I'm sure if I had grown up with "heat" in my food, I'd like it but I don't want to start now.  I sometimes watch the Pioneer Woman who lives in Oklahoma and she uses a lot of spice in her cooking, does a lot of Tex-Mex cooking.  I like things tasty but "heat" is not part of my taste.

Mary Ann

Some quick and easy chicken dinners that you can freeze for left overs or menu plans. These three recipes come from web cooking blogs and I have made all of them.


sticky bourbon chicken with rice
serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1½ lbs. chicken thighs (I used boneless skinless)
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup oil
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup bourbon
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon crushed or sliced ginger (fresh, not dried)
4 cloves crushed garlic
4-5 green onions, cut into thirds or sliced
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
INSTRUCTIONS
THE NIGHT BEFORE: Combine the soy sauce, oil, vinegar, bourbon, and brown sugar in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Place the chicken in a baking dish (a casserole pan or something with high sides) with lid and pour the sauce over the chicken. Toss in the ginger, garlic, and half of the green onions. Cover and marinate overnight (or for as many hours as you have before baking).
THE DAY OF: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the chicken and bake directly in the marinade for 45 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce periodically and/or turning the pieces upside down to get them baking in the sauce on both sides. Cook the rice according to package directions.
When the chicken is done, turn the oven temperature to broil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to get a nice, browned exterior on the chicken. Remove and serve whole or cut, with extra sauce and scallions, over the rice.

GREEK CHICKEN FRIED RICE
YIELD: 4 servings PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 13 minutes
INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large chicken breast, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 cups prepared white rice
2 eggs
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup crumbled cow's milk feta cheese
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:

In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until almost cooked through, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Add onion; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add rice; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Push rice to sides of wok, creating a well in center of wok. Crack eggs into well, scramble vigorously with wooden spoon; cook 2 minutes (keeping eggs in well) or until eggs are full cooked.
Add chickpeas, parsley, cheese, tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until warmed through; stirring frequently.
Home Chef Tip: Fried rice works best with day-old rice! Use leftovers from a previous night's meal, or make a batch of rice the night before. Spread the cooked rice on a small rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer to refrigerator and let sit, uncovered, overnight.

A large skillet works just as well as a wok.

ONE POT CREAMY JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN AND RICE

PREP TIME
10 mins
COOK TIME
25 mins
TOTAL TIME
35 mins

Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced, plus more to garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups instant rice
2 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
3 sprigs green onion, sliced, plus more to garnish
½ cup milk
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup breadcrumbs, to top (optional)
Cilantro, to garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a large, high-walled skillet or pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and oil together. Season the cubed chicken breast with salt and pepper and then add to the pot. Add in the diced jalapenos and saute until the chicken has browned and the jalapeno has softened, stirring and turning often, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about one minute.
Add the instant rice, spices, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed the majority of the liquid, about 10-15 minutes.
Add in the green onion, milk, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese, and stir until completely melted and evenly distributed.
Transfer to oven safe dishes (or keep in the pot, if oven-safe) and sprinkle with breadcrumb. Broil until the tops have browned lightly, 1-2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, sliced jalapeno, and green onion and serve warm.

I use disposable gloves when handling hot peppers and this is good for those who like spice in their food! I also use a oven proof pot for one stop cooking and cleaning.

Spicy Indian Chicken with Green Masala

Ingredients

7 fresh green chile peppers, diced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried turmeric
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions Prep 25 m Cook 35 m Ready In 3 h

Place chili peppers, cumin seed, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric, lime juice, and cilantro into a blender. Puree until the cilantro is very finely chopped, then add yogurt, and puree until smooth. Pour over the chicken drumsticks in a resealable plastic bag, and mix to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.


To cook, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and marinade, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the drumsticks are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients for Ginger Garlic Paste
Chopped Ginger - 1 Cup
Garlic Cloves - 1 Cup
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Rinse and peel ginger, chop in pieces.
~ You can use knife or peeler to do this job.
2. Peel garlic and chop if desire.
3. Grind together ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and oil into smooth paste, check with a spoon if any garlic or ginger pieces left, if yes, give a run again.
4. Use clean, dry spoon and store in clean, dry glass bottle or box and refrigerate.

shelf Life ~3-4 Weeks

Shelf life of this ginger-garlic paste can be 3 to 4 weeks or little more but I don't like to use it for long time so I always make this to last me for a month or less, which is the quantity I mention above.   Always use a clean, dry spoon to take out paste.

