Happy Holidays

Christmas Dinner (no pictures):
Roast Leg of Lamb
Scalloped Potatoes
Honey-glazed Carrots
See last year's post

New Year's Eve Dinner:
Chinese Orange-Barbecue Cashew Chicken
from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1 onion, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch of fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons tamari (aged soy sauce)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup honey-roasted cashews
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:
Place a large skillet over high heat with about 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the pan is very hot, add the meat, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and reserve on a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger to the skillet and stir fry for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce, orange marmalade, hot sauce, tamari, and stock.
Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Add the cashews, toss to coat, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens up, about 1 minute more.
Serve the stir fry with brown rice and garnish with the scallions.

Shrimp Salad Pitas

Shrimp Salad Pitas

from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved crosswise
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
• 1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 lemon
• 4 whole-wheat pitas
• 8 Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Soak the chopped onion in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the shrimp.

Toss the shrimp with the olive oil, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and broil until the shrimp are opaque, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Wash and dry the baking sheet.

Drain the onion and add to the shrimp along with the yogurt, carrot, cucumber, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Grate in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and squeeze in about half of the lemon juice.

Lay the pitas on the baking sheet and toast under the broiler. Cut the pitas in half and fill with the lettuce and shrimp salad.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

from Food Network Magazine, March 2010 issue

Main Ingredients

- 3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts/thighs, thinly sliced

- 3 cups of onions, carrots, bell peppers

Directions

1. Whisk 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, and 1 tablespoon cornstartch. Toss with chicken; cover and refrigerate, 1 hour.

2. Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoons cornstartch, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

3. Drain the excess marinade from the chicken. Place your sauce, vegetables, and chicken near the stove.

4. Heat 1/4 inch peanut or vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken; slowly stir until almost opaque.

5. Heat the pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons minced ginger, 2 minced scallions, and a pinch each of salt and sugar; stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, starting with the ones htat take the longest to cook; stir-fry until crisp-tender.

6. Add the chicken and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and chicken are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Think with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and/or cilantro.

Serve with rice.

Steak with Parmesan Spinach

Steak with Parmesan Spinach

from Food Network Magazine, October 2010 issue

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and brush lightly with olive oil. Season with 11/2 teaspoons salt and 2 to 3 teaspoons pepper. Cook, turning once, 10 to 13 minutes total for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to medium heat and simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup parmesan, the lemon zest and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the spinach is tender, about 10 minutes. Thin with water, if needed. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and salt to taste.

Thinly slice the steak and serve with the spinach.

Ravioli with Sage-Walnut Butter

Ravioli with Sage-Walnut Butter

from Food Network Magazine: October 2010 issue

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the vinegar,honey and bay leaf in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover to keep warm.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the sage and walnuts and cook until the nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, ladle in about 1 cup cooking water and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.

Drain the ravioli, reserving another 1/2 cup cooking water. Add the ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat, adding the reserved water as needed. Remove from the heat, toss with the parmesan and season with salt. Divide the ravioli among plates and drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

Chicken Enchiladas Suizas

Chicken Enchiladas Suizas
From The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 to 5 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus more for topping (optional)
• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds plum tomatoes
• 1 or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 1/2 cup for frying
• 1 large white onion; 2/3 diced, 1/3 sliced into rings
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream, plus more for topping (optional)
• 12 corn tortillas, preferably white
• 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions

Put the chicken in a medium pot with 3 cups water, the broth, garlic, bay leaves and cilantro; season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer, turning the chicken as needed, until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. Discard the bay leaves and cilantro and reserve the broth and garlic.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Put the tomatoes and chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning, until charred, about 12 minutes. Wrap in the foil to catch any juices, then cool slightly. Peel the chiles and transfer to a blender with the tomatoes and collected juices. Remove the garlic from the broth, add to the blender and puree until smooth.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the tomato-chile puree and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the reserved broth and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and cook about 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt; keep the sauce warm.

Discard the chicken skin and shred the meat. Toss the chicken with the crema and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Soak the sliced onion in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the enchiladas.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread 1 cup of the tomato-chile sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry a tortilla until puffed, about 15 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Quickly spoon 2 tablespoons chicken onto the tortilla, roll it up and put seam-side down in the baking dish. Fry and fill the remaining tortillas, arranging them side by side in the dish.

Pour 2 cups of the tomato-chile sauce over the enchiladas and top with the queso fresco. Bake until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Drain the sliced onion and scatter over the enchiladas. Divide among plates and top with more cilantro, sauce and crema, if desired.

