Pub Burger Sauce

Do you remember that scene in "When Harry Met Sally"? In the cafe. You know the "I'll have what she's having" scene? They were thinking about this burger with this sauce. 
I am not a burger lover, but after the Good Apple and I read this recipe in Cook's Illustrated we had to try it out. Now the burger is good. Great local beef combined with butter (Yes, this is not lo cal. You ARE eating a burger. Come on now.),  pan-seared and then finished in a 350 degree oven. Juicy? Yes. Great flavor? Sure. But it is merely a vehicle for this...

Honestly, I am at a loss for words. Perhaps I will share what happened the first time we ate this sauce. The Good Apple ate TWO whole hamburgers. TWO! And I am sure he was considering a third. So, this sauce comes with a warning. Beware of over indulgence.

And yes, another warning. The Lil Man said, and I quote, "I would have to knock my head off if I couldn't have more of that sauce". He's serious. It isn't just for burgers and the Lil Miss couldn't get enough of the "Num Num". Please make sure you make enough to avoid any bodily harm. 
Here it is ladies and gentlemen, our adaptation of the infamous sauce...
Pub Sauce3/4 cup mayo

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chopped chives

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp garlic, minced

And yes, I made extra, but not quite enough according to the peanut gallery. Well go on. Make some and if you need a lovely little cap like the one pictured above - go here, if you would like a chance at a free one...follow me over here. Enjoy!

One of the many signs that summer is here...the potato salad arrives. Yesterday, we attended a 4 cake birthday party for some of our dearest friends who share a Birthweek and I knew it was time, according to the date (not the weather) to break out the potato salad. I came up with this recipe a couple of summers ago when I was pregnant with Lil Miss and I just couldn't get enough pesto into every meal. The combination of the pesto, green onions and pecans is a mouthful of nutty garlicky goodness. The dressing is very forgiving, so taste as you go. Add more pecans if you like more crunch. Add a little more garlic if you are a fan. Add more dressing if you like your salads saucy. Enjoy!

 

 

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Pesto Pecan Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs organic red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3/4 cup pesto
• 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 3/4 cup coursely chopped pecans
• 4 finely chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Bring large pot of water to boil and add potatoes. Gently boil for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork. Pour into a strainer and douse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
2. In a medium bowl, combine pesto, garlic and mayo. Add pecans and green onions and mix thoroughly.
3. In your large serving bowl, pour a small amount of the dressing into the bottom. Add cooled potatoes. Pour the rest of the dressing on top and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until the salad is uniformly dressed. Chill for 1-2 hours for the flavors to meld. If you wait overnight...amazing things will happen to these flavors.

Enjoy!

 

Roasted Veggies

Sliced and chopped

When OXO announced their SLICE IT UP blogger competition I started here; however, once I started slicing and chopping, I couldn't stop. Do you remember the scene in "The Long Kiss Goodnight" when Geena Davis realizes she has some knife skills in the kitchen? Well, maybe not like that, but this isn't a new problem. Whenever an incredible array of organic produce is at my fingertips, I want to roast it or grill it. Tonight was a roasting night. The best part of this recipe is that two trays will easily work their way into at least two meals. In this case, they served as a side dish to ravioli on the first night and alongside teriyaki chicken over brown rice on the second night.

We love our roasted vegetables in this house. I will add them to pasta, throw them in a tortilla with a little salsa and sour cream, add the to soups or serve them alongside meat. To be honest, I am not a snob when it comes to my roasted veggies. I will eat them hot. I will eat them cold. I will eat them with kosher salt and pepper and fresh rosemary. I will eat them with reduced balsamic. I will eat them plain. If it were up to me, they would be part of every meal.

When slicing and chopping, err on the side of making your pieces too big; however, you want them to be consistent. This is where the mandoline is really handy with the sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini and yellow squash. Small pieces cook to quickly and tend to burn or get mushy. Throw some whole cloves of garlic in and you get a treasure hunt when serving. I usually add 10 cloves or so at the request of my family. I usually chop and slice everything and then break my veggies into two groups: slow roasters and quick roasters.

S  l  o  w roasters:

• Sweet potatoes
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Cauliflower

Quick roasters:

• Onion
• Garlic
• Asparagus
• Red, yellow and orange peppers
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Yellow squash

This time I used sweet potatoes, red onions, asparagus, peppers and broccoli.

 Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 475° and place two large baking sheets inside.

