I came across this recipe in a magazine and I think I remember it from the early 80's. I do not know if my mom or grandmother made this cake, but I remember wanting to eat this cake!
Cake:
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup 7UP(room temperature)
1 tbsp lemon zest plus,
2 tspb juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp lime zest, plus
2 tbsp juice from 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 1/4 cups cake flour
Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
Grease and flour 12-cup non-stick tube pan or Bundt pan. In a food processor, process sugar, eggs, 7UP, lemon zest, lemon juice, lime zest, lime juice and salt until smooth.
With machine running, slowly pour in butter and process until incorporated.
Transfer to large bowl. Add flour slowly and whisk until combined.
2. Spread batter into prepared pan. Gently tap pan on counter. Bake 75-90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely (about 2 hours.)
3. Glaze: Whisk confectioner's sugar, lemon juice and lime juice in bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Let glaze set for 10 minutes. Serve.
***Note: Do not use Diet 7UP, the artificial sweetners cause the cake to come out tough and dull in taste. However, Mountain dew, Sprite or Ginger Ale could be substituted nicely.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
French Country Chicken
I found this recipe in Cook's Country magazine. The picture looked just OK, but I wanted a new chicken recipe. This turned out FABULOUS! This may just be the best chicken dish I've ever had! Dave wasn't crazy about the artichokes in the recipe, so I may try to find a substitute, but other than that he loved it too! It was super easy to make as well.
Ingrediants:
4 skin-on split chicken breasts (about 3 lbs), halved crosswise
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 14 oz. can of halved artichokes (drained)
1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried savory
1 tsp dried rosemary
4 tbsp butter cut into pieces
2 tsp white wine vinegar (cider or white vinegar can be used)
Pat chicken dry with papaer towels and season all sides with salt and pepper. I also pick up the skin and season underneath the skin.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Cook chicken skin side down until well-browned, about 6-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until meat registers 160 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet. Add artichokes and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate with chicken. Add broth, honey, herbs and any acculmulated chicken juices to skillet and simmer, scrapping up any browned bits and vinegar.
Pour sauce over chicken and artichokes. Serve.
Ingrediants:
4 skin-on split chicken breasts (about 3 lbs), halved crosswise
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 14 oz. can of halved artichokes (drained)
1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried savory
1 tsp dried rosemary
4 tbsp butter cut into pieces
2 tsp white wine vinegar (cider or white vinegar can be used)
Pat chicken dry with papaer towels and season all sides with salt and pepper. I also pick up the skin and season underneath the skin.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Cook chicken skin side down until well-browned, about 6-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until meat registers 160 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet. Add artichokes and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate with chicken. Add broth, honey, herbs and any acculmulated chicken juices to skillet and simmer, scrapping up any browned bits and vinegar.
Pour sauce over chicken and artichokes. Serve.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Focaccia
I've been trying out different recipes from "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook" that my mother-in-law gave me. In true Martha Stewart fashion, everything in this book looks amazing. So far I've made pizza dough, challah (twice, the second time I modified the recipe a bit), a dobos torte (a 7-layer hungarian cake. Dave's Nana used to make this for his father and they LOVE it. Mine came out OK. Dave ate it, but complained that it wasn't his Nana's!!), and I modified another cake into a sort of strawberry cake. (Again Dave complained that it wasn't like his grandmother's strawberry cake! I can't compete against the grandmothers!!!)
But the Focaccia recipe is so far my favorite. At least it came out the best. This took a long time to make and it had to rise 3 seperate times....but yum...it was worth it!!! It makes a big thing of foccacia, so I need to figure out if the recipe can be cut in half or if I can freeze the dough.
Ingredients:
7 c. bread flour
3 1/2 c. warm water (110-120 degrees)
1 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet of the rapid rise yeast)
2 tbsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt for sprinkling
(not on original recipe, but 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese)
Get the yeast started in a small bowl if using dry yeast by mixing it with 1/4 c. of the water water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the flour, water, and yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the mixture has triples in bulk and full of spongelike bubbles, about 2 hours.
After the dough has risen, add the salt. Attach the bowl to the electric mixer with the dough hook. Mix on low for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to medium and beat for about 15 seconds. The dough will be wet, slack and very sticky. (Tip: spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray before handling dough. this will help --wont prevent-- your hand from becoming too doughy.)
Using a stick scraper, turn the dough onto a well floured work surface. (The dough will be hard to handle, so resist the urge to add flour to the top.) Fold the dough over itself 4 or 5 times. Fold the top edge down one-third of the way toward the center; turn the dough 45 degrees and repeat. Tap off excess flour as you go. Carefully, scoop up the dough and flip it over, seam side down. Place the dough in a well floured bowl, smooth side up. (Make sure the bowl in large enough to accomadate the dough when it has tripled in size!) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. (Spray the plastic wrap with non-stick spray to prevent it from sticking to the dough.)
Return the dough to a well-floured work surface. Repeat the folding process again. Return the dough to the well-floured and cover with the plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil onto a 17 x 12" baking sheet, coating the bottom completely; set aside.
Return the dough to a well-floured surface; it should feel soft and spingy. Place the dough on the prepared sheet. With your hands, flip the dough over and thoroughly coat both sides with oil. Gently stretching the dough with your fingertips as you turn it over. (Allow the weight of the dough to do the work.) Push the dough to the edges of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap let it rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the dough to be stretched the rest of the way more easily. With the plastic wrap still on top of the dough, press out the dough to fill the pan. Remove the plastic wrap; the dough should be very bubbly and supple. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the dough. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt.
