This week I've got a couple unconventional summer items - chili and pork soup. I know it's not really summery type food, but both used ingredients that I had on hand. I hope you can still enjoy something warm on a hot day :)
Orange Ginger Beef
1 lb beef (preferably grass-fed, I used ground beef but sliced steak is actually nicer)
1 med red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 med orange or red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 orange, zest and juice
1 tsp minced gingerroot
1/2 tsp salt
about 6 oz sugar snap peas
1 med jicama, peeled and cut into strips
hot cooked rice or warm pitas for serving
Brown beef in skillet. When almost fully browned, add onion and bell pepper. Saute until beef is browned and onion is just sweating. Mix orange zest, juice, ginger and salt in small bowl and set aside. Spoon rice into wide bowl, top with beef mixture. Top that with a handful of jicama and a handful of snap peas. Pour sauce over. Or you can mix it all up in a bowl and spoon into pitas.
Sow Cooker Oriental Pork Soup, adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook, serves about 4
1 lb pork, cut into cubes
2 large carrots, julienned
4 med green onions, thickly sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced gingerroot
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups water
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
hot cooked rice for serving
Mix all ingredients except mushrooms and bean sprouts in slow cooker (4-6 qts). Cover and cook on low for about 6-7 hours, or until pork is cooked through. Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook just until heated through, about another 15 mins. Serve over hot cooked rice and top with bean sprouts.
Chimichurri Flank Steak, from Bon Appetit magazine
2 lbs flank steak
marinade:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt plus more
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 fresno chilie or jalepeno, finely chopped
2 cups minced fresh cilantro
1 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup EVOO
Whisk all marinade ingredients together and reserve 1/2 cup for serving. Marinate flank steak in glass dish in fridge overnight. Remove meat, pat dry, and grill until desired doneness. Serve with reserved sauce over top and beet and carrot slaw, below.
Beet and Carrot Slaw
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tsp finely grated orange zest plus 3 Tbs fresh o.j.
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh dill
5 2" diameter beets (preferably candy strip beets as they won't bleed into the dressing), peeled and julienned
1 med carrot, peeled and julienned
kosher salt and pepper
Whisk yogurt, orange zest, juices and dill in med bowl. Add beets and carrot and toss to combine. Season to taste w/salt and pepper.
Smoky Chili
1 lb ground beef, preferably grass-fed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne powder or to taste
1/4 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbs molasses
1 can beer (your choice on type)
2 cans beef broth
1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
Brown beef, onions and garlic in dutch oven. Add spices and saute about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add tomatoes and vinegar at the end and heat through. Serve with your favorite chili fixins such as chopped onions, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.
Showing posts with label Slow Cooker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slow Cooker. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Week 15
Potato and Kale Galette
I've got both potatoes and kale coming in my produce box this week. I don't normally use a lot of potatoes in my cooking because they are high glycemic. These potatoes are local though and I do like to include the local produce when it's available. So, I searched online for a recipe that would incorporate both the potatoes and the kale and I found this delicious sounding recipe for a galette (which I have never heard of before). I'm planning to add some pancetta or bacon in the layers to make it into a more hearty meal but you could certainly leave it out and have a vegetarian meal.
Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts
Okay, this is not exactly a 100% made from scratch meal, but I have asparagus sitting in the fridge and saw this recipe in Woman's Day magazine (which I somehow get now. Not really my style but I have gotten some recipes from it that are good). Maybe a good goal for me will be to eventually make the raviolis myself. I don't think it could be that terribly hard.
14 oz package ravioli (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup EVOO
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
8 oz asparagus, trimmed and sliced on diagonal
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Cook ravioli according to package. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet and add the garlic and walnuts and cook just a couple minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Be careful not to over cook garlic. Add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 2 mins. Serve over ravioli and top with grated Parm.
Cod Cakes w/orange and radish salad and sugar snap peas
2 navel oranges
1 1/2 lb cod fillet cut into 2" pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
----------------
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2-3 Tbs EVOO
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
Grate 2 tsp zest from oranges and add to food processor with remaining ingredients through pepper (reserving oranges). Pulse until combined but do not over process. Form cod mixture into eight 3/4" patties. Coat each patty in panko breadcrumbs. Heat 1 Tbs EVOO in large skillet. Add fish cakes and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet and bake in oven set to 400F until cooked through, about 5-8 mins.
Meanwhile, peel oranges and cut away as much of the white pith as possible. Slice into thin rounds. Toss oranges, radishes, jalapeno, onion and remaining Tbs oil in bowl. Add S&P to taste. Serve with cod cakes and sugar snap peas. Sugar Snap Peas with Orange and Mint recipe here.
Slow Cooker Thai Chicken (adapted from Woman's Day Magazine)
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbs natural (no sugar added) peanut butter
1 Tbs curry paste (the original recipe calls for red but I have green so I'm using that)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
2 red bell peppers, sliced thick
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb rice noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges
In 5 qt or larger slow cooker, combine all ingredients through onion. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Stir in peas and cover and cook another 3 mins. Serve over cooked noodles and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
I've got both potatoes and kale coming in my produce box this week. I don't normally use a lot of potatoes in my cooking because they are high glycemic. These potatoes are local though and I do like to include the local produce when it's available. So, I searched online for a recipe that would incorporate both the potatoes and the kale and I found this delicious sounding recipe for a galette (which I have never heard of before). I'm planning to add some pancetta or bacon in the layers to make it into a more hearty meal but you could certainly leave it out and have a vegetarian meal.
Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts
14 oz package ravioli (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup EVOO
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
8 oz asparagus, trimmed and sliced on diagonal
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Cook ravioli according to package. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet and add the garlic and walnuts and cook just a couple minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Be careful not to over cook garlic. Add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 2 mins. Serve over ravioli and top with grated Parm.
Cod Cakes w/orange and radish salad and sugar snap peas
1 1/2 lb cod fillet cut into 2" pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
----------------
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2-3 Tbs EVOO
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
Grate 2 tsp zest from oranges and add to food processor with remaining ingredients through pepper (reserving oranges). Pulse until combined but do not over process. Form cod mixture into eight 3/4" patties. Coat each patty in panko breadcrumbs. Heat 1 Tbs EVOO in large skillet. Add fish cakes and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet and bake in oven set to 400F until cooked through, about 5-8 mins.
