I'm not much of a baker, but I made some pumpkin pie for thanksgiving from a *real* pumpkin (oooh, ahhh!!) and had a lot of puree left. I made some risotto with it for turkey day and still found myself with a cup and a half of puree. Since I am trying to eat better, I decided to try my hand at muffins. They're tasty, freezable and make a great breakfast on the go.
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c oats
1 1/4 c pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c milk
Preheat oven to 350 and grease or spray the muffin pan.
In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until moistened.
Divide into 12 muffins (it's about 1/3 c. batter each).
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Pop the muffins out of the tin to cool. I wrapped them in wax paper and froze them. Though smaller than a traditional muffin, these keep you full well into the morning and are easy to eat while driving.
I used evaporated milk to make these because I had some left over from pie making. Skim milk would probably work just as well. If you need/want to use evaporated milk, you should dilute it with 2 parts water to one part milk before you add it.
Out of curiosity I calculated the calories per muffin. They're about 174 calories each.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Roasted Veggies
My husband "doesn't like" veggies, but I found if I cook them right he'll eat them right up. I discovered some posts on food blogs about roasting veggies and after a few tries have a pretty good formula for it. I'll post a list of the things I use most often, but you can sub almost any veggie in the list with something else. Also, thick veggies (carrots, etc) might need a good parboil before being added.
2 c. broccoli.
2 c. cauliflower
1 c. zucchini, cut into 1/4 in. coins
2 c. carrots, cut into 1 in. pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (see below)
2 c. brussel sprouts
2 tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, mix the EVOO, salt, pepper and veggies.
Mix to coat.
Roast, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Toss and roast another five minutes.
Be amazed at how much people love your veggies!
2 c. broccoli.
2 c. cauliflower
1 c. zucchini, cut into 1/4 in. coins
2 c. carrots, cut into 1 in. pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (see below)
2 c. brussel sprouts
2 tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, mix the EVOO, salt, pepper and veggies.
Mix to coat.
Roast, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Toss and roast another five minutes.
Be amazed at how much people love your veggies!
Roasted Chicken
This is more like a method and less a recipe. Roasted chicken is the one thing that will always impress your guests. It makes the house smell awesome when they arrive and it looks wonderful out of the oven. Carve and amaze further. This is my general method. The herbs could be mixed and matched depending on your end result.
1 chicken, about 5lbs.
fresh rosemary, 2 twigs
8 garlic cloves
olive oil
herbs to taste (dried, I used a rub)
salt and pepper
Open chicken and remove giblets. Rinse and pat dry.
Coarsely cut garlic cloves.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
Insert garlic and rosemary into cavity.
Lightly oil the outside of the chicken with olive oil.
Rub with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Roast breast up for about 2 hours. Carve and serve.
The reason why I call this a method is because you could change the seasoning and change the flavor. Lemons in the cavity, peppers on top? Lemon pepper chicken! Rotisserie seasoning, and nothing inside! Rotisserie flavor!
For those new to roasting, your supermarket should sell a 'poultry mix' or 'roasting mix' of fresh herbs for the cavity of your chicken. Just don't forget to add some garlic!
1 chicken, about 5lbs.
fresh rosemary, 2 twigs
8 garlic cloves
olive oil
herbs to taste (dried, I used a rub)
salt and pepper
Open chicken and remove giblets. Rinse and pat dry.
Coarsely cut garlic cloves.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
Insert garlic and rosemary into cavity.
Lightly oil the outside of the chicken with olive oil.
Rub with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Roast breast up for about 2 hours. Carve and serve.
The reason why I call this a method is because you could change the seasoning and change the flavor. Lemons in the cavity, peppers on top? Lemon pepper chicken! Rotisserie seasoning, and nothing inside! Rotisserie flavor!
For those new to roasting, your supermarket should sell a 'poultry mix' or 'roasting mix' of fresh herbs for the cavity of your chicken. Just don't forget to add some garlic!
Butternut Risotto
I am swimming in squash. As in, the one I roasted the other day left me with FOUR butternuts on the counter. Since my parents were coming for dinner, I decided to try something new: Butternut Squash Risotto. I saw a ton of recipes online and based this one off what I liked from all of them, and kept the health benefits in mind. My dad, who was previously rumored to call my falafel "fal-awful" because it didn't have meat, took seconds of this! It went great with roasted chicken and roasted veggies, which I guess I need to post recipes for.
2 c. rice (arborio is best, but any should work)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (ahem, 4, ahem!), chopped
1 c. dry white wine
4 c. chicken stock (veggie would work, beef would not work)
1 c. water
12 oz. butternut sqaush puree
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
In a small saucepan, boil stock and water. Set aside.
Spray a saucepan with olive oil (WHAT? you don't have a Misto, yet?! If you don't have one, use up to 2 tbsp in the pan, but a Misto controls the calories a little).
When the oil is hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Pour in rice, and toast about 3 minutes.
Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about three minutes.
Add in about two ladles-ful of broth (about 1.5 cups). Simmer until evaporated. Continue adding broth and simmering until the broth is gone.
In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add in the squash puree, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
In the last minute, add in parmesan.
Enjoy the compliments from this one! I had two people I thought would hate this take seconds!
2 c. rice (arborio is best, but any should work)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (ahem, 4, ahem!), chopped
1 c. dry white wine
4 c. chicken stock (veggie would work, beef would not work)
1 c. water
12 oz. butternut sqaush puree
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
In a small saucepan, boil stock and water. Set aside.
Spray a saucepan with olive oil (WHAT? you don't have a Misto, yet?! If you don't have one, use up to 2 tbsp in the pan, but a Misto controls the calories a little).
When the oil is hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Pour in rice, and toast about 3 minutes.
Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about three minutes.
Add in about two ladles-ful of broth (about 1.5 cups). Simmer until evaporated. Continue adding broth and simmering until the broth is gone.
In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add in the squash puree, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
In the last minute, add in parmesan.
Enjoy the compliments from this one! I had two people I thought would hate this take seconds!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Swedish Meatballs (bork, bork, bork)!
Today I got an intense craving for swedish meatballs. These didn't turn out quite as expected, but were still quite tasty. I used a recipe I found online as a guide; as always, and made it my own. This isn't super healthy. But sometimes? I don't care!
2 slices white bread (I used a leftover Amoroso roll)
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs. ground meat. (traditionally would be a mix of chuck and veal or pork)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 c. flour
3 cups beef broth (i used almost 5, cause I like lotsa gravy)
1/4 c. cream (light works fine, I used 1/3)
1/2 pack egg noodles
Break the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour milk over top. Let sit.
Peel and grate half a large onion into a dish. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Add meat, yolks, pepper, allspice, bread mix, and salt. Mix well.
Roll meatballs from mix.
Heat a skillet and add meatballs, but don't crowd (this is key- if they are crowded, you can't turn them). Brown meatballs on all sides and place on a baking pan. Keep in warm oven until all meatballs are cooked.
Start water for egg noodles. I boiled mine in beef stock to make them extra tasty.
Add butter (optional, I did it for flavor) to the skillet you cooked the meatballs in.
Stir in flour and mix until flour becomes brown and bubbly.
Gradually stir in beef broth. Stir it until it becomes the desired consistency. I like mine really thick so I stirred for 10 mins.
Stir in cream, and whisk until desired consistency.
Add meatballs to gravy mix. Simmer a few minutes, and then serve over noodles.
NOM.
you can freeze the meatballs before or after they're sauced. If its before, spread them in a single layer on a baking dish, freeze, then bag. Otherwise, throw balls and gravy into a freezer bag and save for a night you don't feel like cooking.
2 slices white bread (I used a leftover Amoroso roll)
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs. ground meat. (traditionally would be a mix of chuck and veal or pork)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 c. flour
3 cups beef broth (i used almost 5, cause I like lotsa gravy)
1/4 c. cream (light works fine, I used 1/3)
1/2 pack egg noodles
Break the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour milk over top. Let sit.
