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Chicken Sweet Potato Stir Fry...Smooth With A Kick

12/30/2012

Chicken - Sweet Potato
Stir-Fry

Sweet potatoes, quinoa,
red peppers, edamame,
red onions, chicken breast.

So yummy and healthy; packs a big punch with all these flavors.
Tim calls this dish "smooth with a kick."
Uh, I think he's referencing the kick as being the jalapeno ingredient!

Why our mom make all this good stuff and yet we get jack? So not fair.

Okay, so here's the fixins for this easy to make Chicken Sweet Potato
Stir Fry.

See the edamame up there? I used edamame in place of peas cuz Tim needs therapy still for being forced to eat *gasp* peas as a kid.

Seriously, if Tim ever goes into therapy, peas will be the FIRST thing he talks about. And that would be nice cuz I'm getting a little tired of defending anything that is round and green in the dishes I make.
I kid you not, this was an actual conversation.

Tim: What is this? It looks like peas in there.

Angie: It's not peas Tim, it's garbanzo beans or sometimes called chickpeas.

Tim: SEE!!! I TOLD YOU IT'S PEAS!!!

Angie: PEAS ARE GREEN! THESE ARE GARBANZO BEANS!!! THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PEAS!!!

Tim: They look like peas.

Angie: You need therapy.

Anyway,

let's move on by rinsing the quinoa
(pronounced KEEN-WA)...
seriously why don't they just spell it like KEEN-WA. Why do they spell quinoa like quinoa when it sounds like KEEN-WA? Makes no sense.
I need therapy now.

So if you can get beyond the pronunciation of quinoa (KEEN-WA),

combine the quinoa and water and boil and then simmer until absorbed.

Meanwhile bring to boiling the chunked up,
peeled
sweet potatoes.

Now chop up the red peppers, red onions, garlic and jalapeno and chicken.
Yowza! That jalapeno provides plenty of heat!

Okay,
add the chopped chicken into the skillet with the heated oil.

Cook the diced chicken until browned....gladly!!!

Okay,

throw the veggies into the skillet...

Mmmmmm,

sauteeing away,
eh!!!

Now add some cumin and edamame.
Oh right, the recipe calls for peas.
Add peas if you want AT YOUR OWN RISK...
REMEMBER, THAT PERSON MAY NEED VEGGIE THERAPY LIKE TIM TOO!
Uh, I'm not kidding.

Now add those sauteed chicken pieces...

By the way,

NO ONE
ever needs therapy for sauteed, browned chicken breasts!

Now add the quinoa in.

Aaaand the boiled sweet potatoes and lots of salt and pepper....

Lookin' good,

eh??!!

Well, plate 'er up!

Okay,
here's the deal.
This is a tasty, heat-filled, super healthy dish. BUT both Tim and I found ourselves wanting some starch with this dish, like bread!

So,
as long as you eat some big crusty bread with this or some whole wheat Wonder bread with butter, you'll be satisfied.

Otherwise,
this makes for a nice midday snack.

My other suggestion is to be careful with the jalapeno!!!
If you have little kiddos, DO NOT use the seeds of the jalapeno,
just de-seed and dice.

Okay, in closing I just wanted to show this strange-o hanging of snow/ice off the summer kitchen roof Friday night...

Weird,

huh!!

Aaaaand while I was outside in my beee-utiful
pajama pants and Tim's slippers.... SHUT UP
by the way...

...I decided to snap a picture of the small porch display,

moonlit style.

Just so you don't think I'm a weirdo showing my pajama pants and men's slippers so random-like...I was actually letting Mindy Peaches, our blind Beagle, out for her walk/run/sniffing/ poop-eating nightly escapade.

WHAT??? Your dog doesn't eat poop? Well then, your dog isn't a non-discriminating Beagle is all
I have to say to that.

So I took a pic of the summer kitchen lights....oh stop it, I'm blushing by how much you're gushing over my immense light display here.
Go on now.

And here we have a wreath on a picket fence....

...and a sled and
another wreath. Wish I had a hill here to use that new $30 sled on!! $30!!
Thirty dollars!
When did sleds get so expensive and when did I suddenly act like I'm five thousand years old and can't believe sleds are THIRTY DOLLARS!

Okay,
well I better close for now; Vinny and Giblet Pearl are acting a little needy.

Dear Mom,
Quit writing about food and instead GIVE US FOOD!
Love,
Vinny and Gibby

Crap, almost forgot AGAIN, here's the recipe...printable is on the right hand side!

