This week may seem like a "light" one because of two reasons: 1. Taylor made a HUGE batch of chili that turned out to be WAYYYY too spicy for me and 2. I have a work lunch on Monday. So, because of those two reasons we already have some meals already taken care of for the week.
I've been craving some "big salads" lately and that's what made me want to make the whole chicken. I'll just bake it, then let it cool and shred the chicken in a big container to be used for different things. I didn't want to make a beef dish because Taylor made his chili and may be beefed out this week, so that's why I went shrimp/fish/chicken. I'm not saying we won't eat beef this week (there could be a slow cooker pot roast for dinner in the near future) but we may go the meatless , try a new chicken fried rice recipe I dug up or make some catfish sticks for dinner one night. The possibilities are endless!
Pasta Primavera with Shrimp
Adapted from a blog called "Culinary Passport"
Ingredients
1 box of linguini (I actually used the spiral pasta because we already had it in the pantry!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch (about 1 lb.) asparagus stalks, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 pint-size container cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and garlic; cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the shrimp turns pink and the asparagus is tender but firm. Remove the shrimp mixture from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the lemon juice, white wine and reserved cup of cooking water to the skillet. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Return the shrimp and asparagus to the pan and stir in the parsley. Add the drained pasta to the shrimp mixture, tossing to combine.
5. Add the tomatoes and toss. Sprinkle with cheese; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Oven Baked Whole Chicken
Adapted from a blog called "Tammy's Recipes". It's so simple, you can switch up any of the spices you want!
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (we use the ones from Costco in the 2-pack, about 3lbs each)
garlic powder
onion powder
(instead of or in addition to the garlic/onion powder, you can use poultry seasoning!)
salt and pepper
1 whole lemon
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
Preheat oven to 325
Instructions:
1. Rinse chicken with cold water and remove giblets from inside.
2. Poke a bunch of holes in the lemon with a fork and stuff it in the cavity of the chicken.
3. Sprinkle seasonings generously over both sides of chicken. Lift chicken and place, breast-side down, in baking dish (one that has a lid).
4. Pour the broth and wine around the chicken. Cover with lid. (I use my dutch oven and cover the pot with foil before I place the heavy lid on it. It makes for a tighter seal and juicer chicken because it essentially makes a steam bath in the pot!)
5. Bake chicken for about 30 minutes per pound, or until the juices run clear. I go by smell! Test chicken with thermometer if you have one. The juices left in the baking dish make a great gravy! :)
Stir-Fried Fish and Eggplant
From the book "A Breath of a Wok" (Most of the recipes are SUPER hard from this book. This is the first recipe I've ever made and we've had this book for years!
Ingredients:
2 medium Asian eggplants
8 ounces scrod (we used Tilapia, but scrod is a kind of Cod, you can use Cod)
4 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (About 15 shrimp)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced scallions
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick slices. In a large pot (my trusy dutch oven), bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a boil over high heat and add the eggplant. Blanch 1 to 2 minutes or until the eggplant slices are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain well in a colander.
2. Remove any bones from the fish and finely chop the fish. Put the fish in a food processor and pulse 1 to 2 seconds. Add the shrimp and pulse 1 to 2 seconds or until finely chopped. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of the sugar, the salt, pepper, the 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and the scallions and pulse 1 to 2 seconds until just combined.
3. Add 2 tablespoons cold water to the fish mixture and pulse 1 to 2 seconds until the mixture is thick. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine/sherry, sesame oil, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir and let sit.
4. Heat a flat bottomed wok (or a 14in skillet, if you don't have a wok)over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and add the garlic. Stir the garlic for a couple seconds and then add the eggplant and stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer eggplant to a plate.
5. Swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the wok over high heat and add the fish paste by rounded teaspoonfuls, spreading it evenly. Reduce the heat to medium and cook undistrubed 1 minute, letting the fish begin to brown. increase the heat to high, add the eggplant and stir-fry 30 seconds. The fish will break up a little once it's stir-fried with the eggplant. Stir the soy sauce mixture and swirl it into the wok, bringing it to a boil. Stir-fry constantly until the fish is just cooked through, about 30 seconds.
Serve over long-grain white rice! By the way, this is SOOOO good. The fish "balls" taste like Shumai (if you know what that is). We highly recommend it.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Whole Wheat Chicken Strips, Parmesan Mayo, Baked Spiced Tilapia, Vegetable Quinoa and Beef and Vegetable Shish Kebabs with Hummus
Sister has come and gone! I didn't cook anything new while she was here. We finished off the vegetable lasagna and beef stew I made last week, so the rest of the time we did sushi, dim sum and burgers. We ordered pizza for her last night here and I made a salad while we all watched Dinner for Schmucks on Netflix. Movie stinks and I ate too much pizza. Bleh.
