I grew up not really enjoying pork chops, since they were always dry. Matt doesn't really like them, either. But guess what?! After tonight I got, and I quote, "I don't really like pork chops, but I REALLY like yours." Yay! I love getting compliments about my food. :)
These pork chops take minimal work. Seriously, it would be hard to mess these up. And they're super flavorful and very moist. Dry pork is the WORST, but these are far from that :) I made a pan gravy while the pork rested. Served with a veggie and roasted potatoes, these make a fabulous well rounded meal. Yummy yummy!
For the pork chops:
Two bone-in pork chops (please, use bone in. That's key to juicy, yummy pork. Boneless will dry out like you won't believe)
Salt
Pepper
Herbs de Provence (Or you can use whatever seasonings you want, but Herbs de Provence tastes really good with dijon mustard)
Butter (I know, I know. Sorry).
1. Melt some butter in the bottom of a pan over medium heat. You need enough to cover the whole bottom
2. Season both sides of the pork with salt, pepper, and the seasonings
3. Place the pork in the pan. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip, add more butter if needed, and continue to cook for 7 more minutes
4. Remove from pan and rest
For the pan gravy:
Flour
Dijon mustard
Milk
Salt
Butter, if needed
1. Turn the pan down to low. Using the drippings (mainly butter) from the pan, sprinkle some flour in the pan and whisk with the drippings. You only need enough flour to make a one-to-one ratio. You can do less, but definitely do not do more than one-to-one with the flour, or your gravy will be really thick.
2. Whisk in the milk and the Dijon mustard, along with a sprinkling of salt. Sorry I don't really do measurements, just eyeball it. Your gravy will become thick. If you want it thicker, continue adding milk and Dijon. Also, if you want a thinner gravy, use less flour in step one. You can also add more butter at this time. Heat through.
Serve the gravy with the pork chops. Yummy!
Notes:
If you don't like Dijon mustard, just leave it out. Without the Dijon, you'll make just a regular ol' pan gravy, which is just as delicious :)
You can try making an even thinner/healthier gravy by using chicken stock instead of milk.
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Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
I must inform all of you of some yumminess that I created last night as a side dish. Matt LOVED it. I think he even liked it more than the chicken pot pie I made. But alas, I only made enough for one serving each. But I have been warned. Next time, I must make more!
Alright, so what is it that I made?
Follow along:
-Dice up a potato into small bite size pieces. If you want more than 1 serving per person, dice more potatoes.
-Fry up the potatoes in some vegetable oil in a pan until the outside is brown and crispy but the inside is nice and soft. You will to constantly be turning the potatoes to make sure they don't burn. Salt the potatoes while they're frying.
-Once done, empty the potatoes onto a plate covered in paper towels. This way you can drain all the excess oil. If you leave the oil on the potatoes, not only is that extra calories, but the nice crispy outside of the potatoes is going to be mushy.
-Put the potatoes in a bowl. Dump some ranch dressing to taste on the potatoes, then shred some cheddar cheese on top. Mix. Adjust to taste, and viola! Yummy potatoes.
Cook's note: Next time I might try ranch powder instead of the dressing, but it was still good nonetheless! If you do that, don't salt the potatoes. Ranch powder probably already has enough salt in it. But of course, if you need more, you can always add some :)
Happy cooking!
Alright, so what is it that I made?
Follow along:
-Dice up a potato into small bite size pieces. If you want more than 1 serving per person, dice more potatoes.
-Fry up the potatoes in some vegetable oil in a pan until the outside is brown and crispy but the inside is nice and soft. You will to constantly be turning the potatoes to make sure they don't burn. Salt the potatoes while they're frying.
-Once done, empty the potatoes onto a plate covered in paper towels. This way you can drain all the excess oil. If you leave the oil on the potatoes, not only is that extra calories, but the nice crispy outside of the potatoes is going to be mushy.
-Put the potatoes in a bowl. Dump some ranch dressing to taste on the potatoes, then shred some cheddar cheese on top. Mix. Adjust to taste, and viola! Yummy potatoes.
Cook's note: Next time I might try ranch powder instead of the dressing, but it was still good nonetheless! If you do that, don't salt the potatoes. Ranch powder probably already has enough salt in it. But of course, if you need more, you can always add some :)
Happy cooking!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Crostini with Pea Pest Topped with Red Pepper and Bacon
Ah, food. I was feeling bad, since for dinner I was eating leftover homemade mac and cheese, so I decided I needed something "healthy." A few weeks ago, I made Giada's pea pesto. Delicious. A few days ago, I made French toast. Together, there was an opportunity for healthy, so I went with it.
I think I kind of failed on the healthy part. Whatever, it was delicious!
Behold:
So I toasted the French bread in the oven. I made the pea pesto. Then I sauteed some red pepper because I needed to use it up. Then I got another wave of brilliance: BACON! Why? WHY NOT? So in to the skillet it went.
And hence, crostini with pea pesto topped with red pepper and bacon. It definitely became un-healthy, but that doesn't make it any less yummy!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Caprese Quinoa
Matt's gone, so I am cooking for myself, which I hate. I love cooking, but cooking for yourself is really boring. I have lately gotten really into quinoa, which I have discovered is the perfect vessel for one dish meals. Perfect! Fast, easy, and healthy!
I absolutely love Italian food, in pretty much any form. Caprese salad is one of the most well known Italians foods, and even looks like their flag. Caprese salad is slices of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes layered with basil leaves, and then topped with balsalmic vinaigeratte. These exact ingredients happen to be why I love Italian food so much! So why not put it in quinoa? Yes, please!
I'm sure this idea has been done before, so while I won't admit to "inventing" anything, I will say I did not use a recipe :) I love it when that happens!
All you have to do is cook your quinoa. Fluff it, then stir in tomatoes, mozzarella (the real stuff, please! SO much better!), and basil, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and drizzle with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Enjoy!
