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. :)

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

So I tried two new recipes last night.  Bacon and Cider Chicken & Gratin Brussels Sprouts (also w/ bacon).  I've never made brussels sprouts before, but Ben likes them so thought I would give them a try.  I found both recipes through Cooking Light (an annual addition and special edition mag).

Here are my thoughts ~

My counter space slightly sucks when preparing dual dishes.  Realize that comment has nothing to do with the actual recipes, but felt like sharing anyways.

I recommend prepping.  Makes like so much easier, right?  Not just for cooking either.  Getting things together ahead of time (if you can) creates a (less) stressful environment.  Ben got in my way last night and it almost got ugly.  Because I was frantic cooking and that's no way to cook.  So prepping would've alleviated that feeling and maybe actually drinking the glass of wine I poured (don't worry, I finished it later).   So there you go...prep.  You're welcome for that gem of information.

Really braise the brussels sprouts.  The recipe says 'almost tender' before transferring them into a small casserole dish and covering with homemade breadcrumbs and bacon.  I should've given them a couple more minutes on the stove as the broiler (on Lo) really just crisps the crumbs and bacon (it's only in oven for about 3 minutes).

Overall, nice side dish.  I cut the recipe in half (although I did use 3 slices of bacon).

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-gratin-50400000107526/

2nd recipe ~

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-with-cider-bacon-sauce-10000001011270/

 I followed recipe for the most part, just added an extra slice of bacon (because I love bacon).   Again, halved the recipe since I was only cooking for two last night.   All in all, recommend.  Ben wasn't crazy about the cider flavor, but didn't know beforehand he wasn't a fan of cider to begin with.  He still ate it so guess he doesn't hate it completely. 

Not sure what I rate this meal and Ben didn't indulge me last night.  His only comment was "it was good."  If you try anything, let me know.  Love feedback.

Happy cooking!  Happy eating!

Yoyo

I went International tonight

The latest Cooking Light has a great spread on Thailand.  The culinary adventure takes place in Chiang Mai (400 miles north of Bangkok).  I happily tried the Chiang Mai Pork Patties featured in the mag.  Along with some sticky rice and roasted asparagus.  Now, we don't have an Asian market around the corner (it's in Columbia), so I had to make some concessions.  I couldn't find fresh red bird chile's (although Whole Foods carried the jarred version. I used jalapenos instead.  No galangal (should probably look that one up), but was able to sub in fresh ginger.  Lemongrass was in Whole Foods, as were Kaffir limes, so all in all, had most of the original recipe to work from. 

It is somewhat time consuming, but could easily be condensed by prepping better.  I did everything at once, leaving a hot mess along the way (don't worry, I cleaned it up, just relax).

Some things I'll do next time ~ make the trip out to Columbia for everything.  Take the time to make sticky rice (needs to soak 8 hours).  Make the roasted eggplant salsa even though Ben hates all things eggplant.  Because really, it's all about me.

I highly recommend this recipe.  It's 3 patties per serving (comes in just under 300 calories) and full of diverse flavors.  If your saucy (and I am), serve with a sweet chili Thai sauce (Trader Joe's has a nice one). 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chiang-mai-pork-patties-50400000116779/  (Ben grilled the patties for me...recommend that as well).

Enjoy!  Happy Cooking!  Happy Eating!

Yoyo

Let's talk soup

So I planned to make a white chicken chili c/o Southern Living on Monday for Halloween.   We had family coming over and I thought it would be a great meal to serve guests alongside cornbread and salad.  Well, the recipe called for 3 cans of Northern beans.  I omitted these due to my husband's delicate stomach.  But getting rid of a key ingredient changed the recipe from chili to soup.  And again, flexibility reigns supreme.  It was a little bland, so I added more cumin, red pepper flakes and coarse salt.  I will point out that Ben had a "I told you so moment".  If you didn't know already, those moments are pretty obnoxious.  He doesn't believe you should 'test' recipes out on guests, yet I'm almost always trying something new for company.   Obviously his opinion doesn't sway me to change my ways.  So the chili turned into chicken tortilla soup and I got great reviews (minus my husband who still stood by his 'bland' rating).  I topped it with cilantro, chips, light sour cream, jalapenos, salsa & Monteray Jack cheese.  Delish.

Here's the link.  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/white-christmas-chili-10000000366856/

I started cooking around 1:00 and kept the chili/soup on low for about 3 hours.  I didn't cover, but talked to a friend who always covers when she makes this recipe.  I will probably cover the dutch oven next time around.  I doubled the cumin from 1 tsp to 2 tsp.  I would add another 1/2 tsp next time (maybe when I'm sauteing the celery and onion).  I also added 2 extra chicken breasts since I had a crowd coming over (from 4 chicken breasts to 6).  I added more celery (3/4 cups vs 1/3).   I omitted beans. 

There weren't any leftovers, but this recipe is supposed to even better the next day. 

Enjoy!

Yoyo

When Pork goes bad...literally.

