Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil

This recipe was so good.  I was a little reluctant because it calls for 12 cloves of garlic, but it was so mellow and just right .  Even my very picky eater asked for seconds.  He was so happy at dinner time, he even actually tried a tomato!

Don't skip the extra step to make the toasted bread crumbs, they were so delicious on top too!

Pasta with garlic & oil
(from America's Test Kitchen)
Serves 4-6

Table Salt
1 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 tablespoons) (I did mine in a small chopper)
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Bring 4 qts. water to a boil in a large pot.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil, 3 tablespoons of the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is sticky and straw-colored, 10-12 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, the red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water.
3. Transfer the drained pasta to a warm serving bowl; add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and remaining reserved pasta cooking water and toss to combine.  Add the garlic mixture and 3/4 teaspoon salt; toss to combine. 

Serve with Parmesan cheese and toasted bread crumbs.

For the bread crumbs, pulse 2 slices of sandwich bread in a food processor.  Combine with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 375 degrees until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Also, I wilted some spinach and then sauteed it in the pan that had the leftover olive oil and garlic.  I just finished off the spinach with some salt, pepper and a little lemon.

Goat cheese and spinach over pasta

We made this the other day and it's super yummy (if you like goat cheese), fresh, and easy.

Pasta:

5 oz goat cheese

2 cups spinach (or arugula)

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz penne pasta

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, brown garlic in a little bit of olive oil.

Crumble goat cheese into a large serving bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and toss with goat cheese mixture.

Brushetta:

1 French bread baguette

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 Tbsp butter at room temp

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves

2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

4 small tomatoes

2-4 Tbsp parmesan

Cut the baguette in half crosswise. Cut each piece in half lengthwise to form 4 pieces. Sprinkle the garlic with salt and mince (or I'm a slacker and I just put it through the garlic press). Transfer to a small bowl and add the butter, oil, parsley, and basil, and stir until blended. Spread the garlic butter mixture on cut side of bread. Grill the bread, cut sides down, until lightly toasted on a grill or on broil in the oven.

Remove from the grill. Quickly arrange mozzarella on the cut sides of the toast. Return to the grill, cut side up. Cook until bottoms are toasted and cheese warms and softens, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and top with tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve at once!

Happy Eating!

Veggie Tacos & Mexican Rice

I recently had lunch at Red Butte Cafe in Salt Lake City. I love to eat there because there is always something interesting and creative to try. I haven't been back for a few years and was frankly disappointed with the limited vegetarian options. However, I ordered the veggie tacos, not really expecting anything that great. And actually, they were pretty good. I don't know why I never thought of this before (especially since I have a monster, MONSTER zucchini plant in my backyard): zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and onion. Yum! The veggies were sauteed and seasoned perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised. And a week later, I made them at home.
I sauteed some garlic and onions for a few minutes and then I added the carrot sticks. I let them cook for a little while and then added the squash. I cooked them long enough to warm them up, but not overcooked. We topped it with hot sauce and guacamole. The kids just had bean tacos with a sliver of veggies on the side.
I also tried a new Mexican Rice recipe. I have long been on the search to find a good Mexican rice, but to no avail. I ran across the great website Pati's Mexican Table while looking for a recipe to pickle jalapenos. We really liked the rice and it was pretty easy. So, here is the recipe:

Mexican Style Rice (or Arroz Rojo)
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
2 cups long or extra long grain white rice
2 tomatoes, or about 1 pound, quartered
1/3 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, optional
2 parsley sprigs
3/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced, optional
1/2 cup shelled green peas, fresh of frozen, optional
1 or 2 chiles Serranos, optional

To Prepare
In a bowl, soak the rice in hot water for about 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain very well.

While the rice soaks, purée the tomatoes in the blender along with the onion, garlic and salt. Pass through a strainer and reserve.

