Child's Play - Penne Pasta Skillet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here's a simple family meal that young cook's can make with little or no supervision. It relies on a commercial spaghetti sauce for flavor, so a bevy of spices is not required for seasoning, and better still, even young hands can have this 5 ingredient, 1 pan wonder on the table in about 30 minutes. That makes this a perfect dish for the summer kitchen and you'll find it's a nice meal to serve after a long day in the sun or on the water. The recipe comes from the Kraft test kitchen, so it is nearly foolproof. While I prefer to use Rao spaghetti sauce and penne pasta when I make this dish, any sauce and small pasta can be substituted. If you are looking for a quick and tasty meal, or a way to keep the kids busy, do give this a try. It's truly child's play. Here is how this simple skillet meal is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Sausage Broccoli and Noodle Casserole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While this is a nice recipe for any cook in a hurry, it is a gift for those who must feed a family on a limited food budget. It's also wonderful for teenage cooks and  dormitory cooking. I found the recipe in Family Circle magazine and chose it because it because it was inexpensive to prepare. I had no expectations the first time I made the dish, but I was pleasantly surprised. For six dollars and ten minutes of my time, I ended up with a hearty and quite tasty meal that proved yet again, that I don't know as much as I think I do. There are no tricks to the preparation of this dish and you'll need no special equipment to make it. Its cost and ease of preparation make it a perfect choice for a frugal Friday feature and I think you will enjoy it.  Do give it a try. Here is how this very simple dish is made.

Sausage, Broccoli and Noodles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
3 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodle soup, chicken flavor
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 links sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 cups frozen baby broccoli flowerets, thawed
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles for 2 minutes, reserving seasoning packets for later use. Drain noodles and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and cornstarch. Set aside.
2) Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
3) Add broccoli, 1 cup water and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the ramen chicken seasoning to skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes or until broccoli is cooked through.
4) Remove cover and stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook for 1 minute or until sauce has thickened. Add noodles to skillet and toss to coat with sauce. Season to taste with freshly cracked pepper (I used 1/4 teaspoon). Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

      

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                  One Year Ago Today:                                               Two Years Ago Today:

                          Treacle Tart                                                            Peppermint Bark

                    Three Years Ago Today:                                                Four Years Ago Today: 

                  Broccoli and Cheese Soup                                        Meat Ball Sub with Sicilian Sausage

Golden Rice and Chicken with Hot Chili Dipping Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am still baching it and spending as little time as possible in the kitchen. I'm on the prowl for easy-in, easy-out recipes and fortunately I had quite a few that I could pull from my recipe roster. Not all of them have universal appeal, but the recipe I'm sharing tonight is one that I think most of you will enjoy. It is a quick chicken and rice combo that has its roots in the kitchens of Vietnam. It takes all of 15 minutes to prepare but it packs a true flavor punch while still retaining a lightness that is perfect for spring and summer meals. The base of the dish is a turmeric-scented rice that is paired with herbed and shredded chicken. The dish is redolent with fragrant Thai basil and cilantro, each of which add tremendously to the flavor of the finished dish. A final squeeze of lemon adds the acid that is needed to give the dish balance. If I had to sum up this dish in a single word, "fresh" is what comes to mind. This is a perfect warm weather meal. It can be made with rotisserie chicken and that makes assembly of the dish especially fast and simple. The herb and chicken mixture can also be used to fill softened rice wrappers if you prefer not to use the jasmine rice. The ratio of water to rice in this dish is unexpected, but rice prepared in this manner retains some texture that adds interest to finished entree. If you prefer softer rice use the standard 2 to 1 ratio. I do hope you'll give this lovely dish a try. Here is how it is made.

