Tonight, Mr. Fritz and I were delighted to have the incomparable Mr. Biggers join us for dinner. I made the Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs featured in last Friday's post and this time doubled the sauce. (Which still wasn't quite saucy enough for Mr. Fritz.) I also added a salad of spinach, pine nuts and Parmesan with a lemon-white wine vinaigrette and an Italian bread roll because, well, we were having company. And for dessert, we had homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and Moose Tracks ice cream (about which Mr. Biggers said, "Is this in honor of Sarah Palin?" Nope. Just really good stuff that was on sale awhile ago.).
Mr. Biggers is a delightful dinner guest. He's witty, has excellent manners and is just an all around great friend to us both. We also should note that he's available to star in his own Feeding Mr. Biggers blog should some lucky lady out there be in need of some inspiration!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Dinner tonight... Roasted Salmon with Lemon Relish
Wow. That's the word that comes to mind regarding tonight's meal. As I was making my meal plan for the week, I flipped through my Everyday Food Cookbook to see if it offered any inspiring salmon recipes. I found this one for Roasted Salmon with Lemon Relish and decided to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did! It is exceptional. And it's ridiculously simple to pull together, an essential on a night when I need to get dinner on the table in a flash.
The recipe has just a few steps. First, I toasted some pine nuts under the broiler on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. While they were toasting away, I peeled and sliced some lemon zest, and put it, along with some golden raisins in a bowl, then covered that mixture with water I'd boiled in my tea kettle. Next, I pulled the pine nuts off of the cookie sheet and replaced them with two six-ounce salmon filets which went into the oven at 450 for 8 minutes (I also lowered the oven rack since I wasn't broiling them.) While the salmon was cooking, I drained the water off of the lemon-raisin mixture and added fresh lemon juice from the lemons I'd just zested, chopped parsley, olive oil and the now-toasted pine nuts to the bowl. After a dash of salt and pepper and a good stir, the lemon relish was complete. When the salmon came out of the oven, I laid each piece atop a bed of baby spinach, then topped each piece of salmon with the relish, and we sat down to eat.
The flavors of the lemon zest, raisins, parsley and pine nuts, along with the tang of the lemon juice and the subtle lilt of the olive oil, worked together in the most wonderful way. It was the perfect combination of disparate ingredients, all jumbled together to make the dish sing. It is seriously going to rival the Glazed Salmon I wrote about last week for my loyalty as far as Best Salmon Preparation Ever goes. Not to mention that because it looks so pretty and tastes so good, yet is deceptively easy to make, it has great dinner party potential. In other words, I will definitely make this again!
The recipe has just a few steps. First, I toasted some pine nuts under the broiler on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. While they were toasting away, I peeled and sliced some lemon zest, and put it, along with some golden raisins in a bowl, then covered that mixture with water I'd boiled in my tea kettle. Next, I pulled the pine nuts off of the cookie sheet and replaced them with two six-ounce salmon filets which went into the oven at 450 for 8 minutes (I also lowered the oven rack since I wasn't broiling them.) While the salmon was cooking, I drained the water off of the lemon-raisin mixture and added fresh lemon juice from the lemons I'd just zested, chopped parsley, olive oil and the now-toasted pine nuts to the bowl. After a dash of salt and pepper and a good stir, the lemon relish was complete. When the salmon came out of the oven, I laid each piece atop a bed of baby spinach, then topped each piece of salmon with the relish, and we sat down to eat.
The flavors of the lemon zest, raisins, parsley and pine nuts, along with the tang of the lemon juice and the subtle lilt of the olive oil, worked together in the most wonderful way. It was the perfect combination of disparate ingredients, all jumbled together to make the dish sing. It is seriously going to rival the Glazed Salmon I wrote about last week for my loyalty as far as Best Salmon Preparation Ever goes. Not to mention that because it looks so pretty and tastes so good, yet is deceptively easy to make, it has great dinner party potential. In other words, I will definitely make this again!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Dinner tonight... Honey-Sesame Grilled Shrimp, Jasmine Rice and Sugar Snap Peas
I am excited to share this recipe because it is one of my long-time favorites. Another recipe from Pam Anderson that I've turned to for years, Honey-Sesame Grilled Shrimp is simple and oh-so-tasty! The toughest part is gathering the ingredients for the marinade -- honey, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, tabasco (which I omitted), scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Marinate the shrimp, skewer it, put the skewers under the broiler for 2 minutes on each side and, voila, dinner. Pam also suggests boiling the remaining marinade on the stove to reduce it and then serving it as a dipping sauce. I ended up reducing it and then pouring it over the shrimp once I'd plated them since it didn't seem like there was enough marinade left to merit special dipping bowls. (Although since I am slightly obsessed with "good presentation," I considered it!) I served this alongside jasmine rice and sugar snap peas that I'd blanched in boiling water. It was easy, easy, easy. And the entire meal smelled heavenly as it was cooking.
