Greek-Style Shrimp

Shrimp - yum. Feta - yum. Tomatoes - yum.

from Cook's Illustrated, September / October 2010
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Prep and Cook Time: Less than 30 minutes

1-1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp vodka
3/8 tsp anise seed
5 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 5 tsp)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 C diced onion
1/2 C chopped red bell pepper
1/2 C chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, drained, 1/3 C juice reserved
1/4 C dry white wine
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
6 oz feta, crumbled (about 1-1/2 C)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Toss shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl until well combined. Set aside while preparing sauce.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, red and green bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their moisture, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture cooks off and vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, wine, and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated liquid to pan; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 9 minutes for extra-large or 7 to 11 minutes for jumbo, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle evenly with feta. Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil evenly over top and sprinkle with dill.

Serve immediately.

My Notes:
This wasn't as delicious as I expected it to be. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't great. Maybe I will try it again, though.

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper (Cacio E Pepe)

Em and I had this dish at Davanti Enoteca way back in October. (It is pretty similar to the pasta with lemon I posted earlier in the week.) I never would have guessed that pasta, olive oil, cheese, and pepper could taste so good, and I have been trying to recreate it at home every since. The recipe below is the closest I have gotten.

Taken from Cook’s Illustrated, January 2010

Serves 4 to 6.

4 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 2 C)

2 oz coarsely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 C)

1 lb spaghetti

Salt

2 Tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp finely grated black pepper

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 C cooking water. Drain pasta.

Slowly whisk 1 C reserved pasta cooking water into finely grated Pecorino until smooth. Whisk in cream, oil, and black pepper.

Gradually pour cheese mixture over pasta, tossing to coat. Let pasta rest 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, adjusting consistency with remaining 1/2 C reserved pasta water.

Serve, passing coarsely grated Pecorino separately.

My Notes:

The quality of ingredients seems to make a difference with this dish (I have made it a few times). The best cheese, olive oil, and pasta are a must! And, about the cheese. . . it really is important that the portion that gets melted in the pasta water is finely grated. The sauce will not be smooth without finely grated cheese. You could substitute half-and-half for the cream if the dish is too rich for you; it wasn’t too rich for me. Finally, be careful with the salt. The cheese is really salty and the pasta water is really salty. I didn’t need any salt besides that.

I tried another recipe for Cacio e Pepe. The recipe above had a lot more flavor and much better texture. I think it was because of the cooking water. Do not adjust the amount of water in the recipe; the thickness of the cooking water is essential to the taste of the sauce. Also, don’t forget to leave a few minutes for the pasta to rest. This was really important to the sauce, too.

Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil (al Limone)

I ate at an incredible restaurant in Chicago way back on October. Em and I shared Cacio e Pepi. It was amazing. This recipe reminded me of that in many ways - simple ingredients to make a flavorful sauce. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and is an amazing side dish or a super-simple main course (if you have a husband who will just eat pasta and no meat for dinner).

Taken from Cook’s Illustrated, January 2011

Serves 2 to 3

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb pasta

1/8 C extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1/2 medium shallot, minced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)

1/8 C heavy cream

1 tsp finely grated zest and 1/8 C juice (from about 2 lemons)

1/2 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 C), plus more for serving

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, shredded

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add salt and pasta to boiling water; cook, stirring frequently, unal al dente. Reserve 1 C cooking water, drain pasta and set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and 1/4 tsp salt; cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk 3/4 C reserve pasta cooking water and cream into pot; bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

Remove pot from heat, return pasta, and stir until coated. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Cover and let pasta stand for 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistently with remaining 1/4 C reserved pasta water if necessary. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve, drizzling individual portions with oil and sprinkling with cheese.

My Notes:

This was so good! It was super simple to make and was a great side dish. We had it with chicken saltimbocca. My only complaint was that it was really salty. Next time, I would add far less salt to the cooking water and would not add any salt at other points in the recipe.

We ate this with chicken saltimbocca. The flavors really complimented each other.

Chicken Saltimbocca

I had chicken saltimbocca one time at my favorite local Italian restaurant. I thought of that meal when selecting and making this recipe. Their recipe includes some spinach, prosciutto, and a layer of melted fontina. Mine just had prosciutto. It was delicious, though.

