Category Archives: I Cooked: The Main Course

Dec27

Auntie Tammy’s Gluten-Free Spaetzle

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_2991

After binge-watching a whole season of Master Chef Junior in two days, Samantha was fired up to create something in the kitchen.  My sister Tammy gifted me a very cool contraption for making Spaetzle, and with a pot of our Mom’s homemade turkey soup bubbling in the slow cooker the day after Christmas, these little German pasta dumplings sounded like the perfect addition.IMG_2985

Spaetzle starts with a dough that you pass through something that looks like a cheese grater (you could use a sieve with large holes) directly into boiling water.  You can add it to another dish like we did, or season with olive oil and fresh herbs for a super-easy side dish.

IMG_2988

Gluten-Free Spaetzle (serves 4):

1/2 cup of milk (at room temperature)

2 eggs (at room temperature)

1 1/2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour

1/8 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

Salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Combine milk and eggs in a small bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in wet ingredients.  Pass dough through the Spaetzle maker into the boiling water; Spaetzle will float when cooked, which takes about 1 minute.  Remove with a slotted spoon and toss with a little oil to keep from sticking.

Dec31

Zesty Shrimp Salad

Posted on by
Standard

So while I have been cooking up a storm these past few months, I haven’t been posting the recipes — shame on me and I forgot how fun it is to share good food with everyone!  Well this is one recipe I have made over and over with several variations; it has become a go-to appetizer for potlucks and an easy make-ahead meal.  Since I have promised to send the recipe to a few people, what better time than to finally create a new blog post.

This Zesty Shrimp and Black Bean Salad recipe originates from Eating Well magazine.  It doesn’t call for tortilla chips, but we have found this is the most fun way to eat it.  Adding diced avocado is a delicious option too.

Zesty Shrimp Salad

Zesty Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo (see note below)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined cooked shrimp cut into pieces
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large poblano pepper or bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Tortilla chips for serving

Directions:

Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle, cumin and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp, beans, tomatoes, poblano (or bell pepper), scallions and cilantro; toss to coat. Serve room temperature or cold.

Chipotle chiles in adobo are sold in cans in most grocery stores.  You only ever need a small amount for a given recipe, so I like to toss the contents of the whole can (seeds and all) into the mini food processor and blend, then lay flat in a Ziploc bag in the freezer.  It keeps for a long time and you can just break off a chunk when you need it.

May21

A Weeknight Like Giada’s

Posted on by
Standard

Mediterranean Halibut Sandwich

Like most people, my creativity and enthusiasm for cooking seems to droop on busy weeknights.  I was recently flipping through the latest issue of Health magazine and they were featuring several recipes from Giada de Laurentiis‘ new cookbook, Weeknights with Giada.  I have to admit, they all looked pretty do-able, and the Mediterranean Halibut Sandwich recipe was calling my name.  I am all too familiar with making basic sandwiches for a quick dinner, but this halibut recipe is restaurant-calibre, in my humble opinion.  The fresh herbs and lemon zest mixed with the halibut really make the dish special.

I didn’t deviate much from the original recipe, other than to use fresh sliced tomatoes in the sandwich instead of adding sun-dried tomatoes into the halibut-mayo mixture — just to keep from throwing the kids off too much.  I also left out the capers.  The sandwiches were a big hit, and I will definitely be making them again.  I may also try using the halibut-mayo mixture in a pasta salad.

Mediterranean Halibut Sandwiches (adapted from “Weeknights with Giada”, as featured in Health magazine):

Cooking spray

2 (6-oz) halibut fillets, skinned (I used 14 oz in total)

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided

1 (14-oz) loaf ciabatta bread, ends trimmed, split horizontally

1 garlic clove, halved

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayo (I used olive-oil mayo)

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp capers, drained and mashed

Grated zest of 1 large lemon

2 packed cups (2 ounces) arugula (I used a mix of baby greens)

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray; add halibut and season with salt and pepper; rub with 1 tsp oil.  Bake 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.  Cool.

Remove some bread from the top half of loaf (and try not to eat it all).  Brush  cut sides with 2 tbsp oil.  Bake on a baking sheet 6-8 minutes, until golden.  Rub toasted surfaces with garlic.

In a medium bowl, combine mayo, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, capers, and lemon zest.  Add fish, flaking and mixing with a fork.  (I added extra salt and pepper at this point).  Spoon onto bottom half of bread and top with arugula (I tossed my greens in a bit of olive oil).  Add top of bread and cut into 4 sandwiches.

Related articles
Apr30

Seared Scallops (Finally)

Posted on by
Standard

Seared Sea Scallops

I adore sea scallops and order them frequently when dining out.  I must have assumed it was an art form to get them cooked perfectly, because I’ve never wanted to try making them at home.  But a seven-year-old asking for more seafood will make you do crazy things, so I asked my daughter Samantha if she wanted to try scallops.  As it turns out, they are easier to cook than I thought.  Initially I couldn’t find a recipe for basic seared scallops (other than just cooking them in a little butter, of course), when low and behold I picked up the package of Archer Farms Sea Scallops at Target and saw the perfect Samantha-friendly recipe on the back of the bag.  She loved them.  I cut the amount of butter, salt, and sugar in half, so here is my version.

