Spicy Stuffed Angry Birds

Like so many people with a touchscreen smart phone, Ed is recovering from an Angry Birds addiction. (Click here if you have been living under a rock and have no idea what I am talking about.) Since he uses his phone so often for work related purposes, I thought this whole time that he was just being a good employee diligently logging in extra hours. "What a hard worker he is!", I thought. However, I've just realized that instead of working, he was actually playing games on his phone, mainly Angry Birds. So, it got me thinking...

If the Angry Birds game was a recipe, what would it taste like?

I would imagine Angry Birds - the recipe- to be made with cornish game hens, not a large bird like a chicken or turkey. No, cornish hens seem more appropriate. And they would have to be spicy, really spicy. And pork would somehow have to be involved. After some more thinking, my Spicy Stuffed Angry Birds recipe was born. The Jalapeño sauce is adapted from a recipe out of a very old copy of Better Homes and Gardening. The stuffing is my standard- no recipe necessary- stuffing that I make for holidays. I love the way the jalapeño sauce tastes with the hens and the stuffing. If food could translate feelings, I would say these birds definitely taste quite miffed!

Spicy Stuffed Angry Birds Ingredients
2 Cornish Game Hens
pinch of Salt
Bunch of Baby Spinach

Hot Sausage Stuffing
1/2 lb Spicy Sausage
1 stalk of Celery, diced
1/4 cup Onion, diced
1/2 cup Water Chestnuts, chopped
1/2 cup of Mushrooms, diced
4 pieces of Toast, cut into small squares
1 tsp Dried Marjoram
salt and pepper


Spicy Jalapeño Sauce
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Ground Mustard
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
2 Fresh Jalapeño Peppers, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Ginger, grated
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Salt
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

Spicy Stuffed Angry Birds Directions
Prep cornish hens by washing them and patting them dry. Sprinkle with salt and place them in a baking dish.  Stuff hens with cooked Hot Sausage Stuffing and cover birds with "Angry" Jalapeño Sauce. Place the hens in the oven at 425F for 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Let hens cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve on top of baby spinach.


Hot Sausage Stuffing
Brown the sausage in a skillet. Once it is brown, drain and set aside. Saute onions, celery, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in the same skillet. Add back the sausage. Continue sauteing for several minutes. Add the cut up pieces of toast. Then pour on enough broth to soak the entire mixture. Continue stirring and sauteing the stuffing until it is well mixed. Add marjoram, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes while you prep the hens.

Spicy Jalapeño Sauce
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until mixture is smooth and thoroughly mixed. Cover hens with mixture.

Ed's Verdict: He LOVED this recipe. Although, he thought it could be even spicier. For him, they were more like mildly agitated birds. But this is coming from a guy that orders his Rogan Josh "Indian Hot". Perhaps next time I might use 1 jalapeño pepper and 1 habanero pepper to make the dish even more furious.

Sunflower Asparagus Tapenade with Homemade Bread

 

When we visited Germany a couple of years ago, we quickly learned the German word for asparagus is spargel. While we were there, it was asparagus season, and the word spargel was written in swirly letters on the chalkboard menus in front of every restaurant and cafe in southern Germany. Spargel soup, roasted spargel, spargel on toast- you name it, and they made it with asaparagus. The green and often white, herbaceous plant was the plate of the day in nearly every eatery we passed, highlighting the European predilection for serving regional ingredients. A hint of the Spargelsaison to come has hit our own local markets, and I couldn't help but be reminded of our trip to Germany and all of the inventive, asparagus-based dishes we consumed that week.

This recipe for Asparagus Tapenade was inspired by a similar one I found in a recent copy of Taste of Home, but of course, I adapted it and made it my own by adding tomatoes to give it a bit of piquancy and agave to add a hint of sweetness. And, considering we were having company over, I couldn't possibly serve Asparagus Tapenade on store bought crackers! So, I got out the bread machine and baked some homemade sweet bread.

If asparagus is one of those vegetables you tend to shy away from due to bad childhood memories (canned asparagus, anyone? no thanks!), pick up some fresh asparagus at your local market. Cook it just enough so that it is tender yet still crisp, and I think the flavor might surprise you. As Spargelsaison gets under way and those farmer's markets start popping up around you, give a new asparagus dish a try. I doubt it will disappoint.

