Foodmomiac

Me? Cooking? Whaddayaknow (Chicken Milanese and Pasta)

Chicken Milanese with Pasta
Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

I know myself better than to promise anything, but today begins July's NaBloPoMo (posting every day in a month), and the topic is food. I gotta at least try, no?

Last night we had Chicken Milanese. I sliced chicken breasts very thinly, dredged them in egg and panko (seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder) and then pan fried them in extra virgin olive oil. Once they were cooked, I popped them into the oven on low to keep them warm. Then, Dylan stepped up to help.

We grabbed a few leaves of basil from the garden along with some cherry tomatoes. These were all thrown into a wooden bowl with some capers and some baby arugula. She chopped everything up and then I added a bit of olive oil. No vinegar was needed due to the capers. I also threw in a bit of shredded cheese (an Italian blend that was lurking in the fridge).

The kids ate the chicken breasts plain. The adults topped them with the arugula mix for a delicious Milanese.

On the side, we had gemelli tossed with raw, chopped cherry tomatoes, black pepper, olive oil and chunks of fresh mozzarella. Such a nice summer meal.

Foodmomiac's Meatloaf

A friend of ours had surgery last week, so a bunch of us got together to make them some dinners. My friend Joni did an awesome job of insuring that the family was covered for dinner by a different person each night, and our night was Sunday.

I volunteered to make meatloaf, mashed potatoes (I did the cheesy kind) and a veggie (just some simple sauteed zucchini with minced onion and dill). I figured comfort food is always welcomed. It was really very easy to pull everything together, and I made two of everything, so we had our dinner ready to go as well.

I don't know why we don't eat meatloaf more often. It's easy. It freezes GREAT. The kids love it. I have some twists to my meatloaf, as you see below. Typically, I use white bread as the binding agent, but Michael asked me to use oatmeal yesterday instead, and I have to say I LOVED it. I'll never use white bread again.

Foodmomiac's Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2 Tb. ketchup
1 Tb. yellow mustard
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tb. dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tb. prepared horseradish

Combine everything together in a large bowl using your hands (This is the most important part. I honestly believe that it is impossible to make good meatloaf using a spoon.)

Place in a 9 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.

Vegan Curry

  Steamy Vegetable Curry 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

When I was a junior in college, I was a miserable person. I spent the first semester in Paris, which sounds very romantic, but in reality, it was pathetic. Instead of exploring the city, I sat in my depressing ground-level apartment, smoking endless cigarettes and pining for my boyfriend back home (with whom I broke up a day after I returned home).

Second semester, I was back at school, but still in a funk. I moved off campus, tried to teach myself guitar, and spent a lot of time sitting in my tapestry-heavy room, just brooding and listening to the Grateful Dead.

It's probably a good thing that I stayed in that room so much. The house I moved into was disgusting. (Seriously, ask my dad. He still has nightmares about the compost heap we had stewing IN OUR KITCHEN.) At the time, though, I thought it was amazing. I lived with a bunch of vegan hippies, and despite the filth that surrounded us, we managed to make some amazing meals.

My veganism lasted just a couple of months, but I still make this recipe. Back then it was part of our weekly menu. These days, I make it less often, but you've gotta love a recipe that uses up leftover veggies, is loved by kids (Dylan helped herself to a second bowl when I served it Monday night), and is super healthy.

Vegan Curry
Olive oil
1 apple
1 onion
2 Tb. curry powder (at least)
3 small potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced (you can also just cut some baby carrots in half, if that's all you have)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tb. apricot jam (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Saute the onions and apples in the oil until the onions are translucent and the apples start to soften up a bit. Add the curry powder and combine well. Quickly add the potatoes and carrots, stirring the entire time. You don't want the curry powder to burn, but you do want to release all of the fragrance. Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas and raisins. At this point, you'll want to taste your concoction. The potatoes will still be firm, but you will get a sense of the seasonings you need to add. If it is too bland, add more curry. I added the apricot jam the other night, because I wanted it to be sweeter. You can also add salt and pepper at this point. Once it is seasoned properly, turn the heat to low and cover. You'll probably need to cook it for another 30 minutes, but this will vary based on the type of potato you used and how small you diced it. The dish is done when the apples have melted into the sauce and the potatoes are no longer raw.

