Posts
Last night I uncovered a box of Kashi 7 grain and sesame pilaf that I haven't opened yet. I figured that since brown rice was one of the ingredients, that would make a great addition to the leftover stir fry I had slated for lunch today. And since, I love their frozen dinners- no problem.
What a great find! I am stuffed after eating one serving and have consumed by daily quota of recommended whole grains- so bring on the white bread!
I will definately have to play around with this some more.
And this morning in the shower, I think I caught a glimpse of Mischa tring to jump from the sink to the top of the door. It was a black blur slamming into the top of the door, followed by a thump, then a yowl and kitten footfalls running down the hallway. This was after he spent most of the morning on top of the refridgerator. He is the reason why we don't have lit candles in the open. He is voted most likely to set himself on fire.
I did finish Espersso Shot by Cleo Coyle, the most recent in the Coffeehouse mystery series which I really enjoyed. I just started Deadly Night by Heather Graham, the first in the Flynn Brothers trilogy. I haven't read any of her books before, but it is promising- a good paranormal mystery that takes place in New Orleans.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Pantry Freezer challenge
I am a huge believer in a well stocked pantry and freezer. It's amazing to be able to come home with just some chicken and milk from the store and be able to whip up a great dinner. With a can of tomatoes you can go Mexican, Italian or Moroccan. You can make pasta in minutes.
Managing it, is another story.
I ran into this last night which I just picked up chicken and a couple of veggies for the kung pao chicken I planned for dinner. I was going to use up the rest of the veggies in the crisper and had brown rice to cook at home.
So, after cutting up the chicken, I opened the pantry door to discover I was dangerously low on soy sauce. So much so, I couldn't make the recipe. And no rice wine vinegar. How could I have fig balsamic and sherry but no rice? And brown rice, our rice of choice, nope- had about not even a half cup which would not be enough for the planned leftovers the next day. Luckily, I had a bottle of spicy stir fry sauce in the pantry so I used that instead. Enter the steam bag of frozen rice from the freezer. So, dinner went on as planned, and really who wants to back to the store when it's after 6pm?
I did a fair job of cleaning out the pantry & freezer before moving. But, I am a sucker for buying stuff on sale and clearance because I'll use it someday. I know a lot of it stems from those lean grad school days and under/unemployment days which are behind me. (Knock wood!) But in moving, I found out that I had a lot of duplicates- I mean who needs two huge containers of corn starch? Apparently I thought I did!
So, progress in cleaning out stuff? I used some leftover frozen turkey in the curry soup. The remaining of it is in the freezer (one step forward and, well) We have two more bags of turkey! I think a couple of casseroles may be in the mix or a batch of turkey noodle soup to send off to someone.
Frozen sweet corn- totally have to use that.
Roasted hatch chillies- tortilla soup- maybe with turkey? ;-)
Frozen cherries- yum
A slew of frozen meals.
Half open package of Morningstar Farms sausage crumbles
The cheeseball my Mom snuck home with me
Sloppy joes- may be my lunch tomorrow
Duck breast
Potstickers- may have these this week- with some asparagus-
Of course, this just scratches the surface!
And having this upcoming weekend off I was thinking about a couple of cooking projects to further stock my freezer- making chicken stock and bologonese sauce. Or maybe I should work around the house and eat black bean burgers for dinner and gain some more precious free cubic inches of freezer space. Hmmm....
One my things I will have to pay more attention to is the dreaded expiration dates. My baking plans around Christmas didn't work out- so had to end up ditching the heavy cream I bought. Ditto the overage of cottage cheese that we had. And since I bought yoplait yogurt on sale (5 for $2 at Dahls), I checked the dates and bought the one slated to die first with me for breakfast. I was really in the passion fruit mood- but had to settle for strawberry cheesecake- tough life. I did put my celery in one of those green bags that my Mom gave me- so we'll see how that works. I never ever use up a thing of celery. Ever. Too bad Mischa doesn't like celery.
Of course my Mom's freezer is infamous. My friend Jamie noted that once that lone package of eggrolls had been in there the entire time he'd known me. Years. So, Ma- up for the challenge?
