I have read and listened to many a reflection on the power of gratitude in a person's life. I have believed, on a for-everyone-else level, that gratitude can reset your perspective, giving you energy and rest in the midst of challenges. I have longed to believe in and accept the restorative power of a grateful heart in my own life, but have never quite been able to grasp it.
Until now. I am finally settling into a new life that I embarked on 2 years ago: marriage, graduate school transition, apartment living. As my new job feels more comfortable and invigorating than scary, and as I enjoy having evenings to recreate and enjoy time with my husband, my mindset is changing. The quiet, still voice that can identify and praise blessings has found it's backbone again. I find my default thought patterns shifting from downtrodden, exhausted frustration to rose-colored hope and thankfulness.
I don't know if it's the financial security associated with a 2nd income, the ability to enjoy activities with friends with newfound funds and time, the end of the constant evaluation of graduate school, or the warm welcome of the coworkers in my new job-- but something about the past few weeks has wiped away the grime from my viewpoint and given me a fresh, hopeful outlook.
In addition to the many little things I find I am grateful for in the quiet moments of every day-- I am most grateful for the deeper paradigm shift that has allowed me to live from a place of gratitude.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
May 2012 Adventures: 3 of 3
Adventure 3 of 3: Namakagon Get Away
As a celebration of graduate school completion and my 29th birthday, we escaped to the north woods for some R&R on Lake Namakagon.
The weather was comfortably cool in the evening- giving us a great excuse to get a cozy fire going in the wood stove.
An ice-free view of the point...
and Warm sunlight at dusk illuminating fresh greens on the forest floor.
Swimming right underneath the deck I was laying on...
A noisy fox whose hiccup-like yelps made tracking him much easier.
As a celebration of graduate school completion and my 29th birthday, we escaped to the north woods for some R&R on Lake Namakagon.
The weather was comfortably cool in the evening- giving us a great excuse to get a cozy fire going in the wood stove.
By day, we were able to enjoy temps warm enough to warrant lazy reading on the dock. It was nice that the boat wasn't in yet as we were able to catch the action in the weeds off the other side of the dock.
There was plenty of nature awakening to spring, including a still-fuzzy fiddle head fern...
Purple-tinted trillium, a sure sign of spring...
We enjoyed some great animal sightings including plenty of baby ducks...
A coyote enjoying a stroll through our peninsula on the lake while being cautiously chased by...
May 2012 Adventures: 2 of 3
Adventure 2 of 3: Escape-artist Sourdough Starter
Okay, so this is a rather lame adventure. But it was a frequent occurrence throughout the month of May as Jake received new sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour as a birthday gift the month before. I think the growing heat and humidity in our apartment helped the starter grow faster than it did over the cooler winter months.
Below is the starter, which began by filling an old glass applesauce jar about halfway to the top. Here it has completely overfilled the glass jar, cascaded down to fill the pyrex glass bowl the jar sat in, and is in the process of spilling over to the plate. Pretty nuts!
And also pretty delicious. Here's a shot of the end result of the starter used for a sourdough circle loaf. Love the circle lines on top!
Okay, so this is a rather lame adventure. But it was a frequent occurrence throughout the month of May as Jake received new sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour as a birthday gift the month before. I think the growing heat and humidity in our apartment helped the starter grow faster than it did over the cooler winter months.
Below is the starter, which began by filling an old glass applesauce jar about halfway to the top. Here it has completely overfilled the glass jar, cascaded down to fill the pyrex glass bowl the jar sat in, and is in the process of spilling over to the plate. Pretty nuts!
And also pretty delicious. Here's a shot of the end result of the starter used for a sourdough circle loaf. Love the circle lines on top!
May 2012 Adventures: 1 of 3
Adventure 1 of 3: Wood Duck Housing
As a Father's Day gift, we put a wood duck house up on one of the ponds in my parents backyard. Unsure of the likelihood that it would be used in it's inaugural summer, we waited to check on its occupancy status until a month later.
May 5th Jake and I walked down to the house, talking loudly on our approach and then gently tapping the house and makeshift metal squirrel deterrent on the post. When there was no response from the house, we figured it was unoccupied and pointed a small camera in the hole to see if it'd had any visitors.
