I'm Still Cooking...Kind Of

Ok...so I've been MIA here on the ole' blog. I could give you a whole list of reasons, but here are the most prominent:

1. I'm taking a grad class right now that's on children and young adult literature. I have to read a novel a week (they aren't that long..but still) and write papers on each of them. I also have to read the textbook and take notes on that because there's going to be a midterm and a final. I haven't taken a written test since I was an undergrad...so I feel compelled to be prepared. Hence, I've spending a lot of my time reading and writing for this class.

2. My husband was studying for this big test he had to take for his graduate program. He needed the computer pretty much every night to study, so I didn't get on very much. His test was a month ago, so that's not even a good reason anymore.

3. I've been trying to simplify my life a bit and not feel so busy. I have grossly failed at this attempt, but I'm still trying! Instead of pressuring myself to blog or do other things on my to-do list, I've been trying to spend a little of each day doing something relaxing like reading or watching youtube videos of baby animals like puppies and pandas.

4. I've only been cooking on and off because of my schedule. Some weeks, I can cook almost every night. Other weeks I can barely cook one night because I have things to do every day after school. (For my individual definition of cooking, please continue reading below)

Even when I haven't been able to cook new and interesting recipes, I've coerced my husband to put food together for us. He doesn't cook, but he can do simple things like make pasta or saute shrimp. Sometimes I'll have him pick up a $6 dinner from Wegman's for each of us, or he'll get one of their ready-to-bake pizzas.

Let's talk about that for a moment, shall we? We moved to this area three years ago and have yet to find a pizza delivery place that has pizza we really love. Especially since we are obsessed with Wegman's ready-to-bake pizzas that they sell near their pizza shop. We always buy a plain cheese one and then add toppings. It ends up being cheaper than delivery and twice as delicious.

One of our favorite topping combinations is broccoli and mushrooms. I just toss fresh broccoli florets and fresh mushrooms with some olive oil and then scatter them on top of a plain cheese pizza. It comes out looking like this:

Doesn't that look delicious?

For me, there is a difference between "cooking" and "making dinner". I do not intend this to sound snobby in any way...I realize that these terms are the same for most people. However, cooking is my most treasured hobby. To me, "cooking" means to create something special or new, to experiment with ingredients, or to try new techniques. The purpose of cooking isn't just to feed myself or my husband, it also enriches my life and allows me to practice my skills in the kitchen. When I try out a new recipe or technique, I think of that as "cooking". When I brown some ground turkey and add a taco seasoning pouch to it, I think of that as "making dinner". When I am in the kitchen and my only goal is getting food into our exhausted bodies in the quickest and simplest way possible, I don't feel the same exhilarating feeling as when I am in the kitchen creating something new and/or unique.

So even though I haven't been able to "cook" as often as I'd like, I've still been able to feed us and prevent a nightly outing for fast food (although, I don't object to the occasional trip to Wendy's because their new fries are completely awesome...even though I feel guilty afterward)

While we're on the topic of french fries, I'd love to share a special eating ability I have. I don't consider myself a person who has a huge appetite. I certainly eat an average amount of food, but I tend not to eat a ton in one sitting. I'm not one for seconds or thirds.

However...

I have, what must be, a genetic ability to eat massive amounts of french fries when given the opportunity. I could argue that I have that same ability when it comes to cookies n' cream ice cream, but it's not as extreme. French fries are kind of my nemesis when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, and kind of my best friend when it comes to my taste buds. I cannot remember a time in my life where the prospect of eating french fries hasn't completely thrilled me. I feel similarly about mashed potatoes, but french fries hold a special place in my heart.

I don't ever seem to get full while eating them, either. It's kind of a phenomenon since I get easily full eating almost everything else. I can eat way more ice cream than I should...but I definitely reach a limit where I can go no further (especially since I have a love/hate relationship with dairy products. They always seem like such a wonderful idea at the time of consumption, but the happiness fades about an hour later...) It's almost as if I have some sort of super natural ability to eat french fries continuously, but I know I can't and shouldn't. Is anyone else like me or is this truly a special ability of which I'm to be proud (in a kind of embarrassed way)?

Too bad I don't have this issue with a healthier food, but I didn't design my DNA so it cannot be helped. It would be a lot better if I was more like this girl:

Instead I'm more like this girl:

Now, if you are still reading this incredibly long and somewhat pointless post, I will reward you with a recipe that definitely qualifies as "cooking" in my book. It was fairly simple and completely delicious.

Chicken Fried Rice with Leeks and Cranberries
~A great way to use left over rice~

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups cooked, chilled long-grain brown rice
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 cup dry white wine

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, swirling to coat. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt over chicken.

2. Add chicken to pan, and sauté for 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from pan.

3. Add leek, black pepper, and remaining 5/8 teaspoon salt to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until leek is tender and golden. Add leek mixture to chicken.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add rice, stirring well to coat rice with oil; cook, without stirring, 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir rice mixture; cook, without stirring, 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir in chicken mixture, cranberries, and sage. Add wine; cook for 2 minutes or until mixture is dry, stirring constantly.

Note: I used a rotisserie chicken instead of chicken thighs. I also used left over rice from the night before. If you don't have leftovers, make sure you chill the rice for 4 hours or more.

This recipe came from the January/February issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Food to Keep You Warm

Now that the weather is changing (at least it is in Pennsylvania), I enjoy making food that is warm and comforting. The first things that come to mind for me are soups and stews.

