Asian Swai with Lemon

So I've "kinda" been on this work-out tip, which has "kinda" led me to obsess over calories we consume in this house.  Both the hubbs and I are tracking the calories we are allowed to consume and are really focusing on making healthy choices in our daily eating habits.  Ya know, gotta get an early start to setting good habits for our kids. :)

To this end, I've also been obsessed with cooking seafood, something that is new for me.  I LOVE the seafood department these days--there's so much to chose from!  This week I picked up swai.  Have you heard of it?  Tried it?  We hadn't.  It's a white fish, similar to tilapia, but the monger said it was a bit "lighter" and "meatier."  I wondered how that could be true, but figured I'd give it a go. 

As with all new fish I try, I introduce it to our table pan-friend in panko--because for the most part, I believe you can't go wrong with a panko pan fry.  If it's good, we like it, then I'm willing to nix the fry and steam/bake/etc. on the next go rounds.  

Tonight I decided to add a bit more flavor with an asian flair as well.  The turnout--delish!  And the monger was right--it was both a lighter taste, and meatier fish.  With tilapia, it so easily falls apart, but this fish held together very nicely while cooking--which I appreciate.  

One thing I learned was that the filets are rather large.  I had asked for 2, as I normally do fish, but didn't notice the size.  One filet is quite enough for 2 people if you aren't starving.  

Additional upside: swai, pre-cooked, is only 100 calories for 4 oz!  

Asian Swai w/ Lemon

Ingredients:

1 fresh swai filet

1 cup flour

1 cup pank crumbs

1 egg, beaten

4 tbs asia stir-fry oil (it's infused with ginger, garlic, etc.)

1/2 fresh lemon

Directions:

On 3 separate plates, lay out flour in one, egg in one and panko in the last.  In a medium pan, bring oil to heat over medium-high.  Dredge the fish in the flour, making certain to cover it all thoroughly as it'll help the egg stick.  Next, dredge the filet through the egg, ensuring total coverage and then through the panko crumbs, coating each side.  Transfer to the frying pan and cook until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat and transfer to plate with paper towel---let drain for 30 seconds.  Squeeze lemon juice on top of filet and serve! 

Italian Style Meat Loaf

I was at the grocery store on Sunday morning, beating the rush of mad-ass-women who will all but run you over with their coupons and carts, when I ran across the most disgusting thing in the meat aisle: meatloaf mix.


Does anyone else eat meatloaf with lamb, turkey and ground beef?!  Bleh.  That does not sound good, at all.  Maybe my mom just saved me by serving it with meat--but I firmly believe that's the way it ought to be.  I'll skip the other meat forms, thanks.

Despite the bleh-factor over the multiple-meat-loaf, it did make me crave some old-school style meatloaf that mom made, but kicked up a notch. (because what good would a cooking blog be if I didn't try something new?!)  The outcome was different than mom's, but equally yummy I believe.  I'll go ahead and say it's a tad more "italian" too.

Italian Style Meat Loaf

Ingredients:


1.5 lbs ground sirloin (or beef)
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1.5-2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
ketsup, to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the bread crumbs.  Mix until well combined.  Add bread crumbs and mix with hands, until completely incorporated.  The mixture should be moist, not runny and easy to form.  If not, add a tad more breadcrumbs.  If mixture is too dry, add milk, one tablespoon at at time.

In a baking pan, spray bottom of pan with spray and form loaf with the meat mixture.  Drizzle ketsup over top.  Place in oven, preheated to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.   To avoid burnt bottoms, you can add 1/2 cup beef broth to bottom of the pan.

Maple Glazed Pork Kebabs

Man-oh-man, does pork and pineapple go good together or what?!  Yup, sure does...at least in our house.  After the rave reviews from the hubbs on the last combination, I decided to mix things up a bit and kebab it our place tonight.  Ya know, always keepin' it fresh around here.

I also found these cute (a fruit can be cute, right?!) heirloom tomatoes at the market the other day that basically asked to be skewered.

