zucchini, tomato & corn saute
Aug. 12th, 2014 01:17 amIt's late; I should certainly be in bed. But I made a dish for the first time this evening & thought I'd make mark of the situation.
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dinner tonight
Aug. 4th, 2014 07:24 pmI'd been in the mood for a Philly cheese steak sub. But I didn't have the right kind of bread.
I did, however, recently purchase naan. So I decided to make a naan-style Philly cheesesteak pizza.
I sauteed the onions, bell pepper & mushrooms with a clove of minced garlic; slices of deli roast beef followed. I lined the naan with thin slices of pecorino & shredded mozzarella (as I didn't have Provolone), then topped it with the beef & pepper mixture. I popped that in a 400-degree oven for a few minutes, then added slices of fresh mozzarella on top; back into the oven for a few minutes more, until the cheese melted.
Now it's looking all gooey & cheesy & onion-peppery. I'm letting it cool a bit. Hope it turns out.
Edit: It's a good thing the only other thing I had to eat today was yogurt for breakfast. Wow, is this rich. I can just look at it & gain five pounds.
The taste is pretty good, but it's missing . . . something. Maybe some herbs, like dried oregano. Or some tang, a splash of vinegar. Something. Still pretty tasty.
2nd edit: Worcestershire sauce! That would be the thing to try.
I did, however, recently purchase naan. So I decided to make a naan-style Philly cheesesteak pizza.
I sauteed the onions, bell pepper & mushrooms with a clove of minced garlic; slices of deli roast beef followed. I lined the naan with thin slices of pecorino & shredded mozzarella (as I didn't have Provolone), then topped it with the beef & pepper mixture. I popped that in a 400-degree oven for a few minutes, then added slices of fresh mozzarella on top; back into the oven for a few minutes more, until the cheese melted.
Now it's looking all gooey & cheesy & onion-peppery. I'm letting it cool a bit. Hope it turns out.
Edit: It's a good thing the only other thing I had to eat today was yogurt for breakfast. Wow, is this rich. I can just look at it & gain five pounds.
The taste is pretty good, but it's missing . . . something. Maybe some herbs, like dried oregano. Or some tang, a splash of vinegar. Something. Still pretty tasty.
2nd edit: Worcestershire sauce! That would be the thing to try.
I'd started marinating a porterhouse steak yesterday, separated (New York Strip Steak on one divide of the bone, tenderloin filet on the other), but the household decided to go for ground beef burritos with fixings.
Tonight, I'm dining on the strip steak section of the porterhouse, topped with sauteed white mushrooms & sliced shallots, alongside corn on the cob I bought from the farmers' market yesterday. This is a delightful dinner. I only wish I'd more mushrooms & shallots. Mmmmm.
Tonight, I'm dining on the strip steak section of the porterhouse, topped with sauteed white mushrooms & sliced shallots, alongside corn on the cob I bought from the farmers' market yesterday. This is a delightful dinner. I only wish I'd more mushrooms & shallots. Mmmmm.
Braised Bok Choy with Tomatoes & Gruyere
Jun. 23rd, 2014 08:46 amI came across this recipe about a week ago & finally prepared it last night. It was pretty good, though I think 1/2 cup Gruyere would be better (to balance the brininess of the olives).
( recipe )
I tried the recipe primarily because it's one of the first I've come across that treats bok choy in a manner that doesn't conform to typical Asian flavors. I like the Mediterranean treatment, yet at the same time this recipe really highlighted for me the difference between Chinese cabbage & regular(?) cabbage. Bok choy has quite a distinctive flavor & texture.
( recipe )
I tried the recipe primarily because it's one of the first I've come across that treats bok choy in a manner that doesn't conform to typical Asian flavors. I like the Mediterranean treatment, yet at the same time this recipe really highlighted for me the difference between Chinese cabbage & regular(?) cabbage. Bok choy has quite a distinctive flavor & texture.
monstrosity
Apr. 8th, 2014 08:11 amAt the tail end of my dream, for some reason, my mind inserted the phrase "French toast Twinkies" into the mouth of one of the persons there.
I woke to find someone has already concocted a recipe for the things.
I woke to find someone has already concocted a recipe for the things.
I've a hankering for Asian food again. (I think the cravings are seasonal.) Tonight I tried my hand--again--at chicken soup with coconut milk and lemongrass, also known as Tom Kha Gai.
