Recipe #84: Manhattan Clam Chowder

Well, I don't know if typical Manhattan clam chowder has bacon, but I don't care-  having the entire apartment saturated in the smell of bacon most of the day was awesome.  ...and almost cruel.

Manhattan clam chowder is different than New England style in that it is tomato/broth based instead of creamy.  Here's an easy crock pot recipe!  It has a very bacon-y, almost smokey flavor.

 
INGREDIENTS:

3 (8OZ) cans clams, with juice (I used 4 6-something oz cans)
2 14oz cans tomatoes, chopped, with juice
2 oz bacon, diced (I used a whole package of already cooked bacon, 2.3oz)
1lb potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on low about 9 hours.

Recipe #83: Onion & Mushroom Soup

Nick and I love two ingredients in just about any meal:  onions and mushrooms.  So when I found this recipe in my new cookbook (Better Homes and Gardens Fresh and Easy Meals), I knew it would be perfect!

I was a little lax on amounts (adding more of ingredients than called for, mostly), and I used different types of onions and mushrooms (see my notes), but it turned out great.  It made a TON, much more than the 4 servings the book told me.

One major thing that differed from the picture in the book..... my onions never browned.  I don't know if it's because maybe I didn't add enough brown sugar, or what.... I'll have to try tweaking it next time.  The result was still good though, just not as photogenic.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large onions, cut into 3/4 inch chunks (about 4 cups) ~I used 3 very large onions, 1 spanish, 2 yellow
1 cup sliced leeks (3 medium)  ~I used 2 large leeks, and it made much more than 1 cup
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms ~I used baby portobellos and shiitake mushrooms.
1 cup finely chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
1 14.5oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1.75 cups water
1.5 cups cooked wild or brown rice ~I used a bag of Uncle Ben's 90 Second Rice
2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)  ~I used some dry white wine instead
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

In a large sauce pan or pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Cook onion and leeks in hot oil, covered, for 13-15 minutes or until onions and leeks are tender, stirring occasionally.  Uncover; stir in brown sugar.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes more or until onions and leeks are golden brown.  (They never turned brown for me...)

Stir mushrooms and carrots into onion mixture.  Cook and stir over medium heat about 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.  Stir in chicken broth, the 1.75 cups water, cooked rice, sherry (if desired), and pepper.

In a screw top jar (or something that's completely seal-able), combine the 1/2 cup of water and flour.  Cover and shake until smooth; stir into the rice mixture.  Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 1 minute more.  (I let mine simmer for a little while and served it with crusty toasted bread.)

 

My gorgeous leeks before cutting...

 

A shiitake mushroom

 

A Teryaki Stir Fry

My friend and fellow foodie Tom made some of his own teryaki sauce (at least, that's the impression I got- that it was home-made...) so I knew I had to make a stir fry with it.  I rely very much on recipes, which is ok while I'm still learning, and I am getting good at improvising and swapping out or adding ingredients... but I won't feel accomplished until I can come up with entire dishes on my own.

Well, today I threw together a stir fry that I was actually pleased with without any inspiration from any of my cookbooks.

First I heated and oiled my wok, then tossed in boneless skinless chicken thighs (read: CHEAP yet yummy!) that I'd cut into small pieces.  Fried that up in two batches, adding some fresh ground black pepper, then set it aside.  Added more oil and heated the wok back up.  Added minced garlic, sliced criminis, snap peas, and red bell pepper, and cooked them until they softened some.  Then added a good amount of the teryaki sauce and heated it all through.  Finally, I added the chicken back in with a little more of the sauce, and cooked it another minute or so.  I served this over that 90-second microwave rice from Uncle Ben's and sprinkled on some sesame seeds.  It was fab!