As you can see, Jack really wanted some, too :) Although that was probably mostly for the cheese.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
I've Fallen in Love
With quinoa!
It is SO yummy, and SO good for you! It's also a great side dish to replace rice with, if you're tired of rice, like me. I think it's fluffier than rice, though, and not quite as dense.
It's simple to make up, too. You have to rinse the quinoa first, though, don't forget to do that. According to multiple sources on the internet, it will taste bitter if you don't wash it. What I did, since I don't have a fine mesh strainer, I placed two paper towels in my strainer, then as I was running water over it I squeezed the quinoa through my hands a few times. It apparently worked, since my quinoa did not taste at all bitter.
Here is how I cooked it, and I used my own recipe, although I'm sure this idea has been done before:
Chili Lime Quinoa with Cilantro and Avocado
Using a 2:1 ratio of chicken broth (you can use water, but CB has more flavor) to quinoa, bring both of them up to a boil. (If you are using sodium free CB or water, be sure to salt the water). Then put the lid on, and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Or else it will take about an hour to cook. Once all the liquid is used up, fluff the quinoa.
Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a splash of lime juice (I used about a half of a lime). Sprinkle with cilantro and topped with avocado.
Enjoy!
It is SO yummy, and SO good for you! It's also a great side dish to replace rice with, if you're tired of rice, like me. I think it's fluffier than rice, though, and not quite as dense.
It's simple to make up, too. You have to rinse the quinoa first, though, don't forget to do that. According to multiple sources on the internet, it will taste bitter if you don't wash it. What I did, since I don't have a fine mesh strainer, I placed two paper towels in my strainer, then as I was running water over it I squeezed the quinoa through my hands a few times. It apparently worked, since my quinoa did not taste at all bitter.
Here is how I cooked it, and I used my own recipe, although I'm sure this idea has been done before:
Chili Lime Quinoa with Cilantro and Avocado
Using a 2:1 ratio of chicken broth (you can use water, but CB has more flavor) to quinoa, bring both of them up to a boil. (If you are using sodium free CB or water, be sure to salt the water). Then put the lid on, and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Or else it will take about an hour to cook. Once all the liquid is used up, fluff the quinoa.
Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a splash of lime juice (I used about a half of a lime). Sprinkle with cilantro and topped with avocado.
Enjoy!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Nana's Cookbook Meals
My first week of exclusive cooking week started with Pinterest meals. This last week I made recipes from the cookbook Nana (my dad's mom) gave me and all my cousins when we got married (or was it when we went off to college? I don't remember).
Let me just say:
NOM NOM NOM! Matt and I loved ALL of them. And what I liked about the recipes is that there were no fancy ingredients, really. I spent no more than 30 minutes on any of the recipes, except maybe the pork chops, because my stove sucks.
For time's sake, and so this post isn't ridiculously long, I'm only going to include the ingredients, so you can get an idea of what's in the dish. If you want the directions, let me know and I can send them to you.
Here's what I made:
Pork Tenderloin with Herb Rub (use either fresh OR dried, not both)
Herb rub: 2 tbsp fresh basil (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp oregano (2 tsp dried)
4 cloves chopped garlic
a shake of garlic powder
1 tbsp of salt
2 or more tbsp of olive oil
Pan Sauce: 2 tbsp of chopped shallots or scallions or garlic
1/2 c dried white cooking wine
3/4 c chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of corn starch for thickening
sauteed slice mushrooms, optional
Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan-Garlic Crust
1 c breadcrumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 c minced fresh basil
1/4 c mayonnaise (feel free to use sour cream or Greek yogurt)
Lemon wedges for serving
Chicken Breasts Veronique
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and split (8 pieces)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c whipping cream
salt to taste
Halibut with Garlic Mayonnaise-Parmesan Topping
Topping: 2 tbsp light mayonnaise (or full on fat, whatever floats your boat or what you have :)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Halibut: 2/3 pound Halibut
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Nana made a note and said this is also scrumptious with salmon. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Let me just say:
NOM NOM NOM! Matt and I loved ALL of them. And what I liked about the recipes is that there were no fancy ingredients, really. I spent no more than 30 minutes on any of the recipes, except maybe the pork chops, because my stove sucks.
For time's sake, and so this post isn't ridiculously long, I'm only going to include the ingredients, so you can get an idea of what's in the dish. If you want the directions, let me know and I can send them to you.
Here's what I made:
Pork Tenderloin with Herb Rub (use either fresh OR dried, not both)
Herb rub: 2 tbsp fresh basil (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp oregano (2 tsp dried)
4 cloves chopped garlic
a shake of garlic powder
1 tbsp of salt
2 or more tbsp of olive oil
Pan Sauce: 2 tbsp of chopped shallots or scallions or garlic
1/2 c dried white cooking wine
3/4 c chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of corn starch for thickening
sauteed slice mushrooms, optional
Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan-Garlic Crust
1 c breadcrumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 c minced fresh basil
1/4 c mayonnaise (feel free to use sour cream or Greek yogurt)
Lemon wedges for serving
Chicken Breasts Veronique
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and split (8 pieces)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c whipping cream
salt to taste
Halibut with Garlic Mayonnaise-Parmesan Topping
Topping: 2 tbsp light mayonnaise (or full on fat, whatever floats your boat or what you have :)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Halibut: 2/3 pound Halibut
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Nana made a note and said this is also scrumptious with salmon. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Pinterest Meals
Yum... food. I love food. And even though I'm currently exhausted, I'm going to write this post. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't nap because I have caffeine surging through my veins... but then again, when do I not have caffeine surging through my veins?
Anyways.
This week was my pinterest menu. All the meals came from that site. If you don't have a pinterest, you're seriously losing out. Losing out on being productive, really, but whatevs. It's fun!
Note: None of these pictures are mine, source is the hyperlink.
Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes:
Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce:
Ranch Cheddar Chicken:
Anyways.