Soups and stews are convenient and wonderful for a number of reasons. First of all, they are one pot dinners. I don't have to make anything to go with them (usually) and there is minimal cleanup. Second of all, I can easily double a recipe and freeze the leftovers for another week. Soups with a cream base don't freeze well, but almost all other soups do. Third of all, they are often very well balanced and healthy meals. There's usually at least one veggie involved and, many times, the other ingredients aren't very high in fat. Finally, they make a great lunch the next day as they reheat beautifully.

I have plenty of soup and stew recipes that I've made over the past few years. Here are some new ones I've tried in the last couple of weeks.

Shrimp and Chorizo Stew
~This is absolutely filling and delicious~

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 oz. Spanish chorizo, casings removed, sliced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (hot or sweet)
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus 1/2 cup juice from the can
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the chorizo, paprika, and 1 tsp salt and cook until the oil turns deep red, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes (reserve the juice), the bay leaves, thyme and oregano and cook 1 more minute.
4. Add the potatoes, 2 cups water, the tomato juice, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the kale and cook until the potatoes and kale are tender, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the shrimp and simmer just until they curl and turn pink, about 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and ladle the stew into bowls.

Recipe from the October 2010 edition of Food Network Magazine

This next recipe seemed like one I wouldn't like at first glance. I don't mind coconut, but I don't love it. Once I read through the recipe, I realized that it was made with coconut milk which is a bit more subtle than coconut flakes. I also have an on again/off again kind of relationship with carrots. Sometimes they work for me and sometimes I find them disgusting. I decided to throw caution to the wind and just try this recipe. I liked it a lot, but I don't think I would have liked it as much without bread to balance out the strong flavors. I heated up some Naan bread that I bought frozen at Trader Joe's. Yum!!

Coconut Shrimp Soup
~This Thai recipe is packed with flavor~

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 lb carrots (6 to 9 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 4 oz angel hair pasta
• 1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt (Kosher)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large (3 quart) saucepan over medium-low heat (I used a Dutch oven). Add the ginger, garlic, and the pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 1 minute).
2. Add the carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water until smooth; add to the pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Break the pasta in half; add to the pot. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are just tender (about 3 or 4 minutes).
4. Add the shrimp; stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice; season with salt. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with the scallions. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Great Food Fast by Everday Food (A Martha Stewart Living publication)

We all know how much I love Pam Anderson (no, not that Pamela Anderson). My parents gave me one of her cookbooks for my birthday. It's called The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight & Eating Great. I'm really enjoying it because she gives great tips for eating healthy without sacrificing flavor. I needed a quick recipe that used most pantry ingredients last week and I knew Pam would have one for me. This soup was fast, easy, and delicious served with tortilla chips for dipping.

Creamy Chili-Corn Soup with Chicken and Black Beans
~Using a rotisserie chicken makes this even faster~

• 2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cans (14.5 oz) creamed corn
• 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I hate cilantro, so I used Italian parsley)
• Salt and pepper

1. In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, heat oil and garlic over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add chili powder and cumin and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add corn, tomatoes, broth, beans, chiles, and chicken. Bring to ta boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in cilantro, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Yes, it's really that simple. It's also only 377 calories per 2-cup serving.

I will certainly continue to try new recipes for soups and stews throughout these cold months. When I come across some good ones, I'll do my best to share them!

Barley is Gnarly

I couldn't help myself. I love the way that "Barley" and "Gnarly" rhyme. I just had to title this post with "Barley is Gnarly". However, I wasn't completely sure what "gnarly" meant. So being the cool person I am, I looked it up online. I found two totally different meanings.
The first one is from dictionary.com

Gnarly - adjective, gnarlier, gnarliest.

Slang. distasteful; distressing; offensive; gross: a comic noted for his gnarly humor.

The second one is from urbandictionary.com

Gnarly - adjective

Off the hook. Totally extreme. When you've gone beyond radical.


They are obviously quite different, which could be a representation of how people feel about barley. Some people really like it and allow it to be a base for lots of other flavors. Others hate all things that can be described as "health food" and think it's nasty.
I honestly have had very little experience with barley. I may have eaten it once or twice, but I've never prepared it and never had a strong desire to prepare it. I figured it would taste...well, gnarly (in the dictionary.com sense of the word). But when I made used it in a recipe last night, I found it to be rather gnarly (in the urbandictionary.com sense of the word).

I saw a recipe in Everyday Food Magazine (I'm loving myself some Everyday Food Magazine June 2010) that used barley and thought I'd try it. Yum! The barley took on all the great flavors in the dish and made it more filling and nutritious. I actually read online that barley is considered a "nutritional powerhouse" because of its fiber, vitamins and minerals, and lack of fat and cholesterol.

Here are a few tips/shortcuts that I used for this recipe:

1. Instead of roasting chicken and shredding it, I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. At Wegman's, the rot. chickens are only $4.99 and perfect for this type of thing.
2. Instead of buying a big sack of barley (because, at this point, I was still convinced that it was gnarly), I used the bulk section of Wegman's organic aisle. Not all grocery stores have bulk sections, but they are a great money saver because you only get what you need!
3. I used a silpat on the baking sheet when I roasted the veggies. I didn't want to scrap charred scallions off the bottom of the pan.
4. Finally, I bought a bag of pre-washed baby spinach. I'm veering away from bagged greens for numerous reasons, but this was the most convenient option on a busy work night.

Barley Salad with Chicken and Corn
~This would be a great thing to bring to a cookout~

• salt and pepper
• 1 cup barley
• 2 bunches scallions, cut into thirds crosswise and white ends halved
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, about 3 ears of corn, or frozen corn (I used fresh)
• Olive oil
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 fresh parsley leaves
• Approx. 2 chicken breasts, shredded
• At least 1 tbsp and 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 5 oz. baby spinach

1. In a medium pot of boiling water, cook barley according to package instructions (I used the instructions at the store which said to cook each cup of barley in 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water). Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, preheat over to 450 degrees. Place scallions and corn on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Roast until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. In a large bowl, combine barley, roasted vegetables, tomato es, parsley, chicken, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tbsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a medium bowl, toss spinach with 1 tbsp oil and 2 tsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken-barley mixture over the spinach leaves.
   

