Stir-Fry with Brown Sauce

I’m trying so hard to get back to cooking nearly every night! I never understood it before when my mom would tell me she was tired of cooking. I always have found cooking dinner to be so relaxing, so I couldn’t understand why someone wouldn’t want to do it. But over the last few months I totally started to understand it. But after standing on the scale and seeing what not cooking does to my gut is putting things into perspective and getting me back to cooking – so you should be seeing more stuff posted.

Stir-frys are easy. I love things I can cook quick but still taste delicious. My boyfriend said it would have been good with corn in it. This is definitely a dish I will remake and it will have corn next time.

Stir-Fry with Brown Sauce
(based on this recipe)

Ingredients
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil, or less
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped broccolini
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 onion, diced

Directions

1. In a small amount of oil brown the chicken on all sides. Don’t worry about cooking through. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Stir together and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the chicken and vegetables. Cover with a lid and let simmer in the liquid for 20 minutes.

4. Stir the remaining chicken broth with the cornstarch.

5. Pour the broth and cornstarch into the stir-fry. Stir and simmer until the liquid thickens.

* serves 2
* 234 calories per serving (excluding the rice)
* Shared with What’s Cooking Wednesday

Tomato and Sausage Pilaf

This last semester of law school had me effectively fall off the planet. As of last night though I am now 66% done with law school – only one year left!

If this blog were actually entitled Law Student Eats or something (as opposed to it being my Cookbook) these last few months of food would be filled the nastiest foods ever. I have eaten a lot of hot dogs and chili fries, hamburgers, pizza, and Chinese food. I am not saying any of those are actually nasty, because they taste really good . . . But I have hardly been healthy and unfortunately I’ve noticed a major increase in my weight in the last few months. This is very disappointing given how much I lost last year. I don’t want it all to be for nothing, so it’s time I pull myself together again and start making meals that matter and reexplore my kitchen and have fun.

My around the world challenge, like I’ve mentioned, was entirely set-back by my hectic life. But I will be making those missed out ‘trips’ up starting next meal plan hopefully. If not, I do still plan to make 52 dishes from other countries – we will just see how it pans out.

My school work has really gotten in the way of cooking. I was also disappointed that I wasn’t able to participate in Food ‘n Flix last month because I just had no time to watch the movie. I already have my dish picked out though for this month’s movie, Sideways. I plan to make it Friday this week. I just need to go to the store and get some wine first. To participate in this fun event check it out here.

Now with that being said and all my talking out of the way, this pilaf was delicious. I usually mess rice up if it’s not cooked traditionally (or in a rice cooker.) This recipe was surprisingly simple, left me with fluffy (not burnt) rice, and tasted delicious.

Tomato and Sausage Pilaf
(source)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
9 oz smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup basmati rice
2 1/2 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Heat 1/2 tsp of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. Add 1/2 tsp of olive oil, onion, and garlic to the frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice, and cook stirring for 1 minute. Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Place sausages on top of rice.

4. Add the remaining oil and mushrooms to the frying pan. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to release liquid. Add the tomato and broth; bring to a boil. Pour over rice and stir to combine. Cover dish with tight-fitting lid.

5. Bake for 40 minutes. Add peas. Bake covered for 5 more minutes.

* serves 2

Around The World in 52 Weeks: Sarma

Though sarma is traditionally a Serbian dish, Montenegro, my county for the week borders Serbia. Food in Montenegro has both Italian and Serbian influences. These wraps can be made using grape leaves, chard leaves, or cabbage leaves. I opted for the cabbage as I had one in my refrigerator and it didn’t require a trip to a specialty store (as the grape leaves would have.)

The only thing I regret about this dish was not having started it earlier. It takes three hours to cook, so starting dinner at 6PM was just a dumb idea on my part. When dinner was finally read around 9PM I indulged in these delicious wraps. The sauerkraut made them the perfect amount of bitter. I would definitely make these again.

Sarma
(source)

Ingredients
1 head cabbage
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 lb ground pork
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 egg
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can sauerkraut
1 cup tomato sauce
water, as needed

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine the meat, rice, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Form meat mixture into oblong balls, about 1/2 cup of meat each. Wrap each ball with a cabbage leaf.

2. Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a pan. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of the sauerkraut. Pour tomato sauce on top and then add enough water so that the cabbage rolls are completely covered.

3. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, allowing to simmer. Simmer for 3 hours.

* serves 3
* Shared with KB and Whitesnakes’s Simply Delish Saturdays.

I’d like to see people travel the globe with me.
Every Saturday I will be posting my recipe, as well as pictures to ethnic cuisines you have made and want to share.