Chicken-Sweet Potato Stir-Fry
From www.runnersworld.com website Check this website out, lots of fitness information
Courtesy www.turnkeyqualitycars.com

Ingredients
Serves: 4 Prep: 12min |Cook: 22min |Total: 34min

1 C water
1/2 C quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 med sweet potato (about 8 oz), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
4 tsp canola oil
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 med onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped
1 med red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 C frozen peas
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Combine water and quinoa in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Put sweet potato in small saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 2" while quinoa is cooking. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in large nonstick frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

4. Return pan to heat and add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Stir in onion and jalapeno pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add bell pepper, garlic, and cumin. Cook until vegetables start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in peas and reserved chicken and cook 2 minutes. Add quinoa and sweet potato. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, salt, and black pepper.

Okay guys, that's all I got for today!

Have a fun Sunday
and
we'll talk at ya soon!!!

Fillet With Peppercorn Sauce And Crispy Smashed Potatoes

12/20/2012

Is it blizzarding at your place?

Taken at noon on Thursday December 20, 2012.

Yup, blizzarding here in good ol' Frytown, Iowa too.
By the way, a Merry Christmas to ya'll!!!

Mr. Donkey by the well pump says Merry Christmas too.

After taking the above pictures this morning, I stomped my snowy feet off in the entryway.

Our new Thanksgiving Day kitty, Giblet Pearl, was much intrigued.

She'd never seen snow before.

Giblet Pearl proceeded to look around like she had JUST discovered gold,

then began furiously eating it.

Kind of, sort of like Tim and I with these Fillets with Peppercorn Sauce last night.

We were like cavemen with the beef.

I rarely make beef, so when I do,
well,

we act like neanderthals.

And these
Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes...
total YUM!!!

Why oh why must I be such a starch girl???!!
This does not serve one well as I, uh, cough cough...., uh...."age."

Didn't stop me from making them or eating them though!
These are the fixins for the Crispy Smashed Potatoes!!!!

Sigh. What's a starch girl to do?

See though!! Hardly any ingredients and so super easy and completely tasty!!

And here's the fixins for the fantastic
Fillets With Peppercorn Sauce.

See those three beef fillets up there? Oh my gosh, they were beeee-utiful but EXPENSIVE!!!
$16.99 lb....$39 of fillet right there!!! $39!!!

Dear Mortgage Company,

My mortgage payment may be a little late. See, I discovered fillet. It is very expensive but worth every penny.

Sincerely,
Happily Fulfilled With A Tummy Full Of Big Bucks Fillet, Your Customer Angie

So the peppercorn sauce for the fillets calls for tri-color peppercorns.

I found them easy enough in the grocery store.

They're in this grinder bottle thing.

Easy enough, I'll just take the lid off and smash them with a rolling pin like the recipe calls for.

See, the Pioneer Woman, whose recipe this is, makes it clear on her video not to grind too small the peppercorns, they should be of varying sizes,
some should even be whole.
But the lid wouldn't come off.

So I thought hmmm, I'll just grind them in the bottle they're in.

I was having a hard time getting different sizes with this grinder, it was making all the peppercorns smallish.

So I tried getting the lid off again with my amazing brute force.

Didn't work.

So I used a knife and tried to pry the lid off
and
then tried to cut the lid off.

Yeah.
kind of almost had an unpleasant bleeding experience so I put the knife away....

...and I started pounding that dagnabit thing on the counter top ledge.

Whack
Whack
Whack

Shockingly enough, that didn't work either.

As a last resort,

I tried to bite that plastic top off.

No I didn't. I wouldn't do that...try to bite the top off a grinder.
Nervous giggle. I was just kidding...
K-I-D-D-I-N-G.
I wasn't THAT desperate to do such a stooopid thing.
duh. Biting the top of a pepper grinder off. Sheez.

Anyway,

melt the butter in the pan as a beginning for this easy peppercorn sauce.

Throw in the Dijon mustard.

And the brandy,

\let this reduce a little bit.

Add in the heavy cream and grinded up peppercorns.
By the way, see those words "grinded up" up there? It didn't even dawn on me until hours later, right before I was ready to post, that the correct language is GROUND UP! GROUND UP PEPPERCORNS, NOT GRINDED UP. Goodness, who needs grammar lessons?

And just whisk occasionally until the sauce gets thicker.

I let it set on low for a bit while I tended to the meat and potatoes.

Salt and pepper up these babies good!

Melt some butter and brush them on both sides of the fillets. Yowza!!

Heat the olive oil up in the pan...

