After a week skipped, I'm back in the saddle. The Pork recipe I actually made last week and it was AWESOME, so I wanted to put the recipe here so I had a log of it.
We're traveling for the next few weeks and I don't know if I'll be documenting any recipes, but I should be back in two weeks! Hang in there and facebook me if you have any questions about these or past recipes.
Chili-Glazed Pork with Sweet Potato Hash
Adapted from February's Real Simple issue
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 medium sweet potatoes (I'm convinced we used yams, but either way it's delish!)
2 large shallots, chopped
1 5oz package baby spinach, chopped (we used fresh spinach and I didn't chop it)
Hot Sauce (optional, for Tater!)
1. Heat broiler. Place the pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 teaspoon of the oil, the chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Broil, turning occasionally and basting with the maple syrup twice, until cooked through, 10 to 12 mintues. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
2. Meanshile, in a food processor fitted with the coarse grating disk, grate the sweet potatoes.
3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7 to 9 minutes more. Add the spinach and cook, tossing until just wilted, 1 to 2 more minutes.
4. Serve the pork an dpotatoes with the hot sauce. (not for me!)
Carrot-Ginger Salad Dressing
Adapted from February 2011 Real Simple
Ingredients
1 cup sliced carrots (about 2 large carrots)
1 small shallot, sliced
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup white miso (soybean paste; found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket- usually near the tofu!)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup canola oil
1. Place the carrots, shallot, ginger, miso, vinegar and sesame oil in a blender. Blend, scraping down the sides as necessary, until very finely chopped, about 1 minute.
2. Add the canola oil and blend until nearly smooth, about 30 seconds. If necessary, thin the dressing with up to 2 tablespoons water. The dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Shrimp-Stuffed Flounder
Adapted from the American Diabetes Association website (believe it or not!)
Ingredients
1/2 slice bacon, diced (used 1 slice of Turkey Bacon)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. small cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (10oz) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained well, and patted dry (I used fresh spinach)
Pinch nutmeg
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 (5 oz.) flounder fillets
1 tsp. olive oil
Paprika
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Sauté the bacon over medium heat until cooked through and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, and set aside to cool. Add the onion and garlic to the drippings in the pan and sauté over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the shrimp, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the spinach, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Add the shrimp-and-spinach mixture to a large bowl. Add in the sour cream, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and bacon.
5. Working on a flat surface, add a scoop of the stuffing to one end of a flounder fillet. Roll the flounder over the stuffing, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
6. Place the rolls in the prepared pan. Drizzle the top of each fish roll with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika.
7. Bake the fish for about 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through.
Black Bean and Edamame Sloppy Joe
Adapted from March 2011 Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
1 cup frozen sheled edamame
1 clove garlic
1 15oz can black beans
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (I used a few shakes of the dried stuff!)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
12 small whole-wheat dinner rolls
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (as much as you want on the burger is what I say!)
1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add edamame, and cook 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Process garlic in food processor until minced. Add edamame, black beans, chipotle chile, cilantro, 1 tablespoon bbq sauce, cumin and salt. Process until mixture forms coarse paste.
3. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. add edamame mixture and heat until hot, stirring occasionally.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce onto eachbottom bun and top with the bean mixture, cheese and top buns. YUM!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Spiced Cod with Broccoli-Quinoa Pilaf, Moroccan Meatballs with Mint Cucumber Yogurt, Mushroom and Thyme Pot Roast over Egg Noodles
This week we're counting 20 days away from vacation! That leaves me three solid weeks of meal-cookin until I can take a little break from the city and cook in the mountains! (must remember to increase the oven temp!!!)
My magazines have been stacking up so yesterday I went through and tore out the ones that go well with our palate. Whenever I cook or adapt the recipes I'll document it here and recycle the paper. I couldn't bare to tear through my Cooks Illustrated magazine, so those will hang around for sure.
Also this week, we purchased and repotted parsley, rosemary and thyme as I was sick of buying these herbs at the store, cook with them one day, and then having them rot in the fridge the rest of week. I'm excited to use them today and this week!
We plan on going to Costco before we go on vacation, but we still have mass amounts of beef, pork and fish. I feel bad for having to buy meat that's not in our freezer (ground meat for the meatballs) but it's a special request from Tater and it's not THAT expensive to go outside the freezer this week.
