TWD: Baking with Julia - Salsa Quitza

I'm back with this week's Tuesday with Dorie/Baking with Julia recipe:  Salsa Quitza!  Are you wondering what the heck a quitza might be?  It is sort of what you would get if you combine a quiche and a pizza, according to the book.  Hmmm.  I"ll try to go with you on that one....

This recipe was written for use in a bread machine, but I gave mine away a few years ago.  Luckily, some of the other members of this group made this in advance and posted on the TWD site what they did, which helped a lot.  Oh and get this....  at first one person made a post about how to make it without a bread machine and DORIE GREENSPAN HERSELF posted back her thoughts.  Hello!  How cool is that?  (Yes, I really am a food dork, I know.)

This is one weird recipe.  The dough is just weird - it contains the usual suspects, i.e. yeast, flour, salt, water, egg, yeah okay no surprises there, right?  Keep reading though and you'll see nonfat dry milk, chili powder and refried beans!  Yes, IN the dough.  Interesting, huh?  I think this makes this sort of bread VERY HEALTHY to eat because obviously it is now a source of protein, right?

Anyway, instead of using a bread machine I put everything into my mixer, mixed it together and let it rise until it was about double in volume, which took about 1 1/2 hours.  Then it goes into a pan, which is supposed to be a 12-inch springform but I don't have one that big so I used a 10-inch cake pan.  I trimmed off a little dough to make it fit the pan better since it was smaller and hoped for the best since it wasn't a springform.  On top of the dough, you spread soft cream cheese.  Then pour over some salsa (I used a peach cherry salsa that was a gift) and top with grated cheddar cheese.  Let it rise some more as the oven heats to 475 and it's ready to bake.  I used less salsa than was called for because the bakers that finished this in advance pretty unanimously determined that the requested amount was TOO much.

My verdict?  Well, it is different.  The clever girl liked it, which makes me think I should definitely make it again as dinnertime has become quite interesting with this child. But I am just not totally sold, I suppose.  There was too much cream cheese though, and I even reduced the amount, using 10oz instead of 12.  Maybe with different toppings in general...  Not sure.  

I can't wait to see what the other bakers thought!  You can find this recipe here, but it differs from the book in these two areas:  the book calls for 12 ounces cream cheese, not 8 (though I agree with the 8) and the book calls for 2 cups salsa, not 1 1/2 (though I used 1 cup and it seemed perfect).  So really, the recipe on that link is probably about right!  You can also find it in the book, Baking with Julia, on pages 440-441.  Check out this link to see what the other bakers thought of this recipe!

Coconut Lime Shrimp Tacos

Ready for a quick and delicious dinner?  Here you go!  Coconut Lime Shrimp Tacos!  These are not only delicious, but they are very fast, especially you can get the people at the fish counter to peel and de-vein the shrimp for you before you even bring them home!  (I must admit, this is what I usually try to do.  I have a total aversion to de-veining shrimp.)  So if you can get said fishmonger to peel and de-vein the shrimp for you, you are golden and this recipe will be a snap! 

Besides the fact that the shrimp are coated in a tasty mixture of coconut and lime zest, there is an awesome salsa on top made of red pepper, mango and avocado.  Doesn't it look bright and cheerful?  It tastes that way, too!    I realize that these ingredients may be seasonal for some people, so if you can't get mango right now at your supermarket, print out this recipe and put it somewhere that you will remember it come summer.  If you CAN get mango, get it and enjoy a piece of summer for just a bit longer!

Coconut Lime Shrimp Tacos
adapted from The Housewife in Training Files
Serves 4 (2 tacos each)

Ingredients:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined (wild, if you can get it!)
1 egg
1 overflowing cup of unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 ripe mango, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced (or onion/shallot of your preference)
2 avocados, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
8 corn tortillas

Directions: 
Preheat your oven to 375F.  Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and place over a lined baking sheet.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.  Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl.  Mix the coconut, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and lemon zest in another shallow bowl or pie pan.  Dip each shrimp in the egg and then cover completely with the coconut mixture.  Place on the wire rack, evenly spaced apart.  Bake shrimp for 10  minutes, or until coconut is lightly brown and shrimp is cooked.

While the shrimp are in the oven, combine the mango, red pepper, onion, cumin, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice.  Once it is seasoned to your taste, gently mix in the avocado, being careful not to smash the pieces. 

Heat the tortillas in the microwave or over the flame of your stove.  Add the shrimp and place the salsa on top.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Printable Recipe

Yum!  Enjoy a bright, healthy, tasty dinner!

Amazing Turkey Lasagna

I just made the yummiest lasagna!  So I had to share it with you right away so you can make it too! Everyone seems to have their favorite lasagna recipe, but I promise you, this one is truly special.  It is from Ina Garten, and I rarely ever go wrong with her recipes!  First of all, she uses turkey Italian sausage, so you can feel very proud of your healthy dinner and just forget about all of that cheese, okay?  I mean, surely the use of turkey instead of pork sausage outweighs some of that yummy cheese??  Honestly, I think what makes this lasagna so delicious is the addition of some creamy goat cheese in the middle.  Mmmm.  And there is a whole new brilliant way of "cooking" the noodles that is so easy!  Ready to hear more?  Read on!

