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Chicken is very bland and boring by itself. But, it's fun to play with and dress up. Today's recipe was inspired by Chicken Marsala, but it's updated for more flavor.
Chicken Columbia
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 c orzo pasta
1 c Marsala wine
3 small tomatoes
6 oz sliced mushrooms
2 c dates, whole
Method:
Add all ingredients to large saucepan. Let simmer about 20 min until tender.
A very fuzzy photo of Chicken Columbia. It really looks much better, promise!Enjoy!
Okra is a contender for best vegetable ever...you can fry it, steam it, sautee it, boil it, etc. I once grew 40 different kinds of okra because I'm such a fan. Enjoy okra in today's risotto!
Tomato-Okra Risotto
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Ingredients:
4 oz risotto rice
shredded mozzarella
okra (cut)
2 cups tomato juice
basil olive oil
Method:
Coat bottom of pot w/oil. Pour in rice, let it fry for 2 minutes to open kernels. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup tomato juice into pot. Stirring continuously, slowly add remaining liquid throughout process, as rice absorbs liquid. In last 10 minutes, add okra and shredded cheese, stir. Serve hot.
Enjoy!
Okra risotto is at the bottom of the photo.
Tilapia is a great fish because it's readily available, cheap, and very bland by itself-the perfect fish for kitchen experiments!
Tilapia in Tomato Vinegar
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 8 min
Ingredients:
8 large scallops
4 pre-marinated skewers (can be found at grocery store, ginger mango is a good one)
grape tomatoes
pineapple chunks
baby spinach
Method:
Coat the bottom of a frying pan with basil olive oil, then put the tilapia in the pan. Surround the tilapia with cherry tomatoes. Coat the tilapia with herbs until covered. Cook on that side for about 3 minutes, then flip fillets. Coat other side of fillets with herb mixture. Pour tomato vinegar so that it fills pan to top of fish (about 1/3 cup). Continue cooking tilapia, turning every few minutes, until done, about 15 minutes total.
Enjoy!
The tilapia is at the top of the photo.
Skewers are delicious and easy to make, especially when you can find marinated skewers like the ones in this recipe.
Skewered Scallops with Tomatoes and Pineapple
Serves: 2 as main course, 4 as starter
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 8 min
Ingredients:
8 large scallops
4 pre-marinated skewers (can be found at grocery store, ginger mango is a good one)
grape tomatoes
pineapple chunks
baby spinach
Method:
Divide each scallop in half. On skewers, thread scallop, then tomato, then pineapple. repeat until each skewer is full. Let skewers chill with their peeps in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so marinade soaks into them. On highest setting, microwave skewers for 3 minutes. Flip, repeat for three minutes on other side. Finally, turn again, microwave for a final 2 minutes. Serve one or two skewers (depending on if it's a starter or main dish) over a bed of spinach.
Enjoy!
Few things are tastier than soup. And, soup is one of the easiest and most versatile things to make-you can serve it hot or cold, and little prep time is required.
Asparagus Soup with Cream
Serves: 6 as first course
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Ingredients:
Four 16 oz cans of asparagus tips
Spoonful of Guatemalan cream (or similar)
Lemon pepper to taste (optional)
Shredded carrot (optional garnish)
Method:
Pour asparagus tips into blender, blend until smooth. Pour mixture into soup bowls. Drizzle cream in middle of bowl, mix into asparagus if desired. Sprinkle with lemon pepper (optional). Add a mound of grated carrot to the middle as garnish (optional).
Enjoy!
Risotto is awesome, and a great way to make an easy one-dish meal that will fool people (like dates, for instance) into thinking you're an awesome chef. Today's risotto features some of the best veggies.
