Reuben Sandwiches

I have been lusting after Spring for about a month now.  I think a lot of us are.  One thing that makes me think Spring is St. Patrick's Day.  When I think if St. Patty's Day, I think of corned beef and sauerkraut.  Then I think of one of my favorite sandwiches-- the Reuben!  A friend of mine was talking about Reubens the other day and I've been craving one ever since.  You don't have to go to the local deli to enjoy this hearty sandwich.  Making them at home is much more fun!

I picked up a corned beef roast at my local supermarket and let it cook low and slow in the crock pot all day.  Yum!

For each sandwich, you will need:

• 2 slices rye bread (my favorite is the swirled rye bread at Winco, but I didn't want to drive that far.  I just used the rye bread sold in the deli section of my local store)
• Corned Beef (2-3 oz. cooked shredded corned beef per sandwich)
• Sauerkraut (1/2 cup or so)
• Swiss Cheese (1-2 slices)
• Mustard (I like the deli kind with juicy seeds in it that pop in your mouth)
• Russian Dressing

1. Make the Russian Dressing (recipe follows).  Set aside.
2. Spread about 1 Tbsp or so of the Russian dressing on a slice of bread.  Top with corned beef.
3. Place the sauerkraut in a paper towel and squeeze to remove excess juice.  Sprinkle it on top of the corned beef.
4. Lay the Swiss on top of the sauerkraut.  Spread the other slice of bread with a thin layer of the grainy mustard and set on top.
5. Lightly oil a grill pan, griddle, or skillet with canola or olive oil.
6. Grill the sandwich about 2-3 minutes on each side or until toasted.  Enjoy!!

Russian Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayo (I use Best Foods)
• 3 Tbsp ketchup (Heinz)
• 1 tsp Horseradish
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sweet pickle relish

Combine in a small bowl.  Will keep in the fridge for a week or so if needed.

This sandwich was very easy to put together.  I happily devoured it after a Zumba class. :)

Now I have a BUNCH of corned beef left over.  I can only have the same thing so many days in a row.  Any ideas on how to use it up?

Chinese Chicken Two Ways!!

Last week, I made Cashew Chicken following a recipe by Martha Stewart Living (Everyday Food: Great Food Fast).  It was ok.  Just ok.  I made a HUGE mistake and used seasoned rice vinegar instead of regular rice vinegar.  This made the dish way too salty.  Lesson learned!  I made the recipe again and it was MUCH better with the correct vinegar.  I still wasn't satisfied.  The beauty of Asian food is that it is a perfect balance between salty, spicy, sweet, sour and umami.  I set out to tweak the recipe to make it more balanced. 

I will post the recipes and photos for both recipes, but let's start with the 'tweaked' one.  I took lots of photos of the process and its always good to get the process down first.  Then you can tweak it the way you like it and make it your own!  Please note that it is best to have everything ready to go before you begin cooking.  You won't have time to chop in between steps!  Each recipe serves about 6.

Chinese Stir Fried Chicken and Veggies
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided (I used canola)
8 oz. (1/2 lb) button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken tenders (or breast), cut into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
6 garlic cloves, minced (or 1-1/2 tbsp Garden Gourmet Garlic Paste)
8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
2 Tbsp white vinegar
3 Tbsp Hoisin sauce (found in the Asian aisle)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic-chile paste (optional)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp corn starch in 2 tsp cool water, stirred well
1/4 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts (optional)

1.  Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned and they begin to release their juice, about 7 minutes.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.

2.  Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and HALF of the chicken.  Cook about 4 minutes, turning at 2 minutes.  The chicken should be lightly browned, but not cooked through.  Don't be temped to do all the chicken at once-- you'll overcrowd the pan and will end up steaming the chicken rather than stir frying it.  It'll get rubbery if that happens!  Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and repeat with the second half of the chicken.

