Weekly Menu for 11/25

There are a million recipes out there to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. My problem with most of them is they use much of the same flavors. I love sage and rosemary as much as the next girl, but after overloading on traditional herbs during Thanksgiving, I like to switch it up. The Asian flavors in the bok choy noodles were just was I looking for. I realize it's way past Thanksgiving at this point, but next time you have leftover chicken or turkey, try a noodle bowl. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Thanksgiving leftovers
Monday: Skillet gnocchi with Swiss chard and white beans
Tuesday: Garlic thyme quinoa patties over salad
Wednesday: Bok choy noodles with leftover turkey (adapted from Happy Yolks and Elly Says Opa)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Holiday party
Saturday: Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 11/18

I have seriously fallen off the blogging bandwagon. My apologies! I will catch up on past menus over the next few weeks and be back on schedule after the new year. Thanks for your patience!

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Needless to say, Thanksgiving was the highlight of this week. I truly enjoyed all of the food we made. As a bonus, we had leftovers of just about everything. What's your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Broccoli raab is one of my favorite veggies. Adding sausage cuts out any bitterness and you're left with the nutty-tasting green. Mix it with pasta and you have an easy weeknight meal. Happy cooking!


Sunday: Roasted turkey thighs and baby artichokes
Monday: Pasta with sausage and broccoli raab
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Cauliflower with almonds, raisins, and capers
Thursday: Turkey, stuffed mushrooms, brie, sausage and cranberry stuffing, sweet potato puree, Gouda mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin pie, apple crumble, pear cranberry crumble
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Dinner out

Sausage, Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing

Every once in a while you come across a recipe that instantly becomes part of your repertoire. You stop searching for alternatives because you know, know, they will do nothing but disappoint you. I found this stuffing recipe five years ago and have never looked back. The meat and fruit combination is unconventional, but they bring a salty and sweet dimension you didn't know you were missing.

The quantity the is the only downside I'm willing to concede. This recipe makes an absolute mountain of stuffing. Perfect for a holiday gathering. If you're in the market for a new stuffing recipe, give this one a try. Happy cooking!

Sausage, Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing
Adapted from Robert Irvine

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
6 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 leeks, coarsely chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 heaping teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 heaping teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 package stuffing, 14-16 oz. (I use Pepperidge Farm as recommended)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 3 quart and a 2 quart baking dish.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and saute the onions, celery, leeks, and apples. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes, then move them to a huge bowl. In the same pot, saute the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Once it's lightly browned, add the sausage to the bowl. Mix in the poultry seasoning, herbs, and dried cranberries. Add the stuffing cubes and moisten with the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Split the stuffing between the two dishes and bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 12-16 servings

To prepare in advance: Vegetables can be chopped and refrigerated up to two days before. The prepared stuffing can be baked for 30 minutes, cooled, and then refrigerated one day before. On turkey day, reheat for 30 minutes or until warm.

Weekly Menu for 11/11

Apple cider-infused red kale and quinoa

After eating out so much last week, I craved home-cooked meals. Kale and quinoa can sometimes be a little too-healthy tasting, even for me, so I cooked both in a mixture of apple cider and rosemary. Topped with toasted walnuts, it was a fabulous and nutritious fall meal. Please let me know if you (or your lady friend :) would like the recipe.

I've talked about my love of cabbage before, so it's probably not a surprise that Brussels sprouts are also one of my favorite vegetables. If you're still warming up to sprouts, shredded is a great way to go. The little green threads cook quickly on the stove-top. The crispy pieces enhance their natural, nutty flavor. Topped with a tiny glug of maple syrup, these shredded sprouts tasted like veggie-candy. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Apple cider-infused red kale and quinoa with walnuts
Monday: Korean chicken stew
Tuesday: Chicken with mushrooms in balsamic cream sauce and spinach salad
Wednesday: Indian-spiced lentil fritters (adapted) and orange carrots
Thursday: Shredded Brussels sprouts with candied pecans and fried egg (inspired)
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: my Grandmother's Sauerbraten (similar), spaetzle, and sauteed rapini

Nicoise Sauce

For Italians, Bolognese is the king of meat sauces. It's a rich, dark ragu containing meat, minced vegetables, and milk, requiring hours of simmering. Not exactly something you can throw together on your average night. Although quick versions exist, I'd rather save myself for the real thing.