Bake, rotating sheet halfway though, until the focaccia is evenly browned on top and bottom, 25-30 minutes. At the halfway point, when I opened the oven to rotate the pan, I sprinkled the 1 c. of parmesan cheese all over the top of the dough.
Immediately slide focaccia onto a wire rack to cool. Best served warm. Slice with a serrated knife or pizza wheel!!
But the Focaccia recipe is so far my favorite. At least it came out the best. This took a long time to make and it had to rise 3 seperate times....but yum...it was worth it!!! It makes a big thing of foccacia, so I need to figure out if the recipe can be cut in half or if I can freeze the dough.
Ingredients:
7 c. bread flour
3 1/2 c. warm water (110-120 degrees)
1 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet of the rapid rise yeast)
2 tbsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt for sprinkling
(not on original recipe, but 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese)
Get the yeast started in a small bowl if using dry yeast by mixing it with 1/4 c. of the water water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the flour, water, and yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the mixture has triples in bulk and full of spongelike bubbles, about 2 hours.
After the dough has risen, add the salt. Attach the bowl to the electric mixer with the dough hook. Mix on low for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to medium and beat for about 15 seconds. The dough will be wet, slack and very sticky. (Tip: spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray before handling dough. this will help --wont prevent-- your hand from becoming too doughy.)
Using a stick scraper, turn the dough onto a well floured work surface. (The dough will be hard to handle, so resist the urge to add flour to the top.) Fold the dough over itself 4 or 5 times. Fold the top edge down one-third of the way toward the center; turn the dough 45 degrees and repeat. Tap off excess flour as you go. Carefully, scoop up the dough and flip it over, seam side down. Place the dough in a well floured bowl, smooth side up. (Make sure the bowl in large enough to accomadate the dough when it has tripled in size!) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. (Spray the plastic wrap with non-stick spray to prevent it from sticking to the dough.)
Return the dough to a well-floured work surface. Repeat the folding process again. Return the dough to the well-floured and cover with the plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil onto a 17 x 12" baking sheet, coating the bottom completely; set aside.
Return the dough to a well-floured surface; it should feel soft and spingy. Place the dough on the prepared sheet. With your hands, flip the dough over and thoroughly coat both sides with oil. Gently stretching the dough with your fingertips as you turn it over. (Allow the weight of the dough to do the work.) Push the dough to the edges of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap let it rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the dough to be stretched the rest of the way more easily. With the plastic wrap still on top of the dough, press out the dough to fill the pan. Remove the plastic wrap; the dough should be very bubbly and supple. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the dough. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt.
Bake, rotating sheet halfway though, until the focaccia is evenly browned on top and bottom, 25-30 minutes. At the halfway point, when I opened the oven to rotate the pan, I sprinkled the 1 c. of parmesan cheese all over the top of the dough.
Immediately slide focaccia onto a wire rack to cool. Best served warm. Slice with a serrated knife or pizza wheel!!
Raspberry Crumb Cake
I had a container of blackberries that was about a day from going bad, so I found this recipe and just substituted the raspberries with blackberries .
Ingredients:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
3/4 c. water
2 c. fresh raspberries (or your favorite in-season berries)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Crust:
3 c. ap flour
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1 c. cold butter
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:
1/2 c ap flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water and raspberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 5 minutes or until thinkened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Cool.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the first 6 crust ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat eggs, milk and vanilla; add to crumb mixture and mix well. Spread two-thirds of mixture into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Spoon raspberry filling over crust to with in 1" of edges. Top with the remaining crust mixture.
For the topping, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned.
Ingredients:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
3/4 c. water
2 c. fresh raspberries (or your favorite in-season berries)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Crust:
3 c. ap flour
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1 c. cold butter
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:
1/2 c ap flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water and raspberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 5 minutes or until thinkened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Cool.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the first 6 crust ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat eggs, milk and vanilla; add to crumb mixture and mix well. Spread two-thirds of mixture into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Spoon raspberry filling over crust to with in 1" of edges. Top with the remaining crust mixture.
For the topping, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tips and Tricks Tuesday
I've recently been experimenting with using plain yogurt in place of milk or sour cream in some recipes. This was all prompted by Zack and Aaron. They wanted Mac 'n cheese for lunch last week but I was out of milk. I had a nearly full tub of plain yogurt in the fridge, so I thought what they heck. It should lend a milky taste and it should make a nice creamy sauce. Oh my god was it good!!
I've made mac 'n cheese for the boys two more times since and I've cut the usual 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup milk down to 2 tbsp of each and add 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. It's so yummy and the sause is so creamy! I'll never amke mac n cheese without it now.
Last night I made a Brisket with mashed potatoes as a side. Instead of loading the potatoes up with butter, milk and sour cream, I used the yogurt. I still added a small amount of butter, milk and sour cream, but not nearly as much.
Hopefully this will make a some of these fatty sauces and sides healthier. Plain yogurt will now be staple in my fridge. Hmmm, I wonder how it would taste in an Alfredo sauce....
I've made mac 'n cheese for the boys two more times since and I've cut the usual 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup milk down to 2 tbsp of each and add 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. It's so yummy and the sause is so creamy! I'll never amke mac n cheese without it now.
