Thursday, October 23, 2014

Zucchini Fritters for Breakfast

Makes: 10 - 12 patties, 2 patties per serving
Utensils:
Saladmaster Machine
8" Chef's Gourmet Skillet
medium mixing bowl


Ingredients

2 cups zucchini, shredded, use Cone #1 
1 tablespoon herb of choice, chopped (see tips)
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg
1⁄4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1⁄3 cup whole wheat flour


Directions

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well.
Preheat skillet on medium-low heat. When several drops of water sprinkled on skillet skitter and dissipate, use spoon to scoop mixture into pan, flatten with back of the spoon to create patty approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter; cook 2 to 3 patties at a time. Cover with 3 Qt. Sauce Pan or 9" Small Skillet cover and cook for approximately 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn patties and cook other side, approximately 4 minutes, until golden brown.



TIPS

Tasty herbs for this dish are rosemary, tarragon, sage and parsley.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Holly's Slow cooker Taco Chili-Soup

Ingredients:

-MP5 cooker
-28 oz peeled and crushed tomatoes
-Can of rinsed black beans
-Can of hot chili beans
-Can of diced tomatoes with chili seasoning
-1.5 cups of frozen corn
-1 onion diced or chopped (#2 cone)
-1 can of beer or water
-1 packet of Taco Soup Mix
-1.5 TB of cumin
-1 TB of chili powder
-2-3 frozen chicken breasts

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the MP5 (slow cooker). Place frozen chicken breasts on top. Set temperature to 350. Once it clicks, wait 5 minutes and then reduce temperature to 185. Cook for 3-4 hours. Take out chicken and shred (use #3 cone) and place back into MP5. Enjoy!!!

You can pair it with saltines, pour over tortilla chips, dollop with Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, or sour cream and/or shred cheese on top.





In crockpot:
1. Place the ingredients in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.


2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Saladmaster Website: Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

APPLE-BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP


INGREDIENTS

1
large
butternut squash
5 - 6
cups
chicken broth, divided
(1.2 - 1.4
L)
2
large
Granny Smith apples, peeled and shredded, use Cone #1
2
onions, shredded, use Cone #1
12
teaspoon
nutmeg
(1
g)
12
teaspoon
allspice
(1
g)
1
teaspoon
cinnamon
(3
g)
1
teaspoon
dry thyme
(1
g)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove pulp and seeds. Set seeds aside. Cut each half into half again, and then cut each piece in half. Place squash pieces into MP5 skin-side down (it’s OK to stack if necessary).
  2. Add 1 cup (240 mL) of chicken broth. Place temperature on digital probe to 200°F/90°C and timer on 45 minutes.
  3. When finished remove squash, take spoon and scoop out the meat of the squash, discard the skin. Place back into MP5.
  4. Add all ingredients to the MP5 and stir well. Mash the squash against the wall of the MP5 with the bottom of the spoon so there are no lumps.
  5. Place temperature on digital probe to 250°F/120°C and timer on 60 minutes. Add an additional cup of chicken broth if soup needs to be thinned.
  6. Once the soup is done cooking, slightly cool. Place all contents into food processor or use blender-wand to bring to a creamy consistency. Can also be eaten as-is without blending, if desired.
  7. If using food processor, return soup to MP5 and cover to keep warm until serving. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

TIPS

  • Save seeds to toast and eat like pumpkin seeds.
  • Can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Refrigerate leftovers.
  • Serve as a meal starter or with a salad and a hearty bread as a light main dish.
HideNutritional Information per Serving
Calories: 
131
Total Fat: 
1g
Saturated Fat: 
0g
Cholesterol: 
0mg
Sodium: 
493mg
Total Carbs: 
28g
Dietary Fiber: 
5g
Sugar: 
9g
Protein: 
5g

Friday, July 25, 2014

Taco Soup!

-One large can of crushed tomatoes
-One can of chili hot beans
-One can of diced green chili peppers
-Once can of Italian diced tomatoes
-One can of beer or 12-16 oz of water added, as needed for consistency
-2 carrots, chopped
-5 celery stalks, chopped
-1 yellow bell pepper
-1 cup frozen corn
-1 cup frozen okra
-1 packet of taco seasoning
-2 large frozen chicken breasts

In MP5, set temperature to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients, except chicken. Mix. Place chicken on top. Wait 5 minutes after the Vapo-Valve has stopped clicking and is raised with steam coming out to turn temperature down to 180. After 4 hours, take chicken out and shred. Place back in MP5 and enjoy.

