Quinoa Taboule

June 1, 2010 – 6:02 pm

This recipe is inspired by the one on back of my Bob’s Red Mill bag of quinoa. Quinoa (pronouced “keen-wa”) is a grain that was originally cultivated by the Incan people in South America. It’s a complete protein, which makes it great for vegetarian types. As an avowed omnivore, this is just keechy, but I like it for the quick and easy preparation and light but filling nature. 😛

This was my first time making quinoa, as opposed to eating salads made by other people, and I was very happy with how it turned out. I tried traditional taboule, a middle-eastern salad, made with bulgar many years ago and disliked it. I don’t know whether my tastes have changed or if it was the quinoa instead of bulgar that made me like this. At any rate, I’ll definitely make this again and try other flavor combinations throughout the summer!

This was a side dish for the ginger lime chicken that I made tonight. The two worked very well together.

Quinoa Taboule
Makes 3 servings

1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup water
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and white pepper

Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 12 minutes, or until all the water is just absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the quinoa with a spoon, and recover. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve warm, or chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

A Hearty Lunch

May 31, 2010 – 1:56 pm

This was going to be dinner last night, but we ended up just foraging for some snacks. It made a nice lunch, though!

Black Bean and Ham Soup with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Chicken with Onions, Tomatoes, and Olives

May 29, 2010 – 6:16 pm

Another recipe inspired by Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast (Can you detect a theme this month? 😛 We went through these two cookbooks at the beginning of the month looking for good protein and veggie ones and went with it!). As usual, I upped the veggie quantities, except for the onion, which I used, but only a tiny one. Neither one of us were a big fan of this. It wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t up our alley. I might try it again without onion or cilantro and adding garlic and some parsley.

Chicken with Onions, Tomatoes, and Olives
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 1.5 lbs
kosher salt and black pepper
1 small yellow onion, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1 dry pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/8 cup packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, about 1 lime

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook chicken until nicely browned and cooked through – about 20 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with foil.

Turn the heat up to medium. Add the onion slices to the skillet and cook until the onions are soft and starting to caramelize – about 7 minutes. Add the olives and tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes to blister the tomatoes and let them release their juices into the pan. Turn the heat off and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Spoon the mixture over the chicken and serve warm.

Tuscan Baked Chicken

May 28, 2010 – 5:21 pm

Yet another take-off from an Everyday Food: Great Food Fast recipe. This was a very tasty take on chicken with some traditional Tuscan flavors. The fresh lemon juice lent a nice bright touch. I only had time to marinate it for about 30 minutes tonight, but longer would be even better, as the flavor would sink more into the meat. I served this with some zucchini and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil with some garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Yum!

While the chicken was baking, I simmered the neck and back in water, and I added the chicken juices, after skimming off the fat, after we were finished with dinner. Now I have about a quart of lovely broth for soup tomorrow, and some chicken scraps for Emma to enjoy 😛

Tuscan Baked Chicken
Serves 4

1 3-4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces

For the marinade:
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

For the baste:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put the rosemary and water into a microwave safe cup and heat for 90 seconds or until the water is boiling. Take out, cover loosely, and let the rosemary steep in the water for 5 minutes. Pour the rosemary and water into a blender with the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times then puree until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Let cool.

Place the chicken in a large baking pan and pour the marinade over the top evenly. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using a basting bulb or brush, top the chicken with about 1/3 of the lemon juice.

Bake for 45 minute or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature in one of the breasts is 180 degrees. Baste regularly with the lemon juice.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Product Review – Hillshire Farm Turkey Smoked Sausage

May 28, 2010 – 3:50 pm

Last night we were both just exhausted for no good reason. Luckily, I’d seen a Hillshire Farm Turkey Smoked Sausage in the store and picked it up. We like the regular smoked sausage, but it tends to be very greasy. This turkey version is just as flavorful with none of the grease and 100 calories less per serving! It made for a great quick dinner with some steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Hillshire Farm has no idea who I am, and I was not compensated in any way for this review. I just like to share when I find new things that I enjoy 😛

Emma and the Bottle

May 26, 2010 – 6:42 pm

Like many dogs, one of Emma’s favorite impromptu toys is an empty plastic bottle. She likes to remove the cap and try to chew out the bottom. We don’t let her get that far, but she loves trying!

