Stealthy Spy Cooking

Bethany's Stew

2009-01-26T00:25:00.000-08:00

1. Put the stew meat in a ziploc or a container, add a couple tablespoons of flour, and salt & pepper to taste. Shake or stir to coat flour.
2.Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large stockpot. Add garlic paste and meat. Cook stirring a bit till meat is browned.
3. Add stewed tomatoes and 1 or 2 cups of water plus the appropriate amount of bouillon. (Depends how much stew you want, exact amounts aren't really necessary.)
4. Seasonings: If you have Worcestershire sauce, add a couple of slugs of that. If you have a bay leaf, add one. Add a teaspoon or so of oregano or marjoram or a little of both. If you have onion powder or something like that you can add a bit for flavor, since you don't have onions.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours.
6. Add peeled, diced potatoes.
7. Slice up 2-3 stalks of celery and add that.
8. Add some green beans chopped into 1-inch lengths if you have them still.
9. Turn heat up and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, till potatoes are fork-tender.
10. If you want to add frozen or canned corn and frozen peas, however much you want, you can do that and cook for five more minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slow Cook Chicken Tortilla Soup

2006-12-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

Slow Cook Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

SOUP
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
- 1 medium/small onion
- 4 jalapeno peppers (chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups water
- 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can mexican corn
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

CHIPS:
- 7 corn tortillas
- olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes (I blender mine first), enchilada sauce, onion, chilies and garlic into slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, paper and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

2. (for chips) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10-15 minutes

5. (for soup) Remove chicken, cut/shred on cutting board and return to soup. Serve in bowls and garnish with avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips etc... YUM!

stolen and only slightly modified from allrecipes.com

Aunt Keren's Secret Lemon Sauce

2006-06-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Secret Lemon Sauce for Chicken (or fish)
Saute two cloves crushed garlic in two TBS butter until soft.
Add 1.5 cups H2O with two/three cubes chicken bullion.
(if you need to cut sodium, use canned low/so chicken stock)
Stir in half cup fresh lemon juice and four packets SPLENDA*.
Bring to boil.
In small cup whisk 1 TBS cornstarch to quarter cup cold water.
Stir slowly into sauce to thicken as you like.
Can add capers for Picatta Sauce.

*or sugar

Apple Pie

2006-04-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Pie Crust Recipe from my Pastry Mat

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup iced water

Sift flour, salt and sugar together. Cut in the butter until dough is crumbly. Add enough iced water to the crumbs so that they hold together. Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Roll out on the pastry mat to the desired size.

(Double this if you want a top for the bottom of your pie.)

The Apple Pie Recipe from my Pastry Mat

6 1/2 cups apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice**
2, 9-inch pastry crusts, uncooked
1 tablespoon of flour (for bottom crust to keep apples from gettting soupy)*

Line 9" pie pan with one pie crust. Mix sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large mixing bowl. Add apples and toss to coat. Transfer apple mixture to lined pie pan and sprinkle with lemon juice and cover with remaining crust. Seal edges and cover crust edges with pie shields.** Cut holes or lightly pierce crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425 degrees F for 35-45 minutes.

**I skip this
* I added this

Dad's Chicken Wings

2005-05-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

Dad's Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

8 to 10 chicken wings
2 scallion stalks
1/4 c. soy sauce (Chinese soy = never Kikoman. Ooops. I disobeyed this one.)
1/4 c. sherry (either straight sherry or a Chinese cooking wine like "Shao Xing Cooking Wine")
l/2 c. water.
1-2 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp.five spice (not in original recipe)

Directions:

l. Chop off and discard bony tips of chicken wings; then cut each wing in two. (Mine came already cut up in the package) Cut scallions in 1 " sections.
2. Place wings and scallions in a pan with soy sauce, sherry, water,sugar and five spice.. Bring to a boil; then simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
3. Uncover pan and simmer 15 min. more, stirring and basting frequently for uniform color. Refrigerate to chill if using as appetizers. We serve warm with rice and side dish of cucumbers sliced with cut up scallions and seasoned rice vinegar.

Serves 6-8 (except in our family--Serves 4 or 2 really really big eaters)

My mother-in-law informs me that the recipe is one they got from the Gloria Bley Miller's "The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook" It's called "Red-Simmered Chicken Wings". on Pg. 108.