Peel and grate half a large onion into a dish. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Add meat, yolks, pepper, allspice, bread mix, and salt. Mix well.
Roll meatballs from mix.
Heat a skillet and add meatballs, but don't crowd (this is key- if they are crowded, you can't turn them). Brown meatballs on all sides and place on a baking pan. Keep in warm oven until all meatballs are cooked.
Start water for egg noodles. I boiled mine in beef stock to make them extra tasty.
Add butter (optional, I did it for flavor) to the skillet you cooked the meatballs in.
Stir in flour and mix until flour becomes brown and bubbly.
Gradually stir in beef broth. Stir it until it becomes the desired consistency. I like mine really thick so I stirred for 10 mins.
Stir in cream, and whisk until desired consistency.
Add meatballs to gravy mix. Simmer a few minutes, and then serve over noodles.
NOM.
you can freeze the meatballs before or after they're sauced. If its before, spread them in a single layer on a baking dish, freeze, then bag. Otherwise, throw balls and gravy into a freezer bag and save for a night you don't feel like cooking.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Chocolate Chip Shortbread
I'm not much of a baker but when I see a recipe for shortbread, I can't resist. Bonus points for the addition of chocolate chips.
I got this one out of this months issue of Vegetarian Times. Since I am not much of a baker, I followed this one verbatim. The only thing I would change is the cooking time. I'd do 25 minutes, or somewhere about there to keep the shortbread from being too flaky.
3 2/3 c. flour
1/2 c. cornstarch1/2 tsp salt
1c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3c. REAL maple syrup (I used some from a special someone in VT)
1 1/2c. mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix well.
In another bowl, beat together butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.
Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Press dough into 15x11 jelly roll pan and prick all over with fork.
Bake for 35 minutes at 325.
Cut and serve.
This recipe also had instructions for melting chocolate and pouring it over top of the baked cookies. I opted to skip this step, but if you want to do it, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Pour it over the cookies and refrigerate until set.
1/3c. REAL maple syrup (I used some from a special someone in VT)
1 1/2c. mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix well.
In another bowl, beat together butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.
Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Press dough into 15x11 jelly roll pan and prick all over with fork.
Bake for 35 minutes at 325.
Cut and serve.
This recipe also had instructions for melting chocolate and pouring it over top of the baked cookies. I opted to skip this step, but if you want to do it, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Pour it over the cookies and refrigerate until set.
Simple Crockpot Applesauce
I called this one simple for a reason. It has one ingriedient and many variations. Bonus points because you get to pick apples (or do like me- it was raining so we just got fresh apples at the farm that someone else picked!) and you get to have fresh mulled cider and cider donuts before you come home.
main ingredient
20 apples
optional
6 tbsp honey
cinnamon to taste
vanilla extract
Peel and core apples.
Chop apples into 1/2 inch chunks.
Put in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy the smell as the apples heat up.
After the sauce is done, you can puree it with a immersion blender, or you can just eat it how it is. It really depends on how picky the eaters in your house are.
I made this with vanilla, honey and cinnamon and it was awesome. I also made a lighter version of this, with just apples and cinnamon and it was equally good.
I used the cinnamon, vanilla and honey in the first batch I made because I have a free neverending supply of the first two items from my uncle, who imports both. Singing Dog Vanilla is by far the BEST extract I have ever used in my life. It makes a difference in everything I've used it in. Red Ape Cinnamon has an awesome flavor. I use it in my oatmeal every day. A shout out to grandmom too, whose bees produced the DELICIOUS honey I used. Sugar would work fine in this recipe, but if you have honey, I highly recommend using that. It gives it a much better flavor.
I got my apples from Highland Orchards in West Chester, PA. I used the Jonomac. Apples from the orchard are fresher and taste better than those waxy ones in the market and by buying them you are supporting your local economy. If you can't shop local, apples you get at the market are fine too.
main ingredient
20 apples
optional
6 tbsp honey
cinnamon to taste
vanilla extract
Peel and core apples.
Chop apples into 1/2 inch chunks.
Put in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy the smell as the apples heat up.
After the sauce is done, you can puree it with a immersion blender, or you can just eat it how it is. It really depends on how picky the eaters in your house are.
I made this with vanilla, honey and cinnamon and it was awesome. I also made a lighter version of this, with just apples and cinnamon and it was equally good.
I used the cinnamon, vanilla and honey in the first batch I made because I have a free neverending supply of the first two items from my uncle, who imports both. Singing Dog Vanilla is by far the BEST extract I have ever used in my life. It makes a difference in everything I've used it in. Red Ape Cinnamon has an awesome flavor. I use it in my oatmeal every day. A shout out to grandmom too, whose bees produced the DELICIOUS honey I used. Sugar would work fine in this recipe, but if you have honey, I highly recommend using that. It gives it a much better flavor.
I got my apples from Highland Orchards in West Chester, PA. I used the Jonomac. Apples from the orchard are fresher and taste better than those waxy ones in the market and by buying them you are supporting your local economy. If you can't shop local, apples you get at the market are fine too.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Falafel with Tzaziki
Yesterday I ate hummus for breakfast (I am going through a phase where I hate all things breakfast-y.) and was thinking how nice it would be to make it up and freeze it so I could make a ton at once and then grab some as I ran out the door. But I think the texture of hummus would make for a gross product post-freezer, so I decided to try falafel instead. I also got to wanting some tzaziki, with lots of garlic, and falafel is the perfect vehicle for tzaziki. Well, second perfect. A spoon is the first.
Some notes on this recipe:
For the falafel:
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic (I used 7 cloves), chopped
one bunch cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
salt
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
For the tzaziki:
1/2 large english or kirby cucumber
2 c. plain greek yogurt
garlic, to taste, minced
1/2 tsp minced dill (if using dry, you might use less)
two squirts of lemon juice
Throw your onions, garlic and parsley into the food processor and pulse until they're pretty well blended.
Add garbanzos, about a cup at a time, and pulse until they break up and make an almost paste.
Add spices and give a few quick pulses until they're mixed in.
Dump the garbanzo mixture into a bowl and add the bread crumbs. Mix them in well.
Lightly oil a baking pan.
Make small balls of the falafel mixture and place on the pan, flattening them with a spoon.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top of the patties.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes on each side.
While its baking, make the...
Tzaziki!!
Shred or mince the cucumber. If you choose to mince, keep the chunks pretty small.
Place the cucumber in a colander and press out additional water as best you can.
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, yogurt, dill, cucumbers and lemon juice. Mix well and store in the fridge until its time to nom.
I served this with spinach and tomatoes. I wrapped the falafel, tzaziki and tomato in a spinach leaf and ate it like that. You could also use it to stuff a pita. Tzaziki can be used on a variety of dishes. Experiment and tell me what you like best!
Some notes on this recipe:
- You can use a regular cuke instead of english or kirby, but you'll have to do some serious de-seeding.
- I used a lot of garlic. I could have chased vampires away this morning. If this is not your desired result, then adjust as needed.
- Adding extra sesame seeds to the pan is a good thing. They toast up really well.
- The tzaziki should sit overnight or at least a few hours prior to serving. The flavor is fuller the longer it sits.
- I used a food processor to make this, but you could probably use a blender. Or even a potato masher, if you really needed to be resourceful.
For the falafel:
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic (I used 7 cloves), chopped
one bunch cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
salt
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
For the tzaziki:
1/2 large english or kirby cucumber
2 c. plain greek yogurt
garlic, to taste, minced
1/2 tsp minced dill (if using dry, you might use less)
two squirts of lemon juice
Throw your onions, garlic and parsley into the food processor and pulse until they're pretty well blended.
Add garbanzos, about a cup at a time, and pulse until they break up and make an almost paste.
Add spices and give a few quick pulses until they're mixed in.
Dump the garbanzo mixture into a bowl and add the bread crumbs. Mix them in well.
Lightly oil a baking pan.
Make small balls of the falafel mixture and place on the pan, flattening them with a spoon.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top of the patties.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes on each side.
