dinner

Nana’s Salmon Patties with Buttered Noodles

classic american, dinner

ingredients

Salmon Patties

  • 2 6oz cans salmon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • pepper

    Buttered Noodles
  • 1lb elbow noodles
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • salt & pepper to taste

instructions

  1. Start a pot of boiling water. Mix all salmon patty ingredients. Shape into patties.
    –
  2. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
    –
  3. Cook noodles, add butter, salt, and pepper. Serve with salmon patties.

Spring Veggie Frittata

dinner, new american

ingredients

  • 8 large eggs for a 12-inch skillet
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large onion (or 1 small onion), choppe
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 bunch chopped asparagus
  • 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
  • 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
  • salt, pepper, olive oil

instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
    –
  2. Whisk the eggs, milk, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt until combined. Set aside.
    –
  3. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft.
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  4. Add the asparagus and a pinch of salt and pepper, cook about 5 minutes. Add the peas, then the egg mixture, and shake pan to distribute. Add cheese and bake 30-40 minutes or until eggs are set.


    From https://www.loveandlemons.com/frittata-recipe/

Mom’s Minestrone (Adapted)

dinner, mediterranean

ingredients

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 16oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 9 cups water
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 1/4 cup quinoa, barley, or brown rice
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 2 cans kidney beans
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp peper
  • 1.5 tbsp basil
  • 1.5 tbsp oregano

instructions

  1. Heat onion, garlic, and olive oil about five minutes.
    –
  2. Add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
    –
  3. Add carrots and quinoa/barley and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
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  4. Add beans, kale, and seasonings. Simmer 15-20 min longer.

Mom’s Masala

dinner, mediterranean

ingredients

masala with pita (mom’s cookbook page 86)

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp curry
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
  • 2 cans garbanzo beans
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt

instructions

  1. Heat oil and cook onion until soft.
    –
  2. Add tomatoes and next five seasonings and cook until tomatoes lose their shape (about ten minutes), stirring often.
    –
  3. Add garbanzos and masala. Heat to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.
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  4. Turn off heat and stir in yogurt. Serve on pita.

Chicken Tenders and Mashed Potatoes

dinner

This was really good, but make with a different sauce next time. I’m including it only for comparison for new sauce ideas.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 pound chicken fillets (or 1lbs chicken breast cut into long strips)
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg

Sauce (don’t use this, find new sauce)

  • Juice + zest of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup honey

Mashed Potatoes

  • 1.5 – 2 pounds red potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half (or part heavy cream part milk)
  • black pepper, as needed for seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives if desired

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 425F. Place rack in top third of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a good non-stick one).
  2. Boil potatoes. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Cut potatoes into chunks of similar size (quartered or so), rinse, and then add to boiling water. Cook until tender.
  3. Prepare and bake chicken. Prepare two bowls: one with panko crumbs and one with the egg and milk (whisk the egg & milk together). Dip each piece of chicken one by one into the liquid bowl (let excess drip off) and then the panko. Place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they’re cooked through.
  4. Prepare potatoes. Add well-drained potatoes back to the pot and use a potato masher to lightly break them down until smooth. Add butter and gently fold in. Then, microwave half-and-half for 45 seconds until warmed, about 120F. Whisk together half-and-half and ½ teaspoon salt. Gradually fold into potatoes in three additions, until the half-and-half is absorbed. If needed rewarm the potatoes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives and pepper./
  5. Prepare sauce. Meanwhile, add the lemon juice + zest, vinegar, garlic powder, honey, and salt & pepper to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes, until it thickens and reduces.
  6. Once the chicken tenders are cooked, dip them in the honey lemon glaze (tongs or your fingers will work). Serve immediately with potatoes..

From: https://www.saltandlavender.com/baked-sticky-lemon-chicken-tenders/
And: https://www.jessicagavin.com/mashed-red-potatoes/

Caramelized Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

dinner, mexican

ingredients

for the pork:

  • 18 ounces boneless pork loin, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 shallot or 1/2 a yellow onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water

for the pineapple salsa

  • 1 cup chopped pineapple
  • 1 cup chopped cucumber
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion or shallot
  • a squeeze of lime juice
  • a pinch of salt

for serving

  • 6 tortillas (or 8 would work as well)
  • cilantro and lime for serving

for the chili sauce

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • a few squeezes of srichacha

instructions 

  1. For the pork: Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and jalapeño – saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the pork and the fish sauce – stir fry for a few minutes until the pork is no longer pink. With the heat very high, add the sugar and water and stir once – then let the pork caramelize by not stirring it for about 1 minute. Repeat this process until the pork is nice and golden brown.
    –
  2. For the salsa: Toss everything together in a medium bowl.
    –
  3. For the tacos: Warm the tortillas quickly in a skillet with a little bit of oil. Arrange the pork between 6 tortillas and top with the salsa and the chili sauce.

