Chicken Paprikash with Spaetzle

B and I had never had chicken paprikash before I made this recipe, but I stumbled across a recipe for it a while back and thought that it sounded good to try. Looking up what it’s traditionally served with, I discovered spaetzle, which are like little dumplings. They were completely unlike anything I’ve made before, involving a process of pushing the dumpling batter through the holes of a slotted spoon into a pot of boiling water. Interesting. Anyway, this meal was definitely something that we were both really pleased with, and definitely something I’d make again. It was really different, with a rich and smoky flavor. Perfect for a rainy fall evening.

Chicken Paprikash
Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

I made several additions and changes to the above recipe. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet, and brown the chicken on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the chicken from the pan.

2. Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the onions until just tender. Stir in the garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Return the chicken to the pan, coating it in the onion mixture. Add the chicken broth, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.

3. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the spaetzle dough (recipe follows). Heat a pot of salted water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon or a colander, push the dough through the holes of the spoon or colander while holding it above the pot, letting the dough drop into the boiling water. *I found that it worked well to put a spoonful of dough onto the slotted spoon, move it atop the boiling water, and then push it through the slots in the spoon using another spoon. The spaetzle will rise to the top when they have cooked (only a minute or two). Work in batches, removing the spaetzle from the water with a slotted spoon and placing them in a colander when the pot gets crowded. Immediately rinse the spaetzle with cool water after placing them in the colander, to avoid sticking.

4. When all of the spaetzle have cooked, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan, and add the spaetzle. Cook for a few minutes to remove excess water and to brown to the desired color.

5. While the spaetzle are browning, remove the chicken from the pan sauce. If necessary, boil the pan sauce to reduce to about 1/2 cup. Whisk in the sour cream, return the chicken to the pan, and heat through.

6. Serve the chicken and sauce over the spaetzle.

Spaetzle
Source: Adapted from Tyler Florence

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and the milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well. The dough will be smooth and thick (not really like a dough – more like the consistency of pancake batter). Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly before cooking.

English Muffin Bread

As anyone in my family will tell you, this is the best bread that exists in the world. Well, the best savory bread, at least. My Mom’s pumpkin bread is pretty awesome. This is also her recipe, and it’s seriously one of the greatest pleasures in life. I don’t know what it is about the taste, but it’s incredible. It’s super crispy on the outside, coated in cornmeal on the bottom, and, as the name suggests, rather like a soft english muffin on the inside with lots of holes for the butter to seep into. And you absolutely, absolutely MUST slather this bread in butter when it’s hot from the oven and eat it before it cools. It’s the only way. This bread is fabulous on its own or served with soups, etc. I served it this time with beef stew, using the buttery bread to soak up the gravy from the stew. And then, of course, B and I ate some more by itself and almost polished off the loaf.

English Muffin Bread
Source: My Mom

 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
cornmeal
1 1/4 cup water

1. Mix 1 cup of flour and the package of yeast. Heat the water, sugar, and salt until it is warm and the sugar is dissolved. Add to the dry mix and mix on low for 1/2 minute. Mix on high for three minutes.

2. Stir in the remaining flour by hand and shape the dough into a ball.

3. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat, and cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

4. Punch down the dough, cover, and let rise for ten minutes.

5. Grease a 1 quart casserole and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place the dough in the casserole dish, cover, and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush the top of the dough lightly with butter, and serve warm.

Sage Derby Scones

Every once in a while, B and I like to buy a bunch of random cheeses, a loaf of bread, and some bottles of wine and have a wine and cheese night for dinner. We did this recently, and one of the new cheeses that we tried out was sage derby. It’s a white cheese that is mixed with sage to sort of have a green, marbled effect. It turned out to be really interesting…really mild, but with a definite herby flavor that was almost just a bit minty. We liked it, but it wasn’t one of our favorite cheeses to eat just on its own, so I hunted around and found quite a few recipes for sage derby scones on the internet. And I have to say that I enjoyed these a lot. They were buttery and crispy on the bottom and cheesy and light on the inside, with the definite flavor of the sage derby throughout. If you don’t like the cheese, you probably won’t like the scones, because even though the flavor of the cheese is rather mild, it’s really distinct. This was definitely a really different recipe, and I’m really glad that I tried it. I popped the leftovers in the freezer and am looking forward to having them with some soups next week.

