Another extraordinary part of the Sara-TQ Asian dinner extravaganza. The flavor in this meat was so incredible because of the soy sauce and red curry paste. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Make sure you let your mouse scroll over the pictures for the caption!
Ameir went out for dinner with a friend, so I just wanted something easy and warm to pour into a bowl and sit on the sofa with (and watch 4 episodes of Monk). For some reason, I had been craving green beans all day - not the gross school lunch kind - the slow simmered with lots of garlic kind.
Braised Green Beans
1 lb green beans
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 huge tomato, diced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable broth, or more if you want this soupier
salt, pepper
red pepper flakes
Cut the tips off of the green beans, then cut them in half and split them lengthwise. In a medium-hot pan, heat some olive oil and add red pepper flakes when it’s hot. Swirl around. Add the onion and garlic and saute till softish. Add the green beans and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Salt/pepper it. Add the tomatoes, let them cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then back down to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes or until they’re as soft as you want them. Serve on top of couscous.
Ohh, this was a good one! The chipotle peppers give this soup a smoky smooth flavor. It’s a nice departure from the normal corn chowder. But, beware. The first bite of the soup isn’t spicy, so you might be tempted to add more chipotle. Be ye warned - it gets progressively spicier as you eat it. In the end, I felt feel somebody kicked me in the tastebuds. And I liked it.
The fish tacos couldn’t be easier. Why? They’re made of fish sticks! Gasp! Cheating! I know. Fish tacos from frozen fish sticks? What? But they taste so good, and they’re so quick. All you have to do is fancy them up a little with some salsa.
Recipe here: (more…)
Okay, alright, so it doesn’t *look* that good. But this is comfort food. It tastes awesome, I promise. Don’t let the weird picture stop you from making this chicken.
This chicken is one of the first things I learned to make after Ameir and I got engaged. It’s stuffed with a creamy spinach stuffing that keeps the chicken incredibly moist while baking, and then smothered with a mushroom gravy. It’s based on this recipe from Kraft Foods, which I used to browse compulsively for something that didn’t look too hard. Over time, I’ve adjusted and enhanced it for my taste and it’s something I even make for company, to everyone’s great enjoyment.
There’s just something about the combination of savory spinach, crispy phyllo dough, and tangy-cool mint yogurt sauce that works beautifully together. I’d suggest adding a pinch of sumac to the spinach mixture if you have some; it gives it a tangy-spicy kick and a nice color.
Working with phyllo can be a little difficult, but it’s worth it. Follow the directions on the box for more precision than I’m giving here (in terms of how to defrost the phyllo and keep it from drying out).
These are great for parties because you can make just the filling or even the little patties themselves beforehand - just lay them on a cookie sheet and freeze, then bring back to room temperature before baking. The spinach filling is also a good stuffing for chicken thighs (maybe with some walnuts) or pasta shells or folded into an omelet!
Recipe here: (more…)
