DIY Dinners

[RadicalModerate]

Ever since I first heard of Fish Tacos—and tried them at one of the Downtown Festivals of the Arts many, many years ago—they have been a favorite of mine. The first version I ever had involved crusted/fried fish, as have many of the others I’ve sampled over the years. I really prefer it without the breading. Here is a quick and easy version that I made just last night. The key thing here is to do ALL of the prep before doing anything else and to have the rice already cooked long before you start any of the rest of the cooking. In fact, you can actually cook the rice the day before and then pull it from the fridge when you are ready to put together this quick dinner. Note that a mandolin comes in very handy for thin-slicing the peppers and onion for the slaw mix then finishing off the prep with a small sharp knife. Also note that it took about three times longer to type all this than it did to prepare the entire quick dinner . . . Maybe it was simply a "labor of love" =)

Quick Fish Tacos (with “Fiesta Rice”)

The Fish
Tilapia filets (figure one or one-and-a-half per person)
Lawry's Baja Chipotle Marinade
Olive oil

Method:
Thaw fish filets, place in a large baking dish, coat lightly, but completely, with Chipotle Marinade, cover with plastic wrap and set aside (in the refrigerator if it will be more than 30 min. until you cook them). Preheat the oven to 400 deg. Heat some oil in a large, ovenproof skillet that is big enough to hold all the filets. I used my 12” skillet for this. Place the fish in the skillet and sear for 4 minutes. Flip the fish and place the skillet in the oven for 4 min. Pull from oven and set aside until ready to assemble the tacos.

The Veg
(It goes without saying that your hands and all utensils involved here need to be very clean, but I’ll say it anyway. This is very important to remember since no cooking is involved.)
Coleslaw Mix
Green bell pepper (about 1/4 of the pepper, sliced very thin/julienned)
Red bell pepper (about 1/4 of the sliced very thin/julienned)
Red onion (about 1/4 of the onion sliced very thin/julienned)
1 Serrano pepper (julienned)

Method:
Prep all the peppers and the onion. Put the coleslaw in a bowl, add the peppers and onion, mix well. You can also put each of the items in a separate bowl so people can add only what they like to their taco, but this is an extra hassle and requires the later washing of several little bowls instead of one larger one

The Dressing
“Kathy’s Greek Yogurt Ranch Salad Dressing” with a few tablespoons of Salsa from a jar stirred into it.
(Details to follow on how to make “KGYRSD”)

(Edited to Add, Just In Via The Miracle of Modern Communcations):
*Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing: 1 package ranch dressing (the dry mix); 1 cup lo-fat Plain Greek Yogurt; 1 cup buttermilk. Whisk together in a bowl until well-blended. This is better if the flavors blend in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I added a pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Note: If you had some cucumber and maybe some capers on hand, tossing some of them in there might lend a bit of authentic Mediterranean/Near Middle Eastern to the mix. (optional)

The Side ("Fiesta Rice" a.k.a. “Faux Paella”)
Vigo Yellow Rice (or Goya Arroz Amarillo)
About 2 to 3 Tbs. each: Red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Serrano pepper, thin sliced
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup frozen peas
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Coarse ground black pepper

Method:
Cook rice according to package directions, fluff with a fork, re-cover and set aside to cool. Heat some oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper, then sauté for a minute or three. Add the frozen corn and peas (it’s okay if you have allowed them to come to room temperature). After another minute or two, start adding spoonfuls of the rice, stirring/mixing constantly until you think you have a big enough batch and until rice is heated through. Reduce heat to low and cover until ready to serve.

Plating Up:
Place a flour tortilla (warmed in the oven, on a baking sheet, as the fish finishes up or one that you have heated in the microwave) on a plate. Add a portion of the fish that is holding in the skillet on the stovetop (about half of one filet or a bit more is about right). Cover the fish with some of the slaw mixture, spoon on some of the dressing, fold over the tortilla and add some of the rice mixture to the plate. Hand the plate—that you have also garnished with a fork and a slice of the lime you have cut into wedges—to the soon to be delighted (even if they haven’t ever had a fish taco before) guest. I used the term “delighted” without any reservation because every last scrap of this got devoured when the delighted diners went back for “roll your own” seconds.

