15 Minute Blackened Fish Tacos

Everyone needs a few recipes on hand that you can throw together in the blink of an eye.  This is one of those recipes that comes together in 15 minutes (yippie!).  When I was throwing out dinner options tonight (and I was secretly hoping for the boys to pick soup because it's been cold and rainy all day), my four year old jumped on the fish tacos option.  I guess what I'm saying is that if fish tacos was a kid's first choice, they really are a crowd-pleaser.  We all (should) know that adding more fish to our diet is a good thing for our health and this is an easy and appealing way to add a serving.  This recipe uses tilapia, which I've heard called "the gateway fish."  It's mild flavored, economical and doesn't have a fishy taste.  Other good options besides tilapia would be cod, red snapper or catfish.  Oh, and "Blackened" just refers to the cooking style--rubbed with Cajun style seasonings and cooked in a really hot skillet to form a crispy crust!

Blackened Fish Tacos
serves 4 
1-1 1/4 pounds tilapia fillets (about 4)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
     (*also, you can substitute Cajun or Blackening Seasoning for the above spices)
2 tablespoons olive oil

corn tortillas (about 8-12--double layer them for best plate to mouth handling)
bagged coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion (such as a Vidalia), finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
lime wedges
(diced avocado would be nice too, I just didn't have any)

Directions: In a small bowl, stir together cilantro and diced onion.  Set aside.  In another small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice.  Set aside.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat.  Stir together salt and spices and season tilapia fillets generously with spice mixture.  When the skillet is good and hot, place the fish fillets in a single layer in the skillet.  Cook, untouched, for about 4 minutes or until edges of fish are opaque.  Also, there should be a crispy looking crust formed on the bottom side.  Flip over and cook additional 2-4 minutes or until the second side is browned, and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from heat.  Break into large chunks. Squeeze a lime wedge or two over top of the fish

To serve, double layer the corn tortillas.  Spread a thin layer of the sour cream mixture on tortillas.  Top with chunks of fish, a handful of coleslaw mix and sprinkle with cilantro-onion mixture.  Serve with additional lime wedges, as desired.  ¡Olé!

Black Bean Burgers and Chili-Cumin Sweet Potato Fries

I don't know what took me so long to try this.  I have always loved veggie burgers and you can often find a box of Boca Burgers or some Morningstar Farms in my freezer.  That was until Christmas when my sister gave me the cookbook, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman (thanks, Elise!).  After realizing how easy (and insanely cheap--the most expensive thing in them is a can of beans and a handful of shredded cheese) it is to make my own veggie burgers, I will be hard pressed to shell out for pre-made ones again (and will not be able to bring myself to order another one at Chili's restaurant the rare time I find myself there!).  Also, you probably have everything on hand to make some variation of bean burgers right now.  How is that for a healthy desperation dinner?  See this recipe as just a starting off point and feel free to come up with your own variations using different beans and seasonings. 

Black Bean Burgers
2 cups well-cooked black beans (or 1 14oz can, drained)
1 medium onion, quartered
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
1/2 cup rolled oats (or cooked brown rice or dry breadcrumbs)
1 egg
or
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or both! They each act as binders to help form the patties and cheese adds great flavor)
liquid as needed (water, milk, stock, wine, etc. if necessary--not likely)
olive oil or vegetable oil as needed

Burger Fixings: (we used toasted buns and dressed them with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado and crumbled goat cheese)

Directions: Combine beans, onion, oats, seasonings, egg and cheese in a food processor or blender and pulse until chunky but not pureed, adding a little liquid if needed to produce a moist but not wet mixture (if yours is too wet, you can add some more oats or breadcrumbs.  Let the mixture rest for a few minutes.  With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and allow to rest again if time allows.  You can also make the mixture and refrigerate up to a day ahead (just bring to room temperature before cooking).  Pour a couple tablespoons of oil into a large nonstick or cast iron skillet.  Turn the heat to medium and allow to heat for about a minute.  Add patties and cook until browned on one side (about 5 minutes).  Turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned.  Melt additional cheese on top if desired.

