Miso+Ginger(+Maple)...2 versions

While I don't typically want my whole meal to have the same flavor profile, if it's a combo I really like, it definitely makes the prep easier when you're utilizing a lot of the same ingredients. With only slight differences ingredients, both of these glazes deliver with something sweet, something sour/acidic, something salty, a little fermented funk, and a little kick of heat all balanced to brighten up a protein or veggie...

Miso-Glazed Salmon with Sushi Rice (original recipe from Epicurious)

I didn't have sushi rice, but brown rice was fine here. It's the glaze the really carries the flavor...

Combine the ingredients, heat and reduce slightly to thicken, use it to baste the salmon. It would also be good on pork, chicken, but salmon's a real treat.

3 T sugar

¼ C each: rice vinegar, miso paste, maple syrup, tamari/soy sauce

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Ginger-Miso Glazed Broccoli (original recipe from EatingWell)

Again, this would work with other veggies too -- asparagus, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, etc. It's the flavors in the glaze here, very similar to the recipe above. 

2 T white miso*

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)

1 tsp sesame oil*

½ tsp tamari/soy sauce

½ tsp rice vinegar

pinch white pepper

* A darker miso would also work, but tends to have a stronger flavor (and usually saltier) and could overpower the other ingredients; but you could reduce the amount to taste. An easy swap with this recipe would be to use peanut oil, and chopped peanuts instead of the seasame seeds as a topper/garnish.

Chicken-Cabbage Salad with Pineapple & Apple

This recipe, from Better Homes & Gardens (along with the photo at right), was the inspiration for my lunch today. I used canned pineapple, and made my own sesame, ginger & peanut butter dressing, but all the flavors were basically the same. Just linking it here so it'll pop up when I search my own blog for ideas!

Bourbon Chicken

Yum! Largely inspired by Cook's Country's recipe published Aug/Sept 2021.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces

1-2 T cornstarch

¼ C soy (or tamari or amino acids)

¼ C brown sugar

2 T bourbon

1 t toasted sesame oil, plus more for cooking

      (or use vegetable oil for cooking)

½ t Sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes

1 lg clove garlic

1 t grated or fine minced fresh ginger

1-2 t apple cider vinegar

1 T butter

Optional for serving/garnishing: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions, rice...

Directions

Whisk together soy, brown sugar, bourbon, 1 t sesame oil and Sriracha/pepper flakes in a small bowl. Heat, as needed, to dissolve sugar.

Toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch. Preheat skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 T sesame (or vegetable) oil to coat; add chicken. Cook, stirring and turning as needed, until browned and cooked through. (10 minutes, more or less, depending on the size of your chicken pieces)

Add garlic, ginger and sauce. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to a syrupy consistency (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in cider vinegar and butter.

Serve ...over rice, garnished with sliced scallions and/or sesame seeds.

Tempura - light & crispy, with whipped egg whites

Most really light and fluffy tempuras, in my experience, have relied on carbonation. This version uses whipped egg whites for a slightly more stable batter...and some added protein, too!

(Note: The photo is not my own. I'll try to remember and take one next time around; every time I make tempura, by the time I've fried everything, I'm hungry and ready to eat while it's still hot and crispy!)

Ingredients

½ C flour

¼ C + 2 T cornstarch, divided
¼ t cayenne

¼ t garlic powder

½ t salt

2 T sesame oil

2 large egg whites, room temp

sliced vegetables or shrimp (or whatever you want to prepare with the tempura)

oil for frying -- vegetable oil, peanut oil, sesame oil...

sauce for dipping (plenty of options, including store bought varieties)

Directions

Combine flour, ¼ C cornstarch, cayenne, garlic powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 2 T sesame oil, and 2/3 C cold water until batter is smooth. Refrigerate until well chilled (about an hour).

Slice and prepare vegetables, shrimp, etc. Toss with remaining 2 T cornstarch.

Heat frying oil in a large, wide pot to 375° F.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold in chilled batter in a wide, shallow bowl. A few at a time, drop vegetables (shrimp, etc.) into tempura batter; transfer to hot oil. Cook until golden brown, turning as needed. Using tongs, remove from oil onto paper towel lined plate. Season with salt, if needed.

