A New Way to Eat Your Vegetables

 

 

 

Above: I like a lot of sauce!

It's fun to find good meatless meals for dinner now and then because it is cheaper, and it is an easy way to get in your veggies for the day. Here is a great one that my sister made in preparation for the birth of her baby (who is now a year old) because it can be frozen ahead of time.

Broccoli Calzones

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Flour, for rolling dough
2 packages (1 pound each) balls fresh or frozen pizza dough, thawed if frozen
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded (6 ounces) part-skim mozzarella cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Prepared tomato sauce, for serving
1 medium red onion, finely chopped

Directions:

Step 1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion; cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broccoli, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside to cool.

Step 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Form calzones: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece out, first to a 3-by-4-inch oval, then stretch again, this time to a 6-by-8-inch oval. (Let dough rest a few minutes if too elastic to work with.)

Step 3. Stir cheeses into cooled broccoli mixture; season generously with salt and pepper. Assemble calzones: Spread a rounded 1/2 cup broccoli mixture over half of each piece of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; fold over to form a half-moon. Press edges to seal. With a paring knife, cut 2 slits in the top of each calzone.

Step 4. Using a wide metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper; reshape if needed.

Step 5. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, if desired.

Freezing instructions:

To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 3. Tightly wrap each calzone in plastic; freeze until firm. Transfer calzones to resealable plastic bags; label and date. Freeze up to 2 months. To serve, unwrap calzones, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake without thawing until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, April 2006. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really good. So flavorful...you won't miss the lack of meat! I promise! I definitely recommend serving these with the marinara sauce. It adds so much. It is a must.

 

Slow Cooker to the Rescue!

 

Oh, busy days. Why does it seem like you are becoming more frequent? Thank goodness for slow cookers on days like those. Here is a great new recipe I found.

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Ingredients:

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed
1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8) (see notes below)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions:

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour, and 1 cup water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.)

Remove chicken from stew; shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Oven method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow step 1, using a 5-quart Dutch oven or large pot, substituting 2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed, for dried beans, and increasing water to 2 cups. Cover pot and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Transfer to oven, and cook until chicken is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Proceed with step 3.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, November 2007. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: The dried pinto beans gave this such a good flavor (almost a baked bean, barbecued flavor). I used four boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the chicken thighs.

The Meatballs are Back

I know I went crazy a couple of months ago and made a ton of different kinds of meatballs, but what can I say? My youngest son just keeps asking me for meatballs when I say, "What should I make for dinner?" Besides, there are so many different kinds of meatballs out there!

Beef Stroganoff Meatballs

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, diced small
1 pound ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
1 pound mushrooms, such as button or cremini, trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 1/2 cups pasta water; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer 1/4 cup shallots to breadcrumb mixture, along with beef and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Form into 1-inch balls and place, 1 inch apart, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes, turning halfway through.

Add mushrooms to pot with remaining shallots and cook, stirring, over medium, until mushrooms are softened, 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved pasta water, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and 2 tablespoons dill. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Divide pasta among four bowls and top with meatballs, sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons dill.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, October 2012. You can find it here.

Notes: My grocery store didn't have any fresh dill, so I used parsley instead. This was so good. Really easy to make, quick to throw together, and really tasty.

Paddington Bear's Favorite

 

I was intrigued when I saw these three glazes using the base of marmalade. I love marmalade...and I think it is really a great thing to have on hand for cooking purposes.

I loved all of these flavor combinations. I am going to type these recipes as originally written...but I will also tell you that I totally changed the proportions of all of these glazes. I doubled them all, and I increased the flavor enhancers because the marmalade should be like a canvas--a backdrop--to enhance, showcase, and complement the other flavors...rather than to be the overpowering flavor. As written, I felt that the flavor enhancers were just too subtle, and in some cases, they were completely overpowered by the marmalade. However, when the other ingredients were increased, the flavors were just so good.

