I have exciting news - my little munchkin, who for months and months has rejected anything with tomato sauce, has finally started warming up! This has changed my life, as she will now eat pizza with us, and also opens up more options in terms of pasta dishes I can make since I don't necessarily need to have plain pasta set aside for her. One of my favorites is baked ziti - it's similar to lasagna, but without all of the effort that goes into layering. Over the past year I have tried a few versions that were trying to be too healthy (e.g., turkey instead of beef, not enough cheese, adding in veggies that didn't quite work), so I went back to more classic proportions. I still consider this a wholesome dish, however, when made with whole wheat pasta and lean beef, and can be even more so if you use part-skim or low fat cheeses.
Below I've described how I made it, but the beauty of ziti is that it's also infinitely flexible depending on your preferences and what you have on hand. Prefer turkey over beef? No problem. Vegetarian? Leave out the meat altogether. Don't feel like making sauce? Open a jar :) But I did find that these basic proportions seemed to work well - cheesy and moist without being goppy. And the best part is that ziti freezes and reheats beautifully, so if you find yourself with a bunch of leftovers, you are all set for a meal another night!
Baked Ziti
adapted from my mom
1 pound whole wheat ziti or other tube shaped pasta
1 pound shredded mozzarella, divided
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
4 cups sauce (with or without meat - I used 2 cups leftover meat sauce + 2 cups crushed tomatoes directly from a can)
1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan
Preheat oven to 375. Take out a 9x13 baking pan, and lighly grease if not non-stick.
Cook the pasta, draining it while it is still al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the mozzarella (reserving 1/2 cup for the topping), ricotta, and sauce in a large bowl. (Note that if you have prepared tomato sauce but still want to include meat, you can brown 1 lb of lean ground beef and just mix in with the sauce and cheese at this step). Add the pasta, mix thoroughly, and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella and romano over the top and bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Serves 8-12
Showing posts with label Meat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meat. Show all posts
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Monday, September 27, 2010
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
Since we started introducing solid foods to the munchkin about a year ago, she has pretty much been a vegetarian. She was quick to like fruits, grains, dairy, and even eggs, but somehow none of the ways I prepared meat seemed to work for her. Until I found this recipe for Chicken Teriyaki, which she gobbled up, but only if the chicken was cut into pieces barely bigger than the grains of rice it was mixed with! And then recently, something changed, and she started becoming more open to different kinds of chicken, whether it be bigger pieces of the same Chicken Teriyaki, some chicken from a salad I ordered out, or chicken parmesan at an italian restaurant. The theme seemed to be chicken was ok as long as it was really moist from a sauce or breading - fair enough!
So recently, I decided to try making some breaded chicken at home to see if she would really eat it, and boy did she - the first night she ate an entire chicken tender, which is quite a bit for a little munchkin! I didn't do anything too fancy here; just followed a basic process for breading chicken and baking it in the oven. The only thing I did to make it more kid friendly was to cut my chicken breasts into strips to make them like tenders, even though I wasn't just using the tender from the breast. This helped with portioning for the munchkin, and had the added benefit of a higher breading to chicken ratio, but you could easily do the same thing with whole breasts - just adjust the cooking time accordingly. You can also season your breadcrumbs however you want - I really like romano cheese and basil, but you could easily skip the cheese and use whatever seasoning makes you happy.
I have to apologize in advance that the recipe may not be exactly right - I was improvising quite a bit and didn't pay attention to exact measurements, so please adjust the amounts as needed for your taste. In the mean time I thought I'd share the basic idea and I will update if necessary the next time I make these!
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
1 lb chicken tenders, or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
3/4 cup plain panko or other dried breadcrumbs (please read ingredients here and find a brand that doesn't include partially hydrogenated oils! Whole foods and Trader Joes both have good options)
2 tablespoons romano or parmesan cheese
Dried basil (enough so that it is visible throughout breadcrumb mixture)
Pinch of salt
Olive or canola oil spray
Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray baking sheet generously with oil.
Prepare 3 wide, shallow dishes (I used pasta bowls) as follows: the first with flour, the second with egg beaten with a splash of water, and the third with breadcrumbs mixed with seasonings (in my case, cheese, basil, and salt). Coat each piece of chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip into the egg mixture, and finally into the breadcrumbs, ensuring that each piece is completely covered. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Once all of the chicken is on the baking sheet, spray generously with oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (it should be firm to the touch and easily pierced with a fork). Try not to overbake! Juicy with a very slight pink tinge is ok as long as you can see the fibers of the chicken are cooked and no longer has any raw texture when cut open.
Serve with the dipping sauce of your choosing - tomato sauce, ketchup, or bbq sauce would all work!
Serves 4
So recently, I decided to try making some breaded chicken at home to see if she would really eat it, and boy did she - the first night she ate an entire chicken tender, which is quite a bit for a little munchkin! I didn't do anything too fancy here; just followed a basic process for breading chicken and baking it in the oven. The only thing I did to make it more kid friendly was to cut my chicken breasts into strips to make them like tenders, even though I wasn't just using the tender from the breast. This helped with portioning for the munchkin, and had the added benefit of a higher breading to chicken ratio, but you could easily do the same thing with whole breasts - just adjust the cooking time accordingly. You can also season your breadcrumbs however you want - I really like romano cheese and basil, but you could easily skip the cheese and use whatever seasoning makes you happy.
I have to apologize in advance that the recipe may not be exactly right - I was improvising quite a bit and didn't pay attention to exact measurements, so please adjust the amounts as needed for your taste. In the mean time I thought I'd share the basic idea and I will update if necessary the next time I make these!
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
1 lb chicken tenders, or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
3/4 cup plain panko or other dried breadcrumbs (please read ingredients here and find a brand that doesn't include partially hydrogenated oils! Whole foods and Trader Joes both have good options)
2 tablespoons romano or parmesan cheese
Dried basil (enough so that it is visible throughout breadcrumb mixture)
Pinch of salt
Olive or canola oil spray
Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray baking sheet generously with oil.
Prepare 3 wide, shallow dishes (I used pasta bowls) as follows: the first with flour, the second with egg beaten with a splash of water, and the third with breadcrumbs mixed with seasonings (in my case, cheese, basil, and salt). Coat each piece of chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip into the egg mixture, and finally into the breadcrumbs, ensuring that each piece is completely covered. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Once all of the chicken is on the baking sheet, spray generously with oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (it should be firm to the touch and easily pierced with a fork). Try not to overbake! Juicy with a very slight pink tinge is ok as long as you can see the fibers of the chicken are cooked and no longer has any raw texture when cut open.
Serve with the dipping sauce of your choosing - tomato sauce, ketchup, or bbq sauce would all work!
Serves 4
Monday, July 5, 2010
Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti
**This post has been updated since it's original posting date in December 2009**
My husband and I love pasta. We could, and do, eat it several times a week, every week. Usually we just make some pasta to toss with veggies and some chicken, but every once in a while we need to dress pasta up for company. And that's where this recipe comes in. It is a combination of recipes from 2 of my favorite Food Network chefs - Ellie Krieger, who makes healthier versions of traditional dishes, and Rachael Ray, who has great ideas for making quick meals.
The dish includes turkey meatballs, quick homemade tomato sauce, and whole wheat spaghetti - incredibly healthy, simple, and impressive and tasty enough for company, especially when served with a salad (e.g., caesar, or simple arugula) and some bread. The sauce is also versatile - you can use it whenever you need a basic tomato sauce, since it comes together so quickly!
Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti
adapted from Food Network (here and here)
Meatballs
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread
1/2 cup carrot
1/2 small onion
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 cup chicken stock (or beef stock if using sauce with traditional meatballs or meatsauce)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
10 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Splash of red wine (optional)
Other
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
Additional parmesan/romano cheese for passing at the table
Crusty bread
Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Preheat the broiler on high. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with a non-stick spray (olive or canola oil).
