Minty Peach Bread Pudding

Okay, I'm just going to have to get this out of the way:  I don't understand how anyone can enjoy the flavor of mint when eating dessert....  I mean seriously, its like you are brushing your teeth with your sugar-filled dessert and to me it doesn't make sense.  Perhaps I just haven't found the correct dessert with minty-deliciousness, but even I haven't been able to make something to please myself with a mint dessert.

Though I hate mint, yes, I had to try this recipe for those of you who may like mint.  Mint+Peach+Bread Pudding.  First of all, bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts because I almost always have everything on-hand.  It is a great, homey and comforting dessert and is also pretty much fool-proof (I love these mix-and-bake delicacies that require no real hard work).  I would have been in heaven had I left out the mint...  I liked it, but I would have loved it more without having to think about my toothbrush.  Anyway, everyone else seemed quite pleased:

Take some stale bread (I used left-over french bread from dinner) and load it into a 9x13.  If you don't have dried crusty bread, chop up whatever you do have and put it in the oven on broil for a few minutes to dry it out really well.  You want the bread to be as dry as possible without falling to crumbs so that it will soak up your liquid-goodness.

Alright, now mix together:
2 cups of fat free milk,
2 eggs,
1 cup of white sugar,
.25 cup of brown sugar,
.5 cup of melted butter,  
1 tbsp cinammon,
1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg,
1 tsp dried mint (optional).

Okay, for the real delicious heart-attack version you may substitute the fat-free milk for one cup of heavy whipping cream and one cup of whole milk... yes, definitely going to be a more dense, heavy and creamy pudding, but also loaded with more than double the calories...

Mix a can of diced peaches into the bread in the baking dish, add some of juice if you wish, but not too much.  You could substitute about half a cup of the milk if you really want to add all of the peach juice for a sweeter pudding.  Now pour the milk mixture over all the bread pieces and squish down any bread pieces that are sticking too far out of the liquid.  Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, then bake on 350 for about 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the top is a golden brown.  Bring it out of the oven and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving  :)

Not Chunky Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Alright, so it has been over a month since my last entry--I am ashamed.  However, I will say that I have been student teaching and thus working a full-time job (for no pay!) so my free time has greatly decreased as of late.  I know, it may not be the best excuse, but it is an excuse none-the-less.

So I woke up at 6:40 this morning (way too early for a Saturday), and I rolled out of bed because Virgil was up watching TV.  Why?  Who on earth knows, but I am glad I did because it gave me the extra time I needed for a food adventure.  Of course, during this month I've been away, I have definitely cooked some delicious meals, it has just been more rare and with less time.  It takes time to really think and document each step of my food-life... Okay... no more excuses!  I'm back in the game:

Banana-Chocolate-Chip Muffins.  Muffins are super delicious and almost too easy.  No, they aren't a cop-out... ;)  So over the past month, my breakfasts have ranged from waffles, to omelets to breakfast sandwiches, and I will have to say that muffins just might be the easiest of them all.  They are so simple; mix your dry ingredients, mix your wets, mix together and bake!

The Dry Team 

(Yes, I stole this from my hero Alton):

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

.5 tsp salt

The Wet Team:

3 lg or 4 sm overripe bananas

.75 cups white sugar

.75 cup melted butter

1 egg

Blend the teams in seperate bowls.  Make sure you really mash up those bananas for a smoother consistency, or, if you want banana-chunk, leave 'em chunky!  I actually like the sound of that... Chunky-Banana-Chocolate-Chip Muffins!  Anyway... I blended mine pretty fine even though as I write this I now regret that decision because I can't call mine chunky...

Okay, now, add your dries into your wets.  Add about .5 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips at this point, and of course, this can be left out or substituted for any other flavored chip.  At this point, DO NOT overmix.  As you can see in my picture, there is still dry flour spots here and there throughout the batter.  THIS IS FINE.  It is better this way, because you will end up with better, more moist and soft muffins.  Yes, this is also a trick well-explained by my dear friend Alton.

Okay, so dollop your batter into your muffin tins and bake away at 350 degrees farenheit.  It should take anywhere from 20-30 minutes.  Pull them out, and let them sit for about 5 minutes and them remove from the muffin tin, then cover them in some wonderful butter.  Don't try to pull them out too early because they will fall apart (they need time to set).  Now you can sit back with your coffee and yummy muffins and enjoy the rest of your morning (or afternoon if you slept in like you should on a Saturday morning).  We love the muffin!

