What Carrie & Friends Made For Dinner

Anti-Aging Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

2010-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

I hardly ever make pancakes... but I just bought some frozen blueberries this week, and pancakes were calling to me on Sunday morning. I did some research on different recipes, trying to figure out a way to make them healthy, but still delicious. I think I developed a good one.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup light sour cream (plain or vanilla yogurt would also work well)
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 tbsp light butter, softened
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)

Whisk together flours and dry ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl.

Combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through egg) in a large mixing bowl. Add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Brush pan with a thin coat of butter, and add batter by 1/4 cup increments. (I used a large ice cream scoop, which was a bit smaller). Top batter with a heaping tablespoon of blueberries.

When bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pancake (about 2-3 minutes), flip and cook for another 2 -3 minutes. Serve warm.

I topped these with a little melted light butter mixed with honey, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Yum!

Chicken N' Dumplins

2009-01-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

So so sorry for my prolonged absence. Not because I haven't been cooking... just because I have been a lazy blogger. Well-- here and now I promise to update at least... hmm... twice a week.

I will make it so.

So, to jump start this back up, I will focus on a few "comfort food" recipes. I have just come down with my seasonal cold/sore throat, and comfort food is always on the brain.

Yesterday, I decided to make a big batch of chicken and dumplings, which-- if you are not from the south-- you may have never heard of. It is just a big pot of big, fat, tender noodles and shredded chicken in a rich thick broth. Yum.

I had to work yesterday morning, so I was dreaming of C&D the whole time. At one point, I had convinced myself that I would go completely from scratch... boil the whole chicken, skin it, bone it, shred it. Make my dough of flour and egg, roll it out, cut out and dry the dumplings....

By the time I got out of work, all I wanted was to EAT those C&D, not slave over them.

So- I called up my chef hotline--Dad-- and asked for his current quick recipe. And here it is (slightly adapted by me):

Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

34 oz box of chicken stock
34 oz water

3-4 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless or bone-in)

3-4 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp butter

10 flour burrito-sized tortillas, halved and cut into 1 1/2 - 2 inch strips

seasoned salt (to taste)

dried thyme (to taste)

fresh ground pepper (to taste)

METHOD

Pour chicken stock and water in a big pot and bring to a boil. Add your chicken pieces, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove chicken pieces and set aside to cool. Strain any excess fat or chicken "debris" from broth. Add milk, butter, and seasonings and bring to a rolling boil.

Add tortilla strips one by one, pushing gently to the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to make more room, if necessary. Allow to gently boil for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, de-bone (if necessary) and shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add back to pot in small batches, gently folding in to dumplings. Reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Star Wars Birthday Cake Tradition

2008-08-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

When Tom and I got married, we joked about his groom's cake being a "German Chocolate Chewie"-- Tom is a big Star Wars fan, for those (few) who don't know. In the end, we wimped out and just got a basic chocolate cake.

So- a couple months later when Tom's birthday rolled around, I had to try my hand at the german chocolate chewie. (My photos are not digital yet, I will post soon.) It was a success!! Every birthday there after, now 8, I have crafted a different Star Wars character cake.

I don't cook from scratch-- I always use a boxed mix and canned frosting. I try to make the cooking the easy part so that I can focus on the decorating. I just make a square cake and a round cake, and create the basic shape. My decorating is never great-- but always free-hand from a photo or action figure. I think Tom just appreciates the effort.

This year on his birthday, yesterday the 14th, I made C-3PO:

Which-- our dog Patty sneakily ate half of while Tom took a nap. She only made it up to a few bites out of the chin.

Here are a few of the cakes past:

Last year-- Jabba the Hut

2006 -- Tusken Raider

2005 -- Darth Vader

2004 -- Storm Trooper

2003 -- Darth Maul

Photos to come once I scan them:

2002 -- R2-D2

2001 -- Boba Fett

2000 -- Chewie

Fa- Fa-Focaccia!

2008-06-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Long time, no post, eh? I have nothing or no one to blame but my own laziness and inertia.

One thing I've wanted to post for a while is focaccia. I bought this book: Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, and I LOVE it. It kind of takes off where No Knead Bread started. I love that I can just mix it up, let it rise, and worry about all the fussy kneading, punching down, etc. You don't even need all the fancy schmancy tools like a peel or stone. And the breads I have made have been delicious!

Here is my Rosemary, Olive, Onion Focaccia, before baking:

And yummy goodness after baking:

Every time I have made focaccia, it never lasts more than a few hours. Yum Yum.

New Week, New Plan

2008-05-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't posted any pics from last week yet, but here is the plan for this week:

Oven BBQ Beer-Butt Chicken with Broccoli and Corn

Blackened Catfish with Roasted Baby Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Chicken Tetrazzini with a Green Salad

Grilled Teriyaki Pork and Veggie Kabobs with Rice and Grilled Asparagus

The chicken has a beer in its butt and it's in the oven right now.

Also-unrelated, but I have IRISES!! They just came up this year! I guess ole Crazy Shirley (the lady who "flipped" our house) had a little surprise in store for me!

Weekly Meal Plans

2008-04-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

So, this is less of a post about a certain dinner, but a sharing of my "dinner planning" I've been trying out for the past few weeks.

We live about 1 block from our local Kroger, so it has been much to easy to wait until 5 o'clock everyday, and think "Hmmm, what for dinner?" and stop almost everyday on the way home. Or, worse, the wandering around le supermarche clueless as to what to buy. This way of shopping inevitably added up to large grocery spending by the end of the month.

For the past few weeks, I have been planning 4 meals on Monday or Tuesday, and only making one trip to the grocery. I use my seasonal issues of Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and internet sites for inspiration. Often, I can combine items over 2 different meals, or plan for leftovers from one to serve later in the week. I have now done this for 3 or 4 weeks, and the average I have spent on groceries is $55. Not bad. That leaves just a little extra for a good bottle of wine, or a pint of jamocha almond fudge.

On the plan for this week:

Chicken Celery Stir-fry and Rice

Marinated Flank Steak with Potatoes and Green Beans

Stuffed Flounder Roll-ups with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Noodles

Roasted Spiced Pork Shoulder with Black Beans and Yellow Rice

Once I have everything in the fridge/freezer, we just pick what sounds best for that night.

How do you guys plan/not plan/shop for your weekly dinners?

Personalized Patchwork Tea Towels

2008-04-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of blogs-- about food, crafts, randomness. One that I read is called Craft Leftovers by Kristin Roach (over there on the side bar), where she posts different patterns that are quick, easy, and use up those last bits of fabric and yarn, etc. She decided to start posting guest patterns, and mine was the first one, hurray!

Check out my Personalized Patchwork Tea Towels!

Every good kitchen needs a few good kitchen towels. I have started an Etsy shop, Marmaladecheeks, where I will soon add finished tea towels and DIY tea towel kits. Just a little taste of my crafty side...