Sadly, I realized way too late in my prep work that, while I did have lime juice, I did not have lime zest (unlike the orange & lemon zests I keep in the pantry regularly). This posed a problem, as the juice & zest were already substitutions for kaffir lime leaves, which I've never used heretofore.
I think I adjusted the flavor accordingly (extra lime juice + 1/8 tsp lemon zest, then sugar at the end to balance flavors). I'm letting the first bowl cool as we speak.
In general, I want to work more with lemongrass as well as with coconut milk.
Addendum: It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I love the accent of cilantro (an ingredient I've been trying to cultivate a taste for). I really like this dish, unlike the last time I made it, when it was overly sour.
Sadly, I realized way too late in my prep work that, while I did have lime juice, I did not have lime zest (unlike the orange & lemon zests I keep in the pantry regularly). This posed a problem, as the juice & zest were already substitutions for kaffir lime leaves, which I've never used heretofore.
I think I adjusted the flavor accordingly (extra lime juice + 1/8 tsp lemon zest, then sugar at the end to balance flavors). I'm letting the first bowl cool as we speak.
In general, I want to work more with lemongrass as well as with coconut milk.
Addendum: It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I love the accent of cilantro (an ingredient I've been trying to cultivate a taste for). I really like this dish, unlike the last time I made it, when it was overly sour.
experimenting
Jan. 6th, 2014 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
netmouse & flinx, in their expansive generosity, gave me an immersion blender for Christmas. (When I opened the wrapping paper & read the box, I squealed like a child.) She knew how much I'd been wanting one (though I swear I merely mentioned that in an aside, maybe once). I was excited to try new cooking items, but having never used such an appliance, I had somewhat of a dearth of ideas.This week, I realized that I had a bunch of spinach I'd purchased last week, so I needed to do something with it STAT. I decided to make a spinach & chickpea puree to pair with Moroccan chicken & jasmine rice.
The puree is not the most attractive color in the world. However, I can say that I've never enjoyed spinach quite so much. I will definitely make this again.
I adapted my dish from this recipe. I omitted the celery, bouquet garni, cornstarch & yogurt; I also put the rice on the side. Also, as I was cooking just for myself & so was using only one chicken breast, I reduced this recipe down pretty much in half (this meant that all of the spices used [aside from salt] were pinches or dashes).
I'm dancing in my seat as I eat.
last of the gator
Oct. 26th, 2013 07:26 pmSo I took the remaining 1/2 lb of the alligator & made fajitas. I did this because I read that alligator can be substituted in most seafood, poultry or lamb (!) recipes. I figured it would be a good middle ground between chicken & shrimp in terms of flavor & texture.
I was going to use this recipe, but the marinade came out quite spicy. I chose to save that for actual chicken. Instead, I used a packet of fajita seasoning.
The fajitas came out pretty well! The meat is much more tender than chicken. It's almost overwhelmed by the seasoning but then the particular flavor of the meat comes through at the end. While cooking, more water was released than with chicken, which was surprising & for which I should have made an adjustment. At the same time, the extra moisture may have kept the protein from drying out.
I'd totally make this again.
I was going to use this recipe, but the marinade came out quite spicy. I chose to save that for actual chicken. Instead, I used a packet of fajita seasoning.
The fajitas came out pretty well! The meat is much more tender than chicken. It's almost overwhelmed by the seasoning but then the particular flavor of the meat comes through at the end. While cooking, more water was released than with chicken, which was surprising & for which I should have made an adjustment. At the same time, the extra moisture may have kept the protein from drying out.
I'd totally make this again.
Honey-Soy Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy
Jul. 2nd, 2013 04:15 pmHoney-Soy Glazed Salmon with Bok Choy
I've made this recipe twice, with the next iteration in an hour or so (I'm letting the salmon marinate). It's delicious, with simple but bold flavors that complement each other.
I keep meaning to substitute steelhead trout for salmon in this recipe, as I've found in the past that soy-based sauces are so much in the forefront that the steelhead mimics salmon almost perfectly. (In other preparations, such as butter or olive oil with herbs, the differences between the two types of fish definitely make themselves known.) However, today I was able to find sockeye salmon that had yet to be frozen, so I decided to go with the fresh filet.
I've made this recipe twice, with the next iteration in an hour or so (I'm letting the salmon marinate). It's delicious, with simple but bold flavors that complement each other.