Seared Sea Scallops

1 lb wild-caught sea scallops (about 20)

2 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Drain scallops and dry on paper towels (they need to be dry to get a good sear).  Mix salt and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle half of mixture over scallops.  Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium high heat in a large skillet (I used a cast-iron pan).  Place scallops in skillet, seasoned side down, and cook 3 minutes.  Flip scallops and sprinkle with remaining salt/sugar mixture, cooking another 3 minutes, until browned on both sides.

Remove scallops to a plate and keep warm.  Add wine to the hot pan and scrape up browned bits to create a syrup.  Turn off the heat and add remaining butter and parsley, then pour over scallops.

Related articles
Apr17

Spicy Shrimp & Feta Pizza

Posted on by
Standard

Spicy Shrimp & Feta Pizza

I’ve been playing with the new pizza stone I got for my birthday — pizza on the grill is amazing and makes for such an easy dinner.  My daughter Samantha actually made the request for a shrimp pizza (yes, I was thrilled), so we decided on shrimp, feta, and grilled yellow bell peppers (for my half).  I’ve previously written about all the delicious ingredients I’ve picked up at Oil & Vinegar at Watters Creek, and this was the perfect opportunity to put my two latest purchases to use:  Peperoncini Oil, and the “Hot Shot” spice grinder.  The Peperoncini Oil is light and flavorful with just a bit of spice.  The Hot Shot spice grinder contains all kinds of wonderful things:  chili pepper flakes, sea salt, mustard seed, coriander, onion, garlic, and paprika, to name a few.

We brushed the pizza crust with the oil, then topped with a bit of tomato sauce.  Next we added cooked shrimp, grilled bell peppers, a little shredded cheese (a 4-cheese blend), and lots of feta cheese.  Finished it off with a generous amount of the Hot Shot spices (only on my half!).  Delicious.

Peperoncini Oil & Hot Shot

Related articles
Apr2

Red Lentil Pancakes

Posted on by
Standard

Red Lentil Pancakes

I like how virtuous and healthy I feel when purchasing something like lentils.  Until now, every package of lentils I have bought has sat in my pantry until I threw it away — not healthy and certainly not virtuous!  I came across this really simple recipe for red lentil pancakes from Wendy Van Wagner and finally decided to give dried lentils a try.  You soak the lentils overnight and then buzz them in the food processor with a few other ingredients before pan-frying.  They were really tasty with the turmeric and cilantro, but a bit dry, so take her advice to use them for dunking — I served mine with plain greek yogurt and a big salad…perfect.

Red Lentil Pancakes (Adapted from Wendy Van Wagner):

1 cup red lentils

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, or to taste (I used twice this amount)

2 tbsp coconut oil for frying

Rinse the lentils well and place in a large bowl.  Cover with 2 cups warm water and soak for least 8 hours, or overnight.

Drain the water and place lentils in food processor.  Blend until smooth, adding 1 tbsp of water at a time to make a smooth batter (I used 3 tbsp in total).  Blend the salt, turmeric, pepper, and cilantro into the batter.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, and add 1 tbsp oil.  Drop spoonfuls of batter to make 4 pancakes, about 3-4 inches wide and 1 inch thick.  Cook about 2 minutes, until set.  Drizzle a little oil over the top and sides before flipping (I struggled with this and just sprayed a bit of olive oil spray before flipping) and cook another minute or 2 or the other side.  Repeat with 2nd batch of pancakes, adding more oil as needed.

Serve warm with a big helping of greek yogurt, sour cream, guacamole, applesauce, chutney, or creme fraiche.  Makes about 8 pancakes.

Related articles
Mar5

Goat Cheese & Chive Omelette with Roasted Potatoes

Posted on by
Standard

Goat Cheese Omelette and Roasted Potatoes

One of my current obsessions is the goat cheese omelette with herbs at Bonnie Ruth’s restaurant in Watters Creek.  Sadly, I haven’t been there in a couple of weeks, so I figured I could attempt one at home.  I was also motivated by the fact that my daughter Samantha has started stealing all the goat cheese off my salad at Bonnie Ruth’s, so it was a good opportunity to make something she would love for dinner too.

I used Allison Fishman’s herbed omelet with goat cheese recipe as a rough guide.  The omelette at Bonnie Ruth’s is brimming with tarragon, which I didn’t have, so I went with chives.  And I wouldn’t dare try to replicate Bonnie Ruth’s amazing french fries, so I made a simple side of roasted baby Yukon gold potatoes.  All in all, I was quite happy with my first omelette attempt.  I definitely got my goat cheese fix, but as I’m typing this, I’m now craving the real thing (french fries and all), so we will be heading back to Bonnie Ruth’s soon.  Hey, I tried, right?

Goat Cheese and Chive Omelette

1 tbsp butter

5 eggs

2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs

Salt and pepper, to taste

1.5 oz fresh goat cheese

Preheat the broiler.  Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium ovenproof skillet.  Combine the eggs, herbs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and beat lightly.  Add to the skillet and let the eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes.  Crumble the goat cheese over the eggs, then put the skillet under the broiler for about 1 minute, until the eggs are set.  Fold in half.  Serves 2 adults and 1 seven-year old.

