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DinnerTime Web Archive 2009 April
| Steeeeeeaaaaaakkkkkkk by Heather April 30, 2009 | | The grillmaster, aka my husband, wasn't at the top of his game - I always ask for mine well-done and he accidentally charred it a bit, but it was still really good! A nice crispy Spring mix on the side with my fave baby red potatoes, parboiled and then sauteed with garlic, black pepper and dill (so yummy, and they make the kitchen smell soooo good). | | | | mothers surprise, leftover pies by Chris April 30, 2009 | It has been casserole weather, and there is a little pot of this, a smidgeon of that lurking in the fridge.
I am a huge left over fan (sorry Lara) - I reckon casseroles taste better after a day or so.
So they've been glammed up with a bit of puff pastry, and served with steamed greens.
Surprise 1: chicken curry puffs.
Surprise 2: vegetable chili puffs
| | | | Evening Supper (aka Dinner) by Kei April 30, 2009 | | Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Ground Turkey Breast, Organic Ragu (Garden Veggie Tomato meat sauce) and Southwestern style corn (as side dish). | | | | It's supper time! by Kei April 30, 2009 | Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Ground Turkey Breast, Organic Ragu (Garden Veggie Tomato meat sauce) and Southwestern style corn (as side dish).
| | | | My Thursday Night Grey's Anatomy Special by Joy April 30, 2009 | | Yummy chicken wings fried in EVOO with, corn on the cob for my hubby and mixed Italian veggies for me. | | | | Cooked Cabbage and Jell-O by Becky April 30, 2009 | When I was a kid (in North Dakota, remember), I was a member of a 4-H club. For those of you not familiar, 4-H stands for "Heart, Health, Head, and Hands" and is an organization aimed at teaching rural kids how to become housewives and farmers. I guess they think you need to develop those four things to be good at farm life.
Anyway, my particular club focused more on the domestic arts than farming (although, in order to fulfill the annual requirement of attending a judging workshop, I once did attend a session on cattle judging, and learned the desirable traits of the Angus steer). As such, most of the projects focused on either cooking or sewing. We owned an old, broken down sewing machine that always seemed to jam up and spit thread everywhere, so I mostly avoided sewing. Cooking was my thing - after all, you could eat the fruits of your labors!
One particular project involved keeping a food diary for a week and bringing it to the next club meeting to discuss the various nutritional aspects of the foods eaten. My mom, not to be thought of as a mother who neglected feeding her daughter important cruciferous vegetables, forced me to eat a bite of cooked cabbage so I could truthfully write in my food diary that I had, indeed, consumed it. As it happened, the big discussion at the meeting turned out not to revolve around vegetables, but Jell-O, and its merits. There was considerable discussion among the club's leaders around whether or not Jell-O was a beneficial food for the fingernails. I believe the consensus was that Jell-O was, indeed, nutritional for the nails.
So, like my mother, I worry about what you, my peers, think of my eating habits. "Meatloaf and Pear Tarts, every day? How do you stay so thin, my dear?" "Those fried Cadbury Eggs will be the death of you!" "THREE cupcakes?" So, here it is, my bite of cabbage:
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Minted Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Feta
½ cup French lentils
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 medium tomato, cut in ½-inch dice
½ small yellow or orange pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut in ½-inch dice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup mixed olives, chopped
3 ounces feta cheese, chilled
- Sort and rinse the lentils. Cook them in the water over medium heat, covered, until lentils are just tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Drain the lentils thoroughly and rinse them in cold water.
- In a medium-size salad bowl, mix together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked lentils. Set aside to cool completely.
- Dice the tomato, bell pepper, and cucumber into ½-inch pieces. Thinly slice the scallions. Chop the olives. Add all of these to the cooled, dressed lentils. Stir gently until well coated.
- Crumble feta cheese into salad and mix gently to combine.
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Quinoa Broccoli Chowder
1 stalk broccoli
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium leek, chopped, about ¾ cup
1 medium zucchini, cut in large pieces, about 2 cups
½ medium yellow bell pepper, diced, about 1 cup
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fennel seed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable broth
½ cup quinoa, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
- Prepare broccoli by removing crown from stem. Peel and chop stem. Separate crown into flowerets.
- Meanwhile, heat a 3-quart pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and leek. Sauté briefly. Add broccoli and continue to sauté, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt, fennel seed and black pepper. Pour in enough broth to just cover vegetables. Add quinoa.
- Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is fork-tender and quinoa is cooked.
- Blend soup with remaining herbs until smooth. Taste, adjust seasonings, and add additional broth if needed.
| | | | Turkey Tetrazzini by Lara April 30, 2009 | any 'soup' fans in the house?
made this on a whim. had a turkey breast that needed to be used... so instead of yet ANOTHER pasta salad dish... i went with tetrazzini!
didn't have chicken broth on hand (which is weird, because i practically swim in it at every grocery run) -- so i used chicken bouillon seasonings... and apparently got a little carried away. so yet again, a salty dinner. i hope no one in my house has to go in for blood work anytime soon - i might be jailed! | | | | chili with cornbread by Chris April 29, 2009 | I have a strange child - a vegetable lover who has an aversion to corn. which is heartbreaking as corn is so good at the moment.
So in an attempt to indoctrinate strange child into corn-eating habits, I decided to make cornbread.
This is a great recipe, that I modified from this recipezaar recipe
http://www.recipezaar.com/The-Best-Cornbread-Ever-Sour-Cream-Cornbread-228259
Basically, its a batter of egg, sour cream, milk, polenta, flour and mashed corn kernals. I loved it. The kids weren't fooled.
They enjoyed the chili - that had plenty of veges in it - but no corn... | | | | BBQ Chicken by Lara April 29, 2009 | thanks to our fearless leader... my dinner decision was made last night! :D
BBQ chicken in the oven... ranchy pots... sauteed zucchini and snap peas with red/purple onion.
NUMMY!
