Every year about this time I have a major hankering for split pea and ham soup.
My mom always made it in the fall when I was a kid, and I remember loving every spoonful of it. It was warm and creamy, with a green color that made it seem mysterious, wonderful and wacky.
I haven’t yet satisfied my own craving until recently, however, when I saw Emeril's Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup (click for the recipe), developed by chef Emeril Lagasse. The recipe was in Everyday Food magazine.
I haven’t used my slow cooker in a long time, so here was a chance to get two things done at once: Get the slow cooker going again and satisfy my craving for split pea soup.
The slow cooker makes this recipe magnificently easy to make. I made it late in the morning one Sunday, taking the half hour required to prepare the ingredients and put them in the slow cooker, then turning it on at noon. Six hours and a bit later, we were enjoying split pea soup.
And it was wonderful. My craving was satisfied.
Since I ate split pea soup when I was young without complaining, I suspect that it’s a family-friendly dish. Emeril makes it and eats it with his two young children, so that’s an assurance. (Although, it can wreak a bit of havoc on the ol' digestive system, making things a bit gassy, so keep that in mind.)
The recipe produces a lot, so it will make for great lunches during the week, or put it in the freezer to enjoy another time. Add a bit of water when warming it up in the microwave or on the stovetop to loosen it up and get it creamy again.
I bought the required ham hocks at my local butcher.
Ten cups of low-sodium chicken broth is brought to a boil, then carefully poured into a five- to six-quart slow cooker. Two pounds of dried green split peas, diced onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, minced garlic and thyme, bay leaves and two small ham hocks are placed in the broth.
The soup is covered and cooked on high until the split peas are creamy (six hours), and is stirred occasionally.
The ham hocks are removed from the slow cooker, and the skin and bones are discarded along with the bay leaves. The meat is diced, and the peas lightly mashed with the back of a wooden spoon. The ham is returned to the soup, then the soup is served.
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Showing posts with label Everyday Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everyday Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tilapia is simple to grill, and sensational
One night last week my husband grilled tilapia, a type of fish.
It was delicious.
We were both very impressed with its slightly salty taste and firm but flaky texture.
The recipe we were used is Grilled Tilapia with Cherry Salsa (click for the recipe from Everyday Food), but the tilapia could easily have been served on its own without any extra toppings, it was that good.
However, this time of year, big, juicy cherries are at their best, and this recipe puts them to good use.
I’m so enthused about grilled tilapia that I’m going to be looking for other recipes that put it in the spotlight.
For this recipe, the salsa is made by combining cherries, onion, (we skipped the cilantro), a jalapeno chile and lime juice. It doesn’t hurt to let this sit for a bit to let the cherries release a bit of juice.
Ground coriander, salt and pepper are stirred together, then sprinkled over tilapia fillets that have been rubbed with olive oil.
The tilapia is grilled until opaque around the edges and the underside loosens from grate, and is then flipped. My husband used a fish grilling basket with a handle to easy turn the fillets.
The tilapia is served topped with the cherry salsa.
It was delicious.
We were both very impressed with its slightly salty taste and firm but flaky texture.
The recipe we were used is Grilled Tilapia with Cherry Salsa (click for the recipe from Everyday Food), but the tilapia could easily have been served on its own without any extra toppings, it was that good.
However, this time of year, big, juicy cherries are at their best, and this recipe puts them to good use.
I’m so enthused about grilled tilapia that I’m going to be looking for other recipes that put it in the spotlight.
For this recipe, the salsa is made by combining cherries, onion, (we skipped the cilantro), a jalapeno chile and lime juice. It doesn’t hurt to let this sit for a bit to let the cherries release a bit of juice.
Ground coriander, salt and pepper are stirred together, then sprinkled over tilapia fillets that have been rubbed with olive oil.
The tilapia is grilled until opaque around the edges and the underside loosens from grate, and is then flipped. My husband used a fish grilling basket with a handle to easy turn the fillets.
The tilapia is served topped with the cherry salsa.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Recipes that sandwich
spring into quesadillas and panini
In this Recipes That Worked entry, I bring you two recipes that sandwich spring into quesadillas and panini. Both are from Everyday Food magazine.
The first recipe, for Goat Cheese and Mango Quesadillas (click for the recipe), takes advantage of the cool tanginess of goat cheese. It serves as a base for the sweet mango and the slight bite of jalapeno pepper – a great combination.
The second recipe, for Cheddar-Scallion Panini (click for the recipe), will be a hit with fans of grilled cheese sandwiches.
