Yes...it actually was the size of a maybe slightly premature baby. Five pounds of ground turkey! I wanted to make something big I could live off of for a while, and turkey meatloaf was just the thing. I made this recipe once before and ate it for at least 5 days. The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa and I think is probably for a party (it's for 8-10 servings). It's really simple but I think that is best for meatloaf. Just some flavorings and a good douse of ketchup on top. I had most of the ingredients already (conveniently my last recipe, the pasta with breadcrumbs, left me with extra breadcrumbs and thyme). Ken and I split the cost of the turkey and when you calculate it up, we are saving a ton of money.
Since the meatloaf takes a while to cook, I made a quick dinner (tried some Trader Joe's Indian Fare Punjab Eggplant - pretty good) and then made up the loaf afterward. I just laughed when I finally dumped the big bowl of meat and onions on to the pan, it was huge! I told Ken he better be really excited for meatloaf. It cooks at a low temperature for about an hour and a half, but with my crappy oven it took more like two hours. But it is worth the time because the meat really stays tender. We took half of the meatloaf, wrapped it tight in foil and popped it in the freezer. Now in a few weeks when we're starving and don't know what to eat, we can pull it out, have a couple slices for dinner, and let the rest be gobbled up for sandwiches. Meanwhile, I cut a big middle slice to hold for a sandwich in the morning, and put the rest in the fridge. In the morning I made a mean meatloaf sandwich - a thick slice of the meat, a piece of pepper jack cheese, and some extra ketchup. For once I literally couldn't wait to get to lunch! Ken made one for his lunch today too. Tonight I had another slice with a side of rice pilaf.
Barefoot Contessa Turkey Meatloaf:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/turkey-meatloaf-recipe/index.html
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Maybe I Just Don't Like It
Tonight, I was STARVING. Of course I didn't take the chance to go to the grocery store over the weekend (I'm sorry, Target just overtakes all of my thoughts). I had to raid the pantry and see what I could find. Hmmm...random box of Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous is also called pearl couscous sometimes, it is basically larger pasta balls. I bought it once before and used it with a recipe I usually made with orzo. It worked well so I bought it again. I also had a bunch of leftover dried apricots from the chicken a little while ago. Add some feta crumbles and a bit of parsley...ok I can do something with this.
The instructions on the couscous box said to first toast them in some olive oil. I added some chopped onion and apricots, thinking the apricots could soften the way they did in that chicken dish. I added some chicken stock to it all and covered it. Annoyingly, this kind of couscous doesn't cook up like the normal kind, i.e. in five minutes. It takes longer, sort of like a true pasta, and I was very impatient. After cooking for a while, the liquid was absorbed but the whole thing was a bit mushy. And definitely needed a good bit of salt. I also got the idea to throw in some balsamic vinegar, again just thinking about the chicken from last week and hoping to get some more flavor. That helped, plus the parsley and feta. But overall I think I have learned that I don't really like this type of couscous. I am not sure why I keep buying it. I love regular couscous and used to eat it all of the time. I need the real thing. Grocery store tomorrow night - I will remedy this problem.
My recipe of the week is going to be turkey meatloaf. As I've mentioned before, I pick a recipe prior to every grocery store trip and the meatloaf caught my eye tonight. It takes way to long to have for dinner tomorrow, so I'm going to get it in the oven in time for American Idol, then make myself a killer meatloaf sandwich for lunch the next day! I'll report back on how it goes.
The instructions on the couscous box said to first toast them in some olive oil. I added some chopped onion and apricots, thinking the apricots could soften the way they did in that chicken dish. I added some chicken stock to it all and covered it. Annoyingly, this kind of couscous doesn't cook up like the normal kind, i.e. in five minutes. It takes longer, sort of like a true pasta, and I was very impatient. After cooking for a while, the liquid was absorbed but the whole thing was a bit mushy. And definitely needed a good bit of salt. I also got the idea to throw in some balsamic vinegar, again just thinking about the chicken from last week and hoping to get some more flavor. That helped, plus the parsley and feta. But overall I think I have learned that I don't really like this type of couscous. I am not sure why I keep buying it. I love regular couscous and used to eat it all of the time. I need the real thing. Grocery store tomorrow night - I will remedy this problem.
