The Apartment Kitchen » vegetables

Chicken Fried Rice

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:54:03 +0000

I have never (before this post) made chicken fried rice. This is primarily because we never (and I mean never) have leftover rice. So when I made waaaaay too much rice last week aside some chicken, I excitedly got out my wok and made the first fried rice my kitchen has ever seen (outside of a takeout container).

Like most of the things I make, this can be customized with your favorite (read: leftover) meats and veggies. The result was delicious and so easy, I will be making too much rice from now on, just so I can make this the next day!

Chicken Fried Rice

Served 4
Leftover Potential: Reheats well and is pretty good cold – like leftover takeout!

2 bone-in chicken breasts (with skin
salt and pepper, as needed

1 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups diced Chinese sausage
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 1/2 cups leftover rice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic-chili sauce, or more to taste
1 tsp Oyster sauce

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Roast it in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Remove the skin. Dice the meat and reserve.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add the diced sausage and saute until the sausage is on the crisp side and the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage and reserve.
3. Add the green onions, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pan, and toss to combine. Stir fry until the rice is heated through.
5. Season the rice with soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine.

Pasta e Fagioli

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:52:20 +0000

We had a rainy, chilly weekend (which I love), so I took the opportunity to make soup. I used delicious, spicy turkey sausage as the base for this pasta e fagioli. It’s a wonderful, hearty soup with so many variations. I made several variations on this, including making it rather spicy, using red kidney beans instead of the traditional white, and adding whatever veggies I needed to use up. Best of all, I served it with the crusty bread I made earlier in the day – it was perfect for one a perfect, drizzly, chilly spring night.

Pasta e Fagioli

Made a lot of soup!

Leftover Potential: Freezes and reheats well.

1 1/3 cups pasta (bite size shape)

1 Tbsp olive oil

5 slices bacon, diced

1 lb spicy sausage, casings removed

1 large onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

1 (32 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 cups kidney beans, cooked

2 cups chicken broth, or more as needed

parmesan rind (optional)

fresh chopped parsley, to taste

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Dain and set aside.

2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and sausage and cook until the bacon is crisp and the sausage is cooked through. Remove the meat from the pot, reserving the fat in the pot.

3. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and peppers to the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, and chicken broth. Add the parmesan rind, if using, and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender and the soup develops good flavor, 8-10 minutes more.

5. Stir in the pasta, bacon, sausages, and parsley. Simmer to heat through, and eat!!

Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Curry

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:44:58 +0000

I’ve been watching cookies get photographed at work all week. This, inevitably meant that I ate cookies all week. A lot of cookies. So when Matt mentioned curry as a dinner option this week, it had never sounded better. We make our curry with coconut milk which gives it a silky, smooth texture but it’s still soupy enough to feel rustic and comforting. The ease of meatballs and roughly diced veggies made this meal easy to assemble the day before, and just bake when I arrived home – it was a nice change of pace and was ready in a snap.

Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Curry

Served 4.
Leftover Potential: Stores well for leftovers, and also can be made ahead, refrigerated and popped in the oven when you‘re ready to eat it!

Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp mustard
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, as needed

Coconut Curry
2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 basket mushrooms, quartered
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups peas
2 Tbsp red curry paste
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

scallions, as needed for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the meatballs until well combined (but do not overmix, or they’ll get tough).
2. Form the mixture into balls and place into a lightly greased 9 x 13″ casserole dish. (If you want them to have a crisp crust, you can sear them briefly in 1 Tbsp oil until browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side over high heat).
3. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
5. Add the mushrooms and saute until they become tender, about 3-5 minutes more.
6. Stir in the tomatoes, curry paste, and coconut milk. Stir to heat through and form a smooth sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and cilantro.
7. Pour the mixture over the meatballs and bake in a 350 degree oven until the sauce is bubbly, the vegetables are tender, and the meat is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes (it will take more like 10-15 if you sear the meatballs first).

Coconut Red Curry Lentils n' Rice

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:51:05 +0000

This blog is about food…but a few people have pointed out to me that the little snippets of text here and there really tie it together. Because it’s not always enough to grab a recipe and run – some of you like a little splash of real life in there too.

