Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake

I have made this recipe twice now, and it is a hit. It tastes a lot like lasagna or any other baked pasta dish, but it doesn't have any noodles in it, so it's lower in carbs. Well, until you load it onto a piece of thick crusty bread like I do, but that's a personal choice.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 or 6 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 TBSP tomato paste

2 cans of cannellini beans (15 oz) drained and rinsed

1/2 cup boiling water

Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees

2. Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and fry the garlic until golden. 

3. Add tomato paste and boiling water. Mix.

4. Add beans and seasonings. Mix.

5. Cover with cheese.

6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, and broil for a minute to brown cheese on top, if necessary.

In which I cook some Korean soup

I knew that Koreans traditionally make and eat rice cake soup for the Lunar New Year, so when I saw these frozen rice cakes at Trader Joe's, I decided to buy some.

But then I didn't know how to make rice cake soup, so I didn't make it on Lunar New Year's Day.

But, after talking it over with a student I tutor, who very graciously sometimes acts as my Korean food expert, I felt more confident and decided that today was going to be the day that I made tteokguk.

(I always learn such wonderful things when I teach others.)

First, I let the rice cakes sit in cold water for 30 minutes (because they were frozen and that's what the instructions on the bag said to do).

While the rice cakes were thawing in their cold bath, I made the soup.

Here is what I used:

8 cups beef broth

4 or 5 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBSP soy sauce

2 tsp MSG

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 leek, thinly sliced

I let that come to a boil, and then added the rice cakes when they were ready. 

It took about 7 minutes for the rice cakes to warm up and start floating. 

Then I added a tsp or two of sesame oil as a finishing touch, and served the soup.

Like an American, I served the soup with bread from the bakery.

I realized after I had already started eating that Koreans would have probably served it with rice.

I'm going to have to ask about that.

In any event, it was delicious, and I would make it again.

Ratatouille

Lex wanted me to make ratatouille.

Step 1: Saute onion, garlic, and bell peppers in olive oil

Season with salt, pepper, and basil.

Step 2: Add 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

Step 3: Set sliced roma tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant on top of the sauce

Step 4: Mix herb seasoning and spread on top 

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp basil

1 tsp garlic

2 Tbsp parsley

2 tsp thyme

salt

pepper

Step 5: Bake at 375 for 40 minutes covered with foil, and 20 minutes more uncovered 

Step 6: Enjoy!

Strawberry Snowbank Pie

For Mother's Day, Kevin made Strawberry Snowbank pies.  They were amazing.  I highly recommend this recipe.  The snowbank is so sweet and soft and yummy.

Happy Mother's Day!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Spinach Orzo

I have a great lemon chicken orzo recipe for the crock pot, but today Lex asked for some for lunch, and he didn't want to wait.  So, after reading some recipes online, I invented this new way of cooking orzo and it was delicious.  Since I combined a few recipes, I thought it was time to write it down, so I can make it again.

First, all the chicken was frozen, so I cooked some frozen chicken breasts in the instant pot.

I put 1 TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP of oil in the bottom of the instant pot and set it to saute for 10 minutes.  I added enough frozen chicken breasts to cover the bottom of the pot, and seasoned them with salt, pepper, smoked Spanish paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.  I flipped them over after 5 minutes, and seasoned the other side.

Once the 10 minutes was up, I took the chicken out of the instant pot and added 1/2 cup of lemon juice and deglazed the pot.  Then, I put the chicken back in, and pressure cooked it for 10 more minutes.  When it was done, I diced the chicken.

I diced one small onion and 3 cloves garlic while the chicken was sauteing.

Then, I put 2 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP olive oil in the bottom of my big cast iron pot.  I sauteed the onion and garlic.  Then, I added 1 cup of orzo, Italian seasoning, and sauteed for about 3 more minutes.  Then, I added 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 TBSP lemon juice, and 1 cup heavy cream.  It cooked over medium heat, bubbling and cooking the pasta, while stirring often, for 10 minutes.  Once the pasta was cooked, I stirred in the chicken and 2 cups frozen spinach (thawed in the microwave and drained).  Top with salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Put the lid on the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes until creamy.

