Crispy Orzo with Peas

With groceries and gas sky high, I have been on a rather frugal kick lately. One of my first steps was to completely revamp how and where I shop for groceries. The second step was to do a better job of using  everything I have on hand. This means all the food has to be organized for weekly inventory. The third step, is finding the right recipes, both to use things up and for whatever is on sale that week. We no long buy whatever groceries we please. We just buy whatever is good quality and on sale. .

I was doing a quick search for spring recipes using peas and Giada's Crispy Orzo with Peas caught my attention because it called for four primary ingredients I've been trying to use up: orzo, coconut milk, fresh ginger, and frozen peas. The only other ingredients I needed were: scallions, olive oil, and lemon. I always have those on hand.

I was drawn to this dish because I've never fried pasta before and I was interested to see what the texture of the fried orzo would be like alongside the softer orzo and the peas.

The whole dish was easy enough to put together and I always love the aroma of coconut milk bubbling away on the stove top. The orzo pasta becomes very creamy when it cooks in the coconut milk and the ginger goes a long way in flavoring the pasta. The pasta sauteed easily enough and as I was tasting along the way, I noticed that I tended to enjoy the pasta more when it was only lightly fried, so I went with that. I think Giada fries her pasta to a golden brown, but I think it is up to personal preference on how you like it. Definitely taste as you go!

I was eager to try the dish and found that I loved the contrast of soft orzo, chewy orzo, and crispy orzo, especially with the pop of the peas. It was certainly an interesting dish, one that marries Italian pasta with Chinese Fried Rice. I found myself wanting to add either Parmesan cheese or soy sauce and I couldn't decide which I wanted more, so I just ate as it was and enjoyed it! I think this would make for a very tasty vegetarian meal with a crispy fried egg on top, and as I ponder the flavor profiles a little more, I dare say a dash or two of soy sauce! 

I really liked this and I would definitely make it again. I think this would be a good choice for anyone looking to really change things up. It is definitely interesting!

Crispy Orzo with Peas

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 can light coconut milk

one 2-inch piece ginger, sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups orzo pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin (about 1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon lemon juice*

In a medium saucepan, add the coconut milk, ginger, 1 tablespoon salt some pepper, to taste, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and stir. Cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the ginger.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 1 minute more. Add the drained orzo and spread out evenly in the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the pasta is starting to get browned and crispy, about 4 minutes. Flip the pasta, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and continue to cook, undisturbed, until the other side is browned, about 4 minutes more. Flip again and brown another 3 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper and stir in the peas and scallions. Cook another 2 minutes to warm through. Finish with the lemon juice. Serve warm.

 

Spring Delights @ IHCC

Dorie's Potato Chip Tortilla

  

One hardly peruses a cookbook expecting to find recipes using potato chips, especially in a French cookbook named Around My French Table, but sometimes life is full of surprises. I think that is why I was precisely drawn to this recipe.

On a recent trip back home from New Orleans we stopped inside a gas station and I bought all manner of Zapp's potato chips in all sorts of fun flavors, such as Voodoo, Spicy Cajun Crawtators, Cajun Dill-Gator-Tators, Hotter 'N Hot Jalapeno, Voodoo Heat, and Creole Onion (pictured below). I realize that sounds like excess, but they were baby bags and we had a 13 hour ride home so naturally I thought it would make the time go by faster if we had a taste test. 

We love heat and anything spicy so, the Hotter 'N Hot Jalapeno were great and also the Voodoo Heat (which was like a spicy bbq flavor) were our favorites. Don't get me wrong, we loved them all and Zapp's may very well be my all-time favorite chip.

I did notice that the half bag of Creole Onion sat lingering in the pantry and so when I saw this recipe I figured it was meant to be!

I believe the secret to a recipe like Potato Chip Tortilla is that you DO NOT want to crush the chips to smithereens. You want to leave some big pieces (even leave some whole or at least bigger chunks). What the potato chip provides in this recipe is lots of texture. When the tortilla comes out of the oven, the chips sticking up out of the tortilla will be hot and crunchy (hence the bigger larger, more whole chips) and the crushed chips in the tortilla will be cooked in. We want all the textures here, so I do feel this is crucial to the recipe.

Also, feel free to add some cheese or whatever you like! Dorie does not call for cheese in her recipe, but I found I wanted to add some.

