Some times accidents in the kitchen make the best meals. This week, I set out to make a fall vegetable soup that was something like what I had seen in a magazine. I decided to add pasta to make it a little more substantial, but when I had a low pasta to liquid ratio, it ended up cooking more like a risotto. All of the liquid was absorbed and I had a super flavorful and healthy dish that could have fed a huge crowd. There were at least 10 servings, if I had to guess. I used De Cecco "Stellette" pasta, which are tiny stars, so the kids found them fun to eat. I was also able to incorporate a lot of vegetables. My kids didn't eat the greens, but they dug the carrots, tomatoes, and butternut squash.
Little Star Pasta with Fall Vegetables (or "Accidental" fall pasta)
Timing - 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2.5 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 t allspice
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 can diced tomatoes, with their juice (14.5 oz)
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 can cannelini beans, drained
1 lb stellette pasta (orzo might also work)
How to Make
Heat the oil in a large soup pan or dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Saute the carrots and onion for about 6 minutes until they are starting to soften. Add the garlic and stir for about one minute.
Stir in the thyme, squash, allspice, cayenne, salt, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer 10 minutes with the lid closed.
Add the kale and cook, uncovered for 3 minutes. Add the beans and pasta and stir and then cook for about 8 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let any remaining liquid absorb into the pasta.
Serves 8-10 (I am guessing - but it probably could serve that many)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Orzo with Shrimp, Squash, Feta and Mint
I have been watching a new show on the food network called "5 ingredient fix." I am not sure how I feel about the host, but the recipes have all been great. This recipe was inspired by something I saw on the show, but I added a few things to make it more of a main course versus a side dish. It was a quick 20 minutes to get this on the table and the kids and Dan ate it up with not a single complaint, even about 'the green stuff.'
Orzo with Shrimp, Squash, Feta and Mint
Timing -20 minutes
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 cups orzo
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
2 small yellow squash, chopped into bite-sized pieced
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 oz feta, crumbled
How to Make -
Make the pasta according to package directions (about 10 minutes). Before draining, take about 3/4 cup of the pasta water out for the sauce.
Heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper on the shrimp and saute about two minutes per side. The shrimp should be mostly cooked, but remove them from the pan and set aside before they are totally done.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan and saute the shallot for about 5 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 more seconds. Add the squash, season with salt, and cook about 3 minutes until tender. Toss in the shrimp, orzo and mint and stir constantly while slowly adding the pasta water to make a sauce. Take the pan off the heat and add the crumbled feta.
Serves 4
Orzo with Shrimp, Squash, Feta and Mint
Timing -20 minutes
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 cups orzo
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
2 small yellow squash, chopped into bite-sized pieced
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 oz feta, crumbled
How to Make -
Make the pasta according to package directions (about 10 minutes). Before draining, take about 3/4 cup of the pasta water out for the sauce.
Heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper on the shrimp and saute about two minutes per side. The shrimp should be mostly cooked, but remove them from the pan and set aside before they are totally done.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan and saute the shallot for about 5 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 more seconds. Add the squash, season with salt, and cook about 3 minutes until tender. Toss in the shrimp, orzo and mint and stir constantly while slowly adding the pasta water to make a sauce. Take the pan off the heat and add the crumbled feta.
Serves 4
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Good Housekeeping October 2009)
I have a love/hate relationship with the crock pot. I love the idea of it, but I dislike the fact that almost everything you cook in it has the same mushy texture and sometimes overcooked flavor. So, when I do find something that works well in the crock, I rejoice. This was just the case the with the Good Housekeeping recipe I found this month. I pretty much made it as is, but I reinvented the coleslaw to be more like what they put on the fried chicken sandwiches at Bakesale Betty in Oakland.
SIDE NOTE: If you are EVER in Oakland for any reason, you must must must make a stop at Bakesale Betty for this fried chicken sandwich - or anything, really. They make them so fast and put this crazy jalapeno coleslaw on them that I swear I dream about. Their desserts are also divine, as is their frozen lemonade.
But I digress...back to the task at hand. Try the pulled pork, with my coleslaw substitution. It's great on a Monday. You can prepare the meat with spices and the sauce the night before, so all you have to do is throw the sauce in and turn it on in the morning. Come home from work on Monday night and voila...dinner (not to mention enough leftovers for a second meal!)
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine, October
2009)
Timing - 10 hours and 30 minutes (30 minutes prep time)
Ingredients -
2 T smoked paprika
1 T mustard powder
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 T packed dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper
4 lbs boneless, untrimmed pork shoulder blade roast (Boston butt)
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 small head napa cabbage, sliced thinly
1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
16 soft white hamburger buns, lightly toasted
How to Make
In 5- to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl, combine paprika, mustard powder, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Add pork and rub mixture all over meat. Arrange pork in single layer in slow-cooker bowl, fat side up.
In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, ketchup, red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Pour 1/3 cup sauce into large bowl; cover and refrigerate. Pour 1 cup water and remaining sauce into slow-cooker bowl. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook 8 to 10 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.
Carefully transfer meat to large bowl; remove fat and skin and discard. Using two forks, shred meat into small pieces. Carefully pour sauce from slow cooker into fat separator. Pour half of sauce over meat and pour remaining sauce into gravy boat. Discard fat.
When ready to serve, remove reserved sauce from refrigerator; with fork, whisk in mayonnaise. Add to cabbage and jalapeno, and toss until well combined. Divide meat among bottoms of buns; top with coleslaw, then tops of buns. Serve with reserved sauce on the side.
Serves 16 (or so it says...I think more like 10-12)
SIDE NOTE: If you are EVER in Oakland for any reason, you must must must make a stop at Bakesale Betty for this fried chicken sandwich - or anything, really. They make them so fast and put this crazy jalapeno coleslaw on them that I swear I dream about. Their desserts are also divine, as is their frozen lemonade.
But I digress...back to the task at hand. Try the pulled pork, with my coleslaw substitution. It's great on a Monday. You can prepare the meat with spices and the sauce the night before, so all you have to do is throw the sauce in and turn it on in the morning. Come home from work on Monday night and voila...dinner (not to mention enough leftovers for a second meal!)
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine, October
2009)
Timing - 10 hours and 30 minutes (30 minutes prep time)
Ingredients -
2 T smoked paprika
1 T mustard powder
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 T packed dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper
4 lbs boneless, untrimmed pork shoulder blade roast (Boston butt)
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 small head napa cabbage, sliced thinly
1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
16 soft white hamburger buns, lightly toasted
How to Make
In 5- to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl, combine paprika, mustard powder, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Add pork and rub mixture all over meat. Arrange pork in single layer in slow-cooker bowl, fat side up.
In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, ketchup, red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Pour 1/3 cup sauce into large bowl; cover and refrigerate. Pour 1 cup water and remaining sauce into slow-cooker bowl. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook 8 to 10 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.
Carefully transfer meat to large bowl; remove fat and skin and discard. Using two forks, shred meat into small pieces. Carefully pour sauce from slow cooker into fat separator. Pour half of sauce over meat and pour remaining sauce into gravy boat. Discard fat.
When ready to serve, remove reserved sauce from refrigerator; with fork, whisk in mayonnaise. Add to cabbage and jalapeno, and toss until well combined. Divide meat among bottoms of buns; top with coleslaw, then tops of buns. Serve with reserved sauce on the side.
