Food goodness

This is adapted from a cookbook G bought me for my birthday last year (?), that I have been methodically working my way through. It's one of those "if you have this and this, you should make this" sort of recipes. So. If you have a pound of Italian sausage (19 oz) and some frozen peas (a staple in our house) and 3/4 c. arborio rice Then you should make risotto. Naturally. First things first. Get rid of those casings. Crumble up the sausage, and cook it. When it's about 3/4 of the way cooked, throw in some sliced mushrooms (I had about 10 loose mushrooms to use up), and cook until the sausage is cooked all the way and the mushrooms are sauteed. Set aside. Heat 4 c. of chicken broth (I had homemade, but the stuff in the carton works fine) in a pan on low heat. In a separate pan (sorry, this is the sort of recipe that makes a lot of dishes), heat a few tsp of olive oil . Add the arborio rice, and stir to coat. To that, add 1/2 c. white wine , and cook ...

Easy. Delicious. That is all. Ingredients Chicken •3 Tbsp olive oil •1 broiler-fryer chicken, about 2 1/2-3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts, bone-in, with skin on, rinsed and patted dry •1/2 cup of flour for dredging •Salt •Freshly ground black pepper •Paprika Rice •2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup) •1 medium yellow onion, chopped •1 garlic clove, minced •2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice •3 cups* chicken stock •1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained •Pinch of oregano •1 teaspoon salt *Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice. Method 1 Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (a skillet that has a cover) on medium high heat. Put the flour in a wi...

This was absolutely gorgeous, so easy to make and even my strictly carnivorous husband loved it. The secret to good risotto is good stock, added slowly. This is adapted from a recipe from Waitrose. Serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped ½ butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed (about 300g peeled weight) - (I left the skin on because I roasted the squash first and the skin is edible and crispy) 750ml hot vegetable stock 325g carnaroli or other risotto rice ½ bag fresh spinach (a couple of large handfuls) 120g pack goat's cheese, sliced thinly 1. Heat the oil in a deep pan, then add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened. 2. You can either add the squash and continue cooking for a further 4-5 minutes until it starts to colour or you can do as I did and roast the squash instead while you're cooking the risotto (toss the cubes in a bit of olive oil and salt and put in a roasting tin in the oven at about 200C/400F) . I thought the roasted sq...

We're back from the land of overindulgence (Vegas), and I'm trying to bring balance back to my poor, abused body. Happy body, eating at Mario Batali's restaurant and consuming mass quantities of cured pork products and excellent cheese. And truffles (the fungus kind). And the best chocolate creation I've ever put in my mouth in my entire life. With edible gold on it. And many, many bottles of tasty red wine. But my body, it took a beating and now I'm sick in retaliation. So it's back to green tea and water by the gallon, to flush out all the fat/salt/alcohol and vegetarian meals, except for dinner. Last night I was exhausted (red eye flights seem like a good idea, but not when you have to transfer halfway through the flight), so whipped up this stuffing and stuck it in some carnival squash I bought a few weeks ago that were taking up room in my fridge. 2 carnival or acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out 1 cup rice -- I used a wild rice blend. You could...

Adapted from the latest issue of Vegetarian Times (not yet available online). This recipe is so easy and so delicious and is perfect for lunches as you can eat it cold or room temp--ideal for those without microwaves at the office! 1 15 oz. can of hominy (white or yellow), drained and rinsed 1 small bell pepper (or a mix of red, yellow and green), medium dice 1 small red onion, minced 1 1/2 C lima beans or edamame (defrosted if frozen) 1 C prepared brown rice 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1/8 C EVOO 1/4 C red wine vinegar S&P 2 T chopped herbs (I used basil, oregano & garlic chives) generous 1/4 C reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (I like TJs better than Athenos) In a large bowl, mix veg and grains. In a measuring cup, combine EVOO, vinegar, S&P, and herbs. Whisk to combine and pour over salad. Stir to coat veg mixture with dressing and add in feta. For best flavor, allow to sit 30 min before serving. 5 servings, 397 kcals, 8 grams dietary fiber

Adapted from the recipe on the back of the Wehani Rice bag from Lundberg Family Farms. I clipped out this recipe sometime last year and finally got around to making it. It's spicy but so delicious. You could certainly change around the veg here--I think zukes, eggplant and/or bell peppers would be good. Sub spinach for arugula? Mmmm... 3 T olive or canola oil 1 T cumin seeds 1/4 t ground cloves 1/4 t red pepper flakes 1 small onion, small dice 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 C cashews, chopped if whole 1 1/2 C prepared Wehani rice* 2 large handfuls of baby arugula, rinsed and spun dry In a large non-stick skillet on medium heat, toast cashews until lightly browned and fragrant; set aside. Add 1 T oil and add mushrooms. Saute stirring occasionally until nicely browned. Add remaining 2 T oil and add cumin, cloves, pepper flakes, garlic and onions. Saute, stirring frequently until onions are translucent. Stir in rice, cashews and arugula and toss un...

