Southwestern Tuna Wraps for Two

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was hot today. While you couldn't cook an egg on the pavement, the heat quickly wilted anyone trying to work in the sun. I wasn't in the sun, but I used it as my excuse for making such simple meals today. I managed to get bagels with assorted toppings on the table for breakfast and we had grilled pizzas for dinner. Lunch was a bit more involved, but with the help of a frozen potato soup, thawed, but served cold, and sandwich wraps we manged to keep body and soul together. The wraps are a much simplified version of the Southwestern Wraps I featured on the blog in February, and while they are easy to prepare, they don't lack for flavor. I made a pico de gallo that had some heat and I used pepper jack rather than cheddar cheese because that was what I had on hand. Needless to say, our wraps had attitude. While I like this recipe for its ease, the Silver Fox likes it for the flavor of the wraps it produces. If you are looking for something simple to prepare on hot summer days, do give this recipe a try.

Table for Two - Crispy Peanut Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The week before most holidays is crazy around here. I'm generally up to my elbows preparing dishes that can be made ahead and frozen prior to the holiday itself, so it's a busy time in my kitchen. This year we are going to be alone for Easter weekend and that has considerably eased my kitchen chores. I would love to tell you I've been experimenting and creating new dishes that will make your socks go up and down, but that hasn't been the case. Meals and desserts have been stupid simple and I've spent most of the time reading and working on some long delayed projects that needed my attention. Tonight's dinner is a case in point. It is Asian-ish, quite easy to do and if you are willing to use your deep fryer once in a while, I know you'll like it. The recipe I'm featuring has no heat and the sauce contains no peanut butter. You can add both if you want your chicken to have more oomph, but the tomato sauce is quite nice as a stand alone and really needs no enhancements. The recipe is scaled to feed two people, so I hope those of you who are without chick or child will give it a try. Here is how this simple but scrumptious chicken is made.

Table for Two - Sesame Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Ginger

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made this salmon for the Silver Fox on Saturday evening. He made a request for "adult" food, and after a week of eating dishes selected to please others, he was entitled to at least one special request. This lovely dish popped into my mind. The recipe for it comes from Cook's Illustrated, and their recipes, like those of Ina Garten, are flawless. They may not always agree with your palate, but in execution they are flawless. These fillets are loaded with flavor that comes from a paste of tahini, lemon, and ginger, while a crust of sesame seeds adds some texture to an otherwise  soft protein. This recipe brines both the fish and the sesame seeds to assure each piece of fish is seasoned and remains moist after cooking. This is an altogether lovely entree and it is one that I should make more often than I do. I am including the photo that first appeared with the Cook's Illustrated recipe. My own picture, which is also featured, does not capture the appeal of these fillets and I wanted you to see them at their best. Do try this recipe if you enjoy salmon. I was unable to find thick salmon fillets, so I had to use the related stealhead fillets in their place, but the mildly Asian paste overcame any difference that might exist between the two fish. Here is how the sesame coated salmon is made.

Chinese Noodle Bowls with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Eggs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We are having a heat wave, and meals that seemed like great ideas several days ago, now seem heavy and unappealing. I had a ton, actually it's more like three pounds, of asparagus sitting in the refrigerator, and I thought I could use it in a few lighter entrees that would be more appropriates on these steamy days. While the Google search engine and I are not always on speaking terms, it sent some new asparagus recipes my way, and I spent the later part of the afternoon experimenting with my bounty. I want to share a couple of the keepers with you this week. Tonight's feature came from the Incredible Egg site, which you can find here. The recipe is for Chinese noodle bowls that contain asparagus, mushrooms and eggs. The eggs are handled in the same way as those that are used to make Spaghetti Carbonara, but this dish is more mildly flavored. The noodles are quite nice and perfect for warm weather or asparagus season. While I think you will enjoy them, I do not want to mislead you. This is not an Asian noodle recipe. It's for an all-American dish that happens to use Chinese noodles and sesame seeds. It has several things going for it, among which is the speed with which it can be prepared. The recipe is also scaled to feed two or three people, depending on how hungry they are, so it would make a great addition to the recipe collections of those who are now cooking for two. I know many of you have carnivores at the table, and, if you wish, chicken or pork can be added to the ingredients without changing the basic nature of the dish. The bowls can be on the table in less than 30 minutes, and as Martha use to say, "That's a good thing." Here is how the bowls are made.

