Onion Pork Chops, Banana Bread, Stuffed Peppers and Pear Torte

I know, I know, 2 posts so close together, what am I thinking?! I've gotten a bit of a backlog, so decided to put 2 out this week.

First off, a copiously easy dish that's good for a weeknight. All you do is pour a can of Cola and packet of onion soup mix in a container with a couple pork chops, then bake for 30 minutes a side. I recommend reducing the sauce a bit more once it comes out, but otherwise it works well as a sauce over rice. Tasty, simple, and can make enough for leftovers.

Next, some banana bread. Combine 2C flour, 1t baking soda, 1/4t salt, 1/2C butter, 3/5C brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1t vanilla and 3-4 overripe bananas. Stir until combined, pour in a loaf pan, then bake at 350 for about 60 minutes. If you use bananas that are still edible to normal people, they will end up as chunks in the bread (which is actually quite tasty). Makes a great snack, breakfast, or dessert.

A stuffed green pepper makes for a great dinner, and keeps really well for a couple days. If you have leftover filling, it also works well sautéed for breakfast. To make the filling, brown 1 chopped onion and 1 lb ground beef, drain grease, then add 1 minced clove of garlic, 2t basil, 2t oregano, salt and pepper and a 15oz can of chopped tomatoes. Add the meat mixture and 1 cup of prepared rice with an egg, adjust seasonings to taste. Then fill halved and cleaned green peppers, top with cheddar, and bake at 350 for an hour. They're quite tasty, and sort of a comfort food for me.

Finally, another filling for the torte recipe from a while ago. Slice pears, then boil in heavily sugared water with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until well reduced, then use as filling in the tort, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and nutmeg, close and bake. Delicious.

Breakfast salad, Corn Soup, Chocolate Milkshake

I was able to get to a farmers market (finally!), and so have been enjoying some fresh vegetables lately. One thing I've liked is a simple variety of fresh things for breakfast. A sliced avocado, tomato, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, crumbled bacon and cheddar, then drizzled with balsamic and sprinkled with sea salt make a great start to the day.

Next, a soup with some fresh sweet corn. Sauté 5 ears worth of corn with a little butter, cumin, salt and pepper, and add to chicken broth. Then, sauté a sliced onion with some olive oil, and add that to the broth. Add some milk, minced garlic, onion and garlic powder, more cumin, and a touch of cinnamon, them pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for half an hour or so, then puree, and add more seasonings to taste. Quite delicious, and also quite healthy.

Finally, a chocolate milkshake that's not nearly as bad for you as most of them out there. Start off with a couple cups of skim milk in a blender, then add ~12 ice cubes. Then add ~1/3C of baking chocolate powder, sugar, chocolate syrup, vanilla and peppermint schnapps. Comes out light and frothy, and significantly better for you than making a milkshake with ice cream, and just as delicious.

Pita, Balsamic Onion Tart, Dumplings and Maple Salmon

To start off, we've got homemade pita bread. I had never really considered making it before I had a bunch of extra hummus (see earlier post) and no pita to go with it, such a calamity! So, after making it, I found that it's really quite simple, quite fun to make, and is very good. To make it, combine and kneed 3C flour, 1.5t salt, 1T honey, 2t yeast, 1.25C water and 2T olive oil until well combined, and let rise about an hour and a half. Then, divide into 8 balls and press/roll into pita shaped on a well-floured counter. If you work them too much and they won't hold the flattened shape, let the dough rest 10 minutes and try again. Bake on a stone in the oven at 400 degrees until the bottom is lightly golden. They turn out soft and light, and go really well with hummus, or make a nice personal pizza crust. Based on http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/pitabread

Next up, we have a savory tart that turned out to be absolutely fantastic. I found a recipe for a French tart dough that made a shell similar to a pie crust that was quite simple, and went from there. To make the crust, put 6T butter, 1T oil, 1T sugar, 1/8t salt and 3T water in a Pyrex measuring cup, and bake at 410 degrees in the oven until the edges of the butter are just starting to brown. Carefully remove from the oven, and mix in 1 rounded cup of flour, then stir until well combined, let cool, then roll out to form a crust on a well-floured counter.

