Black Bean Burgers

My friend Robin shared her version of this recipe, and it was universally applauded. Husbands declared that they did not miss the meat. Children asked for seconds. The burgers freeze well, and are filling.  I served them on whole wheat buns with a side of sweet potato fries, salad, and roasted peppers.  It's a great Meatless Monday option.

Black Bean Burgers
You can add additional veggies to these quite easily.  I added some microplaned carrots- they melt right in. Did I mention these freeze and reheat easily?  They are also baked, not fried.   I served them with a greek yogurt based dip, see recipe below. 


2 cans cooked black beans (should be about 2 1/4 c)
2 1/4 c cooked brown rice (1:1 ratio with beans)
1/3 c sauteed chopped mushrooms
1/2 microplaned or very finely grated carrot
2 T chopped basil
3 T tomato paste
red pepper flakes to taste
1/2- 1  tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process all ingredients briefly in the food processor.  Form into patties.  You may want to spray hands with cooking spray or rub a little olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.  Place on a coated cooking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Greek Yogurt Dip/Sauce
You can use this for your dip for sweet potato fries, too.  Sometimes I add a handful of spinach and blend it just for color, and because I like to add spinach to things.

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 grated cucumber (optional)

Blend all ingredients with a fork.


Sweet Potato Fries
I'm bringing this back from our original post. Here's what I said then:
I've been making these for years.  I clipped the original recipe out of some magazine, long since lost.  My husband is not a huge fan, but my kids love it.  They get to dip their fries in ketchup.  If they are not browning or crisping well, put them on the broiler on high and watch closely.  They're not going to be quite as crispy as fast food fries, but they're so much better for you....

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/4- 1/2 inch wedges. (about 3-4)

Tossing sweet potatoes.

1 T olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika (smoked paprika if you have it)

Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Toss all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, then turn. Bake for 10 more minutes and broil if necessary to desired crispness, but they are generally done after about 20 minutes. 

Please leave us a comment!

Lemongrass chicken

Our dinner plans were waylaid for 2 nights in a row after I planned this meal, resulting in a 36 hour marinating time by the time we finally got around to eating this chicken. It probably doesn't need 36 hours, but holy cow, er, holy chicken, was it tender and flavorful!  The fresh lemongrass is amazing.  The caramel was a little tricky in that you need to watch it. I over did it the first time and had to start over- but it was a fun lesson in the properties of sugar. Adapted slightly from a recipe in Food & Wine's Chef Recipes Made Easy from Eric and Sophie Banh, who own Monsoon in Seattle.

Can't. Stop. Adding. Kale. To. Things.

Lemongrass Chicken

Smirking delicious chicken.

4-6 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T Asian fish sauce
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
6 T sugar
3 T canola oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white part, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (may substitute a small red onion)
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded (may decrease or increase depending on taste)
1/3 c cilantro, chopped

Combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt, and 2 T of sugar in a small bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Let it marinate for up to 36 hours if you have time, although you can also cook it immediately.
In a small skillet, mix the remaining sugar or honey with 3 T water and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 T water.  Transfer the caramel to a small heatproof bowl.  Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the oil, and let it heat up. Add the lemongrass, shallot and jalapeno and stir-fry for a minute. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is slightly thickened- about 6-8 minutes depending on your chicken. Toss with cilantro and serve over rice.

Steamed Jasmine Rice with Kale and Scallions
A quickie side dish that I threw together just so I could add kale to our meal.  

4 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 cup finely chopped kale with tough ribs removed
2 scallions
dash white pepper
1 tsp canola oil

Heat the canola oil in a large pan. Add the scallions and stir-fry for a minute. Add the kale and stir-fry for an additional minute, until it is a rich, dark green.  Toss the rice in and add a dash of white pepper. Toss until everything is mixed together. Serve.

Stir-fried Asparagus
My standard stir-fry that I make with just about any vegetable. Today it was asparagus.  Snap the tough ends off.  The asparagus will tell you where to snap it- it should be as close to the tough purple end as possible, but it should snap off easily. You really don't need to peel your asparagus. I have never understood why this is necessary- plus you lose all that fiber. Having grown up on an asparagus farm, I could think of about 50 more things to share about my absolute favorite vegetable.  For the haters who say it's too mushy, my response is that you are cooking it too long. Mushy asparagus is gross.  If you stir-fry it, it can still have a little texture. If you like it softer, just cook it a little longer.  And don't leave out the garlic. 