This week i'm back in the swing of things making some old favorites. These recipes are all tried and true and we practically live off of most of them!
Before we get into them, there are a couple "base" things you need to do before you tackle the chicken strips and parm mayo. You need to make your own croutons (to use for the breading of the chicken) and you need to make your own Mayonnaise (to turn into a parmesan mayo concoction). Yes, we make both from scratch!
Whole Wheat Croutons
Heat the oven to 200
1. Cut whole wheat bread or rolls into 1/2 inch cubes and throw onto a dry or foil-covered baking pan.
2. Stick in the oven until they are crunchy and not soft (about 30 minutes)
Voila, you have croutons that can be used for salads, breading or stuffing.
Homemade Mayonnaise
This is a recipe that Taylor is responsible for making. Taken from a book called "Sauces" by Sonja Lee.
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I'd recommend 1/4 teaspoon since I think 1/2 is too spicy)
2/3 cup grapeseed oil (do NOT use olive oil... it turns out gross)
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1. Place the yolks in a bowl together with the mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk well.
2. Add the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly. When 3/4 of the oil has been added and the mayo begins to thicken, add the vinegar in a thin stream while continuing to whisk. The vinegar will make the consistency thinner.
3. Add the rest of the oil, little by little, so the mayo thickens again. continue to shick the mayo until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency.
Now you have the basics for this week, onward to our recipes!!!
Parmesan Mayo
Taken from same book as the regular mayo.
Ingredients
1 batch of the mayo recipe above (makes 3/4 cup)
1 cup grated parmesan
2 crushed garlic cloves (I would use 1, using 2 made our batch really spicy)
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons water (I would use 3 if you're using it for a salad dressing. Use 1 or 2 if you want to keep it thick)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (I told Taylor not to use any because the original mayo is so spicy!)
Mix the mayonnaise with all of the other ingredients. Then it's ready to serve!
Whole Wheat Chicken Strips
My own recipe... Yeeehaww!
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or tenders, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups croutons from recipe above
Preheat oven to 350
1. Grind your croutons to make breadcrumbs in a food processor until a little chunky (not completely fine).
2. Line a shallow baking pan with foil and brush with olive oil.
3. Make yourself a dredging station with 1 bowl for the beaten eggs and 1 bowl for the breadcrumbs. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and combine.
4. Take chicken tender/nugget, dunk it in egg, roll it in the breadcrumbs and then place on the baking sheet. Repeat for all of the chicken.
5. (optional) brush the tops of chicken with remaining egg wash or dot with a little butter.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. (then dip them in your mayo!!!)
Baked Spiced Tilapia
My own recipe!
Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
4 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 350
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin.
2. Sprinkle and pat on both sides of the tilapia fillets.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush with olive oil.
4. Bake tilapia for 20min or until done.
We serve this over the following quinoa and will use a dollop of the parmesan mayo on top of the fish. Yum!
Vegetable Quinoa
A family favorite! My own recipe
2 cups broth (chicken, veggie or straight up water)
1 cup quinoa
1/2 diced onion
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced broccoli florets
1/2 rib diced celery
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. In saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add all veggies, salt and pepper, and sautee until soft, about 8 minutes.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add quinoa, stir, bring to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. (You'll know it's done when you see some white stringy stuff start to appear outside the quinoa).
Beef and Vegetable Shish Kebabs
My own recipe using metal skewers! I usually do ground lamb, but we'll save that for another time!
1 16 oz Ribeye cut into 1 inch cubes (you can use any beef, really)
1 red onion, cut into 2 inch strips (think of what they'll look like on a skewer)
1 zuchinni cut into 1 inch rounds
1-2 large tomatoes cut into large chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, cumin, coriander, paprika and garlic in a bowl. Marinate the meat in the mixture overnight for dinner the next night.
2. Skewer the meat and vegetables in any combo you want. (If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30min prior to skewering.)
3. Preheat oven to 400. Heat skillet on med-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear skewers on all sides quickly and place on a shallow baking pan that's brushed with oil. Finish searing all the skewers and place the baking pan in the oven for about 10-15 minutes to cook the meat to your liking.
Hummus
My tried and true recipe! No frills or weird flavors.
Ingredients
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup tehina (sesame paste)
1-2 Tbs water 1-2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Whirl garlic clove in food processor. Scrape down.
2. Drain and rinse beans and add to food processor. Process as much as possible; scrape down and repeat.
3. Add tehina and lemon juice and process a few times scraping down the sides as well. Add water, salt and oil. Scrape down and process again, for a few minutes. If too thick, add more water or lemon juice.
