Quick and delicious weeknight meals : Weeknight Gourmet

Christmas Cookies: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

December 21 2011 | Leave a Comment

I made these cookies for Tim’s “snack day” at work along with the Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints. Mine did not turn out as pretty as Giada’s but they were delicious! So moist from the *whole* container of ricotta cheese. And, such great lemon flavor from the zest in the cookie and the very lemony glaze.

Just a couple of notes:

The glaze recipe made just enough to cover all the cookies. So be generous but not overly so when coating the cookies.

I have started to always line my cookie sheets with parchment paper or my Silpat mat. The cookies bake more evenly and are easy to remove from the cookie sheet. And, clean up is a breeze — just throw out the paper or wipe down the mat!

Lastly, if you don’t own a Microplane zester, it really is an amazing tool to zest citrus. You can use it to grate parmesan cheese, and I’ve even seen people use it on garlic cloves and ginger.

Enjoy!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Giada de Laurentiis

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

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Categories : Cookies, Dessert

Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints

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My friend Emily made these cookies for Thanksgiving and they were delicious! I needed to make a holiday treat for Tim’s office so I decided to make them. What says Christmas more than chocolate + peppermint?!

Do not overbake the cookies. I followed the instructions exactly and the cookies were so moist and delicious.

To make the chocolate – peppermint filling, all you need is butter, chocolate chips, and some peppermint extract. You can pipe the filling through a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off.

The cookies were a hit in Tim’s office. I think they were all gone within two days! I was a little sad I didn’t save any for myself but my waistline probably thanks me.

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints
Everyday Food

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (3/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine. Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon, make an indentation in center of each cookie.

Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and ¼ cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large zip-top bag; snip 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. (Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.)

Active time: 35 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes + cooling

Makes 4 dozen

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Categories : Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert

A Taste of Havana: Slow-Cooker Ropa Vieja

December 20 2011 | Leave a Comment

Here is a delicious slow cooker recipe! There is nothing better than coming home after a long day to a fully prepared dinner.

Cuban-braised beef, more commonly called Ropa Vieja, is shredded flank steak in a tomato-based sauce base. The steak slow cooks in the sauce with the oregano and cumin giving it a great flavor. The normally tough flank steak shreds easily after 7 hours in the slow cooker.

While some slow cooker recipes require you to sear the meat or cook some ingredients before adding to the pot, this recipe is so quick. The only real prep is slicing the red peppers!

I served the ropa vieja with yellow rice and avocado. It was a delicious meal. The only disappointment was that it did not keep well. The leftovers just were not as tasty.

(And, I must thank Real Simple yet again! This is another recipe from Real Simple’s: Dinner Done Right.)

Slow-Cooker Cuban Braised Beef
Real Simple

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

25 minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

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Categories : Beef, One-pot meal, Slow Cooker

A Taste of India: Quick Chicken Vindaloo

December 6 2011 | Leave a Comment

Tim loves Indian food, but I never cook it for him. It’s not that I dislike Indian food. It just doesn’t come to mind when I’m contemplating what to cook.

As a treat for Tim, I decided to try this quick chicken vindaloo — a spicy tomato-based dish — from Fine Cooking. It was super easy to make and packed with flavor! I used diced tomatoes with chiles for a little added punch.

I served the vindaloo with frozen naan from Trader Joe’s and basmati rice with peas. I will definitely make this again! Scored some major brownie points with Tim. And, I really enjoyed the meal!

Quick Chicken Vindaloo
Fine Cooking

1-1/2 Tbs. curry powder
2 tsp. hot paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
8 medium cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 (14-1/2-oz). can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/3 cup juice reserved
3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, stir the curry powder, paprika, and 3/4 tsp. black pepper. Put the chicken in a medium nonreactive bowl, sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the curry powder mixture, about half of the garlic, 2 Tbs. of the vinegar, and 3/4 tsp. salt; toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature.

Heat the oil in a 10- to 11-inch straight-sided sauté pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it softens and begins to brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium high, add the ginger, the remaining garlic, and the remaining curry powder mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant and well combined, about 45 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and mix to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with the spoon. Stir in the chicken, reserved tomato juice, remaining 2 Tbs. vinegar, and 2/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the cilantro.

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Categories : Poultry

Weeknight Chicken: Baked Chicken Parmesan

December 5 2011 | Leave a Comment

I usually think of chicken and eggplant parmesan as having lots of steps and taking a while to prepare. Here is a delicious short-cut version of chicken parmesan perfect for a weeknight!

