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Digging through the Recipe Collection

April 29, 2014 //
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I’m really happy that I finally started this meal-planning blog, but as the weeks have gotten busier it has been more difficult to find time to research recipes, prepare meals and put together each post. I’m not complaining, just saying that you never really know what you’ve gotten into until you’re in it! That said, one unexpected benefit of this site has been that I have an excuse, or really the impetus, to finally try a bunch of recipes that I have clipped or dog-eared or saved on Pinterest. Like anyone, I make roughly the same 20 meals per season rotated over the course of 3-4 weeks. Many of those meals have already been featured on this blog. However, when I started this blog I knew that if I provided readers with just 20 recipes my endeavor would be short lived. So, I started digging through my recipe collection, which lives in a large accordion folder, a collection of food magazines, many cookbooks, a “recipe box” on epicurious.com and of course my trusty Pinterest recipe board.

My trusty recipe board on Pinterest

My trusty recipe board on Pinterest

This week I bring you three recipes that I tried for the first time this week, but that I have wanted to make for awhile. Along with those three I added a re-post of my pasta marinara (a mainstay). Enjoy!

Meal #1: Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs with Couscous
Meal #2: Pasta with Marinara + Green Salad
Meal #3: Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs and Garlic Bread
Meal #4: Shrimp with Orange and Ginger

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

onion – 1
carrots – 2 lb.
lemons – 2
lettuce – 1 bunch or bag
leek – 1
baby spinach – 1 cup
red bell pepper – 1
oranges – 2
scallions – 1 bunch
basil – 1 small bunch
chives – 1 small bunch
ginger – 1 small piece
parsley – 1 bunch (optional)
cilantro – 1 bunch (optional)
low-salt chicken broth – 5 cups
egg – 1
pasta – 1 box
rice
small pasta (such as orzo or ditalini) – 1 box 
crushed tomatoes – 28 ounce can
baguette or whatever bread you like
breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil – (if you don’t already have it)
honey – (if you don’t already have it)
paprika – (if you don’t already have it)
cinnamon – (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper – (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 lb total
ground chicken – 6 ounces
shrimp – 1 lb. 

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Categories Meal Plans

Lemon and Olive Chicken and Red Roasted Carrots

April 9, 2014 //
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Lemon and Olive Chicken
IMG_1082 Web

Although Martha’s recipe serves 8 you can cut this in half or even quarters. It is a pretty basic, tasty dish that you can easily make after work. I’ve never tried it with chicken thighs, but I bet it would be great.

Red Roasted Carrots
IMG_1080 Web

For those of you who follow me on Instagram you probably saw that I posted a photo of these carrots earlier in the week as part of the #100happydays challenge. They are one of the two recipes I tried this week from The Forest Feast and they are delicious. A little sweet and a little spicy. Patrick loved them.

 

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Categories Meals

Discoveries

April 7, 2014 //
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Don’t you just love when you discover something new? The other day I was browsing my Facebook feed when I came across a friend’s status update which was basically a glowing review for an upcoming cookbook. My friend is a culinary magazine editor so not only does she know a lot about food, she is lucky enough to have cookbooks mailed to her on a daily basis. She knows her way around the kitchen, so when she is enamored with a cookbook I pay attention. By now I’m sure you are dying to know what book I am talking about…

The cookbook is The Forest Feast and its author, Erin Gleeson, is the creator of this gorgeous tumblr site. I’m not going to lie, it was love at first site. When I originally came up with the idea of publishing a meal planning blog the thought of taking photographs, especially of food, terrified me. Patrick is the photographer in our family, and I happily let him take over the task of chronicling our family. But, blogs without at least some photos, are pretty boring so I make an attempt. However, I am envious of bloggers who are also super talented photographers. So, when I saw The Forest Feast’s posts I was blown away – everything about them is beautiful. And then, when I actually read her recipes and saw that they were super simple and seasonally focused, I was hooked. I immediately had to try something so, of course, two of the recipes I made – the cauliflower gratin and the red roasted carrots – are on this week’s meal plan for you to try. Enjoy the discovery!

