This stir-fry was good but there are a few changes that I would make for next time. For one, I would add a few more veggies in here like broccoli, mushrooms, or bok choy. I would have also liked the meat to be a little more thinly sliced almost like bulgogi. But even without these changes, I think most stir-fry fans would like this recipe. The original recipe calls for white long grain rice but I used brown basmati rice instead.
Sirloin Stir-Fry
Source: Cuisine At Home
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups brown jasmine rice 8 oz. hoisin sauce
1 cup rice vinegar
6 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 lb. top sirloin, trimmed and sliced thin
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 1 cup scallions, chopped into 2 in. pieces
1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil sesame seeds
Steps:
Cook rice and keep warm.
Combine hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.
Toss sirloin with brown sugar, canola oil, and pepper flakes in a bowl to coat. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and brown beef for about 3 minutes or until browned.
Add bell peppers, scallions and edamame, and saute for 3 more minutes. Off heat, stir in sesame oil and seeds.
Apparently, this is a Brazilian dish which threw me for a loop even though I'm not any sort of an expert on the Brazilian culture. With the coconut milk, I thought it was an Asian dish. But my assumptions were also based on my previous experiences with Brazilian food which consisted of their steakhouses (churrascaria) or bakeries with meat-filled pastries and wonderful cakes. Which by the way, you must go to the Brazilian Bakery on Powers Ferry in Marietta and try some of those cakes. They are incredible.
This was a nice flavorful dish without a ridiculous amount of prep. I did cheat a little and used canned diced tomatoes (one 14.5 oz. can) instead of fresh ones. But I didn't do this because I'm lazy. I just don't really like cooking fresh chopped tomatoes because the skin always comes off in the pan.
Chicken and Shrimp in Tomato-Coconut Sauce
Serves two. Source: Cuisine At Home
Ingredients: Basmati or Jasmine rice 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 boneless skinless chicken breast ( 5-6 oz. each), seasoned with salt and pepper 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 cups tomatoes, chopped 1 cup coconut milk 6 shrimp peeled, deveined 1/4 cup scallions, sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice Garnish with: Chopped fresh cilantro or lime
Steps:
1) Cook rice according to pkg. directions, keep warm
3) Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk, cover and cook until tomatoes begin to break down, 5-6 minutes.
Add shrimp, scallions, cilantro and lime juice, cover and simmer until shrimp are cooked, 2-3 minutes.
4) Spoon rice onto 2 serving plates, then divide chicken and sauce between them. Garnish with cilantro and lime.
Yay for easy recipes, right? I'm on a roll this week. This was a delicious and easy meal. There are two recipes in this post one for the ribs and the other for the veggie. These are from other blogs so I will just link them up here with my own pictures.
Crockpot Korean Short Ribs
I bought grass-fed already cut short ribs at Whole Foodsso I didn't do the whole uncut ribs. Also, I only bought 2 pounds which was more than enough food for two people. As you can see, I served it over Basmati rice.
With this one, I only bought one package of broccoli which equated to 1 pound so I adjusted the measurements accordingly. Like the blogger, I left the basil out as well though I did throw in a few pine nuts.
...and make your own Thai food! It's really not that hard. Try it!
Thai Basil Chicken with Coconut Rice
Source: Cuisine At Home
Coconut Rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice 2 Tbs fresh lime juice 1 Tbs unsalted butter
Bring broth, coconut milk, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir in the rice and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the rice from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork and then adding the lime juice and butter.
Thai Basil Chicken
Combine for the Slurry Mixture
3/4 Cup Coconut Milk 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Tbs. Oyster Sauce
2 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
Season: Stir-Fry in 2-4 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 lb raw boneless chicken breast cut into pieces
1 1/2 Cup of green beans, blanced (boil them briefly and then cover with ice water)
1 Cup red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
Stir in; Garnish with
1 cup sliced basil leaves
1 jalapeno thinly sliced with seeds
1/2 Cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
Combine all ingredients for the slurry and set aside
Season chicken with salt and pepper and then stir fry in 2 T oil over high heat for 5-8 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove and set aside. Heat 1 T oil in same pan add green beans and stir fry 1-2 minutes, add bell pepper and garlic and stir fry another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and any juices and stir fry 1 minute. Stir in slurry mixture and cook 2 minutes allowing sauce to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and jalapeno and garnish with peanuts. Serve over Coconut Rice
When I hear the word "Caribbean" I think of so many wonderful things. The Pirates of the Caribbean was always my favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom as a child. I can still remember each section of the ride and the nice cool caves the line for the ride takes you through so that you get to escape the heat for a short (or long) time. Some of the movies were great and some not so great. But who doesn't love Johnny Depp as a pirate?! But even better than a ride is the actual Caribbean. What I would give to be on an island with clear blue water and a tropical drink right now... I would love to go back to Bonaire, Curacao, St. Kitts, Grenada or St. Maarten. But for now, some Caribbean-inspired cooking will have to do. Speaking of Caribbean food, there is a place you need to check out if you are local. Caribbean Fiesta on Old Milton Pkwy in Alpharetta makes some damn good chicken and sides. It's definitely not a fancy restaurant but they know what they are doing for sure.