Place the ground turkey in a large bowl. Remove the crust from a slice of wheat bread, pulse to crumbs in a food processor, and add to turkey. Finely chop onion, garlic, and carrots in the food processor and add to turkey. Add remaining ingredients (parmesan, egg, thyme, salt, and pepper) and mix well with clean hands. Divide mixture into 12 lightly rolled balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
Place a saucepan over medium heat. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and add chop onion and garlic for sauce. Add oil, onion, garlic and red pepper to pan and sautee. (Note that this is half the red pepper from the original recipe, which I think is enough to add subtle heat - feel free to add more if you prefer). Once onions are soft, add crushed tomatoes and stock and simmer.
At this point, place the meatballs under the broiler for approximately 8-10 minutes, until tops are brown and meatballs are almost entirely cooked through. Take the meatballs out of the broiler, and add to the sauce along with the basil and wine (if using)*. At this point, salt the boiling water and add spaghetti. The meatballs will keep cooking in the sauce while the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is ready, drain and toss with a few ladles of sauce, and pour the rest of the sauce and meatballs on top. Serve with salad, bread, and additional parmesan or romano cheese.
Serves 4 hungry adults
*This sauce is somewhat chunky, with obvious pieces of tomato and onion. If you prefer a smoother sauce, feel free to use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the sauce before adding the meatballs, basil, and wine.
My husband and I love pasta. We could, and do, eat it several times a week, every week. Usually we just make some pasta to toss with veggies and some chicken, but every once in a while we need to dress pasta up for company. And that's where this recipe comes in. It is a combination of recipes from 2 of my favorite Food Network chefs - Ellie Krieger, who makes healthier versions of traditional dishes, and Rachael Ray, who has great ideas for making quick meals.
The dish includes turkey meatballs, quick homemade tomato sauce, and whole wheat spaghetti - incredibly healthy, simple, and impressive and tasty enough for company, especially when served with a salad (e.g., caesar, or simple arugula) and some bread. The sauce is also versatile - you can use it whenever you need a basic tomato sauce, since it comes together so quickly!
Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti
adapted from Food Network (here and here)
Meatballs
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread
1/2 cup carrot
1/2 small onion
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 cup chicken stock (or beef stock if using sauce with traditional meatballs or meatsauce)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
10 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Splash of red wine (optional)
Other
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
Additional parmesan/romano cheese for passing at the table
Crusty bread
Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Preheat the broiler on high. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with a non-stick spray (olive or canola oil).
Place the ground turkey in a large bowl. Remove the crust from a slice of wheat bread, pulse to crumbs in a food processor, and add to turkey. Finely chop onion, garlic, and carrots in the food processor and add to turkey. Add remaining ingredients (parmesan, egg, thyme, salt, and pepper) and mix well with clean hands. Divide mixture into 12 lightly rolled balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
Place a saucepan over medium heat. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and add chop onion and garlic for sauce. Add oil, onion, garlic and red pepper to pan and sautee. (Note that this is half the red pepper from the original recipe, which I think is enough to add subtle heat - feel free to add more if you prefer). Once onions are soft, add crushed tomatoes and stock and simmer.
At this point, place the meatballs under the broiler for approximately 8-10 minutes, until tops are brown and meatballs are almost entirely cooked through. Take the meatballs out of the broiler, and add to the sauce along with the basil and wine (if using)*. At this point, salt the boiling water and add spaghetti. The meatballs will keep cooking in the sauce while the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is ready, drain and toss with a few ladles of sauce, and pour the rest of the sauce and meatballs on top. Serve with salad, bread, and additional parmesan or romano cheese.
Serves 4 hungry adults
*This sauce is somewhat chunky, with obvious pieces of tomato and onion. If you prefer a smoother sauce, feel free to use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the sauce before adding the meatballs, basil, and wine.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Moroccan Lamb Stew
Last time I ordered meat from my CSA, I decided to branch out a bit from my typical beef and poultry selection and bought two kinds of lamb - stew pieces and a lamb leg steak. The steak is still in the freezer waiting for the right recipe, but the stew meat got put to excellent use last week with a Moroccan inspired Rachael Ray recipe. I've made this before, but it's been years so this was a good opportunity to dig it out. Fortunately, since I last made it there are tons of new comments on the Food Network website. As you probably know, Rachael Ray is all about the "30-minute meal", and as great as that is in theory, stews are really not meant to be rushed. The reviews suggested throwing the timing out the window and cooking this for a few hours to get really melt-in-your-mouth results, which I think was an excellent idea.
The nice thing about stew is that, despite the long cooking time, it's usually pretty quick to pull together, and this is no exception - the hardest part of the prep work was finding all the spices on my spice rack! But still, 2 hours of cooking required some advance planning since I generally don't start dinner until about 7pm. Instead, I made the stew during the munchkin's nap time, let it simmer until it was time to leave for our afternoon activity, let it hang out in the fridge for a few hours, and then put it back on the stove after she went to sleep. This worked perfectly, and I highly recommend the do-ahead approach, even getting it started the night before! The flavors in this dish are amazing...sweet and savory and rich all at the same time. The meat really did melt in your mouth along with the dates, which are so sweet and yummy. The only problem is that it is not the most beautiful looking meal - lots of brown, which is why there's no picture this time :) I'd recommend serving this over couscous, although I made quinoa this time because I was out of couscous and I think in the end any grain you like would work. I hope you enjoy!
Moroccan Lamb Stew
adapted from Food Network
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew pieces
2 teaspoons grill seasoning (I used a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, and a different meat seasoning blend I had on hand)
1 rounded teaspoon turmeric
1 rounded teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika (not smoked)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
10 to 12 pitted dates, halved, about 8 oz
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Add all of the spices to a gallon sized food storage bag and shake to mix. Add lamb and shake to evenly coat all of the pieces with the spice blend.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then the lamb. Sear the lamb and caramelize the meat all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cover. Simmer for approximately 2 hours or until the lamb can be easily pulled apart with a fork (leave plenty of time; you can always keep it warm until you're ready to eat if it cooks faster than you expect). About 5-10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the dates. If there seems to be too much liquid near the end, cook with the cover off to thicken, or add more stock if needed.
Serve over whole wheat couscous or whatever grain you prefer.
Serves 4 (generously)
The nice thing about stew is that, despite the long cooking time, it's usually pretty quick to pull together, and this is no exception - the hardest part of the prep work was finding all the spices on my spice rack! But still, 2 hours of cooking required some advance planning since I generally don't start dinner until about 7pm. Instead, I made the stew during the munchkin's nap time, let it simmer until it was time to leave for our afternoon activity, let it hang out in the fridge for a few hours, and then put it back on the stove after she went to sleep. This worked perfectly, and I highly recommend the do-ahead approach, even getting it started the night before! The flavors in this dish are amazing...sweet and savory and rich all at the same time. The meat really did melt in your mouth along with the dates, which are so sweet and yummy. The only problem is that it is not the most beautiful looking meal - lots of brown, which is why there's no picture this time :) I'd recommend serving this over couscous, although I made quinoa this time because I was out of couscous and I think in the end any grain you like would work. I hope you enjoy!
Moroccan Lamb Stew
adapted from Food Network
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew pieces
2 teaspoons grill seasoning (I used a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, and a different meat seasoning blend I had on hand)
1 rounded teaspoon turmeric
1 rounded teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika (not smoked)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
10 to 12 pitted dates, halved, about 8 oz
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Add all of the spices to a gallon sized food storage bag and shake to mix. Add lamb and shake to evenly coat all of the pieces with the spice blend.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then the lamb. Sear the lamb and caramelize the meat all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cover. Simmer for approximately 2 hours or until the lamb can be easily pulled apart with a fork (leave plenty of time; you can always keep it warm until you're ready to eat if it cooks faster than you expect). About 5-10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the dates. If there seems to be too much liquid near the end, cook with the cover off to thicken, or add more stock if needed.
