#FoodieExtravaganza: Cherries

~ lk529 ~ 24 Comments

foodieextravaganza-300

Hey there foodie fans! February is National Cherry Month. I honestly have no idea why though because cherries aren’t in season until June! Maybe it’s because they’re red, tart, and sweet – the same descriptors one would use for their Valentine. Either way, a big thank you to Kaylin of Keep it Simple, Sweetie for hosting our event this month.

I was hoping to make Cherry Champagne Floats. I didn’t want to buy cherry liquor so thought it’d be fun to make it! I was really excited about this culinary endeavor and went in search of frozen cherries. Unfortunately the grocery stores here do not have frozen cherries! They have cherries in a cherry berry medley (which, fun fact, I use in smoothies) but there aren’t any bags of just cherries!

With cherries and ice cream on the brain I decided to go with dried cherries. I made an easy egg free ice cream base and tossed in chopped tart dried cherries and chopped up dark chocolate. I made this ice cream while my parents were visiting – I know my dad always needs something sweet after dinner and this ice cream would be perfect. It was a hit! It has that tart bite from the cherries, the smoothness from the ice cream, and that rich chocolate note from the dark chocolate.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Dark Chocolate

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C milk
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C chopped dried cherries
  • 1/2 C chopped dark chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan over low heat, dissolve sugar in milk with a pinch of salt. Remove from heat and add in the cream and vanilla. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.
  2. Follow the instructions for your ice cream maker. Towards the end of churning, add in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. Freeze until ready to serve.

*This recipe is adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cherry-chip-ice-cream-sandwiches*

Vanilla Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Dark Chocolate | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these perfect cherry recipes:

 Real Maraschino Cherries by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
 Fresh Cherry Crisp by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
 Chocolate Cherry Brownies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
 Cherry Apple Crumble Tart by Food Lust People Love
Cherry Pie Bites by The Freshman Cook
Dark Cherry BBQ Sauce by The Joyful Foodie
Cherry Chocolate Coconut Slices by Baking in Pyjamas
Cherry Danishes by Passion Kneaded
 Dark Cherry-Cranberry Compote by Rhubarb and Honey
 National Cherry Month by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Cherry Glazed Cherry Muffins by We Like to Learn as We Go

17 Delicious Cherry Recipes
We hope you all enjoyed our delicious cherry packed foods this month and don’t forget to stop by to see what next month’s ingredient is!

If you would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

Tuesday Tattles #5

~ lk529 ~ 6 Comments

Tuesday Tattles

Today my little man is seven months old. SEVEN! That’s more than half a year!

Last month I shared our first flying experience so the items shared today span two months worth of life. There’s a lot that’s happened in these two months. My son experienced his first cold, his first airplane ride, his first time in a pool, his first foods, and his first tooth!

tuesday tattles 5

4moms Rockaroo

My mom’s cousins gave us the Rockaroo back in August. While I know of many kids who enjoyed this rocker right away my son was not one of them. It wasn’t until month 4 that he started to like being in the Rockaroo. 4moms RockarooI think he was simply too little and the Rockaroo rocked too fast, but now that he has some weight to him it doesn’t rock too quickly and is now even turned up to speed 3 (of 5). There’s an arm above the seat with removable “balls”. These “balls” once seemed like a distant dream to my son but now he can grab them, pull them off the holder, and stuff them in his mouth (because what else!?). In his teething state he tried to eat the plastic holder – and succeeded. And last week he managed to yank the holder off the arm – I’m still trying to figure out how to reattach it! I’m telling you, he’s getting too big and too strong!!

Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 Booster Seat

booster seatAt my son’s 4 month doctor appointment it was recommended he start sitting upright – supported in a Bumbo-type seat. My mother-in-law’s quilting friends gifted us with this booster seat at our baby shower. I love that it has a tray and we use this for meal time. Our house is small and our dining table has been put in storage to have room for the little man to play. We don’t really have room for a real highchair so this booster seat is a perfect alternative.

