Grilled Salmon with Chorizo and Fingerlings

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 3 minutes or until shallots are tender. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups broth, potatoes, and chorizo; bring to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add spinach to pan; cover. Remove from heat; stir to combine. Keep warm.

3. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and paprika evenly over fillets. Lightly coat fillets with cooking spray; arrange fillets in a single layer, skin side up, on grill rack. Grill 2 minutes. Rotate fillets a quarter turn on the same side; grill 3 minutes or until well marked. Turn fillets over; grill 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

4. Place 1 fillet in each of 4 shallow bowls; ladle 3/4 cup potato mixture over fish. Drizzle 3/4 teaspoon oil over each serving.

Comments:
I (of course) didn't have any of the salmon, but the potato/chorizo/spinach part of the dish was wonderful. The broth thickens into a great sauce and the chorizo gives it just the right amount of spicy undertone. Adam said the salmon was good too.

Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
10 cup (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
15 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Arrange bread in single layers on 2 jelly-roll pans. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Turn oven off; leave pans in oven for 30 minutes or until bread is crisp.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 11 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add sausage to pan. Increase heat; sauté 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon; add sausage to vegetable mixture. Stir in bread, herbs, and pepper; toss. Combine broth, 1 cup water, and egg, stirring well. Drizzle broth mixture over bread mixture; toss. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 20 minutes or until browned.

Comments:
This was my contribution to our Thanksgiving meal at Adam's parents' house. It takes some time, but the end result is pretty good. At least I thought so.

Maple-Walnut Chicken and Cheddar-Apple Rice

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 honeycrisp, gala or golden delicious apple—peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh dill
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
One 6-ounce brick sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into small, 1/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes.

In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and toast for a minute or two. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes.

While the rice cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the rice during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in the cheese.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season liberally with salt and black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and add the vinegar. Cook, scraping up the pan drippings, then add the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock, the maple syrup and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon with the sauce. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, sauce and nuts with the rice alongside.

Comments:
This recipe requires the mastering of multi-tasking more than most recipes. You've got to be on your game to not burn something, and I think I did ok. The end result is delicious. The rice is perfect with some gooey cheese surprises. The chicken and walnut and just sweet enough. Definitely a keeper.

Edamame Succotash

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 slice center-cut bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped sweet onion
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons torn basil

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil

Comments:
This was really good. All kinds of flavors and textures, the vinegar gives it a nice zing. It reheats well too, which is important in a two-person household. I admit I doubled the amount of bacon, but Adam still thought it could use more. :-)

Weekly Menu 11/27 through 12/3

Saturday 11/27 - Grilled Salmon with Chorizo and Fingerlings

Sunday 11/28 - Omelet Croissants

Monday 11/29 - Slow Cooked Meat Loaf

Tuesday 11/30 - Cannoli French Toast

Wednesday 12/1 - Sliced Chicken with Cheesy Polenta

Thursday 12/2 - Stuffed Manicotti

Friday 12/3 - Pepper, Onion, and Sausage Calzones


This Week's Dessert: Sweet Cheese Delights

Jalapeno, Avocado, and Bacon Burgers

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
6 jalapeño chiles
6 slices bacon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
6 hamburger buns, split

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to medium and place a cast-iron skillet on top. Add the chiles and cook until softened and the skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the stems, skin and seeds; finely chop the chiles.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in the skillet until crisp. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat; chop the bacon.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chopped bacon, the reserved bacon fat, the beef and half of the chiles. Form into 6 patties; season with salt and pepper.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the queso fresco, mayonnaise, buttermilk, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining chiles. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.

5. In another bowl, toss the avocados, cilantro, onion and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

6. Grill the burgers, flipping once, for about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Just before the burgers are finished cooking, grill the buns until toasted, about 1 minute. Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with some of the avocado salad, drizzle with some of the queso fresco dressing and set a bun top in place.

Comments:
These take some time to assemble and there are a bunch of parts. I skipped the grill completely and did the whole thing inside on the stove (I charred the jalapeno under the broiler since our range is electric.) The burgers are really moist (and huge) and a little spicy for my liking. Adam liked them and the queso sauce. Neither of us really dug the onion/avocado mix. I don't know that I'd make this again in this incarnation, but perhaps a variation.

Hot Ham & Cheese Slices

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, pepper and onions in butter until tender. Set aside.

Unfold pastry. Layer the ham, cheese and mushroom mixture off-center on each sheet of pastry. Fold pastry over filling; pinch seams to seal. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut each with a serrated knife into 4 slices.

Comments:
I left out the mushrooms because I just couldn't deal with having to pick them all out. It still tasted just fine. I also used provolone since Adam doesn't like Swiss cheese. Pretty easy, a little messy to eat, but good overall.

Chicken & Pear Panini

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced (about 3/4 pound)
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
4 dinner rolls, preferably poppy seed, split

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Let cool slightly before thinly slicing.

2. In the same skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in the pear and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the chicken and cheese.

3. Divide the chicken mixture among the rolls. Using a panini press, cook the sandwiches according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Comments:
These were really good. A nice blend of flavor and texture. Adam didn't like that I cut the pear up a little to fit the buns. Other than that he was on board with these too. I'll definitely make these again.

