Monday

New Pans

Welcome the 7" and 14" to the cake family

Sate Couscous

12 oz cubed chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/2 pieces)
sate seasoning (Penzy's)
a little cooking oil
1 box pearl couscous
2 1/2 C. hot water*
1 tsp. chicken stock* (*or 2 1/2 C. chicken broth)
pepper
just a little bit of lemon zest, it goes with sate very nicely

In your skillet, gently heat oil and add chicken. Season chicken with pepper and sate seasoning. As the chicken cooks the sate will develop a bright yellow color. Add box of couscous to the skillet along with chicken broth, and lemon zest. Simmer without lid for about 12 minutes until the couscous drinks the water. Stir occasionally. Dish is done when there are no pools of liquid around the chicken bites. I served mine with a sweet potato. Cooked in about 15 minutes. Serves 2.

Pesto Chicken

Prepare according to package directions. I served my chicken with a wild rice blend.

Bonsai

Poached Pears

3 small tart pears      1 C. white wine
dash nutmeg             dash of China Five Spice
1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
 
Slice pears and remove seeds.  Simmer the pears in the wine and seasonings for about 30 minutes until they are tender.  Add sugar to taste.

Snow Crab Buffet

Giant Eagle was having a seafood sale this weekend.  I got a great deal on snow crabs. They are surprisingly easy to make.  Did you know that crabs are cooked and flash frozen before they are sold?  Just boil a pot of water, add some salt, add crab legs and boil until they are warm.  It took about 7 minutes.  I served mine with steamed broccoli, and brown rice with saffron.

Pajama Shorts

Had a great time showing Shanna how to sew her very own pair of pajama shorts.  Maybe next time we move up to pants!

Shrimp Pasta

Still had half a bag of frozen shrimp from the seafood sale two weeks ago, and I thought they sounded good.  I sauteed them in 2 Tbs. butter with pepper, lemon pepper, garlic, and lemon juice until they were cooked.  I then added asparagus (on sale for .99/lb this week) and steamed if for 5 minutes. I used about 3 Tbs. of heavy cream to form a bit of a sauce for the spaghetti and topped the dish with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.  It was delightful! Everyone has been so jealous of my 'leftovers' lately.

Creamy Ceasar Dressing

1 tin anchovies                                      1 small cup unflavored yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon mustard                           1 Tb. red vinegar
pepper                                                       1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1 lemon                                     fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Mince anchovies (or use 2 tsp. anchovy paste) and place them in a bowl. Add mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce to make a chunky brown sauce. Whisk in lemon juice and yogurt and it becomes creamy. Adjust the flavor with pepper. Use the dressing to make your salad. Be sure to top your salad with fresh Parmesan cheese or it won't taste right.

Manicotti

1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained
1 small tub ricotta cheese
1 same size tub cottage cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

To assemble the manicotti, pour spaghetti sauce in your baking dish. Fill your boiled and cooled manicotti noodles with a pastry bag. Make sure the filling is evenly distributed. Top noodles with the remaining marinara sauce, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella over the top. Bake 350*

Pretzel M&M Cookies

3/4 C. brown sugar                    3/4 C. white sugar
1 egg                                               1 1/2 Stick butter
3/4 tsp. baking powder (can)   1/2 tsp. baking soda (yellow box)
2.5 C. flour                                  5 individual bags Pretzel M&Ms

Cream butter, sugar, and egg together. Add baking powder and soda. Add flour a little bit at a time until it gets thick like cookie dough should be. Gently fold in M&Ms. If you use the machine they will get broken.
I packed the cookies in Hello Kitty bags for the Prosecutor Office's Bake Sale.

Tamales

Step 1: Make the filling.
Step 2: Prepare the masa dough according to package directions.
Step 3: Spread dough on corn husk with a Tbs. of filling. Fold the tamale.
Step 4. Steam them for about an hour.

Saffron Rice

Saffron rice with the last of the leftover lamb. Make rice as usual but add 4-5 threads of saffron.
Reheat leftover roast under the broiler (7 minutes). Saute mushrooms with butter in a skillet (8 minutes). When mushrooms are done, add trimmed asparagus. Add a touch of water, cover pan and let steam (2 minutes). Turn off heat and let rest for a moment. Cook time: 20 minutes because of rice.

Angelfood Cake

I got a great deal on raspberries this weekend, and I knew just how I wanted to eat them. Fat free cake.

Lamb Tortellini

Frozen, ready made tortellini
leftover cubes of meat (Laaaaaamb)
cut broccoli
sliced mushrooms (whatever you had in the fridge)
butter, pepper, garlic
fresh Parmesan cheese

Boil noodles (takes 5 minutes or so). Meanwhile re-heat the meat under the broiler for 7 minutes or until it smells done. Meanwhile, saute your vegetables in a skillet with butter and garlic. Assemble your dinner. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh pepper. It smells like it took you all day to make it.

Happy Easter

Lamb with garlic, pepper, and rosemary. Baby potatoes with butter and parsley and steamed asparagus. I over-cooked it. Lamb is done at 165*. 180* is just too much.

Daal

I made perfect Basmati rice for lunch today. I was so impressed with myself.

First Contact Day

 

Happy First Contact Day, everyone. It’s the holiday celebrated by good people of the galaxy in tribute to the flight of the Phoenix and the pivotal first interaction between humans and Vulcans. The event took place – or will take place, on April 5, 2063. That evening, a Vulcan survey ship, the T’Plana-Hath, landed in Bozeman, Montana, after tracking the warp signature of the Phoenix, a spacecraft that represented mankind’s first successful attempt at achieving warp drive. Moments later on that same day, a robed Vulcan greeted Dr. Zefram Cochrane, first Contact was made, setting in motion a chain of events that led to the formation of the United Federation of Planets.

Bunny

I crocheted a bunny and gave him button eyes and a button tail. Size E hook, and sock yarn.

Cookie Cutters

I got some awesome cookie cutters in the discount aisle at the grocery store. Cookies will be baked soon.

Armenian Shish Kabobs

1 lb. lamb cut into cubes                   1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper                                 1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. paprika                                1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I forgot to add this)
2 cloves garlic, crushed (1 tsp.)         1/2 tsp. thyme (3 sprigs, fresh)
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)   1 C. plain yogurt (1 individual Dannon cup is enough)
Skewers

Combine all ingredients in a resealable Ziploc bag. Refrigerate overnight if possible. Broil/Grill until lamb is tender but still pink in the middle. I made rice pilaf and hummus for my dinner.