Category: Recipes: Main Dishes

  1. Thursday, March 11

    Pasta with Peas & Ricotta…and a Giveaway!

    The first recipe I made from my new cookbook was a success! The whole family loved this pasta with peas and ricotta last night. Looks yummy, doesn’t it? It was fast and only used one pan, which makes the recipe even better in my book!

    peas ricotta pasta web

    Want to make it yourself? Well, I’ll share the recipe with you at the end of this post…but first you need to enter today’s giveaway! TWO lucky readers will each win a copy of Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast. Big thanks to Everyday Food for a very fab cookbook giveaway!

    Please add a comment to this post by Midnight PT, Wednesday March 17 to enter! Two random winners will be announced March 18. To enter, share your favorite Everyday Food recipe with us (links welcome!) in the comments section…or just comment about anything! (One entry per person and the prize needs to be shipped to a U.S. address.)

    Good luck with the giveaway! Time for the recipe!

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    Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:40 am   224 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Giveaways, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  2. Thursday, February 25

    Guest Blogger Katie Goodman: Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

    katie's pictureToday we have a very special treat! Allow me to introduce you to Katie Goodman, a food blogger who’s blog goodLife {eats} is full of great recipes and writing, and beautiful photography. She’s done oodles of food writing (including for Paula Deen!) and I’m so excited to have her writing for This Week for Dinner today! She also regularly comments and posts weekly menus here on my blog, which automatically earns you 100 points in my book {wink wink}. I’m so happy to have Katie as a friend and I hope you enjoy her post.

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    Hi everyone! I am Katie from goodLife {eats}. I have been a fan of This Week for Dinner since I read Jane’s guest posts on Design Mom way back. I was so excited to find a blog devoted to helping with meal plans and have been hooked since then. Last year I was able to meet Jane at BlogHer Food, and was so thrilled to make such a sweet, new friend. Thank you, Jane, for having me here to guest post!

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    This recipe for Coconut Chicken Curry Soup is one of our favorite soup recipes. It is so simple, yet it is so full of flavor. I always try to keep my pantry stocked with coconut milk. I like to use “lite” coconut milk, because it has less fat and calories, but you can’t really tell any difference in the taste. When bell peppers are on sale, you can buy extra and flash freeze them for later.

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    All in all, I think it is a great recipe to have up your sleeve for a busy night, because it doesn’t really take much time to prepare. If you are really pressed for time, which I’m sure we all are sometimes, you can add the chicken (uncooked), broth, coconut milk, jalapeno and curry powder to the crock pot for a few hours on low. When the chicken is cooked through, just take it out to shred it and put it back in. Then add the lime juice, sautéed onion, bell pepper, green onion, and cilantro and let it cook for a few minutes (until the peppers are tender crisp). You definitely won’t be sorry you spent some of your valuable time on this recipe!

    Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

    • olive oil
    • 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, sliced thin
    • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
    • 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
    • 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • 1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
    • 1/2 cup chopped green onion
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
    • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
    • 2 cups freshly cooked jasmine rice

    Heat the olive oil in a medium sized soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the oil, season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through and golden. Remove chicken and set aside. Sauté the onion, adding more oil if necessary, until tender.

    Return the chicken to the pot with the onions. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, curry powder and jalapeno. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add bell pepper, green onion, and cilantro and simmer an additional 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Spoon rice into 4 bowls and top with a ladle or two of soup. Garnish with additional cilantro and a sprinkling of shredded coconut. Serve.

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    Posted by Jane Maynard at 2:14 pm   13 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Guest Blogger, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  3. Wednesday, February 24

    Corn Chowder

    It’s rainy and cold here in the Bay Area. I have a sneaking suspicion it’s a lot colder elsewhere, too. So how about some smoky, warm, cozy corn chowder?

    corn chowder 2 web

    This recipe is from my friend Adrianne’s mom. (Adrianne just had a baby! Welcome to the world, Baby Claire!) Adrianne is an excellent cook – every recipe or cooking advice she’s given me has always been spot on. This recipe is no exception. It’s a fairly straightforward crock pot recipe. The bacon gives it a nice salty and smoky flavor. And, despite the fact it contains half & half AND cheese, the soup is not too thick, but instead has a great consistency.

    I have a few other corn chowder recipes posted at this link from a Call for Recipes I did ages ago, in case you feel like shopping around for more corny recipes.

