Leftovers are now Pasta Salad

What do you do with leftovers? I usually eat them as separate parts of a whole meal- as an entree and a side-dish, but lately I've been making pasta salad. Here's what I did today: I took Sunday's leftover chicken salad and added yesterday's grilled veggies which I chopped, and today's angel hair pasta. Then I added a heaping Tb mayonnaise, 1 TB Italian salad dressing, one tsp sugar, some salt and pepper to taste and now I have two servings of delicious pasta salad.

Turkey Burgers/Turkey Loaf -IBS

1 & 1/2 Pounds Ground Turkey

1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Original

5 large cloves of Garlic minced

3 egg whites

Small Onion finely chopped

1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs


Mix all the ingredients and form into burgers on a oil sprayed jelly roll pan. The meat mixture is so soft I have to do it that way and then freeze them before I Freezer bag them.

NOTE: Although I'm pretty laid back when it comes to the rest of my life, but I like to measure things when I cook and bake. I have an 11 Pound food scale I use for weighing ingredients for my handmade soaps and I like to use it to make sure all my burgers weigh 4-5 ounces.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza***

Using my pizza dough recipe* make the dough as directed. Here is the topping recipe:

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA TOPPING

2 large Boneless Chicken Breasts cut lengthwise

1 to 1 and 1/4 Cups Hot Sauce

1 Pound Shredded Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese.


Season chicken breast strips and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. I prefer to tenderize the chicken with my Nail type tenderizer and pouring some Italian dressing on top first. Let chicken cool before cutting in thin slices like a loaf of bread. Then let the chicken soak in the hot sauce until you make up the pie. NOTE: If you use Crystal Hot Sauce you may want to thicken it over medium heat with 1 TB cornstarch before adding the chicken pieces.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Place rolled out dough on oil sprayed and corn meal sprinkled pizza pan. Then also spray the pie before adding the toppings.

Sprinkle half the cheese on the pie. Next distribute the Chicken pieces and sauce before sprinkling on the remaining 8 oz of cheese. Let bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Let pie cool 8-10 minutes before cutting.

Sponge Starter for Pizza and the Dough Recipe

PIZZA DOUGH SPONGE STARTER

Makes one 16" pie. Start this the morning you are making the pizza.

Pizza Dough Starter

1 TB Honey

1 tsp dry yeast

1 Cup Warm Water

1 & 1/2 Cups Bread or Unbleached Flour.

In a large bowl mix yeast and honey in warm water before stirring in the flour until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and forget about it until you are ready to make the dough 2 hours or so before placing the pie in the oven.

PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE

I tsp salt dissolved in a TB warm water

2 TB Olive or Canola Oil

Flour enough to make a kneadable dough.

Dissolve the salt in the water TB of water and add to the sponge along with the oil.
Mix well before adding the flour a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well until the dough forms a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl.

Remove dough from bowl and start kneading at least 100 turns adding more flour as kneaded. This should be a slightly sticky soft dough. Now oil a bowl and place the dough inside, make sure the surface of the dough has oil on it. Let it rise at least and hour before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Oil spray and sprinkle the perforated pizza pan with corn meal. Now roll the dough into a 18" circle before transferring to the pizza pan. It will shrink after that so stretch to fit pan. Spray dough with olive oil.

I always place the pound of whole milk Mozzarella on first then add a Cup and 1/4 of Pizza sauce in a circular motion. (Like the Grotto does)Then I add my favorite toppings before baking for 20 minutes until cheese turns a nice light golden brown.


BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA ****

Make the dough as directed, but at least an hour before you bake the pizza cut two boneless skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise and bake for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Let cool before slicing thinly in bite sized peaces. Let the chicken soak in 1 Cup Hot sauce, add 1/4 cup more of you like a wet pie. If the sauce is runny like Crystal's thicken for a minute over medium heat with a TB cornstarch in a small pot before adding the chicken pieces.

After placing the dough on the pizza pan, and spraying with oil, add 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese. Now carefully distribute the chicken pieces making sure to scrape all the sauce out of the bowl and dripping on pie. Now add the other 8 OZ of cheese before baking at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. This is a family favorite!

NOTE: I wonder how it would taste if I dipped each bite into blue cheese dressing?

Cream of Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

I live with IBS...(Irritable Bowel Syndrome), but I don't let that stop me from eating foods I should stay away from.. mainly being dairy (Which I LOVE!).

Yesterday I made Cream of Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup using fresh veggies from a veggie tray Aunt Grace gave me which was left over from Saturday's Homecoming Dinner at the old school (Historical Society). There was probably one cup of each and I knew no one would eat them so I proceeded to boil the veggies in some water. After about 10 minutes I added a can of chicken broth and half a chopped onion. When all was good and tender I added some whole milk and thickened it with margarine rue. As you can see it wasn't exactly a gourmet soup, now was it? I plan on adding some shredded mild cheddar cheese when I heat it up for supper tonight. I know I AM am going to have a major gas and bloating attack tonight.. But I CRAVE these foods once in a while! : (

CREAM OF BROCCOLI and/or CAULIFLOWER SOUP

1 Cup of Broccoli

1 Cup Cauliflower

1 12 OZ can chicken broth

1/2 small onion chopped

2 TB Margarine or Butter melted OR any Veggie Oil

2 rounded TB Flour.