Recipe #82: Really GOOD Meatloaf

Oh man.  Anybody who might think that meatloaf needs to have ketchup or barbecue sauce piled on it in order for it to be edible hasn't tried this!  Super moist, great flavor, and my stomach hurts because I just had to have more of it!  This is from another new cookbook from my sister:

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 cup frozen or fresh chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used more, of course)

2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup cocktail sauce

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/4 cup light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Saute celery until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/3 cup cocktail sauce.  Heat through and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, and sauteed vegetables.  Form into a loaf and fit into a large loaf pan.  Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine remaining cocktail sauce, mustard, and brown sugar.  Remove meatloaf from oven and carefully drain off fat.  Cover with sauce mixture and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe #81: Smoky Sweet Potato Chicken Stoup

Yes, stoup.  Thicker than soup, not as thick as stew, and very hearty.  From one of my new cookbooks!  This was great, although next time I'm definitely cutting the sweet potato smaller.  The chipotle chili was a new ingredient for me.  Just the single pepper added some nose-running heat, but it was perfect.  Add more for a spicier stoup.  My vegetable peeler broke into pieces just as I was starting to peel the carrots, so none of my veggies were peeled for this recipe.  I prefer to leave the skin on the potatoes anyways.

 

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons EVOO, twice around the pan

2 medium carrots, peeled (if you want...)

2 celery ribs

1 large onion, peeled and halved

1 large sweet potato (I used two medium sized ones)

2 garlic cloves, chopped (I used more)

1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped (I found these in a can in the mexican section at the store)

Salt and black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (eyeball it)

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry white wine (eyeball it)

1 quart plus 1 cup chicken stock

1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped (I skipped this)

1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional- I skipped this)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with EVOO.  While the oil heats, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half-moons.  Add the carrots to the pot, stirring to coat the carrots in the oil.  Chop and drop in the celery and onion.

Peel (optional) and then cut the sweet potato into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them into bite-size pieces.  Add the sweet potatoes, garlic, and chipotle and stir to combine.  Season the veggies with salt and pepper, the thyme, and the bay leaf.  Cook the veggies together for 1 minute.  Add the wine to the vegetables and reduce for one minute.  Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise the heat to high.

When the stoup boils, remove the cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.  Add the cut-up chicken and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.  Turn the heat off, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and cilantro.  Serve each portion of stoup with a dollop of sour cream on top (optional).

Recipe #80: Hummus and Turkey Wrap

This one is short and sweet!  Made this for a healthy and easy lunch yesterday.

Simply take a tortilla/wrap, and put some hummus on top, spreading evenly.  Layer with peppered turkey breast, romaine, tomato (I used romas), and red onion.

Quite delicious, although it was sort of messy.  I think next time I'll cut up my tomatoes smaller so it's easier to close the wrap.

Recipe #79: Salmon-Vegetable Packets

Excitement!  A new cooking technique!  (well... for me...)  All fresh ingredients sealed into an aluminum foil packet and baked in the oven.  This was great because I prepared them hours ahead of time and just threw them in the oven when it was time to make dinner.  I halved this recipe so we'd just have enough for us two, but it would be very easy to adapt to make as many packets as are needed, 4, 6, 8...  And at 225 calories per serving, this is a great healthy option.  Oh, and it tastes WONDERFUL, by the way...

INGREDIENTS:

4 4oz fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets, 3/4 inch thick (I used bigger fillets, skin-on)
2 cups thinly bias-sliced carrots
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 green onions, sliced
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel (I zested it)
2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
4 gloves garlic, halved (I used minced garlic)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil (I used olive oil spray)
2 medium oranges, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh oregano (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw fish, if frozen.  Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Tear off four 24-inch pieces of heavy foil.  Fold each in half to make an 18x12 inch rectangle.

In a large bowl combine carrots, mushrooms, green onions, orange peel, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Divide vegetable mixture among foil rectangles.

Place fish on top of the vegetable mixture.  Drizzle (or spray) fish with oil; sprinkle lightly with additional salt and pepper.  Top with orange slices and, if desired, oregano sprigs.  For each packet, bring up 2 opposite edges of foil and seal with a doulbe fold.  Fold remaining ends to completely enclose the food, allowing space for steam to build.  Place the foil packets in a single layer in a large baking pan.  (I put mine directly on the rack after storing these in the fridge for a few hours.)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (OR 40 FOR A LARGER FILLET LIKE I USED!) or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and carrots are tender.  Transfer the packets to dinner plates.  Open slowly to allow steam to escape.

 Before cooking- so colorful!