My recipe of the week is going to be turkey meatloaf. As I've mentioned before, I pick a recipe prior to every grocery store trip and the meatloaf caught my eye tonight. It takes way to long to have for dinner tomorrow, so I'm going to get it in the oven in time for American Idol, then make myself a killer meatloaf sandwich for lunch the next day! I'll report back on how it goes.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Comfort Pasta
I was really craving pasta tonight. I didn't sleep well last night and it was a gloomy morning, so I was in the mood for something sort of comforting. So, during lunch, I perused Giada DiLaurentis' pasta collection online and figured I could stop at Trader Joe's on my way to home to get anything I needed. I settled on her Orecchette with Toasted Breadcrumbs. It sounded simple and cost-effective.
I ended up stopping at the smallest Trader Joe's I know of and they didn't exactly have the array of ingredients exactly as I needed. I could only find plain breadcrumbs instead of the Italian-seasoned the recipe asked for. They had proscuitto, but seeing as I needed to clearly find some extra flavor somewhere and I find I usually regret using the cheapo kind, I bought some pancetta instead. If you don't know what that is, it's like bacon but not smoked. I also had to go with farfalle (bowties) instead of the little ears.
I cooked the pancetta until it was crispy and set it aside. I threw a bunch of salt, pepper, oregano (I knew I kept that for a reason!), and some red pepper flakes into the breadcrumbs. Tossed all together, it was pretty good. I don't know if it was the best thing I have ever made, but it did the job. The recipe was for the whole pound of pasta so I have some for lunch and um...then some. I do think that maybe I would like it a little better if I'd had really good proscuitto to put in it and the real breadcrumbs. Cooking is a trial by error process they say!
I ended up stopping at the smallest Trader Joe's I know of and they didn't exactly have the array of ingredients exactly as I needed. I could only find plain breadcrumbs instead of the Italian-seasoned the recipe asked for. They had proscuitto, but seeing as I needed to clearly find some extra flavor somewhere and I find I usually regret using the cheapo kind, I bought some pancetta instead. If you don't know what that is, it's like bacon but not smoked. I also had to go with farfalle (bowties) instead of the little ears.
I cooked the pancetta until it was crispy and set it aside. I threw a bunch of salt, pepper, oregano (I knew I kept that for a reason!), and some red pepper flakes into the breadcrumbs. Tossed all together, it was pretty good. I don't know if it was the best thing I have ever made, but it did the job. The recipe was for the whole pound of pasta so I have some for lunch and um...then some. I do think that maybe I would like it a little better if I'd had really good proscuitto to put in it and the real breadcrumbs. Cooking is a trial by error process they say!
Orechiette with Toasted Breadcrumbs:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/orecchiette-with-toasted-breadcrumbs-recipe/index.html
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
What's On My Mind
First a quick word to extol the virtues of tofu. Where has tofu been all of my life? It's becoming a staple of my diet now, particularly since I discovered hefty servings of it at such a low price at TJ's. It is the perfect thing for a quick meal when I don't even have the energy to defrost a piece of chicken. I made a killer tofu stir-fry on Monday with red onions, mushrooms and broccoli. I have half it left over, sitting in a plastic container full of water (kind of looking like a science experiment).
Here's my list of cooking goals this year:
- Braise a pork shoulder for BBQ pulled pork or carnitas
- Make a pizza with actual raw dough
- Make really decadent macaroni and cheese - I saw this one made on TV and was practically drooling - Cheese Lovers 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Try this fascinating potato recipe (I can't fathom what it would really taste like but I am so intrigued) - New Potatoes with Ginger and Mint
- Make sushi (probably a veggie roll first, then get real raw fish involved!)
- Cook homemade oatmeal
- On the oat theme, also make homemade granola
- Make more kinds of pesto (maybe sun-dried tomato next)
- Slow-cook a rich bolognese sauce
- Roast a rack of lamb
- Make bread pudding - savory and/or sweet - I think this sounds delicious, Butternut Squash and Parmesan Bread Pudding
- Figure out how to come close to recreating the white bean spread on the bruschetta at Mozza - To. Die. For.
