Week nine + a blog update

This last week has been rejuvenating. Do you ever have that kind of week? Maybe you got outside and felt immersed in nature, or you were inspired by something you saw or read. They're the kinds of experiences that bring back an element of peace and calm, and remind you of what's really important.

I'm glad that I started this meal planning gig nine weeks ago because it has sort of forced me to keep up on the blog, despite a busy schedule and busy life. Really, I just want to say I made it to Week 25, and then Week 50, and Week 75 not long after that. That's a lot of weeks! Ultimately though, Zack and I have tried an abundant number of recipes from a multitude of sources. And we've had a lot of good food. But where is this blog going?

I can find recipes, cook, write about them, and give you recipe links. But I want to do more than that. I'll still be meal planning for 3-4 recipes per week (usually 3 weeknight dinners with leftovers for lunch the next day), but I'm going back to one recipe per blog post. Remember, this blog is exploratory. You never know what might happen.

And what this is all leading up to is, yes, I did get a Pinterest account (I know, you guys didn't see that one coming...ha ha), so follow me! (I've transitioned from underground Pinterest creeper to a legit account-holding "pinner.") I'll be pinning my recipes, in addition to other amazing foodie finds that I am addicted to discovering. Not to mention non-cooking-related pins.

All in all, I've been inspired creatively and in the culinary sense. There are some wonderfully wholesome and fantastically flavorful foods ahead, so stay tuned.

Week Eight: Green Quesadillas, Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta, and Nut and Pretzel Mix

Week eight was the week before Christmas, so I wanted to do a couple lighter recipes, keeping all the wonderful holiday food and treats we would be indulging in in mind. These recipes were very green, fresh, and vegetarian. There is actually a sort of grassroots movement going on known as Meatless Monday. Apparently, going meatless just one day a week can decrease your risk for cancer and other major health issues. Not a bad thing to keep in mind when you are doing your meal planning.

Winter greens and mushroom pasta.

Now. Do take note. If you are cooking for a man (or for people who just like meat in general), pick your meatless Monday recipes wisely. Make sure your dish has something hearty like mushrooms, lentils, sweet potatoes, tofu, etc. to substitute your meat lover's appetite. You'll find these dishes are more satisfying than, let's say, an entree salad.

This week also includes a wonderful nut and pretzel mix that I wanted to try out for the holidays. Chex mixes are such a great kid- and adult-friendly appetizer or snack, and I had never made one homemade, so I took this Christmas as an opportunity.

Sweet and spicy nut and pretzel mix.

Green Quesadillas

I love quesadillas. And I like making unusual quesadillas. So when I stumbled upon this recipe from Whole Living, I had to try it. Plus, it was perfect for my healthy eating plans for the week before Christmas.

Essentially, this recipe has you make an avocado mixture or guacamole. You then sauté leeks and red onion, stir in green lentils - and you have your lentil mixture. To assemble your quesadillas, lay one tortilla in a warm pan, top with some of the lentil mixture and havarti cheese. Then, spread another tortilla with the avocado mixture and lay on top to create your quesadilla. Carefully, flip and heat through until cheese melts and tortillas brown slightly.

Avocado mixture.

These quesadillas were really good. Zack and I are calling them "French" quesadillas. After all, you are using French green lentils, European-derived cheese, and leeks. But then the recipe has you throw in guacamole, red onion, cilantro, etc. - flavors that make me think Mexican. It really is interesting. I mean, who would have thought, right?

Find this delicious and unique recipe here: Green Quesadillas.

Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta

with Toasted Croutons

This recipe was a tear-out from the January 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine. Find the recipe here: Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta. Again, like the green quesadillas, this recipe was a little unusual, but so delicious.

First of all, I made the croutons with some cracked wheat sourdough bread I had on hand that was drying out a bit...perfect. I wasn't really sure how one makes a proper crouton, so I turned to Ina Garten (who I usually turn to when I want to make something in particular that I want to be sure will be particularly good). Find her instructions at the following link (scroll down a bit as these croutons are included in a recipe for lemon chicken with croutons): Ina Garten's Croutons.

