Dinner on the Double with Fried Rice!

We all know that for speedy suppers that are big on flavor and low on prep time, we should plan ahead for leftovers. For instance, roast an extra chicken for a quick casserole later in the week, or saute a second helping of vegetables to toss with tomorrow night's pasta.

If this plan-ahead idea appeals to you, then you'll want a list of a few foods that work well this way. Rice is a perfect example. Leftover rice makes a great one-dish meal--Fried Rice--when time is at a premium. Use a combination of chopped cooked chicken and ham, or substitute leftover beef, pork, or shrimp; simply adjust the ingredients according to what's on hand. If you prefer a spicier version, bump up the heat with another teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce. Available in the Asian section of most supermarkets, it's a fiery-hot blend of ground chili peppers and garlic that also adds fast flavor to marinades and pasta sauce.

All this said, let's do FRIED RICE 101:

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
Add 2 lightly beaten large eggs, and gently stir 1 min., or until softly scrambled
Remove eggs from skillet; chop and set aside
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in skillet
Add 1/2 C diced onion, 1/2 C diced bell pepper; stir-fry 3 min.
Add 1 C chopped cooked meat, poultry, or shrimp
Add1/2 C frozen sweet green peas; stir-fry all for 2 min.
Add 3 C cooked rice, 1/4 C soy sauce, 1 tsp chili-garlic sauce
Stir-fry all for 3-4 min., or until heated through
Stir in scrambled eggs
Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sliced almonds

This serves 4, takes about 10 min. to prep and about 10 min. to cook. And what a terrific use for leftover rice!

Can you suggest other leftover foods that you've found work well into next-day dishes? Please comment with your ideas. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Lighter Dinners for Brighter Days

My husband, Rich, just about worships Daylight Savings Time. He collects and restores antique John Deere tractors, so he loves the idea of having more daylight after he comes home from work--more time to work on his babies. Me, not so much--probably stems from the days when I struggled to get "my babies" to bed during the daylight--"It's not bedtime, it's still light outside!" (even though it was 9:00 pm), was what I always heard.

Anyway, it is that time of year again. Energy levels soar with the warming temperatures and the increasing daylight hours. Appetites shift, too--to lighter, brighter fare that emphasizes fresh flavors over fat. In this recipe, the main ingredient (bow tie pasta), is punched up with the tastes of fresh veggies and balsamic vinegar. It's just the kind of food we're looking for as we move outdoors and into the light.

And if YOU have any lighter recipes you really like, please share. We're all in this together, so let's help each other out. I've never seen the sense in re-inventing the wheel! And until next time, happy cook'n!

Bow Tie Pasta with Grilled Vegetables (serves 4)
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/4 C water
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb thin asparagus
2 portobello mushroom caps
1 medium red onion, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
8 oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)
l large tomato, chopped
3/4 C (3 oz) crumbled feta cheese

In large bowl, combine basil, water, vinegar, oil, pepper and garlic; blend well. Add asparagus, mushrooms, onion and bell pepper; toss to coat.

Heat grill. Remove vegetables from balsamic mixture; reserve mixture. Place vegetables on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4- to 6-inches from medium coals. Cook 4-8 min. or until tender, turning once. Watch vegetables carefully since cooking times will vary. Coarsely chop vegetables; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook farfalle according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 pasta water. Drain farfalle; place in large serving bowl. Toss farfalle with reserved balsamic mixture. Add grilled veggies, tomato and cheese; toss to combine. If necessary, add 2-4 Tbsp reserved pasta water for additional liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Campbell's Soups Oughta Get an Award!

I bet we have something very much in common, see if you relate: Over the years I have been collecting Campbell's Soup recipes, and relying on one of their soups to help me whip a quick dinner at least one night a week. How about you? I really think they oughta get an award for all the last-minute cooks they've bailed out.

This said, I can see I'll need to turn to the Great Swami of Cookin' Magic (Campbell's, of course) again, because my Saturday is looking pretty packed. So I found yet another recipe that looks and sounds mouth-watering. Do you have easy recipes using soups? Please share--I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but we really are all in this together, so let's share the good stuff! And until next time, happy cook'n!

EASY CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE (serves 4)

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 1/3 cups water

3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 pound)

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• Heat the oven to 375°F. Stir the soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper and vegetables in a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Top with the chicken. Cover the baking dish.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Top with the cheese. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes. Stir the rice before serving.
• Serving Suggestion: Serve with a Caesar salad. For dessert serve frozen Italian-style water ice or gelati.
• Alfredo: Substitute broccoli flowerets for the vegetables and substitute 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for the Cheddar cheese. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese with the soup. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Lower Fat: Use Campbell's® 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup instead of regular soup and use low fat cheese instead of regular cheese.
• Mexican: In place of the onion powder and black pepper use 1 teaspoon chili powder. Substitute Mexican cheese blend for the Cheddar.
• Italian: In place of the onion powder and black pepper use 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed. Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for the Cheddar.

