Baked Coconut Shrimp

June 2, 2013Leave a comment

Such a great recipe from March’s Everyday Food. I’m not a huge fan of shrimp, but I loved these. We devoured them all quite quickly and I can’t wait to make them again. Enjoy!

Baked Coconut Shrimp

3 T. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut, roughly chopped
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. curry powder
2 large egg whites
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium. Add panko and toast, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer panko to a medium bowl; stir in coconut. In another medium bowl, whisk together Dijon, curry powder, and egg whites.
Dip shrimp in Dijon mixture, then coat with panko mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Place shrimp on rack and bake until opaque throughout, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Spicy Lime Cilantro Slaw

May 16, 2013Leave a comment

My husband and I tried a new Mexican restaurant in town, Tortilla Bar, and everything was great, but I was really excited to replicate the delicious cabbage slaw they served, since I always am looking for better ideas in using my veggies. So, I’m sure this isn’t exactly their recipe, but this is what I came up with, and I’m excited to eat it all summer long!

Spicy Lime Cilantro Slaw

1 small head of cabbage, sliced thinly (purple cabbage looks striking, but green cabbage works as well)
1-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced thinly in rings (seeds and ribs removed, if you want less heat)
2 limes, both the zest and the juice
1/2 c. olive oil
1 handful of cilantro, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage and the jalapeno in a serving bowl. Grate the zest of two limes on top of the cabbage and toss.

In another bowl, whisk the juice of the two limes with the olive oil. Add the cilantro and the salt and pepper to taste. Combine thoroughly then dress the cabbage. Toss and enjoy!

Yeasted Sweet Cheese Strudel

May 16, 2013Leave a comment

I always want to do something special for breakfasts on holiday mornings, and I’ve tried several different recipes, but this year, I was so happy with this strudel bread, I want to remember it for Easter next year. This recipe comes from Beth Hensperger’s Bread for All Seasons, a delightful book, and this bread/pastry was not terribly difficult, but unique and delicious (what I’m trying to say is that it’s actually my favorite thing to eat ever, and if I had no other considerations like health and weight, I would have it every morning). Anyway, for anyone else who’s a big fan of the cream cheese danish, here’s a great recipe for you to try! Note that the dough sits in the refrigerator overnight, so give yourself time in advance. I snapped the above picture, a couple of slices of the danish, which is all that remained in my house after breakfast from four loaves!

Yeasted Sweet Cheese Strudel or Cream Cheese Braided Danish

2 1/2 t. active dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. sour cream
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 t. salt
3 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (exact measure)

Sweet Cheese Filling
8 oz. fresh goat cheese (not Feta!), at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature [this time, I actually just used 16 oz. of cream cheese instead of goat cheese, and it was still great]
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
2 t. pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 large lemon

Brandied Almond Crust
1 egg yolk
1 t. good-quality brandy [or almond extract]
2 T. light brown sugar
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the sour cream on the stove top or in a microwave to about 105 degrees, then add the butter pieces. Stir to melt.

2. In a standing mixer (or equivalent), combine the remaining sugar, eggs, lemon zest, salt and 1 c. of flour. Add the warm sour cream and yeast mixtures. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute, switching to a wooden spoon as necessary if making by hand. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time. The dough will be rather soft and have a silky, translucent quality. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Cover the bowl with 2 layers of greased plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge overnight.

3. The next day, make the sweet cheese filling. With an electric mixer, blend together the cheeses, sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth and well combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

4. Using a large dough scraper, scrape the chilled batter onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal portions. Roll out each portion in to an 8-by-12-inch rectangle, dusting lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Spread each rectangle with one-third of the sweet cheese filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Starting from a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion and pinch the seam together to seal. Pinch both ends to seal and tuck them under. Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, at least 3 inches apart. Using a serrated knife, score each finished cylinder in 5 places across the top, no more than 1/4 inch deep. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Bake in the center of the preheated oven 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the brandied almond crust. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, brandy, brown sugar, and allspice and beat briskly with a whisk. Using a pastry brush, spread the crust mixture gently over the tops of the partially baked strudels. Immediately sprinkle each strudel with one-third of the almonds. Quickly return the pan to the oven and bake until the strudels are golden, sound hollow when tapped, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, another 15-20 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the strudels from the baking sheet to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Glazed Radishes

May 15, 2013Leave a comment

I clipped this recipe from an Everyday Food back in 2006, and I’m still making it. It is definitely my favorite thing to do with radishes, besides topping fish tacos with them. The result is something sweet and salty, and the radishes almost take on a pearl-onion flavor, but I like these better. You can tell from the photo how many we had left by the time I remembered to take a photo!

