Tag: Simple

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Tomato Sauce 2

Tomato Sauce 2

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 28 oz can tomatoes, puree
1 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Brown sugar

  1. Heat olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot.
  2. Saute the carrot, onion, and celery until limp.
  3. Add garlic, mushrooms, basil, and oregano.  Saute for another minute.
  4. Add both cans of tomatoes, simmer for 30-45 minutes.

 

This sauce recipe is a rough adaptation from the cookbook Cooking From an Italian Garden by Paola Scaravelli and Jon Cohen.  The cookbook contains Italian vegetarian recipes (long story here).  I’ve served this sauce on pasta and it’s OK.  But rather than use this sauce as is, I’ve always used it as the base for my version of Sunday Gravy.  My family never really cared for giant chunks of animal protein in their sauce.  So Tomato Sauce 2 became my base for meatballs and sausage.

Tips – salt and pepper to taste.  Use sugar only if the tomatoes are overly acidic.  You’ll be glad you used an 8 quart pot once you toss in the meatballs.  Italian Sausage and Beef Meatballs

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Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans and Rice

Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans and Rice Recipe : Ingrid Hoffmann : Recipes : Food Network.

Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 (5 to 7-ounce) tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 cups jarred or homemade tomato salsa
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
  • 2 limes, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Combine the rice and chicken broth in a pot
    over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and
    cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid, about
    20 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil,
    2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the garlic, and sugar; season with salt
    and pepper. Add the tilapia fillets to the marinade, turning to coat.
    Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
  4. Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the cilantro in a 2 or 3-quart baking dish. Remove the tilapia from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and lay the fish fillets
    over the rice mixture, overlapping if necessary. Pour the reserved
    marinade over the fish. Shingle the lime slices over the fish. Bake
    until the fish flakes easily, is opaque, and cooked through, 25 to 30
    minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

via Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans and Rice.

Our friends who favor red wine surprised us with a fine selection of white wine.  “What’s up?” I asked.

“We’re having tilapia.”

When we sat down to dinner and I tasted my first bite of this wonderfully flavorful dish I had to agree white wine is a better choice.  This dish is light with bright flavors, a highly suitable supper when it’s 113 degrees outside.  We all agreed the recipe was a keeper.

Our friends got the recipe from one of their kids who got it on the Internet.  The recipe is presented here unaltered (copied) with the Guy Fieri Copyright reprinted as proof I’m not stealing but merely sharing.

Tips – no tips or suggestions at this time, since I’ve not had the time to play with this recipe.  I’m already thinking of adding some red bell pepper, maybe trying basa instead of tilapia.

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One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #4 Pasta Primavera with(out) Chicken

Pasta Primavera with Chicken

Grated Parmesan cheese (lots)
3 medium carrots
2 small zucchini
1 small head of broccoli florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb cooked, drained pasta (fettuccine, bow ties)

One Rotisserie Chicken, carved off the bone, cut into pieces that match your pasta shape.

  1. Cut carrots and zucchini lengthwise into thin slices. Add carrots, zucchini and broccoli to 1 inch boiling water in medium saucepan. Cook until crisp-tender.
  2. Drain; set aside.
  3. In the same saucepan add olive oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
  4. Gradually stir in broth, cream, grated Parmesan (min. 1/2 cup) and seasonings; simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
  5. Add vegetables and heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to vegetables and lightly toss.  Add chicken if desired.
  6. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Back in my 20’s I started making Pasta Primavera.  This was always the dish made to celebrate the bounty of fresh, seasonal vegetables during the summer months.  I recall using copious amounts of butter and heavy cream.  Low cholesterol and heart friendly were not in anyone’s vocabulary at that time.  Along the Path I came across a recipe called Pasta with Fresh Vegetables in Garlic Sauce on http://www.theculinarychase.com  It was the first time I had seen someone use a combination of chicken stock and cream in a Pasta Primavera type dish.  Over the years I began using chicken stock with half and half with good results.  Then I started tossing in cooked rotisserie chicken.  The kids ate it so I kept making it.

