A hiatus from chicken...

I guess it can be easy to fall into a groove of using the same main ingredient. I didn't realize I had done that until my husband said he didn't want to eat chicken for at least two weeks.

So my chicken hiatus sent me scurrying back to my cookbooks. This was going to be a challenge for sure.

Oh, if I only had a grill! I tend not to make steak or burgers very much because of that reason, and besides, if I want either of those, so many restaurants in Arlington do a much better job.

So what would I make? I decided on something with shrimp -- Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham to be exact. I had made this awhile ago, and thankfully, it was rather simple to prepare and tasted delicious too.

That would take care of one meal. Back to the cookbooks...

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham
(Courtesy of Ellie Krieger)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces diced, smoked ham
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
Hot pepper sauce

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the next 11 ingredients, salt through the diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Stir in the rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Add the shrimp and cook, covered, for 5 minutes more, or until shrimp is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with hot pepper sauce.

Time for the Slow Cooker!

Time to break out the slow cooker! I had almost forgotten I even owned one and then the temperature dropped, ushering in a need-to-hibernate-and-eat-slow-cooked-food kind of feeling. (That, and cookies.)

I love this slow cooked stew recipe below - it's not your typical beef stew because of the hoisin sauce, which has a wonderful sweetness. And don't be afraid of the hot sauce - the heat isn't overwhelming. (Although if you like heat, you may want to add a little bit more than what the recipe calls for.) The best part is that I was able to put this together with a toddler underfoot, which means it's rather easy too. And these days, that's the best kind of meal. Hopefully, doing more slow cooking will leave me more time to bake some cookies.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew
(Courtesy of Whole Foods)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup beef broth
1 (10-ounce) bottle hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, grated
1 1/2 pounds cubed round or chuck stew beef
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
1 cup baby carrots
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

Directions:
Whisk together broth, hoisin, hot sauce, garlic and ginger in a wide, shallow dish or bowl. Add beef, onions, carrots and celery and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Refrigerating overnight is optional. The stew will still turn out delicious.)

Transfer meat mixture to a slow cooker, cover and cook on a low setting until beef is very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Alternately, cook on a high setting for about 3 hours. Ladle into bowls and serve. (I like to serve this stew over rice.)

A week of 10 year anniversaries...

It's been a week of remembering events that happened 10 years ago, and my personal story is no different. While we were engulfed in the 9/11 tragedy, I was preparing to move to a different state, further away from home than I had ever lived. People that week repeatedly asked me why I would move to the Washington, DC, area from Pittsburgh, given the awful attacks. Yet I didn't feel unsafe. Unfortunately, there is no area in the world that is truly safe. I was excited to start a new phase of my life, yet, like everyone else in this country at the time, I was in a cloud of uncertainty about what would happen next.

Now, 10 years later on this very day, I've gone from driving my car packed with my belongings, my dad following behind driving the moving van, wondering where I would find work and how I would make new friends, to a day where I woke up next to my husband of 6 years in our home in Clarendon, with our 1-year-old daughter peacefully sleeping in the next room. It's such a wonderful contrast, it brings tears to my eyes as I type. God is good.

It's good to reflect on where we've been and how far we've come. We can see hope in the midst of tragedy and uncertainty. We can see love bloom where we didn't know it would grow. We can see that some dreams do come true. We can know for certain that there is redemption.

In honor of 10 years of living in Northern Virginia, I submit to you one of my new favorite recipes for a cuisine I didn't try until I moved here -- Indian food. It's not spicy, just savory and delicious. (I know many people who say they don't want to eat Indian food because it's too spicy. Not so here.)

So here's to trying new things, to future hopes and dreams, and to the next 10 years!

Chicken Tikka Masala
(Courtesy of Redbook)

Ingredients:

From the pantry -
2 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. each garam masala, garlic puree, and minced fresh ginger
1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
1 (15 oz) jar tikka masala cooking sauce
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Fresh ingredients -
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Accompaniments -
cooked basmati rice with green peas - (follow cooking directions on the rice package, adding frozen peas while the rice boils)
Cucumber Raita  - optional - (see below for recipe)

Method:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook 4 minutes, turning pieces as they brown (chicken will still be raw in middle); remove to a plate.