Suggestions: Add up to 1/2 cup veggies (more and they'll be too wet or have a hard time staying together).  Spinach, carrots, bell peppers, corn, cooked potato or sweet potato, etc. are great.  Cut into chunks and add with the onion.


Variation: Use a can of white beans, omit chili powder and cumin.  Substitute 1 teaspoon rosemary or Italian seasoning.  Add 1 cup cooked spinach (or 2 cups fresh), 1/2 cup quartered mushrooms and 1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese (or any combination).  Mix and cook as directed.

Also, you can use your bean to form into smaller "meatball" shapes and serve with sauce and pasta or cook into crumbles to use as a filling for tacos, burritos, sandwiches, topping for pizza.  You are only limited by your imagination!

Recipe Source: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

p.s. We served these with Chili-Cumin Sweet Potato Fries.  To make, toss cut sweet potatoes in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until evenly coated.  Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Roast in a 425 degree oven flipping occasionally until browned on the outside and tender inside (25-45 minutes, depending on size of the fries).  Sprinkle with ground cumin, chili powder and additional salt to taste.

Tamale Pie

Well, after the toothache we must all have after eating a whole bowl of cookie dough from the last post, I thought I would post something healthier.  I really love making this tamale pie because it's really more one of those concept recipes--meaning it's easy to vary the filling based on what you have on hand.  What makes the "tamale" part is a soft polenta made from regular, old cornmeal.  Then, the filling possibilities are endless--taco meat, shredded beef, refried beans, fajita style chicken, you get the picture... For this particular night, I made a vegetarian version filled with black beans and green chiles to pair with some really delicious Chicken Green Chile sausages I picked up (thank you, new Sunflower Market, for opening up right near my Thursday morning Bible study!). 


Tamale Pie (Black Bean variation)

Polenta
3 cups water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken base (I love "Better than Bouillon" brand--or bouillon cube)
1 cup yellow corn meal (the kind you make cornbread with)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, divided

Black Bean Filling:
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (or 1 can Rotel), drained (or substitute salsa)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 cup (or one small can) diced green chiles

Garnishes as desired: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, black olives, jalapenos, etc.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To prepare filling, combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally and keeping warm while preparing the polenta. 

To prepare the polenta, in a medium sauce pan bring water, milk and chicken base or bouillon cube to a boil (watch it very carefully as it will boil over very quickly with that milk in it.  I am not sure why milk boils over like crazy given the opportunity, but you do not want to clean that mess up!).  Immediately whisk in cornmeal and lower heat to medium low and continue to whisk until all the water is absorbed and the mixture is thick and bubbly (about 1 minute).  Stir in cheese to melt.  Working quickly, as the polenta will firm up quickly, pour half of polenta mixture into a greased baking dish (8x8 or round casserole).  Pour filling over top of bottom layer (or spread over any desired filling), sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and spread remaining polenta over top of filling topping with the remaining cheese.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and browning and filling is bubbly. 

To serve, top individual servings with desired garnishes.

Challa, or Jewish Braided Egg Bread

I would never claim to be a baker.  I am far too impatient and too imprecise for calculated measurements.  Hopefully, when I say that it should give anyone who may feel a little intimidated by baking to know that I have been turning out loaves of challa bread like it's going out of style.  For those of you unfamiliar, challa is a traditionally Jewish egg bread that is typically in a braided style.  This recipe (adapted from one I had found on AllRecipes.com) appears to be foolproof.  It takes a bit of time (mostly unattended), but is unbelievably simple and you will feel so accomplished when you turn out your very own loaves.  Since this recipe makes two huge loaves, you can share one as a gift with someone (include a bottle of syrup--day old challa makes unbelievable French toast--and you will have a friend for life!).  Push off the New Year's diet for a couple more days and ring in 2011 with delicious, white carbs.  You only live once, right?


