Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Gnocchi Nicoise
This was Rob's birthday dinner so I splurged and bought a lot of the ingredients Central-Market-style. Let's just say Rob ate it for 3 days and was really excited each day. I also bought a loaf of Cheddar Rosemary bread and made up some olive oil with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. YUM! (My gnocchi was definitely not as impressive as Emilee's homemade...but I'm just not there yet :))
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 pound coarsely ground beef (look for "chili grind")
2 tablespoons brandy or red wine
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can plum tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1-inch strips orange peel
2/3 cup nicoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 package (about 1 pound) vacuum-packed gnocchi
Directions
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and garlic; cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the brandy, shallots, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands and add any juices from the can. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, orange peel and olives. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil the gnocchi until one floats to the top, about 1 minute. Drain immediately to prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy. Remove the orange peel and bay leaf from the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 pound coarsely ground beef (look for "chili grind")
2 tablespoons brandy or red wine
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can plum tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1-inch strips orange peel
2/3 cup nicoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 package (about 1 pound) vacuum-packed gnocchi
Directions
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and garlic; cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the brandy, shallots, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands and add any juices from the can. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, orange peel and olives. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil the gnocchi until one floats to the top, about 1 minute. Drain immediately to prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy. Remove the orange peel and bay leaf from the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce.
Mmm Chicken Schnitzel
Super yummy, and really easy.
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (I also used Vanilla yogurt)
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (I used spicy and it was delicious!)
5 slices white bread, torn
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
4 chicken cutlets, about 1/8 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Applesauce, for serving (optional)
Directions
Whisk the yogurt and mustard in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish and add the marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. In another shallow dish, season the flour with the paprika and nutmeg. Beat the eggs in a third dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat both sides. Place on parchment paper until ready to fry.
Heat 1/8 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 cutlets, gently swirling the skillet so the oil washes over them, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed. Serve the schnitzel with the mustard sauce and applesauce, if desired.
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (I also used Vanilla yogurt)
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (I used spicy and it was delicious!)
5 slices white bread, torn
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
4 chicken cutlets, about 1/8 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Applesauce, for serving (optional)
Directions
Whisk the yogurt and mustard in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish and add the marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. In another shallow dish, season the flour with the paprika and nutmeg. Beat the eggs in a third dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat both sides. Place on parchment paper until ready to fry.
Heat 1/8 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 cutlets, gently swirling the skillet so the oil washes over them, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed. Serve the schnitzel with the mustard sauce and applesauce, if desired.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Fiesta Chicken Casserole
This casserole was a life saver during finals. It lasted three days, and thats a long time between Rob and I
Fiesta Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Chunky Salsa (Hot works best, you need the extra kick with all the other ingredients)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1 package (24 ounces) frozen whole kernel corn
2 cans (9.75 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained (**I actually used a jalapeño honey rotisserie chicken I found at HEB. DELICIOUS. I would recommend a rotisserie because, well its just way better than chunk chicken breast)
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
**I made this twice and the second time I put in a good chunk of cream cheese, you know, for good measure. And it was dang tasty.
Directions
Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they're easy to handle.
Stir the salsa, soup, sour cream, cheese, corn, chicken and beans in a large bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
Unfold the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Lay the crusts side-by-side so that they overlap by about 3 inches in the center. Press the seam to seal. Roll the pie crust into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Place the pie crust over the chicken mixture. Trim the excess crust from the edge. Cut several slits in the crust.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Fiesta Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Chunky Salsa (Hot works best, you need the extra kick with all the other ingredients)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1 package (24 ounces) frozen whole kernel corn
2 cans (9.75 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained (**I actually used a jalapeño honey rotisserie chicken I found at HEB. DELICIOUS. I would recommend a rotisserie because, well its just way better than chunk chicken breast)
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
**I made this twice and the second time I put in a good chunk of cream cheese, you know, for good measure. And it was dang tasty.
Directions
Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they're easy to handle.
Stir the salsa, soup, sour cream, cheese, corn, chicken and beans in a large bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
Unfold the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Lay the crusts side-by-side so that they overlap by about 3 inches in the center. Press the seam to seal. Roll the pie crust into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Place the pie crust over the chicken mixture. Trim the excess crust from the edge. Cut several slits in the crust.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Administrative Rights
Kasey, could you change my settings to administrative, so I can add labels to the recipes to make them categorized? Obviously, since you've seen my house and the toothpaste-encrusted sink I allow there, you recognize that I am not obsessively compulsive about organizing everything. However, I would really like to organize the recipes on this blog. That's where I'm going to direct my neatness energy. And it's probably the place in my life that needs it least.
