Cilantro Lime Chicken and Broccoli // The One Where Crouton Says Goodbye to 2012

Welcome to 2013! I anticipated my first post of the new calendar year to be much more photo-heavy, but someone – ahem, my dear husband – has taken the camera’s memory card reader to work and subsequently left it there … for nearly a week now! Therefore, instead of macaroni and cheese or truffle oil pasta recipes, today you instead receive a recipe for cilantro chicken and broccoli, a not-photographed dinner we tried last week.

But let’s check in with Crouton first, shall we? The little princess received a new calming collar in her Christmas stocking – an invention that actually seems to work on her – so sneak attacks and volatile moods are currently being suppressed. On Dec. 31^st, when I was packing to visit friends in Delaware for New Year’s Eve, she decided to take a little nap – right on the clothes I was packing to wear that night. I know this is a phenomenon not exclusive to Crouton. Why do cats, when given the option of sleeping on an entire king-sized bed or any other myriad places within the house, always have to choose the clothes, book, keyboard, etc., that you’re using? Those sequins could NOT be comfortable!

Recipe Redux: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I’m so excited, I can hardly contain myself. It’s nearly football season!

Yes, it’s going to be a strange college ‘ball season for this Penn Stater over here. New head coach, new uniforms, no chance for a bowl game — but I’m still celebrating all things Blue and White beginning this weekend. And, I’m getting ready for NFL season, too, having just finished my fantasy football draft.

Yep, this girl plays fantasy football. Don’t ask questions.

So I’m returning to a recipe I have shared in the past, but with a much better photo. My husband loves these little saucy meatballs, so there’s a good chance they’ll be gracing our Sunday dinner table quite often over the next few months.

The B(e)LT: Bacon-, Egg-, and Lettuce-Stuffed Tomato

What better way to celebrate summer’s favorite crop than with a deconstructed version of our favorite sandwich? This really makes a perfect breakfast!

Gingery Chicken Stirfry

I adore Asian food, but I always have trouble cooking it at home. Either my husband, always the critic, claims it’s too salty or I find it to be too bland. As in “blah.” As in “blah, why am I bothering to eat this?”

But last night, I got it right.

 

 

Tuna Avocado Tacos // The One Where Crouton Throw a Fit About Her Food

A couple days ago, Crouton threw a fit about her food (isn’t that all she throws fits about?) While her bowl was in the dishwasher, I put her dry food in one of the regular (read: pretty) bowls that us humans use. Well, I guess she doesn’t handle change well because I come home from walking the dog and the bowl is in pieces on the floor with kitty kibble scattered everywhere. And my husband is on the couch, just hanging out, not much to say other than “Now that we’re putting tile down in the kitchen, things will break a lot more easily.”

Well, it’s his cat. So it’s his mess to clean up. But then I get home from work the next day, and there’s still kitty kibble all over the floor. And beyond that, Crouton  is weaving in and out of my legs, begging for more food. So, once again, I question David, who then explains that he’s punishing her for pushing her food bowl off her perch and wasting good food. That she needs to clean up her kitty kibble mess before she gets any more food.

And then he asks me to fill up her (now-clean) bowl with food while he goes to buy me a bottle of wine.

Anyway, tuna-avocado tacos, anyone? I served these bad boys with a side of zucchini sauteed in a random green sauce made from cilantro I picked out from the Mexican aisle (is that the right term? I can’t even remember what they call it there).  When my husband finished his allotted two tacos and zucchini, he returned to the kitchen with a question that makes me want to die: “That was a great appetizer. What’s for dinner?”

This, my friends, is what happens when you marry someone who is 6’6″.

Creamy Shiitake and Leek Chicken

Prior to this dinner, I had never tried shiitake mushrooms. This was mostly because they can be slightly hard to find or more expensive than portobellos. However, this weekend, I did run across a package that was only 40 cents more expensive than portobellos, so I jumped at the chance to try them. After making this dish, I realized that portobellos could easily be substituted for a similarly delicious and decadent dinner.

Asian-Inspired Braised Beef with Bok Choy

When I look back at my college years, I remember about a two-year stint where I didn’t eat red meat.

What was I thinking?