Fisher-Price Space Saver Jumperoo

jumparooThe bouncer was the “life saver” baby containment gadget back in month 3 and now that my son is older the jumperoo is the must-have item! He has always loved bouncing – whether in my arms or on my lap. As soon as he could “stand” he’d bounce. Some sort of jumperoo was a mandatory item according to my in-laws. We don’t have any doorframes that would work for the classic jumper that was my husband’s must-have item when he was a baby. When I saw this jumperoo I knew I had to have it. Not only did the woodland friends fit perfectly with my son’s bedroom theme but this version was a “space saver.” Compared to other jumperoos I’ve seen this one is small. But it’s also the reason we don’t have a dining table right now. This jumparoo plays music and sound effects with lights whenever my son bounces, it has dangling toys for him to bat at, and even a teething friendly toy that he just loves.

The World of Eric Carle Toy

Eric Carle wrote the very famous The Very Hungry Caterpillar children’s book. There are now developmental toys that accompany his books. A coworker gave us the Mr. Seahorse toy and we just love it! We bought the board book to go with it. My son enjoys the toy so much that for Christmas I got him the firefly toy and book. The pack-rat OCD side of me now wants each toy and book combination!

The Day the Crayons Quit

And speaking of books, The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt is my husband’s favorite! It’s a very fun and clever way to teach children about colors. The different colors write letters to their child explaining their feelings. Whether they’re angry at being “overworked” or “under utilized” or happy to be the favorite color, they’re describing what animals or objects are what color. I urge you to buy this book for your child’s collection.

Baby Einstein Discover and Play Piano

It’s crazy to think that my little man is old enough to have a favorite toy. Maybe what’s crazy is that I can understand what that toy is! This Baby Einstein piano is that toy. My son loves to bang on it and make it light up and play music. Baby Einstein pianoIt’s this toy that is getting him close to being able to crawl – as he plays with it and it gets out of his reach he figures out ways to get it back. And the best part might be that it plays more than one song. With three settings and three different instruments to select there’s a wide range of music and noises that play from this toy. Sure, I know them all and hear them in my dreams, but at least it’s not only one melody. Variety in sounds is important for parents to keep their sanity.

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Round up: Soups

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

All week I’ve been sharing soup recipes as a play on words for the Super bowl. Little did I know that thanks to Snow Storm Juno, this week would also be the perfect soup eating weather!

Soup-er Bowl

Grab a spoon and dig in to some soup while you watch the big game:

Award Winning Cool Chili

Bacon Cheesy Cauliflower Chowder

Black Bean Soup

Busia’s Cheese Soup

Celery Root Bisque

Creamy Tomato Soup

French Onion Soup

Mexican Noodle Soup

Philly Cheese Steak Soup

Russian Mushroom and Potato Soup

Spicy Taco Cheese Soup

Celery Root Bisque

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

I bookend this Super Bowl week with another recipe from The Wimpy Vegetarian. If you recall, The Wimpy Vegetarian was my assigned blog for Monday’s Secret Recipe Club post. I promised that I’d be sharing one of her soups during the Soup-er bowl and here it is!

Never having cooked with celery root before I was intrigued by her Celery Root Bisque. Stuart always wants to buy the bizarre ingredients in the produce section so I decided to go for it! (The celery root can be found in the produce section near the ginger root. And the rutabaga – which might be the next strange ingredient used in my kitchen.)

Cutting the celery root was a test for my new knives. For Christmas Stuart got me a set of chef-worthy knives. These knives make cutting onions quick, slicing lemons smooth, and potatoes easy. I was able to “peel” the skin off the celery root with ease and cube it up with minimal effort.

Okay, enough of the unpaid and un-asked-for sponsorship.

Back to the bisque.

I didn’t think there could possibly be a better soup than yesterday’s creamy tomato but there is! I enjoyed a cup of celery root bisque for lunch for an entire week.

This soup has that hearty, creamy texture you’d expect from a bisque and has the flavor of celery with a kick. There is definitely heat to this soup. If you want a milder soup remove the seeds from the serrano pepper, use only half the pepper, and/or omit the cayenne. However, it’s that zip from the serrano that has you going back for another bite.