P.S. About half of the rice, cooked yet not used for the Fiesta Rice, will live on (in the fridge) to be eaten another day. Perhaps as part of the filling for the leftover green and red bell peppers? Along with . . . Maybe some chicken or tuna or whatever. =)

[RadicalModerate]

Next to Thanksgiving and Christmas my Big Cooking Day is St. Patrick’s Day. I also do some cooking around Scandinavian-American Awareness Week/Swedish-American Appreciation Day, in January, but that is a subject for another time. Actually, this year our little feast will be on the day after St. Pat’s Day, on account of I have to go work at the job that allows me to pay for this meal. It doesn’t matter though, because this is good anytime. A real bonus to this whole deal is that the leftover Corned Beef can be used to make Reuben Sandwiches on St. Reuben’s Day (two days after St. Patrick’s Day), a Reuben Braid, a Reuben Open Pleated Pie or even Reuben Cottage Shepherd Pie within the following week.

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner: Corned Beef, Colcannon, Carrots and Kale, with Soda Bread

Corned Beef
1 Corned Beef in a bag
1 bottle dark beer, ale or stout
Beef broth (enough)
Rosemary (a few sprigs)
Thyme (a few sprigs)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
Spice packet (from the package of Corned Beef)
Onion, chopped

In a dutch oven, over medium-high heat, brown the corned beef on both sides. Add the beer and enough beef broth to cover the meat by about one inch. Remove the meat from the pot and add the brown sugar and the contents of the spice packet. Stir into the liquid. Return the meat to the cooking vessel. Tie the sprigs of herbs together and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 2 hrs. Add the onion and cook for another 30 min. to an hour or until meat is fork tender. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for about 15 min. before slicing across the grain.

Colcannon
Potatoes (figure about one or one and one-half per person)
1/2 of a small head of cabbage, cored and finely chopped or shredded
3 or 4 pcs. bacon (cooked the day before or at least well before you need it)
Milk (about a cup to start)
Butter (a couple of tablespoons or to taste)
4 green onions (thinly sliced)
Salt
Pepper

Peel and cut the potatoes into small chunks. Place in a pot with enough salted water to cover them by about an inch. (You can also use chicken broth here.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 min. or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and season with salt and pepper. In another pan or pot, boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add a tablespoon or two of butter, cover with lid and cook for about 2 min. Drain thoroughly and return it to the pan. Heat the milk with some butter. Mash the potatoes then gradually add the milk and butter mixture until the desired texture is achieved. Remove as much of the fat from the bacon as possible and chop what is left into small pieces (this, of course, can be done well ahead of time). Add the cabbage and the bacon to the potatoes and gently mix well. Fold in the green onions. Garnish the individual servings with some chopped parsley.


Carrots and Kale
Carrots (sliced about 3/8” on a bias)
Kale (chopped)
Salt
Pepper
Butter

Boil or steam the carrots until just barely fork tender. Drain and return to the pan over low heat. Season with S&P and add some butter. Add the chopped kale and cook over low to medium heat until the kale has wilted and tenderized a little. If you want you can splash in a liquid of choice (Sherry, Marsala, Madera, Mirin, White Wine etc.) to get a little glaze going.

Soda Bread
3-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 pint sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
¾ cup raisins, golden raisins or currants

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs and stir in sour cream
Add the egg and sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. (The batter will be very thick.) Add the raisins and caraway seeds and stir well with a wooden spoon or knead in with your hands. Place batter in a greased 9-inch springform pan. Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like a bread dough into the pan without it sticking to your hands. With a knife make a shallow criss-cross on the top. Bake for 50 min. in a pre-heated 350-deg. oven.

[Prunepicker]

Here's something I invented.

2 slices of white bread
2 slices of baloney
1 slice American cheese
1 Tbl Miracle Whip or mayonnaise.

Lay bread side by side and spread both with MW. Place all slices on one
slice of bread and top with other slice.

Plating. Wrap with wax paper and enclose in a brown paper bag with your
name on it. Serve with milk.

[RadicalModerate]

If you substituted some thin-sliced tongue ("lingua") for the baloney, used a little queso fresco for the American cheese, stirred a little cumin and some chipotles en adobo into the Miracle Whip then wrapped it up in a flour tortilla into something resembling a burrito, it might double the number of potential customers and show an appreciation for diverse world cuisine. =)

[RadicalModerate]

So . . . I’m taking another run/try/shot/attempt at preparing Something Special that I used to think of (back in my uninformed, idiotic, and/or mis-prejudiced days) as “The Brussels Sprouts of Meat” . . . that is, Lamb. I learned, later in life, that Lamb is one of the tastiest proteins ever. I had Mutton confused with Lamb in my formative years. In this case, it is a couple of the less expensive cuts of this wonderful creature (a lamb): Shoulder Chops. From previous experience, I knew, semi- intuitively that the tougher, more economical, cuts are best prepared by braising gently for a significant amount of time. So this is an outline of The Plan . . . And, as They say, “It’s Good to Plan the Work and Work the Plan” . . . Especially in regard to maintaining Right Brain/Left Brain Balance. Btw: The Co-Author of this “recipe” is making the Best Salad Ever: A Miracle Involving Pears, Walnut Oil, and Maytag Blue Cheese (plus some lettuce. c/o someone on Emeril’s staff from a decade or more ago, when The Food Network and their magazine was just a-gittin’started. =) “Yu Mast Ellow Th’ Ingrediaht tu Declahr Eatself” ~Jacques Pepin.