Braised Cod

So as I was thinking about how to fix some fish I caught on sale yesterday, I realized I needed to branch out.  Seafood is one of those foods that most people find difficult, or scary to cook.  My go-to for a white fish?  Thinly slice a lemon, create a 'bed' out of the lemon slices, salt and pepper my fish, throw it on the lemon and bake simply because I know I can't mess that up.  It is always fresh, healthy and delicious, but it can also get old.  So today I went in search of something new, and totally different.

What I ended up with was a delectable, hearty and still very healthy braised cod.  I couldn't believe how hearty this dish ended up being, and it hardly adds any calories to the fish!  It is definitely worth a try, and if you love hearty dishes like roast, I truly believe this will get added to your recipe book!

Okay, so first things first, start your rice.  I used about 2 cups of brown rice for this and simply added 1tbsp of dried parsley, 1tbsp garlic salt, 1/4tsp freshly ground pepper, 1/2tsp salt, 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water.  Now just let it go  :)  Oh... just let it go if you have a rice cooker, that is.  If you don't own a rice cooker?  Go buy one at the store, and then come back to try this meal (it will seriously increase the quality of your life).

In the meantime, finely dice 1/2 of an onion, 1 large carrot and 1 celery stalk, and 2 cloves of garlic.  Throw them into a skillet with about 2 tbsps of EVOO, salt and pepper.  Cook it all down on medium heat until the onions are translucent (but not brown) and the carrots and celery are soft but not mushy.  Add 1tbsp italian seasoning, 1tsp ground coriander, 1/4tsp fennel seed, and a little more salt/pepper.



Now add one can of diced tomatoes and an optional can of kidney beans (I love beans!!  Without them this dish may not feel as hearty though, so if you want to go lighter, please feel free!) and about 2 cups of chicken broth.

Let this all cook together for a good 20 minutes, or until the broth part has reduced by about half.  Here is your chance for tasting (and drooling)!!  Add any salt/pepper/spices that it may need.



While the braising concotion is busy doing it's thing, cut your cod into about 3oz pieces (at least chunks that aren't going to fall apart).  Then stick it in the wonderfulness and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes.  Once it is white and flaky, you know it is ready (and hopefully your rice is ready at this point too!).



Finally, you can scoop your braised fish over rice, making sure you get lots of yummy beans and broth and take a bite!  You will be surprised at how well this dish actually brings out the flavors and sweetness of the fish instead of covering them up.  And heck!  This seafood dish was almost too easy!  I didn't even really have to mess with the fish, I just cut it, put it in the braising sauce, and then ate it!  Yes, life is good.  To be sure, this dish will make your day   <3 

Crispy Buffalo Chicken

Buffalo chicken... so delicious!  But not so nutritious.  Buffalo chicken is just one of those go-to meals, that just satisfies the craving for a junky, snacky-feeling meal.  Its in the meal category like pizza, but has got to be even worse for you (yes, I said worse!).  I mean really, little buffalo chicken wings.  What is the best part?  The crispy skin, of course!  So I've come up with a better, more health-conscience way of getting that same, crispity, snacky and delicious meal:

Start off with the sauce.  You can definitely buy this, but why buy when most people have all the ingredients in their pantry?  Remember, by making stuff at home, you have all the power!  Add, substitute and change in any way that makes you happy  :)

The sauce:
-1 stick butter (melted)
-4tbsp brown sugar
-1/4 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and chili powder
-about 10 grinds of fresh cracked pepper
-anywhere from 1 tbsp to 4tbsp hot sauce of your choice (and really, be very choosy here, as this is really what can define your sauce!)

The chicken:
-about 3cups crushed corn flakes
-about a cup of flour with salt & pepper mixed in
-about 3 eggs

Now dip the chicken (tenderloins, boneless skinless breasts, whatever you desire, however much you need) into the flour, then into the egg and finally into the corn flakes.  Lay in a single layer in your baking dish and bake at 400F until done. 
I used about 2lbs of tenderloins, and I baked it for about 30 minutes in my oven.  Use your best judgment  :)


Once your delicious baked chicken finishes in the oven, pull it out.  Let it rest a few minutes while you prep whatever else you are eating along with it, and then here comes the fun part: fix your plate!  Add your veggies (corn on the cob for me) and perhaps a starch like potatoes or rice, and then give yourself a wonderful helping of the chicken.  Now pour some of that yummy homemade buffalo sauce all over your chicken (and make sure not to do this earlier, as it might get your corn flakes all soggy, and who on earth likes soggy cereal?!).  And yes, now you may dig in to your crispity, crunchity,buffaloity chicken!  Yum!

Green Chili Burgers

Summer grilling... it is truly a delightful experience.  Perhaps one of the best traditions belonging to an American 'summer.'  This tied with swimming is one way I could spend every 100+ degree day in Tucson, or anywhere in the world...

