Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Etouffee

This was fairly quick and easy to throw together for a dinner, as long as we had the crawfish. We always have long grain rice (we used basmati and it worked out, was very fluffy). We added andouille sausage the second time we made it and it was fabulous! 

This recipe does make a lot, halving it might be more reasonable for a smaller group. 

Ingredients:

6-8 cups of long grain white rice, we used basmati. We usually have rice left over for various things too. 

4-6 cups  turkey or chicken stock depending on how concentrated it is and your tastes

4-6 cups water 

1.5 cup butter

2 large onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup flour

2 cans crushed tomatoes

2 lbs crawfish tails

1 package andouille sausage

green onions - chopped for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Old Bay seasoning to taste 

Directions:

1. Set rice to cook in rice cooker. We love our Zojurishi, it really makes a difference

2. Make the roux with about half the butte rbutter and flour. We used a cast iron pan. Melt butter, gradually add in the flour and stir constantly until flour is cooked and mixture is thickened. 

3. Take the other half the butter and fry onion and celery until softened. Add garlic until fragrant, about one minute. 

4. Add in tomato sauce and stock and water. 

5. Add in the roux

6. Mix

7. Add in crawfish tails and andouille sausage and bring to a simmer

8. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes

9. Serve etouffee over cooked rice and garnish with green onions. 

What we liked:

It was easy, fun and yummy. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

Brenton actually loved it and at 2 years old ate three whole bowls! 

Next time:

Nothing, these are great. 

Honey Cashew Chicken with Broccoli and Rice

Tonight was a honey cashew chicken with broccoli. It was a great recipe and we will definitely make again, but ours came out too sweet, so watch the honey amounts. It might also be that our hoisin sauce was on the much sweeter side. We used a portable burner (which we first saw at a restaurant called Nagomi, where we tried hot pot, or swish swish for the first time). This burner was able to get the wok hotter and faster, and resulted in a very pleasant stir fry. The nuts actually caramelized and were like candied nuts almost.

Ingredients:

1 lb broccoli florets
1 cup cashews
1 lb chicken breast
1 cup bell peppers or mini bell peppers, sliced
2 cups rice - prepared per cooking instructions, depending on the type of rice you use
canola oil to fry

Sauce:
2 tbs hoisin sauce
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
sesame seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sesame oil

1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Slice the chicken into strips or cubes, as desired. We did strips.
2. Mix together the sauce.
3. Marinate the chicken in the sauce for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from sauce to fry in wok
5. Wok fry the chicken, using canola oil 
6. Wok fry the veggies, adding the sauce and corn starch dissolved in coldwater about halfway through to thicken it up.
7. Add cashews. 

What we liked:

It was probably the best cashew chicken we have ever had. 

What we didn't like:

Too much honey (2 tbsp) the recipe above is adjusted with less honey. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He actually seemed to like it. 

Next time:

No changes other than the honey decrease which is reflected in the recipe above. 

Kofta Kebabs with Yellow Rice and Veggie Skewers..and Hummus and Tzatziki Sauce

We made some kofta kebabs with yellow rice and veggie skewers. We got some zucchini and yellow squash and cucumbers from our local farmers market and it was the perfect timing for kebabs! We have some dill that we grew and used that in both the kebabs and the tzatziki sauce. It was a pretty labor intensive meal but it was well worth it.
The yellow rice was a new one for us. It was a different way of making it with the saffron and letting the saffron steep. It was very exciting and turned out excellent. The only thing we would add next time is some peas, but unfortunately, we had none on hand at this time. We left the cinnamon out of the rice because it didn't sound that good and Alona is not a fan of cinnamon, especially in non-sweet dishes. Also, we used our multi-cooker to make the rice - just because we love that it cooks it perfectly every time and we do not have to babysit it!
We actually added cinnamon to the kebabs and think that it was a mistake and it should definitely be left out next time.

Original recipes:
Yellow Rice: http://www.mypersiankitchen.com/mena-cooking-club-yellow-rice/
Kofta Kebabs and Tzatziki: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/kofta-kebabs-with-tzatziki-recipe-2118052

Plated!

Fresh off the grill!

Tzatziki

Hummus

Yellow Rice

Ready to grill!

