I'm back. I know I've been a bit lax this month, but it's been busy so fall back. I'm here now and I've got two recipes to share. One is all mine, the other is from http://www.onceuponachef.com/.
Here goes:
Spinach roll-ups with pancetta ~
1/2 bag of frozen spinach ~ 4 strips of pancetta ~ tbsp olive oil ~ 1/4 cup panko crumbs ~ tbsp minced garlic ~ kosher salt/freshly ground pepper ~ dash of minced onions ~ 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese ~ 2 whole wheat tortillas
Heat a medium size saute pan on med/high heat. Pour in olive oil and continue to let pan heat up. Pour in frozen spinach (don't thaw). Saute for a couple minutes. As it thaws, dump in bread crumbs, minced garlic, minced onion and salt/pepper. Continue to saute. In another smaller pan, cook pancetta. Once done, crumble and mix with spinach. While spinach is finishing up (takes about 10 minutes, but wasn't really timing!), take out tortillas and sprinkle one side with cheddar cheese. Spoon spinach mixture on top of cheese and tightly roll up. Cut in half and serve. I gave these to my kids with carrots and ranch dip on the side. E hates anything green so big flop with her. Brooklynn is negotiating bites but does that with everything so not a reliable judge. Ben thought the spinach was 'pretty good'. So, there you go. Hope you like it!
On to snickerdoodle donut holes care of http://www.onceuponachef.com/. Or going to have to break because Brooklynn is driving me absolutely mad. And so is Ben. Breath. Just breath.
I'm baaaaaccckkkk. And just had a donut hole for breakfast. So much for eating healthy these days. I have totally given in to the holiday overindulgence. And.am.loving.it!
Let's talk about sweets. I made this adapted recipe from Nigella Lawson/Once Upon a Chef. Ben thought they came out a bit dry, however, I like them. And they were super easy to make. I don't think I creamed the butter/sugar well enough, but not sure how much that affects the overall product. Maybe I'll see some of you this week and you can sample and let me know your thoughts. I'm going to try to makes these again soon because I can do better and really want to serve these guys on Christmas.
http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/12/donut-hole-cookies-snickerdoodles.html#more
The big difference in her cookies and Nigella's is nutmeg. Gives them that donut-y taste. I followed everything to the letter minus creaming the butter correctly (rookie mistake). Oh, I also used Vietnamese cinnamon (Extra Fancy) from Penzey's spices. According to the bottle, it is the 'highest quality cinnamon available in America'. What????? It ends with 'an amazing cinnamon'. So you should probably get some. Because it's the best. And who doesn't want the best. If you say you don't you are a liar and probably shouldn't read my blog anymore as I don't want to be associated with liars. Thanks.
Okay, so make a batch of these little guys and let me know how they came out. Feel free to drop by and I'll make us some coffee and we'll sample and discuss their delightfulness. See you soon.
Happy Cooking! Happier Eating!
Yoyo
Monday, December 19, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Dinner for a friend
A friend of mine recently had an adorable baby girl. After signing up on www.takethemameal.com, I decided to bring her and her family stuffed chicken breasts, arugula and couscous. I grabbed the chicken recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The American Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. It was risky because I never made it before, but thought the flavors sounded great and it was relatively easy to put together. I also liked it because you can prepare ahead of time. She said it turned out great. Still haven't made for my family, but thinking of adding it to the menu this week.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (pg 304/305):
8 oz cream cheese, softened (omitted this) ~ 4 oz goat cheese (used crumbled) ~ 2 tsps minced fresh thyme ~ 1 garlic clove, minced ~ salt/pepper ~ 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ~ 3/4 cup mayo (used canola) ~ 2 tbsps Dijon mustard (used Grey Poupon) ~ 2 tsps fresh lemon juice ~ 3 cups (fresh) breadcrumbs (used panko) ~ 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (omitted) ~ 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, patted dry, and minced
1. Heat oven to 425 and adjust rack to middle position.. Stir cream cheese (omitted), goat cheese, thyme, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper together until smooth.