The important thing is to get the beans very well processed so that the paste is completely smooth without any dry pieces. Nom Nom Nom!!!
This week i'm back in the swing of things making some old favorites. These recipes are all tried and true and we practically live off of most of them!
Before we get into them, there are a couple "base" things you need to do before you tackle the chicken strips and parm mayo. You need to make your own croutons (to use for the breading of the chicken) and you need to make your own Mayonnaise (to turn into a parmesan mayo concoction). Yes, we make both from scratch!
Whole Wheat Croutons
Heat the oven to 200
1. Cut whole wheat bread or rolls into 1/2 inch cubes and throw onto a dry or foil-covered baking pan.
2. Stick in the oven until they are crunchy and not soft (about 30 minutes)
Voila, you have croutons that can be used for salads, breading or stuffing.
Homemade Mayonnaise
This is a recipe that Taylor is responsible for making. Taken from a book called "Sauces" by Sonja Lee.
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I'd recommend 1/4 teaspoon since I think 1/2 is too spicy)
2/3 cup grapeseed oil (do NOT use olive oil... it turns out gross)
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1. Place the yolks in a bowl together with the mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk well.
2. Add the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly. When 3/4 of the oil has been added and the mayo begins to thicken, add the vinegar in a thin stream while continuing to whisk. The vinegar will make the consistency thinner.
3. Add the rest of the oil, little by little, so the mayo thickens again. continue to shick the mayo until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency.
Now you have the basics for this week, onward to our recipes!!!
Parmesan Mayo
Taken from same book as the regular mayo.
Ingredients
1 batch of the mayo recipe above (makes 3/4 cup)
1 cup grated parmesan
2 crushed garlic cloves (I would use 1, using 2 made our batch really spicy)
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons water (I would use 3 if you're using it for a salad dressing. Use 1 or 2 if you want to keep it thick)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (I told Taylor not to use any because the original mayo is so spicy!)
Mix the mayonnaise with all of the other ingredients. Then it's ready to serve!
Whole Wheat Chicken Strips
My own recipe... Yeeehaww!
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or tenders, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups croutons from recipe above
Preheat oven to 350
1. Grind your croutons to make breadcrumbs in a food processor until a little chunky (not completely fine).
2. Line a shallow baking pan with foil and brush with olive oil.
3. Make yourself a dredging station with 1 bowl for the beaten eggs and 1 bowl for the breadcrumbs. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and combine.
4. Take chicken tender/nugget, dunk it in egg, roll it in the breadcrumbs and then place on the baking sheet. Repeat for all of the chicken.
5. (optional) brush the tops of chicken with remaining egg wash or dot with a little butter.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. (then dip them in your mayo!!!)
Baked Spiced Tilapia
My own recipe!
Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
4 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 350
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin.
2. Sprinkle and pat on both sides of the tilapia fillets.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush with olive oil.
4. Bake tilapia for 20min or until done.
We serve this over the following quinoa and will use a dollop of the parmesan mayo on top of the fish. Yum!
Vegetable Quinoa
A family favorite! My own recipe
2 cups broth (chicken, veggie or straight up water)
1 cup quinoa
1/2 diced onion
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced broccoli florets
1/2 rib diced celery
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. In saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add all veggies, salt and pepper, and sautee until soft, about 8 minutes.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add quinoa, stir, bring to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. (You'll know it's done when you see some white stringy stuff start to appear outside the quinoa).
Beef and Vegetable Shish Kebabs
My own recipe using metal skewers! I usually do ground lamb, but we'll save that for another time!
1 16 oz Ribeye cut into 1 inch cubes (you can use any beef, really)
1 red onion, cut into 2 inch strips (think of what they'll look like on a skewer)
1 zuchinni cut into 1 inch rounds
1-2 large tomatoes cut into large chunks
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, cumin, coriander, paprika and garlic in a bowl. Marinate the meat in the mixture overnight for dinner the next night.
2. Skewer the meat and vegetables in any combo you want. (If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30min prior to skewering.)
3. Preheat oven to 400. Heat skillet on med-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear skewers on all sides quickly and place on a shallow baking pan that's brushed with oil. Finish searing all the skewers and place the baking pan in the oven for about 10-15 minutes to cook the meat to your liking.
Hummus
My tried and true recipe! No frills or weird flavors.
Ingredients
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup tehina (sesame paste)
1-2 Tbs water 1-2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Whirl garlic clove in food processor. Scrape down.
