Share a Favorite Dinner Recipe

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Hi CC friends, after posting my "What’s for Dinner " thread I decided to start a new one where people could share favorite recipes (dinner, dessert) for those of us stuck for some new ideas. So here goes:</p>

<p>Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach and Noodles:
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:</p>

<p>6-8 ounces of uncooked wide egg noodles (I use pennsylvania dutch extra broad noodles)
Boneless chicken tenders or breasts (about 3/4 lb to a pound) Cut up and cubed
2 tsps. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
6 small plum tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 red bell peppers
1 bag of baby spinach
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (I use a maple flavored balsamic)
1/2 tsp of dried (can use fresh) basil leaves
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 ounces of part skim mozzarella cheese (either shredded or cut into pieces)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Preheat broiler. Remove tops and seeds (insides) of red bell pepper and cut into thin strips. Spread some olive oil on a cookie sheet (I used paper towel to do this) and put cut pepper strips on sheet. Broil for 8-10 minutes until pepper starts to blacken on edges (you can remove earlier is you don’t like blacken peppers). Be sure to flip peppers during broiling so as not to overdo a side. Remove from oven and let cool.</p></li>
<li><p>Cut up plum tomatoes into cubes, mince garlic and chop parsley. Put all ingredients in a bowl.</p></li>
<li><p>In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles 9-11 minutes (or follow pkg directions) until tender; drain, rinse and set aside.</p></li>
<li><p>In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add cubed/cut up chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When lightly browned and cook through, remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.(hopefully you have some liquid left in skillet).</p></li>
<li><p>In same skillet add tomatoes, garlic, parsley (already together in a bowl) to skillet, next add peppers. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until tomatoes start to release liquid.</p></li>
<li><p>Add balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, basil and cook 1 minute or so. </p></li>
<li><p>Add chicken and cooked noodles and stir to heat through. If there isn’t too much liquid in skillet you can add alittle water to pan. </p></li>
<li><p>Add a handful (or as much as you like) of baby spinach. Stir all ingredients frequently as spinach starts to shrivel and cook. </p></li>
<li><p>Remove skillet from heat and add mozzarella cheese. Stir as heat starts to melt the cheese.</p></li>
<li><p>Dish up and serve </p></li>
</ol>

<p>I believe in giving credit where credit is due and this is not my own recipe. I have been cooking this for years and it came from an old Weight Watcher cookbook (WW complete cookbook and program basics 1994). For those of you following the plan, it is listed as 327 calories per serving, or 6 pts. Mine is more as I add a bit more chicken and I roast the peppers so you have the additional oil calories there. It has always been favorite of my kids and it is a great way to get them to eat some veggies that they may not otherwise eat.</p>

2

<p>I think I already shared this, but it is so good it is worth repeating :slight_smile: In my neck of the woods, this salad is on the menu at Nordstrom Cafes:</p>

<p>Lime & Cilantro Chicken Salad</p>

<p>1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (a teaspoon of chili powder works, but the smoky flavor of the adobo sauce gives the dressing its special flavor)
2 tablespoons honey
¾ cup canola oil
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems and leaves</p>

<p>3 ears corn, shucked and grilled or boiled (I use roasted corn kernels from TJ’s)
1 ¼ pounds boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and julienned
1 ½ cups diced plum tomatoes
1 pound mixed baby greens
2 cups grated Jack cheese (or cheddar and mozzarella mix)
½ cup roasted red bell pepper
freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
lime wedges for serving</p>

<p>In a blender, combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chili, and honey. Process until smooth, slowly add the oil. Add the cilantro and pulse to combine. Set aside.</p>

<p>Cut the corn kernels from the cobs, add the kernels to a large bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, greens, cheese, and bell pepper to the corn. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the salad to chilled serving bowls and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve immediately.</p>

3

<p>Lamb shanks with white beans - from Bittman *How To Cook Everything.<a href=“The%20recipe%20says%20it%20serves%20four,%20but%20as%20Bittman%20says%20if%20you%20aren’t%20too%20greedy%20it%20can%20serve%20twice%20that%20many.”>/I</a></p>

<p>1 pound of dried white beans (I used two cans for half a recipe.)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup tomatoes (I used canned drained.)
1 bay leaf
1 Tb. minced fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage or 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
(I used dried sage and threw in some sprigs of fresh thyme.)
4 lamb shanks
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of red wine or water (used the wine)
1/2 cup chicken, beef or veg stock (I used a beef bouillon cube)
Minced parsely, sage or thyme sprigs for garnish.</p>