1 bunch of asparagus, about 1 lbs, with the ends snapped off, and cut on the diagonal
2-4 T water or chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 T canola oil

Heat the canola oil in a pan until it sizzles when you add a drop of water. Add the garlic and stir, but don't let it burn.  Add the asparagus and stir-fry until it is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Midway through, when the pan is  starting to get dry, add the chicken stock or water.  Add salt to taste.  If you like your asparagus on the tender side, turn the heat off and cover the pan for a minute or two.  (If you let this step last too long, your vegetable can get overdone. Don't say I didn't warn you.) Serve.

Please leave us a comment. Even if it's a complaint that I haven't posted in a couple of months! Hey, we've been busy!

Puff Pastry Pizza and Arugula Salad with Artichoke, Tomato and Basil Marinade

This is seriously so easy and delicious that it's not fair. Did I mention delicious? It makes a great appetizer and will impress your dinner guests. If you are making it for actual dinner, I would make at least 2 (depending on the size of your family and your stomachs), and I would also serve it with a big salad. My only slight difficulty was finding the puff pastry sheets. Once this got on the table, it was essentially gone in 60 seconds.   The salad is a wonderful accompaniment to just about anything, and is a nice change from boring old plain salad. The arugula and the artichokes are a perfect combination.

Puff Pastry Pizza

Try to limit the ingredients to no more than 4-5.  More than that and it becomes difficult to appreciate the crispy softness of the puff pastry.  Adapted from RealSimple July 2011.

1 package puff pastry

Toppings (your choice):

• pesto
• halved grape tomatoes
• mozzarella cheese, plain or smoked
• fresh, slivered basil leaves
• crisped prosciutto, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  On a parchment-lined baking sheet, roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm. Prick with a fork, and layer toppings, not too generously or the puff pastry will get soggy. Top with freshly grated black pepper and back until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.  Cut and serve.

Arugula Salad with Artichoke, Tomato, and Basil Marinade

Arugula, approx 2 cups (enough to make a bed) 
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 c grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 c fresh basil leaves, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T balsamic vinegar 
2 T olive oil
1 tsp capers, optional
black pepper
shaved parmesan

Arrange a layer of arugula in a large, flat bowl. Drain marinated artichokes, reserve juice. Top salad with artichoke hearts. In a separate bowl, combine 2/3 leftover artichoke marinade, halved grape tomatoes, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper. Let it sit for 15 min-2 hours. Just before serving, toss salad with marinade mixture and top with shaved parmesan.



Please leave us a comment!

Circassian, Cardassian, Kardashian, or Cesarean Chicken?

It's actually Circassian Chicken, modified slightly from Hank Shaw's recipe on http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/circassian_chicken/.  Traditional Circassian Chicken is a Turkish dish, served cold, that calls for walnuts, not pecans. Which is maybe why the kids didn't quite get the name of the dish, and dinner conversation mainly revolved around whether or not the members of the Obsidian order or the reality TV Kardashian family ate this for dinner.  And finally, "So Mom, what did you say it was? Cesarean chicken? So did you have to cut this dish out of some chicken's belly?" JUST EAT YOUR DINNER!

The red pepper strips add a delightful sweet crunch.

Circassian Chicken
This meal is actually a sleeper hit, and quick to prepare. We substituted pecans for walnuts, and cilantro for parsley.  The cayenne spices things up a bit, so use a little less if you want it milder, or use a dollop or two of Greek yogurt to cut the (very mild) heat. You can serve this plain, but we loved it with toast triangles and a side of crispy Cesarean, er Cesar Salad.  Also good the next day as a chicken sandwich filling, or in a pita roll with some fresh, crisp lettuce and juicy tomato. 

