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All posts for the month April, 2012

Like a kid waiting for Christmas!

Published April 30, 2012 by jenmatteson

We are onto our fourth beer, (I still have to blog about the Mexican Cerveza), but I HAD to make a quick note about the beer we started last night.  I absolutely cannot wait for this beer to be done, although it won’t be for almost two months :(  We started a Java Stout and it looks and smells amazing!  The kit came with four different kinds of grains, one of which was chocolate malt.  It also came with Peace Coffee, which smells incredibly delicious.  We add that to the secondary fermenter, which won’t be for another week, but I’m tempted to brew it before then!  Here’s a sneak peek at the ingredients:

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Published April 30, 2012 by jenmatteson

I’m in not a vegetarian in the least bit, but I really do love a good veggie burger.  Even more, I love a good black bean veggie burger, so I knew I had to try this recipe from The Cooking Nurse when I saw it.  There is something about the black beans that really make this burger worth eating.  The beans give it a great rich flavor, but are also filling so you actually are satisfied at the end of the meal.

This is actually my second time making these; the first time wasn’t so pretty (tasty, but UGLY).  I really wanted to grill them, because I love anything on the grill.  Not such a good idea – they pretty much just fell through the grill grates.  Oops.  I had better luck this time.

I would have topped the burgers with avocados for an added creamy bonus, but there were none at the store ready to eat :(  I did top it with my chipotle mayo for an extra kick.  These are a little sticky and fall apart if you look at them wrong, so I did add a little more bread crumbs than called for.  I also used egg substitute instead of egg whites and a little extra cilantro, because we love it.  They were still messy, but oh so good!  Even Nate loved these!  Even if you are a beef burger lover, you have to give these a try.

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Source: The Cooking Nurse
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion
1/4 cup cilantro
15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa (I used Pace Hot)
1/2 cup corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg or 2 egg whites)
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the onion until it is finely minced.  Add cilantro and pulse, 3-4 times.  Add black beans, and pulse until the beans are just mashed, about 5 times.

2. Transfer bean mixture to a medium bowl.  Add salsa, corn, garlic, bread crumbs, egg substitute, salt and pepper.  Fold mixture together until well combined.  Form bean mixture into four large patties.

3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook patties 6-8 minutes, turning once, until browned on each side.  Serve on browned hamburger buns with your choice of toppings (I used spinach, tomatoes, onions, and chipotle mayo).

Chipotle Mayonnaise

Published April 30, 2012 by jenmatteson

I should have made this with my food processor, but I was too lazy to get it out and clean it (mostly just the cleaning it part).  Next time though, I definitely will to get the chipotle chopped much finer.  The taste was still amazing though, and I want to have an entire jar of this in my refrigerator at all times (that might be worth getting the food processor out for)!

Chipotle Mayonnaise

Source: Pigzilla Original
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Miracle Whip (or Mayo, whichever you prefer)
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, seeded and minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.  Seriously, that’s it!

Crabby Patties

Published April 30, 2012 by jenmatteson

I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like Sponge Bob Square Pants (okay, I only know like one kid, which is my awesome nephew, Carter, and I suppose his sister, Grace, but she’s too young to like Sponge Bob yet), and if you don’t know, he makes crabby patties.  I can only assume these are wonderful crab cakes!

The reason I made these in the first place was because another Nestie and I were unable to participate in a recipe swap because we didn’t have enough posts in our blogs yet.  We decided to do our own private swap.  Basically, a swap is trying recipes of another blogger, and in this case, we just did a general swap, where we could make anything we wanted from their blog.  I love crab cakes, so immediately these stood out to me.

I made a handful of substitutions, but kept with the basic recipe.  I also added a chipotle mayo for topping, which was amazing and will be great with many other dishes, even on sandwiches!  They were a little wet for my taste (which made them difficult to handle), so I altered the recipe I’m sharing to have less Miracle Whip and a few more crackers.  The result was pure awesomeness, and the chipotle mayo just pushed it over the edge!  They were pretty big patties, so if I made them again, I’d probably make them half the size – and then eat two ;)

Crab Cakes with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Source: Just Prepare It Deliciously
Servings: 10

Ingredients:

4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cayanne pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
5 oz buttery crackers (I used Ritz), crushed
12 oz crab meat
olive oil
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix onions, cilantro, lemon juice, cayanne pepper, dry mustard, garlic, salt and pepper, and Miracle Whip.  Fold in crab meat and add buttery crackers to mixture.

