Salmon continues to be a favorite in our house. The kids really love it and it makes me feel good to serve it to them because I know it's full of things they need. I have a few standard ways I make it and roasting at a high heat is probably one of the easiest. You can use any spices you like and you don't need to add oil. This recipe works best with what they call a 'barbecue cut' at Trader Joe's. Basically, this means that it should be a fairly thick cut I think it also signifies a long, narrow cut. You could probably do with a thinner cut, but I think the high heat in the oven would dry it out. I recently purchased a 'salt free' lemon seasoning which is basically a mix of fish-loving seasonings. You will want to add salt if you use a pre-mixed no-salt seasoning, but you won't need much else. Here it is, in all of it's 2 minutes of hands on time...enjoy it on a Sunday when you really don't feel like cooking, or on a Monday after a long and stressful day. Serve it up with microwaved steamed veggies and some brown rice or couscous and you have a complete meal. And for one final trick, roast it on a foiled and sprayed cooking sheet and you have NO cleanup!
Perfect Roasted Salmon.
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 lbs salmon (thick cut, can be with or without skin)
salt and pepper to taste
salt free lemon seasoning, to taste
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with a little cooking spray. Place the salmon pieces skin side down on the sheet leaving room between each piece. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and seasoning. Roast for 20 minutes and then remove it from the oven to let it finish cooking for about 3-4 minutes before serving. That's it. Seriously.
Serves 4
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Greek Style Turkey Meatballs (in a pita)
Tonight, I was inspired both by a turkey burger recipe I saw on the food network AND my kids love affair with meatballs. As I have said before, it's something about the fun factor, I guess, or maybe the endless ways you can spice them up. In any case, this was a big hit with the little guys and Dan and I really enjoyed it too. I made the meatballs only for the kids and gave them cut up raw carrots as a side. I am sure they would have loved the pita too, but they couldn't take their focus off the meatballs. I thought they'd love the yogurt sauce, but they didn't really dig it. It might have been the raw garlic, which was a bit strong for a kid's taste. We liked it a lot though and for ourselves, we put the meatballs on to warmed whole wheat pitas with the yogurt sauce. We dipped raw carrots and some cut up cucumbers on the side, but next time I'd slice the cucumber thin and julienne the carrots and add them right to the pita. As always with meat balls, these could definitely be done with ground beef or even lamb, but I was staying healthy tonight with the turkey.
Greek Style Turkey Meatballs (in a pita)
Timing - about 15 minutes to prep and 15 to cook
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 1/3 lb ground turkey
2 T ketchup
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t dry oregano
1 t cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Olive oil for frying (about 2 T)
Yogurt Sauce:
1 small container plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T grated cucumber
half of a lemon, squeezed (about 1 T)
1 t salt
Pita, carrots and cucumber for serving
How to Make
Make the yogurt sauce first to allow the flavors to combine. You can even make it a few hours ahead. Combine all of the ingredients and then keep the sauce in the refrigerator until ready to use. This is also a great dip for other raw veggies!
Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Don't over mix or the meatballs will get tough. Roll the meatballs into about walnut size round shapes. Note that there are no breadcrumbs, so they will be a little bit sticky when you roll. Meanwhile, heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the pan is hot, add the oil and let it get very hot. Add the meatballs and cook, without moving until one side is golden brown. It's important to leave a little space between the meatballs to get them to brown, so if your pan isn't large enough, do the meatballs in two batches. Turn the meatballs gently to brown each side. The whole process will take about 1o minutes. Finish the meatballs in the oven until the center is no longer pink. This took me about another 8 minutes.
Serve the meatballs stuffed inside warmed whole-wheat pitas with the yogurt sauce and vegetables.
Serves 4
Greek Style Turkey Meatballs (in a pita)
Timing - about 15 minutes to prep and 15 to cook
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 1/3 lb ground turkey
2 T ketchup
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t dry oregano
1 t cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Olive oil for frying (about 2 T)
Yogurt Sauce:
1 small container plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T grated cucumber
half of a lemon, squeezed (about 1 T)
1 t salt
Pita, carrots and cucumber for serving
How to Make
Make the yogurt sauce first to allow the flavors to combine. You can even make it a few hours ahead. Combine all of the ingredients and then keep the sauce in the refrigerator until ready to use. This is also a great dip for other raw veggies!
Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Don't over mix or the meatballs will get tough. Roll the meatballs into about walnut size round shapes. Note that there are no breadcrumbs, so they will be a little bit sticky when you roll. Meanwhile, heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
When the pan is hot, add the oil and let it get very hot. Add the meatballs and cook, without moving until one side is golden brown. It's important to leave a little space between the meatballs to get them to brown, so if your pan isn't large enough, do the meatballs in two batches. Turn the meatballs gently to brown each side. The whole process will take about 1o minutes. Finish the meatballs in the oven until the center is no longer pink. This took me about another 8 minutes.
Serve the meatballs stuffed inside warmed whole-wheat pitas with the yogurt sauce and vegetables.
Serves 4
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Bean and Cheese "taquitos"
Sometimes I hesitate to put my really simple dishes on here because it's almost embarrassing to call them a 'recipe.' However, I was inspired tonight as I was leaving work and one of my friends lamented that she had 'nothing to cook.' This is one of the things I do when I feel the same way. It's fast and doesn't take a lot of ingredients and I almost always have what I need to make it. In addition, beans are a great way to get protein in your kids, even vegetarians, and my kids are both big fans. The crispiness is why I call these a 'taquito' vs. a burrito. They almost seam easier to eat because the kids can pick them up without them flopping over. Of course you could feel free to add meat to these, and I add tomatoes and chopped green onions to the ones for the adults (my kids are not fans of either of these ingredients).
Bean and Cheese 'Taquitos.'
Timing - 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake
Ingredients
8 taco size whole wheat flour tortillas
1 can black beans, drained
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
chopped green onions and tomatoes (optional)
sliced avocado, sour cream, chopped cilantro and salsa for serving
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Simmer the beans and spices in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes and then lightly mash to blend together (some whole beans are fine).
Place about two tablespoons of beans in the center of each tortilla, top with cheddar cheese and onions and tomatoes if using. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes until the tortillas are crisped. Serve with the avocado, sour cream, cilantro and salsa.
Serves 4
Bean and Cheese 'Taquitos.'
Timing - 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake
Ingredients
8 taco size whole wheat flour tortillas
1 can black beans, drained
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
chopped green onions and tomatoes (optional)
sliced avocado, sour cream, chopped cilantro and salsa for serving
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Simmer the beans and spices in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes and then lightly mash to blend together (some whole beans are fine).
Place about two tablespoons of beans in the center of each tortilla, top with cheddar cheese and onions and tomatoes if using. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes until the tortillas are crisped. Serve with the avocado, sour cream, cilantro and salsa.
Serves 4
Maple Mustard Baked Chicken
This recipe is adapted from a wonderful cookbook called the six o'clock scramble. I may have talked about it before, but it's a great inexpensive paperback with tons of family friendly recipes using ingredients that most people have on hand. One of my great weeknight secrets is finding recipes that I can bake versus cook on the stove because this allows me to prepare and throw it in the oven and then do what I need to do around the house or hang out with the kids. Tonight, I used bone-in, skin-on chicken breast for this, but you could also use bone in thighs (with or without skin) or drumsticks. Just don't use boneless skinless breasts because they can't handle the long cooking time without drying out. The kids loved the 'sweet sauce' and both wanted a second serving.
Maple Mustard Baked Chicken (adapted from the six o'clock scramble cookbook)
Timing - about 5 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to bake and broil
Ingredients
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apricot preserves
splash of white wine vinegar (maybe a tablespoon)
1/2 t dried tarragon
4 small bone in chicken breast halves (or 2-3 large ones; you could also use 4 thighs or 6 legs)
paprika
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together all ingredients except chicken. Place the chicken in a glass baking dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn the chicken to coat, ending with it skin side up. Sprinkle liberally with paprika. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes and then broil for 5 minutes to slightly brown the skin.
Serves 4
Maple Mustard Baked Chicken (adapted from the six o'clock scramble cookbook)
Timing - about 5 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to bake and broil
Ingredients
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apricot preserves
splash of white wine vinegar (maybe a tablespoon)
1/2 t dried tarragon
4 small bone in chicken breast halves (or 2-3 large ones; you could also use 4 thighs or 6 legs)
paprika
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together all ingredients except chicken. Place the chicken in a glass baking dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn the chicken to coat, ending with it skin side up. Sprinkle liberally with paprika. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes and then broil for 5 minutes to slightly brown the skin.
