Brit and I had leftover tortillas and cheese from our quesadillas that we needed to use up before we go on vacation this Saturday. Our veggie tostadas turned out really well, so I proposed we make tostadas again. We also had lots of leftover chicken from a chicken roaster Brit made on Sunday, so we only needed a few more ingredients to make ourselves some chicken tostadas.
Chicken Tostadas
serves 4
Roast chicken
Tortillas
Mexican blend cheese
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
Olive oil
Chicken stock
Salt pepper
Sour cream
Chipotle salsa
1 can refried beans
1 tomato, diced
Mix the can of refried beans in a small pot with some healthy scoops of salsa over low-medium heat until hot.
Saute the sliced onion and bell pepper in a little olive oil and fully cook in a few splashes of chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In the same saute pan, spray with non-stick spray, and toast the tortillas over low heat until brown and crisp.
On your plate, layer one toasted tortilla, the bean/salsa mixture, cheese, roast chicken pieces, sauteed veggies, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and more salsa.
Pretend you can eat this dish with grace, give up after just one or two bites, cut it all up, mix together, and enjoy! Go back for seconds if you desire.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Garlic Noodles with Shrimp
Tonight we re-made the garlic noodles with shrimp dish from last month that we both really enjoyed and appreciated for how easy it is to make. There were a few minor variations that we added to tonight's recipe that definitely made the dish better and more fun.
Last time I made this dish I counted out 40 pieces of pre-cooked shrimp thinking it was approximately half of the bag. Turns out we still had well over half of the bag remaining and we decided to just use it all. Since there was significantly more shrimp this time, I doubled the volume for most of the marinade components (oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper).
We also had a 1-2 ounces of cooked pasta leftover from the linguine with ground turkey meat sauce that I added to our freshly cooked package of linguine when it came time to stir fry the noodles in butter and garlic.
The increased amount of pasta complemented the increased amount of shrimp very well and the concentration of seafood in this dish was a lot better than the previous time we made it.
Sadly, we forgot to get parmesan cheese for tonight's meal and ate it without the garnish. Everything was still delicious, but I would highly recommend to anyone making this recipe to ensure you have parmesan cheese nearby.
Last time I made this dish I counted out 40 pieces of pre-cooked shrimp thinking it was approximately half of the bag. Turns out we still had well over half of the bag remaining and we decided to just use it all. Since there was significantly more shrimp this time, I doubled the volume for most of the marinade components (oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper).
We also had a 1-2 ounces of cooked pasta leftover from the linguine with ground turkey meat sauce that I added to our freshly cooked package of linguine when it came time to stir fry the noodles in butter and garlic.
The increased amount of pasta complemented the increased amount of shrimp very well and the concentration of seafood in this dish was a lot better than the previous time we made it.
Sadly, we forgot to get parmesan cheese for tonight's meal and ate it without the garnish. Everything was still delicious, but I would highly recommend to anyone making this recipe to ensure you have parmesan cheese nearby.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Chicken Curry with Southern Greens over Brown Rice
Even though we've been planning to make it all week, the curry was inevitably put off until last night - it's delicious, but it takes an excruciatingly long time to prepare - at least it seems like forever when you get home at 5:30, already tired and hungry for dinner. But it's a great weekend meal and totally worth the 1.5 hour wait.
