Spinach and Smoked Gouda Stuffed Chicken

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This is one of my favorite chicken recipes and I seem to rarely make it - I'm always trying something else, I guess! It's a basic stuffed chicken recipe but it's so rich and delicious that it's perfect for guests (I've made it for dinner guests before). You obviously don't have to stuff it as full as I did; I made too much stuffing to go in just two pieces of chicken and I wasn't about to waste it!

The cheese could change, I suppose, but I just love the rich smoky flavor of smoked gouda. And did I mention that smoked gouda is my favorite cheese ever?

At one time, I had an actual recipe for this but now I just eyeball it. I'm sorry my measurements are not exact - just make it up! This time, I bought thick slices of gouda at the deli counter, so I could buy just enough, and cut it into small pieces instead of shredding. You can see that in the picture (along with where the pat of butter was!).

Spinach and Smoked Gouda Stuffed Chicken
1 box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of liquid
1 box of cream cheese, softened
Shredded smoked gouda - about half a pound for 4 large chicken breasts is plenty
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Butter
Salt and pepper
Ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the cream cheese, spinach and smoked gouda in a small bowl. Sprinkle some nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the mixture. Slice the chicken breasts open to make a deep pocket. Stuff each breast with the cream cheese mixture and place in a greased baking dish. Put a pat of butter on top of each piece of chicken and salt and pepper over top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Frittata Roma

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This recipe was really good. I'm a fan of quiche but Jason really hates crust (how is that even possible?) and quiche takes a long time to cook. A frittata has the same feel of a quiche but without the crust and cooks in a fraction of the time.

I got this recipe from my friend, Kathy. You can change up the ingredients and use things you already have on hand. I used my large cast iron skillet for it. Perfect all in one pan dish!

(I sprinkled the top with grated parmesan right before taking the picture!)

Frittata Roma
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced (I used roasted red peppers instead)
1 red onion, sliced
8 ounces fully-cooked Italian sausage, sliced into coins
1 14-ounce can small artichoke hearts, quartered ( I roughly chopped them prior)
1 cup (4 ounces) Provolone Cheese, shredded (I used mozzarella, I had some on hand)
6 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I used grated)

Preheat broiler. In 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter. Add sundried tomatoes, peppers and onions; cook 3 minutes until onion is tender. Remove from heat, stir in sausage, artichokes and Provolone.

In medium bowl, beat eggs with basil, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over pepper and onion mixture. Gently toss together. Return skillet to stove over medium-low heat; cook until frittata edges are set, 3 to 5 minutes. Place frittata under preheated broiler, 5 inches from heat for 3 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Remove from broiler, sprinkle with Parmesan, and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Honey Walnut Shrimp

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I found this recipe on AllRecipes while looking for new ways to use shrimp. It had great reviews and, since it's my favorite faux chinese dish at Panda Express, I wanted to give it a try.

I hit 4 different stores in my hunt for the mochiko without success so I went with cornstarch, which several reviews substituted with. I plan to hit an Asian food market for it since I'd like to try it the "right" way.

The dish was fairly easy and quick (though a little messy...). I thought the shrimp might adhere to the batter better if they were patted dry, which is what I did with the first batch, but instead it made it difficult to dip - the batter is a gluey texture. So, I tried it "wet" and it worked perfect and went a lot faster!

I was impressed with this recipe. I really think it tastes just like something you'd order at a chinese restaurant (or Panda Express!). We'll definitely have to have it on a fairly regular basis (as regular as I make any dishes) even if Jason picks out all the candied walnuts. More for me!

Honey Walnut Shrimp
1 cup water
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour) - I used cornstarch instead
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.

Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Walnut-Shrimp/Detail.aspx?prop31=1

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce

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Every once in awhile, I check out a magazine at the library called Cook's Country. This is the first time I have made a recipe from it and it was a good one. Today it's cold and wet outside so this was perfect! It was quick, about 30 minutes to prepare, and flavorful. Plus, everything was made in one skillet which means less dishes!