Salt and pepper and any other seasoning to taste.

Garlic might be a great addition also.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes- IBS

Peel a sweet potato or two and cut into 3/4 -1 inch cubes. Toss with 3 TB Canola or Olive oil, salt and pepper and bake on a jelly roll pan at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the potatoes over and bake another 15-20 minutes to help caramelize the potatoes.

This is a favorite IBS menu item.. it's full of antioxidants and soluble fiber.

Balsamic Marinade for Chicken

BALSAMIC ITALIAN DRESSING

I packet GOOD SEASON'S Italian Dressing Mix (or use store brand which is cheaper)

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tb Water

Shake up well and pour over chicken.

Add 2 Tb Soy Sauce and 2 Tb Brown Sugar to the marinade if you want to and mix well.

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Poke the chicken with a nail type tenderizer and place in the marinade. Let marinate at least two hours, or even 4 or more. Turn chicken over after an hour and spoon marinade on top.

After placing the chicken on the grill pour the marinade in a small saucepan and add the 2 tsp sugar and stir. Let simmer for at least 5 minutes and use as a dipping sauce with the meal.

Scotch Bannock Bread (Oatcakes)- IBS

I just read a book about life on a Scottish island and the Clans were eating BANNOCKS at every meal. Then out of curiosity I found this recipe. In fact that is the reason I was inspired to make oatmeal bread.

Traditional Scottish Recipes
- Oatcakes/Bannocks

Oatcakes are a very traditional part of the Scottish diet. They were cooked on a griddle (a flat iron pot placed over the fire) but nowadays a heavy frying pan is used.

Ingredients
4 oz (125g) medium oatmeal
2 teaspoons melted fat (bacon fat, if available)
2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 tablespoons hot water
Additional oatmeal for kneading

Method
Mix the oatmeal, salt and bicarbonate and pour in the melted fat into the centre of the mixture. Stir well, using a porridge stick if you have one and add enough water to make into a stiff paste. Cover a surface in oatmeal and turn the mixture onto this. Work quickly as the paste is difficult to work if it cools. Divide into two and roll one half into a ball and knead with hands covered in oatmeal to stop it sticking. Roll out to around quarter inch thick. Put a plate which is slightly smaller than the size of your pan over the flattened mixture and cut round to leave a circular oatcake. Cut into quarters (also called farls) and place in a heated pan which has been lightly greased. Cook for about 3 minutes until the edges curl slightly, turn, and cook the other side. Get ready with another oatcake while the first is being cooked.

An alternative method of cooking is to bake them in an oven at Gas5/375F/190C for about 30 minutes or until brown at the edges. The quantities above will be enough for two bannocks about the size of a dessert plate. If you want more, do them in batches rather than making larger quantities of mixture. Store in a tin and reheat in a moderate oven when required.



Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Recipes

Margie's Shortbread Cookies

1 Pound Salted Butter softened

1 Cup Sugar

4.5 Cups Flour

(I would add a tsp vanilla)

Cream butter and sugar stir in flour. Roll out to 1/4 " thick then cut out shapes. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

English Muffin Bread

2 Cups Milk (warm)

1/2 Cup Water (warm)

2 pkg dry Yeast

1 TB Sugar

2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

6 Cups Bread Flour (Plus Extra)

2 Tb Cornmeal

Proof yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with a tsp sugar added.

Meanwhile warm the milk. In a large bowl mix 3 cups flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour yeast mixture and milk into the flour mixture. Mix for 5 minutes before adding the remaining flour- one cup at a time. Mix well and divide dough into 2 greased and cornmeal sprinkled 8" X 4" approx. loaf pans. Sprinkle more cornmeal on top and let rise to top of pans at least if not more. This is a very soft sticky dough.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

NOTE: I knead in more flour so it's like regular bread dough.

Oatmeal Bread - IBS

3 Cups Bread Flour or Unbleached Flour

1 Cup Rolled Oats

2 TB Oil or Butter

1 & 1/2 tsp Salt

3 TBS Honey or Brown Sugar

2 tsp or 1 pkg yeast

1 and 1/4 Cup Milk (I used water for IBS diet)

Proof yeast in the water with a little honey or sugar added.

In a large bowl add the sugar or honey, salt, fat, yeast water and oatmeal. Mix well before adding the flour a half a cup at a time until knead-able.

Knead the dough at least 100 turns, adding more flour to the board as needed so it's not too sticky. I usually knead my white bread dough 200 turns, but I get lazy sometimes.

Now oil spray a large bowl and place the dough in it and spray the top of the dough and let it rise at least 1 hour until doubled.

Punch down dough and form into a loaf and place in oiled bread pan to rise until an inch above top of pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees.

NOTE: I doubled this recipe except for the yeast. It just takes longer to rise. This bread turned out very soft and beige in color. This bread is very crumbly and soft.