Heat the oil in a thick heavy skillet (if you have one with a transparent lid, pick that one) over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the rice and sauté, stirring often, until the color of the rice changes to a strong milky white and it shows more resistance and makes a heavier sound as you stir it around, probably about 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the strained tomato purée, mix it gently and let it cook until the color of the purée has darkened, thickened and is mostly absorbed, about 3 more minutes.

Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth and lime juice, give it a gentle stir and top with the parlsey sprig, the diced carrots, peas and serrano chiles, if so desired.

Let it all come to a boil, and when it does, put the cover on and reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Here is where that transparent lid becomes so handy, as you can see what is going on inside the pot without losing steam. You know the rice is ready when it is cooked through and tender, most of the liquid has been absorbed, but there is a lot of moisture in the pot. If the rice is not yet tender and the liquid has dried up, add a couple tablespoons more water, cover again and let it cook for a couple more minutes.

Let the rice sit covered for at least 5 minutes before you fluff with a fork and serve. You may also make it beforehand and reheat it covered over low heat with a tablespoon of water.

The last time I made cilantro rice, I put the leftovers in a ziploc and froze it. We thawed it and ate it for dinner last week and it was great! So, I did the same with the leftover mexican rice.

I can't wait to try Pati's Mexican Style Eggs and one of our all time favorite drinks, Horchata.

Buen provecho!

Zucchini-Tomato Frittata

I made this for dinner last night. It was very good and super easy (especially if you have all the eggs that you need and don't have to go to the store). I only put one zucchini in and it was plenty.

Zucchini-Tomato Frittata

Serves 8
Created by Art Smith

Serve a breakfast treat straight from the garden! This Italian take on the omelet features fresh vegetables that you've probably got growing right now. So raid the backyard and cook up something special this morning!

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs , beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced chives or green onion
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 zucchini , thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion
• 1 medium tomato , peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic , minced

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and chives. Set aside.

In a 10-inch ovenproof non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Cook half the zucchini slices until tender, about 3 minutes, then move them to a small bowl. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini and reserve. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook the onions, tomato and garlic for 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Return the zucchini to the skillet, evenly distributing it. Add the egg mixture, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the frittata is just set.

Place the frittata in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is completely set and golden brown. Invert it onto a plate, cut into slices and serve.

From Back to the Table by Art Smith

Nutritional Information:
127 calories, 9.2 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 217 mg of cholesterol, 246 mg sodium, 3.1 grams carbohydrate

Bean & Corn Tortilla Lasagna with Avocado

Here's what I am making for dinner tonight. I wasn't so sure about the avocados being cooked in it, but it was very tasty and soo easy. It's from the cookbook "Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.

Bean & Corn Tortilla Lasagna with Avocado
MAKES 4-5 SERVINGS. I WHEAT-FREE


1 can (14-oz/398-ml) tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
11/4tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ tsp chipotle hot sauce (I use Tabasco brand)
1/4 tsp agave nectar
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 can (14-oz/398-ml) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained(about 1 ¾ cups)
6-7 (6-in/15-cm) corn tortillas
1 large avocado, thinly sliced(or 2 small)
1 pinch sea salt
¾ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
11/2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
112 cup tortilla chips, crushed
¾ cup vegan cheese, grated (optional)
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for finishing)
fresh lime wedges (for garnish,a must!)

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). In a large bowl, combine tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, allspice, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, hot sauce, agave nectar, garlic, onion, and beans and stir to mix well. Lightly oil an 8x12-in (20x30-cm) baking dish. Pour half of mixture in baking dish and tip back and forth to distribute evenly. Place half of tortillas on top of mixture (use 2 whole tortillas and cut a third tortilla to cover spots; or cut them all into strips). Place avocado slices on top of tortillas and season with a pinch of salt. Distribute corn. kernels over avocado, then drizzle with lime juice. Top this layer with remaining tortillas, spread with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips, then cheese. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling at edges. If cheese hasn't melted, broil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Falafel

