Easy Greek Couscous Salad

So in an effort to not serve the same basic sides, I often try to branch out and get a little more flashy. So the other night we were having pre-made lamb burgers (which we totally buy at the local high end place I keep mentioning and don't make ourselves because they do it so well). Anyway, the burgers have feta cheese and rosemary sprigs mixed in, so my side needed to be of a Greek persuasion, thus I thought of making a mediterranean couscous salad.

First of all, they sell boxes of already 'seasoned' couscous in the store (Far East brand), but for this I opted to make it myself from a big box of plain couscous that I keep on hand. So the beauty of couscous is that it is super quick; we're talking boil the water with a tbsp of olive oil, add couscous, turn down heat for 2 min, then remove from heat and done. So total time is no more than 10 min. I do add some chicken broth in with the water, so its 50/50, which totally adds a little extra flavor. Once the couscous has been removed from the heat, I can take on the salad's accoutrements. 

Chop up some onion, tomato and cucumber. The amount truly depends on how much you like these vegetables....for instance, I went easier on the onion than you might. Move the couscous into a bowl and toss it lightly in a little more olive oil and ground black pepper. Then add the chopped vegetables and mix in some crumbled feta cheese (you can also add in Kalamata olives and let me live vicariously through you since T hates olives)  and toss some more. Finally top the salad with some torn fresh mint and prepare to feel transported to Athens! Best part? You can also make this ahead of time & store this in the fridge for hours...in fact, the leftovers the next day are sometimes even better!

PS - I also made a quick garlic tzatziki for the burgers...1 part plain greek yogurt, 1 part crushed garlic, 1 tbsp dill, juice from half a lemon and then zested cucumber and/or lemon to finish it off. 

- Melissa

Full transparency loyal readers

In order to maintain honesty on the blog: I admittedly failed at dinner tonight....not because I made an error cooking, but because I totally over-estimated how long the key ingredient would stay fresh. The ingredient in question were garlic spears and I totally should've made them two days ago but we had plans and I could not. 

So the rather pricey stalks are in the trash, the defrosted chicken cutlets are now pre-poached in the fridge for when T is in charge of dinner this week due to my work schedule and he is off saving the day getting take-out burritos. 

Please note that the photo was taken yesterday a.m. and that the spears had since lost even more green. Lesson here, believe what the produce manager at the high-end market tells you about an ingredient you've never tried before! 

You might wonder, could I have made something else with the chicken? Well sure. But my heart was set on my adventure and I couldn't rally into some subpar creation. Sigh.

I'll think of something tomorrow since after all, tomorrow is another day {in the kitchen}. 

- Melissa

Grilled, Stuffed Green Peppers

Being that it is summer and during the summer months you should only cook on the grill, we are adding another delicious, char-grilled recipe to the blog.  For those who want to enjoy peppers but cannot muster the courage to do so (Sorry Liz) this is the perfect recipe for you!  (We have modified this recipe from one that was passed down to us by my mother, I love you mom!)

You will need:

4-5 Medium to Large Green Bell Peppers
2 c. Cooked Rice (We used Jasmine rice tonight but you can use brown rice and it is equally delicious.)
1/2 lb. of Ground Veal
1/2 lb. of Ground Turkey
3/4 c. Chopped Onion
1/3 c. Chopped Carrots
1/3 c. Copped Celery
1 x 16 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce
Salt & Pepper to Taste
(Feel free to spice it up a bit and add your favorite spice to the mix.  You can also use whatever type of ground meat you like but the veal/turkey combo is amazing!)

First, cook your rice according to package or rice cooker directions.  1 cup of dry rice yields about 2 cups cooked.  While the rice begins to cook, combine and brown the meat in a large skillet.  (Add spices while your meat is browning if you so desire) Drain the meat and set aside. While the meat is browning, slice off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.  Use the drippings in the pan from the browned meat to saute the onion, carrots, and celery.  We also chop up 2 of the pepper tops and saute those with the other veggies.  (It's a little cannibalistic but we like it)  I keep the veggies on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.

Once the veggies are tender, add the cooked rice, meat, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.  Stir together until it is heated through.

Grill the peppers opening side down for 3-5 minutes at 450 degrees or until charring and blistering start along the edges.  Take the peppers off of the grill and fill them with the stuffing mixture.  Place the peppers back on the grill, stuffing side up, for another 3-5 minutes at 450 degrees.  This time and temperature make the peppers fork tender and delicious!  Remove and enjoy!

