Swedish Meatballs in Sour Cream Dill Sauce


When I was growing up my step-dad used to make what he called his "Famous Swedish Meatballs". He bragged about how everyone loved his meatballs. He always cooked them in massive batches in a big roaster so that he wouldn't run out. I liked them since they were a nice comfort food. I wondered what made them "Swedish" meatballs and figured it must be the sauce...until one day I watched my step-dad make the meatballs and the sauce was nothing more than some cans of cream of mushroom soup. Ha! Must be Swedish mushroom soup.

Although it seemed his recipe couldn't be any farther from Swedish meatballs, I've found that they can be in either a brown gravy made from the pan drippings from frying the meatballs or a cream sauce. I went with a cream sauce for the familiarity of my step-dad's recipe, but with a slightly more sophisticated twist. With a plate of mashed potatoes this definitely a comfort meal.

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Serves 4

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp dried dill (or a couple tbsp of fresh dill)
1/2 -1 tsp Dijon
Salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Roll into 1 1/2 inch size balls and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through. (After they have cooked you can let them cool down and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer for a quick meal later on.)

In a large saute pan on medium heat, add flour and butter and cook for a couple minutes to make a roux. Add the beef broth and cook down for about 5 minutes until it creates a nice brown sauce. Turn down the heat and stir in the sour cream, dill, Dijon and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is heated through. Taste and adjust the seasonings. When the meatballs are done baking, add them to the sour cream dill sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes, scooping extra sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with green onions.

Click here for printable version of Swedish Meatballs in Dill Sour Cream Sauce.
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THE RESULTS?
This was warm and comforting and totally a throwback to my childhood. I love eating this with the sauce smothered all over the mashed potatoes and some nice sweet corn. I made this meal with meatballs my Dad made for us when I first had Isabella. They were precooked and frozen so all I had to do was pop them in the oven to heat them through and make the sauce. A super easy comfort meal.


This is a really inexpensive meal to make. For more inexpensive meal ideas visit $5 Dinners.

Prawns Puff


When I was india I had done lot of R&d to prepare the Puff. I tried it couple of times but it didnt become fluffy. It was very messy too. So for a while I thought lets try to use the readily available Puff Pastry Sheets out here in the market. The outcome was amazing. But I would be happy the day I get this outcome when i can make those sheets too :)

Prawns Puff
Ingredients
2 Puff Pastry sheets
1 Cup Prawns
1 Tomato
2 Onions
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Spoon Corriander Powder
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
1/4 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 Egg
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Take out the pastry sheets from the fridge and keep them aside to thaw.
  • In the mean time, heat the oil and add finely chopped onion to it. Cook till onion is translucent
  • Add finely chopped tomato in it and cook till tomato is almost done.
  • Add prawns and garlic to it and cook for couple of minutes.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, jeera powder, black pepper powder and salt to taste. Cook till oil seprates out.
  • Add corriander powder to it and again cook for a minute or two. Keep aside
  • Pre-heat the oven to 400F
  • Grease the baking tray.
  • Cut each baking sheet into 3 vertical and 2 horizonal pieces to give you 6*2 = 12 pieces. On each piece of the sheet add in the prawns mixure and fold it and keep it on the baking tray.
  • Beat the egg, dip a tissue in it and spread the egg over the puffs
  • Bake in oven at 400F/200C for 15 minutes and your puffs should be ready to serve.

Notes
I used medium sized prawns so that I dont need to cut them and neither are they too small to recognise and loose their taste in the masala.
Also I used the egg to get the golden brown effect of the puff as mentioned on the puff pastry sheet box.

Melon Lassi


Couple of weeks back I tried this unique experiment. I had one old melon sitting in the fridge so was curd, so thats what lead to this recipe.

Melon Lassi
Ingredients
1 Melon
6 Cup Curd
5 Spoon Sugar
A pinch of Vanilla Essence
Salt to taste

Method
  • Chop the complete melon into small piece
  • Keep aside few pieces for garnishing and grind rest of them in the mixie to make the juice.
  • Strain the juice and add it to curd.
  • Add sugar, salt, vanilla essence and again mix in the mixie
  • Garnish with the melon pieces and serve chilled.

Notes
I used sweet thick curd, and didnt need to add any water because the melon juice was enough to lighten the curd to Lassi

Indian Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad V1 (Steak)

Nothing makes me feel all warm and cozy inside like a good curry does. It is so comforting and even has sort of a soothing effect. Probably all those warm spices. This dish has all the familiarity of a great curry, but with a fresh twist. I find that meat tends to be the star of the show in a lot of meals, but the beef really takes a backseat to this outstanding potato curry. The potato curry is so good I could eat it by the bucketful.


Recipe from Rachael Ray
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Serves 4-6


Beef:
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp grill seasoning
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 lb sirloin steak


Curry Potato Salad:
4 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken or beef broth
One can chickpeas (15 1/2 ounces), drained
2 tbsp curry paste (hot or mild)
1/4 cup mango chutney
1 cup frozen peas
4 green onions, chopped

Mix together all the spices for the beef and sprinkle over the steak liberally. Let sit on the counter at room temperature for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, put on a pot of water to boil for the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes (I don't bother to peel them, but feel free) and some salt. Let boil for about 12 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the diced onion, pepper, and garlic. Let saute for about 5-6 minutes.

By now the meat has probably sat long enough, so heat a grill pan or frying pan over medium-high heat and drizzle with oil. When the pan is hot add the beef and cook for about 5 minutes per side for medium rare and about 7-8 minutes per side for well done. When the beef is done it should rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before you slice into it.

