Nicki's Cookbook

Category Archives: American

Panko Baked Chicken Thighs with Honey Mustard Drizzle

on by in American, Dinners ⋅ Leave a comment

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A delicious and satisfying alternative to frying chicken which just as much crunch and packed with flavor!

Makes: 9 chicken thighs

Ingredients:

9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 tsp, Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 medium eggs
1/4 c. fat free milk
1 1/2 c. panko
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
1/4 c. olive oil mayo
2 Tbs. clover honey
1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
1 Tbs. mustard (dijon or touch of honey)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Set up 3 bowls.

Bowl 1:  flour

Bowl 2: eggs and milk, whisked well.

Bowl 3: Panko, paprika and olive oil, mixed well until fully incorporated.

Season raw chicken with salt and pepper.

Taking 1 piece of chicken at a time, cover in flour, tap excess off, dredge in egg mix, press into panko mix until covered, turning and patting in crumbs where they may have missed.

Place chicken on foiled cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and chicken is fully cooked, reading 165 degrees on instant read thermometer.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze by mixing mayo, honey and both mustards in small bowl until creamy and fully incorporated.

Serve immediately with glaze and garnish of parsley.

panchx

Red Beans n’ Rice

on by in American, Meat Free! ⋅ Leave a comment

coming soon

A Southern Favorite, filling and savory with a nice kick at the end!

Makes: 8 – 1 cup servings

Ingredients:

2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
5 green onions, slivered
1/4 c. diced sweet onion
1/2 c. diced red bell pepper
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. course black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 1/2 c. beef broth
4 c. cooked jasmine rice

In saute pan, saute onion, garlic and bell pepper about 3-4 minutes. Add chili powder, salt, pepper and thyme. Saute 1 minute more. Add beef broth carefully. Bring to a high simmer. Add beans and rice. Turn off heat and stir until incorporated.  Garnish each serving with green onion slivers.

Tuna Croquettes with Caper Lime Dressing

on by in American, Dinners ⋅ Leave a comment

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A fan favorite! Easy to make, easy to serve, and nutritious to boot!

Makes: 16 cakes, serves 8

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. + 2 Tbs. Olive Oil Mayonnaise
2 Tbs.+ 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
3 tsp. + 1 tsp. honey mustard
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
4 Tbs. minced red bell pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground red cayenne pepper
24 oz. chunk light tuna in water, drained (6 cans)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cup panko
1 tsp. +1/8 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. packed whole capers, drained
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

In large bowl, combine 4 Tbs. mayo, 2 Tbs. lime juice, 3 tsp. mustard, onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, cayenne pepper, tuna and eggs. Mix well. Add panko and fold with fingers to incorporate without over-mixing. Separate into 16 equal patties, 1/2 inch thick.

Over medium heat, add 1 tsp. olive oil and cook patties in groups of 4 (repeating process for each group) about 5 minutes each side or until browned.

Meanwhile, mash capers in small bowl. Add 2 Tbs. mayo, 1 tsp. lime, 1 tsp. mustard, parsley, minced garlic and 1/8 tsp. salt. Whisk until creamy.

Serve 2 croquettes with 1/2 Tbs. of dressing. Enjoy!

tuna

Tuna Noodle Casserole

on by in American, Dinners ⋅ Leave a comment

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This is a staple meal around our house when the weather gets cooler. It’s very easy to make and with a few little tweaks, a rich savory flavor to boot!

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

10.75 oz. cream of mushroom soup
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
10 ounces frozen petite sweet peas, thawed
1 cup fat free milk
10 oz. chunk light tuna in water, drained
12oz. bag extra wide no yolk egg noodles (or dumpling noodles)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 4 minutes. Remove and drain. In baking dish, add noodles. Add cream of mushroom soup, milk, peas and tuna. Mix gently to incorporate. Flatten down with spoon. Cover with 2 cups cheese. Cover cheese with panko. Cover with lid. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Serve.

tunanood

Meatloaf

on by in American, Diabetic Friendly, Dinners ⋅ Leave a comment

meatloaf

These individual sized meatloaves make it easier to keep track of what could possibly be, TOO many calories. But one loaf in it’s self is not bad for you at all, in fact, it’s good for you!

Makes: 6 loaves

Ingredients:

1.5lbs ground sirloin
1/2 c. minced onion
1/4 c. minced button mushrooms
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 c. + 3 Tbs. divided no salt ketchup
1 Tbs. dried parsley
2 Tbs. grated parmesan romano cheese
1 Tbs. Honey mustard
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. course ground black pepper
1 c. finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 large egg
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs

Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, in medium saute pan over medium high heat, add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute to sweat onions, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In large bowl, add 1/2 cup ketchup, parsley, parmesan cheese, mustard, oregano, salt, pepper, white cheddar cheese, ground sirloin, egg and panko. Lightly mix before adding mushroom mixture. Mix thoroughly with hands to incorporate fully. Grease cookie sheet with oil or cooking spray. Form 6 equal loaves and place on sheet. Spread 1/2 Tbs. of ketchup on top of each loaf. Place in oven and cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until thermometer inserted reads 170 degrees.

