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Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

I made this for dinner last night.  The whole thing comes together fairly quickly once all the ingredients are assembled.   I really liked how the basmati rice soaked up the spicy sauce.  Next time I make this, I'll decrease the amount of red bell pepper by at least half.  I think i will also add some spinach to the sauce.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

1  teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2  teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2  garlic cloves, minced
1  cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1  cup chopped green onions
1  teaspoon curry powder
2  teaspoons red curry paste
1/2  teaspoon ground cumin
4  teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1  tablespoon brown sugar
1/2  teaspoon salt, divided
1  (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2  tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4  (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
hot cooked basmati rice
4  lime wedges

Preheat broiler.
Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add
pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy
sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat;
stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated
with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with
sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Recipe source:  Cooking Light, September 2002

posted by: artichoke72 at 19:18 | link | comments |
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Swiss Chard, Barley and Navy Bean Soup

I made this healthy soup last night and it was delicious!  I served it with a green salad and rustic whole wheat bread for a perfect meal.

Swiss Chard, Barley and Navy Bean Soup

1 bunch Swiss chard
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juices
8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup pearled barley
1 can (15 oz.) navy beans, drained (you could also use cannellini beans)
salt and pepper

Soak Swiss chard in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and wash well.  Slice the stalks crosswise about 1/8-inch thick.  Cut the leaves into 1/4-inch strips.

Put the olive oil and chopped onion in a soup pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often until soft.  Add the garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and their juices, the vegetable broth, the Swiss Chard, and the pearled barley.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to low.  Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the navy beans and season with salt and pepper.  When beans are heated through, about 2 minutes, the soup is ready to serve.

posted by: artichoke72 at 14:48 | link | comments (2) |
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Blueberry Granola

Here's another quick and easy granola.  It turns out crunchy and not too sweet.  The molasses is a nice change.

Blueberry Granola

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cups unsalted cashew halves
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 T. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine the oats, cashews, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the molasses, honey, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour molasses mixture over oat mixture and stir well to combine.  Spread evenly on prepared pan.   Bake 30 minutes or until golden, stirring after 15 minutes and frequently after that.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Stir blueberries into granola mixture.

posted by: artichoke72 at 15:19 | link | comments (4) |
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Savory Pepper Biscotti with Pecans and Cheddar

I made these savory biscotti tonight to go with Sopa Ranchera soup.  They are perfect for dunking in soup.  They are also good spread with a little goat's cheese.  Try making them with parmesan cheese, walnuts, and 2 teaspoons of dried oregano (don't leave out the black pepper though) for something different.

Savory Pepper Biscotti with Cheddar and Pecans

1/2 cup toasted pecans
6 T. olive oil
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

in a large bowl, beat together the olive oil, cheddar, eggs, and milk.  in a separate bowl, mix the four, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper.  add the liquid ingredients to the dry, stirring until he dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.  gently add the pecans.

line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  press out dough to form a narrow rectangle that runs the length of the baking sheet and is about 1/2 inch thick. 

bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  remove the biscotti from the oven and slice into 1/2 inch wide slices.  place slices on baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  remove and turn each biscotti over.  return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.  they should be golden brown on both sides.

let the biscotti cool.  tightly wrapped, the biscotti stay fresh for a week.  freeze them for up to 3 months.

posted by: artichoke72 at 01:00 | link | comments |
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Valentine's Day Dinner

Pork Chops with Raspberry-Chipotle Sauce
Garlic Orange Spinach
Baked Potatoes
Chocolate and Coconut Cream Fondue

This is the meal I made for Valentine's Day.  It was a nice, as well as easy meal.

Pork Chops with Raspberry-Chipotle Sauce

4 pork chops, trimmed of fat
1 T. oil
salt and pepper to taste

2 T. finely chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. bag frozen raspberries
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
2 T. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse pork chops and pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 T. oil in a skillet over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook, turning once until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Remove pork chops to a plate and cover with foil; set aside.

Add shallots and garlic to skillet and saute for about 30 seconds (you may have to add a dash of oil).  Add the raspberries and cook, stirring for another 30 seconds.  Add the red wine, scraping any bits on the bottom of the pan.  Reduce the mixture over high heat until about 3/4 cup liquid remains.  Add the stock and chipotle.  Reduce over high heat until about 2 cups of liquid remains.  Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan and heat to boiling.  Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon some of the sauce onto a plate and place a pork chop over it.  

Garlic Orange Spinach

1 10 ounce bag of spinach leaves, washed with stems removed
 1  clove garlic,  thinly sliced
 2  T.  olive oil
 3  T. fresh orange juice
 1  T. orange zest
 salt & pepper to taste
 
In a large pot heat oil over med. high heat, add garlic and cook stirring constantly until it begins to brown, about 30 seconds.  Add orange juice and cook until reduced about 30 seconds.  Add spinach and orange zest and saute until spinach wilts.  Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper.

posted by: artichoke72 at 15:04 | link | comments |
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Spicy Beef Chantaboon

I made this noodle dish for dinner tonight and we enjoyed it very much.  To ensure success with this recipe, have all the ingredients prepared before starting to actually cook because this dish comes together quickly.  Mung bean sprouts and/or sliced scallion greens would be a nice addition to spicy beef chantaboon...throw them in at the same time you add the spinach.  You can find chantaboon rice noodles at Asian markets.  If you can't find them, any broad, flat rice noodle would work.  I order extra hot (Pakastani) chile flakes from Penzeys (they are twice as hot as the stuff you find at pizza places).

Spicy Beef Chantaboon

Marinade:
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. sugar

2 T. canola oil

1 large onion, halved, and thinly sliced
1 pound lean flank steak, london broil, or sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and gristle and thinly sliced

1 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. hot chile flakes (or use a couple small dried chiles, chopped)

Tossing Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chinese rice wine or sake
3 T. fish sauce
3 T. sugar

5 - 10 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, stems removed, and thinly sliced

6 ounces flat rice noodles (chantaboon), cooked in boiling water until just tender, rinsed, and drained

fresh baby spinach

To serve:
chopped fresh cilantro
chopped dry roasted peanuts

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Add the meat and toss to coat.

Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat.  Add the oil and heat until very hot.  Add the onions and beef and stir fry until the beef loses the pink color.  Add the minced garlic and chile flakes and stir fry until fragrant.  Add shiitake mushrooms, noodles, and tossing sauce.  Lightly toss mixture until noodles absorb sauce.  Add a couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves, toss to combine.  Transfer noodles to a platter, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts and serve.

posted by: artichoke72 at 01:17 | link | comments |
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Beer Bread

I have been making this beer bread for years.  It's sooo quick and easy.  Shiner Bock is my favorite beer for making this bread.  This week I used a Bud Light that someone left at my house after "poker night" and it turned out surprisingly good.  I don't recommend Heineken for making it though....funky tasting results.

Beer Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
12 ounces beer, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly oil (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the beer and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is light golden.  Turn out onto a rack to cool.

posted by: artichoke72 at 00:16 | link | comments |
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