Shrimp Pad Thai

Shrimp Pad Thai

*From Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked flat rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)

2 Tb dark brown sugar

2 Tb lower-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 Tb fish sauce

1 1/2 Tb fresh lime juice

1 Tb Sriracha or chili garlic sauce

3 Tb canola oil

1 cup (2-inch) green onion pieces

8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

3 Tb thinly sliced fresh basil

1. Cook rice according to package directions; drain.

2. While water comes to a boil, combine sugar and next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl.

3. Heat large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion pieces, shrimp, and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes or until shrimp is almost done. Add cooked noodles; toss to combine. Stir in sauce; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to combine. Arrange about 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon peanuts, and 2 teaspoons basil. Yield: 4 servings.

My take: I really like this, even better than some Pad Thai I've gotten at restaurants. I use frozen shrimp, which makes it a little easier in my opinion. Overall it's a fairly quick and easy recipe, and I'm a fan. We've had this multiple times.

Chicken and Rice

*From Cooking Light magazine*

1 T. olive oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

2 C. chopped onion

1 carrot, thinly sliced

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 C. long-grain white rice

Cooking spray

1 C. fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/4 C. water

3 T. heavy whipping cream

1/3 C. grated fress pecorino Romano cheese (I used parmesan)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add 4 chicken thighs to pan; saute 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat with remaining chicken.

3. Add onion and carrot to pan; saute 4 min. Add mushrooms; saute 5 min. Add garlic; saute 1 min. Spoon rice mixture into a 13 x 9 in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; stir in broth, water, and cream. Arrange chicken over rice mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bak at 350 degrees for 45 min. or until chicken is done. Yield: 4 servings.

My take: I really liked this. It's like a twist to the basic chicken and rice recipe, but I like this one more. The parmesan cheese added a new flavor, and I liked the overall flavor mixture. I thought parmesan worked great in place of the Romano cheese. I'd definitely make this recipe again.

Turkey Wraps

*From Boar's Head ad*

1 lb turkey breast

1/2 lb swiss cheese, sliced

1 med avocado, sliced

4 leaves red leaf lettus

1/4 C. roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped

1 med tomato, sliced

14 oz. garbanzo beans

2 T. lemon juice

4 whole wheat tortillas (8-in)

In a food processor, puree the beans with the peppers and lemon juice until a smooth but somewhat chunky consistency. Spread puree onto the tortillas and a lettuce leaf. Add 2 slices tomato, followed by 3 slices of avocado. Add the turkey breast and Swiss cheese. Fold and wrap. Cut each wrap in half to serve.

My take: These were pretty good. The best part was that the tortilla package had directions on how to wrap "wraps," so I was excited to know how to do this! I didn't love this recipe, but it was easy enough. Not sure if I would ever make it again...I didn't feel like there was enough flavor. I'm more of a ranch wrap type of girl.

Chicken with Lemon-Leek Linguine

*From Cooking light Oct 2010 issue*

Chicken with Lemon-Leek Linguine

6 oz uncooked linguine
4 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 C. flour
3 T. butter, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 leek, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 C. fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

2. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 t. salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour, shaking to remove excess.

3. Heat 1 T. butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

4. Melt 1 T. butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leek, and remaining 1/4 t. salt; saute 4 minutes. Add broth and juice; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 T. butter. Add pasta to leek mixture; toss well to combine. Serve chicken over pasta mixture; sprinkle with parsley.

My take: So very good. And very healthy, too. We both really liked this meal. One important shortcut: I just bought the chicken filets (I think that's what they're called?) Basically they're already pounded flat for you, which I love. I'd never used leeks before, so I felt all cool cooking with something new. And I even got to reference my "Martha Stewart's Cooking School" book to learn how to cut up a leek. And I really liked the leek flavor. This recipe will definitely be a repeater.

Fall Vegetable Curry with Cashew Basmati Rice

*From Cooking Light Oct 2010 issue*

Fall Vegetable Curry

1 1/2 t. olive oil

1 cup diced peeled sweet potato

1 C. small caulifower florests

1/4 C. thinly sliced yellow onion

2 t. Madreas curry powder

1/2 C. organic vegetable broth

1/4 t. salt

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 C. plain 2 % reduced-fat Greek yogurt

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato to pan; saute 3 minutes. Decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring mixture constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cliantro; serve with yogurt.

Cashew Basmati Rice

Cook 1 C. basmati rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Stir in 1/4 C. unsalted cahew pieces and 1/4 t. salt.