Serves 16 (or so it says...I think more like 10-12)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Lime-and Honey-Glazed Salmon with Basmati and Broccolini (Bon Appetit)
It's been a while since I posted. I have still been cooking up a storm, but I have been leaning in to repeat recipes way more with crazy work, kid and life schedules. I couldn't pass this one up though because the recipe was a big hit, really pretty, and made in one dish. I am pasting the recipe exactly how I found it in this month (October 2009) issue of Bon Appetit. I didn't change a thing and it was remarkably easy, super healthy, and fancy enough for any guest. I hope to add some more recipes this week...
Lime-and Honey-Glazed Salmon with Basmati and Broccolini
Timing - 55 minutes total (35 minutes active time)
Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lime peel
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 3 large)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice (9 to 10 ounces)
3 1/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
4 5-to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
1 bunch broccolini, bottom inch trimmed, stalks separated if necessary
How to Make
Lime-and Honey-Glazed Salmon with Basmati and Broccolini
Timing - 55 minutes total (35 minutes active time)
Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lime peel
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 3 large)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice (9 to 10 ounces)
3 1/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
4 5-to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
1 bunch broccolini, bottom inch trimmed, stalks separated if necessary
How to Make
Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk lime juice, lime peel, honey, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and soy sauce in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet or casserole (with lid) over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then 3 1/4 cups broth; bring to boil. Cover skillet tightly with lid; place in oven and bake 10 minutes (rice will be almost cooked through and most of broth will be absorbed; mix in more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry).
Remove skillet from oven. Sprinkle rice lightly with salt. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and arrange on rice, pressing in lightly. Tuck broccolini in around fish, with stems anchored in rice. Spoon 1 tablespoon lime mixture over each salmon fillet. Cover skillet tightly and return to oven; bake until salmon is just opaque in center and broccolini is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining lime mixture over fish and rice; sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and serve from skillet.
Serves 4
Monday, July 20, 2009
White Chili
I am realizing that this is probably the third chili recipe that I've posted, but I felt compelled because Lucas said it was the 'best ever.' I really like a one-pot meal and I love to make it on Sunday night for Monday. Tonight I went to the gym after work and came home to a great meal that just had to be reheated. This recipe is adapted from what I saw Giada De Laurentiis making on Food Network over the weekend. It was nice for summer because it used corn and wasn't super heavy. I used frozen, but you could certainly use fresh. The cannelini beans are light and creamy as well.
White Chili (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Timing - one hour
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T chili powder
1.5 T cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 T fennel seeds
1.5 lbs ground turkey or chicken
3 T flour
2 cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups frozen corn (or fresh)
1 quart chicken stock
How to Make
Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion for about 2 minutes, until soft, and then add garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in herbs and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add the ground turkey and cook until nicely browned.
Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Add the beans, corn and stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to low simmer and cook for 50 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and hot sauce if you like.
Serves 6
White Chili (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Timing - one hour
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T chili powder
1.5 T cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 T fennel seeds
1.5 lbs ground turkey or chicken
3 T flour
2 cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups frozen corn (or fresh)
1 quart chicken stock
How to Make
Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion for about 2 minutes, until soft, and then add garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in herbs and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add the ground turkey and cook until nicely browned.
Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Add the beans, corn and stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to low simmer and cook for 50 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and hot sauce if you like.
Serves 6
10 Minute Summer Pasta
I'm back. It's not that I haven't been cooking, but I have been so crazy that I haven't had time to write about it. So today, I am trying to get back on the horse. Last night, I made this very fast summer pasta. It is pretty easy to make something delicious in ten minutes when you have the freshest tomatoes and basil possible at your disposal. I hit the Berkeley farmer's market on Thursday and came home with the tiniest cherry tomatoes in all colors and they made this super quick and easy pasta that everyone loved.
10 Minute Summer Pasta
Timing -10 minutes (plus the time to boil the water)
Ingredients
1 lb penne pasta
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallot, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
30 leaves basil, torn
1 small container drained bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella), cut in half if they are large
Parmesan cheese
How to Make
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving about one cup of pasta water before draining. While pasta cooks, make the sauce.
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute about 2 minutes and then add garlic and cook for about thirty seconds. Toss in tomatoes and basil for about one minute. Add the cooked pasta and toss with the reserved pasta water over low heat until the pasta is coated. Turn off the heat and add the mozzarella. Toss and serve with Parmesan cheese
Serves 6
10 Minute Summer Pasta
Timing -10 minutes (plus the time to boil the water)
Ingredients
1 lb penne pasta
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallot, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
30 leaves basil, torn
1 small container drained bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella), cut in half if they are large
Parmesan cheese
How to Make
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving about one cup of pasta water before draining. While pasta cooks, make the sauce.
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute about 2 minutes and then add garlic and cook for about thirty seconds. Toss in tomatoes and basil for about one minute. Add the cooked pasta and toss with the reserved pasta water over low heat until the pasta is coated. Turn off the heat and add the mozzarella. Toss and serve with Parmesan cheese
Serves 6
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Chicken with Haricots Verts and Lemon Butter (Bon Appetit)
This is another great recipe from the June Bon Appetit. It was super fast and easy and beautiful enough to serve for company. Trader Joe's carries "french green beans" (haricots verts) which are ready to go including being trimmed and cleaned. I had dinner on the table in 20 minutes and it really was one of the best ones we've had in a while. I served with couscous but brown rice or orzo would have been really nice too.
Chicken with Haricots Verts and Lemon Butter (Bon Appetit)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (with or without skin)
All purpose or whole wheat flour
2 T olive oil
8 shallots, peeled, halved
2 T butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about one whole lemon)
1.5 t freshly grated lemon zest
1 lb haricots verts, trimmed (I used a little less)
2 T minced fresh chives
How to Make
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; lightly dust with flour to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and shallots; saute until chicken is golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Melt butter in skillet with shallots over medium heat. Add lemon juice and zest and haricots verts and toss to coat. Cover and cook until beans are crisp-tender and shallots are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Return chicken and any juices to skillet; sprinkle with chives. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 4
Chicken with Haricots Verts and Lemon Butter (Bon Appetit)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (with or without skin)
All purpose or whole wheat flour
2 T olive oil
8 shallots, peeled, halved
2 T butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about one whole lemon)
1.5 t freshly grated lemon zest
1 lb haricots verts, trimmed (I used a little less)
2 T minced fresh chives
How to Make
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; lightly dust with flour to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and shallots; saute until chicken is golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Melt butter in skillet with shallots over medium heat. Add lemon juice and zest and haricots verts and toss to coat. Cover and cook until beans are crisp-tender and shallots are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Return chicken and any juices to skillet; sprinkle with chives. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 4
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, and Ricotta Cheese (Bon Appetit)
Spring has sprung which for me means lots of amazing produce and simple fresh recipes in all of the May/June issues of my favorite magazines. This week, I made to winners from the June edition of Bon Appetit. The kids loved this pasta. They didn't complain at all about the onions - it's amazing what the sweetness of caramelization does to about anything. They also liked the sugar snap peas, which was a nice change from our usual broccoli and green beans. I made the recipe almost exactly as written in the magazine, but I didn't have orecchiette pasta, as called for, so I just used farfalle.
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, and Ricotta Cheese (Bon Appetit)
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 8-oz package trimmed sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb pasta (short pasta like farfalle or shells or orecchiette)
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1.5 t fresh lemon zest
How to Make
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; saute onions until tender and deep golden, about 15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve one cup cooking liquid.
Add peas to onions in skillet. Saute until peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to onion mixture and sir over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Mix in ricotta, basil, and lemon peel, adding more cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, and Ricotta Cheese (Bon Appetit)
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 8-oz package trimmed sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb pasta (short pasta like farfalle or shells or orecchiette)
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1.5 t fresh lemon zest
How to Make
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; saute onions until tender and deep golden, about 15 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve one cup cooking liquid.
