Fabruary 12, 2012

Sunday
PB&J sandwich
(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ignacios-super-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich/ )
Ingredients
3 slices bread
2 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Snack mix

Directions
Toast 1 bread slice, allow to cool. Spread one side of each of the two remaining slices with preserves. Spread both sides of the toasted slice with peanut butter. Form a sandwich with the toasted slice in the center. Serve with snack mix of choice.

Monday
California rolls
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/california-roll-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
4 sheets nori
1/2 batch sushi rice, recipe follows
1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchstick-size pieces
4 crabsticks, torn into pieces
Pickled ginger, for serving
Wasabi, for serving
Soy sauce, for serving

Directions
Squeeze the lemon juice over the avocado to prevent browning. Cover a bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap. Cut nori sheets in half crosswise. Lay 1 sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the plastic covered mat. Wet your fingers with water and spread about 1/2 cup of the rice evenly onto the nori. Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds. Turn the sheet of nori over so that the rice side is down. Place 1/8 of the cucumber, avocado and crab sticks in the center of the sheet. Grab the edge of the mat closest to you, keeping the fillings in place with your fingers, and roll it into a tight cylinder, using the mat to shape the cylinder. Pull away the mat and set aside. Cover with a damp cloth. Repeat until all of the rice has been used. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce

Sushi Rice:
2 cups sushi or short grain rice
2 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear. Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi. Yield: 4 cups

Tuesday
Classic Baked Chicken Recipe
(http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_chicken/ )
Ingredients
3 to 4 lb chicken, cut into 8 parts (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings) excluding the back
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup of chicken stock* or white wine for the gravy (optional)

Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil. Rub some olive oil over all of the chicken pieces in the roasting pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the roasting pan so the largest pieces are in the center (the breasts) and there is a little room between pieces so they aren't crowded in the pan.
2 Cook for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for 10-30 minutes more (approximately 14 to 15 minutes per pound total cooking time) until juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165°F and the thighs 170°. If your chicken pieces aren't browning to your satisfaction, you can put them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking, until browned sufficiently.
3 Remove roasting pan from oven. Remove chicken from roasting pan to a serving plate. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
4 To make gravy for the chicken, take the roasting pan with its drippings and place on a medium setting on the stovetop. Use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add a quarter cup of white wine or chicken stock* to the pan to help deglaze the drippings from the pan. Pour the wine/stock and dripping mixture into a small saucepan and heat on medium high to reduce to desired thickness.
*While the chicken pieces are baking, if you bought a whole chicken that was then cut into pieces, you may have the back, the neck, and some gizzard pieces to use for making chicken stock. You can chop up the back a little, put it and the neck and gizzards (not the liver) into a small saucepan, barely cover with water, bring to a simmer, cook while the chicken is cooking. When the chicken in the oven is done cooking, use the stock from simmering the extra pieces to make the gravy. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or Spanish rice.

Roasted Asparagus
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-asparagus-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
2 bunches medium asparagus
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated or shaved Parmesan, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Trim the woody ends from the asparagus, usually about 1 1/2 inches. Lightly peel the remaining stalks (not always necessary, but more of a personal preference). Spread the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and roll to coat thoroughly.
Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through to turn the asparagus. Arrange the roasted asparagus on a serving platter and top with some Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wednesday
Stuffed bell peppers
Ingredients
6 green bell peppers
Salt to taste
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
Water as needed

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, sauté beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers.
4. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Harvest Rice Pilaf
(http://www.zatarains.com/Recipes/Side-Dish/Harvest-Rice-Pilaf.aspx )
Ingredients
2 teaspoons oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup apple juice
1 cup water
1 package ZATARAIN'S® Rice Pilaf
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2 minutes or until softened.
2. Stir in apple juice, water, Rice Mix, apple and pecans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

Tomato-and-Onion Salad
(http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tomato-and-onion-salad-10000001079907/print/ )
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium-size sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation
Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Arrange tomato and onion slices in rows in a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped basil, and drizzle evenly with marinade. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Thursday
Chicken Enchiladas
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
9 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 medium white onion
1 serrano chile
1 yellow chile (guero)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 store-bought rotisserie chicken breasts, skinned and shredded (to yield 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the tomatillos, onion, serrano, yellow chile and 3/4 cup water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and boil until the tomatillos turn olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos, onion and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Put the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas, seam-side down, in one layer snugly inside the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Drizzle with the Mexican crema and sprinkle the cheese all over. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Uptown Red Beans and Rice
(http://www.zatarains.com/Recipes/Main-Dish/Uptown-Red-Beans-and-Rice.aspx )
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound smoked turkey sausage, sliced
1 package (8 ounces) ZATARAIN'S® Red Beans and Rice
3 1/4 cups water
Chopped green onions (optional)

