Chickpea Curry

Quick and easy meatless meal for you!

Chickpea Curry

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 3

2 cups Rice
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 whole Large Onion, Diced Fine
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons Curry Powder, Any Variety
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 cup Vegetable Stock
2 cans Chickpeas, Drained And Rinsed
1 can (13.5 Ounce) Coconut Milk

2 cups shelled edamame
1 Tablespoon Honey, More To Taste
1 Tablespoon Sriracha Or Hot Sauce (more To Taste)
Lime Wedges, For Serving (optional)
Cilantro Leaves, For Garnish

Cook rice according to the package instructions.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, until the onions are soft and starting to turn golden. 

Sprinkle in the curry powder and garlic and stir, cooking for another minute or so. 

Pour in the vegetable stock and stir to scrape up all the brown bits in the pan. 

Add the edamame, coconut milk, honey and a squirt of sriracha. 

Bring to a boil, add the chickpeas, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, honey, or Sriracha (or lime juice, if using.)
Serve the curry over the rice. Garnish with the cilantro.

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I'm on a Panera kick and I'm crazy about their Chicken and Wild Rice Soup! Even though it is May, it has been rainy and cold for so many days here and I love soup anytime... so I began checking out recipes for a tasty Chicken and Wild Rice soup! Unfortunately, most soups required a can of cream of chicken soup - and I do avoid using those types of additions.

Um, this tastes just like a chicken and rice stew or even a chowder! It is so rich! Crusty bread is a must have to enjoy this soup! 

I used Rice Select Royal Blend which is a blend of Texmati white, brown wild & red rice. But I think that any rice could work.

I can't get over how EASY it was to assembly. I'm talking about maybe 5 minutes of prep work and then another 5 to make the roux. Happy eating!

Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Adapted from: Pinch of Yum
Serves: 10

1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breast)
2 cups mirepoix (chopped celery, carrots, and onions)
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (blend of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, and marjoram)
½ cup butter
¾ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
a few tablespoons white wine (optional)
up to 2 cups additional milk or water

Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, mirepoix, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft.

Remove the chicken breasts and using two forks, shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until a thick, creamy mixture forms.

Add this to the crockpot and stir to combine. Add extra water or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Stove Top Beef Stew

Brrrr it was cold today! I really was craving some beef stew! In our house the beef stew is very basic and heavy on the meat, potatoes, and carrots.

I had planned on making it in the slow cooker but errands (including the grocery store where I was getting dinner ingredients) took longer than expected. So I cobbled together several recipes to make some beef stew on the stove!

I wish I had grabbed some bread for this because then the meal would have been perfect!

Do I prefer my stove top beef stew or my slow cooker beef stew? The stove top beef stew was very rich because it had added butter and the potatoes/carrots were on the crunchier side - but that could have been because I was rushing to get dinner on the table! The easier version is easily the slow cooker but if you have the time then making it on the stove is a great option!

Stove Top Beef Stew

adapted from Food Network, Once Upon a Chef, and Delish

serves 6-8

Olive oil for searing
1/2 cup flour
2-3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 small onions, cut into sixths (or blitzed in the food processor)
3 tsp garlic powder
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups cold water

2 cups chicken or beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 lbs medium red potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 bag frozen peas

salt & pepper

Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/4-inch deep. Spread flour out on a plate. Season half the beef generously with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour. Shake off the excess flour, and add to the pan. Saute the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted wooden spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef.

In the same pot with the beef grease and such, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Return the beef to the pot and add the red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, water and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and set to low. Stew the meat until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. I stirred mine about every 15 minutes to keep it from sticking but I also struggle with the temperature of my stove.

Add the potatoes and carrots and bring back to a simmer. Stew, uncovered, on top of the stove, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened and the beef and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.

Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken (Gai See Chow Mein)

This is delish! My mom makes this with some sliced roast pork and those crunchy skinny yellow noodles... This is a rough adaptation because I have neither the roast pork or the right noodles. 

Don't let the long list of ingredients or steps deter you! This meal is worth it and can actually be prepared in 30 minutes with no additional prep time!! I have adjusted the steps below with the order that I 

Some changes....

I didn't use a wok - I used my largest pot. 

I used noodles from Wegman's (Assi Pasta, Oriental Style Noodle), but egg noodles or even spaghetti would work. 

I used petite baby bok choy but the Shanghai bok choy, American broccoli or Chinese broccoli (gai lan) would be tasty. Just go with whatever veg looks better at the store that day!

I didn't use the oyster sauce because I didn't have any. 

I didn't use the sugar because I didn't think my dinner needed sugar. 

I added carrots and bean sprouts because...why not!?

Now that I've made this meal a couple times I've tried to be more efficient with NOT using all the dishes, pots, and pans in the kitchen. Here are the tips...

