Recycling Your Leftovers

Ugh, another weekend of wedding planning. I was hoping to keep things simple and elegant. The Chef's list keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.  I'm thinking of great locations for a simple outdoor ceremony with only family while he is talking with friends about renting out entire restaurants and bands and cash vars and all of that business. Sheesh!! I think we have the first ever Groomzilla going on! If you have ever had to plan a wedding, you know what a nightmare it can be. For example, I have decided that instead of a multi-tiered cake that costs hundreds of dollars and will be hanging out in my kitchen for weeks after, we're going to order gourmet cupcakes. Yes, I know, I'm a baker, I can easily make my own but what bride wants to make her own cake? I've played that game once before, when my oldest daughter was planning her wedding and we decided to do the majority of the food ourselves. No big deal at all, just required some planning and delegating, but then we got the brilliant idea that Mom the Baker, the same person as Mother of the Bride would bake the cake too. Bad bad bad idea. We ended up ordering the cake.

After a day of planning and researching and pricing and calling around, The Chef and I were ready for dinner. I made one of my favorite Sunday dinners, heck any day dinner for that matter- roast chicken. Some lovely fingerling potatoes were also roasted in the chicken drippings and a fresh green salad went alongside and I was left with most of a chicken to pick and use for another dish, and as I sat there picking chicken off the bones, ignoring the pleading stares and chops-licking of two cats and a dog, I got to thinking about leftovers. Leftovers often get a bad rap. Many people don't want to eat a repeat of the same exact meal so all too often those dishes of perfectly good food are ignored, shoved in the back of the fridge, only to be reborn as a penicillin farm in a bowl. 

What are you supposed to do with your leftovers if you don't want to eat the same thing the next day? Recycle them of course! It just takes a little imagination and a well stocked pantry of basics to pull of some serious leftover revision. For me it starts with a good selection of grains and pastas. If I have a good solid grain or two I can stretch the last of a roast pork, chicken or beef into a great second day dinner or, even better, a lovely lunch for a couple days.

So my story leads us back to Trader Joe's. I swear, it's purely coincidence! I just find so many delicious things there and have to share my ideas with you so..... bear with me here. This recipes used the Harvest Grains Blend. This stuff caught my eye every single time I went in the store and I resisted buying it for the longest time. I seriously have enough grains in the pantry to survive a year. I just couldn't help myself on this last shopping trip. The mixture is gorgeous. Big pieces of Israeli couscous combined with veggie orzo in different colors, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa combine to make a colorful, texture-filled dish. It's easy to prepare- just add to boiling water and simmer ten minutes. No draining. No fuss. You can use it in all kinds of dishes and it was so pretty I thought it would make a lovely salad. I just happened to have roasted a chicken for dinner and had the leftover chicken to pick and use so....... it was recycled into a tasty salad for lunch during the week. What else got recycled? The last cup or so of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables that was hanging out in the freezer and a half a red onion that was leftover from a salad. The simple dressing combined oil and vinegar with a spicy sweet honey mustard I was given by a friend and voila! Here is how I made it-

Leftover Chicken Couscous Salad

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend*

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2/3 cup oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup prepared honey mustard

salt and pepper

*I used this specific brand. If you can't find it, you can sub orzo, farro, rice or your favorite grains. You want 4-6 cups cooked product.

In a large saucepan heat water and butter to boiling per the directions on the package. When water has reached a full boil, add the bag of Harvest Grains Blend and stir. Return to boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff. Allow to cool slightly.

In a jar or large mixing cup combine the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Shake or whisk to blend.

In a large bowl toss together the grain mix, the chicken, vegetables. Pour the dressing over and toss to coat. Cover and chill.

This salad makes a great lunch salad for taking to work or for picnics. I used the remaining chicken leftover from a roast chicken but you can purchase cooked chicken or cook up a couple chicken breasts or thighs to cube. Grilled chicken would bring a great flavor twist and so would barbequed chicken, with bits and spots of charred sweet barbeque sauce- oh yum! I think I better get another package of this grain mix and make it again !!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

My spin on Sheet Pan Dinner- Cilantro Lime Chicken

I spent the whole winter counting the days til the warm spring sun shines down on me and I can start thinking about growing fresh herbs again. I've weeks flipping through garden catalogs and seed flyers and anxiously awaiting the springtime. This is our first summer in the city house and once again I be able to fine beautiful fresh herbs. I didn't plant a garden this spring, but with an abundance of farmers markets and specialty grocery stores I will have so many options. I plan to really embrace cilantro. Cilantro is the Either Or Plant- you either love it or you hate it. I used to detest the stuff and gagged any time I detected even a hint of it in my salsa. I decided to make an honest attempt to embrace it, and I sure have, falling in love the the flowery herby essence and bright flavor that's so unique.

