Recipe Exchange Anyone?
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QuakerMom
Posts: 56 Member
Hi All--
Now that I'm over a month into this new way of eating, I've gotten a bit more creative with my cooking, but am still on the hunt for good interesting recipes. I have zero budget for a new cookbook right now, but have at least 3 on hold from our library (they are in very high demand, apparently, as i've been waiting more than 2 weeks and am not at the top of the list yet). I don't like buying a new cookbook w/out first looking through it.
Anyway, I would love to have a little recipe exchange on here. I know people periodically post yummy meals they've made, but how about a thread with just one or two of your favorite or most successful recent recipes?
My dinner last night was pretty wonderful, and here's the main course:
Pesto Chicken Breasts.
(Very simple if you already know how to make pesto)
My pesto recipe was:
1/4 c olive oil
approx 2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 c pine nuts, lightly toasted
4 cloves garlic (could use more)
Process all ingreds in a blender/food processor (i use my Braun mini processor -- love this appliance).
This makes enough pesto sauce for at least 3 or 4 chicken breasts. I sliced/butterflied them lengthwise to make a sort of pocket or flap between two layers, spread a generous amount of pesto in between the layers, then more sauce on top, and baked for about 40 mins at 350. Lots of 'juice' came out into the baking dish, and we used this as a sauce for the accompanying vegetable (cauliflower, in this case).
Delicious!
I also had another vegetable with it: prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, roasted in a bit of olive oil. I had to read labels to find a brand of prosciutto that didn't have any nasty additives, and found Citterio with just pork and salt. Of course it is high in sodium, and is technically a processed meat, so purists wouldn't likely approve, but we found it a yummy alternative to bacon.
I would love to hear others who have done creative yummy things with chicken, salmon, ground beef, or beef steaks. Sometimes the plain old quick and easy grilled/baked/pan-fried hunk of fish or meat with a vegetable is just a bit boring.
Also -- any favorite soup or stew recipes you rely on? I'm making an oxtail soup (w/grassfed beef from our farmer's market) for the first time this afternoon, and hoping it turns out well.
Does anyone out there make lamb stews or curries?
Bring on some recipes!
Thanks,
Rita
Now that I'm over a month into this new way of eating, I've gotten a bit more creative with my cooking, but am still on the hunt for good interesting recipes. I have zero budget for a new cookbook right now, but have at least 3 on hold from our library (they are in very high demand, apparently, as i've been waiting more than 2 weeks and am not at the top of the list yet). I don't like buying a new cookbook w/out first looking through it.
Anyway, I would love to have a little recipe exchange on here. I know people periodically post yummy meals they've made, but how about a thread with just one or two of your favorite or most successful recent recipes?
My dinner last night was pretty wonderful, and here's the main course:
Pesto Chicken Breasts.
(Very simple if you already know how to make pesto)
My pesto recipe was:
1/4 c olive oil
approx 2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 c pine nuts, lightly toasted
4 cloves garlic (could use more)
Process all ingreds in a blender/food processor (i use my Braun mini processor -- love this appliance).
This makes enough pesto sauce for at least 3 or 4 chicken breasts. I sliced/butterflied them lengthwise to make a sort of pocket or flap between two layers, spread a generous amount of pesto in between the layers, then more sauce on top, and baked for about 40 mins at 350. Lots of 'juice' came out into the baking dish, and we used this as a sauce for the accompanying vegetable (cauliflower, in this case).
Delicious!
I also had another vegetable with it: prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, roasted in a bit of olive oil. I had to read labels to find a brand of prosciutto that didn't have any nasty additives, and found Citterio with just pork and salt. Of course it is high in sodium, and is technically a processed meat, so purists wouldn't likely approve, but we found it a yummy alternative to bacon.
I would love to hear others who have done creative yummy things with chicken, salmon, ground beef, or beef steaks. Sometimes the plain old quick and easy grilled/baked/pan-fried hunk of fish or meat with a vegetable is just a bit boring.
Also -- any favorite soup or stew recipes you rely on? I'm making an oxtail soup (w/grassfed beef from our farmer's market) for the first time this afternoon, and hoping it turns out well.
Does anyone out there make lamb stews or curries?
Bring on some recipes!
Thanks,
Rita
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Replies
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Hey Rita,
Pesto chicken sounds fabulous! Two of my favourite things!
I have a couple of recipes, and may come and add a few more later too.
