Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Garlicky Kale and Tomatoes

Hans Gissinger

Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 15m
Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 6 ounces whole-grain spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
• 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino (1 ounce), plus more for serving

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, tossing frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes more.

3. Add the kale mixture, almonds, pecorino, and reserved cooking water to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve with additional pecorino.

I made this dish (taken from the Real Simple magazine) and thought it was VERY easy and really delicious!  I was amazed with the amount of Kale you use, literally the whole bunch, but it obviously shrinks when it is cooked.  I topped mine with Tabasco (the green bottle) which was a perfect addition!

Tip:

Supercharge this heart-healthy dinner by adding chopped oil-packed sardines to the pan along with the tomatoes.

Nutritional Information

Calories 413; Fat 16g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 313mg; Protein 17g; Carbohydrate 56g; Sugar 6g; Fiber 8g; Iron 5mg; Calcium 335mg
credit: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/whole-grain-spaghetti-with-garlicky-kale-and-tomatoes-00000000051131/
 

Mexican Rice

At my Mexican Pot Luck, I served this Mexican Rice and got MANY compliments.  Really, thank Paula Dean.  =)
VERY easy and great to have for a few meals!
Prep Time: 10 min  
Cook Time: 20 min 
Level: Easy  
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice, onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until the rice is browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in the water, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the cheese and transfer to a serving bowl.

credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/mexican-rice-recipe/index.html
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen (PBDB Collector's Issue 2009, pg. 90) 

North African chicken

Braised Thighs, Olive, Potatoes, Chiles, Fingerlings in Tomato Broth

Recipe courtesy Michael Symon

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

45 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons blended oil
• 2 shallots, halved, peeled then sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 3 Fresno chiles, sliced into rings
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 12 fingerling potatoes, halved
• 2 to 3 cups Chicken Stock, recipe follows
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand and half the can of juice/sauce
• 2 cups pitted cerignola olives
• 1 cup pitted oil-cured olives
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• Zest of 1 orange
• 
  
• Salad
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• Splash sherry vinegar
• Salt
• 1 orange, zested, supremed and juiced
• 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1 small bunch arugula
• Sea salt

• Chicken Stock
• 2 pounds chicken backs and necks
• 2 pounds chicken feet, or additional backs and necks
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Directions

Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces onto a paper towel and pat dry to help create extra-crispy skin. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the blended oil to the pot and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down and allow to sear until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Flip and continue to brown moving the thighs to the side of the pan. To the other side of the pan, add the shallots, garlic, sliced Fresno chiles, salt, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and stir to combine. Add the fingerling potatoes and season with kosher salt. Add about 2 cups chicken stock or enough to come 2/3 of the way up the meat and add the whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, along with half the juices/sauce. Stir in the cerignola olives, oil-cured olives, and kalamata olives. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Lower the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When ready to serve, add the orange zest and stir to combine.
For the salad:
Place the shallots, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Zest the orange. Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the orange. Holding the orange over a bowl (to catch any juice), supreme or segment the orange. Set the supremes aside. Squeeze the remaining orange membrane into the bowl to collect all the orange juice. Whisk in about 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
To another medium bowl, toss in 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves and a small bunch arugula leaves. Add a small amount of dressing and toss to combine.
For serving:
Plate the chicken pieces onto a serving platter. Top with the potatoes, olives, and tomatoes. Season the chicken mixture with sea salt and top with the dressed greens. Serve with remaining sauce alongside the table.

Rinse the chicken parts thoroughly. In a 10-quart stockpot, combine the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 gallon cold water. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, skimming and discarding any foam and impurities that rise to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 hours, skimming the surface as necessary. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the solids.
Makes 3 quarts

I saw a very tasty dish on the Food Channel and tried it out with Mom and Meagan as my guinea pigs... And, it was delicious!

Hmmm.... it won't let me copy and past the recipe OR copy and paste the link! This blogging thing may not be for me. We better stick to the experts: sunsetintherearview and esimmonsphoto!

But, if you're interested in this chicken goodness, go to: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/ and search recipes, Michael Symon, Braised Thighs, Olive, Potatoes, Chilies, Fingerling Potatoes in Tomato Broth :)

I basically followed the recipe all the way through except I added a little extra of each of the spices that were called for (you know me, I like to kick it up a notch) and I only used two out of the three recommended types of olives. I did that because I couldn't find the other at Whole Foods. I liked the new type of olive M.S used, but it's not really worth the trouble unless you can find them already seeded. Luckily, Meagan was my sous-chef and I gave her that annoying task-- she loved it!

Also, I tasted the dish while it was boiling away and it had quite the kick because of the chilies, so I added about a tablespoon (or a big squirt ;) of honey. Waala!

Definitely top it with the arugula salad, or serve it on the side like we did; it was the perfect balance and fresh crunch to this dish. One last tip, I used a little bit of orange juice in the dressing I made for the simple salad and the best Texas oranges made it super yummy. The zest too!

I hope you all try this, it was fun and good! GOOSEY: I recommend you NOT use the chilies. Otherwise, I think you'd like it.

Love,
A girl who likes to cook...and be the head chef. hahahhahahahaha (Am I funny? Because that made me laugh at myself).


I love you all, Queens of Foodies, Princesses of the kitchen!

xo, princess winnie 
credit:http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/cook/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,COOK_41503_495034_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Sesame Miso Salad Dressing

Sesame Miso Dressing and Quinoa and Veggies

Makes 1 cup

• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 3 tablespoons white or brown rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons spicy toasted sesame oil
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup plain (not toasted) sesame oil or vegetable oil
• 1 scallion, minced

Directions

1. Whisk in orange juice. In a steady stream, slowly whisk in the sesame oil until smooth. Stir in scallion.

My comments: I did not have a spicy toasted sesame oil, so I skipped that part. As for the 1/4 cup of plan sesame oil or vegatable oil, I decided to do half and half. I also added some lemon juice and flax oil to the dressing and used my hand blender to mix everything together.