Meanwhile, peel oranges and cut away as much of the white pith as possible. Slice into thin rounds. Toss oranges, radishes, jalapeno, onion and remaining Tbs oil in bowl. Add S&P to taste. Serve with cod cakes and sugar snap peas. Sugar Snap Peas with Orange and Mint recipe here.
Slow Cooker Thai Chicken (adapted from Woman's Day Magazine)
 |
| forgot the Cilantro but still yummy! |
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbs natural (no sugar added) peanut butter
1 Tbs curry paste (the original recipe calls for red but I have green so I'm using that)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
2 red bell peppers, sliced thick
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb rice noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges
In 5 qt or larger slow cooker, combine all ingredients through onion. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. Stir in peas and cover and cook another 3 mins. Serve over cooked noodles and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Week 8 - Indian Slow Cooking
I am very excited to announce that I got The Indian Slow Cooker last week! I love Indian food and am anxious to try the recipes in my slow cooker. I even bought a second one so I can make 2 dishes at once and have more of a complete meal. The bummer is that several of the recipes don't require all day to cook, so they won't necessarily work on days I am working. But I can certainly make them other days :) On to the recipes!
Slow Cooker Curried Chickpeas yields 13 cups
3 cups dried chickpeas, cleaned and washed thoroughly (I'm planning to soak mine the night before)
1 med yellow or red onion, finely diced
1 med tomato, diced
1 2-in piece of ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
4-6 green Thai or serrano chilies, chopped
1 Tbs cumin seeds (I don't have the whole seeds so I'm using 1 tsp ground)
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 Tbs garam masala
1 Tbs chana masala
1 Tbs red chili powder
2 Tbs salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
12 cups water
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
thinly sliced red onion and lime wedges for garnish
The instructions call to put everything from the chickpeas through water in the slow cooker and cook on high for 14 hours. I am not going to get up at 4 am to put this in the slow cooker, so I'm going to soak the chickpeas the night before, drain and rinse, and then combine with everything except salt in the slow cooker in the morning and cook on high until 6 pm and pray it comes out! The salt can slow the softening of beans that is why I'm leaving it out and will add it in towards the end of cooking. I may reduce the water by a cup since the chickpeas will have been soaked. Then you add the cilantro at the end and garnish w/the onions and lime. I'll come back and edit to include the results of my experimentation.
Slow Cooker Curried Spinach with Homemade Cheese (Palak Paneer) yields 10 cups with cheese from following recipe.
2 lbs fresh spinach, washed thoroughly
2 large red or yellow onions, roughly chopped
3 med tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 4-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
20 cloves garlic, peeled
5-10 green Thai or serrano chilies, stems removed
4 Tbs ground cumin
1 heaping Tbs red chili powder
1 heaping Tbs garam masala
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbs salt
12 oz paneer (recipe follows)
Put spinach through tumeric in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours. Stir once or twice and push down any spinach leaves that stick to the sides so they don't dry out. Blend until smooth w/immersion blender or transfer to blender and blend. Return puree to slow cooker. Add the salt and cook on low for another 2 hours. After cooking, add the paneer.
Paneer (homemade Indian cheese)
4 cups milk (preferably whole, non-homogonized and not ultra-pasteurized)
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Bring the milk to a boil over low heat in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and immediately add lemon juice. Mix well and cover w/tight-fitting lid. Let sit for at least 10 mins. Pour into cheesecloth-lined colander. Pull cheesecloth together at the corners, tie ends together, and hang the sac somewhere and place a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Let hang for a few hours. Remove cheese from sac and cut into 1-inch cubes. Save the whey for another use (like adding it to smoothies!)
Rice Pudding (kheer) yields 9 cups
1 cup white basmati rice, washed well
1/4 - 1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp green cardamom seeds, crushed slightly
1/2 cup golden raisins
8 cups milk
2 Tbs chopped pistachios
Put rice, agave, cardamom, raisins and milk in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is very tender. Spoon into dessert dishes and sprinkle w/pistachios.
This post is linked up to Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
Slow Cooker Curried Chickpeas yields 13 cups
3 cups dried chickpeas, cleaned and washed thoroughly (I'm planning to soak mine the night before)
1 med yellow or red onion, finely diced
1 med tomato, diced
1 2-in piece of ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
4-6 green Thai or serrano chilies, chopped
1 Tbs cumin seeds (I don't have the whole seeds so I'm using 1 tsp ground)
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 Tbs garam masala
1 Tbs chana masala
1 Tbs red chili powder
2 Tbs salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
12 cups water
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
thinly sliced red onion and lime wedges for garnish
The instructions call to put everything from the chickpeas through water in the slow cooker and cook on high for 14 hours. I am not going to get up at 4 am to put this in the slow cooker, so I'm going to soak the chickpeas the night before, drain and rinse, and then combine with everything except salt in the slow cooker in the morning and cook on high until 6 pm and pray it comes out! The salt can slow the softening of beans that is why I'm leaving it out and will add it in towards the end of cooking. I may reduce the water by a cup since the chickpeas will have been soaked. Then you add the cilantro at the end and garnish w/the onions and lime. I'll come back and edit to include the results of my experimentation.
Slow Cooker Curried Spinach with Homemade Cheese (Palak Paneer) yields 10 cups with cheese from following recipe.
2 lbs fresh spinach, washed thoroughly
2 large red or yellow onions, roughly chopped
3 med tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 4-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
20 cloves garlic, peeled
5-10 green Thai or serrano chilies, stems removed
4 Tbs ground cumin
1 heaping Tbs red chili powder
1 heaping Tbs garam masala
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbs salt
12 oz paneer (recipe follows)
Put spinach through tumeric in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours. Stir once or twice and push down any spinach leaves that stick to the sides so they don't dry out. Blend until smooth w/immersion blender or transfer to blender and blend. Return puree to slow cooker. Add the salt and cook on low for another 2 hours. After cooking, add the paneer.
Paneer (homemade Indian cheese)
4 cups milk (preferably whole, non-homogonized and not ultra-pasteurized)
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Bring the milk to a boil over low heat in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and immediately add lemon juice. Mix well and cover w/tight-fitting lid. Let sit for at least 10 mins. Pour into cheesecloth-lined colander. Pull cheesecloth together at the corners, tie ends together, and hang the sac somewhere and place a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Let hang for a few hours. Remove cheese from sac and cut into 1-inch cubes. Save the whey for another use (like adding it to smoothies!)