Last night I made a Brisket with mashed potatoes as a side. Instead of loading the potatoes up with butter, milk and sour cream, I used the yogurt. I still added a small amount of butter, milk and sour cream, but not nearly as much.
Hopefully this will make a some of these fatty sauces and sides healthier. Plain yogurt will now be staple in my fridge. Hmmm, I wonder how it would taste in an Alfredo sauce....
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Turkish Meatballs
It's been awhile since I've posted anything because it's been awhile since I've felt like cooking. But we've eaten too much take out lately and need to get back on track.
I've had this ground lamb in my freezer for a while now. I had the intention on making Shepperd's Pie with it. But yesterday while in Barnes and Nobles, I found this recipe for Turkish Meatballs. I was in the children's area and it was a children's cook book. But hey, it sounded really good and easy. I didn't buy the cook book as it was almost $20. But I got the gist of the recipe and felt I could wing it at home. Of course this afternoon came and I couldn't remember anything. So I googled it. I also wanted to make a cucumber dress to drizzle over top of it. I compared several recipes and came up with something. I think they came out really good. There would only be a few things that I would do differently next time.
The first thing I would do (per someone else's suggestion) is to get a shoulder cut of lamb and have it ground rather than buying it pre-ground. Apparently, the pre-ground lamb has a great deal more fat in it. The meatballs did come out a bit greasy.
They also came out a tad spicy. I liked this bit of kick, but some people might not, so I would eliminate the cayenne pepper or reduce the amount.
The last thing I would do differently is to use real (fresh) breadcrumbs, as most recipes call for. If I had planned better, I could have done this, but this was a spur-of-the-moment meal. OK, so here's the recipe.
Turkish Meatballs
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup fresh mint or 2 tsp dried mint
1 large shallot - chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb ground lamb
Combine first 11 ingredients in a food processor. Process until the consistency of salsa. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and lamb. Process until everything is even incorporated. You may have to stop and scrap the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Next form into desired size meatballs. I make mine about the size of ping-pong balls.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-heat, add the meatballs. Brown on all sides. Finish in a 350 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the size of meatballs.
Cucumber Dressing
1 cucumber, skinned and seeded cut into chunks
8 oz plain yogurt
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until creamy. Refridgerate for at least an hour before serving.
I've had this ground lamb in my freezer for a while now. I had the intention on making Shepperd's Pie with it. But yesterday while in Barnes and Nobles, I found this recipe for Turkish Meatballs. I was in the children's area and it was a children's cook book. But hey, it sounded really good and easy. I didn't buy the cook book as it was almost $20. But I got the gist of the recipe and felt I could wing it at home. Of course this afternoon came and I couldn't remember anything. So I googled it. I also wanted to make a cucumber dress to drizzle over top of it. I compared several recipes and came up with something. I think they came out really good. There would only be a few things that I would do differently next time.
The first thing I would do (per someone else's suggestion) is to get a shoulder cut of lamb and have it ground rather than buying it pre-ground. Apparently, the pre-ground lamb has a great deal more fat in it. The meatballs did come out a bit greasy.
They also came out a tad spicy. I liked this bit of kick, but some people might not, so I would eliminate the cayenne pepper or reduce the amount.
The last thing I would do differently is to use real (fresh) breadcrumbs, as most recipes call for. If I had planned better, I could have done this, but this was a spur-of-the-moment meal. OK, so here's the recipe.
Turkish Meatballs
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup fresh mint or 2 tsp dried mint
1 large shallot - chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb ground lamb
Combine first 11 ingredients in a food processor. Process until the consistency of salsa. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and lamb. Process until everything is even incorporated. You may have to stop and scrap the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Next form into desired size meatballs. I make mine about the size of ping-pong balls.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-heat, add the meatballs. Brown on all sides. Finish in a 350 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the size of meatballs.
Cucumber Dressing
1 cucumber, skinned and seeded cut into chunks
8 oz plain yogurt
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until creamy. Refridgerate for at least an hour before serving.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Lemon Cake
This recipe came from my husband's awesome grandmother, Fira. This is one of my favorite desserts. I made it for the first time a few weeks ago and I'm making it again tonight.
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 milk
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
grated rind of 1 lemon (save the juice of the lemon)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cream together the butter and sugar.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture.
3. Add the lemon rind.
4. Sift the flour with baking powder and gradually add it to the above mixture.
5. Add the milk and yogurt
Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. It should spring back at the touch of a fingertip.
While still hot...
Mix the juice of the lemon with 1/4 cup of sugar in a small sauce pan. Warm the mixture up, but do not boil.
Poke holes in the cake, pour the syrup on top all over and let it penetrate.
Let cool before serving. Freezes well when wrapped in aluminum foil and then in a zip-lock bag.
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 milk
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
grated rind of 1 lemon (save the juice of the lemon)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cream together the butter and sugar.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture.
3. Add the lemon rind.
4. Sift the flour with baking powder and gradually add it to the above mixture.
5. Add the milk and yogurt
Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. It should spring back at the touch of a fingertip.
While still hot...
Mix the juice of the lemon with 1/4 cup of sugar in a small sauce pan. Warm the mixture up, but do not boil.
Poke holes in the cake, pour the syrup on top all over and let it penetrate.
Let cool before serving. Freezes well when wrapped in aluminum foil and then in a zip-lock bag.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What's for dinner tonight?
