Molé is a Mexican sauce that is known for the combination of chocolate and spice. It's normally a very heavy sauce that you can pour over chicken and enchiladas. Making traditional molé from scratch will take forever and good luck finding the different kinds of chiles that go into it if you are not in Mexico or the southwestern US.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this low fat, easy, and healthy version of molé! I know, it's totally cheating the original dish, but yes, I like instant gratification, and this recipe is awesome and good for you. Plus, it's not like there is a Mexican restaurant in Miami that is going to serve me the kind of molé I grew up eating.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs chicken (breast)
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
14 1/2 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Spray olive oil from a mister ino a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8 minutes, turn, and brown the other side for another 8 minutes. Remove the chiken and set aside. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Return the chicken to the skillet and combine with the vegetables and spices. Add the tomatoes with their juice, peanut butter, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes. Turn the chicken over after about 15 minutes and continue cooking for another 10 minutes covered.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Chickpea salad
Orangette has a a fantastic recipe for a chickpea salad. I added a little parsley in it last night and it was awesome and oh so easy.
Vegan Apple Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
These muffins are fantastic. Seriously, don't let the word "vegan" throw you off. If you really want your eggs and milk, just substitute them in and you'll have regular muffins that are just as great!
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pan with margarine. In a small bowl, beat the Ener-G Egg Replacer powder in 2 tablespoons of water. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the mix is moist ; add all other ingredients mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased muffin pan 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes 12 large muffins.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal (uncooked, non-instant)
3/4 cup non-fat soy milk
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped apple (peeled or unpeeled--it's up to you...I prefer peeled)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten in 2 tablespoons of water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 mashed banana
Margarine to grease pan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pan with margarine. In a small bowl, beat the Ener-G Egg Replacer powder in 2 tablespoons of water. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the mix is moist ; add all other ingredients mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased muffin pan 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes 12 large muffins.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Baked sweet potato fries
I love french fries. Unfortunately they are bad for you and are usually made with tons of grease, oil, and worst of all, are fried. Normally this would not stop me (see prior posts on garlic lemon potatos and spicy home fries), but I'm getting ready to train for the Army 10 Miler and need to drop some of the weight from the diet "break" I've been on since the Miami 1/2 marathon in January.
What's the alternative to traditional french fries? Baked sweet potato fries! They aren't just nutritious, they taste really good! Hmmm, so fried potatoes or a yummy baked non-greasy version that has vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin A? Now that's a compromise I'm willing to make.
Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, sliced the way you want your fries to look (thick wedges or thin shoestring slices?)
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
pepper
Instructions
Make sure your oven rack is in the upper middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about 1/2 tablepoon on the baking sheet and distribute evenly using a paper towel so the potatoes don't stick. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the oil, salt, and as much pepper as you want on the fries. Place the potatos on the baking sheet so there is some space between each slice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn them over with a metal spatula and bake for another 15 minutes. Place the potatoes in a paper towel-lined basket to absorb any excess oil and serve immediately.
What's the alternative to traditional french fries? Baked sweet potato fries! They aren't just nutritious, they taste really good! Hmmm, so fried potatoes or a yummy baked non-greasy version that has vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin A? Now that's a compromise I'm willing to make.
Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, sliced the way you want your fries to look (thick wedges or thin shoestring slices?)
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
pepper
Instructions
Make sure your oven rack is in the upper middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about 1/2 tablepoon on the baking sheet and distribute evenly using a paper towel so the potatoes don't stick. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the oil, salt, and as much pepper as you want on the fries. Place the potatos on the baking sheet so there is some space between each slice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn them over with a metal spatula and bake for another 15 minutes. Place the potatoes in a paper towel-lined basket to absorb any excess oil and serve immediately.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Vegan Potage Parmentier (potato leek soup)
I know, butter and heavy cream taste soooo good. They make me really ill without a box of lactaid though. I bought butter the other day to include in the soup, but I completely forgot to put it in. The result was a very tasty soup that was extremely easy to make that happens to be vegan. And I don't even have a vegetable peeler!
This recipe serves 3.