2 skinless chicken breasts
4 T olive oil
4 tsp paprika
1 1/2 c chopped pecans
3 cloves garlic
2 T green onions, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 T chopped cilantro or parsley
1 1/2 c chopped spinach
2 slices of wheat bread, preferably stale
1 quart of chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced

Bring the chicken stock to a low boil and add the chicken breasts, letting them simmer for about 10 minutes before removing from the heat.  Heat the olive oil in a small pot, and add paprika. When you can smell the paprika strongly, turn off the heat.

Cut the bread into chunks and place in bowl.  Pour 1-2 cups of chicken broth into the bowl and let it soak. In the meantime, reserve 1/2 cup pecans and set aside with green onions and 2 tablespoons of cilantro and the chopped spinach. Put the remainder of the pecans and cilantro into a food processor along with the garlic, cayenne, and the soaked bread and pulse repeatedly until it makes a thick, chunky paste.  Add more chicken stock 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, to loosen it up.  Pour in the paprika in oil and pulse again until combines.  Add salt if needed.

Shred the cooked chicken by hand or with a fork, and add the pecan-paprika paste, as well as the reserved pecans, green onions, and cilantro.  Stir gently to combine.  Add pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Coconut Chicken Curry with Lemon-ginger Tea-infused Rice

Several things about this meal. First, there are a lot of veggies in it, making it a quick, one pot meal.  Well, two pots if you include the rice pot. Second, Claire was skeptical about the curry, having had some recent experiences with tumeric overload.  She admitted to being won over by the coconut milk, and the fresh coriander. Third.  I don't know what made me decide to add a tea bag to the rice as it was cooking, but o.m.g.  What a wonderful, subtle flavor. I'm definitely doing it again.

Coconut Curry Chicken
Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables you have in your drawer. This would be excellent with broccoli, red peppers, and eggplant. I finely crushed my coriander and cumin seeds in my mortar and pestle- you could also use a spice grinder if you have one. The fresh grind makes a huge difference.

Adapted from "Chicken in Spice-Laden Coconut Sauce,"
from The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook.

1 T vegetable or canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, minced
1 T coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp tumeric
3-4 dried red peppers, or red pepper flakes to taste
salt to taste
2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 can tomatoes (or 1 large fresh tomato, cut into chunks)
1 small zucchini, cut into chunks
2 small carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 14-oz can light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 chopped scallions (always include the green part!)

Heat oil in a large pan and cook onions until soft.  Add garlic and ginger, and stir.  Add crushed coriander and cumin seeds, then salt and tumeric and stir. Add chicken pieces and stir until they are coated with the onion-spice mixture. Add the carrots and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and zucchini.  Let simmer for another 5 minutes, then add coconut milk. Add water if necessary, and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender. Stir in fresh cilantro and scallions before serving with Tea-infused Rice, below.

Tea-infused Rice
I had wanted to make jasmine rice, but had run out, which made me start contemplating jasmine tea infusion, but I was a little worried that it might be too floral. Turns out I was out of jasmine tea anyway, but had some lemon-ginger tea. Hmm.  Throw in half a handful of chopped scallions and cilantro, and we're off to the culinary races... Keep in mind that I did this, as always, in my rice cooker, so you may want to adjust the water to your method of cooking and taste.

2 cups of uncooked rice
3 cups of water
1 lemon-ginger tea bag
2 T chopped scallions
2 T chopped cilantro (optional)

Put water and rice together in a small saucepan with a lid.  Hang the teabag over the side of the pan so that it is submerged in the water. Be careful if you have a gas stove so that the tag doesn't burn. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then leave it covered for about 5 more minutes.  Remove the teabag.  Fluff the rice so that the tea-stained grains of rice are mixed in well. Fold in the scallions and cilantro.

Please leave a comment!

Miso-glazed Tilapia with Ginger-Scallion Noodles

I get tilapia at Costco in bulk, because my kids eat fish so quickly that often the adults only end up getting a tiny piece.  The noodles are a perfect accompaniment. This meal is deceptively fast to make.  We looked at the clock and realized we only had about 40 minutes, which was plenty of time.  Granted there were two of us, but we also had a bunch of kids running around asking for more grapes and milk, etc.  Plenty of time to plate and enjoy!

