The Kitchen Frog

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22633381589220753972025-12-17T04:53:50.816-05:00The Kitchen FrogScienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-57464343812290169152014-08-01T19:14:00.000-04:002014-08-01T19:14:08.208-04:00Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga and Mexican Restaurant Style Rice!It's hard to find slow cooker recipes that I both love and are truly fix it and forget it. A lot of recipes require browning meat on the stove and other extra steps when I just want something where I can toss a bunch of stuff into the slow cooker and ignore it for several hours. This recipe comes very close to accomplishing that. But, it involves some pre-cooking food processor use. I sped things up by chopping the onion and garlic pretty coarsely. This meal will make your kitchen smell <i>fantastic</i>. The chicken is tender, the sauce is complex. Slightly spicy, slightly earthy, and this recipe makes a ton of it so you can put it on rice if you wnant. The original recipe suggested serving with tortillas or over rice. I love Mexican restaurant style rice. I decided to try and make some on a whim. I googled a bunch of recipes and they all called for things I didn't have. So I improvised and it turned out really well!<br> <br> The rice is not terribly quick so if you're really in a hurry, serving the chicken with tortillas would be your best bet. I suspect that the chicken and sauce would work well as leftovers or maybe even freeze. That said, I have little experience with leftovers, but I'm trying to remedy that.<br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCtgU6Db6eZ6QGSRZs4zFoQyO0XZ4JVrjseCV9cGHFLa0garIRKg-R2WsNq9u5UmOhtkUMH5EHA9PFXc2yJDcsegCsGxgXkmnWRwLz5BwAFuSBu23GLcSJxsWgrrHUQo1RJ-7iKPgX7E/s1600/chicken+tinga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCtgU6Db6eZ6QGSRZs4zFoQyO0XZ4JVrjseCV9cGHFLa0garIRKg-R2WsNq9u5UmOhtkUMH5EHA9PFXc2yJDcsegCsGxgXkmnWRwLz5BwAFuSBu23GLcSJxsWgrrHUQo1RJ-7iKPgX7E/s1600/chicken+tinga.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/08/slow-cooker-chicken-tinga-and-mexican.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-82153074638937166752014-07-09T19:45:00.001-04:002014-07-09T19:45:24.640-04:00Fried Green Tomatoes!A few weeks ago, I impulse-bought some green tomatoes and fried them with some panko and some random <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baharat" target="_blank">baharat </a>seasoning. It was supposed to be a side dish, but three tomatoes was more than enough food to be an entire meal for two people and they were so good that whatever it was that was supposed to be the main course got put to the side.<br> <br> Last night, I made them again as a main course. I used three tomatoes again, which was (again) too much food. You'd think I'd learn. I served them with a steamed artichoke because it's a standby side dish at my house that involves very little effort. The sauce for the tomatoes is sriracha mayo and the sauce for the artichokes is Greek yogurt and dill. <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0KkPxYSSotSgyeLup96NgaJd8t33XIgdxG7pM1NbsA9AtpSt1rO5aMypavf2ij4TwepE39kvyyajvIID-j4W5cbJv7NpHuGmnx35Dk-0y_jvUdt2Q_sMNLhU5ByAMTz-PPKWYal4Xxk/s1600/DSC03618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0KkPxYSSotSgyeLup96NgaJd8t33XIgdxG7pM1NbsA9AtpSt1rO5aMypavf2ij4TwepE39kvyyajvIID-j4W5cbJv7NpHuGmnx35Dk-0y_jvUdt2Q_sMNLhU5ByAMTz-PPKWYal4Xxk/s1600/DSC03618.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/07/fried-green-tomatoes.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-38080032323978728352014-07-05T22:02:00.000-04:002014-07-05T22:02:38.612-04:00Blue Cheese Crusted Steak with Port Wine SauceSuccess! <br> <br> We don't eat steak very often. Generally it's when we want to enjoy a nice bottle of cabernet sauvignon and can't think of something to go well with it other than "steak." I've had blue cheese crusted steak in restaurants many times and made a strip steak with a gorgonzola sauce. But I've never attempted the crust myself. Tonight, I was inspired. I wanted to both enjoy some cabernet sauvignon <i>and </i>eat enough blue cheese to stop my heart. The crust turned out perfect! The cheese had just the right level of softness and the panko mixed in with the cheese was crispy. I reduced the port wine sauce a great deal so it didn't ruin the crisp of the crust. Asparagus isn't the best side dish for this steak because asparagus is the wine killer. But hey, I love asparagus. The side dish is irrelevant, really. The showcase is the steak, the cheese, and the sauce. <br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSVBwx3kdGHEowAzePrciyTI45XpuXhHJzlip22Wg0YAqejQhCrxDU6botC9DTHuoat3zVbepKRD8MpzkJkYddomMj2WhAHshsFkxNprWFKfT64QCm910cNCEfnN9Nfpvj5HsC_O184s/s1600/DSC03617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSVBwx3kdGHEowAzePrciyTI45XpuXhHJzlip22Wg0YAqejQhCrxDU6botC9DTHuoat3zVbepKRD8MpzkJkYddomMj2WhAHshsFkxNprWFKfT64QCm910cNCEfnN9Nfpvj5HsC_O184s/s1600/DSC03617.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know my presentation is mostly always the same: meat on one side, veggie on the other, ne'er the twain shall meet. Someday, I'll get better. Just not tonight. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/07/blue-cheese-crusted-steak-with-port.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-77507221867041224982014-06-12T19:40:00.000-04:002014-06-12T19:40:35.882-04:00Panang CurryI frequently go to the <a href="http://www.hmart.com/" target="_blank">huge Korean supermarket</a> near my house. A few weeks ago, my husband found out about <a href="http://www.gw-supermarket.com/" target="_blank">Great Wall</a>, a nearby Chinese supermarket. We both love dumplings, and he was told that Great Wall had some of the best. Like any good little compulsive shopper, I went in looking for dumplings and came out with all kinds of extra stuff, including some panang curry paste. I love ordering panang curry in Thai restaurants and wanted to try making it myself. The result was so good that it's in my regular rotation now!