2) Cut the sweet potato and the onion using an OXO mandoline on the 3/4" setting. Slice the peppers into inch wide strips and cut the broccoli into florets.

3) Toss the sweet potato with 1 tbsp of olive oil and slide onto hot baking sheet, making sure they are in one layer. Set timer for 10 minutes.

4) Toss onions, asparagus, peppers and broccoli with 2 tbsp of olive oil. When the timer goes off, add these veggies onto the second sheet and give the sweet potato sheet a good shake. Set the timer for 15 minutes.

5) After 15 minutes, check all of the veggies. There should be a little roasting color, but no burning. If you need a little more time, check every 4 minutes.

6) Remove all veggies from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Ready to eat roasted veggies

Side note: Tonight I added a few dollops of rosemary, garlic and lemon butter I made for our steaks earlier in the week. It was a first and it WILL be repeated. (Add 1/2 c room temperature butter, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp fresh rosemary and 5 cloves of garlic to a mason jar. Use a hand mixer to completely chop and mix the ingredients. Scoop into a square of wax paper and create a roll of butter, making sure it is completely covered. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and then you have a delicious flavored butter. Dollop away and add it to EVERYTHING - including your just grilled steaks.)

Tempura Veggies and Spicy Tuna Rolls

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OXO offered their bloggers a challenge. SLICE IT UP! The winner gets $500 in OXO tools AND a tool that has yet to hit the shelves. SOLD!! I sent the email to the Good Apple and we started brainstorming immediately. When it came down to it, we decided to make our favorite meal: Tempura Vegetables and Spicy Tuna Rolls. This is an eat-as-you-go meal. I would love to offer you a finished photo with everything on one plate, but it would be a lie. We make some, we serve it and eat it. As you will see, we can't even keep little fingers out of the pictures! Cut up as much as you can tolerate eating. 2 cups of tempura mix will cover approximately 2 lbs of veggies.

Tempura Vegetables & Shrimp

• 2 cups of tempura mix
• 1 1/2 cups of ice cold water
• Peanut oil
• Sweet potato, peeled
• Broccoli, cut into florets
• Red onion
• Asparagus
• Red, yellow and orange bell peppers, sliced into wide strips
• 10 cleaned shrimp (no shell)

Directions:

1. Using an OXO mandoline at 3/4" setting, slice the sweet potato and red onion.
2. Heat oil in wok to 375°F.
3. Mix tempura mix and water in a large bowl. 30 turns and it will be a little lumpy, which is expected.
4. Make sure veggies and shrimp are patted dry to remove any excess water. Using tongs, dip into tempura batter and then place in hot oil. After 3 minutes, flip and remove when a light golden color is reached. Place on paper towel-lined plate, to remove excess oil.
5. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. Our family favorite is the sauce from Bang Bang Cauliflower.

Spicy Tuna Rolls
Makes approximately 4 rolls

• 2 cups of Niko Niko white rice
• Seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 lb of sashimi grade tuna
• Seaweed
• 1/4 cup mayo
• Sriracha sauce

Directions
1. Using a rice cooker, cook rice according to package instructions. When done, remove from the rice cooker into a large non-metallic bowl and sprinkle with rice vinegar. Allow it to completely cool.

2. In a small bowl mix mayo and as much Sriracha as you can handle!



3. Dice tuna, into 1/4" chunks and add to mayo mixture.

4. Place seaweed on bamboo sushi roller. Add a thin layer of rice on seaweed leaving a 1/2" space along the bottom edge. Scoop 5 tbsp of tuna mixture along the middle of the rice. Roll from the edge with rice in a tight roll to the open edge. Brush rice vinegar along the open seaweed edge and seal the roll shut.

5. Pour rice vinegar over your sharp knife and then SLICE IT UP! Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

Weekly Menu - Week of April 16

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French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