2. Pound chicken to even 1/4 inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Mound 1/4 cup cheese mixture filling at the wider end of the chicken, form the cheese into a log, then roll chicken up (you will have leftover filling).
3. Arrange chicken rolls, seam-side down, about 1/2 inch apart in a 9x13 inch baking dish coated lightly with vegetable spray.
4. Mix any remaining cheese filling with mayo, mustard, and lemon juice, then brush mixture over the tops and sides (only did top) of the chicken. Toss the breadcrumbs with the butter (omitted butter), then press onto the tops and sides of chicken roll.
5. Bake until breadcrumbs are golden and the very center of the chicken rolls registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.
Can make ahead. Follow through step 4, the dish can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Remove wrap and bake as directed in step 5. You may need to increase the time by 5 to 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
Yoyo
Stuffed Chicken Breasts with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (pg 304/305):
8 oz cream cheese, softened (omitted this) ~ 4 oz goat cheese (used crumbled) ~ 2 tsps minced fresh thyme ~ 1 garlic clove, minced ~ salt/pepper ~ 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ~ 3/4 cup mayo (used canola) ~ 2 tbsps Dijon mustard (used Grey Poupon) ~ 2 tsps fresh lemon juice ~ 3 cups (fresh) breadcrumbs (used panko) ~ 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (omitted) ~ 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, patted dry, and minced
1. Heat oven to 425 and adjust rack to middle position.. Stir cream cheese (omitted), goat cheese, thyme, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper together until smooth.
2. Pound chicken to even 1/4 inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Mound 1/4 cup cheese mixture filling at the wider end of the chicken, form the cheese into a log, then roll chicken up (you will have leftover filling).
3. Arrange chicken rolls, seam-side down, about 1/2 inch apart in a 9x13 inch baking dish coated lightly with vegetable spray.
4. Mix any remaining cheese filling with mayo, mustard, and lemon juice, then brush mixture over the tops and sides (only did top) of the chicken. Toss the breadcrumbs with the butter (omitted butter), then press onto the tops and sides of chicken roll.
5. Bake until breadcrumbs are golden and the very center of the chicken rolls registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.
Can make ahead. Follow through step 4, the dish can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Remove wrap and bake as directed in step 5. You may need to increase the time by 5 to 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
Yoyo
Pumpkin Soup
If it ever transitions fully to winter, this is a sure fire soup to warm you up. It's a "Spiked Pumpkin Soup", but I've never had bourbon in my house when I've decided to make it, so can't speak to the true recipe. However, by adding more apple cider and cumin, the non-alcoholic version is one of my fav's.
This is also a Cooking Light recipe out of the 2006 annual edition, page 381.
1 cup chopped onion (I use a sweet variety) ~ 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (used regular) ~ 1/2 tsp ground cumin (increased to 1 tsp) ~ 2 garlic cloves minced ~ 1.5 cups apple cider (used 1 3/4) ~ 1/3 cup bourbon (omitted) ~ 1/4 cup maple syrup ~ 1 (29 oz) can pumpkin ~ 1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less sodium chicken broth (also used vegetable broth, does change the flavor a bit) ~ 2 cups 2% milk (used 1%) ~ 1 tsp all-purpose flour ~ 1/2 tsp salt ~ 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper ~ 9 tbsps red-fat sour cream ~ 3 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
1. Heat a large Dutch over over med-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add onion, ginger, cumin and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in cider and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Place 1/2 pumpkin mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in milk, flour, salt, pepper; cook until thoroughly heated (do not boil), stirring frequently. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 9 servings
I served this on Thanksgiving before my aunt's main course. It really complimented the rest of the meal. I'll probably make this for upcoming holiday dinners as well. It's easy to make and transports well.
Happy Cooking! Happy Eating!
Yoyo
This is also a Cooking Light recipe out of the 2006 annual edition, page 381.
