Nothing sounds better to me than healthy, simple, quick and good when it comes to cooking weeknights.

Parchment paper is a must have in my house. I buy it two at a time to make sure I never run out and use it for baking everything except homemade french fries. For years I have seen magazine recipes for cooking “en papillote,” but I never tried it until last week. In “en papillote” cooking the food is cooked/steamed inside a pouch made of parchment paper, and in some instances aluminum foil. Most of the recipes call for fish, and since I am not fond of wet fish I completely avoided it.

Last week I bought two beautiful pieces of salmon. I had a new Martha Stewart Everyday Food issue on the table. Inside was a recipe for Salmon and Spinach in Parchment, so I decided what the heck, I would give it a try.

I’m hooked! En papillote cooking here I come. The salmon was perfectly cooked and it was a delicious meal that took all of 10 minutes to prepare, if that, and went from oven to plate in about 20 minutes. Cleanup, if you want to call it that, was crumbling up the parchment paper and throwing it away. I cheated and served it with rice I found in the Indian food section that merely had to be re-heated. Truth be told I thought I had to make it, got it home and discovered it was precooked.

Hubby ate the whole thing.

I could kick myself now for shying away from the method all these years. And trust me, it was so good. I would not hesitate to serve it to guests; in fact I plan on it. You can put it all together ahead of time and just pop the single serving packets in the oven as you sip on a pre-dinner cocktail. What could be better than that?

In searching the web for other ideas I discovered Brette Sember. She wrote a cookbook devoted to the subject called “The Parchment Paper Cookbook” and she has a blog, nopotcooking.com. I’ll be checking both out.

She says fish and chicken work great, but she even has recipes for pork.

I just hope some of you are anxious to try the method.

Salmon and Spinach in Parchment

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 cups baby spinach; I used regular spinach and ripped it up a bit

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

4 tablespoons orange juice

4 skinless, boneless salmon fillets

1/4 cup peeled, cut thin strips of fresh ginger

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

Course salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Using four-16 inch pieces of parchment paper — divide spinach equally and place on the center. Top with orange zest and half of the orange juice. Top each with a salmon fillet, ginger and shallots. Season with salt and pepper, then top with remaining orange juice and drizzle with olive oil.

Bring long ends of parchment paper together and fold (as you do a sandwich in wax paper) to make a seam. Tuck ends underneath to secure.

Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet – leaving space between for equal cooking.

Bake until salmon is cooked through – 15 to 18 minutes.

Transfer packets to plates if desired or using a large spatula, open packets and transfer to plates. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food, April 2012

Salmon en Papillote

Ingredients per packet

1 5 – 6 oz salmon fillet section
1 small potato (2″ diameter) — sliced 1/8″ thick
1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. white wine
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
10 – 12 snow peas
Salt
Ground white pepper
Ground black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 375F. Prepare parchment sheets.

Cook potato slices in boiling water, seasoned with salt, until tender.

Cut two thin slices from the lemon half and juice the remainder. Mix juice with the white wine.

Position salmon on half of paper. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Dot with pieces of butter. Place dill on salmon and layer potato slices on top. Season potato with salt and black pepper and top with lemon slices. Seal parchment envelope leaving a small opening at the pointed end.

When ready to cook, pour wine and lemon juice into the opening in the parchment and seal. Place bundle on a baking sheet and cook for 11 -12 minutes, or until done.

Mediterranean Fish en Papillote
Per serving ingredients

A handful of baby spinach
1 six-ounce fillet of firm white fish like tilapia or cod
Salt & pepper
2-3 cherry tomatoes, sliced
6 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
Several thin slices of red bell pepper
1 whole canned or frozen artichoke heart, sliced into eighths
Pinch of dried oregano, thyme and rosemary
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Lemon slices for garnish

Per serving directions

Preheat the oven to 450. Using an 18-inch long piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil fold it in half, unfold, and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

Lay the baby spinach next to the crease, leaving several inches above and below. Place the fish on top, and season well with salt & pepper.

Lay the tomato slices vertically on the fish, and scatter the olives, red pepper and artichoke slices. Sprinkle with the dried herbs then the olive oil.

