It's OK to be Chicken

Sometimes you need something easy, filling, and inexpensive.  This is that thing.  I usually make it the night before but it is good the same day as well.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (crockpot)

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large yellow onion, cut in half then sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
About 1/3 bottle of barbecue sauce of your choice

Add chicken to crock, sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Add onions, garlic, and sauce. Mix around. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Drain liquid, shred chicken, add rest of bottle of barbecue sauce. Leave on low for a bit for the shredded chicken to soak up the sauce. Serve on buns.

Feeling Saucy

I didn't know what to do for dinner and remembered I have a bunch of canned tomatoes to use, and I had pasta in the cupboard. I wanted to use some zucchini because that sounded tasty. So I made up this pasta sauce and am proud to say it was really tasty.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Sauce

1 italian sausage link, casing removed
5 small cremini mushrooms
2 medium sized zucchini
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes, pureed
salt
pepper
oregano
basil
italian seasoning

I took one italian sausage out of its casing and browned it on high heat and broke it up. I just wanted a really nice browning on the outside. I didn't want a meaty sauce, just some nice flavor. Removed that and then browned the mushrooms. I didn't add any oil, just let them soak up whatever was left from that little bit of sausage and then put them in the bowl with the sausage. I then threw in the zucchini chunks on high heat to get a little bit of color on them, not to cook them. Removed them to the bowl. Sauteed the onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in olive oil until they were soft, added the garlic and let that go for a minute or so. Added back the sausage, mushrooms, and zucchini and put in the tomatoes. Seasoned with pepper, salt, dried oregano, dried basil, and some italian seasoning. Brought it up to a boil and then let simmer for around 30 minutes. Tossed with most of a pound of farfalle and some pasta water and let the pasta finish the last minute or two of cooking in there. Served with Parmesan cheese.

Snausage 'n Nonions

I did not take any pictures but we had some tasty Italian sausage with peppers and onions recently.

I browned four Italian sausages very well and set aside. I sauteed most of a large Walla Walla onion (yay they are in season!), a yellow pepper, an orange pepper until starting to soften, threw in a few cloves of sliced garlic. Deglazed with a little beer, added some italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, pepper, and a can of crushed tomatoes.

Sliced sausage and added it to the mix, covered and let simmer for around 20 or 30 minutes. We ate it on outdoor rolls but it was pretty sloppy. Would be good over pasta, too, or just by itself with some french bread for juice sopping.

Playing Ketchup

 

A few years ago my husband and I were waiting to catch a bus to Eugene and we were hungry.  There is a restaurant in between the train station and the bus station that seems way too nice to be in that area.  We ordered their parmesan fries and they came with the tastiest condiment.  Roasted Red Pepper Ketchup.  I asked if they knew what was in there and honestly I cannot remember at this point if they knew anything, but I had to have this at home.  I made this a while back but found the recipe recently.  It was so good.  I threw it together based on other ketchup recipes I saw around the web.  It was excellent on burgers, garden burgers, oven fries, you name it. 

 

Roasted Red Pepper Ketchup

2 red peppers
head of garlic
red pepper flakes
~ 1 lb. tomatoes (I had 1.6 lbs. on the vine with stem and seeds still intact. I figure once those were gone it was close)
small yellow onion
2 Tbs. tomato paste
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4-1/3 C. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
21 seasoning salute (salt free seasoning mix from Trader Joe's)
salt
sriracha (optional)

Roast peppers. For this I put the peppers a couple of inches away from the broiler and let each side blister and blacken before I turned it to the next side. When all sides are blistered and blackened, put in a plastic bag and close and let steam and cool down. Remove skin and seeds from peppers.

Roast garlic, tomatoes, and onion. I put these all in at the same time and took out the onion at about 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Quarter tomatoes and remove seeds. Quarter onion. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place veggies on it to roast. Chop off top of garlic head to expose cloves. Remove excess skin. Lightly coat in oil and shake red pepper flakes over the top of it. I probably used around 1/2 - 1/4 tsp. Wrap head in foil and put in oven with the baking sheet. Remove onion before it starts browning too much. I had the tomatoes and garlic in for around 45 minutes and then turned off the heat and let them sit while I went to the store to get olive oil.

Puree peppers, tomato, onion, and garlic. I used around 2 tbs. garlic and most of the onion. Add tomato paste, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, worcestershire, seasoning (I used three shakes), and salt (I used probably around 2 tsp. of kosher salt). Add sriracha ( I used about 7-10 drops). Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or so. Adjust vinegar, sugar, and salt to achieve a sweet but tangy flavor. I also cooled this down before we ate it because I didn't want it warm, more around room temp.

The Incredible, Edible Chickpea

Growing up I always knew them as garbanzo beans. And I hated them. I only ever saw them at a salad bar and sometimes my dad would put a few in his salad. I didn't see the purpose and I thought they had a weird name. Years later I discovered hummus and thought that was pretty dang tasty but still never really cooked with chickpeas. Well, turns out that they are awesome. They are low in fat and calories and high in protein and fiber. They contain high amounts of iron, potassium, and zinc and have various B vitamins. And boy are they tasty! A lovely creamy, nutty flavor that goes well many things. Pasta is one of my favorite ways to eat them. I eat chickpeas probably at least once a week these days.


