Buttermilk Pancakes

Saturday morning I made pancakes from scratch to use up some of the buttermilk that I bought for the chicken tenders and coleslaw recipes.  I didn’t really have one pancake recipe to follow so I combined a bunch to make my own recipe.  I love all pancakes Bisquick and all but these pancakes were the best, so make them next weekend after you make the chicken tenders!  You will thank me later. 

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar

Other ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Couple dashes of cinnamon

3 Tbsp warm melted butter

Instructions:

1 Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter just comes together. Add the melted butter and mix lightly.

2 Heat a griddle or large frying pan to medium high heat. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the pancake batter onto the griddle to the desired size (I made mine about 4-5 inches big) When air bubbles start to appear at the surface in the center of the pancakes.  The second side doesn’t need as long to cook so keep a close eye on them.   When they turn golden brown they are done.   I kept the finished ones on a plate in the warm oven until the rest were ready. 

Serve with butter and syrup.

Serves 3-4.

Enjoy!

-K

Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders With Coleslaw

Friday night B and I made “Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders With Coleslaw” from the Lifetime cookbook “Cook Yourself Thin” (yes we are officially obsessed with this cookbook, if you don’t have it yet… Go get it!)  We didn’t end up eating it until later because we got a late start making them, but the chicken tenders were sooooo good.  You can dip them in whatever sauce you want, I used barbeque sauce and B used ketchup.  The coleslaw was good; I would probably cut out the mint if I made it again. 

Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders With Coleslaw

Serves 4

Calories per serving, chicken with coleslaw: 519

Calories per serving, tartar sauce: 27

Ingredients:

For the chicken

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 pound chicken tenders (about 12)

1 1/2 cups cornflakes, crushed to medium crumbs

Nonstick cooking spray

For the coleslaw

1 1/2 (10-ounce) bags cabbage slaw mix

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

2 tablespoons thin-sliced red onion

1 tablespoon low-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk

1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

2–3 dashes hot pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

8 cherry tomatoes, quartered, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. For the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, spices and buttermilk. Add the chicken and turn in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

3. For the coleslaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage slaw mix, bell pepper, onion and shredded herbs. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.

4. Place the cornflake crumbs on a plate. Drain the chicken tenders. Pick up a chicken tender with one hand, and turn it in the cornflake coating, using the other hand to gently press additional coating onto the sides. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue on in this way to coat all of the chicken pieces, arranging them on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. To serve, divide the coleslaw among 4 bowls. Arrange 3 chicken tenders, standing up with wide ends at the bottom and overlapping slightly, at one side of each mound. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Garnish bowls with chopped cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

-K

Tuna Salad Rolls With Edamame

Thursday night we went back to the Lifetime “Cook Yourself Thin” cookbook and made Tuna Salad Rolls with Edamame.  We already had iceberg lettuce in our fridge so we used that instead of Boston lettuce.  We also decided to not use as much cilantro, mint and scallions because it seemed like a little much.  I didn’t end up eating them because I didn’t feel well but B says they were delicious.

Ingredients

For the edamame
3 cups frozen edamame in the shell
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, for water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

For tuna rolls
7 ounces water-packed albacore tuna, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
4 leaves Boston lettuce, bottom (1/2-inch) core removed
1 small bunches cilantro
1 small bunches mint
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, cored and cut into thin strips
2 cups broccoli sprouts
8 scallions, trimmed and cut into 3-inch sections, thick ends split in half lengthwise

* I know I forgot the lettuce in the picture…oops!

1. For the dipping sauce, stir together the ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

2. For the tuna, in a small bowl, combine the tuna and olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange lettuce, herbs, bell pepper, sprouts and scallions on a platter.

4. To make each roll, overlap 2 lettuce leaves on a plate, stem ends facing up. Arrange 4 sprigs cilantro and 3 to 4 mint leaves horizontally in the center of the overlapped lettuce leaves. Spoon about one-eighth of the tuna on top. Arrange 3 to 4 pepper strips, and some of the scallions, horizontally on top, leaving 1 to 1 1/2 inches of the lettuce free at the bottom. Add about 1 tablespoon sprouts. Spoon some of the dipping sauce over. Fold the bottom of the lettuce up over the tuna and vegetables. Fold in the right side, and roll to the left to make a roll, open at the top. Spoon a little more of the dipping sauce onto the open top, and eat immediately over a plate to catch juices.

5. To make the edamame: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, add edamame and 1 teaspoon salt, and boil for 4 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Enjoy!

-K

Menu for the week

This weekend was a pretty fun and productive one! We went out to dinner in Cambridge with another couple on Friday night at a French-Cambodian restaurant called the Elephant Walk. They are expecting a baby in May so it was fun to catch up with them on their big news. Saturday, we went to a paper supply store (Xpedx) to get some additional supplies for my letterpress. Who knew there were so many kinds of paper out there! While we in the ‘burbs, we also decided to do some stocking up at Costco. On Saturday evening, we went out for Mr. M’s uncle’s surprise 70th birthday party at a really cute restaurant in Harvard Square named Upstairs on the Square. Today, we headed over to the Whole Foods in Cambridge to stock up on groceries for the week (we spent a lot of time in Cambridge this weekend come to think of it).