And actually, while I have your attention, can I say that I don't really understand why people own rice cookers? Making a pot of rice is so simple: bring some water to a boil, add rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for a set amount of time. Tonight it was 1/2 cup rice, 3/4 cup water and 15 minutes of simmering. And it came out perfectly fluffy. So why keep an enormous electric contraption that does the same thing? If you have a rice cooker and you love it, please share why you are attached to it in the comments section right below this post. I am truly interested in hearing from some rice cooker fans. I feel like I must be missing something.
And actually, while I have your attention, can I say that I don't really understand why people own rice cookers? Making a pot of rice is so simple: bring some water to a boil, add rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for a set amount of time. Tonight it was 1/2 cup rice, 3/4 cup water and 15 minutes of simmering. And it came out perfectly fluffy. So why keep an enormous electric contraption that does the same thing? If you have a rice cooker and you love it, please share why you are attached to it in the comments section right below this post. I am truly interested in hearing from some rice cooker fans. I feel like I must be missing something.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dinner tonight... Simple, Classic Chicken Potpie
Mr. Fritz can thank Mr. & Mrs. Glade for tonight's meal. Mrs. Glade had kiddo number four in September and it was my turn to bring the family a post-new-baby meal. Since I knew the Glades enjoyed this particular recipe (I made it for them after baby two or three -- I can't keep the years straight anymore!), and since it yields two 9-inch potpies, I thought it would be the perfect chance to treat both them and Mr. Fritz to its comforting goodness. Also, it's fun to have a pie crust to monogram!
This recipe, by cookbook author Pam Anderson, is not terribly complicated. But it can be time consuming to prepare. My best advice is to make sure you do all the prep work before you head to the stove, because by the time you start sauteeing, things will move very fast. In fact, if you can reel in a sous chef on this one to help you chop, measure, etc., you should. (Mr. Fritz doesn't presently cook and, unfortunately for me, is not interested in entering The Mrs. Fritz School of Cooking in order to become sous chef material. I adore him regardless.) In any case, here's how I went about preparing it: First, I chopped the onions and celery and put them in one bowl. Then, I put flour and thyme in another bowl and evaporated milk and chicken stock in a third. The recipe calls for shredding the meat from 2 rotisserie chickens; that went into a fourth, large bowl. And I chopped a quarter cup of parsley and put that in a fifth bowl. After measuring out 1/3 cup of white wine and 1/3 cup of butter, with my kitchen counter looking like it ought to be on the set of a cooking show, I finally headed to the stove.
And from then on, it really did go fast: First, I heated up the milk and stock mixture in the microwave. As soon as that started warming up, I began sauteeing the celery and onions in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then added those vegetables to the bowl which held the shredded chicken. Then I dropped the butter into the pan and waited for it to melt and stop foaming. At that point, I added the flour and thyme mixture and stirred until it began to turn golden, about a minute or so, and then whisked in the hot milk mixture. That quickly thickened into a nice sauce. Then in went the wine, then a bag of frozen peas and carrots and the chicken, onions and celery plus salt and pepper and a quarter cup of chopped parsley. Mixed all of that up really well and distributed it between two 9-inch deep dish glass pyrex pie plates. Topped each pie with a refrigerated pie crust, fluted the edges, made a little monogram on each one by pricking the surface with an appetizer fork, then put them each on a baking sheet and into the oven for 30 minutes on the low-center rack. Crust turned a lovely golden brown and resulting pies were hearty and filling -- just right for a crisp fall day and just right to bring to a family in the midst of a joyful, if tiring, transition.