Risotto with Onions, Leeks, and Pattypan Squash
Serves: 4 as main dish
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced (I used one capellini onion, you can use other kinds too)
4 cups white cooking wine (or about half a bottle)
1 cup risotto
3 large patty pan squash, diced
2 leeks, leaves chopped in about 1" pieces
olive oil
nutmeg
slivered almonds (optional)
Method:
Coat bottom of saucepan in olive oil. On medium heat, cook onion until golden. Add risotto, toast rice for two minutes, stirring constantly. Next, add about 1 cup wine, leeks, and squash. Let simmer on medium, stirring occasionally, keep adding wine as rice absorbs more of it. After about 15 minutes, check rice to see if it's done. Finally, sprinkle with nutmeg to taste, stir in. Serve garnished with slivered almonds.
Enjoy!
Salmon is my favorite fish. Raw, grilled, baked, fried, it's perfect no matter what. For many reasons, salmon will always be special to me. However, it can sometimes arrive plain when you buy it at the store. A fun, and strange, way to dress it up is to cook it in green tea.
Green Tea Salmon
Serves: 2-3 as main dish
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients:
2/3 pound salmon fillet, any variety
8 bags green tea, any variety
1/2 pound baby portabellos, sliced
1/2 c water (estimate)
1/2 c balsamic vinegar (estimate)
Method:
Pour balsamic vinegar over bottom of skillet, place salmon in skillet, and mushrooms around salmon. Cut open 8 bags of tea, pour contents over salmon, making sure to cover entire fillet. Pour a bit more balsamic vinegar on top of salmon to moisten. Pour about 1/2 cup water into skillet to thin sauce. Cover skillet, let cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, check every 5 minutes to make sure salmon isn't sticking to pan. Remove from heat and serve. Optional-take paper towel and dust tea leaves off of salmon. However, I prefer to leave them on fillet for color and texture.
Enjoy!
Fall is the perfect time to pull out an old favorite-risotto. This versatile rice was one of the best food inventions ever. You can create any number of terrific side or main dishes with it, and although there are full cookbooks for risotto, I prefer to create my own. Here's the latest:
Risotto with Scallops, Mushrooms, and Spinach in Coconut Milk
Serves: 4-6 as main dish
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 c risotto rice
1/4 c truffle oil
2 c lite coconut milk
1/4 c tarragon vinegar
1 tblspn cinnamon
2 c baby spinach (loosely packed)
1 c baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
dates (garnish)
slivered almonds (topping)
Method:
In a large saucepan, pour truffle oil. Turn stove to medium-high heat, pour risotto rice into pan. Stir constantly for one minute, or until all rice is coated in oil and starts crackling. Then, pour coconut milk into pan. Add scallops, mushrooms, and spinach slowly, stirring. Turn to medium, let simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add tarragon vinegar, stirring, and cinnamon. Stir completely until cinnamon is dissolved. Once all liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and serve. Top with slivered almonds and garnish with dates.
Enjoy!
Seitan is great! It's a wonderful source of protein, with more natural flavor than tofu, and without the smelly side-effects of beans.
Sauteed Seitan and Veggies in Beer Vinegar
Serves: 4 as main dish
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients:
1 package of Seitan (16 oz.)
1/2 package of baby spinach (6 oz)
1/2 package Orzo pasta (6 oz)
1 or 2 tomatoes (depending on size)
1/4 c beer vinegar (has similar flavor to apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar)
slivered almonds (optional garnish)
parsley or cilantro sprigs (optional garnish)
Method:
Cook pasta as usual. In a pan, sautee Seitan, spinach, tomatoes, and beer vinegar. Serve over pasta. Garnish with almond and cilantro.
Enjoy!
Peppers are great! They're tasty and a healthy source of vitamins. But, a good diet also includes protein, which you find in meats, beans, and tofu. Therefore, a stuffed bell pepper should try to incorporate one of these, as this recipe does.
Cilantro-Soy Stuffed Peppers
Serves: 4 as main dish
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Ingredients:
4 large peppers (red bell work best)
1 package (16 oz) of soft or silken tofu
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine tofu and cilantro leaves thoroughly. Cut tops off peppers, remove innards (cores/seeds). Stuff peppers with tofu/cilantro mix. Place peppers in baking dish, then put in oven, and let them have a nice sauna for half an hour. Remove from oven, serve immediately
Enjoy!
