Sunday, May 29, 2011

Spaghetti with Spinach and Blue Cheese


http://www.thecookingguy.com/cookbook/recipe.php?id=192

Serves 6.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 8 ounces Blue Cheese crumbles
  • 1-6 ounce bag "ready-to-go" spinach leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • red pepper flakes, optional
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
  2. Add spaghetti, and cook until still slightly firm
  3. While spaghetti is cooking, put blue cheese, garlic & olive oil in a bowl and mix well
  4. When spaghetti is done, add spinach to boiling water with spaghetti for about 10 seconds - making sure it all gets submerged and mixed in well
  5. Drain spaghetti/spinach well and return to pot
  6. Add blue cheese and mix well
  7. Serve with a small sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Pesto Grilled Cheese


http://www.thecookingguy.com/cookbook/recipe.php?id=565

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
* About 1/4 cup pre made pesto
* 4 slices sourdough bread
* 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
* 4 slices Havarti cheese
* Soft butter

Directions
* Warm non stick skillet over medium heat
* Spread pesto on two slices of the bread, top with tomato slices, fresh ground pepper, 2 slices of cheese on each and then top with the other slice of bread
* Butter both sides of sandwiches and cook in pan until golden brown on both sides

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Citrus Ginger Beef Chow Mein




Ingredients:

Sauce -
1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • - we subbed in Shao Xing Michiu wine with dark brown sugar and honey
  • 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • approximately 2/3 cup chicken broth or water (or to taste)

Beef and Beef Marinade -
1 lb thinly sliced top sirlion tips or other stir fry meat
~ 1/3 cup orange juice
~ 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
~ 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
~ cornstarch to thicken coating right before stir-frying

Vegetables -
2 carrots, sliced into thin discs
1 white onion, sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1-2 small heads of broccoli crowns
1 cup edamame, pre-shelled
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

Starch -
1/2 - 3/4 of a 12 oz chow mien udon noodle package

Other -
Oil for stir-frying as needed

Steps:
1) Mix beef marinade ingredients - oj, soy sauce, and sugar. Marinate sliced beef for at least 15 min at room temp.
2) Combine sauce ingredients. Add chicken broth/water or sugar as needed to reduce puckering reaction to lemon if necessary. Boil briefly (up to 30 secs) then reduce to med-low heat and keep heated until needed.
3) Prep vegetables (slice carrots, white onion, green onion, broccoli).
4) Boil water. Boil edamame if frozen. Blanch broccoli for 30 secs to 1 min. so broccoli is bright green and tender.
5) Use boiling water for noodles. Boil per package instructions. When finished, drain and set aside.
6) In pan or wok, heat oil over med-high heat. Then add garlic for 30 secs or until fragrant. Do not burn garlic. Remove garlic.
7) Add carrots to hot pan. Cook over heat a couple of min until it reaches desired tenderness. Remove carrots.
8) Add blanched broccoli to pan and stir to cover in hot garlic oil. Remove once coated.
9) Add oil if necessary. Cook white onion for a few mins until it reaches desired tenderness. Remove onions.
10) Turn up heat to High. Add oil if needed. Add 1/3 - 1/2 of the beef so that a single layer is formed on pan without overlapping. Do not disturb meat for 45 secs -1 min so it can brown. Flip meat and cook for 15- 30 more secs. Remove meat. Repeat with remaining meat.
11) In empty pan, add some oil. Add 1/2 of cooked noodles. Quickly stir-fry noodles til warmed through and oil is mixed through. Add 1/2 of cooked vegetables and add 1/2 of sauce. Stir quickly. Top with green onions.

Voila! Yummy Citrus Ginger Beef Chow Mein. :)







Sunday, May 15, 2011

Lamb Chops with Balsalmic Reduction


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lamb-Chops-with-Balsamic-Reduction-2/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme
  • Hain Pure Foods Iodized Sea Salt
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)
  • 1 tablespoon Spectrum Organic Frantoio Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup Imagine Organic Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

  1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, mint, thyme, Hain Pure Foods Iodized Sea Salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
  2. Heat Spectrum Organic Frantoio Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lambs chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter.
  3. Add shallots to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the Imagine Organic Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. Note: If sauce is removed from heat too soon, it will be thin. Remove from heat, and stir in butter. Pour over the lamb chops and serve.

Crash Hot Potatoes



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

Ingredients

  • 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt To Taste
  • Black Pepper To Taste
  • Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Posted by on August 7 2009

Baked Goat Cheese with Fresh Tomato Basil Salsa


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3AO-dqBqRw

Ingredients:
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • Fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Goat cheese log
  • Sliced almonds
  • 1 egg white
Directions:
  1. Combine tomato, red onion, fresh basil, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a bowl and mix.
  2. Heat skillet to medium. Add sliced almonds and cook until browned.
  3. Shape goat cheese log into ball. Coat goat cheese ball with egg white and then cover with sliced almonds.
  4. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake goat cheese for 10 minutes.
  5. Serve goat cheese with tomato basil salsa and crackers/bread.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Green Bean Casserole


http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/green-bean-casserole-RE1511.html

Ingredients:
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 (9 oz. each) pkgs. frozen cut green beans, thawed*
1 1/3 cups FRENCH'S® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions

Directions:
MIX soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2 -qt. baking dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions.
BAKE at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot.
STIR. Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 min. until onions are golden.

Tip: You may substitute 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) cut green beans, drained or 4 cups fresh, cooked cut green beans.

Oven-Baked Zucchini Sticks


http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-low-fat-oven-baked-zucchini-sticks-69063

Ingredients:
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumb (panko even better to use)
- we used saltine crackers with italian seasoning added
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (can use 1 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt (or to taste, can use regular salt)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
red pepper to taste
onion powder to taste
2 large eggs
3 medium zucchini (unpeeled then cut into about 3 x 1/2-inch sticks or as desired)

Directions:
Prep Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
1 In a bowl combine bread crumbs, grated cheese, and seasonings; mix well.
2 In another bowl, beat egg/s lightly.
3 Dip zucchini sticks into eggs, then into breadcrumb mixture.
4 Transfer to a greased baking sheet that has been coated with nonstick spray.
5 Bake at 425 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned (you may turn the sticks over once halfway through baking time if desired)