recipes 150 and 151: the first day of spring equals brackets and peas!

There are some things that remind me of the beginning of spring- peas, asparagus, lemons, eggs (Maybe because of Easter? Who knows what goes on inside my head!), and MARCH MADNESS BRACKET PRESSURE. Or for short, since I've said this so many times in the past 24 hours and feel the need to abbreviate in the spirit of word economy, March Madness bressure. I am unsure whether the stray blog reader is aware of my March Madness prowess and so I will discuss that for a minute. I came in first in a big pool in 2011 (and yes, a printout of my winning bracket is still in my purse and is a go-to document when solace is needed). Last year, I came in third in the same large pool, missing the second place cash money prize by only a hair. I heard today that people were complaining about my participation in my beloved March Madness pool of choice because I am that good. All of this being said, I make my picks with my heart and not my brain. I say things like: "Oh Oklahoma, you have a special place in my heart [mind wanders for about 10-12 minutes about why Oklahoma has a special place in  my heart] and I would like you to advance to the next round. Done." I pick like such the stereotypical girl! And then I win. March Madness is really anyone's game! So as it stands, I am really stressing out about Gonzaga v. Ohio State and Georgetown v. Indiana. I have an image to maintain, people! The choices are much tougher when I have to resort to logical analysis over intuitive emotion. So I'll take a little break from that and move on to peas! Spring peas! Happy first day of spring! Good luck with your bracket picks! And please get your winter coats dry-cleaned asap, it is time (oh wait, that last note was just a reminder to me). The first recipe is adapted from the Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spring-peas-with-dates-and-walnuts-recipe/index.html and the second recipe is from a printout that my mom sent me awhile ago (source otherwise unknown). Both recipes are delicious if I do say so myself.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH DATES AND WALNUTS
Ingredients:
-1 lb sugar snap peas
-a handful of frozen peas and a handful of snow peas (in your discretion; they can be eliminated entirely as they were the last time I made this- see picture below- and it was just as delicious)
-1/2 T - 1 T olive oil (depending on whether you use extra peas)
-1 shallot, sliced
-1/3 c chopped walnuts
-1/3 c chopped dates (believe it or not, but you can actually buy finely chopped dates, which I did)
-pinch of salt and pepper (or to taste)
-2 t walnut or peanut oil

Instructions:
1) boil the water, blanch the peas, and drain them
2) heat the olive oil in a pan, add the shallots, and cook for two minutes
3) add the walnuts and dates and cook for one more minute
4) add the peas, salt, and pepper and cook for about 3-5 minutes depending on how al dente you would like the peas

I don't think I used shallots this time. C'est la vie! Still delish!

5) remove the peas from the heat and toss with the walnut or peanut oil

PAN-FRIED GNOCCHI WITH BACON, ONIONS, AND PEAS
Ingredients:
-1 lb frozen gnocchi
-5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
-4 T olive oil
-one small red onion, sliced
-1/2 c frozen peas
-a handful of chopped fresh parsley
-2 T parmesan cheese
-salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1) cook the gnocchi according to package instructions, drain, but reserve 1/2 c of the pasta water
2) cook onions in 2 T olive oil; add the peas, parsley, salt, and pepper
3) remove the onion mix from the pan, add the remaining 2 T olive oil to the pan, and add the gnocchi
4) when the gnocchi has lightly browned, add the onion mix, pasta water, and cheese
5) stir, remove from heat, and serve

this is very, very, very yummy

recipe 149: the only successful recipe of St. Patrick's weekend

Dear corned beef- it's not you, it's me. Dear boiled cabbage- it's not me, it's definitely you, no matter what concoction of deliciousness in which I boil you. Dear Guinness- I don't succeed when I try to cook with you. I will stick to drinking you. Dear self- the luck of the Irish wasn't with you this year, but good trying! Better luck next St. Patrick's Day. Heart, Tiffany

Here- two pictures of wild St. Patrick's unsuccess (is that a word?):

I didn't like this meal as a child and I still don't like it. I should have known better! Gag!

These Guinness cupcakes looked good but weren't good. More beer than chocolate in a cupcake = disaster.

