Tuesday 25 August 2015

Smoked Chicken

Hey! I made something that didn't come out of a Cook's Country magazine! This one's from the Internet. Specifically, I spent a while browsing the Amazing Ribs site and decided to try the smoked chicken recipe posted there.

Sweet Georgia's Brown Smoked Chicken
From AmazingRibs.com
1 chicken (mine was ~1.2kg and came already spatchcocked and injected with brine)
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt per lb. of meat (only if bird is not pre-seasoned/brined)
4-5 Tbsp. Meathead's Memphis Dust

1. If chicken is fully in tact, either spatchcock it or cut it in half with kitchen shears.
2. If chicken has not already been brined or seasoned, rub with salt (dry brine).
3. Dust chicken on all sides with spice mix.
4. Preheat grill, adding desired wood chips/chunks. (I used a divided smoker box full of whiskey barrel chips. Half dry, half wet.)
5. Adjust burners to achieve a temperature of ~325F and indirect heat.
6. Cook chicken, skin side up, over indirect heat for ~2 hours with legs pointing toward the hotter side of the grill.
7. If desired flip skin side down over direct heat for a few minutes to crisp the skin just before serving.
8. Chicken can be cut into parts or pulled for sandwiches.

This chicken smelled heavenly while cooking and tasted even better! We served it with creole potato salad, oil and vinegar coleslaw, grilled corn on the cob, and some old-fashioned lemonade for a complete summer barbecue meal. Phenomenal!

Meathead's Memphis Dust
6 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 c. sweet Hungarian paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. ginger powder
2 Tbsp. peppercorns
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
1 1/2 tsp. rosemary

1. Grind peppercorns, onion, and rosemary into a fairly uniform looking powder.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well-combined, breaking up any chunks of sugar or other clumps that form.

Rhode Island Dynamites

Easy, tasty, and comes together relatively quickly = Weeknight winner!

Rhode Island Dynamites
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
3/4 tsp. pepper, divided
2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (I used orange because they looked the nicest this week)
1/4 c. minced pickled hot cherry peppers + 2 Tbsp. brine
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. garlic paste
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
Sub rolls or hot dog buns

1. Stir baking soda, salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper into 3 Tbsp. water until dissolved.
2. Combine baking soda mixture with beef. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until liquid evaporates and meat starts to sizzle.
4. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until veggies soften.
5. Add cherry peppers, brine, tomato paste, garlic paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Add tomato sauce. Stir and scrape bottom of pot/pan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until desired consistency achieved. (Original recipe calls for 45 minutes of simmering, but we didn't have time for that and called it done after only 10 minutes. It was still delicious!)

Rigatoni with Sausage and Chives

Another recipe card to the rescue!

Rigatoni with Sausage and Chives
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 lb. rigatoni (or penne)
1 lb. sausage, casings removed (I used some of my parents' excellent beef sausage, but it would also be good with pork sausage)
1 onion, chopped (onion and garlic combo used in place of the shallots called for in the original recipe)
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. half-and-half
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
1/4 c. minced chives
10-15 grinds pepper

1. Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve 1/2 c. of cooking water for adjusting sauce.
2. Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks.
3. Remove sausage with slotted spoon and cook onion and garlic in residual fat.
4. Add wine and cook until almost completely evaporated.
5. Add half-and-half and broth and cook until thickened.
6. Stir in sausage and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, chives, and pepper.
8. Toss sauce with pasta.
9. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Saturday 22 August 2015

Chilaquiles

Did this a bit differently than the recipe called for due to lack of blender. The sauce was supposed to be smooth, but I actually really liked the chunky version. Might add a few more veggies and an extra chile next time.