Lamb Shoulder Chops (ala John“Cookchef” C. c/o Kathleen The Divine C, et. al. =)
Preferred Cooking Method: Brown and Braise
Estimated Cooking Time: 1.5 to 2 hrs. (low and slow), (pan-sear to 300-deg. oven.)

The Main Thing (the Lamb Chops)
Ingredients:
Lamb Shoulder Chops, Olive Oil, Tomato Paste, Onion, Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme, Salt and Pepper, Liquid (e.g. Broth [Vegetable, Chicken or Beef] or Wine [White or Red], Lemon, Grape Tomatoes.

Method:
Prep and measure everything to be used (a.k.a.: mice en place, Google it or access the App. =). Heat some oil in a skillet, brown the chops, pre-seasoned with salt and pepper, for about 3 min. on each side then remove to a casserole or other braising tool. Deglaze skillet with a splash of liquid, add onions and some tomato paste to skillet, cook together for a couple of minutes, mixing well. Add the garlic, the liquid and the rest of the stuff—except for the lemon slices/pieces and tomatoes—and cook for a couple more minutes. Pour the contents of the skillet into the braising vessel containing the chops. Add more liquid, as required, and place in a 300-deg. oven for about an hour. Add the tomatoes and return the cooking vessel to the oven for the remaining cooking time. Be sure to check the liquid from time to time to make sure it doesn’t all evaporate and that there is enough at the end to use for sauce. This can all be done well ahead of time because, as is the case with any dish from stew to chili it’s even better if it sits for awhile and is then gently reheated.

The Primary Side (The Starch): “Potatoes, Mashed, [w/Shallot, Garlic, Chives/Whutever =)]”
Ingredients: (please see the heading, above, plus some butter, seasoning and maybe something green, perhaps resembling chives, parsley, baby spinach, kale or Herbs de Provence. And Milk.)

The Secondary Side (Other Veg/Green): “Asparagus ala Rachael Ray (plus mushrooms =)”
Ingredients:
Asparagus, Onion, Mushrooms, Dijon Mustard, Balsamic Vinegar, Thyme. Use your imagination. Onions: Carmelized, Aparagus: Boiled for 3 min. and drained. Mix well.

Bread (I Ain’t No Baker =): Ingrid’s Kitchen Rolls (thawed and warmed) or Sister Schubert Rolls (frozen, to oven, about 10 to 12 minutes)

[RadicalModerate]

The "queso" that comes with the chips at our favorite Mexican restaraunt (Casa Perico) has always reminded me of a form of that good old comfort food, Cream of Chicken soup. I've thought for some time that I could easily duplicate it--or "kick it up a notch"--at home. Last night, I decided to do just that. Here is what I did. My wife said the result was definitely a keeper (maybe because she is from Minnesota and this is a lot like a "hotdish" . . . without using a casserole).

Papas y Fajitas de Pollo (Open-Face Okie-Mex Hot Dish / "Curry")

Ingredients:
1 bag Fajita Chicken Strips (ready to heat and eat e.g. John Soules brand)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (condensed, like the old Campbell's standby)
1/4 to 1/3 cup grated cheese (e.g. Monterrey Jack . . . Colby/Jack . . . Queso Blanco)
1 Poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 can chopped green chiles (e.g. Hatch or Old El Paso)
1" slice of an onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped
4- 5 Mushrooms, halved, then each half cut into three pieces
2 - Medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" cubes
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Ancho chile powder (and/or alt. eg. "Ground New Mexico Chiles")

Method:
Prep the potatoes and place in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cook for about 5 min. or until just beginning to get tender. Drain completely and place in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, Ancho chile powder, cumin, ground New Mexico chiles. Pour some olive oil on them and mix well. Place on a baking sheet and into a 400-deg. oven. Stir occasionally until golden brown and tender. Reduce oven temp. to lowest setting and keep warm until ready to serve.

(Meanwhile) Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions, season with S&P, and sauté for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the fresh peppers and the garlic. Season with cumin, Ancho chili powder (and/or ground New Mexico chiles), salt and pepper. Add the chopped green chiles and the chicken strips. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Pull everything from the skillet then add the undiluted soup to it. Stir in the cheese and keep stirring until it has melted into the soup. Add a little milk to thin it out (if desired). Add the chicken and veg. back to the skillet and mix well. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Put some potatoes on a plate and cover with some of the "Fajita Chicken" mixture.
A little salad on the side is good here.
I served this with some Jiffy Cornbread instead of tortillas.

