Recipe: http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/2011/02/chickpea-potato-and-leek-soup.html
I did everything that same, except I used these proportions of ingredients:
1 leek
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Cooked these things in a large pot for a few minutes, adding butter, then onions, then leeks, then garlic.
1/2 lb. of small, waxy potatoes
1 tbsp. more of unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup canned chickpeas with juice
2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
salt
pepper
italian seasoning
Added all these things and cooked on low boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Cooled for a few minutes, then blended in the blender.
We liked this and I will make it again.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011- Honey Mustard Chicken
Recipe: from Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook
I baked two chicken quarters for 30 min with the honey mustard sauce and served it with rice. This was quick and easy and good. Though Darren doesn't like honey mustard, so this is just for me. Maybe I can use another sauce instead and bake with that.
I baked two chicken quarters for 30 min with the honey mustard sauce and served it with rice. This was quick and easy and good. Though Darren doesn't like honey mustard, so this is just for me. Maybe I can use another sauce instead and bake with that.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Friday, March 18th, 2011 - Cherry Tomato and Corn Salad
Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cherry-Tomato-Corn-Salad/Detail.aspx
Changes: Didn't have lime juice, used lemon juice instead and didn't have cucumber, used canned corn
I thought this was good and it's a good side dish in a hurry.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup minced fresh basil 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt | 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cups frozen corn, thawed 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber |
DIRECTIONS:
| 1. | In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the basil, oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper; shake well. In a large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. |
Changes: Didn't have lime juice, used lemon juice instead and didn't have cucumber, used canned corn
I thought this was good and it's a good side dish in a hurry.
Thursday, March 17th, 2011 - Spaghetti with Lemon
Recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/02/spaghetti-with-lemon-and-olive-oil-al-limone/
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
Salt
3 lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus additional for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus additional for serving
Ground black pepper
Small handful fresh basil or arugula (what I used, deliciously, in a pinch) leaves, shredded
Cook linguine or spaghetti in well-salted water to your al dente tastes in a large, wide-bottomed pot. (You’ll have fewer dishes to wash if you use this pot to assemble the dish as well.)
While pasta is cooking, zest lemons until you have a little shy of a tablespoon of zest. Juice lemons — you’ll have anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water. Dry out your pot, then boil the olive oil, cream, zest and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water together for two minutes over high heat. Return pasta to pot and stir until coated. Add the cheese and 1/4 cup lemon juice and toss, toss, toss everything together. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if you’d like your dish a little looser. Quickly taste a strand of pasta and see if you want to add the remaining lemon juice (we did). Stir in basil or arugula and season generously with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately, drizzling individual portions with a bit of extra olive oil and sprinkling with extra Parmesan. cheese.
Changes: I thought we had good cream, but apparently it spoiled so I used whole milk and butter instead. I also added grated mozzarella at the end of cooking along with Parmesan.
This was just okay, though I suspect with no heavy cream and the poorly distributed mozzarella, it didn't have a chance to be good. I would consider trying this again with the right ingredients and not added mozzarella.
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
Salt
3 lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus additional for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus additional for serving
Ground black pepper
Small handful fresh basil or arugula (what I used, deliciously, in a pinch) leaves, shredded
Cook linguine or spaghetti in well-salted water to your al dente tastes in a large, wide-bottomed pot. (You’ll have fewer dishes to wash if you use this pot to assemble the dish as well.)
While pasta is cooking, zest lemons until you have a little shy of a tablespoon of zest. Juice lemons — you’ll have anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water. Dry out your pot, then boil the olive oil, cream, zest and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water together for two minutes over high heat. Return pasta to pot and stir until coated. Add the cheese and 1/4 cup lemon juice and toss, toss, toss everything together. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if you’d like your dish a little looser. Quickly taste a strand of pasta and see if you want to add the remaining lemon juice (we did). Stir in basil or arugula and season generously with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately, drizzling individual portions with a bit of extra olive oil and sprinkling with extra Parmesan. cheese.
Changes: I thought we had good cream, but apparently it spoiled so I used whole milk and butter instead. I also added grated mozzarella at the end of cooking along with Parmesan.
