sounds weird).

Bake at 400˚ for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven.

Enjoy!

~ cut in half for a smaller pot pie ~

* About ¼ cup water

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often!)

Cooking Tips #11

Posted on by Jinxie G

The first and foremost ingredients in seasoning your food is salt and pepper. Why? Using salt and pepper first brings out the flavor in any dish. If you don’t use salt and pepper, give it a try once and taste the difference.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (Modified)

Posted on by Jinxie G

Today, one of my bestest friends, Deni, has decided to share this recipe she tried out on her man the other night with great success. It was also Deni’s birthday yesterday, the 13th, so we’re wishing her a very happy birthday!

With cake!

Now, Deni hates Chinese food, so J never gets Chinese food, but Deni combined three separate recipes in a compromise….and she couldn’t stop eating it! Let’s check out her recipe!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Stir Fry

4-6 large chicken breasts (into small cubes)
1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
1 green pepper (thinly sliced)
1 red pepper (thinly sliced)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed with garlic press)
4 tablespoons butter
And any other vegetable you see fit

Sauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ cup sugar
1 can pineapple tidbits (juice and all)
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons corn starch

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.

9”x13” glass pan out (You can line with foil but I don’t bother.)

Melt 2 tablespoons butter into a large, deep skillet on medium to high heat. Sauté onion, peppers, and garlic in skillet for 5ish minutes, until onions are translucent. Pour ½ of mix into pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and chicken cubes, stir regularly, and cover until chicken is fully cooked. Once chicken is cooked, pour and mix into pan.

In small bowl, slowly stir corn starch into chicken broth. Add into skillet and stir in all remaining ingredients. Allow sauce to simmer for 3-5 minutes on med-low. This allows the corn starch to start to thicken the sauce. Pour over chicken, onion, peppers in glass pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve over sticky rice (makes a large family size portion, so feel free to cut in half for smaller family).

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often)