Rice Pudding (kheer) yields 9 cups
1 cup white basmati rice, washed well
1/4 - 1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp green cardamom seeds, crushed slightly
1/2 cup golden raisins
8 cups milk
2 Tbs chopped pistachios
Put rice, agave, cardamom, raisins and milk in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is very tender. Spoon into dessert dishes and sprinkle w/pistachios.
This post is linked up to Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Week 5 1/2
I am going to attempt getting my meal plans done on Tuesdays now. Firstly because I hate shopping on the weekends, secondly because our Sprouts Farmer's Market does double-ad Wednesdays, and thirdly because I get my fresh produce box on Thursdays (but find out what's in it earlier). It just makes more sense to get the planning done on Tuesday so I can be ready. So, since I already had meals planned out through the end of the week, this will be a short one.
Wed - Pumpkin Risotto
Thu - White Chicken Chili
Fri - Bison Roast
Sun - Superbowl Sweet Potato Skins
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut 1/4" thick skins from 8 small sweet potatoes or yams (keep the insides for something yummy like mashed sweet potatoes). Place skins on rimmed baking sheet and bake 20-25 mins or until tender. Meanwhile, combine 1 oz grated parmesan cheese and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper in small bowl. Remove skins from oven and heat broiler. Lightly brush skins with olive oil or grapeseed oil and sprinkle w/cheese mixture. Broil until golden, about 4-5 mins.Other good seasonings could be sea salt and smoked paprika; cumin with a dash of brown sugar; or any other cheese of your liking.
Mon - Slow Cooker Beef and Butternut Squash Stew (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe)
3Tbs EVOO or grapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (I'm using 1 lb beef and 1 lb bison)
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups beef stock (try making your own!)
2 Tbs flour
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Mix salt, pepper and flour and dredge the meat in it. Heat oil and brown meat in skillet about 5 mins. Transfer to slow cooker. Deglaze pan w/marsala wine, scraping up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except flour and parsley to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until meat is tender. Turn up to high, mix in flour, cover and cook about 15 more mins or until slightly thickened. Sprinkle parsley on before serving and serve with side salad if desired.
Tues - Meatloaf w/Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Remember those lonely sweet potato insides leftover from Superbowl Sunday? Well they are getting cooked and mashed with butter and milk and served w/this meatloaf!
1 lb ground beef or bison
1-2 slices bread, torn into small bits (I like to use the ends of the loaf for this)
1 egg
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, pressed
S&P
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup milk
Mix all ingredients, shape into loaf on a cookie sheet. You can brush the top with ketchup or barbecue sauce if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 mins to 1 hr. You can stick a meat thermometer in it and bake until it reads 160-170. (Edit - I just did this w/ground bison and cooked to 160 and it was bordering on dry. If you're using bison or grass-fed beef, I'd stay below 160). Serve w/mashed sweet potatoes and a side salad.
Wed - Pumpkin Risotto
Thu - White Chicken Chili
Fri - Bison Roast
Sun - Superbowl Sweet Potato Skins
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut 1/4" thick skins from 8 small sweet potatoes or yams (keep the insides for something yummy like mashed sweet potatoes). Place skins on rimmed baking sheet and bake 20-25 mins or until tender. Meanwhile, combine 1 oz grated parmesan cheese and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper in small bowl. Remove skins from oven and heat broiler. Lightly brush skins with olive oil or grapeseed oil and sprinkle w/cheese mixture. Broil until golden, about 4-5 mins.Other good seasonings could be sea salt and smoked paprika; cumin with a dash of brown sugar; or any other cheese of your liking.
Mon - Slow Cooker Beef and Butternut Squash Stew (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe)
3Tbs EVOO or grapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (I'm using 1 lb beef and 1 lb bison)
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 cups beef stock (try making your own!)
2 Tbs flour
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Mix salt, pepper and flour and dredge the meat in it. Heat oil and brown meat in skillet about 5 mins. Transfer to slow cooker. Deglaze pan w/marsala wine, scraping up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except flour and parsley to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until meat is tender. Turn up to high, mix in flour, cover and cook about 15 more mins or until slightly thickened. Sprinkle parsley on before serving and serve with side salad if desired.
Tues - Meatloaf w/Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Remember those lonely sweet potato insides leftover from Superbowl Sunday? Well they are getting cooked and mashed with butter and milk and served w/this meatloaf!
1 lb ground beef or bison
1-2 slices bread, torn into small bits (I like to use the ends of the loaf for this)
1 egg
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, pressed
S&P
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup milk
Mix all ingredients, shape into loaf on a cookie sheet. You can brush the top with ketchup or barbecue sauce if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 mins to 1 hr. You can stick a meat thermometer in it and bake until it reads 160-170. (Edit - I just did this w/ground bison and cooked to 160 and it was bordering on dry. If you're using bison or grass-fed beef, I'd stay below 160). Serve w/mashed sweet potatoes and a side salad.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Week 5
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili (adapted from a recipe a friend gave me - thanks, Julie!)
2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into chunks (or put it in whole and shred after cooking)
2 Tbs EVOO
1 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dried great northern beans, soaked overnight
1 cup frozen corn
1 4oz can green chilies, undrained
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
3 cups chicken stock
grated cheese and chopped cilantro for serving
Place all ingredients except cheese and cilantro in slow cooker, cover and cook on high about 8 hrs. (I have to cook on high for the dried beans. If you've cooked dried beans in your cooker before on low with no problems, then you should be fine here on low). Edit - I ended up making this on a day I was home and cooked on high for about 6 hours (when the beans felt tender), and then reduced to low for another hour and a half and then added the frozen corn for the last 20 mins. Then I served w/tortillas for dipping.
Pumpkin and Sage Risotto with Pine Nut Sauce (vegetarian, 4 servings, from The Pumpkin Cookbook)
2 Tbs EVOO
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 Tbs fresh sage
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 cups pumpkin flesh, diced
3 1/2 cups boiling vegetable stock
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 Tbs milk
grate of fresh nutmeg (or a pinch of ground)
S&P to taste
shaved parmesan for serving
Heat oil in large pan and saute the onion, garlic and sage for about 5 mins or until golden. Add the rice and pumpkin and saute about a min longer or until rice is evenly coated. Add one cup of stock and simmer, stirring until absorbed. Continue to add the stock a cup at a time, stirring, until rice is creamy and all the liquid is absorbed (about a half hour).