3.  Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the bell pepper, carrots, garlic and whites of the scallions.  Cook and stir fry until softened, about 4 minutes.

4.  Add chicken and mushrooms, along with any juices, back to the pan with the vegetables.  Stir in the vinegar, turn the heat down to medium, and let cook until evaporated, about 3 minutes.

5.  Add the bamboo shoots, Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Chile paste and water.  Cook, tossing and stirring, until the chicken is cooked through.  This should take from 1 to 3 minutes.

You can amp up the heat of this dish by stirring in some chile paste.  I love this stuff!  The amount used in this recipe is just enough to warm your tummy.  Feel free to add more and kick up the heat.

6.  Add the cornstarch/water mixture and cook another minute or two to slightly thicken the sauce.  Remove from heat, and stir in the green parts of the scallions and the sesame oil.  Stir well.  It will look saucy and delicious.

7.  I decided to serve over Udon Noodles this time.  Found them in the produce section.  They only took 3 minutes to cook!  Put those in your bowl.

8.  Top noodles with chicken/sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with a Tbsp or so of lightly salted roasted peanuts for a wonderful crunch if desired (not pictured).

Now on to Recipe #2!!

Cashew Chicken (Martha Stewart)
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins, cut into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced (or 1-1/2 Tbsp Garden Gourmet Garlic Paste)
8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp rice vinegar (NOT seasoned rice vinegar)
4 Tbsp Hoison Sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1-4 tsp sesame oil

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Place cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Toast in oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  They will crisp up as they cool.

2.  Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle with pepper. Toss to coat evenly.

3.  In a large nonstick skillet , heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat until very hot.  Add half of the chicken pieces to the skillet and stir fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

4.  Add the remaining Tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet; then add remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions.  Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar.  Cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. 

5.  Add the Hoisin sauce, soy sauce and water; cook, tossing, until the chicken in cooked through, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the scallion greens, cashews, and sesame oil.  Serve over rice or noodles.

When I made this recipe with the right vinegar, I used skinless boneless chicken thighs.  I didn't find them to be as tender as the breast meat, but it still tasted good!

Lili's Fresh Flour Tortillas

Friday was a great day!  We had a Superbowl party at work.  Our HQ is in Pittsburgh, so there were several Steelers fans on location-- along with a few Packers fans.  We decided to serve taco salads, tacos, nachos, refried beans, and chicken wings.  We also made everything from scratch (except for the corn tortillas).

I work with some great people. One of those people is a lady named Lili.  Lili's heart is bigger than anyone I've ever known.  She works very hard, likes to laugh, and makes tortillas for breakfast every morning.  This is Lili's recipe for Homemade Fresh Flour Tortillas.

This is the second time I've made tortillas with Lili.  She makes the masa (the dough) and I roll it out.  Here is the recipe and the technique.  I hope you try these at home.  They're surprisingly easy!  Lili says you can make the masa on the weekend, keep it in the fridge, and use it to make fresh tortillas every day!

This recipe will make quite a few fresh 6" tortillas.  You can also freeze the tortillas once cooked and cooled.  Just thaw on the counter before use.

Lili's Fresh Flour Tortillas

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

-Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix together with your hands until completely blended.  As you can see, Lili is quick with her hands!

Add 1/2 cup crisco.  Break it into pea sized pieces and roll them in the flour with your hands or use a pastry blender.  The mixture should resemble coarse meal-- like when you're making pie dough.

Next, mix in hot water-- as hot as you can stand it.  The hotter the water, the softer the tortilla will be.  If you use cool water, Lili says the tortilla will break and fracture when you try to bend it.  Start with 1 cup of water, and gradually add more by the tablespoon if needed to help the dough form a ball. 

Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough ball will look a bit shaggy. Let it rest on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes with a towel over the top of the bowl.


 

Using your hands, break off golf-ball sized amounts of dough and use your hands to roll them into a ball while folding the dough under to form a dimple.  Like this:

Here's what all the dough balls looked like on the rolling mat.