(sorry the photo was blurry... apparently i was in a rush to inhale dinner!) | | | | The mother of invention by Becky April 29, 2009 | I hate it when a recipe calls for a perishable ingredient that I don't usually use, and is inevitably sold only in large quantities. Milk is one of those ingredients for me. Milk, when consumed by me as a beverage, produces a painful and unflattering gassy bloat, followed by, shall we say, rapid and regular discharging of the gaseous bloaty matter. Therefore, I do not keep it on hand, instead turning to the modern convenience of soybeans processed into a milk-like substitute for my tea or cereal needs.
The soymilk I prefer is sweetened and flavored with vanilla, making it a suitable substitute for sweets and baked goods only. So, when a savory recipe calls for milk, I am forced to either purchase a pint of milk and find a use for it before it spoils (small amounts of dairy in foods, or fermented products such as cheese and yogurt do not, thankfully, produce the same results as a tall cool glass of the stuff) or contemplate a possible substitution. This begs the question whether it is mere liquid a recipe needs, or the unique combination of liquid, fat, and protein that milk comprises.
In trying the meatloaf recipe from the Cooks Illustrated Family Cookbook (Go out and get yourself a copy if you do not have one already! And if you do have one, buy another in case the first is destroyed in a fire. This and The Joy of Cooking should be in every kitchen, I firmly believe.), one of the ingredients was, indeed, milk. Having everything else on hand and not wanting to walk the 500 yards to the grocery store to purchase a full pint when only 1/2 cup was needed, I decided I surely could find a substitute in my amply stocked pantry. Hmmm... what about...? Could it work? It would be crazy to try it. I won't tell anyone, we'll just see how it goes. Oh! It's pretty good! And now, it's my "secret" ingredient: blue cheese salad dressing. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone - I'm waiting for the next Kraft recipe contest to enter it! (jk) | | | | Surf and Turf by Heather April 28, 2009 | Those are my "Greek" burgers - stuffed with olives, feta, red onion and balsamic vingegar. Served on poppyseed rolls.
I usually broil salmon, but the husband suggested we throw it on the grill too. Just pepper and dill on top. Good as usual, not sure I prefer one cooking method over the other (unless we're talking cedar planks here - yuuuuuuuum).
Wish I'd taken a pic of the salad - we bought radishes the size of LEMONS. They were surreal! | | | | chicken, broc, & baked potato by Chris April 28, 2009 | Gosh, I hardly eat a proper dinner anymore. Okay gotta make the times more like tonight:
Broccoli, baked potato (with sour cream mmmm good), and baked chicken breast w/bbq sauce. Yep, nothing fancy, bit it was fairly healthy and really delicious. =)
| | | | Ham & Cheese Casserole by Lara April 28, 2009 | used up some leftover wide egg noodles... cut up ham and sprinkled cheddar cheese. mixed up cream of mushroom soup and some milk to give it some creaminess.
sauteed up some broccoli, asparagus, carrots and purple/red onion.
quite tasty! but i will be drinking water allllllllllllllllllllllll night. *fine ham abounds*
(extra credit pts to those who get that quote!) | | | | Spring is in the Air by Becky April 28, 2009 | Who says elegant cuisine has to be complicated? We were hosting a friend for dinner, and I wanted to prepare something simple and light, yet impressive. As it turned out, I found two five-ingredient recipes (yes! 5 ingredients) that meshed together perfectly - Sake Halibut and Asparagus Dengaku, served with steamed jasmine rice. Dessert was a bit more complex, Pear Streusel Tart from the Joy of Cooking, served with Haagen Dazs Five (ingredient) ginger ice cream. Everything in life should be this simple.
Sake Halibut in Parchment
1/2 cup sake
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
6 (6-oz) pieces halibut fillet (about 1 inch thick), any bones removed
1/2 cup sliced scallions
Preheat oven to 400°F with a baking sheet on bottom rack.
Stir together sake, soy sauce, ginger, and sugar in a bowl.
If fish fillets are more than 4 inches long, fold ends under. Put a fish fillet in center of each parchment square and season with 1/4 tsp salt (total). Working with 1 portion at a time, sprinkle fish with some of scallions and spoon some of sake mixture over top (hold up 2 corners of parchment to prevent liquid from running off). Gather sides of parchment up over fish to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with string.
Bake on hot baking sheet until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
Adapted from a recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez from Gourmet magazine May 2009
Japanese Asparagus Dengaku
1 lb. asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
4 tsp white (Shiro) miso
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 T tahini
2 tsp maple syrup
Place asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Whisk together miso, lemon juice, tahini, and maple syrup in a bowl. Brush the miso mixture over the asparagus. Broil 6 minutes, or until asparagus is tender and starting to brown.
From Vegetarian Times April 2009 | | | | cabbage rolls by Chris April 26, 2009 | One of the wonderful things about taking delivery of a farmers box of seasonal vegetables is the freshness. I love the surprise of opening the box and planning the week around the available produce.
This week two sweet baby cabbages - one eaten same day in a salad. The other steamed, unwrapped, then used to envelope parcels of pork mince, grated carrot, caramelised onions, rosemary, brown rice and some oregano.
tucked into the baking dish with some diced tomatoes and some of the onions on the bottom, some sugo casa on the top, and a sprig of rosemary.
Baked for about an hour, until cooked through and tender.
served with broccoli and cauliflower au gratin.
I wonder what next week will bring.... | | | | Fettuccine with Swiss Chard, Currants, Walnuts, and Brown Butter by Judianne April 25, 2009 | I was looking for a different recipe for the chard in our farm basket, and tried this one. Yummy but oh, the butter! I'll make a substitute next time. I did substitute regular raisins for the currants and golden raisins (it's what I had). This recipe is from Fields of Greens.
1/3 cup brown butter (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 bunch chard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 pound fresh fettuccine
1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Grated Parmesan cheese
Make the brown butter and keep it warm over very low heat. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Plump the currants and golden raisins in a small bowl covered with 1/3 cup hot water. Trim the stems from the chard and slice across the leaves to make 2-inch wide ribbons.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan; add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to release its juices. Add the garlic, chard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chard is just barely tender, then reduce the heat to low.