Ingredients
2 leeks, finely chopped (only the white and light green parts)
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups of water (or chicken stock for a meat eater version)
1/2 tablespoon salt
fresh parsley/chives for garnish
Bring the leeks, potatoes and salt to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender (if you have a food mill, use that instead) and pulse until the soup is smooth. Pour the soup through a sieve into a large bowl.
If you want the softened butter/heavy cream, add a teaspoon to each serving.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley or chives. Enjoy hot or cold.
This recipe serves 3.
Ingredients
2 leeks, finely chopped (only the white and light green parts)
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups of water (or chicken stock for a meat eater version)
1/2 tablespoon salt
fresh parsley/chives for garnish
Bring the leeks, potatoes and salt to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender (if you have a food mill, use that instead) and pulse until the soup is smooth. Pour the soup through a sieve into a large bowl.
If you want the softened butter/heavy cream, add a teaspoon to each serving.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley or chives. Enjoy hot or cold.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon
I got over dealing with red and bloody meat for Mr. M's birthday. It was surprisingly simple and easy although I had to use plastic baggies for my hands so I didn't actually touch the meat with my bare hands.
Instructions
2 filet mignons, about 1 inch thick
salt
pepper
vegetable oil
Instructions
Dip a brush in vegetable oile and brush the meat with oil. Salt both sides of the meat and generously pepper the meat all around. Cook the meat over high heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the cut. To determine how rare or well done the meat is, push down on the meat with a spatula or tongs. Well done meat will not give very much when you push and the rarer the meat, the less give the meat will give when you push down. If you keep testing the meat once you've turned it over once, you start to get an idea of how much the meat is cooking.
Instructions
2 filet mignons, about 1 inch thick
salt
pepper
vegetable oil
Instructions
Dip a brush in vegetable oile and brush the meat with oil. Salt both sides of the meat and generously pepper the meat all around. Cook the meat over high heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the cut. To determine how rare or well done the meat is, push down on the meat with a spatula or tongs. Well done meat will not give very much when you push and the rarer the meat, the less give the meat will give when you push down. If you keep testing the meat once you've turned it over once, you start to get an idea of how much the meat is cooking.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Goat cheese & grape crostini
I know this sounds like it won't taste good, but I promise it does! My original source for this recipe was in a recent issue of Bon Appetit which calls for herbed goat cheese and both green and red grapes. I've tried this a few times and found that adding basil and a hint of sage to the goat cheese is a tastier than the herbed goat cheese available at my local grocery store. Also, either red or green grapes work well, but it will be much more colorful with both.
Ingredients
French baguette
15-20 Green and/or Red seedless grapes
6 oz. Goat cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp sage
salt
pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguette into small pieces, spray olive oil on one side of each piece, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes so it gets a little crunchy.
Mix the goat cheese, basil, and sage in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the grapes lengthwise.
Spread the goat cheese mixture on each slice of bread and sprinkle the grapes over the slices. Voila!
Ingredients
French baguette
15-20 Green and/or Red seedless grapes
6 oz. Goat cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp sage
salt
pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguette into small pieces, spray olive oil on one side of each piece, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes so it gets a little crunchy.
Mix the goat cheese, basil, and sage in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the grapes lengthwise.
Spread the goat cheese mixture on each slice of bread and sprinkle the grapes over the slices. Voila!
Friday, May 23, 2008
update on recipe contest
My inspiration is sauvignon blanc and the main ingredient is halibut. Now, the tricky part is figuring out something creative that tastes good and goes well with the wine. My recipe is still a work in progress, but I'm working on getting the right balance of lemon, tangerine, rosemary, and a little spice.
The first method I used was cooking the fish in parchment paper packets, but the cuts were so thick they didn't absorb all the flavors as well as I had hoped. The second attempt was slow braising and that worked a lot better, but I let the fish cook too long. I think I'm sticking with the braising, but I have to figure out the right amount of time and right amount all the other ingredients to make it better.
The first method I used was cooking the fish in parchment paper packets, but the cuts were so thick they didn't absorb all the flavors as well as I had hoped. The second attempt was slow braising and that worked a lot better, but I let the fish cook too long. I think I'm sticking with the braising, but I have to figure out the right amount of time and right amount all the other ingredients to make it better.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Mini-breakfast sandwich
Yes, this is something else I came up with because I had extra rolls and extra prosciutto and needed to do something with it. Who knew challah rolls would taste so good for breakfast?