Notes ~

~ Always use clean dry spoon, if not paste may change color and get spoil soon.
~ Keep the paste in fridge always, don't let the paste sit on your kitchen worktop.
~ 1:1 ratio works best for ginger-garlic paste so try to keep the same.

Tips To Peel Garlic ~
These are tried and tested tips to peel garlic, do ginger-garlic paste in large quantity and peel more than 1-2 whole cloves of garlic at one shot.
1. Soak garlic cloves in water for 30 minutes, garlic will get peeled easily.  Pat dry well peeled garlic before using.
2. In a large plate take enough wheat flour that can cover garlic cloves and rub between palm for 3-4 minutes, lot of garlic will get peeled and other you can peel off easily.  Clean peeled garlic in kitchen towel to remove excess flour.
~ This is an older  method but I don't do this cause it involves trying to apply pressure while rubbing garlic & flour plus the garlic ends are little hurtful while rubbing.
3. Take a garlic clove and press it's head (top part) or tail (bottom part) on a flat surface or floor, little skin will out you can easily peel of garlic now.
~ It's one of the easiest methods, only thing is sometimes the garlic pod will break if applied too much of pressure.
4.  Start peeling garlic clove head with a small knife.
~ It's again the easy method which normally I follow.

Or just buy it online or at any Indian style grocery.

Angel.  Thanks for posting all of those. I am going to fill my freezer up for sure.  Can tell going to enjoy them. My kind of dishes.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

http://www.purewow.com/recipes/Baked-Sweet-Potato-Fries?utm_medium=email&utm_source=national&utm_campaign=Healthy_Burgers_2016_06_20_a&utm_content=Recipe_editorial

Lasagna Cupcakes
Recipe.
    cooking spray
    1/3 pound ground beef
    salt and ground black pepper to taste
    24 wonton wrappers
    1 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

    1 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    3/4 cup ricotta cheese
    1 cup pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen(R))
    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or to taste (optional)

Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare muffin cups with cooking spray.
    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Drain and discard grease from the beef.
    Cut wonton wrappers into 2 1/4-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. Press one wonton into the bottom of each muffin cup. Sprinkle even amounts of Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese into each muffin cup; top each portion with even amounts of ground beef and pasta sauce.
    Divide 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, half the ricotta cheese, 1/2 the ground beef mixture, and 1/2 cup pasta sauce, between the muffin cups and layer, respectively, atop the wonton wrapper; repeat layering with remaining wonton wrappers, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, remaining ricotta cheese, remaining ground beef, and remaining pasta sauce. Top the 'cupcakes' with remaining Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
    Bake in preheated oven until edges of 'cupcakes' are browned, 18 to 20 minutes; let cook in tins for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the cupcakes to loosen the edges to remove. Garnish with fresh basil to serve.

    Ready In
    45 m

CRUNCHY TALOPIA OVEN BAKED.

This fish tastes so close to being fried without all the fat and calories!"
Ingredients

    1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    pepper
    2 egg whites

    1 pound tilapia fillets
    1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
    1/4 cup cornmeal
    1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

Directions

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees Celsius).
    Sift or stir flour, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish, and set aside. In a bowl, beat egg whites until white and frothy. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs with cornmeal and basil.
    To bread the fillets, dip first into flour, shaking off any excess, then into egg whites, then into bread crumb mixture.
    Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Lay fillets flat in the dish, tucking under any thinner ends or edges for more even cooking. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a folk.

[]HERB CHICKEN NUGGETS.

"These chicken nuggets are tender and delicious! Many friends have asked for the recipe
Ingredients

    4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
    2 eggs, beaten
    1 tablespoon water
    1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
    1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

    1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
    1/2 cup wheat germ
    1 teaspoon dried basil
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
    Trim any fat from chicken and cut into 1-inch cubes.
    In a bowl, beat the eggs with the water and add the chicken.
    Combine the parsley, thyme, red pepper, bread crumbs, wheat germ, basil and pepper. Stir in the oil with a fork and mix well to distribute evenly. Pour seasoning mixture into a resealable plastic bag and toss the chicken pieces to coat.
    Place coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, turn the pieces, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

hERE IS WHERE OUR TOASTER OVEN COME IN HANDY THIS HOT WEATHER.