While its baking, make the...
Tzaziki!!
Shred or mince the cucumber. If you choose to mince, keep the chunks pretty small.
Place the cucumber in a colander and press out additional water as best you can.
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, yogurt, dill, cucumbers and lemon juice. Mix well and store in the fridge until its time to nom.
I served this with spinach and tomatoes. I wrapped the falafel, tzaziki and tomato in a spinach leaf and ate it like that. You could also use it to stuff a pita. Tzaziki can be used on a variety of dishes. Experiment and tell me what you like best!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Cornish Games Hen with Sauteed Kale and Spinach
We had cornish game hens at a dinner theater in Vegas on our honeymoon. Not expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised at their flavor. I imagined if a mass-produced dinner theatre hen could be that good, I could do it one better. For sure. Since I have kale and spinach out the ears, I paired this with a pretty simple saute. You could serve the saute over noodles, like my husband likes, or just plain on the side. I went on the light side for seasoning, you could pretty much add anything you want, or sub butter for the oil in either dish if you want a richer flavor.
This is a simple meal in terms of technique, but ends up looking elegant like you spent the whole day in the kitchen. I've noticed any time I pull a whole bird out of the oven people ooooh and ahhh. So if you've got an hour, you've got dinner!
For Hens:
2 (or more) cornish game hens
herb rub
olive oil
garlic cloves
rosemary, 1 long sprig, fresh
For Sautee:
kale (a few handfuls)
spinach (same)
onion
garlic, minced or chopped
olive oil
chicken bouillion cube or stock
salt
pepper
Remove the giblets from your hens, if they have them. You could use these to make gravy. I never bother.
Rinse the hens in cold water and pat dry, inside and out. Set aside.
Grab some garlic cloves and "bruise" them. Simply remove the paper, and crush them under the flat edge of your knife. I used 6 cloves in each chicken, you could use more or less.
Salt and pepper the inner cavity of the hen, and stuff with bruised garlic. Cut the rosemary sprig in four sections and stick two of each in there too.
Spray or rub the hens with olive oil. Place in a roasting pan, breasts down (I know, I know. But I have better luck with breasts down!) on a wire rack. If you don't have a wire rack, do what I did and rig up a tin foil ring to keep the bird off the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle the herb rub on top of the chicken and massage in. You could put some under the skin too, if you want.
Roast in the oven with a foil tent for about 40 minutes. Remove the tent and roast another 20 minutes, or until meat is 175 degrees. Test the breast to get the right temp.
When you remove the foil tent, start making your sides.
Kale and Spinach
Boil some water for the noodles now.
In another saucepan (you don't need a big one), boil some water. I added a bouillion cube for extra flavor, but thats optional.
Once its boiling, throw the kale in and start cooking time for three minutes (don't wait for the water to boil before you count).
Remove kale from boiling water, and rinse with cold. Repeat the process with the spinach, only cook that for 1-2 minutes.
Squeeze some of the excess moisture out of the veggies.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Once its hot, sautee onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
Stir in the kale and spinach. Sautee a few minutes, until heated up and wilty.
Add salt and pepper and another spray of olive oil. Mix.
Serve the veggies over noodles, if you're having them.
This is a simple meal in terms of technique, but ends up looking elegant like you spent the whole day in the kitchen. I've noticed any time I pull a whole bird out of the oven people ooooh and ahhh. So if you've got an hour, you've got dinner!
For Hens:
2 (or more) cornish game hens
herb rub
olive oil
garlic cloves
rosemary, 1 long sprig, fresh
For Sautee:
kale (a few handfuls)
spinach (same)
onion
garlic, minced or chopped
olive oil
chicken bouillion cube or stock
salt
pepper
Remove the giblets from your hens, if they have them. You could use these to make gravy. I never bother.
Rinse the hens in cold water and pat dry, inside and out. Set aside.
Grab some garlic cloves and "bruise" them. Simply remove the paper, and crush them under the flat edge of your knife. I used 6 cloves in each chicken, you could use more or less.
Salt and pepper the inner cavity of the hen, and stuff with bruised garlic. Cut the rosemary sprig in four sections and stick two of each in there too.
Spray or rub the hens with olive oil. Place in a roasting pan, breasts down (I know, I know. But I have better luck with breasts down!) on a wire rack. If you don't have a wire rack, do what I did and rig up a tin foil ring to keep the bird off the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle the herb rub on top of the chicken and massage in. You could put some under the skin too, if you want.
Roast in the oven with a foil tent for about 40 minutes. Remove the tent and roast another 20 minutes, or until meat is 175 degrees. Test the breast to get the right temp.
When you remove the foil tent, start making your sides.
Kale and Spinach
Boil some water for the noodles now.
In another saucepan (you don't need a big one), boil some water. I added a bouillion cube for extra flavor, but thats optional.
Once its boiling, throw the kale in and start cooking time for three minutes (don't wait for the water to boil before you count).
Remove kale from boiling water, and rinse with cold. Repeat the process with the spinach, only cook that for 1-2 minutes.
Squeeze some of the excess moisture out of the veggies.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Once its hot, sautee onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
Stir in the kale and spinach. Sautee a few minutes, until heated up and wilty.
Add salt and pepper and another spray of olive oil. Mix.
Serve the veggies over noodles, if you're having them.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Best Jarred Tomato Sauce?
Classico
This is also the sauce I prefer when I don't make my own. I'm not much for the fancy flavors, but the Tomato and Basil and the Spicy Red Pepper make for an excellent sauce (I mix them together).
Whats your favorite kind?
Also, I am thinking about blogging reviews and other interesting food bits like this once in awhile. Welcome? Not interested? Let me know!
This is also the sauce I prefer when I don't make my own. I'm not much for the fancy flavors, but the Tomato and Basil and the Spicy Red Pepper make for an excellent sauce (I mix them together).
Whats your favorite kind?
Also, I am thinking about blogging reviews and other interesting food bits like this once in awhile. Welcome? Not interested? Let me know!
Lasagna
I made some quick spaghetti sauce the other day so I decided to make some lasagna with the leftovers. This was my very first one ever. I was pressed for time, so I used no-boil noodles.
I'm not in love with this recipe, I think it could use some tweaks. I would have added more mozzarella and less ricotta. I'd probably use ground beef. I would DEFINITELY add more sauce. That said, it was still pretty tasty and Nick said he'd eat it again (which is good since it's in the freezer right now!).
1 lb. ground turkey or beef
24 oz part skim ricotta
2 c. shredded mozzarella
quick spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cloves garlic
basil
oregano
parsely
dried pepper and onion seasoning
olive oil
Spray or pour some olive oil in a skillet. Brown the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
Add the meat and cook until just browned.
In a bowl, mix the cheeses and the egg, and the spices.
In a 9x13 pan, spread 1 1/2 c. of the sauce, then layer noodles, cheese, meat and sauce. Repeat layers as many times as you want (I did it twice).
Sprinkle a little cheese on the top.
Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
I'm not in love with this recipe, I think it could use some tweaks. I would have added more mozzarella and less ricotta. I'd probably use ground beef. I would DEFINITELY add more sauce. That said, it was still pretty tasty and Nick said he'd eat it again (which is good since it's in the freezer right now!).
1 lb. ground turkey or beef
24 oz part skim ricotta
2 c. shredded mozzarella
quick spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cloves garlic
basil
oregano
parsely
dried pepper and onion seasoning
olive oil
Spray or pour some olive oil in a skillet. Brown the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
Add the meat and cook until just browned.
In a bowl, mix the cheeses and the egg, and the spices.
In a 9x13 pan, spread 1 1/2 c. of the sauce, then layer noodles, cheese, meat and sauce. Repeat layers as many times as you want (I did it twice).
Sprinkle a little cheese on the top.
Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Spinach Bake Thingy
I got a pound of spinach this week at the CSA. What in the world does one do with a pound of spinach? Do you understand how many spinach leaves are in a pound?! I mean, I made some salad (yawn, but I also got lettuce) and I don't really like it sauteed so thats out. No tomatoes, or I would add it to my sauce. Nick isn't a fan either, so I thought at first I would add it to Mac and Cheese to entice him.