2. Add onion, garam masala, garlic, and ginger to skillet; saute 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes and saute 2 minutes longer.

3. Add tikka masala sauce and bring mixture to a boil; cover skillet and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken to sauce and stir in coconut milk. Continue to simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in cilantro. Serve over cooked basmati rice with green peas and Cucumber Raita.

Makes 6 servings.
Each serving: 278 cal, 15 g fat, 25 g protein, 10 g carb

Cucumber Raita: Coarsely grate 1/2 of a long seedless cucumber and squeeze out most of its water. Combine in a bowl with 1 cup thick Greek yogurt and 1/2 tsp. each salt, ground cumin, and dried mint. Makes 1 cup.

The secret to kitchen inspiration has been found...

I've had a love/hate relationship with food the last few months. I love food, especially sweets, but since March, Chris and I started focusing on exercising six days a week and eating more healthfully and sweets usually don't fit into that regimen. Don't get me wrong, we are still eating some sweets, but we're trying to cut back a bit and try different things to satisfy our sweet teeth like eating dark chocolate or munching on fresh fruit. So I haven't been baking like I used to, which is kind of sad, and perhaps as a result, making meals have become somewhat routine and mundane.

I'm hoping that's changing a bit though. Maybe it was the short trip we took over Memorial Day weekend to St. Michaels, MD, where the seafood (especially crab) is plentiful, that gave me a much-needed break from cooking, let alone even thinking about it, that is giving me new momentum. After all, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, making "adult" food and lots of baby food since Claire is getting bigger and requiring more calories. The only thing I had to think about food-wise over the weekend was at what restaurant to eat. Now, that's a vacation! We stayed at a bed and breakfast (the Hambleton Inn) with a lovely innkeeper, Sherrie, who made amazing breakfasts, complete with dessert after each meal such as baklava and tiramisu. (Our diets were also on vacation.) One day we had afternoon tea at The Inn at Perry Cabin, a beautiful hotel with an idyllic scene -- a wide grassy lawn with wooden white lawn chairs and tables that led right up to the edge of the Chesapeake Bay that was dotted with sailboats. No wonder The Wedding Crashers movie was filmed there. (See pictures below.)

I must feel refreshed since the day after we got home, I made three dishes -- a delicious pasta with broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes, a Tex-Mex mash for Claire, and curry chicken with rice. I haven't done that much cooking in one day in quite a while. So I guess the moral of the story is that if you feel uninspired in the kitchen, take a vacation!

Here's one of the recipes I just that's now destined to be one of my go-to meals for the summer. It's easy, delicious and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Penne with Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Courtesy of Alan Greene, M.D., "Feeding Baby Green"

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
8 oz. penne pasta (I used elbow macaroni which worked fine.)
4 oz. portabella mushrooms, sliced (I used a 4 oz. can since I didn't have fresh on hand.)
3 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 oz. kalamata olives or other black olives
4 oz. feta cheese (I didn't have feta on hand so I just used Parmesan, and it was delightful nonetheless.)
2 oz. Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Method:
Put the sun-dried tomatoes and chopped garlic in a small bowl and pour the olive oil over them. Let them stand at least 30 minutes before cooking, or overnight, to allow the tomatoes to reconstitute and the oil to become flavored. If you allow the flavors to marry for longer than four hours, put them in the refrigerator. (Instead of following this step, I used a jar of sun-dried tomatoes that were packed in olive oil and just added them together with the 5 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in the skillet. It was much quicker that way.)

Cook the penne according to package directions in a very large cooking pot.

While the pasta is cooking, begin cooking the sauce. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the tomato-garlic-oil mixture to the pan. Saute for one minute. Add the mushrooms and broccoli, and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender but still crisp - about 5 or 6 minutes. If the mixture appears to be dry, add 1/4 cup of water during the process.

When the pasta is al dente, drain the water and pour the penne back into the cooking pot. Add the tomato, garlic, broccoli, and mushrooms to the pasta. Gently stir in the olives and feta cheese. Mix thoroughly. (I also added a few teaspoons of the oil in the sun-dried tomato jar for extra flavor and a teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a little kick.)