We had a terrible wind storm last night. Brought a tree down on next do house. Today now it is back in the 90s again. Crazy weather.

These ideas are varied and unique, not just some old tired ideas! All types of foods, drinks and seasonings using an ice cube tray!

http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=17560

Got some really nice fresh green beans at Fresh Market yesterday and had them with scalloped potatoes with a few cubes of ham in them.  Enough leftovers for our big meal today.

For Father's Day my husband got two $60 gift cards for a couple of nice chain restaurants so we have a few restaurant meals waiting for us. .  I love those gifts even more than he does. (I only cook because I have to.  I wish I enjoyed cooking like so many of you.)

I used to love to cook but, like you, FlaJean, now I only cook because I have to.  Once in awhile I will be struck with the desire to cook something special but not very often anymore.  I think if my son wasn't living with me that I would do very little cooking.  Those restaurant cards sound like a wonderful gift to me!

FlaJean - Like you, I only cook because I have to.  It's a major pain for me now, what with the shopping, preparation, cooking and clean-up!  I prepare mostly quick and easy meals, and fortunately for me, my husband is one who will eat and enjoy absolutely anything. We also eat a lot of deli takeout from Whole Foods or a local market. (WF turkey meat loaf is delicious!)

We rarely go to a restaurant, unless it's for an occasion such as a birthday.  It's getting harder and harder for us to "get our act together", and go out to dinner, so we rarely go.  We look forward to watching one hour of news, between five and six, and then eat promptly at six! (our adult kids tease us about that! ha ha) We watch shows on HGTV, until about 7:30, and then start in with the serious stuff on Netflix, Amazon, or On Demand.  Somewhere in between, I try to get the kitchen cleaned up!

Cooking (or not) is one of the top benefits of moving to a retirement complex.  No more cooking, no more grocery shopping, no more meal planning.  And I can eat out, bring in a doggie bag, etc, any time I want to. It's wonderful!

Now I am the opposite. I love to cook. Have since I was about 6 years old. My mother didn't like to and good thing Grandmother lived around the corner. Like people back in her time. Great cooks. Own Bread and everything. I take after her. There were 4 of us when I was married. Now just me but still do for about 4 as I have said before and eat one meal. Save one for next day and freeze 2. Lived alone now 40  plus years and never changes.  Miss the big family meals. Daughter doesn't cook. GD never also  Keeps a drawer full of Restaurants Menu's. Husband I think must have grown up that way also.  I will let them take me out on occasions to one of the 3 restaurants  I like. But I am picky on others. Do not like other peoples food.

I love my crock pot too, however I did some research this week and all the sites I looked at agreed in energy use.  A crock pot takes a lot more electricity than an oven.  It was amazing how much.  Over a given period of time at high crock pot or oven at 350, the crock pot is a really high user of electricity where as an oven is much more energy efficient. 

I use to steam my chicken for salads etc, I no longer do.  I was watching the cooking shows on public TV and food shows yrs ago and Ina Garden and others roast the breasts in oven or rotisserie them.  The difference in taste is incredible.  I often use oven to make soup too....beef or chicken....same difference and I am not chained to stove watching it.  When I buy rotisserie chicken from store it is organic or free range. Once I am home it is deboned, put into freezer containers in one cup sizes to be use as needed.

Delphineaz, Jeanne and all, while I do use the crock pot at night while I sleep, I use it for cooking large portions of meat that I then de bone, shred or toss the skin, before placing in one or two cup freezer bags for the freezer.

I do use the ice cube trays to freeze small portions of sauces, spice mixtures or other items such as flavored butter, before bagging them into the freezer. I do not presently have a microwave as I prefer using the stove instead. I may buy another one, perhaps not.

Since I live in a apartment building for disabled seniors, I pay no electric so do not worry about usage. I do use the oven for roasting vegetables or meat. I tend to cook in large quantities, very lightly seasoned and then freeze for a month or more at a time.

I make soups with the oven, crock pot and the stove top as well. I tend to cook once and then use the frozen foods, vegetables, peppers, spice mixtures and rice to make meals daily and even then I have leftovers that I try to reuse in a new way.

