Lemon Curd

This is an Alton Brown recipe that I just LOVE.  It's super easy with a wonderful payoff.

ingredients 

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

4 lemons, zested and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Directions

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Breakfast Casserole

This isn't a quick recipe but it is a make ahead recipe.  We usually have this for breakfast on Christmas morning, but it does really well as a make ahead breakfast if you have company or, for us, a great dinner (or Dinfast if you're a Big Bang fan).  

Ingredients
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
4 slices cubed white bread, more or less depending on texture preferred
1 C grated cheddar or swiss cheese
2 C milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 lbs mild or hot pork sausage
 
Instructions
Beat eggs. Add salt, milk and mustard. Mix well.
Slightly brown and drain sausage. Layer bread cubes, sausage and cheese in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Pour egg mixture over top. Refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
If desired, casserole may be frozen. If so, bake for 30 minutes, cool and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat.

I always make a few adjustments to the recipe.  I add at least 6 pieces of bread if not more for a more substantial base and I half the sausage and use a container of mushrooms.  It lends itself to customization.

Crockpot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole

This....is not diet at all .  While I am eager to have good, healthy recipes, I fall down every once in awhile for convenience sake.  I have taken a few years off because my grandmother's declining health and she is declining fairly rapidly, now.  It does mean that caring for her is a full time responsibility and even though hospice comes in 3 times a week, it is still a lot of work so quick recipes or slow cooker recipes will still be the order of the day.  Anyway, I found this one on pinterest and it looked comforting and easy.  I only had 2 boxes of pierogis (not sure how one would even fit 3 since this is a 6 quart slow cooker) so I went with 3 cups of brother instead of 4.

Ingredients:

3 16 oz.boxes Mrs. T’s  Frozen Cheddar Pierogies

4 cups chicken broth

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound kielbasa – sliced (or other cooked meat mentioned above)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high 2 – 3  hours, or on low for  4 – 6 hours.

Serve with a fresh green salad and parmesan garlic knots.

Serves 6 – 8

This was really good though I recommend the high setting for less time so the pierogis don't disintegrate.  I added some fresh parsley and onion tops from the garden for extra flavor.  I forgot to take a picture after it was done.  

Corned Beef and Cabbage (Pressure Cooker)

I know I did Corned beef and cabbage a few years ago, but that was in my slow cooker.  This year, I thought I would break tradition and try it in my electric pressure cooker.  I have an off-brand cooker so I tweeked it to work for mine (Geek Chef).

Ingredients
4 pounds corned beef (preferably flat-cut)
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 pound carrots
1 head cabbage

Peel and slice the onion. Put the onions and corned beef in the pot. Add the mixed pickling spices and bay leaves, followed by the 4 cups of water.

Lock the lid in place and turn the venting knob to "sealing." Choose the "meat" (or high) setting. Set the time to 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Scrub and peel the potatoes (or leave them unpeeled) and cut them into 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-inch lengths. If the carrots are quite thick, halve them horizontally. Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges.

When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully move the knob to "venting." Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Transfer the meat to a platter and cover it with foil to keep warm.

Place all of the vegetables in the pot with the liquid. Lock the lid in place and make sure the venting knob is set to "sealing." I am unable to cook under 10 minutes with anything but the "rice" setting so I chose that and set it for 3 minutes.

After the 3 minutes, quick release to stop the cooking.  Plate, and serve.4

*If you don't have mixed pickling spices, it's easy to make it at home. Combine 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds with 1 teaspoon of whole allspice berries, about 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and about 1 inch of a cinnamon stick.

** I didn't have any carrots because I forgot :/

Homemade Mexican Pizzas

I LOVE Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas!  But...not so good for me. I asked hubby want he wanted for dinner tonight and this was his answer, so I got to work.  I made a few substitutions so not sure how accurate a calorie count will be.  I would say the pizza itself was probably about 500 calories.  I found this copycat at Family Fresh Meals:


Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning
8 medium flour tortillas, plus vegetable oil for frying if you want a crispier pizza
2 cup refried beans
2 cup salsa
3 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup of Roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced thin
Extra Toppings:
sour cream and cilantro

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook ground beef over a medium high heat. Once meats starts to brown, add in taco seasoning and water as indicated on the seasoning packet. Cook until meat is fully cooked through. Drain off any access fat.
NOTE: If you have extra time and don't mind a couple extra calories, you can fry each tortilla for 30-45 seconds on each side in vegetable oil. Make sure to drain off on a paper towel. This will give you a more of the taco bell crunch! If not, these still taste yummy with non-fried tortillas.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas on baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup refried beans evenly over four tortillas.
Evenly spread meat over beans and then top with 1/4 cup cheese. Top cheese with 2-3 Tablespoons salsa.
Place another tortilla on top, and spread another 2-3 Tablespoons of salsa over the top. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the salsa and arrange olives, tomatoes, and green onions over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the top of each pizza.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with a sour cream and cilantro.