Serve over rice, or with tortilla chips.
A dollop of nonfat yogurt may be good on top of the soup.


Crockpot Instructions:
  1. Place the ingredients in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
  2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Cauliflower Casserole


  • 1 head of cauliflower #3 cone
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 4 oz of cheddar cheese #1 cone (or use 1 cup shredded)
  • 2/3 Italian bread crumbs
  • 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 tablespoons of margarine (dollop on top)
Slightly mix together in skillet. Set the temp at 350 and wait for the click. Turn down to 180-185 and set for 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!


*What I did today, was omitted the margarine, added 1/2 cup milk and 8 oz of ground turkey w/homemade sausage seasoning. I also paired it with orange sweet potatoes in the 3qt and culinary basket.

**To make this dish a main dish, add: peas, corn, green beans, and carrots, and a protein like red kidney beans or precooked low fat ground meat.

Depending on your taste buds, you might want to add salt and pepper to taste.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Basics of Cooking Vegetables & Fruits Without Sticking

(This is from the Saladmaster website)
The art of cooking is what makes cooking so enjoyable. It is a craft that allows us to always learn new things. Having the right tools, like Saladmaster cookware, simply makes this process much more enjoyable and offers many more possibilities to expand our ‘craft.’
 When we’re cooking fruits and vegetables start in a cold pan.
    • Select the right sized cooking utensil. It should be 2/3 full when fruits or vegetables are added.
    • Watch for food particles preventing seal around rim of utensil.
    • Many vegetables may be cooked in the same utensil.
    • Watch for tilted burner. These can cause all condensation necessary to activate seal to run to one side, preventing a proper vacuum.
    • When cooking multiple vegetables, place more temperature sensitive vegetables on top of more hearty vegetables. Example: cook broccoli on top of carrots. Or, when just doing broccoli, cut up stalks on Cone #2 and put in bottom of pan and then place florets on top. When cooking broccoli this way, the stalks will tenderize much better and the florets will stay dark green, keeping all their flavor!
    • You may consider rinsing and draining all foods for your first few meals until you find the true medium and low temperatures on your stove.
Potatoes, yams, turnips and other starchy vegetables: These vegetables should be well rinsed and drained. This leaves tiny droplets on the surface of the vegetables which aids in activating the Vapo-Valve™. These vegetables are often perfect to be cut on the Saladmaster Machine’s Cones #3 and #5. 
Dry vegetables: Some vegetables will not release sufficient moisture to activate the Vapo-Valve™ such as broccoli, cauliflower and green beans. In this case, simply put the vegetable in the proper sized utensil, pour water over vegetables to rinse, and then pour off water. Then simply cook using the medium-click-low method.
In the case of Brussels sprouts, either allow the Vapo-Valve™ to flutter a little longer, or, when you turn it down, turn heat to "almost-low" were the Vapo-Valve™ flutters every few seconds. This allows center of Brussels sprouts to tenderize more complete. If you want to leave, then step heat all the way to low.
Corn on the cob: Husk corn. Rinse husks under the tap then place like a bed in the bottom of a cold roaster. Place corn on top of husks and heat on medium. When the Vapo-Valve™ clicks, place the heat on low and cook for 12 - 15 minutes; incredible flavor! 
Hint: with any thick foods, use the "almost-low" temperature or allow the Vapo-Valve™ to click a little longer. This method will insure tenderizing all the way through.
Vegetable                                                 Minutes   
Asparagus,   whole spears5 - 7
Beans, green or wax 8 - 10
Beets, red, whole medium 50 - 60
Broccoli spears 5 - 7
Brussels sprouts 9 - 10
Cabbage, sliced4 - 6
Carrots, sliced 9 - 10
Cauliflower, separated6 - 8
Celery, sliced 9 - 10
Corn, kernels, frozen1 - 2
Corn-on-the-cob 10 - 12
Okra, small, whole6 - 8
Onions, sliced 8 - 10
Peas, fresh or frozen2 - 3
Peppers, green or red3 - 4
Potatoes, sweet, cubed15 - 20
Potatoes, white, whole, medium20 - 25
Snow peas2 - 3
Spinach, fresh 2 - 3
Squash, summer, sliced4 - 6
Squash, winter, diced 10 - 13
Zucchini squash, sliced 4 - 6
Saladmaster.com/tip/basics-cooking-vegetables-fruits-without-sticking#sthash.nwy4roUx.dpuf