I found the recipe below in Cuisine At Home magazine. It was pretty amazing if you ask me! I also opened a bottle of Chestatee White Wine from the Three Sisters Vineyards in North Georgia. It was a nice wine to go with spicy foods but wasn't amazing overall. Their more premium wines are much better.
Caribbean Pork Bowl with Black Beans and Rice
Makes 4 large servings (pic after recipe.) Source: Cuisine At Home
Ingredients: For salsa: 4 -6 tomatillos, quartered 1 1/2cups fresh pineapple, chopped 1/2cup white onion, chopped 1/2cup cilantro 1/4cup fresh squeezed lime juice 1 jalapeno, chopped 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes 1/2lb smoked kielbasa cut into slices 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1/4cup fresh squeezed lime juice
Steps:
Blanch tomatillos in boiling water for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.Remove husk, drain and rinse in cold water.
Pulse tomatillos with pineapple, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, sugar, and salt in a processor or blender until finely chopped.Cover and chill.
Blend spices.
Toss trimmed pork with spice mixture. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute pork for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in kielbasa and garlic. Saute an additional 5 minutes or until kielbasa begins to brown, stirring to keep the garlic from burning.
Deglaze with lime juice and boil until syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Serve with black beans and rice, and top with tomatillo salsa.
Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup long grain rice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
2 cans black beans (15 oz. each), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth
Steps:
Saute garlic in oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add rice and saute a minute until golden. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
In another pan, saute onion in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until hot. Add broth if necessary.
Was I missed or did no one realize that I was gone? Don't answer that. I went to visit some friends at the beach for a few days and before that I cooked some recipes that weren't really blog-worthy. But I promise to do better with keeping up now.
Last night, I made a risotto dish. I always feel a bit nervous when cooking risotto since it has to be closely monitored for it to turn out just right. But I have to say that this one turned out pretty good. I made the stock to cook it in as well as the garnish to go over the top. But the risotto was already flavorful from the stock that I think this dish would also be enjoyable without the shrimp or the gremolata.
Shrimp Risotto with Chive Gremolata
Source: Cuisine At Home magazine
Shrimp Stock:
Shrimp shells (from 1 lb. shrimp) 2 cups water 1.5 cups chicken broth 1 cup leek greens, chopped Dash of peppercorns 4 fresh parsley sprigs 2 bay leaves
Risotto:
2 Tbsp butter 1 cup leeks (white part), chopped 1 cup arborio rice 3/4 cup dry sherry 1 cup frozen peas 1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp parmesan, grated
Chive Gremolata:
3 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced 2 Tbsp fresh chives or green onions if you can't find chives 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped 1 Tbsp lemon zest 1/2 tsp minced garlic Salt
Steps for Gremolata:
Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. (About 5 minutes on medium-high heat). Drain bacon and mix with remaining ingredients.
Steps:
In a large pot, combine shells, water, broth,leek greens, peppercorns, parsley sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Strain stock and discard pieces. Return stock to pot on low heat.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat. Cook leeks for 2 minutes before adding the rice and cooking an additional 2 minutes. Don't let the rice burn!
Deglaze pan with sherry. Stir frequently until liquid evaporates. Add 1/2 cup of the stock to the pan and stir until absorbed. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup at a time until rice is cooked (about 25ish minutes).
Stir in peas and shrimp until shrimp is pink and cooked. You may find it easier to cook the shrimp separately and then add it to the risotto instead. Season the risotto with the cayenne, nutmeg, and salt.
Take risotto off heat and mix in butter and parmesan.
Garnish with Gremolata.
After complaining about the price (to no one in particular), I finally left Whole Foods with two grass-fed ribeyes. In reality, I *almost* got a steal when you think about how much those two lovely pieces of meat would have cost had I ordered them in one of Atlanta's nice chop houses. I don't usually order ribeyes because I like my meat leaner. However, grass fed meat is going to be leaner naturally so by getting a cut that usually has some marbling, you end up with a damn tasty steak! Though, I can't take credit for that part of our meal, my husband is the grill master around here. I promise they tasted better than the picture!
With the steaks, I served an interesting pilaf which is the recipe that I'm sharing. Also, I opened one of my cheaper bottles of Cabernet. I think it was $6.99 at Total Wine. This wine was pretty good for the price. But I've had bottles that were just under $20 that were better so whether I'd recommend it would really depend on your price point.
