Category: Spring & Summer Dinners

Black Bean and Mango Quinoa Salad

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I improvised a little for a luncheon get-together last week, and came up with a new salad that is wonderfully colorful and seemed nutritionally loaded

A bright salad for spring and summer!

(as far as my knowledge of nutrition goes:). It’s also vegetarian and vegan.  I based it off of a recipe from epicurious, although the end result is quite a bit different. So, this is for Sara particularly, but if something doesn’t seem right, let me know! This is how I remember it going . . .

Black Bean and Mango Quinoa Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces)
  • 1/4 c. canola oil
  • 2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 t. cumin
  • 1/2 t. dijon mustard
  • 1/2 t. salt (or more, to taste)
  • 1 c. black beans, cooked and drained (or from a can)
  • 1 c. chopped peeled mango
  • 1 medium tomato, cored and chopped into 1/4″ cubes
  • 1 sweet pepper (orange or yellow look particularly great), seeded, deveined, and chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 large handful of cilantro, stems removed, roughly chopped

Cook quinoa in medium pot of boiling salted water over medium heat until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain well; cool. Transfer to medium bowl. [My quinoa gets really clumpy when I cook it this way, so instead, I boil it for 10 minutes, then I put it in a fine mesh steamer, and steam it for 10 minutes more. It turns out light and fluffy this way. I also always rinse it 3xs before cooking it, which was the excellent advice of my friend Maryann. Rinsing it ensures the quinoa’s not bitter.]

Meanwhile, whisk oil and next 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with more salt (if desired) and pepper.

Add chopped mango, black beans, tomato,  green onions, pepper, 1/2 the cilantro and 1/4 cup dressing to quinoa; toss to coat. Garnish with remaining cilantro and drizzle with remaining dressing; serve. Stores well for 2 days in an airtight container, refrigerated.

Serves 4-6.

Coconut-Lime Chicken Noodle Soup

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This recipe, from Martha’s March 2012 Everyday Food, is so easy and so lovely. I can’t find it on Martha’s site yet (?!!), so I’m typing it up. The ingredients

A very white soup--the cilantro helps!

came together quickly, and the taste has the Thai sweet, salty, and sour combo. Really, really good. I served this soup with little chicken sandwiches with cucumber, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and shredded green onions. Kind-of a mix of cuisines, but a fun dinner. And, if it matters for you, this soup is gluten-free.

Coconut-Lime Chicken Noodle Soup

6 oz. dried flat rice noodles
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into 1/4″ rounds
1 can (13.5 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
6 T. lime juice (about 3 limes)
3 T. fish sauce
2 t. light brown sugar
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
3/4 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves

1. Soak rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain.

2. In a large pot, bring broth and ginger to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Add coconut milk to broth and return to a simmer. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, jalapeno, and 1/2 c. cilantro; cook one minute. Stir in noodles and serve immediately, topped with 1/4 c. remaining cilantro.

Serves 4

Moussaka

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When Jason and I had been married for about 8 months, eggplant was in season, and I had a hankering for moussaka, my mom’s favorite dish at our local Greek restaurant when I was growing up.  I found a few recipes online, and made them into this one.  Jason was pretty skeptical about a dish that featured eggplant, but he loved it and could have polished off a whole pan all by himself if I had let him.

I got a couple of eggplant at the farmer’s market on Saturday, and decided to resurrect my moussaka for Sunday dinner.  Yum!

Moussaka

1-2 Eggplant (1-1 1/4 pound)
1 lb Ground Turkey or Ground Beef
1 can (14.5 oz) No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) No Salt Added Diced TOmatoes
1 C. Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 C. Red Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 C. Flour
1 C. Milk
2 T. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 C. Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 t. Cinnamon
8 Kalamata Olives , chopped

Slice eggplant very thinly.  Salt both sides of eggplant slices and lay on cookie sheet to sweat for 20-30 minutes.  I usually put them on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet so the liquid falls away from the eggplant.  This will prevent the eggplant from being spongy after it is cooked (which will absolutely ruin an eggplant dish for me).

Brown ground turkey/beef with onion and garlic. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and red wine. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add chopped olives.

Layer eggplant, then meat mixture in 13 x 9 pan, ending with meat mixture. You will probably have 2 layers of each.

Add milk to a saucepan on medium heat. Slowly stir in flour a little at a time until sauce thickens. Add feta cheese, parmesan cheese and cinnamon. Stir until well blended.

Pour white sauce over the meat and eggplant.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and cook for 30 more minutes.