When the onions and peppers have sauteed, add the chickpeas, broth and curry paste. Stir well to combine and add salt at this point. Let it cook down for about 5 minutes, then stir in the chutney until it dissolves. Then add the peas and potatoes.

You should be able to slice the beef thinly across the grain now. Dish up the warm curry potato salad onto each place and place slices of steak on top. Garnish with green onions.

Click here for printable version of Indian Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad V1

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THE RESULTS?
So wonderful. The potato curry has a sweet element to it because of the mango chutney which I loved. The slices of beef are a great compliment when they are eaten with the curry, but I don't think they were stellar enough to stand on their own. Seriously...the curried potatoes are soooo good. I will definitely make this again. You could swap out the beef and use chicken instead, or even scrap the meat all together and just eat the potato curry on its own. It's very filling because of the chickpeas and is also very frugal. Delicious!


For more great Rachael Ray recipes visit Taste & Tell's Saturdays with Rachael Ray.

For more frugal recipe ideas, visit $5 Dinners.

Salmon Burgers with Scallion Cream Cheese

Our family LOVES salmon. We don't often play and replay the same recipe over and over, but Roasted Salmon with Sweet 'n' Hot Mustard Glaze is definitely the exception to the rule. While I have recently tried delicious new salmon recipes like Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon, Bruschetta Baked Salmon and Phyllo Salmon with Honey Garlic Sauce each of those recipes uses the same technique for salmon: roasting. These burgers helped me to step out of my salmon comfort zone and try something new...with very delicious results.

*Recipe by Rachael Ray
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Serves 4

4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, cut into large chunks
1 tbsp grill seasoning
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Olive oil for drizzling
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice

Lettuce,
Tomato, sliced
Red onion, sliced
Crusty kaiser rolls, split and toasted


Place the chunks of salmon in the food processor and pulse just until the salmon is coarsely ground. Transfer the meat to a mixing bowl and add grill seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and dill. Mix until everything is combined well. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and form into burger patties. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over each side of the burger.

Preheat your grill or a frying pan over medium high heat. If using a grill, spray with cooking spray and if using frying pan drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan. I like my burgers well done so I cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. If you like your salmon still a bit pink in the middle, cook only 3 minutes on each side. If using your stove top, turn your oven on to broil.

While the salmon burgers are cooking, mix together the softened cream cheese and green onions. Stir in the sour cream. Place the crusty rolls face down on the grill or under the broiler, and toast. They only need a couple minutes so don't forget about them (like I did). You will have smoke and unappetizing black buns.

Assemble the burgers by spreading the scallion cream cheese over the toasted buns, top with the salmon burger, a piece of lettuce, tomato and onion (totally optional for me...as in...I hate raw onions.)

Click here for printable version of Salmon Burgers with Scallion Cream Cheese.
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THE RESULTS?
These were incredibly delicious. The sauce definitely compliments the flavors in the salmon burgers. My husband told me that we had eaten a lot of great meals lately but this one topped them all. If you go easy on the sauce, this is an amazingly tasty & healthy supper.


For more great Rachael Ray recipes check out Saturday's with Rachael Ray at Taste and Tell.

Spaghetti with Smoked Mozzarella, Asparagus & Prosciutto

I searched high and low all over our city to find some smoked mozzarella to make this recipe. I have been drooling over it for months. When I had almost given up, some friends were coming to visit from Calgary and I knew they had a cheese shop they loved. THEY could get me some smoked mozzarella!

Let me tell you....it was definitely worth the wait. Every once in a while it's nice to indulge a bit.

*Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis
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Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
3/4 pound spaghetti
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips
6 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, diced (about 1 cup)
6 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil as well as a medium sized pot. Only fill the large pot up about half way. While you are waiting for the water to boil, trim the bottom 1 1/2 off the bottom of the asparagus. Once the salted water in the medium sized pot is boiling, add the asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes. In the meantime, get a large bowl with ice water ready. When the asparagus have cooked until they are tender crisp, scoop them out and add to the ice bath to stop the cooking. To flavor the pasta, pour the boiling asparagus water which is now green into the large pot. By now the large pot of water should be boiling, so add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente and then drain, but save about a cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, drizzle in the olive oil and turn heat to medium. Remove the asparagus from the ice bath and cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, then add the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Add the spaghetti and toss around with the asparagus and garlic. You will probably have to add about 1/2 cup or more of the pasta water. Then add the smoked mozzarella, prosciutto and basil and turn off the heat. Keep tossing and as you do the cheese will melt. Serve with a little more fresh basil over the top.

Click here for printable version of Spaghetti with Smoked Mozzarella, Asparagus & Prosciutto
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THE RESULTS?
WOW. I am in Carb-Heaven! I love me a good bowl of pasta and this is incredible. This is the kind of pasta you would go out to an Italian restaurant for and pay at least $15 a person. My husband and figured it out for what we paid at home:
Spaghetti $1
Asparagus $1.75
Smoked Mozzarella $5
Prosciutto $3.50
Fresh Basil $1
Totalling: $12.25 and it made 4 portions...so $3.06 each.

This would be a great stay-at-home date with a bottle of wine. You will feel like you are at a little Italian Bistro. I love the robust flavor of the mozzarella. If you aren't an asparagus lover, I think this combination would be phenomenal with peas. The smokey flavor of the cheese, and the salty prosciutto would work really nicely with sweet little buds of peas popping in your mouth. Just a lovely dish.

