Spanish Shrimp and Rice

You know you are old when...

...every week after playing softball, a different part of your body falls apart.

After the first game, my shoulder was sore from throwing the ball for the first time in almost 2 years. After the second game, my shin splints were acting up after running. Of course, I compensated the next week and totally pulled a quad. And then I twisted my ankle when getting to third base and had to walk funny for a few days. This past week I slid into second base (and was safe) just to rip up my knee. Yeah, no joking here. Completely true stories. Apparently my body hates softball. My mind, on the other hand, is really enjoying being out in the fresh air and playing on a team.

Our softball team is actually pretty good. We're 8 for 9 on wins this season. Not bad, right?

You know what also makes a good team? Shrimp and rice. Especially when they are backed by a variety of vegetables and seasoned with tumeric and a drizzle or two of hot sauce. Pull some spinach, strawberries and freshly grated parmesan off the bench to make a nice rounded dinner. It'll be Spanish fried rice for the win!!

Spanish Shrimp and Rice (adapted significantly from Food Network Magazine May 2013)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
2 green onion, diced, white and green parts divided
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 medium yellow tomato, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp vegetable broth
salt and pepper, to taste
hot sauce, for serving

Directions:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and turmeric and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato, carrot and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the shrimp and cook until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and broth and cook until hot through about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the peas.

Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Top with green parts of onion and hot sauce.

Serves 2-3.

Tex-Mex Rice and Black-Eyed Peas with Chicken Sausage

My mother has ingrained in me a love of buying things on sale. She is not as cray-cray as those people on Extreme Couponing but she certainly appreciates a coupon, a BOGO, a clearance rack, or a rebate in any form. My dad likes to laugh (I think he has to laugh so he doesn't get frustrated) that she always has to make sure she spends enough at Kohl's to get her Kohl's bucks to come back and purchase more. I'm like my mom in many ways and I'm glad to have at least half her enthusiasm for a good deal.

When I'm planning on my meals for the week, you will find me perusing the Meijer ad and examining the Mperks coupons in order to save myself a little green. This is especially important for household things such as swiffer refills and laundry detergent as well as protein! Meat and tofu can be so expensive and if I'm planning a meal around a particular protein, you're gonna beat that I'm looking for it to be on sale. Sometimes the schedule may not be flexible enough, but I do stock up my freezer with chicken breasts, pork loins and fish when they are discounted.

Last week, Mperks had a coupon for these bad boys:

Chipotle Chicken Sausages!

I decided I would give them a whirl. When choosing for what to use them, the chipotle made me automatically gravitate towards Tex-Mex. I threw them into this southwest-style version of rice and beans. I've made the rice and black-eyed peas recipe without any sausage and it can certainly hold up as a vegetarian or vegan option. The chipotle sausage just added an extra little kick. This is a quick and easy meal that I would definitely recommend. :)

Tex-Mex Rice and Black-Eyed Peas with Chicken Sausage (adapted from Food Network Magazine)
Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp ground cumin
14 oz can black-eyed peas, drained
1 cup water
1/2 cup cooked white rice
2 chipotle chicken sausages, sliced (optional, do not use for vegetarian/vegan)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
sour cream, for serving

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salsa and cumin and cook while stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, water, rice, and sausage (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and tender, about 15 minutes. Stir the spinach and parsley in the pan until wilted, about 1 minute.

Serve garnished with additional salsa and sour cream.

Serves 2-3.

Seafood Risotto

I think that risotto is becoming one of my most favorite meals ever! I am just impressed about how it goes from crunchy mealy rice to silky creamy smooth deliciousness; plus it is so adaptable depending on your pantry and fridge ingredients, mood, and desires. Was it really only a few months ago when I was intimidated by this dish? Although it does take a little bit of effort, you can put a restaurant quality dish on the table in less than a hour. Plus, it gives you an excuse to stand over the stove sipping wine (because of course you are going to drink the rest of the bottle of wine you opened for the recipe).

