Mexican Toastadas – johanna
August 20th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

I have always loved spicy food. I thought I could handle heat that is until at Seventeen I traveled cross county to Texas. The salsa there was so hot my mouth was inflamed for the rest of the day. I dared not eat another lick of the stuff the remainder of my visit in Texas. Upon my return home I remained adverse to hot spicy foods for sometime. Years later I returned to Texas. It was there I learned from many friends how to cook some of my most favorite Mexican dishes. One evening at Mrs. Rodriguez house I learned to make Tostadas complete with homemade refried beans. There are so many ways to make frijoles refritos but to be honest I have no problem using a can of store bought refried beans. It is super quick and before you know it dinner is on the table. I do however, enjoy making my own tortillas. Corn or flour can be used. Traditionally corn is the tortilla of choice but flour will work. The tortillas can be baked in the oven until crispy about 8 minutes on 375 degrees for a less fat version.

Serves 5-6
5-6 corn or flour tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can Refried beans
2 Romaine Lettuce Hearts or 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, sliced thin
Shredded Cheddar or crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped or guacamole
1 small onion, diced
1 cup of Salsa
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup diced Red Pepper

Pour about 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet. Heat on medium-high until oil sizzles when a drop of water or crumb is placed in pan. (Not smoking hot) The tortilla should sizzle and bubble up instantly after it is placed
in the oil. If not the oil is not hot enough. Cook tortilla 30 seconds on each side until firm and crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Meanwhile heat beans in a small pan. Stir in a little water, about 2-3 tablespoons stirring and mashing. Keep warm and moist.

To serve top tortilla with beans, lettuce, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, cheese and then any other desired toppings.

Technorati Tags: cheap, mexican, quick meals, RECIPES, refried beans, summer, toastadas

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Kansas City Style Sticky Spareribs – johanna
August 13th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

Growing up in the South ribs were a pretty common commodity at dinner, picnics and barbecues. In Texas the golden trumpet of barbecued meats was the brisket. While here in California is seems the beloved Tri-tip takes 1st place. I have never cooked ribs before, ok once at a friends house but my sister was co-chef and we ended up charring them to death; which was not much different from the way my father grilled them. It has been 11 years since I left the Sunshine state and even longer since I had rib because I was a pour college student. I was not about to let another summer go by without the taste of ribs. Yes I have been to a BBQ restaurant our here but what they served up did not constitute fine finger lick’n Southern barbecue goodness. The worst part was what they tried to charge for the monstrosity.

This recipe was tucked away in my file folder of ‘need to try’ recipes. It is not Dale’s BBQ but they were tasty and satisfying. I have to confess though I do not have a grill so our ribs were roasted in the oven. It is not the same as eating real slow cooked smoked ribs where the meat just falls off the bone but they were moist and tender so if you do not have access to a grill it is doable.

Source: unknown
1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp hot paprika
4 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 racks pork spareribs (7 pounds total)
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

For Grill: Soak 3 cups woods chips in water according to the package directions or for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, celery salt, salt and pepper. Run a knife down the length of the bone side of each rack to split the skin, then season all over with the rub.

Remove the grill racks, arrange a drip pan or disposable baking sheet on one side of the grill to catch drippings. Drain the wood chips and transfer to a 2-foot long sheet of heavy duty foil. Wrap tightly creating a secure pouch, then poke 10 holes in the top to create a smoker box. Place the pouch on the side of the grill opposite the drippings pan. Set the grill racks into place, close the grill and preheat to 325 degrees.

Working quickly, arrange the ribs, meaty side up, over the drip pan. Grill, covered, turning occasionally, until the meat shrinks away from the bone and is fork tender, about 3 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combing the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the ketchup, honey and vinegar over medium high heat and season with salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Brush the ribs all over with the sauce, arrange meaty side up and grill uncovered, turning once at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut the racks unto individual ribs and serve with the sauce on the side.

Variations:
For a tangier less sweet sauce add more vinegar.
To bake in the oven: prepare ribs as above with rub. Wrap ribs in heavy duty foil and bake at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Check ribs after 2 1/2 hour mark if they are tender coat with sauce and continue to bake 20-30 minutes.Watch the ribs like a hawk. The oven tends to dry meat out especially pork.