This recipe, by cookbook author Pam Anderson, is not terribly complicated. But it can be time consuming to prepare. My best advice is to make sure you do all the prep work before you head to the stove, because by the time you start sauteeing, things will move very fast. In fact, if you can reel in a sous chef on this one to help you chop, measure, etc., you should. (Mr. Fritz doesn't presently cook and, unfortunately for me, is not interested in entering The Mrs. Fritz School of Cooking in order to become sous chef material. I adore him regardless.) In any case, here's how I went about preparing it: First, I chopped the onions and celery and put them in one bowl. Then, I put flour and thyme in another bowl and evaporated milk and chicken stock in a third. The recipe calls for shredding the meat from 2 rotisserie chickens; that went into a fourth, large bowl. And I chopped a quarter cup of parsley and put that in a fifth bowl. After measuring out 1/3 cup of white wine and 1/3 cup of butter, with my kitchen counter looking like it ought to be on the set of a cooking show, I finally headed to the stove.
And from then on, it really did go fast: First, I heated up the milk and stock mixture in the microwave. As soon as that started warming up, I began sauteeing the celery and onions in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then added those vegetables to the bowl which held the shredded chicken. Then I dropped the butter into the pan and waited for it to melt and stop foaming. At that point, I added the flour and thyme mixture and stirred until it began to turn golden, about a minute or so, and then whisked in the hot milk mixture. That quickly thickened into a nice sauce. Then in went the wine, then a bag of frozen peas and carrots and the chicken, onions and celery plus salt and pepper and a quarter cup of chopped parsley. Mixed all of that up really well and distributed it between two 9-inch deep dish glass pyrex pie plates. Topped each pie with a refrigerated pie crust, fluted the edges, made a little monogram on each one by pricking the surface with an appetizer fork, then put them each on a baking sheet and into the oven for 30 minutes on the low-center rack. Crust turned a lovely golden brown and resulting pies were hearty and filling -- just right for a crisp fall day and just right to bring to a family in the midst of a joyful, if tiring, transition.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Lunch today... Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad
Sometime shortly before Mrs. McConnell got married in 1996, she received a cookbook to called, "The Bride and Groom's First Cookbook." We paged through it, wondering why so many of the recipes called for exotic ingredients such as arugula. What exactly was arugula? we wondered. And why does it seem, at least according to this cookbook, that married people are obsessed with it? Arugula, which turned out to be a leafy green vegetable, has since become much more high profile (Barack Obama referred to it, inadvisedly, on the campaign trail when lamenting the high cost of food these days) and, over the past decade or so, it's actually become my favorite variety of salad greens. Arugula has a peppery taste, which makes it a perfect complement to a lemony dressing, such as the one featured in this recipe for Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad.
The real star of this dish, however is the chicken. Pounded thin and dredged in flour, egg and toasted breadcrumbs, the chicken is placed on a rack and baked on a rimmed baking sheet at 425 for 10-14 minutes. It comes out golden and crispy, like fried chicken without the unhealthy deep frying. I employ a couple of shortcuts to make this fast recipe even faster: I use thin-sliced chicken breasts instead of pounding them out; instead of toasting the breadcrumbs, I just mix them with a little olive oil (I've found the breadcrumbs brown just fine during baking); I don't bother to set the chicken on a baking rack; and I line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with Pam for easy clean-up. Once the chicken is fully cooked, plate it and top with the arugula salad (really just greens mixed with a dressing that is equal parts olive oil and fresh lemon juice plus salt and pepper). Serve with lemon slices (good for spritzing the chicken) and you're done. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes, hands down. I'd eat it all the time if doing so wouldn't bore the heck out of Mr. Fritz!
