Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Week 30: Honey-Mustard Beef Patties

The Recipe
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 pound ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons diced onion (about 1/4 small onion)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, honey, mustard, oregano, onion and pepper; mix thoroughly. Divide beef mixture into 1/2-inch thick patties. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook patties for 7 to 8 minutes, turning once.

The Verdict
I changed this recipe a bit. Originally it said to make 2 tablespoons honey-mustard mixture and then only use 2 teaspoons! I couldn't find anything about what to do with the remaining 4 teaspoons, so I decided to go with the above measurements instead. I only have one word - YUMMY! I loved the sweet-spicy taste of it. I think it would have gone really well with some red-currant jam actually. Definitely something I'm making again - next time making sure that the onion is very finely diced, as I slacked on that this time.

Week 29: Mexican Beef Patties

The Recipe
A pinch of salt teaspoon salt
1/2 pound ground beef
30gr canned diced green chilies
3/4 tablespoon taco seasoning
2 tablespoons shredded cheese

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, green chilies, taco seasoning mix and salt; blend well. Divide mixture into 1/2-inch patties. Coat a skillet with cooking spray over medium heat; add beef patties and cook for 6 minutes per side. Top each patty evenly with cheese and cook for 2 minutes or until burgers are done and cheese has melted.

The Verdict
Since DH was eating this as well, I only used half the amount of chili, as 30grams sounded rather overwhelming - even when talking about canned chilies. Also, I'd forgotten to buy taco seasoning, so I used half-and-half of paprika and basil instead. But even with those alterations it ended up tasting really good, and a nice alternative to the boring plain beef patties.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Week 28: Asian Bow Tie Pasta Salad

The Recipe
125 gr Bow Tie pasta
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh gingerroot
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon sugar
250 gr cooked chicken breast meat
1 red bell pepper
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water until cool; drain well. While the pasta cooks, stir sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until toasted, about one minute; transfer to a large bowl and whisk in vinegar, mustard, gingerroot, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar. Thinly slice the chicken and add to the bowl along with the cooked and drained pasta, red bell pepper, and scallions. Season to taste and serve.

The Verdict
I thought 125 gr (1/4 lb) pasta sounded like a ridiculously small amount, so doubled it, and there was still far too much meat in comparison to the rest. Next time I think I'll do 250gr pasta and 125gr meat instead.

As DH isn't too keen on raw ginger root, I served the dressing on the side, which worked fine. It was a nice, cool summer dish, that I'll probably be making again.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Week 27: Red and Green Ravioli

The Recipe
4-500g Ravioli with filling of your choice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
1-2 garlic, chopped
1 can tomatoes with basil and oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
150g bacon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until semi-crisp. Add green pepper, onion and garlic; cook for 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes longer. Stir in pepper; remove from heat. Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl; pour sauce on top and serve immediately.

The Verdict
Very simple and very yummy. Definitely not something I need a recipe for though. It really doesn't get much easier than this!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Week 26: Pasta Italiano

The Recipe
500g whole wheat pasta
225g bacon
500g pork, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, pressed
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1dl chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon chili
1 1/4 dl grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a wok over high heat until crisp; drain and crumble. Remove from wok. Add garlic and pork to pan drippings and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until pork is no longer pink. Remove pork from the pan and set aside. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, chicken broth and spices to the pan; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return pork to the pan and heat through. Mix with pasta, Parmesan cheese and bacon.

The Verdict
The original recipe actually called for twice as much garlic as I listed here, but I thought 4 cloves was PLENTY, and it would definitely have been too overwhelming if I'd used more, but if you love garlic, go for it :D. I rather liked this dish and would make it again with two alterations:
1) The meat got really, really dry. I'd probably either marinate it first, or use chicken instead.
2) There weren't nearly enough vegetables for my taste. Next time I'll either double the amount of tomatoes and/or bell pepper or add squash/eggplant/mushrooms to the mix.

This recipe generously serves 3 people.