 

Asparagus Tapenade Ingredients
3/4 lbs fresh Asparagus, cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds (Pine seeds would work, too, but I had sunflower seeds on hand)
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Agave
pinch of Salt and Pepper

Asparagus Tapenade Directions
Boil asparagus in water for 3 minutes just to soften. Immediately drain and place in ice water. Drain again and place the  asparagus and all other ingredients into the food processor and pulse for 1 to 2 minutes or until you reach the desired consistency. Serve at room temperature or chilled with fresh bread.

 

In my opinion, bread machines are great. I used to make fresh bread the long way, but with 2 kids those days are over. Having a good quality bread machine allows you to serve your family hot, fresh bread in a matter of 3 hours (with only 5 minutes of work!) It's basically fool proof and if your machine has a timer setting, you can time it so your bread is done baking just as you are wake up in the morning- There is nothing better than waking up to the smell of homemade bread! For this loaf, I used a sweet bread recipe and omitted the raisins.

Sweet Bread Ingredients
1 Egg, room temperature plus enough water to equal 3/4 cup
4 tsp Oil
4 tsp Sugar (I used agave)
2 1/4 cups Bread Flour (I use King Arthur)
1 1/2 tsp RED STAR Active Dry Yeast

Sweet Bread Directions
Layer all of the ingredients above in order in the bread machine. Select 1.0 lb loaf size and press start. And that's it! 3 hours later you will have hot, fresh bread. I love my bread machine :)

Ed's Verdict: Ed by default does not like tapenades because they remind him of olive tapenade, and he really does not like olives. Yes, I do believe our food preferences are 90% psychological. But he loved the bread, and would eat the whole loaf in about 5 minutes if I would let him. (What does that tell us about his psyche?) Next time I would like to try this tapenade with pine nuts instead of sunflower seeds, because I think the sunflower seeds made it slightly too salty. Either that or I should get the unsalted seeds, but I just used what I had on hand. Over all it came out pretty good. I think this recipe is a keeper.

Shiitake Mushroom and Leek Pizza

I am admittedly a pizza snob. If given the choice, I would rather not eat at any of the popular chain pizza places. I prefer gourmet, mom and pop-styled pizza that can be hard to find outside of Chicago or New York. That has led me to my extensive experience/experiments with homemade pizza. I would much rather make my own pizza then *cringe* order delivery. (See, I told you I was a pizza snob). When I make my own, I can control how much cheese I put on it. It's always hot when it "arrives". I get to decide the thickness of the crust and make sure that it is baked to the perfect crispness. The flavor possibilities are limitless- not dictated by how much I'm willing to shell out for extra toppings. And finally, in a household like mine, there is no big discussion about what kind of pizza we will order. 1/3 cheese, 1/3 sausage, and 1/3 kalamata olives? Not a problem! Thanks to our fresh produce from Washington's Green Grocer, this week I made a shiitake mushroom and leek pizza with extra cheese.Yum!

As for the dough, a couple of weeks ago, my friend and fellow blogger at Midnight Train to DC and I were discussing the legitimacy of cooking homemade pizza using Pillsbury Pizza Dough. (We threw down a pretty crazy Provence Herb Cheese Pizza made with salsa instead of pizza sauce). Occasionally, I make my own dough, but normally I decide on my dinner plans too late for that kind of indulgence. Although, if you are interested in attempting homemade pizza with your own dough, here is a good recipe. We, however, agreed that it was just fine to use ready made dough. To me it tastes better than other pre-baked pizza dough options. I have also heard that you can make pizza dough with a bread machine, but I haven't yet tried it. Maybe next time. What are your thoughts on using Pillsbury pizza dough in place of the real thing?

 

Shiitake Mushroom and Leek Pizza Ingredients

1  can of Pillsbury Pizza Crust

3.5 oz Shittake Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 stalk of leek, cleaned and sliced

1 cup Pizza Sauce

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

a few dashes of dried Italian spices (oregano, basil, etc)

 

Shiitake Mushroom and Leek Pizza Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 425F. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Unroll Pillsbury pizza crust and using your hands, spread it out to desired thickness across the pan. Pour pizza sauce on top of the uncooked pizza crust and distribute it evenly. Add mozzarella cheese. Layer mushrooms and leeks on top of cheese. Dash a bit of seasoning on top. Cook in the oven for 13-17 minutes or until crust is browned to your desired crispness.

 

Ed's Verdict: Pizza! Who doesn't love homemade pizza? I'm sure some prosciutto or Serrano ham would have made this even better, but he really liked the mushroom/leek combo. And shiitake mushrooms taste awesome! I'm pretty sure cavemen ate lots of pizza.