We visited again on May 13th. This time "scaring" the mother enough from a distance to give her plenty of time to poke her head out of the house and fly away. Counted at least 9 eggs!
We approached again on May 22nd, and discovered that the mom was out. It's likely that she had left for her breakfast run. We were having such a warm spring/summer, I'm guessing her down cover was plenty of insulation to keep the little eggs comfy.
May 30th-- the last visit that had eggs still. We figured the eggs would be hatching in the next few weeks and wanted to be sure that mom felt safe enough to lead the ducklings out-- so we stopped approaching the house. (We did check again at the end of June and found just 1 unhatched egg with bits of shell around the down. It looks like a successful stay! We'll empty out the down and clean the house later this fall.)
As a Father's Day gift, we put a wood duck house up on one of the ponds in my parents backyard. Unsure of the likelihood that it would be used in it's inaugural summer, we waited to check on its occupancy status until a month later.
May 5th Jake and I walked down to the house, talking loudly on our approach and then gently tapping the house and makeshift metal squirrel deterrent on the post. When there was no response from the house, we figured it was unoccupied and pointed a small camera in the hole to see if it'd had any visitors.
We visited again on May 13th. This time "scaring" the mother enough from a distance to give her plenty of time to poke her head out of the house and fly away. Counted at least 9 eggs!
We approached again on May 22nd, and discovered that the mom was out. It's likely that she had left for her breakfast run. We were having such a warm spring/summer, I'm guessing her down cover was plenty of insulation to keep the little eggs comfy.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Woullet Bakery's Princess Torte
My birthday treat, purchased with one of the groupon-style deals, was the Princess Torte from Woullet Bakery. I first tried this amazing dessert this fall in an internship and fell in love instantly. I honestly think it is the best dessert I've ever had in my life. It's worth every penny and is a great way to mark a special event!
Straight from the website: "Raspberry and Bavarian Cream layered with genoise (egg-rich golden cake) and wrapped in pastel marzipan." There are sliced almonds around the outside for a salty kick and the beautiful frosting rose is edible and actually tasty. Overall? Soooooo good.
Straight from the website: "Raspberry and Bavarian Cream layered with genoise (egg-rich golden cake) and wrapped in pastel marzipan." There are sliced almonds around the outside for a salty kick and the beautiful frosting rose is edible and actually tasty. Overall? Soooooo good.
Pesto Turkey Meatloaf
This was a delicious, healthier take on meatloaf. Last summer I took advantage of cheap, fragrant basil at the farmer's market to make a substantial amount of pesto. We've been chipping away at our frozen stock with pizzas and pastas, but needed to change it up. I took some liberties with the recipe and wished that I had adhered to the baking instructions calling for a roasting pan instead of a loaf pan. It still worked, just ended up pretty juicy.
Pesto Turkey Meatloaf
adapted from Kayln's Kitchen and Culinate
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 cup basil pesto
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup marinara sauce
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a roasting pan with draining slits (or 9x5 loaf pan, if you don't mind the juice) with olive oil.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 7-8 minutes till slightly brown. Add the garlic, lower heat and sauté 2 minutes.
Combine turkey, onion, garlic, pesto, parmesan cheese, salt, and breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl.
Form mixture into a loaf and set on roasting pan or into your loaf pan.
Look at that yummy pesto!
Our final results weren't pretty, it didn't hold together in slices at all, but it was quite tasty. If it was called "Crumbled Turkey with Pesto," I'd have nailed it. Crumbled or sliced, it's pretty fantastic with baked potatoes on the side.
Pesto Turkey Meatloaf
adapted from Kayln's Kitchen and Culinate
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 cup basil pesto
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup marinara sauce
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a roasting pan with draining slits (or 9x5 loaf pan, if you don't mind the juice) with olive oil.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 7-8 minutes till slightly brown. Add the garlic, lower heat and sauté 2 minutes.
Bake for 40 minutes. In the meantime, mix balsamic vinegar and marinara sauce. Brush sauce over meatloaf until fully covered. Bake another 5 minutes until cooked through, 160 degrees. (It takes awhile, the original blog says one hour and twenty minutes until done.)
