Leek & Potato Pie

 I had some leeks and one gluten free pie crust that needed to be used so I perused the web for a leek and potato pie recipe. I found this Jamie Oliver recipe and swapped out the puff pastry it called for and used the gluten free pie crust I had. It turned out really good! You can serve it as a side, it would be good with a roast or it can be the main, served with a side salad.

Leek & Potato Pie

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 large leeks, washed and sliced (be sure to clean them well to get the sand out)

600g potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

2 garlic cloves, minced

100g grated sharp cheddar cheese

300ml heavy cream

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 gf pie crust (or 1 sheet of puff pastry)

salt & pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400* and grease a large pie dish or baking dish with butter or oil.

 

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they are soft and starting to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside. 

Meanwhile, boil the potato slices in salted water for about 10 minutes until they are just tender, but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes.

In a large bowl, combine the leeks, potatoes, grated cheese, cream, mustard, and thyme. Stir everything together until well mixed. Season with more salt & pepper to taste. Transfer to the prepared pie dish, spreading out evenly. Place the pie crust on top, trimming any excess and press down the edges to seal the pie. Cut a small slit in the center to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is browned and the filling is hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cook a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I don't remember the exact website this was from and it's not on the copy I printed out.

Crispy Sesame Beef

One night we were watching something on Food Network, no idea what now, but they were making crispy beef and it sounded really good. A bit of searching and I came upon this; I'm not sure where it came from now but this is an easy, really good recipe. 

Crispy  Sesame Beef

serves 4

 

1 c peanut or vegetable oil

1 lb sirloin steak, sliced thin

4 Tbsp cornstarch, divided

 

for the sauce: 

1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 c brown sugar

2 Tbsp orange juice

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 Tbsp Sriracha, optional

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 green onion, thinly sliced

 

Heat peanut oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

 

In a large bowl, comvine steak and 2 tablespoons cornstarch, tossing to coat and letting the steak absorb the cornstarch. Add remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch before cooking.

 

Working in batches cook steak in oil until golden and crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

 

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat combine soy sauce, borwn sugar, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, and sesame oil until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in steak and gently toss to combine.

 

Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion. 

Turkey Tetrazzini

 A favorite after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey or just because. You can use either turkey or chicken, either is good.

Turkey Tetrazzini

serves 4

 

 4 c cooked spaghetti (about 1/2 lb)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 Tbsp dry sherry

salt to taste

Veloute sauce

2 Tbsp butter

8 oz sliced mushrooms

cooked chicken or turkey - 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded or sliced; roughly same amount of turkey

1/2 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Veloute sauce

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

1 c hot chicken broth

1/3 c heavy cream or whole milk

salt to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Stir in the flour and blend over moderate heat until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook 2 minutes more. Pout in the cream, add salt and heat thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 400* and butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Stir the nutmeg, sherry, and salt to taste into the warm veloute sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until soft. Put the spaghetti, turkey, and mushrooms in the baking dish, stir. Pour the sauce over top and stir carefully again. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Heavily modified from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Vegetarian Skillet Stuffed Shells

This is SO good! It does take a bit of time but is totally worth it. One pan, cooks on the stove, makes plenty for dinner and some leftovers (at least in our family). The shells are stuffed with a mixture of mushrooms, spinach, and ricotta; while the recipe calls for crimini mushrooms I used a mixture of two different kinds of mushrooms because that's what I could get in the amount I needed.

Skillet Stuffed Shells

serves 4-6

 

18 jumbo pasta shells

 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c dry white wine

5 oz. baby spinach

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 c marinara sauce

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 c ricotta

3 oz finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), more for serving

2 tsp dried oregano

Cook shells in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally until very al dente, about 9 minutes; drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain again.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally, until they release juices, then are dry again and nicely browned, 5-6 minutes; season with black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to medium, add wine, cook stirring until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add spinach, cover and cook until beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until spinach is completely wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, 2-4 minutes more. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl.

Cook garlic and butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add marinara sauce and red pepper and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook stirring occasionally until warmed through, 6-8 minutes.

While sauce cooks, add ricotta, 3 oz Parmesan, oregano, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Spoon about 2 Tbsp of mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not overstuffed.