Cinnamon Chicken

2008-04-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

Living abroad may be full of challenges, but sometimes, just sometimes, you can have an intercultural culinary success. I am tentatively stepping into my new cooking clogs here in the Netherlands, where I am cooking without the 900 kitchen gadgets that we all take for granted at home. This has been just fine as I use Max as my taster and critic, but I had not yet cooked for others until this weekend. Max and I were invited to the home of one of his colleagues who lives in Amsterdam. It was a potluck, and the logistics were tricky. We had to make something that could be taken by bike to the train station, survive a 25 minute train ride, and a 30 minute walk (because who would not walk through Amsterdam on a rare sunny Saturday evening?). Oh, and the kicker was that the guests were from Italy, France, Spain, New Zealand, Germany, India, and the Netherlands. How was I going to please the tastes of any of these guests whose home countries offer some of the best cuisines? Like Erin, I try to learn from my mistakes, but this was no time for experimentation. I looked over the list of recipes I had recently tried, and asked Max to choose his favorite. It was the Cinnamon Chicken recipe I made a couple of weeks ago. The recipe is from Runners World Magazine

I changed the amount and type of chicken, and made some daring metric conversions. Here is the recipe as I made it (conversions re-converted--if that is possible). I also re-wrote some of the instructions, as I found the original recipe to be a bit jumbled.

The ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. kosher salt (we used Gros Sel de Guérande, a French sea salt)
1tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced (separate 2 cloves for use later)
1 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 coarsely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
5 oz. tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, choppped (dried oregano works just fine)

The steps:

Boil water with a pinch of sea salt and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare your chicken stock in another pan and set aside.
Mix the cinnamon, kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels and then rub the cinnamon mixture on the chicken breasts.
Heat olive oil in deep skillet, and add chicken, browning for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Lower heat to medium-high and add 3 of the minced garlic cloves and onions to the skillet. Stir for about 3 minutes, until onions are just beginning to soften.
Add the wine, and stir occasionally until wine is evaporated.
When the wine has evaporated, add the water, chicken stock, tomato paste, remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, and oregano. Stir until well blended.
Return chicken breasts to the sauce mixture (they should be about 3/4 covered in sauce).
Cover the skillet and simmer on low heat for about an hour until chicken is tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with rice or pasta.

The first time I made this (pictured below) I served it with rice. For the potluck, I just packaged it and we reheated it at the host's home. I was very pleased when I got a thumbs up from the New Zealander, the Spaniard, the French woman, and the Italian. I hope that it brings happiness to the taste buds of my American friends back home!

Trivia question: This recipe was originally labeled Koto Kapama (Cinnamon Chicken). What language does Koto Kapama come from? I don't have the answer, so I hope someone knows.

To Ketchup or not to Ketchup...That is the Question. (a.k.a. Mom's meatloaf!!)

2008-04-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

There is a great debate in the culinary world about what makes a true meatloaf. For me, it is my mom's savory "loaf de beef" with some gravy on top. For my husband, he misses his mom's sweet, sticky ketchup-topped meatloaf. However, because I was cooking, I won out on this one (and David just added a side of ketchup to his meal). No matter what your preference, you can't deny the amazing thing that is a loaf of meat cooking in its own juices. Savory, moist, wonderful, and simple.

Mom's meatloaf (a family secret revealed)!:

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 c. saltine crumbs
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup minced or grated onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients in the order shown. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees in an ungreased loaf pan or shallow baking dish.

Add some mashed potatoes and gravy (fresh or pre-made), some balsamic and butter asparagus and red pepper (sauteed), and my favorite comfort food side dish: Canned carrots, cooked with butter and Lawry's Seasoning Salt (the sugar in this salt mixture is heaven on carrots).

And then get ready for delicious:

This is a culinary triumph. For culinary tragedies, please see below...

You win some, and, well...you lose some.

2008-04-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

I love to try new recipes. On average, I probably try one new recipe a week. Some of these are more successful than others (as you might imagine). Since this blog is supposed to be about our kitchen tragedies as well as our triumphs, I thought I would give you a couple of recipes that, while not awful, turned out a bit problematic for various reasons. It is not that I think these recipes are bad to begin with or can't be saved--that's not true at all. They all looked great on paper. (i.e., it's not the recipes, Erin, it's you!!!)

So what went wrong in my execution? I have tried to work it out and have come up with the below conclusions, but I would LOVE your ideas/thoughts as well.

Recipe Numero Uno: Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

Recipe Source: http://www.aimeesadventures.com/ (A great source for healthy, quick dinners, including nutrition info and WW points for each meal. Family friendly stuff that real people eat. Except for "Taco Ring" I'm scared of that one. Because, well, tacos aren't shaped like rings and really shouldn't be. But I digress...)

1 lb. Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb. Bag Frozen Broccoli Florets

3.5 oz. (approx. 1 Cup) Barilla Plus Multigrain Rotini Pasta, uncooked

1 Cup Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese

10.75 oz. Can 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup

10.75 oz. Can 98% Fat Free Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 Tablespoon Dry Minced Onions

1 1/2 Cups Fat Free Chicken Broth

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, broccoli, macaroni and cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the soup, broth, onions, garlic powder and pepper together; stir into the chicken mixture. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir, and then bake 25-30 minutes longer, or until the chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

What went wrong:

I made some substitutions to account for what we had on hand and (David's) dietary preferences:

I substituted the chicken for a pre-cooked turkey breast, which we cut into cubes.
I added a bit of extra pasta because it looked a bit soupy.
Because the hubby detests onions, I added 1/2 tsp. of onion salt.
The store was out of Broccoli Cheese soup so I used 98% fat free cream of broccoli instead.
I used low-fat cheese because I don't believe in fat-free cheese. Unless you like munching on plastic. Then go right ahead and enjoy.

On this one, it was a simple mistake of not thinking ahead. I never use low sodium chicken broth or low-sodium canned soup because I think it tastes awful. So coupling that with adding pre-cooked turkey breast and additional (onion) salt equaled tons of extra sodium in the recipe. The result was decent (but only because I love salt) and required you to drink a gallon of water with each bite so your blood pressure didn't sky-rocket.

How to fix it:

Next time I would make at least one of the cans of cream soup a Healthy Request soup (with lower sodium). I would use onion powder instead of onion salt. I would use the uncooked chicken or turkey breast instead.

Another note on this recipe...We upped the temp a bit and added some cooking time, which was absolutely required. You have to check the dish at various stages to make sure the pasta gets done.

This recipe had potential and looked pretty in the casserole dish, so maybe you would like to have a go at it?

Recipe Numero Dos: Balsamic Chicken with Butternut Squash Ravioli

Recipe Source: The chicken and sauce recipe comes from Cooking Light's 5 ingredient, 15 minute cookbook.