Okay, I swear, I am not trying to take over the blog, but I have been trying out a lot of new recipes lately. Some are just too good to keep to myself. Here is another one. I got this from my aunt who got it from her friend who is from Jerusalem. They were sooo good. They had such a good flavor and were very moist in the middle. Here you go:

Falafel

1 bag garbanzo beans (8-12 oz.)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 loaf of bread soaked in water and squeezed of excess water
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
3 tsp. cumin powder
3 T. parsley, chopped
3 tsp. baking powder
salt & pepper to taste

• Soak garbanzos overnight (or for quick method, pour boiling water over beans and let stand for 3 hours)
• Do not cook
• Run beans through a meat grinder or food processor to make a pasty mix
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• Form into 1" balls (wet hands if mixture is too sticky)
• Deep fry in hot oil (350 degrees)

Tastes best when hot. You can serve balls in pita bread with finely chopped salad of tomatoes and cucumbers and season with hummus and salsa.

Here are my notes:
I used a heavy wheat bread (it was kind of wierd and slightly gross to soak the bread and then drain the water and it really does not take very long to soak up water) that is a little bit sweet. So, it made the falafel slightly sweet, which actually tasted really good.

Also, the food processor was almost too full with the bread and beans, but it still worked well.

I used a small cookie scoop to shape them and then I sort of flattened them out a little before I fried them. They are easier to stuff in a pita if they are a little flatter.

Enjoy!

P.S. The leftover dough freezes very well!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

I made this for dinner tonight. It was really quick and easy and very good. I used plain old green cabbage instead of a coleslaw mix and for hot sauce, I used Valentina. It was a bit too spicy for my kids, but they had no interest in the "lettuce looking" garnish anyway. Also, we used mexican cheese (cojita) instead of feta. Out of 5 stars, Spencer gave this a 5 1/2.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw
AP/adapted from the February 2009 issue of Bon Appetit magazine
Published: Friday, March 6, 2009 9:54 a.m. MST (Deseret News)

Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 5
Ingredients

15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 white or yellow corn tortillas
1 tablespoon lime juice
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 scallions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the beans, cumin and salt. Use a fork to partially mash. Divide the mixture between the tortillas, spreading it evenly over 1 side of each. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions and cilantro, then toss well. Season with pepper and hot sauce. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 3 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the tortillas in a single layer, bean side up, in batches if necessary, and cook for 1 minute.
Fold the tacos in half, then cook for about another minute per side, or until golden brown.
Fill each taco with a quarter of the coleslaw mixture and the feta cheese. If desired, drizzle with additional hot sauce.

Cyndi's Curried Coconut Chicken (or tofu)

I made this tonight for dinner and substituted tofu for the chicken. I cubed the tofu and then cooked the tofu in some canola oil to brown it up a little bit. From there, I followed the same directions in the recipe. You just have to stir a little more gently. I have come to really love the combination of coconut milk and curry. It was pretty easy to throw together, but it just needs to simmer for 30 minutes. Very good and my kids even liked it!

Cyndi's Curried Coconut Chicken

(or tofu)
"100 Meals for $5 or Less"

(I found it in the Deseret News)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups diced cooked chicken1
12-ounce can light coconut milk
1 14 1/2-ounce can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 cups cooked brown or white rice

Directions
Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Stir in onions and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 7-10 minutes. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 minutes. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

We loved this for dinner. I added cheese to some of the pizzas. The black bean dip was very good. We liked it with chips. I would definitely double or triple it and leave it in the fridge for a black bean hummus. It was also very quick to make.

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

(Black Bean Mexican-Style Pizza From The Food You Crave by Ellie Kreiger)

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 2 as a main course or 8 as an appetizer (It easily fed our family of four)

Ingredients
4 corn tortillas, or whole-wheat tortillas (6-inches in diameter) (we used 6)
1/2 cup Black Bean Dip, recipe follows
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet and spread 2 tablespoons of black bean dip on top of each tortilla. Top with tomato and cabbage and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle some cilantro on each one. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

Black Bean Dip:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Add onions and saute until they soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 1 minute more.
Put the beans into a food processor. Add the onion mixture and the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.
Yield: 1 cup

Macaroni and Four Cheeses

When I made this, my kids really liked it. It was not as "cheesy" as traditional mac and cheese, but the flavor was very good with the sweetness from the squash. I used fresh squash that I cooked and pureed. I also left off the bread crumbs.

