Weight Watchers Chicken and Broccoli with Garlic Sauce
Spinach, Bacon and Shallot Frittatas
Eggplant Parmesan Pizza
Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Fries and a Garden Salad
Monday, April 12, 2010
From My Kitchen: What I've Been Up To
I've been cooking a lot lately, here are some pics of the delectable creations. I may include recipes later, if I ever get around to typing them up :D
Thursday, March 25, 2010
New Recipe! : Spinach and Chickpea Pouches
The latest from the Kitchen Messes and Successes files... this recipe is out of Almost Meatless.
The Stuff
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 ounces ground beef
1 small red onion, sliced into thin strips
8 cups (about 6 ounces) loosely packed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 Tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into thick strips (about 1 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 sheets filo dough, each lightly brushed with olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbs lightly toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup tzatziki, plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
The Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces. When the meat is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, spinach, chile flakes, garlic, and oregano to the pan until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked beef, pepper strips, and chickpeas. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
To assemble and bake, cut the 12 sheets of filo dough in half horizontally so you have 24 rectangles. Stash the filo not being worked with under a damp tea towel to prevent drying. Divide into 6 stacks of 4. Place 1/2 cup of the beef mixture in a long mound toward the center of each stack, sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon of the feta cheese, and fold up the sides to enclose. Transfer each pouch, seam side down, to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush the tops of each pouch with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Serve each pouch with a dollop of tzatziki.
The Verdict
I made a few modifications: I only had frozen spinach and a fresh red pepper so I boiled the spinach on the stovetop and sauteed the onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil instead of the hamburger drippings since I used some beef I had already browned earlier this week.
Also, this was my first time cooking with phyllo(filo) dough. Unfortunately, I thought I could just pull it out of the freezer and get down... not so. When I unrolled it, it was brittle and broke into shreds. So instead proceeding as planned, I sprayed an 11-by-7 inch baking pan with cooking spray, spread the spinach mixture in and dotted with the feta. Then I layered the shreds of phyllo dough on top, brushing a little olive oil between each sheet. I used about 16 sheets, staggering to cover the whole dish. Then I popped it in the oven and baked for about 25 minutes. It came out pretty good! The filling is super tasty, with just enough beef to satisfy the carnivore. The chickpeas and spinach are filling and red peppers are my new favorite flavor addition.
The Stuff
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 ounces ground beef
1 small red onion, sliced into thin strips
8 cups (about 6 ounces) loosely packed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 Tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into thick strips (about 1 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 sheets filo dough, each lightly brushed with olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbs lightly toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup tzatziki, plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
The Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces. When the meat is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, spinach, chile flakes, garlic, and oregano to the pan until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked beef, pepper strips, and chickpeas. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
To assemble and bake, cut the 12 sheets of filo dough in half horizontally so you have 24 rectangles. Stash the filo not being worked with under a damp tea towel to prevent drying. Divide into 6 stacks of 4. Place 1/2 cup of the beef mixture in a long mound toward the center of each stack, sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon of the feta cheese, and fold up the sides to enclose. Transfer each pouch, seam side down, to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush the tops of each pouch with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Serve each pouch with a dollop of tzatziki.
The Verdict
I made a few modifications: I only had frozen spinach and a fresh red pepper so I boiled the spinach on the stovetop and sauteed the onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil instead of the hamburger drippings since I used some beef I had already browned earlier this week.
Also, this was my first time cooking with phyllo(filo) dough. Unfortunately, I thought I could just pull it out of the freezer and get down... not so. When I unrolled it, it was brittle and broke into shreds. So instead proceeding as planned, I sprayed an 11-by-7 inch baking pan with cooking spray, spread the spinach mixture in and dotted with the feta. Then I layered the shreds of phyllo dough on top, brushing a little olive oil between each sheet. I used about 16 sheets, staggering to cover the whole dish. Then I popped it in the oven and baked for about 25 minutes. It came out pretty good! The filling is super tasty, with just enough beef to satisfy the carnivore. The chickpeas and spinach are filling and red peppers are my new favorite flavor addition.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
New Recipe! : Baked Spinach and Brown Rice
Inspired by a recipe in the Gooseberry Patch Comfort Foods Cookbook.
The Stuff:
1/2 large red bell pepper
1 smedium yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 oz brown rice (I used Trader Joe’s frozen fully cooked brown rice)
10 oz. package frozen whole leaf spinach
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cheddar cheese
The Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dice the pepper and onion into uniform pieces. In a skillet, melt the butter and olive oil, then add the pepper and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Saute over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, prepare the rice and the spinach according to package directions.
Thoroughly drain the spinach. Allow the rice and spinach to cool, then combine all the ingredients (including the eggs and cheese) and spread into a greased 8-by-8 pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy! Serves 4-6
The Verdict:
I love the colors of this dish! And it's pretty healthy, too. Something about tossing veggies with cheese and then baking makes them irresistible! It's easy enough to prepare for casual weeknight dinner fare, but also pretty enough to present at a gathering. Prep time was minimal, especially using the frozen rice and spinach. I can definitely see why this was included in a comfort food cookbook. All the ingredients are pretty cheap and usually on hand in my kitchen. The original recipe called for processed cheese cubes and a slice of crisply cooked turkey bacon. While I don't regret swapping the cheese, I do wonder what the addition of bacon would have added. Anyhow, it was delicious as prepared! Baked Spinach and Brown Rice is a new staple for me!
The Stuff:
1/2 large red bell pepper
1 smedium yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 oz brown rice (I used Trader Joe’s frozen fully cooked brown rice)
10 oz. package frozen whole leaf spinach
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cheddar cheese
The Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dice the pepper and onion into uniform pieces. In a skillet, melt the butter and olive oil, then add the pepper and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Saute over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, prepare the rice and the spinach according to package directions.
Thoroughly drain the spinach. Allow the rice and spinach to cool, then combine all the ingredients (including the eggs and cheese) and spread into a greased 8-by-8 pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy! Serves 4-6
The Verdict:
I love the colors of this dish! And it's pretty healthy, too. Something about tossing veggies with cheese and then baking makes them irresistible! It's easy enough to prepare for casual weeknight dinner fare, but also pretty enough to present at a gathering. Prep time was minimal, especially using the frozen rice and spinach. I can definitely see why this was included in a comfort food cookbook. All the ingredients are pretty cheap and usually on hand in my kitchen. The original recipe called for processed cheese cubes and a slice of crisply cooked turkey bacon. While I don't regret swapping the cheese, I do wonder what the addition of bacon would have added. Anyhow, it was delicious as prepared! Baked Spinach and Brown Rice is a new staple for me!
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