This was one of those weeks where the meals happened, but not for any particular reason. I was making it through my days chasing Lil Miss and trying to keep her from another ER visit. In addition, it was Spring Break for the Lil Man, so there was a whole lot of kid action this week, which was wonderful. Last weekend was Easter and all of my creative energy went into planning activities with a good friend and I lost track of planning for the week's meals. It happens. Want me to add on one more? Ok. I headed off island on Tuesday and didn't get back until Wednesday night. Yup. So it happened, all of a sudden it is Sunday and I am trying to remember what we had for dinner and I am drawing a blank for the most part.  
I CAN tell you that I made Paula Deen's French Toast Casserole for our brunch and it was a huge hit!! Now, this is not something you make everyday because, well, it is one of Paula's recipes (read: lots of half and half and butter) This french toast praline combo is guaranteed to bring smiles and happy bellies...or maybe that was the mimosas.
Monday - I can't remember for the life of me (serious momnesia this week)
Tuesday - Off island dinner...sandwiches. Totally uninspired.
Wednesday - Tortellini with ham, peas and pesto and a green salad Thank you to the Good Apple for having this on the table when we arrived home from the ferry at 6:30 after a FULL day at the zoo. Serious thank you.
Thursday - Kalua Pork TacosYou would think that we would get tired of these, wouldn't you? Nope. Too tasty.
Friday - Pizza Night with friends and bike ridingSomeone else made dinner. I do have to throw a plug out there for her salad which was spinach, quinoa and blueberries. Super yummy. 
Saturday - Pork Deja VuI had a night out with the girls and the Good Apple took the kids to Scooter Night.
Sunday - Teriyaki Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries and...the winning salad from Tracey Balderach at Our Blessed, Beautiful Big City Life. She won the OXO Salad Spinner and our local winner was Rita Miller from Rita the Builder. Congratulations ladies!!
Here is Tracey's recipe:
Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 ½ teaspoons onion juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable oil

Combine sugar, dry mustard, salt and vinegars. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Whisk in onion juice and Worcestershire. Add oil slowly, whisking continuously until blended. Toss with salad. Please note: You will have dressing leftover if you only use 4 cups of mixed field greens.

Spicy Pecans:
2 large egg whites
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Hungarian Paprika
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 ½ cups pecan halves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add sugar,
Worcestershire, paprika, and cayenne. Fold in pecans and melted butter. Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from over and COOL. Store pecans in airtight container. Yields 4 ½ cups ( plenty leftover for snacking as only I use 1 cup in salad)

Salad:
4 cups mixed field greens ( I use lots more!)
2 green onions, chopped
4 ounces blue cheese, crumpled ( 1 cup) .. Once again, I use lots more!
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, seeded and chopped. Gala’s work great too!!
¼ cup coarsely chopped Spicy Pecans ( I never chop mine)

Optional ingredients which work wonderful:
Avocado, Rotisserie Chicken, Red Onion
Cheers and the meal planning is on again after an off week! 

Weekly Menu - Week of April 9

Since the sun has started shining, my youngest wakes up from her naps and says, "Outside. Boots." And there it is. The latter part of our day is spent entirely outside. While this is good for the kids, it has made cooking (and blogging) more challenging. It is becoming more and more apparent that if I want to keep up with this blogging world, I will need to get a laptop of some variety. Fences. Greenhouses. Laptops. Geesh.

Well the cooking this week has been all about fast meals. Do you have some quick, healthy and delicious meals you would like to share? Tell me about them!

On to this week's menu...

:: Monday - Angel Hair Pasta with Pesto and green salad ::

I wasn't in charge of dinner this night. If I had been, there would have been some roasted veggies of a non-tuberous nature in the mix. Let it be known, I am not complaining or critiquing, just editorializing. I came home from my meeting and the kids, were happy and fed and the kitchen was clean. Yes, I am keeping him.

:: Tuesday - Kalua Pork Tacos from La Fuji Mama (recipe) ::

This is so easy, it is embarrassing. On Monday night, after doing the dishes, I stabbed a pork roast, rubbed it with Kosher salt, threw it in the slow cooker on warm and then poured a 1/4 cup of liquid smoke over it. The next morning I turned it on low for 8 hours and then back to warm. Right before dinner, I pulled it out of the slow cooker, threw it in a skillet, tore it apart, crisped it up a bit and then I served it with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, beans, hot sauce and sour cream. Done. I had some over greens with a little balsamic. A wee bit healthier.

:: Wednesday - Meatloaf, sweet potato fries and a green salad::

Americana baby. Our local beef makes everything taste better. I add in an egg from a friend's coop, Panko, worcester sauce, ketchup (HFCS free), some diced onion and a dash of soy sauce. I mix it all together and throw it in a bread pan and then into a preheated 375 oven for 40 minutes. Lil Miss eats this like she will never eat again. The next day at lunch, she ate her portion and half of mine. Yes, she is a good little carnivore.

