Greek Chicken and Potatoes

I found this recipe and thought that I would share it with you.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 cups potatoes , cubed
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 3/8 cup water
Salt and pepper, to taste
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1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed ( 1 large lemon)
1 Tbsp VE Greek Seasoning

*For a super tasty dish marinade the meat over night in the lemon juice , olive oil & VE Greek Seasoning.

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Toss chicken, potatoes and garlic into baking dish.
3. Season with salt & pepper
4. Mix water and chicken bouillon together and pour over chicken.
5. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice & VE Greek Seasoning. Pour over chicken & potatoes
6. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, ensuring to baste frequently during cooking.

Tip: Cook potatoes in microwave for about 3-4 minutes before adding to baking dish

Option: you can substitute pork tenderloin for the chicken

Morning Tea

Here's a simple tea that is so refreshing in the morning. Maybe you can use it.
by Brandi

1 recipe VE Sencha Green Tea
1 or 2 VE Kaffir Lime Leaves
pinch or two of VE Mint

1. Prepare VE Sencha Green Tea as directed on package.
2. To the teapot add VE Kaffir lime leaves and VE Mint.
3. Allow to steep, enjoy.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 tsp butter
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups 1% milk, heated
1 lb broccoli steamed and pureed
1 Tbsp VE Lemon Dilly Dip Mix
VE Sea Salt & VE Pepper to taste
VE Fines Herbes

1. Sauté diced onions in melted butter. Sprinkle flour over onions, stirring for 1 minute.
2. Slowly add heated milk being sure to whisk continuously. Bring to a slow boil until sauce has thickened.
3. Whisk in broccoli puree & VE Lemon Dilly Dip Mix and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Season to taste with VE Sea Salt & Pepper. Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with VE Fines Herbes.

Got Spices!!... Now what do I do with them??

I just found this helpful information by Carrie Nixon McCallum on the facebook group "Carrie's Epicure Recipes".

ALL SPICE GROUND
Use is different foods for that extra special zing of a taste.

APPLE PIE SPICE
Perfect for apple pies, use 1 ¼ tsp. per pie (or to taste)
Use in sweet bread dough, cookies, muffins, pancakes
Great in dripped/brewed coffee

BARBECUE SEASONING
Use as a rub on chicken, pork, steaks, before grilling
Turn ordinary ketchup into instant BBQ sauce
Sprinkle on oven roasted potatoes
Add to baked beans and marinades

BEEF & STEAK SEASONING
Add to ground meats for meatloaf or meatballs
Rub seasoning on beef and veal before roasting
Add to sauces and gravies for meat dishes
Add to stews of any kind

BERBERE SEASONING
Spicy, sweet Ethiopian blend that is hot & pungent
Can be used in the same way as the VE Madras Curry
Use as rub on meat before frying
Use in braising and stewing beef, chicken or lamb
Add to simple BBQ sauce for a deep, rich, spicy sauce
Amount used depends on personal taste

BLACK SESAME SEEDS
Lightly toasted sesame seeds. Great flavor

CARDAMOM
From green cardamom pods - highest quality available
Third most expensive spice in world, after saffron & vanilla
Distinct warm, citrus & aromatic flavor
Enhances both sweet and savory tastes
Essential to Middle East, Indian, Asian & Scandinavian cooking
In India, cardamom used in meat & vegetable dishes
In Middle East, often added to coffee before it’s brewed
In Northern Europe & Scandinavia, added to seasoned baked goods
Use in sweet dough’s, such as breads, muffins, cookies & spice cakes of any kind; add a pinch to apple or pumpkin pies or to egg mixture for French toast
Use to season carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes
Whole cardamom retains flavor much longer than ground. Grind only what you need.

