What's that smell? |
My humble attempt at a cooking blog. Email me any great recipes you have. I'll try them out and if I like them, I'll post them here. Proper credit given, of course. angelasangle@gmail.com |
Gnocchi with Asparagus, Shrimp, and Pesto
Gnocchi (pronounced no-kee) are small Italian potato dumplings. My first experience with them was in a soup at Olive Garden. I’m not actually a huge fan of soup, but I was having the Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks and would have felt cheated had I skipped 1/3 of the meal. This soup, more specifically these dumplings, were delish. They are small, puffy balls of pasta. I mean, just beyond appetizing. So when I came across this recipe while I was searching for something different to eat on my fish/seafood night, I jumped right on it. These are actually four of some of my most favorite foods. I eat asparagus from the time it comes into season at my local store until the very last skinny ones leave. Shrimp is a no-brainer, I’m convinced the only people who do not like shrimp are my son and husband. And pesto. Spicy, nutty, oily pesto. It only requires a small amount to pack on the flavor. And that’s how I feel about the bottled stuff. This is homemade (which is actually extremely easy to do). Put all of these flavors together and you have a meal big on a taste and low on calories. From start to finish, this is a 20-minute job. Great for nights, like last night, when you have been out late and need to get something on the table fast (not because you care if your family eats quickly, but because you’re tired of being on your feet already!).
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a pot. Add gnocchi to pot; cook 4 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to surface). Remove with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain. Add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.
Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, basil, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended. Add basil mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.
**I salted the water before dropping the gnocchi and I also added a little salt and pepper to the pesto before blending the first time. I have found following recipes that call for no salt and pepper leave food a little bland for my liking.**
Rachael Ray’s Tuna Steak Salad
I have been trying to incorporate more fish into my diet as of late. This is difficult, however, because my husband and son do not like fish or seafood. I know, crazy right? I’ve been working on them. Making them taste it every time I make it. I digress. I have been on the look out for easy, only for one recipes that incorporate fresh fish. This salad caught my eye because I absolutely love tuna sushi. I, also, love love love wasabi. And this salad did not disappoint. With a smooth Asian flavor mixed with the crunchiness of the greens, this was a satisfying, complete meal. I could have had it for dinner and been set for the night. It was a little salty for my taste, so I have reduce the salt and soy sauce. I noticed there was a ton of dressing left on my plate, so I reduced the amount of rice vinegar and olive oil called for in the original recipe to reduce the amount of dressing. This is a nice meal for the inevitable balmy evenings we will be having soon. Enjoy!
Season tuna on both sides with grill seasoning and five spice. Heat pan over med-high, spray with cooking spray when hot. Add tuna. Sear on each side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Thinly slice radishes and cucumber. Toss with salad greens. Whisk together wasabi paste, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in oil. Whisk in salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad greens and toss. Slice tuna and top salad with it.
There is nothing in this recipe that I don’t love. Salmon, black beans, corn, cilantro…yum! It is all so good. The bed of tex mex spinach is a hint of spiciness that contrasts nicely with the sweetness from the nectar on the salmon. (The original recipe called for honey, but I have been using the agave nectar to reduce my sugars.) The original recipe calls for sauteing the salmon in 2 tbsp of EVOO, but I chose to bake it and the flavor has just as much punch. This is a nice low-calorie meal with a lot of taste.
Salmon
Combine lime juice, agave nectar, chili powder, salt, and pepper in shallow dish. Coat salmon with mixture. Place on foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 9 minutes.
Tex Mex Spinach
Heat oil over medium heat, add onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, ground cumin, salt, and pepper, cook for 3 minutes. Slice red bell pepper. Add red bell pepper and corn to onion mix and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and black beans, cook until beans are heated through. Remove from heat. Add juice, cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Curtis Stone’s Chicken Noodle Soup and Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits
If Curtis Stone never does anything else the rest of his life, this soup will be worth his time on earth. The noodles* and egg add enough texture so it doesn’t seem like you are just eating broth, but it’s not so thick you think it’s a stew. The fresh veggies and herbs give it that wonderful homemade smell and flavor. Many canned soups have a really salty taste, but this soup is smooth with a nice blend of salt, pepper, and thyme lending it a subtle flavor. Plus, it is super simple to make!
*The recipe calls for a cup of egg noodles, but I use the whole bag. It takes the same amount of time either way.