I keep meaning to substitute steelhead trout for salmon in this recipe, as I've found in the past that soy-based sauces are so much in the forefront that the steelhead mimics salmon almost perfectly. (In other preparations, such as butter or olive oil with herbs, the differences between the two types of fish definitely make themselves known.) However, today I was able to find sockeye salmon that had yet to be frozen, so I decided to go with the fresh filet.
Tuna Salad Sandwich
I used green onions instead of red onion; Miracle Whip rather than mayonnaise; Sriracha sauce for Tabasco. Also, I added chopped boiled eggs & deleted the tomato. It turned out very well--Jeff seemed to really like it today at lunch & I finished it off when I got home.
I had dried basil, not fresh. Same for the lime juice. I'm sure the alternatives would make a huge difference.
The capers add enough of a salt taste that adding table salt at the end is rather unnecessary, IMO. Others may disagree with me, but I thought I'd add that note for the next time I make this dish.
I used green onions instead of red onion; Miracle Whip rather than mayonnaise; Sriracha sauce for Tabasco. Also, I added chopped boiled eggs & deleted the tomato. It turned out very well--Jeff seemed to really like it today at lunch & I finished it off when I got home.
I had dried basil, not fresh. Same for the lime juice. I'm sure the alternatives would make a huge difference.
The capers add enough of a salt taste that adding table salt at the end is rather unnecessary, IMO. Others may disagree with me, but I thought I'd add that note for the next time I make this dish.
delectable
Sep. 30th, 2011 11:09 pmTonight I prepared the lamb chops I'd purchased a couple of weeks ago. I don't eat lamb often, but I have fond memories of my great-aunt Helen making lamb chops for the two of us.
They turned out fantastic. I used this simple recipe. I didn't have an appropriate vegetable, but I'd complement this with asparagus or broccoli. Jasmine rice enhanced the dish.
They turned out fantastic. I used this simple recipe. I didn't have an appropriate vegetable, but I'd complement this with asparagus or broccoli. Jasmine rice enhanced the dish.
Bacon Mac & Cheese with Wisconsin Gruyere
Aug. 25th, 2011 07:01 pmI've finally gotten around to preparing the gruyere macaroni & cheese recipe. It looks & sounds delicious.
The substitutions I've made so far: instead of heavy cream, I used cream of mushroom mixed with equal amounts of 2% milk; also, without fresh rosemary, I've used an equivalent of dried rosemary. As for bacon, I only have turkey bacon; hopefully, that won't make too much of a difference. Lastly, I went with linguine, as I originally imagined the dish with that style of pasta.
The reason I'm using cream of mushroom soup: after tasting a recent rendition of mac & cheese made by my mother, I couldn't get enough. I believe I had three servings over two days. This is noteworthy, as I'm usually lukewarm when it comes to mac & cheese.
So the recipe is in motion. Right now, I'm waiting for the sauce to reduce. It's taking forever.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
the rather burnt bottom of the saucepan. The recipe calls for the cream to stay at a boil until reduced, so there wasn't much I could do to keep it from browning & sticking.
Also, the gruyere is a tad too bitter to be the only cheese. I have a bit of sharp cheddar at hand; adding it to the finished product has tempered the flavor.
Oh well. I have leftovers to last a week. My taste buds had better acquire a taste soon.
The substitutions I've made so far: instead of heavy cream, I used cream of mushroom mixed with equal amounts of 2% milk; also, without fresh rosemary, I've used an equivalent of dried rosemary. As for bacon, I only have turkey bacon; hopefully, that won't make too much of a difference. Lastly, I went with linguine, as I originally imagined the dish with that style of pasta.
The reason I'm using cream of mushroom soup: after tasting a recent rendition of mac & cheese made by my mother, I couldn't get enough. I believe I had three servings over two days. This is noteworthy, as I'm usually lukewarm when it comes to mac & cheese.
So the recipe is in motion. Right now, I'm waiting for the sauce to reduce. It's taking forever.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
the rather burnt bottom of the saucepan. The recipe calls for the cream to stay at a boil until reduced, so there wasn't much I could do to keep it from browning & sticking.
Also, the gruyere is a tad too bitter to be the only cheese. I have a bit of sharp cheddar at hand; adding it to the finished product has tempered the flavor.
Oh well. I have leftovers to last a week. My taste buds had better acquire a taste soon.
chipotle sweet potato soup
May. 23rd, 2011 07:27 pmOn a whim, I bought Pacific Natural Foods Chipotle Sweet Potato soup. To accompany it, I also got some boneless skinless chicken breasts & a couple of sweet potatoes.