Orange Spiced Pilaf with Berries and Nuts
Ingredients: 2 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 and a half medium onions: 1 onion large slices - half onion diced 1/4 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch ground cloves 1 tsp. kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 orange, zest finely grated (1 tsp.) and juiced (about 2-3 Tbs.) 3/8 cup dried tart cherriesor cranberry mix 1 cups jasmine rice 3/8 cup pistachios, pecans, or slivered almonds toasted and roughly chopped
Steps:
In a large skillet/saucepan, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally for 21 minutes. Add the three spices and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook another 5 min., stirring occasionally, to allow the onion to absorb the flavors of the spices and caramelize a bit more. Season with 1/4 tsp. of the salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Pour the orange juice over the berries in a small bowl. If the liquid is not enough to cover them, add water and set aside.
In another large saucepan melt the 1 Tbs. butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and remaining salt and stir well to coat each grain with butter. Toast for a full 5 minutes, stirring regularly to keep the grains separated and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the rice.
Add 1-1/2 cups of water, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the pilaf sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Once the pilaf has rested, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Strain the berries and discard the orange juice. Using the fork, gently fold in the berries, onions, nuts, and orange zest. Serve warm.
Tonight's dinner felt fancier than normal. Perhaps it is because I used New Zealand lamb and served it with an awesome wine (more on that in a minute.) But really, this is a meal that is easy to make and will impress. The meal: Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops, Tomato Mixture, Tomato-Balsamic Rice and Cannellini beans.
Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Loin Chops (recipe from Better Homes and Gardens)
1. Prepare Tomato-Balsamic Rice. Meanwhile, arrange oven rack so that the top of the chop surface is 4 to 5 inches from the heat when placed on a broiler pan. Make sure to account for the height of broiler pan and chops. Preheat broiler. 2. Coat the top of broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Rub both sides of the chops with half of each of the the snipped rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Broil chops for 18 to 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in chops registers 145 degrees F (medium-rare doneness), turning occasionally to brown evenly. 3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes and remaining half of the snipped rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes just begin to soften. Stir in vinegar.
4. Serve chops with tomatoes, and Tomato-Balsamic Rice. Top with rosemary sprigs. Makes 4 servings. Tomato-Balsamic Rice: In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups water, 1 cup uncooked jasmine or long grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 18 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained; 1/2 cup frozen peas; and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Cover; let stand 5 minutes to heat through. Makes about 4 cups.
The wine that I served it with was Frank Family Vineyard's 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Their wines are so delicious. I picked it up at Total Wine. I've wanted to buy one of their wines for a couple of years now. Back story on this: When I was in Napa in 2009, someone who wishes to remain anonymous needed to use a restroom while we were driving around on a dirt road with no stops in sight...until we came across this winery. They had nice, clean bathrooms and no objections to us using them. They were used and then we left promptly. The next day we found ourselves in the same predicament and stopped back at FFV. This time they gave us a free tasting. We loved the wines but we're in a hurry to make a reservation and said we'd be back to actually buy something. We never went back. So I've always felt that I "owed it them" to buy some of their wine. While it is kind of pricey, it is SO worth it. I will definitely be buying more in the future. This bottle was purchased as a Valentine's gift for my hubs.
I bet you were hoping for something juicy, right? If you are my mother, you were hoping that it was something that might arrive in 9 months? No such luck haha. Sorry, I'm just sharing my recipe for rice bowls. I like to think I am the only person to come up with this combination but I am sure that is not the case. Originally, I was trying to emulate Chipotle's Rice Bowls. This isn't the same but let's just say I think it would give a certain well known restaurant chain a run for their money! This has become part of the regular dinner rotation at my house because it's easy, flavorful, and satisfies my mexican cravings without adding TOO many extra calories.
Burrito Rice Bowls
Ingredients:
1 habanero pepper 1 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup of uncooked Basmati Rice 2 cups of water 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 3-4 green onions, sliced 1/2 a lime
Optional Toppings (this is what I use): Black beans 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped and sauteed 1/2 onion, chopped and sauteed cheddar cheese, shredded salsa (My go-to salsa) extra cilantro sour cream fresh avocado Other ideas: grilled chicken, shrimp, grilled steak, tomato, guacamole, corn, shredded pork
Steps:
In a medium pot, saute habanero in the evoo on medium heat. Once the pepper is sauteed, add water, rice, and salt. Boil until most of the water evaporates. Then, simmer and cover about 15 minutes. Take the rice off the stove to cool for about 5 minutes. Next, toss in cilantro and green onions. Squeeze juice of two lime wedges into mixture and blend lightly. Lastly, add your favorite toppings!
It doesn't have to be pretty. Here's what mine looked like:
I'm enjoying keeping up with this blog even if I don't know exactly who is out there. You can come out and say hello once in awhile, ya know :-). But this keeps me occupied on evenings like tonight when my husband is on the couch watching Hercules. Yep, I'm totally serious...