Taken from Cook’s Illustrated, March 2008

Serves 4

Prep and Cook Time: about 30 minutes

1/2 C flour (unbleached, all-purpose)

1 tsp ground black pepper

8 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 2 pounds)

1 Tbsp minced fresh safe leaves, plus 8 large leaves (optional)

8 thin slices prosciutto, cut to match chicken (about 3 oz)

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 C dry vermouth or white wine

2 tsp juice from 1 lemon

4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

Salt, to taste

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and set wire rack inside.

Combine flour and pepper in shallow dish.

Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Sprinkle cutlets with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlets, pressing lightly to adhere; set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to shimmer. Add sage leaves and cook until leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds. Use slotted spoon to remove sage; place on paper towel; reserve.

Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto-side down and cook until light golden brown; 2 to 3 minuts. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more.

Transfer to wire rack set on baking sheet and keep warm in oven.

Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp oil and cutlets, then transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.

Pour off any excess fat from skillet. Stir in vermouth or wine, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 C, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets and garnish with a sage leaf before serving.

Notes:

Chicken cutlets should be about 5 to 6 inches long. If the tip is too thin, trim the cutlet to make the thickness uniform. You can make your own cutlets by slicing and pounding an 8-ounce chicken breast.

Whole sage leaves (fried as part of the initial steps in the recipe) are only part of the presentation. This step can easily be skipped.

It is also important that the prosciutto is very thinly sliced, not shaved. Slices that are too thick will not stick to the chicken.

This was a great dinner! Despite the many steps, it was actually a relatively easy dish to prepare. I would go a little lighter on the salt next time, though. The prosciutto seems to add more than enough. I might also experiment with adding a slice of cheese - maybe on top of the prosciutto. I could slap it on while the chicken is still in the pan and melt it in the oven.

TX Chicken (A Favorite)

This recipe is a Sunday favorite around our house. I will say that the amount of prep and long baking time do not make it a great weeknight meal.

Prep time: about 20 minutes
Cook time: about 60 minutes

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Makes 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 (1 oz) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
2 C shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4.25 oz) chopped black olives
8 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay chicken breasts out flat and sprinkle with Ranch-style dressing mix. Sprinkle a bit of cheese onto each half of each breast. Place two tomato slices and a chopped jalapeno into each one, and spinkle more cheese over the tomoato and pepper. Fold each piece of chicken over, and wrap with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Place wrapped chicken into a baking disha nd cover with aluminium foil.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until he chicken is no longer pink, and the juices run clear.

My Notes:
I can never get the bacon to get crispy, and I don't like bacon that isn't crispy. So, I make Brad peel off the bacon and take out all the toothpicks before I eat this.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes of my childhood always had crunched potato chips on top. Sloppy Joes of my recent life are always made with ground turkey. I picked this just because I was looking for something different.

Taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

1 Tbsp butter
1 lb ground beef
1/4 whole large onion, diced
1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3/4 C ketchup
1/2 C water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Salt and ground papper, to taste
Rolls, for serving

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste and Worcestershire. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spoon meat mixture over the rolls.

My Notes:
These were really delicious and easy to make. They actually tasted really similar to Manwhich.

Short Rib Pasta Sauce

I love pasta. Sigh.  I prefer my pasta with meat sauce. As much as I love any one of my favorite bolognese sauces and as much as I don't mind browning some ground beef and adding it to a jar of sauce, I do get tired of the same thing again and again. That's what attracted me to this recipe. I was looking for something different to pour over my carbs.

 

Short Rib Pasta Sauce

Taken from Giada de Laurentiis

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Prep time: less than 20 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 oz chopped pancetta or bacon (about 1/2 C)

2 1/2 lb beef short ribs

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 C flour

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 C fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (14 oz) can tomatoes (whole or diced)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

3 bay leaves

2 1/2 C beef broth

3/4 C red wine

1 pound fresh pasta (linguine or fettuccine)

4 to 6 tsp shaved bittersweet chocolate

Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside.

Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.

Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Return the pancetta to the pot and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally.

Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta.

Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

My Notes:
I made this the first time last fall. It took me forever and a consultation with the butcher to figure out that short ribs were, in fact, beef and not pork. Brad and I both liked it last fall and we liked it again this fall.

Week 51: Shrimp Stir Fry

I decided on this meal at 6:00 on a Wednesday night. I needed to purchase all the ingredients. They cost about $18. Even with the trip to the grocery store, this dinner was on the table by 7:00.