Ingredients
4 eggs
4 slices prosciutto
4 challah rolls
salt and pepper
Instructions
Slice the challah rolls in half and heat on a griddle or large pan for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Scramble the eggs with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly in a pan over medium heat. Remove eggs and set aside. Heat the prosciutto in the pan for about 1 minute each side. Place one slice of prosciutto over 1/2 of each roll, add eggs to each roll, cover each sandwich with other half of roll and keep each sandwich together with a toothpick.
See, prosciutto makes everything taste good, doesn't it?
Ingredients
4 eggs
4 slices prosciutto
4 challah rolls
salt and pepper
Instructions
Slice the challah rolls in half and heat on a griddle or large pan for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Scramble the eggs with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly in a pan over medium heat. Remove eggs and set aside. Heat the prosciutto in the pan for about 1 minute each side. Place one slice of prosciutto over 1/2 of each roll, add eggs to each roll, cover each sandwich with other half of roll and keep each sandwich together with a toothpick.
See, prosciutto makes everything taste good, doesn't it?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Carrots & Kale
Kale can seem like an intimidating vegetable, but this recipe will be a hit, even with veggie haters.
Ingredients
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped and stems removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar (or 8 drops of liquid stevia if watching sugar intake)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the carrots and kale and cook until the carrots soften and the kale turns a lighter green. I suggest adding the kale after the carrots have been boiling about 2-3 minutes so it doesn't get too soggy. Drain the vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the vegetables and gently stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coverthe pan and let the liquid reduce for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Credit: this recipe is a modification of the recipe found in Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet
Ingredients
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped and stems removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar (or 8 drops of liquid stevia if watching sugar intake)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the carrots and kale and cook until the carrots soften and the kale turns a lighter green. I suggest adding the kale after the carrots have been boiling about 2-3 minutes so it doesn't get too soggy. Drain the vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the vegetables and gently stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coverthe pan and let the liquid reduce for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Credit: this recipe is a modification of the recipe found in Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet
Monday, May 19, 2008
Migas
Migas are a Tex-Mex breakfast favorite and a snap to make. Some people add a bunch of ingredients, but I prefer this recipe.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup refried beans
Instructions
Scramble the eggs in a bowl with the pepper and set aside. Cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions until they are starting to become translucent, then add the tortillas. Heat the tortillas until they are soft and heated through. Add the eggs and cook until the eggs are done.
Top with your favorite salsa and serve with a side of refried beans. Serves 3.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup refried beans
Instructions
Scramble the eggs in a bowl with the pepper and set aside. Cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions until they are starting to become translucent, then add the tortillas. Heat the tortillas until they are soft and heated through. Add the eggs and cook until the eggs are done.
Top with your favorite salsa and serve with a side of refried beans. Serves 3.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Tastebook.com
I just found out about this awesome website, http://www.tastebook.com/
You can create your own personalized cookbook! You create a hard cover, spiral bound book with ten categories of recipes to add 25-100 recipes. The photos are beautiful and you can add your own. You can type in your own recipes or pull recipes from different websites like epicurious.com, simplyrecipes.com, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet.
Pretty cool, huh?
You can create your own personalized cookbook! You create a hard cover, spiral bound book with ten categories of recipes to add 25-100 recipes. The photos are beautiful and you can add your own. You can type in your own recipes or pull recipes from different websites like epicurious.com, simplyrecipes.com, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet.
Pretty cool, huh?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Muffuletta
Muffuletta [muhf-uh-let-uh] (n): a thick, round sandwich similar to a hero, typically containing ham, salami, and cheeses and topped with an olive salad, a specialty of New Orleans.
Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans is the gold standard of muffulettas. You MUST try one when you are in New Orleans.
The bread you use for this sandwich is extremely important because you can't just throw these hearty ingredients onto any old bread or else it wouldn't be a muffaletta, now would it? A large (8-10 in. diameter) round loaf of Sicilian/Italian bread is usually be hard to find outside of New Orleans, but luckily, I found a place on North Miami Beach, Laurenzo's Italian Market (http://www.laurenzosmarket.com/home.html), that makes fresh Sicilian bread each day. If you can't find the bread, there is a recipe at NOLA Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2005/08/21/muffuletta-bread-recipe/).