Sage Derby Scones
Source: Big Oven Recipes

2 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated sage derby cheese
1/3 cup butter, cold
2 large eggs

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, pepper, and cheese.

2. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I sliced the butter and found it easiest to mix it in with my hands. If you do this, you’ll want to do it really quickly, though, to keep the butter and mixture from getting warm. You need the mixture to stay cool to get the right consistency when cooking).

3. Whisk together the milk and the eggs, and fold into the dry mixture. Quickly and lightly knead the dough (I did this in the bowl), just until it stays together.

4. Place the dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet and pat it into an 8 inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 wedges, spread them out on the sheet, and cook at 400 degrees until browned on the bottom and cooked through. (The recipe stated 15-18 minutes. I cooked mine for 10 minutes and they were done).

Parmesan Basil Orzo

 

I think that this is B’s favorite side dish. He could eat the whole pot. In fact, I haven’t experimented too much with orzo because I know how much he loves this one, so I make it often. When it’s hot off the stove, this is nice and creamy, and I love the toasted flavor and color that comes from browning the orzo before cooking. If you love basil like we do, add a lot of it…I’m not sure that you can have too much.

Parmesan Basil Orzo
Source: Adapted from All Recipes
*Serves 2

Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, or more to taste
Salt and pepper

1. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring, until it has browned.

2. Pour the chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken broth has been absorbed and the orzo is cooked (approximately 15 minutes).

3. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Another easy but yummy recipe, if you can call it that. Just throw the potatoes in the oven and let them cook for about 40 minutes, and you have a nice potato side dish flavored with oregano, olive oil, and carmelized onions. We like to eat this when we having something like chicken or pork, for a meat and potatoes kind of meal.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
Source: Original Recipe

6 baby red potatoes
1/2 onion, diced (I used a red onion)
Extra virgin olive oil, approximately 2 tablespoons
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper

1. Wash the potatoes and slice them in half, placing them in a small baking dish with the diced onions.

2. Sprinkle the potatoes and onions with oregano, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and mix to coat. Add more oil if necessary to ensure that the potatoes are covered and that there is enough oil in the bottom of the dish to prevent sticking.

3. Cook for approximately 40 mintues at 350 degrees, until the potatoes are soft and browned and the onions have carmelized. Cook longer, if desired, to brown the potatoes further.

Cilantro Tilapia with Avocado

This is one of our favorite ways to eat tilapia, and probably the way that I cook it most frequently. We like to eat the tilapia on its own, or we also like to top it with different kinds of salsa or pico de gallo. Tonight, I tried it out with avocado slices, and I think that it was my favorite combination so far. We also love to cook the tilapia this way and then shred it for tilapia tacos, served with shredded cheddar and pico de gallo. A few years ago, I never thought I’d ever eat a fish taco, but I have to say that they really are seriously, seriously delicious. I’m sure I’ll post them at some point :)

Cilantro Tilapia with Avocado
Source: Marinade adapted from Jason Cooks

2 tilapia fillets
1 handful of cilantro, about a cup, plus a few leaves for garnish
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped
1 lime
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small avocado, sliced

1. Combine the cilantro, onion, garlic cloves, jalapeno pepper, and juice from the lime in a food processor and process until combined into the consistency of a marinade.

2. Marinate the tilapia fillets in the cilantro mixture for at least 30 minutes.

3. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan. When hot, add the tilapia fillets (with as little or as much of the marinade packed on as you’d like) and saute until brown and cooked through, approximately ten minutes.

4. Serve the tilapia fillets garnished with avocado slices and cilantro.

Cilantro Rice

This is the first rice I’ve made in quite a while that I’ve been really happy with. It’s simple but packed with flavor, and it went great with our cilantro tilapia and black bean salad. This is barely a recipe, but I think it’s worth posting because we really enjoyed it. Next time, I’d add a lot more of the chopped shallots….cooked until starting to carmelize, they really added a lot to the rice and I would have loved to have some in every bite.

Cilantro Rice
Source: Original Recipe

1/2 cup white rice
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
1 shallot, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pan. When it’s hot, saute the chopped shallot until brown.