The two keys to this recipes are: 1) thin chicken cutlets; 2) high quality jarred marinara. The thin cutlets cook up quickly and a good marinara just makes the dish so much tastier! I actually forgot to buy the mozzarella so I put dollops of ricotta on top of the cutlets. Delicious and a change of pace from your typical parmesan.

By the way, this is another recipe from Real Simple’s: Dinner Done Right. Definitely got my money’s worth out of that checkout line purchase!

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Real Simple

8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

Heat oven to 400º F. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Place the flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls; in a third shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Coat the chicken with the flour, then dip in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then coat with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Pour the marinara sauce into a large, shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken and mozzarella.

Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

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Categories : Poultry

A Taste of Greece: Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

December 1 2011 | Leave a Comment

Greek yogurt has become a staple in our house. Charlotte has a bowl of FAGE with fruit every morning. She loves the taste and I love that it does not contain the added sugar so many of the kid yogurts have.

But Greek yogurt is not only for breakfast! Use it to help make dinner more interesting. It’s a great marinade for grilled chicken. And, I can never get enough tzatziki which is a delicious accompaniment to Mediterranean Turkey Burgers or Chicken Gyros.

The other afternoon when I was trying to decide what to cook for dinner, I saw the container of FAGE in our fridge. I decided to look up recipes using Greek yogurt and came across this halibut recipe. It looked light and flavorful — perfect for the week after Thanksgiving!

This recipe was so delicious! The cornmeal and pistachio crust on the halibut gave it a great crispy flavor. The spicy yogurt sauce was basically a spiced-up tzatziki. It was delicious! I loved it on the fish and only wish there had been pita to eat with the extra sauce. I served the fish with roasted asparagus and artichokes but a Greek salad would have also been a great addition to the meal.

Tim and I were momentarily transported back to Greece as we enjoyed our dinner and reminded of the amazing time we had on Corfu five (!) years ago. I’ll never forget the island’s breathtaking coastline and vistas. And, of course, I’ll always remember the delicious food and hospitality of the Greek people!

Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt
Gourmet

For Halibut:

4 (1 1/4-inch-thick) pieces skinless halibut fillet (about 6 ounces each)
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup shelled pistachios (preferably Turkish), finely chopped
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For Spicy yogurt:

1 cup thick Turkish or Greek yogurt (8 ounces)
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried maras pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Put fish in a shallow baking dish, pour milk over it, and chill, covered, turning over once, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together pistachios and cornmeal in a shallow bowl.

Remove fish from milk, letting excess drip off. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in cornmeal-pistachio mixture. Transfer to a clean plate as coated.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté fish, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

While fish cooks, stir together all ingredients for spicy yogurt.

Serve fish with spicy yogurt on the side.

Serves 4.

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway

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Categories : Fish

Turkey & Bean Chili

November 29 2011 | Leave a Comment

As you have probably surmised by now, I love chili! The other day I wanted to make a chili that Charlotte could try; so, my go-to turkey chili which is super spicy did not fit the bill. I found this recipe in my new Real Simple cookbook and it was a hit! Much milder than what I usually cook which was perfect for Charlotte. And, I just needed to add a few dashes of Cholula to my bowl for a bit of a kick.

The recipe seem very heavy on the beans relative to the turkey — it calls for 1/2 pound of ground turkey and 2 cans of kidney beans. I upped the turkey to 1 pound. If you increase the turkey to a full pound, you might up the chili powder and cumin a bit.

In the last few minutes of cooking, I added frozen corn for some color, crunch, and additional flavor. Serve with avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Overall, the chili was tasty and a nice change of pace from my usual turkey chili.

Turkey & Bean Chili
Real Simple

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper or 2 teaspoons chili powder
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
cilantro sprigs, for serving

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and chili pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, beans, ½ cup water, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve the chili with the sour cream and cilantro.

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Categories : Poultry, Soups, Stews, Chilis, Turkey

Giada’s Veal Marsala and Peas & Proscuitto

November 16 2011 | Leave a Comment

I love Giada! Much like the Barefoot Contessa, her recipes have never steered me wrong. Italian food is what I love most and Italy is my favorite country to visit. Giada, born in Rome, has made delicious Italian home cooking accessible to everyone. Her recipes are always incredibly flavorful but never overly complicated or fussy. Plus, she genuinely seems like someone I would want to be friends with.

I am a little jealous of her amazing figure and what I can only imagine as her very well-appointed closet and home (her husband is the Creative Director for Anthropologie).

The other weekend Tim and I had a delicious meal courtesy of Giada. Even though I don’t make it very often, we both love veal. When I was at my gourmet market in the Berkshires, they had some beautiful veal cutlets so I decided to make veal marsala. Her recipe is simple and delicious. If you like veal and mushrooms, this really cannot be beat!