4 skinned, boned chicken breast halves

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsps olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 package of butternut squash ravioli

Some manner of vegetables for your side item.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Add chicken to pan. Cook 5 minutes until browned. Turn chicken over and cook another 6 minutes (or until the chicken is done). Stir in vinegar, honey, and basil and cook 1 more minute.

Make the ravioli as described on the package.

Plate the ravioli and chicken and drizzle the pan drippings over all.

What went wrong: We substituted dried basil instead of fresh because we didn't have any fresh herbs on hand. While we knew enough to use half the amount of dried basil (because dried herbs are much more concentrated than fresh), the dish turned out peppery and did not have that wonderful savory basil taste (or gorgeous green color).

How to fix it: Get out there and buy some fresh herbs!! This recipe would be wonderful with that one change.

Recipe Numero Tres: Chicken Piccata

Recipe Source: Free magazine we received in the mail. Cuisine at Home. This is the recipe (however, this person has doubled it, so keep that in mind unless you are feeding 8). http://www.recipezaar.com/143009

What went wrong: We used too much lemon, not enough salt and for some reason, the chicken stuck to the bottom of the pan and caused the sauce to have bits of browned flour in it.

How to fix it:

Too much lemon can easily be solved by actually MEASURING. (whoops)
Too little salt can be remedied by actually TASTING the sauce before serving (Tom Colicchio and Gordon Ramsay would be horrified!)
On the brown bits....We used the amount of oil it called for. We waited for the oil to heat properly before putting the cutlets in. So I really don't know what happened there. Any thoughts?

In any event, this recipe wasn't a complete disaster by any means. It just wasn't as good as it could be. I, if I must say so myself, it looked pretty on the plate!!

__________

So, in the end, you win some...and you lose some. I'm definitely not a professional chef. I do not even play one on tv. Therefore, I will chalk these up to rookie mistakes and try, try again.

And just remember..."If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball." --Patches O'Houlihan

Spaghetti and Red Sauce with Italian Sausage

2008-04-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite homemade(-ish; it uses canned tomatoes and sauce) marinara, or Red Sauce, recipe adapted from my Dad's (Chef Love) recipe. I added the diced tomatoes and red pepper, because I like my sauce a little chunky and a little spicy (kinda like me, ha ha).

One of Dad's nicknames for me is "Number One", because I am the 1st child, and we loved us some Star Trek: The Next Generation where Captain Picard called First Officer Riker "Number One." Yes, I am a nerd.

Chef Love and Number One's Red Sauce

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced and diced

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 (14.5 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, in juice

1 tbsp crushed red pepper

coarse salt

1/4 c. red wine

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium to medium low heat. Sauté onion until transparent (NOT browned), about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and 2/3 of the basil, and sauté until basil wilts. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red pepper, and the rest of the basil. Add salt to taste, and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Add red wine and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.

We had this on Friday night with thin spaghetti and Johnsonville's Hot Italian Sausages that I boiled and then browned on the stovetop. We watched the last two episodes of The Wire, Season 4.

This was so good that we will have the same exact thing tonight (Sunday). We may grill the sausages since the rain has ended and it is a beautiful Spring evening in Memphis.

"Ahhh, the Calla Lillies are in bloom a-gain!"--Pee Wee Herman

(I already told you I was a nerd.)

Tasty Fish for Picky Boys

2008-04-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to incorporate more fish into our diet, but Tom isn't the biggest fan. This has put me on a search for tasty fish recipes that will satisfy even a picky eater. Here are a couple that I have made recently.

Blackened Catfish

I used this recipe from Everyday Food, and it turned out great! I started out with my broiler on low, but ended up switching to high to get the true "blackened" effect.

I served it with Savory Butter Corn and Garlic Pepper Green Beans.

Savory Butter Corn

Place 10oz frozen sweet corn kernels in a small saucepan and add water to just cover. Cook over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5-7 minutes.

Add 1 tbsp butter or margarine, 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions, and coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Tilapia Cutlets

A couple weeks ago I made this recipe from Cooking Light. It was meant to be served as a sandwich, but I served it with a side of pasta and tomato-spinach compote.

The compote recipe was from Everyday Food, but I changed it around a bit...

Tomato-Spinach Compote
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, slivered

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, in juice
1 (6oz) bag of baby spinach

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice and spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve over hot, cooked pasta.

Somehow, I forgot to take a photo of this one... darn. The leftover compote was delicious tossed with cooked pasta and some shredded parmesean cheese.

Chicken Quesadillas--A Taste of Home

2008-03-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

Max and I have been missing our frequent visits to Rincon Mexican Restaurant in Lexington, KY where we used to live. There is nothing in the Dutch cuisine which comes close to Mexican fare, so I decided to make it myself...now that I am a cook...of sorts.

This recipe is from AllRecipes.com which Carrie has a link for in the lefthand column. Some guy named Tony Cortez is to thank for this recipe. I made some minor adjustments, but he gets the credit.

Serves: 2-4 (depending on your appetite)

The Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes diced (4 if you are using the tiny Dutch variety)
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used closer to 3 because I LOVE it!)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I couldn't find one in my grocery store--still good without it)

salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1/2 onion (additional), thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced (I like red and yellow bell too for added color and taste)

2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or mozzarella +40 in the Netherlands)
1/4 cup sour cream, for topping

The Directions:

1. In small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil, add chicken until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. Return skillet to heat and add the second tablespoon olive oil. Saute the sliced onion and green pepper until tender. Add garlic and sautee for an additional couple of minutes. Add half of the pico de gallo and all of the chicken to the skillet. Stir in for a minute or so, then remove from heat and cover pan to keep it warm.

4. In another skillet (if you have 2), heat a tortilla. sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese on the tortilla as it warms, then 1/2 of chicken and pico de gallo, then top with another 1/4 of the cheese, put a second tortilla on top, and wait for the bottom tortilla to become lightly browned. When browned and the cheese is melted, flip the quesadilla (don't worry--it's not going to fall apart). Brown the other tortilla. When top and bottom are finally slightly crisp and brown, remove from the pan, cut into quarters, and dress it up with a dollop of sour cream and guacamole if you like, a sprig or two of the cilantro, and some of the extra pico de gallo.

We served this with refried beans from a can (sorry cooks), which were incidentally the only beans we could find in our local store. Years from now they will talk about the great Dutch bean shortage. The extra pico de gallo made the refried beans look prettier, and the leftover pico de gallo will be better the next day, I just know it! We only ate one for dinner, so this can easily stretch into two meals. The first one (pictured) was not as crisp as I think it should be. If I were in the US, I would probably add corn as a side! Until we get more daylight in the evenings, I can't take decent "During" shots of the cooking process. The space is too small and the flash makes a shadow. My apologies!

We watched the last 3 episodes of Scrubs: Season 4 to go with the nostalgia theme.

Not Food...

2008-03-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived in Memphis! So many new fresh and delicious food choices to come.