Ingredients:

Yellow Rice:
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 cups rice - washed and rinsed
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 generous pinch of saffron
3 1/2 cups hot water
5 cardamom pods
Salt

Kebabs:
6 cloves garlic
1.5 tablespoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1.5 pound ground beef
6 tablespoons very finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped dill
1.5 tablespoon ground coriander
1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon - OMIT NEXT TIME!!!!!
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper

Grilled flat bread - we used the mini naans from Costco

Tzatziki Sauce:
2 cups sour cream
1 medium cucumber, peeled, and shredded on a grater
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped

Directions:

Yellow Rice:
1. Boil about 4 cups of water.
2. Very lightly crush the 5 cardamom pods in a mortar with a pestle. Do not squish them apart, just enough for the pods to slightly open. Take them out and put them aside.
3. Crush saffron with a pinch of salt in the mortar with a pestle until it is a fine powder.
4. Add about 2 tablespoons of water to the saffron salt mixture and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
5. Pour sunflower oil into the rice cooker and set it to "White Rice".
6. After the oil warms up, add the turmeric and let it cook for about a minute.
7. Add the rinsed and drained rice, cardamom, and brewed saffron. Add some salt. Add about 3.5 cups of the hot water.
8. Mix everything, close the rice cooker and let it cook!

Kofta Kebabs:
1. Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear mixture to a coarse paste. Mix the paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt with the meat, onion, dill, and spices.
2. Make 2 inch oval balls and mold them around the skewers. about 3-4 should fit onto each metal skewer. Using a flat metal skewer works best as these tend to slide off the round skewers.
3. Pre heat the grill to medium high.
4. Grill the kebabs about 4 minutes per side until cooked.

Tzatziki:
1.  Wrap the grated cucumber in a thick paper towel or kitchen towel and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. If you have the time, you can add salt and let it sit over a colander for about 20 minutes before squeezing out the liquid.
2. Make garlic paste with garlic and salt.
3. Add cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill and mint into the sour cream.
4. It is best if the tzatziki sauce sits before serving, but not critical. 

What we liked:

It was a very fun meal to make. 

What we didn't like:

The cinnamon was really unnecessary. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the kebabs and Astrid absolutely loved the rice. 

Next time:

No cinnamon :) 

Hello Fresh - Citrus Skillet Shrimp

So, Hello Fresh sent us a deal we couldn't really turn down. $19 for 3 meals for 2? That's less than our grocery store trip. So, we agreed to it. As last time, there were some things we liked from the recipes and others we didn't. The quality of ingredients was disappointing again. And, definitely definitely have your own ginger on hand since the one they send is a little suspicious.
This recipe turned out really good, the shrimp and citrus went excellent together. However, the olives do not go with it at all. We would recommend you avoid that ingredient in there.
When first frying the onions and peppers it looks like there is a whole lot, but it condenses down quite a bit. We supplemented with our own shrimp as we had a guest over for dinner, so the pictures show more shrimp than what they would normally send.

Original recipe: https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/citrus-skillet-shrimp-5845b5218e8c6124d60c4d13/?back=/recipe/all

Served

Shrimp & onions & pepper

Onion and pepper mixture

Prepped ingredients

Ingredients for this box

citrus skillet shrimp box

Ingredients:

20 ounce Shrimp (Shellfish)
2  Poblano Pepper
2 Green Olives
2 Oranges
2 Red Onions
0.5 ounce Oregano
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 Lemon
4 cloves Garlic
4 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1. Wash and dry all produce. Bring 1 cup water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pot. Once boiling, add rice, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered.
2. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion. Halve poblano lengthwise and remove the core and white ribs. Cut crosswise into thin strips. Thinly slice garlic and green olives. Zest, halve, and juice orange and lemon into a small bowl. Pick oregano leaves from stems and roughly chop. Discard stems.
3. Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add poblano and onion and cook until softened and slightly charred, about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
4. Add garlic, olives, oregano, and half the citrus juice to pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes, tossing.
5. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to pan with 1 TBSP olive oil. Cook until pink and just firm, 3-5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Pour in remaining juice, along with 1 tsp orange zest and 1 tsp lemon zest. Toss and season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff rice with a fork. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining citrus zest. Divide rice between plates and top with shrimp and its sauce.

What we liked:

The shrimp and sauce was good

What we didn't like:

The olives did not belong in this recipe. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He and Astrid both liked chicken nuggets much more. 