Since I was feeling very much like a domestic diva, I decided to make the cookie recipe in the same issue of Everyday Food Magazine because I had the ingredients on hand. They just looked so light and refreshing in the magazine!

Lemon-Poppy Seed Cookies
~These were so easy and so delicious~

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
   
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, egg yolks, poppy seeds, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir eggs mixture into flour mixture until combined (dough will be slightly dry).
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake cookies until golden brown, 10-14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely (or eat them warm right out of the oven because you can't wait). They can be stored for approx. 5 days in an airtight container.
6. Optional Step: I decided to use the lemon juice from the zested lemon to make a little glaze for the top. This is totally not necessary, but adds a nice layer of flavor to the yummy morsel. I just mixed the lemon juice with powdered sugar until it reached the desired consistency and then drizzled it on the cookies as they cooled.
   

Chicken Three Ways

When money is tight, I try to be creative with one cheap ingredient. This week chicken was on sale at Giant. I got one value pack for the week and got one to stick in the freezer for another week to come. I picked up a few odds and ends and walked out with enough food to make three good meals and part of a fourth.

This week is also a busy one. I've got plans Tuesday night, grad class Wednesday night, and Bible study Thursday night. I felt that it was appropriate to bring out an appliance with which I have a love-hate relationship....my slow cooker (a.k.a Crock Pot).




I know that there are countless people out there who are absolutely in love with their slow cookers. I want to be...but I've had some unfortunate experiences with mine. First of all, I don't eat beef. Many slow cooker recipes center around beef because it's the type of meat that is really good when cooked for a long time. Second of all, I've tried several chicken recipes that have resulted in overcooked dry chicken. Third of all, I've tried a couple breakfast recipes that involved eggs...which I'm quite certain should not be slow cooked (at least the ones that I made!). Finally, I am out of the house for a loooong time on most days. The 6-8 hour recipes usually end up overcooked by the time I get home. A recipe that would work for me would need to cook at least 8 hours (more like 10 on most days) and still be edible.

Here's where the love part comes in...I've found some slow cooker recipes that actually work for me!! So I pulled out two of them and got to plannin'.

On Sunday, I went to the store and made Bang Bang Chicken for dinner. I took all of 10 minutes to prep my ingredients needed for Chicken Tortilla Soup on Monday. Since all my recipes for the week required the chicken to be cut into small pieces, I went ahead and cut up the whole value pack and sectioned the appropriate portion for each recipe into plastic bags. I also grabbed a package of hot Italian turkey sausage that I had stashed in the freezer (from a buy one, get one free week at Giant) and stuck it in the fridge to thaw.

On Monday, I dumped all my prepped ingredients into my slow cooker in the morning and came home to a house smelling of delicious Chicken Tortilla soup.

On Monday night, I prepped my ingredients for Tuesday...which, again, took about 10 minutes. It's really easy when you make little meal kits like this:


On Tuesday, I'll dump all my prepped ingredients into my slow cooker in the morning and come home to Spanish Chicken and rice.

On Wednesday, I'll come home from grad class and eat left-overs.

On Thursday, I'll throw together a quick Sausage Soup with Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Chickpeas.

Here's how the magic happens:

Bang Bang Chicken over Rice
~This authentic Chinese recipe is simple and delicious~

• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips or 1 inch pieces (I used about 1 1/2 chicken breasts)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger root
• 1 scallion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cucumber sliced
• Prepared rice
  

1. Heat a wok or frying pan for a good 3-4 minutes while you prep your ingredients.
2. Add 1-2 tbsp oil (I used peanut) to the hot pan and then stir-fry the chicken, garlic, ginger, and scallion until the chicken is cooked through. This took me only a few minutes.
3. Add the water, soy sauce, peanut butter, and vinegar to the pan (stirring to coat the chicken with the liquid) and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Finally, add the broccoli and cucumber and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 7 minutes). During this time, the liquid added in step 3 will reduce and make a nice saucy coating on the chicken and vegetables.
5. Serve over rice.

The above recipe was taken from a book called Extending the Table. My husband bought it for me from 10,000 Villages (a really awesome free-trade store). It has authentic recipes from all over the world and tons of other interesting cultural information. It's definitely the kind of cookbook that you can actually read (alright, fine...I've been known to curl up with a good cookbook at bed time...even when it's just recipes).

Chicken Tortilla Soup
~This soup smells so wonderful when you walk in the door~

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth (4 cups)
• 4 corn tortillas (6 inch) cut into one inch pieces
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used Italian parsley because I detest cilantro)
  

Possible garnishes:

• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Sour Cream
• Tortilla chips on top
• Chopped scallions
  

1. Spray 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix all soup ingredients except cilantro (or parsley).
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours (I cooked it 8-10 hours)
3. Stir in cilantro (or parsley). Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer.
4. Garnish each serving with cheese and sour cream (and tortilla chips).

My sister in law gave me this recipe which she got from a Pillsbury Slow Cooker recipe book ( ya know, the kind you see in the aisle of the grocery store). It turns out so well...the chicken is moist and the tortillas dissolve a bit into the soup making it creamy and thick.

