I do realize that my posts on this blog have been inconsistent at best, and pictures even more so. Don't hate. I'm 9 months pregnant. Here is a recipe for venison...which is abundant in my freezer, thanks to my gracious in-laws. And their guns.
Roughly chop one sweet onion and 5-6 carrots; saute in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Cut a pack of cubed venison into chunks and add to the pot. After about 3-4 minutes, add a couple Tablespoons of flour, cook it out for a minute, and then add 1 box of chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add to the pot 1 can of diced tomatoes, 2 medium baking potatoes (cubed), 1 bag of frozen peas, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil; then cover and simmer for a couple of hours. I'm sure you could do less, but I like to cook early in the afternoon and then let it hang out on the stove till suppertime.
I'll try to get a picture tomorrow when we eat leftovers, but if I don't...maybe I'll be in labor. In the meantime, serve with cornbread and enjoy!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Avocado Pasta
(This one came from here with a few very minor alterations)
Alright, here is a quick post for a quick meal with no picture (sorry). It is super simple and super good; you could eat it alongside chicken or seafood, or as we did last night, as a light supper on its own. It literally takes less than 15 minutes to make.
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add thin spaghetti to the water and cook according to package directions.
While waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook, scoop out the flesh of 2 avocados; chop them up into smaller pieces and add to the food processor, along with 2-3 minced garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper, and 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Let 'er rip until creamy.
Drain pasta and stir in the avocado puree. Top with toasted slivered almonds if desired.
And enjoy!
Alright, here is a quick post for a quick meal with no picture (sorry). It is super simple and super good; you could eat it alongside chicken or seafood, or as we did last night, as a light supper on its own. It literally takes less than 15 minutes to make.
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add thin spaghetti to the water and cook according to package directions.
While waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook, scoop out the flesh of 2 avocados; chop them up into smaller pieces and add to the food processor, along with 2-3 minced garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper, and 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Let 'er rip until creamy.
Drain pasta and stir in the avocado puree. Top with toasted slivered almonds if desired.
And enjoy!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
I loooooove meatballs. Little looooooves pineapple. The Coach just loooooves good food. This one made us all happy.
To make the meatballs, mix 1 pound of ground turkey or chicken breast, ½ cup breadcrumbs, smoked paprika and black pepper to taste, and ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce. Form meatballs and brown in a drizzle of olive oil in a dutch oven or cast iron skillet, flipping once. After the meatballs are brown on the outside, add ¼ cup beef broth, 1 can pineapple chunks (with juice), 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons bbq sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a 400 degree oven to finish cooking. Serve over rice with steamed broccoli and glazed carrots.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Honey Chicken, Vegetable Tian, and Buttermilk Biscuits
I'm totally ripping off three different sources for this meal...
Honey Chicken adapted from "Healthy Meals for Less" by Jonni McCoy
Vegetable Tian adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Buttermilk Biscuits adapted from Eating Well
This was a really good and satisfying meal. The chicken was super tender and flavorful, the veggies were perfectly roasted, and the biscuits were too good to be not totally unhealthy. Now, this meal was a little time-consuming, but I can afford to have things cooking at different times because I stay at home. So I cooked the chicken first, removed it to the stovetop while I cooked the veggies and biscuits, and then put it back in the oven to warm before we ate. But I think you could play around with the time versus the temperature if you needed to have it all cooking at the same time. Or, you could always cook the chicken with a different side dish that doesn't also require oven time at a different temp. Anywho, here's how it went down for me...
For the honey chicken, I mixed up 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a dutch oven (or casserole, whatever you have). To that I whisked in 1/2 cup honey, 3 Tablespoons canola oil, and 1/2 cup water. I put in a pack (about 1.75 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coated each piece well, covered the pot, and put it in a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
For the veggies, I sliced and sauteed one small sweet onion for about 10 minutes. Last minute I added some minced garlic, then transferred the mixture to the bottom of a greased casserole dish. On top of the onions, I arranged a plethera of sliced veggies: yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes - seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and olive oil, and cooked in a 375 oven for 30 minutes covered, and 30 more minutes uncovered. Here is what it looked like after it was done...