While I'm on the subject of markets--if you're in NJ and haven't made the trip to Sickles yet--put down the computer, grab your keys and drive there, immediately.  This place is all sorts of amazing.  Although a tad overpriced, this place is the original whole foods--full of healthy, yummy goodness and a cheese section to die for.  I feel very much like Martha Stewart in this place--and always find the most delightful food.  Go, now!

Ok, back to the real reason you're here--the recipe!

Maple Glazed Pork Kebab

Ingredients:

1 pork loin
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1 container of heirloom tomatoes or grape tomatoes
6 kebab sticks, soaked in water, either over night, or at least 30 minutes prior to cooking
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 garlic, minced

Directions:

Turn the broiler on in the oven--mine is set to 525 by default, and that's a good temperature.

Cube the pork into even pieces.  Skewer the pork, tomatoes and pineapple on each stick, alternating.  Lay sticks on baking pan, width-wise, so that the ends of each skewer are resting on the side of the pan, elevating it a bit.  (this will help cook the pork and ensure there is no clinging to the pan)

In a small bowl, whisk the syrup, mustard, soy sauce and garlic.  Check taste--you can add more syrup or soy to your liking.  Drizzle over the kebabs.  Stick under the broiler and cook until crispy and meat is cooked through.

Served great with jasmine rice!

Linguini Bolognese

There's an epic debate that takes place in our house each and every time we want to make spaghetti:  thick or thin sauce.

I am of the belief that it doesn't always need to be this thick, chunky sauce that's heavy.  Occasionally, I enjoy a lighter sauce that's not-so-heavy and lets the pasta shine through. Mike, on the other hand, wants his spaghetti served with sauce and meatballs each and every time.  He'd also be happy with canned Ragu sauce.  (which I banned from our house entirely)

Since we always seem to have this debate, tonight I decided to ditch the spaghetti noodles all together and use linguini--because if we use a different noodle, we can't have the debate, right?  It's inherently NOT spaghetti and I can do as I please.

I've been watching a TON of travel shows lately, mostly because they talk about traditional cuisine--which I find inspiration from.  Last week, I saw a show on Italy and it showcased traditional sauces from various regions and I decided to use that as my starting point.  I was interesting to see that the traditional ragu  actually uses milk--so I figured I'd give it a shot.  Surprisingly, it was fantastic.  

This meal came together really quickly, so it's certainly going to be a mid-week work-in.

Linguini Bolognese

Ingredients:

3/4 lb ground beef
1/2 package linguini noodles, cooked al-dente. (reserve 1/2 cup pasta water)
4 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can whole tomatoes (28 oz)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh parsley
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

In a medium pan, melt butter and olive oil.  Add onions and cloves.  Cook until translucent.  Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  DO NOT DRAIN.  (Odd, I know, but trust me on this one!) Add tomatoes, crushing with the back of your spoon.  Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme, parsley and milk.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

Once sauce is done, gradually add sauce to pasta and mix.  Add in a bit of the past water--the starches will help the noodles marry with the sauce and it thicken up.  There's no real science to how much you add back in, just eyeball it--and add based on your desired consistency.


Now, Mike still likes his sauce thick, with meatballs...so that's how we'll do spaghetti.  When I'm in need of a different version, we'll just call it linguini bolognese.

Easy, Breezy, Thursday: Teriyaki Burgers and Bok Choy

I hate to speak to soon, but I think spring officially hit the jersey shore today---it was BEAUTIFUL!  As I gazed out over the ocean from my office, I was dying to leave, get home, open the house and relax.

I was also in the mood for some lighter food--'tis almost summer!

I had some ground sirloin (err, more red meat!) and baby bok choy I'd picked up because it was to cute not to.  Out came a fun meal, that while not perfect, is certainly worthy of the pass-along.  Hey, if my husband goes back for seconds, it's ok, right?

Summa-summa-summa-time....our house is open, heat is off...too soon?

Teriyaki Burgers and Bok Choy

Burger Ingredients: (Note, these are more "steak" than burger.)

