Southwestern Chicken

• 3 skinless bone-in chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup hot salsa
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil

1. Place chicken in oven proof pan.
2. Stir together the salsa, wine and olive oil.
3. Pour the salsa mixture over the chicken.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F, until chicken feels firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Baste every 15 minutes to keep the chicken moist.

Serves 6.

The recipe is adapted from Quickies: Ten Quick Ways with Everyday Foods,one of my favourite cookbooks.

Spanish Dinner

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups corn
• 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sliced stuffed green olives
• 1 cup instant rice
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. In large saucepan, cook onion in oil, over medium high heat, for 5 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until meat is browned.
3. Add corn, tomatoes, olives, rice and seasonings.
4. Cover tightly. Simmer, stirring often for 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.

_________________________________________

In some areas, cottage roll is called cottage ham, but it should be a tasty and economical dinner, wherever you are. The chef saved the stock and will use it when he makes baked beans in a day or two.

Cottage Roll With Vegetables

• 1 (3 lb) cottage roll (cottage ham)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
• 1 cup chopped cabbage (optional)
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 shallots

Tip: You can add as many vegetables as will fit, and use any size cottage roll that will fit you pan.

1. Place cottage roll in roasting pan or slow cooker.
2. Surround it with chopped vegetables.
3. Sprinkle with pepper and cover roast with water.
4. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours or in slow cooker on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

After cooking, the cottage roll should fall apart like a pot roast.

Serve with mustard (Dijon is the chef’s favourite). The leftover stock can be thicken up as a gravy or makes a great base for beans or pea soup .

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.

Occasionally the chef goes out, and I have to make my own supper. Oh, the suffering! Usually I end up having a tossed salad with a can of tuna, or whatever is left over from the night before. Sometime though, I want a bit more, but don’t want to make a big mess. Cooking in foil pouches is a great solution!

Here’s a recipe that I’ve tried a few times, with excellent results. You can use fish or cooked ham instead of chicken, and whatever vegetables and liquid you prefer. For more than one person this works well too — each person can make a pouch with their own favourites, so everyone’s happy!

Even children enjoy this, when they get to create their own meal. Adults will have to open the pouches though, to prevent steam burns.

Chicken And Vegetable Pouches

1. For each serving, make a pouch, using heavy duty foil, or a double thickness of regular foil.
2. Into the pouch, add:
   1/3 cup instant rice,
   4 oz chicken breast,
   1/2 cup sliced vegetables (e.g. carrots, zucchini and mushrooms), and
   1/3 cup chicken broth.
3. Sprinkle with a pinch each of basil and oregano, or a dash of Italian dressing.
4. Double fold the pouch, to seal the contents.
5. Place all the pouches on a baking sheet, and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes.

Open the pouches carefully, because the ingredients will be steaming hot!

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.

Spicy Ham Jambalaya

In a large frying pan, on medium high, sauté:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion (I used frozen)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped red pepper (I used julienne carrots)
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Cook about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Then, stir in:

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup chicken bouillon
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 2 cups chopped, seeded tomatoes
• 2 cups cubed cooked ham

Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, about 25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the bay leaf, and serve.

Serves 4.

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.

Cajun Dirty Rice

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz) gluten free chicken broth
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1-1/2 cups Minute White Rice
• 2 chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup tomato juice (optional)

1. Brown beef and onion in a large saucepan.
2. Add broth, pepper, celery, chili powder, cumin, and parsley.
3. Add rice and green onions. The mixture will be fairly dry when finished, so if you prefer it moist, add more broth, or the tomato juice.
4. Cover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until rice is tender.

_________________________________________

You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.