Forever Nigella: Colourful

 

Admission: I have only ever had pasta sauce in the colours of red, white, or yellow.  Is that sad?  I don’t know.  Well, today that changed.  The ushering in of Spring and its parade of colours has inspired me to name this month’s Forever Nigella #25, (which I am hosting), “Colourful”.  Thumbing through Nigella’s recipes I came across a beautiful pasta dish with green sauce!  My attention had been captured.  It was lovely, colourful, fresh, and inviting.  And it’s a relatively easy and quick recipe too! 

Pasta Alla Genovese

Click here for the recipe.

So what gives this its gorgeous green hue?  Basil!  And it smells divine.  This was a beautiful switch from my normal sauce.  The basil and parmesan give the sauce a classic Italian taste, while the potatoes and beans add texture to the dish. 

Next time I make this, (and there will be a next time), I may put the beans in at the same time as the potatoes.  Although I found the beans just perfect, my family prefers longer cooked beans.  I’m ok with that.  I may also not allow the potatoes to cook as long as I did this time.  Perhaps it was my choice of potato, (Idaho), or the size of the chunks, but they cooked quite quickly and started to turn to mush.  It was still delicious, but I may have lost some of the potato when I drained the pot, I should have trusted my instincts on this one. I also would add a pinch of salt to the pesto next time, just to boost the flavor a little. One more thing:  the recipe calls for both olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.  I thought I had both, but only had the extra virgin olive oil.  So that’s what I used.  Brian said it was ok as long as I didn’t use olive oil with a questionable reputation. Sound advice.

Note for American readers: Silly me. Of course I would choose a theme word with a different American English spelling. Don’t freak out! I decided to spell it the British English way in this post, (since Nigella would spell it that way, of course.) If you don’t like it, just blame Noah Webster for making things terribly confusing for us all. Also, the recipe calls for “fine beans”. The all knowing internet told me that’s just green beans. Skinny ones perhaps work the best for this recipe, but use whatever fresh you can find.

A big thank you to Sarah at Maison Cupcake for organising the Forever Nigella blogging event, and allowing me the opportunity to host this month.  We would love for you to join us this month by whipping up something colourful from Nigella Lawson’s recipes and then blogging about it, (see rules below).  Please link up to your post using Linky Tools below.  All entries will be eligible for a drawing to win one of these colourful beauties:

The winner will choose the colour of choice.  The second scoop goes to the winner of the raffle below.  International entries are allowed.

Link your Forever Nigella blog post here: 

Enter here for the Ice Cream Scoop Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click here for the round-up and winners!

Forever Nigella Participation Rules

How it works:

Events run 1st to 30th unless otherwise stated.

Events are to be announced on host’s blog on the 1st with round ups on 1st of the next month signposting the next host and theme.

Blog checking lines:
Forever Nigella #[number] is being hosted by [name] of [blog]. This month’s challenge is to prepare and blog any Nigella Lawson recipe [describe theme]. Forever Nigella is organised by Sarah at Maison Cupcake.

1. Blog by the deadline showing:
a) current Forever Nigella badge
b) link to the current host’s announcement post
c) link to Forever Nigella page: http://maisoncupcake.com/forever-nigella-faq

Entries should have been published during that month.

2. Remember copyright.
Please do NOT reproduce Nigella’s recipes verbatim. Say which book it was and/or link to it online (see likely places below). If you’ve adapted the recipe i.e. changed at least two ingredients or amended the method then it’s ok to publish the a recipe in your post but you MUST write directions in your own words.

3. Submit your post via the linky tool – if there is no linky being used email the host cc’ed to sarah AT maisoncupcake DOT com. Tweet posts using #forevernigella and @maisoncupcake and Sarah will try to RT all those she sees.

The Forever Nigella page has a list of Nigella resources, future hosts and links to past themes and round ups.

Nigella Resources

No Nigella books yet? Search these resources online:

• Official Nigella site: http://www.nigella.com/
• BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/nigella_lawson
• Channel 4: http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-chefs/nigella-lawson-recipes
• Good Food Channel: http://uktv.co.uk/food/chef/aid/530864/
• Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/nigella-lawson/index.html
• Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Nigella+Lawson

Perfect Pork Chops

 

Sometimes the best recipes also happen to be the easiest ones.  That’s the case with these fantastic pork chops.  It is really simple and the outcome is perfect in my opinion.  This is my go to marinade for pork chops.