I substituted Ground Turkey for the Ground Beef and Greek Yogurt for the Sour Cream.  Also, I DID deep fry the tortillas.  I think my tortillas were larger as well.  I finished it off with some Maduros on the side and a non-alcoholic Pina Colada

Nutrition Facts

Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 405Calories from Fat 324

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 36g55%

Saturated Fat 18g90%

Cholesterol 150mg50%

Sodium 2963mg123%

Potassium 995mg28%

Total Carbohydrates 56g19%

Dietary Fiber 9g36%

Sugars 12g

Protein 56g112%

Vitamin A32.3%

Vitamin C8.3%

Calcium72.3%

Iron39.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Lemon-Herb Cod with Crispy Garlic Potatoes Recipe

I have had this recipe for years.  I believe this recipe came from Cook's Country or America's Test Kitchen....one of those.  It tastes absolutely decadent, but is very low in calories, only 447 per serving (depends on the fish used and weight)

Ingredients:

2 Tbl Olive Oil 2 Russet Potatoes (8 oz each) 2 cloves minced Garlic 2 six to eight oz Cod fillets 1 Tbl real Butter 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1/2 Lemon, sliced thin

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil.

Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Toss potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Shingle potatoes into baking dish in 2 rectangular piles measuring 4 by 6 inches. Roast potatoes until spotty brown and just tender, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating dish halfway through roasting.

Pat cod dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Carefully place 1 fillet skinned side down on top of each potato pile. Top fillets with butter pieces, thyme sprigs, and lemon slices. Roast cod and potatoes until fish flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, about 15 minutes.

Slide spatula underneath potatoes and fillets and gently transfer to individual plates. Serve.

Jerk Pork Chops, Pineapple, and Cucumbers in Sour Cream

This is a triple threat today.  A little taste of Floribbean on this 82 degree Saturday!

Jerk Pork Chops: (marinade recipe from Jamaicans.com)

2, thick cut pork chops

jerk marinade: 

 INGREDIENTS :

1/2 cup Pimenta ( allspice berries)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6-8 garlic cloves
4-6 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 tablespoon ground thyme or 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1-2 bunches scallions (green onions)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon soy sauce to moisten

Put content in a food processor or blender and liquefy
Pour sauce in a Jar and keep refrigerated.
The sauce will keep forever if kept refrigerated
To increase spiciness blend pepper and pimenta and add to sauce the hot peppers at any time.

Marinate the chops over night and flip once in the morning to make sure they are evenly coated.

Ideally, you would use allspice wood if you have it, if not, hickory chips work just fine.  Soak the chips in water and follow your smokebox's directions for us. Preheat your grill to high heat and place the chops on the gill, close lid for 1 minute.  Flip the chops, baste and cover for another minute.  Drop the heat to medium and continue to grill the chops for another 4 minutes.  Flip the chops, baste and close the lid and grill for another 4 minutes. Remove from grill and let stand at least 5 minutes before serving to let the meat rest.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream:

Ingredients

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, sliced thin

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 tsp salt

Dressing:

1/4 to 1/3 C Heinz (brand is important) apple cider vinegar

1 Tbl sugar

8 oz sour cream

paprika

 

Instructions

Just before serving, drain cucumbers and onions WELL.

Blend dressing ingredients together. Add dressing to cucumbers and onions. Garnish with paprika.

Grilled Pineapple

This one couldn't be easier.  Either use a fresh pineapple, or the easiest way, a can of pineapple slices.  drain the pineapple and reserve the juice to mix with your orange juice (YUMMO).  Sprinkle both sides of the pineapple slices with a little brown sugar to help them caramelize on the grill.  Place the slices on the grill over medium heat for 4 minutes total, flipping frequently to avoid sticking/burning.  Serve immediately or over ice cream.

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!  This was SOOOOOO yummy!  The cucmber recipe is from my Aunt Josie and perfectly compliments the heat from the jerk.  The pineapples were perfect and the whole meal just tasted like sunshine on a plate.  This one is going in the highly recommend pile!