The next important part of the Muffuletta is the olive salad. I've seen a few variations of the olive salad and decided to leave out gardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots, celery, and pperoncini) because I had a hard time finding it and I don't really want cauliflower in my sandwich.
Mr. M gave the following recipe his seal of approval and even liked this muffuletta more than the one we had in the Big Easy. Yeah, baby!
Olive Salad Ingredients
1 cup pitted green olives, very coarsely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Sandwich Ingredients
6 oz. Hard Salami
6 oz. Mortadella
6 oz. Provolone cheese
1 round loaf (Sicilian or Italian with sesame seeds on top), 8-10 inches in diameter
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours to allow all the flavors to combine and marinate.
Cut the loaf of bread in half. Depending on how much time you have and how thick you want your sandwich, either jump right into assembly or dig some of the bread out to make room for all the toppings.
To assemble the Muffuletta, use a brush to spread any excess oil from the olive salad over the bread, spread one layer of olive salad on the Sicilian loaf, add a layer of salami, then a layer of provolone cheese, a layer of mortadella, then another layer of olive salad. Cover with the top half of the bread.
If you have time or didn't scoop any bread out, cover the sandwich with a plate and weigh it down with some cans for 30-45 minutes. If you don't have much time, want an extra thick sandwich, or scooped most of the bread out, then skip this step.
Traditionally, you're supposed to cut the muffuletta into quarters, but that's a little too much for me, so I recommend cutting it into eighths. One muffuletta will serve anywhere from 2-8 people, depending on the hunger level :)
Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans is the gold standard of muffulettas. You MUST try one when you are in New Orleans.
The bread you use for this sandwich is extremely important because you can't just throw these hearty ingredients onto any old bread or else it wouldn't be a muffaletta, now would it? A large (8-10 in. diameter) round loaf of Sicilian/Italian bread is usually be hard to find outside of New Orleans, but luckily, I found a place on North Miami Beach, Laurenzo's Italian Market (http://www.laurenzosmarket.com/home.html), that makes fresh Sicilian bread each day. If you can't find the bread, there is a recipe at NOLA Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2005/08/21/muffuletta-bread-recipe/).
The next important part of the Muffuletta is the olive salad. I've seen a few variations of the olive salad and decided to leave out gardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots, celery, and pperoncini) because I had a hard time finding it and I don't really want cauliflower in my sandwich.
Mr. M gave the following recipe his seal of approval and even liked this muffuletta more than the one we had in the Big Easy. Yeah, baby!
Olive Salad Ingredients
1 cup pitted green olives, very coarsely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Sandwich Ingredients
6 oz. Hard Salami
6 oz. Mortadella
6 oz. Provolone cheese
1 round loaf (Sicilian or Italian with sesame seeds on top), 8-10 inches in diameter
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours to allow all the flavors to combine and marinate.
Cut the loaf of bread in half. Depending on how much time you have and how thick you want your sandwich, either jump right into assembly or dig some of the bread out to make room for all the toppings.
To assemble the Muffuletta, use a brush to spread any excess oil from the olive salad over the bread, spread one layer of olive salad on the Sicilian loaf, add a layer of salami, then a layer of provolone cheese, a layer of mortadella, then another layer of olive salad. Cover with the top half of the bread.
If you have time or didn't scoop any bread out, cover the sandwich with a plate and weigh it down with some cans for 30-45 minutes. If you don't have much time, want an extra thick sandwich, or scooped most of the bread out, then skip this step.
Traditionally, you're supposed to cut the muffuletta into quarters, but that's a little too much for me, so I recommend cutting it into eighths. One muffuletta will serve anywhere from 2-8 people, depending on the hunger level :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Panettone
Panettone is an Italian holiday bread that is made with candied oranges, raisins, and sometimes chocolate. It's easy to find during the holidays, but some bakeries and gourmet stores have it year round. I saw it at Publix this week, which made me think of adding a panettone bread pudding recipe here.
Giada De Laurentis has a fantastic recipe for panettone bread pudding at the Food Network website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_90098,00.html
This is a delicious bread pudding that is fairly easy to make because the panettone gives the pudding a delicious flavor. Another good thing about this pudding is that it can be prepared a couple hours ahead as long as you cover and refrigerate. I haven't made syrup, but the pudding was excellent by itself.