Nestle stuffed shells into hot sauce in skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until shells are warmed through, 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan, serve. 

from epicurious

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

It's been a hot minute since I've been here. Life. Covid. I've been cooking, taking pictures, eating, just not posting. Anyway....I made this the other night. Wasn't sure if Bob would like it or not since he doesn't like spicy food but this was good, just a bit of heat but not too much. It's on the "will make this again" list.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad
serves 4

1 lb top round London broil or flank steak

3 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp packed dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1tsp)
1 1/2 tsp peeled & minced fresh ginger
1 1/4 tsp red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 5 cups lightly packed)*
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 c coarsly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 c fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Place the meat in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, the soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. seal tightly and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture to dress the salad.

Prepare your grill - get the charcoal going or preheat a gas grill on medium-high heat until hot. Grill the steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes until room temperature, then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine the lettuce, shallots (reserving a few slices for garnish), cilantro, basil, and beef in a large salad bowl. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates and garnish with the sliced shallots.

* I used a spring mix lettuce that our store had.

from "The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger

Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles

This recipe! Since Whitney had an apartment last year (for her senior year in college) and since she was on a budget she used the Budget Bytes website and recipes a lot. This was one she made often, told me how good it was, and made it for me one time when I was up visiting. I've made it a couple of times for the two of us this fall when Bob was gone (he's not a spicy food kind of guy). It's so good! And spicy! And best of all it's pretty inexpensive and quick to make and leftovers are good for the next day's lunch.

Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles
serves 3

dragon sauce
1/4 c chili garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle with the sriracha)
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar

pork and noodles
1/2 lb ground pork
6 oz. ramen noodles*
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 c unsalted peanuts, chopped

Combine the dragon sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Add the ground pork to a skillet and cook over medium heat until it is fully browned. If there is excess fat drain the skillet. Once browned, add the prepared dragon sauce and chopped peanuts. Allow the pork and peanuts to simmer in the sauce for another 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half.

While the pork is browning begin boiling water for the noodles. Once boiling add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander.

Once the sauce has reduced add the noodles to the skillet and toss until everything is combined and coated in sauce. Top with sliced green onions and serve.

*you can either use a couple of ramen packages(or however many equals 6 oz) and toss the seasoning packets or we have found Simply Asia brand ramen noodles in the aisle with the Japanese/Asian foods.

Another great recipe from Budget Bytes

Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili

I made this the other night and thought it was really good. A change from the usual beef/tomato chili. Leftovers heading to a bowl near me tonight!

Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, trimmed excess fat

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz. low sodium chicken broth
2-15 oz. cans great Northern beans, drained & rinsed
2-4 oz. cans diced green chilies
1-15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
4 oz. reduce fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 c half and half

toppings:
sliced jalapenos
sliced/diced avocado
sour cream
minced cilantro
tortilla strips
shredded Monterey jack or Mexican cheese

Add chicken breasts to bottom of crockpot, top with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Add diced onion, minced garlic, beans, green chilies, corn, chicken broth, and cilantro. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Remove chicken and shred then return to crockpot. Add cream cheese and half and half, stir, then cover and cook on high for about 15 minutes or until chili is creamy and slightly thickened. Stir well and serve with desired toppings.

Thai Turkey Burgers

Tonight was the earliest that I ate dinner in a long time! I'm used to eating a bit later, either waiting for Bob to get home or just eating closer to 6:30 or 7, not 5:30. But the girls are home for a few weeks and Sarah was hungry early since she was used to eating around 5 at camp. I'm sure there will be snacking later on.

I was looking for some new dinner ideas for the week that were healthier and also for later in the week ones that used veggies that are coming in my veggie box tomorrow. I perused my Pinterest boards and found a couple of good ones for this week. These Thai turkey burgers are quick and easy as well as healthy.

These can be served on buns or bibb lettuce leaves. The original recipe called for a slaw and almond butter sauce which didn't sound appealing to me. I meant to serve on the lettuce leaves but totally forgot.

Thai Turkey Burgers
makes 4 burgers

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 c shredded carrots
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp olive oil

For serving - hamburger buns or bibb lettuce leaves

In a bowl combine all the ingredients except the oil using a wooden spoon or your hands. Form into four patties about palm size. Heat a skillet or grill plan over medium high heat then add the oil. Place the patties in the pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature is 165*.

Serve on buns or lettuce, with mayonnaise.

Rigatoni with Roasted Broccoli

This is another quick and easy recipe. I'm doing a bit of cleaning this week and part of that is reading through magazines that I haven't gotten to yet. In this case, it was Women's Day from February. Good news is that I found this great recipe. We all love roasted broccoli and here it's roasted with red onion and garlic. Add some pasta and bacon, what more could you ask for? This could easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the bacon.