When I found this recipe I was not sure how David would feel about it. I didn't even know if he liked chickpeas. And mixed with tomatoes and put on pasta? This is now one of his very favorite things that I make. Actually I think he would name it as his very favorite. Not only is it easy and nutritious, it is really cheap and literally takes as long to make as it does to boil the pasta. Thanks, Rachel Ray! Looking at the recipe may not make your skirt fly up, but let me assure you that the sum is greater than its parts. You get a spicy, creamy, nutty pasta dish that warms you inside and out. The original recipe says to pass around cheese with it but I don't think it needs that at all and I don't think I would like it as well with it.

Spaghetti alla Ceci

1 pound spaghetti - I actually use a little more that 3/4 of a pound for this usually
salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth - I highly encourage the wine. I use cheapo Two Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc for this. I have tried with the broth and it is fine but not nearly as good.
1 can crushed tomatoes - I buy diced and use my mini processor to crush

Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.

While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop (or use a fork). Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down for a minute or so then stir in tomatoes and heat through and adjust seasoning. I always end up adding more thyme and red pepper flakes. Toss with pasta and eat up. If it is too dry you may want to save some pasta water to use in that situation.

There's Many Colors In The Veggie Rainbow

Soup. I love it! I also really enjoy making it. It is so adaptable and fun. It never ends up being expensive and it ends up making a ton of soup. A little of this here and there and suddenly you have a huge pot of soup. This soup started with some purple cabbage and an onion that I needed to use and turned into a healthy rainbow of goodness.


According to people who know things about nutrition, we should eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. These different colors of produce ensure you are getting a wide variety of nutrients. The different plant pigments contain many different beneficial characteristics. I was thinking about that when I started to make this soup. It has red (tomatoes), orange (carrots), green (celery), purple (cabbage), and white (onion and garlic). This (or any) soup is a great way to expand your rainbow of nutrients!

Rainbow Tortellini Soup

olive oil
1 carrot, large dice
1 stalk celery (I used most of one, my celery was at the end of the line), diced
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves, minced
1/2 of a small purple cabbage, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes
8 cups water
1 tbs beef bouillon granules
1 1/2 tbs chicken base
italian seasoning
TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute
black pepper
1 can white beans
8 oz. tortellini of your choice, we had cheese

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Throw in onion, celery, and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.


Add garlic, cabbage, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, water, bouillon and chicken base, and italian seasoning and TJ's seasoning. I just shook the seasonings in, it was probably around 1/2-2/3 of a teaspoon each. Add a few grinds of pepper. Stir, partially cover, bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for about half an hour or until vegetables are to your liking. I tasted near the end of that time and added more of all seasonings.


At this point I turned the heat off, added the beans, and covered. I also added about a half cup of water so it would not be too thick once I added the tortellini. We were going to grab a beer so it sat like that for around an hour. If you are not leaving your house it will still taste better this way but is not required. If you want to keep going, just add the beans but do not turn off the heat. Boil tortellini in a separate pot and add to soup when it is done. Simmer for another 5 minutes and then serve.

Stir This Way, Really Fast, And If Something Gets In Your Way, Fry

I love vegetables. Not all of them, but nearly all. I try to eat my daily allowance, but I know that does not always happen. David and I were talking about dinner and that we wanted to eat something lighter than we had and also delicious. Stir fry is a great way to do both of these things. It is also a great weeknight meal as it does not take very much time. I have used hoisin sauce in the past, mixed with some other things, but this time I took a simple approach using broth, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, and some cornstarch for thickening. I don't have a wok, but get by alright with my big skillet.The great thing about stir fry is that it is very adaptable to what you have. Use whatever veggies sound tasty to you. The different oils are also optional, I just happen to have them in the cupboard. I also decided to use tofu for this to have some nice protein. I personally prefer a meat free stir fry. But whatever tickles your fancy. David would say the best thing about stir fry is as a vehicle for soy sauce.

Weekday Stir Fry

canola oil or other high smoke point oil
sesame oil
chili oil
half of small red cabbage, cut into small pieces
small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
white onion, sliced into large wedges
1 block firm or extra firm tofu
ginger, I used about a tablespoon of minced
garlic, I used about a tablespoon of minced
1 cup chicken broth, I used 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon with one cup of water (can use veggie broth if you want to keep it purely vegetarian)
couple tablespoons of soy sauce
tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
squirt of sriacha
1 tsp sugar
1-2 tablespoons corn starch
Rice or noodles, I used white rice

I first drained my tofu and put it in a tea towel under a heavy pot. I let it sit like that for about 30 minutes while I soaked my rice.

Start cooking your rice.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high to high heat. Add a bit of all three oils. Not too much of the sesame oil because that is really strong. Cut tofu into chunks. Sprinkle with some soy sauce and black pepper. Pan fry half of tofu at a time until sides are golden brown. Remove to a plate. I cut my veggies while the tofu was cooking.


Let pan heat back up and add a tiny bit more oil. Choose one of your vegetables and cook, stirring pretty much constantly. You want to get a little color but keep your veggies from getting mushy. Do this one veggie at a time, removing them to a plate as they are cooked and making sure the pan gets hot in between each one.


Mix all ingredients for sauce together well. To hot pan add a bit more oil and cook the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not burn. Add sauce and wisk around constantly until thickened and glossy looking. Taste and see if you need anything in it. Once it is thickened, add the tofu and veggies back and stir well to coat. Heat everything up and then serve over rice.