Lemon and Olive Quinoa Cakes

I am pretty deece at planning ahead and organizing my life.  But at the same time, I feel like I am always doing everything last minute.  Sometimes I wonder if I should just redefine what last minute is so that I am more satisfied with my preparation for things.  Maybe I should decide that "last minute" is literally a minute before something needs to be done.  That way when I am up until 3 am working on something, I can feel like I am doing things way ahead of time. 

What I am talking about:  Thanksgiving.  This is the first time I will be making the meal, at least, the whole meal.  And there is no doubt in my mind that I will be up until midnight on Wednesday night getting ready for Thanksgiving the next day.  I think I will do my family proud by keeping the essentials on the table, but also trying some new things.  Want to know my current menu?  Here is what I am doing:

-Alton Brown's Brined Turkey - I ordered a fresh turkey.  I will let you know if it was worth it.  This recipe is killer.  

-Gravy (just from the Turkey drippings and some homemade chicken stock) - my dad disagrees with my method, he likes to add milk.  

-Mashed Potatoes - I just do cream cheese, butter, cream, salt and pepper.  Just like my mom taught me.  

-Orange-Cranberry Sauce - a classic.  

-Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes - You know my sweet potato dilemma, I am going spicy.  

-Sausage and Kale Stuffing - I struggled with what kind of regular bread stuffing to make and went this which is full of veggies (kale and butternut squash) and other non-bread items like sausage.  

-Cornbread, Leek, Bacon, Apple, and Pecan Stuffing - Cornbread stuffing with apples and bacon is my favorite!

-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter - Risky.

-Soft Knotted Rolls - these might not happen.

Dessert:  Pumpkin Pie from the Flour cookbook (here is close recipe) with whipped cream

Probably too much.  I mean, definitely too much.  But ya know.  

Have I ever told you the story of my sister and her pumpkin pie?  Several Thanksgivings ago, my sister made the pumpkin pie.  And it was a big deal because she made the pumpkin puree from scratch.  One day there was a little pumpkin on the counter.  The next day there was a pumpkin pie on the counter.  So...we all praised her from making her pie from scratch.  And we also all went on and on about how good it tasted.  Only to find out (I think, several years later), that the pumpkin puree didn't work out and she actually just made it from a can.  I have never been able to trust her since.  (For the record, she insists that what I have explained here isn't even what happened.  Don't listen to her.)

The bottom line is:  there is very little evidence that fresh pumpkin puree makes any difference.  However, I still made some to make my pie from (Aunt Linda always does it, so shall I).  Pumpkin pie is on my "Thanksgiving only" list, so I thought I should do it justice.

Anyways, as usual, this discussion has nothing to do with the recipe I am posting.  I have made quinoa cakes a few times before, but I always just make it up as I go, so I never have a recipe to share.  I enjoy throwing quinoa cakes into a weeknight meal mix.  They aren't that quick to make from the start, but once you have to mixture made, they make a really quick dinner.  And I LOVE them with a green salad and a delicious dijon based vinaigrette.  As with any veggie based cake, they can be a little finicky and fall apart easily.  For the last 500 cakes that this recipes makes, I ended up heating oil in a non-stick skillet and then just putting an thin, even layer of the quinoa mixture over the entire skillet.  I crisped up the first side and then just kind of broke it up to flip it in pieces.  It isn't pretty.  But just as good.  And I was hungry.  PS:  These do NOT taste half as good without the salad and vinaigrette.  Necessary.

Lemon and Olive Quinoa Cakes

adapted from Joy the Baker

1 1/2 cups raw quinoa

2 1/4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, beaten

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated parmesan or Gruyere cheese

1/3 cup coarsely chopped green olives

1/3 cup chopped parsley or green onions

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon water

olive oil

In a medium saucepan place quinoa, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and set aside. In a large bowl, toss together onion, garlic, cheese, olives, parsley, lemon zest, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cooled quinoa. Add beaten eggs and stir until all of the quinoa mixture is moistened.  Add water to thoroughly moisten mixture. Quinoa should be slightly wet so it doesn’t dry out during cooking.

Scoop out mixture by the 2 tablespoonful. Use clean, moist fingers to form into a patty. Create as many patties as you’d like.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. If you pan is large enough, add four to six patties to the hot pan. You’ll need a bit of room to successfully flip them.

Cook on each side until beautifully browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Low heat helps the quinoa cakes cook slowly. Brown on each side then remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Serve warm with a small spinach salad, or with scrambled eggs. Also, the quinoa mixture can be left, uncooked in the fridge for a few days. Cook as necessary.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Green Israeli Couscous

Have I talked yet about feta?  Until a few years ago, I always bought pre crumbled feta.  It was just easier to sprinkle it in.  But also, I used to shop where there were just two options:  crumbled and not crumbled.  Same brand usually, just two options.  And whether IIII crumbed it myself or not, it always tasted the same.  

But please listen to me people: don't buy feta that way.  It is so dry.  So chalky.  And while that salty bite is nice, the real deal feta is 3000 times better.  