The recipe I linked to from the Everyday Food website is for the panini, along with a green pea soup. The soup is serviceable, but not terrific; I’m recommending the panini.
In this recipe, sharp white cheddar and scallions, otherwise known as green onions, pair up for a zesty filling.
Although the recipe recommends rye bread, white would work beautifully, too.
Both recipes are very easy to make.
For the Goat Cheese and Mango Quesadillas, my husband and I used canned mango pieces. After draining them, we sliced them into smaller pieces.
As we always do, my husband and I skipped the cilantro and used parsley instead. We also left out the red onion.
Room-temperature goat cheese is spread on six-inch whole-wheat tortillas. Mango, jalapeno pepper and parsley are placed on one half of each tortilla, and the other half is folded over.
The quesadillas are cooked in batches in a skillet, about one to two minutes per side. This time is just about perfect – any longer and the quesadillas start to burn.
They are also cooked without oil in the skillet. That’s a good measure, because oily quesadillas are unpleasant!
After cooking, the quesadillas are cut into wedges. The recipe says four, but we cut two wedges instead.
For the Cheddar-Scallion Panini, shredded sharp white cheddar cheese is tossed with thinly-sliced scallion greens and the mixture put between slices of bread.
The panini can be cooked two ways: With butter in a skillet, or on a panini maker (without butter!)
Serve and enjoy these springy sandwiches.
The first recipe, for Goat Cheese and Mango Quesadillas (click for the recipe), takes advantage of the cool tanginess of goat cheese. It serves as a base for the sweet mango and the slight bite of jalapeno pepper – a great combination.
The second recipe, for Cheddar-Scallion Panini (click for the recipe), will be a hit with fans of grilled cheese sandwiches.
The recipe I linked to from the Everyday Food website is for the panini, along with a green pea soup. The soup is serviceable, but not terrific; I’m recommending the panini.
In this recipe, sharp white cheddar and scallions, otherwise known as green onions, pair up for a zesty filling.
Although the recipe recommends rye bread, white would work beautifully, too.
Both recipes are very easy to make.
For the Goat Cheese and Mango Quesadillas, my husband and I used canned mango pieces. After draining them, we sliced them into smaller pieces.
As we always do, my husband and I skipped the cilantro and used parsley instead. We also left out the red onion.
Room-temperature goat cheese is spread on six-inch whole-wheat tortillas. Mango, jalapeno pepper and parsley are placed on one half of each tortilla, and the other half is folded over.
The quesadillas are cooked in batches in a skillet, about one to two minutes per side. This time is just about perfect – any longer and the quesadillas start to burn.
They are also cooked without oil in the skillet. That’s a good measure, because oily quesadillas are unpleasant!
After cooking, the quesadillas are cut into wedges. The recipe says four, but we cut two wedges instead.
For the Cheddar-Scallion Panini, shredded sharp white cheddar cheese is tossed with thinly-sliced scallion greens and the mixture put between slices of bread.
The panini can be cooked two ways: With butter in a skillet, or on a panini maker (without butter!)
Serve and enjoy these springy sandwiches.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A sure sign of spring: Making Spaghetti
with Bay Scallops, Leeks and Tarragon
Hello, dear spring!
I think it’s arrived. I don’t have to wear gloves, a hat or winter boots anymore. I can hear birds chirping. It’s not dark as midnight when I get up in the morning. The lot where I park for work is a sinkhole of mud rather than a skating rink.
And I want to cook nice and bright from now until fall!
That’s one of my own official signs of spring: I want to crack out goat cheese, dill, chicken, orzo, asparagus, strawberries and lemons and get them to work in cooking and baking.
A pasta dish that I like to make to welcome spring is Spaghetti with Bay Scallops, Leeks and Tarragon (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine.
The white and green colors of the dish pay homage to the new and warmer season.
Most importantly, it’s amazingly delicious and satisfying.
The scallops make for a meaty texture in the pasta, while the leeks and tarragon add a pleasant oniony flavor.
The recipe calls for bay scallops, which look like mini scallops. Bay scallops are quite easy to find frozen, but if you can't find them, cutting regular-size scallops in half will work just as well.
Spaghetti is boiled until al dente, then drained and returned to the pot.
Thinly-sliced leeks (be sure to wash them well to get out all the dirt in the upper white part) and garlic are cooked in a skillet, and are added to the pasta. The same step is repeated for scallops and lemon zest (finely-grated lemon peel).
Fresh tarragon, butter and lemon juice are added to the pasta in the pot and tossed until they create a thin sauce that coats the spaghetti.