<br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDmuKjdlCa2mGyUXqg5VDoAPXS5WyBaUsvrKknVKEdMMcX0OiMRRQCzFxKeufyOIxXeGAcTM7zMn4SW0leEXbEZdg6MSBPBMxUnrqle0Ct36V63gwCxMKS5U0mZ_NLvePz4cQ1LXrRdI/s1600/DSC03610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDmuKjdlCa2mGyUXqg5VDoAPXS5WyBaUsvrKknVKEdMMcX0OiMRRQCzFxKeufyOIxXeGAcTM7zMn4SW0leEXbEZdg6MSBPBMxUnrqle0Ct36V63gwCxMKS5U0mZ_NLvePz4cQ1LXrRdI/s1600/DSC03610.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I know that's more than one standard service of rice. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/06/panang-curry.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-5437467725173690432014-05-22T22:29:00.001-04:002014-05-22T22:29:28.606-04:00Tangy Bean Thread Noodles with Cilantro and LimeBean thread noodles are what I buy by accident when what I really meant to buy were rice stick noodles. So they tend to accumulate in the back of my pantry. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Thai-Everyday-Recipes/dp/0811837319" target="_blank">Quick and Easy Thai</a> is one of my favorite cookbooks, but I tend to make the same handful of recipes over and over. I was cleaning out my pantry and found yet another bag of neglected bean thread noodles and found something to make with them. This dish was pretty quick to make, except for the 1,000 years it takes to prep the cilantro. I don't like the stems very much so I end up having to take all the leaves off and it takes <i>forever</i>. I know I should attempt to embrace the stems because it would make my life easier. But I just can't do it.<br> <br> We didn't eat this dish as directed. It's supposed to cool to room temperature. This was so quick to make because we started dinner late, we were starving, and we wanted to eat ASAP so we could play <a href="http://www.civilization5.com/" target="_blank">computer</a> <a href="http://www.crusaderkings.com/" target="_blank">games</a>. It's also supposed to be eaten with lettuce leaves. Oops.<br> <br> That said, the noodles were quite tasty! They were what I consider to be mildly spicy and what normal human beings would probably consider to be moderately spicy. The lime juice was significantly more noticeable than I expected. I figured it would be barely there, maybe the fish sauce helped it out. I'm definitely going to make them again. Maybe if I'm not super hungry I'll actually follow the instructions for eating them. <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGDEvXUMyAKVRiI_hunLpWS_NfCWTs9jeeJTnnLT-OubZ1aqhHuWE3thjbbogfdG0zwEAaAO51RCbWzpL5TbTaI1N1YYHHdl9V4SbcPoKa6w8Z5apWFDVtV2TE2HtvpRZiBupVBywN5Q/s1600/DSC03609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGDEvXUMyAKVRiI_hunLpWS_NfCWTs9jeeJTnnLT-OubZ1aqhHuWE3thjbbogfdG0zwEAaAO51RCbWzpL5TbTaI1N1YYHHdl9V4SbcPoKa6w8Z5apWFDVtV2TE2HtvpRZiBupVBywN5Q/s1600/DSC03609.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take note of this artistic presentation. It'll be all the rage in New York by next week. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/05/tangy-bean-thread-noodles-with-cilantro.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-52438714178325967542014-04-22T22:38:00.000-04:002014-04-22T22:38:34.151-04:00Orecchiette with Toasted BreadcrumbsHere's a simple, quick dish for a work night. It's certainly not the healthiest thing out there, but it's fast and it tastes good!<br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8I-EjyUsA51Fxtehr5BlrEm15W7xoGZe4eRkSZbpcd5HbLFMa7ywQ4_LSHzFeJt4D_SOi6lHwXQZTjkzrhMQ6JvD96_54zVnXmK2cigAg_XzLeLUxiupncKFR0gVnaDUztIgj5mqBuA/s1600/DSC03570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8I-EjyUsA51Fxtehr5BlrEm15W7xoGZe4eRkSZbpcd5HbLFMa7ywQ4_LSHzFeJt4D_SOi6lHwXQZTjkzrhMQ6JvD96_54zVnXmK2cigAg_XzLeLUxiupncKFR0gVnaDUztIgj5mqBuA/s1600/DSC03570.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/04/orecchiette-with-toasted-breadcrumbs.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-84577443322025295162014-04-20T09:27:00.001-04:002014-04-20T09:30:11.085-04:00The Inn at Little WashingtonTo celebrate our 10th anniversary, my husband and I went to <a href="https://www.theinnatlittlewashington.com/" target="_blank">The Inn at Little Washington</a>, a place we've been curious about since we moved to the DC area in 2003. It's consistently in the top 5 of the Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants, which is how I found out about it. Like <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/100-very-best-restaurants-2014-the-inn-at-little-washington.php" target="_blank">this year's review</a> says, I was kind of surprised that one of the absolute best restaurants in the DC area is actually about an hour and a half away from the city, in "the sticks." Since 10 is a big anniversary, we decided to go all out and sit at the Chef's Table. I made reservations <i>ten months</i> ahead and one of the two four-person tables was already booked. On a Thursday. *boggle* <br> <br> This was quite possibly the best meal I've ever had. The experience of sitting right in the kitchen and watching the swarms of chefs work was amazing to watch. These chefs worked as a well oiled machine, but I could tell from watching them talk and laugh that they loved their jobs. Chef O'Connell took the time to stop by each of the two Chef's Tables and talk to us. He wished us a happy anniversary and let us take a picture with him. He told us about how the chefs' aprons and pants were dalmatian print in honor of his pet rescue dalmatians, which I thought was super cute. <br> <br> The Inn has a few greenhouses and its own vegetable garden. The garden hadn't been planted yet, but we walked around it anyway just to read the painted stones that labeled all the crops they were going to grow. At our meal, we were told that 15 kinds of micro grains came from their greenhouse. There was also an animal enclosure with several sheep and two llamas. We were told that the llamas watch over the sheep. I've never heard of llama-as-sheepdog before. There was also a chicken coop with a few hens and roosters.