Challa Bread
makes 2 large loaves

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey or 2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
8-10 cups white unbleached flour (can substitute up to a couple cups of whole wheat flour)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey (or sugar).  Allow to sit for a few minutes (3-5) or until yeast starts to bubble and looks creamy.  Beat in 3 of the 4 eggs, and vegetable oil.  Once thoroughly combined, stir in salt and flour, one cup at a time, until dough is thick enough to turn out onto a floured surface.  Knead, continuing to add flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky (about five minutes).   Return to bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).

After dough has risen, punch down and turn out onto floured surface again.  Divide dough into two equal sized chunks and knead individually (adding more flour as needed to keep dough from being sticky, about five minutes each).  Divide each half into thirds and roll each third into a long, evenly thick, rope (about 1-1 1/2 inches thick and about 15-18 inches long).  Pinch the ends of each of the three ropes together and braid together.  Pinch the other ends together.  At this point, you can leave as a long braid or curl the braid around in a circle to form a wreath, either shape is nice.  Transfer braided dough to a greased baking sheet.  Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for an additional hour   Repeat with other half of dough.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  After braids have risen about an hour, beat the remaining egg and brush over the surface of the braids.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (a lot of recipes I've seen call for much longer baking times, but I have found every time I've made this recipe the loaves are done after about 20 minutes of baking time, so keep a close eye on them after that).  The loaves should be a rich golden brown color and make a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

Ideally, you should let your bread cool completely before slicing, but we can never wait and tear off pieces (and burning our fingers in the process) to eat it almost immediately.  Leftover bread makes the best French toast you've ever had...

Little Lemon Meringue "Cookies"

I admit, I have a bit of a hard time calling meringues cookies.  But, especially when you're dealing with lemon meringues, you have to call them something (otherwise, someone might be fooled into thinking this was a recipe for pie, right?).  Anyway, whatever you call these, I thought they would make a lovely (and surprisingly simple!) addition to a cookie exchange.  It's nice to have something that's light and guilt-free (about five calories a pop!) but still a little sweet in the midst of so many holiday treats.

Little Lemon Meringue "Cookies"
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon peel, finely grated

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper (silicone baking mats would be lovely as well--maybe someday I'll have some of those! sigh).
In a medium bowl with mixer on high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.  With mixer still running, sprinkle in sugar gradually (about 2 tablespoons at a time) beating until peaks are stiff and glossy when beaters are lifted.  Gently fold in lemon peel.
Spoon egg white mixture into a decorating bag (or a quart sized ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off) fitted with a star shaped decorating bag.  Pipe meringue into small stars about a 1/2 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake meringues about 1 1/2 hours until crisp but not browned.  Turn off oven and allow meringues to stand in hour 1 hour longer to dry.  Cool completely.
Peel from sheets and store in an air tight container.

Indonesian Peanut Chicken

When my first son was born, some friends of ours were very kind and brought us a really delicious dinner, Indonesian Peanut Chicken.  We were very impressed and I told them I must have the recipe.  Little did I know, I already had it in my Betty Crocker cookbook!  Now, my extremely weathered cookbook falls open to the page with this recipe on it.  I have modified the recipe a bit and in doing so, shortened the cook time (always a plus in my book!).  The other night, we served the exotic peanut chicken over rice noodles, but usually eat it with rice.  However you do it, it's a fast family-pleaser.  Serve it with a steamed green vegetable (broccoli, green beans, peapods) and call it a day!


 Indonesian Peanut Chicken 
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 med.)
1 chopped red bell pepper, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 chopped peanuts
hot cooked brown or white rice (or rice noodles as pictured)
Note: can substitute 1/4 cup chili sauce for ketchup and spices cinnamon through cayenne (usually found in condiment aisle by ketchup).

Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  In large skillet over medium high heat, brown chicken in oil until cooked through.  Remove from skillet.  Add onions and bell pepper until tender.  Stir in peanut butter, ketchup and spices.  Gradually add chicken broth, stirring, until peanut butter is melted.  Add chicken back into pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until chicken is heated through and sauce begins to thicken.  Serve over rice and sprinkle peanuts and fresh red pepper over top for garnish.