- You must mention The Law Student’s Cookbook‘s Around The World In 52 Weeks in the entry you link. You can either use a link or use the banner.
- In your post you must  at least mention what cuisine the dish is.
- Email me your recipe at elizabeth@crabtech.net. Make sure to include:

* Your name or blog name
* The direct link to your post
* A picture of the dish or permission to pull a picture from the post

- Make sure to email me by Saturday at 12noon Pacific Standard Time
- If you enter a recipe you will be automatically entered into my current giveaway.

Balti Chicken Vindaloo

Though this is only the second dish I’ve made out of this cookbook, Best Ever Indian Cookbook by Baljerkar, Fernandez, Husain, and Kanani, it by far is becoming my favorite cookbook.

I never thought I would see the day when making an Indian dish could be done in the sparse amount of time I have between classes. I look for short, easy recipes 3 nights a week because I am swamped with class almost all day long. I was poking through this cookbook while doing my meal planning and I came upon the “Balti” section. I’ve never heard of Balti dishes before, so I was intrigued. The book describes Balti dishes as having been developed in England. Bali dishes are described as being “cooked and served in a single pan” needing o be served only with “a simple accompaniment, such as naan or bread.” Additionally, they are easy to cook, subtly spiced, and work well with a variety of protein bases.

I’m usually a butter chicken kind of girl, so this vindaloo dish stretched my typical curry experiences.

The only thing missing was some naan. I don’t know what I was thinking.

Balti Chicken Vindaloo
(From Best Ever Indian Cooking)

Ingredients
1 large potato
2/3 cup malt vinegar
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/4 cup water
8 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp curry powder
2 jalapenos, chopped

Directions

1. Peel the potato. Cut into large, irregular shapes. Place in a bowl of water and set aside.

2. In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, coriander, cumin, chilli powder, turmeric, garlic powder, ginger, salt, paprika, tomato puree, and water. Pour the mixture over the chicken and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and quickly fry the onions with the curry for 3-4 minutes.

4. Lower the heat and add the chicken mixture to the pan with the spices. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

5. Drain the potato pieces and add to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook over medium to low heat for 5-7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken and potatoes are cooked.

6. Stir in the chopped jalapenos and serve.

* serves 4
* Shared with Couscous & Consciousness‘s Cookbook Sundays and Not  Your Ordinary Recipes’s Foodie Fridays

Around The World in 52 Weeks: Chicken with Chilaquiles and Salsa Verde

This week I traveled to Suriname. Though located in South America, Suriname has a large Dutch influence. In fact, Suriname used to be known as Dutch Guiana, as it wasn’t until the ’70s that the country achieved its independence.

This dish is kind of similar to nachos, except that the tortilla chips are actually cooked and not just layered on top of.  This also wasn’t the cheesy mess that I love my nachos to be. Rather there was more emphasis on the salsa.

In the future I would make my own salsa, though Safeway jarred stuff isn’t horrible.

Chicken with Chilaquiles and Salsa Verde
(source)

Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp milk
1 cup salsa verde
1 cup chicken broth
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp crushed black pepper
3 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Cook the chicken. I boiled mine in hot water. Once it’s cool shred it.

2. Pour the salsa and broth in a pot. Bring to a boil over moderate high heat. Add chicken, salt, and pepper. Cook for for 2 minutes. Stir in the tortilla chips for about 1 minute, until softened.

3. In a small bowl mix together the sour cream and milk.

4. Pour the sour cream over the chilaquiles and top with feta and cilantro.

* serves 2
* 504 calories per serving
* Shared with Simply Delish Saturdays over at KB and Whitesnakes.

I’d like to see people travel the globe with me.
Every Saturday I will be posting my recipe, as well as pictures to ethnic cuisines you have made and want to share.

- You must mention The Law Student’s Cookbook‘s Around The World In 52 Weeks in the entry you link. You can either use a link or use the banner.
- In your post you must  at least mention what cuisine the dish is.
- Email me your recipe at elizabeth@crabtech.net. Make sure to include:

* Your name or blog name
* The direct link to your post
* A picture of the dish or permission to pull a picture from the post

- Make sure to email me by Saturday at 12noon Pacific Standard Time
- If you enter a recipe you will be automatically entered into my current giveaway.

Around The World in 52 Weeks: Chicken Mechbous

This week my kitchen took me to Kuwait. Unfortunately I had to make the journey alone, because my boyfriend had a fever. I couldn’t neglect my challenge though, so I went without him. I did bring him some leftovers from my trip though. What that actually means is I made a soup for him that was made from the chicken, rice, onions, and tomato sauce from my dinner – with chicken broth, canned green beans, and frozen corn.

My journey to the Middle East was a delicious journey. I really love Indian food. While this wasn’t quite the same, there were some similarities in the flavors of the dish. The recipe I followed used a whole chicken. Since I’m only cooking for two, cooking a whole chicken just creates way too much food. I used chicken breasts instead.