Spanish Chicken

~Haven't tried this yet, but it looks like a winner~Recipe courtesy of the Pillsbury website

• 1 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lb Italian turkey sausage links, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 cup uncooked rice (or 2 cups cooked)
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 can (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained (we skipped these...don't like olives)

1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix chicken, sausage, bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, tomatoes and tomato paste.
2. Cover; cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours (mine will cook a bit more than 8 hours)
3. About 25 minutes before serving, cook rice in 2 cups water as directed on package (or use left over rice). Just before serving, stir artichoke hearts and olives into chicken mixture.
   
4. Cover; cook until hot. Serve chicken mixture with rice.

This recipe was also taken from the Pillsbury recipe book. I think it has all the componants of a yummy sounding meal. I actually made a double batch of rice on Sunday (when I made the Bang Bang Chicken) so that I wouldn't have to cook rice again for this meal.

Sausage Soup with Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Chickpeas
~Very simple, very delicious, and freezes beautifully~

• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium onoin, choped
• 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium (8 oz) zucchini cut into a medium dice
  
• 1 lb mild or hot Italian sausage (or you can use already cooked andouille sausage for an even easier soup!)
• 2 (16 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (can be optional...but I put it in)
• 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute to soften slightly (about 2 minutes). Add the zucchini, sausage, chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken broth, and cumin.
2. Partially cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors have blended (about 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste and then serve.
   

This simple recipe is from a cookbook called How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson. It's literally rocking my cooking world and I can't wait to post more about her awesome way of cooking.

So there you have it...several meals made from an eight dollar package of chicken, some items from my pantry and freezer, and some fresh produce.

Two New Recipes and Two Old Faithfuls

I could not have been more pleased with my meal plan for this week. I decided to make my old faithful Turkey Chili recipe that I use alot in the winter. I know that chili tends to be something people make when it's cold out...but the way I look at it, we eat lots of hot meals in the summer, so what's the big deal?

I also used two new recipes that I got from a very good friend of mine who happens to be a fabulous cook and hostess. She invited a bunch of us gals over for a pedicure party. We sat around in a circle outside and ate tons of delicious food while soaking and pampering our feet. How clever is she to think of such a fun get together? Here's a picture of all of us (courtesy of her wonderful husband, who selflessly babysat while we gabbed the night away):


Here was my plan this week:

Monday: Turkey Chili with sour cream, scallions, and tortilla chips

Tuesday: Spinach and Cheese Lasagna (using leftovers!)

Wednesday: Thai Chicken Salad

Thursday: Leftover Lasagna and some Fresh Corn Salad for munching

Friday: Chinese Take-out :)

Saturday: We were invited to a party, so I got another night off of cooking

*Warning: There are several paragraphs below describing how I planned out and cooked my meals...don't be overwhelmed...I just went in to detail to show you how easy it is to do things ahead*

This plan worked perfectly. On Sunday night, I came home from cooking class and threw together a big pot of the Turkey Chili while watching Mad Men with one of my favorite friends. (What is Mad Men, you ask? Well, it's only the best show ever that airs on Sunday nights on AMC) You might think I'm crazy for cooking after going to a three hour cooking class...and that may be true...but this chili is so easy to make that it takes me no time at all. I just put the ingredients together and let it simmer on the stove while I watch TV.

The Turkey Chili was ready for me after quite a long day at work on Monday. After dinner was cleaned up and I had gotten a chance to relax for a little bit, I headed back into the kitchen to make the lasagna for Tuesday. I would hardly call this cooking as it literally took me 10 minutes to make. The recipe uses leftover Turkey Chili as the meat. All I did was mix some ricotta cheese with some spinach and layer the whole thing up with no boil lasagna noodles. I popped a lid on the casserole dish and into the fridge it went until Tuesday.

After making the lasagna, I poured a smidge of olive oil over some boneless skinless chicken breasts, sprinkled them with salt and pepper, and put them into a 350 degree oven. While my husband and I watched TV, they roasted for about 25-30 minutes. I took them out of the oven, let them cook and popped them into the fridge as well.

Tuesday night I got home late and my husband had already put the lasagna into the oven. Ahhh, the joys of planning ahead.

On Wednesday, I took out the roasted chicken breasts from Monday night and shredded them for the chicken salad. With the roasting out of the way, the meal came together very quickly (I would say no more than 15 minutes). Part of the prep for making the chicken salad is to blanch some asparagus. Since I had a pot of water already boiling for that, I went ahead and cooked the corn right after I was done cooking the asparagus. Now I already had the most time consuming part of the Fresh Corn Salad done.

Because dinner was so simple, I went ahead and threw the Fresh Corn Salad together and then called it a night. On Thursday, we ate leftover lasagna and also munched on some Fresh Corn Salad with leftover tortilla chips from Monday's chili.

Without further ado...here are the recipes that my dear friend sent me. They are from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Fresh Corn Salad
~I was pretty much obsessed with this after my first bite~

*Fresh Corn is important - do not substitute frozen or canned.*
Dressing:

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced (you can leave this out, if you don't like spice)
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:

• 8 ears fresh corn, husks & silk removed (I used 6)
  
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, or whatever tomatoes you have on hand (I used a couple large tomatoes that I chopped)
  
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
• 6 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (I didn't use this because I don't like cilantro...don't hate me, I know everyone seems to like cilantro. But even the smell of it turns my stomach.)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. For the dressing: Shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or a plastic container or plastic baggie).
2. Cook the corn in a big pot of boiling water until tender (5-7 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut kernels from cob with a paring knife into a large bowl.
   
3. Add tomatoes, beans, scallions, cilantro, and dressing and toss. Season with S&P to taste & serve.

*This salad can be made a day in advance.