<br> <br> I tried to take pictures of every course. That said, we had a glass of champagne before we were seated, received a bottle of champagne as a gift before the meal, and got the wine pairings. The only course I missed taking a picture of was the pheasant on champagne-braised cabbage. But, I got the other nine, so I call that a win. <br> <br> When the dress code at a restaurant is listed as "formal" in a city where it's (mostly) okay to wear smart casual, I usually assume that the atmosphere is going to be very stuffy. One of the things I loved about this restaurant is that it isn't the slightest bit stuffy at all. It didn't take itself too seriously, and that made it so much more fun.<br> <br> When we were first seated, the host explained to us that Patrick O'Connell was considered the Pope of American cooking. When the kitchen doors were opened, there was a waiter dressed as a <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/100-very-best-restaurants-2014-the-inn-at-little-washington.php" target="_blank">thurifer </a> (yes, I googled that), swinging incense. We got to greet the chef and were seated at our table which was right in the kitchen with no barrier between us and the action. Monastic chant played during the entire meal.<br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Way4JOIhqy6IpgwvkSu5jQ1UEd_Eb8MzTe_w8551uEFkRkhREdEumHyAdr5dijaKILqXlSVDBWasN6i-1F6McsEAZLgVNlazH4nBjjkVS2Lqh1ge_aikO-wbYjCxnZLJv0iGjDjolEQ/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Way4JOIhqy6IpgwvkSu5jQ1UEd_Eb8MzTe_w8551uEFkRkhREdEumHyAdr5dijaKILqXlSVDBWasN6i-1F6McsEAZLgVNlazH4nBjjkVS2Lqh1ge_aikO-wbYjCxnZLJv0iGjDjolEQ/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many toys!! Not pictured: a mixer bowl large enough for me to fit in, a machine with the sole purpose of making croissant dough, a huge oven that also does convection and steaming, the dessert station, and a few walk-in fridges and pantries. This kitchen is probably bigger than my house. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-inn-at-little-washington.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-1032333690294337682014-04-12T08:43:00.000-04:002014-04-12T17:52:10.484-04:00Lemon Chicken!When I was in college, the Chinese delivery guy knew the code to my dorm. I lived on Chinese delivery for my first three years of college, until a sorority sister found a caterpillar in her lo mein and that was it for me until there was another place to order from, because yuck. <br> <br> I order Chinese occasionally and lemon chicken is one of my favorites. This recipe from Ken Hom is much better than delivery unless you're in the mood for some battered and fried chicken. This chicken isn't crunchy because there's no batter. The sauce is much more citrus-y than some delivery places that make a cloying, overly sweet lemon sauce. I doubled the sauce so that it would flavor my rice. However, the recipe below is a single batch of the sauce. The recipe is relatively simple but it does require a bit of physical work because you have to drain your wok and wipe it down. So if you have a wok with short handles, oven mitts are a good thing to have around. <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PiMKlO7_DchVtBzdF2zplUBgl9OaW52Mc-4l98jysVATBovOinI7AN8z6FaGsOsQmGbU5luFqJfbHyWyD6JsIq8jwfoCJg9VJ4mBID2pxpQ_WY5nqJmS6O_y-9t0RMIwye481TQu0ko/s1600/lemon+chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PiMKlO7_DchVtBzdF2zplUBgl9OaW52Mc-4l98jysVATBovOinI7AN8z6FaGsOsQmGbU5luFqJfbHyWyD6JsIq8jwfoCJg9VJ4mBID2pxpQ_WY5nqJmS6O_y-9t0RMIwye481TQu0ko/s640/lemon+chicken.JPG"></a></div> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/04/lemon-chicken.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-86457884384669877092014-03-29T16:38:00.000-04:002014-03-29T16:38:43.479-04:00Curried Chicken Sandwich with Apple RaitaThe general impression I got when I told people that I was pregnant was that with a baby, I was basically never going to cook again. That once I ran out of tasty food brought by friends and family, my diet would consist of frozen meals that contain no flavor yet somehow account for my weekly total salt intake. Well, I definitely cook fewer new or elaborate things. And I get sushi carry out more than I should. But my husband and I still make our own meals most nights. Just simpler, easier ones on work nights. Usually regular rotation recipes that are quick, easy, and that one person can make solo if they need to. But, sometimes I make something new! I bought <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Americas-Kitchen-Simple-Weeknight-Favorites/dp/1936493063" target="_blank">America's Test Kitchen: Simple Weeknight Favorites</a> after seeing an awesome looking pasta recipe from it on another food blog. I made a Penzey's run last weekend. So, instead of leaving with the one thing I needed, I came home with a huge bag of spices, including some curry powder. This curried chicken sandwich is fantastic for a work night! It takes about 20 minutes to make. I was skeptical of putting apple in the raita. It has a little kick and a little tang but it works really well. I made sandwiches for two people, but a full recipe of the raita. <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGUyoO9pq-Sujz_aVf9zyFNGEqO-NYUg7a6ONisWwgaJ1oEgOzSvsXCO2K5i-V4JRfIbc-1VKT6NKuHiSyL0Uda6waTOoZhw-EXCik-Hh2RZPBhZqcallsokszj0VUBsgTmt_tO6ltb8/s1600/chicken+curry+apple+raita+sandwich.