The sauce for this lasagna incorporates the turkey sausage, instead of using sauce and then layering the sausage on the cheese or something.  Smart, I think.  I think next time I might even use more sausage, just to boost the meaty/protein element of this lasagna.

Are you ready for how to cook the noodles?  It is brilliant and it WORKS, I tell you.  Instead of dumping the noodles into boiling water and trying to get them out at that perfect al-dente texture and then dumping them into a colander to cool without breaking them all to pieces, this recipe has a smart new way.  Find a large bowl.  I used the biggest mixing bowl I have and next time I might just use my big broiling pan so the noodles can lay flat.  You fill that bowl with the hottest TAP water you can.  Then add the noodles to the bowl and let them sit in the water for 20 minutes.  Done.  My noodles had troubles being totally submerged in my large mixing bowl (it just wasn't quite wide enough).  If this happens to you, no worries.  Place something heavy on the top of the noodles to hold them down.  I used a glass jar filled with my pie weights.  After about 10 minutes, I removed the jar and gently flipped the noodles around, so the ones that were on top were now on the bottom of the bowl, and then put the jar back on top.  After 20 minutes, the noodles were still fairly stiff but softened the right amount.  I will NEVER cook lasagna noodles in boiling water again!  Or use the "no bake" ones!  This is easy!

I prepared the lasagna in the morning and just threw it in the oven for dinner!  Easy.  And I have to say that this recipe is pretty forgiving, as at SOME UNKNOWN POINT during the baking of the lasagna, the clever boy stood up at the stove and TURNED OFF the heat.  He is totally fascinated by the oven/stove right now and those knobs are right in his reach when he stands up.  I need to figure out how to prevent this from happening again!  Anyway, when my timer went off, I realized that the lasagna was not only not bubbling, but that the oven didn't seem very hot.  Ugh.  So I turned the oven back on and let it cook for a bit more.  I had no idea how long it needed to go, but it worked!  Phew!  Dinner was delayed a bit but it was still delicious! 

Are you ready for the entire recipe?  Here you go!

Turkey Lasagna
adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled apart
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 XL egg, lightly beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Get out a 9x12x2-inch rectangular baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the sausage.  Break up the sausage into small chunks, and cook until the sausage is not pink, about 8-10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 TB parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.  Allow to simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.  The sauce will thicken.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl or pan with the hottest tap water.  Submerge the noodles and let them soak for 20 minutes.  Drain.

Combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, egg, remaining 2 TB parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, spreading it all over the bottom of the dish and into the corners.  Start to layer the lasagna:  1/2 of the noodles, 1/2 of the mozzerella slices, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, and 1/3 of the sauce.  Repeat the layering, ending with the sauce.  Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Printable Recipe

I am honestly not sure I'll make another lasagna again.  You can definitely adapt this recipe however you want.  You could remove the sausage and use some portobello mushrooms for a vegetarian option.  And add lots of different veggies in the layering if you wanted.  I would probably cook the veggies a little first, as this lasagna only cooks for 30 minutes so you might want to give the veggies a head start.  I would not change the cheese though.  Fresh mozzerella and goat cheese with ricotta and Parmesan?  That is some yummy, creamy, cheesy goodness right there!  This recipe was a huge hit!  Even as leftovers!  My family will definitely be seeing this again!

Italian Meatballs with Creamy Polenta

After the clever girl's dance recital, we went to one of our favorite Italian restaurants to celebrate/relax.   The recital was tons of fun for the clever girl, and lots of work for me!  She had 2 costume changes which is a lot of running back and forth to the back-stage area, trying not to break my neck in the dark.  But why we (i.e. I) really needed to relax is from the make-up situation.  Yes, for the dance recital, the clever girl has (HAS would be my word, GETS would be hers) to wear makeup.  And we aren't just saying a tad bit, it's, well, a lot, by my standards.  Powder, blush, eye shadow, mascara, and the dreaded/beloved (again, a perspective thing) "Cherries in the Snow" lipstick.  This is by the request of the dance studio, of course.  If you aren't part of this particular dance studio, you probably are not familiar with Cherries in the Snow.  Because, honestly, I can't for the life of me figure out what grown woman would wear this color lipstick.  It is a BRIGHT red/fuschia color.  And when you apply it to your little 6yr old girl, the look is shocking.  Kind of a "how to make your child look like a... " well, let's not go there, but I think you probably get the drift.  The first time we put it on the clever girl, she even said that it needed to be toned down a bit.  Okay?  Anyway, after the hair is done (no fly-aways!!) and the make-up is applied, my innocent little girl looked about 16 years old, and my future flashed in front of my eyes.  It was scary!  As you can see, I am still a bit traumatized by the situation. 