Perfect Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 lbs. pork chops

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

Place everything in a large Ziploc bag. Stash in the fridge until needed, at least a few hours, but overnight is even better.  If the liquid doesn’t completely cover the chops, turn the bag a few times to help things out.

Now how do you want those chops? Grilled?  Ok, then just grill them on high until the middle is no longer pink. 

Want something even easier?  Then forget marinating in the fridge and just put everything in the crock-pot and cook according to it’s manufacturer’s instructions. Turn them over about halfway through cooking.  SO easy!

These chops want to be served beside mashed potatoes and these peas.  Dinner is served, YUM!

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen. 

Linked to Made It On Monday.

Forever Nigella: Salad Days

 

One thing I love about Nigella Lawson is how she can use simple ingredients found in the pantry to create an equally simple, but delicious meal.  Some of the best recipes come about just by scrounging around in the fridge or the pantry and using up what you have lying around. 

This month’s Forever Nigella is hosted by Dom at Belleau Kitchen and the theme is Salad Days.  After looking through as many of Ms. Lawson’s salad recipes as I could find, what tempted me most wasn’t a recipe for a salad, but a recipe for a salad dressing.  Using some pantry staples, you can create a quick and easy homemade Honey Mustard Dressing. 

Click here for Nigella’s recipe for Golden Honey Mustard Dressing.

As you can see in the recipe, Nigella gives the measurements for each ingredient, but I think she probably wings it a little.  This recipe is ridiculously easy.  Just assemble your ingredients and add to a jar, then shake, shake, shake!  This could be very therapeutic after a rough day.  Two things to think about with this recipe: First, I’m not sure, but I think that this recipe calls for Rapeseed oil (as mentioned in the introduction) instead of Grapeseed oil as listed in the ingredients.  Rapeseed oil and Canola oil are practically the same thing, so that’s what I used and it was perfect.  Second, it took me a lemon and a half to get the right amount of juice.  But I could probably have done well enough with just one lemon.  My suggestion is to add half of the suggested lemon juice, shake and taste.  You can always add more later.

So what kind of salad goes with a dressing this tasty?  I started with some leftover salad greens.  Then I searched through my refrigerator where I found some bacon bits, shredded cheese, a hard-boiled egg and a leftover fried chicken tender.  A few croutons from the pantry and my salad was ready to receive a lovely drizzle of golden dressing.  There’s something very comforting about the flavors of the egg and honey mustard dressing, it’s hard for me to resist.  It would have been fantastic with some cucumbers as well, but the point I’m making here is that I used what I had.  And it was delicious!

 

Here’s a reminder of the rules: Forever Nigella #5 “Salad Days”
Challenge: To prepare and blog any Nigella salad recipe
Deadline: Sunday, May 29 at midnight wherever you are.
Round up: By the next weekend.
There are:
No rules about how often you must take part
No rules about stuff being secret until certain dates
No rules that everyone cook exactly the same thing
No rules about not being able to submit to any other blog events – but do check it doesn’t contravene any rules the other guys may have.
But there are 3 rules:
1. We want everyone to keep buying lots and lots of Nigella books so that she keeps writing them so you must NOT reproduce recipes verbatim as shown in Nigella’s publications. If you are sticking exactly to the original recipe, just tell us which book it was from and if available, provide a link to it on Nigella.com http://www.nigella.com which publishes a lot (but not all) of her recipes. (You may also find some recipes on sites for some TV stations and newspapers).  Alternatively, you may blog an adapted Nigella recipe so long as you have changed at least two ingredients and write the directions in your own words. Tell us what you changed and why.
2. Publish your Forever Nigella blog post (in English) by the closing date including the latest Forever Nigella graphic and giving a link to this post and the Forever Nigella home page http://blog.maisoncupcake.com/forever-nigella .  Your entry must have been published since the announcement post. You may only re-blog something from your archives if you republish it with the badge and links to this post before the deadline.
3.Email the details to me at Dom@thepersuaders.co.uk  and please c.c. sarahATmaisoncupcakeDOTcom – I need your name, your blog name, a link to your post and a photo no more than 300 pixels wide. No billboard sized images please.

Salad Days Round-Up

Pizza Mia

Back in February, my husband and I went to a youth conference in Gatlinburg, TN with some teens from church. We stayed in a townhouse that weekend, so we took advantage of having a full kitchen and I cooked all our meals. Well, that’s not entirely true. I wrangled everyone into helping. That’s right, I got teen guys to cook.

Here’s the details on planning the menu. First, I had to find out if there were any food allergies or special dietary needs. We had one vegetarian, but other than that all the others said they would eat anything.