Serve with dipping sauce.

Rhubarb Salsa

This is a pretty pickle-y, vinegary salsa...a little more relish-like. But since I love pickles, I like it!! I had it over a sautéed chicken thigh with some extra lime-honey pan sauce, but it would also be good on pork or fish, or used as a relish on sandwhiches or burgers too. Personally, I choose to leave out the cilantro (I'm not a fan!) and use a very small jalapeno.

Ingredients

1 T honey

1 t olive oil

1 lime

1 C rhubarb

½ red bell pepper

2 T red onion

salt & pepper to taste

optional: 1 small jalapeno, 1 T fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, oil and the juice and zest of the lime.

Small dice (¼ inch - or smaller) the rhubarb, bell pepper and onion (and jalapeno, if using; and chop cilantro, if using). Add to honey-lime mixture, stirring to combine. Season with salt & pepper.

Funnel Cakes

It's fair week in the PNW...so here's a recipe for some traditional "fair food" that you can make at home in case you missed it at your local county fair!

Ingredients (makes 6-8 funnel cakes, 8-10 inches)

1½ C AP flour

2 T sugar

2 t baking powder

pinch salt

1 egg

½ C milk

½ C water

½ t vanilla extract

oil for frying

powdered sugar

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until evenly blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, water and vanilla. Beat liquid mixture into flour until smooth.

In an electric frying pan or deep skillet, heat about 1½ - 2 inches of oil to 375°F. (I heat the oil to nearer 400°F; as soon as you add the batter, the temperature drops significantly. If it drops below about 350°F, your batter is soaking up oil before it cooks.)

From a few inches above the oil, drizzle batter* (about 1/3 C) in circular, spiral pattern into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown -- about 2 minutes each side. Use tongs to remove from oil onto paper towel lined plate or pan to drain.

* Using a funnel is traditional (though not necessary): Cover the spout/bottom of the funnel with your finger; load the funnel with 1/3 C of the batter --  or a little more since some will remain coating the sides the funnel. Release your finger holding the funnel a few inches over the oil, drizzling in a circular, spiral pattern...

Dust with powdered sugar to serve.

        ...or go all out and drizzle with your favorite syrup or top with ice cream!

'Churro Cake' with Spiced Chocolate Sauce

I've made this 'churro cake' before (recipe courtesy of Food Network). Just now I'm playing with some of my recipes--reducing the ingredient amounts and adjusting the baking times so my Baking & Pastry students can get baking experience without making full-sized cakes and pies every day...both for health and budgetary reasons! 😁

The cakes are brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with sugar-cinnamon, and drizzled or served with a spiced chocolate sauce. I like the flavors, but I'm not wild about how the sugar-cinnamon adds a 'gritty' texture into the sauce. Personally, I'd just throw a little extra cinnamon into the cake; there's already plenty of sugar and sweetness. But, it IS very churro-like to have the sugar-cinnamon coating.

Just a note: The mini-bundt pans we have in the student kitchens do NOT have a hole in the center, just an indentation; I have not completely filled a center-hole with chocolate sauce. (Not that that would be bad, of course...!)

Chocolate 'Shell' Ice Cream Topping

If you have a small crowd, the amounts below will work. Since I was just testing this out, I reduced things to about 3 oz of chocolate, 2 T coconut oil and a pinch of salt. I used dark chocolate (well, a semi sweet), but milk or white would probably work too. White chocolate may not get that hard, and may not need quite as much coconut oil. I've also seen versions with add-ins (peanut butter, extracts, freeze dried berries, etc.). I just went basic here, but it could be fun to experiment. The secret to it hardening is because of the coconut oil -- kind of a misnomer since coconut 'oil' is a solid at room temperature (soft, but not a liquid).

Ingredients

12 oz chocolate, chopped

½ C coconut oil

¼ tsp salt 

Directions

Melt all the ingredients in a double boiler (or in the microwave) being careful not to cook the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Let rest at room temperature at least 15 minutes before spooning over ice cream.

You could also dip your ice cream into the chocolate shell mixture...