I cubed one of the breasts to cook over medium heat in a tablespoon of olive oil. I shaved the skin off the sweet potatoes, chunked them, then put them in a medium pot with the whole container of soup. I heated the soup over medium-high heat.
Once the chicken was cooked through, I added the cubes to the soup & let everything come to a slow boil. I reduced the heat & let the soup soften the sweet potatoes.
The soup itself has a good flavor, not too overpowering, not too subtle. If I had chipotle powder, I would have seasoned the chicken while it was initially cooking--as it stands, the chicken seems somewhat flavorless against the soup. The sweet potatoes didn't take long at all to soften & blends well with the rest of the ingredients.
I'll cook this again. It was quick (10 mins prep, 15-20 mins cooking time) & tasty. It would be good even without the chicken.
I cubed one of the breasts to cook over medium heat in a tablespoon of olive oil. I shaved the skin off the sweet potatoes, chunked them, then put them in a medium pot with the whole container of soup. I heated the soup over medium-high heat.
Once the chicken was cooked through, I added the cubes to the soup & let everything come to a slow boil. I reduced the heat & let the soup soften the sweet potatoes.
The soup itself has a good flavor, not too overpowering, not too subtle. If I had chipotle powder, I would have seasoned the chicken while it was initially cooking--as it stands, the chicken seems somewhat flavorless against the soup. The sweet potatoes didn't take long at all to soften & blends well with the rest of the ingredients.
I'll cook this again. It was quick (10 mins prep, 15-20 mins cooking time) & tasty. It would be good even without the chicken.
I am making a sort of jam from dried apricots. This is so I can then prepare apricot salmon. (Nearly all of the recipes I researched called for apricot jam or preserves along with fresh or dried apricots, so I had to create some.)
I thought apricot would go well with salmon after enjoying a fillet with peach mango salsa. That was scrumptious. The only problem I foresee is that I may be overdoing it with regards to apricots, as I just made apricot chicken Friday. This may be the last hurrah for a while.
I thought apricot would go well with salmon after enjoying a fillet with peach mango salsa. That was scrumptious. The only problem I foresee is that I may be overdoing it with regards to apricots, as I just made apricot chicken Friday. This may be the last hurrah for a while.
satisfying my sweet tooth
Feb. 11th, 2011 10:19 amLast night, I tried making this recipe for cranberry bread. The dough seemed to come out fine, despite not having any orange rind.
However, it didn't bake correctly. The recipe calls for a 325-degree oven, which left my bread still uncooked in the middle after 50 minutes. I tried putting it in for longer, but for some reason that didn't work.
Next up: dried cranberry coffee cake. Or maybe I'll just make a few oatmeal-craisin cookies.
However, it didn't bake correctly. The recipe calls for a 325-degree oven, which left my bread still uncooked in the middle after 50 minutes. I tried putting it in for longer, but for some reason that didn't work.
Next up: dried cranberry coffee cake. Or maybe I'll just make a few oatmeal-craisin cookies.
Apple-Cranberry Chicken Breasts
Dec. 18th, 2010 04:50 pmI bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts today while shopping (a great price: 3.5 lbs for $5). I tried to figure out how to prepare them. I came across a couple of recipes, but now I can find only one. I decided to combine them to see how they'd come out.
Like I said, I adore sweetmeat:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
1/4 cup tart apple, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 oz. Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 oz. walnuts, chopped (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix apples & cranberries (as well as walnuts, if desired). Set aside.
Take each half of the breast & slice its interior horizontally. Salt & pepper each side of the halves. Place a slice of Gruyere within each incision, then fill remainder of space with apple/cranberry mixture. Fold each half closed & place in an ungreased baking dish. Cover each breast half with thin scoops of the jellied cranberry sauce; spread or arrange to cover evenly.
Place baking dish in oven & bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven & ensure cranberry sauce still evenly covers breast halves; if not, spread accordingly. Bake 25 minutes more or until flesh is cooked through.
Serve immediately with rice, if desired.
Like I said, I adore sweetmeat:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
1/4 cup tart apple, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 oz. Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 oz. walnuts, chopped (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix apples & cranberries (as well as walnuts, if desired). Set aside.