This was just okay, though I suspect with no heavy cream and the poorly distributed mozzarella, it didn't have a chance to be good. I would consider trying this again with the right ingredients and not added mozzarella.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Monday, March 7th 2011 - Mushroom and Potato Gratin
Recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/simple-potato-gratin/
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, plus an additional pat for buttering gratin dish
1/2 pound mushrooms
4 large yellow potatoes* (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk, half-and-half or cream (if using something richer than milk, you can skip the butter)
2 ounces cheese, grated or crumbled (Parmesan or Gruyere are the classics, but that doesn’t mean that goat cheese, blue cheese or any of your favorites won’t work as well) [optional]
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9- by 12-inch gratin dish with the pat of butter. Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can (a mandoline works great for this) and arrange them in a layer, overlapping the edges slightly like shingles. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and freshly ground pepper and don’t be stingy — this is where the bulk of your flavor comes from and a third of the cheese before before repeating this process with your remaining potato slices. (If you are using a sauteed vegetable filling, this is where you’d want to add half of it.) Depending on how thinly sliced your potatoes are, you should end up with approximately three layers, with a third of the cheese between each layer. Reserve the last third of your cheese for later.
Carefully pour the milk over the potatoes. It should come up to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes; add more if this was not enough. Dot the top of the gratin with the three tablespoons of butter and bake it for about an hour. Halfway through the baking time, take the gratin dish out of the oven and gental press the potatoes flat with a spatula to keep the top moist. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the gratin for the last 15 minutes of baking. The gratin is done when the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
Changes: It's been a whole week so I don't remember the details, but I did use whole milk. I used used slices of Brie instead of the cheese recommended.
The consistency of the gratin was better this time, but still not what we are used to. Maybe I should try using cream in this recipe. Also, the Brie just doesn't really work though I like the flavor. I think slices of cheese are beter, but I should try grated next time since more of it can get spread around. I thought the mushrooms were good.
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, plus an additional pat for buttering gratin dish
1/2 pound mushrooms
4 large yellow potatoes* (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk, half-and-half or cream (if using something richer than milk, you can skip the butter)
2 ounces cheese, grated or crumbled (Parmesan or Gruyere are the classics, but that doesn’t mean that goat cheese, blue cheese or any of your favorites won’t work as well) [optional]
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9- by 12-inch gratin dish with the pat of butter. Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can (a mandoline works great for this) and arrange them in a layer, overlapping the edges slightly like shingles. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and freshly ground pepper and don’t be stingy — this is where the bulk of your flavor comes from and a third of the cheese before before repeating this process with your remaining potato slices. (If you are using a sauteed vegetable filling, this is where you’d want to add half of it.) Depending on how thinly sliced your potatoes are, you should end up with approximately three layers, with a third of the cheese between each layer. Reserve the last third of your cheese for later.
Carefully pour the milk over the potatoes. It should come up to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes; add more if this was not enough. Dot the top of the gratin with the three tablespoons of butter and bake it for about an hour. Halfway through the baking time, take the gratin dish out of the oven and gental press the potatoes flat with a spatula to keep the top moist. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the gratin for the last 15 minutes of baking. The gratin is done when the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
Changes: It's been a whole week so I don't remember the details, but I did use whole milk. I used used slices of Brie instead of the cheese recommended.
The consistency of the gratin was better this time, but still not what we are used to. Maybe I should try using cream in this recipe. Also, the Brie just doesn't really work though I like the flavor. I think slices of cheese are beter, but I should try grated next time since more of it can get spread around. I thought the mushrooms were good.
Saturday, March 12, 2011 - Spinach, Tomato, Orzo Soup
Recipe: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/03/01/spinach-tomato-orzo-soup/
Changes: Couldn't find orzo in Switzerland, so I just used small shell-shaped pasta. I also added some tomato paste.
This was bland. I would lower the amount of water and up the amount of canned tomatoes. Also frozen spinach is bland.
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 – 15 oz can diced Italian tomatoes (with oregano and basil)
1 lb package orzo pasta
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 quarts water
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 – 15 oz can diced Italian tomatoes (with oregano and basil)
1 lb package orzo pasta
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 quarts water
olive oil
Method
1. Preheat a large soup. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 – 3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, spinach, chicken or vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. Add orzo cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until orzo is tender.
