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4 Ingredients — episode 3

Ah, wondering why I’ve tried another recipe so soon after the last one? I know, it’s out of character but hubby’s away. And while hubby’s away, this wife must cook.

Well, okay, not really — he did leave two meals for me in the freezer. And I admit to ordering in pizza last night. But tonight, those chicken breasts sitting in the fridge gave me the guilts. As in, “if you don’t cook me tonight, you’re throwing good money into the garbage!”

So, don’t get too excited now … I’ve got another (wait for it), yes, CHICKEN recipe for you again! One day I may venture out of the chicken section of my 4 Ingredients cookbook. In fact, after tonight, that day may just come sooner than expected.

Here’s the recipe, exactly how it appears in the book …

Cranberry & Orange Chicken
Serves 4.       Y.u.m.m.y!
4 chicken breasts
1 pkt French onion soup
3/4 cup cranberry sauce
3/4 cup orange juice

I didn’t have the onion soup or the cranberry sauce, so I picked them up this afternoon. I almost decided to cancel the whole exercise when I realized that every package of French onion soup in the grocery store listed MSG on its ingredients. I also heard my husband’s voice in my head saying, “never trust a recipe that lists soup as an ingredient!” But I didn’t listen.

Silly me. Cause it was Y.u.c.k.y! And I think it was all because of the darn onion soup. I ended up scraping off all the topping before serving it up. We did eat it, but only because it didn’t have a speck of the actual recipe left on it.

I may just need to venture farther out than 4 Ingredients to become a half decent cook (and I do have some great suggested learning sources now thanks to the commenters on episode 2!). The promise of cooking with only four ingredients is so compelling though that I think I’ll give at least a meat recipe a shot.

There’s no scoring for this one because we didn’t even eat it. (And Lynn, I’m purposely not listing the instructions this time. I don’t want you to bother!)

Comments

  1. I was looking over that and thinking yuck. In my experience there are very very few recipes that turn out well if they have orange juice in them. (I think it’s an acquired taste.)

    Will your kids eat salsa and dairy?

    This is a really easy. Too tired to cook recipe, actually not bad for you…

    Speedy Mexican Chicken
    (I don’t actually measure anything but the real recipe calls for the following.)
    Mix
    12 oz. salsa
    1 cup plain yogurt (I have substituted sour cream and it works too.)

    Pour over
    chicken breasts (I do four boneless skinless usually).

    Then cover with
    1 cup cheddar/mozza or Monterey Jack cheese. (go heavy on the cheese)

    Preheat over to 350
    Bake for 40 minutes.
    (I’ve also substituted salsa for left over spaghetti sauce that works too.)

  2. Jules-
    There is a Canadian cookbook that uses only 5 ingredients – I think you may be ready to graduate!
    And I agree with your DH, if it has soup mix in it, don’t do it!
    Cheers, K

  3. I agree with hubby. And listing “soup” as an ingredient is cheating anyway, because soup isn’t an ingredient, it’s a whole list of ingredients.

  4. Despite all the soup negativity out there, here’s a crockpot recipe that my 6 year old DEVOURED. (and I cannot make him eat meat.)

    Put one can of cream of broccoli soup and one can of cream of cheese soup in a crock pot. Mix and add chicken. Cook on hi for 4 hours, low for 8.

    You are supposed to add broccoli an hour before the end, but I cooked it on its own.

    Then serve over rice, noodles.

    Not quite as good as leftovers, but YUMMY right out of the crockpot.

    SOUP ROCKS! :)

  5. I love the “Cooking with Julie” postings best.

  6. You have to see the movie “Julie and Julia” with Meryl Streep, all you ever needed to learn about cooking! Funny and very entertaining.

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