Add peas to onions in skillet. Saute until peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to onion mixture and sir over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Mix in ricotta, basil, and lemon peel, adding more cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4
Monday, May 4, 2009
Tortilla Chicken Drumsticks (Gourmet)
I made this recipe last week and it was a hit with the kids. It's like any other oven-fried chicken, but it has a twist by being coated with tortilla chips instead of bread crumbs. I made the recipe exactly as written (as below) and served it with some oven fries that roast at the same temperature and for the same time. For the fries, simply cut Yukon or russet potatoes into wedge shapes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake on a preheated cooking sheet, turning once.
Tortilla Chicken Drumsticks (Gourmet)
Timing - 20 minutes prep and 40-45 minutes to cook
Ingredients
8 oz lightly salted corn tortilla chips
4 teaspoons chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg
2 1/2 lb chicken drumsticks (about 10)
How to Make
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Oil a large 4-sided sheet pan.
Pulse chips, 2 tsp chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor until coarsely ground, then transfer to a shallow dish.
Whisk egg and remaining 2 tsp chili powder in a bowl.
Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt. Dip drumsticks in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat with crumbs, pressing to help them adhere. Transfer to sheet pan.
Bake, without turning, until cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.
Serves 4
Tortilla Chicken Drumsticks (Gourmet)
Timing - 20 minutes prep and 40-45 minutes to cook
Ingredients
8 oz lightly salted corn tortilla chips
4 teaspoons chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg
2 1/2 lb chicken drumsticks (about 10)
How to Make
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Oil a large 4-sided sheet pan.
Pulse chips, 2 tsp chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor until coarsely ground, then transfer to a shallow dish.
Whisk egg and remaining 2 tsp chili powder in a bowl.
Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt. Dip drumsticks in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat with crumbs, pressing to help them adhere. Transfer to sheet pan.
Bake, without turning, until cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.
Serves 4
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
I know - some of you got to spinach and thought, "my kids will not eat it." But seriously - my kids are not fans of most things green and they both devour this every time. The key is that it's buried in a bunch of cheesy goodness with pasta. The other thing I love about this dish is that you can make it the day before and then bake it off the next day. It's a perfect Sunday prep for an easy Monday. The recipe really is easy and it makes a lot, so can even be reheated for lunch during the week. It's the first real thing I learned to make and it doesn't have a lot of ingredients.
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
Timing - about 30 minutes prep and then an hour to bake
Ingredients
1 lb large shell pasta
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
1.5 jars marinara sauce (maybe a little less)
2 16-oz containers whole milk cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 lb ground beef or sausage (optional)
How to Make
Cook the pasta according to package directions and then drain and spread out on a baking sheet line with foil to cool it and to keep it from sticking. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the defrosted spinach. This is very important. If using meat, brown it and drain it and set it aside.
Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, three and a half cups of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and spinach in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour a little sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan to keep the pasta from sticking. Stuff the shells and place them on the bottom of the pan. You may need 2 layers. If you do, put a layer of sauce in between them. If using ground meat, put it on top of the shells and then pour sauce over the top of the last layer to cover the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray (to prevent the cheese from sticking). Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are hot. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes to slightly brown the cheese. NOTE: if you make ahead and are baking from cold, you will need to cook the dish another 20-30 minutes.
Serves 6 (or 4 with leftovers for a few lunches)
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
Timing - about 30 minutes prep and then an hour to bake
Ingredients
1 lb large shell pasta
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
1.5 jars marinara sauce (maybe a little less)
2 16-oz containers whole milk cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 lb ground beef or sausage (optional)
How to Make
Cook the pasta according to package directions and then drain and spread out on a baking sheet line with foil to cool it and to keep it from sticking. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the defrosted spinach. This is very important. If using meat, brown it and drain it and set it aside.
Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, three and a half cups of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and spinach in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour a little sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan to keep the pasta from sticking. Stuff the shells and place them on the bottom of the pan. You may need 2 layers. If you do, put a layer of sauce in between them. If using ground meat, put it on top of the shells and then pour sauce over the top of the last layer to cover the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray (to prevent the cheese from sticking). Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are hot. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes to slightly brown the cheese. NOTE: if you make ahead and are baking from cold, you will need to cook the dish another 20-30 minutes.
Serves 6 (or 4 with leftovers for a few lunches)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Walnut-Pesto-Crusted Turkey (Rachel Ray)
I make a lot of chicken because it's healthy and the kids like it. Last week, I was reading Rachel Ray Everyday and saw this recipe made with turkey cutlets. It was a nice change and I found the turkey already sliced into cutlets at Trader Joe's. I served the turkey with a mixed green salad and some Trader Joe's Lemon Papardelle with butter, salt and lemon juice. The meal was impressive enough for company and the kids loved it too.
Walnut-Pesto-Crusted Turkey (Rachel Ray)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup store bought pesto
1 cup walnuts, finely ground
3/4 cup bread crumbs
4 turkey breast cutlets
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
How to Make
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pesto to a second medium bowl. In a third bowl, mix the walnuts and breadcrumbs. Add the turkey cutlets to the pesto, turning to coat. Working one at a time, dip the cutlets into the walnut mixture, then the eggs, then the walnut mixture again to coat.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets, lower the heat to low and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, 5-6 minutes on each side; serve with the lemon wedges.
Serves 4
Walnut-Pesto-Crusted Turkey (Rachel Ray)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup store bought pesto
1 cup walnuts, finely ground
3/4 cup bread crumbs
4 turkey breast cutlets
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
How to Make
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pesto to a second medium bowl. In a third bowl, mix the walnuts and breadcrumbs. Add the turkey cutlets to the pesto, turning to coat. Working one at a time, dip the cutlets into the walnut mixture, then the eggs, then the walnut mixture again to coat.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets, lower the heat to low and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, 5-6 minutes on each side; serve with the lemon wedges.
Serves 4
Friday, April 17, 2009
Asian marinated Grilled Tuna and Summer Squash
Tuna steaks are a great fish for the grill because they hold together nicely. I like to make mine with an Asian marinade. Last week, I also reserved some of the marinade and then made it really spicy to marinate some yellow summer squash, which I also grilled. I didn't serve the spicy squash to the kids, but it was a really nice accompaniment to the fish. I rounded out the meal with some brown rice cooked in chicken stock.
Asian marinated Grilled Tuna and Summer Squash
Timing - 15 minutes, plus time to marinade the fish
Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 t Miran (rice wine - found in the Asian section of your grocery store)
2 t sesame oil
3 yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise into about 1/2 inch slices
1 t minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Asian hot chili sauce, such as Siracha, to taste
How to Make
Mix ingredients, soy sauce through sesame oil to make the fish marinade. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade for the vegetables. Marinate the fish for about 30 minutes to an hour.
To the remaining marinade, add the ginger, garlic and hot sauce. Marinate the squash for about 30 minutes and then brush with more marinade while grilling.
Grill the tuna steaks on a medium-high outdoor grill for about 2 minutes on the first side and another 3-7 on the other side, until it is cooked how you like it. At the same time, grill the squash on each side until it is slightly tender and has nice grill marks.
Serves 4
Asian marinated Grilled Tuna and Summer Squash
Timing - 15 minutes, plus time to marinade the fish
Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 t Miran (rice wine - found in the Asian section of your grocery store)
2 t sesame oil
3 yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise into about 1/2 inch slices
1 t minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Asian hot chili sauce, such as Siracha, to taste
How to Make
Mix ingredients, soy sauce through sesame oil to make the fish marinade. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade for the vegetables. Marinate the fish for about 30 minutes to an hour.