Rigatoni with Roasted Broccoli
serves 4

4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 red onion, cut into 1/2" thick wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 slices bacon
8 oz. rigatoni
1/2 c grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425*. On a large rimmed baking sheet toss garlic, broccoli, onion, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Arrange bacon on a second rimmed baking sheet, cook until crisp, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and break into pieces when cool. Meanwhile, cook pasta per package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water; drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add 1/2 cup reserved water, sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan, and toss to coat (add more reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry). Add roasted vegetables and bacon to pasta and toss to combine. Top with remaining Parmesan.

Garlic Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

This claims to be a 20 minute recipe; I think it took me longer but it was still fast and easy to make. This was perfect for a Sunday after church when everyone who was home needed to get out of the house fairly quickly. No time to grill yesterday! This had good flavor, maybe needed more garlic or maybe some Siracha. Still, very good and Bob would have liked it if he had been home.

Garlic Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
serves 5-6

8 oz lo mein noodles or spaghetti
3 c broccoli florets
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz flank steak, sliced against the grain
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper, and pepper.

In a large pot cook the noodles according to package directions. Add the broccoli the last 5 minutes of cooking and cook until tender. Drain the noodles and broccoli and put in a large bowl. While the noodles are cooking add the olive oil to a medium sized skillet. Cook the steak until no longer pink. Add the garlic and carrots and cook for a minute more. Add the steak to the bowl with the noodles and broccoli, give the sauce another stir and pour over the noodles and steak, toss to coat everything.

NOTES: I used angel hair pasta but I think if you're not going to use lo mein spaghetti would be a better choice. The recipe calls for flank steak which would have been delicious but I used pre-sliced stir fry meat. Any sort of meat, thinly sliced is fine.  

slightly modified from The Recipe Critic

White Bean Tuna Salad

Summer has hung around too long this year and this was a great late summer salad. Beans and tuna for protein, an easy dressing, very refreshing. Great served with some crusty bread.

White Bean Tuna Salad
serves 4

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and
drained
2 5 oz. cans tuna packed in water, drained
2 cups lightly packed arugula or spinach
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 c red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried leaf oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 lemon

In a large bowl combine, beans, tuna, arugula, red onion, and parsley. For dressing, in a screw top jar combine vinegar, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine. Pour dressing over tuna mixture; toss gently to combine. Squeeze juice from half of the lemon over salad.

from Better Homes & Gardens

Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Burritos

It's been a while since I've made these but they're really good, freeze well, and it makes a lot of burritos. Plus they're easy since the filling is cooked in the crockpot. I need to make some soon so I can take them to work for lunch.

Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Burritos
makes 18 burritos

15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 c barley, uncooked (not the quick cooking type)
2 c chicken broth
3/4 c frozen corn
1/4 c green onion, chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
18 small flour tortillas
1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
for serving - salsa and sour cream

Place first 11 ingredients in crockpot, stir well. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cilantro.

If serving right away heat the tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/3 cup of the barley mixture down the center of each tortilla, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese, and roll up. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

If making to freeze, spoon 1/3 cup of the barley mixture down the center of each tortilla, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese, and roll up. Roll the burrito in wax paper and place in a zip lock freezer bag. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave or in the oven at 350* for 20 minutes or until hot. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Instantpot Beef and Broccoli

Last week I told Jen, my cousin's wife, that I was about to give up on my instantpot. It's great for hard boiled eggs, the corn came out good, rice has done well, but some other things it's really not worked well for me - beans were totally a mixed bag, chicken didn't work well. I made one other recipe that worked fine but we just didn't like it. She insisted that I had to try this one before I give up. Honestly? I'm still not sold on it. Ok, the dish was really good but the work to get it there? I don't think it really saved me any time; I could have cooked it up in my wok in just about the same time or less. I'm still on the fence, sorry, Jen!

I'll still post the recipe here so I can find it again because it was good.

Beef and Broccoli
serves 6

1 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, well trimmed and sliced into thin strips

salt & pepper

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c beef broth

1/2 c soy sauce

1/3 c brown sugar

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb broccoli florets

3 Tbsp water

3 Tbsp cornstarch

toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Season beef with salt and pepper. Put olive oil in the cooking pot and select sauté. When oil begins to sizzle, brown meat in batches until all the meat is browned - do not crowd the meat. Transfer meat to a plate when browned.