<ol>
<li>Cook beans, boil, skim etc. Turn heat down to a simmer and add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf, and about a third of the herb(s). Cook about 1 hour till tender but not mushy. (With canned beans I simmered about 20 min.)</li>
<li>Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub lamb shanks with 1/3 herb(s) and salt and pepper and put in a roasting pan with wine and stock. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until tender about 1.5 to 2 hours. You can test with a toothpick.</li>
<li>Remove shanks to a plate and remove as much fat as possible. (This turned out to be easy as we got invited to a party unexpectedly so I refrigerated overnight.) Don’t wash the roasting pan. Pour the liquid from the shanks into the beans and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. 10 to 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Check seasoning and pour beans into roasting pan. Nestle the lamb shanks among them. (If you like you can take the meat off the bones, shred it and put some bread crumbs on top and broil it, but I didn’t.) Return the pan to the oven uncovered and cook another 15 minutes or so. Garnish and serve.</li>
</ol>

4

<p>This recipe is a little different, with a sweet, nutty quality, and it’s easy to prepare. I’ve substituted cod for the sea bass with good results.</p>

<p>Chilean Sea Bass with Pistachio Pesto</p>

<p>1 cup shelled, unsalted natural pistachios
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 pieces Chilean sea bass (6 oz each) </p>

<p>Preheat oven to 400°F.</p>

<p>Coarsely chop pistachios in a food processor, add basil, shallot, salt, pepper and 6 tablespoons butter and purée until mixture forms a paste.</p>

<p>Pat fish dry.</p>

<p>Butter shallow casserole dish with remaining butter. Transfer fish to pan. Divide pistachio paste among fillet pieces and spread evenly in a 1/8-inch-thick layer over top of each piece.</p>

<p>Bake fillets in middle of oven until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.</p>

<p>Pistachio paste can be made a few hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before spreading.</p>

<p>Serves 6 generously.</p>

5

<p>All the above sounds wonderful, but not likely to happen at my house due to varied tastes (or lack of taste!), time and ingredients but I’d be happy to visit and have you all cook for me!</p>

<p>If anyone can find/revive the “crockpot” thread from a while back, there are lots of ideas there - I’m a terrible searcher on CC…or the soup thread…or the chicken thread…actually they probably need to give us a “Parent ACTUAL Cafe - FOOD!” section!!!</p>

6

<p>Same here, abasket, if it has more than four or so ingredients it’s just not going to happen very often.</p>

<p>My family’s favorite dinner:</p>

<ul>
<li>Costco wild sockeye salmon flash frozen individual fillets from Trident</li>
<li>A gob of Presidente salted butter from France (get it at Wegmans and sometimes TJ’s)</li>
<li>Some good olive oil</li>
</ul>

<p>Thaw and rinse the salmon. Get a skillet medium/high. Put in enough olive oil to coat it thinly, followed by the butter. As soon as it melts, throw in the salmon skin side down and maybe turn down the heat just a bit. Then cook it gently turning every now and then and checking the centers to see when they’re done how you like them.</p>

<p>I usually serve this with basmati rice, soy sauce or an Indiana side dish, a vegetable and a bag of salad. The gang thinks I’m a genius when this is for dinner. So easy.</p>

<p>Oddly, this tastes great with those old fashioned frozen mixed vegetables - corn, peas, green beans and the strange little cubes of carrots.</p>

7

<p>sewhappy, what is an indiana side dish?</p>

8

<p>ooops I meant Indian side dish like chana masala (spicy chickpeas) or curried cauliflower.</p>

9

<p>I think I will try Irishmarys dish tonight. I have organic spinach I picked up at Costco earlier in the week. I also have some fresh basil I need to use. Just need to pick up chicken and tomatoes. I am considering trying it without the noodles and make some pasta on the side for H. I don’t need the calories from the noodles.</p>

10

<p>Sounds good served on a bed of spinach instead of the noodles. I can’t take the calories either. I do wonder if the cooking with lots of butter, pasta, etc. is a regional thing, in CA that seems to be special occasion dishes rather than week night dinners.</p>

11

<p>My husband’s grandmother (from Italy) lived into her late 90s and never stopped shopping and cooking. I remember her lecturing me back in the early eighties to use butter but good butter, just a little, and then it will taste richer, satisfy more and people won’t eat so much in the long run. She would always add a bit of good butter to her olive oil. I thought she was a nut and for many years was on the low fat kick but then just loosened up and started using butter as a seasoning in my cooking and I have seen no change in our body fat indices! Hope the arteries are okay.</p>