As I mentioned earlier this week, I made this seafood risotto for my parents while they were visiting. I think my dad enjoyed learning how to make it (you can tell he was excited enough to snap some photos). My kitchen is pretty small so my mom was tasked with peeling and deveining the shrimp then she retired to the living room to play on her iPad. :) 

Seafood risotto had been on my mind for awhile. Ideally, I would have sauteed up some scallops to set atop the rice, but since scallops do not play nice with my mom, we went with crab and shrimp. To tell you the truth, we didn't miss the scallops at all. I'm sure they would have been good, but the flavor of the crab really stole the show (and it was from a can!). We added some mushrooms to deepen the flavors and they complimented the seafood perfectly. I debated throwing in peas for a burst color, but my dad does not play nice with green vegetables so we skipped them. Didn't miss those either. I'd make this again in a heartbeat; you should too!

Seafood Risotto 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

6-7 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth or seafood broth)

1 cup white wine

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 oz can lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shells

1/2 lb shrimp, peel and deveined

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan over medium high heat. Cover and reduce to low to simmer.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook, stirring quickly until the rice in well coated, about 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently until the liquid is almost gone, about 5-7 minutes. Add the broth, about 1 cup at a time, and stir the rice constantly until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 5-7 minutes. Continue to add broth until the rice has been cooking for 15-20 minutes. Add the mushrooms and add more broth continuing to stir completely absorbed. It will take around 35-45 minutes for the rice to cook completely. Taste periodically to see if the rice is tender and not mushy. Continue to cook, adding more liquid to keep moist until you reach the desired consistency.

When the rice is almost done, heat the 1 tsp olive oil in a small pan. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with Old Bay and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 1 minute on each side until pink and cooked through.

When the rice is completely cooked, stir in the crabmeat and cooked shrimp. Mix completely and remove from the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese. 

Garnish with additional cheese as desired.

Serves 4.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

I know the saying is "America runs on Dunkin"

But today the truth is "Julie runs on Dunkin". I had an early morning (think 7am) date with the car dealership for an oil change. Of course I picked up a large coffee on my way to drop it off.

I went back this afternoon to pick up the car and this necessitated another stop at Dunkin Donuts for a medium coffee.

For those of you counting that 36 ounces of coffee today. Certainly needed after only about 6 hours of sleep last night. It has kept me alert and fairly productive today so that's a good thing, right?

Completely unrelated, but another fun fact about today. It is in the high 70s and b-e-a-utifully sunny outside.

Duh duh duh duh duh I'm loving it.

Oh wait. Wrong restaurant.

Anyway.

This beef and broccoli stir fry is great. Broccoli is probably my favorite vegetable for stir fry because it soaks up the sauce so well. Mushrooms are probably a close second. That's why I loaded this up with both of them. Be creative with the veggies that make you tick. Feel free to substitute vegetable or chicken broth for the beef broth if you don't have it on hand.

As always with stir fry, your meal will be ready in as much time as it would take you to run out and get another cup of joe from Dunkin.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients:
1/3-1/2 lb top loin steak (or other steak), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)
approximately 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
approximately 1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup sliced onion
1 tbsp diced onion
1 garlic clove, diced
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriacha sauce
2 cups cooked rice, for serving
sliced green onion, for topping

Directions:
Whisk together the egg white, 1 tbsp sherry and 1 tbsp corn starch. Pour over the beef in a bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 min to 1 hour. Drain off excess marinade.

Prep all of your vegetables while the meat marinates. Also, cook rice as indicated on the package.

Whisk together the beef broth, 1/2 tsp corn starch, soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp dry sherry, hoisin sauce and sriacha. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat in a wok (or large skillet). Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the beef to a plate and wipe out the wok.

Heat another 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat in the wok. Add the garlic and diced onion. Cook, stirring until softened, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and salt and stir to mix. Add in the broccoli, mushrooms and onion slices and stir fry until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Add the beef back to the wok. Add the sauce and stir everything until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.

Serve the beef and broccoli over cooked rice topped with sliced green onion.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon, Mushrooms and Peas

I'm becoming a wine gal. I think it's because I live alone and you look classy if you are drinking a glass of wine by yourself but a bottle of beer makes you look like an alcoholic (you know, to the outside world that is obviously watching your every move and judging what you do when you are by yourself). True? I'm not sure, but in my messed up mind this makes sense.