Next time:

No olives

Supersavory Wild Rice Pilaf

This was, in fact, a supersavory rice. It was great! We bought the wild and brown rices separately and, although we cooked it in a rice cooker, it was still great. We prefer to cook our rices in a rice cooker, especially for a busy meal like Thanksgiving because you don't have to babysit it. It can be thrown in and everything cooks on its own. After it's done, it will automatically switch to just keeping it warm! Yum! Also, in the midst of all the hectic holiday preparations, we totally forgot to add the parsley, but that was okay, it was still delicious!

Supersavory Wild Rice Pilaf http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/supersavory-wild-rice-pilaf

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 cups finely chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice
1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add onion; cook 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high.
2. Transfer all over to a rice cooker and add rices and thyme.
3. Stir in stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
4. Set rice cooker to cook rice.
5. After rice is done stir in parsley.

What we liked:

This was a great rice recipe with lots of flavor!

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. We would like to try making it in the dutch oven though as well, we just did not have one available, nor did we have the time to watch it while we were busy with other preparations. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the rice. 

Next time:

No Changes needed. 

Seared Ahi Tuna Rice Bowl with Ginger Sauce

We combined a few recipes for this one. We are still trying to figure out the sauce that comes with the search tuna appetizer at a local restaurant here called Elephant Bar (if anyone knows how that sauce is made let us know!).This was really easy, simple and fast. Throw some rice to cook in the rice cooker - we didn't have any seasoned rice wine, so we substituted with some dry white wine (chardonnay + sugar) for the rice. It really adds flavor to it and changes the texture as well. The variations on this rice bowl are endless, you can add whatever ingredients you like!

Ingredients:

1 cup sushi rice
8 oz tuna steak
chives (optional)
sliced cucumbers
sesame seeds

Sauce:
2 oz fresh ginger
2 oz shallots
1/4 to 1/3 cup soy sauce (vary to taste)
1 - 2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Set rice to cook in a rice cooker with water.
2. While rice is cooking prepare the sauce - combine all ingredients in a magic bullet or blender and blend until smooth.
3. For tuna - rinse and pat dry. On a plate, mix sesame seeds, salt and pepper and spread around. Roll the tuna in the mixture. Heat a frying pan to medium high- sear the tuna on each side about 1-2 minutes until pink in the middle but seared on the outside (cut a piece to test it).
4. Serve with Rice in a bowl topped with tuna, cucumber, chives and sauce. 

What we liked:

Very quick and delicious. The sauce turned out great too.

What we didn't like:

Nothing - it was great!

What Kaspian thought about it:

Kaspian liked the rice and cucumbers but we didn't offer him any fish.  

Next time:

Keep this sauce...but maybe try one with some orange in it? 

Chipotle Lime Shish Kabobs and Wild Rice with Tzatziki Sauce

This is a quick dinner idea that requires marinating the meat in the morning. The evening time assembly is quick with just setting rice and grilling. The tzatziki sauce can be prepared a few hours in advance also.

Ingredients:

Shish Kabobs:
1.5 lbs of beef
juice of 5 limes
2 tbsps of olive oil
2 tbsps garlic
2 tbsps chiptole chiles
salt and pepper

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1 cucumber shredded
1 tbsp garlic

Red onion for side.
Cooked rice for side.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients for meat in a ziplock bag and marinate for at least 6 hours in the fridge.
2. Combine all ingredients for tzatziki sauce and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
3. Grill shish kabobs on a grill at medium heat. 

What we liked:

So yummy! And served over rice makes for great leftovers!!!

What we didn't like:

nothing, it was great

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was more into mac and cheese

Next time:

No Changes needed

Kofta Kabobs with Yellow Cherry Rice and Quinoa Salad

We were feeling in a Mediterranean mood, so we thought we would try to make some kofta kabobs. We were surprised at how easy they were to make and how yummy they were. We decided to pair them with some yellow rice with cherries and a quinoa salad. We didn't have the ingredients for a good sauce, and the tahini sauce was okay, but not the best to go with it. the yogurt/cucumber/dill sauce would be a better pairing for the kofta kabobs. This is definitely a recipe we will make again soon. We only had ground beef this time, but a lamb and beef mixture would make this dish even better.