Quinoa Strawberry Salad with Basil & Citrus-Maple Vinaigrette

The basic idea for this salad comes from Eating Well magazine (April 2020). I didn't follow it exactly--what I threw together is listed below--but it's all the same thing, really. It's the citrus-maple vinaigrette that really tempted me. The fact that our local strawberries are available now, and my basil plant is growing gang-busters right now were definitely contributing factors...fresh, local summer flavors at their peak!

Ingredients

¼ C olive oil

2 T lemon juice

2 T maple syrup

pinch each salt & pepper

2½ C cooked quinoa

1 C chopped, fresh strawberries

½ C crumbled feta

3 T packed, chopped or torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

Cook the quinoa according to pkg directions (I used only water and a generous pinch of salt) and chill.

Whisk together first 4 ingredients for the vinagrette.

Pour vinagrette over strawberries, feta, and 2 T of the chopped basil in a bowl; gently stir into chilled quinoa. Garnish with remaining basil to serve.

This amount would serve 3-4 as a side. Put it over a bed of greens (including some more basil--yum!) and it could easily be stretched to feed more diners.

Cornmeal Waffles

I think regular Belgian waffles are great. But after making Strawberry Cornmeal layer cake recently, I was curious to try this recipe for Cornmeal Waffles (recipe from Brown Sugar Kitchen, published in Sunset magazine and other places online). It uses both yeast and a chemical leavener (baking soda); the waffles are nice a fluffy, but it does require chilling the batter overnight. I don't mind; but I'd like to experiment with a true/pure quick bread (chemical leavener only) recipe that uses cornmeal and wouldn't need to be made in advance...ideally without sacrificing texture. For now, here's Brown Sugar Kitchen's version:

Ingredients

1 tsp active dry yeast

½ C medium-grind cornmeal

1 C flour

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg white

 C whole milk

6 T melted, unsalted butter

¼ tsp baking soda

vegetable oil to brush the waffle iron

* I used salted butter this time, and reduced the added salt

Directions

Combine active dry yeast with 6 T very warm water (120°). Let stand until foamy (about 10 min).

Whisk cornmeal with flour, salt and sugar in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together egg, egg white and milk; then whisk in yeast mixture. Gradually whisk in butter until just combined. Chill batter overnight.

Heat oven to 250°; place a baking sheet in the oven -- with a wire rack on it, if you have one that's oven safe.

Heat waffle iron to hottest setting. Whisk baking soda into batter. Brush oil onto hot waffle iron; pour or scoop batter about 1 C at a time (depending on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until golden brown -- usually 5-8 minutes or until they stop steaming.

Transfer waffles to bakign sheets as they're done to keep them warm and crisp.

Brown Sugar Kitchen has a variety of toppings on their menu including Praline Bourbon Bacon Syrup and Rosé Strawberries with Vanilla Cream. I had some strawberry-blackberry compote and whipped cream to top mine this time around.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients

½ lb rhubarb

½ lb strawberries

3½ oz sugar

1½ tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Directions

Chop both the rhubarb and strawberries into ½" pieces (separately).

Toss half of the sugar with the strawberries in a bowl; add lemon juice. Place berries in a strainer over a saucepan and let sit for ½ hour, stirring occasionally.

Return berries to bowl. Add rhubarb and remaining sugar to the strawberry juice in the saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce ehat and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until fruit is softened (about 10 minutes). Add strawberries and cook an additional minute or two. Remove from heat.

If desired, mash fruit to desired consistency. Stir in vanilla and salt.

Serve on toast or muffins; stir into yogurt, spoon over pancakes, waffles, angel food cake, ice cream...

Strawberry Cornmeal Layer Cake

Eating Well just published this recipe (June 2021) for a cornmeal cake...layered with strawberries and yogurt whipped cream.

I've tried a few different corn-cake recipes in the past; still haven't found one I'm really in love with. This one tasted fine; it includes a bit of orange juice and zest (as have others), and I used an oragne-infused olive oil -- which wouldn't be necessary, but boost the flavor even a little more. Flavor is fine, but it's a very 'hearty' cake. Dense. Heavy. It is a cornMEAL cake, so I suppose that's to be expected.