Are you wondering what this has to do with meatballs?  I'll tell you, I promise.  We went to the yummy Italian place for dinner, where the clever boy absolutely went to town on these giant meatballs that we ordered.  He LOVED them.  A-HA!  I thought.  I must make giant meatballs!  I decided to serve them with creamy polenta because, well, it's a really great idea and because the clever boy loves polenta as well.  Win-win dinner plan!

After lots of research into the best Italian Meatball recipe, I settled on the recipe below.  Though many swear by using beef, pork and veal in meatballs, I have a THING about veal so I needed a 2-meat meatball.  These were perfect!  Don't be alarmed by the long list of ingredients - they are easy to find and the recipe is pretty easy and fast to put together!

Italian Meatballs
adapted from Simply Recipes
Makes about 16 meatballs

Ingredients:
Meatballs
1 pound ground beef (at least 16% fat)
1 pound ground pork
2/3 cup milk (whole or 2%)
3 slices of white bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 TB chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
about 1 cup flour, for dusting
1/3 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups (24 oz.) tomato sauce (your own or use following recipe)

Tomato Sauce
2 TB olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
3/4 cup finely chopped carrots
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28 -oz. can crushed or whole tomatoes, including the juice (I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 TB chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoon tomato paste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
If you are using the above recipe for tomato sauce, start with that.  The sauce will simmer while you prepare the meatballs.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, celery and parsley (I chopped them all together in the food processor).  Stir to coat with the oil, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan.  Cook until the vegetables are soft and coked through, about15-20 minutes.  Remove the cover, add the garlic, and increase the heat to medium-high.  Cook the garlic for 30 seconds and then add the tomatoes.  If you are using whole canned tomatoes, break them up with your fingers as you add them, otherwise just dump in the can of crushed tomatoes.  Add the tomato paste and basil and season with salt and pepper.   Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low, and allow to cook uncovered until thick 15-30 minutes.  Puree the sauce in a blender or food processor, or push through a food mill, and pour it back into the large skillet.

For the meatballs:  Heat the milk in a small saucepan until steamy.  Turn off the heat, tear the bread into little pieces, and soak it in the milk until the bread partially dissolves.  Mash the bread until it is paste-like.  Pour it onto a plate to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the meats, cheeses, eggs, salt, herbs, pepper, garlic and the bread-mixture (all of the ingredients ABOVE the flour for dusting).  Mix well with your hands until it barely combines.  Don't overwork the mixture, this will make for tough meatballs!  It's ok to have some clear bits of bread or meat in the mix - better than than tough meatballs.

Pour the flour into a pie pan or other flat dish.  Wet your hands and form meatballs.  A traditional size is 2-3 inches.  Mine were closer to 3+.  Once the meatball is rolled in your hands, roll it in flour.   Set each floured meatball on a baking sheet as you finish the other meatballs.

When all of the meatballs are ready, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the meatballs on at least 2 sides.  They will continue cooking in the sauce, so don't worry about getting them all the way done.

Arrange the browned meatballs in the sauce, turning each one over so it is coated.  Cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with the sauce and creamy polenta!
Printable Recipe

Creamy Polenta
adapted from The Kitchn
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
1 cup cheese (optional)
1-3 TB butter (optional)

Directions
Bring the water to a boil and add the salt.  Pour the polenta into the boiling water while whisking constantly.  Turn the heat down to low and continue to whisk as the polenta thickens.  Cover the pan and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring vigorously every 10 minutes or so.  Make sure you scrape down the sides and around the corners of the pan.  If you are using cheese and butter, add this after the polenta is at the consistency that you prefer.  Serve immediately, or cover and let sit for up to 15 minutes before serving. 
Printable Recipe
 

Yum.  Happy baby, happy family!  This is great comfort food!  The meatballs are nice and soft in the middle, but a bit of a crisp on the outside.  The tomato sauce is really flavorful and quite good.  Serve it all on a bed of creamy cheesy polenta and it is happiness on a plate!  This is a wonderful way to recover from any particular stressful situation.  Add a glass of red wine (or not if you prefer) and you have taken a giant step in the direction of AHHHHH.  I wish for you to have more time in bliss, and to never have to experience the Cherries in the Snow!

Grown-up Grilled Cheese with Roasted Tomato Bisque

Friends, the photo here does not do this meal justice.  This is some seriously amazing Grown-Up Grilled Cheese, with Roasted Tomato Soup.  In my ongoing quest to find good, "relatively" healthy, quick weeknight dinners, I found these recipes on Food Network, by Jeff Mauro, the "Sandwich King".  I happened to watch the "Next Food Network Star" show when he competed, and thought that he had good personality and some good ideas, so I thought this recipe could be a hit. And Mmm, mmm, it is. 