Corn Chowder
Cook's Illustrated is the best. No really- I've never been let down by one of their recipes. I haven't even had a mediocre recipe from them. Here's one of my favorites. There's plenty of steps and lots of work, but it was totally worth it. Even with grocery store corn on the cob trucked in from who knows where. I can't imagine how wonderful this would be with fresh Minnesota sweet corn!
Lighter Corn Chowder
from Cook's Illustrated magazine, July August 2011
8 ears corn, husked
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped finely
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tsp minced fresh thyme *we actually had this and it was SO good in the final soup*
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup flour
5 cups water
3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 cup half-and-half
Sugar
3 Tbsp fresh basil *didn't have this, didn't add it and it still worked*
Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. (A chef's knife works alright if you stand the cob up in a large bowl to catch the flying kernels. Otherwise OXO makes a great corn kernel stripper that we've invested in and love. It's much quicker, less messy, and seems safer in my opinion. This toy is featured in this recipe write up in the magazine.)
KEEP THE EMPTY COBS! This is the cool part. Using the back, dull side of a butter knife, scrape down the empty cobs over/into a medium bowl. You'll end up with about 2 cups of pulp. Strain out the pulp pieces using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and set aside the resulting corn juice.
Now, all the other stuff. We cooked the bacon slices separately, so we could remove the grease and have even "lighter" chowder.
Cook the onion, thyme, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. (Add bacon if you didn't cook separately beforehand, otherwise add after flour below.) Stir frequently and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is softened and sides are beginning to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
While continuing to stir constantly, slowly add water and bring to a boil. Add the corn kernels and red potatoes. Return mixture to a simmer and cook 15-18 minutes over medium heat until potatoes have softened.
Process mixture in a blender or using an immersion blender. (Another fun toy that means you don't have to wait for the soup to cool fully or clean out a fully dirty food processor/blender!)
Add half-and-half and return blended chowder to a simmer. Remove the chowder from heat and add that odd corn juice you strained earlier. Add any remaining salt or pepper the soup needs, add sugar if you feel it needs it. Serve with basil garnish, if desired.
I think the odd, magic corn juice is really what sent the chowder to the favorites list. This was a hearty, filling soup that actually tasted like corn, not nondescript cafeteria soup. We're stuck in a continuous heat wave this summer, so when our local corn is ready, we may tried a chilled Corn Chowder. I'll keep you posted.
Lighter Corn Chowder
from Cook's Illustrated magazine, July August 2011
8 ears corn, husked
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped finely
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tsp minced fresh thyme *we actually had this and it was SO good in the final soup*
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup flour
5 cups water
3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 cup half-and-half
Sugar
3 Tbsp fresh basil *didn't have this, didn't add it and it still worked*
Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. (A chef's knife works alright if you stand the cob up in a large bowl to catch the flying kernels. Otherwise OXO makes a great corn kernel stripper that we've invested in and love. It's much quicker, less messy, and seems safer in my opinion. This toy is featured in this recipe write up in the magazine.)
KEEP THE EMPTY COBS! This is the cool part. Using the back, dull side of a butter knife, scrape down the empty cobs over/into a medium bowl. You'll end up with about 2 cups of pulp. Strain out the pulp pieces using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and set aside the resulting corn juice.
Now, all the other stuff. We cooked the bacon slices separately, so we could remove the grease and have even "lighter" chowder.
Cook the onion, thyme, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. (Add bacon if you didn't cook separately beforehand, otherwise add after flour below.) Stir frequently and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is softened and sides are beginning to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
While continuing to stir constantly, slowly add water and bring to a boil. Add the corn kernels and red potatoes. Return mixture to a simmer and cook 15-18 minutes over medium heat until potatoes have softened.
Process mixture in a blender or using an immersion blender. (Another fun toy that means you don't have to wait for the soup to cool fully or clean out a fully dirty food processor/blender!)
Add half-and-half and return blended chowder to a simmer. Remove the chowder from heat and add that odd corn juice you strained earlier. Add any remaining salt or pepper the soup needs, add sugar if you feel it needs it. Serve with basil garnish, if desired.
I think the odd, magic corn juice is really what sent the chowder to the favorites list. This was a hearty, filling soup that actually tasted like corn, not nondescript cafeteria soup. We're stuck in a continuous heat wave this summer, so when our local corn is ready, we may tried a chilled Corn Chowder. I'll keep you posted.
Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf
I'm always on the look out for great blueberry recipes. Blueberries aren't my favorite berry, but they are great fun to pick out in the woods! Here's a great, if a little labor intensive, recipe for a desert-like blueberry bread. Lemon-Blueberry Cake may be a more apt title!
Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt "Cake" Loaf
adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen blog
1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp four, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt *we used vanilla, non-fat Greek yogurt*
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries *we used over 2 cups and it wasn't overwhelming*
Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
Lemon Glaze: (Yes, it is different from the lemon syrup for this recipe. Are you getting the Cake vibe yet?)
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan and dust with flour (be sure to shake it around to distribute evenly and then tap out any leftovers in the pan).
Sift 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and oil with a wire whisk. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients until well blended.
In separate bowl, carefully mix blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour (we used more flour as we used more berries). Very carefully, to avoid breaking the skin on the berries, fold coated berries into the cake- I mean loaf- batter.
Pour all batter into prepared loaf pan and bake 50-55 minutes. The ole toothpick coming out clean is the way to be sure the loaf is done. The cooked loaf should rest in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to it's syrup and glazing station (a wire rack on top of a baking sheet with edges to catch the drippings).
Prepare the syrup and glaze by juicing the 2 lemons used for zest. For the syrup, take 1/3 cup of the juice, add sugar, and heat in saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes after the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Poke holes in the top and sides of the cooked, cooling loaf. Brush the loaf with syrup repeatedly, letting it soak in after each application. I think I did this 5 times. Let the loaf cool completely (or else the glaze just runs right off!)
Prepare the glaze by mixing powdered sugar and 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice until the glaze is stiff but pourable-- the thicker the better, though. Pour the glaze over the loaf, encouraging puddles on the top of the loaf and juicy drips down the sides. The original recipe calls for this to happen once...but I wasn't about the let the leftover glaze go down the sink.
It's *almost* too sweet for breakfast! Very lemony and very sweet-- the blueberries and cake/loaf seemed almost an afterthought. That said, it was delicious and would be a pretty pick for any morning potlucks or as a dessert on a summer night. I think it might even go well with ice cream...
Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt "Cake" Loaf
adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen blog
1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp four, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt *we used vanilla, non-fat Greek yogurt*
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries *we used over 2 cups and it wasn't overwhelming*
Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
Lemon Glaze: (Yes, it is different from the lemon syrup for this recipe. Are you getting the Cake vibe yet?)
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan and dust with flour (be sure to shake it around to distribute evenly and then tap out any leftovers in the pan).
Sift 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and oil with a wire whisk. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients until well blended.
In separate bowl, carefully mix blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour (we used more flour as we used more berries). Very carefully, to avoid breaking the skin on the berries, fold coated berries into the cake- I mean loaf- batter.
Pour all batter into prepared loaf pan and bake 50-55 minutes. The ole toothpick coming out clean is the way to be sure the loaf is done. The cooked loaf should rest in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to it's syrup and glazing station (a wire rack on top of a baking sheet with edges to catch the drippings).
Prepare the syrup and glaze by juicing the 2 lemons used for zest. For the syrup, take 1/3 cup of the juice, add sugar, and heat in saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes after the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Poke holes in the top and sides of the cooked, cooling loaf. Brush the loaf with syrup repeatedly, letting it soak in after each application. I think I did this 5 times. Let the loaf cool completely (or else the glaze just runs right off!)
Prepare the glaze by mixing powdered sugar and 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice until the glaze is stiff but pourable-- the thicker the better, though. Pour the glaze over the loaf, encouraging puddles on the top of the loaf and juicy drips down the sides. The original recipe calls for this to happen once...but I wasn't about the let the leftover glaze go down the sink.
Halal Street Chicken
Late-night recipe searching on the web yields some pretty delicious results. I have a feeling our version turned out less greasy than the original street food version of this Halal Chicken recipe-- but ours was incredibly flavorful and a nice break from mac and cheese or ramen.