CAJUN SEASONING
Spicy, Southern Blend;
Use in Southern food such a jambalaya, gumbo, and shrimp Creole; use as a rub on chicken/fish for Cajun blackened specialties; can be used in “bean cuisine”, chilies, bean salads or baked bean dishes

CHILI SEASONING
Zesty blend to use when making chili or bean dishes
Add 1 ½ tsp. to 4 cups chili
Add to beef, burgers, meat loaf, pot roast
Add to tamales, refried beans, bean dip, guacamole

CHINESE FIVE SPICE
Blend of 5 spices characteristic of Chinese cooking
Use sparingly as it is strongly flavored
Use in Asian sauces using Soya, for making roast chicken, duck, Chinese-style chicken wings; use in stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, noodle dishes; use in marinades for meat, fish or tofu

CHIPOTLE CHILI
Chipotle Chili’s are slowly smoked jalapeno peppers. When Ground to a powder they have a rich and smoky taste.
Try on chili, burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. SPICY!

CINNAMON
Pure seasoning. Is Tung Ling Cassia - very sweet and has high oil content
Widely used in sweet dishes, but adds an intriguing flavor to stews & curries
Use in baking; good with apples, pumpkin, carrot cakes, sprinkle on eggnog, hot chocolate, add a pinch when brewing coffee.
Mix 1 part cinnamon to 4 parts of sugar for cinnamon sugar - sprinkle on hot cereals, pancakes, waffles, toast
Sprinkle on unbaked muffins & rolls

CLOVES WHOLE & CLOVES GROUND
Sprinkle in your favorite baking desserts

CORIANDER
Mildly fragrant & has a flavor that is a combination of lemon, sage, with a slight taste of caraway
Sometimes described as spicy, but with a flowery, fruity undertone
Used whole in pickling and when making chutney
Use to season foods that cook for longer than an hour such as roasts, or use crushed on items that are cooked at a high temperature such as pan-fried, broiled or grilled.
Ground seeds are used in curries, pate’s, soups, and stews

CUBAN SEASONING
Has both sweet & spicy characteristics
Use with rice, beans, stews and chilies
Moisten with lemon or lime juice to create a lively rub for fish, chicken and cobs of grilled corn

CUMIN
Dried fruit of plant in the parsley family
Distinctly strong flavor that is sharp, warm, smoky, and slightly bitter
Slightly toast whole cumin in a dry fry pan to intensify the flavor
Traditional spice used in cuisine of the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America, Mexico and India
Used in various cheeses
Try 1 tsp. ground cumin in yogurt dressing that accompany Middle Eastern dishes and curries
May be used whole in stew, chili, pea soup, lentil soup and braising cabbage

FAJITA SEASONING
Use in Fajita’s for that zippidy flavor.

FINE HERBS
Traditional blend of French herbs that bring an aromatic bouquet to the original flavor of foods
Delicate blend of fine herbs that loses flavor quick and should be added to dishes just before serving
Often added to broths, delicate soups right before serving
Use in the batter for dumplings
Terrific addition to egg dishes, especially omelet’s
Add to poaching liquid for chicken & fish
Sprinkle on cooked carrots and other steamed veggies

GARAM MASALA
Blend of dry roasted, ground spices from the cooler areas of Northern India and are blended to add a “sense of warmth to both the palate and spirit”
Usually added towards the end of cooking and often is sprinkled on a dish right before serving
Use 1 tsp. on dishes that already use our Madras Curry, Tandoori or Malay blends

GINGER
Our pure ginger comes from ginger root imported from China
Light in color, high in lemonine, which gives a citrus characteristic
Peppery & slightly sweet while aroma is pungent & spicy
Generally used in baking sweets, however, in other cultures ginger is used in savory dishes, specially in Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern cooking

GREEK SEASONING
A versatile blend that works well with fish, lamb and vegetables
Use in marinades for skewered meats
Use in dressings for salads; use the same dressing when making Greek-style roasted potatoes
Use in ground meat when making moussaka, Greek meatballs, roasting or stewing lamb

HARRISSA
Make into a paste by adding olive oil and lemon juice
A fiery condiment popular in North Africa and the Middle East
Often added to couscous, lentils and rice
Adds spark & depth of flavor to broths & stews
Used as a very spicy rub for fish & meat
Add 1 tsp. to 1-cup ketchup for a hot BBQ sauce
A unique and exotic blend

HERBS PROVENCALES
A flavorful combination of herbs with a touch of lavender. French cuisine favorites!

