Friday, January 29, 2010
Healthy French Toast with Banana Topping
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
French Style Lentil Soup with Bacon
1. Wash lentils, and cook according to package directions. When cooked, drain lentils, return to the pot and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding
One of D's friends went hunting last weekend and brought us one of the pheasants he caught, so on Sunday night we had a crazy attempt at cooking our first wild bird. D did all the plucking and removed all the innards, but the whole bloody mess in the kitchen kind of ruined my appetite. We cooked the bird according to this recipe from Emeril Legasse, the famous New Orleans chef, but it smelled funny coming out of the oven and was too gamey for our tastes, so we tossed it out, thinking that maybe it had gone bad hanging in the cold garage.
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Easy Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Directions:
1. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and sweat onions in 1 tablespoon of oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and chipotle peppers (or paste), and continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, season lightly with salt, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.
2. Blend mixture well in small batches until smooth, adding a little water if needed, and reserve. In a large heavy-bottom pot, heat remaining oil over high heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes stirring occasionally, allowing the shrimp to lightly color. Remove shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the tomato mixture to the remaining oil in the pan, being careful, as it will splatter slightly.
3. Cook sauce for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and add shrimp back to pot. Once shrimp are cooked through and coated with the sauce, remove from heat and season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. Finish with the chopped cilantro and serve with shredded cabbage on corn tortillas (Note: I tossed my cabbage in a homemade chili-lime-cilantro dressing before serving, and that gave it a nice, fresh tang). Add additional toppings as desired: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Spicy Chile Lime Salad
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & chopped
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-5 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Add to a salad of mixed peppery greens such as kale, escarole or arugula, combined with chopped red and green bell peppers, spring onions, avocado, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and jicama, if available. You could also add more protein to the salad by sprinkling some cooked shrimp, canned tuna, crumbled Mexican cotija cheese, or chicken pieces on top.
Note: The dressing can also be used as a marinade or basting sauce for salmon or other fish or poultry.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Creamy Risotto with Peas and Crispy Bacon
OK, for all you pork lovers out there (I know who you are), this is a great dish. Sorry Vegetarians! We had it last night for dinner and D gobbled it up. It's not low fat, but you could omit either the salami/chorizo or the bacon, and just enjoy the risotto. Either way, it's creamy, salty goodness.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Warming Meatball and Kale/Escarole Soup
Monday, January 11, 2010
Chicken, Black Bean and Tortilla Casserole
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Spinach
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Treacle Tart
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Salmon & Peas Bake
Friday, January 1, 2010
Zuccato di Pannetone
I saw Jamie Oliver's pal, Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, give out this recipe on a Christmas cooking program and it sounded divine, so I copied it down as notes (no specific recipe was given). He said that this translates to "Pumpkin of Pannetone" because it uses leftover Pannetone bread to make a pumpkin-shaped dessert. I winged it on the assembly, and it turned out great!