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

It took about 30 minutes, from start to finish.

Another Disney Recipe

 This is the soup from Ratatouille that Remy adds some spices to in the restaurant kitchen.

It's Leek and Potato Soup.

It's pretty tasty!

Potatoes and Cabbage Au Gratin

Tonight, I whipped up a thing.  I had been watching food videos on my phone, and I felt like making exactly what I wanted to eat.  So I did.  And it was delicious.  It was exactly what Kevin and Lex wanted, too, it turns out.

First, I cut up a shallot and some garlic and started cooking it in butter.  Then, I chopped up some cabbage and added that.  There was some salt and pepper added.  I sliced up some potatoes, really really thinly, and arranged them on top. Then, I covered it all with heavy cream and parmesan cheese.  I stuck it in the oven and cooked it along with the fish and chicken the kids had asked me to make for dinner.

When it was hot and bubbly and browned, I took it out of the oven and sprinkled some chervil on top. Delicious.  Would recommend.  Would make again.

Irish Colcannon

Ingredients:

6 large gold potatoes, peeled and chunked

7 TBSP butter, divided

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded

6 slices crispy bacon, chopped

salt

pepper

Directions:

Make mashed potatoes: Boil the potatoes until tender.  Mash.  Mix with 4 TBSP butter and cream.

Saute the onion and cabbage with 2 TBSP butter.

Mix potatoes with cabbage and bacon. Top with additional butter, salt and pepper.

Sausage Paella

Yesterday I posted a sausage and rice recipe, and today I will post another sausage and rice recipe.  This is the recipe for the Sausage Paella that I made for the Super Bowl.  I have been keeping the tab open on my web browser to keep tabs on the recipe, but enough of that.  I will save it here, instead.  Of course, I didn't follow that recipe very well.  I never do.

Here is my version:

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 package of roasted garlic smoked sausage, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 bag frozen artichoke hearts

2 cups frozen peas

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

Parsley

Directions:

Saute the sausage in the olive oil, remove from pan. (Protect the sausage from hungry passersby. This is the most difficult step of the recipe.)  

Saute the onion, garlic, green pepper.  

Add seasoning, the can of tomatoes, and rice.  Then add broth, bring to a boil.  Simmer with a tight lid for 1 hour until the liquid is absorbed.  

Add the sausage, artichoke, and peas to the pot.  Stir and cook until hot.  Serve with sprinkle of parsley.

Eat. Wash the dishes. Brush your teeth. Go to bed. Because I said so!

Mardi Gras means Red Beans and Rice to Me

Usually we go to a Cajun restaurant to celebrate Mardi Gras, and I usually order Red Beans and Rice.  Since we could not go out this year, I decided to learn how to make it myself.

I found a couple of recipes, and then I didn't really follow them.

Here is what I did, and it was good.  Kevin and Connor both thought it was on the spicy side, which is what I always think when I get it, so that's a good thing in this case.  It is supposed to be spicy.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 package andouille sausage, sliced

2 cans red beans, drained

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups water

2 tsp salt

1 tsp parsley

2 cups cooked rice

1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

Saute the sausage in the olive oil and remove from pan.  Saute the onion, garlic, and green peppers.  Add the seasonings, beans and water.  Bring to a boil, and mash the beans.  Add the sausage back into the pan, and cook until thickened.  Season with salt and parsley.  Serve with a scoop of rice on top, with a sprinkle of green onion.

YUM!

Rigatoni

Kevin bought a pasta press for the Kitchen Aid mixer for Christmas.  Today, I made noodles!

First, you make the dough:

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp fine sea salt

Then you make the noodles:

Then you cook the noodles and eat!

There were leftovers!

These noodles were super yummy and very filling.

Birthday Recipes

I got a wok for my birthday!

But I haven't used it yet.  Because on my birthday, Kevin and Nana made all the food for me.

For breakfast, we had coffee and vanilla bean scones.  Kevin made the scones early so that they would be ready bright and early when I woke up.

For lunch, we had a Japanese hibachi soup and salad with chicken crepes topped with a cream sauce. 