-Chris & Danielle

Omelets 101 (Mediterranean)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½ bag Baby Spinach leaves

1 tomato

½ cup diced or shredded Ham

½ cup Shredded cheese (more if you are “fat” like us)

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper

Omelets are made with two eggs. Don’t get cute and think that the more the better or that you are using a large pan, so you need more. Omelets are made with two eggs. You can include some milk for consistency, but we’re talking a few splashes.  

Prep:

Scramble the two eggs in a bowl until mixed. You can add milk if you want. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix again. Dice the tomato into small chunks and set aside. Shred your own cheese, type is dependent on taste. I use cheddar most of the time, but you can use Asiago, or a Comte. (You can use bag shredded if you are in a pinch) Prepare the spinach by washing it and removing the stems from the leaves. If you have fresh ham or a ham steak, dice the ham into small chucks. If not, deli sliced ham will work just as well. Tear a couple pieces up into very small pieces and set aside.

Cook:                 

Take a 6” sauce pan with sides that are about 1” tall and pre-heat to 4-5 on an electric stovetop (MED on gas stovetop).

Add a little olive oil to the pan, and then begin to sauté the spinach it in the pan. Keep an eye on it because it will cook quickly. Use tongs to move the spinach around while it is cooking. Once it starts to become dark green, take it out of pan and place it in a bowl for later.

While the pan is still hot, add a little more olive oil to coat the pan, then add the ham chucks and let them cook for about 1 minute. Then add the tomato and spinach that you have already sautéed. Let this cook for 2 minutes constantly mixing. Gently pour the scrambles eggs over the sautéed mix and let it sit.

Here is the tricky part: After the eggs look like they are becoming solid (about 2 min), gently lift the sides and tilt the pan so the remaining liquid goes to the lifted side and under the cooked part. This will spread the egg out and make sure that all parts are being cooked.  You can do this all around the omelet until there is no liquid egg left on top. When the egg looks solid and there is very little glistening liquid on top, add the shredded cheese to the center of the omelet and gently fold one side on top of the other (forming a half circle). Let this cook for 1 min and then flip so the other side can cook. Let it cook for 1 min.

Omelets need their rest too, so take the omelet off of the burner, place on a plate and cover for about 2 min before serving. 

- Tim

Roasted Poblano Hamburgers with Chipotle Ketchup-Mayo

Summer is here and that means it is time to cook as much as you can on the grill!  I am a huge proponent of cooking almost everything on the grill for two reasons.  First, something about that magical contraption makes everything taste so much better!  Second, clean-up doesn't get any easier!  This is a recipe that brings amazing flavor to a burger with just a little extra work.  This recipe is sure to appease even the most boring and bland "traditional" hamburger people out there.  These burgers would best be paired with some sweet corn, cooked on the grill of course!

You will need:

1 lb. of hamburger beef  (I happened to use some grass fed beef that I got from the local butcher, amazing!)
1-2 Poblano peppers
1 Tbsp. of garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste

First you will need to roast and peel the skins off of the peppers.  You can do this in an oven using the broiler setting or in a toaster oven at 425 for about 15-20 minutes.  The key is to get the peppers to blister so you will be able to pull the skins off.  (Make sure you rotate them so they get an even roasting.)  A trick that I use is right after you take the peppers out, place them in a zip lock bag until they cool.  This traps the moisture in the pepper and makes it that much easier to take the skins off of them.  After your pepper is skinned, dice it up and mix it into the beef with the garlic, salt, and pepper.  Shape your pattys and ensure to make a depression in the middle of them so they cook evenly.  Cook them on the grill at 450-500 for 5-10 minutes on each side.  (This depends on how well you like your burger cooked.)

Chipotle Ketchup-Mayo

You will need:

1/4c Mayo
1/4c Ketchup
1/2 Tsp. Chipotle Chili Powder

Mix.  (If you need assistance with this part of the recipe then you shouldn't be reading the blog.)

The result is an amazingly flavorful burger dressed in a smokey, delightful sauce.  Enjoy!