Then I decided to leave out the Mac. I'm still not sure why.
A note on this recipe: I used fat-free milk and Cabot 75% Sharp Cheddar. Next time I'll probably use a higher fat cheese. This came out lumpy but delicious because the lower fat cheese never seems to melt right. Also, next time, I would add some sauteed onion and garlic to this.
1 lb. (about) Spinach
some kale (if you have it laying around the house)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. cheese (plus some for the top)
garlic salt
pepper
Wash and trim the spinach leaves and kale and put them in a pot (don't shake the water off). Steam them until they wilt, a few minutes.
Let them cool and squeeze out the excess water.
In a saucepan, melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two.
Pour in the milk and heat to a boil. Stir often to keep the bottom from burning. Let the milk thicken slightly.
Add the cheese and stir to melt. (or if you are using lower fat cheese stir until you have little clumps, lol)
Stir in the spinach and kale, along with some garlic salt and pepper.
Pour into a pan and bake at 350 for about 40 mins.
(This makes and AWESOME breakfast, BTW)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Chicken Noodle Soup
We got fresh chickens at the farm ($5/lb! sheesh, but I had to try). I decided that rather than roast the chicken, I was going to make soup! This recipe is not for the faint of heart, but its not too tough. You need about 6 hours to make the stock and it needs to be stored overnight before you can make soup, so plan ahead. The first day is hard. The second day makes it worth it.
one whole chicken
carrot (I used 9)
onion (I used 2)
celery (I used the equivalent of 7 or 8 normal stalks)
salt
pepper
one whole chicken
carrot (I used 9)
onion (I used 2)
celery (I used the equivalent of 7 or 8 normal stalks)
salt
pepper
sage
thyme
rosemary
3 bay leaves
1 lb. egg noodles
Lets start with the fun part.
See that chicken over there on the counter? The one that is delightfully whole? All connected and chicken-looking?
Rip off its skin. This is gross, trust me. If I had known how gross, I might not have made stock from a fresh chicken.
Get a knife (or do what i did and PULL it apart). Cut that chicken into pieces! Grab the leg and pull it off! Break the wings!! Crack the ribs!! Don't forget to remove the giblets!
The chicken should be in small parts, maybe 3-4 inches each. Bonus points for breaking bones, because you'll get a tastier stock.
Place all parts, bones included, in a large stock pot.
Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil.
Throw in some sage, rosemary, and thyme for good measure.
Simmer for six hours, four at the very least. Hang around the house and drool.
As it simmers, you can skim some of the scum off the top but try not to disturb the chicken too much. The more you disturb the chicken the cloudier the stock will get.
After six hours, cool the stock. I did this by filling my sink full of ice water and putting the pot in it. Once the pot is in the water, stir the contents until it cools. Voila! If you are patient and have counter space, you can let it cool on the counter top. Whatever you do, DON'T put it right in the fridge while its hot. Unless you like the taste of bacteria.
Next day, pull out your stock. All of the fat you didn't skim while it was cooking should be floating in there on the top. Skim that off now.
Throw in the carrots, onion, celery and spices.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer until the carrot and celery soften.
Add egg noodles and cook until they're done.
EAT.
(See? The second day IS worth it. Its when you eat.)
Chicken Parm and "Quick" Spaghetti Sauce
After a really bad day, I was craving some kind of comfort food, and immediately thought of chicken parm. I was feeling extra decadent so I decided to pan fry it instead of baking it. I also used panko instead of regular breadcrumbs. The switch delighted the husband, but I am still undecided.
Plus I had 8 tomatoes laying around, so homemade sauce would be a great way to use them up. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to make a proper sauce, but the time consuming part of a proper sauce is the reduction time. Below is a recipe for "quick" spaghetti sauce, its yummy and chunky and cooks in the same amount of time as it takes to bread and fry chicken. Perfect! Not to mention, tomatoes are super sweet at the end of the season and make a fabulous sauce.
It looks like a lot of steps, but its really not at all.
Like always, I made extra, for the freezer! YUM.
For the sauce:
8 tomatoes
basil, to taste
2 onions
3 cloves garlic, more or less to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
olive oil (optional, but really improves the depth of flavor)
balsamic vinegar
Mince the onion and garlic. Throw them into a skillet on medium heat until onions are translucent, about 5 mins. While you do this, start the next step.
In a medium saucepan, set some water to boil.
Cut a small "x" in the bottom of each tomato while you're waiting for the water to boil.
Dip each tomato in the boiling water for a few seconds, then remove to a cold water bath (or just run them under cold tap water).
Slide the skins off the tomatoes and remove the core with a knife. Set aside cored tomatoes.
Rinse the saucepan you just used to boil the water.
Squeeze the excess juice and seeds from the tomatoes (trust me, you won't lose any flavor here)and put the tomatoes in the saucepan.
(Optional) I wanted the tomatoes to break down faster, so I mashed them with a potato masher.
Add the basil, oil, salt, pepper, splash of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar to the mix.
Stir in the onion and garlic mixture.
Simmer on stove just until the tomatoes start breaking up, about 5 minutes. (start getting the chicken ready here)
Remove pulp from the liquid.
Continue simmering the liquid until reduced (10-15 mins).
Start boiling water for spaghetti and start working on your chicken now! :)
Once the liquid is reduced, check seasoning and add more, if needed. Return the pulp to the saucepan and simmer a few more minutes.
VOILA. Put some on top of spaghetti, bake some with the chicken and ENJOY.
For the chicken:
2 chicken breasts
breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 egg whites
italian seasoning
olive oil, for frying
mozzarella cheese
"quick" spaghetti sauce
Pound the chicken breast flat until it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thin (or cheat like me and buy the thin cut chicken breast at the store). If you don't have a meat tenderizer, get creative. I've pounded chicken flat with a soup can before.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites and italian seasoning.
Pour the breadcrumbs on a plate.
Dip the chicken in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumbs, back in the egg wash, and into the breadcrumbs again. Do this with all the chicken.
In a skillet, heat the oil. You'll know its hot enough when you can flick a few drops of water in there and they sizzle. Place the chicken in the skillet, and brown about 4-5 minutes on each side.
Put the chicken in a baking pan, and cover with sauce, and then with cheese (I use copious amounts of cheese). Bake in the oven until cheese melts, then turn on broiler to brown the tops of the cheese.
NOTE: You can decide to bake the chicken, 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until browned. Add cheese and melt.
There you go! An italian feast in 35 minutes.
Plus I had 8 tomatoes laying around, so homemade sauce would be a great way to use them up. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to make a proper sauce, but the time consuming part of a proper sauce is the reduction time. Below is a recipe for "quick" spaghetti sauce, its yummy and chunky and cooks in the same amount of time as it takes to bread and fry chicken. Perfect! Not to mention, tomatoes are super sweet at the end of the season and make a fabulous sauce.
It looks like a lot of steps, but its really not at all.
Like always, I made extra, for the freezer! YUM.
For the sauce:
8 tomatoes
basil, to taste
2 onions
3 cloves garlic, more or less to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
olive oil (optional, but really improves the depth of flavor)
balsamic vinegar
Mince the onion and garlic. Throw them into a skillet on medium heat until onions are translucent, about 5 mins. While you do this, start the next step.
In a medium saucepan, set some water to boil.
Cut a small "x" in the bottom of each tomato while you're waiting for the water to boil.
Dip each tomato in the boiling water for a few seconds, then remove to a cold water bath (or just run them under cold tap water).
Slide the skins off the tomatoes and remove the core with a knife. Set aside cored tomatoes.
Rinse the saucepan you just used to boil the water.
Squeeze the excess juice and seeds from the tomatoes (trust me, you won't lose any flavor here)and put the tomatoes in the saucepan.