2. Form mixture into 1/2-inch thick patties, this mixture should make about 6 total.  Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes.

3. Heat olive oil over high heat in a large frying pan.  Meanwhile, dredge each side of the patties in the panko bread crumbs.  Fry patties until they turn golden brown and begin to form a crispy crust, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Serve with Chipolte Mayonnaise.

Eggs Baked Over Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

Published April 30, 2012 by jenmatteson

We love ”brinner” (breakfast for dinner), however, we rarely utilize this dinner option.  This Food and Wine recipe has been in my “to try” pile since September, so I figured it was about time to make it.  Plus, we’ve been eating a lot of chicken, which we love, but I wanted to showcase something else for a change.  An added bonus is that this recipe only has 323 calories per serving (makes 4)!

The egg white seemed to take a long time to set (almost 20 minutes, where the recipe said 10-12), and by the time they did, the yolks were solid.  Next time, I’ll probably place the dishes on the top rack so the whites set quickly and the yolks stay runny.  The dish was still super good (and drinking wine with brinner makes it even more classy) and packed full of great veggies!

Eggs Baked over Sautéed Mushrooms and Spinach

Source: Food and Wine
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine
5 oz spinach
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
4 slices of whole-grain toast

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Heat olive oil in a deep skillet.  Add the leek and cook over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the butter and mushrooms, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are softened and a lot of liquid is released, about 7 minutes.  Uncover and add the soy sauce and red wine, cook over medium high heat, stirring until the liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.  Add the spinach and stir until wilted, 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Coat four 1-cup ramekins or small gratin dishes with oil.  Transfer the mushrooms and spinach to the ramekins and top each with a cracked egg.  It’s best to crack each egg individually in a small bowl and not directly on top of the mushroom and spinach mixture, in the event the yolk breaks or it’s a bad egg.  Bake on the top rack for 10-12 minutes, until the white is barely set and the yolks are runny.  Let stand for 2 minutes before serving.  Serve with whole-grain toast.

Hoagies and Grinders, Hoagies and Grinders

Published April 28, 2012 by jenmatteson

These meatball hoagies are freaking amazing!  Even if you think you don’t like turkey meatballs, give this recipe a try.  The turkey sausage really gives the meat a wonderful flavor.  I use a mixture of turkey sausage (the store had spicy italian turkey sausage, so I used that, otherwise, I would have seasoned the meat myself with garlic, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper) and extra lean ground turkey.  The fantastic thing about this meal is that is yields enough leftovers for an entire second meal (for two) and probably a little more.  I like to change it up and use the leftovers with spaghetti squash (Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs) because the recipe makes a lot of meatballs.  This is a really easy two meals, ideal for a weekday night, but would also be wonderful for entertaining.

It was hard to photograph as the cheese covers all the pretty, but believe me, they are tasty!

 

Turkey Meatball Hoagies

Source: Pigzilla Original
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 lb extra lean ground turkey
1/2 lb spicy italian seasoned turkey sausage (if your store doesn’t have this, add your own seasonings), removed from casing
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
olive oil
32 oz. marinara sauce
2 hoagies
12 spinach leaves, washed and dried
4 slices provolone

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add ground turkey, sausage, onion, cilantro, egg substitute, and bread crumbs.  Mix lightly with hands until the ingredients are just combined.  Form mixture into meatballs about 1 1/2-inches in diameter and place on large plate.

2. In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over a medium high heat.  Add meatballs and brown, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.  Add marinara sauce, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.  Let meatballs simmer in the marinara sauce until meatballs are cooked through, about 35-40 minutes.

3. Preheat broiler.  Slice hoagies and spray with olive oil.  Put hoagies under broiler until they begin to brown, 2-3 minutes.  Pile spinach on hoagies, top with meatballs and provolone, and place under broiler until cheese is melted.  Top with additional marinara if desired.

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

Published April 28, 2012 by jenmatteson

Spaghetti squash is so yummy and is a wonderful substitute for pasta.  I’m sure there are many other uses for spaghetti squash, but I pretty much always use it in the place of pasta.  For this recipe, I used my leftover turkey meatballs from my Turkey Meatball Hoagie.  Of course you could do either one first, and maybe you’ll love that so much, you’ll want to use the leftovers for seconds.  But if you’re like me and like to change up leftovers, these two recipes are perfect for doing so.

