Mar23

North African meatballs and cous cous

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This was one of the first recipes that Melissa d’Arabian made on her show after winning The Next Food Network Star, and it has been one of our favorites ever since.

It’s really delicious, and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand.  It can be modified to accommodate whatever you have in your fridge.  For example, last night I made the following substitutions:

Red wine instead of white
Green olives stuffed with garlic instead of regular olives)
Fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular
Dried cranberries instead of dates
Whole wheat cous cous instead of regular

The only thing that I always change when making this recipe is that I bake my meatballs in the oven, at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, instead of pan-frying them. While the meatballs bake, I make the sauce, then I simmer the browned meatballs in the sauce for 20 or minutes.

I am not going to re-post the recipe because I always use hers and make different modifications each time.  I can promise you that the results will be delicious, though!

Mar22

Quick pickled cucumbers

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I love pickles, and fresh, home-made pickles are even better!  I had an English cucumber and some dill in my fridge, and these sounded like a quick, refreshing treat. They’re great on their own, or you could pair them with a pulled pork sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich, or make a mini grilled cheese sandwich, Cuban style.

Try the Mexican pickled carrots if you want a pickle with a little more kick!

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

1 English cucumber
1 T kosher salt
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 c white vinegar
fresh dill, finely chopped
2 T white sugar

Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a colander and salt heavily. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the water and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar to dissolve.

Place the cucumbers in a heat-safe bowl, then pour the water and vinegar mixture over the cucumbers.  Toss with as much dill as desired, then cover and refrigerate overnight.  These will keep in the fridge for several days.

Mar21

Miso udon with fried tofu, spinach, and eggs

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For a quick and healthy lunch, I made miso soup with udon noodles. For added texture and deliciousness, I fried the tofu first. I got the idea from those little packets of instant miso with tiny dehydrated pieces of fried tofu. Yum!

Miso Udon with Fried Tofu, Spinach, and Eggs
(serves 2)

6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
Handful of dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water for at least 20 minutes
4 cups of spinach
2 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 container of firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices
vegetable oil
1 small package udon noodles
2 T white miso paste
2 scallions, finely chopped

First, fry the tofu:
Lay the tofu on a plate or cutting board, over three paper towels. Place three more paper towels over the tofu slices, and press to remove the excess water. Repeat with additional paper towels if necessary.

Once the tofu is dry, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the tofu and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and fry the other side. Remove from the pan, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Now, make the soup:
Heat the chicken broth over high heat. When the water is simmering, add the mushrooms (including the water they’ve been soaking in), spinach, and udon noodles. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir in the miso paste.

To serve, put a few pieces of tofu and the hard-boiled eggs into soup bowls. Ladle the soup and noodles into the bowls. Garnish with scallions.

Mar20

Update on dog training

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I mentioned a while back that I was having difficulty training Rascal to sit. We signed both dogs up for private training lessons, and after only two sessions, Rascal learned “sit” and “down”!  He doesn’t know the verbal commands yet, but he knows that he is supposed to do them at certain times, which is even better.

Today was our fourth session, and it was wonderful to see how much progress both dogs have made!  For 8 and 9-year-old dogs, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they really impressed me today. Good work, guys!

Mar20

Quick mushroom, chive, and goat cheese flatbreads

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I was trying to think of a quick appetizer that I haven’t made before, and I decided to try using premade naan as a base for flatbreads.  There isn’t really a recipe for these, you can add whatever ingredients you’d like in any amounts.

Mushroom, Chive, and Goat Cheese Flatbreads

1 lb mushrooms, mixed (I used shitake and crimini), thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T butter
kosher salt
pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from the stems
3 pieces garlic naan
2 T chives
4 oz of goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Saute mushrooms and garlic in a little bit of butter or olive oil. Once the mushrooms have started to brown, season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Spread each piece of naan with a little bit of goat cheese and top with the sauteed mushrooms and chives. Bake for 7 minutes, or until the naan is toasted.

Cut each piece of naan into four pieces to serve.