I love pizza. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to make it at home.
This recipe is from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, one of my favorite go-to cookbooks.
Pizza Dough
Makes: Enough for 1 large or 2 or more small pies
Time: 1 hour or more
You won’t believe how simple it is to make pizza dough at home. And because the dough freezes very well (at least for a couple of weeks), it’s even practical to whip up a batch for one or two people and tuck the rest away for another day.
To make pizza dough by hand or with a standing mixer, follow the directions, but use a bowl and a heavy wooden spoon or the mixer’s bowl and the paddle attachment instead of the food processor. When the dough becomes too heavy to stir, use your hands or exchange the mixer’s paddle for the dough hook and proceed with the recipe.
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and the oil through the feed tube.
2. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If it is still dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds. (In the unlikely event that the mixture is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time.)
3. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time short if you’re in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 6 or 8 hours.) Proceed to Step 4 or wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or a zipper bag and freeze for up to a month. (Defrost in the bag or a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature; bring to room temperature before shaping.)
4. When the dough is ready, form it into a ball and divide it into 2 or more pieces if you like; roll each piece into a round ball. Put each ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rest until they puff slightly, about 20 minutes.
Showing posts with label weeknight meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weeknight meals. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Queso Chicken, Black Beans, & Rice
I think everyone was skeptical about this dish but it was really tasty. We should have known: Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta? Winner winner chicken dinner.
Queso Chicken Black Bean and Rice Casserole
2 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp. olive oil
medium onion, diced
1.5tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles)
8oz Velveeta 2%, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked brown rice
2-2.5 cups chopped grilled chicken
4 handfuls of multigrain tortilla chips, crushed
If not using leftover grilled chicken and rice, start by grilling your chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves) and cooking your rice according to package directions (make enough for approximately 6 servings).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook one to two minutes more to soften. Add cumin and chili powder and mix together.
Add the black beans, combine to distribute seasoning. Next, add Ro-Tel and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the Velveeta and grilled chicken to the pan, stirring occasionally to let the cheese melt.
Grab about four handfuls of chips, place them in a plastic bag and let your kid smash them for a couple of seconds.
In a 9x13" pan, pour the rice and spread on the bottom of the pan, evenly distributing.
Pour the black bean, chicken, queso mixture on top of the rice. Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of that.
Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Serves 8
Queso Chicken Black Bean and Rice Casserole
2 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp. olive oil
medium onion, diced
1.5tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles)
8oz Velveeta 2%, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked brown rice
2-2.5 cups chopped grilled chicken
4 handfuls of multigrain tortilla chips, crushed
If not using leftover grilled chicken and rice, start by grilling your chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves) and cooking your rice according to package directions (make enough for approximately 6 servings).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook one to two minutes more to soften. Add cumin and chili powder and mix together.
Add the black beans, combine to distribute seasoning. Next, add Ro-Tel and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the Velveeta and grilled chicken to the pan, stirring occasionally to let the cheese melt.
Grab about four handfuls of chips, place them in a plastic bag and let your kid smash them for a couple of seconds.
In a 9x13" pan, pour the rice and spread on the bottom of the pan, evenly distributing.
Pour the black bean, chicken, queso mixture on top of the rice. Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of that.
Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Serves 8
Friday, February 25, 2011
Ellie Krieger's Oven-Fried Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Macaroni & Cheese
Another hit from the cookbook, The Foods You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.
(I halved the recipe so it would serve four.)
about 10 sleeve whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg white
1/2 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.
Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.
In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.
One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.
This was really tasty but the next time I make it, well, I'm going to drizzle each piece of chicken with just a little bit of melted butter. It won't take much but it will make a big difference.
The pasta was Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. The broccoli was the beloved Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts from Ina Garten. LOVE.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Beef Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash
From Fine Cooking magazine
When I made this last night for dinner, I skipped entirely that first part about the garlic bread; we had some in the freezer so I baked that instead.
I love the use of spaghetti squash instead of pasta - it makes a nice change. I thought the sauce could have used about an hour or two more cooking time to give it more depth. Next time, I'll use some Roasted Tomato Sauce from our freezer or a jar of our favorite kind from a store.