Skillet Meatballs and Noodles in Creamy Herb Sauce
1 pound ground beef (85% or so)
1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese
Salt and pepper
EVOO or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces egg noodles
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken

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This is another recipe from Rachael Ray magazine. It was easy and hands off, since you can throw it in the oven and walk away for awhile. The chicken was flavorful and very juicy. It's another $10 spot meal and was actually very cheap since HEB had bone-in chicken on sale ridiculously cheap a couple of weeks ago and I had everything else on hand. By the way, I have always purchased the tiny can of chipotle peppers in a adobo sauce and typically only use 1 or 2 of the peppers each time. So, I started to take the teensy plasticware containers (the ones that always come in box sets and you never use) and put 2 peppers and some sauce in each and freeze. That way, I rarely have to purchase cans! I just yanked one out of the freezer to thaw the night before I made this recipe.

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken
3 tablespoons butter
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds) <-I used chicken breasts, thighs gross me out

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.

Add the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to the skillet. Add the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Using tongs, coat the chicken in the sauce and place skin side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

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I came across this recipe for salted caramel cupcakes and knew I had to make them. I typically don't bake, so this had to be cheater style. It was super easy with minimal measuring. They came out very moist, rich, and sweet. When I make the next batch, I'm going to up the salt a bit though some at work thought it was perfect the way it was. The original recipe comes from http://www.joyshope.com/.

By the way, "salted caramel" is a little misleading; it's very caramely, and the sea salt just emphasizes the caramel taste. It's not at all salty if that was scaring you.

Salted Caramel Cupcake
One box chocolate cake mix and ingredients to make it (I used Devils Food)
Sea salt
3-5 Skor or Heath bars
1 jar caramel ice cream topping (or make your own, if you're that kind of person)
Your favorite vanilla icing (homemade or storebought - I used cream cheese)
Squeeze bottle

Bake the cupcakes according to the package directions. When the cupcakes are almost done, pour the jar of caramel into a glass measuring bowl (since it has a ridge that makes it easy to pour from) and add 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt for every 8 ounces of caramel. Warm in the microwave for 1 minute then stir. Pour the caramel/salt mixture into the squeeze bottle.

As soon as the cupcakes finish, inject caramel into the center of each. Move them to a cooling rack.

While they are cooling, smash the candy bars into tiny pieces. I enjoyed putting them in a ziplock and beating them with a rolling pin.

Once cooled, top them with frosting and sprinkle the candy bar pieces over top. Drizzle leftover caramel over top of each of them.

Sweet Sausage Rolls (aka Sinful Bites of Joy)

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These are very very bad for you but oh so delicious. A week or so ago, I was looking for things to make for the church-wide Children's Sabbath breakfast and came across these nuggets of goodness. Made a few pans, tried one (okay, more than one), and carted them to church. They were gone before anything else.

They are ridiculously easy. The recipe I found called them Sweet Sausage Rolls but they should be renamed Sinful Bites of Joy. You'll know why when you try them. The dough soaks up the sugar/butter mixture and the chopped pecans stick to the bottom. It's salty. It's sweet. It's crunchy. Try them!

Sinful Bites of Joy
1 tube crescent rolls
24 little smokies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles; cut each lengthwise into three triangles. Place a smokie on the long end and roll up tightly; set aside.

Combine the melted butter and other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour it into the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9x13 glass dish). Arrange smokie rolls, seam side down, in butter mixture. Bake uncovered, at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 dozen.

Grilled Naan Bread "Pizza" with Mango Chutney, Prosciutto and Ricotta

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This is another Aarti recipe - I really love Indian flavors, and have invested in LOTS of Indian spices, and since Aarti usually makes traditional food with an Indian twist, it doesn't feel like we're eating Indian food every night. Case in point, this yummy pizza. The recipe below is with my changes.

With the creation of my incredibly awesome new HEB, I once again have regular access to great ethnic foods. Yes, I could have driven to Central Market but it just never happens. Plus that place is a madhouse! I spotted the naan bread and the prosciutto on my first visit to HEB. Priorities, you know... Kroger doesn't carry either item. Though they might now that HEB is in town. My local Kroger has renovated completely and added a sushi bar to compete. Sorry, Kroger, not gonna work on me.

This was super easy - start to finish, 20 minutes? HEB is lacking one thing - paneer cheese. So instead I went with ricotta, and it was delicious. Jason has never had paneer so I need to find some soon and let him try it. In the meantime, this pizza could use a variety of cheeses on it (feta would be good, too, but Jason hates it). You could also try a variety of toppings. We both really liked it. Very flavorful and a nice change from a strictly tomato based pizza.