Cover the dough balls with a towel while you roll them out into a tortilla.  Take a ball of dough and dip the bottom in all purpose flour.  Place it on the mat, and roll in an up and down motion.  Pick it up, turn it by a quarter turn, and roll again.  Lightly flour the rolling pin if needed, but keep picking it up and rotating it to be sure it doesn't stick.  Lili likes to use a rolling pin where the handles have been broken off.  She says it gives you a better idea of how much pressure you're using on the dough.

Preheat a skillet over medium low heat.  Lili uses a flat cast iron skillet.  Lay the rolled tortilla on the skillet and cook it for 2-3 minutes per side.  It will puff up-- use a clean potholder or folded up towel to gently press on the tortilla and express the air if it puffs too much. 

Here, you can see the little bubbles forming as the tortilla cooks.

You know the tortilla is done when both sides look like the picture above.  Keep warm between layers of clean towels and serve.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did.  Thanks, Lili!!

Bacon, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittata plus a welcome kitchen guest

So, I need something for breakfast that I can cook on the weekend and store in the fridge for the grab-and go kind of mornings we all have during the week.  The solution?  Frittata.  FRITTATA!!  A glorious Italian baked omelet thingy.  Yes, that's the technical term-- thingy.  Hey, it's the weekend!  Give me a break.  Food Scientists have to turn their brains off sometimes just like everyone else. 

Frittata is similar to quiche, but there is less cream and no crust.  But still completely delicious!  You can mix up the veggies however you wish.  You could even bake about 1 Tbsp of egg mixture in a mini muffin pan and serve them at room temp with sour cream as a protein-packed appetizer (those only need to bake about 15 minutes). 

Now, say hello to my little friend.  I found him crawling around on the windowsill.  He told me Spring is on the way.  Yay!

Now, a word about bacon.  I love it.  Do you?  Of course you do.  But-- do you like cooking it?  I don't.  I hate going through a dozen paper towels cooking it in the microwave or cleaning the entire kitchen after making it on the stove.  The solution-- your oven.  Yep!  Just line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil, put a layer of bacon slices on it, put the whole tray in a cold oven, turn the oven temp to 425 degrees, and WALK AWAY.  Leave it for 20 to 25 minutes, and viola!  Perfectly cooked bacon.  Remove the slices from the pan and let drain on a plate with paper towels.  If you like it a bit crispier, leave it in the oven for an extra 5 minutes.

Here's my recipe and how I put it together.

Bacon, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittata
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
4 lg. cremini mushrooms, cut in half and sliced thin
3 green onions, white and green parts sliced thin
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt, divided
5 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan, divided (NOT the stuff in the green can)
5 whole large eggs, beaten
5 large egg whites, beaten (save the yolks for making homemade pudding-- coming soon)
1/4 cup half and half or milk
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 cherry tomatoes, sliced

1.  Place the russet potatoes in a microwave safe dish and cover with water.  Cover the container and microwave on high for 4 minutes.  Drain.  I used a glass bowl with a plate for a lid.  You could also substitute 1 to 1-1/2 cups of Ore-Ida Southern Style Hash Browns and thaw them out. Wink wink!

2.  Bake bacon according to directions listed above, slice into little bits.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a 9" x 13" nonstick pan with oil and set aside.

3.  Place about 1 Tbsp of drippings from the bacon pan in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add drained cooked potato, mushrooms, green onions, and thyme to pan with 1/2 tsp salt.  Saute about 10 to 12 minutes, or until potato is lightly brown and mushrooms are cooked through.  Remove from heat and cool.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and eggs.  Add half and half, 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, black pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir well.

5.  When the potato mixture is cool, add it to the egg mixture and stir well.  Pour into prepared pan.  Dot the top with the tomato slices and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp Parmesan.

6.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and the center is no longer jiggly.  Let stand 10 minutes.