Changes: Couldn't find orzo in Switzerland, so I just used small shell-shaped pasta. I also added some tomato paste.
This was bland. I would lower the amount of water and up the amount of canned tomatoes. Also frozen spinach is bland.
Thursday March 10th, 2011 - Chicken Divan Casserole
Recipe: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/chicken-divan-casserole-from-scratch-129235
Changes: I halved this recipe and did not add cream sherry.
Darren liked this, though next time I would make sure to make the whole sauce. This was enough for two meals.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 2 pounds)
2 heads of broccoli (approximately 2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 cup grated Gruyère
3 tablespoons cream sherry
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 heads of broccoli (approximately 2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 cup grated Gruyère
3 tablespoons cream sherry
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Add chicken breasts to a large pot. Add water to cover, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Simmer until cooked through, and internal temperature has reached 160 °F. Remove chicken from pot, reserving broth. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Feel free to use 4 cups of rotisserie or leftover chicken, if desired.)
Stem broccoli and cut into 1 – 2 inch florets. Bring chicken broth back to a boil and add broccoli (adding water if necessary). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until broccoli is bright and tender, about 2 – 3 minutes. Strain broccoli and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in a thick sauce pan on medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth (and flour taste is cooked out), about three minutes. Reduce heat to low. Pour in scalded milk and cook until thickened, approximately three to five minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup of Parmesan and one cup of Gruyère and stir until creamy. Add sherry, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Butter the bottom and sides of an oblong casserole dish. Layer half of the broccoli and chicken and cover with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on casserole and bake until bubbly and golden brown, approximately 35 - 40 minutes. Serve with white rice.
Changes: I halved this recipe and did not add cream sherry.
Darren liked this, though next time I would make sure to make the whole sauce. This was enough for two meals.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011 - Roast chicken and potatoes
Recipe: From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook, pg. 198
This was very simple to throw together and put in the oven, but it tasted very plain. Maybe a regular chicken would be better, not chicken breasts.
This was very simple to throw together and put in the oven, but it tasted very plain. Maybe a regular chicken would be better, not chicken breasts.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 - Cornbread
Used this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homesteader-Cornbread/Detail.aspx
However, it calls for a 13x9 pan, which is too much for the two of us. I cut it down to 12 servings and used these measurements for a 9-inch round cake pan:
1 cup cornmeal
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter (didn't have vegetable oil)
This still produced more than was needed in the cake pan, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. The cornbread itself, I think, tastes good, so I'll either need to come up with a better proportion and use another recipe. Darren suggested cutting the recipe even more and making it in a mini-loaf pan since we don't eat enough of it.
However, it calls for a 13x9 pan, which is too much for the two of us. I cut it down to 12 servings and used these measurements for a 9-inch round cake pan:
1 cup cornmeal
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter (didn't have vegetable oil)
This still produced more than was needed in the cake pan, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. The cornbread itself, I think, tastes good, so I'll either need to come up with a better proportion and use another recipe. Darren suggested cutting the recipe even more and making it in a mini-loaf pan since we don't eat enough of it.
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 - Chili
Chili is based on this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/My-Chili/Detail.aspx
This is what I did for chili:
Some ground beef, enough for a singe layer on the bottom of my large pot
1 small onion
1 large garlic clove
1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
1 heaping tablespoon salt
pepper
thyme
italian seasoning
mustard grains
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
Some tomato paste
I thought this was good and I will make it again. It makes enough for two dinners and one lunch. I will add more ground beef or take way one can of diced tomatoes since there was too much liquid. Steve suggested adding cumin and green bell pepper.
This is what I did for chili:
Some ground beef, enough for a singe layer on the bottom of my large pot
1 small onion
1 large garlic clove
1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
1 heaping tablespoon salt
pepper
thyme
italian seasoning
mustard grains
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
Some tomato paste
I thought this was good and I will make it again. It makes enough for two dinners and one lunch. I will add more ground beef or take way one can of diced tomatoes since there was too much liquid. Steve suggested adding cumin and green bell pepper.
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