Crabs are great! They're tasty, smooth, work well for stuffing anything, and can even serve as conversation pieces, as was the case when I created this recipe for a dear friend. My roommate's response? Something like "Oh my God, you're insane!" But, the end result was both tasty and entertaining!
Maryland blue crab in warrior pose atop a bed of spinach, kidney beans and crab meat.
Serves: 2 as main dish
Prep Time: 30 min (unless you happen to be smart and buy already-picked crab meat!)
Cook Time: 0 min
Ingredients:
12 blue crabs, cooked (yields about 2/3 pound crabmeat)
1/2 lb baby spinach, washed
1 can red kidney beans
2 sprigs of dill
2 baby portabella caps
thick gloves (very, very important! these crabs are warriors for a reason!)
Method:
Wearing gloves if possible, as the shells can cut you, crack open 10 of your 12 crabs, removing all meat. Set meat aside, throw out carcasses. On two plates, place a bed of spinach. Put half the crabmeat in the center of each plate. Surround the meat with a ring of kidney beans-the red represents the blood shed by the crabs while defending their kin. On top of the "meat mountain", place one intact crab. Pose him so that he can stand upright. Place a portabello cap in one of his claws. In the other, place a sprig of dill. The portabello is a shield, the dill sprig is a spear. Next, serve, and glare angrily at your dinner companion as your crabs fight.
Enjoy!
This is how your crab will look once it's ready for battle.
For a meaner twist, stick a fork in its claw instead of the dill sprig.
A dinner guest demonstrates appropriate battle face.
Rice and mango are an age-old combo. But, this recipe makes a colorful twist. This is a very, very easy and colorful side dish. The key is in color and arrangement on the plate.
Bamboo Sticky Rice with Mango and Black Sesame Seeds
Serves: 4 as side dish
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Ingredients:
2 c sticky rice
2 c water
black sesame seeds (garnish)
2 mangoes (or one large)
Method: Add rice and water to pot. Bring to boil, then remove from heat. Target's Archer Farms carries bamboo rice, with this green color, and with good cooking instructions. While rice is simmering, cut up mango into slices. Once rice is done, spoon onto plates. Arrange mango slices on all four corners of the plates, top rice with sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
The end result-colorful and delicious!
I love squid. I think it's one of the most versatile of proteins you can use for a meal-plus it usually has fun orifices that can be stuffed! I hope to convert you non-squid fans out there into believers with at least one squid dish. This one helped convert a non-squid fan at a dinner party once-the combination of plum and squid is odd, but actually works well.
Plum-Stuffed Baby Squid
Serves: Varies
Prep Time: Varies
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients:
5 lbs. baby squid, cleaned with tentacles removed
1 jar plum jam
1 bunch fennel leaves
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
slivered almonds (garnish, optional)
Method:
Place squid in batches in oven or microwave, cook them just until they're tender-about 5 minutes. Arrange bed of fennel leaves on a plate. Stuff each squid with spoonful of plum jam, set on top of plate. Top squid with chopped cilantro leaves and slivered almonds. Chill until serving
Enjoy!
I love squid. I think it's one of the most versatile of proteins you can use for a meal-plus it usually has fun orifices that can be stuffed! I hope to convert you non-squid fans out there into believers with at least one squid dish. Here's one to try:
Baby Squid with Ink, Oyster Mushrooms, Spinach, and Cilantro over pasta
Serves: 2-3 as main dish
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients:
1 lb squid in ink
1 package pasta (I used Jerusalem artichoke pasta, you can use any of course-also when cooking it I put a little truffle oil in the water so it boils faster)
1/2 lb spinach, shredded
1 package oyster mushrooms, shredded
handful fresh cilantro, shredded
1/2 cup white cooking wine (or white wine)
a few cubes goat cheese (optional topping)
Method:
Cook pasta as directed on box
In saucepan, sautée baby squids for a minute in truffle oil. Then, pour in cooking wine, add mushrooms, spinach and cilantro. Let the whole thing cook for about 10 minutes, or until spinach is all wilted. Stir occasionally.
Enjoy!