7.  Slice and serve!  I ate a slice, then let the rest cool.  I removed them from the pan and put in a container between pieces of waxed paper.  Now all I have to do is zap a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds and I have breakfast all week!  It also freezes well-- just thaw overnight and zap in the morning.  Enjoy!

Meatloaf Muffins

Happy weekend to you!  I've really been in the mood for comfort food lately.  Thank goodness we are beginning to thaw here in the Treasure Valley!  We've even glimpsed the sun a few times lately.

Speaking of comfort food--- What comes to mind when you think of comfort food?  For me, its something savory and warm.  What could be more comforting than meatloaf?  Sometimes, 'comfort food' means 'long time to cook'.  Not with this recipe!  I bake my meatloaf in a muffin pan.  It takes less time to cook, yields individual servings that are easy to handle, and, well, they're just darn cute.  Plus, they freeze well-- just thaw in the fridge overnight and pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Yum!

Speaking of muffins-- there is another blog out there called 'Do You Know The Muffin Pan'?  Its a great blog-- the blogger (Amy) cooks everything in a muffin pan.  EVERYTHING.  Check it out.  Its cool!

Here's the link: http://www.doyouknowthemuffinpan.com/.  Enjoy!

Now on to the recipe.  You'll notice this recipe is a bit sneaky.  I put tons of veggies in my meatloaf recipe.  TONS.  They make the meatloaf moist and give it great flavor.  Don't be afraid to mix it up- some people like onions with their meat loaf.  My hubby wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole if onions were in the recipe.  If you like onions, just replace half or all of the mushrooms with onions.  No biggie!

Meatloaf Muffins (6 servings, 2 muffins each)
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms (about an 8 oz. container, chopped fine)
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced (See note on garlic)
1 cup ketchup, divided (HEINZ)
1-1/2 lbs ground beef (93% lean at least)
1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers (about 20-- seasoned bread crumbs will do in a pinch)
1 Tbsp mustard (the regular yellow kind)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrrins is the best)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 lg eggs
cooking spray

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, carrots, dried oregano, and minced garlic.  Saute about 5 minutes to soften the veggies..  Cool.  They should look like this:

3.  Next, put the ground beef in the bottom of a HUGE bowl.  Add 1/2 cup ketchup, the veggie mixture, and the rest of the ingredients except the cooking spray.  Reserve the other 1/2 cup ketchup for later.  The bowl should look like this:

Ooooh, pretty!  Next, with clean hands or a clean wooden spoon, mix the ingredients in the bowl until they are completely mixed.  Don't overdo it or the meat will be tough.

4.  Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.  I like to open the dishwasher, set the pan on the door, spray it, then close the door.  No messy cooking spray all other kitchen.  Ta da!  Divide the beef mixture among the 12 cups, then put about a tsp of ketchup on top.  Like this:

5.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then let rest for 5 minutes.  Find fork.  Eat.  Smile.  Make yummy noises, etc.

Note about garlic:  The minced stuff in jars is crap.  Don't use it.  Just don't.  It's gross.  Really-- just smell it and you'll know.  But there is some good stuff you can use if you're not the mincing-garlic-by-hand type of person.  It's called Garden Gourmet and you'll find it in the produce section of the grocery store.  Just put it in the freezer and the tube will last almost forever.  Seriously-- it tastes just like freshly minced garlic.  Yay!  The basil, cilantro, and other herbs by Garden Gourmet are also wonderful.

Note about beef: You want the beef used in this recipe to be super duper lean-- or all your muffin cups will be full of grease when you take it out of the oven.  That's icky.

Shrimp Eggflower Soup

Looking for a new soup recipe that warms you up and comes together in no time?  Well, here it is!  This soup is PACKED with protein to keep you going and tastes like you just stepped into your favorite Asian bistro.  The recipe is based on the one from Cooking Light Magazine (January 2006).  I've been making this soup since 2006 and let me tell you-- it is YUMMY!  I've made a few modifications (duh!).

