Monthly Archives: July 2012
{SRC} Easy Mexican Breakfast Braid
| July 30, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Breads, Breakfast, Mexican and Southwestern, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites |
Remember when I used to actually add new recipes to my (sadly neglected) “Cooking for One” page? I started out with good intentions but, quite frankly, cooking for myself is no fun. On the nights that Shawn works, I usually grab leftovers, make English muffin pizzas, or skip dinner all together and go straight for the ice cream. I know, it’s terrible! Anyway, when I realized that the end of the month was coming up (again, already!) and I would be forced to complete my Secret Recipe Club assignment on a night that he was working, I got kind of bummed out. It seemed like such a waste of time and effort to make an elaborate meal that I wouldn’t be able to share with anyone. Luckily the blog I was paired with, Fried Ice and Donut Holes, is filed with easy recipes that I didn’t mind cooking for myself.
I considered making the Buffalo Chicken Shepard’s Pie or the Lemon Thyme Chicken, but I knew what I really wanted was breakfast for dinner. I ended up making the Easy Breakfast Braid. I love making stuffed breads, but had never considered a version filled with scrambled eggs before so this was a totally new concept for me. I loved how adaptable the recipe was! Melissa made her version with bacon and jalapeño. The original recipe that she based hers on used breakfast sausage. I decided to put a Southern spin on the braid by using an extra poblano pepper that I had laying around and some chorizo that’s been in the freezer for forever. Making the bread only took a few minutes longer than making scrambled eggs would have been, and the result was gorgeous. And while it was definitely worth the effort of making it for myself, it also reheated beautifully – meaning we could share the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
Easy Mexican Breakfast Braid
Yields 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 (13.8 ounce can) Refrigerated Pizza Dough
- 4 ounces (about 1 link) Fresh Chorizo
- 1/4 cup chopped Onion
- 1 chopped Poblano Pepper
- 4 Eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used fat free because I happened to have some, and it was fine)
- 1 Egg White, lightly beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Preparation
- Heat oven to 425F. Unroll the dough onto a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Pat the dough into a 15×10 inch rectangle.
- Crumble the sausage into a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the sausage begins to brown. Add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened – about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and cook 1 or 2 minutes, or until just set.
- Sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese lengthwise down the center of the dough, leaving a 2 1/2 inch border around each side. Spoon the egg mixture evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar over the egg mixture. Make 2 inch diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of the dough to about 1/2 inch of the filling, using kitchen shears. Arrange the strips over the filling, alternating strips diagonally over the filling. Press the ends under the braid to seal. Combine egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush over bread.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut crosswise into 6 slices.
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Sausage
| July 22, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Asian, Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Light, Summer |
A casual Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Yum, opened not too far from us just about a year ago. It’s a nice spot for a quick lunch. It’s also (as far as I know) the only place in the area to get banh mi. Really though, we go for the summer rolls with nem nuong (grilled pork sausage). It’s the kind of dish that immediately puts a smile on your face and makes you relax in your chair. The sausage is delucate and has a substle sweetness thats unlike anything else I’ve had. We split an order every time we go; every single time, I say that I need to get around to making them at home. (I finally did, only to find that my camera battery had died.the photos in this post were taken with my phone.)
Summer rolls are the perfect light meal in this stifling heat. They’re similar to Chinese egg rolls/spring rolls, but are eaten raw instead of fried. They’re stuffed with thin noodles, fresh herbs, raw vegetables, and, optionally, a (cooked) protein like shrimp or sausage.
In my attempt to recreate the restaurant version, I made my own sausage. A google search resulted in tons of recipes, so I mixed and matched to get something that seemed right. The sausages themselves were really easy to make and tasted phenomenal. My version was a little more mild than what I had originally hoped for, but I’ll definitely make them again.
The assembly of the spring rolls themselves, on the other hand, are kind of a pain in the butt. It’s easy enough to do, but kind of time consuming. Its definitely a good idea to recruit someone to help assemble them. Or, serve this dinner “taco night style” by settling out the individual components and letting everyone put together their own plate.
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Sausage
Yields 12 rolls
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Short Grain Rice (like Sushi rice or Arborio rice)
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 pound Lean Ground Pork
- 6 ounces Rice Stick Noodles
- 1 Lime
- 3 Carrots, cut into very thin sticks
- 1 Cucumber, peeled and cut into very thin sticks
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 package Spring Roll Wrappers
- Romaine Lettuce
- Fresh Basil and Fresh Cilantro
- 4 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice
- 1 teaspoon Chopped Peanuts
Preparation
- In a small pan set over high heat toast rice 3 minutes, or until lightly golden. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind into a fin powder.