Next, I decided on meals that were easy to prepare, and could be done in an assembly line. The desserts would be easy too. A lot of the ingredients could be used in multiple dishes too. Here’s our menu:

Friday Dinner: Hamburgers/Veggie burgers with all the good stuff you want on a burger, French Fries and Mocha Pudding for dessert. (Mocha Pudding deserves it’s own post, coming soon.)

Saturday Breakfast: Omelets in a Bag, muffins, and cereal.

Saturday Lunch: Quesadillas, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, Chips and Salsa.

Saturday Dinner: Pizza Mias, Gooey Butter Cake.

Sunday Breakfast: Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls with How Sweet Eats’ Vanilla Cream Glaze, muffins, cereal.

Before going, I made sure that I had as much prepared as possible. Meats cooked, muffins made, ingredients mixed. Hey, I didn’t want to spend the whole weekend in the kitchen. It worked out really well. I’m so proud of how organized I was. Friday night after dinner, I had everyone mix up their omelets and store in the fridge overnight. That made Saturday morning go smoothly. I was so proud of our teens. Not only did they help me out in the kitchen, but by the end of the weekend were taking the initiative in getting food ready. You don’t see that everyday. Thanks guys!

Anyway, here is a recipe that is a crowd pleaser. Nothing fancy here, just something incredibly easy that can be adjusted to your tastes and easy to serve to a large group. We call them Pizza Mias, not just because they are personal pizzas, but because the recipe was given to me by my friend Mia. Here’s what you need:

• Sub rolls
• Marinara sauce
• Your favorite pizza toppings
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese, or whatever cheese you prefer for pizza
• Aluminum foil to keep you sane

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice the rolls into two halves if not already sliced.

Add your sauce.

Then lay on the toppings.

Now the cheese.

Now stick it in the oven for 10 minutes or so until the cheese has melted. See how easy that was, I kinda feel goofy for spelling it all out for you, it’s such a no brainer.

Mia suggests that for a large crowd, use multiple pans so they are ready to go as soon as another comes out of the oven. She also sticks to just 3 options, cheese, peperoni, and sausage. Get an assembly line going and it couldn’t be easier!

Bean and Bacon Soup

It's getting cold outside and so it's a good time to start thinking about soup. My favorite soup is Bean and Bacon. On the thick side. With LOADS of crackers. That's just me. But this recipe can be made thin or thick to your liking. It's perfect on a cold evening like we've been having lately. Make extra and freeze in small portions; you'll have dinner ready in no time! 

Bean and Bacon Soup
Serves 8

2 cups dried navy beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 ham hock, (the more meat the better)
4 quarts water
1-2 tablespoons dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse your beans and then soak overnight, or follow directions on your bag for a quick soak. After soaking, rinse again and drain.

In a large pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Cook the onion, celery and carrot until they start to get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the beans, ham hock and water. Turn to high heat and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium-low. Cook for 3-4 hours with the lid partially covering the pot. Stir often.

Take the ham hock out of the pot and set aside. Using a blender or food processor, puree about half of the remaining soup mixture and add back to the pot. Take the ham hock and remove the skin, fat and gristle. Take the remaining meat off the bone and finely chop, then add back the pot. Add the parsley, salt and pepper, tasting along the way to get the right amount.

If the soup is too thick you can had hot water to the pot and stir well until it is the right consistency for you. If it is too thin, turn the heat to high and cook uncovered, stirring often until it is thick enough.

Enjoy!!

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

Salmon Bake for Brunch

Saturday we had a Baby Shower for the soon-to-be-here Baby Liam. We had it at 11:00 a.m. so it was an appropriate time to have Brunch. Being brunch, it was treated as more of a meal than your normal baby shower fare of cake, mints and punch. We had quite a spread:

I really wanted to make something for the shower, mostly because it was something I was dreaming about eating. So I made my Salmon Bake. It is a really easy recipe, and if you've made my Salmon Patties, you already know much of what to do since it is a variation of that recipe. I doubled this recipe and it was exactly enough for this shower, because no one (well, except for me maybe) was eating a full serving. And boy, was it yummy! It was perfect and exactly what I had been craving!


Salmon Bake
Serves 6

12 oz. cooked salmon, flaked *see note below
1 6 oz box stuffing mix (cornbread flavored)
1/3 c mayonnaise
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups shredded mozzarella (reserve some for top)
1 egg
3/4 c water
2 tsp oil

Mix together well the mayonnaise, lemon juice, egg, water and oil. Then mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and place into a baking dish. Sprinkle top with reserved mozzarella. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

*I bought frozen salmon fillets and after defrosting, sprinkled with kosher salt and grilled on my George Foreman style grill. It is more economical than buying in cans or other packaging.

