Receta Week 5, Vol II, January 29, 2010
Dinners of the Week:
Rice and Beef Burritos
Chicken 'n' Dumplings
Pasta e fagioli
Lamb with Sautéed Veggies
Honey Glazed Salmon
Dessert of the Week:
Chocolate Pudding
Snack of the Week:
Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Dinner One: Rice and Beef BurritosPrep Time: 30 min/Total Time: 45 min. Serves 4 with leftovers.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: These burritos are a great make ahead meal as they can be eaten cold, at room temperature or warmed in the microwave. Use any leftovers for lunch the next day. The flavors only intensify and become even more delicious! To make this meal vegetarian, substitute the beef with veggie ground round.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound (250 grams) extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup minced onion
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed well and drained
- 1-1/2 cups salsa (mild, medium or hot)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 3 cups cooked white or brown short or long grain rice
- 6 (10-inch) whole grain tortillas
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 12 thin slices, ripe avocados
- Garnishes:
- sprigs of cilantro
- lime wedges
- sour cream or plain yogurt
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Drain any fat, crumble and return meat to skillet. Add onion, ancho chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until onions are slightly softened for about 5 minutes. Stir in beans and salsa. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn (do not need to thaw) and rice until well combined.
To serve: Spoon about 1 cup of the rice mixture in the center of each tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup lettuce and 1/4 cup of cheese and two pieces of avocado. Add a sprig of cilantro, a squeeze of lime and dollop of sour cream/yogurt if desired. Fold bottom edge, then sides; roll up.
* Substitute chili powder if ancho chili powder is not available
Dinner Two: Slow Cooker Chicken ‘n’ Dumplings
Recipe from Judith Finlayson’s Slow Cooker Comfort Food
Prep Time: 30 min/Total Time: 3 – 5 ½ hours. Serves 4 with leftovers.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: If you are halving this recipe, be sure to use a small (2 to 3 quart) slow cooker instead of a large (4 to 6 quart) cooker. If you don’t want to use wine, add an extra cup of chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
*If you are using chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time to 4 hours on Low or 2 hours on High before adding the dumplings.
Ingredients - Chicken:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon each salt and cracked black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine (see Tip)
2 cups hot chicken stock
2 pounds (900 grams) skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts*, cut into 1-inch cubes
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup green peas
Ingredients – Dumplings:
1 egg, beaten
3⁄4 cup milk
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, salt, peppercorns and thyme and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Stir in stock, return to a boil and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
Arrange chicken evenly over bottom of slow cooker and cover with sauce. Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours or on High for 2 ½ hours, until juices run clear. Stir in cayenne, if using, and green peas and ensure slow cooker is set to High.
Dumplings: Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together egg, milk, salt, pepper and parsley. Whisk in baking powder. Add flour and mix well (batter will be thick). Drop batter by heaping tablespoon into hot liquid. Cover and cook on High about 20 minutes, until dumplings are cooked through. Serve immediately.
Dinner Three: Pasta e fagioli
Recipe from Toni Fiore's Totally Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 45 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: To perk up the taste of canned beans, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Rinse the canned beans, add them to the boiling water, and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and use according to your recipe.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
salt, to taste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
3 sage leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15 ½ ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
2 cups cooked pasta, such as ditalini
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and a pinch of salt and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the carrots are firm-tender.
Add the rosemary, sage, and oregano and blend. Add the beans, tomatoes, and 3 cups water.
Bring to a boil and quickly lower to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
An immersion blender can be used to partially puree the soup to add thickness and body, but this isn’t necessary.
Season with salt and pepper, spoon the hot soup over the cooked pasta, and serve hot.
Dinner Four: Lamb with Sautéed Veggies
Recipe by Ruth Lee from All Recipes
Prep Time: 10 min/Total Time: 20 min. Recipe adjusted to serve 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Use any combination of vegetables you would like for the sautéed vegetables if you have vegetables in your fridge that need to be used.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1-1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch salt
pinch pepper
8 (6 ounce) lamb loin chops (1-inch thick)
1 medium sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oil, mustard, vinegar, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper; set aside 1 tablespoon. Place the lamb chops on a broiler pan. Spread remaining mustard mixture over both sides of chops.
Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F).
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the red pepper, zucchini and onion in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Stir in reserved mustard mixture; toss to coat. Serve with lamb chops.
Dinner Five: Honey Glazed Salmon
Recipe from Kathleen of One Tree Past the Fence
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: When purchasing salmon for this recipe, you are best to use fresh fillets not frozen. Fresh fish should have no fishy smell, shiny skin, and the flesh should be smooth and clean, not at all slimy. Local farmers markets are usually the best places to purchase fresh fish and the fish monger should have no problem telling you when the fish came in.
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets
½ cup butter
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
lemon zest
1 ½ cups rice
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Begin cooking rice according to package directions.
Heat butter, honey and brown sugar until it melts. Add lemon zest to taste.
When rice is 10 minutes from being finished, line a baking tray with foil. Place salmon fillets on tray then brush the salmon with the glaze.
Put in oven on top rack. Brush more glaze on the salmon after 4 minutes.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until almost cooked through. While salmon is cooking, add peas to cooked rice and stir to combine. Add in 2 tablespoons of butter and season to taste with salt.
Remove salmon and serve with rice and peas.
Dessert of the Week: Chocolate Pudding
Recipe from JM and M Hirsch’s Venturesome Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 min/ Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: For those who are dairy intolerant (or not!), instant pudding need not come from a box. And dairy-free chocolate pudding need not taste like cardboard. This pudding great over warm brownies or vanilla soy and regular ice cream.
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 cups (roughly 1 bag) dark or nondairy chocolate chips
2 (12-ounces each) packages soft, silken tofu
1⁄4 cup safflower oil or walnut oil
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in the bottom half of a double boiler. Add the chocolate chips to the top half and remove double boiler from the heat. Stir 2–3 minutes, or until chips have melted.
Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Add the chocolate and purée again until smooth. Serve immediately or chill.
Snack of the Week: Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Recipe from Naomi of The Taste Traveller
Prep Time: 20 min/Total Time: 45 min. Makes 12 muffins.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: You can substitute some whole wheat flour for the all-purpose, chopped apple for some of the banana, and omit the sugar if desired when using cinnamon. With all of the fruit packed into these muffins, they are pleasantly sweet without it.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (optional)
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
2 cups (5-6) mashed bananas
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
Directions:
Spray 12 large muffin cups with non stick cooking spray or line with paper cups.
Combine first seven dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Beat egg whites, banana, and melted butter/margarine together until smooth. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
Fill muffins cups almost full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
Remove from muffin tin and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes.
Enjoy plain or slice in half and enjoy with just a smidgen of butter or honey.
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