Italian Turkey Soup

 Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!  We had a very delicious holiday that I managed to forget to take pictures of EVERYTHING.  Guess I was too busy enjoying the weekend.  Oh well. Last night, we had a previous recipe, Chicken Wild Rice Soup (but with turkey, of course!). I'm not sure how many of you still have leftover turkey, but this recipe for Italian turkey soup another very un-Thanksgiving recipe to maybe help use up the last of it.  And, in case you don't, it's also good with chicken or ground turkey!

 Italian Turkey Soup 
Serves 6-8
1 20 oz. package lean ground turkey or 2 cups leftover shredded cooked chicken or turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
6 cups chicken broth (about three 15 oz cans), or turkey broth
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic (undrained)
1 15 oz. can white beans drained and rinsed
1 8 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (or a couple big handfuls of fresh spinach)
2 cups frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini or mini ravioli
2 tablespoons pesto (optional)
shredded parmesan cheese for garnish

In large soup pot, brown ground turkey (or if using precooked meat, skip to next step).  Season with salt, pepper, garlic and herbs.  Once turkey is browned, pour in chicken broth, can of tomatoes and beans.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add tortellini and simmer another 7-8 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through.  Stir in spinach and simmer a couple more minutes until spinach is heated through.  If using, swirl in pesto right before serving. Pass shredded Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top.

Migas, or really delicious Tex-Mex style eggs

Migas, which translates to "crumbs" is a Tex-Mex style dish that is the perfect way to use up those leftover, broken tortilla chips in the bottom of the bag (seeing as how frequently my husband goes through chips and salsa, we always seem to have).  The chips, when mixed with scrambled eggs, salsa and cheese make for an absolutely heavenly combination.  I had read about the concept on a couple different blogs and one night last week when we were fending for ourselves decided to give making them a try.  I was very glad I did.  Even the husband (who was skeptical at first) was very impressed.  Apparently, they're a breakfast staple in Austin, but seeing as I've never been there, I wouldn't know.  What I do know, however, is that this is a simple and fantastic dish that is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Migas
(serves one)
cooking spray
1/4 cup pico de gallo, salsa, (or combination of finely diced onion, peppers and tomatoes)
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for garnish
2 eggs, well beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup shredded cheese (Mexican blend or colby-jack recommended)
chopped cilantro for garnish

In a small saute pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat, combine pico de gallo or salsa and crushed tortilla chip.  Stir to combine.  Pour in eggs and allow to set, folding ever so gently (do not stir and only fold as infrequently as possible.  Basically, you just want to push a section of eggs once they've set toward the middle and then tilt the pan so that the runny part gets to run onto the pan) until eggs are fully set but not dried out.  Sprinkle cheese over top of eggs, reduce heat to low and cover just until cheese melts (1-2 minutes).  Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.  Top with more crushed tortilla chips and chopped cilantro to garnish.  

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

In the checkout lane of several grocery stores, I have been referred to as the "weird produce girl."  I frequently challenge the checker in his/her memory of obscure produce codes.  What can I say?  I've never met a vegetable I haven't liked (unless you count parsley, which I would consider an herb--hate that grassy-tasting stuff!).

I definitely find joy in buying some of the more overlooked vegetables, such as the root vegetables featured in this recipe.  Winter is the season for root vegetables, i.e. vegetables that grow under the ground (look for them for around a dollar a pound).  Today, I want to share them with you in a Shepherd's Pie.  Filling and comforting, think of this dish as the "Snuggy" among entrees.  Tender vegetables and savory ground meat all cozy under a blanket of mashed potatoes (in this case, a mixture of both sweet and regular potatoes--if you do all sweet potatoes, it feels a little too cloyingly sweet like perhaps it should be covered in marshmallows and featured next to the roast turkey). 

