The weather has been warming up and I am dying to use our grill again. We'll be eating with Elvo's parents on Friday and likely having pineapple mahi mahi on Saturday if I can find some spare change to buy a can of pineapple.
(Normally when I have a short week Elvo picks up the grocery tab but since he's between jobs it's just lil' o meeeee. So I'm digging through ingredients and trying to skimp where I can.)
So! You'll need two chicken breasts, thawed, and you'll want to pepper them 30 minutes before grilling. Put a little BBQ sauce on them too.
Have a recipe: Baked Sweet Potato
It calls for yams, but you can use either yam or sweet potato. Remember US friends that yams are often labeled "sweet potatoes" but never the other way around.
Cook it according to the directions, 400 Fahrenheit 45-75 minutes or until it begins to carmelize. When it's 10-15 minutes from done heat the grill. When it's 5 minutes 'till done put your chicken on the grill with some more BBQ sauce. (It's ok, you can clean it later!)
Mix a little nutmeg with some cinnamon with a handful of brown sugar. Slice the jacket potato open and put a spoonful of butter in, followed by the brown sugar mixture.
Enjoy! Maybe add corn as a side.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Walnut encrusted salmon?
I'm not at home this weekend, which means no cooking. :( Instead, I'm visiting a friend in TN, and the distance from the kitchen is killing me. So I am planning to cook Sunday after returning home.
Will I actually have that kind of energy? Hard to say....
I think I'll take two salmon filets and some pecans (like 1/3 cup?) and try to make a pecan encrusted something.
No, no, walnuts! I like walnuts better. Actually I love almonds best, but it's time to stop being so dependent on almonds. And I think I have some chopped walnuts somewhere anyway, left over from something else.
Anyway:
Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
Mix 1/3 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds/pecans/I still can't decide) or whatever amount of finely chopped nuts you have on hand, with a handful of brown sugar and a tiny amount of.... What shall we add?
Soy sauce.
Yeah so mix brown sugar with soy sauce and toss the nuts in it.
Break an egg open and put it in a bowl. Dip the salmon filets in the egg and then press into the nut-sugar mixture. Place in foil or a baking dish or your favourite way to bake fish and bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes. Keeping it covered will make it moist and delicious-er.
While waiting on that I think I'll make some zucchini noodles to go with it. I call them noodles because I can use them in place of pasta in the meal, and it's healthier and gets some vitamins in Elvo.
Get three or four zucchinis, more if you're making for more than two people, and cut the ends off. Cut the zucchini's long wise so they make long, flat cross sections of the zucchini. Take 2 cups of chicken broth and put it in a pan, like a skillet pan but with straight sides or just whatever you have on hand, and bring it to a boil. Put in your zucchni slices, cover and keep over med-high heat for ten minutes or so. It makes the zucchini soft but flavorful and easily replaces pasta as a side for your salmon.
I'll let you know how we end up liking this. I'm excited just thinking about it, especially since I won't have to purchase any ingredients, haha.
I also wanted to point out that my lack-a-dasical style of cooking isn't how some people do it, and if you're a serious by-the-book detail person then I really apologize for not giving you measurements and such. However, there are plenty of books and recipes out there that will give you exacting instructions, and if that is daunting to you then hear me out: you can fudge, you can leave out ingredients, you can substitute random things for others called for in the recipe. Some things do not work, but a lot of things do work and some things are simply brilliant. Don't be afraid to get a little crazy, silly, or sloppy with your cooking.
Will I actually have that kind of energy? Hard to say....
I think I'll take two salmon filets and some pecans (like 1/3 cup?) and try to make a pecan encrusted something.
No, no, walnuts! I like walnuts better. Actually I love almonds best, but it's time to stop being so dependent on almonds. And I think I have some chopped walnuts somewhere anyway, left over from something else.
Anyway:
Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
Mix 1/3 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds/pecans/I still can't decide) or whatever amount of finely chopped nuts you have on hand, with a handful of brown sugar and a tiny amount of.... What shall we add?
Soy sauce.
Yeah so mix brown sugar with soy sauce and toss the nuts in it.
Break an egg open and put it in a bowl. Dip the salmon filets in the egg and then press into the nut-sugar mixture. Place in foil or a baking dish or your favourite way to bake fish and bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes. Keeping it covered will make it moist and delicious-er.
While waiting on that I think I'll make some zucchini noodles to go with it. I call them noodles because I can use them in place of pasta in the meal, and it's healthier and gets some vitamins in Elvo.
Get three or four zucchinis, more if you're making for more than two people, and cut the ends off. Cut the zucchini's long wise so they make long, flat cross sections of the zucchini. Take 2 cups of chicken broth and put it in a pan, like a skillet pan but with straight sides or just whatever you have on hand, and bring it to a boil. Put in your zucchni slices, cover and keep over med-high heat for ten minutes or so. It makes the zucchini soft but flavorful and easily replaces pasta as a side for your salmon.