All those fresh herbs mean I will have lots of great new flavors to play with. Cilantro is just inviting me to go in a Latin direction. Cilantro and lime are perfect partners, and juicy chicken is the perfect protein to showcase those flavors. While you can opt for chicken breasts, which work great in this recipe, chicken thighs are where the flavor is. Be sure to buy bone-in chicken thighs. This marinade is perfect for all kinds of chicken, so if you prefer a big platter of chicken legs, go for it. It's not too shabby for a wing recipe either. I opted to brown my chicken in that trusty cast iron beauty I have and finish as a "sheet pan dinner" but you can roast it right in the skillet and skip the vegetables or grill this chicken too.  

Juicy Cilantro Lime Chicken 

6 skin on, bone in chicken thighs (I used leg quarters, cut up, so 3 legs and 3 thighs)

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more

3 tablespoons lime juice

zest of one lime

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup minced cilantro (stems and leaves)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper
baby Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 cups)
1 medium onion
2 red or orange bell peppers

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Place in a large zip top bag along with all the other ingredients. Seal the bag and massage to mix ingredients and coat the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate 3-4 hours (you can go overnight in the fridge too).

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Using a heavy oven safe skillet, such as cast iron, heat the skillet over medium high heat. Add a small amount of cooking oil and place the chicken, skin side down, in the hot pan. Allow the skin side to brown well, then flip the chicken and brown the other side. 

While the chicken is browning, prepare your veggies. Cut the potatoes in half, cut the onion into wedges and cut the peppers into chunks. Toss veggies with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Spread the veggies evenly onto the foil. Top with the chicken. Spoon the pan juices over. Bake until chicken tests done, 45 minutes to an hour, and the skin is golden brown.

Garnish with additional lime slices for squeezing and sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro.

Choosing the chicken for this dish is important. A lot of people think they don't like chicken on the bone. You have to get past that thinking guys. Bone in and skin on chicken is by far more flavorful and juicy than a boneless skinless breast can ever hope to be. Plus, you don't get the gorgeous browning and flavor building that you do with skin on chicken. Face your fears and buy the bone in chicken. You won't regret it.

Cooking Together- A Love Story

Tonight we BOTH get a turn in the kitchen- The Chef makes the PERFECT steak, always the absolute perfect medium rare for me. No one else can do it EXACTLY perfect and I have had steak cooked by many many many people. I don't know how he does it. He just KNOWS........

So he is going to work his magic on some steaks with some meat rubs and maybe even the grill pan (not his favorite pan but I love the grill marks) and I am in charge of the side dish.

Our recent trip to the Taj Mahal of grocery stores, as you know, kept me captivated in the bulk buying section for a good hour, overwhelmed by the incredible variety of options available to me. So many things. So little....money- ugh !! But one thing I have been DYING to try was right there, and inexpensive, a whole barrel full with a scoop sticking out just beckoning to me!! Israeli couscous.  

Now I love couscous. It's so super easy, really requires ZERO cooking other than bringing water to a boil and is such a versatile side dish. Whatever you add to it transforms it. Where regular couscous is teeny tiny, Israeli couscous is BIG. Almost like pearl tapioca- big beautiful dots of delicious, and I can't wait to start creating. Because it is much larger, it does require some actual cooking. My research has revealed both a rice-style cooking method which absorbs all the cooking liquid, as well as a traditional pasta-style cooking, in lots of salted water and then drained. I have decided to toast mine and use the absorption method and let my creativity take over from there.

Besides the bulk grain section, The Chef practically had to drag me from the produce section. In fact, we were there so long that he actually made friends with the produce manager and stood talking food prices and so on for quite a while. I think they really bonded over baby carrots and hot peppers. Row after row of tropical fruit, amazing organic produce, every type of potato known to man, peppers of all kinds- it was like Disneyland. "It's A Small World"- you know- the ride that takes three days to get through......ya, that's me in the produce section. 

