Entree | V - Part 5

Entries Tagged as 'Entree'

Margherita Pizza

9.16.2011

As I’ve mentioned 100 billion times previously, the tomatoes at the farmer’s market right now are spectacular and this is by far one of my favorite pizza recipes (which works out great since it’s so simple!). This recipe is also a great way to show off the beautiful color and size of these heirlooms. Mmmmmm.

Yup. This recipe is so simple that I’m going to keep this whole post simple and not ramble. I will say that you should never bother buying delivery (OR FROZEN-EWWW) ever again because this is faster, cheaper, and soooo much better.

2 colorful and big heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 pizza dough (you could make it by hand but we used Trader Joe’s herb pizza crust and it was scrumptious)
1 package of miniature fresh mozzarella balls
3 cloves garlic, mined
olive oil
handful of fresh basil, torn into small chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out pizza dough and place on a oiled baking sheet.

Spread olive oil on the first layer instead of pizza sauce. Next top with fresh garlic, mozzarella, tomato pieces, and the basil.

Cook for 12 to 15 minutes.

Damn. That’s it. Eat quickly before the roommates get it. Or share with your dog. Whichever.

Oh and please enjoy with yummy, cold beer.

Preferably this one:

Sweet and Sour Tempeh

9.12.2011

I have this thing for Chinese food. This thing is actually a deep, semi-yearning, lust and I get these longing cravings for it on a regular basis. The problem is I can’t find a good Chinese place in this town (go figure! They can perfect Persian food but they can’t do your basic sodium induced American Asian flair!). Anyways, I’ve asked several of the take out places to substitute their chicken for tofu General Tao or tofu Sweet and Sour and it always comes out horrible. This has led to me taking matters into my own hands (for the better). I have an amazing general Tao tofu recipe that I will have to share with you but until then…enjoy this sweet and sour tempeh recipe that I perfect this evening.

Tempeh is my favorite meat substitute. It has a simple soft, grainy texture (not nearly as slimy as tofu) when cooked properly and does a fantastic job of absorbing the flavors of the dish(without having to drain an hour prior). I prefer the Lightlife brand of tempeh because you can get it in all sorts of different variations (wild rice, flax, garden veggie, soy, and three grain). I used three grain for this recipe but feel free to pick out whatever you think tastes the best or is the cheapest or prettiest or something.

Anyways, this is a super easy dish and an easy way to use up lots of produce while still getting your protein in! The sauce is ridiculously simple and it’s fantastic because you know exactly what is coating your food instead of dumping some store bought sauce where you can’t pronounce half the ingredients.

Sweet and Sour Tempeh

(Adapted from www.theflourshingfoodie.com)

8 oz package of tempeh, cut into chunks
Half an onion, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 8 oz can of pineapple chunks, drained
1 large tomato, sliced and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
6 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
Cooked rice of your choice

Saute the tempeh chunks in olive oil over medium low until crispy and browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Turn the heat up to Medium and add the garlic, onion, and pepper to saute for another 10 to 15 minutes. Next, add the pineapple and tomato followed by the soy sauce, ketchup, water, and sugar. Continue to cook for about another 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Top the cooked rice with your tempeh mixture. Eat and enjoy your protein buzz. Or share with a friend while playing Wahoo. Whichever.

Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings

9.06.2011

Yesterday was my 22nd birthday (I’m getting super old…Don’t remind me) and I had a big grill out/pot luck gathering in the afternoon… sooooooooooooo expect a huge post with lots of yummy potluck recipes and pictures ASAP! But until then, I had a super lazy day of board games and documentaries so I’ll share my dinner recipe for this evening with you now.

Anyways, this is a recipe that my Ma reccommended to me because I am a spinach nut and anything that is 70 percent cheese couldn’t possibly be bad (minus mayo and american cheese sandwiches with white bread…because they don’t count for reasons of them ruining my point and for the fact that they shouldn’t exist). And I’m a big fan of doughy…. doughy brownies, cookies, bread, you name it and I’d prefer it half cooked.

