YUM
josh came home on friday night at 10 pm to a JUST-out-of-the-oven homemade lasagna. and that's why i am the best wife ever.
Creamy Spinach Lasagna10/2007 Cooking LightIngredients1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
PreparationPreheat oven to 375°.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
with love from miami
i brought back some avocados from the tree that grows in josh's parents' yard in miami beach. the last time i did this, i made guacamole that was other-worldly. this time, for some reason i thought it was just 'pretty good'. i hope i'm not losing my touch.
from 7/2002 cook's illustratedFresh GuacamoleMakes about 1 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS2 small avocados , ripe, (preferably Haas)
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press
1/2 small jalapeño chile , minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
Table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
DIRECITONS1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Using fork, mash lightly with onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just combined.
2. Halve and pit remaining avocado. Using a dinner knife, carefully make 1/2-inch cross-hatch incisions in flesh, cutting down to but not through skin, (see illustrations below). Using a soupspoon, gently scoop flesh from skin; transfer to bowl with mashed avocado mixture. Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)
fall fantasy
despite the 90-plus temperatures, i'm going to pretend it's fall. since it's, you know, october and all. last night, in honor of the pseudo-season, i made a very fall-esque soup. and enjoyed it, even if it does feel like august.
Sweet Potato and White Bean Soup with Sage-Walnut PestoCooking Light 10/2007Ingredients Soup:
Cooking spray
2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 medium)
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
4 cups chopped Swiss chard (about 1 bunch)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Pesto:
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
PreparationTo prepare the soup, heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add leek to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Add potato; cook 10 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in chard, pepper, salt, and beans; cook 3 minutes or until chard wilts. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
To prepare the pesto, combine cheese and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 2 teaspoons pesto.
a little help, here . . .
sometimes i like to make dinner all by myself. other times, it is just too lonely in the kitchen. tonight was one of those nights and josh was very cooperative and helpful and we crafted an AWESOME dinner together. we had:
Chicken and Asparagus in White Wineoctober 2007 cooking lightexcept i used broccoli where it says 'asparagus.' it worked.
Ingredients4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
PreparationPlace each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add wine, broth, and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and juice. Serve asparagus and sauce with chicken.
i also made this, from the same magazine:
Hearty Quinoa with Sautéed Apples and AlmondsIngredients1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely diced carrot (about 2)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups finely diced unpeeled Granny Smith apple (about 1)
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
PreparationPlace quinoa in a fine sieve; place sieve in a large bowl. Cover quinoa with water. Using your hands, rub grains together for 30 seconds; rinse and drain. Repeat procedure twice. Drain well.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender and carrot begins to brown. Stir in broth, quinoa, salt, and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Fluff with a fork; keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple to pan; sauté 7 minutes or until apple begins to brown. Add apple, almonds, and pepper to quinoa, tossing to combine. Serve warm.
our mutual verdict on quinoa was: it's good.
leftovers are my specialty
i was supposed to make lasagna tonight, but i forgot to thaw the spinach. not to mention that it was 7:45 pm before i even got to start on my creation. plus, we had tons of leftover possibilities! i ended up using some leftover grilled pork from
sushi blues* in a salad with spinach, tomato, red pepper, cucumber, gorgonzola, walnuts, and olive oil/balsamic dressing. that plus some rosemary bread from whole foods = a fabulous, no-effort dinner.
and, i put the spinach in the freezer, so lasagna WILL happen tomorrow! i just need to get an earlier start . . .
* i would do a proper restaurant review, but i had a cold and couldn't taste things well enough for it to be fair
turkey chili surprise!
the surprise is -- maybe i'll bring this blog back! to document the fact that yes, i still have time to cook in residency. and even time to write about it! (we'll see how long that lasts). and to remind myself of some good recipes and dinner combos.
Turkey and Bean Chilifrom
cooking lightIngredients1 cup prechopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper (about 1)
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (i used parseley b/c i hate cilantro)
6 lime wedges
PreparationHeat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add first 4 ingredients; cook for 6 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently to crumble. Stir in chili powder and next 8 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
i paired this with some orange pepper strips and baked chili-lime tortilla chips. it was nice and homey and fall-esque, even though it's really just pretend-fall with it still being freaking NINETY-TWO degrees outside.
recipes: week of 7.23 - 7.29
chicken picadillo1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup bottled salsa
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)
Place chicken in a food processor; pulse until ground.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in salsa and raisins. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in almonds and cilantro. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
tempeh-mushroom fricassee with garlic confit1 tablespoon olive oil
16 garlic cloves, crushed
cooking spray (or olive oil)
16 oz organic tempeh cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups thinly sliced leek
1 lb. mushrooms of your choice, sliced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh parseley
1. Combine oil and garlic in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Cook 10 minutes or until garlic is golden and fragrant, stirring often. Lightly coat Dutch oven and garclic mixture with cooking spray. Increase heat to medium-high, add tempeh, and saute 8 minutes or until brown. Stir in wine, cook until liquid is almost evaporated (about 30 seconds). Transfer mixture to a bowl.
2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add leek & mushrooms, saute until vegetables begin to brown and liquid is almost evaporated. Add 1 cup broth, cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Combine remaining 2 cups broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan. Reduce heat and stir in tempeh mixture. Cover, simmer 30 minutes. Stir in thyme, salt, pepper. Remove from heat; stir in parseley.
Yield: 5-6 servings.
it's been too long
but i'm bringing back this blog. in a slightly different incarnation (reincarnation?): instead of only boasting about my successes, i'm going to share my failures too. and the process that goes on behind-the-scenes in feeding 2 hungry medical professionals. okay, fine, one professional and one scut-monkey. right.
so let me just say i have been FANTASTIC lately (if i do say so myself) about cutting out recipes, planning each week's dinners in advance, and making cooking on various nights a relaxing affair. i would say that it is all about discipline, but i would be lying. it is actually relatively painless. all this takes is:
- the inspiration to cut out recipes out of cooking magazines as soon as they come and put them in a queue for future dinners
- a few hours each sunday spent leafing through these recipes, devising a weekly shopping list (i try to make just one trip per week: saves time AND money)
- a to-be-eaten-while-cooking snack (hey, i usually run after work and THEN cook . . .waiting until the 9pm dinner hour would be bad). excellent choices: carrots & hummus. pita chips. bread & olive oil.
- a glass of wine or a beer (optional)
- the mindset that it doesn't really matter when we eat as long as the time period spent cooking is one of relaxation and not of stress to 'get something on the table!'
- an enthusiastic willingness to eat leftovers
this week, josh and i are on call both monday and friday. therefore, i planned that sunday & tuesday we would eat one thing, and that wednesday & thursday would be another. saturday (post-call) will be heating up a frozen pizza -- what, like i'm going to cook after being up all night the night before? try again. anyway.
the week's shopping list:garlic
bottle of white wine
a leek
1 lb mushrooms
quart of vegetable broth
parseley
egg noodles
broccoli
bread
salsa
raisins
milk, soy milk
box of optimum power cereal (it was on sale)
tomatoes
sour cream (low-fat)
hummus
1 lb ground chicken breast
granola bars
frozen blueberries
various frozen lunches & dinners for on call (burritos, sandwich pockets, others)
baby carrots
peaches, plums, bananas
frozen waffles
a frozen spinach & tomato pizza
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sunday & tuesday nights:tempeh-mushroom fricassee with garlic confit (recipe following)
egg noodles
steamed broccoli
wednesday & thursday nights:chicken picadillo (recipe following)
rice, tomatoes, sour cream
saturday night:
frozen pizza, or if we have the energy, out somewhere.