Thai Chicken Salad
~This keeps well to bring for lunch the next day~

Chicken Mixture:

• 8 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (or you can use skinless/boneless breasts like I did)*
• olive oil
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends removed, cut into thirds diagonally
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced diagonally
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (just toss them around in a dry frying pan over medium heat)
  

Dressing:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dark sesame oil (I used the regular stuff)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put the chicken in a pan and rub each breast with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes(more like 25-30 for boneless), or until internal temp is 160. Set aside until cool enough to handle.(Remember, I did this a couple nights ahead of time to save time).
   
4. Remove the meat from bone, discard skin, and shred the chicken. (this is obviously if you decide to use bone-in chicken)
5. Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.
   
6. Cut the peppers into strips, same size as the asparagus.
   
7. Combine the shredded chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.
8. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken mixture.
   
9. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

* This recipe serves 12...so I obviously didn't want to make that much for the two of us. I halved it by using 4 chicken breasts, but used the same amount of peppers, scallions, and asparagus because I love all those things. Then I kind of forgot that I halved it when I made the dressing, and ended up having some left over which I used as a salad dressing for my lunch the next day.

Not only did we have a great dinner each night this week, but we also had plenty of leftovers for us to bring for lunch. The grocery bill came to about $80, but that included daily essentials that we were out of (milk, orange juice, bread, toilet paper...) and some ingredients that were on sale and could be used in future meals (Buy one, get one free frozen shrimp...yes, please!).

I hope you are enjoying the last few days of summer!

*P.S. I don't know why the chicken salad recipe is written in black and the rest of this post is normal...sometimes blogger and I don't get along.*

A Friendly Lunch

My friend, Jill, lives right near by and happens to be a wonderful cook. I stopped over to visit with her for a while the other day and we collaborated to make quite a fun lunch.

I brought along my homemade peach jam and suggested we eat it with a French baguette and some nice sharp cheddar cheese. I also brought the rest of my apricot pie for us to indulge in after lunch.

Jill made a curry chicken salad that we ate over lettuce. I was delighted with this recipe and amazed at how simple and delicious it was. She said that her mom made up the recipe and taught her how to make it. I told her I would need to post it on my blog ASAP. She graciously gave me permission:

Curry Chicken Salad
~This is great on a sandwich or on its own over lettuce~

• The white meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 carrot, sliced into thin ribbons (I used a vegetable peeler)
• 1 tbsp honey
• approx. 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise (it was about two good scoops out of the jar)
• the juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/2 cup golden raisins (I love these, so I put a lot in)
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I actually didn't have these on hand when I made it today, so I left them out...but they taste great in it, if you have some)

1. Combine the shredded chicken, carrot, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, golden raisins, curry powder, and almonds in a medium sized bowl. Stir until well combined. Serve over lettuce or on a sandwich. Store in the refrigerator.

It comes together so easily and tastes so great...I'm sure that I am going to be making this recipe quite a bit for my packed lunches when school starts up. Thank you, Jill!

Friday Night Feast - Leftovers Edition

I made an unexpected Friday Night Feast last night. I helped out during a kid's camp class at The Kitchen Workshop on Thursday. After the class was done, my cooking teacher told me he had to cancel a class and had some extra food to get rid of. Free food? Count me in!

He sent me home with a grocery bag of bone-in chicken breast halves, seasoning, tons of portobello mushroom caps, buttermilk mashed potatoes (leftover from class that day), some home made ketchup, a container of homemade marinara sauce, and a package of Oreos.

We talked through a couple of ideas on how to use the food and I was on my way.

So last night I made seasoned chicken breast halves, grilled portobello mushrooms, and potato cakes. We munched on Oreos with milk for dessert. These hardly qualify as "recipes", but I'll write them out so you know what I did.

Simple Seasoned Chicken Breast Halves

• 1 package bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Your favorite rub or seasoning (I have a variety from Pampered Chef and Mrs. Dash, but for this recipe my cooking teacher gave me a sample of a special seasoning he orders from Penzeys Spices*...I can't remember what it was called)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Arrange chicken breasts on a large baking sheet. Gently remove the skin on each breast, allowing one part of it to stay attached to the breast.
3. Drizzle olive oil over each chicken breast and spread with fingers or a brush. Apply the seasoning by sprinkling the amount desired over each chicken breast.
   
4. Carefully place the skin back over each chicken breast. Put in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes (all ovens differ...so check on yours and take it out when the juices run clear and chicken is cooked through). Remove and discard the skin from each chicken breast (it may taste good, but it's bad for you!).
   
5. Remove chicken from the oven and cover with foil to allow to rest for 10 minutes. You can serve it on the bone or carefully remove the chicken breasts from the bones.

I found this to be an excellent way to make chicken. Yes, using boneless skinless chicken breasts is convenient and often works quite well. But cooking chicken on the bone and with the skin gives it such great flavor. I was surprised at how moist and tender the chicken was. I am going to start using bone-in, skin on chicken more often, especially when I plan to shred it or cut it up anyway.

*Penzeys is an herb and spice distributor that has very good quality spices at a reasonable price and a variety of quantities. They also have lots of seasoning mixes that are delicious. They are mainly what we use in cooking class because of their high quality.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Caps

• 1 or 2 packages of large portobello mushroom caps (depending on how many you are serving)
• Olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional interchangeable with other fresh herbs)

1. Heat grill or grill pan to medium high.
2. Use a damp towel to wipe down the top of each cap. Use a spoon to gently remove the "fins" underneath the cap.
3. Combine the olive oil, garlic clove, and rosemary in a small bowl.
4. Using a brush, apply oil mixture to each side of each mushroom cap.
5. Grill mushrooms about 4-5 minutes on each side (or until they are "floppy" and release their juices a bit).
   

