MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - GARLIC-GINGER CHICKEN WITH SESAME GREEN BEANS AND CARROT-GINGER RICE

I found this meal over at For The Love Of Cooking hosted by Pam. You can see the original chicken recipe here, and the Carrot-Ginger Rice here and the Sesame-Green Beans here.

Garlic-Ginger Chicken

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I used 2 oranges)

Zest of 1 orange

Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, orange juice and orange zest in a large Ziploc bag. Place in refrigerator for 1-24 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat with the olive oil. Once the pan is hot add chicken thighs. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Set on a platter, let the meat rest for five minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Sesame Green Beans

1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2-3 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to the boil over a high heat. Add the green beans and cook 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain the water.

While the beans are cooking combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds together and mix until well combined. Add the mixture to the cooked and drained green beans and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Carrot-Ginger Rice

1 cup of Basmati rice

2 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Dash cayenne pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the rice and chicken broth together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes. Remove lid and let sit for five minutes before fluffing with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for five minutes, stirring often, until tender. Add the carrot, ginger and garlic to the onions. Cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice to the mixture along with the cilantro, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and dash of cayenne pepper. Stir gently so that all the ingredients are combined. Serve immediately.

Added note: I had to cook the chicken a little longer because the first time I checked it wasn't cooked all the way through. When I first marinated the chicken I had forgotten the fresh ginger on my last trip to the store, and used a teaspoon of ginger powder that I already had. The next day I picked up fresh ginger for the rice dish. I thought the rice was just about the best one I had ever tasted, and I also enjoyed the green beans. I usually use low-sodium soy sauce.

I marinated the chicken the day before, and the day I served up the meal I measured out all my ingredients and prepared the vegetables several hours earlier, covering everything and refrigerating what I needed to. Things go quickly and more smoothly when fixing this meal with everything all laid out beforehand.

We both gave this meal a big thumb's up and will be serving it again. We had enough rice left over for another meal and are having it with tomorrow's dinner. There is coconut shrimp in the freezer and I will probably toss a green salad together.

Thanks for looking and

have a great day!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE - STRAWBERRY, SPINACH SALAD WITH POPPY SEED HONEY-LEMON DRESSING - SERVES 4

It is a great time for salads with all the hot weather we have been having. I am also adding our 10-day forecast, occasionally, not all the time. Just a reminder for us to look back on. Here's ours starting tomorrow (I am writing this on 7-13-24). Happily we have some rain ahead. Good news for our farmers and good news for our gardens.

This recipe comes from Julia's recipes, hosted by Julia, who lives in Colorado, USA. Thank you Julia for this wonderful recipe. Great photos, great recipes if you would like to take a look, and the original recipe is at this link. She also has a lot of suggestions for other recipes to be served with it.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Honey-Lemon Dressing 

Serves: 4

Calories per serving: approximately 370

Salad dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds divided

Spinach Strawberry Salad

6 oz baby spinach

12 ounces strawberries cleaned, hulled, and sliced (about 3 cups)

½ cup feta cheese crumbled

½ cup pecans toasted

Make salad dressing:

Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in a mason jar. Whisk well with a fork for 1 to 2 minutes until well blended. Add more (or less) honey or mustard to taste. (Denise’s note: I would also say go sparingly until you have added enough dressing to your salad for your own taste.)

Putting together:

Combine spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted pecans (some whole some chopped) in a large serving bowl (or in 4 individual salad bowls).

Add salad dressing and toss to combine.

Top with crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with extra poppy seeds.

Julia's Notes:

Toast the pecans on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F for 7 to 10 minutes, until they turn slightly darker (be careful not to over-toast them). Toasted pecans are crunchier and have a fresher taste.

Other nuts that complement a strawberry spinach salad are walnuts, toasted pine nuts, or salted shelled pistachios. Candied nuts are also great additions.

For a nut-free version, simply substitute sunflower seeds.

Alternative leafy greens include a spinach/arugula mix or butter lettuce.

Nutritional information can be read at the original recipe.

I am adding the full address if you prefer to copy and paste instead of clicking on any links.

https://juliasalbum.com/strawberry-spinach-salad-poppy-seeds/

Make ahead tips (Denise’s note: it was a lot of prep work and I would do all this for next time):

Toast pecans up to 2 days in advance. 

