Pastor Ryan's Shrimp Risotto

The boy had a rough day at swim class today, so I think we need to have a little at-home practice session this afternoon. Since shrimp is fast-thawing, I figure I can swim with my son and then start dinner a little later than normal. I have been dying to try this risotto recipe, so I am pretty sure it will all work out beautifully. Rather than retyping the steps for the shrimp and risotto, I am just going to post the link from the Pioneer Woman website. I think I will pair our risotto with a side salad and that is about it. This recipe looks absolutely luscious, so I am really jazzed about trying it out!

Pastor Ryan's Shrimp Risotto

Yum! I love the accompanying photos on PW's website, for this post. Just looking at the pics makes my mouth water!



The Result:
Holy Moly. I am a lover of this risotto. Whoa. This was DELICIOUS! This turned out to be one of the best risottos I have ever made.
First, the shrimp...oh man, the shrimp. Awesome. I had a hard time not just eating the shrimp straight off the grill. They were so flavorful...all garlicy and buttery and Worcestershirey...simply awesome! The only issue with the shrimp was that they could have used a wee bit of a lemon juice spritz for an extra zip, but that would just be my preference. I love the citrus brightness and acidity that lemon brings to shrimp and fish. Other than that, I would say the shrimp were darn near perfect!

Now, on to the risotto. The last batch of chicken stock I made was from the whole chicken we did on the grill a week or so ago. Therefore, my chicken stock is slightly smokey and has a perfume of BBQ grill flavoring. Yum! That BBQ stock matched with the grilled shrimp, and it infused the whole risotto dish with a slightly smokey undertone. The result was both subtle and complex at the same time. The risotto had a depth that it would not have had otherwise. Again, awesome! I used PW's basic risotto recipe, except for my special chicken stock. It was a pretty straightforward method, and then the grilled shrimp were just added in at the end. Sooooo, sooooooo good! I don't think I can say enough good things about this dish. I think I will just sum up by saying that this is a great recipe, and leave it at that!

Fish Sticks and Sweet Potato Fries

Today has not been a good day. My three year old tyrant - er, I mean son - has pretty much behaved like a wild beast.

Seriously, I feel like crying and/or running away from home.

Let me give you the rundown of beastly behavior. (Oh yes, I need to share my pain.)

So far he has: dumped his bowl of Cheerios and milk on the floor at breakfast, threw a tantrum because he did not want to put his shoes on, pooped at swim class in his suit (yes, he is fully potty trained), threw a tantrum because I did not give him the snack he wanted, threw a tantrum at his friend's house over some toy, threw a tantrum because he did not want to come home, threw a tantrum because he did not want to take his shoes off, threw his chicken nuggets on the floor at lunchtime, hit me in the face, flailed around on the ground and kicked our wall repeatedly, filled up a cup of water in the bathroom and then promptly upturned it onto the floor, refused to take a nap, trashed his room like a rock star, and spit on the dog.

I wish I was exaggerating. All this and it is only 2:30pm. Did I mention the crying and whining??? Pepper that into my day, as well.

Needless to say, I will not be cooking dinner tonight. I fully plan on hiding in my room and letting the husband take over as soon as he gets home from work. IF he comes home. I called him and gave him the low down on what was going on and he did not sound all too anxious to leave work. I am sure he will drive very slowly (I would).

I think I will whip up some frozen fish sticks and sweet potato fries for our dinner. If I am feeling better, I may make tartar sauce. Who knows. I am just trying to get through the day at this point. Okay...it is 2:49 pm now. Only 1 hour and 41 minutes until the husband gets home. It will be a testament to my parenting skills if I can hold it together until then! Okay, deep breath...

Grilled Lemon Parsley Chicken Breasts

I love grilled food. I simply cannot get enough of the grill flavor during the summertime. The family and I have an afternoon of swimming planned, and I thought this would be the perfect dinner to go with an afternoon by the pool (even though it is way too hot to eat outside). I am especially looking forward to trying this easy marinade, since I have heard positive things about it. My friend, Claire tried this chicken out last week with good results, so I am hoping to duplicate her efforts. This is another recipe from the Cook's Illustrated Summer Grilling issue. I am not sure what I am going to serve with it, but probably the standard veggies/salad and a starchy side dish.

Grilled Lemon Parsley Chicken Breasts
From: Cook's Illustrated Summer Grilling

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
table salt
fresh ground black pepper
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons water
4 (8 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Whisk together mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, 1/4 teaspoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper in small bowl; set aside.

2. Whisk together remaining tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, remaining teaspoons of sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, garlic, and water in medium bowl. Place marinade and chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock bag and toss to coat; press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes, flipping bag after 15 minutes.

3. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coal are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified 2 level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving the other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean. Dip wad of paper towels in oil, holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when you can hold your hand 5" above grate for 5 minutes.

4. Remove chicken from bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Place chicken on cooler side of grill, smooth-side down, with thicker side facing coals. Cover with disposable 9x13" aluminum pan and cook until bottom of chicken just begins to develop light rill marks and is no longer translucent, 6-9 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and rotate so that thinner side faces coals. Cover with disposable pan and continue to cook until chicken is opaque and firm to touch and instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 140 degrees, 6-9 minutes longer.

5. Move chicken to hotter side of grill and cook,uncovered, until dark grill marks appear, 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and cook until dark grill marks appear and instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 1-2 minutes linger. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes. Slice each breast on bias into 1/4" thick slices and transfer to individual plates.

6. Drizzle with reserved sauce to serve.

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On gas grill: Turn all burners to high and heat with lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grill grate with grill brush to clean. Dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Leave primary burner turned to high and turn off other burners. Proceed with recipe, grilling with lid down and omitting disposable pan. Increase browning time by 1-2 minutes.



The Result:
This chicken was sooooooo freakin' yummy! The grilling instructions were easy to follow, and the chicken cooked perfectly. The marinade and sauce made the chicken just sing...so very bright and fresh-tasting. It made the chicken both succulent and savory, with just the perfect hit of lemony goodness! Yum! Yum! Yum! I served some corn on the cob, salad, and a small baked potato, for side items. All were really tasty with our grilled chicken. Overall, this was a delicious and satisfying dinner! I am sure that we will be having this chicken again very soon.

On another note, I am pretty happy with all the dishes I have tried from Cook's Illustrated. So far, it has been an awesome resource for both technique and recipes. With each dish I try, I am falling more and more in love with the magazine! I will definitely be getting a subscription.

Leftovers

The boy and I went to the circus today, literally. Ringling Bros. and Barnam & Bailey circus is in town, and we went with a group of my mom friends and their kiddos. We really enjoyed it, and my son had his first taste of pure spun sugar magic...cotton candy. Anyway, I didn't have time to make a new meal, since the show ran long and we ate a late lunch. So, we just assembled/reheated leftovers and made a quick, easy dinner. I am off the hook with cooking for tomorrow, as well. The husband and I have a date night planned, so I won't be back in the kitchen until Sunday night. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Jen's Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs (for Hoagies)

I am babysitting two extra kids for the afternoon, so I needed an easy slow cooker meal. This is a "throw it in the crock pot and forget about it" kinda dinner. Whew! Just what I need for a busy day, when I don't really have time to cook. This recipe is always a crowd-pleaser!