I sat down this morning and mapped out the menu for the week. I may not get to making all of these dishes as we tend to order take-out or go out if work is particularly busy or I just don’t feel like cooking one night. It does feel good to have a game plan going into the week and being able to get all the groceries ahead of time so there is one less errand to run after work. I bought a lot of meat at Costco so this week’s menu is a bit more meat-intensive than normal:

Sunday: Rosemary-roasted rack of lamb with roasted cherry tomatoes (recipe from Bon Appetit Fast Fresh Easy)
Monday: Beef Medallions with Cognac Sauce with a side salad (recipe from Bon Appetit Fast Fresh Easy)
Tuesday: Shrimp & Scalli0n Stir Fry with Basmati Rice (Martha Stewart Everyday Jan/Feb ’10 issue)
Wednesday: Spiced Pork Tenderloin with side of steamed green beans (recipe from Bon Appetit Fast Fresh Easy)
Thursday: Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas (Boston Organics e-mail)
Friday: Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon with a side of couscous (Bon Appetit May 2009…this recipe is amazing!)
Saturday: Pizza Night or go out to a restaurant
Sunday: SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! Bourbon-Glazed Chicken Drumettes with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce (Bon Appetit Feb ’10 issue…if you are still looking for Super Bowl snack ideas, check out this issue’s Super Bowl section. The recipes all look really good!), Veggies and dip, Homemade Chex mix (so gourmet!)

-M

J Crew Wellies

I am selling a pair of J Crew Wellies on Ebay if you are interested.  Womens size 9…green boots with blue whale print.  You’ll never walk through the city unnoticed in these babies…

-M

Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I made this last night and had it again for lunch today.  Let me just say both times it was amazing and people who saw me eat it for lunch today wanted to know where I bought it.   I bought a rotisserie chicken, cut that up and then added all the ingredients.  Focaccia bread is hard to find so if you can’t find it use a baguette, the focaccia bread I found was rosemary and it was very good.  I also used Buitoni’s light pesto to save some calories.  To go with the sandwiches I threw together a salad with romaine, feta cheese, pine nuts, and grape tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (B’s plate is always the show plate so she put raisins on her salad if you are wondering what those are.)

Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

1/2  cup  low-fat mayonnaise

1/3  cup  plain fat-free yogurt

1/3  cup  commercial pesto (such as Buitoni)

1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/2  teaspoon  black pepper

4  cups  cubed skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

1  cup  diced celery

1/3  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted

1  (1-pound) focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally, toasted, and cut into 20 slices

1  (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

10  romaine lettuce leaves

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in chicken, celery, and walnuts.

Spread 1/2 cup of salad onto each of 10 bread slices. Top each serving with about 2 tablespoons bell pepper, 1 lettuce leaf, and one bread slice. 

Nutritional Information

Calories:324 (28% from fat)

Fat:10g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.6g,poly 2.2g)

Protein:26.4g

Carbohydrate:31.6g

Fiber:1.6g

Cholesterol:55mg

Iron:2.3mg

Sodium:725mg

Calcium:39mg

Enjoy!

-K

Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans

The other night B and I made an additional dish to end our Lifetime “Cook Yourself Thin” recipe week.   We didn’t put as much cheese as they stated in the recipe because they ask for a lot of cheese.  Additionally we used whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta because I basically always use whole wheat in all my recipes (more filling and yummy!).  Also this recipe makes a ton so we still have leftovers 3 nights later.   It sort of tasted like a homemade macaroni cheese in the end, so if you love homemade mac and cheese and don’t mind broccoli,  you have to make this!

Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans

Serves 8

Calories per serving: 529

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large head of broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into small florets

3 cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 pound rigatoni

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan

1 pound Italian-style turkey sausage with fennel (removed from casing if uncooked or thinly sliced if precooked)

1 can cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 pound skim mozzarella, grated, 1/4 cup reserved

3/4 cup skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated, 1/4 cup reserved

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-x-13-inch gratin or baking dish.

2. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, broccoli and garlic. Simmer the broccoli and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened. With a slotted spoon remove the broccoli and garlic to a large bowl. Bring the water back to the boil, add the pasta, and cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package directions suggest, about 11 minutes. The pasta should be al dente, a little firm.

3. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add sausage and the garlic cloves from the broccoli bowl, and cook, stirring frequently until meat is fully cooked and no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes, if using fresh sausage. (If using fully cooked sausage, cook until surface is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.) With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the broccoli, and drain most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Discard the garlic.

4. Toss drained pasta with sausage mixture. Add beans, stock, 3/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and all of the ricotta. Add remaining salt and pepper. Gently toss. Transfer to prepared gratin or baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.