When all the meat is browned add chopped onion to the pot. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to the pot Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add browned beef and any accumulated juices. Select High Pressure and set timer for 12 minutes.

Place broccoli in microwave-safe bowl with 1/4 c water. Microwave 3-4 minutes until broccoli is tender.

When beep sounds turn the instantpot off and use quick pressure release. When valve drops carefully remove the lid.

In a small bowl/cup combine cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Add to pot and stir well to combine. Select sauté and stir until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Add steamed broccoli and stir to combine.

Serve hot over cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Notes: You can use flank steak, skirt steak, or London boil instead of chuck roast. Freeze the meat for about 15 minutes to make slicing thinly easier.

Stuffed Peppers

This is my cousins recipe and it's so good! I haven't made stuffed peppers in quite a while. They were calling my name tonight though so I went looking for the recipe. I could have sworn I posted it but apparently not; at least I knew where to find it. I'll warn you, either get 8 peppers to serve 8 or use half the stuffing mixture and save half for another time. Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers
serves 4 (or 8)

4 green peppers, halved
1 cup rice, cooked
1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb hamburger
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, diced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375*. Boil the peppers for 4 minutes, drain and put in a 9x13 dish.

Meanwhile in a large skillet brown teh Italian sausage and hamburger with the Worcestershire sauce. Add in the diced onion and saute until the onion turns translucent. Mix in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and season with basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes. Stir in rice and Parmesan cheese.

Add mixture to each of the peppers and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

Ever so slightly modified from Fab Fatale.

Pork Pot Pie

I'll admit it, this dinner was an experiment and from the start Sarah was protesting. Quite a lot. I had some leftover pork, we still have lots of apples from our apple picking trip, and I wanted to use both and make a pot pie. I also had one sweet potato I was going to throw in. Since it's fall, pork + apples seemed like a good idea, add in the sweet potato, some chopped onion, make an apple cider gravy. Yum. Did I mention that Sarah complained a lot? Said she doesn't like pot pies. Yeah, she changed her mind pretty quick when we sat down for dinner. This can either be baked in a cast iron skillet, which is what I did, or it can be put into a pie pan and baked.

Pork Pot Pie
serves 6

1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp oil
2-3 small apples, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, cooked and diced
1 to 1 1/2 lbs pork, cooked and diced/chopped
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 c chicken stock
3/4 c apple cider
salt & pepper
pie crust, either homemade or store bought

Make the gravy first - Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook until light brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and apple cider. Whisk and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 425*. In a cast iron skillet saute the onion in the oil until softened and add the apples. Saute for a few more minutes then add the cooked sweet potato and pork. Stir, then add the gravy, stirring to combine everything; cook until bubbling. At this point you can either add the pie crust directly onto the skillet or you can put the pork mixture into a deep dish pie pan/casserole dish and top with the pie crust. Cut a few small vents in the crust. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbling and the crust is lightly browned.

apple cider gravy recipe came from Rachael Ray

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken and Orzo Skillet

I found this recipe in the newspaper and for once I saw it and made it within about a week or so. No clipping the recipe, waiting months and months and never making it. This is an Ellie Krieger recipe, which means generally healthy. It tasted really good as well. The original recipe says 4 servings but it made more like 5-6. This is the best kind of weeknight recipe - fast, pretty easy, only one skillet to dirty. It's also one that I think you could change up pretty easy, depending on what you have on hand. I think it'd be really good with baby spinach and tomatoes. I may have to try that next time.

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken and Orzo Skillet
serves 5-6

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 oz (1 1/2 c) orzo pasta
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 c no-salt-added chicken broth
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large deep lidded skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, stirring once or twice, until browned, 2 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and chicken, transferring the chicken to the plate once it has browned.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the orzo and rosemary and cook, stirring until the orzo is well coated with the oil and lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, until the orzo is about halfway cooked.

Stir in the zucchini and cook, covered, until it is just tender, about 3 minutes, then return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet along with the tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes soften and the chicken is cooked through. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.

from The Washington Post

Taco Pizza

Last week I was home by myself again but for the last time of the summer. I decided on Friday to make tacos, nothing else really appealed. I had plenty of taco meat leftover but no one was interested in tacos earlier this week. After some thinking I remembered that long ago I made taco pizza and that sounded good for tonight. I paired it with black bean and corn salad and it worked out very well. Best thing was that Bob said I should make the pizza again.