I don't really drink a lot of wine. Just a glass here or there with dinner (okay, maybe two glasses if it is a weekend and I'm sucked into a good book or sappy movie). My journey with wine has really been an adapting one; I used to only like white wines like Pinot Grigio because I needed it to be cold and I liked the crispy taste. Recently, however, I've gotten into red wine- not sweet red wine- but drier reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. I will never ever claim to be a wine connoisseur because let's be honest, I buy wine because it is on sale or because I'm drawn to the picture on the bottle.

Anyway, usually I will open up a bottle of wine and over the course of a few days finish it. However, after my trip to NC a few weeks ago I realized I had a half bottle that had been sitting on my counter for a little too long. I thought to myself, it probably doesn't taste as good any more so I should probably cook with it instead of drinking it. My mind jumped to risotto and I experimented from there. As this was only the second time I made risotto (see here for the first and step-by-step directions), I think I did pretty well making up the recipe. I enjoyed it for sure. As with my last risotto recipe, this serves one, but you could certainly up the amount for 2 or 4 people.

In case you are wondering, I'm not the first person to experiment with red wine in the kitchen. See this article for 100 recipes using leftover wine. I've already bookmarked some of them for the next bottle I don't finish...

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon, Mushrooms and Peas
Ingredients:
2 pieces bacon (+ 1 tbsp bacon fat)
1-1 1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium store bought or homemade)
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
5 button mushrooms, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat in a large skillet until browned. Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel and discard all but 1 tbsp bacon grease.

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Cover and reduce the heat to low.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until soften about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the peas and rice and cook, stirring quickly, until the well coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost gone, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms. Add the broth, 1/4 cup at a time, and stir the rice constantly until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Continue to add broth until the rice has been cooking for 20-25 minutes. Taste and check to see if the rice is tender but not mushy. Continue to cook, adding a little more liquid to keep moist until you reach the desired consistency.

Remove pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Pour into a bowl and top with bacon pieces and additional parmesan cheese as desired.

Serves 1.

Corn and Roasted Tomato Risotto (a how to)

I'm not sure how much you have perused the website. Besides the (almost) daily recipes, there is a link to a page on right that takes you to my Recipe Archive. Use it to get back to those recipes you want to make most easily. I have them categorized by type of dish to help you sort through them.

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Additionally, awhile ago I added another page link on the right labeled My (Cooking) Bucket List. Here I started a list of the foods I would like to try my hand at sometime in the future. I'm hoping to continue this blog and add those recipes as I attempt them. Plus, the bucket list will likely grow as I find more desires in the kitchen.

This bucket list idea was partially inspired by my infatuation with competitive cooking shows-- in particular, MasterChef. I certainly do not have enough skill for shows such as Chopped and Next Food Network Star, but the home cook aspect of MasterChef makes it a potentially obtainable dream for me. However, on MasterChef there are certain types of cuisines and dishes that the contestants are expected to be able to make. Take, for example, a few weeks ago when the bottom two cooks were tasked with creating THREE souffles in one hour. Holy cow, talk about pressure. Not only are souffles technically challenging, but they needed to infuse the correct flavors and add a little bit of extra umpf to stand out. Before I would ever try out for the show (not saying I'm committing to season 4), there are some things that I need to give a once (or twice, or three times) over.

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The first thing I put on my bucket list (and that has been on my bucket list FOREVER) was risotto. From what I understand this dish is really a challenge and staple for cooks of all levels. Even on Chopped and NFNS, a bad risotto can send you packing. Many of the recipes out there are designed for making risotto for four and since I wasn't comfortable enough with the dish to adapt things right out of the gate, I turned to my trusty "Serve Yourself" cookbook. Of course, it has a risotto! And a perfect one for summer-- packed full of fresh corn and roasted tomatoes topped with fresh basil.

To tell you the truth, I had this recipe on my menu for 3-4 weeks in a row until I finally made it. I am usually pretty good at sticking to the menu plans for the week (since I've already bought the groceries and planned everything out), but this risotto was just overwhelming. Mostly, I think, because I would be exhausted at the end of a work day and just not ready for a labor intensive meal. So, I'd fall back on picking up Panera on the way home or whipping up a quick salad or grilled cheese and putting off the plan. But finally, on a Saturday night, I said, "Julie, you gotta bite the bullet and do it. It's going to be yummy and you won't know how much effort it actually takes until you make it." And so I did. With no regrets. It was delicious and not nearly as scary as I had imagined. Risotto can now be crossed off the bucket list, and certainly, I will be making more. Watch out, world (or kitchen)!