Let's Talk Cream Cheese!

We've been baking and cooking with cream cheese for generations. It's the perfect ingredient for a variety of foods from appetizers and side dishes to main meal fare and desserts. This one little ingredient alone can add a real touch of elegance to even the simplest of recipes. The smooth creamy texture can be spread, blended, melted, baked, cooked or simply topped onto your favorite dish. I like it so much I can just eat it plain and I sort of specialize in coming up with unusual ways to use it.

For instance, I like to thin it with milk and use it as the base for my hot cocoa. I know, that is so decadent and so not good for me, but sometimes who cares? I also like to thin it with salsa. Oh man, this is so good with chips or added to any Mexican recipe! And I also like to add it to scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes (or chunk it atop my baked potato). AND--here's the doozey: I love to puree it with blueberry or cherry pie filling and pour it over vanilla ice cream. Oh, be still my heart...

Do YOU have some ideas for cream cheese use? Please share--as I keep saying, we're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff (starting with cream cheese--ha ha). Now, here are a few really cool cream cheese recipes I found years ago in a Philadelphia Cream Cheese booklet my Aunt Annie had tucked away. So enjoy, and until next time, happy cook'n!

FETTUCINE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM (serves 8-10; 30 min. to prep)
2/3 C sun-dried tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves
1 (8oz) container soft cream cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 butter
1/4 C sour cream
1 lb fettuccine, cooked, drained
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Cover tomatoes with boiling water; let stand 10 min. Drain. Place tomatoes and garlic in food processor or blender; process until coarsely chopped. Add cream cheese and oregano; process until well blended. Melt butter in medium saucepan; stir in cream cheese mixture and sour cream. Cook until thoroughly heated. Toss hot fettuccine with oil. Add cream cheese mixture. Season wit hsalt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.


ENCHILADAS SUIZAS (serves 6; 25 min. to prep)
This spicy meatless main dish is sure to become a family favorite!

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened and divided
1/2 C green onion slices
1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 (2 oz) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3 eggs
12 corn tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil (for warming tortillas)
2 (8 oz) jars enchilada sauce
1 (4 1/2 oz) can chopped pittted ripe olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat half of cream cheese and onions in small mixing bowl at medium speed until well blended. Reserve for topping.

Beat remaining cream cheese, 1 1/4 C Cheddar cheese, 1 1/4 C Monterey Jack cheese, chilies and cumin in large mixing bowl at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Warm tortillas in lightly oiled skillet. Spoon 2 Tbsp Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place in 13x9 baking dish; top with enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheeses. Bake 20 min. or until thoroughly heated through. Top with reserved cream cheese mixture and olives.

SALMON TORTELLINI (serves 6-8; 30 min to prep)
1 (7 oz) pkg cheese tortellini, cooked, drained
1 (8 oz) container soft cream cheese with smoked salmon (Philadelphia brand makes this)
1/2 C finely chopped cucumber
1 tsp dried dill weed or 2 tsp fresh dill weed

Mix cream cheese, cucumber and dill weed well. Lightly toss hot tortellini with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.


SALSA CORN CHOWDER (serves 6-8; 35 min to prep)
1 1/2 C chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
3/4 - 1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen corn, thawed
2 C salsa
1 (13 3/4 oz) can chicken broth
1 (4 oz) jar chopped pimiento, drained
1 (8 oz) container soft cream cheese
1 C milk
Cilantro to taste

Saute onions in butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Add corn, salsa, broth, and pimiento. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Gradually add 1/4 C hot mixture to cream cheese in small bowl, stirring until well blended. Add cream cheese mixture and milk to saucepan, stirring until well blended. Cook until thoroughly heated. Do not boil. Top each serving with sprig of cilantro. Serve immediately. This is FANTASTIC!

When Time is Short: Spuds to the Rescue!

Forget to plan supper? Only an hour before the gang arrives? Then it's time to take advantage of those magnificent, but often ill-used convenience food products. Spur-of-the-moment anxiety will become spud-of-the-moment satisfaction (is that cute, or what!). And best of all, no one will know dehydrated, canned, or frozen potatoes helped you out!