Hibachi Salad:

iceberg lettuce

shaved carrots

thinly sliced radishes

Japanese-style Dressing:

1/2 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced

2 Tbsp celery, minced

2 Tbsp ketchup

4 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine in blender and puree.

Hibachi Soup:

1. Make broth 

roughly chop all vegetables; combine all ingredients; bring to boil; cover and cook on medium for 45 minutes

1/2 stalk celery

1 onion

2 carrots

3 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp ginger

2 Tbsp chicken bouillon

3 Tbsp beef bouillon 

8 cups water

2.  Strain broth

3. Serve broth with mushrooms and garnish

1 cup sliced mushrooms

green onion slices

Crepes:

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/8 cup milk

3 eggs

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Mix batter and cook 2-3 minutes each side.  Layer with wax paper to prevent sticking.

Chicken filling for Crepes:

1/3 cup flour

2 chicken breasts, diced small

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Mix in a ziplock bag to coat the chicken pieces.

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a skillet and cook the chicken.  Remove the chicken.

1 Tbsp oil

8 oz sliced mushrooms

3 Tbsp chopped shallots 

Brown mushrooms in skillet.  Then add to skillet:

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups spinach

2 Tbsp parsley

Cook until sauce thickens.  Add chicken.  Fill crepes.

Cream Sauce:

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup white wine

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

Cook in sauce pan over medium heat, stirring, until thickened and reduced by half.

For dinner, we had chicken marsala, mashed potatoes, and focaccia bread.

Crock Pot Chicken Marsala:

3-4 chicken breasts, pounded flat

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup marsala

Cook in crock pot for 3 to 4 hours on high.  Transfer chicken to a plate, cover to keep warm.

Pour sauce with mushrooms into a skillet.  Add:

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup water with 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed in

Cook 5-10 minutes, then whisk in:

 

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cook until thickened.  Add chicken, reheat, and serve over mashed potatoes.

My garden focaccia bread did not disappoint.

Many thanks to Kevin and Nana for all my special birthday meals!

Creamy Rosemary Brussels Sprouts

Today I made the best Brussels Sprouts in the history of dinnertime.

And I took photos of leftovers.  Again.  It's the new food blogging trend.

Leftover Brussels Sprouts *and* leftover Chicken with Orzo.

Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/4 cup butter

1 TBSP flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 TBSP rosemary

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Boil the Brussels Sprouts for about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add flour and whisk.  Stir in cream and bring to a boil.  Stir and don't stop stirring for 2 minutes until thick.  Stir in garlic and rosemary and salt.  Add Brussels Sprouts and stir to coat.  Top with cheese and pepper.  Eat. Save the leftovers and eat again.

Crock Pot Chicken and Orzo

Today I got out the crock pot and made dinner at lunch time, which is awesome.

I made chicken and orzo.

This is how I did it:


Ingredients:

1 frozen chicken breast
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP lemon juice
3 cups ginger miso broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 ounces uncooked orzo


Directions:

Put the chopped onion, butter, garlic, lemon juice and broth in the slow cooker.  Place the chicken on top.  Season with salt and pepper.  (I also seasoned with Mural of Flavor, because of course I did.)  Cook on high for 4 hours.  Shred the chicken and stir.  Add the orzo and cook for another 45 minutes or so.  Done.

Serve with Parmesan cheese if you like.


I didn't take any photos, but when I realized how much I liked it, I took a photo of the leftovers, which are also really good.

Real leftovers.  Real classy food blog move.  Keeping it real.

How I cooked all the duck!

Kevin brought home all the duck meat, and I cooked it today!

First, I brined the meat.  I followed some directions that I found online. Basically, I put the meat into a salt and sugar water solution and let it soak overnight in the fridge (or maybe two nights).  It was 3 quarts of water with 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of salt.  You want to put a plate on top of the duck so it doesn't float, and stays down below the water level.

Then, I put the (dry) duck meat on a cold skillet, fat side down, and let it come up to medium heat and cooked it for about 10 minutes.  Then, you flip the meat and let it cook for another 10 minutes.  You want to season the meat with salt and pepper while it is cooking.  I also used Mural of Flavor, because I use that for everything.  Everything.