Meanwhile, process the pine nuts, cheese, milk and nutmeg in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir into the risotto, along with the final addition of stock, and simmer another 5 mins. Season to taste and serve with shaved parmesan.
Slow Cooker Bison Roast (we got some buffalo meat recently, but you can substitute grass-fed beef)
Mix up some salt, pepper and flour and dredge a 3-4 lb round roast. Sear in grapeseed oil over med heat until all sides are browned. Put roast into slow cooker and then deglaze the pan w/dark beer. Pour the pan juices into the slow cooker, along with any extra beer remaining in the bottle. If your roast is on the larger side, add a 2nd bottle of beer. Add herbs of your choice (I have some fresh thyme that I will use), whole peeled garlic cloves, chopped carrots, onion, and/or potatoes. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until tender.
Sausage & Leeks and Moroccan Chicken from last week both didn't get made (we had more leftovers that I anticipated and we also had a semi-spontaneous date night) so they are on the menu again this week.
2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into chunks (or put it in whole and shred after cooking)
2 Tbs EVOO
1 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dried great northern beans, soaked overnight
1 cup frozen corn
1 4oz can green chilies, undrained
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
3 cups chicken stock
grated cheese and chopped cilantro for serving
Place all ingredients except cheese and cilantro in slow cooker, cover and cook on high about 8 hrs. (I have to cook on high for the dried beans. If you've cooked dried beans in your cooker before on low with no problems, then you should be fine here on low). Edit - I ended up making this on a day I was home and cooked on high for about 6 hours (when the beans felt tender), and then reduced to low for another hour and a half and then added the frozen corn for the last 20 mins. Then I served w/tortillas for dipping.
Pumpkin and Sage Risotto with Pine Nut Sauce (vegetarian, 4 servings, from The Pumpkin Cookbook)
2 Tbs EVOO
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 Tbs fresh sage
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 cups pumpkin flesh, diced
3 1/2 cups boiling vegetable stock
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 Tbs milk
grate of fresh nutmeg (or a pinch of ground)
S&P to taste
shaved parmesan for serving
Heat oil in large pan and saute the onion, garlic and sage for about 5 mins or until golden. Add the rice and pumpkin and saute about a min longer or until rice is evenly coated. Add one cup of stock and simmer, stirring until absorbed. Continue to add the stock a cup at a time, stirring, until rice is creamy and all the liquid is absorbed (about a half hour).
Meanwhile, process the pine nuts, cheese, milk and nutmeg in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir into the risotto, along with the final addition of stock, and simmer another 5 mins. Season to taste and serve with shaved parmesan.
Slow Cooker Bison Roast (we got some buffalo meat recently, but you can substitute grass-fed beef)
Mix up some salt, pepper and flour and dredge a 3-4 lb round roast. Sear in grapeseed oil over med heat until all sides are browned. Put roast into slow cooker and then deglaze the pan w/dark beer. Pour the pan juices into the slow cooker, along with any extra beer remaining in the bottle. If your roast is on the larger side, add a 2nd bottle of beer. Add herbs of your choice (I have some fresh thyme that I will use), whole peeled garlic cloves, chopped carrots, onion, and/or potatoes. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until tender.
Sausage & Leeks and Moroccan Chicken from last week both didn't get made (we had more leftovers that I anticipated and we also had a semi-spontaneous date night) so they are on the menu again this week.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Week 4
This week I'm actually organizing what we eat when because I need to use up certain things first. Also, I've just started getting organic produce delivered on Thursdays, so I'm taking that into account. Luckily I can go online and see what I'm getting delivered on Thursday. I'm getting apples, leeks and potatoes, and coincidentally, I just happened upon a recipe for those exact items last week when looking through a magazine. How weird is that?!
Mon - Slow Cooker Bulgur Pilaf with Broccoli and Carrots (vegetarian, 6-8 servings), adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook
2 cups uncooked bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp salt
4 med carrots, shredded
1 large onion, chopped
30 oz vegetable broth
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup shredded cheese (the recipe called for Colby but I'm using cheddar)
Mix all ingredients except broccoli and cheese in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs or until bulgur is tender. Stir in broccoli and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and turn heat to high for about 15 more mins.
Tue - White Fish with Chickpea Ragu (from Woman's Day magazine, 4 servings), serve with baked sweet potatoes
1 Tbs EVOO
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular if you don't want to buy smoked just for this recipe)
1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed (or about 1 cup dried garbanzos, soaked and cooked)
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
4 pieces cod, halibut or other mild white fish (about 1 1/4 lbs total)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Sautee onion in EVOO, add garlic and salt and pepper and cook until onion softens. Add paprika and saute another min. Add chickpeas and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally for 4-5 mins. Season fish w/S&P, place on top of chickpea mixture in pan. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 8-10 mins. Stir in parsley before serving. (For the baked sweet potatoes, treat them like you would russet potatoes - scrub well, dry off, pierce with fork, and bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-45 mins, depending on size of potatoes. Serve with salt and butter.)
Wed - Meatballs with Spaghetti serve with side salad
This is my mom's recipe and not rigid by any means. You can play with the ingredients to your liking.
For the Sauce:
saute 6-8 cloves sliced garlic in EVOO for a minute, just before they start to brown, add a big can of crushed tomatoes and a normal can of tomato sauce. Stir in about a Tbs of basil, Tbs of oregano, and 1/2 Tbs of anise seeds. Add about 3/4 cup red wine (something dry and good enough to drink). If you have a pressure cooker, do it in that, add the browned meatballs (recipe below), cover and pressure cook for 20 mins. If sauce needs thickening, you can add a small can of tomato paste at the end. Also add S&P to taste. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can simmer the sauce for about 3 hours and then add the browned meatballs and simmer another hour.
For the meatballs:
Mix together 2 lbs of ground meat (you can do all ground beef or you can do about half beef and half pork), 1 egg, just enough breadcrumbs to hold mixture together, a little lemon zest, a few good grates of Parmesan (or other hard Italian cheese), some oregano and basil, chopped garlic and thinly sliced onion, S&P, Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, and a little red wine or milk. Mix just until it comes together. Form into balls and brown in EVOO on all sides before transferring to sauce.