Serve and welcome spring.
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I think it’s arrived. I don’t have to wear gloves, a hat or winter boots anymore. I can hear birds chirping. It’s not dark as midnight when I get up in the morning. The lot where I park for work is a sinkhole of mud rather than a skating rink.
And I want to cook nice and bright from now until fall!
That’s one of my own official signs of spring: I want to crack out goat cheese, dill, chicken, orzo, asparagus, strawberries and lemons and get them to work in cooking and baking.
A pasta dish that I like to make to welcome spring is Spaghetti with Bay Scallops, Leeks and Tarragon (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine.
The white and green colors of the dish pay homage to the new and warmer season.
Most importantly, it’s amazingly delicious and satisfying.
The scallops make for a meaty texture in the pasta, while the leeks and tarragon add a pleasant oniony flavor.
The recipe calls for bay scallops, which look like mini scallops. Bay scallops are quite easy to find frozen, but if you can't find them, cutting regular-size scallops in half will work just as well.
Spaghetti is boiled until al dente, then drained and returned to the pot.
Thinly-sliced leeks (be sure to wash them well to get out all the dirt in the upper white part) and garlic are cooked in a skillet, and are added to the pasta. The same step is repeated for scallops and lemon zest (finely-grated lemon peel).
Fresh tarragon, butter and lemon juice are added to the pasta in the pot and tossed until they create a thin sauce that coats the spaghetti.
Serve and welcome spring.
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Thursday, March 31, 2011
A potato dish for spring:
Potatoes with Ranch Dressing
Potatoes – for some, they’re not the springtimey-est vegetable on the block.
Mashed or baked potatoes seem to go best with fall and wintertime dishes such as beef with gravy.
But I’ve got a recipe for potatoes that are meant for a springtime table, right alongside the salmon and asparagus.
Potatoes with Ranch Dressing (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine is comprised of new potatoes in a light cream-herb sauce. It has a bright, fresh look and taste.
It’s family friendly, and weeknight-easy to whip up.
The recipe says it serves four, but that’s if you’re eating mounds and mounds of other food with it.
I would say it nicely yields enough for two people eating one main dish with the potatoes.
I would double, triple and quadruple the recipe the more the crowd increases in size, something that would need to be done for occasions such as an Easter feast, for which I think this dish would be superb.
The recipe calls for one pound of small potatoes. I used new red potatoes, also sometimes called baby potatoes.
The potatoes are put in a pot with water and salt, and the water is brought to a boil. The potatoes are cooked at a high boil until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
The sauce is made by combining buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves and one to two tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives or basil (I used chives.)
The potatoes are tossed in the sauce and served.
Mashed or baked potatoes seem to go best with fall and wintertime dishes such as beef with gravy.
But I’ve got a recipe for potatoes that are meant for a springtime table, right alongside the salmon and asparagus.
Potatoes with Ranch Dressing (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine is comprised of new potatoes in a light cream-herb sauce. It has a bright, fresh look and taste.
It’s family friendly, and weeknight-easy to whip up.
The recipe says it serves four, but that’s if you’re eating mounds and mounds of other food with it.
I would say it nicely yields enough for two people eating one main dish with the potatoes.
I would double, triple and quadruple the recipe the more the crowd increases in size, something that would need to be done for occasions such as an Easter feast, for which I think this dish would be superb.
The recipe calls for one pound of small potatoes. I used new red potatoes, also sometimes called baby potatoes.
The potatoes are put in a pot with water and salt, and the water is brought to a boil. The potatoes are cooked at a high boil until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
The sauce is made by combining buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves and one to two tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives or basil (I used chives.)
The potatoes are tossed in the sauce and served.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Welcome the weekend with Chicken Sandwiches with White Onions and Peppers
My husband and I made Chicken Sandwiches with White Onions and Peppers (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine for the first time on a Friday night.
It was a great way to start the weekend, with a delicious, satisfying sandwich.
The sandwiches were quick to make, too, so end-of-work-week exhaustion didn’t interfere with their production. (Beer sipping also didn’t interfere with production, another indication of their ease.)
The sandwiches are not at all spicy, and so are quite family-friendly and perhaps even picky-eater friendly. I’m guessing kids ages 12 and up will eat these sandwiches.
The recipe calls for a baguette. Most baguettes I’ve come across are far too thin for my liking for a sandwich, so we used small sub buns instead.
The recipe serves two, so be sure to increase the ingredients if you want to make more sandwiches.
White onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and fresh oregano are cooked in a skillet, then transferred to a bowl and combined with red wine vinegar.