Chicken Curry with Cashews
(based on the Epicurious recipe, tweaked to make it slightly healthier)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3ish tablespoons curry powder (I rarely accurately measure spices, and I err on the side of more of it)
2 teaspoons salt
1ish teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 lbs. chicken breast, sliced on a diagonal (about 30 pieces)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes - I used about 2/3 of a 28-oz. can
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions slowly, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 more minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Cook's Note: I followed the cooking instructions almost to a T - the only difference was that I cooked the onions for a few minutes before I added the garlic and ginger. This was the third time I've made this curry recipe and this go 'round was by far the best; the chicken was tender, the curry creamy, and the flavor was deep and rich. I will continue to follow the instructions as written from now on - for this recipe, anyway. :)
Chicken Curry with Cashews
(based on the Epicurious recipe, tweaked to make it slightly healthier)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3ish tablespoons curry powder (I rarely accurately measure spices, and I err on the side of more of it)
2 teaspoons salt
1ish teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 lbs. chicken breast, sliced on a diagonal (about 30 pieces)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes - I used about 2/3 of a 28-oz. can
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions slowly, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 more minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Cook's Note: I followed the cooking instructions almost to a T - the only difference was that I cooked the onions for a few minutes before I added the garlic and ginger. This was the third time I've made this curry recipe and this go 'round was by far the best; the chicken was tender, the curry creamy, and the flavor was deep and rich. I will continue to follow the instructions as written from now on - for this recipe, anyway. :)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Turkey and Squash Quesadillas
Brit and I had originally planned on cooking a chicken curry with cashews dish that we had previously really enjoyed, but we had run out of onions already this week and didn't feel like running to the store real quick. Instead we heated up a bunch of leftovers to eat before they went bad (saffron risotto from last Thursday and chickpeas and tomatoes pasta from last Tuesday) along with extra squash from last Saturday's veggie pizza that we would incorporate into a quesadilla with leftover sliced turkey meat, mexican cheese, and honey mustard from last week's turkey and apple quesadillas.
The quesadilla were made in the same manner as the turkey and apple quesadillas, except we exchanged the apple for the sauteed squash. The combination worked surprisingly well and was overall a big success. I do miss the crunch from the apple slices that our original recipe provides, but the flavor was still quite nice.
The quesadilla were made in the same manner as the turkey and apple quesadillas, except we exchanged the apple for the sauteed squash. The combination worked surprisingly well and was overall a big success. I do miss the crunch from the apple slices that our original recipe provides, but the flavor was still quite nice.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Linguine with Ground Turkey Meat Sauce
When returning from Oklahoma last week, our friend MLove graciously picked us up from the airport, saving us a lot of money that would have been spent taking a taxi home. To repay her, Brit and I invited her over for dinner the following week. Brit and I considered making either our seafood mix with garbanzo beans or my ground turkey meat sauce with pasta. MLove liked the idea of either and Brit and I decided to do something we hadn't eaten in a while, so pasta and sauce it was.
This dish is a recipe of mine from my childhood that Brit has fallen in love with. The original recipe was for homemade meatballs my mom would make, but I've adapted it to be a meat sauce. In reality, every time I would try to make the meatballs, I would get anxious about how cooked they were and would break open a few to see if they were done. By the time they were all cooked, the dish had devolved into just being a pasta sauce with meat chunks. I have since stopped trying to make meatballs and have evolved the dish into what it is today.
Pasta with Meat Sauce
serves 5-6
1 package pasta of your choice (we actually used a combo of linguini and thin spaghetti)
Olive oil
Salt
1 can pasta sauce (we bought a roasted garlic marinara from TJs)
1 lbs ground turkey breast
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2-3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper
Garlic powder
6 garlic cloves, minced
Mushroom/asparagus/red onion mix from TJs (we were going to use this in another dish, forgot to, and decided to use the veggies in the meat sauce instead)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
6 carrots, diced and then quartered (we bought a mix of 3 different types of carrots from the farmer's market)
1-2 tbsp diced chives
Head of broccoli, chopped small
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
In a large pot of water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Be sure to add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and to salt the water liberally.
In a glass bowl, combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, lemon juice, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until everything is well incorporated and then set aside.
Saute all of the veggies except the mushrooms, garlic, and chives. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add in the mushrooms, garlic, and chives and continue to cook until the mushrooms are done. I usually try to separate my veggies like this since the pepper, carrots, and onions always need more time to soften. The mushrooms and garlic don't need as long to be done and I've found that adding garlic at the beginning causes it to burn.
Once all of the veggies are complete, add the ground turkey and break it up into small bites with a spatula as it cooks. When the meat is fully cooked, add in the pasta sauce, mix everything together well, and simmer with the lid on for at least 10 minutes. Longer cooking times would help incorporate the flavors into the sauce better, but sometimes we're just too hungry to wait.