Technorati Tags: 4th of july, barbecue, Memorial Day, picnic ideas, RECIPES, sticky spareribs, summer

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Boiled Eggs Tips and Tricks – johanna
July 27th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Breads, RECIPES - Breakfast, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides, RECIPES - Soup / Salad, RECIPES - Treats, THE BOOKSHELF

My favorite way to eat eggs is soft boiled with a runny yolk and a piece of toast to dip or mixed with a side of grits; it is part of my southern upbringing I suppose. Hard boiled eggs can be equally tasty sliced in a salad. Getting the eggs to the perfect stage and out of its shell though is the dilemma. My boss once asked me how to boil eggs. It took a moment to remember because boiling eggs was second nature; put them in a pot, cover with water, boil, steam, cold bath. Time…shime… I never kept track I just did it. Thankfully my advice panned out.

Once a month on Dazzledish we try to post a ‘how to’ tutorial on a particular food, gadget or cooking tip because we want everyone to learn the basics so they feel confident in the kitchen. This month we will learn the art of hard boiled eggs and a few recipes to use them in.

What you need:
6 large eggs
Water
Large pot
Ice cubes

Place the eggs in a single layer in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water to 1-inch above the eggs. Bring the water just to a boil on medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and steam for recommended time (see below). Immediately drain the hot water from the pot. Carefully cover the eggs with ice and cool water.

Soft Cooked Eggs:
A soft cooked egg has a firm white and runny yolk. Heat large eggs 1 1/2 – 3 minutes.
Soft cooked eggs are mostly served in an egg cup small end down. The top is removed to expose the runny yolk. The egg is eaten out of the shell using a small spoon. You can also use strips of toast to scoop up the yolk.

Medium Cooked Eggs:
Medium cooked eggs have a firm white and a slightly firm yolk. Heat large eggs 4 – 6 minutes. Pair peeled medium cooked eggs with poached asparagus or toast or in a Kedgeree.

Hard Cooked Eggs:
Hard cooked eggs have both a firm white and yolk. Heat large eggs 10 – 12 minutes or as long as 17 minutes.
Eat hard boiled eggs with a sprinkle of salt or try some of the international recipes listed below.
Deviled eggs
Soup
Salad toppings
Egg salad sandwich
Potato salad
Tuna Nicoise salad or Sandwich
Egg bread
Curry
Thai Son and Law Eggs
Pakoras from India
Cookies

TIPS:
– Some individuals like to add salt or vinegar. They say it makes removing the shell easier. Add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt to your water.
– Use eggs that are at least a few days old. Farm fresh eggs do not peel as easy.
– Do not boil eggs with cracks. They will break open and leak.
– Putting too much water in the pot will take longer to heat which can throw off the timing. Too little water will result in undercooked eggs.
– Watch the water. At the first sign the water is boiling remove the pot from the heat. Keep time from the moment you remove the pot from the heat and cover it.
– The ice bath stops the cooking process and the steam created inside the eggs will make it easier to peel.
– To peel start at the larger end where the air pocket is. Grab hold of the membrane under the shell and peel off.
– Chilled eggs are easier to slice. Warmer eggs are easier to crumble.
– Refrigerate unpeeled boiled eggs within a few hours for up to one week.
– The times listed may vary slightly due to the way your stove heats, the type and size of pot you use, the amount of water and number of eggs.

Technorati Tags: baby shower, BBQ, deviled eggs, Easter Egg Bread, Egg Cookies, Egg salad sandwich, food, How to boil eggs, Kedgeree, menus, Pakoras, picnic, Potato Aspragus soup, Potato salad, RECIPES, Soft yolk eggs, Son and Law Eggs, summer, Tuna Nicoise Salad, wedding shower

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Pannenkoek Dutch Apple Pancakes – johanna
July 16th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Breakfast, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

Last month I met some friends for breakfast at a local cafe. As a self-proclaimed pancake luver I decided to try the Dutch Apple Pancakes with sauteed apples. I was unsure with my decision because I am not a fan of the goopy sugary apple pie filling that typically smothers a beautiful stack of flap jacks at the more commercial establishments. I was more than pleasantly surprised when the waiter returned with my order. Our server placed before me three huge pancakes nestled on top of one another each one incorporated with sauteed apple slices and topped with a dollop of lightly whipped cream. They tasted as mouth watering as they looked with a crispy buttery outside and a tender pancake inside. The apple slices were actually cooked in each pancake. A clean simple dish.

Pannenkoek is a Dutch pancake that is larger and thinner than the fluffy American pancakes but slightly thicker than crepes. A traditional pannenkoek is about 10-12 inches in diameter and are usually infused with slices of bacon, sausage, fruits or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. They can be made thinner and rolled up like a crepe or eaten like a pancake with an endless combination of fillings and toppings from salmon to pizza to sweet.

We took our regular pancake recipe and thinned it out with a little more milk. You can choose to saute the apples in a little butter and cinnamon sugar beforehand or use thinly sliced raw apples.