And for the biscuits, a simple and familiar recipe with a little adjustment on the fat. First, meaure out your "buttermilk". If you're like me and have a child who is allergic to cow's milk, or if you just don't keep buttermilk in your house, here is what you can do: Measure out 3/4 cup milk (I used almond milk), and add 1 tsp vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes. For this recipe, you also need to add 1 Tablespoon of canola oil to the milk. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups whole wheat or white wheat flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter with your hands, 2 knives, or a pastry cutter. Mix in the buttermilk/oil until everything is wet, then knead lightly until it all comes together as a nice dough. Flatten it out and cut your biscuits. I used a 1/3 cup measuring tin to cut mine, and it made 11 biscuits. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes. (At this point, if you have taken out your chicken to cook your veggies, you could put everything back in the oven to warm up to serve.)
Okay, I know that was a lot of work. But here is the finished product...
And it tastes even better than it looks. Enjoy!
Honey Chicken adapted from "Healthy Meals for Less" by Jonni McCoy
Vegetable Tian adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Buttermilk Biscuits adapted from Eating Well
This was a really good and satisfying meal. The chicken was super tender and flavorful, the veggies were perfectly roasted, and the biscuits were too good to be not totally unhealthy. Now, this meal was a little time-consuming, but I can afford to have things cooking at different times because I stay at home. So I cooked the chicken first, removed it to the stovetop while I cooked the veggies and biscuits, and then put it back in the oven to warm before we ate. But I think you could play around with the time versus the temperature if you needed to have it all cooking at the same time. Or, you could always cook the chicken with a different side dish that doesn't also require oven time at a different temp. Anywho, here's how it went down for me...
For the honey chicken, I mixed up 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a dutch oven (or casserole, whatever you have). To that I whisked in 1/2 cup honey, 3 Tablespoons canola oil, and 1/2 cup water. I put in a pack (about 1.75 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coated each piece well, covered the pot, and put it in a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
For the veggies, I sliced and sauteed one small sweet onion for about 10 minutes. Last minute I added some minced garlic, then transferred the mixture to the bottom of a greased casserole dish. On top of the onions, I arranged a plethera of sliced veggies: yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes - seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and olive oil, and cooked in a 375 oven for 30 minutes covered, and 30 more minutes uncovered. Here is what it looked like after it was done...
And for the biscuits, a simple and familiar recipe with a little adjustment on the fat. First, meaure out your "buttermilk". If you're like me and have a child who is allergic to cow's milk, or if you just don't keep buttermilk in your house, here is what you can do: Measure out 3/4 cup milk (I used almond milk), and add 1 tsp vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes. For this recipe, you also need to add 1 Tablespoon of canola oil to the milk. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups whole wheat or white wheat flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter with your hands, 2 knives, or a pastry cutter. Mix in the buttermilk/oil until everything is wet, then knead lightly until it all comes together as a nice dough. Flatten it out and cut your biscuits. I used a 1/3 cup measuring tin to cut mine, and it made 11 biscuits. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes. (At this point, if you have taken out your chicken to cook your veggies, you could put everything back in the oven to warm up to serve.)
Okay, I know that was a lot of work. But here is the finished product...
And it tastes even better than it looks. Enjoy!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Fishy Christmas Pasta
Ready for a 20 minute meal that is red and green for the holidays?
1. Spread a pint or two of grape tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put in 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add one bag of frozen peas; bring back to a boil and drop in a pound of whole wheat thin spaghetti. Cook according to package directions and drain, reserving about 1/2 a cup of pasta water.
3. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Place thawed pollack fillets, seasoned with salt and pepper, into the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Flake and set aside.
4. Roughly chop a handful of fresh basil leaves and set aside.
5. When the tomatoes are looking a little shriveled on top, take them out and transfer them to a large bowl or pot. Add the pasta water and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the basil; then add the pasta and peas, as well as the fish pieces, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and though we went cheeseless this time, I'm sure some parmesan cheese would be lovely at this point as well :)
Enjoy!