I dont know what's going on with me, but I've been craving rice-based meals lately. I've had Japanese, Thai, Mexican and Cuban in let last week. And tonight, I'm looking at a Chicken and rice recipe that I'm going to tinker with. This is a good example of how I cook. I find recipes that look or sound good. I print them out only to find out that I don't have 2 or 3 of the ingredients, so I make due with what I have on hand. Or maybe I'm craving something in particular, like tonight, I want rice, but I know I have asparagus in the fridge too. That would be yummy in this dish too...ooooo or spinach. As the recipe stands, it calls for no veggies. I need to sneak veggies in where I can if they kids will eat it. And they both LOVE rice! If this dish turns out well, I'll post the recipe.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Manic Mondays
So I finally got around to making the Thai lettuce wraps tonight. Even though its not exactly a quick fix, it didnt take all that long. There's plenty of leftover sauce and can make for a quick meal again later in the week. Alot of the prep work can be done in advance and the sauces can be ahead of time as well. This recipe contains chicken, but it can easily be substituted with tofu or shrimp.
Start by making the dressing.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (I used white wine vinegar as I was out of rice wine vinegar.)
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)
2 tbsp hot water
Dissolve the sugar in the 1/2 water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until ready to serve.
Combine the 2 tbsp hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside. You will combine this with the sauce above before serving.
Next you will need:
3 tbsp Olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts (I left this ingredient out because I despise the nasty little things!)
2/3 cup mushrooms
1 small onion diced
1 tsp minced garlic (1 large clove)
5-6 large leaves of lettuce (You can use Iceberg, Bib lettuce or Boston lettuce)
Place 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place chicken in the frying pan. Saute for 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
While the chicken is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Mince the water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of a pea. (This can be done quickly in a food processor, but be careful not to over process. And do them all separately.)
As the chicken cools, prepare the stir fry sauce.
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar (again, I used white wine vinegar)
Combine the above ingredients.
Add 1 tbsp of oil to the frying pan used to cook the chicken and warm over medium heat. add mushrooms, water chestnuts and onions. Let the items cook down for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic after a minute or two.
While these items are cooking, dice the chicken breast into pea-sized pieces. Add the chicken and the stir fry sauce to the pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for a minute or two, just enough to thicken the sauce a little.
To serve, place a lettuce leaf on a place so that its like a cup. Scoop desired about of chicken mixture on to the cup, drizzle with some dressing, fold over the edge of the lettuce to secure the contents and enjoy!
Start by making the dressing.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (I used white wine vinegar as I was out of rice wine vinegar.)
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)
2 tbsp hot water
Dissolve the sugar in the 1/2 water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until ready to serve.
Combine the 2 tbsp hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside. You will combine this with the sauce above before serving.
Next you will need:
3 tbsp Olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts (I left this ingredient out because I despise the nasty little things!)
2/3 cup mushrooms
1 small onion diced
1 tsp minced garlic (1 large clove)
5-6 large leaves of lettuce (You can use Iceberg, Bib lettuce or Boston lettuce)
Place 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place chicken in the frying pan. Saute for 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
While the chicken is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Mince the water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of a pea. (This can be done quickly in a food processor, but be careful not to over process. And do them all separately.)
As the chicken cools, prepare the stir fry sauce.
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar (again, I used white wine vinegar)
Combine the above ingredients.
Add 1 tbsp of oil to the frying pan used to cook the chicken and warm over medium heat. add mushrooms, water chestnuts and onions. Let the items cook down for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic after a minute or two.
While these items are cooking, dice the chicken breast into pea-sized pieces. Add the chicken and the stir fry sauce to the pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for a minute or two, just enough to thicken the sauce a little.
To serve, place a lettuce leaf on a place so that its like a cup. Scoop desired about of chicken mixture on to the cup, drizzle with some dressing, fold over the edge of the lettuce to secure the contents and enjoy!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Manic Mondays
I've gotten off my 'usual' schedule due to the holiday and later this week we're going down to D.C.
So this week will also be a mix of postings, if I get to them. The next few weeks maybe sporadic as well because my class is ending soon and I need to start studying for my final.
But tonight's dinner is going to be a concoction. Basically, I opened the fridge (after being away for the weekend) and I am trying to salvage stuff. I have a package of mushrooms and a bunch of asparagus that both need to be used today or tomorrow at THE latest. I also have some green onions and chives. The bean sprouts I thought of using are too far gone.
So I'm cooking down the mushrooms in a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. I'm also cooking the asparagus in another pot at the same time. I diced up about 4 stalks of the green onion. I added half to the pot cooking the asparagus and the other half to the mushrooms once they were 75% cooked down. After about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water, the asparagus was ready to come out. I pulled out the asparagus with tongs, leaving the green onions and water.
I set the asparagus aside to cool. It will get cut up into 1/2" pieces and added to the mushrooms. In the meantime, I added 3 large chicken breasts to the boiling water, along with some salt.
(The chicken was frozen when I added it to the water.)
I decided to add rice to the meal. I didn't want to repeat my undercooked rice again, so I actually read the instructions on the bag of rice. I added 1 cup of rice to the pan of mushrooms, green onions and asparagus, hoping the veggies would give the rice a nice flavor. Then I added the recommended 2 1/4 cups of water (I ladled the water from the pot the chicken was cooking in.) I then added another 1/4 cup of chicken broth, just to be sure I had enough liquid. I also added some salt and pepper. I brought the liquid in the pan to a boil for about 30 seconds then turned down the heat to low (2), covered and let it simmer for about 50 minutes. If I didn't have time to wait for the rice to cook, I always have the boil-in-the-bag rice on hand (plus I just cant seem to cook rice.) It's not the same texture or flavor but it's quick and is never under cooked!