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGUyoO9pq-Sujz_aVf9zyFNGEqO-NYUg7a6ONisWwgaJ1oEgOzSvsXCO2K5i-V4JRfIbc-1VKT6NKuHiSyL0Uda6waTOoZhw-EXCik-Hh2RZPBhZqcallsokszj0VUBsgTmt_tO6ltb8/s1600/chicken+curry+apple+raita+sandwich.JPG" height="640" width="480"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I served some rice with my naan sandwich. Because one can never have too many carbs. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/03/curried-chicken-sandwich-with-apple.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-26108676022255235402014-03-10T19:40:00.001-04:002014-03-10T19:40:56.407-04:00Pappardelle with Chestnuts, Prosciutto, and SageI can't believe I haven't written a post about this pasta dish! It's been part of my regular rotation for years. It's very quick and delicious! I love chestnuts so it's one of my favorite meals to make, especially in winter when it's easier to get chestnuts. A few years ago, Wegmans only sold <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=713397&storeId=10052&langId=-1" target="_blank">Haddon House</a> jarred chestnuts in the baking aisle. They were nearly always sold out. Thankfully, they now carry <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=728900&storeId=10052&langId=-1" target="_blank">Galil </a>bagged chestnuts year round. Chestnuts are kind of earthy so I think the salty flavor of the prosciutto goes really well with it. According to a random episode of Chopped I saw the other night, people don't like to eat raw sage. This recipe calls for a little as a garnish and I think it's fine.<br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBI_xE6e9j6dCjtN2oomZIWb3kCoDbjCfsgaxoB7RxDW5H9QEtiMsOtSQmZkBECyMRbDoyknmFgYDPrKPgAG3SLMbXOvqVVVDJwGRvLA0K7UfI4HlkSpMCzzDkUBrXg4Nwer8tsttpC1c/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBI_xE6e9j6dCjtN2oomZIWb3kCoDbjCfsgaxoB7RxDW5H9QEtiMsOtSQmZkBECyMRbDoyknmFgYDPrKPgAG3SLMbXOvqVVVDJwGRvLA0K7UfI4HlkSpMCzzDkUBrXg4Nwer8tsttpC1c/s1600/photo.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/03/pappardelle-with-chestnuts-prosciutto.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-84641586124655328832014-03-06T18:10:00.001-05:002014-03-06T18:10:12.271-05:00Lemon and Tarragon Poached Halibut with Blood Orange Sauce (and Seriously Awesome Potatoes)I enjoyed the <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-have-descended-into-full-blown.html" target="_blank">saffron-scented halibut</a> that I made a few months ago. But it needed a sauce. So I decided to try and make my own sous vide halibut with a fun sauce. I will admit, this halibut was not as firm as I would like. I think I'd try a firmer fish next time. Despite the years I've been cooking, I'm still not that great at picking what types of fish work with what sauces or methods of cooking. That said, the flavors of the fish and sauce worked well together. I'd make the sauce for a breaded fish too. I thought blood orange on its own was a bit sweet so I added some lemon juice to tie it in with the poaching liquid and the citrus salt in the potatoes and I think it worked pretty well. The sauce was kind of sweet and sour, but in a mild way; it didn't overpower the fish. <br> <br> The potatoes were the star of the dish. I liked them even more than the jalapeno poached potatoes that are the usual roasted potato staple in my house. They have two kinds of salt in them. Why? Because I have a vast army of nice salts that were given to me as gifts and I want to find more ways to use them. I've got some citrus salt that is pretty strong and some very nice salt with roasted spices. I put some citrus salt and pepper on the potatoes and added a little thyme. Before I neglected it this winter and then let my dog run around on it, I grew some lemon thyme in my herb garden. I figured citrus salt and thyme would work pretty well together since lemon thyme is so good. I wanted to make sure there was enough salt on the potatoes but I didn't want the citrus to be overpowering, so I added a little of the roasted spice salt as well. If you don't have any, regular salt would work fine. The potatoes were perfect. Just the right amount of crunch and flavor. They were tangy, but not overly much. The thyme made them smell fantastic. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3NCn0S-L4CE-XxkULFZ6qCwK7ToD3mCxZoOLghyphenhyphenagp9QWntnexkuu-xGkzy3MwoHssgCdWZBSrQ48J0ClIr3Rc65cm6TPT8ISKlzxQZv7etZhVJW9Bq6nOFeIjE5OMoBXP8601X5G2c/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3NCn0S-L4CE-XxkULFZ6qCwK7ToD3mCxZoOLghyphenhyphenagp9QWntnexkuu-xGkzy3MwoHssgCdWZBSrQ48J0ClIr3Rc65cm6TPT8ISKlzxQZv7etZhVJW9Bq6nOFeIjE5OMoBXP8601X5G2c/s1600/photo.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/03/lemon-and-tarragon-poached-halibut-with.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-82833462408426912362014-02-22T18:10:00.000-05:002014-02-22T18:17:53.526-05:00Poached Tuna with Kumquats and Jalapenos<div> <br></div> This dish takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish. It's great for a work night. I served it with some couscous from a box. I put it in a pot to cook before I began my prep work on the tuna and they finished at about the same time. Don't overcook the tuna! This batch was 2 minutes on one side, 3 on the other since my steaks were a little on the thick side. The tangy kumquats and hot jalapenos play nicely together. If you think the jalapenos at your grocery store might be on the more mild end, get a serrano instead, the spiciness is really important. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xbDbX9H6TwcR99-Zo9l7ZLf9H9CAOqpUPBSrAZZ8UNezH_o6NokJfDYaj2yC4Wkpr-1fXNed5xkcCK0DQMTqYc6_H6d5fqPPohjh2IfgMgpUoNBDouV1ku5KYzPGoOpYHj5jZgqiOvE/s1600/DSC03567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xbDbX9H6TwcR99-Zo9l7ZLf9H9CAOqpUPBSrAZZ8UNezH_o6NokJfDYaj2yC4Wkpr-1fXNed5xkcCK0DQMTqYc6_H6d5fqPPohjh2IfgMgpUoNBDouV1ku5KYzPGoOpYHj5jZgqiOvE/s1600/DSC03567.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/02/poached-tuna-with-kumquats-and-jalapenos.