10-Minute Meat and Tomato Sauce

The other night, I really wasn't feeling that well.  I wanted to throw together a quick dinner, but I didn't have any spaghetti sauce in the house.  The Monkey Scientist had some leftover meat from his famous Superbowl Chili (I would have shared the recipe but I've been expressly forbidden by his mother), and I had a can of crushed tomatoes, a lemon, and some whole wheat penne.  Who knew that would be enough to throw together a quick and easy dinner?



This is (in the words of Chris Traeger) literally the easiest homemade tomato sauce ever.  It's cheaper and healthier than a jar of Prego, plus even more delicious.  You could season it any way you liked, but keeping it simple is pretty spectacular.  And, aside from cooking the meat which you'd have to do regardless, it can only possibly add 5 minutes to the time it would take to open a jar of sauce.  What more could you ask for?



This sauce is yummy just on penne, or would be great in a lasagna or on stuffed shells.  It's fresh from the lemon, and with a little kick from the red pepper flakes.  Vegetarians can skip the meat and it would still be great.  If you wanted to crush your own tomatoes in the summertime I'm sure it would kick it up another notch.  This will be replacing the Prego in my cabinet - although I'm not sure I can resist Trader Joe's sauce when I'm there!



10-Minute Meat and Tomato Sauce
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes (don't use store brand)
pinch of sugar
zest of one lemon (less if you don't like lemon)
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat, saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown.
2. Add meat and cook until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar, and heat to a gentle simmer. This takes just a couple minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon zest.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Dried Cherries and Israeli Couscous

Today's post is dedicated to the man who makes me smile each and every day. You're my bacon - you make everything better. Happy Birthday, Monkey Scientist.



You might notice that this recipe is not tagged as "healthy".  Sure, it has brussels sprouts.  Israeli couscous is pretty healthy.  Dried cherries are a great snack.  But when we finished eating these, the Monkey Scientist turned to me and asked where the grease went from frying up the bacon and I had to turn down and look at my belly.  You ate it, dear.



To be fair, it's only 2 slices of bacon.  If you wanted, you could even drain some of the bacon fat off.  I've even heard of a coworker who used oil instead of bacon grease.  But if you're eating brussels sprouts, don't you deserve to have them taste like bacon?  Isn't it worth an extra Stroga class?



I tried to keep the meal under control by serving it up with some trout that had barely any olive oil on it but was seasoned well with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Since I was up at Whole Foods to get the bacon, I bought my fish there as well so it was additive free.  The whole meal came together really quickly, which was very much appreciated since we've been pretty busy lately.



The taste was really outstanding.  Shredded brussels sprouts, as you know, are one of my favorite veggies and the Israeli couscous went really well mixed in.  I love Israeli couscous - the texture is one of my favorite things.  The saltiness of the bacon combined with the sweetness from the cherries was absolute perfection.



Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Dried Cherries and Israeli Couscous
from eat, live, run

Ingredients:
16-18 brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced
2 slices bacon, preferably black pepper-rubbed (available at Whole Foods and butcher shops)
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil and add the couscous plus a pinch of sea salt. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until no more water remains. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and roughly chop.
3. Add thinly sliced brussels sprouts to the hot bacon grease on the stove and saute for about five minutes, until the sprouts turn bright green.
4. Add back in the bacon bits along with the dried cherries and cooked couscous. Toss well and season with salt to taste.

Greek Salad Bruschetta

I'm not quite ready to talk about the Superbowl yet.  But I think I'm finally ready to talk about the food.  We did have lots and lots of food.



I wanted to make something a little bit lighter than the typical wings, chips, dip, and pizza this year.  I loved this bruschetta because it was a little bit different than regular bruschetta, was nice and light, and is easy to pick up and enjoy while watching the game.  Plus, it reminded me of the Greek salad we get when we visit our family friends in Florida, and it was right around the Superbowl last time I was down there.



The Monkey Scientist and his roommate hosted the Superbowl party this year and, despite the outcome, we all had a great time.  It was a true hodge-podge of our friends, but it was really great to get everyone together.  Folks seemed to like the bruschetta, although it may not have been the right crowd because the chicken tenders were eaten much faster.  I think this would be a great appetizer for a dinner party or even a family holiday because it comes together pretty quickly.  It's light, a bit acidic, and tasty.  Even though I am not a tomato-lover, I enjoyed this one a lot!