Chicken cutlets (chicken breasts pounded with a kitchen mallet will work too) are seasoned with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper and are cooked in a skillet.
To serve, mayonnaise is spread on a cut bun, then vegetables and chicken are put on and topped with lettuce.
It was a great way to start the weekend, with a delicious, satisfying sandwich.
The sandwiches were quick to make, too, so end-of-work-week exhaustion didn’t interfere with their production. (Beer sipping also didn’t interfere with production, another indication of their ease.)
The sandwiches are not at all spicy, and so are quite family-friendly and perhaps even picky-eater friendly. I’m guessing kids ages 12 and up will eat these sandwiches.
The recipe calls for a baguette. Most baguettes I’ve come across are far too thin for my liking for a sandwich, so we used small sub buns instead.
The recipe serves two, so be sure to increase the ingredients if you want to make more sandwiches.
White onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and fresh oregano are cooked in a skillet, then transferred to a bowl and combined with red wine vinegar.
Chicken cutlets (chicken breasts pounded with a kitchen mallet will work too) are seasoned with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper and are cooked in a skillet.
To serve, mayonnaise is spread on a cut bun, then vegetables and chicken are put on and topped with lettuce.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Super Bowl food that will
make your friends and family cheer!
If you're having a get-together on Sunday for the Super Bowl, you'll probably be serving some snack and finger foods.
Here are my suggestions of recipes I've reviewed that will make your Super Bowl party sizzle as much as the action on the TV screen!
Chinese Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
Sticky Chicken Wings
Fast Chicken Fajitas
Cincinnati Chili
Chile and Cheese Tart
Flatbread Lasagna
Soft Tacos with Sausage and Feta
Golden Onion & Thyme Dip
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Shortbread Bars
Caramelized Banana Splits with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Chocolate Chewies
Graham Cracker-Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake
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Here are my suggestions of recipes I've reviewed that will make your Super Bowl party sizzle as much as the action on the TV screen!
Chinese Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
Sticky Chicken Wings
Fast Chicken Fajitas
Cincinnati Chili
Chile and Cheese Tart
Flatbread Lasagna
Soft Tacos with Sausage and Feta
Golden Onion & Thyme Dip
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Shortbread Bars
Caramelized Banana Splits with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Chocolate Chewies
Graham Cracker-Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake
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Friday, December 31, 2010
The 10 best recipes I reviewed in 2010
I bravely issued the challenge to myself: Decide on the 10 absolute best recipes you reviewed in 2010 and present them on Recipes That Worked.
After agonizing over the dozens and dozens of recipes I have reviewed from major cooking magazines and cookbooks in 2010, I managed to do it.
All the recipes I write about are very good, but these are the cream of the crop, the top of the heap. They're my favorites, my secret weapons, the ones that get raved about when I make them.
Here they are:
Tunnel of Fudge Cake: A crowd-pleasing treat from America's Test Kitchen that will score on special occasions.
Sticky Chicken Wings: For a casual party or weeknight dinner, these yummy fix-it-and-forget-it-wings from Everyday Food can be prepared in one dish.
Orecchiette with Fennel, Sausage and Tomatoes: This is the best pasta dish I've ever had, at home or in restaurants. It comes from Fine Cooking magazine.
Fast Chicken Fajitas: Have a delicious dinner on the table in a jiffy in this winner from Everyday Food.
Cincinnati Chili: A savory mild chili made with cinnamon and allspice that's served over spaghetti, this family-pleaser is an America's Test Kitchen creation.
Chocolate Mint Cream Pie: The dessert recipe that got me an offer of marriage, from the cookbook 375 Sensational Splenda Recipes by Marlene Koch.
Rum Punch with Passion Fruit and Lime: An easy-to-make, no-fail pitcher drink from Bon Appetit magazine that will bring a summer backyard party to roaring life.
Ray's Cafe Salmon Burger with Basil Mayonnaise: The best burger I've ever tasted or made -- they're good for weeknights or even a casual dinner party.
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge: Delicious fudge that takes just 15 minutes to make? Who knew? This time- and sanity-saver is from America's Test Kitchen.
Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze: I made this for the first time this December, and it instantly became a favorite. Knock their socks off with this confection from Fine Cooking magazine.
Please join me in 2011 as I embark on a new year of letting you know about which recipes I tried that worked.
To get the latest buzz from this blog, join Recipes That Worked on Facebook.
After agonizing over the dozens and dozens of recipes I have reviewed from major cooking magazines and cookbooks in 2010, I managed to do it.