Serve over spaghetti cooked al dente. If you are watching the glycemic index of your foods, you can opt for something like Dreamfields pasta which has a lower GI, or you can go for whole wheat pasta.
Thu - Roasted Sausage, Apples, Leeks and Potatoes (from Woman's Day magazine, serves 4)
2 small crisp red apples (such as Braeburn or Empire), quartered
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved crosswise and then lengthwise
2 yellow potatoes, cut into 1/2" thick wedges (I'm using red since they are coming in my produce box)
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbs EVOO
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs chicken sausage links (the recipe calls for 8 small ones, but I opted for 4 large ones that are made in-house at our Sprouts market - they had chicken and basil)
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss apples, leeks, potatoes, thyme, oil, S&P in large roasting pan. Roast 15 mins. Stir the veggies and then add the sausage to the pan. Roast until sausage is cooked through, about 15-20 mins more.
Fri - Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken serve over couscous and with side salad (from Betty Crocker's book again, serves 4)
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 8oz can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs cold water
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
cooked couscous for serving
Place chicken in 5-6 qt slow cooker. Mix pineapple through turmeric. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hrs. Remove chicken. Mix cornstarch and water and stir into sauce. Turn up to high, cover and cook another 15 mins, stir in olives, sprinkle with parsley and serve over couscous.
Sat - Kung Wow Chicken
I am making this recipe as written, only also adding zucchini.
Mon - Slow Cooker Bulgur Pilaf with Broccoli and Carrots (vegetarian, 6-8 servings), adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook
2 cups uncooked bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp salt
4 med carrots, shredded
1 large onion, chopped
30 oz vegetable broth
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup shredded cheese (the recipe called for Colby but I'm using cheddar)
Mix all ingredients except broccoli and cheese in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs or until bulgur is tender. Stir in broccoli and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and turn heat to high for about 15 more mins.
Tue - White Fish with Chickpea Ragu (from Woman's Day magazine, 4 servings), serve with baked sweet potatoes
1 Tbs EVOO
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular if you don't want to buy smoked just for this recipe)
1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed (or about 1 cup dried garbanzos, soaked and cooked)
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
4 pieces cod, halibut or other mild white fish (about 1 1/4 lbs total)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Sautee onion in EVOO, add garlic and salt and pepper and cook until onion softens. Add paprika and saute another min. Add chickpeas and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally for 4-5 mins. Season fish w/S&P, place on top of chickpea mixture in pan. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 8-10 mins. Stir in parsley before serving. (For the baked sweet potatoes, treat them like you would russet potatoes - scrub well, dry off, pierce with fork, and bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-45 mins, depending on size of potatoes. Serve with salt and butter.)
Wed - Meatballs with Spaghetti serve with side salad
This is my mom's recipe and not rigid by any means. You can play with the ingredients to your liking.
For the Sauce:
saute 6-8 cloves sliced garlic in EVOO for a minute, just before they start to brown, add a big can of crushed tomatoes and a normal can of tomato sauce. Stir in about a Tbs of basil, Tbs of oregano, and 1/2 Tbs of anise seeds. Add about 3/4 cup red wine (something dry and good enough to drink). If you have a pressure cooker, do it in that, add the browned meatballs (recipe below), cover and pressure cook for 20 mins. If sauce needs thickening, you can add a small can of tomato paste at the end. Also add S&P to taste. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can simmer the sauce for about 3 hours and then add the browned meatballs and simmer another hour.
For the meatballs:
Mix together 2 lbs of ground meat (you can do all ground beef or you can do about half beef and half pork), 1 egg, just enough breadcrumbs to hold mixture together, a little lemon zest, a few good grates of Parmesan (or other hard Italian cheese), some oregano and basil, chopped garlic and thinly sliced onion, S&P, Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, and a little red wine or milk. Mix just until it comes together. Form into balls and brown in EVOO on all sides before transferring to sauce.
Serve over spaghetti cooked al dente. If you are watching the glycemic index of your foods, you can opt for something like Dreamfields pasta which has a lower GI, or you can go for whole wheat pasta.
Thu - Roasted Sausage, Apples, Leeks and Potatoes (from Woman's Day magazine, serves 4)
2 small crisp red apples (such as Braeburn or Empire), quartered
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved crosswise and then lengthwise
2 yellow potatoes, cut into 1/2" thick wedges (I'm using red since they are coming in my produce box)
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbs EVOO
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs chicken sausage links (the recipe calls for 8 small ones, but I opted for 4 large ones that are made in-house at our Sprouts market - they had chicken and basil)
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss apples, leeks, potatoes, thyme, oil, S&P in large roasting pan. Roast 15 mins. Stir the veggies and then add the sausage to the pan. Roast until sausage is cooked through, about 15-20 mins more.
Fri - Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken serve over couscous and with side salad (from Betty Crocker's book again, serves 4)
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 8oz can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs cold water
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
cooked couscous for serving
Place chicken in 5-6 qt slow cooker. Mix pineapple through turmeric. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hrs. Remove chicken. Mix cornstarch and water and stir into sauce. Turn up to high, cover and cook another 15 mins, stir in olives, sprinkle with parsley and serve over couscous.
Sat - Kung Wow Chicken
I am making this recipe as written, only also adding zucchini.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Week 3
I have a very good friend from high school coming to visit me this week! I am so excited to spend some time with her and show her around the Denver area. I am planning two slow cooker meals for the days I'm working, and a couple meals for while my friend is here, but I am not sure if we will end up eating out some, so we may not get to all these meals this week. The great thing is that I can buy frozen veggies and either buy my meat frozen or freeze it myself and if we don't end up making one of the meals this week, we can have it next week.
The other thing I am planning on doing is getting a dedicated freezer for the garage so we can purchase a side of 100% grass-fed beef. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while, and it's just finding a source that is taking so long! Really, there should be boundless sources out here in the west since I see cattle grazing all over. It's just figuring out how to get some and get it processed for a reasonable fee.
