Monthly Archives: August 2011

Linguine and Clam Sauce

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Quick, easy and flavorful! My favorite kind of meal. I only had 1/4 cup of white wine so I used enough of the drained clam juice to make up the difference. I also added lemon zest to brighten up the flavor, besides – lemon and seafood are best buds 😉 I didn’t have heavy cream and used half and half instead. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Linguine and Clam Sauce – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 1 pound linguine
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 – 10 ounce cans chopped clams, juice reserved
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • zest of one lemon
  • lemon slices for garnish
  • 2 TBSP flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook the linguine according to package directions. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the garlic and clams and stir together and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine, scrapping the bottom of the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Add one more tablespoon of butter and stir to melt. Reduce heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the parsley and pour in the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir well and taste for seasoning, adding a splash of clam juice in if the sauce needs thinning. Cook over low heat for 3 more minutes or until heated through. Pour the sauce over the cooked linguine, toss to combine. Top with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!

Smoothies to Go!

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My son’s first day of third grade is tomorrow, so last week I started looking for clever lunch ideas for him. This frozen smoothie idea is genius because it will keep his lunch box cool and give him a healthy treat that I can feel really good about. I bought these plastic freezer containers that Ball makes and they’re the perfect size. I made our favorite smoothie recipe in the food processor and it made enough to fill 5 containers plus some extra that the kids happily shared. After they were all nicely portioned I wiped the rims well, sealed them up and stowed them in the freezer. All he needs to do is stir it up once it’s lunch time – I’m hoping that it is soft enough for him to drink, but not too soft that it becomes watery.

Verdict: Yay! I am pleased to report that Little Boy M had a great first day and the smoothie thawed out enough and he happily ate it with a spoon. He also reported that his juice box was nice and cold, too. I asked him how it tasted and he said it tasted like one I just made for him. I think I might have to buy more of the freezer jars because both my kids are going to expect these everyday in their lunches.  Best. Idea. Ever! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Smoothie

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 TBSP mild honey
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup frozen peaches
Directions:
It couldn’t be easier! Pour all your ingredients in a food processor and blend away! Spoon the smoothie into the freezable Ball containers, wipe the rims and place in your freezer. Enjoy!

Parmesan Baked Tilapia

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Quick Post: This dinner couldn’t be easier, and it was so tasty. I modified this a little with the addition of lemon zest for the butter/cheese mixture. Mine cooked perfectly in 10 minutes plus the 2 minute broiler time. Watch your fish carefully and adjust the cook time as necessary. I had one really small piece of fish that I added to the baking sheet 5 minutes into the cooking and it came out perfectly. We enjoyed this meal with a green salad, but you could serve it with rice, pasta or steamed veggies. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Parmesan Baked Tilapia – adapted from How Sweet Eats
  • 4 tilapia filets
  • 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup grated/shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • zest of one lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • lemon slices for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pat tilapia dry (if frozen, it should be thawed first) with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 10-12 minutes. While fish is baking, mix butter with garlic, lemon zest and parmesan cheese.

Remove fish from oven and gently flip. Spread about 1/2 tablespoons of butter mixture on the fish, and heat the broiler in your oven. Set fish under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until cheese gets golden and bubbly.

Serve with lemon.

Oatmeal Wheat Bread

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Mmm…these smell wonderful while baking – but don’t all breads? That smell will never get old to me – it’s always so comforting. Anyway, this is another brand new recipe for us to try; and I spent a lot of time finding it so hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. This makes two 8×4 inch loaves, so once they’re completely cool I’ll wrap and freeze one. I have found that freezing and thawing bread doesn’t affect the taste or texture at all – I love that.

Verdict: This loaf is so good. Not too wheaty and not at all bitter from the wheat flour. It has a nice texture and chew and it’s my favorite mostly whole wheat loaf I have made so far. I love the dark crust of this bread and the texture of the toasted oats on top. I hope my family enjoys it as much as I do because I’m always looking for more ways to give them foods with more nutrition and fiber. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Oatmeal Wheat Bread – adapted from Epicurious

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking) plus additional for topping
  • 1/2 cup warm water (105-115°F)
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (from 3 packages)
  • 1/2 cup mild honey
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cups white whole-wheat flour
  • About 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • Vegetable oil for oiling bowl and loaf pans
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Heat milk in a 4-cup measuring cup and stir in oats. Let stand, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add water, melted butter and honey – stir to combine. Set aside to cool to about 105 degrees before adding to the flour mixture.