 

 

 

Lesson learned! From now on, on St. Patrick's Days of the future, I will stick to dressing up with green props because that is always a success. But despite all of this unsuccess, St. Patrick's Day was saved by a very social weekend and these potatoes (Potatoes are Irish, right? Right!), only slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
-16 small red potatoes
-olive oil
-salt
-cracked pepper
-fresh rosemary

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2) boil the potatoes until they are fork tender
3) lightly drizzle oil on two cookie sheets and shake the sheets around
4) drain the potatoes, spread them out on the cookie sheets, smush them with a potato masher, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and top with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary

5) bake for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are starting to look crispy

Thank you, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, for saving St. Patrick's Day 2013!

THE BLOG TURNS ONE! And recipe 148: the yummiest meatloaf ever!

Since you last heard from me, the blog turned one! Happy first birthday, Bloggy!

A lot happens in a year! My tried-and-true recipes skyrocketed from 133 to 201! I still have 54 tried-and-true recipes to post. And I have a list of 104 recipes left to try and make, a list that is forever expanding and simultaneously being edited. The first post incorporating a Venn diagram is 10-fold the most viewed post (because of the Venn and not the beans or caprese). The next most-viewed post is the post on chunky monkey pancakes: http://cookingmywaytothe365.blogspot.com/2012/04/recipes-23-and-24-chunkey-monkey.html. The things people search for that lead them to my blog still crack me up, such as this recent search: "made my own dirndl." In the past year, I've been on trips to Jamaica, Bermuda, Florida (twice), Vegas, California, Montana, New Orleans, DC, Maine, the Poconos, and Vermont. I've read a ton of books. I've moved. I've switched offices. I've weathered a hurricane. I've done A LOT of things at work that I can't write about. I've so far made it through over three weeks of Lent-with-no-Diet-Coke. I've brought the wedding count up to 43 weddings of non-relatives. I've semi-committed to hot yoga. I've come to terms with the fact that Tristan makes better tomato sauce than me. I've grown to like Hoboken a tad bit better, which is good because there are no plans to move away from here anytime soon. I've become a better cook! We shall see what Year Two of Bloggy brings. I can promise that it will bring pictures with every recipe. I can also promise that Bloggy will lay off the Venns a little bit. And other than that, who knows! We'll see!

So lately, Tristan and I are both loving this meatloaf recipe. In fact, it's what we ate for dinner on Valentine's Day. This is an interesting turn of events, because I absolutely abhorred meatloaf as a child. Meatloaf nights were nights when wee Tiff would beg to peace out and eat dinner at a friend's house (or even a neighbor's house). The times have changed because I love, love, love this recipe. It comes to you adapted from The Pioneer Woman: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/my-favorite-meatloaf/

THE YUMMIEST MEATLOAF EVER!
Ingredients:
-breadcrumbs (maybe about 3/4 c) and enough milk to just moisten them
-1 lb ground beef
-1/2 c grated parm
-salt and pepper
-1/3 c minced parsely
-2 eggs, beaten
-5, 6, or 7 slices of bacon
-3/4 c ketchup
-1/4 c brown sugar
-squirt of mustard
-squirt of hot sauce or sriracha

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2) mix the ingredients from the breadcrumbs through the eggs just until combined
3) form into a loaf on a cookie sheet lined with foil
4) lay the bacon slices on top and tuck the ends of the bacon underneath the meatloaf
5) make the sauce by stirring together the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce
6) pour 1/3 of the sauce over the bacon and spread on top

 7) bake for 45 minutes and pour another 1/3 of the sauce on top, spread, and bake for an additional 15 minutes

 8) remove from the oven, slice the meatloaf and serve with the remaining sauce

YUM!!

recipes 144, 145, 146 and 147: roasted vegetables

It only is fitting to follow up a post on delicious, decadent icebox cake with a post on relatively healthy-ish roasted vegetables. It is also fitting to write a post on roasted vegetables after a strenuous hot yoga class. Today is a healthy day (to make up for eating like Seabiscuit at Empellon Taqueria http://empellon.com/taqueria/ last night). So here you go, some roasted vegetable recipes. They epitomize coziness. I am unsure of the source of the first recipe- I've been making it for well over a decade. It may have very well come from the back of an onion soup mix box and has been altered over time... The second recipe comes from the spouse of a friend and beyond that, the origin is unknown. The third one is a recipe (with particularized Tiffany-additions such as cashews) that my mom found maybe in a newspaper or magazine, but I don't know which one. I realize that the sources so far are not particularly helpful! The fourth one is only slightly altered from Skinnytaste: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/11/roasted-parmesan-green-beans.html. There. A viable source.

