Thursday, March 24, 2011

Baked Veal with Rigatoni and Asparagus


Here's a super simple meal idea that comes together in no time. I had about 8 small pieces of veal. Judge the amount you need. It's the combination that comes out great!


For the veal:


1. Prep a shallow dish with panko bread crumbs, grated romano, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper.

2. Prep another bowl with an egg, fresh juice from one lemon, salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven between 400 and 425. Prep your baking tray (parchment paper or cooking spray).

4. Now, drizzle veal with olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. One by one: veal goes in egg, then bread crumbs, then on baking tray.

6. Once they are done, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes, flipping half way through, until golden.

7. When done, hit the veal with some fresh lemon juice!


Two no-brainer sides:

Pasta: Make your favorite pasta side and toss together with your favorite tomato sauce.

Asparagus: Now use the same pasta water to cook the asparagus for a few minutes.



Moolicious!

Lemon Cake with Ricotta Cream!


Every now and then, I enjoy a lemon loaf or something very lemony. I tweaked this recipe slightly so that it is different....and very citrus indeed.


You'll need:
- 4 lemons, sliced, seeds removed

- 3 cups or so of water

- sprinkle of salt


Step 1. Grease and dust with flour: a 9 inch springform cake pan.

Step 2. In a pot, place lemons with water and salt, let boil/simmer for about 20 minutes until lemons are soft.

Step 3. While that's boiling, sift the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 4. Preheat oven to 400


You'll need (dry):
- 1.5 cups cake flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp salt


Step 5. When lemons are ready, strain and put boiled lemons in a food processor. * You can keep that lemon water as a poaching liquid for fish! Process lemons until smooth.

Step 6. Add butter, vanilla, sugar and eggs. Process until smooth and combined.

Step 7. Put batter in a huge bowl, and add half the dry, then half the milk and mix. Repeat with the remaining dry and milk.

Step 8. Bake for 45 minutes, test with a tooth pick.

Step 9. Allow to cool if you can!


You'll need (wet):
- 1.5 cups sugar

- 3 eggs

- 2/3 cup milk

- 2 tsps vanilla extract

- 3/4 cup butter, softened


Extras:

I dusted the whole cake with a powder puff of icing sugar when it was cooled.


For the ricotta cream, simply judge the amount you need for the people you are serving. I used about 4 tbsps of ricotta, about 3 tsps icing sugar and some lemon zest. Mix and dollop on each piece. So good.


So Moolicious.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Mootine!


Ok, so I wrote about the healthy poutine I was going to make for supper along with my slow cooker corned beef (see recipe from last month).

Here's how it goes.


You'll need:
3 long shaped russet potatoes
squeaky cheese curds
a package of your favorite gravy/sauce mix


For the fries:
1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch french fry pieces.
2. Try to take off as much potato liquid by patting them with a paper towel.
3. Place fries on your oven tray and preheat to 425
4. Drizzle olive oil and season with a sprinkling of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
5. Use your hands to massage the oil in the fries and make sure all are coated.
6. Bake for 45 minutes total, flipping them half way through.


Sauce:
1. Make sauce according to instructions.
2. Add 2 tbsps or so of white wine and pepper.
3. Allow to thicken.


Then the magic:

Assemble: french fries, squeaky cheese curds, and top with sauce.


So tasty! This mootine satisfies that urge for that fatty "treat." For this one though, you don't have to feel guilty afterward....the fries are baked - not deep fried!!!


Enjoy.


Moolicious!


Asparagus Crepe Brunch for Two


Sunday and Mike's home and not working... so I decided to make a small brunch type meal to hold us until tonight's supper: slow cooker corned beef with home made poutine (much healthier than restaurant!)


For the crepes:

In a bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1 cup milk. Then add a sprinkle of coarse salt and half cup of whole wheat flour. Whisk well. If mixture thickens, you can loosen it with a few splashes of milk.

Step by Step:
1. Cook the crepes. Heat up your pan (med-high) with olive oil. Ladle in your first crepe and be sure all sides of the pan are full with batter. Allow to bubble and harden before flipping. Remove and repeat for the next one.

2. Once crepes are set aside, add oil and saute 8-10 asparagus for about 6 minutes, with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.

3. Next add egg whites (maybe 3 per person) to oil, allow to harden before flipping. Repeat once more and set aside.


Assembly:
- Add a crepe to the hot pan again, top with round egg white, 4-5 asparagus, a few sprinkles of fresh basil and freshly grated Romano cheese!!!! Let heat up maybe 1 minute.

- Now simply fold the crepe, as you see in the picture. Repeat for the next one.

- Serve with fresh fruit: mango, strawberries and raspberries or whatever!



Sounds complicated ? It's not. It's well worth it to make enough batter for only two people. This way you don't have to force down 10 crepes.

Enjoy!


Moolicious!

Spicy Snapper with Salad Trio


Back from Disney and back in the kitchen! It was fun, busy and magical : )
We were craving fresh fish when we got back, so here's what we did.

For the fish:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a casserole dish, lay out 2 pieces of fresh snapper.
3. Season with: olive oil, salt, pepper, dried parsley, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Simple.


Salad 1: Beat 'n Carrot
1. In a bowl, mix together 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and freshly grated ginger (maybe a tsp or so).
2. Next drain one can of beets and slice. Add to dressing.
3. Grate in one large carrot.
4. Mix all together and voila.


Salad 2: Broccoli slaw
1. In a bowl, whisk together 1 tsp dijon, a few dashes Worcestershire, 2 or so spoon fulls of mayo, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a small sprinkle of sesame oil.
2. Add half a bag of broccoli slaw mix (help from the store!)
3. Mix all together and voila.


Salad 3: Chic Pea 'n Wheat
1. Cook about half cup of dried Bulgar wheat in some chicken stock (5 minutes or so) and let cool.
2. In a bowl, whisk together, a tbsp olive oil, a tsp red wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, 1 tsp dried oregano and basil, grate in a clove of garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Drain and add one can chic peas.
4. Add 2 diced tomatoes.
5. Add about 1/2 cup of diced feta cheese.
6. Add your Bulgar.
7. Mix well and voila!


Prep your salads in the morning and allow them to sit in their vinaigrette all day. More flavor and time saving! All you have to really do near dinner time is your fish.



Moolicious!