Garlic Butter Scallops and Lemon Crab Dip

Growing up in Indiana, if you would have told me that I would one day be making crab dip in my kitchen, I would have thought you were crazy. Being 500 miles from the Atlantic coast, Indiana doesn't see much fresh seafood. The only time I remember eating fish growing up is either at Red Lobster or Friday Fish Stick Day at school. I'm sure things have changed a little since then, but I doubt Indiana's seafood options are anywhere near what they have in Maryland. Living near Annapolis, we've been out to eat crabs several times, but I've never made my own crab dip. It's incredibly messy and involves a mallet, a sharp knife, and a bucket. Check out this video for an in depth explanation. It's quite a lot of work, but I've discovered that the taste is worth the effort.

Since crab dip doesn't quite make a dinner (although that is definitely arguable), I decided to pair the crabs with some fresh scallops. This Garlic Butter Scallops recipe is delicious and easy to prepare. They only take a few minutes to cook. In my opinion, scallops go well with light semi-dry white wines, such as a Riesling. I also served them with arugula, pears, and cheese.

Before we know it, it will be crab season here in Maryland. Dinner this weekend was just a small preview of the possibilities to come. Considering how time consuming crab picking is, I'm not sure how often I will be making crabs at home. However, as for the Maryland crab eating tradition, I think I've been converted.


Garlic Butter Scallops Ingredients
1 lbs of Sea Scallops
3 Tbsp of Butter
2 stalks of Green Onion, diced
3 cloves of Garlic, diced
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Bunch of Arugula
1 Fresh Pear


Garlic Butter Scallops Directions
Heat butter over in a saute pan. Add garlic and green onions. Simmer for a few seconds and then add the scallops. Saute for a few minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked. Salt and pepper to taste. Lay the scallops over arugula. Slice pear and place it on the side of the salad. Squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish before serving. I also added a piece of soft Swiss cheese.

 

Lemon Crab Dip

1 Fresh Crab! (cooked or uncooked...) I went with pre-cooked.

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

Sprinkle of Paprika

Crostini for serving

Lemon Crab Dip Directions

Pick crab and reserve crab meat. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to crab meat. Mix together. Serve the dip on top of crackers or crostini. Sprinkle with paprika.

Ed's Verdict: He thought it was all awesome. I think he prefers picking the crabs himself at the restaurant. It feels more caveman-like. As for the scallops, we hadn't had them in awhile. They have to be cooked just right to taste good, and he agreed that they were ideally prepared. He also loved the taste of the pear and cheese with the scallops. And the sharp taste of the arugula really matched the soft flavor of the scallops.

The Otani Restaurant and Our Trip to Japan

Ed and I are heartbroken over the events that have occurred and are still affecting Japan. I write this post with the utmost respect and concern. I encourage you to donate what you can to the American Red Cross or the international aid organization of your choice. You can also check out our friends' Katie and Masato's fund-raising page at Nakagawas Have Hope. They are hoping to raise a total of $5000 for Japan. Any amount you can contribute towards this goal would be greatly appreciated.

Next month, Ed and I were suppose to go and visit some friends of ours that live in Sendai, Japan, one of the areas most severely impacted by the disaster. Thankfully our friends are ok and were eventually able to get out of Sendai. As additional news unfolds every day, we remain concerned for the safety of the Japanese people and interested in the ongoing recovery efforts. As for our trip, it is, of course, the least of our worries at this point. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops. 

Last Thursday, in anticipation of our upcoming vacation, we decided to try the Japanese restaurant Otani in Gambrills, MD. The food was so beautifully presented. I took some pictures and was planning on posting them the next morning. Instead we woke up to news of the devastating earthquake. 

Eventually, I still wanted to share my pictures from Otani as it is a lovely restaurant that highlights the sumptuous food from this amazing country. The presentation of each plate was absolutely gorgeous. When the food arrives at your table, it is obvious that the each dish was prepared with care and love, and that is difficult to find in a restaurant these days. If you find yourself in Gambrills, check out Otanti.

Miso Soup

Plum Wine

Mango Tuna Wrap

Red Bean Ice Cream

 Again, I encourage you to donate what you can to the American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ or the international aid organization of your choice in order to support the ongoing efforts to assist in Japan’s recovery.