The real star of this dish, however is the chicken. Pounded thin and dredged in flour, egg and toasted breadcrumbs, the chicken is placed on a rack and baked on a rimmed baking sheet at 425 for 10-14 minutes. It comes out golden and crispy, like fried chicken without the unhealthy deep frying. I employ a couple of shortcuts to make this fast recipe even faster: I use thin-sliced chicken breasts instead of pounding them out; instead of toasting the breadcrumbs, I just mix them with a little olive oil (I've found the breadcrumbs brown just fine during baking); I don't bother to set the chicken on a baking rack; and I line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with Pam for easy clean-up. Once the chicken is fully cooked, plate it and top with the arugula salad (really just greens mixed with a dressing that is equal parts olive oil and fresh lemon juice plus salt and pepper). Serve with lemon slices (good for spritzing the chicken) and you're done. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes, hands down. I'd eat it all the time if doing so wouldn't bore the heck out of Mr. Fritz!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Dinner tonight... Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs
Ten years ago this weekend, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. Mrs. Plourde and Mrs. Capaldi made a special trip to D.C. to cheer me on, and various friends, such as Mr. and Mrs. Fleming, Mrs. Robertson, Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. Hartman, Mrs. Palmer and Ms. Bucher all came out that day to encourage me as well. It was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it was also one of the best days in my life as well, because not only did I accomplish something that I never dreamt I could do, I also felt incredibly loved and supported by so many people.
So, perhaps it was in solidarity with my carbo-loading, ten-years-prior self that had me craving pasta tonight. Or maybe it was just that ground turkey was on sale this week and I wanted to find a good recipe in which to use some. Whatever the case, I have to say that this recipe for Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs is absolutely fantastic. As a rule, I've always eschewed turkey except on days when there are no other options (i.e. Thanksgiving). But in my efforts to cook reasonably healthy for Mr. Fritz, I am trying to be open to new things. So, for the first time ever, I found myself intrigued by a recipe that called for ground turkey.
For this fairly simple dish, you start by making a basic red sauce in a wide non-stick skillet. Saute a little garlic in olive oil, add crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for around 20 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, boil the spaghetti. Once you have the spaghetti and the sauce going, you mix up ground turkey with a little Parmesan, a diced onion, bread crumbs, milk and an egg. And then you get to the part that I thought was genius: you form the turkey mixture into meatballs and actually cook them in the sauce.
For all I know, that's how all meatballs are made (this was my first foray not only into groundturkeyville but also into meatballville), but I just thought it was cool. Once the meatballs are cooked through (you spoon sauce over them to help the cause -- I also turned mine a couple of times to ensure even cooking), you add the cooked and drained spaghetti to the saute pan and mix it all up. I thought the end result was pretty spectacular. I mean, even this turkey-disliker was sold. Mr. Fritz noted that it would be even better with more sauce and I agree. I had cut the recipe (which serves 6) a little randomly: I'd halved the meatball part and thirded the sauce. Next time I'll halve each part and it should yield a saucier end result. In any case, I highly recommend this one and I definitely plan to make it again.
So, perhaps it was in solidarity with my carbo-loading, ten-years-prior self that had me craving pasta tonight. Or maybe it was just that ground turkey was on sale this week and I wanted to find a good recipe in which to use some. Whatever the case, I have to say that this recipe for Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs is absolutely fantastic. As a rule, I've always eschewed turkey except on days when there are no other options (i.e. Thanksgiving). But in my efforts to cook reasonably healthy for Mr. Fritz, I am trying to be open to new things. So, for the first time ever, I found myself intrigued by a recipe that called for ground turkey.
For this fairly simple dish, you start by making a basic red sauce in a wide non-stick skillet. Saute a little garlic in olive oil, add crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for around 20 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, boil the spaghetti. Once you have the spaghetti and the sauce going, you mix up ground turkey with a little Parmesan, a diced onion, bread crumbs, milk and an egg. And then you get to the part that I thought was genius: you form the turkey mixture into meatballs and actually cook them in the sauce.
For all I know, that's how all meatballs are made (this was my first foray not only into groundturkeyville but also into meatballville), but I just thought it was cool. Once the meatballs are cooked through (you spoon sauce over them to help the cause -- I also turned mine a couple of times to ensure even cooking), you add the cooked and drained spaghetti to the saute pan and mix it all up. I thought the end result was pretty spectacular. I mean, even this turkey-disliker was sold. Mr. Fritz noted that it would be even better with more sauce and I agree. I had cut the recipe (which serves 6) a little randomly: I'd halved the meatball part and thirded the sauce. Next time I'll halve each part and it should yield a saucier end result. In any case, I highly recommend this one and I definitely plan to make it again.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Dinner tonight... Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Arugula Salad and Dilled Orzo
When we sat down to dinner this evening, Mr. Fritz said immediately, "Oh, an old favorite!" Considering I have only been cooking for him since May-ish and considering that he really isn't that interested in food in general, I was excited that he actually recognized the dishes I'd cooked. And I was also excited that we've been married long enough (more than five months!) that we already have an "old" favorite. Good times!
