Blog transfer – elizababble

Some of you may know I maintain a non-food blog called elizababble, in addition to this Yesterday’s Dinner recipe-based blog you’re reading right now. For awhile now I’ve been trying to decide how to streamline the two so all my “stuff” can be in a single place.

I’ve decided to incorporate everything into the elizababble blog, which involves moving my recipes from here to there then continuing new posting there.

What does this mean to you? It depends.

• If you currently subscribe to both blogs, you’ll now receive notices for new recipes from elizababble (and in the short term you’ll see a lot of recipes you’ve already seen in the past, as I transfer them all over.)
• If you subscribe to Yesterday’s Dinner but not elizababble, and you wish to receive notifications of new recipes, you’ll need to subscribe there.

Thank you for your patience during this transition, and I hope to see you soon! 🙂

Honey Chicken (or Chicken, Honey!)

I can’t tell you how long I’ve had this recipe sitting around in my folder. I’m talking years. Maybe 12 years! I’m not kidding. It would get shuffled around, put in the “maybe” pile, removed, added back, over and over again until finally it made its way to the top of the heap and I actually cooked it! Oh. My. Goodness. I was crazy not to try it sooner. Delicious, and super simple to boot. So, break out your honey and enjoy some chicken!

Ingredients

1 to 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt, pepper, and garlic powder (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon each depending on your tastes)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a greased, shallow pan or baking dish. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolk slightly. Add melted butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir to blend.

Pour sauce over chicken, turning pieces to coat well. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour, removing from oven once or twice during baking to turn pieces and baste.

Notes

• One of the beauties of this recipe (beyond its wonderful taste of course) is that you can cook for a crowd or cook for yourself! The sauce will cover up to two pounds of chicken (maybe even more!) so make as much or as little as you need!
• I use thin-sliced breasts, but they are not required. I just happen to prefer them to the thicker cuts.
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Many thanks to my food photographer!
Connect with White Pine Photo: Website | Photo Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Chicken Teriyaki

Everyone has a favorite teriyaki recipe. If you’re still searching for yours, this one is quick and simple!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing, any variety (even low fat!)
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips
1-1/3 cups water
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rice (uncooked)

Directions

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat Italian dressing over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until cooked through (the length of time will depend on how small you cut your chicken chunks!)

Add water, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder to chicken. Stir, then heat until boiling. Add broccoli florets and rice. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, five more minutes. Fluff and serve!

Notes

• I will up the broccoli to three cups next time, I thought it needed more.
• If you’re out of teriyaki sauce you can make a reasonable substitute by combining soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder and onion powder. It won’t be exactly the same, but you’ll be able to concoct something tasty!
• I used a combination of white and brown rice, just because that’s what I had on hand. Either will work.
• A printer-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Many thanks to my food photographer!
Connect with White Pine Photo: Website | Photo Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Orange Marmalade Pork Roast

This is a variation of a recipe I tore out of a copy of Cook’s Country magazine years ago. I love that magazine. Not only are the recipes well-vetted and well-tested, they also tell a lot about the different things they tried in order to get to the best possible version of the recipe. And, no ads! I highly recommend it.

Ingredients

1 boneless pork roast, 2-3 pounds
salt and pepper
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions

Picture Directions
(A printer-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pork in the center of a large roasting pan or baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Peel onions and cut into wedges. Place into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine orange marmalade and rosemary. Spread half of this mixture on pork roast.

 To the remaining marmalade mixture, add the orange juice and olive oil. Mix well.

Add two tablespoons of the orange juice mixture to the onions, and stir to coat.

Place onions around pork roast in baking dish

Roast in oven until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reads 130 degrees.

Pour remaining orange juice mixture over roast and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Continue roasting until thermometer reads 150-160 degrees (15-20 additional minutes). Remove pork roast to a plate and cover with foil. Return onion/orange juice mixture to oven and continue to roast until caramelized, about 10 more minutes. Slice pork and serve with caramelized onions and pan juices.