Greek Salad Bruschetta
slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients
French baguette, sliced
1-2 tbsp butter, softened.
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
1/3 cup kalamata olives, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 tsp Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spread butter on baguette slices. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until baguette slices are golden brown and toasted.
3. In a medium bowl, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and red onion. Add red wine vinegar, lemon juice and feta cheese. Stir until well combined. Season with oregano, Cavender's, salt and pepper.  Bruschetta topping can be kept in the fridge for a couple hours before using.
4. Top baguette slices with bruschetta topping. Serve immediately.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Kale and Quinoa

Do you ever have those nights when you're just craving something super healthy, but still chocked full of flavor?  I was the other night, and I happened to find some quinoa in my cabinet.  I used my favorite - foodblogsearch - to look for a good recipe, but everything seemed to be vegetarian.  I wanted to use shrimp since I hadn't had seafood in a little while, so I added it to my search and came across this recipe.



Now normally, I am not a kale fan (aside from the kale salad my best friend makes).  Kale chips? Not my style.  Remember when I made the Tomato Braised Chicken with Kale?  I told you all I just was not feeling the kale. It can be really bitter and I just don't like it that much.  But, as long as I was going to eat healthy, I needed my dark leafy green.  But, I thought I'd give it another shot.  Everyone else seems to love kale these days, why can't I?

I think the trick here was cooking the kale down with a little oil and butter until fully cooked.  I honestly just think it may have been a bit raw last time I made it, and maybe that's why it was so bitter.  This time a huge bunch cooked down by probably 70%, and it really wasn't bitter at all - in fact it was juicy and loaded with flavor from the lemon and tomato sauce.



One of my favorite parts of this meal was the cost.  All of the ingredients cost $5.84.  It could easily serve 2 for dinner or 4 for lunch. I ate it for dinner and then for lunch for a couple of days.  Even if you are trying to save money, I recommend you get a nicer brand of tomato sauce.  A can of off-brand tomato sauce was 33 cents, while Tuttorosso was on sale (by surprise, it didn't even have a sign!) from 60 cents to 40 cents.  The difference in flavor is totally worth the extra 7 cents.



I sort of surprised myself, but I completely loved this recipe.  The kale was delicious, there was just a little bit of shrimp for some seafood (tastes like New England) and substance, and the quinoa was nutty and made the meal feel complete.  I liked it better when the quinoa was really mixed in with the kale and shrimp so that it could absorb all the flavors from the lemon, tomato sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Of course, I use way more red pepper flakes than the original recipe called for - and to be honest it wasn't even very spicy still.  If the Monkey Scientist had eaten this, I probably would have had to throw some cayenne in, but he was busy working late again.  I thought this was a delicious meal full of all sorts of healthy and delicious things.

Also - sorry that these photos are pretty out of focus.  My camera was not cooperating.  Some day I'll buy my DSLR and self-focus, but for now I just deal with what I have.



Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Kale and Quinoa
slightly adjusted from Healthy Green Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup white quinoa
pinch of Himalayan or sea salt (I used garlic salt)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
5 small garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 pound shrimp
1 bunch kale, chopped fine
8 oz can tomato sauce (I used Tuttorosso)
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
course sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer (this is important or it will be bitter). Bring 1 1/4 c water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until all water is absorbed (about 12 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to sit in covered pot for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, being careful so it doesn't burn.
3. Add the shrimp and kale and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the shrimp have just turned pink and the kale is cooked through.
4. Add tomato sauce and cook for another minute or so. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
5. Serve over quinoa.

Sushi Making Class

Last week, my camp friend, her younger sister and I went to an i wish... lessons' sushi making class at the Hill Center in Eastern Market.  We had bought the class on Living Social months ago, so I had been looking forward to this for a long time!  The class taught basic sushi making technique including how to make 3 rolls - cucumber, California, and spicy tuna.  We made a regular Maki roll as well as an "inside out" Maki roll.



Here is what I learned:

When you spread the sushi on the rice, make it a THIN layer, without crushing the grains.  Then you won't overfill your sushi.
Stack your filling only at the bottom of the roll, then roll up around it.
Hold the back of the mat with your thumbs while holding the filling with your fingers until you've gotten over the first roll.  Then pull back the mat while you roll, so it doesn't get wrapped in your maki.

Sushi making takes practice! It's hard to figure out what the right amount of rice and filling is so that you don't over or underfill your roll.

