Adventures in Home Cooking

30 Minute Oriental Beef Bowl

2011-09-06T01:30:00.000-05:00

I made this for dinner over the weekend, and each time I make it I cringe when I am reminded how easy it is to throw together. Why, then, don't I make it more often? No answer to that one.

I really like this. It's simple, delicious, and remarkably easy to throw together for a fast lunch or easy weeknight meal. It's also relatively allergen-free, and what ingredients might cause an allergic reaction are easily substituted. This also lends itself well to vegetarians since you can substitute the meat for another protein.

I'll definitely be making this for dinner more often. Forgive me, beef bowl! Your simplicity and deliciousness are not to be ignored.

30 Minute Oriental Beef Bowl
(Adapted from 29 Minutes to Dinner)

1 lb. skirt steak
3 green onion stalks, tops and bottoms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. jasmine rice
2 carrots
1 T. vegetable oil
1 15 oz. can bean sprouts (or 2 c. fresh)
1 4 oz. can bamboo shoots

Slice steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Place into a large bowl. Add green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, ginger, and sugar. Stir well to combine. Let this mixture marinate while you prep your other ingredients.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, peel carrots. Discard the skins, and continue to peel the carrots in long ribbons. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook 2-3 minutes until browned. Add bean sprouts and bamboo shoots to skillet, stir mixture, and cook beef an additional 3-4 minutes, until completely browned. Remove from heat.

To serve, plate rice and top with carrots & beef mixture. Serve warm.

Notes:

Again, this is beyond simple to throw together. Skip the rice and it's a one-pot meal.
Skirt steak is a really good cut of meat to use here because it's cheap and cooks quickly. I am loving skirt steak more and more these days.
The marinade is sweet and spicy, but not overpowering. It's got a nice subtle spice to it, and the ginger adds a nice bit of kick.
A teriyaki sauce can be subbed for soy sauce if you don't have any, just reduce the amount of ginger you add.
I like the carrots here because you don't have to cook them, and because they're sliced thin you aren't dealing with under cooked veggies or a whole lot of starch. They add a nice crunch and pop of color, too.
Regular old minute rice is fine too. I prefer the jasmine rice because it's nice and fragrant, so it adds a little sumthin'-sumthin'.

Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce

2011-08-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

In the summertime, I love to try out new recipes. It's so much easier to play in the kitchen when we're not rushing home from work and throwing a casserole in the oven so we eat dinner sometime before Hannah's bedtime. I saw this on Lauren's blog and, when Graham told me he wouldn't be home for dinner one night, I was sold.

This was pretty easy to throw together, and it really screams "summer" to me. It's fresh and filling without being heavy. And, it's easy for a weeknight or an early dinner. Winning!

Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce
(As seen on Picky Palate)

1 lb. boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
1/2 c. prepared pesto
2 cups couscous (I used one instant-ish package from the store)
4 T. EVOO
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 c. Philadelphia Cooking Cream: Italian Cheese & Herb

Put chicken and pesto in a large plastic bag. Mix well, coating chicken with pesto. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

When chicken is ready, heat oven to 350 F. Place chicken on a large greased baking sheet. Bake for around 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook couscous. When it's ready, combine couscous, olive oil, and cheese in a medium saucepan over low heat, heating through, about 5 minutes or so. Cover, and keep on low heat.

Warm Cooking Cream in a small saucepan until it's warm and has reached your desired thinness .

Serve warm with sauce drizzled over couscous and chicken.

Notes:

I generally shy away from products like the cooking cream and pesto because I like to make my own ingredients, but this one actually wasn't so bad. I probably won't be rushing out to try some of the other varieties, but for nights when we're really busy I'll be keeping this in my arsenal.
Graham doesn't like couscous, but this would be lovely with linguine or another string pasta.
I think this would be equally good with chicken legs or breasts, but I love chicken thighs for their cheapness.

Nina's Minestrone Soup

2011-04-26T02:15:00.000-05:00

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for minestrone. Maybe because as a child it's one of the only soups I would eat, and it's the only way I voluntarily ingested vegetables until I was eleven. Whatever. It's still hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious. When the Snowpocolypse dumped eleventy billion pounds of snow on the city in early February, I knew soup & sandwiches would be the way to go for dinner. I used pantry staples to recreate one of my favorite meals, and I kept it relatively simple because I knew it could be a few days before we were able to venture back out into civilization again.

This is really delicious. Make it today, and feel warm and cozy, inside and out.

Minestrone Soup
(Bastardization of my grandmother's recipe)

2 T. Olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 strips bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or one large 28 oz. can)
2 15 oz. cans kidney or Great Northern beans
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 T. dried Italian parsley
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced (eggplant would be acceptable as well)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. water
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/2 c. pasta (or 3/4 c. if using larger corkscrews or pasta shapes)

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook bacon and onion until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add remaining ingredients, minus the pasta, and stir together. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for 30 minutes. Check carrots and potatoes for tenderness; continuing cooking and checking in 10 minute increments if necessary.

When vegetables are tender, add pasta and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with sandwiches, bread, or any other soul-satisfying foods.

Notes:

Any sort of small pasta works really well with this soup. Orzo is a personal favorite, but elbow macaroni or small tubes would be perfect. I used Fiori, but I have a weird attraction to new pasta shapes. I need them in my life.
This soup will thicken as it simmers, so if you like it a little thinner, cook for 15-20 minutes and then add your pasta.
You could use whole tomatoes, too. All I had were diced, so in they went!

Spring Green Risotto

2011-04-23T18:33:00.000-05:00

I love a good risotto. It's one of my favorite dishes whether it's a side or a main course. I also love how at the end of a long day, I can stand at the stove with a glass of wine and stir, and after a few minutes, magic happens. It's glorious, I tell you!

I paired this with the spring soup I made a few days ago. They hold many of the same vegetables, and they worked well together. I'd eat this any day, but enjoying it as a springtime dinner when asparagus & leeks are at their peak freshness was a real treat.

Spring Green Risotto
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

5 c. chicken stock
2 T. olive oil, eyeball it
2 T. unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 leeks (white and green parts), chopped
1 1/2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine (I like Savignon Blanc)
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces & tough ends discarded
10 oz. frozen peas
1 T. grated lemon zest
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. mascarpone cheese
Parmesan, grated, for serving
3 T. fresh or dried chives

In a medium saucepan, heat stock until simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low. Add shallots and leeks to pan, sauteing until tender (about 5 minutes). Add rice to pan, and stirring constantly, coat rice with oil (cook about 1 minute). Add wine to pan and stir constantly until wine has been mostly absorbed. Add chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring frequently until liquid has been mostly absorbed. Continue until all stock has been added to the pan.

When last ladle of stock has been absorbed, add asparagus to the pan, stirring frequently until crisp-tender. Stir in peas & lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, and taste for seasonings. When risotto is finished, stir in lemon juice, mascarpone, parmesan, if using, and chives. Stir until cheeses are melted and the risotto has reached a nice creaminess.

Notes:

Cream cheese is a fine substitute if you can't find mascarpone or it's too expensive. I was going to skip it and use cream cheese, but I lucked out and found a coupon.
Golden Gate is a cheap brand of wine that's good for cookin' and fine for drinkin'. Every time I find it at Jewel it's on sale for around $4.
If you can't find shallots, you can sub in half an onion just fine. I like the gentleness of the shallots because the leeks are pretty powerful on their own, but onion & risotto work together quite well.
This was too lemony for Graham, so if you're afraid of lemon skip the juice. The lemon zest will add a nice hint of lemon.
Cleaning leeks is ridiculous. They grow in sand, so you need to remove all the grit before you can eat them.

Springtime Soup

2011-04-23T18:03:00.000-05:00

I love seasonal food. Especially after a long Chicago winter, there's nothing quite like spring veggies to wake up your soul. Unfortunately in Chicago, sometimes spring arrives and teases us for a few days, then disappears for a few weeks until temperatures make it absolutely impossible for spring to stay away. I made this last week when it was nice & sunny but approximately 40 degrees outside. Why not enjoy the flavors of the season despite the chilly temps?

Springtime Soup
(Angie original)

4 T. butter
1 large leeks, cleaned & chopped
1 white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
3 new potatoes (I used white), diced
2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
1 bunch fresh asparagus, chopped into half-inch pieces & tough ends discarded
4 c. water
4 c. chicken broth
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 pinch Dill
2/3 c. barley
9 oz. baby spinach
1 c. cream
1/4 c. white wine or sherry
Parmesan cheese, optional.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks, onion, & garlic; saute until tender. Add mushrooms & saute until tender and buttery. Add potatoes, carrots, & asparagus, and saute 2 minutes.

Pour in water & broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Dill & barley, and stir well. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in cream & wine, and heat 5-10 minutes more, stirring often. Grate Parmesan cheese over the top & serve with warm, crusty bread.

Notes:

I served this with a risotto for a Friday dinner. This was perfect for Lent because it's meatless, but it's also lovely because it incorporates so many spring vegetables.
Next time I'll add 2 cups cream, because I loved the creaminess of this soup and I really wanted more.
Soup is really hard to photograph, FYI. There's no real way to make it look pretty.

Pepper Steak

2011-03-08T18:35:00.000-06:00

Right after Hannah was born, I started craving beef. We eat chicken pretty often, and I guess that during my pregnancy I got a little chickened out. I found this recipe from Elly of Elly Says Opa! and I'm so glad I tried it! This was easy enough for a weeknight but still hearty and filling. Best of all, it's easily adaptable and easy to prepare. We loved this and it's working its way into our usual rotation.

Pepper Steak

Adapted from Elly

1 lb. flank steak, cut against the grain into thin strips

2 T. soy sauce, divided

1 T. cornstarch

1/3 c. beef broth

2 T. Canola oil

1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt & pepper, to taste

In a shallow bowl, marinate the flank steak in 1 T. soy sauce for 15 minutes. Season with a touch of pepper. Use this time to prep your veggies, if necessary. Or, chill like I did.

Make your sauce: mix remaining T. soy sauce with cornstarch. Add beef broth and mix well, dissolving corn starch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until crisp-tender. Increase heat and add more oil if necessary. Add beef and cook in hot oil and no longer pink in the center. Add peppers to pan and cook until crisp-tender. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Pour in the sauce, stit well to combine, and heat through. Sauce will thicken as it warms. Serve warm.

Notes:

Elly adds red pepper flakes, but I chose to omit them to make it more palatable for Graham.
I served this over jasmine rice, but I think lo mein would be a delicious side as well.

Cider Braised Chicken & Cabbage

2011-01-31T13:17:00.000-06:00

Well, knock me down and steal my teeth! This was daggum good!

Hmm. Not really sure why I'm suddenly talking like a hillbilly. Forgive me?

I've made this before and blogged about it before, but I made some changes and took a nicer picture. This meal is so good that it deserves an update! The original recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Irish Pub Cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson. My trip to Ireland (many moons ago) was life-changing. I finally got to visit the motherland, and I was introduced to meals that were homey and delicious, brand new and yet very familiar because they were so comforting and warm. When I picked up this cookbook a few years ago, I saw a few recipes for meals that were things I ate in Ireland, this being one of them.

Since we won't be going overseas for a little while longer, I busted out my Irish cookbooks to try and transport us to our ancestors' homeland via my Calphalon. This meal is so good. It's warm and delicious, and it encourages you to pick up some Magner's cider, thus stimulating the economy! Everybody wins!

Cider Braised Chicken & Cabbage

(Adapted from The Irish Pub Cookbook)

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

Salt & pepper

2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin on

1/4 c. olive oil

4 cloves garlic

3 carrots, sliced thick and on the bias

1 onion, sliced into thick rounds

1 bay leaf

1/3 c. golden raisins

2 T. minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish (use the fresh stuff!!!)

2 T. rosemary (fresh is best, but I used dried)

2 c. shredded Savoy cabbage

1 c. chicken stock

1 bottle Irish cider, preferably Magners or Bulmers

Heat the oven to 325 F. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour flour into a shallow bowl and dredge chicken, shaking off excess.

In a large, heavy pottomed pot or dutch oven, warm the oil. Cook chicken for 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Add carrots, onion, and bay leaf to pot, tucking around the chicken pieces. Top with raisins, parsley, and rosemary. Top with cabbage and season the whole mess with salt and pepper. Pour stock & cider over the cabbage. Cover, and bake for 90 minutes, until chicken is nice and tender.

When chicken is done, remove from oven and taste sauce for seasonings. Add more salt & pepper if necessary, and top with fresh parsley.

Notes:

You can serve this with mashed potatoes or tuck the potatoes into the pot with the other vegetables.
Cabbage is a great vegetable and holds up nicely during the cooking process. If you do it right, the cabbage should maintain a little crunch and not be totally limp and lifeless.
Chicken thighs and legs would also work here. Two large breasts is more than enough for the two of us, but a whole cut up fryer would be great.
You can use white wine in place of the cider, but the cider is nice and crisp and adds a little something more. You can also use chicken broth or stock or water with some bullion cubes in place of the cider, but....why?

Potato Leek Soup

2011-01-26T22:20:00.000-06:00

Aaaaaaaaaaand, we're back! I apologize for the exceptionally long hiatus, but my third trimester was super tiring, and after spending all day on my feet at work, spending more time on my feet preparing dinner made me nauseus, so most of our meals were things that could be prepared quickly. And, since a baby usually follows the third trimester, the last few weeks have been.....busy. :-) Thankfully, I finally found my kitchen mojo and I've been working hard at preparing meals for the two of us (those of us with teeth) that are healthy and filling.

For Christmas, my in-laws gave me the bible, a.k.a. The Joy of Cooking. It's been on my wishlist for-ev-ah, so I was really excited to crack it open and try out a few of the eleventy bajillion recipes. Since the weather in Chicago has been frigid lately (Last week, we had a high of 9 degrees. Nine! De! Grees!) I decided to make soup to help keep us warm.

This was a really nice, warm, and filling supper. I strayed a little from the recipe as it was written because, well, we was HONGRY! Breastfeeding is sucking up all my calories, man. I gots to keep my strengths up.

Potato-Leek Soup
(Adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1 1/2 T. butter
3 medium leeks, chopped (white parts only)
2 baking potatoes, peeled and diced finely
3 c. chicken stock, plus more if needed
3 T. thyme, dried or fresh
Salt & pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add leeks and cook until tender, stirring occassionally, 10-15 minutes. Stir in potatoes & chicken stock. Seaspm with thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer covered until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender/food processor or using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste if necessary. Thin with additional stock if necessary.

Notes:

I didn't puree the soup this time because we were hungry. However, pureeing leads to a thicker texture and heartier presentation. If you want it a little finer after pureeing, push it through a strainer.
The addition of the herbs really punches up the flavor. I definitely recommend not skipping them.
Vegetable stock and chicken broth are acceptable substitutes in place of chicken stock. You can even use water flavored with bullion cubes.

Tomato Basil Tart

2010-09-20T07:05:00.002-05:00

I'd been wanting to make a savory tart for quite a while. I love fruit and dessert tarts, but I was anxious to try my hand at a savory tart like this one. Once I saw the ingredients--tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil--I knew it would be a hit. How could it not be?

I really liked this. I loved that the crust stayed buttery and crisp throughout, and it also gave me a great excuse to use more tomatoes and basil from my garden! The fresh ingredients really make this meal, so I encourage you to use the fresh stuff before you grab that bottle of dried basil. It made all the difference!

And look! Basil! In! The! Crust! I mean seriously. This is some sort of sin, I think....

The dough and the tart are easy to make, but they can be a little time consuming if you need a quick weeknight meal. If you can, I advise making the dough beforehand, so all you need to do is roll it out and bake, instead of throwing this together all at once.

Tomato Basil Tart (With Basil & Garlic Crust)

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Dough:

1/3 c. fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

8 T. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 equal pieces

4-5 T. ice cold water

Filling:

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced (Pick up the stuff floating in water)

Ripe tomatoes

Salt & pepper, to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil

Grated parmesan cheese

1-2 T. fresh basil, chiffonade

For the dough, combine the basil and garlic in the food processor. Pulse a few times and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until basil & garlic are finely minced. Add flour and salt, and pulse twice to combine. Add the chilled butter and pulse about 10 times, until the butter is approximately pea-sized and the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add 3 T. water and pulse a few times to mix together. Add 1 more T. water and process for about 5 seconds. If the dough forms a ball and comes together on its own, you can omit the 5th T. water. If not, the add the final T. water and process until a ball of dough forms. Remove dough, flatten into a 5 inch disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over a 9-10 inch tart pan and press into the sides. Trim excess dough as needed and use dough pieces to reinforce the sides, bottom, edges...wherever you need to reinforce. Lay a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the tart and fill with baking beads or kidney beans. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove tart from oven, carefully remove the foil & beads/beans. Return shell to oven and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven, allow tart shell to cool, and lower the heat to 375 F.

Layer the bottom of the tart shell with sliced mozzarella. Arrange tomato slices on top in as close to a single layer as possible. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil (approx. 1-2 T.) Top with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Bake tart 30 minutes, until dough is golden brown and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Rotate tart 180 degrees halfway through baking. Allow tart to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving, and wick off any excess moisture if necessary. Top with extra basil for garnish, and serve.

Notes:

I'm a huge fan of using my fresh herbs anytime I can, but I'm usually not a food snob when it comes to fresh vs. dried herbs. However, the fresh basil really makes a difference here, so use it if you can.
I used a 12 inch tart pan and wished I had made a little extra dough. Next time I'll make a double batch, just in case. However, the 12 inch tart was plenty for two of us.
Keep in mind that your tart shell will shrink with baking. Consider this a helpful FYI.
Using fresh mozzarella really helps make this dish, too. The shredded stuff in the bag is great, and I use it all the time, but it's loaded with preservatives and extra junk. The fresh cheese is easy to slice and just tastes better. For a meal that uses fresh herbs and fresh tomatoes, using fresh cheese makes it that much better.
The crust was my favorite part. It was thin and crispy throughout, and the addition of fresh basil and garlic was really great. It made us feel like we were eating something special.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

2010-08-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

I'm woefully behind on posts, I know. I'll probably never catch up. I give up1 I just need to start keeping up with current meals, I guess.

This was a perfect summer meal, if you ask me. I was able to use vegetables and herbs straight from my garden, so you can't get food that's grown more locally than that! This tastes so incredibly fresh and summery; it's a perfect way to put your summer harvest to use! I also love the way the whole mess smells while it's cooking. It's floral and fragrant and smells just like "yum"!

Overall, I was a big fan. Graham? Not so much. He was pretty indifferent--zucchini isn't one of his favorite vegetables. We made sure to grill up some 'meat and potatoes'-type meals for him to compensate for the "Angieness" of this one, so we're even now.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

2 6-inch zucchini

2 T. olive oil, divided

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. mushrooms, chopped

1 lb. turkey sausage, crumbled

3 T. white wine

2 or 3 tomatoes, seeded & diced

3 T. fresh basil. chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

Salt & pepper, to taste

Chop the stem ends off the zucchini and slice each in half. Scoop out the insides, leaving a shell approximately 1/4 inch thick (this helps the zucchini to keep its shape while baking). Reserve approximately 1/2 the scooped out insides. Set zucchini halves aside.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 T. olive oil (I always eyeball it). Saute the onion & garlic till tender and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully so you don't burn your garlic! Add the mushrooms and reserved zucchini to the skillet and saute 3 more minutes--keep the mixture in a single layer if possible, to ensure even cooking. Remove from heat.

In a second skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add the crumbled turkey sausage and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the onion & zucchini mixture, and heat together for a few minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes, and herbs and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Heat oven to 375 F. When mixture has cooled just enough, stir in parmesan and egg. (You want the mixture to be cooled enough so you don't cook your egg.) Season with salt and pepper. I start with about 1/4 tsp. each. Mix well and taste for seasonings--add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Find your zucchini halves and spoon in the mixture. Fill a glass baking dish with about 1/4 inch water and place the zucchini halves inside. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes:

The zucchini boats will soften up significantly upon cooling, so it's important you serve these warm. No one likes a soggy zuke.
The original recipe called for ground turkey. I chose to substitute turkey sausage because it yields a little more flavor, and I liked that the turkey sausage was a little healthier, to boot.
If you use dried herbs, start with 1/4 tsp. of each, and crush them between your palms to release any oils trapped inside. These are perfect for summer because you can use fresh herbs, but dried will work fine too as long as you don't go crazy with them.
These will also work well stuffed with rice to make them vegetarian. Cook your rice in a separate pot and add it at the very end when you mix it all together. I'd probably undercook the rice a touch so it doesn't overcook in the oven.
These are pretty easy to throw together--less than an hour from start to finish, so they're good for weeknights. They also look really impressive on the plate so they're good for company, too!