While chuck roast is most commonly used as a pot roast — and for good reason — sometimes I get tired of making pot roast and want to do something different. I had some bok choy in the fridge to use, so I thought an Asian-style sauce to braise the chuck roast might be a good idea.

Asian-Inspired Braised Beef with Bok Choy

2 pounds chuck roast, cut into large cubes.
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1 bunch bok choy, chopped

Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add the cubes of beef and brown on all sides. Remove from heat, and return all the beef to the pot.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, remaining sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and ginger.  Pour the combination over the beef. Cover the Dutch oven, and place it into the hot oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily.

Add the chopped bok choy to the pot, and return it to the oven. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked to your desired tenderness.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

I know, I know, you don’t have to tell me twice — you hate Brussels sprouts. But I also know that you love bacon. Maybe it’s time to try Brussels sprouts again!

There’s something special about this combination of roasting the Brussels sprouts, which gets them crispy and delicious, and bacon, which makes everything better. I really think that roasting the sprouts changes the flavor of them, so if you haven’t liked these veggies in the past when sauteed, steamed, or boiled, you just might enjoy this method.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 (10-ounce) package Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 shallots, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Crumbled cheese such as blue cheese, Gorgonzola, or feta

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the sprouts and peel off any loose or bruised leaves. Cut each sprout in half, then toss with olive oil. Spread them out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are browned and start to look crispy.

While the Brussels sprouts are baking, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. At the end of the cooking process, add the shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the walnuts briefly to toast them, about 2 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and chop roughly.Remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven. Combine with the bacon, walnut, and shallot mixture, mixing thoroughly. Sprinkle on the cheese, if using, and serve immediately.

Nutritional information per serving:  206 cal.; 19.4 g fat; 6 g carbs; 2.7 g fiber; 5.2 g protein

Tequila Lime Salmon

You know how some people say bacon makes everything better? Or butter? (I’m sounding like Paula Deen here.) Well, I’d go out on a limb and say that tequila makes everything better. Think about it:

When you have a bad day, what can make it better? Tequila!
When you’re having fun with friends, what can make it even better? Tequila!
When you have a large piece of salmon, what can make it better? Tequila!

OK, I know a few people who would vehemently disagree that tequila is a good idea in any context, but you catch my drift. When I needed something to marinate the piece of fish below, I decided to take a margarita standpoint and soak it in some tequila, olive oil, and lime juice. It doesn’t make the fish taste like tequila — don’t worry, those of who you overdid it on Mezcal in college — but definitely gives it a nice flavor.

 

Tequila Lime Salmon
Serves 4

1 pound Atlantic Salmon
2/3 cup silver tequila
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a large container, making sure the salmon is thoroughly coated. Cover, place in the fridge, and walk away for at least 30 minutes.

When you return, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet, scoop up all the jalapeno and garlic pieces  from the marinade, and scatter it over the fish. Don’t get rid of that stuff, it’s yummy. (The jalapeno loses most of its heat when the ribs and seeds are removed, then even more when cooked.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

I serve this with mashed cauliflower and Caesar salad for a delightful, filling dinner.

Approximate nutritional information (slightly off because this includes all the marinade, which you wouldn’t necessarily eat) per serving: 451 cal; 25.4 g fat; 80.5 mg cholesterol; 63.9 mg sodium; 1.8 g carbs; 29 g fiber.

Saucy Shrimp over Zucchini Ribbons

In this easy-to-make dish, shrimp drips in a spicy, buttery sauce atop ribbons of zucchini, adding a healthy dose of vegetables to a succulent meal.

This dish blends one of my favorites, Shrimp Etouffee — a word I can never spell — with a simple sauteed shrimp dish. The butter makes it decadent, but the zucchini ribbons is lieu of spaghetti or rice cuts down on the calories.

Saucy Shrimp with Zucchini Ribbons
Serves 4

2 zucchini
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the zucchini ribbons, use a vegetable peeler to slice thin strips of zucchini from top to bottom. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the zucchini and boil for two to three minutes, just until the zucchini is tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and saute for five minutes, until the celery starts to soften. Add the garlic and saute until it starts to brown. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, and let it reduce.

Add the remaining butter to the chicken stock and let it melt. Add the shrimp and red pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp is pink. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and extra red pepper, if you like spice!) Serve by plating ribbons of zucchini and topping it with the saucy shrimp.