Sushi grade tuna isn't regulated by the FDA like meat.  It means that it was frozen at -31°F to prevent parasites from growing.  It can be purchased at Whole Foods or other high-end markets, and buying it frozen is probably better than "fresh".



We were all quite proud of the skills we developed.  Some of our rolls came out better than others (my California and little sister's Spicy Tuna rolls were a bit of a flop) but I think with practice we could get pretty good at this!  No matter how floppy they looked, they were all super delicious.  Now that I have the basic idea, I want to go to H Mart for the mat and rice and then make some more "American" sushi.  I'm thinking about BBQ pork, mango and kiwi, maybe even chorizo sushi!  So many possibilities!!

If you want to learn how to make sushi, you should check out an i wish... lessons class.  They have classes in DC, Chicago, Boston, and Detroit (which covers about 90% of my friends and likely readers).  It's a bit expensive, but watch for a Living Social or Groupon and it could be as affordable as going out to eat!

Sushi Rice
from i wish... lessons


Ingredients
3 c sushi rice, uncooked (you can buy this at an Asian market or most grocery stores)
1/2 c rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
note: instead of the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, you can alternatively buy sushi vinegar at an Asian market

Instructions
1. Wash rice - rinse in cold water repeatedly until the water is nearly clear (it will be very cloudy the first few times).
2. Cook rice according to package instructions (preferably in a rice cooker)
3. Make rice vinegar mixture by mixing salt and sugar into the rice vinegar until fully dissolved.  Add more sugar until you've reached your preferred balance of sweet and tart.
4. Place rice in a large bowl or bin for mixing and slowly pour rice vinegar as evenly as possible over rice surface.
5. Mix rice by tossing and slicing with rice paddle (or spatula).
6. Allow to cool for 20 minutes under moist rags before use.



Cucumber Roll
from i wish... lessons

Ingredients
3 cups prepared sushi rice (see above)
3 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
1 cucumber (sliced into strips lengthwise with a julienne cut)

Instructions
1. Prep nori by cutting sheets in half.
2. Place nori half-sheet at the very bottom of the rolling mat and spread a thin layer of sushi rice on top without pressing too hard on the grains.  Only cover 3/4 of the nori, leaving a clean strip along top (side furthest from you).
3. Line a couple of slices of cucumber alone the bottom edge of the nori (only go up about 1/2 inch).
4. Start rolling from the edge closest to you, using the bamboo mat to press the roll together as you go.  Once you have rolled it all the way, wrap the mat around it and give it a squeeze to give it a nice round shape.
5. Move to a cutting board and cut into 6-8 evenly sized pieces (don't cut on the mat!).



California Roll
from i wish... lessons

Ingredients
3 cups prepared sushi rice (see above)
3 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
3 crabsticks
1/4 cucumber (sliced into strips lengthwise with a julienne cut)
1/4 avocado (sliced into strip lengthwise with a julienne cut)

Instructions
1. Prep nori by cutting sheets in half.
2. Spread the sushi rice in a thin layer directly on the mat in a square slightly larger than the nori, then place the nori on top.
3. Place cucumber and avocado stacked along the bottom end of the nori (only go up about 1/2 inch). Split the crabstick in half and add on top of the cucumber and avocado. (It will peel apart like string cheese)
4. Start rolling from the edge closest to you using the bamboo mat to press the roll together as you go.  Once you have rolled it all the way, wrap the mat around it and give it a squeeze to give it a nice round shape.
5. Release it from the mat, sprinkle some sesame seeds on your cutting board, and roll the whole roll through the seeds to coat evenly.
6. Move to a cutting board and cut into 6-8 evenly sized pieces (don't cut on the mat!).




Spicy Tuna Roll
from i wish... lessons


Ingredients
3 cups prepared sushi rice (see above)
3 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
1/2 lb raw sushi-grade tuna
1 tbsp mayo
1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce
1/4 cucumber (sliced into strips lengthwise with a julienne cut), optional
1/4 avocado (sliced into strip lengthwise with a julienne cut), optional

Instructions
1. Mix mayo and sriracha in a bowl.  Add more sriracha until reaching your preferred spiciness level.  Chop tuna and mix with spicy mayo.
2. Prep nori by cutting sheets in half.
3. Place nori half-sheet at the very bottom of the rolling mat and spread a thin layer of sushi rice on top without pressing too hard on the grains.  Only cover 3/4 of the nori, leaving a clean strip along top (side furthest from you).
4. Place spicy tuna mixture, cucumber, and avocado (if using) along the bottom edge of the nori, stacked (only go up about 1/2 inch).
5. Start rolling from the edge closest to you, using the bamboo mat to press the roll together as you go.  Once you have rolled it all the way, wrap the mat around it and give it a squeeze to give it a nice round shape.
6. Move to a cutting board and cut into 6-8 evenly sized pieces (don't cut on the mat!).