Divide into four servings and sprinkle Parmesan on each serving if desired.

Claire on the grassy lawn of The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, MD.

The Inn at Perry Cabin is in the background. Beautiful, isn't it?

Move over meat, vegetables are the new star!

I grew up on meat and potatoes so to speak, so the term "vegetarian" was like describing a member of a foreign country. Vegetables were normally just side dishes, not main dishes, in our family.

Well, fast forward just a couple of years (okay, maybe a few more than that), to present day. I wouldn't call myself a vegetarian (I still love meat too much) but I do love vegetables even though they're usually relegated to the side of a meal as an afterthought. After all, I have a husband who when he's hungry, wants to be filled up. Vegetables usually don't fill that void. Claire, on the other hand, is the one member of our family who consumes more than her fair share of them right now.

However, I found a dish that's pleasing to my hungry husband and to me, and that is (gasp!) vegetarian! This "Bombay Vegetable Stew" is quite delicious, nutritious, and plenty filling. The recipe is from a book titled "Feeding Baby Green" by Alan Greene, M.D., which, being a new mom and all, I've been reading since it has a lot of good meal ideas for kids. This is a meal I will eventually make for Claire when she gets a little more used to chunky textures but for now, I'm definitely going to be making this a lot for the adults in this household.

Bombay Vegetable Stew
Courtesy of Alan Greene, M.D., "Feeding Baby Green"

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils, dried (or 1 cup canned lentils)
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
3 large carrots, diced
1 cup cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup green peas
1 1/2 cups water (if using canned lentils, include the liquid from the can with the water to equal 2 cups total)
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:
In large saucepan, cook the dried lentils according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are tender. Add the ginger and stir.

Add the carrots and cauliflower to the onion mixture and continue to cook until the carrots are warm all the way through, but still crisp. Add the tomatoes and curry powder and cook a few minutes more.

Add the lentils, chickpeas, green peas, and water. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Turn off heat if you are not serving immediately to prevent the vegetables from becoming mushy. The flavors will intensify and blend beautifully. Reheat briefly before serving.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Tortilla Stack

I'm always on the hunt for dinner ideas that will be quick and easy to serve during the week.  My mom made this creative Tortilla Stack dish for us while we were visiting and it was delicious and relatively healthy. What's easier than putting a few layers together and then baking? Not much. And of course, any Mexican food is alright with me. I've made this several times and it's best right out of the oven. Leftovers tend to make the tortillas a tad soggy. But if you're looking to feed a crowd, this one's a pleaser! Thanks for the recipe Mom!

Tortilla Stack

(Recipe adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 T. fresh cilantro, minced

1 lb. ground beef, cooked

1 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 cups salsa

5 flour tortillas (8 inch)

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

5 T. sliced black olives

1/3 cup pickled jalapeno slices (I used a small can of diced mild green chiles which worked well.)

Method:

Saute peppers and onions in oil until tender. Remove from pan and set aside. Cook the beef in the same pan. Then add the peppers and onions to the meat, stir in the cilantro and cumin; heat through.

Spread 1/4 cup salsa into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate coated with nonstick cooking spray. Layer one tortilla, a 1/4 of the meat mixture, 1/4 cup salsa, 1/4 cup cheese, 1 T. olives and 2 or 3 jalapeno slices. Repeat layers three times. Top with remaining tortilla, salsa, olives and jalapeno slices.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5-10 minutes longer until heated through and cheese is melted.

Leftovers Revamped with Peruvian Chicken Dish

Leftovers really have a bad reputation, though I'm not sure why. I mean, I live for leftovers. In a mere few minutes, I have ready-to-eat, no-fuss food. Maybe combining the words "left" and "over" has a negative connotation, as if the extra food isn't worthwhile. Poor leftovers. Don't worry, you're always welcome in my house.

Leftovers will be happily eaten in my family if they are this Peruvian-Style Roasted Chicken dish, as pictured. I'd categorize this as a quick weeknight meal only if you have about an hour and a half to chop the ingredients and let the dish bake, but not many of us have that kind of time in the evening. So make this on the weekend when you have more time, and then come Monday morning, you'll have great leftovers for lunch or even dinner. I love this dish because of the delicious combination of flavors and the chicken ends up melting in your mouth. And it's pretty healthy as well. Bring on the leftovers!