Serve over whole wheat couscous or whatever grain you prefer.
Serves 4 (generously)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Chicken Teriyaki
In the past, one of my favorite cooking shortcuts was to pour a store-bought marinade over some meat and cook it up. These marinades were always super-tasty and easy to have on hand, turning some chicken breasts from the freezer into an easy weeknight meal. Unfortunately, the more I become obsessed with reading ingredient lists, the more difficult it has become to find marinades that I'm willing to use because so many have tons of sodium, artificial flavors, corn syrup, and other scary ingredients. On the flip side, home-made marinade recipes often require tons of ingredients that are not easy to have on hand.
Until Weelicious came to the rescue, yet again, with a recipe for teriyaki sauce that only has 5 ingredients, all easy to keep around. I could not wait to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did because it is delicious, and so easy! Of course I did change a couple of things...skipped the garlic because I wasn't in the mood, and increased most of the other ingredients because I could only find a 14 oz can of organic crushed pineapple and I didn't want the rest to go to waste. This ended up making a ton, so I froze half for the next time I make this, which will certainly be soon!
Oh, and one more change - you might notice that my sauce does not look nearly as pretty as the picture on Weelicious, and that's because I didn't read carefully and therefore missed the part about thickening the sauce with cornstarch. Oops...I would recommend either following this step (I've included the original instructions below) or just pureeing the bit you intend to spoon over the chicken because otherwise the runny marinade with chunks of pineapple is not the best texture for a sauce. Nonetheless, this was a successful dish with hubby and me (we ate it with brown rice and some roasted broccoli), as well as the munchkin, who got bits of the chicken tossed with rice, peas, corn, and a little extra sauce - yum!
Chicken Teriyaki
adapted from Weelicious
1 14 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger*
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Place the crushed pineapple and juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the chicken breasts in a zip top bag add with enough of the teriyaki sauce to coat well (reserving the remaining for the sauce). Marinate in the refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
Preheat your oven to the broil setting and place the rack in the upper third of the oven (at this point you can discard the sauce that you marinated the chicken in). Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes on each side (monitor carefully for doneness; if the chicken is thick, it may take an extra minute or two).
While the chicken is broiling, put approximately 3/4 cup of reserved teriyaki sauce in a saucepan, add 1 tsp of cornstarch and cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until thickened. Alternatively, puree sauce with an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor to smooth out consistency. (You can freeze any unused marinade for next time).
Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Slice the chicken, cover with sauce and serve.
Serves 4
*I keep a peeled piece of ginger in my freezer - it is easier to grate this way and becomes an ingredient I can always have on hand!
Until Weelicious came to the rescue, yet again, with a recipe for teriyaki sauce that only has 5 ingredients, all easy to keep around. I could not wait to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did because it is delicious, and so easy! Of course I did change a couple of things...skipped the garlic because I wasn't in the mood, and increased most of the other ingredients because I could only find a 14 oz can of organic crushed pineapple and I didn't want the rest to go to waste. This ended up making a ton, so I froze half for the next time I make this, which will certainly be soon!
Oh, and one more change - you might notice that my sauce does not look nearly as pretty as the picture on Weelicious, and that's because I didn't read carefully and therefore missed the part about thickening the sauce with cornstarch. Oops...I would recommend either following this step (I've included the original instructions below) or just pureeing the bit you intend to spoon over the chicken because otherwise the runny marinade with chunks of pineapple is not the best texture for a sauce. Nonetheless, this was a successful dish with hubby and me (we ate it with brown rice and some roasted broccoli), as well as the munchkin, who got bits of the chicken tossed with rice, peas, corn, and a little extra sauce - yum!
Chicken Teriyaki
adapted from Weelicious
1 14 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger*
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Place the crushed pineapple and juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the chicken breasts in a zip top bag add with enough of the teriyaki sauce to coat well (reserving the remaining for the sauce). Marinate in the refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
Preheat your oven to the broil setting and place the rack in the upper third of the oven (at this point you can discard the sauce that you marinated the chicken in). Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes on each side (monitor carefully for doneness; if the chicken is thick, it may take an extra minute or two).
While the chicken is broiling, put approximately 3/4 cup of reserved teriyaki sauce in a saucepan, add 1 tsp of cornstarch and cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until thickened. Alternatively, puree sauce with an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor to smooth out consistency. (You can freeze any unused marinade for next time).
Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Slice the chicken, cover with sauce and serve.
Serves 4
*I keep a peeled piece of ginger in my freezer - it is easier to grate this way and becomes an ingredient I can always have on hand!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Meat Loaf
Hi everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the down time last week...it's not that I wasn't cooking, I just wasn't cooking anything I haven't already told you about :) But this weekend has been busy so I have a few posts coming up this week to make up for it!
First up is meat loaf, which is such a classic comfort food. I already told you about my Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites, but sometimes you just need a basic beef meatloaf. I found a recipe on Epicurious which is designed to use buffalo, so I thought it would be perfect for my lean grass-fed ground beef. Like the turkey recipe, this one has the benefit of some added veggies to give it extra flavor, moisture, and texture.
As it turns out, I used 1 pound of beef but kept all of the other proportions the same (not on purpose; just wasn't paying attention to the fact that the recipe called for 1 3/4 pound of meat - oops!). I served it last night to hubby and another close friend, and, despite my "mistake", I got rave reviews, including a "best meatloaf ever" declaration from hubby. So I've posted my version below. The extra veggies make this very juicy and flavorful, but also make it a little more crumbly than your standard meatloaf, which makes the individual loaves a good choice - not sure it would have held up to slicing. But if you want something a little more sturdy, feel free to cut back on the rest of the ingredients or use more meat. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think!
Meat Loaf
adapted from Epicurious
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 large onion
2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs*
1 large egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil.
Place beef in a large mixing bowl. Use a food processor to very finely chop onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and add to beef**. Add the remaining ingredients and gently but thoroughly mix with your hands.
Score mixture into 4 equal sections and form individual meatloaves that are approximately 1-1.5 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Serves 4
*I learned a great tip for fresh breadcrumbs from my friend Kara at Itty Bitty Bistro...my family doesn't like the ends of bread, so we've started throwing those in a separate bag in the freezer. When I need some fresh breadcrumbs, I just take out a couple of slices, defrost in the microwave, tear into pieces and pulverize in the food processor. So much healthier than most of the breadcrumbs you can buy!
**By making the individual loaves which only take 20 minutes to cook, even very finely chopped veggies stay pretty crunchy. I liked it this way, but you could certainly sautee the veggies (and let cool slightly) before adding to the meat if you are so inclined.
First up is meat loaf, which is such a classic comfort food. I already told you about my Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites, but sometimes you just need a basic beef meatloaf. I found a recipe on Epicurious which is designed to use buffalo, so I thought it would be perfect for my lean grass-fed ground beef. Like the turkey recipe, this one has the benefit of some added veggies to give it extra flavor, moisture, and texture.
As it turns out, I used 1 pound of beef but kept all of the other proportions the same (not on purpose; just wasn't paying attention to the fact that the recipe called for 1 3/4 pound of meat - oops!). I served it last night to hubby and another close friend, and, despite my "mistake", I got rave reviews, including a "best meatloaf ever" declaration from hubby. So I've posted my version below. The extra veggies make this very juicy and flavorful, but also make it a little more crumbly than your standard meatloaf, which makes the individual loaves a good choice - not sure it would have held up to slicing. But if you want something a little more sturdy, feel free to cut back on the rest of the ingredients or use more meat. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you think!
Meat Loaf
adapted from Epicurious
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 large onion
2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs*
1 large egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil.
Place beef in a large mixing bowl. Use a food processor to very finely chop onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and add to beef**. Add the remaining ingredients and gently but thoroughly mix with your hands.