We each have ways that we are comfortable with and I can relate and learn from everyone. I tend to cook more as I've become highly allergic to chemically processed foods such as many canned, dairy or microwavable foods. The last time sent me to the emergency room to a bill of four thousand so I try to eat clean, no processed or microwavable or fast food as I cannot afford another hospital stay.

I really envy all of you who can eat so many different foods so easily!

         FAST THAI CHICKEN CURRY.

         1 4-ounce can or jar yellow curry paste
        3/4 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2"-thick rounds
        1 medium onion, chopped
        1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
        1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3), peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
        1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
        1 13.5-ounce or 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
        Chopped fresh basil and cilantro

       Preparation

        Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, onion, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
        Add potatoes, chicken, coconut milk, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Divide curry among bowls and top with herbs.

       

Hot out still and so today I did my roast chicken and roast potatoes again on top of the stove. Came out great. Enough for tomorrow also. Did some sprouts in the MW and so did not make any heat in the kitchen.  Now will be a Yogurt, Banana and a couple cookies later tonight as I ate dinner at 4pm Had not eaten  lunch.

Today our big meal will be pork chops.  I bought some Shake and Bake and thought I would give it a try.  Our new range has fans that come on when in use.  The oven fan seems to dissipate the heat and doesn't seem to heat up the kitchen like my old one.

Goodness. I havent seen or use Shake and Bake in 30 years. The big thing now is the Japanese  Kinnkomann PANKO. I really use a lot of it.  The original one though as lots of companies copying it now and not good.

The pork chops were good but I like my usual way of cooking them better.  These chops were thicker than what I usually buy so that's why I decided to use the Shake and Bake.  I like the thinner chops and just flour and brown them in a little olive oil or Smart Balance.

How are you MaryC?  Haven't seen you post lately.

I've also been thinking about maryc. I miss her messages here and in the Library~Bookshelf. I hope Al is still doing well, and that they are just busy with summer activities.

Mary C is here,  just lurking.....see my "extended post" in the Library forum!

I've read with interest your conversations about cooking.    I don't do anything out of the ordinary.   Guess I never did,  my specialty was comfort food  when the family was all here sometimes with visitors and later with special friends then spouses.    Nowadays we keep it simple as I think I read that some of the rest of you do. 

  JeanneP,  You commented on the extreme heat.    We've been having it too so that calls for some real easy meals.    We went to the grocery yesterday and I intentionally chose some very easy to prepare foods,  like cooked beef with au jus for beef on weck,    a store made chicken pot pie to be just heated.   You get the picture!

   Someone here commented on the cost of operating a Slow cooker v. using the oven.   That was interesting though I had to wonder about the heat in the kitchen with the over on for a while.   FlaJean,   I thought what you said about your stove fan coming on auto when the heat increases was interesting.   I've not heard of that and wonder if our son has as he is usually right at the top of the class when it comes to new and improved household equipment!   I'll have to ask him.   It seems like a lovely invention.       It doesn't take long for us to get used to conveniences once we have them for a while, does it?    At the grocery yesterday I commented to a lady next to me at the ice cream cabinets.    They light up as you walk along the aisle and yesterday I was trying to find my Vanilla ice cream was and  the lights didn't come on.   She said that maybe someone didn't pay the light bill.      Not to be too boring, but there again when our son and DIL built their most recent home,  he has those handy dandy light switches that turn on when you enter a dark hall and turn themselves off when you leave.  I like them pretty well.    My DH just rolls his eyes!       He's from the era where they were happy to have  a lightbulb overhead with a pull chain.   We are pretty pampered in this day and age with all of our automatic stuff.

My big kitchen stove has the option of using either baking with Convection, which turns on a fan, or just regular baking without a fan. I rarely ever use the Convection option.  If I baked cookies or pastries often I would probably use it since it circulates the air inside the oven and supposedly bakes more evenly.  When we bought this stove I thought I would use the convection a lot.  I don't.   

I thought I wanted a convection microwave.  I didn't use that either so that microwave oven is stored in the basement and I use my small plain microwave which works just fine for me.

Most of these kitchen "gadgets" are a waste of money.  IMO. 

Re Phyllis's comments on new kitchen gadgets......ain't it the truth though?   

I used to work where they sold appliances and I learned to be a middle-of-the-roader as far as they were concerned.  I want some conveniences, but not all.  And the more gadgets, the higher the prices.

Mary Ann