Sunday, July 06, 2008
Whole Grain Pasta with Italian Sweet Sausage and Spinach
A quick dinner with all the food groups.
-1 lb whole grain pasta
-3 cups tomato sauce
-6 sausages, skins peeled and discarded
-1 lb spinach
-1/2 cup parmasan
Break up the sausage and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Add the tomato sauce and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Cook and drain the pasta and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with parmasan cheese.
-3 cups tomato sauce
-6 sausages, skins peeled and discarded
-1 lb spinach
-1/2 cup parmasan
Break up the sausage and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Add the tomato sauce and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Cook and drain the pasta and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with parmasan cheese.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, pasta, sausage, spinach
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Tri Tip with Quinoa and Spinach
A well balanced meal. Protein, veggies and whole grains.
-1 lb tri tip
-2 tb olive oil
-1 ts chili powder
-1 ts garlic powder
-2 ts salt
Marinate the tri tip in a mixture of all of the other ingredients. Pan fry on all sides for a few minutes, until medium rare. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes and then slice.
-1 cup quinoa
-1 lb spinach
-1/2 onion, sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
Cook the quinoa as you would rice. While the quinoa is cooking, sautee the onions until caramelized, then add the spinach and sautee until wilted. Mix the onions and spinach into the quinoa and season to taste.
-2 tb olive oil
-1 ts chili powder
-1 ts garlic powder
-2 ts salt
Marinate the tri tip in a mixture of all of the other ingredients. Pan fry on all sides for a few minutes, until medium rare. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes and then slice.
-1 cup quinoa
-1 lb spinach
-1/2 onion, sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
Cook the quinoa as you would rice. While the quinoa is cooking, sautee the onions until caramelized, then add the spinach and sautee until wilted. Mix the onions and spinach into the quinoa and season to taste.
Labels: beef, dinner recipes, homemade, quinoa, spinach
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Caraway Crusted Pork Chop with Summery Rice Salad
This was alight summer meal we ate on the balcony.
Pork Chops
-2 pork chops
-1 tb ground caraway
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-1 ts powdered orange rind
Mix all the spices and rub all over the pork chops. Panfry the pork chops over medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side.
Rice Salad
-1 cup leftover cooked basmati rice
-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/4 onion, thinly sliced
-a few handfuls of spinach, sauteed briefly
- juice of 1/2 lime
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients and serve room temperature.
-2 pork chops
-1 tb ground caraway
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-1 ts powdered orange rind
Mix all the spices and rub all over the pork chops. Panfry the pork chops over medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side.
Rice Salad
-1 cup leftover cooked basmati rice
-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/4 onion, thinly sliced
-a few handfuls of spinach, sauteed briefly
- juice of 1/2 lime
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients and serve room temperature.
Labels: dinner recipes, fennel, homemade, pork, rice, salad, spinach, tomatos
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Mediterranean Orange Roughy with Parmasan Spinach
-4 fillets orange roughy
-1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, diced
-1/4 cup kalamata olives, minced
-4 leeks, thinly sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the leeks over low head until caramelized. Mix the leeks, artichoke heats and olives together to form a thick paste. Place the fish in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the fish in the paste and bake on 375 for 20 minutes.
-1 lb spinach
-1/4 cup Parmesan
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Labels: artichoke, fish, leeks, seafood, spinach
Monday, May 19, 2008
Salmon with Spinach and Carmelized Leeks and Sauteed Baby Artichokes
Miso Salmon with Carmelized Leek and Spinach Sautee
Simple, fast and healthy. The recipe for the salmon is clickable above. For the side dish, the leeks were sauteed on low heart until caramelized, then the spinach was added and the dish was seasoned with salt and pepper. Use whatever proportions of leeks and spinach work for you.
Sauteed Baby Artichokes with Garlic
We got more baby artichokes in our CSA box, so we made a nice dish of simple artichokes that were sauteed and steamed until tender.
