Archive for March, 2010
Recipe of the Week – Grilled Veggie Sandwiches
(From the Vegetarian Entree category at www.emealsforyou.com)
Grilled Portabella Sandwich
Our company arrived in the rain and the rain stayed most of the weekend. We decided that we would have something a little different from the usual fare for lunch on one of the days. As I don’t mind grilling in the rain and cold; I decided to do grilled veggie sandwiches. This is a really easy to prepare lunch and always gets a smile from the guests as it is unexpected and visually attractive.
We grilled portabella mushrooms, red peppers, onions, yellow squash and asparagus. I peeled the asparagus, I always peal my asparagus. It is amazing that this is such filling and satisfying meal, even without meat.
Grilled Veggie Sandwiches
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Vegetarian Entrée |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 1 | large | baguette |
| 0.25 | cup | olive oil, divided |
| 3 | medium | squash. yellow |
| 8 | oz | mushrooms, portabella |
| 1 | 10 oz container | roasted red peppers |
| 1 | medium | onion, red |
| 0.33 | lb | asparagus |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| 8 | oz | cheese, Alloutte |
Cut baguette in half lengthwise and drizzle with 1 Tb of the olive oil. Cut squash, mushrooms and onion in thick slices and place in a large bowl; add the red peppers. Peel asparagus and place in the bowl, add salt and pepper and the remaining oil and stir. Place veggies on a hot grill and grill quickly on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove veggies from the grill and place in the bowl. Grill the baguette on the grill until just slightly brown. Spread Alloutte on each half of the bread, arrange the veggies on top and cut into pieces and serve.
Recipe of the Week – Beef Stroganoff
(From the Beef category at www.emealsforyou.com)
Beef Stroganoff
I am preparing for a visit this week; my mother-in-law is coming for a quick visit. We are just finishing all the painting and stuff on our new place so the timing is good. As is usual I try to get as much of the cooking, mainly the desserts, prepared in advance. Carrot cake is on the menu and I needed a few things from the grocery so off to the store I went, with a stop to pick up more paint. I know I pontificate on planning meals but occasionally I will find a bargain at the market and slip that into my meal prep for that day. I was looking for some ribs that I could put in the oven and let them cook for the hours of painting I had left but for some reason there must have been “a run” on ribs and not a rib was to be found in the cooler. I did find some beef cubes on sale and decided to make some stroganoff.
This worked out just fine as the longer you cook stew, and stroganoff is basically a beef stew with sour cream added, the better it gets. I decided to make some homemade noodles to go with the stew, added a salad and there you have it a wonderful mid-week meal with the minimum effort.
Beef Stroganoff
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Beef Entrée |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 3.5 | lb | beef, cubes |
| 8 | oz | mushrooms, quartered |
| 4 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 1 | 10.5 oz can | beef consommé |
| 1 | 15 oz can | chicken broth |
| 3 | medium | bay leaves, whole dried |
| 8 | oz | sour cream |
| 2 | Tb | cornstarch |
| 0.25 | cup | water |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Heat oil in a large pot, add beef in batches and brown on all sides. Remove beef, add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, add beef back to the pot. Add the consommé, the broth and the bay leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes, until beef is fork tender. Mix cornstarch, sour cream and water together and add to the pot. Return the pot to a boil for 3 minutes, until thickened, reduce heat. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot, buttered noodles.
Recipe of the Week – Old-fashioned Homemade Bread
(From the Breads category at www.emealsforyou.com)
Old-fashioned Homemade Bread
The weather is still a little chilly here. We had a week in the low 60′s and then the rain, which brought back the chilly weather. It’s a good day to bake bread. We have company coming next week and then Easter brunch here so I will begin to bake the breads I will serve. I usually bake it and freeze it until I need it; then simply put it in a warm oven just before serving.
This recipe comes to us via my partner, Chef Teresa. It is a wonderful addition to any meal and is great for those leftover sandwiches. Give it a try but be fore-warned; you ‘d better make two loaves as the first one will disappear while it is still warm from the baking.
Old Fashioned Homemade Bread
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Breads |
| Meal: | Veggie – Veggie Brunch (Theme Meal Plans) |
| 2 | cup | water |
| 1 | cup | oats, old-fashioned rolled |
| 2 | package | yeast, dried |
| 1 | Tb | salt, table |
| 0.5 | cup | honey |
| 3 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 4.5 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
Pour two cups of boiling water over 1 cup of rolled oats. Let mixture stand for 1/2 hour. Mix two pkgs dry yeast into 1/3 cup wrist temperature water in a small bowl. To the oat mixture add 1 Tablespoon salt, 1/2 cup honey, and two tablespoons melted butter. Make sure mixture is at room temperature then stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually add 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour. Knead five to eight minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Put dough in large greased bowl and cover bowl with clean towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch it down and divide in half. Shape into two loaves and put in two large greased bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Brush melted butter over top of baked loaves.