Table for Two - Asian-Style Baked Salmon with Scallion Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an easy dinner to make and while it is simple to prepare, it's fancy enough to serve to guests. The salmon is a riff on a recipe I found, here, on Rasa Malaysia and the rice is one that I have shared with you before. The two dishes pair beautifully and produces a flavorful meal that is pleasing to both the palate and the eyes. There are no special insights to be shared here. This is a straightforward recipe, and if you follow the directions below, you'll have no trouble making this dish. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, but do be forewarned, there is some wait time required to marinate the salmon. I serve the salmon atop rice in shallow bowls along with stir-fried bok choy or snow peas as an accompanying vegetable. This is a delicious dish that I know you will enjoy. Here is how it is made.

Table for Two - Sweet and Hot Pork Tenderloin with Apricots

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When we were very young, food played a special role in recovery from childhood ailments. A bit like birthdays, when special foods were the order of the day, sickies were plied with favorite foods in hopes that they would help comfort and speed recovery. For most kids, that meant chicken soup and Jello, but I was born a contrarian and eschewed soups and weak tea for club sandwiches and apricot nectar. That nectar was the start of my love affair with apricots. While I don't always have fresh apricots in my kitchen, my pantry is never without the dried variety which I use liberally in cooking. This recipe is one that I developed for a meal when there are just two or three people at the table, and it, of course, gets much of its flavor from dried apricots and the water they soak in. The Silver Fox likes sauces that combine hot and sweet flavors, so it would be an understatement to say he like this pork dish. It is really simple to make and I think you will enjoy it. While the recipe can be doubled, I suspect you will want to keep this an adult meal. Young children will find it too spicy for their tastes. If you are into fast, simple and delicious, I hope you will give this recipe a try. The pork is wonderful when served with rosti potatoes or rice. Here is how it is made.

Table for Two - Cherry-Glazed Braised Chicken Thighs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The collection of recipes that I've personally created keeps growing and the Silver Fox thinks it's time I share at least some of them with you. I've been hesitant to do that because I suspect you already have a wealth of recipes and kitchen wisdom at your fingertips. While adding to that bounty has always struck me as overkill and a bit of a conceit, I need a place to save the recipes for my daughters and the blog is the safest and most logical place to do that. So, ready or not, once or twice a week, the recipes that I feature here will be my own creations. I'm putting the more difficult recipes aside, at least for the time being, and will be concentrating on those that are reasonably quick and simple to prepare. Many of them are designed for small family tables and I think those of you who have been following my Table for Two series will enjoy them. Tonight's recipe is simple in the extreme and it is perfect for a weeknight 30 minute meal. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try and let me know what you think of it. While I use boneless thighs to make this dish, boneless breasts can be substituted. Here is the recipe.

Table for Two - Cannellini Beans Over Garlic Toast

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Do you like a good pot of baked beans? If so, you can count my sister in your ranks. Years ago my brother and I would tease her unmercifully about the baked bean sandwiches she loved to make. I was sure her sandwich was an original creation and equally certain that civilized people didn't make baked bean sandwiches. We are very close in age, as a matter of fact we are Irish twins, so it is probably unnecessary to tell you that as kids we had our own version of yin and yang. I really got on my high horse about the bean sandwiches, which by the way she continued to eat, and it would be years, and an English breakfast, before I realized she was not alone. People around the world really do eat bean sandwiches and in Britain they are an extremely popular breakfast dish. As a matter of fact more cans of baked beans are eaten in Britain than in the rest of the world combined. We are talking millions of cans, not an odd case or two. Now I've never converted to beans for breakfast, but a chance sampling of a bean sandwich made by a French chef in Laos completely cured my aversion to beans on bread. I found the recipe for this open face bean sandwich in Fine Cooking magazine and it is so good that I wanted to share it with those of you who are adventurous eaters and still caught in the throes of winter. I've made substantial changes to their recipe, but you can find the original version here. This is good stick-to-the-ribs food and I know that those of you who try it will be pleased. Here is how the sandwiches are made.

Table for Two - Sticky Garlic Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an adaption of a recipe that has been on the internet for over a decade. I can't find the source of the original recipe, so I'll have to save my thanks to its creator for a later date. I've gone ahead and altered the recipe to feed a family of two and in the process have found yet another way to use those huge pterodactyl breasts that are sold in supermarkets today. Our supper tonight was a single breast that weighed 1-1/2 pounds. I normally save these huge breasts for soups, stews and stir fries, but I knew this adapted recipe was a perfect way to use one the three huge breasts in my sale package. I honestly don't know how a chicken this size can move, much less fly, but I'll just have to assume that nature somehow finds a way. Breasts are not the most flavorful part of the chicken, so one of my cautions to those of you who follow in my stead, is to be sure and liberally season the meat with salt and pepper before you cook it. I season my chicken before I tenderize it, and I've found that using a jaccard helps to season the interior of the meat as well. I, by the way, routinely use a jaccard to tenderize chicken breasts and I think it works wonders. I've also doubled the amount of sauce I make to serve with the breasts for two. With the understanding that tastes differ from one person to the next, I thought the most popular version of this recipe produced a dry and under-seasoned chicken. That was easy enough to take care of and the recipe below reflects the changes I've made. You might want to make changes of your own. I like this recipe. I wouldn't serve it to guests but I think it makes a great family meal. I served our chicken tonight with oven roast potatoes, but the chicken is also wonderful when served in a Cobb or Caesar salad. I do hope you'll give this dish a try. Here is how my version of it is made.