Lemon Seafood Risotto

2008-03-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

On Carrie's theme of shellfish, last night I made Lemon Seafood Risotto-a tasty and relatively easy risotto dish. I'm sure our friends who are chefs would gasp that this recipe is called risotto, but it DOES involve Arborio rice and involves some of the basic risotto techniques. However, it is a bit easier than regular risotto, and it is low-fat, (relatively) low-cholesterol, heart-healthy and tasty version of the super-creamy original.

The ingredients:

2 tsp. vegetable oil of your choice (Recipe calls for vegetable spray--but I can't do that to my precious stainless pans!)

1 medium leek, sliced (or minusculely minced if your husband hates onions)

2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp. bottled minced garlic

1 cup Arborio rice (about 8 ounces)

2 1/2 cups chicken broth (divided into 1 1/2 cup and 1 cup)
1 cup dry white wine

8 ounces of bay scallops

8 ounces medium shrimp, deveined and shelled

3 ounces of fresh snow peas, trimmed and halved (or asparagus, in our case)

1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon rind

This recipe is a bit more involved than some. What risotto isn't? But it is a good Saturday night movie dish, as we found out. We tend to use flash frozen shellfish unless we can get to a highly reputable fish monger. (Because, hey, this is Chicago, and ocean is nowhere to be found!)

Saute snow peas (or asparagus) and bell pepper in the oil for 5-6 minutes. Until almost cooked and pretty in color.

Remove asparagi and peppers and add the leeks. Saute leeks for 3 minutes and then add the garlic, sauteing for an additional 2 minutes or so (until your kitchen smells yummy and before the veggies turn brown). Then add the rice to the pan and toast for 5 minutes, stirring often. Although I am not a chef, I understand one of the key things about risotto is the toasting of the rice prior to the addition of liquid. This provides a bit of depth to the taste (and again makes the house smell heavenly):

Next, add 1 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I think this is where there recipe deviates somewhat from a traditional risotto, in which the liquid is added quite slowly and absorbed along the way.)

Then add the remaining broth and wine. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 10-13 minutes, stirring constantly. There will still be a small amount of liquid when this step is complete.

Add the scallops, shrimp, asparagus/asparagi and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is almost absorbed, about five-six minutes. The rice should be just tender and slightly creamy, and the shrimp should have just turned pink.

Finally, stir in the Parmesan, basil and lemon rind.

Heat through and serve immediately with a touch (or a mound, if you prefer) of Parmesan on top.

We drank: For the risotto and our glasses, we chose a 2006 Folie a Deux Menage a Trois White--a relatively inexpensive blend. It is not entirely dry, but its a nice bright white. We found it in Food and Wine's "Best American Wines"--all of which are under $15. A good article for folks who want some ideas about relatively inexpensive wines that can be found fairly easily.

We watched: Dan in Real Life. Good movie. Steve Carrell and Juliette Binoche. Funny and sweet.

Comforting, Healing, Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-03-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

(Originally Posted on 2/20/2008)

**UPDATE 3/24** Erin is getting on me to post this recipe, so here ya go!!

As soon as I start feeling a cold coming on, I make this and all is well.

These are the four secrets to a tasty Chicken Noodle Soup: Kitchen Basics Chicken STOCK (not watery ol' chicken broth), Reames Homestyle Egg Noodles-- available in the freezer section near frozen breads and rolls, kosher or coarse salt, and freshly ground black pepper. And, just to warn you, this makes A LOT of soup... probably 8 to 10 servings. But you will love every bowl...
The first time I made this, I was using an Everyday Food Recipe for Chicken and Artichoke Stew (or a Fricassée). However, since Tom does not eat artichokes, I decided to substitute celery (green, fibrous). What was accidentally created was the best Chicken Soup either of us had ever tasted. When we found the right noodle to add, the rest was history....

Carrie's Healing Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-2 cartons (32 ounces) of Chicken Stock
6 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 medium stalks celery, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 (12 ounce) bag frozen Homestyle Egg Noodles

METHOD
Optional 1st step: Cook Egg Noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
(You can add the noodles directly to the soup at the end, but they soak up a lot of the broth, so you may have to add more stock at the end.)

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven (or 5-quart stockpot) over medium-high heat. Brown half the chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken. Set aside to cool.

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 cup water (or a little white wine if you're feeling saucy); scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add onions; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute more.

Add 1 carton of stock (4 cups) and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Add carrots, celery, thyme, and salt and pepper. Simmer until carrots and celery are almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Cut chicken into small chunks and return to pot; cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add noodles; cook until warmed through (or cooked, if you did not cook in 1st step--about 15 minutes). Add additional stock, if soup is too thick, to your preference (I usually end up adding an extra cup or so, and more when I reheat the soup for leftovers). Stir in parsley and serve immediately with crackers.

I have also taken a couple of shortcuts occasionally (frozen chopped onion and carrots) if I don't feel like doing all the choppin'.

My model, Tommy, with his favorite soup mug: "Soup, soup, soup, crack-ahs, crack-ahs, crack-ahs!"

And a nice green salad rounds out the meal. Enjoy, and Heal Thyself!!

Shrimp Scampi

2008-03-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hello!! I'm finally posting again...

Tom is on Spring Break this week, and he went home to KC, MO for the weekend. I have managed to go out every night with friends, except for tonight. I went by the grocery on my lunch, and checked the meat/seafood counter for a good sale. I found a 1/2 lb. of cooked, peeled shrimp for $2.50. I thought about what to do with it over the afternoon, and I decided on Scampi.

So, I stopped by the Liquor & Wine Depot down the street on my way home from work and picked up a bottle of white wine (Fat Bastard--10% off for Ladies Day!!)

My method, per usual, is to check a few different recipes online, and create my own montage:

I started with a little olive oil and sauteed some minced red onion, garlic, and lemon zest.

I added some coarse salt, fresh ground pepper, and crushed red pepper. Then, some white wine and lemon juice, and brought to a boil. When it reduced a bit, I removed from heat and whisked in 4 tsp butter, one tsp at a time. When well mixed, I stirred in about 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley. I tossed in the cooked shrimp, and heated until warm.

Here is the final product, plated (Ha! The lingo!) with some garlic toasts.

I also am enjoying "macro" close-ups of food, so here is the shrimp:

Dispatch From a Newbie in Holland

2008-03-13T01:34:00.000-07:00

Hello to all of Carrie and Erin's fans! I am an old (and I do mean old) friend of Carrie's from Junior High. I have been asked to share my embarrassing bumbles in my tiny hobbit-hole of a kitchen in Holland where I am attempting to become a great chef. And now...the turmeric fiasco...

All of you who are accomplished cooks will probably gasp when I mention a problem with Turmeric. For those of you not in the know: BEWARE! If you use it improperly, or have an accident with this spice, it will be with you FOREVER!

