Gruel

Gruel is basically what I call any dinner made out of the assorted leftovers in the house. The basic formula is fresh or frozen veggies + cooked meat + something to create sauce + rice product. It's also nice since it uses only one pan and combines all your major food groups. I'm sure it's not worthy of posting, but since it was quite tasty, I figured, what the heck! This variation leaned Italian, which isn't surprising since basically everything that sounds appealing to me during this pregnancy is Italian, but you can make it take on whatever flavoring you are in the mood for by adjusting the sauce you create and the seasoning.


Gruel
olive oil
1/2 lb browned turkey
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large can chopped tomatoes
Handful fresh basil and parsley, chopped
Crushed red pepper
1 batch brown rice (I go for the boil in bag variety since I have some sort of block about cooking rice)
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and brown turkey. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic and let brown lightly. Add tomatoes, stir to combine, and let simmer for a few minutes. Add basil, parsley, red pepper (to taste), and rice. Stir to combine and adjust seasonings.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

I got two lovely eggplants from the CSA this weekend. Since I was being assisted by a two year old, I thought a traditional parmesan preparation would be a little too much to manage, so I opted to grill the eggplant instead. I was going to make this on the grill outside, but the dark clouds hovering over my house made me retreat inside to the stovetop grill instead. 


Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
Two medium eggplants, peeled and sliced in 1/2" slices
1/2 batch or jar tomato sauce
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper
Generously salt eggplant slices and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Dab eggplant dry with a paper towel. Wipe grill grates with olive oil. Grill eggplant on both sides. Place a layer of eggplant in a medium casserole dish. Top with tomato sauce and provolone. Layer remaining eggplant, sauce, and cheese. Use parmesan cheese on top layer. Cook in 425 degree oven until cheese is lightly browned.

Farfalle with Tomato and Brie Sauce

I totally stole this recipe from my time at Fazzini's. I forget what it was called, but it only ran on special and I would order it every single time. Good stuff! If you're committed to healthy eating at every meal or are on a diet, you can go ahead and skip this one... For those of you who are left, you can start with any red sauce you like, but I think it's essential to have chunky tomatoes, chunks of garlic, and fresh basil. These can all be added fresh to any sauce you prefer. 


Kevin's review of this was pretty funny. He said the brie gave the pasta a texture that made every bite feel like the best bite of eggplant parmesan. I'm not certain I get it...


Farfalle with Tomato and Brie Sauce
1 package farfalle
1 batch tomato sauce (I made mine fresh with 1 large can chopped tomatoes, 5 cloves garlic, fresh basil, parsley, and oregano, white pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar)
1 zucchini, sliced (Totally optional. I only put this in because Kevin loves veggies in pasta.)
1/2 small jar pine nuts
1 8oz wheel of brie, cut into chunks with rind removed
Cook farfalle according to package directions. While the farfalle is cooking, heat up tomato sauce and any veggies you're using. Just as the farfalle is coming off the heat, add the pine nuts and brie to the sauce and stir until brie melts. Ahh... Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Basil Sauce

The basil at the community garden was looking awesome this week and, since I've put a hurtin' on mine after a month of putting fresh basil in everything, I grabbed a nice big handful. This was meant to be pesto, but upon further inspection I realized I didn't have pine nuts or parmesan cheese and so I went for a simple basil and tomato sauce. I served this with a side of snap peas. 


Grilled Chicken with Basil Sauce
1 package chicken breast
1 big handful basil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 cup olive oil (or more for desired thickness)
1 tomato, diced
salt and pepper
Grill chicken. In a small food processor, combine basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper until it reaches desired consistency. Stir in diced tomato. Serve over sliced chicken breast.

Orzo Salad

This was inspired by Ina Garten's Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad and the orzo risotto recipe from my cooking class. It can be served hot or cold. It was quite tasty hot and I'll be having it cold tomorrow for lunch. I served it with some roasted beets and kale chips. 