Overall, thumbs up! Everybody at our house liked it.
1/4 baguette, halved lengthwise
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
6 medium cloves garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small (2-1/2-lb.) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
One 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Arrange the bread cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush it with the butter. Peel and chop the garlic. Divide the garlic in half and sprinkle one-half with a generous pinch of salt. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mince and mash the garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. Spread each piece of bread evenly with garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden-brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Cut each piece in half to make 4 pieces total, and cover with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, arrange the spaghetti squash in a single layer in the bottom of a large, wide pot. (Don’t worry if the squash halves don’t lie completely flat in the pot.) Add 1/2 inch of water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender enough to shred when raked with a fork but still somewhat crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.
While the squash cooks, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, the remaining chopped garlic, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; cook, stirring to break up the meat, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and discard the fat if necessary. Add the tomatoes, basil, and 1/4 cup water; stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
With a fork, rake the squash flesh into strands, transfer to plates, and season to taste with salt. Ladle the beef ragù over the squash and garnish with the Parmigiano. Serve with the garlic bread.
When I made this last night for dinner, I skipped entirely that first part about the garlic bread; we had some in the freezer so I baked that instead.
I love the use of spaghetti squash instead of pasta - it makes a nice change. I thought the sauce could have used about an hour or two more cooking time to give it more depth. Next time, I'll use some Roasted Tomato Sauce from our freezer or a jar of our favorite kind from a store.
Overall, thumbs up! Everybody at our house liked it.
1/4 baguette, halved lengthwise
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
6 medium cloves garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small (2-1/2-lb.) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
One 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Arrange the bread cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush it with the butter. Peel and chop the garlic. Divide the garlic in half and sprinkle one-half with a generous pinch of salt. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mince and mash the garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. Spread each piece of bread evenly with garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden-brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Cut each piece in half to make 4 pieces total, and cover with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, arrange the spaghetti squash in a single layer in the bottom of a large, wide pot. (Don’t worry if the squash halves don’t lie completely flat in the pot.) Add 1/2 inch of water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender enough to shred when raked with a fork but still somewhat crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.
While the squash cooks, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, the remaining chopped garlic, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; cook, stirring to break up the meat, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and discard the fat if necessary. Add the tomatoes, basil, and 1/4 cup water; stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
With a fork, rake the squash flesh into strands, transfer to plates, and season to taste with salt. Ladle the beef ragù over the squash and garnish with the Parmigiano. Serve with the garlic bread.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Loaded Alfredo
Also from Cook This, Not That*. We had this last for dinner and it was a hit! We used homemade pasta, which helped, but it would be good with the suggested whole wheat pasta, too.
It wouldn't have bothered me if the sauce had had a bit more body to it. Next time, I may use 1 cup of whole milk, and probably add a bit of Asiago cheese to it.
While we were eating dinner, we thought of lots of versions of this - smoked sausage and crawfish tails. Shrimp and asparagus instead of chicken and broccoli would be another. It would be a great dish to use up bits and pieces from the fridge. We often have grilled chicken, grilled asparagus, roasted green beans left over from various meals.
Our son loved it, too. We'll be making it again.
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
8 oz cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well) - We used two grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine (we like Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)
How to Make It:
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming. Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have lightly caramelized. Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and the chicken mixture, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.63
In comparison, consider the same dish at The Olive Garden:
1,220 calories
75 g fat (47 g saturated)
1,350 mg sodium
*Love this book.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Easy weeknight dinner
from Cook This Not That
12 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp red-pepper flakes - the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons, which was very spicy - next time I'll use a scant 1 teaspoon
4 oz dried spaghetti
1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano or thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red-pepper flakes, olive oil, onion, garlic, and oregano or thyme, and cook until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, add as much of the sauce as you'd like, and garnish with parsley.
from Cook This Not That
12 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp red-pepper flakes - the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons, which was very spicy - next time I'll use a scant 1 teaspoon
4 oz dried spaghetti
1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano or thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the red-pepper flakes, olive oil, onion, garlic, and oregano or thyme, and cook until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, add as much of the sauce as you'd like, and garnish with parsley.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Make-Ahead Weeknight Meal - Pizza
I have a long and enduring love affair with pizza. I've recently learned how to make homemade pizza work with my schedule.