When the rice was nearly finished, I added 1/2 c heavy cream and about a teaspoon of rosemary to the pan to give the sauce some thickness and flavor.
I took the chicken breasts out of the water, trimmed the excess fat off and patted it dry. I then heated up a skillet and melted a tablespoon of butter. I added the chicken when the butter started to bubble. I just wanted to brown the chicken and give it a little flavor. Browning the chicken quickly will also help seal in the moisture (boiling chicken tends to dry it out a little.)
Once the chicken was browned, I added it to the mushroom and asparagus rice mixture. I stirred it up and let it sit for 5 minutes, then served.
The rice with the mushrooms and asparagus came out great! The chicken was a little bland. Next time, I think I would removed it from the water sooner and give it more time in the frying pan. Maybe with some garlic and onions or I could add it to the pan with the mushrooms and asparagus at the same time I added the rice. This way it could collect all the other flavors.
So this week will also be a mix of postings, if I get to them. The next few weeks maybe sporadic as well because my class is ending soon and I need to start studying for my final.
But tonight's dinner is going to be a concoction. Basically, I opened the fridge (after being away for the weekend) and I am trying to salvage stuff. I have a package of mushrooms and a bunch of asparagus that both need to be used today or tomorrow at THE latest. I also have some green onions and chives. The bean sprouts I thought of using are too far gone.
So I'm cooking down the mushrooms in a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. I'm also cooking the asparagus in another pot at the same time. I diced up about 4 stalks of the green onion. I added half to the pot cooking the asparagus and the other half to the mushrooms once they were 75% cooked down. After about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water, the asparagus was ready to come out. I pulled out the asparagus with tongs, leaving the green onions and water.
I set the asparagus aside to cool. It will get cut up into 1/2" pieces and added to the mushrooms. In the meantime, I added 3 large chicken breasts to the boiling water, along with some salt.
(The chicken was frozen when I added it to the water.)
I decided to add rice to the meal. I didn't want to repeat my undercooked rice again, so I actually read the instructions on the bag of rice. I added 1 cup of rice to the pan of mushrooms, green onions and asparagus, hoping the veggies would give the rice a nice flavor. Then I added the recommended 2 1/4 cups of water (I ladled the water from the pot the chicken was cooking in.) I then added another 1/4 cup of chicken broth, just to be sure I had enough liquid. I also added some salt and pepper. I brought the liquid in the pan to a boil for about 30 seconds then turned down the heat to low (2), covered and let it simmer for about 50 minutes. If I didn't have time to wait for the rice to cook, I always have the boil-in-the-bag rice on hand (plus I just cant seem to cook rice.) It's not the same texture or flavor but it's quick and is never under cooked!
When the rice was nearly finished, I added 1/2 c heavy cream and about a teaspoon of rosemary to the pan to give the sauce some thickness and flavor.
I took the chicken breasts out of the water, trimmed the excess fat off and patted it dry. I then heated up a skillet and melted a tablespoon of butter. I added the chicken when the butter started to bubble. I just wanted to brown the chicken and give it a little flavor. Browning the chicken quickly will also help seal in the moisture (boiling chicken tends to dry it out a little.)
Once the chicken was browned, I added it to the mushroom and asparagus rice mixture. I stirred it up and let it sit for 5 minutes, then served.
The rice with the mushrooms and asparagus came out great! The chicken was a little bland. Next time, I think I would removed it from the water sooner and give it more time in the frying pan. Maybe with some garlic and onions or I could add it to the pan with the mushrooms and asparagus at the same time I added the rice. This way it could collect all the other flavors.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tips and Tricks Tuesday
Sometimes, even waiting 10 or 15 minutes for a meal to be prepared is brutal. Especially when your toddler (or husband!) is growing crankier and crankier by the minute due to hunger. So when I make pasta, I make the entire package. Chances are we'll only eat about 1/3 to 1/2 a box in one meal. I either add a little olive oil (or melted butter for more flavor) to the pasta and store in the fridge.
When hunger (aka crankiness) strikes any one of my boys, I can just scoop out some pasta, sprinkle on some velveeta, parmesan cheese or (zack's facorite) ketchup and we're good to go!
When hunger (aka crankiness) strikes any one of my boys, I can just scoop out some pasta, sprinkle on some velveeta, parmesan cheese or (zack's facorite) ketchup and we're good to go!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sunday Suppers/What's for dinner
One of the best dishes I was introduced while living in South Florida is Arroz con Pollo (literally rice with chicken.) And of course the best place to get this dish is in a cuban restaurant on south beach, Puerta Sagua. The only catch is that you can't just walk in and order it, you have to order it ahead of time. Arroz con pollo takes at least an hour to cook...that doesn't include prep time.
I saw Arroz con pollo being made on ATK recently, but I was skeptical about their recipe as the show is filmed in the New England area. I decided to give it a try anyway. I made a few minor changes to the recipe in my attempt to make it more authentic tasting. This recipe took me (from start to eat time) about 2 1/2 hours to make.
Here it is, my changes are in red.
Arroz con Pollo
(original recipe from America's Test Kitchen)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, plus 2 tsp.