- Go to the Coolidge Corner Farmer's Market every weekend while it's open
- Host a formal dinner party
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Two Days of Lunch
I'm trying very hard to continue to make some hearty meals for lunch during the week on Sunday or early in the week. I've been craving a good salad, so tonight I made my own variation on Giada DiLaurentis' Garbanzo Bean and Zucchini salad. I kept the garbanzo beans, otherwise known as chickpeas, since they are so hearty and full of protein - exactly what one needs on a busy work day. The recipe called for raw zucchini chopped into bite size pieces, but I am not a huge fan of it raw, so I decided instead to grill some thick slices of zucchini and red bell pepper with just some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I cut them up into pieces and tossed it with the garbanzo beans, defrosted frozen corn, and chopped red onion. Giada then adds chunks of Parmesan cheese to the salad, which I absolutely love, but good parm is expensive and I already had some feta crumbles in the fridge. With the Mediterranean flavors already going on in the salad, I figured the feta would work just fine. I also didn't have lemons for the dressing, so I made a very fast balsamic vinaigrette and tossed everything together. I left out the lettuce completely as there just didn't seem to be a need for the fluff of it. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of lettuce as a whole. I split my salad into two plastic containers, and with a yogurt or an apple, my lunch will be great. It tasted pretty good right after being made, but I anticipate it will be even better tomorrow after marinading in the dressing. By leaving out the lettuce I could mix it all up, as the vegetables in the salad now can easily stand up to a night in dressing and shouldn't be soggy tomorrow (or so I hope).
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Finally Trying Something New
It's been entirely too long since I have tried a new recipe, so tonight was the night! I have had this huge jar of apricot preserves left over in my fridge (used a little while ago for some incredible crostinis, just for kicks I will put the link in this post as well) and so I wanted to use it up in a creative way. I decided to try a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com called Apricot and Balsamic Chicken. It was very highly rated, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
The recipe method was simple enough - browning up some chicken and then simmering it in a sauce. It called for chicken breast tenderloins cut into bite size pieces, but I decided to use boneless skinless thighs because they have more flavor and they were a bit cheaper. As I cut them up, I realized that I needed a pan with a lid, and my large covered pan had not made the move with me because, well, I bought a cheap crappy one that I hated. So I had to use my pasta pot instead. I browned the chicken but immediately noticed the bottom of the pot was really too small to get a good color on them, and they were building up too much liquid. In retrospect I should have tried to drain some of it out but I didn't. The rest of the recipe was easy, essentially just putting the rest of the ingredients into the pot and letting them simmer. In went balsamic vinegar, onions, thyme, a full cup of apricot preserves, about 20 dried apricots, and some chicken stock.
In about 15 minutes the chicken was done and the apricots had softened and plumped up. However, I noticed the sauce was still very thin, even after simmering for a decent amount of time. But that said, it tasted very good! I spooned the chicken and apricots over some Trader Joe's Multigrain Pilaf, this odd side dish I recently discovered, made up of a lot of random grains that I can't remember. It's good anyway, and really healthy. I gave myself a little extra sauce too. The chicken was really tender from cooking in the sauce and the flavor was a very mild sweet and sour taste. The apricots are what really make the dish, they are soft and just sweet enough. I had plenty for a good dinner and I will bring it for lunch tomorrow too.
If I make it again, I would definitely get a proper pan, because I think getting the chicken really brown would add another layer of flavor. I had a little less chicken than the recipe called for, which might be why the sauce was so thin. I think it would benefit from a little heavier of a hand with the balsamic vinegar and slightly less chicken stock. The recipe also suggested adding a handful of chopped parsley at the end, which I left out because I knew I wouldn't be able to use up a whole bunch in time, but the dish probably could do with a little freshness. Overall, though, it was very tasty, simple, cheap, and easy!
