Well, sorry about this nasty-looking picture. The subtle stylings of food photos shouldn't be left to a 12-year-old. Aaaanyhow, last night we dusted off Rachael Ray and tried the Spinach Artichoke Calzones. Sounds tasty, right? I'll tell ya, it was super easy. It didn't take much time at all - love that! - especially because she uses pizza dough in a tube. But we were a little underwhelmed. It tasted fine, but we all thought it should taste better than it did. Overall, we gave it a 3 1/2 stars. You can find it on page 55 in "30 Minute Meals 2." Oh well, we'll hope for a winner next time. Let us know if you've made something great lately! Have a great day!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Spinach Artichoke Calzones
Well, sorry about this nasty-looking picture. The subtle stylings of food photos shouldn't be left to a 12-year-old. Aaaanyhow, last night we dusted off Rachael Ray and tried the Spinach Artichoke Calzones. Sounds tasty, right? I'll tell ya, it was super easy. It didn't take much time at all - love that! - especially because she uses pizza dough in a tube. But we were a little underwhelmed. It tasted fine, but we all thought it should taste better than it did. Overall, we gave it a 3 1/2 stars. You can find it on page 55 in "30 Minute Meals 2." Oh well, we'll hope for a winner next time. Let us know if you've made something great lately! Have a great day!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Cooking on Snow Days
We've had quite a few snow days this month. This is so frustrating to me, but the kids love it. So, we pulled out "Rachael Ray" and made a few dishes. Here's what we have:
Special Fried Rice - 4 stars
We had never made fried rice before. This was easy and full of vegetables, and tasted pretty good. We thought it needed more salt, even with the added soy sauce. Full recipe can be found on p. 44.
Romaine Hearts with Lemon Chive Vinaigrette - 3 1/2 stars
Very easy salad to put together. Once again, our small town grocery stores were no match for Rachael Ray's ingredient list. We had to substitute lemon yogurt for the lemon curd. It was an interesting flavor combination. In the end, the family agreed that it was OK, just not something to write home about. 3 1/2 stars, and found on p. 97 of the book. Remember, we'll post the recipes that garner 4 1/2 stars or more.
Hot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - 3 1/2 stars
What an interesting idea -- take the flavors of hot buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce and put it into a sandwich. It wasn't bad, either. We think we would lighten up on the dressing; the blue cheese is a very strong flavor. But overall, pretty good. 3 1/2 stars. Found on p. 46 in the book.
Peas with Onions and Bacon - 3 stars
You should know up front that we have a few pea-haters in the family. But even the rest of us thought this dish was only OK. The peas seemed dry, and the bacon and onions didn't add the flavor I thought they should. Page 106 in the book.
Greek Grilled Chicken and Salad with Warm Pita Bread for Wrapping - 4 1/2 stars
Now, here's one you should try! This was very good, and we're not just saying that because we came home from Athens with a taste for Greek food! (Although, I'll tell ya, one taste of those kalamata olives, and I'm back in the Plaka in the shadow of the Acropolis!)
Anyhow, the many and varied flavors of this dish are so wonderful. And it's pretty easy to put together. The warm pita is so good, too! Here's your recipe:
Greek Grilled Chicken and Salad with Warm Pita for Wrapping
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 pita breads
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 T fresh oregano, stripped of leaves and chopped (i used 2 t. of the dried stuff)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 c. pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 seedless or English cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat grill pan over high heat. Place chicken in shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to moderate heat.
Wrap pita breads in foil, and place in warm oven until dinner is served.
Combine lemon zest and juice with vinegar in a bowl and whisk in oil. Add oregano, garlic and whisk again to combine well. Pour half the dressing over chicken tenders and turn them to coat.
Combine veggies in a mixing bowl and toss well with the remaining dressing just until very lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter.
Grill tenders, 4-5 minutes on each side, transferring them as they're done to the salad-lined serving platter. Remove pitas from oven and unwrap. Cut pitas in half and arrange around the edge of platter. To serve, each person can pile grilled chicken and veggies onto a pita, wrap up and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.
Until the next snow day, then!
Special Fried Rice - 4 stars
We had never made fried rice before. This was easy and full of vegetables, and tasted pretty good. We thought it needed more salt, even with the added soy sauce. Full recipe can be found on p. 44.
Romaine Hearts with Lemon Chive Vinaigrette - 3 1/2 stars
Very easy salad to put together. Once again, our small town grocery stores were no match for Rachael Ray's ingredient list. We had to substitute lemon yogurt for the lemon curd. It was an interesting flavor combination. In the end, the family agreed that it was OK, just not something to write home about. 3 1/2 stars, and found on p. 97 of the book. Remember, we'll post the recipes that garner 4 1/2 stars or more.
Hot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - 3 1/2 stars
What an interesting idea -- take the flavors of hot buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce and put it into a sandwich. It wasn't bad, either. We think we would lighten up on the dressing; the blue cheese is a very strong flavor. But overall, pretty good. 3 1/2 stars. Found on p. 46 in the book.