When the water boils, add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water, timing it to finish cooking with the chard. (The chard should be very tender but not overcooked when the pasta is done.) When the pasta is just tender, drain it immediately in a colander, shake off excess water, and add it to the onions and chard, along with the plumped fruit, walnuts, and brown butter. Toss together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
Brown Butter
1/2 pound unsalted butter
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As the butter gently simmers, the butter fat and milk solids will separate from each other. The solids will settle to the bottom of the pan, coloring the butter as it cooks. When it turns a rich amber color, in about 8 to 10 minute, remove from the heat. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a paper towel or cheese-clots and pour the butter through it, straining out the solids. The butter can be used immediately or cooled and refrigerated in a sealed container. Makes about 3/4 cup. | | | | Potato and jalapeno pizza by Chris April 23, 2009 | So I'm at the vet with our Labrador, who, in an effort to join the local cross country race tried to climb out a window. He's a dog, its not his job to be smart.
Meanwhile, DH is preparing dough for the pizzas. Its a packet. you open it before placing it in the machine. The yeast needs to be removed from the foil.... you get the picture. He's a scientist, it IS his job to be smart.
Cue pita bread, DH managed to redeem himself with an excellent topping of thinly sliced potatoes, zucchini, anchovies, chillis and cheese. The nice shiraz from Symphony Hill helped too. | | | | Smore Bars by Monica April 23, 2009 | | My sister-in-law made up this recipe for these incredible RICH Smore bars. I think I might be diabetic now! :) | | | | Cappellini Caprese by Becky April 23, 2009 | This is one of my favorite summer dinners. Yes, I know, it's not summer yet, but we've had a little sun and I'm getting tired of stoups. I've tried to modify this in different ways throughout the years. I used sausage instead of prawns once and feta rather than mozzarella, but I've decided not to mess with perfection.
Sorry, no amounts. This is a perfect "handful of this" "bunch of that" dish.
Start with a large bowl. Pour some olive oil in the bottom. The better quality the oil, the better your dish will be. Now add some lemon zest (that's the fragrant yellow stuff on the outside) and lemon juice (that's the tart liquid on the inside). Crush in some garlic. Throw in some chopped fresh basil. Lots of it. Add a little salt and a lot of fresh black pepper. Cut a bunch of grape tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl.
Start a pot of water for pasta. Toast some pine nuts and set them aside.
Cook some thin spaghetti, cappellini (angel hair), or linguine. If you're feeling fancy, grill up some (peeled and deveined) prawns. Otherwise, you can cook them with the pasta for the last few minutes. Drain the pasta, and while it is still hot, add it - and the prawns - to the big bowl. Toss everything together. Add bite size pieces of fresh mozzarella (not the stuff you grate and put on pizza) and the toasted pine nuts.
Now, TASTE IT! If you think it needs more salt, pepper, lemon, oil, basil, or whatever, it probably does.
Enjoy!
| | | | Pulled Pork Sammies by Heather April 22, 2009 | I have never eaten, much less made pulled pork, but the husband came home with a giant pork loin and I thought I'd give it a shot. Rubbed it with basically every red and brown seasoning in my pantry LOL (I'm not kidding), cooked it for 6 hrs on high in the crockpot, pulled it apart, added BBQ sauce (I chose Bullseye Sweet & Tangy b/c it has no high fructose corn syrup) and put in back in on low for another hr. The sauce was a little too sweet for my taste, so I added more chili powder, red pepper and garlic powder. Served it on fresh bakery rolls. The husband was mighty happy!
Feel free to mock my concept of a salad, a bizarre concoction of things I like individually: avocado, canned beets, cilantro, and diced tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and basil. Thought it would be light and "Spring-y," and while it wasn't the worst "salad" I've thrown together, I won't be making it again.
Baked beans were canned, fat-free and vegetarian. | | | | Healthy Turkey Strata by Nancy April 22, 2009 | 6 oz herb seasoned stuffing cubes (I used cornbread stuffing)
2 c . roasted, diced turkey breast
2 c. cooked broccoli
1/2 c. scallions
1 1/2 c. fat free milk
1 1/2 c. Egg Beaters (refrigerated)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
3/4 c. Fat free shredded cheddar cheese
2 TBS slivered almonds ( chopped & roasted in a "dry" frying pan on medium heat)
Spray an 8" X 8" dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer in dish: dressing, turkey, broccoli, scallions. Mix eggs and milk; stir in salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Top with cheese and then almonds. Bake for 15 more minutes.
Makes 4 servings. Each serving is worth 6 Weight Watcher's points.
| | | | Baked Potato by Lara April 22, 2009 | 2 sickly kiddos and one husband working late means mom can make whatever she wants.
and since lunch was a 1/2 ham sammie and a bag of popcorn... i went semi-healthy.
baked potato with sauteed zucchini and shredded cheddar. it was YUM! and i am FULL! | | | | Applewood smoked bacon wraped pork tenderloin w/fried apple & port reduction by Dean April 20, 2009 | Instruments:
- Fry pan for pork (prefer my copper outter/steel inside pan, not a non-stick due to high heat used)
- Tall steamer pot for the asparagus, or steam them in a foil poket in the oven.
- Meat themometer
Protein: Applewood smoked bacon wraped pork tenderloin w/fried apple & port reduction
Fruit & Veg: Steamed asparagus, most any red apple (1 -3 depending on how much suace you want)
Spices: Sea salt, fresh black peprer, thyme powder and/or sage powder or fresh sage
Prep: Meat
1. Cut some pork tenderloins about 2 - 2.5 inches thick
2. Wrap some thick cut bacon of your choice around the longest side of the tenderloins. Secure the start of the bacon wrap with a toothpick deep into the meat, and the end of the wrap with another. Use 1 or 2 whole stips of bacon depending on your level of gluttony :) I like 2.
3. Get yer spices. I like to make a sort of rub in a small bowl of thyme power, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Once you have your wraped meat, rub some of the spice mix on the exsposed top and bottom parts of the pork not covered in bacon.
Prep: Veg
1. Snap off the bottom parts of the asparagus. If you are like me store the bottoms in a bag in the freezer for latter ideas (like asparagus soup!)