This is a very fun recipe and I would definitely make it again. I think it would be fun to change up the flavors by using different potato chips and different flavorings.

It would be a wonderful meal with a nice green salad or some fruit on the side. 

And may I point out how easy and economical it is...we all need to be putting recipes like this in our back pocket!

 

Potato Chip Tortilla

Adapted from Around My French Table

by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 4

3-1/2 ounces (half a 7oz bag) potato chips

4 large eggs

1 small onion, finely chopped, or 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1/4 cup minced fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, or basil

2 garlic cloves, split, finely chopped

Pinch of piment d'Espelette or cayenne

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Optional: Use different flavor chips, add cheese (I added about 1/4 cup cheddar), different herbs, veggies, etc. Make it your own!

 Put the potato chips in a bowl, reach in, and crush the chips (or crush them in the bag - be sure not to crush them entirely and leave some pieces bigger).

Put the eggs, onion or scallions, herbs, garlic, and piment d'Espelette or cayenne into another bowl. Season with salt and pepper whisk to combine. Pour the eggs over the chips and stir to blend well.

You'll need a small skillet that can go under the broiler: 9 inches is about as big as it should be. I use a cast iron skillet, but a nonstick skillet is also good (if you're not sure of the handle you can cover it in foil). Position a rack under the broiler so that when you slide the skillet onto it, it will be about 5 inches from the heat source. Turn on the broiler.

Place the skillet over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, give the eggs and chips a last stir and pour them into the pan. Use a fork to push the mixture out to the edges of the pan if necessary, then turn the heat down to low. Cook the tortilla for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is set around the edges and the top is almost done (being set is more important than the timing, so just keep watching the eggs). Remove the pan from the heat and run a spatula around the edges and under the tortilla in case it has stuck to the pan. 

Slide the pan under the broiler and cook until the top of the tortilla is set, about 1 minute. Slide the tortilla onto a serving platter or board, and serve warm or at room temperature.

The Incredible Edible Egg @ IHCC

Dorie Greenspan's Salted-Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundaes

Well, we have arrived back home from a whirlwind vacation to New Orleans where we ate everything, drank everything, and did everything we could for 5 days straight. We had the time of a lifetime, but we are exhausted and in need of another week off....just to rest! No such luck though...

We are cooking (and baking) the recipes of Dorie Greenspan for the next six months, so I was looking through my Everyday Dorie cookbook when this recipe for Salted-Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundaes caught my eye. I mean...who doesn't love a good hot fudge sundae made with homemade salted chocolate bits, toasted slivered almonds, homemade fudge, and homemade whipped cream? Layer all those goodies up and you have a recipe for success!

Those little salted chocolate bits are like chocolate heaven! Smooth and creamy with a hint of salt, it really hits the spot alongside the toasted slivered almonds and the fudge sauce.

Dorie serves all these homemade goodies over coffee and vanilla ice cream, but we are not big coffee fans so we just used two scoops of plain-ol' vanilla ice cream and it was sooooo good! I'm convinced you could bottle up all these components and sell these sundaes for big money! You could make all the components for this ahead of time and keep it on hand and you could MOST DEFINITELY make the components ahead of time and serve this at a dinner party or any type of event where you're entertaining. 

This is an incredible recipe! Cool, creamy, crunchy, sweet, rich, and a hint of salty...it will hands down be one of my favorite recipes this year and I will definitely be making it again and again! Dorie and I have cooked and baked together years ago when I participated briefly in Fridays with Dorie, but I am really excited to get back in the kitchen with her and try more of her recipes! We are certainly off to a promising start!

 Salted-Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundaes

Adapted for Everyday Dorie

by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 4-6 

For The Salted-Chocolate Bits

1/2 pound (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, not chips (finely chopped)

3/4 teaspoons fleur de sel or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For The Hot Fudge Sauce

6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet chocolate (not chips), finely chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons sugar

For The Sundaes

About 3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

About 1 pint coffee ice cream

About 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

To Make The Bits: Line a pie plate with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or on low power in a microwave. Add the salt and stir to blend, then, using an offset spatula or a table knife, spread chocolate in the pie pan, making a layer that's 1/8" thick (shape doesn't matter). Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface and freeze for at least 45 minutes. When the chocolate is solid, chop it into bits. Keep frozen until needed. (You can do this up to 2 weeks in advance.)