Maybe you are like me and you are intimidated by risotto. For that reason, I took some pictures along the way to guide you in your risotto making. Kind of a "how to". If you're an expert, skip ahead to the recipe at the bottom that is written like normal. And certainly, as always, feel free to double or quadruple the recipe to feed your whole family. :)


Also, please note that I followed Joe's suggestion of making corn broth. When I read this recipe in his book, I asked why I had never thought of to do this before. Especially since I'm now in the middle of corn country and I can buy 8 cobs for $1 sometimes! Of course, I can't eat 8 cobs before they go bad, so I typically cut the kernels off and freeze them for future use. I never once thought to do anything with the husks, silks and used cobs. Talk about wasteful. This broth is soooo easy and flavorful! You can use it as a substitute for vegetable or chicken broth or stock in just about everything. You not only avoid the high amount of sodium in the prepackaged kind (that's why I like to make chicken stock too), but it doesn't cost you a cent more than what you were paying for the corn anyway. Some people are so smart. I'm just piggy-backing off of them; feel free to jump on as well. ;)


Okay for real, I'm on to the recipe.


Talk about the longest post ever.


Thanks for sticking with me.

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First and foremost, prep your ingredients. Cut your onion and garlic, grate your cheese, and start your tomatoes roasting (sorry for the lack of photo, I wasn't committed to the how-to until after I started cooking).

Bring your corn broth to a simmer and cover.

Heat the oil and add your onion and garlic. Cook until softened.

Add the corn and rice and stir until they are coated with oil.

Add the wine first, but then add the hot broth (1/4 cup at a time*), stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed. *I found that about using a ladle about half full was a good approximation for 1/4 cup.

Continue to cook until the rice reaches the desired consistency.

Lastly, stir in the tomatoes, followed by cheese and butter. Serve topped with the basil leaves and extra grated cheese.

Corn and Roasted Tomato Risotto (very slightly adapted from "Serve Yourself" cookbook)
Ingredients:
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 to 1.5 cups corn broth (see below) or vegetable stock
2 tbsp coarsely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
kernels from 1 ear fresh corn
1/3 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Please the tomatoes on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Toss with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast for 30 min, until the tomatoes are lightly browned and collapsed, turning halfway through.

Bring the corn broth to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and cover.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the corn and rice and cook, stirring quickly, until the rice is well coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost gone, about 5 minutes. Add in 1/4 cup hot corn broth and repeat the cooking and stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the broth (1/4 cup at a time) and stirring constantly until the rice has been cooking for about 20 minutes total. Taste the rice to make sure it is tender but still slightly firm. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 more minutes until the rice in tender, but not mushy, adding more liquid if necessary.

When the rice is cooked correctly, stir in the butter and cheese. Add salt and pepper as you like. Transfer to a bowl and top with the sliced basil and more freshly grated parmesan.


Homemade Corn Broth (from "Serve Yourself" Cookbook)
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn (including husks and silks and everything)
7 cups water

Directions:
Rinse the corn. Remove the husks and silks, discarding any browned or blackened spots. Cut into about 2-3 inch pieces.

Remove the kernels from the cobs. I like to stand the cob upright in a large bowl and slice from the top downward. It doesn't make as big of a mess in the kitchen. Cut the cobs into 2-3 inch pieces. Freeze the kernels if you are not going to use them immediately, for another use.

Add the cobs, husks and silks to a large stockpot. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 1 hour. No need to stir or disturb.

Strain the broth into a large bowl. Squeeze the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Use in place of vegetable broth/stock immediately or freeze for future use.

Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

Give me a second to explain before you automatically hit the little x in the corner of your screen. I know, I know, beets. You have this strong aversion to beets. But why? Have you actually ever had beets before or is your dislike due to stigma? Have you eaten beets that didn't come out of a can?

To tell you the truth, I had never tasted beets before 2012. When I moved, I told myself that I was going to expand my vegetable repertoire. A few on my list included beets, brussel sprouts, and various greens. The first time I made beets, I simply roasted them in the oven (375 F for 30-60 minutes depending on the size) until they were soft. I ate them as a side for some meal, because I was a little wary; however, I loved them! They have this sweet and earthy (aka tastes like the air smells after it rains) taste that is delicious. Ever since then, I've been trying to incorporate this gorgeous purple roots into main dishes. I have a few successes to share with you.