Miso-glazed Tilapia
If you've ever gotten a container of miso, or fermented soybean paste, you might find that you use a few tablespoons and then it sits in your fridge for a long time.  Although it has a pretty long shelf life, in the fridge, eventually I get sick of seeing it in there.  I use it sometimes as a flavoring for stir-fried noodles- but you have to be careful, because it can be salty.  The original recipe has the fish cooking in the oven, but it's so much faster just to pan-fry it.  Heavily adapted from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave.

3-4 tilapia filets
1/2 c white miso paste
2 T honey
2 T water (maybe more if your miso is really old)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T rice wine

Mix the miso, honey, water, sesame oil, and rice wine together with a fork. Coat the tilapia filets, and pan-fry in 1-2 T cooking oil for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are done.  You can let this marinade overnight if you wish.

Ginger-Scallion Noodles
I easily tire of pasta with red sauce.  This is actually a faster go-to, since the Chinese noodles cook a lot faster.  Get everything chopped and ready while the water is boiling, and toss together at the end.  You can substitute all kinds of leftover veggies, like carrots sliced thinly on the diagonal.  Fancy.

1 T ginger root, peeled and minced
1 package of Chinese noodles, cooked (may susbstitute spaghetti, just please don't tell me)
3-4 scallions, chopped (yes, green part too!)
2 c spinach, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 T soy sauce
2 T water
1/4 c chopped cilantro

In a large saute pan, heat 1-2 T cooking oil and add ginger root. Add noodles, and stir to coat.  Add sesame oil, soy sauce, water if needed.  Follow this with the spinach and scallions, and cilantro last. Take off heat once the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes at most.

Garnish
I had half a green pepper, so I stir-fried it with 1/4 onion, a tsp rice wine, and a pinch of minced ginger that I stole from my noodle prep. This is the garnish you see in the picture- entirely optional.

No one likes noodles and "Nemo" here...

More Nemo please!
(Yes, they call their fish Nemo.  The fish that they eat.
Anyone else find that a little disturbing?)

Pasta Rosa

This is a dish that both children and adults will love. It is hearty and creamy and yummy, and the prosciutto complements the dish perfectly.  This has been a family favorite in Claire's house for many years.  Serve with a big salad and a side of stir-fried broccoli.

1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 cans tomato sauce, 15 oz each
1 tsp chicken soup base or 1 boullion cube
2 T dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 chicken breasts, sliced
4-8 mushrooms, finely diced
1 carrot, microplaned (leave out if you don't have a microplane)
10 oz. cooking cream cheese
1/2 c half and half
1 x 16 oz. box cavatappi pasta (large and twisty)
handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
8-12 small broccoli florets, chopped
prosciutto, diced (the more the better!)

Saute garlic in olive oil in a large stockpot, 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn.  Add tomatoes, chicken soup base, basil, oregano, and pepper flakes.  Bring to a simmer and add finely diced chicken. Add mushrooms and carrots and simmer for 15 minutes.  Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, turn off the heat and add cooking cream cheese, half and half, and fresh basil.

In the meantime, boil water for pasta and cook pasta according to instructions.  When there are about 3 minutes left, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. Cook until pasta is al dente, and strain.  Toast or broil prosciutto in a single layer on a cookie sheet until crispy. In a large mixing bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce.  Once mixed well, pour into a serving dish and sprinkle prosciutto and parmesan cheese over the top.

Please leave a comment!

Butternut Squash Orecchietti Pasta with Sausage, Kale and Sage

Sometimes I want a quick pasta meal, but I have a tendency to get marinara'd out. And creamy alfredo or store-bought pesto alternatives are not exactly waistline friendly.  This sauce is quick and easy to find in the soup section, and using turkey sausage and kale keeps it healthy.  Substitute whole wheat penne if you want to be strict, but I like the shape of the orrechietti and the way it holds a little extra soup.  I mean, sauce.

Serve with a homemade caesar salad.