Throw the fillets in....

Turn the fillets over and cook according to your likeness.

Actually before I started the steaks, I started the potatoes first...lay parchment paper on a baking sheet and liberally dose with olive oil.

Boil the potatoes
in salted water for anywhere from
20-35 minutes, until soft but definitely NOT falling apart.

Remove the cooked potatoes from the water and let them drain on a kitchen towel.

Now take a second towel
and put them over each potato and smash each one gently with the palm of your hand.

Take a spatula and scoop each individual potato up.
Don't worry if one falls apart. No problem.

Deposit each potato on the baking sheet like this.

Drizzle with olive oil pretty good....

...and salt and pepper up real too!

Bake for 20-35 minutes, according to how golden and crispy you want your potato cakes.

This time I threw some freshly grated Parmesan on after roasting but you don't even have to do that.

These potatoes are fantastic with just that olive oil and salt and pepper on them!

Look at that crispiness!

Now plate the fillet and potato up....

Who needs vegetables anyway??
This was CHEAT NIGHT!!!

Hello Mr. fillet, you is-a-gonna look might tasty with some peppercorn sauce on you too....

And I was right!

Just a little aside..this peppercorn sauce isn't for everyone, it has a distinct taste, savory and peppery.
I suggest keeping the sauce on the side or in a little dipping dish for each plate.

Now dig in guys!!!

That's what cheat night is for!

Okay, here's the recipes!!!

Fillet with Peppercorn Sauce
From 2012 Ree Drummond Pioneer Woman cooking show on foodnetwork.com
Courtesy www.turnkeyqualitycars.com

Serves: 8 servings
Angie’s note: Cut this recipe down to size as needed. I made this for two people, used 3 beef fillets and just halved the recipe on everything else.

Ingredients
Steaks:
    8 whole beef fillets or other good steaks
    Lemon pepper
   ( Angie’s Note: I did not use lemon pepper or seasoning salt, just salt and pepper)
    Seasoned salt
    Freshly ground black pepper
   Melted butter

Sauce:
    4 to 6 tablespoons tri-color peppercorns, crushed
    4 tablespoons butter
    1 beef bouillon cube
    4 to 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    1 cup brandy
    1 1/2 to 2 cups heavy cream (can substitute half-and-half for some of the cream)

Directions
Angie’s note: I did not grill the fillets; I simply cooked them in my cast iron skillet over the stove top.
For the steaks: Sprinkle both sides of the steak with lemon pepper, seasoned salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side over high heat, and then a further 3 to 5 minutes over lower heat. Brush with melted butter as they cook.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Start by crushing the peppercorns with a rolling pin in a zip-top bag and set them aside.

Next, heat a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Crumble in the beef bouillon cube. Whisk to combine. Then add the Dijon mustard to the skillet and whisk it around a bit. Pour in the brandy. Whisk the Dijon and brandy together until combined, and then let it bubble for about 45 seconds or so. Then pour in the heavy cream and the crushed peppercorns. Whisk it all together, allowing it to bubble for a few minutes to thicken. Spoon it over the grilled steaks.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes
www.turnekyqualitycars.com
There’s lots of recipes out there, so here’s the condensed version of these tasty, easy potatoes…

Ingredients
Medium size red potatoes, as many as you need for each family member
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Angie’s note: sometimes I add fresh Parmesan too after baking.

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.
On a cooking sheet, lay out parchment paper and drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Boil potatoes in salted water for 25-35 minutes, just until soft.

Lay drained potatoes on a kitchen towel and smash them with your palm, using another towel over the top of the potatoes.

Using a spatula, scoop up those potatoes, don’t worry if they fall apart, and lay on the cookie sheet.

Drizzle potatoes liberally with olive oil and salt and pepper them up real good.

Bake in oven until crispy, could be anywhere from 20-35 minutes depending on how golden and crispy you would like your potato cakes to be.

Remove from oven and eat. Or top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and then chow down.

See! Easy!

I hope you try these recipes out sometime, especially those super easy
smashed potatoes...
they are awesome dipped in ketchup!!

Little Miss Giblet Pearl was being naughty with my vintage Christmas light things.

Don't YOU be naughty now.

Be nice!
And send me lots of money, okay?
For GRAMMAR LESSONS. I promise I won't spend it on expensive wine :)

HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
and
HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO

:)
Have a good night guys!
Stay warm!
Talk at ya soon!