1 lb ground sirloin
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tbs of each soy sauce and teriyaki sauce per patty

Directions:

Heat up the indoor grill or skillet with a bit of cooking spray in it.  Make beef patty's (makes about 5-6 depending on size)  sprinkle with sirloin and powder.  To each burger, add soy and teriyaki sauce.  Grill until done.

Boy Choy Ingredients:

1 package baby bok choy, rinsed
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tbs. Asian cooking oil

Directions:

In a skillet, bring cooking oil to heat, add boy choy and cook, turning, until leaves just start to wilt-about 2 minutes.  You still want them a bit crunchy--so remove before totally wilted.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.

Fried Brown Rice Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 ginger root, shredded
2 tbs Asian cooking oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs butter
1 egg

Directions:

In pan, melt butter and gently scramble egg.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add oil to skillet, bring to heat.  Add garlic, onions and pepper, cook until tender/translucent.  Add ginger, rice and egg--stir until combined.  Add soy sauce and heat.  (Depending on taste, you might want more soy sauce.)

Serve boy choy, rice under burger.

Cheddar Sprinked Roasted Chicken

The past few days we've kinda-sorta-really been on a red meat kick.  Pot roast, steak, post-roast reinvented pasta...you get the idea.  Although I didn't think it was possible, we needed a break from the red meat.  (shh, don't tell my farm-family I said that!)

As you are all aware, I'm obsessed with whole chickens at the moment and after last nights succulence, there's really no end in sight.  I can't be sure if it's just because we've eaten ourselves sick of other meat this week, or if it was just really darn good, but last night, we almost ate the entire chicken it was so good. 

Mmm. Chicken.

Cheddar Sprinkled Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, brined for 24 hours
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 tbs. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tbs finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Remove chicken from brine and let sit on counter for about 1/2 hour before cooking.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Pat the chicken dry and sit in roasting pan--without the rack.  Spread entire stick of butter over chicken, sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Pour chicken stock into bottom of pan and drop in bay leaf. 

Sit chicken in oven, and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes.  Drizzle pan drippings every 20 minutes.  Turn oven to 380 and bake for another 20 minutes or until the thigh reaches about 175 degrees.  Do yourself a favor and use a meat thermometer--the skin is going to be delightfully crispy and traps the moisture in/helps it cook--cutting into the bird will release that. 

Remove from oven, and let bird sit for 10 minutes prior to serving.

Once cut, sprinkle cheddar cheese on moist chicken and potatoes.  MMM.

Lovin' the Love and Blue Cheese Crusted Filet

Happy V-Day!  Moreover--Happy 3-years-to-the-date-of-our-first-date to my husband. 

Yup, that's right, we had our first date on Valentines Day.  Risky, huh?  I don't remember exactly why we thought that'd be a good idea, because it could have gone really bad.  Lucky for us, it didn't--and three years later, we're married, settled in one place (best gift ever!) and celebrating love on the low...because really, we love eachother daily. :)

We do, however, have a routine of steak for special days--so this year, I whipped us up some blue-cheese crusted, broiled filets, garlic mashed potatoes and cute lil' carrots.  Finished it off with chocolate chip cookies and chocolate covered strawberries. 

Simple meal really, so no real directions for this post, just pictures. I suppose if you've got questions, feel free to ask!

Throw-down worth salsa

Since I started blogging, I've gotten a few emails about "the one thing I make the most."  Simple, salsa.

A few years ago, my mom passed down a recipe for salsa that was amazing--and since then, I've tweeked it to the point where I could eat it 24/7.  Literally.  I make this almost weekly--and it goes on just about anything.  It's easy, semi-home-made and I promise you, will get rave reviews at any pot-luck.

Shoepeg/Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:

1 jar Pace Salsa (or any salsa you'd like, I prefer chunky, mild)
1 can shoepeg corn
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a lemon, juiced
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped.

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together.  You can serve immediatly, but if you let it sit overnight, it's even better.  Depending on the salsa you use, before you serve it, you might need to add a bit more olive oil. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Paprikash-oh, how I missed you kitchen!

