I am also making, for the first time, KD's recipe for Chicken and Orzo with Mushrooms from the yellow book. This is the first week in a long time that I actually have recipes planned for the week. After a trip to the grocery store Monday morning, I will be all set. I am making roasted fennel this week. I've made fennel before, for myself, but this will be the first time for my family-yikes!

Jill

I found a recipe in Cooking Light for a Brown Sugar Spiced Ham that looks great! The recipe serves 22 people though so I need to cut it drastically. I'll post here what I make this week and let you know how it turns out.

Jill

PS: Iz, those Korean noodles look great!

Chewy Chocolate Brownies

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ bag of dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 can of sweetened condensed fat-free milk
1 pinch of salt

Mix ingredients together, spread in an 8” x 8” pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, watching that they don't burn. (To keep the calories in check, simply cut into 1 inch x 1 inch squares when cooled.)

Korean-Style Noodles With Vegetables (Chap Chae)
Recipe #160813 | 30 min | 15 min prep | SERVES 4 (Change Servings)




Another Asian noodle recipe. Some say that this recipe would be more authentically Korean if made with "dang myun," noodles made out of sweet potato starch. You can usually find these in the grocery store, near the bean thread noodles. Snow peas would be great in this, as would some sauteed tofu.



5-6 ounces bean thread noodles(very thin bean thread style, sold in small skeins, also known as cellophane, glass, or mung bean noo)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce(wheat-free sauce from refined soy)
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil(Asian-style)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic(2 cloves)
1 tablespoon safflower oil(or another tbsp of sesame oil)
1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick(1 1/2 cups)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks(2 inches long)
1/2 lb mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/8 inch thick(3 cups, preferably shiitake, but any will do)
4 cups baby spinach
sesame seeds(to taste)
cayenne or other hot black pepper(to taste)
Directions
1Soak noodles in a bowl of warm water to cover until softened, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander. Cook noodles in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool.
2Blend tamari, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic in a blender until smooth.
3Heat safflower oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then stir-fry onion and carrots until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and stir-fry 30 seconds, then add noodles and tamari mixture and toss to coat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow serving dish and serve warm or at room temperature.
4Chap chae can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Szechuan Style Spareribs Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

1 (4 pound) slab pork spareribs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons chile garlic sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil


Using a sharp knife, cut the slab of ribs between the bones into individual ribs. Place in a stock pot or large soup pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a steady simmer, and cook until the ribs are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, skimming the surface of any scum that rises to the top while cooking. Remove the ribs to a large bowl and set aside to cool completely. (Reserve the pork stock for another purpose.)
Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, garlic, chile garlic sauce and five-spice powder and whisk to blend. Pour half of the marinade over the cooled ribs and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or up to overnight. Reserve the remaining half of the marinade in a non-reactive container and refrigerate.

Preheat the broiler and position a rack in the upper third of the oven.

To the remaining half of the marinade, add the honey and sesame oil and whisk to combine. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and transfer to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with some of the remaining marinade-honey mixture and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the ribs are crispy on the upper edges. Remove the ribs from the oven and turn to the other side, brush with some of the remaining marinade mixture and broil again for about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve hot.


i made this with a leaner cut of pork. turned out yummy.

Easy "Fried" Catfish

1 piece of bacon per 2 catfish fillets
Catfish fillets
Cornmeal (white, yellow, doesn't matter)
Spice mix of your choice (I've tried Old Bay, chili powder, lemon pepper, and a basil-oregano-parsley-salt-pepper mix)

Put the bacon in a skillet on medium-low and let most of the fat render out--don't let it cook too quickly.

Dredge the catfish fillets in a mixture of the cornmeal and spices. It'll stick alright--no need for buttermilk, eggs, or anything else.

When the bacon has given up most of the fat, take it out and set the catfish fillets in the bacon grease. Cook 5-7 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily.

The cornmeal makes it taste kinda southern-fried...I grew up eating bass & other lake fish that were dredged in cornmeal & deep fried, so this is a fantastic replacement.

I'll make cornbread (hey, the cornmeal is already out) and Steamfresh green beans to go with this, and sprinkle the bacon on top of the green beans as it's served.

Thanks D!

That recipe looks great, I will add it to my recipes!