Score mixture into 4 equal sections and form individual meatloaves that are approximately 1-1.5 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Serves 4
*I learned a great tip for fresh breadcrumbs from my friend Kara at Itty Bitty Bistro...my family doesn't like the ends of bread, so we've started throwing those in a separate bag in the freezer. When I need some fresh breadcrumbs, I just take out a couple of slices, defrost in the microwave, tear into pieces and pulverize in the food processor. So much healthier than most of the breadcrumbs you can buy!
**By making the individual loaves which only take 20 minutes to cook, even very finely chopped veggies stay pretty crunchy. I liked it this way, but you could certainly sautee the veggies (and let cool slightly) before adding to the meat if you are so inclined.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Cheesy Burgers and Baked Potato Chips
Last week we had a bit of a heat spell in NYC - temps well into the 80's in April were a bit unexpected, and not altogether welcome given that our building has yet to turn on the air conditioning! But it did put us in the mindset that summer is coming, which meant that when I gave hubby the option of shepherd's pie or hamburgers for dinner, he actually chose the burgers, something he is virtually never in the mood for. I was pretty psyched about making burgers, although a bit disappointed to not have the opportunity to try out that shepherd's pie recipe! I'm wondering if that will have to wait until the fall...
In any case, I set out to find a wholesome burger recipe that would work well with my very lean grass-fed ground beef. I came across a recipe on the Food Network website that was originally from EatingWell.com called Inside-Out Cheeseburgers. The seasonings looked really nice and I was intrigued by the idea of putting the cheese inside the burger. It turns out that while it's a little more labor intensive to make the burger halves to stuff and then put together, these burgers were incredibly flavorful and stayed really juicy with the cheese inside. Plus, I'm sure I used less cheese this way than if I had put it on top - a half cup shredded is only about 1.5 ounces divided into 4 burgers - not bad at all!
Next stop was side dish - burgers need potatoes, and I happened to have some yukon golds in my fridge that needed to be used up. I am always trying to perfect the art of the baked potato chip/fry, and actually had some luck this time! They came out crunchy without being greasy. Note that I tried following the same method with sweet potatoes, but the only states I could achieve were raw, soggy, and burned - I couldn't quite get them to crisp, so please let me know if you have any suggestions!
Cheesy Burgers
adapted from Food Network
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat the broiler. Cover a pan with foil and coat with oil spray.
Gently mix beef, worcestershire, paprika, onion powder and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.
Broil the stuffed patties, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-well (I broiled 4 minutes on the first side and 2.5 on the second). Let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving with your favorite toppings (photo includes ketchup, tomato, and pickles).
Makes 4 burgers
Baked Potato Chips
adapted from Teri's Kitchen
Cooking oil spray, preferably canola
Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line two large baking sheets with foil. Spray lightly with oil, then use a paper towel to spread it all over the bottom and remove any excess.
Slice the potatoes to about 1/8-inch thickness - this is easiest using a mandolin or food processor. Place on the baking sheets in one layer (you may need to do multiple batches depending on how many potatoes you are using). Spray the tops lightly with the oil. Pat off any excess with a paper towel. Bake until brown and crispy, about 15-20 minutes. (Start monitoring them after 15 minutes; some of the slices may brown more quickly than others, which which case you can take them out sooner and continue baking the others.)
Remove the chips from the pans and place on paper towels, salting immediately to taste. Chips may be served immediately, or allowed to sit while making the remainder of the dinner.
In any case, I set out to find a wholesome burger recipe that would work well with my very lean grass-fed ground beef. I came across a recipe on the Food Network website that was originally from EatingWell.com called Inside-Out Cheeseburgers. The seasonings looked really nice and I was intrigued by the idea of putting the cheese inside the burger. It turns out that while it's a little more labor intensive to make the burger halves to stuff and then put together, these burgers were incredibly flavorful and stayed really juicy with the cheese inside. Plus, I'm sure I used less cheese this way than if I had put it on top - a half cup shredded is only about 1.5 ounces divided into 4 burgers - not bad at all!
Next stop was side dish - burgers need potatoes, and I happened to have some yukon golds in my fridge that needed to be used up. I am always trying to perfect the art of the baked potato chip/fry, and actually had some luck this time! They came out crunchy without being greasy. Note that I tried following the same method with sweet potatoes, but the only states I could achieve were raw, soggy, and burned - I couldn't quite get them to crisp, so please let me know if you have any suggestions!
Cheesy Burgers
adapted from Food Network
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat the broiler. Cover a pan with foil and coat with oil spray.
Gently mix beef, worcestershire, paprika, onion powder and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.
Broil the stuffed patties, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-well (I broiled 4 minutes on the first side and 2.5 on the second). Let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving with your favorite toppings (photo includes ketchup, tomato, and pickles).
Makes 4 burgers
Baked Potato Chips
adapted from Teri's Kitchen
Cooking oil spray, preferably canola
Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line two large baking sheets with foil. Spray lightly with oil, then use a paper towel to spread it all over the bottom and remove any excess.
Slice the potatoes to about 1/8-inch thickness - this is easiest using a mandolin or food processor. Place on the baking sheets in one layer (you may need to do multiple batches depending on how many potatoes you are using). Spray the tops lightly with the oil. Pat off any excess with a paper towel. Bake until brown and crispy, about 15-20 minutes. (Start monitoring them after 15 minutes; some of the slices may brown more quickly than others, which which case you can take them out sooner and continue baking the others.)
Remove the chips from the pans and place on paper towels, salting immediately to taste. Chips may be served immediately, or allowed to sit while making the remainder of the dinner.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Marinated Flank Steak
When hubby and I first met, he did not eat chocolate or red meat. Given that these were two of the most important staples in my diet at the time, I decided these food restrictions made us incompatible and told him at least one would have to change if our relationship were to succeed. I'm not kidding about that - I really did insist he start eating either chocolate or red meat! Well, as it turns out, I managed to win him over on both fronts. We can now share a chocolate dessert, and he has learned to appreciate a good steak on occasion. He is still particular about his meat, however, and really doesn't like fatty cuts. Which means when we go to steakhouses, he generally gets filet mignon. But filet is such an expensive cut that I'm worried if I cook it myself I'll ruin it, so at home we stick to flank steak, which is inexpensive and very lean. It is also incredibly easy to cook, although you do have to know what you are doing.
Flank steak is a tough cut of meat, which means that it really benefits from being tenderized by a marinade, and should be cooked quickly to sear the outside but leave the inside medium-rare. Well done flank steak will be very chewy and less enjoyable. It also needs to be sliced thinly, against the grain, for further tenderizing. I have tried many flank steak recipes over the years, and just came across another one on Simply Recipes which looked delicious. This recipe has the benefit of including only a few simple ingredients that I pretty much always have on hand. She also suggests scoring the meat before marinating, something I've never done before but sounded like a good idea. The main change I made was the cooking method - living in the city, I do not have a grill, and while I do enjoy the taste of cooking on a grill pan, I do not enjoy the smoke or the clean-up. So my new preferred method is broiling, which is so easy and much neater - simply cover a pan with foil and throw the foil away when you're done (assuming you're more talented than me and don't drip the juices on the pan as you're removing the foil ;). You don't quite get the same crust on the outside, but in my opinion the meat is more evenly medium-rare throughout rather than being well done at the edges and rare at the center.
The steak came out great. Not quite the best flank steak I've ever had (my mom makes a marinade with hoisin sauce which is really hard to beat), but definitely a good recipe to keep in the rotation! The vinegar gives it a really nice tang, which is balanced nicely by the honey. If you go to Simply Recipes, there are also a bunch of suggestions for different recipes in the comments section if this doesn't strike your fancy :)
Marinated Flank Steak
adapted from Simply Recipes
Marinade Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Other ingredients
2 pounds flank steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag and ensure the steak is completely coated. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Coat a baking sheet with foil, and preheat your broiler on high. Take the steak out of the bag, letting the extra marinade drip off, and place on prepared pan. Generously sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper to help the steak to form a savory crust*.