However, I do live in Tucson, and I do love a delicious grilled meal.  Though I have to admit, I'm not a big burger fan (unless it is In-N-Out, then I'm always game).  So burgers need to be big, flavorful and juicy for me to really want to dig in to them.  This one hits the mark!

So grab your grill master, and have him light it up! While you are letting your grill get nice and toasty, grab your yummy burger flavor preparations...
 


2lbs ground meat (I used beef, but turkey would be great too)
2tbsp green chili
1tbsp chopped cilantro
2tbsp chopped scallions
1tbsp chili powder
3tsp garlic salt
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in, though don't overmix or you will end up with burger that resemble the hardness of bricks... Now patty the meat out into about 6 patties (these will be large so you could definitely squeeze 8 patties out if needed).  Make sure they are thinner in the center so that they cook evenly.  Then load them onto the grill and relish the wonderful smell of summertime grilling!



The only thing to make this better?  Grilled vegetables of course!  My favorite?  I would have to say grilled squash and zucchini, (they are seriously the best!) so just slice them up into big rounds so they won't fall through the grates, lightly cover them with olive oil, salt and pepper and then grill!  And yes, these grill marks are real, and real easy to achieve.  So top your burgers with your favorite cheese (monterey jack for me), finish your perfectly looking and tasting veggies, plate up, and enjoy a taste of Tucson summer!

Summertime Smoothies

There is nothing better than an icy, cool, smooth treat for the hot summer days.  However, ice cream and icees aren't exactly great for the figure, especially for the soon-to-be-bride.  So we turn to the ever delicious fresh fruit smoothie!

In a blender, add two bananas, one cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt, one cup frozen berries (blueberries in this case, and fresh is fine too) and about two cups of ice.  Process until smooth.

In the meantime, make sure you have two glasses with crazy straws prepared. 

Oh yes, crazy straws make everything taste better!





Now, pour and enjoy. 

Oh, what's that?  You have some left over?  DON'T DRINK IT!  I know, I know it's ever-so-refreshing and delicious, but I have something even more wonderful in mind... Blueberry Banana Popsicles!  Great!  So pour the remainder of your smoothie into popsicle molds (they are pushed all the way in the back of your pantry...), freeze for at least 3 hours and then enjoy!  Again!  Just like my mom is modeling for you in the picture below  :D

Chicken and Potato Lettuce Wraps

Delicious, refreshing, light, and fun!  Yes, these truly are!  So it is about 107 outside, and I wanted to do lunch with a friend...  I'm also on a budget these days (all play and no work makes for poor Danielle).  Anyway, solving the problem was more than simple with this delicious recipe!  Its a potatoy-chickeny salad, and probably not like any other potato salad or chicken salad you have had before  :)  Yum!

So it is definitely warm outside and this recipe does use the oven, but the results are sooo worth it!  The basics:  peel, cut and roast 4 or 5 russet potatoes (depending on their size), fry up 3 or 4 strips of bacon (depending on how much scrumptious you want), and poach 2 breasts or 4 tenderloins of chicken (depending on what you have in the freezer). 
 

Okay, while all of those ingredients are cooking away, chop up about half of a small yellow onion, one large stalk of celery and two cloves of garlic.  Dice them pretty fine, as they are going into your salad raw, and the last thing you want is a large bite of onion!  Put them into a bowl that is big enough to mix all of your ingredients.  Now add about 3/4 cup of light mayo, 2tsp mustard, 2tsp apple cider vinegar, 1tsp rubbed sage, 1tbsp dried parsley (or fresh if you have it!), and 1tbsp paprika.  Mix it all together now!

Excellent!  Now you are ready to crumble your scrumptious bacon and add it, plus your chicken and potatoes to the mixture!  Now, we could put this on bread, but I feel like that would just be overload... (I could go for a nice crusty bread and smear this on... but I have a better idea! And really, why use light mayo if you aren't going to go light the whole way...)  Get out a large head of romaine or other big leafy lettuce and make lettuce wraps!  Now it is the perfect light and healthy lunch!  :D

White Bean Cassoulet

Okay.  I have a confession.  I watch the FoodNetwork pretty much all the time, but there are very few shows I actually record.  So what do I record?  Well, if Alton Brown had every show, I would probably then record every show... but he only has Good Eats, so therefore, I record Good Eats.  Hmmm what else?  Well, I record 10 Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian.  Why?  Well, I have to admit I can't ever seem to get my meals completely as cheap as her, but I definitely come close, and she is also totally my type of cook.  I can't tell you how many times I have watched her show and thought to myself "I just did that yesterday," or, "I think she took that from my head just now..." and so on.  You get the picture.