There was a jabbing feeling of fall in the air today which made me crave soup. Chicken and dumpling soup was my shit when I was little (before I entered into the food realm of vegetarian at the modest age of 13). I’m getting off topic…the point is this is a great substitute when you don’t want a whole lotta flour in your diet and are looking to get those yummy benefits that only spinach can tackle.

Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings

1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons + 1 cup flour
2 eggs
dash pepper/salt
pinch of nutmeg
2 cups marinara sauce

Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil.

Mix the spinach, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups parmesan, 6 tablespoons flour, eggs, salt/pepper, and nutmeg. Spread the rest of the flour on a plate for rolling . Shape the cheese mixture into golf ball size (the recipe I went off of suggested you’d have about 24 but we made ours kind of big and got about 12 which was a perfect amount for 4 people- all personal preference, though!) and roll the dumplings in the flour (make sure that they are coated super well or they will fall apart in the water!)

Add dumplings to boiling water and let cook for 5-7 minutes (depending on how big you made them) or until they are floating. Scoop out the dumpling and put on a paper towel to absorb excess water.

Heat up the marinara any way you’d like- stove top, microwave, water boiler. And add your own fixins to make it your own: garlic, oregeno, basil, more cheese.

Top dumplings with warmed sauce and the rest of the parmesan.

Enjoy with Andre Champagne (classy) and prepare while listening to the new St. Vincent’s album ‘Strange Mercy’ (trendy)

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas with Avocado Fries

9.03.2011

As I’ve mentioned, I recently moved and am living with 4 new girls from all sorts of backgrounds (which makes me so excited for new food ideas) in this huge old vintage house. It’s kind of crazy having 5 people in the house with 5 different schedules because you never see all of them at the same time (and have to repeat your stories 4 separate times) so we decided to attempt to have ‘family dinner night’. This seems overwhelming but I think it will work better than expected because there are two of us that love to cook, one that likes to clean (dishes clean up, score!), and one that has serious sugar problems (shes got the desert aftermath under control).

Anyways, so we attempted this family dinner last night and this was the menu: Sweet potato and black bean enchiladas and avocado fries (+loads of Corona and lime! I also suggest tequila if you are trying to REALLY get to know your new roommates). The enchiladas were a great recipe for a large group (we doubled the recipe for 5 of us but really shouldn’t have because we have loads of leftovers!) and a good group activity since you can have several hands stuffing and rolling the fillings in the tortillas.

I first came across fried avocado when I visited Austin two years ago for South By Southwest (AKA the best music festival to exist this side of the Atlantic Ocean). I got them at a small trailer-restaurant with some spicy aoili and I went back this spring to find that they exploded all over Austin. They are now a huge trend with the TexMex cuisine and for good reasons: crispy on the outside with a melt-in-your-mouth center. Also lots of places seem to be serving them inside tacos, but we stuck to fries here for a nice side.

Also, I should warn you that you do have to fry the avocado fries. I realize frying is really a big no no to 90 percent of cooks and if it’s not a no no for you than it’s probably intimidating, but I promise you that it’s really not as messy as you’d think and it won’t take you any longer than cooking something in a skillet.

Okay, I’m done with warning and suggestions. Let’s make some yummy grub.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

(Adapted from www.wholefoods.com)

1 bottle green chili sauce
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice from 1 lime
2 cups COOKED sweet potatoes, cubed in small chunks
1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles
Big dash of ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 tortillas
8 ounces shredded Montrerey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and find a big casserole dish for the enchiladas.

Make the guts of the enchiladas but combining the black beans, garlic, juice of the lime, cumin, cilantro, green chilis, half the cheese, and sweet potatoes in a bowl.

Pour half the green chili sauce in the bottom on the dish. Assemble enchilidas by making a straight line of the filling and roll tightly. Lay filled enchiladas in dish and top with the rest of the sauce and cheese.

Cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy one or two (warning: consuming more than that in one sitting could cause a food coma. Probably. Maybe. Yeah).

Avocado Fries with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

Oil For Frying
2 Avocados
1 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
Dash of salt
1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin

5 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lime

Combine the Mayo, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor (or blender) to blend. Set aside to let the flavors mix while you prepare the rest.