This bisque is perfect for lunch or as a side dish. Susan served hers with lobster! Some homemade bread is a perfect accompaniment for dunking and toning down the spice.

Celery Root Bisque

Celery Root Bisque

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/2 russet potato, diced
  • 1/2 shallot, diced
  • up to 1 serrano pepper, diced (for milder soup remove seed)
  • 1/4 C white wine (use 1/4 C stock if you want to omit the wine)
  • 1 celery root, peeled and cubed
  • 5 C vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 2/3 C heavy cream
  • 1/3 C milk
  • fresh parsley, for garnish

Steps:

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Saute the onion, potato, shallot, and serrano until tender.
  2. Deglaze the pot with the white wine. Simmer until all the wine is absorbed.
  3. Add the celery root, salt, cayenne, garlic powder, ground mustard, and stock. Bring soup to a simmer and cook 35-40 minutes, until celery root is fork tender.
  4. Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender. (If you don’t have an immersion blender carefully pour soup in small batches into a standard blender.)
  5. Return to low heat. Add the cream and milk and warm soup through before serving.
  6. Garnish with fresh parsley.

*This recipe is adapted from Susan at http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2014/03/celery-root-bisque-with-lobster-sundaysupper-fat-sunday/*

Celery Root Bisque | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Creamy Tomato Soup

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

I feel like I am writing a “before and after” puzzle for Wheel of Fortune with these three latest blog posts. Mexican NOODLE soup – CREAMY chicken NOODLE soup – CREAMY tomato soup. But I couldn’t possibly have a week of soups without the classic combination of Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese!

I do not say this lightly. This is the BEST tomato soup I’ve ever had. What takes this soup above and beyond other tomato soups is the use of basil and Parmesan cheese.

In fact, this soup has already been made twice. The first time I halved the recipe and made it on the stove top (see the original for a slow cooker version).

IMG_1798The second snow of the season, first of the year, occured on January 6th. Schools and the base were closed. That shovel I bought back in the fall was about to get it’s first use because we still had to take my son to his 6 month doctor’s appointment. Just as Stuart bundled up to go shovel the driveway we saw our wonderful neighbor using his snow blower on not just our driveway, but the sidewalks, and a couple other neighbors’ driveways, too! As a thank you I made them this soup. I doubled my first version so we could have some again as well.

Tomato Soup to go

Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter, divided use
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2/3 C tomato sauce
  • 2 C chicken broth
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1 C shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  1. Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion until tender, season with S+P. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 1 hour. Stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender. (If you don’t have an immersion blender carefully pour soup in small batches into a standard blender.) Return to low heat.
  4. In a small saucepan melt remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Create a roux by whisking in 1 1/2 tbps flour. Cook about 1 minute, until roux is lightly golden. Whisking constantly, slowly add in the cream. Whisk until there are no lumps.
  5. Add cream mixture to the blended tomato soup. Melt in the Parmesan cheese. Simmer soup for another 20 minutes, uncovered.
  6. Serve with your favorite grilled cheese!

*This recipe is modified from Tiffany at http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/09/slow-cooker-tomato-basil-parmesan-soup.html*

Creamy Tomato Soup | Sew You Think You Can Cook

 

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

I have a confession to make.

I am not a fan of the everyone’s-favorite chicken noodle soup.

My soup preference is that of creamy, cheesy, thicker soups – like bisques and Panara’s Broccoli Cheese. So when Stuart requested some soup when the first cold hit in the fall I figured I’d try this new take on the classic. This creamy chicken noodle soup wasn’t a thicker version of the soup like I was anticipating, but did have a silkier quality to it.