Managing it, is another story.
I ran into this last night which I just picked up chicken and a couple of veggies for the kung pao chicken I planned for dinner. I was going to use up the rest of the veggies in the crisper and had brown rice to cook at home.
So, after cutting up the chicken, I opened the pantry door to discover I was dangerously low on soy sauce. So much so, I couldn't make the recipe. And no rice wine vinegar. How could I have fig balsamic and sherry but no rice? And brown rice, our rice of choice, nope- had about not even a half cup which would not be enough for the planned leftovers the next day. Luckily, I had a bottle of spicy stir fry sauce in the pantry so I used that instead. Enter the steam bag of frozen rice from the freezer. So, dinner went on as planned, and really who wants to back to the store when it's after 6pm?
I did a fair job of cleaning out the pantry & freezer before moving. But, I am a sucker for buying stuff on sale and clearance because I'll use it someday. I know a lot of it stems from those lean grad school days and under/unemployment days which are behind me. (Knock wood!) But in moving, I found out that I had a lot of duplicates- I mean who needs two huge containers of corn starch? Apparently I thought I did!
So, progress in cleaning out stuff? I used some leftover frozen turkey in the curry soup. The remaining of it is in the freezer (one step forward and, well) We have two more bags of turkey! I think a couple of casseroles may be in the mix or a batch of turkey noodle soup to send off to someone.
Mental Inventory
Frozen sweet corn- totally have to use that.
Roasted hatch chillies- tortilla soup- maybe with turkey? ;-)
Frozen cherries- yum
A slew of frozen meals.
Half open package of Morningstar Farms sausage crumbles
The cheeseball my Mom snuck home with me
Sloppy joes- may be my lunch tomorrow
Duck breast
Potstickers- may have these this week- with some asparagus-
Of course, this just scratches the surface!
And having this upcoming weekend off I was thinking about a couple of cooking projects to further stock my freezer- making chicken stock and bologonese sauce. Or maybe I should work around the house and eat black bean burgers for dinner and gain some more precious free cubic inches of freezer space. Hmmm....
One my things I will have to pay more attention to is the dreaded expiration dates. My baking plans around Christmas didn't work out- so had to end up ditching the heavy cream I bought. Ditto the overage of cottage cheese that we had. And since I bought yoplait yogurt on sale (5 for $2 at Dahls), I checked the dates and bought the one slated to die first with me for breakfast. I was really in the passion fruit mood- but had to settle for strawberry cheesecake- tough life. I did put my celery in one of those green bags that my Mom gave me- so we'll see how that works. I never ever use up a thing of celery. Ever. Too bad Mischa doesn't like celery.
Of course my Mom's freezer is infamous. My friend Jamie noted that once that lone package of eggrolls had been in there the entire time he'd known me. Years. So, Ma- up for the challenge?
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Inaugural Celebration
This week has been a long one it seems. I woke up this morning and felt like it should be next Tuesday. I think that peaceful transition of power that we've been waiting sooooooooo long for can do that to you.
I was impressed that President Obama placed a huge emphasis on a call to return to personal responsibility. The government alone can't bail us out or fix all of our problems. Its up to us to make changes in our lives that will get us back on track. To living within our means, planning ahead, eating better, losing weight, excising, driving more fuel efficient cars, making sure our kids do their homework and on and on.
Breaking out the White House napkins I bought one of the last times I was in DC, I cozied up to toast President Obama and Vice President Biden take the oath of office. In celebration, along with a Bellini to sip, I tried an excellent new recipe from Small Batch Baking (which every time I cook something from it, I wonder why don't I do this more often!) As much as I love cake, I don't need a whole cake sitting around the house all week.
I used raspberry jam for the filling and only used one croissant. I really can't help myself when it comes to croissants- am a sucker for the buttery treats. I prefer the richness of them and brioche to something that's sweeter. This was an excellent special occasion breakfast, not too sweet but rich. And easy!