To the remaining marinade, add the ginger, garlic and hot sauce. Marinate the squash for about 30 minutes and then brush with more marinade while grilling.
Grill the tuna steaks on a medium-high outdoor grill for about 2 minutes on the first side and another 3-7 on the other side, until it is cooked how you like it. At the same time, grill the squash on each side until it is slightly tender and has nice grill marks.
Serves 4
Curry-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa
Pork tenderloin is a great lean meat that really doesn't get enough credit. It can take just about any kind of flavor combination and it's relatively cheap. It's also very tender, when cooked correctly, so it's a great choice for kids. I learned a recipe a few years back for how to perfectly grill a pork tenderloin on a gas grill. Over the years, I've tried many marinades and glazes which all work well with this recipe and it really does cook the meat through perfectly.
Last week, I made a marinade from the Six O'clock Scramble cookbook and then I added my fresh mango salsa to top it off. Using the 8-7-6 method for grilling will yield a perfectly cooked, 'slightly pink' tenderloin.
Curry-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa
Timing - about 30 minutes (plus time to marinate the meat overnight)
Ingredients for Pork
1 whole pork tenderloin (or 2 halves) - 1.5-2 lbs
1/2 t grated lime zest
3 T fresh lime juice (1 lime)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 T brown sugar
1.5 T vegetable oil
2 t curry powder
salt and pepper
Ingredients for Salsa
1 ripe mango, chopped*
15 grapes, halved
2 T finely minced red onion
1 T chopped cilantro
1 t chili powder
1/2 lime, juiced
a dash of chili oil or hot sauce or a little chopped jalapeno (depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper to taste
*honey, to taste, if the mango isn't very sweet
How to Make
Mix all ingredients for pork to make a marinade and marinate over night (or at least 30 minutes). Turn on the gas grill to high and let heat for at least 10 minutes. Cook the pork on one side for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 7 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave on grill another 6 minutes. Do NOT open the grill after you turn it off. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing into medallions.
For the salsa, mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Serve the meat topped with the mango salsa.
Serves 6
Last week, I made a marinade from the Six O'clock Scramble cookbook and then I added my fresh mango salsa to top it off. Using the 8-7-6 method for grilling will yield a perfectly cooked, 'slightly pink' tenderloin.
Curry-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa
Timing - about 30 minutes (plus time to marinate the meat overnight)
Ingredients for Pork
1 whole pork tenderloin (or 2 halves) - 1.5-2 lbs
1/2 t grated lime zest
3 T fresh lime juice (1 lime)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 T brown sugar
1.5 T vegetable oil
2 t curry powder
salt and pepper
Ingredients for Salsa
1 ripe mango, chopped*
15 grapes, halved
2 T finely minced red onion
1 T chopped cilantro
1 t chili powder
1/2 lime, juiced
a dash of chili oil or hot sauce or a little chopped jalapeno (depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper to taste
*honey, to taste, if the mango isn't very sweet
How to Make
Mix all ingredients for pork to make a marinade and marinate over night (or at least 30 minutes). Turn on the gas grill to high and let heat for at least 10 minutes. Cook the pork on one side for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 7 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave on grill another 6 minutes. Do NOT open the grill after you turn it off. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing into medallions.
For the salsa, mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Serve the meat topped with the mango salsa.
Serves 6
Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Kabobs with Black Bean and Corn Salad
These are two of those 'recipes' that really aren't recipes, per se, but they are quick and easy, even for those who don't like to cook. I made them last week because we had nice weather and because I love to grill during the week to minimize clean up. The boys liked the concept of 'food on a stick,' and although they didn't love the dressing on the salad, they did eat some corn and beans. I would probably leave out the cilantro for them next time and I think they'd like it better.
Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Kabobs and Black Bean and Corn Salad
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients for the Kabobs
1 package fully cooked chicken apples sausage (or any other fully cooked sausage)
8 oz package cremini mushrooms
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow pepper
Ingredients for the Salad
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 T finely minced red onion
2 t red wine vinegar
1 T good olive oil
How to Make
For the kabobs, Slice the sausage into 2 inch pieces and cut the peppers in about 2 inch pieces. Thread all of the vegetables and sausage onto skewers and grill until vegetables are slightly tender and charred and sausage is nicely browned, about 10 minutes total.
For the salad, stir all ingredients together and let sit about 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Kabobs and Black Bean and Corn Salad
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients for the Kabobs
1 package fully cooked chicken apples sausage (or any other fully cooked sausage)
8 oz package cremini mushrooms
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow pepper
Ingredients for the Salad
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 T finely minced red onion
2 t red wine vinegar
1 T good olive oil
How to Make
For the kabobs, Slice the sausage into 2 inch pieces and cut the peppers in about 2 inch pieces. Thread all of the vegetables and sausage onto skewers and grill until vegetables are slightly tender and charred and sausage is nicely browned, about 10 minutes total.
For the salad, stir all ingredients together and let sit about 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi (Cooking Light)
I made this recipe using my favorite short cut seafood, the frozen peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp from Trader Joe's. I had just about everything else on hand, so I had dinner on the table in 20 minutes and happy boys all around. Both kids love shrimp and orzo pasta is fun to eat for some reason.
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi (adapted from Cooking Light)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 box orzo
2 T chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
3 T butter
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
How to Make
Cook orzo according to package directions and drain. Place orzo in a bowl with parsley, salt and pepper and half a tablespoon of butter and cover to keep warm.
While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add half of shrimp to pan and saute two minutes or until almost done. Transfer to a plate and then cook the rest of the shrimp in another tablespoon of butter and transfer to the plate.
Melt last half tablespoon of butter in the pan and saute the garlic for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, lemon juice and a generous amount of pepper and cook one minute until shrimp finish cooking. Toss shrimp mixture with the orzo and serve.
Serves 4
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi (adapted from Cooking Light)
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 box orzo
2 T chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
3 T butter
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
How to Make
Cook orzo according to package directions and drain. Place orzo in a bowl with parsley, salt and pepper and half a tablespoon of butter and cover to keep warm.
While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add half of shrimp to pan and saute two minutes or until almost done. Transfer to a plate and then cook the rest of the shrimp in another tablespoon of butter and transfer to the plate.
Melt last half tablespoon of butter in the pan and saute the garlic for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, lemon juice and a generous amount of pepper and cook one minute until shrimp finish cooking. Toss shrimp mixture with the orzo and serve.
Serves 4
Black Bean Burgers (Gourmet Magazine)
I honestly did not think these would end up on the blog. I made them last week and was pleasantly surprised that the kids loved them. I will say that Lucas complained about half way through the meal when he realized they were made of black beans. He says he would have liked them all pureed instead of only half, but had I not mentioned that it was a bean burger, he would have been totally fine. The boys ate the burgers with cheese, even though it wasn't called for in the recipe. Dan and I went with the suggested 'southwestern' style fixings - sour cream, salsa, lettuce and avocado. The recipe was healthy and delicious and it took 10 YES 10 minutes!
Black Bean Burgers (Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 14-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 T mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
2 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 T vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
Cheese, sour cream, lettuce, salsa and avocado for serving, if desired
How to Make
Pulse one can of beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano and cayenne until a course puree forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining can of beans. Form mixture into 4 patties.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Serve on buns with optional fixings.
Serves 4
Black Bean Burgers (Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 14-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 T mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
2 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 T vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
Cheese, sour cream, lettuce, salsa and avocado for serving, if desired
How to Make
Pulse one can of beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano and cayenne until a course puree forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining can of beans. Form mixture into 4 patties.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Serve on buns with optional fixings.
