Cooking in Pajamas

This is the recipe that will get your kids to eat their broccoli.  When I make broccoli this way...roasted at a high heat and flavored with lemon, garlic and Parmesan....it is rare to have any leftover. Seriously...everyone loves this (except my son, who hates lemon).

I suggest you double or triple the recipe, because once you have a batch of this awesome roasted broccol, you will have a ton of options to use up the leftovers. Serve on its own for a delicious side dish. Use the chilled leftovers in a salad or toss with leftover roasted chicken. Serve over a bed of whole wheat pasta, brown rice or quinoa for a healthy lunch or vegetarian supper. Use it in a frittata, omelette or quiche. How about stuffed into a pita with crumbled feta and tomatoes?  Use it to top a baked potato.  I could go on and on.  Get creative and have fun with it.

The Best Roasted Broccoli

4-5 # broccoli, cut into large florets
7 T. olive oil, divided
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 425F.

Place the broccoli florets and garlic slices on a large baking pan (cover pan with foil to save time on clean-up).  Drizzle 5 T. olive oil over broccoli and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and zest the entire lemon over the broccoli. Then squeeze the juice from the lemon over the broccoli and drizzle with remaining 2 T. olive oil. Top with Parmesan cheese and nuts. Serve hot.

Need a super easy appetizer or supper?  Roasted shrimp is the answer.

I never even considered roasting shrimp until I saw Ina Garten do it on Barefoot Contessa a few years ago.  She likes to roast her shrimp.  Ina says that roasting will caramelize the shrimp slightly and concentrate their flavor, making this mild shellfish taste sweeter and more intense.  I started roasting shrimp for shrimp cocktail.  Amazingly delicious! Once you have tasted roasted shrimp, you will never boil or steam them again.  Plus, it couldn't be any easier.

What I am about to say may cause a stir, but hear me out.  I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer.  Yup....I use frozen shrimp all the time.  First of all, it is convenient.  It only takes an hour or so to defrost, so it is always ready for a quick meal.  It is inexpensive.  I have purchased two pound bags of the large frozen shrimp for about $12.  When I see it is on sale, I stock up.  You won't find that price for "fresh" shrimp, especially the large size.   That brings me to my next point.  The shrimp you but at the seafood counter is almost always "previously frozen".  If it doesn't say "fresh", ask the fish monger if it has been frozen.  Finally, the frozen shrimp tastes delicious.  I try to buy the wild shrimp, rather than the farm-raised shrimp, because it is sweeter and has more flavor. Frozen wild shrimp is readily available.  It has usually been flash frozen right after being caught, so it is often fresher than the shrimp at the seafood counter.

Spicy Roasted Shrimp

You can't get much easier or quicker than Summer Basil Shrimp.  Serve over a bed of quinoa or couscous, and this simple dish becomes a hearty meal.

Summer Basil Shrimp

2 ½ # shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 T. dijon mustard

¼ c. butter, melted

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. EVOO

¼ c. fresh basil, stems removed, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper, to taste

1 - Melt butter in a medium size bowl.

2 - Add mustard, garlic and EVOO.  Whisk well.

3 - Stir in basil and lemon juice.

4 - Add in shrimp and toss well to coat.  Let marinate for one hour.

5 - Heat a large, nonstick saute pan over medium high heat.  Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp is cooked, about 3 minutes.

******REMINDER:

We have two September cooking classes coming up:

#1 - We are all trying to eat healthy, but don't you hate it when healthy doesn't taste good?  Me too!

Back by popular demand, our "Skinny Supper" cooking class.

Tuesday, September 13 at 7:00pm,  $40 a person

Skinny Sangria

Miso-Glazed Black Cod

Fresh Quinoa Salad

Mocha Meringue Bark

AND

#2 - "Sexy Steak Dinner for Two"

Thursday, September 22 at 6:30pm  $50 per person

Perfect romantic meal for a night IN!

Acai Berry Mojitos

Mini Beef Wellingtons

Creamy Spinach

Loaded Stuffed Potatoes

Nutella Mousse with Cherry Whip

Bring a friend  to this class and you each get $10 off.

RSVP to : gwenn.weiss4@gmail.com

I always seem to have a stray piece of ginger floating around in my vegetable bin.  I use fresh ginger in cooking a lot, but only recently have I discovered the medicinal uses of fresh ginger.

I woke up this morning feeling horrible.  My throat was raw, red and painful. My stomach was upset. I was tired and had a headache. Fun start to our Spring Break, right?

My throat was the worst symptom, so I wanted to get that under control. I can't take any over-the-counter pain medications on an empty stomach, so I went searching in the fridge for something light to eat. I spotted my orphan piece of ginger and got the idea to make Ginger Tea.  I don't love hot tea, but Ginger Tea with honey is delicious, and when you are sick, it is like a magic potion.

So I whipped up a small saucepan of Ginger Tea, brought it a steaming mug of it to my favorite chair, and began to sip it.

I am not exaggerating....within 15 minutes, I felt like a new person!  My throat pain almost disappeared and my stomach felt completely better. My headache greatly improved and I perked up a little bit.  Amazing!  Magic potion!

Ginger has been used medicinally for centuries. It is thought to treat everything from motion sickness to inflammation to the common cold.  I am all for trying a natural remedy before bringing out the big guns.  In my experience, many of them don't work or have a psychosomatic effect.  This one really, really works.  Plus it is simple to make and costs less than a dollar to make and entire pot.

Take a one inch piece of ginger. Peel it and slice it into thin slices.  Place the slices in a saucepan with about four cups of water.  Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain the tea into a mug and stir in your favorite honey while it is hot. Throw in a lemon slice if you like.