Now that I’m back into school mode I have to write a 25 page paper.

Chicken Mechbous

Ingredients
2 tbsp raisins
4 trimmed boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 whole cloves
2 cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns
3 cups uncooked Basmati rice
1 1/2 onions, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
3/4 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Place raisins in a cup of water and set aside until you need them.

2. Put chicken in a pot. Cover with water and include the cloves, cardamom pods, and peppercorns. Bring water to a boil and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Remove the chicken from the water. Reserve 6 cups of water you cooked the chicken in.

4. Cook your rice in the 6 cups of reserved water. If you don’t have enough to make 6 cups,  make up the rest with water. Cook the rice however you cook rice. (I used a rice cooker)

5. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and spray with Pam. Cook the onions until they become translucent. Add 2 tbsp of water. Stir quickly. When the onions are brown and the water is evaporated, set aside.

6. Lightly dust the chicken with flour. In the same skillet you cooked the onions, add a small amount of oil. Cook the chicken on both sides, until you get the outsides crispy. Set aside.

7. In the same skillet you’ve been using, combine the raisins, tomato, tomato paste, and 1 tbsp of water. Stir together continuously and cook over medium heat, until a sauce is formed.

8. Serve the chicken over the rice, with the tomato sauce on top. Place onions around the rice.

* serves 4
* about  605 calories per serving
* This dish is being shared with KB and Whitesnake’s Simply Delish Saturdays 

I’d like to see people travel the globe with me.
Every Saturday I will be posting my recipe, as well as pictures to ethnic cuisines you have made and want to share.

- You must mention The Law Student’s Cookbook‘s Around The World In 52 Weeks in the entry you link. You can either use a link or use the banner.
- In your post you must  at least mention what cuisine the dish is.
- Email me your recipe at elizabeth@crabtech.net. Make sure to include:

* Your name or blog name
* The direct link to your post
* A picture of the dish or permission to pull a picture from the post

- Make sure to email me by Saturday at 12noon Pacific Standard Time
- If you enter a recipe you will be automatically entered into my current giveaway.

Rosemary Turkey Meatloaf

When I was growing up I hated meatloaf. There was something that I couldn’t stand about the texture of meat all pushed together. I don’t really know why this texture bothered me so much, but it was to the point where I didn’t like meatballs or hamburgers either. What a strange childhood, disliking some really common foods that kids love.

In my adult life I’ve grown to appreciate hamburgers, though they’re still not my favorite food. But of meatballs, hamburgers, and meatloaf, meatloaf still stays on the bottom of the list. My boyfriend on the other hand is a meatloaf FIEND. He could eat meatloaf forever. I think he’s just made of meatloaf or something.

To make some compromises, I have experimented with different flavors in the meatloaf – to make something palatable to me and something that he devours. This meatloaf was a pretty good loaf. The turkey, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar flavors aren’t those that are typically prevalent in meatloaves. They definitely make the standard meatloaf something a little classier!

Rosemary Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb ground turkey
2 cups bread crumbs
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 baking dish.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine the turkey, bread crumbs, onion, egg, milk, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Mix together with your hands. Press the meat mixture into your prepared baking dish. Mix together the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, and mustard. Pour evenly over the top of your meatloaf.

3. Bake for 1 hour.

* serves 8
* 357 calories per slice
* This post is being shared with Bakes with Bizzy. 

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I’ve been all about soups lately. Besides it just being cold outside, I have night classes three days a week and need easy things I can grab and go before 5 or 6PM. Mondays I have class from 5-8, Tuesdays from 6-8, and Wednesdays from 6-9. I hate eating late, so eating before class is definitely the best thing for me to do. But.. to do this, I need something I can make QUICK.

Crockpots work well for this quick kind of cooking I’m looking for. Though it does take all day for the meal to cook, when it’s time for me to eat, I can eat quick. I can wake up early in the morning, throw everything in the pot, turn it on, go about my day, and come home to a house smelling delicious and dinner hot and ready. It’s like having a personal cook.

Except I’m the one doing the cooking.

This chicken tortilla soup was packed with flavor. It was great the first day, but even better the second.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cans Ro-tel
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried cilantro
96 tortilla chips
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. In a crockpot combine the chicken, Ro-tel, beans, corn, onion, chicken broth, water, and spices.  Cook on low for 8-9 hours.

2. Serve the soup with 12 chips and 1 tbsp of sour cream.

* serves 8
* 346 calories per serving
* This recipe is being shared with Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen.