12

<p>I posted a dish with butter, but I really don’t use much butter in cooking, other than baking, when I use the best quality, real thing. Most of my cooked vegetables - broccoli, green beans, sauted greens, etc. are dressed with olive oil and garlic. My MIL is from Italy, a fantastic cook, and she almost never uses butter - I think she has an aversion to it. So, I’ve taken a page from her book and find that I prefer oil or nothing on vegetables. I grew up with Irish/German cooking and a healthy dose of butter - or margarine in those days - on everything.</p>

13

<p>I also prefer olive oil though have a weakness for buttery baked goods. I currently use the Irish butter from TJs, is there better commercially available?</p>

<p>I’ve really learned to cut back on even olive oil, at 100 calories per tbs, it can add a lot of hidden fat. As I get older and need to work harder to keep weight down, I’m learning to use things like broth and herbs to get flavor I used to get from fats.</p>

14

<p>I grew up in a margarine household but have become a butter lover. My favorite comfort food is a toasted onion bagel with butter and cream cheese. Can’t tell you how long it has been since I had one of those. At least 30 lbs ago!
I find I use olive oil for most of my cooking. Or in a few recipes I will use half olive oil and half butter.
I am wondering if I am the only CCer who gags at the taste of salmon. I wish I could eat it since it is so good for you but I just can’t even get it down.</p>

15

<p>Just finished dinner and the roasted pepper chicken was, in a word, delicious! Thanks for the recipe, irishmary! It’s just DH and me, so we’ll have leftovers for lunch or a second dinner. Have you ever frozen the leftovers? Can’t see why it wouldn’t freeze nicely.</p>

<p>I used dried herbs, including the parsley, and sprinkled the cheese (1 T. at most) on each serving after it was dished up. I see it becoming a dinner regular at our house–very healthy.</p>

16

<p>Masslou- glad the chicken was good. I have my tomatoes, parsley and garlic sitting in one bowl ready to go. Roasted my peppers and had the butcher at Whole Foods cube the chicken breast for me. I have a meeting tonight so dinner won’t get cooked till I get home but it looks like it should go pretty quickly with all the prep work already done.</p>

17

<p>Have to say that I really didn’t like the Trader Joe’s Irish Butter too much. They used to carry the French Presidente butter but then stopped. I have since found it here in New Jersey at Wegman’s and I adore it. The other great butter out there - imo - is Mount Tam butter from California. Best I ever tasted but only find it at Whole Foods and can’t seem to locate one where I am now.</p>

<p>I think cream cheese is a wonderful substance also. I actually love fats in cooking. Marc Bittman says use great fats and your cooking will be great and I agree. Fat increases satiety unless it’s coupled with too much sugar and/or salt. That’s what my DH the endocrinologist tells me. The killers are the trans fats.</p>

<p>A small block of Presidente butter generally lasts us a month. If it’s good butter, it doesn’t take too much. Just saying.</p>

18

<p>Well, butter is real food! Don’t know how most handle the calories though, it just keeps getting harder for me to maintain my weight without increasing workouts. Got into a relationship with an excellent cook (and butter user), and have been forced to make bringing butter into the home a dealbreaker;) He sneaks it into sauces when I’m not looking.</p>

19

<p>Raising my hand that I am also not a salmon lover. There is not much I don’t like, but I just can’t warm up to salmon…</p>

20

<p>IrishMary-thanks for sharing the recipe-will be trying it and others, too. </p>

<p>My latest quick go -to- meal this fall.
Baked Cod (unbreaded, cooked FROZEN, buy at Costco or Sams) and Roasted Veggies.</p>

<p>Follow Cod directions on package, I put a few slivers of butter on the cod fillets, and then press some panko crumbs on the top of the frozen cod.
It doesn’t stick pefectly, but enough to make it yummier.Somehow it works.</p>

<p>Now for the Roasted Veggies
( read a version of this in Phllly Inquirer) have made it 6 times in last 10 days. </p>

<p>In gallon size plastic bag,
Put some chopped broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, onion, and cut in half some small Yukon Gold potatoes. Cut potatoes to be about 1/2 inch wide.</p>

<p>Add about 2 or more tablespoons of olive oil to coat the veggies in the plastic bag, skip this step if you want to coat vegetables in baking dish and use your hands to coat. Your choice.</p>

<p>(Use veggies that you like, but nothing with liquid or you will have soggy roasted vegetables.
enough to fill one layerl a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish-</p>

<p>Place in baking dish-
sprinkle with Lawry’s seasoned salt, add some garlic powder if you like more spice.</p>

<p>Bake 30 minutes 400 degrees. </p>

<p>The Cod and Veggies take about the same amount of time, but the veggies are wonderful at room temperature, so cook ahead.( I have two ovens so everything comes out at same time. Did I say how EASY This is :)</p>