Grilled Naan Bread "Pizza"
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons sweet mango chutney
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for a kick!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
A glug extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces of naan bread 
4 slices prosciutto, diced

Preheat your grill.

In a small saucepan, combine the tomato paste, mango chutney, minced garlic, and water over medium heat, until well combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes and then remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, cayenne, cilantro, ground cumin and extra-virgin olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Divide the tomato-mango chutney sauce evenly among the naans, spreading to coat the top. Evenly divide the cheese mixture among the naans and then add the chopped prosciutto. Throw it on the grill for 3-4 minutes until the crust is crispy around the edges.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup (for Pumpkin Spice Latte)

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I did not take a picture of the syrup because, honestly, I had no decent container to put it in. I can point you to the blog that I found the recipe on - she has a great photo of it: http://cooklikeachampion.blogspot.com/2010/09/pumpkin-spice-syrup-for-pumpkin-spice.html

In case you didn't know, I really love coffee. A lot. And I really love Starbucks. A lot. I count down the days until the pumpkin spice latte hits the stores and try to justify the $5 pricetag as many times as I can until it goes away for the year. This syrup may be the key to suddenly having a lot of extra money in the bank - it's so.good. And, since it's homemade, I know what's in it.

I made the syrup in about 10 minutes using stuff I already had in the house (I try to always have canned pumpkin on hand for the dogs - though I admit it's hard to find the stuff right now!). When it was done, I made myself a pumpkin spice latte. Well, as good as I could make without an espresso machine. I used one of my dark, bold KCups and brewed it on the 'iced coffee' setting, which is really concentrated. I poured that into a glass with warmed nonfat milk and about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin spice syrup. It was very similar to the deliciousness that is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. So similar that I'm fighting the urge to drink 10 more tonight.

If you have an espresso machine, will you invite me over? I'll bring the syrup.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin purée

In a small pot over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the remaining ingredients. Allow to cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not boil. Strain mixture using cheesecloth or a tea towel. Pour into a small (8-10 ounce) bottle and store in the refrigerator.

To make a pumpkin spice latte, simply add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of syrup for each shot of espresso.

For an iced latte, stir together syrup and espresso before adding desired amount of cold milk.

For a hot latte, add frothed milk and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Mushroom Bolognese

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This recipe is from the October Cooking Light. It's interesting how the mushrooms take on the same features of a ground beef/pork, especially when you dice it small and cook it down. It was hearty, flavorful, and rich - very good with a little parmesan cheese and whole wheat noodles. This was a low calorie meal, too.

Mushroom Bolognese
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 pound ground pork
8 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup whole milk
10 ounce uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine porcini and boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 20 minutes or until soft. Drain porcini in a colander lined with a paper towel over a bowl, reserving liquid. Rinse and chop porcini.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and pork; cook 10 minutes or until pork is browned, stirring to crumble pork. Add cremini mushrooms, garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 15 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add porcini; cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add reserved porcini liquid and wine; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes as necessary. Stir in milk; cook 2 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding 1 tablespoon salt to cooking water. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce; top with cheese and parsley.

Chili (with Bison and Beans)

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Since the temperature dropped below 90, I decided it was time to have a bowl of chili. Jason and I are both counting calories these days so I went to the token healthy chef on Food Network, Ellie Krieger, for a recipe. Her three bean and beef chili had great reviews and was low calorie. She uses finely chopped vegetables and beans and just a little bit of meat. Certainly not a "Texas Chili" but very good nevertheless.

I somehow decided to make things more difficult for myself and bought dry beans instead of canned; this worked okay, I just had to boil and soak them a day ahead of time and increase the cooking time. In the future, I'll be back to canned.

We opted to use ground bison instead of beef this time.

Chili with Bison and Beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Source: Ellie Krieger (includes nutritional info)

Lasagna Rolls

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I was watching Fine Living Network one day and saw a quick "how to" on making a lasagna roll. I decided it had to be easier than making lasagna and I needed to try it! Now, I cheated a bit for the sake of time. I purchased a jar marinara sauce to use and made the filling myself. This made it quick and cut down on the pots used.

We both really liked it; it tasted like traditional lasagna but was prettier on the plate - not to mention the portion control was easier!

The ricotta mixture is from Giada.

