Skip to content

Salty & Sweet

Posted by Beth on 4 March 2010, 11:03 am

Cook’s Illustrated has become my favorite source for innovative, no-fail, delicious recipes. I subscribe to their web site, which allows me access to virtually every recipe they’ve ever published. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it for the searchable recipe database and unlimited access to recent issues of the magazine. (Many of the online articles also include videos.)  If you’re not one to pay for web site access, you can get an occasional sneak preview by following Christopher Kimball, founder of America’s Test Kitchen, on Twitter . He frequently tweets about his favorite CI recipes, providing links that may be opened by the general public regardless of whether they subscribe to the site. Twitter is responsible for bringing this recipe for Salty Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies into my life. You’ll notice that this recipe looks a bit different compared to traditional oatmeal cookies – there’s no cinnamon or nutmeg, and no raisins. But there’s lots of butter and a delightful sprinkle of salt to enhance the nutty caramel flavor. These were some of the most outstanding cookies I have ever made…I couldn’t stop at just one. Or two. Or, um, three.

You know it’s a good cookie when even the bottom is beautiful and appetizing. Yum! Print this recipe immediately and bake these for someone you love.

Filed under Baking. Tagged ,
8 Comments

Craving Fulfilled

Posted by Beth on 2 March 2010, 7:54 pm

Here’s a fun fact about me: I once appeared on a short-lived Food Network show called Calorie Commando. If you never saw it, the premise was simple: “real people” worked with the Calorie Commando, Juan Carlos Cruz, to come up with healthier versions of their favorite gluttonous foods. To be honest, I applied for the show because I really wanted to visit the Food Network studios. I had to pay my own travel expenses, but I spent a day in their studios and saw lots of cool behind-the-scenes stuff. (Example: you know how some of the chefs use canned/packaged goods with obviously fake labels so they don’t show any major brand names? There was a graphic designer on set whose sole job was to design those labels. I want that job!) Anyway, the point of this story is that I went on the show to have Juan Carlos Cruz revamp my favorite fatty food: nachos. This is the recipe he came up with, and to be honest, it was pretty sub-par. Juan Carlos did not successfully take command of my calories that day, but it was a fun experience – one I think about every time a nacho craving hits.

I had such a craving last weekend, but wanted something more substantial than chips smothered in cheese. I whipped up an easy, tasty casserole with the flavor of nachos and the hearty texture of enchiladas. (Nacholadas, if you will?)  It would be easy to adapt this to suit your tastes (baked chips instead of regular? all beans instead of beans and meat? red sauce instead of green?) and you can garnish it with an array of tasty toppings, though I strongly suggest sour cream, black olives and scallions.

“Nacholada” Casserole

serves 6

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 to 8 oz each

50 tortilla chips (roughly 1/3 of a bag – this is an estimate based on the size of my pan)

1 can refried beans (I use vegetarian)

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

4 oz can diced green chiles

14 oz can green enchilada sauce

1 jalapeno, sliced (optional – see below)

6 oz colby jack cheese, shredded

Black olives, sour cream and chopped scallions, for serving

Fill a saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and poach, keeping the water at a simmer, until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken; check after 10 minutes. Allow the chicken to cool, then shred using two forks or your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray the pan with cooking spray or oil. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, one minute more. Add the refried beans and green chiles to the pan, using a wooden spoon or spatula to break up any large chunks. If necessary, add a couple of tablespoons of water or chicken stock to thin the beans out a bit – you want them to be smooth and creamy. Heat the beans for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. When hot, add 1/4 of the can of enchilada sauce and stir to combine.

Spread half of the tortilla chips in the bottom of an 11×7″ casserole dish. You may wish to lightly press/crush some of the chips to produce an even layer, but leave as many whole chips as you can. Top the chips with the shredded chicken, followed by roughly half of the shredded cheese, the refried bean mixture, and half of the remaining enchilada sauce. Top with the remaining tortilla chips (press/crush to produce an even layer), followed by the remaining enchilada sauce and the remaining shredded cheese. Add a layer of sliced jalapenos to the top of the casserole, if desired. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted. Allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing. Top each slice with black olives, sour cream and scallions.

Filed under Chicken, Comfort Food, Mexican.
15 Comments

Good Morning

Posted by Beth on 28 February 2010, 10:14 am

Breakfast has always been my culinary Achilles’ heel. Ironically, I love to eat it, but my ability to cook it is completely subpar. I do okay with eggs, but sweet breakfasts are a source of heartache and shame. I’m a good baker. Shouldn’t French toast, waffles and pancakes come naturally to me?