It's all here!
It's all here!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Roasted Shrimp with Peppers and Lemon
Real Simple magazine did a story about weeknight meals with pantry staples - or something like that - and this was one of them.
I love shrimp and this makes enough for leftovers, and that makes me happy.
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 scallions, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound frozen large peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
The recipe doesn't mind being tinkered with - when I made it the other day, I used a yellow pepper instead of red. When I realized we didn't have any scallions I and chopped up a pearl onion instead.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the bell pepper, lemon, thyme, scallions, crushed red pepper, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
Spread on a rimmed baking sheet (reserving the bowl).
Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss with the paprika, the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Nestle the shrimp in the bell peppers on the baking sheet. Roast until the shrimp are cooked through and the bell peppers are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
(My two cents: The shrimp take no time to cook - like 8 minutes. The strips of bell pepper are nowhere close to being done by then. Next time, I'm going to saute the bell pepper strips first, just a bit, in olive oil. I like them to still have a nice satisfying crunch but I want them cooked, not raw.)
Serve over the rice.
Tip:
To freeze: No need to thaw the shrimp. Just divide all the ingredients among 4 freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
To cook: Transfer the frozen ingredients to a baking sheet and roast at 450° F for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with cooked long-grain white rice.
The next day, I got to have this wonderful grilled shrimp salad. I chopped the shrimp and a few roasted bell peppers, added them to spinach, and topped it with a vinaigrette. So good!
I love shrimp and this makes enough for leftovers, and that makes me happy.
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 scallions, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound frozen large peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
The recipe doesn't mind being tinkered with - when I made it the other day, I used a yellow pepper instead of red. When I realized we didn't have any scallions I and chopped up a pearl onion instead. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the bell pepper, lemon, thyme, scallions, crushed red pepper, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
Spread on a rimmed baking sheet (reserving the bowl).
Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss with the paprika, the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Nestle the shrimp in the bell peppers on the baking sheet. Roast until the shrimp are cooked through and the bell peppers are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
(My two cents: The shrimp take no time to cook - like 8 minutes. The strips of bell pepper are nowhere close to being done by then. Next time, I'm going to saute the bell pepper strips first, just a bit, in olive oil. I like them to still have a nice satisfying crunch but I want them cooked, not raw.)
Serve over the rice.
Tip:
To freeze: No need to thaw the shrimp. Just divide all the ingredients among 4 freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
To cook: Transfer the frozen ingredients to a baking sheet and roast at 450° F for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with cooked long-grain white rice.
The next day, I got to have this wonderful grilled shrimp salad. I chopped the shrimp and a few roasted bell peppers, added them to spinach, and topped it with a vinaigrette. So good!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Parma Rosa Pasta With Grilled Chicken
We made this one night last week. It was a weeknight and it'd been a long day. This is the perfect meal for one of those days.
I boiled whole wheat penne. While that was cooking, I mixed up the pasta sauce.
It's in a packet, it's a sauce mix; JUDGE ME, that is fine. I'll be over here enjoying this pasta.
I sliced up some grilled chicken. It was chicken left over from the other night and do you know how happy that makes me? To be able to use leftovers to make another yummy dish? VERY HAPPY INDEED. I love being efficient and frugal. Throwing food away makes me feel bad.
When the pasta was done, I poured the sauce over it and added the sliced chicken. I served it up and topped it with some grated Parmesan. Good stuff.
Leftover steamed asparagus or green beans would have good in there, too. Not pictured was the side salad we had with the pasta.
I boiled whole wheat penne. While that was cooking, I mixed up the pasta sauce.
It's in a packet, it's a sauce mix; JUDGE ME, that is fine. I'll be over here enjoying this pasta.
I sliced up some grilled chicken. It was chicken left over from the other night and do you know how happy that makes me? To be able to use leftovers to make another yummy dish? VERY HAPPY INDEED. I love being efficient and frugal. Throwing food away makes me feel bad.
