Posted on March 6th, 2010 by admin
For this month’s packed lunch, I chose this simple stir fried noodles. There are so many reasons why these are fabulous – they’re easy, you can add anything to them (vegetables, tofu, shredded chicken, etc.), they can be made for any meal, and they are good hot and cold. If you’re reheating them at work, make the sauce a little looser (add more pasta water), if you’re eating them cold, reduce the sauce until it’s thick and coats the noodles. My favorite Chinese restaurant delivers rice in these little plastic containers, which I wash and reuse (perfect for noodles), and I always save extra chopsticks (excellent for lunch on the go)!
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Posted on March 3rd, 2010 by admin
Matt and I love chili. It is a go-to meal for us because it’s always quick, always delicious, and always spicy (what can I say, I love spicy food). And while we are equal opportunity chili advocates (my favorite is vegetarian chili with beans and quinoa), I decided to try something totally new, mainly inspired by the leftovers in my fridge. The result – a delicious white chili that ended up sort of green. It was great – nice level of spice and good flavor, unlike the classic tomato based chilis we usually make.
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Posted on February 24th, 2010 by admin
Note: This is more of an idea than a recipe, but the recipe provided does make for a satisfying and delicious snack in a pinch.
Recently, I’ve had several run ins that have made me realize and truly appreciate the beauty of a well stocked pantry. The other night, Matt requested my meatloaf (a constant favorite of his), and when we arrived at the store, I realized that the only thing I needed to buy was ground turkey. I had literally everything else at home.
Then tonight when I needed to make a small dinner for one on the fly (massive afternoon taste tests at work have led me to eat snack-sized dinners the past few days), I was devastated when I realized I didn’t have many of the items I use when I need to make pasta (I always have whole wheat on hand, and I usually toss the pasta with veggies, oil, and garlic, but I was without anything except frozen peas). I had to get creative – I didn’t have the ingredients for any of my standby sauces. I blindly cooked an onion in some olive oil and deglazed the pan with tomato paste. Then I realized I had some soft cheese (think goat, boursin, etc.) I mixed it in and it made a surprisingly good substitute for a rich tomato cream sauce (the cheese could be replaced with cream or plain yogurt for a similar effect). Best of all, I didn’t have to use a whole tomato or can of tomatoes to achieve this. I didn’t end up with leftovers, just a quick meal that was made from getting out the pots and pans to dishes washed in fifteen minutes.
The point is, a well stocked pantry can lead to many things – less expensive meals, easy snacking, and quick dishes. It may seem like it costs time and money to get there, but it is worth it . What do you have in your pantry that you can’t live without?
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Posted on February 22nd, 2010 by admin
When I was a student at the CIA, I loved looking at the giant containers of spices in each kitchen – seemingly huge compared to those tiny bottles normally purchased at the grocery store. When I did a costing assignment, I was floored to see how expensive those giant jars were (understandably so, when you consider even a tiny container of certain spices can be anywhere between $7-15).
The point of this story is, I go through so much paprika in my house that I have to purchase one of these large, perhaps even giant, containers. I use it in soups, sauces, marinades, and even a sprinkle as garnish on top of vegetables, meats, and pasta. I continue to collect tiny spice bottles of the lesser used items, but that big jar of paprika stands proudly in my cabinet (it won’t fit in my spice drawer) as a symbol of it’s importance. Ok, so maybe it doesn’t go with everything (but sometimes I think it does)!
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Posted on February 21st, 2010 by admin
This dish was born out of needing to use up a few fridge staples and a desire to make something a little unusual for dinner. Stuffing the chicken breasts we had seemed to be a delicious solution, and it was. I stuffed it with deliciously garlicky mixture of spinach, cheese, and peppadew peppers, and topped it with a hearty tomato sauce. I served it with a clever cauliflower dish I found on another blog – it took Matt quite awhile to guess what it was – and it was delicious!
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