Homemade croutons.

Next, the mushrooms. I was a little nervous about this because I am kind of a mushroom amateur. I'll be honest...the last time I sautéed mushrooms, they turned out rubbery and gross. However, with some good mushrooms and the instructions from this recipe, I ended up with some perfectly browned mushrooms. I mean, it was like heaven was shining down into my kitchen straight onto these mushrooms. So relieved. 

Next, leeks (I know, I know...I can't seem to get enough of leeks and lentils lately).

As far as the greens, the recipe calls for a bunch of dandelion greens and radicchio. I couldn't get my hands on some dandelion greens, so I used an organic mixture of various leaves that also included radicchio. Lastly, I used whole-wheat angel hair pasta.

I really loved this recipe. The mushrooms added the heartiness I was looking for and the multitude of textures was so great. You have the tenderness of the mushrooms and greens, the crunch of the croutons, the bite of the whole-wheat angel hair pasta, and the ricotta. The ricotta. Is ricotta not the most incredible, velvety item there ever was? I've fallen in love with it because it happens to come on the Hudson pizza from Brooklyn Bros. Pizzeria in Everett (a.k.a. the best pizza you will ever have). I have a feeling that ricotta will continue to appear in my cooking; that is, if I can figure out when and how to properly use it.

Sweet and Spicy Nut and Pretzel Mix

It's sweet. It's spicy. And it has fresh herbs. But it's also kid-friendly?

This nut and pretzel mix may be one that can satisfy both kids and adults, make a great "bar snack" to enjoy with friends while having beer, and it makes your kitchen smell cozy and warm like the holidays. If it's possible for something to smell cozy and warm, that is. I think it might be.

Find the recipe for this great mix at the following link: Sweet and Spicy Nut and Pretzel Mix.

New cookbooks for Christmas means new recipes to try. Tune in soon for my next weekly post! Cheers.

Happy Holidays!

Been taking a bit of a blogging hiatus for the holiday season, but I will be back soon. Another weekly post is in the works, and prepare for some amazing recipes coming soon to a blog near you. I got a couple new cookbooks for Christmas that I am very excited about! Cheers and happy holidays to you and yours.

Week Seven: Ancho Beef Stew, Whole-Wheat Pasta with Lentils, Spinach, and Leeks, and Five-Spice Turkey Burgers

This was a pretty good week for food. So here's what went down...

Ancho Beef Stew

This was a Family Circle magazine cut-out from the November 2012 issue. And a good one.

There is something so wonderful about stew beef in the winter time; it is so hearty and filling. And this recipe was a little different from my Beef Barley Soup from Week Five. Okay, maybe they kind of look the same, but they did not taste all that similar. The Beef Barley Soup incorporates fresh thyme, which has a very distinct flavor, but this Ancho Beef Stew has more of a Mexican feel. This stew also appealed to me because I was drawn to the long, sliced carrots (versus diced or sliced in circles) and big chunks of potato. It was just so meaty-looking.

Aside from all the chopping, this was pretty quick to make also. A great weeknight meal. Actually, Family Circle calls it "20-Minute Ancho Beef Stew." You can find the recipe at the following link: 20-Minute Ancho Beef Stew.

We didn't find ancho chile powder when we were grocery shopping, but Zack found out that pasilla is a good alternative, so that is what we used.

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Lentils, Spinach, and Leeks

Remember this one? Here's an "amateur" blog throwback: Pasta with Lentils, Spinach, and Leeks from the always wonderful Power Foods. Since, this week's meal planning consisted of hearty items like beef stew and burgers, I decided we needed a lighter meal mid-week. Hence, Power Foods. Always healthy, flavorful, and light, yet satisfying.

This Power Foods recipe is hard to find online, so here's a snapshot.