When the pasta was done, I poured the sauce over it and added the sliced chicken. I served it up and topped it with some grated Parmesan. Good stuff.
Leftover steamed asparagus or green beans would have good in there, too. Not pictured was the side salad we had with the pasta.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sesame Seared Tuna
We had a pretty good sized tuna steak that Jeffrey cut in half and marinated for about 10 to 15 minutes in sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce. Next time we’ll let it soak a little longer, closer to 30 minutes or more.
He heated olive oil and a bit of butter in a skillet and in the meantime, patted down both sides of the tuna with sesame seeds.
He seared the tuna, cooking mine a bit longer than his. I like rare tuna but I don’t like it when it’s cold in the center. Letting it come to room temperature helps.
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Tasty and healthy. The sesame oil complimented the tuna nicely.
We had brussel sprouts with the tuna. I love brussel sprouts. Following the package directions, we microwaved them – perfect since tuna takes, literally, less than two minutes to cook – and made a “sauce” of melted butter and dark brown sugar. I sprinkled some lightly toasted pecans on top.
Next time, we may try some sauteed bok choy as a side dish.
He heated olive oil and a bit of butter in a skillet and in the meantime, patted down both sides of the tuna with sesame seeds.
He seared the tuna, cooking mine a bit longer than his. I like rare tuna but I don’t like it when it’s cold in the center. Letting it come to room temperature helps.
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Tasty and healthy. The sesame oil complimented the tuna nicely.
We had brussel sprouts with the tuna. I love brussel sprouts. Following the package directions, we microwaved them – perfect since tuna takes, literally, less than two minutes to cook – and made a “sauce” of melted butter and dark brown sugar. I sprinkled some lightly toasted pecans on top.
Next time, we may try some sauteed bok choy as a side dish.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Stir Fry Non Recipe
I promise we've cooked and eaten in the last several weeks. I am not altogether sure where the last several weeks have gone, but I'm quite sure we cooked and ate during them.
There were crab cakes and pork tenderloin and grilled chicken and all kinds of stuff that I did not even photograph. Sorry.
We've made stir fry a couple of times. It is the ideal Monday night dish; spend a little time in the kitchen and eat healthy, meaning you get to feel virtuous and smug the rest of the night. NOT BAD for a Monday.
If I think about it in the morning before I leave for work, I marinate some chicken. I really like Taste of Gourmet's Great Grilling Marinade. Most of the time, it's after work before I do that and sometimes I use a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil.
I heat sesame oil over medium heat in a large skillet (I don't own a wok - the skillet works fine) and cook the chicken.
(Why is that picture sideways?)When the chicken is cooked through, I wrap it in aluminum foil and slide it into a slightly warm (200 degrees) oven to stay warm.
I add more sesame oil and some soy sauce, maybe a bit of chicken stock or white wine, and add chopped red, yellow, and/or green peppers and onion and saute.
I really really like sugar snap peas and snow peas. Jeffrey is more partial to green beans. Whichever we use - we've tried different combinations and they're all good - add them toward the end.
When the veggies are almost done I toss some peanuts in there with them. I don't know why peanuts; that seems more Thai. When I do the tossing I guess it should be cashews. Whatever. I like both.
Add the nice warm chicken back to the mix and stir together.
Oh and in the meantime, the rice is cooking.
We always have leftovers and they're pretty good re-heated. Just cook some fresh rice.
Now I'm kind of craving it all over again.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs Redux
We tried this recipe once before and it wasn't pretty.
We tinkered with the recipe and had a re-do. The results were much more palatable. The Child liked it, too - we'll make it again.
Salt
about 12 ounces pasta, such as penne
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
Black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
Form a bunch of smallish balls, or eight largish ones.
(I haven't tried it yet but I suspect at this point, the meatballs could be frozen. You could mix up a big batch, then pull out a few for dinner with pasta.)
Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
Defrost spinach in microwave.
