Recipe Review from 3/18/19

Not much to say about last week - the weather finally turned nice in my corner of the world, the snow is gradually melting, I got to sit out on the porch a couple of late afternoons; mind, I was in my fleece jacket and a blanket - but I was OUTSIDE!  And I made a couple of new recipes. 


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L)  leftover soup   (S) Spaghetti casserole
Sun (L) leftover spaghetti  (S)
Mon (yoga/bkgrp)  leftover spahetti
Tues - Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Wed - leftover soup
Thurs (yoga) - leftover soup
Fri - TBD

Lunches - Butter chicken

Spicy Pumpkin and Corn Soup (Taste of Home, Soups)  vegetarian option
Yes. What you see is what you get, and what you get is surprisingly tasty.  It is on the mild side, so if you require more zing!  Then add a pinch of cayenne.   I would make this again. I would happily make this for lunches for the week.   This would be a perfect cool weather soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.  Recommended!

photo from Taste of Home

Made 6 servings

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, mix all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduceheat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary.


Slow Cooked Butter Chicken (Eating Well Jan/Feb 2019)
This was my lunches for the week.  I needed simple, I needed easy.  Which this was.  What is wasn't was flavorful.  Granted, my cardmom is not the freshest anymore, but one with think the ginger, garlic and garam masala would have been adequate.  Ah...nope.  All in all, very bland and really nothing to be said for the Indian spices.

Recommended with reservations.

Made 6 servings. 

2¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1½ teaspoons grated garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1¾ cups water
1 cup long-grain brown rice  (I recommend basmati for added flavor)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Lime wedges & sliced scallions for garnish

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, garam masala and cardamom; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in coconut milk, broth and tomato paste. Cover and cook on Low until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 7 to 8 hours.

About 40 minutes before serving, combine water and rice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir and cover; reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Stir salt into the chicken mixture. Serve the chicken and sauce over the rice. Garnish with lime wedges and scallions, if desired.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . .

For March book group. Read in anticipation of release of series in May.

This is my third or forth reading, except this time I read as an audio book. Absolutely delightful!

What can I say that hasn't already been said - this is pure brain candy. Its a fun theological romp through the eyes of one angel and one demon, Aziraphale and Crowley, who have quite come to enjoy earth and humans and don't want Armageddon to come about. It's about mis-placing the Anti-Christ, Adam Young, who ends up being raised as a normal human boy in lower Tadfield. It's about finding love when it's been right in front of you all along. It's about strangely accurate prophecies and that sometimes, they're best ignored.

I found the supporting cast an absolute hoot - from the "Them" (Adam's friends), to the Four Riders of the Apocalypse, to Newt, Anathema, and Mr. Shadwell and his psychic lady friend.

I giggled at the subtle jabs at secret agencies feeding ducks around a pond.

I loved the insightful observations into the human psyche.

I just enjoy this book.

My previous readings of Good Omens must have predated 2007, which was when I started this blog. In 2011 I attended the North American Discworld Convention, which was Terry Pratchett's last American visit and what would become the basis for the Long Earth collaboration with Pratchett and Steven Baxter. Which I also just read.

But I digress. Good Omens. It's good fun. Go read it.



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Recipe Review from 3/11/2019

A bit of a busy week with work meetings, The Husband and a friend did a couple days fishing up in Ely, and it snowed and rained.   Welcome to spring in MN. 

And another week of meal planning where I forget somewhat vital ingredients...like the chickpeas for my hummus.  Cheese sandwiches it is then...

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Chinese take out (because sometimes I just need a break)  (S)  leftover chicken
Sun (L) leftover Chinese and pizza  (S) Three Bean Chili
Mon (Yoga)  chili
Tues (Husband fishing)  chili
Wed (Husband fishing)  chili
Thurs (yoga)  chili
Fri - spaghetti

Lunches:  Hummus Cheese sandwiches, fruit, nuts, luna bars

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili (Taste of Home Soups 2019) vegetarian
 I actually made this as written, only skipping the shredded carrot at the end because I was lazy and didn't want to shred carrots.   I recommend prepping everything before you heat the pan.  Once the onions, celery and sweet pepper hits the pan, this comes together quick.  You don't want to be opening cans of beans and rinsing and draining when those veggies are done.  And make sure you use your largest stock pot.  This makes a lot. 

