Mushroom & Chicken Risotto

I am a sucker for a thick, creamy risotto, but hate the time it takes to stand by the stove and stir in the liquid it takes to get it that way. This recipe, from Food & Wine Magazine satisfies my need for a speedy prep without sacrificing taste or the texture I love! An added bonus, for anyone who has an intolerance, it’s Gluten Free!

Mushroom and Chicken Risotto

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, cut into thin slices
2/3 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
5 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot, heat the butter over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook until the chicken is just done, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.
In the large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.
Add the wine and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the wine has been absorbed. Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and cook, stirring frequently, until it has been absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb it before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until tender, 25 to 30 minutes in all. The broth that hasn’t been absorbed should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all the liquid, or you may need more broth or some water.
Stir in the chicken and mushrooms, the Parmesan, and the parsley and heat through. Serve the risotto with additional Parmesan.

SUGGESTED WINE PAIRING

The sweetness here will be nicely mirrored by an off-dry, aromatic white wine, such as Chenin Blanc, Riesling or Gewürztraminer from California.

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Beef Stroganoff

beef-stroganoff

There are few things I enjoy more than a hearty, thick, rich beef stroganoff. My grandma used to make this hearty Russian dish, finishing it with a dollop of sour cream. I loved taking her in her later years to a local Marie Callendar’s restaurant who did a pretty good job with their version of this comforting dish.

I tore this recipe out of the September 1999 edition of Bon Appétit Magazine and it’s been my go-to ever since!

Ingredients

- 1 + 1/2-pound piece beef tenderloin, well trimmed, meat cut into 2x1x1/2 inch strips (I prefer chunks)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 tablespoons (1 + 1/2 sticks) butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 pound small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 2 cup canned beef broth
- 4 tablespoons Cognac
- 1 + 1/2 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon paprika

Preparation

1. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot.
3. Working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side.
4. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet.
5. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes.
7. Add button mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes.
8. Add beef broth, then Cognac. Simmer until liquid thickens and just coats mushrooms, about 14 minutes.
9. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon mustard.
10. Add meat and any accumulated juices from baking sheet.
11. Simmer over medium-low heat until meat is heated through but still medium-rare, about 2 minutes.
12. Mix 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the sauce to thicken
13. Stir in chopped dill.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes.
16. Drain.
17. Transfer to bowl.
18. Add remaining butter and toss to coat.
19. Season with salt and pepper.
20. Divide noodles among plates.
21. Top with beef and sauce. Sprinkle generously with paprika.

Valentine’s Day Quick Carnitas Tacos

On a whim, I decided to make carnitas tacos for Valentine’s Day dinner at home. I didn’t have to worry about not thinking ahead because my pressure cooker would cook the meat even if it wasn’t all the way thawed in time. Whew!

Thankfully I’d thrown a pork shoulder in the freezer when they’d been on sale at the grocery store, so I’d just have to rummage through the refrigerator and cupboard to see what I could cobble together to make a meal.

Appetizer: Spicy Pickled Carrots & Jalapenos

6 Carrots
2 Large Jalapenos
1 Medium Yellow Onion
3 Cloves Garlic
2 tsp Whole Peppercorns
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Cups Water

Boil the water and apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When at a full rolling boil shut off the flame and immediately add the rest of the ingredients. Stir once and let stand for about an hour. Serve at room temperature, or if you have time, refrigerate to bring out even more flavor. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within a week.

Now on to the main course.

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

1 TBLS Olive Oil
2 tsp Freshly Ground Sea Salt
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Pounds Pork Shoulder
1/2 Yellow Onion, Sliced
3 Cloves Garlic Peeled
4-6 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro
1 Large Fresh Lemon
1 Jalapeño Sliced in Half
1 1/3 Cup Chicken Broth

Preparation

Set the pressure cook to brown setting
Pour the oil into the pressure cooker
Sprinkle the salt, pepper and cloves on all sides of the pork
Place the pork in the pressure cooker and brown on all sides
Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the pork, add the onion, garlic, cilantro, halved jalapeño, the squeezed lemons and the chicken broth
Cover the pressure cooker, lock on the lid, and bring to high pressure
Cook pork at high pressure for 45 minutes
Turn off and allow pressure to release naturally
Transfer pork to a baking sheet
Preheat the broiler to high
Shred pork with two forks on baking sheet
Broil until the pork starts to crisp, about 3 minutes.
Serve with warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, shredded cabbage, pepper jack or cojito cheese, hot sauce and wedges of lime

A can of refried beans, a couple of street tacos and a beer and it’s a meal!