What I served this on? I did my best attempt (that worked out GREAT) to copy my favorite dish at one of my favorite restaurants in SF called Plant. The dish is the Quinoa Bowl that has LOTS of fresh veggies (steamed and raw) on a bowl of quinoa with a miso dressing. I prepared my quinoa and used the extra veggies I had in my fridge while also picking up a few more. The dish had broccoli, green pepper, mushrooms, sliced carrots, swiss chard and pea shoots (with ginger and garlic as well). I HIGHLY recommend doing this and left overs should be tasty!!!

Dressing Credit: http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/sesame-miso-salad-dressing

Miso Salmon

Sweet And Salty Recipe For Salmon

Japanese recipe for fish that'll transport your tongue.

A recent study linked Japanese men's high fish consumption with raised levels of omega-3 fatty acids and a lower incidence of heart disease. This sweet and salty recipe for this fish is an entrée of omega-3-rich salmon is like an Rx for your ticker.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 8-11 min
3 Tbsp white miso
1 Tbsp mirin
8 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp peanut or canola oil (I used sesame oil)
4 6 oz salmon fillets, about 1 1/4 inches thick
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced

(I did not have a scallion or the peanut oil, so I skipped on the scallion and used sesame seed oil instead of peanut oil)
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Whisk miso, mirin, and soy sauce in a small bowl until well blended.

3. Add oil to a large nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin side up, and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Flip fish over and place skillet in oven; roast salmon until it reaches the desired degree of doneness, 6 to 8 minutes.

5. Brush salmon with miso mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 326 cal, 14 g fat (2.1 g sat), 528 mg sodium, 6 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 40 g protein
credit: Womens Health Magazine:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/miso-salmon-recipe

*my thoughts: extremely easy to make, absolutely delicious and a light meal.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy MSLO, Inc.

Abby's notes: Hi family! I make stir fry all of the time, and so was really excited when I saw Emeril's take on how to jazz it up a bit. Honestly, making it with the noodles makes this taste like Margie's Phillipino Noodles! Very delicious, very easy and a quick make. Enjoy!

Prep Time:25 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:8 min

Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
4 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion bottoms, plus 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
2 cups snow peas, ends and threads removed
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and julienned
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, peeled and cut on a bias
1 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 nests cellophane rice noodles
1/2 cup roasted cashews
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a wok or a large saute pan over high heat. Dust the chicken with cornstarch. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, and cook until it just turns opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the green onion bottoms, garlic, and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the snow peas, red bell pepper, onion, celery, and cook until just tender, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock, hoisin, and soy sauce to the wok. Stir to combine. Move the contents of the wok to the side to reveal a well. Submerge the cellophane noodles into the liquid. Cover the noodles with the chicken and vegetables and cook 1 minute longer.

Remove the chicken from the heat. Add the green onion tops, roasted cashews, and toss to combine all the ingredients. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately.

Cheesy Zucchini and Mint Risotto

Last week I used Jamie Oliver's iPhone app (Jamie Oliver 20 min. meals) to find a new recipe to try out....Cheesy Zucchini and Mint Risotto. I couldnt find the recipe online so I'll type it up for yall.
I have the proportions for 2 people and it was a PERFECT size!!

You'll need:
1 small zucchini
1 small bunch of fresh mint
1 4oz. of buffalo mozzarella
1 small red onion
1 stick of celery
5 oz. risotto
1 3/4 c. vegetable broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 medium fresh red chili
1 oz. Parmesan cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

(side note: I didnt have a red onion when I was making this and so I used 2 sticks of celery and added garlic to this recipe and was perfect!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place a large saucepan on low to med. heat.
Dice onion and celery
Add a tablespoon of butter to the hot pan with the onion and celery, a splash of olive oil and a splash of water.
Cook over a low heat for around 5 min., stirring occasionally, until softened.
Bring the veg. broth to a boil in a med. saucepan, the turn heat down to low.
Trim the zucchini ends and dice.
Pick the leaves off the mint stalks and put them to the side. Add the stalks to the saucepan of the broth.
Finely grate the Parmesan.
Once the veggies are soft (not browned) add the risotto to the pan.
Stir and fry the risotto for a min. until translucent, then add the wine and keep stirring until all the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
Turn the heat under the rice up to med. then add a ladle full of hot broth, avoiding the mint stalks (only in there for flavor).
Stir constantly and continue adding brother, a ladle at a time, waiting for the risotto to soak it all up before adding the next ladle full. Contunil until you've used 2/3 of the broth.
Finely chop the mint leaves and the chili. (keep seeds if you like it spicy)
Stir the diced zucchini into the broth and keep adding the broth by the ladleful until the risotto is just cooked and had a nice oozy consistency. If you run out of broth, use boiling water.
Take the pan of the risotto off the heat.
Tear the ball of mozzarella into pieces and stir into the pan with half of the chopped mint.
Stir through half of your grated parmesan.
Taste the risotto and season well with pepper and a pinch of salt.
Serve onto plate and top each one with the remaining parmesan, a sprinkle of chopped mint and fresh chili and then tuck in.
Enjoy!
(photo credit: http://www.imnojamieoliver.com/?p=460)
(recipe credit: Jamie Oliver 20 Min. Meals iPhone App)

Welcome

Welcome. In hopes of sharing more delicious recipes, eating more fresh food and creativity throughout our kitchens, hopefully we can use this blog to post and share the meals we have cooked, food tips we have learned or anything else food related.