Here's the original kabob recipe: http://www.themediterraneandish.com/kofta-kebab-recipe/
Here's the original rice recipe: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2012/10/basmati-rice-pilaf-with-dried-fruits-and-almonds.html

Kofta kabobs with rice and quinoa

Ingredients:

Kofta Kabobs:
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves
1 whole bunch parsley, stems removed (about 2 packed cups parsley leaves)
1.5 lb ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
1½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground green cardamom
½ tsp ground sumac
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp paprika

Rice:
1-1/2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/4 cups water
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dried fruit - cherries

Directions:

Kabobs:
1. Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for an hour.
2. Preheat grill
3. Add onion, garlic and parsley to a food processor and chop.
4. Add the beef, bread crumbs, and the spices. Run food processor until a smooth mixture is formed
5. Remove the meat mixture from the food processor and place in a large bowl.
6. Divide meat mixture evenly amongst the wooden skewers, making a "sausage" on each one.
7. Place the kofta kebabs on the lightly oiled, heated gas grill. Grill on medium-high heat for 4 minutes on one side, turn over and grill for another 3-4 minutes.

Rice:
1. Rinse rice until water runs clear.
2. Melt butter in a medium pot.
3. Add onions and cook until softened.
4. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and garlic. Stir.
5. Add rice and cook for a few minutes
6. Add water, salt, pepper and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is gone 15-18 minutes. After about 10 minutes in, add in the cherries.

What we liked:

Soo easy and delicious! Better than restaurant kofta kabobs. 

What we didn't like:

The tahini sauce was meh, we should make a tzatziki sauce for it that would go better with. Also, a couscous side dish would be good. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He actually really liked the rice, minus the cherries. 

Next time:

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Dill Cream

Today we made slow cooker roasted salmon with dill cream.
As a side we made brown rice with flax seeds and black lentils. It was a very simple recipe and one that you could just a few hours ahead of time and come home to a wonderful cooked meal. We enjoyed this one a lot. The sauce was probably the hardest thing to make and the least necessary. We actually forgot about the sauce until the very end.
This is a very good juicy salmon, but for those who prefer a flakier and dryer salmon, this recipe is probably not for you.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/slow-roasted-salmon-dill-cream

Salmon with brown rice

Salmon in the slow cooker

brown rice with flax seeds and black lentils

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1/2 bunch fresh dill, divided
1 orange, cut into slices - we used Cara Cara - a smaller orange might have been better
1 lemon, cut into slices
3 tablespoons water
1 (2 1/2-pound) salmon fillet
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the rice:
2 cups rice
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large, preferably oval, slow cooker, place a piece of foil long enough to overhang sides. Coat foil and slow cooker sides with cooking spray.
2. Chop enough dill fronds to equal 2 tablespoons; set aside. Line slow cooker bottom with remaining dill, orange slices, and lemon slices. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons water.
3. Place fillet, on top of citrus, grind some salt and pepper on top. Cover and cook on LOW 2 1/2 hours or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.We have to use HIGH on our slow cooker, because for some reason, LOW does not seem to do anything at all. We cooked it for about 2 1/2 hours on high and it came out perfect.
4. While salmon cooks, combine reserved dill fronds, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon rind, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl; refrigerate.
5. When about 30 minutes are remaining for the salmon, put together all the ingredients for the rice in the rice cooker and start it on "white rice" setting. 

What we liked:

Quick and easy and delicious! The salmon was very juicy and tender and no "burn" or "dryness" on the sides that you get from the grill or oven sometimes. We loved trying a slow cooker salmon recipe. We had no idea you could cook salmon in a slow cooker and it come out so good! Nick liked that only one side was lemony (this is controlled by the lemon slice distribution under the salmon). 

What we didn't like:

The dill in the slow cooker didn't seem to add anything. Will probably do it without that next time. It was slightly difficult getting the salmon off the lemons and oranges as the salmon was so soft and flaky that pieces kept falling between the citurs. We also used a no-skin fillet though, it might have been different with a skin-on. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He just wanted dinosaur chicken nuggets. Upon seeing his plate with rice and salmon, he moved to to the other side of the table and declared "I don't want that on my plate". 

Next time:

Probably no dill. It would be fun to experiment with other slow cooker flavors for salmon...maybe soy and teriyaki? Maybe do a side salad as well.