The Recipe
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 pounds turkey breast cutlets -- cut into 1/4" strips
1 lb chili
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 bell pepper strips
1 onion -- thinly sliced
1 can corn
2/3 cup salsa -- your favorite
In a skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add turkey; stir-fry 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin. Add bell pepper and onion; stir-fry 3 minutes. Stir in corn and salsa. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Serve with rice.
The Verdict
I couldn't find turkey, so I used chicken instead. Otherwise, I made no alterations.
Unfortunately it was rather dull and bland. Not something I'll be making again.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Week 24: Pasta Cabonara
Pasta Cabonara recipes seem to be hit and miss for me, as I find many of them simply too rich. This seemed like a nice change though, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
The Recipe
(Serves 1)
125g spaghetti
100g bacon
1 clove garlic, peeled BUT NOT CHOPPED!!!
1 egg
Black pepper
Chilli
Grated Parmigano cheese
Boil spaghetti according to directions on package.
Cut the bacon into pieces. Put them in a skillet and season with chilli according to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, until fat begins to render. Add the whole clove of garlic and cook another 5 minutes until the edges of bacon just begin to get crisp. Do not overcook.
Meanwhile, break the eggs into the bowl you will serve the pasta ind and beat them with a fork. Add some grindings of pepper.
Remove the garlic from the bacon pan.
When it's cooked, drain the pasta and immediately throw it into the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. The heat of the spaghetti will cook the eggs and turn them into a sauce. Add the bacon with its fat, toss again, add cheese and serve.
The Verdict
I'm glad I gave this a chance, because it was very good! The egg/pasta ratio and lack of added milk made for a less rich sauce than I'm used to, which is definitely a good thing. There was slightly too much bacon though (I know, I know, that's an oxymoron), so I think I may limit myself to 75g next time.
But good! :)
(Photo taken at a later time where I added mushrooms, bell pepper and tomatoes.)
The Recipe
125g spaghetti
100g bacon
1 clove garlic, peeled BUT NOT CHOPPED!!!
1 egg
Black pepper
Chilli
Grated Parmigano cheese
Boil spaghetti according to directions on package.
Cut the bacon into pieces. Put them in a skillet and season with chilli according to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, until fat begins to render. Add the whole clove of garlic and cook another 5 minutes until the edges of bacon just begin to get crisp. Do not overcook.
Meanwhile, break the eggs into the bowl you will serve the pasta ind and beat them with a fork. Add some grindings of pepper.
Remove the garlic from the bacon pan.
When it's cooked, drain the pasta and immediately throw it into the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. The heat of the spaghetti will cook the eggs and turn them into a sauce. Add the bacon with its fat, toss again, add cheese and serve.
The Verdict
I'm glad I gave this a chance, because it was very good! The egg/pasta ratio and lack of added milk made for a less rich sauce than I'm used to, which is definitely a good thing. There was slightly too much bacon though (I know, I know, that's an oxymoron), so I think I may limit myself to 75g next time.
But good! :)
(Photo taken at a later time where I added mushrooms, bell pepper and tomatoes.)
Monday, June 4, 2012
Week 23: Crock-pot Italian Pork Chops
It's starting to become a tradition that I start up the crock-pot each Sunday when I get home from church. Terrific tradition if you ask me. I love not having to worry about dinner :)
The Recipe
4 pork chops
1 small squash, sliced thinly
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
6 tomatoes, diced
12 olives without pits, halved (the original recipe called for just FOUR olives!!! Might as well not bother then!)
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
salt, pepper
Brown the pork chops on a pan if you feel like it... I didn't :)
In a crock-pot, add onion and bell pepper. Put the pork chops on top and sprinkle with oregano and other spices that might catch your fancy (I used a bit of a BBQ mix I had and some curry). Put tomatoes and olives on top and cover with a layer of squash slices. Mix together vinegar and stock and pour over. Add salt and pepper according to taste (it needed more salt than I'd added). Cover and cook on LOW for 5-8 hours.
Serve with pasta or rice.
The Verdict
I cooked mine for just about 7 hours, but don't think that was quite enough, as the pork chops were still quite dry. It tasted okay - the vinegar and olives gave it a nice 'twist' - but I have so many other, better pork chops recipes, so I don't think I'll be making this again.
