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Cooking: Time N’ Taste

For older adults as well as caregivers who may cook meals for them, preparing complicated food dishes is rarely feasible. One, they generally take a lot of time – something caregivers rarely have --- and two, some of the various stages involved may be too complicated or difficult for older people. In Time N’ Taste, we’ll be presenting quick (usually 45 minutes or less) recipes with relatively simple steps.

Chestnut Stuffing

Ingredients:
1 pound pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 one-pound package herb stuffing mix
8 ounces jarred roasted chestnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it into bits with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrots and apples and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combinestuffing mix with the chestnuts, walnuts and sausage mixture. Add chicken broth and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into 2 buttered 3-quart casserole dishes and bake, covered, for 40 minutes.

(Compliments of Rachael Ray)

Chicken Mushroom Filets

Ingredients:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breast fillets
Salt
Black pepper
7 tablespoon butter
4 cups sliced mushrooms
Minced garlic, 2 cloves worth
1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Sage, preferably fresh, but dried is OK

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add chicken; cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to a dish and keep warm. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook, stirring frequently. Set aside when finished.

Melt remaining butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, cook for 1-2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in garlic and vinegar. Add mushrooms. Pour mixture over chicken and sprinkle with sage.

(Compliments of Rachael Ray)

Linguine with Cauliflower

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs
Minced garlic, 6 cloves worth
6 tablespoons chopped fresh/dried parsley
1/2 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
1 lb. linguine
1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:
In a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring until lightly browned -- about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and wipe out pan.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, parsley, and red pepper. Cook,stirring, for about a minute and remove from heat. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine until almost done, about 8 minutes. Add cauliflower and bring back to a boil. Cook until the cauliflower and pasta are done, about 4 minutes longer. Drain. Toss with garlic mixture, salt, bread crumbs, and parmesan. Top with additional parmesan.
Serves 6.

(Compliments of Rachael Ray)

Poppo's Steamed String Beans

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh string beans
1/2 cup water (may need more during steaming)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce (optional)
Pepper and salt (or salt substitute)

Directions:
Wash and rinse beans. Cut off ends and cut in half with kitchen scissors. Set aside. Cut onion in half, then slice. Set aside.

Put olive oil in skillet, set to medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add string beans and water, cover, and adjust heat so that string beans will steam. Check frequently, stir occasionally and add additional water if needed, enough to prevent beans from burning. Steam until beans are desired tenderness (approx 25 minutes). Remove skillet from stove, set on trivet or potholder to avoid burning countertop. Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste.

(Compliments of Jan’s Dough)

Baked Halibut With Potatos

Ingredients:
2 medium halibut fillets
4-5 potatoes
Sea salt
Black pepper
2 tablespoons minced rosemary
2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
Olive oil
1 dozen cherry tomatoes
1 dozen pitted and chopped gaeta or black olives
White wine

Directions:
Slice potatoes thinly and saute in olive oil for about 4 minutes or until slightly tender. Layer in a roasting pan, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Lay halibut on top of potatoes. Make a paste of the garlic and rosemary and spread over fish fillets. Arrange tomatoes and olives around fish. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily. If the dish becomes too dry during baking, add about 1/4 cup white wine to the pan.

(Compliments of Yummyfood)