A Small Primer in Root Vegetables:
 Rutabaga: (also known as "swede") firm, round, yellow-fleshed and ranging in shape and size from a baseball to softball, was originally a cross between a turnip and cabbage.  It has a bit of a cabbage taste.
Turnip: similar in size and shape to the rutabaga, mild flavor, firm texture, white with purple near the top.
Parsnip: looks like a white carrot with an extra long root, a bit sweeter and more intensely flavored than a carrot.
Carrot: hopefully, we are all familiar with the humble carrot


Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
serves a lot -- 6-8 hungry folks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/2 pound lean ground hamburger or turkey
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 large carrots, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
2 small rutabagas (about 1/2 pound), peeled and diced
2 small turnips (about 1/2 pound), peeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium white (I used plain, ol' russet) potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large pot over medium high heat, saute onion in olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to become translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently, or until garlic becomes fragrant.  Add ground meat and allow to cook until no longer pink.  Stir in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.  Toss in diced carrot, rutabega and turnips and stir to combine.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until root vegetables become tender (about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces).  Remove lid, raise heat and allow to simmer uncovered to allow most of liquid to evaporate.  Once most of the liquid is gone, add 1 tablespoon butter and frozen peas.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, to make mashed potatoes, place diced sweet potatoes and white potatoes in a medium-sized pot.  Add water to cover and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes).  Drain water and add 2 tablespoons butter and milk.  Mash, with a potato masher (or for fluffier texture, whip with a hand-held electric mixer).  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spoon meat and vegetable mixture (really, it's a stew, right?) into a baking dish (or you can be especially cute and put into individual ramekins.  Spoon mashed potato mixture on top of vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (you can also stir some cheese into the mashed potatoes if that floats your boat).  Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is starting to brown.

Perfect Pancakes

Growing up, I never cared much for pancakes.  I think that might have had something to do with the fact that the only kind of pancakes I ever had came from a box of Bisquick.  No offense to my mom (or anyone else who prefers boxed pancake mixes), but I think these homemade pancakes taste way better than ones from a box (and are nearly just as easy to throw together as any coming from a "Mr. Hungry Jack" or "Aunt Jemima").  They're light and fluffy with a hint of sweetness from the vanilla.  And should I mention again how easy they are (I bet you have all the ingredients just sitting in your pantry right now!)???  In fact, this recipe is even simple enough for a weekday.  Or, you can do like we do (because we rarely have our act together on days we need to be out of the house early) and make a double batch on the weekend and then microwave the leftovers right out of the fridge (or freezer). You will rarely see a four year old as happy as when he can have pancakes just about any morning he wants!).  

Perfect Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

butter for greasing the griddle

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (or on a piece of waxed paper--it saves dishes and you can pull up the sides to "funnel" into the wet ingredients later).  In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla.  Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir with a wire whisk just enough to combine thoroughly.  Heat a griddle over medium high heat.  When hot, quickly run a stick of butter over the surface to grease the griddle (just enough butter to coat the surface). Pour approximately 1/4 cup-fulls of batter onto griddle.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes or until edges become dry and bubbles are formed on top of pancake.  Flip and allow to brown on the other side.  Serve hot with warm maple syrup.

Cornbread Dressing Stuffed Acorn Squash

I've been on a serious corn bread making spree lately.  With the changing weather, there have been several batches of corn bread turned out to accompany all the  chili and other Southwestern-style soups I've been inspired to make.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, in this case), that has meant lots of leftover cornbread. 

Even with Jay enjoying some of the leftovers in a bowl with milk, I still had plenty to spare.  Trying to be economical, I just threw the leftover chunks in the freezer and when I had enough, I was excited to try out this recipe for stuffed squash.  I had seen it in one of my favorite Cooking Light cookbooks.  We had it as a meatless main dish for dinner the other night, but I think it would make a really beautiful accompaniment to Thanksgiving, especially if you have a vegetarian at your table!

