Can I Get the Recipe? Week 22, Vol I, Dec 4, 2009 Recipe
Dinners of the Week:
Colleen’s Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Asparagus Dill Pasta with Grilled Salmon
Basil Beef Noodles
Minestrone
Ragu alla Bolognese
Dessert of the Week:
The Perfect Brownie
Snack of the Week:
Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars
Dinner One: Colleen’s Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Recipe adapted from Colleen of All Recipes Photo by docswife.
Prep Time: 20 min./Total Time: 4 to 8 hours 20 min. Serves 4 plus leftovers.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Combine all the ingredients except for the shrimp the night before, refrigerate then pop it into your slow cooker when desired. Serve this dish over rice
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound (6-8) skinless, boneless chicken thighs- cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 pound (225 grams) andouille sausage, sliced
- 1/2 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup (3 large stalks) chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 pound (225 grams) frozen cooked shrimp without tails
Directions:
In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
Dinner Two: Asparagus Dill Pasta with Salmon
Prep Time: 10 min./Total Time: 30 min. Recipe adjusted to serve 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Use fresh salmon fillets if possible when creating this dish.
Ingredients:
4 (4-6 ounce 1 inch thick) boneless salmon fillets, skin removed
1 pound (16 ounces/4 cups) orechiette or any small shaped pasta
1 large bunch (about 24 spears) asparagus, trimmed
4 teaspoons fresh dill
4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus a little extra for salmon
juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon on a baking sheet, brush with a little olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large pot, bring 3 quarts (3 litres) of water to a boil. Salt the water. Add the orechiette, stirring briefly. Let the pasta cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer in a large skillet or pot. Add asparagus and cook until just tender.
Remove asparagus from heat and place in a food processor along with garlic. Slowly add olive oil while the blending. Add a 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and stir in dill and lemon juice.
Place salmon in oven and roast 8 – 10 minutes, turn off the oven then let rest in the oven another 3 – 5 minutes while you finish pasta.
When the pasta is done, drain in a colander. Toss with the asparagus/dill mixture till heated through and serve alongside salmon.
Dinner Three: Basil Beef Noodles
Prep Time: 15 min./Total Time: 30 min. Recipe adjusted to serve 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: This recipe calls for red chilies, which are spicy so if you are not a fan of spicy foodsor you have small children, omit them. Use firm tofu instead of beef for a vegetarian version of this meal.
Ingredients:
400 grams (15 ounces) dried egg noodles
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
red chilies, sliced (optional as they are spicy)
600 grams sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons black pepper
100 ml (1/3 cup) water
2 handfuls Thai Basil
4 teaspoons corn flour
Directions:
Cook the noodles following the package directions. Drain.
Heat a wok to high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Put in the sliced chilies, if using, then the beef. Stir.
Mix the oyster, fish, and soy sauced with the black pepper and 100ml of water.
When the beef is almost done, poor in the sauce, stir well and adjust the seasoning if needed. Mix in the basil.
Mix the corn flour with 2 – 4 tablespoons of water. Add to the wok, stir, then add the noodles and mix well before serving.
Dinner Four: Minestrone
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 45 min. Recipe adjusted to serve 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: One bowl is never enough and this soup is even better the next day as the flavors intensify so you may want to double this delicious hearty soup recipe.
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peeled and chopped potatoes
3 tomatoes, skinned (drop the tomatoes into boiling water and leave for a couple of minutes, then drain; the skin will peel away easily)
½ small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 zucchini, peeled and chopped
2 small celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3.5 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
1 small sprig of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
About 6 cups vegetable stock, or enough stock to cover the vegetables
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh grated parmesan to serve
1 small loaf crusty bread to serve
Directions:
Fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
Add all the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil.
Simmer until all the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
Dinner Five: Ragu alla Bolognese
Prep Time: 30 min/Total Time: 2 hours 30 min. Serves 4 with leftovers.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: While this recipe takes a while to simmer, try making it on a weekend to be used for a week day meal. Leftovers are great over toast or potatoes too. This Bolognese will freeze well so if you want to, double the recipe and freeze any extras.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 pounds (900 grams) ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups white wine
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
a sprig of fresh rosemary
a small bunch of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bunch of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Directions:
Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables soften.
Add beef with pinch of salt and pepper. Cook while stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until beef begins to brown. Add wine to deglaze the pan, and cook for 8 minutes until most of the wine is evaporated.
Add in chopped tomato and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid is much absorbed into the meat.
Pour in beef broth, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Put the lid on and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
Stir in cream and cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pasta.
Dessert of the Week: The Perfect Brownie
Prep Time: 15 minutes/ Total Time: 45 minutes. Makes 9 brownies.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: One of the secrets to perfect baking every time is to use a kitchen scale to measure your flour instead of a measuring cup. If no scale is available and a cup is used, use the exact cup size needed and level off with a knife.
Ingredients:
¾ cups (80 grams) all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or more)
½ cup (4 ounces) butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Grease sides of an 8 x 8 baking pan.
In mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa.
In double boiler (or metal bowl resting on top of a saucepan of water), melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee.
Add sugars and remove from heat.
Add in eggs and vanilla, but do not over beat.
Sprinkle flour over chocolate mixture, folding gentle with a spatula. Again, do not over mix.
Pour into baking pan, bake 30 minutes (rotating halfway) or until edges are completely cooked and center is slightly underdone.
Snack of the Week: Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes/Total Time: 55 minutes. Makes 9 bars.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: You can double the recipe and use a 9 x 13 pan but while delicious, the only sweetness in these comes from the dried fruit. Add in ¼ - ½ cup of brown sugar if you like.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup dried fruit of your choice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¾ cups skim milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix dry ingredients.
Mix wet ingredients.
Pour wet into dry. Stir to combine.
Pour into a 9×9 baking dish either coated in cooking spray or lined with parchment.
Bake for 40 minutes. Cut into 9 squares.
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