HOLIDAY SEASONING
The perfect savory addition to your favorite stuffing for turkey, chicken veal or lamb.
An ideal seasoning to pot pies

JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING
“Jerk” is the term for BBQing Jamaican style, and is most often used with grilled meat & fish
Highly aromatic & pungent blend often used as a dry rub for all meats

JUNIPER SEASONING
Aroma flavors of juniper berries and herbaceous oils that make them perfect for lamb, pork, game, and pates.

LAMB SEASONING
Sprinkle on Lamb and in soups.

MALAY SEASONING
Fragrant & spicy blend
Delicious with rice, satay, fish, poultry, meat & vegetables
Defining tastes of Malaysian cuisine are chili, lemon grass & ginger

MILD SMOKED SPANISH PAPRIKA
Sprinkle on chicken, eggs, salads, vegetables, fish.
Add to stews & soups.

MINT
Companion herb to the strong & pungent flavors of the Middle East, North Africa, India & Asia
Often added to yogurt as a cooling accompaniment to spicy dishes
Used equally with sweet & savory dishes
Sprinkle on fresh fruit, fresh green peas, carrots, new potatoes and cucumbers

MOROCCAN SEASONING
Blend of spices to use when preparing dishes from North Africa & the Middle East
Ideal in couscous, vegetable stews, in lamb, chicken & beef stews

NONYA SEASONING
Exotic, sweet & spicy flavors
Delicious with seafood, fish, poultry, noodles, rice & stir-fries; add to chicken broth and pour over thinly sliced green onions & mushrooms for an instant clear soup

NUTMEG
Imported from India
Delicate warm, spicy & sweet flavor
Use in cream or milk based dishes, e.g. quiche, custard, rice and bread pudding
Use when making white sauces, cream soups when using carrots, spinach or squash
Try nutmeg when braising or roasting onions or leeks
Usually teamed with cinnamon & ginger for baking, dough’s & French toast

ORIENTAL STIR FRY SEASONING
A blend of ginger, garlic, toasted sesame seeds & other herbs & spices essential to Cantonese cuisine
Add an instant Asian flair to soups, noodles, and steamed & fried rice and to stir-fried vegetables
Add to Oriental dressing for quick noodle salads
Add to sweet & sour sauces for vegetables, chicken & shrimp

OVEN ROAST BLEND
Ideal for any meat that you roast
Try it on chicken pieces, or as a dry rub for ribs
May also be used liberally as a seasoning for stews and other slowly braised dishes of meat and root vegetables
Use in soups, casseroles & baked beans

PASTA SEASONING
Blend of herbs, spices, garlic & onion
Add to any tomato sauce or salad dressing
Add to olive oil and toss with hot pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Use in dressing for marinated vegetables
Use in dressing for quick pasta salad by adding 2 tsp. Pasta Seasoning to any basic oil & vinegar dressing

PIZZA SEASONING
Sprinkle on pizza before baking
Add to tomato sauce in recipes for pasta, lasagna or chicken cacciatore
Add to ground meat when making Italian-style meatballs, classic meat sauce, or when stuffing cannelloni

POT HERBS
A great blend for adding to one-pot dinner
Use in any dish cooked over a long period of time, an ideal addition to stews & braised dishes
Excellent for making chicken/turkey potpies
Use in vegetable soups, hearty barley & bean soups

POUDRE DOUCE
14th century French blend that we have duplicated
Try instead of cinnamon sugar (1 part Poudre Douce to 5 parts sugar) for sprinkling on hot cereal, French toast, or on fruit dessert
Use to flavor whipped cream
Sprinkle a little over root vegetables when roasting
Use on cappuccino, hot chocolate, frothed milk
Use instead of nutmeg in eggnog

POULTRY SEASONING
Use as a rub on chicken for grilling/barbecuing
Sprinkle over poultry before roasting
Combine with olive oil and a splash of wine as a marinate for boneless breasts, then pan fry or bake. Serve with pan juices.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICES
Use for any pumpkin pie recipe
Use in any recipe using pumpkin, e.g. muffins, loaves, etc.
Use in gingerbread or gingersnap cookie recipes
Use for roasted root vegetables or sprinkle on squash before baking

ROASTED GARLIC
Use on anything you want to garlic up!
Lightly roasted garlic flakes.