Ernie cooks dinner every night. He's fairly adept in the kitchen and is pretty willing to do what needs to be done, but it's only now become his "thing," since I love cooking. I try to keep it pretty simple and easy for him -- he's also worked a full day, and he goes and picks up both girls, who demand a lot of attention in the evening. Cue the pressure cooker, something I always sort of figured was an old fashioned way to cook things. It's quick, and the food comes out tasting like you had hours to cook it. Best of all? Easy. And usually a one-pot meal. This risotto doesn't taste entirely like it does if you stand in front of your stove and stir, stir, stir. But it's good, and on a weeknight? It's pretty darn impressive. adapted from "Food Network Kitchen's Making it Easy" 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1 tsp. kosher salt black pepper 1 1/2 c. arborio rice 2 Tbsp. tomato paste pinch saffron 1/4 c. w...

Again with the trying to get away from pre-packaged products. Cobbled together from a bunch of different recipes. 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. butter 1 small white onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups of chicken broth 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste 1tsp. saffron threads ½ tsp. turmeric 1 cup extra-long-grain white rice In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, and long grain rice. Stir the rice mixture about 2-3 minutes After toasting the rice mixture, add the chicken broth, salt, saffron and turmeric to the pan. Bring the temperature to medium high heat to bring it to a boil. Once the mixture is to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce to a medium simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes. Do not stir. During the last couple of minutes of cooking, take off the lid and let the additional liquid evaporate from the rice. Remove from the heat and set aside for a couple of minutes and then serve.

From: my mom's friend Diane Diane always brings this rice dish to pot-luck events, and now people request it every time so she couldn't do something different if she wanted to. 1 can chicken broth 1 cup rice 1/2 c. vegetable oil (I would try a little less) 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp salt 2 c. chicken, pork or tuna, cooked and chopped or shredded 1/4 lb bean sprouts (or 1 can) 1/4 lb mushrooms (or 1 can) 1 jar pimientos, optional Add enough water to chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups of liquid. Cook rice in broth according to directions. Combine oil, soy sauce, salt and mix together well. Stir into hot rice. Cover and chill. Stir in remaining ingredients before serving. (I think if you're using fresh mushrooms you would probably want to saute them quickly before adding.)

H -- I am definitely not leaving Food Goodness! I meant that other blog Gwen and I were writing on for a brief period of time. That's the one I'm abandoning. Now, on to more important matters. Mexican Rice. So good. And so easy. This is a Pioneer Woman recipe . I didn't change it that much. 2 Tablespoons olive oil ½ whole Large Onion, Chopped 3 cloves Garlic, Minced 2 cups Long Grain Rice ( I used jasmine, it's what I had in the house ) 1 can Rotel tomatoes (I used the mild kind) 1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce) 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth or more, if needed (I used homemade stock from the chicken I roasted on Monday) 1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste) 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt pinch of saffron Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Rotel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let co...

Adapted from Closet Cooking . I made this with Gimme Lean and, frankly, I'm sorry I did. It just had a taste to it that I did not care for. Next time, I'll just make it with potatoes and not bother with meat. But this is good soup. Here, the kraut is the star but I bet it would be quite tasty with ground beef if that's your thing. The kraut, tho, it was amazing. Serves a lot, probably about 6 servings. 1 pound ground beef (or not) 1 tablespoon oil 1 onion (diced) 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 1/2 cup long grained rice (I used frozen brown rice) 4 cups vegetable broth (use beef if using ground beef in soup) 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes 2 cups sauerkraut (with liquid) 1 teaspoon hot paprika 2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste sour cream (optional) In a heavy pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef (if using) and set aside draining the grease from the pot. Heat the oil in the pot add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 ...

Since both of these recipes were adapted from their original sources by Annie and Deb, respectively, and I didn't do my own adaptations, I'll just post the links. Brazilian Shrimp Soup Ina's Lemon Cake Okay, I lied. I made a tiny adaptation to the soup. I had some leftover Thai jasmine rice in my freezer and I added that at the end of cooking instead of in the middle since, well, it was already cooked. Also, I thought it would go well with the tropical tone set by the coconut milk. Additionally, I used raw, shells-on shrimp and poached them in the soup until pink and then fished them out. I like the extra shrimpy flavor you get by using the shells. So, I let them cool, shelled them, cut them up into bite-sized pieces and then threw them back in to warm up. This soup was very good. I used lite coconut milk by Thai Kitchen, btw. Makes about 6 servings. I served with a mixed greens salad and whole wheat sourdough bread. As for the cake, I made it as Deb presented it. ...

I made this last night to use up some of the leftover pork in my freezer (from the girls' birthday party). It was easy to put together and pretty tasty. I think it'd be good with leftover chicken, too. adapted from this recipe 2 c. cooked rice 1 1/2 pounds leftover roast pork, cubed 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (cream of broccoli would be good, too) 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the cubed pork, rice and broccoli. Stir in the soup and sour cream/yogurt, then season with pepper and curry powder. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until evenly heated through. Remove the aluminum foil for the last 5 minutes in the oven.