Banana Bread, or Elise's Friend Heidi's Friend Mrs. Hockmeyer's Banana Bread, As Jacked Up By Deb

2010-07-15T19:31:00.000-05:00

I love a good banana bread. When we were in Oahu we had banana bread with breakfast everyday, and it was divine. When I was little, my mom would have banana bread muffins for breakfast everyday, and I thought having a banana bread for brunch would be a nice touch. And really, I was all about this recipe once I saw the name. I mean...really?!? Hilarious!

This is one of the few things I didn't make the day before brunch, and I still counted it toward brunch because it was so flippin' easy to throw together. It's just a mix, pour, and bake. I think I've spent more time on junk from a box--and this tastes better! Can I get a NOMNOMBNOM?

Banana Bread, OR Elise's Friend Heidi's Friend Mrs. Hockmeyer's Banana Bread, As Jacked Up By Deb
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

4 ripe bananas, smashed (I used a potato masher)
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. bourbon
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. macadamia nuts, plus more for garnish

Heat oven to 350 F. Using a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter into the mashed up bananas. Mix in the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, bourbon, and spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix well. Lastly, add the flour and mix together well. Pour into a 4 x 8 loaf pan that's been greased. Top with macadamia nuts, if desired. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until a tester comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool, unmold from pan, and slice into portion sizes.

Notes:

This smells so good baking in your oven, and it's the perfect compliment to a breakfast buffet.
I like the nuts, but some people don't. Including them made me feel like I was back in Honolulu, sipping a mai tai and lovin' life.

Blueberry Scones

2010-07-15T08:10:00.001-05:00

Of everything I made for the Mother's Day Brunchapalooza, I think these were my sister's favorite. I've never been a huge fan of scones--I want to like them, but they've never been my first choice for breakfast. I'm more likely to reach for a muffin or piece of banana bread. But kid sister? She loves scones. She was all about these bloody little buggers, and she raved about them all morning. Truth be told, these are pretty good as far as scones go. The blueberries burst while they're baking, and the ones that don't? They burst in your mouth while you're eating them! It's pretty sweet.

These are a little labor intensive, which goes against my mantra: If it ain't easy, I ain't doing it. (And my inner English major slaps my wrists for using 'ain't'.) But, these got so many good reviews that I was curious, and really, what's a brunch without scones? It's a sorry state of affairs, I tell ya! These were a pretty popular brunch item all around, so if you're up to the challenge, go for it! If not, stay tuned for raspberry scones--those were easy peasy.

Blueberry Scones
(adapted from Annie's Eats)

1 1/2 c. (roughly 8 oz.) fresh blueberries
1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter, frozen whole
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream (trust me)
2 c. all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 c. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 T. unsalted butter, melted

Place blueberries in freezer until you need them. With oven rack in middle position, heat oven to 425 F. Grate frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream, place in refridgerator. Combine flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with your fingers until each piece of butter is coated.

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Transfer the newly made dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, then dust your hands with flour. Knead well, 6-8 times, until the dough just comes together in a ragged ball. Add small handfuls of flour as needed to prevent sticking. (And especially if it's humid, it will be sticking!)

Dust your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough into a 12 inch square. Fold the dough into thirds (like you're stuffing an envelope)(a dough scraper would have been a handy tool for me to have). Fold the shorter ends of the dough into the center, once again in thirds, forming a 4 inch(ish--don't freak if it's not 4 x4) square. Lightly dust a plate with flour, transfer dough to plate, and pop into the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Return dough to floured work space and roll into a 12 inch square (yes, again). Take the blueberries from the freezer and sprinkle them evenly over the dough. Press down on them (gently) so they're a little more invested in the dough. Using a dough scraper or similar tool, roll up the dough into a tight log (as tight as you can get it without tearing the dough). Lay the log seam side down and press the log into a 12 x 4 inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment.

If you have extra blueberries, press some of them lightly into the surface of the dough. Brush the tops of each scone with your melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

These are totally make-ahead items. I didn't (though I should have), but Annie recommends flash freezing them on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes, then wrapping them individually and storing in a freezer bag until needed. You *may* need to increase your cooking time slightly if popping them in the oven from the freezer.
Obviously if you're going to freeze them, skip heating the oven.
These are a little more labor intensive, but they're pretty worth it.
Watch the bottoms! At least, if you're like me. The tops were golden brown at 20 minutes, but some of the bottoms were darker than I wanted them to be. Not sure if it's my oven or me. It's probably me.

Baked Vanilla & Almond French Toast

2010-07-14T08:11:00.002-05:00

Wow, 2 posts in as many days! Glad my cooking/baking/blogging mojo is finally back--I was getting worried and Graham was getting hungry.

This was the second of two "main courses" that I served for Mother's Day Brunch this year, and it was the second of two make-ahead dishes I prepared. These, my friends, are lifesavers. I spent as much time as possible trying to figure out ways we could host brunch and I could still get my requisite 9 hours of sleep. Hey! I was in my first trimester. If I didn't get all the sleep I needed I was useless to pretty much everyone.

Baked Vanilla & Almond French Toast
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 loaf of supermarket bakery challah bread, cut into 1 inch slices
3 c. milk (use a little more if you onl.y have skim)
3 large eggs
3 T. sugar, plus more to taste
1/2 salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
Sliced almonds, for garnish
Cinnamon, to taste

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with butter. Layer bread cubes in 2 layers in the baking dish. Sprinkle in a handful of sliced almonds.

Whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract. Pour over cut up challah bread and baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar, to taste.

Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight.

Bake at 425 F. for 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Cut into generous squares (Seriously--who eats a wimpy square of french toast? No one I know!) and serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes:

Now, had I not been so tired that I slept for ridiculous amounts of time a night, I would have been a little more thorough and sprinkled the finished product with powdered sugar and perhaps even found some fresh fruit to serve alongside. But, the maple syrup we had did the trick for me. I have simple wants.
I wasn't a huge fan of the challah, so next time I'd use a thicker bread, maybe even a "french toast" bread like they sell in the super markets. There was something about the taste that just didn't jive with me. (Or maybe it was the fact that it was Shop & Save challah?)
The bread will soak up this delicious milk custard whild you sleep--magic! But fair warning: the baking dish will be heavy as fill-in-the-blank when you take it out of the fridge the next morning.
As you can see, putting your baking dish into the oven long-ways inside of sideways will result in a slightly crispy top to some of your bread pieces. Lesson learned: Don't cook longways like Frazzoo. (And don't try to cram more into your 1970s oven than is absolutely necessary.

Spinach & Cheese Strata

2010-07-13T16:21:00.008-05:00

Wow...1 month since my last update! I'm super awesome, I tell ya.

I made this strata for the Mother's Day Brunch we hosted two months ago. It was one of my favorite dishes to prepare because it was so simple to prepare and serve, and it was really delicious, too! This was a definite favorite from the brunch. And to top it off, you make it the night before and pop it in the oven an hour before you want to serve it. Translation: You can host brunch and still sleep in. Yes! You can!

Spinach & Cheese Strata
(adapted from Annie's Eats)

3 T. unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 10 oz. packages of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
Dash ground nutmeg
8 c. French bread, cut into roughly one-inch cubes
2 c. grated Gruyere, 6-8 oz.
2/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
9 large eggs
2 3/4 c. milk (I used 2%, worked fine)

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions to the pan and saute until soft and fragrent. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, a dash of nutmeg, and cook 1-2 minutes more. Stir in spinach. Mix well, remove from heat, and set aside for a few minutes.

Divide the bread cubes into 3 groups of roughly the same size. Do the same with your spinach mixture and your cheeses.

Grease the interior of a 3-qt. baking dish (I used my dutch oven). Layer the bottom of the dish with 1/3 of the bread cubes. Top with 1/3 of the spinach mixture. Top with 1/3 of the Gruyere and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice more with bread, spinach mixture, and cheeses.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk and remaining tsps. of salt and pepper. Whisk together until well blended. Pour over bread and cheese mixture, distributing evenly, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill at least 8 hours in fridge, overnight if possible.

Remove from oven 30 minutes before baking. Heat oven to 350 F. Bake uncovered until golden brown and cooked through, 50-60 minutes. Top with extra baby spinach leaves, if desired. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

You can use fresh spinach. I think I'm remembering throwing some fresh spinach leaves in the mix the evening before I served this. But, you'll probably use a minimum of 2 bunches of spinach, if not more. Frozen spinach is the way to go.
The Gruyere adds a nice nutty taste to the strata, and the parmesan pairs with it nicely. It's a little on the expensive side, but the good news is that it's only sold in 4-8 oz. blocks, and that's really all you need.
The original recipe calls for 6 oz. I bought an 8 oz. brick and used the whole thing.
Cooking this for a minimum of 50 minutes will really bring out the golden brown tones in the bread. You want this golden brown and puffy--if it's not, then you need to cook it 10 minutes more.

Mother's Day Brunch, 2010

2010-05-30T16:24:00.011-05:00

This year, Mother's Day snuck up on us a little. We knew it was coming, but we weren't doing anything to prepare. Anyone who knows me knows that I start gift shopping early, and I keep a notebook of gift ideas and gifts I've given people in the past so I don't repeat anything, or at least I don't repeat a few years running. This year, I suggested to Graham that we invite both moms over for brunch. It worked out perfectly, and while my kitchen was a disaster area beginning Saturday afternoon, everything was prepped and ready so that come Sunday morning, all I was really doing was warming things up.

One of the first things I made were these blueberry scones. I enjoy a good scone, but I don't love 'em. My sister, however, loved these to pieces. I don't think we had any left at the end of the day. They were great right out of the oven, and the fresh blueberries burst inside the scones, leaving these lovely little trails of blueberry goodness.

I also made this Spinach & Cheese Strata. This was perfect for brunch because it provided a savory option in addition to all the sweet breakfast goodies on the table, but it also is assembled the night before, chilled in the fridge, and baked when you wake up. Strata, my friends, is one of the best things to serve at a brunch if you still wish to sleep in.

I've really been missing Maui the last few weeks, so I decided to tackle some banana bread. This was great, and really reminded me of the bread we had while we were in Maui and Honolulu. My mom is a big fan of banana bread, so this was primarily for her. I topped it with macadamia nuts, and it was so simple to throw together that morning--just mix, pour, and bake.

In addition to the strata, the night before I prepped and made this Baked French Toast. Again, just mix, layer, chill, and go to bed. In the morning, stagger to the oven, turn it on, brush your teeth, and bake.

Just a personal opinion, but it's just not brunch without coffee cake. I made a raspberry coffeecake that I really enjoyed. It had a nice combination of sweet and tangy-ness, as well as a nice crumby topping that I consider a necessity.

Raspberry scones! I decided to tackle two different kinds of scones for brunch just to provide options, and because these looked really good. They're basically raspberries and rolled oats, and unlike the previous scones, these are "drop scones", so after mixing the batter I just had to drop 'em onto a baking sheet and stick 'em in the oven.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. These were a bigger hit than I thought they'd be! Light and fluffy, they're best right out of the oven. The lemon juice and lemon zest in the batter really shines through and is a great wake up call.

I also made these home fries, and I broke one of my cardinal rules for entertaining by staying in the kitchen. No one had more fun because I was working the stove, but these were definitely worth it. Soft, crispy, and topped with fresh herbs, these were a fabulous addition to the table.

I also made cinnamon rolls, which as always were a big hit. No breakfast bar is complete without them, eh? Finally, we had fresh fruit salad, yogurt for topping, and my new favorite green salad with blueberries and feta. (All recipes can be found on this blog. Just use the handy search bar at the top!) All in all, it was a successful morning and I'd definitely do it again. All my prep work the day before paid off! If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing--doing some preliminary baking and prepping the day before meant I could sleep in on Mother's Day. Once I slept and turned on the oven and got things going, I was free to tidy up a bit and make sure the house looked presentable for our guests. Brunch 2010 = success!

Menu for the Week: May 30th--June 5th

2010-05-30T16:10:00.003-05:00

Why hello there...long time, no see.

It's been a while, but not for lack of cooking and fooding, just know that things have been busy. At work we're wrapping up the school year so it's just insanity everywhere you look, and at home we're in the middle of gardening and smallish renos, and in between I'm just exhausted! I'm back-logged on a few posts (a Mother's Day extravaganza being most of them), and I hope to get caught up soon. If nothing else, I'll blog when school is done for the year.

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Grilling
Monday: Grilling or Salmon with brown rice and salad
Tuesday: Grilling
Wednesday: Lemon-Thyme Chicken with red potatoes and steamed green beans
Thursday: Herb Grilled Shrimp & pasta with steamed broccoli
Friday: Sox game!
Saturday: TBD

Spring Salad with Blueberries & Walnuts

2010-04-19T21:36:00.008-05:00

I'm not quite sure what to call this salad, because "Spring Salad with Blueberries & Walnuts" sounds too plain, but "HOLY DELCIOUSNESS" seems a bit much, doncha think?

I'm not one to make salads for dinner. I'd like to be, but I'm just so bad at it. It seems I'm always polishing up my main course and sides and then saying, "Oh CRAP! Salads!" Then Graham ends up making them, even though it's a chore he loathes. Then, I feel like a bad wife and human being. Honestly, it's just lettuce. What'ts the hold up, Angie?

That being said, whenever I go out somewhere, I'm a sucker for a good salad. I love tasting the delicious combinations thrown together in restaurant kitchens and even more than that, I love picturing myself throwing together the exact same salad. Unfortunately, I never seem to get beyond the "picturing" phase of the process. Oy vey.

I found a similar salad on TastyKitchen.com, and I then spent a good hour searching for other springtime salads with fresh ingredients and other ideas. It was heavenly! And this salad is pretty heavenly, might I add. It's also suuuuuuuuuuper simple, so even kitchen-phobic types can throw this together and it'll work out. There's absolutely no work required, just the ability to mix.

Spring Salad with Blueberries & Walnuts
(Frazzoo original)

1 bag mixed greens/spring greens, washed and pat dry
1 pint blueberries
A few handfuls Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

After greens have been rinsed and cleaned, place in salad bowl or on serving plate. Top with blueberries, cheese, and walnuts. Serve with a favorite vinaigrette or just as is. Deeeelish.

Notes:

Nada! Too easy, right? You can do it--YES, YOU CAN!

Menu for the Week: April 11th--17th, 2010

2010-04-11T10:12:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends! I'm coming off a high from my week on break, and I loved (almost) every minute of it. I had a few wayward trips to the downtown post office that left a bad taste in my mouth, so I had to find a few delicious meals to purge myself--Wendy's, Potbellys, and girl food to the rescue! Not to brag, but spring break is one of the best reasons to be a teacher or work in schools, second only to summer break.

Anywho, I made some standby meals this week, and it was a good thing I did, because we ended up moving things around anyway, and some meals got completely scrapped. Now that we're both back to a normal work schedule and the weather is warming up, I'm finding that my kitchen mojo is back and better than ever. New recipes abound. You have been warned.

Sunday: Chicken Piccata
Monday" Chimichangas & rice
Tuesday: Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders & English Muffin Pizzas
Wednesday: Beef Bites w/ crash hot potatoes & springy salad
Thursday: Grilling???
Friday: Pomegranite Beef Roast
Saturday: More Grilling?

Parmesan Shrimp & Scallops

2010-04-05T21:03:00.011-05:00

Oh baby.

Come to mama.

This is positively sinful.

At the end of 2008, Graham and I went to Hawaii. A good friend was getting married in Honolulu and she asked me to be her Matron of Honor (Aside: Gag! Am I really old enough to be a matron? ::shudder::) After her wedding, we hopped a teeny little plane and took ourselves to Maui so we could experience different parts of Hawaii. On our last night in paradise, we ate dinner at Kimo's, a restaurant everyone and their Aunt Tilly had told me about. I was intrigued, and it was on Kimo's lanai that I had some of the best seafood of my life, chased with the mai tai to end all mai tais, and a giant slice of Hula Pie. Trust me, it was heaven.

The problem is that I've been dreaming about Kimo's for well over a year. Our plane touched down on January 2nd, 2009, and since I woke from my day-long nap on the couch and adjusted myself to Central Standard Time, I have been dreaming about the seafood meal I ate at Kimo's. A few weeks ago, I saw scallops for sale in the local Market Day leaflet at church, and the heavens opened. I was going to recreate my Kimo's dinner!

This is a rough recreation of my Kimo's meal, but it's still darn good. Normally, I'm one to say, "Use whatcha got" in the kitchen, but this is an instance where you want to drop some coins on some good parmesan cheese. It really does make all the difference in the world.

Parmesan Shrimp & Scallops

Frazzoo original

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 oz. bay scallops

Salt & pepper

3 T. olive oil

2 T. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Parmesan cheese, grated

Prepare shrimp and scallops. Pat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat oil and butter in a large pan until sizzling. Add garlic, and saute 1 minute, until fragrent. Add scallops to pan, and cook no more than 5 minutes, turning once to create a crust on the outside. Remove to a platter and top with parmesan cheese. Cover and keep warm.

Add shrimp to pan and cook for 90 seconds per side, or until fully cooked through. Remove to platter and top with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes:

This is a super fast meal to prepare. The minute the scallops were in the pan, I ran to set the table and by the time that was done, they were pretty much ready! This is perfect for weeknights.
If I had to do this again, I'd get my parmesan in a small bowl and I'd press each scallop or shrimp into the cheese to give it a nice coating. Topping it with grated cheese (or grating right over the plate) worked, but I wanted a little more.
I served this with jasmine rice, but noodles would work just as well.
This goes great with a nice white wine. I considered deglazing the pan or adding a little white wine when I tossed in the shrimp, but keeping it simple was best, I think. Not too many competing flavors, and this really allowed the seafood to shine on their own.

Why, hello there! Menu for the Week: April 4--10

2010-04-05T16:49:00.003-05:00

First, let me say HI! It's been a long week, my friends. After some surprises at work and a whirlwind Easter weekend, my chi has been thrown off a bit, so I'm just posting the menu now.

And, to my new followers, hello! Hope you like what you see here.

I hope all your Easter weekends were perfectly lovely. It was glorious here in Chicago, despite some of the rain that moved in late.

Because I'm on spring break this week (amen!), I'm busting out some cookbooks so I can try out some new recipes and update some old favorites. It's been a long time since I've had the mojo to work on some new stuff, and I'm looking forward to the kitchen this week.

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Easter
Monday: TBA
Tuesday: Pot Roast & mashed potatoes
Wednesday: Steak & potatoes with salad
Thursday: Stir Fry & rice
Friday: Chicken Piccata with roasted red potatoes
Saturday: Leftovers

Farfalle alla Mascarpone

2010-03-28T15:51:00.004-05:00

I love pasta, I really do. It's probably my favorite food on the whole planet. Once someone asked me, "Don't you get tired of eating pasta all the time?" Um, that's negatory, my friends. Definitely negatory. A few weeks ago, when Graham was detoxing before some procedures at the hospital, I took the opportunity to make something delicious for myself. He doesn't like creamy sauces and won't touch the stuff, so this was my chance to live it up! And I'm so glad I did.

Mascarpone cheese is a tangy Italian cream cheese. You'll find it often in tiramisu and Italian desserts. I was excited to try it here, and even more excited that I got to bring home a tub of mascarpone! Cupcakes, anyone?

Overall, this is a good meal, and I'm glad I tried it out. I'll keep this on the backburner for a girls night in or something, provided I ever plan one.

Farfalle alla Mascarpone
(Adapted from TK)

1 box farfalle pasta
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 T. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 onion, diced
1 14.5 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 T. dried basil
2 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/2 c. pasta water (reserve after cooking)

Boil water for pasta. Prep time for this will take about as long as it will for the water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Keep warm.

In a large pan, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrent. Add onion and saute for 5-8 minutes, until soft. When onion is ready, add tomatoes and basil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.

When sauce has cooked down, transfer to a food processor and whiz it around to give it a smoother consistency. I prefer mine with a touch of chunk, so I pulsed it about 8 times. Dump sauce back in the pan and add the mascarpone. Stir constantly until it has melted down. Add a little more if you want it thicker. Check for seasonings and add more salt, pepper, or basil if necessary.

When sauce is blended, add pasta to the pan and mix well. Add reserved pasta water if too thick, and serve garnished with basil and some cheese if necessary.

Notes:

I added a little more mascarpone, but I liked the tang it added.
If you think to yourself, "I can't find mascarpone, but I do have this brick of Philly cream cheese here..." DON'T. DO. IT. Trust me when I say that while they're the same ingredient, it's just not going to work. They have different consistencies, for sure, and the taste will give you the shivers. Trust Frazzoo.
Any fun shape of pasta will work here, but I like farfalle for its cute bow-tie and the little creases that hold sauce.

Menu for the Week: March 21st--27th, 2010

2010-03-22T13:09:00.003-05:00

::tap tap::

This thing on?