2 sweet cooking apples such as McIntosh or Gala, cored and thinly sliced or cut in rounds
1 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 eggs
Milk 1 1/4 cup

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in eggs and a little milk until thickened. Add the rest of the milk to make a thin batter. Whisk in the melted butter.

Heat a little butter or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Pour in the batter to make desired sized pancakes. Immediately arrange the apple slices on top of the pancakes. When tops start to set with bubbles flip over. Continue to cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more until bottoms are slightly browned.

Makes 6 large pancakes

Technorati Tags: dinner, dutch apple, food, meals for kids, pancakes, Pannenkoek, RECIPES, RECIPES - Breakfast

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Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole – johanna
June 11th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

Tuna Noodle Casserole is what you get at the end of the month when the monthly grocery allotment is depleted and the items in the pantry and the refrigerator are limited. As for the pasta anything goes. I used half a box of the little tubular salad pasta and a can of mushrooms from the pantry. The extra pasta that was not added to the casserole was set aside for lunch the day.

I am not an advocate of purposely hiding vegetables I just like to use diced vegetables to help add flavor. The vegetables also contributes a few healthy vitamins and minerals that are lacking in an ordinary serving of pasta and tuna with peas. The broth is an important step that you may be tempted to overlook. Not only does the broth add a little flavor it helps to soften the celery and onion. If you skip adding the broth turn down the heat after adding the onions and celery and cook longer or you are likely to end up with crunchy tuna noodle casserole. I like the idea of not having to bake the casserole. First off the bread crumbs are eliminated and secondly the time is cut down to only 30 minutes.

2 cups broccoli
8 oz pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced, thinly
1/2 chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can tuna
Salt and pepper

Steam broccoli in a pot of water until slightly tender but still cunchy. Remove. Let cool then chop and set aside. Boil pasta in the same pot of water until desired doneness. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Add celery, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Melt butter in the same skillet with the vegetables. When the butter has melted stir in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk blending until all the lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth. Simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. Stir in cheese. Mix until well blended.

Stir in chopped broccoli and tuna. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Technorati Tags: dinner, easy recipes, families, skillet tuna noodle casserole, summer, traditions

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Quinoa Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers – johanna
May 28th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers makes for a delectable main dish paired with a side of garlic toast or a light salad. It is one of those feel good meals I would choose over a piece of chocolate any day. Please Do Not let the bell peppers deter you from trying the quinoa stuffing. If bell peppers are not your thing try a bed of arugula, a stuffed zucchini or serve the stuffing by itself like you would a casserole. As for serving sizes Katie suggests one half pepper if you have an accompanying side. Otherwise 1 whole pepper would be considered a serving.

Now, lets talk ingredients. I found a small package of quinoa at the supermarket for $10.99. I ended up purchasing the same amount at the health food store for .99 cents a pound. A huge savings. The poblano pepper is the new hot chili pepper fad right now. I could not find a poblano pepper in the produce section at the market. When I asked the produce manager for a suitable replacement he admitted he had heard of them but did not know what a poblano pepper was. Poblano peppers are used to make chile relleno in the place of pasilla peppers and they are also used in mole. Cook’s Thesaurus suggests using Anaheim or Ancho as a substitute. I tried half of an Anaheim but because I used a Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese instead of pepper jack I could have used the whole pepper. Definitely season well with salt and pepper. You could use broth instead of water to cook the quinoa for more flavor too.

Source: GoodLifeEats
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 (8 ounce) Package mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced very thin
1/2 of a poblano pepper, diced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cups water or broth
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
1 1/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

Heat oil in a large pan with a lid over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and poblano pepper cooking 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Meanwhile bring the quinoa, carrots and water to a boil in a covered sauce pan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

Add the quinoa to the onion mixture. Toss in the black beans and 1 cup of cheese.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 tablespoon of remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving.

Technorati Tags: cinco de mayo, Memorial Day, Quinoa, RECIPES, southwestern, stuffed bell peppers, veterans day

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Spinach Linguini with Ham and Broccoli – johanna
May 21st, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

Several years ago during Christmas time my mom bought a package of lobster stuffed ravioli. We thought it would be interesting to try. I was a bit leery as to how the kids would react to salmon colored stripped pasta knowing their phobia to anything out of the ordinary. Surprisingly they devoured every last one. To this day they still ask for them. I was sitting at my desk trying to come up with a weeks worth of dinners when the oldest pipped up that he wanted the red pasta. I gently told him that I would do my best. I knew the grocery store would not have it and so opted for the spinach stuffed ravioli instead. May I suggest that if you have a picky eater you might consider vegetable stuffed pasta. I used the leftover ham from Sunday dinner at the inlaws and replaced the green spinach linguini with the spinach stuffed ravioli. Even the picky eater ate his fill spinach linguini with ham and broccoli.