Adapted from Weight Watchers and Closet Cooking . Here we are, about to leave for Hawaii and the last thing I want to do is bring home fresh produce with the possibility of not being able to eat it all before we leave. Also, I've been on a mission to eat up the goodies in my freezer and this is a good way to it. For the crust: 2 cups cooked brown rice (I cook a whole bunch at a time and then freeze left overs) 1 egg 1/4 C finely grated cheese For the quiche-y goodness: 4 whole eggs 12 oz fat free evaporated milk 1/2 C fat free cottage cheese 1/2 C (or so) finely grated gruyere cheese 10 oz chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (or 8 C fresh spinach, cooked, squeezed dry and chopped) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Preheat oven to 425. Combine ingredients for crust and press into a pie pan. Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Whisk together remaining ingredients except spinach. Scatter spinach in bottom of crust and pour over egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 20 m...

This is adapted from a Cooking Light Oct. 2009 recipe. Adapted, because I can't imagine any way to use the amount of liquid originally called for. Check the back of your wild rice box, I guess, and see what the rice/water ratio is, though, before you make. Really good, really simple. And makes a bunch. 2 tablespoons butter, divided 2 cups chopped Pink Lady apple 1 cup chopped leek 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 cup water 1 cup apple cider 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 2 cups uncooked wild rice 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add leek; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Stir in bro...

Adapted from epicurious.com . Serves 4. * 1/4 cup fresh lime juice * 2 tablespoons finely grated lime peel * 2 tablespoons honey * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling * 4 teaspoons soy sauce * 1 tablespoon olive oil * 3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 3 large) * 1 1/2 cups basmati rice (9 to 10 ounces) * 3 1/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (I used water since I didn't have broth but I added a clove of garlic for a bit more flavor) * 4 5-to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets * 1 bunch broccoli, bottom inch trimmed, stalks separated if necessary Whisk to combine lime juice through soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside. In a brazier or other vessel with a tight fitting lid, heat oil over medium high heat and add shallots (onions are fine, too). Cook for about5 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in rice and cook for a minute or two before added stock/water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with lid...

I had some sole in the freezer I wanted to use and get out of there, so I went looking for recipes. I adapted this recipe from one found an allrecipes . Gaby eats fish when I make it, usually with a little bit of complaining, but last night she devoured this. I guess that makes it a good recipe. I only had 4 fillets, so I took the extra stuffing and added more cheese and rice to it, and Gaby and Ernie ate it with the fish last night. (I'm on a quasi-diet, so I just had salad with mine). 3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/2 c. panko flakes 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 8 (4 ounce) sole or whitefish fillets In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, salt, granulated garlic and pepper. In another bowl, combine the broccoli, rice, panko, cheese and half of the butter...

adapted from: Simply Recipes Ok, so...the recipe below is the original recipe from Simply Recipes. I only used this as a basic template, and ended up winging a lot of it along the way. For starters, I used a mixture of half wehani rice (if you haven't tried it yet, do so. It's aromatic and nutty and delicious) and quinoa. I cooked the grains in chicken broth instead of water. I put a bit of sriracha in the curry/onion mixture instead of chili pepper. I also cooked up a handful of diced celery with the onion mixture. I sauteed up some baby bella mushrooms and added that to the salad, too, because we keep getting mushrooms in the farm share pickup and I don't know what to do with them. So, they went in the salad with a bunch of scallions, too. So far this salad is tasty right out of the bowl. I still need to pick up some apples at the store to add to this. I think that will be just the right crunch and tartness that this needs. I'm also wondering how some crush...

from Cooking Light , April 2009 Geoff and I had this for dinner last night, and it was really good. Cooking Light says this serves 8 (1-1/4 cups risotto with 1-1/2 teaspoons cheese), but I think 4 is more likely, especially if you're serving this as a main dish. Note from Cooking Light: Clif Holt, chef-owner of Little Savannah in Birmingham, Alabama, prepares this classic risotto for harvest dinners at Jones Valley Urban Farm. For a vegetarian entrée, use vegetable broth. 4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 1/2 pounds), divided 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided 1 1/2 cups water 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large) 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice 1/2 cup dry white wine (we used a Viognier, since it was already open) 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided (we used plain old Parmesan) 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper...

From: The Healthy Slow Cooker I really liked this, but Todd was indifferent. He wasn't crazy about the combination of oregano and prunes, I think, but I thought this was tasty. We don't cook with chicken thighs very often, but after this dish I want to use them more often. 1 1/2 cups chopped pitted prunes 1 1/2 cups water 1 Tbsp liquid honey (Huh? I don't know what that means. I used reg honey) 1 tsp grated lemon zest 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper 2 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 8) (I used boneless) 2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 3 cups water 1 1/2 cups quinoa (or use couscous or rice instead) In a bowl, combine prunes, 1 1/2 cups water, honey and 1 tsp lemon zest. Cover and set aside. In a slow cooker stoneware, combine garlic, oregano, remaining lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at lea...