Labels: artichoke, dinner recipes, homemade, leeks, salad, spinach
Monday, April 28, 2008
Pan Fried Pork Chop with Spinach Salad
Quick and easy. This pork chop was rubbed with coriander, salt and pepper, then pan fried on all sides until done. The salad was simply dressed in a homemade vinaigrette.Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, pork, salad, spinach
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Chili Ribs with Wilted Parmasean Spinach
We added a very simple, iron-rich side dish to our no-fail chili-rubbed baby-back ribs. The spinach was simple wilted in a hot pan for about 30 seconds, then seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkled with freshly grated parmasean.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, pork, ribs, spinach
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Mustard Balsamic Salmon with Sesame Noodles
A healthy and flavorful weeknight meal.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
-1 lb salmon filet
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix the mustard and the vinegar and pour over the salmon. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork but is still moist.
Sesame Noodles
-3 packages shirataki noodles
-1/2 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
-1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
-1 tb sesame seeds
-2 tb peanut butter
-2 tb soy sauce
-2 tb hot water
-1 ts Siracha
-1 ts garlic powder
-3 cups spinach
-1 tb rice vinegar
-1 packet Splenda
Boil the noodles for about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mix the peanut butter, soy and hot water until smooth. Add the siracha, garlic powder, rice vinegar, Splenda and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Combine the noodles, cucumber, red onion and sauce and stir to coat. Place noodles on a bed of spinach.
-1 lb salmon filet
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix the mustard and the vinegar and pour over the salmon. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork but is still moist.
Sesame Noodles
-3 packages shirataki noodles
-1/2 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
-1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
-1 tb sesame seeds
-2 tb peanut butter
-2 tb soy sauce
-2 tb hot water
-1 ts Siracha
-1 ts garlic powder
-3 cups spinach
-1 tb rice vinegar
-1 packet Splenda
Boil the noodles for about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mix the peanut butter, soy and hot water until smooth. Add the siracha, garlic powder, rice vinegar, Splenda and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Combine the noodles, cucumber, red onion and sauce and stir to coat. Place noodles on a bed of spinach.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, salmon, shirataki noodles, spinach
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sausage and Spinach with Pinenuts
This is a quick, weeknight meal.
-8 jalapeno chicken sausages, sliced
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1/4 cup pinenuts
-1 lb spinach, blanched and chopped
-1/2 red onion, diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Toast the pinenuts in a dry pan. When they begin to brown, add a bit of olive oil, then add the sausage pieces and brown them. Then add the rest of the ingredients and sautee for a couple of minutes. When most of the moisture has evaporated, serve.
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1/4 cup pinenuts
-1 lb spinach, blanched and chopped
-1/2 red onion, diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Toast the pinenuts in a dry pan. When they begin to brown, add a bit of olive oil, then add the sausage pieces and brown them. Then add the rest of the ingredients and sautee for a couple of minutes. When most of the moisture has evaporated, serve.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, sausage, spinach
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Leftover Mash Up
We had a bunch of leftovers, so Alexis added some sliced chicken sausage to the caramelized onions and peppers (from the super bowl) and some spinach she had previously frozen lest it go bad and we had a nice, healthy dinner, with leftovers for lunch the next day.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, leftovers, lunch recipes, sausage, spinach
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Pan Fried Lamb Chops with African Spiced Squash
We wanted to spice up our standard pan-fried lamb chops and Alexis had received Marcus Samuelsson's new book, The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa
, for christmas so she adapted the "ras al-hanout" spice rub by using a lot less cinnamon and adding salt. We also had a squash that had been lying around a few months (since we were overloaded with squash in the fall from the CSA), so we made a tangy squash dish with pine-nuts for texture.Pan Fried Spice Rubbed Lamb Chops
-2 chops thick cut per person
-1 ts each, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg, ground cardamom, ground cloves, salt
Rub the lamb chops all over with the spice rub, then pan fry for 2 minutes on all sides (not just the two biggest sides).
Warm African Spiced Squash Salad with Spinach and Pine Nuts
-1 large squash (butternut or something similar), peeled and diced
-juice of 1 orange
-2 large handfuls spinach
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1 ts sumac
-1 ts salt
Roast the squash in a covered baking dish on 350 until tender, about 1/2 hour. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until a bit brown. Add all of the other ingredients to the squash and stir to combine. Set aside and serve warm or at room temperature.