Toast them in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 7 or 10 minutes (Denise’s note: I have had trouble burning nuts, so I was cautious and took them out at a little past the 4 minute mark). Once they are cool, keep them in a ziploc bag at room temperature or in the fridge.

Make the salad dressing in advance:

You can make it up to 5 days in advance and keep it refrigerated in a mason jar. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Assemble quartered strawberries, spinach, and crumbled feta cheese up to 5 hours in advance before serving.  

Add the nuts and the poppy seed dressing only when ready to serve. This will prevent spinach from wilting and will keep the nuts crunchy! (Denise’s note: I had added the dressing already for our meal. When we ate the two remaining meals the next day, it resembled a wilted lettuce salad, though we still enjoyed it. However, I wouldn’t make quite as much next time, and only enough for just two people to eat on the day of making.)

Storage Tips:

It's best to serve strawberry spinach salad right away, so it is recommended making just enough so that you have no leftovers. (See my note above.)

If you do have leftovers, the salad can be refrigerated for 2 days. It's best to refrigerate the salad and the dressing separately. 

What did we think? It was delicious and we enjoyed not only the ingredients but the salad dressing. You can play around with it if you think it is too sweet. We thought it was excellent, except I thought maybe to go easier on the poppy seeds as they seemed to be overboard on those. My advice for us next time is to use them sparingly until we have enough for them not to look too much. The following is a photo of what we thought was too much. That being said, it did not detract from the deliciousness.

Thanks for stopping by and as always, 

I hope your day is a great one. 

Bon Appétit!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BAKED TOMATOES - SERVES 4

 

I was looking for a side dish for tomatoes.  I saw this at "cook2eatwell" hosted by Elizabeth.  I didn't want to fuss much and this was just what I was looking for.  A simple combination of tomatoes, cheese and herbs.  You can find the original recipe here.

Baked Tomatoes 

Serves 4

4 Medium Tomatoes 

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano plus a pinch to top each tomato half

¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated

1½ to 2 cups Shredded Mozzarella

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, add salt, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper.  Mix well. 

Cut each tomato in half.  Cut a thin slice off at each end, making sure you don't cut through to the inside.  This is so that the tomato doesn't wabble on the baking dish.

Cut in half and gently scoop out the seeds, using a small spoon.  

Pat the tomatoes dry and place them (scooped side up) on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Place a little space between each tomato half.   

Brush the tops and inside of the tomato with olive oil.

Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly inside and over the tomatoes.

Add ½ teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese to each half.

Add about 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese to each half.

Top each with a pinch of parmesan cheese and a pinch of dried oregano.

Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the tomatoes soften.

Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.  Broil for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, to brown the cheese.  Make sure you keep an eye on them so they don't burn.  

You can serve them as an appetizer or a side dish to your favorite meal.

Note from the host:

Choose tomatoes that are ripe, but not too ripe so that they hold up to scooping and baking.

This was a very tasty side dish, and we didn't change any of the ingredients.  We will definitely be making it again.  

The tomatoes are a nice accompaniment to roast chicken with a piece of cornbread, and a mixed green salad. 

Here is the full address if you would rather cut and paste it into your search box.

https://www.cook2eatwell.com/baked-tomatoes/

Thank you for visiting, 

have a great week 

and

Bon Appétit!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - PARMESAN ROASTED POTATOES - SERVES 6

 

Today's recipe comes from Spoon Fork Bacon, hosted by Terri and Jenny.  It looks like they used it as an appetizer, but I made mine a side dish and it was very yummy.  You can find the original recipe at this link.

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

Serves: 6

Calories per serving: 176 

1/3 cup pre-grated Parmesan cheese (see in notes)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons melted, salted butter divided

2 pounds baby potatoes halved lengthwise

salt optional

Optional garnish and serving suggestion:

2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

2/3 cup sour cream

 

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

In a small bowl stir together cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.

Brush 1 tablespoon melted butter into the bottom of a glass 10”x14” baking dish.

Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over brushed butter, in the baking dish.

Press cut-side of potatoes into the cheese mixture (trying not to move the potatoes once they are set down).