While the sauce is simmering, boil some water to cook and steam the asparagus and broccoli. The asparagus needed more time than the , so Brit removed the cooked broccoli with tongs, strained them dry, and let the asparagus cook until they were done.
Just as the asparagus were being strained, MLove showed up and we eagerly sat down to eat. The meal was served Brit's favorite way: in a bowl with the greens on top of the sauce, which is on top of the pasta. Parmigiano-reggiano cheese was provided to garnish the dish.
I love this meal and so does Brit. It's such a delicious reminder of both of our childhoods. There are always a lot of leftovers, so it's great to eat it for a few lunches or even dinner later in the week. The types of veggies we use varies every time, but I try to at least have onion, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, and the steamed broccoli. Asparagus and red onion was a new one for us and I rather liked it. This is also such a healthy dish too that I love to prepare it.
This dish is a recipe of mine from my childhood that Brit has fallen in love with. The original recipe was for homemade meatballs my mom would make, but I've adapted it to be a meat sauce. In reality, every time I would try to make the meatballs, I would get anxious about how cooked they were and would break open a few to see if they were done. By the time they were all cooked, the dish had devolved into just being a pasta sauce with meat chunks. I have since stopped trying to make meatballs and have evolved the dish into what it is today.
Pasta with Meat Sauce
serves 5-6
1 package pasta of your choice (we actually used a combo of linguini and thin spaghetti)
Olive oil
Salt
1 can pasta sauce (we bought a roasted garlic marinara from TJs)
1 lbs ground turkey breast
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2-3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper
Garlic powder
6 garlic cloves, minced
Mushroom/asparagus/red onion mix from TJs (we were going to use this in another dish, forgot to, and decided to use the veggies in the meat sauce instead)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
6 carrots, diced and then quartered (we bought a mix of 3 different types of carrots from the farmer's market)
1-2 tbsp diced chives
Head of broccoli, chopped small
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
In a large pot of water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Be sure to add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and to salt the water liberally.
In a glass bowl, combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, lemon juice, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until everything is well incorporated and then set aside.
Saute all of the veggies except the mushrooms, garlic, and chives. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add in the mushrooms, garlic, and chives and continue to cook until the mushrooms are done. I usually try to separate my veggies like this since the pepper, carrots, and onions always need more time to soften. The mushrooms and garlic don't need as long to be done and I've found that adding garlic at the beginning causes it to burn.
Once all of the veggies are complete, add the ground turkey and break it up into small bites with a spatula as it cooks. When the meat is fully cooked, add in the pasta sauce, mix everything together well, and simmer with the lid on for at least 10 minutes. Longer cooking times would help incorporate the flavors into the sauce better, but sometimes we're just too hungry to wait.
While the sauce is simmering, boil some water to cook and steam the asparagus and broccoli. The asparagus needed more time than the , so Brit removed the cooked broccoli with tongs, strained them dry, and let the asparagus cook until they were done.
Just as the asparagus were being strained, MLove showed up and we eagerly sat down to eat. The meal was served Brit's favorite way: in a bowl with the greens on top of the sauce, which is on top of the pasta. Parmigiano-reggiano cheese was provided to garnish the dish.
I love this meal and so does Brit. It's such a delicious reminder of both of our childhoods. There are always a lot of leftovers, so it's great to eat it for a few lunches or even dinner later in the week. The types of veggies we use varies every time, but I try to at least have onion, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, and the steamed broccoli. Asparagus and red onion was a new one for us and I rather liked it. This is also such a healthy dish too that I love to prepare it.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Veggie Pizza
Since my sister was visiting all weekend, I wanted to make sure she ate delicious vegetarian food every night she was here. Last night, we took her to Govinda's, an affordable and yummy vegetarian dine-in/take-out place in Philly. Tonight, I made a vegetarian pizza filled with veggies from the farmer's market on the corner of my street. It was way too easy - and thank god it was because we were exhausted from walking around Philadelphia all day.
Veggie Pizza
(inspired by my dad's delicious pizza ventures when I was a kid)
1 bag of fresh whole wheat pizza dough (thank you, Trader Joe's!)
