Monday, December 30, 2013

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Made a big ol' batch of this again.  Some for Amy, some for Mo and Chris.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bibimbap

See earlier in the blog for the link.  Things we did this time:

- Used steak again
- We had seaweed, which was tasty with it.  We used daikon radish instead of sprouts.  It was only ok.
- We again used crimini mushrooms.
- We attempted to get the crispy rice bits.  They sort of crisped, but they got more chewy than crispy.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Warm Chorizo Spinach Salad

Yum. For the 2 of us this time. We used 3/4 lb chorizo and a medium red onion. We cooked the onion a bit more than he said so it was soft.  Maybe better this way.  Also, it would have been good to have some feta or queso fresco to sprinkle on top.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Chicken Korma

Jamie Oliver, pg 74.  We had a half jar of patak's curry paste that we used instead of making his korma paste. I think it was pretty much by the book after that. Turned out well.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

French Onion Soup

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/04/french-onion-soup/

Yum.  Used about 4 decent sized onions.  Could have used one or two more probably, but it was still delicious.  And we toasted the bread and then melted the cheese on top of it since one of us has an aversion to soggy bread.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Chicken Cacciatore Stoup

Rachel Ray, pg 61.  Recipe #68.  Basically followed the recipe exactly.  Was pretty satisfying.  The taters were old, and they needed way long to cook for some reason.  Peppers, mushrooms, chicken, tomatoes.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Shrimp Taco Dorado

Amor Y Tacos, pg 90.  Made it pretty much as they said.  Was pretty delicious.  The shrimp wasn't the greatest quality unfortunately though.  Extra tasty guac.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Turkey Barley Soup

Based loosely on:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/homemade-turkey-soup/4fdb9be4-b375-4d3e-960a-f83c46a160ce

We had a 16 lb turkey carcass and we made stock the day before (yielded 6 quarts).

Used 1 cup barley, simmered covered for a half hour.  Added 6 sliced carrots and 5 or so sliced celery stalks, along with whatever shredded turkey.  Simmered for another half hour or so until veggies were tender.  Turned out pretty well.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Turkey Tortas

Mmm leftover turkey.  Bon Appetit, November 2013, pg 32.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Torta-51198840
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/turkey-torta

These were delicious.  Pickled the onions in lime like we do.  We put adobo sauce in the sour cream as well.  That was a very good idea.  Should have put more in even.  No lettuce.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving

'Twas a feast at our house this year.  Here is what we made, in no particular order.  In case those short urls stop working, here is the link to the full thing:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/11/12/dining/essential-thanksgiving.html?_r=0

Pumpkin cheesecake
You know it.  Start with desert first!  Next time, don't need as much topping (only used half of it).

Bitty's make ahead gravy
http://nyti.ms/1dqzKEn  Turned out pretty well.  Seemed like it was going to be lackluster until we added the turkey drippings.

Dry-brined Turkey
A mix of the NY Times (http://nyti.ms/1dqtU5U) and Bon Appetit (Nov 2013, pg 23) (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Citrus-and-Peppercorn-Dry-Brine-51198820).  Started with a 16 lb swanky turkey from whole foods.
  • We made the rub like in the bon appetit, but put it on the night before, and then put it in a turkey bag in the fridge.
  • The next morning we rinsed the brine off, dried it off and put it back in the fridge, uncovered for a couple hours.
  • We took it out about an hour before cooking to let it warm up.
Now we sort of followed the times recipe.
  • Heat oven to 450.
  • Add cider (delicious!), wine, onion, garlic and bay leaves to pan.
  • Put lemon and onion in turkey cavity.
  • Roast 30 minutes, then lower heat to 325, cover with foil, and roast for ~3 hours
This turned out quite well.  Was juicy and flavorful meat.

Cornbread stuffing
Ok, so Rach's mom actually made this one.  But it was good enough to go here in the "what we made" section.  Again, Bon appetit, november 2013, pg 135. (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/CORNBREAD-DRESSING-WITH-SAUSAGE-AND-FENNEL-52544291 This isn't the official one, but it seems like the same recipe).  I think she used half cornbread and half regular bread.  Yummy.

Brussels sprouts with pepitas
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/maple-roasted-brussels-sprouts-pumpkin-seeds

These were pretty tasty.

Spinach Salad with Bosc Pears, Cranberries, Red Onion, and Toasted Hazelnuts
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spinach-salad-with-bosc-pears-cranberries-red-onion-and-toasted-hazelnuts-355430

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Tandoori Salmon with Kale


Glorious one pot, pg 56.  Made it with white rice this time. Doubled the recipe across the board.