SEAFOOD & FISH SEASONING
Gentle blend of herbs, spices, lemon & onion
Use for poaching, sautéing, grilling fish & seafood
Sprinkle entire fish cavity when baking; add sliced lemon and onion
For poaching fish/seafood, add 2-3 tsp. to water, 1 sliced lemon, 1 sliced onion, let simmer 10 min. before adding fish
Use when preparing fish soups & stews

SOUVLAKI SEASONING
Greek Specialty seasoning.
Season skewers of lamb, chicken or pork.

SPANISH SEASONING
Gives a warm color & aromatic flavor
Great for Spanish, Portuguese Argentine & Mediterranean cooking
Terrific with rice, soups, sautéed peppers & onions, casseroles & fish stews
Add to bread crumbs/seasoned flour for dredging chicken, pork, or fish before frying

STAR ANISE
Imported from Thailand
Not related to the anise (parsley) family. From magnolia family
Works well with ginger & cinnamon in Asian cooking
Used in Asian cooking the way we use bay leaves
Used primarily in long-simmered soups & stews
Used in dishes using soy sauce
Perfumes stir-fried dishes
Use in curries, lamb stew
Put 2/3 Star Anise in the cavity of a chicken/duck before roasting
Try 1 Star Anise when cooking carrots or beets
Use in poaching liquid for fruit, especially pears
Use for braising leeks and cabbage
Try 1 Star Anise in a pot of Chinese Tea

TACO SEASONING
A spicy, earthy blend well suited for most Mexican dishes
Use liberally when seasoning ground meat mixtures for tacos, burritos & enchiladas
Use for Mexican rice and bean dishes
Great for refried beans
Use to spice potatoes or bean salads
Use a s rub for meats prior to grilling, use in marinades

TANDOORI
Simple & traditional Indian method of cooking food
Characteristically has red color. We have not added red food dyes to our product. Does not affect flavor.
Classic marinade for meat & fish when added to yogurt
When used with yogurt, tenderizes surface of meat (if using boneless chicken, don’t marinate over 2 hours)
Moisten with a little lemon juice for a rub

THAI SEASONING
Spicy, sweet & citrus
Use to flavor simple soups & rice
Adds robust flavor to Thai noodle dishes
Sprinkle on fish, seafood & poultry before cooking
Add to a dressing made of oil, rice wine vinegar & light soy sauce for a simple dressing for cold Thai noodle salads
Use when making satay peanut sauce

VEGETABLE SEASONING
Unique blend of herbs, spices, zest & sesame seeds
Will add zing to steamed veggies, salads, salad dressing
Use in stir-fries and omelet’s
Try when stir-frying shrimp

Pesto Rigatoni

Thanks to Shelley Amos for sharing one of her favorite Epicure Selections recipes.

1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
VE Sea Salt and VE Pepper to taste
1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
VE Chili Flakes to taste
pinch of brown sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1/4 cup VE Pesto Herb Mix - prepared according to recipe on label
1 lb Rigatoni (or any other bite sized pasta)
Parmesan cheese - freshly grated

1. In large saucepan, combine tomatoes, sugar, VE Pesto. Simmer sauce for 20 minutes while pasta is cooking. Season to taste with VE Sea Salt and VE Peppers. Add olive oil for extra richness if desired.
2.Combine sauce and pasta in large serving bowl. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
3.Round out your meal with a quick green salad and a loaf of crusty bread.

Note: Additions to this simple pasta can be pitted olives, cooked and sliced spicy Italian sausage, capers, canned artichokes, or roasted peppers.

Lemon Chiffon Blueberry Squares

Thank you Marla Spence for sharing this recipe with us. It looks wonderful! I can hardly wait to try it!!