Baked Raspberry Almond French Toast
Small Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos
Makes two french toasts- serves 2
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 TB sugar
2 TB amaretto or 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3 TB raspberry preserves
2 large croissants, cut in half horizontally
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 TB unsalted butter, melted
Honey, warmed or powdered sugar for garnish
fresh raspberries for garnish
1. Place the milk, sugar, egg, amaretto, cinnamon and salt in shallow baking dish and whisk to blend well.
2. Spread half the raspberry preserves over the bottom half of each croissant. Press halves together, and place in baking dish, turning to coat them with custard. Let them soak for 30 minutes to absorb the custard, turning frequently.
3. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a small baking sheet.
4. Remove croissants from baking dish. Coat with almonds and place on prepared sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. (Discard leftover custard mixture) Bake until croissants are puffed and brown and custard is set, about 25-27 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and transfer to serving plates. garnish with honey, powdered sugar or raspberries if desired.
Since Angel was out on Tuesday evening seeing Spring Awakening, our Inaugural celebration dinner was last night. I kept it a little lighter and turned to one of our favorite recipes. I have to leave the olives out for Angel (and I forgot to put them in mine again). I love stuffed chicken breasts, but sometimes they are a pain to make. Use a sharp knife and be patient. Take care not to overstuff the chicken or it will leak out and burn. You can also vary the flavor any which way- I used a nice shake of Penzeys Sunny Paris in mine- shallots and rich sweet herbs. I also roasted some asparagus and made mashed sweet potatoes. Enjoy!
Goat Cheese-&-Olive-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Eating Well
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons creamy goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped black olives
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1-1 ¼ pounds total)
1 large egg white
½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (I used butter- I think it makes it richer!)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine goat cheese, olives and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.
3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.
4. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.)
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 20 minutes.
Goat Cheese-&-Olive-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Nutrition Information
Per serving: 235 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 72 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 1 g fiber; 248 mg sodium.1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
I was impressed that President Obama placed a huge emphasis on a call to return to personal responsibility. The government alone can't bail us out or fix all of our problems. Its up to us to make changes in our lives that will get us back on track. To living within our means, planning ahead, eating better, losing weight, excising, driving more fuel efficient cars, making sure our kids do their homework and on and on.
Breaking out the White House napkins I bought one of the last times I was in DC, I cozied up to toast President Obama and Vice President Biden take the oath of office. In celebration, along with a Bellini to sip, I tried an excellent new recipe from Small Batch Baking (which every time I cook something from it, I wonder why don't I do this more often!) As much as I love cake, I don't need a whole cake sitting around the house all week.
I used raspberry jam for the filling and only used one croissant. I really can't help myself when it comes to croissants- am a sucker for the buttery treats. I prefer the richness of them and brioche to something that's sweeter. This was an excellent special occasion breakfast, not too sweet but rich. And easy!
Baked Raspberry Almond French Toast
Small Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos
Makes two french toasts- serves 2
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 TB sugar
2 TB amaretto or 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3 TB raspberry preserves
2 large croissants, cut in half horizontally
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 TB unsalted butter, melted
Honey, warmed or powdered sugar for garnish
fresh raspberries for garnish
1. Place the milk, sugar, egg, amaretto, cinnamon and salt in shallow baking dish and whisk to blend well.
2. Spread half the raspberry preserves over the bottom half of each croissant. Press halves together, and place in baking dish, turning to coat them with custard. Let them soak for 30 minutes to absorb the custard, turning frequently.
3. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a small baking sheet.
4. Remove croissants from baking dish. Coat with almonds and place on prepared sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. (Discard leftover custard mixture) Bake until croissants are puffed and brown and custard is set, about 25-27 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and transfer to serving plates. garnish with honey, powdered sugar or raspberries if desired.
Since Angel was out on Tuesday evening seeing Spring Awakening, our Inaugural celebration dinner was last night. I kept it a little lighter and turned to one of our favorite recipes. I have to leave the olives out for Angel (and I forgot to put them in mine again). I love stuffed chicken breasts, but sometimes they are a pain to make. Use a sharp knife and be patient. Take care not to overstuff the chicken or it will leak out and burn. You can also vary the flavor any which way- I used a nice shake of Penzeys Sunny Paris in mine- shallots and rich sweet herbs. I also roasted some asparagus and made mashed sweet potatoes. Enjoy!