(Optional) I wanted the tomatoes to break down faster, so I mashed them with a potato masher.
Add the basil, oil, salt, pepper, splash of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar to the mix.
Stir in the onion and garlic mixture.
Simmer on stove just until the tomatoes start breaking up, about 5 minutes. (start getting the chicken ready here)
Remove pulp from the liquid.
Continue simmering the liquid until reduced (10-15 mins).
Start boiling water for spaghetti and start working on your chicken now! :)
Once the liquid is reduced, check seasoning and add more, if needed. Return the pulp to the saucepan and simmer a few more minutes.
VOILA. Put some on top of spaghetti, bake some with the chicken and ENJOY.
For the chicken:
2 chicken breasts
breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 egg whites
italian seasoning
olive oil, for frying
mozzarella cheese
"quick" spaghetti sauce
Pound the chicken breast flat until it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thin (or cheat like me and buy the thin cut chicken breast at the store). If you don't have a meat tenderizer, get creative. I've pounded chicken flat with a soup can before.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites and italian seasoning.
Pour the breadcrumbs on a plate.
Dip the chicken in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumbs, back in the egg wash, and into the breadcrumbs again. Do this with all the chicken.
In a skillet, heat the oil. You'll know its hot enough when you can flick a few drops of water in there and they sizzle. Place the chicken in the skillet, and brown about 4-5 minutes on each side.
Put the chicken in a baking pan, and cover with sauce, and then with cheese (I use copious amounts of cheese). Bake in the oven until cheese melts, then turn on broiler to brown the tops of the cheese.
NOTE: You can decide to bake the chicken, 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until browned. Add cheese and melt.
There you go! An italian feast in 35 minutes.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Two-fer: Stuffed Peppers and Tomato Soup
I had 5 peppers and about 20 tomatoes laying around the house so I decided to get a-cookin! The beauty here is that both recipes call for onion and garlic, so I just carmelized a bunch and split it between the two recipes. I got the soup "method" from my Aunt Celia. I used a food processor to make the soup, but a blender will work fine too.
To start:
9 onions (mine were small), coarsely chopped
9 cloves garlic (or to taste), coarsely chopped
For the peppers:
1lb ground turkey
5 bell peppers (any color)
1 red frying pepper, chopped
seasoning of your choice (I used italian seasonings)
1.5c. cooked rice
1 tomato, chopped
salt
pepper
1/2c. ketchup
1/2c. beef stock
tabasco or hot pepper (minced)
For the soup:
as many tomatoes as you have ( I realize not everyone has 20!)
basil
italian seasoning
4c. chicken stock
So, to start, lets get those onions cooking! Heat skillet and add a little but of olive oil.
Once oil is heated, throw in onions and garlic, cooking until tender, about 20 mins (longer if you're patient. I am not).
Remove from heat and set aside.
Stuffed Peppers
Remove the tops from the peppers and clean the seeds out from the inside. Wash, and set in baking pan.
In a bowl, combine turkey, pepper, tomato, seasonings, 1/4 of the onion/garlic mix and rice. Mix well.
Stuff into peppers.
In a bowl, mix the ketchup and stock together until blended. Add tabasco or hot pepper mince to taste.
Spoon topping over peppers. Bake at 350 for 45 mins.
Notes: Alternately, you could cook the turkey before stuffing it into the pepper. I like it uncooked because then the pepper is filled with a little turkey meatloaf :) Pasta/spaghetti sauce could be used as a topping, but I prefer the sweetness of the ketchup. These freeze well. In fact, I made them for dinner but then the husband wanted grilled cheese, so they cooled on the counter and went right into the freezer. Freeze in baking pan, then bag them once they're frozen. This makes it easier to only have one or two at a time for dinner.
Tomato Soup
Get some water boiling in a large stock pot.
While you're waiting for it to come to a boil, turn all your tomatoes upside down and cut a tiny 'X' on the bottom of each one. This is useful, trust me.
When the water boils, throw the tomatoes (a few at a time, you don't want to overcook them here) into the pot. Retrieve after a minute.
This is where those X'es come in handy. Start there and remove the skin from the tomato. Place the tomato aside. Remove the skin from all tomatoes.
Discard the water and rinse your stock pot.
Remove the cores from the tomatoes and place in a food processor a few at a time. Process until smooth and all chunks are gone. Pour the puree into a stock pot.
Puree the onion/garlic mixture and pour into the stock pot.
Add your seasonings and the chicken stock. Simmer for an hour, letting all of the flavors blend.
Note: You could use veggie stock or omit the stock entirely.
To start:
9 onions (mine were small), coarsely chopped
9 cloves garlic (or to taste), coarsely chopped
For the peppers:
1lb ground turkey
5 bell peppers (any color)
1 red frying pepper, chopped
seasoning of your choice (I used italian seasonings)
1.5c. cooked rice
1 tomato, chopped
salt
pepper
1/2c. ketchup
1/2c. beef stock
tabasco or hot pepper (minced)
For the soup:
as many tomatoes as you have ( I realize not everyone has 20!)
basil
italian seasoning
4c. chicken stock
So, to start, lets get those onions cooking! Heat skillet and add a little but of olive oil.
Once oil is heated, throw in onions and garlic, cooking until tender, about 20 mins (longer if you're patient. I am not).
Remove from heat and set aside.
Stuffed Peppers
Remove the tops from the peppers and clean the seeds out from the inside. Wash, and set in baking pan.
In a bowl, combine turkey, pepper, tomato, seasonings, 1/4 of the onion/garlic mix and rice. Mix well.
Stuff into peppers.
In a bowl, mix the ketchup and stock together until blended. Add tabasco or hot pepper mince to taste.
Spoon topping over peppers. Bake at 350 for 45 mins.
Notes: Alternately, you could cook the turkey before stuffing it into the pepper. I like it uncooked because then the pepper is filled with a little turkey meatloaf :) Pasta/spaghetti sauce could be used as a topping, but I prefer the sweetness of the ketchup. These freeze well. In fact, I made them for dinner but then the husband wanted grilled cheese, so they cooled on the counter and went right into the freezer. Freeze in baking pan, then bag them once they're frozen. This makes it easier to only have one or two at a time for dinner.
Tomato Soup
Get some water boiling in a large stock pot.
While you're waiting for it to come to a boil, turn all your tomatoes upside down and cut a tiny 'X' on the bottom of each one. This is useful, trust me.
When the water boils, throw the tomatoes (a few at a time, you don't want to overcook them here) into the pot. Retrieve after a minute.
This is where those X'es come in handy. Start there and remove the skin from the tomato. Place the tomato aside. Remove the skin from all tomatoes.
Discard the water and rinse your stock pot.
Remove the cores from the tomatoes and place in a food processor a few at a time. Process until smooth and all chunks are gone. Pour the puree into a stock pot.
Puree the onion/garlic mixture and pour into the stock pot.
Add your seasonings and the chicken stock. Simmer for an hour, letting all of the flavors blend.
Note: You could use veggie stock or omit the stock entirely.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Karen's "Famous" Taco Meat
My taco meat is one of my most requested dishes, whether in nachos, tacos, or crumbled on salad. And now! The secret can be yours!!!
1lb ground turkey (you could use beef too, we just don't eat much of it)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped fine (optional)
chili powder
cumin
Ortega Taco Sauce
2c water or chicken broth (for more flavor)
olive oil
Spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat. When oil is hot, add onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute about 3 minutes.
Add turkey and cook til *just* brown.
Throw on some chili powder and cumin (to taste), the water (all of it! it looks weird, but trust me on this) and half of the bottle or Ortega (less if you like your tacos more mild). Stir well.
Turn heat to Med-Low and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.
VOILA. This was really good on nachos with sharp cheddar and the pico from the other day.
Bonus!
If you have some fresh bell pepper, try this:
Cut the top off a fresh bell pepper and clean seeds out from inside. Add layers of cheese, taco meat, and pico to fill the pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 mins. Bring for lunch the next day and make all your coworkers DROOL.