Jen's Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs (for Hoagies)

We haven't had these sandwiches in awhile, so I am excited to have them tonight. I think I will serve my hoagies with a steamed veggies and call it good.

Jen's Bean Tostadas/Leftovers

It seems like our dinners have been fairly uneventful lately, and tonight is no exception. We have some leftover veggies from last night to eat up, but not enough to make a whole meal. Instead, I think I will make these easy tostadas to have with our leftovers, and piecemeal together a complete dinner. I forgot to soak my dried pinto beans, so I guess I will just have to use some vegetarian refried beans from a can. Alas, not as good as homemade refried beans but it'll do.

Jen's Bean Tostadas

I am trying to use up a lot of stuff I have on hand already, so you will probably see more repeat dinners for the next week or so. I think I have one new recipe slotted for the end of this week, and another for next week...but that is it. I am hoping to clear the decks and try some more new recipe in July. On the brighter side...my meals have been pretty fast and easy, so it is almost like I am taking a mini cooking vacation!

Jen's Lemonade

I just made some fresh lemonade and realized that I have never posted the recipe. This is a perfect drink for a hot day!

Jen's Lemonade

Ingredients:
8 cups of cold water
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
4 halves of lemons (I use the already squeezed, zested ones that are already smooshed)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. Stir well to combine and serve over ice.

Jen's Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Ribs and Baked Beans

Sometimes, I am at a total loss at what to write about our meals. Today certainly qualifies as one of those times. Um...yeah. Blank. I've got nothing. Sorry, I am usually pretty verbose, but today...Nada. Rather than blathering on about how I have nothing remotely interesting to say, I will just state the facts.

1) We are having pork ribs for dinner.

2) I am doctoring up a can of baked beans to go with it...just like mom used to make.

3) I don't even have a third sentence to write; except for the fact that my "v" key is sticking on my keyboard and it's ticking me off. Wondering why my "v" key is sticking is a whole other issue, but I am sure it has to do with a 3 year old. (I guess I did have a third sentence, afterall.)

4) Oh...and a side of steamed eggies...I mean VEGGIES. Sorry.

Jen's Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Ribs

Ingredients:
cooking spray
6-8 bone in pork loin ribs (boneless works well, too)
1 bottle of your favorite beer
4 smashed cloves of garlic, peeled
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of BBQ sauce, your choice

Directions:
Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place ribs in slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, minced onion, garlic powder. Add smashed garlic cloves on top of ribs. Cover ribs with beer. Cook on high for 2-4 hours (my slow cooker runs hot so I am cooking for 2 hours on high). When time is up, remove pork ribs to a clean platter. Pour most of the beer out of the slow cooker, leaving 1/2 cup behind in the slow cooker. Discard the rest of the beer. Add ribs back into slow cooker. Cover meat with BBQ sauce. Cook on high for an additional hour or until ribs are thoroughly cooked.

**************************************

Here is my baked beans recipe. Just like mom used to make...yada, yada, yada.


Jen's Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1-2 cans of Bush's Original Baked Beans
1/2 medium onion, diced
yellow mustard to taste
brown sugar to taste
maple syrup to taste
pinch of salt

Directions:
Combine beans and onion into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients to taste, adjusting for sweetness/mustardiness as you go. (I add a little of each at a time, taste, and then readjust until I like the flavor.)(There has never been a precise recipe for these beans...that is just how my mom rolled.) Heat all ingredients through until hot and serve.

PS-THANKS FOR THE BEER, BETH!!!!!

Jen's Falafel Pitas with Homemade Hummus

The husband and I made a batch of hummus yesterday afternoon, so I thought what better way to use it then to make pitas. This dinner is ridiculously easy, without any real "cooking" involved. I love the pre-made falafel that Costco carries; just for the simplicity alone. I know, I know...real falafel is not that hard to make from scratch and delivers a much better flavor. However, these are a pretty good stand-in, without all the work. I really don't mind cutting corners sometimes. Also, the ingredients list is pretty straight forward with these falafels, without any horribly funky things going on (i.e. hydrogenated crud or high fructose sludge). Even though I occasionally use some processed products, I try to cut back on the offensive ingredients when it makes sense. I am certainly not perfect, and we all know my weakness for condensed canned soup. I have noticed lately that I have been turning to "convenience" items more and more. Aside from the occasional flash of guilt, I am pretty much okay with it. We are a busy family, and I am just happy to get dinner on the table every night.

Okay...I am done with all of my justifications. Here's the link to my previous dinner post:

Jen's Falafel Pitas with Homemade Hummus

We are going to have some other veggie, since we just had carrots a few night ago. I think that is the only change I am making tonight. I am looking forward to an easy dinner night. Also, I have another package of Trader Joe's frozen, heat and serve naan bread. I love naan for pitas, and the Trader Joe's brand is really good.

Karen's Mock Onion Potatoes

Claire's mom made some yummy potatoes while we were in San Diego, but I forgot to ask her for the recipe. I decided to try and fake my way through her dish to get a similar result. I must say, I did pretty well! I am ridiculously pleased with myself, since what I threw together ended up being fairly close to her original potato dish. Either way, these potatoes ended up being good accompaniment to Karen's Pesto Salmon recipe. I will be making this recipe again soon!

Karen's Mock Onion Potatoes

Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into disks
1/2 cup of sour cream OR Greek-style plain yogurt
1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup of milk
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish and set aside. In a large bowl, combine potatoes with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix to combine. In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, milk, and onion soup mix. Stir until well mixed. Pour onion soup/sour cream mixture over potatoes in the large bowl. Stir until all potatoes are well coated. Pour all of the potato mixture into the greased casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 1/2 hour. After 1/2 hour is up, take foil off and bake for an additional 1/2 hour. Remove from oven, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
Here is the photo of both recipes. Served with our standard side salad, this was a very satisfying dinner. We loved this meal!

Karen's Baked Pesto Salmon

We are having a pretty relaxed Father's Day, so far. The husband decided he wanted this dish for dinner; so under official Father's Day rules, I must comply. I am not sure what I am going to serve with this fish, but potatoes kinda sound good. I think I am going to look online for an easy potato recipe and go from there.

Karen's Baked Pesto Salmon

Yum! This is my new favorite salmon recipe, so I am glad the husband chose this for his special Dad's Day dinner.