Notes

• The original recipe called for parsnips in addition to the onions. I don’t care for parsnips so I didn’t use them, but if you’d like to use them simply chop them up and mix them in with the onions.
• You can also add carrots or other root vegetables. Cutting the vegetables in roughly the same size chunks will ensure they cook fully and in the same time frame as the others.
• One of my best cooking investments is a digital meat thermometer that can stay in the meat while it roasts. This is different from an instant-read thermometer, which cannot stay in the oven. With an instant-read thermometer, the meat must be removed from the oven to test the temperature. Both varieties work, but the in-oven type makes it so much easier. Simply insert the thermometer into the roast, connect the wire (which will stretch out of your oven door) to the digital readout, set the temperature you are trying to reach and press start. An alarm will let you know when your roast has reached the desired temperature. This type of thermometer will cost about $15-$20 (as opposed to a $5 instant-read variety) but will last forever and make your meat-cooking much more pleasurable! 🙂 Here’s one to check out on Amazon.com.
• If you don’t have any fresh rosemary on hand, use 1 teaspoon dried rosemary. In general, dried spices can be substituted for fresh by using 1/3 the fresh amount. (Or, vice versa. If the recipe calls for dried spices, substitute 3x the fresh amount.)
• I used canola oil instead of olive oil.
• A printer-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Many thanks to my food photographer!
Connect with White Pine Photo: Website | Photo Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Disclosure: The Amazon link on this page is an “affiliate link.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission. For a full FTC-required disclosure statement please visit my About page.

Chicken and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas

I’m a big fan of caramelized onions, a big fan of chicken, a big fan of quesadillas, and a really big fan of recipes you can modify to suit the tastes of you and your family. So this is a winner for me!

Ingredients

1 large onion
1-2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
water
1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or you can poach your own)
1 cup or more shredded cheese (any variety)
8 flour tortillas (medium size, about 10″ in diameter)

Picture Directions
(for a printable version of this recipe, click here)

Finely chop the onions

In a large frypan, melt butter and add onions. Season with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each, more or less to taste).

Cook the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add a teaspoon or two of water to the pan and stir to incorporate the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan.

Continue cooking for about 20-30 minutes total, adding water every once in awhile, until onions are very soft and well-browned.

Chop the chicken finely

Add the chicken to the onions and heat through.

Place four tortillas on baking sheets. Divide chicken/onion mixture between the tortillas.

Add about 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each

…then top with another tortilla. Bake in a 350 oven until tortillas are warmed through and cheese is melted.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

• There are almost too many variations to mention. Add some bell peppers (chopped) to the pan while frying the onions. Or, for an extra kick, try some jalapenos! Have some leftover broccoli? Chop it up and add it to the frypan. Or, try some minced garlic! Maybe add some tomato slices between the chicken and the cheese. Really you could add anything you’d like.
• Serve with salsa, or sour cream, or both. Or, as is.
• These reheat well in the microwave. They also freeze very well.
• A printable version of this recipe can be found here

Hand Divan

I’ve rarely met a Chicken Divan recipe I didn’t like, no matter how simple or difficult. This is really simple and what’s more, you can carry it in your hand to eat it! So I named it “Hand Divan!”

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup frozen broccoli, thawed
1-1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 cup cooked chicken
1 can crescent rolls
1 cup shredded cheese (any variety)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
coarse salt

Directions

Chop the cooked chicken finely.

Chop the broccoli finely.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add broccoli and milk. Cook a few minutes until broccoli is heated through. Stir in chicken and remove from heat.

Separate crescent rolls into four rectangles, pressing perforations together. (Or, use the crescent roll solid sheet and cut into four pieces.) Add about 1/4 cup broccoli/chicken mixture to each crescent rectangle.

Add about 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each crescent. They will look impossible to close, but don’t worry, they’ll stretch! Fold crescents over filling, press the edges together to seal, and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, add water to beaten egg to make a wash. Brush each crescent with egg wash, the sprinkle with a bit of course salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before serving, especially if you plan to actually use your hands. 🙂

Notes

• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s usually the one that catches us with little time to spare. These great make-ahead breakfast burritos are quick to heat and eat on the go.