1lb ground turkey (you could use beef too, we just don't eat much of it)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped fine (optional)
chili powder
cumin
Ortega Taco Sauce
2c water or chicken broth (for more flavor)
olive oil
Spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat. When oil is hot, add onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute about 3 minutes.
Add turkey and cook til *just* brown.
Throw on some chili powder and cumin (to taste), the water (all of it! it looks weird, but trust me on this) and half of the bottle or Ortega (less if you like your tacos more mild). Stir well.
Turn heat to Med-Low and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.
VOILA. This was really good on nachos with sharp cheddar and the pico from the other day.
Bonus!
If you have some fresh bell pepper, try this:
Cut the top off a fresh bell pepper and clean seeds out from inside. Add layers of cheese, taco meat, and pico to fill the pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 mins. Bring for lunch the next day and make all your coworkers DROOL.
Monday, September 8, 2008
pico de gallo
I got 11 tomatoes in the CSA share this week. AMAZING. Nothing makes me happier than tomatoes. I also got fresh cilantro and jalapenos in the haul. What's a girl to do? PICO!!! I stopped and picked up a red onion (I like the color better) and some other ingredients to get started.
1 large tomato or 3 medium to small ones, chopped small
1 onion, red or white (or green if you like), chopped fine
5 cloves of garlic (this is how much I used. YMMV)
2 jalapenos, seeds removed, chopped very fine
dash of lemon juice (or lime)
chopped cilantro (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit at least two hours. Its that easy.
Some notes:
If you like a hot salsa, use more than the amount I did for peppers. Or throw in a habanero. I ended up adding more after the fact.
This was *really* garlicky. If you don't like garlic, don't add as much.
This was also a little cilantro heavy. If you have friends who hate cilantro (*looks at melissa*), use less.
1 large tomato or 3 medium to small ones, chopped small
1 onion, red or white (or green if you like), chopped fine
5 cloves of garlic (this is how much I used. YMMV)
2 jalapenos, seeds removed, chopped very fine
dash of lemon juice (or lime)
chopped cilantro (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit at least two hours. Its that easy.
Some notes:
If you like a hot salsa, use more than the amount I did for peppers. Or throw in a habanero. I ended up adding more after the fact.
This was *really* garlicky. If you don't like garlic, don't add as much.
This was also a little cilantro heavy. If you have friends who hate cilantro (*looks at melissa*), use less.
The Pot Roast That Wanted to Be a Stew
So tonight's recipe was supposed to be a pot roast. But I added too much liquid and it decided on its own in the crock that it would be a stew. Imagine that!
Just like always, measures are approximate. You know me :) Upon a friend's urging, I busted out my new crock pot, despite the fact that I have NO ROOM in the kitchen to store it. Guess I'll just have to use it every night. My husband and I have been biking a few nights a week, so the crock pot will likely become an integral part of weekday meals. Thanks, Carolyn, for reminding me!!
Also, I have the crock pot that sautes on the stove and then goes into the base. If you don't have one, I highly recommend it!! Its awesome.
1 2.5 lb pot roast
1 packet onion soup mix
5 potatoes, cut into pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped
8 carrots, chopped into 1/2in coins
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
beef broth
olive oil
In a skillet, heat a small bit of olive oil (did you get a MISTO yet??).
Brown the pot roast on all sides. Remove from heat.
In the crock pot layer potatoes, carrots, celery onions and sprinkle some of the packet of onion soup over top. Pour in about a cup of beef broth.
Lay roast over veggies.
Sprinkle some more of the onion soup over the roast and veggies.
Pour another cup of broth over the meat and the veggies.
Sprinkle the sliced garlic over the meat and veggies. Sprinkle with more soup mix. Pour over more broth. (a cup)
Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Adjust time for low. As you see it getting thick and stew-y, freak out and add broth liberally. ;)
Serve in bowls and be amazed at how happy this makes your husband.
Just like always, measures are approximate. You know me :) Upon a friend's urging, I busted out my new crock pot, despite the fact that I have NO ROOM in the kitchen to store it. Guess I'll just have to use it every night. My husband and I have been biking a few nights a week, so the crock pot will likely become an integral part of weekday meals. Thanks, Carolyn, for reminding me!!
Also, I have the crock pot that sautes on the stove and then goes into the base. If you don't have one, I highly recommend it!! Its awesome.
1 2.5 lb pot roast
1 packet onion soup mix
5 potatoes, cut into pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped
8 carrots, chopped into 1/2in coins
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
beef broth
olive oil
In a skillet, heat a small bit of olive oil (did you get a MISTO yet??).
Brown the pot roast on all sides. Remove from heat.
In the crock pot layer potatoes, carrots, celery onions and sprinkle some of the packet of onion soup over top. Pour in about a cup of beef broth.
Lay roast over veggies.
Sprinkle some more of the onion soup over the roast and veggies.
Pour another cup of broth over the meat and the veggies.
Sprinkle the sliced garlic over the meat and veggies. Sprinkle with more soup mix. Pour over more broth. (a cup)
Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Adjust time for low. As you see it getting thick and stew-y, freak out and add broth liberally. ;)
Serve in bowls and be amazed at how happy this makes your husband.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Leftover Turkey "Tacos" in a Pita
So what do you do with all that leftover tasty turkey? Here's something I threw together before bed last night, thinking that letting it sit would help the flavors really mesh. This is one of those things where I threw together the about right amount by eyeballing. I wanted this for lunch for a few days. So use however much you think looks and tastes right.
leftover turkey, cooked
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, more or less to taste, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 habanero or jalepeno pepper
taco sauce
salsa
chili powder, to taste
cumin, to taste
fresh ground sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Grab a bowl. Cut up some of the leftover turkey and throw it in.
Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, habanero (if desired) and tomato.
Throw on some salsa (fresh or jarred) and some taco sauce (or leftover taco bell packets your husband seems to be collecting).
Add chili powder and cumin to taste. Sprinkle in a little salt and some pepper.
Mix it all around and let it sit overnight.
Stuff into a pita bread with a bit of cheese at lunch and enjoy!
leftover turkey, cooked
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, more or less to taste, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 habanero or jalepeno pepper
taco sauce
salsa
chili powder, to taste
cumin, to taste
fresh ground sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Grab a bowl. Cut up some of the leftover turkey and throw it in.
Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, habanero (if desired) and tomato.
Throw on some salsa (fresh or jarred) and some taco sauce (or leftover taco bell packets your husband seems to be collecting).
Add chili powder and cumin to taste. Sprinkle in a little salt and some pepper.
Mix it all around and let it sit overnight.
Stuff into a pita bread with a bit of cheese at lunch and enjoy!
local eating
i wish more people would pay attention to things like this.
i'm late to the game of local eating, i'll admit. i never even heard of the concept til i joined the CSA and then for a month or so i largely ignored it. then as i felt better and was buying less junk food, i started thinking about it. eating locally has quite literally changed my life. well, my culinary life, anyhow. lets look:
1) the farm share has more veggies than i could ever imagine. instead of buying junk food and other snacks, i find myself snacking on them because, well, i don't want them to go bad and waste them.
2) i am enjoying foods i never thought i would ever enjoy. eggplant? no thanks. but now?! OMG EGGPLANT. give me more! i want to put it in everything. more variety= more vitamins and nutrients.
3) eating better overall has increased my energy, motivation, and emotional well being. in fact, i am off all of my "head meds" and am having almost NO problems without them. i am coping better than i ever have and despite this being the busiest year in my life, i am flourishing, for the most part.
4) i eat less chemicals in my foods which is probably going to make me healthier. i would assume so.