It began this week, as I had a sudden spark that lifted me out of the self-pitying, culture shocked, homesick puddle that I had been in for a while. I bought “My Life in France” online as an audiobook. This is an autobiography by Julia Child of her time in France, adjusting to living abroad with her husband after WWII. This is the time period where she learned how to cook. She describes not only the French cuisine that I am learning about with Max’s parents, but she describes the process of learning about food selection, preparation, and eating. I decided to try it. Cooking. I never really enjoyed it. I love food and eating, but I was terrified of making mistakes, ruining a dish, wasting food, disappointing those eating it, and my techniques in slicing, dicing, sautéing, were all lacking. What a wimp!

I started researching recipes in my few cookbooks here (thank you Kay and Claire), and recipes online. I set up a menu for the week, and made everything each day with things bought from the grocery store here. This is not as easy as it sounds, as the Dutch do not celebrate their bilingualism on their labels. I was disappointed to find out that I had bought celery leaves instead of cilantro…sigh. There is also not a wide selection of products here that are commonly used in US recipes. I can’t find brown sugar for the life of me.

The other challenge is that our kitchen is tiny and while Max’s family set us up with lots of utensils, there are things we don’t have, such as 4 burners (we have only two), measuring cups, small bowls for ingredients, and a real lack of space. Our counter-top small oven holds a pan that seems to be about 6x8. I can’t stop thinking back to something my brother talked about years ago when he was in college. Please excuse me if I don’t get it exactly right, as I was only 5 or 6, but I seem to remember he lived on macaroni and cheese stirred with a shoehorn. That always makes me giggle. I also always hope that the shoehorn was only used for the meal…

The advantage of cooking under such circumstances is that I am learning to do what really good cooks do—improvise. I haven’t been able to measure anything. I eyeball everything, using coffee mugs as measuring cups, my palms as measuring spoons, and the washing machine as a staging area. I keep an orange juice container (glass) that is .5 liters for measuring liquid in metric amounts. But it all worked out well. I served Curry Carrot-Leek Soup with a side of Wine-Braised Fennel with Parmesan (I know—fancy, right?) Besides the satisfaction of overcoming my fear, I imagined how in 20 years I might be able to cook as well as my friend Kristin in Lexington. She is a great cook---she took cooking lessons in Vietnam and Laos!

Last night, the inevitable happened. The mistakes that I always worried about came fast and furious. I had planned on a green lentil soup, but had bought dried peas instead of lentils (they look so similar). I started on a backup recipe in my cookbook, but was not properly prepared. I was trying to make a red lentil soup that had many steps, and required an interesting dance of three pans on a two-burner “stove.” I managed to substitute Coriander for the cilantro, but the onions burned, I overcooked the spinach while dealing with the overflowing pot of soup. The…soup…with…turmeric!!!!! Even though I moved quickly, I managed to permanently dye our little white stove florescent yellow. Not completely so it would seem original, but streaky and obviously an accident. And it is not ours. It belongs to Max’s family. I also dyed a Tupperware lid where I set the spoon used to stir the soup, part of our cutting board where I set the pot, and my fingernails are still yellow. There should be a warning on the little jars of Turmeric. There probably is, but it is in Dutch…

So, I will not let this set me back. I am planning on another great meal tonight, and no matter how good I become at cooking, I will have my little daily reminder of last night’s turmeric situation. Most importantly, I have pulled myself out of a rut by smelling fresh-cut leeks, shallots, and garlic. I highly recommend for anyone feeling blue to try this version of aromatherapy.

Here is the infamous stove top (the before photo). I can't bring myself to document the awful after photo just yet. This picture along with the first shows the pitiful space in which I am working on masterpieces. In the first picture you will see the oven on the counter top. Yep. And that is my dorm-sized fridge next to the washing machine. We had it so good back in the US.....

Chicken Vegetable Curry

2008-02-20T14:16:00.000-08:00

Once again, I take a recipe and change it all around into something I like better.

Tuna Steak and Pasta Puttanesca-- Dinner for One

2008-02-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true-- Pasta alla Puttanesca means "Pasta in the way a whore would make it."

But it still tastes pretty good.

Looking at these photos, it would make a good Valentine's dinner-- the tuna steak looks like a heart.

Cheeseburgers and Oven Chips

2008-02-20T08:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been away-- as Erin said, I have been "up to my eyeballs in eyeballs."

So- I need to catch up from the past couple weeks. I think I'll just get my titles and pics up, and then fill in the details tonight or tomorrow.

Here are cheeseburgers and oven chips!

Amusing Foods From Around the World Part II

2008-02-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

I add this to the list of foods based upon my co-worker Megan's recommendation. Although a beloved "pudding" in the UK, many in the US would find this delectable treat to be akin to Carrie's Amazing Foods from Around the World (Part I). Is there a theme here? Please send any and all "Amusing Foods" or "Foods Named after Anatomy" to Carrie or Erin. And thanks for reading...

Amusing Food From Around the World

2008-02-11T16:29:00.001-08:00

I know, I know... I haven't posted in over a week. Luckily Erin has taken up some of the slack.

I made only two photographed meals last week, and I will share them in the next day or two.

So, for today I give you: Amusing Food From Around the World!!!

This is a packet of soup given to Tom by one of his band mates. It says it's from Jamaica.

Luckily, the ingredients refer to Chicken Fat and Chicken Meat, although it is a bit disconcerting that MSG is listed way above each of them.

You Can't Have Any Pudding If You Don't Eat Your Meat....and Greens!

2008-02-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Hi, y'all! My name is Erin, and I am Carrie's college friend. We traveled the world together in 1996 and ate up all the food the world had to offer. Now we are both working stiffs, and despite my southern roots, I have settled far away from the land of Memphis in the very cold town of Chicago, Illinois. My husband, Dave, and I have a very busy lifestyle (we usually don't get home until 8 or 9 at night), so we have to make food that is healthy, quick and most importantly--TASTLICIOUS.

Lately, we have been doing what my aunt calls a "Big Salad" once a week. Last week, I did one of our favorites: Sizzlin' Steak Salad with Gorgonzola and Walnuts. This is an easy one that I replicated from various Chi-town eateries, and I love it because you can choose what meat/cheese/veg you want to use. It's personalized eating at its best.

The first step is to pick a nice lean cut of meat and an abundance of your choice of salad veg. We like flank steak, but you could use really anything you want. For seasoning, I slather the beef slab in olive oil (ala Carrie's Caribbean Pork Loin) then we rub it all over with salt and pepper and/or one of our favorite meat seasonings, Jim Baldridge's. Now, Jim Baldridge (as you can see from this photo and his ten gallon hat) is truly a man's man so you KNOW he is gonna make a mean batch 'o meat!

Next, I browned the meat on the stove top (for approximately 1-3 minutes each side, depending on thickness) in a pan that can also go in the oven.

After the browning, I popped the sizzling concoction in the oven on 380 degrees until the meat got to the desired doneness. We like our steak medium, so we left it in for 15 minutes or so.