Okay, on to the recipes :)
Ginger-glazed Mahi Mahi (from Allrecipes.com) Serve with veggie(s) of choice and brown rice or quinoa
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
This is another recipe I'm going to try from A Year of Slow Cooking. Read through the ingredients and directions. I am ashamed to say that I have two cans of "cream of something" soup in my pantry, that have been there a very long time (ever since I've decided to cook w/less processed ingredients.) I just don't have it in me to throw them out, so I will use them for this recipe and then happily never buy them again! I love how Steph put a recipe to make your own "cream of something" right on her blog, so I can just do it that way next time :) I checked out Pamela's Baking Mix like she mentioned for the dumplings, but I ended up buying Bob's Red Mill Wheat-Free Biscuit and Baking Mix and will use the instructions for dumplings on their website.
Slow Cooker Burgundy Stew (from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), 8 servings
2 lbs boneless beef bottom or top round, cut into 1" pieces (or you can do what I did and get pre-cut stew meat from 100% grass-fed cows)
4 med carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (or 2 cups baby-cut carrots)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 med onions, sliced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz sliced mushrooms (the recipe calls for canned, but you can use fresh, and I like to quarter them)
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground mustard (dry)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
3 Tbs flour (the recipe calls for all-purpose, but I'm going to use whole wheat)
Mix all ingredients except water and flour in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs or until veggies and beef are tender. Mix water and flour together and gradually stir into slow cooker, turn to high and cook about 10-15 mins or until slightly thickened.
Pasta with Swiss Chard and Cannelini Beans (vegetarian)
1 bunch swiss chard, washed thoroughly, leaves cut into 1" strips and stalks chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste (for me, about 4 cloves)
crushed red pepper flakes, again to taste
S & P to taste
1 can cannelini beans, drained (or you can cook up some dried ones)
Cooked pasta of choice
This is super easy. Heat the EVOO in a skillet, add the chard stalks, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft. Add the chard leaves and add a bit of the pasta cooking liquid, add beans, cover and cook about 1 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.
Indian Food Night (vegetarian)
I love Indian food. This meal will consist of two vegetarian Indian recipes, and you can serve with basmati rice or naan flatbread. I think I'm going to try this naan recipe and make it with whole wheat flour. It looks authentic at least :)
Curried Cauliflower with Potatoes and Peas Recipe
1 Tbs grapeseed or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbs minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 med head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In large skillet, heat oil and saute onions about 5 mins. Add potatoes, ginger, garlic, curry, and cumin. Saute about 2 mins until fragrant. Add water and salt. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to med, cover and cook 10 mins. Stir in cauliflower, cover and cook until tender, about 10 mins longer. Stir in frozen peas and cook uncovered until most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in cilantro and serve.
Lentil Dahl Recipe
Saute one sliced onion in about 4 Tbs butter. Add 1 Tbs curry powder and 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Saute until seeds start popping. Mix with cooked lentils (you can alternatively do this with canned garbanzo beans). Stir in a fresh chopped tomato. Add some lemon juice, fresh chopped cilantro and salt to taste.
The other thing I am planning on doing is getting a dedicated freezer for the garage so we can purchase a side of 100% grass-fed beef. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while, and it's just finding a source that is taking so long! Really, there should be boundless sources out here in the west since I see cattle grazing all over. It's just figuring out how to get some and get it processed for a reasonable fee.
Okay, on to the recipes :)
Ginger-glazed Mahi Mahi (from Allrecipes.com) Serve with veggie(s) of choice and brown rice or quinoa
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
- Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
This is another recipe I'm going to try from A Year of Slow Cooking. Read through the ingredients and directions. I am ashamed to say that I have two cans of "cream of something" soup in my pantry, that have been there a very long time (ever since I've decided to cook w/less processed ingredients.) I just don't have it in me to throw them out, so I will use them for this recipe and then happily never buy them again! I love how Steph put a recipe to make your own "cream of something" right on her blog, so I can just do it that way next time :) I checked out Pamela's Baking Mix like she mentioned for the dumplings, but I ended up buying Bob's Red Mill Wheat-Free Biscuit and Baking Mix and will use the instructions for dumplings on their website.
Slow Cooker Burgundy Stew (from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), 8 servings
2 lbs boneless beef bottom or top round, cut into 1" pieces (or you can do what I did and get pre-cut stew meat from 100% grass-fed cows)
4 med carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (or 2 cups baby-cut carrots)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 med onions, sliced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz sliced mushrooms (the recipe calls for canned, but you can use fresh, and I like to quarter them)
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground mustard (dry)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
3 Tbs flour (the recipe calls for all-purpose, but I'm going to use whole wheat)
Mix all ingredients except water and flour in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs or until veggies and beef are tender. Mix water and flour together and gradually stir into slow cooker, turn to high and cook about 10-15 mins or until slightly thickened.
Pasta with Swiss Chard and Cannelini Beans (vegetarian)
1 bunch swiss chard, washed thoroughly, leaves cut into 1" strips and stalks chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste (for me, about 4 cloves)
crushed red pepper flakes, again to taste
S & P to taste
1 can cannelini beans, drained (or you can cook up some dried ones)
Cooked pasta of choice
This is super easy. Heat the EVOO in a skillet, add the chard stalks, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft. Add the chard leaves and add a bit of the pasta cooking liquid, add beans, cover and cook about 1 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.
Indian Food Night (vegetarian)
I love Indian food. This meal will consist of two vegetarian Indian recipes, and you can serve with basmati rice or naan flatbread. I think I'm going to try this naan recipe and make it with whole wheat flour. It looks authentic at least :)
Curried Cauliflower with Potatoes and Peas Recipe
1 Tbs grapeseed or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbs minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 med head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In large skillet, heat oil and saute onions about 5 mins. Add potatoes, ginger, garlic, curry, and cumin. Saute about 2 mins until fragrant. Add water and salt. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to med, cover and cook 10 mins. Stir in cauliflower, cover and cook until tender, about 10 mins longer. Stir in frozen peas and cook uncovered until most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in cilantro and serve.
Lentil Dahl Recipe
Saute one sliced onion in about 4 Tbs butter. Add 1 Tbs curry powder and 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Saute until seeds start popping. Mix with cooked lentils (you can alternatively do this with canned garbanzo beans). Stir in a fresh chopped tomato. Add some lemon juice, fresh chopped cilantro and salt to taste.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Week 2
Here's the meal plan for the week of January 9th:
Slow Cooker Cabbage and Pork Stew (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), 6-8 servings
1 lb boneless pork (the original recipe called for country style ribs, but I'm just using chops)
4 med carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (2 cups)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 med potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (I'm using 2 red potatoes and not peeling)
1 med onion, chopped
4 cups chopped cabbage (about 1 med head)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups water
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
Mix all ingredients in large slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until pork and veggies are tender.
