This is a new-to-us recipe that we found on Epicurious, in our (my) continuous search for delicious vegetarian dishes. We made a few changes to the original recipe – based on reviews from people who tried the Epicurious recipe. The result was good, but we think it could use some improvement. We liked that it was quick and easy for a weeknight, but missed the crispy breading aspect of regular eggplant parmesan. We’ll try it again sometime. Continue reading “Grilled Eggplant Parmesan”
Category: Main Ingredient
Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
Always looking for cool new cooking utensils and gadgets, Dan picked up an interesting grilling tool at the State Fair — a Chile Grill. Basically, it’s a tray to hold stuffed jalapenos on the grill. We decided to try it out one evening when we were having grilled shrimp and a rice side dish. The jalapenos were pretty good, but very hot (we should have grilled them a little longer). We need a little more practice/experimentation with our ingredients, but the tray worked like a champ. Continue reading “Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos”
Butternut Squash with Gorgonzola
A few years ago we hosted Thanksgiving here in Dallas with some of my family, and we were looking for a new side dish. We happened upon a recipe for roasted butternut squash with gorgonzola cheese. It was amazing and we’re now hooked on this dish, which is full of autumn flavors and pairs perfectly with turkey. This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving dinner side dishes. Try it, you will not be disappointed!
Continue reading “Butternut Squash with Gorgonzola”
Shrimp Quesadillas (with leftover shrimp)
We are always looking for creative ways to use leftovers as a time-saver during a busy week. Grilled shrimp is one of our favorite proteins to transmogrify into a new dish, and quesadillas are a simple but delicious meal. You could also use leftover beef or chicken in your quesadillas, but we like using shrimp because it’s a little different and not something that you can order in just any Tex-Mex restaurant. Continue reading “Shrimp Quesadillas (with leftover shrimp)”
Easy Veal Saltimbocca
Veal saltimbocca is an Italian dish consisting of thinly-pounded veal scallopine sandwiched with sage leaves and proscuitto, sauteed in a pan with a white wine sauce. Classic veal saltimbocca can be a bit of a challenge to prepare at home, as it involves whole pieces of veal layered with the other ingredients and cooked very gently so it doesn’t fall apart in the pan. We came across a much simpler version and liked it so much that we may never do it the old-fashioned way again! Continue reading “Easy Veal Saltimbocca”
Pork Fried Rice
Pork fried rice is an excellent use of leftover pork. In addition to rice, our recipe includes bean sprouts, green onion, mushrooms, red bell pepper, garlic, eggs, soy sauce, black bean sauce, and sriracha hot sauce. But you can use whatever combination of ingredients you happen to like. The key components here are the leftover pork (you could also use chicken or beef), rice and egg. Continue reading “Pork Fried Rice”
Ravioli with Quick Red Sauce
When we were on the Isle of Capri in Italy a few years ago, we had a ravioli dish that consisted of pillow-soft ravioli dressed with a simple tomato sauce. Recently we found high quality pre-made ravioli at our local Central Market, and we served these as a week-night meal with a quick tomato sauce. Eventually, we plan on making homemade ravioli, but in the mean time, this dish was delicious. Continue reading “Ravioli with Quick Red Sauce”
Tortellini in Vodka Sauce
Dan first tried pasta in vodka sauce many years ago at one of his favorite Italian restaurants in Chicago. It has taken him a fairly long time to re-create this rich, creamy, slightly spicy tomato sauce, such that you can make it on a weeknight at home. Our version uses pancetta and half & half, as well as a half cup of vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cooks off in an exciting (to Dan), fiery fashion. Sort of like dinner and a show. Continue reading “Tortellini in Vodka Sauce”
Green Chile Chowder
All hyperbole aside, Green Chile Chowder is — without question — our all-time favorite soup. This is another recipe adapted from the El Paso Junior League cookbook “Seasoned with Sun.” The original recipe calls for several complicated steps, but Dan simplified it into a great weeknight soup that can be prepared in about 40 minutes. It’s also an excellent use of leftover chicken. If you like soup, you won’t be disappointed. Continue reading “Green Chile Chowder”
Rustic Grilled Pizza
A few weeks ago we posted Grilled Veggie Pizza, and I caught some grief for using a pre-made pizza crust – even being accused of “cheating.” So we decided to give homemade pizza dough a try, and we were thrilled at how delicious it was. The end result was not necessarily very photogenic, but by calling this pizza “rustic,” it makes it appear that we intended it to be so mis-shaped. And it tasted amazing, which matters most. Continue reading “Rustic Grilled Pizza”