Veggie of the Week-Broccolini

Broccolini is a green vegetable not unlike broccoli with small florets and long, thin stalks. Although often misidentified as young broccoli, it is a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese broccoli. A natural hybrid of the cabbage family Brassica oleracea, it was developed by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. Broccolini's flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus.

Broccolini is a registered trademark of Mann Packing Company, Inc. Its generic name is baby broccoli with product look up number 3277. Sanbon Incorporated originated a commercial program for asparation in Mexico in 1994 and first brought it to the U.S. market in 1996. Mann Packing Company introduced the new vegetable to the US market in 1998. They grow the vegetable year round in California and Arizona. Today, you can find broccolini throughout the United States and Canada.

The entire vegetable is consumable, including the occasional yellow flower. Rather delicate, common cooking methods include sautéing, steaming, boiling, and stir frying.

Nutritionally, broccolini is high in vitamin C but also contains vitamin A, calcium, folate and iron.

Chilli & Garlic Broccolini

Ingredients:
2 bunches Broccolini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 long red chile, seeds removed & chopped

Directions:
1.)Steam or blanch broccolini for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain & refresh.
2.)Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add garlic & chilli. Cook for 1 -2 minutes until garlic just starts to colour (don't let get brown or it will be bitter).
3.)Add broccolini, season well with s & p, then toss to warm through.

Recipe from Recipezaar.com

Fried Rice The Murphy Way

Yes I failed at the Lo Mein and yes I am now scared to death to ever try my hand at making Chinese again, but I have been making this fried rice for years thanks to my Dad and plus I don't really consider it a true blue Chinese dish, it's more Chinese...the American way. It's a family favorite and you can add all kinds of ingredients to it and it will still be good. It also makes great leftovers for lunch the next day. Did I mention that it is also very simple to make.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cups white rice, cooked
1 bunch green onions
3 stalks of celery
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
5 eggs, scrambled
Soy Sauce

Directions:

1.) In a skillet over medium high heat, add extra virgin olive oil and begin browning chicken that has been cut up into small cubes. Sprinkle garlic powder over chicken. Once cooked through set aside in a separate bowl.
2.) In another pan begin boiling water for your rice. Use three cups of water for three cups of rice. Cook rice according to directions on the box.
3.) Start vegetables by chopping green onions into small pieces, use both the green and white portions. Cut the celery stalks in half down the middle and dice into pieces. Set veggies aside in a separate bowl.
4.) In the same pan used to brown your chicken, scramble and cook five eggs.
5.) In a stock pot or dutch oven, add your chicken, vegetables, rice, and scrambled eggs. Begin adding your soy sauce*.
6.) Cook on low heat for five minutes or so, until heated through. Careful not to allow the bottom to burn.
*I didn't measure out the soy sauce because I have found that everyone has their own preference. Some like a lot of soy sauce like myself, while others like very little. I always go easy on the soy sauce and set out the bottle to allow others to add more if they would like.

Our family loves this dish and I hope yours does to. Feel free to let me know if you add any other extra ingredients...I would love to know how they turn out in the dish!

Chicken salad my way

I am fortunate to live only about ten minutes away from my place of employment and because of the fact Daniel works second shift I usually always run home for lunch so that I can spend a little bit of time with him. While I do have an hour for lunch I don't want to spend a lot of time preparing our lunch...I mean come on, have to get some Price is Right watching in there somewhere; so I like making quick fix items or items that I can prepare the night before. I first had chicken salad made this way a few years back, another one of those recipes that came from my Step-Mom Rhonda, even though I think she got it from one of her nieces. Since then I have added my own little touches to it and I must say, it is quite delicious and very easy to serve up when you are rushing around. This chicken salad is best made the night before, but isn't half bad when you eat it right away...I have done both!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded*
1/3 cup of mayo
2-3 stalks of celery
1/2 cup of red grapes
1 tbsp. brown mustard

* You can substitute the boiled chicken breasts for two cans of the Tyson shredded white meat chicken you find in a can. I have made this both ways and can't really taste a difference.

1.) Cut your grapes into half or into quarters, depending on your preference. I cut my into quarters.

2.) Take your stalks of celery and cut in half down the center. Then take the two large pieces and dice into small pieces.

3.) In a bowl add your shredded chicken, mayo, brown mustard, diced celery, and quartered grapes. Mix together.

Normally when I make this or tuna salad I toast me up two slices of white bread, slap on a piece of swiss cheese, add a small handful of fresh spinach, and then add my chicken salad mix. Of course this all goes on between the two slices of bread. I call these my quick fix sandwich melts and I could honestly live off of them. I normally serve with a piece of fresh fruit (usually more grapes) and a handful of pretzels or potato chips. Substitute the mayo for low fat mayo and use wheat bread in lieu of white bread and you have yourself a pretty healthy lunch...or dinner:).

Fruit of the week- Boysenberry

A boysenberry is a type of glossy, large, juicy berry related to the North American blackberry. In addition to being eaten fresh during the brief growing season, boysenberries are also incorporated into jams, preserves, and syrups. Their flavor is somewhat reminiscent of a raspberry, with a more tart undertone, especially when the berries are not fully ripened. They are available from grocery stores and farmers' markets, but since boysenberries are not very stable off the vine, it is important to eat them within two or three days of purchase.

The inventor of the boysenberry is believed to be Rudolph Boysen, who experimented with various berry crosses in Napa, California in the 1920s. In 1923, his cross of a blackberry, loganberry, and raspberry successfully grew and bore fruit. The boysenberry was acquired by Walter Knott, a Southern California berry farmer, who started selling the fruit commercially in 1935. Boysenberries and boysenberry preserves helped to make Knott's business famous around the state.