Chicken soup -
Take a leftover chicken carcass and remove all the meat scraps and set them aside
Boil the bones in water, with a little vinegar and perhaps a bayleaf/bouquet garni/whatever you like, for a few hours, until the liquid has reduced and thickened a little.
I usually leave the bones in the stock while it cools, as I find it gives a richer flavour, but YMMV. In any case, strain out the bones at some point before using.
Prepare the soup ahead, at least a few hours, but for best results make and re-heat the next day.
In a large pot, fry off some onions (or a combo of onions, shallots, leeks - basically any alliums you have handy) in either butter, bacon grease or some other yummy fat, until softened and very slightly brown.
Add the chicken scraps, and garlic, if using, and fry until warmed through. Season to taste.
Add the chicken stock (which if it has come out right, should be jellified when cold - it will still work if it has not, but next time boil longer).
Bring to the boil, and add any combination of vegetables that you have handy. Sweet potatoes are surprisingly good in this, but all root veg will go well.
Once the root veg is softened, you can add green veg if you like, and any dried herbs.
Leave to cool.
Before serving, bring the soup to the boil once again. If you want to include fresh herbs, now is the time to add them - chives go very well, and also look pretty.
There will be loads of this, so plenty for second helpings, or to freeze for later use.0 -
This recipe for Cawl (traditional Welsh stew) is also very good -
http://britishfood.about.com/od/maincourse1/r/welshcawl.htm0 -
Flourless Steak and Kidney Stew -
Beef stewing steak (skirt, brisket etc)
A few kidneys
Butter
Onion
Carrots
Red wine
Beef stock
Dark chocolate
Melt the butter and brown the steak chunks in a large pan, and when sealed/seared, remove them and set them aside
Do the same with the kidneys
add a little more butter if the pan is dry, and fry the onions until brown.
Deglaze the pan with a little red wine, and put the meat back in.
Add beef stock, and more red wine if desired
Bring to the boil, and then turn down to a simmer for approximately 1 and a half to 2 hours, making sure to check the liquid level regularly - if it is a little dry, add more water (or wine
)
Add the carrots approximately 45 mins to 1 hour before serving.
This stew is usually thickened by flouring the meat before browning, but I used a few squares of dark chocolate instead, around about the same time as I added the carrots. Seeing as you need the richness from the chocolate, and not the sweetness, unsweetened cacao would be fine if you can find it.
Traditionally, this is served either in a pie, or with mashed potatoes, but I really like it in a bowl with roasted root vegetables on top.0 -
I don't do many lamb curries, as I'm not a huge fan of lamb, but I made a coconut milk curry with chicken the other day that could be adapted -
Meat of your choice
Onions
Garlic
Garam masala
Tumeric
Cayenne pepper
Cloves or cardamom pods would also be good with lamb, as would exotic fruits eg pineapple, lychee, mango
Ghee or other saturated fat (I used duck fat, as I had some spare)
Can of coconut milk
Fresh spinach
Heat up the fat, and add the spices to taste (always spice the base fat, and not the sauce).
Add the onions, and fry until brown.
Add the meat - I generally use pre-cooked meat for curries (I think it's a British thing), but if you are using raw, make sure it is browned all over before adding more ingredients.
Add coconut milk and simmer for a while - until the meat is cooked through
If using fruits, add now
When it is nearly time to serve, add a few large handfuls of spinach and allow them to soften into the sauce - give them a bit of a stir about.
When spinach is soft and dark green, it is ready.0 -
I'll have to try the pesto...
My favorite as of late is Faux Tabolui - my husband is Lebanese and we have Tabolui all summer...
Head of cauliflower - rice it in a food processer (you can also grate it)
chop up
tomatoes
cucumber (in squares)
kalamata olives
green onions (or red onion)
parsley
throw everything together and add a mixture of 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 lemon juice
let chill for a few hours to meld the flavors...
I didn't put any amounts because you can adjust as you see fit - I usually do
medium sized head
1 cucumber
2 medium tomatoes (I really like tomatoes)
10-15 olives
1 bunch of green onions
3/4 a bunch of parsley
for that I usually will squeeze the juice of one lemon and then add the same amount of EVOO
Very easy to do and have as a side...full of veggies...and easy to add things like shrimp or chicken...
I just did up the Crustless Quiche from Paleo Comfort Foods last night so I could have some grab and go breakfast this week - sooo good - I added in mushrooms, extra spinach and some turkey sausage0 -
THANK YOU!! That's amazing I would have never thought of using cauliflower. My step dad is middle eastern and I grew up eating tons of middle eastern cuisine. I hate not being able to eat all the yummy things that are full of rice and bread when the family gets together, I have serious will power when I say no thank you to my step grandmas grape leaves. I'm definitely making this for our next get together, and hopefully they won't notice too much of a difference!
