Left-Over Pizza: Food Musings

Getting ready to start the week with new groceries made me clean out the fridge, naturally. I had some left over steak from two nights ago, pork from three or four days ago and ribs from last night. There was about a half a cup of left over broccoli and tons of fresh tomatoes. So what's a mom to do to feed everyone? I made a sauce by frying the left over meat, not including the ribs.

I used the sauce to make a pizza for the kids - and topped it with broccoli florets. 

For the "adult" pizza, arugula served as the base and added a concentric circle of fresh tomato on top. Then I sprinkled the mozzarella cheese on top and topped it off with the left over rib meat that I shredded. I baked both pizzas according to the directions on the package and served the remaining sauce with a bowl of rotini! Excellent dinner - and a really easy way to use up with's in the fridge.

Sweet and Savory: Watermelon and Feta Salad

I was chatting with some friends the other day and one of them mentioned she had eaten a watermelon and feta salad at a local restaurant. I have seen this before on menus and even had it at a black tie dinner recently but I have never made my own version. So last night I cut the watermelon before dinner (it was a good thing I did because we were all starving and needed a snack and didn't need the chips).

I had all the ingredients for this - all, really there were only three - and put them together in a pretty bowl. My oldest daughter had a friend over and she was terrific - she asked to try the salad and said she really liked it. That was a surprise! My own kids wouldn't try it! The girl's mother texted me this morning to ask for the recipe and that her daughter was talking about the salad all morning - how great!

The tart flavor of the feta surrounds the watermelon so completely and the mint gives it all a big pop of fresh! 

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint

3 cups of watermelon chunks

2 tablespoons of crumbled reduced fat feta

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Mix together and serve

Yogurt-Spiced Chicken: Recipe

I am always interested in trying out new flavors on my family and when it's a win, I am a very happy Mom-Cook. 

Tonight's dinner was really easy, as I started it last night. I filled out the meal with store-bought Naan that I brushed with fresh rosemary and olive oil immediately out of the oven, as well as couscous, fresh tomatoes from my garden simply chopped and drizzled with olive oil and cilantro and a quickly made cucumber salad with red onion and mint. I made a package of chicken - a pound - and there was nothing left at the end of the meal.

Yogurt-Spiced Chicken

1 lb. chicken thighs

4 oz. Plain, nonfat, yogurt

4 garlic gloves, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper 

1/2 cup fresh parsley 

Chop parsley, pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic in a good processor and mix chopped ingredients into yogurt until well mixed. Place thighs in large plastic baggie and pour yogurt over. Seal bag, be sure to remove air from the bag, shake and coat all chicken pieces. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Prepare the grill for direct heat. Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes - roughly 7 1/2 - 8 min per side. 

Lip Smackin' Good - Bourbon Laced Baby Back Ribs: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

It isn't quite summer but lately each weekend feels more and more like it should be. Already we've spent time at the beach, time at the pool, and eaten our share of hot dogs and watermelon. How many more days are there till summer??

The other day I walked into the butcher's shop and saw a gorgeous slab of baby back ribs (I realize I'm using the word gorgeous in relation to a piece of meat). But given the state of these ribs, I was compelled to take the package home and find a way to cook them up. Barbequing ribs can be challenging in that you don't want to blacken them during the cooking process but instead, you want to grill them to perfection, complete with marks and seared flavor. So I quickly scanned a few recipes and cobbled together my own based on the cooking methods and flavors I liked best and that best suited my timeframe for the day. No one wants to stand in the kitchen or in front of the grill on a glorious day.

My kids will eat anything I make, for the most part. At least they understand that when it comes to dinner, we are serious about eating and about trying food. That said, admittedly, they don't always love or rave about things I make but when they do...they sooo do! I cooked up three and half pounds of ribs for five people - that's two adults, two kids ages ten and eight and one very picky two year old. At the end of dinner there were no ribs left. Not one. None. My oldest ate about four ribs and my sick middle child came downstairs from his self-imposed hibernation to join us for dinner, even though he said he would not eat anything. We begged him to eat - to just take a bite - and when he did, he made a lovely mmmmm sound and proceeded to gobble up the rest of his plate. And even the littlest one, the one who is known to throw her food or drop it, seemingly on purpose, in front of the waiting dog, ate her whole allotment. Maybe it was the bourbon? Maybe it was the homemade mac and cheese that went with it? Whatever the reason, I loved the end result - no left-overs! And everyone was full - that makes for a very happy mommy-cook.