2 tsp black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine + 1 red bell pepper, stemmed seeded and chopped fine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 can (8 ounces) diced tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water (there's a note saying for long grain rice to use 3/4 cup of water, but I'd say use an
additional 1 cup of water)
3 cups medium-grain rice (I used long grain rice)
1/2 cup green olives (Manzanilla), pitted and halved (I used about 2/3 cup olives and some of the brine that they come in.)
1 tbsp capers
1/2 cup jarred pimentos, cut into 1/4 by 2-inch strips (I did not add this ingredient as I just added some of the pimentos from the olives and I had added the red bell pepper.)
1 tsp Sazon Goya con Afrazon. (Next time, I'll add an entire packet.)
1. Place garlic and salt on a large bowl; using a rubber spatula, mix to make a paste. Add oregano, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to garlic-salt mixture; stir to combine.
2. Place chicken in bowl with marinade. Coat chicken pieces evenly with marinade; set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, green pepper, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro; stir to combine. Push vegetables to sides of pot and increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to clearing in center of pot, skin side down, in even layer. Cook, without moving chicken, until outer layer of meat becomes opaque, 2 to 4 minutes. (If chicken begins to brown, reduce heat to medium.) Using tongs, flip chicken and cook on second side until opaque, 2 to 4 minutes more. Add tomato sauce, broth, and water; stir to combine. Bring to simmer; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add rice, olives, capers, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; stir well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Place pot in a 350 degree oven. After 10 minutes, remove pot from oven and stir chicken and rice once from bottom up. Return pot to oven. After another 8 minutes, stir once more, adding 1/2 cup water if rice appears dry and bottom of pot is beginning to burn. Cover and return pot to oven; cook until rice has absorbed all liquid and is tender but still holds its shape and temperature of chicken registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes longer.
5. Using tongs, remove chicken from pot; replace lid and set pot aside. Remove and discard chicken skin; pull meat off bones into large chunks. Remove remaining fat or dark veins from chicken pieces. Place chicken in large bowl and toss with remaining tablespoon olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and pimentos; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken on top of rice, cover, and let stand until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Fresh Friday
I decided to stick with my 'egg' theme for the week and feature an often sneered-at variation of the egg, the Egg Salad sandwich. Even I cringe at the thought of one, they smell funky, look a little something that's been regurgitated on bread and are often overloaded with mayo.
Dave is the first person that I can remember meeting that regularly orders an egg salad sandwich when we're in a deli or bagel shop. I eventually nibbled on some of his egg salad and didn't mind it, not something I'd order though. In general, I've never been a big fan of eggs cooked in any fashion. So I was surprised when I found an egg salad sandwich that I loved. It was in Starbucks of all places! In some Starbucks (not here in State College,) you can get ready made sandwichs. The ones I've had are pretty good. I think its a combination of the bread and the egg salad they use that makes it so good. I examined the ingredients on the packaging in an attempt at figuring out what their secret was. Of course, I had no idea what, besides egg and mayo, went into egg salad. The best I could come up with was eggs, mayo, salt and paprika. So that where I began my first attempt at egg salad.
The first round came out waaaaay too salty! The next came out pretty good, but was still not the same. Several attempts later, I think I have something that's pretty good. I don't care for the taste of the yolks so I disguard about half of the yolks.
As I mentioned earlier this week, boiling the egg is the hardest part. Timing is everything, too long and you will get that green/grey ring thing that surrounds the yolk in many hard boiled eggs. The key is to avoid over cooking, and to dunk the eggs in a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking after you remove them from the hot water.
Egg Salad:
8 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper (I recommend using kosher salt for better flavor)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
A tiny squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 bunch chives, chopped (or dill)
2 small handfuls of lettuce
8 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for ten minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs and place on a cutting board. (You could just mash them in a bowl, but I like mine a bit chunkier.) Dice the eggs into small chunks, about 1/4" wide. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, then add the mayonaise.
Stir in the paprika and chives. Taste, and adjust the seasoning - adding more salt and pepper if needed. If you like a little crunch, add in 2 stalks of chopped celery.
To assemble each egg salad sandwich: place a bit of lettuce on a piece of toast, top with the egg salad mixture, and finish by creating a sandwich with a second piece of toast.
Enjoy!
Dave is the first person that I can remember meeting that regularly orders an egg salad sandwich when we're in a deli or bagel shop. I eventually nibbled on some of his egg salad and didn't mind it, not something I'd order though. In general, I've never been a big fan of eggs cooked in any fashion. So I was surprised when I found an egg salad sandwich that I loved. It was in Starbucks of all places! In some Starbucks (not here in State College,) you can get ready made sandwichs. The ones I've had are pretty good. I think its a combination of the bread and the egg salad they use that makes it so good. I examined the ingredients on the packaging in an attempt at figuring out what their secret was. Of course, I had no idea what, besides egg and mayo, went into egg salad. The best I could come up with was eggs, mayo, salt and paprika. So that where I began my first attempt at egg salad.
The first round came out waaaaay too salty! The next came out pretty good, but was still not the same. Several attempts later, I think I have something that's pretty good. I don't care for the taste of the yolks so I disguard about half of the yolks.
As I mentioned earlier this week, boiling the egg is the hardest part. Timing is everything, too long and you will get that green/grey ring thing that surrounds the yolk in many hard boiled eggs. The key is to avoid over cooking, and to dunk the eggs in a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking after you remove them from the hot water.