Quick, Flavorful Chicken Tacos

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With cilantro, avocado & tomatoes

Here’s another great recipe from the Best of ATK 2011 Annual. If you’re looking for something easy to prepare tomorrow for Cinco de Mayo, here’s the ticket. The sauce comes together fast, but is so great, my husband was licking the skillet. Really. This recipe is a perfect weeknight meal.

Quick & Flavorful Chicken Tacos

2 T. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c. orange juice
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 t. yellow mustard
salt and pepper
12 (6-in.) flour tortillas, warmed
Toppings for serving: shredded lettuce, grated cheese, diced avocado, tomato, and sour cream

1. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chipotles and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1/2 c. cilantro, the orange juice, and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until the chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10-15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 c., about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and return it to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the tortillas (and other toppings, if desired).

Thai Sticky Rice with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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I noticed a strange looking pot at my friend’s house the other day, and when I asked her about it, she told me it was this marvelous thing she picked up at the Asian

This is the steam pot and bamboo basket from the Asian Market

Market on 300 S. and 291 E. in Provo, and it’s purpose was to make sticky rice. Well, I love sticky rice, so the pot was purchased within a week, and while I was in this terrific market, I asked the owner if she could tell me how to make peanut sauce. I am so glad I did! She pointed out all the ingredients, and then was about to write a recipe for me, when I noticed she had a small, self-published recipe book for $6. I bought it, and then I made this rice 3 times the first week, not only because the sticky rice is so fun to eat, but also because her peanut sauce in unbelievable. I would highly suggest finding a market to buy this pot and sticky rice in, and give it a go. It will bring happiness. I’m printing this recipe from Kanakum Lawson’s recipe book, with her permission.

Thai Sticky Rice (a terrific dish for kids!)

1. In lukewarm water, soak stick rice for 2 1/2-3 hours.

2. Fill half of the steamer pot with water. Drain the rice and put it in the bamboo basket, cover the rice with any lid that will fit (or aluminum foil). set the bamboo basket over the steamer pot (don’t let the water touch the bamboo basket).

3. Bring to boil and let it steam for 10 minutes.

4. Stir, so the rice at the bottom moves to the top.

5. Steam for 10 more minutes and stir again.

6. Steam for 10 more minutes. The color of the rice will turn clear when it’s done. Taste to see if it’s soft enough. If it’s still not soft enough, steam just 5 minutes more and check again, until it’s done.

Tips: You can re-steam the rice it it’s too hard later on (because of dry weather). To clean the basket, just leave the rice to dry and then wipe out with your hand.

AMAZING Peanut Sauce

Sticky Rice and Peanut Sauce

2 T. tamarind liquid
4-5 T. peanut butter (Lawson suggests natural chunky, but I’ve used unnatural creamy, and it works great, too)
2 T. red curry paste
6 T. sugar
4 T. fish sauce
1 1/2 c. coconut milk

1. In a saucepan, add coconut milk and heat it up at medium heat.

2. As it’s heating, stir in the curry paste and break the paste into small pices. Mix well.

3. When you see red oil simmering to the top, add the peanut butter, sugar, fish sauce and tamarind liquid. Stir.

4. Taste. You should be ale to taste all three flavors, salty, sweet, and sour. If it becomes too thick, add a few teaspoons of water to thin the paste (if too spicy, reduce curry; too salty, reduce fish oil or add sugar. I think it’s divine how she’s balanced the flavors!)

Lemon Basil Orzo Salad

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This has become my go-to spring/summer pasta salad that I could (and sometimes do) inhale straight from the bowl in its entirety. So very refreshing and simple.

Salad:
1 pound orzo pasta, cooked and rinsed with cold water
2 14-oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed
2 large tomatoes, diced (or more, per your preference)
2/3 – 1 cup feta cheese
8 scallions, chopped

Combine all but the feta, set aside.

Lemon Vinaigrette: (Not sure what happened to the spacing here – or how to change it?)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

24+ good-size fresh basil leaves, minced

1 – 2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix vinaigrette and toss over salad. Chill for at least a couple of hours. Add crumbled feta prior to serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken and Cheese Tamales with Jalapeno

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chicken-tamale
These tamales may be my most favorite food of all-time. I love them, but I remember them to be time-intensive, which frequently puts me off from making them. However, yesterday I

actually timed myself, and they don’t take nearly the time I had remembered. In fact, although I had tripled the recipe, the tamales were all steaming within 1 1/2 hours. So, not a quick and easy meal, but definitely do-able when the occasion calls for it. And, oh my, I think these are amazing. This recipe comes from an older copy of Joy of Cooking.

Note: I have ceased using corn husks when I make these because they are a lot more time consuming. Rather, I wrap them in aluminum foil, and they work perfectly. Not a beautiful

presentation, but very functional, less leakage, and clean-up. So I’m a fan. You should try both, but I would actually suggest using foil if you have never made tamales before.