Blackened Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing


When you read the recipe title "Blackened Chicken" does Cajun food automatically come to mind? Do you also think of super spicy food full of cayenne and peppers? I know I definitely did but *GASP...I was wrong! Blackened meat (seafood, beef, chicken) was actually invented in the '80s by Chef Paul Prudhomme who had a restaurant in New Orleans. It caught on as a Cajun food craze but is in no way authentic. Neither is SUPER spicy food like so many of us think (I love interesting bits of food information like this.)

Whether authentic or not, this recipe for Blackened Chicken over salad is AMAZING. It was my first taste of "blackened" anything and I was in love. The flavors of the chicken with the sweet and tangy dressing is a great combination. I can't quote the source since this recipe is all over the internet as "Applebee's Low-Fat Blackened Chicken Salad" (try a google search), but I will say that I did make some changes to the original recipe. My husband and I found the amount of Dijon COMPLETELY overwhelming...so overwhelming that the mustard fumes were burning the insides of our noses. The flavors of the chicken are so good that you definitely don't want to overshadow it with the dressing.

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Serves 4

Chicken & Marinade:
3 chicken breasts or 5-6 thighs, boneless and skinless
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Spice Mix:
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper

Salad:
Lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 large diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or for a more toned down flavor use regular mustard)
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vinegar
1/8 tsp paprika (regular or smoked)


Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag or plastic container and pour the marinade over the top. Marinate the chicken at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a small bowl or plastic container, mix together the spice mix. When the chicken has marinated, sprinkle the seasoning liberally on both sides of the chicken.
In a frying pan over high heat melt a couple tablespoons of butter and sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. At this point you can either transfer to a bbq heated to medium-high or place the chicken on a pan under the broiler. It takes at least 10 minutes or so to no longer be pink in the middle, but just check it to make sure.

While the chicken is finished cooking, chop all the salad ingredients. Place the dressing components in a resealable jar and shake to combine. When the chicken has finished cooking, let rest for about 5 minutes and then cut chicken crosswise into strips. Toss the dressing with the salad, dish onto plates and serve chicken over top.

Click here for printable version of Blackened Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
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THE RESULTS?
LOOOOOOOVED this. I'm not going to lie to you...I actually made this a couple weeks ago and never got a chance to post it until now. I'm still thinking about it and will probably make it again very soon. Like I said earlier, I'm not sure if our Dijon is just a super strong brand but the dressing was burning the inside of our noses. I only added the dressing to our portions the night we ate it and there were leftovers for the next day. The next day I made it with half the amount of Dijon and it was MUCH better. It still had a good amount of kick, but it wasn't overwhelming. But try it before you pour it over your salad...you may be less of a wuss than I.

Sweet & Smokey Turkey Chili

I was inspired to make this chili by my friend Tara..."PHENOMENAL" she said. While I ended up making my own version of it, I really loved that the flavors of the chili were different than my tried and true standby. While I imagine that regular chili is probably a pretty healthy supper choice, the lean protein and extra veggies make it even more so.

And the colors are just gorgeous.


*Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray
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Serves 6-8

1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp grill seasoning
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp liquid smoke
3 tbsp chipotle hot sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup beef broth
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 red pepper, chopped (or 1/2 red and 1/2 orange or yellow pepper)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, drizzle a couple tbsp of oil. Add turkey and cook about 5 minutes, breaking up into crumbles as you cook. Add chili powder, cumin, grill seasoning, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, chipotle hot sauce and chili flakes. After the turkey has cooked for 5 minutes add onion and carrot and continue to cook another 5 minutes or so. The add the beef broth to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up the good bits on the bottom. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, peppers, corn and beans. Let the chili simmer for at least half an hour, stirring every so often. To serve, scoop into bowls and add chopped green onions over the top.

Click here for printable version of Sweet & Smokey Turkey Chili
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THE RESULTS?
This was delicious. It was a nice change from ordinary chili. I do have one thing to say about the turkey though: I couldn't even tell it was turkey. Which can be a good thing if a) you want to eat healthier but are used to ground beef and/or b) you can't afford the extra price for ground turkey so you make this with beef instead. Beef, turkey...this chili is good all the same.


For more interesting recipes, check out Gayle's Recipe Swap at Grocery Cart Challenge.

Thai Sukiyaki

Thai Sukiyaki is actually a totally deceptive name since it is nothing like Japanese Sukiyaki. We call it Thai Hot Pot. Friends of ours who lived in Thailand for a year ate this at a Thai restaurant chain called MK. They first introduced us to Hot Pot a year ago when we were starting our Secret-Secret Geography Club. I loved it then and waited a whole year to eat it again with them. Thai Hot Pot is more of an experience than just a meal...kinda like fondue. Everyone sits around the table talking while ingredients are dropped into the boiling broth. Once the hot pot has cooked everyone picks out all the good bits that they want while seasoning up their bowl of soup just the way they like it. It's a wonderful communal meal and very fun to do with friends or family.

Please take this "recipe" as more of a method.
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Any combination of veggies you like:

Baby corn
Carrot, sliced thinly
Napa cabbage, sliced thinly
Button mushrooms, chopped
Shitake mushrooms, chopped
Green onions, chopped
Bok choy, chopped

Cut up all veggies and arrange on a tray.

For the meats, again use any combination of meat you like:

Ground pork, seasoned with fish sauce, grated ginger and chopped cilantro
Pork loin, thinly sliced
Beef steak, thinly sliced
Chicken, thinly sliced
Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fish balls
Squid, cut into 2 inch tubes

It's important to have a variety of seafood/meats as well as a wide variety of vegetables. In the picture you can see we used seasoned ground pork, squid, and fish balls (shrimp and cuttlefish flavor). Arrange the meats on a separate tray from the veggies.

We also like to add egg swirled into the broth, so it cooks into ribbons, and some kind of fresh Asian noodle, like hokkien.