Orzo Salad
olive oil
2 small carrots, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 handful peas
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup orzo

1 handful parsley, finely chopped

1 sprig oregano, finely chopped

5 basil leaves, finely chopped

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper
1/2 cucumber chopped
1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, broccoli, and peas and sweat for 3 minutes. Add water and bring to boil. Add orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Put orzo in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, mix herbs, vinegar, and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing, cucumber, and feta to orzo. Stir to combine and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Roasted Veggie Salad

While eating this, Kevin said, "If this salad was served at a restaurant, it would be a restaurant known for its salad." What can I say? That man knows how to complement the person cooking for him! 


Roasted Veggie Salad
2 kohlrabi, cut into 1/2" chunks
6 small red potatoes, cut in half
3 spring onions, cut in half
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite size chunks
1 tomato, chopped
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
dressing of your choice, I went with pepper parm because I ran out of time to make my own.
Toss kohlrabi, potatoes, onions, and zucchini in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 350 until tender. While the veggies are cooking, divide lettuce, tomato, and cheese into two large salad bowls. Top with veggies and dressing. Serve while roasted veggies are still warm.

Super Simple Casserole

I admit it. I totally stole this idea from the woman who runs our community garden. It's super simple and a great way to get the veggies in at dinnertime. Kevin said he liked the casserole so much it must go deep into his ancestry. He had to explain this to me several times, but the gist of it is that he really liked it a lot. I served this with our first fresh tomatoes of the season sprinkled with salt and pepper. Yummy!


Simple Chicken and Veggie Casserole
1 package chicken breast, cooked
1 medium head broccoli
1 small head cauliflower
1 kohlrabi
1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tblsp chicken seasoning
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup swiss cheese
Blanch veggies. Put chicken and veggies in casserole dish. In separate dish, mix yogurt, mayo, and chicken seasoning to taste. Pour over chicken and veggies and stir to combine. In a separate dish, mix breadcrumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake in 400 degree oven until top browns and veggies cook to desired tenderness.

Veggie Soup

I feel like the beginning and end of CSA season leave me thinking, "So, I have this bag of greens. Now what?" Even though I've been trying to steer away from getting mass quantities of greens and I've been freezing a bunch for the winter, I still seem to end up with a bag full of greens at the end of each week and I'm tired of eating them sautéed in olive oil. This time I went for a nice veggie soup. I make most of my soups the night before I want to eat them since I've never met a soup that doesn't taste ten times better on day two. I served it with a couple of slices of fresh baked honey whole wheat bread.


Veggie Soup
2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped 
1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped
4 cups mixed greens, chopped (I had kale, chard, and broccoli greens)
1 quart homemade veggie stock
1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped
3 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
5 small pattypan squash, sliced
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper
water, if necessary
Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Sweat onions and carrots. Add garlic, cabbage, and greens. Cook until cabbage and greens wilt. Add veggie stock, parsley, and oregano. If you want more broth in the soup, add water 1/2 cup at a time until the amount of broth is appropriate. Bring to boil. Adjust seasoning and spice with red pepper to taste. Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. On day two or 15 minutes before serving, add pattypan squash. Serve as soon as the squash gets tender.

Cheesy Veggie Casserole

As usual, during the early days of summer as the CSA season begins, I find myself with a bunch of greens and no ideas. Tonight I decided to combine it with potatoes, turnips, and cheese sauce - you can't go wrong with cheese sauce! The only bummer was that the greens are a little too wet and caused the sauce to separate a little. Oh well. Still tasted great.


Cheesy Veggie Casserole
4 cups mixed greens, chopped (I used broccoli, chard, and mustard)
3 medium potatoes, sliced
3 medium turnips, sliced
1 tblsp butter
1 tblsp all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
Boil greens in salted water for about 15 minutes. Drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and cook until lightly browned. Add milk and cook over medium heat until thick. Add cheese and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Layer potatoes, turnips, and greens in a greased casserole dish. Top with cheese sauce and breadcrumbs. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Stromboli?

So, I found a pie crust in my freezer that I knew wouldn't actually become a pie anytime soon. I also had some browned loose Italian sausage. I wasn't sure how to bring these two things together, but I gave it a go anyway. I'm not sure I can call it stromboli since it's made with a pie crust, but I don't know what else to call it. Next time I'll make it with a pizza crust and call it stromboli without hesitation! Recipe bonuses - it tricked Natty into eating spinach and it can easily be made vegetarian.