Alabama Barbecued Chicken and Jen's Homemade Chicken Stock

Here is another recipe for the Cook's Illustrated Summer grilling issue. Again, this recipe caught my attention because of the unusual cooking method and the concept of a white BBQ sauce. Hmmmm. I decided to follow the instructions for the ingredients on both the chicken and the sauce, but do my own thing for the cooking technique. The original instructions ask you to cut up a whole chicken, but I am not going to bother with that. Instead, I am just going to follow my grilled whole chicken technique that I have done in the past (i.e. cutting out the backbone and flattening it on the grill). I think it is just an easier way to do it. I am going to serve this chicken dish with a side salad and the BBQ Macaroni Salad that I posted earlier today. Yum! I love trying new things, so I am really excited to see how this meal all works out.

Alabama Barbecued Chicken
Adapted from: Cook's Illustrated, Summer Grilling Issue 2009

Ingredients:

For chicken:
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs.)
2 cups of hickory wood chips
Canola oil for the grill
White Barbecue Sauce (see below)

For White Barbecue Sauce:
3/4 cup of mayo
2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Directions:
If you have a grill with three burners, heat the outer two to medium, leaving the center one off. Or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash and about medium-hot; bank half the coals to one side of the grill, half to the other. Sprinkle wood chips, that have been soaked in water over the hot coals.

While the grill is heating, remove the giblets (if there are any) from the cavity of the chicken. Flip the chicken onto its breast. Using poultry shears, cut down both sides of the backbone from tail to neck; discard backbone. Or, if you don't have shears, lay the bird on its back, insert a long heavy knife into the body cavity and press down hard with a rocking motion to cut down through both sides of the backbone. Open the bird out onto your work surface, breast side up. Make sure that the legs are turned inward. Using your fist or a mallet, wallop the bird on the breast, hard enough to dislodge the center bones and flatten out the breast. Twist the last joint of the wings up over the breast and then down behind the "shoulders," tucking them in firmly to keep them in place during grilling.

Smear both sides of the chicken with the sauce. Lay in the center of the grill (it will not be over direct heat). Cook, without turning, basting from time to time with any remaining sauce, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced deeply with a fork (an instant-read thermometer should register about 160 degrees when inserted at the thickest part of the thigh), about 45 minutes. If you're cooking over charcoal, you'll want to add more charcoal to the fire after an hour or so - the internal temperature of the grill should stay at about 325 degrees. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Baste one last time with the sauce. It will lose less juice if you cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters (or smaller pieces). Transfer a portion to each of four dinner plates and you're ready to serve.

Jen's Notes:
I am going to make some chicken stock with the leftover backbone and carcass. Below is the link for my stock recipe:

Jen's Homemade Chicken Stock

I am out of homemade stock, so this batch is desperately needed.





The Result:
Both of these recipes were awesome! The chicken was extraordinary. The white BBQ sauce was a unique flavor that somehow still embodied what BBQ is all about. The chicken was smoky, slightly spicy, and completely succulent. Yum! I am salivating, just thinking about it! The BBQ Macaroni Salad was a perfect compliment. Certainly, not the mainstay that we are all used to, when we think of macaroni salad. Overall, these recipes were fan-freakin'-tastic!

BBQ Macaroni Salad

On a recent trip to Sprout's, Claire and I found the Summer grilling issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine. The places where I usually shop don't carry this publication, so I was tickled pink to find it. Subscription prices are pretty reasonable, so I think I may just start getting it in the mail. I have been dying to try some of the recipes from this current issue; since I am all about grilling lately. This featured side dish sounded very intriguing to me. Not the normal, boring, traditional, macaroni salad that is for sure. Claire recently posted this dish on her blog as well, and they really like this salad's unusual flavor. I hope it goes well with the chicken I have slotted for tonight's dinner. Ahhhh...I love summertime foods!!!

BBQ Macaroni Salad
Adapted from: Cook's Illustrated, Summer Grilling Issue 2009

Ingredients:
1/2 lb elbow macaroni (8 oz.)
1/2 of a red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1/2 celery rib, chopped fine
1/4 of a red onion, diced finely
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Frank's)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool, then drain once more, briefly, so that pasta is still moist; transfer to large bowl. Stir in bell pepper, celery, scallions, vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, and let sit until flavors are absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and let sit until salad is no longer watery, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

(The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Check seasonings before serving.)

Jen's Notes:
I halved the recipe from the original quantities published. The above ingredients list reflects my changes.

The Result:
I just finished making a batch of this up to go with our dinner tonight, and I snuck a taste or two. It did not disappoint! It's tangy, with just the right amount of BBQ flavor. Overall, this is a great recipe and one that I will make again. (I think I will just post a photo of our whole dinner later tonight.)

(Faux) Niman Ranch Burgers and Carmelized Onions

I really struggled with what to make for dinner tonight. I thawed out some ground beef without a clear picture of what I wanted to do with it. My default meal was regular hamburgers on the grill; but while those sounded good, I still wanted something with a little more oomph. Finally, inspiration struck at 5 pm. I had seen this recipe on Ina's show and in my Back to Basics cookbook. I did not have the fancy grass-fed Niman Ranch beef, but I thought that normal, pedestrian, hamburger would be an okay facsimile. After all, we are simple folk and not used to super-special beef, anyway. My tax bracket just doesn't allow for it. Anyway, I followed Ina's recipe but just substituted the ground beef that I had on hand (I had a couple of other changes...see my notes for the rest of my substitutions). Eureka! Dinner dilemma solved!!! Ina's burgers combine the best part of my ideas, easy burgers that wouldn't have ho-hum flavor! That woman is a genius, I tell ya.

Now about the onions...

On the show (and in the cookbook), the Barefoot Contessa herself strongly urges you to make these burgers with the caramelized onion recipe, as well. She makes a very convincing argument for why a person should take the extra time and make the onions. Ina's the boss. If she says to pair her burgers with caramelized onion then I am required to listen to her. She is pretty much a kitchen goddess, so I felt that I needed to take her recommendation seriously and make her onions. Let's just say I am glad that I took her advice....but you will have to read on to know why. I paired her burgers with some baked (microwaved) potatoes and steamed Brussels sprouts. Whew! Dinner was done.

(Faux) Niman Ranch Burgers and Caramelized Onions
Adapted from: 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics/foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds ground Niman Ranch beef OR other beef (80 percent lean and 20 percent fat)
1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 sandwich-size English muffins, halved OR toasted hamburger buns of your choice
Good mayonnaise, for topping
Caramelized Onions, recipe follows

Directions:
Build a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill.

Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with a fork to combine, taking care not to compress the ingredients. Shape the meat into 6 (3 1/2-inch) patties of equal size and thickness.

When the grill is medium-hot, brush the grill grate with oil to keep the burgers from sticking. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Using a big spatula, turn the burgers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until medium-rare or more, or cook longer if you prefer hamburgers more well done.

Meanwhile, break apart the English muffins and toast the 6 halves cut side down on the grill. Spread each half with mayonnaise and top with a burger and then with a heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions. Serve hot.