Macaroni and Four Cheeses

(From The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger)

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans

This was very good. I sort of had a problem with the garlic, so I just added some minced garlic also. Pretty quick and easy to prepare.

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans

(From the The Food You Crave by Ellie Kreiger)

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings

Ingredients
3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1(15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Put the tomato wedges and garlic into a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a few turns of pepper. Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Drain the beans into a large colander in the sink. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta into the colander containing the beans, so the hot pasta water will warm the beans. Return drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.
When the tomatoes are done, pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Pour the roasted tomatoes into the pasta pot, add the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine. Serve topped with the Parmesan.

Chickpea Soup

This is one of Jamie Oliver's recipes and it is so good! If you make it according to the directions it will be the consistency of mac and cheese, so you might want to double the stock. I also pureed more than half the beans leaving only about 1/4 of them whole.

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
A sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 14-oz. cans of chickpeas
2 1/4 cups of chicken stock
3 1/2 oz. ditalini or other small Italian "soup" pasta
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: a small handful of fresh basil or parsley, leaves picked and torn

Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.
Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour and then, using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.
Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.
At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley or basil.

I suggest serving with some good bread.

Jambalaya Pasta with Chicken (or tofu)

Tonight I made Jambalaya. It has always been one of my favorite dishes to order at restaurants. I have had a recipe for it for a few years, but due to the overwhelming list of ingredients and steps, I had never tried it before. So, several weeks ago, I finally tried it for the first time. It was sooo good. It was a little spicy, but I like it that way. So, I made it again tonight, but without the meat. I added firm tofu for the chicken and skipped the sausage all together. I also replaced the butter with olive oil (not eating dairy for the time being) and it was very tasty anyway. I used mostly whole wheat noodles (about 12 oz.) with the other 4 oz. just regular pasta. Delish. So, here is the recipe. It is pretty long and the first time I made it, it took me longer than an hour (closer to 1 1/2), but this time, I did it under an hour, very worth the time. (Sorry no picture) Another substituion for the pasta is rice. We ate it that way the first time we made it and it was very good too.

Jambalaya Pasta with Chicken
Recipe from The California Pizza Kitchen

Grilled Garlic Chicken

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Minced Garlic

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

½ teaspoon Salt

Two 5-ounce Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Jambalaya Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ pound Andouille sausage cut into 3/8-inch- thick slices
1 medium onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 medium green bell pepper cut into ¼ inch dice (I don't love green, so I used another color)
1 cup diced celery (1/4 inch dice)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 ½ cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in puree
3 ounces canned tomato paste (half of a small can)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 bay leaf

Caribbean Peppers and Onions
¼ cup bottled sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch squares

For the Pasta
1 pound dry linguine (or two pounds fresh)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

To Make the Grilled Garlic Chicken:
In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this mixture and leave them to marinate at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, and then cut into ¾ inch cubes. Cover and refrigerate. (with the tofu, I cubed it and then just cooked it in the oil mixture, gently turning it until it was browned).

To Make the Jambalaya Sauce:
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stir well to blend and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

To Make the Caribbean Peppers and Onions:
In a mixing bowl, stir together the chili sauce, soy sauce and olive oil until thoroughly blended. Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. Toss the pepper and onion squares with the chili sauce marinade to coat thoroughly. Grill or broil the coated vegetables in a single layer, using a spatula or tongs to turn them occasionally, until evenly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

To Prepare the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 5 to 6 minutes for dry pasta or about 3 minutes for fresh pasta.

Meanwhile, in a covered medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the Caribbean Peppers and Onions, Grilled Garlic Chicken cubes and Jambalaya Sauce (remove the bay leaf). Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl.