Enter this Nicoise sauce. The ground meat and minced vegetables are reminiscent of Bolognese, but the olives and orange peel make it different enough to stand on it's own. I found this recipe a couple years ago and have made it for company several times to rave reviews. Like most sauces, it doubles and freezes nicely. If you don't have a food processor or don't feel like splurging for sirloin, don't fret! You can chop the vegetables by hand and use regular ground beef.

Lastly, please excuse the fact that my photo of this dish looks like something you'd feed to your favorite canine friend, I'm still working on the whole picture taking thing. Happy cooking!

Nicoise Sauce
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 slices bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 pound ground sirloin
2 shallots
4 carrots
3 stalks celery
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup kalamata or nicoise olives, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh OR 1/4 teaspoon dried orange zest
hot water

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the ground sirloin and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Finely chop the shallots, carrots, and celery in a food processor and add to the pan along with the wine and tomato paste. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Soak the orange zest in 1/2 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Once the vegetables have softened, add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, olives, and orange zest including liquid. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and simmer to thicken.

Remove the bay leaf and season the sauce with salt and pepper. I've served this sauce over gnocchi as the original recipe suggested as well as pasta. This time around we went with spaghetti squash and it was just as good.

Makes 4 servings

Weekly Menu for 11/4

Lots of time with friends this week so I did very little cooking. The highlight was most certainly the excessive taco bar on election night with not one, but two fillings! Both are good, but I'm partial to the turkey chipotle. If you've never cooked with chipotles before, they add a spicy, smoky flavor that's very addictive. You should be able to find them in your grocer's international foods aisle in small cans. Most recipes only use 2-3 peppers, but the leftovers keep almost indefinitely in tupperware in the fridge. If any chipotle-newbs out there give this recipe a try, please let me know. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Butternut squash and chickpea salad
Tuesday: Taco bar and spinach avocado salad
Wednesday: Dinner out
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 10/28

Ribollita

I spent the first part of the week holed up in my apartment, praying I wouldn't lose power. I didn't, thankfully, since DC didn't see much of Sandy. My family in NJ was not so lucky. If you don't know someone in the tri-state area, you may not be aware of the extent of the damage. Not only did Sandy wash away much of the Jersey Shore and Long Island, northern and central NJ, NY state, and CT also experienced extensive damage, resulting in power losses and electrical fires. The cold temperatures and lack of gasoline have made leaving these areas unexpectedly difficult. If you are able, please consider making a donation.

Along with Sandy, came the arrival of fall here in DC. As much as I love summer produce, I get just as excited about sauces and stews. Ribollita is an Italian soup, traditionally made with Tuscan kale, that gets better as it sits. It takes less than an hour to make, so if you're going to have a busy week, make a batch on Sunday and reheat as you get the craving for something warm and satisfying.

I know my friends are tired of hearing my cabbage gospel, but I just can't help myself. Cabbage is cheap and unbelievably nutritious. It's also extremely versatile, doing equally well in stir-fries, as stews and salad. To accompany my wienerschnitzel experiment, I braised a small red cabbage with apple cider and apples. The cabbage was lusciously tender and bursting with the flavors of fall. And, for the record, it did not retain any of the unpleasant "cabbage-y" flavor. I encourage you to pick up some cabbage on your next grocery trip. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Pineapple fried rice with tofu
Tuesday: Ribollita (adapted)
Wednesday: Wienerschnitzeland braised cabbage with apples (adapted)
Thursday: Spaghetti Squash with Nicoise sauce (adapted)
Friday: Roast chicken, potatoes and carrots, and roasted celery and onions
Saturday: Dinner out

Quesadillas

Although I barely remember much of high school, parts of college, and let's be honest, things that happened last week, my capacity for food-related memories seems limitless. When I was in elementary school, my grandmother and I would stop at Friendly's during the hour drive to her house. Not much of a meat eater, I frequently opted for cheese quesadillas. A perfectly browned and buttered tortilla, filled with gooey melted cheese. I can still see myself dipping the corners in sour cream after each bite.