[RadicalModerate]

Here's one that I "invented"--or "honed"--for a quick, light, yet filling supper last night.
It was intended for two, but there was enough left over for my lunch today.

Tuna and Capellni Mediterranean (a less than 30 minute delight)

Ingredients:
Tuna (Chunk Light, one large envelope. We prefer Starkist in water.)
Capellini ("Angel Hair Pasta", enough for two)
Olive oil (decent quality, such as Colavita, Filipo Berio, etc.)
Onion (two quarter-inch slices, chopped)
Garlic (three or four cloves, chopped)
Roasted red pepper (Marzetti's, from a jar, chopped)
Green olives (five or six, quartered)
Black olives (five or six, quartered)
Capers (a couple of small spoonfuls)
Thyme (dried, a nice pinch--or fresh if you have it.)
Oregano (dried, a nice pinch--or fresh if you have it.)
Salt (or garlic salt if you don't have any fresh garlic on hand)
Pepper (black, freshly ground)
White wine (in this case, Reisling: for sweetness and because we had it on hand).
Butter (about a tablespoon, maybe a little more)
Grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Start boiling water for the pasta. Prep all the vegetables, etc. Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt (or garlic salt), pepper, thyme and oregano. Sauté for about three minutes. Add the rest of the prepped vegetables. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add a nice, healthy pour of wine and mix everything well. By now the pasta water should be boiling so add a lot of salt and then the pasta. It will only take about 4 minutes to cook, stirring occasionally. Add the butter to the skillet and stir gently until it is melted. Add a few nice pinches of the cheese and stir gently until melted and incorporated. By now, the pasta should be done. Pull it directly from the pasta pot using tongs and transfer it to the skillet without draining. Mix well into the "sauce." Plate up (pasta with sauce topped with some of the tuna. You can hit the tuna with a little salt and olive oil if you wish). Add a good green salad on the side with the dressing of your choice. If I liked sardines or anchovies, this dish would be more authentic, but I don't so it is what it is. And it's good.

btw: The "Mediterranean Salad" from Papa Murphy's is extraordinarily good here. I'd probably never go there for the bake-your-own pizza, but the salad is so good it would be worth a special trip.

[Prunepicker]

I've been roasting red and yellow peppers lately. They're a lot better
than store bought.

Oven to 450'
Oil or spray baking sheet.
Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and pulp.
Place peppers cut side down.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes checking occasionally to make sure the skin
is being evenly charred. Use tongs to move the peppers if necessary.

After sufficient charring place the peppers in a paper bag for 20-30
minutes, or until easy to handle. Peel the skin from the flesh and put in
a colander and allow to drip excess moisture. Maybe 1 or 2 hours. Toss
the peppers ever 15 minutes. This step can be eliminated with no ill
effects.

Eat.

If any are left over you can store them in a container and coated with
a little olive oil.

[RadicalModerate]

Certainly a Classic Presentation of Fresh Peppers.
However, when "Hittin' the Plate" is involved, (along with other ingredients),
sometimes one can err on the side of expediency and time control.
The Peppers from the Jar are OK . . . if time is not a factor in the composition. =)

Which goes to the simple fact that Bass Players and Drummers are crucial to The Mix. =)

p.s.: NEVER buy the only failed pepper product from a jar, from Marzetti, that I have ever purchased.
The Sweet Cherry Peppers were . . . not worth buying.
Kathy suggested, "Zesty Dills" (for the Coleslaw to accompany the Tilapia (ala Baja Chipole/c/o Lawry's).
It was the perfect Coleslaw for a Fish Dinner.

(btw: don't let any of that confuse the encounter with excellence that occurred last night in Midtown at Stella (modern Italian cuisine)
what they plated up wasn't a DIY deal. it was . . . beyond the realm of my knowledge, talent and cooking skill. no kidding, no plug.
and, after the perfect dinner . . . to step out into Midtown and look at all the lights--including The Devon Tower, The Backside of The Midtown Sign--etc. incl. St. Anthony's . . . sorry . . . . crossed threads . .. if I wasn't happy with what I got at Stella (Modern Italian Cuisine) I was going to hand them "my" canned tuna "recipe" instead of a tip. =)

[Prunepicker]

Certainly a Classic Presentation of Fresh Peppers.
However, when "Hittin' the Plate" is involved, (along with other ingredients),
sometimes one can err on the side of expediency and time control.
The Peppers from the Jar are OK . . . if time is not a factor in the composition. =)

Point taken. Right now red and yellow peppers are lower in price now
that they are in season.