Lasagne Alla Bolognese ala Cooking Channel's Extra Virgin Cooking Show, This Creamy, Smooth Lasagne Is For Folks Who Do Not Like Ricotta Or Cottage Cheese!!!!

12/3/2012

Apparently there are some people who love lasagna
but
do not care for ricotta or cottage cheese.

For those folks I say..........WHAT?????

But then I say
WAIT!
I HAVE THE RECIPE FOR YOU!

Lasagne Alla Bolognese
via
actress Debi Mazar and her husband Gabrielle Corcos who is from Tuscany.

cookingchanneltv.com

How cute are they?
Their cooking show Extra Virgin is on the Cooking Channel. Their show is funny and entertaining and they share great Italian recipes.

And there's not a dollop of cottage cheese or ricotta in this lasagna.

They use a
white besciamella sauce
as a replacement.

Creamy and smooth!

Here's the fixins for this really creamy
Lasagne Alla Bolognese...

This calls for three different kinds of meat.
I used ground turkey, ground pork and ground beef.
Plus the super yummy pancetta.

So chop up the onions, carrots, and celery.

Saute the vegetables in the olive oil...

And down below are the three meats I used..the ground pork, beef and turkey.
On the right is the pancetta.
Pancetta is kind of expensive, $5 for that package.
It's probably not totally, 100% necessary to have it for this recipe.

So throw the pancetta and three meats in the dutch oven with the veggies...

Meanwhile pulse the tomatoes in a food processor...HEY, no food processor?
Seriously, just chop up very small, you'll be fine!!

Throw the parsley and red pepper flakes into the meat.

Now pour the wine in...

Season 'er up with the goods,

salt and pepper....

Mix it all up...

And let it simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, put away the groceries and clean the kitchen.

JUST KIDDING on cleaning the kitchen!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yeah so anyway, after 1 1/2 hours, finish the bolognese sauce by adding the milk in. Set aside and let cool a bit.

Now we is a-gonna start the besciamella sauce, the white sauce that is used in place of the ricotta or cottage cheese.

Melt a stick o' butter.

But first butter up the casserole dish you're gonna be using.

....and grate up that FRESH PARMESAN CHEESE...none of that packaged shredded Parm for this recipe...no siree! I love fresh Parm, it's amazing!

Okay, so mix the flour into that melted stick of butter...
easy enough.

Pour FOUR CUPS, FOUR CUPS! of milk into another pan to warm the milk up.

Remember when the bolognese was simmering for
1 1/2 - 2 hours and I said I was gonna put away the groceries and clean the kitchen?

HAHA
HAHA

HAHA
HAHA

HA

ha.
Crap.

Slowly pour the warmed milk into the pan with the butter and flour. WHISK CONSTANTLY.
Season with nutmeg, and salt and pepper.

Okay, now get the work station ready.
OH
WAIT!

These are the lasagne noodles that must be used; the no boil flat noodles. Look for them at your grocery store, if they don't have them (and they should) go to another grocery store and buy them. Only use these no boil lasagne noodles for this recipe. DO NOT use the other ruffly kind.

Okay so spread some of the sauce in the bottom of the dish...
I used a 9 x 13 dish.

Add the first layer of lasagne noodles, see how flat they are? Then add a layer of meat sauce on them. Cover all the noodles.

Get ready for that
creamy besciamella sauce....

Ladle a layer of besciamella on...

Now sprinkle the Parmesan generously.

And then do it all over again...

Make sure to eat some of that Parmesan, don't waste it all on the lasagna. Duh.

And then do a third and or fourth layer...

On the final layer, top with meat sauce and the besciamella...then add Parmesan on top and some dollops of butter.

Cook for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven.....

Yummy!! I was hesitant though,
no ricotta and not much cheese....

But there's plenty of the Parm to get your cheese fix...

And that besciamella white sauce created the smoothest, creamiest lasagne I ever had.

And not a stitch of the ricotta or cottage cheese to be found.

This lasagna is worth the time it takes to make!
Now this is not your typical lasagne folks, this has no basil or mozzarella piled on it.
The flavors are much more subtle. If you have any sauce left over, freeze it! I actually used all the sauce so I had none left over to freeze.

Here's the recipe...by the way, if I'm gonna make a lasagne for Christmas, I would definitely choose this recipe over the others I have made. It's just smoother and creamier and would partner better with the big cookie and candy spread :)

Here's the recipe! Printable recipe is at the end...

