Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs, Tomatoes, and Carrots

(photo by Bradford Fishback)

I seem to come up with my favorite creations when I only have about five minutes to plan and thirty minutes to cook. This mediterranean-inspired dish is light, but filling at the same time. Also, it's a great use of fresh herbs! (Something I've been aiming to use more of lately.)

UPDATE (09.08.10): When I first made this, I was in a very garlicky mood apparently so I threw in five cloves of garlic. After eating this again as leftovers, I have realized that five cloves is far too much and I've changed the amount to two cloves of garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas, drained

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half and then quartered

2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 big handful parsley, finely chopped

1 big handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pan, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When oil is glossy, add onions and garlic and cook until onions are transparent, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes until carrots are just tender (but still with a bit of crunch). 

Add chick peas and cook for another five minutes. 

Next, stir in tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Let all ingredients meld together for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with a lemon wedge, or sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Cheese Toast and Yogurt with Cucumbers: Place a piece of gouda cheese on slices of bread and toast in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve salad on top of the toast and use the toast to help scoop up juices from the salad. 

You may also include a side of plain yogurt with diced and skinned cucumbers...a true Mediterranean staple. Maybe someday, I'll make tzatziki. 

Honey-Cilantro Salmon with Rice

Honey is such a great addition to salmon. The way it makes it crisp up is so delicious. I love the way this turned out, but I think I might use even more honey in the future. Mmmm....

*Adapted from Bon Appétit

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons finely grated lime zest

4 Tablespoons honey

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup sliced shallots (I didn't have these, so I substituted with onions)

1-1/2 cups basmati rice

3-1/4 cup chicken broth

4 5-6 oz. salmon fillets

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together lime juice, lime zest, honey, cilantro, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, deep, ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots (or onions) and sauté until just beginning to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then 3-1/4 cups broth. Bring to a boil. Cover skillet tightly with lid, place in oven and bake 10 minutes. (Rice will be almost coked through and most of the broth will be absorbed.)

Remove skilled from the oven. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and arrange on rice, pressing the salmon in lightly. Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of lime mixture over each salmon fillet. Cover skillet and return to oven. 

Bake until salmon is just opaque in center, about 8-10 minutes.

Drizzle remaining lime mixture over fish and rice, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and serve from skillet.

VARIATION: To make this an all-inclusive, one-skillet meal, add some fresh vegetables (broccolini, carrots, snap peas, etc.) into the skillet at the same time the salmon is added. 

Fresh Herbs and Lemon Pasta

Simple, fresh, delicious. The perfect meal for the day before you go grocery shopping (when there is no more food in your kitchen). 

*from CuisineNie

INGREDIENTS:

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (about one lemon's worth)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon's worth)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and chives. Tarragon and Rosemary are also good options.)
cheese (feta, goat, and parmesan are all good options)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and return to pot.

Add butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Add some pasta water to adjust the consistency, if needed, and top with cheese.

Enjoy.

Fresh California Orange Cake

From the second I found this recipe, I have been dying to make it. Having my family in town was a perfect excuse to make a dessert and this did not disappoint. Apparently this recipe has won some blue ribbons at county fairs. I love it because even thought it is a cake, it still uses fresh ingredients. Love me some fresh oranges. And love me some Fresh California Orange Cake.

*Recipe and picture from yourhomebasedmom.com

INGREDIENTS:

(for the cake):

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup shortening

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1-1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2-1/2 cups sifted cake flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh orange juice, minus 2 Tablespoons

2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate

(for the frosting):

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

dash of salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the cake. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by greasing (generously) with shortening and flour. Cream together butter, shortening, and rind. Very gradually add sugar, creaming until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating for five minutes.

Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with orange juice to creamed mixture. Add in orange juice concentrate. Beat only until smooth after each addition. 

Pour batter into prepared round pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool for about 20 minutes then remove gently from pan and cool completely.

For the frosting, cream butter and cream cheese. Gradually beat in sugar alternately with orange juice, beating until smooth. Stir in orange rind and salt. Beat until creamy and thick.

Smooth frosting appropriately onto layered cake, cut, serve, eat, and savor every bite.

Cooking for One: Macaroni and Cheese

I've been on a mac and cheese kick lately. There is an LA food truck, Worldfare that sells Mac and Cheese in the form of truffles. My oh my. I decided against trying it when they were stopped in front of my work the other day, but I'm not sure why. I'm obviously still thinking about it. To satisfy my craving, I found this quick and easy version for one serving mac and cheese.

*from Razzle Dazzle Recipes

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch pepper

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup shredded cheese

1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon onion, chopped

1/2 cup elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

bread crumbs or crushed saltine crackers

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Whisk in milk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Add the cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Stir until cheese is melted. Add cooked macaroni. Transfer to a small, greased baking dish (I actually used multiple cups of my cupcake pan). Sprinkle with bread crumbs/saltines and dot with remaining butter.  

Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cool serving dish and enjoy.

Cooking for One: Stuffed Pepper

Did you know that one yellow bell pepper contains 569% of your daily value of Vitamin C? By comparison, one orange has 160% of your Vit-C daily value. Bell peppers have a strong, crisp consistency which several people don't like but when cooked well, they develop into a softer shell which works perfectly for stuffing.

This is a great recipe for one or two (if doubled).

INGREDIENTS:

*to double the recipe, double each ingredient except for the tomato sauce and egg

1 medium bell pepper (color of your choice)

1/4 lb. ground beef

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, divided

1/8 cup uncooked rice

2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 Tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the pepper by cutting the top off, removing the seeds and blanching in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine beef, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, rice, 1 Tablespoon cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix well (with your hands if you feel the need). Stuff the peppers with the mixture.

Place the stuffed peppers in a small ungreased baking dish (I used a loaf pan) and pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pepper. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and pepper is tender. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and return to the oven for another five minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy! 

Cooking for One: Pita Pizza

Brad is on a hiking trip until Saturday which means I have five days of cooking for myself. There is a reason this blog didn't get started until AFTER I was married and was responsible for feeding another person. Cooking for one is hard. The other night, I decided to make a one-serving pizookie and found myself using one tablespoon of a raw egg. Yes, it was a waste of over half an egg.

This week I will attempt to make recipes for one that do not waste food or have exorbitant amounts of leftovers. My first post is a pita pizza. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 piece of pita bread

3 Tablespoons hummus (or more if you like more)

Toppings (you can use whatever you have but good pairings with hummus include: avocado, tomato, carrots, chicken, nuts, bell peppers, goat cheese, ground beef, garlic)

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread hummus on the pita and top with desired toppings. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until pita bread is slightly toasted. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Use any remaining toppings (i.e. the other half of a tomato or avocado) and plate it as a side salad.

Heirloom Tomato Heaven...

Unfortunately I don't have a recipe to accompany this post, but I'll consider this an inspiration post. This is a picture of the gorgeous and equally delicious heirloom tomato, ricotta, and fresh basil pizza I had for lunch today at Pitfire Pizza. 

There is no substitute for FRESH ingredients!

Spicy Cajun BBQ Chicken

There are a couple great BBQ joints in LA. One is Baby Blues. Another is Mr. Cecil's. I have a couple of Texan co-workers and we seem to end up eating at these two places more than once in a while. The key to any good BBQ dish is definitely, definitely the sauce. After my great satisfaction with the homemade BBQ sauce made for the BBQ chicken pizza, I decided I needed another dish to pair with that sauce. Trusty chicken came through. Some BBQ chicken recipes use a rub. Some use a sauce. This one uses both.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1-1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large chicken breasts

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (click here for homemade BBQ sauce recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine chili powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Generously coat chicken breasts, one at a time, with the rub mixture. Using a George Foreman grill (if you're me), or an actual grill (if you have a backyard), grill chicken for about 10 minutes until fully cooked through or when all pinkness is gone. Serve with BBQ sauce on top and mashed potatoes on the side. 

Grub down!

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Brad has this thing against purchasing farm-raised fish. He doesn't like it. And our local Ralph's usually only carries farm-raised salmon. Every time I beg for it, he jokes, 'Just wait 'til we move to Alaska. You can have all the wild-caught salmon you like.' Truly, I am jealous of the salmon abundance there. But back to the grocery store. Last week, Brad spotted wild-caught salmon at our local California Ralphs and we jumped on it, so excited to get our healthy fill of Omega-3s.  

Ah, the simplicity of cooking it with this recipe. Being healthy and tasting mouth-watering goodness never felt so easy.

*from Gourmet Magazine, July 2006 (Ian Knauer)

INGREDIENTS:

3 (6 oz.) salmon fillets

3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest 

(for lime butter sauce):

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/8 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Make lime butter sauce. In a blender or food processor, purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds. 

Grill salmon. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. Place fillets on a lightly olive-oiled grill. (I used a George Foreman grill and left it in there for about 8 minutes.) Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each fillet with one tablespoon lime butter sauce.

SERVING SUGGESTION: 

Serve with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (seen in picture) and a summer salad of fresh greens, tomato, avocado, goat cheese and Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette dressing.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Classic, delicious, chunky mashed potatoes.

For an additional picture, see Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce.

Serves: 4
Total cooking time: 25 minutes

*adapted from Gourmet, November 2004

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about six potatoes, depending on the size)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup whole milk (or a combination of a lower % milk and whipping cream)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare potatoes with potato scrubbing gloves if you have them, or by peeling if you don't have scrubbing gloves. Once potatoes have been scrubbed or peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes. Transfer to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and add 5 cups cold water and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes in a colander, then return to pan and cook over moderate heat, shaking pan occasionally, until dry, 1-2 minutes. Heat milk, butter, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Add melted mixture to pan and using a potato masher, mash all ingredients together until just combined.