Baked it for right around 45 minutes.  The salmon was frozen so we had to take it out and bake it separately at the end. Next time defrost it. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Quesadillas with fancy guacamole and drunken pintos

The name pretty much says it all. Quesadillas with corn tortillas and the guacamole with cotija, pepitas and chipotle.  Yum.

Served with drunken pinto beans.  Mmm bacon.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Applesauce

The link for the recipe will be in here, but essentially we cored a bunch of apples, then used the slicer to slice them quickly. Then we through them in the big pot with a cinnamon stick and simmered for a half hour or so.  Immersion blend.  The texture would have been slightly better without the skins, but it was way easier to not peel then, and it was very tasty anyway.

We froze a couple containers of it.

http://amysfinerthings.com/easy-no-peel-applesauce

Spaghetti with butter-roasted tomato sauce

Bon Appetit, November 2013, pg 52.  Also epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bucatini-with-Butter-Roasted-Tomato-Sauce-51198650

The recipe calls for 12 oz bucatini, but we used 16 oz spaghetti. So we adjusted the recipe to make more.  This turned out quite tasty. Garlic o rama though!  We got some sausages that we cooked in the side to serve with the pasta.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Turkey Chipotle Chili

See the post from 12/31/2012 for the link and the description. I think we made it pretty similarly to last time.  This is a tasty chili.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Spiced Black Lentils

Bon Appetit, November 2013, pg 50. Also Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Black-Lentils-with-Yogurt-and-Mint-51198640

Made it exactly like they said. Was good, but was only one dinner.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Thai Beef with Basil

Bon Appetit, November 2013, pg 54.  Also:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Thai-Beef-with-Basil-51198660

This turned out pretty well.  Except that we didn't really get the crispy bits of beef.  Added cucumber to the slaw, and no oil.  Put a jalapeno and anaheim pepper in with the beef and none in the slaw, but in retrospect we could have put some in the slaw.  This could have barely been enough for a two-dinner event.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Pork Tacos

The usual crock pot pork tacos.  Used hatch chilies this time instead of poblanos.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Tom Haver's Chicken Chile Posole

This is what's for dinner tonight. We know it will be good because it always is. And it makes a "chit-load" (approx 3 gallons). Finally, the recipe for our blog. We followed it but this time used stock instead of PBR and didn't use the bullion, and used 6ish lb of chicken instead of 9. And we used a different green chile brand. But the recipe below is the official one.

1 6 lb. 6 oz can of Cochise Farms diced green chiles
1 6 lb. 6 oz can of hominy
9 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thigh and/or breast meat
5 12 oz. cans of cheap beer (PBR or equal)
4 large yellow onions
16 cloves fresh garlic
6 cups water
4 tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp Knorr Chicken (or tomato-chicken) bullion crystals
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped or dried parsley
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Two pouches of Creamy Mash (or 8-10oz of instant mashed potato flakes)

Open one can of beer and begin drinking. This important ritual adds Feng Shui to the chile.

Dice onion and mince garlic. Saute in 2 Tbsp of oil, until nicely caramelized/light brown.
Dump in a biiiiiiiig pot, along with the remaining 4 cans of beer, water, chicken bullion, herbs and spices, and the giant can of green chiles.
Heath the pot on medium as you continue the process below, stirring frequently.

Dice the chicken, and saute in small batches until lightly browned. Dump each batch in the pot, stir to mix in, then start the next.

Bring the pot to a boil with frequent stirring, then simmer half an hour, stirring occasionally. Go out and get more beer.

Drain the hominy, and rinse several times. Dump the drained homily into the pot and stir well. Return to a boil, then continue simmering for another half hour or longer.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and/or red pepper if you want to kick up the "zing."

At this point the stew will be watery. To get a good "mouth feel", stir in a bit of instant mashed potatoes, let simmer a minute, then add more and stir again, until you reach "just right" thickness of the broth.

Open more beer and EAT!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Fasty Tacos

You know, the usual.  Yum.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/lentil-sweet-potato-stew.php

We made this in December of last year also. Again, doubled the recipe and made it in the crock-pot for after trick or treating with two 2 year olds (Juju-giraffe and Amelia-lion) and a one year old (Felix-lion). Fun night and yummy soup. Those of us who aren't vegan topped it with some sour cream and that was pretty tasty.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Cremini Mushroom Pasta with wilted Arugula and (No) Goat Cheese

This pasta is a sad story. But still ended up tasting good. Followed the recipe linked below, but added shallots while cooking the mushrooms and spinach with the arugula. This was all looking and smelling sooooooo delicious. Then I got the goat cheese out and realized it was super fuzzy. Thinking I could just remove the fuzzy end, I opened the package further to find a big green moldy spot. So, thinking quickly, I just added a jar of Newman's pasta sauce left over from camping this summer (ok, but a little sweet).