Glazed Radishes

3 bags (6 ounces each) red radishes (about 45), ends trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Cut large radishes in half; leave small ones whole. In a 12-inch skillet, combine radishes, butter, sugar, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced and radishes are tender and glazed, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

Low-Fat Meatloaf

April 3, 2013Leave a comment

So, I’m actually not that concerned about finding meatloaf that is low-fat, I just think this is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had (and I’ve tried a few!). The difference is that the mushroom mixture adds great flavor to the meatloaf (but because it’s pureed, my kids don’t know there’s mushrooms in it), and the meatloaf is never dry. It’s just a winner; so much so, that I usually turn to this recipe when I have mushrooms in the house. This recipe comes from an April 2008 Cook’s Country. I haven’t included a picture, because I don’t think meatloaf photographs well, but it looks pretty much like any other meatloaf, I promise!

Low-Fat Meatloaf

1 t. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
10 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. minced fresh thyme
¼ c. tomato juice
1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1½ lbs. 90-percent lean ground beef
1 large egg
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. finely chopped fresh parsley

GLAZE

⅓ c. ketchup
3 T. cider vinegar
1 t. hot sauce
2 T. light brown sugar

1. For the meatloaf: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet and arrange 8- by 6-inch piece of aluminum foil in center of rack. Using skewer, poke holes in foil at ½-inch intervals.

2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion and ¼ t. salt until softened, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Let mixture cool 5 minutes, then transfer mixture to food processor, add bread, and process until smooth. Add beef to food processor and pulse to combine.

3. Whisk egg, soy sauce, mustard, parsley, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add beef mixture and mix with hands until evenly combined. Using hands, shape mixture into loaf covering entirety of prepared foil. Bake until meatloaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Remove meatloaf from oven and heat broiler.

4. For the glaze: Combine ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar in small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread glaze over meatloaf and broil until glaze begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Serve.

Creamy Carbonara

March 3, 2013Leave a comment

I love this recipe, and I always think that I have already posted this recipe, but no! This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I haven’t gotten to the grocery store or at the end of the month when funds are low. It’s such a delicious recipe–the eggs become creamy, and the sauce is mildly garlicky, but not enough to turn off my kids. My kids fight over the bacon, so I usually double the amount that the recipe calls for. This really is a great, quick dinner. It comes from the The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2007 Annual.

Creamy Carbonara

serves 4-6

1 lb. dry spaghetti
3 fresh large eggs
8 oz. thick-cut bacon, cubed (I usually double the amount)
1 c. freshly grated Pecorino
2 T. heavy cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. pepper
1/2 c. dry white wine
Sea salt

1. Bring about 4 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. Whisk the eggs, Pecorino Romano, and cream together in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 T. of the bacon fat. Add the garlic and pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk the garlic mixture in to the egg mixture.

3. Add the wine to the skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk the wine mixture into the egg mixture.

4. Meanwhile, add the salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Immediately pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss to combine with 1/2 c. of the reserved cooking water. Add the bacon and thin the sauce with the remaining cooking water as necessary. Serve immediately.

Note: Curdled eggs will ruin this dish. To prevent this from happening, be sure to whisk constantly when adding the hot ingredients to the egg mixture.

Retro Peanut Butter Fingers

February 17, 2013Leave a comment

These have the French Buttercream. Delicious!

This is the recipe from elementary school cafeterias in the ’80s (and perhaps before and since!). Luckily, my aunt gave this to me, and I am so glad, because as a kid, I always had school lunch on the days these were served. So, if you have the same lovely memories, you’ll love this one. Incidentally, it’s great for a crowd, since it takes just a little effort, but makes somewhere between 36-48 bars, depending on how small you cut them. Perfect for picnics and after-school gatherings!

Retro Peanut Butter Fingers

1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 1/2 c., but I don’t think they need to be that sweet)
3/4 c. sugar (again, I’ve cut down from the original 1 c.)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
3 c. flour
3 c. rolled oats
18 oz. creamy peanut butter
Chocolate Frosting (of your choice; I’ve used a simple ganache, chocolate French Buttercream and chocolate American Buttercream. I usually pick the type of frosting according to where and how I will serve them, and how sturdy I want the frosting to be)

1.Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a 18 x 26 x 1″ pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, oats, salt and soda together. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, for about thirty seconds each. Add vanilla and beat briefly until combined. Add 9 oz. of the peanut butter, and beat another 1-2 minutes, or until combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer, and mix on low speed until combined. Spread the batter (it will be thick) onto the parchment-lined pan.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes (it will look a little dry), then remove to a wire rack.