Drain the linguine thoroughly, add it to the sauce and toss well. Serve family-style or in individual serving bowls, garnished with chopped parsley.

(I added the sauces to the pasta, tossed well and then added the tofu, gently tossing again)

VARIATION: With Shrimp: For the chicken, substitute 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined. Toss them with the same marinade ingredients, but cook them for only 2 to 3 minutes, until they turn bright pink. Leave them while when combining with the other ingredients.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

My Dad makes roasted veggies all the time.  I love them.  They are so incredibly flavorful and the texture is perfect.  Just chop some veggies, toss in a bowl and coat with olive oil and  sea salt (better flavor than table salt), roast in a 425 oven for about a half hour or until veggies are tender. 

Last night I made this and I discovered how AMAZING roasted cauliflour is.  It was so delicious.  I've only had it boiled, which is good (especially with cheese sauce), but this was ten times better.  It was sweet and nutty and mmmmm.  The brussel sprouts were very good too.  Lucy kept begging for more!?!?!  

So here are my recommendations on what is good and what isn't.

Highly recommended:

Beets (golden and/or red), brussel sprouts, sweet potato, onion, mushroom, cauliflour, squash, parsnips, carrotts, leeks.

Not recommended:

Turnips (I gagged and spit mine out)

Roast them altogether or just pick one if you like. I also chopped up some parsley and fresh thyme and we sprinkled them on at the table along with a little fresh squeezed lemon.  Delicious.  Try it as a main dish with a few noodles or rice for a side dish.   

New Cookbook and Stir-Fried Tofu

For Christmas this year, my good friend Emily gave me a new cookbook:

I love it! I especially love it even more now that I don't have to borrow her copy anymore.

I have been trying new recipes all month (from this and other cookbooks). So far, we have liked every dinner from this book. It is a must have cookbook (thanks again Emily!).

I have always wanted to try tofu, but I just wasn't sure what to make and I really wanted my kids to like it. So, I tried stir fry recipe in the book. It was very good and my kids loved it (they also thought it was chicken, but I still consider it a win). I will definitely be trying more recipes with tofu now. Sorry I don't have any pictures of any of the dinners. I have been out of blogging mode lately and just too hungry and excited to try the food. The food is good, just trust me.

Stir-Fried Tofu & Vegetable Teriyaki

serves 4

2 T. canola oil

1 lb. extra firm tofu (cut into 1/2" thick pieces)

3 scallions, minced

2 c. small broccoli florets

1 c. thinly sliced carrots

1/2 c. fresh or frozen red bell pepper strips

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)

1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)

2 T. toasted sesame oil

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. light brown sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 T. of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 T. of oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add the scallions, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper strips, and stir fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the tofu back into the skillet and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice, tamari, sesame oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt & pepper to taste. Blend well. Reheat the skillet over medium high heat. Pour the sauce over the tofu and vegetables and cook, stirring gently, until the tofu and vegetables are hot and well coated with the sauce, about 5 minutes.

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

8 oz. dried flat rice noodles or linguine
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1/3 c. peanut butter
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. tamari (soy sauce)
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 large carrot, shredded
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 c. frozen baby peas, thawed
1/4 c. minced scallions

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sesame oil to coat.

While the noodles are cooking, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl, whisking to blend well. Add a small amount of water if necessary to make a smooth sauce. Set aside.

To the dressing in the bowl, add the carrot, tomatoes, peas, scallions, and the cooked noodles. Toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Note: Ready-to-use fresh rice noodles may be used instead of dried.
Variation: Don't be afraid to vary the vegetables to what you have on hand.