Butternut Squash Orecchietti Pasta with Sausage, Kale and Sage

2/3 carton (32 oz) creamy butternut squash soup*
1- 16 oz. box of orecchietti pasta
1 lb turkey or chicken sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c kale, trimmed and chopped
1 T dried sage

Cook pasta according to instructions and set aside. Brown the sausage in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and sage. Add kale and saute until tender. In a large pot, toss the sausage, kale, and pasta with about 2/3 carton of soup.  Stir gently over med-low heat until the butternut sauce is warmed up.  The pasta will absorb some of the sauce, so add a little more sauce as needed. (No one likes dry pasta.)  Garnish with feta or shredded parmesan cheese if desired.

*I used the Pacific Natural Foods brand of butternut squash soup.  I've also used the Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Soup.  TJ's has a Carrot Ginger Soup for a more exotic twist, but if you use that, I would leave out the sage. Not so confident about the sage-ginger combination.

Please leave us a comment!

Thai Pizza

Thai Pizza
My kids love this dish.  It's got a peanut butter sauce!  What kid doesn't like peanut butter- especially if you combine it with cilantro and bean sprouts, right?  Leave those ingredients off if you must for the kids, but I like to pile on the fresh crunchy veggies after the pizza bakes so that you have that crisp cool contrast with the hot pizza. My recipe doesn't use up the whole can of coconut milk, so I have some to use later in the week for coconut rice or chicken. If you aren't going to use it within a few days, freeze it. I use the ready made whole wheat crust from Trader Joe's.  While the crust is pre-baking, I get all my veggies chopped.  I made this and Meatball Pizza on the same night, and had the same amount of both for leftovers. It's that yummy.

1 package ready-made pizza dough
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c light coconut milk
1 T fish sauce
1 clove minced garlic

1 grated carrot
1 small grated zucchini
1/4 thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 leek, sliced (optional)
1 1/2 c sliced chicken or tofu
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese

2 scallions, chopped
1/4 chopped basil leaves (optional)
handful cilantro, chopped
handful fresh bean sprouts

Prepare dough as directed.  Spread out on a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, using olive oil as necessary to keep dough from sticking to the pan and to your fingers. Poke holes in it with a fork, and prebake in an oven for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees.

In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter, coconut milk, garlic, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and take off the heat.  Prepare veggies.  Once the crust is partially baked, spread the sauce on the crust.  Sprinkle carrots, zucchini, red pepper, leek (optional), and chicken or tofu.  Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for another 8 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.   Take out of the oven, and sprinkle scallions, basil leaves, cilantro, and bean sprouts.  Serve immediately.


Leave us your comments and suggestions!

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

We are always looking for ways to get more veggies into our kids, and noodle form is one of the easiest.  It's hard to pick things out of noodles, and when you say "spaghetti" in any sentence, there is an automatic acceptance.  Kind of like in Chinese restaurants as a kid, when I would hear the waitresses describe potstickers to other customers as "Chinese hamburgers,"  not that any of my kids or anyone in my family has ever had any problem devouring potstickers, Chinese dumplings, or any other form of "Chinese hamburger." I'm not sure I want to divulge the total number of dumplings that I or either of my siblings can eat in one sitting. I'm also fairly certain that my husband had a certain minimum number that he also had to consume in one sitting in order to be considered "suitable for marriage." But I digress... this is about spaghetti squash and fake, yummy noodles.
 
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Trio
I wanted to keep this meal high in nutrients, but still get a nice huge plate of noodles.  Enter player 1: spaghetti squash.  I also a trusty zucchini on hand, so enter player 2. I love zucchini noodles, and strongly feel that we have not yet, as a society, explored the extent of their possibilities. And, I also like to add at least some pasta to trick my brain into thinking it's all pasta.  Plus, it's easier on the kids who can sometimes be suspicious of a plate of just zucchini noodles, and what's one more pot.  If you want to simplify things, leave out one of the noodles, but we enjoyed the trio.

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 package whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1 small zucchini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
salt and pepper
1/4 c feta cheese (or parmesan cheese)
4 oz cubed pancetta, or 6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 c chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and bake with rind side up in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides with a fork and set aside.  In the meantime, boil lightly salted water and cook the spaghetti noodles.  Drain, reserving a cup or two of the pasta water. Using a lemon zester, zest the entire zucchini so that it also is noodle-like in appearance.  Set aside.  Break two eggs into a bowl, and whisk with a fork.  Add half of the feta or parmesan cheese.