My dad gave me this recipe for meat, and we use it all the time for all manner of meat because it sears in the flavor on the stove and then cooks the inside in the oven without losing all the tasty beef juices or blackening the outside of the meat.

For the salad, D and I like very different things so we each made our own. Mine had greens, broccoli, shallots, and yellow bell pepper (see below); his consisted of greens and raisins. And of course both had the tasty gorgonzola and walnuts (toasted in the oven or toaster oven for 5 minutes or so). For dressing, Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinagrette is especially good with this meat/cheese combo. The result was a pretty and tasty meal for both of us!!

We watched: The Up Series documentary (one of the best of all time--so check it before you wreck it!)

We drank: Beer. Lots of it.

For "Pudding": We layered an 8 ounce glass with light Cool-Whip, Reduced Fat 'Nilla Wafers, banana slices and Sugar Free Jello Vanilla Puddin'.

Mmm... Mmm... Muffaletta

2008-02-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

At the Superbowl Party, I also made a "Make Your Own Mini-Muffaletta" tray. I included provolone, ham and salami, along with turkey for the no-red-meat eaters, and veggie ham and salami for the vegetarians.

I also made my own olive salad, which turned more into an olive spread, as I decided to mix it all up in the food processor. I used a combination of an Emeril recipe and another I found on the internet:

Muffaletta Olive Spread

1 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, I used Kalamata, sliced
1 cup large (queen) pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tbsp finely chopped celery
2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Spread a generous amount on a kaiser roll, and add ham (or turkey), salami, provolone, and a tomato slice.
I was too full of gumbo to have one yesterday, but I did have one for lunch today.

Last night we watched, what else, the Superbowl. But, we also watched...

Mardi Gras Superbowl Prep-- GUMBO!!

2008-02-03T17:21:00.000-08:00

It was another busy Saturday at work--58 patients. So, after lounging on the couch for a few hours, I got up to prepare for our Mardi Gras SuperBowl Party. I decided to make the gumbo a day early, because it only gets better...This is my kitchen in preparation for dual gumbo-ing.

I had about 3 or 4 veggie/seafood only eaters, and a couple no red meat eaters coming to the party, so I decided on Seafood Gumbo and a Chicken and Turkey Sausage Gumbo. I've had a Mardi Gras party every year for the past three years, and I have finally decided on a recipe that I like. I have basically taken a basic chicken soup recipe that I LOVE, and altered it with some parts of a Cooking Light recipe. So-- since I've basically made up my own recipe, I will claim it for my own. I wrote the recipe with mostly frozen veggies, because fresh are hard to get this time of year. I'm sure fresh veggies would be that much more delicious.

For the seafood only gumbo, I substituted frozen, cooked crawfish tails for the chicken thighs and sausage. I just browned them for a bit in butter, to get their "fat" for a base for the soup. I also used veggie broth instead of chicken broth. For the chicken/turkey sausage gumbo, I used turkey smoked sausage instead of andouille, and omitted the shrimp.

Carrie's Gumbo

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 lb. (4-5 links) andouille (Cajun) sausage, each halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp butter
coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12 oz) bag frozen, chopped onions, thawed
1 (10 oz) bag frozen, chopped bell pepper, thawed
1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (like Tony’s)
¼ tsp cayenne pepper, ground
2 bay leaves
1 32 oz carton chicken stock or broth
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (12 oz) bag frozen, chopped okra, thawed
3-4 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 (12-16 oz) bag frozen, peeled, uncooked, medium shrimp, thawed

1. Heat flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until light brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to cool. Repeat with remaining Tbsp butter and sausage. Add to plate and set aside.

3. Add ¼ cup water to pot, and scrape bottom to release any browned bits. Add garlic, onion, and bell pepper, and cook until tender and onions are golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add browned flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

5. Add chicken stock, tomatoes with juice, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.

6. Add celery, okra, and shrimp and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until shrimp is bright pink.**This is the Seafood Version**

7. Chop chicken and sausage into bite-sized pieces and add back to pot with any accumulated juices.**This is the Chicken/Turkey Sausage Version**

8. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over cooked rice, and add hot sauce to taste. Enjoy!!

Chinese Friday

2008-02-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

I did not cook last night, and we ordered some Chinese delivery. Our favorite place is called "New Chang Ying". We have ordered so much in the last few years, that they know us by address. They still have a Chinese New Year's card we gave them for the year of the dog, with a photo of our dogs, on display in their restaurant. They are a cute family, and sometimes the husband, who cooks, is also the delivery man.

They have dinner combinations including fried rice, entree, and an egg roll for 6 bucks. You can't beat it. They also have some pretty darn good sauce-less fried buffalo wings. Last night, I had Shrimp and Chicken with Broccoli, and Tom had Hunan Beef.

We watched some DVR Daily Show and Colbert Report, and went to bed early.

Quick & Easy Lasagna Pasta

2008-02-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

My recipe for lasagna has evolved into what I now call "Lasagna Pasta," becuase it is faster, easier, and tastes the same. This isn't a recipe for you Lasagna purists, who like to see all of the little layers piled up on your plate. This is for you Lasgana lovers who want the flavor of lasagna, but need to get dinner ready in about 30-45 minutes.

I was first introduced to this concept by my friend, Dawn, who calls her recipe "Bow Tie Pasta Cassarole." Her recipe includes some sour cream and cheddar cheese, which I now leave out.

I have shared this recipe with my Dad, who calls his recipe "Bow Tie Pie." I think he may add italian sausage, which I also do from time to time. So, without further ado...

Carrie's Lasagna Pasta

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice (with or without italian seasoning)

1 (about 28 oz?) jar low-fat marinara sauce (my current favorite is Spicy Tomato Basil by Classico)

1 bag of washed and ready baby or leaf spinach

1 12-16 oz box Farfalle or Bow Tie pasta

1-1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese (or small curd cottage cheese)

1-1 1/2 cups of shredded 2% mozarella cheese

Shredded parmesean to taste

Boil pasta, according to directions on box, to the more firm side of al dente. Drain, and set aside.

Brown the meat in a stockpot or dutch oven, and drain any fat. Add diced tomatoes and marinara sauce and heat to a low simmer. **Last night, since I had leftover bolognese sauce, I just added the tomatoes and about half the marinara to my leftovers.**

Tear the spinach into large pieces, and add to sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted.

Mix ricotta and pasta in a large (2-3 quart) cassarole dish. Gradually add sauce, stirring, until the mixture is just to the top of the dish.

**Last night, I added a layer of sliced provolone cheese, since I had it left from my Cuban sandwich. It was so good, I may do this from now on. It added an extra layer of chewy, cheesiness. Since I use low-fat everything else, I think this is an okay addition. I may try to find a 2% provolone in the future.**

Cover the top with a generous layer of mozarella. I also add a bit of parmesean for added flavor.

Pop it in the oven at 375º for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

Serve with any leftover sauce,if you like, and shredded parmesean.