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

Source: Pigzilla Original
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 lb extra lean ground turkey
1/2 lb spicy italian seasoned turkey sausage (if your store doesn’t have this, add your own seasonings), removed from casing
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
olive oil
32 oz. marinara sauce
1 medium spaghetti squash
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice squash in half and scoop out seeds.  Drizzle squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place insides facing down on a baking sheet.  Add water to the bottom of the baking sheet and bake until outside is soft to the touch, about 45 minutes.

2. While squash is cooking, in a large bowl, add ground turkey, sausage, onion, cilantro, egg substitute, and bread crumbs.  Mix lightly with hands until the ingredients are just combined.  Form mixture into meatballs about 1 1/2-inches in diameter and place on a large plate.

3.  In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over a medium high heat.  Add meatballs and brown, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.  Add marinara sauce to pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.  Let meatballs simmer in the marinara sauce until meatballs are cooked through, about 35-40 minutes.

4.  Once squash is cooked, remove from oven, flip over so insides are facing up.  Let cool until you’re able to handle it, about 10 minutes.  Once squash is cooled, scoop insides into a large bowl with a fork.  Squash should come out in strings, resembling spaghetti.

5. Once meatballs are done, place on a mound of the spaghetti squash and top with parmesan cheese.

 

Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie

Published April 22, 2012 by jenmatteson

I couldn’t tell you the last time that I had a pot pie, but I do think they are delicious!  There is still a little chill in the air in Minnesota, and it was mostly cloudy all day long with a few light showers.  This recipe from Jessy at Gourmet: Day to Day was perfect for a day like today.  It’s not quite a pot pie, but it certainly comes close, plus the flavors are so deep, it tastes like it took all day to cook, but it didn’t!  I substituted frozen corn for green beans as I didn’t have any.  It’s pretty quick, partially because I used leftover chicken and didn’t have to cook any.  And, at 400 calories per serving, it’s even healthier than an actual pot pie!

Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie

Source: Gourmet: Day to Day
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

For the Filling
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium or 3 small carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen pees
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp dried thyme
2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

For the Biscuits
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

Directions:

1. Filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Heat olive oil in deep skillet (oven safe if you have one).  Saute onions, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add milk.

2. Whisk flour and chicken broth together until the flour is completely dissolved.  Add mixture to the vegetables and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes more.  Add peas, corn, thyme and chicken to pan.  Salt and pepper to taste.  If not using an oven safe skillet, transfer to baking dish (or individual ramekins).

3. Biscuits: In a food processor, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Pulse until just combined.  Add butter, and pulse until pebble sized pieces are formed.  Add buttermilk, then oil.  Pulse until the mixture is just combined; do not over mix.

4. Drop the batter in 6 mounds on top of the filling mixture (or one on each ramekins).  Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Published April 22, 2012 by jenmatteson

Before attempting my lattice top pie on my 30 Before 30 list, I figured I’d better try making a basic pie crust first.  I found this recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker; she makes some amazing looking desserts!

This was so much easier than I expected, and I’m now feeling more and more confident about the lattice top, which I know is NOT easy at all (but confidence is a good thing when attempting a new feat).  However, you’ll notice that my crust isn’t very pretty, which is because I got distracted with all the men in my house and chatting.  After taking the pie out of the fridge, I just threw it right into the preheated oven, and completely forgot to trim and flute my crust. Oops! :o

But, one lesson that everyone learns in life is not to judge a book by its cover.  And here’s why…the crust tasted amazing!  It was crisp, but not hard, and had the perfect buttery flavor that complimented the tartness of the fresh strawberries.  The entire pie was flipping amazing!  It was so good, there was plate licking and second servings.  I’m not kidding; Nate (not mine) actually licked his plate.  Here he is looking longingly at his plate…

And here he is post-licking…

He also said that I needed to say he gave the pie “rave reviews”, which is a super nice complement for my very first pie.  I’m disappointed about the crust, but there’s always next time, right?  I’m not sure if I should perfect the basic crust first, or just jump into the lattice top.  What do you think?