Let's start today with these beet and brown rice patties. I found this in the July 2012 Cooking Light Magazine in my parents house. I heavily adapted the recipe but followed the general idea. They were great. And the extras even heated up well. I roasted the beets the day before, peeled them when they cooled and then grated them after they spent the night in the fridge. I would definitely suggest that.

Come on. Give beets a chance! They may surprise you.

Beet and Brown Rice Sliders (heavily adapted from Cooking Light July 2012)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked, shredded beet (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup cooked, cooled brown rice
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
dash each of salt and pepper
1 egg white
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
cooking spray
12 slices of whole wheat baguette
3 tbsp blue cheese crumbles (or other cheese of choice)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and allow it to warm in the oven.

Combine the beets, rice, panko, parsley, onion and salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix the egg white and mustard and then add to the bowl. Stir until well mixed. Form the mixture into 6 evenly sized small patties (be careful to press together, it may crumble slightly).

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the patties and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Remove the patties, flipping to place the top side down on the preheated baking sheet.

Place the baguette slices on the baking pan with the patties and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the sheet and place one patty on 6 of the baguette slices. Top with 1/2 tbsp of blue cheese crumbles. Bake for an additional 2 minutes until the blue cheese is hot.

Top each sandwich with another slice of the baguette and enjoy.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Black Bean and Mango Curry

There is a certain day that I always dread. If you are a girl or live with a girl, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

The morning you are standing in the shower and you realize that the water is not draining out as rapidly as normal. The morning you realize that it is once again time to clean the hair out of your shower drain. 

EWW.

Seriously one of my least favorite days ever. 

It happens maybe 2-4 times a year for me. I have to get down on my hands and knees, unscrew the shower plug and use a bent paper clip to remove the wet clumps of hair. I always follow it with a little bit of drain-o with hopes of extending the time between this unfortunate event.

My sister once told me that she knew she was going to marry her husband when he volunteered to clean out the shower drain in the house she shared with two other girls. I think he used one of those fancy sewer snake thingys, which I'm sure is a better fix than my paper clip contraption. I look forward to the one day when I can pass this unfortunate duty onto my husband (provided he wants to take over the job). I promise that I'll make him yummy food when he is done (and all 361 other days of the year as well).

I'll probably make him this delicious mango and black bean curry. The curry is spicy and the mango brings some sweet to the table. It is very refreshing.

Perfect for the day after cleaning out the drain.

Black Bean and Mango Curry (adapted from Get Cooking)
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 mango, chopped
1/2 cup water
brown or white rice, prepared as directed, for serving
diced scallions, for garnish

Directions:
Melt butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, curry powder and salt and cook while stirring about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

Add the beans and stir to coat completely with onions and seasoning. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes. Add the mango and water, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice, garnished with scallions.

Indian Eggplant Casserole

Today is one of those days that I am longing for bangs. Could be those bangs from elementary school that started in the middle of my head. Or the ones I curled so perfectly every morning during 8th grade as I was growing out the layers. Today, I am regretting my lack of bangs.

Why?

I was so inspired by Michael Phelps and his 22 Olympic medals (holy-moley, what an accomplishment!) that after I soaked up some sun at the pool yesterday, I decided to try a few laps. Now, you should know that I quit swimming before I learned how to dive, I can tread water but I really have no skill for any of the traditional strokes, and I have a fear of opening my eyes under water. Which is why I ended up banging my forehead on the lip of the pool yesterday. Now it hurts and I'm supporting a very attractive bump (hence, the sudden desire for bangs). Actually, the bump isn't super noticeable, but it is a little red and swollen and kinda looks like rug burn (or maybe sunburn from afar). Fail, Julie, Fail.

           I suppose there will be no gold medal for me in Brazil 2016. :(


What wasn't a fail was my second attempt at Indian cuisine this weekend. I came across this stuffed eggplant recipe a few weeks ago. I picked up an eggplant from the Farmer's market with the recipe in mind. Of course, the recipe calls for smaller Asian eggplants instead of the large purple one I got. Also, it called for ground bison; I have no idea where I would get bison and how much money it would cost me, so I opted for ground turkey instead. I decided to be inspired by flavors the stuffed eggplants and create a "lasagna" of sorts. The eggplant separates layers of the Indian spiced ground turkey, mushrooms and rice. It really turned out great.