Sesame Seared Tuna and Gingered Carrots

Ed's sister is in town this week. I felt a little bit of pressure to cook a pretty decent lunch for her considering the decision for me to start a cooking blog was partly her idea. The last time she was here visiting us, she enjoyed each dish I prepared and suggested I post my recipes online where she could see each day what we were eating. That great idea turned into my new blogging pastime. So, I wanted to prepare something that I knew she was going to enjoy. I decided on seared tuna. I mean, who doesn't like seared tuna?

Personally, I love seared tuna, not just because it is so delicious, but because seared tuna is quick and easy to make. And if you have never prepared it before, ginger goes perfectly with carrots. On the side, I served Japanese rice topped with roasted sesame seeds. Yum!

Sesame Seared Tuna Ingredients
2 Tuna Steaks
1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
1 pinch of Salt
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Sesame Seared Tuna Directions
Mix Teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and salt in a small bowl. Marinate the tuna steaks in the sauce for 30 minutes. Pour the roasted sesame seeds into a shallow dish and coat both sides of the tuna steak with the sesame seeds. Then sear the tuna for 30 seconds on each side y voilà!

Gingered Carrots Ingredients
2 large Carrots, sliced
1 small Leek, sliced
1 tsp Garlic, crushed
Salt and Pepper
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Gingered Carrots Directions
Drizzle saute pan with olive oil. Saute garlic, ginger, leeks, and carrots until carrots are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It's that easy.

Natalia's Verdict: My sis-in-law loves raw food, and has a real affinity for raw fish. Luckily, raw food is easy to fix :) It was definitely a hit!

Oatmeal Breaded Eggplant with Tomato Mint Salsa

 

A tomato, an eggplant, and a head of bok choy walk into a bar...


Ok, no, this is not a bad joke. Although, I'm sure those veggies could get themselves into a bit of trouble if left to their own devices. But no, these were actually this week's remaining vegetables I had sitting patiently in my refrigerator waiting to be consumed. It was a bit of a struggle to come up with a recipe that combined them into one scrumptious dish. Honestly, I still had the bok choy mainly because I had no idea how to fix it. So I had to buckle down, push up my sleeves, and open a few cook books. Luckily, I'm the kinda girl that has plenty of cook books lying around, can you imagine?


As it turns out bok choy isn't that difficult to make at all. Roasting it with a little bit of olive oil and lemon juice takes about five minutes and has a delicious result. As for the the tomato mint salsa, thanks to my food processor, it was even easier to make. If you don't own a food processor, I highly suggest picking one up.


The oatmeal breaded eggplant was a no brainer for me. I serve breaded eggplant around here at least a couple times a month. It's a vegetarian dish Ed actually really enjoys. This is the first time I blended almond flour and oatmeal to create a breading. It ended up pretty good. Tonight I also tried using water instead of egg to bread the oatmeal in order to keep the whole dinner vegan ;) So, in the end the joke was on me. This actually turned out to be quite a tasty meal!

Oatmeal Breaded Eggplant Ingredients
1 small Eggplant, thinly sliced
1 cup of Almond Flour
1 cup of Oatmeal
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
Olive Oil

Oatmeal Breaded Eggplant Directions
To create the breading, mix together the oatmeal, almond flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Next, wash and slice a small eggplant. Instead of dipping the eggplant in egg before breading it, I just used water. You could also use milk, almond milk, or soy milk instead of egg. Coat the slice of eggplant in the oatmeal breading until both sides are well covered. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saute pan. Once it is hot, carefully place the breaded eggplant slices. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they start getting brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and place on a thin towel or paper towel to soak up any extra olive oil. Serve with Tomato Mint Salsa.

Tomato Mint Salsa Ingredients
1 large tomato, diced
1 bunch of fresh mint
Juice from 1/2 of a Lemon
2 stalks of green onion, chopped
Pinch of Salt

Tomato Mint Salsa Directions
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse for just a few seconds or until the mixture becomes "salsa-like'. Serve over the Oatmeal Breaded Eggplant.

.  

Roasted Bok Choy Ingredients
1 head of Bok Choy
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Juice from 1/2 of a Lemon
Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Roasted Bok Choy Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut and clean bok choy and place the leaves on a cookie sheet. Drizzle bok choy with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and papper. Roast until While roasting slightly wilted and tender, approximately five minutes. Serve with Oatmeal Breaded Eggplant and Tomato Mint Salsa.

 

Ed's Verdict: He really liked it. He especially thought that the tomato mint salsa was good.