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cremini-Mushroom-Pasta-with-Wilted-Arugula-and-Goat-Cheese-230171

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Pumpking Acorn Squash Soup

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-acorn-squash-soup-10000001924739/

Baked the squash cut side down like normal.  A little heavy on the thyme (used 1+ tsp dried).  Could have used a bit more flavor or something.  Gorgonzola was delicious.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Fish Tacos

Made fish tacos tonight.  Had about 2 lb Tilapia.  Doubled the spices.  Added maybe 1/6 cup water to the mix.  Yum.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Salmon Burgers

Had salmon burgers tonight, with baked acorn squash and (gasp!) a simple salad.  Pretty tasty.  Way overcooked the acorn squash seeds though.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Feijoada

Colorado Cache, pg 158.  Basically followed the recipe:

- Quick-boiled the black beans instead of soaking overnight
- Used about 2 lbs sausage (mix of smoked sausage and mild brats) and no salt pork.

Of course, had the rice with it (pg 218).  We also made the spicy red onion habanero salsa from Moosewood (pg 359).

We haven't eaten it yet, but it sure smells delicious!

Friday, October 18, 2013

Shredded Chicken and Green Chile Tacos

Sliced a small onion and a few small poblanos and put them in the bottom of the crock pot. Placed 2 large half-chicken breasts (a little over a pound total) on top of that. Poured a jar of medium 505 green chile sauce over the chicken and added just a little water around the edges. Cooked on high for a few hours, then switched to low for the last couple. Shredded chicken, which was amazingly easy and put back in the sauce. This was so simple and easy it should have been a crime. Haven't eaten yet but Nacho enjoyed his little chicken bit.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Good Old Chili Con Carne

Jamie oliver party this week.  This is on pg 172.  Browned the beef first, then sauteed the veggies.  Did yoghurt and cilantro again.  And regular corn bread.  Yum.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Tomato Soup

Jamie Oliver, pg 133.  Pretty much followed the recipe, except we put in just a smidge too much broth.  Served with grilled cheese and yum.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Carne Asada Tacos

For just the two of us.  But still yummy.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

French Toast

Big day today.  Made challah french toast this morning for breakfast.  Using the standard Joy recipe.  Plus sprinkling a bit of cinnamon.

The Proper Sunday Feast Redux

Ah, the Jamie Oliver proper Sunday Feast.  Went with the roast chicken one (pg 196) this time.  Used a 4 1/2 lb chicken from sprouts and just rosemary for herbs (with an H, mind you).  Basted around 40 minutes in, then somehow shut the oven off for 20 or so minutes before realizing what happened.  So all told, the chicken was in for probably 1:45 or so.  Probably would have needed less time had we left the oven on.  And, we didn't take the bird out a half hour before starting (go donkies!) so that could have contributed too.  But, it was really juicy and delicious chicken.

Did the roasted potatoes, carrots and parsley root (wtf, right?  no parsnips at sprouts).  We didn't have garlic though.  Still turned out pretty well.  Some of the veggies got a bit cooked though.

This time, we did make the consistently good gravy (pg 205).  And it was quite delicious, although we deviated from the recipe a bit.  Mashed the veg, poured in 3/4 c wine (or so), boiled a bit, added most of a quart of stock, boiled/simmered for a while.  Then added some corn starch to thicken a smidge.  There wasn't really much fat to skim off the veg so I didn't really bother with this step.

And finally, in case that wasn't enough to make (all before Julia's bedtime!), we did Yorkshire puddings again.  They turned out only ok.  We used the top oven, which might not have been good.  And I accidentally opened the door a couple times (tisk).  And they were a bit overcooked.  But, the ones that weren't too cooked and puffed up (all 6 of them) were pretty good.

And now, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine relaxing a bit before carving the rest of the bird and getting stuff together for stock.  Which will happen in a couple days.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Kale Tortellini Cannellini and Sausage Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheese-Tortellini-Soup-with-Cannellini-Kielbasa-and-Kale-106143

We used squash ravioli this time instead of the tortellini, just for the fun of it.  Turkey kielbasa.  Quite a bit of kale.  Turned out pretty well.  Served it with Manchego cheesy bread, which was tasty.

