cha-ching chicken

extra, extra.  i have a very important news announcement.  this might come as a shock to some of you, but i have learned that IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO GO TO THE SUPERMARKET EVERY SINGLE DAY.  i know what you must be thinking (seriously...is this girl dumb or what?) but i admit that, once upon a time, i had a very time-consuming, annoying, and expensive habit of going to the grocery store every day.  my indecisive brain was unable to come up with a dinner idea until i was hungry for dinner a couple of hours before i'd start cooking it.

but last night, i was converted to a meal-planning, smart-shopping, money-saving gal.  sitting around the dining room table, feeling the familiar, faint pangs of hunger that signal that it's time to start cookin', my darling boyfriend gently suggested that rather than shopping for just that night's meal, we do something insane and plan ahead.  whoaaaaa crazy spring break keg stand ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!11!!!!!

now, initially i screwed up my nose at the idea.  sure, portobello mushroom lasagna sounds good now... but i might have a craving for something else by the time wednesday night rolls around!  but ultimately, i was swayed by my better, more practical half (and my incredible shrinking bank account) that planning ahead was indeed a wise idea.

indeed: wise, swift, efficient, and amazingly cost effective.  after a 30 minute trip to the supermarket, we emerged with 4 shopping bags (which we remembered to bring along!) filled to the brim with enough food for 4 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, all for a grand total of....$84.13 (and we always split the bill).

that's 12 meals for about 40 bucks!  amazing, i say.  simply amazing.

so, what's on the menu for this week? 

last night- dr. praeger's veggie burgers (previously existing in freezer), bean salad, corn on the cob

today- roast chicken, pesto pea salad, and roasted veggie potato skins

tomorrow- ginger chicken salad (lunch), thai peanut noodles (dinner)

day after tomorrow- bean salad and bread with hummus (lunch), portobello parmesan (dinner)

 

right now, there's a delicious chicken roasting in the oven which will provide us with 3 meals (2 dinners and a lunch).  stay tuned for more recipes involving the amazing roasted stretch-a-chicken, perfect for penny pinchers everywhere.

now, if you'll excuse me, i have better things to do instead of queueing in the god-awful self checkout at acme.

secret weapon

last night, there was a surplus of fresh raspberries in the fridge that were going to mush if i didn't do something with them quickly.  solution?  ding!  enter the torte.

thank me for giving you this recipe.  it is my secret weapon, my go-to, never-fail delicious dessert that is so easy that you won't even believe it.

the best thing about the batter is that it is not only foolproof, but it is a great base for doing whatever you want with it.  when i first learned this recipe, it was for a plum torte, using small italian plum halves.  in the winter, i use the same batter but layer cranberries and apples on top, and load up the spices.  so, last night, with no plums, cranberries, or apples, but a surfeit of raspberries, i knew exactly what to do.

raspberryplumcranberryapple torte

ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 c. raspberries, rinsed; OR 3 c. cranberries, rinsed, plus 3 apples, peeled and sliced; OR 12 italian plums, rinsed, pitted, and halved; OR whatever else you could possibly imagine

sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg

method

in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  add eggs, flour, baking powder, and vanilla and spices.

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  butter and flour a springform pan*, then slowly spread the batter over the pan (it will be a thick, almost dough-like consistency).  carefully sprinkle your fruit of choice over the top of the cake.  sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top.

bake on a rack positioned 3/4 of the way down in the oven, for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*i didn't have a springform pan last night, and the pans that i did have were all too big to hold the small amount of batter.  solution?  double batch.  problem solved... more torte for everyone!!  

from mexico to the mediterreanean

i just got back from an incredible trip to mexico.  for a whole week, i was living like a princess.  our meals were cooked, our beds were made, we walked down old cobblestone streets that were reminiscent of the 1913 revolutionary days.  but after a week, my body was begging for me to feed it something that did not revolve around corn tortillas (my arch-nemesis).*

that being said, last night we concocted a delicious creation that filled the house with the old, familiar smell of garlic sizzling in a pan of olive oil.  after uncorking a bottle of charles shaw shiraz (c'mon, 3 buck chuck?  we are in a recession, after all) i was happy to be bustling around in my own kitchen once more cooking yet another delicious, creative, and satisfying meal.

so...away we go...