Super-Fast Spinach, Pesto and Cheese Lasagna, 8 servings
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 7-ounce package prepared pesto
4 cups bottled chunky pasta sauce
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
2 cups grated Fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ricotta and Parmesan in medium bowl. Season cheeses with salt and pepper; stir in egg. Blend spinach and pesto in another medium bowl.
Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in prepared dish. Arrange 3 noodles side by side atop sauce. Spread 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese mixture over in thin layer. Drop 1/3 of spinach mixture over by spoonfuls. Repeat layering with sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture and spinach mixture 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and 1 cup sauce.
Cover lasagna with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Fontina cheese. Bake lasagna until heated through, sauce bubbles, and cheese on top is melted, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes for easier slicing and serving.
Slow Cooker Pho
We tried Pho at a Vietnamese restaurant once and did not care for it (likely because we tried it with authentic cow intestines or something). I'm going to give it a shot at home though, using this recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking. I'll probably serve mine w/cilantro, shredded cabbage, green chili rings, and lime wedges, since I'm using those ingredients for some of the other recipes this week. Traditionally I believe you should do bean sprouts, but I hate buying a whole bag of bean sprouts and then not using it all. Next time I will plan better and do a second meal that requires them :)
Stir Fried Pumpkin with Lamb (this comes from The Pumpkin Cookbook) 4-6 servings
2 garlic cloves
1/4" piece fresh ginger
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
3 Tbs lemon juice
1/2" piece green chili, seeded
1 lb lamb from leg, cut into thin strips
Process above ingredients except lamb to make a paste (in food processor or w/large mortar and pestle). Rub paste on lamb, cover and refrigerate 4-6 hrs.
2-3 Tbs EVOO
1 3/4 lb pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4" thick cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2" piece green chili, seeded
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
S & P
Stir fry pumpkin, coriander seeds, and green chili in EVOO until browned. Add a little vegetable stock, cover and cook on low about 2 mins.
Heat a wok and add EVOO. Add lamb with marinade and stir fry over high heat 4-5 mins until browned. Add pumpkin mixture and stir fry until heated through, adding more stock if necessary. Stir in the cilantro, add S&P to taste.
Fajitas, about 4 servings, but you can easily add more chicken and peppers
Combine:
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lime juice (fresh is best)
1 1/2 lbs sliced chicken
marinate in fridge a couple hours
Saute chicken with sliced bell peppers and onions and serve with warm tortillas, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and salsa or pico de gallo.
Slow Cooker Cabbage and Pork Stew (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), 6-8 servings
1 lb boneless pork (the original recipe called for country style ribs, but I'm just using chops)
4 med carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (2 cups)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 med potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (I'm using 2 red potatoes and not peeling)
1 med onion, chopped
4 cups chopped cabbage (about 1 med head)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups water
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
Mix all ingredients in large slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until pork and veggies are tender.
Super-Fast Spinach, Pesto and Cheese Lasagna, 8 servings
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 7-ounce package prepared pesto
4 cups bottled chunky pasta sauce
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
2 cups grated Fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ricotta and Parmesan in medium bowl. Season cheeses with salt and pepper; stir in egg. Blend spinach and pesto in another medium bowl.
Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in prepared dish. Arrange 3 noodles side by side atop sauce. Spread 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese mixture over in thin layer. Drop 1/3 of spinach mixture over by spoonfuls. Repeat layering with sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture and spinach mixture 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and 1 cup sauce.
Cover lasagna with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Fontina cheese. Bake lasagna until heated through, sauce bubbles, and cheese on top is melted, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes for easier slicing and serving.
Slow Cooker Pho
We tried Pho at a Vietnamese restaurant once and did not care for it (likely because we tried it with authentic cow intestines or something). I'm going to give it a shot at home though, using this recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking. I'll probably serve mine w/cilantro, shredded cabbage, green chili rings, and lime wedges, since I'm using those ingredients for some of the other recipes this week. Traditionally I believe you should do bean sprouts, but I hate buying a whole bag of bean sprouts and then not using it all. Next time I will plan better and do a second meal that requires them :)
Stir Fried Pumpkin with Lamb (this comes from The Pumpkin Cookbook) 4-6 servings
2 garlic cloves
1/4" piece fresh ginger
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
3 Tbs lemon juice
1/2" piece green chili, seeded
1 lb lamb from leg, cut into thin strips
Process above ingredients except lamb to make a paste (in food processor or w/large mortar and pestle). Rub paste on lamb, cover and refrigerate 4-6 hrs.
2-3 Tbs EVOO
1 3/4 lb pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4" thick cubes
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2" piece green chili, seeded
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
S & P
Stir fry pumpkin, coriander seeds, and green chili in EVOO until browned. Add a little vegetable stock, cover and cook on low about 2 mins.
Heat a wok and add EVOO. Add lamb with marinade and stir fry over high heat 4-5 mins until browned. Add pumpkin mixture and stir fry until heated through, adding more stock if necessary. Stir in the cilantro, add S&P to taste.
Fajitas, about 4 servings, but you can easily add more chicken and peppers
Combine:
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lime juice (fresh is best)
1 1/2 lbs sliced chicken
marinate in fridge a couple hours
Saute chicken with sliced bell peppers and onions and serve with warm tortillas, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and salsa or pico de gallo.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Week 1
Happy New Year everyone! I will try to keep the "chit-chat" to a minimum each week and just post the menu and the recipes :) Enjoy!
Slow-cooker Herbed Turkey (or Chicken) Casserole (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook) 6 Servings
30 oz chicken stock (if I don't have any homemade on hand, I like to use the organic "Better than Bouillon")
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I really should just make this from scratch, too)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp pepper (or several good turns of the pepper mill)
1 lb turkey breast tenderloins, cut into 1" pieces (I'm using chicken since I have it on hand)
1 med onion, chopped
1 med carrot, sliced
1 med celery stalk, sliced
1 1/4 cups uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained.