5) i am learning to enjoy preparing my food. for once in my life, food and i don't have a bad relationship. it tastes good and nourishes me. i use it to experiment with different flavors and textures. its not scary or full of numbers or separated into bad and good food. food is food.
right now, i would say that about 70% of what i eat is locally grown. i expect this to jump to 90% once i am all finished registering with the farm that delivers fresh meat once a month. i'm really proud of this. i'm not going to be all gung ho OMG YOU AREN'T FEEDING ME LOCALLY when i go to friends houses or restaurants, nor will i ever balk at the occasional pizza or potato chip (trust me. i won't). i will never ever give up buffalo wings. ever. period. but i might make them at home sometimes, with my locally grown meat, and the butter i got from the dairy, or throw together a pizza with some fresh ingredients. and i will eat and be merry.
look it up, people. try it out. its worth a second and maybe a third look. its a little more work, depending on how much you get into it, but sometimes work is satisfying :)
i'm late to the game of local eating, i'll admit. i never even heard of the concept til i joined the CSA and then for a month or so i largely ignored it. then as i felt better and was buying less junk food, i started thinking about it. eating locally has quite literally changed my life. well, my culinary life, anyhow. lets look:
1) the farm share has more veggies than i could ever imagine. instead of buying junk food and other snacks, i find myself snacking on them because, well, i don't want them to go bad and waste them.
2) i am enjoying foods i never thought i would ever enjoy. eggplant? no thanks. but now?! OMG EGGPLANT. give me more! i want to put it in everything. more variety= more vitamins and nutrients.
3) eating better overall has increased my energy, motivation, and emotional well being. in fact, i am off all of my "head meds" and am having almost NO problems without them. i am coping better than i ever have and despite this being the busiest year in my life, i am flourishing, for the most part.
4) i eat less chemicals in my foods which is probably going to make me healthier. i would assume so.
5) i am learning to enjoy preparing my food. for once in my life, food and i don't have a bad relationship. it tastes good and nourishes me. i use it to experiment with different flavors and textures. its not scary or full of numbers or separated into bad and good food. food is food.
right now, i would say that about 70% of what i eat is locally grown. i expect this to jump to 90% once i am all finished registering with the farm that delivers fresh meat once a month. i'm really proud of this. i'm not going to be all gung ho OMG YOU AREN'T FEEDING ME LOCALLY when i go to friends houses or restaurants, nor will i ever balk at the occasional pizza or potato chip (trust me. i won't). i will never ever give up buffalo wings. ever. period. but i might make them at home sometimes, with my locally grown meat, and the butter i got from the dairy, or throw together a pizza with some fresh ingredients. and i will eat and be merry.
look it up, people. try it out. its worth a second and maybe a third look. its a little more work, depending on how much you get into it, but sometimes work is satisfying :)
Roasted Turkey Breast
Roasting a turkey breast has always seemed really daunting to me. I mean, its roasting! Meat! In an oven! Most people seem to think of roasting as something they can't do. But its easier than you could possibly imagine. It gives you leftovers for a week! And its damn satisfying to see that bird (or part of) come out of the oven all browned and crispy, even if you did give up eating the brown crispy skin years ago (but if you're me, you steal a bite anyhow!). The grossest part is jamming all the yummy spices on the skin, but you can do it. If I can, you can.
Wanna roast? Lets go!
1 turkey breast, or split breast
thyme
sage
rosemary
garlic, to taste (I used 6 cloves), coarsely chopped
olive oil
6 carrots, chopped into coins
celery (hard to measure, I used CSA celery which is much smaller), chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3/4-1 c water
fresh ground pepper
fresh ground sea salt
Wash turkey and pat dry.
Use your hands to loosen the skin all around the turkey. If the turkey has one of those fancy-schmancy pop-up indicators, remove it now, but don't lose it!
Holding the skin up, sprinkle some thyme, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper on the meat. Get your hand in there and mess it all around. C'mon! Don't be squeamish.
Push the garlic cloves under the skin as well. Spread them out evenly. We want that taste to penetrate all the juicy meat! YUM.
Pull the skin back in place. Depending on how much you loosened it, you may or may not need to keep it in place with toothpicks. I loosened mine a lot, apparently, because i just kinda draped it over the edge.
While you're at it, if you removed the fancy-schmancy pop-up timer, put it back now in the thickest part of the meat.
Spray the skin with olive oil and sprinkle on some more salt and pepper.
Place in a shallow roasting pan on a rack (or if you're ghetto like me, make some tinfoil balls and put it on top of them in the pan). The key here is to just have it raised.
Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pan with the water.
Cover the turkey with a tinfoil tent.
Cook according to package directions, basting every 15 mins or so. Remove the foil tent for the last 15-20 minutes to allow skin to brown. If you have the pop-up timer, it will tell you when its done, otherwise, watch the clock.
Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes. Carve and serve.
Wanna roast? Lets go!
1 turkey breast, or split breast
thyme
sage
rosemary
garlic, to taste (I used 6 cloves), coarsely chopped
olive oil
6 carrots, chopped into coins
celery (hard to measure, I used CSA celery which is much smaller), chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3/4-1 c water
fresh ground pepper
fresh ground sea salt
Wash turkey and pat dry.
Use your hands to loosen the skin all around the turkey. If the turkey has one of those fancy-schmancy pop-up indicators, remove it now, but don't lose it!
Holding the skin up, sprinkle some thyme, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper on the meat. Get your hand in there and mess it all around. C'mon! Don't be squeamish.
Push the garlic cloves under the skin as well. Spread them out evenly. We want that taste to penetrate all the juicy meat! YUM.
Pull the skin back in place. Depending on how much you loosened it, you may or may not need to keep it in place with toothpicks. I loosened mine a lot, apparently, because i just kinda draped it over the edge.
While you're at it, if you removed the fancy-schmancy pop-up timer, put it back now in the thickest part of the meat.
Spray the skin with olive oil and sprinkle on some more salt and pepper.
Place in a shallow roasting pan on a rack (or if you're ghetto like me, make some tinfoil balls and put it on top of them in the pan). The key here is to just have it raised.
Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pan with the water.
Cover the turkey with a tinfoil tent.
Cook according to package directions, basting every 15 mins or so. Remove the foil tent for the last 15-20 minutes to allow skin to brown. If you have the pop-up timer, it will tell you when its done, otherwise, watch the clock.
Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes. Carve and serve.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Quick and Tender Chicken Nuggets
Last night after walking the dog I didn't feel like putting out too much effort over the stove, so I opted for one of Nick's favorites: chicken nuggets. These are a quick and easy weekday meal, and the extras make an awesome lunch. I paired this with some brown rice and saute'ed veggies (whatever you have laying around, sautee with garlic and a little oil, splash of vinegar).
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or any other cut you prefer)
bread crumbs
buffalo sauce (i use Franks)
Cut the chicken up into bite sized pieces.
Pour some buffalo (BBQ works well here too!) into a bowl and dip the chicken pieces into the sauce.
Roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs, coating well.
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins. For easy cleanup, line the sheet with foil.
Adding the sauce before breading helps keep the chicken nuggets extra tender. They don't get super crisp, so if you prefer them that way, spray the pan lightly with olive oil and spray the tops of the nuggets once they're on the pan.
Boring? Yes. Easy? Absolutely!
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or any other cut you prefer)
bread crumbs
buffalo sauce (i use Franks)
Cut the chicken up into bite sized pieces.
Pour some buffalo (BBQ works well here too!) into a bowl and dip the chicken pieces into the sauce.
Roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs, coating well.
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins. For easy cleanup, line the sheet with foil.
Adding the sauce before breading helps keep the chicken nuggets extra tender. They don't get super crisp, so if you prefer them that way, spray the pan lightly with olive oil and spray the tops of the nuggets once they're on the pan.
Boring? Yes. Easy? Absolutely!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
italian sausage soup
When I make soup, I MAKE SOUP. Soup is easy to reheat, freezes well, and if frozen right, takes up very little freezer space. I suck with the whole picture thing. Maybe I'll get one up tonight of the final product, but I keep forgetting to take pictures of the process. Besides, then I have to keep stopping and washing my hands to take a pic!