Seal up the pouch by folding the parchment over on top of the fish. Starting at the top inner corner, fold and crimp the edges approximately every quarter-inch, until you’ve created a half-moon. Be sure the folds are well-creased, to keep the steam from pushing the pouch open in the oven. It will look like a half moon.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer packet to the plate, and open carefully.

Serve with lemon slices.

Mediterranean Chicken En Papillote

4 servings

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

16 small grape tomatoes or 16 small cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red pepper, yellow peppers or orange bell peppers, cut into thin strips

1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced

2-4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped, to taste

16 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Salt fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

Fresh lemon, thinly sliced

Four large squares parchment paper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare ingredients and line them up on the counter.

Take four parchment paper squares. Starting with chicken, divide cubes among parchment sheets.  Next, divide tomatoes among the squares, followed by chopped sun-dried tomatoes, pepper strips, sliced onion, chopped garlic, olives and crumbled feta.

Season each mound with salt and pepper, then dribble a little white wine and olive oil over each mound. Sprinkle in herbs; top each with a lemon slice.

To wrap packages: Pick up one corner of the parchment paper and fold over to meet opposing corner, line up the edges taking care to keep all ingredients inside the paper. Starting at one end, fold over the edges and crimp to make a fairly tight seal all the way around. Repeat. Place packages on a large, rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between for even cooking.

Slide baking sheet into preheated oven and bake 25 minutes.

While the packets are baking, make a side-dish such as plain steamed rice or quinoa.

When packets are finished, slide each onto a plate, make a tiny tear in the centre of each package so a little steam can escape (be careful of the hot steam) and serve right away.

Source: Food.com

The Frugal Gourmet always said if you can’t drink the wine don’t cook with it.

I’ve always followed his recommendation to never use ‘cooking wine’ in recipes.

A sign in my kitchen says “I cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food.”

Brandy, marsala, burgundy, chardonnay are a few  examples of wines, fortified wines and spirits that add great flavors to recipes whether they are used in slow roasting or quick sauces.

This weekend a friend and I experimented with a couple recipes using wine, and as you can guess we drank some pretty good wine too.

In lieu of going out in the rain and cold for dinner after a long and very tiring shopping day, we hit the grocery store on the way home and got the ingredients we needed for Mussels with Leeks, Saffron and Cream. Fresh linguini from the dairy section really put the dish over the top. We also served the dish with a little fresh parmesan cheese grated over the top and some freshly ground pepper.

It was pretty tasty for lunch the next day too!

The Coq au Vin was a first attempt at the recipe for both of us. We chose Ina Garten’s recipe. For the most part we both agree it is best to make the recipe as printed the first time before deciding what to tweak, however, we felt we had to eliminate a couple things, namely butter, since there seemed to be more than enough fat from the pancetta, oil and chicken. I think we made a good decision. I skimmed a little fat from the pot and we used that to sauté the mushrooms before adding them to the recipe. We also added the pearl onions directly into the dish and let them cook with the chicken. It worked out fine. I thickened the stew with a flour/water mixture.

It was so flavorful with the brandy, wine and mushrooms and seasonings I would not hesitate to serve it for a comfort food dinner party. We served it with noodles, but Julia says it should be served with parslied potatoes. I think that sounds pretty good too.

Some of the other recipes I’ve shared below call for removing some of the fat, and flouring the chicken before browning it. I thought I would let you readers choose which one you like, but I certainly recommend if you haven’t tasted the dish or made the dish, give it a try. You won’t be sorry.

Have fun.

Mussels with Leeks, Saffron and Cream

4 main course servings or 8 appetizer servings

Serve this flavorful saffron-scented dish as either an appetizer with lots of hearty fresh bread for dipping or as a main course with pasta.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced

4 dozen mussels, scrubbed, debearded

1 cup dry white wine

8 fresh parsley sprigs

10 saffron threads, crushed

 1/2 cup whipping cream

 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Melt butter in heavy large deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.

Combine mussels, wine and parsley sprigs in large Dutch oven. Cover and cook over high heat until mussels open, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer mussels to large bowl, discarding any that do not open. Strain mussel juices into skillet containing leeks. Add saffron and cream to skillet; boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Stir in minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add mussels and any accumulated juices to skillet. Stir over medium heat until heated through, about 2 minutes. divide mussels among 4 bowls; pour sauce over.