    Corn Chowder
    From Adrianne Campbell’s Mom
    2 small onions, chopped
    4 slices of bacon
    2 celery stalks,chopped
    2 potatoes, chopped (Jane note: I leave the skins on, but you can peel them if you like)
    4 cups corn (frozen or canned)
    4 cups chicken broth
    *****************************
    1 Bay leaf
    1 tsp. salt
    1/2 tsp. pepper
    2 T. butter
    2 T. flour
    1 1/2 cups cream or half n’ half
    1 cup grated cheddar cheese

    Cook onions, bacon & celery, put in slow cooker. Add potatoes, corn, broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Take bay leaf out and throw away. On the stove top, melt butter, add the flour so it makes a paste. Cook until light brown. Slowly add the cream to the paste, heat until it thickens. DO NOT BOIL! Move it from the heat, add the cheese and mix until melted. Add this mixture to the slow cooker mixture. Stir well and serve.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:32 am   13 Comments
    Categories: Adrianne, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  4. Tuesday, February 16

    Creamy Potato Leek Soup (without the cream!)

    I haven’t mentioned my Eat Less Meat Challenge lately, so thought it was time for a quick update…along with a recipe! The challenge is going very well! We’ve definitely been eating less meat overall and we are not feeling deprived one bit. I think knowing we can still eat meat occasionally really makes the whole challenge realistic for us, and we still feel like we’re making a difference. I’m so happy that I set this resolution and, for those of you who have joined along in the challenge, I hope you’re having an equally positive experience!

    creamy potato leek soup web

    Last week I made Creamy Potato Leek soup, adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe. Our whole family enjoyed the soup, especially our 2 year old! The soup has a nice creamy texture without having to use cream. It’s a nice mild soup yet still full of flavor. I love leeks and pretty much love any soup that has them in the recipe. Without further ado…

    Creamy Potato Leek Soup
     Adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe
     – 3 tablespoons butter
    - 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped, white and green parts
    - 2 minced garlic cloves (I used my garlic press)
    - 6 cups vegetable broth
    - Appx 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
    - Salt and pepper to taste
    - 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

    Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add leeks, cook while stirring until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender, ~30 minutes.

    Blend soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Makes 4-6 servings.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:40 am   2 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  5. Friday, February 5

    Bistro Chicken

    Why is there a picture of an empty plate? Because this recipe is so good by the time you’re done serving it up, the plates will be empty lickity split!

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    Okay, actually, I didn’t get a decent picture of the chicken. It looks more like a pile of cheese. A delicious pile of cheese, but not much like chicken. Trust me, there is delicious, tender chicken hiding in there. I didn’t spend any time plating this dish because I just wanted to eat it!

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    My mom’s friend Jen shared this recipe with me in the early days of my blog. It has become one of our favorites and a quick go-to meal. Enjoy!

    BISTRO CHICKEN
    From Jen Schulte
    - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I usually do two, but the amount of sauce could handle probably 4-6 breasts)
    - 1/2 cup chopped onions
    - 14-oz can diced tomatoes (I get petite diced)
    - Italian seasoning (or a few shakes of oregano, basil, parsley and garlic powder)
    - 1 can Campbell’s French Onion soup
    - Swiss cheese, sliced

    I cut my chicken breasts into thirds and pound them thin before browning, but the recipe didn’t originally call for that. Brown the chicken breasts in a medium-high skillet in oil or butter. Remove and place in casserole dish.

    Cook onions in skillet for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, french onion soup and cook together to reduce liquid for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken in the casserole dish, top with Swiss cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

    I like to serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

    Addendum after comments have come in: the last few times I’ve made it I haven’t used the entire can of french onion soup. I put all the broth in, but I only put maybe half of the onions from the can in. for me, it’s the right balance. the first time I made it, though, I followed the recipe to a “t” and we still liked it, so feel free to modify or not according to your tastes!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:00 pm   17 Comments
    Categories: Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  6. Monday, January 18

    Pesto Tortellini Soup

    I received this recipe from Sarah Arnett, one of my lovely readers! She said that it’s a hit every time she serves it and I can see why. I made this soup last week and it was fantastic! And, I must admit, this was the first time I have cooked with vegetable broth. I’ve always been a bit suspect that the flavor would not be as robust, but it was.  I was very pleased with the results.

    pesto tortellini soup web

    Bonus – this is an EASY recipe. You’re going to love it.

    Pesto Tortellini Soup
    From Sarah who got it from a friend who got it from a vegetarian cookbook…we apologize to the cookbook for not knowing who you are!
    - 1 small onion (Jane note: I did 1/2 a small onion)
    - 2 cloves garlic
    - 1 Tbsp butter

    Saute together. (Sarah note: I do it in my large soup pan to not dirty more pans than necessary. I also usually throw in a little EVOO.)