It's been a great while since I've posted anything new, and I'm hoping to change that soon--this week, if at all possible. I've just been so distracted by work drama (angieandgraham.blogspot.com) and outside issues that I haven't had the time or drive to really blog the new recipes I've tried out. I've taken a number of photos, but I'm starting to forget recipes and where I've stashed them in my kitchen, so I need to get on it.

I guess the only other thing left is the menu, huh?

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Beef & Green Bean stir fry with Jasmine rice
Tuesday: Bruschetta Chicken & Balsamic Veggies
Wednesday: Italian Pot Pies w/crash hot potatoes
Thursday: Chicken with white wine-dijon sauce, vegetables, & roasted red potatoes
Friday: Parmesan Shrimp & Scallops
Saturday: Steak & potatoes?

Menu for the Week: March 14th--20th, 2010

2010-03-14T15:38:00.006-05:00

So many things to accomplish this week! It's a hell of a busy one, folks. Graham will be out of commission for a few days, so there's a little more "girl food" on the menu. I can't say I mind that, but I'll be glad when he's feeling better and is up to no good, per usual.

Sunday: Chicken in Wine Sauce
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: (Early St. Pat's Dinner) Cider-Braised Chicken & Cabbage
Wednesday: Happy St. Patrick's Day! Farfalle alla Mascarpone
Thursday: Steak & potatoes
Friday: Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon
Saturday: Corned Beef Party!

Menu for the Week: March 7th--13th, 2010

2010-03-07T19:32:00.004-06:00

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Gaelic Steak & Crushed Potatoes
Tuesday: Cider Braised Chicken & Cabbage
Wednesday: Italian Meatballs
Thursday: Taco Casserole
Friday: Panko & Parmesan Tilapia with jasmine rice
Saturday: Chicken & potatoes braised in wine

And for dessert? Jameson Irish Whiskey Cake! I'm big on desserts. I made Black & Tan brownies last year, and I'm hoping this cake is just as delicious.

Menu for the Week: March 1st--6th

2010-03-01T13:31:00.001-06:00

Happy March! It's been a while since I've blogged anything, mostly because I came down with a nasty cold and cough and was siiiiiiiick for two weeks. I didn't even go to the grocery store last week. Now, I'm finally feeling better and I'm back to feeling like myself, so the backlog of recipes will be posted soon.

Sunday: Done
Monday: Spaghetti & meatballs & salad
Tuesday: Chicken Casserole
Wednesday: Crockpot Pot Roast
Thursday: Pumpkin ravioli
Friday: Shrimp Scampi
Saturday: Lemon Chicken & baked potatoes

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

2010-02-22T20:14:00.009-06:00

This time of year, comforting and filling meals are my go-to when it comes to dinner. For Fat Tuesday, I wanted to send off the party season with a bang, and I'd kept Joelen's Chicken & Sausage Gumbo in my Google reader for over a year. I knew I could always try it when the weather got cold, but I felt like keeping it for Fat Tuesday would be fun.

This was delightful, delicious, and majorly filling. It was a great tribute to "Nawlins" and only enhances my interest in the food and culture of this great American city.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
(Adapted from Joelen)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 celery talks, chopped
1 lb. smoked sausage (I used Polish)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Creole seasoning blend, to taste (post to follow)
6 c. chicken broth
1 large bay leaf (I used 2 small)
1 c. quick-cooking rice

Heat oven to 350 F. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Allow chicken to cool until it can be diced.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil is nice and hot, stir in flour. Whisk continuously until the roux has turned the color of chocolate milk, about 8 to 10 minutes. Take care not to burn the roux. If dark spots appear in the mixture, it's burned and you'll have to start all over, so whisk constantly and keep a good eye on it.

Stir in the onion, peppers, celery, and sausage. Cook together for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole blend. Mix together. Pour in the chicken broth, submerge the bay leaf, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

By now, the chicken should be plenty cooled and ready to go. Cut it into a large dice, and add to the pot. Give it a big ole stir, and simmer for 30 more minutes, stirring often. Skim off any foam that might rise to the top.

Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. Add in minute rice and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve with cornbread or beer bread and enjoy.

But I did Lent last year!

2010-02-19T19:53:00.005-06:00

Ah, Lent. It's the most sacred time in the Catholic church year, if not for all of Christianity. But for those practicing, returning, or guilty Catholics ::ahem, me:: it means abstaining from meat on Fridays and on Ash Wednesday, which means you spend a lot of time with a McD's Filet o' Fish, the Gortons fisherman, waiting in line at Red Lobster, or going to Olive Garden and asking for their Lenten specials. While each option can be delicious and might even get you a good story, that can get expensive. Do you have gobs of extra money laying around? I don't!

(If you do, can we please be friends?)

Anyway, after a short talk with Kid Sister, I thought it might be worthwhile to post some of my favorite seafood dishes from the last year or so, just to help out anyone who's scrambling to fix something for dinner tonight. Or next week. Or the week after....

For a complete index, click the seafood link on the right: ----------------------->

Rice with Mushrooms, Shrimp, and Artichokes: This is all kinds of deliciousness. Pretend you're in Spain and take a stroll afterwards.

Grilled Tilapia with Lemon-Butter Sauce: This is one of my favorite summer dishes, but you can definitely whip it up whenever you want. The butter sauce would work well with any light-flavored fish.

Grilled Salmon with Fruit Salsa: Another summertime favorite. You can easily saute this if you live in a colder climate, or grill it if you live somewhere warmer.

Baked Lemon-Pepper Salmon: This is one of my favorite creations. I really love the combination of flavors, and this is a hearty late winter/early springtime meal. Serve with rice or pasta.

Grilled Herb Shrimp: One of my favorite Ina Garten recipes. This meal cooks up FAST so it's perfect for any weeknight, really.

Tilapia al Ajillo: A great low-calorie meal! This is great with steamed veggies and rice or pasta. Because tilapia filets are so thin, this also cooks up nice and fast.

Spicy Orange & Garlic Shrimp: I'm a shrimp fiend. This is a good one with a quick pan sauce that looks really impressive, but takes about 5 minutes to whip up. As an added bonus, you can control the amount of spice, so if you've got a weak stomach, you can just call this "Orange Shrimp".

Crab Cakes: I loved these. They are NOT figure friendly, but they're delicious. And if you've already given up something for Lent, your figure is probably crying out for something a little more caloric, no?

Shrimp Scampi: My all-time favorite seafood meal. It's quick, easy, and delicious. Perfect for Lent, spring, or summer.

Shrimp & Orzo Skillet: This isn't a personal favorite, but it's one of the meals that gets the most hits on my blog all year long. I've gotten a number of comments on it, and because shrimp and orzo are small and cheap and cook quickly, this is a great meal for any day of the year.

Southwest Corn Dip

2010-02-19T11:35:00.010-06:00

Dips are a party favorite. They're always gone in a matter of minutes, and they're an easy way to throw something on the buffet table while you prepare your main course.

I made this on Super Bowl Sunday after seeing the rave reviews it got on Tasty Kitchen. I made some modifications to the recipe, but ultimately this was a crowd pleaser. This dip makes A LOT so you definitely need to halve it if you don't have that many people coming over. Even my dad couldn't polish this thing off, and he's not one to leave a clean plate behind. :-)

Southwest Corn Dip
(Adapted from Karenpie on Tasty Kitchen)

4 15 oz. cans of corn, drained
1 4 oz. can chopped chilies
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red pepper, diced small
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 c. sour cream
1 8 oz. bag finely grated Mexican or Southwest-blend cheese
Fresh chopped cilantro, to taste

Drain corn, chilies, and beans. Put into a large bowl and tilt on one side to allow any remaining liquid to drain out. Dice your red pepper and green onion, drain any collected liquid in the bowl.

Add veggies and sour cream to the bowl. Add in about 1/2 the bag of cheese and cilantro to taste. Mix well, and pour into a serving dish. Top with remaining cheese and cilantro.

Pop in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes:

The original recipe called for jalapenos, but I preferred this without. The chilies and cilantro added a nice pop of heat and flavor, and everything worked well together.
This doesn't last too long in the fridge, so if you have remaining dip after a few days, it's best to throw it out.
This is really easy to throw together, and if you drain and chop all your veggies well, you won't have any issues in whipping this up.

Roasted Balsamic Vegetables

2010-02-19T11:17:00.008-06:00

I love a quick side, and this is a side dish I make fairly often, because it's so delicious but also involves very little effort, just chopping and roasting. What could be better?

Below are the recipes I love to include in this side dish, but you can pretty much use any veggies you like. I'm always switching it up because I enjoy variety. Spice of life, eh? You can also add, adjust, or double or even triple this recipe because it's so basic. Nothing's easier than that!

Roasted Balsamic Vegetables

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into largeish cubes
1 baking potato, peeled and diced into large cubes
1 red onion, cut into medium-sized chunks
1 orange or yellow pepper, sliced into long strips
1 red pepper, sliced into long strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, enough to coat veggies
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 F.

Chop up all your vegetables and dump them into a large bowl.. Pour olive oil over vegetables, enougb to coat them but not drown them. Give the mixture a couple large stirs with a decent sized spoon to evenly coat all the vegetables.

Pour vegetables onto a baking sheet and spread them out evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until vegetables are tender, stirring every 15ish minutes to keep vegetables from burning. Keep them even to prevent uneven cooking.

When the vegetables are finished, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Top with parmesan before serving.

Notes:

That's it! Couldn't be simpler, right?
If you can find them, pearl onions are a lovely addition to this dish. Shallots also work in place of the red onion.
I prefer using red onion over white or spanish onion in this dish because it's a little sweeter and works well with the balsamic vinegar.

King Cake: Throw Me Something, Mister!

2010-02-15T20:23:00.024-06:00

First of all, who doesn't LOVE that commercial? Huh? Anyone? Bueller?

::tap tap:: Is this thing on?

Last year, I wanted to make myself a King Cake for Mardi Gras but just never got around to it, and it didn't seem right to make one in the middle of Lent. Like I said in my previous post, a teacher used to bring them every year for us sometime between New Year's and Mardi Gras. She'd always include the small Baby Jesus for us, plus a penny for fortune. It was always fun taking that first, cautious bite and hoping your tooth would click against something foreign.

This year, I was determined to make myself a King Cake, and lemme tell ya, this is a lot harder than it looks! The rolling, twisting, and crimping required a lot of me, and I'm sure if I cranked out a few more I could "master" it, but this is the kind of undertaking a baking novice does but once a year.

Overall, the experience was good, and I know what I need to work on for next year. I have to thank Elizabeth for sharing the recipe last year. I'm looking forward to taking this to work for Fat Tuesday and hearing the reviews so I can perfect it for next year.

New Orleans King Cake
(From Elizabeth's Edible Experience)

1/2 c. butter, melted
2/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. warm water
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 tsp. granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
5 c. all-purpose flour (plus plenty more for dusting)
Vegetable spray
4 T. butter, melted
1 egg white
1 T. water

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 T. milk

Icing:

3 c. powdered sugar
3 T. milk
Colored sugar (yellow, purple, and green)

In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, evaporated milk, 3/4 c. sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to dissolve sugar and allow to cool.

Pour yeast into 1/4 c. warm water. Stir in sugar, and allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes, until it gets foamy and happy. If yeast does not foam (you'll notice a definite difference), your yeast is dead (::tear::), so you'll need to start over with new yeast, water, and sugar. I say this now so you don't continue with the recipe and foul it up, as I probably would.

Add the yeast mixture to the butter and milk mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, adding one only after previous has been blended in. Add in the lemon zest.

If you have strong, European arms, use a whisk. If you've got wimpy arms like me, use your dough hook on your KA mixer for this next step.

Start mixing in flour, one cup at a time, until you have a relatively thick paste in the mixing bowl (this is somewhere around 3 or 3.5 cups).

Keep adding flour in smallish increments (I did half cups) until all the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the flour.

When all flour is incorporated, lightly flour a board with dough, dust your hands with flour, and turn out the dough onto the board. Knead a few times until dough is smooth and elastic. (You should be able to pull a part of it and it should slowly stretch back into place.)

Lightly coat a clean, glass bowl with vegetable/cooking spray. Turn the dough to coat all sides with spray. Cover with a dish towel and place in a warm place to rise. Allow dough to double in size, approx. 1 hour. (I turned on my oven and set the heat to 150. I covered the dough with a towel and set it in there about an hour. It didn't quite double, but it did rise, so I consider it a victory!)

When dough is just about ready, make your cream cheese filling. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend until light and fluffy.

Now, your dough is good to go. Punch it down and let out a little aggression (particularly if you had to start over with live yeast).

Divide dough in two pieces of roughly equal size. Dust your rolling pin with flour and roll out each piece to a 10 x 15 in. rectangle. It's best to do this one after the other, so you have sizes to match up.

Brush each rectangle with the melted butter. Spread the cream cheese filling on each rectangle, leaving a 1/2 in. boarder all the way around the dough.

Starting at the long end, roll up each half like a cinnamon roll or jelly roll. If a little filling sqeaks out, it's totally okay. Close the seam, using a few drops of water if necessary.

Braid the two rolls together. Lightly spray or butter a baking sheet. Place your braid of dough on the sheet and form the dough into a circle, sealing the ends together. Cover with a dish towel, and place back in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the egg white and 1 T. water to create a wash. Brush the cake with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes, until lightly browned and makes a slightly hollow sound when tapped.

For the icing: Mix together the powdered sugar and milk. Stir well until it's reached drizzling consistency. Add milk, a little at a time, to help icing reach desired consistency. Let cake cool about 5 minutes, and start drizzling icing over the cake. Working on one chunk at a time, drizzle the icing and then add the colored sugar, sprinkling in a striped pattern on the icing. If you let the cake cool too much, or let the icing set, the colored sugar won't stay, so do it in chunks.

Ta da! You're done!

Notes:

Those with a keen eye will notice that I don't have purple sugar on my cake. I went to two different stores and couldn't find any. Hell, I was at the second store before I found yellow sugar, so I picked up a small tube of purple icing and decorated those sections in decorative patterns. I actually kind of like how it turned out, so hopefully it tastes good.
I added about 8 T. milk to the icing. The recipe I read called for whole milk, and in basic cooking, whole vs. 2% doesn't make a ton of difference. Here, it clearly did. I kept splashing in milk and stirring until I finally got the consistency I needed. My right arm was pissed at me when I was finally done. So....just be forewarned. If you regularly use 2%, like Frazzoo, and don't care enough to go out and buy even a small carton of whole milk, be prepared to use a decent amount of it for your icing.
Speaking of icing, this stuff is SWEET. And it's topped with sugar. Seriously. I will either be beloved or run out of school by the end of the day tomorrow. (And after the week I've had, the latter is probably more likely.) I even added a pinch of salt and it was still way to sweet. Normally I love icing but this was a touch too sweet for me. I hope I'm not hated for it.
My cake doesn't look nearly as pretty as Elizabeth's, but I'm still pretty proud of myself. It was a lot of work, but the end result looks pretty damn good.

This baking business is not for the weary, that's for sure!

2010-02-15T18:42:00.003-06:00

I've been hard at work all afternoon working on my very first King Cake! One of my teachers used to bring one for us every year in elementary school. She'd make one by hand for her homeroom, then buy one for all the other classes in school. She was hardcore! Ever since, I always like to get me a little King Cake around Fat Tuesday, but they're hard to come by up here, and they're pretty labor intensive as it is.

This year I decided that come hell or high water, I was going to make myself a King Cake. So far, so good, despite all the flour that's spilled on my countertops. I'm on hour #2 of waiting for my dough to rise (two different shifts), so once that's done, it bakes for 30 minutes and I start praying that it's cooked and that it's good! I'm taking it to work tomorrow, so it had better be darn good!

Menu for the Week: Feb. 14--20th, 2010

2010-02-14T14:42:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! We're being quite romantical this evening by ordering in and watching movies. After last year's Valentine's Day fiasco, it's nice to do something and just watch movies here. This week is a short one for both of us (yahoo, Presidents' Day!), and with Ash Wednesday and Lent upon us, that means more room for pasta and seafood in the Frazzoo house! Yaaaay!

Now, as for this week....

Sunday: Valentine's Day & Chinese food.
Monday: Leftovers
Fat Tuesday: Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo + salad
Ash Wednesday: Maple-glazed salmon with vegetable risotto
Thursday: Sweet Pepper Chicken with rice and salads
Friday: Pasta and shrimp with steamed broccoli
Saturday: Italian Pork Chops with twice baked potatoes

Salsa! Salsa! Salsa!

2010-02-09T22:04:00.008-06:00

I love chips & salsa. Whenever I host a gathering (which will hopefully be more of an occurance now that we're settled!), I have to have chips and salsa on the menu. The combination of the two is lovely, and there's nothing like chips and salsa to break the ice. It's always a safe bet when you're not sure what to eat.

I love making my own salsa. I've tried it a few times and I've never found a recipe I liked, until now. I've also never been a big fan of jarred salsa. It's always missing something. Now that I've found something I like, I plan on making it all the time for our future gatherings. The best part is that it can be made hours in advance, and served up just when it needs to be, after the dishes are done and the party is started.

So go ahead! Make some salsa tonight and get the party started! I'll bring the beer.

Homemade Salsa
(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
2 10 oz. cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, one mild and one original
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed, sliced into half-moons
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Sprinkling chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 small lime

In the bowl of a food processor, combine whole tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, sugar, salt, and cilantro. Pulse in the food processor until it reaches the consistency you prefer (I pulsed about 8 times). Squeeze in lime juice and whiz around one more pulse. Taste for seasonings and add more cilantro if you like spice or more sugar if it's too acidic, etc.

Pop salsa in the fridge for an hour or two to let it mingle and blend together. Serve with your favorite chips! Serve on a pretty plate or bowl, like this one....

Notes:

My parents really raved about this salsa. I prefer a chunkier consistency, so I stopped once it got to where I liked it. However, if you prefer it thinner, you can certainly do that.
I left the cilantro pretty objective because it's up to you how much you want to pop in. I added somewhere between a 1/4 and 1/2 c.
Sometimes, people don't prefer the taste of cilantro, but it really adds a nice pop of flavor to the salsa.
DON'T use jarred cilantro! It's dried and it's convienient, but it'll ruin the salsa. Boo! Hiss!
Don't start off with a jar of diced tomatoes, especially if you want a thicker salsa because the diced tomatoes will turn to mush the minute you turn the food processor on. Whole tomatoes usually have a nicer flavor, anyway.
You can do this without the kick of lime, but it tastes really great with the lime juice. You can't really taste it, but you just know there's something else there.

Meatball & Stuffing Casserole

2010-02-09T21:45:00.006-06:00

I'm a big fan of recipe sharing websites. Over the summer, I fell in love with Tasty Kitchen, a website founded by The Pioneer Woman. She started it after reading the recipe submissions by so many of her readers. It's a really great resource, and I'm so glad I've become a member and been able to share some of my own recipes with so many other home cooks.

Tonight's dinner comes from Tasty Kitchen. I liked it and was intrigued by the concept. Graham even liked it, which says a lot! He's normally not a big fan of stuff like this, but he really liked it and requested it again! Success! Personally I'm not a big fan of "Cream of" casseroles, but this one does the trick. It's comforting and filling and perfect for a weeknight! I threw it together, popped it in the oven, and went about my merry way. This needs a little tweaking, but I think that we'll keep it around for a while.

Meatball Stuffing Casserole
(Adapted from TK)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced small/fine
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 box turkey stuffing
Water, to moisten stuffing
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk

Heat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, eggs, and salt. Form into approx. 10 medium to large meatballs. Place in a casserole.

In another small bowl, dump the stuffing. Moisten with enough warm water to bind it together but not soak it, but make sure it's not too dry. Pour evenly over the meatballs, covering completely.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the soup with 1 canful of milk. Pour over the meatballs and stuffing. Bake for 1 hour.

Notes:

I think this works because unlike some casseroles, you don't need to brown the beef first. It was surprisingly moist and not at all greasy.
I prefer Stove Top stuffing, but it's a childhood comfort food. I guess just about any box stuffing would work, as long as it's one you enjoy.
I sprinkled salt on my mixture, so I guesstimated 1 tsp. It was probably a little more. Make sure your beef is well seasoned!

Menu for the Week: Feb. 7th--13th

2010-02-09T21:31:00.004-06:00

Whoo! What a weekend, eh? I don't think there was anyone this side of Indy that wasn't rooting for the Saints. I had a fun Super Bowl Sunday watching the game and pulling for "Breesus" and the Saints. I'm a little late posting the menu, but whatever. Sometimes, I gots to get my sleep on, you know?

Without further ado....