I can't wait to get my hands on this cookbook! “Photos by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast”

I can’t wait to get my hands on this cookbook!
“Photos by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast”

Meal #1 Roasted Pork Loin with Pearled Onions + Cauliflower Gratin
Meal #2 One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes + Green Salad
Meal #3 Lemon and Olive Chicken + Red Roasted Carrots
Meal #4 Honey-Soy Salmon + Baby Bok Choy with Cashews

Your weekly grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

pearled onions – 1 bag (1 lb.)
cauliflower – 1 medium head
carrots – 1 large bunch
scallions – 1 bunch
onion – 3 large
baby bok choy – 1 lb.
grape or cherry tomatoes – 1 pint
lemons – 2
milk – 2 cups
butter – 1/2 stick
cashews – 4 ounces
semi-pearled farro – 1 cup
chicken stock – 2 cups or 16 ounces
cheese (gruyere or cheddar) – 8 ounces
boneless pork loin – 1 1/2 – 2 lbs.
salmon fillet – 1 ½ lbs.
bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts halves – 1 per person
green olives (if you don’t already have them)
dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
dried rosemary (if you don’t already have it)
fennel seeds (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper (if you don’t already have it)
cinnamon (if you don’t already have it)
paprika (if you don’t already have it)
garlic powder (if you don’t already have it)
chili powder (if you don’t already have it)
dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
honey (if you don’t already have it)
mustard (if you don’t already have it)
flour (if you don’t already have it)

 

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Categories Meal Plans

Balance

April 2, 2014 //
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We all juggle commitments to family, friends, work, our home, and of course, ourselves. Unfortunately, most of us don’t do a great job balancing these important aspects of our lives and at least one often gets neglected. I think some people are better at being out of balance than others, but I am not one of those people. I like routine and habit – I always have. Having Eliza really shook up a lot of the balance that I had carefully crafted and maintained over the years. Two years into motherhood, I think I have a better handle on how unscripted and unplanned life can be, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

One way that I’ve dealt with the imbalance, or rather the stress of living with it, is to cook. I realize cooking isn’t everyone’s remedy, but it is mine. There is something about reading recipes, organizing ingredients, prepping vegetables and preparing a meal that I find very therapeutic. Within a few minutes I am out of my own head and into the creation process, which is often what I need. I love the concentration that chopping an onion requires and the creativity that sparks when I stray from a recipe. This week was another busy week, beginning with my business trip to Madison, Wi. and ending with Patrick working an  evening and having his usual Thursday night class. Fortunately, I got a few homemade dinners in to keep me on balance.

The tools of my "therapy"

Tools for my “therapy”

Meal #1: Chicken Thighs with Shallots and Tomatoes
Meal #2: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon
Meal #3: Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives
Meal #4: Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry + Rice

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

red, new potatoes – 2 lb.
ginger – 1 small piece
scallions – 1 bunch
red, yellow or orange peppers – 2
zucchini and/or summer squash – 2
snap peas – 1 cup
shallots – 12 to 15
leeks – 4
cherry or grape tomatoes – 2 pints
tarragon – a few sprigs
parsley – 1 bunch
lemon – 1
kalamata olives (if you don’t already have them)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
oyster sauce (if you don’t already have it)
rice wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
white wine
eggs – 2
penne or another short pasta – 1 box
rice
chicken breast – 1 lb.
bone-in chicken thighs – 8
bacon – 6 slices
cod fillet – 6 to 8 oz. per person

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Categories Meal Plans

Celebrations

March 18, 2014 //
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This week kicked off with two celebrations – Eliza’s 2nd birthday and St. Patrick’s Day. For Eliza’s birthday we hosted a small family party and kept it simple by ordering pizza, but we did have a homemade birthday cake. Last year, I made the same chocolate cake with vanilla icing and decorated it in a festive confetti style.
Elizas 1st bday cake_web
But, this year, since Eliza’s interests are much clearer, I indulged her love of Elmo and all things Sesame Street with this cake. I was pretty proud of my work!
Elizas 2nd bday cake_Web

Since St Patrick’s Day was the next day, and fell on a Monday, I didn’t have it in me to make a stew or shepherd’s pie (I am not a corned beef and cabbage girl). So instead, I opted for something a little easier, but still in line with the holiday – Martha’s recipe for salmon, red cabbage and potatoes. I figured it had cabbage and potatoes, and the Irish love salmon so it worked. Plus, Patrick and I each had a Guinness with dinner – and there is nothing more Irish than that!