Easy Roasted Tomato Soup

fellp20150820_low California’s multiple personality disorder has reared it’s ugly head again. The weather, which had been giving us a normal winter for a change, has turned on a dime and we have Santa Ana winds, sunshine and warm temperatures just a day after rain clouds and temperatures in the low 60’s. Ugh! This is really screwing with my pre-planned menus!

Screw it! I planned to make soup for dinner and soup it will be. I don’t care if it’s warm outside or not. If anyone complains they can chill theirs like gazpacho.

Roasted Tomato Soup

1 Poblano Chili (Stem and Seed Pod Removed if Desired)
6 Large Tomatoes (Hard Stems Cut Out)
1 Medium Sweet Yellow Onion (Peeled and Halved)
5 Large Carrots (Peeled & Tops Removed)

Preheat oven to 350°F

Place the onion, cut side down, onto an oiled baking pan along with the peeled carrots, the poblano chili and the 6 tomatoes (cut tops up). Tip: For added flavor, I roast my chili with the stem and seed pod in and remove them before throwing into the Vitamix.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tomato skins begin to crack and peel.

Preparation Option 1 – VITAMIX:

If you have a Vitamix with a soup setting like I do (it’s on the Professional Series 750), the steps are simple from here. All you do is throw all of the roasted vegetables into the container, place the lid on securely, turn the dial to the soup setting, depress the start button and wait for the cycle to end when it’s done chopping/blending and cooking the soup.

Preparation Option 2 -Blender or Food Processor and Stove Top:

Place the onion, chili and carrots into the blender/processor container and pulse to chop the vegetables up. Then turn the blender to puree and mix until the vegetables are well chopped. Add the tomatoes 1 at a time blending on high until all are well incorporated. If you run out of room in your container, move 1/2 of your vegetable mixture to the pan you’ll be heating the soup in. When all of the vegetables are blended/pureed, heat in a pan on the stove until warm enough to eat.

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

broccolichickensoup Cooking Light is my favorite “Go-To” resource for a quick and healthy weeknight meal. It’s been cold and blustery this week and the last thing I wanted to do was put together a big fussy sit down meal, but I wanted something hearty enough to be filling.

This soup, that they did a recipe rescue on, has 40 percent fewer calories and 62 percent less fat than the heavy original. It satisfied the need for something hearty and filling without completely blowing the diet while also giving a big sit down meal feel with some crusty bread and a glass of wine!

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup pre-sliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Coat pan with cooking spray.
Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts.
Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.
Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes.
Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts.
Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information

Calories 317 Fat 12.3g Sat fat 6.8g Mono fat 2.9g Poly fat .9g Protein 27.5g Carbohydrate 23.8g Fiber 1.9g Cholesterol 74 mg Iron 1.6 mg Sodium 723 mg Calcium 179 mg

Bacon-Gouda Mac & Cheese

I love Trader Joe’s Parmesan Gouda so much I just had to figure out a way to incorporate it into my other favorite (besides a grilled cheese sandwich) Macaroni & Cheese!

A couple of trials later, finally a dish I can serve to guests!

Bacon-Gouda Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

16oz Cavatappi pasta (it’s very important to use the right pasta)
8-10 Slices thick cut bacon (from the butcher)
2 1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 C butter (4 TBLS) melted
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp fresh ground kosher salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 oz Trader Joe’s Parmesan-Gouda cheese, shredded
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Sleeve Crushed Ritz Crackers
1/4 C butter (4 TBLS) melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter a 13″ X 9″ Pyrex Baking Pan
Prepare Cavatappi according to package directions. Drain and pour into a large mixing bowl – cover with foil to keep pasta warm.
Cook bacon until crispy but not overcooked. Drain, cool, crumble and set aside.
Melt butter and whisk flour into it
In large pot heat milk to nearly boiling.
Reduce heat to medium and stir in flour/butter mixture. Whisk vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be thick and boiling.
Slowly whisk in cream.
Add in salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
Reduce heat to low and continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in shredded Parmesan-Gouda and Cheddar cheeses until completely melted.
Pour sauce over cooked pasta in large mixing bowl.
Add in 3/4 of the crumbled bacon. Combine using a rubber spatula.
Transfer to prepared Pyrex baking dish.
Combine the sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers and remaining crumbled bacon with the remaining 4 TBLS of melted butter. Sprinkle over pasta in Pyrex baking dish.
Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

It’s rich, so a small side salad would be great alongside, or even nothing at all. Except, of course, a glass of wine. 😉

Best Way To Cook Cauliflower Rice

Anyone who has tried to diet, lose a few pounds, or who just wants to cut down on the many, many carbohydrates in the average American diet has likely heard of substituting white rice with cauliflower grated down into a low-calorie, gluten-free rice substitute that is also a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins C, K, and B6.

