What's for Dinner?

A Taste of All We're Cooking, Buying and Eating Lately

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Flank Steak Tacos

January 19th, 2010 · David, Latino, beef, food, grill, quick, soul food, value

Don’t fear the flank steak! I had to talk my bro into buying this inexpensive cut of meat for fajitas a couple of years ago… But it was a friend of mine (Katherine, sup girl!) who started me buying it. Lots of people think it’s gonna be a stringy piece of meat. But if you cut it the right way, you won’t have to spend extra time with the Waterpik because it won’t stick in your teeth. (Promise).

flank steak tacos

Marinate the steak overnight (or for a few hours) in a gallon Ziploc bag with soy sauce and olive oil… You can add chopped garlic if you like. That’s it! Then grill it for a few minutes on each side, according to how done you would like it. Let me say, however, that not letting it get past medium insures that it will be the most tender. Then let it rest for about ten minutes on your cutting board. (If you don’t let it rest, the final product will be drier because the juices will run out.) Then, it’s all about the cut. Slice the meat thinly, and at a 45 degree angle. Most importantly, make your cuts with your knife perpendicular to the fibers in the meat. In other words, cut across the grain. At this point, if the meat is much rarer than you would like, you can put the slices in a pan and the thin pieces will cook further rather quickly. (However, try and get it right on the grill, because it will be more juicy if you don’t have to do this.)

Since I was putting these into tacos, I cut the slices into smaller pieces so no one had to gnaw as they went on a long slice. The hard part for us is making sure the meat makes it into the tacos, because we tend to eat it as we slice it!

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Asian Meatball Soup

January 13th, 2010 · asian, food, soups, spinach, turkey, value

I’ve been way into soup lately, especially with noodles. (By the way, I think you should enter that as a sexy response on your next singles’ website chat: “So, like, what are you into?” “Soup.”) And I happened to read somewhere that you can use a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter in place of the egg to bind meatballs. So I thought that would lend itself nicely to an asian-inspired meatball soup.

I mixed the meatballs with frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), some Chinese five-spice seasoning (go easy, it has clove in it), seasoning and a little ginger. I used ground turkey meat as usual. Then I sautéed carrot, onion, garlic and celery, and added the broth and the meatballs, then noodles. I simmered it until the meatballs were cooked and the noodles were done, then I garnished with some chive and red bell pepper.

pizza stone on the grill

I had my buddies Katie and Marshall over, and served them this soup. Katie said it tasted like soup she’d had as a kid in Singapore, which flattered me… Must be the five-spice. It also helps to serve dinner around 9 pm after everyone has had several beers.

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Cod in Parchment Paper

December 15th, 2009 · French, celebrities, fancy, fish, food, parties, quick, seafood

I think the name for cooking in parchment paper is cooking “en papillote,” but you know, it’s my mom and my brother that speaks the French, murky bo cups. I based this dish on one I saw Rachael Ray do, which of course, she calls “Spanish Fish in a Sack.” (Okay, maybe you CAN dumb something down a bit too much.)

I just love cod, and olives too, so this looked mighty fine to me. I didn’t check Rachael’s recipe for anything but the cooking time (400 degrees for 20 minutes). I put cod, grape tomatoes, green and black Greek olives, onions, garlic, thin lemon slices and parsley in mine. Then I seasoned the stack and drizzled it all with extra virgin olive oil. I think fennel would have also been good… But I put the fish on the veggies so that it would cook down over those, and the lemon on top of that so it would go down into the fish.

cod in parchment paper

Oh, and I put them all on parchment paper. Then I folded them over on the top seam, and up at the ends. I put them all in a glass baking dish.

cod in parchment paper

I opened the bags, and drizzled each with more lemon juice. Delicious.

cod in parchment paper

I made extras for leftovers, as I usually do, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Just buy what you are going to eat that night… The leftovers were not as tasty as they were fresh from the bag. I served them with a little pasta, and I would definitely do it again, especially when I’d like to be “faux fancy” for company.

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Wayne’s Pizza

November 29th, 2009 · Chicago, Italian, appetizers, cheese, food, fun, junkfood, mozzarella, mushrooms, pizza, restaurants, sauces, sides, spinach

About six months ago, I found out my cholesterol was slightly high. That was the wake-up call that I needed to lose the last fifteen pounds of pregnancy weight. Coming off Thanksgiving weekend (okay, week if I’m being honest), I’m back to eating big salads and righting myself again. But the week sure was fun while it lasted! And hey… Now that the weight is off, it’s all part of the maintenance plan. (Meaning, I can hog out now and then.)

When one of those times comes around, one wicked place to eat is Wayne’s Pizza in Arlington Heights, IL. They have a great thin crust pizza (my favorite is spinach and mushroom), and their “nibbles” are amazing. I love the cauliflower bites. I could drink a liter of their ranch dressing (yeah, if that sounds disgusting, try it… And then you tell me). And recently (dammit), I discovered that their chicken wings are my favorite (even over Hooters’ wings, which I heard a rumor that they have changed, anyway). This place isn’t paying me, so believe me when I say that if you eat here all the time? Your health is gonna suffer. But if you eat at Wayne’s now and then… I think it might make your life better.