I'm still looking for a lighter version, still big on corn-y flavor. I'll post one if I find or develop a good recipe! But this does get props for the zing that comes with the orange as well as the yogurt that's folded into the whipped cream layer, which was better than I thought it would be!

Chocolate Cookies

With a thin crust for a little crunch around the edges and a soft, fudgy center...I LOVE these cookies!

Ingredients

1 C + 2 T butter, softened

1 C sugar

½ C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

¾ C cocoa powder (I use dark)

1 t soda

½ t salt

optional: 1-2 C chocolate chips

  (semi sweet, milk, dark, or peanut butter chips...

     this time I used toffee bits)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add, all at once, to creamed mixture.

Stir in chips, if desired.

Spoon or scoop onto ungreased baking sheets. (I use parchment paper.)

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Creamed Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

2 T butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ C flour

1 C whole milk

2-4 C chicken broth

1 bay leaf

2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Optional: 1 C shredded white cheddar and ¼ C dry white wine (or 1 T sherry)

Directions

Melt butter in a stock pot or dutch oven; cook onion and garlic over medium heat until very soft and translucent (5-7 minutes). Add caulifower, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower just begins to brown (another 5-7 minutes).

Sprinkle in flour, stirring to coat. Add milk, 2 C broth, bay leaf and rosemary; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender -- it may take a little longer if you chopped the cauliflower in large chunks.

Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée mixture, adding additional broth to achieve desired consistency. (If you don't have an immersion blender, work in batches in a traditional blender; then return everything to the stock pot.)

If desired, add shredded cheddar and white wine. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg just before serving.

Sheet Pan Eggs/Omelet Roll-Up

Whether you dish it up flat, or roll it and slice it, baking a large batch of eggs topped with veggies, cheese and/or meats makes a one-pan meal, all on it's own...though a side of salad or fruit is nice too! This basic recipe will get you started making endless flavor combinations:

* Disclaimer: Neither of the photos are my own originals -- I ate it up without remembering to snap any pics! I'll add originals next time I whip out a batch!

Ingredients

1 dozen eggs

½ C milk

½ C flour

½ tsp each, salt & pepper

1½ C thin sliced or small diced vegetables

¾ C shredded cheese(s)

¾ C pre-cooked meat

1 T 'flavor booster'

Vegetables: Almost any vegetables will work -- mushrooms, onions, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, spinach, kale etc. Tomatoes can be pretty juicy and water down the egg mixture; consider draining some of the liquid before adding them; or pair them with some eggplant, which tends to absorb excess liquid! Veggies can be pre-cooked (great way to use up leftovers!), but it's not necessary. If you want to use firm vegetables like potatoes, yams, butternut squash, parsnips, beets, turnips... they probably should be pre-cooked (at least par-cooked), and thin sliced so they cook all the way through.

Cheeses: What's your favorite? Go for it! ...cheddar, parmesan, Gruyère, chevre, feta, gouda (smoked gouda adds another layer of flavor!)

Meats: Breakfast meats like bacon, ham (or pancetta!) or sausage work well, but fish, ground or shredded poultry works too! Meats should be pre-cooked, for food safety. Tofu or beans would be fine as well, for a non-animal protein, if that's your preference.

'Flavor boosters': Any herbs or spices work fine here...dill, thyme, rosemary, basil, cayenne, chile powder, curry, Za'atar, peri peri, or other spice blends, etc. Feel free to combine for a total of 1 tablespoon. Foods with stronger, intense flavors can also be delicious: capers, garlic, chives, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salsa, chile peppers... With these, you can use more than a tablespoon, but don't go overboard as the more intense flavors can become overpowering.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Coat a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet with a rim) with non-stick cooking spray.*

* If you're planning on rolling the baked egg dish and you have parchment paper, lining the pan with parchment paper makes rolling easier; but you can still roll it without parchment.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, salt & pepper. If your 'flavor booster' is an herb or spice, add that in with the egg mixture; larger 'flavor booster' ingredients can be added later with the vegetables, cheese(s) and meat. Pour egg mixture ino the pan; sprinkle with vegetables, cheese(s) and meat.