Brussels sprouts were what I was on the hunt for, and I was not disappointed. I loved the cute market basket display, and I got to pick through and choose my sprouts myself instead of prepackaged sprouts with a few yuckies hidden in the middle. Oh- and baby carrots- but not just any baby carrots- baby tri-colored carrots !! I squealed with delight as I filled "my splurge" part of the cart- the kid seat part. By the time I got done filling my allowed splurge area I had bulk Israeli couscous, bulk cracked wheat, bulk brown mustard seed, a big container of olives, marinated provolone and peppadews from the antipasti bar, a nice hunk of cheese and a crusty baguette. I was in heaven!

The Chef selected a couple nice Angus steaks and some other meats from the meat counter, we finished up our shopping and got out of there before I got too comfortable and wanted to just live there.

Now he is going to handle steak duty like so:

Classic Johnny and Kay's Steak DeBurgo

2 steaks- use the cut you like, filet is awesome, we are using sirloin
1/3 cup butter, plus more if needed
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tsp crushed dried basil
salt and pepper

Season steaks with salt and pepper. Melt butter in skillet, add steaks and cook to desired doneness. Add additional butter to make sure you have about 1/4 cup or so in the pan. Add the crushed garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add basil. Return steaks to pan and turn to coat. Place steaks on serving plates and pour butter over.

My contribution to this meal (oh, I have long dreamed of having a man I could cook with side by side- this is true love folks) will be the side dish. I am combining my starch and veggies into one-

Toasted Israeli Couscous with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

1 cup Israeli couscous, uncooked

2 tb oil

1 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth

3 slices of bacon, chopped

1/4 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise then sliced like slaw

1-2 tb sugar

freshly ground black pepper

several splashes balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in small saucepan. Add the couscous and cook and stir until it is toasted and evenly browned. Don't overbrown- just looking for a toasty color. Add the broth and simmer on medium low heat for about 10 minutes. The liquid should completely absorb into the couscous and it will be al dente.

While the couscous was cooking get the chopped bacon going until crispy and remove from the pan to drain, reserving the bacon fat (at least a couple tablespoons, maybe 3). 

To that add the shredded sprouts  and the sugar and give that a quick toss over the heat til barely wilted. I left the sprouts with enough crunch that they are almost nutty in the finished dish. Toss sprouts, couscous, bacon and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar in a large bowl and toss to mix. If you think you need more "sauce" to the mixture, add a splash or two of chicken broth. You could also do a splash of white wine if you have it. Serve with The Chef's awesome steak.

As always, my steak was perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Buttery sauce with lots of basil.....my absolute favorite way to cook steak. But what about the side dish ??

It was sooooo yummy !! The Brussels sprouts added a nice veggie element, the bacon a nice bit of crunch, the couscous was cooked perfectly. The bacon fat and balsamic were the perfect match for this dish. We will definitely be making many return trips to the bulk buy bins!

A day in the life of a night shift widow

Fact of life, when you choose to spend your life with a chef, you will be spending alot of evenings and weekends entertaining yourself without your partner. That's the story of our life.

Last night when my chef got home from work, and we were catching up on eachother's  days, he asked what I made for dinner. Well.....cooking for just myself just doesn't happen very often. So my answer was "toast". The reality is my dinner was 4 slices of toast with that homemade peach jam !! I think he felt a little bad.......even though I didn't.

So today he sent me a message before he left for work: "Prepped dinner for you, tilapia filets, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, lemon, thyme, capers and tomatoes- just pop it in the oven". How adorable is that ???

My workday ends and I drive home trying to decide if I want to make another batch of jam or if I want to sit on the couch and catch up on mindless tv..... and eventually my tummy starts telling me it's time to take a peek at that tilapia. It looked fantastic !! So into the oven at 425 for about 15-20 minutes while I made a little bowl of whole wheat couscous, and the easiest dinner ever was done.

Now about this mindless tv..... I have been DVRing episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras so I thought I could catch up on a few of them. Wow.....biggest laugh of the night- one of the moms was talking about Cirque du Soleil and she called it Circka dee Solay. I had to giggle......