"ONION SOUP" ROASTED POTATOES
Ingredients:
-2 white potatoes
-1 sweet potato
-enough olive oil to coat
-1 packet of French onion soup mix
-sliced/chunked onions, if desired

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2) cube the potatoes, place into a large casserole dish, pour on the onion soup mix, and add olive oil
3) stir the concoction and make sure there is enough olive oil to moisten the onion soup mix and coat all of the potatoes (add raw onions if desired)

I didn't use sweet potatoes or onions this time, which also works just fine

4) roast until the potatoes are crispy, continually stirring and adding more oil if necessary (note: I've probably made this recipe 100 times and I have literally no idea how long it takes to cook because I'm always cooking other things at the same time)

The pan is usually a mess to clean but it really is worth it!

BROILED LEMON PEPPER ASPARAGUS OR BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Ingredients:
-asparagus (with the rough ends trimmed off) or brussel sprouts
-olive oil
-fresh squeezed lemon juice
-sea salt and cracked pepper

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 500 degrees
2) place the vegetables on a foil-lined baking sheet
3) drizzle and then toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
4) broil until crispy, occasionally removing the pan from the oven to shake or stir the vegetables

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH CHICK PEAS AND CASHEWS
Ingredients (note: this makes A LOT):
-2 handfuls of baby carrots
-1 sweet potato, chunked
-1 red onion, chunked
-8 small white potatoes, quartered
-1 t minced garlic
-1/2 can of drained, rinsed chick peas
-2 T olive oil
-1 t rosemary
-fresh parsely
-1 T brown sugar
-handful of fresh mushroom slices
-handful of cashews
-salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2) combine all ingredients and roast uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (increase the heat for the last 10 minutes or so if you want the vegetables to brown)

LEMON ROASTED PARMESAN STRING BEANS
Ingredients:
-12 oz string beans, washed, patted dry, and with trimmed ends
-2 t olive oil
-salt and pepper
-a teeny bit of minced garlic
-1 1/2 T parmesan cheese
-a drizzle of lemon juice

Instructions:
1) preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil
2) lay the beans on the sheet, drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over them
3) season with salt, pepper, and minced garlic and toss to coat
4) bake for 10 minutes, shake the pan, and bake for 5 more minutes
5) remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese

recipes 142 and 143: icebox cake

I don't believe there is a dessert more comforting or pleasing than icebox cake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icebox_cake. To me, icebox cake is alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding with layers of graham crackers (and sometimes sliced bananas) in-between and refrigerating overnight so that the graham crackers become all cake-like. I don't think there was a dessert made more often in my family's house than traditional icebox cake. And then I got to junior high school "home ec" cooking class and was very excited in advance for icebox cake day until... that day actually came and to my utter shock and dismay, graham crackers and pudding were not involved. Chocolate wafers and whipped cream were involved. I was shocked that there was more than one way to make icebox cake (and yes, a little excited). And then, to add to my confusion, every year my family would go to the same Memorial Day picnic with the same people and the same food and desserts. (As an aside, I did once sneak off and gulp down a few raw clams with cocktail sauce at this picnic at a very, very young age while the adults busily assembled themselves into bocce teams- bocce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocce). My favorite dessert from this picnic was called "chocolate eclair dessert." It was described by the creator as being a "chocolate eclair icebox cake." This was too much for my young mind. "There are THREE WAYS to make icebox cake? And they're all called icebox cake? This is confounding!" (the inner thoughts of young Tiff). Flash forward to today, when I have recently realized that there are actually about 8 zillion ways to make icebox cake. I continue to be confounded and excited. Here are my two favorite icebox cake recipes so far. I don't think I'm finished experimenting with icebox cake yet, though! The first recipe is from the Memorial Day picnic (circa 1982-1994ish, at which point I became too cool for school and stopped attending the Memorial Day picnic), and beyond that, the source is unknown. The second one is slightly simplified from "The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook" and is very reminiscent of the junior high school cooking class recipe: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Magnolia-Bakery-Cookbook-World-Famous/dp/1439175640.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIR ICEBOX CAKE
Ingredients:
-a box of regular graham crackers (you won't use the whole box, but the actual amount you use will depend on the size of the dish, so err on the side of caution and have a whole box ready to go... nothing would be more disappointing to get close to the end of the layers and run out of graham crackers)
-2 (3 oz) packages of instant vanilla pudding
-3 c lowfat milk
-8 oz Cool Whip
-a teeny bit of extra butter for greasing the glass dish
-4 1/2 T melted butter
-1 1/2 oz unsweetened Baker's chocolate, melted according to package instructions: http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Unsweetened-Chocolate-8-Ounce-Boxes/dp/B000E1FY8I
-2 1/2 c confectioner's sugar
-4 1/2 T lowfat milk