This recipe makes 8 tamales. So definitely double it. (They freeze really well, if for some strange reason they don’t all get consumed.) I should also add that although the chicken has a little kick to it, the tamales are actually quite mild.

Spicy Chicken and Cheese Tamales with Jalapeno

For Tamale dough
4 medium ear fresh corn or 1 can corn (app. 1 1/2 c.)
2/3 c. instant grits
2/3 c. yellow cornmeal [you can substitute the grits and cornmeal for 1 1/3 c. Instant Corn Masa, an import product which is easily found in Latin American markets and even some larger grocery stores. I have had far fewer problems using the Instant Masa than the grits/cornmeal scenario, so I prefer it]
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 c. boiling water [if using Instant Masa, the water just needs to be warm]
6 T. butter or lard, softened
2 T. minced, seeded fresh jalapeno

For Chicken
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground red pepper
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 oz.)
1 T. butter
1/2 c. slivered onions
1/2 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese

If using dried corn husks, soak them in boiling water for 2 1/2 hours before using. If using fresh corn husks, soak them in boiling water for 1/2 hour, as you prepare the other ingredients.

1. In a pie dish or on a plate, mix cumin, salt, chili powder, and red pepper. Coat chicken breast in this seasoning. Set aside.

2. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet (that has a lid). Add the onions, stirring, until they are tender but not browned. Add the seasoned chicken breast and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Cover the skillet and cook chicken until it is done (reaches 165 F on an instant read thermometer), about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Puree 1 c. of corn in a food processor. In a medium, heat-resistant bowl, combine grits, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then add the water and stir until smooth. At this point, the tamale dough should be stiff-ish, like polenta or cooked oats (if it’s runny, you haven’t reconstituted the grains sufficiently and this will be a problem later. I suggest microwaving the mixture for a minute or two until it stiffens]. Add the butter (or lard) and beat until incorporated. Stir in the pureed corn, the 1/2 c. remaining corn, and the jalapeno, and combine well.

4. Shred the chicken by pulling it in opposite directions with two forks. (And definitely snitch some–I love this stuff!)

5. Remove husks from water (if using), pat dry, and tear 16 thin strips from 2-3 pieces of husk to tie the tamales. Arrange two husks, slightly overlapping, side by side and alternating the tips and stem ends to form a rectangle about 9 x 7 inches. Repeat until 8 rectangles are arranged (or just make 8 rectangles of foil and proceed).  In the center of the husk, spread about 1/3 tamale dough into a 4″x 5″ rectangle with the back of a wooden spoon. Don’t worry about being a perfectionist here. Then, in the center, lay 1-2 T. chicken and 1-2 T. of cheese. Repeat with all eight. Fold the long edges of the cornhusks over the filling, slightly overlapping the edges. Twist the ends and tie each end tightly with a trip of cornhusk to form a packet. (If using foil, fold the foil in half lengthwise, fold the top edge over and continue to fold until it is close to the tamale, but leave a little room for expansion. Also crease the two sides in so tamale doesn’t spill out.)

6. Place a steaming rack large enough to hold the tamales in a single layer over 1 inch boiling water, use 2 racks and pans as necessary. Cover and steam, adding more boiling water as needed, until the corn filling is puffed up inside the cornhusks, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve warm. (I do this in my electric skillet. I place a cookie rack in the skillet, fill the skillet with water below the rack, then heat it at 400. It works well.)

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Spicy Pork Posole

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I first had posole soup at a Chicago restaurant my sister took me to, and I’ve been meaning to make it home ever since, and finally found a good recipe. This recipe is from Everyday Food, but for some reason cannot be found on their website (?!!?), so I’m typing it up. I love the hominy in it. If you haven’t tried hominy yet, you’re in for a big treat. It’s corn that’s been alkalized, so it puffs and has a completely different texture and taste than corn does. The closest thing I can compare it to is garbanzo beans, but if that makes it sound gross, ignore that, because it’s not. Anyway, my Cape Verdean friends in Rhode Island use hominy in some of their great dishes, but posole is the only other dish I’ve seen it in (you can read this as a call for more great hominy recipes, if you have some). This soup is also a great, easy weekday dinner that uses many kitchen staples. Incidentally, you can leave the spice out by using only the adobo sauce, and not the chile, if you prefer the soup to be mild.