Yup!  It's true.  I have finally roasted the juiciest chicken EVER, and it has nothing to do with it being farm-raised, or organic or cage-free (although it should be).  What is the secret?  The secret is sliding a flavorful compound butter underneath the skin of the chicken.  This is a life altering trick.  Not only does it make the white meat incredibly moist, it will infuse it with the flavor of the compound butter.  YUM!!!  Once you have tasted this, you will never have roasted chicken prepared any other way.

Juiciest Roasted Chicken Ever

(courtesy of Kelsey Nixon)

1 (6-pound) roasting chicken

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, plus 1 handful for stuffing

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, quartered

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks

3 carrots, unpeeled cut into thirds

1 onion cut into quarters

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Roasted Chicken Variations, recipes follow

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.

In a small bowl, make a compound butter by combining the softened butter, minced thyme, garlic cloves, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

Season the cavity of the chicken generously with salt, and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon quarters, a handful of fresh thyme leaves, and the quartered onion. Place the carrot, celery and onion in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Cross the legs and tie with kitchen twine.

Gently lift the skin away from the chicken and spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter mixture underneath the skin, distributing it evenly. Spread the remaining butter over the entire surface of the chicken and season generously with salt, and pepper.

Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and roast the chicken until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the inner thigh, not touching the bone registers 160 to 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a cutting board to rest for about 15 minutes. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour the pan juices into a large glass measuring cup. Spoon the fat off the top. Add the chicken broth to the roasting pan and place over high heat. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return the pan juices to the pan. Whisk the flour into the broth mixture and bring to a boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt, and pepper. Serve alongside the roast chicken.

Kelsey's Roasted Chicken Variations:

Honey-Glazed Chicken: Season the butter with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons honey.

Soy-Ginger Chicken: Season the butter with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce.

This is another one of my favorite Barefoot Contessa recipes. It is simple, elegant comfort food that turns out perfect every time! I make it for weeknight, family dinner, and I make it for company, and it is always a big hit!  It can easily be prepared early in the day, and reheated several hours later.  I like to serve this with an herbed rice on the side, but pasta is a more traditional side dish to serve with piccata.  Both are delicious!

Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Piccata

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 extra-large egg

1/2 tablespoon water

3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

Good olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes.

Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

I have been trying to get my kids to eat seafood ever since they have been eating solid foods.  That makes almost 15 years for Jamie and 13 years for Joey.  Even when they were toddlers, they would turn their noses up at fish sticks.  I could present them with an entire plate of fried foods, that all looked alike, and they would instinctively pick out the fish sticks, and leave them over.  We tried to offer them sushi, sole, flounder, lobster, crab legs, crab cakes, soft shell crabs, shrimp cocktail, grilled shrimp, shrimp gumbo, shrimp scampi, fried shrimp, butterflied shrimp, shrimp cakes, shrimp fra diavalo....you get the picture.  Nothing convinced them to eat seafood.

I came across a recipe for Salmon Cakes in Cooking Light, that sparked my interest.  There were so many yummy flavors mixed into the salmon cakes, there was no way anyone would know there was fish in there.  Then, with the addition of a flavored dipping sauce, any remaining fish taste would surely be masked.  It worked!!!  I told the kids that I was trying out a recipe for 'Veggie Cakes'.  They smelled so good while cooking, that everyone was excited to try them.  We sat down to dinner, and I quietly watched as the kids munched away at the 'Veggie Cakes'.  When dinner was over, I announced that the 'Veggie Cakes' were really 'Salmon Cakes'.  The look of shock on everyone's face was priceless.  I totally punk'd my kids!  Not to mention, that I think these salmon cakes are delicious.  I would definitely make this recipe as an appetizer for a cocktail party.  I would make mini salmon cakes.  They could be made ahead and reheated.  I chose a Lemon-Dill Sauce to go with these, and substituted nonfat Greek yogurt for some of the mayo and sour cream to lighten it a bit.

Crispy Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Sauce:

6 T. nonfat Greek yogurt

3 T. light sour cream

1 T. light mayo

4 tsp. capers, drained

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 T. chopped fresh dill

dash cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Adjust seasonings to your personal preference.  Cover bowl and chill.

Salmon Cakes:

2 T. EVOO

1/4 c. finely chopped onion

1/4 c. finely chopped celery

2/3 c. matzo meal (or crushed saltines), plus 1/4 c. set aside

2 T. Dijon

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 (6 1/4oz.) pkgs. salmon, drained

1 large egg, beaten

2 T. light mayo

1/2 tsp. lemon

1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

2 - 3 dashes hot sauce (we like Pete's)

Heat 1 T. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and celery and saute 4-5 minutes, or until tender.

Combine onion mixture with the remaining ingredients.  Shape into patties.  Coat each patty with about 1 T. of matzo meal.  Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes (or longer).

Heat 1 T. EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add patties and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.  Serve the salmon cakes with the Lemon-Dill Sauce.

You have no excuse for not getting in a green veggie with dinner, when you have this recipe on hand.  I have served it to friends at dinner parties, and to my family on weeknight dinners, and everyone enjoys it.  I love to prepare and serve it, because it is simple, super fast and packs in a ton of flavor, with only four ingredients!

Buttery Lemon Spinach

2 10oz. bags baby spinach leaves

2 T. garlic, minced

5 T. butter

2 T. fresh lemon juice

Rinse the spinach, and put them in a microwave safe serving dish.  Add the butter, garlic and lemon juice.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Put in the microwave for 2 minutes, until the butter is melted, and the spinach is wilted.  Remove the plastic wrap, and toss, to evenly mix together ingredients before serving.