Giada De Laurentis has a fantastic recipe for panettone bread pudding at the Food Network website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_90098,00.html
This is a delicious bread pudding that is fairly easy to make because the panettone gives the pudding a delicious flavor. Another good thing about this pudding is that it can be prepared a couple hours ahead as long as you cover and refrigerate. I haven't made syrup, but the pudding was excellent by itself.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Yes, vegan. No one will be able to tell that you didn't use all that dairy. I made these for Thanksgiving one year and they were a hit. You can also make these with a garlic twist by adding some chopped roasted garlic. I've even used non-fat soy milk to make these and they were still delicious.
Ingredients
4 cups potatoes
2 1/2 to 3 cups water, boiling
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon margarine (vegan)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole scallions, chopped
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot or large saucepan. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and either leave them in the pot or transfer them to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a wood spoon or mashing utensil until they begin to look pureed. Add the soy milk, margarine, and salt, pepper. If you want them a little creamier, add more soy milk and margarine. Sprinkle the scallions over the potatoes and serve!
Ingredients
4 cups potatoes
2 1/2 to 3 cups water, boiling
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon margarine (vegan)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole scallions, chopped
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot or large saucepan. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and either leave them in the pot or transfer them to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a wood spoon or mashing utensil until they begin to look pureed. Add the soy milk, margarine, and salt, pepper. If you want them a little creamier, add more soy milk and margarine. Sprinkle the scallions over the potatoes and serve!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
spicy home fries
I made these this morning and they are great with a side of egg whites.
Spicy Home Fries
1 potato
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Slice the potato, with skin, into small squares. Heat the olive oil in the pan. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Turn potatoes with a spatula and cook covered for another 3-5 minutes, adding inthe additional 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Remove cover, stir, and add in red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Spicy Home Fries
1 potato
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Slice the potato, with skin, into small squares. Heat the olive oil in the pan. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Turn potatoes with a spatula and cook covered for another 3-5 minutes, adding inthe additional 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Remove cover, stir, and add in red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Easy fish & greens
This is really fast and makes good use of wilting spinach or other greens you may have in the fridge.
4 fish fillets
4 cups spinach (or other greens)
juice from 2 lemons
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 dgrees. Arrange 1 cup of spinach on 4 separate sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place 1 fish fillet on top of each cup of spinach. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and juice from 1/2 a lemon on each fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the sides of the foil/parchment paper up and twist to secure each packet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the greens and fish onto plates with a spatula and serve immediately.
4 fish fillets
4 cups spinach (or other greens)
juice from 2 lemons
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 dgrees. Arrange 1 cup of spinach on 4 separate sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place 1 fish fillet on top of each cup of spinach. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and juice from 1/2 a lemon on each fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the sides of the foil/parchment paper up and twist to secure each packet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the greens and fish onto plates with a spatula and serve immediately.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Cinco de Mayo...chicken tacos
Yummy chicken tacos
4 chicken cutlets cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno (ok if from a jar), sliced lengthwise with seeds removed
3/4 cup Jalapeno juice (from jar of jalapenos)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup papaya, chopped
3/4 cup black beans, cooked and drained
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tortillas
Heat the onion, garlic, and green onion in a skillet with olive oil and heat for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn over chicken using tongs. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add jalapeno juice and sliced jalapeno. Cook chicken covered for 5 minutes, then uncover and let jalapeno juice reduce.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro, papaya, black beans. Add juice from 1 lemon and salt and pepper. Heat tortillas and add an even mix of chicken and cilantro mix.
4 chicken cutlets cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno (ok if from a jar), sliced lengthwise with seeds removed
3/4 cup Jalapeno juice (from jar of jalapenos)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup papaya, chopped
3/4 cup black beans, cooked and drained
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tortillas
Heat the onion, garlic, and green onion in a skillet with olive oil and heat for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn over chicken using tongs. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add jalapeno juice and sliced jalapeno. Cook chicken covered for 5 minutes, then uncover and let jalapeno juice reduce.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro, papaya, black beans. Add juice from 1 lemon and salt and pepper. Heat tortillas and add an even mix of chicken and cilantro mix.
