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Jeffrey’s Latest Pasta Creation

August 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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Well friends, this is the only home cooked meal to come out of our kitchen this week. There was one night of baked potato for me and eggs for him, but that hardly warrants a picture and a post. I promise we eat boring sometimes, it’s not all home baked challah every week. I actually ate this for dinner two nights, so maybe it’s not as bad? Except that my three dinners at home were pasta twice and a potato. Mmm starch.

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We made this dinner on Monday night, after 24 hours of traveling on a travel day that should have taken about 5 hours. I didn’t really take notes, we planned the meal on the plane so I could grocery shop, and then Jeffrey did most of the cooking. I actually used most ingredients from the pantry or freezer and only had to buy asparagus, an onion and fresh garlic. That’s pretty good!

Since I didn’t write down a recipe, I’ll share the thought process that I think Jeffrey used too.

For her: I wanted a pasta dish with some veggies and melty cheese. We had linguini in the pantry and used the whole box so there were plenty of leftovers. I thought asparagus was a hearty vegetable, so I bought a bunch of that, and then I used corn and edamame I have frozen. Just a big handful of each.

For him: Jeffrey wanted chicken in his pasta, so I defrosted some raw chicken in the freezer when we got home that afternoon. It was thawed by 6 p.m. when it was time to cook. He didn’t want the corn and edamame, but wanted garlic bread. I defrosted some Mrs. Baird’s white bread that we keep frozen, and we baked it with olive oil sans crust cut in triangles.

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For the whole dish to come together, we cooked the pasta as instructions said. About 10 minutes in boiling water.

In a separate pan, we sauteed the asparagus until tender and then added the corn and edamame for me, and none for Jeffrey. I think there was some sauteed onion in there too.

For the pasta sauce, we kept it simple with olive oil and garlic. Jeffrey minced garlic and added it to a sauce pan with olive oil and heated that up. I’m not sure what else was in there, maybe nothing? It made the noodles buttery and slippery. Mmm.

Then we combined the pasta, vegetables, chicken for Jeffrey (pan seared with just salt and pepper), and sauce and cooked together until warmed through. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and top with grated Parmesan cheese while it’s still hot.

That’s dinner!

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Dinner Two Ways: Fun with Eggs

March 30, 2011 by 2 Comments

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This week I bought a head of cabbage for shrimp tacos. Cabbage goes a long way! The next day, I was reading Ashley’s blog and she had cabbage too. She used hers in an egg pancake that she created, so I recreated her dish for dinner one night.

This was like a potato pancake, but no starches. It was savory and great for dinner. She made one gigantic pancake, I made four smaller ones. Four is about 1.5 servings worth, definitely great as leftovers for lunch too.

Savory Egg Pancakes

(adapted from The Edible Perspective)

Ingredients (makes four small pancakes):

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 C shredded cabbage
  • 1 C chopped leeks
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 C whole wheat flour (she used more and millet flour)
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1.5 T ground flax meal
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • black pepper, paprika

Instructions:

  • Beat eggs and set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine cabbage, leeks, garlic, flour, flax meal and toss with hands or a spoon.
  • Stir in eggs and coat thoroughly.
  • Preheat a skillet and add mixture in four circles to the pan. Form into a circle with spatula, should be about 1/4 inch tall but flattened.

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  • Heat for about 5 minutes and flip for about 4 minutes on other side.

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I served mine with black beans, salsa, and a little leftover guacamole.

It was very similar to the consistency of a thick and rustic potato pancake, but filled with vegetables instead. It wasn’t about the egg as much as the vegetables and savory flavors. I liked it!

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Kind of looks like the Mexican flag?

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Jeffrey wanted eggs too. We had leftover tortillas, cilantro, guacamole and salsa from the shrimp tacos, so he made migas! Included here are green peppers, tomato and cheese with his eggs. And a side of bacon. He wanted to show you his dinner too, all made by him.