This soup hit the spot!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (15 oz) chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
  • 2 C uncooked egg noodles
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/4 C flour
  • 2 1/2 C milk
  • 1/3 C heavy cream

Steps:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for the egg noodles).
  2. Meanwhile, in a large pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until tender. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, parsley, and bay leaves. Season to taste with S+P.
  3. Add chicken to the soup, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through. About 10 – 15 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Cut into bite size pieces.
  4. Cook egg noodles in boiling salted water according to package directions.
  5. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat melt butter. Make a roux by stirring in the flour. Cook about 1 minute, until roux is lightly golden. Whisking constantly, slowly add in the milk. Whisk until there are no lumps. Stirring constantly, add the cream and bring to a boil. Add the cream mixture to the soup. Return the chicken to the soup along with the cooked egg noodles.

*This recipe is adapted from Jaclyn at http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/08/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/*

Houston, we have a problem!! I don’t have a photo of this soup! (Click on the link above for a visual of this soup.) I don’t know how this is possible. I made this soup back in October. As I search my camera for photos of this creamy noodle soup and coming up empty handed I have a vague memory of saying, “I’ll take pictures of the leftovers tomorrow when there’s light.” Evidently that didn’t happen! Maybe there wasn’t light. Maybe I simply forgot. Or maybe I was busy cooking other things. It’s also quite possible I never ate lunch the next day – that tends to happen with a newborn in the house.

I don’t pull food photos off my camera until I write the blog post so that way I don’t forget about recipes while they sit in folders on my computer. This means that there are photos on my camera that are almost a year old! But I have a gap from Father’s Day to Halloween. And somewhere in there should have been this soup! I highly appologize. I know it’s a big faux paux of food blogging to post without photography, but what can I do?! (Please don’t leave me!) It’s not like I still have some soup to snap a photo of today to post for tomorrow (yep, I’m writing this the day before it goes “live”.) It would probably be better if I wrote the blog post the day or day after I cooked and just scheduled that post for whenever I wanted, but I can’t keep up with that kind of schedule. This is real life people.

As a consolation prize, I’ll provide you with a photo of the cutest little baby boy ever! (If I do say so myself.)

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Mexican Noodle Soup

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Are you ready for some football?? Or maybe just some good commercials?

The Super Bowl is Sunday and as such I have adopted a theme this week on Sew You Think You Can Cook. Soups!

Get it? Super Bowl….SOUP-er bowl… I just couldn’t help it.

I wanted to do this week of soups last year but lack of preparation meant I didn’t have five soups to share. So I did a week of popcorn instead. Honestly, that was probably more fun. But that’s because I’m a junk food junkie and popcorn is my kryptonite. This year, now that we live in Ohio, where it’s actually cold and grey, like all the time, soup makes sense. We’ve enjoyed this collection of soups I’m about to share over the past couple of months.

To kick off the week is a Mexican Monday applicable soup. But wait, it’s not Monday! Yesterday was my Secret Recipe Club reveal day (I will be sharing a soup from Susan’s blog on Friday too!). So let’s just pretend. But don’t pretend too hard, unless you really like Mondays.

I have a funny story to share about this Mexican Noodle Soup. I decided to make this soup during the day, so as to take advantage of some natural lighting. The beauty with soups is that they can be made in advance and instead of tasting like leftovers, they taste better! That was my thought at least. I left the soup on the stove covered over a low heat for a couple of hours, waiting for Stuart to get back from the gym. By the time he finally got home we had a pot of overcooked noodles in a chipotle sauce. These overcooked noodles were delicious! The chipotle tomato soup-turned-sauce was full of zip. A dollop of sour cream helps to mellow the spice from the chipotle. I think we will make this soup again and eat it as a soup, but if you’re wanting a Mexican pasta sauce, simply reduce it – a lot – and serve over properly cooked pasta.

Mexican Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 – 2 chipotles in adobo, seeded (amount depends on your heat preference)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided use
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
  • 3 3/4 C chicken stock
  • 8 oz angel hair pasta
  • sour cream, for serving (optional)
  • avocado, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  1. Put tomatoes, onion, and chipotles in a blender. Puree until smooth. (I suggest starting with one chipotle pepper and tasting the puree before adding the second.)
  2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Toast the noodles until lightly golden.
  4. Add in the tomato puree, chicken stock, and cooked chicken. Return heat to medium-high and cook 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
  5. Serve with sour cream and avocado.

