Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Chili Rubbed Tilapia with Quinoa, Corn and Black Bean Salad

This was a really fun, easy to make and quick recipe that we could make with all things on hand.
Quinoa is so yummy in this dressing. Kaspian loved the corn and Astrid just hungrily looked at all our food.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.eatliverun.com/chili-rubbed-fish-with-quinoa-corn-and-black-bean-salad/



Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets
1 ½ tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp oregano
½ tsp cumin
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
lime

1 cups quinoa
2 cups water
15 oz can of black beans, rinsed
2 cups fresh or frozen cooked corn
cilantro, chopped
green onion, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup of fresh lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tsp cumin
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add quinoa and water in a saucepan and boil for about 15 minutes until cooked.
2. In a jar or air tight container, combine lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously until well combined.
3. In large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, black beans, chopped cilantro, green onion and dressing. Mix everything together. The salad portion is now done!
4. Combine chili, oregano, cumin, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix together.
5. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Use a brush to put marinade on the fish on both sides.
6. Cook in a pan on high heat until done. Squeeze lime over the fish right before taking it out of the pan.
7. Serve the fish over the quinoa. 

What we liked:

Very tasty, easy and light. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He loved the corn.

Next time:

We didn't have any bell peppers and resorted to dehydrated cilantro and green onions - next time, the dish would definitely be better with the fresh herbs. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Chipotle Lime Steaks with Shallot and Parsley Quinoa and Baby Carrots with Herb Dressing

Tonight, we didn't feel like going out and shopping for ingredients, so this was just made from stuff we already had. The steaks were previously frozen, and they were thin cut flank steaks - a thicker cut might have needed more time than the 4 hours we marinated it for. However, for the thin cut, 4 hours was perfect and the steaks were perfectly limey and just the right amount of smokey spicy - not too overpowering, just a hint of spice.
The carrots were absolutely perfect, the sauce was delicious! (Nick thought they were a bit too limey).
The shallot quinoa was also very good. It was a very citrus-y dinner!

Original Shallot and Parsley recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shallot-parsley-quinoa
Original Baby Carrots with Herb Dressing: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/baby-carrots-herb-dressing-olives

Plated

Quinoa with shallots and parsley

Cooked Steak

Yummy Herb Citrus Carrots

Ingredients:

Meat:
2 lbs flank steak
juice of 6 limes
2 chipotle peppers, chopped (from a can)
5  cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons oil

Shallot and Parsley Quinoa:
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 chopped shallot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter

Carrots:
1 pound baby carrots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Meat:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bag and marinade for at least 4 hours
2. Grill on medium high until desired done-ness

Quinoa:
1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add wine and shallots and cook until softened.
2. Add water and salt. When boiling, add quinoa, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add parsley and serve.

Carrots:
1. Place carrots in a steamer basket set over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and steam 15 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
2. Combine chopped dill, chives, oil, lime rind, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix. Add in carrots and serve. 

What we liked:

Great dinner for just using the items we had on hand. 

What we didn't like:

It was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was really busy with his trains.

Next time:

No change. Great impromptu dinner

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Lava Cakes

This is our go to chocolate craving recipe. It's quick, easy, and hits the spot every time. We don't like the spices, so we leave those out.
The base recipe is here: http://www.mccormick.com/Gourmet/Recipes/Dessert/Molten-Spiced-Chocolate-Cabernet-Cakes


Ingredients:

4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon  Substitutions
1 Vanilla Extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 eggs
6 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 4 (6-ounce) custard cups or soufflĂ© dishes. Place on baking sheet
2. Melt butter and chocolate over a double broiler. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared custard cups
4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with small knife. 

What we liked:

So goood and chocolatey

What we didn't like:

Nothing. We love this recipe. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was a chocolate monster. 

Next time:

No changes

Herring Under Fur Coat

Today we made a salad, very common Russian dish, Herring under fur coat. It turned out really good, although a lot more time consuming than we thought it was going to be. It definitely looked impressive and is a good dish to make once in a while. It could be great for a party, where you can decorate the top in a fancy way with various veggie pieces.
We also did not make 4 individual rounds as instructed in the recipe, but rather made a more traditional single dish. Also, more tinkering with the amounts is required, we think it would benefit from more beets and more carrots and more eggs to cover the whole surface area of the dish.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/herring-under-fur-coat
Completed dish

Served!

Cut into

Final layer!