Taco Pizza
makes 2

cornmeal pizza dough
2-2 1/2 c flour
1 package of yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1 c warm water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
3/4 c yellow cornmeal

pizza
3/4 c ground beef
1 c chopped onion
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 package taco seasoning mix or equivalent of your own mix
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c shredded lettuce
2 c chopped tomatoes
2 medium avocados, chopped
1 8-oz container sour cream

For the dough: combine 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the warm water and oil. Mix with a dough hook until well combined, then add the cornmeal. Mix and add more flour if needed to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes total). Divide dough in half, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Grease two 11 to 13 inch pizza pans or use a pizza stone. Roll/shape each half of the dough into a circle. Build up edges slightly and prick generously with a fork. Do not let rise. Bake in a 425* oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning; heat through. Spread the ground beef mixture over the hot crusts. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 12 minutes or until the cheese melts. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados. Cut into slices and spoon sour cream onto each slice.

from Better Homes & Gardens Pizzas cookbook

Mongolian Beef

We're at the beginning of a long heat wave and needing to fix dinner on a Friday night I wanted something that was easy and didn't require the oven or grill. I've seen mention several times recently about using the crockpot in the summer and thought I'd peruse my crockpot pinterest board to see if there was something that struck my fancy and seemed summer like. This was quick, easy, and really good.

Mongolian Beef
serves 4-6

1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1/4 c cornstarch
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
3/4 c soy sauce
3/4 c water
3/4 c brown sugar
several squirts of sriracha hot sauce (more or less, depending on how much heat you want to add)
1 c grated carrots
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
green onions, sliced for garnish
rice, for serving

Cut flank steak into thin strips. This is easiest if you freeze it for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Toss flank steak with the cornstarch in either a bowl or ziplock bag.

Add olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and sriracha to the crockpot and stir. Add the carrots, then the steak, stirring to mix.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high/4-5 hours on low, adding the onion and green pepper about 45 minutes before it's finished. Serve over rice, garnish with the green onions.

slightly modified from The Recipe Critic

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-fry

This recipe comes courtesy of Tasty. I saw it on my facebook page the other day and knew it was one I had to try. Last night I was the only one home for dinner so on the menu it went. I love both shrimp and asparagus and this had the flavors of the Orient as well, making it super easy and delicious.

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-fry
serves 4

4 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice

In a large frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt and the crushed red pepper. Cook until the shrimp is pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and add the asparagus. Add ginger and garlic, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir frequently and cook until the asparagus is tender-crisp. Return the shrimp to the pan, then add the soy sauce. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Just before the dish is ready, add lemon juice, stir once more, then serve while hot.

Sweet and Sour Pork

A while back I bought a pork loin and cut it into smaller roasts. I pulled one out of the freezer on Saturday, cut off three chops to grill, then put the rest back in the fridge. When I was thinking through the menu plan for the week I knew I needed to use up that piece of pork, briefly contemplated cutting it into chops but decided I wanted something different. I was thinking some sort of stir fry would be good. I pulled out my A Wok for All Seasons cookbook by Martin Yan to flip through and found the sweet and sour pork recipe. I knew it would be a hit with the family.

One tip on this one - the meat is cut small enough that it cooks really fast. You really need to have it all prepared before you start cooking.

Sweet and Sour Pork
serves 4

Marinade
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 lb boneless lean pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/3 c distilled white vinegar
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp soy sauce

1 egg lightly beaten
cornstarch for coating meat
vegetable oil for cooking
1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 small onion, cut into 1-inch squares
3/4 c pineapple chunks
cooked white rice for serving


Preparation
Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add pork and stir to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and set aside.
Place egg and cornstarch in separate bowls. Dip pork in egg, then roll in cornstarch, shaking off excess.

Cooking
In a wok add oil, 1-2" deep and heat over high heat. Add pork, a few pieces at a time, and cook, turning occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Lift out and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, cook sauce over medium-high heat, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. When the pork is done, dump out the oil and clean the wok. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil, heat the oil, then add the green pepper and onion. Stir fry these for a few minutes then add the pineapple; stir-fry until the peppers and onions are crisp-tender and the pineapple is warmed. Add the thickened sauce, stir to coat, then add the pork and cook until it's heated through. Serve over rice.

modified from Martin Yan's recipe in "A Wok for All Seasons"