We had a fire at my house this week. Yes. It doesn’t get much more real than that. There is minimal damage and everyone and everything is safe (minus my bath mats, shower curtain, toilet seat and the tile in the bathroom). It happened in the middle of the night, which made it extra scary and I spent the next day recovering by ordering Chinese food. Yes…I don’t cook well (for myself) under pressure. But by the next day I had gathered my head and made something simple – a one pot meal that was fast and easy but quite comforting in it’s own right. Lentils and brown rice smothered in creamy coconut red curry. It was delicious and wonderfully spicy (great with a glass of something spritzy). You know what they say, after all, – fight fire with fire…

Coconut Red Curry Lentils n’ Rice

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: You can add any kind of veggies or meat you want to this, which makes it a great meal to make with leftovers. I’ve even made a similar meal substituting other grains: quinoa, barley, split peas, etc.

1/3 cup lentils and rice (combined

2/3 cup vegetable stock

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, minced

1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp red curry paste

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup veggies (I used carrots, celery, cauliflower, peas, and mushrooms…but you can use anything on hand – just remember to cut them all to roughly the same size…)

cilantro, roughly chopped for garnish

scallions, minced, for garnish

1. In a small pot, bring the lentils/rice and stock to a boil. Cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. If the mixture is not done, add a little more liquid and continue to cook until they are tender. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add he curry paste, stirring to combine. Add the coconut milk, and bring the mixture pan> to a simmer.

3. Stir in the veggies, and cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the cooked lentils and rice. Serve warm with cilantro and scallions.

I know, I know – this is so easy I probably didn’t need to post a recipe! But it is so, so good!

Chinese Stuffed Cabbage

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:07:24 +0000

I’m always talking about quick, easy meals. But even better than meals that are simple, only take one pot, or can be made with very few ingredients are make ahead meals. This meal is absolutely perfect for that. After I made a super quick all-in-one pot meal last week, I made a super quick dinner: stuffed cabbage which sat in the fridge in it’s baking dish, and a delicious sweet and sour sauce that were all ready and waiting when I got home from work the next day. I just poured the sauce over the cabbage and baked. When you’re pressed for time – this is totally a go-to dish…that still offers something a little different!

Chinese Stuffed Cabbage

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Re-heat in the oven. Any leftover sauce keeps well under refrigeration and is a great multi-purpose dipping sauce!

Stuffed Cabbage

8 large cabbage leaves (gently pulled from the outer layers of a large cabbage)

1 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup brown rice, cooked

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sriracha, to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the cabbage leaves (sometimes it’s easier to do it 2 or so at a time) until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain from the water and let cool.

2. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients to combine. Place a handful of filling inside of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides in towards the center, and then roll the filling up so it is completely enclosed. Place the rolls into a baking dish. Set aside.

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp fish sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 tsp Sriracha

1 1/2 cups beef broth

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1. Mix all ingredients except the broth and cornstarch in a small pot over medium heat. Stir to make sure the sugar dissolves.

2. In a small bowl, mix the the cornstarch with 4 tbsp of the broth and mix to combine. Add the remaining broth to the heated sauce mixture. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture.

3. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat.

4. Ladle the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Wrap the dish in aluminum foil, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Uncover, spoon some sauce from the bottom of the dish over the rolls, and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes. Let cool and serve with sliced scallions!

Thai Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce and Pickled Veggies (and an Awesome Salad to Make with the Leftovers!)

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:42:16 +0000

Sometimes the reaction when I announce dinner plans isn’t too enthusiastic. “Ok” or even “That sounds good” are nothing compaired to the “Yesssssssss!” or “Mmmmmm” I often get when making some of the household favorites. So let me just say it’s difficult to overstate how big of a hit these Thai-inspired chicken burgers were. They were moist and juicy with lots of cilantro and mild chile flavor in the meat, topped with a deliciously creamy peanut sauce, and an amazing Asian veggie pickle mixture.

Crisp, delicious, easy, and cheap! Look at that picture. It’s seriously making me hungry again. Ignore the fact that there is almost no bun on the bottom (they’re homemade – but who really needs a lot of bun anyway?). It’s a great way to liven up burgers at your house – and healthy too!

Thai Chicken Burgers with Creamy Peanut Sauce and Pickled Veggies

Thanks to We Heart Food for inspiring this dish!

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: See the notes at the bottom of the recipe for a great leftover meal solution!!

Burgers

1 pound ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, diced

3 Tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp sweet chile sauce

1 tsp turmeric

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

salt, as needed

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients well (don’t overmix – it will make for less tender burgers!). Form the combined mixture into patties. Chill until needed.