It starts out with some caramelized onions.  Now, personally, I think that anything that involves caramelized onions is likely going to be delicious.  They are magical.  Raw onions?  Not so much.  But cook the heck out of those onions with some oil/butter and KA-POWIE, they are delectable!  Add some gruyere cheese to that and you have bliss in a sandwich.  So, this recipe isn't totally "quick" if you don't plan ahead with the caramelized onions, but here is a tip for that.  Some time, when you are home for a bit, make up a GIGANTIC batch of caramelized onions.  Use a zillion onions.  They cook down a lot, so you certainly (unfortunately) won't end up with a ton of caramelized onions.  HOWEVER, if you find that you have more than you could possibly need for whatever your initial intended purpose, you can FREEZE them in smaller amounts that you can then USE LATER.  Pull out a portion, let it thaw in the refrigerator, and you are ready.  No sweat.

My Favorite Pork Tenderloin

My friends, what you see here is a truly scrumptious dinner.  Well, ignore the green beans.  They are nothing special, other than the fact that they get the privilege of sharing a plate with my favorite pork tenderloin and some butternut squash risotto.  Wowie.  I could eat this meal every night.  Well, no, I take that back.  If I did, I would probably gain a zillion pounds.  More importantly, that would make this particular dinner nothing special anymore.  And that would be a travesty, because it is yummy.

We will start with the pork tenderloin.  I found this recipe approximately forever ago and have made it ever since.  The recipe is made with a glaze on top, but the first time I made it, I messed up in the glaze amounts and ended up with more of a crust on top, which I found to be spectacular.  So I have changed the recipe to make the top more of a crunchy top than a glaze.  I'll provide you with both methods - which do you prefer?

Book Group Soup

I am in a neighborhood book group, and yesterday was my turn to host!  For our group, that means that you choose the book and prepare a light meal at your house for the meeting.  I said a little prayer for fall weather (it had been in the 80's here - blech) and decided to serve soup and salad.  My prayers were answered!  A cool front came in during the afternoon and the temperatures dropped!  Perfect for soup!  Thank goodness, since we were having soup regardless!  I made Italian Sausage and Bean soup.  I found this recipe one day while at my favorite grocery store (HEB, for you Texans out there) with my sister.  They were sampling the soup and we both thought it was WAY too salty but had real potential.  Boy, am I glad we grabbed that recipe because it has become one of my favorites!  I think it may become one of your favorites, too!

In my personal opinion, this soup is even better the next day.  The flavors really come together and the broth thickens a bit.  So, if you are someone who likes leftovers, this is an awesome deal.  OR, if you like to plan ahead, cook up this soup the night before you want to serve it, stopping at the point before you would add the pasta.  Refrigerate overnight and then bring to a boil the next day, throw in the pasta, and VOILA!  Dinner is ready!

Italian Sausage and Bean Soup

Ingredients: 
2 TB olive oil, divided
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed if in link form (can use turkey Italian sausage here!)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 TB minced garlic (around three medium cloves)
1 TB salt-free Italian seasoning (I recommend Penzey's Tuscan Sunset - YUM)
5-6 cups chicken stock
1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow macaroni or dilatini (which looks like small tubes)

Instructions:

Heat 1 TB olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the sausages into small pieces with the edge of a wooden spoon.  Remove to a paper-towel lined shallow bowl and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the same pot, and saute the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and Italian seasoning.  Cook 7-9 minutes, until the veggies are tender.  Return the sausage to the pot.

Stir in the broth, starting with the lower amount.  Add the tomatoes and beans.  Bring soup to a full boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.

Before serving, bring soup to a full boil and add pasta.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the pasta is al dente.  Check the pasta package for an idea as to how much time this might take, though probably around 10 minutes.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and /or crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Printable Recipe

I think you could call this a minestrone soup, actually.  I am not sure why not. And I like that name better, so I think from now on I'll call this minestrone soup.  You look at the ingredients, do you agree that it is essentially a minestrone? 

Just in case you are wondering, we discussed the book, The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom.  It was my second time reading it, and I enjoyed it just as much this time!  I highly recommend!

I hope you enjoy some hot soup on a nice cool fall day!

Maple-Orange Pork Tenderloin

This is one of our favorite pork tenderloin recipes!  My mom found it first and passed it my way.  It is easy to do, the hardest part is remembering to marinate the pork for an hour before cooking.  I often forget that a recipe needs to marinate and then run out of time and have a frenzy about NOW what do I make for dinner!

Maple-Orange Pork Tenderloin
adapted from Taste of Home
serves 6+
Ingredients:
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 TB reduced-sodium soy sauce or Tamari
2 TB ketchup
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pork tenderloins, 1 pound each

Instructions:  
Combine the first 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag.  Add the pork, seal the bag and swish it around so the entire tenderloin is coated in the marinade.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Remove the tenderloin from the bag and reserve marinade.  Place pork in a roasting pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until a meat thermometer reads 145F.  Let pork rest for 10 minutes.  While pork rests, put the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  You must allow the marinade to boil in order to kill any yucky germs from when it was touching the raw tenderloin. 

Slice the tenderloin and drizzle with maple-orange sauce. 
Printable Recipe

This recipe is so easy and is delicious.  I generally make half of the recipe, which is plenty for the three of us plus a small portion of leftovers.  My daughter loves the fact that it has a sauce - sauces make everything better!  Give it a try.  It might become a go-to recipe for you, too!