1 cup of pre-made spaghetti sauce
1 bag of part skim mozzarella cheese
5-6 tbsp olive oil
1 large zucchini, halved and sliced
1 large yellow squash, halved and sliced
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3-4 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 bag of baby spinach
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a pizza pan. Using both hands, work the dough to soften it a little - just enough to make it pliable. Then, hold the dough out in front of you and gently stretch along the edges to round it out evenly. Set the dough on the pizza pan and spread it out by pressing it toward the edges of the pan.
Saute one half of the chopped onion in about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add squash and zucchini; cook, stirring frequently, until the squash and zucchini become translucent, 6-7 minutes. Add the chives, stir to incorporate, and then turn off the burner to allow the mixture to cool. Salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, saute the other half of the chopped onion in about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until they start to soften, about 2 minutes (yes, it's redundant, but I believe all veggies benefit from the flavor of sauteed onion). Add bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape pepper mixture into a bowl and set aside. Salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to the pepper pan. When fully heated over medium-low heat (oil begins to shimmer), add the bag of spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
While the squash, spinach and bell pepper mixtures are cooling, pour the spaghetti sauce onto the pizza-shaped dough. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, spread the sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle just a handful of cheese on top of the sauce.
Add the squash mixture to the pizza, making sure to spread it evenly over the pie (Cook's Note: If you have too much to put on the pizza, that's okay. Box it up and refrigerate it to add to another dish later - we are going to use our leftover squash mixture in the quesadillas we're going to make the Wednesday after this meal). Spread the bell pepper and spinach mixtures evenly over the pizza. Add at least 2 more handfuls of cheese (depends on how much you like on your pizza).
Bake, uncovered, until the dough is cooked and the cheese begins to brown (about 10-12 minutes, depending on how brown you want your cheese to be). Slice into 8 pieces (or 4 if you're lazy and you know everyone's going to eat 2 anyway) and serve with parmesan. NOMS!
Veggie Pizza
(inspired by my dad's delicious pizza ventures when I was a kid)
1 bag of fresh whole wheat pizza dough (thank you, Trader Joe's!)
1 cup of pre-made spaghetti sauce
1 bag of part skim mozzarella cheese
5-6 tbsp olive oil
1 large zucchini, halved and sliced
1 large yellow squash, halved and sliced
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3-4 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 bag of baby spinach
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a pizza pan. Using both hands, work the dough to soften it a little - just enough to make it pliable. Then, hold the dough out in front of you and gently stretch along the edges to round it out evenly. Set the dough on the pizza pan and spread it out by pressing it toward the edges of the pan.
Saute one half of the chopped onion in about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add squash and zucchini; cook, stirring frequently, until the squash and zucchini become translucent, 6-7 minutes. Add the chives, stir to incorporate, and then turn off the burner to allow the mixture to cool. Salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, saute the other half of the chopped onion in about 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until they start to soften, about 2 minutes (yes, it's redundant, but I believe all veggies benefit from the flavor of sauteed onion). Add bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape pepper mixture into a bowl and set aside. Salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to the pepper pan. When fully heated over medium-low heat (oil begins to shimmer), add the bag of spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
While the squash, spinach and bell pepper mixtures are cooling, pour the spaghetti sauce onto the pizza-shaped dough. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, spread the sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle just a handful of cheese on top of the sauce.
Add the squash mixture to the pizza, making sure to spread it evenly over the pie (Cook's Note: If you have too much to put on the pizza, that's okay. Box it up and refrigerate it to add to another dish later - we are going to use our leftover squash mixture in the quesadillas we're going to make the Wednesday after this meal). Spread the bell pepper and spinach mixtures evenly over the pizza. Add at least 2 more handfuls of cheese (depends on how much you like on your pizza).
Bake, uncovered, until the dough is cooked and the cheese begins to brown (about 10-12 minutes, depending on how brown you want your cheese to be). Slice into 8 pieces (or 4 if you're lazy and you know everyone's going to eat 2 anyway) and serve with parmesan. NOMS!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tofurkey and Veggies over Saffron Risotto
Brit's sister (Anja) and her sis's boyfriend (Drew) came to visit this weekend to see Brit and to go to the Yeasayer concert tomorrow night. Her sister is vegetarian and apparently doesn't have many options back home for eating good meat-free food. Brit really wanted to expose her to some good, tasty, vegetarian cooking this weekend to show her that it's possible to eat well with her diet. Tonight's meal is going to be an adaptation of a fantastic polenta dish that Brit's grandmother had sent us the recipe for and we've made a few times. The polenta is topped with some sauteed chicken sausage, onion, spinach, and some other veggies. We decided to take the topping, switch out the chicken sausage for some tofurkey we found at TJs, and serve the entire thing over my saffron risotto, which I would be making with veggie stock.
Saffron Risotto
(originally printed in a June 2007 SELF magazine)
Serves 5-6 (we doubled the recipe for our guests)
Olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped small
2 cups arborio rice
Salt
2 cups white wine
Large pinch of saffron
56 ounces veggie stock (I normally use chicken stock)
2 tbsp butter, quartered
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Using a medium pot, simmer the stock.
Using a large pot, over medium heat, saute the onions in the olive oil until they are soft and translucent. Add in the rice and a pinch of salt and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and the saffron (appreciating the beautiful color that comes out of the saffron as it is cooked) and stir frequently until most of the wine is absorbed.
Add two ladles of stock to the rice and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add a ladle of stock to the rice until the liquid is absorbed between each new addition. Once all of the stock has been absorbed stir in the butter until it is fully melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Let the rice sit for 2 minutes and serve.
I had actually turned the heat down to low on this dish because I needed to waste some time while Brit helped Anja and Drew find parking. Because of this, I believe the dish turned out creamier and more delicious than I had ever made it. It might have also helped using a veggie stock (I find that TJ's veggie stock is tastier than their chicken variety) as well. Either way: yummmmmm!
The veggie topping that Brit made was tasty, but I wasn't a fan of the tofurkey we had bought. The texture was a little off and the flavor wasn't very exciting (at least for me).
Saffron Risotto
(originally printed in a June 2007 SELF magazine)
Serves 5-6 (we doubled the recipe for our guests)
Olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped small
2 cups arborio rice
Salt
2 cups white wine
Large pinch of saffron
56 ounces veggie stock (I normally use chicken stock)
2 tbsp butter, quartered
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Using a medium pot, simmer the stock.
Using a large pot, over medium heat, saute the onions in the olive oil until they are soft and translucent. Add in the rice and a pinch of salt and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and the saffron (appreciating the beautiful color that comes out of the saffron as it is cooked) and stir frequently until most of the wine is absorbed.
Add two ladles of stock to the rice and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add a ladle of stock to the rice until the liquid is absorbed between each new addition. Once all of the stock has been absorbed stir in the butter until it is fully melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Let the rice sit for 2 minutes and serve.
I had actually turned the heat down to low on this dish because I needed to waste some time while Brit helped Anja and Drew find parking. Because of this, I believe the dish turned out creamier and more delicious than I had ever made it. It might have also helped using a veggie stock (I find that TJ's veggie stock is tastier than their chicken variety) as well. Either way: yummmmmm!
The veggie topping that Brit made was tasty, but I wasn't a fan of the tofurkey we had bought. The texture was a little off and the flavor wasn't very exciting (at least for me).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Turkey and Apple Quesadillas
Brit and I needed something quick and easy since we had a short period of time before meeting some friends. We had planned this meal specifically for this purpose as we've made it before and know how quick and delicious it is.
Turkey and Apple Quesadillas
Serves 2-4
Sliced turkey breast
Apple, sliced thin
Tortillas
Honey mustard (we make our own)
Grated cheese (we used a mexican blend)
Salsa
Sour cream
Our homemade honey mustard is a simple mix of Trader Joe's dijon mustard and honey that comes from Brit's grandfather's own hives. It has a great kick to it that can really clear out your sinuses if you eat too much.
Over low heat, add a tortilla to a pan, spread some honey mustard on one half, layer with some cheese, apple slices, turkey breast, and more cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and grill on both sides until the tortilla is browned and the cheese is gooey.