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Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions, peeled and sliced in half-rounds
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large shallow pot, add the onions and thyme, and toss with the oil. Place the lid on top and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes to sweat the onions. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. If the onions are cooking too fast, lower the heat. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Season to taste (they should be very highly seasoned).

Jen's Notes:
Okay here are my substitutions:

For the burgers: As we discussed, I didn't use fancy beef. I used regular ground 80/20 beef (by the way, that is the faux part of the recipe). Also, I did not have English muffins, so I used regular whole wheat hamburger buns that were lightly toasted on the grill. Yum! Both were really good substitutes, and ones that I will use again.

For the onions: I did not have sherry vinegar. Instead omitted the sherry vinegar and used 1 teaspoon of dry Sherry and 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar. Both subs worked out perfectly!



The Results:
Lordy Mama!!!!! Were these burgers fan-freakin'-tastic! Simple, yet super flavorful. And I could have eaten the onions on their own with just a spoon. Also, Ina was right...the onions and burgers went together like peanut butter and jelly. It was a match made in heaven. Seriously, don't skip the onions!!!!! They were unbelievably delicious with the burgers. Overall, I am really impressed that such simple fare can be so good. It was one of the best burgers that I have ever had at home, that is for sure. This will definitely be my go-to burger recipe from now on. Ina did not steer me wrong!

Claire's Pot Roast: A Variation

I needed a day at home this week to get some chores done. It seems we have been going, going, going, all month long; and my house is starting to show signs of neglect. I decided to do an easy, slow-cooker meal so I could focus on getting my house in order and not have to worry about dinner. This dish is always easy, delicious, and comforting. I love the yummy smells that fill the house when a pot roast is cooking away. This dish is a low maintenance masterpiece...perfect for a day of cleaning and organizing.

Claire's Pot Roast: A Variation

This is one of those meals that I imagine when people talk about "home-cooking". It is a traditional stand-by that everyone seems to love. Family food at it's finest!

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham NOT HAM (CEiMB)

I am a notorious hater of ham. I know, I know...most people love ham. Not me. No way. No siree Bob. It is too pink, and slimy, and sweetish, and overly hammy....YUCK!!!! I just hate it. There is no convincing me otherwise. It is ironic that I will eat almost all other types of pork product. Not to mention, my deep and affectionate love of prosciutto de Parma.

(Don't bother to point out that prosciutto IS ham. I delude myself into thinking that prosciutto is a magical element all onto itself and not --cringe-- ham.)

The standard American ham is just not my friend. It does not make sense to a lot of people, but what can I tell ya...I am a question mark of a person sometimes.

When this jambalaya recipe popped up on my Craving Ellie in My Belly group it sounded really good...except for the...you know...ahem... --gag-- ham. I decided to give it a try and just substitute something else for my porcine nemesis. So, playing the part of slimy, disgusting, wretched --hiss-- ham will be a nice, non-threatening,well-mannered, spicy beef smoked sausage instead.

Trust me, it is just better that way.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham NOT HAM
Adapted from: Ellie Krieger (2007)
CEiMB hosted by: Anonymous New York

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces diced, smoked ham BEEF sausage
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
Hot pepper sauce
Creole seasoning to taste (optional)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the next 11 ingredients, salt through the diced tomatoes. Add Creole seasoning to taste. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the shrimp and cook, covered, for 5 minutes more, or until shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with hot pepper sauce.





The Result:
This is probably my favorite CEiMB meal recipe so far. This was really, really good!!! Some of the reviews on the Food Network website indicated that this dish was bland, so I adjusted it accordingly. I did not follow the quantity of spices and just did my own thing, but I stuck to the ingredients list. I pretty much took all the spice quantities and doubled them. Then, I just salted as I cooked so the whole dish would be properly seasoned. Yum. Also, I did not cook the rice in the jambalaya itself. I was afraid it would get all weird and gummy, and I just didn't want to take the chance of screwing the whole thing up. Instead I cooked it separately, then mounded it on top once in the serving dish. Whatever I did worked out perfectly, since this dish turned out spicy and delicious!!!

(Oh, and in case you are wondering...the beef hot links turned out to be a great substitution, which proves my point that --ick-- ham is totally vile and unnecessary.)

I will definitely make this recipe again. Great pick!!!

Jen's Broccoli Cheese Chicken Bake

This casserole is starting to become my standard "have a new baby" casserole. My friend, Angela from my MOMS Club just had her third baby, and I am participating in meal support for her. Since I am completely out of any other creative casserole ideas, I think I will just make this dish again. So far, I have sprung it on two other sets of unsuspecting new parents, with positive results. Hopefully, Angela and her brood will be the third family to enjoy it. It is easy enough to make, fairly tasty, and all the food groups are well represented. Really, what more could you ask for in a casserole????

I think I will just make a big batch and serve it to my family, too. It is easy to adjust the quantity for the crowd that you need to feed. Overall, this dish is versatile and comforting...perfect for tired parents!

Jen's Broccoli Cheese Chicken Bake

Once in awhile, I just need a good old fashioned casserole to warm my belly and lift my spirits!

Vegetarian Frittata

The boy and I have a busy day planned. In lieu of thawing out a protein item, I decided to pull out my favorite frittata recipe instead. This is one of our favorite vegetarian meals, but it is something that I don't make often enough. I tend to have a lot of recipes like that...ones that we love, but don't make a whole lot. I think it is because I try so many new things; sometimes old favorites get put on the back burner. Well, I am dusting off this dish tonight for our dinner, and I hope I remember it with more regularity going forward.

Originally, this dish comes to me from my friend Claire who found it in a Pasta and Co. cookbook. It is a dish that is in regular rotation at their house, too. Typically, I serve this meal with a side salad and some bread. So, so good.

Vegetarian Frittata

I am really looking forward to dinner tonight!

Lemon-Orange Orange Roughy & Creamy Parmesan Orzo

We are going to an outdoor concert tonight with some friends. We had the option of packing a picnic, or eating dinner early and bringing snacks. After much consideration (read: debating on what I could take for a picnic that does not involve chicken of some kind...we have had a lot of chicken lately), I decided to make an early dinner. I had fish slated for tonight, but I wanted to try something new with it. I found this dish on allrecipes.com and it seemed to be the easiest, with the best reviews. I think I will serve this dish with some steamed veggies, orzo, and a side salad. This meal should come together pretty fast, and be fairly light. I am looking forward to our fun evening, and it will be much more enjoyable with dinner out of the way.

Lemon-Orange Orange Roughy
Adapted from: Allrecipes.com/SUBMITTED BY: Brian Ehrler

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (4 ounce) fillets orange roughy
1/4 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
salt to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange fillets in the skillet, and drizzle with orange juice and lemon juice. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

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Here is my orzo recipe, that was originally from Cooking Light via Claire. It is tasty and quick to come together. This is probably my favorite way to prepare orzo!

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Yum! Yum! Yum!