5. If making this in advance, allow the mixture to come to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

6. Bake for 25 minutes, until heated through and crusty on top

Enjoy!

-K

Linguine with Clam Sauce

I got this recipe from the Cooking Light; Complete Cookbook and this recipe is one of my favorite things I make from it.  It is really easy and taste like something you could order at an Italian restaurant, I know because I always order it and compare.  To save money I make it without the littleneck clams and it still taste delicious.   I also like to use whole wheat linguine to make the recipe more filling and healthy. 

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Prep 20 Min. Cook 29 Min.

1(12-0z) package of linguine

3 tablespoons butter

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice

2 (6 1/2 oz) cans minced clams, undrained

24 littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Lemon wedges (optional)

1. Cook linguine according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden.

3. Stir in wine, salt, and clam juice. Drain minced clams; add juice to pan. Reserve minced clams. Simmer 5 minutes, Add littleneck clams. Cover, cook, 3 to 4 minutes or until shells open. Remove from heat; discard any unopened shells.  Add reserved minced clams, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper.

4. Place pasta in a large bowl.  Add clam mixture to pasta, and toss well. Serve with lemon wedge, if desired. Yield: 6 servings (serving sizes; about 1 cup pasta mixture and 4 littleneck clams.)

Calories 332; FAT 7g; PROTEIN 17.1 g; CARB 47.5 g; FIBER 2.2 g; CHOL 39mg; IRON 8.5mg; SODIUM 627mg; CALC 54mg

Enjoy!

-K

Pork Vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo is one of my hands down favorite dishes to make.  I like it so much that I often double the recipe as it makes great leftovers.  This recipe is originally from Cooking Light May 2007 and the online recipe can be found here.  I have abridged the recipe slightly to how I like to make it.

Ingredients
Raita:
16 oz container plain, non-fat Greek Yogurt
3/4  cup  chopped seeded peeled cucumber (or if you don’t feel like taking the seeds, try an English cucumber)
3/4  cup  chopped seeded tomato
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1  teaspoon  garam masala

Vindaloo:
1 1/2  cups  thinly sliced sweet onion
2  teaspoons  grated peeled fresh ginger
1  teaspoon  dry mustard
1  teaspoon  ground cumin
3/4  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander
1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon  ground turmeric
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
1/2  to 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (this dish is pretty spicy so adjust this based on your desired heat level)
1/4  teaspoon  ground cloves
2  tablespoons  cider vinegar
2  garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2  pounds  boneless pork loin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1  cup  chopped seeded tomato (or to save time, use a 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained)

Sides (can cook one or both):
4 1/2  cups  hot cooked basmati rice
pre-packaged garlic naan

Directions

To prepare raita, pour yogurt into a medium sized bowl. Stir in cucumber, 3/4 cup tomato, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garam masala; cover and refrigerate.

To prepare vindaloo, combine onion and next 13 ingredients (through pork) in a gallon-sized freezer bag; marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes (I sometimes make this a day ahead of time and let it marinate overnight).

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork mixture; sauté 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 cup tomato. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until pork is tender, stirring occasionally.  In the meanwhile, cook the rice and heat up the naan (I like to brush the naan with olive oil before heating it up).   Serve with raita, naan, and/or basmati rice.

-M

5 Books to Check Out

Over Thanksgiving, Christmas, a couple of sick days, and my recent vacation I have been able to get through 5 books over the past couple months. Here is a mini summary of each:

1. A Meaningful Life by L.J. Davis- The main character in this book is generally unhappy with his career and life, and looks to renovate a Brooklyn brownstone in his spare time.  I really enjoyed the author’s writing style/voice.
2. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah- Two girls who lived across the street from each other become unlikely friends for life.  It’s a relatively light read and would be a good book for the beach.
3. The Sharper the Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn- An autobiography where the author decides to enroll in France’s Cordon Bleu cooking school after losing her job.  It was a good book to read after seeing the movie Julie and Julia.
4. The Associate by John Grisham- I always enjoy a good John Grisham novel and this one did not disappoint.  A law student gets blackmailed into working for a large corporate law firm and is forced to reveal legal secrets to his blackmailers.
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett- My grandma lent me this book at Christmas.  It had been on my library hold list, but I had been hundreds in front of me so I had not expected to read it for awhile (it seems every other woman on my bus to work is reading this book).  It was a very good book and was disappointed to finish it as I no longer would have it to look forward to.  It is a story about a white woman who attempts to write a book telling the stories of the black housekeepers in a still very segregated South.

I enjoy walking through Barnes & Noble and noting any new books that I want to check out. I then just log into my BPL (Boston Public Library) account and request these books to be held. It usually takes a few weeks depending on the book’s popularity, but they call you when it’s available and it’s absolutely free.  I love the idea of having a Kindle, but I’m not in love with the idea of having to pay for books when they are available for free otherwise.

-M