For a side dish I made her Peas and Proscuitto. So quick, easy and flavorful! The sweet peas and the salty proscuitto are a great combination! I bet even my mom who hates peas would enjoy it! This side dish is going to become a staple.

Buon Appetito! Tweet

Veal Marsala
Giada DeLaurentiis

8 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sweet Marsala
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
Leaves from 1 fresh rosemary sprig

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 veal cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter and oil, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Set the cutlets aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary leaves. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the veal to the skillet. Pour in all of the pan juices. Cook just until heated through, turning to coat, about 1 minute. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using tongs, transfer the veal to plates. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

Serves 4.

Peas & Proscuitto
Giada DeLaurentiis

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 shallots chopped
2 Cloves Garlic minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb frozen pea thawed
8 oz prosciutto diced
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve.

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Categories : Side dishes - vegetables, Veal

Dinner Tonight: Done! Broccoli & Three Cheese Lasagna

November 14 2011 | Leave a Comment

Last week I picked up Real Simple’s Dinner Tonight: Done! on a whim at the grocery store checkout. I was hungry and the cover photo looked yummy! When I got home, I couldn’t believe I had picked up yet another cookbook but this one has not been a disappointment.

I have already made two recipes from it and have another two planned for this week. The recipes do not require a lot of ingredients, are relatively quick, and (so far) have been very flavorful.

I made this lasagna recipe for my book club meeting last week. Everyone loved it — even one woman who doesn’t normally like cheese! Tim and Charlotte had leftovers and both gobbled it up. I didn’t know an 18-month-old could eat so much lasagna!

A few notes – make sure to thaw the broccoli and to squeeze the excess water out of it so that the lasagna is not soggy. I used Rao’s marinara sauce — it is a bit pricey but so delicious! I doubled the recipe and we were able to get two dinners out of it. And, lastly, definitely use fresh mozzarella — it melts beautifully and tastes delicious!

The prep and assembly of the lasagna was super quick; so, as long as you have 40 minutes for it to bake, it is definitely doable on a weeknight! Tweet

Broccoli & Three Cheese Lasagna
Real Simple
•   1 15-ounce container ricotta (about 1 3/4 cups)
•   1 pound frozen broccoli florets—thawed, patted dry, and chopped
•   2 1/4 cups grated mozzarella (9 ounces)
•   1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
•   kosher salt and black pepper
•   1 16-ounce jar marinara sauce
•   1/2 cup heavy cream
•   8 no-boil lasagna noodles
•   2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the foil
•   4 cups mixed greens
•   1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 400º F. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, 2 cups of the mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Parmesan,½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a small bowl, combine the marinara sauce and cream.

Spoon a thin layer of the sauce into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, a quarter of the remaining sauce, and a third of the broccoli mixture; repeat twice. Top with the remaining 2 noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Cover tightly with an oiled piece of foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Toss the greens with the olive oil, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the lasagna.

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Categories : Pasta, Vegetarian entree

Carbonara with a Twist

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This pasta is a delicious twist on a traditional carbonara. The lemon gives the dish a bit of zest and the leeks lend some great flavor. And, of course there is great smokiness from the bacon.

I used to think carbonara was a cream sauce. For those of you not familiar with how carbonara is made, it is a sauce made with eggs and parmesan. It’s definitely a bit heavier but its creaminess is entirely from the eggs and cheese. The heat of the pasta actually cooks the raw eggs in the sauce so make sure your pasta is fresh out of the pot.

A delicious and quick weeknight pasta!

Pasta Carbonara with Leeks & Lemon
Everyday Food

Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
4 leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
3/4 pound short pasta, such as campanelle or orecchiette
2 large eggs
1/2 ounce parmesan, grated (1/4 cup), plus more for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until leeks are golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add pasta to pot and cook according to package instructions. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan, and lemon zest and juice. Whisk ¼ cup pasta water into egg mixture. Drain pasta and immediately add to egg mixture, along with bacon, leeks, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle with more cheese if desired and serve immediately.

Active time: 30 minutes

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Categories : Pasta

Christmas Cookies: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints

A Taste of Havana: Slow-Cooker Ropa Vieja

A Taste of India: Quick Chicken Vindaloo

Weeknight Chicken: Baked Chicken Parmesan

A Taste of Greece: Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

Turkey & Bean Chili

Giada’s Veal Marsala and Peas & Proscuitto

Dinner Tonight: Done! Broccoli & Three Cheese Lasagna

Carbonara with a Twist

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