    Add to pan:
    - 5 C vegetable broth (you can use chicken, too)
    - 1 9 oz package tortellini

    Boil until tortellini is done. (Jane note: I boiled it a few minutes less than done since it continues to cook for a bit during the next step.)

    Add:
    - 2 C frozen mixed veggies (the baby California mix is Sarah’s fave, that’s what I used too)

    Simmer until veggies are heated through.

    Add:
    - 1/4 C prepared pesto at the end. Garnish bowls with parmesan cheese.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:12 am   23 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  7. Tuesday, January 12

    Pasta Primavera from Moosewood

    Have you heard of the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks? If you have a vegetarian friend (or you are a vegetarian) who likes to cook, then you probably have. I can’t believe how many vegetarians in the last week have recommended various Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks to me. I think it’s time to go cookbook shopping. (Click here to read more about this interesting restaurant.)

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    My friend Nikki made Pasta Primavera for us one night and it was divine. I couldn’t wait to get the recipe and she happily shared. It’s from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook, which she said is her favorite of their books. If you want to buy it, click here.

    Let me warn you, this dish is a labor of love. Chopping all those vegetables takes time…especially if you add  more vegetables than the recipe calls for like I did. But it is an excellent dish, is super healthy, and if you’re only feeding 4 people like me you will have tons of leftovers. Blanching the vegetables as indicated in the recipe makes for perfectly cooked veggies.

    One more quick tip…I had some Tuscan Tomato Soup leftover when I made this pasta. Pouring a bit of that soup over the pasta was oh so good.

    Pasta Primavera
    From the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites (with Jane and Nikki notes)
    - 6 garlic cloves (Nikki sometimes uses more)
    - 2 tsp olive oil (Nikki sometimes uses more, I think I did more like 2 Tbsp.)
    - 3 cups chopped tomatoes
    - 1/4 cup dry white wine
    - 1/2 – 1 tsp salt (I’ve added this because it definitely need more salt, and if you add at this point with the sauce I think it will diffuse through the ingredients better than seasoning at the end)
    - 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil leaves (slice them crosswise)
    - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
    - 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
    - 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
    - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch matchsticks (Nikki leaves this out, I kept it in)
    - Handful snow peas, cut in half width-wise (Nikki & Jane addition)
    - Handful sugar snap peas, cut in half width-wise (Jane addition)
    - Handful green beans, cut into 2-inch lenth pieces     (Nikki and Jane addition)
    - 2 small zucchini, cut into 2-inch matchsticks (Nikki likes summer squash better)
    - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
    - salt and ground black pepper to taste
    - 1 pound fettuccine or butterfly pasta (farfalle)
    - 1/4 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

    moosewood pasta primavera2 web

    Bring a covered pot of water large enough to accommodate a colander or steamer basket to a boil (neither Nikki nor I have one of these setups, so we use a slotted spoon to scoop the veggies out of the hot water when it’s time). Meanwhile, saute the garlic and oil in a saucepan for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and salt and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the basil and red onions, cover, and remove from the heat.

    When the water is boiling, blanch the vegetables. (If you prefer to steam the vegetables, allow 3 minutes between each addition of vegetables). Put the carrots in first. After 1 minute, add the asparagus and bell peppers (if doing snow peas, sugar snap peas and/or green beans, toss them in at this point). After another minute, add the zucchini (or summer squash) and peas. Cook for 1 minute more and then lift out the colander and all of the vegetables and set aside to drain. Reserve the pot of boiling water for cooking the pasta. Stir the vegetables into the tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper (if needed). Cover and set aside.

    Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the reserved cooking water and 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese. Top with the tomato-vegetable sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:49 am   19 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  8. Thursday, January 7

    Swedish Meatballs

    Another Swedish food that my grandmother ALWAYS made was Swedish meatballs. Just like bulle, the smell alone takes me back in time. The last two years I’ve made meatballs 2 days before Christmas, ready to pop in the oven on Christmas Day. Making the meatballs is a little labor intensive, but doing them ahead makes for a super easy and delicious Christmas dinner.

    swedish meatballs finished product2 web

    Christmas or not, these are some good meatballs. They are best served with boiled red potatoes and lingonberry jam.