At this point, you can fill it with pretty much whatever you'd like, but I think my concoction was pretty delicious. I started by drizzling some reduced balsamic vinegar on the bottom, then layered thickly sliced onion and tomato, basil, oregano, thyme, more reduced balsamic vinegar, and top with mozzarella cheese. Now comes the challenging part, folding it up without making a disastrous mess. I used a pastry scraper to fold up the sides and press them together and used a small sheet pan as a peel to transfer to the oven. Bake at 400 degrees on a stone until nicely browned and bubbly. It turned out to be absolutely fantastic, and the crust is quite versatile. I have also used it with pear slices that were boiled in water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and it made a fantastic dessert. The crust is based on http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/french-tart-dough-a-la-francaise/

Next up is a dumpling that turned out OK, but weren't outstanding; I think because the filling I used wasn't the best. To make, kneed 2.5C flour, 1t salt, 3/4C water, 1t baking powder, 1t oil and 1 egg, then roll out on a well-floured counter. Make sure that you get it nice and thin, otherwise it doesn't cook evenly. Then fill with something good; the Italian sausage I used was good, the potato not so much. I think mozzarella would be good, as well. Make sure you cut the dough into larger pieces than you think, otherwise they can be tough to get closed. Once made, boil for a few minutes, then drain and serve with sauce, Parmesan, or whatever other garnish you like.

Finally, we end with an awesome maple salmon recipe. To make, mix 1/4C maple syrup, 2T soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4t garlic salt, and 1/4t black pepper in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a foil-lined appropriately sized dish, pour over the glaze, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until easily flaked. If you have a larger piece of fish, double the sauce, and use leftover for pouring on rice.

Kung Pao Chicken, Tuna Pasta Salad and Stuffed Italian Herb Bread

Today we start with one of my favorites growing up, a cold tuna pasta salad. This is quite simple to make, and packs really well for lunches. To make, combine 3 diced hard-boiled eggs, 3C cooked macaroni, 5-10oz defrosted peas (and/or whatever other veggie suits your fancy), 2 6oz cans flaked tuna, 1/4C mayonnaise, 1/4t each salt and pepper, cubed cheddar cheese, chopped green onion and chopped celery. Delicious fresh, and it just gets better in the fridge as the flavors meld. One of my favorites for quite a while.

Next, we have a simplified Kung Pao Chicken I've actually made this a couple times, and it is reliably tasty. To start, marinade ~2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces in soy sauce, water and cornstarch for a couple minutes. Meanwhile, make a sauce by whisking together 2t apple cider vinegar, 2t soy sauce, 1t sesame oil, 1T water, 3t sugar, and 1.5t cornstarch. Heat a bit of sesame oil in a skillet, then add 4 cloves of minced garlic, ginger, chili powder and pepper, then add the chicken and marinade. Cook for a bit, then add 6 chopped green onions and 2/3C roasted peanuts, and simmer until the sauce has reduced to whatever thickness you desire. Serve over rice, and you've got a tasty meal.

Finally, a bit more in-depth bread that makes an absolutely enormous loaf that's filled with a tasty meat and cheese filling.

-Add 1.5t pepper, 2t basil, 2t chervil, 2t thyme, 2t savory and 1/3C olive oil, and let sit for at least an hour.

-Combine 1.5 yeast, 1C warm water, 1C white wine, 1T salt, 5.5C bread flour and infused oil with herbs, and kneed to a smooth, springy, resilient dough. Place in a greased bowl and let rise for an hour.

-Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine 1.5 lb italian sausage, 1 large chopped onion, 3 cloves minced garlic and cook until browned. Then, add 1/4C chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and 2T anise liquor. Let cool.

- Turn out the risen dough onto a floured surface and spread into a big rectangle. Spread the sausage mixture into the center third of the dough, and sprinkle with 8+ oz mozzarella cheese. Bring the 2 long ends together and pinch to close, then slash slits in the top with a sharp knife. Bake in a preheated oven on a pizza stone for 40-50 minutes or until brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool before slicing.