Peruvian-Style Roasted Chicken
Courtesy of Whole Foods
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2510)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 1/2 T. sweet paprika (regular paprika is fine)
1 T. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 T. white wine vinegar
2 large sweet onions, peeled and thickly sliced (definitely use sweet onions, not regular onions, otherwise the dish won't taste as good)
1 chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces* (I used 2-3 chicken breasts instead.)
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into chunks
1 lemon, sliced

Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil a large roasting pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar and oil to make a paste. Place onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the paste. Rub chicken pieces with remaining paste and place in prepared pan, then cover with onions, peppers and lemon. Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice.

Easy Entertaining: Mexican Lasagna

I love, love, love, Mexican food.  But I haven't really ventured into making anything but tacos and quesadillas at home.  Now, I don't know whether Mexican lasagna really counts as true Mexican food, but in my Yankee mind, it must come close since the flavors are all there.  This is a great dish that I've made several times in several different ways -- a few times I added a can of refried beans to the layers (good but a little difficult to spread), and sometimes I don't add cilantro or the jalapenos.  The good thing about this recipe is that it's delicious and makes enough for company, a large family, or simply for seconds (and thirds).

Mexican Lasagna
(Adapted by Kelly Oliver from Robin Miller's "Quick Fix Meals")

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
12 ounces cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
(NOTE: I usually use a bag of the Mexican blended shredded cheese for the cheese in this recipe, rather than using these two different kinds of cheeses.)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (regular or low-fat), divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar (regular or low-fat), divided
½ cup mild, medium or hot salsa
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges (I usually use about 10 tortillas.)
Salt, to taste (I like to use at least 1/4 tsp.)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 11 by 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, black beans, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup of the Cheddar, salsa, chiles, cilantro, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of the tortilla pieces in the bottom of prepared pan, overlapping pieces slightly to cover the surface. Top with half of the chicken mixture and smooth over with the back of a spoon to even the top. Layer remaining tortillas over top, and spoon over remaining chicken mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup each of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To reheat, bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Elegant Entree: Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce

I've been experimenting with some different recipes, some of which have turned out well, some of which haven't, like a Rogan Josh recipe I tried -- it was good for my first Indian food but it could've been better.  I'd rather not post so-so recipes here.  I've also been solidifying and trying to perfect some of my go-to recipes, like a Mexican Lasagna which I'll add to this blog soon.  I've been looking for a good pork tenderloin recipe and found this one that incorporates cranberries and onions.  Sounded like a perfect fall recipe to me!  And it was.  Not only is this a delicious combination of ingredients for fall, but it's an easy, elegant dish.  If you serve this for dinner, your guests will certainly be impressed.  I served this the other night for dinner with acorn squash, which I simply cut in half and steamed in the microwave for about 5-7 minutes, adding some butter when it was done.  You could also add a side of rice and/or even a nice sweet cornbread (here's my go-to cornbread recipe: http://cookinginclarendon.blogspot.com/2009/09/moms-cornbread.html).  This is one dish I'm definitely making again soon.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce
(Courtesy of Bon Appétit, November 1998)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/100314?mbid=ipapp

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 8- to 10-ounce pork tenderloin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (I used about 2 tsp. dried rosemary.)
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  Sear pork on all sides, about 2 minutes.  Place skillet with pork in oven.  Roast pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 155 degrees, about 10 minutes.  (Mine took about 25 minutes to roast.)

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and rosemary; saute until onion softens, about 3 minutes.  Add broth, cranberry sauce and vinegar and whisk until cranberry sauce melts, about 2 minutes.