*This recipe is adapted from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible*

Mexican Noodle Soup | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

SRC: Hummus and Pita

~ lk529 ~ 38 Comments

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Today is another Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day! In the secret recipe club, each participating blogger is assigned a blog from another participating blogger and secretly searches their site for something to recreate. The accompanying blog post then goes live on reveal day! So while I was immersed in my assigned blog, someone else was picking through mine! I’m so excited to be part of this group, to see what on my blog peaks other’s interests and to stumble upon new blogs and new recipes.

This month I was assigned Susan’s blog The Wimpy Vegetarian. While Susan eats a mostly vegetarian diet, her husband does not. She has become very successful cooking for what she labels a “mixed marriage.” Her success in the kitchen of cooking for vegetarians and omnivores has lead her to a cookbook deal. In searching her website I have high aspirations for her cookbook.

I fell in love with Susan’s blog immediately. The layout of her page and her bright photography lulled me in and I stayed for her wonderful selection of recipes. Her beautiful page not only inspired me to take the plunge and update my recipe index but the entire look of my blog! If you like it, you can thank Susan. 😉

Over ten recipes made the cut for consideration for today’s reveal day. Two of them won the bid. And a third will be part of my collection of soups in anticipation for this weekend’s Super Bowl. Curry Apple Chips, Spiced Sweet Potato Fries, and Honey Cornbread are just a few of the recipes that I vow to try. (And now that reveal day is here I can finally subscribe to her blog via email!) But for now I will be sharing Hummus with Roasted Tomatoes AND Whole Wheat Pita.

I was able to check two items off my culinary bucket list thanks to Susan!  I knew that hummus was simple enough to make, especially taking advantage of canned garbanzo beans (sorry, Susan!), but I always shoved it off with a comment of “one day.” Making homemade pita wasn’t something I thought I’d tackle so soon, but how can I serve hummus during a football game without some pita bread to go with it? Conveniently, Susan had a recipe for this too. And I have to say, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated! However, I’m not sure if I went wrong in the baking time because my pita didn’t deflate – at least not the same day. I put the leftover bread in a resealable bag and stored it in the fridge. Just 10 seconds in the microwave yielded perfect pita for dipping in homemade hummus. It really is best served warm.

Hummus with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 6 roma tomatoes
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 1/2 C cooked garbanzo beans (just under 2 15.5oz cans)
  • 3 tbsp Tahini
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 C water

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Slice tomatoes in half and place cut side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the thyme and S+P. Bake 4 hours. Pour balsamic vinegar over the roasted tomatoes and let cool. Chop to desired size. (Note: Not all of these tomatoes will be used for the hummus, they will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.)
  3. In a food processor pulse garbanzo beans, tahini, paprika, white pepper, salt, cumin, and lemon juice. When a smooth paste is acheived slowly add the water, puree until completely smooth.
  4. Mix in 2 tbsp of the roasted tomatoes.

*These recipes are adapted from Susan at http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2013/05/sundaysupper-roasted-balsamic-tomatoes/ and http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2014/02/vegan-appetizer-roasted-tomato-hummus-sundaysupper-super-eats-for-game-day/*

Whole Wheat Pita

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp instant yeast (just under 1 packet)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 1/4 C warm water (110 degrees F)
  • 2 C bread flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

  1. Gently stir yeast and honey in the warm water. Set aside and allow yeast to foam for 10 minutes.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine both flours and salt. Add the proofed yeast mixture and olive oil. Using the dough hook, knead until the dough comes together around the dough hook. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until completely smooth, add more whole wheat flour if too sticky. Form the dough into a ball.
  3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and set aside in warm location for two hours, or until doubled in size. (I did this in my microwave.)
  4. Divide the dough into 8 disks. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
  5. Place a pizza stone in the center rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
  6. Roll each disk into an 8″ pita. Be sure to run the rolling pin along the edges of the pita. Cover and let rest another 10 minutes.
  7. Cook pita on the pizza stone for 3 minutes. Do this in batches so that the entire pita is in contact with the stone – not overlapping or hanging off the edge.

