What Would Martha Cook?

Too Busy to Be Unprepared

Focaccia with Chevre and Green Onions

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1 3/4 c. warm water
1 T. dry yeast
4 1/2 c. flour plus scant amount for kneading
1/4 c. olive oil plus 8 T. separated
2 1/2 t. salt
6 oz. goat cheese
1/4 c. minced green onions
1 t. minced garlic
1/8 t. dry crushed red pepper
3 t. coarse salt

Place 1 c. warm water in bowl of heavy mixer.  Sprinkle yeast over and stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand 10 minutes. Mix in one cup of flour and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in volume.

Brush two large baking sheets with olive oil. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Knead for about 2 minutes and let it sit for 10 minutes. Divide it into eight equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball and flatten ball to a disk.  Transfer disks to baking sheets. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  With lightly floured fingers, press dough disks al over, dimpling the surface. Sprinkle evenly each disk with goat cheese, green onions, garlic and crushed red pepper. Drizzle each with 1 t. olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.  Let rise 15 minutes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer bread to racks. Brush each piece with 2 t. olive oil. Serve while warm. From Stacie in the Siesta Fiesta Cookbook. Want one?  Go here for details!

Grocery List
warm water
dry yeast
flour
olive oil
salt
goat cheese
green onions
garlic
crushed red pepper
coarse salt

Approximate Cost: $6.25

Oxford Street Chicken Kabobs

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1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped
1 c. pineapple juice
1 T. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. teriyaki  sauce
1 T. canola oil
1 t. salt
2 t. freshly peeled and grated ginger root
3/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
16 medium fresh mushrooms
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
16 cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
14-16 skewers

In a food processor, combine soy sauce, teriyaki, oil, green onions, sugar, pineapple juice, ginger, allspice, salt, and crushed red pepper and purée.

Pour over chicken pieces in a glass container.  Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. 

Place the chicken, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions alternately on skewers.  Grill over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning once. Make sure the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Adapted from Oxford Street’s Pineapple Chicken recipe and Colorado Collage cookbook.

Grocery List
green onions
pineapple juice
sugar
soy sauce
teriyaki sauce
canola oil
salt
ginger root
allspice
crushed red pepper
chicken breasts
mushrooms
red bell pepper
cherry tomatoes
red onion
yellow bell pepper

Approximate Cost: $8.65

A Different Kind of BLT

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1 loaf French bread
4 T. butter, softened
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crisp
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/2 romaine lettuce head, chopped finely

Cut the French bread in half, length-wise.  Spread 2 T. of butter evenly over each.  Sprinkle 1/2 t. garlic over each. Cook under the broiler of your over on low for 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Sprinkle 1/4 c. cheddar on each half of the bread and put it under the broiler for 1 minute longer.

Evenly place bacon on each half, then add tomato slices and lettuce.  Gentle put the halves together and slice the loaf into 6-7 sandwiches.  Add your favorite condiment (mayo, miracle whip, mustard, etc) and enjoy!

Grocery List
French bread

butter
garlic powder
sharp cheddar
bacon
roma tomatoes
lettuce

Approximate Cost: $3.75

Lobster Cakes

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1 1/2 lbs. lobster meat
1 egg
2 T. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 t. salt (plus scant amount for when it’s cooling)
1 T. mayonnaise
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. chipotle tobasco sauce
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
1 medium white onion, diced finely
1 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs
4 T. butter
3 T. canola oil

Blend egg, bread crumbs, mayo, lemon juice. Worcestershire sauce, tobasco, salt pepper, and cajun seasoning in mixer.  Add onion and lobster meat.  In a deep frying pan melt oil and butter over medium high heat for 3 minutes.  Using small ice cream scoop, scoop about 6 balls in the pan at a time.  Cook for two minutes each on both sides and then two more minutes each on both sides, slightly flattening it into a patty after the first turn.  Let it cool and drain on a plate with two paper towels.  Salt, as you’d like. Serve with shrimp cocktail sauce or malt vinegar.

Grocery List
lobster
egg
lemon juice
salt
mayonnaise
Worcestershire sauce
chipotle tobasco sauce
black pepper
Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
onion
bread
butter
canola oil

Approximate Cost: $8.50 (look for a manager’s special on the lobster and freeze it until you are ready to make it)

Coconut, Berry and Walnut Granola

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6 oz. coconut
2 c. instant, plain oats
3 oz. Craisins
3 oz. dried blueberries (or blueberry Craisins)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. brown sugar (or splenda version of brown sugar)
5 T. honey
1 stick butter

PhotobucketMelt 1/2 stick butter in deep-dish 10″ pie plate or casserole dish (8 1/2 x 11″) in a 350 degree F oven. In a large bowl, blend coconut, oats, craisins, blueberries, and walnuts.  Stir in honey 1 T. at a time.  Add brown sugar and mix thoroughly.

Pour into pan.  Bake for 20 minutes, then stir.  Bake 5 minutes, then stir.  Bake 5 minutes more.  Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.  (I think this is wonderful with Brown Cow Vanilla Yogurt (1/2 c of each mixed together) for breakfast!

Groceries
coconut
oats
craisins
dried blueberries
walnuts
brown sugar
honey
butter

Approximate Cost: $6.75

Baked Flautas

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2 lbs. ground or shredded beef, cooked
2 t. cumin
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, smashed and diced
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 lime, seeds removed
12 of this recipe for flour tortillas or store bought
8 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
3 T. canola oil
1 T. butter

Melt butter and canola oil in a frying pan.  Sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes over medium high heat.  Add cumin and lime and stir. Add shredded beef (can use chicken, too), shredded cabbage salt and pepper, covering it with a lid and cooking it together over medium low heat for five minutes. Set aside.

Freshly cook and lay out 12 flour tortillas (if store bought, please heat on a cast iron skillet for about 15 seconds on each side).  Cover middle with 1 oz. of the cheeses (mix them together first in a bowl).  Then add about 1/4 c.- 1.2 c. meat to each one down the middle.  Roll each one and place on a baking dish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook the flautas for 10-12 minutes (until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly browned.

Groceries
ground or shredded beef
cumin
onion
garlic
salt
pepper
lime
this recipe for flour tortillas or store bought
Monterrey Jack Cheese
sharp cheddar cheese
cabbage
canola oil
butter

Approximate Cost: $7.20