More importantly, he was right. This meal, Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Arugula Salad and Dilled Orzo has become a stand-by for us. It's fast, complete, and consistently turns out well. Plus, I get to use the very lovely baking dish that my excellent mother-in-law (The Original Mrs. Fritz) gave me for Christmas. Which means that I get to appreciate her thoughtfulness every time I prepare it.
That's been the case with many things recently. People were so generous to Mr. Fritz and me during the time surrounding our wedding, and as a result, our kitchen is filled with wonderful things that remind me of certain people. Every time I pull a cereal bowl or dinner plate out of the cupboard or a fork or spoon out of the kitchen drawer, I think of my sister, Mrs. Capaldi. When I set out bread plates, I think of Mrs. McConnell. When I reach for a mixing bowl, I think of The Original Mrs. Fritz's dear friend Mrs. Boersma. When I pull out the blender to make Mr. Fritz a smoothie, I think of my sister, Mrs. Plourde. When I grab a steak knife, I think of Mrs. Glade. When I grab a paring knife, I think of my new sister-in-law, Mrs. Bowers. And so on. It makes my time in the kitchen more meaningful by reminding me to be thankful for the amazing friends and family with which we've been blessed.
In any case, this meal really is simple to prepare. I generally mix up the marinade of minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil and oregano right in the baking dish to minimize clean up. Coat the chicken (I use thin-sliced boneless breasts) with it and lay them in the dish, place a few pieces of lemon on top and into the oven it goes at 450 for 17 or so minutes. Meantime, cook the orzo in a pot of boiling water on the stove. When it's finished, drain and toss with olive oil and dried dill. And while you wait for the orzo to cook, mix up the salad dressing (equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil) and use it to dress the arugula. Plate the chicken and orzo together. Serve the salad in a separate bowl. Add a warm roll. And you're done. The whole meal only takes 20 or so minutes from start to finish. Seriously? Couldn't be easier.
More importantly, he was right. This meal, Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Arugula Salad and Dilled Orzo has become a stand-by for us. It's fast, complete, and consistently turns out well. Plus, I get to use the very lovely baking dish that my excellent mother-in-law (The Original Mrs. Fritz) gave me for Christmas. Which means that I get to appreciate her thoughtfulness every time I prepare it.
That's been the case with many things recently. People were so generous to Mr. Fritz and me during the time surrounding our wedding, and as a result, our kitchen is filled with wonderful things that remind me of certain people. Every time I pull a cereal bowl or dinner plate out of the cupboard or a fork or spoon out of the kitchen drawer, I think of my sister, Mrs. Capaldi. When I set out bread plates, I think of Mrs. McConnell. When I reach for a mixing bowl, I think of The Original Mrs. Fritz's dear friend Mrs. Boersma. When I pull out the blender to make Mr. Fritz a smoothie, I think of my sister, Mrs. Plourde. When I grab a steak knife, I think of Mrs. Glade. When I grab a paring knife, I think of my new sister-in-law, Mrs. Bowers. And so on. It makes my time in the kitchen more meaningful by reminding me to be thankful for the amazing friends and family with which we've been blessed.
In any case, this meal really is simple to prepare. I generally mix up the marinade of minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil and oregano right in the baking dish to minimize clean up. Coat the chicken (I use thin-sliced boneless breasts) with it and lay them in the dish, place a few pieces of lemon on top and into the oven it goes at 450 for 17 or so minutes. Meantime, cook the orzo in a pot of boiling water on the stove. When it's finished, drain and toss with olive oil and dried dill. And while you wait for the orzo to cook, mix up the salad dressing (equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil) and use it to dress the arugula. Plate the chicken and orzo together. Serve the salad in a separate bowl. Add a warm roll. And you're done. The whole meal only takes 20 or so minutes from start to finish. Seriously? Couldn't be easier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