Broil the meat 3-4 minutes on each size for a thin steak (I had a 1 lb steak, and this was perfect for me), 5-6 minutes for a thicker cut. When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes**.
Cut against the grain on an angle to make very thin slices.
If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak. My steak was less than 1 pound, so I ended up with tons of marinade that I didn't want to throw out, so we did this. I thought it was delicious, but hubby thought the flavor was a bit strong. The oil will separate when you boil it, so you'll need to either whisk it back in or skim it off, depending on your preference.
Serves 3 people per lb of meat
*I have to confess that I completely forgot this step, but it sounds like a great idea so I wanted to share with you all! Only thing is that the sauce is pretty salty, so you might not need/want the sauce if you have a salt crust.
**Ok, while I'm being honest, I put the meat in too late and the Red Wine Barley Risotto, despite taking forever to make, was ready by the time the steak came out of the oven, so my steak only got about 3 minutes of resting before I lost patience. It was still good but the juices definitely came flowing out, so I'd highly recommend trying to give the steak its full resting time!
Flank steak is a tough cut of meat, which means that it really benefits from being tenderized by a marinade, and should be cooked quickly to sear the outside but leave the inside medium-rare. Well done flank steak will be very chewy and less enjoyable. It also needs to be sliced thinly, against the grain, for further tenderizing. I have tried many flank steak recipes over the years, and just came across another one on Simply Recipes which looked delicious. This recipe has the benefit of including only a few simple ingredients that I pretty much always have on hand. She also suggests scoring the meat before marinating, something I've never done before but sounded like a good idea. The main change I made was the cooking method - living in the city, I do not have a grill, and while I do enjoy the taste of cooking on a grill pan, I do not enjoy the smoke or the clean-up. So my new preferred method is broiling, which is so easy and much neater - simply cover a pan with foil and throw the foil away when you're done (assuming you're more talented than me and don't drip the juices on the pan as you're removing the foil ;). You don't quite get the same crust on the outside, but in my opinion the meat is more evenly medium-rare throughout rather than being well done at the edges and rare at the center.
The steak came out great. Not quite the best flank steak I've ever had (my mom makes a marinade with hoisin sauce which is really hard to beat), but definitely a good recipe to keep in the rotation! The vinegar gives it a really nice tang, which is balanced nicely by the honey. If you go to Simply Recipes, there are also a bunch of suggestions for different recipes in the comments section if this doesn't strike your fancy :)
Marinated Flank Steak
adapted from Simply Recipes
Marinade Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Other ingredients
2 pounds flank steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag and ensure the steak is completely coated. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Coat a baking sheet with foil, and preheat your broiler on high. Take the steak out of the bag, letting the extra marinade drip off, and place on prepared pan. Generously sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper to help the steak to form a savory crust*.
Broil the meat 3-4 minutes on each size for a thin steak (I had a 1 lb steak, and this was perfect for me), 5-6 minutes for a thicker cut. When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes**.
Cut against the grain on an angle to make very thin slices.
If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak. My steak was less than 1 pound, so I ended up with tons of marinade that I didn't want to throw out, so we did this. I thought it was delicious, but hubby thought the flavor was a bit strong. The oil will separate when you boil it, so you'll need to either whisk it back in or skim it off, depending on your preference.
Serves 3 people per lb of meat
*I have to confess that I completely forgot this step, but it sounds like a great idea so I wanted to share with you all! Only thing is that the sauce is pretty salty, so you might not need/want the sauce if you have a salt crust.
**Ok, while I'm being honest, I put the meat in too late and the Red Wine Barley Risotto, despite taking forever to make, was ready by the time the steak came out of the oven, so my steak only got about 3 minutes of resting before I lost patience. It was still good but the juices definitely came flowing out, so I'd highly recommend trying to give the steak its full resting time!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites Revisited
After a week of feeding the munchkin french toast and scrambled eggs for dinner, I decided it's time to restock my freezer with some quick, go-to meals. I've also been trying to figure out what to make with the ground turkey in the freezer and realized that my Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites would be perfect! The only problem was that I didn't have any zucchini at home. So rather than go to the store on a rainy, yucky day, I realized that I had some formerly-frozen chopped spinach in my fridge that I've been adding to the munchkin's scrambled eggs, and decided to see what would happen if I used that instead of zucchini.
I kept everything the same except I used about 3/4 cup of the spinach instead of the zucchini. My first observation, not surprisingly, is that the mini-bites are green! But as far as taste, they are just as yummy. I couldn't detect any spinach flavor, but was happy to add a nutritional boost. In fact, this experiment has made me wonder how much veggie goodness I can pack in - stay tuned to see what happens next time!
I kept everything the same except I used about 3/4 cup of the spinach instead of the zucchini. My first observation, not surprisingly, is that the mini-bites are green! But as far as taste, they are just as yummy. I couldn't detect any spinach flavor, but was happy to add a nutritional boost. In fact, this experiment has made me wonder how much veggie goodness I can pack in - stay tuned to see what happens next time!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Chicken Piccata with Pasta and Arugula Salad
When I was trying to decide what to call this blog, the first thing that came to my mind was "The Lazy Chef." This is because I am constantly looking for short cuts, taking the most simple recipes and making them even simpler. Sometime I find easier ways of doing things that don't compromise the end result, and sometimes I decide a little compromising in the end result is worth the savings in time, money, or effort. This meal is a combination of both!
The first part was inspired by my sister-in-law, who made a delicious chicken picatta meal for a large group a few weeks back. Despite the fact that she was in the kitchen for ages, she promised me that making chicken picatta for a few people was actually really simple. Only problem is that most picatta recipes have a good deal of butter in them, so I searched for a lighter recipe and found one at Recipezaar. Here's where my laziness came in: I immediately decided that I didn't need to include the fresh parsley because I really don't love the taste and I hate buying a big bunch of fresh herbs only to throw out most of it. Then, as I sat down to review the recipe before starting to cook, I realized that we didn't have any white wine on hand that's suitable for cooking, so chicken stock had to fill in!
The salad was inspired by our recent vacation to Turks & Caicos. On the last night, we went to an Italian restaurant that served an arugula salad tossed with olive oil, garnished with some shaved parmesan and a lemon wedge. It was so simple and so delicious! Hubby hasn't stopped talking about it since our trip and I thought it would tie in perfectly with our lemony entree, so I added it to this menu. Talk about lazy - this salad didn't even require cutting vegetables or mixing up a vinaigrette!
So did my compromises work out? I would consider this a very successful weeknight meal. The chicken was good - not as yummy as my sister-in-law's, but really tasty and, in my opinion, well worth fewer ingredients and less butter. Wine probably would have added a nice complexity to the sauce, but the lemon and capers added good zing and it still reduced nicely. And the salad was as delicious as the one we had on vacation - in this case I don't think the simplicity is a compromise at all, and I would happily serve this to company.
Chicken Piccata
adapted from Recipezaar
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
*2 teaspoons butter, divided
*1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or white wine)
*4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
*2 tablespoons capers
Cooked pasta for serving (optional; I used whole wheat spaghetti)
Place chicken breasts, one at a time, in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap/parchment paper/wax paper. Pound to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin, heavy skillet, etc. Remove from the bag and dredge with flour mixed with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 teaspoon each of oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches. If so, use half of the oil and butter for the first batch and add the rest for the second. I also got the first piece sauteeing and pounded/dredged the second piece while the first was cooking to save time. Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers to the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Add all of the chicken back to the pan, turning to coat with the sauce, and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and stir one teaspoon of butter into the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve chicken with pasta or any other side you prefer.
Serves up to 4
*There was just enough sauce for the chicken. If you'd like enough to toss with pasta (or if you just like a lot of sauce), I'd recommend doubling or even tripling the sauce ingredients.