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-89284579581221473862014-01-30T19:55:00.000-05:002014-01-30T19:55:17.218-05:00Sous Vide Beer Brats and Potato Salad with Basil-Citrus DressingHere's a really simple sous vide recipe with a really complicated side dish! I <i>loved </i>this bratwurst. It was perfectly tender and the beer flavored it really well. I seared it for just a few minutes to make it look nice and add a bit of texture. I should warn you that because it's cooked at a low temperature, the alcohol doesn't cook out. <br> <br> The potato salad is fantastic! And pretty. And I don't really like potatoes that much. I think the cherry tomatoes make this salad particularly awesome, their acidity goes nice with the creamy dressing. The citrus is not overwhelming, the ratio in the recipe is just right. For once I didn't add extra and I'm glad. The original recipe also called for roasted carrots, but I left those out because I don't like cooked carrots very much. Honestly, I think adding them would make the salad too busy. This salad involves a lot of prep work and it has to sit in the fridge for a bit so it's not good for a work night meal. We ate the whole batch in the same night so I don't know if it keeps well for the next day. I'll definitely make both the brats and the potato salad again!<br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8UN7YgVARL8X0wALQRF56G4mIIzU9z301I9cxmTzNDh3qfb1glb7yG0bAlHzIo1ll6rPf_2SqRVTcFrRPaWhU-lmJ8qPgoUPyLjCuqtj23MmjFtV1WitxpaViqGt352CrdJ6qPi21U0/s1600/DSC03562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8UN7YgVARL8X0wALQRF56G4mIIzU9z301I9cxmTzNDh3qfb1glb7yG0bAlHzIo1ll6rPf_2SqRVTcFrRPaWhU-lmJ8qPgoUPyLjCuqtj23MmjFtV1WitxpaViqGt352CrdJ6qPi21U0/s1600/DSC03562.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/01/sous-vide-beer-brats-and-potato-salad.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-50794135498520929212014-01-11T10:43:00.000-05:002014-01-11T10:43:36.577-05:00First Attempt at Sous Vide: Lemon-Thyme Boneless Pork ChopThe <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-have-descended-into-full-blown.html#more" target="_blank">halibut recipe</a> I posted prior to this was actually my second time using the immersion circulator. The halibut looked prettier and tasted better. That's not to say that the pork chop wasn't good. It was. But, the fish dish is more impressive. This boneless pork chop was my first attempt. While it was tasty, the marinade wasn't as flavorful as I wanted and the pork chop looked like zombie meat until I seared it. <br> <br> I used the Food Saver <a href="http://www.foodsaver.com/accessories/FSFSAM0306-DTC.html" target="_blank">quick marinator</a> attachment and that may have been the reason the pork wasn't very flavorful. The marinator is supposed to do several hours of marinating in a few minutes by sucking all the air out of the container. I accidentally broke the seal while I was moving the dish and that may have caused the problem. Or the quick marinator is a gimmick that doesn't really do anything. Or it was because I had to cut my marinade with a little chicken broth. I won't know until I try it again!<br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu-HND53265rtKGDOgqpdb6fBpP3phxa-F2Pja2fBwiRKN0rTw-mQyHOw_a5g5aYuC4XJGTkHdOdehCkBSqDdQbFUoag2tHW37Knp5M2HYYo5s9H93YkikbQTnHO6HBabt3CadbP4RDw/s1600/DSC03553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu-HND53265rtKGDOgqpdb6fBpP3phxa-F2Pja2fBwiRKN0rTw-mQyHOw_a5g5aYuC4XJGTkHdOdehCkBSqDdQbFUoag2tHW37Knp5M2HYYo5s9H93YkikbQTnHO6HBabt3CadbP4RDw/s1600/DSC03553.JPG" height="480" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-attempt-at-sous-vide-lemon-thyme.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-69475980813142350072013-12-30T10:47:00.001-05:002013-12-30T10:47:40.028-05:00I have descended into full blown cooking nerd mode. (Saffron-Scented Halibut)I spent most of high school and college avoiding chemistry. Then I got into cooking. My husband bought me an immersion circulator for Christmas! I didn't know that there was a model that could hook on to an ordinary large pot instead of a giant plastic tub. It looks more like lab equipment than a cooking tool. I've always been curious about cooking with one because I watch way too much Iron Chef America. The <a href="http://anovaculinary.com/" target="_blank">Anovo immersion circulator</a> is very easy to use. I'm using it here with a pasta pot and some tin foil. One of the first things I wanted to try out was fish. This is saffron-scented halibut with tomato compute and zucchini. It was fantastic! The zucchini was cooked through, yet still crunchy instead of mushy and gross. The tomatoes had the right amount of softness. The fish was <i>perfectly cooked</i>. It was moist, flaky, and evenly cooked. The saffron sauce had the right amount of zing from the oranges but it didn't overpower the flavor of the fish. This dish did involve a good bit of prep work but total cooking time for everything was 17 minutes.<br> <br> To make the meal, I attached the immersion circulator to my pasta pot, set it for 140 degrees F through its very simple touch screen interface, and covered the pot with tin foil. The instruction manual emphasized that covering the pot is necessary and suggested tin foil if a special lid wasn't available.<br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFrq6ftq8wUls29fWP1mgTR4H4LdloPAvQq0O5bnilZcbNa49TXad_0nW2r3TqYyYmmDqVkKxxbv8WoQPbKYO7wFfbBByRDtI8ucpACJPWnay8uzfknUYyr82EGBzDGQxG26laD8_gWU/s1600/immersion+circulator.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFrq6ftq8wUls29fWP1mgTR4H4LdloPAvQq0O5bnilZcbNa49TXad_0nW2r3TqYyYmmDqVkKxxbv8WoQPbKYO7wFfbBByRDtI8ucpACJPWnay8uzfknUYyr82EGBzDGQxG26laD8_gWU/s640/immersion+circulator.JPG" width="478"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">I feel a bit like a mad scientist. </span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-have-descended-into-full-blown.