*This recipe is adapted from Susan at http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2012/12/easy-whole-wheat-pita-bread/*

Hummus & Pita | Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in the Secret Recipe Club this month click here:

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Pineapple Fried Rice

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

The next time you make rice as a side dish to your dinner, I encourage you to make extra. 3 C worth of extra rice to be exact. Or just make this dish from scratch, just plan for extra time to cook the rice. For 3 cups of cooked rice, you’ll need approximately 1 cup of uncooked rice (and two cups of liquid).

Today’s Stir Fry Day Friday is a perfect side dish to accompany fish or chicken. I served it alongside my Brown Sugar Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon.

This fried rice isn’t your typical Chinese take out or Hibachi staple. This rice gets a kick from the ginger and a tropical sweetness from the fresh pineapple.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 C peas
  • 1 1/4 C pineapple, cubed
  • 3 C cooked rice
  • 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper

Steps:

  1. In a wok or large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add in the onions and white parts of the scallions. Cook until tender.
  2. Add the carrots, bell pepper, and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook another minute. Add the rice, soy sauce, and white pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook two minutes. Add additional salt if desired. Garnish with green parts of the scallions.

*This recipe is adapted from Manali at http://www.cookwithmanali.com/pineapple-fried-rice/*

Pineapple Fried Rice | Sew You Think You Can Cook

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Cinnamon and Tomato

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Alex Guarnaschelli is one of those Food Network stars that I would just love to meet. I stalk her instagram account and Facebook page to see everything she’s cooking up in the kitchen. My favorite posts are those in which she states her cravings – from bacon and pancakes, to ice cream and salad. I even follow the instagram account for her restaurant Butter. As if eating at her establishment wasn’t already on my bucket list, seeing photos of gourmet burgers, elegant breakfasts, and creative desserts makes me wish I could hop on a plane to NYC at the drop of a hat.

Two Christmases ago I received her first cookbook, Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook. I’ve already shared her Breaded Chicken with Mustard and Sherry. Today I’m sharing another chicken dish. Alex titled this recipe Braised Chicken Legs with Ginger and Tomato. I’ve renamed it as you can see in today’s post title. I bought only thighs for this dish as a combination of thighs and drumsticks wasn’t available at my grocery store. I also found that the cinnamon flavor profile was stronger than the ginger. You might think it’s weird to cook chicken with cinnamon, but trust me on this one. No, trust Alex! She says:

“[My mom] edited an amazing Indian cookbook that made her revise the chicken tomato combo and add hauntingly flavorful spices like cinnamon, which evokes the sweetness of the tomatoes.”

I hardly ever cook with chicken thighs. My mom is a bone-less, skin-less chicken breast kind of girl and so that’s what I am also accustomed to, and what I usually buy when chicken is on my list. It’s easy. Because using dark meat isn’t something I’m exactly comfortable with, I’m never convinced I’ve cooked it completely. White meat is more obvious – zero pink and juices run clear. Dark meat doesn’t turn white. And when there’s a bone involved there’s usually some red/pink close to the bone which always makes me paranoid that I didn’t really cook it through all the way. I bought a giant pack of chicken thighs though, so there’s lot of practice in my future.

For this dish, I was really excited when my chicken skins were crispy after browning them. But then they get braised and that crispy skin is no more. Keeping the skin on the chicken though helps ensure that the meat won’t dry out.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Cinnamon and Tomato

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1″ piece of ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 C white wine
  • 1 can (14 oz) peeled whole tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp butter

Steps:

  1. In a large, high-sided skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Season both sides of chicken with S+P and red pepper flakes. Add to the hot oil skin-side down. Brown for 8 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add the onions and stir in the cumin. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Add in the white wine and cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and cook simmer 10 minutes.
  4. Gently break up the tomatoes. Return the chicken to the pan. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
  5. Stir in butter and remove cinnamon and bay leaf. Serve with wild rice.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Cinnamon and Tomatoes

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