Crispy Salmon and Arugula Salad with Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette

I am cooking fish again!  I took a fish hiatus in my old house.  The combination of pregnancy and a not-great kitchen ventilation system did me in and I swore off of cooking all fish/seafood until we moved.  The old house had one of those vents that raised up from behind the stove, which in all honesty, is WAY better than no vent.  However it still does not get everything out and I just can't stand the smell of yesterday's dinner in my house the next day.  The new house has a ventilation hood system, which works way better!  (Did I mention yet that I love my new kitchen?  You'll probably just have to put up with me talking about it for a while, just to warn you.)  Anyway, I tried this new salmon recipe and it was DELICIOUS. 

The recipe is from Cooking Light magazine.  It is super easy (a huge plus in my book) and very tasty.  I highly recommend that you give it a try!  I will definitely make it again.  The clever girl has begged me to!

Crispy Salmon and Arugula Salad with Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1/4 cup grated carrot
3 TB fresh orange juice
2 TB finely chopped onion or shallot, divided
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 teaspoons rice vinegar, divided
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 oz. baby arugula (about 6 cups loosely packed)
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 (6-ounce) fresh salmon fillets (I suggest wild Alaskan)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Combine carrot, orange juice, 1 TB onion, 1 TB olive oil, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mini food processor or small blender.  Process one minute or until well combined.

Place arugula, tomatoes and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add the remaining onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, rice vinegar and sesame oil and toss well.  Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss again.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle fish with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.  Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add fish to pan, skin side down.  Cook 6 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp.  Turn fish over and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.  Arrange  1 1/2 cups of salad on each plate, top with 1 fillet and 2 TB vinaigrette.
Printable Recipe

As you can tell from the photo, I forgot the cherry tomatoes in my salad, but it was great anyway!  The viniagrette reminds me of some I have had in Asian restaurants.  The bitterness of the arugula with the sweetness of the salmon and the zip of the vinaigrette is really a fantastic combination.

I am not exaggerating when I say that the clever girl has begged me to make this again.  She gushed over the delicious meal (so nice to hear when sometimes dinnertime is SUCH a challenge) and has asked several times when we will have it again. I win.  A delicious dinner and a happy kid all at the same time!

Ham Quiche

I think I have mentioned before that my family enjoys quiche.  Really, anything in a pie crust is good in my book!  Anyway, this is a very adaptable recipe.  You can pretty much do this with whatever you happen to have in your refrigerator, which is the best kind of recipe, in my opinion!  I developed this recipe after trying some others and figuring out what works best for us!

Sprinkle 1 cup of a mixture of whatever shredded cheeses you like into a pie crust, and top with 1 cup of diced ham.  You could throw in some veggies here too, if you want!

Whisk together eggs, milk, dry mustard, worchestershire sauce and hot sauce and pour over the ham and cheese.  Mix it together gently with your fingertips, being careful not to poke the crust.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and nutmeg.

Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy a delicious meal!

Ham Quiche
Ingredients:
1 cup ham (or whatever - any meat or veggie would work!)
1 cup grated cheeses of your preference (for this one, I used cheddar, mozzarella, and a hard goat cheese that we happened to have.  I often add in swiss as well.)
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
a dash or two of hot sauce, optional
grated Parmesan
a few shakes of ground nutmeg
pie dough (I highly recommend THIS recipe - Foolproof Pie Dough)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F.  Roll the pie dough into a circle and lay it into a 9-inch pie pan.  Fold the edges under and crimp or pinch the edges.

Scatter the cheese/s and ham over the bottom of the pie crust.  In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, dry mustard, worchestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Pour over the ham and cheese, and stir it lightly with your fingertips or a spoon, just enough to get the egg mixture through the cheese.  You could also mix the ham and cheese into the bowl with the eggs, but I think this is more fun!  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, then sprinkle with nutmeg.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing and eating.
Printable Recipe

Give it a try!  I'd love to hear of your favorite combinations!

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Lately, I have been on the lookout for fast, delicious dinners and this one is perfect!  I found the recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe (which, if you have never visited, I highly suggest you do so right after reading my post). 

It's easy, its delicious, and it fits the needs of all members of my family.  It is cheesy and involves pasta (we all love pasta!), with lots of sauce and juicy chicken.  Perfect.  The clever girl eats this right up!

Easy Chicken Parmesan
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make 6 thinner chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded provolone or sharp provolone cheese
Hot spaghetti noodles for serving

Combine the garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot.  Rinse and then dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel, then season both sides of each piece with salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour, coating both sides.  Gently place the 3-4 of the chicken pieces (whatever fits loosely) in the hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes.  Flip over and cook for another 3 minutes until a golden crust is formed on each side.  The chicken will cook further later, so you do not need to make sure they are cooked through in this step.  Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Wipe the excess oil from the skillet and pour the tomato mixture into the skillet.  Be careful, as the skillet might still be hot!  Turn the heat to medium and gently nestle the browned chicken into the sauce, making room for all of the chicken pieces.  The chicken should be mostly covered with sauce.  Cover the skillet and simmer on medium or medium-low for 15 minutes.  If the chicken is sticking to the skillet, turn the heat down a bit.  Now is a good time to cook your pasta noodles.