2. Peel your apples and take the cores out. Cut the apples into 1/3 inch squarish cubes, nice and big.
Allez cuisine!
Meat first.
Pop your pan on the range. Put a smal bit of EVOO in the pan to just coat it. Heat the sucker up Med high, just before the oil hits it's smoke point.
Put your bacon wrapped tenderloins best side down first (presentaion side down) in the pan. Space them out not to crowd the pan. Get some unsalted butte, cut a 1/4 inch off and pop it in the middle of the pan and move it around so it gets under the meat.
Start your oven! Move a rack to the 1/2 position and set to bake at 350 - 375 F.
Let the little guys go for a while until they are nice and brown, then turn them onto the other side and brown to about 1/5 the amount as the first side.
Now the long part, brown the bacon all around. Roll the tenderloins on their sides in the pan and brown the bacon all around each wrap. Just rotate them as reeded and use the pan or other tenderloins to hodl them in place as needed, no need to worry about crowding the pan now.
Once all brown around turn them ont the side that was 1/5 browned.
Everyone into the oven! Oh check the internal temp of the meat before you put them in. It's probably around 120 - 140F now. We need to cook them to 160 - 165F.
If you have a tall steam pot for the asparagus, start boiling the water in that now with some salt.
Cooking time, I dunno. I don't like to cook by time I look for temp. So I would say you have about 20mins to cook still. Pull the pan out after 10 or 15 mins and check the temp. You want to see about 160 - 165F, once they hit that take the pan out and let them sit for a few mins. They will still cook inside as they sit.
Put your asparagus intot he now boiling steam pot, or into the oven if you made a foil steam pouch. Steam the asparagus for a short while I like to go about 6 to 9 mins, so it's still nice and crunchy.
Sauce:
Take the meat out of the pan. Pop the pan back onto the range at med-low heat, let all that yummy bacon oil and pan brownings heat up. Pop the apples into the pan and let them sit for a while over the areas of pan browninings to help deglaze the browns off the pan. Stir around, dust with some more thyme power liberally. Brown them for a bit, but not too long to get mushy.
Now get some nice port, say 10yr+ stuff. Pour some in the pan and let it deglaze the pan, stirring the mix around. Let the sauce reduce to 1/3 and kill the heat.
Thats it. Plate em' Pull the tooth picks out and spoon over some yummy apple port sauce on them.
Good eats. Tomorrow you get to run a 1/4 marathon to make up for the bacon :P | | | | Becky's noodles by Chris April 20, 2009 | Most good cooks are, by nature, generous people. We share. We share the products of our creative genius, and we share the recipes to get there.
I think that at the heart of the current frugal movement - and I am talking reducing waste, reducing consumerism frugality, not cheapness - at the heart of this movement is the desire to build and nurture communities. Food is pretty central to that.
So - thank you Becky for sharing your noodle recipe. I made it tonight and it was genius. Kids are fighting over leftovers for lunch tomorrow. My daughter ate the noodles AND LEFT THE MEAT. That is like the earth flipping on its axis.
I substituted peanut butter for almond paste, cause that's what I had. We used bean sprouts instead of cabbage, and added a good handful of mint with the coriander, because we love those flavours.
It reminded me of an old recipe for DanDan noodles - which I'm inspired to dig out and try to compare.
| | | | Taco Salad by Stephanie April 20, 2009 | 1 lb lean ground beef
chopped onion
black beans
taco seasoning packet
chopped tomatoes
lettuce
cheese
Dorito's (either nacho or ranch)
Brown meat with onions. Add drained black beans (optional), taco seasoning and amount of water specified on packet. In a large bowl, crush some Dorito's. Pour some of the meat mixture on it, then some cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add another layer of crushed Dorito's, meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Eat immediately with additional cheese, sour cream and/or ranch dressing. Don't wait too long because the chips get soggy. | | | | Trader Joe's Marinara & Tortellini by Lara April 20, 2009 | | quite tasty. i'm growing more fond of joe every time we try something new. grated some zucchini into the sauce before i mixed it all together. parmesan sprinkles on top. :) | | | | Stroganoff by Chris April 19, 2009 | Continuing with the antipodean autumn, a hearty and rich casserole was needed.
Sweet and smoky paprika and a hint of cumin teases the tomato base of this lovely dish. I love the layers of flavours with mushrooms, savoury beef and the creaminess added at the end.
served with potato gnocchi and steamed cauliflower. | | | | 5 Minute Corn Chowder by Teri Jo April 19, 2009 | In the mood for some corn chowder but not nearly enough time to make it? Here's a quick and easy version I just learned from my parents.
Ingredients:
1 can Potato Soup
1 can Creamed Corn
Milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Pour potato soup and creamed corn into pot. Fill soup can with milk and add to pot. Whisk together and heat.
Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Also great with soda crackers and Bacon Bacon from Tastefully Simple.
| | | | Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup by Teri Jo April 18, 2009 | Hubby and kids love this! (How often does that happen?)
Ingredients:
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/8 Tsp. Garlic Powder
4 C Chicken Broth (or 4 C Water & 4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes)
1/4 Tsp. Dried Basil
1/8 Tsp. Pepper
1 Large Carrot, Sliced
1/2 Pkg. Egg Noodles
Directions:
Saute chicken pieces with garlic powder. Remove from pot.
Heat broth, basil, pepper, & carrot slices to boil.
Add noodles & chicken.
Reduce heat to low. Cover & simmer until done.
Mixed veggies can be used instead of carrot. Also, decrease or increase broth amount for as little or as much broth as you like.
Add some steamed rice to the bowl and mmmmmmm, so good! | | | | A not-quite dinner by Chris April 17, 2009 | Not quite a sausage roll, not quite a meatloaf.
Chicken mince, seasoned with honey, soy and ginger, chives and coriander. I thought I had dim sum wrappers in the freezer - oops.
