wolf's Kitchen Adventures
 

Since I've had to spend more time in the kitchen preparing meals for momwolf, I decided to post some of the highlights here.

So far I have not set fire to the kitchen. This is particularly good since we have an oxygen concentrator running 24 hrs a day, and have a spare tank sitting in the dining room.

First, I find it important to share the information that once you have a quesadilla maker you will run out of cheese before you run out of things to squish between two tortillas.

Okay, i didn't really go out and get a quesadilla maker, but it is my favorite attachment to my new George Foreman 360 grill. It has removable grill plates. There is also a griddle attachment.

Lemon Basil Chicken
 

There are actually far more complex directions to this recipe, involving pan frying, removing to a plate, reducing the sauce, and all kinds of crap I just don't have the patience for.

wolf version ...

8 boneless breasts of chicken.

This is, in fact, enough chicken to feed an army. Leftovers are part of the point here, unless you decide to make this for a party or something. You will have enough meat and stock for soup and a couple of rounds of chicken salad or whatever.

So, throw the chicken boobs into a crock pot.

Slice up three tablespoons of fresh basil throw that on top of the chicken.

Hide four tablespoons of butter amongst the chicken titties.

zest a lemon, throw two teaspoons of the peel in there.

squeeze the lemon, two tablespoons go into the crockpot.

Pour 1 cup of chicken broth over everything.

Ignore it on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Gorge yourself on lemon basil chicken goodness.

The stock will be pretty thin, think soup rather than sauce. You can reduce it by half in a pan in order to use it as sauce, otherwise, consider it soup, and cut up a couple of the breasts into it, and since you have leftover broth anyway, use it to cook up some carrots, celery, and other favorite soup veggies, and then add that into the breasts and broth.

Beast Stew
 

Another crockpot triumph. I rather enjoy this whole indifferent approach to cooking.

Momwolf won't eat it because I did not put potatoes in it.

And I used organic carrots. not intentionally, really, but because they were on sale.

bunch of meat, bag of carrots (pre-peeled, because I'm that lazy), three stalks of celery (cut into wee pieces myself because I am that cheap), and an onion (had one in the kitchen already), can of low sodium beef broth (another reason momwolf won't eat it ... lack of salt).

6 hours later, beefy goodness.

Stir Fry Marinade
 

orange mango juice
ground ginger
soy sauce (itty bitty dash, we're watching sodium here)
rice wine vinegar
sesame oil

works for either chicken or beef.

Important safety tip ... don't buy the precut supermarket stirfry beef. It's too darn chewy. Buy some good meat and slice it down yourself.

I like your attitude, minimize labor, fill gut with tasty stuff. :thumb:

These are great recipes! I like your writing style. Any chance of a book?

Try ribs in the crock pot. Throw in ribs, dump in a bottle of bar-b-q sauce, let it rip.

Did you explain to momwolf how the salt shaker works?

I make low-sodium stuff too, because one of the gifts I got for my 41st birthday was freakishly high blood pressure. My family has become accustomed to the phrase "pass the salt."

hehe I like your writing style too and the recipes sound great.

Unfortunately, she knows how it works, which is why I am hiding it from her. Well, not hiding it, exactly, but I won't put it on her table, and she's unable to walk to the kitchen on her own to get it.

(you probably missed the thread where I explained that momwolf is in chronic congestive heart failure and is in home hospice care, which is why I have to prepare meals for her rather than her doing so for herself)

I'm sorry, wolf. I didn't mean to be so flip about it. Yes, I did miss the thread, and again I apologize.

Still, you could try the trick we played on DH's dad -- put some tape on the inside of the salt shaker so he thinks he's salting his food (he will add salt even before tasting) but isn't. :)

Croissant French Toast
 

Double whammy ... French bread-like substance to make French toast.

Stupidly simple, though.

Eggs, milk (if you want even more fat, go right to the half and half or cream option), vanilla, buncha cinnamon, hair of nutmeg, dollop of maple syrup (real deal, no Log Cabin, please!). Whisk vigorously. Then cut a bunch of croissants in half and soak in the egg mixture.

Heat griddle and throw as much on at a time as you can. Top with whatever you prefer on your French toast. I come from a butter and syrup family, but I have had friends who go in for the dusting of powdered sugar.

I used "petite" croissants, which makes you think you're doing better for yourself because they are smaller pieces, but go on ahead and eat a lot more than you think you should. It's that good.

What about potassium? Is that still used as a salt substitute?

I dunno. Hubby bought me some salt substitute and it was NASTY.

I just decided back in college that I wasn't going to use salt out of a shaker any longer. Haven't really missed it. Of course I make up for reduction in sodium via snack chips ...