It's important to use raw shrimp in this recipe-- if you get the stuff out of the butchers block that's already been cooked, the shrimp may become rubbery in the soup.  Ick!

Shrimp Eggflower Soup (Cooking Light, Jan. 2006)
3/4 lbs medium shrimp, deveined and peeled
1 cup petite frozen peas (thawed)
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp cool water
4 cups (32 oz.) good chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth (I used the kirkland brand from Costco)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (see tip at end of recipe)
1 tsp dark sesame oil
4 oz. (2 cups) sliced mushrooms (USE FRESH)
1 cup grated carrot
1 Tbsp white miso paste (optional)
2 lg eggs, beaten
4-6 green onions, sliced thin

1.  Prepare shrimp and place in a collander in the sink.  Put the peas on top and run under cool water until everything is thawed.

2.  Mix the corn starch and 2 Tbsp cool water in a small bowl.  Be sure there are no lumps.  Place this mixture in a medium soup pot (6 quart or so) and add stock, 1 cup water, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.  Bring to a boil. 

3.  Once the liquid in the pot is boiling, add the carrots and mushrooms.  Cook for 3 minutes, add shrimp and peas and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and tender.

4.  Remove from heat and stir in the miso paste, if using (see tip below).  While stirring, slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs.  The hot soup will cook the eggs into thin ribbons that will float throughout the broth giving it a thick, silky texture.

5.  Top with green onions and season to taste.  Because I used chicken stock instead of chicken broth, I added a little salt.  Just taste it and see if you need to.

Tip #1 Ginger:  Fresh ginger keeps for a very long time when frozen.  I just put the root in a plastic baggie and stick it in the freezer.  When I need it, I peel the part of the root I want to grate with a small knife, then just use a microplane to grate it while frozen.  When I have what I need, I just put the rest of the root back in the freezer.  The ginger 'snow' from the grater thaws quickly.

Tip #2 Miso Paste:  Miso paste is a fermented paste made from soybeans or buckwheat.  It has a salty/brothy flavor that accents this soup very well.  It can be found in the refrigerated section of most health food stores or CoOps.  If you can't find it, no worries.  Just don't try to use the powdered Miso Soup mix-- that stuff is way too salty.

Enjoy!!

Ham and Bean Soup

This weekend, Tyson and his dad showed up with a garage door opener!  They worked hard all day Saturday installing it.  We had a good weekend together and it was nice having people to cook for.  On Sunday night, we had ham for dinner.  There was a lot left over, so I decided to make ham and bean soup.

The soup turned out really good!  I soaked the beans overnight and finished the soup at work this morning. It was lunch for the Pilot Plant crew.  They work so hard and I wanted them to know I appreciate them.

This soup smells heavenly while cooking.  I learned this method from my Grandmother.  She made ham and beans while we were there over Christmas.  So, heres my recipe/method adapted from Grandma Lucille.

Ham and Bean Soup
2 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
water
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 smoked ham hock (I used 1/2 smoked ham hock and leftover ham)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with jalepenos (or just regular diced tomatoes if you don't like it slightly spicy)

1.  Soak beans using slow method (in a pot with enough water to cover by a few inches overnight)  or using the quick method (in a pot with enough water to cover by a couple inches, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand covered for 1 hour).

2.  Drain soaked beans.  Put in a pot and add enough cool water to cover the beans by about an inch and a half.  Add the whole ham hock, onion, garlic and can of tomatoes.

3.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beans are tender.

4.  Remove the ham hock and let cool on a cutting board.  Separate the meat from the fat and chop into bite size pieces.  Return to pot. (I also added chopped leftover ham from this weekend).

5.  Taste for seasoning.  You shouldn't need salt, but add pepper if you'd like.  Serve on a cold day to warm you up from the inside out.

Here's looking forward to spring!