one-pan broccoli-bacon-mac 'n' cheese

Yep, it's as good as it sounds.  Thanks to the Sept. 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine: http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/how-to-make-one-pan-broccoli-mac-cheese

hasselback apples - think individual apple crisps

This is a delicious dish from the Sept. 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine:  http://simmerandboil.cookinglight.com/2015/08/12/hasselback-apples-recipe/

shrimp and broccoli rotini

I used a different pasta shape called 'trece' for this yummy dinner.  I cooked the pasta and added broccoli in the last 3 minutes of the cooking.  While that cooked I pan sauteed some shrimp, adding some lemon rind.  After draining the pasta and broccoli I added it to the shrimp, then some butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

easy and fast chicken tacos

Combine 2 c. shredded skinless boneless rotisserie chicken meat with 1/2 c. prepared salsa verde.  You can heat this up, or not.  Then mix up 2 c. shredded purple cabbage with 1/3 c. mayonnaise.  Heat corn tortillas, fill with chicken mixture and top with cabbage mixture.  This is enough for about 8 tortillas per the suggestion in the September 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

pork belly tacos

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Pico de Gallo

Serves 4. Try this out from the September 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine!  The technique left us with leftover succulent pork belly that we used on tostadas and with fried eggs.  The braised pork belly can be refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature before frying.  The Pico de Gallo can be refrigerated for 6 hours.

            Braised Pork Belly:

            one 2 lb. piece of meaty pork belly

            1 c. olive oil

            1 c. melted lard or shortening

            3 garlic cloves, crushed

            1 white onion, coarsely chopped

            2 dried chipotle chiles

            2 tsp. kosher salt

            Pico de Gallo:

            ½ lb. cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

            4 oz. tomatillos – husked, rinsed and finely chopped (about ¾ c.)

            ½ small red onion, finely chopped

            1 chile de arbol, crumbled

            ¼ c. Mexican beer

            ¼ c. fresh lime juice

            kosher salt

            Tacos:

            1 Tbs. oil

            twelve corn tortillas, warm

            lime wedges, for serving

Braise the pork belly:  Heat oven to 250 degrees.  In a large ovenproof saucepan, combine all the pork belly ingredients and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.  Cover, transfer to oven and braise until very tender, about 3 hours.  Transfer pork to a plate to cool slightly.  Discard the braising liquid. 

Make the Pico de Gallo:  In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the salt.  Season with salt and mix well.

Make the tacos:  In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil.  Add the pork belly, skin side down, and weigh it down with another heavy skillet.  Cook over moderately low heat until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the pork, skin side up, to a cutting board and let cool slightly.  Slice across the grain ¼” thick, then halve the slices crosswise.  Top each tortilla with a few pieces of pork belly and a little Pico de Gallo and serve warm.  

spicy stir-fried lamb

Another winner from the NY Times cooking site, serve it over rice:  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013036-crispy-lamb-with-cumin-scallions-and-red-chilies

zucchini crisp

Zucchini Crisp

Serves 6-8.  I had to try this when I saw it in the Aug/Sept 2015 issue of Saveur.  Squash is just a kind of melon and this sweet treatment proves it.  Nice to serve a la mode.

            1¼ c. flour

            1 c. rolled oats

            ½ c. packed brown sugar

            ¾ tsp. kosher salt

            ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

            8 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes

            3 lbs. zucchini, peeled and cut into 1” chunks

            ½ c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

            2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

            1 tsp. ground cinnamon

            ½ tsp. ground ginger

           

In a medium bowl, stir ¾ c. of the flour with the oats, brown sugar, ¼ tsp. of the salt, and the nutmeg.  Using your fingers, rub the butter into the oat mixture until it forms clumps.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the remaining ½ tsp. salt, the granulated sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes.  Squeeze the juice from the zucchini and pour it into a small saucepan.  Bring the juice to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to ¼ c., 5-6 minutes.  Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir the cooled syrup back into the zucchini and then stir in the remaining ½ c. flour, the cinnamon, and ginger until evenly combined.  Scrape zucchini into an 8” square baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the topping you made earlier. Bake until topping is golden brown and the zucchini is bubbly and tender, 1 hour.  Serve hot and topped with ice cream.