While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
Serve pasta with meatballs.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Rachel Ray Is a Big Fat Liar
The Fiance and I saw Rachel Ray make Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs on her 30-minute meal show. Huh, we both said. Sounds pretty good -and, hey, it takes just 30 minutes!
The reality was something more akin to 70 minutes, and that was with both of us working on it and neither of us are dummies in the kitchen.
We're going to try the recipe again and when we do, we'll use one package of spinach rather than two. As it was the "sauce" was clumps of clumpy spinach. Tasty but nothing like a sauce.
About half the pasta - 8 ounces rather than 16 ounces - would probably suffice. To me, the dish seemed mostly pasta sprinkled here and there with clumps of spinach. I was expecting pasta in a sauce. Color me crazy.
Finally, and this is just a personal thing, I don't care much for meatballs. The texture is very close to meatloaf, which I don't like. These chicken sausage meatballs were good but I think I'd make more like 16 small ones rather than 8 large ones. But that's just me.
Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
Salt
1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta (We used corkscrew pasta.)
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (We couldn't find ground chicken after looking at two grocery stores, so we used ground turkey.)
Black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.
The reality was something more akin to 70 minutes, and that was with both of us working on it and neither of us are dummies in the kitchen.
We're going to try the recipe again and when we do, we'll use one package of spinach rather than two. As it was the "sauce" was clumps of clumpy spinach. Tasty but nothing like a sauce.
About half the pasta - 8 ounces rather than 16 ounces - would probably suffice. To me, the dish seemed mostly pasta sprinkled here and there with clumps of spinach. I was expecting pasta in a sauce. Color me crazy.
Finally, and this is just a personal thing, I don't care much for meatballs. The texture is very close to meatloaf, which I don't like. These chicken sausage meatballs were good but I think I'd make more like 16 small ones rather than 8 large ones. But that's just me.
Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
Salt
1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta (We used corkscrew pasta.)
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (We couldn't find ground chicken after looking at two grocery stores, so we used ground turkey.)
Black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
It's a Party, It's Chicken, It's Party Chicken
I recently bragged about my ability to time travel.
I did it again last night – time traveled, not bragged about it - wherein I prepared a chicken dish my mother used to make a lot in the late 70s. It’s called Party Chicken. Bacon and a can of Cream of Mushroom soup are involved. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it?
Party Chicken
1 (2.25-ounce) jar of dried beef
Bacon (can use turkey bacon)
4 chicken breasts (bone in or boneless skinless)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used Healthy Request)
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shred half the jar of dried beef and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.
I could not find a photo of the jar of it the way I usually see it, but this is the same brand, just different packaging. Maybe it's a southern thing? I don't know?
Save the rest to use in another recipe. Like a cheeseball – recipe to come.
Wrap chicken breasts in bacon, 1 to 2 slices each, depending on the size. Place in casserole dish.
Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake for about an hour.
Last night as I was pulling this dish from the oven, I remember that my mother always baked this at a lower temperature, about 250 degrees, for a longer time, about two to three hours. It made the entire house smell so good! Growing up, we often had it for Sunday dinner because you could cook it so slowly.
I bet this would work nicely in a slow cooker, too, although I haven't tried it yet.
We had brown rice and sautéed spinach with the chicken. I love sautéed spinach. We sautéed about half a yellow onion and a clove or two of garlic in olive oil and a bit of butter, then added the spinach, and covered until it was cooked. It’s really tasty and so easy.
All in all, a delicious and easy, easy meal everybody liked. There were happy plates all around.
We’re planning to have seared tuna steaks with spinach Friday night for dinner, tailgate food Saturday afternoon and evening while watching the game, and filets and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus Sunday night. Maybe hamburgers Monday.
What will you eat over the Labor Day weekend?
I did it again last night – time traveled, not bragged about it - wherein I prepared a chicken dish my mother used to make a lot in the late 70s. It’s called Party Chicken. Bacon and a can of Cream of Mushroom soup are involved. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it?
Party Chicken
1 (2.25-ounce) jar of dried beef
Bacon (can use turkey bacon)
4 chicken breasts (bone in or boneless skinless)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used Healthy Request)
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shred half the jar of dried beef and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.