Enjoy the recipes!
Spiced Cod with Broccoli Quinoa Pilaf
Adapted from January 2011 Real Simple
Ingredients:
3 Teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 scallions sliced
4 6-ounce pieces skinless cod (you can use halibut or bass)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 Tablespoons flour
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oin in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until onion begins to brown 3-4 minutes.
2. Add quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until almost all water has absorbed, 10-12 minutes. Fold in broccoli and raisins and cover again to cook until the broccoli are tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in almonds, scallions and a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, season both sides of cod with paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour on both sides as well. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. cook cod until opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes.
Moroccan Meatballs with Mint Cucumber Yogurt
Adapted from Food.com Recipe
Meatballs:
12 ounces ground lamb (we used ground turkey!)
3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander, finely chopped
4 Mint leaves, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper
Mint Cucumber Yogurt:
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup yogurt plain
1/4 cup sour cream
8 mint leaves chopped fine
juice of half a lime
salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Mix all Yogurt ingredients and place in the fridge to chill.
2. Sweat shallot and garlic until tender (low heat). Cool in a medium bowl.
3. In the same bowl, mix all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper.
4. Roll into desired shape (long oval kebabs, mini burgers etc...
5.If you are doing little cocktail sausages pan fry the mixed lamb in a little olive oil over medium heat. By the time you get a nice golden brown colour around the sausage it will be almost cooked. You will need about 5 minutes on each side. Allow the burgers to rest before serving.
Mushroom and Thyme Pot Roast over Egg Noodles
Adapted from Savorsa.com blog
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more, if needed, divided use
2 1/2 pounds beef shoulder roast
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Few grindings of white pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced leek
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 quart beef broth, such as Pacific Organic Beef Broth
2 cups sliced mushrooms, sauteed in a little oil (any kind)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (plain, not seasoned)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine (not ‘cooking’ wine)
1 large bundle fresh thyme stems (such as you buy at the store, reserving 3-4 of the stems)
1/2 large bay leaf (don’t forget to take it out before you serve the pot roast)
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided use
1/2 cup flour
1 (10-ounce) package wide egg noodles, cooked, for serving
Salt, to taste
1. Put a large, heavy-bottom pan for searing the meat on the stove. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until very hot. Rub both sides of the beef roast with the salt, pepper and white pepper. Place into the hot oil and brown well on both sides. Remove to a heavy-bottomed pot (dutch oven) with a lid.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil on low in pan with the meat bits stuck to the bottom. Sweat the leek and garlic for 5-6 minutes. Put mixture on top of roast.
3. Into the beef pot put the broth, 1 cup water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine, thyme, bay leaf and parsley. Cover the pot, turn down the heat so the liquid comes to a bubbling simmer, but not hard boil. Let cook until the beef is tender to cut, but not falling apart. (About 1 1/2 hours.)
4. Remove cooked beef to a platter and set aside. Cover with plastic wrap.
Strain the broth and skim off some of the fat. (Discard the well-cooked diced vegetables, unless someone wants to eat them.)
5. Put the broth back on the stove. Simmer the broth, uncovered, by about a third. Remove 2 cups of the broth and and put it in a medium bowl. Whisk into the broth 1/2 cup flour. When the flour mixture is smooth, slowly whisk it into the broth on the stove. Put the beef back into the simmering mixture.
6. To the simmering mixture, add the sauteed mushrooms and another tablespoon of the parsley and some of the fresh thyme leaves that you reserved. The dish will be done in about 15=20 minutes, when the sauce becomes glossy and has no taste of flour, and the meat is now very tender.
Serve over cooked noodles!
My magazines have been stacking up so yesterday I went through and tore out the ones that go well with our palate. Whenever I cook or adapt the recipes I'll document it here and recycle the paper. I couldn't bare to tear through my Cooks Illustrated magazine, so those will hang around for sure.
Also this week, we purchased and repotted parsley, rosemary and thyme as I was sick of buying these herbs at the store, cook with them one day, and then having them rot in the fridge the rest of week. I'm excited to use them today and this week!