To Make The Sauce: Put the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and the mixture comes to a light simmer, about 5 minutes. Still stirring, let it burble for a minute or two more, then scrape it into a heatproof container. Use now or cover and refrigerate until needed. (The sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator).

To Make The Sundaes: If necessary, warm the fudge sauce in a double boiler or microwave on low. For each sundae, sprinkle some salted chocolate bits and almonds into the bottom of a bowl, snifter or sundae glass. Top with a scoop or two of coffee ice cream and some hot fudge sauce, almonds, and bits. Finish with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream and more fudge sauce, whipped cream, almonds, and chocolate bits. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Welcome, Dorie @ I Heart Cooking Clubs

My Favorite Half Baked Harvest Recipe!

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs, we have been cooking the recipes of Tieghan Gerard featured on her blog, Half Baked Harvest. I always like to pick a few favorites at the end of our six months and feature them here.

The winning recipe is Tieghan's Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup! It was my favorite recipe that I made of hers and one that I will likely make again.

 Thank you, Tieghan! 

I Heart Cooking Clubs will now start cooking the recipes of Dorie Greenspan and I am very excited for that!

Ina's Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes {One Of My All-Time Favorite Ina Garten Dishes}!!

This time next week I will be leisurely strolling down Bourbon Street in the city that has been my #1 destination for as long as I can remember. I have always, always, always wanted to go to New Orleans more than anywhere else on the planet. I am not sure why I've waited 46 years to do it.

I am currently in the midst of trying to loose at least 5 pounds so I can make up for it next week because....I AM GOING TO EAT ALL THE THINGS!! 

This time next Sunday I hope to be shoveling a Muffaletta from Central Grocery into my mouth, followed by some beignets from both Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignet...we have to see which one is best!

There's going to be lots of po'boys, seafood, Cajun and Creole food, drinks and desserts and I literally cannot wait.

In the meantime, I am making one of my ALL-TIME favorite Ina Garten dishes, her Skilllet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes. I have made this dish several times and let me tell you...DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS INCREDIBLE DISH!

It is easy and simple and oh so flavorful! It is just plain succulent! I am convinced this is the perfect Sunday meal for 2! Yes, I said for 2. This is so good that it will likely only serve 2 and you will need to make another batch if you have any hopes of serving 4. 

The chicken is flavorful and oh so tender from soaking in the buttermilk. The potatoes on the bottom get crispy and and steeped in caramelized garlic and it is just heaven. 

I would recommend this dish to anyone (anyone that eats meat) and I think you will find that you will love it just as much as I do!

Plus, I have to point out that this dish is highly economical, made with ingredients you likely have on hand, easy to put together, overall quite healthy, and most of all...heavenly! It's the bomb!

This is definitely a repeat dish in my kitchen and will be on my top 10 favorites of the year. I make it again and again because it is so darn good!

 

 

Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

from Modern Comfort Food

by Ina Garten

Serves 4

4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2-1/2 to 3 pounds total)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-1/2 cups buttermilk, shaken

good olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dry white wine, such as Chablis

1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/8 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 pound medium Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

At least 4 hours (but not more than 12 hours) before you plan to serve, sprinkle the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place in a 1-gallon sealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. Seal the bag and massage it lightly to be sure the chicken is coated with the buttermilk. Place in the refrigerator to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in an unheated 12" cast-iron skillet and tilt the pan so the oil covers the bottom. Lift the thighs out of the buttermilk, letting any excess buttermilk drip off, and place them in the skillet, skin side up, in one layer. Discard the marinade. In a small bowl, combine the mustard and wine and brush it on the top of the chicken. Sprinkle with the thyme, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place the skillet in the oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate and put the potatoes, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into the skillet. Toss to coat with the pan juices then spread the potatoes out. Return the chicken to the skillet, placing it on the potatoes. Roast 30 minutes longer until the chicken registers 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer just the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Return the skillet to the oven, raise the temperature to 425F and roast the potatoes for 15 minutes, until they're tender and starting to brown. Return the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with the parsley, chives, and extra salt. Serve hot from the skillet. 

Ina Garten's Lasagna with Sausage

 

 It has literally been years since I've made lasagna, but the family was craving it so I decided to give Ina's Lasagna with Sausage a go!