Halal Street Chicken
adapted from Serious Eats Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice with White Sauce
Chicken:
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh oregano *or dried oregano...or Italian Seasoning for those watching the budget*
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped *we always add more garlic*
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper (roughly 1/2 tsp of each)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced or sliced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Rice:
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp tumeric *can and will die almost anything yellow, be careful which dishes you use and always clean up spills right away!*
1/4 ground cumin
1 1/2 cups long-grain Basmati rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt and Pepper (roughly 1/2 of each)
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley *same story as for Oregano above*
Serving Condiments:
shredded iceberg lettuce
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
pita bread (optional)
hot sauce (optional- but who doesn't like hot sauce!)
Very first thing, you'll need to marinate the chicken. Slice or dice chicken, whatever you prefer. Blend the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Pour marinade into freezer gallon-sized ziplock bag and add the raw chicken pieces. Marinade for 1-4 hours in the fridge.
I opted for getting the condiments and sauce ready first-- hoping some of the dried herbs in the yogurt mixture would release more flavor with more time.
Spoon the marinated chicken from the ziplock bag into a medium-high heat skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on all sides and no pink is visible when a larger piece is cut in half. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add turmeric and cumin to melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Lightly toast the rice in the spiced butter by stirring frequently for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and any salt and pepper you desire. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let rest 15 minutes. Stir cooked rice with a fork.
That's it! Now it's all about assembling. I'm of the mindset that each person should assemble their own dinner using the proportions that they'd prefer. Aside from eating out, I'm never a fan of having my plate prepared for me.
Enjoy, it's delicious!
(As a side note for those watching their waistlines, this could be served with much more lettuce and less rice/chicken as a salad. There was plenty of flavor with the rice/chicken/sauce to go around with much more lettuce and tomatoes.)
Halal Street Chicken
adapted from Serious Eats Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice with White Sauce
Chicken:
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh oregano *or dried oregano...or Italian Seasoning for those watching the budget*
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped *we always add more garlic*
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper (roughly 1/2 tsp of each)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced or sliced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Rice:
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp tumeric *can and will die almost anything yellow, be careful which dishes you use and always clean up spills right away!*
1/4 ground cumin
1 1/2 cups long-grain Basmati rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt and Pepper (roughly 1/2 of each)
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley *same story as for Oregano above*
Serving Condiments:
shredded iceberg lettuce
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
pita bread (optional)
hot sauce (optional- but who doesn't like hot sauce!)
Very first thing, you'll need to marinate the chicken. Slice or dice chicken, whatever you prefer. Blend the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Pour marinade into freezer gallon-sized ziplock bag and add the raw chicken pieces. Marinade for 1-4 hours in the fridge.
I opted for getting the condiments and sauce ready first-- hoping some of the dried herbs in the yogurt mixture would release more flavor with more time.
Spoon the marinated chicken from the ziplock bag into a medium-high heat skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on all sides and no pink is visible when a larger piece is cut in half. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add turmeric and cumin to melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Lightly toast the rice in the spiced butter by stirring frequently for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and any salt and pepper you desire. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let rest 15 minutes. Stir cooked rice with a fork.
That's it! Now it's all about assembling. I'm of the mindset that each person should assemble their own dinner using the proportions that they'd prefer. Aside from eating out, I'm never a fan of having my plate prepared for me.
Enjoy, it's delicious!
(As a side note for those watching their waistlines, this could be served with much more lettuce and less rice/chicken as a salad. There was plenty of flavor with the rice/chicken/sauce to go around with much more lettuce and tomatoes.)
SuperBowl Spread
I'm a sucker for junk food-- especially when life is stressful or uncertain as it has often been in the past couple of years. Given the nature of the food served at SuperBowl parties, it's easy to see why it's my favorite food holiday! Here are some peaks at our spread for the 2012 SuperBowl...
We have chips, guacamole, chili cheese dip, hummus and veggies, and my husband's own Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. All amazing!
We have chips, guacamole, chili cheese dip, hummus and veggies, and my husband's own Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. All amazing!
Almost 8 months later...
Well, much has happened since a last post. Due to a busy graduate school schedule and then to a much needed break following graduation, the blog has been neglected. No more.
Although the blog has been boring for the last half year or so, thankfully, life has not been. Some of my favorite dabbling adventures have been captured and can still be shared (albeit much delayed).
Although the blog has been boring for the last half year or so, thankfully, life has not been. Some of my favorite dabbling adventures have been captured and can still be shared (albeit much delayed).