All the recipes I write about are very good, but these are the cream of the crop, the top of the heap. They're my favorites, my secret weapons, the ones that get raved about when I make them.
Here they are:
Tunnel of Fudge Cake: A crowd-pleasing treat from America's Test Kitchen that will score on special occasions.
Sticky Chicken Wings: For a casual party or weeknight dinner, these yummy fix-it-and-forget-it-wings from Everyday Food can be prepared in one dish.
Orecchiette with Fennel, Sausage and Tomatoes: This is the best pasta dish I've ever had, at home or in restaurants. It comes from Fine Cooking magazine.
Fast Chicken Fajitas: Have a delicious dinner on the table in a jiffy in this winner from Everyday Food.
Cincinnati Chili: A savory mild chili made with cinnamon and allspice that's served over spaghetti, this family-pleaser is an America's Test Kitchen creation.
Chocolate Mint Cream Pie: The dessert recipe that got me an offer of marriage, from the cookbook 375 Sensational Splenda Recipes by Marlene Koch.
Rum Punch with Passion Fruit and Lime: An easy-to-make, no-fail pitcher drink from Bon Appetit magazine that will bring a summer backyard party to roaring life.
Ray's Cafe Salmon Burger with Basil Mayonnaise: The best burger I've ever tasted or made -- they're good for weeknights or even a casual dinner party.
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge: Delicious fudge that takes just 15 minutes to make? Who knew? This time- and sanity-saver is from America's Test Kitchen.
Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze: I made this for the first time this December, and it instantly became a favorite. Knock their socks off with this confection from Fine Cooking magazine.
Please join me in 2011 as I embark on a new year of letting you know about which recipes I tried that worked.
To get the latest buzz from this blog, join Recipes That Worked on Facebook.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Orange and Cumin Pork Loin - absolutely fabulous!
Orange and Cumin Pork Loin (click for the recipe), from the December 2010 issue of Everyday Food, is simply fabulous.
It’s absolutely delicious, easy to make and family-friendly.
The dish, a creation of chef Emeril Lagasse, tastes citrusy and just a tiny bit spicy, thanks to the cumin.
Make sure you serve the pan juices with the pork loin, so people can pour the juices over the loin just as they would gravy on potatoes.
As we always do, my husband and I substituted parsley for the cilantro, and if you’re serving this to a family, you’ll want to do the same.
I took the time to get a tied boneless pork loin at the butcher I frequent.
The recipe I linked to above is on grouprecipes.com, but it is exactly the same one I used from Everyday Food.
A three-pound boneless pork loin, tied at two-inch intervals with kitchen string, is rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with cumin, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, the pork is browned, and is then transferred to a baking dish.
The recipe says to make sure the pork fits snugly in the dish. This is a good instruction – using a baking dish that is too big will send the orange juice topping out thinly and far away from the loin, possibly contributing to lost flavor. The loin needs to be basted frequently too, and a baking dish that’s too big will make this task a pain.
Orange juice, white-wine vinegar and marmalade are whisked together. The recipe says to use a small bowl for this, but I whisked everything together in a glass measuring cup to make easier work of the next step: Drizzling the orange juice mixture over the pork.
The pork is roasted at 400 F for 45 to 50 minutes (the Everyday Food recipe says to use an instant-read thermometer, stick it in the thickest part of the pork, and make sure it reads 140 F). Frequent basting is required; my husband did it about every seven minutes.
The pork is taken out of the oven, sprinkled with parsley, and let to rest for 10 minutes.
After slicing, the pork is served. Put the pan juices into a glass measuring cup or gravy bowl so people can drizzle it on top of the juicy, tasty slices.
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It’s absolutely delicious, easy to make and family-friendly.
The dish, a creation of chef Emeril Lagasse, tastes citrusy and just a tiny bit spicy, thanks to the cumin.
Make sure you serve the pan juices with the pork loin, so people can pour the juices over the loin just as they would gravy on potatoes.
As we always do, my husband and I substituted parsley for the cilantro, and if you’re serving this to a family, you’ll want to do the same.
I took the time to get a tied boneless pork loin at the butcher I frequent.
The recipe I linked to above is on grouprecipes.com, but it is exactly the same one I used from Everyday Food.
A three-pound boneless pork loin, tied at two-inch intervals with kitchen string, is rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with cumin, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, the pork is browned, and is then transferred to a baking dish.
The recipe says to make sure the pork fits snugly in the dish. This is a good instruction – using a baking dish that is too big will send the orange juice topping out thinly and far away from the loin, possibly contributing to lost flavor. The loin needs to be basted frequently too, and a baking dish that’s too big will make this task a pain.