-2 chops thick cut per person
-1 ts each, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg, ground cardamom, ground cloves, salt
Rub the lamb chops all over with the spice rub, then pan fry for 2 minutes on all sides (not just the two biggest sides).
Warm African Spiced Squash Salad with Spinach and Pine Nuts
-1 large squash (butternut or something similar), peeled and diced
-juice of 1 orange
-2 large handfuls spinach
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1 ts sumac
-1 ts salt
Roast the squash in a covered baking dish on 350 until tender, about 1/2 hour. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until a bit brown. Add all of the other ingredients to the squash and stir to combine. Set aside and serve warm or at room temperature.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, lamb, spinach, squash
Saturday, November 17, 2007
No-Turkey Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner
Again this year we were going to be out of town on Thanksgiving, so we decided to have Thanksgiving a week early. We didn't do a turkey because Giao finally convinced Alexis that if turkey were any good, people would eat it more often than once a year. We did a prime rib instead, which was a great success, and way better than turkey. There were about 20 people and lots of food and overall, it was a tasty, good time.
Apple Pie
We used Jonagold apples, for no other reason than that they were available at Costco and they turned out to work very well. They cooked up soft, without being mushy and held their shape. They were sweet, but not too sweet.
Mint, Watermelon and Ricotta Insalata Appetizer
This tasty appetizer was made by our friend, K.
Cheddar Chive Scones
These were not so much of a crowd pleaser this time around as they have been in the past. But we still like them.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Turkey Made of Fruit
Since our Thanksgiving was lacking a turkey our friends, N and L, came with this incredibly creative turkey made of fruit. Clever and tasty.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
We thought it might be nice to have an alternative to prime rib, so we made a salmon too. This last minute marinade turned out great.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
We don't like pumpkin pie, but it's Thanksgiving (almost).
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cranberry Sauce
-4 cups cranberries
-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 cup water
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Pomegranate
This was another dish contributed by our friend K. It was the embodiment of fall.
Creamed Spinach
You can't have prime rib without creamed spinach and Alexis' version is very good.
-6 lbs spinach
-5 shallots, diced
-1 head garlic, cloves minced
-8 strips bacon, cut in lardons
-2 cups cream
-salt and pepper to taste
-a sprinkling of nutmeg
Blanch the spinach, drain and set aside. Start to render the bacon in a pan. When translucent, add onions and garlic. Stir frequently until bacon, onions and garlic are browned. Put the spinach in a towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible out, then chop. Add the spinach and the cream and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while on low heat for about 1/2 hour.
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
I'm going to refrain from giving the recipe for this soup because, really, it was not very good. I think it could have been good, had it been made right before dinner, as opposed to sitting on the stove over low heat all day, but basically, the quinoa was too cooked and it turned the soup into a thin mush.
Dinner Rolls
This is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 pint milk
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Horseradish-Garlic Crusted Prime Rib (above and below)
Mmm. That's a good looking piece of meat.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
Mashed Roasted Squash
Instead of mashed potatoes, we did squash this year.
Brussel Sprouts with Blue Cheese
Brussel sprouts are the veggie everyone hates as a kid, and only when you get older do you realize that your mom wasn't trying to torture you, she actually likes brussel sprouts. These are a particularly tasty version.
Apple Pie
We used Jonagold apples, for no other reason than that they were available at Costco and they turned out to work very well. They cooked up soft, without being mushy and held their shape. They were sweet, but not too sweet.
Apple Pie
-2 crust recipes (below)
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
-6 apples, peeled and cored
-1 ts cinnamon
-1/4 cup sugar
-squeeze of lemon
Toss the apples with the lemon, sugar and cinnamon and set aside while you pre-bake the crust. Bake bottom crust on 350, pressed into a pie pan for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from oven and add the apple mixture. Roll out the other batch of dough and place over the top of the apples, pressing into the edges. Trim excess dough. Poke in several places with a knife or fork to allow for steam to escape. If you do not do this, your pie may explode in the oven. Bake on 35 for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Crust:
-1 cup plus 2 tb flour
-1 stick cold butter, diced
Mix flour and butter with your fingers until it resembles the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add water, 1 tb at a time, until you can form a cohesive ball of dough. Roll or press into a greased pie pan.
