Cold Lunch Platter

One of my favorite lunches is more or less... a little bit of everything. I really like to rotate taste so a platter of a favorite meat, cheese and fruit really hits home. Forget the dollar menus at the golden arches. If they started serving this, I would be first in line when the lunch bell rang. It really doesn't take much time to prepare this pretty plate. All the contrasting colors make it look as thought you put a LOT of thought into it. When really, the only thing you "cook" is the asparagus. 

1 Small Ball of Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced
1 Bunch Thin Asparagus, Woody Ends Trimmed
1/4 to 1/2 lb Prosciutto
1/2 Cup Blueberries, Washed & Dried
1/2 Cup Raspberries, Washed & Dried
1/2 Cup Blackberries, Washed & Dried
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper


Steam asparagus for about 4 to 5 minutes. Place stalks in an ice bath or bowl of very cold water to stop cooking. Dry and place on large platter. Mix berries in a small bowl and place on platter. Arrange asparagus on platter along with sliced mozzarella. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the asparagus and cheese. Sprinkle each with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the cheese and vegetables. Roll prosciutto into small cigars. Place on platter. Serve with a crusty bread to round out the meal. Or, eat as is!

Carrot, Chicken & Zucchini Soup

Cooking for the week is a big help when you have a long commute to work. I miss the days of making it home an hour before my husband. It gave me enough time to prepare a modest meal and have the kitchen half cleaned-up (I say half cleaned because I use a lot of dishes when I cook. His biggest pet peeve!). So, making a large pot of soup is great for those nights when we sit in bed, share a large salad and watch a ballgame. This soup was pretty easy to put together. I didn't even use a recipe. Kind of strange when you think about it, that I cooked this and then wrote down what I did! Anyway, the chicken thighs in this are a great because they are cheap and retain great flavor. The lemon adds a nice kick of freshness. In case you didn't notice, I put lemon in a lot of things. Maybe that ought to be my cookbook theme "Lemons All-Around!" The recipe makes a nice pot to serve two, for a few meals.


4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Thighs
2 Small Zucchini, Cut Lengthwise then Sliced
2 Large Handfuls Baby Carrots, Cut in Half
1 Large Onion, Diced
3 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
Zest of One Lemon
1 Tablespoon Thyme
Juice of Half Lemon
8 Cups Chicken Broth*
2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper


Start by heating 1 tablespoon oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and fresh pepper. Add chicken to soup pot. Cook on both sides until done, about 8 minutes total. Remove chicken and rest on large cutting board. Lower heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of oil to pot. Add onions and scrape the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook onion stirring frequently until soft and browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add zucchini, carrots salt and pepper to taste and cook until zucchini is soft. The carrots will soften as the soup cooks.Add thyme and lemon zest and cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Add to soup. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook at a simmer until carrots are soft. Add lemon juice and serve. 


*Gluten-Free if required.

Shrimp Stick Salad

Instead of going out to lunch with a friend I have been trying to catch up with, I decided to bring us a "made" lunch and eat in my office.  Prepping the shrimp and dressing the night before is better than spending $10 for lunch without tip... I like to mix the cheese in the dressing when we eat, because I don't like it to become too gummy. I also brought my own large salad bowl into work so I could toss this fresh. That way, I didn't have to make more dressing and get a crazy eye from coworkers thinking "why is she chopping garlic in the conference room?" Also, I like my salad leaves evenly coated with dressing. My husband was happy too because I packed him up a lunch! I served this with freshly made rosemary bread.

Dressing


2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Pinches Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Minced Garlic Clove
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Asiago or Parmesan Shredded Cheese


Shrimp


1 Lb Frozen Shrimp, Peeled
1 Minced Clove Garlic
Zest of Half Lemon
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Mixed Salad Greens (Preferably Organic)


For dressing, mix all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. For shrimp, mix all ingredients but the shrimp in a small bowl and stir. Add shrimp and let marinate for about 10 minutes. Place shrimp on skewer and grill on both sides about 7 minutes until they are opaque. Return to the dressing bowl and add cheese. Mix. Add salad greens. Toss and severe with shrimp skewers. 

Baked Mustard Tilapia

Again, saving money is the name of the game. To make this thick sauce, I used some bread crumbs. Pretty neat trick without adding extra fat or flour. Fish is one of my favorite proteins. It is difficult to purchase when you are trying to limit your spending, but this baked dish really makes my mouth water! Didn't get a chance to take a picture this time - I ate it all before I remembered!