Ingredients

2 dozen eggs
Salt, pepper, minced onions, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, chives, and anything else you like to mix into your eggs!
3/4 to 1 pound ham
3 cups shredded cheese, any variety
12 flour tortillas

Directions

Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat lightly. Cook eggs in batches in a large non-stick skillet. I usually have good luck if I cook about 1/3 of the egg mixture at a time. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture to a preheated skillet and season liberally with your favorite spices. Scramble until firm. When done, set aside in a mixing bowl and repeat with remaining eggs.

Once all eggs are cooked, mix with ham and cheese.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the ham and eggs mixture onto each flour tortilla. Wrap in a sheet of waxed paper. Freeze when completed.

When you’re ready to eat one, heat on “defrost” (aka power level 3) for three minutes in the microwave, then on high power for two additional minutes.

Notes

• Fry some onions first then add them to the cooked eggs for even more flavor!
• If you don’t have any leftover ham, deli meat works fine.
• If you’re not a fan of ham, try cooked sausage or cooked bacon. Or, go meatless!
• Add some spinach or broccoli if you’d like, especially if you skip the meat.
• If you’d prefer to use sliced cheese, simply top each tortilla with a slice before rolling it up.
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

Repost: Cheeseburger Stromboli

Would you believe this is the most-searched-for recipe on Yesterday’s Dinner? It is! So I thought I’d give it some extra love by re-posting it. Enjoy!

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(originally posted February, 2011)

This goes a long way and is quite filling. It’s best when it’s first cooked though I enjoy it reheated too, it’s just not as crisp.

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
salt, pepper, garlic powder (or even better, some minced garlic!)
1/2 pound (8 oz.) Velveeta, cubed
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (like Pillsbury)

Directions

Brown ground beef with onion in large skillet. Season well with salt, pepper, and garlic while cooking. Drain and return to pan. Add Velveeta and continue cooking until cheese is fully melted. Meanwhile, unroll pizza crust onto a greased cookie sheet. Spread cheeseburger mixture over pizza crust in a thin layer, stopping about an inch from each edge. Roll up from the long end, making a long thin roll. Center on sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until browned.

Notes

• I use ground sirloin for any recipe calling for ground beef. More meat for your money and a good reduction in fat.
• I used the 2% milk variety of Velveeta. For a twist, you might try the jalapeno flavor!

Salmon Parchment Packs

This is a simple way to cook salmon (not that it’s that difficult to cook no matter what you try!), and the flavor combination is excellent. Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 oz. baby spinach (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 or 3 oranges, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/4 inch)
4 skinless salmon fillets
1 shallot, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
olive oil or canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay four pieces of parchment paper, about 16 inches apiece, on your counter or table. Divide spinach between them. Then, sprinkle orange zest on top of the spinach, dividing equally. Do the same with the orange slices. Top each with a piece of salmon, then add the shallots. Season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle with about a teaspoon or so of olive or canola oil. Bring long sides of parchment paper together, fold over several times, then tuck ends under. Place the parchment packets on a cookie sheet. (Make sure it has a rim. My packets didn’t leak but it is possible.) Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes. Place packets on dinner plates. Folks can eat right out of the parchment, or slide the contents onto their plate.

Notes

• If you don’t have shallots, try a red onion.
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

Red White and Blue Cupcakes

This is so simple I’m almost embarrassed to post it. But they’re fun and yummy and everyone needs a little holiday spirit once in awhile. Enjoy!

Ingredients

One boxed white cake mix + the eggs and oil to prepare it
Red food coloring
Blue food coloring
One tub white frosting
Festive sprinkles

Directions

Prepare batter as directed on package, being sure to use egg whites rather than whole eggs (most boxed white cake mixes give you the option.) Divide the prepared batter into three small bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl, blue food coloring to another, and don’t add anything to the third. Spoon a layer of each color into lined cupcake tins. Bake according to package directions. Cool, frost and decorate!

Notes

• The hardest part of this recipe was finding white cupcake papers. I ended up using the liners found between foil cupcake holders. I think the manufacturer expects you to throw them away. But, they are white and work perfectly!
• Mix and match colors for other holidays!