This dish is GREAT over basmati rice, but I didn't plan ahead the other night, so we had it with Garlic Naan from Trader Joe's. (The Naan is NOT vegan - it is made with yogurt.)

Roasted Vegetable Risotto (with a story)

  Roasted Vegetable Risotto 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Jen was my roommate in college for both our sophomore and our senior years. Actually, (and this is probably one of the reasons we still keep in touch), we never had to share a room. Our sophomore year, we had the very best dorm room at Vassar. It was called the Rockefeller suite, and legend had it that it was built for the Rockefeller girls. I'm not sure if that's true, but the room ROCKED. There were two bedrooms, a full bath (seriously!) and built-in bookcases. We were living the life.

Senior year, we shared a townhouse with three other roommates, and did a ton of cooking. Towards the end of the year, we decided to invite one of our professors over for dinner with his wife. I can no longer recall what inspired us to do this, but I remember working so hard on a risotto dish. I'll need to pull out that recipe sometime, but it wasn't a true risotto (I'll explain what that is in a minute). It was basically rice, veggies and LOTS of cheese. It was really good, though. So good, in fact, that a couple of months ago, Jen emailed me asking for the recipe and for tips on how to make risotto!

As is often the case with me, I don't use a recipe. But, trust me, this is easy. I made this last night with Max literally hanging from my back pocket. (I don't recommend that, by the way. TOTALLY annoying.)

Risotto alla Danielle

Stock
Onion, chopped finely
Arborio Rice
White wine or dry vermouth
Stuff (roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, sauteed mushrooms, whatever you want)
Parmigiano Reggiano

Pull out two pots (one bigger one, one smaller one). In the small one, heat up some stock (chicken or vegetable), and keep at a low simmer (I used almost an entire 32 oz. box). Heat the large one over medium heat, and add some olive oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Put in the rice. For a family of four, a cup of raw rice is sufficient. Saute the rice for a minute or two. Add a splash or two of the wine (I used dry vermouth since I didn't have a bottle of white open), and cook until it evaporates. Then, using a ladle, add a 1/2 cup or so of stock and stir it into the rice. Continue stirring until the rice absorbs the liquid. Once it's absorbed, add some more. You want to continue doing this until the rice is cooked. Arborio rice will still be kind of al dente when it's done. It will have a nice chew to it. When the rice is NEARLY done, you can add your "stuff." I added some roasted cauliflower and asparagus (roasted with olive oil at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes). You can add sauteed mushrooms, or cooked chicken, or whatever, really. A good idea is to Google "risotto" and find some ideas. The above formula will work for whatever risotto you make.

When the risotto is done, top with grated Parm and serve!

Chicken and Rice Casserole - A Not So Surprising Hit!

  Chicken and Rice Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Late yesterday at work, I realized that I had no plans for dinner, didn't want to take the kids out, and couldn't bear the thought of another home-cooked meal snubbed by my children.

After thinking things over, I decided to stick with a tried and true kids' favorite, the casserole. Now, I know this might be surprising to those of you who consider me a food snob, but sometimes we all crave comfort food, and sometimes we all need a dish that is easy to prep and leaves very few dishes in its wake.

The other day on eGullet, someone linked to the top 100 recipes piece on the Food Network site. Number six was this casserole, and something about it hit home for me. It just seemed like it would be so comforting and easy. It totally was, and both kids ate it. (Cue applause.)

I made a bunch of changes, so feel free to do so yourself. I used frozen Trader Joe's french green beans (broken up) instead of canned. I added frozen peas. I omitted the water chestnuts and pimentos. I used a touch less mayo. I used dehydrated minced onion instead of a fresh one sauteed. I used organic cream of celery soup. Oh, and I used Jasmine rice instead of a wild rice blend. To add to the ease of preparation, the rice I used was the precooked kind from the Trader Joe's freezer section - it cooked in 3 minutes. For the chicken, I didn't have any cooked chicken on hand, so based on a past recommendation from City Mama herself, I used the ultra premium canned chicken from Trader Joe's. And, it was perfectly good.