The three other small bowls holding red chili's, garlic and limes is what you need to make the sauce. Prepare and have on the table:

1 bottle of Suki Sauce (if you can't find it at an Asian Supermarket, I've seen recipes for it online)
10 or more key limes, cut in half
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and minced
10 thai red chili's, seeded and minced

Put the key limes, minced garlic, and chili's each in their own bowl on the table along with the Suki sauce.


And last but not least, you need your broth.

For the broth:

6 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups water
2 inches of ginger, peeled and cut into slices
2-3 tbsp of fish sauce

Heat all ingredients together in a large pot on the stove until they come up to a boil.

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To eat Thai Sukiyaki, you will need a hot plate in the middle of the table and place the large pot of boiling broth on top of it. Your hot plate will need to get hot enough to allow the broth to continue to boil. You should have your trays of veggies, meats, and noodles/eggs. There should also be Suki sauce and the condiment bowls. Each person should have their own soup bowl, as well as a small bowl to make their sauce, a pair of chopsticks and a wonton soup spoon.

Once the broth is up to a boil, add about a third of your veggies. Place the lid on and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Next add about a third of your meats and about a third of your noodles. If you have used ground pork as one of your meats, use a pair of chopsticks to break up the meat once it is in the broth. Allow to cook until the meats/seafoods are done (this is why it is important to slice your meat thinly). Add one egg and break up with a pair of chopsticks so it cooks into ribbons.

Here we are waiting for the first batch to cook up. While you are waiting, this is a good time to pass around the Suki sauce, garlic, limes and chili's for each person to make their own sauces. In your small bowl, you will want approximately 2-4 tbsp of Suki sauce. I like to add about a tsp of the garlic and squeeze 5-6 lime halves in as well. Be careful when adding the chili's...they can be ridiculously hot! You should be tasting your little bowl of sauce as you are adding ingredients. I tried my sauce without the chili's and it really does need the heat of the chili's to open up on your palate...it makes your tongue sing! I probably only add about 1/8 of a tsp of chili's but it really does make a difference. The fresh garlic is amazing and the lime juice really makes it all pop. But these are just my measurements for how I make it...my husband adds way more chili's and way more lime juice so it's all up to you.

Once the ingredients in the broth have cooked, each person can ladle scoops of soup into their bowls. This really is the time to take all your favorite bits. I really love the fish balls but only the darker orange ones which are shrimp flavored. The white cuttlefish ones I am not crazy about, so I leave those in the pot for others to grab ;)

Once you have a bowl of soup with bits of fish, meat, veggies and noodles in, spoon in some of the sauce you made.

Mmmmm.....soooo good! There's my little bowl of sauce at the top, and a bowl of delicious sukiyaki.


Once everyone has enjoyed their sukiyaki, and most of the veggies/meat are gone you can go for round two by adding in another batch of meat, seafood, veggies and noodles. Continue until everyone has had their fill or their are no ingredients left!

Click here for printable version of Thai Sukiyaki
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THE RESULTS?
I love Thai sukiyaki so much. The flavors of the broth combined with the little bowls of sauce everyone gets are just wonderful. I love that everyone's bowl of sukiyaki will taste slightly different based on the veggies, meat, and seafood they took as well as their own version of the sauce. It is a fun and delicious communal meal that easily takes 1-2 hours from start to finish, so it is a great time spent with friends and family. All the ingredients that go into it are really quite healthy as well.

As you could probably tell, there are a lot of ingredients that go into the Hot Pot. To cut down on costs for yourself if you are preparing this for friends, have each of them bring a few ingredients. It's all part of the communal meal experience ;)

Meal Plan Week 19

Can you say procrastinator? My meal plans have been staying up for 2-3 weeks lately. Yeesh. My excuse last week was that a flu bug went through our house and we didn't really eat any actual meals except fruit smoothies, yogurt, toast and soup. One of the most time consuming parts of my meal plan post is the grocery list; I want it to be thorough and accurate which is sometimes hard to do when I'm not following a recipe and just making up my own...I haven't even made the recipe yet so how am I supposed to know the exact amounts for the grocery list! I'm trying it out this week by posting the plan, sans grocery list, and then updating it later in the week to include the grocery list once I have made all the meals. Sound good?

A few of these recipes were suggested to me by my culinary friend Tara, and others came from my new Rachael Ray cookbook "The Big Orange Book". In the end my meal plan became sort of a Ray-Ray Week. I'm alright with that :)


Day 1: Spaghetti with Smoked Mozzarella, Asparagus and Prosciutto with a Garden Salad

Day 2: Blackened Chicken Salad

Day 3: Swedish Meatballs in a Sour Cream Dill Sauce with Mashed Potatoes and Corn

Day 4: Indian-Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad and Steamed Spinach

Day 5: Salmon Burgers with Scallion Cream Cheese and Minty Peas

Day 6: Sweet & Smokey Turkey Chili with Cornbread Muffins

*Recipe to come this week

For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links hosted this week at $5 Dinners.

Falafel in Pitas

I've been petitioning the Secret-Secret Geography Club to do Lebanese food and it still hasn't happened yet. Instead of waiting to try Lebanese with the group I decided to go ahead and make it at home with a popular dish called falafel. I'm sure a lot of people have tried this dish before, but can you believe I hadn't? I did a little bit of research and found that not only is falafel a Lebanese dish, but also an Egyptian dish. The Egyptian variation makes their falafel's from fava beans instead of chick peas. I think because falafel is usually offered as the vegetarian variation at restaurants that sell pitas, I had the idea that it was also Greek (FYI: it's not). I served my falafel's in pitas with tzaziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, but to be truly Middle Eastern there should have been pickles instead of cucumbers, hot peppers and a sauce made of tahini paste and lemon juice instead of tzaziki. I plan to try that someday, but for now my Meditteranean spin was quite tasty. That's a good way to try new foods that are foreign to you...have a few elements that you are familiar with and the whole "new" food experience won't seem so scary.