We love mushrooms, so this was a big hit for us. We had tons, so we stored the leftovers and plan to chop them up to add to the marinara sauce I have. We'll boil up some whole wheat pasta and have another meal made from leftovers!

Potato Cakes

• Leftover mashed potatoes
• flour
• canola or vegetable oil

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Remove left over mashed potatoes from the fridge and form into little patties (about 3 inches in diameter).
3. Put some flour in a bowl or on a plate and lightly coat each pattie in the flour.
4. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook on a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
5. Serve immediately

I've made potatos cakes using flour, egg and bread crumbs before and they turn out quite tasty. But, honestly, cutting out the egg and bread crumbs lightens them up a bit and they still turn out fine.

This meal may not have been the "prettiest" as it was lacking in color, but it was really filling. I would have liked a fresh vegetable with it, but we were using what we had! I even used the left over chicken to top a salad for lunch today. I read in a magazine recently that a huge percentage of people will not eat leftovers and often through them away. If you are creative with leftovers, there is no need to waste them!

Feel free to share any creative ways that you use leftovers. You can leave a comment or email me at cookingwithaplan@gmail.com.

Friday Night Feast VII with a Little Wednesday Night Feast Thrown In

So I'm a little late on posting my Friday Night Feast from last weekend...but it's the last week of school and I'm a tad busy.

I had some Rhubarb Chutney left from my cooking class and decided to thaw some chicken sausage I had in the freezer. I had some peppers and picked up some steak rolls from the store. This was ridiculously easy.

Spicy Chicken Sausages
with Rhubard Chutney and Grilled Peppers
~The spicy sausage pairs well with the sweet chutney~

• 1 package of spicy chicken sausage (I got mine at Giant)
• Rhubarb Chutney (you don't need much...maybe a 1/2 cup?)
  
• 4 steak rolls
• 2 or 3 red, orange, or yellow peppers
  
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the sausages. Boil them for 30 to 45 minutes. (You can do this ahead of time...I actually did it on Thursday night while dinner was in the oven, then popped them in the fridge for Friday night)
2. While the sausages are boiling, cut the peppers into large pieces and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat the grill to medium high heat (you could use a grill pan, too).
   
3. Place peppers on metal skewers (if using wood skewers, soak them in water ahead of time).
4. Place the sausages and skewers of peppers onto the grill and cook for 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally.
5. Remove the peppers from the skewers and put the sausages into the steak rolls. Top sausages with chutney and enjoy. (Remember, the chutney keeps for weeks in the fridge...so it can be ready when you need it)

At cooking class last week we made a pasta salad. When I read the recipe I thought it sounded kind of weird and gross. And then we made it and I thought it looked kind of weird and gross. Then I ate it and I loved it! It looks kind of heavy, but it really isn't. The Greek yogurt balances out the mayo and then all the mix-ins add great texture and flavor. Don't feel limited to the recipe below...we just kind of made it up with what we had. If you think something in your fridge would be good...add it. If you don't like what we put in it...don't add it.

It makes quite a bit so I thought it was fitting to call it our "Wednesday Night Feast".

Summer Pasta Salad
~This is a great way to use up your produce~

• 1/2 package of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 box of pasta (I like short pasta, but we used spaghetti in cooking class)
• 4 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets
  
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
  
• 2 cups of corn (if using frozen, thaw first)
• 1 cup golden raisins (sounds gross, tastes great in it)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions
• 3 or 4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Handful of shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 cup?)
• 1 red pepper, chopped (optional)
• Sunflower seeds or toasted pine nuts (optional)

1. Saute the bacon in a tbsp of oil in a large skillet until it's crispy.
2. Cook pasta according the package directions. During the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking, throw the broccoli into the pasta water along with the pasta. Boil the pasta and broccoli for a couple minutes until broccoli is crisp tender.
   
3. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander and rinse with cold water. This stops the broccoli from cooking and rinses the starch off of the pasta.
4. Toss the pasta and broccoli with bacon, Greek yogurt, mayo, corn, golden raisins, scallions, chives, cheddar cheese, pepper, sunflower seeds, and toasted pine nuts.
5. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Can be made ahead of time.

Now if only it would stop raining so that I could really get excited about my summer break....which starts in 3 days!!

Boot Camp - Week 2

This week we made some Indian cuisine in my Boot Camp class. I'm really excited to try some of these global cuisines because I haven't had a ton of exposure to food from other countries. I've had pretty much no exposure to Indian food, so this was a fascinating class for me. Here was our menu:

Spinach and Potato Samosas with Mint Chutney
Chicken Satays with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Peas
Chicken Vindaloo
Naan

The food was awesome. I was so excited. In fact, I called my husband on the way home just to tell him everything we made. Sometimes I just get so excited about things I can't wait to tell someone. He gets that about me.

Some of the recipes are on the spicier side, but can be made more mild (which I will do because I haven't quite gotten used to spicy food yet). My favorite was the Chicken Vindaloo and homemade Naan. I may or may not have eaten 5 loaves of Naan before the night was through (hey...they aren't that big).

I forgot my camera again, which makes me so mad. The food looked so colorful and wonderful...next time I'll remember to grab it before class, I hope.

So, like I said, here are my favorites...