BBQ Rum Chicken Skewers with Warm Mango Medley and Sesame Rice

 

When my fabulously generous in-laws moved away last summer, they gave us their beautiful, well-stocked liquor cabinet. Not only is the piece of furniture a work of art, but it came fully loaded...and mostly with rum. "What am I going to do with all of this rum?" I bemused. Thoughts of Rum Spice Cake and Rum Ginger Cookies filled my mind. I ignored Ed's incessant response of the obvious, "Just drink it". I wanted to utilize the rum in a savory manner and perhaps in a recipe that would not leave me with a compunctious hangover the next morning. When I came across this recipe from Coastal Living for BBQ Rum Sauce, I knew I had the perfect recipe to make use of a little of Jamaica's finest.

To put on the side, we had a mango, yellow squash, and red pepper left over from our Washington Green Grocer box, so I decided to make a warm mango salad medley. To round out the meal, I also served some sesame white rice. 

BBQ Rum Chicken Skewers Ingredients
3-4 Chicken Thighs, chopped in to 1 inch chunks
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Dark Rum
2 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
1 tsp Ginger, crushed
2 cloves of Garlic,crushed
2 tsp dried Thyme
2 tsp All Spice
2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt

BBQ Rum Chicken Skewers Directions
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large shallow bowl. After the ingredients have been thoroughly combined, reserve about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl to be used for a final topping. Place the chicken to marinade in the large bowl. Leave the chicken for 30 minutes to an hour or longer if you'd like.

Once the chicken has been marinaded, carefully place the chicken pieces on wooden skewers and grill for several minutes on each side until fully cooked. After the chicken is done, brush with reserved sauce.

Warm Mango Medley Ingredients
1 Mango, diced
1/2 Yellow Squash, diced
3 Green Onion Stalks, diced
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lime Juice

Warm Mango Medley Directions
First saute the green onions in a drizzle of oil olive, then add the yellow squash and red pepper. Wait to add the mango and cilantro at the very end only and  then saute everything for just a couple more minutes. Finally, add the lime juice.

 

Basmati Sesame Rice

Prepare rice as usual. When the rice is finished, drizzle a 1/2 tsp of sesame oil on top of the rice and add sesame seeds for cute effect. Serve alongside BBQ Rum Chicken Skewers and Warm Mango Medley. 

Ed's Verdict: Eating meat off of a stick is very caveman-esque thing to do. Therefore, Ed was right at home with the kabobs. He thought the BBQ Rum sauce was incredible and agrees we should cook more often with the bounty of rum we have. He agreed that the mango medley and sesame rice went well with the skewers. There were no leftovers!

Tilapia Tomato Salad

Between all of the lasagna and macaroni we have been eating these days, I was feeling a little guilty averting from Ed's preferred dietary regime. So this evening I fixed a quick and healthy Tilapia Tomato Salad topped with green onions and cilantro and finished with a squeeze of lime juice.

Influenced by Peruvians who (to me at least) always seem to include a hard boiled egg in whatever dish they are consuming, I decided to add egg to the salad. Nothing too crazy, just pure and simple eating. Just the way cavemen did ;)
 

 

Ingredients

2 fillets of Tilapia

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, diced

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, halved

squeeze of lime

pinch of salt

Directions

First, cook the fish. I chose to grill the tilapia, but it was not a very pleasant experience. Even though I used plenty of anti-stick spray, the fish stuck to the pan. Next time I think I will just cook the fish in a saute pan. 

To assemble the salad, place the cooked fish on top of the diced tomato. Then top the fish with green onions and cilantro. Squeeze a half of lime on top and add a pinch of salt. Serve the egg halves on the side. 

Ed's Verdict: He was glad to get a paleo meal. In case you are wondering just what a "paleo" diet is, the basic idea is that the way we currently eat is contrary to how our bodies evolved over the thousands of years prior to agriculture. Lean meats, fruits, non-starchy vegetables and other food that were consumed during the paleolithic stage should be the staple of our diet. Food developed after the paleolithic age- grains, dairy, beans, potatoes, sugar and packaged foods are OUT. 

What do I think about all of this? Well, I get it. I guess it makes sense. Personally, I'm a little leery of a diet that doesn't include camembert or cupcakes, but I do get it.

Grilled Tofu with Spinach Mint Lime Rice

So remember last week when I made Vegetable Mai Fun with Asian Molasses Balsamic Vinegar Sauce? Well, molasses/vinegar is quickly becoming my new favorite flavor combination. (And besides, I now have a whole jar of black strap molasses to use!) I have been wanting to grill up some tofu on my new grill pan, and I figured that my new favorite flavor combination would make the perfect marinade. Boy was I was right! Is there anything this sauce can't do? As a side note, if you haven't tried tofu, I highly encourage you to give it a taste. It is a very easy, versatile food that takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked with. If you don't know where to start- why don't you try the recipe below? Go ahead. It's good for you.