I think my boys would say they would have been happy without the squash (they don't like squash anyway, so I don't know if they're the best ones to ask.  I personally thought it was a great combination), but everyone agreed that the cornbread dressing was a hit.  If you're wanting to skip a step and share my family's opinion about squash, you might just do the dressing as a side dish.


Corn Bread Dressing Stuffed Acorn Squash
2 acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) leftover cornbread (see recipe below)
non stick cooking spray
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced carrot
1 cup finely diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth for a not entirely vegetarian option)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted pecans
salt and pepper to taste

Spread corn bread cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning twice or until cornbread is toasted.  Set aside.

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds.  Coat squash with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, face down in a baking dish for 20 minutes.  Set aside.

Pour boiling water over dried cranberries and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Drain water.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Add celery, carrot, garlic and poultry seasoning.  Saute 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add cornbread cubes, cranberries and broth to skillet and toss to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon mixture into halved squash (about 1 1/2 cups of dressing per squash).  Arrange stuffed side up in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until squash is tender (a tip of a knife will pierce the squash easily) and dressing is browned.


My Favorite Cornbread Recipe (inspired by Betty Crocker)
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter butter, divided
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place 3 tablespoons butter in a baking dish (round cake pan-size, or a square 8x8 size, or a cast iron skillet).  Allow butter to melt in dish (watch closely so it doesn't burn) while preparing corn bread batter. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.  Beat milk and egg in a large bowl with a beater.  Melt remaining butter and stir into wet ingredients.  Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Remove pan from the oven and swirl butter around the sides to make sure the pan is evenly greased.  Pour prepared batter into the baking dish (preheating the dish and melting the butter will make for a really fantastic buttery crust after it's baked!).  Spread evenly in the dish and return to the oven baking for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Serve warm if desired or let cool to cube for the dressing.

Crock Pot Chicken

A whole chicken cooked in a crock pot.  Ok, I realize that this isn't the most revolutionary idea in the world.  I guess I was just late to the party.  I had certainly known of chicken cooked in a crock pot (makes me think of our dear friends, the Hamers, and how they cooked their boneless, skinless chicken breasts for one of their signature dishes, "Chicken Crescent Rolls," mmm...).  But a whole chicken? Unbelievable!

I think the concept is so simple and fantastic, I had to share.  The benefits are many: easiest preparation in the world (just throw the seasoned chicken into the pot and come back hours later to a tender juicy bird with the meat just falling off the bones), it's extremely economical (whole chickens are usually very inexpensive--I happened to get my five pound chicken for $.49 a pound and you can get several meals out of a whole chicken), there is very little having to handle icky parts (raw meat does make me a little squeamish), there is no worrying if the chicken is done or dried out and finally, I think cleaning up a crock pot is much more simple than scraping out a roasting pan.  Ladies and Gentlemen, start your crock pots and feel like kitchen geniuses!

Crock Pot Chicken and Chicken Stock
1 4-5 pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder
6 cups water

Place whole, raw chicken in a large crock pot.  Rub with oil and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Put lid on crock pot and cook on high for two hours.  Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 4+ more hours.  You can also do the entire thing on low and just lengthen the cooking time.  After 6-8 hours, chicken will be falling apart and ready to eat as is or to use in any of your recipes that call for cooked chicken.

For broth, remove chicken from bones and return the bones to the crock pot.  Add 6 cups water and allow to simmer for an additional 2-4 hours.  Remove bones and pour liquid into a large glass bowl or measuring cup.  Allow to chill in the fridge overnight.  The fat will rise to the top and solidify so that it is much easier to remove.  The impurities in the stock will have sunk to the bottom and very easy to skim away from the stock as well (just pour the chilled stock slowly into a pot reserving the impurities at the bottom).  Now you have around 2 quarts of homemade chicken stock to use in soups and recipes (our family has been on a bit of a chicken and dumpling kick...recipe to come soon, perhaps???).