In a large saute pan or wok on medium high heat, cook the pancetta until crispy.  Add garlic once the pancetta starts to sizzle. Add the zucchini noodles, followed by the cooked spaghetti noodles.  Salt and pepper to taste. Stir, and then add spaghetti squash.  Once everything is hot, turn the heat off and add the egg mixture, stirring and tossing constantly so that the eggs don't scramble. Tongs are great for this.  Add in the parsley or cilantro, and the rest of the cheese, and serve immediately.

Please leave any comments or suggestions!

Chicken Marbella and Amazing Salad Dressing

We had been looking forward to making this recipe for weeks.  Ever since Claire brought a little sample over one night, it's been on our list.  We just had to wait until the weather got a little colder and the grill seemed less inviting.  Don't let the classic Claire/Laura conundrum (Italian parsley or cilantro?) hold you back.  It's good with either!

Served with a side of sweet potatoes and green brown rice.

Chicken Marbella
Don't shy away from the list of ingredients. They might seem like an odd combination, but the capers, olives, and prunes in this dish combine perfectly and will make your mouth water.  The overnight marinade is essential as it lets all the flavors meld together, and adds moisture to the chicken.  Claire likes to marinade the chicken in 2 large Ziploc bags to keep the strong garlic flavor (it's a whole head, not just a clove!) from infusing everything in her refrigerator. To facilitate peeling a whole head's worth of garlic, I suggest smashing the individual cloves with a heavy can or the side of a knife.  Peel away the skin, and toss the garlic into the marinade.   

The original recipe, from the Silver Palate Cookbook, calls for 4 whole chickens (2 1/2 lbs each), but we used 2 slightly larger chickens with the same amount of marinade.  It was nice to have a little of the marinade to ladle over rice or pasta. The olives and capers make a robust brine, without being overpoweringly salty.  The recipe makes enough for a dinner party, a second (or third) meal, or enough for 2 families to share. I sliced one of the chicken breasts up the next day for a delicious sandwich.


1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1 c pitted prunes
1/2 c pitted Spanish olives with juice
1/2 c capers with juice
6 bay leaves
1 head garlic (peeled)
1/4 c dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 chickens cut into pieces, bone in and skin on  (or 10-12 chicken breasts with bone in skin on)

1 c brown sugar
1 c dry white wine (or madeira wine)
1/4 c fresh flat leaf parsley or cilantro

Combine olive oil, vinegar, prunes, capers, bay leaves, garlic oregano,salt and pepper.  Divide in half and pour into 2 Ziploc bags.  Marinate 24-48 hours. (Don't skip this!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange chicken in a single layer in 1-2 pans, and sprinkle each piece of chicken with brown sugar.  (Or drizzle with honey.) Pour in white wine. Bake for 55-60 minutes, basting with pan juices.  With slotted spoon transfer chicken, olives, prunes and capers  to serving platter.  Pour 2-3 spoonfuls of pan juice over top to moisten.  Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro and or parsley, and serve with Green Rice or rice pilaf.


Amazing Vinaigrette
It's just salad dressing.  How can there possibly be anything amazing about it?  Maybe it's good, but amazing?  Claire did a little research and came up with this recipe, and let me tell you, it is amazing.  It's made in the blender with vegetable oil instead of olive oil, and it stays emulsified for days, no shaking, rattling, or rolling. I still have my batch from 5 days ago, and it's still blended. It's also creamy and a little bit sweet.  My kids have been asking for it over ranch dressing.  Consider adding a little bit of water if you like a thinner consistency. It still works. Claire served hers with arugula, spinach, cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan, and homemade croutons.  I just served mine with homemade whole wheat croutons.

1 clove garlic
pinch of salt
pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp honey (to taste)
1/2 c vegetable oil

Blend together on high speed garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and vinegar for 1-2 minutes.  Slowly drizzle in vegetable oil, and continue to blend on high for 2 minutes.  It will become thick and creamy.  Store in fridge. 

Tell us if you try anything and leave us a comment!