I don't care for the taste of green peppers. They leave a bitter taste.

Burn 'dem peppers down boy,
Turn 'dem hoecakes round.
The only song that I can sing,
Is burn 'dem peppers down.

[Prunepicker]

Tomorrow I'm going to try a Chicken Pot Pie recipe using Bisquick. I just
roasted the chicken, 400' for 40 minutes, and am letting it cool.

There will be no peppers in the Chicken Pot pie. Some things just
aren't right. However, plenty of peas and curts.

[RadicalModerate]

Anything using Bisquick can't go wrong.
We had some Jiffy Cornbread tonight.
With "fried fish"/Tilapia
(in honor of "The Best Steak/Catfish" thread.)
If you parboil the potato, after cutting it up into uniform pieces, and the fry it in a skillet . . .
it ain't bad. Plus the coleslaw on the side with some Guy Fieri S.Carolina Slaw Dressing ain't too shabby.

[Prunepicker]

Chicken Pot Pie with Bisquick

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 chicken or 5 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
16 ounces mixed vegetables (I used peas and carrots)
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

Topping
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Lay chicken in bottom of 8 x 8 inch baking pan.

Heat vegetables and cream of chicken soup in microwave until vegetables
are warm. Spread vegetable mixture on top of chicken. Combine bisquick,
butter, mayonnasie, and chicken broth. Stir just until combined. Pour over
chicken and spread to evenly distribute.

Bake at 350 till the topping is golden brown.

I cooked it at 350' for about a 30 minutes and it wasn't going well. I
upped the temperature to 375' and another 30 minutes. I liked it very
much.

[RadicalModerate]

After our recent visit to Minnesota, a trip that involved a lot of eating in various restaurants and no cooking, whatsoever, of my own, I had a hankerin' for some home-cooked fish the night before last and something involving pork last night. Here's a little different spin on a tried and true recipe that I've used in the past.

Pork Chops with Apples and Onions (for Two)

Ingredients:
2 - 1"+ thick, bone-in pork chops
Chef Paul's Pork and Veal Magic (or salt, pepper, lemon pepper, granlated garlic, paprika etc.)
Worcestershire Sauce
1 small red onion, peeled, halved lenthwise and sliced into 1/8"-1/4" half moons
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thin sliced
Juice of one lemon
3 or 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Fennel seeds (maybe a teaspoon?)
Corriander, ground (maybe a teaspoon?)
3 capfuls Apple Cider Vinegar
3 capfuls Mirin (a sweetened Saki product)

Method:
Season the pork chops with Chef Paul seasoning (or alternatives), splash on some Worcestershire sauce and set aside. Prep the onion and apple, put the slices in a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice over the slices and mix to coat. Prep the garlic.

Heat some oil in an oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and apple, season with salt and pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the vinegar, the Mirin, the fennel seeds, the ground corriander and the garlic. Sauté for another three minutes or so then transfer mixture to a bowl. Heat a little more oil in the skillet. Add the chops and cook for 5 minutes on one side. Flip the chops over and return the apple/onion mixture to the skillet, distributing it around the meat. Put the skillet in a pre-heated 400-deg. oven for about ten minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork is about 145 to 150-deg. Remove from the oven and let rest about 5 minutes before plating up.

Side Dishes:
Potatoes ala Jacques Pepin (c/o Rachael Ray): Baby Gold potatoes, simmered in chicken broth, with a little butter and some Herbs de Province added at the end--after about ten minutes of covered cooking, and ten minutes cooking, uncovered--when the broth has nearly all evaporated.

Mushrooms with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach: Sliced mushrooms, sauteéd in some olive oil (with a little butter) along with some roasted red pepper strips and a little garlic. Seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, two caps of vinegar, two caps of Mirin. Add a big handful of spinach at the end and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Dessert:
Ree Drummond's Flat Apple Pie (with added Pear and Cherries)

[RadicalModerate]

Plan B (for Burrito)

So . . . I was all set to make An Elegant Salmon Thing with most of the salmon left over from the Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner the previous day. I needed one Key Ingredient: Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets. We stopped at the SuperTarget. I couldn't find any Puff Pastry sheets (and, by the way, their grocery selection is definitely NOT "super"). We made a quick stop by the Buy for Less a few blocks from the house. I couldn't find them there either. So, while I was at B f L I decided to go to Plan B then grabbed a few things from the shelves and the produce section. The result was delicious.