Also, the hunger games is a way intense movie.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 cups chopped kale (1/2 bunch)
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 9-ounce package cheese tortellini
1 cup grated Asiago cheese* or Parmesan cheese to top

PREPARATION

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes.

Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannellini.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.

Add tortellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes (or according to package).

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Chicken, Apple, Goat Cheese Tacos

http://www.projectfoodie.com/spotlights/cookbooks/nothings-better-than-a-taco.html

Went with a twist for taco friday this time.  They were nothing like a good-old-fashioned taco, but they were quite good anyway.  We used two packages of chicken breast and one poblano plus some hatch.  More or less followed the recipe.  Just crumbled the goat cheese on top as part of the taco.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Marczyk's Pizza

Got a pizza kit from Marczyk's tonight.  Was going for fun and easy.  It was both.  And pretty tasty.  Got the pepperoni mushroom variety.  Way over floured, but otherwise spot-on.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Meatballs and Pasta

Jamie Oliver, pg 151.  The meatballs were real tasty.  We used half pork and beef like Jamie says he does, which worked out.  We also used linguini.

Complaints:

1. Not saucy enough.  It calls for 2 cans diced tomatoes.  Next time, use 1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes plus a can of tomato sauce.

2. Too many onions in the sauce.  Maybe would have been less of an issue if it was saucier. 

3. I thought there was too much balsamic vinegar.  2 T.  Maybe just 1 T next time.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Indian Spiced Vegetables

The usual.  Pretty tasty.  Go last day of September!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Lentil Spinach (Chard) Soup

Jamie Oliver, pg 137.  Pretty much followed the recipe, except used chard instead of spinach.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Fasty Tacos

The three of us really appreciated them tonight.  Julia will too.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/05/raspberry-buttermilk-cake/

Using fresh raspberries of course!  Our top oven cooks weird though.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Pesto Pasta

The usual pesto recipe, but used walnuts instead of pine nuts this time.  Put in peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Chimichangas

We haven't made these in a long time.  They were tasty as per usual.

Put a whole chicken breast (or more) into boiling water, return to boil, cover and turn off the heat.  Let sit for 15 minutes or so until it's cooked.  Cool slightly and shred.

Mix the shredded chicken with a can or two of beans and a good amount of chilis.  We used hatch this time since we had that.  Add some cumin and chili powder.  Mix well.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  Put a good amount of filling on flour tortillas, add some shredded cheese, wrap and lightly brush the tortilla with water.  Place on the cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until the tortillas are crispy.  Top with guacamole.

Next time we might put the queso in before the filling.  It might keep it from oozing out as much when it baked.  But since we sprayed the sheet with oil they didn't really stick either.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Slow-Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

Bon Appetit, May 2011.  Also epicurious

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Slow-Baked-Salmon-with-Lemon-and-Thyme-365151

We used a one pound fillet and kept the lemon/thyme amount the same.  Ended up baking it for a half hour or so.  Next time we should cut the one big piece into smaller pieces.  Served with acorn squash and rye bread.  We thought it was delicious, Julia less so (but she still ate a lot).

Real easy dinner.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Carne Asada Tacos

It wasn't exactly a grill swan song, but we grilled up some carne asada from the carniceria, topped with guac and their fresh salsas.  Turned out quite well this time.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Banana Bread

Mmm Mei's banana bread.  Used 3/4 stick of butter plus whole fat yoghurt.  Some day we'll try it with sour cream.

The Fridge Clearer

This was born out of the desire to use leeks, plus other rando stuff in our fridge.

Chop fingerling potatoes and beets, place in a 9x13 pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake at 450 until done (half hour or so).

Chop leeks lengthwise and then into 1/4" slices (I did 1" slices but the texture was a bit odd).  Melt some butter, add some oil, and sautee leeks for a while.  Then chop 1/2 lb mushrooms into quarters and add to the pan.  Season with herbs.  I used thyme, marjoram and tarragon.  After the shrooms seem mostly cooked add some wine (I used 2/3 c) and let it reduce to half or whatever.  Mix in the roasted veggies.  Serve over rice.