Recipe from Evelyn/Athens at Recipezaar
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Serves 4
Falafel:
1 can chick peas
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 roasted red pepper, jarred
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp water

Vegetable oil

Pitas
1 cucumber, cut into thin slices
1 tomato, cut into thin slices and then into half moons
Lettuce, sliced
Tzaziki


Place falafel ingredients in a food processor and blend until mealy.

In a large pot or deep fryer, heat vegetable oil over medium heat to about 375-400 degrees. Scoop out some of the chick pea mixture and roll into walnut-sized balls. I flattened mine slightly so that they cooked better in the oil. Continue to roll falafel balls. When oil is up to temperature drop 4 balls or so into the oil at a time. If you add too many at one time the temperature of the oil will drop too much and they will become really greasy. Cook in the oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Continue rolling and dropping in the hot oil until all the falafel balls are cooked and crispy.

Serve them hot inside pitas with sliced cucumber, tomato, lettuce and drizzle on tzaziki sauce.

Click here for printable version of Falafel in Pitas.
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THE RESULTS?
The flavor of the falafel is awesome. I was once again surprised how something that contained absolutely no meat tasted really meaty. I loved these and can't wait to try a more traditional version now.

Garden Salad


This was salad that I did impromptu with all the ingredients I had at home. The result tasted good and lettuce too this time was quite good.

Garden Salad
Ingredients
1 Cup chopped Lettuce
1/2 Cup Pineapple
1/2 Cup Mango
1 Boiled Potato
1 Tomato
1 Fresh Red Chilli
1/2 Spoon Oregano
1/4 Cup Pickled Cucumber
2 Spoon Vinegar
Salt to taste

Method
  • Add chopped lettuce to the bowl
  • Add chopped pineapple and mango in it.
  • Add finely chopped tomato in it.
  • Remove the cover from boiled potato and add the small cubes in the bowl
  • Add finely sliced red chilli in it
  • Cut the pickled cucumber into small pieces and add in it.
  • Add Salt to taste, oregano and vinegar
  • Mix well and serve.

Notes
I had cut all the stuff and added to the bowl and then around half an hour before dinner I mixed in oregano and stuff well. I thought otherwise all the flavors might get mixed in each other and wont taste as good as I would like :) and that proved right because the next day in lunch box it didn't taste as good as it was for dinner :)

Idli


I have seen quite a few people buy the readymade dosa or idli batter. But I guess I dont like the taste. There is nothing as good as compared to home made stuff. And Idli is something very very easy to prepare. You just need to plan a day ahead thats all it takes. Rest is easy.

Idli
Ingredients
1 Cup Udid Daal
2 Cup Idli Rawa
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Soak Udid Daal and Idli Rawa for atleast 8 hours.
  • Strain the water from the Udid Daal and grind it in the mixie to fine paste.
  • Strain water from the idli rawa and grind it to fine paste too.
  • Mix rawa paste and udid daal paste well and keep aside for atleast 8 hours
  • In the morning, mix in salt really well
  • Heat the water in a cooker - without lid
  • Grease the idli pan and add the idli mixture in there.
  • When the water in the cooker starts to boil put the idli stand into the cooker and cook for around 10-12 minutes on high flame with lid closed but no whistle.
  • Open the cooker and let the idlis cool down a little. Separate idlis from the pan and serve with chutney/sambar

Notes
Here since everything is AC and we maintain low temperature, I did keep the mixture on top of hot water container at night. That works perfectly well.
Dont forget to remove the cooker lid immeidately after idli is done so that the vapour doesnt cool down inside the idli making it moist

Tofu Burger


I was very inclined to prepare the burger at home but didnt want to try any meat burger. So thought of preparing paneer one. But then the indian grocerry store was little far from my place so thought to try it on tofu. The burger turned out quite well and the mildness of tofu vanished in the spcies and other things that I added.

Tofu Burger
Ingredients
4 Burger Buns
100g Tofu
2 Onions
1 Tomato
1 Fresh Red Chilli
4 Cheese Slices
1/2 Cup Lettuce
Ranch Dressing
Salt and Pepper
Oil

Method
  • Cut the Tofu into cubes
  • Heat oil and keep the flame on low.
  • Add tofu pieces and cook till light brown in colour.
  • Add onion slices, red chilli into it and cook till onions are slight brown in colour
  • Add salt and pepper and stir well. Divide the mixture into 4 portions
  • On each bun keep the cheese slice and add the portion of the cooked tofu mixture.
  • Spread the lettuce, tomato Slice, couple of drops of tomato ketchup and one circle of the ranch dressing.
  • Close with the upper portion of the bun and serve.

Notes
I cooked tofu on very light heat which helped me keep it soft. The Spicy Chilli, ranch dressing helped in supressing the mildness of Tofu.