Can't beat that.

Taken from: Pioneer Woman Cooks
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: less than 10 minutes
4 servings

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 whole raw jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Juice of 1 lemon
3 whole zucchini, sliced on a diagonal
2 ears corn, kernels sliced off
1/2 C grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Basil, chopped (to taste)

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic. When oil/butter is hot, add shrimp and lemon juice; cook shrimp 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.

In the same skillet, add zucchini slices in a single layer and cook for several minutes, tossing once. Scoot the zucchini to the edges of the pan, then add corn kernels to the middle of the pan. Cook zucchini and corn mixture to desired doneness. Add grape tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss around, then add shrimp. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Serve on a big platter.

My Notes:
I struggled with what to serve this with. I decided on pita bread. It was sort of fun to just scoop up the stir fry. It could have actually been a fork-free dinner.


Also, I went with extra jumbo big shrimp (16 - 20 per pound). The size was a little overwhelming, and I actually needed to cut the shrimp before eating them. Next time, I think I'd use about 1/2 pound of smaller shrimp (maybe 31 - 35 per pound).

One last thought - I let this cool slightly before eating it, not cold - just cool.

Week 51: Crock-pot Beef Roast

I know. It's summer. This is totally not a summer meal. I wanted some comfort food, though, and this is a comfort food meal that did not require turning on the oven.

Taken from Natalie (Perrys' Plate) on Tasty Kitchen

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours

Servings: 6

1 whole beef roast (1 1/2 to 2 lb)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 C beef broth

1/4 C soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place roast (thawed or frozen) in a 2.5 to 4 qt. slow cooker, and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients (except the lemon juice) over the beef. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Sprinkle with lemon juice, shred into large chunks, and remove from the slow cooker. Serve beef and juices over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

My Notes:
This turned out great. It was super-easy and very tasty.

Week 50: Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini is my favorite summer vegetable. This meal started with a recipe from Cooking Light. I bought all the ingredients and was ready to go. . . until I found a similar recipe on Annie's Eats. I ended up combining the two to make the meal below.

Makes 5 - 6 servings
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

5 zucchini (each about 6" long) OR 3 zucchini (each about 12" long)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 C onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C mushrooms, chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb ground beef
1/4 C dry white wine
2 -3 tomatoes seeded and diced OR 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
3.5 oz feta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides, leaving a shell about 1/4" thick. Reserve and chop about half of the zucchini insides.

 Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender, about 4 - 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, reserved zucchini, and spinach. Saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 - 5 minutes. Dump into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook and crumble ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain any accumulated fat and/or liquid. When beef is browned, stir in vegetable mixture. Add wine to the pan along with tomatoes, basil, and rosemary. Cook for several minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Once the meat mixture cools, add the cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Fill zucchinis with the mixture. Place in a 9 x 13" glass baking dish with 1/4" water in the bottom. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

My Notes:
I will make this again! The flavor was fabulous, and it was very filling. You could easily replace the ground beef with a meat-substitute crumble or couscous to make a vegetarian dish.

Week 46: Ratatouille

I love cooking with other people and for other people. So, I made this while I was at Em's.

We used as much farmers' market produce as we could (admittedly, not very much). Combined with a loaf of bread (from a trip to Zingerman's in Ann Arbor) and some great cheese (piave vecchie, also from Zingerman's) this made a delicious summer dinner. The left-overs would have been fabulous over pasta the next night.

taken from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers (p. 50)

Makes 4 servings
20 minutes hands-on prep time
35 to 40 minutes roasting time

See that cool scale!??!! A fun-find at Treasure Mart (also in Ann Arbor).

1 zucchini
2 onions
1 eggplant, peeled
2 tomatoes
2 red, green, or yellow bell peppers
6 garlic cloves
1/3 C olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 C packed fresh basil leaves
Grated cheese (Romano, Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan)

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Cut all the vegetables into 1" chunks and place them in a large bowl. You should have between 12 and 14 cups. Coarsely chop the garlic. Toss the vegetables and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread on a baking sheet (or two).

 Roast for 15 minutes and stir. Continue to roast for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender and uicy.

While the vegetables roast, chop the basil. When the vegetables are done, put them in a serving bowl and stir in the chopped basil. Pass the grated cheese at the table.