Orange juice, white-wine vinegar and marmalade are whisked together. The recipe says to use a small bowl for this, but I whisked everything together in a glass measuring cup to make easier work of the next step: Drizzling the orange juice mixture over the pork.
The pork is roasted at 400 F for 45 to 50 minutes (the Everyday Food recipe says to use an instant-read thermometer, stick it in the thickest part of the pork, and make sure it reads 140 F). Frequent basting is required; my husband did it about every seven minutes.
The pork is taken out of the oven, sprinkled with parsley, and let to rest for 10 minutes.
After slicing, the pork is served. Put the pan juices into a glass measuring cup or gravy bowl so people can drizzle it on top of the juicy, tasty slices.
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Thursday, November 25, 2010
Fast Chicken Fajitas: Quick and delicious!
Fast Chicken Fajitas (click for the recipe) from Everyday Food magazine lives up to its name.
Fajitas can sometimes take a long time to make, especially if there is marinating or grilling involved.
But this recipe is fast, fast, fast -- and delicious, delicious, delicious.
My husband and I never tire of this recipe, and I’m always pleased by how well it works considering the few ingredients and little time involved.
The secret ingredient is chili powder. It nicely seasons the chicken, but not to an overwhelming degree.
I would say children ages 12 and up would easily be able to eat these fajitas, but skip the cilantro if you are serving it to young people.
In fact, skip the cilantro entirely no matter who will eat the fajitas! I always do. (My husband and I don’t like it.)
The recipe calls for chicken cutlets, but we’ve used boneless, skinless chicken breasts if these weren’t available.
The chicken is placed on a baking sheet, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with chili powder and put under the broiler for a short time. It is thinly sliced crosswise.
On a different baking sheet, bell peppers, red onion and garlic are tossed with oil and broiled.
Set out chicken and peppers with tortillas, sour cream and salsa for people to assemble their own fajitas.
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Fajitas can sometimes take a long time to make, especially if there is marinating or grilling involved.
But this recipe is fast, fast, fast -- and delicious, delicious, delicious.
My husband and I never tire of this recipe, and I’m always pleased by how well it works considering the few ingredients and little time involved.
The secret ingredient is chili powder. It nicely seasons the chicken, but not to an overwhelming degree.
I would say children ages 12 and up would easily be able to eat these fajitas, but skip the cilantro if you are serving it to young people.
In fact, skip the cilantro entirely no matter who will eat the fajitas! I always do. (My husband and I don’t like it.)
The recipe calls for chicken cutlets, but we’ve used boneless, skinless chicken breasts if these weren’t available.
The chicken is placed on a baking sheet, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with chili powder and put under the broiler for a short time. It is thinly sliced crosswise.
On a different baking sheet, bell peppers, red onion and garlic are tossed with oil and broiled.
Set out chicken and peppers with tortillas, sour cream and salsa for people to assemble their own fajitas.
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010
It's a doughnut; no, it's a muffin:
It's a Pumpkin Doughnut Muffin!
“So what’s doughnut-y about them?” my husband asked as I stirred together the ingredients for Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins (click for the recipe), a recipe in the November 2010 issue of Everyday Food.
It was a good question.
After the muffins completely cooled, we gave them a try, and found out what exactly earned them the name “doughnut muffins”: They had a soft, cakey texture nearly exactly like doughnuts, and the generous coating of cinnamon, clinging to the muffins thanks to a coating of butter, added to the effect.
These muffins are delicious and family-friendly.
However, they are best on the day they are made. The doughnut-y texture and taste start to fade quickly.
To combat this, Everyday Food says the muffins can be frozen up to three months after baking and cooling, the first major step of the recipe. After reheating the frozen muffins in a 350 F oven, they will be ready for the second major step: The butter and sugar coating.
I found I needed a little more butter for the coating than the recipe called for – about two more tablespoons.
Be sure to use pure pumpkin pureé in this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins are easy to make.
Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and allspice are whisked together in one bowl, buttermilk and pure pumpkin pureé are mixed together in a second bowl, and butter and brown sugar beaten together in a third.
The flour mixture is beaten into the butter and brown sugar in three additions, alternating with the pumpkin mixture in two additions.
After baking in a standard 12-cup muffin tin, the muffins cool for 10 minutes, and are then brushed with melted butter and tossed in a mixture of ground cinnamon and sugar.
The muffins are left to cool completely.