This ended up being fairly good (see the note about the leek size though).  Wasn't mind-blowingly delicious or anything, but was a good usage of veggies and was good enough.  Didn't get two dinners out of it though.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tunisian Pepper and Potato Couscous

Deborah, pg 255.  Finally, we made this again.  Potatoes, peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes.  Basically delicious.  We used fresh mint (added at the end), and a couple extra tomatoes.  It takes a while to get it all chopped up, but yummers.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Oat Scones

Williams Sonoma Baking, pg 113.  I put in just a bit too much milk, and our upper oven tends to get the bottoms too brown.  But otherwise they were very yummy.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Stuffed Poblanos

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10921-stuffed-poblanos-with-black-beans-and-cheese

Mostly sort-of followed the recipe.  We got pre-roasted poblanos.  2 cans of beans, extra tomatoes.  Also added some diced chilis to the mix.  Little easier on the sour cream.  Cut the tops off the peppers, stuffed them then baked them for half hour or so at 350.

Turned out pretty well.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Sloppy Tacos

Bon Appetit, Sept 2013.  In the recipes please section in the front.  Also,

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sloppy-Tacos-51187030

We didn't have any worchestershire sauce.  And I thought the 3 T of chili powder was too much, but everyone else seemed to be ok with it.  Don't add sugar next time.  We also chopped 3 poblanos and added them to the mix.  Used the big cast iron pan.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Salmon Burgers

Grill pan Spinach Feta salmon burgers with a side salad.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Red Sauce Pasta

Whipped up some pasta esta noche.  Zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, sweet Italian sausage (so that maybe Julia can eat it).  Tomato sauce, onions, garlic.  Some spices I assume.  Browned the meat with onion, added tomato sauce and simmered.  Sauteed the peppers, mutnoons, squash separately and then combined.  Turned out pretty well.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Turkey Chipotle Chili

Made a big batch of this deliciousness to take with us to Pagosa Springs.  I think we used 2 pounds of turkey again, and 3 or 4 cans of beans.  Was enough to feed the crew.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Ratatouille

This may have been based on

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ratatouille-with-Penne-102256

but we served it over polenta instead.  Roasted the veggies in the oven.  No eggplant, but used potatoes instead.  Squash, tomatoes, peppers.

Was really quite good.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Beet Risotto

Or as Julia would say, purple rice.  The standard beet risotto from Deborah.  Turned out quite good this time.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Da Brats

So this doesn't really deserve a blog post, but I'm doing it anyway.  Made some beer brats and teriyaki chicken kabobs from sprouts for Julia's party.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Salmon Burgers

Salmon burgers from whole foods.  Corn/bean I think?  Anyway, had those with more chopped veggie salad and corn on the cob.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Chopped Veggie Salad

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/06/chopped-salad-with-feta-lime-and-mint/

Radishes, green beans, cucumbers, scallions.  Feta and lime juice and other barnacles.  This time we chopped some romaine and added it to the mix.  It'll be delicious.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Turkey-Burgers-51104320

More or less used the ingredients (except no garlic this time).  Used some hatch chilies that we had roasted instead of jalapenos.

Served with corn on the cob and chopped salad.  Which I'm going to blog separately.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Interesting Part 2

Yep, it's interesting again.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Pork Tacos

Pretty good bday week.  Hardly cooked at all

But anyway, made the standard crock pot pork tacos.  Rachel got a bushel of hot/medium hatch chilies that we added.  Yuuuummm.

Next time don't add a full can of water to the crock pot.  Maybe a half a can.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Indian Spiced Vegetables

Rachel Ray, pg 101.  Really was a 30 minute meal this time. 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Red sauce Pasta

In a break from tradition, we did not make tacos tonight.  Blame it on a half marathon the next morning (1:59!).  Pretty standard red sauce pasta.  Peppers and mushrooms, spicy italian sausage (that was waaay spicy this time).

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Sesame-Soy Salmon

One pot, pg 54.  I think we basically doubled it.  Maybe only used 1.5 c rice.  Salmon, cabbage, carrots, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, carrots.

Turned out quite delicious.  We cooked it to right about 45 minutes I think.  I don't think we put the avocado in the pot, but I may be mistaken.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Julienned Zucchini "Spaghetti" with Sausage, Tomato, and Basil Sauce


http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2011/09/recipe-for-julienned-zucchini-spaghetti.html

Pretty much followed the recipe again.  We used fresh tomatoes, so adding the water was unnecessary.  We also more or less doubled the recipe.  And used fresh herbs.  Didn't do the garlic oil fancy pants.  Added some mushrooms this time for the fun of it.  We haven't eaten yet (thanks Julia) but it will be delicious once we do.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Kale Frittata

The standard kale frittata with sun-dried tomatoes.  Julia seemed to like it.  Salad and good sourdough bread.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Chicken Fajita Tacos with Fancy Guac

The post pretty much sums it up.  The Do-sters made their fancy guacamole.  We made the fajita rub from the grill book, and grill-panned that with some sauteed peppers and onions, plus some frijoles negros refritos.  It hit the spot big-time.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Chimichurri Kebabs

Used the three-herb chimichurri recipe from the grill book (pg 457).  Sirloin, mutnoons, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes.  Served with a salad and bread.  Yum.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Pesto Pasta

Yum pesto pasta.  This one had a bit more garlicy kick to it, which was delicious but Julia didn't like it as much.  Grilled veggies.  Yum-o.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Green Lentils and Spinach with hard-boiled Eggs

Deborah, pg 302.  Yum.  Caramelized onions in butter, lentils, spinach, hard-boiled eggs.  What's not to like?

