October 9: Ginger-Lime Chicken with String Beans and Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

   2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
   Zest and juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
   Coarse black pepper
4 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 to 2 1/4 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup milk
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared wasabi paste, depending on how spicy you like it
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
   Coarse salt
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 pounds string beans, trimmed of stem ends
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

In a shallow dish, combine the ginger, lime juice, tamari, 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat in the mixture; let marinate for about 5 minutes.

Fill a large sauce pot with water, add the potatoes, place over high heat, and bring up to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Drain and return the potatoes to the hot pot. Smash the potatoes with a masher and combine with the milk, wasabi paste, and 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the marinated chicken, and cook on both sides for 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil, add the onions and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the string beans, toss to distribute, add the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Turn the heat off and add the lime zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring until the butter has melted completely.

Divide the string beans and the sauce among 4 serving plates. Slice the chicken on an angle and place atop the beans, then spoon a big helping of wasabi smashed potatoes alongside.

4 SERVINGS

This is definitely NOT a 30 minute meal! It took me at least an hour, and that's not a good thing on a Sunday night after church. I should have made the meal this afternoon, but we decided to go out to eat instead. I think it was worth it. :) The meal was good. The chicken just had a hint of ginger lime flavor when it was all cooked. The beans and potatoes were really good. I probably should have cut the chicken thinner, because a) it's too thick to cook in just 10 minutes, and b) I can't eat a whole chicken breast at one time anyway. I cooked the chicken for about 18-20 minutes total and it got done. Anyway, I didn't change anything about this recipe. I did use EVOO instead of vegetable oil, because I ran out of it cooking Everything Crusted Chicken Rolls. RR says: "My favorite ginger-lime chicken was had at a bistro in Montreal, Canada, of all places. This is the at-home version."

October 8: Big Bistro Burgers with Caramelized Shallots on Grilled Bread with Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 thick slices crusty country-style bread
1 8 1/2-ounce can sliced beets, drained and slices cut into sticks
6 cups frisee, arugula, watercress, or baby spinach, your favorite
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high.

Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Add 2 tablespoons of the sherry vinegar and continue to cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and reserve.

While the shallots are getting brown, in a large bowl, combine the beef, thyme, Worcestershire, grill seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Divide the meat into 4 portions. Form large patties about 1 1/4 inches thick. Coat the beef patties with a good drizzle of EVOO. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes per side for medium well to well.

Drizzle or brush EVOO onto both sides of the bread slices, season with salt and pepper, and add to the grill. Cook until well marked on both sides, remove from the grill, and wrap in foil to keep warm.

In a bowl, combine the beets and greens and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar, the remaining 3 tablespoons of EVOO, and a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat; add the crumbled goat cheese and toss to distribute.

To serve, divide the grilled bread among 4 serving plates. Top the bread with the beet and goat cheese salad, letting it overflow onto the plates. Transfer the burgers to top the salad and then pile each burger with some of the caramelized shallots. Attack your big bistro burger with a fork and knife, please. This is a bistro!

4 SERVINGS

I marked this recipe "It's a keeper" last time I made it. The salad is excellent, the bread is wonderful, and the shallots are pretty good. I didn't really remember the burger, but this time around, I didn't care for the flavor that much. I am using a different brand of grill seasoning, so maybe that makes a difference. Anyway, I love the flavors of the beets and goat cheese together in the salad! The burgers definitely could have been made with about 1/2 as much meat. They are just way too big! My husband wants me to mention that he will never ever in his life eat beets on a hamburger. He got some cheddar cheese instead. He did taste the salad and didn't hate it. RR's tidbit is: "For the large slices of country-style bread, cut a rectangular loaf lengthwise or a round loaf from the center." I used spinach in the salad, and I changed the fresh thyme to dried.

October 7: Pasta with a Lot of Mussel

   Coarse salt
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound chorizo, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced into half-moons
1 small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
   Coarse black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Muir Glen brand
1 pound mussels
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
   Crusty bread

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil to cook the spaghetti. Add salt to the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook al dente.

Heat a large, deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat with the EVOO. Add the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes, add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, add the wine and fire-roasted tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Add the mussels and cover with the tight-fitting lid or some aluminum foil, cook until the mussels open, 4 to 6 minutes.

Discard any unopened shells. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the drained cooked pasta and the parsley to the skillet with the chorizo and tomatoes, toss to coat in the sauce, and cook for 1 minute.

Divide the pasta among 4 serving plates and top each bowl of pasta with a portion of the mussels. Serve immediately with some crusty bread.

4 SERVINGS


I did not make this meal today, but I made it last year. I was behind a day, so I just skipped it. It was not one that my husband or I liked particularly. I think mussels in spaghetti is weird, and I'm pretty sure we've had a very similar meal to this already this year (May 8 - Frutti di Mare and Linguine).

October 6: Anyone for Brunch? B, L, or D Adaptation (That's Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner to You!)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
3/4  pound chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, 2 chopped and 1 crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
6 medium red potatoes, cut in half and then thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Muir Glen brand
2 cups chicken stock or broth
4 thick slices crusty country-style bread
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
   Zest of 1 lemon
   Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 eggs

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

Add the 2 cloves of chopped garlic, the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring up to a bubble, then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Fill a medium skillet with warm water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

While the water is coming up to a simmer, toast the bread in the broiler or in a toaster oven. Rub with the crushed garlic clove and then drizzle EVOO over it and reserve.