Serves 4
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Pasta with Shrimp, Tomato and Basil
One of the best floater ingredients to have on hand is the peeled and deveined frozen shrimp that you get in a one pound bag at just about any super market. I happened to have a bag of very large shrimp in mine which I defrosted over night and used for a very quick meal tonight. This recipe actually works equally well with cubed chicken breast and it can easily take additions like asparagus, cut green beans or any other good sauteing vegetable. Tonight, I used a mixture of orzo and ditalini since I had a little left of each in the pantry. Feel free to use whatever you need to get rid of. Simply cook the pasta to al dente while you are sauteing the shrimp or chicken with the 'sauce' and then add in the pasta to warm through at the very end. Most kids really love pasta and mine love shrimp too.
Pasta with Shrimp, Tomato and Basil
Timing - 10 minutes to boil the water and then another 10 to put it all together
Ingredients
1.5 T olive oil
1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 cloves garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
10 basil leaves, torn or chopped into small pieces
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 to 3/4 lb pasta (orzo, ditalini, or other short pasta)
How to Make
Boil the water for the pasta. When it is ready, cook the pasta to al dente according to the package. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Saute the shrimp about 2 minutes on the first side and then add the garlic and some salt and pepper. Turn the shrimp and cook another minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes more. Stir in the lemon zest and basil and then add the drained pasta. Heat about 1 minute and then add the basil and lemon zest at the very end.
Serves 4
Pasta with Shrimp, Tomato and Basil
Timing - 10 minutes to boil the water and then another 10 to put it all together
Ingredients
1.5 T olive oil
1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 cloves garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
10 basil leaves, torn or chopped into small pieces
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 to 3/4 lb pasta (orzo, ditalini, or other short pasta)
How to Make
Boil the water for the pasta. When it is ready, cook the pasta to al dente according to the package. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Saute the shrimp about 2 minutes on the first side and then add the garlic and some salt and pepper. Turn the shrimp and cook another minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes more. Stir in the lemon zest and basil and then add the drained pasta. Heat about 1 minute and then add the basil and lemon zest at the very end.
Serves 4
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Coq Au Riesling (Wine Braised Chicken)
I am a total food network junkie. Thank god for the power of the DVR! I really don't get to watch much TV on the weekends, but once in a while, as I did yesterday when it was raining, I get my fix on a few favorite shows. On Saturday, I watched Nigella Lawson make a "Cog Au Riesling" which is a take on the classic french Coq Au Vin. The theme of her show was entertaining mid-week, which this dish would really be perfect for. In addition though, it has all the ingredients for a great kids meal. I have gotten pretty good at spotting such meals: not a ton of crazy spices, easy and 'fun' to eat, reheats well for leftovers and for the cook, HANDS OFF. I made this recipe tonight with some slight adaptations from the original. I only made the changes because I shopped at Trader Joe's and wanted to find all the ingredients there. I had the pot on the stove this afternoon in 10 minutes, literally. Then, I just walked away and let it cook for an hour and then reheated it tonight for our meal. The recipe suggested that it tastes even better reheated, which was true. It also seemed fancy and elegant for company but both kids loved every bite (except the mushrooms for Lucas). I served it over wide papardelle egg noodles with butter and dill, but any egg noodle, or really any noodle would do. One more thing - take short cuts where you can. I found some of the ingredients already cleaned and prepped - what a time saver!
Coq Au Riesling (Adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe)
Timing - about 10 minutes of hands on and 1 hour of cooking
Ingredients
Olive oil - about 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup (about 8 ounces) cubed pancetta or bacon (I found it already cubed at TJ's)
1 large leek, trimmed and cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
10 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used creminis)
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (this is key! breasts would dry out with the long cooking)
1 bottle riesling (a sweet wine)
egg noodles, cooked and topped with a tablespoon of butter and some fresh chopped dill
How to Make
In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta until it browned and slightly crisped. Add the leeks and cook until softened and slightly browned. Drop in the mushrooms and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Top with the chicken and give it all a good stir. Pour the whole bottle of wine over the rest of the ingredients, just to cover them.
Bring the pot to a boil and then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low for one hour. Seriously, that's it.
Serves 6
Coq Au Riesling (Adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe)
Timing - about 10 minutes of hands on and 1 hour of cooking
Ingredients
Olive oil - about 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup (about 8 ounces) cubed pancetta or bacon (I found it already cubed at TJ's)
1 large leek, trimmed and cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
10 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used creminis)
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (this is key! breasts would dry out with the long cooking)
1 bottle riesling (a sweet wine)
egg noodles, cooked and topped with a tablespoon of butter and some fresh chopped dill
How to Make
In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta until it browned and slightly crisped. Add the leeks and cook until softened and slightly browned. Drop in the mushrooms and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Top with the chicken and give it all a good stir. Pour the whole bottle of wine over the rest of the ingredients, just to cover them.