Roasted Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp paprika

Generous sprinkle of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Toss all ingredients on a baking sheet and roast for about 20-25 minutes, turning half way through.  Serves 4.

Related articles
Mar2

Shrimpy Biscuits

Posted on by
Standard

Shrimp Puffs

Confession:  normally when I see a recipe starting with a tin of biscuit dough, I quickly turn the page.  They just don’t taste like real biscuits in my opinion, and many of them contain trans fats and ingredients I can’t pronounce.  But I saw this recipe for Shrimp Puffs in Food Network Magazine on two occasions, and I kept thinking about how much my daughter Samantha would like them.  And I seem to have a weakness for recipes that call for fresh dill.  Once I tracked down a tin of biscuit dough without any funky ingredients (Pillsbury‘s Simply brand), I decided to give it a go.  I had a larger tin of biscuits than the recipe called for, so my youngest kitchen helper Lauren broke eight pieces of dough into thirds and then we pressed them into all 24 mini muffin tins (the recipe states 20).  Even with this change, there was a ton of the shrimp-cheese filling, so we didn’t need all of it.  I had chives on hand (and thought they would go over well with the kids) so I used those instead of scallions.

As expected, Samantha loved these cheesy shrimp-topped biscuits.  So did my husband.  Lauren adores plain biscuits and was not happy about having shrimp stuck to the top of them…she was looking around for her usual strawberry jam.  And not surprisingly, I thought they were “okay”.  They would be a good party snack, but we had them with a big salad for a quick weeknight dinner.  Even though they weren’t my favorite creation to date, I will make these again since Samantha enjoyed them so much (and Lauren had a lot of fun “helping” with the dough).

Feb24

Just For Me: Taleggio Truffle Flatbread

Posted on by
Standard

I recently found myself cooking for one — this hasn’t happened in at least seven years (the age of my oldest child).  I figured I should take advantage and make something that would drive my kids to tears if I ever served it to them.  Let’s see…lots of vegetables, extra strong cheese, and more vegetables on top:  perfect.  The lovely White Truffle Oil I picked up at Oil & Vinegar has been burning a hole in my pantry waiting to be used, so I decided to create a new version of the mushroom and taleggio cheese flatbread that my Mom has made for us in the past.

 

Ingredients:

2 whole-grain Naan flatbreads (or other flatbreads/pizza crust of your choice)

1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups mixed sliced mushrooms (I used cremini, oyster, and shiitake)

1 10-oz container cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

Salt & pepper, to taste

4-oz piece of taleggio cheese, rind removed

2 cups fresh baby arugula

2 tsp white truffle oil

Coarse sea salt (I like Maldon)

Preheat over to 400F.  Toss mushrooms, tomatoes, and EVOO on a cookie sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven until the tomatoes start to burst, about 12 minutes, turning half way through.  Place flatbreads on a second cookie sheet and top with cooked mushroom/tomato mixture.  Dot taleggio cheese over the vegetables and return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Toss arugula with truffle oil and place on top of cooked flatbreads.  Sprinkle sea salt on top (this is the best part).  Serves 2-3.

Taleggio Truffle Flatbread

Related articles
Feb21

Fat Tuesday Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Posted on by
Standard

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

In addition to it being Fat Tuesday, apparently today is also National Pancake Day.  As if I needed a second excuse.  When I was looking for the perfect pancake recipe for our Valentine’s dinner last week, I came across these “Pimped-Out Pumpkin Pie Pancakes” from my Looneyspoons Collection Cookbook, courtesy of Janet & Greta Podleski.  It seems that everything I have made from this cookbook has me delving into the pumpkin pie spice, but there are certainly no complaints about that.  This recipe uses half whole-wheat flour (I always use whole-wheat pastry flour as it seems to result in a fluffier texture) and half all-purpose flour, plus a cup of pumpkin — so a pretty healthy and hearty pancake.  I did cut back on the pumpkin pie spice a bit as my kids found it to be strong in the granola bars we made recently.  As expected, the kids were thrilled with another “pancake breakfast for dinner” night.  And this recipe made a ton of pancakes — we’ll be eating the rest for breakfast for sure.

Pimped-Out Pumpkin Pie Pancakes (adapted from Janet and Greta Podleski’s “The Looneyspoons Collection” cookbook):

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 to 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp each salt and baking soda

1 can (14 oz) 2% evaporated milk (note, I used a 12 oz can plus 2 oz of milk)

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)

2 eggs

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat griddle to medium heat.  Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl — flours through baking soda.  Combine all wet ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking well.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.  Spoon batter by 1/3-cupfuls onto preheated griddle that has been lighted coated with cooking spray.  Gently spread batter to about a 4-inch diameter.  Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until cooked through (this batter is pretty thick, but be careful not to burn them).  The recipe suggests serving with vanilla yogurt and pure maple syrup (we skipped the yogurt, although that sounds good too).

Related articles