Serves 4
Orecchiette with Tuna, White Beans and Tomatoes
I like to call this 'pantry pasta.' In recent years, I have gotten pretty good at throwing dinner together from what I keep in my pantry. There really are endless things you can do with dried pasta, canned beans and canned Italian tuna in oil. Once you get the basics down, you can experiment with these ingredients and easily substitute in other meats like leftover cubed chicken, fish or even ground beef or turkey. I always like to add something fresh to my pantry meals, even if that ingredient is Italian parsley. Other good add-ins are citrus zest or juice, fresh vegetables, and cheeses that keep a long time such as Parmesan, crumbled goat or crumbled feta. Last Sunday night I made this pasta. Not only did the kids love it, but it made a really nice leftover lunch for work the next day. There were three good sized leftover portions and they reheated well in the microwave.
Orecchiette with Tuna, White Beans and Tomatoes
Timing -
Ingredients -
1 lb orechiette pasta
half of a small onion, finely diced
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh thyme leaves
2 cans Italian tuna packed in oil (don't use water packed)
1 can cannelini beans, drained
small container of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
How to Make
Cook pasta while you make the sauce. When you drain it, save about a 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
Saute the onion in a little olive oil for a few minutes until it softens. Add garlic and thyme and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add salt and pepper generously. Stir in undrained tuna and toss to combine and warm, about 1 minute. Add beans and tomatoes and toss until warmed through.
Stir in the pasta and parsley and then add pasta water, as needed, to loosen sauce.
Serves 6
Orecchiette with Tuna, White Beans and Tomatoes
Timing -
Ingredients -
1 lb orechiette pasta
half of a small onion, finely diced
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh thyme leaves
2 cans Italian tuna packed in oil (don't use water packed)
1 can cannelini beans, drained
small container of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
How to Make
Cook pasta while you make the sauce. When you drain it, save about a 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
Saute the onion in a little olive oil for a few minutes until it softens. Add garlic and thyme and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add salt and pepper generously. Stir in undrained tuna and toss to combine and warm, about 1 minute. Add beans and tomatoes and toss until warmed through.
Stir in the pasta and parsley and then add pasta water, as needed, to loosen sauce.
Serves 6
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Cheese
I often use whole wheat pasta for health reasons, but I have found that only certain sauces work well because the whole wheat noodles don't seems as absorbent as regular noodles. This week, I threw together a recipe with what I had around and it turned out to be really good. The cheesy ricotta went really nicely with the whole wheat pasta and it almost made a cream sauce without having to add so much fat. The kids loved the little fresh mozzarella and thought they looked like marshmallows. It might have been disappointing when they figured out it was cheese, but they still finished their plates.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Cheese
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat penne (or other short pasta)
1 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
about 12 leaves of basil, chopped (or about 1/3 cup)
2 T ricotta
1 small container fresh mozzarella (I used small balls, but you could also chop the large ones)
How to Make
Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, saute the shallots for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes and cook for about another minute. Add the frozen peas and cook until they are no longer frozen, about three minutes. Stir in the basil.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the pasta water. Stir to coat and remove from the heat. Stir in the ricotta and mozzarella.
Serves 6
Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Cheese
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat penne (or other short pasta)
1 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
about 12 leaves of basil, chopped (or about 1/3 cup)
2 T ricotta
1 small container fresh mozzarella (I used small balls, but you could also chop the large ones)
How to Make
Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, saute the shallots for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes and cook for about another minute. Add the frozen peas and cook until they are no longer frozen, about three minutes. Stir in the basil.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the pasta water. Stir to coat and remove from the heat. Stir in the ricotta and mozzarella.
Serves 6
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce (Cooking Light)
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the slow cooker. In theory, it seems like the working mom's dream, but in practice, I hardly ever use mine because I feel like:
1. Everything tastes the same or
2. Food is overcooked and tasteless
Ok, so that might be a bit harsh, but honestly, I pick and choose what goes in. I've had good luck with soup and chili, and Dan's mom makes a mean Italian beef, but that is the extent of the success I have had. So, when this month's Cooking Light had some slow cooker recipes, I had to give it a try. I made this recipe with a few modifications based on what I had around, and it was fantastic! I served it over Israeli cous cous with some nice crusty bread and everyone agreed it should 'go on the blog.*'
* - Lucas now knows what 'the blog' is and frequently tells me what should and shouldn't go there.
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)
Timing - 20 minutes hands on, 6-8 hours in slow cooker
Ingredients
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
olive oil
1.5 t minced garlic
1/4 cup dry red wine (or white)
3 T tomato paste
2-3 t crushed red pepper
1 28 oz can tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
How to Make
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and brown on both sides for about 2 minutes. Don't crowd the pan; do in two batches if necessary. Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Add garlic to the pan and saute 40 seconds, stirring. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker.
Squeeze tomatoes to break them up and add to the cooker. Add tomato paste and crushed red pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I did 8). Stir in a little more salt and pepper to taste, as well as the olives and parsley.
Serves 6
1. Everything tastes the same or
2. Food is overcooked and tasteless
Ok, so that might be a bit harsh, but honestly, I pick and choose what goes in. I've had good luck with soup and chili, and Dan's mom makes a mean Italian beef, but that is the extent of the success I have had. So, when this month's Cooking Light had some slow cooker recipes, I had to give it a try. I made this recipe with a few modifications based on what I had around, and it was fantastic! I served it over Israeli cous cous with some nice crusty bread and everyone agreed it should 'go on the blog.*'
* - Lucas now knows what 'the blog' is and frequently tells me what should and shouldn't go there.
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)
Timing - 20 minutes hands on, 6-8 hours in slow cooker
Ingredients
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
olive oil
1.5 t minced garlic
1/4 cup dry red wine (or white)
3 T tomato paste
2-3 t crushed red pepper
1 28 oz can tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
How to Make
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and brown on both sides for about 2 minutes. Don't crowd the pan; do in two batches if necessary. Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Add garlic to the pan and saute 40 seconds, stirring. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker.
Squeeze tomatoes to break them up and add to the cooker. Add tomato paste and crushed red pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I did 8). Stir in a little more salt and pepper to taste, as well as the olives and parsley.
Serves 6
Greek Style Chicken Wraps
We eat a lot of tortillas, pitas and other flat bread wrap sandwiches. I have found that I can make lots of versions of wraps and usually add or subtract ingredients for the kids so that everyone at the table can be happy. One of Dan's favorite versions is "Greek Style," which consists of marinated chicken with a Greek salad wrapped in either Lavash or whole wheat tortillas. Neither of my kids is a big fan of lettuce, so with the Greek version I made this week, I simply gave them chicken and feta cheese and then added some cooked frozen corn to round it out. Jacob also likes olives, so he got a few from the salad as well.
Greek Style Chicken Wraps
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
5 T olive oil
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce
1 English cucumber, sliced
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped
feta cheese, to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Lavash or whole wheat tortillas
How to Make
Pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of saran wrap to about 1/4 inch thick. Mix red wine, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper to make a marinade/dressing. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken breasts and toss to coat; reserve the rest for the salad dressing.
Heat a grill or indoor grill pan (sprayed with cooking spray) over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until done, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, make a salad with the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta. Dress with the remaining marinade/dressing.
When the chicken is done, slice into bite-sized pieces and wrap with the salad in the tortillas.