I did all my shopping on Sunday instead of Monday this week.  And a night out on Tuesday threw off my menu plans.  That being said, the bone-in pork chops I pulled out of the fridge last night were 'good' till today (the 28th).  So I was pretty mad when one had a grayish tinge and both emitted a smell that even made my husband question them.   Pork gone bad and flexibility rules again.  Why must the kitchen gods challenge me so?  I know this is a real nail-biter.  "What ever did she do?" you ask.  Well, I'll tell you.  I defrosted some chicken, got out the homemade bread crumbs made for the bad pork, whipped up a honey mustard vinaigrette from http://www.onceuponachef.com/ and pulled together a good meal.  I soaked the chicken in vinaigrette (after patting them dry), dredged them in breadcrumbs and baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  I also drizzled a bit of dressing over the chicken breasts and sprinkled more pepper before putting in the oven.  

I put together a quick salad (greens, red onion, carrots and cherry tomatoes) dressed in the vinaigrette.  You might be thinking overkill, but the dressing is so damn good.  Really, you should try it.  The presentation was nice for a thrown together meal.  You can also use the dressing as a dip, which I did.  All in all, very happy with how dinner turned out.  And a glass of wine (or two) certainly helped dull the pain of the bad pork.  And I learned another important kitchen lesson:  it's okay to put stuff in the freezer and defrost appropriately thus ensuring no waste!  :)

Breaded Honey Mustard Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup honey mustard vinaigrette (divided) www.onceuponachef.com
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (2 pieces multi grain bread pulsed in food processor, then drizzled with olive oil and pulsed again)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pat chicken breast dry, season with salt and pepper.  Put chicken breasts in shallow bowl and drizzle vinaigrette all over both sides.  Pour breadcrumbs in shallow bowl and dredge both sides of chicken.  Put chicken breasts on an oiled baking sheet.  Scoop more breadcrumbs on top (as desired) and drizzle more vinaigrette on top (as desired).  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. 

This would also be delicious cut up and served on top of a nice bed of greens. 

Happy Cooking!  Happy Eating!

Yoyo

Two dinners & Tuna Salad

A friend of mine recently had surgery, so I brought her dinner yesterday.  I pulled the recipe out of Cooking Light.  And before you ask, no, I don't think anyone in her family needs to eat out of CL, it just sounded like good eats.   Moving on.   I made baked mac and cheese with a spinach salad.  Liked the ease of the recipe and blend of cheeses (low fat cottage cheese, mild cheddar and Parmesan).  It was a cinch to make but don't know how the finished product came out since I didn't stick around for dinner.  Will have to get her rating later today.  I'm hoping it was at least an 8.0.  And that her kids ate it happily.  And said things like "this is delicious" and/or "this is the best mac and cheese we've ever had".   Do you think my expectations are a bit off for a toddler and preschooler?  Me neither, as my kids often praise my cooking (and not ask 'how many more bites' over and over again).  I don't know why I pluralized 'kids' since Emerson can't talk yet and always eats my food.   Okay, maybe I should just get to the recipe.  Here goes and if you make it, please post your rating (unless it stinks and then keep it to yourself).

Baked Mac and Cheese

12 oz uncooked penne // 12 oz 2% low-fat cottage cheese // 1/2 cup finely shredded sharp (used mild) cheddar cheese //  1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan divided // 1/2 tsp salt // 1/8 freshly ground pepper // 3 tbsp panko crumbs // 1 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta according to directions (no salt).  Drain; place in a large bowl.  Place cottage cheese in food processor; process until smooth.  Combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Add the cheese mixture to pasta, stir well.  Spoon mixture into 11 x 7 inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray (think I missed that direction).  Combine remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, panko and parsley in small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over pasta and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Preheat broiler (leaving dish in).  Broil pasta for 1 minute or until top browned.

I would stop here but made a 2nd dinner yesterday as my kids did have to eat (and Amy's too).  I also pulled it from Cooking Light.  This month's CL is full of great recipes, especially for Thanksgiving.  Pick up a copy, or not, it's your call.  So last night's dinner was a broccoli and rice casserole served with buttered carrots.  I improvised the recipe a bit since I didn't have exact ingredients, but think it came out pretty good.  Emerson had seconds (please, no jokes) and B/G almost ate their entire plates with limited "how many more bites".   Luke kept leaving the table, but think it's because he wanted to play and not because my cooking offended his very existence.  At least, that's what I'm going with.  I'll give you the real recipe with notes of my version.  Feel free to use either and again, would love to hear your thoughts, but only if they are positive. 

Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Buttered Carrots

2 cups 1% low fat milk (omitted) // 1 cup water // 1 (3.5 oz) bag boil-in-bag long grain rice (used 4 oz of jasmine rice) // 3 cups small broccoli florets (used a regular bag of frozen, 16 oz, 2 cups) // 1/3 cup chopped onion (used red) // 1/3 cup chopped celery (used more, but didn't measure how much) // 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper (omitted) // 2 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese (used non-fat cottage cheese, processed until smooth) // 2 oz light processed cheese, cubed (used shredded mild cheddar) // 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie breast (used 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt/pepper/minced onion) // pinch salt & freshly ground pepper // 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese // panko crumbs for topping (not called for, but thought would be good)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine milk/water in medium saucepan; bring to a boil.  Add rice; cook 10 minutes.  Remove rice; keep warm.  Return milk mixture to a simmer.  Add broccoli; cook 5 minutes.  Drain; discard milk mixture.  Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Coat with cooking spray.  Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; saute 5 minutes.  Add cream cheese and processed cheese until cheese melts.  Remove from heat; stir in rice, broccoli, chicken, salt & pepper.  Spoon into small casserole dish or individual ramekins coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

I cooked rice according to directions.  I cooked broccoli in the microwave according to directions.  Followed Dutch oven directions minus the bell pepper.  Added cottage cheese and shredded mild cheddar.  Baked everything in small casserole dish (maybe held 6 cups).  I sprinkled with Parmesan and panko crumbs.  Baked for given time and broiled at end for 1 - 2 minutes to brown top.

Buttered Carrots

Bring 1 cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan.  Add 2 cups thinly sliced carrots.  Reduce heat; simmer 6 minutes or until tender (took a couple extra minutes).  Drain; return to pan.  Stir in 1 tbsp butter, 2 tsp chopped parsley, pinch salt & freshly ground pepper; stir until butter melts.

Kids did eat their carrots.  Amy helped by telling the kids how good carrots were for their eyes.  She might have led them to believe super powers would develop.  I might be exaggerating, but the kids ate their carrots and they are good for their eyes, so win-win. 

Okay, last recipe.  I had to eat too and was done using the oven, stove or microwave (yes, even pushing buttons seemed challenging by that point).  I whipped up a tuna salad over greens.  Used 2 cans of tuna, some celery, some scallions, light mayo, Dijon mustard, walnuts, salt & pepper.  Also used a few dashes of hot sauce.  It was good.  Liked the Dijon flavor.  Good light dish at the end of the day.  Okay, have to run.  Two crying kids.  Got to get the hell of this house.  Till next time...

Happy Cooking!  Happy Eating!  (rethinking catch-phrase at end...any suggestions)

Yoyo

Super Skirt Steak

I'm all about Martha this week.  While I originally thought I'd head back to the 80's, Martha's Great Food Fast spoke to me in a no-nonsense kind of way.   She can be really bossy, right?  And I didn't really have a good argument not to use her book this week.  I count it as a win/win since her recipes rock.  

Last night was chili-rubbed skirt steak with steamed green beans.  The flavor was nicely balanced with the chili powder, coriander, oregano and light brown sugar.   Add a little sea salt and pepper and it's done.  You lightly oil (with olive oil) both sides of the skirt steaks (about 1 1/4 lbs cut into 4 pieces) and then add the spice mixture, patting to help it adhere.  This is the part that intimidated me.  You broil the steaks for 5-8 minutes.  I'm not the biggest fan of our broiler.  It's 0 to 60 and can totally ruin a meal if not watched every.single.second.   Okay, I'm exaggerating some.  But seriously, I started taking this meal out at around 2.5 minutes.  It wasn't ready.  It needed 5 minutes and I needed a Xanax.  Or a glass of wine, which I had by the way.  I might have even added an extra minute or two to crisp up the outside, but the inside came out a beautiful medium rare.  And while this simple meal encouraged me to lose my temper with my husband and 4 yo (the broiler brings out the worst in me, what can I say?), it was really, really good.  Martha serves with a romaine heart salad with creamy chili dressing.  I went with steamed green beans instead because Ben isn't on great terms with anything lactose.  However, you shouldn't be deprived of what could very well be, the best salad ever (although I highly doubt it's the 'best ever', it's probably more in the pretty good category).  If this is the best salad ever, please let me know so I can try ASAP.  Sorry Ben, my loyalty is to flavor not your jacked-up lactose intolerance nonsense.  I'll include the recipe along with the skirt steaks below.  Enjoy!

Steak:
Serves 4

2 tsp chili powder / 1 tsp coriander / 1 tsp light brown sugar / 1/2 tsp dried oregano / coarse salt & pepper / 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs beef skirt steak cut into 4 pieces / 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil

Heat broiler with the rack 4 inches from the heat.  In small bowl, combine ingredients through pepper.  Coat steaks evenly on both sides with olive oil and then sprinkle/pat spice mixture all over both sides.  Place steaks on rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.  Broil steaks without turning, until medium-rare, 5 to 8 minutes.  Transfer steaks to large platter and cover with foil for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and divide steaks among 4 plates.  Drizzle with any accumulated juices from platter. 

Salad:

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream / 2 tbsp light mayo / 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice / 1 tsp chili powder / coarse salt & pepper / 2 heads romaine lettuce / 1/4 cup chopped scallions

In a medium bowl, place the sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, and chili powder: season with salt & pepper.  Whisk to combine  Remove dark outer leaves from each head of romaine, leaving the heart; place leaves in a plastic bag lined with a paper towel and refrigerate for another use.  Slice hearts in half lengthwise.  Place one half on each plate; top with dressing. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Happy Cooking!  Happy Eating!

Yoyo