Brownie Bites
Ladies, apparently this is dessert day Chez Wells, but if that's the way it is, that's just the way it is.
These Brownie Bites are the perfect recipe to have on hand because the ingredients are all refrigerator and pantry staples, and they are infinitely variable. I adapted Nedra Bunker's delicious brownie recipe to have a little more butter and cocoa and a little less flour to make them work better in a mini muffin tin.
Brownie Bites
1 stick unsalted butter (I've also used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup canola, and it's nearly as delicious)
4 tbsp. cocoa powder (I heap the tablespoons a little to make it extra chocolatey)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs (but I've used 2 in a pinch--still okay)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour (a scant cup, not a heaping cup)
Melt butter and cocoa together in a small glass bowl. Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla together in a larger bowl, and add cocoa mixture. Add salt and mix well. Add flour and again mix well.
Put mini muffin liners in the mini muffin pan. Pour batter into a quart-size ziploc freezer bag, emptying out the excess air, and sealing it securely. Cut off 1/2 inch of the corner of the bag and squeeze the batter into the muffin liners, filling 3/4 full. (It helps to bunch up the freezer bag just under the zip part, to take the pressure off the zipper. Otherwise, sometimes the bag pops open and you have brownie batter all over your hands. Delicious, but messy.) Bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Remove immediately from tin and place on wire cooling rack.
Variations:
Candy Bites: Put cut up candy bars in the muffin liners first, pouring the batter on top. Rolos work amazing well.
BYU in miniature: Top with the mint frosting from BYU's mint brownies. (I put the frosting in another ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and make a cute little swirl.)
Peanut Butter: Melt 1/3 cup peanut butter in the microwave. Dollop 2 tsp on top of each brownie bite before baking, and swirl with a toothpick. Bake as usual.
These are always a hit, and very very easy.
These Brownie Bites are the perfect recipe to have on hand because the ingredients are all refrigerator and pantry staples, and they are infinitely variable. I adapted Nedra Bunker's delicious brownie recipe to have a little more butter and cocoa and a little less flour to make them work better in a mini muffin tin.
Brownie Bites
1 stick unsalted butter (I've also used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup canola, and it's nearly as delicious)
4 tbsp. cocoa powder (I heap the tablespoons a little to make it extra chocolatey)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs (but I've used 2 in a pinch--still okay)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour (a scant cup, not a heaping cup)
Melt butter and cocoa together in a small glass bowl. Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla together in a larger bowl, and add cocoa mixture. Add salt and mix well. Add flour and again mix well.
Put mini muffin liners in the mini muffin pan. Pour batter into a quart-size ziploc freezer bag, emptying out the excess air, and sealing it securely. Cut off 1/2 inch of the corner of the bag and squeeze the batter into the muffin liners, filling 3/4 full. (It helps to bunch up the freezer bag just under the zip part, to take the pressure off the zipper. Otherwise, sometimes the bag pops open and you have brownie batter all over your hands. Delicious, but messy.) Bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Remove immediately from tin and place on wire cooling rack.
Variations:
Candy Bites: Put cut up candy bars in the muffin liners first, pouring the batter on top. Rolos work amazing well.
BYU in miniature: Top with the mint frosting from BYU's mint brownies. (I put the frosting in another ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and make a cute little swirl.)
Peanut Butter: Melt 1/3 cup peanut butter in the microwave. Dollop 2 tsp on top of each brownie bite before baking, and swirl with a toothpick. Bake as usual.
These are always a hit, and very very easy.
Lemon Curd
This is, again, from Everyday Food, and it's my new favorite dessert base.
Lemon Curd
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon zest (I just zest up a whole lemon)
8 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter (I use 1/2 stick, and it's still delicious), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, zest, and egg yolks. Whisk in lemon juice and salt. Add butter and place over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Small bubbles will form around the edge, but do not let it boil.
Remove pan from heat, still whisking. Pour curd through a sieve into a glass bowl. Put plastic wrap right down on the surface and refrigerate until cool.
I have served this two ways:
1) as part of a trifle, with angel food cake and whipped cream.
2) with frozen berries mixed in
It would awesome so many ways. Mmmmmmmm
Lemon Curd
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon zest (I just zest up a whole lemon)
8 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter (I use 1/2 stick, and it's still delicious), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, zest, and egg yolks. Whisk in lemon juice and salt. Add butter and place over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Small bubbles will form around the edge, but do not let it boil.
Remove pan from heat, still whisking. Pour curd through a sieve into a glass bowl. Put plastic wrap right down on the surface and refrigerate until cool.
I have served this two ways:
1) as part of a trifle, with angel food cake and whipped cream.
2) with frozen berries mixed in
It would awesome so many ways. Mmmmmmmm
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