Chilaquiles
Adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
5 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds discarded
1 (28 oz.) tin whole tomatoes, broken up
1 poblano chile, minced (seeds discarded)
1 jalapeño, minced (seeds discarded)
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
500g skinless, boneless chicken breast
10 corn tostadas, broken in quarters
100g feta cheese, crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, chopped

1. Toast the guajillo chiles until dark and fragrant. Cool and grind.
2. Combine tomatoes, guajillo, poblano, jalapeño, garlic, 1/4 c. cilantro, onion, and chicken broth in pot. Bring to a boil and add chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. (15-20 minutes)
3. Remove chicken and shred.
4. Increase heat and cook until sauce thickens. Return shredded chicken to pot and stir into sauce.
5. Stir in tostada pieces. Cover for a couple minutes until chips soften a bit.
6. Top with remaining cilantro, cheese, green onions, and avocado.
7. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream.

Here's how I'd change it up next time:

Better Chilaquiles
5 dried guajillo chiles
1 dried chipotle chile
2 (14 oz.) tins fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile
1 poblano chile
3 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 onion
1/2 c. cilantro
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, bruised
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, bruised
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. frozen corn
500g chicken
12 tostadas or equivalent tortilla chips
150g feta cheese
2 green onions
1 lime
guacamole
sour cream
radishes (optional)

Braised Spring Vegetables



This is a gently cooked dish of early season vegetables. They come out a bit soggy, but tender and flavourful.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 shallot, sliced into thin rings
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 10 radishes, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
  • 2 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 2 tsp grated orange zest
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2" lengths
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Procedure
  1. Heat oil, shallot, garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes in a dutch oven over medium heat until the shallot is just softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in radishes, lemon zest, orange zest, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1¼ cups water. Cover and cook until radishes can be easily pierced with a sharp knife, 3-5 minutes.
  3. Stir in asparagus and continue to cook, covered, until tender, 3-5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Let stand, covered, until peas are warmed through, about 5 minutes.
  5. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Hoisin-Sesame Flank Steak



I also have quite a backlog, and this is one of the earliest Cook's Country recipes we cooked. It's another one of the 30-minute recipe cards.

We cooked this long enough that I don't really remember the details, but as best I recall it was tasty and we didn't significantly deviate from the recipe as written.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp Sriracha
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 (1½ pound) flank steak, trimmed
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Procedure

  1. Whisk together hoisin sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium high heat until just smoking.
  3. Cook steak until well browned and meat registers 125°F (for medium rare), 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer to carving board and let stand for five minutes.
  4. Stir hoisin mixture into now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.
  5. Slice steak thin against the grain and transfer to platter. Stir any accumulated meat juices into sauce and spoon over meat. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Eat.
They suggest serving this over rice. We served it with braised spring vegetables, which I'll be uploading the recipe for shortly.

Slow Cooker Strata

I'm a bit behind on my blogging. I just haven't been feeling like writing up my recipes after dinner this week. So now I've got a bit of a backlog. I'll start with the most recent experiment, breakfast this morning, and work my way back through the week.

This recipe makes a huge amount. I mean, I'm not really surprised seeing as the recipe called for a dozen eggs (among other things), but still! Huge! I'd make a few tweaks next time, but overall, this strata was pretty tasty, if large.

Slow Cooker Strata
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
12 oz. breakfast sausage (I used maple flavoured)
2 onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo + 1 tsp. adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic paste
2 tsp. cumin seeds
14 oz. baguette, cut into 1/2" cubes (this took ~1 1/2 baguettes for me)
2 blocks lactose-free jalapeño cheese, grated (generous 3 c.)
12 large eggs
3 c. half-and-half
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
4 scallions, sliced thin

1. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and sausage, breaking up sausages if you were not able to get bulk sausage meat.
2. Add chipotle, adobo, garlic paste, and cumin seeds and cook for another minute or so.
3. Stir in baguette.
4. Grease slow cooker with butter.
5. Place half of bread mixture in slow cooker. Sprinkle with 1 c. grated cheese. Place remaining bread mixture on top.
6. Beat eggs with half-and half. Add salt and pepper.
7. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Press down on bread to submerge. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Cook on low until internal temperature registers 160F. Let stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

I think I'd halve the recipe next time, change up the cheese, and add a few more veggies just to round things out a bit.