Seriously, thank you again! And if you have any other recipes like this please pass them along!I'll have to try the pesto...
My favorite as of late is Faux Tabolui - my husband is Lebanese and we have Tabolui all summer...
Head of cauliflower - rice it in a food processer (you can also grate it)
chop up
tomatoes
cucumber (in squares)
kalamata olives
green onions (or red onion)
parsley
throw everything together and add a mixture of 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 lemon juice
let chill for a few hours to meld the flavors...
I didn't put any amounts because you can adjust as you see fit - I usually do
medium sized head
1 cucumber
2 medium tomatoes (I really like tomatoes)
10-15 olives
1 bunch of green onions
3/4 a bunch of parsley
for that I usually will squeeze the juice of one lemon and then add the same amount of EVOO
Very easy to do and have as a side...full of veggies...and easy to add things like shrimp or chicken...
I just did up the Crustless Quiche from Paleo Comfort Foods last night so I could have some grab and go breakfast this week - sooo good - I added in mushrooms, extra spinach and some turkey sausage0 -
THANK YOU!! That's amazing I would have never thought of using cauliflower. My step dad is middle eastern and I grew up eating tons of middle eastern cuisine. I hate not being able to eat all the yummy things that are full of rice and bread when the family gets together, I have serious will power when I say no thank you to my step grandmas grape leaves. I'm definitely making this for our next get together, and hopefully they won't notice too much of a difference!
Seriously, thank you again! And if you have any other recipes like this please pass them along!I'll have to try the pesto...
My favorite as of late is Faux Tabolui - my husband is Lebanese and we have Tabolui all summer...
Head of cauliflower - rice it in a food processer (you can also grate it)
chop up
tomatoes
cucumber (in squares)
kalamata olives
green onions (or red onion)
parsley
throw everything together and add a mixture of 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 lemon juice
let chill for a few hours to meld the flavors...
I didn't put any amounts because you can adjust as you see fit - I usually do
medium sized head
1 cucumber
2 medium tomatoes (I really like tomatoes)
10-15 olives
1 bunch of green onions
3/4 a bunch of parsley
for that I usually will squeeze the juice of one lemon and then add the same amount of EVOO
Very easy to do and have as a side...full of veggies...and easy to add things like shrimp or chicken...
I just did up the Crustless Quiche from Paleo Comfort Foods last night so I could have some grab and go breakfast this week - sooo good - I added in mushrooms, extra spinach and some turkey sausage
I think it tastes almost the same as using cous-cous, which is what he uses...and he said it was *almost* as good as his...I have done it both ways - steamed the cauliflower in the microwave after ricing it...and using it raw - if it is something you are going to eat over time I would just keep the cauli raw since it is small and will absorb the olive oil/lemon juice
forgot to add you probably need to add a pinch or two of salt to taste
I would go with the assumption that anything that has rice you could almost easily substitute riced cauliflower - so if you wanted to make rolled grape leaves instead of rice use cauliflower...0 -
I don't do many lamb curries, as I'm not a huge fan of lamb, but I made a coconut milk curry with chicken the other day that could be adapted -
Meat of your choice
Onions
Garlic
Garam masala
Tumeric
Cayenne pepper
Cloves or cardamom pods would also be good with lamb, as would exotic fruits eg pineapple, lychee, mango
Ghee or other saturated fat (I used duck fat, as I had some spare)
Can of coconut milk
Fresh spinach
This sounds exactly like what I had in mind! Tomorrow's dinner, methinks.0 -
This is my favorite recipe EVER!!
Primal Sausage-Stuffed Squash
1 acorn squash
½ lb fresh sausage
½ medium onion, chopped
½ large apple, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh kale
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
Slice the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave for 10 minutes. If you don’t microwave, you could bake the squash, face down, on a foil-lined baking sheet for 30 minutes before stuffing it and returning it to the oven.
Meanwhile, cook the sausage (remove from casing if necessary) over medium-high heat until about halfway cooked through. Add the onion and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes. When the sausage is nearly done, add the apple and kale.
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Add the pecans and the sausage mixture.
Place the microwaved squash, hollow-side-up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Fill each squash with the stuffing and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serves 2
giving credit where credit is due: http://thisprimallife.com/2010/10/primal-sausage-stuffed-squash/0 -
Mmmm -- this sounds really yummy!0