While the duck was doing the skillet thing, I put 2 sweet potatoes, one onion, and 10 garlic cloves into the oven to roast at 350.  They were coated in olive oil, salt, pepper, and Mural of Flavor, because that goes on everything.  I mean that.  Everything.

After the duck was done in the skillet, I put it in the oven with the potatoes to finish.  Everything cooked for another 30-40 minutes while I made some rolls.

I also made cranberry sauce.  This is easy.  3/4 cup white wine, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 package of cranberries, 1 stick of cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.  Put in in the pan to boil, then simmer.  Done and done.

It was delicious.  All the kids (there were some extra friends, too!) ate some of the duck meat and said it was good.  The general consensus is that duck is tasty and a bit salty.  I would definitely make this dinner again.

Now I just need more ducks.

Potato, Leek, and Fennel Soup

Look, ma!

I made soup!

And it was really good, so I want to keep track of what I did, so I can make it again.

You know that's how I cook.

Magic happens, and then the spell book is written.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter

2 cups sliced leeks

1 cup sliced fennel

2-3 garlic cloves

2 cups diced potatoes

1 qt ginger miso broth

2 bay leaves

Freshly ground pepper

Sea salt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup milk

Fennel fronds

Air dried shallots

Directions:

Saute the leeks, fennel and garlic in the butter for 20-30 minutes, but do not brown.  Add the potatoes, bay leaves, salt, pepper and broth.  Boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Use the immersion blender and smooth it.  Stir in the lemon juice and milk.  Top with fennel fronds and fresh pepper and shallots.  Serve with bread.  Eat.  Enjoy.  Appreciate your life choices.  Magic.

It's Wabbit Season

Kevin went hunting!

And he brought us home some dinner.

So, I had to figure out how to cook it.

I read about 6 recipes, and then I made one up.

First, I marinated the meat with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.

Then, I put it in a pot with butter to brown both sides.

I added onions, fennel and garlic cloves.

Also some vegetable broth.

After everything was nicely browned, I added baby carrots and put the lid on it.

And I stuck it in the oven while I made mashed potatoes.

I cooked it for a very exact time.  

You know, until the house smelled good and the mashed potatoes were done.

Then, we had a feast.

Everyone liked it.

Good job to the hunter and the recipe inventor.

(That's us.)

Corn in Two Countries

One of my students in China, Linda, loves to talk about food.  We were talking about the different ways that we eat corn.  It turns out that we both eat corn on the cob.  Getting corn stuck in your teeth is a universal experience it would seem.

In China, people drink corn juice.  She sent me some videos to show me how to make it, and I promised that I would try it.  I sent her a video of me trying it out, and it took me two tries to make juice.  (The first time I made a corn mush. Oops!)

It's a nice, sweet, warm winter drink.

Just like Americans don't really know about corn juice, she had never heard of corn bread.  So, I made her a video to show her how to make corn bread. 

The Easter Feast

Recently, we started getting the Food Network Magazine.  The kids and I love it.  We have been cooking recipes from the magazine, and they are pretty good.  One recent issue had a three part Easter feast that looked pretty amazing.  I liked that you could prep the ham, put it into the oven, then prep the potatoes, put those in the oven, and then make the salad.  And everything would be done at the same time.

Behold: The Easter Feast of 2019!!

Orange-and-Pineapple Hasselback Ham:

Potato Gratin with Spring Onions:

Asparagus-Fennel Salad:

Everything was delicious, and even the kids liked it.  Well, you know that Connor didn't eat the salad.  He made a ham sandwich with the ham and rolls.  But he did like that.

HAPPY FEASTING!

The Best Mashed Potatoes in the World

Tonight I made the best mashed potatoes that I have ever made.  That have ever been made, probably.

Modesty, am I right?

Well, how did I do it?  First I boiled the potatoes AND A COUPLE OF GARLIC CLOVES.  Then I mashed them and mixed them with butter, heavy cream, sour cream and a SECRET INGREDIENT.

And now the secret is out.