My Notes:
Delicious - wouldn't change a thing.

Note - we served this with some simple roasted potatoes. It was based on a recipe from the Kitchn.

Week 45: Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a dinnertime favorite around here. I love these beef enchiladas. I've tried to find a cheese enchilada recipe to love, but I haven't yet.

We do chicken enchiladas in a "cheater" sort of way with canned sauce, black olives, and onions. Super simple. They're delicious enough, but I don't like having to rely on someone else's sauce. That led me to this recipe. . .

Taken from Annie's Eats
Prep: 1 hour
Cook and Cool: 40 minutes
Makes 12 Enchiladas (dinner for 2 hungry adults + 1 lunch)

1 med. onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 C water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C green olives, sliced
1 C shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 C shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray


Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds.  Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato.  Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken and green olives into the sauce.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible.  Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside.  Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture.  Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro.  Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.  Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla.  Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down.  Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray.  Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F.  Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned.  Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My Notes:
We made this on a Tuesday night and didn't start until 6:00. We didn't eat until after 7:00. That was a little late and a little labor intensive for a weeknight meal.

This made enough for a next-day lunch, but it didn't taste real great the next day. I didn't like the way the corn tortillas reheated.

I would make it again, though.

Week 43: Beef Burgers with Mushrooms and Aioli

We decided to buy a quarter of an organic, grass-fed cow recently; we got tons of ground beef. Burgers on the grill seem like as good a way as any to use it up.

Adapted from Giada di Laurentiis 

Makes 3 burgers (1/3 lb each)

1 lb lean ground chuck

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 C mayonnaise

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp minced garlic

Sliced swiss cheese

4 (4-inch) square or round ciabatta or foccacia squares, halved horizontally

2 C fresh spinach

Combine the ground chuck, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into 3 (1/2-inch-thick) patties.

Cook the sliced mushrooms in a frying pan on the stove until desired doneness (about 5 minutes).

Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl to blend.

Prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill the burgers until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Add one slice of cheese on top of each burger. Leave on grill until cheese is melted. Grill the focaccia squares cut side down, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

Spread the garlic mayonnaise over the roll bottoms. Place the burgers on the bun and spread mushrooms on top of it. Spread garlic mayonnaise on the cut side of the tops and arrange a handful of arugula on each. Cover the burger with the roll tops and serve.

My Notes:
I enjoyed these. I can't believe I never thought about using something other than a traditional hamburger bun as a home for a juicy burger.

Week 40: Garlic-Butter Burgers

I'm always looking for a way to make a burger a little more exciting.

Taken from Deen Brothers
Servings: 4
Prep Time: Less than 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes


1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Tomato slices, Onion slices, Lettuce leaves (optional)
Cheese and Bacon (optional)

 Prepare the grill for medium direct heat or preheat the broiler.

In a small bowl, mash together the butter, parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Form the mixture into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 patties about 1 inch thick; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut a slit 1/2 inch deep into the side of each burger. Cut the butter log into 8 slices; tuck 1 slice into the slit in each burger, pressing it deep into the burger. Pinch the slits closed so the meat totally covers the butter.

Grill or broil the burgers for 7 to 9 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Top the burgers with the remaining butter slices and place in the toasted buns. If desired, top with tomato, onion, and lettuce.

My Notes:
These were great. We will definitely make them again.

Week 39: Spring Couscous

I'm not a huge fan of couscous. It usually tastes dry and has kind of a weird texture. I thought I'd try this, though, to see what the couscous tasted like mixed with lots of other stuff. Also, the recipe reminded me a little of risotto, except way healthier and faster. I was happy with the final product.

Spring Couscous
Adapted from Everyday Food, May 2010 (p. 94)

Makes 4 servings
Prep and Cook time: 15 minutes



3 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 scallions, sliced thinly
Zest and juice of one lemon, separated
Salt and Pepper
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
3/4 C frozen peas
1-1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
1-package (5.9 oz) Near East Parmesan couscous
1 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 Tbsp dried parsley

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened (approximately 3 minutes). Add the lemon zest and the broth and season with a little salt and pepper.

2. Bring to a boil, then add the asparagus and peas. Return to boiling and stir in the couscous and the chicken.

3. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the lemon juice and the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Week 38: Artichoke and Sausage Pasta

I don't care much for artichokes, but they seem like such a fun and sophisticated food that I am trying to make myself like them. Thus, an artichoke pasta dish.