Recipe of the Week – Clams, Shrimp and Mussels
(From the Appetizer category at www.emealsforyou.com)
Clams. Mussels and Shrimp
Come over and bring an appetizer. To some that sends terror, some it means a stop at the local market for one of those “shrimp rings” but to me it opens the door to bring a great dish. I like this dish because it sends wonderful garlicy smells throughout the kitchen. It is perfect because most people will find something they like in the dish. Whether you like shrimp, or mussels or clams they are all in there soaking up all the garlic and white wine.
I serve this in a large bowl surrounded by crunchy bread to sop up the juices. This is a great appetizer or serve it over pasta and call it a meal.
Pour the wine, please.
Greek Mussels, Shrimp and Clams
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plates Please (Picnic Meal Plans) |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 0.5 | cup | carrots, diced |
| 0.5 | cup | onions, diced |
| 0.5 | cup | celery ribs |
| 1 | Tb | thyme, fresh |
| 6 | cloves | garlic, chopped |
| 1 | 15 oz can | tomatoes, diced |
| 12 | oz | wine, dry white |
| 2 | lb | mussels |
| 1 | lb | shrimp, deveined, shelled |
| 12 | medium | clams |
| 2 | Tb | cilantro, chopped |
| 1 | Tb | lemon zest, finely chopped |
| 0.5 | medium | lemon, juice of |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Clean and rinse mussels and clams. Add oil to hot pan, sauté carrots, onions and celery (diced) until soft, add thyme, garlic, sauté for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine, clams, shrimp and mussels, cover pan, cook until mussels and clams open, discard unopened mussels and clams. Place on serving platter, sprinkle with zest, lemon juice and cilantro.
Getting Organized – Now Where Did I Put That Recipe?
(From www.emealsforyou.com)
I was reading an article in the New York Times today that was announcing a new app that allows I-phone users to look up recipes and then save recipes; as they called it a breakthrough. No offense here but we have been doing that for over a year with our website: www.emealsforyou.com. So it got me thinking about how most people are unorganized and are constantly looking for recipes that they and their families liked.
This is one of the core requirements that our focus group told us was important 5 years ago. Not only do we have hundreds and hundreds of recipes and meal plans, all automatically scaled to the number of people you are feeding, but you may simply “park” any recipe or meal plan in your Favorites Box. No more looking for the folder with all the recipes falling out to get to the one you wish to make. No more searching through all those index cards for the right one. Simply go to our site, sign in, go to your Favorites Box and pull down the recipe or meal plan. If surprise guests are coming for dinner; just update the recipe to that number by clicking on the drop down menu. That’s it.
Maybe the Times needs to look beyond the I-phone only apps.
Recipe of the Week – Beef Vegetable Soup
(From the Soups Collection at www.emealsforyou.com)
Beef Vegetable Soup
I will try not to jinx it but hopefully we are in the last days of this cold, snowy winter. For this post I will get back to my soup making recipes, although my wife reminds me that soups are good all year long. A hot bowl of soup on a cold day really hits the spot. My father used to make a huge pot of this soup on Saturdays in the winter when we were growing up. He would use up all the small portions of vegetables in those plastic bags in the back of the freezer. It’s a good excuse to clean out the frozen vegetables that have been taking up space.
If your grocery doesn’t have any beef soup bones in the case just ask the meat cutters for some, they always have some in the freezer and should charge you a small amount per pound. As for the soup meat, you can usually find this in the case but any beef will do; I usually look for the least expensive cut as it will cook for a long time and will be tender. Don’t add the salt until you are just about done cooking it as it will reduce and any salt added early will become more pronounced when done.
Give this soup a try, your family will like it and the house will smell great as you watch the last of the ice melt outside.
Beef Vegetable Soup
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Soups |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 2 | Tb | oil, olive |
| 1 | lb | beef soup bones |
| 1 | lb | beef soup meat |
| 1 | large | onions, chopped |
| 4 | 15 oz can | beef broth |
| 1 | qt | water |
| 2 | lb | mixed vegetables, frozen |
| 1 | 15 oz can | tomatoes, diced |
| 0.5 | tsp | oregano, dried |
| 3 | medium | bay leaves, whole dried |
| 1 | Tb | garlic powder |
| 3 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
Heat oil in a large soup pot and soup bones and soup meat. Brown on all sides. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add broth, water, vegetables, diced tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for several hours, skimming off the foam that forms on the top. Remove bones and soup meat to a separate bowl; using a fork shred meat, discarding bones and fat. Place meat back in soup and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
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