The Recipe
4 pork chops
1 small squash, sliced thinly
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
6 tomatoes, diced
12 olives without pits, halved (the original recipe called for just FOUR olives!!! Might as well not bother then!)
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
salt, pepper
Brown the pork chops on a pan if you feel like it... I didn't :)
In a crock-pot, add onion and bell pepper. Put the pork chops on top and sprinkle with oregano and other spices that might catch your fancy (I used a bit of a BBQ mix I had and some curry). Put tomatoes and olives on top and cover with a layer of squash slices. Mix together vinegar and stock and pour over. Add salt and pepper according to taste (it needed more salt than I'd added). Cover and cook on LOW for 5-8 hours.
Serve with pasta or rice.
The Verdict
I cooked mine for just about 7 hours, but don't think that was quite enough, as the pork chops were still quite dry. It tasted okay - the vinegar and olives gave it a nice 'twist' - but I have so many other, better pork chops recipes, so I don't think I'll be making this again.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Week 22: Avocado Mac and Cheese
The Recipe
150g dry elbow macaroni
150g bacon
Chilli to taste
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cups shredded cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh avocado chunks, for garnish, optional
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, place garlic, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, cook bacon until done, adding chilli to taste. Remove from pan and add to the (now drained) macaroni. Add butter to the saucepan and heat over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.
Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and bacon and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and chili flakes, to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.
The Verdict
Not half bad! Although I think I used a tad too much garlic, as it ended up being somewhat overpowering. If I make this again (which I may, as I rather liked it), I think I'll cook the garlic together with the bacon rather than adding it to the avocado sauce. Other than that I really enjoyed it. The avocado added a lovely touch. The original recipe didn't call for bacon, but I've found that mac'n'cheese by itself isn't really my thing, so I thought this would be a nice addition. I was right, and this, the avocado and the extra chili flakes I added kept the dish from being as uncomfortably rich as it sometimes can be.
150g dry elbow macaroni
150g bacon
Chilli to taste
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cups shredded cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh avocado chunks, for garnish, optional
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, place garlic, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, cook bacon until done, adding chilli to taste. Remove from pan and add to the (now drained) macaroni. Add butter to the saucepan and heat over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.
Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and bacon and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and chili flakes, to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.
The Verdict
Not half bad! Although I think I used a tad too much garlic, as it ended up being somewhat overpowering. If I make this again (which I may, as I rather liked it), I think I'll cook the garlic together with the bacon rather than adding it to the avocado sauce. Other than that I really enjoyed it. The avocado added a lovely touch. The original recipe didn't call for bacon, but I've found that mac'n'cheese by itself isn't really my thing, so I thought this would be a nice addition. I was right, and this, the avocado and the extra chili flakes I added kept the dish from being as uncomfortably rich as it sometimes can be.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Week 21: Cajun Chicken Pasta
250g linguine or similar (any fresh pasta will do)
400g chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
250g fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 spring onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp lcream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.Prep all your vegetables. In a small bowl make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Heat half of the oil in a large skillet; add the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Set aside.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the skillet and add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat.
The Verdict
Unfortunately not nearly as good as the recipe made it sound. But then I never can get slurries to thicken anything, so I won't deny that that may have something to do with it. It wasn't bad, just a lot of work for something not all that good.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Week 20: Italian Pot Pie
The Recipe
Meat Sauce
1 lb ground beef
2-3 carrots
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
chili flakes (optional)
2 cups of your favourite tomato sauce (homemade or from a jar - doesn't matter - but remember that the better the sauce, the better your dish)
Biscuit topping
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup grated parm or similar
1/4 tsp herbs (e.g. thyme, oregano, rosemary)
dash of salt
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 225C.
Finely chop onion and carrots. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, add vegetables, season with salt and pepper and let them cook until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add ground beef, garlic and chili flakes. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce. Bring the vegetable/sauce/meat mixture to a boil, turn it down to a simmer and let to go for 8-10 minutes until it's thickened a bit. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile mix together the dry ingredients for your biscuit topping. Make a well in the middle of your mix and pour in the butter and milk. Stir the whole thing up until it comes together as a dough.
