10-minute kimchi and chicken ramen

 

SO easy and SO tasty.  My kids don't like kimchi so I didn't tell them what was in it.  I guess they like kimchi after all!  I meant to add some tofu but forgot.  Lots of possibilities for add-ins.

10-minute kimchi and chicken ramen (adapted from Food Network)

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 squares of the brown rice and millet ramen from Costco

1 (5 ounce) package of baby spinach, about 4 cups (I used baby bok choy greens)

1 handful of shredded carrots

2 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

2 cups kimchi (my favorite is from Costco)

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

3 scallions, sliced

2 sheets toasted seaweed, torn up

Combine the chicken broth, 1 cup water, ramen noodles, spinach (or boy choy), shredded carrots, chicken kimchi and soy sauce in a large straight-sided skillet.  Cover and bring to a boil lover high heat, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.  Let boil for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, slice the scallions and tear the seaweed into bite-sized pieces.

Divide the ramen among 4 bowls and top each with scallions and seaweed.

feta and herb crusted salmon

 

Gourmet!  This salmon was knock-your-socks-off good.  

feta and herb crusted salmon (my friend Shelli)

1 pound salmon filet (I used 3 boneless, skinless salmon pieces from Costco, thawed)

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup fresh parsley

3 tablespoons fresh chives

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up and set aside.

Combine parsley, chives, feta, lemon, salt and pepper on cutting board.   Rough chop several times, chopping up all ingredients to mix.

Spread feta mixture on salmon filet.  Pat down to ensure crust is formed.

Bake for 20 minutes of until cooked through.

pancit bihon

 

Delicious!  I'm on a roll lately with finding really good recipes.  My son had four bowls.  His friend kept up with him really well.  I waited until my daughter was out of town as she's not a fan of shrimp like the rest of us.

pancit bihon, filipino dish (slightly adapted from food network)

16 ounces bihon (rice stick noodles)

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 cup light soy sauce

3 Chinese sausages, cut into 1/4-inch slices on the bias (I used chicken sausages)

4 tablespoons oil

1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices on the bias, about 1 cup

2 medium carrots, julienned (cut into matchstick-size pieces), about 1 cup

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 large Spanish onion, sliced

3 cups chopped cabbage

juice of 1 lemon

Soak the noodles in warm water to cover in a large mixing bowl until softened, about 20 minutes.  Drain in a large colander and set aside. (Note to self:  Instead, I just boiled the noodles with the cabbage later on when it talks about the cabbage in the recipe.)

Combine the broth, oyster sauce, and soy sauce in a medium bowl.  Mix and set the sauce aside.

Place the sausage in a dry wok.  Place the wok over medium heat and fry the sausage until crisp and browned.  Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to a sheet pan.  Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok.  Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and stir fry over medium heat until just cooked through about 3 minutes.  Transfer the shrimp to the sheet pan with the sausage.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok.  Add the celery, carrots and snow peas and stir-fry until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.  Transfer the vegetables to the sheet pan.

Add the remaining oil and stir in the garlic and onions, and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the soy sauce mixture and cabbage and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the drained noodles.  Press down on the noodles so they're fully submerged in the sauce mixture.  Lower the heat to medium and allow the noodles to absorb the liquid without stirring them, about 8 minutes. 

Gently fold in the reserved sausage, shrimp and vegetables from the sheet pan until evenly distributed.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Serve immediately.

chicken tinga tacos

 

SO delicious and with a kick!  I loved my tacos but tacos are my favorite.  I think the two things that made this so great are: 1. adobo sauce and 2. pickled onions.  After I took the photo I added some shredded cabbage and a little salsa verde on top because I am over-the-top when it comes to tacos.  The taco was so huge I could only eat one.  I'll come back for another as a snack for sure.

chicken tinga tacos (adapted from food network)

1 tablespoon oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (I cooked 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker then shredded)

charred corn tortillas for serving

toppings:  cotija cheese, avocado, fresh pico de gallo, pickled red onions

pickled red onions

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar (I omitted)

kosher salt

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add the chipotles, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook until they begin to simmer, about 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce into a heat-safe blender.  Puree until smooth.  Pour the sauce back into the pan over medium heat and add the chicken, stirring to incorporate the chicken into the sauce.  Cook until the sauce has thickened about 5 minutes.  Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

To make the pickled onions, combine the white vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan (use 1/2 teaspoon salt if you don't use sugar) with 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and shallots to a pint jar and pour the liquid over the top.  Let cool completely.  Refrigerate up to a week.

skillet chicken parmesan with artichokes

 

This a a really good, easy dish to make.  The only thing I'll do differently next time is put a dollop of ricotta cheese on top.  That would make it perfect for me.

skillet chicken parmesan with artichokes (slightly adapted from food network)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (15 ounce) can artichoke quarters

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin removed

1/4 cup fresh basil plus more for topping (I wished I'd had more for the topping)

4-8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/4-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the broiler.  Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the skillet.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and basil; season with salt.

Top with mozzarella and parmesan.  

Transfer the skillet to the broiler and cook until the cheese browns and bubbles, 3-5 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread.

creamy marry me chicken soup

 

This was a really good soup and my daughter commented on how good it was when she came home from a long day and had a bowl (I actually had a bowl alone due to a busy evening for everyone).