Source:epicurious.com

Anne Burrell – Coq au Vin Recipe

Ingredients

1 (6 to pound capon or chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces

Kosher salt

 Olive oil

 All-purpose flour for dusting

 1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into lardons

 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice

 1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

 2 cloves garlic, smashed

 1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, quartered

 1/2 cup brandy

 1/4 cup tomato paste

  3 cups hearty red wine

  1/2 pound small cipollini onions, (If you can’t find cipollini onions, pearl onions are a good substitute)

  4 to 6 cups chicken stock

  1 bundle thyme

  3 bay leaves

  3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, cut in 1-inch slices

Chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Directions

Coat a large Dutch oven or rondeau with olive oil and bring to a medium high heat. Pat the capon dry and season generously with salt, to taste. Working in batches if necessary, coat the capon gently with flour and put IMMEDIATELY in the hot oil. Only flour the capon that you are working with in that batch- NO PREMATURE FLOURING! Premature flouring will result in doughy, gritty, mealy capon rather than crispy. Brown on all sides, then remove from the pan to paper towels. Remove any excess oil from the pan.

Add the bacon lardons to the pan with a tiny splash of new olive oil. Cook the bacon until it is brown and crispy. Add the diced celery onion, season with salt, to taste, and cook over medium heat until the veggies are starting to soften, are very aromatic and have no color, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms give off their juices, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the brandy and cook until it has reduced down (you can ignite it if you want – it’s fun!). Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. The mixture will become very thick–that is good! Stir in the wine and bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat. Toss in the cipollini onions, skin and all! Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes and then strain. When the onions are cool enough to handle, discard the skin and reserve.

Return the legs and thighs of the capon to the pan, reserving the breasts. Stir in enough chicken stock until the chicken is 3/4 covered. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed. Add the cipollini onions and the potatoes. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

After the capon has simmered for 20 minutes, turn the legs and thighs over and add the breasts. Check the level of liquid and add more chicken stock, if needed. Partially cover the pan and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Remove the capon from the pan and skim the sauce, if necessary. If the sauce is on the thin side reduce it down until it becomes a sauce-like consistency. Add the reserved onions and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the capon to a serving platter, garnish with chopped chives and serve with lots of the sauce.

Chicken, bacon, and mushrooms oh my!

**Add carrots, 4 carrots cut in 1-inch pieces of carrot

**Substitute drymarsalafor hearty red wine

Ina Garten’s Coq au Vin

Ingredients

2 tablespoons good olive oil

4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced

1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths

 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces

 1 yellow onion, sliced

 1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cupCognacor good brandy

1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such asBurgundy

1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade

10 fresh thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 pound frozen small whole onions

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add theCognacand put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium sauté pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Julia Child’s Coq au Vin Recipe

Serve it with a young, full-bodied redBurgundy,Beaujolaisor Cotes du Rhone.

Ingredients

3 to 4-ounce chunk lean bacon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 to 3 pounds frying chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning

1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus additional for seasoning

1/4 cup cognac

3 cups young, full-bodied red wine, such asBurgundy,Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Chianti

1 to 2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

12 to 24 Brown-Braised Onions, recipe follows

1/2 pound Sautéed Mushrooms, recipe follows

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons softened butter

Fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles 1/4-inch across and 1-inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

In a heavy large heavy bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, sauté the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned (temperature of 260 degrees F for an electric skillet). Remove to a side dish.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole. (360 degrees F for the electric skillet.)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly (300 degrees F) for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside.

Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for 1 to 2 minutes, skimming off fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

Arrange the chicken in a casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered for no longer than 1 hour or cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Shortly before serving, bring the casserole to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is heated through.

Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.

Brown-Braised Onions:

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

18 to 24 peeled white onions, about 1-inch in diameter

1/2 cup brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water

Salt and pepper

Medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf and 1/4 teaspoon thyme tied in cheesecloth

When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Braise them as follows: Pour in the stock, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.

Bake them as follows: Transfer the onions and their sautéing fat to a shallow baking dish or casserole just large enough to hold them in 1 layer. Set uncovered in upper third of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, turning them over once or twice. They should be very tender, retain their shape and be a nice golden brown. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are.