The Husband did comment, that for the amount of seasoning and spice, this didn't seem overly flavorful, or more to the point, a bit bland.  Could be our tastebuds are used to something a bit more spicy - and if that's the case for you, add in some heat of choice.   If serving to little tastebuds, or sensitive taste buds, this might be perfect. 

I really liked the bulger in this.  It's texture was similar to ground meat, but without the greasiness that meat brings to a dish.  It's hearty without being heavy and after sitting and cooling, it really thickened up the dish quite nicely. 

I would make this again in a heartbeat.  Recommended! 


Serves:  8-12

photo from Taste of Home

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, (I subbed Navy beans) rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 cup bulgur
1 large carrot, finely shredded
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1) In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and green pepper; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic and seasonings; cook 2 minutes longer.
 
2) Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened and bulgur is tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If desired, serve with cheese.

Recipe Review from 3/4/2019

A double recipe post this week.   I had some catching up to do with Monday's post and wasn't ready to post my book review.   This was also the week of "oops!" - I planned two suppers for Sunday, I forgot three or four different ingredients for the dishes...yeah.  Oops!  But it all worked out.

I've been cooking a lot out of the Taste of Home Soups magazine I picked up on the news stand, and from Eating Well's Jan/Feb issues after the merger of Cooking Light and Eating Well. 

The Meal Plan
Sat (L)  leftover chili  (S) take n bake pizza (Spicy Hawaiian!)
Sun (L) pasty    (S)  Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta
Mon (yoga) - leftover chicken
Tues - leftover chicken
Wed - leftover chicken
Thurs (yoga) - leftover chicken
Fri - take n bake pizza (Bacon Cheeseburger!)

Lunches - Husband:  veggies and fruit, nuts
                 Me - Thai Curry Soup, fruit, nuts

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2019)  gluten free option**
I need to remember to double check that I have all the little miscellaneous ingredients in the fridge and not just assume that I still have them.   I was looking forward to the briney, saltiness of the capers and the olives in this dish and lo!  when it came time to assemble, my capers and olives were no where to be seen.  Alas...I didn't check ahead of time.

Still, this was a very tasty dish.  It's easy to assemble and it makes a lot.   If you are serving little tastebuds, skipping the capers might be the way to go.  You can serve it over the polenta, or not.  It was good both ways.  It reheats very nicely - I cut the polenta into squares and popped into the oven to reheat. 

One observation - EW serving size seems a bit large.  I got 6 meals for two out of this, no sides, no seconds and we were nicely full.   Recommended if you need something to feed a crowd - add a salad, some rustic bread, and you're set!  Recommended.

Makes 10-12 servings.

photo from EatingWell.com

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped red bell peppers
2 cups chopped yellow onion
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour**
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup red wine
4 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
(I used 3.75 lbs boneless thighs because I didn't want to fart around with pulling bones out)
1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
¼ cup drained capers  (oops! forgot to buy...)
¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives  (oops! forgot to buy...)

3 cups water
1⅓ cups uncooked instant polenta
(I used regular polenta and cooked according to directions on pkg)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup torn fresh basil  skipped

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add flour, tomato paste, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, for 30 seconds.

Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, broth and capers. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board; let cool for 5 minutes. Remove bones and return the meat to the slow cooker. Stir in olives and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in polenta; cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Serve the chicken and sauce over the polenta, topped with basil.


Veggie Thai Curry Soup (modified from Taste of Home Soups)  gluten free options, vegetarian
Noting right off the bat, this was my second "oops!" in not double checking I had everything on hand.  I could have sworn I had curry paste in the fridge.  And a spare in the pantry.  I did not.  So...flavor profile was probably a bit different.  I took some creative liberties and used ketchup and siracha and it came out pretty darn tasty.   Still, I wish I had been able to use curry paste. 

The other significant modification was I skipped the noodles.  I was going to cook and add last so they wouldn't get sticky, but once I finished the soup itself, I didn't see a reason to add.  There was a lot of ingredients and since this was for my lunches, I didn't want to be slurping noodles over my keyboard.  Honestly, I didn't miss the noodles.  This is so tasty with the rest!    Recommended. 