Enjoy.

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint (or Cilantro)

I do not like coleslaw. There is too much mayonnaise, in my opinion. But I do like mango slaw. This salad is perfect as a summer accompaniment to any grilled meal, including burgers, steaks, or chicken.

*adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and julienned

1 half head cabbage

1/2-1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about two limes

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons oil of your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup thinly slices fresh mint leaves (I accidentally bought cilantro at the store, instead of mint so I used that instead--still great and maybe even better if you're making this to accompany a Mexican dish)

1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Toss mangoes, cabbage, red pepper and onion in a medium-size serving bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over mango mixture and serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let flavors meddle for about an hour. When ready to serve, mix in mint (or cilantro) and cashews.

Enjoy!

Burrito Bowl with Seasoned Ground Turkey

Inspired by Chipotle and the ingredients I had in my kitchen, this burrito bowl was born. Ground turkey is my favorite substitute for ground beef, especially when used in Mexican dishes. With some taco seasoning, I can hardly tell the difference between turkey and beef. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you have a more mild palette)

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 can refried beans (or black beans)

2 cups brown rice

1 tomato

1 avocado

2 oz. goat cheese

1/2 cup salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare rice, according to directions. 

Over medium heat, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Add next nine ingredients, water, and corn starch and simmer until all spices are cooked into the meat, about 10-15 minutes.

Heat beans in a small saucepan over low heat, until warmed through. 

Make your burrito bowl. In a shallow bowl, pour 1 cup of cooked rice and spread on the bottom. Add 1/2 cup beans, followed by 1/2 cup seasoned ground turkey. Top with chopped tomato, goat cheese, sliced avocado, and salsa. Sprinkle with pepper and garnish with cilantro, if available. Enjoy.

German Pancakes/Dutch Babies

Anyone else into the World Cup? I married a pureblood German (a variant pronunciation of Fishback is Vischbach.) So, needless to say, we are excited about Germany's chances in the World Cup. (Although I'm torn about Spain vs. Germany, given my love for España...hmmm.) On the day Germany beat Argentina 4-0, I made German pancakes. I've since learned that these are also referred to as "Dutch Babies." Oh, and what do you know, the Dutch just beat Uruguay today to make it to the World Cup Finals! So, whether you're cheering for the orange and blue, or the red, yellow, and black, whip these up for your World Cup match! (That rhyming couplet was unintentional, but very cool.) This breakfast dish is a thicker, puffier, more protein-filled version of pancakes and we like them! I hope you do too.

*Recipe from Jenna at Just Cook Already

INGREDIENTS: 

3 eggs

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

3 Tablespoons butter

berries or apricots for the topping

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees and place a heat-resistant skillet or baking dish in the oven to heat up. After about 5 minutes, put butter in the pan to melt.

Add three eggs and the sugar to a blender and mix on low speed for about 1 minute. The eggs should be light colored and bubbly. Then add flour and milk and blend on low speed for 10 seconds, until evenly mixed. 

Take skilled or baking dish out of the oven, making sure butter has melted, and carefully pour the batter into the skillet or pan.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the sides and middle have puffed and browned. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup or powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Have a delicious morning!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Happy 4th of July weekend! I think there will be a lot of BBQ-ing going on this weekend. To get in the mood... BBQ chicken pizza.

This pizza is made with a homemade dough and homemade BBQ sauce, but it is SIMPLE. The directions for the BBQ sauce are my all time favorite directions for anything. Ever. You'll see. It is a really great tasting sauce and can be used for so much more than just pizza. It has a little kick, but nothing too crazy.

For the pizza dough, or any bread dough for that matter, if there is any piece of advice I can offer, it is to get a kneading attachment for your mixer or hand mixer. I only have a hand mixer, and my kneading attachment makes any type of bread-making about 100x less annoying. I will promote anything that keeps my hands from becoming a doughy, sticky, crazy mess.

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA (inspired by closetcooking.com)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pizza dough (recipe below)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (recipe below)

1/2 lb. chicken breast, boneless and skinless

1 handful red onion, sliced

1/4 cup goat cheese, feta cheese, or blue cheese

1-1-1/2 cup colby/monterey jack shredded cheese

1 handful cilantro, sliced (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Grill the chicken until just cooked all the way. Let cool and cut into 1/4 inch strips. Roll pizza dough on a lightly greased surface sprinkled with corn meal. Spread the BBQ sauce on the pizza, followed by chicken, onion, and cheeses. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 

PIZZA DOUGH (adapted from Jenna at Just Cook Already):

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 - 3 cups four

1 Tablespoon (or one packet) yeast

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup very warm water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

corn meal

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and salt. Stir very warm and oil into dry ingredients. Stir in enough remaining flour (about 1/2 cup for me) to make soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface, or with an electric mixer and kneading attachment, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.

BBQ SAUCE (adapted from closetcooking.com):

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Mix well. (That's it!)

Enjoy!!