First prep a bit: Cut avocado in half and then slice into even strips. Beat the egg and set in a shallow bowl and combine the breadcrumbs, salt, lemon, pepper, and cumin in another shallow bowl.

Fill a small skillet with about an inch of oil and let it heat up over medium heat.

Dip avocado slices in breadcrumbs, eggs, and back in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with the rest of the slices. Fry in the skillet for about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve with the sauce and eat your heart out.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Cannelloni with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

8.31.2011

I am a bit of a plan freak when it comes to food (which I’d assume is alittle abnormal for a 21 year old college student) but I usually plan out 3 dinner recipes that I am going to do in a week and get all the ingredients when I work on Sunday nights. This week I had planned homemade pizza (for the day I come home feeling braindead and want to kick into automatic mode), Sweet n Sour Tempeh (I’ve had this tempeh laying around my fridge eyeing me for weeks), and Goat cheese stuffed cannelloni (for when I was feeling up to a in depth meal).

Anyways, so yesterday was my first day of the fall semester which meant it was twice as long as I’ve been use to; this also means that I spent the whole day wondering what I was going to make when I got done with all my responsibilities. I had it all planned out: I wanted something quick and easy but delicious and set my mind on that sweet n’ sour tempeh.

But when I got home that night I realized that the tempeh that had been glaring at me all this time was hanging in the fridge just a little too long and had spoiled a few weeks ago (Sad times, I know). This meant that in order to satisfy my cravings, I was going to have to go above and beyond what they had been anticipating and had to conquer the cannelloni. And dayyyyuum did they satisfy them.

This recipe wasn’t as time consuming as I had expected (as long as you get the tomatoes in the oven right away than the rest can be prepped while they are cooking). Also, I used a mix of red and yellow cherry tomatoes from the farmers market and I dont mean to be pushy but get those sweet yellow cherry tomatoes that are everywhere right now. No red tomato will EVER compare to the melt-in-your-mouth flavor that bursts when these yellow guys are roasted.

Anyways, too much babbling. Lets cook.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Cannelloni with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

(Adapted from The Accidental Vegetarian by Simon Rimmer)

12 oz of yellow cherry tomatoes
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
lasagna noodles, cut into squares and prepared according to package
12 oz ricotta cheese
5 oz goat cheese
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 1/2 cups fresh spinach
oil
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat pan with a thin layer of oil, dump tomatoes in, and roast for about 10 minutes (shaking every few minutes so they cook on several sides). Add thyme, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for another 15 minutes (with a reduced heat of 350).

Coat the bottom of an oven-safe casserole dish with olive oil. While they are cooking, make the filling by combining all the cheeses and spinach. Season with the salt and pepper. Lay out the pasta, make a line of filling along the edge, and roll them up into a cannelloni shape. Place in the oven-safe pan and repeat with the rest of the noodles/filling.

Pour tomatoes over the pasta rolls and cook for 15 minutes. Top with Parmesan.

Share with your Ma to impress her. Or get a dog by bribing your roommates with it. Or devour the whole thing over a relaxing episode of Seinfield. Whatever.

Jalapeno Cheddar Grits topped with Sunny Side Up Eggs

8.28.2011

This hardy and filling recipe was inspired by my hungover roommates. Everyone knows that the best cure for a hangover is a cup of coffee and greasy breakfast so we decided a savory yet effortless Sunday brunch was in order.

For the grits I used corn grits (polenta) since that is what I had on hand but feel free to use any kind you have. Also, grits are only as good as what you put in it so don’t be sparing when adding the cheese and butter and anything else yummy you find in your fridge. [I'm sure you already know this but] Don’t hesitate to adjust to your liking…if you like spicy then add more jalapeno or if you like buttery than throw half the stick in for all I care!