The real deal that I am talking about is the block of feta that sits in a liquid (like fresh mozzarella).  I wish I had a picture, but I am not that smart.  It is so soft, full of moisture, but still has the salty, tangy wonderfulness that we all need in our feta.  It is so good you would actually want to eat it by itself.  Go for it!  I promise you will be happy you did.  

Using a good feta is probably crucial to our 9 and 10 ratings.  The Israeli couscous is tossed with feta, peas, sauteed zucchini, pistachios, and some lemon zest and juice.  I used fresh English peas, but frozen wouldn't be detrimental to the dish.  I just think this mixture is perfect.  

Also, pistachios are close to my heart.  I have fond memories sitting around the table with my family, and especially with my grandma, shelling and eating pistachios.  I remember one particular time when my grandma and I were eating them and talking about how good they were and my grandma told me they were bad for us or had a lot of fat in them, something like that.  And I asked her why.  She goes, "anything that tastes this good, can't be good for you."  Amen.  But, then again, when I was really young I asked my grandma if there was fat in water and she goes, "Honey, there is fat is grandma's water."

Green Israeli Couscous

based off of Joy the Baker

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups dry Israeli Couscous

generous pinch of salt

1 zucchini, diced

2 cups fresh English peas, boiled in salted water for about 5 minutes and drained

4-5 green onions, sliced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2-1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios

salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

about 3 tablespoons olive oil

about 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, bring three cups of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, followed by Israeli couscous. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until couscous is just tender, with a slight bite, about 10 to 13 minutes. Drain into a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

In the meantime, in a large skillet, sauté the zucchini in a little bit of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add cooked couscous and cooked peas. Toss with the rest of the ingredients, taste and add more salt and pepper as necessary.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  10/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Chicken Tikka Masala

I am really into Indian food right now.  I have always liked it, but there is an Indian restaurant that I have gone to for lunch several times in the past month and I am now hooked.  There are two things that draw me to Indian food:

1.  I love the ginger, garlic, yogurt, and other fresh flavors paired with all the warm spices like cloves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, etc.  

2.  It is so vegetarian.  And healthy!

This is my most Indian dish I have ever made.  And upon some Wiki research, I learned that this dish isn't really all that Indian.  It is British?  And the most popular British dish at that.  I have never been to the UK, so I guess I will need to verify that at some point in my life.  But it definitely has some Indian connections.  

And you know, I should have known this dish was not super authentic since it has chicken and cream in it.  Not vegetarian and not overly healthy like most of the dishes I have had are.  BUT, it is delicious and has the warmth that I like so much about Indian food.  And I think this would be perfectly delicious if you just substituted a couple of cans of chickpeas for the chicken.  

I was recently having dinner with some new friends and this is an exact quote from our wonderful conversation:

"A turkey club is too ethnic for my mom."

If you are like my new friend's mom...that is, a little hesitant to trying ethnic food, this is the perfect Indian dish to start with.  It has enough familiar flavors and ingredients like tomatoes, chicken and cream that it is very comforting.  And with the wonderful combination of wintery spices, fresh ginger, garlic, it will knock your socks off.  Lastly,  go for the naan.  If you buy it from the bakery, make sure to grill it in some garlicy olive oil.

PS:  I added a new tab up there.  A little guide to weeknight meals.  Check it out!  

Chicken Tikka Masala

recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira via Food Network

For the Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large

bite-sized chunks

For the Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)

2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons paprika

8 Roma tomatoes, diced (I used a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 to 2 cups water

Oil, for grilling

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving

For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste

1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole

1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slowcooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Halloween.  Is today.  My dog is sleeping next to me and still wearing his pumpkin shirt.  He was supposed to be an alien, but I don't know if that ever happened.  

Fall has been weird this year.  I have been waiting on the edge of my seat for the colors to change.  Then, it happened.  And I am pretty sure I missed it.  Here is the only (semi decent) pic we have of the fall colors.

And then this happened (slightly different angle, but same spot more or less).

And before any of that happened, I was filling every second of my free time with Broadway shows.  I am not complaining, but weird October.  

I wouldn't say I did pumpkin justice this October (and I know I still have November), but I did make these cookies.  Ever since the pumpkin shortage several years ago, I am incapable of buying only one can of pumpkin puree.  So, I had all these ingredients on hand when I scheming up this mixture of oatmeal and pumpkin.  Yes, I am obsessed with oatmeal everything.  

I am also obsessed with pumpkin and chocolate together.  We have a local ice cream place that sells delicious pumpkin ice cream and I get it combined with the chocolate ice cream.  Not mixed.  Just side by side.  

Anyways, make sure you use extra fancy cinnamon.  Vietnamese cinnamon, that is.  These really won't turn out without it.  

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Simply Recipes

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cups whole wheat flour

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup semi-sweet chips

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and beat for another 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine the flours, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk together. Slowly add it to the butter mixture until just combined, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom once or twice to ensure even mixing.

Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray for a minute or two to set, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

(Servings: 48 cookies, Prep time: 30 min., Bake time: 1 hr, Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

If there is a taco recipe out there, I will probably try it.  If the taco looks like Halloween, I will probably try it in October.  