Smaller Slow Cooker Strata
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6-8 oz. breakfast sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
227g cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" lengths (optional)
1 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo + 1 tsp. adobo
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. cumin seeds
7 oz. baguette, cut into 1/2" cubes
2-4 oz. cottage cheese
1 1/2 c. half-and-half
6 large eggs
1/4 tsp. pepper
2-4 oz. mozzarella, grated
2-4 oz. extra-old cheddar, grated
4 scallions, sliced thin

I'd sauté the mushrooms and asparagus with the sausage and other veg. Mix the cottage cheese into the bread mixture. Dump the bread in all at once and then top with a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. (Mozzarella for meltiness, cheddar for flavour.) I've also deliberately excluded the salt in this version because I found the original to be just a bit too salty for my taste. It's easy enough to add a bit more salt at the table if you find it a bit flat without it.

Saturday 15 August 2015

Roast Pork with Asparagus

I changed up a couple details for this recipe to fit what was available/on hand. It came out delicious and was very quick and easy to put together with almost no prep work! It would've been even faster if I'd done it with pork tenderloin as the recipe suggested. I ended up using a boneless rib roast, so it took a little longer to cook since it was thicker than tenderloin. Still wonderful and pretty quick though.

Roast Pork with Asparagus
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. + 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
800g boneless pork rib roast
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
800g (or more) asparagus
1/2 c. chicken broth
140g soft, unripened goat cheese
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. Combine rosemary, 1 Tbsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. salt.
2. Dry pork and sprinkle with pepper mixture.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large pan over medium-high and sear pork on all sides.
4. Roast for 30-35 minutes at 450F. (Until internal temperature reaches 140F.)
5. Heat remaining oil in empty pan (still over medium-high). Add asparagus, broth, and remaining salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove asparagus to serving dish/platter. Crumble goat cheese on top.
7. Add vinegar and cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
8. Slice pork and place on top of asparagus. Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Monday 10 August 2015

Basil-Apricot Chicken Salad

This was so good! Although I think it could've used even more basil. Still, very tasty and extremely easy! Thank you once again, Cook's Country.

Basil-Apricot Chicken Salad
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1/4-1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (900g) rotisserie chicken
1 head red or green leaf lettuce

1. Combine everything but chicken and lettuce in a large bowl.
2. Separate the skin and the bones from the meat of the chicken. Shred the meat and add it to the bowl. Stir to combine.
3. Put a few lettuce leaves on each plate. Spoon some of the chicken mixture onto the lettuce. Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired. (I didn't feel it needed the extra oil.)

Saturday 8 August 2015

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is another Cook's Country "recipe makeover". This did come out nice and tasty, but it was also fairly time-consuming and labour-intensive. For me, the poor deliciousness:effort ratio means that this isn't one I'm likely to make again. If I ever do make it again though, I'd probably make a few changes. The recipe below reflects the "what I'd do next time" version rather than what I actually did this time.

Chicken Noodle Casserole
Adapted from Cook's Country June/July 2015
8 oz. wide egg noodles
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
227g cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped (optional)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 c. chicken broth
1 (12 oz.) can 2% evaporated milk
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1 tsp. pepper
200g light cheddar, grated
20 reduced-fat Ritz Crackers, crushed

1. Boil pasta in 2L of water and 1 Tbsp. salt until molto al dente. Drain and run under cold water until pasta is cool to the touch. Set aside.
2. Cook bell pepper, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with 1/4 ts. salt until beginning to brown. Stir in thyme and cook for an additional minute or so. Set aside.
3. Whisk cornstarch with 3 Tbsp. broth.
4. Combine evaporated milk and remaining broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken registers 155F (about 10 minutes). Transfer chicken to plate.
5. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce, bring to a boil, and cook until thickened. (This should only take a minute or so.) Remove from heat.
6. Shred chicken and stir back into sauce. Add sautéed veggies and noodles. Add frozen peas, 3/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Stir to combine. (In the original recipe, the grated cheese was added as soon as the sauce came off the heat to create a cheese sauce base for the casserole. TF and I found that the cheese flavour didn't really come through at all that way though. I think a cheese topping/crust would make the flavour a bit more distinct, so I'll try it that way next time.)
7. Toss cheese with crushed crackers. Top the casserole with the cracker mixture.
8. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