Egg Salad:
8 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper (I recommend using kosher salt for better flavor)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
A tiny squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 bunch chives, chopped (or dill)
2 small handfuls of lettuce
8 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for ten minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs and place on a cutting board. (You could just mash them in a bowl, but I like mine a bit chunkier.) Dice the eggs into small chunks, about 1/4" wide. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, then add the mayonaise.
Stir in the paprika and chives. Taste, and adjust the seasoning - adding more salt and pepper if needed. If you like a little crunch, add in 2 stalks of chopped celery.
To assemble each egg salad sandwich: place a bit of lettuce on a piece of toast, top with the egg salad mixture, and finish by creating a sandwich with a second piece of toast.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Crepes
I'm not sure how it popped into my head, but yesterday I decided I wanted crepes. I googled crepe recipes and learned that there's super easy to make. There 6 basic ingredients. Flour, eggs, milk, water, salt and butter. I decided to also add a little bit of sugar to give them a little crispiness. I sliced up some apples and added some cinnamon and sugar. Aaron and I devoured 2 of them! (Zack was too busy whining over not having a waffle to even try them.)
Here are the steps I took to make the crepes:
Crepe Ingredients:
1 cup ap flour
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water (for thicker crepes use 1/4 c.)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
First I peeled, cored and quarted an apple. Using a mandaline, I sliced the apple.
Next in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and water. Then with your sifter over top the egg mixture, add the flour to the sifter. Continually whisking with one hand and gently shake the sifter over the bowl to slowly add the flour. (If you're not this coordinated, then give the sifter a good shake, set it down, whisk the batter until all the flour is incorporated and repeat until all the flour is added.) Once all the flour has been incorporated into the batter, add the salt and melted butter.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan (I used a 6" frying pan) over medium heat. Pour 1/4 c. of the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so the batter spreads evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes (or until golden brown.) Loosen the edges with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. This is when I added my filling. I sprinkled the crepe with my cinnamon and sugar mixture (which I always have on hand) and layered a few of the sliced apples down the center. After the second side is nice and golden brown, transfer to a plate. I then fold the edges of the crepe over my filling with the fold side down. (I will look like a burrito.)
A few options for fillings that I want to try:
Bananas with peanut butter (or chocolate or nutella)
sausage (or bacon) and cheddar cheese
raspberries/strawberries and cream (or chocolate)
diced ham, onions and peppers or ham and swiss cheese (gruyere cheese)
Here are the steps I took to make the crepes:
Crepe Ingredients:
1 cup ap flour
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water (for thicker crepes use 1/4 c.)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
First I peeled, cored and quarted an apple. Using a mandaline, I sliced the apple.
Next in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and water. Then with your sifter over top the egg mixture, add the flour to the sifter. Continually whisking with one hand and gently shake the sifter over the bowl to slowly add the flour. (If you're not this coordinated, then give the sifter a good shake, set it down, whisk the batter until all the flour is incorporated and repeat until all the flour is added.) Once all the flour has been incorporated into the batter, add the salt and melted butter.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan (I used a 6" frying pan) over medium heat. Pour 1/4 c. of the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so the batter spreads evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes (or until golden brown.) Loosen the edges with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. This is when I added my filling. I sprinkled the crepe with my cinnamon and sugar mixture (which I always have on hand) and layered a few of the sliced apples down the center. After the second side is nice and golden brown, transfer to a plate. I then fold the edges of the crepe over my filling with the fold side down. (I will look like a burrito.)
A few options for fillings that I want to try:
Bananas with peanut butter (or chocolate or nutella)
sausage (or bacon) and cheddar cheese
raspberries/strawberries and cream (or chocolate)
diced ham, onions and peppers or ham and swiss cheese (gruyere cheese)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tips and Tricks Tuesday
Today's tips and tricks revolve around Eggs. (since easter is right around the corner)
1. Freshness: I go through spurts with eggs. We'll go through a dozen in 5 days one week and then not touch them for 3 weeks. So how can you tell if those eggs are fresh or edible? I have to look this up everytime I need to test the freshness. I can never remember, is it supposed to sink or float in water when its gone bad? So here it is...
Lower uncooked eggs into a bowl of water. If the egg settles horizontally, the egg is fresh enough for human consumption. If it settles vertically, feed it to the dog. If it rises to the top, feed it to the garbage disposal. (The shells will sharpen the disposals blades too.)
2. How long do you cook an egg for a hard boiled egg?? I can never remember.
Bring eggs to room temperature before cooking. This helps prevent cracking due to the sudden shock of temperature change and ensures a properly cooked egg. If you do use eggs right out of the refrigerator, add the eggs to the luke warm water, then put it on the stove and add a minute or two to the cooking time. Don't crowd the pan. The eggs will knock each other and crack. Use a slotted spoon to add the eggs to the water. Bring water to a boil. Lower the temperature to medium heat and simmer exactly 10 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of cold tap water. The cold water will stop further cooking and create a gap between shell and egg for easier peeling. You may put the eggs right into a color bath now if you wish to decorate!
1. Freshness: I go through spurts with eggs. We'll go through a dozen in 5 days one week and then not touch them for 3 weeks. So how can you tell if those eggs are fresh or edible? I have to look this up everytime I need to test the freshness. I can never remember, is it supposed to sink or float in water when its gone bad? So here it is...
Lower uncooked eggs into a bowl of water. If the egg settles horizontally, the egg is fresh enough for human consumption. If it settles vertically, feed it to the dog. If it rises to the top, feed it to the garbage disposal. (The shells will sharpen the disposals blades too.)