Happy....happy...happy!  After a looong week of working late nights and no cooking, I was oh-so-happy to step back into the kitchen tonight and test my culinary abilities.

For awhile, I've been slightly (err, really) obsessed with paprika--and I've been putting it on just about every meal of my day.  Eggs, check.  Sandwich, check.  Pasta, check.  It's become a wee-bit-of-an-obsession.  So tonight I decided to whip up a modified version of a favorite Hungarian dish--chicken paprikash.

The traditional dish is bit creamy (and delightful really) but Mike's opposed to the whole creamy thing.  (I don't think he knows what he's missing.)  I decided to make the dish w/o and with...which ended up surprisingly fantastic.

This dish is super easy to make and is under thirty minutes.

Kitchen, I love you!


Chicken Paprikash w/ Pappardelle

Ingredients:

1 package bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
4 Tbs olive oil
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 Tbs paprika
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. dill
1 Tbs. sour cream
8 oz. pappardelle noodles or egg noodles, cooked as directed.
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

In a large skillet, bring 2 Tbs olive oil to heat.  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Brown on each side of the chicken, about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove and set aside.  Add remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil to pan, with pepper, garlic and onion.  Saute until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add entire can of tomatoes--breaking them apart as you add them in and with spoon.   Add paprika, salt and pepper.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and add chicken back to pan.  Slightly cover and let simmer until chicken is cooked through--about 20 minutes.  While not necessary, you can turn the chicken occasionally to ensure full flavor.

Drain pasta and serve under chicken--ladle with sauce.   Serve as-is for a non-creamy version.  For a creamier (and better!) version, add 1 Tbs sour cream atop the chicken and sprinkle with dill.

Work takes over life....and blogging.

This week has been onehellofa challenge at work.  We've been up to our wazoo in public hearings and late-night meetings that have put me home in just enough time to say hi to my husband and pet the dog before I literally fall into my bed and pass out.

It's been that kind of week.

I haven't even seen my kitchen--much less thought about cooking, which is sad because I had some pretty rockin' ideas this week--and a kitchen stocked.

So much for plans. 

Tonight I kick back into gear though--I have a fun chicken dish in mind as so long as the hubs picks up some tomatoes for me.  Fingers crossed.

Next week, I promise, promise, promise to get back on track!

Lemon Garlic Chicken w/ Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Geez-ma-neez it's been a looooong week.  After waking today thankful it was Friday, I turned on the television only to have dumb ass Al Roker tell me it was, in fact, Thursday.

Blah to the blah to the blah.

Since work has been mind-consuming the past few weeks, I needed tonights meal to be quick, easy and filling.  Comfort food was needed--stat.

Do you have a food vacuum sealer?  No?  Well you should.  It's a well-rounded tool that not only keeps my food fresher, helps me buy in bulk, but it also does a bang-up-job on marinating.  I tossed my chicken thighs into the bag, added the marinade this a.m.  Ziped, vacuumed and let marinade all day long.  By the time I got home, that little sucker had squeezed the yumminess into the thighs and all that was left for me was to grill and mash some taters.

I cheated by serving with stovetop.  Don't judge me.

Marinade Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic, pressed and made into a paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 zest of lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Chicken Directions:

Toss 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a bag, toss mixed marinade into the bag, seal and let sit 8-10 hours.  If you have a vacuum sealer, stick it in that--it'll infuse the meat!

Meal Ingredients:

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless that have sat in marinade
2 tbs. olive oil
2 potatoes, or a handful of small fingerlings, washed.
1 tbs salt
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbs butter


Directions:

In a medium frying pan, bring olive oil to heat over medium heat.  Add chicken and sear, turning occasionally.  Reduce heat and cover, let simmer 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring about 2 quarts of water to boil.  Add potatoes and sea salt.  Cook until fork tender.

Remove potatoes from water and put through ricer.  Add butter and garlic.    I also sprinkled some sharp, grated cheddar cheese on it--because cheese makes everything better.

Serve!

Ya.  Easy.  Blog done.  Retreat to sofa to veg-out.  Or perhaps just hit the bed.