Cuisine: Queer-licious Tomato Sauce

This recipe is simple and divine. I can't remember how I was inspired to create it, but I think it had something to do with looking in the fridge, seeing what was there, and then just crafting from the ground up. The key to this delicious recipe is removing the tomato skins. The best way to do this is to boil them as mentioned below and then take the skins off of them over a bowl. That way you can catch all of the juices squeezed out as you handle the tomatoes. You can also use this as the base for any recipe that calls for tomato sauce.

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You Will Need:
7 tomatoes
2 cups Water
1 White Onion, finely sliced
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 to 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh Sage
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper

What To Do:
Core tomatoes, and place inside a pot with water. Boil for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove tomatoes from water, peel, discard skin, and put tomatoes back in the water.
Add ALL other ingredients.
Simmer for an hour.
Mash tomatoes, and simmer for another hour.
Serve over pasta!

Cuisine: I Can't Believe It's Not Bruschetta!

I love bruschetta. It is simple to make and tastes divine on some crusty bread. I also love salsa, especially the spicy kind. Since the ingredients of each are similar, I decided to take a stab at blending the two. And...boy was I surprised. It was absolutely marvelous!! It had a simple kick and nice robust tartness thanks to heirloom tomatoes. Enjoy!

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You Will Need:
3 Fresh Tomatoes, diced
1 Red Onion, diced
2 Jalapenos, cored, seeded, and diced
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Salt


What To Do:
Combine ALL ingredients and let sit. Serve similar to Bruschetta or salsa.

Excellent on sandwiches!!

Szechuan Inspired Roasted Chicken

I crafted this recipe from memories of some great spicy chicken I had while in Chengdu, China. The Szechuan peppercorns are an amazing spice. They are not necessarily "hot". Instead, they slightly numb your tongue allowing you to eat even spicier food. They add this hint beneath a flavor that makes spice pop.

So...I started with the Szechuan peppercorns and built the recipe from there. I knew I wanted there to be an earthy undercurrent in the flavor palate, so I added some cardamon pods and Worcestershire sauce. This meant it needed a tad more salt and a little sweetness. I rounded it all out with the spiciness of hot paprika to give it that added kick. And..viola!

This chicken is fabulous as a main course by itself or cubed/minced with some onion and mayonnaise for a tasty chicken salad.

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You Will Need:
6 Cardamon Pods
1 tsp. Szechuan Peppercorn
1/8 cup Salt
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Hot Paprika (increase this amount if you want it spicier)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 cups Warm Water
3 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

What To Do:
Split the chicken breasts in half.
Combine ALL other ingredients. Add chicken.
Soak for at least 1 hour, and no more than 2 hours.
Remove the chicken from the brine, and pat dry, and brush with olive oil.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake on a pan for about 30 minutes or until juice runs clear.

Cuisine: Fried Potatoes

You Will Need:

2 Tbsp. Fried Onion

½ Tbsp. Fried Garlic

½ Tbsp. fresh Cracked Pepper

3 Tbsp. Butter

3 Yellow Potatoes prepared in Jason’s Secret Style

this means you dice the potatoes, salt them, and let them sit and drain

What To Do:

Brown the butter. Add onion, garlic, pepper, and fry. Add potato and fry covered for 5 minutes. Stir, and reduce heat for 5 minutes. Fry covered for another 5 minutes and stir. Fry covered for another 2-5 minutes.

The Kitchenless Cook Tip:
This is a perfect recipe to make in an electric skillet. To make it even tastier and to make it a meal. First fry some bacon in the pan. Once cooked to its desired crispiness, remove and use the oil of the bacon instead of the butter for the potatoes. Cook potatoes as directed above. Remove, and then scramble some eggs.

Cuisine: Orangy Orange Chicken

You Will Need:
3 Chicken thighs, diced
1 small Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
the Zest from 1/3 of an Orange
Salt (to taste)
2 tsp. Sugar
Cayenne Pepper (to taste)
Belizian Seasoning Mix (to taste)
The Juice of one Orange, separated half and half
A dash of Pepper

What To Do:
Mix chicken, zest, salt, sugar, cayenne, Belizian mix, and ½ orange juice and set aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sautee two more minutes. Turn heat to high and add chicken. Saute stirring regularly until chicken is cooked and turn off heat. Pour in remaining orange juice, and sprinkle in salt and pepper. Serve with rice and green beans, or other desired vegetables.

The Kitchenless Cook Tips:
This dish is very easy to make in an electric skillet or wok. Make the rice in a rice cooker, and you have a very healthy and tasty meal!

Cuisine: Beef Stew

Keep In Mind: You Will Need 5 Hours to Complete this Dish!

What You Need:
3 lbs. Stew Meat (no need to brown meat)
5 Potatoes, cubed
3 Carrots, cubed
1-2 Onion
3 Stalks Celery
1 Tbsp. Tapioca
1 large (48 oz) can Tomato Juice
5 slices of bread

What To Do:
Put all ingredients in a roaster. Lay sliced bread on top. Cover and bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours.

Cuisine: A Midwestern Casserole

You Will Need:
4 Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, Cooked & Cubed
1 Can Tomatoes w/ Green Chiles
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Taco Sauce 4oz. (or change it up: substitute jerk chicken sauce)
½ cup Chicken Broth
1 package Tortilla Chips (or Doritos)
½ to ¾ cups of Grated Cheese

What You Do:
In a sauce pan, combine and heat tomatoes, soups, taco sauce and broth. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with taco chips. Add mixture of chicken/sauce. Top with grated cheese and bake at 350degrees until bubbly and hot.

Other Cool Options:
Add beans, chiles, or sautéed onions to the equation!

Cuisine: Rice Cooker Rice and Beans

Rice and beans are one of those dishes that I can eat over and over again, especially when they are spicy. I thought about how to make this dish for people with limited access either to food or space. And then I thought rice cooker and convenience store! You can find a cheap one at the thrift store, and all the ingredients can be found at the barest of convenience stores. (Well, at least out here.) It is tasty, easy, and has a hint of spice. To add a dash of zest, sprinkle fresh lemon or lime juice over the top just before eating.

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Ingredients:
1 can white kidney beans, drained
2 7 oz cans salsa casera (or 1 16oz bottle of Pace Picante Sauce, or some other salsa)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 small can jalapenos, seeded and diced depending on hotness
1 scant TBSP cajun seasoning


Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a rice cooker. Turn on. After it pops, let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!