Ina uses turkey sausage for her recipe, but I decided to use regular sweet Italian pork sausage for lots of reasons: 1) we love pork sausage 2) couldn't find turkey sausage and not sure I'd like it in lasagna  3) price of groceries is outrageous anymore and I just buy the best quality products I can get on sale. I think everyone should buy and use what they like and I also think we have to consider the price of groceries more than we have in years past. 

My family likes a sausage sauce way better than any beef based sauces. I will tell you right now that this sauce was incredible! I think a lot of it had to do with the good quality sausage I used, so try to buy a good sausage.

I always cook my lasagna noodles to al dente, but Ina had me trying a new method. Ina says to soak your lasagna noodles in hot tap water for 20 minutes. If you like your lasagna noodles very al dente then this would be a great method for you! My husband loved how toothsome the lasagna noodles were. They were a little too toothsome to me and I'm looking forward to the leftovers b ecause I think the noodles will soften as they sit overnight and soak up the sauce.

All in all, this is a wonderfully classic lasagna recipe! The flavors are all on point and we all really loved it. I think this would be a wonderful dish to deliver to friends and family and I can definitely see myself keeping this recipe in my backpocket. I truly think it's a recipe that everyone would like. 

 

Lasagna with Sausage

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 8-12

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 chopped yellow onion

2 chopped garlic cloves

1 chopped red bell pepper 

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage or turkey sausage*

1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

1 egg

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

*Notes: Ina directs you to soak your noodles in hot tap water. If you enjoy a more toothsome noodle then this would work wonderfully for you. If you enjoy a softer noodle, then go ahead and boil your noodles and follow all the other instructions. I spiced our lasagna up with a heavy dose of red pepper flakes, but feel free to spice yours up how you like!

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until translucent/soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9x12 inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan (or amount to your liking). Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Everything's Coming Up Green @ IHCC

Jalapeno Garlic Butter Shrimp

 

This week I'm doing some spring cleaning in the kitchen; cleaning out the fridge, the freezers, and the pantry. I have lots of shrimp in the freezer that needs to be used, as well as a huge bag full of hot peppers from a friend's garden last summer. A quick peruse through my Half Baked Harvest books and I found just the recipe to help me use up some ingredients, Tieghan's Jalapeno Garlic Butter Shrimp. 

I mixed up a quick marinade for the shrimp: olive oil, honey, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, and lemon juice. I did give pause here because I know that lemon and lime juice cooks fish and seafood and I've never marinaded any seafood or fish before.

Tieghan says to marinade the shrimp for 15-30 minutes. I marinaded my shrimp for exactly 15 minutes before searing them in a very hot cast iron pan. The shrimp cooked quickly, but after searing them she says to add the marinade into the pan. I followed the directions and as soon as all that liquid hit the pan I regretted it. Instead of sauteing, the shrimp were now boiling and steaming in the marinade, not necessarily the vibe I was going for.

I pulled a shrimp out and tasted it. It was overcooked. My guess is adding the marinade which made the shrimp boil and steam, turned them into rubber. It was either that or marinading the shrimp in lemon and lime juice, or a combination of the marinading and the steaming/boiling. The flavors were ok, the jalapenos gave the shrimp just the right amount of heat, but I also didn't care for the addition of the honey. 

Half Baked Harvest struck out last week and is striking out again this week. I am definitely going to cook with a different chef next week.

As far as shrimp recipes go, I think I will definitely stick to my very favorite shrimp dish of all time, Rick Bayless' Quick Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic, because the garlic is front and center and the shrimp are cooked to perfection. I still remember the first time I made this and accidentally inhaled the entire dish straight out of the pan.

Jalapeno Garlic-Butter Shrimp

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple

by Tieghan Gerard

Serves 4

1 pound large, raw tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

4 to 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons butter

 salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large zip-top bag (or mixing bowl if you don't use bags), combine the shrimp, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the honey, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, and lemon juice. Turn to coat Marinate in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, use a slotted spoon to scoop the shrimp and garlic out of the marinade, reserving it, and transfer them to the skillet. Cook until the shrimp are pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add the reserved marinade, butter, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the garlic turns light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Serve this shrimp by itself, or over rice, or stuff into tacos and finish it off with your favorite slaw!

 

Spring Cleaning (the fridge, freezer, and pantry) @ IHCC!