For any of you who have been to Red Lobster and eaten so many of their biscuits you don’t have room for dinner, this recipe is for you. According to the website, this is the actual recipe used at Red Lobster (I perused several recipes claiming the same thing and they all had the same recipe). Whether they are authentic or not, they taste just like Cheddar Bay Biscuits. It is a nice heavy bread to have with a light soup.
Curtis Stone’s Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Cut the leek, carrots, and celery into a medium dice (I personally cut all of my veggies before I heat the oil. Less stress that way). Add the leek, carrots, celery, and thyme to the onions and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and sauté until the vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken and simmer very gently until the chicken is just cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Remove the thyme stem. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl to blend. While slowly stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle the eggs into the soup. Cook just until the eggs form streaks throughout the soup.
Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve and enjoy.
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cheddar cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons of butter that has been melted in the microwave, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl. Mix until well-combined.
3. Drop approximately 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Combine 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, parsley flakes and salt. Brush this mixture over the tops of each unbaked biscuit.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown. Serve warm.
French Toast made with Homemade Challah Bread
I usually make my french toast with regular sandwich bread, but most recipes call for challah bread. I have been unable to find it in my local grocery stores, so I decided to make some. The recipe is so simple. It requires very little kneading and just one 45 minute to 1 hour rise. The bread is ready to eat within 2 1/2 hours. I made this last night in anticipation of french toast for breakfast. It was difficult for me not to devour the entire loaf with a stick of butter last night. The bread is on the heavier side, but still soft. It has that yeasty taste you get with homemade breads and a nice crispy crust. You can find the recipe here. As for the french toast, I use a pretty standard recipe. Milk, eggs, and cinnamon. The challah bread has to soak a little longer than regular bread, but other than that, the steps are the same. It came out so good. The challah bread held the cinnamon flavor and really soaked up the syrup. (I usually have a puddle and soggy bread with the sandwich variety.) I only had two pieces, but it filled me up like four of the sandwich bread. I put syrup and butter on my french toast and serve berries on the side. For lower calories, you could definitely skip the syrup and butter and put the berries on top with some powdered sugar. So yummy!
Add milk to beaten eggs and mix. Stir in sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat a tbsp of butter on griddle, spreading around with a spatula to coat. Dip bread in egg mixture and let sit for 30 seconds or so. Flip bread in egg mix if necessary to thoroughly coat both sides. Add 4 slices to hot pan. Cook on each side about 3 minutes until crispy coating forms. Add additional pad of butter to pan when flipping. Repeat with remaining 4 slices of bread. (It may be necessary to add additional cinnamon and nutmeg. I find it sometimes lacking in the second set of slices.) Serve with butter and syrup.
Lemon and Mushroom Chicken
I found this recipe on a blog I follow, Samster Mommy, and what drew me to it was the small number of ingredients. I’m always looking for a quick meal that won’t make me run to the store for ingredients. Samster Mommy used white wine with hers, which probably would have been great, but when I went to make mine I found that I was actually out. In a pinch I substituted chicken stock. This was such an easy-to-make, flavorful meal. The smooth, woodsy flavor from the mushrooms mixed with the light, citrusy taste of lemons was a perfect combination. It would also be easy to augment this recipe if you have a bigger family or want some leftovers (it was really good the next day). I made asparagus to go with it; I simply drizzled the asparagus with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I roasted it in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus). I served it with homemade yeast rolls, the recipe for which I will post later. Enjoy!
Lemon and Mushroom Chicken
In a large skillet heat a 2 tbsp EVOO over med heat. In a small bowl season flour with salt & pepper. Dredge each chicken tender in seasoned flour, shake off excess & lay strips in skillet. Cook until golden on each side, 3-4 minutes. Set strips aside on plate. Next add another drizzle of EVOO and cook mushrooms & garlic for about 5 minutes or until they begin to brown slightly. Add white wine & with a wooden spoon, deglaze the pan (scrap up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan), reduce heat to low. Add 1tbsp butter and the lemon juice, stir to combine. Return chicken to pan & cook until chicken is opaque. (about another 4-5 min)
Plate a piece or 2 (or 3 or 4) of chicken and top with the delicious sauce. Serve with vegetable and bread.