Wayne's Pizza Arlington Heights, IL

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Acorn Squash

November 11th, 2009 · Dad, food, leftovers, potatoes, quick, squash, value, vegetables, vegetarian

Dad used to make acorn squash now and again, and it was always like getting dessert for dinner. He slathered it with all kinds of butter, salt, cinammon, and a handful of brown sugar. Everyone got their own half to scoop out with a spoon.

acorn squash

Chris and I found some acorn squash at one of this year’s last farmer’s markets. I was going to pass them up, because I thought that the last time I made them, he wasn’t so crazy about them. But he said, “Hey, do those again! I loved them!” Oh! Okay!

I just cut them in half, dotted a little I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fabio on each one, and brown sugar, salt and pepper. I got a little fancy with the spices, but afterward I wished I had just done a little cinnamon. Keep it simple. Oh, and also I think they are better when covered: about 400 degrees for 40 minutes, or until soft when pierced.

acorn squash

I served each one (1/4 is actually a big serving) with the shepherd’s pie I had cooked right out of the freezer. (Which, by the way, came out very well: 350-375 degrees for about 1.25 hours or until the very middle is warm).

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I! Have Made! Pasta! (Spinach Gnudi)

October 8th, 2009 · Dad, Italian, cheese, florentine, food, leftovers, pasta, quick, spinach, vegetarian

I’ve already admitted to the whole universe, here on this blog, that I’m not the greatest Italian in the world because I don’t ALWAYS make my own sauce (that’s because that world that I live in? It’s the REAL one. Join me, there are babies here… Messy, but worth it!) Anyway, now I’ll tell you another purulent, grotesque truth: I don’t make my own pasta.

The last time I tried to make homemade pasta was when I was in grade school, with my father (who was Sicilian, and from New York, and bought his pasta from the store like most other Italian-Americans). We tried the same ravioli roller thingie that everyone else purchased during the time in the eighties when Julia Child, the Galloping Gourmet, and Jeff Smith were at the height of their popularity, and Dad sat with a pad and pencil next to our 13-inch black-and-white TV set every Sunday, trying not to miss any ingredients. (See if you can name all the technologies I pre-date with that sentence… It’s fun!) We tried it once and only once. We kneaded and re-kneaded, rolled and re-rolled, cooked fillings, pressed and patted, and created a gigantic mess that culminated in the two of us declaring “Oh, eff this” and going to Arby’s. Our roller thingie, along with all the other roller thingies from the eighties, ended up in a garage sale. Perhaps we aimed too high.

That’s why I knew that when I saw this recipe from Giada (Yes! Yes, I AM the Everyday Italian!) it was ju-u-ust right. I had never heard of gnudi. They are a ricotta and flour dumpling that is larger than gnocchi, but smaller than… I dunno, a big meatball. I made mine smaller than hers, about the size of a Chicken McNugget (that way there is more sauce per bite). It came together so quickly, and just worked. No special knowledge or equipment needed. And it was filling yet light. It was just delicious. One thing you should know: the mixture may be kind of wet in the proportions she states… Just add a tiny bit more flour at a time until the dough is still moist and pliable, but not sticky. Then be sure to dust each in flour before dropping in the water. Simple enough to make on a weeknight.

spinach gnudi

I stored the leftovers with the sauce, and they re-heated beautifully. I printed this recipe, cut it out, and glue-stick-ed it into my recipe index file. Now with THAT commitment, you know I loved it!

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Baba Ghanoush

October 1st, 2009 · Middle Eastern, appetizers, beans, dips, eggplant, food, leftovers, quick, sides, tofu, value, vegetables, vegetarian

Baba ghanoush is an Arabic dip made from eggplant that I’m thinking most of us have had by now. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it. Just make it, and eat it.

baba ghanoush

I’ve purchased baba ghanoush in a can that was, believe it or not, fairly decent. But it is so inexpensive to make, like, a metric ton of it. Like dude: a TON. Anyway, I froze several containers of it for later. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Ingredients:

4 eggplants
olive oil
lemon juice
3 or 4 garlic cloves
beans or tofu
salt and pepper

Here’s how you do it: I use a simple 4/40/400 rule: put four eggplants on a cookie sheet with foil for 40 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn them over once halfway through cooking. Let them cool. Then peel the skin off and put the “meat” into a food processor with three or four cloves of garlic (yes, this plan of mine will yield a strong garlic flavor. If you want less, use less, but honestly just thinking about that makes me a little sad). Use salt (plenty, keep tasting) and pepper and a little something to thicken the mix: I use either a rinsed can of white beans, chickpeas, or about 3/4 cup of tofu (whatever you have). Then I add lemon juice, and I use the concentrated stuff if I don’t have fresh ones on hand.

Blend it all up, and while it is whirring, drizzle in about a quarter cup of olive oil. Serve it with chips or pita, and drizzle it with more olive oil and some paprika. So, so good, and good for you (unless you have a date or a job interview). My friend Lynn recently made me aware of “sale produce” at our local Italian grocery, where they sell produce in big bundles that has only a day or two left. So I made this quadruple batch for about $1.29. What a thrill!