This is going to make me sound like the biggest cooking nerd ever, but the greatest thing about this recipe is how the tubular pasta (or shells, as I used this time) just naturally scoop up the lentils. And the different shades of green, with the lentils, spinach, and leeks, make for a very attractive dish. Plus, you can eat this warm or cold, like a pasta salad. I ate my leftovers cold the next day for lunch, and it was great.

Eat this pasta dish for lunch the next day, re-heated or cold.

Five-Spice Turkey Burgers

with Sweet Potato Fries

This recipe also happened to come from the November 2012 issue of Family Circle. 

 Zack and I love homemade turkey burgers. They are a great alternative to your usual ground beef burger. Plus, the ground turkey is very versatile in that you can really fool around with the spices to create burgers with different influences. In this case, using Chinese five-spice to make an Asian-style burger. The sriracha-mayonnaise just tops it off.

So, what is Chinese five-spice anyways? According to Wikipedia, a common mix for five-spice powder consists of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds; however, there are other variants often used. The cinnamon is what really stands out to me, so it's good to be careful not to get too excited when using your five-spice; otherwise, you might end up with a turkey burger that tastes more like some sort of weird, holiday/dessert burger. A little goes a long way.

This recipe is also difficult to find online without a login; here is a snapshot of the recipe.

Now. We must talk sweet potato fries. I know I'm not the only one who is on the lookout for a good way to make your home-baked sweet potato fries crispy (versus soft and tender). I was so excited to find a Pinterest pin that claimed it had the secret to crispy homemade sweet potato fries. It did say it might take a few tries to get the ingredient combination and technique just right, but that being said, I tried twice, and I don't know if I'm all that thrilled with the result. I'll roast my sweet potatoes, but I think I may be done trying to makes fries out of them. That is, unless one of you readers has a secret you want to share...

This recipe calls for soaking the sliced sweet potatoes in water for awhile (up to a few hours even), then dry (well, I added that part), toss in cornstarch (the supposed big secret), drizzle with olive oil, and bake as usual.

On our first try, I didn't really dry the soaked sweet potatoes, so the cornstarch and olive oil created a sort of slurry. Then we made the fatal error of not spreading the fries out enough on the baking sheets. Result: soggy, slurried mess. Tossed those.

For my second try, I was sure to dry the sweet potatoes prior to tossing in the cornstarch, but the slurry-thing still kind of happened. The fries were crispy, but they tasted like they were rolled in sand or ground something. They were kind of gritty. Not too impressed.

As Zack said, "there's a reason they're called 'fries' and not 'bakes.'" Fries are meant to be fried. However, I will never give up hope. If you know a way to make your home-baked sweet potato fries crispy, share it here.

On that note, have a good week and keep an out for my "Week Eight" post a little earlier than usual this week. Cheers.

Week Six: Turkey, Leek, and Butternut Squash Noodle Soup, Parmesan-Crusted Halibut with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, and Chicken Breast Cutlets with Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Well, that's a long blog post title. Despite that, "week six" of meal planning was pretty simple. I knew I wanted to make a soup of some sorts, so I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. And I wanted pumpkin something (of course), and the pumpkin-corn combination (two of my favorite things, as you know if you've been reading here for awhile) for the muffins was too good to pass up. We also had some wild halibut fillets in the freezer, and Zack had parmesan crusted fish on his mind. I proceeded to find a Seattle Times recipe for that. Lastly, I've had this cauliflower and sweet potato side dish recipe on hand for awhile, so I decided to keep it simple, and pair it with some chicken breast cutlets. A couple of the recipes could use some tweaks to make them a little bit better, but hey, you don't know until you try!

Turkey, Leek, and Butternut Squash Noodle Soup

with Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

I love butternut squash. And they've been tempting me as they are in season and everywhere I look when I'm at the produce stand or grocery store. Like pumpkin or sweet potato, their beautiful color lures me in, and when I see vibrant-colored fruits or vegetables, I think to myself: "this must be really good for you." I know not everything that is bright- or dark-colored is good for you, but it seems to be true for a lot of produce. That being said, butternut squash, turkey, leek - delicious.

