The Big Salad

Salads can be terrific go-to meals, particularly in the summer. You can add or remove any ingredient, or try different combinations as you please. The only limit is your own imagination!

My inspiration for "The Big Salad" is twofold. First, of course, is Elaine's perpetual quest for The Big Salad (or Ensalada Grande) on "Seinfeld". I'm sure that if Elaine liked the same things I like, this would be the salad for her! My second inspiration is the Soho Grill on 31st Street in Astoria. They let you design your own salads, starting with spinach or mixed greens, and adding any combination of dozens of mix-ins. They stir the salad for you in a large bowl, and repackage it in a plastic bowl to go. What a great concept!!

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The Big Salad

About 2 oz. mixed greens (enough to almost fill a large bowl)

6-8 grape tomatoes, halved

slices of red onion

4 small knots of fresh mozzarella, quartered

1/2 oz grilled chicken, cut in small pieces

1 oz. trail mix (raisins, dried cranberries, peanuts, slivered almonds)

2 tbs balsamic vinaigrette

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir with salad tongs. Serve.

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Notes

• There's a lot of protein here (chicken, mozzarella, peanuts), so feel free to eliminate some if it's too much for you.
• Trail mix adds a bit of sweetness to the salad. I use "Cranberry Fitness Mix" from Stew Leonard's in Yonkers, NY. You can use any type of trail mix you like, or simply add in a handful of raisins & peanuts.
• I use pre-packaged greens that have fresh herbs added to them. You may want to add some fresh dill, basil, and/or thyme for a nice flavor.

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If you've enjoyed this recipe, or any of the others on this site, please let me know!!

Ginger Orange Pork

Is it hot in here, or is just my cooking? ;-)

We've had quite the heat wave here in NYC, which means nobody wants to cook, right? Well, call me crazy, but I made terrific pork chops this week, when it was over 100 degrees out.

This dish was inspired by a recipe by Paula Deen, which you can find here:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/double-orange-glazed-pork-chops-recipe/index.html The technique is the same, and the base of pork and orange is the same, but I felt like the original dish could benefit from a boost of Asian flavor. I added julienne-style slivers of ginger and small amounts of sesame oil and soy sauce, which added a completely new dimension to this dish.

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Ginger Orange Pork

1 lb pork chops

2 inches of fresh ginger root, sliced into slivers

2 tbs orange marmalade

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs unsalted butter

2 tbs vegetable oil

• In a small bowl, combine marmalade, ginger slivers, soy sauce, sesame oil. Gradually stir in the orange juice. Set aside.
• Season the pork chops with salt & pepper.
• Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chops in the pan, and let them cook, undisturbed 5-6 minutes on each side (more or less, depending on the thickness of the chops). Once the chops are cooked through, remove from pan, and cover with foil.
• Drain off all but 2 tbs of the pan drippings, and add the ginger-orange sauce to the pan. Stir to deglaze the pan and reduce the sauce, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chops to the pan. Turn to coat with sauce.

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Comments/Tips:

• I served this with a simple side of cooked baby carrots, but it would also go nicely with a green salad. Serve it with something that won't distract your taste buds from the flavor of the sauce.
• I think the addition of the ginger/soy sauce/sesame oil moves this dish up, and gives it a wonderful overtone, but I also think that Paula Deen's recipe is terrific by itself!
• Don't move the chops around in the pan while they cook. Shake the pan back and forth so that all sides are in contact with the oil/butter in the pan, but the less the pork moves, the more it caramelizes.
• Don't be afraid to cook on a hot day! Yes, it was HOT in my kitchen the day that I made this dish, but it was totally worth it!

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Have you tried one of these recipes? Do you have a comment or question about one of my "best meals"? Please let me know!!

Best Stir-Fry EVER!

This week, I'll show you a step by step technique for making a stir fry. Not only is this Spicy Orange Chicken dish my favorite stir fry, it might be my all-time favorite meal to make! If I can, I make this about once a week. Did I mention this one is my favorite??

Warning: This dish is spicy! The spiciest ingredient is the chili paste, so I suppose you could eliminate that -- but WHY would you want to?

*****

Spicy Orange Chicken with Snow Peas

1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 inch piece of ginger root, minced

sesame oil

1 tsp each of cayenne pepper, ground coriander, ground cumin

3 scallions, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp each of orange marmalade, soy sauce, chili paste

2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice

6 oz. package of snow peas

1 cup jasmati rice, prepared according to package instructions

• Mince the garlic and ginger. I use a food processor for this, but feel free to chop by hand. Set aside.
• At the same time, chop the scallions and set aside.

• Place the chicken in a large, glass mixing bowl. Drizzle about 1 tsp of sesame oil onto the chicken, and using a wooden spoon, stir to completely coat the chicken.
• Add the dried spices (cayenne, coriander, cumin) one at a time, stirring in between additions, to coat the chicken with 3 different layers of spice.

