It's a hot one today. I want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible tonight, so I changed our original plan of Skillet Poached Huevos Rancheros to homemade burritos. The only cooking involved is the rice, which takes a total of 15 minutes to steam and season. This is a filling dinner without being too heavy.
You need:
1 can organic refried black beans
1/4 block of cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 c. Super Salsa
2 1/2 c. cooked Cilantro-Lime Rice
4 whole wheat tortillas
guacamole and sour cream/plain greek yogurt for dressing
Heat the beans according to directions. Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven. Layer beans, salsa, rice, and cheese. Roll up and top with guac or sour cream. Yum.
Serves 4
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Super Salsa
This is the easiest salsa recipe in the world, and it tastes FANTASTIC!! There were beautiful hydroponic tomatoes at the farmers' market this morning, vidalia onions are in season, and the cilantro in my garden is just taking off! These are great with Lime chips, such as the ones by the Food Should Taste Good Company.
You need:
2 pints of grape tomatoes, preferably multi-colored, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 sweet yellow or orange pepper, diced
1 vidalia onion, sliced
1 tbsp. salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Mix. Eat :)
You need:
2 pints of grape tomatoes, preferably multi-colored, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 sweet yellow or orange pepper, diced
1 vidalia onion, sliced
1 tbsp. salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Mix. Eat :)
Goulash
No kidding. Baking AND making goulash, but Ada's been asking for it since Halloween. I make it every Halloween for dinner. She thinks it's a riot because it's called goulash. Get it? GHOULash. Yeah, I know. Anyway, tonight was the only night that was even remotely close to goulash weather for May, so here it is. This recipe comes from A Well Seasoned Appetite by Molly O'Neill. If you like to cook in season, as I do, I recommend this book. The resources and recipes are endless, and it allows you to take advantage of all the delicious vegetables that each season has to offer, without, of course, wondering what the heck you'll do with them. I like to serve the goulash over noodles.
You need:
2 tsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 # stew beef, ground beef, or ground turkey (I use the ground turkey)
1/4 cup. all purpose flour (ONLY if you are using the stew beef)
2 c. beef broth
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the paprika and caraway seeds and cook one minute more. IF you are using the stew beef, toss with flour to coat well and add to the onion mixture. If you are using the ground beef or turkey, simply add to the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 c. broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pout. Gradually stir in the remaining broth. Bring to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming the broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the lemon juce, salt, and pepper and serve.
You need:
2 tsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 # stew beef, ground beef, or ground turkey (I use the ground turkey)
1/4 cup. all purpose flour (ONLY if you are using the stew beef)
2 c. beef broth
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the paprika and caraway seeds and cook one minute more. IF you are using the stew beef, toss with flour to coat well and add to the onion mixture. If you are using the ground beef or turkey, simply add to the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 c. broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pout. Gradually stir in the remaining broth. Bring to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming the broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the lemon juce, salt, and pepper and serve.
Orange Oatmeal Cookies
It may be May 22, but the gloomy weather has me in the kitchen in a baking mood. One of the many advantages of having a fully stocked pantry of delicious and healthy ingredients is that you can whip up a number of interesting recipes without having to go to the store. This recipe comes from The Healthy Kitchen cookbook by Andrew Weil, MD and Rosie Daley. You can substitute the orange zest with lemon zest if you don't have oranges on hand (or if they are out of season, as they are now) and you have of choice of either raisins or chocolate chips for added sweetness.
You need:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 c. mashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. golden raisins or chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and egg together until it is well blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the banana, vanilla, and brown sugar. Add the orange zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, oats, coconut, walnuts, and raisins (or chocolate chips). Use a wooden spoon to combine the dry ingredients until they are blended well and evenly distributed. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until there is no sign on dryness. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto a greased baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and press down lightly against the dough to flatten. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 16 large cookies.