Mint, Watermelon and Ricotta Insalata Appetizer
This tasty appetizer was made by our friend, K.
Cheddar Chive Scones
These were not so much of a crowd pleaser this time around as they have been in the past. But we still like them.
-3 cups flour
-1 tb baking powder
-1 tb sugar
-2 ts salt
-1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
-2 cups grated cheddar
-2 cups heavy cream
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix in the cheese and chives. Add the cream and stir until a dough forms. You may need to add a little more cream to get a dough to form. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a several times, until the dough is smooth. Separate the dough into 2 parts and form each into a disc about 1 in thick. Cut each disc into 8 trianuglar pieces. Spread out the pieces on a large, greased cookie sheet and bake on 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Turkey Made of Fruit
Since our Thanksgiving was lacking a turkey our friends, N and L, came with this incredibly creative turkey made of fruit. Clever and tasty.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
We thought it might be nice to have an alternative to prime rib, so we made a salmon too. This last minute marinade turned out great.
-2 large filets of wild salmon
-3 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsmic vinegar
Mix the balsamic and the mustard and pour over the salmon on a large baking sheet. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes, until flesh flakes with a fork.
-3 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsmic vinegar
Mix the balsamic and the mustard and pour over the salmon on a large baking sheet. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes, until flesh flakes with a fork.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
This pie is super simple and always a crowd pleaser.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-1 cup pecans
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-4 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 ts vanilla extract
-1 pinch salt
Combine the sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and eggs. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into a partially baked pie shell and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
We don't like pumpkin pie, but it's Thanksgiving (almost).
-1 recipe pie crust (see Apple Pie above)
-15 oz unsweetened pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 ts each ground ginger and cinnamon
-1 ts nutmeg
-1/2 ts salt
-1 and 1/3 cup half and half
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ts vanilla extract
In a sauce pot, combine the pumpkin and spices over low heat, stirring for a couple of minutes. This mellows the spices a bit. Dump the mixture into the food processor and puree for a minute. Add the half and half while pureeing, then the vanilla, then the eggs, one by one. Pour into partially baked pie shell. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cranberry Sauce-juice and zest of 1 orange
-1 cup water
-1 tb fennel seeds, crushed
-1/2 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until the cranberries burst and a thick sauce is formed.
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Pomegranate
This was another dish contributed by our friend K. It was the embodiment of fall.
Creamed Spinach
You can't have prime rib without creamed spinach and Alexis' version is very good.
-5 shallots, diced
-1 head garlic, cloves minced
-8 strips bacon, cut in lardons
-2 cups cream
-salt and pepper to taste
-a sprinkling of nutmeg
Blanch the spinach, drain and set aside. Start to render the bacon in a pan. When translucent, add onions and garlic. Stir frequently until bacon, onions and garlic are browned. Put the spinach in a towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible out, then chop. Add the spinach and the cream and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while on low heat for about 1/2 hour.
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
I'm going to refrain from giving the recipe for this soup because, really, it was not very good. I think it could have been good, had it been made right before dinner, as opposed to sitting on the stove over low heat all day, but basically, the quinoa was too cooked and it turned the soup into a thin mush.
Dinner RollsThis is Alexis' mom's recipe and these rolls are always a hit.