-Chris

Impromptu and Impressive cheese plate

I am going to assume that most of us like cheese....I mean, its delicious and the French have been living off it for years. So why are we all so hesitant to try new cheeses? Furthermore, if you're trying them in grilled cheese sandwiches only, you may not be getting the full flavor or picture of a true fromage experience (see below) 

I admit that depending on your household (read: children) this may not be a regular occurrence. For us, it is not regular...but it does happen often enough when we get the craving for an overdose of dairy. We change the cheeses and the pairings, but this recent one was a grouping of favorites.

For cheeses, we started with a 6-month aged Comte (Tim's absolute favorite, pictured on the left) which is similar to a Gruyere, though with a more nutty flavor (insert joke here). Though this one is pricey (we got it at a higher end grocery store out by us), it is a strong cheese - meaning you can get by with a smaller piece and not forfeit the mortgage to enjoy it. Also, the rind on the Comte is great grated in a salad or in eggs so nothing goes to waste!

Then we went with the St. Andre Brie (middle) which is a triple cream and truly lacks the waxy after taste that often follows a Brie. It is reasonably priced and the best deal for it that I've seen is at Trader Joe's, hands down.

Last, on the right, is an Iraty, which we had never tried before. It is a harder cheese, like the Comte and it was rather spicy when compared to the others so it made for a nice contrast.

Often people want to buy crackers, breads, etc. that are full of their own flavor - from cracked pepper to rosemary-thyme to sesame vegetable, whatever. I am guilty of this as well but when it comes down to serving a good cheese, I'll opt for a plainer starch like a water cracker or a wheat or white baguette, which is what we chose here. You can certainly toast the bread but if it is fresh and purchased that day, there's really no need. To liven up the bread a little, I poured a dipping plate of kalamata pressed olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of coarse salt and some thyme.

(Not pictured, we also added dried cranberries into the mix)

All in all, you might still be hungry afterwards, you might not. If you are, you can also add some cured meats like a prosciutto, or even walk on the wild side and toss in some tender jerky.

PS - the bottle in the background is good balsamic and no, we weren't drinking it ;) For that we went with a Chianti.

- Melissa

Pork Tenderloin with Plum Chutney - you're welcome.

Ok, so I'd mentioned earlier that this would be rhubarb chutney and then when I hit up the good produce local there was no rhubarb to be found, so plum it is. My apologies to those salivating over the red stalks. Anyway, onto the show....

I think that pork tenderloin intimidates a lot of people, since it is 1) pork and people tend to over cook the crap out of it 2) they don't know what to serve it with and 3) its a huge cut of meat since its packaged two at a time.

The answers are simple. 1) Cook it about 5 to 10 degrees LESS than what the recipe or thermometer tells you 2) fruit, fruit and more fruit - served in a chutney which you'll see is easy and 3) pre-cooked pork tenderloin, minus the chutney, will stay in your fridge for up to 5 days. Hint: Pork sandwiches are acceptable!

Ok, first, you need to season the pork. I opt for a light gloss of olive oil and then a dusting (just on the top, more rounded part, mind you) of Herbs de Provence. I then place the loins on the oven roasting pan (you need something with a bottom to catch the moisture, etc.!) and then place them in the oven to bake at 350-375. I wouldn't go higher than that, but you can play between those two temps depending on your timeline as the higher temp of 375 will cook a little faster. All told, at 375, the meat should take about an hour....but with pork (or any meat) you need to remember to check in on it a few times with your trusty thermometer. Your goal is about 165 degrees and once it starts to approach 150 it will move up quickly.

Step two is all about the chutney, which is the true star of your meal, and doesn't need to be dealt with until the pork is about 15 minutes away from being done. First, get a nice, deep saute pan and put a little olive oil (we're talking drizzling here) and turn the heat to a low-medium; then add about 2 cloves of garlic minced, some chopped onion (I went with less than a 1/4 cup), a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes (more if you're into the sweet/hot aspect), 1/4 cup of brown sugar or brown sugar splenda, 1 larger plum or 2 smaller ones all chopped up with the skin still on, a tsp of mustard seeds and some splashes of  apple cider vinegar. Now, if the trick here is to taste. For instance, as the chutney bubbles away you might taste it and its too tart - so add more brown sugar; if it is too sweet, add more cider vinegar. Let that cook until it starts to thicken up and then let it cool slightly before serving by spooning it over the meat slices.

- Melissa