Fusilli with Sausage, Artichokes, and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Taken from Giada di Laurentiis

Makes 6 servings
Prep and cook time is about 40 minutes



3/4 C drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbsp of oil from sun-dried tomatoes, reserved
1 lb Italian hot sausages, casings removed
2 (8 oz) packages frozen artichoke hearts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 3/4 C chicken broth
1/2 C dry white wine
16 oz fusilli pasta
1/2 C shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
1/3 C chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 C chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
8 oz water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl.

Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse).

Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

My notes:
I won't be making this one again. There just wasn't much flavor; I'm choosing to blame that on water that seeped out of the frozen artichokes. Oddly enough, Brad loved it.

Week 36: Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade

Like I said earlier this week, I'm always looking for great marinades to make my chicken taste like something more than just chicken.

This one was delicious, especially with Brad's mad grilling skills.

I served this with some Spanish Rice (from a box) and steamed green beans - nothing special.

Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade
Taken from Ina Garten for Food Network



Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinate time: Overnight
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 C gold tequila
1 C freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 C freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through.

3. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

My Notes:
This is another recipe that I will make again and again. It would go great with margaritas!

Week 36: Asian Pork Marinade

I'm always looking for great marinades. The truth is. . . I really prefer that my meat not taste like meat, and a good marinade seems to do the trick.

Angie found this one. We tried it first at her house, and I cooked it up another time at home (with Brad the grill expert handling the actual cooking).

I served it on this particular night with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and some steamed broccoli.

Asian Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Taken from Anne Burrell, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef




Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 24 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

3/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp hot chili sauce (sambal oelek)
1 tsp dried ginger 1
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 scallion, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 orange, zested
4 pork tenderloins

Directions

1. Combine the soy, rice wine vinegar, chili sauce, ginger, garlic, scallions and orange zest in a bag or marinating container. Add the pork and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Remove the pork from the container, put the marinade in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and reserve it for drizzling over the pork when serving. *WARNING: This liquid MUST be brought to a boil to kill any bacteria from raw meat juices.

3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

4. Place pork on the preheated grill. Brown it on all sides then move it to a cooler part of the grill to cook it to desired doneness, about 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Remove the pork from the grill to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the pork on the bias and place on a serving platter. Serve drizzled with the reserved boiled soy marinade.

My Notes:
This is officially part of my regular rotations of marinades.

Week 35: Shepherd's Pie

I'm not sure what made me want to make this. I'd guess, though, it was the mashed potato topping that sealed the deal. And, the fact that it's another potato recipe. It is, after all, potato week around here.

Shepherd's Pie
Taken from Everyday Food
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

1 lb baking potatoes (peeled and sliced)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, halved and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thiny sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
1/2 C whole milk
3/4 C shredded sharp white cheddar (3 oz), divided

Preheat oven to 450.

Boil potatoes in salted water until easily pierced with fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook carrots, celery, and onions in vegetable oil until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring 6 to 8 minutes until no longer pink. Add 1 C water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set filling aside.



Drain potatoes. Return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add milk and 1/2 C cheese. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper.



Pour filling in to 9 x 9 baking dish. Drop potatoes over filling; spread to edges of pan with spatula. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C cheese.



Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.



My notes:
This was good, and it made great left-overs. Brad and I had a long time while we were eating it about what other vegetables we could add. Corn, probably.

Week 34: BBQ Meatballs

I'm pretty die-hard about in my thinking about meatballs. Italian meatballs are the only real meatballs. Don't get me wrong - I'll eat Swedish meatballs or BBQ meatballs, but I firmly believe that Italian meatballs are the best. Nevertheless, I tried this recipe.

BBQ Meatballs
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Servings: 6



FOR MEATBALLS
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 C oats
1 C milk
3 Tbsp finely minced onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

FOR COOKING MEATBALLS
1 C flour (coating for frozen meatballs)
Canola Oil

FOR SAUCE
1 C ketchup
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire
4 Tbsp finely minced onion
1 dash Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove meatballs from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.



Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty French bread.





My notes:
We had this as a main dish, but it would make a great appetizer. I never know what to take to a party and am glad to have this new idea.