Well, I'm no sculptor, and as a log it looked pretty grim - so I wrapped it in puff pastry
It turned out quite well - served with steamed broccoli
BUT next time I'll stick to the meatloaf and make gravy. | | | | Sesame Noodles by Becky April 17, 2009 | After I graduated from college, I moved to New York City to embark on a career in publishing. Unfortunately, no one had warned me that in order to be successful at a career in publishing, or to live in NYC, for that matter, you need a trust fund. Naive and enthusiastic, I took an unpaid internship (I thought Lincoln freed the slaves?), which meant that after "work" I would change clothes in the office restroom and haul ass uptown to my "real job" as a wage slave.
My living conditions were as squalid as my work life. My first NYC apartment - and roommates - I won't go into detail about, except to say that the couple I lived with strongly resembled Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers. I didn't stay long. Sadly, my next pad wasn't much better. I shared a one-bedroom railroad apartment (so named due to its design, which linked the rooms in one line) with 2 other people, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a few hamsters, and a ferret. One of the roommates moved out and took most of the animals with her, so it seemed like a pretty good idea to stay since I got the actual "bedroom".
My remaining roommate, who I'll call Neil, was a pot-smoking computer programmer who was obsessed with Beavis and Butthead. He slept in what I think was supposed to be the dining room, which meant I had to creep by his bed on my way out every morning on my way to job #1 and on my way back in from job #2 late at night. Eventually, it came to light that Neil had been spending the rent money I was paying him on ganja and the landlords issued a notice of eviction. I finally got a clue and moved out.
One good thing about Neil and his, er, lifestyle, besides his impeccable taste in television of course, was his propensity for ordering takeout. He often ordered Chinese food, which, in NYC, comes with a choice of Sesame Noodles or something else (won ton soup? maybe egg rolls?). He frequently offered me the sesame noodles from his order (the least he could do, I realize now, to pacify me into unwittingly funding his jones).
These noodles were deliciously soft, slightly sweet, a little greasy, and the simply best thing I had ever eaten in my life. (Maybe I had a contact high. Yes, that must have been it. But they were good, I swear.) Since then, I have tried many recipes for Sesame Noodles, with many disappointments. Until this one, adapted from America's Test Kitchen. They're a little more sophisticated than those NYC noodles, but they satisfy just the same. Even sober.
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
3 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
Hot water
6 ounces soba noodles
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or hot chili sesame oil
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
2 scallions, sliced in thin diagonals
1 small carrot, grated
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Toast sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 2 teaspoons sesame seeds in small bowl. In blender, puree remaining sesame seeds, almond butter, garlic, ginger, tamari, vinegar, and mirin until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 3 tablespoons; set blender aside.
Bring a large pot of water to boil in stockpot over high heat. Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch; drain again. In a large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add cabbage, scallions, carrot, cilantro, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each with reserved sesame seeds, and serve. | | | | lamb and barley casserole by Chris April 16, 2009 | Autumn in Brisbane can be the nicest time of year - The garden is bursting with the last of summers fruit. Today was the last crop of tomatoes, the last pick of the eggplants, the last of the summer herbs.
Crockpot to the rescue: celery, onion, carrot, banana chili, eggplant, lots of ripe tomatoes.
cumin spiced hogget
A generous handful or three of barley
No slaving over a hot stove - a lovely afternoon in the garden and a nourishing meal waiting the garden workers.
| | | | Lemon Rosemary Chicken by Heather April 16, 2009 | Hey, I've missed you guys! Dinner has lately been a mad dash to cook and eat :( Making another concerted effort ...
Served with red jacket mash and sauteed brussels sprouts (I had no idea how to cook these until I watched America's Test Kitchen the other day. Good method - caramelized and sweet on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside). I can't believe I actually like brussels sprouts! | | | | Moroccan Lemon Chicken by Becky April 16, 2009 | So one day a couple of months ago Scott (my dear husband) came home and announced that he had purchased for me a subscription to not one, but two, cooking magazines - namely Bon Appetit and Gourmet. "I thought you might like some new ideas for dinners," he gave as the official explanation.
Were I more cynical than I already am (is that even possible?), I might have suspected he had selfish motives. I might have thought that perhaps he was tired of endless rounds of pasta, chili, and soup. I may have conjectured that my "go to" dinner of turkey burgers and broccoli on busy evenings had lost its luster, or that the idea of yet another tofu surprise had grown old for him.
But I believed none of these things to be true. Rather, like a long marriage gone stale, he was trying to revive my relationship with cooking with a little food porn. And it worked.
Tonight's entree is from the Fast Easy Fresh column in the May issue of Bon Appetit:
Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/fasteasyfresh/2009/05/moroccan_chicken_with_green_olives_and_lemon
My notes:
- I used fresh ginger since I had it on hand and I worried that dried would give the dish a "gingerbread" flavor.
- I used your standard grocery store lemons and the sauce was too acidic for me. Next time I will try Meyer lemons, which are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. | | | | Taco Salad by Judy April 15, 2009 | We serve this up salad-bar style - everyone can find something they like to put on the greens! Make as much as you need for your family size/appetite. "Healthy" if you limit the sour cream and use low-sodium products.
1 pound (or one package) of ground turkey
1 Taco seasoning packet (I use a low-sodium version)
Lettuce, cut or shredded
Grated cheddar (or packaged Mexican blend grated cheese)
1 small can sliced olives, drained
Chopped tomato
Roasted corn (Trader Joes, freezer dept)
Diced or sliced avocado
Diced red onion or green onion
Chopped bell pepper
Sour Cream and/or Ranch dressing (my son likes both!)
Salsa
Cilantro
1 small can black beans (I used a low-sodium version)
1 bag tortilla chips (I used a low-sodium version)
Brown turkey. Drain fat. Add seasoning packet to 3/4 c. water. Add to turkey and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced.
Prepare chopped veggies, grate cheese, etc. and put in separate bowls.
Serve salad-bar style
| | | | Salmoncrabcakes by Heather April 15, 2009 | Decided to variate my usual recipe. Used 1 can salmon and 1 can crabmeat this time, and instead of all the dry seasonings I usually put in it, substituted lots of fresh red onion, red pepper and chopped green onion. Much more flavorful and with a meatier consistency. Think I'll make it this way from now on.
Black beans and rice + green salad on the side. | | | | Bloody Eyeballs (Appetizer) by Alyssa April 14, 2009 | I have a party tonight so I made this appetizer and they ROCK!