Lasagna Rolls
2 cups (or so) marinara sauce
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
4-5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (I used microwave bacon)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, bacon, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Ladle some marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Brisket Tacos and Cilantro Lime Rice

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For Labor Day, my inlaws came over so I wanted to make something that would be customizable. Tacos are easy, but brisket tacos are easy and delicious. I love ordering brisket tacos at Tex Mex restaurants so I thought I'd just make a standard brisket and add the usual taco fixings. I thought it turned out pretty tasty.

This brisket recipe is from Tyler Florence and was very good; probably the best brisket I've had in awhile (not compared to the smoked brisket at BBQ places - I don't have a smoker!). It was very juicy, tender, with lots of flavor.

Beef Brisket Recipe
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from the stem and chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (4 pound) beef brisket, first-cut (I had a huge brisket that I cut into 3 parts and froze - I used just 1 part, which was about 4 pounds)
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 large carrots, cut in 3-inch chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in 3-inch chunks (reviews said this got mushy so I skipped it)
4 large red onions, halved
2 cups dry red wine
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.

Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of wine or water and blend into the gravy).

Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal.

*My changes: I did not make the gravy, since we were using them in tacos. I had sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and flour tortillas to go with it.
 
 
 
For the sides, I made cilantro lime rice and black beans - they could be used in the tacos or on the side. Or both. 
 

This is surprisingly similar to the rice at Chipotle - it would be great in a burrito, taco, burrito bowl, or just as a side dish.
 
Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups water (use chicken broth; it's MUCH better)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Bring the water to a boil; stir the butter and rice into the water. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro into the cooked rice just before serving.

Sloppy Bombay Joes

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I think it's impossible to get a sloppy joe to look appealing? This meal is from my new favorite Food Network host - Aarti. I rooted for her during The Next Food Network Star and am so pleased with her first few episodes. I already loved Indian food, and the spices they use, but her recipes give even more ways to use the unique flavors.

Now, I do not like sloppy joes. Matter of fact, it's a "man meal" that Jason makes if I go out of town because I'm not making it or eating it. I have to eat my words after trying these - they were delicious. Obviously worlds apart from the dreaded canned Manwich you can find at Walmart but still very easy and so tasty. Since her recipe uses ground turkey, and relies on spices for flavor, the calorie count can't be that bad...

Sloppy Bombay Joes
Sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely minced (save the other half for the turkey)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Turkey:
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Small handful shelled pistachios, about 1/4 cup
Small handful raisins, about 1/4 cup (I skipped - I really hate raisins)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (skipped - but want to try it again with them)
1/2 large white onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (skipped)
1/2 serrano chile, seeds intact (don't chop it up unless you like things spicy!)
Kosher salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup half-and-half (I used a little cream instead)
Small handful chopped fresh cilantro (soft stems included)
4 to 6 hamburger buns
 
Begin by making the sauce: Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until it shimmers. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Saute until the ginger and garlic brown a little. Add the garam masala and paprika and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile for the turkey, in large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of oil. When shimmering, add the pistachios and raisins. Cook until the raisins swell up and the pistachios toast slightly. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of oil, and warm until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for about 10 seconds, or until some of the sizzling subsides. Stir in the onions and bell pepper; saute until softened and starting to brown. Add the serrano pepper. Saute for another couple of minutes, seasoning with a little salt. Stir in the turkey, breaking up the big lumps. Cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, your sauce should be ready. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the turkey. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Once the turkey is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little, remove the serrano pepper. Add the honey, half-and-half, pistachios and raisins. Stir through and taste for seasoning. Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro.

Toast the buns, fill with the turkey mixture and serve.

Scallops with Sauteed Spinach, Basil, and Cream

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This recipe is from my friend, Sheryl, who adapted the original recipe. I used her suggestions for the most part and it was really, really tasty. I wish my picture looked as good as hers so you could see just how nice this dish looks when plated.

Scallops With Basil and Cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound bay or sea scallops
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Pasta, cooked

Heat the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until they are just soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the scallops and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a platter and set aside.

Add the basil and cream and cook until the cream reduces and thickens a bit. Season with salt and pepper. Return the scallops to the skillet and toss gently to coat with the sauce. To serve, pour the mixture over linguine or angel hair pasta.

*My changes, per Sheryl's suggestions: I seared the scallops prior and just added them at the end. I sauteed some spinach in butter and garlic, set aside, and then plated it under the scallop mixture. I also doubled the sauce so there would be plenty. We got 3 good servings from this recipe (with the doubled sauce)