1 cup chopped onion (I use a sweet variety) ~ 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (used regular) ~ 1/2 tsp ground cumin (increased to 1 tsp) ~ 2 garlic cloves minced ~ 1.5 cups apple cider (used 1 3/4) ~ 1/3 cup bourbon (omitted) ~ 1/4 cup maple syrup ~ 1 (29 oz) can pumpkin ~ 1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less sodium chicken broth (also used vegetable broth, does change the flavor a bit) ~ 2 cups 2% milk (used 1%) ~ 1 tsp all-purpose flour ~ 1/2 tsp salt ~ 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper ~ 9 tbsps red-fat sour cream ~ 3 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
1. Heat a large Dutch over over med-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add onion, ginger, cumin and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in cider and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Place 1/2 pumpkin mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in milk, flour, salt, pepper; cook until thoroughly heated (do not boil), stirring frequently. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 9 servings
I served this on Thanksgiving before my aunt's main course. It really complimented the rest of the meal. I'll probably make this for upcoming holiday dinners as well. It's easy to make and transports well.
Happy Cooking! Happy Eating!
Yoyo
Time to play catch up...
So I've been cooking, just not writing. Finding I'm not the best at making time for this venture. Will share 3 recent recipes and promise to write more consistently. I know you're relieved. Here goes:
Great side dish and super easy to make ~ Couscous with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese (added mushrooms too). This jumped off the page and into my 'must make' recipe pile as soon as I opened up to page 337 in the annual Cooking Light 2006. I had a holiday party with close girlfriends, who are all talented cooks, bakers or especially talented at picking out bottle(s) of wine (or Bailey's) and I was responsible for a side dish. This seemed flavorful, fast and easy to make. And since this was a 'low stress' event, it won out over more complicated dishes.
I used whole wheat couscous from Trader Joe's. One box was more than enough since I tripled the recipe. I added one container of baby Bella mushrooms and used A.A. Borsari original seasoning instead of garlic pepper. I also added a tsp of minced garlic while sauteing the onions and mushrooms. Here's the recipe in full:
1 tbsp olive oil ~ 2 cups thinly sliced red onion ~ 1 cup uncooked couscous ~ 1 tsp garlic pepper ~1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese ~ 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion (and mushrooms, minced garlic), and saute 7 minutes (or until browned).
2. Combine couscous and seasoning in a medium (I recommend using a larger bowl if increasing the recipe), top with onion and cheese. Place broth in a microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave at HIGH 2.5 minutes or until hot. Slowly pour over couscous mixture Cover, let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, tossing until well combined. Yield 5 servings.
I will make this again for on Christmas, but will probably use vegetable broth to make this a friendly dish for my vegetarian family members. All in all, highly recommend.
Break time, Emerson up and ready to start the day. At least I got one recipe done. :)
Great side dish and super easy to make ~ Couscous with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese (added mushrooms too). This jumped off the page and into my 'must make' recipe pile as soon as I opened up to page 337 in the annual Cooking Light 2006. I had a holiday party with close girlfriends, who are all talented cooks, bakers or especially talented at picking out bottle(s) of wine (or Bailey's) and I was responsible for a side dish. This seemed flavorful, fast and easy to make. And since this was a 'low stress' event, it won out over more complicated dishes.
I used whole wheat couscous from Trader Joe's. One box was more than enough since I tripled the recipe. I added one container of baby Bella mushrooms and used A.A. Borsari original seasoning instead of garlic pepper. I also added a tsp of minced garlic while sauteing the onions and mushrooms. Here's the recipe in full:
1 tbsp olive oil ~ 2 cups thinly sliced red onion ~ 1 cup uncooked couscous ~ 1 tsp garlic pepper ~1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese ~ 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion (and mushrooms, minced garlic), and saute 7 minutes (or until browned).
2. Combine couscous and seasoning in a medium (I recommend using a larger bowl if increasing the recipe), top with onion and cheese. Place broth in a microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave at HIGH 2.5 minutes or until hot. Slowly pour over couscous mixture Cover, let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, tossing until well combined. Yield 5 servings.
I will make this again for on Christmas, but will probably use vegetable broth to make this a friendly dish for my vegetarian family members. All in all, highly recommend.
Break time, Emerson up and ready to start the day. At least I got one recipe done. :)
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