*don't get me wrong, the food that i ate in mexico was some of the best i have ever had in my life.  none of your run-of-the-mill, neighborhood mexican joint fare.  we're talking delicious fresh papaya and mango, luscious pollo con mole, churros, silky smooth mexican hot chocolate, sumptuous homemade guacamole (sorry, did i just dribble a little drool on you?)  i got some of my favorite recipes from our house cook, veronica, and when i get a little more energy back, i will be posting them.  ole!

mediterranean chicken with israeli couscous

mediterranean chicken 

ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 jar artichoke hearts

1 jar roasted red peppers

1 jar whole, pitted kalamata olives

1 can diced tomatoes

feta cheese

italian seasoning

parchment paper

method

rinse chicken and pat dry.  cut four segments of parchment paper, big enough to wrap around chicken breasts with room at the top.  pile on a couple of spoonfuls of tomatoes, peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, feta, and seasoning (don't use the entire contents of all your ingredients, just however much you think you'll want on your chicken).  

place on baking sheet.  repeat with other chicken breasts.

cover pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil.  bake chicken packets in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes, or when the insides are white.

israeli cous cous

ingredients

1 package (or 1 1/2 c.) israeli cous cous (available at [where else?] trader joe's)

1 3/4 c. water

2-3 large cloves of garlic

4 large white mushrooms, sliced

3-4 tbsp. white wine

handful pine nuts

handful parsley

1/2 lemon

cinnamon

nutmeg

salt and pepper

method

in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic.  saute for a couple of minutes, then add mushrooms.  add wine, half of the lemon juice,  and a touch more oil.  add salt, pepper, and a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

once mushrooms are semi-soft, add cous cous and sautee, stirring constantly, until cous cous becomes slightly golden brown.  add water to pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and leave the hell alone until the cous cous has absorbed all the water.

while cous cous is absorbing said water, heat another pan and toast a handful of pine nuts.  remove from heat and set aside.

once all the liquid is absorbed, add the rest of the lemon juice, diced parsley, pine nuts, and more seasoning (if needed).

with this dish and side, we had an arugula salad with sprouts and raspberry dressing (homemade, with fresh-picked raspberries, natch.)  the chicken is totally simple, and the cous cous is so versatile that i am excited to make it again with different goodies inside.

i'm baaaaa-aaaaack!!

hello?  is anyone still out there?  it's me, molly!  remember me?  i used to blog several times a week, you know, about cooking and stuff?  yeah, remember?  that was cool, wasn't it?

sigh.  i guess i should explain myself.  this summer i was living away from home, in an apartment with limited internet access, and a schedule that pretty much resigned me to quick *shudder* frozen dinners.  yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses, but hey, it's the goshdarned truth.

but never fear, i have returned with a vengeance, with new inspiration and new ideas, and just itching to get back in the kitchen to experiment!  so please check back, and check back often.  i promise i'll never leave you like that again!

harps, fairy dust, and angel choirs=almond blueberry cookies

this recipe sings to the very core of my heart.  i am going to rush home from work immediately and try it.

(postscript: yes, i posted a recipe i have yet to try.  but i am just that confident that it will be outstanding, so i am not worried).

almond blueberry cookies

ingredients

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg yolk

1/4 c. whole milk

1 tsp. almond extract

2 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 chopped almonds, toasted

1 c. blueberries

method

sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  in separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  add egg yolk and incorporate.  then add milk, almond extract and lemon zest.  

stir dry ingredients into wet, a half-cup at a time.  fold in almonds, then blueberries.

chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes

while dough chills, preheat oven to 375.  drop cookie batter onto ungreased sheets.  bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

postscript

i baked these cookies, as i had mentioned i would, as soon as i got home from work.  my lovely friend emma joined me.  she kindly informed me of a typographical error i had made, writing the recipe called for 1/2 chopped onions instead of almonds.  oopsies.  the error has been corrected...and i hope no one actually read this before i changed it and actually used onions.  because that would have produced some whack-ass cookies.

furthermore, we had some issues with the overly-sensitive smoke alarm in my house: good for real emergencies, but annoying when the source of the aggressive beeping is not an emergency.

despite all those hiccups, the cookies turned out to be delectable little puffs...almost more like muffins or cake than cookies.  just a bit sweet with delicate hints of lemon and almond to offset the moist blueberries.

like i said, angel choirs and fairy dust.

lobstah mobstah

jordan and i cooked lobster for the first time last night.  what resulted was strikingly similar to the famous lobster scene from woody allen's "annie hall".

the screaming and leaping lasted all of about 2 minutes.  the rest of the process was relatively simple (minus guacamole-colored lobster guts leaking on the counter and floor).

when all was said and done, we grilled the tails and ate them with green bean potato salad (recipe to follow) and some simple grilled asparagus.  it was a beautiful, memorable summertime meal.

green bean potato salad

a perfectly flavorful side that is refreshingly mayonnaise-less!

boil about one pound of small red potatoes that have been sliced in half (remember when cooking potatoes to start them in a pot of cold water).  once the pot boils, continue to cook for about 15 minutes, or until a fork pierces through easily.

while potatoes are boiling, blanch the green beans in a small saucepan for about 6 minutes.  remove from heat and drain.  put in a large mixing bowl.  

the dressing is a simple vinaigrette made from olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and a pinch of sugar.  whisk together and set aside.

drain and cool potatoes.  add to bowl with green beans.  thinly slice a couple of handfuls of red onion and add to the potatoes and beans, along with a few sprigs of fresh dill.  pour the dressing over the potatoes, add salt and pepper, and toss.

chill for a bit before serving.  this is wonderful.

not your mama's brown bag

working at a school, and the subsequently atrocious cafeteria food provided there (cheesy beef-a-roni with a side of soggy fish sticks?  no thanks), on top of a newly acquired penny-pinching mind-set i've adopted, has me brown-bagging my lunch most days of the work week.

pb&j will always have a special place in my heart, of course, but there is a more healthy, more delicious, more sophisticated alternative that takes just as long to make, that blows your old school superhero lunchbox meal out of the water.

 

veggie wrap with cumin ginger hummus

ingredients

for the hummus

1 can chick peas

1-2 teaspoons of tahini (sesame paste)

1/2 small clove garlic

1/2 tsp ginger

juice of 1 lemon

dash cumin, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

room temperature water

method

in a food processor, put drained and rinsed chick peas, tahini, garlic, ginger and lemon juice.  turn on processor, and slowly begin to drizzle in olive oil and water until it reaches desired consistency.  scrape the sides to make sure all the ingredients get processed.  turn off machine, add salt, pepper, and cumin, and pulse a few times to mix.

veggie wrap

ingredients

1 large flour tortilla

1 tbsp. cumin ginger hummus

handful alfalfa sprouts

2-3 strips of red pepper

4-5 slices cucumber, peeled

handful arugula

4-5 grape tomatoes, halved

method

spread hummus over tortilla.  layer arugula, sprouts, pepper, cucumber and tomato.  sprinkle with salt and pepper if you wish before wrapping.

prep tips:

make the hummus ahead on sunday night.  wash all your veggies as soon as you get home from the gro' sto'.  this recipe makes enough for a week's worth of wraps, plus a little extra for after school snacking.

wrapping tips!  i learned from a pro...

it helps if you warm the tortilla slightly before assembly so the tortilla will adhere to itself.  place the ingredients in a little mound towards the bottom center of the tortilla.  bring the two sides in first, then wrap the bottom flap up over the mound of filling and tuck under slightly.  bouche.