This week was my pinterest menu. All the meals came from that site. If you don't have a pinterest, you're seriously losing out. Losing out on being productive, really, but whatevs. It's fun!
Note: None of these pictures are mine, source is the hyperlink.
Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes:
Seriously delish. Ranch Powder. Potatoes. In oven. Done. Delicious. I will say, make you sure you actually do follow the directions and mix the potatoes in another bowl before putting them in the baking dish. Unless, of course, you want yummy burned ranch powder in the corners that hardens and causes you to absolutely need to soak the pan. But it IS a great excuse to not wash that dish...
Dude. Comfort food easy to make?! Heck yes! I used 2% milk, and just added some extra milk to make up for the lack of evaporated milk in my house, and it STILL tasted scrumptious. Even the next day. So make this dish. And it's another one of those meals where you can leave the dishes to soak and deal with them later :)
Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce:
EVERYONE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS RECIPE. Even if you don't want to make this particular recipe, read it for her method of cooking pork chops (it's definitely important to buy them WITH the bone). It worked PERFECTLY. And I have the crappiest stove ever, so I know it will work for you too! I am never going to cook pork chops another way again! Unlike steak, pork needs low and slow heat. The sauce that you make after deglazes the pan for you, too, so easy clean up! And as a side note, I MIGHT have made these with a little more butter than it called for. Just a little.
Ranch Cheddar Chicken:
Ranch. Cheddar. Chicken. How can this NOT be the most amazing chicken ever? Because it was. And it's super, super easy. Just mix mayo, dry ranch dressing mix, and cheese together. Spread on chicken. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put in oven. Go make this for dinner! Yummy! (I think I used Greek yogurt. I think. If I didn't, though, you can definitely substitute it for the mayo to cut out fat and calories.)
If this pictures can't convince you enough, Matt's testimony should. He told me he loved all these recipes, and when I asked him today while I was making my grocery list, "What do you want for dinners this week?" he responded with, "Make a bunch of the stuff you made last week. That was good!" These recipes have Matt's stamp of approval on them! And they're all easy!
This coming week I'm making recipes from the recipe book my grandma made for me. Can't wait to get started! I will post all of those recipes, too, if they're good. Which I'm sure they will be. I just happened to pick all the ones that called for garlic and Parmesan and herbs. How ironic.
Happy cooking!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Food Network Made, Sara and Matt Tested
Alright, everyone, last night I made another FN Magazine recipe. On a side note, when I asked Matt to pick out the recipe, he said "I'm going to pick recipe #7!" Ok, smart aleck, let's see if you actually would want to eat recipe #7 first, then see if it's the one you want to eat the most. As it turns out, he picked out recipe #7, and it's the one I actually thought he would pick.
Why?
Well, wouldn't you pick out Philly Cheesesteak Pizza too? Yes, you would.
First off, cheese steak is delicious. Second, even with all the chopping, this meal is ready in 25 minutes. YES. And it's so easy. The best part of it? The mini pizza dough is pita bread. WHY HAVE I NOT FIGURED THIS OUT YET? That's SO EASY! And perfect mini pizza size! And you don't have to precook it! Just put the pizza under the broiler for two minutes and BAM! Pizza.
And you know it's good when your husband says "You're a good cook. You should make this more often." I think I will.
PS: I don't really know what an Italian frying pepper is, so I just used a green pepper. Next time I will also use some red pepper, to add some color and a little extra flavor. And if you don't know where sweet or hot chili peppers are, you can find them in the condiment section, by the olives and roasted red peppers.
Why?
Well, wouldn't you pick out Philly Cheesesteak Pizza too? Yes, you would.
First off, cheese steak is delicious. Second, even with all the chopping, this meal is ready in 25 minutes. YES. And it's so easy. The best part of it? The mini pizza dough is pita bread. WHY HAVE I NOT FIGURED THIS OUT YET? That's SO EASY! And perfect mini pizza size! And you don't have to precook it! Just put the pizza under the broiler for two minutes and BAM! Pizza.
And you know it's good when your husband says "You're a good cook. You should make this more often." I think I will.
PS: I don't really know what an Italian frying pepper is, so I just used a green pepper. Next time I will also use some red pepper, to add some color and a little extra flavor. And if you don't know where sweet or hot chili peppers are, you can find them in the condiment section, by the olives and roasted red peppers.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Salmon with Sriracha Mayo
So yesterday I made, like, the most amazing salmon ever. And it was baked! I'm usually anti-baking fish, I think it tastes too "fishy" when you do that. Maybe it's because this was salmon (frozen, but hey, at least it was Pacific salmon and not farm rasied!), or that I only cooked it for 15 minutes, or it was the marinade, whatever it was, it was delicious!
This recipe was the inspiration. I was kind of too lazy to make my own teriyaki, but that's ok, because I had the perfect amount of leftover teriyaki sauce that I needed to use up. Sometimes, store bought ingredients are just convenient, especially on days when I'm even too lazy to do something that I love. Oh, well. But normally, rest assured, I would totally make my own, since you can control your sodium intake that way.
So. I marinaded my salmon. Then I baked it, and then made the sriracha mayo! Holy cow I'm in love. Seriously. I added all the required mayo, but I also added some Greek yogurt for extra creaminess, and I wanted to make the sauce thinner so I could use it as a salad dressing as well. So I plated artisan lettuce, then placed the salmon on top, topped with the sriracha mayo, and served it with garlic bread!
So so so good. If you are afraid of heat (sriracha is extremely spicy), cut the amount in half and start from there. I didn't think the 2 tablespoons was that hot, but some might. The Greek yogurt probably helped cut that, too, so you might want to completely make that change. Plus, Greek yogurt is SO much better for you.
One of these days I will start taking pictures of my food. Posts about food look so much better with pictures of said food.
Happy eating!