I thought the blended cottage cheese was a great touch to get a creamy taste without extra fat and calories of cream.

creamy marry me chicken soup (fit foodie finds)

1 pound ground chicken

1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted)

1/2 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

3 tablespoons tomato paste

4 ounces ditalini pasta

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups torn spinach (I doubled it)

1 cup blended low-fat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Add the ground chicken, sun-dried tomato oil and Italian seasoning to a bowl and mix.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Spread the chicken across the bottom of the Dutch oven and cook.  Flip over and cook the other side.

Break the chicken apart into bite-sized pieces similar to unrolled meatballs.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, browning on both sides.

Add the onion, garlic, salt, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste to the Dutch oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the pasta and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta does not stick to the bottom.  Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the torn spinach.  Remove from heat and stir in the blended cottage cheese.  Stir until smooth.  Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

easy white chicken chili

 

I hadn't thought of making white chicken chili with ground chicken before and really enjoyed it!  It was an easy, tasty soup.  A keeper!

easy white chicken chili (slightly adapted from Taste of Home)

1 pound lean ground chicken

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained and mashed

1 can (8 ounces) green chiles (I used fire roasted)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 cups chicken broth

optional toppings:  sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, avocado, tomato

In a large pan or pot, cook chicken, onion and green pepper until chicken is no longer pink, breaking chicken into crumbles.

Stir in mashed beans, chiles, seasonings and broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, 12-15 minutes.  Serve with toppings as desired.

I served with a warm pan of cornbread.

green chile cheddar cheese cornbread

 

I made some white chicken chili for dinner and decided to make cornbread to go with it.  My husband usually isn't a big fan of cornbread but remarked that this is the best cornbread he'd ever had.  I think it's the add-ins plus the super fine corn mesa flour that I used.  I will never go back to the regular corn meal!  This was a very soft, tasty cornbread.

green chile cheddar cheese cornbread (two peas and their pod)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal (I used corn mesa flour!)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large eggs

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 (4 ounce) can green chiles

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used fiesta blend cheese)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 Pyrex baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, oil and eggs.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  The batter will be lumpy.  Stir in the corn kernels, green chiles, and cheddar cheese.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cornbread for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean after inserted into the center.  Let cornbread cool in pan for 15 minutes before cutting.  Cut into squares and serve.

pork, pepper and rice noodle soup

 

It doesn't rain much in the desert but it did today.  This was a simple, very nice, comforting soup, especially on a rainy afternoon.  I needed to add some spice so was generous with the garlic chili sauce in my bowl but the others thought it was fine just as it was.

pork, pepper and rice noodle soup (slightly adapted from food network)

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces shitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger

3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1 pound ground pork (I used ground chicken)

6 ounces flat rice noodles

1/4 small head napa cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)  (I used bagged angel hair cabbage)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

toasted sesame seeds and sriracha, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites to cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the pork (or chicken), 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, breaking up the pork with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the noodles and cabbage and cook until the noodles are tender and cooked through and the cabbage is tender but still holds a bit of crunch, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar and lime juice to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the scallion greens and top with sesame seeds and sriracha if desired.

lemony chicken meatball soup with spinach

 

Excellent!  Hall of Fame, in fact.  My family loved this soup.

lemony chicken meatball soup with spinach (my husband found the recipe)

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 small red onion, 1/2 diced and 1/2 grated then squeezed with a paper towel

1/2 cup packed fresh dill leaves, finely chopped (I used 1 tablespoon freeze dried dill)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground turmeric

kosher salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil (I used half)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more for serving

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups packed baby spinach (I'll double next time!)

2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for serving

In a medium bowl, add the chicken, feta, 1/4 cup oats, grated onion, most of the dill, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt.  Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat.  Shape the meat into small balls about 1 1/2 inches.  You might have approximately 25 balls.

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat.  Add the diced onion, season with salt and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon turmeric and the red pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Push the onions to the sides as best you can, then add the meatballs.  Cook until browned on two sides, 5-7 minutes.

Pour in the broth and remaining 1/2 cup oats, then gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the oats and broth without disturbing the meatballs.  Bring to a gentle boil; then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer.  Season with salt.  Cook, gently stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until the oats have softened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.  Spoon into bowls, top with pepper and the remaining dill.  Serve with lemon wedges.

pumpkin curry soup

 

I'm regretting not putting a topping on the soup to make it pretty.  That's okay- my husband ate four bowls of this soup so it was fine without the extra effort.  I served this soup with warm naan bread.

pumpkin curry soup (well plated by erin)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 coups chopped sweet onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I had to use 1 tsp dried ginger)

3 tablespoons thai red curry paste

2-3 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 cans pumpkin puree (I used one 28 ounce can)

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar (do not omit, it balances the flavor of the soup)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

for topping:  chopped roasted peanuts or pepitas, chopped fresh cilantro, plain nonfat Greek yogurt

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 additional minute, until fragrant.  Stir in the thai curry paste.  In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of the broth and the peanut butter until smooth.  Add the mixture to the pot.  Add the pumpkin, sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 1 2/3 cups of the remaining broth.  Stir until well combined.

With an immersion blender, puree the soup until completely smooth, adding a little of the coconut milk if it is too thick to blend smoothly.  Stir in the remaining coconut milk.  If the soup is too thick for your liking, add additional broth until you reach your desired consistency.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.  Serve hot with toppings of your choice.