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

2 T. tahini (sesame paste)
1 T. light brown sugar
3 T. mirin (or white cooking wine)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)
2 T. water
12 oz. linguine
8 oz. broccoli florets, cut into 1" pieces
2 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh or bottled minced ginger
Toasted sesame seeds or gomasio

Put the pasta water on to boil in a large covered pot. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, brown sugar, mirin, and red pepper flakes until well blended. Set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, salt it and add the linguine. Cook the linguine until it is al dente, about 10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, add the broccoli and cook until just tender. When the noodles and broccoli are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with the sesame oil and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and broccoli and the sauce, and toss to combine and heat through. Server hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Variation: Substitute asparagus, cut into 2" pieces for the broccoli.

This is so yummy and extremely easy. My kids loved it. I haven't tried the asparagus yet, but that sounds good.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

I was craving lettuce wraps yesterday and looked online and found several recipes for using tofu.  I made a version that sounded fabulous, but though they were good, they weren't wow.  So I need suggestions.  I think the sauce could have used some thickening and I think I should have first baked  or really fried the tofu to give it a bit of a denser texture and crispiness (is that how you do it????).  

Here was what I used, all diced up into little chunks or matchsticks:

Carrots

mushrooms

firm tofu (extra firm would probably be better)

plenty of garlic

shallots and onions (if I would have had more shallots I would have used just them)

scallions

water chestnuts

ginger (fresh)

bean sprouts

First I stir fried the garlic/onion/ginger, then added the tofu, then the veggies and sauce.

for the sauce:

4 TBS lime juice

4 TBS Thai fish sauce

4 TBS tamarin sauce

2 TBS vegetarian version of oyster sauce

2 TBS rice vinegar

1 TBS honey

dash of cayenne (It needed more kick and some cornstarch or something to thicken it)

Toppings:

chopped peanuts

fresh Thai Basil

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

So what do you think would make it more wow?  Any suggestions?

Update:  These were pretty wow reheated for lunch the next day.  Maybe just giving the tofu time to fully absorb the flavor of the sauce is all it takes.

Pad Thai Noodles

I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious.  It serves about 8.

13 oz. bag rice stick noodles

6 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup minced cilantro

6 scallions chopped about 1 inch lengths

3 Tbs fish sauce

2 Tbs tamarind sauce (or ketchup)

2 tsp sweetner like sugar, honey, or agave nectar

1 cup bean sprouts rinsed

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

2 Thai chilies chopped ( I used a much less spicy Anaheim and it worked fine)

1 pack of firm tofu diced into squares

4 beaten eggs cooked crepe-like (so you have a round egg pancake), rolled, then sliced thin into strips

1. Put noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water, let soak until ready (about 15 mns), then drain (let them soak while you do the next couple of steps.  You don't want them to sit undrained or they will stick together and be gross).

2. In hot frying pan pour a neutral flavored oil (like corn or grapeseed, not olive oil) and fry up the garlic, tofu, scallions, and half of the bean sprouts for about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from pan wth slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Put noodles, eggs, fish sauce, tamarind, and sweetner in frying pan and mix and fry for about 1-2 minutes.  

4. Mix noodle mixture with tofu mixture, top with peanuts, chilies, cilantro, and remaining bean sprouts.  Serve with lime wedges.  (You could also garnish with fresh sliced cucumbers)

YUM!

Bean Burritos

I got this recipe from Everyday Food on PBS (photo is also from website). It's pretty quick (it didn't take me an hour to make) and easy. I used the organic frozen sweet corn from Costco, which made the burritos have a sweet flavor. It makes quite a bit and can be frozen.

Bean Burritos

Serves 8 Prep time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour

¾ cup rice (brown or white)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
8 burrito-size (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound ¼ cup rice, ¾ cup bean mixture, and ¼ cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Per serving: (without salsa and sour cream) 519 calories; 18.6 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 70.5 grams carbohydrates; 7.4 grams fiber

Note: Before wrapping individually, freeze burritos on a baking sheet so they don’t come apart in the process; then put back in freezer.

Reheating From Frozen:
Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450° until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is our favorite quick method.
Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450°, 40 minutes; remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping, and bake for 10 minutes.)
Microwave only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe bowl, and defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high, 3 to 4 minutes longer.