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

* Thanks for taking pictures, Leigh!

Yummy Once--Yummy Twice--Yummy Chicken Soup with Rice

Have you missed me? I'd like to say I've been really busy with no time to write. In reality, I've just been too pregnant and lazy to be motivated to do anything much. Even though I should probably save every tiny amount of motivation I might find for baby prep, I felt that at least one post before Baby Liam gets here should be in order.

This recipe came about one afternoon when I was trying to figure out what we'd have for dinner. Too hot to spend much time in the kitchen, and too weary to do much standing, I decided it was a crock-pot kind of night. I threw some chicken into the pot and then searched the kitchen for something to give it flavor. I found a can of chicken and rice soup and decided that would do.

That evening, I fished out some of the chicken from the crock-pot and served with whatever sides I had prepared. It made our taste buds sing! There was some chicken left, (not to mention that beautiful golden liquid) all of which went straight to the fridge. The next day for lunch, I took the remaining chicken and mixed it with some rice and peas and the reserved soup. DELICIOUS!!

If you just want the chicken by itself, follow the first part of the recipe, but continue on for the chicken and rice recipe.

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

Yummy Chicken and Rice
serves 6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans chicken and rice soup + 2 cans of water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps butter
salt and pepper to taste
*******************************************
6 cups cooked rice
1 can of green peas, drained

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to crock-pot and drizzle with olive oil and add butter. Add soup and water. Cover crock-pot and turn to high and allow to cook until done, (according to crock-pot instructions).
********************************************
Place the chicken in a large bowl and shred. Add rice, peas and the remaining soup and mix well. Devour!!

I told you once
I told you twice
all seasons
of the year
are nice
for eating
chicken soup
with rice!

--Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak

A Fish Called Wonderful

Salmon: my all time favorite kind of fish. Bake it, broil it, smoke it (oh yeah!), fry it, and grill it! Doesn't matter what you do to it, I'm gonna eat it. Unless it comes from a can. One time I opened a can and pretty much they had just stuffed a whole fish in there. I know you can eat the skin and bones, but I just don't want to. I steer clear of the canned fish and go for the vacuum packed foil pouch fish. It tastes better anyway.

One way we enjoy salmon at my house is Salmon Patties. Call 'em fish cakes if you want, but I've got a two year old, I don't need to confuse her. For this recipe, you can use foil packed salmon, canned salmon (gag), or cook your own fresh salmon beforehand.

My mouth is watering!

Salmon Patties
6-8 Servings with 2 or 3 patties per person

Ingredients:
12 oz. cooked salmon

6 oz. box of cornbread stuffing mix (herb flavored recommend)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup canola oil (may need more or less depending on your skillet size)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix together stuffing mix and water. Add salmon, mayo, lemon juice and mozzarella; stir to combine well. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet on medium , (oil should pretty much cover the bottom). Using the scoop of your choice, (large ice cream scoop, 1/4, or 1/3 cup measuring cup depending on desired size), scoop out mixture and form into slightly flattened patties using your hands. Add to oil and cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Move cooked patties to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain while cooking other patties. (Tip: a slotted spatula is the way to go here)

Special Notes:
To make ahead, form patties and then store in refrigerator freezer. If freezing, let thaw before cooking.

This would also be a good way to use up leftover homemade cornbread dressing. Omit the water and follow other directions using 6 oz. of your own yummy dressing.

Click here for the printable recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

Creamy and flaky on the inside and a little crunchy on the outside.


I think I'll have just one more...or two!

From Pantry to Potluck

Today's recipe is made from ingredients that may possibly already be in your pantry. It's easy to put together, doesn't take long to make, and if there is something you don't fancy in this dish, it is easy to make substitutions. Oh, and did I mention this recipe comes from Paula Deen? This dish is served in her Lady & Sons restaurant. So next time you're looking for a one dish meal or something to take to a potluck, give this a try!

Can you see how creamy this is? YUM!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

serves 6 to 8

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 medium onion, diced and sautéed

One 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

Two 14 1/2 ounce cans French green beans, rinsed and drained

One 4 ounce can pimentos, rinsed and drained

One 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup

1 cup mayonnaise

One 6 ounce box Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice, cooked

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 3 quart casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.