Tips – try different vegetable combinations.  Mushrooms and red bell pepper are a good addition.  So too are a handful of fresh spinach leaves. A dash of red pepper flakes will add some zip.  If you want less fat in your sauce, cut back on the half and half, increase the chicken stock.  Or if you want a richer sauce, more half and half, less stock.  Toss in a pat of butter.  This dish freezes well.  Don’t make the mistake of using a full pound of pasta.  You’ll end up with enough pasta for 8 people.  Depending upon the size of the chicken, you might need only a half chicken for this dish.

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One Rotisserire Chicken, 50 Meals – #3 Sour Cream Chicken Enchillada Casserole

Updated 10.13.13

Son:  “Whenever I make one of your recipes it never quite turns out the same.”

Me:    “So?”

Recipes change with time and repeated preparations.  So when the usual crew showed up to to be fed this weekend I made a conscious effort to pay attention to what I was doing and the quantities while making this dish.  Sure enough, quite a few things were different from the original recipe.  The changes are in bold.  The original recipe is in the cookbook mentioned below.  But you don’t want the original recipe.  You want this one.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1/4 C butter
2 T. flour
2 C. sour cream
3 C. chicken broth
1 small can mild green chiles
1 medium onion, chopped

Saute onions in butter, add flour then broth.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.  Add chiles and sour cream and heat.  Be careful to not let the sauce boil.  Set aside.

One rotisserie  chicken, meat taken off the bones, cubed
 8 oz cheddar cheese, 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese grated
18 corn tortillas

1.  Butter  a 9 x 12 casserole dish.

2.  Put a little sauce in the bottom of the dish.

3.  Layer 3 corn tortillas.  Layer chicken.  Cover with jack cheese.  Sauce.  Repeat two more times.

4.  Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes covered until bubbly.  Remove cover, add cheddar cheese to the top.  Return to the oven to allow cheese to melt.

5.  After cheese has melted, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

 

And yet another recipe whose origin is kind of fuzzy.  I think this recipe kind of morphed from Delicioso! Cooking South Texas Style.  But when I go to the book, the recipe is different, calling for Monterrey jack cheese and jalapenos.  If this is the source of the recipe, then somewhere along the Path I subbed mild chiles and cheddar.  But pretty much the recipe is from this classic cookbook.

Tips – Cut up the chicken first.  If you use pre-shredded cheese make sure it the kind that will melt (if you know what I mean and I think you do).  Use more sour cream if you like a rich casserole.  Use more chicken stock if you like your casserole “juicy” as in fall apart and spread all over your plate “juicy”.  Go ahead and use the hot pepper of your choice if you don’t have kids.

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Italian Meatloaf

Italian Meatloaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded, small dice
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic
2 pounds ground beef (or 1 pound ground turkey and 1 pound beef)
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs (Italian or Panko)
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.
  3. When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together.
  4. Form the meat mixture into 2 loaf (brain) shapes on an oiled oven tray or baking dish.
  5. Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

 

When the kids were little I never made meatloaf.  They hated meatloaf.  When I was growing up as a kid my parents never made meatloaf.  I hated meatloaf.

Time passes, people change, tastes change.  I guess decades of going meatloaf-less made me want meatloaf more.  I only started making meatloaf when MedFed began.  MedFed is the code name for meals that freeze well that can be defrosted, heated up, and eaten by time starved medical school students who would quite frankly probably eat anything you put in front of them.  The only problem with my new found meatloaf craving was finding the perfect recipe.

This recipe is adapted from the Food Network’s Michael Chiarello.  It’s tasty, simple, and hearty.  Serve this up with some loaded mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.

TIP – The recipe will make two meatloaves.  There’s nothing better than a cold meatloaf sandwich the next day.  I’ve also heard rumors that you can chop up this leftover meatloaf, heat it up in some marinara sauce, and serve over pasta.  Sounds like something a medical school student would do.