Bring the pot to a boil and then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low for one hour. Seriously, that's it.
Serves 6
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Homemade Chicken Nuggets - YES you can!
My friend Sally at work and so many other friends have said to me, 'how do you get your kids to eat all of this stuff. My kids will only eat pizza and chicken nuggets.' I realize that kids don't become adventurous eaters over night. This is a great 'bridge' recipe. It's easy and familiar and I promise you can feel better about serving this than something processed from the freezer. What's even better, is that you can actually make the nuggets all the way through baking and then freeze them to make instantly on another night. All you need to do is follow the recipe through the breadcrumbs and then freeze. When you bake the nuggets, you can bake them from frozen - just add about 5-10 minutes. Once you get your kids started on these nuggets, the possibilities are endless for many more homemade meals.
Tonight, I served these with roasted cauliflower with Parmesan cheese. Jacob loved it; Lucas didn't (gotta be honest!). You could do roasted broccoli as well (which both the boys love). All you need to do is cut the vegetables in to florets, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and roast for 25 minutes along side the chicken on another sprayed baking sheet.
Chicken Nuggets (YES you can - in honor of Barak Obama tonight!!)
Timing - 40 minutes (plus time to marinate - one hour or over night)
Ingredients
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (you can also buy boneless skinless breasts and cut them in nugget pieces)
1 quart buttermilk
1.5 cups store bought or homemade seasoned breadcrumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
cooking spray
How to Make
Place chicken tenders in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl. Shake off each chicken nugget to remove excess buttermilk and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place the nuggets on the baking sheet making sure to leave a little space between them. Spray the tops of the nuggets with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. If cooking from frozen, add 5 to ten minutes.
Serves 6
Tonight, I served these with roasted cauliflower with Parmesan cheese. Jacob loved it; Lucas didn't (gotta be honest!). You could do roasted broccoli as well (which both the boys love). All you need to do is cut the vegetables in to florets, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and roast for 25 minutes along side the chicken on another sprayed baking sheet.
Chicken Nuggets (YES you can - in honor of Barak Obama tonight!!)
Timing - 40 minutes (plus time to marinate - one hour or over night)
Ingredients
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (you can also buy boneless skinless breasts and cut them in nugget pieces)
1 quart buttermilk
1.5 cups store bought or homemade seasoned breadcrumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
cooking spray
How to Make
Place chicken tenders in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl. Shake off each chicken nugget to remove excess buttermilk and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place the nuggets on the baking sheet making sure to leave a little space between them. Spray the tops of the nuggets with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. If cooking from frozen, add 5 to ten minutes.
Serves 6
Easy Baked Pasta
This is a really versatile recipe. I have made it a staple for vegetarians at our annual Halloween party, but you could just as easily add some sausage or ground beef to the layers for a meatier dish. You can also substitute about any short pasta for the bow ties. Bottom line, this is a great crowd pleaser, for both kids and adults, that can be totally made ahead and easily doubled or tripled for a big group. I have made the recipe both with cottage cheese or ricotta - pick the one that you like more. Get ready to kick back and enjoy a great meal with friends.
Easy Baked Pasta
Timing - about 30 minutes to prep and another 45 to bake
Ingredients
1 pound farfalle (or other short pasta)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 jars prepared pasta sauce
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
To assemble, spread one cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of the pasta in an even layer. Spread with another cup sauce, ricotta mixture, and one cup more sauce. Top with remaining pasta, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Any remaining sauce may be reheated and served on the side or reserved for another use. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top to cover. Place baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake, covered tightly with foil, until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Bake (or broil) an additional five minutes, uncovered, until the cheese browns a little.
Serves 8 to 10
Easy Baked Pasta
Timing - about 30 minutes to prep and another 45 to bake
Ingredients
1 pound farfalle (or other short pasta)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 jars prepared pasta sauce
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
To assemble, spread one cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of the pasta in an even layer. Spread with another cup sauce, ricotta mixture, and one cup more sauce. Top with remaining pasta, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Any remaining sauce may be reheated and served on the side or reserved for another use. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top to cover. Place baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake, covered tightly with foil, until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Bake (or broil) an additional five minutes, uncovered, until the cheese browns a little.
Serves 8 to 10
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