Inspiration

If you know me, then you probably know why I haven't had a new post in a while. Yep, that's right...morning sickness. Not really been up to doing much in the kitchen, but I'm slowly getting there. Here is a post I've been saving for a cold day, and since it's snowing outside my window right now, I'd say it's a good time to post it.

When I was young, I had some cookbooks designed for children. I poured over these books looking at the pictures of all the things I could make. I'd love to say that I cooked up all kinds of tasty things from these books, but I honestly can't remember making anything but a sandwich where you spread peanut butter on the inside of a hot dog bun and then add a peeled banana to finish it off. At that age I was intrigued with cooking and while there were some foods that I enjoyed cooking, it wasn't until I was in college that I really found my love for all things culinary.

I give some credit to my roommate Martha for inspiring me to be more knowledgeable in the kitchen. She could take what seemed like random items from the fridge and throw them together to make an amazing meal. More credit goes to my friends Trevor and Pauline. Having spent several weeks in their home one summer, I watched this amazing team serve delicious food from their kitchen. Soon, I eagerly began to watch the Food Network and search for inspiration on the many websites devoted to food. I found this recipe when I was in college, and it has been a favorite ever since.




Creamy Lemon Chicken with Vegetables
serves 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts (Sometimes I cut into large cubes)
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
grated peel and juice of 1 large lemon
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) mixed peas and diced carrots, drained
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or half that dried)


Season both sides of your chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and melt butter. Add your chicken to the skillet and cook until nice and brown and cooked thoroughly, (about 3 minutes each side.) Add soup, lemon peel and juice, and stir well to incorporate with the drippings from the chicken. Turn heat to medium-low, cover the skillet and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stir every couple of minutes to keep sauce from sticking. Add the vegetables and parsley, cover and simmer a couple of minutes until entire dish is completely heated. Serve with wild and long grained rice.

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen!

Taco Soup

It's cold and rainy today. On a day like this I'd like to stay under my blanket instead of hanging out in the kitchen. That means it's time to pull out the crock pot and make Taco Soup. I've tried different versions of this soup, but I find this recipe that my friend Martha gave me to be the best.


Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 cans Shoepeg corn
1 can Black beans
2 cans Kidney beans
2 cans Crushed tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing mix


Put all ingredients into a large pot, (do not drain cans.) Cook on high for 30 minutes, stirring often. Simmer until ready to serve.

OR...

Put all ingredients into crock pot, (do not drain cans.) Cook on low all day or on high for 5 hours. Stir often.

I think shredded cheddar cheese and corn chips are the best way to adorn this soup, but feel free to try crackers or cornbread too.

Foodbuzz Blog Awards
Take part in the foodbuzz blog awards by voting today!! Just click the link below to see the nominees. Some of my favorites are Bakerella, Cake Wrecks, and Iron Cupcake: Earth. Bakerella always has sweet ideas with great photos. Cake Wrecks gives readers a daily dose of wit and humor, not to mention hilarious cakes. And if you've been reading this blog you'll already be familiar with Iron Cupcake: Earth. Since it is a community effort, a win for Iron Cupcake: Earth is a win for all of us cupcake challengers too!
http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/1474529-announcing-the-foodbuzz-blog-awards-
Hurry! Voting ends October 29th!

Chicken Quesadillas with Roasted Red Peppers

This dish is a favorite in my house. The recipe serves six if part of a meal, but expect them to be greedily gobbled up if served alone.



Chicken Quesadillas with Roasted Red Peppers
serves 6

1 lb chicken breasts, boiled and shredded (boil for 20 minutes or leave all day in your crock-pot)
1 1.25 oz packet taco seasoning
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
8 ounces shredded cheese, divided (cheddar or your favorite Mexican/Taco bled)
12 10 inch flour tortillas
2 tbsps melted butter

• Follow the directions on your seasoning packet to season the chicken.
  
• In a bowl, combine the seasoned chicken and peppers.
  
• Warm tortillas in microwave for 20 seconds or until warm. This will make them soft enough to fold.
  
• Brush melted butter onto one side of each tortilla and place buttered side down on wax paper.
  
• Using half of the cheese, sprinkle onto 1/2 of each tortilla.
  
• Top with chicken mixture and remaining cheese.
  
• Fold tortillas in half to enclose filling.
  
• Cook in skillet on medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted.
  
• Cut each quesadilla into wedges to serve.

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen!

Chicken and seasoning simmering happily away.

Beautiful roasted red bell peppers are one of my favorites!

A large electric skillet cuts cooking time!

Smaller wedges are perfect for kids. Sophie loves them!