2. Drain and rinse beans and add to food processor. Process as much as possible; scrape down and repeat.
3. Add tehina and lemon juice and process a few times scraping down the sides as well. Add water, salt and oil. Scrape down and process again, for a few minutes. If too thick, add more water or lemon juice.
The important thing is to get the beans very well processed so that the paste is completely smooth without any dry pieces. Nom Nom Nom!!!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Whole Wheat Bread, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Beer & Beef Stew, Vegetable Lasagna
My sister's flights got cancelled last week, so we're back to the drawing board with meals this week! Last week we managed to not eat out ONCE except for Friday night and Saturday night. Friday night we went to our favorite burger joint for beer, nachos, wings and burgers. We LOVE going there and can always get a table even though it's in the hot meatpacking district in NYC. Saturday night we went to our favorite Indian place and had some amazing chicken and lamb dishes with a side of garlic naan.
Before I go into this week, I wanted to let you know that i wasn't a fan of my catfish sticks from last week and frankly, we ended up throwing the last portion away. I didn't like how the batter formed a cage around the fish. I also don't like to take things to work for lunch that require an oven or toaster oven to heat up. So, I won't be making that again! Also, the shrimp stir-fry wasn't a huge winner either. I felt it needed more vegetables and a thicker sauce. Sorry about that folks! Live and learn. Chicken pot pie was a HUGE winner and definitely one to keep around for a while.
Anyways, this week since my sister will be here, we'll probably have the lasagna I'm making today for dinner tonight and when she arrives on Wednesday night. She's requested sushi and dim sum, so Thursday afternoon for lunch we'll take her to one of our favorite (cheap) sushi places in soho and then we're off to see a live taping of Jimmy Fallon! We'll be heading to dim sum on Saturday morning, location TBD (i.e. that's the hubby's job). She leaves on Sunday with will allow me time for another round of cooking!
This week, I got inspired to bake a loaf of bread. I've never baked bread before, even in a bread machine. I recently purchased some whole wheat flour so Taylor can make multigrain pancakes and there was a bread recipe on the package. It didn't call for anything complicated, and I had everything on hand (including the beer) so I figured I'd give it a whirl.
Onward and upward!
Whole Wheat Bread
from the recipe on the back of the whole wheat flour package
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 can (12oz) beer (I used a pale ale)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375
1. Grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. In lare bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add beer all at once and stir just until blended; do not beat. Spoon better into prepared loaf pan and brush top with melted butter.
2. Bake 50-55min until bread tests done with a wooden skewer. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman blog
Made in my dutch oven on Saturday and we had it for lunch. had enough leftovers for 4 more servings, so it makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Diced Onion
1 Small Green Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Small Red Pepper, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
2 cups Hot Water
1 cans Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
2. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Add shredded chicken and stir.
4. Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
5. Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit 10 minutes. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
We used toppers like sour cream, diced avocado and grated cheddar cheese. Use whatever you have to garnish!
Beer and Beef Stew
Also adapted from the Pioneer Woman blog (love that blog!)
Made in my dutch oven on Sunday. SUPER easy and could be made in a crockpot.
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat (I used a pot roast and cut it into pieces)
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can (I used a pale ale, but I’ve heard of people using a Bud)
4 cups Beef Stock
2 cups Water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-½ teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
2. Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer, beef stock, and water, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.)
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
Adapted from life123.com
We've made this version before and it's a huge hit!
Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups low-fat ricotta
Veggie Filling (you can use any veggies you want):
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zuchinni, diced
1 ½ cup raw carrots, thinly sliced
1 packaged frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1 no-bake package lasagna noodles (or boil regular whole wheat noodles!)
8 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350
1. Start by making the white sauce. First, take the butter, and melt it in a large saucepan. Then stir in the flour to make a paste, and add the milk. Continue to stir until this mixture begins to thicken. Add the Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Next, sauté the onions, garlic and zuchinni in some olive oil. Next add in the carrots and spinach. Sauté until the veggies become soft, and then remove from the heat.
Stacking the Lasagna
Put a little sauce on the bottom of the pan, and cover it with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/3 of the veggie mixture, more sauce and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat until you get to the top layer of the lasagna. Then spread the last layer of sauce, and load up with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated parmesan over it. Finally, cover the lasagna with aluminum foil, and bake for about 30 minutes.
Before I go into this week, I wanted to let you know that i wasn't a fan of my catfish sticks from last week and frankly, we ended up throwing the last portion away. I didn't like how the batter formed a cage around the fish. I also don't like to take things to work for lunch that require an oven or toaster oven to heat up. So, I won't be making that again! Also, the shrimp stir-fry wasn't a huge winner either. I felt it needed more vegetables and a thicker sauce. Sorry about that folks! Live and learn. Chicken pot pie was a HUGE winner and definitely one to keep around for a while.