Cut the veggies before the chicken (this reduces a cutting board AND a knife!)

Use the same large pot for everything (cooking the noodles, frying the noodles, cooking the chicken, and making the sauce)

Share the serving plate with someone you love and no extra plate dishes!

Measure all the dry things before the wet things (aka corn starch before sesame oil and soy sauce) 

Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken (Gai See Chow Mein)
Adapted from The Woks of Life

serves 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 bundles of dried Hong Kong style egg noodles or 10 oz. fresh HK Style noodles (OR any noodles)

1 small bunch of choy sum or baby bok choy (about 2-3 cups), washed and cut into strips

1-2 handfuls of baby carrots cut into match sticks
1 cup chicken stock 

1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of sugar (optional)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground white pepper
2 cloves garlic powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water 

3 tablespoons oil 

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (any Chinese cooking wine)

1 - 2 handfuls Bean Sprouts

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While you wait...
• Wash and slice your veggies.
• Slice your chicken into thin strips. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, cornstarch with the sliced chicken. Set aside.
• In a small pot on the stove, combine the oyster sauce, garlic powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, and chicken stock. Leave it alone while it comes to a simmer.
• In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water into a slurry and set aside.
• Once water is boiling, add the noodles. (For fresh noodles, boil for 30 seconds to a minute. For dried noodles, boil for 4-6 minutes). Do not overcook them! Drain, rinse with cold water, set aside. 
• Heat your large pot over high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil, making sure to swirl it around to coat the sides. Spread out your noodles in an even layer and fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp. 
• Flip the noodles over and fry the other side (you can add a bit more oil if necessary).
• Theoretically the noodles should not stick, I have yet to have success and end up scraping it off the bottom. It is still crispy and good, just not as pretty! When the noodles are golden on both sides, transfer the noodles to a large round plate. 
• In the same large pot, add another tablespoon of oil. Sear the chicken breast and carrot sticks.
• Once browned, add the shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan. Pour in your sauce.
• Let the liquid come to a boil and add your green vegetables. 
• Stir and cook for about a minute. 
• Stir up your slurry mixture again, since the cornstarch probably settled to the bottom of the bowl. 
• Once the liquid is boiling, add about 2/3 of the cornstarch and stir the mixture to thicken. Add more slurry until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. How thick you like your sauce it is also about personal preference. Allow to bubble up for another 30 seconds or so. 
• Pour the entire mixture over the noodles and serve immediately. Serve with hot chili oil or Sriracha on the side if you like!

Turkey Meatloaf

I'm not crazy about meatloaf but my family loved this! I actually made it ahead of time and froze it wrapped up in tinfoil. I let it defrost in the fridge over night and then baked it for almost 2 hours.

When making the loaf shape lean towards flattening so that it will cook evenly. No pictures this round! We ate it too quickly :)

If you are freezing the meatloaf I'd suggest the ketchup topping after the loaf has defrosted.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf
Adapted from Ina Garten
Serves 8-10

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried) or oregano
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast (Optional: use a combination of turkey sausage and turkey breast)
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Rice Pilaf

I grew up eating the boxed rice pilaf and I had a craving for it the other day. The boxed stuff has a lot of sodium so I was curious about making it at home from scratch. This was so easy and I don't know why people use the boxed mix.

I will give you a warning...red onion turns green so you should use the white onion.

Rice Pilaf

Adapted from All Recipes 

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups chicken broth or veg broth

1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Melt the butter in a lidded pot over medium-low heat. Stir in almond and orzo pasta until golden brown. Add onion and cook until onion becomes translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the rice and chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Chicken and Clouds

This was a creamy, filling, and comforting soup from The Pioneer Woman. If you go to her site the not chicken and dumplings.  However, As I'm assembling the soup Anthony says, "Oh yum! Chicken and Clouds!" Well then, if you think of this as chicken and clouds you won't be disappointed.

The comments on the origional recipe are great. People have definite opinions on what is a noodle and what is a dumpling and how her recipe is

Because I had some time and enjoy this stuff, I decided to take the more labor intensive path and so this soup was a labor of love. It took me 2 days to make but you can also make it in less time if you don't buy an uncooked chicken and use canned broth.

Roasted Chicken - I took a little 3lb chicken and rinsed it in cold water. I seasoned it with salt and pepper on both sides and rubbed it in with olive oil. I roasted it about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool on the stove. While I was waiting I made Brown Butter and Toffee Cookies. Once the chicken is cool remove all the meat from the bones. The meat goes into a container for use the next day and the bones went into a larger pot. 