Serve and watch your family enjoy this doughnut-in-a-muffin!
More great cool-weather desserts
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It was a good question.
After the muffins completely cooled, we gave them a try, and found out what exactly earned them the name “doughnut muffins”: They had a soft, cakey texture nearly exactly like doughnuts, and the generous coating of cinnamon, clinging to the muffins thanks to a coating of butter, added to the effect.
These muffins are delicious and family-friendly.
However, they are best on the day they are made. The doughnut-y texture and taste start to fade quickly.
To combat this, Everyday Food says the muffins can be frozen up to three months after baking and cooling, the first major step of the recipe. After reheating the frozen muffins in a 350 F oven, they will be ready for the second major step: The butter and sugar coating.
I found I needed a little more butter for the coating than the recipe called for – about two more tablespoons.
Be sure to use pure pumpkin pureé in this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins are easy to make.
Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and allspice are whisked together in one bowl, buttermilk and pure pumpkin pureé are mixed together in a second bowl, and butter and brown sugar beaten together in a third.
The flour mixture is beaten into the butter and brown sugar in three additions, alternating with the pumpkin mixture in two additions.
After baking in a standard 12-cup muffin tin, the muffins cool for 10 minutes, and are then brushed with melted butter and tossed in a mixture of ground cinnamon and sugar.
The muffins are left to cool completely.
Serve and watch your family enjoy this doughnut-in-a-muffin!
More great cool-weather desserts
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tarragon and tomatoes are a
terrific match in this pasta dish
I like simple, easy and delicious recipes. And if they’re a bit unusual, too, I’ll be hooked on them for life.
Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Tarragon (click here for the Everyday Food recipe) fits that bill.
The tarragon adds a fresh, unexpected note to the dish, but it doesn’t seem out of place – in fact, it appears that tomatoes and tarragon were always meant to be together.
The recipe says you can also use fresh basil, but if you make this, I strongly suggest waiting until you get your hands on some fresh tarragon and use that instead. It should be readily available this time of year in any supermarket that has a well-stocked fresh herb section.
This is a great dish for a weeknight. It whips up quickly and makes a lot.
I think kids and teens may just go for it, too, especially those that have been known to like something beyond the realm of mac and cheese and hot dogs.
While the spaghetti is boiling, finely-chopped shallots are cooked in oil, and chopped beefsteak or roma tomatoes are added when the pan is taken off the heat.
The tomato mixture is poured over the drained pasta, and chopped tarragon and Parmesan cheese are added.
Everything is tossed together, and the pasta is served.
Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Tarragon (click here for the Everyday Food recipe) fits that bill.
The tarragon adds a fresh, unexpected note to the dish, but it doesn’t seem out of place – in fact, it appears that tomatoes and tarragon were always meant to be together.
The recipe says you can also use fresh basil, but if you make this, I strongly suggest waiting until you get your hands on some fresh tarragon and use that instead. It should be readily available this time of year in any supermarket that has a well-stocked fresh herb section.
This is a great dish for a weeknight. It whips up quickly and makes a lot.
I think kids and teens may just go for it, too, especially those that have been known to like something beyond the realm of mac and cheese and hot dogs.
While the spaghetti is boiling, finely-chopped shallots are cooked in oil, and chopped beefsteak or roma tomatoes are added when the pan is taken off the heat.
The tomato mixture is poured over the drained pasta, and chopped tarragon and Parmesan cheese are added.
Everything is tossed together, and the pasta is served.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Purée your way to a party
with Frozen Peach Margaritas
Recently here on Recipes That Worked I wrote about Fresh Cherry Margaritas, which are incredibly delicious cocktails, but takes quite a bit of work to make each one.
Here’s a margarita that can be made a lot more quickly, and is delicious, too.
It’s Frozen Peach Margaritas (click here for the Everyday Food recipe), and it’s a throw-all-the-stuff-in-the-blender-then-serve-and-enjoy-drink.
At a party, you could put someone on blender duty and have them crank out servings of this drink.
The recipe calls for frozen sliced peaches. My husband and I found this in the supermarket after searching for a bit.
Before we found it, my husband suggested I could slice peaches and freeze them if needed.
It’s a good idea. Although I haven’t tested this myself, it’s likely that cutting up peaches, putting them on a baking sheet and putting them into the freezer until they are firm would work.
But if you can buy them, it’s convenient, too.
The recipe calls for putting an entire 16 ounce (454 g) pkg of peaches in the blender. I don’t know about you, but my blender simply can’t hold that many peaches. I halved the amount and thus the rest of the ingredients, and that made about four decent-sized margarita servings.