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-76891943428067594442013-12-18T14:53:00.000-05:002013-12-18T14:53:11.646-05:00Big White Chocolate, Almond, and Cranberry CookiesThis recipe means it: these cookies are big! 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie. Even though they contain enough butter and sugar to stop your heart, they are amazingly good. So, break out your colored Kitchenaid mixer that you got for your wedding and use once a year because these cookies are worth it! This recipe was a bit out of my comfort zone because it contained more than five ingredients. It also reminded me that baking soda is actually used in cooking instead of only for being left in the back of my fridge for several months as a deodorizer. ("Replace after three months"? I think David Tennant was still The Doctor when I put mine in there). <br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNXZCHquEgq07XqpY-vKoG9HmZ8wXnBxo-ST41bcQiy-2Jr-mgcnJtlBQCIgejR-cIzCOekGP9TFfSRy0ZYxJMvf2Bj4VKFHSmNZwKP8zYq_XrBECPO_nJ0qBOEvnAV67L10zxuH7heU/s1600/cookie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNXZCHquEgq07XqpY-vKoG9HmZ8wXnBxo-ST41bcQiy-2Jr-mgcnJtlBQCIgejR-cIzCOekGP9TFfSRy0ZYxJMvf2Bj4VKFHSmNZwKP8zYq_XrBECPO_nJ0qBOEvnAV67L10zxuH7heU/s640/cookie.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tablespoon added for scale. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/big-white-chocolate-almond-and.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-35317931155209331412013-12-07T10:42:00.000-05:002013-12-07T10:42:58.690-05:00Chicken with Olives and OrangesAbout a year before I got into cooking, my mom got me three books with the best recipes from Bon Appetit magazine. One of the recipes I made a lot was chicken with olives and oranges from the January 2005 issue. The first few times, it was actually pretty bland and my attempts to make it more flavorful didn't exactly work. So I took it out of my regular rotation and hadn't made it in years. Back in May when I was cleaning out my cookbook army, I found the Bon Appeitit book and decided to try it again. This time, I added some new tweaks and the result was a pretty tasty meal. That said, I should have served it with a salad or something. By itself it's not a large amount of food. <br> <br> The trick to improving the magazine's recipe was to add a bit of lemon juice and some extra olives. I halved the recipe to make it for two people but didn't halve the amount of olives. I also seasoned the chicken with more black pepper than usual. The result was a tangy, salty (in a good way, it wasn't overkill) chicken dish that is relatively healthy. The recipe below is heavily adapted from the original. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUk_5DNvFf-JDFB7XBdyxXnTXNtSnHpO9eljD-qPrmgP_hofm_LHZfKo9Lq1FGrDBAwN1XUPdU5uNlu8KB2_wIVS_Sf0YCxERYXkvniVwc6bFgIXCqpfAoF0kO2cCQi-tBW4ZVeNhNik/s1600/DSC03405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUk_5DNvFf-JDFB7XBdyxXnTXNtSnHpO9eljD-qPrmgP_hofm_LHZfKo9Lq1FGrDBAwN1XUPdU5uNlu8KB2_wIVS_Sf0YCxERYXkvniVwc6bFgIXCqpfAoF0kO2cCQi-tBW4ZVeNhNik/s640/DSC03405.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/chicken-with-olives-and-oranges.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-59944129445189472352013-12-07T10:02:00.001-05:002013-12-07T10:43:23.197-05:00Spicy Sausage Ragu in the Slow CookerI'm back from falling off the face of the earth! I was super pregnant at the time of my last post. As a result of having a new baby around, most of my dishes over the last two months have been of the "what can we make really, really fast?" variety. Most of them were tried and true quick favorites. We also had a freezer full of pre-made food donated by friends and family, which is *awesome,* especially during the first few weeks when painkillers and coffee are food groups. <br> <br> Since I'm on maternity leave, I decided to experiment with my slow cooker. I bought a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Italian-Slow-Cooker-Michele-Scicolone/dp/054700303X" target="_blank">The Italian Slow Cooker</a> and used a recipe from it for the first time last week. Generally, if the first recipe I try from a new book in my cookbook army isn't very good, it takes a long time for me to use the book again, I guess I'm judgy that way. The Spicy Sausage Ragu was a huge success!! Not only did my husband and I love it, there was enough left to freeze! <br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qtY4nAYoSds5ipKObW-vmhoXBKQl2_iqLlK7yP28i6TSazznlItdC2M9JwIkn8ZXT1ErJyimLPMn14h0kOVf3Gfxb5VkpDCeg43OYI3IX7WC0kyksGJlEHCQnq-fd0icMUbu-weSu7Q/s1600/sausage+ragu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qtY4nAYoSds5ipKObW-vmhoXBKQl2_iqLlK7yP28i6TSazznlItdC2M9JwIkn8ZXT1ErJyimLPMn14h0kOVf3Gfxb5VkpDCeg43OYI3IX7WC0kyksGJlEHCQnq-fd0icMUbu-weSu7Q/s640/sausage+ragu.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't look pretty, but trust me it tastes fantastic!!</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/12/spicy-sausage-ragu-in-slow-cooker.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-46851285685984911862013-08-04T09:38:00.000-04:002013-08-04T09:38:22.675-04:00Cream of Broccoli SoupWhen I was a kid, cream of whatever soup came in a can, contained my monthly sodium intake, and was usually used to flavor chicken and rice. It was almost always beige, even if the "whatever" in the soup was a green vegetable like broccoli or asparagus. In other words: yuck. That said, home made cream of whatever soup is really good! And in the case of cream of broccoli soup, it's actually green! There's a lot of broccoli in it and not a lot of whatever would make the soup beige. <br> <br> This recipe is from The New Moosewood Cookbook and is vegetarian. It has relatively few ingredients and is easy to make, especially if you have an immersion blender. I seasoned mine with a bit of black salt at the end, that's what the flecks are in the picture. Even though there is no heavy cream in this soup (I used 1% milk), it was still nice and creamy (and healthier). <br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdprr95DAS285HjzU0Vz9Z3pAxBOA2l3kbEsrzcgaDmCj1zw1VijfDYz0ylVmio71snC2OxDfwCErM-lUt73g1-tND-yXf0qCzYYYMjFQpxbOWFu1YjAIrsX8gsFGxXSm9f6fG5sYr3I/s1600/DSC03430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdprr95DAS285HjzU0Vz9Z3pAxBOA2l3kbEsrzcgaDmCj1zw1VijfDYz0ylVmio71snC2OxDfwCErM-lUt73g1-tND-yXf0qCzYYYMjFQpxbOWFu1YjAIrsX8gsFGxXSm9f6fG5sYr3I/s640/DSC03430.