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Pizza Stone and Pizza on the Grill

September 23rd, 2009 · BBQ, Italian, basil, breads, cheese, food, grill, mozzarella, mushrooms, pizza, quick, sauces, sausage, value

Lookie my new toys!

pizza stone on the grill

I’ve been messing with this all summer. I bought a pizza peel (the big paddle), and a large rectangular pizza stone on Amazon.com. I went by the ones with a high rating. I have been buying the whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe’s, and I’ve had a lot of success with that. But you could make your own. I tried Pillsbury refrigerated dough on the stone once, and it scorched on the bottom and was raw on the top. I had to throw it out. But at a lower temperature, it might have worked.

I started this because I’ve never had a crispy bottom crust in the oven, ever. Sure, Boboli work, but I wanted real pizza: chewy inside, floury on top, and crunchy on the bottom. Well, turns out you need a stone. And it could not be easier.

You build the pizza on the paddle, and you’re supposed to use corn meal. Well, I’ve used Italian breadcrumb, and that seems to work okay. The purpose of this is just ball-bearings… You know, to move the dough off of the peel easily. The stone gets pre-heated on the propane grill (or in your oven). Mine gets up to just over 400 degrees (medium-high works pretty well). Also, you MUST use room temperature dough. Otherwise, it’s like trying to roll a rubber band. Also, it won’t puff up while cooking.

pizza stone on the grill

I use marinara out of a jar, but I’ve found it can be watery. You can mix it with tomato paste and heat it, or barbecue sauce. Or, just touch a paper towel corner to the watery parts when it comes out, and the water will wick up into the towel.

pizza stone on the grill

I’ve made all kinds of pizzas this summer, but all a little bit healthy. Turkey sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella… Take my advice and use the shrink-wrapped cheese, not the kind in water. Too much water on your pie. And I dunno about you, but I’ve never sat on Santa’s lap and asked for a watery pie.

pizza stone on the grill

After some trial and error (and a lot of blackened dough), turns out these babies cook in about four minutes! (Lets see Domino’s beat that). But you want to burn it just a LITTLE bit… This is supposed to simulate the coal or wood-burning pizzeria oven, after all!

pizza stone on the grill

I also bought a honkin’ pizza blade to cut the pizza with, shaped kind of like a saber and a mezza luna combined (they have them at Bed, Bath and Beyond). Your little wheel just isn’t ready for this kind of crunch.

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Swiss Pita Burger

July 30th, 2009 · beef, breads, burgers, cheese, food, mushrooms, quick, sandwiches, soul food, turkey, value

If you put spinach on something, it’s “florentine,” and if you put mushrooms on a dish, it’s “swiss.” Those are the rules, I don’t make them. (This burger isn’t so much of an alternative burger, but I did put it on pita bread. So there’s your alternative.)

Swiss Mushroom Burger on Pita Bread

I sautéed and seasoned the mushrooms in the pan that I cooked the burgers in. I put the ’shrooms on the burgers, melted the swiss on top, and added Country Bob’s steak sauce. If you’re not familiar with Bob’s, you should get there. Like Tracy Morgan says, “I’m down” with Bob’s “like four flat tires.” If you put Bob’s on a bank vault, I think I’d gnaw through the steel door. This sauce would make me eat my mother’s pork chops.

I liked the whole-wheat pitas on these, because the bread was basically a vehicle for what was between it: the meat, cheese, mushrooms, and the Bob’s. In fact, with those toppings, you could easily use turkey meat or a veggie patty, and it would still taste good. (Not as good, but that’s just my opinion).

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Lamb and Feta Burger

July 27th, 2009 · Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern, burgers, cheese, cookbooks, feta, food, lamb, sauces, spinach

Did I say I was doing these burger posts beginning July 4th? My, how time flies! Well, it might take me until next summer, but I’ll get the rest of these alternative burgers up. I’M BUSY. In fact, the dedicated reader will spot the backdrop in this next picture: the kitchen I moved out of in January of 2008. But I remember how good these burgers were!

lamb burger

This ground lamb burger is based on a recipe I have printed in Bob Sloan’s wonderful book, “Great Burgers.” I based it on his “Lamb and Feta Burger with Cumin-Yogurt Dressing.” I’d reprint it here for you, but A) I’m not sure I have permission to do that, and B) I didn’t really follow it closely anyway. I found ground lamb at Joe Caputo’s (but any real butcher is likely to have it, just probably not “the Jewel’s,” as Dad would say). I seasoned it simply, added a packet of crumbled feta, some toasted pignolis, and dried Italian seasoning. The yogurt dressing was greek yogurt with cumin and lime juice, and I sautéed the spinach with some simple seasoning, and finished it with some red wine vinegar at the end. And I didn’t measure anything.

lamb burger

I served them on pitas as Bob recommended. They were a bit rich (the lamb has a rich flavor), but nice for a new option.

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