Crust:
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix
2 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp skim milk

Topping:
3 eggs
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix, divided
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare crust by beating 2 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix with butter until light and creamy. Continue to beat, gradually adding 1 cup flour and milk until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Press crust mixture into bottom of an ungreased baking pan (or pyrex dish). Bake for 15 minutes and cool on wire rack.
4. For the topping, beat eggs with sugar and VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix until foamy. Quickly mix in all-purpose flour and VE Baking Powder. Pour topping over cooled crust.
5. Evenly sprinkle blueberries over top, allowing some to sink into batter.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until set. Cool before cutting into squares.

Tip: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Basic Tandoori Marinade

1 heaping Tbsp VE Tandoori
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup plain yogurt (optional)
2 Tbsp Lemon juice

Combine above & slather on chicken pieces.
Let marinate several hours or overnight.
Roast the chicken 30 minutes, or until cooked. Or slowly grill chicken on BBQ.

Tzaziki Chicken Kabobs

Serves 4

2 Tbsp VE Tzaziki Dip Mix
2 Tbsp VE Mediterranean Vinegar
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 - 6 wooden skewers, soaked in water
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1" cubes
1 small zucchini, cut into 1" cubes

1. To make marinade, whisk together VE Tzaziki Dip Mix, VE Mediterranean Vinegar and vegetable oil. Set aside.
2. Thread chicken, bell pepper and zucchini pieces onto skewers. Brush with marinade and refrigerate for 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill or broiler to medium high and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

Tip - Try with any variety of vegetables and serve over steamed rice.

Stir-fry Supper

I found this recipe by Kathy Blais that I thought you might enjoy.

Chicken:
1 Tbsp stirfry sauce or soy sauce
1-2 tsp VE Nonya Seasoning
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Combine first 4 ingredients, and marinade chicken while preparing vegetables and noodles.
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Noodles:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1-2 tsp VE Nonya Seasoning
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp stir-fry sauce or soy sauce
2 Tbsp VE Rice Vinegar
zest of 1/2 an orange
sea salt, to taste
1/2 pkg. vermicelli, softened in hot water (or use cooked noodles)

Combine ingredients, and pour over drained vermicelli/noodles.
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Vegetables:
3 carrots, grated
4 fresh mushrooms, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup broccoli, finely chopped
celery (optional)
peas (optional)
baby corn (optional)

Stir-fry vegetables in wok with a little oil. Sprinkle with a dash of VE Nonya Seasoning. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside. Stir in noodles and heat through. Serve hot.
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NOTE: You could skip the noodles and serve the chicken and veggies with rice. Stir a little VE Nonya Seasoning or VE Oriental Seasoning into the rice while it's cooking for some extra kick!

Hot Chocolate Brownie

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/16 tsp VE Sea Salt
3 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp VE Hot Chocolate (VE Temptation Milk Chocolate, VE Décadence Triple Chocolate or VE Indulgence Dark Chocolate)
1 cup hot milk
1/4 tsp VE Vanilla Extract
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix VE Hot Chocolate and hot milk together, stirring to remove any lumps. Add melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Pour into flour mixture stir until well blended.
4. Pour into greased spring form pan and bake at 350F for 25 - 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven. Sprinkle a layer of mini marshmallows over top and return to oven for about 2 minutes to soften. Remove from oven and spread marshmallows evenly over top of brownie. Cool a bit then serve.

Pork & Pineapple Stir-fry

Serves 4

3 Tbsp cornstarch, divided
2 - 3 tsp VE Oriental Stir-fry Seasoning
1 lb trimmed and diced pork
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, cored and roughly chopped
1 – 14 oz can pineapple chunks, drained, juice reserved
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1. Combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch with VE Oriental Stir-fry Seasoning and coat pork.
2. Heat frying pan to medium high then add vegetable oil. Cook pork until no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add green pepper to frying an and stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes.
4. Add pineapple and chicken stock and allow to simmer.
5. Whisk together remaining cornstarch and pineapple juice in small bowl.
6. Return pork to frying pan. Add pineapple juice and briskly stir. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce thickens. Serve over warm rice or noodles.

Alternate recipe: Prepare with chicken instead of Pork.