Anyway, so this recipe is one of the few recipes that I have tried without editing anything of my own.  I truly stuck to her amounts, times of cooking and ingredients and I must admit, it was delicious!  Sometimes, you just can't mess with the original.  So thank you Melissa.  (By the way, this recipe also got rave reviews from Heather, and if you know the relationship between my sister and I, you will know that we are incredibly critical of each other's cooking, so a rave review is a tough thing to attain!)

Weekday Cassoulet Recipe: Melissa d'Arabian

Fish Tacos!

I was grocery shopping for the week, and as I do before most shopping trips, I check my inventory.  Upon opening the freezer, I noticed just how much fish I had... lots of tilapia especially.  A few months back, I gave my first go at fish tacos (I had never even eaten them before), and I really enjoyed it.  However, I know that there are quite a few different ways you can get a fish taco, so I decided to put Fish Tacos Round Two on my weekly menu, and off I went to the store!

Fish tacos have lots of variety.  Last time I made them, it was broiled mahi-mahi with black beans, rice and an avocado-cream cheese spread.  This time, I decided to go for the popular breaded fish tacos.  Okay, here's my thoughts on breaded fish tacos:  why are they breaded when your bread is your tortilla?  Isn't it just added unnecessary carbs and fat?  I mean, when they are breaded, you fry them!  So for the deep-frying, greasy lovers out there, I can see the appeal, so I gave it a go...

First step:  breading/frying your fish.  Get out your three steps; flour one, egg wash, flour two.  Cut your fish into roughly 1-2oz pieces (a normal filet of tilapia cut in three chunks).  Also, I always mix a little salt and pepper into my flour for seasoning...  And then fry those pieces away in a heavy skillet, like a cast iron which is a personal favorite of mine.

While frying your fish to a beautiful golden brown, you can prepare your other ingredients...  I love black beans, plus they are probably the most healthy bean for you.  Throw them in a pot, put them on the stove and add some cumin, red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro, all to taste.  Make some spanish rice.  I now know that I have used spanish rice a few times as a side on this blog and I have yet to give my recipe... that will come the next time I make it (promise). 



Okay, the last few ingredients to a fish taco are some shredded cabbage and the taco sauce.  My first attempt of fish tacos was great, even though I forgot the cabbage completely, and I must say, the cabbage adds the perfect crunch!  Don't forget it!  Ok, and now for the taco 'sauce.'  I guess there is generally always some type of a sauce instead of salsa on fish tacos.  I have heard and seen on the internet that sometimes it is just your everyday tartar sauce...  PLEASE oh please don't tell me that is what you prefer!  Tartar sauce belongs in Long John Silver's in packets when we are talking fish tacos friends!  You need a white sauce, or a cilantro-lime-avocado-y sauce for a real delicious fish taco experience!

So my last attempt at making this sauce was really delicious... it was basically whipped cream cheese, an avocado, cilantro and lime.  This time I decided to take a sour cream approach and I must admit it was just as delicious, and I am not sure which I liked better...  anyway, mix together about a cup of sour cream, a whole avocado (minus the pit and skin obviously), the juice of a whole lime (and if it is not juicy enough, add the zest too), freshly minced cilantro and BAM, you have the perfect fish taco sauce/spread!

Now just stick it all together on a warmed tortilla (I prefer corn here, but most everyone in my family likes flour better so I sacrificed...), throw a movie in the tele and you are good to go!  We chose to watch Alice in Wonderland and it was the best Friday night I've had in a long time  :->

Left-over Vegetables!

By the way... You don't have to throw out those veggies that you just realized you hadn't eaten yet...  you know, the ones in your crisper drawer... the broccoli, squash, zucchini, bell peppers... My family decided to get some salad stuff for the week, though about Thursday we were ready to finish off our veggies.  In my stir-fry you can see baby bell peppers, broccoli, sprouts, mushrooms, snap peas, carrots and broccoli slaw.  (All of this stuff also goes great with pad thai if you want another Asian-influenced dish to use up some left-over veggies)

Simple solution: get a jar of teriyaki sauce from the store on your way home.  Get out your wok, dust it off, and throw it on the fire.  Chop those veggies, put a little oil in your wok, and saute them.  Put some rice in the rice cooker.  Add teriyaki sauce to your veggies at the last minute, toss them around and stick the lid on them until your rice is done. 

Serve the veggies over rice.  You forgot how easy and tasty a stir-fry is?  Oh, your husband needs meat?  Men just can't have a manly-meal without some manly-meat?  Alright, cook up some beef, chicken, pork, whatever you have in your freezer and bake them in the sauce in the oven.  Now you have a complete manly-meal  :)