 Ready for baking

Recipe #78: Enchilada Lasagna

Nick has some favorite meals that he likes to request.  Two of them are enchiladas and lasagna.  And here's a recipe that combines them!  It's mostly a huge enchilada, in my opinion, a big sloppy mess of Mexican awesomeness.  I found this recipe in one of the new cookbooks my sister gave me for Christmas!  This makes a TON of heavy food, so be ready to share it!

 

MMMMM.....

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (16oz) refried black beans (I only found regular)

1 can (4oz) diced green chiles

1 container (15oz) ricotta

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning (I got a McCormick taco seasoning packet)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cans (10oz each) red enchilada sauce

18 corn tortillas (I used much less, more like 14)

1 can (11oz) mexicorn (Green Giant)

2 packages (6oz each) grilled chicken strips cut into bite sized pieces (Tyson)  (I bought a 22oz package of Tyson grilled strips that were in the freezer section and used about 18oz of it.  You can also use your own precooked chicken)

3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Sour cream (optional)

Scallions (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine refried beans and green chiles.  Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, salt, and mexican seasoning.

Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Overlap 6 (I used 5, torn up) corn tortillas to create a layer.  Spread half of the bean mixture evenly over tortillas.  Top with half the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle with half the mexicorn and add half the chicken.  Add 1 cup shredded cheese.  Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over top.  Add another layer of tortillas; top with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce.  Repeat with the remaining beam mixture, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining mexicorn, remaining chicken, another 1 cup of shredded cheese, another 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, and the remaining tortillas.  Spread remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with sour cream and sliced scallion.

 

Woah.  that's a ton of food...

  

It's a hot mess... of deliciousness!

New Cookbooks!

My sister and I exchanged Christmas presents early. I'm so excited because she got me a crapload of cookbooks she found on clearance. Thing about cookbooks- it's not like they really expire. So if you can get one for super cheap, that's even better... same great recipes, less price. So she got me a bunch, including 2 sets of 4 each of these cardboard themed cookbooks. I love them!!!

Look at these bad boys! THREE new Sandra Lee cookbooks. Jenny got me one of Sandra Lee's cookbooks last Christmas and I use it so much, so I'm really excited about these new ones! A Rachael Ray cookbook! She's the Food Network star that got me started with this whole cooking obsession- it's been 2 years now since I started really learning and trying new things. Oprah magazine recipes- can't wait to try! And Fresh & Easy Meals.... it was like I picked these out for myself lol! She did a great job. On the right are my little themed cardboard cookbooks- can't wait to see what those have too, especially the cooking with soy cookbook- that's different!

My kitchen counter-top was overflowing already with my cookbooks and cooking mags, and we've been running out of room for our games, so we decided it was time for a new bookshelf. So we ran to Target and got one to match the other 3 we have, and now we have a nice setup!

Oh the simple pleasures in life...


Time to come up with a menu for the week, and a grocery list... This means lots of new blog posts!

Recipe #77: Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash

Why oh why didn't I make a spaghetti squash sooner? This stuff is great! It has the consistency of angel hair pasta but is much better for you than pasta! A spaghetti squash has only about 40 calories per cup (as opposed to 220 for a cup of pasta!) I'd been craving shrimp for a few days, so when I saw this recipe in my cookbook "The Wine and Food Lover's Diet," I knew I had to try. It turned out perfect! I'm definitely making this dish again.


INGREDIENTS:

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped (I left them whole)
Cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used some dried parsley instead)
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).... I forgot this!

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pierce the skin of the squash in several places with a knife and put it in a baking dish. Bake until very soft, about an hour. Use a pot holder to grasp the squash and cut in half if still whole. Scoop out the seeds. Then, with a long-handled fork, tease out the strands into a warmed serving bowl. Fluff and separate the strands with the fork. Keep warm while cooking the shrimp (or have your spouse do this while you cook, like I did!)

Spaghetti squash after pulling apart

The remains...

In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil until it shimmers. Add the shrimp and stir and toss until the shrimp are bright pink and opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Add to the bowl with the squash.

Add the garlic to the hot pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the capers and a pinch of cayenne. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the parsley and stir well. Remove the pan from the heat, reduce the heat to very low, and whisk the butter, a few cubes at a time, moving the pan on and off the heat so the butter just melts and emulsifies the oil. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Pour over the squash and toss well. Scatter the cheese over the top and serve.

Nick mixing and mixing...