:: Thursday - Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Bowls ::

Soy Vay's Veri Veri Teriyaki is causing a bit of a stir in my house. I promise I will go more than two days without incorporating it into a meal and then BAM, there it is again. I just love the stuff. This was so fast and simple, I am almost embarrassed to write it up.

3 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces, one pineapple cut into bite-sized pieces, two red bell peppers cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add everything. After 3 minutes, add a 1/4 cup of SV VVT, keep adding it as needed. Stir frequently and cook until chicken is cooked completely. Serve over brown rice and with a green salad. Yum.

:: Friday - Pizza Night with BBQ Chicken Pizza by Mental Chew ::

Friday nights are pizza and movie nights in our house. This week, we went for our favorite flavors and a new favorite flick, "Lady and the Tramp". The pizza is just so darn easy to make. It is perfect for the end of the week when you want something quick. I am going to start changing up the toppings and pretty soon we will be able to grill them! At the end of last summer, this became a family favorite. What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Pizza crust recipe (adpated from the Bread Bible). Makes 1- 16" pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon active, dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups of organic bread flour
• cornmeal for dusting

---TOPPINGS

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 c Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup mozzarella

Directions:1) In mixer bowl, pour in warm water and sprinkle yeast over the top. Mix in until it dissolves and then mix in honey. Wait 10 minutes or until it is frothy.2) Add in salt, olive oil and 1/2 cup of flour. Using the paddle attachment on level 2, gently mix and gradually add flour until it forms a ball that clears the side of the bowl.3) Switch to hook attachment and knead for 3 minutes on level 5. The dough should be elastic and keep a finger imprint when touched.4) Remove the dough from the bowl. Lightly grease the bowl with olive oil. Place the dough back in a and cover for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until it has tripled in size. 5) Preheat oven to 500, 20 minutes prior to bake time. If you are using a stone, warm it in the oven.6) Remove the dough from bowl and stretch it into a circle. I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal on my marble slab and use a rolling pin to get it started. Place on a cornmeal sprinkled paddle or cutting board and brush with olive oil. 7) Add toppings. In this case, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, thinly sliced red onion and 2 previously cooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces. Sprinkly 1 cup of mozzarella over the top. Place on hot pizza stone for 10-15 minutes. Watch it carefully.
I like to make my crust diameter a little wider than necessary. I brush the sauce out to the end and then fold it back over like a galette.
*Sweet Baby Ray's has high fructose corn syrup in it and is one of the only places HFCS lives in our house. I am always looking for an alternative. Any suggestions?

:: Saturday - Ham, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Salad ::

I gave in. The Good Apple wanted ham. There isn't a single local one available on the island, but sometimes you just have to compromise. It was a simple, yet wonderful dinner for four and we will be eating ham sandwiches for days!

:: Sunday - Ham Sandwiches and Potato Salad ala the Good Apple ::
We (that is the Royal "We") decided that we were going to start spending Easter night on the boat. This was our first night on this boat. We lost our previous boat to a fire over 2 years ago and the family just purchased a replacement in the late Fall. I know it wasn't going to be flawless, but I have to hand it to the Good Apple, he REALLY worked hard to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy. What a dad. I know I am bragging a bit about him this week, but like most couples, we have our real life moments where we drive each other nuts, and he was SO on this weekend. He deserves every bit of the bragging. I am not an easy person to live with, I know this, but we have been together for 16 years and we still love each other. Pretty amazing stuff.

Good night sweet island

Part of our boat tradition will be ham sandwiches and the Good Apple's potato salad. It is soooo good and he won't share the recipe. I am ok with that, because HE makes it. I am big on traditions and I am starting to attach one wherever I can.

Lil Miss appreciates the morning view

If nothing hits your fancy, try perusing these menus from previous weeks!

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I hope to see you around on Tuesday for "How Does Your Garden Grow?" See you then!

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

 

Weekly Menu - Week of April 2

I can tell we are heading into the longer days. Friends are gathering more often. Dinners are becoming quick, so we can return outside on the days when the sun's warmth still shines. Daily trips out to the garden bed's edge to look for late spring treats whose sprouts are just starting to emerge. Spring. I have to admit that it is getting harder and harder to sit down and blog. I want to be outside with the kids as much as possible and drink up that Vitamin D that the sun has to offer, when it appears. As I sit here typing, Lil Miss just rolled over during her nap to reveal a damp mat of curls on the side of her head. It is actually sunny and warm today.

On to this week's menu...