Remove the lid from the skillet and sprinkle the mozzarella, provolone, and remaining Parmesan over the chicken and sauce.  Cover again and cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. 

Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.
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An easy weeknight meal.  What is better?

Deep Dish Ham Quiche

My family enjoys quiche.  I figure anything made in a pie shell is good, and since the clever girl agrees that makes dinner easier at times!  This is the Deep Dish Ham Quiche by Tyler Florence.  It is different than my normal quiche, in that this one is almost custard-like on the inside, with a smooth velvety texture.  YUM.  Since it is deep dish, you get lots of that yummy velvety stuff.  Plus, unlike most quiches, it does not contain any cheese.  Different, huh?  Oh, and it includes caramelized onions.  Is there anything that isn't made better with caramelized onions?  Well, in the savory food category, anyway?  I do think caramelized onion ice cream would be dreadful, but in savory items, it is ALL GOOD.  I wouldn't say this is a HEALTHY recipe, but every so often you just have to dive in and go all the way with food.   I did try to make it a "little" healthier but it is what it is.

Deep-Dish Ham Quiche

adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network

1 pastry shell - I use this recipe but you could use a store-bought one as well!
Filling:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin-olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions, sliced
3/4 pound smoked ham, cubed
8 large eggs
1 quart heavy cream (! used 2 cups 2% milk and 2 cups heavy cream)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roll your pastry/pie crust into a 14-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick.  Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch springform pan and press the dough firmly onto the bottom and the sides so it fits tightly.  Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet so it is easier to move in and out of the oven.  Your oven will thank you if there are any leaks, plus the quiche is pretty heavy so the cookie sheet helps there, too.

To make the filling:

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.  Coat the pan with oil and add the onions.  Allow to slowly cook, stirring, until they caramelize and release their natural sugars.  Add a few tablespoons of water to help the onions break down if you need to.  This can take 30 minutes to an hour, so you could do this in advance if you prefer.  Once the onions are nice and caramelized, add the ham and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes to get some color in the ham.  Remove from the heat.  

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.  Add the cream/milk, season with salt and pepper.  Arrange the caramelized onions and ham over the bottom of the crust and carefully pour in the cream/egg mixture.  The filling should be about 1 inch from the top of the pan.  Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the quiche is set, puffy, and jiggles slightly.  Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving. 

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This recipe takes a bit more time than your average quiche recipe but I encourage you to give it a try.  It makes a nice dinner and could be a special brunch dish as well.  I like that it is different - more custardy, no cheese...  It really is delicious!

Balsamic Roast Beef

Interested in a really great slow cooker recipe?  Look no further.  This Balsamic Roast Beef is flat-out delicious!  And it is super easy.  Throw the ingredients into your crock pot, let that crock pot do it's job, and in 6-8 hours (if you cook it on low) dinner is ready!  It is that simple and is REALLY good. 

Balsamic Roast Beef
adapted from Add A Pinch

Serves 6-8
1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
1 cup beef broth
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Place the beef in your slow cooker insert.  Mix together the remaining ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup or a small bowl.  Pour over the beef and set the cooker for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

With tongs, remove the cooked beef from the cooker and place in a serving bowl.  Break it apart a bit with 2 forks and then ladle 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce over the beef.  Or, for more pronounced flavor, skim the sauce and put it into a small saucepan on the stove.  Heat over medium-high heat until the sauce is reduced by half.  Pour this over the beef. 

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Dinner?  DONE!  Throw together some side dish and you have an amazing meal! 

Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage

There is a restaurant in town that makes this amazing orecchiette pasta that Mr. Clever Mom and I order every time we visit.  I finally decided that I needed to try to re-create the dish in my own kitchen.  I found a similar dish and added some things and I think we came up with something good!

Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage
adapted from Food Network Magazine

Kosher salt
12 ounces orecchiette pasta or pasta shape of your choice
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 ounces spicy Italian sausage (or sweet or mild, whatever you prefer)
2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced cremini onions
2-3 cups fresh spinach
freshly ground pepper
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth/stock
1/2 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook as the label directs.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the green onions and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes.  Add the garlic, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 3 more minutes.  Add the tomatoes and spinach and cook until the tomatoes soften and the spinach begins to wilt, about 3 more minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.  Add the broth to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes.  Stir in the pasta and cheese, adding some of the reserved pasta water to loosen pasta if needed.  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and top with more cheese and toasted pine nuts.
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We all loved it!

You can adapt this recipe however you like.  Add some red pepper, use a different type of sausage, use a different green than spinach like kale or something, do whatever you want!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I have found an easy, yummy way to make chicken enchiladas!  I didn't come up with it myself, but stumbled upon it during one of my weekly quests for dinner inspiration online.  The recipe comes from Add A Pinch. 

Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from Add A Pinch
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR 3-4 breasts
1 10-oz. can + 1 14-oz. can enchilada sauce
1 8-oz. can green chiles
1/2 medium onion, diced
8 10-inch flour tortillas OR about 15 6-inch flour tortillas
12 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
2 green onions, chopped for topping (optional)
cilantro, chopped for topping (optional)
avocado, sliced for topping (optional)
sour cream, for topping (optional)

Spray a slow cooker insert with cooking spray.  Add chicken to insert and pour smaller can of enchilada sauce over the chicken.  (If the chicken isn't totally covered, add more from the second can of sauce.)  Cook on high setting for 4 hours or low setting for 8 hours.  Shred chicken with a fork in the enchilada sauce.  Drain green chiles and add to the chicken with the diced onion.  Mix well to combine.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Spoon chicken mixture into the center of each flour tortilla.  Top with a generous sprinkle of cheese and fold the ends of the tortilla over the filled center.  Place the tortilla seam side down into the baking dish.  Repeat until all tortillas have been filled, or you run out of chicken filing, whichever comes first.  Pour the second can of enchilada sauce over the assembled tortillas.  Sprinkle more grated cheese over the top.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and has gotten bubbly. 

Garnish with chosen toppings.
Printable Recipe

This was so good and so easy!  I used smaller tortillas that are made in my grocery store (and are amazingly yummy) and ended up using more than just a 9x13 pan.  I used another pan, maybe a 7x11, for the rest.  Sorry, it has been a while and I can't totally remember, but it all depends on the size of your tortillas and how fat you stuff them!

I am definitely going to try this again with a green chile/cilantro sauce or something.  You could totally spice these up and change them around, or just eat them as is, which is delicious!  Go for it!

TWD: Baking with Julia - Pizza with Onion Confit

This week's recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie was Pizza with Onion Confit.  Honestly, this almost became a recipe that didn't happen for me.  Besides the fact that I sort of forgot about it until Monday morning, the day before this post was due, it also happened that I broke my fingertip the night before and was not quite sure I could cook.

Now, you may think, "broken fingertip, no big deal".  And the reality is that in the scheme of things, it really is no big deal.  It could have been an entire finger or my entire hand or really much much worse than it is.  However, I am pregnant.  So when I finally decided that I probably needed medical attention (at 11pm) and went to an emergency clinic, I realized how difficult being pregnant made this situation.  No x-ray --- potential harm to the baby.  So though I don"t know for sure that it is broken, the doc seemed pretty certain.  Oh, and pain meds?  Not so much.  Again, potential harm to the baby.  Just Tylenol, sorry,  WITH A BROKEN BONE?!?  Ugh.  Happily, my obstetrician approved something a bit stronger today so maybe I can sleep tonight!  Oh, are you wondering how this happened in the first place?  It was in the process of constructing a "big girl" bed for my daughter, which will be fodder for another post.  A part of the bed started falling over, Mr. Clever Mom jumped over me to catch it, and in the process he landed ON and then pushed OFF of my finger with his foot, crushing it into our concrete garage floor.  Trust me, he feels awful.   

Turkey Chili

It has finally gotten cool here in Houston, so I made some Turkey Chili to celebrate the weather.  Seriously, readers, it has been in the 80's lately and it's driving me batty!  I do realize that I live in Texas but can't it just get sort-of wintery in December?  Ugh.  Finally, a cold front has come through and I am ECSTATIC.   The clever girl is, too.  She certainly comes from me, as every day she asks whether she can wear long sleeves and long pants because it is "supposed" to be wintertime, and is so disappointed when the answer is no.  She has repeatedly told me that in the winter there is supposed to be snow and we should be wearing scarves and hats and gloves, and that Houston weather is just "not right".  That's my girl!

Anyway, on to the chili!  This recipe comes from Cooking Light and I change it up a bit sometimes but mostly stick to what the recipe calls suggests.  It is yummy and perfect for a cool day!

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

You may have been wondering if I would figure out some sort of savory pumpkin dish during my pumpkin frenzy.  Here it is!  Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage!  It is a super easy weeknight meal that is a nice different take on your typical pasta dish.  Ever had a pumpkin sauce with pasta before?  You should try this one!  It's delicious!

Gnocchi with a Ham and Peas Cream Sauce

Do you have those days when you get to the afternoon and realize you have NO IDEA what you will do for dinner?  I have them all of the time, lately.  The one thing I wanted to make was too involved and time consuming at that point so I was at a loss.  Time to get creative....  Enter, Gnocchi with a Ham and Peas Cream Sauce.

Periodically I purchase packaged gnocchi (not the frozen kind but the kind in the pasta aisle) to have on hand.  Thank goodness I did this recently as it gave me a jumping off point for dinner planning!  I googled "gnocchi sauces" and found a lot of recipes for tomato sauces (no canned or fresh tomatoes in the house) and then I found a recipe for a Bacon and Peas Cream Sauce.  Eureka, I thought.  Then I went into the kitchen.  Strangely, I had no bacon in the freezer and very little peas.  Hmmm.  That doesn't look good.  But I had thinly sliced deli ham and a fresh zucchini, so that would have to work!