Bourbon-Laced Baby Back Ribs
Serves 4 (grown-ups)

3 1/2 lbs. baby back ribs, one slab cut in half
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 cup Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium saucepan, combine barbeque sauce, bourbon, mustard, sugar, vinegar, and pepper over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and allow mixture to thicken, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly.

With paper towels, dry the ribs. Rub kosher salt over the entire slab, paying particular attention to the meaty side.

When the sauce has cooled slightly, pour 1/2 cup into the bottom of a baking dish that can accommodate the two halves side-by-side. Pour another 1/2 cup of sauce over the top. Using a pastry brush, brush the sauce into all sides of the meat.

Cover tightly and bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes. You can stop here, if you need to, and save it for another day - let the ribs cool down and then refrigerate them for a day. Bring to room temperature before you grill them.

If you're grilling the same day, you can set ribs aside for a few hours at room temperature. Heat grill to medium - high heat and grill ribs for about 10 minutes - be sure to move them around a few times so they don't burn (the sugar will cause them to burn easily). Let ribs sit for about 5 minutes, uncovered, before slicing in either one or two rib sections.

Bacon and Everything Else: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

I don't know what it is about bacon but just the sheer smell of it makes everyone come running. Most people I know come running with delight - "Is that bacon???" And that simple question is always followed, in my house, with "Can I have some?"

Today was one of those beautiful days where the productivity level inside and outside of the house was so high and so intense that dinner had to be equally hearty and quickly prepared. I grilled steaks wrapped in bacon, roasted petite potatoes and sautéed Brussels Sprouts with bacon and honey and rounded out the meal with a salad of baby arugula, cucumbers and fresh strawberries. It was an easy and perfectly flavored meal - a little salt goes a long way.

. The honey lessoned the slight bitter flavor of the sprouts and the ying-yang of the salty bacon and sweet honey made this really worth eating. We loved it!

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Honey

1 lb. pkg., Brussels Sprouts, in steamer pouch
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons, honey
Steam sprouts in microwave as per directions, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté shallot in very hot oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, careful not to burn. Add in the bacon and sauté well as it sweats - about 10 minutes, stirring often so as not to burn. Add in the cooked sprouts and sauté well for about 10 minutes, stirring often, again. Next, add in the honey and continue to sauté until sprouts are browned and bacon is thick and lost all of its fat - about another 8-10 minutes.

Butternut Squash Pasta: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

Northeastern snow days - beautiful to look at, potentially dangerous to the waistline - unless you padlock the fridge or just decide to cook healthy. A day after the Super Bowl, anyone would agree that eating fresh and healthy is the best plan of attack. That extra helping of guacamole and nachos was a real killer!

I'll admit that this is not a "quick meal for lunch" kind of thing. But I had butternut squash and wanted to make this recipe as I had just seen it in a magazine. I reduced the amount of squash, increased the pasta amount the recipe suggested and I used a whole grain variety instead of regular pasta. Also, I didn't have pancetta on hand but I did have prosciutto, so I used that. This was delicious and it wasn't difficult, just time consuming. The sauce was smooth and creamy and for a minute I felt very decadant. Then I remembered that it was all healthy!!

Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage and Proscuitto

1 lb. whole grain linguini
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 cups low sodium, no fat chicken broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. Proscuitto, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in the Proscuitto and sauté for about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the Proscuitto and set aside. Add in the sage, onion and garlic and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the onion is soft - stir often so the garlic does not burn. Add in the squash and the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for pasta and cook linguini according to package directions.

When squash is about ready - soft enough to spear with a fork - pour entire contents of pan into a food processor or blender, along with 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid (taken immediately before draining) and purée. Add more water, if need be. Toss with the hot pasta and toss with the Proscuitto and cheese. Sprinkle more sage if desired.