These are wonderful little nuggets of delicious! They're more like a (slightly sweeter than usual) dinner roll than a "sweet" roll though. Definitely very tasty either way.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
From Cook's Country June/July 2015
1 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. whole milk
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1/3 c. honey
5 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. rapid-rise yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
2 tsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine pineapple juice, milk, 4 Tbsp. butter, and honey and microwave until temperature reaches 110F. (This should take about 1 minute.)
2. In a large bowl, mix 5 c. flour, yeast, and salt.
3. Slowly stir in pineapple juice mixture.
4. Combine egg, vinegar, and vanilla and then stir into flour mixture.
5. Flour your hands and the counter with remaining 1/2 c. of flour. Kneed dough until smooth and elastic.
6. Turn into greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Punch down the dough. (Actually, I learned that it's better if you gently press it down, but punching is more fun!)
8. Divide dough into 18 equal portions and form into smooth, tight balls. (The Cook's Country folks described a method of dividing the dough into thirds, shaping each third into a rectangle and then cutting each of those into six equal portions. The small rectangles/logs could then be shaped into balls. I tried this method, but still found it difficult to get even rolls. They were still delicious, just really uneven.)
9. Place the rolls into a greased 9"x13" baking dish as they are formed, creating 3 rows of 6. (Or six rows of three, if you prefer.)
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Or do as I did and let them rise in the fridge overnight.)
11. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. (Add an extra five minutes or so if the dough has been chilled. Mine looked done on the outside, but were still a bit doughy in the centre.)
12. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then use a spatula/lifter to transfer them to a wire rack. Brush with remaining butter.
13. Serve warm. If you need to reheat them, wrap in tin foil and heat at 350F until warmed through.

Friday 7 August 2015

Seared Scallops with Couscous Salad

I've been leaning pretty heavily on the Cook's Country "30 minute supper" recipe cards lately. The original version of this recipe came off of one of them. That said, I changed it pretty significantly. The original recipe called for making a very simple couscous side/salad using instant couscous, tomatoes, parsley, and olive oil. That was then served with scallops seared in olive oil and topped with a pickled pepper-orange-scallion salsa/chutney. I changed things up a little bit when I put mine together.

Couscous Salad
Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015 and The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert
1 lb. instant couscous
4 c. vegetable stock (or vegetable trimmings/peels + water)
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1 (375mL) jar pickled pepperoncini peppers, minced
1/4 c. pickled pepper juice, or more to taste
1/4 c. + 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
juice and grated rind of one orange
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
8 scallions, sliced thin
1 c. fresh cilantro (or parsley), chopped
1/2 tsp. pepper

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)

1. Put stock on to boil. Set a colander on top of the pot and seal the edges so that steam only rises through the colander. Line colander with cheesecloth.
2. Add 2 c. of cold water to couscous. Stir it around to break up any clumps, let stand for a minute or two, then drain.
3. Dump couscous into cheesecloth lined colander and steam for 20 minutes.
4. Lift cloth out of colander and dump into large shallow plate/pan. Rake and break up any clumps with a whisk. Stir in 1 c. of water and a tsp. each of salt and oil. Allow to stand 10 minutes.
5. Rake again and break up any clumps. Place cheesecloth back in colander and dump the couscous back in. Steam for another 20 minutes.
6. Lift cloth back out of colander and rake couscous again. Stir in another cup of water, but do not add any more salt or oil. Let stand 10 minutes.
7. Rake and put couscous and cheesecloth back in colander and steam for a final 10 minutes.
8. Remove couscous from colander, break up any lumps and stir in 1 c. of broth and 4 Tbsp. of butter.
9. Combine cooked couscous with remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm or chilled.

Seared Scallops
400g large sea scallops
1 Tbsp. garlic butter
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and melt butter in pan.
2. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on scallops and sear in butter over medium-high heat. They should only need about 1 1/2 minutes per side, two minutes at the absolute maximum.
3. If desired, deglaze the pan with a little broth and pour over the scallops.
4. Serve immediately over warm couscous salad.