I'll let you know how we end up liking this. I'm excited just thinking about it, especially since I won't have to purchase any ingredients, haha.
I also wanted to point out that my lack-a-dasical style of cooking isn't how some people do it, and if you're a serious by-the-book detail person then I really apologize for not giving you measurements and such. However, there are plenty of books and recipes out there that will give you exacting instructions, and if that is daunting to you then hear me out: you can fudge, you can leave out ingredients, you can substitute random things for others called for in the recipe. Some things do not work, but a lot of things do work and some things are simply brilliant. Don't be afraid to get a little crazy, silly, or sloppy with your cooking.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rosemary Pasta
I like lemon pepper chicken but I don't like fried things or chicken skin. Chicken skin tastes like feathers. Don't ask how I know what feathers taste like, ok?
Elvo does not like lemon pepper chicken. However, I determined that if I made changes to the recipe it might be passable for him and satisfy my craving for lemon-y something. (Still in pursuit of the soup recipe, you see, and that means I think about lemon a lot.)
A meal of my own invention follows. You can invent things too. Just do something without following any particular instruction or direction and if you like the end result, bam! You are now an inventor.
Lemon Pepper Chicken:
Start off the night before you are going to cook. Take boneless skinless chicken breast out of the freezer, one for one person, two for two people, three for... I hope you're seeing a pattern here. Place x-number of chicken breasts in a zip-closure bag and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Go to sleep. Wake up. Now it is morning.
Rub some black pepper on either side of the chicken. Be generous but don't go crazy. Put the chicken back in the zip-closure bag and add some lemon juice. How much lemon juice is up to you but I used like maybe half a soda-can amount. (Again, measuring just isn't my style.) Then add a little water as well, enough to make it so the bag is half full. Close and put in fridge to marinate alllllllll day.
Go to work. Come home. Now it is getting close to dinner time.
Get an oven-tolerant-thing. I use the cookie sheet a lot, but a casserole dish or even a muffin tray (hey, I've done it!) will work. Get some tin foil. Make sure you purchases tinfoil made from recycled tin and, if you didn't, feel appropriately guilty for squandering resources. Take the chicken out of the bag, throw bag and lemon stuff away. Place chicken in the center of the tin foil and sprinkle with some more black pepper. Wrap the toil foil up like a little packet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes. (Always bake for less time then cut one in half to see if it's done. Over-done chicken is chewy and ewwww.)
As soon as you've put the chicken in to bake, start water boiling for the pasta. Add salt! Remember, a pinch of salt can make all the difference! I promise! Make your pasta or rice pasta according to directions or whimsy or whatever, and strain it.
Take a little butter. Like a spoonful. Put it in a bowl that can go in the microwave. Or a cup. Something. Microwave it for ten seconds to meltify the butter. Then add LOTS of rosemary. Rosemary is really bright tasting. ("Bright" is the only word I can think of?) Then pour the pasta in the bowl or cup, and shake it around to get all the buttery rosemary stuck to it.
Serve together.
I really really enjoyed this and Elvo even *ate the left overs*! So much for not liking lemon pepper chicken!
Elvo does not like lemon pepper chicken. However, I determined that if I made changes to the recipe it might be passable for him and satisfy my craving for lemon-y something. (Still in pursuit of the soup recipe, you see, and that means I think about lemon a lot.)
A meal of my own invention follows. You can invent things too. Just do something without following any particular instruction or direction and if you like the end result, bam! You are now an inventor.
Lemon Pepper Chicken:
Start off the night before you are going to cook. Take boneless skinless chicken breast out of the freezer, one for one person, two for two people, three for... I hope you're seeing a pattern here. Place x-number of chicken breasts in a zip-closure bag and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Go to sleep. Wake up. Now it is morning.
Rub some black pepper on either side of the chicken. Be generous but don't go crazy. Put the chicken back in the zip-closure bag and add some lemon juice. How much lemon juice is up to you but I used like maybe half a soda-can amount. (Again, measuring just isn't my style.) Then add a little water as well, enough to make it so the bag is half full. Close and put in fridge to marinate alllllllll day.
Go to work. Come home. Now it is getting close to dinner time.
Get an oven-tolerant-thing. I use the cookie sheet a lot, but a casserole dish or even a muffin tray (hey, I've done it!) will work. Get some tin foil. Make sure you purchases tinfoil made from recycled tin and, if you didn't, feel appropriately guilty for squandering resources. Take the chicken out of the bag, throw bag and lemon stuff away. Place chicken in the center of the tin foil and sprinkle with some more black pepper. Wrap the toil foil up like a little packet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes. (Always bake for less time then cut one in half to see if it's done. Over-done chicken is chewy and ewwww.)