The Result:
This is a recipe that I will make again and again. It was incredibly easy-the whole process took me about 5 minutes-and the taste was excellent! I think the sauce would work with any white fish (tilapia, mahi mahi, etc.) and I loved that the flavors packed a citrus punch. It was quite satisfying! Fast and healthy...this recipe filled both requirements with ease. It was perfect summer food!

Jen's Caprese Chopped Salad

Here is the recipe for the salad I made last night. It has all the flavors of a traditional caprese salad, but easier to serve and eat (especially for kids). This is one of my favorite summertime salads!!!

Jen's Caprese Chopped Salad

Ingredients:
6-8 ripe tomatoes, either on the vine or Roma (I would do 8 if using Roma tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2-4 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 ball of good quality mozzarella (preferably buffalo mozzarella)
1 small package of fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
Slice all tomatoes into half moon shapes and place in a large serving bowl. Cut cheese into bite sized pieces and add to bowl. Stack and roll basil leaves, then chop basil in a chiffonade or smaller cut and add to bowl. Generously salt and pepper the tomato mixture (approximately 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1-2 teaspoons of salt). Add oil and vinegar. Stir with a large spoon, making sure to combine well. Let salad rest in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

Greg's Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

While the boy and I were in San Diego, the husband made himself a grilled chicken sandwich that he has not stopped talking about since. He proclaimed it to be the BEST chicken sandwich that he had ever grilled. I was sad that I missed it, so I asked him to recreate it for me tonight. It is a fairly simple marinade recipe, so our dinner will be pretty low-key. We are just going to have our chicken on whole wheat buns, bake up some tater tots, and toss together a side salad. Pretty basic, but I am looking forward to it nonetheless.

Greg's Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons of canola oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
2 Tablespoons of Chalula brand hot sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
hamburger buns
mayo for topping

Directions:
In a large zip top bag, combine all ingredients and place in the fridge. Let the chicken marinate for a minimum of 2 hours (you can leave it overnight at the most). Remove chicken from fridge 1 hour before grilling, so meat may come to room temperature (I would not let it sit out any longer than an hour). Grill chicken on a charcoal grill until no longer pink in the center and juices are clear (165 degrees internally). Once cooked, let the chicken stand 5-10 minutes before serving so the juices inside the meat can redistribute. Serve on a bun with a tiny bit of mayo. Enjoy!



The Result:
These were indeed very yummy chicken sandwiches! The combo of lemon juice and hot sauce was oddly pleasing...a really nice contrast in flavor. Overall, I loved this sandwich!!! I would agree that they made for a pretty awesome dinner. Sometimes the simplest ingredients make for the best meals!!! We will definitely have these sandwiches again.
For a side dish, I made an easy version of an Italian caprese salad. I looked back through my blog and realized that I have never posted that recipe. I guess I will just have to fix that little oversight in a separate post. We had the tomato salad and tater tots with our dinner. I was running ridiculously low on tots. As you can see from the photo, I only had enough for 6 tots per person. I don't think I even had 1/4 of a bag left when I pulled them from the freezer. It was pretty pathetic to only see 18 lowly tots on a cookie sheet...hardly enough to even warm up the oven for. Oh well, we were happy to have our 6 tots-a-piece with the salad and sandwiches.

Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops and Top Secret Cheesy Potatoes

Here are two recipes that have not been in the rotation for awhile. Both are beloved in our house, so I am not sure why I don't make them more often. Granted, neither recipe is all that healthy; but sometimes it is just nice to have comfort food and not worry about it. My logic is that this meal will still be more nutritious than a lot of the garbage that is served at some chain restaurants; fast food or otherwise. I think I will steam some veggies to go with this meal and prepare a side salad, as usual.

Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chops

Jen's Top Secret Cheesy Potatoes

I am excited to have some more family favorites this evening!

Jen's Pesto Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli

This is the meal that I slated for yesterday, but changed at the last second. The gnocchi would have been a little too filling right before my Bunco game...considering all the snacks and drinks that I consumed.
This is an easy meal to put together and one of our family favorites! We haven't had this dish in a while, so I am happy that I put it back on the menu. I will pair this with a spinach side salad to round out the meal.

Jen's Pesto Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli

This recipe is always a hit at our house!!!

Jen's Veggie Parmesan

I had a different meal slotted for tonight, and then I decided I wanted something lighter and vegetarian. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have a Bunco game tonight. Bunco means lots of munching on nibbly bits and/or consuming of adult beverages. I need to travel light to Bunco, so I have room for said adult beverages and/or nibbles. So, I deleted my original dinner post and decided to go a different route. I think this dinner makes more sense on a night like tonight. I am going to loosely base this meal off of my Portobello Parmesan dish; except in addition to portobellos, I am going to use a frozen Trader Joe's marinated grilled eggplant and zucchini mix. Then, I will toss up a side salad and dinner will be served. Easy, healthy, and light!

Jen's Veggie Parmesan

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 large portobello mushroom caps, whole but stems and gills removed
1 bag of Trader Joe's marinaded grilled eggplant and zucchini (frozen)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 jar of marinara sauce
6 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup of shredded Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean mushroom caps with damp paper towel, then brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oiled grill pan over medium high heat. Grill mushrooms until tender, about 2-4 minutes per side. Grill marks should be present. Place mushrooms in a greased large 9 x 13 casserole dish, cup side up. Cook Trader Joe's eggplant/zucchini according to package directions. Once cooked, place in casserole dish with mushrooms. Sprinkle minced garlic over all the vegetables. Sprinkle all of Pecorino Romano cheese and half of the mozzarella over the vegetables. Spoon marinara sauce over veggies, making sure to spread evenly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and all of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts and is golden and bubbly.





The Result:
This variation was every bit as good as my original dish for Portobello Parmesan. It was sooooo savory! The cheese was all bubbly and melty, and I love the combo of the different cheese flavors. Yum!! It seemed the extra vegetables made the whole thing more substantial, as well. The only difference that I would do next time is that I would slice the portobellos to get a more even distribution. Other than that, I was very pleased with the result. I will definitely make this dish again!

Ina's Ultimate Ginger Cookie

I have a Bunco game tonight which is always potluck style, so I need to bring either a dessert or an appetizer. Dessert is always a good idea, and everyone loves a good cookie. I decided to try this recipe, since Ina usually delivers delicious food. I saw her demonstrate them on her show, and they looked quite simple to prepare...which is a bonus. I love ginger cookies, so I am looking forward to sampling these beauties. With a title like "Ultimate Ginger Cookie" I am sure they will be a huge hit!

Ultimate Ginger Cookie
2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.



The Result:
These cookies turned out exactly how they were supposed to...delicious! They were crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and very ginger-y. I will make these again, for sure. Ina rocks!!!

Leftovers

Nothing exciting to report for dinner this evening...just a bunch of leftovers. See you tomorrow!

Double Chocolate Pudding Pie (CEiMB)

I spied this dessert on my Craving Ellie in My Belly group website, and my first reaction was raised eyebrows. Healthy chocolate pie does not compute. It seems very incongruent...sort of like someone being just "a little pregnant". Dubious. Very dubious.

