Simple, Sweet, and Sour.

I was going to title this blog post "Take-Out... At home!" but I thought about how trite that sounds... Everyone's used it, so why should I?

Last night, I made a lovely roasted sweet potato and red leaf lettuce salad and I cooked up a few chicken breasts to go along with it. I had one leftover because Isaias didn't eat. (Sometimes, he's like Thomas because he's so picky with food.) I cubed that up tonight and tossed it in with the sweet and sour vegetables... you can use pork, chicken, beef... whatever meat you'd like. What I like about Asian food is that most of it is vegetable-centric. So very little meat can go a long way. Oh, one more thing: when I am talking about "bags" as measurements for the vegetables, I generally mean the smaller bags... not the "super duper family sized" bags that generally cost $2 or more...

Quick Sweet & Sour Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 small can of chopped pineapple, reserve 1/3 cup of the juice
1 bag of frozen mixed peppers and onion strips
1/2 bag of frozen broccoli
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon flour
Meat of your choice (and the qty to your liking. I used leftover chicken)

Directions


1. Heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add peppers. Cook until warmed through.
2. Meanwhile, mix reserved pineapple juice (1/3 cup will do fine), rice vinegar, soy sauce, and flour together. Set aside.
3. Add broccoli, pineapple, and meat (make sure you've precooked your meat! You can season it how you choose).
4. Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Stir sauce mixture and add to pan. Cook through until everything is nice and heated and sauce thickens. Make sure you stir the vegetables and sauce together that way the sauce mixes with some of the water that has gathered in the pan from the frozen vegetables.

And then-- VOILA!! You can serve along with rice, if you'd like!

Spicy Chicken Empanadas

A few weeks ago, I borrowed the "Kitchen Bible" from the library. I read a seemingly wonderful recipe for empanadas dough and filling. I love empanadas... especially the cheesy, gooey ones from On the Border. The recipe in the book, however, was for a tomato-based filling and I wasn't in the mood for that. I chose to "wing it" and make my own version using ingredients on hand. Needless to say, I went through all the hard work of making the dough (the only mixer I own is a fork) for nothing. The version that I made was dry, not so cheesy, and just a disaster.

I really to take another shot at empanadas, but making the dough is incredibly time consuming and difficult. I've read recipes that call for using frozen pie crust as a short cut... but I don't feel buying a bunch of frozen pies to make them! Thankfully, I was able to find pre-made empanada dough. A pack of 10 rounds will run $1.50... and I'll tell you what... I couldn't think of another way to spend that money. :) 

Note: You can pick up a rotisserie chicken for this at the grocery store as a short cut... but you won't need the whole thing.

Ingredients:

1 10 count package of premade Empanada rounds

2 Chicken breasts - shredded [season and cook yours how you like. I did a random mix of spiced and put it in the slow cooker)

1 Pablano Pepper

4 Plum Tomatoes, chopped

2 Chipotle Peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tbsp - Cilantro

1 c. Chicken Broth

3/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion chopped

Olive Oil

Directions:

1.  Put the pablano pepper in the oven. Broil for 5 minutes [or until skin blisters and turns black] and flip. Continue to broil for 5 more minutes [or until skin blisters and turns black].
2. Remove from oven, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the pepper steam for a few minutes. Once the skin is loose, peel it off. Cut off the step and remove the seeds and ribs. Chop the pepper up into small pieces, set aside. 
3. Meanwhile, shred the cooked chicken, chop the tomato, chop the chipotle chiles, and cilantro. Set aside.
4. Chop up the onion and mince the garlic. Heat up oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic together until soft/translucent. 
5. Add the cinnamon and cumin. Cook for 1 minute longer.
6. Add chicken, tomato, chipotle chiles, and the chopped pablano. Mix together for 1 minutes.
7. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Bring it down to a simmer for 25 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick.
8. Remove from heat and add cilantro. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
9. Fill empanadas with 1-2 table spoons of the mixture and sprinkle with cheese on top.
10. Fold the empanada into a half circle and press the edges together with a fork. 
11. Fill the bottom of a skillet/pan with 1/2" oil and heat. They say to heat it until the oil reaches 375*F... BUT if you are like me and you don't have a frying thermometer, you can use the end of a wooden spoon. Dip it in the oil and if it starts to fizzle, you're good to go! Fry each side of the empanada for 30 seconds. 
12. TADA!