This pasta only gets better with leftovers, and I've been known to eat it for lunch everyday for 3 or 4 days afterward.

Last night we watched the season premiere of Lost. Hmmmm....

Chicken Marsala (with and without mushrooms)

2008-01-31T18:32:00.000-08:00

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite things to order in Italian restaurants. I had never tried to cook it until I saw a recipe in Cooks Illustrated with an article called "Chicken Marsala Perfected." I cooked it for myself when Tom was out of town because he has a strong aversion to mushrooms.

However, I ordered it at a restaurant a few weeks ago and Tom had a bite, without the mushrooms, and he loved it. When I was going through some old recipes today, it came up and I decided to try it again.

Since we had pasta last night, I made Garlic Smashed Potatoes, and my Garlic Pepper Green Beans.

Here is the recipe (with my tweaks)-- the link is available to members only (you're welcome).

Chicken Marsala
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 ounces pancetta (about 3 slices), cut into pieces 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide
8 ounces white mushrooms , sliced (about 2 cups)
1 medium clove garlic , minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups marsala wine (sweet) (or in pinch, marsala cooking wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon
4 tablespoons light butter cut into 4 pieces, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place large heatproof dinner plate on oven rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above pan surface for 3 to 4 seconds), about 3 minutes.

Pat chicken breasts dry. Meanwhile, place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Season both sides of chicken cutlets with salt and pepper; working one piece at a time, coat both sides with flour. Lift breast from tapered end and shake to remove excess flour; set aside. Add oil to hot skillet and heat until shimmering. Place floured cutlets in single layer in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Using tongs, flip cutlets and cook on second side until golden brown and meat feels firm when pressed with finger, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to heated plate and return plate to oven.

Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes.
**Cook's note: I LOVE this Amoré Tomato Paste in a tube. You only use as much as you want, and it keeps forever in the fridge! I can't live without my iron skillet (given to me by Chef Love). I also love my silicone pinch bowl that I keep my coarse salt in as I cook. And--of course, a Guinness.**

With slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel-lined plate. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta; sauté while stirring until tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Off heat, add Marsala; return pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from pan bottom, until sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes.
Off heat, add lemon juice and any accumulated juices from chicken; whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.
Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Peel an inch strip around 8 small, red potatoes. Place in a medium saucepan with 2 medium, peeled cloves of garlic, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until potatoes are just tender.

Drain, and place potatoes and garlic in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or large fork. Add 1 tablespoon light butter, 1/3 cup milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, and garnish with 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley.

Here are the potatoes with the green beans:
And here is the final plate modeled by Tom, as he likes it--without mushrooms.
Tonight we watched, believe it or not, Flash Gordon. Or as Queen says: "Flash! Ahh--ahh!"

Bolognese: Meatloaf Sauce?

2008-01-30T13:13:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to try to make my own pasta sauce, kind of like you see in the kitchen of an Italian, sitting on on the stove, simmering all day to perfection.

I found this recipe on Cooking Light after reading not martha's post on making batches of food to freeze to save time later. (This is something that I want to start doing, also.) She had a recipe that sounded great, but took about 3 hours or more. I was in the mood to do something after work. The recipe I used required and hour and 40 minutes of simmering-- just about right.

I used all ground round instead of the different meats, and had to use cooking wine (what I had). I also added a little crushed red pepper, because I like a little spice. Instead of fettuccine I used Ronzoni's Smart Taste (extra fiber) penne rigate, and added a little bit of shredded parmesean.

We both liked the sauce-- but it was a bit different than what we are used to. We usually eat the chunky tomato, basil, garlic kind. This tasted like, Tom said, meatloaf. He was kind of right. It was good, though, so I think next time I'll combine the veggie-creamy aspect with some more chunky tomato, garlic, and basil flavors.

New Tuesday Post Ideas

2008-01-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

Since we usually go out for Mexican every Monday night, I think I will pick new topics to talk about on Tuesdays. Things I am intereted in are:

Going Green in the kitchen

Organizing the kitchen

Crafts for the kitchen

Cooking on a budget

Freezing portions to save time later

So to my few, but proud, loyal readers-- anything else you want to know about?

I've also invited my college friend, Erin, to be a guest blogger. So look forward to her posts in the future!

Pork Loin Leftover Makeover Part 2

2008-01-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

We have this new-ish cool restaurant in Memphis called SoulFish. They are known for their fried catfish and variety of veggies. They also have some great sandwiches, and this was the first place that I was introduced to a Cuban sandwich.

My version consisted of: half of a small french baguette, spicy mustard, dill pickle slices, sliced deli ham, sliced deli provolone, and some sliced leftover pork loin.

I layered it all up and slathered some Parkay on the outside. I do not have a fancy panini grill, so I had to improvise. I used my grill pan, and weighted an iron skillet on top.

**Yummy photos coming soon!**Edited 1/29: Here they are!!**

Step One: Smear mustard on each side and add a layer of pickles.

Step Two: Add a layer of ham and provolone.

Step Three: Add another layer of provolone and a layer of roast pork.

Step Four: Slap the halves together, butter each side and put on a grill pan, weighted on top with an iron skillet. I used salsa and pickle jars to add weight...

...but, I felt like I needed to step it up with something heavy-duty.

Step Five: The final product in all of its crusty, melty glory.

It was very filling, I was only able to eat half. But the other half was just as delicious for lunch today.

After-Party Pasta

2008-01-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

We didn't really have a party, but we did celebrate the weekend after we got home from The Half Shell. We made a few cocktails and watched a few movies including Three Kings, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and part of Minority Report.

I celebrated a little too much, and my head and tummy knew it on Sunday morning. Even though it was only 8am, I was craving some pasta to refuel me.

I usually like rotini in this pasta, but all I had was spaghetti, so spaghetti it was. I boil up the noodles until al dente, drain, add a blob of butter, some coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, and a generous dose of grated or shredded parmesean.

**Photo will be here soon**

**Edited 1/29. Here it is: Plain, Boring, Satisfying.

After a big bowl and a ginger ale, I went back to bed for a couple hours. When I woke up, all was right with the world again.

Too Tired to Cook

2008-01-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

It's the busy season at the ol' eye clinic. Everybody goes down to Liberty Tax, home of the dancing Uncle Sam and Statue of Liberty, and gets their Super Speedy Turbo Tax Refund Loan!! and comes on over to the office to get their glasses and contacts.

Saturdays are the busiest days, and today was no exception. 45 patients seen. That's 90 eyeballs for those keeping score. Anyway-- after a day like that, I'm ready to let someone else do the cooking for me.

One bonus about living a little further East of Midtown is that we are surrounded by a lot of great restaurants in one place. Yesterday we went to The Half Shell. I had oysters on the, you guessed it---half shell, a house salad and a cup of gumbo. The gumbo was passable, but I'm looking forward to my own gumbo at our Mardi Gras Superbowl party on the 3rd.