Pasta Carbonara and Vegetable Ribbon Saute

Pasta Carbonara, long pasta coated in thick, luxuriously creamy sauce with salty bacon, this is true Italian comfort food!  I must admit, before I tried it I was a little unsure.  That is because the sauce is made primarily of eggs that are stirred into the pasta while they're still raw.  Sounded a bit suspect to me... Don't be afraid though, the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs, and in the process, makes this incredible sauce that reminds me very closely of fettuccini alfredo (one of those dishes that I love--who doesn't?--but feel totally guilty eating because it's as they say "a heart attack on a plate," right?).  Good news is this dish is healthier (and easier, in my opinion) than fettuccini alfredo.  And, when you top it with ribbons of vegetables sauteed in garlic and olive oil, you have a complete meal that you can rest easy with a full tummy!

Oh, and for those trivia nerds like myself, legend has it that the name "Carbonara" came from all the tiny flecks of black pepper in the pasta--it looked like coal dust. 

Vegetable Ribbon Saute

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1 medium zucchini
1 medium carrot
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced, lengthwise
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 small roma tomato, diced
fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces for garnish
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin strips from both the zucchini and carrot (rotating if necessary) until you can't peel off anymore and have just a little nubbin left to snack on.  Set "ribbons" aside.  In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Toss in slivers of garlic and saute, stirring frequently to prevent from browning.  When garlic is fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute) add in onions and peppers.  Saute until onions are slightly browned and begin to soften.  Add in ribbons of zucchini and carrot, season with salt and pepper and continue to saute a couple more minutes or until vegetables are crisp- tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in diced tomato.  Garnish with basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.
Serve as a side dish or on top of pasta carbonara.

Pasta Carbonara
(serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are)
1/2 pound long pasta (spaghetti is most common, I prefer the slightly more substantial fettuccini)
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water reserved from cooking the pasta
1/4 cup half and half, if needed
1/4 pound (four slices, maybe?) thick-cut bacon (feel free to increase this amount as practically everything is better with bacon)
fresh ground pepper (lots of it) and salt to taste

Boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta until it is al dente.  When you drain the pasta, make sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid.  Return pasta to the pot and keep warm.  While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon until it is crispy.  Remove from heat, drain on paper towels and once cool enough to handle, crumble into bite-sized pieces.  Reserve.  Also while pasta is cooking, in a bowl or measuring cup, break eggs and scramble with a fork until thoroughly combined.  Stir in cheese and garlic powder.  While stirring the egg mixture constantly, slowly add the half cup of hot pasta water.  This will help temper the eggs so they don't scramble when added to the pasta.  Put the pot of drained pasta on a burner over medium heat.  Pour the egg mixture over the pasta, tossing constantly and rapidly, until pasta is completely coated and the sauce becomes creamy (it will happen almost immediately).  Remove from heat.  If sauce is too thick, add half and half and stir to combine.  Season with a lot of fresh ground pepper and a little salt.  Toss in bacon pieces, stir one final time and serve immediately.  Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese or top with vegetable ribbon saute.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is another recipe I made when back at my parents' house a couple weekends ago.  I don't think I mentioned that when we went back to Minnesota, we didn't go alone.  We met up with two families who happen to be some of our very dearest friends.  The husbands got to go to a conference (Desiring God, if you were curious) and the wives and kiddos (five who were four and under!) hung out at my Mom and Dad's place.  It was crazy, it was fun, it was a weekend to remember!  We are so blessed by our friendship with these families, we love you guys!!!  Also, a big thank you to my parents, who were so welcoming.  It is clear that I have learned a lot about hospitality from them!

Before everyone parted ways, I put together a couple of batches of soup.  I can't tell you how excited I am about the weather turning cooler so I have an excuse to make soup as often as I want (it softens the blow that it's getting darker earlier and snow is imminent...).   I made one of my favorites, Chicken Wild Rice (must be my Minnesota roots).  It's simple, but so flavorful and hearty (it's a great one to make with the leftover turkey at Thanksgiving too, although I guess that would officially be "Turkey Wild Rice").  Creamy, but not too rich, it has a great nutty texture from the wild rice and is a little bit salty from bits of ham. 