I completely forgot to take a picture of it sliced, but it looked really cool with the layers inside, and was extremely tasty. I sliced it into a couple big pieces and froze it, and it lasted me a couple weeks (it was a really big loaf), that pan is ~13x16.

Tilapia Onion and Mozzarella Crepes, Hummus, and Ginger Cookies

So I have a big bag of tilapia that I've been slowly working through, and I decided to make them into a filling for crepes. I got a crepe pan in France and love making them, and this was a great way to make them for a dinner. For the crepes batter, whisk together 1C flour, 2 eggs, 1/2C milk, 1/2C water, 1/4t salt and 2T melted butter. spread about 1/4C around into a thin pancake, and when it loosens when you shake the pan, it's good to go.

For the filling, I started off by boiling a couple tilapia fillets until they flaked, while also sautéing an onion, carrot and some crushed cashews in a little olive oil, Old Bay seasoning and Italian seasonings. Then, I put the filling into a crepe topped with a little mozzarella, then folded and sprinkled with more Old Bay seasoning and coarse salt.

Ginger cookies were a comfort food that I had all the time growing up, and this recipe still is so delicious. To make, combine 2.25C flour, 2t ginger, 1t baking soda, .75t cinnamon, .5t cloves, .25t salt, 3/4C melted margarine, 1C white sugar, 1 egg, 1T water and 1/4C molasses into a dough. Form into walnut sized balls, roll in sugar, then bake at 350 for ~13 minutes. Really good, and freezes well.

This hummus recipe has been tuned for a while, and makes a delicious and quite cheap and tasty dip. This is just as good if not better than the hummus you buy in the store, but is made for a lot lower price. To make, place into a food processor 2 cloves of garlic, 1 15oz garbanzo beans, 4T lemon juice, 2T tahini, 1/2t salt, 1/2t sugar, 3/4t cumin, 2T olive oil and black pepper to taste. Blend, then add more seasonings as your tastes need. Freezes very well; I made a double recipe and froze it in ice cube trays so that I can get out as much as I need whenever I need it.

One other note, the recipe I put up a while ago for thin-crust pizza dough freezes very well. I made and froze a recipe and have enjoyed making a fresh pizza with only a few hours notice. Very nice to have on hand.

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps, Roasted Chicken Risotto with Caramelized Onions, Orange-scented Olive Oil Cake, and Two Types of Dinner Rolls

So, last Monday I moved to a new apartment in downtown Chicago for my job, which starts June 7th. As a result, I have had a LOT of free time to cook! Therefore, this post may get a little lengthy, but eh, deal with it.

First off, we have a Mu Shu-type chicken lettuce wrap. To start off, cook a couple sliced chicken breasts lightly seasoned with pepper in canola oil until they begin to brown. Then, add 2+ cloves of garlic, a little cayenne pepper and grated (or dried, as it was all I had) ginger to taste and whatever vegetables you want to add and sauté for a minute or so (I used red bell pepper, but pretty much anything would work; water chestnuts would be great). Then, add 3T honey and 3T low-sodium soy sauce and continue to cook until the chicken is well done and the veggies are softened. Serve in large lettuce leaves, and drizzle some sauce from the pan over the top for added bonus. This was really good and came together in about 15 minutes, so would be great for a busy evening. A little messy to eat, but that just added to the fun!

Next, we have a roasted chicken with Risotto and caramelized onions. This ended up to be absolutely delicious, and made 5-6 servings. I started off with a rotisserie chicken, which I picked the meat off of and saved, then made a stock from the carcass (sauté onions and carrots in olive oil, then add carcass, water, garlic, thyme, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and simmer for 2 hours, strain, refrigerate and skim). Then, to make the dish, heat 2T olive oil in a pan and caramelize an onion or two, then set aside in a dish with 1/4C balsamic vinegar. Heat 2T more olive oil in a pan, stir in 1.5C uncooked rice and stir well for 2 minutes, then add 1/2C dry white wine. Then, reduce heat and add 7C chicken broth one cup at a time (waiting until it is absorbed to add more). Once all the broth is absorbed, add the onion and vinegar mixture, 2C of the roasted chicken (chopped), and 2T butter. Looks a little ugly, but is absolutely delicious.