Once again, you'll have to ransack your spice cabinet to get all the correct flavors. But it is worth the long ingredient list. You can certainly remove the mushrooms if you are adverse to them or replace the ground turkey with tons more mushrooms if you are going for a vegetarian meal. I made the dish for me, myself and I, but have included how I would adapt it for four servings at the end of the recipe.

Indian Eggplant Casserole (inspired by Eating Well)
Ingredients:
4 1/4 inch slices of eggplant (about 1/4 large eggplant)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup long brown rice, cooked
2 button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Cooking spray
Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Arrange the eggplant slices a baking sheet and brush with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the eggplant is roasted thoroughly.

Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the ground turkey, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and crushed red pepper. Cook until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink. Add the rice,  mushrooms, and tomato paste and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly spray a mini-loaf pan with cooking spray. Layer 1 eggplant slice on the bottom followed by 1/4 of the turkey mixture. Follow with another eggplant slice, followed by 1/4 turkey mixture again. Repeat until all is added. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until pipping hot.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Serves 1.

**To make four servings, multiple everything by four and layer eggplant and turkey in an 8x8 baking dish.

Thai Fried Rice with Runny Egg

I GOT A NEW COOKBOOK! I’m not sure how to explain to you my enthusiasm for cookbooks and cooking magazines. I’ll flip through the same cookbooks over and over marking different pages and trying to plan out recipes to try. Cooking magazines are great because they are also chalked full of new recipes and ideas for the kitchen. A new cookbook is just as great… well, except for the fact that sometimes the spine isn’t worn enough for you to keep the page open to the recipe you want to make and you have to figure out how to hold it down so you can read and cook at the same time. Oh the woes of a home cook. ;)

Ever since I’ve been living alone and cooking for myself, I’ve wanted a “cooking for one” cookbook. However, a lot of the reviews for single cookbooks that I have read seem to classify the books as more introductory cooking (how to make a hamburger, how to cook a chicken breast, etc.) designed for college kids that are trying to get away from dorm food. Not really my style—I mean, I can adapt most recipes for four or six down to one or two especially when it is things with which I’m pretty familiar. Recently, I came across the cookbook “ServeYourself” by Joe Yonan, and since I still had a B&N giftcard from Christmas (yes, I realize it is May), I figured I would give it a whirl. It is certainly an interesting cookbook with lots of “different” types of recipes. I would say he gets a lot of his inspiration from Asian cuisine. But I’ve bookmarked some recipes and will be giving them a try and sharing what I like (and potentially dislike) about them with you. What I like most about his cookbook is his mindset about cooking for one that I also share:

           “Cooking for yourself doesn’t need to feel like a chore or, perhaps worse, it doesn’t need to bring to mind that character in Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Remember Miss Lonely Hearts? As Jimmy Stewart’s character watched through his binoculars from across the courtyard, she set a table for two, raised a glass, forced a smile, and mimed a romantic dinner with an empty chair… I gotta eat, I gotta cook, and I’m determined to do both well. When I make myself dinner, I don’t pretend my true love is sitting across from me—I’m often too excited about the flavors I just put together to think about much of anything else.” –Joe Yonan, "Serve Yourself" introduction

Isn’t that just the perfect attitude? I really enjoy cooking and eating the food I make, so cooking for myself is a pleasure. It makes me happy to spend time in the kitchen and then to share those recipes here with you. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to cook for others as well. It’s just that some nights, you are eating dinner alone so you should appreciate not just the guests or family you cook for but yourself as well.

Ok, I’m stepping off the soapbox and going to share with you the first recipe I tried from Joe’s book. I chose this Thai fried rice recipe because I had some extra rice in the fridge from the weekend and fried rice is always a good bet with leftover rice. He includes a recipe for Nam Pla Prik, Thai chiles rehydrated in fish sauce, to serve alongside it. However, I didn’t have the chilis and wasn’t up for a trip to the market. Instead, I spiced it up with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce at the end. I also didn’t quite have a cup of chopped mushrooms, mine was closer to 2/3 cup, but next time I will certainly up the mushroom content. I’m not sure how I feel about Asian fish sauce. I’ve had this ginormous bottle in my pantry for a while (I bought it for some recipe) and will add it when it is called for, but I don’t really experiment with it. It has such a strong smell of fish, and I like fish, that is just so overpowering. But the taste is fine. You really just have to get over pouring it into the skillet and the flavor is good. There’s my warning.