I set my doubts aside and decided to try it. My friend, Jenny's birthday party is tomorrow and I need to bring something, anyway. This pie will fit that requirement, and I can't think of a better bunch to test it out on. I will let my mommy friends judge if a "healthy chocolate pie" makes sense or not. I trust that a group of women with children all under the age of 6 will know what is or isn't a good chocolate pie. After all, chocolate is how many of us get through the day.

(Hopefully, it won't taste like chocolate flubber.)

Double Chocolate Pudding Pie
Eating Healthy in 2009. Copyright 2006 Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients:
14 graham cracker squares (7 full sheets)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup boiling water
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

In a food processor, process the graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and water and process until the crumbs clump together. Press the crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the pudding. Put the gelatin in a small bowl, add the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan mix the 2/3 cup of sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Gradually add half of the milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the rest of the milk. Turn the heat on to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in the vanilla and reserved gelatin. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and let set for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Whip the cream and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Before serving, garnish the pie with the whipped cream.





The Result:
Sometimes, I love being wrong. There is no flubber to report here!!! I am sooooo glad I decided to try it. It was fan-freakin'-tastic! Seriously, delicious!!! My doubts were totally unfounded, because this pie is soooo satisfying. Chocolaty and creamy with the crunchy crust...yum. Now, I am on the horns of a dilemma. I don't know if I should take this pie to Jenny's party today, or hoard it for myself. It is that good!!!

Best Grilled Pork Chops

I can't get enough of grilled food in the summertime. This time of year just begs for the grill to be used. Also, I love the black stripy lines and the charred black bits that develop on grilled food. Some say that black stuff can cause cancer, but I say pish-posh...it is DELICIOUS!!! (Pesky, know-it-all, medical experts trying to ruin everyone's fun.)
I was thinking about making my standard Jen's Double Breaded Pork Chop recipe tonight, but I changed my mind in lieu of some grilled food instead. What can I say, I like to shake things up now and again. I found this easy recipe on RecipeZaar and decided to go with it. I think I will serve some of my Jen's Glazed Carrots and baked (really microwaved) potatoes with this dish.

Best Grilled Pork Chops
Adapted from: recipezaar.com/Recipe #27210 by Kate in Ontario

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 Tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 bone-in pork chops

Directions:
In deep bowl mix all marinade ingredients.Marinate at least 2 hours.
When time is up, remove chops from marinade. Cook over medium heat on greased grill about 15 minutes or until cooked through, depending on thickness of chops.



The Result:
These chops were just okay; but I don't think it was the recipe that was the issue. Our grill was funky-too hot or too cold, I am not sure which-so these did not get done as well as I would have liked. I didn't get my grill marks, and one of the chops had to go back on the grill because it was raw on one part. Weird. I am not sure what happened because the coals seemed really hot. Also, I just don't think we were in the grilling "zone" last night. The meat looked like it was done properly, but it just wasn't. The marinade was tasty, but similar to another recipe I have that I like much better. I think this recipe would have been more successful, had we been able to grill the chops properly.

Pastor Ryan's Bread

I thought some homemade bread would go great with our meal tonight, so I decided to whip up a batch of this Pastor Ryan recipe. Yum! I added chopped, fresh parsley for the herbs and some dried, minced onions for fun. I hope that it turns out as good as his looks!!!

Pastor Ryan Bread

Ingredients:
20 oz. of bread flour (all purpose is okay, too) - about 4 cups.
8 oz. of water (or 1 cup.)
4 oz. melted butter with chopped herbs of choice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon active or instant yeast


Directions:
Combine these ingredients all together in the KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook (it can be done by hand…it just takes longer).

Mix together for about 10 minutes or so until you achieve a windowpane with the dough. This is where you can pull off a small chunk of the dough you’re kneading and stretch it gently to see if it is somewhat translucent. If you can do this without it tearing, it’s ready.

Once this elasticity has been achieved, the dough can sit out with plastic wrap over it for 1-4 hours to double in size. After it’s gotten bigger, it should be kneaded for a minute or two so that the yeast can redistribute.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut a large ‘X’ into the surface of the bread dough so it can bloom!

Bake inside a covered cast iron pan after coating the rounded dough with olive oil and sprinkling with kosher salt. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove lid to finish it off for another 15 to 30 minutes.

If you like to use a thermometers, we’re looking for an internal temp. of around 200-210 degrees. (The bread can get brown on the bottom if it’s too close to the heating element; if that happens, just slice it off with a sharp knife.



The Result:
This was really yummy and easy bread. I am not the best baker, so I am pleased with the results. I did have an issue getting the bread to the "windowpane" stage in my mixer. I let it mix for 10 minutes, as per the instructions, but it didn't stretch properly. Instead, I took it out of the mixer and hand-kneaded for a few minutes. Finally, it got where it needed to be. Other than that little snafu, the bread turned out perfect!

Slow Cooker Beans and Rice

Our friend, Pete is coming over tonight for dinner. His wife, Michelle is away on vacation for some much needed girl time, and Pete has been alone all weekend with their baby. When the husband talked to Pete earlier, he indicated that he was tired of take-out pizza. We thought it would be nice for him to have at least one home cooked dinner while Michelle was gone. I decided a crock pot meal would be the best route to take, since I can put it together now. Rather than toiling away in the kitchen, I can visit and play with baby Michael. At dinnertime, I just need to whip up a salad and some dressing, and make some rice. Easy, easy!

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

I hope that Pete enjoys spicy, Cajun-style food!!!

AB's Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Garlic Artichokes

I love the show Good Eats. Alton is a wealth of food knowledge and know-how, and I dig the way he focuses on technique versus recipes. I love that he wants to teach viewers the "whys" of cooking. He really emphasizes that a particular method can be applied to a host of recipes, not just one. Oh, AB...I am a fan!

Sadly, I always forget about AB's dishes. Often when I watch Good Eats I think, "Gee, I need to make that (insert dish here)", but then I never do. We actually DVR the show, so I watch it frequently. I really don't know why I always blank on trying to recreate some of his food. It is really quite the question mark! Well, Tonight is the night. We watched his pork tenderloin show a week or so ago, and I quickly bookmarked the recipes. This dish looks both easy and tasty. Really, can you go wrong with marinated then grilled meat???? Probably not. I am not sure what I am going to serve this dish with yet, so I will have to think about it and update you later. Yum! I love grilled food, and I am looking forward to this meal.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Recipe adapted from Alton Brown, 2009; foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:
Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin.