This recipe was the inspiration. I was kind of too lazy to make my own teriyaki, but that's ok, because I had the perfect amount of leftover teriyaki sauce that I needed to use up. Sometimes, store bought ingredients are just convenient, especially on days when I'm even too lazy to do something that I love. Oh, well. But normally, rest assured, I would totally make my own, since you can control your sodium intake that way.
So. I marinaded my salmon. Then I baked it, and then made the sriracha mayo! Holy cow I'm in love. Seriously. I added all the required mayo, but I also added some Greek yogurt for extra creaminess, and I wanted to make the sauce thinner so I could use it as a salad dressing as well. So I plated artisan lettuce, then placed the salmon on top, topped with the sriracha mayo, and served it with garlic bread!
So so so good. If you are afraid of heat (sriracha is extremely spicy), cut the amount in half and start from there. I didn't think the 2 tablespoons was that hot, but some might. The Greek yogurt probably helped cut that, too, so you might want to completely make that change. Plus, Greek yogurt is SO much better for you.
One of these days I will start taking pictures of my food. Posts about food look so much better with pictures of said food.
Happy eating!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
From My Recipe Box to Yours: Chicken Enchiladas
The other day I was surfin' one of my favorite blogs, Budget Bytes, and she posted a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce. It takes about ten minutes to make! Say what? And you can adjust the heat by changing the amount of cayenne pepper (I doubled it and it wasn't that hot). If you make a huge batch, you can freeze it for later uses! Yay! You're welcome. So I decided that for dinner I was going to make my aunt Cindy's recipe for enchiladas, using this sauce. Hello, yumminess.
The recipe is very quick to make, cheap, and extremely creamy. I'm sure there are ways to make it healthier, but for right now, I was really craving the delicious creaminess this recipe provides. Sometimes you just need that good ol' homemade fatty taste.
Behold the wonder of the chicken enchiladas:
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 pint sour cream (I will try Greek yogurt next time for a healthier enchilada)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can of diced green chilies (I didn't have any, so I just chopped up some jalapenos)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 large can enchilada sauce (or make your own)
Tortillas
Mix the chicken, sour cream, soup, chilies, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Roll each tortilla with approximately 1/2 cup of filling. Place in the pan. When full, pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.
The recipe is very quick to make, cheap, and extremely creamy. I'm sure there are ways to make it healthier, but for right now, I was really craving the delicious creaminess this recipe provides. Sometimes you just need that good ol' homemade fatty taste.
Behold the wonder of the chicken enchiladas:
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 pint sour cream (I will try Greek yogurt next time for a healthier enchilada)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can of diced green chilies (I didn't have any, so I just chopped up some jalapenos)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 large can enchilada sauce (or make your own)
Tortillas
Mix the chicken, sour cream, soup, chilies, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Roll each tortilla with approximately 1/2 cup of filling. Place in the pan. When full, pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Lemon Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
This is probably my absolute favorite type of muffin. I LOVE almond extract, and poppy seed muffins, and the fresh lemon zest makes them so bright tasting! And they taste just like the muffins you would buy at the bakery- but even better, because they're not as oily, but still deliciously moist.
I first found this recipe among my mom's gigantic stash of recipes. I think it originally came from Country Woman Magazine (which, I must admit, I love). I have been making these muffins for years and they always disappear rather quickly. I have made some changes, though. They originally did not have lemon zest in them, but I love the combination of lemon and almond, and I think the zest just enhances the flavor. I have also decreased the amount of oil in the recipe. The original recipe resulted in muffins that were so oily, the top of the muffin stuck to your fingers. Still deliciously good, but I have always felt that eating an oily muffin makes me feel weighed down. Why have all that extra oil in there if you don't need it? And I don't think it added anything to the taste of the muffin.
So here is the recipe, with my changes to it:
3 c flour
2 1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (or to taste)
Zest of 1 lemon (or to taste)
Shift the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add in the milk, oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredient, mix until incorporated.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins
Note: Almond extract is VERY STRONG. If you don't like it, definitely decrease the amount. Don't add extra! It will definitely overpower the muffins. Also, feel free to add even more lemon zest if you love lemon. 1 lemon gave a lemon taste, but not a strong one.
Hint: I buy fresh lemons a lot, for both the juice and the zest. However, I got tired of wasting money, using just the juice, then throwing the rind away. I can't remember where I learned this, but if you freeze the rind after juicing, you can then thaw out the rind and zest it before you throw it away! That way, nothing is wasted! I have yet to see if the zest is still the same, but I have about 3 lemon halves in my freezer waiting to test this theory.
Another hint: For best juicing results, use room temperature lemons. For best zesting results, use cold lemons.
Happy baking!
I first found this recipe among my mom's gigantic stash of recipes. I think it originally came from Country Woman Magazine (which, I must admit, I love). I have been making these muffins for years and they always disappear rather quickly. I have made some changes, though. They originally did not have lemon zest in them, but I love the combination of lemon and almond, and I think the zest just enhances the flavor. I have also decreased the amount of oil in the recipe. The original recipe resulted in muffins that were so oily, the top of the muffin stuck to your fingers. Still deliciously good, but I have always felt that eating an oily muffin makes me feel weighed down. Why have all that extra oil in there if you don't need it? And I don't think it added anything to the taste of the muffin.
So here is the recipe, with my changes to it:
3 c flour
2 1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (or to taste)
Zest of 1 lemon (or to taste)
Shift the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add in the milk, oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredient, mix until incorporated.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins
Note: Almond extract is VERY STRONG. If you don't like it, definitely decrease the amount. Don't add extra! It will definitely overpower the muffins. Also, feel free to add even more lemon zest if you love lemon. 1 lemon gave a lemon taste, but not a strong one.