Directions
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add sausage; brown on both sides.
2. Stir in Rice Mix and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in green onions. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Friday
Chicken Curry Recipe
(http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/chicken-curry )
1 chicken breast
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 lb eggplant
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 cups water
4-5 kaffir lime leaves
3-5 sprigs Thai basil
Cooked brown rice

Method
I use Thai eggplants, the golf ball size ones. But, they can be difficult to find. Regular eggplants that you find in supermarkets are a good substitute. If you have the Thai eggplants, cut them up into quarters. If you have the regular eggplants, cut them into bite size pieces. Wash and pick the basil leaves. Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces. If you have this dish in Thailand, you will see that the chicken comes with bones. All parts such as legs and thighs can be used. The bones make the curry more flavorful. Pour half of the coconut milk into a large pot, over low to medium low heat. Add the red curry paste. Break up the paste and mix it with coconut milk. Stir constantly. Lower the heat if it splatters too much. Add chicken when you see red oil bubbling on top. Stir and coat chicken with curry sauce. Add the eggplant when chicken starts to turn white. Add the rest of the coconut milk and water and the fish sauce. Let it boil until all the eggplant pieces turn dark and tender. The longer you boil the curry, the thicker the curry becomes because the eggplant disintegrates and thickens the sauce. Pull the center stem off from the kaffir lime leaves and add them to the curry. Add the basil leaves just before you serve and make sure the leaves are submerged quickly in the curry to preserve the color. Serve hot with brown rice and egg rolls (frozen, cooked according to direction).

Saturday
Methi Chaman Biryani
http://www.khanapakana.com/recipe/0ac033b5-21d2-463b-bf15-94623babfdc4/methi-chaman-biryani
Ingredient Quantity
Fenugreek leaves (methi) 3 cups
Cottage cheese (paneer) 200 grams
Corn niblets,cooked 1 cup
Basmati rice 2 cups
Green chillies 2
Ginger 2 inch piece
Fresh coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup
Saffron (kesar) a pinch
Milk , warm 1/2 cup
Yogurt 2 cups
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
Ginger paste 2 tablespoons
Garlic paste 2 tablespoons
Whole garam masala 1 tablespoon (http://www.npr.org/2011/04/27/135761263/garam-masala-a-taste-worth-acquiring )
Ghee 5 tablespoons
Onion ,sliced 2 cups
Coriander powder 2 tablespoons
Cumin powder 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes,chopped 2 cups
Garam masala powder 2 teaspoons
Butter 50 grams
Onions , sliced and fried 1/2 cup

Method
Wash methi leaves thoroughly in running water and chop it roughly. Cut paneer into half-inch cubes. Pick, clean and wash rice. Soak rice in water. Chop green chillies. Peel ginger and cut into juliennes (thin strips). Wash coriander and mint leaves and roughly chop them separately. Soak saffron in warm milk and keep aside. Marinade paneer and corn niblets with yogurt, salt, turmeric powder and one tablespoon each of ginger and garlic pastes. Marinade for about half an hour in a cool place. Cook rice in salted boiling water along with whole garam masala till rice is almost cooked. Strain and keep the rice warm. Heat ghee or oil in a thick-bottomed pan or pressure cooker. Add sliced onions and chopped green chillies. Cook till onions are light golden brown. Make sure to stir continuously. Add remaining ginger and garlic pastes and mix well. Add methi leaves and cook on high heat for ten minutes, stirring continuously. Add marinated paneer and corn niblets. Now, add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly. Stir in one cup of water, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till methi and paneer mixture is quite dry. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, garam masala powder and chopped fresh coriander leaves. Cook for fifteen minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Arrange half the quantity of cooked methi, corn and paneer in an ovenproof dish and spread half the quantity of cooked rice on top of it. Sprinkle a little garam masala powder, half each of ginger juliennes, saffron dissolved in warm milk and mint leaves. Dot the rice with half the quantity of butter. Layer remaining methi, paneer and corn mixture on top of the rice, followed by cooked rice and repeat the earlier process with the remaining quantities of ginger juliennes, saffron milk, garam masala powder, mint leaves and butter. Cover it with aluminum foil and cook in a preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes. Serve garnished with fried sliced onion and mixed vegetable raita.