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup butter
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 package yeast
-1/4 cup warm water
-1 and 1/2 ts salt
-1/2 ts baking soda
-1 ts baking powder
-flour (there is no predetermined amount, read recipe below)
Scald the milk and remove the film from the top. Add the butter and the sugar to the milk and stir to dissolve. When milk is cool to the touch, add the egg and stir to combine. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, wait 10 minutes, and add it to the mixture. Then add enough flour to make a thin batter. Let this rise on the counter, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add the salt, baking powder, the baking soda and enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refridgerator for 24 hours before using. Pull off small pieces of dough, roll into balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Horseradish-Garlic Crusted Prime Rib (above and below)
We made some mistakes this time around, but this piece of meat turned out great anyway. Basically, because last time we made a prime rib, there was no jus, and we read somewhere that a great way to make sure there is jus is to add some broth to the bottom of the roasting pan prior to throwing the meat in the oven. This was a very bad idea. In the end, there was no jus and we ended up braising the meat in the beginning rather than creating a nice crust. The meat was cooked about 1 and 1/2 hours before we thought it would be and thus we had to remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and leave it on the counter until our guests arrived. That was not the end of the world, since it held its heat well, and we think we learned from our mistakes.
-4 heads of garlic
-2 jars prepared horseradish
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 tb salt
-13 lb prime rib
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap the garlic in foil and bake on 400 for about 45 min to an hour, until the garlic is soft and brown. When cool enough to touch, peel the garlic and put the cloves in a food processor. Add the olive oil, the horseradish, the salt and the pepper and puree until smooth. Season the prime rib with salt and pepper, then slather the prime rib with the garlic paste. This can be done up to 24 hours before you put it in the oven, but should be done at least 4 hours beforehand. Place the prime rib on a rack in a large roasting pan and bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 225 and bake until the internal temperature of the prime rib is between 105 and 110 (for rare). Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with creamed spinach and horseradish.
-4 heads of garlic
-2 jars prepared horseradish
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 tb salt
-13 lb prime rib
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap the garlic in foil and bake on 400 for about 45 min to an hour, until the garlic is soft and brown. When cool enough to touch, peel the garlic and put the cloves in a food processor. Add the olive oil, the horseradish, the salt and the pepper and puree until smooth. Season the prime rib with salt and pepper, then slather the prime rib with the garlic paste. This can be done up to 24 hours before you put it in the oven, but should be done at least 4 hours beforehand. Place the prime rib on a rack in a large roasting pan and bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 225 and bake until the internal temperature of the prime rib is between 105 and 110 (for rare). Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with creamed spinach and horseradish.
Mmm. That's a good looking piece of meat.
Sausage-Sourdough Stuffing
-1 loaf sourdough, cubed
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, sageand veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
-6 sausages
-8 stalks celery, diced
-3 carrots, peeled and diced
-1 onion, diced
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
Remove sausage from casings and sautee until browned, breaking up the sausage into small bits while cooking. Remove the sausage from the pan. In the same pan sautee the onions, carrot and celery until translucent. Pour the egg and broth on the bread and stir to coat. Add the sausage, sageand veggies to the bread mixture. Spead the mixture in a large baking pan bake on 350 for 30-45 minutes, until crust is nice and brown.
Mashed Roasted Squash
Instead of mashed potatoes, we did squash this year.
-4 squash (like butternut or delicata)
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Cut squash in half lenghwise and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet, flesh side up. Cover with foil and roast on 375 for about an hour, until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool enough to touch, scrape the flesh into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 stick butter
-salt and pepper to taste
Cut squash in half lenghwise and scrape out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet, flesh side up. Cover with foil and roast on 375 for about an hour, until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool enough to touch, scrape the flesh into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
Brussel Sprouts with Blue Cheese
Brussel sprouts are the veggie everyone hates as a kid, and only when you get older do you realize that your mom wasn't trying to torture you, she actually likes brussel sprouts. These are a particularly tasty version.
-3 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup crumbled blue cheese
-5 shallots, minced
In a large pan sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil. When translucent add the brussel sprouts and sautee over medium heat, stirring frequently until they are tender and browned. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the blue cheese. Remove from heat and serve.
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup crumbled blue cheese
-5 shallots, minced
In a large pan sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil. When translucent add the brussel sprouts and sautee over medium heat, stirring frequently until they are tender and browned. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the blue cheese. Remove from heat and serve.