Here are some of our favorite potato recipes that have fed and dazzled folks at the Osborne table. They're not just tasty, they're easy to make, and draw on ingredients pretty common to most pantries. Try these out and let me know what you think. Also, please comment--I'd love to know what recipes have bailed YOU out when time was short. We're all in this together, remember, so let's share the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

SALISBURY SKILLET SUPPER (serves 4; this makes great leftovers)
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 can (5.3 oz) evaporated milk, undiluted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 C soft bread crumbs (2 slices)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp onion flakes
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can (16 oz) sliced potatoes, drained; liquid reserved
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 envelope ( 1 5/8 oz) onion soup mix

Combine beef, milk, egg, bread crumbs, salt, and onion flakes in large bowl; blend thoroughly. Shape into 4 large 1-inch thick oval patties. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet on moderate heat. Add patties; brown on both sides. Drain, if necessary. Add enough water to reserved potato liquid to equal 1 cup. Add potatoes, peas, mushrooms, soup mix, and 1 coup potato liquid to beef mixture. Heat to a boil; simmer, covered, 20 min., stirring once during cooking, to blend. REALLY good.

QUICK SAUSAGE-VEGGIE STEW (serves 6)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp instant minced onion
1 tsp instant chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (16 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) sliced carrots, drained
1 can (8 oz) french cut green beans
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 oz cooked Kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch slices (or substitute 1 lb of cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage)
1 can (16 oz) sliced potatoes, drained
1/4 C chopped celery
1 Tbsp minced parsley
1 can (7.5 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough, separated
Sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 2-qt casserole; set aside. Combine cornstarch, onion, bouillon, basil, and salt in large saucepan. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, carrots, green beans, and Worcestershire. Cook and stir until thickened. Add sausage, potatoes, celery, and parsley; heat until bubbly. Turn mixture into prepared casserole. Quickly arrange biscuits on top with sides touching. Sprinkle on sesame seed. Bake for 12-15 min., or until biscuits are golden brown.

GARDEN POTATOES (serves 3-4; an unusual combination that is very good)
1 can (16 oz) whole potatoes, undrained
1/4 C peeled, chopped cucumber
2 Tbsp minced green pepper
3 medium radishes, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
1 Tbsp minced parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sour cream

Heat potatoes in 1-qt saucepan; drain; set aside and keep hot. Combine cucumber, green pepper, radishes, onions, parsley, and salt in small saucepan. Stir in sour cream. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until heated through; do not boil. Pour mixture over hot potatoes; stir to coat.

QUICK POTATO CHEESE SOUP (serves 4)
2 Tbsp onion flakes
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 C instant potato flakes
1 1/2 C milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 C shredded Cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
2 Tbsp minced parsley

Combine 2 1/2 C water, onion flakes, bouillon, and garlic powder in saucepan. Bring to a boil; simmer 5 min., or until bouillon is dissolved. Stir in potato flakes. Slowly stir in milk. Add Worcestershire, cheese, and bacon. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted; do not boil. Garnish each serving with parsley.

HOT TIP: Buy a pound or two of bacon. In a large pot, fry it all up; drain off fat. Freeze some strips in a plastic freezer bag for use later on BLTs; crumble the rest, place in a plastic freezer bag for use later in this soup and lots of other recipes. Time spent on the front end can save tons of time on the back end!

End of Winter Apples--Dessert's Best Friend!

As you move through the produce section of your grocery store, have you noticed some "killer deals" on apples lately? There are two times of year apples are super affordable--Autumn when they first come on, and the end of winter (all the storage bins are being emptied and readied for the next crop).

While it's true the end of winter batch tends to be a little mushy, these apples are nonetheless just right for desserts, bars, and cookies. I just bought a big bag and have great plans for them. Here are a few of the recipes I found in an issue of a 1998 Eating Well magazine that I'll be making in the next week or so:

APPLE CUSTARD TART (serves 8)
CRUST
1/2 C old-fashioned oats
1/2 C flour
1Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar, well packed
3/4 tsp baking powder (I prefer non-aluminum, such as Rumford's)
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
3 Tbsp water
FILLING
6 Tbsp sugar, divided
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 medium apples
1/3 C cottage cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, or coat with nonstick spray. Spread oats in a pie pan; bake for 7-15 min., or until toasted. Let cool. Process in a food processor until finely ground.

In a large bowl, stir together ground oats, flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. Drizzle oil onto dry ingredients and mix with a fork or your fingers until crumbly. Use a fork to stir in water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until dough just comes together.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead 7-8 times. Roll dough out into an 11-inch circle. Transfer dough to prepared pan, pressing to fit. Trim edges. Prick bottom of crust in a few places with a fork and line with foil or parchment paper. Fill with pie weights, dry beans, or rice. Bake crust for 8-12 min., or until firm. Remove foil or parchment and weights; cool on wire rack.

