Ariel's Stuffed Veggies
My lovely friend Ariel made these for us at a dinner party she hosted for a few friends. Simple, filling and delicious - the best part is that you can use almost any veggies you like for the filling! This recipe makes enough for 6 people as a side or appetizer, but it is very easy to amend for different size groups.
Teriyaki Pineapple Turkey Burgers
My sister made these delicious burgers for our family this past summer. Her and her fiance are very health conscious and are always looking for new recipes that are both healthy and flavorful. I'll admit that I was skeptical because I had never had what I would describe as a "good" turkey burger - it is usually just used as substitute for beef. This recipe, however, actually highlights the flavor of the turkey (instead of trying to just pretend it's something else). It is so simple and SO tasty that it quickly made it's way into our regular meal rotation.
Teriyaki Pineapple Turkey Burgers
1 can (20 oz.) Pineapple Slices
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
2 lbs. ground turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
8 hamburger buns (I like potato buns)
Drain pineapple; reserving 1/2 cup juice.Stir together soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice in
small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the turkey, ginger, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup teriyaki mixture. Shape into 8 burgers and grill, brushing with remaining teriyaki mixture, until thoroughly cooked. Place pineapple slices on grill and cook until light golden brown. Serve burgers topped with grilled pineapple slices and enjoy!
Notes/Substitutions: The recipe makes 8, but I usually cut it in half - then we have enough for dinner and lunch the next day! If you plan to keep these as leftovers, just store the burgers/pineapple separate from the buns.Fresh ginger really is key to this scrumptious dinner! It kicks this burger up to "super-delicious" status. I like to drizzle a little Soy Vay "Veri, Veri Teriyaki" sauce on top of these burgers - it's a nice little extra flavor and it can even help save burgers that get dried out from over-cooking.
A general burger tip - when forming patties, get them into the desired size and then make an indent in the center (top and bottom, so it looks like a little dimple almost) This keeps burgers relatively flat when they cook -i.e. they retain the "patty" shape instead of turning into little footballs. This means that they cook more evenly and fit better on the bun!
Teriyaki Pineapple Turkey Burgers
1 can (20 oz.) Pineapple Slices
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
2 lbs. ground turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
8 hamburger buns (I like potato buns)
Drain pineapple; reserving 1/2 cup juice.Stir together soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice in
small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the turkey, ginger, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup teriyaki mixture. Shape into 8 burgers and grill, brushing with remaining teriyaki mixture, until thoroughly cooked. Place pineapple slices on grill and cook until light golden brown. Serve burgers topped with grilled pineapple slices and enjoy!
Notes/Substitutions: The recipe makes 8, but I usually cut it in half - then we have enough for dinner and lunch the next day! If you plan to keep these as leftovers, just store the burgers/pineapple separate from the buns.Fresh ginger really is key to this scrumptious dinner! It kicks this burger up to "super-delicious" status. I like to drizzle a little Soy Vay "Veri, Veri Teriyaki" sauce on top of these burgers - it's a nice little extra flavor and it can even help save burgers that get dried out from over-cooking.
A general burger tip - when forming patties, get them into the desired size and then make an indent in the center (top and bottom, so it looks like a little dimple almost) This keeps burgers relatively flat when they cook -i.e. they retain the "patty" shape instead of turning into little footballs. This means that they cook more evenly and fit better on the bun!
Baked Ziti
I love pasta. I don't think I've even come across a pasta dish that I didn't care for, but this is one of my absolute favorites. Reminiscent of lasagna, this baked ziti dish comes from one of my favorite food magazines - Food Everyday (Martha Stewart). It is quick, easy, and is made in a 2-qt casserole dish, so it doesn't overrun your fridge.
Baked Ziti
8 oz ziti rigate (ridged)
1 cup part-skim ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato sauce (I like a traditional sweet tomato basil)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain and reserve.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.
In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes/Substitutions: This is the recipe as Martha tells it -- I tend to add more cheese to the top.