You need:
1 package bacon
2 cans of whole waterchestnuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
wooden toothpicks
Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each waterchestnut and fasten with a wooden toothpick.
Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes or until crispy and sizzling.
In a separate pot, combine sugar and ketchup and bring to low boil.
Pour the glaze over the waterchestnuts and serve!!! | | | | Ode to Bob's Chili by Becky April 13, 2009 | My mom passed away when I was 9, leaving my dad with the task of keeping a household and raising a daughter on his own. Now, to give you an idea of the gravity of the situation, my dad was a product of a generation where a man's role was definitely not in the kitchen. My dad was a six-foot-plus cowboy-hat-and-boots-wearing man's man. His only encounters with the culinary arts prior to my mother's death involved a grill or a fish scaler.
Living in North Dakota, the community came forward to help us in our hour of need. Women shared recipes for casseroles of all sorts, the easy to prepare type with cream of something soup and canned vegetables. We ate all sorts of these concoctions, every conceivable convenience food, and many many fast food burgers.
I recall coming home from school one day and telling my dad about the chili I had eaten for lunch in the cafeteria that day. At a loss as to how to prepare chili so delicious as to inspire poetic yearnings from his young daughter, my dad wisely contacted the lunch lady and inquired about her secret. It turned out to be - you guessed it - a can of cream of tomato soup! He went on to replicate the cafeteria chili, even adding his own touch by serving it over baked potatoes. It was on my short list of often-requested meals growing up.
My chili is a little different (no can of soup), but I still love it over a baked potato.
Brown 1 pound ground beef. Drain and transfer to crockpot. In the same skillet, saute 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped stalk of celery, and 1 chopped bell pepper. Add minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin to your liking. Transfer to crockpot. Add 3 cans of your favorite beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes, and salt to taste. Cook on low 5-8 hours or high 2-4 hours.
| | | | BBQ Chicken & Pots by Lara April 11, 2009 | i am loving these ranchy potatoes! got a hankerin' for em today, so made some for dinner. this time cut them into long wedges, sort of steak fry like... quite tasty.
regular ol BBQ slathered boneless chicken breasts.
mix of raw snap peas, carrots and broccoli with a yummy dill ranch dipping sauce!
(peeps for dessert.... nom nom nom) | | | | Herb Marinated Beef Tip Kebabs by Becky April 11, 2009 | Now, when I was a vegetarian I hated it when people asked me, "Where's the meat?" when they came over for dinner. However, after falling off the wagon some years ago and indulging in meat again, I honestly believe I am better for it. I am a healthier weight, more relaxed about eating (I obsess over it less), and really enjoying food.
My vegetarian stint did me some good, for sure. I don't know that kale and quinoa would be a part of my culinary vocabulary had I not gone out seeking the world's most nutritious foods, which my vegetarianism inspired me to do.
This week, though, I decided to make a nice healthy vegan stew with lots of chickpeas, cauliflower, and eggplant. You will notice I did not post this stew on Dinner Time. This was the meal that made me ask, "Where's the meat?"
So tonight I am back to my old new self, with what I would call the new world's most nutritious and well-balanced meal:
- Herb Marinated Beef Tip Kebabs with Roasted Pepper-Kalamata Olive Relish
- served over Orzo Pasta (touched with just a kiss of olive oil and lemon juice)
- with Crunchy Jicama Salad
Herb Marinade:
In a food processor, combine:
1-1/2 cups mixed fresh herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano are all good choices - use whatever you like)
5 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 to 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef steak, such as sirloin tip, tenderloin, or top round
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cut the steak into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Place in a medium-size bowl. Pour herb mixture over meat. Refrigerate, covered, up to 24 hours.
Thread meat on skewers, alternating with onion and peppers.
Broil or grill.
Serve with Roasted Red Pepper-Kalamata Relish:
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt to taste
| | | | Safeway Pizza by Lara April 10, 2009 | this time, not the cheapie thin crust... but the regular ol 'za... and it wasn't bad. again, it wasn't great... but in a pinch.
and i want to go on record that i think trader joe's dark choco covered pretzels are little drops of heavenly goodness. i just ate 3 of them and actually had the nerve to close the bag. of course, now they are taunting me. just sitting there in the pantry. with that smug look. mmmmm. just you wait. ;p | | | | Wagon Wheels by Lara April 9, 2009 | my kids LOVE wagon wheels. what is the draw!??!
regular ol spaghetti sauce mixed with italian sausage and onions. stirred it up with the wagon wheels and baked it in the oven with some mozzarella slices on top.
salad and a toob of crescent dough (the 'new' kind that is a flat roll for supposed use for apps or something) brushed with olive oil and a dash of S&P. | | | | Fresh Strawberry Glaze for Angel Food Cake by Nancy April 8, 2009 | 4 c. fresh strawberries, sliced
1 c. water
1 TBS lemon juice
3/4 c. sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
Crush 1 c fresh strawberries and cook with 1 c water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the juice into a bowl. Keep the strawberry mash.
Combine sugar and cornstarch in an unheated sauce pan. Add all the juice -- a little at a time while stirring with a whisk. Cook and stir a few minutes on medium heat until glaze loses its cloudiness and is thickened and bubbly.
Combine and mix 3 c fresh sliced strawberries, strawberry mash and glaze. Refrigerate until serving. Serve over angel food cake slices. | | | | Burger King by Alyssa April 8, 2009 | Wednesdays are our 'eat out' day as we are normally packed with things from morning till night. Sometimes I do a crock pot meal, but not this week.
Whopper Jr. -- no mayo
Onion rings
Dr. Pepper
The girls had apple fries and apple juice with their nuggets. | | | | Oven-Barbecued Chicken Breasts by Becky April 8, 2009 | A Matter of Degrees
The weather is nearing the 70's, well it was last weekend anyway, now it's heading downward again with predictions of snow early next week. (How much freakin' snow are we going to get this year?? This is Seattle, people!) All this warm-ish (for Seattle -- again, we are in Seattle, so 70 is warm) weather has me inspired. But I'm not one of those die-hards who barbecues in the snow or the rain or whatever "liquid sunshine" Mother Nature is offering the Emerald City. However, I CAN barbecue indoors.