• Add the garlic and ginger mixture to the chicken. Stir to mix. Follow with the chopped scallions.
• In a small bowl, mix together the marmalade, chili paste, and soy sauce. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Stir to completely coat.
• Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.
• While the chicken is marinating, get the rice going, and trim the ends of the snow peas. By the time the rice is done, you'll be ready to stir-fry the chicken, and dinner'll be on the table in 5 minutes.
• Prepare the wok by heating with a high flame. After about 3 minutes, splash a little water inside -- if it sizzles & evaporates right away, you're ready to go!
• Add enough sesame oil to the wok to just coat the bottom.
• Add the marinated chicken to the wok. Using 2 wooden spoons, stir-fry the chicken about 3-4 minutes, until almost cooked.

• Pour in the orange juice. Stir to combine.
• Add the snow peas. Continue stir-frying until the color of the snow peas changes from a dull green to a bright green.

• Serve with rice.

*****

Notes

• If sesame oil seems too heavy or flavored for you, substitute a lighter oil, like peanut oil, instead.
• White wine goes great with this -- so does tea!
• For some reason, the layering of flavors is what makes this dish special. I don't know why, but I never mess with the formula.
• If you're going to juice an orange for the dish (obviously, you can use pre-packaged OJ, too), add a little zest from the orange skin to the rice while it's cooking. The orange overtone ties the whole meal together.
• Speaking of rice -- use whatever rice you like. I've never made this dish with brown rice, but I bet it'd be great!

I'm so glad to share my absolute favorite meal with you!! If you try this recipe, or any other on this site, please let me know! :-)

The Most Important Meal of the Day

Rebooting my blog after a lengthy hiatus with a simple, healthy breakfast sandwich.

This egg sandwich has become my favorite meal this week. It's easy to make, full of flavor, and won't make you pack on the pounds. Plus, it's self-contained, so it's great if you're on the go.

And, no, it's nothing at all like what you'd get at a fast food joint. :-)

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Easy Egg Sandwich

1 English Muffin

1 egg

splash of milk (optional)

1 tsp butter, split in half

1 slice of red onion

1/2 ounce of mixed greens

• Toast the English Muffin. When it's done, spread 1/2 tsp butter on one side, close the muffin, set aside while preparing the egg.
• Beat the egg. Add milk, if using.
• Prepare a simple omelet. Melt remaining 1/2 tsp butter in a small frying pan or griddle. Pour in beaten egg. When the edges of the egg begin to set, use a spatula to fold the egg in half (like a D). Continue cooking on both sides until done.
• Use the spatula to cut the omelet into 2 equal-sized pieces.
• Open the toasted English Muffin. (The butter should have melted into the nooks & crannies by now.) Build the sandwich by placing one half of the omelet on the bottom half of the English Muffin, followed by the slice of red onion, mixed greens, the other half of the omelet, and top of the English Muffin.

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What I have here is the simplest way to make this dish. There are many ways to change it up!

• Cooking for you and a friend? Use 2 eggs, and when you cut the omelet, simply split it between 2 English Muffins. The idea is that the wedge shape fits more easily onto the English Muffin.
• Make the omelet YOUR way. If you would normally add peppers, cheese, onions, etc., do that here.
• Substitute any green leafy vegetable for the mixed greens.
• Flavoring suggestion: dress the greens before adding to the sandwich.
• Flavoring suggestion II: Green Tabasco tastes GREAT on this sandwich!!

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Hey, did you make this recipe, or one of the others on this site? Please leave a comment and tell me how it turned out!!

Frittata!!

Here's a fun, easy recipe that makes for a perfect Sunday brunch:

Potato Frittata

10-12 small red potatoes, thinly sliced

4 eggs, beaten

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

Dash of poultry seasoning

Fresh herbs (I used thyme & rosemary, but choose whatever you like.)

4-6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

*Thinly slice potatoes, and set aside.

*If using bacon, cook the bacon in the oven on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil, turning once. When bacon is crisp, remove from oven, and blot on paper towels before crumbling. Set aside.

* In a 10-inch, oven-proof frying pan, over medium heat, add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

* Add the sliced potatoes to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Cook until the potatoes become soft, and the edges start to brown.

*Lower the flame slightly, and add the beaten eggs. Immediately add fresh herbs, and tilt the pan, so that the egg completely covers the potatoes.

*If using bacon, sprinkle bacon pieces over the top.

*Continue cooking until the egg begins to set. You should be able to slide a spatula around the edge of the pan.

*Transfer the pan into the oven, and bake for 10 minutes.

*Remove from oven, and cut into wedges. Serve with a small green salad on the side.

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I love brunch. I don't always eat breakfast, but on the weekends, I love to eat brunch, and this is my favorite brunch item. It's very versatile, and it looks so elegant when you serve it.