Masala Daal


This Spicy daal was something I just experimented out when I was in pune. It turned out great. Actually mom dad loved it and then when I came here even ajoy liked it :) So thought of posting the recipe

Masala Daal
Ingredients
3 Cup Tur Daal
1 Onion
1 Tomato
6-7 Garlic cloves
1/4 Spoon Mustard
1/4 Spoon Jeera
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Garam Masala
Corriander Leaves for Garnishing
Butter cubes
Salt to taste
Ghee

Method
  • Cook tur daal with 1 cup water in the cooker.
  • Heat the oil and let the mustard and jeera splutter in it
  • Add finely chopped onions, garlic pieces and fry till onions turn translucent.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, jeera powder, corriander powder and garam masala and mix well.
  • Add tomato and cook till tomato is completely done.
  • Add in cooked tur daal, salt and mix well. Cook for couple of minutes with constant stirring
  • Add enough water for getting desired consistency to the daal and bring it to the boil.
  • Garnish with corriander leaves.
  • While serving serve with little butter cubes on top.

Notes
While cooking daal I dont mix too much of water, that way the cooked daal when added to masala completely soaks the taste and aroma.

Onion Bhaji


I prepare these kind of bhaji very few times as I always loved those Crab style bhajis more than these. But when I felt like eating these last weekend, I prepared them and turned out quite well.

Onion Bhaji
Ingredients
2 Onions
1/2 Cup Bason
1/4 Cup Corriander Leaves
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Spoon Corriander Powder
1/4 Spoon Jeera Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Finely chop onions and add the salt to it. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes
  • Add Bason, corriander leaves- finely chopped, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder, jeera powder and mix to form the paste. Add water if needed.
  • Heat the oil in a pan, and add a spoonful of it into the paste.
  • Mix the paste well and fry the Bhaji's of small size to crispy brown colour.

Notes
I normally apply salt to onion and keep aside as that helps in seperating water and then the paste doesnt loosen after some time.
Since I add the heated oil I dont use eating soda, heated oil is good enough for giving crispiness

The Story of the Geography Club

I know I post a link to our International Dinner Club every once in a while, but have I ever told you about it? Like really told you about it? Shame on me.

If you've been reading my blog you've probably gathered how much my husband and I love trying different ethnic cuisines. We experiment at home all the time with different countries cuisines and are friends with two other couples who are the same way. It was just sort of a natural progression for us to start getting together once a month focusing on a countries cuisine, and pooling together our cooking skills and recipes to create an amazing night of cultural food. We have been doing this since January 2008 and it just keeps getting better and better. We are kind of snobs when it comes to our group so it is aptly named "Secret-Secret Geography Club". When starting the group we sat around and marveled at what an amazingly awesome idea it was, and joked that everyone would want to join it because it was so amazingly awesome. Someone suggested giving it a boring name like "Geography Club" so that peeps would be like "Geography club?! You guys are so boring." Someone else joked that it needed to be a "Secret Geography Club" so not only would it be boring but it would be totally undercover. We laughed and someone else joked "it's so top secret it should be the Secret-Secret Geography Club". "Haha ahaha ahaha" we all laughed.

Except THEY WEREN'T JOKING.

All the while the other's are taking this Secret-Secret Geography Club name seriously and not even uttering the words geography club, I was blogging away about it and telling our other friends how great it was and how good the food was. About 6 months later, some of the other members found out and I got a stern talking to "Do the words 'SECRET' mean anything to you?!" I thought it was a joke. "Didn't the fact that we added TWO SECRETS to the name make you think you should keep it a secret?" I thought the two secrets made it even more of a joke.

They still harass me about how well known our SECRET-SECRET club is. I still think they were joking.

Authentic Mexican Tacos



Since I love our Secret-Secret Geography Club where we get together with two other couples each month and cook authentic dishes from a particular country, I really wanted to participate in the blogging event called Regional Recipes. This month is Mexico hosted by Wandering Chopsticks. I'm reposting this recipe since this was our Secret-Secret country last month and these tacos were fantastic.


When my husband Steve was just a wee tike (okay he wasn't that wee...he was more like a "tween") he went to Mexico three times to work at an orphanage. I haven't heard him talk much about his experiences there except for the food. If he could eat only one food for the rest of his life Mexican would be it. When I first met him he talked a lot about authentic Mexican taco's.

"So they're just meat, onions, cilantro and guacamole?" I'd ask.

"Yep...but they're amazing"

He wasn't kidding. Something magical happens when those simple ingredients collide with a corn tortilla. But they can't just be any corn tortillas...you gotta make sure they are good ones. I know that in the U.S. they are available everywhere, but here in Canada they are harder to find. We've tried corn tortillas from Safeway and they were so awful the texture was like rubber and the taste wasn't much better than cardboard. The corn tortillas we used this time were from our Asian Supermarket that carries a lot of International foods. Corn tortillas have been redeemed for me.

Recipe by Meal Planning 101
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Serves 4

I used flour tortillas instead of corn in these pictures because that's what I had on hand.   I think they taste better with corn (and more authentic too :) )



2 lb sirloin or flank steak
Grill seasoning (or salt and pepper)
2 limes, cut into wedges
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro
12 corn tortillas
Guacamole

Pico de Gallo (optional)

Slice beef thinly across the grain. In a frying pan over high heat add a tbsp of oil. You want the pan hot so it sears the beef. Add 1/3 of the beef, seasoning well with grill seasoning (or salt and pepper. Authentic taco's are made just with salt, but the grill seasoning gives it an added "oomph" that is really great.) When the beef is browned remove from pan; this should only take a couple minutes. Continue to cook the rest of the beef in batches. When the beef comes out of the pan squeeze lime juice all over.

In a dry pan over medium heat, warm a corn tortilla. We like to heat them as we make them so we keep getting up and down from the table to heat up a tortilla and then assemble and eat. If you don't want to do this, just put a stack of them on a plate with a damp towel over top and microwave for a few seconds.