Table for Two - Grunt (Leftover Pork or Turkey Stroganoff)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I toyed with the idea of doing a retrospective this morning. I had planned to use the Remains of the Day recipe series as a theme for today's feature, but I just wasn't in the mood for encore performances and wanted to try something new. What I came up with is a recipe that fits into two categories. While it's definitely a candidate for the Remains of the Day series, it also slips very nicely into the on-going Table for Two recipe collection that we feature here. The recipe was developed by Kevin Weeks, and despite its rather inelegant name, I think you'll find its a wonderful meal for two people. It's also a great way to use up leftovers. While the recipe is scaled to feed two, ingredients can be doubled or tripled to feed a gang should that better fit your needs. I do hope you'll give this very simple recipe a try. If you have moist pork or turkey leftovers, I guarantee you'll be delighted. Here is how this leftover stroganoff is made.

Table for Two - Lomo Adobado (Spicy Spanish Pork Chops)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Forget tea for two, at least for tonight. If you love copious quantities of pork, French fries, crusty bread and red wine, chances are you'd be perfectly at home in a Spanish kitchen, and there is no doubt that you'd be welcomed. Now, if there is no Spanish kitchen in your immediate future, tapas culture and a demographic trend toward smaller families have created a bounty of recipes that make it possible to serve Spanish meals in your own kitchen, even if your table is set just for two. The spicy pork chops that I'm featuring tonight are simple to make, but for best results they must marinate before they are fried. As is usually the case, the longer they sit, the better they taste, so, get the chops into the marinade the night before you plan to cook them. Thin cut chops will cook in about 4 minutes, so they make a great meal for a busy week night. While the recipe below is scaled to feed two, it can be doubled, as long as you do not crowd the chops as you cook them. In Spain, the chops would be served with a crisp salad, French fries and a glass or two of good red wine. Come to think of it, in Spain, everything save breakfast, is served with French fries and red wine. It's a great country. If you follow suit, you'll have a memorable meal. Here is how the chops are made.

Table for Two - Pantry Pasta with Garbanzo Beans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Each year we have a rain that truly marks the end of summer. It's usually a prolonged downpour that drenches as it "droppeth.....upon the place beneath." The rain, in deed and fact, is more biblical than Shakespearean, and gentle, I assure you, it is not. Errant blooms that clung to summer are beaten to the ground as they fall victim to the relentless tattoo of fall rain, but worse still is what the arrival of damp does to curly heads and running shoes. Fortunately, we are a hardy lot and while we may look soggy and unkept, the rain invigorates and renews a tired landscape from which color had begun to fade. With the rain comes the ancient need for fire and the valley, which a week ago smelled of fires gone amok, now is fragrant with the perfume of mesquite that is used to fuel stoves and fireplaces. It was a good day to read and set a spell and enjoy the first warming fire of the year. I was so lost in the comfort of the fire and the steady tattoo of rain beating on the roof, that I left myself no time to prepare the dinner I had planned. I fell back of this quick pasta recipe from Better Homes and Gardens magazine and enjoyed it enough to pass it onto you. This meatless dish is truly a pantry pasta that you can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes. Here is how its made.

Table for Two - Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Caper Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Rather than tell you what this dish is not, I thought I'd start my post by giving this recipe a thumbs up and telling you that this chicken dish is fast, easy, and delicious. It has the added advantage of being scaled to feed just two people and it will make a great addition to your personal Table for Two recipe collection. The original recipe, a riff on Chicken Piccata, was created by Haylie Duff for her book The Real Girls' Kitchen, and while I've made a few changes to it, it stays true to her intent. The recipe makes a really special weeknight meal and you can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes, if you give some advance thought to the sides that will accompany it. I love to serve this with pilaf, and, if you start the rice before you start the chicken, they'll both be done at approximately the same time. As you read through the recipe, you'll see I use an instant blend, or quick mixing flour, for browning the cutlets as well as thickening the sauce that is used to nap them. I learned about the flour from Julia Child who suggested it be used to get that gorgeous color we often see on chops and cutlets prepared in restaurant kitchens. You can, of course, substitute all-purpose flour for the quick blending type, but it will make for more work when you go to prepare the sauce. Instant or quick blending flour is heat treated to produce a flour that can be directly added to liquids without lumping. It is a fail safe way to make gravy and sauces and its low gluten content makes it ideal for making crepes and popovers as well. Here, I use it for browning cutlets and making a thin sauce that barely naps a spoon. Save for overcooking the chicken, not much can go wrong with this recipe. I do hope you will give it a try. Here is how the chicken is made.