Meal #1: Salmon, Red Cabbage and Potatoes
Meal #2: Butternut Squash Salad with Pine Nuts, Pecorino and Balsamic Vinegar
Meal #3: Skirt Steak with Winter Salad
Meal #4: Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 small head
red potatoes – 4-6 depending on size
Brussels sprouts – 1 lb.
butternut squash – 1 small (about 2 lb.)
fennel – 1 bulb
radicchio – 1 head
arugula – 1 bunch or bag
rosemary – 1 bunch
horseradish
sundried tomatoes
pecorino cheese – ¼ lb.
kalamata olives (if you don’t already have them)
grainy mustard (if you don’t already have it)
ground coriander (if you don’t already have it)
ground cinnamon (if you don’t already have it)
ground cumin (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
pine nuts (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
penne – 1 box
pancetta – 6 oz.
salmon filet – 1 ½ lb. skinless
skirt steak – 1 ½ lb.

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Categories Meal Plans

Cooking with Wine

March 14, 2014 //
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Well, this week wasn’t any calmer than last. That may be why three out of the four recipes I choose for this week include white wine! Obviously, something is on my mind…

I do love to cook with wine. Like lemon juice or butter a little bit adds a ton of flavor and in a snap you can make a sauce to accompany almost anything. One of my rules for cooking with wine, which I learned watching Mario Batali, is to always use a wine you would drink on its own. This is great advice not only because you want to treat your dish with respect and not ruin it with something that doesn’t taste good, but also because it is nice to have a glass of wine while you cook. You don’t have to use a $30 bottle, but don’t use those “cooking wines” you sometimes see at the grocery store. There are enough decent $10ish bottles around these days which will do the job nicely. Note, the alcohol burns off as you cook so kids can eat any of these dishes.

(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)

Meal #1: Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs + Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans
Meal #2: Swordfish Parmesan + Roasted Broccoli
Meal #3: Porchetta Pork Chops + Fennel with Shallots and White Wine
Meal #4: Chicken Piccata with Noodles + Green Salad

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
broccoli – 1 large head
green beans – 1 lb.
fennel – 2 large bulbs
shallot – 2
lemon – 4
lettuce – 1 head or bag
rosemary – 1 bunch
fennel seeds
noodles- 1 bag
eggs – 2
garlic (if you don’t already have it)
flour (if you don’t already have it)
capers (if you don’t already have it)
red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 4-8 (depending on the size)
bone-in pork chops – 4
thin chicken cutlets – 1 ½ lb.
swordfish steaks (6-8 ounces per person)
white wine

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Categories Meal Plans

Chicken Piccata with Noodles and Green Salad

March 14, 2014 //
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Chicken Piccata
This is my Mom’s recipes and one of the few dishes I ate as a kid. It is fast, easy, lemony and delish.
IMG_0964 Web
1½ lb. chicken cutlets, pounded thin
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 TB. vegetable or olive oil
½ cup white wine
¼ cup lemon juice
2 TB. butter

Season flour with salt and pepper and mix. Dip chicken cutlets, on both sides, into flour and shake excess off. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, but not smoking, add chicken cutlets and saute for about 3 minutes per side (you may need to do these a few at a time so you don’t crowd the pan). Remove chicken from the pan and put them in a warm oven to rest and stay warm.

Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan and stir, picking up the nice brown bits from the chicken. Heat the liquids until they boil and turn syrupy. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Pour sauce over the chicken.

Noodles
Nothing fancy, just old-fashioned egg noodles that remind you of being a kid. They are nice for soaking up the juices of the piccata.

Boil salted water and follow directions on the bag.

Green Salad

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Categories Meals

Porchetta Pork Chops + Fennel with Shallots and White Wine

March 14, 2014 //
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Porchetta Pork Chops
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Have you had porchetta before? If you haven’t, find some fast. One of the first times I ever had it was from a stand at the Brooklyn Flea aptly named Porchetta. Essentially it is a fatty, boneless pork loin that is stuffed with salt, fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic and other herbs before it is roasted over a wood-flame. Heaven!

Obviously we all can’t make porchetta ourselves at home, but fortunately Melissa Clark at the Dining Section of The New York Times created this super easy, at-home recipe. The first time I made it I was shocked at how much it tastes like its namesake. (Note: Clark’s recipes is for 2 servings, but simply double the ingredients to serve 4.)