Friday, July 19, 2013

Warm Chorizo Spinach Salad

We've made this before, but it must not have made it in here.  Thank you Mr. Rick Bayless.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=235

Serves 4 (he says):

8 ounces (1 packed cup) fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed
1 medium red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 tablespoons light-flavored vinegar (rice vinegar is very good here)
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt
An 8-to-9 ounce package (about 8 cups) salad spinach, long stems removed
1/2 small jícama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1.   Cook the chorizo and onion.   In a very large skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes until it has rendered a good amount of its fat.  Add the onion and continue cooking until the onion has started to soften but is still crunchy, about 5 minutes.

2.   Create the dressing, finish the salad.   To the skillet (still over medium heat), add the oil, vinegar, sugar and 2 tablespoons water.  Mix well, taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon.  Pour the warm mixture over the spinach, add the jícama, mix well and serve. 
 
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This time we made it with 4 chorizo links, a big red onion, doubled the vinegar, 1 tbs sugar, smidge oil.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Big Salad

That's what my notes say we had last night.  Probably pretty good one too.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Curried Chicken Salad

I think this is the right one.  It's from a south beach cookbook, but we won't hold that against it.

1.5 c yoghurt
1 T curry powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1.5 lb chicken breast, cooked and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

Whist together yoghurt, curry powder, ginger in large bowl.  Stir in chicken, celery, onion, and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temp or refrigerate for an hour.

4 servings.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Turkey-Spinach not-Sliders

Again from Bon Appetit, July 2013, pg 38.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Spinach-Sliders-51175440

More or less followed the recipe.  Scallions, spinach, garlic, etc.  Did burgers on the grill.  They were gigantic patties (I used a lot of spinach), so 4 burgers would have been better than 3.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sambal Chicken not-skewers

Bon appetit, July 2013, pg 69.  Also epicurious.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sambal-Chicken-Skewers-51175290

These were supposed to be skewers, but we baked them instead.  And we used chili garlic paste instead of sambal oelek.  It had a good heat but wasn't super spicy.  Served with a salad.  This was a long time ago so I don't remember much else.  But it was pretty tasty.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Carne Asada Tacos

Mmm tacos.  Got the carne from the carniceria, guacamole from Steven and Laura.  Delicious tortillas and salsas.  Mmm tequila.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Salad with Fava Beans and Smoked Salmon

Followed the Fava Bean Ragout recipe in Chez Panisse Vegetables (pg 142).  Used those to top a big salad along with smoked salmon.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

More Salads

Don't remember what we put on these salads anymore.  Whatever rando veg we had.  Pepitas.  Hard-boiled eggs.  Ate them Tues and Weds this week, then off we went to Hotchkiss/Telluride.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Salmon Burgers

Salmon burgers with grilled veggies. Asparagus, sweet potatoes, zucchini, peppers.  That might have been all.  Tasty.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Fasty Tacos

These are NOT! Fasty's tacos.  But somehow she gets credit for them.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Quinoa Stir-Fry with Vegetables and Chicken

Self, but also on epicurious.  We used broccoli since we had some. And like last time, we doubled the recipe and thinly sliced and cooked the chicken first.  And also sriracha. Pretty tasty.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Pepper Mushroom Frittata

Taking inspiration from Deborah Madison's Harissa pepper eggs.  Sautéed the peppers and shrooms with paprika and harissa first.  Was a bit over cheesed (parm) but otherwise was quite good.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Father's Day grilling

Grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes, T-bone steaks.  Strawberry shortcakes.  Mojitos.  Not too shabby.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Salads

No idea what happened in the past month.  Pagosa, a wedding, the rents in town.  I'm sure we made other stuff, but all I can remember are salads. Big salads with lots o veggies.  Smoked salmon, chicken. That was a good week right there.