We plan on going to Costco before we go on vacation, but we still have mass amounts of beef, pork and fish. I feel bad for having to buy meat that's not in our freezer (ground meat for the meatballs) but it's a special request from Tater and it's not THAT expensive to go outside the freezer this week.
Enjoy the recipes!
Spiced Cod with Broccoli Quinoa Pilaf
Adapted from January 2011 Real Simple
Ingredients:
3 Teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 scallions sliced
4 6-ounce pieces skinless cod (you can use halibut or bass)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 Tablespoons flour
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oin in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until onion begins to brown 3-4 minutes.
2. Add quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until almost all water has absorbed, 10-12 minutes. Fold in broccoli and raisins and cover again to cook until the broccoli are tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in almonds, scallions and a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, season both sides of cod with paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour on both sides as well. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. cook cod until opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes.
Moroccan Meatballs with Mint Cucumber Yogurt
Adapted from Food.com Recipe
Meatballs:
12 ounces ground lamb (we used ground turkey!)
3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander, finely chopped
4 Mint leaves, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper
Mint Cucumber Yogurt:
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup yogurt plain
1/4 cup sour cream
8 mint leaves chopped fine
juice of half a lime
salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Mix all Yogurt ingredients and place in the fridge to chill.
2. Sweat shallot and garlic until tender (low heat). Cool in a medium bowl.
3. In the same bowl, mix all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper.
4. Roll into desired shape (long oval kebabs, mini burgers etc...
5.If you are doing little cocktail sausages pan fry the mixed lamb in a little olive oil over medium heat. By the time you get a nice golden brown colour around the sausage it will be almost cooked. You will need about 5 minutes on each side. Allow the burgers to rest before serving.
Mushroom and Thyme Pot Roast over Egg Noodles
Adapted from Savorsa.com blog
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more, if needed, divided use
2 1/2 pounds beef shoulder roast
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Few grindings of white pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced leek
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 quart beef broth, such as Pacific Organic Beef Broth
2 cups sliced mushrooms, sauteed in a little oil (any kind)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (plain, not seasoned)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine (not ‘cooking’ wine)
1 large bundle fresh thyme stems (such as you buy at the store, reserving 3-4 of the stems)
1/2 large bay leaf (don’t forget to take it out before you serve the pot roast)
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided use
1/2 cup flour
1 (10-ounce) package wide egg noodles, cooked, for serving
Salt, to taste
1. Put a large, heavy-bottom pan for searing the meat on the stove. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until very hot. Rub both sides of the beef roast with the salt, pepper and white pepper. Place into the hot oil and brown well on both sides. Remove to a heavy-bottomed pot (dutch oven) with a lid.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil on low in pan with the meat bits stuck to the bottom. Sweat the leek and garlic for 5-6 minutes. Put mixture on top of roast.
3. Into the beef pot put the broth, 1 cup water, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine, thyme, bay leaf and parsley. Cover the pot, turn down the heat so the liquid comes to a bubbling simmer, but not hard boil. Let cook until the beef is tender to cut, but not falling apart. (About 1 1/2 hours.)
4. Remove cooked beef to a platter and set aside. Cover with plastic wrap.
Strain the broth and skim off some of the fat. (Discard the well-cooked diced vegetables, unless someone wants to eat them.)
5. Put the broth back on the stove. Simmer the broth, uncovered, by about a third. Remove 2 cups of the broth and and put it in a medium bowl. Whisk into the broth 1/2 cup flour. When the flour mixture is smooth, slowly whisk it into the broth on the stove. Put the beef back into the simmering mixture.
6. To the simmering mixture, add the sauteed mushrooms and another tablespoon of the parsley and some of the fresh thyme leaves that you reserved. The dish will be done in about 15=20 minutes, when the sauce becomes glossy and has no taste of flour, and the meat is now very tender.
Serve over cooked noodles!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Cajun Catfish Bites, Cajun Red Beans and Sausage, Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops, Chicken and Dumplings
We're getting closer and closer to moving day! (here's hoping) so i'm going to do as much cooking as I can before my weekend is taken up by packing, moving and unpacking.