One of the nice things about this recipe is that you can really play around with it. Try different tomato sauces; as I mentioned above, I prefer a sweet tomato basil sauce in this recipe. We have tried a few sauces, and it really makes a big difference in the overall taste of the dish. Also, I usually add a layer of meat or vegetables between the ricotta layer and top layer sauce. Some of my favorite iterations include pepperoni, spinach and pre-cooked ground beef.
And on a final note -- it is apparently really hard to take a good picture of baked ziti!
Baked Ziti
8 oz ziti rigate (ridged)
1 cup part-skim ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato sauce (I like a traditional sweet tomato basil)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain and reserve.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.
In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes/Substitutions: This is the recipe as Martha tells it -- I tend to add more cheese to the top.
One of the nice things about this recipe is that you can really play around with it. Try different tomato sauces; as I mentioned above, I prefer a sweet tomato basil sauce in this recipe. We have tried a few sauces, and it really makes a big difference in the overall taste of the dish. Also, I usually add a layer of meat or vegetables between the ricotta layer and top layer sauce. Some of my favorite iterations include pepperoni, spinach and pre-cooked ground beef.
And on a final note -- it is apparently really hard to take a good picture of baked ziti!
Dumpling Ricecake Soup (Ddeok Mandu Guk)
I first had this soup at our favorite Korean restaurant in Cambridge (Koreana). This soup is generally served to celebrate the lunar new year, but it is a delicious and simple dish you can make any time! I have simplified the recipe here, but see the notes for a more traditional version.
Dumpling Ricecake Soup (Ddeok Mandu Guk)
2 cans Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 can Water
2 cups Small Frozen Dumplings
3 cups Rice Ovalettes
3 cups Fresh Spinach
1 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sugar
Bring the chicken broth, water, soy sauce and sugar mixture to a boil and add dumplings, ovalettes and spinach. Cook for 3-5 minutes (or according to the dumpling package) and serve with a sprinkling of fresh green onions.
Notes/Substitutions: This dish is traditionally made with thinly sliced beef, cooked right in the broth as it boils, as well as a beaten poached egg (think egg drop soup). You could substitute egg ribbons if you don't like the taste of the "egg-drop" style eggs.
To make egg ribbons; beat one egg and pour into a preheated skillet. Move the pan around so as to spread out the egg into one very thin layer over the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until you can flip the whole thing over, then flip and cook for 15 more seconds. Remove the "omelet" onto a cutting board, and roll it up on itself, forming a log. Cut in thin strips and add to soup -- or I like mine in Pad Thai!
Dumpling Ricecake Soup (Ddeok Mandu Guk)
2 cans Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 can Water
2 cups Small Frozen Dumplings
3 cups Rice Ovalettes
3 cups Fresh Spinach
1 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sugar
Bring the chicken broth, water, soy sauce and sugar mixture to a boil and add dumplings, ovalettes and spinach. Cook for 3-5 minutes (or according to the dumpling package) and serve with a sprinkling of fresh green onions.
Notes/Substitutions: This dish is traditionally made with thinly sliced beef, cooked right in the broth as it boils, as well as a beaten poached egg (think egg drop soup). You could substitute egg ribbons if you don't like the taste of the "egg-drop" style eggs.
To make egg ribbons; beat one egg and pour into a preheated skillet. Move the pan around so as to spread out the egg into one very thin layer over the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until you can flip the whole thing over, then flip and cook for 15 more seconds. Remove the "omelet" onto a cutting board, and roll it up on itself, forming a log. Cut in thin strips and add to soup -- or I like mine in Pad Thai!
Sisters Salsa
Delicious discovery -- or in the case -- rediscovery!
I loved this salsa when I was growing up in Maine, and found it again this weekend while I am up visiting my mother. Sisters Salsa out of Blue Hill, Maine is some really awesome "pico de gaillo" style salsa. Super fresh ingredients, ample cilantro... check them out at http://www.salsafy.com/
I loved this salsa when I was growing up in Maine, and found it again this weekend while I am up visiting my mother. Sisters Salsa out of Blue Hill, Maine is some really awesome "pico de gaillo" style salsa. Super fresh ingredients, ample cilantro... check them out at http://www.salsafy.com/
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