Beet mayo layer

Beet layer

Carrot layer

Herring mixture layer

potato  - base layer

All the topping together

Exciting beet mayo

herring mixture

shredded egg whites

shredded egg yolks

beets

carrots


Ingredients:

2 large beets
2 cooked (boiled or steamed) whole potatoes
4 cooked large carrots (boiled or steamed)
4 large hard-boiled eggs
1 cup finely chopped pickled herring
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped dill, plus sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Wrap the beets in foil and roast for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly, then peel.
2. Grate the potatoes on the medium holes of a box grater and transfer to a small bowl. Repeat with the carrots and beets, keeping the vegetables in separate bowls.
3. Halve the eggs. Separate the yolks and white sand grate separately. Grate the egg whites and yolks on the small side of the grater, put each into a different bowl.
4. In another bowl, mix the herring with the onion, oil and chopped dill.
5. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons of the grated beets.
6. Choose a casserole or pie dish, and layer the salad in the following way: grated potatoes, salt, herring mixture, carrots, beets, salt, beet mayonnaise, egg whites, egg yolks and garnish with dill sprigs.

What we liked:

Very colorful and exciting. It was very pretty. Nick loved the purple mayonnaise. 

What we didn't like:

Too complicated to make on a regular basis. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He didn't care much for it. 

Next time:

Just adjust the veggie quantities to the amounts specified above. 

Flattened Chicken with Almond and Paprika Vinaigrette

We liked this recipe a lot. It was quick, easy, and very tasty. The olives added a spark to it. The flattened chicken turned out really good on the pan and the sauce was delicious. For the side, we made brown rice with flax seeds and mung beans, but any veggie or potato side would have worked as well.
Here's the original recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/flattened-chicken-almond-paprika-vinaigrette


Ingredients:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
2 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons unsalted roasted almonds, finely chopped
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ounce green olives, chopped

Directions:

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; swirl. Add 2 chicken breast halves; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 chicken breast halves.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, almonds, and next 5 ingredients (through Dijon); cook 1 minute or until heated, stirring occasionally. Spoon almond mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and olives.

What we liked:

The flavor was really great. 

What we didn't like:

It was great. If following original recipe though, double the sauce. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was enjoying leftover pita and hummus and could not be bothered with the night's dinner. 

Next time:

No change. 

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Egg Drop Soup

We love egg drop soup. So, we thought we'd give a try at making it. It turned out pretty good. We think it could do without the chicken though - it was a little rubbery. Also, the egg did not form the nice "strings" that you see in the soups at asian restaurants, rather, it clumped together in more of a flower pattern. We also love peas and corn and carrots in the egg drop soup, so we added those.
This was the recipe that we modified: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ginger-scallion-egg-drop-soup-358121



Ingredients:

6 scallions, divided
2 cups water
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 skinless boneless chicken breast half (6 to 8 ounces)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of peas - frozen
1/2 cup of corn - frozen
1 carrot - finely chopped

Directions:

1. Smash 3 scallions and cut into 2-inch pieces, then put in a 2-quart saucepan with water, broth, ginger, carrots and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then poach chicken at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board.
2. Discard scallions from broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add corn and peas to the soup and cover, cooking at medium low heat until veggies are cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, chop remaining 3 scallions and shred chicken.
4. Add beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in scallions, chicken. 

What we liked:

The soup tasted really good. The broth was delicious.

What we didn't like:

The eggs did not turn into strings as you see in soups in asian restaurants

What Kaspian thought about it:

It was too suspicious for him.. he likes soups like miso - single consistency. 

Next time:

Maybe try mixing some corn starch in with the beaten eggs to see if that will stop it from clumping. It would also allow the broth to get thicker, similar to how it is in the restaurants. 

Date night! Sushi Boat

Last week, Nana came to town and watched the babies while we went out to eat! We had the most amazing sushi boat at Crazy Fish. We tried real wasabi for the first time - we didn't even get to try it in Japan! The food was really great and it was a nice little getaway. 





Belyashi - "Meat Donuts"

This is a very common, almost "street food" in Russia. It's belyashi (singular is belyash). They are like the pirojki where there is a filling wrapped in dough, except the filling in this case is meat and onions and the dough does not wrap all the way around to make a pocket.

They are fried at medium high, meat face down at first to seal in the juices. Then, they are flipped over and fried over medium until you can see the meat bubbling. The dough needs to rise for a couple of hours, so it needs to be made ahead of time

These are great with sour cream, or salsa or just by themselves.

Here is the original recipe that we used: http://gotovim-doma.ru/view.php?r=51-recept-Beliashi

On a plate

Just from the pan!

Cooking meat side down

Ready to fry!

Before folding

Ready for the pan!

