Week of March 21st

As many of you know, we have decided to do IVF to try to add to our family. This is the week when I finish up my shots and the eggs are ready to go. Therefore, the recipes this week will be quick, easy and things I love so I don't feel like scraping it all and going out to eat :)

Monday
African Peanut Stew with Rice

Tuesday (PALSS, Brian and Nora cook)
Pizza
Raw Veggies

Wednesday
Thai Veggie Curry with Rice

Thursday
Out to Eat

Friday
Shrimp and Veggie Tacos

African Chicken Peanut Stew Recipe

From www.simplyrecipes.com

Use chicken legs, thighs or wings for this recipe. They have more flavor and will hold up better with the flavors of the stew than breast meat.

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
• A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
• 2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Method

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in the oil. Don't crowd the pot, so do this in batches. Set the chicken pieces aside as they brown.

2 Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.

3 Add the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt, adding more if needed. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 90 minutes (check after an hour), or until the chicken meat easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.

4 Remove the chicken pieces and set them in a bowl to cool, until cool enough to touch. Remove and discard the skin if you want, or chop it and put it back into the pot. Shred the meat off the bones and put the meat back in the pot.

5 Adjust the seasonings for salt and cayenne, then add as much black pepper as you think you can stand—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the cilantro and serve by itself, or with simple steamed rice.

Yield: Serves 6-8

Thai Veggie Curry

For this I simply stir fry any veggies I have on hand (this week it will be zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, carrots, and onions) in light oil (not olive) along with a little ginger and garlic. Then I add the bottled Thai Red Curry sauce from Trader Joe's when the veggies are tender, but still crispy. I will serve it over brown rice...thank goodness for rice cookers!

Shrimp and Veggie Tacos

I have some frozen shrimp in the freezer, so I will defrost that while I saute onions, zucchini, and red bell pepper. I'll add some taco seasoning, a cup of water and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. In the last two minutes, I'll add the shrimp. I put the corn tortillas between two large plates and microwave them for 1 minute to soften them up. Sprinkle a little cilantro over the tacos and serve with sour cream and avocados. Yummy!

Daddy comes home this week!

We are counting down the days until Brian returns on Wednesday. We've had a blast just the two of us, but we are ready to have him home now :)

Monday
Leftovers

Tuesday (For the neighbors who will have Nora while I'm at PALSS)
Turkey Tetrazzini

Wednesday
Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus & Boursin

Thursday
Corned Beef
Potatoes with greens
Cabbage
Soda Bread

Friday
Woodinville Supper Club at Janet's

Turkey Tetrazzini
Yes, this has Velveeta in it which I don't normally condone, but this NEEDS it!

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken

1 C chicken broth

2 C grated Velveeta

6 C cooked spaghetti

4 C chicken or turkey, cooked and cubed

1 can mushrooms

½ C parmesan cheese

½ t paprika

Blend soups, broth and cheese. Add spaghetti, meat, and mushrooms. Put in 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle with parmesan and paprika. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Boursin Sauce

1 T butter

1 T olive oil

1 pound mushrooms thinly sliced

1/2 t salt

1 1/4 C chicken broth

1 5 1/2 oz package Boursin cheese

1 pound asparagus

3/4 pound Pasta of choice (GF in our case)

In a large frying pan, melt the butter with the oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and well browned, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and Boursin cheese and bring to a simmer while stirring.

Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until almost done, about 6 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until it and the pasta are just done, about 4 minutes longer. Drain. Toss with the mushrooms and sauce.

I just started brining our brisket for corned beef. It should be quite tasty by the time Thursday rolls around!

Corned Beef
(From Simplyrecipes.com)

Brine:

• 1 gallon water
• 2 cups Kosher salt
• 5 teaspoons pink curing salt*
• 3 Tbsp pickling spices
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

*Pink curing salt, or sodium nitrite, goes by many names, such as Prague Powder #1 or DQ Curing Salt #1, and is available online and may be available at your local specialty market or butcher shop. If you don't have it, you can still make corned beef, but it is necessary for that vibrant pink color we associate with corned beef. And it adds flavor too. Without it the corned beef will be a dull grey color.

Brisket:

• 1 4-5 pound beef brisket
• 1 Tbsp pickling spices

Method

2 Add about 3 Tbsp of the Pickling Spices (reserve the rest for cooking the corned beef after it has cured), plus the half stick of cinnamon, to a gallon of water in a large pot, along with the Kosher salt, pink salt (if using), and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until well chilled.

3 Place the brisket in a large, flat container or pan, and cover with the brine. The brine should cover the meat. The meat may float in which case you may want to weigh it down with a plate. Alternatively you can use a 2-gallon freezer bag (placed in a container so if it leaks it doesn't leak all over your refrigerator), place the brisket in the freezer bag and about 2 quarts of brine, squeezing out the air from the bag before sealing. Place in the refrigerator and chill from 5-7 days. Every day flip the brisket over, so that all sides get brined equally.

4 At the end of the cure, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse off the brine with cold water. Place the brisket in a large pot that just fits around the brisket and cover with at least one inch of water. If you want your brisket less salty, add another inch of water to the pot. Add a tablespoon of the pickling spices to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a very low simmer (barely bubbling), and cook 3-4 hours, until the corned beef is fork tender. (At this point you can store in the fridge for up to a week.) Remove the meat to a cutting board. Slice thinly against the grain to serve.