    Swedish Meatballs
    - 1 lb ground beef
    - 1/4 lb ground veal
    - 1/4 lb ground pork
    - 1/4 t pepper
    - 2 t nutmeg
    - 2 t paprika
    - 2 C bread crumbs
    - 1/2 C milk
    - 1 onion (medium) (I do only about 1/3 of an onion)
    - 2 T butter
    - 2 1/2 t salt
    - 1 t dry mustard
    - 3 beaten eggs

    Sauce:
    - Fat left in skillet
    - 1/4 t garlic
    - 5 T butter
    - 2 t tomato paste
    - 1 t beef concentrate (or bouillon cube)
    - 2 C bouillon or beef stock
    - Optional: 1 t aromatic bitters (I’ve never used these)
    - 1/4 C butter

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    Have meat ground together twice or mix really well. Soak bread crumbs in milk. Add meat – mix well.

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    In a large frying pan, saute onions in 2 T butter. Mix all rest of ingredients with onion except 1/4 C butter. Put all together with meat. Mix well. Form 48 small balls. Brown meatballs in 1/4 C butter. Remove balls – set aside.
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    Sauce: Add garlic and 1 T butter to fat left in skillet. Blend in rest of butter and all ingredients. Stir mixture over low heat until it thickens. Pour sauce into a casserole dish. (stir in 1 C of sour cream) Add meatballs to sauce – heat casserole in moderate oven (I think baked them at 350 degrees) until hot.

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    This recipe improves if made one day ahead.

    swedish meatballs finished product1 web

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:21 pm   18 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Holidays, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  9. Tuesday, January 5

    Tuscan Tomato Soup

    My aunt recently sent an email to my extended family inviting everyone over for “amazing tomato soup you don’t want to miss,” or something to that effect. Well, I didn’t want to miss the soup, but I had no choice since I live nowhere near any family! I knew I had to eat this soup one way or another. Thankfully she shared the recipe, saving me a few hundred dollars in airfare.

    tuscan tomato soup web

    This Tuscan Tomato Soup is very yummy.  And easy to make! Quick disclaimer before you start thanking me for sharing a healthy recipe to complement your New Years diet resolutions. Um, yeah, there’s cream in it. But cream has protein and calcium, right? Are you with me, health gurus?

    Tuscan Tomato Soup
    Prepared by Chef Kent Andersen from Chef’s Table in Orem, UT- modified by Jane Maynard (that’s me!)
    - 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    - 1 Onion, Small dice
    - 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes (original recipe: 5 Cups Diced and Seeded Tomatoes)
    - 2 Cups Chicken Stock
    - 1.5 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
    - 1 Cup Basil Pesto (Auntie Barb likes Target’s pesto better than Costco’s; I used Trader Joe’s, which was 1 oz short of a cup but still tasted great; you could always make it, I suppose)
    - Salt and Pepper, to taste

    Heat oil in a medium large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors.

    Add whipping cream. Add pesto.

    Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender. (Barbara reserves a little bit of the soup un-blended so there are some chunks.) Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:08 pm   18 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes, Recipes: Side Dishes

  10. Thursday, November 12

    Easy Peasy Bean Tacos

    Today I’ve got a quick, tasty meal idea for you, thanks to my dear friend Angie who shared this non-recipe-recipe with me recently. It’s her go-to meal and it’s a winner!

    easy bean tacos1 web

    In honor of The Pioneer Woman giveaway we’ve got going this week, I did this post Ree style, photographing every step of the cooking process. Thought it would be funny to finally do that with the easiest recipe on my site. Funny, right? A-ha-ha-ha-ha!

    Easy Peasy Bean Tacos
    - Flour or corn tortillas, smaller size
    - Shredded cheese
    - Can of refried beans
    - Toppings you like on tacos…tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, etc.

    Preheat your oven broiler. Heat up the can of beans in a saucepan.

    Place the tortillas on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle some cheese on half of the tortilla (you can also heat them up on the stove, whichever you prefer).

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    Pop the tray in the oven, broil until the cheese melts. This is seriously the hardest step of the process. You still with me?

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    Schmear on the beans.

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    Add your favorite taco toppings.

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    Fold. Eat. Enjoy.

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    We really liked these tacos, and I loved how simple they were to make. But I’ve gotta say, I think a few grilled peppers and onions would give the tacos nice flavor and crunch…but yeah, that involves chopping stuff AND dirtying another pan. So don’t worry too much about it. These are Easy Peasy Bean Tacos, after all.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am   7 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  11. Thursday, October 15

    Broccoli Cheese Soup

    I will share the following delectable soup recipe with you under one condition: You are not allowed to think about the amount of fat present in the soup when you eat it. It is worth every last calorie. That said…I wouldn’t recommend eating this soup every day. Neither would a cardiologist. But, oh my goodness, you’re going to like it.

    broccoli cheese soup 2 web

    Without further ado…the best broccoli cheese soup recipe around! Oh wait, a bit more “ado”…it’s easy to make with a short list of ingredients and quite fast. However, there is a lot of standing at the stove and whisking involved. Make sure you have some tunes or an episode of This American Life playing when you start cooking. I even do leg exercises while I whisk away…just a little preemptive strike on the butter, cream and cheese.

    BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
    From my friend Elizabeth Paul
    - 1/2 C butter
    - 1/2 C flour
    - 1 Quart Half & Half
    - 3 C cheddar cheese, grated
    - 3 C broth (chicken or vegetable)
    - 1 pkg frozen broccoli (or 2 small heads fresh broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces)
    - 1 tsp salt

    Combine broccoli, broth and salt – bring to a boil, simmer until broccoli is cooked.

    Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour gradually, whisking. Simmer and whisk for a few minutes. Add half & half four times, whisking constantly (make sure it gets thick before each addition of half & half).

    Add cheese.

    Add broccoli/broth/salt mixture and stir.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am   18 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  12. Tuesday, October 13

    Butternut Squash Soup

    It is pouring rain today, which means two things. First, I am in heaven. Second, it’s time for a cozy bowl of soup.

    butternut squash soup web

    I know several of you are chomping at the bit for my Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe. The recipe is coming this week, I promise. I just need to take a picture. Until then, I hope my most favorite soup recipe EVER will suffice.

    BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
    From my friend Sarah Covert, with my commentary in italics
    Soup:
    - 1 large butternut squash, about 3.5 lbs.
    - 1 large leek
    - 2 T unsalted butter
    - 4 tsp. grated fresh ginger (you can use ground ginger – I think about 1 tsp should do it)
    - 5-6 cups chicken stock
    - Salt
    - Freshly ground pepper (this last time I used fresh ground black pepper and 2 shakes of cayenne)

    I roast the squash, cut in pieces & wrapped in foil, in my oven at 375 for 40-60 mins. That said, here’s what the recipe tells you to do. With a large heavy knife, cut the squash in half through the stem and discard the seeds. Brush the cut sides with olive oil. Grill, cut sides down, indirectly over medium heat until the skin can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 1 hour. Remove the squash from the grill and cool… with a large spoon, scoop the flesh from the squash and discard the skin.

    Cut off most of the tough green top from the leek. Cut the leek lengthwise and wash under cold running water to remove any dirt trapped. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.

    In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add leek and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the looks are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and carefully add the squash. Recude the heat to very low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup, in batches in a blender. Return soup to saucepan. If it seems thick, use remain stock as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with peanuts if desired.

    Peanuts
    (optional garnish that I never make b/c I don’t like peanuts…but those who do love these spiced peanuts on top)
    - 1 1/12 C roasted peanuts (not dry-roasted)
    - 2 T peanut oil
    - 1 1/2 t. ground ginger
    - 1 T finely chopped garlic
    - 2 t. finely chopped fresh cilantro
    - 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder (in bulk at Henry’s)
    - 1/4 t. cayenne pepper

    In a small bowl, combine the peanuts, peanut oil, ground ginger, garlic, cilantro, five-spice powder and cayenne. Toss well to coat the peanuts evenly, then transfer to large sheet of aluminum foil. pull the corners of the foil together and close the pouch. place the pouch over indirect medium heat for 5 minutes. Carefully remove pouch and allow to cool.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 2:00 pm   11 Comments
    Categories: Eat Less Meat, Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  13. Wednesday, August 5

    Featured Recipe: Gobi Matar Sabzi

    My little sister just returned from spending two months in India. Last night she and her friend Kristen cooked us a vegetarian Indian dish called Gobi Matar Sabzi. It was awesome. I can’t wait to try cooking it myself when I get home and maybe even trying some other Indian recipes. By the way, for you parents out there…both of my girls gobbled this dish up!

    Gobi Matar Sabzi
    Original recipe from my veggie world – Anne and Kristen changed it up
    - 1 big onion ground to a fine paste
    - 1 big tomato pureed
    - 1 tsp ground ginger
    - 1 tsp garlic powder (or minced fresh garlic, 1-2 cloves)
    - 1 tsp green chili paste
    - 1/2 tsp cumin
    - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
    - 1 cup cleaned cauliflower florets
    - salt to taste (between 1 tsp and 1 TBSP)
    - pinch of turmeric
    - 1/4 tsp red chili powder
    - 3 tsp garam masala powder
    - 1 tsp coriander powder
    - 1 tbsp oil
    - chopped fresh cilantro
    - Jane note: this dish would be good with more kick, as well – I liked it mild, but I want to experiment with making it spicier some time

    Directions:
    In a large skillet, heat oil (mediumish heat). Add onion paste and fry till cooked or until raw smell disappears. Add ginger, garlic (if using fresh), green chili paste and saute for one minute. Add tomato puree and cook till paste is thick. Add powdered spices and salt. Stir then add vegetables. Cover and simmer over medium heat until cauliflower is tender. Add chopped fresh cilantro prior to serving.