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Source: Brown Eyed Baker
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

For the Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup chilled vegetable shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)
1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling
4 pints (about 3 lbs) fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and hulled
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp Sure-Jell for low sugar recipes (the pink box)
pinch of salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Pie Crust: Process 3/4 cup flour, salt and sugar in food processor until combined.  Add butter and shortening and process until dough just beings to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds (it should resemble cottage cheese).  Scrap down sides of processor bowl and redistribute dough evenly.  Add 1/2 cup four and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed throughout bowl and dough is broken up, 4-6 quick pulses. Transfer into a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 1/4 cold water over the mixture.  Begin to fold together and press down using a rubber spatula until dough begins to become slightly sticky.  Flatten into a 4-inch disc and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.  Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously (seriously, really generous!) floured work surface.  Roll out into about 12 inches round, 1/8-inch thickness.  Loosely roll dough around rolling-pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang.  Working around the circumference, ease the dough into the plate by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand, and pressing into the plate bottom with the other.  Leave overhanging dough in place.  Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pie plate to room temperature.

4. Trim overhang to about 1/2 inch beyond the lip of the plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with the edge of the pie plate.  Flute dough or press fork tines against the dough to flatten against the rim of the pie plate.  Refrigerate dough lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat to 425 degrees.

5. Remove pie plate from refrigerator and prick bottom with fork a few times.  Line dough with foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove weights and foil, rotate plate, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until crust is golden brown and crisp.

6. Filling: Select 6 ounces of misshapen or unattractive strawberries, halving those that are large, you should have about 1 1/2 cups.  In a food processor, process the berries to a smooth puree, scraping down bowl as needed.

7, Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell and salt in a medium saucepan.  Stir in berry puree and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a full boil.  Boil for 2 minutes to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked; stir and scrap down sides frequently to prevent scorching.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in lemon juice.  Let mixture cool to room temperature.

8.  Pick over the remaining berries and half any extra-large ones, you should have about 2 lbs.  You can quarter the berries if you like, but I think the pie is more attractive with whole berries.  Add berries to glaze and fold gently to evenly coat all berries.  Scoop the berries into the pie shell.  Rearrange berries so no cut sides are facing up and there are no holes, making an attractive mound in the pie.  Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Beer Can Chicken

Published April 22, 2012 by jenmatteson

This is probably one of the easiest ways to cook a whole chicken and I will definitely be doing this again.  Probably many times.  The easiest way to get the entire chicken eaten is to have three hungry men, one girl, and one kitty.  I’m always hesitant to make a whole chicken because you never know who likes what part of the chicken.  I’m a fan of the chest, though I don’t mind the wings or thighs either.  It didn’t seem to be a problem last night.

I had a bottled marinade that I got from my dad in one of his goodie boxes.  We get all sorts of fun, sometimes interesting, stuff from him.  Most are things I’d never buy, but since they’re free, I figured I’ll give them a try.  This one was called Pirate’s Gold Inferno Hot Marinade.  I marinated the chicken for about 6 hours before cooking in.  A simple marinade of  a little olive oil, garlic, and spices of your choice would work wonderfully instead.  I’ve read that the beer does little to actually flavor the chicken, rather it just keeps it super moist, so I used a Coors Light.  I’m skeptical and may try a more flavorful beer next time.  Don’t forget to sample about half the beer before putting it on your grill ;)  Nate had a fancy stand that the beer can sit in and support the chicken, but you don’t need to have one.  Just balance the chicken on it’s legs while resting on the beer can.

The entire chicken was eaten in probably less than 15 minutes.  I gave Charlotte, my adorable kitty, the first taste.  Big mistake!  She wouldn’t shut up or leave me alone until I gave her more…and more…and more.  Finally she just sat on my lap and tried to help herself.  The boys gave the chicken rave reviews!  It was so moist and juicy; it was unbelievable!  The marinade made its way into the meat, and not just the crispy skin, which gave the chicken a great spicy kick.  This would be an excellent choice for a casual grilling party, especially in the summertime when you are busy playing lawn games and/or enjoying adult bevies.  You can set it and forget it!

Beer Can Chicken

Source: Pigzilla Original
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 3-4 lb whole chicken
marinade of your choice (optional but recommended)
1/2 can of beer
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Remove neck and giblets of chicken and discard.  Rinse with water, inside and out, and pat dry.  If you choose, marinade your chicken 4-24 hours in advance.

2. Holding a chicken leg in each hand, place bird cavity over 1/2 full can of beer.  Salt and pepper bird generously.

3. Place chicken-on-beer-can on the grill and cook over medium high indirect heat for 1 1/2 hours, until internal temperature of breast is 165 degrees and thigh is 180 degrees, or until juices run clear when stabbed with knife.  Let bird rest for 10 minutes before carving.

I just had to add this last picture because the bird’s butt is steaming and I have the sense of humor of a five-year old :P

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