Place lime juice, honey, salt, and garlic powder in a small, lidded jar and shake to combine. Pour half of the marinade mixture into a 1-gallon resealable bag, add the chipotle pepper, and move around to combine. Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and seal, removing as much air as possible and place in a container to catch any leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, rotating the bag halfway through the time. Place the remaining marinade in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the tenderloin from the bag and allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the grill. Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator.
Fill a large chimney starter with natural lump charcoal and light. Once the charcoal is ashy and white, approximately 30 minutes, dump the hot charcoal onto the lowest grate of the grill and spread into an even layer using extra-long tongs. Place the cooking grate back on the grill and cover with the lid; heat the grate to medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloin from the bag and place in the center of grate. Discard bag with marinade. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin from the grill and place on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded at the edges to create a basket, and pour on the reserved marinade. Wrap tightly and rest for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

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Here is one of the side dish that I made to go with our pork. The other was saffron rice with some kidney beans mixed in (normally, I use black beans...but I was out).

I bought some globe artichokes at Sprout's and thought I would try something new with them. I have only cooked artichokes once before; I stuffed them with cheese and bread crumbs (a Giada recipe). I wanted something decidedly easier, so I scoped this recipe out on RecipeZaar. I had everything on hand and the instructions were pretty clear; which made dispatching the artichokes a little easier. I must confess, artichokes are a little intimidating to clean. They are still a little foreign to me. Also, they are a lot of work to eat. However, I think they are worth it. They are so delicious I don't mind putting in a little elbow grease.

Garlic Artichokes
From: Recipezaar.com/Recipe #61382 by Geema

Ingredients:
2 large globe artichokes (1 lb each)
1 lemon, cut into quarters
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup white wine or water
5 tablespoons butter, melted
your favorite hot sauce (I used Tabasco)

Directions:
1.Cut off the stems of the artichokes.
2.With a sharp knife (I find a serrated knife works well) cut off the top 1/3 of the artichoke.
3.Immediately rub the cuts with a lemon quarter, squeezing a little juice on the cuts to keep it from turning brown.
4.Now cut each artichoke in half through the stem, from the top to the bottom.
5.Use a spoon and/or a knife to completely remove the hairy choke and all the prickly purple leaves inside the artichoke.
6.Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan.
7.Add the garlic and saute over medium low heat to flavor the butter.
8.Arrange the artichoke halves cut side down in the pan.
9.Saute for about 5 minutes or so, until just lightly browned.
10.Add the wine and the seasonings.
11.Reduce heat to very low, cover the pan, and let cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.
12.CHECK THE PAN AFTER 9 OR 10 MINUTES TO BE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH LIQUID IN THE PAN TO PREVENT BURNING.
13.ADD MORE WINE IF NEEDED.
14.Test the doneness of the artichokes by piercing with a fork.
15.It should penetrate easily.
16.Serve the artichoke halves with the rest of the melted butter in a small dish and flavored with as many dashes of hot sauce as you like.
17.Dip the leaves and the delicious heart in the butter and enjoy.

Jen's Notes:
Here are the notes from the recipe:

Be careful to keep enough liquid in the braising pan so the artichokes don't burn.



The Result:
Both of these recipes were awesome! Seriously, the grilled pork tenderloin was probably the best application that I have ever tasted. The husband and I could not get enough of it. It was both cooked and marinated perfectly...the flavor was indescribably good. AB is THE MAN!!!! I would highly recommend trying the pork recipe post haste.
The artichokes were also great. Again, easy (for artichokes) and delicious. Yum! I will make both these recipes again, without hesitation!!!!!

Jen's Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce Surprise

So, I have been crazy busy. Apparently, blog neglect is the first symptom of a crazy schedule. I don't know if the new week will be any quieter, but I am hoping to at least stay caught up. That's the dream, anyway. I am going to plan some easy dinners, so I can keep my head above water. That should help, and I think I am now up to date on my meal posts. Whew!

Yesterday, I was out all day and forgot to thaw out a protein item for our dinner. Yikes! At 5 pm, I made a quick decision to use shrimp since I knew they could be thawed/cooked relatively quickly. I wanted an all in one type of dish, and what better way to get that then to throw some shrimp into some pasta with a veggie of some sort. I spied some lemons sitting out on my counter; which helped me formulate an idea. Pasta, shrimp, broccoli...in a lemon cream sauce. Eureka!!! I did not use a recipe, but instead made one up on the fly. I did not write it down as I was cooking, so I will just recreate it now. As with my curry dish a few night's ago, this was definitely one of my surprise concoctions. I really did not have a clear idea of where I was going or how I was going to get there. Thankfully, all worked out well. This pasta dish turned out super-yummy! This will become a dish that I make again, especially since it came together fairly quickly (only 1/2 hour to 45 minutes max; including thaw time).

Jen's Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce Surprise

Ingredients:
1 lb. of fresh or frozen raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
pasta of your choice (I used pappardelle)
2 heads of broccoli, florets only
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 of a large white or yellow onion, diced finely
2 Tablespoons of capers, drained
1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of dry white wine
2 medium sized lemons, juiced
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup of sour cream
1-2 cups half and half
1 cup of water or chicken broth
4 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 Tablespoons of flour
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta.

If shrimp is frozen, place in colander under stream of running water, tossing ever minute or so until thawed (this takes approximately 5 minutes total). Dry thawed shrimp well with paper towels, and place on a baking sheet. Season shrimp liberally with salt and pepper. Pour approximately 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over shrimp. Toss seasoned shrimp with clean hands on baking sheet, making sure all shrimp is evenly coated. Roast in oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on how large the shrimp are. Be careful not to overcook. Once shrimp are roasted, remove from baking sheet to a platter and set aside.

On the same baking sheet, place broccoli florets and season with salt and pepper. Again, coat with approximately 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, then toss seasoned florets with oil by using clean hands. Make sure all florets are evenly coated. Roast broccoli in oven for 15-25 minutes, or until florets are slightly browned at the tops, and still crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packaged directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When pan is ready, add onions and a big pinch of salt. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Do not burn garlic. Add red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add white wine and lemon juice and let it reduce by half. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water (or chicken broth), half and half, and sour cream. Stir to combine, making sure dairy items do not curdle. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Sauce should be watery at this point.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add flour and mix until paste is formed. Whisk into sauce for thickener. Repeat if necessary, until desired sauce consistency is achieved. Once sauce ready, adjust seasoning if needed. Add in roasted broccoli, roasted shrimp, capers,lemon zest, and chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Melt in last 2 Tablespoons of butter. Serve over cooked pasta.

Jen's Notes:
All measurements are approximate.



The Result:
Keeper!!! This was delish!

Leftovers

Those three kids wore me out (my two nieces that are visiting and my son makes three...all under the age of 7). I dropped my nieces back off over at grandma and grandpa's house, so I could catch a break and rejuvenate. I am seriously wiped. I refuse to cook dinner tonight, so I think we are going to stick with leftovers until I feel like a normal human being again. Tomorrow is a new day.

Tater Tot Casserole

I am going to keep this short and sweet today, since my nieces are in town and we are busy having fun. We are going to have this dish for dinner....yada, yada, yada...here is the recipe.