It seems like a lot of work, but it is so worth it. It is spicy, yet not punishing. So if your kids don't like spicy, like mine, just put some plain chicken and cheese into a few. 

The Big Easy style Jambalaya

When Isaias and I started dating, we would frequent the American Cafe. It was there that I discovered Jambalaya. I have never ordered it... but Isaias seemed to order that every time we went. When I began cooking for him (and having to grocery shop for two instead of just myself, which was easy, because I was on a lovely diet of Ramen noodles and NutriGrain bars), I stumbled across Zataran's Jambalaya rice mix... seemed simple enough, all we had to do was add the meat.

Zataran's is expensive... especially when you consider the small amount they give you in the package. I always found myself having to add more rice... and when you add more rice you have to add more water... and when you add more water, you lose the flavor. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I read a true to it's name Quick and Easy Stovetop Jambalaya  recipe in Robin Miller's "Quick Fix Meals" cook book. I've adapted this recipe to my family's taste. It is delicious either way!

Ingredients:

Rice (qty varies for families. I cook mine separately so I can save and freeze the leftover rice.)

2 tsp. Olive Oil

1/2 c. Onion (chopped)

1 Bell Pepper (chopped)

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1/4 c. Pickled Jalapenos
1/2 lb Chicken (cut into 1" chunks)
1 tsp. cajun or creole seasoning (I use Tony's)
1 tsp. oregano

1/2 lb Sausage (Kielbasa cut into 1" rounds) 

2 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

Directions

1) Cook Rice - Set aside
2) Heat oil in a pan and combine onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos. Cook for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

3) Add chicken until white on all sides (about 5 minutes)
4) Add cajun seasoning and oregano and stir until chicken and vegetables are mixed well with seasoning.

5) Add sausage and cook for 2 minutes.

6) Add tomatoes and bay leaves; cover and simmer until done (3-5 minutes) REMOVE BAY LEAVES.

7) Plate the rice and spoon the jambalaya mix over rice.... or you can mix it all together.

Delicious!

Flat Bread -- My way

I have never been much of a sandwich bread type of girl.... I will settle for bagels, rolls, and even english muffins. My favorite type of bread, by far, is flat bread. I usually buy this awesome flat bread from Costco--- I don't know the brand... and no, it's not FlatOut... but I ran out and I wanted to make sandwiches for dinner tonight. (It's a lazy sunday).

Really, this is just a basic flour tortilla recipe-- EXCEPT I added a bit or red wine vinegar, parsley, basil, and garlic powder. 

Yields: 9 flats

Ingredients:

3 c. all purpose flour (see note)
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp veg oil/canola oil
1 c. water
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Olive Oil

--NOTE: you will find yourself adding more flour for dusting so it's not so sticky.

Directions: 

1) Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl. (I find it easiest to mix together first with a fork (until crumbly) and them really meld it together with my hands.)

2) Roll dough into 3" balls. Set aside and cover. Let rest for 30 minutes.

3) Use a rolling pin to roll each section out on a surface dusted with flour. Use your discretion for thickness. I prefer  roughly 1/8" thick. You can be precise and roll into perfect squares or rounds... but if you enjoy the uniqueness of imperfection, make them odd ball shapes.

4) Heat skillet to medium heat.
5) Brush olive oil onto the side that will go down into the skillet first. Place on skillet. Brush other side with olive oil.

6) Flip once bubbles start to form (about 30-40 seconds). Cook other side for 30 seconds.