Chicken Vindaloo
~If you have a well stocked spice cabinet, you're good to go~

• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger (remember, you can freeze this to have on hand when needed)
  
• 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 10), cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 (14 1/2 oz to 16 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I didn't use this because I don't like it)

1. Place first 8 ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add 1 tbsp mustard seeds and blend until smooth. Transfer spice mixture to a large bowl.
2. Add chicken and 2 tbsp oil to spice mixture and coat well.
3. Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken mixture and stir 3 minutes to blend flavors. Then add tomatoes with their juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
6. Season chicken mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in remaining 1 tbsp mustard seeds. Simmer uncovered until liquid is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Stir in cilantro (if desired) and serve (with Naan!).

Naan
~ This takes a little bit of time, but it's so worth it~

• 1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup cold or luke warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose, too...or you could use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 whole wheat)
• 2 tsp minced garlic (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until slightly frothy.
2. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, and flour. Mix a little bit, then add the salt. It should come together to to form a soft dough.
3. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth (try to use the least amount of flour as possible). You could also knead this by using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
4. Put the dough into a large ziploc bag that has been sprayed with cooking spray on the inside. Let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
5. Punch down dough and knead in the garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and play on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
   
6. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
7. Roll the dough balls out into a thin circle with a rolling pin. Place dough on grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
8. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared. This pairs great with many many things, but we ate it with the Chicken Vindaloo.

This bread is ridiculously delicious. You can make it and freeze it, too. Just pull it out and toast it up to thaw it. Yum!

Food for Friends

On Saturday, we had a dinner party with some of our close friends. We all headed over to one couple's house and each helped to contribute to the meal. One person brought a delicious salad that had all sorts of goodness in it (such as little balls of mozzarella). Another person brought a pasta salad that was also fabulous. I brought dessert (I whipped up a Lemon Yogurt Cake) and a pre and post dinner munchie. The hosting couple grilled up some completely mouthwatering chicken and made a wonderful munchie as well.

When I was getting ready to make my various items...I searched my blog for my Toffee Dip recipe. Lo and behold, I found that I hadn't posted it yet. I don't know how this is possible because it's the easiest and most delicious thing ever. And virtually everyone that has ever eaten it thinks that it's addicting.

I got this recipe from my husband's cousin's wife (did ya get that?) after having it at a family get-together. We were all huddled around it like ravenous animals, trying to find more and more things to dip in it once the apples and pretzels were gone. We may or may not have taken left-over chicken nuggets from the kids' table and dipped them...we were desperate...we just had to keep eating the dip. If I had been thinking clearly on Saturday, I would have taken a picture before we all devoured it.

Toffee Dip
~Beware of its over the top sweet awesomeness~

• 1 block cream cheese ( sometimes I use the 1/3 reduced fat kind)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup toffee bits (in the choc. chip section)

1. Mix 1st four ingredients (I use my kitchen aid mixer)
2. Then add toffee bits
3. Refrigerate a few hours (overnight works well, too- the toffee kind of melts into it)
4. Over-eat with Granny Smith apples and pretzel rods at all occasions!

The munchie that the hostess put out was also addicting. It's the perfect savory/salty appetizer and she said it was easy to make. I believe she got the recipe from a friend, so I'm not really sure of the original source.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

~We ate this continuously all evening~

• 2 blocks of cream cheese
• 1 cup of ranch dressing (Hidden Valley or Krafts)
• 3-5 oz of Frank's Hot Sauce (I'm told it must be Frank's)
• 1 large can or 2-3 small cans of canned chicken drained (Swanson - it looks like tuna)
• Cheddar Cheese - optional (someone at our BBQ told me they add it so I'll try it next time)

1. Melt cream cheese in pot on stove stirring constantly over med heat.
   
2. Then stir in Ranch and Frank's. Then stir in chicken.
   
3. Mix and pour into serving dish. Serve with cracker sticks*, carrots and celery. I think it's enjoyed best when kept over a heating plate or something that keeps it warm.

*The hostess served it with "Chicken in a Biscuit" crackers and tortilla chips. It was great!


I love seeing my friends. I love food. Combining friends and food makes for a perfect evening.

Friday Night Feast IV

After staying up late to watch both Lost and Grey's Anatomy this week, I was feeling quite tired today. I figured I would skip the special Friday Night Feast business and we'd eat out. But I needed to stop at the store anyway because I'm bringing a few things to my brother-in-law's graduation party tomorrow. I figured I might as well pick up some stuff for dinner while I was at it, since going out to eat would probably take more energy than cooking up a quick meal.

So I once again turned to Cooking Light for an idea. I knew I had four chicken breasts in my fridge at home and didn't want to spend a bunch on groceries. I found the following recipe, tweaked a few things, and it turned out to be a quick, easy, and yummy meal!

Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples
~ This savory-sweet dish has surprising, but delicious, flavors~

• Olive oil
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (I increased this to a full tsp)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion (I used a Spanish onion)
• 2 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (2 apples)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas (I used 4 larger burrito sized tortillas)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (I added this to each taco)
  

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add chicken to pan, saute 7 minutes or until golden. Remove chicken from pan, keep warm.
2. Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
3. Add apple, cook 6 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add garlic, saute 30 seconds. Return chicken to the pan and cook 2 minutes until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.
4. Heat tortillas in the microwave under a damp paper towel. Put 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
5. I served up some rice along side, but it was definitely filling enough without it.

Recipe from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004

I'll be honest...I thought this was going to be a Friday Night Failure. I just wasn't sure the flavors were going to mesh well. But it tasted great and we had yet another successful Friday Night Feast!

Summer Lovin'

The 90 degree weather earlier this week has caused me to pretend it's actually summer time. Therefore, I am in grilling mode. It was quite chilly this evening...but I was out there grillin' anyway.

Because I love my grill.

I love it with my whole heart.

I love it so much I took its picture:

Isn't it beautiful?