Made 5 servings/lunches.

1 package (8.8 ounces) thin rice noodles or uncooked angel hair pasta (I skipped)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup light coconut milk1 carton (32 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or fish sauce 
(I used fish sauce - use soy sauce if fish sauce is too pungent of a flavor for you)
1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole baby corn, drained and cut in half
1 can (5 ounces) bamboo shoots, drained
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
Torn fresh basil leaves and lime wedges


Prepare noodles according to package directions.  I skipped completely. 

Meanwhile, in a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add curry paste; cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in coconut milk until blended. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a boil.

Add tofu and vegetables to stockpot; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain noodles; add to soup. Top each serving with basil; serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Review from 2/25/2019

With the previous weeks vacation, schedules got a little crazy.  Now I had planned ahead and made not only lunches for post-trip, but also supper for the rest of the week!  Go me!  It was so nice to be able to grab my lunch soup and go, and know that I had supper thawing in the fridge.

This is also going to be a bit of  eclectic review since I need to jump back and review the Korean Steak and Kimchi Bowl, in addition to the two dishes post vacation.


Korean Steak and Kimchi Bowl (modified from Eating Well, Jan/Feb 19)
Oh yummy yummy yummy!  Okay, I did have a few significant modifications - Husband doesn't like cauliflower, so I subbed brown rice.  I don't care for beef, so I subbed pork (I don't remember what cut I used).  I'm not going to try and find and buy gochujang in my corner of the world for ONE dish, so I subbed a lesser amount of siracha.  Curry paste probably would have worked too.  I skipped the sesame seeds and radishes.

Did I mention this was yummy?  Oh yes.  I loved the tangy kimchi against the nutty brown rice and creamy egg.  I would absolutely make this again!   I bet I could even sub tofu for the meat...

Recommended!

photo from Eating Well

Made 4 servings.

2 large eggs
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
6 cups riced cauliflower   (I used brown rice)
2 scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated
1 tablespoon minced ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced  (I used pork)
¼ cup gochujang  (I used 1 tbsp siracha)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup kimchi
Sliced radishes for garnish (optional)

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Set a bowl of ice water near the stove. Using a spoon, gently lower eggs into the boiling water. Reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 7 minutes. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath and let cool for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and slice in half.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, scallion whites, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Wash and dry the pan.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gochujang and sesame seeds.

To assemble, divide the cauliflower among 4 bowls. Top with the steak, carrots, kimchi, half an egg, scallion greens and radishes, if desired.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili (modified from Taste of Home Soups) vegetarian option
This was supposed to have chorizo in it, but I could not find an acceptable bulk - or even link - chorizo! I thought about, and bought, some andouille sausage, but...not the same flavor profile or even texture. I didn't realize until after I started the recipe that I could have subbed Italian sausage, but again, not the same flavor profile. After all was said and made - this was a very easy and tasty (mostly) vegetarian chili!

Recommended. 

Made 10-12 servings. 

photo from Taste of Home

1 pound uncooked chorizo, casings removed, or spicy bulk pork sausage  (skipped)**
1 large onion, chopped
2 poblano peppers, finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups beef stock  (sub chicken or vegetable stock if omitting the chorizo)**
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup lime juice
Chopped jalapenos, chopped red onion and crumbled queso fresco, optional

1) In a large skillet, cook and stir the chorizo, onion, poblanos and jalapenos over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until chorizo is cooked. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker.

2) Stir in tomato paste. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, beans, stock and spices; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in lime juice. If desired, top with chopped jalapenos, chopped red onion and crumbled queso fresco.


Chipolte Butternut Squash Soup (Taste of Home Soups)
For simplicity, you could purchase frozen cubed squash, thaw and proceed.  Or even pre-cut squash.  I had a bag of squash in the freezer that I used for this (note to self, next year use a vacuum sealed bag for squash). 

This comes together very quickly.  I will note - you WILL need something larger than a saucepan,  like a stockpot or Dutch oven.   I also am an advocate of immersion blenders because I really don't want to be transferring hot liquids from pot to blender and back again.

