Cook This Tonight

Ingredients:

12 oz. dried prunes (stoned)
1 cup white raisins (8 oz.)
3 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into pieces
1 cup pine nuts
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
8 oz. white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Note on Chicken: The traditional version of this recipe uses a whole chicken, cut into pieces, with skin on. However, any combination of chicken pieces can be used – breast, legs, thighs, etc. To reduce calories and fat, use skinless white meat.

Dried Fruit Quick Tip: If you do not have 4 hours for soaking, put prunes and raisins in a small sauce pan and cover with water. Place on stove on high heat for about 3 minutes, or until water is hot to the touch. Remove from burner and allow to soak until you are ready to use them in pan.

Soak prunes and raisins in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 4 hours.

If you are using a whole chicken, cut into pieces. If using large pieces, such as breasts, cut each one in half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour a few tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and brown chicken. Remove from pan and place in a large open pot.

Drain the prunes and raisins. In the same pan where you browned the chicken, sauté the prunes, raisins and pine nuts. Add chopped onions and sauté, adding olive oil if necessary. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Add chicken broth to the frying pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour sauce over chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked and tender. A few minutes before serving, add the bread crumbs to thicken and stir. Add wine and simmer.

Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve with white rice.

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, 25 count to a pound
4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2-3 oz of cognac (you may substitute dry sherry instead)
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
3 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

This garlic shrimp recipe, gambas al ajillo makes 4 servings as an appetizer. If preparing for a main course, double the recipe.

The shrimp can be peeled first, before cooking them if you prefer. In addition, if you like larger shrimp, you may purchase shrimp with fewer count to a pound. However, 25 to a pound are about the right size for this tapa.

In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about one minute or until they begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice, sherry or cognac and paprika. Stir well, then sauté, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fresh bread.

6 egg whites
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.  Heat griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.  Spray non-stick spray.  For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle.  Flip when they start to bubble, cook until golden brown.  Repeat with remaining batter, spraying the griddle as needed.

Makes about 10 pancakes.