Lasagne Alla Bolognese
Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar, Extra Virgin show on the Cooking Channel
www.cookingchanneltv.com New episodes are shown on Wednesday nights
Courtesy www.turnkeyqualitycars.com
Total Time: 3 hr 45 min
Prep: 3 hr 0 min |
Inactive Prep: 3 hrs (includes simmering time) Cook: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
    Butter, for the pan
    1/2 batch Bolognese Sauce, recipe follows
    1 1/2 (9-ounce) boxes no-boil lasagne noodles
   Besciamella, recipe follows
    3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
    Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

    Bolognese Sauce:
    5 tablespoons olive oil
    1 red onion, medium chop
    3 carrots, medium chop
    3 celery stalks, medium chop
    5 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes
    1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
    1 pound ground beef
    1 pound ground pork
    1 pound ground veal Angie’s Note: I used ground turkey instead of veal.
    1 cup red wine
    3 (28-ounce) cans pelati tomatoes*… pelati tomatoes are whole canned tomatoes
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup whole milk

    Besciamella:
    1/2 cup butter
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    4 1/2 cups whole milk
    Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Notes
Because you are working with pasta that does not require boiling, you have to make sure that there are no pieces of lasagne sticking out of the sauce because they won't cook.

When you decide to tap into your reserve of frozen lasagne, keep in mind you need to thaw the frozen lasagne overnight before reheating.

Pelati tomatoes are whole canned tomatoes.

Notes
If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk, if too runny, return to the heat and add a pat of butter mixed with an equal amount of all-purpose flour. The most important thing though is: besciamella should not taste floury. If you think your sauce is ready, but you can spot a hint of "flouriness" when you taste it, think again, and keep on cooking it for a few minutes more.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter the lasagne pan well and add a very thin layer of meat sauce.

Add the first layer of lasagne noodles and in order, cover with meat sauce, about 3 ladles besciamella, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Repeat the same process until you reach the top of the dish. Make sure the lasagne noodles are soaking into the sauce.

When done layering the ingredients, top the lasagne with a final ladle of meat sauce and some besciamella, add a few thin slices of butter and finish with some grated Parmesan.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Heat a broiler. When your fantastic lasagne alla bolognese is cooked, give it a nice crisp top by broiling it for about 5 minutes.

Always serve this dish with extra-virgin olive oil and some grated parmesan, to taste.

Directions Bolognese Sauce:
Saute the onion, carrots, and celery in about 5 tablespoons olive oil in a large rondeau until soft. Add the pancetta to the soffritto (onion mixture). Cook on a medium-high flame for about 7 to 10 minutes, then add the meat; break it up well with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: You can jack up the heat a bit, and keep stirring until all the ground meat is browned. Add the red pepper flakes and the parsley and cook for just 1 minute.

Add the wine now and cook until the alcohol is completely evaporated, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Pulse the tomatoes smooth in a food processor and add them to the meat, season generously with salt and pepper, lower the flame to medium and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish the sauce by adding the whole milk, stir well and set aside, to cool off.

Directions Besciamella:
Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the flowery taste.

Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Here's the printable one...

Okay now, the reason it took me FOREVER to type this post up is because while I was TRYING to type, these two NEEDY animals kept getting on my laptop
Sunday night.

Yes, that is Mindy Peaches's head and floppy ear on the keyboard which is on my lap and yes, that is new Kitty-cat sprawled out on my sweatshirt.... WHILE I WAS WEARING IT, facing the laptop, refusing to get off me.

So that is why I have been a little tardy getting posts out.
Well, that and the lazy factor :)

Okay, have a good Monday night guys! Hopefully I can get another post out sooner than two weeks. :)
I've been cooking, just not very successfully. Wow, there's a lot of bad recipes out there. :):):) hehehe

Talk at ya soon!!

Update: Monday (tonight) 6:02p...just a minute ago...See!!! Told ya! I can't get any work done!! That cat is asleep on my keyboard!sxw2333333eFV

6:05...she moved even MORE onto my keyboard!!

6:10...the madness must stop! I must get work done!

6:13...oh? Did you wake up kitty? Okay, now skeedaddle.

6:19p...I swear she moved on her own...swear!!!

6:20p
Now does that look like a baby who was forcefully displaced? I think not.

Okay, enough of the crazy cat lady commentary!
See ya soon! Meeeoooowww!

Chicken Sweet Potato Stir Fry...Smooth With A Kick

Fillet With Peppercorn Sauce And Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Lasagne Alla Bolognese ala Cooking Channel's Extra Virgin Cooking Show, This Creamy, Smooth Lasagne Is For Folks Who Do Not Like Ricotta Or Cottage Cheese!!!!

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