Table for Two - Cherry Trembleque

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light and simple dessert that is low in calories and perfect for just two people. This is not a sponsored post, and I am including the brand name of the yogurt I used because it produced the best flavor when I was testing different versions of the recipe. The trembleque is a bit like a panna cotta. It has a lovely texture and the yogurt cream, which actually shimmies on the plate, begins to melt when placed on the tongue. The dessert can be molded if you wish, but it is easier, and often more attractive, to pour the trembleque into cocktail glasses for serving. If you do mold it, remember to run the tip of the a knife around the edges of the cup and to dip its bottom in hot water for 30 seconds or so, before inverting onto a serving plate. It is hard to find desserts for just two people and I thought those of you who are no longer cooking for a crowd, might want to consider this very simple recipe for your collection. Here is how the trembleque is made.

Table for Two - Pork Cube Steaks with Peppers and Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple and delicious main course, which can be on the table in about 30 minutes, is perfect for two people. Most large grocery chains now carry pork cube steaks and they make a wonderful addition to the shopping carts of those who cook for small families. The steaks cook quickly, and because they are usually sold in quantities limited to two or three steaks per package, there is no need to be concerned with over-buying. Tonight's recipe is simple and easy to follow. I think those of you who are looking for recipes scaled to feed two or three people will love pork prepared in this manner. It makes a great and satisfying dinner entree that is perfect for the cooler days ahead. I like to serve the steaks with a brown rice pilaf and steamed green beans or carrots. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. I think you'll be pleased with the results. Here is how the steaks are made.

My collection of Table for Two Recipes will be moved to a tab beneath the blog header this afternoon.

Table for Two - Barbecued Chip and Chick Fillets

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a slightly different take on sauteed chicken breasts. While the recipe is simple, the chicken needs time to marinate, so it's best to start process the night before you plan to serve it. Once that's done, the final assembly and cooking of the chicken takes only 15 minutes. If you want moist and tender chicken, it's important not to overcook it. Three minutes per side may sound short but it will produce the results you are looking for. The barbecue chips give the chicken a crisp crust and distinctive flavor. While chicken prepared in this manner is wonderful with a cheese based side dish, I love to use the fillets for sandwiches. I do hope you'll give the chicken a try. The fillets are fast, easy and delicious and because the recipe is scaled to feed two people, you won't have to worry about leftovers. Here is how the chicken is made.

Mexicali Pizza - Outdoor Wednesday

Mexicali Pizza before and after baking.


The first hellebores of the year are now in bloom.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I originally put this recipe together for my Texas grandsons. I wanted something that they could make by themselves for a quick lunch or light supper. We were so busy last summer that they never got to try them, but somewhere along the line the pizzas became a go-to recipe for our dinner on those nights when the clock winds down before the day has ended. They take 10 minutes to assemble and another 10 minutes to bake. Everything needed to make them can be found in most pantries. I've deliberately kept them meat free, and will leave any additional toppings to your imagination. You can also use low-fat refried beans without changing the nature of the "pies". While I make them with flour tortillas, there's no reason a pizza crust can't be used. We like a little heat with our meals, so I use a spicy salsa and Pepper Jack cheese. If you prefer your food less spicy, use a mild salsa and a bag of pre-shredded Mexican cheese. Toppings can include olives, tomatoes, scallions and cilantro. I've tried to keep this a recipe a canvas that you can paint as you choose. I think you'll like this. Here's the recipe.

Mexicali Pizza...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 8-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 can (16-oz.) traditional Mexican refried beans
1 cup medium thick and chunky salsa
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or a mix of shredded Colby and Pepper Jack cheese
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or other toppings of your choice

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Warm refried beans in a microwavable bowl for 1 minute on High power. Carefully spread beans over tortillas. Top with salsa and cheese. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese melted.. Sprinkle with toppins of your choice while the pizzas are warm. Carefully move to serving plates. Yield: 2 small pies.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer