Sunday, May 31, 2009

Thai One On

Continuing the "In Stock Challenge". I had a bag of frozen shrimp, rice noodles, and rice wine vinegar. It was 90 degrees outside and I wanted something light and fast.

I had leftover shrimp, cucumber, and sauce, and they are great in the morning wrapped in a tortilla. But I like the idea of a Thai shrimp breakfast wrap. It's not for everyone. I get that.

Thai-like Shrimp Noodle Salad
Serves 4
WW pts 6

1 lb shrimp, shell on, deveined 2 tbl olive oil
2 & 1/2 tbl garlic, minced
2 & 1/2 tbl ginger, minced
1/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. rice wine vinegar
sriracha, to taste
1 lime
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
1 package rice vermincelli, cooked
Fresh cilantro, chopped


Heat oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Add garlic and ginger, salt and pepper.  Cook 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar, and sriracha. Cook about 5 minutes. Transfer to small dish and refrigerate. Add a little oil and cook shrimp. Cool and deshell. 
Combine shrimp, noodles, cucumber, cilantro and sauce. squeeze with lime juice.

Add crushed peanuts if you have them. I didn't and I am serious about keeping up this "In Stock" Challenge. I probably could've added one of the 13 remaining cans of pineapple chunks, but I am trying to pace myself.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Get My Grill On

This week I am taking on a new challenge. I am only cooking with what I already have in the pantry and freezers. I bought fresh meat and veggies, but everything else is in stock. I took a full inventory and began planning.

At some point, I bought a case (and a half?) of pineapple chunks in juice. Damn you Costco. So I figured I should try to use at least one of the 14 cans I have.

Pineapple Porkchops
Serves 3-4
WW pts 8

3 boneless butterfly pork chops
1 lime
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1 tbl sp red pepper flakes or chili powder
1 can pineapple chunks in juice
1 red bell pepper (seeded and ribbed)
1 green bell pepper (seeded and ribbed)

Pour pineapple juice into shallow bowl. Add lime, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and pepper flakes. Stir well. Marinate chops in this mix overnight.
Place pineapple chunks and peppers on skewers. sprinkle with soy, vinegar, and pepper flakes.

Toss it all on the grill. Throw on some foil wrapped corn in the husk. Sit down and have a beer.
Flip after 8 minutes. Remove from grill around 6 minutes after that. Ponder what do do with the other 13 cans of pineapple.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

cherriescherriescherriescherries

Cherry season is happening now. I will buy them every week and cook with them every week. I will eat them everyday. I will not apologize. Use what ever fruit you want, but you will use cherries if you have any sense.

So many people want to over cook and over ingredient fruit. Keep it simple, kids.

Shortbread Fruit Tart
Serves 10
WW pts 9

2 cups whole grain white flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup of vegetable shortening
5 tbl ice water
3 cups fresh pitted cherries, halved
1/4 cup apricot jams
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. On low, cut in shortening using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer (or use 2 knives in a bowl), until all flour is blended in to form pea-size chunks.
Sprinkle water on, one tbl at a time until dough forms a ball.

Press ball into a pancake and roll out on a silicon bake sheet. Pinch edges to form a rim.
Spread on jam. Add cherries and chips. Bake at 350 for 30 or till crust is done.

A great dessert. An even better breakfast.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Hill of Beans

It is a holiday, so I will be brief. I got meat to grill. I forgot to take a picture but here is my super quick, super easy, extra yummy baked beans.

Beans can be so bland. Lentils have a similar texture but add a spicy, woody flavor that is much yummier. 

Baked Bean Lentils
1-lb Lentils
1 jar of your fav BBQ Sauce
Serves 9 
WW pts 4-5

Cook the lentils according to the package. Stir in the BBQ sauce, some salt and pepper, (and if you want a little brown sugar). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

To make a meal, add cooked ground turkey.
For variety try mixed soup beans.

Yummy.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Don'tcha Wanna Foccacia

Best Sandwich Ever. And I don't say this lightly.
Make the bread. Quit whining. It is fast cheap and easy. 

Gorgeous Foccacia
Makes 3 large loaves

1.75 cups warm h20
1.5 tblsp yeast
1 tblsp salt
.25 cup olive oil
Dump all in a stand mixer with a dough hook on low.

6.5 cups flour ( i used whole wheat white)
Add one cup at a time.



Scrape side of the bowl and mix again. Turn off and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temp for 2 hours.

Cut off a 1/3 of the dough. make a ball. Stretch the bread into a round loaf by tucking the sides of the dough in towards the center. Flatten the loaf out a bit till the size of a small pizza. Sprinkle with coarse salt, pepper, rosemary, thin sliced onion and a bit of parmesan. Press it all in gently. Let sit for 20 minutes.

20 minutes into bread resting, heat oven to 425. Put the bread on a cookie sheet in the oven.
Bake 20 minutes.  Let it rest, then cut wedges.

Top with salami, butter lettuce, campari tomato, deli mustard and sliced avocado. Delight. Enjoy with a Diet IBC Root Beer and try to avoid passing out with joy.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

A Peach Of A Meal

So sometimes I go to the farmers' market and get a little out of control. This past week they had the first tiny gorgeous carrots of the season, tender baby leeks, corn, peas, peaches....too much for my heart to take. Sometimes I get so excited and overwhelmed that I buy one of everything. Sometimes we end up having plans and don't eat at home for a few days. Sometimes I have to cook it all at once. Sometimes that really works out. Yum. 

Chicken with Peaches
Serves 4
WW pts 4

This was perfect as these were the early small peaches and a bit too tart for just eatin'. Use a skillet with a lid that can go in the oven.

4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
flour
orange juice (light)
honey
balsamic vinegar
1/2 red onion
6 small peeled, pitted peaches.

Preheat oven to 350. Dust the chicken in flour with some cayenne, salt and pepper. Brown in a little veg oil over medium high. When brown, pour in enough OJ to cover the bottom (or about a cup). Drizzle in about a tablespoon of honey and 1/4 balsamic vinegar. Toss in the onion & peaches, cover & put in the oven. Take it out after 30 minutes. Eat it.


Sauteed Baby Leeks
Best Ever. You cannot argue. 

Peel off the outer leaf or too. Chop up. Toss in olive oil, course salt, fresh pepper, minced garlic and thyme.  Heat a small skillet over med-high. Cook while stirring till tender. About 7 minutes. Wish you made more.


Roasted Carrots
Same as the leeks, but place them on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes instead. Or sauté it and teach me a lesson.

We also had corn on the cob and a slice of bread. Extra yum.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Salad Days

Mother-in-law is on her way. Dinner for 3? In 10 minutes? done.

Strong enough for a man, made by a woman.

Steak Salad
4 Servings
WW pts (without bread) 7.5

2 heads Romaine, chopped
2 small or 1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 english cucumber, sliced thin
1 cob fresh corn, cut off the cob
8 cherry peppers, sliced thin
1 & 1/2 leftover steak or other meat, sliced thin

Place all ingredients on a plate or bowl in an attractive manner. Add dressing. Enjoy deeply.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Best. Day. Ever

Cherry day. The day when cherries first arrive at the market is one of the happiest days of the year. I am often cheap, but no price is too great for sweet ripe cherries. I once went for 2 days eating nothing but fresh cherries. I got sick, but I have no regrets. 

I love rugelach. It is a household favorite. And it's different every time. Use what you have on hand. I use various mixes of jam, fruit, nuts and chocolate. Real rugelach is made with cream cheese or non-dairy dough. I didn't have any
 butter, but I had some ready made pie crust. No one has to know the difference. 

Fake Rugelach
 2 pie crusts (or cream cheese dough if you want to be a show off)
fresh pitted cherries cut in half ( about 1.5 cups)
apricot or other jam
chocolate chips
sliced almonds

To pit cherries, I use a paperclip flattened then bent in half. Go in through the stem end, make a circle and pop out the pit. This is the fastest way I know. 

Roll out your pie crust on your cookie sheet. Spread on the jam in a thin layer. (You could use preserves and leave out fresh fruit. That'd just be silly, but you could.) Sprinkle cherries, chips and nuts on the crust leaving the center bare. Using a pizza cutter, slice the pie into triangle. Roll them up from the outside, like croissants. give a little press to seal. Space evenly. Put in a 350 degree oven till done. 

Make sure your cookie sheet is lined, as the jam will go everywhere and caramelize, which is tasty, but an absolute mess. A silicone bake sheet is perfect. 

Also try:
apple preserves, cinnamon, craisins & pecans
strawberry jam, plums & dark chocolate





Saturday, May 16, 2009

Broiled at the Steak

Tonight was steak night! Steak is a rare treat in our house. The bonus is that when I do make red meat, I buy the best cuts and really enjoy them. Why would I waste time with ground beef? Get ground turkey and cut your calories and fat substantially. Save up and eat a good steak. Buy local, organic, GRASS fed beef. The flavor is better and it is better for you.

This is a quick, easy and healthy meal. Also great for guests. Cook the potatoes first, then the steak, then the bok choy just before serving. You could even cook the potatoes ahead of time and just heat them in the oven before serving. 
It was too rainy to grill out, so I broiled the steaks and they were awesome, so there. Also I heard that the burnt stuff from grilling causes cancer, and since I believe everything I read on the internet, I broil. Also, it could be I am just to lazy to go out back and down the stairs to grill. Whatever. 

Steak and Taters with Baby Bok Choy
Serves 2.
WW pts 14 (5oz filet, 1 med potato and bok choy)


Steak (2 filets)
  A good steak only need some coarse salt and pepper. But I still believe in the power of soaking in a little Worcestershire before cooking. Just a preference.

Turn the oven to broil. When it has reached temp, slide the steaks in. I use a cookie sheet. Cook 3-6 minutes, flip with tongs. Cook till done. This varies with the cut and size. I often us my convection setting to cook them evenly, especially if the potatoes on in the oven also. When they look good on the outside, check the temp with your instant read thermometer. When done, let the meat rest 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Sweet Potatoes (2 medium)
Wash 'em. Dice 'em. Toss 'em with olive oil, salt, rosemary and thyme or whatever you have lying around. Cook 'em on a sheet till tender. (approx 30-40 minutes) Done. 

Baby Bok Choy (7 heads)
Love this. Baby bok choy in super cheap. I paid $1.29 for a bag and had enough for 3+ meals. It also stores well. Slice each head in half. Steam them till tender (3-5 minutes). I spray a little asian vinaigrette salad spritz. You could use soy sauce or just salt. 

Way better than some chain restaurant and far cheaper.  Suck on that, Outback.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

In A Hurry Curry

Tonight we got to the gym late and home even later, so here is a cheat dinner.
The extra cheat is that sometimes I cook some chicken breasts on Sundays to store or freeze, so when things get busy I have them ready.

Joe (my husband) and I both think we like Indian food. Till we actually eat it. We like American Indian food. This recipe is just enough Indian food to be agreeable. Also you get the freebie bonus recipe of Kale and Potatoes.

Hurry Curry
Serves 3-4
WW pts 7-8

Cook chicken breast heated in a skillet over medium. Add 1 cup frozen green peas. Cook 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup red curry (I like Patak rogan josh curry). Simmer till warm.
Serve 1 cup chicken over 1/2 cup of saffron rice. It is an insane amount of food, but surprisingly light.

Normally I would cook some onion or squash or some other veggies to toss in, but it is too late in the evening for all that. Besides, 30 Rock is on.
We had a side salad and some kale and potatoes.

Kale and Potatoes
2 potatoes
1 bunch kale
S&P
various seasoning stuff 

Dice potatoes. Add just enough water to cover. Salt. Heat on high. Boil till soft. Mash a little with a fork. Add kale. Cook on med-low till kale is tender. An hour or so. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic or onion or hot sauce or red pepper flakes if you want. Make it your own, kids. 

I have got to take better pics. Jeez.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Let's get started.

Cooking is easy. People have been doing it for years. Some people like my cooking, so I will let you know what I know. I hope this will inspire you to cook more and cook fresh. 

A few things you should know about this blog.
1.  I will only post what I actually make. Good or bad. I make a little of both.
2. These recipes will be simple. I am will be making up most of these recipes as I go and often based on what leftovers I have.
3. When possible I will make food that is healthy in season. I will also choose ingredients from the local farmers' market when I can. I will cheat from time to time (jarred spaghetti sauce), so shut up about it already.
4. These are only suggestions. if you make one of these recipes and have an allergic reaction or get food poisoning or whatever, don't come crying to me. 

Here is what we had tonight.

Primavera-ish
Serves 4 to 5 with some pasta left over.
WW = 8 pts.

1 box pasta ( I like Barilla Plus)
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 bag of spinach
1 .5 cup frozen peas
1 jar canned pasta sauce ( I like Classico)
leftover chicken, sliced
some olive oil
some garlic
some parmesan cheese
some salt
some pepper

Cook the pasta. Duh. Set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium heat. 
Cook onion 5 minutes, add zucchini and some salt. 
Cook both till tender. 
Add peas and spinach. 
Cook till peas are warm and spinach is wilted.
Add pasta sauces. Heat on low till warmed.
Serve over pasta with chicken and cheese. Yum.

If you don't have fresh veggies, use frozen or canned or leftovers. Whatever. You can sub any meat you have leftover for the chicken. Or you could bake some chicken. Or you can go meatless. Or you can order pizza, I'm not your mom.