I have yet to master “cauliflower rice.” The methods I have used so far have left me with either a pile of mush (something close to Cream of Wheat) or rock hard mini chunks that in no way resemble rice…UG!

Thankfully the test kitchen at epicurious.com did the hard work of trying out the many methods we’ve all seen on pinterest and gave us the method that they found to be the best tasting and closest in consistency to rice so that home cooks like me can stop screwing it up so badly. The one thing that they did note, for consistency, was that they added olive oil to all preparations (except raw).

The following is taken directly from the article found at http://www.epicurious.com: The Best Way to Make Cauliflower Rice; by KATHERINE SACKS 04.22.16

COOKING METHOD 1: NONE

They tasted the grated cauliflower in its natural state, as it is sometimes added to couscous-like salads raw and simply tossed with a rich, acidic dressing that helps break down some of its tough structure. But although the raw form is the easiest—no cooking required—it had a crunch that was too vegetable-like to approximate rice.

Epinion: Raw cauliflower rice is crunchy, and works to add texture to a salad, but it doesn’t mimic cooked rice.

COOKING METHOD 2: STEAMED IN CHEESECLOTH

Steaming the grated cauliflower is the most minimal cooking process. But since the cauliflower granules are so small, they had to use several layers of cheesecloth to hold the cauliflower in the steamer basket. The texture here was great, and the flavor was clean and fresh, very similar to the blank canvas of white rice. But removing the tiny cauliflower pieces from the cheesecloth was a pain, and some cauliflower rice was lost in the process.

Epinion: This process yields great results, but it’s too fussy.

COOKING METHOD 3: STEAMED IN WATER, THEN GRATED

They then tried steaming the whole cauliflower florets first, using a traditional steamer basket set into a medium-sized pot. Once cooled, the cooked cauliflower was grated. Although this greatly simplified the process, the cauliflower rice tasted waterlogged and was mushy.

Epinion: Steaming whole cauliflower florets doesn’t work.

COOKING METHOD 4: COOKED IN WATER

Next they tried cooking the grated cauliflower as if it were traditional rice: they added the grated cauliflower to a small amount of simmering water, covered the pan, and let the cauliflower cook until the water evaporated. Again, this yielded watery mush.

Epinion: Cauliflower rice shouldn’t be cooked the same way as rice.

COOKING METHOD 5: BOILED

Not wanting to give up on the ease of water-cooking, they tried dunking some of the grated cauliflower in a pot of boiling water and then in ice water to try out quick-blanching. But yet again, the cauliflower rice was wet and squishy.

Epinion: Water + tiny granules of cauliflower rice = soggy cauliflower.

COOKING METHOD 6: MICROWAVED

They placed the grated cauliflower into a microwave-safe bowl, stirred in the tablespoon of oil, covered the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and cooked for about 3 minutes. And viola! Super easy, delicious texture with distinct rice kernels, and clean flavor, very similar to the steamed version, minus the mess of the cheesecloth.

Epinion: For the easiest and cleanest white-rice—esque cauliflower, use the microwave.

COOKING METHOD 7: SAUTÉED

Finally, they tested high-heat methods of cooking the cauliflower, heating up the olive oil in a pan and sautéing the grated cauliflower until lightly cooked. The taste was much richer than the microwaved cauliflower (or any of the boiled/steamed versions), but the cruciferous flavor was much stronger.

Epinion: For a sweeter, more cauliflower-forward rice, sautéing is a great option.

COOKING METHOD 8: ROASTED

For the final test, they tossed the grated cauliflower with the oil, then roasted it on a baking sheet at 400°F for about 12 minutes. This version had the sweetest flavor, thanks to the caramelization of the cauliflower. But again, that earthy, cauliflower funk was much more apparent than in other cooking methods. Cauliflower rice made this way makes a great side dish on its own, seasoned simply with butter, salt, pepper, and perhaps some cheese, but for a white rice alternative, the microwaved rice was the clear winner.

Epinion: For a quick-cooking, caramelized cauliflower side dish, roasting is the way to go.

I can see now that my mistakes were:

I wasn’t adding any olive oil when cooking
I was adding too much water
I was overcooking the riced cauliflower in the microwave

Knowing where I failed, plus taking the expert advice of the Epicurious test kitchen, convince me that my next attempt at cauliflower rice is going to be much better!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Pizza is my weakness anytime I’m trying to lean out. The ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness just warms my insides at the mere mention. But I know it also will leave me bloated and sorry I gave in to my craving afterward. This crust, from Eat. Drink. Smile. solves that problem!

CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup riced, then cooked cauliflower
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp italian seasonings
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
pizza sauce & additional toppings of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

To rice the cauliflower, cut florets into chunks and pulse in a food processor until you see rice-like bits. You could also use a cheese grater to produce the tiny pieces. Do not over process, you don’t want mush.
Microwave the riced cauliflower in a bowl for 5-8 minutes depending on your microwave. No need to add water. After microwaving, transfer riced cauliflower to a fine mesh strainer and drain completely, gently pressing out excess water. Once drained, transfer riced cauliflower to a clean dish towel and wrap the sides around the cauliflower while gently pressing out excess water. This drying process is important!
One large head of cauliflower will yield about 3 cups of riced cauliflower. Use it to make more pizzas immediately, or store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup riced, cooked cauliflower, 1 egg and your parmesan cheese. Next, add Italian seasonings, crushed garlic and salt. Making sure everything is well mixed, place your “dough” on the cookie sheet and pat out a 9″ round. Be sure not to press it too thin as it’s easy to create holes.
Bake your dough at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pre-cooked toppings to your pizza. Place pizza under broiler just until cheese is melted, be sure to keep an eye on it!

Weeknight Salmon in Parchment

For all of us trying to get more fish, and heart-healthy Omega-3’s, into our diets, this quick and easy recipe from Tastemade (the link takes you to the video – which is handy if you have trouble folding the parchment) takes 15 minutes from prep to cook to table!

INGREDIENTS

30-inch long piece of parchment paper
½ bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
1 large scallion, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
4 oz salmon fillet
Salt
Paprika
1 slice lemon
¾ Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Fold parchment paper in half and cut out a large heart shape. Fold open the heart.
In the middle of the right side of the heart, place 3–4 pieces of scallions and a few pieces of fennel.
Place the salmon skin-side down on top of the scallions and fennel.
Top salmon with salt, paprika and the lemon slice. Add the pat of butter on top.
Fold the heart-shaped paper over the fish until the edges meet. (This means the crease will lift off the table.) Begin overlapping folds from the top left and work your way around to the bottom left, at which point you can twist it or paper clip it.
Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven for 8 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 140ºF. Serve in the bag on a plate.

Toss a salad together while the salmon is baking and you’ve gotten a completely healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes on a weeknight!

Meal Prepping Made Easy

I came across a post on Twitter last night that is so simple, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it dozens of times before!

What is the one thing, besides tracking your meals and exercise, that all diets rate as a “must do” for weight loss success?Meal Planning. Hand and hand with pre-planning what you’ll eat and when you’ll eat it, is making sure the food you’re supposed to be eating is ready and able to be eaten with minimal fuss to keep you from resorting to fast or unhealthy food choices.

Meal prep for the week is a great idea, but what is the most common complaint? Boredom. One can only eat so much grilled chicken! This brilliant idea from Fit Men Cook takes care of boredom without adding more than 5 or 10 minutes to your weekly meal prep time!

By simply using foil to create sections on a cookie sheet, you can create individually seasoned portions of the protein you’ll be adding to your lunches and dinners for the week and, by doing it when you pre-cook it, save time when you eat it during the week. You can create different salad choices, bowl themes, stir fry mix-ins, fillings for lettuce wraps, toppings for zucchini noodles, the options are unlimited.

When you have a specific goal in mind (losing weight, adding muscle, or if you are an athlete) you need to consume specific amounts of protein. Meal prepping using a scale, sectioned cookie sheet for baking, and zip bags or storage containers, is a great way to keep you on track.

Most of us need at least 50 grams of protein a day, and significantly more if we’re working out a lot or trying to lose weight. This graphic shows what 25 grams of protein looks like in a variety of foods, so you can eat a few of these portions and know you’re on the right track.

SUGGESTED WINE PAIRING

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Ingredients

Preparation

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Appetizer: Spicy Pickled Carrots & Jalapenos

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

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Roasted Tomato Soup

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Ingredients

Preparation

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Bacon-Gouda Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

Directions:

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COOKING METHOD 1: NONE

COOKING METHOD 2: STEAMED IN CHEESECLOTH

COOKING METHOD 3: STEAMED IN WATER, THEN GRATED

COOKING METHOD 4: COOKED IN WATER

COOKING METHOD 5: BOILED

COOKING METHOD 6: MICROWAVED

COOKING METHOD 7: SAUTÉED

COOKING METHOD 8: ROASTED

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