Take each half of the breast & slice its interior horizontally. Salt & pepper each side of the halves. Place a slice of Gruyere within each incision, then fill remainder of space with apple/cranberry mixture. Fold each half closed & place in an ungreased baking dish. Cover each breast half with thin scoops of the jellied cranberry sauce; spread or arrange to cover evenly.
Place baking dish in oven & bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven & ensure cranberry sauce still evenly covers breast halves; if not, spread accordingly. Bake 25 minutes more or until flesh is cooked through.
Serve immediately with rice, if desired.
I attempted to make this recipe for "healthy" sugar cookies, because I wanted something sweet but not extraordinarily fatty. (My sweet tooth has been in overdrive lately.) The recipe seemed simple enough & I had all the ingredients, so I set to baking.
The one thing I didn't take into account was that I didn't have unsalted butter. I used Smart Balance Original, in which salt is the second listed ingredient. I should have reduced or removed the added salt, but I neglected to do so.
Now I have salty sugar cookies. *sigh*
The one thing I didn't take into account was that I didn't have unsalted butter. I used Smart Balance Original, in which salt is the second listed ingredient. I should have reduced or removed the added salt, but I neglected to do so.
Now I have salty sugar cookies. *sigh*
I'm rediscovering my love of sweet potatoes.
Even though I just had some oatmeal this evening, I'm thinking of making sweet potato oatmeal. Doesn't that sound good? (I'm thinking of creating the latter, actually, as I have walnuts at the ready but not pecans.)
Well, I have two tubers in the oven to soften. I don't have many ingredients here at the moment, but I plan to pick up more sweet potatoes when I shop tomorrow. Anyone else have any scrumptious recipes that feature them?
Even though I just had some oatmeal this evening, I'm thinking of making sweet potato oatmeal. Doesn't that sound good? (I'm thinking of creating the latter, actually, as I have walnuts at the ready but not pecans.)
Well, I have two tubers in the oven to soften. I don't have many ingredients here at the moment, but I plan to pick up more sweet potatoes when I shop tomorrow. Anyone else have any scrumptious recipes that feature them?
Can you spare asparagus & pears?
Oct. 29th, 2010 07:52 pmI'm trying out another experiment. I had some asparagus & pears, so I decided to see what would make those go together. Most of the recipes I retrieved featured salad with lemon & walnuts. Well, I haven't any walnuts. However, a lemon hid in the crisper.
Also, some recipes called for mustard, one for honey mustard. I love honey but don't get to eat much these days. I figured I could make these flavors (& then some) come together.
So, to go with my frozen salmon fillet, I decided to roast the asparagus. I rolled the spears in fresh-squeezed lemon juice, then topped them with slices of the remaining lemon (which will be removed later). I sprinkled a pinch of salt, a pinch of ground ginger, & a dash of white pepper across the spears. I then dotted them randomly with slivers of fresh garlic & diced onion. Lastly, I flanked the spears with slices of pear.
I'm letting the asparagus roast for 20 minutes. Once done, I'll serve them with the honey mustard sauce on the side.
I'll let you know how the dish turns out.
Also, some recipes called for mustard, one for honey mustard. I love honey but don't get to eat much these days. I figured I could make these flavors (& then some) come together.
So, to go with my frozen salmon fillet, I decided to roast the asparagus. I rolled the spears in fresh-squeezed lemon juice, then topped them with slices of the remaining lemon (which will be removed later). I sprinkled a pinch of salt, a pinch of ground ginger, & a dash of white pepper across the spears. I then dotted them randomly with slivers of fresh garlic & diced onion. Lastly, I flanked the spears with slices of pear.
I'm letting the asparagus roast for 20 minutes. Once done, I'll serve them with the honey mustard sauce on the side.
I'll let you know how the dish turns out.
Tonight, I prepared the sauteed zucchini dish for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sarahmichigan and dionysus1999. I didn't have enough red bell pepper (well, actually, orange), so I substituted carrot instead (thanks for the suggestion, davidfcooper). I added almonds, as one of the recipes I'd researched suggested sauteing zucchini with almonds. Lastly, I forgot the dash of sugar, but the marinara sauce was sufficiently sweet, I think.
( recipe )
sarahmichigan and dionysus1999. I didn't have enough red bell pepper (well, actually, orange), so I substituted carrot instead (thanks for the suggestion, davidfcooper). I added almonds, as one of the recipes I'd researched suggested sauteing zucchini with almonds. Lastly, I forgot the dash of sugar, but the marinara sauce was sufficiently sweet, I think.( recipe )
