Slovenian Recipes

I wasn't sure this particular dish could survive without the salt.  I wasn't  too worried about the change in taste.  But I was concerned that the salt might be an essential component of the paste. It provided texture that the powdery paprika by itself did not.  I suspected it might play a role in tenderizing the chicken or sealing in the juice. But it was worth a chance.  So I made the dish with the easiest possible substitution: A commercially prepared no-salt seasoning mix. I am not a big believer in pre-mixed seasoning blends.  We rarely use them.  But I happened to have one on hand: Mrs. Dash salt-free garlic and herb blend.  So that's what I used. The verdict? The chicken cooked beautifully on the grill.  We sliced it and arranged it on a platter.   My husband had prepared two salt-free side dishes: a mixed green salad and kasha with mushrooms. As always, the chicken was moist and delicious.  Everything was low-so...

Menu Polenta with Crimini Mushrooms Smoked Paprika Chicken Breasts Dandelion Salad with Marinated Mushrooms       I built this dinner around a layered polenta-and-mushroom recipe I found in one of my vintage cookbooks, Woman's Glory: The Kitchen.  I just needed a simple entree that would complement this rich but slightly heavy side dish.  I discovered the perfect solution: An easy chicken breast dish with a paprika flavor that would fit in well. To round out the meal, I created a green salad in the Slovenian spirit. So the dinner was a real mixed bag: traditional, contemporary, and Slovenian-inspired. And I also rediscovered an old-fashioned cooking technique I first learned from my mother, pounding meat into thin cutlets. Polenta with Crimini Mushrooms 1 c. corn grits or polenta, cooked in boiling salted water as directed 1 c. brown crimini mushrooms, sliced 6 T. nonfat Greek yogurt  (or cream) 4 T (or more)  grated smoked gouda...