Fennel with Shallots and White Wine
To compliment the fennel of the porchetta pork chops, I thought I’d share this braised fennel recipe from The Wine and Food Lover’s Diet cookbook. I know that I’ve been using a lot of fennel these days, but it is a great winter-ish vegetable. Don’t worry, the days of asparagus and peas are just around the corner!

2 large fennel bulbs
2 TB. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1 ½ ts. lemon juice
salt and pepper

Cut off the stems from each fennel bulb and if the outer layer is tough, remove it or trim it. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and remove the core if it is tough. Cut each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 wedges.

In a skillet over medium heat, warm the oil until it shimmers. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the fennel and toss well to combine with the shallot and garlic. Pour in the wine and lemon juice and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the fennel is tender when pierced with a thin, sharp knife, about 15 minutes.

Uncover and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly and the fennel is beginning to caramelize and brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adjust with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

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Swordfish Parmesan and Roasted Broccoli

March 14, 2014 //
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Swordfish Parmesan
Several years ago one of my Mom’s friends stopped by the house to give her this recipe, and a bag of freshly caught and cleaned swordfish steaks. This gesture wasn’t as unusual as it sounds since her friend is married to a deep sea fisherman and he had recently returned from a trip on the Atlantic Ocean with so much fresh fish there was some to spare.

My Mom and I were surprised by the flour/Parmesan coating, we usually prepared swordfish on the grill with some olive oil, salt and pepper; but we figured if it came from a fisherman’s wife it had to be good. Oh man! Because swordfish is a hearty piece of fish it can handle the coating and the sauce is amazing. You could make the sauce to accompany any other fish – sole, flounder, salmon, etc.

Swordfish Parm_Web

swordfish steaks (6-8 ounces per person), skin removed
1 cup of flour
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 TB. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup white wine
1 shallot, chopped
2 TB. lemon juice
2 TB. capers
2 TB. butter

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour and Parmesan cheese together. Dip swordfish into the egg whites and then the flour/cheese mixture. Heat oil in a large pan until hot, but not smoking and then add swordfish. Saute fish on both sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Remove fish from pan and place on a baking sheet. Roast the fish in the oven for another 7-10 minutes, or until cooked through.

While the fish is roasting, pour off half of the oil from the pan and add the white wine, shallot, lemon juice, and capers. Whisk sauce over a medium-low heat until it is reduced by half. Turn off the heat and add the butter, whisking until it is incorporated into the sauce.

Serve the swordfish with the sauce over it.

Roasted Broccoli
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1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss broccoli in olive oil and salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

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Panko-Crusted Salmon with Fennel and Parmesan Salad

February 28, 2014 //
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Panko-Crusted Salmon
Panko Crusted Salamon_Web

I adore Ina Garten. I think we share a similar mindset toward food, which is that it should be, delicious and approachable. Last Friday, Patrick mentioned that he was in the mood for salmon, and while I have a pretty good rotation of salmon recipes on hand, I wanted something new. However, I don’t have a lot of free time on Fridays to look up new recipes since I’m home with Eliza all day. So in between her Little Gym class and Trader Joe’s, I jumped on my iPhone and plugged “salmon” into the Food Network’s search engine. Fortunately, this recipe was at the top of their list. It is quick to prepare and so good. If you have never had panko before this is the recipe to try. It used to be hard to find, but now even 4C makes it so it should be in most grocery stores. Panko give it such a great crunch, and the mustard keeps the fish moist and adds a nice flavor.

Fennel and Parmesan Salad
Fennel salad_Web
I have no idea when I started to make this salad, or where I got the idea for it. I’ve been eating fennel non-stop since first trying it at The Farm School where we grew it. It is great cooked, but to really show off its flavor you should eat it raw. The crispness and slight anise flavor is a nice counterpoint to the richness of the salmon.

2 heads of fennel, halved, cored, and sliced very thin
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
¼ cup olive oil
2 TB. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Add fennel and parmesan cheese to a large salad bowl. Pour in olive oil, lemon and season with salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients and taste. If you need more oil or lemon juice add a little bit at a time until you are happy with the salad.

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