Sunday: Super Bowl food! Who dat!
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Meatball Stuffing Casserole
Wednesday: Spicy Valentine's Day Pasta (this is a favorite in the Frazzoo house!)
Thursday: Sweet Pepper Chicken & Rice
Friday: Italian Pork Chops & spaghetti
Saturday: My "Famous" Lemon Chicken

Whipped Carrots & Parsnips

2010-02-03T10:31:00.000-06:00

I've had this on my "Need to Try" list for a long time, probably since October. Whenever I meant to try it, something happened. Either I couldn't find parsnips or I just plum forgot, or one of us was sick, or [insert excuse here]. Finally, I put my foot down and said I had to try it this week or I was giving up until next Autumn. I was really intrigued by the possibilities of this side dish, and I'm so glad I tried it out.

This didn't disappoint me at all. I liked the robust flavors of the vegetables, and they were really complimented by hints of nutmeg. The key with this is not to overseason the vegetables, because they really shine with just a touch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Whipped Carrots & Parsnips
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

4 large carrots, 1 lb. total, peeled and roughly diced
4 medium-large parsnips, 1lb total, peeled and roughly diced
1 stick butter, softened and cubed
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Splash in a little salt to season. Add the carrots and parsnips to the water and boil uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Drain well.

Return vegetables to the pot and stir over medium heat until excess water and steam evaporates away. (It's really important that these are dry!)

Transfer vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add butter, and process/run the food processor until vegetables are well blended and smooth, or have reached your desired consistency. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Like I said, it's really important that these are dry. If they're not properly dried, they won't blend well and the final product will be mushier than you want it to be.
I over-blended because I had some decent sized chunks in my mixture, so in an effort to get them all mixed well, the final product ended up resembling baby food in terms of appearance. Thankfully it didn't taste that way. In the end, I think I prefer the rustic appearance of larger chunks in the final product. Something to remember for the future.
I really liked the combination of carrots and parsnips. They work nicely together.
Next time, I'll try and halve the butter. It worked out okay, but I think it was too much for just 8 root veggies.

Herb-Rubbed Chicken & Creamy Orzo

2010-02-03T10:10:00.000-06:00

One of the many (many!) blogs I follow is Annie's Eats. I like her recipes and her photos, and I think it's pretty cool that she's a doctor and a wife and mother and still has time to made real food for her family. And her posts are in my reader first thing in the morning, so it's a nice pick-me-up at the start of the day when I'm still sleepy and cold and missing my pillow.

I saw this recipe and knew I had to made it right away. That sounds really pat, and I hate saying, "I knew I had to make it", but you see, it had the word "orzo" in the title, and I have a small obsession with orzo. I'll dedicate a post to it sometime, but it has a lot to do with my grandmother and memories from my early childhood.

This is really good, and doesn't take long at all to come together. I really loved the creaminess of the orzo and the way everything complimented everything else on the plate. Definitely a keeper in this house.

Herb-Rubbed Chicken & Creamy Orzo
(Adapted from Annie's Eats)

1 lb. box orzo pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened slightly
Salt & pepper
Herbes de Provence
Olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c. frozen broccoli florets
1/3 c. heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your orzo according to package directions. Keep tasting to avoid overcooking the pasta! Reserve about 1/2 c. of the pasta water, and drain the pasta. Be careful not to splash yourself, a la Frazzoo. Don't rinse the pasta, just let it hang out a bit.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Season evenly with Herbes de Provence (both sides, just in case). In a large skillet (really, use a large one, because my biggest one was crowded!) drizzle some olive oil and heat over medium-high heat, until sizzling. Add the chicken to the skillet, and cook 3-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the breast pieces. Reduce heat and add the shallot. Saute for 2 minutes, and add the garlic. Saute until fragrent, 1-2 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes with juices and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Bring pan to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and warm through. Stir in the cooked pasta, followed by heavy cream and top with cheese, according to your cheese preferences. Mix well and test for seasonings. Add more and and pepper if necessary. If sauce needs thinning, add pasta water and mix well. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Sometimes when I see "shallot" I use an onion instead. This time, I'm glad I stuck with the shallot. It adds a nice "something" without overpowering like an onion would.
If you overcook the orzo, it won't be as creamy as you need it to be. You really need to cook it for 8 to 9 minutes to get it to the right texture. Taste as you go, and when it's no long crunchy in the middle, you're good.
Herbes de Provence can be hard to find and depending on the area you're in, it can also be expensive. Use thyme if you can't find it/can't afford it. You can also find a cheat sheet for a blend of your own to create if you really like. Just remember: Google is your friend.
I think basil would be a wonderful addition to this. Instead of seasoning with herbes de Provence, chiffonade some fresh basil or add a few teaspoons to the diced tomatoes.

Beer-Cooked Pot Roast

2010-02-02T19:56:00.005-06:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love my crockpot. I also happen to love beer. When I saw this recipe, I considered throwing it together right away and eating it for Monday morning breakfast. Why? Because I have some major issues that need to be addressed. But I digress.

This is really good, and really simple. Ridiculously simple, in fact. I almost hesitate to blog it because it isn't really cooking, and there isn't even any preparation involved, just dump it into the crockpot before work, set the timer, and come home to deliciousness. This is PERFECT for a weeknight meal, or for busy moms, or for people who like to sit at home all day and smell dinner cooking. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now, unless you don't like beer....in which case, I don't think we can be friends anymore.

Beer-Cooked Pot Roast

2-3 lb. chuck roast (or your favorite pot roast type-beef)
Salt & pepper
2 envelopes Italian dressing mix
1 envelope onion (I used onion and mushroom) dressing or soup mix
1 T. garlic powder
2 bottles light beer

Light season beef with salt and pepper. Throw it in the crockpot. Pour in the Italian dressing seasonings, followed by the onion soup mix. Top that with the garlic powder. Pour in the beer (resist the urge to take a swig if you're leaving for work soon). Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

That's it. No, really. That's it.

Notes:

I have a large crockpot, which comes in super for big parties and dinners, but not so for dinner for two. Because of this, I usually top the meal with a piece of foil to fake out the roast. It doesn't work perfectly, but it's saved many a crockpot meal in the Frazzoo house.
This comes out amazingly tender and perfect. It's almost unreal.
Some reviewers said they used a dark beer and then made gravy and the gravy was bitter. I stuck with light beer because that's what we had on hand, but a nice Guiness would be great here.
We gobbled this up. It's perfect for busy nights and busy people. Life is good.

Menu for the Week: January 31st, February 6th, 2010

2010-01-31T12:27:00.001-06:00

This last week was interesting. I didn't go grocery shopping and instead created some meals based on what we had in the cupboard. And then, there was the jar of pasta warmed up and some tri-color rotini because I was feeling lazy. Whatevs.

This week is a busy one for me at work. It's Catholic Schools Week, so there's an event or theme for each day, and they're usually held in the afternoon, so the kids are a little bonkers by the end of the week. Thankfully, it's like Christmas and it comes but once a year!

I'm making a more conscious effort to serve healthy sides and more vegetables with our dinners now. I make a ton of one-pot meals, which are great for the sake of convienience and putting everything together, but I realize that I rely on those a little too much and I'll forget or not plan well enough to get a vegetable and/or starch on the table with dinner. This week is the beginning of my kitchen resolution and dammit, I'm going to stick with it!

So, without further ado...

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Herb-rubbed chicken with creamy orzo and salad
Tuesday: Beer cooked pot roast with baked corn and whipped carrots and parsnips
Wednesday: Cassoulet with salad and roasted vegetables
Thursday: Pan-seared chicken breasts with steamed green beans and pasta
Friday: Meatball stuffing casserole with salad
Saturday: Kid sister's birthday dinner at Rock Bottom

Winter Vegetable Soup, or, An Accidental Stew

2010-01-30T11:44:00.006-06:00

Earlier this week, I was flipping through my crockpot cookbook and I had such a yen for soup. I saw a recipe for Winter Vegetable Soup and knew it would hit the spot.

Unfortunately for me, I rememebered--at work that morning--that I had completely forgotten about dinner and my crockpot was tucked away in the cabinet and my carrots were still in the crisper. Oops.

Since improvisation is sometimes the best kind of cooking, I decided to wing it with the same ingredients, just stovetop style. I was nervous that it wouldn't completely work out in my favor, but it definitely did. The outcome ended up being thicker than soup, which is why I'm calling this An Accidental Stew. I didn't intend for that to happen, but it did. Regardless of the outcome this was delicious and filling and perfect for a disturbingly cold winter evening.

Winter Vegetable "Soup"
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

1 lb. beef for stewing, cut into evenly sized chunks
Drizzle of olive oil
2 c. beef stock
1/2 c. dry red wine
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped (I sliced them into coins)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 medium-sized turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 potato, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, liquid included
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp. parsley, dried or fresh

Lightly season the beef with salt and pepper, and drizzle a little olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Brown the beef on all sides, and remove to a plate when done.

Pour beef stock and wine into pot. Deglaze the pot and scrape up all the delicious brown bits on the bottom. Add the vegetables to the pot, followed by the tomatoes (undrained), a sprinkling of salt and pepper, followed by your herbs. Stir in the beans and give it all a big stir. Add the meat back into the pot.

Cook on medium heat for 1-2 hours, until beef is tender. Stir in dried or fresh parsley just before serving.

Notes:

This was really good. The potatoes and turnip melted into the liquid and made this hearty and filling.
You can also add rutebegas. I realized as I was throwing this together that they would have stood up beautifully to the other flavors in the stew.
This is a good way to get some necessary nutrients to build up your immune system in winter.
If you really want a stew, my mom likes to stir in mashed potato flakes into her stews to make them thicker. I don't think this needs it, but it'll definitely take it to "stew" over "stoup".

Harvest Stew

2010-01-29T20:03:00.006-06:00

When I read this post and saw that my favorite season had met my favorite small appliance, I fell over. Then I picked myself up and headed to the produce market to get what I needed to make this stew.

I loved it. I really liked how this held my favorite Autumn vegetables and was hearty and delicious. This is definitely making an appearance in September, October, and November.

Harvest Stew
(Adapted from The Crockpot Lady)

1 lb. ground chicken, beef, or ground Italian sausage
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
4 red potatoes, diced
1 acorn squash, peeled and diced
1 14.5 oz. can whole tomatoes
4 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper
4 T. flour

Use a large crockpot for this stew.

Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown meat, and drain off fat. Set aside.

Add chopped up vegetables to the crockpot. Add kidney beans, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings. Add your meat of preference, and add in the cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. Give it all a big stir to combine. Add about 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

After stew is ready, add flour to stew to thicken. Stir until lumps are gone, and serve right away.

Notes:

I used ground chicken for this, and Graham wasn't a big fan. As I was eating, I thought that ground Italian sausage would be a nice addition instead of the chicken. Crockpot Lady suggests using stew meat instead of ground meat for a more filling meal.
I might also add another can of beans or use a larger can of tomatoes to help thicken the stew.
Any fall vegetables would work here. Using more potatoes would also help thicken the stew as the starches break down.

Red Wine Pot Roast

2010-01-29T18:18:00.005-06:00

I love a good pot roast. I also love my crockpot. Thus, it makes sense to pair the two, no?

After I fell in love with the Pomegranite Roast Beef I made in November, I was anxious to make it again, or make something similar. So naturally, I returned to The Crock Pot Lady for help and inspiration. I found this, and how could I say no? This is simple enough to throw together and comes out sweet and tangy, with a little kick to it. Of course, you can eliminate the kick, but why?

Red Wine Pot Roast
(Adapted from The Crockpot Lady)

1 3-lb. chuck roast
1/3 c. flour
Salt and pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 c. dried cranberries, plus more for serving

Mix together flour, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Lightly season beef with salt and pepper, and then dredge the beef in the flour mixture until it's completely coated.

Toss onion and garlic into the crockpot.

In a small bowl, mix together wine, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Stir to combine, and pour over beef roast. Toss in some cranberries.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker and place on a platter. Top roast and sauce with a handful of dried cranberries. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Notes:

We have a large crockpot (6.5 quarts, I believe), and there wasn't a lot of liquid to this dish. I topped my roast with a piece of tin foil to trap in the moisture and fake out the roast. If I hadn't, all the liquid would have disappeared and we'd have eaten dry and crispy beef roast for dinner. Decidedly unappetizing.
Adding some "fresh" dried cranberries at the end helps them soak up some of the juices. It's delish!
It's entirely possible that I added a full cup of red wine....I started with 1/2, I know that much. I made this on our first day back at work after moving and the holidays, so there's a 99% chance I figured I needed the extra wine.
If you're not serving this on your first day back, hopefully your good intentions win out and you create a gravy with the pan juices. I had the best of intentions, but my stomach made me put away my gravy mixin's and just sit down n' EAT.

Menu for the Week: January 17-23rd, 2010

2010-01-18T21:38:00.003-06:00

First of all, thanks to all the lurkers who came out of hiding and said hello last week. I'm hoping you'll feel more inclined to comment now, even if you think something sucks. I can take it!

This week's menu is pretty empty, unfortunately. I'm going on a three day retreat with our 8th grade class starting Wednesday, and I'll be back Friday afternoon. I'm hoping to write a few blog entries tomorrow night and hopefully I'll be able to post-date them so something will be posting in my absence.

This week is a quick one, but that just means that next week I've got plenty of time to try out some new recipes in my arsenal!

Sunday: Pizza with my parents
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Italian Shepard Pie w/salad
Wednesday: Retreat
Thursday: Still on retreat; Picky Husband's On His Own
Friday: Herbed Chicken & potatoes
Saturday: Winter Vegetable Soup & BLTs

Glazed Meatloaf

2010-01-14T18:03:00.005-06:00

Meatloaf and I don't always get along. I'd love to like meatloaf. I want to like meatloaf. But, after a childhood of bad meatloaves and gummy, greasy meat, I just can't make myself like it. I could probably go the rest of my life and never eat or make meatloaf, and I'd be okay with that. Unfortunately for me, Graham loves meatloaf. Sooooooooo.....Angie has to learn to like meatloaf.

I found this recipe in a sample issue of Cook's Country that I got...I really don't know when, actually. It was sitting in my stack of cooking magazines and I hadn't recalled seeing it before, but Graham probably saw it after checking the mail and chucked it into my stack of magazines. It was a bit of a thrill, really. Kind of like finding a birthday present in a pile of dirty socks.

Overall, this was just pretty good. I need to do some tweaking, mostly to the glaze. I wasn't totally blown away by the taste, but for once my meatloaf actually looked like the picture and I was able to cut it in thick, lovely slices for the first time ever. It's the little things, folks.

Glazed Meatloaf
(Adapted from Cook's Country)

Glaze:
1 c. ketchup (or catsup)
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 1/2 T. cider vinegar
2 dashes hot sauce (or a 1/2 tsp. if you like it spicy)

Meatloaf:
2 tsp. vegetable or safflower oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 sleeve saltine crackers
1/3 c. milk
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. ground pork
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
3 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 c. finely chopped parsley (fresh!)
Salt and pepper

For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients in a small pot until the sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/4 c. glaze and simmer the remaining glaze over medium heat until thick, approx. 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook onion until slightly caramelized and tender, 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrent and a little soft, about 1 minute. Pour mixture in a large bowl.

In a food processor, blend milk and saltines until smooth. Add beef and pork and pulse until combined (I did it in 8). Transfer to bowl with onion and garlic. Add eggs, egg yolk, Dijon, Worcestershire, thyme, parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Mix by hand until well combined.

Prepare a broiler pan or a thin baking sheet with a light spritz of nonstick cooking spray. Heat broiler and keep pan approx 4 inches from the broiler element. Transfer meat mixture to pan and shape into a loaf. Broil about 5 minutes. Brush with some of the reserved glaze and broil for 2-3 more minutes.

Heat oven to 350 F. Transfer meatloaf to oven and brush with what's left of the reserved glaze. Bake until cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Let stand covered with foil for 10 minutes. Serve with cooked glaze.

Notes:

The glaze had a nice taste, not too sweet, not too hot. It DID have a very vinegar-y scent, though. Next time I'll definitely reduce the vinegar.
Broiling the meatloaf lends a nice crust to the meal. I plan on using this element for all my future meatloaves.
I definitely recommend broiling your meatloaf and baking it on a rack or pan with slats so the fat drips off. That makes for a (slightly) healthier meal and much less grease and fat to deal with.
My milk/meat/saltine mixture was a little too runny to shape into a loaf. I actually had to add a few handfuls of dry breadcrumbs to the mixture and work it until it was managable. Next time I'll use 2 sleeves of saltines, or one sleeve and then a few handfuls of crackers until I get the consistency I need.
I also won't blend the meat in the food processor next time. It was just a little too packed in there and I had to work the mixture a little more. Processing the meat would work better if I had a large food processor (I have a 7 cup, a 12 would probably work), but given the size of the appliance I've got it just doesn't work well.
This was the last meal I made in our apartment. ::sniff::

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

2010-01-13T22:38:00.015-06:00

In life, there are two people: those who like pork chops, and those who like beef. My husband is a beef eater. Sure, he likes a pork chop now and then, but he prefers BEEF. Give the man steak and potatoes and he's a happy camper. He actually requested plain ole steak n' potatoes for his birthday dinner. Nothing fancy, just BEEF. And STARCH. With a side of BEEF.

I, on the other hand, prefer lighter fare now and then, but I still need to come up with things that satisfy the both of us. I started craving pork chops, but Graham was wanting for some breading. So, that leaves us with a few options, and Chicken-Fried Pork didn't really sound appealing. I started rooting around in my cabinets to see if I could come up with something that didn't work for us. This is a concoction of a few different recipes, but it's delicious and the breading is crunchy without being heavy and weird like fried chicken.

Play around with this. See what you like. Enjoy some pork before your husband comes home and demands BEEF.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops
(Angie original)

4 center-cut pork chops, 5-6 oz. each
4-6 slices thick sandwich bread (I used white), torn into pieces
1 onion, diced
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
2 T. fresh or dried thyme leaves
1 T. minced parsley, fresh or dried
Butter or nonstick cooking spray
1/4 c. flour
2 eggs
2 T. mild Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper (again)

Heat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, pulse bread crumbs until they're coarsely ground, but not too fine. You don't really want the texture of store-bought bread crumbs. Transfer bread crumbs to a rimmed baking sheet and add the onion, garlic powder, oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, making sure all crumbs are rolled in oil. Spread on the baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes, stirring a few times, or until bread crumbs are golden brown and dry. Remove from oven and let cool. Toss with cheese, thyme, and parsley.

Raise oven temperature to 400 F. Grease a wire rack and place on a shallow, rimmed baking sheet. Place flour in a pie plate or shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk together eggs and dijon mustard. Place breadcrumbs in a final dish. Lightly season pork chops with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour. Shake off the excess, and dip pork chops in egg and mustard mixture. Let excess drain off, and coat in bread crumbs, covering completely. Remove pork chops to wire rack. Continue until all pork chops are coated in bread crumbs.

Bake 20 minutes, peeking occassionally. Serve with salad and potatoes.

Notes:

The breading reminded me a little of another pork chop recipe I've made, but baking these is a much healthier alternative than frying in oil. I might start making all my pork chops this way!
Just about any herbs will work here. I like thyme, so I used that, and I'm using more and more parsley for a touch of freshness and color.
Using plain, dry breadcrumbs will work too, but they just won't be as fresh as making your own. Making the breadcrumbs took all of 10 minutes, and that's on the long side.
Definitely make sure you let the egg mixture drain off a bit...I didn't, and one of my pork chops was a little soggy on top!
I chose grated parm, but almost any grated cheese would work for the breading. It might not be as healthy, but when it comes to deliciousness, health is a silly reason to avoid food.

Mustard Roasted Potato Wedges

2010-01-13T22:05:00.014-06:00

This was a recipe I bookmarked nearly a year ago, and like so many others I forgot to try it out right away and I found it this weekend when I was cleaning out my Favorites folder. I'm so glad I stopped myself from hitting "delete" right away--these are awesome. They're an easy side to throw together and throw in the oven, and they come out crispy and tender. I used a whole grain mustard, but they'd be just as delicious with a milder Dijon or even with sour cream and chives...mmmm...sour cream...

Anyway, try these soon. Give thanks for mustard and potatoes. The end.

Mustard Roasted Potato Wedges
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted from Gourmet, 2007 (RIP, Gourmet))

1/2 c. spicy (or whole grain) Dijon mustard
2 T. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. butter, melted
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 T. dried oregano
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. salt
2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into wedges approx. 1/2 in. thick
Salt and pepper
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)

Heat oven to 425 F. In a bowl, mix together mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, and salt. Blend well, and taste for seasonings (you may need a little more salt or a little more mustard...you'll get a feel for it).

Lightly season potatoes with salt and pepper. Add potatoes to mustard mixture and toss well to coat with dressing.

Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Spread potatos in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring potatoes occassionally. Roast until potatoes are crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside (hence, 30-40 minutes).

Serve immediately.

Notes:

Stirring is important! You don't want one side to get too burned or end up with burned mustard dressing on your baking pan. Trust Frazzoo with this one.
I like a balance of flavors, so I tested as I went along. Mustard that was too strong would have ruined this side for me. It's all about the taste, man.
I like these because I can pop them in the oven and peek in on them when I'm not fussing over something else. I consider them easy in that respect--not having to manage 3 pots at once? Awesome!