So, I doubled the marmalade because I would rather have too much glaze than not enough (and I like a lot of glaze), and I increased the other ingredients in addition to doubling them. My advice would be to taste the glaze and adjust the ingredients to your own personal taste. The flavor combinations are so awesome though. A great, easy idea for dinner.

Soy-Ginger Glaze

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together marmalade, soy sauce, and ginger.

Recipe Note: This sweet-sour glaze is great on grilled shrimp, turkey, beef, chicken, and pork, as well as salmon. When grilling, brush glaze on all sides 2 minutes before meat or seafood finishes cooking, then brush on again right after removing from the grill. For roasted salmon, brush fish with glaze before baking.

Source: Everyday Food, June 2010. You can find it here.

Notes: As mentioned above, I doubled the marmalade (1/2 cup) and added the soy sauce and ginger to my taste...more than what is called for in the recipe.

Orange-Mustard Glaze

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons grainy mustard

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together marmalade and mustard.

Recipe Note: This sweet-sour glaze is great on grilled shrimp, turkey, beef, chicken, and pork, as well as salmon. When grilling, brush glaze on all sides 2 minutes before meat or seafood finishes cooking, then brush on again right after removing from the grill. For roasted salmon, brush fish with glaze before baking.

Source: Everyday Food, June 2010. You can find it here.

Chipotle-Lime Glaze

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid from chipotle chiles in adobo
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together marmalade, chipotle liquid, and lime juice.

Recipe Note: This sweet-sour glaze is great on grilled shrimp, turkey, beef, chicken, and pork, as well as salmon. When grilling, brush glaze on all sides 2 minutes before meat or seafood finishes cooking, then brush on again right after removing from the grill. For roasted salmon, brush fish with glaze before baking.

Source: Everyday Food, June 2010. You can find it here.

Notes: I doubled the marmalade. I also added a little minced chipotle chile in addition to the liquid. Finally, 1 teaspoon of lime juice is nowhere near enough. I would say more like a tablespoon or more. Again, add the chipotle and lime according to your personal taste.

A Keeper!

Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
2 large carrots, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground beef or lamb
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 cup dark (porter) beer (I used beef broth)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 large russet potato (3/4 pound), very thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in tomato paste. Add meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, 3 minutes. Add thyme and beer (or beef broth) and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 cup water and cook until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Top with potatoes, overlapping slices. Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until potatoes are browned around edges and tender when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, November 2010. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't change a thing except that I only had small potatoes, not a large potato...so, I ended up using about 3 small potatoes to cover the top of the pie. The sliced potatoes was a nice change of pace from the mashed potatoes on top. The flavor of the beef/vegetable mixture was so yummy. This is definitely a great recipe. A keeper! The recipe says it makes 6 servings. I would say it is 6 small servings (that would work if you had some good side dishes or a hearty salad. Otherwise, I would say that it makes 4 filling servings.

Oh, and thanks, Mom for the mandolin you gave me a few years back for my birthday. It is a must for this recipe!

 

Quick, Easy, Cheap, and Only a Few Ingredients

Three-Ingredient Marinara

Ingredients:

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, puree tomatoes until smooth. In a straight-sided skillet or small pan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pureed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Source: Everyday Food, March 2013. You can find it here.

Notes: This was so quick and easy to make.You can add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning if you want, but it isn't necessary. This is my favorite comfort food. I could eat spaghetti and marinara forever! So, so good!

Oh, and recipes never count salt, pepper, or things like water as an ingredient...so I realize that there are four lines of ingredients, but you get the idea. :) You can also top this with Parmesan cheese, if you like. You can also a little more flavor by adding 1 teaspoon (or to taste) Italian seasoning, dried basil, or dried oregano.

Meatballs: Part 4

 

For the final stop on our meatball journey, we are taking a trip to Sweden. As you can imagine, after having four different kinds of meatballs in one month, my husband said he was ready for a change of pace. However, after trying these meatballs, he said, "If you had to end on one kind of meatballs, these would be the ones." This recipe was by far his favorite. I'm not going to lie, this is an awesome meatball recipe.