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Both dinners were a great way to use up leftovers, and have something different and tasty too.

What’s your favorite way to eat eggs for dinner?

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Easy Weeknight Dinners

February 24, 2011 by 2 Comments

First, please remember to enter the giveaway for Picky Bars! Info in this post. Giveaway closes today and the winner is announced on tomorrow’s post.

Also, yesterday I had my first photo posted on FoodGawker! (Picture here)

And, I saw this article “How to make oatmeal…wrong” by Mark Bittman in The New York Times on McDonald’s oatmeal and why it’s still bad. I have been thinking about it for over a day so wanted to share with you.

So many days we wonder “what’s for dinner?” This dinner comes together very quickly and was a major crowd pleaser. It does take a long time to cook and then cool, but the prep time is so short, you can use the cooking time to do other things around the house, like get ready for the next day, walk the dog, empty the dishwasher or watch TV.

Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Vegetables

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I made this meatloaf once before on the blog, but it made a huge amount that took over two loaf pans. Although it was good, it was way too much for two people. This time, I used the same recipe and cut it in half. And I added some smokey BBQ sauce to the top.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack ground turkey, I used Jennie O Lean (not Extra Lean)
  • 1/2 C old fashioned Quaker Oats
  • 1/8 C dried parsley (use more if fresh)
  • 1/2 T oregano
  • 1 1/2 T Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 5 oz tomato sauce, divided (see below)
  • 1/8 C Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp basil, chopped

(This is not a pretty picture, but meatloaf doesn’t tend to be photogenic while in the loaf pan)

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Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400*.
  • Mix everything together in a mixing bowl by hand including 3 oz of the tomato sauce.
  • Transfer to a 9 x 5 loaf pan coated in cooking spray. Press down so it’s in loaf shape.
  • Spoon on top more tomato sauce (about 2 oz) and BBQ sauce of your choice so the top is coated.
  • Bake for 1 hr, 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes covered in foil before slicing.

The loaf was very flavorful and dense. The tomato sauce + BBQ sauce was a great combination. You could easily sub ketchup, but that’s not allowed in our house. The amount was also perfect, still with some leftover. A Jeffrey approved recipe! He really liked it.

We also liked that the recipe was very light without an egg, oil or bread crumbs as many turkey loaves have.

(gooey BBQ deliciousness)

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Snap Peas and Onion

To go with the loaf, I roasted up some vegetables also at 400*. In a baking pan, I used a pound or so of brussels sprouts (those are for me), and a package of snap peas plus half a yellow onion for Jeffrey. Cooking them all together was no problem, it was like a half half pizza.

For the sprouts, I chopped off the ends but kept them whole. I drizzled 1 T EVOO + 1 T Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (like soy sauce but with less sodium) on top of the sprouts and the same for the other vegetables.

These were baked for 25 minutes at the same temperature sharing an oven. The vegetables still had a bite but were soft on the inside, very important for the sprouts! And the seasoning was perfect–like it was light enough to know something was on it but not overpowering in flavor.

We also had a bag of Alexia Sweet Potato Fries, but these weren’t that special.

Quinoa with Apples and Veggies

This was kind of a clean-out-the-fridge recipe that I just put together to use up vegetables from earlier in the week. It had carrots, celery, red pepper, apple, and leftover Brussels sprouts on the side.

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Ingredients:
  • 3/4 C quinoa
  • 1 1/4 C water
  • 1 Braeburn apple (or any kind you have)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 T apple juice
  • EVOO, salt, pepper
  • 6 pitted dates, diced
Instructions:
  • In a soup pot, cook quinoa as package instructs. Mine was about 1.5 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Once all water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and leave covered.
  • In a separate pan, drizzle 1 T EVOO and let heat up.
  • Add carrots, celery, and red pepper and let cook for about 3 minutes. Add apple and dates and let cook together.
  • Add quinoa to the vegetable mix and toss together.
  • Add apple juice and let cook until juice is absorbed by the vegetables and quinoa.
  • Serve hot, I had mine with leftover Brussels sprouts.
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This was a light choice for dinner, but still filling, especially with added vegetables. I had about 1.5 bowls of this, and Jeffrey ate it as a side dish with leftover meatloaf.