Stir together whole-wheat flour, unbleached flour, yeast, salt  in a standing mixer bowl. Add oat mixture, stirring with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Using your dough hook, knead adding more  flour a tablespoon at a time (if needed – I used 5 more TBSP) to keep from sticking, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic – about 5 to 7 minutes (dough will be slightly sticky). Form dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease loaf pans. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times to remove air. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf, then place 1 loaf in each pan, seam side down, tucking ends gently to fit. Cover loaf pans loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush tops of loaves with some of egg wash and sprinkle with oats, then bake until bread is golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes. (Remove 1 loaf from pan to test for doneness. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen.)

Remove bread from pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadilla

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Quick Post: I’ve never made quesadillas for dinner for anyone but the kids – these just looked and sounded so good. Instead of just pounding, seasoning then grilling my chicken, I marinade – always! This was a simple meal to prepare and I would make these again, thanks for reading, enjoy!

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadilla – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded
  • 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (recipe below)
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pineapple, sliced
  • Butter for the griddle
  • Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
  • 6 – 8 medium tortillas
  • jalapeno, seeded and sliced
  • barbecue sauce
Directions –
1. Place your chicken pieces in a zip top bag. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and Cajun seasoning until well combined. Pour over chicken, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
2. Preheat your grill to medium heat – grill the chicken for 7 minutes on each side or until done. Paint the cooked side with barbecue sauce after flipping.  Before the chicken is completely cooked, place your pineapple slices on the grill for about 5 minutes a side until you get nice grill marks. Set the cooked chicken and pineapple aside while you assemble the quesadillas.
3. Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.
4. To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges.

Cajun Seasoning – adapted from Food.com
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt (optional)
1. Pour all seasonings into a small, air tight container – shake well to combine.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

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Quick Post: The best thing I can do for my husband is to have something ready for him in the morning – the less he has to think, the better. Hopefully the cinnamon-sugar coating wont make too much of a mess 🙂 These turned out ok  – a little dry, but that could be due to the small amount of oil in these. The flavor isn’t all that great either – they’re a little bland, but the sugar and cinnamon topping is a nice treat. I bet these will be perfect with our morning coffee though. M likes his sweet, flavored creamers and I prefer half and half with vanilla sugar; and eating one of these wont compound the sweetness of our morning joe. I’ll have to try PW’s french breakfast puffs soon – they’re similar to these but probably much more decadent 😉 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins – adapted from Baked Perfection
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (*I used Greek yogurt)
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

  • 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions –


Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper cups.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix with light strokes until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not overmix; batter will not be smooth.

Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in one or two of the muffins come out clean, 12-15 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, melt 1/2 stick butter and place in a bowl just large enough to hold a muffin. Combine ½ cup of sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl. As soon as the muffins are done, dip them one at a time in the melted butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. Set on a rack to cool.

Sub Rolls

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I have been on the lookout for a recipe like this for some time. This dough was not easy to work with at all because it was so sticky, and these rolls wont win any beauty contests, but hopefully it was worth the mess. While handling it try to have some olive oil or flour on your hands and work surface to make things a little less sticky. This dough did come together quickly and the rise time wasn’t too long either, so from start to finish it should take less than three hours, and most of that is just your rise and bake time.

Verdict: These came out light colored, but they did bake through all the way. It’s hard for me to resist leaving loaves in longer than the recommended amount of time when this happens. There is hardly any fat in this recipe – only 2 teaspoons of olive oil, so they probably aren’t meant to be any darker than this. The interior was nice and light with big bubbles and a thin, crisp crust and they held up well to our sandwich filling. Overall, I’m happy with how these turned out but I’m sure I’ll find an excuse to try a new recipe soon. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Long Loaves – adapted from Cookistry

  •  2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup semolina flour
  • 4 cups (18 ounces) bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions –
1. In a bowl of a standing mixer, combine all dry ingredients and pour the wet over top. Mix until a rough dough is formed, then knead with the dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes. Dump the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temp for 50-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
2. Lightly flour your work surface.  Turn out the dough and divide it into 4 roughly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs on each baking sheet. They’re look a little narrow, but they will grow impressively.
3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 20 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap. If it seems to be sticking, flour the surface a bit – rice flour is nice for this but regular flour is fine. Slash the loaves as desired, and cover them with plastic wrap again. Let rise for another 10 minutes. They should be doubled in size – maybe a little more.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through the baking time. Let the loaves cool completely on a rack.

Chipotle Honey-Glazed Chicken

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I’m always on the lookout for new ways to prepare chicken. Chicken can get so boring, especially if you use the same few recipes over and over. Now, some people might be okay with that – but history shows me that my family quickly becomes “burned out” with certain meals. Years ago I used to make something called salsa chicken – it was so good. I would make it at least a few times a month (this was before I was brave and more experienced in the kitchen). Because of all that salsa chicken overkill, I haven’t made it in at least 4 or 5 years and I doubt I’ll ever make it again.