Cut in quarters and enjoy with either more of the honey mustard (Brit's choice), sour cream (both of our favorite), and/or some salsa (my choice).
It's nice having another quick and easy dish that has some great flavor and textures to it. We made three quesadillas to split between the two of us, as one is not enough to be full. As it would be with any quesadilla dish, it's great how quick and easy it would be to simply make more if we had company or wanted some leftovers.
Turkey and Apple Quesadillas
Serves 2-4
Sliced turkey breast
Apple, sliced thin
Tortillas
Honey mustard (we make our own)
Grated cheese (we used a mexican blend)
Salsa
Sour cream
Our homemade honey mustard is a simple mix of Trader Joe's dijon mustard and honey that comes from Brit's grandfather's own hives. It has a great kick to it that can really clear out your sinuses if you eat too much.
Over low heat, add a tortilla to a pan, spread some honey mustard on one half, layer with some cheese, apple slices, turkey breast, and more cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and grill on both sides until the tortilla is browned and the cheese is gooey.
Cut in quarters and enjoy with either more of the honey mustard (Brit's choice), sour cream (both of our favorite), and/or some salsa (my choice).
It's nice having another quick and easy dish that has some great flavor and textures to it. We made three quesadillas to split between the two of us, as one is not enough to be full. As it would be with any quesadilla dish, it's great how quick and easy it would be to simply make more if we had company or wanted some leftovers.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Chicken Marsala
This is one of my favorite dishes that I used to make before I met Brit. I think it might have also been the first dish I made for Brit after we started dating. Cooking it is fairly simple, it's full of some awesome flavors, and it was about time I made it again for the two of us.
Chicken Marsala
(adapted from a June 1995 Gourmet magazine recipe)
Serves 3-4
1.5 lbs chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
3.5 tbsp butter, divided
1 onion, diced
3/4 lbs mushrooms, sliced
3/8 cup marsala
3/4 cup chicken broth
Clean and cut the chicken breasts down to a quarter of their original size, pat dry, and season all over with salt and pepper.
Over medium-high heat, melt a tbsp of butter with a tbsp of olive oil and brown the chicken. Be careful not to cook the chicken for too long. Once the chicken is done, remove with tongs to a plate and set aside.
In the remaining fat in the pan, cook the onions and mushrooms until all of the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated. Add the marsala and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add back the chicken, any drippings on the plate, and the stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the chicken is cooked through.
Use tongs to remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Increase the heat on the pan, reduce the stock in half, and then add the remaining two tbsp of butter. Reduce the heat, stir until the butter has melted, and serve.
We served the chicken with a side of brown rice (seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano) and steamed broccoli (seasoned with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper). The onions, mushrooms, and broth were poured liberally over everything and we dug in quite excitedly.
This was probably the best version of this dish I have ever made. The chicken was so incredibly tender (I've over-cooked it before), the mushrooms capture the marsala flavor so well, and the broth is such an excellent sauce.
Chicken Marsala
(adapted from a June 1995 Gourmet magazine recipe)
Serves 3-4
1.5 lbs chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
3.5 tbsp butter, divided
1 onion, diced
3/4 lbs mushrooms, sliced
3/8 cup marsala
3/4 cup chicken broth
Clean and cut the chicken breasts down to a quarter of their original size, pat dry, and season all over with salt and pepper.
Over medium-high heat, melt a tbsp of butter with a tbsp of olive oil and brown the chicken. Be careful not to cook the chicken for too long. Once the chicken is done, remove with tongs to a plate and set aside.
In the remaining fat in the pan, cook the onions and mushrooms until all of the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated. Add the marsala and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add back the chicken, any drippings on the plate, and the stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the chicken is cooked through.
Use tongs to remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Increase the heat on the pan, reduce the stock in half, and then add the remaining two tbsp of butter. Reduce the heat, stir until the butter has melted, and serve.
We served the chicken with a side of brown rice (seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano) and steamed broccoli (seasoned with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper). The onions, mushrooms, and broth were poured liberally over everything and we dug in quite excitedly.