Bake 25 minutes.

Slice and serve as is, or... 

Roll it as soon as you can (not too, too hot!), starting on one of the long edges; transfer to a serving platter. Top, if desired with extra cheese or herbs; slice and serve!

Gouda Grits with Hillshire Lit'l Smokies

This isn't really a recipe; I'm just posting pics as a reminder when I'm looking for dinner 'inspiration'! And you wouldn't have to use Hillshire Lit'l Smokies, of course. Sausage and grits -- with ANY sausage, even ground breakfast sausage, would be equally good. I had Lit'l Smokies (something I don't buy often) left over from another use and remembered a sausage & grits recipe I'd seen. I can't find the recipe anymore, but just made savory grits (pictured, top) using chicken stock and adding gouda cheese at the end along with the Smokies.

I actually made this twice more to use up all the all the Lit'l Smokies: when I'd used up all the grits I had, I made creamy polenta. Equally good, especiallly with gouda cheese melted into the mixture--substituted for the parmesan in the polenta recipe linked above).

And finally, I used up the last of the Lit'l Smokies and this time skipped both grits & polenta and substituted creamed cauliflower (pictured, bottom)...not bad with the smoked gouda, though it didn't have the same textural heartiness as the grits or polenta. 

Beefy Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Adding more veggies to a meaty meal... I've seen a few different recipes that replace some ground beef with finely chopped mushrooms (burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, etc). Here's a spin on Sloppy Joes:

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 lb cremini mushrooms, very finely chopped

1 C choppedonion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 T minced fresh (or 1 tsp dried) oregano

2/3 C tomoato paste

2 T each red wine vinegar, Worcestershire, molasses

salt & pepper to taste

hot sauce, to taste

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms; cook until onions are tender and excess liquid is reduced. Add remaining ingredients - seasoning with salt & pepper, and hot sauce as desired.

Serve on toaste Kaiser rolls -- top bun optional.

Croissants

Ingredients

1/3 C warm water

1½ T active dry yeast

2 T + ½ tsp sugar

2 C flour

1 tsp salt

¼ C + 1 T cream

1½ T melted unsalted butter

¾ C very cold butter

1 egg yolk

Directions

In a small bowl combine warm water, yeast and ½ tsp sugar; let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes).

In bowl of stand mixer, combine flour, 2 T sugar and salt in a bowl, set aside.

Add melted butter and ¼ C cream to yeast mixture. With stand mixer on low speed, add yeast & butter mixture to dry ingredients. Increase spead to medium-low and knead dough utnil smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes). Dough will remain slightly tacky.

Shape dough into ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours).

Unwrap chilled dough. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½" thick rectangle (approx 8x12"). Layer with butter, folding and rolling to laminate in many layers. Refrigerate an hour between foldings and rollings as needed to make sure the butter stays cold.

There are various methods here for layering/laminating the butter into the dough. Some pound and flatten the butter into a ¼" thick rectangle (about 8x4") laying it in the center of the dough so the 8" length of butter spans the 8" width of the dough, then folding the 4 inches of dough from either side over the butter. Others grate the very cold butter -- can even be frozen -- using a cheese grater and sprinkle the butter between layers of dough, alternating folding and rolling between adding additional layers. The purpose is to create layers of dough and butter that will bake into the flakey layers traditional with croissants. I've not yet experimented enough to say which is my personal preferred method.

Refrigerate dough 1 hour after last folding/lamination.

Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll dough to a rectangle approximately 12x18". Using a sharp knife (or pizza cutter) cut dough into 6-8 triangles 3-4 inches at the base, 12" tall (see picture). Roll each croissant from base to tip; shape, if desired, into a crescent and place on parchment lined baking sheet.*

*If you want to make pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants), they are traditionally rectangular pieces of dough rolled around 'bars' of chocolate.

In a small bowl, combine egg yolk with 1 T cream; brush croissants with mixture.

Proof croissants by placing the baking sheet of croissants in a cold/off oven; boil 2 cups of water, place the bowl of boiling water in the bottom of the oven. Close the door. Let croissants proof 2-4 hours until doubled in size.