Sorry the picture isn't so great, I was just trying to capture a snapshot in between spending time with friends.  This bowl (and thumb) happens to belong to our friend, Jeremy, who apparently really loves black pepper.  In the voice of Chandler Bing (another "Friends" reference), "Could there BE any more pepper on that soup???"  Apparently, he likes things spicy!  However you dress it, it's good stuff!

p.s. A few more pictures from the weekend below, if you're interested...

Chicken Wild Rice Soup
2 cups cooked wild rice (cook according to package directions or can substitute a boxed rice mix)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped ham
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream or canned evaporated milk)

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots and celery, season with a little bit of salt (don't get carried away at the beginning, so just use a little, but it's important to build the flavors all the way through), pepper and garlic powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and vegetables are becoming tender (3-5 minutes).  Add ham and flour.  It will "seize up" into a mass.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly for another couple of minutes to remove the raw taste from the flour.  After about 2 minutes, slowly stir in chicken broth, a little at a time, stirring constantly so that the flour-vegetable mixture is smoothly incorporated into the broth.  Raise heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and stir in cooked rice and chicken.  Allow to simmer until vegetables are tender.  Shortly before serving, stir in half and half or cream and allow to gently heat through without boiling.  Adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Note: This is definitely not the super-thick version that you may have come across at restaurants or hanging out in kettles at supermarkets.  If you want something closer to that, increase the flour and butter significantly--maybe 1/2 cup each?--and make sure to stir constantly when you are bringing the soup to a boil (almost like you're making a white sauce).  

The three couples from the left: Ryan and Angie, Jeremy and Julia and Jay and I

The "Big" kids, Moriah, Silas and Zoey

The Babies (for now, Julia's expecting this Spring!): Yirah and Judah (my little Bubba-Doo)

 

Recipe Mash Up: Breakfast Burritos

I know I am not alone when I say that I really enjoy the t.v. show, "Glee."  I especially love episodes that have song mash up's--when they take a couple familiar songs and combine them in a clever way.  This is what I would consider a mash up of some of the recipes I've posted in the past, and thus, this post has links galore (cleverness, I guess could be debated, but deliciousness is a sure bet!).

California Veggie-Cheese Soup

Not sure how it happened, but a stomach bug has felled the three men in my life.  The Baby's mostly recovered, the First Born was incredibly pitiful all day today (got to watch t.v. for twelve hours straight if that gives you any idea!) and the Dear Husband (on his Birthday, no less!) is on his way home early from the Rockies game (I should probably add that I made him go).  Sad.

Probably not the most appetizing way to begin a post, but the point is that I was on my own for dinner tonight.  This means that not much cooking was in order, but a girl still had to eat, right?  I had half a package of California blend veggies left in the fridge from the other day (bought on sale for $.88 at King Soopers last week!) and since I could eat soup every day of the year, I felt it was necessary to turn the rest into soup.  It made enough for one mommy and one baby to end up very satisfied.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all those veggies in the soup will be giving me all the immunity-boosting powers possible!    

California Veggie-Cheese Soup 
(makes one large or two small servings, feel free to expand proportions as needed)
1/2 of a 1 lb. package of frozen California blend vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots)
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon chicken base or 1 cube bullion)
2 slices American cheese, torn into pieces (could also use 1/4-1/2 cup cubed Velveeta)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons half and half
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the vegetables and broth in the microwave or stove top until vegetables are tender.  Using an immersion blender (or a plain old blender), puree soup to desired smoothness (I like a few pieces of vegetables left for texture).  If using a blender, return to pan or microwavable dish.  Add cheese slices, garlic powder, salt pepper and half and half.  Stir to melt cheese and heat more, if necessary. Adjust seasonings as needed.  Easy peas-y.

note: you could also do this soup with just broccoli.  Broccoli cheese soup is actually one of my husband's favorites and gives me sweet memories of when we were first together and I would cook it for him.  Good times.