Serves 6
Greek Style Chicken Wraps
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
5 T olive oil
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce
1 English cucumber, sliced
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped
feta cheese, to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Lavash or whole wheat tortillas
How to Make
Pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of saran wrap to about 1/4 inch thick. Mix red wine, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper to make a marinade/dressing. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken breasts and toss to coat; reserve the rest for the salad dressing.
Heat a grill or indoor grill pan (sprayed with cooking spray) over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until done, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, make a salad with the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta. Dress with the remaining marinade/dressing.
When the chicken is done, slice into bite-sized pieces and wrap with the salad in the tortillas.
Serves 6
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Chicken Almond Curry with Apricots (Food and Wine)
I had a crazy day today. Work was a bit insane and even a little annoying at times. I got up super early to work out and by 4:45, I had a headache and was cranky. I realize that most people just want to go home and order in on nights like tonight, but for me chopping and cooking a comforting meal is just what I need. This recipe is from and old edition Food and Wine Magazine. I have made it before, but not in a few years, so I wasn't sure how the kids would like it. Everyone really enjoyed it, although I did leave most of the sauce off for the kids because it was a little spicy for their tastes. I just pulled the chicken out before I boiled the sauce and then cut it up for the little guys before I covered the rest back with the sauce. I served the dish with steamed green beans and brown rice cooked with saffron and turmeric for a nice yellow color.
Chicken Almond Curry with Apricots (Food and Wine Magazine)
Timing - Active: 25 minutes; Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
1/3 cup whole almonds
12 dried apricots
Boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (cut in thirds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
How to Make
In a mini food processor, grind the almonds to a powder. In a small heatproof bowl, soak the apricots in boiling water until plump, 20 minutes; drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.
Add the ginger, garlic, onion and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground almonds and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and add the apricots. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Boil the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken, scatter the scallions on top and serve.
Serves 4
Chicken Almond Curry with Apricots (Food and Wine Magazine)
Timing - Active: 25 minutes; Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
1/3 cup whole almonds
12 dried apricots
Boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (cut in thirds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
How to Make
In a mini food processor, grind the almonds to a powder. In a small heatproof bowl, soak the apricots in boiling water until plump, 20 minutes; drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.
Add the ginger, garlic, onion and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground almonds and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and add the apricots. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Boil the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken, scatter the scallions on top and serve.
Serves 4
Chicken Burritos
Last week I made burritos when I was in a hurry. I had forgotten how satisfying this meal could be and how much my kids love them. I have said this before and will say it again, sometimes I feel silly posting these 'recipes' because they are so simple. That being said, I feel compelled to share these quick easy recipes because they really are kid friendly, healthy and quick. I most likely have all of these ingredients on hand on any given day and am guessing others do as well. Seriously, my kids ate almost the whole adult sized burrito.
Chicken Burritos
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1/2 a small red onion, minced finely (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (or cut boneless skinless breasts in about tender size)
1 T chili powder
salt and pepper
the juice of one lime
1 can vegetarian refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
sliced avocado
hot sauce
whole wheat tortillas (burrito sized)
How to Make
Heat skillet over medium-high heat and then add the olive oil. Saute the onion for about 3 minutes until it begins to soften, then add the garlic and chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds more. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it. Add it back to the pan and stir everything together. At the very end, squeeze a whole lime over the chicken mixture.
Warm the tortillas and then assemble the burritos with beans, chicken and cheese and then any of the other toppings you or your kids like.
Serves 4
Chicken Burritos
Timing - 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1/2 a small red onion, minced finely (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (or cut boneless skinless breasts in about tender size)
1 T chili powder
salt and pepper
the juice of one lime
1 can vegetarian refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
sliced avocado
hot sauce
whole wheat tortillas (burrito sized)
How to Make
Heat skillet over medium-high heat and then add the olive oil. Saute the onion for about 3 minutes until it begins to soften, then add the garlic and chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds more. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it. Add it back to the pan and stir everything together. At the very end, squeeze a whole lime over the chicken mixture.
Warm the tortillas and then assemble the burritos with beans, chicken and cheese and then any of the other toppings you or your kids like.
Serves 4
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Paprika Roast Chicken with Sweet Onion (Gourmet Magazine)
I have learned from cooking many a chicken that roasting at a high heat produces the juiciest chicken and the crispiest skin. This recipe from Gourmets "Quick Kitchen" section was ridiculously easy and super yummy. I served it with some 'fancied up' couscous which had sauteed apples and onions and then golden raisins and cinnamon. The boys could not get enough of any of it. In fact, Jacob cleaned the chicken legs ("better than a cat..." - as commented by Dan). Buy the whole chicken cut up to save you time.
Paprika Roast Chicken with Sweet Onion (Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 40 minutes
Ingredients
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 T paprika
1/2 t cayenne
1 whole chicken cut up (about 3.5 lbs)
1 sweet onion, cut into half inch wedges
How to Make
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in upper third. Mix oil with spices and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and onion to bowl and toss to coat. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in a large shallow baking dish.
Bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6
Paprika Roast Chicken with Sweet Onion (Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 40 minutes
Ingredients
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 T paprika
1/2 t cayenne
1 whole chicken cut up (about 3.5 lbs)
1 sweet onion, cut into half inch wedges
How to Make
Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in upper third. Mix oil with spices and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and onion to bowl and toss to coat. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in a large shallow baking dish.
Bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6
Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fennel Wedges (Gourmet Magazine)
When this months Gourmet Magazine came, I tore through it and cut out a bunch of recipes. My problem though, was that while some of the recipes looked great for an adult dinner party, I wasn't sure if I could get the boys to eat parsnips, fennel and the other usual winter fare. This recipe was a crowd pleaser across the board. It was full of great flavor. OK, the truth is that the boys didn't like the fennel, but I roasted some sweet potatoes along side the meat, which they loved. The recipe called for dry white wine, but since I already had a red open, I used it instead. It was still delicious and I could have easily served the dish for a fancy dinner party.
Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fennel Wedges (Adapted from Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 cup wine (dry white or I used Pinot Noir because it was open)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
the juice of half of a lemon
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle or wrap in a kitchen towel and crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet.
Pat pork dry and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and crushed fennel seeds. Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/2 inch wide wedges.
Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat and then sear the pork on all sides for about 6 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a plate and then saute the fennel and garlic until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add wine and scrape up the brown bits and then stir in the broth and butter. Put the pork on top of the fennel and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the pork for about 15-20 minutes.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for about 1o minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the skillet to the stove top and boil, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the lemon juice. Thinly slice the pork and serve with the fennel sauce.
Serves 4
Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fennel Wedges (Adapted from Gourmet Magazine)
Timing - 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 cup wine (dry white or I used Pinot Noir because it was open)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
the juice of half of a lemon
How to Make
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle or wrap in a kitchen towel and crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet.
Pat pork dry and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and crushed fennel seeds. Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/2 inch wide wedges.
Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat and then sear the pork on all sides for about 6 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a plate and then saute the fennel and garlic until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add wine and scrape up the brown bits and then stir in the broth and butter. Put the pork on top of the fennel and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the pork for about 15-20 minutes.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for about 1o minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the skillet to the stove top and boil, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the lemon juice. Thinly slice the pork and serve with the fennel sauce.
Serves 4
Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika (Bon Appetit)
Last week was my birthday and I had a girls night out planned without any of the boys. I had planned to make this recipe earlier in the week, but I just didn't get to it. To make Dan's life easy since he was in charge and all alone. I decided to prep this recipe on Thursday so he could just bake it. He said it turned out really delicious and the kids loved it too. If you want to do this make ahead, just do everything up until the baking and cover it in the refrigerator over night.
Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika (Adapted from Bon Appetit)
Timing - about 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 T smoked paprika
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried crushed red pepper
4 chicken breast halves with bones
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
1 12 oz container cherry or grape tomatoes
chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Place chicken in a large glass baking dish, sprayed with cooking oil. Rub half of oil mixture over chicken and mix remaining oil mixture with the beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Pour bean mixture around over chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Serves 4
Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika (Adapted from Bon Appetit)
Timing - about 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 T smoked paprika
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried crushed red pepper
4 chicken breast halves with bones
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
1 12 oz container cherry or grape tomatoes
chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Place chicken in a large glass baking dish, sprayed with cooking oil. Rub half of oil mixture over chicken and mix remaining oil mixture with the beans, tomatoes and cilantro. Pour bean mixture around over chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Serves 4
Quick Chicken Chili (Fine Cooking)
This chili is more like a cross between a chili and soup since it is somewhat brothy and made with white meat chicken chunks instead of ground meat. What I like about it, is that it's a very flexible recipe. You can really save time if you want to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and remove the meat. Another idea, which I did this time I cooked it, is to bake the chicken breasts the night before and then having the meat ready to throw in the next day. The recipe is super forgiving across the board. If you don't have white beans, use kidney beans (as I did). If you don't have frozen corn, you can put in about any other thing you might like in a chili (maybe hominy or another type of beans). Whatever combination you choose, this is a fast and easy recipe and the kids both loved the sweet corn and beans.
Quick Chicken Chili (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)
Timing - about 30 minutes if the chicken is pre-cooked or store bought rotisserie)
Ingredients
2 T vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into medium dice
2 T ground cumin
2 t dried oregano
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or chicken pulled from store bought rotisserie)
1 jar or can (about 4 oz.) diced mild green chiles, drained
1 quart chicken broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn
How to Make
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and chiles and then the broth and 1 can of beans. bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree the second can of beans in a food processor. Stir the pureed beans into the soup along with the corn. Continue to simmer to blend the flavor, about 5 minutes longer.
Serve with cheese, green onions and sour cream.
Serves 6
Quick Chicken Chili (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)
Timing - about 30 minutes if the chicken is pre-cooked or store bought rotisserie)
Ingredients
2 T vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into medium dice
2 T ground cumin
2 t dried oregano
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or chicken pulled from store bought rotisserie)
1 jar or can (about 4 oz.) diced mild green chiles, drained
1 quart chicken broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn
How to Make
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and chiles and then the broth and 1 can of beans. bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree the second can of beans in a food processor. Stir the pureed beans into the soup along with the corn. Continue to simmer to blend the flavor, about 5 minutes longer.
Serve with cheese, green onions and sour cream.
Serves 6
Tukey Goulash (Rachel Ray)
I made this last week thinking it had everything that both of the kids love: pasta, ground meat and not a ton of sauce. I was right for the most part. Jacob definitely loved it and ate a large serving at dinner and in his lunch the next day. Lucas wasn't as big of a fan, and I am guessing it was the taste of the roasted red pepper that he didn't like. This could easily be left out or substituted with tomato. I made the recipe almost as it was written originally by Rachel Ray, except I used ground white meat turkey instead of the beef/pork/veal combination that was called for. I also used chicken broth instead of beef to lighten it up further.
Turkey Goulash (adapted from Rachel Ray)
Timing - about 30 minutes
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound short pasta, such as macaroni, ziti rigate or gemelli
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices lean bacon, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
Freshly ground pepper
3 large jarred roasted red peppers, drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
Fresh dill, chopped (a generous handful)
How to Make
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes, then move the bacon to the side of the pan and add the ground meat, crumbling it. Brown the meat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and onion. Season with the paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
In a food processor, puree the peppers until smooth and stir into the meat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the chicken broth and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cooked pasta. Top with the parsley and dill.
Serves 4-6
Turkey Goulash (adapted from Rachel Ray)
Timing - about 30 minutes
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound short pasta, such as macaroni, ziti rigate or gemelli
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices lean bacon, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
Freshly ground pepper
3 large jarred roasted red peppers, drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
Fresh dill, chopped (a generous handful)
How to Make
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes, then move the bacon to the side of the pan and add the ground meat, crumbling it. Brown the meat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and onion. Season with the paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
In a food processor, puree the peppers until smooth and stir into the meat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the chicken broth and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cooked pasta. Top with the parsley and dill.
Serves 4-6
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes & Cilantro
I might have mentioned before that I read food magazines obsessively, AND that I have some OCD tendencies. So it probably won't come as a surprise that I go through magazines and cut out recipes and then file them in a binder by type of cooking. They are even in little plastic sheet protectors. Anyway, it seems like a good idea, but in this digital age, I hardly ever refer back to the binder. Today was 'clean up day.' I didn't have a lot of time, so it wasn't a full clean up, but I went through and threw away a bunch that I have never made and probably never would and added some new ones from my latest months of magazines. The good news, was that I found a few recipes for this week that had been in my binder all along. Most I have made before, so it was fun to see them again. This time though, I made a few minor changes for the kiddies, so I will share the first one with you today. The shrimp stew was warming and therapeutic, especially because I was nursing a little hangover from too much wine last night. As usual, I didn't add the spiciness to the dish, but again added hot pepper sauce at the end just for Dan and I. The kids both really like shrimp because it's fun to eat while holding the tails. Also, most kids will love anything cooked in coconut milk, so they gobbled up the rice with the sauce poured over it. Just make sure to start your rice in advance because this is a quick recipe. I used brown, but you could use white too.
Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes & Cilantro (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, February/March 2006)
Timing - 25 minutes (plus additional to cook the rice)
Ingredients
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
2 T olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into very thin 1.5 inch-long strips
4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts kept separate)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 T curry powder
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 14 oz can coconut milk (light or regular)
1 lime, juiced
How to Make
In a large bowl, sprinkle the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven or other heavy pan with deep sides. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the scallion whites, half of the cilantro, garlic and curry powder. Continue to cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Add the tomatoes and coconut mil and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to let the sauce come together and thicken a little.
Add the shrimp and continue to cook, partially covered, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Serve over rice sprinkled with scallion greens and cilantro. Serve hot chili sauce on the side if desired.
Serves 6
Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes & Cilantro (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, February/March 2006)
Timing - 25 minutes (plus additional to cook the rice)
Ingredients
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
2 T olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into very thin 1.5 inch-long strips
4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts kept separate)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 T curry powder
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 14 oz can coconut milk (light or regular)
1 lime, juiced
How to Make
In a large bowl, sprinkle the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven or other heavy pan with deep sides. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the scallion whites, half of the cilantro, garlic and curry powder. Continue to cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Add the tomatoes and coconut mil and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to let the sauce come together and thicken a little.
Add the shrimp and continue to cook, partially covered, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Serve over rice sprinkled with scallion greens and cilantro. Serve hot chili sauce on the side if desired.
Serves 6
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a very kid-friendly dish and there aren't a lot of 'out there' ingredients, so it's pretty easy to whip up any day. My kids call this lemony chicken nuggets, which is kind of what it is, in larger form. You can serve with some noodles or rice and a salad and you have a great meal. There are many versions which I have tried, some which are easier, but there is something about the triple-step breading that makes these kind of special.
Chicken Piccata
Timing - 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
flour
2 eggs
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
2 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
How to Make
Preheat the your oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil.
Between two sheets of saran wrap, pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick. Salt and pepper the chicken to taste.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan. It should be medium high heat so that when you cook the chicken, it gets golden brown.