Prepping for the New Year with Black-Eyed Peas, Ham Hocks, and some Resolutions

I've done a lot of thinking about my food life over the past week or two, and I have come to the realization (which I've alluded to), that I have recently descended into a bit of a food funk. In the spirit of the New Year, I hereby resolve to do the following things to get myself out of this funk:
- Get into a weekday food prep routine - the exact routine will be revealed over time, but it will include make-ahead meals, slow cooker meals and more militant menu planning
- Read more about food. I've been uninspired lately, but I'm relatively certain that I can change this by reading my cookbooks, food magazines, and checking into eGullet on a daily basis.
- Remember the basics. There are some meals that I can always make well, and these help to decrease the general funk. These include Chicken Parmesan, Greek Salad and Black-Eyed Peas and Ham Hocks.

The Black-Eyed Peas are a New Year's Day tradition in our house, handed down from Michael's grandfather, who grew up in the South. The version we make comes from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American. It is amazing, and this year will be especially good, because we got our ham hocks from the Paulina Meat Market.

This recipe serves six:

Black-Eyed Peas and Ham Hocks

2 pounds smoked ham hocks, cut into 2-inch slices (we just use the hocks as is, but feel free to have your butcher slice them)
1/2 pound black-eyed peas, soaked for 4 hours and drained
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

black pepper to taste (you probably won't need salt due to the ham hocks)

Put the hocks in a large pot and barely cover them with fresh water. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for another two hours (this is more than twice as long as the original recipe, but we like the meat to fall off the bone - feel free to cook it for less time)

We eat this over white rice. It's amazing.

Chilaquile Casserole

  Chilaquiles Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Does this look gross? It was actually quite tasty, and also very easy to prepare. I wanted to make this for Tuesday's dinner, but the eggplant that was scheduled for Monday required brown rice, and I didn't set the rice cooker before work. (I am the WORST at making rice, and I now refuse to make it without the assistance of the rice cooker.)

This is a terrific weeknight meal. I got home from work at about 5:30 or so, and it was on the table by 6:30. You could also prepare it the night before or in the morning, and just pop it in the oven when you get home. The recipe is from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen. This cookbook just arrived at my house. It was in the box of cookbooks that I got from Grandma Ana's apartment. (When she moved into a nursing home last year, my mom set the cookbooks, and some fun cooking tools, aside for me.) This cookbook isn't one of the older ones, but there are a lot of notes in there from Grandma Ana. I know she made this dish, because she made notes next to it in her messy cursive handwriting.

Max LOVED the dish, but Dylan refused to eat it. She is being a real piece of work lately, and spent part of the meal laying on the floor saying over and over again, "but I don't LIKE EGGS! but I don't LIKE EGGS!" She went up to her room for a five minute timeout, came down and apologized, and then had a leftover piece of pizza. UGH.

Chilaquile Casserole

12 corn tortillas
2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles (we used some pico de gallo)
2-3 cups grated cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
1 can beans (I used borlotti)
1 zucchini, cubed
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk (I used milk with 2 tablespoons of vinegar added)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x13 pyrex dish. Tear half of the tortillas into bite-sized pieces and place them in the dish. Cover with half of the cheese, the chiles (or pico de gallo), the beans and the zucchini. Tear the rest of the tortillas and layer them over the cheese. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and buttermilk well with the salt and pepper and pour it slowly and evenly over the casserole.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. (I would let this sit for about 10 minutes before serving. It was kind of watery for a bit, but then set up very nicely.)

Featured Ingredient: Leftover Corn

I always get so excited when corn is finally in season. Excitement translates to more ears of corn than my family can possibly eat, so it's nice to have some leftover corn recipes in my pocket to avoid being wasteful.

My all-time favorite leftover corn recipe is Ubiquitous Corn Salad. You really can't go wrong with this, and everyone always loves it. In fact, I would have probably made it tonight, but the reason I had leftover corn in the first place was because I made the salad yesterday. It was requested that I bring a bowl of it over to our friend Dave's birthday party. (We had a great time, and loved getting the chance to spend time with our old buddy Howard.)