So, I kind of had an amateur moment making this soup. The recipe calls for a turkey carcass, but to my defense, it does say it's optional. I ended up using ground turkey because it is so easy to brown it along with your onions, leeks, or whatever vegetables you're starting your soup with. And it adds great flavor. But I don't know if it was quite enough this time...

Essentially, this recipe has you making a stock as you make your soup. It calls for vegetables, water, turkey (and the optional carcass), and herbs. But if you're not using the carcass, you may need some store bought stock to substitute some of the water.

As previously mentioned, this recipe was adapted from a Pinterest find and can be found here: Turkey, Leek, and Butternut Squash Noodle Soup. It could definitely be compared to a chicken noodle soup in that it is warm and comforting, but I think the broth lacked a richness that probably could have been obtained with the turkey carcass.

And to satisfy my pumpkin craving, I located a pumpkin cornbread recipe (also found on Pinterest). The recipe can be found here: Pumpkin Cornbread. I love pumpkin. I love cornbread. So pumpkin cornbread sounds like a dream to me. The recipe gave instructions for muffins, so that is what I made. These were really hearty and delicious, but still sweet like a dessert. I think they would be especially good with chili. Although, I re-heated them the next couple days to eat with leftovers, I would say that they are really best straight out of the oven.

Parmesan-Crusted Halibut

with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

This halibut recipe was pretty basic. We used the last of our frozen wild halibut fillets from Costco (again, such a great way to have fresh, wild fish on hand) for this meal. Secondly, we used pre-grated parmesan, but I think you could play around with the cheese grate size. Ours was so fine, it was almost powdery; however, the parmesan flavor was very rich and strong. Fresh herb crusts are also nice for fish, and actually, I think I prefer that. Check out Dijon Herb-Crusted Salmon, a past post of mine from March 2012.

The recipe is from the Seattle Times and can be found at the link as follows: Parmesan-Crusted Halibut. They pair it with a roasted garlic butter, which I'm sure is delightful, but we omitted it for a lighter meal. 

Instead, I decided to serve the fish with some roasted potatoes (okay, I know...not super light, but hey, vegetables are better than butter). This is a recipe I tried out about a month ago, and it is wonderful. Probably because it is one of Ina Garten's recipes. And pretty much any Ina Garten recipe you try is going to be delicious. The recipe can be found at the following link: Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. The garlic and fresh rosemary is so delicious; your kitchen will smell wonderful.

One thing I have learned about roasting potatoes, or other vegetables for that matter, is this: you've got to give the potatoes room if you want them to crisp up a little. If you've piled your potatoes on a baking sheet, they are going to steam each other and they will never brown or toast so that they have a nice crust to them. I know this isn't rocket science and some of you more experienced may be thinking, "well, obviously," but I learned this by doing and giving space makes such a difference! I just do two full baking sheets now.

Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

and Chicken Breast Cutlets

Well, the chicken part of this meal was pretty straightforward. I chose a couple nice chicken breasts and butterflied them into two cutlets each. Sprinkled with a little kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and simply sautéed.

The cauliflower with sweet potatoes was the real feature of this meal. I was drawn to this recipe because in the picture it looked like curried vegetables, and we love curry. However, this recipe actually calls for fresh ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric. Find the recipe here: Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes.

This was really tasty. And who would think to pair cauliflower with sweet potato? I wouldn't. But it was good. And the spices complemented really well. 

Another week, some more recipes, and some more great food. Get excited for the week to come because I think I have some more delicious meals in store! Cheers.

Week Five: Beef Barley Soup, Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta, and Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

Beef Barley Soup

This week, I was craving warm, comfort food. Thus, beef and barley soup. This recipe is pretty darn quick and easy. And it is the ultimate cozy, comfort-food inspired meal. The beef and barley combination is classic; the flavors and textures meld so perfectly together. I just love barley too; it's a really hearty grain.