National De-lurking Week, eh?

2010-01-10T21:37:00.004-06:00

Apparently, someone with plenty of readers but no comments came up with such a "holiday", and no, it wasn't me!

My site tracker tells me that way more than just my mom and friends read this thing. Please come out of hiding to say hello! I'd love to "meet" some of you. And if it makes you feel any better, you can ask me questions--the randomer, the better! I'm not shy.

To better introduce my random self to some of you, here are a few random facts about me, presented in no particular order:

1. I have so many cute pairs of socks, but I really can't stand wearing socks for any length of time. I'm always aware that my feet are hotter than normal. I'd rather be in flip flops.

2. Cooking bacon is pretty much my least favorite cooking activity, second only to dishwashing.

3. I can't sew or knit or crochet or darn a sock or even sew a button, but I make a mean chocolate cake!

4. It's been a longtime goal to learn how to ice skate (I used to dream of being Kristi Yamaguchi), and I'm hoping to take some lessons starting next month.

5. I'm a lifelong Chicagoan, and I love to travel and visit other places, but I don't ever want to leave the city and find another place to live.

6. I still have dreams about the parmesan shrimp I had at Kimo's in Maui. It was so, so delicious.

7. I love to sing. I find myself singing all the time, but I have terrible stage fright!

8. I can't wait to start some home renovating projects this spring. I'm counting down the days till March!

9. Grapes and pineapples are my favorite fruits.

10. I will stop whatever I am doing to watch a John Hughes movie.

11. The Chicago White Sox are by far the most amazing team in professional baseball today. It's okay to disagree with me....not every team can live up to such superiority. ;-)

12. I have a pretty good sense of humor, but I don't think anything is funnier than watching someone get hit in the head unexpectedly. Trust me.

13. We are planning a trip to Ireland for the spring of next year. Ireland 2011, here I come!

14. If I can convince Graham to go to London, Paris, or Rome while we're in Europe...why not?

15. My new favorite artist is Lady Gaga.

16. I want to be a librarian when I grow up!

17. Living Single is one of my favorite television shows. Vintage Latifa? Yes please!

18. I have never been to the Pacific Northwest, but I've traveled to every other region in the country.

19. Aside from Ireland, if I could get on a plane right now and fly anywhere in the world, I'd have a hard time choosing between India and Japan.

20. I can't start my day until I've had my coffee, brushed my teeth, and checked up on my favorite blogs.

21. In the spring, we're going to adopt a cat or two. Definitely one, but hubby is still on the fence about #2.

22. We will adopt a dog sometime in the near future. I'd hope for sooner, but we have to get a gate put up to completely fence in our yard, first. Graham doesn't want to adopt a dog if our yard isn't completely fenced in (and I agree). HOWEVER, I'm hoping that we can make it a reality sooner rather than later. Since we're new to the neighborhood, a dog would help us meet some of our neighbors--especially if we're going to be out walking it and exploring the area once all the snow melts.

23. I can't wait to throw our first party in our new home!

24. As soon as the Christmas holidays are over, I start looking forward to summer. Now that we have a backyard and a grill, I see margarita parties in my future.

25. I probably spend a little too much time with my Facebook farms. It's my secret shame. :-)

Baked Potato Soup

2010-01-04T22:36:00.008-06:00

As I sat down to make my menu for this week, I checked on the weather for the next few days (I always do...it tends to help me focus my cooking mojo) and saw that it is gonna be COLD here in the Chi for the next week (at minimum). I'm not talking, "Brr...I need me a sweater" cold. I'm talking, "Holy HELL it's cold outside!" cold. Today we had a whopping high of 12 F. here on the south side. TWELVE. It's 4 days in to 2010 and I'm already longing for five months from now. Screw this "winter" business. I'm totally and completely ready for Spring.

Anywho, that being said, I checked on the weather and decided that this week was perfect for some cozy comfort food. After all, when it's 12 degrees outside, you need something warm, filling, and comforting to make you forget that the high temperature for the day starts with the number 1. I started perusing through some cookbooks and online recipes and couldn't find "the recipe" to make for today. So, I did what any industrious Frazzoo would do in such a situation: I decided to improvise by pulling the trigger and praying. Thankfully for me, it worked!

This soup is a concoction of a few recipes I found in my cookbook stash. It's yummy and filling and warm. Make it today!

Baked Potato Soup
(Frazzoo original)

4 baking potatoes
1 onion, diced
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. beef broth
12 oz. evaporated milk (the liquid stuff in the can)
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 green onions, chopped
1 T. bacon bits/chopped bacon (you can use the jarred stuff, I won't judge)

Prepare 4 potoates for baking. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F. or until fork tender. Set aside to cool.

While potatoes are cooling, melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. When butter is nice and melty, add the onion and saute for a few minutes until nice and tender (about 5 minutes). Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. This creates your roux for the soup. It's a nice little base to start with.

Once you've got your roux (it'll look like a thick paste), add the beef broth, followed by the evaporated milk. Give it a good stir to mix it well. The potatoes should be cool enough to handle now. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. It can be in small bits to large chunks. A good mix of small and large is what you want. If you can, scoop out the flesh of two potatoes and cut the remaining two in decent sized chunks.

Add the potato flesh to the soup and stir. Use your spoon to break up the large chunks of potato (the smaller pieces will melt into your soup as it thickens). Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir, and taste for seasonings.

As your soup stands, it will thicken. Remove from heat when it's bubbling slightly and reaches your desired consistency. Stir in chopped scallions and chopped bacon. Test for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir until heated through and serve warm.

Notes:

If we had any sour cream, I would have added a nice dollop to the soup before serving. It adds a nice tang and some creaminess without being too overpowering.
You can top this with croutons, more bacon, and cheese if you want. Any of your favorite potato toppings are game here.
This gets hot pretty quick, so be careful not to burn your tongue like a certain Frazzoo did while rushing to finish dinner.
I served this with some simple grilled chicken sandwiches, but it can stand alone or as a starter course for your meal. Just make a larger batch if you're serving it for a main course.
Including the preparation for the potatoes, this takes about 90 minutes. However, once the potatoes are out of the oven, this was ready in about 30 minutes. Definitely a keeper for weeknights!

Menu for the Week: January 3rd--9th, 2010

2010-01-03T14:22:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year! It's been a while since I posted a new recipe, but I have plenty stored up and ready to go, so as soon as I get my act together, I'll get them all posted. My goal for this blog is to get in the habit of posting one or two new recipes each week, but we all get busy, so we'll see how that goes.

I got plenty of new kitchen toys for Christmas, so I'm anxious to try them out. I also go back to work tomorrow, so we'll be back into a routine after the last few weeks. With packing, moving, unpacking, and holiday parties to contend with, there wasn't much home cooking going on in my new kitchen. Now that "the holidays" are over, we've got plenty of time to cook and test new recpes. AND I've got new cookbooks to play with, too!

But until I update with a new recipe, my menu for the week is like this:

Sunday: Sloppy Joes
Monday: Baked Potato Soup and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Tuesday: Mixed Roast Vegetable & Pasta casserole
Wednesday: (Crockpot) Red wine & cranberry pot roast with mashed potatoes
Thursday: (Crockpot) Harvest Stew
Friday: Chicken Pot Pie
Saturday: Joseph's birthday party

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:49:00.003-06:00

Despite the lack of updates, Frazzoo has been hard at work cooking and baking the last few days! Moving and the holidays haven't dampened my kitchen mojo at all, and I made the most delicious pancakes this morning. I've also got some new kitchen toys to play with!

I hope you're all having a delightful holiday with those you love, and eat lots of goodies today! Christmas comes just once a year!

Menu for the Week: 12/13-12/19

2009-12-13T21:59:00.003-06:00

Well! Here we are again at the start of another long week. I've been a big slacker lately in terms of posting blog updates. Truth be told, I haven't even been taking pictures of some of my new meals. I'm a slacker, baby, but I don't even know who's reading this thing anymore.

::tap tap:: Is this thing on?

I got myself into a sort of funk (Okay I'm lying, let's call it major) a few weeks ago and I'm just now getting my mojo back. I haven't even wanted to bake or use my KA mixer, and naturally I've decided to get myself together a good two weeks before Christmas. FABULOUS.

I think part of the reason I'm getting my mojo back is that we're finally closing on our house this week. This has been a long time coming for us and we're really looking forward to it. We're also celebrating our second wedding anniversary this week, so all in all it's a big one for the G-squad.

BUT...enough rambles. On to the menu.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Easy Chicken & Pasta
Tuesday: Chi Tung anniversary dinner
Wednesday: Meatloaf with mashed potatoes
Thursday: (Closing?) Pork Chops with peppers and onions
Friday: TBD
Saturday: Beef Stew

Menu for the Week: December 6th--12th

2009-12-06T12:59:00.003-06:00

Whew! It's been a while, friends, hasn't it? I neglected to post the menu last week because it was so loose and flexible, and it was all repeats. Ain't nuthin' wrong with repeats, but I didn't really feel it was worth talking about.

It's entirely possible--literally, this time!--that we'll close on our home this week! We've got funds ready to go and our schedules are pretty free right now, so we're more than ready. If you've been following our adventures, you know it's been a roller coaster--almost literally--of back and forth and up and down with our lending agent, so we're really excited to get into our new place and set up our tree and decorate for the holidays. Oh yeah...and move.

I hope you're all enjoying the season! It's taken a sudden and decidedly permenant turn for the worse here in the Chi. It's been nothing but cold and chilly and windy here for the last week or so, so my menu really reflects the warmth we're looking for!

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Cider-Braised Chicken
Monday: Shrimp Scampi with steamed broccoli
Tuesday: Jerk Roast with rice and salad
Wednesday: Crispy Yogurt Chicken
Thursday: Chicken Noodle Soup
Friday: Tortellini with spinach
Saturday: Beef Stew with herb dumplings

Apple "Pancake"

2009-11-24T16:26:00.009-06:00

There are so many things I love. I love my crockpot. I love my husband. I love my friends. But I really, really love autumn. I love the flavors and scents and foods and the chill in the air. It's all so wonderful, isn't it?

I made this for breakfast a few weeks ago when I was suddenly (but happily) home from school because we were closed for 2 days. I was able to sleep in, make a real breakfast, and work in my pjs for half the morning. Yeehaw! Wasn't that the life? This pancake was the perfect thing to kick off our morning, but it wasn't perfect. I'll elaborate down below.

Apple Pancake
(Adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

3 tsp. butter, softened
3-4 whole baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced no more than 1/4 in. thick
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
3 T. all-purpose flour
3 eggs, separated
3 T. milk

Heat oven to 400 F. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cinnamon, mix well, and add apple slices. Cook, stirring constantly, until apples are well coated and softened.

In a large bowl, mix egg whites until stiff. Meanwhile in another bowl, mix vanilla, almond extract, flour, egg yolks, and milk until well combined. When egg whites are stiff, gently fold mixture into egg whites.

Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan, and pour in apple slices. Pour batter over apple slices and gently smooth out the batter with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes. Cake bottom should be lightly browned and slightly puffed up. Remove from oven, and gently loosen cake from the pan. Let cool for a few minutes. When pan is easier to handle, place a plate over cake pan and invert pan onto plate. Cut into slices and serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Notes:

The apples were my favorite part. The cake batter itself was a little to light and bland for me. I think it was the egg whites. Next time, I'll try and make a normal pancake and see if that helps. No matter what, the batter needs to be stiff enough to hold up to the pancake, but a little sweeter for my tastes. Maybe a little sugar is all it needs, or just mixing the eggs whole instead of separating the whites from the yolks.
This smells heavenly while it's baking. It's a pancake that's definitely worth the wait.

Pomegranite Beef Roast

2009-11-24T16:05:00.014-06:00

Have I mentioned that I love my crockpot? Because I really do. It's one of my favorite small appliances, and I look forward to using it all the time. I'm always on the lookout for new recipes and things I can make with it. Anytime I go to a bookstore, I make a beeline for the food and cooking section so I can peruse their selection of crockpot cookbooks. And this blog? I'm a little mad that I didn't think of the idea first, but Stephanie was a much better sport at it than I would ever be, so it works out. I've been reading her blog for a long time now and I've lifted a few recipes from her blog, and each one has been an adventure! This is a new favorite for me, and it was a hit with my husband, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law. The sauce is so wonderful and really tenderized the heck out of my roast! Make this for people you love, like your mom, or dad, or sister, or baby, or favorite blogging friends. :-)

Pomegranite Beef
(Adapted from The Crockpot Lady & Karina)

2.5 lb. beef roast (I used a boneless chuck roast)
Sea Salt
Pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chunked
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. unsweetened pomegranite juice
14 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/8 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Season beef lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a large pot or pan over medium heat and brown the beef on all sides, 5 minutes total. Remove to a platter to cool slightly.

Add a few dashes of olive oil to coat the inside of your crockpot. Return beef to crockpot, and top with onions, garlic, juice, tomatoes, vinegar, and maple syrup. Stir to combine, and add cranberries, raisins, herbs, and cinnamon. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Give it one more big stir, and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8. Enjoy!

Notes:

I served this with roasted red potatoes and a simple green salad. The sauce is great and it's basically all the sweetness you need.
I chose to use a cheaper cut of beef because 1.) I'm cheap, and 2.) it's not really necessary to buy something so expensive because the sauce will really tenderize the roast.
The beef was great, but the onions were my favorite because they absorbed all the juice and were so sweet and savory. What a great combination!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-11-24T15:48:00.005-06:00

It's a well-known fact that I pretty much love everything that has anything to do with fall, and naturally that includes pumpkin. I use it as often as I can in my cooking, but pumpkin is one of those foods that Graham can be picky about so I don't use it as often as I'd like. These pancakes can satisfy the both of us--they're spicy enough for him, and pumpkiny enough for me. They're the perfect treat to enjoy this Thanksgiving morning, provided you're not hosting Thanksgiving dinner!

Pumpkin Pancakes
(Adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

2 c. plus 2 T. cake flour
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. water
2 T. vegetable oil
1 egg

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt. Mix well. In a mixer bowl, combine buttermilk, pumpkin, water, oil, and egg. Mix well until egg is just combined. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well until all combined.

Pour batter onto a greased griddle or into a heated pan. Cook until bottom is heated and cooked through, then flip over and continue cooking. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

Notes:

I liked these, and Graham liked them more than he thought he would, but they were really thick and cakey. I don't know that the cake flour was a wise decision because I couldn't get the batter thin enough. Next time I'll use all-purpose or just one cup of flour. These were nice, but way too thick for my tastes, and the batter just wouldn't thin out.
I added the extra spices, and I'm glad I did. The hint of cinnamon and nutmeg was perfect to wake me up in the morning.
A little more sugar might also do the trick for these, since they weren't very sweet. Maybe a 1/4 c. brown sugar? I'm not terribly adept at baking and pancakes, so anyone else with more experience is a better judge of how to fix these.
The taste isn't horrible, it was just the consistency. If these were a little thinner, I'd be a happy camper!

Menu for the Week

2009-11-24T15:15:00.003-06:00

I know it's late....it's been a busy week, man! We've had house guests, and while we're waiting to close on our house, my kitchen mojo has been all kinds of whacked up. Now that I'm off work for the remainder of the week I've got a little more time to play and get caught up on my blog updates!

Menu for the Week: November 22nd--28th, 2009

Sunday: Pomegranite Beef with roasted red potatoes
Monday: Lemon-Pepper Salmon with potato packets
Tuesday: Brown Sugar chicken w/ baked potatoes
Wednesday: Coriander-Pepper Pork Chops with hot crash potatoes
Thursday: Thanksgiving!
Friday: Pizza Sammies
Saturday: TBD

Menu for the Week: Novemebr 15th--21st

2009-11-15T14:31:00.003-06:00

Well, this past week was a bit of a bust. We're STILL waiting to close on our house, and still no word on when that will happen, so we're packing lightly and putting away non-essentials, but the kitchen is still stocked to high heaven, so there's no shortage of meals coming from my oven.

Because this past week was so crazy and up and down, I didn't really have time to blog the recipes I tried, and I didn't really have the energy to get them done, even if I'd had the time. Hopefully this week is a little better for me/us, and I can get back to posting some of my recipes.

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Italian Beef sandwiches
Tuesday: Baked Mac & Cheese (Graham's at a meeting)
Wednesday: Chicken & Rice casserole
Thursday: Lemon-Pepper salmon with potato packets and salmon
Friday: "Candy Chicken" and baked potatoes
Saturday: Pomegranite beef with roasted red potatoes and salad

Menu for the Week: Nov. 8-14th

2009-11-08T15:25:00.001-06:00

With just a few more weeks before The Holidays come at us full force, I'm taking it easy in the kitchen and just enjoying my baking and cooking. The next few weeks will probably be busy ones for us, so in the interest of saving my time and my sanity, I'm going to be cooking up some old favorites and breaking open a new world of one-pot meals. I'm a viking like that.

I've got a busy week with parent-teacher conferences (joy of joys), so Friday is up in the air and Thursday is looming as well (more on that later). So this week I'm taking it easy because I can. So there.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Tuesday: Beef Stew
Wednesday: Baked Chicken & potatoes
Thursday: Spicy Valentine's Day Pasta
Friday: TBD
Saturday: Chili

My Marinara Sauce

2009-11-08T11:13:00.010-06:00

I love a good marinara sauce. I like to make my own rather than buying the jars because it's so easy, the leftovers always reheat well, and if I'm smart and plan ahead, I can store it in the fridge or freezer and use it just as I would a jar of store-bought marinara sauce. That being said, the jars of prepared sauce can be super handy to have around and certain brands are really tasty. But I'm a do-it-yourselfer, and I really enjoy preparing my own marinara.

This is a basic recipe, and depending on the day I'll change it up and add or change elements of the sauce. However, this one is a winner and it's pretty easy to customize to your tastes and it's easy to double for crowds, too.

Marinara al Frazzoo
(Frazzoo's recipe)

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
1/4 c. wine
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato paste
Salt & pepper
Pinch of sugar
Oregano: 1 T. dried or 1 tsp. fresh
Basil: 1 T. dried or a hand full of leaves, chiffonaded

Heat olive oil in a saucepan for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute around 10 minutes until soft, fragrant, and translucent. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes--watch carefully so it doesn't burn. When garlic is soft, add tomatos and tomato paste to the pot and mix well. Add the red wine to the pot and deglaze (scrape up the brown bits of deliciousness).

Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a touch of sugar, stir well, and add your herbs. Stir to combine everything, and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Add more salt, pepper, oregano, whatever if necessary, and serve over your favorite pasta.

Notes:

Sometimes I fry up some pancetta and add that to the sauce, but it's hard to come by around here. Red pepper flakes are a good addition to this sauce, too.
I use red or white wine, depending on what I have. Either works well in this sauce.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

2009-11-07T14:24:00.007-06:00

I'm always a little late to jump on the food blog bandwagon with recipes. This one was really popular about 6 months ago and I was intrigued but never got around to making it. Earlier this week I knew we'd have a busy Wednesday--we each had work meetings--so it was naturally the perfect time to bust out my crockpot.

This is great and comes together super fast. All you do is mix everything together and stir well, then set your crockpot and go to work or do your laundry or haul your recycling to the bins in the park. This recipe is a mix of a few different recipes I've seen online. Most call for Cream of Something soup and I wasn't sure how we'd like the creamy mixture, so I left it out and it was a decision I was glad I made. We both liked this, and it will be going on rotation in our house.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken
(Frazzoo original)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 jars chunky salsa (pick your own heat)
1 14 oz. jar of black beans, drained
2 c. frozen corn

Optional:
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 pepper, diced
1 c. sour cream

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in crockpot and add salsa, beans, and corn. (Now is the time to add the optional ingredients if you're using them.) Stir it all together and cook on low 6-9 hours, or high for 4-5. Serve with rice.

Notes:

I used the taco seasoning and diced up a red AND green pepper to add to the dish. I'm a rebel, baby. I didn't use the sour cream because once again, Graham tries to avoid anything "creamy". However, you can always top this with a dollop of cream and live it up.
I felt that this was actually pretty low-fat. The chicken is lean, and if you use lower fat ingredients, you're golden.
With serving, you have 2 options. You can shred the chicken and serve as tacos, or you can do what I did since I was ready to EAT after coming home from my meeting: just serve it up right on your plate and munch on the extra salsa/corn/bean mixture with fried up tortilla chips.
Chicken thighs are also a good alternative (and they're cheaper!) but they don't dry out as quickly as chicken breasts do, so you can get away with one jar of salsa.
I used a jar and a half because I had a half jar sitting in my fridge. Some recipes suggested adding water to help keep the chicken moist, but the salsa did a dang good job of that.
I used all mild ingredients and this was *still* too spicy for my husband. However, I thought this was great and if I was going to make it for me and some girlfriends, I'd up the spice content and go for "medium" at least.