Ingredients:
Leftover Pork Tenderloin (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Leftover onion (already chopped, plus a little fresh red onion, chopped)
Leftover strip of red bell pepper (chopped)
Half a leftover jalapeno (seeded, membrane removed, chopped)
4 cloves garlic (finely sliced)
Two-thirds of an Anaheim pepper (seeded, de-veined and chopped)
Two-thirds of a Banana pepper (seeded, de-veined and chopped)
Two-thirds of a Poblano pepper (seeded, de-veined and chopped)
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 Chipotle en Adobo (seeded, membrane removed, chopped finely)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Southwest Seasoning Blend (to taste)
Olive oil
Herdez Salsa Verde (about three or four heaping tablespoons or more)

Method:
Heat some oil in a skillet. Toss in all the veg (except the garlic) and the fresh chiles. Season with salt, pepper and Southwestern Seasoning. Sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the pork, the garlic, the chopped green chiles and the Herdez Sauce. Simmer until the rice is done.

Serve on Tortillas (warmed in foil, in the oven), with some grated "Mexican Blend" cheese and a little--optional--sour cream.

On the Side: Goya Arroz Amarillo(Yellow Rice), prepared per package directions with some corn and peas tossed in at the end of the cooking of the rice.

"When Life Doesn't Hand You Puff Pastry . . . Make Burritos."
~Zig Ziglar? (or maybe Norman Vincent Peel?)

[blangtang]

I have a relative up north who is into the puff pastry stuff, so...

please provide that salmon/puff pastry endpoint.

[RadicalModerate]

I have a relative up north who is into the puff pastry stuff, so...
please provide that salmon/puff pastry endpoint.

Elegant Leftover Salmon in Puff Pastry (aka Salmon Wellington Florentine ala John)

Ingredients
Cooked salmon (what I used was seasoned with Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic and glazed with Suan's Scotch Bonnet Mango Fruit Butter, topped with lemon slices then roasted for about twenty minutes in the oven. A couple of days previously.)
Pine nuts (maybe a tablespoon or two)
Onion (chopped, about 1/4 cup)
Shallot (sliced, one small)
Garlic (3 or 4 cloves, sliced)
Grape tomatoes (maybe half a dozen, sliced lengthways)
Mushrooms (4 or 5, chopped)
Ricotta (about three or four big spoonfuls)
Baby spinach (about half a bag)
Olive oil (three turns of the pan)
Butter (a tablespoon or two)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Nutmeg (a little bit, to taste)
1 egg plus 1 T. water (for the egg wash)
1 sheet of puff pastry (thawed per package directions)

Method
Heat some oil in a skillet. Toast the pine nuts for about two minutes, remove and reserve. Add a little butter to the skillet. Sauté the mushrooms, onions and tomatoes (seasoned with salt and pepper) for about three minutes. Add the shallot and the garlic. Sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the spinach and a little nutmeg. Return the pine nuts to the skillet. Mix well and cook until the spinach is wilted. Off the heat, stir in the ricotta and mix well. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Preheat oven to 400-deg.

Unfold, then roll out the puff pastry sheet until you have a square about 14" x 14". Cut it into four 7" x 7" squares. (I only used two of the squares for this recipe.) Put the squares on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Place half of the spinach/mushroom mixture in the center of each square. Put a healthy amount of the salmon on top of the mixture. Mix the egg and the water. Brush some of the egg wash on the edges of each pastry square then fold the pastry up around the filling the best way that you can. Brush the top of each packet with the egg wash and place in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating because the filling is like lava. (I learned this the hard way.)

Edited to add: The next time I make this, I might put some of this together and serve a dollop (or maybe a dollop and a half) on the side:
Dilled Cream Sauce: Stir 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed, in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Instead of the Dijon (or maybe in addition to) I might mix in a little prepared horseradish.

In case you were wondering about the left over puff pastry, it's really easy to turn into some sort of Elegant, Yet Simple, baked dessert.

[RadicalModerate]

Thanksgiving Pig Wrangler Pie ("Shepherd's Pie" with Ham instead of lamb or beef)

Les Ingrediahts:
Leftover Thanksgiving Cure 81 Ham, cut into bite-sized chunks
Leftover onion slice/chopped
A few cloves of (leftover) garlic, chopped
The final two carrots lurking, sadly, in the bottom of the produce drawer (peeled and diced)
One of two remaining jalapenos from a guy at work (seeded, deveined and finely diced)
Optional: Some fennel seeds and some Herbs de Provance.
Parsley (the inferior, curly kind, chopped)
The last lonely handful of frozen corn in a bag in the freezer
Some of the leftover Buttermilk Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The leftover turkey gravy