Our circle cutter

Dough circles

Frying

this was before we got our temperature right

Ingredients:

Dough -
4 cups flour
4 tablespoons oil
1 egg
10-15 grams of yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of water

Filling:
1 lb ground meat (we used 1/2 beef, 1/2 pork)
1 large onion, chopped
salt and pepper

Canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Combine yeast and warm water, let stand 5 minutes. Then, add all other ingredients and mix well until the dough does not stick to hands. Let stand for at least 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.
2. Prepare the filling by combining the meat, onion and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Once dough is risen, beat it down, and roll out. There are two ways to roll it out. 1 - roll out big sheets and use a large round cutout - this is our preferred method as it results in more uniform food. Or, 2 - make a sausage out of the dough and cut off circles, rolling out each circle to the desired size.
3. Fill each circle with meat and pinch in the tops to leave a circle of meat exposed on the top.
4. Heat up canola oil in a large pan - the oil should come up about half way to the belyashi.
5. Place belyashi meat down in the hot oil. Fry on medium high until the meat side dough is golden. Then, flip them over and lower the temperature until medium. If desired, you can cover with a lid. Cook until the meat mixture starts bubbling.
6. Once cooked, take out onto a plate with paper towels, or a cooling rack - this allows the oil to drip off and the belyashi do not get soggy. 

What we liked:

It was fun to make a new recipe. The meat was really good. 

What we didn't like:

It took us a while to get the temperature setting right, so the first batches were not optimally cooked - but practice makes perfect!

What Kaspian thought about it:

He loved them. He was at first a little suspicious of the meat, but once he saw that these get dipped in sour cream, they became about a million times more awesome. Who cares what you're eating if you're dipping it in sour cream...pretty sure those are Kaspian's thoughts. 

Next time:

Try smaller circles! The flatter/smaller ones might cook faster and better. :) 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Shrimp Spaghettini Alfredo

Alona doesn't like thick pasta...like fettuccini, so we make it with thinner pasta. This dish was good, quick to make, however, it is definitely missing some garlic.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/shrimp-fettuccine-alfredo.html



Ingredients:

salt
1/2 lb of spaghettini
Olive oil, for tossing
1 pound large shrimp,  shelled and deveined, tails removed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt generously. Add the pasta, and boil according to package directions until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Strain, and toss with a splash of oil.
2. Meanwhile, arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a large plate. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium-high, and put shrimp in skillet. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, until the underside is pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp, and cook until fully pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl or plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. When the butter has mostly melted, whisk in the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer, then cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the sauce warm.
5. Whisk the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce. Add the shrimp and cooked pasta, and toss well.

What we liked:

Easy, fun, and quick

What we didn't like:

Needs garlic!

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the pasta.. by itself. He wanted "orange cheese" on the side

Next time:

Add garlic!

Seared Ahi Tuna

Here's another seared Ahi Tuna. The tuna searing recipe is same as before with just salt, pepper and toasted sesame seeds coating the tuna and then frying for a few minutes.
This time we use a half spring mix half baby spinach salad. Excellent.
The sauce.. we are still looking for the right sauce. This was too vinegary and no soy. The ideal sauce would be soy/ginger based. It was really fun to try a new recipe and the tuna is always so delicious.



Ingredients:

For the sauce:
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves
pinch of cayenne
pinch of paprika
pinch of ground corriander

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer until reduced by half. 

What we liked:

The tuna is sooo good.

What we didn't like:

Sauce is still not perfect!

What Kaspian thought about it:

He disregards both tuna and salad. 

Next time:

Different sauce yet again!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This week has been too hectic to update nightly, so here's a whole bunch at once!
We made these cupcakes before reading the reviews. The oil amount should DEFINITELY be decreased. The Cocoa amount should be increased. And, the red dye amount can certainly be decreased. We used one teaspoon and they came out good. The cake for these rised beautifully in the oven. The recipe actually did make 24 cupcakes! (For once!! We always end up with more cupcakes than anticipated). This was a first attempt at red velvet cupcakes, and it came out really good. Definite adjustments are needed, but that's just the way of things. The frosting, we just used store bought fluffy chocolate and vanilla since we had that on hand and didn't have any cream cheese on hand.
The consensus seems to be that chocolate is better. Also, the red velvet cupcakes might benefit from some chocolate chips added in (even if they might sink to the bottom)! In other good news - our frosting abilities are also getting better... or it could be the store bought icing that is just the perfect consistency.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/red-velvet-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe.html






Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 spots with cupcake liners
2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large stand mixer bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

What we liked:

Relatively easy to make for what seems like a fancy dessert. The icing was great.

What we didn't like:

Too oily. Needs less oil and more cocoa powder.

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the chocolate frosted ones. Though he might eat anything frosted in chocolate. This dessert also marks the day he decided licking frosting spoons/containers was worth the gooey mess. 

Next time:

Less Oil, more cocoa, try cream cheese frosting