As an adult, my love of quesadillas has not wavered. This recipe is a Tiny Chef staple, loved by friends, boyfriends, and yes, my grandmother. Refried beans are the key to making quesadillas into a healthy-ish dinner. They have a gooey mouthfeel, but provide much more nutrition than an all-cheese filling. The peppers add crunch and the olives are a salty bite of goodness. I've also used leftover chicken, jalapenos, and tomatoes with much success, so experiment with what you have on hand. Happy cooking!

 

Quesadillas
A Tiny Chef original

4 flour tortillas
1-2 chipotles in adobo, minced (optional)
1 cup refried beans, about half a 16 oz. can
1 bell pepper, sliced into one inch strips
1/4 cup green olives, sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Cooking spray

Place one tortilla on a flat surface. If using, spread a small amount of chipotles onto half of the tortilla. Drop about 1/4 of a cup of refried beans onto the same half, spreading evenly. Cover beans with one quarter of the bell pepper and the green olives, distributing evenly. Finally, sprinkle with two tablespoons of cheese, about two big pinches. Fold the tortilla in half. Repeat assembly for remaining tortillas.

Spray a large non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat on medium-low. When warm, add two tortillas and cook until lightly brown, about 5-7 minutes. Then flip and brown the other side, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan, let cool slightly, and cut into thirds. Cook the remaining tortillas. Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt for dipping.

Makes 4 quesadillas

Weekly Menu for 10/21

Chicken a la Criolla

Like many working cooks, I love using my crockpot to create comforting meals while I'm at work. To be honest, I don't use it as much as I'd like. My complaint? Lean meats cook too quickly. Although 6-8 hours seems like a full day, I'm often gone for closer to 10 hours. But since this week was my first back at work, my thoughts turned immediately to the crockpot. Luckily, I had a revelation - cook recipes overnight! 7-8 hours is perfect for chicken thighs. An added bonus is that the flavors mingle during the day in the fridge, improving the dish even more. Chicken a la Criolla was a new recipe for me, but it's definitely a keeper.

Another highlight was the roasted red pepper sauce from Pioneer Woman. I've found that cook times are usually proportional to how well a recipe freezes. Chilis takes hours of simmering, but freeze beautifully. Stir-fries are ready in a flash, but freezing them for later? Not so much. This sauce is an exception - chop a little, blend, and simmer while the pasta cooks and you're done. If you leave out the cream, it freezes wonderfully. I've made it for myself a half dozen times and have gotten my mom hooked, too. Happy cooking!
 
Sunday: Italian wedding soup
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Chicken a la Criolla with rice and salad
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Roasted red pepper sauce over spinach pasta and salad
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Quesadillas and lime avocado salad

Pumpkin Granola

Up until a few months ago, I ate cereal for breakfast almost every weekday. It's quick, delicious, and doesn't make me feel queasy like an egg breakfast can. However, one morning while chowing down on my favorite TJs cereal, I had an epiphany. Given that I make lunch and dinner from scratch every day, why on earth do I eat breakfast from a box?

It seems obvious, but the fact is, I ate cereal for so many years, I didn't consider it a convenience food. But it is. By definition, cereal contains highly-processed grains, and frequently, a bunch of other additives I would never eat the rest of the day. Plus, it isn't exactly cheap. After my epiphany, I decided to treat breakfast like my other meals and make it from scratch.