Labels: beef, bread, brussel sprouts, dessert recipes, dinner recipes, fish, salmon, sausage, seafood, soup, spinach, squash
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Breakfast at Home
Bacon, Egg, Spinach and Cheese Low Carb Breakfast Burrito
Packed with protein, fiber and iron, this breakfast contains all of the food groups and is a great way to start the day.
Labels: breakfast recipe, eggs, homemade, spinach
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Dinner at Home
Fennel-Turnip Soup
A tasty, smooth, creamy soup without the use of starches or cream.
-4 turnips, roughly chopped
-2 small fennel bulbs, roughly chopped
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-4 garlic cloves, peeled
-4 cans chicken stock
-pepper to taste
Sautee onions in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add turnips, garlic and fennel and sautee a few more minutes. Add chicken stock and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (or a regular blender or food processor). Strain though a fine seive and serve.
-2 small fennel bulbs, roughly chopped
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-4 garlic cloves, peeled
-4 cans chicken stock
-pepper to taste
Sautee onions in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add turnips, garlic and fennel and sautee a few more minutes. Add chicken stock and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (or a regular blender or food processor). Strain though a fine seive and serve.
Spinach, Cucumber and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Several varieties of heirloom tomatoes give this salad beautiful color and flavor. The salad is dressed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette of one part each oil, balsamic vinegar and grainy mustard.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
We don't usually make such carb heavy food, but we had company. Alexis made one large batch of sauce and used it for this dish as well as for the lasagna below. To the sauce, she added sliced zuchinni.
Meatballs:
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 egg
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-2 tb italian herbs
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly with your hands and roll into balls with about 1" diameter. In a large sautee pan heat about 3 tb of cooking oil (not olive oil). Add all of the meatballs and pan-fry until done in the center and crispy on the outsides. Shake the pan often to turn the meatballs.
Add the meatballs and some thinly sliced zuchinni to the tomato sauce (recipe below) and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Ladle meatballs and sauce over al dente spaghetti.
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 egg
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-2 tb italian herbs
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly with your hands and roll into balls with about 1" diameter. In a large sautee pan heat about 3 tb of cooking oil (not olive oil). Add all of the meatballs and pan-fry until done in the center and crispy on the outsides. Shake the pan often to turn the meatballs.
Add the meatballs and some thinly sliced zuchinni to the tomato sauce (recipe below) and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Ladle meatballs and sauce over al dente spaghetti.
Zuchinni Lasagna
We love this dish because even though the "noodles" are made from zuchinni, you really don't feel like you are eating a "mock" lasagna, but a real one. Click here for a video demo of how to make zucchini "noodles".
Lasagna "Noodles":
Ricotta Mixture:
-2 cups fresh ricotta
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-2 handfuls fresh basil, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Meat:
-1 1/2 lbs ground turkey or beef
-1 large onion, minced
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee onions and ground meat until browned and done.
Sauce:
-5 cans diced tomatoes
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-8 cloves garlic, peeled
-3 tb Italian seasoning
-1 handful fresh basil
-2 bay leaves
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil until beginning to brown. Add all of the other ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaves and puree the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Other ingredients:
-1 can black olives, drained and roughly chopped
-2 cups shredded mozzerella and 2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack, mixed together
-1 cup grated parmasan
Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish and layer the bottom with zuchinni noodles, slightly overlapping. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle about 1/2 cup sauce and spread over the zucchini. Layer half the meat and 1/3 of the cheeses. Add another layer or zucchini noodles. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the zuchinni noodles. Sprinkle all of the olive evenly over the ricotta mixture. Add another layer of zuchinni noodles and season with salt and pepper. Ladle about 1/2 cup sauce and spread over the zucchini. Layer the rest of the meat and 1/3 of the cheeses. Add a final layer of zuchinni noodles, season with salt and pepper and ladle about 1 cup of sauce over the zuchinni, spread evenly. Add the rest of the cheeses. Poke a few toothpicks in the top of the lasagna to prevent the foil from sticking to the top layer of cheese. Cover with foil and bake on 375 for about an hour. Remove the foil and bake for about 5 more minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Labels: dinner recipes, fennel, homemade, Italian, salad, soup, spinach, turkey, turnip
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Dinner at Home
Kale and Spinach Sauteed with Garlic
A very simple side dish.