4 Tilapia Fillets

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon

1 Tablespoon Melted Butter

1/4 Cup Skim Milk

2 Tablespoons Mustard

2 Tablespoons Bread Crumbs (Gluten-Free if needed)

Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub a glass baking dish with butter. Place fish in dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper lemon juice and lemon zest. In a small bowl, mix tarragon, melted butter, milk and mustard. Whisk until blended. Add bread crumbs and combine.  Pour mixture over fish. Make for 25 minutes until fish flakes with fork and sauce bubbles. Serve warm.

Vegetable Crab Pad Thai

Life gets away from you sometimes. These last few weeks have been quite a rollercoaster.  The ups and downs of trying to save money are never easy. It is often difficult to find quality food that is both cheap and gluten free. This recipe happens to be all of that with fair does of vegetables and protein. By using canned seafood (this week’s was on sale for me!) you can save some major dollars.

1 ½ Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil

2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced

2 Shallots, Minced

1 Small Can Crabmeat (Pink or White)

2 Fresh Eggs, Beaten

1 Package Brown Rice Noodles

1 Carrot, Shredded

½ Small Zucchini, Shredded

Sauce:

4 Tbsp Lime Juice

3 Tbsp Fish Sauce

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Tamari or Soy Sauce

Garnish:

2 Tbsp Cilantro (Optional)

3 Tbsp Peanuts, Crushed

3 Scallions, Sliced Thin

Lime Wedges

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add noodles and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water.  Set aside. Mix Lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and tamari in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil, garlic, shallots. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Add eggs and scramble until just cooked. Set aside.  Add carrots and zucchini and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.  Set aside with eggs. Add ½ Tbsp oil to pan over medium heat.  Add noodles and sauce to pan. Toss until well mixed. Add egg mixture, vegetables and crabmeat. Mix again to combine.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, scallions and lime wedges.

Cornbread Baked Eggs

It was cold and rainy this morning, so I was in the mood for a warm for breakfast. These baked eggs take a little time, but are certainly worth it. The best part to me, is the caramelized onions on the bottom. This method for making onions can be used for other things - like topping your favorite burger. This baked egg was served with an orchard apple.

4 Large Eggs

2-3 Sliced of Cornbread, Cut in 1/2 Inch Cubes

1 Cup Thinly Sliced Onion

2 Tablespoons Water
2 Tablespoons Milk
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground White Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray four small ramekins with olive oil.

Place cornbread on baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Stir half way through. Boil some water in a tea kettle.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Brush a skillet with a small amount (1/2 tsp. or so) of canola oil to evenly coat pan. Add onion, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper. Cook for 10 minutes until tender. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the 2 Tablespoons of water to the pan and cook 5 more minutes - stir frequently. Divide onion into ramekins and top with cornbread cubes. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

Carefully break 1 egg on top of each crouton ramekin. Drizzle with a little milk or half & half. Place ramekins in a roasting pan which is on top of a cook sheet. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan, half-way up the sides of the ramekins to create a water bath.* Bake for 15 -20 minutes until the whites are almost opaque. They should be a little underdone and will continue cooking in the dishes when removed from the oven. Sprinkle with parsley if you wish.

* I made an egg for myself this morning, so my water bath is for one egg. A small ramekin inside of a large ramekin with water.

Simple Deli Ham Sub

Growing up, I had a favorite sub shop. Everyone from my hometown knows what I am talking about when I mention Andy's Sub Shop. It is one of those places you either love or hate. The town was always divided. Every time I ate there, I ordered the same thing  - a 12" ham sub with provolone - hold the tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers and don't forget the extra oil-vinegar mixture. Ate the whole thing - myself! Where I grew up, hot peppers were standard. You don't see that in New York City. Missing my favorite eatery today, I made a homemade version. Sandwiches aren't technically cooking, so much as as they are about proper assembly. I cut out a few things and made substitutions so it is now a wee bit better to eat. Note: In this picture, I had to take a bite).

1 Soft, Fresh Baked 10-12" Hero Roll
3-4 Slices Low-Sodium Deli Ham
2 Handfuls Fresh Mixed Greens, Roughly Torn
1/2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar (Depending on Taste)
1 Tablespoon Finely Grated Romano Cheese
2 Tablespoons Reduced-Fat Mayo

Slice hero roll the long way without cutting through. The goal is to create a pocket to hold everything. In a small bowl, combine oil and vinegar. Add the greens and mix to coat with dressing. Spread mayo into hero roll on both sides. Fold ham into half and place each slice into the roll. Place the mixed greens inside the ham folds - packing it in. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Slice in half to serve.