**I made these enchiladas for my roommate when she came back at the end of the summer, because she likes Mexican food so much. :-) For the chile peppers, I made sure to take out as many of the seeds as possible so that the enchiladas weren't too spicy. **

Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori

From the May 2010 issue of The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 3/4 teaspoons hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Make shallow cuts in the chicken thighs with a sharp knife. Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl.

Pulse 2 tablespoons yogurt, the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 11/2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the mixture and let marinate 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until slightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika, the cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice, if desired.

Bow-tie Pasta with Broccoli and Potatoes

Bow-tie Pasta with Broccoli and Potatoes

From the September 2010 issue of The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large bunch broccoli, florets and some chopped stems
• 12 ounces bow-tie pasta
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into half-moons
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 head Boston lettuce, torn
• 1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce), plus more for topping

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook 10 minutes, then add the broccoli and pasta and cook as the pasta label directs.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes.

Put the lettuce in a colander. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta, broccoli and potatoes over the lettuce to wilt it. Return the pasta and vegetables to the pot.

Add the leeks to the pot and stir in enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten. Stir in the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Top with more parmesan.

Cameroonian Banana Bread

Cameroonian Banana Bread

This recipe is from my friend, Megan at The books that would be written.

Ingredients:

3-4 ripe bananas

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 cups flour (white or wheat)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a medium bread tin. Peel the bananas and break into chunks, adding to mixing bowl. Add butter and sugar. With electric mixer, mix until mostly smooth. Add eggs and mix until blended. Add baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and beat until well-mixed. Gradually add flour and mix, just until well blended. Pour batter into tin and bake for about an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

from Sheila Lukins' All Around the World Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants (about 2.5 pounds), unpeeled, cut into 1-in. cubes

1 tablespoon coarse salt

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 large red bell peppers, steamed, seeded, and cut into 1-in pieces

4 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-in. chunks

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (French dried herbs)

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

2 cans (28 oz each) plum tomatoes, drained (juices reserved) and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the eggplant with the coarse salt. Let drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat dry.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Spread the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover well with another sheet of foil. Bake until soft, about 45 minutes, tossing once or twice. Set aside.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Add the zucchini, baked eggplant, and herbes de Provence; cook uncovered, stirring, to soften the zucchini and blend the flavors, 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

6. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of the reserved juices, and the tomato paste. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 5 minutes longer.

7. Stir in the parsley and thyme. Adjust the seasonings. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Serves 12

**I first made this in January 2009 for my family with chicken, and it was delicious. I couldn't wait to make it again. Then last summer my host mom in France served ratatouille with rabbit. Ratatouille goes great with rabbit, she said. So when our summer roommate wanted to know what French food was like, I knew exactly what to make for her. This time we just had the ratatouille as the main course, with Italian white wine to go with it! :-)

Sausage-and-Pepper Skewers

Sausage-and-Pepper Skewers

From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), cut into chunks
• 1 (12-ounce) package chicken sausage (preferably garlic-flavored), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 4 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions

Soak eight 8-inch skewers in water, at least 15 minutes. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Prepare the couscous as the label directs.

Meanwhile, toss the bell peppers, sausage, onion and tomatoes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Thread onto the skewers, alternating the sausage and vegetables. Grill, turning, until the vegetables are slightly softened and the sausage begins to brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the parsley, cilantro and scallions in a blender with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar and 2 tablespoons water. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the skewers with some of the pesto and continue to cook, turning, until the tomatoes are tender and the sausage is charred, 6 to 7 more minutes.

Toss the couscous with half of the remaining pesto and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the skewers and the remaining pesto, for dipping.

Beer-Braised Chicken and Roasted Asparagus

I found that I love cooking with beer almost as much as I love cooking with wine!

Both recipes from Food Network Magazine.

Beer-Braised Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (preferably brown ale)
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 1/2 pound small red-skinned new potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Add the olive oil to the drippings in the pot. Add the chicken in batches and cook over medium-high heat until golden on the bottom, 6 to 7 minutes, then flip and sear the other side, about 1 minute.

Add the beer, onions, potatoes, mustard, sugar, thyme and 1 cup water to the pot and stir, making sure the chicken is fully submerged. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and stir in the bacon and parsley.

Roasted Asparagus

Directions

Toss 2 pounds trimmed asparagus, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees F until lightly browned, 15 minutes. Mix 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, the grated zest of 1 lemon, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the asparagus.

*Note: For the asparagus, I chose to leave out the pine nuts, and it still tasted great!