-1 bunch kale, thinly sliced
-3 cups spinach
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-salt and pepper to taste
-a squeeze of lemon
Sautee the garlic in a bit of olive oil until beginning to brown. Add the kale and sautee until wilted and tender. Add the spinach and sautee another 30 seconds. Season and serve.
-3 cups spinach
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-salt and pepper to taste
-a squeeze of lemon
Sautee the garlic in a bit of olive oil until beginning to brown. Add the kale and sautee until wilted and tender. Add the spinach and sautee another 30 seconds. Season and serve.
Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
We cook these in the Ron Popeil "Set it and forget it" Showtime Rotisserie Grill for exactly 38 minutes. We parboil them for 15 minutes prior, then rub them with Alexis' no-fail wet rub and in less than an hour we have succulent, spicy ribs. For some reason, today the ribs were a bit tougher than usual. We didn't do anything differently, so we can only assume it was the ribs themselves.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, kale, pork, ribs, spinach
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Dinner at Home
Chupaqueso Taco Salad with Homemade Quacamole and Tomatillo Salsa
A super-tasty, quick to make, low carb version of a taco salad that still retains the satisfying crunch because of the chupaqueso taco shell. Click here for a video demo on how to make a chupaqueso.
Chupaqueso Taco Salad:
-2 chupaqueso taco shells (reciped below, demo above)
-2 cups baby spinach
-1 batch taco meat (recipe below)
-1 batch tomatillo salsa (recipe below)
-1 batch guacamole (recipe below)
-sour cream or Fage plain yogurt
-hot sauce
Place each taco shell on a plate and put 1 cup of baby spinach in each. On top of that heap the taco meat, then guacamole, sour cream/yogurt, tomatillo salsa and finally hot sauce, if desired. If you have leftover taco meat, guacamole and/or tomatillo salsa, you can make a great scramble the next morning with the taco meat, and top with the guacamole and salsa, or make a great breakfast burrito.
-2 chupaqueso taco shells (reciped below, demo above)
-2 cups baby spinach
-1 batch taco meat (recipe below)
-1 batch tomatillo salsa (recipe below)
-1 batch guacamole (recipe below)
-sour cream or Fage plain yogurt
-hot sauce
Place each taco shell on a plate and put 1 cup of baby spinach in each. On top of that heap the taco meat, then guacamole, sour cream/yogurt, tomatillo salsa and finally hot sauce, if desired. If you have leftover taco meat, guacamole and/or tomatillo salsa, you can make a great scramble the next morning with the taco meat, and top with the guacamole and salsa, or make a great breakfast burrito.
Chupaqueso Taco Shell:
-1 handful of grated cheese per person (I use the "Mexican Blend" from Costco.)
Put a handful of cheese in the center of a hot non-stick pan between medium and medium high. The cheese will melt and will within about 30 seconds, have achieved an internal structure that allows you to flip it like a pancake with a spatula. Flip it and cook for several more seconds. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with about a 6 inch diameter--this will create the bowl shape. About a minute later, the shell will be hard and crispy and you can remove it from the bowl. Repeat with each handful of cheese.
Taco Meat:
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 onion, diced
-2 tb taco seasoning.
Sautee the onions until soft but not browned. Add the meat and taco seasoning and cook until meat is browned and cooked through.
-1 handful of grated cheese per person (I use the "Mexican Blend" from Costco.)
Put a handful of cheese in the center of a hot non-stick pan between medium and medium high. The cheese will melt and will within about 30 seconds, have achieved an internal structure that allows you to flip it like a pancake with a spatula. Flip it and cook for several more seconds. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with about a 6 inch diameter--this will create the bowl shape. About a minute later, the shell will be hard and crispy and you can remove it from the bowl. Repeat with each handful of cheese.
Taco Meat:
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 onion, diced
-2 tb taco seasoning.
Sautee the onions until soft but not browned. Add the meat and taco seasoning and cook until meat is browned and cooked through.