Tater Tot Casserole

This is a great kid-friendly meal; one that I hope both my sweet, little, nieces enjoy. Yeah...that's about all I have to say about that. Catch ya later!

Jen's Chicken Curry Surprise with Garlic Naan

I decided I am going to bluff my way through a chicken curry dish tonight. Have I ever made chicken curry??? Nope. However, I do really like chicken curry; in all of it's many variations. So I talked myself into giving it a go. I won't have an actually recipe to post until after dinner is made, therefore this certainly counts as one of my "surprise" dishes. Or as I like to think of it, "adventures in experimental cookery"...that phrase sounds a little more civilized, don't you think???

Anyway, I am going to roughly base my Chicken Curry Surprise off of two dishes/ideas. The first, is actually a frozen meal that I like to purchase at Fresh and Easy called Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken). For a frozen, pre-made, curry dish it is darn tasty. The second is from a website I frequent called Kayotic Kitchen (aka Dutch Girl Cooking). She has a recipe for Roti Chicken (with authentic Roti potato crepe-like bread) that makes me drool. Sadly, I can never seem to get my act together to make her dish, which seems a little labor-intensive. Instead of waiting for the planets to align, I decided to just try and stumble my way through a suitable facsimile. I even bought some frozen, bake-at-home Garlic Naan bread from Trader Joe's to pair with my chicken dish. That is as close to her Roti Chicken as I think I am going to get, for now.

Despite the whole "not knowing exactly what I am doing" thing, I am looking forward to dinner tonight. I have been having a strong hankerin' for Indian food, so I am hoping that this will do the trick. I will post my recipe later...once I figure out what my recipe actually is. Wish me luck!!!

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Here it is...brace yourselves, there is quite an ingredients list! I did not have garam masala spice blend, so I had to improvise and put in a bunch of individula spices that were collectively in garam masala. Does that make sense? That accounts for why my ingredients list is a mile long; it would have been much shorter if I had the garam masala I needed. I have no idea how much I put in of everything, so quantities and cook times are estimated. Really, I added everything to taste and just watched the sauce closely. This is really an off-the-cuff type of dish. If you decide to try this dish my way, my advice is to "USE THE FORCE".

Jen's Chicken Curry Surprise

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of sunflower oil or canola oil
1 package of chicken tenders, tendons removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 small can of tomato paste
1-2 cups of tomato puree
turmeric
powdered ginger
curry powder
cayenne pepper
Adobo seasoning
cloves
cinnamon
cumin
coriander
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
1 cup of half and half
1/2 a bag of frozen peas
chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with Lawry's Seasoned Salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. Once chicken is browned and cooked through, remove to a platter and set aside.

In remaining oil (add more if needed), cook onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for two to three more minutes. Turn heat down to medium. Add tomato puree, water, and all spices at your discretion. Scrape the bottom of the pan, making sure to loosen all the brown bits stuck at the bottom (these bits are an important flavor element and should be incorporated into the sauce). Add bay leaves and let sauce reduce for 5 minutes.

Stir in yogurt and half and half. Stir to combine. Add chicken back in and turn heat to low. Add frozen peas, lemon juice, and butter, then simmer for 5-10 more minutes minutes, so flavors may combine. Garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice.





The Result:
I don't mean to toot my own horn or anything, but my curry was fan-freakin'-tastic! Seriously, I loved it! YUM! It was exactly what I was looking for in a chicken curry dish. Sigh. I am a happy girl. It was delicious. It wasn't just my opinion that it was good either...both my son and husband really liked it, too.

Also, I want to say that I am very happy with the Trader Joe's (Frozen) Garlic Naan. All I did was pre-heat the oven and let 'em cook for a minute or two. They came out of the oven warm and fragrant. The texture was perfect, too. I was surprised at how good they really tasted. Overall, this recipe is a total keeper.

(PS-Next time I make this I will try and pay more attention to the ingredient quantities so I can write a better recipe.)

Orange Roughy

This morning, I found myself wrestling with a cooking dilemma. You see, I have had a Barefoot Contessa recipe on hold for a few months now. First, I could not find the right kind of fish. Then, I suddenly could not find creme fraiche where I normally purchase it (or anywhere else for some reason). So, I made up my mind to substitute a different fish and some sort of sour cream concoction for the other ingredient that I was missing. I put the Barefoot Contessa dish on my meal plan for the week; determined to move forward with it.

Fast forward to this morning...I looked up the BC recipe again, with the intention of posting about it here and now. In re-reading the recipe I realized that I not only did not have the right fish or the creme fraiche that it called for, but I also did not have two other major ingredients. That would bring my total of missing ingredients to four. The recipe only had seven ingredient listed! Errrrr...not good. Since I am missing four out of the seven total items, I decided to scrap it completely. The recipe that I would end up cobbling together with substitutions would not resemble the original dish, anyway. Sigh. Better luck next time. So, what to do now??? I had fish to use (albeit the WRONG fish for Ina's dish...but fish, nonetheless). I did a quick recipe search this morning on the RecipeZaar website and came up with this idea. ("When in doubt, use RecipeZaar!"...This notion is quickly becoming a personal philosophy of mine.)

This humbly titled dish looks pretty interesting and easy. Better yet, I actually have ALL the ingredients for this one. Hooray, RecipeZaar! I think I will serve my fish with roasted asparagus, a Trader Joe's wild rice pilaf mix, and a salad.

Dinner problem solved!!!

Orange Roughy
Adapted from recipe #29964/By tamibic

Ingredients:
4 orange roughy fillets
1 egg
2 tablespoons honey mustard OR Dijon mustard
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I am going to use a mixture of Panko and Italian seasoned bread crumbs)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:
1. Mix egg and mustard in medium bowl.
2. Mix bread crumbs and cayenne in large zip top bag.
3. Dip fillets in egg mixture then toss in bread crumb.
4. Place in the fridge for 1/2 hour so crumbs adhere.
5. Heat the oil in large pan and cook about 4-5 min per side (depending on how thick). Cook until fish flakes easily and is done in the center.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved.

Jen's Notes:
I am not totally sure that I am going to pan fry these fillets. I think I might bake them instead in a 400 degree oven, on a wire rack (air bake method) for 15 minutes or so. This is a bit healthier and the fish should remain crunchy. A good spritz of cooking spray over the tops of the breaded fish will make it brown nicely, too. I will let you know how I decide to cook it later, in my 'Result' post.



The Result:
This was really good!!! We all enjoyed this dish, and it will be a recipe that I make again soon.

I ended up baking the fish, as I indicated in my notes. It was perfectly crisp and not overcooked. The only thing that was needed was a squirt of lemon to brighten the overall flavor of the dish. Yum! As usual, the rice pilaf and asparagus came out perfect. This fish recipe is a definite keeper.

Oh, one other thing that I almost forgot...

I ended up mixing 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of whole grain mustard, and a 1/2 teaspoon of honey to the egg. I didn't have actually honey mustard, so I used this technique instead.