Anyways, this week since my sister will be here, we'll probably have the lasagna I'm making today for dinner tonight and when she arrives on Wednesday night. She's requested sushi and dim sum, so Thursday afternoon for lunch we'll take her to one of our favorite (cheap) sushi places in soho and then we're off to see a live taping of Jimmy Fallon! We'll be heading to dim sum on Saturday morning, location TBD (i.e. that's the hubby's job). She leaves on Sunday with will allow me time for another round of cooking!
This week, I got inspired to bake a loaf of bread. I've never baked bread before, even in a bread machine. I recently purchased some whole wheat flour so Taylor can make multigrain pancakes and there was a bread recipe on the package. It didn't call for anything complicated, and I had everything on hand (including the beer) so I figured I'd give it a whirl.
Onward and upward!
Whole Wheat Bread
from the recipe on the back of the whole wheat flour package
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 can (12oz) beer (I used a pale ale)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375
1. Grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. In lare bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add beer all at once and stir just until blended; do not beat. Spoon better into prepared loaf pan and brush top with melted butter.
2. Bake 50-55min until bread tests done with a wooden skewer. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman blog
Made in my dutch oven on Saturday and we had it for lunch. had enough leftovers for 4 more servings, so it makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Diced Onion
1 Small Green Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Small Red Pepper, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
2 cups Hot Water
1 cans Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
2. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Add shredded chicken and stir.
4. Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
5. Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit 10 minutes. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
We used toppers like sour cream, diced avocado and grated cheddar cheese. Use whatever you have to garnish!
Beer and Beef Stew
Also adapted from the Pioneer Woman blog (love that blog!)
Made in my dutch oven on Sunday. SUPER easy and could be made in a crockpot.
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat (I used a pot roast and cut it into pieces)
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can (I used a pale ale, but I’ve heard of people using a Bud)
4 cups Beef Stock
2 cups Water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-½ teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
2. Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer, beef stock, and water, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.)
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
Adapted from life123.com
We've made this version before and it's a huge hit!
Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups low-fat ricotta
Veggie Filling (you can use any veggies you want):
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zuchinni, diced
1 ½ cup raw carrots, thinly sliced
1 packaged frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1 no-bake package lasagna noodles (or boil regular whole wheat noodles!)
8 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350
1. Start by making the white sauce. First, take the butter, and melt it in a large saucepan. Then stir in the flour to make a paste, and add the milk. Continue to stir until this mixture begins to thicken. Add the Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Next, sauté the onions, garlic and zuchinni in some olive oil. Next add in the carrots and spinach. Sauté until the veggies become soft, and then remove from the heat.
Stacking the Lasagna
Put a little sauce on the bottom of the pan, and cover it with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/3 of the veggie mixture, more sauce and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat until you get to the top layer of the lasagna. Then spread the last layer of sauce, and load up with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated parmesan over it. Finally, cover the lasagna with aluminum foil, and bake for about 30 minutes.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlic and Green Beans, Cajun Catfish Sticks, Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
This week my sister is coming to town and we're all very excited! I'm making my whole roasted chicken with root vegetables for her arrival, but will save that recipe gem for another week. Also, we're going to Costco on Tuesday night, so I still have a few things left over in the freezer I want to use up to make room for the new proteins we're going to freeze.
Last week's dishes lasted us through Saturday when we finished off the last portion of the gumbo and the Beef Ragu for our lunches. We ate out only three times last week;once at a burger place, Friday night we got burrito delivery and Saturday night we went out to our favorite tavern for thier amazing specials and Rolling Rock (my fav.!).
Here are my recipes for this week!
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlic and Green Beans
Recipe adapted from "Fish", a cookbook I got from my sister two Christmas's ago
1lb uncooked shrimp, any size, shell off
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablspoon sherry
2 teaspoons sesame oil (yes, i had to go buy this since I didn't have it.)
3/4lb green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
Juice of 1/2 lime
1. Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy, sliced garlic, salt, sherry and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
2. If the green beans are tough/thick, boil them for 1 minute and the plunge them in ice water.
3. Preheat a wok or skillet on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and raise the heat to high. When it begins to smoke, add the minced garlic and then immediately after add the shrimp and marinade mixture both. Cook the shrimp about 1 minute per side then spoon out of the pan to set aside.
4. Put remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in skillet, wait until it smokes, then add ginger and gren beans. Cook about 3-5 minutes until browned then add water and let it bubble away for 1 or 2 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet and stir, adding remaining sugar and soy sauce. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
5. Drizzle with lime juice and serve over rice.
Cajun Catfish Sticks
Adapted from a recipe on the back of my cornmeal package! I also made some sweet potato fries to go with it but will include this recipe at another time.