Goat Cheese-&-Olive-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Eating Well
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons creamy goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped black olives
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1-1 ¼ pounds total)
1 large egg white
½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (I used butter- I think it makes it richer!)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine goat cheese, olives and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.
3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.
4. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg white, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.)
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 20 minutes.
Goat Cheese-&-Olive-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Nutrition Information
Per serving: 235 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 72 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 1 g fiber; 248 mg sodium.1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Falafels
Well, today has been a very good day. Aside from it being bone chilling cold, my roomie received excellent news from the doctor which was a great relief. My new neighbor snow blowed our entire driveway and sidewalk this morning- I was blown away that he did and very grateful because my fingers turned numb in the time it took me to shovel off the steps (with two pairs of gloves no less)
Now that my schedule has lightened up a bit, one of my goals is to get back to planning out the menus for the week ahead and plan ahead to prepare lunches to take to work. Because of the hustle and bustle of the holidays and moving, I fell back onto the Lean Cuisine crutch- which isn't a bad thing but I can do better.
And, when I went over to check on Angel's parents dogs- I did weigh myself. And even my jeans still fit, yeah not as good as they once did- I can do better. Their biggest loser contest is off to a fine start- I am proud of them doing it all together- woo hoo!
I was going to make risotto for dinner last night, but I'm out of arborio rice and I had some leftover soup for lunch which had rice in it. So enter one of my favorite veggie comfort meals- falafel.
Since I was on my own that night, I was sorely tempted to drive through Ted's Cony Island for a take away falafel. Yeah- and tater tots! But, budget minded- I made my own from Cooking Light, which I was looking through at Marcia's- great article which also had one of my favorite soups in it too.
Cooking Light has a lot of recipes for baked falafels- which are way more healthier than the deep fried patties of beany goodness you'll pick up when you're out.
Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
Pack the cucumber-yogurt dressing in a separate container to serve with the sandwiches. Vegetable crudités such as bell pepper wedges and carrot or celery sticks will round out the meal. You can substitute fresh baby spinach for the arugula, if desired.
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread, torn into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, split
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until well blended (mixture will be wet).
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1/3 cup chickpea mixture per patty into pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Line each pita half with 1/4 cup arugula, add 1 patty to each pita half, and spoon 2 tablespoons Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing into each pita half.
Note: Nutritional analysis includes Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing.Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 filled pita half)CALORIES 280 (30% from fat); FAT 9.4g (sat 1.2g,mono 5g,poly 2.2g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 81mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.1g; SODIUM 592mg; PROTEIN 11.4g; FIBER 7.3g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007
Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
This makes more than you need for the pita recipe, but it keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator. It's tasty drizzled over sliced tomatoes, or pack it in your lunch later in the week as a dip for carrot sticks.
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.Yield: about 1 1/2 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)CALORIES 8 (0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.6g; SODIUM 9mg; PROTEIN 0.7g; FIBER 0.1g
My spin-I omitted the mustard- that doesn't make sense to me. Instead, I spiced them with a tsp of Penzeys Turkish Seasoning, which I love with anything chick peas- falafel, hummus- it's just great, and another 1/2 tsp of cumin. Another yummy addition is a sprinkling of aleppo pepper, great color and flavor. And I didn't buy arugula- I just used the romaine I has on hand.
Quick dinner- I am very stoked by having a dishwasher- makes cleaning out the Cuisinart a lot easier! Of course, I think the amount of time I have saved by not doing dishes by hand has been sucked up by shoveling. So, the cheap lunch eats will help save money for snowblower.
Mischa was very intrigued by my dinner and yet quite disappointed in it. He's had a busy week- including crawling up into the fireplace- lucky we grabbed him before he could get any further up the chimney. And yes, we took pictures because when the cat gets stuck the first instinct is to grab the camera.