Fake-Out Fried Shrimp: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

I had a craving for some Chinese food the other day but I have been balancing my food cravings with the desire to be healthier. So I made a pseudo version of a personal favorite - shrimp fried rice. I used quinoa instead of rice and even though it all went into a skillet, I would hardly call it "fried," given the pitiful amount of oil I used. My husband was excited for the shrimp fried rice and was less than thrilled when he discovered it was quinoa!! But, he ate it anyway and said the flavor and texture were great!

Fake-Out Fried Rice

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1/2 lb frozen uncooked shrimp, thawed and peeled
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup frozen petit peas, thawed
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced

In a large non stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium/high heat. Add in the shrimp and sauté until pink - about 6-8 min. Add in the  carrots and sauté another 5 minutes. Push the shrimp toward the outside of the pan, making a space in the center. With the heat on high, pour the beaten egg into the center and let it form an omelette. With a wooden spoon, scramble the egg and then push together the shrimp and egg, like a traditional sauté. Next add in the peas and the garlic. Sauté lightly - about 2-3 more minutes, careful not to burn the garlic. Raise the heat and add in the teriyaki sauce. Let it boil for about 2 minutes and pour entire contents of the pan into a bowl with the quinoa. Mix well and add the scallions. You may want to add another 3-4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, depending on taste.

The Mighty Meyer Lemon: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

If you've never smelled a Meyer Lemon you are missing a culinary delight that tickles the nose as well as the imagination. A Meyer Lemon is a cross between a lemon and (either - agriculturalists aren't 100% sure) a Mandarin or a regular orange. They are native to China and according to legend, were "discovered" for Americans by Alice Waters in her California Mecca, Chez Panisse.

They are gorgeous - their skin is smooth and buttery yellow.  They are smaller than traditional lemons and much rounder. But it's the smell they emit when you slice them open - it's unlike anything you've smelled before - it's bright and has that familiar lemony smell but there is something else there - a punch of orange that catches you off-guard and I am certain they're grown in a field of fresh herbs. They are delightful and their simplicity is all you need - I use them to dress my salads and there is no need for oil this way. Recently I saw a list touting 100 things you can do with a Meyer Lemon but the only thing I wanted to do was pair them  with one of my very favorite Sunday dinner foods - the mighty chicken.

I roasted the chicken together with the lemons and thought, briefly, about adding parsley and garlic during the cooking process but stopped short as I felt it would be overkill and somehow might actually ruin the flavor of of this simple dish.  Instead, I opted for some coarse Kosher salt and a few shakes of the equally amazing Herbs de Provence. The result? Perfection - a perfectly flavored chicken.

Meredith's Food for Life

Dinner was rounded out with steamed asparagus and lemon, whole wheat couscous, oven roasted sweet potato "fries" and a salad of radish, cucumber, red onion, yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes and toasted whole wheat bread lightly drizzled with red wine vinaigrette.

I purchased this package of Meyer Lemons from the local market - $3.99 for 6 of them - or roughly a pound.  After making this recipe I have a few left and plan to use them for the remainder of the week.

Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemons
2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
2 lbs. chicken legs, skin peeled back or removed
3 Meyer Lemons, quartered + 1 more, halved
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 450.  Spray the bottom of a heavy roasting pan with non-stick spray. Using a paper towel, dry each piece of chicken thoroughly and place snugly next to one another into the middle of the pan - make two or three rows, depending on the size of the pan, if necessary. Do not crowd the chicken or stack them but make sure they are close together.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt - each piece should have salt on it. Next, sprinkle the chicken with the Herbs de Provence. Place a quartered piece of lemon at each point where two pieces of chicken meet. Use more lemons, if needed.

Roast about an hour and forty minutes. Meanwhile, combine the parsley and garlic in a small bowl.

Remove chicken from the heat when done and squeeze remaining half lemon lightly over the tops of the pieces of chicken and sprinkle with the minced garlic and parsley. Serve!

Scamper - Scampi: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

It's no surprise that on a Thursday night we're all racing around the house - the two older ones are home from their after school activities, the younger one comes home from daycare and the whole house is in chaos - homework, backpacks spilled open, little child running circles around everyone and then there's the dog. Oy.