 

Grilled Tofu and Marinade Ingredients
1 14oz pack of extra firm tofu, drained
1 tsp of Garlic, diced
1 tsp of Ginger, paste
3 tbsp Black Strap Molasses
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
salt to taste

Grilled Tofu Directions
Drain the tofu by placing it between two towels. Place a weight on top of the towel to drain more water. Leave it for at least 15 minutes. Once the tofu has been pressed, cut it into slices. In a shallow dish, combine the molasses, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger, and salt. Mix well. Add tofu and marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Once you are ready to grill the tofu, its pretty easy. Just add the tofu to the grill and sear it until crispy, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Brush the tofu with extra marinade while cooking.

Spinach Mint Lime Rice Ingredients
2 servings of cooked rice of your choice, I used Basmati
1 bunch of fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
Salt

Spinach Mint Lime Rice Directions
Cook the rice as you normally would. Then add the spinach, mint, olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Easy and Yummy!

I served the tofu on top of the rice and squeezed a lime on top of the whole dish.

 

Ed's Verdict: This time there were no snarky "where's the meat?" comments. He really liked it. He even had seconds. I think the taste surprised him. Make this dish for the meat lover in your life :)

 

Chocolate Squash Lasagna

Another butternut squash arrived in my WGG box. I often replace tomato sauce in spaghetti or lasagna with either pumpkin or squash in the winter months because it is more readily available. Normally when I make anything with squash, I add a little sweetness to the sauce such as maple syrup, brown sugar, agave, etc. I had some baking chocolate left over from my chocolate pie that I have been saving to use in a savory dish. The Mexicans have mole, so I figured why not chocolate and squash? I know chocolate and squash are often mixed with a successful outcome in baked goods like breads and cookies, so I figured this should work, too. 

Let me just go ahead and say that the final result was pretty good; especially the leftovers we ate the next day after it had a chance to set. However, I do think this recipe could be improved upon. I think the next time I try this dish, I may enhance the flavor a little by add some spicy chili peppers. But I had a lot of fun mixing flavors and coming up with something completely new and different.

 

Ingredients

1 box of no boil lasagna noodles

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

½ cup of water

3 tbsp of unsweetened baking chocolate

3 tbsp of brown sugar

½ onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, diced

Olive oil

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 15oz container of ricotta cheese

2 eggs

4 cups of shredded mozzarella

1 package of baby spinach

3 tomatoes, sliced

Directions

First, peel and dice the butternut squash. As I have mentioned in previous posts, this is not by any means an easy task. I don’t really have any good tips except to make sure the squash is at room temperature, use a recently sharpened knife, and try not to hurt yourself. I have seen already cleaned and chopped butternut squash at Trader Joe’s, but what is the fun in that?

Next, in a large skillet, heat oil and add garlic, onion, and butternut squash. Sauté until the onion is translucent.  Add water, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the squash is thoroughly cooked. Once the squash is tender, remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to a food processor. Depending on your food processor size, you may have to make the sauce in batches. Blend until smooth. Remove the sauce from the processor and put it in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the chocolate, sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

 (Full disclosure: in order to ensure proper bake times for the lasagna, these prep instructions are inspired by the cooking times and temperatures on the back of the lasagna noodle box.) Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 13*9 inch baking pan. In a medium sized bowl, mix 2 eggs, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups of mozzarella. Now you are ready to assemble your lasagna.

 

Your first layer should be the butternut squash sauce. Place a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Next, lay 4-5 uncooked sheets of lasagna. It’s ok if they overlap a bit.
Now place a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture and some of the extra shredded mozzarella.
Then place a layer of baby spinach and sliced tomatoes.
Now you are ready for another layer of the sauce.

Repeat this sequence a few times until the dish is full. I filled the top level with all of the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. 

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes. Then bake it uncovered for about 5 minutes to melt the top cheese level. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so before cutting and serving it. The longer it sits, the better it will set up. This makes a lot of lasagna, so it’s great for sharing with friends or saving it for the next day's lunch. 

 

Ed’s verdict: I asked Ed what he thought about this dish. Before answering, he looked at me straight in the eyes. We both knew what he was about to say. His words fell softly and slowly across the table. “It was good”, he nodded. “But… it… would have… been… better… with… meat.”