Remove croissants from oven (and remove the bowl of water). Preheat oven to 425° F.

Brush croissants with a second layer of egg-cream mixture. Place in middle rack of oven and immediately reduce heat to 375° F. Bake until deep golden brown (25-30 minutes).

Cinnamon Spiced Brussels Sprouts

Honey-Sriracha Brussels sprouts is still my 'go-to' preparation (with our without the bacon). But I've been trying new things lately. Cinnamon Spiced Brussels sprouts is a BH&G idea.

I like the idea of avoiding sweeteners and using cinnamon--which often fools us into interpreting a dish as sweet since cinnamon is used in many sweet preparations (maple flavor can often do the same). Although I generally like a splash of acid in many dishes, I wasn't wild at all about the combination of lemon with the cinnamon in this. I think I'd reduce the amount, and opt for apple cider vinegar next time around...

Ingredients

1½ C shaved Brussels sprouts*

1½ T olive oil

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

pinch salt

* I have a mandolin, so this is quick and easy; you could also slice them very thinly by hand, or just opt to quarter them. But the shaved or thinly sliced preparation allows for more surface to caramelize and pick up the spice, so that's definitely an advantage. Look for shaved Brussels sprouts near the bagged salads at your supermarket.

Directions

Toss shaved Brussels sprouts with olive oil in a bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss to coat evenly.

Sauté over medium heat until sprouts are crisp tender and  beginning to brown, and cinnamon is fragrant.

Add apple cider vinegar, tossing in the pan. Season with salt.

French Fries -- crispy outside, soft & tender inside

I don't always do this when I roast potatoes to make fries. It's an extra step, and sometimes I don't bother. But pre-boiling with some salt and acid does make a noticable difference on a crispier outside and still soft inside. Not quite as good as the texture achieved with deep frying, but this one skips the oil/fat!

Ingredients

1 lb potatoes

1 T cider vinegar

2-3 T olive oil

2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Bring  a large pot of water (5 or 6 cups) to boil; add vinegar and 1 tsp salt.

Slice potatoes into ½ inch thick wedges & sticks. Add to boiling water; cook about 10 minutes until just beginning to become tender. Gently remove potatoes, draining off excess water (pat with paper towel).

Gently toss potato fries with olive oil in a medium bowl, coating evenly. Spread fries in a single layer on a baking sheet -- line with parchment or foil for easy clean-up -- and bake 20 minutes. Use tongs to turn fries; return to oven for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle remaining salt over hot fries to serve.

Bourbon-Peach Sauce on Pork Tenderloin

This is my own spin inspired by a couple different recipes...bourbon-peach over chicken, pork chops...or ice cream! I had a pork tenderloin this time around, but the sauce would work with other cuts and proteins. And the ice cream sounds like a winner too! Fresh peaches would be ideal, but this time of year, I used canned...and even added a little of the juice to the sauce.

Ingredients

1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin (or chops, chicken, etc.)

s & p

1-2 T neutral flavored oil (I used olive oil)

2 C sliced, peeled peaches*

2 T bourbon

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T honey

1 T butter

* fresh peaches wouldn't have to be peeled; it's just a textural preference for me

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. rub oil all over the tenderloin and season with salt & pepper. Sear the tenderloin until well-browned on all sides. Transfer the tenderloin to a baking sheet to finish in the oven. (Depending on the thickness of your tenderloin, you could do all the cooking in the skillet. It's done when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 145° F; actually, you can pull it off the heat around 140° F as it will continue to heat/cook a bit as it rests. A thicker cut can be finished in the oven while you work on the sauce.) When the internal temp reaches 145° F,  remove it from the heat onto a plate or cutting board, tent it with foil and let it rest while you prepare the sauce.

Add peaches to the skillet with a little extra oil, if needed; cook until they just begin to brown and caramelize, but are still firm. Add bourbon, vinegar and honey; stir or swirl often as sauce boils, cooking 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; add butter swirling or stirring--gently, don't smash the peaches--until melted and incorporated. Season with salt & pepper as desired.

Slice the tenderloin; serve with peaches & sauce.