Season your stew according to taste and add any additional vegetables you feel like - corn, bell pepper, whatever. Spoon the meat sauce into four oven proof bowls (at least 8oz each or it won't fit). Put the bowls on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup in case of spills. Use a spoon to dop your topping dough over the stews. There might be gaps where you can see the stew through the topping - that's fine. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
The Verdict
I think just possibly I didn't leave it long enough in the oven - the dough still seemed rather doughy and not at all as crisp and puffy as I would have expected. It tasted great though, and as I have leftovers, it'll be interesting to see what they're like after a second round in the oven.
The recipe above serves 3 generously.
ETA: Okay, the results are in, I definitely hadn't left it in the oven for long enough. I gave the left-overs another 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven, and they're so much better and crispier now! Still didn't rise all that much, but I expect that's because of the weird double heating.
Meat Sauce
1 lb ground beef
2-3 carrots
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
chili flakes (optional)
2 cups of your favourite tomato sauce (homemade or from a jar - doesn't matter - but remember that the better the sauce, the better your dish)
Biscuit topping
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup grated parm or similar
1/4 tsp herbs (e.g. thyme, oregano, rosemary)
dash of salt
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 225C.
Finely chop onion and carrots. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, add vegetables, season with salt and pepper and let them cook until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add ground beef, garlic and chili flakes. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce. Bring the vegetable/sauce/meat mixture to a boil, turn it down to a simmer and let to go for 8-10 minutes until it's thickened a bit. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile mix together the dry ingredients for your biscuit topping. Make a well in the middle of your mix and pour in the butter and milk. Stir the whole thing up until it comes together as a dough.
Season your stew according to taste and add any additional vegetables you feel like - corn, bell pepper, whatever. Spoon the meat sauce into four oven proof bowls (at least 8oz each or it won't fit). Put the bowls on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup in case of spills. Use a spoon to dop your topping dough over the stews. There might be gaps where you can see the stew through the topping - that's fine. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
The Verdict
I think just possibly I didn't leave it long enough in the oven - the dough still seemed rather doughy and not at all as crisp and puffy as I would have expected. It tasted great though, and as I have leftovers, it'll be interesting to see what they're like after a second round in the oven.
The recipe above serves 3 generously.
ETA: Okay, the results are in, I definitely hadn't left it in the oven for long enough. I gave the left-overs another 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven, and they're so much better and crispier now! Still didn't rise all that much, but I expect that's because of the weird double heating.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Week 19: Corn, Sausage and Pepper Chowder
The Recipe
1 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into chunks
A dash of white pepper
A dash of cumin
1 can (160g) corn
225g sausage of some kind, halved and sliced
1/3 cup milk
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender, approx. 10 minutes. Stir in broth, potatoes, pepper and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 25 minutes.
Puree half the corn in a blender or food processor. Stir pureed corn, remaining whole corn, sausage and milk into the soup. Leave to simmer for another 25 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
The Verdict
YUM!!! I like my corn chowder with a bit of a kick, so I added chilli flakes to my portion, and thought it tasted fantastic :-) But there was too little of it - according to the recipe, this should serve 3 - DH and I scraped the pot and hardly got our fill. Next time I'll increase the measurements by 50% - the liquids possibly by 100% as I don't mind my soup being a tad more liquid. Also not entirely sure that it's necessary to puree half the corn, but it might have added to the creaminess, so I don't know...
Anyway, this is DEFINITELY a soup I'll be making again. It was one of the best I've tried in awhile.
1 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into chunks
A dash of white pepper
A dash of cumin
1 can (160g) corn
225g sausage of some kind, halved and sliced
1/3 cup milk
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender, approx. 10 minutes. Stir in broth, potatoes, pepper and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 25 minutes.
Puree half the corn in a blender or food processor. Stir pureed corn, remaining whole corn, sausage and milk into the soup. Leave to simmer for another 25 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
The Verdict
YUM!!! I like my corn chowder with a bit of a kick, so I added chilli flakes to my portion, and thought it tasted fantastic :-) But there was too little of it - according to the recipe, this should serve 3 - DH and I scraped the pot and hardly got our fill. Next time I'll increase the measurements by 50% - the liquids possibly by 100% as I don't mind my soup being a tad more liquid. Also not entirely sure that it's necessary to puree half the corn, but it might have added to the creaminess, so I don't know...
Anyway, this is DEFINITELY a soup I'll be making again. It was one of the best I've tried in awhile.
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