My blender also doesn’t do very good work of grinding up ice cubes, so the next time I make this I’m going to crush the ice first, then put it in the blender.
Look how easy they are to make: Frozen peaches, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice cubes are put in a blender and puréed.
Really, that’s it! The peach margarita party has started.
Here’s a margarita that can be made a lot more quickly, and is delicious, too.
It’s Frozen Peach Margaritas (click here for the Everyday Food recipe), and it’s a throw-all-the-stuff-in-the-blender-then-serve-and-enjoy-drink.
At a party, you could put someone on blender duty and have them crank out servings of this drink.
The recipe calls for frozen sliced peaches. My husband and I found this in the supermarket after searching for a bit.
Before we found it, my husband suggested I could slice peaches and freeze them if needed.
It’s a good idea. Although I haven’t tested this myself, it’s likely that cutting up peaches, putting them on a baking sheet and putting them into the freezer until they are firm would work.
But if you can buy them, it’s convenient, too.
The recipe calls for putting an entire 16 ounce (454 g) pkg of peaches in the blender. I don’t know about you, but my blender simply can’t hold that many peaches. I halved the amount and thus the rest of the ingredients, and that made about four decent-sized margarita servings.
My blender also doesn’t do very good work of grinding up ice cubes, so the next time I make this I’m going to crush the ice first, then put it in the blender.
Look how easy they are to make: Frozen peaches, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice cubes are put in a blender and puréed.
Really, that’s it! The peach margarita party has started.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Leave the booze out of this lemonade? Not by the hair on my ginny-gin-gin
OK, that was bad, but this drink recipe is really good.
Thyme Lemonade (click here for the recipe at the Everyday Food website) is a fabulous summer drink from from the June 2008 issue of Everyday Food.
The recipe says the gin is optional, but I highly recommend adding it. It takes the drink to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Anyone freaked out by the idea of herbing up a lemonade with thyme, usually found in meat dishes and soups, need not worry. With the lemon, it's a refresher.
This is one of the recipes in I successfully substituted an equal amount of Splenda for sugar.
Sugar (in my case, Splenda), fresh thyme and water are brought to a boil to make a simple syrup. This is stirred into lemon juice, water and gin.
Refrigerate, then serve.
Thyme Lemonade (click here for the recipe at the Everyday Food website) is a fabulous summer drink from from the June 2008 issue of Everyday Food.
The recipe says the gin is optional, but I highly recommend adding it. It takes the drink to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Anyone freaked out by the idea of herbing up a lemonade with thyme, usually found in meat dishes and soups, need not worry. With the lemon, it's a refresher.
This is one of the recipes in I successfully substituted an equal amount of Splenda for sugar.
Sugar (in my case, Splenda), fresh thyme and water are brought to a boil to make a simple syrup. This is stirred into lemon juice, water and gin.
Refrigerate, then serve.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A welcome sticky situation
with Everyday Food chicken wings
Everyday Food magazine's Sticky Chicken Wings (click here for the recipe at the Everyday Food website), from the March 2010 issue was a big hit and definite make-again. It's a family-friendly dish.
It was also super-simple to make, and you can mix up everything in the baking dish. Fewer dishes to wash!
I used chicken drummettes in the recipe in order to cut down the work of cutting off the tips of wings.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, light-brown sugar, fish sauce, fresh lemon juice, and soy sauce are stirred together until the sugar dissolves.
Fresh ginger (it says to smash it; I just grated it finely), a jalapeno or serrano chile (I used half a jalapeno with the seeds and ribs scraped out, as this is what gives the chile its heat) and the chicken wings are added and the wings tossed to coat in the sauce.
The wings are baked for one hour at 300 F, then the heat is increased to 450 F and the wings baked for 30 to 35 minutes more until the sauce is reduced and the wings are glazed.
It was also super-simple to make, and you can mix up everything in the baking dish. Fewer dishes to wash!
I used chicken drummettes in the recipe in order to cut down the work of cutting off the tips of wings.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, light-brown sugar, fish sauce, fresh lemon juice, and soy sauce are stirred together until the sugar dissolves.
Fresh ginger (it says to smash it; I just grated it finely), a jalapeno or serrano chile (I used half a jalapeno with the seeds and ribs scraped out, as this is what gives the chile its heat) and the chicken wings are added and the wings tossed to coat in the sauce.
The wings are baked for one hour at 300 F, then the heat is increased to 450 F and the wings baked for 30 to 35 minutes more until the sauce is reduced and the wings are glazed.
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