However, before I share this recipe with you, let us not forget that I already made a meatball visit to Greece a few years ago (in search of a recipe that came close to the meatballs found at the Greek Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah every September). This recipe is pretty darned close to those Greek Festival meatballs and it is absolutely delicious. I need to make those again sometime soon because those old pictures don't do it justice...but believe me, those Greek meatballs are one of the best meatball recipes you will ever have.

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef chuck
1 pound ground pork
3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup, see notes below)
3 cups canned reduced-sodium beef broth
Grape or red-current jelly, cooked egg noodles, chopped parsley for serving, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, panko, 1/2 cup milk, eggs, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and allspice. Mix until just combined.

Using a rounded 1-tablespoon for each, form mixture into meatballs (you should have about 48). Place meatballs onto two rimmed baking sheets; bake until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute (do not let darken). Gradually whisk in remaining cup milk and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Using a slotted spoon, add meatballs to bowl with sauce; gently toss to combine.

Serve as an appetizer on toothpicks with jelly on the side; or as a main, over noodles, garnished with parsley, with jelly on the side.

Source: Everyday Food, December 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: A couple of the reviews on the Martha Stewart site were negative. One review complained that it wasn't an authentic recipe due to its use of garlic and panko. I guess I am not super familiar with authentic Swedish meatballs. However, what I do know is that these were absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making them again. This recipe is going to become a staple in my house.

The only change I would make is that I felt that the recipe didn't call for enough flour to thicken the sauce. I added more flour to thicken it more. I would say that you need about 1/2 cup of flour to thicken this. You could add some salt and pepper, to taste, to the sauce. However, after tasting the sauce, I didn't feel that was necessary for me and my tastes. I thought it had a subtle, yet rich flavor as is and it complemented the meatballs perfectly.

I also tried it with a little grape jelly on the side (dipping my meatballs into it from time to time). I really liked the flavor contrast that added. This recipe is a keeper!

Meatballs: Part 3

 

Next stop on our journey...meatballs with an Asian influence.

We really liked these meatballs. I would suggest adding a little soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to the rice for some extra flavor.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

Coarse salt
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 carrot, shredded
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds ground dark-meat turkey or ground pork
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 teaspoons fish sauce (or you could use soy sauce or teriyaki sauce)
4 teaspoons hot-pepper sauce (preferably Sriracha)
4 teaspoons sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and top with carrot. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then stir in carrot and fluff rice with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add turkey, scallion whites, cilantro, fish sauce (or soy or teriyaki sauce), hot-pepper sauce, sugar, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Gently mix to combine and form into 12 meatballs.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. In batches, brown meatballs on all sides, 10 minutes total (add up to 1 teaspoon oil as needed). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with rice, scallion greens, and lime wedges.

Source: Everyday Food, November 2010. You can find it here.

Notes: I had to improvise a little when I made these. My cilantro, unbeknownst to me, had gone bad in my fridge, so I had to use dried cilantro. It definitely would have been better with the fresh cilantro. I also forgot to top the rice with the green parts of the scallions. Oh, and I completely forgot about using limes. All of those things would have made these meatballs even better...which is saying something because these meatballs were awesome.

I used teriyaki sauce in place of the fish sauce. I had fish sauce on hand, but my boys are allergic to everything and I figured it would be just my luck that they would end up being allergic to fish too and happen to have an allergic reaction while eating meatballs that night. I know that is ridiculous. I know I need to just get them each another appointment with the allergist to check on their status. At any rate, that is the call I made. The meatballs were great with teriyaki sauce. We tossed the rice in additional teriyaki sauce as well.

Oh, and just so you know, the Sriracha gives the meatballs a pinkish color. Don't worry, they are fully cooked!

I also baked the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes. I just wasn't in the mood to get a pan dirty for the meatball browning process. It was one of those nights, I guess!