:: Monday - Chicken Teriyaki Bowls by Mental Chew and green salad ::

This is one of my favorite quick dinners and it has just improved. I used to make my own teriyaki sauce, but since a friend introduced me to Veri Veri Teriyaki by Soy Vay, I am completely hooked! Now this teriyaki sauce has been around since '82 and I don't know how I haven't crossed paths with it before now. Perhaps we have, we just weren't properly introduced. There is a version sold at Trader Joe's as well.

I usually avoid buying pre-made sauces because of all of the additives and HFCS and such, however, check out this ingredient list: preservative free soy sauce, fresh ginger and garlic, onions, expeller pressed soy and sesame oils and bursting with sesame seeds. Did you see how easily you read that list? No Googling or Wikipedia or Dictionary.com needed! Straightforward and tasty, too!

As I was sharing this dinner concept with a friend, she asked me to post it. So here it is...

Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 1/4 cup Veri Veri Teriyaki by Soy Vay
  
• Head of organic broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 5 organic carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 2 cups organic long grain brown jasmine rice
  
• 5 cups of water
  

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions. You can start this before your prep work. It takes awhile.
   
2. Steam veggies until the color brightens. Remove from heat and slide lid to the side to let the steam escape.
   
3. While the veggies are steaming and the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for two minutes. Add sauce. Cook until chicken is done, approximately 5 more minutes.
   
4. When rice is ready, assemble bowls: rice, chicken on one side, veggies on the other. Add more sauce for the sauce lovers.
   

:: Tuesday - Organic Chicken and Mozzarella Ravioli (pre-made) with steamed veggies and pesto and spinach salad ::
Thank goodness for pre-made organic food. This isn't something I do every day, but it IS incredibly handy to have in the freezer on those days when you realize at 10 AM that you were supposed to take the beef roast out of the freezer on SUNDAY! Oops. I took the leftover veggies from Monday's dinner and threw them in with the ravioli and then made a quick spinach salad. Instant dinner.

Our spinach salad went a little something like this: spinach, craisins, feta, red onion and balsamic vinegar. Yup. Done.

:: Wednesday - COMMUNITY DINNER ::
To say that we are incredibly fortunate to have a healthy and delicious lunch program at our schools is the understatement of the year. The San Juan Prevention Coalition and the school district's "Food for Thought" program join up during the school year to have community dinners that help fund the lunch program. The food is always through-the-roof tasty and made by high school students who are in the cooking program. Enough already, you want to know what they made?

Cost? $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 12. It is the best deal you will EVER get. A big thank you to all of the community members, teachers and students who make this program happen. It makes my heart so happy to see how school lunches have metamorphosed since they took over.

:: Thursday - Nicaraguan Dinner by Abu ::

Now see, I made it, but it wasn't as good as her's. Everyone loved it, but it didn't have that little umph she puts into it.

Beans in the slow cooker. Rice in the rice cooker. Cut up pork into 1" cubes. Mix tbsp of achiote with 2 tbsp lemon juice. Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in skillet. Add achiote / lemon mixture and stir until pork is cooked thoroughly. Done.

 

Throw some beans and rice in the skillet with a little evoo and sliced up onions. Bam. Crazy tasty dinner, just like that.

 

:: Friday - Pizza Night by Mental Chew and friends ::

Last week I shared the recipe for my BBQ Chicken Pizza, so darn good. This week we were heading over to a friend's house for a dinner / movie / popcorn night and I offered to bring the pizza dough. They offered to supply the toppings and I have since found a new favorite! Chicken, red peppers, pineapple and turkey pepperoni. It was fast and tasty. A little spice. A little sweet. Nice color combo. The whole crowd chowed down and Lil Miss even tried to steal some off of her friend's plate after she ate all of hers. The Lil Man gave it two thumbs up and told me to put it on the repeater list. I would say that is a pretty awesome review.

:: Saturday - Pasta and Pie ::

One of my favorite people celebrated her birthday this week and so...she invited US over for dinner. How does that work out? Well, her parents were visiting, so it just worked out that way. Her husband is a great cook and we had a smorgasbord of incredibly palate pleasing choices. Caesar Salad with croutons, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes. Angel hair pasta with red sauce, kale and meatballs. Angel hair pasta with...now wait for it...Nettle Pesto. You read that right. I have been wanting to make this and MAN was it good. Very fresh tasting. Super Spring-y. Recipe coming soon. I think I am going to try to make some with pecans this week. After we ate the pasta, he came out with a lamb pie. I am not even kidding. He added brussel sprouts to the pie and overall, it was savory goodness. I would have gone in for seconds, but I was so full and the kids were ready to leave the table to go play. Great night with great friends.