Hint: I buy fresh lemons a lot, for both the juice and the zest. However, I got tired of wasting money, using just the juice, then throwing the rind away. I can't remember where I learned this, but if you freeze the rind after juicing, you can then thaw out the rind and zest it before you throw it away! That way, nothing is wasted! I have yet to see if the zest is still the same, but I have about 3 lemon halves in my freezer waiting to test this theory.
Another hint: For best juicing results, use room temperature lemons. For best zesting results, use cold lemons.
Happy baking!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
My Dog is Spoiled...
...or at least my husband thinks he is. I'm still convinced that he's only given what a good dog deserves. Cough.
Actually, he usually ends up with homemade treats because I have the itch to bake that I have not yet satisfied this week, but I don't want to make any more sweets for myself (chocolate bread pudding anyone?). Plus, it's a great way to use up the whole wheat flour in my pantry (just the right amount too!) and the bananas that are ripening far too quickly. Not to mention, my dog is really, REALLY good at the sad pouty eyes. Really good.
Luckily for me, I just recently bought a dog bone cookie cutter just for this occasion! (See, Jack's not spoiled...) So I internet surfed (ok, I went on Pinterest) and found a recipe my friend Cari had pinned, so I tried it out!
Not only did he get dog bones, but donuts as well! And nondescript circles
Close up of the Peanut Butter Banana Dog treats
Even I liked them, although if they were for me, I would definitely add some sugar. But I can imagine you could make some yummy biscuits out of this. Anyways, next time I might try adding some Greek yogurt, just to make it my "own recipe" that I can post. I would also like to try an Applesauce Oatmeal version, a pumpkin and turkey version (for Thanksgiving!), and maybe a turkey and cheese version, too. The best part about these is there is nothing in here that us Homo sapiens can't eat, so it makes it easy to test taste, even though it might not be exactly to our liking. I'll keep you posted! Jack really liked these!
Chicken with Creamy Mexican Sauce
Here's what I made for dinner last night, of my own recipe:
Season chicken breasts with salt. In butter, brown both sides of the chicken. Remove from the pan. In the same pan, saute some broccoli until desired "doneness." (Next time I will also add onions, garlic, and peppers would taste good, too). Add one can cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle with cumin, crushed red pepper, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add in some cheddar cheese. When bubbling, add the chicken and cook through. Serve with salsa and rice.
Note: If you make this in a cast iron skillet with some bacon fat leftover, this is REALLY GOOD. Just make sure to go easier on seasoning the chicken with salt, since bacon fat is rather salty.
Season chicken breasts with salt. In butter, brown both sides of the chicken. Remove from the pan. In the same pan, saute some broccoli until desired "doneness." (Next time I will also add onions, garlic, and peppers would taste good, too). Add one can cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle with cumin, crushed red pepper, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add in some cheddar cheese. When bubbling, add the chicken and cook through. Serve with salsa and rice.
Note: If you make this in a cast iron skillet with some bacon fat leftover, this is REALLY GOOD. Just make sure to go easier on seasoning the chicken with salt, since bacon fat is rather salty.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Love Me, Love Me Not?
I'm pretty sure that what I'm about to post will make everyone's day. At the same time, I might just be opening Pandora's Box. That's what happened to me, so I thought I would share the wealth. Because I don't want to be the only person out there feeding my inner fat kid. That's just not fair.
So what is this amazing yummy food I am about to share with you? Chocolate cake... made in a coffee mug... microwaved for only a measly little minute. Why hello, yummy chocolate cake! IT'S SO DELICIOUS!
I have made it as is, but I liked sweeter desserts, so I use 3 tsp of sugar instead of the 2. Also, I do like peanut butter, but it's not my favorite, so I have replaced that before with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup. So these are easy to personalize! I LOVE it with the caramel sauce, it keeps the cake nice and moist.
They're so yummy... and the perfect serving size... and so easy to make... and fast to make... you're welcome. :)
Happy eating!
So what is this amazing yummy food I am about to share with you? Chocolate cake... made in a coffee mug... microwaved for only a measly little minute. Why hello, yummy chocolate cake! IT'S SO DELICIOUS!
I have made it as is, but I liked sweeter desserts, so I use 3 tsp of sugar instead of the 2. Also, I do like peanut butter, but it's not my favorite, so I have replaced that before with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup. So these are easy to personalize! I LOVE it with the caramel sauce, it keeps the cake nice and moist.
They're so yummy... and the perfect serving size... and so easy to make... and fast to make... you're welcome. :)
Happy eating!
Weekly Menu
Y'all know I love to cook. Sometimes, though, I'm just too lazy. This comes from the fact that I don't want to do all the dishes from cooking, and Matt comes home at different times everyday, so it's hard to even guess when I should have dinner ready. That I also usually had a work shift, walked the dog, and went to the gym. Some days I'm just too tired. However, I don't want to start buying a whole bunch of frozen foods ladled with preservatives and sodium and who knows what else. I still want to have the pride that I cooked it, I just don't want to do it ;)
This past week, I decided to make my whole menu for the week on Sunday. Or at least do most of the prep work, so I had minimal effort on the day of. I left a few menu items not done, so if I decided I actually wanted to cook, I had a few options to choose from. :) Here's what Matt and I have been/will be eating this week:
Pot Roast: I found this recipe on Pinterest. I would copyright it here, but the link was just a picture. So please note this isn't my recipe. All you do is buy a pot roast (I bought beef, but you could use pork I'm sure) and packets of Ranch, Zesty Italian, and Brown Gravy. Mix those with 1/2 water. Place pot roast in the crock pot. I added chopped onions and celery to the bottom for extra flavor. Pour the liquid mixture over the pot roast and cook on low for about 8 hours. BEST POT ROAST EVER. Seriously. It was perfectly cooked and very moist. And for all you beginner cooks out there, it's really hard to overcook a pot roast on low heat in a crock pot, so don't be scared!
Taco Soup: One of the recipes I did not prep for the week, but soup is generally really fast and easy to make. Who doesn't love taco soup?