Peas with Onions and Bacon - 3 stars
You should know up front that we have a few pea-haters in the family. But even the rest of us thought this dish was only OK. The peas seemed dry, and the bacon and onions didn't add the flavor I thought they should. Page 106 in the book.
Greek Grilled Chicken and Salad with Warm Pita Bread for Wrapping - 4 1/2 stars
Now, here's one you should try! This was very good, and we're not just saying that because we came home from Athens with a taste for Greek food! (Although, I'll tell ya, one taste of those kalamata olives, and I'm back in the Plaka in the shadow of the Acropolis!)
Anyhow, the many and varied flavors of this dish are so wonderful. And it's pretty easy to put together. The warm pita is so good, too! Here's your recipe:
Greek Grilled Chicken and Salad with Warm Pita for Wrapping
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 pita breads
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 T fresh oregano, stripped of leaves and chopped (i used 2 t. of the dried stuff)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 c. pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 seedless or English cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat grill pan over high heat. Place chicken in shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to moderate heat.
Wrap pita breads in foil, and place in warm oven until dinner is served.
Combine lemon zest and juice with vinegar in a bowl and whisk in oil. Add oregano, garlic and whisk again to combine well. Pour half the dressing over chicken tenders and turn them to coat.
Combine veggies in a mixing bowl and toss well with the remaining dressing just until very lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter.
Grill tenders, 4-5 minutes on each side, transferring them as they're done to the salad-lined serving platter. Remove pitas from oven and unwrap. Cut pitas in half and arrange around the edge of platter. To serve, each person can pile grilled chicken and veggies onto a pita, wrap up and enjoy! Makes 4 servings.
Until the next snow day, then!
Sorbet in January?
Ah yes, we do strange things in our quest to cook our way through an entire cookbook. The idea of sorbet in January did indeed seem strange until we remembered that oranges are awesome this time of year. So, here you go:
Fresh Oranges with Lime Sorbet - 3 1/2 stars
Now, it's obvious from the picture that we didn't use lime sorbet. Lime sorbet cannot be found in central Missouri. We were lucky to find orange sherbet. So, when we say this recipe is 3 1/2 stars, please be aware that the recipe wasn't followed to a "T." That being said, this was very easy dessert, with only two ingredients, and it wasn't bad. Full recipe is on page 97.
See you next time!
Fresh Oranges with Lime Sorbet - 3 1/2 stars
Now, it's obvious from the picture that we didn't use lime sorbet. Lime sorbet cannot be found in central Missouri. We were lucky to find orange sherbet. So, when we say this recipe is 3 1/2 stars, please be aware that the recipe wasn't followed to a "T." That being said, this was very easy dessert, with only two ingredients, and it wasn't bad. Full recipe is on page 97.
See you next time!
Christmas Break
Hi everyone! You'll be relieved to hear that the cooking has continued despite our busy lives and despite our lack of posting to the blog! Here are a few things we whipped together over Christmas break.
Emmanuel's Baked Artichoke Hearts - 4 stars
Interesting little side dish. I personally love artichokes in any shape or form, so I liked this dish. The rest of the family thought it was mostly good. We didn't use the anchovies the recipe called for, and we thought there were far too many bread crumbs. We would also recommend adding the parsley after baking; they shriveled up into little black specks. Unappetizing. Still, a 4-star dish. Check out p. 93 for the full recipe.
Orzo with Spinach and Tomato - 3 1/2 stars
Well, this certainly looked good, and we wanted to like it. But in all honesty, this was nothing to write home about. We all ate it, but the leftovers just sat in the fridge uneaten. The lemon in it was a little out of place, and there was something else odd about it that we just couldn't put a finger on. 3 1/2 stars. Page 227 in the book.
Chicken Piccata Toss - 4 1/2 stars
Well, this was very tasty! Every time I go to Monetti's, I order their Chicken Piccata. I just love the lemony yumminess, combined with the capers! So good! This wasn't quite as good as the Monetti's variety, but still very tasty. We think it needs a little more lemon flavor, maybe by adding zest? And be generous with the capers. Here's the recipe:
Chicken Piccata Toss
1 lb. penne rigate pasta, cooked al dente to package directions
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb. chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 T flour
1/2 c white wine (or white grape juice, in our case)
juice of 1 lemon
1 c. chicken broth or stock
3 T capers, drained
1/2 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
chopped or snipped chives, for garnish
Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and brown until lightly golden all over, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set it in your serving dish while you complete the sauce. Return the skillet to the heat, reduced to medium. To the skillet, add another tablespoon olive oil, 1 T butter, the garlic and the shallots and saute, 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid, 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When sauce comes to a bubble, add remaining tablespoon butter to give it a little shine. Put chicken back in the pan an heat through a minute or two. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh snipped chives and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Emmanuel's Baked Artichoke Hearts - 4 stars
Interesting little side dish. I personally love artichokes in any shape or form, so I liked this dish. The rest of the family thought it was mostly good. We didn't use the anchovies the recipe called for, and we thought there were far too many bread crumbs. We would also recommend adding the parsley after baking; they shriveled up into little black specks. Unappetizing. Still, a 4-star dish. Check out p. 93 for the full recipe.