Sausage and Spinach Stromboli
1 frozen pie crust
1 batch pizza sauce (here's one recipe) or other thick red sauce
1/3 lb. browned loose mild Italian sausage
2 large handfuls chopped spinach
1 small carrot, sliced
1/4 small onion, sliced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Stretch pie crust out slightly on greased cookie sheet. In a saute pan, heat olive oil and add carrot and onions. Cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread pizza sauce on pie crust. Top with sausage, spinach mixture, and cheese. Carefully roll pie crust into a tube. Place in 400 degree oven and cook until lightly browned (mine took about 45 minutes). Slice and serve topped with remaining warm pizza sauce.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This recipe is based on a recipe I found on eatingwell.com for loaded twice baked potatoes. I was really hoping Natty would like this one since he was recently spotted eating mashed potatoes, but he wouldn't try these at all. This child will drive me crazy with the vegetable thing... I served these with broccoli mac and cheese so that I would have something to give to Natty, but the potatoes could have stood alone as a meal.


Twice Baked Potatoes
4 large russet potatoes
2 cups broccoli, chopped and steamed
1.5 cups plain yogurt
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Microwave potatoes on high for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through (don't forget to poke holes in them before you start!). Cut tops off of potatoes and set aside. Scoop out insides into a medium bowl. Add broccoli, yogurt, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper to the potatoes. Mix/mash together. Stuff each potato shell with mixture and place in a baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar and put in toaster oven/oven/microwave to melt cheese.


Notes for next time: I had a heck of a time scooping out the insides of the potatoes without breaking the skin. Next time, I am going to try baking the potatoes in the oven to see if the skins remain a little stronger.

Jan's Crock Pot Chicken and Salsa

To be fair, it's Jan's Daughter's Crock Pot Chicken and Salsa, but that just doesn't roll off the tongue. Also to be fair, it's my version of her recipe. Her recipe is also provided below. The only downfall I saw in this recipe is that I was at home while it was cooking. It was really hard to not eat the whole thing before dinnertime. The chicken fell apart and shredded into the rest of the dish and it was awesome!


Jan's Crock Pot Chicken and Salsa
1 package frozen chicken breast
2 cups fresh black beans
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 jar salsa
1 tblsp cumin
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese
brown rice
plain yogurt
Add chicken, beans, water, corn, salsa, cumin, salt, and pepper to crock pot. Cook on low all day. Serve over brown rice topped with cheddar cheese and yogurt. Seriously. That's it.


Original Recipe
1 package chicken breast
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 jar salsa
1 block cream cheese
rice
Add chicken, beans, corn, and salsa to crock pot. Cook on low all day. About 1 hour before eating, add block of cream cheese and stir to combine. Serve over rice. Personally, I'm going to try this one as a dip one day since the inclusion of cream cheese screams dip to me. I think this and a big bag of tortilla chips is in my future!

Chicken with Lemon Butter White Wine Sauce

As you can tell from the name of this recipe, it's going to be pretty straightforward. Any recipe that can list almost every ingredient in the title is bound to be a) really easy to make and b) a crowd pleaser since you're not likely to be serving anything that needs to be picked out or looked at questionably. I would have added capers to this if we had any, which might have detracted from point b with a lot of people, but would be super tasty. I served this with a salad and a side of sauteed broccoli and sugar snap peas. A piece of bread on the side for sopping up the sauce is also a necessary addition in our house.


Chicken with Lemon Butter White Wine Sauce
olive oil
1 package chicken breasts
1/2 cup white wine
juice of one lemon
1 1/2 tblsp butter
salt and pepper
Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Brown chicken on both sides and cook to 165. Remove chicken from pan. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add lemon juice and butter and salt and pepper to taste. Once butter is melted, return chicken to pan and let sauce reduce for 3-5 minutes while you take everything else to the table. Remove from heat and serve chicken topped with sauce.

Frittata

Finally, we rested upon an oldie but goodie for a meatless Monday dinner. Frittata is an old standby for us. It's particularly awesome since Kevin feels very confident making it without consulting me at all! It works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, parties, everything. And it's a nice fridge cleaner - put in whatever leftovers you have and viola! your fridge is cleaned out and you have a lovely meal. Also, frittata reheats surprisingly well in the microwave, so you get the extra bonus of yummy leftovers. Before you start, make sure whatever pan you are using can be used on the stovetop and in the broiler. 