So, yeah, you can't make corn salad with corn that's leftover from corn salad. But, I made too much corn, and I needed to do something with it. Michael went to a Cubs game tonight, so it was just me and the kids. I wanted something simple, summery and healthy, but I didn't want it to seem so healthy that they'd refuse to eat it.

I am happy to report that this dish was a hit. Proof:

Pasta with Corn, Chickpeas and Cheese

1/2 pound small pasta (I used gemelli, but I think small shells or elbows would be even better)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced thinly
2 ears of leftover cooked corn, scraped off the cob
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons butter
1 scallion (white and light green parts), sliced
salt and pepper
3/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
small handful of fresh basil, julienned (cut into thin slices)

Cook pasta according to the package directions.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (don't let it get too brown). Add the corn and chickpeas and saute for two minutes. Add the butter and scallion and continue to cook for another minute or two. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add to the pan. Stir to combine and then add the Parmigiano. Stir again. Top with the julienned basil. Enjoy!

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herbs

  Grilled Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herbs 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

We were supposed to eat this last night, but summer thunderstorms have hit Chicago with a vengeance, and grilled lamb was out of the question (I had a feta cheese omelet instead).

The thunderstorms came again tonight, but they let up long enough for Michael to grill up this beautiful rack of lamb that we got from the Green City Farmers Market on Saturday.

The lamb sat in marinade, in a ziploc bag, for about 24 hours. The marinade consisted of fresh mint, fresh parsley, dry vermouth, dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. I love fresh mint with lamb. This was delicious.

In other news, we picked our au pair last night. Her name is Patricia, and she is from Brazil. She is very sweet, and signs her emails, "Kisses, Paty." I like that. I also like that she is organized. We could use a little bit of that. In her words, "I don't like the messy." Yeah, me either, but I am surrounded by the messy. Hopefully, Paty can help.

Grilled Lamb Chop, Greek Salad

  Grilled Lamb Chop, Greek Salad 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

Finally, a nice home-cooked meal. It was almost like a dream sequence to be cooking in my kitchen. It has just been so long.

BUT, since Max was home sick, I took him to Costco after his nap (b/c chasing around a sick, rambunctious toddler through my cluttered apartment is just a nightmare) for some supplies. Top of my list was Ketel One Vodka. As we were getting ready to go, I said, "Let's go Max! Mommy needs to get some vodka."

Now, let me say that Max is not a talker. Well, he talks, but honestly, we have no clue what the hell he is saying most of the time. Everything sounds like "hota!" But, now you can add "vodka" to his vocabulary. I guess he liked the sound of it. A we walked through Costco, other shoppers were treated to my toddler yelling, "vah ka!, vah ka!" Good mothering, I tell ya.

Anyway, we bought lamb chops. I always buy lamb at Costco, because it always looks tasty. And, Amy Fanning (who just had her second baby - congrats!) sent me a fabulous lamb marinade a while back that is foolproof. Even when you TOTALLY mess around with the recipe like I did. Here you go (with my alterations in bold):

FANNING LAMB

4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup dry vermouth
1 tbsp. rosemary (I used dill, b/c I like making it Greek style)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (I used soy sauce, b/c I am allergic to anchovies, one of the main ingredients of Worcestershire)
2/3 cup dijon mustard

1 4-6 lb. leg of lamb (we like the boneless one at Costco, fat removed) (ha! I used chops, but I've also done this with the leg, and it was terrific)

Combine ingredients for marinade and mix well.  Place lamb in the marinade for 24 hours in the fridge, turning every couple hours (except when you are asleep!). (OK, I marinated the chops for 1/2 hour, and they were still incredibly flavorful, so if you don't plan ahead, don't worry.)

Place butterflied leg of lamb on grill over medium heat.  Sprinkle rosemary on coals for extra flavor.  Cook lamb for 20 minutes on each side, brushing with marinade as you go.   (With the chops, I think we cooked for 10 minutes total.) Remove from grill and let rest – cut into thin slices.  Serves 6-8.