Homemade Broth - large chop about 1 cup of carrots and a stalk or two of celery. Cut an onion into half. Nestle it all around the chicken bones. Cover with water (I did about 8 cups of water). Season with salt and pepper if you'd like, add thyme or rosemary or any seasoning if you want as well. Bring to a boil on high heat and then reduce the to a simmer on low. Let it hang out on the stove for about 2 hours while you do other things. Like the dishes. When it is done, pour the broth through a strainer into another pot. This will remove all the bones and weird chunks. Then let it refrigerate overnight. Before using I skim the coagulated fat off the top of the broth. If you have never made broth before, it will be a squishy almost jell-o like consistency. It is OK and will be fine. 

    

Now that you have done this prep work, follow the directions below!

Some changes for next time (and updated below)

- omit apple cider (I just didn't like it)

- omit thyme (because I had made the broth with thyme it was a bit over powering)

Changes I made (reflected below): 

- I used half and half for whole recipe because it was cheaper than purchasing both heavy cream and half and half

-As the chicken was already cooked I put it in the bottom of the soup bowls. The chicken heated up when the broth and dumplings were put on top so that way the chicken didn't over cook.

I'll make this again! It was so good!

Chicken and Clouds

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 whole Chicken, meat is bite sized
Salt And Pepper
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrots
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Half-and-half

Dumplings:
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cup Half-and-half
Salt As Needed

In the large pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth. Stir to combine. Cover pot and simmer.

While chicken is broth is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Add cream into the pot and stir to combine. Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Put meat in the bottom of the bowls (and some spinach) and cover with dumplings and the broth.

Italian Chicken with Almond Rice

Happy New Year! My goal this year is to try 2-3 new recipes a month and to get back into the swing of writing. Ready? Here goes a new one! Italian Chicken with Almond Rice. This was adapted from SparkRecipes. 

I couldn't believe how easy this was and the chicken was very tender. Adding the nuts to the rice makes it similar to a rice pilaf. I will be making this again because I almost always have these ingredients in the fridge or pantry!

This time I cooked my rice according to my dad's rice instructions. Next time I would cook the rice in 1 3/4 cup broth + garlic powder + Italian dressing. Then use the remaining broth to cook the broccoli and deglaze the chicken pan. 

Italian Chicken with Almond Rice

2 very hungry grownups

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb), cut into large chunks
1/4 cup Italian Dressing
1 can (10 fl oz) low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup white rice, cooked (under cooked by 5 minutes, when the rice has absorbed most of the water)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Cook chicken in 2 tbsp. dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat about 4 minutes on each side or until evenly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken.

Pour in broth, garlic powder and remaining dressing; bring to boil. Add rice, broccoli, and nuts. Cook until rice absorbs most of the liquid and the broccoli is tender. 

Serve chicken over rice.

Dad's Beef Stew

I know, its practically summer and is expected to be in the 70s this weekend. But I've been a little slow with updating and this was from a cold snap we just had! I swear!

But if you are looking for a hearty stew recipe, look no further! Here is my dad's famous beef stew recipe!!

Feel free to substitute varying amounts of the root veggies (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, etc) depending on what you enjoy eating. Since this will simmer for a while, it is okay to rough chop everything on the larger side since they will cook much longer.

This is a great meal because it is easy to make larger portions of without any added time. Chopping up the veggies can take a little longer but you can use pre cut veggies as well. Once everything is in the pot it is easy to leave and just let is simmer away for a couple hours.

Carrots, onions, celery

Potatoes, Parsnips, Turnips

Beef coated in flour

Onions and Celery

Floury and softened meat mix

Add root veg and some broth

Add more broth and cook until the stew is tender

Dad's Beef Stew

Makes approx 6 - 8 servings

2 lbs stew beef,  roast: top round or chuck), diced and trimmed into 1 x  1 inch pieces

3 Tablespoons oil

6 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1 1/2 c onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, use the garlic press

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 jar of tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Gravy master (its a small bottle with an orange cap)

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

14 oz of chicken broth

1 cups chopped celery

3 chopped/cubed potatoes

1 cups carrots - sliced

1 cups parsnips cubed --optional

1 cups turnip cubed --optional

Heat oil in large pot. Mix the salt with the flour, dip the beef into the flour mixture and then add into the hot pot. Brown the meat. The bottom of the pan might get caked with the flour.

Add onions, garlic, and thyme to the beef. Cook about 15 minutes until the onions are soft. Add in a couple cups of the chicken broth and stir. The flour will be thickening the broth. Add tomato sauce, gravy master, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in celery, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips to the stew. Stir around for a couple minutes.


Cover with the rest of the broth. Simmer stirring occasionally until the meat is tender and the veggies are soft. If the broth isn't thick enough add in a few tbsp of flour every 15 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want. If the broth is too thick add additional water or broth.