Find the Whole Living recipe here: Beef Barley Soup.

I like to buy "stew beef" for recipes like this. It's already chunked into pieces. Since they are usually pretty hefty chunks, I tend to cut the pieces into halves or thirds. That way, you don't feel like you are gnawing through your meal as much.

This is a great weeknight recipe, and it made for a great lunch the next day.

Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta

This recipe came from Clean Eating magazine. Find the recipe here: Rustic Genovese Basil Pesto Pasta. What drew me to this recipe was the bright green, almost chunky pesto.

I love pesto. But I really don't like using store bought pesto unless I have to. I mean, it's kind of brown-looking and I can never remember how long it's been in the refrigerator. Seriously, let's think about this. Pestos are usually made from basil, and we all know how long fresh basil lasts. Usually, I've had it about two seconds before the leaves start browning and it starts smelling kind of rancid. I guess that's a good reason to have it growing fresh at home. However, I have read lately that if you're dealing with store bought fresh basil, it's good to trim the ends, place in a glass of water at room temperature, and trim the stems/change the water every day until used. Supposedly, it can last up to two weeks when stored this way (I have yet to see this happen).

Now, that I'm done (well, almost) with my basil and pesto rant, let's talk about this delicious recipe. Blanching and shocking the basil leaves and green beans keep them nice and bright green. What an incredible idea! (I think that's what the makers of store bought pesto are missing out on.) The pesto in this recipe, combined with whole-wheat pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes, is truly rustic as the recipe name implies. It was really good.

Word to the wise though. This pesto has garlic (of course). Which is great. But uh, it was pretty strong in this recipe. I don't know if I used too much or if it's flavor was heightened when added to the extra virgin olive oil for the pesto, but it was potent. Like Zack-and-I-were-still-tasting-it-the-next-day potent. Zack was so worried that his patients would notice his garlic breath that he passed on his lunch leftovers to his unsuspecting co-worker. (Who absolutely loved the pasta, by the way.) So, you have been warned. Delicious, but garlic-strong.

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

This curry recipe was a Pinterest find. What's new, right? Find the recipe here: Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice.

Zack loves curry. He could eat it everyday. And he loves Indian. So this recipe was a very good find. Other than the fact that I used brown rice instead of basmati, and the dish took a little longer to cook than indicated as a result, this was great. Oh and other than the fact that I was like crying from the time I started dicing the onion all the way until I was done eating this piping-hot (temperature-wise) and spicy meal. So good though.

The chicken was so tender and the spices are perfect. And as Zack says, the combination of the hot, spicy with the cool, fresh tomatoes is really good. Plus, it's a one-pot meal and you will have plenty of leftovers. 

Well, that's all for Week Five. This meal planning thing has been going really well. I enjoy searching for recipes/ideas at the beginning of each week. Goodness, I don't know what people did before the internet. Furthermore, because of the planning that this involves, Zack and I feel like we are eating healthier and we are more satisfied with what we are eating. It's a win-win. I don't plan on stopping now; see you back here soon! Cheers.

A Happy Late Thanksgiving To You!

I know. What kind of cooking blog is this if it doesn't have a Thanksgiving post? I mean, really. Thanksgiving is like the biggest cooking holiday there is. It's all about being thankful, followed by stuffing you face with stuffing. And other delicious, mouth-watering foods that people look forward to every year.

Well, fact of the matter is this: we're usually out of town for holidays (a.k.a. in Oregon with our family), and I don't have much of an excuse other than that. I did cook a bit, but the photos, etc. didn't happen. Probably the same will be true for Christmas. I guess that's when I take a blogging hiatus.

However, do stay tuned for some tasty Christmas treats. I'm very excited for the holidays and have some delicious plans. Not to mention my Week Five blog post that should be up either today or tomorrow; get ready.

And a happy late Thanksgiving to you of course. Hope it was filled with family, wonderful food, and reminiscing on all that you and I have to be thankful for.