Sautéed Mushrooms:

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small, sliced or quartered if large

 1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots or green onions, optional

 Salt and pepper

Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their sauté the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

Toss the shallots or green onions, if using, with the mushrooms. Sauté over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Sautéed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving

Create your own tacos

Taco Bell is not a word in my vocabulary, however I love making Mexican food, especially tacos at home.

Everyone can make basic tacos from scratch with the right ingredients, and they are certainly a great quickie after work meal.

I keep a batch of homemade taco seasoning mix on hand rather than purchasing a boxed taco meal or a package of seasoning, to save a little cash and I stock up on shells when they’re on sale so I’m always ready when the taco urge strikes.

Basic tacos for 3-4 people, or in our case 2 people with lunch leftovers, require taco shells and 1 pound of ground meat, be it beef, chicken, turkey …. I sauté a chopped onion and chopped green pepper before I brown the meat in a skillet. Then I add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix with 3/4 cup of water and let that simmer while I shred some lettuce, onions and cheese and grab the salsa and sour cream. Nuke the shells in the microwave and Ole´! Ring the dinner bell.

But there are many other variations on taco fillings to consider now and then.

So here’s that recipe for seasoning mix and a few recipes to peruse.

 Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Combine the following in a glass jar

Generous 1/2 Cup of chili powder, I like a bit more

2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 Tablespoons paprika

3 Tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt

2 Tablespoons black pepper, or to taste

2 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, if you like spicy

Note: A package of taco seasoning mix contains about 2 Tablespoons of seasoning.

BuffaloChicken Tacos

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 Cup flour

3 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce, plus extra for garnishment

1 Tablespoon olive oil

10, 6-inch flour tortillas

Topping suggestions: Shredded lettuce; diced onions; avocado slices; ranch dressing and thinly sliced scallions.

Directions

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl combine cornstarch, flour, cayenne, and garlic powder. Season the chicken pieces with pepper, then dredge in the flour mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the chicken and brown on both sides – about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and toss with 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce.

Should be enough for 10 tacos, with toppings.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients

1 pound sturdy white fish such like cod or tilapia

1 tablespoon oil

1 lime, juice and zest

1 jalapeno, finely diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 green onion, finely sliced

1 handful cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder of taco seasoning mix

Salt and pepper to taste if not using seasoning mix

8 (4 inch) corn tortillas

Topping suggestions

Tomatillo pico de gallow salsa or your favorite tomato-based salsa

3 cups finely shredded cabbage

Sour cream or Cilantro and Lime Cream (recipe below)

Chopped fresh cilantro

2 large avocados, sliced

Directions

Marinate the fish in the oil, lime juice and zest, jalapeno, garlic, green onion, cilantro and seasonings for 10-20 minutes.

Grill the fish over medium-high heat until cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side. The fish will be cooked when it flakes easily and it is no longer translucent.

Flake the fish and serve in tortillas garnished with your favorite toppings.

Cilantro and Lime Cream

A great garnish for fish tacos.

Servings: makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream

1 green onion, sliced

1 handful cilantro

1/2 lime, juice and zest

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)

Directions

1.Puree everything in a food processor.

Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:

2.5 lb. chuck roast

1, 14 oz. can beef broth

1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 Tbsp cumin

1/2 Tbsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Serving suggestions

Warmed corn tortillas or warmed fresh flour tortillas*

Iceberg lettuce, chopped

Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Guacamole or diced avocados

Sour cream

Fresh salsa

Cilantro

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Hot sauce

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Place roast in a slow cooker, pour beef broth over roast then squeeze with fresh lime juice.  Sprinkle roast with spice mixture.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat 8-10 hours.  Remove roast from slow cooker, shred beef (remove fat) and return shredded beef to slow cooker.  Cover with lid and cook additional 30 minutes.  Remove beef from slow cooker with tongs to remove juices when plating or drain in a colander.  Serve with desired toppings. 