I also unpacked a ton of books and cookbooks last night. The cats are not happy about giving up their open shelves. Every time we cleared off a shelf when we were packing- they sat on the open shelf looking like "Why the hell didn't you do this earlier? This is *awesome*"
Now, I'm reading Janet Evanovich's new one, Plum Spooky, which I think had one my favorite lines in it- "I felt like the lone bran muffin in the pastry case full of eclaires" . I just finished Twilight by Stephanie Meyer- catching up with pop culture, I guess. Not a bad read- just a little fluff but enjoyable and made me realize that I do not miss high school in the least. I have a slew of books checked out from the library- including Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle, the new Coffeehouse mystery, Deadly Night by Heather Grahm- who I has been on my list to check out, Defiance by Nechama Tec- I mean, with Daniel Craig on the cover - how could I not resist?, the movie version of it comes out this week- I think, & Stalking the Unicorn by Michael Resnick- a down on his luck private investigator gets hired by an elf to find an unicorn.
One of goals this year is to catch up with finishing some series I've started to read. It seems like I read one or two then move onto something else. Harlan Coben's Myron Boltair series comes to mind- as his next book released this year is in that series. And I unpacked the Meg Gardiner book I was in the middle of when I moved- great series!
Now that my schedule has lightened up a bit, one of my goals is to get back to planning out the menus for the week ahead and plan ahead to prepare lunches to take to work. Because of the hustle and bustle of the holidays and moving, I fell back onto the Lean Cuisine crutch- which isn't a bad thing but I can do better.
And, when I went over to check on Angel's parents dogs- I did weigh myself. And even my jeans still fit, yeah not as good as they once did- I can do better. Their biggest loser contest is off to a fine start- I am proud of them doing it all together- woo hoo!
I was going to make risotto for dinner last night, but I'm out of arborio rice and I had some leftover soup for lunch which had rice in it. So enter one of my favorite veggie comfort meals- falafel.
Since I was on my own that night, I was sorely tempted to drive through Ted's Cony Island for a take away falafel. Yeah- and tater tots! But, budget minded- I made my own from Cooking Light, which I was looking through at Marcia's- great article which also had one of my favorite soups in it too.
Cooking Light has a lot of recipes for baked falafels- which are way more healthier than the deep fried patties of beany goodness you'll pick up when you're out.
Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
Pack the cucumber-yogurt dressing in a separate container to serve with the sandwiches. Vegetable crudités such as bell pepper wedges and carrot or celery sticks will round out the meal. You can substitute fresh baby spinach for the arugula, if desired.
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread, torn into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, split
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until well blended (mixture will be wet).
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1/3 cup chickpea mixture per patty into pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Line each pita half with 1/4 cup arugula, add 1 patty to each pita half, and spoon 2 tablespoons Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing into each pita half.
Note: Nutritional analysis includes Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing.Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 filled pita half)CALORIES 280 (30% from fat); FAT 9.4g (sat 1.2g,mono 5g,poly 2.2g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 81mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.1g; SODIUM 592mg; PROTEIN 11.4g; FIBER 7.3g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007
Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing
This makes more than you need for the pita recipe, but it keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator. It's tasty drizzled over sliced tomatoes, or pack it in your lunch later in the week as a dip for carrot sticks.
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.Yield: about 1 1/2 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)CALORIES 8 (0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.6g; SODIUM 9mg; PROTEIN 0.7g; FIBER 0.1g
My spin-I omitted the mustard- that doesn't make sense to me. Instead, I spiced them with a tsp of Penzeys Turkish Seasoning, which I love with anything chick peas- falafel, hummus- it's just great, and another 1/2 tsp of cumin. Another yummy addition is a sprinkling of aleppo pepper, great color and flavor. And I didn't buy arugula- I just used the romaine I has on hand.
Quick dinner- I am very stoked by having a dishwasher- makes cleaning out the Cuisinart a lot easier! Of course, I think the amount of time I have saved by not doing dishes by hand has been sucked up by shoveling. So, the cheap lunch eats will help save money for snowblower.
Mischa was very intrigued by my dinner and yet quite disappointed in it. He's had a busy week- including crawling up into the fireplace- lucky we grabbed him before he could get any further up the chimney. And yes, we took pictures because when the cat gets stuck the first instinct is to grab the camera.