Pork Loin Leftover Makeover Part 1

2008-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

We had at least 1/2 of the pork loin left over, as well as some rice, beans, and pico. So, tonight I made Pork Soft Tacos. Tom was content with just straight up leftovers-- no creative meals for him.

I sliced the pork loin, and warmed it up in the oven. I reheated the rice and beans, and warmed some flour tortillas in the oven.

My tacos consisted of sliced pork, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, and a bit of low cal Ranch.

I had rice and beans on the side.

** I will insert a delicious-looking photo here when I get my camera cord (any day now..)**
**Edited 1/29: Here is the photo!

We watched the first disk of The Blue Planet.

Carribean Queen (Roast Pork Loin)

2008-01-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

We went home to visit my parents in Nashville over Christmas, and my Dad (Chef Love) showed me his new cooking gadget: The Big Easy. This thing can roast poultry like deep-fryin' a chicken or turkey without the fat!! He stuck a big ol' turkey in there, seasoned with Creole Butter and Injection-- only to find the bird completely cooked to tasty perfection, but also completely blackened!!

We peeled the blackened skin away to reveal tasty, moist meat. This was served with yellow (saffron) rice and black beans, and I added a bit of fresh salsa to complete the dish. YUMMM!!! It reminded me of a meal I had at a restaurant in Nashville called The Calypso Cafe. I just read their online menu and it made my mouth water...

Since then, Tom has been telling me to try and replicate this dish. I tried a grilled chicken breast with the beans and rice a couple weeks ago, but this week I got closer!

So- I was going to get a whole roasting chicken at the grocery, but pork loin was on sale-- I'm always a sucker for a sale.

I rubbed a 2 lb. boneless pork loin roast with a bit of olive oil, and some Carribean Seasoning. I did a quick google and got a few suggestions for a mix. The following is what I ended up with. I put it in my spice grinder (aka my old coffee bean grinder) and came up with an aromatic delight.

Carribean Seasoning:
1 Part: 2 Parts: 3 Parts:
cumin seeds coriander seeds whole cloves
black pepper ground ginger ground red pepper
brown sugar ground cinnamon
grated lime rind kosher salt

I put that puppy on a roasting rack and roasted at 450 degrees for 10 minutes to sear, and then

reduced the heat down to 300 degrees for about 80 more minutes.

To accompany, I made some black beans and yellow rice. And--my favorite, pico de gallo.

Yellow Rice:
Buy a bag of Mahatma Yellow Rice. Follow instructions and use olive oil instead of margarine.

Black Beans:
Heat 1-2 tsp of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup diced onion and 1-2 cloves minced garlic and sauté until soft (about 5 minutes). Add chicken broth to cover, about 1/2 cup. Bring to a boil, and add one can drained, rinsed, black beans and 1 tsp Carribean seasoning. Reduce to low to simmer, and keep warm until serving.

Pico de Gallo:
Seed and dice 5-6 plum (Roma) tomatoes. Finely dice 1/2 red onion, 1 medium jalepeño, and about 1/4 cup cilantro leaves. Mix tomatoes, onion, jalepeño, and cilantro with 2 cloves of minced garlic and the juice of one lemon. Add a dash of coarse salt to taste.

Here is the final plate (again with my laptop camera...)

Tom's quote for this meal (which I think he's just trying to get quoted...) was: "So good, It's !@#$% up!"

We watched the first couple episodes of Season 3 of The Wire.

Ye Olde Shepherd's Pie

2008-01-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

The leftovers from the Pot Roast transformed beautifully into Cozy Shepherd's Pie.

I made a few substitutions: Tom hates mushrooms, so I chopped up a few stalks of celery and sauteed them with the carrots ( I only used about a cup of carrots, since I had leftovers). I used Guinness instead of red wine again, and diced and added the leftover veggies from the pot roast in with the meat, including the leftover green beans.

Tom's review of the recipe, which I will preface by saying that he is a die-hard Meat & Potatoes man, is: "This is food I dream about."

I had some great pictures of the pie, along with a steamy plate of goodness, but my camera cord was chewed by a certain little rascal:

I don't think that's a very guilty face.

**Edited 1/29: Here are the photos! Yea for a new cord!!**

Anyway-- here's a photo taken with my laptop of the leftovers of the leftovers that we will devour tonight as we watch A Year of Living Dangerously.

Margarita Monday

2008-01-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

The gang usually meets up on Monday nights for Margarita Monday and Mexican food. We started out at Café Olé, and have since branched out to El Mezcal and El Porton. I guess it's the whole Pavlov's dog thing, but I now crave Mexican every monday.

Everybody had plans or were feeling under the weather, so I met Tom after Perfect Fits practice for El Porton. I usually love the Chicken Tacos al Carbon or the Chicken Burritos Verdes, but I wasn't very hungry, and just got an order of 2 chicken soft tacos.

We came home and watched some DVR Daily Show and Colbert Report.

Hopefully the gang will be back up to speed next week. I think tonight might be Shepherd's Pie!!

Pot Roast and Dark Beer

2008-01-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

With the cold weather comes Pot Roast. I usually make this in a slow cooker or in an oven bag, but I decided to give my Le Creuset a whirl.

I tried a new recipe, Americana Pot Roast, from Cooking Light. I substituted a 1/2 cup of Guinness for the 1/2 cup of red wine.

My wee 3 quart dutch oven was barely big enough to contain the deliciousness... but it prevailed! The leftovers will become Shepherd's Pie later in the week.

I also wanted to add green beans to the pot, but no room. So I made my go-to recipe, Garlic Pepper Green Beans.

Carrie's Garlic Pepper Green Beans

Bring about 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add about

1 lb. trimmed fresh green beans and cook for about 4 min.

Drain beans and rinse with cool water.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-

high. Add green beans, a couple shakes each of coarse salt,

fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, and a dash of crushed

red pepper. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes and serve!

We enjoyed this feast with a Yuengling and Eagle vs. Shark.

Chilly Chili Night

2008-01-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the coldest night in Memphis so far this year, so we celebrated with friends, Game Day Chili, and Planet Earth on the big screen.

Artee helped with the chili, Brent brought spicy cornbread and hummus with pita chips, Sarah brought cheese bread, and the Vandervorts brought a salami and cheese board. Yum.

Tom wanted hot dogs to accompany his chili, so we fired up the Hot Dog Roller and slapped on a pack of Nathan's.

Here is my version of a low-carb chili dog, with cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro, scallions, hot sauce, and jalapeños. (Sorry for the slightly risqué look...)

We made dessert in the form of the stars of the documentary, polar bears and their unfortunate prey, baby seals. The dessert was made with Little Debbie Rolls, iced and rolled in coconut, then decorated.

We capped off the night with Hot Cocoa with Bailey's or Peppermint Schnapps, or both. This lulled everyone into a sleepy trance, some of us with our hot cocoa still in hand (me).