*****

Remy's Ratatouille

While I love my veggies as much as the next girl, I tend to keep my vegetarian main dishes to pasta or casseroles.  I wasn't sure about this one, but I thought I'd give it a shot.  I got the recipe from Pinterest from a blog: Smitten Kitchen .  Here's the recipe:

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant (my store sells these “Italian Eggplant” that are less than half the size of regular ones; it worked perfectly)
1 smallish zucchini
1 smallish yellow squash
1 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

We didn't really change much on this one.  Ours isn't as "pretty" as the other because frankly we don't have a mandoline or food processor, lol. We used individual casserole dishes and my hubby left out the peppers since he knows I can't stand them (but seriously I did buy them just for this recipe and now I'm stuck with a couple of peppers *sigh*).  He added Italian seasoning on top instead of just thyme.  Delicious!  Seriously this tasted so fresh and smelled incredible both while cooking and eating.  I think I liked it more than the hubs since he used a bunch of salt...in all fairness though he'd put salt on a salt lick.  I worry that without serving it over pasta or with bread we may get a bit hungry later, but for now I'm all kinds of full.  I give this one ****

I'm Baaaaaack!

So, lots going on around here lately.  First, we happily moved into our own home 2 months ago( a small beach shack, but we don't own the land) right now we are staying with my grandmother until my parents return from Canada.  So, rather than cooking for two, we're cooking for three.  I've been pretty good about sticking to good foods, but lousy about taking time to blog and take pics.  So, I'm back with a vengence.  Today's selections are La Baguette's French Onion Soup and Fresh French Rolls.  i took a few pictures as I went along just to demonstrate . Do NOT put this under the category of quick meals, lol.  Here are the recipes as written:


La Baguette's French Onion Soup

Serves 8

6 cups (2 pounds) thinly sliced yellow onions

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc), optional

10 cups boiling chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)

2 teaspoons black or white pepper, or to taste

French-bread croutons

1/2 pound genuine Gruyre or Austrian Swiss cheese, grated

Cook onions in butter, covered, over medium-low heat until moisture forms and onions are transparent but not brown, about 20 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to medium and cook 45 minutes or longer, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated and onion's natural sugars caramelize; onions should be dark golden-brown.

Add wine and bring to boil. Add chicken stock; simmer 2 hours, covered with lid partially ajar, on low heat.

Refrigerate, uncovered (to prevent stock from souring) overnight. When cold, skim congealed butter off top.

Before serving, add pepper to taste and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Place broiler-proof bowls on baking sheet. Fill each with soup and top with croutons and a handful of cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and browned in spots, about 5 minutes.


Source: La Baguette.
Nutrition data, per 2-cup serving: Calories 216 (39 percent from fat); fat 9.3 g (sat 5.3 g, mono 2.8 g, poly .6 g); protein 20 g; carbohydrates 11 g; fiber 2.3 g; cholesterol 31 mg; sodium 192 mg; calcium 311 mg.


Fresh Baked French Rolls:
Ingredients

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups bread flour

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 1 cup flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken

I have had this recipe once before, about 4-5 years ago, and I lost it.  It took me forever to remember where I got it from in the first place.  This recipe is from Robin Miller's (Food Network) Quick Fix Meals "To your health" episode:





Ingredients

Cooking spray

2/3 cup instant oats

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 (4-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cups frozen green peas, steamed or microwaved until hot

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.



Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.



In a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish, combine oats, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.



Brush each chicken breast with Dijon mustard. Add chicken to oat mixture with tongs and turn to coat both sides. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.



Bake 30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with peas. Serves 4.

OMG, YUMMY!!  Let me start by saying that the house we moved into does not have a working oven.  Believe it or not, even with me loving to bake, it is not a top priority.  We have all manner of cooking appliances plus a roaster oven (for large jobs) and toaster oven (for little ones).  I baked these in the toaster oven outside (since I didn't want to heat up the whole house) and had to vary the times a bit. The only other variation from the recipe was I used bone-in chicken thighs instead of boneless, skinless breast meat.  Frankly, I can eat only so much chicken breast before it just flat out looses any chicken flavor and becomes cardboard tasting to me.  Sometimes you just hafta switch it up and save calories elsewhere.  DH agreed and would like to add this recipe as a staple :D



PS- just a warning, some people actually tried using oatmeal instead of oats (yuck).  Stick to rolled oats and you should be just fine.

*****