Instructions:
1) beat together the pudding and 3 cups of milk and let set
2) fold in the Cool Whip
3) layer the pudding and graham crackers in a lightly buttered glass dish like so (starting with a layer of graham crackers):

4) leave some room at the top of the layers and refrigerate while you make the chocolate frosting
5) with a beater, beat together: the melted butter, melted chocolate, confectioner's sugar and 4 and a half tablespoons of milk
6) spread the frosting on top (being fancy and making a pattern in the frosting with a fork, of course):

7) refrigerate for 24-36 hours before serving

ohhhhh, yum!

MAGIC MAGNOLIA BAKERY 4-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE WAFER ICEBOX CAKE
Ingredients:
-3 c heavy cream
-3 T sugar
-1 1/3 T vanilla extract
-1 1/2 packages of Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies: http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Chocolate-Wafers-9-Ounce-Boxes/dp/B000FA38ZE

Instructions:
1) in a large bowl, beat together the cream, sugar, and vanilla, stopping when soft peaks start to form
2) in a large glass dish, start layering the wafers and thin layers of the cream, starting with a layer of wafers and ending with a layer of cream

note: this picture does not do the deliciousness of this recipe justice!

3) refrigerate at least 5 hours or, preferably, overnight
4) cut and serve (before cutting and serving, I think it would be delicious to top this with some fresh sliced strawberries, I have yet to try this but I want to!)

some updates on transcendent dining experiences...

1. BEST OYSTERS EVER IN MY LIFE:
Blue Ribbon http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/rests_brass_man_main.htm (oysters are now tied for first place with avocados on my short "favorite foods" list)

2. BEST MEAL EVER IN MY LIFE (beating out Daiwa Sushi-ya in the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo which has been unbeatable since 2006):
Le Bernardin http://le-bernardin.com/about/#the-restaurant

And all in one weekend! Word.

recipes 137, 138, 139, 140, and 141: a SUPER VENN of chicken and fruit concoctions

I didn't realize how many of my chicken recipes involved some variation of fruit until I started organizing and categorizing all of my recipes like an OCD Venn-loving freak. And then I was like: "Whoa," [pause, think, rest, regroup] "a lot of my chicken recipes include fruit." A Venn would be too difficult to figure out for all of these chicken-and-fruit recipes, so please have mercy on me because it is a holiday long weekend, and allow me to do this Venn-ish post sans Venn. I don't think I could find a 5-circle Venn template if I wanted to. Oh waaaaaait, I was wrong. Here you go: 

Courtesy of: http://xsplat.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/of-kindergarten-math-and-defining-domains-of-attraction-alpha-and-admirable/

Please don't make me fit the chicken-and-fruit recipes into that daunting thing. If I spent an entire day figuring it out, I probably could actually do it, but alas, I have better things to do. 

The first recipe is called "cherry chicken" and it is one of my favorite childhood recipes. The second recipe, chicken with pineapple stuffing also comes from one of my mom's friends and reminds me of my childhood. The third recipe, lemon chicken, is one of Tristan's mom's recipes. The fourth one, chicken with artichokes and peaches, comes from my Auntie Kippie. And the fifth one, roasted chicken with grapes and olives, is a new recipe and comes only slightly modified from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook via this website: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/11/smitten-kitchens-harvest-roast-chicken-with-grapes-olives-shallots.html. I feel like I've also already posted a few other chicken and fruit recipes. Arguably, chicken piccata also includes fruit (lemons): http://cookingmywaytothe365.blogspot.com/2012/02/recipes-1-and-2-chicken-piccata-and.html. And grilled chicken with watermelon-mango-jalapeno salsa also includes fruit: http://cookingmywaytothe365.blogspot.com/2012/03/recipes-14-15-and-16-march-madness.html. Greek chicken includes raisins: http://cookingmywaytothe365.blogspot.com/2012/10/recipes-89-and-90-greek-chicken-and.html, and BOTH of these chicken salads include fruit: http://cookingmywaytothe365.blogspot.com/2012/10/recipes-89-and-90-greek-chicken-and.html. That is 10 whole repeat-worthy recipes that include the lovely marriage of chicken and fruit. Don't make me look for a 10 circle Venn, because I will, and I will find one. A Ten-Venn is apparently called a Super Venn. Here you go- located: 