Weekly Menu 11/20 through 11/26

Saturday 11/20 - Jalapeno, Avocado, and Bacon Burgers

Sunday 11/21 - Edamame Succotash

Monday 11/22 - Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers

Tuesday 11/23 - Maple-Walnut Chicken and Cheddar-Apple Rice

Wednesday 11/24 - Stuffed Manicotti

Thursday 11/25 - We're going to Adam's parents' house for Thanksgiving and I'm bringing this stuffing.

Friday 11/26 - Grilled Salmon with Chorizo and Fingerlings


This Week's Dessert: Skipping another week - we bought a ridiculous chocolate cake at Sam's club

Weekly Menu 11/13 through 11/19

Saturday 11/13 - Vacation!

Sunday 11/14 - Vacation!

Monday 11/15 - Cavatelli with Broccoli

Tuesday 11/16 - Adam's on his own - I've got IMA

Wednesday 11/17 - Chicken & Pear Panini

Thursday 11/18 - Bacon Sloppy Joes

Friday 11/19 - Hot Ham & Cheese Slices


This Week's Dessert: Skipping another week - I'm sure we'll eat a ton of good stuff in SC/NC

Apple Pan Chicken

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons dried currants
3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/3 cup apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Move the onions to the side, and brown chicken breasts 4 minutes on each side. Top chicken with apples, currants and pine nuts. Pour in apple juice. Season with thyme, parsley, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are cooked and chicken is no longer pink.

Comments:
I left out the pine nuts and used golden raisins instead of currents. Other than that I kept the recipe the same. It was easy to throw together and tasted great. It's got the balance of sweet, spicy, and salty that's almost perfect. We'll definitely have this again.

Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Sauce:
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce

Chicken:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
3 cups whole-grain flake cereal, finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:
1. To prepare sauce, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, lime juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cover and chill.

2. To prepare chicken, combine flour, black pepper, and paprika. Place flour mixture in a shallow dish. Combine eggs and 1 tablespoon water; place in another shallow dish. Place crushed cereal in another shallow dish.

3. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in cereal.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add chicken pieces to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Serve immediately with sauce.

Comments:
These were easy to make and I even managed to not burn them! I usually end up setting the smoke alarm off when I pan-fry, but not this time. Go me! I considered throwing some hot sauce into the egg mixture but didn't. It didn't really need it, but I might do it next time. The sauce was ok, but probably not something I'd bother with again.

Penne with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate pasta
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 7 minutes (the pasta will only be partially cooked). Drain, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then crumble the bacon once it is cool enough to handle. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

3. Add the olive oil and squash to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the pasta and 2 cups of the reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the pasta and squash are cooked, about 5 minutes, adding additional pasta cooking water if needed.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach, garlic and parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper; sprinkle with the cheese and crumbled bacon.

Comments:
I halved everything in this recipe except for the squash so it ended up almost unbearably squash-y. Adam's comment? It would be good without the squash. *sigh* I take responsibility for that one. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to only use half the squash... Duh.

White Chocolate-Strawvberry Pie-Lets

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup Grape Nuts cereal, finely crushed into crumbs
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp strawberry preserves
1 3/4 cups milk
1 (1 oz) package sugar-free white chocolate pudding mix

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and 2 tbsp of the preserves. With a large spoon, stir to mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 ramekins of small dessert bowls. Press the mixture into the bottom of the dishes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix. Whisk to blend. Pour into the ramekins or bowls. Dollop 1/2 tsp preserves on top of each. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Comments:
Totally easy to make, although I do continue to use graham crackers instead of Grape Nuts. I think mine turned out a little weird because of the preserves we had in the fridge. They were some strange artificially sweetened stuff that gave the whole thing a weird aftertaste. But still, better than last week's cheesecake!

Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 cup pitted dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/3 pounds ground beef
3 onions, 2 thinly sliced and 1 finely chopped
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°. In a bowl, combine the dates and breadcrumbs, working the mixture through your fingers to separate. Mix in the beef. Mix in the chopped onion, bacon, egg, worcestershire and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 mounds and, on a baking sheet, shape into loaves. Place on the upper rack and bake for 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, on another baking sheet, toss the sliced onions with the butter and season with salt; spread out evenly. Bake on the lower rack, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve the meatloaves with the onions.

Comments:
These are really good. I mean, Really. Good. I even got dates and honestly you won't even know they're in there. I think they might add a little sweetness, but I can't be sure. On my first try I forgot to put the bacon in the ground beef mix so I had to dump everything back in the bowl and start over. Believe me, I was tempted to just say "screw it" and eat the bacon plain, but I resisted and did the right thing. :)

Weekly Menu 11/6 through 11/12

Saturday 11/6 - Crispy Baked Fish Sticks (got bumped)

Sunday 11/7 - Apple Pan Chicken

Monday 11/8 - Mozzarella & Ham Paninis

Tuesday 11/9 - Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple and Peppers

Wednesday 11/10 - Vacation!

Thursday 11/11 - Vacation!

Friday 11/12 - Vacation!


This Week's Dessert: Skipping a week - we've got a ton of leftover Halloween candy.