    Serve with basmati rice, with fresh cilantro added to the rice just prior to serving.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:37 am   8 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  14. Thursday, April 9

    Cannelloni

    Cannelloni is one of my favorite things to order at an Italian restaurant.  Which means I had to figure out a way to make it at home, of course!  I gave it a try this week and it was so so yummy.  Here’s what I did!

    Cannelloni
    FILLING: will fill ~8 cannelloni, maybe up to 10
    - 1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded
    - 1/4 C fresh, shredded parmesan cheese
    - 1 C ricotta cheese
    - 1/2 C shredded mozzarella
    - 1 Egg, beaten
    - 1 garlic clove, minced or use garlic press
    - 1 T chopped fresh basil (maybe a little more than 1 T)
    - 1/4 t pepper
    - 1/2 t salt

    SAUCE:
    - 1 1/2 C jarred marinara (you could make your own, but this is faster and tasted great)
    - 1/2 C cream
    - 24 grape tomatoes, smashed up a bit (I pulsed in the blender a few times)
    - 1/4 – 1/2 C shredded asiago cheese

    SHELLS:
    Ideally I suppose you make your own pasta, roll it into thin sheets and cut into rectangles. Yeah, THAT’S gonna happen around here….so, I tried two readily-available pastas.

    Barilla No-Boil Homemade Style (Flat) Lasagna Noodles: These were PERFECT. Boil 3 minutes, CAREFULLY remove from the water (it’s easy to crack them in the middle, so be gentle!). Filling them is a cinch…just lay the rectangle out portrait (you know, tall-wise), lay your filling across the noodle near the end, then roll up! (I had a few cracks when I took them out of the water, but the noodle overlaps itself when you roll it up, so it wasn’t a problem) Pictured RIGHT.

    Manicotti Shells: I also tried manicotti shells. They didn’t taste quite as good, and they’re harder to stuff. So, I will definitely do the flat, no-boil lasagna noodles from now on.  Pictured LEFT.

    DIRECTIONS:
    Mix filling ingredients.

    Mix sauce ingredients and warm on the stove (doesn’t need to cook too long or get too hot).

    Spray a rectangular casserole dish or metal cake pan with spray oil. Stuff cannelloni (see noodle descriptions above). Place stuffed cannelloni in the pan. Cover with sauce.

    Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mangia!

    Makes approximately 8 cannelloni…Nate and I each ate 2, and the girls had 1 each.  Fed our family of 4 with 2 cannelloni left over.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:57 am   21 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  15. Friday, April 3

    Aaron and Lindsay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza

    Remember Lindsay?  I think it’s about time I start sharing some of her recipes with you!

    Today it’s Aaron and Lindsay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza! I’m going to start adding the word “Extravaganza” to the end of all my recipes.  It’s just so festive! (Aaron is Lindsay’s husband, by the way…who is one of the maybe five male commenters on this site.  Thanks, Aaron!)


    Lindsay actually fries up her own tortilla strips for the soup. She is WAY more gourmet than I am.

    Lindsay has the most beautiful spices.  She puts them all in matching containers.  And how cute is her bowl of salt?  I always feel like I’m in the audience of a cooking show at her house.

    I no longer live next door to Lindsay.  I so miss our afternoons of her cooking and me photographing.  Those were the days… :)

    And now, for the recipe!

    Aaron and Lindsay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza
    - 1 onion, finely chopped
    - olive oil
    - 2 green onions, chopped
    - 4 cloves garlic, minced
    - 8 cups chicken broth
    - 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
    - ½ bag frozen corn
    - 1 large chicken breast
    - 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
    - 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
    - 1 handful cilantro, chopped
    - 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips
    - 1 avocado, diced
    - cayenne pepper
    - chili powder
    - cumin
    - salt and pepper
    - cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
    - sour cream

    Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, green onions, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.

    Grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You can also pan-fry it, but it won’t add the smokiness that the bbq does). Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup. Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado.

    In large fry pan over medium-high heat, crisp up tortilla strips. Add salt. You may do this with oil or cooking spray. (For a shortcut, use tortilla chips instead).