Toby's Favorite Chili

2005-03-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Toby's Favorite Chili

Ingredients:
1 big onion
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
1 orange bell pepper
1 large can stewed (without their juice) tomatoes pureed in a blender
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup stock
1/3 cup red wine
enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan
1 tablespoon oregano
2-3 tablespoons of chili pepper
a dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 small can of tomato paste
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans

Directions:
1. Pour yourself a glass of wine to drink while you cook.

2. Chop onions, garlic, celery, peppers.
Brown ground beef in small amount of olive oil. (Drain when done if extremely fatty, but leave some it holds it together)
Mix in onions and garlic and sauté together briefly.
Throw in celery and peppers, sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add pureed stewed tomatoes and tomato paste.

3. Pour in stock and wine.
Season with salt, pepper, orregano, cayenne pepper and chili powder.
Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat for 1- 1 and a half hours.

4. Rinse beans and add to pot. Let the stew bubble for 15 minutes or so.

5. Drink the rest of your glass of wine and enjoy!

Potato Soup

2005-02-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 lbs* of potatoes peeled and cubed
whole milk**
butter
salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 stalks of celery
1 big onion
Bacon bits (fry it up, store bought bacon bits are gross)
scallions or green onions
sour cream

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes until done (stick a fork in them to tell). Drain off water.
2. Mash potatoes.
3. In another pan saute chopped onion and chopped celery (I used olive oil to saute with).
4. Add sauted onions and celery to mashed potatoes.
5. Add butter and milk until desired consistency is reached (wing it).
6. Add cheese and cook until cheese is melted.
7. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, freshly chopped scallions and bacon bits.

*I didn't know how many potatoes that would be either until I read the bag and it said each potato weighed aproximately 1/2 a pound. So if you're using biggish baking sized potatoes that would be 6 potatoes.

**I used 2% I couldn't tell the difference

"Leila's Pie Crust"

2005-01-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

"Leila's Pie Crust"
I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. I haven't tried it yet but I'm stashing it here for safe keeping.

3 cups flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups shortening (I like butter or yellow shortening)
1 egg beaten
5 Tablespoons water (ice cold)
1 teasponn vinegar.

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a
pastry blender until consistency of coarse meal. Combine egg, water and
vinegar together and add to dry ingredients. Mix with fork. Do not over
mix as dough will be heavy. Divide into four equal parts. Wrap in
plastic wrap and freeze or use immiediately.

Besides the pastry blender, you should buy a pastry cloth and cover for
your rolling pin. Before rolling out dough, sprinkle flour on cloth and
distribute evenly over your cloth. roll dough from center out and check
to make sure it's not sticking. If it is , sprinkle cloth with more
flour as before. I sometimes put my pie pan upside down on the dough
and cut around it 2 " out. If there is dough missing from the circle,
dab that spot with a little water and attach a piece of the dough you've
cut off and flatten slightly with rolling pin. To move it to your pie
pan. roll the dough onto your pin and roll out onto the pie pan. Fold
over the edges and crimp wiith your two index fingers that are dusted
wiith flour. If your making a single crust pie, prick the bottom all
over with a fork. You also can buy pie weights that will help the pie
dough from shrinking.

Left over dough is good if baked with a topping of cinnamon and suger
sprinkled on top.

Fiesta Chicken

2004-10-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

Fiesta Chicken!
(my mom's recipe)

Ingredients:
- Chicken (legs thighs, breasts or pieces, tofu that looks like chicken--anything goes)
- 1 package hidden valley ranch dry fiesta ranch dressing
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack if you've got it!)

Directions:
1. Place chicken in baking dish
2. Dust powder mix over chicken
3. Bake at 350 until chicken is done (could this be any easier?)
4. Sprinkle cheese over chicken and leave in until cheese melts
5. Serve with sour cream, black beans and a green salad
6. Fiesta!

The Famous Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

2004-10-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Best Cookies in the Whole World
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
we snagged this from a kraft magazine

BEAT 2 cups softened butter with 1 cup sugar, then stir in 4 cups flour

STIR in a few handfuls of dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls on un-greased cookie sheet.

BAKE at 350 degrees F for about 10-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes then remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire racks.

Makes about 4 dozen and they melt in your mouth like Buttah! Um... that would be because they are butter. Four sticks of butter for one batch. Oh yeah.