One of the first homemade breakfasts I tried was this granola from David Lebovitz. It completely cemented my resolve to leave boxed cereal in the dust. The unique aspect of this recipe is the fruit puree - it makes the granola crisp without a lot of oil. As long as you have a scale, it's a cinch to make and totally customizable.

I put together this adaptation recently since, like the rest of the foodie world, I'm currently obsessed with pumpkin. The spices come from my mom's pumpkin pie recipe and capture the flavors of Thanksgiving without the guilt. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Granola
Adapted from Feast, by Nigella Lawson, via David Lebovitz

400 g multi-grain flakes or old-fashioned rolled oats
70 g walnuts, coarsely chopped
50 g pecans,  coarsely chopped
30 g ground flax (optional)
100 g sunflower seeds
70 g packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon sea salt

150 g pumpkin puree thinned with 50 g water
80 g agave
60 g maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 300 F. In a very large bowl, mix together the grains, nuts, flax, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, spices and salt.

In a small saucepan, warm the pumpkin with the agave, maple syrup, and oils. Mix the fruit mixture into the dry ingredients until thoroughly dispersed, then divide and spread the mixture evenly on two baking sheets. (If you have ones with sides, use them.)

Bake the granola for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is golden brown. Remove from oven, then cool completely. Store the granola in a large, airtight container. It will keep for up to one month.

Weekly Menu for 10/14

First time alone post-op and it's been more difficult than I anticipated. Small kitchen tasks like carrying groceries, retrieving food from the top shelf, and taking out the garbage are not especially easy. Although I'm struggling a bit now, I feel stronger every day so hopefully in another week or two I'll be able to do all my chores on my own. In the meantime, I'm lucky to have friends who are happy to help. Thanks, guys!

On the food front, my fridge was packed with leftovers from my parents so I didn't cook much. The highlight was most certainly Saturday's pasta which is comforting but healthy with all the cauliflower. Happy cooking!

Pasta with cauliflower

Sunday: Dinner out
Monday: Leftover salmon, snow peas, and Sichuan eggplant
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Beans and greens risotto
Thursday: Grilled cheese, tomato soup, and spinach salad
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Pasta with cauliflower and salad

Weekly Menu for 10/7

Changing of the guard this week. My dad was just as happy to cook for me as my mom so I continued my streak of exceptional eating. Lucky for me!

Fish can be intimidating for many new cooks, but this tilapia is just as easy as the author claims. I keep a jar of the blackening rub in my cupboard, so dinner is ready in a flash. I've made this recipe a number of times and it's always a hit. The method for the orange-glazed salmon is similar, but the flavor profile is quite different - pleasantly tart with a hint of sweetness and spice. Trader Joe's sells a scrumptious Seville marmalade if you want to give it a try. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Blackened tilapia, corn, and sauteed zucchini
Monday: Apple and manchego salad
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Dinner out
Thursday: Honey mustard chicken, steamed farro, and snow peas
Friday: Orange-glazed salmon, tri-color quinoa, and baby bok choy
Saturday: Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 9/30

Since I'm not working, I spend an even larger part of my day thinking about food than usual. As a result, we went a slightly overboard with cooking this week. No complaints from me though!

For the uninitiated, "gravy" is a rich, tomato meat sauce that many Italian-Americans, including my parents, ate every Sunday growing up. I made a huge pot of my father's family recipe pre-surgery and froze all of it. It's not a quick meal, but is totally worth the effort. If you're a pasta lover, I recommend making a big batch of your favorite sauce and freezing it for later.

If you're vegetarian or are trying to eat less meat, I've made the chickpea burgers about 10 times now and they're surprisingly satisfying. Friday, we tried a new recipe from SkinnyTaste that was a hit. And Saturday, my mom made a huge Italian meal for a friend and I - there was an extreme surplus of food and we loved it. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Gravy over fusilli lunghi and roasted broccoli
Monday: Chickpea burgers with pea sprouts
Tuesday: Take out
Wednesday: Leftover chicken salad and roasted Brussels sprouts
Thursday: Fall pear salad
Friday: Crockpot asian pork and spinach salad
Saturday: Spinach manicotti, chicken cutlets, chicken picatta, and sauteed greens with almonds and currants (adapted)

Weekly Menu for 9/23

Needless to say, I couldn't do any cooking post-op. Luckily, I had a caretaker who was willing to maintain the lifestyle to which I've become accustomed. Thanks, Mom!