1lb Catfish, cut into nuggets or fingers
1 egg
3/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic power
1 teaspoon onion powder
(you can substitute the last 4 ingredients with 1 1/2 tablespoons of old bay)
Preheat oven to 375.
1. Blend all of the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Beat the egg in a separate bowl and add a tablespoon of tab water.
2. Dip fish fillets in egg mixture and then coat with breading. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat for all fillets and bake for 30 minutes until fish flakes with a fork.
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from a recipe I found on a parenting blog, babble.com
Ingredients For the Crust
1 egg
1 stick butter, sliced in small pats and very cold
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon flour
Ingredients for the filling
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
4 stalks celery, sliced
4 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 cup frozen, defrosted green peas
1 clove garlic, diced
2 cups chicken stock, warmed or room temp
1 teaspoon dried herbs de province (if you don't have this, I used a shake of sage, rosemary and thyme. poultry seasoning will also work)
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method For the Crust (do this first!)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add flour, salt and sliced butter to your food processor. Pulse until mixture becomes grainy. Add egg and pulse just until dough comes together.
3. Form the dough into a disc and place in the middle of a gallon zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Method For the Filling:
1. Preheat large cast iron skillet (I used my new Le Creuset one!). Salt and pepper diced raw chicken. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
2. Drizzle pan with another tablespoon of olive oil. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with a little pinch of kosher salt. Saute until vegetables just begin to turn translucent. Remove vegetables and set aside.
3. Turn heat to low and add butter. Melt butter and then whisk in 3 tablespoons flour. Add a little salt. Cook, while constantly whisking, for 2 – 3 minutes over medium heat, or just until flour smells nutty. Pour warmed chicken stock (2 cups) into pan and whisk well. Add herbs. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Pour in milk and bring back to a boil. Turn heat off and add chicken and sauteed vegetables and defrosted peas.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll out on a floured surface to a uniform thickness and enough to cover the skillet. Place the dough on top of the skillet. Tuck in the edges of the dough so that all the dough is in the pan and sealed to the edges of the skillet. Cut vent holes in the pie dough with a paring knife.
3. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
ENJOY!
Last week's dishes lasted us through Saturday when we finished off the last portion of the gumbo and the Beef Ragu for our lunches. We ate out only three times last week;once at a burger place, Friday night we got burrito delivery and Saturday night we went out to our favorite tavern for thier amazing specials and Rolling Rock (my fav.!).
Here are my recipes for this week!
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlic and Green Beans
Recipe adapted from "Fish", a cookbook I got from my sister two Christmas's ago
1lb uncooked shrimp, any size, shell off
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablspoon sherry
2 teaspoons sesame oil (yes, i had to go buy this since I didn't have it.)
3/4lb green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
Juice of 1/2 lime
1. Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy, sliced garlic, salt, sherry and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
2. If the green beans are tough/thick, boil them for 1 minute and the plunge them in ice water.
3. Preheat a wok or skillet on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and raise the heat to high. When it begins to smoke, add the minced garlic and then immediately after add the shrimp and marinade mixture both. Cook the shrimp about 1 minute per side then spoon out of the pan to set aside.
4. Put remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in skillet, wait until it smokes, then add ginger and gren beans. Cook about 3-5 minutes until browned then add water and let it bubble away for 1 or 2 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet and stir, adding remaining sugar and soy sauce. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
5. Drizzle with lime juice and serve over rice.
Cajun Catfish Sticks
Adapted from a recipe on the back of my cornmeal package! I also made some sweet potato fries to go with it but will include this recipe at another time.
1lb Catfish, cut into nuggets or fingers
1 egg
3/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic power
1 teaspoon onion powder
(you can substitute the last 4 ingredients with 1 1/2 tablespoons of old bay)
Preheat oven to 375.
1. Blend all of the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Beat the egg in a separate bowl and add a tablespoon of tab water.
2. Dip fish fillets in egg mixture and then coat with breading. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat for all fillets and bake for 30 minutes until fish flakes with a fork.
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from a recipe I found on a parenting blog, babble.com
Ingredients For the Crust
1 egg
1 stick butter, sliced in small pats and very cold
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon flour
Ingredients for the filling
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
4 stalks celery, sliced
4 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 cup frozen, defrosted green peas
1 clove garlic, diced
2 cups chicken stock, warmed or room temp
1 teaspoon dried herbs de province (if you don't have this, I used a shake of sage, rosemary and thyme. poultry seasoning will also work)
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method For the Crust (do this first!)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add flour, salt and sliced butter to your food processor. Pulse until mixture becomes grainy. Add egg and pulse just until dough comes together.