Veggie Frittata
olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 broccoli crown, tops only, chopped
3 cloves garlic
8 eggs
splash milk
1/2 cup asiago cheese
1 handful grape tomatoes, sliced in half
In cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, zucchini, pepper, and broccoli and saute until slightly softened. Mix in garlic and let cook for a minute or two. In the meantime, whisk eggs with a splash of milk, salt, and pepper. Add eggs to pan and stir. Continue stirring for a minute or two. Once the eggs are about half set, form eggs into the pan and then leave it alone. Cook frittata until the eggs are almost completely set (they can still be a little runny on the top). Top frittata with cheese and tomatoes (I've also made it where I serve the tomatoes raw on top of the cooked frittata and it's tasty that way too). Place under broiler until brown and bubbly on top. You can serve the fritatta in the cast iron or remove it to a serving plate. Cut it like a pizza.

Fajitas

My mom has this fajita marinade that I thought was tasty, but Kevin wasn't crazy about it, so I went in search of a new recipe for marinade. I was quite excited to find that Tyler Florence had a nice one. Too bad I only consulted it once and then just did it from memory hours after I consulted the recipe. I didn't do too bad, but I totally forgot the chipotle, so there was no smoky deliciousness to the fajitas. They were still delicious though, so if you don't like chipotle, leave it out.


Fajitas
1 package chicken breast
1 lb shrimp
juice of two oranges
juice of two limes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 chipotle peppers (if you don't forget them)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
cumin
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 red peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Cut chicken into strips and place chicken and shrimp into two separate sealable (is that a word) containers. Put all ingredients in a blender. Add cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to desired consistency. I would guess I used about 1/3 cup, but wouldn't swear to it. In the end, you should have about 1 cup of marinade. Divide it between chicken and shrimp. Toss to coat and let marinate in fridge until you're ready to cook. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet and cook onion and peppers until browned. Remove onion and peppers from the skillet and toss in the meat. Cook until browned and cooked through. Serve on warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings.

Baked Rigatoni

I used to make baked ziti all the time, but it's fallen off of my old standby list of late. I decided to dust off the recipe and use it to stock the freezer. I went with rigatoni this time, but you can do it with any non-noodle pasta. It's super simple - even easier if you use jarred sauce instead of making your own. I'm not posting my sauce recipe since I've always been adamant about not giving it out unless you come over and make it with me. That's how my dad taught me to make it and it's a nice thing that I don't want to just put down on paper (or whatever the appropriate turn of phrase is for typing something in a blog). 

Baked Rigatoni

1 box rigatoni

1 batch homemade red sauce (or 1 jar)

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1/2 block mozzarella cheese, shredded (I would name that in ounces, but I don't have any in my fridge to help me cheat.)

1 handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Cook rigatoni according to package direction. Aim for a little less cooked than al dente since it will cook in the oven. In a large bowl, mix together 3/4 of the sauce, the ricotta cheese, 3/4 of the mozzarella, and parsley. Add drained pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to casserole dish, top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until cheese browns on top.

Tofu and Noodles

I don't know why, but I seem to have such difficulty with meals on Meat Free Monday. First I couldn't poach an egg, this time I just flat out failed to read and follow the directions on a package of rice noodles and then basically destroyed the tofu. Oh well. It tasted good and that's what matters! The recipe is a modified (read, easier) version of a recipe I found on recipe.com. Also, why does everything stir fried or Asian have to have so many freaking ingredients? Maybe this is why I don't excel at this style of cooking. Wow. Who would make this recipe after reading this intro? I swear it tasted good though, despite my efforts at destroying it.