Le Method:
Put some water in a skillet and toss in the diced carrots. Let them come to a boil and continue boiling until you've done the rest of the prep. Toss in the handful of corn and let it unfreeze and warm up a little. Drain the carrots and corn, set aside. Put some oil in the skillet, heat it and toss in the onion and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper. Let it cook for awhile. Toss in the ham chunks, carrots, corn and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the fennel seeds and Herbs de Provance. Add the gravy and mix well. Forget to put in the parsley for that extra little touch of green. Move the mixture from the skillet to a cake pan. Top with the mashed potatoes and put in a 375-deg. oven for about 15 min. After 15 min. decide that the potatoes aren't browning quick enough, so turn on the broiler. After about five minutes, decide that even the broiler isn't browning the potatoes fast enough so call it good and pull the "pie" from the oven. Make up for the lack of browning by remembering that parley that you forgot to put in the mix, earlier, and sprinkle it on top as a form of garnish camoflage. Let it cool for a few minutes, plate up and chow down.

(Some leftover cranberry compote and a piece of leftover cornbread on the side doesn't hurt).

[TheTravellers]

Meant to post this here instead of the other thread...

Best Thanksgiving leftover dish we've ever made, from the Chicago Tribune (probably 15 years ago) and I think it's by Wolfgang Puck. Made it at least half-a-dozen times over the years, wonderful...

Parmentier-style turkey hash

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups diced leftover turkey meat
1 cup dry red wine
1 small sprig fresh thyme or sage
1/2 cup leftover turkey gravy
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups mashed potatoes
4 ounces grated Parmesan or shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

1. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant and onion begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the turkey; cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Add the red wine and thyme. Increase the heat to medium-high; heat wine to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine reduces by half, about 7 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir the gravy into the turkey mixture; cook until mixture thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the thyme sprig; add the salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. Place the mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl; stir in the cheese. Pour the turkey mixture into a large casserole, spreading it evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top; spread with a spatula evenly over the turkey and up to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top; dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

4. Bake on the top rack of the oven until bread crumbs are brown and mixture is bubbly, about 45 minutes (if the bread crumbs are not yet nicely browned, brown under the broiler).

We used both thyme and sage this time, worked really well.
We used 7 Deadly Zins for the wine, one of the best we've used for this recipe as well as just a great wine.
We used Asiago instead of Parm, Swiss, or mozzarella (we like Asiago because of its sharpness)

[RadicalModerate]

Turkey is Good. Natural, organic, Alaskan-caught Salmon given as a gift is even better.
I hope to do it Justice. =)
(and a redux of the Salmon Spread from the leftovers ain't no slouch neither . . .)
(and what about that South Dakotan pheasant lurking in the freezer . . .)
(I really want to use it but I've heard it needs to be soaked in Buttermilk to remove the "gaminess" . . .)

In case the "Like" ^ didn't make it clear: I can't think of a better way to re-prepare Leftover Turkey.
(I did, however, just begin to brine the piece of Salmon for dinner tonight . . . =)

The Plan Is . . . (uh . . . lemme think for a minute) . . . Oven . . . Fish . .. Starch . . . Greens . . . OK!
Oven Roasted Alaskan Salmon with Bacon Tater Tots and Salad on the Side.
Salmon Glazed with Suan's Pepper Jelly.

Probably worth paying about $19.95 at a Local Commercial Restaurant. =)
(Traveller's Wolfgang Puck Reference reminded me of that)

[RadicalModerate]

Lately, I've broadened my "Soup Horizons" far beyond Chili--which, btw, I still like to make. I tried out this recipe last night and it turned out very good. Besides that, it's basically a one-pot meal and only takes about half an hour to put together.

Really Tasty Tomato Soup with Sausage and Pasta (About 6 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup elbow macaroni
Olive oil (maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons)
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
(Red bell pepper, chopped, optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Approx. 1 lb. ground sausage (I used four finely chopped Chicken Italian sausage links)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. (mol) dried basil or alternative (I used Herbs de Provence)
1 Tbs. (mol) chili powder
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 Tbs. tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
5 oz. evaporated milk
Grated Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup, more or less)

Method:
In a large stockpot, boil some water, add some salt, add the macaroni and boil for about 5 min. or until pasta is just "al dente". Drain and set aside. Add olive oil to the pot then add the onion and optional bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion just begins to tenderize. Add the sausage and brown it well, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and the chili powder. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix well. Add the chicken broth and the water. Bring to a full boil, reduce heat and cook for at least 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the evaporated milk and the cheese. Stir well until the cheese has melted and the milk is incorporated into the mix. Serve immediately.