Source: cookingclassy.blog.spot.com

The blogger wrote the following – I use two different kinds of tortillas when I make these tacos.  Most of the time I use corn tortillas but I also love these tacos using fresh flour tortillas.  For the corn tortillas, I heat a griddle over medium high heat then I make a mixture of a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons vegetable oil, then I baste the oil mixture on the tortilla and cook each side until golden on each side.  Then move tortilla to a plate lined with a paper towels to soak up extra oil.

And oatmeal too!

As I dug through the pantry Sunday evening I noticed a can of steel cut oatmeal way in the back.

With cooler weather creeping in, I decided it was high time to move it up front so we can put it back on our morning menu. The hubs is not a big fan of traditional Quaker oatmeal, but he’s more than happy to dig in to a hot bowl of McCann’s Irish oatmeal. It takes longer to cook, but tastes nuttier and is more flavorful than conventional oatmeal.

And if you’re making a fresh start in the New Year and are looking for opportunities to incorporate more balanced, healthy food into your diet, oatmeal is a good source of nutrients and fiber and is thought to reduce cholesterol levels, which decreases the risk of heart disease. It is also believed to stabilize blood sugar and help prevent diabetes, according to medical experts.

Besides eating a bowl of hot oatmeal, there are plenty of ways to incorporate oatmeal into your diet. Consider using it in place of bread crumbs in foods that need a binder, like meatballs. It is great in meatloaf, and there is a great recipe below.

You can also put it in the food processor and grind it to a flour-like consistency and use it for breading.

Steel cut Irish oatmeal should be available on most grocers’ shelves, or in the health food section of the store. One of the quickest and easiest ways to prepare these oats is to soak them overnight. The ratio is 1 cup oats to 4 cups boiling water. Before going to bed, boil the water in a pot and as soon as the water comes to a boil add the oatmeal and simmer one minute. Cover the pot and store it in the fridge overnight. This can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

To serve, take out a portion and transfer to a deep microwavable bowl and heat on high two minutes, stir, and heat again another minute or until desired consistency is reached.

For a single serving without using the advance overnight preparation, using a large enough bowl for the oats to bubble up in without coming over the sides (large), add 3/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup oatmeal. Cook on high for 5 minutes, stir, and return to oven for another 3 minutes.

So don’t delay, go out and get those oats today.

Apricot Cranberry Oatmeal with Walnuts

2 cups water
2 cups reduced-fat milk
1 cup Irish steel-cut oats
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
Honey, as needed
Cinnamon, as needed
Cream, as needed

Bring water and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Add oats and salt, stirring frequently until mixture comes back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring apple juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Add apricots and cranberries; cook a few minutes or until plump.

Portion piping-hot oatmeal into four bowls and sprinkle evenly with plumped fruit and toasted walnuts.

Serve with honey, cinnamon and cream to add as needed.

Source: Food Channel

Alton Browns Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup steel cut oats

3 cups boiling water

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast.

Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.

Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Alton Brown’s Granola Bars

Ingredients

8 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups

1 1/2 ounces raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cup

3 ounces sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup

1 1/2 ounces wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup

6 ounces honey, approximately 1/2 cup

1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed

1-ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 1/2 ounces chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries

Directions

Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine. Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Mom’s meatloaf

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix — beef, pork, veal

1 small onion, diced fine

1/2 small green pepper, diced fine

1 grated carrot

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon seasoned meat tenderizer

1/2 cup ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Shape into 4 loaves and place into a large baking pan. I like to sprinkle the tops of the loaves lightly with a little brown sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until done.

King Arthur Flour oatmeal bread

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons molasses or maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup dry milk powder
3 to 3 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup pecan meal or finely diced pecans or walnuts

Directions

Place the boiling water, oats, butter, salt, molasses or syrup, and honey into a medium-sized bowl, stir, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.

Mix the remaining dough ingredients (using the lesser amount of flour) with the oat mixture, and knead – by hand, mixer, bread machine or food processor – until you’ve made a soft, smooth dough. Add the extra flour (if necessary) while you’re kneading.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour; the dough should be doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate it, shape it into a log, and place it in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and let the loaf rise till it’s crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it loosely with aluminum foil if it seems to be browning too quickly. Remove it from the oven when the internal temperature registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. After 5 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Black Bean Oatmeal brownies

Ingredients
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
1/1/2 cups black beans
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup strong brewed coffee (espresso is ideal)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamom
Coarse turbinado sugar
Cacao nibs — Nibs are cocoa beans, toasted, roasted, shelled and broken into bits. They’re touted as being richer and more intense in flavor than chocolate.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 340°F. Line an 11X18 baking pan with parchment paper.