Grilling is fast. You can make delicious food when you do it right. And it fascinates me...like when the oil from the food drips down into the grill and a big flame comes up. It excites me every time.

You can obviously do all sorts of fancy shmancy stuff on the grill...I don't really know how to do that yet since I have only grilled since last summer. However, I thought I would share a simple grilled meal with you.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Pepper Kabobs

• 2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
• 3 peppers (I used a red one, a yellow one, and an orange one)
• Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (I use the one sold by Pampered Chef)*
• Olive Oil
  
• Salt and Pepper
• Skewers (I use metal ones, but you can buy wooden ones that you need to soak in water ahead of time)

1. Begin preheating the grill.
   
2. Fill as many skewers as necessary with peppers. Then fill as many skewers as necessary with chicken. I skewer them separately in case one is done before the other, but I've also skewered them together before with good results.
   
3. Drizzle olive oil over the peppers and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Jamaican Jerk seasoning on the chicken (I'm pretty generous with it).
4. Place skewers on the grill and turn every few minutes until the peppers are a bit blackened and the chicken is cooked through (10-15 minutes)
5. I made Spanish Rice (one of Lipton's "Fiesta Sides") to go on the side. I let the rice cook while the chicken and peppers were cooking.
6. Remove the peppers and chicken from the skewers and plate them up with some rice.

*You can really use whatever seasoning you want. I've used Mrs. Dash seasonings...I've also used Moroccan, Greek, and Italian seasonings on grilled chicken, too. Yum.

Catch Up

Sorry...I took a brief hiatus from blogging this week.

I was on Spring Break (I'm a teacher) and had all sorts of plans for blogging and reading and cleaning and projects. And I would have done all those things if I hadn't been watching lots of TV, hanging out with friends and family, eating Easter cookies, and playing Scrabble with Sonny. And you know what? I have chosen to embrace the laziness and not have guilt over all the things I didn't get done this week.

I did do some cooking and tried a few new recipes. Here's a sampling of what I've been cookin' up in my kitchen these days...

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon
~This can be filed under "Quick and Easy"~

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 (6 oz.) can pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 4 salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• pepper
• Additional orange zest for optional garnish

1. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 tsp of the salt in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to the pan and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over and place in the oven.
5. Cook in oven for a minute or two until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with orange zest if you desire.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Garlicky Roasted Potatoes with Herbs
~These went very nicely with the Salmon~

• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds quartered Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 4 cups)
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees (because I made these with the salmon, I lowered the temperature so that the salmon wouldn't get overcooked...it worked just fine at 400).
2. Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
3. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over potatoes in a large bowl and toss to coat (I actually just toss them in oil directly on the baking sheet).
5. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet (coated with cooking spray) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Combine reserved garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle garlic mixture over potatoes.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Apricot, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Panini*
~This is delicious and beautiful..I wish I had taken a picture~

• Loaf of Italian Bread
• Butter for spreading on bread
  
• Thinly sliced Prosciutto
• Apricot Preserves
• Goat cheese

1. Heat up a panini press or a skillet over medium high heat
2. Spread butter onto two slices of bread. On the other side of one slice, spread apricot preserves. On the other side of the second slice, spread goat cheese.
3. Put a few slices of prosciutto onto one slice and put together to make a sandwich (buttered sides on the outside, obviously).
4. Place sandwich on panini press or skillet and let cook until golden brown and crispy. Then flip to cook the other side.
5. Let cool for a minute so that the preserves don't burn your tongue! (I learned this the hard way)

*My friend, Jill, made this sandwich for me when I went over to her house for lunch. I liked it so much I made it for my sister when she came over a few days later. Prosciutto and goat cheese can be a little pricey, but a little goes a long way and they both keep in the fridge for a while.

Chicken with Lime Sauce
~I served this with Cumin Roasted Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans~

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth*
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice, divided**
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Pound chicken breasts so that they are 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.
3. Add broth, sugar, 2 tbsp lime juice, and mustard to pan. Cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Combine 2 tbsp water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to pan and stir well with a whisk.
5. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Whisk in 1 tbsp lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts.
6. Return chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes).

*I buy little jars of chicken broth paste called Better than Bouillon. You just scoop out 1 tsp for every cup of broth you need. The paste will dissolve in the water and tastes great! This product keeps you from wasting leftover broth from cans or boxes. It's sold near the broths and comes in lots of varieties
**I got limes at Produce Junction for very cheap

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Cumin Roasted Potatoes
~A great way to "turn up the volume" on roasted potatoes~

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Cut 2 large unpeeled baking potatoes (I used Yukon gold) into chunks or 1/2 inch slices.
• Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 minced garlic cloves, and a bit of salt and crushed red pepper into a bowl.
• Spoon mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

My very good friend, Mary Beth, came to visit on Friday. She and I were roomies in college and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding. I served up some Island Chicken with fresh pineapple, Roasted Vegetables, and Couscous. When dessert rolled around, I enjoyed making her uncomfortable by forcing her to pose for a picture.

Butter Cake with Seasonal Berries
~Doesn't Mary Beth look happy?~

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Scant 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 whole large egg and 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 whole milk
• Mixed berries mixed with a bit of sugar to serve alongside (I did strawberries and blackberries)
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Lightly dust with flour. (You don't have to do the parchment paper, but it ensures that it will not stick).
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add whole egg, yolk, zest, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
5. At low speed, mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches (by thirds)
6. Spread batter in cake pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden toothpick comes out clean (35-40 minutes). Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack.
7. Serve with mixed berries.
   

I also did some serious research (i.e. checking out books from the library and reading them while watching episodes of Friends on DVD) on freezer friendly foods and will devise some sort of post on that topic in the future.

Happy Easter!