Recipe Review from 1/7/2019

Two new recipes from last week - both made lots of leftovers so I didn't have to do any cooking mid-week.  Which was good given I had my usual after work classes, one after work presentation to give, and the Husband was out of town one night.   Being able to pull something out and reheat made for stress-free evenings. 


The Meal Plan
Sun (L) leftover barley   (S) Salmon Noodle Casserole
Mon (yoga)  casserole
Tues (DH out)  casserole
Wed - casserole
Thurs (yoga)  probably casserole
Fri  - butter chicken leftovers
Sat (L) butter chicken leftovers  (S) out


Lunches - Butter Chicken


Instant Pot Butter Chicken (modified from Well Plated Blog)
This was my second time using the saute feature in my Instant Pot, and with sauteing the spices, it is a MUST that you turn the Instant Pot off  to prevent burning or from getting a "burn" warning.  Which is what happened to me, despite being careful. 

However, the dish wasn't a loss, the chicken was cooked perfectly, and it was perfect for lunches and suppers during a cold, damp, chilly week.

Now, the husband doesn't like cauliflower, so I tried to keep the florets somewhat larger so I could separate them ahead of time.  He did note, there is enough spice in this to cover the taste so it was alright.   I liked the addition of the cauliflower because it was a little extra veggie "hit".   Recommended! 

I got about 10 servings out of this when served with rice. 

Photo from Well Plated by Erin

1 tbsp oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp water (or more)
1 (28oz) tomato sauce
1 small cauliflower, florets broken into bite sized pieces
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts   (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
2 tbsp butter, quartered
1/2 cup half in half or full-fat coconut milk (recipe author notes reduced fat/fat free adds too much liquid)
1/2 plain Greek yogurt  (bought it, forgot it)

Prepared basmati riceOptional - Chopped fresh cilantro

Add the oil to the Instant Pot and set to SAUTE. Once hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot to OFF. Add a splash or water or chicken broth and stir, using a sturdy plastic or wooden spoon to scrape loose any browned bits that have stuck. Make sure you remove all of the stuck on bits so that you don't trigger a burn warning.

Add the tomato sauce and cauliflower florets and stir to combine. Lay the chicken on top, then scatter the butter pieces over the top. Close and seal Instant Pot. Cook on Manual (HIGH) pressure for 12 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent to immediately release any remaining pressure.   I cooked for 10 minutes, then immediately vented. 

Carefully open the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Cut into bite-sized pieces, then return to the sauce.  By cutting chicken ahead of time, you can skip this step.  Which is messy.  Stir in the half and half or coconut milk. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt (do not stir it in immediately or it will curdle). Serve with rice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro if desired.


[Salmon] Noodle Casserole (Ckng Lght, Oct 2018)
First off, I subbed Salmon for the Tuna just 'cause I could.

This was a bit different that other tuna noodle casseroles in that the sauce isn't the dominant feature.  This made a lighter cream-type sauce that wasn't and overwhelming gooey mass.  Which is GOOD. 

While the ingredient list looks overwhelming, it really isn't - you only have to prep the mushrooms, onion and garlic.  Oh, and lemon zest if using.  This does come together in about an hour, with time for clean-up before sitting down for dinner.  This does make a 9x13 pan and it reheats beautifully.  I would make this one again - Recommended. 

I got 8 servings out of this

Photo  from cookinglight.com

12 ounces uncooked whole-wheat egg noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon zest plus 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 (4-oz.) cans unsalted albacore tuna in water, drained  
I used 3 5-oz pkg vacuumed sealed salmon packets
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook noodles according to package instructions until very al dente, omitting salt and fat. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add mushrooms; cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender, about 4 more minutes. Add thyme; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add butter; stir to melt. Whisk in flour; cook until roux is golden, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; whisk in milk, tomato paste, mustard, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Return to a simmer; simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Pour mixture into bowl with noodles. Stir in tuna and dill.

Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer tuna mixture to baking dish; top with cheese. Bake at 375°F until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with dill.