Orzo with Spinach and Tomato - 3 1/2 stars
Well, this certainly looked good, and we wanted to like it. But in all honesty, this was nothing to write home about. We all ate it, but the leftovers just sat in the fridge uneaten. The lemon in it was a little out of place, and there was something else odd about it that we just couldn't put a finger on. 3 1/2 stars. Page 227 in the book.
Chicken Piccata Toss - 4 1/2 stars
Well, this was very tasty! Every time I go to Monetti's, I order their Chicken Piccata. I just love the lemony yumminess, combined with the capers! So good! This wasn't quite as good as the Monetti's variety, but still very tasty. We think it needs a little more lemon flavor, maybe by adding zest? And be generous with the capers. Here's the recipe:
Chicken Piccata Toss
1 lb. penne rigate pasta, cooked al dente to package directions
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb. chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 T flour
1/2 c white wine (or white grape juice, in our case)
juice of 1 lemon
1 c. chicken broth or stock
3 T capers, drained
1/2 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
chopped or snipped chives, for garnish
Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and brown until lightly golden all over, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set it in your serving dish while you complete the sauce. Return the skillet to the heat, reduced to medium. To the skillet, add another tablespoon olive oil, 1 T butter, the garlic and the shallots and saute, 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid, 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When sauce comes to a bubble, add remaining tablespoon butter to give it a little shine. Put chicken back in the pan an heat through a minute or two. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh snipped chives and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Boeuf Bourguignon
Well, this recipe single-handedly made me realize that this Rachael Ray project needs to be put on hold. Natalie's busy, I'm busy, and this dinner took an hour and a half to make! Pullleeeze! Yes, it was good, and I'll include the recipe. But 30 minutes? Rachael Ray's smoking crack. Just sayin'.
We liked the beef. We think it was a little heavy on the beef and could use more of the "soup" portion. And it needed some salt. But we give it 4 stars anyway.
Boeuf Bourguignon with Butter and Parsley Egg Noodles - Rachael Ray
3 slices bacon, chopped
3 T. butter, divided
16 medium-sized white mushrooms, cleaned gently with damp cloth, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen pearly onions, defrosted and drained
2 lb lean sirloin, 1-inch thick, trimmed and cubed
3 T. flour
1 cup Burgundy wine (or grape juice)
1 1/2 cup beef stock
1 bay leaf
bouquet of 3-4 sprigs each of fresh sage and thyme, tied with kitchen string
12 oz wide egg noodles, cooked to package directions
2 T butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
12 blades of fresh chives, snipped or finely chopped
Heat a large deep skillet with a heavy bottom and a lid over medium-high heat. Add bacon to the pan and brown. When crisp, remove with slotted spoon. Add 1 1/2 T. butter to the pan and melt into bacon drippings. Add mushrooms and turn to coat evenly with butter and bacon drippings. Season with salt and pepper and saute mushrooms, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions to the pan, and continue cooking, 2-3 minutes longer, then transfer to a plate and return pan to the heat. Add remaining butter to the pan and when it's sizzling add meat and brown evenly on all sides, keeping the meat moving. When the meat is all browned, add flour and cook about 2 minutes. Stir wine slowly into pan and when it comes up to a bubble and you have scraped up the pan drippings, add the stock along with bay leaf and bouquet of fresh sage and thyme. Cover the pan. When the liquids boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook, covered, 5 minutes. Remove lid and add mushrooms, onions and bacon back to the pan. Simmer with the cover off until sauce thickens a bit. Adjust seasoning and remove bay and herb bouquet. Todd hot egg noodles with butter, parsley and chives. Place a bed of noodles in a shallow bowl and pour beef and burgundy over noodles and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Here's a picture of the noodles:
Baby Spinach Salad with Swiss Cheese Crisps
This recipe was simple, but wierd. Spinach with sliced apples and a vinaigrette -- then garnish it with fried cheese. Hmmm. The cheese thing was kind of cool, and I found it strangely yummy, but we weren't wild about the salad. EHH's comments were, "crap with crap filling."
Sorry, but it is my duty to give you the un-varnished truth. 2 stars. You can find it on page 103.
Kevin's Delicious Salmon
Speaking of EHH, he made dinner for us on one of my crazy clinic days, and he hit it out of the park! He baked up some salmon, sauteed up some mushrooms and onions, and put them both over spaghetti. Very unique, and so good! 5 stars, for sure. And the recipe gets 5 stars, too. ;)
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