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-11-06T19:19:00.012-06:00

I really love butternut squash soup. I'd never even heard of it until I worked a year in a boarding school and the cook made it for dinner one night. From then on I was hooked, and we had some absolutely phenomenal butternut squash soup on our honeymoon in Galena. I've been itching to make it for a while and I decided that this week was perfect...and naturally, it was 60 degrees today. Ah, nature.

This soup was really great, and it'd be perfect for a chilly fall night. It's warm and filling and exactly what I was looking for. I looked around online and compared various recipes and decided that creating my own would be way more fun.

Butternut Squash Soup
(Angie original)

1 whole butternut squash, medium sized
1 c. water
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. butter
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced thin
2 c. vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 T. maple syrup
Salt and pepper
Slivered almonds, toasted
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 350 F. Chop the squash in half--firmly plant the sucker bulb-side down onto a cutting board and give it a hefty "Hi-yah!" to chop it in half. Scoop out the seeds and membrane and place the squash halves face down on a baking sheet. Poor in a cup of water and roast halves in oven for 30 minutes, or until they're fork tender.

When squash is tender, remove from oven and set aside. Allow halves to cool until they're comfortable to touch and hold for a few moments. Scoop out the flesh and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large pot, about 2 minutes. Add leeks and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add squash to pot, followed by broth and bay leaf. Mix together and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Add maple syrup to pot, stir well, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Taste for seasonings and add a dash more salt or pepper if necessary. Pour contents of pot into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree soup until smooth. Stir in fresh parsley and top almonds.

Notes:

This was really nice and velvety. I loved the texture and how warm and buttery it was.
A dash of salt and pepper is really all you need, any more and the salt cuts in on the natural sweetness of the squash.
I'd like to try different blends of seasonings to compliment the squash, so I'll have to do some experimenting. Thankfully when they're in season, a butternut squash is only about 78 cents at my local produce market!
If you don't have an immersion blender and have to pour your soup into a blender, I'd suggest pouring it back into the pot and heating it through. I tasted my soup shortly after I threw it in the blender, and it had definitely cooled down. If you DO have an immersion blender, just keep the heat on low until it's pureed to your desired consistency.

Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs

2009-11-01T20:05:00.012-06:00

A long time ago, I picked up some chicken thighs at the grocery store because they were on sale. I had no clue what to do with them, so I spent some time researching online and found this recipe from Emeril Lagasse. It is one of our favorites and last week I realized I hadn't made it in a long time, so I chose to whip it up before Graham flew away for the rest of the week. I've actually blogged this before but never took a picture, so here it is!

It comes together quickly and is incredibly flavorful. It's very impressive, and it's one I keep handy to make when someone special is coming for dinner.

Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs
(Adapted from Emeril)

4-6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, cloves smashed
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. white wine
1 lb. angel hair pasta
3 T. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
3 T. butter

Heat oven to 350 F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot add the chicken and brown well on both sides, around six minutes total. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook, scraping up any brown bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, a pinch salt, and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute. Add lemon juice, chicken stock, wine, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring mixture to a healthy simmer.

Once mixture has reached a simmer, cover tightly. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes more, or until cooked through and tender.

While the chicken is baking, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and remove to a bowl. Add parsley and butter and toss well to coat.

Serve chicken over pasta and drizzle with cooking liquid. Top with additional parsley and enjoy!

Notes:

This time I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. I definitely prefer the bone in, skin on variety, but you use what's available, ya know?
These little guys are full of flavor, and they make for an impressive presentation. They go great with pasta or jasmine rice.
Because these cook so quickly, you can whip up a salad and work on your pasta while these are in the oven, or you can entertain your guests while these are baking and you look like a superstar host!

Pasta with tomato cream sauce: Penne a la Betsey

2009-11-01T19:36:00.009-06:00

I've heard ravings about this recipe from The Pioneer Woman and I have been wanting to try it for a while now. With Graham out of town, it was practically meant for me to make it! I ate this Friday night before my school's Halloween party, and it was perfect. It was filling without weighing me down, and it was nice and warming without being too out of season.

I didn't love it, but there's plenty of room for modificationgs so you can adjust it to your liking. I'm glad I finally got to try this, especially since it's gotten rave reviews on the cooking message boards I visit! It's a good one.

"Penne a la Betsey"
(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

1/2 pound pasta (penne, campanelle, rigatoni)
2 T. butter
Olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. white wine
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. heavy cream
1 T. basil
1 T. parsley
1 T. oregano
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Any pasta with ridges or sauce holding capabilities works well. Drain (don't rinse!) and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, work on your sauce.

Dice an onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Heat butter and a few drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook 5-8 minutes stirring occassionally until soft. Add wine to skillet and cook until reduced by half.

Add tomato sauce and stir well until completely combined. Add cream and mix well until completely combined. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer. Dice your herbs (if using fresh) and mince well. Add parsley, basil, and oregano to sauce and stir to evenly distribute herbs. Add cooked pasta to sauce, give it a good stir, and enjoy.

Notes:

I used some campanelle I had laying around. I have used it before, and it's a great pasta for holding sauce. Campanelle roughly translates into "little bell" and the little skirt is actually better for holding meatier sauces, but it works fine in this instance, too.
PW uses grilled, chopped shrimp in her sauce. I didn't find any decent shrimp at the store, frozen or otherwise, that weren't covered in some sort of batter and fried. I didn't feel like hunting, so I left them out. This would be delcious with some grilled shrimp, or even with the addition of some ground beef. The sauce can definitely stand up to a meat product.
Fresh herbs really help make this dish, but if you don't have them, use dried. Fresh oregano is pretty powerful stuff, so use a teaspoon or two if you can find fresh, but a tablespoon of dried is fine.

Easy, breesy, cheesy...eggs!

2009-11-01T18:53:00.010-06:00

I love eggs, and I order an omlet or skillet or something similar everytime we go out for breakfast. I don't make them nearly enough at home because Graham doesn't really like egg dishes. If I'm going to go through the trouble of making a breakfast for us, why not make something we can both enjoy, like pancakes? But because Graham was going to be out of town, I figured I could treat myself on Saturday morning with some delcious, cheesy eggs.

This is one of my favorite breakfast foods. When I was in high school I swore I'd "invented" this dish, but it's just a nice variation on a classic. It's simple and comforting and amazing because you can adjust the seasoings and cheeses as you see fit.

Cheesy Egg Omlet
(Angie original)

4 eggs (I always use large, it's just what I keep in my fridge)
A splash milk (probably 1 & 1/2 tsp.)
Salt and pepper
2 T. butter
Cheese

Heat a pan over medium or medium-low heat. In a small bowl, mix together eggs, milk, and a pinch salt and pepper. Mix well.

Melt butter in skillet. Coat well. Add egg mixture to pan. Add cheese to pan, and stir gently. (Either tear the cheese into pieces if using slices/singles, or in small pinches if using shredded.)

Keep stirring eggs gently until eggs are done and aren't runny and cheese is completely melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Notes:

For this, I used.....velveeta! There's just something about that processed cheese food that pulls at me. It's been a long time favorite, and when I saw blocks of velveeta on sale at the grocery store a few weeks ago, I couldn't stop myself. It's not gourmet, and it's not fancy, but it's comforting, gosh darnit.
This can be made with any kind of cheese you like. I prefer a mixture of mild and sharp cheddar, or jack cheese....mmmmmm, that's good stuff. I use either a thick slice or shred my own.
When I'm feeling especially ambitious, I'll dice up half an onion and a bell pepper and saute those in the butter before I add the eggs to the pan. It's just a nice touch.

Creamed Spinach

2009-11-01T18:06:00.012-06:00

I love creamed spinach. I mean, I really love creamed spinach. So much so that when Graham told me he wouldn't eat it, even if I begged, my jaw dropped and I thought he was joking. I really love creamed spinach (I'd probably make it every week if I could) so the fact that Graham won't touch it makes me so, so sad. When he told me he was going out of town, I knew it was the one thing I had to make, even if I didn't eat anything else.

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman. It's not my favorite creamed spinach, but it's pretty darn good. I'm so glad I got to eat some (it's been a while, man), and if nothing else, I've got a decent recipe in my arsenal for later, and maybe I'll have another opportunity to make some creamed spinach!

Creamed Spinach
(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

1 stick butter
8 T. all-purpose flour
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. milk
Salt and pepper
2 T. butter
24 oz. baby spinach

Melt 1 stick butter over medium in a small pot. Stir in flour and whisk togehter. This creates your roux. Cook around 5 minutes until mixture is golden brown, stirring occassionally. Add onion and garlic and stir together for 1 minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes.Lower heat and let stand to thicken.

In a large pot, melt remaining butter. Add spinach in large handfuls until all incorporated and cook until it's wilted but with a bit of a crunch to it. This should take about 5 minutes.

Season your cream sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach to cream sauce and combine well.

Serve with steak and enjoy life.

Notes:

I served this with chicken, but this would be great with steak or pork chops and a baked potato.
PW suggests serving with nutmeg, and while I left it out, I imagine it'd add a nice little kick without being overpowering.
I want to sub heavy cream for this instead of milk and just see how it tastes. My mixture was a little runny--just a little--but I think that was the combination of the butter and the milk, and milk just isn't as thick as the cream so it doesn't 'bind' as well. Cream would make it a little less waistline friendly, but it's creamed spinach--it's not gonna be waistline friendly.
This took all of 15 minutes to prepare and serve. Amazing! Why don't I make this more often? Oh, yeah....

Spinach & Artichoke Chicken

2009-11-01T17:48:00.005-06:00

This is one of my favorites! The original recipe comes from my friend Joelen, and I've adapted it just a touch to fit my tastes. It's easy and comes together pretty quickly. Because it bakes in the oven, you can work on a side dish on the stove and they'll both be done around the same time. Genius!

Spinach & Artichoke Chicken
(Adapted from Joelen)

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 14 oz. can chopped artichoke hearts, drained
1 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. low fat sour cream
1/4 c. low fat (or regular) mayonnaise
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Breadcrumb topping:

1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated parm

Heat oven to 350 F.

Boil spinach and artichokes in water under tender. Drain, discard liquid, and set spinach and artichokes aside.

In microwave, heat cream cheese for 30-40 seconds, until soft. Stir well, and mix in sour cream, mayo, and parmesan cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir in garlic powder. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Mix together with spinach and artichokes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Meanwhile, lightly toast panko breadcrumbs over low heat, stirring frequently. When breadcrumbs are light-golden brown, remove from heat and mix with remaining parm.

Season chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon spinach and artichoke mixture over chicken and spread to cover. Sprinkle breadcrumb topping over spinach mixture and pat down lightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes until juices run clear.

OR.....

(rewind)

Before seasoning chicken with salt and pepper, butterfly the chicken breasts. Stuff lightly with spinach mixture, close up chicken breasts, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb and parm topping, and bake as above.

Notes:

Out of curiosity, I decided to prep my chicken both ways. I like the presentation of the stuffed chicken and I like how the mixture sort of oozes out of the chicken a little as you slice into it. But I found that you get a little more of the spinach topping if you spread the "dip" over the chicken instead of inside it, so that's my preferred method of preparation.
You can use low-fat or light products entirely for this, but your dip will be a little runnier. Mix in a little extra cheese to thicken it up.
I really love the lightness of the panko and I really love the crunch you get! It's so much more satisfying than plain ole breadcrumbs. However, panko can be hard to find in some stores (either with the breadcrumbs or in the international foods aisle) so plain breadcrumbs are fine too. Toasting them will brighten the flavor and make them taste a little richer, and it darkens their color so they look a little more "done".

Menu for the Week: November 1--7th, 2009

2009-11-01T17:31:00.004-06:00

I promise, there are updates coming! I made everything on my menu for this past week and photographed them all, but Graham took my laptop to Minneapolis with him, and during that time I discovered that I no longer like updating this blog on anything other than "my" laptop. So really, when it's time for a new laptop, I'll be looking for one very similar to this one.

Now that Graham is home, it's back to some of our usual fare. I have to say, I missed Graham a lot while he was gone, but I was happy to have a few days to be selfish with my food and make all the foods I can't make while he's around. I have much to say, my friends. Much indeed. :-)

As for this week's menu....

Sunday: Yummy, delicious leftovers
Monday: Spaghetti & meatballs
Tuesday: Italian beef sandwiches
Wednesday: Crockpot salsa chicken with rice
Thursday: Whiskey glazed pork chops
Friday: Butternut squash soup & sandwiches
Saturday: Ina's pot roast

Menu for the Week: October 25th--31st

2009-10-24T19:16:00.004-05:00

Last week of October already? Where did the time go? Oh, that's right. I've been baking up a storm in my kitchen with the 1 1/2 pecks of apples I have left. Look for muffins and coffee cake in the next day or two, and scones as well. Life is good, my friends.

Graham is going to be out of town this week, which means....GIRL FOOD GALORE. He's going to Minneapolis for a conference and I've unfortunately got to stay home and work. It's okay, though, as this means I get to make some of my favorite foods and try some new recipes and enjoy delicious and creamy pastas and soups that he won't normally eat. I'll miss him, but this week I'm going to be reunited with some of my favorite comfort foods, and who doesn't love that?

Look for some new recipes this week, as well as some old favorites.

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Birthday dinner with mom
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs with salad and pasta
Wednesday: Spinach Tortellini with red pepper risotto
Thursday: Spinach & Artichoke Chicken with creamed spinach
Friday: Penne alla Betsey
Saturday breakfast: Eggs and cheese
Saturday lunch: Broccoli Cheese Soup

Apple Maple Muffins

2009-10-24T19:03:00.007-05:00

I first made these last fall and they had definite potential, but I wasn't crazy about them. I made a few adaptations and I love the final result! They're soft and flavorful and without the touch of dryness that I didn't like last year. Topped with a maple glaze and they're perfect for breakfast on a chilly fall morning.

Apple Maple Muffins

1 & 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. quick cooking oats
2/3 c. white sugar
1 T. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. apple cider
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. real maple syrup (NOT the pancake stuff)
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 to 4 apples, peeled and diced

Maple Glaze:

1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. real maple syrup

Heat oven to 400. Grease or line a muffin pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, combine milk, apple cider, butter, maple syrup, apple, and egg. Stir into dry ingredients until combined, and gently stir in diced apples.

Fill muffin cups to 3/4 full with muffin batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the glaze, combine maple syrup and sugar until well-mixed, and drizzle over warm but not hot muffins.

Notes:

Last year, I made the muffins using the maple syrup I had laying around, which was Mrs. Butterworth's or something like that. The muffins didn't really have a maple flavor (which was okay) and the glaze did not work at all. I didn't realize it at the time, but pancake syrup and real maple syrup are two different entities. Using real maple syrup makes all the difference in the world. The muffins had a distinct maple undertone and the maple glaze packs a nice, subtle punch. The lesson? Use real maple syrup. It's worth it, and your muffins will thank you.
The cinnamon makes these feel like a warm hug. :-) I love the way they smelled in the oven, and it smelled like apples and cinnamon before I took the muffins out.
These make your house smell fabulous. Whip up a bunch before guests come over and it'll smell better than Martha's house at Christmas.

Pumpkin Penne Pasta

2009-10-21T21:12:00.009-05:00

Do you ever have those moments where you crave something you tried at a restaurant? So much so that you actually call the restaurant and ask for the recipe? A few years ago my family went to a fabulous Italian restaurant in my mom's old neighborhood. I ordered the pasta with pumpkin spice cream sauce and it was divine--even more so thant the divine Miss M. I woke up last week begging for it, but a trip to B's isn't in the near future, so over the weekend I decided to call the restaurant and see if they had a copy of the recipe. I read about Annie doing it a few months ago and figured that the worst thing that could happen was that they said no. Unfortunately, the man behind the recipe no longer works for them, but there was another cook in the kitchen who remembered the recipe and gave me what he could remember. I was so pumped to try it out that waiting for Wednesday was hard as hell.

This is pretty damn good if I do say so myself. I was a little disappointed in the mild pumpkin flavor, but that can be fixed. This is perfect for fall and isn't too heavy or spicy. Definitely a repeater for me!

Pumpkin Penne
(Courtesy Bacchanalia Chicago, adapted)

1 lb. penne pasta (or any pasta that holds sauce well)
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bay leaf
4 leaves fresh sage, minced (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 c. white wine
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. heavy cream
Approx. 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Approx. 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Don't rinse--throw a towel over cooked pasta to keep warm.

While the water for the pasta is boiling, heat a few tablespoons olive oil over medieum heat. Saute onion for around 3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and saute about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Off the heat, add the wine to the pan. Submerge the bay leaf and toss in the sage. Stir and mix well, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Wine should reduce down.

Add chicken stock and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Bring to a healthy simmer, stirring often. If mixture starts to burn reduce heat. Add cream and mix well.

Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add seasonings as desired. (This is a balancing act. Depending on your tastes, you might want more spice, salt, or cinnamon and nutmeg. Taste as you go and stop when you're satisfied.)

Once sauce has been well-seasoned to your liking, let sauce simmer together while pasta finishes cooking, no more than 15 minutes. Reduce heat and cover for no more than 15 minutes.

When pasta is ready and sauce has thickened, add pasta to sauce, mix well to coat, and serve with crusty white bread and a green salad.

Notes:

The pumpkin flavor was much milder than I remember it being. I didn't get my spice balance exactly right, so I need to play with it. Maybe 1/2 tsp. of spices is necessary?
The spice measurements are approximate because the cook I spoke with on the phone didn't have exact measurements, he just said "Season it well with nutmeg and cinnamon." So, I winged it. It's really taste specific.
If you use a whole pound of pasta, you probably won't have enough sauce. I wanted more, so next time I'll either double the recipe or use half a box of pasta.
Start small with the dried sage. I'm fortunate enough to have a healthy bunch still growing in my garden (though my basil plants are resting in pieces) so I snipped 4 leaves and did a rough mince. Dried sage can be potent stuff, so start small and stop when you're happy.
Next time I'll use more wine and less chicken stock. I was bummed that the sauce didn't have much of a winey aftertaste, and that's something I really enjoy when I use wine in my pasta sauce.

Works For Me Wednesday: Chopping Block Cleaning

2009-10-21T00:08:00.002-05:00

One of the most debated topics in the kitchen world is the use or abandon of butcher block style cutting boards. There are plenty of resources available on which cutting boards are the best and safest for you and your family, but this trick is one I've used for years and it's simple, eco-friendly, and makes your kitchen smell fresh and clean with only 5 minutes of work. What can be easier? The answer, my friends, lies within the fruit of the lemon.

Start with a dirty butcher block. This one had a number of raw veggies hacked to pieces on it before they met their demise in my dinner. They took one for the team.

Roll a fresh lemon back and forth on a flat surface. Note that your hands are really pale but be too lazy to care. Basically what you're trying to do is rev the lemon's engine. Rolling a citrus fruit back and forth and applying some pressure will get the juices flowing and make the fruit juicier.

Now take a dirty knife that's been busy chopping potatoes and slice your lemon in half. You're can use a small lemon, but a medium sized one works well too.

Behold the lemon and breathe in that fresh lemon scent that everyone tries to bottle. Give thanks for fresh fruit and farmer's markets.

Once again, note that your hands are too pale for camera work and that you really need a manicure. Start at one end of your cutting board and place the lemon cut side down.

Holding the lemon down, slide it back and forth across your cutting surface. Squeeze here and there to release a little juice if necessary. You WANT the lemon juice to get down into the grooves of the cutting surface.

Keep going, and when your lemon half runs out of steam, switch to the second lemon half. It's just that simple!

Behold your chemical-free and clean cutting surface. Give thanks for citus juices.

There will probably be some leftover pieces of pulp on your cutting surface that you can wipe up with a towel or just wait 5 minutes and they'll dry and you can pick 'em off with your fingers. This is a great way to use up an extra lemon or lemon half if you've got an extra, or you can buy a lemon specifically for this purpose. Good, fresh lemons will last up to 2 weeks and you can put them in a bowl on your table for a fresh smelling centerpiece and pick them as you need them. I always pick up 1-2 lemons each week because I use this countertop butcher block at least once a week when I'm too lazy to dig up my vegetable cutting board. I never use the wood block for meat, but it's good when I need to chop up an onion or quickly smash some garlic.

I saw an episode of Food Detectives a few months ago that basically said it's not the material your cutting surface is made of so much as the age of your cutting surface. Older plastic cutting boards can hold more bacteria than new wood chopping blocks, so be sure you're cleaning your goods with hot water and soap, and get yourself a new one when it starts showing signs of age. You don't need anything fancy; I have 2: one for meat and fish and one for fruits and veggies, so I avoid any cross contamination.

