Sunday, March 1, 2009

Squid in Pesto sauce




My husband really likes squid. The last time I cooked Spanish-style squid was successful by all accounts if you ask the CTO (chief tasting officer). That’s why I decided to make an Italian meal using the squid. After all, everyone likes calamari and that’s a traditional Italian appetizer. I also wanted the meal to be simple and fast. I decided to cook the squid in a simple pesto sauce and serve it over pasta. This is a very easy recipe and if you’re scared to eat squid try it with shrimp or scallops. Look for this recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Bok choy with cranberries and sun-dried tomatoes


I am always interested in trying new vegetables. I especially love going to ethnic stores and looking at their produce section, where there’s often a good selection of vegetables I won’t find at Cub Foods or Rainbow.
The problem is I never know what to do with them. I often can’t even tell what the vegetable is, because the names are written in a different language, let alone know how to prepare the food.
Sometimes, when I don’t mind being annoying, I’ll ask store employees to tell me what I am looking at and how to prepare it.
“Just boil, boil,” is a typical response at Asian grocery stores. However, I suspect the food in question isn’t just boiled. It is probably cooked in a wok and seasoned with peanut oils, chili powder and soy sauce for flavor.
I had tried bok choy (a variety of Chinese cabbage) before, but never cooked it. During a recent trip to Shuang Hur Supermarket (on University Ave. 651-251-2196) I saw bok choy for 99 cents a pound. I paid $1.53 for 1.5 lb of the green leafy vegetable that resembles miniature heads of romaine lettuce. It yielded four meals. I estimate the cost of each meal at $3.
I sautéed the cabbage, which tastes like spinach, in sesame oil and soy sauce. I added cooked sun-dried tomatoes and cranberries to the dish and it was delish! This meal can be prepared in less than 10 minutes, which is another bonus.
See the full recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Shrimp in Asian peanut sauce


Seafood is very versatile and is a prominent food is many cuisines. My CTO (chief tasting officer) is a fan of Asian foods and loves peanut sauce, so I often find myself experimenting with peanut butter, peanut oils and soy sauce to incorporate the flavors into our meals.

I developed this easy recipe a few days ago and it got rave reviews. It takes 15-20 minutes to cook this meal and trust me, there won't be leftovers.

Find the full recipe on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Turkey Taco Pockets


Ground beef is often used in tacos, empanadas and enchiladas. But people often overlook using ground turkey as a substitute in these meals. I recently got a pound of ground turkey on sale at Cub for 99 cents. I thought about making traditional tacos or chili with the meat, but opted to make my own version of tacos instead. I used fresh tortillas instead of store-bought taco shells because they are less expensive and contain less calories and salt.
Check out Momentous Occasions for the full recipe.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

A war fit for soup

Have you noticed the soup war between Campbell’s and Progresso?
Commercials from both companies filled with claims the others’ products have MSG, more calories and unhealthy ingredients have aired on television.
As I watch these organizations hurl calorie-ridden insults at each other I want to tell them I choose not to buy either soups.
Instead I head to my local Costco, where I can buy a 6-pack of Pacific Natural Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. The pack costs $10.49 and contains six 32 Fl. Oz containers of soup.
That’s $1.74 per box.
Campbell’s charges $1.66 for a 26 oz container of condensed tomato soup. Progresso carries a Hearty Tomato soup in a 19 oz container that I bought on sale for $1. Normally it is around $2.
Now I am not saying the Costco soup is similar in nutrition, even though it is “organic”. Each serving (which is a cup) has 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, 10mg of cholesterol and a whopping 720mg of sodium.
Progresso’s soup has 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, no cholesterol but it has 980mg of sodium per one cup serving. Campbell’s serving size is ½ a cup. It has 90 calories, no fat and no cholesterol. But it has 710mg of sodium. If you have a cup of soup, which most people will, you’re consuming 1,420mg of salt. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet that’s 60 percent of your daily value. So, while Campbell’s and Progresso wage their duel, I think the best cost-saving and healthy alternative is Costco’s roasted red pepper and tomato soup.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Chili