Set out three flat bowls, one with some flour for dredging, one with the eggs, beaten, and one with the bread crumbs for breading. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs shaking off after each layer.
Cook the chicken breasts, in two batches, for about 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. It's important to do them in batches so that you don't crowd the pan. Place the browned chicken on the baking sheet and finish the cooking in the oven while you make the sauce.
Wipe out any black pieces from the pan and then pour the wine in and cook about one minute so the alcohol evaporates out. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer on medium-low until the sauce starts to thicken (about 3 minutes). At the end, take the sauce off the heat and slowly stir in the butter pieces to make a rich sauce. Pour over the chicken and serve.
Serves 4
Chicken Piccata
Timing - 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
flour
2 eggs
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
2 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
How to Make
Preheat the your oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil.
Between two sheets of saran wrap, pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick. Salt and pepper the chicken to taste.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan. It should be medium high heat so that when you cook the chicken, it gets golden brown.
Set out three flat bowls, one with some flour for dredging, one with the eggs, beaten, and one with the bread crumbs for breading. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs shaking off after each layer.
Cook the chicken breasts, in two batches, for about 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. It's important to do them in batches so that you don't crowd the pan. Place the browned chicken on the baking sheet and finish the cooking in the oven while you make the sauce.
Wipe out any black pieces from the pan and then pour the wine in and cook about one minute so the alcohol evaporates out. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer on medium-low until the sauce starts to thicken (about 3 minutes). At the end, take the sauce off the heat and slowly stir in the butter pieces to make a rich sauce. Pour over the chicken and serve.
Serves 4
Chinese noodles with turkey and bok choy
This week, there was an article in The SF Chronicle about how versatile noodles are and how you can make so many inexpensive dishes with them. They had a few great looking recipes for stir fry, so I modified a little to make this recipe. The original recipe called for ground lamb, but I opted for all white meat turkey because it's January and I am still trying to be good this year;) I had never cooked with 'Mirin' before, but this Japanese rice wine turned out to be the key flavor in the dish. I also picked up baby bok choy at the farmer's market this week. I got a huge bunch for a dollar, so I think this whole meal was maybe ten bucks total. The kids loved the noodles and they also liked the ground turkey a lot. Jacob even went for the bok choy. Dan and I really like these kinds of dishes spicy, so I served ours with some hot chili sauce (like Sriracha-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha) on the side.
Chinese noodles with turkey and bok choy
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T mirin
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1.5 T corn starch
2 T ginger, grated or finely minced
1 large or 2 small leeks, white and light green only, chopped into half moons
4-5 heads baby bok choy (about 3 cups, chopped; for baby bok choy, you can use the stems and leaves)
1 lb Chinese rice noodles (wide or thin - you could also use vermicelli in a pinch)
Canola oil
How to Make
Boil the water for the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Combine the mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil and one of the minced cloves of garlic in a bowl. Pour half of this marinade over the turkey and let sit. Combine the corn starch with 1/4 cup COLD water and combine with the remaining marinade.
Heat a wok or large frying pan to medium-high heat and then add about 1.5 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is very hot, brown the turkey breaking up but leaving in fairly large pieces, until it is nicely browned and cooked through. Remove the turkey to a bowl.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir fry the remaining garlic, ginger and leeks for about a minute until they start to cook and then add the bok choy. Cook until the vegetables are just crisp tender. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add them to the turkey.
Add 1.5 final tablespoons of oil to the pan and then fry the noodles for about 45 seconds. Add the sauce and vegetables/turkey to the pan and cook a few minutes to incorporate and until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with additional soy sauce and hot chili sauce.
Serves 6
Chinese noodles with turkey and bok choy
Timing - 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 T mirin
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1.5 T corn starch
2 T ginger, grated or finely minced
1 large or 2 small leeks, white and light green only, chopped into half moons
4-5 heads baby bok choy (about 3 cups, chopped; for baby bok choy, you can use the stems and leaves)
1 lb Chinese rice noodles (wide or thin - you could also use vermicelli in a pinch)
Canola oil
How to Make
Boil the water for the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Combine the mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil and one of the minced cloves of garlic in a bowl. Pour half of this marinade over the turkey and let sit. Combine the corn starch with 1/4 cup COLD water and combine with the remaining marinade.
Heat a wok or large frying pan to medium-high heat and then add about 1.5 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is very hot, brown the turkey breaking up but leaving in fairly large pieces, until it is nicely browned and cooked through. Remove the turkey to a bowl.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir fry the remaining garlic, ginger and leeks for about a minute until they start to cook and then add the bok choy. Cook until the vegetables are just crisp tender. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add them to the turkey.
Add 1.5 final tablespoons of oil to the pan and then fry the noodles for about 45 seconds. Add the sauce and vegetables/turkey to the pan and cook a few minutes to incorporate and until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with additional soy sauce and hot chili sauce.
Serves 6
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sweet potato and sausage soup with kale and white beans
The last few weeks have been full of travel, restaurants and a sad break from home cooked food. I did cook on Friday night though, and I have a whole refrigerator full of food for this week! On Friday, there was a chill in the air, so I went for soup. I wanted to fill the bowls with tons of nutrition after way to much junk the last few weeks, so I came up with this 'kitchen sink' recipe that was a hit with everyone across the board. Of course the kids wouldn't try the kale because it was way too green for them, but they loved the beans and sausage and Lucas loved the sweet potatoes as always. I made a very large batch with this recipe so that we'd have enough for another meal. You could definitely cut it in half. The chicken apple sausage wasn't totally intended, but since that's what Dan picked up when he went to the store, I went for it. Actually, it paired really nicely with the sweet potatoes, and I added some hot chili sauce to the finished soup for the grown-ups which was a nice play on the sweet and spicy.
Sweet potato and sausage soup with kale and white beans
Timing - about 30 minutes
Ingredients
olive oil
1 package fully cooked chicken apple sausage (5 or 6), chopped into small rounds
3 small carrots, chopped
2 small ribs celery, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
3 small sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
4 sprigs thyme
1 T fennel seed
2 t cumin
8 cups chicken stock (2 boxes)
2 cans white beans (cannelini), drained
1 bunch kale, chopped
How to Make
Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the sausage until it is golden brown and then remove with a slotted spoon. Saute the carrots, celery shallots and sweet potatoes for about 2 minutes until they start to brown and then put a lid on the pan for another 3 minutes to soften the vegetables more. Add the cumin and fennel and the thyme sprigs and stir until fragrant. Slowly add the chicken stock, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring the broth to a slow boil and then add the kale and put a lid on the soup for 10 minutes. Finally, add the beans and return the sausage to the pot and warm through for about 3 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Serves 8
Sweet potato and sausage soup with kale and white beans
Timing - about 30 minutes
Ingredients
olive oil
1 package fully cooked chicken apple sausage (5 or 6), chopped into small rounds
3 small carrots, chopped
2 small ribs celery, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
3 small sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
4 sprigs thyme
1 T fennel seed
2 t cumin
8 cups chicken stock (2 boxes)
2 cans white beans (cannelini), drained
1 bunch kale, chopped
How to Make
Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the sausage until it is golden brown and then remove with a slotted spoon. Saute the carrots, celery shallots and sweet potatoes for about 2 minutes until they start to brown and then put a lid on the pan for another 3 minutes to soften the vegetables more. Add the cumin and fennel and the thyme sprigs and stir until fragrant. Slowly add the chicken stock, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring the broth to a slow boil and then add the kale and put a lid on the soup for 10 minutes. Finally, add the beans and return the sausage to the pot and warm through for about 3 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Serves 8
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