Jill

thanks diana!


bonus for me!!!

iz...you can also poach eggs in salsa Muy delicioso.

Chicken with Green Peppercorn Sauce (slight variations from the Cooking Light recipe)

12-20 oz chicken, cubed (this worked well for me)
1/2 c flour
2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Flour, paprika, chicken in freezer bag. Shake. Heat a little olive oil over medium heat in a pan; cook chicken on all sides until done. Wrap in foil and set aside.

Sauce:
1/4 c diced shallots
2/3 c dry white wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
2 teaspoons butter

Crush the peppercorns (I put them in a plastic bag and used a marble rolling pin and frustration.)
Reduce the pan's heat to medium-low, toss the shallots in (you may need to add a little oil, depending on the pan). Cook until translucent; then pour in the wine, broth, and peppercorns. Bring the heat up so the sauce boils; keep the sauce moving in the pan until it reduces and thickens (took me ~6 minutes). Add the butter and pour over chicken.

Served it with sugar snap peas and Near East Parmesan couscous...and a glass of the wine I used in the sauce.

It took 20 minutes to put together and was really good.

go to the international/latino/mexican aisle at your store, and look for a can of El Pato. they come in green, yellow or red. it does not matter. they all taste amazing. it is salsa.only costs about 69 cents.

empty a can in a sautee pan, along with some chicken breast or tilapia, and poach the meat in the salsa. add a sprinkle of salt, maybe some chopped garlic. cover, reduce heat after a broil, and leave it alone for about 30 minutes. it tastes amazing.

you can just chop up the meat and place it over a salad. or make yourself a sandwich. at any rate, it is so yummy. i have had my third meal with this and i am so satisfied! iam a big El Pato fan now!

Our produce delivery box comes with recipes, and this one was really good. It’s inexact – I think the amounts of the ingredients depend on the size of the casserole dish and the number of people you’re feeding. That may be why I like it. I can just use what I have. Anyway, it was delicious!

Winter Terrine

Potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
Kale, washed and chopped
Goat cheese, cooked sausage, or pork (optional)
Fennel bulb, washed and sliced thinly
Leeks, cleaned and sliced into rings
Apples or pears, cored and sliced thinly
2-3 tablespoons of chopped fennel greens
Butter
Pinches of nutmeg, salt, and pepper

In a buttered casserole dish, layer the ingredients in the order listed. Add a few more pieces of butter and sprinkle with spices. Cover with foil or lid and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until it’s soft and juicy.

Some notes – I skipped the cheese and meat and kept it vegetarian as a side dish for pork chops. But I’m sure adding the meat would make it a great one dish dinner. I used pears because DH can’t eat apples. I also used Pam cooking spray instead of buttering the dish, but I did add the dots of butter for extra flavor.

Made this for a very late lunch/early dinner tonight (cooking for one); took about 10 minutes.

Spinach & Bacon Pasta Toss

You need:
Pasta (a serving for you, ziti or penne or something else kinda short and hearty)

1 slice of bacon (turkey, tofu, pork--I don't think it would matter), nuked til crispy

2-3 handfuls of bagged spinach

1/4 c shredded hard cheese (the recipe called for parmesan, I used asiago)

small amount (1/4 c?) chopped onion

chicken or vegetable broth

Boil water; cook pasta while you make the "sauce."

Use a small amount of olive oil to saute the onions for a minute or two; add ~1/2 cup broth to the skillet and bring to a boil. Let it go until it reduces for ~5 minutes. Toss in the cooked pasta, spinach, and half the cheese (and I added a few grinds of black pepper). Turn and stir the mixture so the spinach wilts. Pour immediately into a bowl; top with the rest of the cheese and crumbled bacon.

YUM!!!! We loved the kung pao shrimp Isabel!
Thanks again for posting the recipe.