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br></td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/08/cream-of-broccoli-soup.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-55243492117529073002013-07-01T18:52:00.000-04:002013-07-01T18:52:38.685-04:00Lobster Mac and CheeseI love mac and cheese! I know it's not good for me to eat 6 pounds of cheese, but I don't care. Lobster is awesome too. I've tried lobster mac and cheese at several restaurants and figured it was time to make my own! My husband doesn't love lobster as much as I do and he still enjoyed this dish. I don't think it took very long, there is very little chopping involved. But there is a ton of grating. A lot of it can be done while the pasta cooks. I would definitely make this again, but I'd probably alter the recipe to use a different cheese instead of colby jack, which I thought was too mild. I don't want to overpower the lobster, but I want my cheese to be a little more flavorful. This is fantastic comfort food! The recipe says it serves two. It was too much for my husband and I, we both had seconds and then I had some left over for lunch the next day. It reheats well. <br> <br> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7tyHWYWbxQjm4to4XvHAx5wvLDaHNHa0vYo8wFfvXaE6Nam_TKgbbnWmwv6jJS-MtE7p8MvxbtXzKJyJdACn0hq2YfuV0vEa-Lql3vSsNqexO-YCJGxV7xtVso9Cn3pfVJQWYszT9Sw/s1600/DSC03424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7tyHWYWbxQjm4to4XvHAx5wvLDaHNHa0vYo8wFfvXaE6Nam_TKgbbnWmwv6jJS-MtE7p8MvxbtXzKJyJdACn0hq2YfuV0vEa-Lql3vSsNqexO-YCJGxV7xtVso9Cn3pfVJQWYszT9Sw/s640/DSC03424.JPG" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product!</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/07/lobster-mac-and-cheese.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-20608766837166762262013-06-05T19:50:00.000-04:002013-06-05T19:50:02.746-04:00Bowtie Pasta with Mascarpone, Asparagus, and HazelnutsBack when I was first learning how to cook, this was one of the first "fancy" pasta dishes I tried to make. In the beginning, I'm pretty sure I added way too much water to the sauce and ended up with watery, bland pasta with some asparagus and cheese on it. But, I got better at it and it was on regular rotation in our house for about a year. Then I started accumulating cookbooks. I wanted to try Indian! Thai! Stir Fry! Mexican! And this recipe was forgotten for a few years. <br> <br> A few weeks ago, I cleaned out my cookbooks to donate some to charity (and make room for more!) and found a "Best of Bon Appetit" cookbook. This recipe was in it. I got nostalgic and decided to make it again. I'd forgotten how much I like it! It's quick, easy, and vegetarian. The sauce is pretty mild so it does need some salt and pepper. But, it's very creamy, <i>slightly </i>sweet, and goes well with the roasted asparagus. I added some sauteed garlic for extra flavor. If you can buy blanched hazelnuts in bulk at your grocery store, that will make this dish really quick because then you don't have to do it yourself. Honestly, if you're strapped for time, leaving the husks on will make your dish less pretty but I don't think it's worth it to remove them unless you're serving guests or have the time to spare. My main alteration to this recipe is that I barely added any of the reserved cooking water to the sauce. I did it very slowly and stopped as soon as the sauce reached my desired consistency, which for me was still relatively thick. It was easy to stir and coat everything, but not watery at all. I definitely recommend this dish for a quick work night dinner. I served it with some cantaloupe. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagaRRz5MjCTq5AD_Hu0SF_vaHiv64BdPQuz3LlcQW71xa6SDuuoDsTRoURg-tkgYfI-6VoI6ukuKSRaJ4veUnaG2XciPGYPQsp6ga9FyAAUv5rImcWAJIqVR0qxCpblLtOxC380BC_V0/s1600/DSC03419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagaRRz5MjCTq5AD_Hu0SF_vaHiv64BdPQuz3LlcQW71xa6SDuuoDsTRoURg-tkgYfI-6VoI6ukuKSRaJ4veUnaG2XciPGYPQsp6ga9FyAAUv5rImcWAJIqVR0qxCpblLtOxC380BC_V0/s640/DSC03419.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/06/bowtie-pasta-with-mascarpone-asparagus.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-90802117239841955992013-05-16T17:49:00.000-04:002013-05-16T17:49:43.388-04:00Gnocchi with Spinach, Peas, and LemonThis quick, vegetarian gnocchi dish is a staple in my house. It's a good way to eat some greens if you don't want to make a salad. The lemon juice adds a great tang to the sauce and compliments the spinach. I use a little extra lemon juice because I love the flavor it adds. There's almost no chopping in this recipe, which makes it easy and quick to prepare. I use frozen gnocchi, I think it tastes better and has a better texture than the vacuum packed stuff. I added some extra peas to the dish because I'd had them in my freezer for a while and had about 3/4 cup instead of 1/2. I think it's fine to add more peas, they're good for you. I also added some extra cheese because cheese is awesome. The recipe calls for using 1/4 cup of reserved pasta cooking water as part of the sauce. I eyeballed it and didn't use all of the reserved water, I never do when I make this dish. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nDVVC8UVIB_ctAmaJO7MK_oabVO5wQy77nIZWpGAHk8DDrTDhfq92uOYeobsMvuEReOFy-kv6azZ588y10MmJ62Hs7vQYxnKkIp5UplCnVYh7Dc6_oI3xbrtOcDrWVUpg5Wukw84990/s1600/DSC03380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nDVVC8UVIB_ctAmaJO7MK_oabVO5wQy77nIZWpGAHk8DDrTDhfq92uOYeobsMvuEReOFy-kv6azZ588y10MmJ62Hs7vQYxnKkIp5UplCnVYh7Dc6_oI3xbrtOcDrWVUpg5Wukw84990/s640/DSC03380.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/05/gnocchi-with-spinach-peas-and-lemon.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-64202115763674465912013-05-01T19:43:00.000-04:002013-05-01T19:43:44.162-04:00Beer and BBQ Pulled Chicken SandwichesI was at a party a few nights ago and someone was discussing the awesomeness of chicken cooked in beer and barbecue sauce. I've always wanted to try a pulled meat recipe that included beer. Cooking with wine is fun, so why not beer? I searched the internet for a good crockpot recipe and found one with only a few ingredients. This meal requires very little prep work and could be tossed into the slow cooker in less than 10 minutes. But that's no fun! Instead, I made my own BBQ sauce. The recipe suggests that a thinner sauce is better for cooking the chicken, so I didn't leave mine on the stove for very long. After I poured some in the slow cooker, I let it cook more to thicken it to my desired consistency. The BBQ sauce I made freezes well. If I was in a hurry, I'd just use a bottled sauce. The chicken is amazing! The meat didn't taste like a chicken drowned in beer, it was a very mild flavor that went really well with the BBQ sauce. My sauce isn't overly sweet, which I think is a good match for the beer. The smoked paprika gave it a slight kick. After 8 hours in the slow cooker, the chicken required zero effort to shred. When it was completely cooked, it took about five minutes to shred, mix with the sauce, and put on a bun. This is a great dish for a work night if you can get it in the slow cooker in the morning (and it has a keep warm setting). It's also great for leftovers. I served it on an onion roll with some foil baked corn on the cob and a small salad. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkG9phEpeVeyEJP_VC0DLWXNdKObM-EyQT515JymTJoF-MqPLHuibiFQZJ5lENhkV9tJSZfAP0AqLR8oaTvXJaPpZqUqI0TeDfosJDX5yOdvOSEctGaKigyQhXIDNWOKtD7fojwti-Zkg/s1600/DSC03393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkG9phEpeVeyEJP_VC0DLWXNdKObM-EyQT515JymTJoF-MqPLHuibiFQZJ5lENhkV9tJSZfAP0AqLR8oaTvXJaPpZqUqI0TeDfosJDX5yOdvOSEctGaKigyQhXIDNWOKtD7fojwti-Zkg/s640/DSC03393.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/05/beer-and-bbq-pulled-chicken-sandwiches.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-65829377915305435402013-04-26T08:45:00.000-04:002013-04-26T08:45:03.897-04:00Quick Vegetarian Dinner! Hearts of Palm and Avocado SaladThis salad involved a bit of chopping but it still didn't take very long to make, about 15 minutes. The dressing has mayonnaise in it, but not a lot. It's a pretty healthy vegetarian meal. It would also make a good side dish for a meat entree though you might have leftovers. I made a half recipe, using only one can of hearts of palm. It made plenty of food for two people for a light dinner on a warm day. The dressing is tart, but not overwhelming so the hearts of palm aren't smothered. The original recipe called for yellow cherry tomatoes. I didn't have any, so I used orange grape tomatoes and it was fine. I preferred the hearts of palm sliced a little thinner than 1/2 inch. It's annoying to only use half an avocado in a recipe, so I just ate the rest of it tossed with some lemon juice.<br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUtMPAG_qzLyaOGw22BSAzMYSihFvpV0w0Wu8emwJu90GvnjoHWEmrk27H5NK54IYB-Lxc04_39tGkTn5u-AOoNaDUC237RY_rKE3utFQpfWYLYvGlwqov1ddmSme4GGlF4gR6z8m9IA/s1600/DSC03391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUtMPAG_qzLyaOGw22BSAzMYSihFvpV0w0Wu8emwJu90GvnjoHWEmrk27H5NK54IYB-Lxc04_39tGkTn5u-AOoNaDUC237RY_rKE3utFQpfWYLYvGlwqov1ddmSme4GGlF4gR6z8m9IA/s640/DSC03391.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/04/quick-vegetarian-dinner-hearts-of-palm.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263338158922075397.post-78512657699698585072013-03-16T10:39:00.000-04:002013-10-07T19:56:15.559-04:00Agedashi TofuI've loved agedashi tofu since I first had it back in law school. It's pretty easy to make at home. I use<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ajinomoto-Dashi-Soup-Stock-5-28/dp/B0002YB40O" target="_blank"> instant dashi</a> instead of making my own from scratch. It's easier, faster, and I can make mine more mild because I don't like the strong bonito flavor of full-strength dashi. I've made this dish many times, and it's really important to get the silken tofu, it makes a huge difference. Wegman's doesn't usually carry it and so I've substituted soft and firm and it will work, but if you can get silken tofu, it's worth it. For this batch, I stopped by my local Korean supermarket and got some silken tofu. The tofu is lightly crunchy on the outside and the silken tofu melted in my mouth. The garnishes are a nice touch. I used daikon, ginger, green onions, and a mix of basil and mint. I served this with a side salad and some left over Asian style slaw. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85_2LU43z9VYQM1SkvKd24TjYkOpBqoK1ATAYrJmjsef7jwncYdC6oA3EaswANWkijECqBsSypwGzB9KQBP75J-N74cyle7MaNMLEV1XfIHVCLsDeaITt6EdUGzVQnGeE0SIr_OSN4C4/s1600/DSC03376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85_2LU43z9VYQM1SkvKd24TjYkOpBqoK1ATAYrJmjsef7jwncYdC6oA3EaswANWkijECqBsSypwGzB9KQBP75J-N74cyle7MaNMLEV1XfIHVCLsDeaITt6EdUGzVQnGeE0SIr_OSN4C4/s640/DSC03376.JPG" width="640"></a></div> <br> <br> <a href="http://thekitchenfrog.blogspot.com/2013/03/agedashi-tofu.html#more">Recipe after the jump! -></a>Scienterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341920425019339872noreply@blogger.com0