Toasted Ciabatta Pizzas

This is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply Delicious Food by Fran Warde. Many kinds of bread can be used in these fantastic pizzas. You can also use blue cheese, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar instead of mozzarella.

1 loaf ciabatta, split lengthwise
1 garlic clove, peeled
about 1/4 cup olive oil
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced (or not)
a handful of pitted olives
a bunch of marjoram
10 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
a bunch of basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Broil ciabatta until lightly toasted, then rub with garlic, using it like a grater. Put the garlic ciabatta on a baking tray and drizzle with a little of the olive oil.
Arrange the sliced tomatoes on the bread, then add the olives, marjoram, mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle some more oil over the top. Cook in a preheated oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and crisp round the edges and the mozzarella has melted. Remove, let cool and wrap in waxed paper before packing (for a picnic).
This is so delicious.

farmer's beans and pasta

this is one of my stand-bys. it is simple but delicious and nobody complains when i make it! it's from martha stewart.

1/2 pound mini penne pasta
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed

cook pasta according to package instructions; drain. set aside.
in medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. add onion and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. add sage oregano, salt, pepper, and stock. reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes. add zucchini and tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 7-8 minutes. add the beans, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes more. remove from heat. toss with pasta and serve.

honey-seared salmon with cilantro noodles

i made this the other night and it was good, except i used chicken because that's what i had.

Serves 4
18 ½ oz salmon fillet
2 tbsp honey
cracked black pepper
for the cilantro noodles…
7 oz dried somen,
Chinese wheat or egg noodles
½ cup cilantro leaves
1/3 cup shredded mint leaves
1/3 cup basil leaves, halved
2 zucchini, shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey

To make the cilantro noodles, cook the noodles in boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain again. Combine the noodles with the coriander, mint, basil, zucchini, lime juice, soy and honey. (If you're making this for kids you might consider keeping some noodles plain.)Cut the salmon into ¾ in wide strips and toss with the honey and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the salmon for 1 minute on each side or until the honey is golden.To serve, place the noodles on serving plates and top with the salmon.
-Donna Hay, Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry

Chicken Lasagna

This is my mom’s recipe with some of my variations. My mom likes to make individual lasagnas in ramekins for dinner parties. They are super cute!


2 boxes lasagna noodles
3 pkgs Knorr creamy pesto sauce mix
1 bag frozen broccoli florets (fresh is also great, frozen is easier)
2 carrots shredded or chopped in a food processor
1 onion, diced
1 leek, sliced (white parts, only)
1 zucchini, diced
4 asparagus stalks, trimmed and chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

*Any or all of the above vegetables can be used. Chicken can be omitted for a meatless dish; leftover turkey could be substituted also.

Mix up the 3 packages of creamy pesto mix, set aside.

Prepare all vegetables and then sauté with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, just until soft. Or you could steam them.

Boil the noodles. When they are finished cooking, I lay them out on a cookie rack to separate and to stop the cooking.

Begin layering. Start with noodles, and then spread sauce evenly over the noodles, then chicken, then vegetables, then a layer of each cheese. Repeat until ingredients are gone, ending with a nice layer of sauce and cheese on top.

Bake in a preheated oven (350*) until cheese is hot and bubbling.

Chicken and Cashew Stir-Fry

This is from Gourmet magazine (May 2007). It’s easy, quick, delicious and gourmet!


1 bunch scallions
1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs (I use chicken breasts)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 Tbs vegetable oil (I use canola or olive oil)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ½ Tbs finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger
¼ tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes
¾ cup chicken broth
1 ½ Tbs soy sauce
1 ½ tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
½ cup salt roasted whole cashews

Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into ¾ inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5-6 minutes.
Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.
I serve with rice.

Martha Stewart’s Lettuce Wraps

this is afton's all-time favorite dinner. she seriously begs for it once a week. i however, do not give in. we have it once a month or so. it's so delicious.

Serves 6 to 8
2 boneless whole duck or chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce, plus 3 tablespoons for peanut sauce
1 large clove garlic
1 piece (3/4 inches) ginger, peeled and cut in half
2 1/4 teaspoons ground fresh chile paste
7 tablespoons smooth, good-quality peanut butter
3 tablespoons sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
Juice of 1 lime
6 ounces vermicelli noodles, or capellini (angel hair) noodles
1/2 cup roughly chopped, toasted Spanish or other peanuts
2 ounces garlic chives or scallions, cut into 4-inch lengths
1 Japanese or Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced
2 Boston or other butterhead lettuce, leaves separated
Directions
1. Place duck or chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag along with 1/2 cup soy sauce, and let marinate for 1 hour. Heat a lightly oiled grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Grill duck or chicken breasts until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side for duck and 4 to 6 minutes per side for chicken. Let cool slightly, and shred with your fingers, or cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips with a knife.
2. In a food processor, pulse garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add chile paste, peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, peanut oil, lime juice, and 4 1/2 tablespoons water, and pulse until smooth. If a thinner sauce is desired, add 1 or 2 more teaspoons water, and pulse to combine. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
4. Dress the noodles with 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce, and transfer to a medium serving bowl. If desired, set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep the noodles chilled at the table. Arrange peanuts, remaining sauce, and prepared fillings in various serving dishes on the table. Guests can create their own rolls by wrapping noodles, a little sauce, and their choice of meat and fillings in a lettuce leaf.

black bean and citrus shrimp tacos

i found this the other day on the ksl website. they have a daily recipe on their noon-hour news show. this is from jill mckenzie. we thought it was pretty delicious. also, i cut this in half for our family and we had some left over.

2 tsp seasoned salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp basil
2 lb peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp

*mix together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 24 hours

4 ripe avocadoes-diced
2 small oranges - diced
2 small jalapenos - finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro - roughly chopped

*toss together and set aside

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbs fresh lime juice

*bring to a boil and then simmer 10 minutes

2 boxes corn taco shells (we used soft flour and corn tortillas)

*heat oven to 350. put shells on baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese (we used cheddar) and bake until cheese is melted.

*heat grill pan or skillet over med high heat. add shrimp, cook 3-5 minutes on each side, or until pink on each side.

serve shrimp, beans, avocado salsa and shells assembled or set out buffet style. you can garnish with sour cream and lettuce, etc.


a side note: to dice an orange...cut off top and bottom of orange, then set on one end. cut as close to the skin as possible, trying not to get too much of the orange, from top to bottom. repeat until the entire orange is free of pith (or whatever that whit-ish part is called). then you can cut into thick slices and then into pieces.

sonoran shrimp scampi

we thought this was pretty good. it's from self magazine. i used only one poblano chile and it was way too spicy for the girls. i guess the idea is that it's so spicy, you'll only be able to eat one bite and that's how you'll lose weight. (remember it's from self magazine)

3 poblano chiles
1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 Tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 Tbs chopped (or thinly sliced) sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tbs lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup white wine (i use chicken broth)
4 cups farfalle, preferably whole wheat, cooked
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Place chiles directly over the burners of a gas stove. Roast over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and chiles soften, 10-15 minutes. (To roast in oven, cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Places chiles on sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and chiles soften, 12-17 minutes.) Remove from heat and cool. Remove peel and seeds. Slice thinly; set aside. Sprinkle shrimp with half the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Cook shrimp, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chiles, red peppers, tomatoes, zest and lime juice. Cook until liquid reduces by half and shrimp are no longer translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add wine and reduce until slightly syrupy. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat to low and cover 1 minute. Top with cilantro and serve.

smoky chicken corn cakes

this is from real simple mag. ryan and i liked this but the girls could've passed. see what you think.

1 3 1/2 -4 lb rotisserie chicken (i used 2 chicken breasts)
1 Tbs chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
3 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 large eggs
1 cup part-skim ricotta
10 oz frozen corn, thawed
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Using a fork or your fingers, shred the chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, chipotle, lime juice, 1/4 tsp of the salt, the onion, tomatoes, and cilantro; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, pepper, and the remaining salt. Stir in the eggs and ricotta until no lumps remain. Fold in the corn. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. For each corn cake, spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the skillet and cook until golden brown and set on one side, 2-3 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the cakes and cook 1 minute more. Divide the cakes among individual plates and top with the chicken mixture. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

I skipped the oil, but used the nonstick pan and they didn't stick at all.

frittata

here's what's for dinner at the hulse's tonite...use up the vegetables frittata. this is super easy and fast and good for you. i always feel good when i can use up food on hand and not have to make a trip to the store.

i used (but you can always substitute for what you have on hand):
4 potatoes, small dice
handful of baby carrots, small dice
head of broccoli, diced
6 eggs
4 egg whites
salt and pepper to taste
handful cheddar cheese, grated
small handful parmesan cheese, freshly grated

i sauted the vegetables in a little olive oil, then poured them into a round pan (the kind you use for cheesecake, i can't think of the name this very instant) with a quick release.

whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then add the cheeses and pour over vegetables in pan.

bake at 400 until eggs are set and lightly browned, about 20-30 min.

pasta al forno con pomodori e mozzarella

this is a jaime oliver recipe that is so yummy. we had it today for dinner and i ate way too much. it is fast, it is easy, and it is delicious. thank you jaime oliver!

baked pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella

1 white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 or 2 dried red chiles, crumbled
3 140z cans tomatoes (i use diced)
4 large handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 5oz balls of mozzarella, thinly sliced
14 oz dried orecchiette

preheat oven to 400.
chop 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic. saute over low heat with a dash of red chiles. when soft, add 3 14oz cans tomatoes. simmer for 20 minutes. put through a food processor to make a loose sauce. tear a handful of fresh basil into the sauce and season with salt and pepper and a dash of red wine vinegar.

boil a pot of water for the pasta. cook 14 oz of orecchiette pasta as directed. drain and toss with half of the sauce. layer a little of the pasta in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. cover with a ladle of sauce and then toss a handful of grated parmesan over. put slices of mozzarella over this layer, then start over with pasta, sauce, parmesan and finish with mozzarella. repeat until out of ingredients. bake for 15 minutes or until golden, crisp and bubbling.

beans

this recipe is from my friend, raquel. her mom has always made these beans and they are delicious and very healthy and most importantly, very easy. gracias, raquel!

1 bag dry pinto beans

put the beans in a big pot and fill with water. soak the beans overnight. drain the water and rinse the beans, making sure there are no rocks, bad beans, etc.

beans go back in the pot and fill water to 1 inch above beans.

turn heat to high and cover the beans. just before they begin to boil, turn down to low-medium and simmer for 3-4 hours. be sure to keep the beans covered, otherwise they can turn a greenish color.

once they are soft, add a clove or two of minced garlic and a teaspoon or two of kosher salt and cook on low for 45 minutes. during this time, periodically mash the beans. you can add a little grated cheese if desired.

serve immediately or they can be frozen and reheated easily.