Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sweet and SpicyTofu (with cucumber salad)

 
Tofu. You never know what to do with it because it doesn't taste like anything.

That's a good thing.

It gives you the opportunity to do whatever you want with it! I've been on an Asian kick lately so I gave it a try. The husband was so kind as to throw together a cucumber salad as well!


Adapted from Running To The Kitchen.

Ingredients:

Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu, pressed & cubed
1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sauce
1 clove of garlic
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
juice of ½ a lime
1½ tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped mint

 
  • Toss the cubed tofu with the corn meal in a large bowl.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the tofu and let cook for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown, mine took about 15 minutes until I was happy with color and texture.
 
  • While tofu cooks, add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and whisk together.
 
 
  • Remove the tofu to a plate.
  • Add the sauce from the bowl to the hot skillet and let cook for about 30 seconds.
 
 
  • Add the tofu back to the skillet and toss until fully coated with the sauce.
You could have this with rice, but like I said, the husband made me a cucumber salad to go with it. It was delicious so I've included the recipe from Our Best Bites
 
 
Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices
1-1/2 lbs cucumber (about 3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar, seasoned or regular
1/2 c water
3 Tbs sugar*
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs minced red onion
  • Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well.  Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated.  Toss the cukes a few times while they drain as well.  While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade below.
  • Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes).  If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 C. Remove reduction from heat and add onion.  Let mixture cool to room temp.
  • When cucumbers are done resting, pat them dry with a few paper towels and then combine with the vinegar reduction.  This can be served immediately, but for best results refrigerate until well chilled.
 

Spinach, Avocado and Sriracha Breakfast Sandwich

Hey you!!

Yeah you! The one who never eats breakfast on the weekend because you're busy making sure everyone else is taken care of? Try this. No joke, less than 5 minutes.

Ingredients:                                                                                                                       
 
1/2 pita bread                                                                                                             
1 egg
spinach
avocado
sriracha
 
Directions:
 
Toast your pita.
Smear some avocado.
Layer the spinach.
Top with a fried egg.
Top with sriracha.

You're done. GO! GO! GO!

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Lasagna Soup

If you know me, you know I love lasagna. You also know I love to make lasagna. From scratch.

Yeah... not so doable during the week. I found this one in Food Network Magazine... it may not be my lasagna, but its a good stand in for a cold winter night.

Sorry about the pictures... my camera died and I was trying to get as much juice out of battery life as possible.



Ingredients:

8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into piece (10 noodles)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 gloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus thinly sliced leaves for topping
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Ricotta cheese, for topping

  • Cook your noodles as directed... when you drain them leave them in the colander and toss with the olive oil to keep moist.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pan over medium high heat. I use my chowder pot for this one.
  • Add the onion and cook until they're softened. Go with your preference on this one... I like my onions crunchy.
  • Add the sausage, garlic and oregano. Break up the sausage as it browns.
  • Add the tomato paste, stir and cook until it gets to be a really dark red color.
  • Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water. Cover your pot and let it simmer.


  • Once its simmered, uncover the pot and cook until it slightly reduced (about 10 minutes).
  • Stir in your noodles, basil, parmesan and heavy cream.


Cook to your liking and serve!
 
*Note - make sure to break up your noodles into bite sized pieces before you cook them. I wasn't thinking straight (too much red wine... can't make lasagna without it) and didn't make them small enough. Ended up with fist sized bites and a lot of slurping action. 
 

Beef and Sweet Potato Turnovers

Show of hands... who like sweet potato? (If you're not raising your hand, we're not friends anymore.)

Still with me?

Good.

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! I wanted to make out with my plate when I was done with these. I can't even explain how melt in your mouth yummy these are. And look! They're even relatively healthy. :) Btw... this came from Real Simple... one my favorite magazines.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, grated
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed, halved
  • 1/2 cup grated Cheddar

  • Heat your oven to 400°, and your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    Add the beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the garlic and let it get fragrant.


    No, this isn't cheese... it's sweet potato!! Grated on a cheese grater.

     
    Add the sweet potato and spinach to your skillet. Stir to combine, letting the spinach wilt.

     
    Dividing evenly, spoon the beef mixture onto one side of each piece of puff pastry, leaving a ¼-inch border.
     
     
    Top with the cheese, fold the dough over the filling, and press firmly to seal.
    Transfer the turnovers to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
     
     
    Golden delicious. And I'm not talking apples.

     
    This was filling by itself, but would be great with a side spinach salad. Maybe with a bit of pear, feta and honey balsamic. So many flavors, so little time! 

     
     
    *Note - this recipe says it makes 4 servings... I made it into 2. 1/2 of one of these was definitely not enough for me. I also had a LOT of leftover filling.
    *Note - Since the beef and spinach are hot when you are trying to close the turnovers, don't be surprised if your puff pastry starts to fall apart. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! Mine had small holes here and there but everything seemed to stay in tact and my cheese did not froth out. 

    Zucchini Crust Pizza

    Eating healthy is hard.

    Super hard.

    I had a craving for pizza. Not wanting to blow my hard work on more than one weekly occasion zucchini crust was my compromise. Surprisingly... this was easier than it looks.

    And look! Only 3 Ingredients.

  • 1 large egg or 2 small ones
  • About 3 small-medium zucchinis (mine were about 8″)
  • 1.5 cups grated parmesan or mozzarella.  I liked parmesan best for this one.

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grate the zucchini. Let it sit. Squeeze the water out.  If you have cheese cloth, good for you. If not... press into the zucchini with your fist until you get the majority of the water out of the vegetable and your colander.

     
    Mix your grated zucchini with egg and grated cheese.
     


    Spread some parchment paper out on a pizza pan. A baking stone would probably work best, but work with what you got.

    Toss it in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the edges have browned.


    I did mozzarella and prosciutto for this pizza. Wicked easy. Put your sliced prosciutto in your oven or toaster oven and watch it crisp (have a towel handy for excess drool).


    Once it crisps, let it cool and chop into strips.


    Mmmmm... see that? Semi-crispy on the edges.


    Now... toss your sauce and toppings on top of the crust and put it back in the oven.

    Let. The cheese. Melt.


    Enjoy! (wine goes great with this one)