I also unpacked a ton of books and cookbooks last night. The cats are not happy about giving up their open shelves. Every time we cleared off a shelf when we were packing- they sat on the open shelf looking like "Why the hell didn't you do this earlier? This is *awesome*"
Now, I'm reading Janet Evanovich's new one, Plum Spooky, which I think had one my favorite lines in it- "I felt like the lone bran muffin in the pastry case full of eclaires" . I just finished Twilight by Stephanie Meyer- catching up with pop culture, I guess. Not a bad read- just a little fluff but enjoyable and made me realize that I do not miss high school in the least. I have a slew of books checked out from the library- including Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle, the new Coffeehouse mystery, Deadly Night by Heather Grahm- who I has been on my list to check out, Defiance by Nechama Tec- I mean, with Daniel Craig on the cover - how could I not resist?, the movie version of it comes out this week- I think, & Stalking the Unicorn by Michael Resnick- a down on his luck private investigator gets hired by an elf to find an unicorn.
One of goals this year is to catch up with finishing some series I've started to read. It seems like I read one or two then move onto something else. Harlan Coben's Myron Boltair series comes to mind- as his next book released this year is in that series. And I unpacked the Meg Gardiner book I was in the middle of when I moved- great series!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Chasing the chill away with curry
Hearing the forecast for this week sent a little shiver through me. After shoveling yesterday morning, I knew I needed to come home to a warm dinner- and soup sounded just the ticket.
This did take longer than I thought to come together- but I am still adjusting to my new stove. But, it made a huge batch of soup! Half of it will be frozen & I brought some in for lunch today. Penzeys sweet curry powder gave it a rich flavor and a deep golden color. Perfect winter dish to curl up with the season premier of 24- GO JACK!!
Turkey Curry Soup
From: Enlightened Soups by Camilla Saulsbury
Ingredients:
1 TB unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 TB minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 TB sweet curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped carrots
2 medium tart apples, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups uncooked long grain rice
3 cups shredded cooked turkey
2 TB lime juice
1 14oz can light coconut milk
1/2 cup flour
Optional: hot sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts or cashews
1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Method:
Melt butter in large saucepan (I used my dutch oven & glad I did) over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder and garlic. Cook and stir for one minute.
Add the carrots, celery, apples and 4 cups of broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions.
Puree soup- either by working in batches with a blender or use an immersion blender. Stir in turkey, lime juice, remaining broth & cooked rice.
Whisk the coconut milk and flour together in small bowl until blended. Add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes until thick, stirring constantly. Season to taste- add hot sauce if desired. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts and coconut.
My changes- I used basmati rice- but I really couldn't tell that I had, so next time I'll use just regular rice. And I did only use 7 cups of broth- and still have oodles of soup. And the next time, I'll add a dash of cayenne and maybe a little garam marsala to add another layer of flavor. I didn't have the stuff on hand to garnish- but the peanuts would be nice. No coconut for me though- I love coconut milk but still don't care for coconut that much. Unless it's covered in chocolate, then I can willingly eat it.
This did take longer than I thought to come together- but I am still adjusting to my new stove. But, it made a huge batch of soup! Half of it will be frozen & I brought some in for lunch today. Penzeys sweet curry powder gave it a rich flavor and a deep golden color. Perfect winter dish to curl up with the season premier of 24- GO JACK!!
Turkey Curry Soup
From: Enlightened Soups by Camilla Saulsbury
Ingredients:
1 TB unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 TB minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 TB sweet curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped carrots
2 medium tart apples, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups uncooked long grain rice
3 cups shredded cooked turkey
2 TB lime juice
1 14oz can light coconut milk
1/2 cup flour
Optional: hot sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts or cashews
1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Method:
Melt butter in large saucepan (I used my dutch oven & glad I did) over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder and garlic. Cook and stir for one minute.
Add the carrots, celery, apples and 4 cups of broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions.
Puree soup- either by working in batches with a blender or use an immersion blender. Stir in turkey, lime juice, remaining broth & cooked rice.