Pan-seared Tilapia, Green Brown Rice, and Death By Kale

Claire is reluctant to cook fish in her house, so I've been easing her into it at my house.  Fish is wonderfully easy and quick, and oh by the way, healthy too. These tilapia fillets take no time at all.  I buy them in bulk and freeze 2-3 fillets in a freezer bag.  We had this for lunch with Green Brown Rice and about 2/3 bag of Death by Kale between the two of us. More on that below...

With Lemon Chive Dressing drizzled on top...

Pan-seared Tilapia Fillets
It's distressing how easy these are to make.  You can leave off the dressing and just use a squeeze of fresh lemon if you want.  I like to add a few herbs and salt to the flour/breadcrumb mixture. Tilapia is nice because its firmer flesh holds up well in the frying pan, and its milder taste is easy on pickier palates. My twins refer to all fish as "Nemo."  You would think that this would mean that they don't like fish, but you would be wrong.  They scream, "Bite! Nemo! Bite! Nemo!" which means "Give me another bite of fish as soon as possible because my mouth is empty and I am starving to death." It almost seems cannabalistic, but then I remind myself that Nemo is a cartoon fish. Bite away, kids.

2-3 fillets of tilapia
1/2 c whole wheat flour or whole wheat breadcrumbs or both
pinch of herbs (thyme, dill, parsley, sage)
1/2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil

Mix the flour/breadcrumbs, herbs, and salt in a shallow bowl or plate. Lightly coat the tilapia fillets with 1 T olive oil, and dredge in flour/herb mixture on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Place tilapia fillets topside down in the pan on medium-high heat. Once they are golden brown, flip gently to sear the other side. Serve once tilapia is flaky and done. (Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of fillet.)

These fillets are actually huge, and will serve 2. Unless you want seconds.

Lemon Chive Dressing
A version of this was originally posted with my steelhead recipe, but this one has no sugar and I made a few other adjustments. Thanks to Diane Morgan for her original version of this wonderfully versatile sauce that works well on fish, veggies, and salad, too. Add a little water if you are going to use this for salad dressing.

2 T olive oil
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice with zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
2 T minced chives

Whisk together all ingredients except the chives. Stir in the chives and drizzle over tilapia, above.

Green Brown Rice
This was originally posted as Green Rice on our very first post, but this is a slightly different version with brown long grain rice.  You will not believe how fragrant this rice is. And what a great way to get your kids to eat more green stuff. I had some leeks to use up, so I substituted them for the green onions.  I also had 1/2 c pureed cauliflower, so I threw that in- totally optional if you happen to have steamed pureed cauliflower sitting around.

6 cups cooked brown rice
1 leek, chopped (or 3 green onions)
1/2 c basil leaves
1 1/2 c spinach
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock

In a blender or food processor, puree all ingredients except cooked rice.  Fold into the warm rice until the rice is coated evenly. Serve warm.


Death By Kale
You might think kale is a garnish, but I haven't been able to stop eating kale since I made up this little gem.  I've been getting the prewashed 10 ounce bags of kale at Trader Joe's, and am working on my 3rd bag in less than 2 weeks. (We did make some kale chips with 1/2 bag.)  I even had this particular dish with some scrambled eggs one morning, and I fear I may be the first to experience Death By Kale, if that is possible.  I think it's the lemon and the salt that keeps me coming back. Pucker up, Nicole- you're going to love it.

6 cups of washed kale, coarsely chopped with most of the large ribs removed
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (at least 3 T juice)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or wok. Add garlic once the oil is hot enough to make it sizzle.  Add the kale (it will cook down more than you would guess). Sprinkle salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Add lemon juice. Continue to saute until the kale has cooked down and the leaves are tender. Enjoy.

Please leave us a comment, especially if you know of anyone that has ever died from eating too much kale.

Lamb Pitas with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

This is a great recipe combo because the next night, you can use up the leftover lamb in pasta.  I actually had a difficult time finding ground lamb this time of year, so we mixed the lamb with beef and turkey.  This also helped in making the lamb a little easier to take for palates that are not used to the lamb flavor.

Tell me that doesn't make your mouth water a little bit.