Thai Fried Rice with Runny Egg (from “Serve Yourself” cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp + 1 tsp peanut oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup (or less) mushrooms, cutting into ½ in pieces

1 cup cold white or brown rice

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

½ cup canned diced tomatoes (or 1 tomato, cored and chopped)

2 tsp Asian fish sauce

1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 egg

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup thinly sliced cucumber

Sriracha sauce

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic and stir fry until golden, about 30 sec. Add the mushroom and stir fry until softened, 1-2 min.  Add the rice, breaking it up with your fingers as you toss it into the wok. Keep the rice moving for 2-3 minutes, scooping and tossing and pressing the rice against the bottom and sides of the wok to sear it. Add the scallions, tomato, fish sauce and soy sauce. Stir fry about 30 sec. Transfer to plate.

Wipe out the wok and decrease the heat to low. Add 1 tsp oil followed by the egg. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the top of the egg as barely filmed over with the white and the yolk is still runny, about 2 min. Carefully lift out the egg and place on top of rice.

Garnish with cucumber slices and Sriracha sauce (as desired).

Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

It’s getting hot in here.

And by in here, I mean outside. Champaign has been having summer weather this week and it doesn’t look like it is going to pass on by in the near future. Temperatures forecasted for this holiday weekend in the mid-90’s. Did I really move away from NC? Basically no snow this winter and now summer in late May. Not that I’m complaining, but stating facts. :)

Well, one of my all-time favorite summer dinners is stir fry! Actually, truth-be-told, stir fry is a meal I enjoy making any time of the year. You can load up on seasonal veggies and just go crazy. Plus, it is one of those quick and easy meals I’m always looking for. I cannot tell you how many times Scott and I had stir fry last summer. We were a part of a local CSA (don’t know what CSA means? Go here and find one near you. They are great!) so every week we were loaded up with fresh vegetables straight from the farm. One of the easiest ways to incorporate a lot of them into one meal was to whip up a stir fry. I’m sure I’ll be sharing with you many stir fry recipes over the next few months, but really the concept is the same for each one:

1. Pick some protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, tofu, etc.)                                                                                  

2. Chop up veggies (whatever your heart desires)

3. Mix up a sauce

4. Stir fry away

Depending on the day, I like to serve my stir fry with rice or noodles or as lettuce wraps. Today I’m sharing with you a recipe for a simple clear sauce that I used with shrimp, mushrooms, red pepper, onion, zucchini and broccoli slaw served over brown rice. It is a light and fresh albeit not super flavorful sauce that really lets you enjoy the taste of the vegetables and shrimp. You could certainly use it with any combo of protein and veggies.

Summer Shrimp Stir Fry (adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients:

¾ lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 egg white

½ red bell pepper, thickly diced

½ medium onion, sliced

8 button mushrooms, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 cup broccoli slaw                                                                                                                      

¾ cup chicken broth

2 tbsp cornstarch, divided

3 tbsp dry sherry, divided

½ tsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

Pinch of salt

Pinch of sugar

Peanut oil for stir frying

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

2 cups brown rice, prepared as directed

Directions:

Wisk the egg white, 1 tbsp dry sherry and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a small bowl. Toss with your shrimp and refrigerate for 20 to 60 min. (I usually set up the marinating and then cut up all my veggies. When I’m done prepping everything else, I’m ready to stir fry). Drain excess marinade from shrimp.

Mix the sauce (chicken broth, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp dry sherry and sesame oil) in a small bowl.

Heat ½ tbsp peanut oil in a wok (or skillet) over medium heat. Add shrimp and stir until opaque, approximately 2-3 min. Transfer to a plate and wipe out pan.

Add 1 tbsp peanut oil to the wok and heat over high heat for 2 min. Add the garlic, ginger, salt and sugar and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and stir fry until crisp-tender.

Add the shrimp and the sauce. Stir until the sauce in thick and everything is cooked through, about 3-4 min.

Serve hot over cooked brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serves 4.