Transfer pork to work surface.  Scrape any juices from large skillet into cranberry mixture.  Boil until sauce has reduced enough to coat spoon thickly, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Some Like it Hot

If you read my blog, you'll notice that many of my posts are for sweets.  That's a "problem" that just cannot be helped.  But since I'm trying to be more health-conscious in my own eating life, I've found some wonderful recipes over the last few months that I need to share here that will hopefully inspire your eating life as well.  Another recent "problem" is that these delicious meals have made it on and off my dinner table so fast that it's hard to capture a photo.  After all, when you've got a baby, you learn to eat quickly.  Here's one of my favorite recipes (sans photo) that is delicious, simple to make, creates a beautiful presentation, and adds a nice spicy kick to your meal.  Hope you enjoy!


Belize Beef on Spiced Potatoes
(Courtesy of the National Beef Cook-Off® 2001)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained - divided
1 1/2 tsp. jarred minced garlic
1 tsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning
2 large unpeeled baking potatoes, such as russets (8 to 10 ounces each)
Salt, pepper and Caribbean jerk seasoning

Topping
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3/4 tsp. jarred minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning
1 T. diced tomatoes (from the main jar listed above)

Method:
Brown ground beef in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is not pink, breaking up into small crumbles. Pour off drippings. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the tomatoes. Add remaining tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic and 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning to beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover skillet; continue simmering 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile cut potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices; pierce in several places with a fork. Dip in cold water; sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper and jerk seasoning. Place in single layer on nonstick baking pan. Broil 3 to 6 inches from heat 10 to 12 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, turning once.

Combine topping ingredients and reserved 1 tablespoon tomatoes in small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spoon beef mixture over potatoes. Serve with topping.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Pepper Pasta

I love being able to throw together a delicious meal with things that I have on hand...recipes with special ingredients that I don't have in the pantry drive me nuts, especially when I'm hungry.  This dish was born out of that frustration (or inspiration, if you will).  It's a flexible dish, meaning that if you don't have a green pepper on hand, then omit it.  Just use one red pepper.  Or you can use a jar of roasted red peppers instead.  Or you might want to add some more pepperoni (sometimes I do).  I think I've perfected it now, but if you try it and find something else to add that makes it even better, please let me know!

Pepper Pasta
(Courtesy of Kelly Oliver)

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1/2 t. fennel, crushed
1 red pepper, chopped into medium pieces
1 green pepper, chopped into medium pieces
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped into small pieces
1 can diced tomatoes
20-25 thin slices of pepperoni (I use a pre-sliced brand), cut in halves
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
fun-shaped pasta (fusilli, farfalle, penne, rotini, etc.), about a half a box
parmesan cheese, to taste

Method:
Cook pasta according to package directions.  At the same time in a separate pot, heat 2 T. olive oil, adding crushed fennel.  Heat 1-2 minutes.  Add onion, red and green peppers, and saute 5-7 minutes or until softened.  (You may need to add more olive oil for sauteing the vegetables.)

Add diced tomatoes, pepperoni, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, pepper and salt.  Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes.

Stir cooked pasta into the sauce, mixing well.  (If you prefer having a saucier version, you might want to add another half of a can of diced tomatoes.)

Serve and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Easy Entertaining: Baked Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

It's funny how food moods change with the seasons.  Given how warm it's been (unusually warm for Washington, DC as well), I've been wanting lighter, fresher meals.  So when my family came for a visit over Easter weekend, I knew I wanted to make a shrimp dish.  I found the perfect one - Baked Lemon-Garlic Shrimp.  The taste was light and fresh, and it was definitely healthy.  I baked it in one big casserole dish and then served it over cous-cous.  Perfect!  This is a good dish for company since it's easy to assemble and it's healthy.  Your guests will thank you.

Baked Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
(Courtesy of  The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp
1 bunch (10-12 ounces) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 T. olive or vegetable oil
Salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. lemon-pepper seasoning salt
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Shell and devein shrimp.

In bowl, combine spinach, tomatoes, 1 T. olive oil, and 1/2 t. salt.  Toss to coat.  Place spinach mixture in four 1-1/2 cup shallow casseroles. (I didn't have individual casserole dishes, so I just used one large casserole dish, which worked just fine.)

In the same bowl, combine shrimp, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, lemon-pepper seasoning salt, 1 T. olive oil, and 1/2 t. salt; toss shrimp to coat.  Arrange shrimp mixture over spinach mixture.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until shrimp are opaque throughout.  If you're using individual casserole dishes, the recipe recommends that you serve this dish by placing each casserole on plate and garnishing with parsley sprigs.  (I served the shrimp over cous-cous.)

