sesame garlic green beans

Adapted from several recipes you too can find if you google "Sesame Garlic Green Beans"

I cannot find the original I made for Steve's birthday dinner, but it has seemed to work out okay. I am usually headlong into the rest of the meal prep and referring to a recipe isn't exactly a possibility.

Prep: ZERO
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: Not nearly enough

1 bag of ready to steam green beans
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBL sesame oil
1-2 TBL soy sauce
salt and pepper

Steam green beans until bright green.

Heat oil in saute pan, add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add grean beans to saute pan.

Add sesame oil and toss to combine.

Cook 5-8 minutes.

Add soy sauce and toss to coat.

Cook for an additional 5 minutes until soft, but still crisp.

MY SON WILL EAT THESE GREEN BEANS! GREEN! BEANS! GREEN!

lemon parsley fish cakes

Found these Lemon Parsley Fish Cakes  a long time ago via my everydayfood app, courtesy of Martha
Stewart. The kids love these easy weekday friendly fish cakes. Will they eat a piece of fish? No. Serve it up like this and it disappears, plus Mom and Dad like it too. Feels fancy. I never considered flash freezing them before as it suggests on the website, but next time I plan to make a double batch and freeze half.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total Cook Time: 40 minutes  
Serves: Two Hungry Adults and two short people

1 pound fresh cod fillet

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I use less or I feel the flavor is a little overpowering)
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco (I would like to add this, but to make it kid-friendly, I omit)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cod in a baking dish; rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast fish in oven until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then pat dry with paper towels. Flake with a fork.
(I do this part before I grab the kids, allowing it to cool while I brave the day care pick up)

2.In a large bowl, combine cod, egg, scallions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, breadcrumbs, parsley, hot sauce, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently until ingredients just hold together.
(I can usually count on one little chef to help with this part, sometimes to the point that they don't want to move onto the next step)

3.Form mixture into eight equal-size patties. Freeze on baking sheets until firm, then wrap each in plastic and store in resealable freezer bags, up to 1 month. Thaw before cooking.
(I usually make the patties and serve, but wow, great idea)

4.To serve the cakes: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook cakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve hot.
I serve with the Citrus Butter Salad OR my new obsession Sesame Garlic Green Beans

Citrus Butter Salad

adapted from Rachel Ray's Spinach and Arugula Salad with Oranges

1 bag of Butter Lettuce (Dole Butter Bliss) or 1 head of Boston Lettuce (spun to dry)
1/2 small red onion diced

1 heaping TBL orange marmalade
pinch of salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to emulsify

Optional: 1 navel orange, peeled and sliced into discs arranged on top of tossed salad

Pour Salad into large bowl, add onions

In small bowl create dressing with whisk seasoning to taste

Toss

Add oranges and Serve

Gnocchi with Summer Veggies

From Everyday Food iPhone App via daily recipe

I substitute 2 bags frozen tortellini with excellent results!

1 T olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, quartered and sliced
2 minced garlic cloves
1 pkg frozen gnocchi (15 or 16 oz)
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
2 T grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 T butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

- In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp - tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes.

- Meanwhile in large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi according to pkg directions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet.

- Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create a sauce.

- Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

(Giada de Laurentis via Food Network)

10 mins active prep, 30 minutes "soaking time"
Cook Time: 12 Minutes

- 4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
- 3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes (the longer you can up to 30 minutes the better).

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

These were SO yummy, but I didn't make the dressing on the first go around. Next time I will definitely try it with the dipping sauce she suggests!

open faced chicken sammies

Stuffing:

2 slices whole grain bread
Butter
1 TBL olive oil
1 lb maple sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup chicken stock

Gravy:

2 TBL butter
2 TBL flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp poultry seasoning
salt and pepper

small rotisserie chicken - meat removed from bone and set aside

4 additional slices of whole grain bread

For the stuffing:

- toast 2 slices bread and butter heavily
- chop the bread into little squares for "stuffing" and reserve for later
- brown and crumble the sausage in a pan with olive oil (I buy the maple breakfast sausage and remove it from the casing)
- add onions and celery to sausage
- season with poulty seasoning, salt, pepper
- cook for 5 minutes
- add the bread cubes and stir to combine
- dampen with stock, cover with foil, take off heat

For the gravy:

- melt 2 TBL butter in skillet
- whisk in flour
- cook for 1 minute
- whisk in 2 cups stock
- add poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- allow to thicken slightly

- Set the rotisserie chicken into the gravy and warm through

To assemble your sammy:

1. Slice of bread
2. Stuffing mound
3. Chicken
4. Gravy

Baked Haddock

(Real Simple January 2009)

1/4 Cup & 2 T Milk
1 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup & 2 T Bread crumbs
2 T Grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp Ground Dried Thyme
2 Haddock Fillets
2 T Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).

In a small bowl, combine the milk and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and thyme.

Dip the haddock fillets in the milk, then press into the crumb mixture to coat. Place haddock fillets in a glass baking dish, and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.

MODIFICATIONS

I prefer the Captain Cut Loins of Haddock and I typically buy one pound. This is easy, light and is definitely in our rotation.

Grilled Sausages and Polenta with Marinated Peppers

(July 2009 Real Simple)

Serves 4

2 T Fresh Lime Juice
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Honey
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
8 Small Links Italian Sausage (1 1/2 pounds total)
1 lb Store-Bought Cooked Polenta, sliced into thick rounds

- Heat grill to medium high. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil, honey, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper until the honey is dissolved. Add the bell pepper and onion and let sit, tossing occasionally, for 15 minutes.

- Meanwhile, grill the sausages, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, 10 - 12 minutes. During the last 6 minutes of cooking, oil the grill and all the polenta. Grill until charred and heated through, 2 -3 minutes per side. Serve with sausage and vegetables.

MODIFICATIONS MADE

Chicken sausage was on sale this week in many varieties. I chose Sweet Apple Chicken sausages and they were heavenly. The toddler was on a hunger strike, either that or she ate her weight in red peppers before dinner. Jury is still out on that one.

I had planned on prepping the veggies by the recipe, but in the end knew that everyone would enjoy a more traditional approach with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and a good saute.

Steve gave the meal 3.5 stars and asked that we make it again.

Mussels with Tomatoes and Olives

(July 2009 Real Simple)

Serves 4

2 T Unsalted Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 Large Onion, finely chopped
Kosher Salt and Pepper
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Lb Beefsteak Tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives, roughly chopped
2 Lbs Mussels, scrubbed
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, choppped
1 Small Baguette, warmed

- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook until just tender, 4-5 minutes.

- Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and olives. Add the mussels and cook, covered, until they open, 3-4 minutes. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Stir in the parsley.

- Divide the mussels and cooking liquid among bowls. Serve with bread.

MODIFICATIONS

I love mussels. I rarely have them, but when BigY advertised a special on PEI mussels this week; 2 lbs for $5, I quickly added this to the week's menu. I substituted tomatoes on the vine (on sale) and eliminated the olives because I was already pushing it with this meal. Steve wondered aloud multiple times what else we were having for dinner. I prepared a side of whole grain linguine and poured the leftover cooking liquid over a small bowl for each of us.

While Caroline declared "yuck" after sampling a small mussel, she dipped her baguette into the cooking liquid again and again with many declarations of "yummmm."

Not something we'll have all the time, but it was a special and delightful treat ready in under 20 minutes and definitely worthy of sitting down to have despite one crazy thunderstorm's ill-timed arrival.

I made divine fresh toast the following morning with the leftover baguette. Perhaps we will need to have this more often afterall. I love french toast.