Source: Martha Stewart
Serves 4
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 ounces cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese
10 ounces spinach linguine
1 head broccoli, stems peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick, florets cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a 3-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add ham, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.

Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese; cook until melted, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, adding broccoli during final 3 minutes. Drain; transfer pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Add cream-cheese sauce and Parmesan, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

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Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Panini with Cilantro Pesto and Feta – johanna
May 7th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

If you are ever on the hunt for something exciting to eat try combing through the Closet Cooking Blogspot. This guy comes up with the most lively lip smack’n tantalizing recipes. There is no going wrong with cilantro, chicken, red peppers and feta. Cut them up for hors d’oeuvres. Serve them for a girls night out or for the guys game night.

If you do not have a panini press grill them in a skillet. Use a spatula to press down on the sandwich.

Source: ClosetCooking
(Serving Size 1)
1 chicken breast (pounded thin)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices of bread (or 1 roll)
1/2 roasted red pepper
1 handful baby spinach
2 tablespoons cilantro pesto, recipe below
1 handful feta (mashed)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Make the cilantro pesto; set aside.

Dust the chicken with the paprika and season it with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chicken and cook until it is golden brown on both sides and cooked all the way through, about 4-7 minutes per side.

To assemble the sandwich, spread the bottom slice of bread with some cilantro pesto. Top with chicken, red pepper, feta then spinach. Brush both sides of the sandwich with olive oil and grill until golden brown on both sides.

Cilantro Pesto: Serving size 1 cup
1 cup cilantro
2 teaspoons ginger (grated)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted and ground)
1 red chili
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 splash lemon juice

Puree everything in a food processor.

Technorati Tags: chicken, cilantro pesto, food, lunch, panini, recipe, roasted red pepper, spinach

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Cilantro Lime Chicken – johanna
April 30th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish

I found this really great Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe in the Eating Healthy section of Woman’s Day magazine. Normally I glimpse over the section and toss because they rarely have any recipes, that although I might enjoy them, I feel my kids would not eat it. This time I found a few recipes to try Cilantro Lime Chicken being one of them.

A couple summers ago I had this obsession with cilantro and limes. I could not get enough. I tried several Cilantro Lime Chicken recipes but was never impressed. In this particular recipe the hint of sweetness from the honey, the pungent cilantro and tart lime build upon one another creating a nice mingling of flavors making this my go to recipe for fajitas. I doubled the marinade and used it to baste the chicken while cooking. The flavor was perfect.

Source: Woman’s Day 2010
Cilantro Lime Chicken:
1 tbsp
1 honey
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 chicken breasts

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, lime juice and cilantro. Pour this mixture over the chicken breast and marinate for 20 minutes. Discard marinade.

Grill or broil chicken for 6-8 minutes per side until it is cooked through and no longer pink.

Technorati Tags: cilantro lime chicken, food, Marinades, mexican, RECIPES, Woman's Day magazine

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Grilled Vegetables with Pasta and Sausage – johanna
April 28th, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

Grilled vegetables with pasta is one of my favorite ways to use up vegetables and left over meat. Except in winter when they all go in a pot for soup. This dish is a throw back to my days in college. It is cheap, quick, easy and the variations are endless. Back then I used Top Ramen onions and peppers. On a college budget 10 for $1.00 for Top Ramen was not bad. The grilled vegetables seemed to turn an ordinary plate of noodles into an elegant meal. Throw in some black beans and I had a sustainable meal for all those hiking trips in the mountains.

6 ounces Italian Sausage, chicken, pork, steak or 1 can of black or garbanzo beans,
1 small red onion, sliced
2 zucchini, halved then chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium bell pepper, sliced
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Pepper
1 pound pasta of you choice

Boil pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the grease. Add the vegetables. Let cook a few minutes before stirring. Continue sauteing a few minutes longer. The vegetables should be tender but still have a bite to them.

Drain pasta. Dish pasta onto plates or bowls and top with a serving of vegetables.

Serves 4

Variations:
Meats: chicken, steak, pork chops, bacon, black beans, garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, tofu, ect.
Vegetables: eggplant, squash, tomatoes, peas, asparagus, artichoke hearts, bok choy, broccoli, ect.

Technorati Tags: dinner, easy, fast, kid friendly, RECIPES, summer

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