006: cranberry pineapple chicken pasta salad

this is an all inclusive dish: fruit, protein, and pasta! and delicious to boot. as usual, i do this on a per serving basis, given that i do most of my cooking for one. for me, this made one dinner and one lunch as leftovers. cook time was about half an hour.



equipment:
3 qt sauce pan
knife
measuring cups and spoons


ingredients:
1 c. pasta (i used rotini)
1/2 t. rosemary
1 T. olive oil
1 chicken breast (1/4 lb.)
1/2 c. chopped pineapple
1/2 c. dried cranberries (craisins)
1/2 c. parmesean or swiss cheese


steps:
1.) cook pasta according to instructions on box. add half (1/4 t.) of the rosemary to the water. when cooked and drained, pour olive oil over top and stir it in to cooked pasta (this is to keep it from sticking). chill.

2.) poach chicken breast, adding the other half (1/4 t.) of the rosemary to the water. when done, cut into bite sized pieces. add to pasta, and chill.

3.) cut pineapple into bite sized pieces. add pineapple, cranberries, and cheese to chicken and pasta when the chicken is cool. serve.


time: 30 minutes
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦◊◊ (3 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: add pieces of cooked bacon to the pasta salad. use crushed red pepper instead of rosemary, leave out the craisins, and sprinkle chili powder over the top.



enjoy!
-kl

c: poaching chicken

poaching chicken is a great way to cook chicken that is going to be used in something else. it keeps the chicken moist, and it also does not add any flavor to the meat like sauteing it can.

1.) put thawed chicken into saucepan. fill it with cold water until the water just covers the meat.

2.) put over medium heat and bring water to boil.

3.) as soon as the water starts to boil, remove it from the heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes. drain from water and you're good to go.

happy eating!
-kl

b: cutting pineapple

ok, so we've all seen them (and possibly taken pictures with them), but let's face it: most of us have no idea what to do with a pineapple once it's bought. well, here is a short tutorial for the easiest way that i have found to cut a pineapple.



1.) remove the top frilly part of the pineapple (just twist or cut it off), and slice the pineapple from the top down into quarters.




2.) lay each quarter down on its side (spiny part down), and slice the hard middle part off of the top of the pineapple. do this for all 4 quarters.




3.) with the spiny side still down, make vertical slices about 3/4" apart. then, if you want, you can make one slice lengthwise down the middle. this will create smaller, more bite-sized pieces.




4.) finally, slice along the bottom to separate the pieces from the spine. you're done! now wasn't that easier than trying to "skin" or peel it? happy eating!
-kl

005: fresh salsa

this is an incredibly easy fresh tomato salsa recipe. you can use it as a chip dip, on tacos, on sandwiches, or on whatever else you usually use salsa. prep time is about 30 minutes, and you can begin using it immediately, though it is best if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight (yield = about 3 cups).



equipment:
paring knife
bowl (size: approx 1 qt.)
cutting board
measuring spoons


ingredients:
1 jalapeño pepper
2 tomatoes
1/2 c. diced red peppers
1/2 c. diced red onion
1/2 c. corn
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 t. to 1 t. cilantro
1 and 1/2 t. lemon juice


steps:
1.) dice jalapeños (NOTE: if you have never worked with jalapeños before, check out my tips for handling them) tomatoes, red pepper, and red onion. add all of these and the corn to a 1 qt. or larger bowl.

2.) add minced garlic, cilantro (to taste--the more you add, the spicier your salsa will be), and lemon juice.

