Creamy Mustard Chicken with Toasted Couscous

1-1/2 c couscous
1 t chicken bouillon, instant
2 large chicken breasts, skinned and boned
5 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c half-and-half
2 T chopped parsley
1 T Dijon mustard with seeds

In large bowl, combine couscous, bouillon, 1-3/4 cup boiling water, and 1/4 t salt; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Spread couscous on large plate; let stand at room temperature to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1" cubes. In 12" skillet over high heat, in 3 T hot butter, cook couscous about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and toasted, stirring often. Remove couscous to platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.

In same skillet over high heat, in 2 T hot butter, cook chicken cubes about 5 minutes or until lightly browned, and fork-tender, stirring constantly. With slotted spoon, remove chicken to small bowl.

In drippings in skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion until golden brown and tender. Stir in half-and-half, chopped parsley, and mustard; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Return chicken to skillet; heat. Arrange mixture on platter with couscous.

Serves 4.

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I think I first encountered this recipe in a Good Housekeeping magazine, under recipes with few ingredients. But now I don't think about how many ingredients it has because I just make it, and everyone likes it. It can easily be doubled for more people.

Tandoori Chicken

3 medium onions
salad oil
1 garlic clove
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 T lemon juice
1 T minced, peeled ginger root OR 3/4 t ground ginger
2 t salt
1-1/2 t ground coriander
1 t sugar
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t turmeric
1/4 t ground red pepper
2 2-1/2 lb broiler fryers, cut into quarters

Five hours before serving or early in the day:

1. Dice 1 onion. Slice remaining onions. Set aside. In blender or food processor with knife blade attachment, place diced onions, 3 T salad oil, and remaining ingredients, except chicken. Cover. Blend at high speed until mixture is pureed. Pour mixture into 9"x13" glass or Pyrex dish.
2. Add chicken to marinade, turning pieces to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, turning chicken occasionally.
3. Preheat broiler if manufacturer directs. Place chicken quarters, skin-side down, on rack in broiling pan. Baste with some marinade. About 7-9" from source of heat or at 450F, broil chicken 25 minutes until browned. Turn chicken skin-side up. Baste with marinade. Broil 15-20 minutes longer until fork-tender.
4. Meanwhile, in 3-qt saucepan over medium-high heat, in 2 T hot salad oil, cook sliced onions until golden and tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. To serve, arrange chicken on warm large platter. Top chicken with onion slices. Makes 8 servings.

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This recipe is from the February 1984 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It's a family favourite. I often make it with poori--a whole-wheat deep-fried Indian bread. You can eat it with curry, pilaf, rice, etc. For cooking, I usually allow a total of an hour. I also generally try to make it the night before and marinade overnight. Bon appetit!

The Best Peanut-Butter Cookies Ever

1/2 c peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c shortening
1/2 t soda
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt

Shape into balls and flatten. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350F oven.

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This recipe is from the Kitchen Fare Desserts Cookbook, and it is the best recipe I've found for peanut-butter cookies. I use butter instead of shortening, and the cookies are rich and chewy. Be careful not to overbake them--as with all cookies. Saralynn says they're "delectable."

One-Rise Caramel Rolls

TOPPING
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c whipping cream - do not substitute

FILLING
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c margarine, softened
2 t cinnamon

ROLLS
1 c very warm water
2 T soft margarine
3-1/4 c flour (3 to 3-1/2 cups)
1/4 c sugar
1 t salt
1 package yeast
1 medium egg

In 9"x13" pan, combine brown sugar and heavy cream; mix well. In large bowl, blend warm water, margarine, 1-1/2 c flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and egg at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in remaining flour. Knead on floured surface 1 minute. Press or roll dough to 15"x7" rectangle. In small bowl, combine filling ingredients and spread over dough. Starting with 15" side, roll up (jelly-roll fashion) tightly. Pinch edges to seal. Cut into 20 rolls. Place rolls cut-side-down in cream mixture. Cover. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 35-45 minutes.

Heat oven to 400F. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and rolls sound hollow when lightly tapped. Cool 5 minutes; invert onto foil.

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This is from the Pillsbury Cookbook, and you must use whipping cream. Substitutes don't work. They're a great Saturday-morning breakfast, and my daughter likes to make them for Christmas. They also make good birthday presents, or for a Christmas potluck brunch. Everybody always asks me for the recipe. One of the first times I made it, I made it for our friends, the Crossans. We had them over in 1979, and that's the first time I remember making the rolls.