Take a pair of boneless skinless chicken breasts, pat 'em dry, sprinkle em up with salt and pepper. Put 'em in a not-quite-smokin'-hot ovenproof pan (this means no plastic handles!) with a little oil. Brown on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside temporarily.
Pull the pan off the heat for a minute and pour in some barbecue sauce. (Yes, I have a great recipe for BBQ sauce but tonight I used bottled - Annie's "Sweet & Spicy" - so you're going to have to hold out for that one.) Stand back because if the pan is really hot (as it should be) it might splatter. Simmer it for just a minute until it starts to get syrupy.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and turn 'em over so they get nice and saucy. Now, put the whole shebang in a 325 degree oven. (You're using an ovenproof pan, right? And, whoops, I forgot to tell you to preheat the oven. Good thing you're reading the recipe ahead of time, so you'll know to preheat the oven when you make this fer real.) Oh yeah, the rack should be in the "upper middle" position. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is about 130 degrees. Do not trust me, do not trust these instructions, do not trust your timer. Trust only the thermometer!
When the thermometer says it is time, or I guess temperature, turn the oven on broil. Broil away for another 5-10 minutes, or until the temperature reaches 160 degrees. Do not trust me, do not trust these instructions, do not trust your timer, or even the FDA*. Trust your thermometer. 160 degrees is right.
Serve it up, as I did, with baked potatoes and garlic braised kale, or invent your own combination. Enjoy the 70 degree weather inside your abode.
*The FDA has an obligation to protect the American people from all kinds of illnesses and foodborne contaminants, therefore it tells you to overcook everything. The most heat resistant strain Salmonella senftenberg shows significant destruction at 130 degrees when exposed for 2.5 minutes.
At 160 degrees chicken breast meat will still be moist and tender and perfectly safe to eat. Of course, be sure you know how to use your thermometer properly, testing the thickest portion of the meat. Also, be sure not to cross-contaminate (which, according to the guy who teaches the King County Food Handler's Permit classes, is when germs from unsafe foods get in other foods). Wash your thermometer between tests, wash your tongs, wash your hands, wash, wash, wash! | | | | Rack of Lamb, Endive Salad, and Creme Brulee by Chad April 8, 2009 | It has been a long couple of days, so I decided to treat myself to a French dinner at Bistro 110 in Chicago. Started off with fresh bread with a baked garlic spread and a glass of a 2003 Medoc (very nice).
Feeling good and "warm," opted for salad -- yes, me, salad. Did I say it has been a rough couple of days? Anyhow, the salad was delightful as was topped with crisp apple sticks, parmesan chess slivers and a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette.
After the salad came a rack of lamb on a bed of couscous and topped with mint. When I'm in a mood like I was tonight, I don't care about what to call the preparation -- I just want it right. Therefore, I had the lamb prepared "the right way" -- namely, way the chef says it should be prepared. Oh, man. Perfection.
Wasn't going to have dessert, but the creme brulee at Bistro 110 wins awards, so how could I say no. I didn't and it was awesome.
All in all, exactly what I was looking for in a meal tonight. | | | | Beef Stew with Rice by Alyssa April 7, 2009 | I had this simmering in the crock pot all day and it smells terrific!
We're having it with rice and corn. | | | | Kielbasa Bowtie Skillet by Stephanie April 7, 2009 | This is a grownup version of mac & cheese and is delicious! My 2 y/o asks for seconds when I make it. It's also great reheated the next day for lunch.
8 oz bowtie pasta (I tried the mini bowtie and even better)
1 lb turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4" slices
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups fresh cooked green beans (can substitute about any green veggie)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Cook pasta in a Dutch oven according to directions; drain. In same pot, add butter. Saute kielbasa, mushrooms and garlic in butter about 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth. Add slowly to kielbasa mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add pasta and green beans. Stir to combine. Add cheese and stir until melted. | | | | Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet by Stephanie April 7, 2009 | This is like a grownup version of mac & cheese and is delicious! Even my 2 y/o asks for seconds. It reheats for a great lunch the next day or you can freeze the leftovers.
* 8 ounces uncooked bow tie pasta (I like the mini bow tie pasta)
* 1 pound fully cooked turkey kielbasa or smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1-1/2 cups milk
* 1-1/2 cups fresh cooked green beans
* 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions in a Dutch oven. Drain. In the same pot, saute the sausage, mushrooms and garlic in butter.
Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add pasta to sausage mixture. Stir in the green beans and cheese; cook until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings. | | | | Leftovers by Alyssa April 6, 2009 | Sigh. Hubby will be home late and the girls will fight me if I make the beef stew I wanted to make, so leftovers it is.
Beef Stew for dinner tomorrow. | | | | Fresh Spring Pomodoro Sauce over Spaghetti Noodles by Alyssa April 6, 2009 | HO-LY Cow was this good!!!
Scrap the leftovers, I decided to cook this up before my tomatoes went bad and this may be the best meal I have EVER cooked!
4 servings
Prep
5 min
Inactive Prep
--
Cook
7 min
Total:
12 min
Ingredients
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons onion, diced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tomatoes, chopped
* 3 tablespoons fresh herbs (oregano, basil, parsley), chopped
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* Pinch sugar
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and herbs, continue to cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Serve with cheese and herb ravioli.
I got the recipe from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pomodoro-sauce-recipe/index.html
| | | | Lacinato Kale and Onion Panade With Gruyere by Erica April 6, 2009 | | http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2008/06/recipe_detail.html?id=6749 | | | | Kale and White Bean Soup, a bean primer by Becky April 6, 2009 | I happened to turn on the tv the other day just in time to catch the end of "America's Test Kitchen" on PBS. The episode was "Soups of the Day," and the ending commentary from host Christopher Kimball promised that their unorthodox technique for Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew would result in creamy textured beans, the holy grail of legume cookery. I've always found cannellini beans tricky to cook properly.