Tandoori Chicken Bites with Cucumber Raita: My first attempt at Indian food. It was pretty good, I thought the chicken came out a little dry, though. This was super easy. On Sunday I cut all the chicken up, made the marinate, and just froze it. The night before I took it out of the freezer, so by dinner the next day I could just pop them in the oven and make the raita while they cooked. Yum yum! Matt really liked them, too. And he even used the raita instead of his usual ranch.
Sunday Chicken: Also found on Pinterest, also just a picture. You take chicken tenders, wrap them in bacon (YUM!), cover the dish with foil and bake on 225 for 4 hours. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 350 and cook for 15 more minutes. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY BE BAD!? BACON! Also very easy, which I like for this week.
Burritos: I made my own frozen burritos this week! I found the recipe on my favorite blog, Budget Bytes. I just put refried beans, jalapenos, and cheese on a tortilla, wrapped it up, wrapped in plastic wrap, and froze them! That way Matt couldn't complain about "having nothing to eat in this house." Just pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes and yummy! And you control the ingredients! I will probably be doing this quite regularly now. Endless possibilities!
These last recipes came from this blog. I made the Oh So Easy Pork Chops, Marinated and Baked Pork Chops, Sesame Chicken, and Chicken with Honey Sauce. You make all the sauces, cut all the meat, then place them in freezer bags. When you want to make them, just throw them in the crockpot and you have only one dish to clean up! But you still made dinner! Fantastic.
Man I am so excited. I'm looking forward to this week and being able to spend more time with Matt when he comes home, instead of being in the kitchen for a half hour cooking. Even though I love doing it, sometimes it just feels more of a chore than stress relief. Especially after a hard day of work, only to come home to a hyper dog and still need to fit in time to go to the gym and play with said hyper dog. Yay for being strategically lazy!
Happy cooking!
This past week, I decided to make my whole menu for the week on Sunday. Or at least do most of the prep work, so I had minimal effort on the day of. I left a few menu items not done, so if I decided I actually wanted to cook, I had a few options to choose from. :) Here's what Matt and I have been/will be eating this week:
Pot Roast: I found this recipe on Pinterest. I would copyright it here, but the link was just a picture. So please note this isn't my recipe. All you do is buy a pot roast (I bought beef, but you could use pork I'm sure) and packets of Ranch, Zesty Italian, and Brown Gravy. Mix those with 1/2 water. Place pot roast in the crock pot. I added chopped onions and celery to the bottom for extra flavor. Pour the liquid mixture over the pot roast and cook on low for about 8 hours. BEST POT ROAST EVER. Seriously. It was perfectly cooked and very moist. And for all you beginner cooks out there, it's really hard to overcook a pot roast on low heat in a crock pot, so don't be scared!
Taco Soup: One of the recipes I did not prep for the week, but soup is generally really fast and easy to make. Who doesn't love taco soup?
Tandoori Chicken Bites with Cucumber Raita: My first attempt at Indian food. It was pretty good, I thought the chicken came out a little dry, though. This was super easy. On Sunday I cut all the chicken up, made the marinate, and just froze it. The night before I took it out of the freezer, so by dinner the next day I could just pop them in the oven and make the raita while they cooked. Yum yum! Matt really liked them, too. And he even used the raita instead of his usual ranch.
Sunday Chicken: Also found on Pinterest, also just a picture. You take chicken tenders, wrap them in bacon (YUM!), cover the dish with foil and bake on 225 for 4 hours. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 350 and cook for 15 more minutes. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY BE BAD!? BACON! Also very easy, which I like for this week.
Burritos: I made my own frozen burritos this week! I found the recipe on my favorite blog, Budget Bytes. I just put refried beans, jalapenos, and cheese on a tortilla, wrapped it up, wrapped in plastic wrap, and froze them! That way Matt couldn't complain about "having nothing to eat in this house." Just pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes and yummy! And you control the ingredients! I will probably be doing this quite regularly now. Endless possibilities!
These last recipes came from this blog. I made the Oh So Easy Pork Chops, Marinated and Baked Pork Chops, Sesame Chicken, and Chicken with Honey Sauce. You make all the sauces, cut all the meat, then place them in freezer bags. When you want to make them, just throw them in the crockpot and you have only one dish to clean up! But you still made dinner! Fantastic.
Man I am so excited. I'm looking forward to this week and being able to spend more time with Matt when he comes home, instead of being in the kitchen for a half hour cooking. Even though I love doing it, sometimes it just feels more of a chore than stress relief. Especially after a hard day of work, only to come home to a hyper dog and still need to fit in time to go to the gym and play with said hyper dog. Yay for being strategically lazy!
Happy cooking!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Shrimp Fried Rice
Let me start off by saying that I am no expert in Asian cooking. I'm no expert in any cooking, really, but I'm definitely not an expert with the Asian cuisine. But I love to cook Thai food. Tonight I needed something fast and easy to make, so I came up with Shrimp Fried Rice. The rice cooker could do the rice, shrimp defrosts fast and cooks all in about 10 minutes, and I just chopped up all the leftover veggies in my fridge.
Here's what I did:
While the rice is cooking,
-Saute onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Then add the veggies you want. I added garlic (DUH!), green pepper, portabella mushrooms, and peas. Set aside.
-Scramble 3 eggs. Set aside.
-Salt and pepper the shrimp, then cook until done, about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside.
-Add the rice to the saute pan. Add the sauce: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix to combine. Then add all other ingredients. Sprinkle with green onions. Enjoy!
Here's what I did:
While the rice is cooking,
-Saute onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Then add the veggies you want. I added garlic (DUH!), green pepper, portabella mushrooms, and peas. Set aside.
-Scramble 3 eggs. Set aside.
-Salt and pepper the shrimp, then cook until done, about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside.
-Add the rice to the saute pan. Add the sauce: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix to combine. Then add all other ingredients. Sprinkle with green onions. Enjoy!