You need:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 c. mashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. golden raisins or chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and egg together until it is well blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the banana, vanilla, and brown sugar. Add the orange zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, oats, coconut, walnuts, and raisins (or chocolate chips). Use a wooden spoon to combine the dry ingredients until they are blended well and evenly distributed. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until there is no sign on dryness. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto a greased baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and press down lightly against the dough to flatten. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 16 large cookies.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars
I usually make these when I know V is coming over (or I'm heading over there) with the gang. She loves them the way I love her banana bars. Tonight, I had four stalks of rhubarb that were crying to be used up. I was also home at a really good time, after leaving on time today in order to get to the budget vote on time. These are really just so delicious.
For the filling:
1 1/2 c. strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 c. rhubarb, sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
For the crust:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. oats
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
For the drizzle:
3/4 c. confectioners sugar
1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom of a 13x9 in. pan. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice in a 2 qt pot. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender. Add cornstarch and sugar. Keep cooking until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, combine all dry ingredients and beat on low speed until mixture is crumbly. Reserve some of the crumbly mixture. Press the remaining crumbly mixture in the bottom of the pan. Spread fruit filling over the top. Sprinkle reserved crumbly mixture evenly over the top. Bake 35 minutes. Cool completely. Drizzle with icing.
For the filling:
1 1/2 c. strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 c. rhubarb, sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
For the crust:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. oats
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
For the drizzle:
3/4 c. confectioners sugar
1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom of a 13x9 in. pan. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice in a 2 qt pot. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender. Add cornstarch and sugar. Keep cooking until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, combine all dry ingredients and beat on low speed until mixture is crumbly. Reserve some of the crumbly mixture. Press the remaining crumbly mixture in the bottom of the pan. Spread fruit filling over the top. Sprinkle reserved crumbly mixture evenly over the top. Bake 35 minutes. Cool completely. Drizzle with icing.
Pancakes
Tonight, after a wonderfully warm weekend, the temperature has dropped to the high 50s, and we just weren't in the mood for a summery meal. A suggested that we make "breakfast dinner," so I got out my favorite pancake recipe from The Newlywed Cookbook, which I received as a wedding gift *gulp* 11 years ago. I do alter the recipe a bit, in two minor places. For one, I use whole eggs. Unless you are making a meringue, delicious, rich egg yolks (especially the ones I get from our egg and milk share) are too good to toss into the trash. Also, I don't use non-stick spray. Too unnatural in my book. I just use butter. Nothing wrong with butter in moderation. It's one of the least processed foods we have out there ;) However, if you disagree, then replace the two eggs with two egg whites and use non-stick spray in the pan. The best part of this recipe is that it's actually better if the batter sits in the fridge for a bit. So I make it either the night before (for Sunday morning pancakes) or right when I get home from work. Then I can just take it out right before we eat. Also, they freeze REALLY well once cooked, so feel free to double up the recipe, make a bunch, pop them in the freezer, and heat them up in the morning in the toaster for your little ones (or yourself) for breakfast.
You need:
1 1/2 c. flour
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix the dry ingredients with a fork. Whisk wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients. Whisk until blended. Add some butter to a hot griddle, ladle your batter, and make pancakes.
Serves 4
You need:
1 1/2 c. flour
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix the dry ingredients with a fork. Whisk wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients. Whisk until blended. Add some butter to a hot griddle, ladle your batter, and make pancakes.
Serves 4
Monday, May 17, 2010
Crispy Fish with Tomato and Leeks
This recipe is from Real Simple magazine. It's really easy to make during the week, and A loves it. This is a healthy alternative to fish sticks, for who the heck knows where those come from!
You need:
4 pieces of tilapia
1 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 leeks, cleaned and cut into half moons
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
Mix the bread crumbs, rosemary, and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl. Place the fish on a baking sheet. Spread the mustard on top of each piece of fish and then top with the bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and 1/2 c. water. Cook until tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season to taste. Serve atop the fish.
Serves 4
You need:
4 pieces of tilapia
1 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 leeks, cleaned and cut into half moons
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
Mix the bread crumbs, rosemary, and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl. Place the fish on a baking sheet. Spread the mustard on top of each piece of fish and then top with the bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and 1/2 c. water. Cook until tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season to taste. Serve atop the fish.
Serves 4
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