Colcannon Recipe (Potatoes with Greens)

(Simplyrecipes.com)

For a variation, sub out half of the potatoes with parsnips. Can add chives, leeks, or bacon too.

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into large chunks
• Salt
• 5-6 Tbsp unsalted butter (with more butter for serving)
• 3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green
• 3 green onions (including the green onion greens), minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup milk or cream

Method

1 Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender (15 to 20 minutes). Drain in a colander.

2 Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and once it's hot, add the greens. Cook the greens for 3-4 minutes, or until they are wilted and have given off some of their water. Add the green onions and cook 1 minute more.

3 Pour in the milk or cream, mix well, and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter in the center.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Soda Bread Biscuits Recipe

(Simplyrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds*
• 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins*
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk**

*These add-ins are entirely optional. You could just do plain biscuits, or add in a teaspoon of orange zest, lemon zest, or a couple tablespoons of chopped candied ginger, or a teaspoon of minced rosemary. Have fun with it!

**You can substitute the 1 1/4 cups buttermilk with 1 cup 3 Tbsp of regular whole milk mixed with 1 Tbsp of white vinegar.

Method

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a standard muffin pan.

2 In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

3 Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces into the bowl of flour. Using your (clean) fingers, work the butter into the flour, schmooshing (is that a technical term?) the butter between your fingers and mixing with the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. If you are using raisins, caraway seeds, or any other add-ins, mix them into the mixture now.

4 Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the buttermilk into the center of the well. Use a wooden spoon to gently mix the flour into the buttermilk until the flour is moistened with the buttermilk. Then use your hands to form the mixture into a loose, shaggy, slightly sticky ball of dough. The dough should be a little sticky, if it's too dry, add a tablespoon more of buttermilk. If it's just too wet to handle, add a sprinkling more of flour. Do not over-mix! And at this point work quickly. As soon as the acidic buttermilk interacts with the alkaline baking soda, bubbles will form and leavening will start.

5 Break off 12-equal portions of the dough and place them in the wells of the muffin tin. Put in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes in the pan. Remove the biscuits from the muffin tin to a rack to cool for a few minutes more.

Serve with butter and jam.

Makes 12 biscuits.

When Daddy is Away...

Nora gets to decide the menu this week because it is just the two of us. Brian is in Germany this week and Turkey next week until Wednesday.

Sunday
Pigs in a Blanket (wrapped in crescent rolls)
Peas

Monday
Crockpot Chicken and Noodles
Sugar Snap Peas

Tuesday (Taking dinner to the neighbors where Nora will be while I'm at PALSS)
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Garlic Bread
Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday
English Muffin Pizzas

Thursday
Out to Eat in Woodinville

Friday
Potsitckers

Saturday (Joy & Jenn Over)
Calamari
Lasagna
Tiramisu

Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

6 chicken breasts, skinned, bone in
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 T whole grain mustard
1 lb. noodles of choice

Put skinned chicken breasts in crock pot along with the soup and mustard. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Bone chicken and shred with two forks. Put back in crock pot while you cook noodles. Cook egg noodles in pan of boiling salted water until tender. Serve with chicken and sauce.

Lasagna

• 1-½ pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• ½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
• (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Calamari

3 to 4 cups peanut or other neutrally flavored oil, for frying

1 pound clean calamari, tubes and legs, tubes cut into 1/2-inch rings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions

Add the oil to a wide pan and heat to about 325 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pat the calamari dry with paper towels.

Combine the flour and cayenne pepper. Working in batches, toss 1/3 of the calamari in the seasoned flour. Transfer the calamari to a mesh strainer and shake off the excess flour.

Carefully drop the calamari into the hot oil; the oil should bubble gently and the calamari should have plenty of room to swim around and fry gently. Do not crowd the pan or the oil won't come back up to temperature quickly.

When done, the calamari should be very pale golden and tender. It should not look like little brown rubber bands. Remove the calamari from the hot oil and drain it on paper towels. Salt it immediately and keep it warm in the oven until all the calamari is done.

Repeat in 2 more batches with the remaining calamari.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Tiramisu
7 yolks
1 cup sugar for yolks
3 cups or 1 (750-gram) container mascarpone
4 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered gelatin
3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar for whites
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 1/2 cups cooled espresso
1/2 cup kalhua
20 to 24 ladyfingers
1 cup chocolate shavings

Directions

In a mixer with the whip attachment, whip yolks and sugar until thick and pale in color (ribbon stage). Add mascarpone and whip until well incorporated. Pour water into a small bowl then pour powdered gelatin over it. Do not stir. Allow gelatin to absorb all of the water (about 15 minutes) then place the bowl on top of a small saucepan containing simmering water (creating a double boiler). Immediately turn off the heat and allow the gelatin to dissolve completely. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites to a soft peak, gradually add sugar, then slowly pour in dissolved gelatin. Whip to a stiff, glossy peak. Fold whites into mascarpone and yolk mixture then fold in whipped cream.

In a separate bowl, combine espresso and kalhua. Soak 1 ladyfinger at a time in the espresso mixture. In an 8 by 10-inch pan, arrange soaked ladyfingers close together in neat rows until the bottom of the pan is completely covered. Pour 1/2 of the mousse over the ladyfingers and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 of the chocolate shavings over mousse. Create another layer and chill until set.