The surprise, I suppose, is that most people would just pop something in the microwave and be done with it - but then, there's me. I am in the all-by-my-self-nutty-and-stupid category. Instead, I have to come up with something to make for dinner - regardless of the fact that I have several left-overs that can be made in 5 minutes or less. But to be fair, cooking and baking are the two things I can do to fill my, otherwise-void, creative outlet. I actually enjoy the challenge of "what can I make for dinner tonight?" I like to look in the fridge and figure out how to make something out of what looks like nothing to most people. My mother taught me that, really. Even when there is "nothing" in my house, I can still make 5 meals! And so, while it's utter mayhem in the house, and I walk in from a long day, I almost always crave the 20-30 minutes of time I take to make something appear on the table. I feel creative, I feel "motherly" and perhaps, more than anything else, I feel less guilt about being out of the house five days a week.

This was quick - Shrimp Scampi. So here's my suggestion - keep a frozen bag of uncooked shrimp in the freezer. Buy the largest ones - they really are the best. Buy the ones whose shells have been split down the backside. Run them under cold water for 5 minutes, being sure to move them around several times for even thawing, and they will be ready for your favorite recipe in no time. I thaw and peel them and throw them into whatever I am making. The longest piece of this recipe was the time it took for the water to boil.

Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair
serves 8

3/4 lb. uncooked shrimp (see note above), thawed, peeled and drained
1 lb. angel hair, whole grain
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 medium zucchini, sliced very thin
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta - add in the angel hair when the water is boiling and cook according the box directions - about 5 minutes.  As the pasta water is near ready to boil, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan until very hot. Add in the zucchini and saute until wilted - about 4-5 minutes.  Add in the shrimp and saute until they at least one side of them turn pink - add in a medium sized pinch of salt and several grindings of fresh pepper. Add in the tomatoes, garlic 1/4 cup of basil and 3/4 of the lemon juice. Allow the mixture to boil rapidly.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain well and combine it with the sauce in a large serving bowl.  Add in the remaining basil, lemon juice and the olive oil.  Serve!

A Whole New Grain - Farro: Recipe

Meredith's Food for Life

I am amazed at these whole grains that I never knew anything about before just recently. In my latest food magazine, they highlighted whole grains, clean eating, and so on. So as I've mentioned, I wanted to challenge myself to find out what theses things were all about and find ways to incorporate them into our lives.

Tonight's dinner was a roast pork loin with chopped salad, roasted potatoes, thinly sliced fresh fennel and this little dish made from Farro. Apparently it comes from Italy - and I say: "Wow" and "Who knew!?!" I wanted to see if it this grain, which is rice-like and nutty with a chewy texture once it's cooked, would behave like it's cousin: Arborio Rice.

At first, my kids were skeptical but once they tried it, they were hooked and suddenly I didn't think I had made quite enough for us. It look longer than the 15 minutes quoted on the package - but I also added some steps, most of which were completed quickly. It was delicious - and I was thrilled that when I walked away from the table I was full!

The pork roast wasn't finished cooking by the time the farro was complete so my kids suggested we eat the dish as our "appetizer." Man...we've taught them well!

Farro "Risotto" with Butternut Squash
serves about 8-10

1 cup farro, rinsed clean
1 medium onion, minced
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and chopped in chunks (I purchased this pre-packaged from the store)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1 tablespoon
1 14.5-oz can fat free, low-salt, chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a medium saucepan, bring enough water to a boil that is sufficient to cook the squash. Once the water is boiling, gently lower the butternut squash into the pot and cook - about 15-20 minutes, until a fork pierces the flesh easily, drain well. Next, thaw the peas and drain, set aside.

In a large shallow pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until it foams gently. Add in the onion and saute until soft - about 6-8 minutes. Do not brown the onion, so lower the heat if needed. Next, raise the heat to high and add in the farro and mix well with the onion and butter until well coated and toasted - about 2 minutes.

Add in the broth and the water, gently, and mix well. Allow this mixture to cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Then, raise the temperature and boil the liquid until it reduces completely - about another 10 minutes - and stir often so the farro doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the liquid has been cooked off, add in the squash and the peas, an extra tablespoon of butter and stir well. Add in the brown sugar and serve.