I'm not usually one for reinventing the wheel (I thought I had learned my lesson after trying a new chocolate chip cookie recipe), but this one really caught my attention. The secret? Soak the beans in salt water! What??? Salt and beans???? I have been thoroughly baptised, indoctrinated, even confirmed in the Church of No Salt with Beans. In fact, I have baptised others in this very church! My sermons were fire-and-brimstone, "You shall endure eternal pain of tough beans and poor digestion if you cook your beans with salt, acid, or alcohol!" Yet, Chris Kimball, so trustworthy seeming in his apron and bow tie, convinced me to follow his new message of salivation.
For posterity's sake, here is a link to the recipe (you need a free membership to the website to view it):
http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=4860&iSeason=9
The upshot? I should have stuck with my intuition. According to Harold McGee, food scientist and author extraordinaire, while salt added to cooking beans will lengthen their cooking time, salt added to the soaking water of beans will shorten the subsequent cooking time. However, beans soaked in salted water will have a more mealy texture because salt stops the swelling of starch molecules.
I cooked the soup (in the oven, as the recipe recommended, another tactic toward exquisite tenderness without bursting the skins, a difficult task with cannellini beans especially) an hour more than recommended and they were still not tender. I found them mealy, as McGee suggests, slightly tough, and altogether disappointing.
Even besides the bean debacle, the soup itself was dull and flavorless. I added a little lemon at the end, in hopes of perking it up. Why lemon? Because that's the lilt in my old favorite Kale and White Bean Soup recipe, from the Church of No Salt with Beans...
White Bean and Kale Minestrone
2 cups finely chopped kale
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic
3 cups cooked white beans
2-1/2 cups stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly grated pecorino cheese
Wash kale and remove the stems from the leaves. Roll up kale leaves and cut into thin ribbons. Set aside.
In a 4-quart soup pot, heat olive oil and sauté the garlic briefly over medium heat. Add about half of the cooked beans and part of the stock. Puree the rest of the beans and stock in the blender along with the tomato paste and sage. Stir the pureed beans into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the kale into the soup and simmer until kale has wilted (about 10 minutes). Add the lemon juice and enough water to make the soup a desirable thick consistency. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings. Serve the soup topped with pecorino.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Makes 3-4 servings.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008).
Check out Cynthia's website for more great recipes and fun instructional videos:
http://www.cookusinterruptus.com
| | | | Delicious!!!!!! by Stephanie April 6, 2009 | Fried Salmon Patties
Corn Casserole with Cheddar Cheese
Warm Cinnamon Apples | | | | Messy Spaghetti by Brittany April 5, 2009 | Kids got to pick the meals this week...this is what Reid called it.
Whole wheat spaghetti with homemade marinara and meat sauce
Parmesan broccoli
Bananas for dessert | | | | Chicken Salad with Lemon Parsley Mayo Stuffed Avocados by Meredith April 5, 2009 | Grilled Chicken
Avocados
Lemon Parsley Mayo
Pineapple & Strawberries | | | | Kalua Pig & Portuguese Sausage by Alyssa April 5, 2009 | The Kalua Pig was left over and frozen from the last time I made it in the crockpot. I needed something extra with the portuguese sausage which I pan fried.
We are also having salad and rice.
I give it a five rating because it's not something we can have very often and we love it when we do! | | | | Messy Spaghetti by Brittany April 5, 2009 | Kids got to pick the meals this week...this is what Reid called it.
Whole wheat spaghetti with homemade marinara and meat sauce
Parmesan broccoli
Bananas for dessert | | | | Pan-Fried T-bone steak w/onions by Chris April 3, 2009 | with Spanish Onion, Mashed Potaters, and Broccoli - mmm mm good.
PriceChopper had a sale on t-bones yesterday (today too, maybe) - two nice sized steaks for $10 and change (limit one package per family). Now I should have BBQ'd these beauties but, alas, I don't have a BBQ. No worries, however -- the panfry method produced a thing of beauty for the tastebuds. omg it was sooo good! The HP sauce stayed in the refrigerator.
I used some tips from this wiki on how to pan-fry a steak:
http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Steak-in-a-Frying-Pan | | | | Cheese Tortellini with Red Sauce by Jennifer April 2, 2009 | Cheese tortellini with red sauce and a springle of mozzarella cheese. Served with a side of garlic bread and spring salad.
The pasta and garlic bread are from Contes Pasta. Never dissapointed with this brand. http://www.contespasta.com/ | | | | Black Velvet Soup with Hot-n-Garlicky Croutons by Becky April 1, 2009 | Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
I'm posting this as I made it this evening; there are a few possible variations (including making it veg-friendly) that I will try to include, also.
4 ounces bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces *variations, below
1-1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves, minced (whoops! Forgot the garlic tonight)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cans black beans, drained
1-1/2 cups cooked pumpkin or winter squash (canned pumpkin works fine)
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar (whoops! forgot this!)
Garnishes: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
Heat a 6-quart heavy kettle over medium-high heat. Cook bacon. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but a couple of teaspoons of fat from pan. Add onion and shallot. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic, cumin, and pepper and sauté a minute longer.
Add sherry and cook to reduce liquid by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, HALF of the beans, pumpkin puree, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, until onions are tender.
Puree soup. Add remaining beans, bacon, ham, or pork alternative, and vinegar. Stir until heated through.
Serve soup garnished with sour cream and croutons.
* As an alternative to bacon, try tempeh bacon (sold under the brand name Lightlife Smoky Tempeh Strips). Or, if you prefer ham - or ham alternative - to bacon, saute the onions etc. in olive oil. Add ham or baked tofu with the beans at the end.
The croutons were made from sourdough, with olive oil, herb salt, garlic powder, chipotle powder, cumin, and coriander. Baked at 350 til crispy! | | | | DT updates by Chris April 1, 2009 | fixed: linked dinner title not appearing in newsfeed
updated: confirmation dialog appears after clicking publish to newfeed button | | | | Dani's Pick by Brittany April 1, 2009 | Dani chose:
Marinated Salmon
Roasted asparagus
Seasoned brown rice | | |
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