I could not find a photo of the jar of it the way I usually see it, but this is the same brand, just different packaging. Maybe it's a southern thing? I don't know?Save the rest to use in another recipe. Like a cheeseball – recipe to come.
Wrap chicken breasts in bacon, 1 to 2 slices each, depending on the size. Place in casserole dish.
Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake for about an hour.
Last night as I was pulling this dish from the oven, I remember that my mother always baked this at a lower temperature, about 250 degrees, for a longer time, about two to three hours. It made the entire house smell so good! Growing up, we often had it for Sunday dinner because you could cook it so slowly.
I bet this would work nicely in a slow cooker, too, although I haven't tried it yet.
We had brown rice and sautéed spinach with the chicken. I love sautéed spinach. We sautéed about half a yellow onion and a clove or two of garlic in olive oil and a bit of butter, then added the spinach, and covered until it was cooked. It’s really tasty and so easy.
All in all, a delicious and easy, easy meal everybody liked. There were happy plates all around.
We’re planning to have seared tuna steaks with spinach Friday night for dinner, tailgate food Saturday afternoon and evening while watching the game, and filets and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus Sunday night. Maybe hamburgers Monday.
What will you eat over the Labor Day weekend?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Search is Over
Pizza and me go back a long way.
When I was in junior high, maybe earlier, I turned my nose up at things like roast, mashed potatoes, fried okra, black eyed peas (actually, I don’t much care for mashed potatoes or black eyed peas to this day), and I’d roll my eyes, because life was very, very hard, and fix something else, with my own little hands, for me have for dinner. Because it was difficult to adjust to the unfair reality that the world did not, in fact, revolve around my 12-year-old self as it should.
So. Pizza. And by pizza I mean either white bread or English muffins lightly toasted, then spread with jarred pizza sauce, topped with a slice of American cheese and toasted again in the toaster oven. Gourmet, ya’ll.
If there was a brand of frozen pizza, I tried it. I pretty well lived on them in high school, when I wasn’t eating chicken nugget baskets from our local diner.
Eating out, Italian was always my preference. I was all over that wood-fired pizza trend that started, in Mississippi anyway, in the 80s.
Then in graduate school, I thought I hit upon nirvana. Caramelized onions, whatever kind of tomato-based pasta sauce that sounded interesting, and goat cheese on a Boboli crust. Well. There is no telling how many times I made that. It was my quirky version of comfort food; the onions smelled incredible while cooking and the gooey cheese melded with it and it was all good. It was one of those you-can’t-mess-this up dishes.
I don’t know that I thought it could be topped.
And I, I would be wrong.
A couple of weeks ago we bought a pre-made pizza crust and spread it with basil pesto. We topped that with sliced sun dried tomato, caramelized onion, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, and shredded rotisserie chicken.
It was every bit as fabulous as it sounds. The only thing that could have improved it was roasted red pepper, which we learned a few days later when we made it again. From now on, they’re on the permanent ingredient list.
We've made it with smoked mozarrella, which I really liked.
The pizza was baked on a pizza stone and actually, that’s pretty important. It makes a world of difference in getting a nice, crisp crust. If you don’t have one, before you preheat the oven, slide in the pizza pan or cookie sheet or whatever you’re going to bake the pizza on and let it get good and hot with the oven. That will help.
This weekend, we're planning a picnic with sandwich wraps having roughly the same ingredients. I'll keep you posted.
When I was in junior high, maybe earlier, I turned my nose up at things like roast, mashed potatoes, fried okra, black eyed peas (actually, I don’t much care for mashed potatoes or black eyed peas to this day), and I’d roll my eyes, because life was very, very hard, and fix something else, with my own little hands, for me have for dinner. Because it was difficult to adjust to the unfair reality that the world did not, in fact, revolve around my 12-year-old self as it should.
So. Pizza. And by pizza I mean either white bread or English muffins lightly toasted, then spread with jarred pizza sauce, topped with a slice of American cheese and toasted again in the toaster oven. Gourmet, ya’ll.
If there was a brand of frozen pizza, I tried it. I pretty well lived on them in high school, when I wasn’t eating chicken nugget baskets from our local diner.