Quinoa, as I’ve written about before, is a great protein that is eaten like a grain. It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, and in this case, it was an apple flavor.

It also lasts a long time in the fridge for leftovers.
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Asian Stir Fry Two Ways

January 5, 2011 by 3 Comments

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Today’s recipe is another “dinner two ways” post. (To see the others, click on the “tag cloud” called Dinner Two Ways on the right column.) We have gotten really good at eating different from each other at home. Chicken continues to look unappetizing to me, so we seasoned our proteins the same but cooked them separately and added them to our own dish. We both wanted to eat a lot of vegetables in this dish, so we packed the stir fry choc full of veggies.

Veggie Packed Stir Fry

This dish was super simple with a little extra cleanup because of separate pans for chicken and tofu. It was very colorful with sweet and spicy flavors and filling too with a combo of protein from edamame and tofu or chicken.

Ingredients, for rice/veggie stir fry:

  • 1 C dry brown rice (I used Uncle Ben’s boil in a bag rice, one pack)
  • 2 T sesame oil
  • 1 C carrots, chopped
  • 1 C edamame (we used frozen and it cooked straight from the bag)
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 can water chestnuts
  • 1/2 C celery, chopped

For the chicken or tofu, we seasoned these the same way.

  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 2 T water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

  • For the chicken: Slice raw chicken into strips or bites and marinate the chicken in sauce. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • For the tofu: I used Extra Firm Tofu. Remove from package and slice into 6 strips. Press for at least 15 minutes between two towels with something heavy. Marinate in same juices in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
  • We cooked the chicken on the stove with one onion, and the tofu on a Griddler for 8 minutes.
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  • For the rice:
  • Boil according to box instructions. Ours went in boiling water for 10 minutes in the bag with perforated holes. It was very simple and perfectly cooked.
  • For the veggies: In a large pan with olive oil, add carrots and edamame to get a head start on cooking. Cook about 8 minutes and add red bell pepper, water chestnuts and celery.

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  • In a small bowl, combine sesame oil and soy sauce and pour on top of veggies. Mix well and let cook together 8 more minutes. Add brown rice to pan and mix all together until veggies are soft and rice is well mixed.
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We assembled our own protein in our own bowl and had the same veggie/rice base.

It took a few pots to get there, but it was a one-bowl dinner.

Jeffrey’s chicken stir fry:

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My tofu stir fry:

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Jeffrey loved the chicken flavor from the marinade paired with the veggies. I thought the tofu on the Griddler was not as firm as I hoped it would be, but it looked pretty with the grill marks. That was my first time trying tofu on the Griddler, and it wasn’t worth the hassle of getting the whole thing out from the cabinet. The stovetop way in cubes is still the best way to get firmer tofu. Like once before when I baked tofu, the griddler tofu did firm up in the refrigerator and was great for lunch the next day.

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Weeknight Eats and Treats

December 31, 2010 by 6 Comments
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Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bark

After I made the Cake Batter Bark and realized how easy it is to make early and serve anytime, I wanted to try a new flavor for a New Year’s Eve party. I used white and dark chocolate again, and then the toppers were Craisins and slivered almonds to add a little salty to sweet. You could also sprinkle on a little sea salt. Chocolate and salt is an up and coming trend.

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz Lindt Dark Chocolate (you can use Nestle chocolate bags too)
  • 12 oz Lindt White Chocolate
  • 1 T yellow cake mix
  • small handful Craisins
  • small handful slivered almonds

Instructions:

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In a microwave safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate for two minutes, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Consistency should be smooth like liquid. Spread in a parchment paper lined baking dish that can fit in your freezer. Freeze for 30 minutes.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate for one minute, stirring every 20 seconds. When the consistency is smooth, stir in 1 T cake mix until dissolved. Pour on top of dark chocolate and smooth out.