Whisk the coconut milk and flour together in small bowl until blended. Add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes until thick, stirring constantly. Season to taste- add hot sauce if desired. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts and coconut.
My changes- I used basmati rice- but I really couldn't tell that I had, so next time I'll use just regular rice. And I did only use 7 cups of broth- and still have oodles of soup. And the next time, I'll add a dash of cayenne and maybe a little garam marsala to add another layer of flavor. I didn't have the stuff on hand to garnish- but the peanuts would be nice. No coconut for me though- I love coconut milk but still don't care for coconut that much. Unless it's covered in chocolate, then I can willingly eat it.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thai this one on
Two recipes to share- both of which turned out pretty good.
The first is actually more of a method than anything. A whole wheat tortilla topped with smashed sweet potatoes seasoned with a little cumin, black beans, a little salsa & cheese- baked until cheese melted- yum. Spice it up with some chipotle or a couple of shakes of hot sauce- I love the spicy sweet combo. Black beans and sweet potatoes are best friends.
The next one- Thai Chicken Saute from Cooking Light. This one's been marked for a long time- but gave it a go last night.
Thai Chicken Sauté
Use less hot sauce for milder flavor.
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag rice
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 cup sliced onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 lime wedges
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Keep warm.
Toss chicken with cornstarch and fish sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until done. Stir in coconut milk, Sriracha, sugar, and juice; cook 45 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve chicken mixture over rice with lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 cup rice, and 1 lime wedge)CALORIES 403 (24% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.4g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 108mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.4g; SODIUM 650mg; PROTEIN 42.6g; FIBER 0.5g Cooking Light, MARCH 2007
My changes- I made brown rice instead of the boil in the bag- (and by the way- those freezer steamer bags of rice are great in a pinch) and steamed some broccoli as a side. I used less than a pound of chicken and added more veggies, namely a sliced red pepper and carrots. I love adding more veggies- just love the extra color that it gives the dish. I was skeptical of sprinkling the fish sauce on the chicken- but it worked out well- oh, and I sprinkled the chicken with some Penzeys Bangkok seasoning & used sweet chili sauce, because that's what I had, and omitted the sugar. But, it came together very quick, in about the same amount of time it would take Thai Flavors to deliver- seriously! I do cook my veggies for a bit longer- I don't like them so crunchy.
And of course, I remember after I threw away the rest of the coconut milk that you can freeze the leftover milk. Next time, I'll remember! Enjoy!
The first is actually more of a method than anything. A whole wheat tortilla topped with smashed sweet potatoes seasoned with a little cumin, black beans, a little salsa & cheese- baked until cheese melted- yum. Spice it up with some chipotle or a couple of shakes of hot sauce- I love the spicy sweet combo. Black beans and sweet potatoes are best friends.
The next one- Thai Chicken Saute from Cooking Light. This one's been marked for a long time- but gave it a go last night.
Thai Chicken Sauté
Use less hot sauce for milder flavor.
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag rice
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 cup sliced onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 lime wedges
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Keep warm.
Toss chicken with cornstarch and fish sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until done. Stir in coconut milk, Sriracha, sugar, and juice; cook 45 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve chicken mixture over rice with lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 cup rice, and 1 lime wedge)CALORIES 403 (24% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.4g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 108mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.4g; SODIUM 650mg; PROTEIN 42.6g; FIBER 0.5g Cooking Light, MARCH 2007
My changes- I made brown rice instead of the boil in the bag- (and by the way- those freezer steamer bags of rice are great in a pinch) and steamed some broccoli as a side. I used less than a pound of chicken and added more veggies, namely a sliced red pepper and carrots. I love adding more veggies- just love the extra color that it gives the dish. I was skeptical of sprinkling the fish sauce on the chicken- but it worked out well- oh, and I sprinkled the chicken with some Penzeys Bangkok seasoning & used sweet chili sauce, because that's what I had, and omitted the sugar. But, it came together very quick, in about the same amount of time it would take Thai Flavors to deliver- seriously! I do cook my veggies for a bit longer- I don't like them so crunchy.