3.) mix it all together. you can serve it immediately, but the flavors will blend best if left for a few hours or overnight.


time: 30 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variations: use more jalapeños for spicier salsa. try adding (or subbing) other (like seasonal?) ingredients, like mangoes, pineapple or peach for a sweeter salsa.

enjoy!
-kl

a: handling hot peppers

if you've never worked with hot peppers, here are a few tricks to the trade to keep you from the terrible and long lasting burn on your skin that can accompany working with them (if you've ever experienced this, you know exactly to what i am referring, and if not, consider yourself lucky!). first of all, if at all possible, WEAR GLOVES!!! just your standard latex or vinyl disposable gloves. this will save you from a lot of grievance. especially if you have any knicks on your hands, or even if your hands are chapped, gloves are a must!!! if not, keep the pepper juice off of your hands as much as humanly possible. if you do start to have a burning sensation, do NOT under ANY circumstances try to wash it out with water (cold or otherwise)!!! this will only make it worse! instead, wash your hands with milk--the higher the percentage the better). the alkalinity will help the burning sensation. there are some suggestions out there that people give of using things like lemon juice, bleach, rubbing alcohol or tomato juice on your hands. again, don't do this! the acidity will make the burning worse. something that might feel good is soaking your hands in either oil or melted butter, or putting on lotion. again, don't do it! it will seal the heat in and actually make it worse, no matter how good it might feel at first. milk, or other dairy products, are by far your best bet. despite helping, it may not eliminate the burning. in this case, you basically have to wait it out. keep your hands OUT of water at all costs, and DO NOT TOUCH any other part of your body (especially your face or eyes), as the burning sensation can transfer to that area.

so. the order of tips is thus:
1.) WEAR GLOVES!!!!
2.) if burning sensation starts, DO NOT touch any other part of your body.
3.) wash/soak your hands in milk, avoiding water at all costs.


though some people make it complex, it is actually quite simple to cut peppers. as you probably, typically the smaller the pepper the hotter it is, so exercise more caution with these. peppers like bell peppers and jalapeños are particularly easy to cut. cut them in half from the top down. inside there will be seeds and a structure holding them to the outside of the pepper. simply strip this structure and the seeds into the garbage just using your fingers, and cut from there as needed (strips, dicing, etc).

good luck!
-kl

004: plátanos fritos (fried bananas)

this is another popular spanish dish, and is typically served as a dessert, though it could also be a snack or side as well. it is super easy, and pretty darn scrumptious. *NOTE: i have this recipe set up on a per banana basis, though you could feasibly expand it to pretty much any number of bananas you want. a note, though: only prepare as many as you can eat, as they do not store well.* prep time is about 5 minutes, and cook time is less than 10.



equipment:
skillet
knife
1/4 c. measuring cup
small bowl
spatula


ingredients:
1 T. margarine or butter
banana (still slightly green--barely ripe)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. orange juice


steps:
1.) melt margarine or butter in skillet while cutting banana into 1/3" chip like pieces.

2.) add banana chips to melted margarine or butter.

3.) let simmer for 3 minutes, flipping once. mix brown sugar and orange juice in separate bowl and add to banana in skillet.

4.) let simmer 5-10 minutes or until mixture is caramelized. serve hot.


time: 15 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦♦ (5 stars out of 5)
serving suggestions: serve with any or all of the following: drizzled in honey; sprinkled with cinnamon; sprinkled with nutmeg
suggestions for variations: try with pears, pineapple, even oranges. be creative!


enjoy!
-kl

003: tortilla española

this is an incredibly popular spanish dish. and for those of you not in the know, i have a freakish obsession with all things spain- and spanish-related, including living in spain this past summer. this dish, kind of a cross between a quiche and an omelet, was served on many occasions in my time there. usually, it was served as a tapa, or appetizer dish, but it can definitely be served as an entree as well. prep time is about 20 minutes, and bake time is a half an hour.



equipment:
paring knife
12" skillet
measuring cups
slotted spoon
medium bowl
colander
pie pan (at least 9" x 1 1/2")


ingredients:
1/2 c. olive oil (i recommend spanish olive oil, as opposed to italian, but any kind would work)
1 clove minced garlic
2 c. potatoes (this took me one large baking potato)
1/2 red onion
1/3 red pepper
1/2 c. diced ham (this took me 3 slices of thickly sliced deli ham)
6 eggs
salt


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 degrees. pour olive oil and minced garlic into skillet over medium heat.

2.) cut peeled potato into 1/4" slices, and cut into quarters or sixths from there (bite sized pieces).

3.) when sizzling, add potatoes to olive oil and garlic, and let cook for 5 minutes, turning once.

