The Small Table

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Marsala

Tuscan Tuna

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Pumpkin Custard

Chicken Fried Rice

Is Healthy, Easy and Economical

Fried rice is an easy last minute dinner and a great way to use up leftovers. Omit the chicken tenders if you are using cooked beef, pork or shrimp and add any leftover vegetables at the end of cooking. I purchase fresh minced ginger in a tube in the produce section and keep some in my refrigerator. Brown rice is a whole grain food that is very low in fat and contains over 15 vitamins and minerals. A half cup of cooked brown rice contains 2 grams of fiber and complex carbohydrates that are digested slowly.

Chicken Fried Rice

Makes 2 servings

3 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1 egg, beaten

8 ounces chicken tenders

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 tablespoon minced gingerroot

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 cups cooked brown or white rice

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add egg and cook until set, stirring to scramble. Remove the egg.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same pan and add onion and carrots. Cook, over high heat, stirring constantly until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in same pan and add the chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

Add the egg, onion mixture, peas and rice to chicken and stir in soy sauce. Cook until heated through.

Variations: Use 1 cup cooked chopped chicken, beef or pork or 8 ounces cooked peeled shrimp.

Author’s Note: I’ve discovered the perfect way to cook brown rice is in my rice cooker. Because brown rice is surrounded by bran, it doesn’t need to be rinsed before cooking. Follow the directions with the cooker and the cooker will turn off or switch to the warm setting when it senses that the rice has absorbed the water. When I cook brown rice I cook extra and freeze it another meal.

Pat Sinclair is the author of Baking Basics and Beyond (Surrey Books, 2006). This book won the Cordon d’Or Gold Ribbon Award for Baking from the Culinary Arts Academy. She is currently working on The Ultimate Empty Nesters Cookbook. See more of her work at www.PatCooksandBakes. blogspot.com

Romantic Chicken Marsala
Is Good For the Heart

If you are planning a special dinner for two for Valentine’s Day, a sautéed chicken breast surrounded with a Marsala wine spiked sauce is easy and fast. Marsala, a fortified Italian wine, is available in three styles: dry, semidry and sweet. I keep an inexpensive bottle in my pantry so I can prepare this often, but you can substitute chicken broth or sherry in this recipe. Shallots have a subtle flavor that is a combination of garlic and onion but mellower and are found with the garlic at the supermarket.

Chicken Marsala

Makes 2 servings

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/4 cup Marsala wine or chicken broth

1/4 cup chicken broth

Place the flour and salt in a plastic food storage bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat well. Heat the oil and butter in a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Add the chicken and cook until one side is browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and add the mushrooms and shallot and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes or until the second side is browned.

Pour the Marsala into the pan and stir to remove the browned bits from the pan. Add the chicken broth and cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices are clear.

Tip: If the sauce is too thin, blend 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon butter until it forms a paste. Crumble a little at a time into the sauce and cook briefly until the sauce thickens. To use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon Marsala or water and stir into sauce.

Dinner Tonight: Serve with egg noodles and steamed broccoli or sautéed spinach. Finish the meal with a simple dessert such as a fruity sorbet.

Author’s Note: Simmer the chicken gently so it doesn’t become tough, and cook until an instant meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Try to insert the thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the breast.

Start the New Year With Healthy Tuscan Tuna

Tuna is high in healthy fat and also provides quality protein at a reasonable price, both a great way to start the New Year. Capers are the pickled berries of a Mediterranean bush. They are harvested by hand and usually packed in brine, although some are some are dry-salt cured. Use capers packed in brine and rinse them before using to remove some salt. Because they are covered by the brine, they keep a long time in the refrigerator. Together with the lemon rind they add a fresh piquant flavor to this easy dinner. You can complete the meal with a green salad and garlic bread.

Tuscan Tuna and Pasta

Makes 2 servings

4 ounces rotini or penne pasta

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (15 ounces) diced red tomatoes

1/4 cup white wine

1 package (6.4 ounces) chunk light tuna in water

2 tablespoons capers, drained

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta in salted water, according to the directions on the package. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 4-5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tuna, capers, lemon rind, salt, pepper and pasta. Continue cooking until heated through. Serve warm with Parmesan cheese.

Note: I have recently started using whole grain pasta because of the nutritional benefits from whole grains. Whole-wheat pasta is more nutritional but I don’t like the flavor and heavy texture. Either choice has more fiber that regular pasta.

Baked Shrimp Scampi Is A Special Meal For Two

Easily prepared ahead, shrimp scampi is perfect for a special meal for two during the holidays. Watch for specials on shrimp, especially on wild American shrimp. You’ll only need about 1/2 pound. For this classic Italian dish, I’ve used a shallot but for a garlicky kick, add one or two minced garlic cloves. Panko are dried Japanese breadcrumbs that are light and delicate and make a tasty topping but you can omit them and have a buttery sauce instead.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Makes 2 servings

6-8 jumbo shrimp (12-15 per pound), peeled, deveined and butterflied

2 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Lemon wedges

Combine the shrimp, wine, olive oil and salt in a food storage bag. Massage the shrimp to distribute the marinade. Chill until needed.

Mix the butter, shallot, parsley, rosemary and lemon juice until blended. Stir in the panko crumbs.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the shrimp cut side down with tails standing up in a 1-quart baking dish. Pour the marinade over the shrimp. Crumble the topping over the shrimp.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until shrimp are bright pink and crumbs are lightly browned. Serve with lemon wedges.

For a complete menu go to www.PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com

Author’s Note: To butterfly shrimp, cut down the center where the vein has been removed lengthwise without cutting through. This will enable the shrimp to stand in the dish and cook through better.

Pumpkin Custard Offers All The Taste,

Fewer Calories

Pumpkin Pie is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. Since I’m the only one in my family that likes it, if I bake a whole pie, guess who will eat it! These Pumpkin Custards taste like the real thing, especially when garnished with a little whipped cream, but by eliminating the crust I’ve also reduced calories significantly. You can make this recipe using 2% or skim milk and egg substitute also but it makes a softer less rich custard.

Pumpkin Custard

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place 4 (6 ounce) ramekins or custard cups in a 9x9 inch baking dish.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl with a spout or 1-quart measuring cup. (This makes it easy to pour the custard into the ramekins.) Add the milk, pumpkin, vanilla, salt and eggs and mix until smooth.

Pour about 1/2 cup into each ramekin. Place the pan on the oven rack and add boiling water to the pan until it’s about 1/2 inch deep. Carefully push the pan into the oven.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the custard is barely set. ) The custards are done when a knife inserted near the center of one cup comes out clean, although it will be wet.

Carefully remove the pan from and oven. Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the hot water. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Author’s Note: The cups cook evenly when they are surrounded with hot water. When done, remove the cups from the water bath so that they do not continue cooking. Be careful not to get your potholder wet, as water conducts heat easily and you can get burned.

Visit the website at www.Pat CooksandBakes.blogspot.com for a recipe that uses up the rest of the pumpkin.