As soon as you've put the chicken in to bake, start water boiling for the pasta. Add salt! Remember, a pinch of salt can make all the difference! I promise! Make your pasta or rice pasta according to directions or whimsy or whatever, and strain it.
Take a little butter. Like a spoonful. Put it in a bowl that can go in the microwave. Or a cup. Something. Microwave it for ten seconds to meltify the butter. Then add LOTS of rosemary. Rosemary is really bright tasting. ("Bright" is the only word I can think of?) Then pour the pasta in the bowl or cup, and shake it around to get all the buttery rosemary stuck to it.
Serve together.
I really really enjoyed this and Elvo even *ate the left overs*! So much for not liking lemon pepper chicken!
I suck as a person and you can make your own nutty rice
What do you mean where have I been? What do you mean it's been a month and a half since my last post? I don't have to take this kind of attitude, young'in.
Ahem, right, so sorry. Btw HI HANNAH!
Since the semester's beginning dinner has been cut to just five nights a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also I've been going through "The Book" (insert trumpet music?) and repeating recipes from previouspandemonium meals. This was partly because I wanted to make sure the first success wasn't just a fluke. The good news is that only one of them was less spectacular the second time around, and that might have been an error on my part.
I should make a cookbook one day. I could call it cookbook for adults who need to feed their family now! Or something witty like that. (That's witty, right?) Of course, regularly updating this would be an extremely convenient way to put together the material for said book.
Anyway. I don't have the meal plan yet this week. I had some soup at a friend's house that was delicious and I really really want the recipe, but I don't know what's it's called. It's like a lemon-y milk-y chicken-containing couscous soup thing.
But! I won't abandon you again and leave you with nothing:
You know how Elvo loves pecan rice? It smells good while it's cooking and it's got a nutty, crunchy hint to it that's really special. Well. You can duplicate this even if you can't find pecan rice near you.
Get some white rice and a small amount (like a table spoon per cup of white) of wild rice. It's long a black.
Get some slivered almonds. They are like little barbie-sized plates but they are made of nuts. They sell them in packages or maybe you can sliver your own, I'm not sure. I got a package of them. Like 1/3 of the total amount of rice you are making.
Get some salt. I didn't think putting salt in things was important because you can always add salt to taste, right? No no no grasshopper. Salt is very important when you are cooking. (It's true!) Maybe if I had been a normal child and studied chemistry like everyone else I would know this, but oh well. Take a dash, like less than would make a dime in the palm of your hand but not much less (I don't use measures very often, can you tell?) and throw it in the rice cooker with the white rice, wild rice, and slivered almonds. (You can use pecans or walnuts too, I just like almonds way better.) And cook it! It's delicious! And protein-y! Not to mention fancy-smanshy with no real effort!
Once I find that lemon-milk-chicken soup recipe I will post it as well. These two items and cordon bleu were served at a celebratory dinner complete with candles and let me tell you, it was high class! If you *really* need to impress the inlaws, never fear, this meal combination will not let you down.
Ahem, right, so sorry. Btw HI HANNAH!
Since the semester's beginning dinner has been cut to just five nights a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also I've been going through "The Book" (insert trumpet music?) and repeating recipes from previous
I should make a cookbook one day. I could call it cookbook for adults who need to feed their family now! Or something witty like that. (That's witty, right?) Of course, regularly updating this would be an extremely convenient way to put together the material for said book.
Anyway. I don't have the meal plan yet this week. I had some soup at a friend's house that was delicious and I really really want the recipe, but I don't know what's it's called. It's like a lemon-y milk-y chicken-containing couscous soup thing.
But! I won't abandon you again and leave you with nothing:
You know how Elvo loves pecan rice? It smells good while it's cooking and it's got a nutty, crunchy hint to it that's really special. Well. You can duplicate this even if you can't find pecan rice near you.
Get some white rice and a small amount (like a table spoon per cup of white) of wild rice. It's long a black.
Get some slivered almonds. They are like little barbie-sized plates but they are made of nuts. They sell them in packages or maybe you can sliver your own, I'm not sure. I got a package of them. Like 1/3 of the total amount of rice you are making.
Get some salt. I didn't think putting salt in things was important because you can always add salt to taste, right? No no no grasshopper. Salt is very important when you are cooking. (It's true!) Maybe if I had been a normal child and studied chemistry like everyone else I would know this, but oh well. Take a dash, like less than would make a dime in the palm of your hand but not much less (I don't use measures very often, can you tell?) and throw it in the rice cooker with the white rice, wild rice, and slivered almonds. (You can use pecans or walnuts too, I just like almonds way better.) And cook it! It's delicious! And protein-y! Not to mention fancy-smanshy with no real effort!
Once I find that lemon-milk-chicken soup recipe I will post it as well. These two items and cordon bleu were served at a celebratory dinner complete with candles and let me tell you, it was high class! If you *really* need to impress the inlaws, never fear, this meal combination will not let you down.
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