1. Spread a pint or two of grape tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put in 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add one bag of frozen peas; bring back to a boil and drop in a pound of whole wheat thin spaghetti. Cook according to package directions and drain, reserving about 1/2 a cup of pasta water.
3. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Place thawed pollack fillets, seasoned with salt and pepper, into the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Flake and set aside.
4. Roughly chop a handful of fresh basil leaves and set aside.
5. When the tomatoes are looking a little shriveled on top, take them out and transfer them to a large bowl or pot. Add the pasta water and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the basil; then add the pasta and peas, as well as the fish pieces, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and though we went cheeseless this time, I'm sure some parmesan cheese would be lovely at this point as well :)
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Rotini with Meatballs
Rotini is not only fun to say, it is fun to eat. Twirly pasta. What more could you ask for? Oh, I know. How about a tasty meal that you can get on your table in less than 30 minutes?
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound ground turkey or chicken, 1 palmful of fennel seeds, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, and basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Roll them up into little balls and place on a baking sheet (I think I actually used 1.25 pounds meat, and I got 41 mini meatballs out of it.) Bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. While the meatballs are in the oven, heat a splash of olive oil in a pot. Add 4 cloves minced garlic; saute just for a minute, stirring constantly, and then add 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 1 regular can tomato sauce. Season with basil, oregano, and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.
3. Heat a pot of water to boiling. Salt the water; add whole wheat rotini and cook according to package directions.
4. When meatballs have been in the oven for 8 or so minutes, take them out and transfer them into the simmering tomato sauce for 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they are cooked all the way through. When the pasta is done, drain and add it to the pot as well. Serve alongside steamed broccoli, and you've got yourself a quick, easy, and delicious meal!
Enjoy!
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound ground turkey or chicken, 1 palmful of fennel seeds, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, and basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Roll them up into little balls and place on a baking sheet (I think I actually used 1.25 pounds meat, and I got 41 mini meatballs out of it.) Bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. While the meatballs are in the oven, heat a splash of olive oil in a pot. Add 4 cloves minced garlic; saute just for a minute, stirring constantly, and then add 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 1 regular can tomato sauce. Season with basil, oregano, and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.
3. Heat a pot of water to boiling. Salt the water; add whole wheat rotini and cook according to package directions.
4. When meatballs have been in the oven for 8 or so minutes, take them out and transfer them into the simmering tomato sauce for 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they are cooked all the way through. When the pasta is done, drain and add it to the pot as well. Serve alongside steamed broccoli, and you've got yourself a quick, easy, and delicious meal!
Enjoy!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Pumpkin Sausage Macaroni
Don't judge. This is sooo good. And easy! Here are the simple steps.
1. Brown a pound of Italian sausage (I used turkey sausage, but have it your way) until it is crumbly and gooooood.
2. Slice 1/2 pound of mushrooms and add to the sausage. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
3. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir up all the bits of sausage from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 can pumpkin puree, then 1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk).
4. Cook one box of whole wheat elbows until al dente. Mix the pasta and the pumpkin sausage sauce all together. I think you could probably go ahead and eat it like that, making it a super quick meal, or you could pour into a casserole like I did, cover it and bake it at 350 for 20 minutes or so, just to let it set. Either way, you should serve it with fresh hot yeast rolls and die happy.
Enjoy!
1. Brown a pound of Italian sausage (I used turkey sausage, but have it your way) until it is crumbly and gooooood.
2. Slice 1/2 pound of mushrooms and add to the sausage. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
3. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir up all the bits of sausage from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 can pumpkin puree, then 1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk).
4. Cook one box of whole wheat elbows until al dente. Mix the pasta and the pumpkin sausage sauce all together. I think you could probably go ahead and eat it like that, making it a super quick meal, or you could pour into a casserole like I did, cover it and bake it at 350 for 20 minutes or so, just to let it set. Either way, you should serve it with fresh hot yeast rolls and die happy.
Enjoy!
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