6. Once the fingers have cooled, spread with the remaining peanut butter and then frost with your choice of chocolate frosting. Enjoy!

Homemade Naan Bread

February 1, 2013February 1, 2013Leave a comment

Again, I was surprised how easy this recipe is. It takes a few hours to raise, but just stirs together and then there isn’t a second raising time, like most breads. Definitely makes a curry better! I got this recipe from the blog, everybodylikessandwiches. (and thanks to that blogger!) Note my alternate way to bake the breads–I really like the result

Naan Bread

(adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything)
2 t. instant yeast
2 T. milk
2 T. yogurt
1 T. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 1/2 c. water
2 t. salt
canola oil, for the bowl
4 T. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. sesame seeds (black or white)

Stir together the yeast, milk, yogurt and sugar and set aside. In another large bowl, combine the flours, egg, and salt together, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Stir in the yeast mixture until combined and start adding in the water a little at a time until the dough forms into a slightly sticky ball.

Knead the dough for a few seconds right in the bowl until the dough becomes a bit smoother. Add a bit of oil to the bottom of the bowl and roll the dough ball around in it, and around the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 500F and put a baking sheet on the lowest rack. [I heated the broiler instead, with my baking stone about 6 inches away from the broiler}.]

Punch down the dough and then break the dough into 2 balls. Dust your board or table lightly with flour and roll one ball into a snake, then break into 6 small balls. Repeat with the other larger ball of dough until you have 12 smaller balls of dough. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out each ball into an oval shape and add it to the hot baking sheet. Flip the naan bread after 3 minutes. [If you do this under the broiler, like I do, it only takes 90 seconds on the first side, and 60 seconds on the reverse.] The naan is ready when it’s puffed up slightly and is mottled with golden spots. In a small saucepan, melt together the butter and garlic and brush freshly baked naan with the garlic butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Chicken Tikka Masala

January 30, 20132 Comments

This recipe isn’t nearly as complicated as I imagined it would be, and it’s worth it! I had some big chicken breasts, so they took a lot more time than I was expecting under the broiler, but otherwise, it came together pretty quickly. I actually doubled it, and I was so glad, since we had great leftovers for a few days after. I got it out of The Best International Recipe, and I served with with homemade naan bread–I’ll post that great recipe soon!

Chicken Tikka Masala

For Chicken:
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. table salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5-6 oz. each)
1 c. plain yogurt (see note)
2 T. vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 T. grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce:
3 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 t.)
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chili, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note)
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. garam masala
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 t. sugar
1/2 t. table salt
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Note: This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile.

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. (The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken.)

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Paleo Banana Bread Pudding

January 5, 2013Leave a comment

With the beginning of the new year I’ve rededicated myself to cutting out the refined carbs. Today I had a go at making Paleo Banana Bread. Only, after I had already started mixing the bananas and eggs, I realized that I didn’t have any coconut flour. So I used some almond flour I had on hand.

I think I made 2 mistakes. First, I don’t think almond meal is substantial enough by itself to constitute the basis for bread. Second, I think I tried to turn the bread out of the pan and onto a cooling rack too soon. I wound up with kind of a bready mush.

BUT, it is delicious mush! After dinner tonight, I put a little bit in a couple mall bowls, warmed it up, and served it as dessert. It would be delicious with whipped cream, or maybe a nice caramel sauce or ice cream, if you’re not too worried about being strictly Paleo.

I’ll get some coconut flour and try the bread again, but for now, this is delicious.

Ingredients

4 bananas, yellow (they do not need to be overly ripe but you can if you want)

4 eggs

1/2 cup almond butter

4 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter)

1/2 cup almond flour/meal

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine your bananas, eggs, nut butter, and coconut oil and mix well with mixer.

Once blended, add in almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt and mix well.

Grease a loaf pan and pour and spread batter in pan. Bake in over for 50-60 minutes (longer if using a glass loaf pan), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You could also bake for 30 minutes or so in a 9×9 square pan. Spoon into bowls warm and enjoy!