The distinctly tart flavor of a fresh boysenberry makes them very popular in areas where they can be obtained. When selecting boysenberries to take home, look for evenly sized and colored specimens with no areas of mushiness. Keep the berries under refrigeration in a watertight container far from apples and bananas, which emit ethylene gas, and use them within three days. If the berries are not going to be used in time, you may want to consider using them to make jam. Boysenberries can be scattered fresh on pancakes and waffles, used as a pie filling, or added as a decorative accent to cheesecakes and tarts. They can also, of course, simply be eaten plain, or as part of a fruit salad.

Information provided by: Wisegeek.com

Health Benefits-
~High in Vitamin C and fiber both of which have been shown to help reduce the risks of certain cancers.
~Contain high levels of anthocyanins (120-160 mg/ 100g) that work as antioxidants to help fight free radical damage in the body and give Boysenberries their deep, dark color.

Information provided by: oregon-berries.com

Recipe for the fruit of the week, provided by recipezaar.com

Cinnamon-Wheat Pancakes with Hot Boysenberry Compote

Ingredients:
Compote:
2 cups frozen boysenberries
1/3 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pancakes:
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
For Compote:
1.) Combine boysenberries and apple juice in a small saucepan; simmer for 5 minutes.
2.) In a separate bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch and add to berry mixture, gently stirring until it boils.
3.)Remove compote from heat and let it cool slightly until it thickens.
For Pancakes:
1.) Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk in a small bowl; set aside.
2.) In a larger bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and sugar.
3.) Add buttermilk mixture, egg whites and vanilla, and blend.
4.) Spray griddle with vegetable-oil cooking spray.
5.) Ladle pancake mixture onto griddle and cook until pancakes are light brown on both sides.
6.) Serve with boysenberry compote.

Cabbage Roll Soup...Minus the Roll

I love cabbage and sadly it's one of those foods that a Crohn's patient shouldn't have in their diet, for dare I say it, gassy issues. Its really sad that I could care less what it does to me though because I love it so. My Mother-in-Law Sue makes the absolute best cabbage rolls and even though we took her and my Father-in-Law out on New Years...she was still kind enough to make a batch for Daniel and I, and man they were tasty. Now if you are like me then making cabbage rolls is out of the question during the week because of the amount of time and effort they take you. So what are you supposed to do when it's Wednesday and you have a hankering for a cabbage roll you ask?? You make cabbage roll soup that's what! This recipe was passed along to me from my Mamaw who showed my Step-Mom how to make it, who then showed yours truly!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground sirloin, browned and drained
1/2 onion, chopped
46 oz. can V8 juice
32 oz. can beef broth
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
salt
pepper

Directions:
1.) In a large soup pan, brown ground sirloin along with chopped onion. Drain any grease.
2.) To browned meat add V8 juice, beef broth, and diced tomatoes.
3.) Add cabbage, chopped into 1 inch pieces. Stir carefully. Cabbage will wilt down so do not be afraid to fill your pot.
4.) Simmer on medium heat for 1/2 hour or until cabbage is cooked.
5.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Now if your like my Mother-in-Law, you add rice to your cabbage rolls, which is missing from this soup. We never made it with rice but it is completely up to you. If you do decide to add rice I would suggest adding about a cup or so of uncooked rice. It will cook in the broth, but it may require you adding more V8 juice to compensate for the broth that the rice will absorb.

Hope you enjoy!!

Fancy Rice Krispy Treats

My Husband absolutely adores Rice Krispy treats and to be honest with you, I am fond of them as well. A couple of weeks ago during one of our Christmas shopping trips we stumbled upon a booth at Traders World that was selling cupcakes, cookies, and an assortment of other delicious looking treats. One of those treats were chocolate covered Rice Krispy treats. Now we were on a mission to shop for family and I refused to pay what they were asking so we kept on truckin'. I promised Daniel that I would attempt to make our own at home for Christmas. Well Christmas has come and gone and I never got around to making them. To make matters worse, they were selling something similar to these at Wal-Mart in little gift boxes and after the holiday season they were 75% off so of course we grabbed one. These chocolate covered Rice Krispy treats were so good I could have cried tears of happiness. Unfortunately for us there were only three in the box so it was almost a tease and I have not forgotten about those yummy treats since then. Luckily I just clipped a coupon for Rice Krispy Cereal so I figured it was about time to settle down and follow through with the promise that I made to my Husband weeks ago. This time though I was going to kick them up a notch with the help of my friend, peanut butter.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
10 1/2 ounces mini marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

5 cups Rice Krispy cereal

1 bag chocolate chips, melted

1 bag of Reece's

Directions:
1.) Melt butter in large saucepan over med-low heat, add peanut butter and vanilla, stir until combined.
2.) Stir in Rice Krispy cereal.

3.) Press into greased 13x9 pan. Sprinkle Reese's Pieces Candy on top, press into Rice Krispy treats.

4.) Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat.5.) Pour melted chocolate over Rice Krispy mixture and spread, place in refrigerator to cool.
6.) Cut into squares and enjoy!!Verdict...who needs to buy these when you can make them at home. They were very tasty and I am glad I didn't make them sooner, because I would just be that much fatter. The true verdict will come tomorrow after I have received Daniel's thoughts on the matter.

One Lovely Blog Award

Today I received my very first blog award from Melissa over at Schweet N Savory. If you haven't stopped by her blog yet I highly suggest that you do as she has some very tummy pleasing recipes over there.
I am returning the honor by passing it on to Kaitlin over at Kaitlin in the Kitchen, another outstanding blog that you shouldn't miss out on.