Oreo Cupcakes
Since I posted a picture of the Oreo cupcakes I made on Facebook, several people have asked for the recipe. Before I go on to the recipe, let us behold the wonderfulness again:
YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!
Ok, all seriousness, now. This is the recipe I used, with some slight changes. So no, it was not my own recipe. Unfortunately. Here is what I did differently:
-I used buttermilk instead of milk, only because I didn't have enough milk. While the cake was still good, I didn't like the hint of sourness the buttermilk adds (my taste tester pilots didn't even seem to care, though). So use real milk. I suggest the fattest milk you feel comfortable using (yummy yummy whole milk!), usually baking needs that extra fat in there to hold the cake together.
-I also didn't have 24 Oreos in the batter. I only had 12. Only because the package didn't have 48 cookies in it (or maybe it did, I just ate some...). But to prevent that glutonous deadly sin from kicking in, I did not buy a second package. I thought the end result was fine, though. That's still a lot of quartered Oreos in the cupcake.
-When it came to the frosting, I put the scrunched up Oreos IN the frosting, not sprinkled on top. It definitely takes away points for presentation (gray frosting is just not appealing), but I think it made the frosting taste like a crunched up Oreo. The boys didn't seem to mind, anyway.
-Don't frost these cupcakes until you are ready to serve them. Because of the butter and cream cheese, the frosting needs to be refrigerated. I found that putting these cupcakes in the fridge made them rather dense. That might be from the buttermilk, but I'm not entirely sure. So I waited to frost them until right before I left to deliver them.
So, if you're looking to impress anyone, make these cupcakes. I walked into the flight room with about 15 pilots sitting around. I'm not kidding you, within 10 seconds of the cupcake container opened, 15 pilots were on their feet, each with a cupcake in their mouth. If that's not an indication that these cupcakes are delicious, I don't know what is.
Happy baking!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
It's Pina Colada Time!
Ok, seriously y'all, I have found Heaven on Earth. No, I haven't left Columbus, but I sure am if I drink enough of these here pina coladas, I can probably forget I'm in Columbus. But I'm only going to have 1, so sorry. I know it would entertain quite a few of you if I went on a drunken rant, but I have never done that, nor do I plan to start. I'm boring.
Anyways, the other day I came up with the idea that since Matt and I don't have too many financial strains on us and no small children, we should once a week pick a new drink to make, to give us something fun and creative to do. Yes, I mean the alcoholic type. Yumm-o. I mostly came up with this idea because we have yet to use our ice shaker. FOR SHAME.
I decided our first drink should be a Pina Colada. I have been craving these lately. Mostly because it's so dang hot. But I also thought it was appropriate, since our anniversary is coming upon us and we loved the pina coladas we drank in Vegas. We only had them twice by the pool, since we didn't have any money to spend, but I sure did enjoy those drinks. We have tried to recreate them, but have failed miserably.
NOT TONIGHT.
Paula Deen has triumphed in the making of the pina coladas! I only very slightly altered her recipe, so all copyright and kudos go to her. Thanks, Paula! These are super delicious. And as far as alcoholic beverages go, fairly cheap. You only need one type of alcohol (score one for the budget!), but I know a lot of people wouldn't use up the extra ingredients (unless you cook a lot with coconut milk, fortunately I do), so those might go to waste. Or you can just make a whole bunch of pina coladas. Yeah, do that. Don't store the leftovers. Just make more pina coladas.
Ingredients:
Ice
1/2 cup rum (here's my change: Matt and I used coconut rum: delish!)
1/2 cup coconut cream (look for this in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store. You will have to whisk this to make it all the same consistency)
1/4 coconut milk (yes, those are two different things, this one is found in the Asian section. I like the Thai Kitchen brand, since you don't have to stir it)
1/4 cup pineapple chunks (I used crushed pineapple, but same thing, really)
Add everything to the blender and puree! YUMMY! Garnish with pineapple slices and/or a maraschino cherry.
Anyways, the other day I came up with the idea that since Matt and I don't have too many financial strains on us and no small children, we should once a week pick a new drink to make, to give us something fun and creative to do. Yes, I mean the alcoholic type. Yumm-o. I mostly came up with this idea because we have yet to use our ice shaker. FOR SHAME.
I decided our first drink should be a Pina Colada. I have been craving these lately. Mostly because it's so dang hot. But I also thought it was appropriate, since our anniversary is coming upon us and we loved the pina coladas we drank in Vegas. We only had them twice by the pool, since we didn't have any money to spend, but I sure did enjoy those drinks. We have tried to recreate them, but have failed miserably.
NOT TONIGHT.
Paula Deen has triumphed in the making of the pina coladas! I only very slightly altered her recipe, so all copyright and kudos go to her. Thanks, Paula! These are super delicious. And as far as alcoholic beverages go, fairly cheap. You only need one type of alcohol (score one for the budget!), but I know a lot of people wouldn't use up the extra ingredients (unless you cook a lot with coconut milk, fortunately I do), so those might go to waste. Or you can just make a whole bunch of pina coladas. Yeah, do that. Don't store the leftovers. Just make more pina coladas.
Ingredients:
Ice
1/2 cup rum (here's my change: Matt and I used coconut rum: delish!)
1/2 cup coconut cream (look for this in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store. You will have to whisk this to make it all the same consistency)
1/4 coconut milk (yes, those are two different things, this one is found in the Asian section. I like the Thai Kitchen brand, since you don't have to stir it)
1/4 cup pineapple chunks (I used crushed pineapple, but same thing, really)
Add everything to the blender and puree! YUMMY! Garnish with pineapple slices and/or a maraschino cherry.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Jack's Birthday!
Whoot whoot, put on your party hats everyone, my puppy Jack is one year old today! He had absolutely no idea, of course, but I think he enjoyed. Best part? I HAD THE DAY OFF! Right on.