Pair with boiled potatoes and a nice vegetable for a healthy complete meal!

meatlnut

Country Fried Chicken

on by in American ⋅ Leave a comment

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Oh yeah, it’s bad for you. But it’s sooooo goooood.

Makes: 6 fried chicken thighs

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbs. mccormick’s rotisseree chicken seasoning + 1 tsp. more for sprinkling
2 Tbs. garlic pepper
1 tsp. seasoning salt
2 Tbs. minced dried onion
2 cups skim milk
1 large egg
2-4 cups vegetable oil
2-4 pieces bread

 

Method

In deep dish extra large skillet with lid, add oil. Turn heat to medium, leave lid off. Meanwhile, add flour, chicken seasoning, garlic pepper, salt and onion in shallow dish. Wisk until well blended. In separate bowl, add milk and egg. Wisk until blended.

Test oil by dropping a drop of egg wash in pan. When bubbles, oil is hot and ready. Dredge chicken in egg wash, then flour. Return to egg wash and flour second time before adding to pan. Repeat with all chicken. Let fry 5 minutes uncovered, sprinkling tops of chicken with chicken seasoning. Flip chicken over. Fry 5 minutes more, sprinkling tops of chicken with chicken seasoning. Cover and fry 15 minutes. Turn chicken. Cook 15 more minutes. Remove chicken to plate covered in bread to soak up excess oil. Let rest 10 minutes. Serve.

Capture

Nicki’s Stuffed Peppers

on by in American, Dinners ⋅ Leave a comment

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This was one of my very first recipes 20 years ago when I was learning how to cook. My daughter still loves it today. Even though it is not a difficult recipe, not all recipes should take crazy amounts of skill! Now that she’s learning to cook, these recipes are great for her to start learning from!

Makes: 6 stuffed peppers

Ingredients:

1 box beef flavored rice-a-roni
14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
6 bell peppers of any color, flat bottoms so they will sit up
1.5 lbs. ground sirloin
2 oz. mushrooms, minced
1 cup shredded colbyjack cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice as instructed on box. In medium sized skillet, brown sirloin until no pink is seen, then add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes longer. In large bowl, add meat mixture, rice mixture and tomato sauce. Stir to incorporate. Cut tops off of peppers and deseed. Scoop mix into each pepper to heaping. Place peppers in deep baking dish and fill with 1″ water on the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered. Add cheese equally over peppers and close oven door, turning off heat. Remove when cheese is melted and serve.

pep

Basic Beef Jerky

on by in American, Appetizers, Desserts, Diabetic Friendly ⋅ Leave a comment

hickory smoked teriaki jerky

This may be what we call “basic” but it is super flavorful! My husband recently got a food dehydrator for Christmas and this is what we concocted from it first! We love it so much, we haven’t tried to make another jerky recipe yet!

Makes: 32 – 1 oz. servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs. beef top round steak, cut into 1/8″ slivers
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbs. liquid hickory smoke
2 Tbs. Splenda brown sugar blend
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. course ground black pepper
1 tsp. meat tenderizer
1 tsp. california style garlic powder with parsley
1 tsp. california style onion powder with parsley
1 tsp. paprika

Method:

MARINATE OVERNIGHT

In large glass bowl, add all ingredients except beef and whisk to incorporate. Add beef and toss with hands to make sure meat is thoroughly covered with sauce. Cover tightly and marinate overnight.

The next day, remove meat from bowl and place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using meat hammer, lightly beat down slices to an ultra thin (without falling apart) slice. Arrange meat strips in dehydrator and use your dehydrator’s settings to complete. Ours is a very basic dehydrator with no settings. We rotate the trays as directed by the manufacturer every 2 hours, starting to check meat after 6 hours of cook time. It usually takes a good 8-10 hours for all of our jerky to be complete so make sure you have time!

jerk

Vegetarian Flatout Pizza

on by in American, Diabetic Friendly, Meat Free! ⋅ Leave a comment

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I love thin crust pizza, but this one puts all of the previous ones to shame! 

Makes: 6 flatout pizzas

Ingredients:

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (I use Prego or Ragu)
6 Tbs. sliced baby spinach, stems removed
12 grape tomatoes, sliced
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small onion, minced
4 oz. button mushrooms, minced
1 package of 6 light tomato flatout breads

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with oil. Place 2 flatout breads on cookie sheet and cook in oven 1 minute. Remove and flip. Cook 1 more minute. Remove.

MAKE PIZZAS IN INCREMENTS OF 2 AT A TIME.

Using 1 and 1/3 Tbs. of marinara sauce per bread, spread evenly to edges. Add layer of 1/3 cup cheese per bread. Add two tomatoes worth of tomato slices per bread.  Add 1/6th amount of mushroom and onion per bread.

Return to oven. Cook 4-7 minutes depending on crispness of crust. 4 minutes will get it fairly firm, 7 minutes super crispy!