Substituting dried for fresh herbs is OK.  I usually make this with a mixture of beef and turkey.  85/15 is good.  Don’t use ground turkey breast, use regular ground turkey.

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Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia

¾ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
2 T melted butter or margarine
4 tilapia fillets
1 lemon, cut into wedges

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the bread crumbs. Coat the fish with butter and dredge in the cheese/bread crumb mixture.
  3. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 15 to 17 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.

I really don’t have a clue where this recipe came from.  James Beard has a recipe for chicken that is similar and when I looked up my Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia recipe it was different than what I’ve presented here.

It was a Rachel Ray recipe.  I had to change it.

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Baked Penne with Two Sauces

Baked Penne with Two Sauces

In the North End of Boston there is a marvelous Italian restuarant named Giacomo’s.  The place is small and cramped, service is brusque.  The food is exquisite which certainly explains this eatery’s well deserved reputation.  My first encounter was many years ago when my brother and I stopped in for dinner.  I ordered Seafood Linguine and the waiter asked

“Red, white, or pink?”

“I know what red is and I know what white is.  What’s pink?”

“Red and white together.”

Imagine a pasta dish with the consistency of a good macaroni and cheese plus a rich hearty ragu.  I bought back my memories and created a baked pasta with two sauces.

Turkey Ragu (about a quart, more if you like your pasta moist)
Parmesan sauce (see recipe below)
One pound box of penne (rigatoni works well also, or use your favorite pasta shape)
Grated parmesan cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese, about two cups
Extra virgin olive oil

1.  Bring several quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.  Cook pasta until barely al dente.  The pasta should still be firm to the touch and will cook through during the baking process while absorbing the sauces.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

2.  While the pasta is cooking prepare the parmesan sauce.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and cook briefly.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly to remove all lumps.  Add parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. When the sauce begins bubbling at the edges and thickens, turn off heat and set aside.

3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4.  Take a baking pan large enough for the pasta and grease the pan with extra virgin olive oil.

5.  Place partially cooked pasta in the pan, add parmesan sauce, and mix well.

6.  Cover pasta mixture with ragu, mixing gently.  If your family likes pasta moist, use more ragu.

7.  Sprinkle grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheeses on top.

8.  Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes.  If your family likes pasta a little drier, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking time.

9.  Serve with a nice fresh green vegetable, salad, and bread.

Parmesan Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Giacomo’s Restaurant
355 Hanover St
Boston, MA

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Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup all-purpose white flour
1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup low fat milk

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flours, rolled oats, sugar, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt. Make a well in the center. In a small mixing bowl combine egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add
egg mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir batter just till blended.
For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto a lightly greased preheated griddle or heavy
skillet. Cook several pancakes at a time over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or till the tops are evenly
bubbled and the edges are dry, then turn and cook until golden brown on the second side. Repeat with
remaining batter.

Weekend guests at the house are treated to a rather substantial breakfast before they head back home.  The menu varies but usually consists of pancakes or waffles, scrambled eggs or omelettes, sausage or bacon, toast, breakfast potatoes (if I wake up early enough), juice and plenty of hot coffee.  This pancake recipe started as a variation of an old recipe from Jane Brody called Wholesome Pancakes.  There’s not much difference between her recipe and mine, so I figured I better give Jane some credit.  This morning we had omelettes because the fresh mushrooms, red peppers, sweet onions and cheddar-jack cheese said OMELETTE.

Prep Tips – Mix the dry ingredients for the pancakes the night before and add the wet in the morning.  Crack your eggs the night before too.  Rinse and slice your veggies first, then saute in a little butter or margarine.  Set aside.  Start your pancakes next.  After the first batch comes off the griddle, start cranking out the eggs.  Skip the potatoes because they take too long to cook, everyone will complain, you won’t need them anyway and they won’t be missed.

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Turkey Ragu

Note – there is an updated version of this recipe.

I decided to leave the original intact.