Arugula Salad
adapted from Bella Luna restaurant in Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos
Ok, this isn't really a recipe because I have no idea how much of each ingredient I used. But here is the basic idea in case you'd like to try on your own!
Arugula
Olive oil
Salt
Lemon wedges
Chunk of romano or parmigiano-reggiano
Place enough arugula in a bowl for the number of people you are serving. Season with salt and toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves. Serve with a lemon wedge and a few shavings or a thin slice of romano.
The first part was inspired by my sister-in-law, who made a delicious chicken picatta meal for a large group a few weeks back. Despite the fact that she was in the kitchen for ages, she promised me that making chicken picatta for a few people was actually really simple. Only problem is that most picatta recipes have a good deal of butter in them, so I searched for a lighter recipe and found one at Recipezaar. Here's where my laziness came in: I immediately decided that I didn't need to include the fresh parsley because I really don't love the taste and I hate buying a big bunch of fresh herbs only to throw out most of it. Then, as I sat down to review the recipe before starting to cook, I realized that we didn't have any white wine on hand that's suitable for cooking, so chicken stock had to fill in!
The salad was inspired by our recent vacation to Turks & Caicos. On the last night, we went to an Italian restaurant that served an arugula salad tossed with olive oil, garnished with some shaved parmesan and a lemon wedge. It was so simple and so delicious! Hubby hasn't stopped talking about it since our trip and I thought it would tie in perfectly with our lemony entree, so I added it to this menu. Talk about lazy - this salad didn't even require cutting vegetables or mixing up a vinaigrette!
So did my compromises work out? I would consider this a very successful weeknight meal. The chicken was good - not as yummy as my sister-in-law's, but really tasty and, in my opinion, well worth fewer ingredients and less butter. Wine probably would have added a nice complexity to the sauce, but the lemon and capers added good zing and it still reduced nicely. And the salad was as delicious as the one we had on vacation - in this case I don't think the simplicity is a compromise at all, and I would happily serve this to company.
Chicken Piccata
adapted from Recipezaar
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
*2 teaspoons butter, divided
*1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or white wine)
*4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
*2 tablespoons capers
Cooked pasta for serving (optional; I used whole wheat spaghetti)
Place chicken breasts, one at a time, in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap/parchment paper/wax paper. Pound to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin, heavy skillet, etc. Remove from the bag and dredge with flour mixed with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 teaspoon each of oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches. If so, use half of the oil and butter for the first batch and add the rest for the second. I also got the first piece sauteeing and pounded/dredged the second piece while the first was cooking to save time. Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and capers to the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Add all of the chicken back to the pan, turning to coat with the sauce, and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and stir one teaspoon of butter into the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve chicken with pasta or any other side you prefer.
Serves up to 4
*There was just enough sauce for the chicken. If you'd like enough to toss with pasta (or if you just like a lot of sauce), I'd recommend doubling or even tripling the sauce ingredients.
Arugula Salad
adapted from Bella Luna restaurant in Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos
Ok, this isn't really a recipe because I have no idea how much of each ingredient I used. But here is the basic idea in case you'd like to try on your own!
Arugula
Olive oil
Salt
Lemon wedges
Chunk of romano or parmigiano-reggiano
Place enough arugula in a bowl for the number of people you are serving. Season with salt and toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the leaves. Serve with a lemon wedge and a few shavings or a thin slice of romano.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Beef Stew
Beef stew is one of my favorite winter meals. Every year I make it once or twice when I'm in the mood for something really comforting, and so in preparation for this craving I ordered grass-fed stew beef the last time I was stocking up on meat from my CSA. Last week, as I was looking through my freezer trying to figure out what I could make with what I had at home, I came across my stew meat and got excited - this is the perfect time of year! I dug up the Irish Beef Stew recipe that I had adapted ages ago and got to work on Saturday night when hubby was home so that I could start dinner before the munchkin went to sleep.
I think this recipe is pretty classic - no fancy flavors, just wholesome ingredients that cook together for a long time and become really yummy. In the years that I've been making it, I've probably never made it exactly the same way twice. So while I can't promise you that I have ever actually made it exactly as the recipe states below, I can promise you that every single time I've made it the results have been delicious, so I've basically decided that you can't go wrong! Feel free to be creative with the veggies, for example...I'd bet any root vegetable that can stand up to cooking for a long time would work. I was thinking the next time I might throw in some sweet potato to mix things up - why not?
Beef Stew
adapted from Epicurious
2 tablespoons (approx) olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour seasoned with black pepper
1 1/2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dark beer or red wine
3 cups chicken or beef stock (homemade or the best quality low sodium you can find)
1 small can tomato paste (use about 3/4 of the can)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or oil
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I do not peel my potatoes, but the skin does fall off the potato in the cooking process, so if you don't think you'll enjoy that feel free to peel!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups celery, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 cups frozen peas (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (or enough to thinly coat the bottom of the pot) in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Toss beef in flour seasoned with black pepper. Add beef to pan and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. The beef really should be able to fit in one layer; otherwise it just steams and does not brown. 1 1/2 lbs just fit in my pot, so if you're increasing the amount at all you may need to do 2 batches or use 2 pans.
Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beer or wine and scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan while it cooks for a few minutes. Add stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, melt butter or additional oil in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew.*
Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 1 hour from the time you added the liquid to the beef. Add more broth or keep covered if the stew is getting too thick. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat (if necessary; my grass-fed beef is so lean that there was no fat to skim).
Can be prepared several hours and up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer and add peas just before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 6
*Theoretically this is an important step because getting color on the veggies should add flavor to the stew. I'm not convinced. If you overcrowd the pan at this stage (which I have in the past) the veggies just get soft, not golden, so this time I did them in batches to get good color and my stew did not taste noticeably better. The next time I'm going to try just adding the veggies directly to the broth and letting them cook in there to see what happens! If it still tastes good I'd be very happy to make this a one pot dish :)
I think this recipe is pretty classic - no fancy flavors, just wholesome ingredients that cook together for a long time and become really yummy. In the years that I've been making it, I've probably never made it exactly the same way twice. So while I can't promise you that I have ever actually made it exactly as the recipe states below, I can promise you that every single time I've made it the results have been delicious, so I've basically decided that you can't go wrong! Feel free to be creative with the veggies, for example...I'd bet any root vegetable that can stand up to cooking for a long time would work. I was thinking the next time I might throw in some sweet potato to mix things up - why not?
Apologies for the photo...turns out it's really hard to make stew look good!
Beef Stew
adapted from Epicurious
2 tablespoons (approx) olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour seasoned with black pepper
1 1/2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dark beer or red wine
3 cups chicken or beef stock (homemade or the best quality low sodium you can find)
1 small can tomato paste (use about 3/4 of the can)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves or 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or oil
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I do not peel my potatoes, but the skin does fall off the potato in the cooking process, so if you don't think you'll enjoy that feel free to peel!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups celery, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 cups frozen peas (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (or enough to thinly coat the bottom of the pot) in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Toss beef in flour seasoned with black pepper. Add beef to pan and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. The beef really should be able to fit in one layer; otherwise it just steams and does not brown. 1 1/2 lbs just fit in my pot, so if you're increasing the amount at all you may need to do 2 batches or use 2 pans.
Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beer or wine and scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan while it cooks for a few minutes. Add stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, melt butter or additional oil in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew.*
Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 1 hour from the time you added the liquid to the beef. Add more broth or keep covered if the stew is getting too thick. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat (if necessary; my grass-fed beef is so lean that there was no fat to skim).