I will also put goat cheese on it.  Seriously, everything time I am involved, I add goat cheese.  When my sister ate these, she said "the goat cheese really makes it."  I sighed.  Doesn't it always?  

Halloween is coming up so I am supposed to making/posting ghost cupcakes and spider cookies.  But guess what?  That isn't my thing.  My kids will eat these tacos and I will pass out tooth paste on Halloween.  Or pennies.  No, jk.  I like candy.  My favorite is candy corn.  Only the yellow, orange and white ones.  No others.  And definitely not the dirty pumpkins.  

This reminds me of my friend (R^2/R) who LOVES the pumpkins.  He knows their official name, which is "mellow creme pumpkins".  True fan right there.  I should probably buy some halloween candy.  I oscillate between adult and teenager on an annual basis.  Next year I will totally have the candy bought at least two weeks in advance.  

Or at least a week.  

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

from Joy the Baker

For the Potatoes:

2 sweet potatoes (really orange-fleshed yams), peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and red chili flakes to taste

juice of 1 lime

For the Cabbage Slaw:

2 heaping cups shredded cabbage (I used a combination of purple and green

cabbage)

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onions

2 heaping tablespoons chopped cilantro

juice of 2 limes

salt and red chili flakes to taste

For the Beans:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

juice of 1 lime

small corn tortillas

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place peeled and diced sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet. Top with olive oil, salt and chili flakes, and lime juice. Toss together until all of the potato chunks are coated. Place in the oven to bake until softened through and toasted brown. This usually takes about 40 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet once or twice during baking to toss the potato chunks around. This will ensure that the cubes cook evenly. Remove from the oven and let stand when cooked through.

While the potatoes cook, assemble the Cabbage Slaw. In a medium bowl, place cabbage, yellow, and chopped cilantro. Add lime juice, salt and chili flakes. Toss to coat and set aside while the potatoes cook and beans heat. Letting the cabbage slaw sit will help soften the cabbage.

To cook the beans, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add ground cumin and stir until fragrant.  Add beans and lime juice. Cook until heated through.

Heat corn tortillas in a hot saucepan with just a touch of oil. Heat through and serve with potatoes, beans, and slaw.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 40 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Halibut in Artichoke and Tomato Broth

We really enjoyed this simple dinner.  The artichokes in the broth give it this super acidic boom chicka bow wow.  

And I love a broth.  I am sleepy.  Bye!  Try this!

Halibut in Artichoke and Tomato Broth

recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis via Food Network

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fish

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish

2 shallots, sliced into thin rounds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound frozen artichokes, thawed

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the halibut and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a grill pan over high heat. Cook the fish on the grill pan until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and artichokes and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and stir, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Ladle the artichoke and tomato broth into shallow bowls. Top with the grilled halibut. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 40 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Corn, and Feta Cheese

I added bacon to this and I am sorry.  This is a perfectly delicious vegetarian meal.  And I fully support that.  But I had some bacon in my fridge.  Bacon that I definitely should have put in my freezer so that I didn't convince myself to put it in every dish that it would work in.  But it so works in this dish.  

JSYK.  You can add it and it might be extra delicious.  

I seriously feel bad about the bacon.

I stuffed a variety of peppers including red bell, poblano and maybe anaheim(?).  Woah, look at me mixing things up.  I even stuffed a tomato.  

Every time I stuff things, I have way more stuffing than I have things to stuff.  But also, the stuffing is so delicious to just eat on its own.  I mean, you could even skip the pepper and just make the quinoa as a dish on its own.  

Wow.  Good flow in this blog post.  Sorry if this gave you a migraine.  

Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Corn, and Feta Cheese

from Eats Well with Others

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup quinoa (or in my case 3/4 cup quinoa and 1/4 cup bulgur)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch of scallions, including 2 inches of the greens, thinly sliced

2 jalapeno chiles, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

4 ears worth of corn kernels (about 2 cups)

1 bunch spinach, leaves only

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 lb feta cheese, cut into small cubes

2 large red onions, thinly sliced into rounds

1/2 cup veggie broth or white wine

4 peppers

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt, then the quinoa. Give it a stir, then cover and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ, about 15 minutes.

Warm half the oil in a wide skillet. Add the scallions and chiles. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, corn, and spinach, along with 2 tbsp water. When the spinach is wilted, add the cilantro, quinoa, and feta and remove from heat. Toss everything together. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a wide skillet. When hot, add the onions and saute, stirring frequently, until they start to color around the edges, after several minutes. Pour in the broth or wine and deglaze the pan, giving the onions a stir as you do. Season with salt and pepper and distribute in a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers.

Slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Cut out the membranes and seeds. Simmer in salted water until tender to the touch of a knife but not overly soft, 4-5 minutes. Remove. Fill them with quinoa mix and set them in the baking dish. Preheat oven to 400. Bake the peppers until heated through, 20 to 30 minutes, then switch the heat to broil and brown the tops. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5