In 3 1/2-6 qt slow cooker, combine stock, cream of chicken soup, marjoram and pepper, stir or whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on high for 30 mins. Turn to low and cook 6-7 hrs or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Slow-cooker Lentil and Canadian Bacon Soup (adapted from Betty Crocker's book, again) 8 Servings
16 oz dried lentils (2 1/4 cups) sorted and rinsed
30 oz vegetable or chicken stock
6 oz sliced Canadian bacon, coarsely chopped
3 med carrots, sliced to 1/2" pieces
1 med onion, chopped
1 med stalk celery, sliced to 1/2" pieces
4 cups water
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients in large slow cooker, cover and cook on low 8-9 hrs. Stir well before serving.
Great Grandma's Squash and Beans (4-6 servings), vegetarian
EVOO (you'll see this a lot: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) for Sauteeing
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 med onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans pinto beans, undrained
elbow macaroni, cooked to package directions
S & P (salt and pepper) to taste
Parmesan cheese
In large stock pot, saute the squash and onion in EVOO until beginning to soften. Add garlic and saute a min more. Add the beans w/their liquid. Simmer, covered, until squash is tender, usually about 20 mins, depending on how big you cut the pieces. Salt to taste. Ladel over hot cooked elbow macaroni, grate fresh Parmesan over the top and add cracked pepper to taste.
Chicken Enchiladas
1 recipe enchilada sauce from the Knitting Siren
Cooked chicken (breast or thighs are nice), shredded
large whole-grain flour tortillas (watch out for hydrogenated veg. oils)
grated cheese (I like pepper jack but cheddar or plain jack are fine, too, or you can go more authentic and use Mexican cheeses like queso blanco or asadero).
Veggie like brocolli or cauliflower for serving, and/or a green side salad
This is not so much a recipe as a "just put it together". Make the enchilada sauce from my friend, Melanie's, site. It's the best. Really. Except I don't always add the sour cream. It's good both ways. Ladel some of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. I usually use a 9x12 and it makes enough for leftovers for our family of two adults, one preschooler and one baby. Heat the tortillas a bit to make them easier to manipulate (if they're cold they will usually tear as you try to fold or roll them). I do one at a time - heat tortilla, fill w/chicken, roll up, place in baking dish. Repeat until you have as many enchiladas as you want. Pour more enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle w/cheese, and bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, about 1/2 hr.
Stuffed Acorn Squash 8 servings (I'm halving this one), vegetarian
1 onion, diced finely
3 garlic cloves, diced finely
3 celery stalks, chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
3 cups cooked brown rice
12 oz extra firm tofu, cubed (be sure to buy tofu and other soy products organic to stay away from GMO soy)
S & P to taste
4 medium acorn squash
Saute onion and celery in EVOO. Add garlic. Add tofu and cooked rice. Season w/S & P. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and stuff w/rice mixture. Bake at 350 in covered glass dish about 45 mins or until squash is tender. To make it a bit easier to stand squash in dish, you can cut a little off the pointy end.
Slow-cooker Herbed Turkey (or Chicken) Casserole (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook) 6 Servings
30 oz chicken stock (if I don't have any homemade on hand, I like to use the organic "Better than Bouillon")
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I really should just make this from scratch, too)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp pepper (or several good turns of the pepper mill)
1 lb turkey breast tenderloins, cut into 1" pieces (I'm using chicken since I have it on hand)
1 med onion, chopped
1 med carrot, sliced
1 med celery stalk, sliced
1 1/4 cups uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained.
In 3 1/2-6 qt slow cooker, combine stock, cream of chicken soup, marjoram and pepper, stir or whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on high for 30 mins. Turn to low and cook 6-7 hrs or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Slow-cooker Lentil and Canadian Bacon Soup (adapted from Betty Crocker's book, again) 8 Servings
16 oz dried lentils (2 1/4 cups) sorted and rinsed
30 oz vegetable or chicken stock
6 oz sliced Canadian bacon, coarsely chopped
3 med carrots, sliced to 1/2" pieces
1 med onion, chopped
1 med stalk celery, sliced to 1/2" pieces
4 cups water
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients in large slow cooker, cover and cook on low 8-9 hrs. Stir well before serving.
Great Grandma's Squash and Beans (4-6 servings), vegetarian
EVOO (you'll see this a lot: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) for Sauteeing
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 med onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans pinto beans, undrained
elbow macaroni, cooked to package directions
S & P (salt and pepper) to taste
Parmesan cheese
In large stock pot, saute the squash and onion in EVOO until beginning to soften. Add garlic and saute a min more. Add the beans w/their liquid. Simmer, covered, until squash is tender, usually about 20 mins, depending on how big you cut the pieces. Salt to taste. Ladel over hot cooked elbow macaroni, grate fresh Parmesan over the top and add cracked pepper to taste.
Chicken Enchiladas
1 recipe enchilada sauce from the Knitting Siren
Cooked chicken (breast or thighs are nice), shredded
large whole-grain flour tortillas (watch out for hydrogenated veg. oils)
grated cheese (I like pepper jack but cheddar or plain jack are fine, too, or you can go more authentic and use Mexican cheeses like queso blanco or asadero).
Veggie like brocolli or cauliflower for serving, and/or a green side salad
This is not so much a recipe as a "just put it together". Make the enchilada sauce from my friend, Melanie's, site. It's the best. Really. Except I don't always add the sour cream. It's good both ways. Ladel some of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. I usually use a 9x12 and it makes enough for leftovers for our family of two adults, one preschooler and one baby. Heat the tortillas a bit to make them easier to manipulate (if they're cold they will usually tear as you try to fold or roll them). I do one at a time - heat tortilla, fill w/chicken, roll up, place in baking dish. Repeat until you have as many enchiladas as you want. Pour more enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle w/cheese, and bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, about 1/2 hr.
Stuffed Acorn Squash 8 servings (I'm halving this one), vegetarian
1 onion, diced finely
3 garlic cloves, diced finely
3 celery stalks, chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
3 cups cooked brown rice
12 oz extra firm tofu, cubed (be sure to buy tofu and other soy products organic to stay away from GMO soy)
S & P to taste
4 medium acorn squash
Saute onion and celery in EVOO. Add garlic. Add tofu and cooked rice. Season w/S & P. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and stuff w/rice mixture. Bake at 350 in covered glass dish about 45 mins or until squash is tender. To make it a bit easier to stand squash in dish, you can cut a little off the pointy end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)