Cut and serve!

flatoutpizza

Oven Roasted Turkey using Bag

on by in American, Holiday Meal Planner ⋅ Leave a comment

coming soon

 

Yield: Varies by size of bird

Ingredients:
Frozen Turkey with pickle bucket or deep sink
1/4 stick unsalted butter
2 tsp. crushed rosemary
2 tsp. rotisserie chicken seasoning (I use McCormicks)
1 tsp. garlic pepper
1 large sweet apple (honeycrisp, red delicious, gala, jonygold, etc.)
1 large onion
1 oven ready bag
Cookie sheet
foil baking dish
1 Tbs. all purpose flour

Method:

PROPER THAWING OF BIRD

It is extremely important for the safety of your family and your health that you properly dethaw your turkey before cooking. Refrigeration thawing is not optimal since the cool air coming off of the bird as it thaws, will either freeze or spoil surrounding refrigerated items such as fresh vegetables, milk, sour cream, etc. It also takes several days to thaw by refrigeration where thawing by the cold water method takes hours and does not require refrigeration.

Times are approximate, but they are: 30 MINUTES THAW TIME PER POUND FROZEN TURKEY.

If your bird exceeds the size of your sink to be used, use a pickle bucket (5 gallon pail) that has been properly cleaned and sterilized with boiling water before beginning. Your bird must be COMPLETELY SUBMERGED in water during the thawing process. Place your bird in its packaging (do not remove anything, netting, handle, pricetag and all) into the sink or bucket. Completely cover the bird with COLD water. DO NOT USE WARM OR HOT WATER. This will create an environment for breeding bacteria. Turkeys are very dirty birds and precautions must be taken. Change the water every 30-45 minutes until bird is completely thawed. If, by chance, you think it’s thawed and find out otherwise, simply pull out the giblets bag from the cavity and set aside for future use or seal in airtight container/freezer bag and refreeze, and place the turkey inside of an oven bag (the box usually comes with 2 or more bags), seal tightly with tape and repeat process until thawed. You MUST throw away the dethawing bag and use a fresh bag for baking.

PREPARING THAWED BIRD FOR BAKING

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking time: 20 MINUTES PER POUND THAWED TURKEY. You will still need to temp the turkey to internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check this AFTER the turkey popper pops. The turkey popper is just a guideline and does not guarantee that the turkey is cooked through.

Rinse off bird with cold water and remove giblets from inner cavity. Stuff whole apple and onion into cavity. If there is not enough room, slice up apple and shove as much as possible around onion. These items will infuse flavor and juices into the bird. DO NOT STUFF BIRD WITH STUFFING OR OTHER ITEMS TO EAT. It is very dangerous as the bacterias of the bird also soak into the center cavity and there is no way to properly temp the inner cavity of the bird while cooking and it is the last thing to get cooked through. Do not worry about cleaning the apple or onion as they will be discarded once the turkey is finished.

Using paper towels, pat dry the outside of the bird. Using 1/4 stick of butter, smear skin with butter until evenly covered. (Everything covered will give a nice golden brown to your bird). Discard any left over butter into the trash. Sprinkle with rosemary, garlic pepper and chicken seasoning.

PREPARING COOKING BAG

Once your bird is ready, wash your hands thoroughly and soap and hot water and dry them. Then proceed on with prepping the cooking bag. Using 1 Tbs. of flour inside the bag, twist it closed, blown up and shake to cover inside of bag with flour. This is to prevent sticking and I have found, the best way to. It is a light dusting so don’t worry about having to “see” it everywhere inside. If you shook the bag, it’s good! Shake out excess flour. Breast side up, insert your bird, feet towards the opening. Twist closed so the bag is nice and puffy and either tie shut or ziptie shut with provided cooksafe item. Make 6  1-inch slices in the top of the bag to vent.

Place turkey foil tray on top of cookie sheet (this will aid in removing turkey from oven later) and carefully place turkey IN bag inside foil tray. It is now ready to be placed in center rack of oven and bake according to size of bird, listed above. No basting is required and it is actually frowned upon. Set it and forget it!

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO COMPLETELY WASH ALL COUNTERS, UTENSILS, CLOTHING AND SKIN THAT CAME IN CONTACT WITH ANY RAW TURKEY. Also immediately remove all packaging of turkey and throw not only in trash, but in your dumpster to get it out of the house. Salmonella is a very serious bacteria that can make everyone very sick. Simple precautions can help keep you and your family safe this holiday season!

Once your turkey temps out to 165 degrees F., carefully remove from oven. You will notice quite a bit of juices or “drippings” that you will want to save to prepare your gravies (recipes listed). Remove bag from turkey by way of cutting with kitchen shears, watching out for the steam which can burn. Using 2 forks, insert into both ends of turkey through the cavity to lift onto serving plate. Remove apples and onion and discard. Let turkey rest (just sit there undisturbed) for 20 minutes before serving.

With all of that being said, there are many variations of baking a turkey, but this one I have found, works the best for me for a beautiful, moist and delicious bird that doesn’t taste too gamey. Have a good holiday season!