2. Grill the patties (on your grill, in a grill pan, or in a saute pan) until nicely browned and cooked through (8-10 minutes). If necessary, finish the patties in a 350 degree oven until they are no longer pink in the middle.

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp garlic (or garlic powder)

2 tsp red curry paste

2 Tbsp coconut milk (or more to make thinner)

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until needed.

Pickled Veggies

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

1-2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp red curry paste

1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 carrot, peeled into strips

1. In a medium bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, curry paste, chili sauce, and garlic to combine. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add the veggies and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes (the longer they go, the more tender and flavorful the vegetables will be).

To Finish the Burgers:

1. Spread some peanut sauce on a toasted bun. Place a cooked patty on top, and finish with pickled vegetables. Add some butterhead lettuce, and enjoy this awesome burger!

Awesome Thai Peanut Chicken Salad:

1. Dice a leftover burger patty. Toss it in about 2-3 Tbsp of leftover peanut sauce to coat. Saute in a small pan over medium heat until reheated, 2-3 minutes.

2. Pile some washed butterhead lettuce in a bowl. Toss with the chicken pieces and some salted peanuts. Top with the pickled veggies, and use the pickling liquid as a dressing, if desired. This was almost better than the original meal!

Vegetarian Ramen

theapartmentkitchen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:45:41 +0000

I think I was about 14 when I first saw Tampopo, a Japanese “noodle Western” about a “cowboy” (truck driver) who helps a woman turn around her formerly unsuccessful noodle shop. The truly remarkable thing about this movie is it actually says a lot about the importance of food in Japanese culture. I became fascinated, as well as endlessly amused by it. Still today, I remember the scene where the old man teaches an eager young student the correct way to eat a bowl of ramen. I don’t follow his instruction, but I do love ramen, and today was the kind of rainy day that was just perfect for it.

Vegetarian Ramen

Served 1.
Leftover Potential: It would be super easy to double or triple this recipe to serve more people or to save for leftovers.

1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili paste
1 (14 oz) can vegetable broth

1 handful soba noodles
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup snap peas
1/4 cup water
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 radishes, thinly sliced
cilantro, roughly chopped, as needed for garnish

1. In a small pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat and cook the carrot, celery, and shallot until the shallots for about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a blender or food processor, and process to a paste.
2. Transfer the mixture back to the pot, and add the vegetable broth. Add the soba noodles. Simmer until the mixture develops good flavor and the noodles are tender, 8-10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened. Remove and set aside. Add the bell pepper and saute until softened, then set aside. Add the snap peas and saute with 1/4 cup water. Steam until the water has evaporated entirely. Set aside.
4. Spoon the finished broth into a bowl, and top with the garnishes. Serve immediately.

Salmon with Asian Slaw and Citrus Yogurt Sauce

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:48:56 +0000

I didn’t want to stop posting even though I am temporarily without camera. And it’s a bit of a shame, because this salmon was one of the prettiest dishes I have made in a long time – amazing colors, delicious flavors, and super super fast to make. By the time I had tossed the slaw, the salmon was done cooking – the whole meal was done in less than 15 minutes.

The next time you see some beautiful, fresh wild salmon at the grocery store (or the next time it’s on sale, as it was for me) grab it up and make this dish – it’s delicious and was definitely the perfect way to beckon in the warmth of spring.

Salmon with Asian Slaw and Citrus Yogurt Sauce

Served 3.

Leftover Potential: The citrus yogurt sauce and the slaw both keep well and would make for an amazing sandwich with chicken, turkey, or pork later in the week.

Salmon

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, cut into 3 even pieces

juice of 1 lime

salt, as needed

pepper, as needed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Squeeze the lime juice on the surface of the salmon and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the salmon and cook until browned on each side, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Finish for a few minutes under the broiler for an even crisper crust.

Asian Slaw

1/4 cup carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup broccoli, thinly sliced

1/4 cup celery, thinly sliced

1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (cooked, if desired)

juice and zest of 1 lime

juice and zest of 1/2 orange

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

salt, as needed

pepper, as needed

1. Mix the vegetables with the citrus juices, zest, vinegar, oil, and sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Citrus Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

juice and zest of 1 lime

juice and zest of 1/2 orange

juice and zest of 1 lemon

salt, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients together to form a smooth sauce.