3. Form the dough into a disc and place in the middle of a gallon zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Method For the Filling:
1. Preheat large cast iron skillet (I used my new Le Creuset one!). Salt and pepper diced raw chicken. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
2. Drizzle pan with another tablespoon of olive oil. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with a little pinch of kosher salt. Saute until vegetables just begin to turn translucent. Remove vegetables and set aside.
3. Turn heat to low and add butter. Melt butter and then whisk in 3 tablespoons flour. Add a little salt. Cook, while constantly whisking, for 2 – 3 minutes over medium heat, or just until flour smells nutty. Pour warmed chicken stock (2 cups) into pan and whisk well. Add herbs. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Pour in milk and bring back to a boil. Turn heat off and add chicken and sauteed vegetables and defrosted peas.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll out on a floured surface to a uniform thickness and enough to cover the skillet. Place the dough on top of the skillet. Tuck in the edges of the dough so that all the dough is in the pan and sealed to the edges of the skillet. Cut vent holes in the pie dough with a paring knife.
3. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
ENJOY!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Seafood Gumbo, Beef and Mushroom Ragu with Bowties, Nutty-Panko Chicken Fingers and Garlic Butternut Squash Fries
Welcome to week 1 of Sunday Cookin'! This week I'm trying to get rid of everything in the freezer until we go to Costco on the 11th (to use the coupons!). We typically buy our meats/fish/cheeses at Costco, then fill in the gaps with the local grocery store.
I'll break out the camera next week, but for now, imagine the sound and smells of my kitchen!
Seafood Gumbo
Adapted from Catfish Gumbo on WholeFoods.com
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 ounces frozen cut okra
11 ounces frozen corn kernels
2 cups chicken broth or fish stock
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled with tail off
Method
Prep all the vegetables first by slicing the garlic, celery and chopping the peppers and onions. Set out the can opener, teaspoon, tablespoon, timer and your measuring cup. Ensure your fish and shrimp are thawed and seasoned with salt/pepper and cut the catfish into chunks.
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and sauté briefly, until lightly golden, then remove and set aside.
2. Add pepper, celery and onion to pot and cook, until softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir into vegetables until well coated.
4. Add sautéed garlic, tomatoes, okra, corn, stock, bay seasoning, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir well, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
If you're eating this right away, just before serving, stir in the fish and shrimp and cover. Cook, stirring gently occasionally, until fish is just cooked through.
If you're planning on eating this dish throughout the week, stir in the fish and shrimp, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and prep your containers.
Bowtie Pasta with Beef and Mushroom Ragu
Adapted from Pappardelle With Beef and Mushroom Ragu in Real Simple Magazine
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces (We used frozen steaks we had on hand!)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound mushrooms (we used a mixture of button and cremini)sliced
1 box bowtie pasta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown on all sides (don't cook them through!). Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute more.
3. Return the beef to the saucepan and add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender, 60 to 75 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes more. If the sauce is too thin, simmer, uncovered, until thickened to the desired consistency.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. Add the beef ragù and Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan.
Nut-Crusted Chicken Fingers
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders (or you can buy chicken tenders)
1 cup roughly chopped almonds (process in food processor until it resembles coarse meal)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
zest from 1 lemon, keep the lemon and cut it inot wedges
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced ( I used the dried stuff!)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place back in the fridge while you prep.
2. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter turns golden, 4-5min. Add Shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add panko and nuts, cook another 10min. Transfer panko mixture to shallow dish and stir in lemon zest, thyme and cayenne.
3. Lightly beat eggs, mustard and black pepper together in another shallow dish. Place flour in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of chicken with the panko mixture, pressing gently to that crumbs adhere. Transfer breaded chicken to a clean baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Bake about 20-25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges!
Butternut Squash Fries
My own dang recipe!
1 medium butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablspoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1. Peel the squash until you can see orange flesh (not yellow!). I like to use a vegetable peeler. Don't forget to the cut the ends off! Cut the dang thing in half and scoop out the seeds and discard.
2. Cut the squash into fries. I have all kinds of shapes, but the important thing to note is that they're all about the same thickness (doesn't matter how long the fries are).
3. Toss the fries in a bowl with oil, garlic powder, a few shakes/grinds of salt and pepper and any other savory spice you have in the cabinet that you like! I sometimes use poultry seasoning because the sage makes it taste like stuffing!
4. Bake at 375 in a shallow sheet pan for about 45 minutes. It's ready when it's fork tender and you can't stop stealing bites!
I'll break out the camera next week, but for now, imagine the sound and smells of my kitchen!