Courtesy of: http://ohiorc.org/for/math/stella/library/problem.aspx?id=202

CHERRY CHICKEN

Ingredients:

-1 lb chicken cutlets

-flour

-olive oil

-uncooked rice, approx 4 servings (see package for serving amount)

-one can of dark, sweet bing cherries

-1/4 c sherry

-1/2 stick of butter, softened

-salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1) preheat the oven to 325 degrees

2) flour the chicken cutlets and fry in oil to brown

3) put the uncooked rice and butter in a casserole dish and mix together a little bit

4) add the chicken to the top

5) pour the cherries and juice on top

6) add the salt, pepper, sherry

7) bake uncovered for about an hour

CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE STUFFING

Ingredients:

-canned pineapple rings

-stuffing (Stove Top works just fine!), cooked according to package instructions

-1 lb chicken cutlets, cut in half

-1 can of cream of chicken soup

-1/4 c white wine

Instructions:

1) preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) grease a casserole dish

3) place pineapple rings in cooking dish, top with a scoop of stuffing on top of each pineapple ring, top with half of a chicken breast cutlet

4) bake uncovered for 20 minutes

5) mix the cream of chicken soup with the white wine and scoop on top of each chicken piece

6) cook for about 45 more minutes (or sooner if the chicken is cooked)

LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients:

-1 lb chicken breast cutlets

-1 lemon

-a little bit of flour for dredging (less than 1/4 c)

-3/4 t salt

-1/4 paprika

-2 T olive oil

-1 T brown sugar

-8 oz chicken stock

Instructions:

1) wash and pat dry the chicken

2) grate the lemon peel, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken, and sprinkle with grated lemon peel

3) dredge the chicken in flour seasoned with salt and paprika

4) preheat the oven to 375 degrees

5) brown the chicken in oil for 3-4 minutes per side

6) arrange the chicken in a baking dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar, lemon peel, and squeezed lemon

7) pour the chicken stock on top, arrange the lemon slices and bake for 40-45 minutes

CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND PEACHES

Ingredients:

-1 lb chicken cutlets

-1 can artichokes

-1 can peaches in heavy syrup

-8 oz mushrooms

-1 can chicken broth

-1/2 c white wine or sherry

-1 egg, beaten

-breadcrumbs

-butter, enough to saute the chicken and other ingredients

Instructions:

1) dip the raw chicken in the egg and then the breadcrumbs; saute in butter until cooked all the way through and then remove from pan and set aside

2) saute the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in enough butter to cook them

3) add the artichoke hearts

4) add the chicken and pour in the peaches and syrup; heat until heated through

5) remove everything except the sauce from the pan and place on a platter

6) add the chicken broth and the wine to the pan, simmer until thickened, and pour over the chicken

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GRAPES AND OLIVES

Ingredients:

-3 lbs of chicken parts with skin and bones (I used all drumsticks but I would mix it up next time)

-salt and pepper to taste

-1 T olive oil

-1 c grapes (or more; the more grapes the better in my humble opinion)

-1 c kalamata olives (pits removed)

-2 shallots, thinly sliced

-1/2 c dry white wine

-1/2 c chicken broth

-some fresh rosemary sprigs

 

Instructions:

1) preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2) wash the chicken, pat it dry, and season with salt and pepper
3) heat the oil in a cast iron skillet until it shimmers
4) brown the chicken, skin side down, turning once for about 5 minutes for the first side and a couple more minutes for the second side
5) surround the chicken with the grapes, olives, and shallots and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes
6) remove from the oven and transfer chicken/grapes/olives to a platter, add the wine and broth to the skillet and bring the sauce to a boil
7) scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet and stir the sauce while it is on the heat for about 2-3 minutes
8) pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the rosemary