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Add craisins and almonds and press into the chocolate. Freeze for another 30-60 minutes.

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Remove from freezer and let sit for a few minutes before breaking. Crack into small pieces and freeze again until you’re ready to serve.

One batch doesn’t make a lot, probably about 20 small pieces.

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Dinner Two Ways

Jeffrey and I are different eaters, and instead of compromise, we adapt our meal plan. Lately I don’t like chicken and have found easier alternatives like using tofu, beans, or cheese to get protein. For this dinner, we shared a big pot of pasta, then dressed it our own way.

My bowl had spinach, pasta, tomatoes, onions, olives, and Parmesan cheese.

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Jeffrey’s bowl had chicken, pasta, tomatoes, onions, olives, and cheese.

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With little extra effort and only one extra pan, everyone is happy and we got a home-cooked meal for two.

Instructions:

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta as instructions on box say. We used Fusilli.

In a separate pan, sautee yellow onion in diced pieces with olive oil. When starting to get translucent, add 2 diced tomatoes and cook together. This turned into our sauce. Let simmer together for a while. Add olives and basil before it comes off the heat for two minutes.

In a separate pan, sautee chicken to your liking (or use grilled or prepared chicken).

When the pasta is ready, drain and add back to the pot. Pour tomato/onion sauce on top and mix well.

Now get your two bowls ready. Add pasta mix to both, chicken to one, and sauteed spinach to one.

We served ours with Alexia Garlic Bread.

A blogger cook-off:

Check back on Monday for a recipe challenge between a few food bloggers. We are all using the same ingredient and will showcase it in different ways. Here are the other blogs to check on Monday. Our recipe for this challenge is kale.

Candy Bark on FoodistaCandy Bark

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Cin Chili and a giveaway!

November 30, 2010 by 34 Comments

1. I have two more stories featured at CultureMap. One is great for ideas about holiday food related gifts that I found while at Foodbuzz Fest, and one is tips to not blow your diet from now until January 1. Make your resolution about something unrelated to food.

Five specialty foods you must try.

Don’t get stuffed. Secrets to staying on track during the holidays.

2. Cin Chili Two Ways

A few weeks ago, we bought a chili pack from a specialty store in Houston called Cin Chili. Cindy was on a Throwdown! with Bobby Flay episode a few years ago and she beat him with her chili! When I went to the Bobby Flay book signing in October, she was there too.

We cooked our chili exactly as the instructions said, and it was very easy. Jeffrey actually did all the work! It uses 2 pounds of ground turkey or beef (we used turkey), one 15 oz can of beef broth, one 8 ounce can of No Salt Added Tomato Sauce, and that’s it. We added one can of corn and let it all cook together.

I put mine over lettuce, and topped it with tomatoes and cheddar cheese.

Jeffrey ate his with onions, cheese, and Fritos.

I thought the turkey meat was very flavorful with a great spicy kick. Jeffrey loved it. I also thought it wasn’t very broth-y and instead seemed like very well seasoned turkey meat that went great on a salad. I guess I am used to a looser chili with some liquid in it. We definitely recommend it!

3. Now for a giveaway!

I haven’t hosted a giveaway in a while, so it’s time to give something away and show appreciation for my loyal readers. In this giveaway, you will receive all of this:

  • 1 free jar of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter of your choice
  • 3 $1 dollar off coupons to buy anything by PB & Co.
  • 6 coupons for a free bag of Fresh Express Salads
  • 1 serated knife that is strong enough to cut through a coke can
  • 1 Toss and Chop–a scissors meets salad tosser
  • 1 Nature’s Pride tote bag and a coupon for free loaf of bread

Leave a comment by Thursday night telling me what you’re looking forward to most in December. I’ll announce the winner on Friday morning.

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