[RadicalModerate]

I forgot to add, "Add macaroni, set aside earlier, back to the pot" about the same time as you finish with the evaporated milk and the cheese. Sorry. This ain't the same without it . . .

[ljbab728]

That sounds great, RM. What time is dinner?

[RadicalModerate]

It sure feels like soup weather to me. This is what is on tap for tonight. It's my fourth run at this and the other three all turned out good. If you like the taste of Clam Chowder you would probably like this . . .

Fish and Clam Chowder

Ingredients
Bacon (2 or 3 slices, rendered then pulled from pot and chopped)
Olive oil (2 or 3 Tbsp.)
Onion (1/2 medium onion, chopped)
Carrot (2 or 3, diced)
Celery (2 or 3 stalks, diced)
Leeks (1 or two, prepped and washed, sliced)
Red bell pepper (1/2 medium pepper, diced)
Potatoes (frozen, diced hashbrowns, a couple of big handful, m.o.l.)
Corn (frozen, a big handful)
Garlic ( 4 or 5 cloves, chopped or minced)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Herbs de Province (a small palmful)
Old Bay Seasoning (a small palmful)
Chicken Broth (one of those boxes of the Low Sodium stuff from Swanson)
Clam Juice (one-half to one bottle)
Clams (fresh would be nice, but I use 2 cans Baby Clams)
Fish (in this case, one Pacific Snapper filet, thawed and cut into a few pieces)
Shrimp (optional) (peeled and devained, sliced lengthways)
Spinach (fresh, chopped)
Milk or Half and Half

Method
In a stockpot, render the bacon, pull the slices and set aside. Add olive oil. Add onion, carrot, half of the red bell pepper, celery and leeks, season with salt and pepper, and sweat for about three minutes. Add the potatoes and corn, gently re-season, and cook for another three or four minutes. Add the garlic, Herbs de Province and Old Bay Seasoning. Mix well. Add spinach and allow to wilt slightly. Add chicken broth, clam juice, clams and fish. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 min. Remove from heat, add the reserved bacon and stir in as much milk or Half and Half (or heavy cream) as you think is appropriate. Cover and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.

Grilled cheese sandwiches are great on the side.

[RadicalModerate]

Once again, we had some leftover produce and miscellania just begging to be used up before it was time for a trip to the landfill. All I needed was some protein. Luckily, I found a package of Grandma Nellie's (Talequah, OK)chicken breasts in the freezer. We bought these at one of our last visits to the Farmer's Market. They were about $12.90 a package, but they are definitely the best chicken I've ever eaten. We also like their boneless, skinless thighs. This recipe is quick, easy and so good that I didn't even miss not having any grated Parmesan or Romano on top.

Quick Chicken and Capellini

Chicken:
3 chicken breasts, thawed
Chef Paul Poultry Magic, to taste
Garlic and Herb Grinder Seasoning, to taste
Lemon, 1/2, quartered,
Olive oil,
Onion,
Red bell pepper,
Garlic

Sauce:
Olive oil (three turns of the pan),
Butter (one or two tablespoons),
3 Crimini mushrooms, sliced
Red bell pepper, julienned
Onion, chopped
Garlic, chopped
Herbs de Province
Oregano
Basil
Salt
pepper
Chicken broth (a three count pour)
White wine (a three count pour)

Method:
Thaw chicken breasts. Season one side, liberally, with Chef Paul and the other with the Garlic and Herb seasoning. Flip several times to coat both sides well. Heat oven to 350-deg. Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet. Brown one side of the chicken (along with small portions of onion, bell pepper and the lemon pieces) for about 4 min. Flip the chicken and place in the now pre-heated oven for about 20 min. or until internal temperature is at least 161-deg. Remove and let rest for a few minutes. Just before serving, slice the chicken into decent-sized slices.

For Sauce: Heat olive oil and butter in skillet until butter foams. Add onion, mushrooms and red bell pepper. Season with salt, pepper, Herbs de Provance (or thyme), oregano and basil. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add chicken broth and white wine. Allow to simmer/reduce for a few minutes while chicken cooks. Add a little more of the liquids if it seems to be getting too dry. When the chicken has come out of the oven and the pasta is almost done, add the pan juices and veg from the chicken skillet then stir a couple of tablespoons of cold butter, cut into smaller pieces, into the sauce.

For Pasta: Pre-boil a pot of water and add salt. When chicken comes out of the oven, to rest, drop the pasta. This pasta only takes about five minutes to hit the target "al dente" stage. Transfer the pasta to the skillet holding the sauce and mix well.

I served this with some coleslaw mix/grape tomatoes/sweet red pickled peppers with a little bleu cheese dressing and some toasted, buttered Thomas English Muffins on the side.