It is –21 degrees in St. Paul today.
Our house, built in 1922, is creaking and popping as if to say, “Can you believe this weather? Why didn’t they build me in California?”
Believe me, I am thinking about packing our house and moving to San Francisco, which warmed up to 58 degrees today. Toasty!
Of course this will never happen because the CTO and I love St. Paul and have made many wonderful friends here.
Instead, I decide to warm myself with a nice bowl of chili. Everyone can agree it is the ultimate food on a cold winter night, if you have the time to let the pot of soup simmer for three hours.
I pulled the recipe from a combination of cookbooks and after stirring the ingredients every 15 minutes for three hours the reward was worth every turn of the wooden spoon.
You can find the recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Make Cappuccino at Home

I am not a coffee drinker, but I know people who shell out at least $3 for cappuccino at coffee shops.
A recent article in the new Food Network magazine explaining how to make this frothy coffee drink at home caught my eye. The magazine estimates the cost of making your own cappuccino is 34 cents, versus the $3 or more you'd pay at a Starbucks or Caribou.
Here is what you do to make your own cappuccino.
1. Fill a mug halfway with skim milk and heat on high in the microwave until hot, roughly 60 seconds.
2. Place a whisk inside the mug and, with the handle between your palms, spin the whisk back and forth to froth the milk.
3. Add home-brewed coffee or espresso to the frothed milk and enjoy!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Castillian Casserole

I am always on the prowl for easy chicken dishes. My husband considers chicken breast bland and tasteless and masking the white meat with enough sauce to make him forget what he’s eating is always a challenge.
A few months ago I discovered a recipe for rabbit braised in pepper and herb sauce in “Spanish Home Cooking” by Miriam Kelen.
The recipe called for 3 lb of rabbit, but noted that chicken could be used instead. The rabbit became a quick success among my friends. I cooked the rabbit for a couple in early December. The two cornered me on New Year’s Eve to tell me they were ready to eat rabbit again anytime.
I was curious to try the dish with chicken, but didn’t want to make the sauce from scratch. Instead I decided to make a “Castillian Casserole” using sauce I had frozen after the last time I made rabbit. (Note, the sauce is really easy to make. I just wanted to see if it could be frozen and still taste good when thawed).
Tonight I made the casserole. It included peas, chicken, cheese, matzo and the pepper and herb sauce. I have no pictures to share from this meal because my husband, the Chief Tasting Officer, ate it too fast.
“Since you like it so much we should take a picture for my blog,” I said at one point.
“But there’s barely any left and I am going to finish this,” he said as he scrambled for the kitchen.
You’d think the camera was going to steal the food!
Check out the full recipe for the casserole on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Entertainment book on sale

The 2009 Entertainment Book is now on sale. You can buy it by visiting http://www.entertainment.com/discount/?linkName=060802_FEL_EMAIL_75&subid=CD14. The Minnesota Entertainment Book is $22.75.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Sun-dried tomato and parmesan bread


I recently purchased a copy of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" and gotten a chance to experiment with some of the recipes in the book. My CTO (Chief Tasting Officer) has been quite happy as I pulled baguettes, prosciutto bread, green olive bread and roasted red pepper bread out of the oven.

My latest baking obsession is sun-dried tomato and Parmesan bread. It goes well with rice dishes, tomato based soups and sandwiches. I estimate each loaf cost me $2.50. I bought a can of sun-dried tomatoes for $4.99 and that will yield roughly 4-5 loaves. I also bought a wedge of Parmesan cheese on sale for $2.99. The cheese will probably last for 6 loaves, if not more. I already had the ingredients for the dough.

I will say it takes longer than 5 minutes to make the breads that require a filling because you need to chop the ingredients. I'd estimate it takes 15 minutes to prepare the bread.

I am not going to post the recipe here because it is too complicated and you need to read the book to understand the cooking methods. You can check out http://www.zoebakes.com/ for some of Zoe Francois' recipes and information about the book.

Adding fresh bread to the table is a great way to spruce up a meal, just ask my CTO.

Poor man's paella


On a recent trip to Barcelona my husband and I marveled at the incredible flavor of paella. Meat, seafood and spices blended together with rice form this savory dish.

We couldn't get enough of it. Although I have the recipe for making this meal in America, it can be very costly to buy the special rice, seafood and meats needed to make this dish worth the effort.

I thought there has to be an easier and cheaper way to make this meal. I created "Poor Man's Paella" after experimenting with various ingredients at home. This doesn't taste like paella, but it is a satisfying rice dish great for cold Minnesota nights. Check out the recipe at Momentous Occasions.