Around the World in 52 Weeks: Jerk Chicken, Vegetable Patties, and Banana Fritters

This week for my 52 week journey around the world I found myself on the beach in Jamaica. While I was sitting on the beach with my toes buried in the sand getting a horrible sunburn (because I don’t tan and I will burn regardless of how much sunscreen I have on) I began to feel a bit peckish. To fill my belly with the cuisine of Jamaica I decided I needed some jerk chicken. With my jerk chicken I made some vegetable patties to accompany. And every yummy meal needs a dessert. So banana fritters it was.

Of course this is all my fantasy. I wish I was on the beach of Jamaica and I wish I could walk into a restaurant on the Jamaican shore and be served some real jerk chicken and some real plantain fritters (instead of banana fritters.) Since this isn’t a possibility for me, I just started my first week of the spring semester and all, I had to transform my kitchen into a Jamaican kitchen and my dining room into a beach.

I have no idea if my jerk chicken tasted like jerk chicken at all, because I’ve never had Jamaican food. The vegetable patties were an excellent accompaniment to the chicken, though frying the vegetables definitely doesn’t make them all healthy and vegetableicious.

For dessert I had banana fritters. They made a great dessert and would make a delicious breakfast as well. 

Now if only I could go to Jamaica for real.. Also, I didn’t have any travelers join me this week in the around the world challenge, but I hope maybe next week someone will come!

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients
1 tbsp rum
1/2 tbsp water
2 tbsp malt vinegar
3 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1.  Boil the rum and water in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Transfer the rum mixture into a blender. Combine with the vinegar, green onions, garlic, thyme, vegetable oil, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Blend until smooth. Transfer 1/2 tbsp jerk seasoning to a small bowl and combine with soy sauce and ketchup. Cover the sauce and set aside.

2. Arrange the chicken in a roasting pan. Pour lemon juice over the chicken. Rub the remaining jerk seasoning over the chicken. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake for about 30 minutes, until juices run clear.

* serves 2
* 229 calories per serving

 Vegetable Patties

Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp jerk sauce from the jerk chicken
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups carrots, grated
2 cup canned peas, drained
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, jerk sauce, and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the carrots. Cover and reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and remove from heat.

2. Mix the vegetables in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, eggs, and milk.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Form 1/3 cup mixture patties and place it into the skillet with the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Set on a paper towel and let drain.

* serves 6
* 2 patties per serving
* 193 calories per serving

Banana Fritters

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Peel and mash the bananas. In another bowl beat together the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Stir together the egg mixture and the bananas. Sift in the baking powder and flour. Stir in the milk.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot drop spoonfuls of the banana batter into the oil. Once the fritters are golden brown, flip and cook the other side.

* makes 26 fritters
* 61 calories per fritter

NOW! Come travel the globe with me this year.
Every Saturday I will be posting my recipe, as well as pictures to ethnic cuisines you have made and want to share.

- You must mention The Law Student’s Cookbook‘s Around The World In 52 Weeks in the entry you link. You can either use a link or use the banner.
- In your post you must  at least mention what cuisine the dish is.
- Email me your recipe at elizabeth@crabtech.net. Make sure to include:

* Your name or blog name
* The direct link to your post
* A picture of the dish or permission to pull a picture from the post

- Make sure to email me by Saturday at 12noon Pacific Standard Time

Chicken Saltimbocca over Noodles with Sauteed Kale and Garlic

Until recently my two favorite vegetables were sweet potato and spinach. Recently a new veggie has made the list: kale. Seeing kale
in the store, I would never suspect that it would be something  I wanted to eat so bad. But having kale for the second time, it’s definitely finding a way into my regular diet.

The chicken saltimbocca required more work than what I would normally put into a weeknight meal, but luckily I still am on break! The sage had such a delicious flavor. And the prosciutto. Basically, the whole dish was YUM!

 

Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
8 fresh sage leaves
4 slices prosciutto
1 3/4 cup flour
3 tbsp Brummel&Brown (or other butter replacement or butter)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Lay the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap.  With a mallet pound the meat to 1/4 inch thick. Season each breast with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange 2 sage leaves on top of each chicken breast. Wrap 1 slice prosciutto around the chicken like a belt, covering the sage. Pour 1/4 cup of flour in a pie pan. Dredge the chicken in the flour.

3. In a large frying pan, melt 2 tbsp Brummel&Brown. Add the chicken in the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside, covering to keep warm.

4. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan melt the remaining Brummel&Brown and whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the wine and the broth and cook until the sauce has thickened. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

* serves 4
* 318 calories per serving
* the calorie count does not include the pasta

Sauteed Kale and Garlic

Ingredients
1/2 lb fresh kale, stem removed and leaves chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups water

Directions

 1. In the olive oil saute the red onion and garlic, until they begin to turn brown.

2. In the skillet add the kale with 1/2 cup water. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated. Add another 1/2 cup of water and cook the water off again. Repeat one more time.

* serves 4
* 62 calories per serving