Seafood Gumbo
Adapted from Catfish Gumbo on WholeFoods.com
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 ounces frozen cut okra
11 ounces frozen corn kernels
2 cups chicken broth or fish stock
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled with tail off
Method
Prep all the vegetables first by slicing the garlic, celery and chopping the peppers and onions. Set out the can opener, teaspoon, tablespoon, timer and your measuring cup. Ensure your fish and shrimp are thawed and seasoned with salt/pepper and cut the catfish into chunks.
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and sauté briefly, until lightly golden, then remove and set aside.
2. Add pepper, celery and onion to pot and cook, until softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir into vegetables until well coated.
4. Add sautéed garlic, tomatoes, okra, corn, stock, bay seasoning, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir well, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
If you're eating this right away, just before serving, stir in the fish and shrimp and cover. Cook, stirring gently occasionally, until fish is just cooked through.
If you're planning on eating this dish throughout the week, stir in the fish and shrimp, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and prep your containers.
Bowtie Pasta with Beef and Mushroom Ragu
Adapted from Pappardelle With Beef and Mushroom Ragu in Real Simple Magazine
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces (We used frozen steaks we had on hand!)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound mushrooms (we used a mixture of button and cremini)sliced
1 box bowtie pasta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown on all sides (don't cook them through!). Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute more.
3. Return the beef to the saucepan and add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender, 60 to 75 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes more. If the sauce is too thin, simmer, uncovered, until thickened to the desired consistency.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. Add the beef ragù and Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan.
Nut-Crusted Chicken Fingers
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders (or you can buy chicken tenders)
1 cup roughly chopped almonds (process in food processor until it resembles coarse meal)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
zest from 1 lemon, keep the lemon and cut it inot wedges
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced ( I used the dried stuff!)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place back in the fridge while you prep.
2. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter turns golden, 4-5min. Add Shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add panko and nuts, cook another 10min. Transfer panko mixture to shallow dish and stir in lemon zest, thyme and cayenne.
3. Lightly beat eggs, mustard and black pepper together in another shallow dish. Place flour in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of chicken with the panko mixture, pressing gently to that crumbs adhere. Transfer breaded chicken to a clean baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Bake about 20-25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges!
Butternut Squash Fries
My own dang recipe!
1 medium butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablspoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1. Peel the squash until you can see orange flesh (not yellow!). I like to use a vegetable peeler. Don't forget to the cut the ends off! Cut the dang thing in half and scoop out the seeds and discard.
2. Cut the squash into fries. I have all kinds of shapes, but the important thing to note is that they're all about the same thickness (doesn't matter how long the fries are).
3. Toss the fries in a bowl with oil, garlic powder, a few shakes/grinds of salt and pepper and any other savory spice you have in the cabinet that you like! I sometimes use poultry seasoning because the sage makes it taste like stuffing!
4. Bake at 375 in a shallow sheet pan for about 45 minutes. It's ready when it's fork tender and you can't stop stealing bites!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Welcome to Sunday Cookin'!
If you're here, you know that I loooove to cook. I'm not a trained chef, I just find the grocery store and the kitchen relaxing. It's my creative outlet and while I sometimes have to "pay" for it with a sore back and tired feet, I do it weekend after weekend.
"Sunday Cookin'" is about cooking several dishes that you can freeze or eat off of during the week. I live with my husband and dog and usually cook meals for 4-6 people that can be broken out into lunch and dinner portions.
I don't do it to save money (although it DOES save a ton of money) and I don't force the healthy factor, but that's what it typically turns into!
Enjoy my weekly posts and try the recipes out for yourself! As we eat the dishes during the week, we'll give you our take on how it tastes, if additions are needed or if we add anything to it like hot sauce (or sometimes a dish is better served cold when the recipe says hot).
Disclaimer: Most of my dishes are adaptations of the magazines and cooking shows I'm viewing that week. I'll let you know if it's truly my own!
See you in the kitchen!
KV
"Sunday Cookin'" is about cooking several dishes that you can freeze or eat off of during the week. I live with my husband and dog and usually cook meals for 4-6 people that can be broken out into lunch and dinner portions.
I don't do it to save money (although it DOES save a ton of money) and I don't force the healthy factor, but that's what it typically turns into!
Enjoy my weekly posts and try the recipes out for yourself! As we eat the dishes during the week, we'll give you our take on how it tastes, if additions are needed or if we add anything to it like hot sauce (or sometimes a dish is better served cold when the recipe says hot).
Disclaimer: Most of my dishes are adaptations of the magazines and cooking shows I'm viewing that week. I'll let you know if it's truly my own!
See you in the kitchen!
KV
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