“Fried” Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, & Lemon-Butter Green Beans
I didn’t feel good yesterday, neither did the boy. It was raining and dreary all day, too. Nothing better to brighten a blah day then some comfort food. You may notice that fried is in quotations, that is because this chicken is actually baked. I know, I know! Sacrilege! Please hear me out before you shoot me. I love fried chicken! But frying it is a pain in the butt and is very bad for you. Also, when you throw in a 2-year-old that likes to help with dinner, then you’ve got some issues on your hand. Some of the problems I had with baked chicken was not getting the crispy, crunchy breading. Ovens can make it soggy. But I came across this recipe on AOL Food (I can’t find it anymore online or I’d link it). It was labeled Crispy Baked Chicken. I figured I’d give it a try, no harm no foul. Well, this chicken is perfect. Crispy, crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The flavor is amazing, a little chili powder for a punch of spicy. As you can see from the picture, you wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you. Give it a try, you will thank me.
“Fried” Chicken
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a shallow dish. Put milk in a separate shallow dish. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with cornmeal mixture. Place in ungreased baking pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake uncovered on 375 for 50-55 minutes. (If you choose to only use legs and thighs, reduce the cooking time.)
Lemon & Butter Green Beans
Boil water, place green beans in steamer insert in top of boiling water and cover with tight fitting lid. Steam for about 5 minutes for crisp tender, longer if you like them softer. Put beans in a bowl and add butter and lemon zest. Mix well, allowing butter to melt. Add salt and pepper.
Chicken Fajitas with Black Beans and Rice
I love fajitas. They’re good for a big group, or a family with different tastes, because each person can add or take away toppings to make the fajitas their own flavor. I added the traditional, very simple, black beans and rice. This is a crowd pleaser and a very filling meal.
Chicken Fajitas
Add chicken to pan with hot olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Allow chicken to brown on one side before stirring (should stick slightly to the bottom). Add green pepper and onion to pan during first stirring. Add ground cumin. Allow to cook until fork tender and chicken is completely cooked. Place portions on tortillas. Serve along side cheese, sour cream, and salsa.
Black Beans and Rice
Add chicken stock, rice, and EVOO to pot with tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. (This is a generic instruction for rice. Be sure to always check the box for specific instructions for rice.) In the mean time, bring black beans to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Add salt and pepper before removing from the heat. Serve beans over the rice. (Because the beans and rice are served to together, you should only need to salt and pepper one or the other.)
Heart Cakes
This is just a little peek of what I have planned for our Valentine’s dinner. With a 2 1/2-year-old, we don’t really get to have the long, romantic, dinner out. But I like to make it as special as we can.
This recipe is one I’ve posted before, as cupcakes. Instead of doing a cupcake pan, you just make it in a cake pan instead. Then use a large and small heart-shaped cookie cutter to get the shapes. The recipe for the buttercream icing is here, too.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Second Chance Beef Stew
This originally started as a roast. It had all the fixings, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, gravy to pour over everything… and then I cut into the roast and it was like cutting into stone. It was so tough! The vegetables weren’t tender, either. I apparently did not let it cook long enough (I thought 2 hours was sufficient) or maybe the temp was wrong… I just don’t know! Anywho, I knew I was never going to eat it like that, no matter how much yummy gravy was on it. And then my brilliance kicked in and I realized I had a second chance. So, the next day I threw everything (meat, veggies, gravy, everything) into the crock pot, then added a little more liquid, some tomato paste, and green beans. Viola! Beef stew. And because it was cooking all day, the meat broke up on its own and was extremely tender. Now, you may say “I don’t want to make a roast and vegetables I can’t eat one night just to have beef stew the next day.” And even though this stew would be (and was) worth it, I have managed to adjust the recipe so you can do it your first time around. Though, remember, you can always use leftover, good the first time roast to make a pot of beef stew, too. Let’s hear it for re-purposing!
Rub roast with salt and pepper, brown on all sides and place in the crock pot. Put vegetables in with roast. Set aside. Melt butter in sauce pan, add cornstarch, let cook for about a minute. Add 2c of the beef broth*, whisking until cornstarch is combined. Cook until gravy becomes thick and bubbly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over meat and vegetables. In a bowl (or your large measuring cup) combine remaining beef broth, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and onion powder. Stir until paste has thickened the liquid. Pour over entire contents of the crock pot. Add a little salt and pepper, stir gently. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low temp. (I don’t recommend high temp/less cooking time because allowing the meat to get very tender is key.) Serve with your favorite bread and enjoy!
*A note about adding broth to a roux. Never add cold broth or it won’t completely dissolve the thickening agent (i.e. cornstarch or flour). If you are using a can or boxed broth, make sure it comes up to room temperature. If you are making your own (from scratch or a powder) warm the liquid up before adding it.