A few notes:

*Make sure you're using an oven-proof frying pan. Essentially, all of the parts of the pan should be metal (no plastic handles). To be safe, you can wrap the handle in aluminum foil.

*The secret ingredient here is the poultry seasoning. It's a blend of several dried herbs & spices (onion, garlic, basil, rosemary, coriander, sage, thyme, paprika, black pepper, and marjoram are in the brand that I use). Just a tiny bit, crushed in the palm of your hand and added to the potatoes, will give a nice blend of complex flavors to the dish.

*Be willing to experiment with the fresh herbs. I tend to favor rosemary and thyme, but you could easily substitute chives, cilantro, sage, basil, oregano, or parsley.

*When beating the eggs, be sure to aerate them, and make them as fluffy as possible. You could also a drop of milk to the eggs to make them a bit more creamy.

This is really a lovely dish. It's colorful, flavorful, and very easy to make. You can customize it to your own unique tastes. You can also turn it into an appetizer by cutting it into bite-size squares, and serving with toothpicks.

If you try this recipe, or any of the recipes on this site, please let me know how they turn out for you!!

Enjoy!

Two Great Meals

Since I missed a week of blogging somehow, I'll make up for it by sharing two great meals that I made last week.

I bought 2 lbs of lean chopped sirloin at Stew Leonard's in Yonkers. (If you're not familiar, Stew Leonard's is a fresh-food shopping mecca in the Northeast: http://www.stewleonards.com/) I used one pound in my "Homestyle Applesauce Meatloaf", and the other in my "Meat Sauce for Pasta". They're both easy, savory meals that are great on cold winter nights!

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"Homestyle Applesauce Meatloaf"

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon cumin

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 large egg, beaten

Salt & pepper

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees

*Grease a 2 qt glass baking dish with a small amount of olive oil

*Chop the onion & garlic in a food processor. (Personally, I pulverize it because no one in my house likes big chucks of onion in their meatloaf.)

*In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, onion/garlic, applesauce, cumin, thyme, egg, and breadcrumbs.

*Mix all ingredients thoroughly. (Yes, this is best done with your hands!)

*Shape into a loaf, and place in the baking dish.

*Lightly salt and pepper the top of the loaf.

*Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

I served this meatloaf with mashed red potatoes (with a few chopped chives, for color) and green beans.

And I'll tell you a secret: This meatloaf is NEVER dry. I know that's what most people don't like about meatloaf, which is why they do crazy things like top it with bacon or ketchup or something. The applesauce & the pulverized onion/garlic give this recipe a lot of moisture, and it even stays moist on a reheat.

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"Meat Sauce for Pasta"

1 lb lean ground beef

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes or tomato puree

About 2 oz each of beef broth and dry red wine

1 tablespoon of fresh basil leaves, torn

(Note: I used a frozen paste of basil & olive oil, made from the fresh basil my neighbor gave us a few months ago.)

*Chop the onion & garlic in a food processor

*In a 2 qt saucepan, over medium heat, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

*Brown the beef in the olive oil. Season the beef with fresh ground black pepper. (You may want to do this in 2 batches, 1/2 lb at a time.)

*Add the onion/garlic mixture to the browned beef. Continue heating until the onion becomes translucent.

*Stir in crushed tomatoes, broth, wine, and basil.

*Bring sauce to a bubble, then reduce heat to a simmer.

*Continue simmering until ready to serve

I served this sauce with medium shells, and a green salad on the side. A little garlic bread goes nicely on the side, as well.

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I hope you enjoy by 2 best meals of the last week!! If you try these recipes yourself, please let me know how they turn out for you, and please pass them along to your friends! :-)

Enjoy!

Best Meal of the Week: Arroz con Pollo

The first week of 2011 has been a great week for food! I made homemade rosemary crackers on New Year's Eve (recipe still needs work, but it's an easy snack). One night, we had simple sirloin burgers on a bed of greens. We even has terrific store-bought paella, but, obviously, I can't take credit for that.

The best meal I made this week was arroz con pollo, modified from Mark Bittman's recipe in "How To Cook Everything." Here's a link to the recipe: http://markbittman.com/dinner-with-bittman-arroz-con-pollo

What did I do differently? Well, I was so excited about the dish that I forgot to garnish with parsley and lemon wedges -- OOPS! Also, I didn't use a whole chicken, cut into pieces. Instead, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which was what I had in my refrigerator. Next time, I'll use the cut up whole chicken. It will probably add more chicken flavor to the dish. I also added a red bell pepper, which provided a bit of color and a nice overtone.

This was the first time that I had ever cooked with saffron, and I absolutely LOVE it! No wonder it was the most expensive spice in the world! A little goes a long way, too! Just a little pinch of it gives the rice that soothing yellow color and indescribable flavor.

I can't wait to make this meal again!