Can be prepared several hours and up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer and add peas just before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 6
*Theoretically this is an important step because getting color on the veggies should add flavor to the stew. I'm not convinced. If you overcrowd the pan at this stage (which I have in the past) the veggies just get soft, not golden, so this time I did them in batches to get good color and my stew did not taste noticeably better. The next time I'm going to try just adding the veggies directly to the broth and letting them cook in there to see what happens! If it still tastes good I'd be very happy to make this a one pot dish :)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites
A few years ago, when the munchkin was just a far off idea in my head, I came across a blog called Weelicious, which has tons of baby/toddler/kid-friendly recipes. Even then I loved the idea of being able to cook wholesome, home-made food for my future kids, so I filed the site in the back of my mind until the time was right. Once the munchkin started on solids, I combed Weelicious and noted all of the recipes that I wanted to try - there are tons! - and am slowly working my way through. Little did I know that the recipes are adult-friendly, too, and I could have been trying out this food all along! Well, lesson learned, and hubby and I are thoroughly enjoying some of the ideas we've gotten from Weelicious (Banana Wheat Germ Muffins, Carrot-Zucchini Pancakes, Mini-Cornbread Muffins, and Pumpkin Butter to name a few!).
My latest creation was the Weelicious Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Bites, and wow, am I ever sad I didn't try these sooner. They are so moist and delicious! I made only a couple of changes - hubby and I don't like red pepper, so I left out the pepper and garlic (didn't think it was necessary) and added a little extra onion to compensate. I think they had exactly the right amount of flavor, and the cheese is such a great addition - they almost taste more like meatballs than meatloaf, but still went perfectly with mashed potatoes and string beans. And the best part? Even the munchkin enthusiastically ate almost an entire mini-bite! I can't wait to stock my freezer with a bunch of these to pull out for easy dinners for all of us.
Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites
adapted from Weelicious
1 zucchini, cut into chunks (or 3/4 cup of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained)
3/4 cup onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup carrots, cut in chunks
1 egg
1 tbsp worsteshire sauce
1 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (whole wheat, if possible, or at least ones without partially hydrogenated oils and preservatives)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb ground turkey (white meat only or white/dark mix)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray or grease a nonstick mini-muffin tin* with vegetable oil.
Place all of the ingredients except the turkey in a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped and well mixed. Place the ground turkey and vegetable mixture in a bowl and mix throughly with your hands.
Distribute mixture into prepared muffin tin. I used a 3 tbsp scoop and the cups were filled nearly to the top. Smooth down the tops with the back of a spoon.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the meatloaf mini-bites are cooked through.
Makes 24 mini-bites
*Making these in a mini-muffin tin was part of the appeal for me (hubby insists that I am absolutely obsessed with my mini-muffin tin, and I think he's right!). It makes them the perfect portion for little ones, and they are fun for adults, too. But if you don't have a mini-muffin tin or don't like this idea, you can certainly make these in a regular muffin tin, loaf pan, or in whatever shape you want on a baking sheet - you'll just have to adjust the cooking time.
My latest creation was the Weelicious Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Bites, and wow, am I ever sad I didn't try these sooner. They are so moist and delicious! I made only a couple of changes - hubby and I don't like red pepper, so I left out the pepper and garlic (didn't think it was necessary) and added a little extra onion to compensate. I think they had exactly the right amount of flavor, and the cheese is such a great addition - they almost taste more like meatballs than meatloaf, but still went perfectly with mashed potatoes and string beans. And the best part? Even the munchkin enthusiastically ate almost an entire mini-bite! I can't wait to stock my freezer with a bunch of these to pull out for easy dinners for all of us.
Turkey Meatloaf Mini-Bites
adapted from Weelicious
1 zucchini, cut into chunks (or 3/4 cup of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained)
3/4 cup onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup carrots, cut in chunks
1 egg
1 tbsp worsteshire sauce
1 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (whole wheat, if possible, or at least ones without partially hydrogenated oils and preservatives)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb ground turkey (white meat only or white/dark mix)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray or grease a nonstick mini-muffin tin* with vegetable oil.
Place all of the ingredients except the turkey in a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped and well mixed. Place the ground turkey and vegetable mixture in a bowl and mix throughly with your hands.
Distribute mixture into prepared muffin tin. I used a 3 tbsp scoop and the cups were filled nearly to the top. Smooth down the tops with the back of a spoon.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the meatloaf mini-bites are cooked through.
Makes 24 mini-bites
*Making these in a mini-muffin tin was part of the appeal for me (hubby insists that I am absolutely obsessed with my mini-muffin tin, and I think he's right!). It makes them the perfect portion for little ones, and they are fun for adults, too. But if you don't have a mini-muffin tin or don't like this idea, you can certainly make these in a regular muffin tin, loaf pan, or in whatever shape you want on a baking sheet - you'll just have to adjust the cooking time.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tacos!
I love tacos. As a kid, I was so excited when my mom told me it was taco night. I remember the taco shells nested together in the oven, the little bowls of shredded cheese and salsa, and of course the yummy taco meat. As delicious as this meal was, it was made using the packaged taco kits, which included huge amounts of sodium, partially hydrogenated oils, msg, and a host of other scary chemicals and preservatives. As you can probably guess, I just can't bring myself to eat this kind of food anymore. Which means I had to find a replacement - a way to enjoy tacos without compromising my standards for what I will put into my family's bodies. I tried improvising by just seasoning ground beef with chili powder and cumin, but it never tasted very good. I looked for recipes, and was having a hard time finding something simple enough and with the same flavor profile as the taco seasoning packets of my youth (and even my early 20's!).
I finally came across this recipe on MyRecipes.com, originally from the magazine Southern Living. It has a simple enough ingredient list, is made all in one pan, and, as a bonus, includes beans. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fan of beans, but appreciate how healthy they are and am trying to find ways to incorporate them into my diet. Plus, in a recipe like this, they help the meat to go further, helping us to be less dependent on animal sources of protein - a good thing for our health and the environment.
I made a few modifications from the original recipe to make a simple recipe even easier, but I'll note where I took shortcuts so that you can be more diligent if you choose :)
Tacos
adapted from Southern Living
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground beef (grass-fed if possible)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
In a large skillet, sautee onions in olive oil on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Add ground beef, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Break up meat and cook until no longer pink and onions are soft. (This is one area where I cut corners - this method does not allow for draining the beef, but my grass-fed beef is so lean I don't worry about that. If you'd like to be able to drain the fat, first brown the meat, drain on paper towels, then sautee the onions in oil, adding beef and spices back in after a few minutes.)
Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and salsa to the pan. Use a fork to mash the pinto beans, leaving some of them whole. Once the mixture comes to a boil, simmer over low heat until thick. (At this point you can melt some cheese over the meat mixture by sprinkling with shredded cheese, turning off the heat, and waiting a few minutes for it to melt. I chose to just use cheese as a topping).
Serve in whole grain tortillas/wraps, taco shells, or over salad greens (like in my photo) with whatever toppings you like. We used additional salsa, cheddar cheese, and avocado with some whole grain blue corn chips on the side. Other ideas are lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream - whatever makes you happy!
Makes approximately 6 servings.
I finally came across this recipe on MyRecipes.com, originally from the magazine Southern Living. It has a simple enough ingredient list, is made all in one pan, and, as a bonus, includes beans. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge fan of beans, but appreciate how healthy they are and am trying to find ways to incorporate them into my diet. Plus, in a recipe like this, they help the meat to go further, helping us to be less dependent on animal sources of protein - a good thing for our health and the environment.
I made a few modifications from the original recipe to make a simple recipe even easier, but I'll note where I took shortcuts so that you can be more diligent if you choose :)
Tacos
adapted from Southern Living
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground beef (grass-fed if possible)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
In a large skillet, sautee onions in olive oil on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Add ground beef, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Break up meat and cook until no longer pink and onions are soft. (This is one area where I cut corners - this method does not allow for draining the beef, but my grass-fed beef is so lean I don't worry about that. If you'd like to be able to drain the fat, first brown the meat, drain on paper towels, then sautee the onions in oil, adding beef and spices back in after a few minutes.)
Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and salsa to the pan. Use a fork to mash the pinto beans, leaving some of them whole. Once the mixture comes to a boil, simmer over low heat until thick. (At this point you can melt some cheese over the meat mixture by sprinkling with shredded cheese, turning off the heat, and waiting a few minutes for it to melt. I chose to just use cheese as a topping).
Serve in whole grain tortillas/wraps, taco shells, or over salad greens (like in my photo) with whatever toppings you like. We used additional salsa, cheddar cheese, and avocado with some whole grain blue corn chips on the side. Other ideas are lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream - whatever makes you happy!
Makes approximately 6 servings.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Lemon Oregano Chicken and Vinaigrette
Chicken breasts are one of those foods that are healthy and convenient, but often boring and repetitive. So one night when we were going to have chicken salads for dinner, I looked for a new way to add flavor that wouldn't be too difficult. My first stops for dinner recipes are generally Epicurious and the Food Network, and it was on the Food Network website that I found the most simple lemon chicken recipe with the most amazing reviews. The marinade and salad dressing combined have only 5 ingredients, all of which are easy to have around at all times. Is it the most delicious thing I've ever tasted? No, but when you factor in the healthfulness and convenience, this recipe is a total winner!
The original recipe by Dave Lieberman is for a Greek salad, but I just used the marinade and dressing recipes to create a salad using whatever I happened to have around - usually some nuts, avocado, and a few kinds of veggies. I've also tossed the leftover chicken with pasta, olive oil, and romano cheese for a very enjoyable lunch. And I think the chicken could even stand on it's own as a main course with a yummy side dish (garden risotto? more on that another time!) - so versatile!
Lemon Oregano Chicken and Vinaigrette
adapted from Food Network
For the chicken:
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
A couple good pinches salt
10 grinds black pepper
1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast (approx 1.5-2 lbs)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk all ingredients except the chicken in a non-reactive baking dish (e.g., glass or corningware). Add chicken breast, cut into whatever kind of pieces you'd like (halves, tenders, etc.) and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It does not really need longer than that, and the outside of the chicken will begin to "cook" a little bit from the lemon even in that short time, but the original recipe says you can marinate up to 4 hours if you want.
Bake chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes for a split whole chicken breast. Time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
Note that the original recipe calls for cooking the chicken in a skillet or grill pan, but I have learned over the years that I am very prone to drying chicken out this way, so I prefer baking. Another advantage is you can marinate and cook in the same dish - easy clean-up!
For the dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon honey
3 pinches salt
10 to 15 grinds black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a resealable container and shake vigorously, or wisk in a measuring cup. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and then bring to room temperature before tossing salad.
The original recipe by Dave Lieberman is for a Greek salad, but I just used the marinade and dressing recipes to create a salad using whatever I happened to have around - usually some nuts, avocado, and a few kinds of veggies. I've also tossed the leftover chicken with pasta, olive oil, and romano cheese for a very enjoyable lunch. And I think the chicken could even stand on it's own as a main course with a yummy side dish (garden risotto? more on that another time!) - so versatile!
Lemon Oregano Chicken and Vinaigrette
adapted from Food Network
For the chicken:
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
A couple good pinches salt
10 grinds black pepper
1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast (approx 1.5-2 lbs)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk all ingredients except the chicken in a non-reactive baking dish (e.g., glass or corningware). Add chicken breast, cut into whatever kind of pieces you'd like (halves, tenders, etc.) and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It does not really need longer than that, and the outside of the chicken will begin to "cook" a little bit from the lemon even in that short time, but the original recipe says you can marinate up to 4 hours if you want.
Bake chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes for a split whole chicken breast. Time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
Note that the original recipe calls for cooking the chicken in a skillet or grill pan, but I have learned over the years that I am very prone to drying chicken out this way, so I prefer baking. Another advantage is you can marinate and cook in the same dish - easy clean-up!
For the dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon honey
3 pinches salt
10 to 15 grinds black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a resealable container and shake vigorously, or wisk in a measuring cup. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and then bring to room temperature before tossing salad.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Chili and Cornbread Muffins
In addition to hosting a birthday brunch for the munchkin last weekend, my in-laws were staying with us for the weekend. We got a babysitter and went out after the baby's bedtime Friday night, but Saturday night we decided to stay in. My goal was to find something that everyone liked but could be made ahead so that I didn't have to first start cooking after my daughter's birthday party. The menu I came up with was chili with corn bread muffins and a tossed salad.
I have made turkey chili twice before, and the result was good, but tasted more like a meat sauce than chili. So this time I made a few changes: I doubled the chili powder, added cumin, and used beef instead of turkey because I had enough grass-fed ground beef in my freezer to double the recipe. Increasing the spices definitely helped, but I'd imagine the recipe would still work just as well with turkey.
Cornbread is something I've never made before, but after looking at the ingredient lists of some premade ones I decided it was worth the effort! I made cornbread muffins in a mini-muffin tin earlier in the week and froze them in a freezer bag. Saturday night I just popped a bunch in the microwave on a plate and we had "fresh" cornbread! The recipe I found is fairly healthy - low in sugar, no butter, and has whole grain corn meal. They were a drop on the dry side, but tasted delicious warm with a shmear of butter and dipped in chili.
Here are the recipes:
Chili
adapted from Food Network
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onions (approx. 1 small onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (approx. 1 large clove)
1 pound ground turkey or lean beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juices
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (this is half the original amount - I am very sensitive to heat, so I prefer to use less in the chili and then serve Tabasco on the side for those who prefer hotter food)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (my crushed tomatoes had basil so I left this out)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or less, especially if you're limited on cooking time)
In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until browned.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally.
This tastes better the next day, so it is a great choice to make ahead! I assume it would also freeze well, although we never seem to have enough to bother :)
Makes 4-5 bowls
Mini-Cornbread Muffins*
from Weelicious
1 3/4 Cup Cornmeal
3/4 Cup Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Agave
1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Whisk the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine with a whisk.
5. Pour into 24 greased mini muffin cups.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted inside.
7. Cool and serve.
Makes 24 mini-muffins
*Check out this recipe for another cornbread option!
I have made turkey chili twice before, and the result was good, but tasted more like a meat sauce than chili. So this time I made a few changes: I doubled the chili powder, added cumin, and used beef instead of turkey because I had enough grass-fed ground beef in my freezer to double the recipe. Increasing the spices definitely helped, but I'd imagine the recipe would still work just as well with turkey.
Cornbread is something I've never made before, but after looking at the ingredient lists of some premade ones I decided it was worth the effort! I made cornbread muffins in a mini-muffin tin earlier in the week and froze them in a freezer bag. Saturday night I just popped a bunch in the microwave on a plate and we had "fresh" cornbread! The recipe I found is fairly healthy - low in sugar, no butter, and has whole grain corn meal. They were a drop on the dry side, but tasted delicious warm with a shmear of butter and dipped in chili.
Here are the recipes:
Chili
adapted from Food Network
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onions (approx. 1 small onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (approx. 1 large clove)
1 pound ground turkey or lean beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juices
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (this is half the original amount - I am very sensitive to heat, so I prefer to use less in the chili and then serve Tabasco on the side for those who prefer hotter food)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (my crushed tomatoes had basil so I left this out)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or less, especially if you're limited on cooking time)
In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until browned.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally.
This tastes better the next day, so it is a great choice to make ahead! I assume it would also freeze well, although we never seem to have enough to bother :)
Makes 4-5 bowls
Mini-Cornbread Muffins*
from Weelicious
1 3/4 Cup Cornmeal
3/4 Cup Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Agave
1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Whisk the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine with a whisk.
5. Pour into 24 greased mini muffin cups.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted inside.
7. Cool and serve.
Makes 24 mini-muffins
*Check out this recipe for another cornbread option!
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