:: Sunday - Turkey Burgers, roasted carrot "fries" and spinach salad ::

My burger will have a little Soy Vay on it. So hooked. The fries are just roasted carrots that I cut in long strips. Don't forget to sprinkle a little kosher salt on top.

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Remember Michelle's Bang Bang Cauliflower that I have been chatting up? When I made it last weekend, I made a little extra sauce. The Lil Man and I ate about 20 pieces of raw cauliflower dipped in that sauce for a snack. Now I crave it! I think I just might have to keep a jar of that sauce in the fridge.

Also, two quick clicks would be really sweet. Please click on the badge below if Mental Chew has helped you plan a meal or start growing some of your own food or think about what you are offering your family. I grow it, plan it, cook it, write about it. Trying to anyways!

My blogger mama friend, Becky, is also in the running. Stop by her blog and give her some voting love as well. I mean you can vote for 5 blogs, but we would appreciate your votes.

To vote, click on the badge and then click "vote" over Mental Chew and Not Your Ordinary Recipes.

I hope to see you around on Tuesday for "How Does Your Garden Grow?" We had a great turn out last week and I learned a lot from my readers! I am incredibly impressed with the gardening goals everyone is setting for themselves. We had some excitement pop in our garden this week. See you then!

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

Weekly Menu - Week of March 12

This week had some highs and lows. Two recipes didn't make it to the final menu, but we are still working on them so you can taste a refined version soon.
All recipes are linked below to their original source.

Monday - Steak and Bang Bang Cauliflower from That's So Michelle.

I cannot say enough about this cauliflower recipe, Michelle hit a major home run with this one. It is SO delicious. The Good Apple actually said that it is probably one of the best things I ever made. Seriously. THAT good.

Tuesday - Curry Butternut Squash Soup from Mental Chew served with a green salad

Wednesday - Roasted Veggie Burritos from Mental Chew

Ingredients:

• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Red Onion
• Cauliflower
• Sweet Potato
• Garlic
• Burrito fixins: tortillas, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, cheese, rice, beans

Directions:

1. Cut veggies into bites size pieces. Place into a large bowl and tumble with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour veggies onto sheet in a single layer. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Add any fresh herbs you desire.
3. Assemble burritos.

NOTE: Make a second sheet of veggies and BOOM...you have tomorrow's dinner half way done!

Thursday - Roasted Veggie Galette based on Flour Arrangement's recipe
Take your favorite roasted veggies or serve it just as Suzanne writes it. I like to use roasted carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and turnips. This is a family favorite with a green salad. (No photos...this is a fill in recipe for the experimentation that went awry this week, but I promise, you will love this recipe.)

Friday - Salsa Chicken Tacos from Mental Chew
Get your crockpot ready.


Ingredients:

• 4 boneless organic chicken breasts
• 2 containers of your favorite fresh salsa
• 2 cans of black beans (Eden Hills is my favorite)
• Tortillas and your favorite taco toppings

Directions:

1. Pour half a container of salsa into crockpot.
2. Add 2 chicken breasts, 1 can of beans and top with remaining salsa in first container.
3. Add 2 chicken breasts, 2 can of beans and top with second container of fresh salsa.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
5. Pull chicken apart and serve!

It really is that easy and it tastes like you worked on it all day. When serving this to guests, don't admit how easy it was. This is a great dinner for a crowd or to have two nights in a row, which is what we did.

Saturday - Salsa Chicken Deja Vu (leftovers)

Sunday - Five Fist Chili from Mental Chew served with a green salad and cornbread
This is a great one to make extra for hot lunches during the week.


A lunch favorite this week were the Sesame Noodles with broccoli added and the Quinoa Bites. Both can be spruced up with green veggies this week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!!


Next week's recipes are going to be quick and mostly veggie...stay tuned.

Click here to see other Weekly Menus.