To assemble a taco, lay beef across the tortilla and sprinkle over onions.  Squeeze a wedge of lime over.  Scoop on some guacamole and finish with a few sprigs of cilantro (as seen in picture at top). I'm not a fan of raw onions, so I like to eat mine with beef, guacamole, pico de gallo and cilantro (as seen in second picture). Serve with a side of refried beans.

Click here for printable version of Authentic Mexican Tacos.
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THE RESULTS?
Heck yes, these were amazing! I had authentic taco's once at my hubby's favorite Mexican restaurant and I found them somewhat bland. But these are so not bland. The combination of the lime and grill seasoning on the beef as well as the pico de gallo and guacamole make these so freakin' delicious. We both scarfed down as many taco's as our stomachs would handle. According to Steve: "This is what Jesus will serve us when we get to heaven"

Meal Plan Around In-Season Produce - Spring

I'm eager to type this post because SPRING is just around the corner! You wouldn't know it with our -30 degree temperatures in Alberta, Canada but in just a few days we will be above zero and able to get out of the house and shake off our cabin fever. Officially Spring is March 20th and that just puts a little bounce in my step and extra sweetness in my coffee. Not only do I love Spring and all the comes with it like the snow melting, fresh warm air, getting outside for walks, the park and picnics, it also comes with some of the most delicious in-season produce. Crunchy sweet green vegetables like peas, beans and broccoli, fresh herbs and more fruit. I love it! This list of in-season produce will help you plan delicious Spring meals and get the best quality fruit and veggies as well as the best price.

Note that your area may have slightly different in-season produce. This list says that sweet corn is in season which I'm sure it is in the U.S. but here in Canada we enjoy our Southern Alberta Sweet Corn in summer. This is also peak time for California strawberries, yet our Canadian grown Okanagan strawberries are also in-season in summer. Just something to keep in mind.

Information from Fruits & Veggies More Matters

In-season produce for Spring (March, April, May):

VEGGIES:

FRUITS:
  • Honeydew
  • Mango
  • Oranges
  • Limes
  • Rhubarb
  • Strawberries

Chow Mein Noodles

I love to have a side dish in my back pocket that is delicious and incredibly fast. These chow mein noodles are just that...super fast. They take no time at all to prepare and are great with Asian dishes or as a bed for stir-fry. I love them with Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce; the flavor profile is perfect.

*Recipe from Sandi Richard
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Serves 4-6

1 pkg steam fried noodles
4 green onions, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp kecap manis
1 tsp curry powder

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place steam fried noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain well.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat up a tbsp of oil over high medium-high heat. Add the green onions to the pan, reserving about a tbsp for garnish. Saute for a minute or two then add the garlic and ginger. Saute for about 1 minute; you should start to smell the garlic and ginger fragrance. Add the noodles, kecap manis and curry powder and toss well to coat. Fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the noodles are warmed through and just slightly starting to turn brown in spots.

Click here for printable version of Chow Mein Noodles
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THE RESULTS?
I really love these. Sometimes I can't get over how fast they really are to make and how good they taste.

Malaysian Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce


Sometimes I get serious cravings for restaurants that I've only been to once or twice, but the food is so epic I can't stop dream drooling over them. My husband and I have visited a Malaysian restaurant in Edmonton a couple times called Tropika and they are known for their amazing satays with peanut sauce. I remember first getting them and being like "the peanut sauce is made with REAL peanuts!" (as opposed to peanut butter....which is not made with real peanuts apparently. Just imaginary ones.) After our International Dinner Club decided to make Malaysian food for March I began browsing Rasa Malaysia for recipe ideas, and I stumbled across her recipe for satays with peanut sauce, and Lo And Behold! REAL peanuts in the peanut sauce!

These are just as good as the ones from Tropika. And that's saying a lot.

*Recipe from Rasa Malaysia
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Serves 4

Satays:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp coriander powder
2 stalks lemon grass
2 cloves garlic
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp tumeric
1 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Bamboo skewers soaked in water

Peanut Sauce:
1 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1 cup water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis)
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
1 heaped tamarind pulp (soaked in 1/4 cup water for 15 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp for juice and discard the pulp) or 1/4 cup water mixed with 2 tsp tamarind concentrate
2-3 red birdseye chili's, deseeded (or more if you like it spicier)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemon grass (white parts only), minced
1 inch ginger, grated

Chop the bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches off the lemon grass stalk and then peel off the tough outer layers to reveal the tender stalk inside. Cut into slices about 2/3 of the way up the stalk. Mince finely and add to a medium size container. To the container add coriander, garlic, cooking oil, chili powder, tumeric, kecap manis and oyster sauce and mix together well. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and add them to the container, tossing well to coat in the marinade. Let marinate at least 6 hours or overnight.

30 minutes before you are ready to cook, start soaking bamboo skewers (I always forget this part and it's sooo important. It keeps your skewers from burning and falling apart on the grill.)
At this point you can also begin to make your sauce. Coarsely grind the peanuts in a food processor and set aside. In a pot over medium heat add oil, and then the garlic, chili, lemongrass and ginger saute a couple minutes until spicy and fragrant. Then add peanuts, water, kecap manis, sugar, salt and tamarind. Let the mixture come up to a boil and then turn heat down to low and let simmer about 5 minutes or until it get smooth and thick. Set aside for the satays.

Once the bamboo skewers have soaked, thread the chicken pieces on to the skewers. Preheat grill to medium and cook 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve the satays with peanut sauce for dipping.

Click here for printable version of Malaysian Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce.
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THE RESULTS?
OH YES!! This quenched the craving for me for sure because they were freakin' delicious. I will warn you that the peanut sauce recipe makes a ton, so you will have lots leftover. If you don't want that much then cut the peanut sauce recipe in half. Otherwise a perfect recipe. Absolutely incredible. Real peanuts and all ;)

Woman,un-role yourself!