I realize that the multiple couscous steamings may seem a bit labour-intensive and daunting, but it really does make a huge difference to the texture and final result! I can't stand instant couscous prepared according to the box (pour hot/boiling water over and let stand for a few minutes). But properly steamed couscous? I can't get enough of it! It's delicious! Seriously. I promise that it's worth every minute of extra time it takes to do it this way. Besides, waiting for it to steam gave me time to do all the chopping and other prep work for the recipe, so it didn't really add that much to the overhead. If you've never tried steamed couscous before, definitely give it a try. You're in for a treat!

Monday 3 August 2015

Sweet Glazed Peaches

These peaches were fairly easy to put together and they were tasty. That said, a good fresh peach is tasty enough on its own that I don't think I'd bother going to the trouble of making this one again. Not unless I wanted something fancy to show off for dessert or something.

Sweet Glazed Peaches
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
6 peaches, peeled and halved
1/4 c. apple jelly
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. pistachios, toasted and crushed/chopped
vanilla ice cream, for serving

1. Combine lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Add peaches to bowl and make sure they get well-coated with the mixture.
2. Place peaches, cut side up, in baking dish (or an oven-safe skillet if you have one large enough to accommodate them). Pour any residual lemon-sugar mixture over the peaches. Pour 1/3 c. water around the peaches. Place under broiler (about 6" away) for 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the jelly with the butter until melted. Stir to combine.
4. Baste peaches with half the glaze mixture and return to oven for 5-7 minutes.
5. Baste again, then remove to plate using a slotted spoon.
6. Pour the residual liquid into a skillet (or simply move the skillet to the stove top if you were able to broil the peaches in the skillet). Cook over medium heat until syrupy.
7. Pour syrup over peaches and top with pistachios. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Caribbean-Style Chicken Curry

This was phenomenal! Quick, easy, and completely delicious! We served it over basmati rice, which worked quite well. I think a nice arugula salad would've rounded out the meal though.

Caribbean-Style Chicken Curry
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2015
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp. jerk seasoning
1/8 tsp. cayenne
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (19 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
salt and pepper
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. cashews, toasted and crushed/chopped

1. Heat up the peanut oil over medium-high heat and rub the chicken thighs all over with the jerk seasoning and cayenne. Toss the chicken in the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is done (internal temp of 175F). I accidentally took mine up to 190F, but it doesn't seem to have come out any the worse for wear.
2. Remove the chicken to a serving dish. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for a minute or so.
3. Add the pineapple and coconut milk. Cook until slightly thickened.
4. Add 1/4 c. cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.
5. Top with cashews and remaining cilantro. Serve over rice.

Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce

I completely forgot to post about this last night after making it! It came out very saucy and definitely wanted garlic bread to go with it. I think next time I'd try wilting a little baby spinach into the sauce as well. Just to make it a little more balanced and use up some of the excess sauce.

Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2015
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. gnocchi (preferrably vacuum packed)
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped

1. Brown the gnocchi in 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Set aside.
2. Add more oil to the empty pan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute or so.
3. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, 1/2 c. water, and cream. (Optionally add ~8 oz. fresh baby spinach at this point.)
4. Return gnocchi to pan. Simmer until gnocchi is tender (5-7 minutes).
5. Transfer to baking dish and top with cheese. Bake at 475F until cheese is browned.
6. Top with basil. Serve with crusty bread/garlic bread

Sunday 2 August 2015

Pork Chops with Sautéed Zucchini

This one came together super quickly and easily. I was a bit concerned about putting butter on pork chops, since I worried it would make them greasy, but the compound butter was really quite tasty!

Pork Chops with Sautéed Zucchini
Slightly Adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, minced
1 Tbsp. grainy mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
4 (8-10 oz.) 1/2"-thick, bone-in pork chops
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs. zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Combine butter, chives, mustard, lemon juice, sea salt, cayenne, and granulated garlic and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high and add pork chops. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes per side (or until done). Remove to plate.
3. Add zucchini and garlic to empty pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until zucchini is cooked through (~7 minutes).
4. Remove zucchini to plate. Arrange pork chops on top. Top with herb butter.