    Serve soup garnished with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:25 am   17 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Lindsay, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes, Way Gourmet

  16. Tuesday, February 17

    I {heart} blog friends…and fantastic recipes!

    One thing that has been so fabulous about having this blog is “meeting” all of YOU! I love the sense of community and the many friends that I’ve picked up along the way, friends I’ve never actually met in person.

    Lucky for me I had the chance to meet three of my dear blogging friends last week!  Marie from Make and Takes, Allison from Petit Elefant and Lindsey from Cafe Johnsonia. I knew they’d be amazing women, but they exceeded my expectations. If you haven’t been to these ladies’ blogs, go check them out here and here and here. You’ll love them.

    Lindsey was gracious enough to host our get-together at her home, complete with all of our kids in tow.  Which was a lot of kids, by the way.  Lindsey is a fantastic cook (hence her food blog) and made some delicious Sausage Potato Soup (with secret ingredients!!) and homemade Wheat Bread.  It was HEAVEN.

    Thank you Lindsey, Marie and Allison for a perfectly lovely afternoon!

    Sausage Potato Soup (with secret ingredients)
    From Lindsey Johnson
    - 5-6 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes
    - 1 lb. bulk pork sausage
    - 1 medium onion, chopped
    - 1 cup light cream
    - 1/4 cup butter
    - 6 cups chicken stock
    - 1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
    - 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
    - freshly ground black pepper

    Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pan. Add potatoes and onions. Cook until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a separate pan. Add the cooked sausage to the potatoes and stock. Add the cream and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Add the vanilla and balsamic vinegar right before serving.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:08 pm   7 Comments
    Categories: Fab Faves, Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  17. Tuesday, January 13

    A lotta Frittata!

    I made my first frittata, and it came out, and it was tasty, and I’m gonna do it again. In fact, I put omelets on the menu this week…but I forgot about my newfound mad frittata skills, so I’ll be switching that up.  The great thing about frittata is all the servings are done at once, as opposed to cooking individual omelets.  Great if you’re serving a group of people!

    I used a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma catalog, actually.  It was great.  I did not use their $135 frittata pan, however.  I have two 12-inch, non-stick skillets, so I just stacked those.  Yes, I had to be careful when flipping, but it totally worked.

    Here’s the recipe!

    Tre Formaggi Frittata with Sausage
    From Williams-Sonoma
    - 10 eggs
    - 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
    - 1/4 C Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
    - 3 oz. Asiago cheese, cut into 1/2″ dice
    - 3 oz. Provolone cheese, cut into 1/2″ dice
    JANE NOTE: I just used some shredded colby jack cheese I had in the fridge. So, I guess my frittata was not TRE formaggi, but it tasted good just the same :)
    - 1 tsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing
    - 2 Creminelli sausages
    JANE NOTE: Yeah, Creminelli sausages are some expensive sausage you can order through WS. I just used regular old breakfast sausage and it was great.
    - 1 C thinly sliced green onions, white and green portion (I did not do 1 full cup)
    - 1/4 C finely diced roasted red bell pepper
    - 3 garlic cloves
    - 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or sprinkle some dried thyme)

    Lightly whisk eggs; whisk in pepper and cheeses. Set aside. In deep half of frittata pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tsp oil. Add sausages – cook until browned, ~ 5 mins. Transfer to small bowl; discard all but 1 tsp fat in pan.

    Reduce heat to medium. Add green onions and bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Stire in garlic and thyme – cook 30 sec. Add sausages and egg mixture – cook, using rubber spatula to lift cooked edges and allow uncooked eggs to flow underneath, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook until eggs begin to set, about 4 minutes more.

    Set shallow half of frittata pan over medium-low eat; brush lightly with oil. Place shallow pan upside down on top of deep pan. Flip frittata into shallow pan. cook, covered, until eggs are set, about 6 minutes. Shake pan to loosen frittata and slide onto serving plate (we ate it straight out of the pan). Serves 8-10.

    Follow-up note, 1/23/09: I have since tried halving this recipe and it worked great.  Just use two 9-10″ skillets instead of 12″.  Works like a charm!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:49 am   8 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  18. Wednesday, October 15

    Featured Recipe: Whole Wheat Pancakes

    I’m trying to cut white flour as much as possible (more on that tomorrow!). Normally when I make wheat pancakes, I do half white flour, half wheat flour. This time I took the dive and went ALL wheat flour. I looked through my recipes, found one I thought might work…and it worked GREAT!

    I thought using all whole wheat flour would make the pancakes heavy, but with this recipe they were fluffy…and delicious! Without further ado, the recipe!