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

 

Curry Butternut Squash and Quinoa Soup

Another night with BIG dinner plans and I just couldn't pull it together. Plan B. I looked around my kitchen and my huge Butternut Squash was staring at me. Something with Butternut Squash tonight. I rinsed it, peeled it, cubed it, tossed it with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted it for 30 minutes. Now what. Stew? Soup? Side dish? It felt like a soup night. Curry soup. I ran the idea, along with some other options, by the Good Apple and he picked up my vibe and said, "Curry soup".  I love when he picks up on these things. 
Ok, soup. Onion. Garlic. Ginger? Sure. Ginger. Curry. Stock. Something else? Yes, quinoa. We will make our way through the 7 lbs and it adds protein to the mix. Perfect. We are ready to go.
It was so fast, I wasn't able to get salads out in time. It was a bread and soup night and no one complained. For this, I was very thankful. The kids chowed, the Good Apple had two bowls full. 
Curry Butternut Squash and Quinoa Soup
Ingredients:

• Large Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups prepared quinoa
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry
• 6 cups of organic stock (vegetable or chicken)
• salt and pepper to taste
• optional: chopped chives, sour cream or creme fraiche

Directions Preheat oven to 375.

1. Place butternut squash cubes in a large bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fill cookie sheet with butternut squash cubes. Make sure to keep them in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes. (If you don't have prepared quinoa at this point, this is the place to start it according to directions on the container)
3. In a Dutch Oven, heat up remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for two minutes or until onions are translucent. Be careful to not burn your garlic or ginger.
4. Add curry and stir for 1 minute.
5. Add roasted butternut squash and stock and stir.
6. Using a hand mixer, give the soup 8-9 quick blasts to break up cubes, but do not puree (unless that is your thing).
7. Add quinoa and serve. This is great with a fresh green salad and warm bread.

Side note: When reheating leftovers, add more stock to bring it back to soup consistency. The quinoa will absorb any liquid you place with it.

Quinoa Bites (Num Nums)

I fell into a snack and lunch slump. This realization hit me hard between the eyes because of the following conversation I had with the Lil Man.
Me: What would you like to have for lunch today?LM: Mac and CheeseMe: I haven't made any and we don't have any Annie's. Any other ideas?LM: A quesadillaMe: Well, we don't have any tortillas. Anything else?LM: Grilled cheese sandwich.Me: Ya, it is time for us to change things up. 
I realized I was stuck in a cheese rut. This wasn't my usual MO, but we were in it and we were in it deep. I looked inside my fridge and one of the veggie compartments was filled with 3 different bags of cheese, plus two bricks. Yikes.
New day. New leaf. I have approximately 6 pounds of quinoa sitting in my pantry and I need to use it. We tried these quinoa bites today and the Lil Man suggested that we call them "Num Nums". Alrighty then. He ate 6 and Lil Miss ate 2. I consider that a success. 
The veggies combinations you can add in are numerous. I used kale, broccoli and carrots. Other options might be peas, squash, spinach, chard, corn, or cauliflower. This is an easy way to use those leftover veggies from dinner the night before. 
I served them up with some apple rings (use an apple corer to take out the core and then slice into thin slices). The kids ate two apples worth and had fun pretending they had apple eyes, apple ears and apple noses. Who knew cutting the fruit a different way would make it a renewed hit?
So here you go...ENJOY!
Quinoa Bites

Adapted from The Curvy Carrot
Makes 24 bites
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped veggies 
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp curry
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325.
Directions:1) Put water and quinoa into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and keep covered for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and remove from heat. 2) Grease a mini muffin pan with olive oil.3) In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except for salt and pepper. Mix well.4) Using a tablespoon, fill mini muffin pan cups. Press contents firmly into the base of the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top.
5) Bake for 15 minutes. To remove from pan, use a butter knife to slide around the edges if there is any sticking. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or plain!

Sesame Noodles (Good Luck Noodles)

This started out as something small, a pin from Pinterest. I thought I would make sesame noodles, steam some broccoli and have a little salad for dinner. Well, the noodles I made were DISGUSTING. The Lil Man could see how upset I was and asked for seconds. "They are actually pretty good mom!" Ugh. He is so sweet, I love that kid. These could be better. They HAD to be better.


For three days, I tried new variations. BLECH blech and more b l e c h. They just weren't doing it for me and at this point, I was looking for something easy. You know those days that you are yearning for some kind of Asian flavor KaPow for your palate, but you don't want to head into the store with an ingredient list half a mile long?


Finally, today, I started thinking about how I wanted them to taste. How I wanted them to be simple.


Then it hit me...ramen. soy. sesame. ginger. fish sauce. garlic (of course). heat. Yes.