From https://pinchofyum.com/caramelized-pork-tacos-with-pineapple-salsa

Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta

dinner, mediterranean, pasta/grains

ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup broth or salted water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 8.8 ounces cream cheese (one block Philly) softened
  • 1 dash Italian seasoning
  • 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed
  • For serving: chopped parsley optional

instructions

  1. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes and let sit out to warm up a little.
    –
  2. Boil a salted pot of water for pasta.
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  3. Cut the ends off the asparagus and discard them, and then cut the asparagus up into pieces.
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  4. Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic in once it’s hot and cook for 30 seconds.
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  5. Add the water/broth, lemon juice + zest, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth.
    –
  6. Add the asparagus and cook until it’s tender-crisp (5-15 min depending on thickness of asparagus) and the sauce has thickened to your liking. If the sauce becomes too thick, and some more chicken broth. Season the sauce with salt & pepper as needed.
    –
  7. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or parsley if desired.

From https://www.saltandlavender.com/creamy-lemon-asparagus-pasta/

Mexican Street Corn Soup

dinner, mexican

ingredients

Makes 6-8 servings

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small white onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno minced
  • 5 cloves garlic crushed
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 4 cups salted water
  • 6 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, half and half, or milk
  • 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro, set aside a few tbsp for topping
  • cojita cheese for topping

instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
    –
  2. Add in the onions and minced jalapeno and sauté for about 5 minutes.
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  3. Then, stir in garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
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  4. Stir in the flour, cumin, and chili powder and cook 1-2 minutes.
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  5. Whisk in the salted water until smooth and bring to a boil.
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  6. Then, add in the corn, sugar, and salt. Once it returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
    –
  7. Remove from heat. Stir in cream and cilantro. Serve topped cojita and cilantro.

Notes:
– Blended it a bit with immersion blender, don’t do that next time unless you’re gonna completely blend it.
– Dan loved it!

From: https://thestayathomechef.com/mexican-street-corn-soup/
Video at the site on making it

Cajun Andouille Pasta

dinner, mediterranean, pasta/grains

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb andouille sausage
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes julienned
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 2 cups broth (vegetable/chicken)
  • 2 cups half-and-half (or 1 heavy cream, 1 milk)
  • 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
  • 3 cups uncooked penne
  • 8 leaves basil thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

  1. Add olive oil and sausage to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown thee sausage for 8 minutes. If sausages are especially fatty, drain most of the fat. 
    –
  2. Stir in the garlic, dijon mustard, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
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  3. Add in the the broth, half-and-half, cajun seasoning, and penne. Increase the heat to high. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium (or medium low if it continues to bubble a lot). Cook until the pasta is done and the sauce is reduced to your liking (about 20 minutes), stirring often so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
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  4. Season with salt & pepper and stir in the basil

Notes: 

  • some pastas absorb more liquid than others, so I suggest sticking to penne

From: https://www.saltandlavender.com/cajun-sausage-pasta

Broccoli Cheese Soup

classic american, dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 small/medium sweet yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced finely
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock may be substituted)
  • 2 cups fat-free half-and-half (regular half-and-half may be substituted; whole milk or 2% milk will work but soup won’t be as creamy)
  • 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, diced into bite-size pieces + 1 cups stems, optional (I used 3 cups florets and 1 cup stems as not to waste them) 
  • 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into very thin rounds, about 1/16th-inch
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika, optional and to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder, optional and to taste
  • pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste (doesn’t make soup spicy and serves to enhance flavor)
  • 8 ounces grated high quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese, with a small amount reserved for garnishing bowls

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter, the diced onion, and sauté   over medium heat until the onion is translucent and barely browned, about 4 minutes. Stir intermittently.
    –
  2. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
    –
  3. In a large heavy-bottom pot, add 4 tablespoons butter, flour and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened. You are making a roux and it’s very important the mixture is thick or soup will never thicken properly later.
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  4. Slowly add the vegetable stock, whisking constantly.
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  5. Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly.
    –
  6. Allow mixture to simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
    –
  7. While mixture is simmering, chop the broccoli and carrots. After simmering 15 to 20 minutes, add the broccoli, carrots, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
    –
  8. Add the salt, pepper, optional paprika, dry mustard powder, and cayenne. If you don’t have these seasonings on hand, it’s okay, but they do add subtle depth of flavor. Stir to combine.
    –
  9. Allow soup to simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
    –
  10. While soup simmers, grate the cheese. After simmering about 20 to 25 minutes, add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnishing bowls. Stir in the cheese until melted and incorporated fully, less than 1 minute.
    –
  11. Transfer soup to bowls, garnish with reserved cheese, and serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Reheat gently in the microwave. I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the micro rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best. I don’t recommend freezing the soup because I feel like the cheese and half-and-half will not do well upon thawing and soup could break, but I haven’t actually tried freezing it.
    –

From https://www.averiecooks.com/best-broccoli-cheese-soup-better-panera-copycat

Video Instructions: http://www.averiecooks.com/2015/01/best-broccoli-cheese-soup-better-panera-copycat.html?jwsource=cl