Deccan Herald mar 6 2009:
A bank employee committed suicide by hanging herself at her house in CK Achukattu police limits on Thursday.
The deceased Priyamvada (27), an employee of IndusInd Bank, took the extreme step after she was reportedly told by a doctor that she had remote chances of conceiving.

According to sources, Priyamvada was married to an employee of a private bank two years ago and the couple had no issues. She recently met a doctor who is said to have told her that she might not conceive.
The incident came to light when her husband returned home in the evening. She has left a suicide note asking her husband to marry another girl.


In one of my earliest posts I had spoken about this craving for children among humans specially women. Last week someone had left a comment there asking me if I had any of my own. I could not make out if the person agreed or disagreed with me or if he/she was trying to see if I knew what i was talking about. I love kids, my own and those of others - I'd any day prefer to spend time with them than in the company of adults. I do not mind the demands on my time, energy and emotions but I don't think I'd have been shattered if I could not have one of my own. A child doesn't have to have the stamp of my genes for me to love him or her. And more importantly, I do not define myself in terms of my role as a mother.

In spite of their refusal to be stereotyped in many ways, it seems that many young women still feel inadequate when they cannot bear a child. One woman even told me that she saw it as a kind of personal failure. I responded: 'What is the big deal? You cannot paint, you cannot sing, you cannot have a child. have you thought about adoption?'
She thought I was joking or even a bit insensitive perhaps.

I am quite aware of the stigma that used to be attached to a woman who was not 'fertile'- there is even a specific word for a barren woman in Tamil. It is also interesting that there is no male equivalent to the same word!
A while ago a young girl wrote to me about the kind of insults that were thrown at her by her in-laws because she hasn't been able to give them a grandchild three or four years since her marriage. It was even more unfair because her gynecologist had cleared her of any possible problem and her in-laws refused to believe her. And the husband preferred to let her deal with his parents and did nothing to stop his parents or be emotionally supportive to the young wife. And all this was happening not in some remote village in India but in a country in the western world where they had made their home. And the girl herself is a well-educated woman with a career.
In her story I was not surprised by the attitude of her in-laws given their age and background. But I was surprised that the girl and her husband were affected by the criticism to the extent their marriage was in trouble.

The ability to create a life is a special gift that nature has bestowed upon most women but there is no reason to feel worthless if your body is not fit for the same. There are still ways to create meaning in life. It is not a handicap. You are still a perfect person.
This women's day my appeal my sisters would be not to allow others to define them in terms of roles. For this we have to first stop seeing ourselves as these roles. Being a mother is just one part of your life. If you cannot have one of your own, give vent to your maternal feelings by adopting a child or supporting one. Your life is too precious to be given up for this.

Happy women's day!

Citrus Spinach Salad

Tender spinach, sweet and tangy citrus, pungent onions and crunchy nutty almonds...it's a delicious way to eat healthier. This is a wonderful salad to serve as a side dish with chicken, fish or whatever tickles your fancy. Feel good about serving this salad to your family.

*Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
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Serves 4-6

Dressing:
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp onion powder
3 tbsp orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the Salad:
6 cups spinach leaves
1 orange, cut into segments
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Place all the dressing ingredients in a resealable jar, cover and shake.

Toast almonds in a dry pan over medium heat. Keep them moving in the pan and as soon as they start to smell nutty remove from heat. To cut the orange into segments slice off the top and bottom of the orange and stand it up on one of the cut sides. Slice downwards to take off the rest of the orange rind. Cut orange in half and lay one of the halves down and slice into thin wedges. Do the same to the other half. Assemble orange segments, red onion and almonds over spinach and pour dressing over.

Click here for printable version of Citrus Spinach Salad
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THE RESULTS?
This was a great light side dish. I think every salad should have an element of 'crunch' so my favorite part was the toasted almonds. I'm all about nuts in salad.

Chicken Oreganato

Originally posted Feb 7, 2009.  Photo Updated Mar 5, 2012

My friend Vanessa sent me this recipe, saying it was delicious and she craved it so much when she was pregnant that she was sometimes making it twice a week. I'm all about oregano and the pungent brightness of lemon, and the two of them together is pretty much a match made in heaven, so I knew before even trying this recipe that I was going to agree with Vanessa.

Recipe from Teresa @ Allrecipes.com
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Serves 4-6

8 bone-in chicken thighs
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
Zest of lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the chicken thighs and then pat dry. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in a greased 9x13 baking dish. In a resealable glass jar or container, add the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, close tightly and shake well. Pour half the lemon oil over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 tsp of oregano and place in the oven.

Once they have baked for 15 minutes, flip the chicken over, drizzle with the remaining lemon oil and sprinkle on the remaining tsp of oregano. Place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes. To get a nice golden color on the skin, broil for a couple minutes at the end of the baking time.

Serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze more delicious lemony goodness on them at the table.

Click here for printable version of Chicken Oreganato

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THE RESULTS?
These are incredibly simple and delicious. Lemon and oregano are perfect for each other. The lemon oil makes the chicken really moist and juicy on the inside with a nice golden crust on the outside. My husband said it was one of his favorite ways to eat baked chicken. I would agree.  In the last 3 years since discovering this recipe, I find myself making it all the time.  Every time I've got some chicken thighs, my first inclination is to douse them in oil, lemon and oregano.  They're dang good!

Meal Ideas:

  • Chicken Oreganato + Garlic Sauce + Rice Pilaf