Jalapeno Cheddar [Corn] Grits (Polenta)

Serves 4

I cup of dry grits (I used polenta)
1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno, chopped very fine
1 Tablespoon of butter
Salt and Pepper

4 eggs

Follow the directions for the grits according to the package (I used Bob’s Red Mills brand and it literally took 5 minutes on the stove top). When you get to the end it will ask you to let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the extra water and this is when you had in the butter, cheese, jalapenos, salt and pepper. Let the cheese melt and it absorb the flavors for at least 5 more minutes (the longer you wait, the more the flavor will saturate the grits for a bolder punch to the mouth). As you let it sit, make the eggs over the stove top any way you like them (preferably a way with the yolks still runny so they can blend with the grits). Divide the grits in 4 bowls and top with an egg each.

Serve with pulpy orange juice. Enjoy on the porch. Cure your hangover.

Restaurant Review: Naughty Dog

8.24.2011

I just moved into a new house (with four other college girls- wish me luck!) and the last tenants left it in a bit of a disaster state. Because of this, my kitchen has been under major cleaning construction for the past three days and has left me with no appropriate place to bake. This has also led to lots of eating out and gave me the idea to try out doing the whole review thing.

A couple disclaimers: I should start off by saying that I hardly ever don’t like food so this whole concept could end up rather flat in the long run but we’ll try it out. Also, I’m a college student in Bloomington Indiana so we have to realize most of this will be aimed at cheap Midwestern eateries [although you would be shocked at how much international cuisine we have in this tiny Midwestern sphere).

Naughty Dog

http://www.naughtydoghotdogs.com/

There are some comfort foods that are just too tempting not to miss after becoming a vegetarian and this place really manages to fill that void. They have such a variety that it's impossible not to find something that fits your fancy. And although this is straight up fast food, its such a creative (yet simple) concept and local favorite that you can't help but splurge on some grease at this place from time to time.

Naughty dog has a long list of traditional style hot dogs (Coney dog, Chicago style, New York dog) to a variety of new creations (this month's speical was smothered with cream cheese and jalapenos). With this kind of variety (they also have 5 different types of ways to cook the dog, 6 different types of dogs, and 4 bun selections) this is the perfect place to take your cheap[ass] meat-loving friend so that you both are pleased.

For around five dollars I got the chili cheese with a veggie dog on a whole wheat bun and a mound of salty fries. Although this was really good, the Chicago style veggie dog I had last time blew it out of the water.

Okay, so since this is a review or what not I probably have to say someting negative about it too. Well, other than obvious things (like this isn’t the place to take your new woman on a first date) the location of this place is a bit obnoxious. This place is cheap and fits perfectly in a college town but they put it in a strip mall along with all the other chain stores (like Big Lots and Kohls) when they should have placed it along side the other local shops and restaurants where people who appreciate supporting local adventure to. This place must take 15 minutes of sitting in traffic to get to from the center of downtown [which is alittle much when it takes 30 seconds to cook your meal]. Plus, (not to sound like a close minded college kid) but this would be great munch food after a night at the bars, so they could grab a whole new market with a location in walking distance.

Their location has nothing to do with their food though so when it comes down to it this place is amazing and next time you are craving something greasy but different, spend 5 dollars on this meal.

Sicilian Style Quiche

8.19.2011

Okay, so two posts in one day is a little excessive but I was just too excited about our dinner this evening not to write about it. There is no background story to this other than it is straight up amazing. It’s so simple and light for a humid [and rainy] evening that you don’t even have to wait until Sunday brunch to whip it up.

Yup. Even your cat will like it. [I mean it is dairy based]

Sicilian Style Quiche

1 prepared pie crust (get it out of the frozen section in the store)
6 eggs
2/3 heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup grated Gouda
4 oz fresh baby spinach
dollap of olive oil
1/4 cup chopped or sliced sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt/Pepper for flavor

Preheat oven to 425.

Heat oil in a skillet on medium and add the spinach for only a minute or so; you are just trying to wet it down and make it wilt slightly. Set aside.

Whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, and grated Gouda.

Put the following things into pie crust in this order: spinach/tomatoes, egg mixture, crumbled feta, and top with salt and pepper. Cook for 30 minutes or until the egg mixture has set.

Munch down. with your cat. or boyfriend. or something.

Oh and this recipe was adapted from yummymummykitchen.com