- Combine the garlic, baking powder, water, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Place the pork in a large bowl. Add the contents of the small bowl and 1 Tablespoon of the rice powder. Use your hands to knead the mixture until all of the ingredients ar combined.
- Use a teaspoon to shape the meat into small balls. (If necessary, refrigerate for 10 minutes to help the mixture firm up.) Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the sausage balls and cook 5 minutes, turning once, or until cooked through and slightly browned.
- While the sausage cooks, prepare the noodles according the the directions on the package. Drain and squeeze the lime over them. Add the carrot, cucumber, and vinegar to a small dish and allow to marinate.
- To assemble the summer rolls, dip a spring roll wrapper into warm water for 5 second or until it becomes pliable. Add about 1 Tablespoon noodles, and 2 or 3 pieces of sausage to the bottom of the wrapper. Top with carrot, cucumber, romaine, basil, and cilantro. Fold the bottom of the wrapper around the fillings. Fold the ends in, then tightly rolls up. Keep covered with a damp cloth until ready to eat.
- To make the dipping sauce, whisk together the hoisin sauce and pineapple juice. Top with chopped peanuts.
Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
| July 18, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Chicken and Poultry, Mexican and Southwestern, Shawn's Favorites |
When we lived in DC, Shawn was obsessed with Taquitos from 7-11. You know the ones that sit there all day on the little rollers? Yeah, those. When I discovered how easy it was to make baked flautas, it was only a metter of time before I recreated his favorite version, stuffed full of Buffalo Chicken. This was the result of trying to satisfy his craving.
I was always too sketched out to try the ones from 7-11 – I stuck with coffee or, if I happened to be at the one location genius enough to make them, Slurpees made with Crystal Light pink lemonade – so I didn’t have much of a guideline to work with but, if I do say so myself, these were pretty darn good. Shawn happily scarfed them down, so I think its safe to say they have his seal of approval too.
As I developed this recipe, I took some of the most popular requests from my flauta recipe into account – namely using chicken breasts instead of thighs and eliminating the beer. In order to balance out the drier cut of chicken and add some extra nutrients and fiber, I added mashed white beans to the fillings They have a mild flavor and you can’t tell they’re in there (Shawn had no idea!) but they keep the filling nice and moist.
I also used corn tortillas instead of flour. I love the flavor and the less delicate nature of the corn tortillas, but they were more difficult to work with. Moistening the dry tortillas and microwaving them for 30 seconds helped make them more pliable, but no matter how careful I was with them, they still had a tendancy to split/crack. It meant that some of the Taquitos weren’t nearly as pretty as others; if you plan on serving these to guests, you might want to plan on making a few extra just in case (but the ugly ones were still delicious!)
Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Yields 2 quarts
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes
We like a lot of heat, so these are pretty spicy – I’d say maybe a 6 on a scale of 1-10. If you want less spice, cut down on the amount of cayenne (or, if you like things blazing hot,add more). If you prefer your Buffalo Chicken to be really mild, eliminate the cayenne completely and replace half the Buffalo sauce with tomato juice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 Onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Water
- 1/2 cups Buffalo Sauce (I like Franks Red Hot)
- 1 cup Shredded Fat Free Mozzarella
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) Cannellini Beans, mashed
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 18 6-inch Corn or Flour Tortillas, warmed
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream (full or reduced fat)
- 3 tablespoons Blue Cheese Crumbles
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 450*F. Put the chicken and onions in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, onions, Buffalo sauce, mozzarella, beans, and spices. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla up, then place seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Spritz the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy.
- Combine the sour cream and blue cheese crumbles, mixing vigorously. Serve the taquitos with the sauce.
Bruschetta Grilled Cheese… On the Grill!
| July 16, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Cooking For One, Grilled, Italian, Lent, One Pan, Quick Weeknight Meals, special projects, Summer, Vegetarian or Vegan |
Have you ever made grilled cheese on the grill? Shawn and I were joking around the other day and randomly came up with the idea when I was trying to decide what to make for Kitchen PLAY’s “30 Days of Outdoor Dining” event and, honestly, I’m not sure why it isn’t done more often! It was surprisingly uncomplicated, super fast (literally one minute!), and really, really good. The bread gets nice and crispy, and the slight smoke flavor that infuses the sandwich gives it an undeniable summer-like taste..