Isabel - I'm going to make your kung pao shrimp tonight for dinner. Everyone is really excited to try your recipe. I'm going to add snow peas to ours. Thanks for posting the recipe!

i just made this and the whole house smells like a chinese restaurant. i did not use peanuts at all. i added celery and pea. i used half shrimp and half fillets of veal.
yummy. where's fortune cookie when ya need one???

kung pao shrimp

1 lb. raw shrimp
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. oil
8 to 10 dried red chilies
1 Tbsp. minced ginger root
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 oz. unsalted peanuts, toasted*
1 bunch green onions, chopped


SAUCE
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. sherry
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth

Make a paste with:
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. water

1 Peel and devein the shrimp. Marinate with the egg white, cornstarch and oil fpr a few minutes.
2. Mix "sauce" ingredients together and set aside.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp. cooking oil in you wok and stir fry the shrimp approx. 2 minutes or until done. Remove and set aside.
4. Heat 2 Tbsp. cooking oil in your wok and stir fry the chilies, ginger and garlic until the chilies start to turn dark red/brown or smoke**.
5. Add "sauce" ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the cooked shrimp, toasted peanuts and green onions and stir gently until everything is hot. Thicken sauce slightly with cornstarch water paste. Serve with hot rice and enjoy! Remember, don't eat the chilies!

*Use unsalted dry roasted peanuts if blanched peanuts are not available.
**To avoid smoke, use more chilies and cook less to aquire desired hotness! The longer you cook the chilies, the hotter your food will be!

i love using my crock pot recently.
pork curry

lean pork tenderloin (about 1 pound or little more) cut up. one can of healthy cream of mushroom soup. 2/3 cup of chicken broth. curry powder (about 2-3 teaspoons) salt to taste. cooked on high for an hour, then down to medium/low heat for several hours (until meat is flaky and tender) stir every hour or so to make sure soup is mixing well with broth and curry powder. serve with brown rice, or toasted ww pita wedges. unbelievably simple! and tastey!

chinese pork ribs

1/4 cup soy sauce,mixed with 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 2 cloves garlic chopped. brush over 1.5 pounds of country ribs (with fat trimmed off). let it sit there for 30-60 minutes. then throw everything in a crock pot including remaining marinade. sprinkle little salt over everything. let it cook on high for first hour, and then turn it down to low for several hours, until tender. serve over brown rice. you can toast some sesame seeds over it. so simple!

I made up this soup last night and reheated it for lunch today. It is so yummy. Like said I made it up, so there isn't a real "recipe". Kind of loosey goosey to taste.

1 box of chicken broth (I used Trader Joe's Free Range chicken broth.)

About a pound of asparagus

2 garlic cloves, and pepper to taste. I did not add salt because of the prepared broth.

1/4 c. shredded parmesan.

I cut up the asparagus and cooked it the garlic cloves whole and pepper in the chicken broth and then let it cool some. Put all but one garlic clove in the blender and blended it. I tasted it, and it was "ok" but missing something. So I added the parmesan, gave it another whirl in the blender and bingo!

So easy and so yummy. DS even likes it.

Dawn

I made this today, and it turned out delish! instead of chicken boullion, i used Goya Sazon seasoning packet.

Turkey Drumsticks
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 2 Hrs
READY IN 2 Hrs 10 Min



INGREDIENTS
• 4 turkey drumsticks
• 1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

READ REVIEWS (7)
•
DIRECTIONS
1. Place drumsticks in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Arrange onion over drumsticks. Pour tomatoes on top. Combine the water, bouillon, garlic, salt, oregano and basil; pour over onion. Sprinkle with parsley.
2. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 2 hours or until tender and a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F.

Beef & Vegetable Pot Pie (from Cooking Light...no idea the year or issue)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground sirloin
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces sliced mushroom
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 ounces beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 can refrigerated breadstick dough

1. Preheat oven to the heat designated on the can of breadstick dough.

2. Add beef to a skillet & cook over medium-high until browned. Drain & wipe grease out of skillet. Leave beef in colander.

3. Heat olive oil in the skillet (still over medium-high). Add zucchini, onion, carrot, basil, thyme, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute 7-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4. Return beef to pan. Stir in wine, tomato paste, worchestershire sauce, pepper, and all but 2 tablespoons of the broth. Bring to a boil.

5. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of beef broth. Dissolve the cornstarch thoroughly; add to skillet and stir for ~1 minute.

6. Pour mixture into a 13x9 casserole dish sprayed w/ nonstick spray. Separate dough into strips. Arrange strips in a lattice over the mixture. Bake according to breadstick dough directions or until golden brown.