And of course, I remember after I threw away the rest of the coconut milk that you can freeze the leftover milk. Next time, I'll remember! Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
A New Year & new start
Well, I know it's been forever since I've written. Now that life has gone back to a dull roar, I'll try to keep up with posting- if only to keep track of what I'm cooking. I looked on my computer at my recipe review file and found it was sorely empty for the past year- oh yeah, I ended up posting most of them on my blog.
So, as most of you know- I took the plunge into home ownership. We moved right before Thanksgiving- which moving before a major holiday and if one of your jobs is food related- I highly discourage. We are far from being completely unpacked. Between my crazy work schedule, being out of town for holidays and being sick all year (all year- no lie! I got a nasty cold from Abby) it's been a struggle. I was overjoyed last week when I found my favorite red skillet, which I packed into a box that did not have such skillet indicated on the outside listing. But, it's amazing to do laundry at home, run the dishwasher and I still get a little thrill when I unlock the door when I come home. And I'm not stressed about it- just taking it one thing at a time. My first mortgage payment came out yesterday- only 359 left to go.
My roomie's family have started their "biggest loser" challenge and I wish them all well. Having the support of everyone will hopefully make the journey easier. And, really it is a journey not a destination since maintaining that lifestyle is the key. Everyone stumbles, but the key is to get back and get going. I am lucky that I don't have huge issues with food. But, honestly, I hate being uncomfortable- if I eat too much, I know it right away and back off. And feeling well and healthy is better than a slice of cheesecake any day- trust me.
Well, since I've been under the weather, haven't cooked at all this week. And in preparation for the contest, we've taken up to restocking the freezer with some quick standbys. Take advantage of all of the great sales and stock up if you can. Weight Watchers have some really great new options- their breakfast sandwiches are delish and I just had their new chicken fajita pizza for lunch- yum. I started thinking about this week and I think in the mix is sweet potato and black bean quesdillas for tonight, a quick sir fry tomorrow and a batch of soup for this weekend (since I work Sat & Sunday with new products launching- yikes!). I got Camilla Saulsbury's new cookbook, Enlightened Soups, from the library and I may give the curried turkey soup a go, since we have a huge amount of leftover turkey in the freezer.
Should get this posted instead of wondering what else to write today. Got lots more to share.
So, as most of you know- I took the plunge into home ownership. We moved right before Thanksgiving- which moving before a major holiday and if one of your jobs is food related- I highly discourage. We are far from being completely unpacked. Between my crazy work schedule, being out of town for holidays and being sick all year (all year- no lie! I got a nasty cold from Abby) it's been a struggle. I was overjoyed last week when I found my favorite red skillet, which I packed into a box that did not have such skillet indicated on the outside listing. But, it's amazing to do laundry at home, run the dishwasher and I still get a little thrill when I unlock the door when I come home. And I'm not stressed about it- just taking it one thing at a time. My first mortgage payment came out yesterday- only 359 left to go.
My roomie's family have started their "biggest loser" challenge and I wish them all well. Having the support of everyone will hopefully make the journey easier. And, really it is a journey not a destination since maintaining that lifestyle is the key. Everyone stumbles, but the key is to get back and get going. I am lucky that I don't have huge issues with food. But, honestly, I hate being uncomfortable- if I eat too much, I know it right away and back off. And feeling well and healthy is better than a slice of cheesecake any day- trust me.
Well, since I've been under the weather, haven't cooked at all this week. And in preparation for the contest, we've taken up to restocking the freezer with some quick standbys. Take advantage of all of the great sales and stock up if you can. Weight Watchers have some really great new options- their breakfast sandwiches are delish and I just had their new chicken fajita pizza for lunch- yum. I started thinking about this week and I think in the mix is sweet potato and black bean quesdillas for tonight, a quick sir fry tomorrow and a batch of soup for this weekend (since I work Sat & Sunday with new products launching- yikes!). I got Camilla Saulsbury's new cookbook, Enlightened Soups, from the library and I may give the curried turkey soup a go, since we have a huge amount of leftover turkey in the freezer.
Should get this posted instead of wondering what else to write today. Got lots more to share.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