Garlic Marinated Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus and Potatoes

May 26, 2010 – 6:24 pm

Yet another good launching point from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I omitted most of the oil and all of the butter called for, and I cooked this in the oven, but I think the grill would add a great extra dimension of flavor. We added a little Frank’s Red Hot Sauce to the chicken at the table, and it was quite good too.

Garlic Marinated Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus and Potatoes
Serves 4

1.5 lbs thinly sliced skinless boneless chicken breast

For the marinade:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

For the veggies:
1 large bunch asparagus, medium thick
1.5 lbs red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch square chunks

For the garlic vinaigrette:
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
large pinch each kosher salt and black pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the potatoes in the center of a large square of foil and crimp shut. Place the asparagus in the center of another square of foil and crimp shut. Put the potatoes in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Add the asparagus packet and roast for another 10 minutes. Check the potatoes. If they are fork tender, turn the oven to broil with a rack about 8 inches below the heat, otherwise let the potatoes cook for another 5-10 minutes. Leave the veggies in the oven as the broiler heats.

While the veggies are roasting, mix the marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag. When you add the asparagus to the oven, put the chicken in the bag and coat well. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then place on a broiler pan or a cooling rack nested in a rimmed baking sheet.

When the broiler is hot, place the chicken underneath and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and starting to brown.

While the chicken is cooking, pour the vinaigrette ingredients into a small jar, seal, and shake well to combine.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it and the vegetables from the oven. Place the chicken on a platter with the potatoes and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Toss the asparagus with the vinaigrette and place next to the chicken on the platter. Serve warm.

Chipotle Pork Posole

May 24, 2010 – 5:41 pm

Another winner inspired by Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast. This soup was easy and very flavorful with a`few additions – more garlic and some traditional Mexican spices. This was a little too brothy – next time I think I’ll only add one cup of water, if that.

Chipotle Pork Posole
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb, halved crosswise
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 very small yellow onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp minced chipotle in adobo sauce (about 1 chile)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder (I like Gebhardt Chili Powder)
1 tsp Mexican oregano (do not substitute Italian – the flavor is quite different)
2 14.5 oz cans low sodium chicken broth
2 15.5 oz cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups water
a few cilantro leaves
1 small avocado, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and add to the saucepan. Brown on all sides. Remove the pork to a plate, leaving the oil in the pot.

Add the onion and garlic to the oil and cook until the onion softens, turning golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the minced chipotle and stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute to infuse the oil and vegetables with the chile.

Add the chicken broth, hominy, tomatoes and water and stir to combine. Return the pork to the pot, along with any juices that might have released on the plate. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Remove the pork to a clean plate and shred with two forks. Return the meat and juices to the pot and stir to combine well. Simmer for a final 1-2 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with cilantro, avocado, and lime as desired.

Breakfast for Dinner

May 23, 2010 – 5:48 pm

An easy dinner tonight – some of our favorite sausages, scrambled eggs, and some fresh tomatoes.

Sauteed Shrimp with Tomatoes and Arugula

May 22, 2010 – 6:02 pm

This is a recipe inspired by one in the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food. I upped the veggies and the garlic to match our tastes. It all works great together! I broiled some zucchini for a second veggie side.

Sauteed Shrimp with Tomatoes and Arugula
Serves 2 generously

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1`dry pint grape tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 oz baby arugula
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil gets hot, add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they’re starting to blister and pop. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook for another 30 seconds or until the garlic is just turning golden and fragrant. Add the shrimp and quickly spread out into a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until just pink and opaque. Add the arugula and season the whole skillet with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes to just wilt the arugula. Squeeze lemon juice over the top, toss to combine, and serve warm.