I'm not making all of these recipes on Sunday, but will probably leave the Chicken and Dumplings for dinner one night later in the week and then save any leftovers for lunches. Don't forget to soak your beans overnight if you plan on cooking the red beans and sausage!
Cajun Catfish Bites
Adapted from The Hungry Mouse blog
1 lb. catfish fillets (about 2 large pieces), skinned and boned, cut into chunks or large strips (however you want to eventually serve them)
1 Tbls. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground chipotle
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
olive oil
1. Mix together the granulated garlic, onion powder, chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne (or skip it, for a milder version), oregano, and kosher salt. Put the flour on a plate or in a wide, shallow bowl. Toss in the spice mixture and stir gently with a whisk (or fork) to combine.
2. Crack three eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until well scrambled. Dump the panko breadcrumbs onto a second plate or wide, shallow bowl.
3. Working in batches, toss the chunks of catfish into your seasoned flour. Pick them up and shake off any excess flour, so they’re just lightly coated. Drop the floured catfish into your beaten egg. Roll the chunks around until they’re totally coated with egg. Finally, drop the egg-covered catfish into the panko. Roll it around, until it has a thick coating of breadcrumbs.
I shallow fry these little guys in maybe a half inch (not even) of olive oil. It doesn’t use as much oil as deep frying, and the result is just as good. Removed with slotted spoon to drain from the oil. I'll probably roast some potatoes and add a salad to go along with this meal.
Cajun Red Beans and Sausage
Adapted from Reluctant Gourmet Blog
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs. smoked sausage, cut in 1/3” slices
1 lb. dry red kidney beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Cajun seasoning, such as Louisiana or Tone’s, to taste
Hot sauce, such as Tobasco, to taste
1 beer (optional)
7 - 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
Rice (Optional for Serving)
1. Soak kidney beans in cold water overnight. Water should be at least 2” over the beans.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven until hot. Pour in the oil and heat until it shimmers. Brown the smoked sausage and set aside.
3. Add a little more oil to the bottom of the pan, if necessary, and over medium heat sweat onion, celery and green pepper until onions are translucent.
4. Add the bay leaf and a heavy pinch of salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Cook until onions start to color.
5. Add the optional beer or about one cup of chicken or vegetable stock. Stir and cook to scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
6. Add enough stock to cover the beans by about 1 ½ inches. Add several shakes of hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about an hour. Add more liquid and turn down the heat if the liquid is reducing too quickly.
7. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Return the smoked sausage to the beans and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to break them up and thicken the mixture.
Taste again, and add more seasonings or hot sauce, as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
Adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks blog and Group Recipes
1-½ Tablespoon Oil
6 whole Pork Chops (I did 4)
Salt And Pepper
1 whole Onion Sliced Thin
1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup (or 1 cup homemade Cream of Mushroom soup, see recipe below!)
¼ cups Ketchup (We used Trader Joe's Organic)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1. If a recipe calls for a can of CONDENSED Cream of Mushroom soup and you prefer a healthier alternative to the canned stuff, this recipe will work for you.
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup any broth
1/2 cup milk (I used skim but you could use 2%)
mushrooms, chopped and sauteed (how ever much you desire)
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan over Med-Low heat. Stir in flour a little at a time until smooth, then remove from heat. Add broth and milk a little at a time, stirring to keep mixture smooth. Then, stir in mushrooms.
Return to heat and bring sauce to a gentle boil; stir constantly until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add oil to a large skillet (use one that has a lid—I use a large chicken fryer) and heat to medium/high. Season chops with salt and pepper and lightly brown on each side. Turn skillet down to medium/low.
3. Add onions to the chops. Mix Cream of Mushroom, Ketchup and Worcestershire together and pour over chops. Cover and simmer over medium/low heat for 1 hour.
Serve over mashed potatoes!! NOM NOM NOM!
Chicken and Dumplings
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
4 Chicken breasts
Salt And Pepper
1/2 cups Finely Diced Carrots
1/2 cups Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1/2 teaspoons Ground Thyme
1/4 teaspoons Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cups Heavy Cream
Dumplings:
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cups Yellow Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cup Half-and-half
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to pot. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth. Stir to combine, then add chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Shred , then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.
Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
I'm not making all of these recipes on Sunday, but will probably leave the Chicken and Dumplings for dinner one night later in the week and then save any leftovers for lunches. Don't forget to soak your beans overnight if you plan on cooking the red beans and sausage!
Cajun Catfish Bites
Adapted from The Hungry Mouse blog
1 lb. catfish fillets (about 2 large pieces), skinned and boned, cut into chunks or large strips (however you want to eventually serve them)
1 Tbls. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground chipotle
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
olive oil
1. Mix together the granulated garlic, onion powder, chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne (or skip it, for a milder version), oregano, and kosher salt. Put the flour on a plate or in a wide, shallow bowl. Toss in the spice mixture and stir gently with a whisk (or fork) to combine.
2. Crack three eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until well scrambled. Dump the panko breadcrumbs onto a second plate or wide, shallow bowl.
3. Working in batches, toss the chunks of catfish into your seasoned flour. Pick them up and shake off any excess flour, so they’re just lightly coated. Drop the floured catfish into your beaten egg. Roll the chunks around until they’re totally coated with egg. Finally, drop the egg-covered catfish into the panko. Roll it around, until it has a thick coating of breadcrumbs.
I shallow fry these little guys in maybe a half inch (not even) of olive oil. It doesn’t use as much oil as deep frying, and the result is just as good. Removed with slotted spoon to drain from the oil. I'll probably roast some potatoes and add a salad to go along with this meal.
Cajun Red Beans and Sausage
Adapted from Reluctant Gourmet Blog
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs. smoked sausage, cut in 1/3” slices
1 lb. dry red kidney beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Cajun seasoning, such as Louisiana or Tone’s, to taste
Hot sauce, such as Tobasco, to taste
1 beer (optional)
7 - 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
Rice (Optional for Serving)
1. Soak kidney beans in cold water overnight. Water should be at least 2” over the beans.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven until hot. Pour in the oil and heat until it shimmers. Brown the smoked sausage and set aside.
3. Add a little more oil to the bottom of the pan, if necessary, and over medium heat sweat onion, celery and green pepper until onions are translucent.
4. Add the bay leaf and a heavy pinch of salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Cook until onions start to color.
5. Add the optional beer or about one cup of chicken or vegetable stock. Stir and cook to scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
6. Add enough stock to cover the beans by about 1 ½ inches. Add several shakes of hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about an hour. Add more liquid and turn down the heat if the liquid is reducing too quickly.
7. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Return the smoked sausage to the beans and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to break them up and thicken the mixture.
Taste again, and add more seasonings or hot sauce, as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
Adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks blog and Group Recipes
1-½ Tablespoon Oil
6 whole Pork Chops (I did 4)
Salt And Pepper
1 whole Onion Sliced Thin
1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup (or 1 cup homemade Cream of Mushroom soup, see recipe below!)
¼ cups Ketchup (We used Trader Joe's Organic)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1. If a recipe calls for a can of CONDENSED Cream of Mushroom soup and you prefer a healthier alternative to the canned stuff, this recipe will work for you.
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup any broth
1/2 cup milk (I used skim but you could use 2%)
mushrooms, chopped and sauteed (how ever much you desire)
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan over Med-Low heat. Stir in flour a little at a time until smooth, then remove from heat. Add broth and milk a little at a time, stirring to keep mixture smooth. Then, stir in mushrooms.
Return to heat and bring sauce to a gentle boil; stir constantly until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add oil to a large skillet (use one that has a lid—I use a large chicken fryer) and heat to medium/high. Season chops with salt and pepper and lightly brown on each side. Turn skillet down to medium/low.
3. Add onions to the chops. Mix Cream of Mushroom, Ketchup and Worcestershire together and pour over chops. Cover and simmer over medium/low heat for 1 hour.
Serve over mashed potatoes!! NOM NOM NOM!
Chicken and Dumplings
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
4 Chicken breasts
Salt And Pepper
1/2 cups Finely Diced Carrots
1/2 cups Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1/2 teaspoons Ground Thyme
1/4 teaspoons Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cups Heavy Cream
Dumplings:
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cups Yellow Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cup Half-and-half
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to pot. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth. Stir to combine, then add chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Shred , then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.
Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
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