This is tasty, easy, and hit the spot on a very chilly week.  Recommended.

Made about 5-6 servings.

photo from Taste of Home

2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained  (I used 1 heaping cup frozen corn)
2 cups fresh baby spinach  (I skipped)
Fresh sage, optional 

1) In a large saucepan, saute the squash, carrot, onion and cumin in oil for 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add 1-1/2 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender; cool slightly.

2) Transfer mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, cream cheese, basil, chipotle pepper and remaining broth. Cover and process for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

3) Return to the saucepan; stir in the beans, corn and spinach. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through. If desired, sprinkle with fresh sage.

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Steven Baxter

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: The possibilites are endless. Just be careful what you wish for....)

1916: The Western Front. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves. Where has the mud, blood and blasted landscape of no-man's-land gone? For that matter, where has Percy gone?

2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Police officer Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive--some said mad, others allege dangerous--scientist who seems to have vanished. Sifting through the wreckage, Jansson finds a curious gadget: a box containing some rudimentary wiring, a three-way switch, and...a potato. It is the prototype of an invention that will change the way humankind views the world forever.

The first novel in an exciting new collaboration between Discworld creator Terry Pratchett and the acclaimed SF writer Stephen Baxter, The Long Earth transports readers to the ends of the earth and far beyond. All it takes is a single step....

Read as an audio book.

Well, this was a pleasantly boring read. Not so boring that I didn't finish...though come to think of it I think I have about five minutes left to listen too. But this isn't exactly gripping. No, much like the floating zepplin our main character travels in, the book just kinda meanders along.

Since I read as an audio book, I'm going to butcher the spelling of the names - Lapsang was probably the most interesting character and he's a soul that resides in a floating ship. It's a bit more complicated than that - but he's on a mission to find the ends of the Earths. He's blunt to the point of rudeness and somewhat arrogant, which is probably the most emotion anyone shows in the whole darn book. Shimi, the ship cat, was the best surprise of all.

Joshua, our main human character. Boring. Nothing here engaged me.

Sally, a supporting character. A bit more interesting that Joshua, but her purpose seems to be to complain and rant at Joshua.

And there was a handful of other characters that held promise, but their story lines were short and left hanging.

Premise of the book is Lapsang recruits Joshua to fly with him to the Ends of the Earths as part of a research gathering trip. Joshua is Lapsang's fail safe, that if anything happens to Lapsang, it will be up to Joshua to bring back the information. As they "step" through the worlds, Lapsang regales Joshua with the history of "stepping" and what happened to whom and when. They meet fantastical beasts, dedicated pioneers, other humanoids, and ultimately, what they find is beyond comprehension.

And...it was all pleasantly boring. Now I don't need to have dramatic space opera and galactic battles in all my scifi, and I certainly don't mind a "thinking" book every now and then again, but this was just "meh". A book that if I had stop listening to at any point and picked up something else, I wouldn't have come back to finish and held no regrets in not doing so.

Definitely not for everyone, and thus, recommended with reservations.



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Phoenix and Tucson 2019

A week ago we took a little trip to Phoenix and Tucson.  We had some hiccups getting out of town - like a blizzard that shut down the Minneapolis airport, but it all worked out and we were on the ground in Phoenix by 10:30am Thursday morning.  

Thursday

Heard Museum of Southwest Native American art and culture

 

Friday

Taliesin West

It was a little rainy... as in 40* and rain. 

Saturday

A spring training baseball game!  Oakland A's vs Chicago White Sox

 After which we made our way back down to Tucson for the duration of our trip. 

Sunday

Pima Air Force Base Air and Space Museum

We spent 5 1/2 hours here and didn't get to see or look at everything;

we had to leave because we had dinner reservations. 

Monday was a walk in Saguaro National Park.   

These pictures are from the previous visit in 2017 

Flights home were uneventful, other than we didn't get back to Duluth until 12am, and we were in our driveway by 1am.  There was a little apprehension regarding the car starting after sitting out for nearly six days in 0* temps, but it started up and we home soon after.  

Thoughts are already on a return trip next year!  SO much to see and do!