4.) as the potatoes begin cooking, dice the ham, red onion, and red pepper. add these to the mix 5 minutes after the potatoes have begun. let simmer until onions are transparent, being sure to stir frequently. salt to taste.

5.) in the mean time, beat the 6 eggs together.

6.) when onions are transparent, pour onion and potato mixture into a colander to get rid of excess oil.

7.) pour enough of the beaten eggs into greased pie pan to cover the bottom. add about half the onion and potato mixture to pie pan. add about half of the remaining eggs, followed by the rest of the onion and potato mixture, and finished with the rest of the eggs.

8.) bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

serve either hot or cold, keep refrigerated.


time: 50 minutes
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
serving suggestions: typically, this dish is served with either mayonnaise (sounds weird, but tastes wonderful!) or ketchup, but i would also suggest salsa or tabasco.


enjoy!
-kl

002: asiago sun dried tomato bread

it was bread night in the apartment, and this is another fast easy one. prep time was about 30 minutes, and bake time is 45 minutes.




equipment:
large and medium mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
spatula
cheese grater or vegetable peeler
3 mini loaf pans (5 1/2" x 3 1/2")


ingredients:
2 and 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 and 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. provelone/asiago cheese (i used a kraft blend of 5 italian cheeses, but for more flavor, i would go with a sharper cheddar cheese, at least partly)
1/2 c. minced red pepper (or onion? different flavor)
2 T. parsley
3/4 t. rosemary
3/4 t. black pepper
1/3 c. drained sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (SAVE 2 T. of oil!)
2 T. saved oil from tomatoes
2 T. vegetable shortening at room temp
2 T. sugar
2 t. minced garlic
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. plain yogurt
3/4 c. milk (i used skim)


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 dgrees.

2.) stir dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda) together in large bowl. add cheese, red pepper, herbs (parsley, rosemary, black pepper) and tomatoes. *NOTE: for best results, dice the tomatoes into at least quarters, if not smaller, before adding them.* toss mixture well.

3.) in separate medium bowl, whisk together saved oil, shortening and sugar until smooth. add garlic, eggs, yogurt and milk. blend until well combined.

4.) add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.

5.) pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45-50 mins at 350.

6.) let cool for 10 mins and transfer to cooling rack.


time: 1.25 hours
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 out of 5)
suggestions for variations: use a sharper cheese than asiago/provelone (such as cheddar, or at least partly cheddar). use chopped onion instead of red pepper (or half and half). add a small can of green chilies for more zing (or use instead of red pepper).


enjoy!
-kl

001: cranberry orange bread with glaze

this is a fun, fast bread recipe that does not require the hassle of yeast, kneading, and waiting for rising time. it is also delicious! prep time took me about 30 minutes, and baking time is one hour.


equipment:
measuring cups and spoons
standing mixer (though you could honestly probably do it hand mixed as well) with wire whip
large and medium mixing bowl
spatula
3 mini loaf pans (5 1/2" x 3 1/2")


ingredients:
3/4 c. softened (unsalted) butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. orange juice (i used pulp free, but i'm sure it does not matter)
1/2 c. sour cream (i used lean)
1 T. orange zest
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1/2 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 and 1/2 c. dried cranberries (craisins)


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 330 degrees (yes, i know it's a weird number, but it works).

2.) cream butter and sugar in standing mixer about 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.

3.) add eggs, one at a time, making sure they are well mixed before proceeding.

4.) add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.

5.) in a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). add to wet ingredients.

6.) fold in dried cranberries. *NOTE: i personally am not a "nut in my bread" kind of gal. if you are, however, i would recommend using 1 c. craisins, and 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts.*

7.) pour into greased loaf pans. bake for 55-60 mins at 330, or until toothpick comes out clean. let cool for 10 minutes, and transfer to cooling rack


glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. orange juice

add orange juice (or orange liqueur?) to powdered sugar 1 t. at time until mix has the consistency of melted wax. poke holes in top of loaves, and spoon glaze over top.


total time: 1.5 hours
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5)

enjoy!
-kl