Eating out, Italian was always my preference. I was all over that wood-fired pizza trend that started, in Mississippi anyway, in the 80s.
Then in graduate school, I thought I hit upon nirvana. Caramelized onions, whatever kind of tomato-based pasta sauce that sounded interesting, and goat cheese on a Boboli crust. Well. There is no telling how many times I made that. It was my quirky version of comfort food; the onions smelled incredible while cooking and the gooey cheese melded with it and it was all good. It was one of those you-can’t-mess-this up dishes.
I don’t know that I thought it could be topped.
And I, I would be wrong.
A couple of weeks ago we bought a pre-made pizza crust and spread it with basil pesto. We topped that with sliced sun dried tomato, caramelized onion, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, and shredded rotisserie chicken.
It was every bit as fabulous as it sounds. The only thing that could have improved it was roasted red pepper, which we learned a few days later when we made it again. From now on, they’re on the permanent ingredient list.
We've made it with smoked mozarrella, which I really liked.
The pizza was baked on a pizza stone and actually, that’s pretty important. It makes a world of difference in getting a nice, crisp crust. If you don’t have one, before you preheat the oven, slide in the pizza pan or cookie sheet or whatever you’re going to bake the pizza on and let it get good and hot with the oven. That will help.
This weekend, we're planning a picnic with sandwich wraps having roughly the same ingredients. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Salad
It’s not called The Salad because I think it’s the salad to end all salads (actually, I do kind of think that but that’s not why I call it that). It’s because we almost always have this salad with every meal. Calling it The Salad is shorthand. Generally it’s just, “Do you want salad?” and we both know what we’re talking about.
Start with whatever kind of lettuce you like. I prefer a mix of romaine and spinach and who cares what other mixed greens, as long as their color is rich and deep. You could add chopped broccoli, leftover roasted asparagus – whatever you like and have on hand.
Next, cheese, preferably Edam. If not, sharp cheddar. Just a bit grated over the top.
Then either chow mein noodles or croutons, if you like.
If we have pecans or walnuts on hand, those go in there, too. I like to toast them first but that’s not strictly necessary.
This part is what defines The Salad: The dressing.
First up, Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s divine – simple and excellent.
Then you also have Wine and Cheese. I don’t know that it tastes all that much like either wine or cheese but whatever. It’s good.
There you have it. The Salad. Basically, it hinges on A) Good greens, whatever your personal preference, and B) Your dressing of choice.
Naturally, there are any number of variations on The Salad. Like a couple of weeks ago, Jeffrey made a Sunday night meal of A Big Salad, with the greens, Edam cheese, shredded chicken, pecans, fresh cooked bacon, and croutons, dressed with Wine and Cheese dressing. It was an excellent Sunday evening supper, particularly following the big dinner we’d had: honey baked ham, hash brown potato casserole, carrot soufflé, and seven layer salad.
Start with whatever kind of lettuce you like. I prefer a mix of romaine and spinach and who cares what other mixed greens, as long as their color is rich and deep. You could add chopped broccoli, leftover roasted asparagus – whatever you like and have on hand. Next, cheese, preferably Edam. If not, sharp cheddar. Just a bit grated over the top.
Then either chow mein noodles or croutons, if you like.
If we have pecans or walnuts on hand, those go in there, too. I like to toast them first but that’s not strictly necessary.
This part is what defines The Salad: The dressing.
First up, Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s divine – simple and excellent.
Then you also have Wine and Cheese. I don’t know that it tastes all that much like either wine or cheese but whatever. It’s good.
There you have it. The Salad. Basically, it hinges on A) Good greens, whatever your personal preference, and B) Your dressing of choice.
Naturally, there are any number of variations on The Salad. Like a couple of weeks ago, Jeffrey made a Sunday night meal of A Big Salad, with the greens, Edam cheese, shredded chicken, pecans, fresh cooked bacon, and croutons, dressed with Wine and Cheese dressing. It was an excellent Sunday evening supper, particularly following the big dinner we’d had: honey baked ham, hash brown potato casserole, carrot soufflé, and seven layer salad.
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