I whipped it together in 7 minutes...no lie. Lil Miss chowed on these. She was grabbing them off of the chopsticks and shoving them into her mouth as fast as she could. I started thinking of the possibilities. Add your favorite variety of steamed veggies, some caramelized tofu and this is a simple and healthy dinner. Under 15 minutes. 

Our house was filled with the smell of the sauce and a friend came over and commented on the pungent smell of the garlic, pre-lunch. "I was working on a project, " I told her. 


To emphasize Lil Miss's love for these noodles, I give you the following scenario (and the photos to the right). After we finished off the bowl of noodles, she went missing. I looked around and found her on all fours underneath the table with her face right next to the floor. What?!? She had found a noodle that got away and was shoving it into her mouth. Apparently they are that good. Lick them off the floor good.


These noodles alone do not make a well-rounded meal, but they are excellent for an Asian side, or accompanied by veggies, tofu or your meat of choice. Most of all, they kick the craving. 


I made them with a package of ramen I found in the back of the pantry. I was having a bit of a temper tantrum with the rice noodles all week and needed to change it up. As a result, this recipe is written for a single serving. 


Make it. Try this one and you will thank me. I am going to make sure that we keep these ingredients on hand. 


Let me know what you add to it to make it a complete meal. Enjoy the joy of good "fast food" from your stove top and the smells that will envelope your house. The neighbors just might come a-knockin'. 

Sesame Noodles

1 serving

Ingredients

• Ramen noodles 3 oz
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Siracha to taste
• Sesame seeds

Directions
**helpful hint** While the water is boiling, prepare garlic and ginger in one small bowl / ramekin and fish sauce, honey, soy sauce and Siracha in another. This will make the preparation of the sauce go much smoother.**

1) Boil water in a small saucepan. Add ramen noodles and cover for 4 minutes. Drain in a strainer and pour cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking process. Set aside.



2) In a small frying pan, heat sesame and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir for about 30 seconds. Add fish sauce, honey, soy sauce and Siracha. Mix for 30 seconds. Add noodles and mix to cover noodles in sauce. Serve and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew

Several years ago, on the island of potlucks, a mysterious grain was showing up dish after dish. Kwin-o-ah? That is what I read on a little sign by a mixture of summer veggies and this mystery grain. Later, I discovered that it is called "keen-wah", the super food!

Quinoa originates from the Andes. It was highly revered by the Incas and called chisaya mama or 'mother of all grains'. While it may look like a cereal grain, it is actually more closely related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. This grain packs a powerful dietary punch.

Raw quinoa

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. (Source: Wikipedia)


Beware. Since my family loves this grain, many recipes will be coming your way in the coming weeks.

Quinoa squiggles

As I was perusing Pinterest, I found this pin which led me to this recipe on Cookin' Canuck, which is an absolutely wonderful site!! Of course, I like to cook with what I have on hand and I always have to make A LOT to include lunches, etc. So here is my version of Cookin' Canuck's Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa there are more servings and different methodologies of getting to the end product. This recipe is great for cold nights and it is high protein, low fat and low calorie. If you are veggie, it could easily be converted by using vegetable stock and skip the chicken.


One key reminder about cooking with quinoa, remember to rinse it. If you don't, it will be bitter tasting since the plant has saponin which is beneficial pre-harvest to keep birds and other potential diners away from the seed, but not desirable to our palates. A simple rinsing will remove it. Most North American quinoa on the market has already been rinsed, but I don't take any chances. 

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large, organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 4 cups  butternut squash, fresh or frozen
• 2 cans (14 oz) organic diced tomatoes (Eden Hills or Muir Glen to be BPA free)
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3 oz can  black olives, sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Grated Asiago (optional)

Directions


1) In a large saucepan, pour in 4 cups of stock and place chicken breasts in to poach. Bring to a boil and then cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to a plate to cool and put stock aside for later in the recipe. (You can skip this step if you are cooking the veggie version.)


2) In a large Dutch Oven, pour in olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and stir for a minute. 

3) Add in garlic salt, butternut squash, tomatoes and stock from saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and add quinoa and olives. Gently stir. Cover and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. 

4) Shred or cube chicken and add to the Dutch Oven along with pepper and parsley. Cook for 10 more minutes. Stir frequently. 


5) Ladle into bowls while hot and top with grated asiago. Enjoy!


*Note: if you are going to warm it up later, add more stock during the warm up. The quinoa will absorb most of the liquid.

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