Homemade baked beans take a long time to prepare. A really, really long time. Sure, you could always opt for the canned baked beans available at the grocery store, but the homemade variety have a lot more flavor, and you have the satisfaction of making them from scratch (or so Dan tells me.) Because we had already set aside a Major Block of Cooking Time this recent Memorial Day for smoking BBQ ribs, we decided to make a batch of baked beans as well. The extra cooking time was well worth it. We might not reach the same conclusion in a blind taste test, but we thought the homemade beans tasted way better than any of the canned versions we’ve tried. (You may borrow the blind taste test idea as a party trick for your next cookout. You’re welcome.) Continue reading “Baked Beans”
Category: Recipes
Memorial Day BBQ Ribs
We’re a day late in wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day, but it’s never too late to reflect on what this holiday is all about — a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of our nation. When I was thinking about what to write that could somehow adequately express the gratitude we feel to those who selflessly serve in our military, I remembered a profound occasion that Dan and I witnessed in an airport several years ago. We arrived for a very early morning flight and found that most of the people flying out of our terminal that day were men and women in uniform. I had never seen that many military personnel in one place before. I don’t know what branch of the military they were in, nor do I know where they were headed. But they were clearly being deployed somewhere significant.
Airport security relaxed the usual procedures and allowed loved ones to accompany the departing service members beyond the security lines and x-ray machines to the terminal gates. We saw mothers and fathers proudly yet anxiously escorting young men who seemed barely out of high school. Then there were couples, one parent in uniform and holding a baby or small child, the other alongside struggling not to cry. We also saw a few soldiers sitting alone, which was heartbreaking to me without knowing their stories and why no one was there to give them a proper send-off. It was a truly humbling and unforgettable experience. What Dan and I will always remember most from that morning at the airport is seeing those men and women about to embark on a journey that we realized was more than we could ever possibly comprehend in terms of commitment, duty and potential sacrifice. We humbly say thank you to the people we saw that day and all the men and women of the armed forces who devote themselves to serving our country, especially those who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “gave the last full measure of devotion.”
Beef Kebabs and Noodles
As we have mentioned previously, we often enjoy grilling meat in kebab form, especially in the spring and summer. It’s relatively easy, looks cool and allows you to cook the meat to uniform done-ness (technical grilling term.) We found this kebab recipe in The New Grilling Book by Better Homes and Gardens, which is a great cookbook in terms of volume and variety of recipes. Not all the recipes we’ve tried have been hits, but several have been quite good, and we certainly won’t run out of new ones to try any time soon. This kebab recipe is one of the better ones we’ve tried. We especially like how it incorporates the starch, veggies and protein into a single dish.
BBQ Chicken Salad (with leftover chicken)
This recipe is one of our favorite uses of leftover chicken, especially for lunch. It doesn’t necessarily sound like it would be as good as it is (nor does it photograph particularly well), but it’s a tangy and creative twist on the typical mayo-based chicken salad. And it has a chipotle pepper in it, which adds a nice smoky / spicy flavor. In addition to being delicious, it is really easy to make with just a few ingredients.
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Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetables with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce
This is yet another recipe from our much-loved “Best 30-Minute Recipe” cookbook. We mention the cookbook often because we use it All. The. Time. In addition to all of its other wonderful cooking tips and taste offerings, the book has an entire chapter called “Mix and Match Stir-Fries” with several different stir-fry recipes and sauces to cook in various combinations — genius. As much as we enjoy ordering take-out from our favorite local Chinese restaurant, we also find it very satisfying (and probably a tad more healthy) to cook an authentic-tasting Asian meal at home.
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Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
I’ve mentioned before that I’m always on the hunt for good side dishes that are different than our usual rice, potatoes or pasta (not that there’s anything wrong with those.) When looking for something to go with a fish dish, I found a couple of recipes using quinoa, a whole grain that we had never previously cooked, eaten or even knew existed. If you’ve never had it before either, it’s actually pronounced “keen-wa,” not “kin-o-ah,” something I did not discover until I saw the helpful pronunciation on the package and had repeatedly mis-pronounced it. We combined elements from several recipes and ended up with a pretty interesting side dish (don’t you hate it when people describe food as “interesting” — what does that mean? Good? Terrible? “Interesting” could describe either one.)
King Ranch Casserole (with leftover turkey)
As with most casserole dishes, there are many variations of King Ranch. No matter the recipe, the key components seem to be poultry, tortillas, cheese and a creamy sauce. All good things in our book. Looking at several different recipes, we put together this King Ranch with the following ingredients: leftover cooked turkey (most recipes use chicken, but we had previously grilled a turkey breast and had tons leftover), onion, red bell pepper, garlic, tortillas, chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, Rotel, green chiles, jalapeno and cheddar cheese seasoned with chili powder. Continue reading “King Ranch Casserole (with leftover turkey)”
Tuscan-Style Steak with Arugula and Parmesan
On a busy weeknight, we love a dish that incorporates both the protein and the vegetable in the same recipe — as seen here and here. Such meals are usually really easy to prepare, but still have fresh and complex flavors. We found this recipe in an old cookbook by Cook’s Illustrated, “The Quick Recipe,” which we found at a Half Price Books store (used book stores are great places to find good quality cookbooks at inexpensive prices.) The ingredients for this dish include steak, arugula, a vinaigrette made with olive oil, lemon, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh oregano, salt & pepper, and freshly shaved parmesan for garnish. We added tomatoes for a little extra flavor and texture. We’re crazy like that.
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Grilled Pork Chops with Mushroom-Soy Vinaigrette
Bobby Flay knows his way around a grill. We have several of his grilling cookbooks and I like to consult them when we’re in the mood for something a little different than the usual grill recipes. Bobby tends to use a lot of interesting rubs and sauces in his grilling, and this dish is no exception. We like how the rich and earthy mushroom flavor of the sauce complements the spicy (but not too spicy) rub on the pork. This mushroom vinaigrette would also be good served on other proteins – like a grilled chicken breast or a nice filet mignon.
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Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (with leftover chicken)
A fettuccine alfredo recipe that is low(er) in fat and calories than the traditional version? Yes, please! We found one in Cook’s Illustrated’s book, “The Best Light Recipe.” As with all their recipes, the folks at Cook’s Illustrated do all the hard work for you — testing out tons of different ingredients and techniques until they find the very best possible recipe (hence the name.) Another great feature in this particular cookbook is that the authors show the difference in nutritional stats between the light recipe and the traditional version, and they explain how they achieved the lighter result. For example, classic fettuccine alfredo has about 580 calories and 43 grams of fat, while the light recipe has only 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. The key to the light version is using half-and-half thickened with cornstarch instead of heavy cream, and they omitted all the butter. Even with less calories and fat, this recipe still has the rich and creamy taste of the traditional version.
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