Pile the parsley leaves, lemon zest, and orange zest on a cutting board. Run your knife through the pile until the parsley is finely chopped and the zests are completely incorporated into the parsley; reserve.

Pour the vinegar into the simmering water. Crack an egg into a small bowl. Gently pour the egg into the simmering water. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Cook the eggs for about 2 minutes for runny yolks.

Carefully remove the eggs with a slotted spoon to a towel-lined plate to drain.

To serve, arrange the garlic croutons in the bottom of 4 shallow soup bowls, ladle some of the chorizo tomato stew on top of the garlic croutons, toss a little of the zesty parsley sprinkle over the stew, and serve the eggs on top of the stew.

4 SERVINGS

This meal is the variation on the Chorizo-Tomato Stew. It is the EXACT same meal with the addition of a poached egg on top. The egg makes it taste good, but I didn't see any point to making the whole meal over again. So I just heated up the leftovers and made the eggs to go on top. Quick and easy! RR says, "Serve with Sangria." No thanks for me. I'm going to have a baby in a couple weeks (or days)!

October 5: Everything-Crusted Chicken Rolls Stuffed with Scallion Cream Cheese

   Vegetable oil, for frying
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 scallions, chopped
2 pounds chicken breast cutlets
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten with a splash of water

Heat an inch of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the scallions. Spread the chicken cutlets with the cheese and roll into tight, small bundles. Wash up. Season the bundles liberally with salt and pepper.

Mix the bread crumbs with the garlic, poppy seeds, onion flakes, and sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Coat the bundles in flour, dip them in the eggs, and then roll in the flavored bread crumbs. Fry until evenly golden all over

and serve hot, or chill and serve cold.

4 SERVINGS

These are good chicken rolls. They're pretty quick and easy. My husband yelled at me for not warning him there were poppy seeds in the breading. I guess they do random drug testing at his work and poppy seeds make you fail. :) You could do without them, because with all the other seasonings, they're pretty hard to taste. Rachael Ray says, "You've heard of everything bagels - why not everything chicken! These are great hot or cold, for picnics or tailgate parties with cut raw veggies." I did have to cook them longer than I thought - about 10 minutes on each side.

October 4: Chorizo-Tomato Stew on Garlic Croutons with Zesty Parsley Sprinkle

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
3/4  pound chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, 2 chopped and 1 crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
6 medium red potatoes, cut in half and then thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Muir Glen brand
2 cups chicken stock or broth
4 thick slices crusty country-style bread
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
   Zest of 1 lemon
   Zest of 1 orange

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

Add the 2 cloves of chopped garlic, the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring up to a bubble, then turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

While the stew is simmering, toast the bread in the broiler or in a toaster oven. Rub with the crushed garlic clove and then drizzle EVOO over it and reserve.

Pile the parsley leaves, lemon zest, and orange zest on a cutting board. Run your knife through the pile until the parsley is finely chopped and the zests are completely incorporated into the parsley; reserve.

To serve, arrange the garlic croutons in the bottom of 4 shallow soup bowls, ladle some of the chorizo tomato stew on top of the garlic croutons, toss a little of the zesty parsley sprinkle over the stew, and serve.

6 SERVINGS

This was a pretty good stew. I have never seen sliced chorizo in the store before, but I found some in my church pantry... funny. Anyway, I changed the servings from 4 to 6. I only made 1/2 the recipe and it lasted us for more than 2 days! I had to put a lid on the stew while it was cooking so the veggies would soften. There just wasn't enough liquid for it to last otherwise.

October 3: Veal Chops and Balsamic-Thyme Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms

4 portobello mushroom caps
5 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
4 1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick bone-in rib veal chops
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
   Crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the portobello mushrooms and plum tomatoes on a rimmed cookie sheet. Season with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, and the thyme; toss in the seasonings to coat thoroughly. Arrange the mushrooms gill side up and the tomatoes flesh side up.

Put them in the oven and roast for 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Once roasted, remove from the oven, thinly slice the mushrooms, and cut the plum tomatoes in half again. Reserve any pan juices.

While the mushrooms and tomatoes are roasting, start the veal chops. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Liberally season the veal chops with salt and pepper. Once the skillet is screaming hot and you see the first wafts of smoke rising, add the chops to the hot skillet and cook on the first side for 5 minutes. Resist the temptation to move the chops around in the pan; you want a nice brown crust on them and messing with them won't help you get there.

Before flipping the chops, reduce the heat to medium. Flip, and cook them on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Remove the chops from the pan and let them rest, tented with aluminum foil, for about 5 minutes.

While the veal chops are resting, return the skillet to medium-high heat, add the shallots, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and the chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the butter, stirring with a spoon until the butter has completely melted. Add the parsley and the roasted sliced mushrooms and roasted chopped tomatoes along with any pan juices, and stir to combine.

Serve the chops with the balsamic-thyme roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, and with some crusty bread.

4 SERVINGS

I used pork chops because I couldn't find veal. It was pretty good.