Next up is the orange-scented olive oil cake. This didn't turn out quite as well as I had expected, but was quite good nonetheless. To start, you basically candy some oranges after making them not quite as pungent. To do do, quarter 2 oranges and add to a pot of boiling water for a couple minutes. Discard the water and repeat. Then, add the orange quarters, 4C water and 1C sugar to a saucepan and boil until the orange rinds can easily be pierced with a fork. Discard the syrup, and food-process the orange quarters to form a chunky puree. Then, add to the food processor 2.5C flour, 2t baking powder, 1t baking soda, 1.3C sugar, 1t vanilla and 4 eggs and process until well incorporated. Then add 6T olive oil and process more until combined. Pour into 9''-10'' buttered and pam'd pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Make sure the center is done; that seemed to be the part that bakes slowest for me. When it comes out, drizzle with a reduced syrup made from 1/4C orange juice and 1/4C sugar that have been simmered for a couple minutes. If you'd like, sprinkle with coarse sea salt to finish. Flavors meld well, and none of them are overpowering to the rest. A good dense cake that is not too sweet either. The liquid around the base of the second picture is the glaze.

Finally, I made 2 different types of dinner rolls to have on hand in the freezer so I could have fresh rolls in short order.

First, sweet dinner rolls (the ones of the left). To make the dough, combine 1/2C warm water, 1/2C warm milk, 1 egg, 1/3C softened butter, 1/3C sugar, 1t salt, 3.75C flour and 1.5t activated yeast and knead until kneaded. Then, divide dough in half and press each into a ~12 inch circle. Then, cut each into 8 wedges and roll up from large end to small end. I rolled a small pat of butter inside to make them extra-tasty. Then, let rise for an hour and either bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or freeze for later baking. When freezing rolls, place them on a pan or place and freeze individually, then place together into a bag once frozen for storage. These come out of the oven (after being frozen) soft and buttery, and are very tasty.

Next, the honey wheat sandwich rolls. To make, combine 1.25C warm milk, 1 egg, 2T softened butter, 1/4C honey, 2/4t salt, 2.75C bread flour, 1C whole wheat flour and 1.25t activated yeast and knead until kneaded. Form into rolls sized appropriately for what you want to do with them (sandwiches, dinner rolls, etc), let rise for an hour and either bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or freeze as described above. These come out of the oven (after being frozen) tasting like your standard fresh homemade whole-wheat bread. Certainly more healthy than the previous recipe, and I think would be awesome for a cold-cut sandwich.

Peanut Noodles and Parmesan Pasta

Now that the semester is winding down more, back to some recipes. First up today is an easy and filling peanut butter, noodle, chicken and vegetable dish. To start off, cook 3-4 chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water until cooked, about 11 minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, start on the sauce. To make, combine 1/2C creamy peanut butter, 2T low-sodium soy sauce, 2t minced garlic, chili powder to taste, and ginger to taste and whisk until combined. Then, cook pasta until not quite done, then add whatever vegetables you want to the boiling water for a few minutes until both are cooked. Save 1C of the cooking water to add to the sauce and drain the remainder. Add cooking liquid to the peanut sauce, them toss in with pasta, vegetables and chicken. Great warm or cold, and I like adding quite a bit of chili powder to give it a solid kick.

Next is a dish made with smoked sausage, which keeps for quite a while, so is good to have on hand. Cook your choice of pasta in salted water in a large pot, then drain and set aside in a temporary dish. Then, put either sliced smoked sausage or some other sausage in the same pan you cooked the pasta in as well as olive oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook until warm or cooked, depending on the type of sausage used. Then, add 5 or so handfuls of baby spinach and cook until wilted (it goes down a lot). Then, add the pasta back into the pot as well as 1/2C Parmesan and stir until combined and gooey. I had and enjoyed this fresh or reheated, but if reheating, it helped a lot to very vigorously shake the container I stored it in to break up and clumps and distribute the sauce before dispensing.