2. How long do you cook an egg for a hard boiled egg?? I can never remember.
Bring eggs to room temperature before cooking. This helps prevent cracking due to the sudden shock of temperature change and ensures a properly cooked egg. If you do use eggs right out of the refrigerator, add the eggs to the luke warm water, then put it on the stove and add a minute or two to the cooking time. Don't crowd the pan. The eggs will knock each other and crack. Use a slotted spoon to add the eggs to the water. Bring water to a boil. Lower the temperature to medium heat and simmer exactly 10 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of cold tap water. The cold water will stop further cooking and create a gap between shell and egg for easier peeling. You may put the eggs right into a color bath now if you wish to decorate!
What's for dinner tonight?
I always wonder what other people are having for dinner. I'm always looking for ideas. So I decided to do a simple post each night listing what we're having for dinner! Don't be surprised to see "cheerios" or PB&J pop up here frequently!!
Tonight:
Chicken Parmesan
Tonight:
Chicken Parmesan
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Welcome to Parmesan & Cilantro!
So this posting will be my official foodie-blog launch. I've spent the past few days customizing the background and text. (Let me know what you think, I couldnt find a template I liked and then the design I came up with wasnt working with blogger. This was my compromise.) I've also decided to (try and) organize my postings by following a schedule.
Sunday Dinners: These will be your meals that take half an afternoon to make.
Manic Mondays: My equivalent to 30-minute meals (or less!)
Tips and Tools Tuesdays: I'll offer any little tricks that I pick up on my own, read about or stole from Food Network! Please share all of your tips too!!
and
Fresh Fridays or Fridge Fridays: This will be either new recipes I've tried or want to try or a recipe for dinner from what ever is in my fridge right now.
On other days, I may just post what I made for dinner tonight. If there's no posting then chances are good I'm in class and Dave served the boys (and himself) chicken nuggets (or ordered pizza.)
So, as to the title of this blog, Parmesan and Cilantro. Basically, right now those are my two favorite ingredients to use in the cooking.
Garam masala or garlic are a close third, but we'll get into those in another blog.
I've always heard that it is better to grate or shred you own parmesan cheese rather than using the pre-grated stuff we all love to sprinkle on our spaghetti and meatballs. I've just always been put off by the price of a block of parmigiano reggiano...and the more expensive the better tasting (supposedly!)
After we returned from Florida in January, I had to go grocery shopping, of course. Wegman's had a display of parmigiano reggianoin the middle of the aisle. I gave in and bought a small block of cheese. I wanted to taste the difference for myself.
My taste-test was going to be parmesan cheese rounds, Cesare salad and parmesan-encrusted chicken or tilapia. (I cant remember if I made chicken or fish at the time, but I've done both since.) It was the parmesan cheese rounds that offered the greatest authentic flavors for sampling. For those who do not know, parmesan cheese rounds are basically baked parmesan cheese. They ridiculously easy to make and yummy, yummy, yummy!!
Shred about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of parmigiano reggiano. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and then spread the shredded cheese on the parchment paper into little piles. I usually make piles about the size of my palm and pile the cheese evenly about 1/4 of an inch high. You can either put them under the broiler for 3-4 minutes (watch carefully) or pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes. I've learned that the cooking time varies by the quality of the cheese. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before devouring.
Broiling gives the edges a nice crunch while the middle remains mailable and chewy. Whereas baking gives an even texture throughout.
Sunday Dinners: These will be your meals that take half an afternoon to make.
Manic Mondays: My equivalent to 30-minute meals (or less!)
Tips and Tools Tuesdays: I'll offer any little tricks that I pick up on my own, read about or stole from Food Network! Please share all of your tips too!!
and
Fresh Fridays or Fridge Fridays: This will be either new recipes I've tried or want to try or a recipe for dinner from what ever is in my fridge right now.
On other days, I may just post what I made for dinner tonight. If there's no posting then chances are good I'm in class and Dave served the boys (and himself) chicken nuggets (or ordered pizza.)
So, as to the title of this blog, Parmesan and Cilantro. Basically, right now those are my two favorite ingredients to use in the cooking.
Garam masala or garlic are a close third, but we'll get into those in another blog.
I've always heard that it is better to grate or shred you own parmesan cheese rather than using the pre-grated stuff we all love to sprinkle on our spaghetti and meatballs. I've just always been put off by the price of a block of parmigiano reggiano...and the more expensive the better tasting (supposedly!)
After we returned from Florida in January, I had to go grocery shopping, of course. Wegman's had a display of parmigiano reggianoin the middle of the aisle. I gave in and bought a small block of cheese. I wanted to taste the difference for myself.
My taste-test was going to be parmesan cheese rounds, Cesare salad and parmesan-encrusted chicken or tilapia. (I cant remember if I made chicken or fish at the time, but I've done both since.) It was the parmesan cheese rounds that offered the greatest authentic flavors for sampling. For those who do not know, parmesan cheese rounds are basically baked parmesan cheese. They ridiculously easy to make and yummy, yummy, yummy!!
Shred about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of parmigiano reggiano. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and then spread the shredded cheese on the parchment paper into little piles. I usually make piles about the size of my palm and pile the cheese evenly about 1/4 of an inch high. You can either put them under the broiler for 3-4 minutes (watch carefully) or pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes. I've learned that the cooking time varies by the quality of the cheese. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before devouring.
Broiling gives the edges a nice crunch while the middle remains mailable and chewy. Whereas baking gives an even texture throughout.
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