The day was all Jack oriented. At around 8 am, we went on a long walk before it got to hot. I headed off to the gym afterwards, but don't worry, a visit to PetSmart with the puppy in tow followed after that. He did really well, much to my surprise. He only jumped on the cashier at the beginning once. After that, he got way too tired and then just greeted everyone else excitedly, but no jumps. He got to pick out some toys.
He was pretty tired when we got back from PetSmart, so I headed off to the grocery store so I could get ingredients for the dog friendly cupcakes! Let me tell you, Jack LOVED those! When we went over to play with his best friends Merlin, Kita, and Akumaru, he swallowed an entire cupcake in one gulp. I'd say that's a success!
I found a recipe online for Peanut Butter Pupcakes. I tweaked it to my own liking. Here's my recipe:
2 ripe bananas
2 cups water
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
about 1 cup Greek yogurt
about 3 tbsp cream cheese
peanut butter to taste
Mash the bananas together with a fork. Mix in all the other ingredients except the peanut butter. Once those ingredients are incorporated, mix in the peanut butter. Scoop the batter into a greased 12-count cupcake pan. (I made all 12 cupcakes). Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until a toothpick goes through the center cleanly.
Make the frosting: mix together the yogurt, cream cheese, and peanut butter until smooth. Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Top with a dog biscuit.
And voila, dog cupcakes I have no doubt your puppy will love!
The day was all Jack oriented. At around 8 am, we went on a long walk before it got to hot. I headed off to the gym afterwards, but don't worry, a visit to PetSmart with the puppy in tow followed after that. He did really well, much to my surprise. He only jumped on the cashier at the beginning once. After that, he got way too tired and then just greeted everyone else excitedly, but no jumps. He got to pick out some toys.
He was pretty tired when we got back from PetSmart, so I headed off to the grocery store so I could get ingredients for the dog friendly cupcakes! Let me tell you, Jack LOVED those! When we went over to play with his best friends Merlin, Kita, and Akumaru, he swallowed an entire cupcake in one gulp. I'd say that's a success!
I found a recipe online for Peanut Butter Pupcakes. I tweaked it to my own liking. Here's my recipe:
2 ripe bananas
2 cups water
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
about 1 cup Greek yogurt
about 3 tbsp cream cheese
peanut butter to taste
Mash the bananas together with a fork. Mix in all the other ingredients except the peanut butter. Once those ingredients are incorporated, mix in the peanut butter. Scoop the batter into a greased 12-count cupcake pan. (I made all 12 cupcakes). Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until a toothpick goes through the center cleanly.
Make the frosting: mix together the yogurt, cream cheese, and peanut butter until smooth. Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Top with a dog biscuit.
And voila, dog cupcakes I have no doubt your puppy will love!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Pico de Gallo Inspired Fish
I can't remember where I originally found this recipe, but I'm pretty sure it was the good ol' Betty Crocker cookbook. Seriously people, if you don't own any cookbook but one, buy a Betty Crocker cookbook. There is a recipe in there for any ingredient under the sun (except maybe exotic foods) and they're usually pretty simple and don't call for really expensive ingredients or any "fake" (processed, boxed) foods. Yay! You all know my opinion on boxed baking mixes :)
Anyways. I have since tweaked the recipe, since I didn't always have the exact ingredients. So if you're looking for something fresh that literally takes 15 minutes to make, this is it. Also, if you don't like fish, this is still the perfect recipe, since you can slab on as much pico de gallo as you want and hide that fish. This is also a great recipe for those watching their wallets, it has minimal ingredients. Especially if made while everything is in season, this meal can probably be made for less than $5 a person. Right on!
Here's what you need (serves 2):
For the pico:
One tomato, diced
One avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
Salt to taste
For the fish:
One fillet of white fish (I buy wild caught cod, since that is the only wild caught fish I can find in this ridiculously small town), or enough to feed 2 people
Salt and pepper
Seriously, that's it!
Salt and pepper both sides of the fish, place in a really hot pan. While the fish is cooking, dice up all the pico ingredients and toss together in a bowl. When the fish is done (about 5 minutes per side), serve on a plate, top with the pico, and enjoy!
Super easy! I served with steamed peas, and that's it! Talk about healthy. I wasn't very hungry today, if you want something more filling, I would suggest rice or orzo, or even a lemon spaghetti type side dish. Delish!
If you want to add more to the pico, I have added cilantro and a little bit of cumin and garlic before.
This dish just tastes summer to me! And while I can't have my preferred wild caught Pacific salmon, this is a good substitution. :)
Happy cooking!
Anyways. I have since tweaked the recipe, since I didn't always have the exact ingredients. So if you're looking for something fresh that literally takes 15 minutes to make, this is it. Also, if you don't like fish, this is still the perfect recipe, since you can slab on as much pico de gallo as you want and hide that fish. This is also a great recipe for those watching their wallets, it has minimal ingredients. Especially if made while everything is in season, this meal can probably be made for less than $5 a person. Right on!
Here's what you need (serves 2):
For the pico:
One tomato, diced
One avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
Salt to taste
For the fish:
One fillet of white fish (I buy wild caught cod, since that is the only wild caught fish I can find in this ridiculously small town), or enough to feed 2 people
Salt and pepper
Seriously, that's it!
Salt and pepper both sides of the fish, place in a really hot pan. While the fish is cooking, dice up all the pico ingredients and toss together in a bowl. When the fish is done (about 5 minutes per side), serve on a plate, top with the pico, and enjoy!
Super easy! I served with steamed peas, and that's it! Talk about healthy. I wasn't very hungry today, if you want something more filling, I would suggest rice or orzo, or even a lemon spaghetti type side dish. Delish!
If you want to add more to the pico, I have added cilantro and a little bit of cumin and garlic before.
This dish just tastes summer to me! And while I can't have my preferred wild caught Pacific salmon, this is a good substitution. :)
Happy cooking!
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