Tomatillo Salsa
A fresh, tart salsa that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.
-5 tomatillos, husked, washed and quartered
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-8 cloves garlic, peeled
-1 heirloom tomato, diced
-juice of 1/2 lime
-1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
-1/2 ts salt
Toss the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, salt and lime juice into a food processor and pulse several times until uniform, but not pureed. Pour into a bowl. Stir in the diced tomato and serve.
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-8 cloves garlic, peeled
-1 heirloom tomato, diced
-juice of 1/2 lime
-1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
-1/2 ts salt
Toss the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, salt and lime juice into a food processor and pulse several times until uniform, but not pureed. Pour into a bowl. Stir in the diced tomato and serve.
Homemade Guacamole
This is our standard guacamole, but we used the bounty of summer in the form of sweet, yellow heirloom tomatoes instead of the standard supermarket variety.
-flesh of 2 avocados
-1 small heirloom tomato, diced
-1/4 onion, minced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-juice of 1 lime
-salt to taste
-1 small heirloom tomato, diced
-1/4 onion, minced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-juice of 1 lime
-salt to taste
Mash the avocado with a fork. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Serve with anything--taco salads, scrambled eggs, chips, steak, anything...
Labels: avocado, dinner recipes, homemade, Mexican, salad, spinach, tomatillo, tomatos, turkey
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Dinner at Home
Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
We cook these in the Ron Popeil "Set it and forget it" Showtime Rotisserie Grill, and they are done in 38 minutes. We parboil them for 15 minutes, then rub them with Alexis' no-fail wet rub and in less than an hour we have succulent, spicy ribs.
Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Red Onions and Nectarine
Adding fruit to a salad is a tasty way to add a bit of sweetness and acid. The flavor of the nectarine melded really well with the creaminess of the crumbled goat cheese. The salad was dressed in a standard balsamic vinagrette.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, pork, salad, spinach
Monday, July 30, 2007
Dinner at Home
Since Alexis came down with a cold and was trying to avoid giving it to Giao, we had a hot pot for dinner. This way, all the ingredients were boiled in between Alexis' prep and Giao's mouth.
Thinly Sliced Porterhouse and Shrimp
These tasty morsels were boiled in an oniony, garlicky, chicken broth. Then they were dipped in a variety of sauces: worcestershire, mustard, tartar sauce, chili-garlic-soy sauce, wasabi mayo and horseradish.
The Bubbling Broth
The Soup
After most of the meats and shrimp have been cooked and eaten, we add a couple of eggs, 1 package of shirataki noodles, about 1/2 ln of spinach and the leftover meats and shrimp to the broth to make a tasty soup.
Thinly Sliced Porterhouse and Shrimp
These tasty morsels were boiled in an oniony, garlicky, chicken broth. Then they were dipped in a variety of sauces: worcestershire, mustard, tartar sauce, chili-garlic-soy sauce, wasabi mayo and horseradish.
The Bubbling Broth
The Soup
After most of the meats and shrimp have been cooked and eaten, we add a couple of eggs, 1 package of shirataki noodles, about 1/2 ln of spinach and the leftover meats and shrimp to the broth to make a tasty soup.
Labels: beef, eggs, homemade, seafood, shirataki noodles, shrimp, soup, spinach
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Brunch at Home
Spinach, Bacon, Onion and Red Pepper Scramble
Sautee the onions, peppers, and bacon (cut into lardons) together until until crispy. Drain the fat and add the spinach. When spinach is soft, add the eggs and cheese. Scramble until desired doneness is acheived.
Labels: breakfast recipe, eggs, homemade, spinach
Monday, July 09, 2007
Dinner at Home
Garlic Shrimp
A 5 minute main, and a tasty one.
-1 lb shrimp, peeled
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the garlic in a bit of butter. When beginning to brown, add the shrimp. When almost cooked through, add the lemon and seasonings.
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the garlic in a bit of butter. When beginning to brown, add the shrimp. When almost cooked through, add the lemon and seasonings.
Spinach and Feta Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, shrimp, spinach
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