Verdict: If your family loves the smokey flavor of chipotle, this meal is for you. The honey chipotle glaze is slightly sweet so it cuts some of the heat of the chicken. My husband even said it should be on a menu…pretty high praise coming from a man who’s not very descriptive 😉 I’ll take that as a thumbs up from him. We ate this on a homemade sub roll (to be blogged about soon) with lettuce, tomato, avocado and some more of the glaze. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Chipotle Honey-Glazed Chicken – adapted from Smells Like Home

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp chipotle chilies in adobo
  • 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thickness
Directions –
1. The night before grilling, mix 1 TBSP ancho powder, cumin, coriander, paprika and salt in a small bowl. Place prepared chicken breast pieces in a zip top bag, drizzle with oil and pour spice mixture over all. Mush the bag to evenly coat the meat, then place the bag in the fridge.
2. Heat your grill to high. With a stick blender or food processor, blend together the honey, chipotle puree, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp oil.
3. Place the chicken on the grill and grill for about 7 minutes.  Flip the chicken and brush the pieces with the honey-chipotle sauce.  Cook for an additional 7 minutes.  Flip the chicken again and brush the other side with the sauce; cook for 1 more minute.    Flip once more and cook for another minute. Remove chicken from the grill and brush on more sauce as desired.

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread

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This loaf smells like honey! I can’t wait for it to cool so I can try a slice 🙂 Here’s another sandwich loaf to add to the very short list of recipes I have tried. I have wanted to make bread that required the use of buttermilk for some time, and thankfully I had enough to make this. The bread is relatively healthy too, because there are only 2 tablespoons of butter in it. The other sandwich breads I have made require 4 or 6 and those recipes are for smaller loaves.

Verdict: This bread has a slight tang reminiscent of a sour dough – not too sour at all though. It’s perfect for sandwiches and toast and I like that this makes a large 9 inch loaf, which gives me about 16 slices worth – that’s lots of sandwiches! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Buttermilk Sandwich Bread – Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

  • 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup water – hot
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast

Directions –

1. In a 2-cup measuring cup, pour hot water, buttermilk, butter and honey. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 – 45 seconds, take out and stir to combine the honey with the other ingredients. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot, but it should be warm – 110 degrees.

2. In your standing mixer bowl, add 3 1/2 cups of the  flour, yeast and salt and mix to combine. Pour your wet into your dry ingredients and stir until a rough dough forms – it will be sticky! Using your dough hook, knead for 5 minutes but take a couple breaks in the kneading to scrape the bowl and dough hook down. *My dough was super sticky, I had to use all the reserved flour to make mine slightly less sticky* If after 5 minutes of kneading the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1/4 cup total) until the dough is no longer sticky. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in size, 60 to 80 minutes.

4. Gently press dough into rectangle 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches. With long side facing you, roll dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing firmly with fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Place dough seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all 4 sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot until the dough crests over the top of the pan by 1 inch, about 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of the rise, preheat your oven to 350.

5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until your loaf internal temperature reaches 195 degrees. Turn out and cool on a wire rack – cool completely before slicing.

Italian Style Herb Bread

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I have had this recipe written down for almost a year and happily rediscovered it the other day. Since our new favorite garlic rosemary focaccia bread tastes so amazing, why not try another herb bread? But what makes this one even more fabulous is the addition of Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese rolled up inside. It’s kind of like our other fave, sausage bread. It marries our two favorites – the savory herb bread with a meat and cheese filling. I can’t wait to try this!

Verdict: This recipe could easily feed 6-8 people. The four of us took down half of it served with a side salad and marinara sauce for dipping. This is a winning combination of flavors for us – even my picky eater had seconds. The next time I make this, we’ll have to have company over to help, but I’m sure the leftovers will be just as tasty. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Italian Style Herb Bread – adapted from The Bread Bible

For the bread

  • 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp each – dried oregano, basil and rosemary
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 TBSP dry active yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 TBSP sea salt
  • 5 1/2 cups of AP or bread flour
For the filling
  • 1 1/2 pounds mild Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, diced
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine pepper, herbs and olive oil.
2. In your standing mixer bowl, combine wine, water, yeast, and herb oil mixture. Using your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Remove the paddle and replace with your dough hook and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and springy.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough is doubled in bulk, about 60 – 90 minutes.
4. While your dough is rising, brown your sausage along with the onions and garlic. Drain the meat mixture well and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the dough into a 14 x10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle meat mixture over the center third of the dough. Top with cheese then fold dough into a rectangle by bringing the two long ends together. Pinch seams to close and fold ends over to close. Carefully turn over seam side down onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Cut shallow slashes diagonally down the length of the loaf and brush lightly with olive oil. Let rest for 10 minutes then bake in the center of your oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the finished loaf to a cooling rack.