7) TA-DA! Remove from skillet and set aside. Repeat until finished.

Behold! Chicken salad on my homemade flat bread!

Chicken with Herb Sauce

Let me just put this out there: I cook chicken... a lot. Most of this stems from the fact that a) any beef other than ground is terribly expensive and b) I can't really cook a steak well.... most of the time it turns out a kin to dog food, and c) pork is not an option. I just don't like it (except in hot dogs and ham).

That being said, I went to the library on Sunday and checked out a few new cook books. On previous trips, I have borrowed the whole darn Sandra Lee collection and ended up feeling empty. Most of her recipes were simple an convenient, but not appetizing. For the short order and unmotivated cook looking to impress, she is perfect... otherwise, not so much.

Anywho-- I borrowed the "Illustrated Kitchen Bible" which boasts over 3,000 recipes with color pictures! I swear, the moment I have $35 extra dollars to spend, I will buy this book. For now, jotting down the recipes will do.

Tonight, I made Chicken with Herb Sauce... with some angel hair pasta.

Delicious... so delicious, in fact, I decided to do a little fancy plating of the dish once complete. Photo follows the recipe.

Chicken with Herb Sauce (from the Illustrated Kitchen Bible... recipe not followed as exactly written... the way I did it is below. I omitted anchovy filets [yuck!] and celery [didn't have])

Ingredients:

3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts

1 small onion, sliced
1 cup baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
a few parsley sprigs

For the sauce:

1/2 c. parsley leaves

1/2 c. basil leaves

1 tbsp. nonpareil capers, rinsed
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. olive oil
dash of salt & pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 375*F. Place chicken in a roasting pan along with onions, carrots, and enough water to cover. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from over, remove foil, and cool.
2) Pulse the parsley, basil, capers, vinegar, and garlic in a food processor until combined. Slowly add oil and continue to pulse until combined.
3) Remove the chicken from the liquid an thinly slice across the grain. Transfer to plate and top with sauce.

I served this on top of cooled angel hair pasta. It's a nice light dish for a hot day like today!

...another thank you card

With summer comes the task of cutting the grass. Luckily (or not so luckily,) I live in a townhouse that has a laid brick back yard and a small grassy front yard. It is hardly large enough to roll a lawn mower around so a weed whacker does the trick. However, we don't own a weed whacker-- but my neighbor does. On my way into the house after a long day of work, I notice how lovely my small grass plot was. I had no idea my neighbor whacked the grass, so being the recluse that I am, I walked past their open front door greeting them with nothing more than a nod. It wasn't until later that Isaias told me they treated us. I made this thank you card for them. Really simple... and to the point.

Ta da!

Assembly lines

My acquaintance from college's son is turning one this week. I cannot make it to his birthday party (shame, I know...). She lives in Maryland and because I lack the desire to drive up there in the evening or on weekends, I will send a care package... equipped with a card! I made this simple card with some Martha Stewart stamps (they were on clearance) and some tire brads that my sister gave to me over the fall. I am finding that the Martha Stewart stamps that I purchased were probably discontinued for good reason... they are terribly difficult to get off the sheet they are put on! I have actually ripped a border stamp in half in this process! It is not fun! I bought all these nice stamps to make invitations, announcements, ect... but they are just awful to remove!! Now, my older sister bought me a stamp set for christmas (see previous entry) and those stamps are just fine to peel off and use, no problems at all! Anywho-- here is the card!

From Drop Box

Thank you very much

The holiday season has come and gone like a flash! I made tons of holiday cards, none of which were for myself to give to people. :) Instead, I digitally illustrated my card and printed it out. They were adorable!!! I will post a photo later. That being said, it is now the "season" to thank people for the gifts or hospitality that you received from them. I am on a mission to make Thank you cards. I made one today. I have sent out others that I have made in the past that were "thank yous" so it turns out I don't have many to make... so it's really not much of a mission. See below!

From Drop Box