For filling: In a bowl, mix 3 Tbsp sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and cinnamon. Peel, core and cut apples lengthwise into 12 wedges each, tossing apples in sugar mixture as you work. Arrange apples in a single layer in prebaked crust and drizzle with any liquid from bowl. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 min., or until apples are tender but still hold their shape.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree cottage cheese until smooth. Add cream cheese, egg, vanilla, salt and remaining 3 Tbsp sugar; process until smooth. Pour over apples. Bake tart for 15-20 min. more, or until custard is set. Let cool on wire rack. Serve warm or chilled. I plan to serve this with lots of sweetened whipped cream (yeh, I know...).

FRESH APPLE SQUARES (makes 16 squares)
1 1/2 C flour
1 C old-fashioned oats
1 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 tsp baking powder (as usual, non-aluminum; I prefer Rumford's)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1/4 C apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 tart medium apples (Granny Smith, etc.), peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1/4 C coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch square baking pan or coat it with nonstick spray. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Work in oil and apple juice concentrate with your fingers until coarse crumbs form.

Firmly press 2 C of the oat mixture into prepared pan. Arrange apples over crust in three rows. Mix nuts into remaining oat mixture. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over apples and pat firmly into an even layer. Bake for 30-35 min., or until top is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

And for a yummy Sunday morning breakfast:
BAKED APPLES WITH GRANOLA (serves 4)
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 large apples
3 Tbsp sugar
2/3 C granola of your choice
1 large egg white
1 1/2 C apple cider

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Peel apples nearly halfway, leaving skin on bottom halves. with a paring knife, carefully cut out apple cores, leaving bottoms intact. Holding the paring knife at a 45 degree angle, widen the opening at the top of each apple by about 1/2 inch. Place apples in an 8-inch square or round baking dish. Brush peeled parts of apples with 1 Tbsp butter mixture and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar.

In food processor, pulse granola until it forms coarse crumbs. Add egg white, remaining butter mixture and 1 Tbsp sugar; pulse until just combined. Spoon granola mixture into apples, spreading it slightly over tops and mounding up a bit. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp sugar. Pour cider into baking dish around apples.

Bake apples for 50-60 min., or until tender and filling is puffed and lightly browned. (Cover apples loosely with foil if browning too quickly.) Cool in pan for about 15 min. Serve warm, spooning pan juices over apples. I will also be adding dollops of sweetened whipped cream. (Yeh, yeh, I know...)

Do YOU have an apple recipe you could share? Please do--as I always say, we're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Throw In a Little Surprise With Your St. Patrick's Day Celebration!

We always got a kick out of St. Patrick's Day at our house. I'd make green milk, green butter, green pancakes, green apple juice, and green scrambled eggs for the family breakfast that morning. There was the usual pinching anyone who forgot to wear green, the corny Irish jokes ("What's Irish and stays outside all year long?" "Patty O' Furniture!" for instance), and a fun green dessert for dinner that evening.

One of the things the kids liked to do was hide their touch of green, so they could "double-pinch" anyone who mistakenly pinched them for what was assumed a lack of green in their outfit. They just delighted in fooling people. So it occurred to me this morning, why not insert a little surprise into a St. Patrick's Day dinner--why not fool folks at the dinner table? (You're probably thinking right now, "This chick's got a lot of time on her hands...")

Anyway, I found a recipe for an orange chiffon pie that I am going to add food coloring to. So the family will see it and think, "Oh, Key Lime Pie for St. Patrick's Day. Great idea." And then they'll bite into it and ha ha! NOT lime, but orange! I'll let you know how it all turns out (the pie and the reactions). Meanwhile, here's the recipe, and don't forget to share any fun St. Patrick's Day ideas YOU have--we're all in this together, remember, so let's share the good stuff. And as always, happy cook'n!

FLUFFY ORANGE (but we'll make it GREEN) PIE (makes one 9-inch pie)
2 C vanilla wafer crumbs (takes about 50 wafers)
1/3 C butter, melted
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 (6 oz) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 C (1/2 pint) whipping cream, whipped
Green food coloring (enough to turn the mixture a nice green)

Combine crumbs and butter; press firmly on bottom and up side to rim of pie plate. Chill. Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then juice concentrate, until smooth. Add green food coloring and mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into crust. Chill to hrs or until set. I would make extra whipped cream, color it green as well, to garnish pie with. You can't have too much whipped cream, anyway!