Carefully brush tops of potatoes with remaining butter and season with salt if you want(but I found that the extra salt isn’t needed due to the salt in the butter and cheese).

Roast potatoes for 28-32 minutes or until tops have wrinkled and potatoes are just fork tender.

Remove from oven and break apart any Parmesan crisp pieces connecting the potatoes together.

Transfer potatoes to a platter and top with chives. Serve with sour cream for dipping if you want!

  

Notes:

Pre-grated Parmesan cheese that you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Do not freshly grate the Parmesan for this recipe. The pre-grated Parmesan melts and sticks to the potatoes the best and creates the best cheese blanket, which is just what you want!  (Denise's note: I grated my Parmesan using a microplaner similar to this one. I would be interested in using the pregrated product to see the difference, but I was very happy with the way mine turned out.)

Press the potatoes into the Parmesan mixture, don’t move them around. This will ensure a full and even coating of the Parmesan is crusted onto the potatoes.

It’s important to use potatoes similar in size for this dish to ensure even roasting.

Variations:

Add some herbs and/or other spices to the Parmesan mixture. we like adding cumin for a smoky kick or rosemary and thyme for an earthy flavor!

Add a teaspoon of honey to the remaining butter mixture for a sweet touch.

Serve the potatoes with ketchup, ranch, bbq sauce, or honey mustard instead of sour cream for dipping.

Reheating instructions

The potatoes really taste the best when they’re eaten fresh from the oven, but if you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven. 

To reheat the potatoes:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place Parmesan potatoes in a baking dish, cut-side down and cover baking dish tightly with foil. Roast for 10 minutes until heated through. Uncover and flip potatoes so they’re cut-side up. Lightly sprinkle with a little more Parmesan, salt and pepper. Continue to roast for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and enjoy!

We both found this recipe delicious!  I served them on the side with a rib-eye steak (we don’t buy huge steaks but they are big enough to portion into thirds.  We each have a small portion, leaving the remaining third to be sliced thinly and made into sandwiches the next day.  It is a good way of controlling portions).  My other side was slices of sautéed tomatoes.

Thanks for looking, have a great day and...

MONDAY RECIPE POST - SIDE DISH: POTATO AND PARSNIP MASH

There is no link to this recipe, it is something that I have had in my head for a while, an old dish that my mother used to make when I was a child, and one I haven't thought about doing in a long time.  

It is an age-old recipe you may have your own version.  If you do, I would love to read about it in a comment.  Mine is simple, nothing very fussy, and you have to like parsnips.  You can also leave out the parsnips and make regular mashed potatoes, or leave out the potatoes and just make the parsnips.

Mashed Potato and Parsnip Mash

Ingredients:

Use your favorite potatoes, as many as you need for each person.  Peel and cut into large chunks.

The same applies for the parsnips, peel and cut into large chunks (I usually use equal amounts but less is okay too).

A big pat of butter or you can use a little avocado oil or olive oil

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (you can leave this out if you prefer)

A small amount of milk (I used 2% but you can also use broth if going non-dairy.  Up to you on how much, for the consistency you prefer)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pour enough water to cover the veggies and bring to a boil.  When it reaches the boiling point, cook for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and parsnips are cooked enough to mash.  You don't want to get them too mushy.

Carefully check for doneness by using the tip of a knife.  If it slides in easily then your veggies are done.  Preaching to the choir here but I add this just in case new-to-the-kitchen people are reading this. 

Have your colander ready in the sink and again carefully drain the potatoes and parsnips.  Put back into your pot, or use a separate mixing bowl.  Let them dry out a minute or two after draining.   

Add butter and milk to mash, also nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix until well combined and for the texture you prefer. 

People often use a mixer, which I have done.  I have also seen people putting them in a blender and pulsing until smooth.  I am not one who likes the super-smooth mixed mash and prefer to have a little more texture.  Fortunately, my dear other half prefers it this way also.  For that I use a potato masher similar to this one.

I served this with a cilantro-lime chicken dish, which I will share another time.  Also, a mixed green salad.  

I made enough for leftovers as I would like to do potato/parsnip patties for lunch the next day.

That's it!