Golden Rice and Chicken with Hot Chili Dipping Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon oil
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
Salt
Ground pepper
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup torn Thai basil
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
Lemon wedges
Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha chile sauce

Directions:
1) Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add turmeric and rice and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove  pan from  heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff  rice, season with salt and pepper to taste and cover.
2) Combine  chicken with onion, basil, cilantro and 1 tablespoon  fresh lemon juice in a bowl and toss to mix well.  Transfer an equal portion of rice and chicken mixture to 4 individual serving plates.  In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and Sriracha. Serve with dipping sauce and lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Roasted Carrot Soup + Homemade Vegetable Stock














Two Years Ago Today: Maple Sour Cream Coffeecake with Walnut Streusel and Maple Glaze














Three Years Ago Today: Apple Cider Quatre Quarts Cake














Four Years Ago Today: Swiss Onion Tart

Roasted Shrimp and Winter Vegetables

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...At this time of year I seek out recipes that are fast and easy to make. I found this this simple, but delicious, dish while paging through, a new to me, blog called Savour Fare. I really enjoyed this meal and I think you will too.  I simplified the recipe a bit by using pre-bagged florets and shrimp that were ready to be cooked. I also increased the cooking times slightly to insure the vegetables were done to our taste and I cut back, just a bit, on the amount of pepper used to make this nicely spiced dish. This is a terrific recipe to have in the hopper for the days that lead up to the holidays. It took about 10 minutes to put this meal together and it cooks in less than a half hour. I'm happy to share the recipe with you and I hope will give it a try.

Roasted Shrimp and Winter Vegetables...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by the blog Savour Fare

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets
1 cauliflower florets
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
2) In a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3) Spread vegetables on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in same bowl.
4) When vegetables have been roasting for 20 minutes, add shrimp and lemon juice and toss to combine. Continue roasting for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until shrimp turn pink. Serve with lemon wedges or another squeeze of lemon juice. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Persian Fried Chicken

Two years Ago Today: Tibetan Momo

Three Years Ago Today: Hot Mulled Cranberry and Apple Cider

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Peppers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make stuffed peppers once or twice a year. When I was newly married, they were touted as an inexpensive dish that all budget conscious cooks should master. The trouble, then and now, is that they're not a bargain to make and it's really possible for non-vegan types to buy a steak or gorgeous piece of fish for what they cost to assemble. Now, for those who love stuffed peppers, the cost is inconsequential and they can be enjoyed at any time of year. Those who like, but do not love them, are usually more circumspect and will enjoy them towards the end of summer when peppers are plentiful and can be purchased for just pennies on the dollar. Following the holiday, I was left with 6 gorgeous red peppers of the non-bargain variety. They had originally been purchased for a stir-fry of red and green peppers that never happened. I wanted to use the peppers before they began to wither in the vegetable crisper and stuffed peppers came to mind. I ran with the idea. I have several recipes for them and, I promise, before we're finished with each other, you'll have them all. However, the one I want to share with you today, is one I used when my children were still fairly young and not yet ready for truly spicy food. These are vaguely Moroccan in taste but they are mild and very pleasant on the tongue. I use lamb to make these because I think it is a better fit for the spices used in the recipe. The recipe appeared in Sunset magazine nearly thirty years ago. I've played with it, but it closely follows the one they published all those years ago. If you are looking for a recipe for stuffed peppers, I think you'll like this one. Technically, you need not serve anything with them, but I think they look so naked when plated by themselves that I weaken and serve them with mashed sweet potatoes and steamed spinach. Here's how the peppers are made.

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Peppers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers
1 pound ground lamb
1 cup finely chopped onion
1-1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
Salt (About 1 teaspoon)
Optional garnish: toasted pine nuts

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Stem peppers. Cut tops from bell peppers. Reserve. Remove ribs and seeds. Finely chop reserved tops. Set aside
3) Brown lamb in large frying pan set over medium heat. Add onion and reserved bell pepper. Cook until onion is limp and becomes translucent. Remove from heat. Discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Stir in rice, catsup, raisins, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper and egg. Add salt to taste.
4) Fill peppers with rice mixture. Bake until peppers are soft when pierced with tip of a knife, about 30 to 40 minutes. Garnish with pine nuts if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lamb, Rice and Feta Stuffed Peppers - Farmgirl Gourmet
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers - A Bitchin' Kitchen
Vegetable and Barley Stuffed Peppers - Proud Italian Cook
Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Christine's Cuisine
Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers - Modern Comfort Food
Red Peppers Stuffed with Orzo and Feta Cheese - One Perfect Bite
Creole Stuffed Peppers - Deep South Dish
Couscous and Feta Stuffed Peppers - Cookography