Lamb Pita
These are so fresh and delicious. The cucumber yogurt sauce really makes it come together.  Kids also love building their own- be prepared for a little bit of mess!  This recipe is enough to feed 4 with leftovers for the pasta the next night. Adapted from thefresh20.com

2 lbs ground meat (lamb, beef, or turkey)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c chopped spinach (optional)

Add 1/2 tsp olive oil to large saute pan.  Once heated, add onion and garlic.  Saute until onions are soft. Add meat and spices, and cook until browned. Stir in spinach, and take off the heat once it wilts. Serve in pitas with yogurt sauce, thick sliced tomato, and red pepper strips.


Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
The lemon juice and lemon zest is the secret to making this sauce taste wonderfully fresh.

1 cucumber, peeled and grated
2 small handfuls of finely chopped spinach
1/2 large handful of chopped parsley
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
salt to taste
1/2 tsp dried mint (or 3-4 leaves of fresh mint if available)
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Mix all ingredients together and serve on pita sandwiches.

Greek Pasta with Lamb
This was so easy to make, yet so flavorful. Since the ground lamb mixture was already done, I was able to prepare the veggies while the pasta was boiling, and then just toss everything together in less than 20 minutes.  I served it with a huge fresh salad.

1/2 package of spaghetti noodles (whole wheat if you have it)
ground lamb mixture (precooked from above meal)
2 T balsamic vinegar
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 c grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small zucchini, shredded or zested into noodles (optional)
1 cup chopped spinach (optional)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta as directed, and drain. While the pasta is cooking, reheat the lamb in a large saute pan.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the ground lamb. Add the vegetables, saving the tomatoes and spinach for last. (Consider adding 1/4 cup of chicken stock or pasta water if the pasta seems dry.) Once the zucchini noodles are tender, take the noodles off the heat.  Serve immediately, with feta cheese sprinkled on top.

Please leave any comments or suggestions!

Balsamic Apple Glazed Pork Chops and Savory Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes

Fall is here, and with fall comes anything orange and apples. And soups.  Stay tuned for more soups.  Claire and I had been off for a couple of weeks, so we were so glad to get back together for some major kitchen trashing. This session, we actually made several meals, but they'll be posted separately for ease.  Many of our earlier recipes are bunched together by cooking session, which was fun but harder to reference. Hope you like the shortened, but hopefully slightly more frequent posts.

Balsamic Apple Glazed Pork Chops
We changed this recipe a little so that there was no sugar added.  Another version calls for cherry jam- stay tuned.  It turned out wonderfully, and was well-received by our families.  I served them with the Savory Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes, below, and a side of broccoli. The broccoli was stir-fried with olive oil and a clove of chopped garlic. You could steam it, but the garlic is so good and rounds out the sweetness on the plate.

6-8 pork chops
1/2 onion, diced
1 large apple, finely diced
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1/3 c honey
1 T soy sauce
1 T grainy mustard
3/4 c water
1-2 T cornstarch

Pan sear pork chops on both sides and let rest in a 9x13 oven-safe baking pan.  Saute onion and apple in the pan used for the pork chops, then add balsamic vinegar, honey, and soy sauce.  Let cook about 2 minutes.  Add mustard.  In a separate bowl or cup, mix water and cornstarch together (so that you won't get lumps), and pour into the saucepan.  Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for another couple of minutes.  Pour over pork chops. Bake and 350 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes, depending on thickness of pork, until the internal temperature reaches 150-160 degrees. 

Savory Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
This is an original recipe from Claire. After making this, we came up with several additional variations, including one with caramelized onions and smoked bacon bits, but this is the original version.  Don't leave out the parmesan cheese, as it adds a depth of flavor to the sweet potatoes.

3-4 sweet potatoes
1/3 c nonfat Greek yogurt for every 2 potatoes
1 scallion, chopped
2 T parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1-2 slices of prosciutto, bacon, or turkey bacon, crisped and chopped

Bake sweet potatoes unwrapped for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Split lengthwise down the middle and scoop out the insides. Reserve the skins. Mix shelled out sweet potatoes with Greek yogurt, scallions, parmesan cheese, and salt to taste- but don't forget you're adding salt with the bacon/prosciutto.  Spoon mixture back into skins and sprinkle bacon/prosciutto on top. Put back in oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, uncovered.

Please leave us a comment!