Turkey Ragu

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup fresh green pepper, finely diced
1 pound ground turkey (use 85/15 or 93/7 mixtures.  DO NOT use 100% breast meat)
2 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
Pinch of Thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine
1 28 oz can tomatoes, finely diced, with juice
1 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed
1 6 oz can tomato paste
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Brown sugar

1.  Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over high heat in a large saucepot.  I
prefer the taste of Spanish olive oils and Borges is my favorite.  If you can’t find
Borges look for the Star brand which is made by the same company.  Substitute your
favorite regular olive oil if desired.

2.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onion.  Saute for a few minutes until limp.

3.  Add more olive oil to prevent sticking and add the ground turkey.  Break up the
meat and brown.  Add basil, oregano, and thyme and continue browning until the
herbs become aromatic.  With the heat still on high, add the wine and cook until the
wine is almost completely evaporated.

4.  Add the can of diced tomatoes with juice.  Toss in the bay leaves, mushrooms, and
green pepper.  Stir until well mixed and lower heat to medium.  The sauce ingredients
should be bubbling mildly.  Leave uncovered until the tomatoes release their juices
and the liquid in the pot is mostly evaporated.  This step concentrates the flavors and
will take 15 to 20 minutes.

5.  When the sauce becomes thickened, add the can of crushed tomatoes and the can
of tomato paste.  Stir to incorporate well.  Partially cover, turn the heat to low, and
simmer for a minimum of one hour.

6.  Taste for seasonings and add more basil or oregano if desired.  Salt and pepper if
you must but there is plenty of salt in the canned tomatoes.  If the tomatoes are
highly acidic, add brown sugar a half teaspoonful at a time until the acidity is reduced
to your liking.  A little bit of sugar will cut the acidity and add smoothness to the
ragu.

7.  Find some cooked pasta and plenty of grated cheese.  Eat!

I used to make my meat sauce with ground beef.  Somewhere along the way I started using ground turkey.  You get a lighter sauce than a ragu made with beef.  Try it.  You’ll love this ragu.

Pantry Tip

Always have good quality canned tomatoes and paste in the pantry.  A couple of cans of stewed tomatoes are also good to have on the shelf, especially if you open your fridge and find limp celery, one carrot, and no onions.  If this sounds like your fridge, you might want to keep some dried onion flakes and garlic powder in the spice rack too.

Another Pantry Tip

San Marzano tomatoes make a big difference.  The stuff from Italy is expensive so I’ve used San Marzano style organic from California.  Over time I’ve come to appreciate the flavor boost you get from using dried versions of onion and garlic.  I’m no longer a food snob who insists about everything fresh.  It’s all about the flavor.  Turkey Ragu 2 is the updated version of this ragu which incorporates some of these flavor boosting ingredients.

 

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Iki Marinade

Iki Marinade

1/4 C. olive oil

1/4 C. soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 T. ketchup

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Dash red pepper flakes

Makes enough marinade for 1 to 1.5 pounds of meat.  Double the marinade recipe if you are cooking larger quantities.  Works well with chicken and beef, but was originally crafted for pork.

The Story Behind Iki

A long time ago when the kids were small we had wonderful neighbors with a pool.  Naturally I befriended them.  We got into this entertaining rhythm where during the cooler months we would fix suppers befitting the season.  And during the summers we were over to the neighbor’s backyard for grilling poolside.  Our friends had friends from whom they got this marinade recipe.  I remember these people well.  Sam was from Venezuela and in the oil business.  His wife was from the Philippines.  Her name was Iki.

We really didn’t know what else to call this recipe.  It was Iki’s marinade recipe.  Over the years it just got shortened to Iki.

How about some Iki tonight?  Certain to become a family favorite.

Tips

Flatten boneless chicken breasts so that the pieces cook evenly on the grill.  If the breasts are large, halve them, then flatten.  I prefer boneless thighs with this marinade.  Again, flatten a bit before grilling.  Marinate your meat at least one hour before cooking and bring the meat to room temperature before grilling.

Boneless country style pork ribs are wonderful with Iki.

If you’re not grilling, try marinating chicken breasts or thighs on the bone and roast in the oven.