3. When the rice is cooked, mix in the shallot and the chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve.

Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp over Sundried Tomato Couscous

I was feeling kind of lazy tonight with dinner, so I made some shrimp with couscous – two items that cook up in no time. This particular meal was really simple without a lot of ingredients, but I think that it could be a good starting point for a really tasty recipe. I wouldn’t make it the same again…next time I would add some basil, pine nuts, and sauteed onions to the couscous, and I’d marinate the shrimp for a while with a healthy drizzle of the olive oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes and some crushed garlic. And maybe I’d add some Parmesan on top. It would be much more flavorful and satisfying that way, but I just didn’t feel like any more work than necessary tonight. As it was, the meal was what I made it to be….super simple for a lazy night and healthy, too. I’m posting the idea, anyway, because maybe it can be an inspiration for a really great meal.

Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp over Sundried Tomato Couscous
Source: Original Recipe to serve 2

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined and with tails removed
2 slices of prosciutto, sliced into 16 equal portions
Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper
1/3 cup whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (I buy mine in a jar packed in olive oil and already julienned)

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper, and toss to coat. Don’t use any salt here – the prosciutto is plenty salty.

2. Wrap each shrimp tightly with a slice of prosciutto, and place them on a plate until you’re ready to cook them.

3. Pour the water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the couscous. Stir well, cover, and let sit for five minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat a panini press or George Foreman and add the shrimp. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque. Alternatively, you could skewer the shrimp and cook it on a grill….this is what I would do next time, but again…I was really lazy tonight.

5. Fluff the couscous with a fork and mix in the sundried tomatoes. Top with the cooked shrimp and serve.

Eggplant Parmesan

I’ve never actually had eggplant Parmesan before, and neither has B. If this is what it’s supposed to taste like, though, then I definitely love it. Sort of like chicken Parmesan lasagna. And I think B liked it even more than me! It didn’t stay the prettiest when I took it out of the pan (what lasanga type thing ever does?), but the flavors were awesome. The sauce was my favorite part….by B’s request, I used a whole heap of basil, and its flavor just seemed to seep into the sauce, which was already super garlicy and delicious. Combined with the breaded eggplant and the cheese, this really was fantastic. Perfect with a nice glass of wine :)

Eggplant Parmesan
Source: Simply Recipes

I made a few adjustments to the above recipe. I scaled it down to make a smaller meal, and also changed some of the ingredients a bit and used a lot less oil. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

2 small eggplants
Kosher salt
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup grated high quality Parmesan cheese
2 cups of fresh basil leaves

1. Slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange one layer in the bottom of a large colander and sprinkle evenly with salt. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, salting, until all eggplant is in the colander. Weigh down the slices with a couple of dishes and let drain for 45 minutes to 2 hours. The purpose of this step is to have the eggplant release some of its moisture before cooking.

2. While the eggplant is draining, prepare the tomato sauce. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, and a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3. When the eggplant has drained, press down on it to remove the excess water, and wipe off the excess salt and water with paper towels. Pour the breadcrumbs into a bowl, and pour the beaten eggs into another bowl. Place a large skillet over medium heat, and pour in a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil is hot, dredge the eggplant slices first in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs.  Working in batches, place the eggplant in the pan and saute until golden brown on both sides, turning once.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a small glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top the eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.

5. Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, the remaining mozzarella, half of the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add the remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.

6. Bake until the cheese has melted and the top is slightly brown, approximately 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Saute with Almonds and Parmesan

In my quest to make myself like zucchini and squash, I’ve found that I quite prefer it if it’s shredded, sliced, julienned….anything but big squishy chunks. I was really happy with this zucchini saute. It was really simple to prepare, but really flavorful. The shavings of Parmesan cheese were awesome…they complimented the zucchini really well. Seeing as how I saved the cheese-covered zuchhini for last, I think next time I’ll add more cheese and mix it into the zucchini, rather than just sprinkling on top. Prepared that way, I think that the dish will be perfect. And being the almond lover that he is, B really liked the almonds in the dish and thought that they added a ton of flavor, too. Overall, we both really enjoyed this recipe and will definitely make it again.

Zucchini Saute with Almonds and Parmesan
Source: Kitchenography

Here is the recipe how I made it:

1/2 of a large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into thin strips (approximately 10-12), and then cut horizontally into matchsticks
A handful of almonds, roughly chopped (about a 1/4 cup)
Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin slices
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan. When hot, add the almonds and saute for approximately one minute. Add the zucchini to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the zucchini starts to soften, only a few minutes.

2. Plate the zucchini and almond mixture and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese shavings.