1lb italian sausage (pork or turkey, hot or sweet)
1/2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" in half moons
1/2 medium summer squash, cut into 1/4" in half moons
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 red 'frying' pepper, chopped
28oz canned diced tomatos
2 fresh tomatos, chopped
garlic, to taste (I used 7 huge cloves)
1-2 onions (I had 1 1/2, so I used that)
some kind of pasta (I used TJ's Healthy Harvest mix of orzo, quinoa and something else)
chicken stock, fat free, low sodium
fresh ground pepper.
italian seasonings (I have a pre-mix)
olive oil (I have the Misto, best invention ever)
Remove sausage from casing, if necessary. Squish around a little with your hands to get it to a more ground-like consistency.
Coarsely chop the garlic and onion. Add to an oiled skillet and saute a few minutes, until onions are almost translucent.
Add the sausage all at once and mix around in the pan. Use a spatula to break up the sausage as it cooks, so that it is more like ground sausage. Break it into as big or small pieces as you want.
Drain the sausage, garlic, onion mix and set aside. In same skillet, add peppers and zucchini and cook until just tender.
Place the sausage and pepper mixes in a large pot (a stock pot is best).
Add chicken stock to desired consistency. If you like a thick stew-like soup, use less. If you like a thinner soup, use more. I ended up using a little more than 64 oz. If you're going to add rice, or some kind of grain that will soak up water as it cooks, adjust the stock accordingly.
Sprinkle the top with pepper and italian seasoning. Bring to a boil.
Add pasta, or other grain. Simmer 20 mins.
Ladle into bowls and enjoy. We sprinkled the top of ours with parmesan cheese, and ate it with fresh baked bread I got at a small shop on the way home.
Soup can be frozen in containers, or in freezer bags. To freeze, let soup sit til cool (this will take awhile) and ladle into the proper container. If you're using freezer bags, freeze flat on a cookie sheet or on the bottom of the freezer to save valuable freezer space.
1lb italian sausage (pork or turkey, hot or sweet)
1/2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" in half moons
1/2 medium summer squash, cut into 1/4" in half moons
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 red 'frying' pepper, chopped
28oz canned diced tomatos
2 fresh tomatos, chopped
garlic, to taste (I used 7 huge cloves)
1-2 onions (I had 1 1/2, so I used that)
some kind of pasta (I used TJ's Healthy Harvest mix of orzo, quinoa and something else)
chicken stock, fat free, low sodium
fresh ground pepper.
italian seasonings (I have a pre-mix)
olive oil (I have the Misto, best invention ever)
Remove sausage from casing, if necessary. Squish around a little with your hands to get it to a more ground-like consistency.
Coarsely chop the garlic and onion. Add to an oiled skillet and saute a few minutes, until onions are almost translucent.
Add the sausage all at once and mix around in the pan. Use a spatula to break up the sausage as it cooks, so that it is more like ground sausage. Break it into as big or small pieces as you want.
Drain the sausage, garlic, onion mix and set aside. In same skillet, add peppers and zucchini and cook until just tender.
Place the sausage and pepper mixes in a large pot (a stock pot is best).
Add chicken stock to desired consistency. If you like a thick stew-like soup, use less. If you like a thinner soup, use more. I ended up using a little more than 64 oz. If you're going to add rice, or some kind of grain that will soak up water as it cooks, adjust the stock accordingly.
Sprinkle the top with pepper and italian seasoning. Bring to a boil.
Add pasta, or other grain. Simmer 20 mins.
Ladle into bowls and enjoy. We sprinkled the top of ours with parmesan cheese, and ate it with fresh baked bread I got at a small shop on the way home.
Soup can be frozen in containers, or in freezer bags. To freeze, let soup sit til cool (this will take awhile) and ladle into the proper container. If you're using freezer bags, freeze flat on a cookie sheet or on the bottom of the freezer to save valuable freezer space.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Refrigerator Pickles
Pickles are seriously my all time favorite food, so when I saw there were unlimited u-pick pickling cukes at the CSA this week, I went nuts. :)
I made some variations on this recipe, mostly because of my love for the wonder that is garlic. Find the freshest garlic and dill you can, and your recipe will improve immeasurably. These should be good for a month or more in the fridge.
9 cups water
6 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup salt
2 lbs. cucumbers
6-8 cloves garlic, or more to taste, coarsely chopped
fresh dill, coarsely chopped
black peppercorns
Cut cucumbers however you like them. I crinkle cut them since someone got me a handy-dandy tool that does that. Plain old coins would work, as would spears or halves. If you're using Kirby's, you could probably just stick them in whole.
Coarsely chop garlic (I used 11 cloves) and dill.
Layer cukes in a jar (or a Pyrex bowl or three, if thats what you have. Just make sure its not a container you'll want to use soon) and add the dill, garlic and peppercorns on top.
In a pot, bring the water, vinegar, and salt to a boil. I used less than 1/2 cup salt because I find sea salt, which I love, to taste a bit saltier than kosher or table salt. At any rate, I don't recommend table salt anyway.
Pour hot brine over the cucumbers and let cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate for 4-5 days, then ENJOY.
Eggplant Ratatouille
This makes a ton of ratatouille and the recipe could easily be halved. I made it for a potluck lunch at work and I also wanted extras for lunch. The first night I served it hot over chicken, and my husband said it would work well over pasta. I had it cold for breakfast the next day and it was even more amazing. The garlic really developed overnight and the flavors meshed together so much better, if its possible. This recipe would probably have been way better with fresh tomatoes, but since i love them so much, I rarely have that many laying around. Since it was a huge batch and mostly for other people, i use canned.
Keep in mind that I don't measure when I cook for the most part, so spices, etc. should be added to taste. :)
2 eggplants (approximately 4 cups) peeled and cubed
1 medium summer squash
1 medium zucchini
2 medium onions
fresh garlic, peeled and chopped, to taste (i used 8 cloves cause i LOVE garlic)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
olive oil
42 oz of canned diced tomatos
italian seasoning, to taste
salt, to taste (sea salt grinder is awesome here)
pepper, to taste (ditto, fresh ground)
1) In a skillet, heat the oil and add the onion, summer squash, peppers, zucchini, and garlic. saute until just tender and the onions are somewhat translucent.
2) Throw all of the sauteed items in a big pot (trust me here, BIG), and add the eggplant, tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer until eggplant is tender. Plate with pasta, chicken, or any other thing you can think of.
YUM!
From now on I'll try to take pictures of things as I cook them. I'm not a great food phototgrapher, but I'll do my best.
Keep in mind that I don't measure when I cook for the most part, so spices, etc. should be added to taste. :)
2 eggplants (approximately 4 cups) peeled and cubed
1 medium summer squash
1 medium zucchini
2 medium onions
fresh garlic, peeled and chopped, to taste (i used 8 cloves cause i LOVE garlic)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
olive oil
42 oz of canned diced tomatos
italian seasoning, to taste
salt, to taste (sea salt grinder is awesome here)
pepper, to taste (ditto, fresh ground)
1) In a skillet, heat the oil and add the onion, summer squash, peppers, zucchini, and garlic. saute until just tender and the onions are somewhat translucent.
2) Throw all of the sauteed items in a big pot (trust me here, BIG), and add the eggplant, tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer until eggplant is tender. Plate with pasta, chicken, or any other thing you can think of.
YUM!
From now on I'll try to take pictures of things as I cook them. I'm not a great food phototgrapher, but I'll do my best.
Welcome!
Tasty Noms is the cooking blog for me, Karen! In the past six months I've gotten really interested in cooking, and in May I decided to join a CSA (community supported agriculture). Having new and interesting and fresh veggies every week has taken my cooking to a whole new level.
I'm pretty much a beginner cook, and most of my posts will likely be pretty easy recipes to start with. I have a very picky husband to contend with, and he hates veggies, so I often have to find interesting and new ways to prepare them.
Hope you enjoy!
I'm pretty much a beginner cook, and most of my posts will likely be pretty easy recipes to start with. I have a very picky husband to contend with, and he hates veggies, so I often have to find interesting and new ways to prepare them.
Hope you enjoy!
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