Apricot and Balsamic Chicken:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apricot-Chicken-with-Balsamic-Vinegar/Detail.aspx
Apricot and Chicken Bruschetta (leave out the chicken, even though it's in the name, you totally don't need it!):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/apricot-and-chicken-bruschetta-recipe/index.html
The recipe method was simple enough - browning up some chicken and then simmering it in a sauce. It called for chicken breast tenderloins cut into bite size pieces, but I decided to use boneless skinless thighs because they have more flavor and they were a bit cheaper. As I cut them up, I realized that I needed a pan with a lid, and my large covered pan had not made the move with me because, well, I bought a cheap crappy one that I hated. So I had to use my pasta pot instead. I browned the chicken but immediately noticed the bottom of the pot was really too small to get a good color on them, and they were building up too much liquid. In retrospect I should have tried to drain some of it out but I didn't. The rest of the recipe was easy, essentially just putting the rest of the ingredients into the pot and letting them simmer. In went balsamic vinegar, onions, thyme, a full cup of apricot preserves, about 20 dried apricots, and some chicken stock.
In about 15 minutes the chicken was done and the apricots had softened and plumped up. However, I noticed the sauce was still very thin, even after simmering for a decent amount of time. But that said, it tasted very good! I spooned the chicken and apricots over some Trader Joe's Multigrain Pilaf, this odd side dish I recently discovered, made up of a lot of random grains that I can't remember. It's good anyway, and really healthy. I gave myself a little extra sauce too. The chicken was really tender from cooking in the sauce and the flavor was a very mild sweet and sour taste. The apricots are what really make the dish, they are soft and just sweet enough. I had plenty for a good dinner and I will bring it for lunch tomorrow too.
If I make it again, I would definitely get a proper pan, because I think getting the chicken really brown would add another layer of flavor. I had a little less chicken than the recipe called for, which might be why the sauce was so thin. I think it would benefit from a little heavier of a hand with the balsamic vinegar and slightly less chicken stock. The recipe also suggested adding a handful of chopped parsley at the end, which I left out because I knew I wouldn't be able to use up a whole bunch in time, but the dish probably could do with a little freshness. Overall, though, it was very tasty, simple, cheap, and easy!
Apricot and Balsamic Chicken:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apricot-Chicken-with-Balsamic-Vinegar/Detail.aspx
Apricot and Chicken Bruschetta (leave out the chicken, even though it's in the name, you totally don't need it!):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/apricot-and-chicken-bruschetta-recipe/index.html
Monday, March 9, 2009
Mmmm...spicey and ricey!
Last night I took my visiting dad to this great Asian restaurant in Inman Square, Spice and Rice. I will definitely be returning! It was an adorable space, very mod and retro, with silver and bright colors and shapes. They have everything you could need - a full Thai menu, a sushi bar, and also a few Korean dishes. I had mango curry that was some of the best curry I have had in quite a while. Just the right amount of spice and a lot of vegetables, not just the usual mushed up onions and carrots. It was so good I ate it all and didn't have enough to take home for lunch the next day!
Tonight I went to the gym for the first time after work and was starving by time I got home. All the way there I was thinking, what can I make that will be filling enough but fast. And lo and behind, when I walked in the door, my lovely roommate had made a huge pot of pasta tossed with some Italian chicken sausage we'd just picked out at Trader Joe's. It was just what I wanted on a rainy crappy day. Later on, in the midst of the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars, I realized I had planned on having mostly leftovers for lunch this week so I tossed together a quick dish to take to work tomorrow. I made a quick garlic oil by starting a couple crushed garlic cloves in a cold pan with some olive oil and some red pepper flakes for spice. I let the garlic brown up (make sure it does burn!), discarded it, and then sauteed about a cup of frozen broccoli spears with some salt and pepper. Meanwhile I cooked up the remnants of some penne pasta, and tossed it all together. Once it cooled I added a handful of feta cheese crumbles and there's lunch.
http://www.spice-rice.com/
Tonight I went to the gym for the first time after work and was starving by time I got home. All the way there I was thinking, what can I make that will be filling enough but fast. And lo and behind, when I walked in the door, my lovely roommate had made a huge pot of pasta tossed with some Italian chicken sausage we'd just picked out at Trader Joe's. It was just what I wanted on a rainy crappy day. Later on, in the midst of the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars, I realized I had planned on having mostly leftovers for lunch this week so I tossed together a quick dish to take to work tomorrow. I made a quick garlic oil by starting a couple crushed garlic cloves in a cold pan with some olive oil and some red pepper flakes for spice. I let the garlic brown up (make sure it does burn!), discarded it, and then sauteed about a cup of frozen broccoli spears with some salt and pepper. Meanwhile I cooked up the remnants of some penne pasta, and tossed it all together. Once it cooled I added a handful of feta cheese crumbles and there's lunch.