My take: Jack loved this. It's such a healthy meal. It tasted pretty good, too, but I think a big draw is the health factor. And I have to mention that somehow cooking this made it difficult to breathe in our apartment. We kept coughing! I think it was from the spiciness of it. But it didn't seem crazy spicy when eating it. Spicy, yes, but not out of control. And the cashew basmati rice - awesome. I think this will be a repeat recipe, but we'll have to open our windows next time. :)

Orange Roughy with Lemon Sauce

From recipe.com

Orange Roughy with Lemon Sauce

Ingredients

1 pound fresh or frozen orange roughy or red snapper fillets, about 1/2 inch thick
1 pound asparagus spears
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into strips
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 cups hot cooked couscous or rice


Directions
1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry. Cut fish into 4 serving-size pieces, if necessary; set aside. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Cut asparagus in half; set aside.

2. In a 10-inch skillet combine 1 cup of the broth, the lemon peel, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Carefully add fish and asparagus. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add sweet pepper strips. Cook, covered, 2 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Using a slotted spatula, transfer fish and vegetables to a serving platter, reserving liquid in skillet. Keep fish and vegetables warm while preparing sauce.

3. For sauce, stir together remaining broth and cornstarch. Stir into liquid in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in chives. Arrange fish and vegetables on couscous; spoon sauce over top. Makes 4 servings.

How it went: I actually used tilapia since I couldn't find frozen orange roughy or red snapper at my grocery store. This recipe was pretty easy and fairly quick, but it wasn't my favorite tasting meal ever. Very healthy, and good, just not great. Not sure if I'll ever make it again.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water chestnuts
1 can mushrooms (6.5 oz)
1 cup cooked rice
2 T. brown sugar or to taste
2 T. soy sauce or to taste
Onion (optional)

Hollow out pumpkin. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Add all ingredients. Empty skillet contents into pumpkin and place pumpkin on cookie sheet with the top on the pumpkin. Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until pumpkin is golden.

Here's how it went:

Pumpkin in the oven. Love it.

And this is what the meal actually looks like. I thought it turned out pretty good, and I'm sure I'll make it again some Halloween/autumn time.

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter-Pecan Rice

From Cooking Light Magazine October Issue

Ingredients:
1 (3.5 oz.) bag boil-in-bag brown rice
2 T. butter, divided
1 lb chicken breast cutlets (about 4 cutlets)
3/4 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C. refrigerated apple cider
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. chopped pecans
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook rice according to package directions in a small saucepan, omitting salt and fat; drain. (I used whole grain wheat rice, and it turned out well.)

2. While rice cooks, melt 1 t. butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 t. salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 min on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Melt remaining 5 t. butter in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook for 2 mintues or until browned and fragrant. Lower heat to medium; add pecans, and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add rice and the remaining 1/2 t. salt; toss well to coat. Serve rice with chicken. Spinkle with parsley.

My take: I thought this was a great recipe. Very healthy, and a fun fall-themed recipe (i.e. the apple cider). And the pecan rice was to die for! Jack said the rice was like dessert. Not that it was sweet or anything, but it was just that good. And I like using the chicken cutlets, because they cook through quickly and aren't all thick and dry. This is definitely a recipe worth repeating.

Fried Round Steak

*From thepioneerwoman.com

Fried Round Steak

Ingredients
■3 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
■1 cup All-purpose Flour
■1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
■3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste
■Salt, For Seasoning Meat
■½ cups Canola Oil (more If Needed)
■2 Tablespoons Butter
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper.

Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible.

Add butter to pan right before frying.

When butter is melted, fry pieces of steak in butter/oil mixture. Flip when sides are deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

How it went: This was a pretty easy recipe, but it seems that when I make fried steak mine always takes longer to cook than the recipe says. Maybe I'm just being overly cautious about making sure it's good and cooked all the way through.

My take: These turned out pretty well, but not awesome. I'd say if you're going to make fried steak, go all the way and use egg or crackers for more coating, i.e. chicken fried steak. This recipe just didn't seem to have enough "fried" flavoring, i.e. the steak was kind of bland.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

*Originally from OurBestBites.com

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C Cream Cheese
1/4 C salsa verde
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
2 C grated pepper jack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa verde, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 tbsp of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place plan in oven and back for 15- 20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.


How it went: These took a little time to assemble, but the effort was well worth it!

My take: We liked these so much that I've already made them again. Very good, and they seem pretty healthy, too.

Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package

*from thepioneerwoman.com

Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package

Ingredients
■½ cups Olive Oil
■4 cloves Garlic, Minced
■3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
■½ cups White Wine
■2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
■Salt And Pepper, to taste
■Fresh Parsley, Minced
■1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
■Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.

Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.

Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.

Here's how it went:

Making the sauce.

Adding the shrimp.

And then the pasta. Let me just say that this skillet is really big. There is just a lot of food there.

All the food in the foil package.

My take: I didn't like this and wouldn't make it again. There was so much food that it was hard to mix it all up. Plus, it was just messy working with all that saucy liquid in a foil package. It definitely leaked. And even with all the mess, I wasn't a fan of the final product. Not enough flavor for me.