Pesto Pasta

Don't remember when we made this exactly but it was probably somewhere around here.  Pesto pasta with veggies.  Yum.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Fasty Salad

It's amazing how little you cook when you're moving.  But what a sweet new house.

Anyway, after an epic week of leftover tacos, takeout and frozen savanna beans and greens, we made a Fasty salad.  We sub'd jicama instead of the corn, and it was still pretty good.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Fajitas

Seems fitting for Cinco de Mayo, don't you think?  Standard grill book fajitas. And standardly delicious.  We got roasted chiles at the farmers market (!), and halved the bell peppers and grilled them that way, so there was no real peeling of chiles necessary.  Made it bit easier.  Sauteed some onions, then put all the peppers in with them.  Yay minivans!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Tequila Chicken Tacos

http://www.today.com/id/51732642/ns/today-food/#.UYazsIy9KSN

These were pretty good.  Quite different from the standard taco affair with the pepitas mole.

3 whole chicken breasts
2 oz tequila
1 lime juiced
1 orange juiced
2 T chopped cilantro
1 T or so olive oil
1 T garlic pepper seasoning.  We used pepper plus lemon garlic rub

Combine in bag, marinade for a half hour or so.

The pepitas mole was very rich.  The below recipe made a whole lot of sauce.  Could make half next time.

6 oz toasted pepitas
1 habanero (seeded)
2 limes juiced
1 scallion
1/2 c cilantro
2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

Add all but the tomatoes plus some tomato liquid to a blender and blend until smooth.  Blend tomatoes slightly and then mix together.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Thai Green Curry

Jamie, pg 91. The green curry paste was delicious and spicy.  Scallions, cilantro, lemongrass, lime leaves.  Asparagus, shrimp and snow peas in the curry.  It was delicious.  Next time we'll add some shiitake mushrooms to it.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Asian Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Bon Appetit, May 2013, pg 31.  Also on epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Asian-Chicken-and-Cabbage-Salad-51160620

This was delicious.  We used a whole small head of cabbage, and maybe 1/8 cup peanut oil (plus a drizzle of peanut oil).  Maybe 1/3 cup lime juice plus extra ginger.  Singapore rub on the grill pan chicken.  Spinach, carrots, scallions. cilantro.

Make more next time.  And don't let Rachel stir the bowl.  Disaster-o-rama!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Sweet Potato Chorizo Tacos

The standard not-fasty tacos.  They were especially delicious this time.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Kale and Cannellini Beans

The usual deliciousness of kale and cannellini beans.  Deborah madison, pg 381.  Yum.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Fish Tacos

Yum.  Followed the recipe in this blog.  We added 1/4-1/3 cup water to the sauce and it was a pretty good consistency.  We doubled the fish rub that the recipe called for since we used the full 2.5 lb fish.  Used cod this time instead of tilapia, which was still quite good.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Callaloo

Mosewood low-fat, pg 105.  Pretty standard delicious.  We more or less doubled it.  And it made a whole bunch, not surprisingly, so we had to use the big all-clad pot.  Made some corn bread to go with it.  Yum.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Salmon Fish Cakes

Jamie Oliver, pg 280.  These were good, although the consistency was too much potato.  We did make the tomato/basil/chile sauce, which was quite god.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Chili

Standard beef chili.  Peppers, shrooms, beans, that sort of thing.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Using a bag of our marinara, with some spaghetti squash, italian sausage, veggies, caesar salad.  You know, the good stuff.  It'll be delicious.  Really.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Carne Tacos

Alana and co. got the carne from the carniceria.  Fired up the grill.  Made some tasty guac.  Rock it.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Pumpkin Polenta with Spinach and White Beans

Rachel Ray, recipe #211.  Made it differently than last time, in that we followed the directions instead of making it more like kale and cannellini (bigger onions, no wine).  The onions were a bit undercooked.  It's definitely better to make the onion smaller and add some wine after the onions are ready.

One day we'll find quick-cooking polenta.  Mark my words.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Jamie Oliver, pg 77.  Used purple cauliflower.  And sweet potatoes instead of the butternut squash.  Made the jalfrezi paste.  Yum.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Stir Fry

Made a fairly rando stir-fry today.  Bok Choy, Peppers, Tofu, Peppers, other stuff?  Lime for the sauce.  Turned out fairly well.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Spinach with Chickpeas and Fried Eggs

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/10/spinach-with-chickpeas-and-fried-eggs

Yum.  Fairly certain we used more spices than they called for.  And we definitely did the eggs like they said.  And maybe we used frozen tomatoes?