http://www.spice-rice.com/
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I'm behind a night so we'll hit two dinners in a row. Last night was stir-fry with my favorite TJ's General Tso sauce, chicken, and veggies. Most nights I make stir-fry with rice but I decided to toss in some spaghetti instead and do some lo mein fake out. It was a big and yummy, just what I wanted at the end of a work day. I will admit I'm lagging behind on trying some new actual recipes, mostly because I was away last weekend and still haven't gone to the grocery store. I've been living off the scraps! But I intend to follow my usual plan and pick a recipe before I finally hit the store this weekend. Hmmm...what am I in the mood to try?
Tonight I have the apartment to myself and the wild card round of American Idol (plus The Office and 30 Rock), plus I'm out of lunches to bring to work. It was the perfect night for Indian takeout - it's always huge and I can get two sizable meals out of it for much less than buying two separate things. My sister recommended a place called Gourmet Curry House in Coolidge Corner, which is plenty good for the price and ease of getting it. She's quite the Indian food connoisseur so I trusted her judgement. I had a combo meal of rice, chicken vindaloo (which I will admit wasn't nearly spicy enough), saag paneer, and a vegetable samosa. It was exactly what I wanted. Now they better not put crazy Tatiana in the Top 12...
Tonight I have the apartment to myself and the wild card round of American Idol (plus The Office and 30 Rock), plus I'm out of lunches to bring to work. It was the perfect night for Indian takeout - it's always huge and I can get two sizable meals out of it for much less than buying two separate things. My sister recommended a place called Gourmet Curry House in Coolidge Corner, which is plenty good for the price and ease of getting it. She's quite the Indian food connoisseur so I trusted her judgement. I had a combo meal of rice, chicken vindaloo (which I will admit wasn't nearly spicy enough), saag paneer, and a vegetable samosa. It was exactly what I wanted. Now they better not put crazy Tatiana in the Top 12...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Quesadillas
Tonight just a simple meal. Chicken and cheese quesadillas - sliced grilled chicken and cheddar cheese folded in a wheat tortilla and crisped up in a pan. Some times the easiest simplest things just can't be beat. Though I was missing California and the easy access to my beloved pickled jalapenos that I used to always put in my Mexican dishes. They just don't seem to sell them in Brookline. Surprise, surprise. Put a little salsa and sour cream on the plate and its a Doylestown Friendly's flashback (we always used to order them there on Friday nights or after shows). I also made some microwave rice on the side. Like I said, nothing flashy, just dinner.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Snow Day
It was a snow day today, as I am sure it was for many of you, and after being away for the weekend, there wasn't a lot left in my kitchen to make for dinner. Then I spotted the frozen container of leftover pesto from last week. Score! This is exactly what that pesto was waiting for, a cold night where a big plate of pasta totally hit the spot. I found the pesto much mellower after it had time to meld.
I'm definitely getting antsy to try something new again. While eating dinner I had on an old episode of 30 Minute Meals and Rachael Ray was making a really simple buffalo chicken pizza that I want to try soon. I've noticed that they sell pizza dough for very cheap at Trader Joe's, but I've never attempted rolling out my own pizza. I also read an article on The Kitchn about savory bread puddings, and picked out a recipe that had butternut squash and Parmesan. That sounds utterly decadent. Got any other ideas? Comments welcomed!
I'm definitely getting antsy to try something new again. While eating dinner I had on an old episode of 30 Minute Meals and Rachael Ray was making a really simple buffalo chicken pizza that I want to try soon. I've noticed that they sell pizza dough for very cheap at Trader Joe's, but I've never attempted rolling out my own pizza. I also read an article on The Kitchn about savory bread puddings, and picked out a recipe that had butternut squash and Parmesan. That sounds utterly decadent. Got any other ideas? Comments welcomed!
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