Note: this is not a paid post.  i wish... lessons doesn't know who I am or that I'm posting.  I just had a great time!

Lemon Poppy Seed Circus Waffles

He may not like that I'm admitting this, but this weekend, I convinced the Monkey Scientist to watch Water for Elephants with me.  I loved the book, and I'd wanted to see the movie for a while now. I sold it as a total chick flick, so when the movie turned out to have a lot less romantic development than the book, I think he was pleasantly surprised.  I enjoyed the movie a lot.  It had been a long time since I read the book, but I do think it missed a lot of the detail, as movies always do - but it was still entertaining.



The next morning, it only seemed appropriate to pull out the circus animal waffle iron that his mom gave him for Christmas.  I had actually been asking for a waffle maker for a long time, so when he received this one I was totally excited.  Obviously he got it because of the monkey waffle shape, but the elephants and giraffes were pretty adorable too.  I wanted to make waffles that were a little something special, so I decided to try this recipe out, since Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are one of my favorite treats.



These waffles were very yummy.  They're reminiscent of lemon poppy seed muffins while still tasting distinctly like waffles.  I basically drowned them in some maple syrup (real maple syrup, none that corn syrup junk!) which made them totally delicious.  You can use any waffle maker to make these - the original recipe was for Belgian waffles - but they won't be this cute if they aren't shaped like monkeys.  I think some cousins of mine have an adorable waffle maker similar to this that my mom gave them - maybe my Auntie should pull it out for a special treat this weekend!!



Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles
From sugarcrafter

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat the waffle maker to medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (for keeping the cooked waffles warm).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs. Whisk in the buttermilk, butter, yogurt, poppy seeds, and lemon juice and zest.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
5. Pour batter into each well of the waffle maker (1/3 cup for Belgian waffles, adjust accordingly for smaller waffles) and cook until golden brown and crisp. Keep the cooked waffles warm in the oven until ready to serve. When you're ready to eat, slather in real maple syrup (preferably from Vermont).

Buttermilk Roasted Drumsticks

The Monkey Scientist was really busy this week, which meant I had to motivate myself to cook for one.  I ended up inviting a friend over one night, and as long as I was prepping that dinner I also decided to start marinating chicken for my next meal.  I had seen this recipe earlier in the day and it sounded so amazing and juicy, I just had to try it.



The marinade couldn't have been simpler to throw together - and was super inexpensive.  I dumped in a 14 oz bottle of low fat buttermilk (99 cents at the grocery store), some garlic (maybe 50 cents?), seasonings I already had in the house, and marinated the drumsticks in it (on sale for $4.20 or so for about 2 1/4 lb).  I ate it for dinner with some roasted cauliflower (on sale for $2.99 a head), and actually had leftovers for lunch the next day and for the Monkey Scientist to eat for dinner the day after.  Definitely a great value!



This was some of the juiciest, most delicious chicken I've ever made.  I really love drumsticks, but this could be great with any part of the chicken.  The skin was crispy, just a bit spicy (except when the MS made the last 2 drumsticks for himself with extra cayenne...they were quite spicy) and the inside was tender and moist.  There's really nothing not to love about this one - just make sure you plan ahead so that you can prep it and let it marinate for a day or two before baking!



Buttermilk Roasted Drumsticks
every so slightly adapted from smitten kitchen

Ingredients
14 oz (1 1/2 c) buttermilk (I used low fat)
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling (I used sweet, but I wanted to use spicy Hungarian)
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks (you can use any part you like)
Drizzle of olive oil
Flaked or coarse sea salt and cayenne pepper, to finish

Instructions
1. Whisk buttermilk with garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl.
2. Place chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour buttermilk brine over them, then swish it around so that all parts are covered.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours.
4. When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Line a baking dish with foil. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish.
6. Drizzle lightly with olive oil (honestly, I think I skipped this step and they were fine!), then sprinkle with additional paprika, sea salt, and a little cayenne to taste.
7. Roast for 35 minutes, until brown and a bit scorched in spots. Serve immediately.