Smoky Brussels Sprouts

I've learned to like Brussels sprouts over the past few -- okay, quite a few -- years. And I often fix them very similarly (roasted, with a honey-sriracha glaze). But this recipe from Cooking Light sounded good.

I made them just like their recipe, though I cut it in half, with the exception of subbing in dry roasted peanuts for the salted smoked almonds (me and my nut allergies). I could even go for a little more of the smoked paprika, especially as it gets off-set a bit by the acidic splash from the vinegar -- which I also like!

Sautéed Cabbage & Apples

Cabbage on it's own doesn't interest me much. Still, it's low cal, high in Vitamin C and K, has lots of fiber, and it's relatively cheap too. So...throw in some apples to sweeten the deal, and a few seeds for a hint of nuttiness, and now it's got more appeal. (And it's super easy!)

Ingredients

2-3 C thin sliced cabbage

1 C very thin sliced apples

1 T butter

pinch salt

¼ C toasted sunflower seeds (sliced, toasted almonds would probably work well too)

Directions

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add cabbage & apples; tossing to coat. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Uncover; stir or toss, and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage and apples are tender. Season with additional salt if needed.

Mustard-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Root Vegetables

Cooking Light published this recipe (back in March of 2015). I've used the basic idea for inspiration before, and did again just recently. BOTH times, I've completely forgotten to take a photo. (The one at right was published with the original recipe in Cooking Light; I'll TRY to remember and take one of my own next time I make something along these lines!)

I've no complaints about the original recipe as it is except...  It's one of their "cook once, eat three times" features and starts off with 3 pounds of butternut squash and then adds carrots, parsnips, onions and sweet potatoes on top of that. As a single person, I'd be eating for not three meals, but three months!!

But...

I diced (large dice) ONE sweet potato, ONE small onion, and ONE parsnip; toss them in a tablespoon or two of olive oil with some salt & pepper (I used cayenne, not black pepper) and a generous sprinkling of minced rosemary. Spread on a baking sheet, they went into a hot (425° F) oven for about 40 minutes, turning them once half way through.

While they were roasting, I seasoned two chicken thighs with salt & pepper (cayenne again for me), and sautéed them over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through (4-5 minutes per side). Remove them aside -- onto a plate -- and cover them with foil to keep them warm. Add about a ¼ cup chicken stock and a splash of white wine (or just more stock) and deglaze the pan. Then add a teaspoon or two of whole-grain mustard, a teaspoon of honey, and simmer to reduce and thicken it just a bit.

Pour this over the roasted, diced vegetables and the chicken. Season with additional salt & pepper if needed.

With these amounts, I had two generous meals (not weeks or months worth).

Citrus "Walnut" Salad ... knock off!

 A few years ago (November 2018) Food Network Magazine published a recipe for "Citrus-Walnut Salad" that looked and sounded delicious. I ripped it out of the magazine to try. 

Then it sat around for a couple years. 

Whenever I'd think about making it...

the time to supreme the citrus (which I've done for other recipes), 

toast the walnuts (yes, I've toasted and candied a variety of nuts before), 

and then realize that I didn't have endive or maybe the radicchio... 

As delicious as it would be, I've never yet taken that much time for 'just' a salad. 

So, here's my knock-off version that takes it from gourmet to every day (and still super tastey!!)

1) I used a store bought bag (gasp! yes!) of spring mix salad greens.

2) I didn't supreme my own tangerines and blood oranges, but opened up a can of mandarins.

3) I didn't roast or candy my own walnuts (I'm allergic anyway), but substituted some honey roasted peanuts.

4) I did make my own dressing, very similar to FN's.

Dressing Ingredients

1-2 T orange juice

   (Yup...drained from the canned mandarins!)

1 T rice wine vinegar or mirin

   (Mirin is sweetend rice wine vinegar; if the orange juice is really sweet, opt for the rice wine vinegar.)

1 T grainy Dijon mustard

pinch crushed pink peppercorns

pinch salt

2 T olive oil

   (I had blood orange infused olive oil...worked great to intensify the orange flavor, but that wouldn't be necessary.)

Directions

Combine everything except the olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously while slowly pouring in the olive oil to emulsify. Season with additional salt & pepper as desired.