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Spicy Southwestern Lasagna
Spicy Southwestern Lasagna
adapted from the Texas Pete Hot Sauce recipe
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (would also work vegetarian style, sub black beans)
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3-4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 small poblano pepper, diced (we used ancho peppers)
1 cup fresh corn (feel free to use the whole can of corn)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (orginial recipe called for 2 CUPS heavy cream, can you believe it?!)
1/4 cup Chipotle Tobasco sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
12 corn tortillas (small taco size is fine)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375.
In ziplock bag or between sheets of saran wrap, pound chicken to 1/4 inch. In shallow bowl, combine flour, 1 tsp salt, and cumin. Coat chicken pieces in the mixture, reserving remaining mixture for later.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in frying pan. Brown chicken over medium-high heat about 1 minute per side until browned and cooked through. Set cooked chicken aside. (In retrospect, it would have turned out the same to just bake or boil the chicken and avoid the mess and fat from frying it here.)
Add 1 Tbsp butter back to frying pan and add onion, pepper, corn, garlic, and 1 Tbsp reserved flour mixture over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
Add tomatoes with their juice, yogurt, Tobasco, broth, salt, and sugar. Stir and cook until sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Dice reserved chicken and add to sauce.
Line bottom of large casserole dish with 4 tortillas. Spread 1/2 chicken and sauce mixture and top with 4 more tortillas. Add second 1/2 of chicken and sauce mixture then top with remaining tortillas.
Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and lasagna is heated through.
adapted from the Texas Pete Hot Sauce recipe
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (would also work vegetarian style, sub black beans)
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3-4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 small poblano pepper, diced (we used ancho peppers)
1 cup fresh corn (feel free to use the whole can of corn)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (orginial recipe called for 2 CUPS heavy cream, can you believe it?!)
1/4 cup Chipotle Tobasco sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
12 corn tortillas (small taco size is fine)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375.
In ziplock bag or between sheets of saran wrap, pound chicken to 1/4 inch. In shallow bowl, combine flour, 1 tsp salt, and cumin. Coat chicken pieces in the mixture, reserving remaining mixture for later.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in frying pan. Brown chicken over medium-high heat about 1 minute per side until browned and cooked through. Set cooked chicken aside. (In retrospect, it would have turned out the same to just bake or boil the chicken and avoid the mess and fat from frying it here.)
Add 1 Tbsp butter back to frying pan and add onion, pepper, corn, garlic, and 1 Tbsp reserved flour mixture over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
Add tomatoes with their juice, yogurt, Tobasco, broth, salt, and sugar. Stir and cook until sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Dice reserved chicken and add to sauce.
Great Party Appetizer
This idea came from my sister in-law who put out a fantastic pre-Thanksgiving spread. Simple, delicious, and only slightly costly. (In the future, I'd try to find shorter skewers!)
Caprese Skewers
Equal parts of:
-small tomatoes (grape or cherry, sliced in half if larger than bite-sized)
-small, fresh mozzarella balls (called bocconcini)
-fresh basil leaves (tear larger leaves in half as to not overpower other components)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
wooden or plastic skewers
Carefully skewer a tomato, cheese ball, and basil leaf on each skewer. Depending on your presentation needs, alternate order of ingredients. (Note: the cheese sometimes leaves streaks on the skewer, so I always follow the cheese with the tomato or basil leaf to help keep the skewer looking clean.)
Just before serving, sprinkle all skewers with olive oil and vinegar. Grind fresh salt and pepper over skewers.
Caprese Skewers
Equal parts of:
-small tomatoes (grape or cherry, sliced in half if larger than bite-sized)
-small, fresh mozzarella balls (called bocconcini)
-fresh basil leaves (tear larger leaves in half as to not overpower other components)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
wooden or plastic skewers
Carefully skewer a tomato, cheese ball, and basil leaf on each skewer. Depending on your presentation needs, alternate order of ingredients. (Note: the cheese sometimes leaves streaks on the skewer, so I always follow the cheese with the tomato or basil leaf to help keep the skewer looking clean.)
Just before serving, sprinkle all skewers with olive oil and vinegar. Grind fresh salt and pepper over skewers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)