Meatballs: Part 2

Next stop on our meatball journey: Spain. Now, I don't know how authentically Spanish this recipe is, but it definitely has a unique flavor. I thought the meatballs were good when I first tried them, but honestly, where they really shine is as leftovers. I don't know, but the flavors just melded together overnight and the next day, these were even better than the first day.

Slow Cooker Spanish Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground pork
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
5 tablespoons plain dried breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
Rustic bread (optional), for serving

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine pork, 1/4 cup onion, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, breadcrumbs, eggs, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently mix to combine and, using your hands, roll into 25 meatballs (each 1 1/2 inches wide).

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. In two batches, brown meatballs on all sides, 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a 5- to 6- quart slow cooker. Add remaining onion to skillet; cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer onion to slow cooker, along with 1 teaspoon paprika and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low until meatballs are tender, 5 hours. Serve with rustic bread, if desired.

Source: Everyday Food, May 2011. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: Due to my son's allergy to eggs, I baked the meatballs in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes to replace the browning process in the skillet.

I also sauteed the onion and then added the paprika, tomatoes, salt and pepper before pouring over the meatballs in the slow cooker.

I served the meatballs over rice, but I'm not sure if that really worked for me. Maybe I would have liked it over pasta a little better. Or, simply served with crusty bread on the side as directed in the recipe.

Meatballs: Part 1

My youngest son has taken a liking to meatballs lately, so I went on the hunt to try out a bunch of new meatball recipes...a little meatball trip around the world, if you will. To start our journey, we will start with Italy, because honestly, when I think of meatballs, Italian meatballs are the first that come to mind. Here is my favorite recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. This recipe is a close second.

However, when my son asked for meatballs for dinner, I found a very basic recipe simply served with bread to sop up the sauce (as opposed to pasta or rice).

Meatballs with Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

3 hoagie rolls
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 teaspoons minced garlic
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Tear 1 roll into pieces; pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs form. In a large bowl, toss crumbs with 1/3 cup water. Add beef, egg, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano; mix just until combined. Gently form into 12 meatballs.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high; swirl to coat. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes.

Add crushed and whole tomatoes with juice (breaking up tomatoes), 1 teaspoon garlic, teaspoon oregano, and pinch of sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, split two rolls and place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon garlic; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with garlic bread.

Source: Everyday Food, October 2009. You can find it here.

Notes: I improvised on this recipe a lot. I didn't have hoagie rolls, so I used sandwich bread (about 3 pieces) in my meatballs. I didn't pulse it in a food processor either. I just poured the 1/3 cup water over the bread, let it sit, and then mixed it with all the other ingredients.

I also got more than 12 meatballs (maybe I formed my meatballs smaller than the recipe stated). I baked them in an oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees rather than browning them due to my son's egg allergy.

I made homemade French bread. You can find that recipe here. I didn't toast it initially, and I didn't put garlic on it. However, when I had leftovers, I toasted the bread and it was awesome dipped in the marinara. I would highly suggest that you toast the bread.

This was a very basic, easy meatball recipe. Comfort food at its best!

A Chocolate Version of an Old Favorite

 

If you love German pancakes, you have to try these Dutch babies. If you have never tried either, your life has a serious void that needs to be filled.

In addition to sharing my old favorite recipe for Dutch babies, I am going to share a new chocolate Dutch babies recipe that I just recently tried. I still prefer the original Dutch babies...nothing can dethrone that. However, this was delicious too. Almost like a breakfast version of a brownie--and there is nothing wrong with that!

Chocolate Dutch Baby

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a blender, combine milk, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and granulated sugar. Blend until foamy, 1 minute. In a large cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium. Pour batter into skillet and immediately transfer to oven. Bake until puffed and set, 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Source: Everyday Food, May 2011. You can find the recipe here.

  

Above: Delicious from any angle.

Notes: This was really good. I almost thought it was even better after it had cooled. Maybe that is just my preference though. You should try it both ways and see for yourself!

Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; set aside.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend until foamy, about 1 minute. pour batter into skillet; bake until pancake is puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Working quickly, dot pancake with 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and lemon juice. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, March 2009. You can find it here.

Notes: This is really similar to a German pancake. However, this one has sugar inside and on top of it, so you can serve it as-is. No need to add syrup or any other toppings (or you still can, if you like!).

 

Above: These really puff up in the oven and deflate once you take them out.

A Great Discovery

This dinner was such a nice change of pace. The rice is so simple, and yet it was so flavorful. I never thought of adding these flavors to rice before. It was really yummy.

Teriyaki Chicken with Rice Salad

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
1 smashed garlic clove
4 cups cooled cooked rice
1 cup sliced cucumber
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, honey, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and garlic; bring to a boil and reduce by half.

Toss together rice and cucumber; dress with 5 tablespoons rice vinegar and sesame oil; season. Grill chicken, brushing with soy glaze and turning often.

Serve chicken with rice salad.

Source: Everyday Food, July/August 2013. You can find it here.

Notes: I doubled the sauce, and I broiled the chicken rather than grilling it. I would maybe triple the sauce in the future and use some for dipping. This was really good. As I mentioned, I loved the rice salad. It was just a nice change from our normal weeknight dinners. Yummy stuff!

Similar, Yet Different

This recipe bears a strong resemblance to another recipe I recently posted which you can find here. However, they are both great pantry recipes and just different enough, so I thought I would give it a go. Well, just as the first one was tasty, so was this one. A great recipe to have on hand when you don't know what you want to cook for dinner.

Chipotle Chicken

Ingredients:

4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 2 3/4 pounds)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Cooked rice, for serving

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. In batches, if necessary, cook chicken skin side down until browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from pot. Add 2 tablespoons water.

Add garlic, cumin, and chipotle; cook until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, season, and bring to a simmer; cook five minutes, breaking tomatoes down with wooden spoon. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Source: Everyday Food, March 2013. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and I cut them into cubes just to see if I liked it better this way. I think it worked well this way, but I might shred the chicken in the future. This was a good, basic, tasty recipe.

The Return of Soup Season

I live up on a mountain, and we got our first snow storm yesterday. Thank goodness it is all melted again...I'm just not ready for snow to stick around yet! However, one part of this time of year that I always welcome is that it is the perfect weather for soup. Soup is so comforting and filling. Not to mention the fact that it is very economical. A little goes a long way.

Let me share two very easy soup recipes that I just found. They are both really delicious. I hope you like them.

Above: Shown without the Parmesan. It is great both ways!

15-Minute White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (19 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add scallions, garlic, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until scallions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir in broth and beans; cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, lightly mash some of the beans to thicken the soup. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan.

Source: Everyday Food, December 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: So, so easy. I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth and I added two cans of white beans instead of just one. I mashed about half of one can of beans to thicken the soup. So good! The lemon juice added such a nice flavor.

Six-Ingredient Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds total)
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds total)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Ingredients:

In a large pot, combine chicken, broth, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through (skim off foam), about 18 minutes. With tongs, transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes.

Add carrots to pot and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Shred chicken and add, along with peas, to pot. Cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: Everyday Food, September 2010. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: I didn't use chicken thighs, and as for the chicken breasts, I used boneless, skinless. I worried that this might make it less flavorful, but it was what I had on hand, so I thought I would give it a go anyway. I also used less water so there wasn't quite as much broth (I like my soup with a lot of stuff in it and less broth). It was sooo easy and sooo flavorful. I really loved this. My boys actually tried it and liked it too. It made a great lunch for me for the next couple of days as well.

Above: Yummy lunch leftovers.

Rather than breaking the spaghetti up myself, I happened to have some Barilla cut spaghetti. I got it once upon a time for my boys. It worked perfectly in this soup. I liked that it was a perfect spoon size pasta.