If you're skeptical of this cleaning method, think of it this way: you're eating what goes on that cutting board. If you don't want E. coli or ebola or Malaysian Flu from your cutting board (and really, who does?) it's in your best interests to keep it clean. Using a fresh lemon to clean your cutting board is an eco-friendly way to kill off any lingering germs without introducing chemicals into your diet inadvertently. And, if you're still skeptical....I've been cleaning my cutting boards with this method for years and I've never once gotten a food-borne illness from anything I've prepared or laid on my chopping block.

See you next Wednesday with (hopefully) a new tip! And visit other WFMW blog posts!

ETA: Go here to visit all the other WFMW blog posts! (Scroll down.)

Menu for the Week: October 18th--24th, 2009

2009-10-18T09:17:00.001-05:00

I have to say, October is my favorite month. I love the springtime, but I love October and the yummy fall foods that come with it, in addition to the colors and the crispness to the air. When I spent a weekend in Los Angeles, Abi commented that one of the things she missed most about the Midwest was the changing leaves and the coolness to the whole season. I think that's what I'd miss too, no matter where I lived.

As I was working on the menu for the week, I realized that I've made just about everything here at least once but I've neglected to blog just about all of them. Go figure. Luckily for you, that means plenty to read when you should be working or sleeping or cleaning or whatever it is you should be doing when you're reading my blog.

This weekend we're being very chill and hanging out. Yesterday we changed over all our wedding to the cold weather stuff (as much as I hate snow, I do love my flannel sheets) and today we're going apple picking and pumpkin finding. We're so disgustingly cheesy! I've already got a long list of things I want to make once I finally get some apples picked, so look out!

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Antioxidant vegetable stew
Tuesday: Parmesan Chicken with risotto
Wednesday: Pumpkin Pasta
Thursday: Pork carnitas in the crockpot
Friday: Pizza and bowling party
Saturday: Chicken & dumplings

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-10-15T19:37:00.011-05:00

I last made pot pies in late winter and wasn't totally satisfied with the results. It was good, but I knew I could do better. So naturally, I decided to challenge myself. I looked at a number of recipes online and found a bunch of elements that I liked and decided to combine my favorite from each.

The crust is Ina Garten's recipe. I don't do well with whipping up pastries and baked goods on the fly like so many others, so using a tried and true recipe was a better bet for me. Maybe some day I'll feel strong enough to play with my own dough recipe, but for now Ina is my girl.

This is a really filling, thick meal and it's perfect for cold nights. It's a little intensive for a weeknight meal, but if you can make the dough one night and the pie filling the next, you're a better, more prepared human being than I.

Chicken Pot Pie
(Angie original)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 c. chicken stock
1 T. demi-glace/Better Than Boullion
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
6 T. unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
3/4 all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. heavy cream
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. frozen corn
1 T. dried thyme

Pastry dough:
(Ina Garten)

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 c. ice water
1 egg mixed with 1 T. water (egg wash)

Poach chicken breasts in enough water to cover by one inch. Bring water to a boil, add chicken, cover, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pastry. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with the mixing/metal blade. Add the shortening and butter coat quickly using your hands to coat each piece with flour. Pulse 10-15 times until butter and shortening are the size of peas. Set the food processor to run and add the water until the dough just comes together--not too dry, not too moist. Throw out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.

When chicken is cooked, drain and remove to a board and allow it to cool just long enough for it to be easy to handle without burning your fingers. Dice up the chicken into cubes and allow to rest.

Heat chicken stock to a gentle simmer and stir in the demi-glace. When chicken stock is going, add the carrots and allow them to simmer with the stock and absorb some of the stock.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium heat until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat and stir constantly for 2 minutes until all lumps are gone and you have a thick roux. Season with salt and pepper and add roux to simmering pot of stock. Mix well. Add cream and stir 2 minutes, constantly, until thick.

Add chicken to pot, followed by celery, peas, corn, and thyme. Mix well and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish (a large one works best).

Heat oven to 400 F.

Remove pastry crust from fridge, and dump onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch thickness and carefully roll onto the casserole. Crimp the dough over the sides of the casserole. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape, and brush with the egg wash. Cook for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Notes:

This is pretty labor intensive, but it's a good one to make ahead and freeze.
The vegetables will be crisp-tender when you take the pie out of the oven. I liked them that way, but I have a texture thing and I don't really like when vegetables are mushy. If you prefer them softer, saute them in the butter when you saute the onion.
Broccoli florets will also work well in this but I didn't have any laying around.
I really prefered this to my last attempt at chicken pot pie, and it's an awesome comfort food for the winter.

English Muffin Pizzas

2009-10-14T21:41:00.008-05:00

No, I'm totally serious. I made the simplest thing on the planet and blogged it. BAM!

While we were camping, I asked Graham what he wanted to eat this week and as always, he said he'd "think about it." Afterwards, my sister-in-law, Robyn, and I started talking food (naturally!) and we got on the topic of these little beauties. We both agreed that they're beyond ridiculously simple and beyond delicious for a quick snack or a dinner, and Graham said, "English Muffin Pizzas? I'm intruguied. Menu item!"

These were my favorite of favorite camp foods back in the day. I loved being able to build them myself and "cook" my dinner, and the 10 minutes these beauties sat in the toaster oven were the longest 10 minutes of the weekend. To ease us back into the real world after 4 days in the wilderness, I decided "the hell with it" and made some simple, easy comfort food that's both filling and nostalgic (for me at least). These are so simple that if you've never made them, you're going to wonder why the heck you've never made them before. Trust Frazzoo: I know of what I speak.

English Muffin Pizzas
(Angie adaptation of a classic/what I could remember from camp)

3 English muffins (I prefer the kind with the nooks and crannies, but I'm becoming a bread snob)
6 T. marinara sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
6 tsp. Italian seasoning (roughly)
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 F.

Split your English muffins and lay each half on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spread 2 tablespoons of your marinara on each muffin half.

Lightly season the marinara with the garlic and onion powders and approx. 1 tsp. Italian seasoning.

Load up your muffins with shredded mozzarella--as much as you want, really. Pop those bad boys in the oven for 15-20 minutes and yank 'em out before the cheese burns. Let them cool for a bit and enjoy with your favorite beer.

Notes:

1 muffin is usually pretty good for a serving if it's a snack, I use 3 halves for a meal. Basically, 1-2 muffins is good for a per person serving.
You can use bagged or fresh mozz, whatever floats your boat. There's no exact measurement for the cheese because I was shredding to my heart's desire and I likes me some cheese on mah pizza.
Like red pepper and parm on your pizza? Add away, my friends. Add away.

Back from camp!

2009-10-12T19:45:00.004-05:00

We had a great weekend at camp with the family. It was great to just spend the weekend and chill and hang out together. We even went "fishing"-- I stayed behind and read a book and napped while everyone else fished. :-) It was a fun time, but we're glad to be back and we're hoping that the weather this coming weekend cooperates so we can get some of our fall weekend activities out of the way before Graham goes on his trip to Minnesota at the end of the month.

Menu for the Week: October 12th--17th, 2009

Sunday: We wuz campin'
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: English Muffin Pizzas
Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie
Thursday: Meatloaf w/ roasted red potatoes and salad
Friday: Chicken Cacciatore & polenta
Saturday: Beef stew

Menu for the Week: October 4th--10th, 2009

2009-10-04T12:37:00.001-05:00

October is my favorite month. I love the changing leaves and crisp weather and I love the fact that it all culminates with Halloween. This year I'm throwing myself a mini party since Graham will be out of town for the last few days of the month, but more on that later. Right now, the menu is consisting of some of my favorite comfort foods because it's finally gotten cool enough to fire up the oven and make some hearty meals.

Naturally, because it's gotten cool and I can finally make some of these dishes, we're going away for the next weekend. Oh well. :-) It'll be worth it, because we're going camping with my entire family of in-laws, which I haven't done ever, and the family hasn't done since before all their kids were in college. It'll be a good time, and I've already purchased provisions for s'mores!

This week is full of repeats, but they're all good, hearty meals. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Meatloaf
Tuesday: Herb Roasted Chicken & potatoes
Wednesday: Crockpot stew
Thursday: Chicken in a white wine sauce.

Steamed Green Beans with toasted pecans

2009-10-03T17:36:00.005-05:00

I make steamed green beans all the time--at least three times a month. They're so easy and delicious. All I usually do is sprinkle on a little salt or pepper or whatever spice looks good to me at the moment, steam them for about 7 minutes, and I've got a delicious and healthy side dish. Steaming vegetables is a lot healthier than boiling, and once you steam some corn or green beans, you'll never look at the canned stuff again!

On occassion, I like to change it up and add something to my steamed veggies. I go to this one pretty often because I love the combination, and it's a great savory side for the fall. It requires a touch more work than just dumping the veggies into the steamer, but that's a-okay with me.

Steamed Green Beans with toasted pecans
(Angie original)

As many green beans as you like
Salt & pepper
1 c. pecan halves
Extra virgin olive oil

Rinse green beans and pat dry. Prep green beans by cutting off the stick-like stem. Season with salt and pepper. Steam for 5-7 minutes and remove steamer basket from over the water ASAP.

While green beans are steaming, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecan halves to the green beans and toast until done (no more than 5 minutes). Once you smell the pecans, remove from heat right away.

In a bowl, combine green beans with pecan halves. Drizzle on a little olive oil (maybe 1/4 tsp?), season lightly with salt, and mix well. Serve and enjoy.

Notes:

That's it, dudes! I love making this side because it's so, so simple.
Walnuts are also a good substitue in case you don't like pecans.
This should go without saying, but if you're allergic to nuts....stay away, huh?
Steaming is one of the easiest ways to prepare fresh vegetables. It's healthier than boiling, and it keeps them crisp and delicious. Boiling extracts the flavor and the nutrients from vegetables, steaming just enhances.

Potato Packets

2009-10-03T17:21:00.005-05:00

These little packets remind me so much of Girl Scout camp. I loved going to camp, and I loved being able to make food by wrapping it up in a piece of tin foil and letting it sit in the oven or on a grill and then being able to say I made part or all of my dinner. Foil packets were always a camp favorite, probably because they were so easy for the leaders to prepare and toss on the grill. And clean up? Beyond easy.

Because we're going camping in a week, I got a little nostalgic for Girl Scout camp and I decided to make foil packet throwbacks. This time I just did potatoes, but you can do just about anything--sturdy vegetables work best, though.

These are totally simple and great for busy nights. Just put it all in foil and let the oven do the work!

Potato Packets
(Angie original)

1 potato per person
1/2 an onion per person
Sheets of tin foil
2 T. butter per person
1 or 2 T. milk
Salt and pepper
Thyme, dried or fresh

Heat oven to 350 F.

Slice each potato into chunks. A medium-sized dice is what you're looking for. Dice up each onion half into a smallish dice.

Grab your tin foil and roll up the sides a bit to create a boat. Add the potatoes and onions to the packet and top with pats of butter. Season generously with salt and pepper, and splash in milk. Sprinkle on thyme.

Roll up sides of the packets and seal the edges tightly. Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes and serve right on the plates.

Notes:

These were just as fun to throw together as I remembered! I loved working on these and I couldn't wait until they were done.
Because these are diced up, you don't really need to worry about "the fork test". They'll cook a little faster because they're chopped up.
These are a great side for steak or pork chops or just about anything you can grill. Once these go in the oven you don't need to worry about them until dinner time!
I prefer dried thyme, but you can use thyme, chives, rosemary, parsley, dill...whatever herb makes your skirt fly up, basically.

Menu for the Week: 9/27-10/3/09

2009-09-29T18:12:00.002-05:00

So, about the delay in posting. I was lucky enough to spend the weekend in LA with my best friend, Abi, and creating a menu wasn't exactly "on my mind". I worked on it a little bit last week, but come Wednesday night (I left on Thursday) I wasn't even close to focusing on it. Hopefully next week I won't have that problem, but for this week, I let myself be a slacker.

Menu for the Week: September 27th--October 3rd, 2009

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Subway (We were out late)
Tuesday: Hamburger Helper (Don't judge....I'm still recovering)
Wednesday: Sweet & Sour Chicken with jasmine rice
Thursday: Steak & baked potatoes
Friday: Pot roast
Saturday: Probably something fast or leftovers

Menu for the Week: September 20th-26th

2009-09-20T17:47:00.004-05:00

Phew! I'm almost caught up on my blog updates. I've got one I'm definitely going to do, and another I'm on the fence about. In the meantime, here's the menu for this week. It's a lighter menu, but that's because I'm going to Los Angeles at the end of the week to visit my best friend! I'm so excited, and I can't wait until my plane touches down at LAX. Graham is sticking around here, and I've already planned a casserole to make for him that he can heat up while I'm gone. He might go out or go to his parents one night, but at least his dinner is taken care of for one night.

On to the menu!

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Meatball subs with salad
Tuesday: Pretzel Chicken Fingers with salad & crash hot potatoes
Wednesday: Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with steamed green beans & potato bundles
Thursday: Chow Mein casserole
Friday: I'm in LA/Graham's on his own
Saturday: I'm in LA/Graham's on his own

Ranch Burgers

2009-09-20T17:36:00.007-05:00

I go back and forth with burgers. I like burgers, but if I get a bad one I don't want to touch them anymore. I forget how good they can be! It's not until Graham suggests burgers than I make them, and when I do, I'm reminded that as long as they're not treated terribly during the cooking process, they can be pretty darn good.

This recipe is my own, but it's pretty simple and straight-forward. It's definitely nothing new, but it's a nice take on a burger if you're tired with one that's been slathered with ketchup.

Ranch Burgers
(Angie original)

1 lb. ground beef (or 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground sirloin, combined)
Salt and pepper
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 onion, diced finely
1/2 lb. pepper bacon

Place ground beef in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix beef together with rach dressing, egg, and onion. Mix well, and form into patties, making a well in the center of each with your thumb (for grabbing with tongs and flipping).

Grill patties over medium-high, about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. While patties are grilling, fire up a pan over medium-high and cook bacon to desired doneness. Drain bacon slices on a paper towl.

Toast buns about 2 minutes on the cut side, and assemble burgers with bacon and desired toppings.

Notes:

You can't really tell from the photo (it had rained all day, and the lighting was terrible) but I topped my burger with bacon, mayo, and a thick slice of tomato. That's really all I need to be happy.
Obviously, if you're using the beef-sirloin combo, you need to double your ingredients.
After I was done with my burgers, I got the idea of browning the bacon and then mixing it in with the beef. It might be interesting, but I love bacon-topped burgers. Bacon just makes everything better.
Making a well with your thumb makes it easier to grab with tongs and flip because you're not squeezing the burger as much, thus keeping it moist inside. Nobody likes a dry burger, I don't care who you are.

Lemon-Thyme Chicken

2009-09-20T17:16:00.005-05:00

We're big fans of chicken in this house, er....apartment. Because we eat so much chicken, I'm always looking for new recipes and flavor combinations. I've already got some favorites, but this one has quickly made its way to that list. I saw this on Annie's Eats about a month ago and really wanted to try it. I'm so glad I did, because I'll be making this again and again! It was so simple, and it combined my favorite ingredients with very minimal prepartion. What's better than that? Not much, I tell ya.

Lemon-Thyme Chicken
(Adapted from Annie's Eats)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
Salt & pepper
1/2 c. flour
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 onion, diced
4 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
2/3 c. white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T. butter

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour (season flour lightly if desired). Shake off excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts to pan and cook 2 minutes per side.

Add garlic, onion, and thyme leaves to skillet and saute until soft and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add the wine (unless, of course, you want to singe your eyebrows off) and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes, reducing the wine and turning chicken once or twice (about 5 minutes).

Squeeze lemon juice into the pan and add the butter. Stir constantly until butter has completely melted. Serve warm, spooning extra sauce over chicken if desired.

Notes:

I used this meal as an opportunity to use some of the fresh thyme I had been growing in my "garden" all summer. I love thyme. My mom and grandmother never used it while I was growing up, and I felt like a whole world had been opened up to me! Delicious, man.
Nothing smells better than thyme sauteing with onions. Try it, I dare ya.
If your sauce is still pretty thin, lower the heat on the skillet and let it simmer for about 4 minutes. It will thicken a little, and the sauce will thicken as it stands, too.
I served this with roasted red potatoes and steamed green beans. The chicken goes beautifully with potatoes, but a jasmine rice would also work.

End of Summer Harvest Soup

2009-09-20T16:55:00.005-05:00

By this point, unless you're a new reader, it's no secret that I love my crockpot. I've already used it a few times since the start of the school year (we've been in 4 weeks already) and I honestly just adore it. I'm always on the hunt for new recipes and I really enjoy coming home to a finished meal. Some might counter that crockpot cooking "isn't really cooking", but I disagree. I'm still making dinner, and it's no one's fault but my own when dinner is a flop whether it's on the stove or in my crockpot.

I saw this at the end of August on Crockpot 365, and I wanted to make it ASAP. I didn't really care that I was making soup on September 1st, and it was warm and filling and delicious. I could go on (and I will) but see my notes for my...well, notes.

End of Summer Harvest Soup
(Adapted from The Crockpot Lady)

1 lb. Italian sausage, crumbled
Salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. chicken broth
1 14 oz. jar prepared pasta sauce (I used tomato & basil)
1 onion, diced
4 zucchini, cleaned and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 summer squash, cleaned and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
1/3 c. dried red kidney beans, rinsed

Season sausage with salt and pepper. Brown sausage in olive oil and transfer to slow cooker. Pour chicken stock and broth into slow cooker and add pasta sauce. Add zucchini, squash, onion, and tomatoes to slow cooker. Throw in the beans and season well. Give it all a big stir to combine.

Cook on low for 10 hours, or until beans have reached desired tenderness. Serve with pasta or crusty Italian bread.

Notes:

This is so, so wonderful to come home to, and I love that it combines some of my favorite summer vegetables. The tomatoes really burst open and released some great flavors, and the zucchini was melt-in-your-mouth tender.
I forgot to serve this with pasta. If you use wheat-free or gluten-free pasta, add it about 20 minutes before you're ready to serve. If you use the regular stuff, I'd suggest cooking it first and adding it to the soup as you're serving or it will turn into a mushy mess. Ew.
I added the Italian sausage as a protein for the soup, and I'm glad I did. It paired perfectly and added a little "sumpthin sumpthin" to the meal.
If you have a homemade marinara you'd prefer to use...go ahead. I went with the jar of pasta sauce because it was easier to add in the morning over making pasta sauce the night before.

Crash-Hot Potatoes

2009-09-20T16:33:00.006-05:00

I first saw these last summer on The Pioneer Woman Cooks. These are so easy and so delicious and they're one of my favorite go-to recipes. They always pack a punch, and with how simple and flavorful they are...what's not to love about them? They can be a bit messy, but that's part of the fun. These pair perfectly with steak and pork. Go make them. Today, if possible.

The only "thing" about these is that the measurements aren't exact and you really need to determine how many potatoes you need before you can make these. Thankfully, these are super adaptable, and that's my favorite kind of food!

P.S. I think I've blogged these before, but....so what?

Crash-Hot Potatoes

12 baby red potatoes, or 6 red potatoes, halved
Plenty of water
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Fresh herbs (I use chives and thyme)

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your potatoes to the water and let them cook for at least 20 minutes, or until they're fork tender. They should *almost* fall apart, but not completely. Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

When they're done, drain them. Drizzle plenty of olive oil over a baking sheet--enough to coat the pan lightly but not so much that the potato bottoms get soggy. (No one likes a soggy bottom.) Place the potatoes on the pan and space them out evenly. You're gonna need plenty of room here.

Using a potato masher, mash down each potato. You should mash down at least halfway, if not completely. Be careful! If you mash down too quickly a rogue potato will fly off the baking sheet and splatter on your kitchen wall. (Trust me. I know of what I speak.) When all potatoes have been mashed down, brush each potato generously with olive oil. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

Chop up some fresh herbs (or use dried) and sprinkle over potatoes. Slide potatoes into oven and cook for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are sizzling and golden brown.

Notes:

Keep an eye on your potatoes. If you're not careful, they'll burn. Sounds simple enough, but even an extra 5 minutes on these bad boys will scorch 'em.
I prefer chives and thyme. It's amazing how different the potatoes taste when I use different herbs. I didn't much care for oregano, but these might be divine with some sage and dill.
That being said, I sprinkle each potato with one herb each. I've never mixed and matched, but maybe I will next time. Now I'm curious...
Like I said, these are great with steak. They require some prep, but they're great with grilled food. These are definitely worth the time invested!

Instead of lesson planning...

2009-09-20T15:54:00.002-05:00

I'll be updating. I've got a number of blog updates to do, so just keep checking in today!

Menu for the Week: Sept. 6th--12th

2009-09-07T12:01:00.006-05:00

The holiday is really throwing me off. It feels like a Sunday, so I'm behaving as though it's a Sunday! At least my week is short, right?