Friday, March 22, 2013

Sweet Potato Chorizo Tacos

These are not Fasty tacos.  Are we clear?

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tandoori Salmon with Kale

One pot, pg 56.  Made with quinoa again.  Yum.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Pork Tacos

We always make tacos on Friday night, but we don't always put them in here.  I think we should start doing that.  So, without further ado, we made crock pot pork tacos this time.  The recipe is in here back a ways.  Roasted poblanos since we didn't have anymore from our garden.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Fasty Salad

The standard fasty salad with grilled chicken.  Yum.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Kale Caesar Salad

Epicurious and Bon appetit.  Easy on the anchovies, way easy on the oil.  Yum.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/quick_tomato_soup.html

It's a blizzard!!! Seriously. So instead of doing our standard Sunday grocery run, we are getting creative with what we have on hand. And since no blizzard is complete without grilled cheese and tomato soup, we found a really really easy recipe using a can of crushed tomatoes, which was the only kind of canned tomatoes we had in the house. We halved this recipe and added just a splash of milk, which I don't think enhanced it much at all. I would definitely make this again. Especially if we also have smoked mozzerella with which to make grilled cheese...mmmm smoky cheese.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Brussels Sprouts and Steak Stir-Fry

Bon Appetit, March 2013. Also at epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brussels-Sprouts-and-Steak-Stir-Fry-51148620

This was a super yummy stir-fry. We followed the recipe pretty closely, but added some extra veggies (bell pepper, mushroom and baby broccoli). Definitely a keeper.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Italian Vegetable Stew

Bon Appetit, March 2013. Also at epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Italian-Vegetable-Stew-51149120

This was a very tasty, simple, clean stew. We followed the recipe exactly and will definitely make it again. Mmmmm greens and cannellini beans.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Little Masa Boats with Drunken Pintos

Ah valentine's day.  That day when we make masa-containing things and drink margaritas.  It's a fairly awesome tradition.  And, just for the fun of it, we went back to the recipe that started it all.  And we just happened to have drunken pinto beans frozen.  Yummers.

Rick Bayless, pg 190.  Officially tlacoyos with black beans.  Drunken pintos are on pg. 239.


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Spicy Pork Ragu

Bon Appetit, Feb 2013.  Also at epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rigatoni-with-Spicy-Calabrese-Style-Pork-Ragu-51143440

This is rather delicious.  Next time we make it we'll drain the grease from the pork before sautéing it, as that will make it less heavy.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Fish Tacos

Saveur, http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Fish-Tacos-Chipotle-Sauce.  Also duplicated below for your remembering pleasure.

These were delicious.  We used 1.5 pounds of fish (with the same amount of rub), and that was enough for 5 or 6 servings.  The sauce was a bit thick and could have been thinned out some.  But it was scrumptious.

So, without further ado, here it is.  Of course we made tortillas to go with it.  We used the grill pan and it got super smoky in the house, but not that much fish got stuck to the pan.

FOR THE CHIPOTLE SAUCE:
½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dried dill
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 1 tsp. sauce
Kosher salt, to taste

FOR THE FISH:
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
2 ½ lb. boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, sliced in half lengthwise
Kosher salt, to taste
Canola oil, for grilling

TO SERVE:
8" corn or flour tortillas, warmed
¼ small head green cabbage, very thinly shredded
1 small white onion, minced
1 medium tomato, cored and finely chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the sauce: place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat gas grill to high (alternatively, heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat). In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin and oregano; set spices aside. Pat the fish dry, season with salt and sprinkle with spices; refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush the grill with oil and working in batches if necessary, grill fish, flipping once until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. Serve grilled fish on warm tortillas with cabbage, onion, tomato and a drizzle of chipotle sauce as desired with a squeeze of lime.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Green Lentils and Spinach with Hard-Boiled Eggs

Deborah Madison, pg 302. Really quick and tasty. Made it with spinach this time. Yum.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Tandoori Salmon with Kale

Glorious one pot, pg 56.  Made it with quinoa this time, which was rather delicious paired with the squash.  Doubled the recipe across the board.

Baked it for right around 40 minutes again.  Some of the squash was a bit hard, but otherwise was cooked well.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Size Down Chili

Made this a couple times in the month of January.  Pretty simple and straight-forward.  Once with beef, once with turkey.  Pretty good either way.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Savannah Beans and Greens Soup

Moosewood lowfat, pg 104.  Add carrots.  Black-eyed peas, collards or kale, tomatoes.  Serve over the rice instead of adding the rice to the soup.

We're making it tonight, so stay tuned for any updates.