This was probably the best version of this dish I have ever made. The chicken was so incredibly tender (I've over-cooked it before), the mushrooms capture the marsala flavor so well, and the broth is such an excellent sauce.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Marinated Fish
Brit and I were in Oklahoma this past weekend at her maternal grandmother’s family reunion. We got home late and needed something to eat that would be quick and easy, so we picked up some pre-marinated salmon and frozen green beans.
I grilled the fish on Brit’s cast iron grill, made some brown rice seasoned with curry powder, salt, pepper, and cumin, while Brit boiled the green beans and seasoned them with some salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
For being incredibly cheap, quick, and easy, the meal was fantastic. It’s nice to not have to think too much about what you’re cooking and be able to sit down to a delicious meal in a short period of time.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Seafood Mix with Garbanzo Beans
I made one of our favorite dishes tonight that we've blogged about previously: seafood mix with garbanzo beans.
We only had 3 cloves of garlic in the house and didn't have red pepper flakes, so I modified the dish by adding 1-2 tbsp of cayenne pepper. Probably was a bit too strong, but I do love the kick that spice provides.
The dish was served over some curry-spiced brown rice that Brit made and was garnished with the usual parsley, lemon juice, and additionally green beans seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
As usual the meal was delicious; it's so easy to make and always turns out well. I hope we make this again soon and I'm sure Brit will agree!
We only had 3 cloves of garlic in the house and didn't have red pepper flakes, so I modified the dish by adding 1-2 tbsp of cayenne pepper. Probably was a bit too strong, but I do love the kick that spice provides.
The dish was served over some curry-spiced brown rice that Brit made and was garnished with the usual parsley, lemon juice, and additionally green beans seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
As usual the meal was delicious; it's so easy to make and always turns out well. I hope we make this again soon and I'm sure Brit will agree!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Beer Baked White Beans
This recipe is another dish acquired from The Bitten Word blog and after having had success with black beans, and reading the blog author's own reviews for these beans, I really wanted to give it a try. Additionally, Brit and I bought a huge dutch oven in April to cook brisket and I've really wanted to use it again soon.
Beer Baked White Beans
(adapted from The Bitten Word blog entry)
Serves 5-6
1 lb dried white beans
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 sprig rosemary
2 12 oz bottles Belgian-style white ale (we used Blue Moon)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Soak the beans overnight or for the entire day in a lot of water. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy and browned. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the mustard and honey and cook for 1 minute. Add in the rosemary, beans, beer, broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and transfer to the oven.
Bake until the beans are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 hours. After two hours, the beans were tender, but there was still a good amount of liquid left to be absorbed. I was cooking this dish a day in advance, so I let it sit out and cool over night. The day of the meal, I tried to let as much of the liquid get absorbed/evaporate as I could by re-heating the beans over low heat for 30 minutes. Then, season to taste with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve with the cooked bacon.
We served the beans over cous cous that had been seasoned with curry and cumin and topped the dish with wilted spinach that had been cooked with garlic and onion. Overall, the meal was a success, but we ultimately decided we liked the cuban black beans a lot better. Black beans just have a better flavor to them.
Beer Baked White Beans
(adapted from The Bitten Word blog entry)
Serves 5-6
1 lb dried white beans
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 sprig rosemary
2 12 oz bottles Belgian-style white ale (we used Blue Moon)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Soak the beans overnight or for the entire day in a lot of water. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy and browned. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the mustard and honey and cook for 1 minute. Add in the rosemary, beans, beer, broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and transfer to the oven.
Bake until the beans are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 hours. After two hours, the beans were tender, but there was still a good amount of liquid left to be absorbed. I was cooking this dish a day in advance, so I let it sit out and cool over night. The day of the meal, I tried to let as much of the liquid get absorbed/evaporate as I could by re-heating the beans over low heat for 30 minutes. Then, season to taste with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve with the cooked bacon.
We served the beans over cous cous that had been seasoned with curry and cumin and topped the dish with wilted spinach that had been cooked with garlic and onion. Overall, the meal was a success, but we ultimately decided we liked the cuban black beans a lot better. Black beans just have a better flavor to them.
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