Of course, this isn’t any old boring grilled cheese; I had to dress it up a little! I brushed slices of Italian bread with garlic infused oil, then topped it with Land O Lakes® 4 Cheese Italian Blend (a combination of white American, Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano) and some fresh tomato bruschetta. All together, the sandwiches were fresh, elegant and extremely satisfying.
Bourbon Peach Ice Cream & a McCormick Dinner Party
| July 11, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Desserts, Indulge, Special Occasions, special projects, Summer, Vegetarian or Vegan |
Last month, McCormick Gourmet Spices asked if I would be interested in becoming part of their dinner party chain. Since I’m a huge proponent of using spices and seasonings to add bold flavor to healthy recipes, I didn’t hesitate before I said yes. (Seriously, have you seen my spice collection lately?) If you want to join the dinner party chain yourself, be sure to check out McCormick’s Facebook page, where you can submit your own dream dinner party idea and be entered to win a fantastic kit to help make it happen.
Miso-Roasted Salmon Salads
| July 9, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Asian, Fish and Seafood, Lent, Light, Quick Weeknight Meals, Salads |
I’ve been really into miso lately. Until about a month ago, I had never had it in anything other than miso soup, which I’ve always found to be kind of plain and boring. Miso paste, on the other hand, is a different beast altogether. It’s flavor is difficult to describe, but if you’re familiar with the term “umami” this is it. It’s very rich and complex, a little salty, and almost nutty. It might sound silly, but the flavor feels very full and round in your mouth. If you haven’t tried it, you really should! It’s a great way to elevate a few simple ingredients and transform them into a spectacular dish.
Stir some into your mashed potatoes. They’ll be the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever eaten. Or give this salad a try. It relies on just a few simple ingredients – salmon, asparagus, beets, oranges, and a few other items I unearthed while cleaning out the fridge – but the silky miso vinaigrette makes it rich and luxurious.
Miso Roasted Salmon Salad
Yields 2 entree salads
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes
Miso roasted salmon goes great with just about any vegetables that you have waiting to be used up. Try adding thinly sliced cucumber or sugar snap peas for a light and fresh flavor or roasted beets for earthiness. Wonton chips or chow mein noodles add the perfect crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons White Miso
- 1/4 cup Sake
- 2 Oranges, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon grated Fresh Ginger
- 2 teaspoonsSesame Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Black Sesame Seeds
- 1 6-ounce Salmon Filet
- 1/2 pound White Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups Spring Mix, or other lettuce blend
- 2 Carrots, shredded
- 2 Roasted Beets, cut into eighths
- Wonton Chips or Chow Mein Noodles
Preparation
- Heat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, sake, orange juice, honey, and ginger. Place salmon and asparagus in a small baking dish. Pour 1/3 cup of the miso mixture over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Use the side of a fork to gently shred the salmon into large flakes.
- Whisk the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and sesame seeds into the reserved miso mixture. Season to taste with additional rice wine vinegar or soy sauce as needed.
- Combine the lettuce, asparagus, carrot, and beets in a large salad bowl. Toss with the dressing. Top with salmon flakes and wonton chips.
Miso Roasted Salmon Salad
Yields 2 entree salads
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes
Miso roasted salmon goes great with just about any vegetables that you have waiting to be used up. Try adding thinly sliced cucumber or sugar snap peas for a light and fresh flavor or roasted beets for earthiness. Wonton chips or chow mein noodles add the perfect crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons White Miso
- 1/4 cup Sake
- 2 Oranges, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon grated Fresh Ginger
- 2 teaspoonsSesame Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Black Sesame Seeds
- 1 6-ounce Salmon Filet
- 1/2 pound White Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups Spring Mix, or other lettuce blend
- 2 Carrots, shredded
- 2 Roasted Beets, cut into eighths
- Wonton Chips or Chow Mein Noodles
Preparation
- Heat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, sake, orange juice, honey, and ginger. Place salmon and asparagus in a small baking dish. Pour 1/3 cup of the miso mixture over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Use the side of a fork to gently shred the salmon into large flakes.
- Whisk the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and sesame seeds into the reserved miso mixture. Season to taste with additional rice wine vinegar or soy sauce as needed.
- Combine the lettuce, asparagus, carrot, and beets in a large salad bowl. Toss with the dressing. Top with salmon flakes and wonton chips.
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