This week will be the perfect chance for me to catch up on my blog updates! I think I've got 5 now that I have yet to post. There's not much I'm going to be making this week, so it'll give me plenty o'time to catch up!

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Aunt Colette's 60th Birthday Party
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Sox game!
Wednesday: Lemony Pork
Thursday: Burgers
Friday: Chicken Sandwiches
Saturday: TBD

Menu for the Week: August 30th--September 5th, 2009

2009-08-30T12:21:00.003-05:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, we welcome September! I can't believe that the unofficial start of autumn has finally arrived. Autumn is my absolute favorite season of the whole year, and I can't wait to start making some of my favorite comfort foods! Last year I kicked off autumn's first unofficial week with some amazing foods, but it was way too hot for all the cooking I did, so I'm going to wait a few more weeks before I make some of my favorites again, just to be sure it's not 135 degrees in here with the oven on.

I started work again last week, so I once again have to retrain my body and my mind to save some of the more intensive meals for the weekends. I've also been "promoted" and I'm working Fridays for the first time since 2007, so my pot roasts, etc. have to wait for Saturdays and Sundays.

But for this week, because I'm still figuring out balancing work and home (again), the menu for the week is as follows:

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Lemon Thyme Chicken with roasted red potatoes & green beans
Tuesday: End of Summer Vegetable soup with a spicy sausage
Wednesday: Steak & potatoes
Thursday: Lemony Pork & Vegetables
Friday: Chicken & vegetables with crushed potatoes
Saturday: TBA?

Summertime Coq Au Vin

2009-08-24T20:07:00.009-05:00

Coq au Vin - chicken in wine. And because it's in wine, it's delicious!

I was looking for something I could throw in my crockpot today because it was my first day back at work. I found this in my Williams-Sonoma slow-cooker cookbook and was hooked, and I'm a bit mad I didn't see this earlier in the summer. I bought my W-S cookbook last spring and had every intention of busting it out during this school year. I'm so glad I found this recipe. It requires a little bit of prep work, but it's really delicious. This is definitely going on our monthly rotation!

Summertime Coq au Vin
(Adapted from Williams-Sonoma)

1 c. flour
Salt and pepper
8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
4 T. olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 c. dry white wine
1 c. chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 summer squash, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 c. frozen pearl onions
2 c. sugar snap peas (frozen or fresh)

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour and shake off excess. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown chicken (5 minutes per side) and set aside.

Add shallots to pan and saute 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and add wine (Don't singe your eyebrows!) followed by chicken stock. Deglaze the pan and bring mixture to a healthy simmer.

Pour wine mixture into the crockpot. Add the chicken, and submerge the parsley and thyme sprigs in the liquid. Throw carrots in, and cook for 2 hours on high or 5 hours on low.

After 2 hours (or 5) uncover and add summer squash, pearl onions, and peas to the crockpot. Submerge them in the cooking liquid. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes:

You don't have to use sugar snap peas, but they work beautifully with this dish and they're a little tougher than green beans or regular peas, so they'll hold up well to the cooking time and they won't wilt.
You can certainly use frozen carrots or frozen carrot pieces, just throw them in when you add all the other vegetables.
I chose to use just chicken thighs instead of breasts or a whole chicken because I prefer thigh meat, but it's really all about preference. The dark meat will take longer to cook, so if you're using a cut up chicken, place the dark meat on the bottom. Boneless breasts should always go at the top so they don't burn.
This was perfect for the first day back at school because I didn't have to worry about it. After I browned the chicken I threw everything into my Rival and called it a day! However, because it required all of 12 minutes of my time before my dinner met the crockpot, I'm keeping this in my summertime arsenal!

Baked Lemon Pasta

2009-08-23T15:25:00.006-05:00

The Pioneer Woman featured this recipe on her blog back in May. I was intriguied, but I didn't try it for a long time because Graham doesn't really like lemon or creamy pasta. I figured "Why bother?" However, I'm so glad I did! I loved this, and I'll be making it again (though only for girls night). Graham didn't love it, but again, he has issues with creams and lemon so his distate for this meal wasn't a surprise.

I can't wait to make it again!

Baked Lemon Pasta
(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

1 lb. string pasta (I used spaghetti, but linquine would also work quite well.)
4 T. butter
4 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon
2 c. sour cream
Salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated
3 T. chopped flat leaf parsley

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Drain.

Heat oven to 375 F. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter together over low heat. Meanwhile, zest the lemon and set aside.

When butter is completely melted, add garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Chop lemon in half and squeeze juice from both halves into butter-oil mixture. Heat together for 1 minute. Add sour cream to skillet and stir until smooth. Add lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.

Add cooked pasta to skillet and stir all together. Pour mixture into a 2 or 3 quart casserole dish. Bake covered for 10 minutes and uncovered for an additional 5. Remove from oven and top with grated parm (to taste) and parsley.

Notes:

This is great for a late spring lunch or supper. I was afraid that it would be too warm for August, but thankfully we had a cool day and it was perfect!
The one change I'd make would be to use a creamier sauce. That was the one thing that just didn't completely work for me.
If you like more lemon you can definitely squeeze in some more juice or zest, but this was perfec for both of us (which is really rare!)

Menu for the Week: August 23rd--29th, 2009

2009-08-23T13:55:00.005-05:00

I've got 3 or 4 blog updates to post still. I'm so far behind, but I'll get caught up! I swear that this is the week!!

I go back to ::gulp:: school tomorrow after months of blissfulness. I'm going to miss having nothing to do, but I'll definitely be glad to have a bit of a routine to settle into. As I recall, this time last year I was counting the moments until the Christmas holidays, but suddenly it was Thanksgiving and we had a few brief weeks until we were on vacation! I'm hoping the same holds true for this year. I've got a lot more responsibility this year, so the faster the year goes by, the better off I'll be!

As for the menu...

Menu for the Week:

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Summer Coq au Vin
Tuesday: Steak & potatoes
Wednesday: Pork & Chorizo 'bobs w/ grilled corn salad & crash hot potatoes
Thursday: Lemon-Thyme Chicken with green beans & roasted red potaotes
Friday: TBD (I have a dinner date!)
Saturday: TBA

Please pray.

2009-08-22T21:52:00.003-05:00

I normally keep things like this off my recipe blog, but please keep Brooke and Joe in your prayers. After years of infertlity they were blessed with 3 IVF miracles. Unfortunately their triplets were born early (before 26 weeks) and have been in the NICU since their birthday 8 weeks ago. They've been steadily progressing, though any parent who has been in the NICU knows that each day is a struggle.

Sadly, Brooke and Joe's daughter Annaleigh contracted a rare illness yesterday that effectively destroyed her bowels and digestive system. Annaleigh passed away at 4:30 this afternoon after 8 weeks here on earth.

You can read about their journey here. Brooke and Joe and their daughter Lily and son Charlie need all the prayers and love you can give. I can't imagine the pain they're going through. My heart breaks for them. Prayer is a powerful tool, and while it couldn't heal Annaleigh, it can help ease the darkest hours of Brooke and Joe's lives.

Menu for the Week: August 17th-22nd, 2009

2009-08-17T06:55:00.003-05:00

Phew! I. Am. TIRED. I have been neglecting my blog these days because we were out of town for my brother-in-law's wedding. Now that the excitement is over and we're back in action, I can focus a little more on meal planning and menus. Unfortuntately I go back to work tomorrow morning, so....well, look forward to plenty of fast meals this week and next as I get myself prepared for the start of a new school year.

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: TBD
Tuesday: Smokey BBQ Beef Brisket with smashed potatoes & salad
Wednesday: Summer Spaghetti
Thursday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with salad
Friday: Pork & Chorizo kebobs with crash hot potatoes & grilled corn salad
Saturday: Baked Lemon Pasta

Daring Cooks Challenge: Rice with mushrooms, shrimp, and artichokes

2009-08-14T00:15:00.022-05:00

I have to say that I love love love being a member of The Daring Kitchen. I love testing my kitchen chops and learning new skills. I'm constantly awed by the creations coming out of the Daring Cooks kitchens!

The Daring Cooks July challenge was hosted by Olga of Las Cosas de Olga and Olga's Recipes. She chose Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish, and artichokes from Jose Andres.

This recipe resembles a paella in many ways and is really filling and flavorful. It requries a lot of chopping but it's well worth it. This is definitely a repeat meal in the G----- kitchen! Thanks for such a wonderful, flavorful challenge, Olga!

Rice with mushrooms, shrimp, and artichokes
(Adapted from Jose Andres)

Extra-virgin olive oil, Spanish if available
4 artichoke hearts, fresh or jarred
12 white button mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1 c. white wine
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sofregit, prepared (recipe below)
2 c. short-grain Spanish rice
2 c. water or fish stock
1/4 tsp. ground tumeric
Allioli (recipe below)

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a wide skillet (at least 12 inches) over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in skillet and cook 2 minutes per side, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove to a platter.

Clean artichokes and cut artichoke hearts into eighths. Clean mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Add artichokes and mushrooms to skillet and saute until golden and soft.

Pour a little wine into the skillet and deglaze the pan. Add the bay leaf. Add a few tablespoons of the sofregit and mix together. Pour remaining wine and water or fish stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to high and add rice to skillet. Cook for 5 minutes uncovered.

Sprinkle tumeric over dish and stir to incorporate well. Turn heat to low and boil uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, or until rice is al dente. Remove from heat, return shrimp to pan and mix well, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sofregit and allioli.

Sofregit

2 T. Extra-virgin olive oil
5 large tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. white button mushrooms, sliced
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Mix all ingredients together and saute until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Taste and add salt, oregano, or cumin as desired. Serve mixed with rice.

Allioli a la moderna (Modern Allioli)

1 large egg
1 c. Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 T. lemon juice
Salt to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, crack egg and add 2 T. olive oil, the garlic, and lemon juice. Mix together until garlic resembles a thick paste.

Run the food processor and slowly--but without stopping--add the remaining olive oil to the food processor. You'll hear the mixture come together in the food processor. Mix together until mixture is thick and pale yellow in color. If mixture is too thick, add 1 T. water to the food processor while running. Serve alongside rice.

Notes:

Prepare the sofregit in advance. It doesn't take long to cook, but you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge until you need it, or just cook it and prepare your rice and vegetables while you wait.
The sofregit is a sauce that's rich and flavorful. You can use it to top your rice, but I prefer it mixed together.
The original recipe calls for saffron, but tumeric provides the same color for the dish and is much, much cheaper. I'd love to have included saffron but couldn't justify the cost for the dish.
The original recipe calls for cuttlefish, and you can substitute monkfish, octopus, or squid. Cuttlefish and monkfish are hard to come by in this area, and after a few bad experiences as a child I don't do anything with tentacles. I chose to substitute the shrimp because it I felt it kept the integrity of the dish and was something both my husband and I love to eat.

Menu for the Week: August 2nd-August 8th

2009-08-02T13:05:00.003-05:00

My summer is quickly coming to a close. In just a few weeks I'll be back at school and working and you have NO IDEA how sad that makes me! I'm doing my best to make these last days count, and that means spending lots of time OUT of the kitchen and plenty of time outdoors and with my friends and family and husband. I love cooking, but I also love spending time outside my kitchen and living it up!

This week's menu is pretty low key so I can spend more time with Graham and enjoying the outdoors. This week and next will be pretty simple because we've got so much to do, including a wedding and a short "vacation" before I get flung back into the working world.

Menu for the Week: August 2--August 8

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: BLTs
Tuesday: Pasta Caprese
Wednesday: Steak & potatoes
Thursday: Tex Mex Beef Tacos
Friday:Chicken Scallopine
Sunday: Sloppy Joes

Roast Chicken Legs

2009-08-01T15:45:00.008-05:00

There's something about drumsticks that just screams "summer" to me. I first made these last fall but I wasn't crazy about them. Because I wanted something a little different, I decided to give them another shot, and they are totally WOW-worthy. I loved these. They were so much more flavorful than the last time I made them, and they are perfect for summer or fall. The concept comes from The Pioneer Woman, but this recipe is all my own.

Roast Chicken Legs
(Angie Original)

1 stick butter
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 T. herbs de Provence
1 T. garlic powder
Salt & pepper
2 lbs. chicken drumsticks

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 350 F.

When butter is melted, add the lemon juice & seasonings and mix well. Dip each drumstick in the butter-lemon mixture to coat. Place drumsticks on a greased baking sheet. Brush drumsticks with remaining butter mixture and top with a sprinkling of seasonings and herbs.

Place drumsticks in oven and cook for 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Notes:

These crisp up really well. The bottoms might be a little less crisp than the rest of the chicken legs, but if you put them on a cooling rack on a baking sheet it will allow the air to circulate a little more to get them completely crisp.
Using good chicken makes all the difference. The last time I made these I used a cheap, off-brand and paid the price. Paying a little more for a better product is worth it.
Herbs de Provence can be expensive, so if you don't have any just substitute some dried thyme.
You can also do these on the grill, but just watch out for flair ups if the lemon-butter mixture drips down.

Spicy Valentine's Day Pasta

2009-07-28T15:08:00.004-05:00

I first got this recipe from The Legal Foodie, and it was a fast favorite in this house. This comes together really fast, and it packs a lot of flavor! It's also lighter than so many traditional Italian dishes (especially the ones I'm familiar with) because it lacks a heavy sauce. If you make this, I promise you'll love it!

Spicy Valentine's Day Pasta

1 lb. linguine, cooked according to package directions
3 T. Olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in liquid
14 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
2 T. capers
2 T. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (add more to taste if necessary)
1/2 c. dry white wine

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, artichoke hearts, wine, rosemary, capers, and red pepper flakes. Mix together.

Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Toss with cooked pasta and serve immediately.

Notes:

This is really easy to customize and change up. I added the onion, but adding a few sliced mushrooms might not be a terrible idea, either. Black olives would be delicious, and if you can't use wine a few splashes of chicken stock would be a good substitute.
Whole wheat pasta would make this even healthier, but I just prefer the carby goodness that is regular pasta.
I enjoy the vinegary bite from the capers, but my husband doesn't always like it. A quick rinse under some cold water will help dilute it.
I wanted to add some fresh parsley for color, but my garden parsley is hurtin' after I used a bunch of it. That would also be a great way to infuse a little more color and flavor into this dish, but it's already got plenty of both!
I've found that this is perfect for weeknights because I can throw it together, but it's also great for summer because it just sits on the burners and doesn't ask me to turn on my oven. This is better served warm, but even at room temperature this is a great meal. The leftovers reheat really well, too. (And that's great, because we've got plenty of leftovers....)
This makes a lot. Halve halve halve! (Unless of course, you want to wow 6 of your closest friends and neighbors....)

Daring Bakers: Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies

2009-07-27T00:05:00.011-05:00

Chocolate anything is usually my kryptonite. I'm a sucker for chocolate, which is why I was exceptionally thrilled with this choice for the July Daring Bakers Challenge. What could be better than chocolate and marshmallows for a summer picnic? Chocolate and marshmallows are a killer combination. I mean, that combination is the reason the s'more is one of the most popular outdoor foods in history.

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Mallows
(Courtesy Gale Gand)

3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 T. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
3 eggs whisked together
Homemade marshmallows (Recipe below) OR 12 large marshmallows cut in half
Chocolate glaze (Recipe below)

In a mixer with the paddle attachment (God bless the KA mixer), blend together the dry ingredients. On low speed, add the butter and combine until the mixture is sandy. Add the eggs and mix together until completely combined. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in cling wrap, and place in the fridge for 1 hour. (Dough will keep for up to 3 days.)

When you're ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 375 F. Grease your baking sheet with butter or line it with parchment paper.

Lightly flour your countertop so the dough doesn't stick. Lightly flour your rolling pin and cookie cutter as well. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness (roughly) and use your cookie cutter to cut out dough rounds. Transfer cookies to the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

When cookies are cool, pipe a large marshmallow kiss onto each cookie. Let sit for 2 hours to set.

When cookies and marshmallows are set, boil water for the chocolate glaze. When the glaze is ready, prep your countertop with parchment paper. Using a fork, drop the cookies one at a time into the glaze. Let excess drop back into the bowl. Place cookies on parchment paper and let the cookies sit at room temperature until the chocolate sets, or pop them into the fridge for 1 hour to set the chocolate.

Homemade Marshmallows

1/4 c. water
1/4 c. light corn syrup
3/4 c. sugar
1 T. (one package) powdered gelatin
2 T. cold water
2 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small pot, combine water, corn syrup and sugar until mixture reads 235 F. on a candy thermometer.

In a small bowl, add cold water and sprinkle gelatin over it. Let dissolve. Remove the syrup mixture from the heat and add the gelatin.

In a stand mixer on high, (and using your whisk attachment) whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Pour the syrup mixture into the whites. Add vanilla and continue whipping the mixture until stiff. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag or plastic sandwich bag with a corner cut off.

Chocolate glaze

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 T. vegetable oil
Chocolate sprinkles

Mix both ingredients in a bowl set over simmering water, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted. Add sprinkles to the chocolate once it's completely melted.

Notes:

Making the marshmallows was much easier than I expected, and I got to practice my piping skills. I had to practice piping on the countertop a little to get the hang of it, but once I felt confident enough, it worked!
I actually piped a few "kisses" onto my cookies since I don't have a large enough tip for my piping bag. I was concerned about the way the cookies and marshmallows would work together, but the hot chocolate glaze actually helped melt the marshmallows a little so they melted together.
I added chocolate sprinkles because I had some leftover and it was a great addition. They melted just a bit in the glaze and the cookes are absolutely covered with them! They're very festive looking.
Nicole suggested using large marshmallows for the marshmallow-making-phobic. Cut them in half and place them on the cookies for a few minutes until they've spread a bit and are nice and soft.
Now that I know how to make them, I doubt I'll ever buy them again. These were really easy and much less intensive than what I was expecting!

Menu for the Week: July 26--August 1

2009-07-26T10:42:00.000-05:00

Last week of July already? Wow.

Graham went back to work on Friday, and his first day with students is Tuesday. We spent a lot of money at the teacher store this weekend, but fear not---it's all stuff I can take with me when I stop teaching and move on to my next venture in life in a few years.

Because we're busy this week and easing Graham into his school routine and a new school year, all my meals this week are quick and easy to throw together, and who doesn't love all that? Who loves easy, fast, and filling meals during the summer? I do!!!

Menu for the Week: July 26th--August 1st

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Spicy Valentine's Day Pasta with panzanella
Tuesday: Beef Bites with baby potatoes and salad
Wednesday: Roast Chicken Legs with baked potatoes & salad
Thursday: White Sox game!
Friday: Bruschetta Chicken with roast vegetables and pasta
Saturday: BLTs

Chicken Marsala

2009-07-23T18:26:00.012-05:00

Chicken Marsala was one of the first meals I ever prepared for Graham and it lead to our now-running joke about capers and whether or not they actually exist. It basically involves me sending Graham out to the store for capers, him not being able to find them and accusing me of sending him on a pointless errand.

And I married him anyway. Ah, love.

This recipe is my own, and it still needs some work, but it's a favorite of ours.

Chicken Marsala
(Angie Original)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c. white button mushrooms, sliced
2 red peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 T. capers, drained and lightly rinsed
1/2 c. Marsala wine
2 T. butter
1/2 c. fresh parsley, minced

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken breasts in flour and shake off excess.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and when oil is hot, brown breasts in oil until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a platter.

Add crushed garlic to pan and cook for 1 minute, untl golden. Add mushrooms, red pepper, and onion and cook until vegetables are tender, 6-10 minutes.

When vegetables are ready, add capers. Pull pan off heat and pour in Marsala wine. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add butter to pan. Stir until butter is melted and completely incorporated.

Return chicken to pan and cook through. Stir in parsley. Serve over pasta.

Notes:

Normally I'd serve this over linguine, but I've been craving risotto lately and decided it was worth the extra effort. However, this is supurb over noodles.
I hate when Chicken Marsala doesn't taste like marsala, so this might be too marsala-y for some, especially because there isn't any tomato paste to break up the sauce. However, I think this is great and the vegetables really soak up the wine.
Some people are picky about mushrooms. You can totally leave them out, but substitute another vegetable in their place, or ask your picky eaters to eat around them.

Menu for the Week: July 19--25, 2009

2009-07-19T15:29:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's practically the end of July! Where is this summer going? Graham's break ends later this week, and soon enough I'll be back at work and getting ready to start the school year. Ack! Days like today make me wonder how the "real world" can work all the time and go to work during the summers. I can't even believe how fast this summer is going! I've got to spend more time outdoors or I'll regret it come September.

Menu for the Week

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: TBA
Tuesday: Blueberry Crepes (from Graham)
Wednesday: Beef with Broccoli and rice (from Graham)
Thursday: Chicken Marsala with risotto
Friday: Italian Beef sandwiches with salad
Saturday: Pork Chops with mustard sauce, crash hot potatoes, and steamed carrots