Pancakes are particularly difficult because I never know when it’s time to flip them, and flipping itself yields a slew of creative curse words. As a result, my pancakes don’t always look pretty, but they taste good, thanks to an adapted version of this recipe. They’re lightly sweet and golden brown thanks to banana and brown sugar. They have a nice texture thanks to dried oats and a combination of white and whole wheat flour. I’m hardly a pancake expert, but I’m starting to hone my technique and hope to one day be known among my children’s friends as the awesome mom who makes killer pancakes. (Either that, or the awesome mom who makes killer pasta carbonara. Maybe my kids will hang with an advanced culinary crowd.)

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

adapted from Food Network

makes 6 medium-sized pancakes

1/2 c old fashioned oats

1/4 c all purpose flour

1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 c Greek yogurt

1/3 c milk

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large banana, mashed

2 tbsp butter, melted

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, combine the yogurt, egg, milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined. Fold in the mashed banana and melted butter. Allow the mix to rest as you preheat a skillet or griddle to medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the batter, 1/3 cup at a time. Cook for three to four minutes or until bubbles form on the surface of each cake, then flip and cook for an additional three to four minutes.

Filed under Breakfast. Tagged 
2 Comments

Old Friend, New Favorite

Posted by Beth on 24 February 2010, 6:51 pm

Remember when I outed myself as a Rachael Ray fan? Nowadays, I find most of her recipes by accident as I search the Food Network website for ideas. I happened upon this recipe for Chicken with Wild Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce and both Corey and I found it so delicious, we made it twice in a three-day period. It’s rich without being too fatty, creamy without being too heavy. Plus, it embodies everything I love about a good RR recipe: it’s easy, it’s fast, and it’s adaptable to whatever ingredients you have in your fridge and pantry. That last part is especially important for me, as I always seem to be missing one or two key ingredients.

The first night I made this, we had it over rice and it tasted like a delicious, creamy casserole. The second time around, we had it over mashed potatoes and it tasted decidedly Thanksgiving-ish. Both meals were super fast since I used precooked chicken (leftover from a store-bought rotisserie) instead of starting with raw meat. 15 minute meal, Rachael…can you beat that?

Chicken with Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce

adapted from Rachael Ray

serves 2

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 small onion, diced

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp half & half

1 tbsp flour

3/4 c chicken stock

8 oz cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Heat the butter in a large skillet set to medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms. As the mushrooms begin to brown and release liquid, add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

When the mushrooms are golden brown, add the garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add the flour, stirring to coat the vegetables, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, using a wood spoon or spatula to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the balsamic vinegar and half and half. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and add the chopped chicken. Cook until chicken is heated through and sauce is slightly thick, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or couscous.

Filed under Chicken.
3 Comments

In Defense of Meatloaf

Posted by Beth on 22 February 2010, 10:37 am

Extensive Facebook research tells me that most of my acquaintances have no love for meatloaf. They say it’s mushy. It’s gross. It’s something they were force-fed as children, and therefore they have no desire to eat it as adults. I’ll admit it’s not the most attractive food in the world (brown food just doesn’t photograph well, unless it’s chocolate cake), but I stand by its deliciousness…and I’ll even declare it one of my favorite foods!

Unlike most kids, I actually looked forward to meatloaf night. A nice hunk of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas? Yes, please! It got even better the next day when my mom or grandpa would whip up a tasty hash of meatloaf and fried potatoes. Top that with ketchup and you’ll make me very happy, indeed.

Flavorwise, I consider meatloaf to be like a delicious baked hamburger, or a giant meatball – so it surprises me when people love those foods, yet hate meatloaf. My friend Susan said the mushiness makes it unlike any burger she’s ever eaten, and that it’s only good if you’re lucky enough to get a crusty end piece. There’s an easy solution to this problem: make individual loaves so every portion has a nice, crispy exterior and tender interior. Be a good kid and try it. Just one bite. For me.

Individual Meat Loaves

adapted from Ina Garten

1 pound ground beef*

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chicken or beef broth

3 tbsp ketchup

1/4 c Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 c finely grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium low heat. Add the onions, dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, or until soft and translucent but not brown. Add the garlic during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Take the pan off the heat and add 1 tbsp ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce and the chicken or beef broth. Stir to combine and allow to cool slightly.

Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl and add the beaten egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, onion mixture and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Use a fork to lightly combine the mixture; do not mash, or the meat loaves will be tough. Form into two to three individual loaves, top with remaining ketchup, and place on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan that’s been coated with cooking spray. Bake the loaves for 40 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

*Meat loaf is one recipe where I don’t use the leanest ground beef available – it makes the loaf a bit tough. I suggest 80/20 or 85/15 beef for this recipe, but use whatever kind you prefer.

Filed under Comfort Food. Tagged 
13 Comments
« Older Entries