    Whole Wheat Pancakes
    Adapted from “The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook” (a MUST-HAVE for your kitchen library, by the way!)
    - 2 cups whole wheat flour
    - 2 TBSP. sugar (I think honey would be a great alternative…I’m going to try that next time)
    - 2 tsp. baking powder
    - 1/2 tsp. baking soda
    - 1/2 tsp. salt
    - 1 large egg
    - 3 TBSP. butter melted
    - 2 C buttermilk (or 2 C regular milk with 1 T lemon juice added, let sit for a few minutes)

    Whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and butter, then buttermilk. Make a well in dry ingredients, add wet into well, whisk very gently until incorporated (a few lumps should remain). Don’t overmix.

    Cook pancakes over medium heat. Flip when bubbles start to appear. My batter was VERY thick, so I had to sort of “spread” the pancake a bit when I put the batter in the pan…and the little bubbles never popped by the time it was time to flip the pancakes, but I could see them forming when it was time to flip. (I wouldn’t thin out the batter with milk because I don’t think they’ll come out as fluffy.)

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 2:13 pm   15 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  19. Thursday, October 2

    Featured Recipe: Curried Squash & Chicken Soup

    I’ve been a real slacker cook lately.  I mean, it WAS my birthday after all. But I’m back in the kitchen and, as per Nate’s request, I’ve been trying new recipes more often lately.  The latest experiment – Curried Squash and Chicken Soup, a recipe from my good friend Natalee.

    It was quite yummy and healthy to boot.  And SO EASY.  The only trick is finding the curry paste, which is usually at Asian markets.  But seriously, even on a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, this soup added no extra stress whatsoever.

    A few quick notes. Nate commented it would be good on rice if it was a little thicker.  I may try that – I’ll either cut the water or add a little cornstarch at the end.

    And, believe it or not, I have lemongrass growing in my flower garden!  So, I threw a few whole blades of grass into the crockpot and pulled them before serving.  It gave the soup such a great, fresh flavor!

    Without further ado, the recipe!

    CURRIED SQUASH & CHICKEN SOUP

    From Eating Well via my friend Natalee Maynes
    Serves 2-3

    1 10-ounce package frozen pureed winter squash
    1/2 cup coconut milk
    1/2 cup water
    8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced (can be added to soup raw) (Jane note: I just threw big hunks of raw chicken in that I cut with kitchen scissors, then broke it up with a fork at the end)
    1 6-ounce bag baby spinach (Jane note – I would chop up the spinach a bit before throwing it in for better texture in the soup)
    2 kaffir lime leaves (or 2 T lime juice)
    2 teaspoons brown sugar
    1/2-1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
    1/4 teaspoon salt

    Natalee’s favorite way to do this is in the crockpot because it allows all of the yummy Thai flavors to come out. Just throw it all in and cook on high for two or three hours–yummy! A great addition to this (but tricky to find anywhere except an Asian market) is LEMONGRASS!!! It is divine and makes it even that much better.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 4:16 pm   16 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Healthy Eats, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

  20. Thursday, September 11

    Featured Recipe: Caramelized Onion & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

    Today’s recipe comes from reader, Kate. It was on her menu a few weeks ago and I stole it shamelessly. Nate and I really enjoyed this dish, and it is super easy to prepare. Plus, it’s so pretty!


    Caramelized Onion & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
    From Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller, via TWFD reader Kate :)
    - 12 oz spinach fettuccine (Kate note: I always use regular fettuccine or whole wheat spaghetti with great success)
    - 1 Tbs olive oil
    - 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
    - 2 Tbs sugar
    - 1 cup sliced roasted red peppers (Jane note: I just bought a jar of these at the store)
    - 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
    - 1 cup vegetable broth (Kate note: I usually use chicken b/c i have an open container in my fridge)
    - salt and fresh ground pepper

    Cook pasta and drain. While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar and cook, stirring a couple of times until the onions are golden brown and carmelized, about 10 minutes (Jane note – took longer for me). Stir in the red peppers and vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and pasta and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve. The sauce will thicken up a bit upon sitting for a minute or two.

    Kate note: I am only making this for 2.5 of us so I usually make half the pasta, but a full recipe fo the sauce. It’s so good and we like it really saucy! Enjoy!

    Jane note: I had a 9 oz package of spinach fettuccine…and I thought it was too much pasta for the sauce, so go with Kate’s tip of just doing 6 oz of pasta (half the recipe), but the full recipe of sauce. Also, I’m going to throw some chicken in here next time – I think that would taste good. Great dish!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:12 pm   3 Comments
    Categories: Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Main Dishes

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