Garlic Lemon Potatoes
If you ever have a bunch of potatoes and need to do something with them, this is a very easy and delicious side/appetizer. The result is fancy french fries.
3-4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon parsley
3-4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/4 tablespoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Mix the garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest, basil, parsley, sage and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and turn heat on medium. Add 1 layer of the potatoes and brown for about 5-6 minutes. Turn the potatoes to the other side and brown for another 5-6 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon, herb and oil mixture to the potatoes. Add salt and pepper. Let the potatoes heat for another 2 minutes in the mixture uncovered and stirring a little to make sure the potatoes don't stick.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Recipe Contest!
I decided to enter the Columbia Crest Flavors of Washington Recipe Contest. I have to use one or more of the ingredients listed in the rules and the recipe should be inspired by one of Columbia Crest's wines.
My short list of ingredients: asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, halibut, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, poultry, sweet onions, tomatoes.
The two wines that most inspire me to cook are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. I still have to choose which one will be the source of my recipe's inspiration. Maybe the Shiraz. I don't know yet.
The recipe will be judge according to these criteria:
1. How well the Washington State ingredient(s) used
2. How well the recipe pairs with the Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine that served as its inspiration
3. Overall taste
4. Originality
I think 1 and 3 will be easy, but 2 and 4 are going be the challenging criteria for me. We'll see.
The first place winner gets a trip to NYC for 4 days and a chance to meet Bobby Flay--how cool is that! Mr. M always asks what recipe I would throwdown with Bobby Flay and I never have a clue. If you've never seen Throwdown on the Food Network, you should really check it out.
Well, I'm looking forward to testing some new recipes and figuring out what I'm going to submit. One immediate inspiration was getting Tom Coliccio's book, Think Like a Chef. It took long enough to start thinking like a lawyer...how long will it take to start thinking like a chef?
My short list of ingredients: asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, halibut, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, poultry, sweet onions, tomatoes.
The two wines that most inspire me to cook are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. I still have to choose which one will be the source of my recipe's inspiration. Maybe the Shiraz. I don't know yet.
The recipe will be judge according to these criteria:
1. How well the Washington State ingredient(s) used
2. How well the recipe pairs with the Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine that served as its inspiration
3. Overall taste
4. Originality
I think 1 and 3 will be easy, but 2 and 4 are going be the challenging criteria for me. We'll see.
The first place winner gets a trip to NYC for 4 days and a chance to meet Bobby Flay--how cool is that! Mr. M always asks what recipe I would throwdown with Bobby Flay and I never have a clue. If you've never seen Throwdown on the Food Network, you should really check it out.
Well, I'm looking forward to testing some new recipes and figuring out what I'm going to submit. One immediate inspiration was getting Tom Coliccio's book, Think Like a Chef. It took long enough to start thinking like a lawyer...how long will it take to start thinking like a chef?
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Rice with Turkey Andouille Sausage
Rice with Turkey Andouille Sausage
I though of this out of sheer laziness. I didn't feel like going out to dinner. I didn't feel like eating chicken or fish and can't bring myself to touch raw beef. I didn't want to take a long time to cook. I did want something spicy.
2 links of Turkey Andouille Sausage (cut into thinly sliced rounds)
1/2 cup rice (if you want extra flavor, get a box of the flavored rice pilaf...don't use the toasted almond one though, it'll taste a little weird with the sausage)
1 cup water
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, and simmer until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is almost done, heat the sausage in a skillet (not too much oil b/c the sausage will release some grease). When the rice is done, stir the sausage in and voila! Serve with some veggies on the side.
I though of this out of sheer laziness. I didn't feel like going out to dinner. I didn't feel like eating chicken or fish and can't bring myself to touch raw beef. I didn't want to take a long time to cook. I did want something spicy.
2 links of Turkey Andouille Sausage (cut into thinly sliced rounds)
1/2 cup rice (if you want extra flavor, get a box of the flavored rice pilaf...don't use the toasted almond one though, it'll taste a little weird with the sausage)
1 cup water
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, and simmer until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is almost done, heat the sausage in a skillet (not too much oil b/c the sausage will release some grease). When the rice is done, stir the sausage in and voila! Serve with some veggies on the side.
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