Note:  This recipe makes 4 main-dish servings (it allows plenty for seconds or leftovers).  Each serving is about 205 calories, 26g protein, 6g carbohydrates, 8g total fat (1g saturated), 219 mg cholesterol, 865 mg sodium.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta

Always on the search for an easy, yet tasty, dinner recipe, I came across this shrimp dish that looked like it was a quick, weeknight meal.  It was.  Tried it last night, and it took me roughly 30 minutes from the beginning to when we sat down to eat.  It was refreshing too because I have been making heavier, comfort-food type meals over the last few months.  The weather has finally started to warm up (60 degrees yesterday), and it was nice to have a filling, yet lighter, meal.

Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta
(Courtesy of Ruth Cousineau, Gourmet, November 2009)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Shrimp-and-Pancetta-on-Polenta-356050?mbid=ipapp

Ingredients:
1/2 cup instant polenta (you could also use cous-cous instead)
1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t. hot red pepper flakes
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes in their juice
1 lb. large raw shrimp, cleaned
1 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:
Make polenta according to package instructions.

Cook pancetta, garlic, and red pepper flakes in 2 T. olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is pale golden, 2-3 minutes.  (I used my trusty red Le Creuset Dutch oven...the pancetta creates a lot of splatter.)

Add tomatoes (with their juice) and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, 6-8 minutes.  Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Spoon polenta into shallow bowls and top with shrimp mixture.  Drizzle with remaining 1 T. olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.

Note on the tomatoes: Upon the recommendation of my Aunt Nancy, I picked up some Muir Glen fire-roasted diced tomatoes with basil and garlic at Whole Foods for this recipe.  She raves about their tomato sauces so I thought I'd give these a try.  Since they are fire-roasted, they definitely added a really nice element to this dish, though any diced tomatoes will work here.  If you're curious about Muir Glen, here's the website: http://www.muirglen.com.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Broiled Fish with Citrus and Herbs

I got to wander into Whole Foods this past weekend, which was quite a treat. I came out with two bags of groceries including green beans and a white fish I hadn't tried before: turbot. Whole Foods even gave me some inspiration for a way to prepare this delicious white, flaky fish. I used the Whole Foods iPhone app and found this gem. This is a great recipe that only takes a few ingredients and is super-simple to make. Try it and see if you like it too.

Broiled Fish with Citrus and Herbs

(Courtesy of Whole Foods)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 minced shallot (I subbed in red onion here, which worked well.)

1/4 t. dried tarragon

4-6 oz. mild fish fillet(s) such as sole, tilapia or arctic char (I used turbot.)

1/2 t. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

3 chopped Kalamata olives (optional)

Method:

In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, shallot and tarragon. Simmer until thickened, 15-20 minutes; cover and set aside.

Heat broiler. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with oil, salt and pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil 5 to 6 inches from heat, just until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes per half inch of thickness.

When fish is done, transfer fillet to serving plate, spoon sauce on top and sprinkle with olives.

I served freshly steamed green beans on the side, and you could also add rice as another side dish to soak up the extra orange sauce.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Sweet Italian Sausage with Zucchini and Tomatoes

This dish is becoming one of my favorites because it's a quick and healthy weeknight meal. Depending on the size of your family, it usually yields extra (for two-person households), making lunchtime the next day even better.

Sweet Italian Sausage with Zucchini and Tomatoes

(Adapted from a Whole Foods recipe)

Ingredients:

6 links Sweet Italian sausage (I prefer using turkey sausage)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 to 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano)

1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I use 2 zucchini)

3/4 pound mixed red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

Prepare sausages according to package directions, either in a sauté pan or on the grill. While they are cooking, heat olive oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and oregano, stir for a few seconds, then add zucchini and cook 3 to 5 minutes.

When sausages are cooked, cut into large bite-sized pieces and add to pan along with tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until tomatoes are just softened, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a large platter and serve.

Tip: I like to serve this over roasted garlic & olive oil cous-cous, which is super quick to make.