I pre-cooked the turkey burgers and froze them a few weeks back - they reheated wonderfully. The beef stew is the recipe from the 2011 holiday party and was just as good. The sesame noodles are another of my quick, pantry-only recipes. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Homemade chicken soup with pastina (again :)
Monday: Spinach turkey burgers
Tuesday: Smoky greens over polenta
Wednesday: Italian tuna salad over greens
Thursday: Beef stew
Friday: Sesame Noodles
Saturday: Take out

Weekly Menu for 9/16

I knew I wouldn't be in the kitchen for a while after my surgery, so I spent my last nights cooking for my Mom and myself. The ditalini dish always receives rave reviews in our family - who can say no to fried prosciutto? Post-op, I had almost no appetite, so my mom fed me chicken soup I had squirreled away in the freezer. Happy cooking!

Homemade chicken soup

Monday: Chicken Parmesan and Caesar salad
Tuesday: Dinner out
Wednesday: Chipotle portobello burgers, corn, and tomato salad
Thursday: Ditalini with prosciutto and broccoli raab
Surgery :)
Friday and Saturday: Homemade chicken soup with pastina

Weekly Menu for 9/9

With my vacation and surgery fast-approaching, this week was even busier as I prepared to leave work. I did manage a few quick meals to use up some random bits in the fridge. If you've never had French lentils, I encourage you to try them. They are only slightly more expensive than regular lentils, but have so much more flavor - almost floral. They cook up quickly too, making them perfect for a weeknight. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Panzanella and Buffalo Chicken
Monday: Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Tofu
Tuesday: Orecchiette with Greens and Goat Cheese
Wednesday: Warm French Lentil Salad (adapted)
Thursday: Vacation - Dinner out
Friday: Vacation - veal sausages, tomato salad, and calabrese bread
Saturday: Vacation - Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 9/2

Very busy with work this week, but had time to share my favorite summer meal with a friend on Tuesday night. Happy cooking!

Pasta Fresca

Sunday: Corned Beef with Cabbage and Roast Potatoes
Monday: Portobello Burgers with Basil Goat Cheese Spread and Tomato Salad
Tuesday: Buttermilk Chicken, Corn, Caprese, and Arugula Peach Salad
Wednesday: Szechuan Green Beans
Thursday: Pasta Fresca (adapted)
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday lunch: Quinoa, Cherry, and Arugula Salad (adapted)
Saturday: Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 8/26

Sick the whole week unfortunately, but homemade chicken soup put me on the mend. Other highlights were a tasty sausage casserole with a friend from out of town and a chill Saturday night with a fellow injuree. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: One-eyed Martha and Broccoli Slaw Salad with honey grain bread
Tuesday: Polenta Sausage Casserole and broccoli raab
Wednesday: Homemade chicken soup with pastina
Thursday: Pim's Pad Thai
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Nancy's Chili Blanco

Weekly Menu for 8/19

Busy week with getting back from vacation on Monday night. The chickpea salad is from my arsenal of no-effort dinners. It's healthy, satisfying, and uses only pantry ingredients - perfect for nights when my fridge is a desolate wasteland. The chorizo tacos are an old favorite and didn't disappoint. I also tinkered with a new sausage recipe with fantastic results. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Vacation
Monday: Warm Chickpea and Artichoke Salad and green salad
Tuesday: Mixed Greens Ravioli with Walnut Pesto and green salad
Wednesday: Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa and Broccoli Slaw Salad with Lime Dressing
Thursday: Sausage in White Wine (adapted) and Peperonata with honey grain bread
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Dinner out