Oriental Sesame Noodles with Turkey & Vegetables

8 oz vermicelli noodles
1/2 lb mushrooms--medium-sized
1 medium red pepper
1 medium yellow pepper
1 bunch green onions
1/2 lb turkey breast slices--diced and cooked
2 T Oriental sesame oil
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
2 T dry sherry--optional
2 t sugar
1/4 c salad oil
1/2 t salt
1 t sesame seeds

1. In large saucepot, prepare vermicelli as label directs; drain. Return to saucepot.
2. Meanwhile, cut each mushroom into quarters; cut red and yellow peppers into thin strips. Cut green onions into 1" pieces; cut turkey into 1/2"-wide strips.
3. In small saucepan over medium heat, in hot sesame oil, cook crushed pepper one minute. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, sugar, and 2 T water. Stir until smooth (if not using dry sherry, increase water to 1/4 cup); remove saucepan from heat.
4. In 12" skillet over high heat, in hot salad oil, cook mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, green onions, and salt, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, sauce, and turkey to vermicelli in saucepan; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.

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This is a great potluck dish and can easily be doubled. You can substitute chicken for the turkey, and you don't have to use red and yellow peppers; green are fine. Spaghetti is a good replacement for vermicelli, too. Also, you can use a tin of mushrooms instead of fresh ones. See? Very flexible. My family loves this recipe!

Debbie's Oriental Salad

• 1 bunch romaine lettuce in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch sliced green onions
• 1 bunch broccoli flowerettes
• 1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 package Ramen noodles
• 2 T butter

Dressing:

• 1/4 c oil
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/8 c wine vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce

Saute nuts and broken up noodles in butter, and cool. Put lettuce, green onions, and broccoli in salad bowl. Top with the Ramen/nut mixture. Combine dressing ingredients. Add to vegetables. Toss and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 8.

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Note: If I go to a potluck, I take the nut mixture and dressing separately, and then I put them together at the venue so the noodles don't get soggy.

I got this recipe from Debbie, who's a college school-mate with whom I reconnected after almost 35 years. She had us over for dinner in 2003 and served this salad. When I got home, I wrote her a thank-you note and included a blank self-addressed and stamped postcard, asking her to copy out the recipe and send it to me. Sure enough, a few days later, I got the recipe on that postcard!

Jaci's Almond Bars

• 2 c flour
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 t almond extract
• 1/2 t salt

Cream together very well. Spread evenly in greased 9"x13" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F. Cool. Cut into bars.

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Jaci cuts my hair at 3:00 on Thursday afternoons, once every quarter year or so. She doesn't charge anything, so once in awhile I bake something and take it to her. One day I went there, and while she was cutting my hair, she was telling her house-helper to bake something. She listed the ingredients, and I asked her what she was getting made. "Almond bars," she said. So I tried to remember all she said and wrote it down as soon as I got home! Everywhere I take them, they're always a hit, and they're always appropriate for the event or occasion. So that's how I got this recipe--while I was getting my hair cut! Thanks, Jaci!

No-Work Chicken

Place chicken snugly skinside down (I take off the skin) in flat baking dish in one layer.
Make marinade by mixing together the following:

• 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 c dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 T curry powder
• 2 T soy sauce

Pour over chicken and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, turn chicken and cover dish with foil. Bake at 350F for one hour. Remove foil. Baste well. Continue baking uncovered 15 minutes. Serve with bulgar pilaf, or rice.

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I've had this recipe since 1980, probably, given to me by the wife of a retired Cameroon missionary doctor who became a good friend and mentor to me in Orange County (CA). My daughter Lisa calls it "Honey-Mustard Chicken," but it's the same thing. Very easy, and I serve it with rice. The leftover marinade makes a good sauce for the rice. Also great with sourdough biscuits!

Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t baking powder

1. Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy.
2. Beat the egg with a fork in a cup.
3. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix well.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder together in another bowl.
5. Sift the flour mixture (1/3 at a time) into butter mixture and mix well.
6. Shape the dough into a long roll about 2" in diameter.
7. Wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours or longer.
9. When you are ready to bake, cut the cookies off the roll in very thin slices.
10. Put them on a greased cookie sheet.
11. Bake in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes.

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Saralynn got a cookbook way back when she was small called Easy Cooking for Kids by Sandra Sanders. I've edited this recipe a bit for our purposes, using cocoa instead of melted chocolate. But these are easy and taste good, too. The book's rather old and falling apart, but I'm still using it. (Saralynn says she doesn't want it anymore.) Enjoy!

Mocha Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 c butter
• 1/2 c dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 c flour
• 1/4 c cocoa
• 2 T instant coffee powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1-1/2 c (9oz) chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 c coarsely chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350F, rack in centre position.

Cream butter, add sugars; beat. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat.

Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture.

Blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 3" apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten mounds slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove to racks to cool completely.

(Makes 3 dozen)

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This recipe is taken from the book Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies and can be used to make monster-size cookies (as big as 9" across!). The monster cookies are fun to use as birthday gifts (with someone's name written in icing, for example), but they're also great as regular cookies, too. The recipe is a bit different for the monster-sized cookies. Let me know if you'd like to know how it's done.