Tofu and Noodles
1/2 package pad thai rice noodles (Folks, these need to soak for 30 minutes. I thought I'd put this up front so that you don't screw up like me!)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tblsp Rice wine vinegar
1 tblsp ketchup
1/4" grated fresh ginger
salt
1 tblsp garlic and hot pepper sauce
2 tblsp peanut oil
block extra firm tofu, drained and sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch broccolini, chopped
handful peanuts, chopped
bunch cilantro, chopped
Soak the noodles for 30 minutes. Mix ingredients from soy sauce through hot pepper sauce in a small bowl. Heat peanut oil in a stir fry pan over high heat. Add tofu and lightly brown. Add onion, garlic, and broccolini and cook until onions are tender. Add sauce and let bubble for a minute. Add noodles and stir to combine. Let cook until noodles are tender. Toss peanuts with noodles. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Chicken Casserole

I've been trying to get into casseroles to help me get dinner on the table after work. This one was made to prepare for a visit from the Gutberlets and to help stock up my friend's freezer so that she doesn't have to worry about dinner once her new little girl arrives. It's an altered version of the Chicken Casserole in Bake Until Bubbly, which is the best casserole cookbook I've ever looked at. Too bad I have to return it to the library soon... 


Chicken Casserole
6 slices rustic Italian bread, crusts removed and all pieces cut into squares
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 head broccolini, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 cup milk
salt and pepper


For the sauce
1 tblsp butter
1 tblsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Spread the cut up crusts on the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish and sprinkle with thyme. In a bowl, combine chicken, celery, broccolini, onion, mayo, and salt and pepper. Spread mixture over crusts. Top with cubed crumb of bread. Whisk together egg and milk. Pour mixture over casserole. Let the casserole sit in the fridge overnight.


Right before you cook the casserole, melt butter in a small saucepan. Add flour and cook for a minute. Add chicken stock and milk and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Pour mixture over casserole and bake at 400 degrees until browned.

Eggs with Sugo (previously Sougle)

Okay, okay, I don't know how to spell sougle. (Note: I was corrected by someone who actually speaks Italian. Sugo=Sauce) You know what else I don't know how to do? Poach eggs. Turns out that's something you need to know to make eggs with sougle. If you also don't know how to poach eggs, you should look up instructions. That's what I'll be doing next time! Anyway, eggs with sougle always sounded gross to me when Kevin told me about it, but then his mom made it for us one day and it turns out I was totally wrong and it's really tasty. I served it with cheesy polenta, but it's also delicious with a big hunk of bread.


Eggs with Sougle
olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tblsp tomato paste mixed with half can water
basil
oregano
red pepper
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste/water mixture, and spices to taste. Bring sauce to simmer. Poach eggs. Let sauce reduce slightly.


Cheesy Polenta
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup polenta
1 tblsp butter
1/2 cup asiago cheese
Cook polenta according to package directions - Mine called for boiling water and salt, adding polenta, and cooking for five minutes. Stir in butter and cheese.


Serve two eggs per person over polenta and topped with sauce.

Braised Calamari

A month and a half after New Year's Eve, I finally got around to cooking New Year's Eve dinner. For those of you with small kitchens like mine, I would suggest having a plan before you start. I didn't and it took a bit of effort to keep the raw shrimp away from things that shouldn't have raw shrimp on them. This ended up being just about the messiest thing I've ever made in the kitchen. Luckily, it also ended up being totally delicious! The recipe is a modified version of Anne Burrell's.


Braised Calamari
olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
28 oz can diced tomato
crushed red pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
dried basil
1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned and chopped
1 lb calamari
1 red pepper, chopped fine
3 handfuls spinach, chopped
2 eggs
breadcrumbs
In a large saute pan, sweat onions and 3 cloves chopped garlic in olive oil. Add diced tomato, red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried basil to taste. Simmer sauce while you make calamari. Let's start by saying that you should really look for nice big calamari. The calamari I got was a little on the small side. That'll teach me to inspect the calamari before I buy it next time. In a food processor, combine shrimp and a handful of chopped calamari until it comes together as a paste. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add red pepper, spinach, eggs, breadcrumbs, 3 cloves chopped garlic, and a generous pinch of crushed red pepper. Check sauce. You might need to add a little water if it has reduced too much. Transfer mixture to a ziploc bag (or a pastry bag if you're fancier than me). Cut corner off ziploc bag. Stuff each calamari and place in sauce. Cover and cook for 12 minutes. Flip calamari, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove calamari and crank up the heat on the sauce so that it reduces and thickens a bit. Serve calamari topped with sauce.