Spicy Pork Posole

2 T. olive oil
1 pork tenderloin (1-2 lbs.)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 c. water
2 (15 oz.) cans chicken broth, or 3 1/2 c. homemade chicken broth
2 cans hominy, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juices
1 chipotle chile in adobe sauce, chopped (with 1 T. sauce, if you prefer)
1/2 c. chopped cilantro, stems removed
lime wedges, diced avocado, sour cream for serving (optional, but really a good idea)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the pork tenderloin to the pan, allowing it to brown on every side, rotating it every 2-3 minutes. Remove the pork to a bowl.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, salt and pepper according to taste, and then, stirring frequently, cook until tender and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add water, chicken broth, hominy, tomatoes, chipotle chile, and pork (with any accumulated juices) and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and allow to simmer until the pork is fully cooked (between 5-10 minutes. You may want to check it with an instant-read thermometer. It should be from 160-170 degrees).

3. Remove the pork from the soup and shred it (use 2 forks and scrape the pork down with the grain). Return to soup, adjust seasonings, and allow to simmer until ready to serve. Stir in cilantro just before serving, and pass chopped avocados, sour cream, and lime wedges with the soup, if desired.

Swiss Fondue without (much) Wine

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We really just do fondue on Valentines Day, but it’s a tradition I really look forward to. However, since I’m not a wine drinker, I’ve found that all the recipes I’ve tried have a little too strong of a wine taste to suit us. This year, I played with it, and I liked the result. I’ll include the original recipe amount for wine as well (the recipe comes from the Best International Recipe), because I’m sure there are many other people who feel quite the opposite of me!

Also, if you haven’t ever purchased Gruyere and/or Emmentaler, you will probably be surprised at how expensive they are (usually about $20 total for the amount needed in this recipe). You can find Gruyere at Costco at a more reasonable cost, but I’m not sure about Emmentaler. Using a nicer cheese makes all the difference, though, since the ingredient list is short, but you should definitely feel free to experiment to fit your budget and taste. In Rhode Island, we asked our Farmstead people for a good fondue mix, and they gave us some amazing cheeses, including one called Appenzeller, I believe. Here in Utah, Harmons has a really nice selection (including bags of preshredded Gruyere and Emmentaler–how convenient! But, I haven’t bought it yet). I’ve even used a mix of Gruyere and plain Swiss when things were tight, and it was fine. Not amazing, but highly edible.

Swiss Fondue

8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
8 oz. Emmentaler cheese, shredded
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced in half
1/8 t. freshly ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 3/4 c. dry white wine
or
1 c. chicken stock (or broth)
1/2 c. apple juice
1/4 c. white wine (or take the wine completely out, and just use 3/4 c. apple juice)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheeses and toss with cornstarch.

2. If you have a fondue pot, rub the inside of it with the garlic clove. If you don’t, rub the inside of a heavy-bottomed pan with the garlic. Either way, in a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the wine or chicken stock, apple juice, and wine to a simmer. Once the liquid is simmering, add the cheese a handful at a time, whisking after each addition to incorporate. Then, add the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Transfer the cheese mixture to a fondue pot, if you have one, or simply bring the pot to the middle of the table and enjoy!

Note: When the fondue cools down, it will get stringy. You can remedy this by either having it over a sterno can, or placing it back on the stove to reheat (but DON’T put a ceramic fondue pot on the stove–it will crack. I’ve done this).

We’ve fondued many different foods, but our favorites are cooked and sliced apple chicken sausage, roasted or steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and of course, cubed french bread.

Black Bean Burgers

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Well, I’ve tried several recipes that are light at this point, and I think only one is post-worthy (the sweet potatoes from a few posts ago). So, I’m abandoning that approach, and going instead back to my old stomping grounds for good recipes. We tried this one last week, and I’m already sure it will grace our table many times in the future. It’s from the 2011 America’s Test Kitchen Annual, and I love the red pepper in it–it’s terrific. A suggested variation is to sub 1 T. minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce for the cayenne and replace 1/4 c. of the red pepper with 3/4 c. thawed frozen corn. Sounds like a good plan for next time.

Black Bean Burgers

2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
2 large eggs
3 T. olive oil
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 shallot, minced (about 3 T.)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Spread the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry, 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. {I just realized I skipped this step–the burgers were quite moist–I’m sure this dries them out and gives them quite a different, likely better, texture. But, foregoing it still produced great results.}

3. Whisk the eggs, 1 T. of the oil, the cumin, salt, and cayenne together in a small bowl. Place 2 1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir in the bread crumbs, egg mixture, remaining 1/2 c. beans, bell pepper, cilantro and shallot until just combined. Divide the bean mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 c. each, and lightly pack into 1″ thick patties.

4. Heat 1 T. more oil in a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

5. Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Return the skillet to medium heat and repeat with the remaining 1 T. oil and remaining burgers. Serve.