Using a double boiler or a microwave, melt the chocolate and butter together. If using the microwave, heat for 1 1/2 minutes and stir, then heat in 40 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Place the beans, vanilla, and 1/3 of the melted chocolate in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the cinnamon and cardamom and mix again. Scrape down the sides and add the salt and baking powder and pulse a few times to mix. Add the oats and flour and blend again. The mixture will be smooth and you should be able to pour it.

In a large bowl, stir together the remaining melted chocolate mixture and the coffee. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

In another bowl beat the eggs until whipped, about two minutes. Add the brown sugar and beat until smooth.

Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.

Gradually fold in the egg mixture and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter with coarse sugar crystals.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cacao nibs. Return to oven and bake until set and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes more. Remove from the oven and sprinkle again with sugar crystals. Remove from pan to cool.

This weather has me thinking hot soup, I don’t know about you. I know it is supposed to get warmer by the weekend, but tis the season for soup.

Here are a few recipes in some recently acquired cookbooks and magazines I’ve pulled out to try.

Roger Mooking — seen on The Cooking Channel — and Alan Magee’s new cookbook “Everyday Exotic, the cookbook,” embraces a variety of cultural foods and incorporates diverse ingredients into recipes that involve one “obedient ingredient” as the star of the recipe. The purpose is to learn how to master the ingredient. So those of you out there who want to venture into some new tastes for the new year, this cookbook might be of interest.

Stay warm and bundle up out there.

Spicy Asian Chicken and Noodle Soup

Serves 4

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients

3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast

1/2 cup grated carrot (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup thinly sliced snow peas

2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)

2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger

6 cups water

3 ounces uncooked wide rice sticks (rice-flour noodles)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Directions

Bring first 9 ingredients to a simmer in a medium saucepan; keep warm.

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add rice noodles; cook 3 minutes. Drain. Place about 1/4 cup rice noodles in each of 4 bowls.

Discard ginger. Add juice to broth mixture; stir. Ladle 1 1/3 cups broth mixture over each serving; top with 1 tablespoon each mint, cilantro, and green onions.

Chicken Meatball and Escarole Soup

Serves 4

Source: fine Cooking

Ingredients

3 Tbs. plain fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for serving

2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. ground chicken

1 large egg

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, cut into small dice

1 small carrot, cut into small dice

1 medium celery stalk, cut into small dice

1 quart lower-salt chicken broth

1 3- to 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary

5 cups thinly sliced escarole

Directions

Put the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and moisten with 1/2 Tbs. water. Mix in the Parmigiano, parsley, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the ground chicken and egg and mix until just combined. Scoop out 1 Tbs. of the chicken mixture and, with damp hands, roll it into a 3/4-inch meatball. Transfer to a plate and shape the remaining meatballs.

Heat the oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and 1 tsp. salt; cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, rosemary, and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently add the meatballs, reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the escarole and continue to simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the escarole is wilted, about 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmigiano.

Potato Gumbo

Recipe courtesy Roger Mooking as printed in Everyday Exotic, the cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 slices smoked bacon, cut into large dice

2 stalks celery, diced

1 bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped, leaves and stems separated

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup flour

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

Pinch cayenne

2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the potato gumbo:

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large high-sided sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the onions and sauté until golden brown. Add the garlic and smoked bacon and continue to sauté.

Once the bacon has cooked and becomes crisp, add the celery, Swiss chard stems, and green pepper, sauté until tender. Remove the bacon mixture from the pan, put in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the same sauté pan; add the flour and bay leaves.

Stir with a wooden spoon incorporating the flour and oil to form a paste. Cook until the flour becomes brown and nutty in color. Add the chicken stock, water, and cayenne, stir.

Add the potatoes and reserved bacon mixture to the liquid. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender and the liquid reduces, achieving a thick consistency, approximately 30 minutes.

Add the Swiss chard leaves, season with salt, and pepper, cooking until the leaves are wilted, serving.