And work it did!  It was DELICIOUS.  Even the clever girl said "Momma, this is yummy.  Can you make it again??"  Yahoo!  I did it!  I'll try to tell you what I did, as well as what the original recipe suggested, so you can choose how you want to make this delicious, fast dinner too!

Gnocchi with a Ham and Peas Cream Sauce
adapted a lot from the reluctantgourmet.com
2 TB olive oil
2 TB unsalted butter
1 medium sweet yellow onion, halved and cut into thin half-rounds
4 cloves garlic, pressed
~9 thin slices of deli ham (I failed to weigh this, sorry), sliced into pieces about 1/2 inch by 1 inch
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 pound gnocchi
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

First, put a large pot of water on the stove for boiling the gnocchi.  Get it to boiling so it is ready when you are!

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil.  Once the butter is melted, add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and zucchini and continue to saute for another minute.  Add the ham and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the ham is the consistency you like and the zucchini is is starting to soften.  Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan if there are any stuck bits from the onions or garlic, then add the milk and peas.  When I made this, I accidentally used only 1/4 cup milk and thought to myself that it should be increased a bit, then realized that it actually called for 1/2 cup so that would be better to get a nicer sauce. 

Once you have added the milk to the skillet, add the gnocchi to the boiling water.  Gnocchi usually only takes 2-3 minutes to cook.  They are done when they float to the top of the water.  Drain the gnocchi and add them to the skillet along with the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg.  I have this awesome cool strainer spoon which I used to take the gnocchi from the pan as they finished and add them to the skillet.  If you don't have this cool gadget (you might want to get one!!) but you could also just use a regular spoon, being careful to drain the water each time, or just wait until all of the gnocchi is floating and dump it into a regular strainer. 

Gently stir the gnocchi, cheese and nutmeg into the sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve to your family and watch them clean their plates!!

NOTE:  The original recipe called for a red or yellow onion, 3 strips of bacon, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 1 cup of frozen peas.  If you use bacon, you don't have to get the bacon to a crisp point when cooking, just cooked through. 
Printable Recipe

I couldn't be happier with this fast, last minute creation.  I will definitely have to start making sure I have gnocchi on hand all the time, for evenings like this.  The recipe is super adaptable with whatever you happen to have in your refrigerator.  Maybe someday I'll make my own gnocchi for this meal, but until that inspiration really gets me, I'm happy with the ready-made kind!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Mmmm, there is nothing that says comfort like baked pasta.  My friend Callie made me these Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells shortly after the clever girl was born.  What a gift!  Not only was it delicious but it was so wonderful to have an amazing dinner brought to me at a time when I really needed the help!  My neighborhood has a similar plan for moms with new babies.  We sign up to bring them meals every other day for the first 3 weeks.  After receiving such help from my friends, I have to help the neighborhood ladies!  So, after my friend Susan recently had her third baby, I signed up on her schedule and made Callie's stuffed shells.

The recipe is something Callie created so feel free to tweak it any way you like!  And as you can see from the photo, it makes a TON.  It is hard to tell, but there are approximately 15 shells in both the 8-inch square pan and the aluminum round pan, and about 7 or 8 in the small loaf pan in the back.  The thing is, with a box of pasta shells, either you make the whole box and have a bunch of shells, or the box will sit half full in my pantry and take up space.  I'd rather fill my freezer with a ready-made dinner than have the half-full box in my pantry!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
1 package Jumbo Shell Pasta
extra virgin olive oil
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce.  If you don't have a favorite, here is my solution:  buy Classico Marinara or Tomato and Basil, dump it in a bowl, and add Worcestershire sauce, italian seasoning, fresh basil and oregano, fresh ground pepper, and whatever else you think tastes good.  Voila, yummy "jarred" sauce!
2 small containers part-skim ricotta cheese
small package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
6 oz grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2+ garlic cloves, pressed
mozzarella cheese (I used approximately 3 cups in this batch)

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Boil the pasta to al dente.  In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, eggs, and a couple of handfuls of mozzarella.  Spray baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray. 
 Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta cooking water, and allow it to cool enough to handle.  This shouldn't take long.  I do not recommend running cool water over the pasta to speed this process.  When you do this, you remove some of the starch from the outside of the noodles, and the starch is what helps the sauce to adhere to the noodle.  Instead, just let the noodles cool off and if they end up sticking to each other a bit, pour some of the reserved pasta water over the noodles to help loosen them back up.
Fill the pasta shells with the cheese and spinach mixture and place them seam side down in the casserole dish(es).  Pour some marinara sauce over the noodles and top with another handful or so of mozzarella cheese.
Bake covered for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.  Uncover and bake a little more to brown the top.
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I brought this to my friend with a loaf of cheesy garlic bread, a tossed salad, and some freshly baked brownies.   I hope she and her husband enjoyed an easy dinner night, and the entire family enjoyed the bounty.  We certainly did!