Creamy Zucchini Fettuccine

I have finally started my new job, which means no more sleeping in, going on long walks in the neighborhood, and going to the grocery store 5 times a day. It also means that now that Shea and I are both working (yay!), we don't have as much time to prepare dinner in the evenings when we get home.

We found this recipe from our new favorite cooking resource, Good and Cheap. If you haven't checked this online book out yet, you simply must. It is full of great recipes that are healthy and don't break the bank. This recipe is no exception. It is extremely simple in its ingredients and execution, but this pasta shines in the simplicity. We served it with egg noodles instead of fettuccine, which I think added to the delicate sauce and sweetness of the zucchini. Give it a try!

Creamy Zucchini Fettuccine

Courtesy of Leanne Brown from Good and Cheap

Ingredients
½ lb fettuccine
 4 tbsp butter
 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 ½ tsp chili flakes
 2 small zucchini, finely diced
 1 lemon, zested
 ¼ cup cream
 ½ cup Romano or Parmesan, grated
 salt and pepper fresh
 basil, finely chopped (optional)

Directions
Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Salt the water liberally. This is how pasta gets salted, so don’t be shy! Most won’t end up in the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. I prefer my pasta with some bite, so I drain the pasta just before it’s finished so it doesn’t get mushy when I add it to the vegetable pan to cook slightly more.

Meanwhile, melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds to a minute, then add the zucchini. Stir the vegetables to coat them. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the water has cooked off and the veggies are tender when stabbed with a fork. Young summer zucchini doesn’t need much cooking. Add the lemon zest. Stir!

Drain the cooked fettuccine and add it to the zucchini pan along with the rest of the butter, the cream, and most of the Romano cheese. Toss the fettuccine around the pan to get everything mixed. Add salt to taste and lots of freshly ground pepper. Top with a bit more cheese and serve immediately.

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

We officially moved into our new apartment in West Seattle this weekend! The apartment is a good deal, and is actually probably one of the nicest apartments we have lived in for several years. One of my favorite things about the new apartment is the kitchen. While our kitchen isn't overly fancy, it does have granite counter tops, an oven/stove that works, and enough room for Seamus and me to both be working at the same time.

We made this dish to break in our new kitchen, and boy am I glad we did! Seamus cooked the fish perfectly, following the directions in the recipe exactly. It turned out so well that I think this is how we will be cooking our salmon every time in the future!

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Ted Allen via Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pan-roasted-salmon-with-tomato-vinaigrette

1. 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3. 1 tablespoon drained capers
4. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5. Salt
6. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10. 2 tablespoons canola oil
11. 1 tablespoon minced parsley
12. 1 tablespoon chopped basil

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet.
3. Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with the parsley and basil and serve right away.

Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas

A lot has happened over the past couple of weeks. Seamus and I both got jobs (yay!), we are moving to a new apartment this week (yay!), and we both had birthdays (double yay!). As such, we have been eating out a lot lately, celebrating with friends and generally feeling good about life.

My job doesn't actually start until April 20th, so I have some time on my hands and should technically still be in saving-money mode. So Shea and I went to the store today to stock up on groceries for the week.

That being said, I have given myself some leniency on cooking almost exclusively out of "Good and Cheap", and decided to check out my favorite blog, Smitten Kitchen, to see if there were any recipes that looked good.  I was immediately drawn to this recipe for a squash and faro salad. Yummy and healthy? Count me in!

I made the dish with some quick-cook farro that I got at Trader Joe's, and substituted sunflower seeds for pepitas and feta cheese for ricotta salata. It turned out great!

Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas

Courtesy of Deb Perelman at http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/10/butternut-squash-salad-with-farro-and-pepitas/

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup semi-pearled farro (see Note up top)
1/3 cup toasted pepitas (I used, and love, the salted ones)
3 ounces ricotta salata or another salty cheese, crumbled or coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)(omit to make vegan)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel squash, then halve lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut squash into approximately 3/4-inch chunks. Coat one large or two small baking sheets with 2 tablespoons oil total. Spread squash out in single layer on sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast until pieces are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly.

While squash is roasting, cook farro in a large pot of simmering salted water until the grains are tender but chewy, about 30 minutes. (Since there are so many varieties of farro, however, if your package suggests otherwise, it’s best to defer to its cooking suggestion.) Drain and cool slightly.

While squash is roasting and farro is simmering, in a small bowl, whisk together sherry vinegar, water, 1/2 teaspoon table salt and granulated sugar until sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in onion; it will barely be covered by vinegar mixture but don’t worry. Cover and set in fridge until needed; 30 minutes is ideal but less time will still make a lovely, lightly pickled onion.

In a large bowl, mix together butternut squash, farro, red onion and its vinegar brine, the crumbled cheese and pepitas. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil, use the 4th one only if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings. Eat now or later. Salad keeps in the fridge for up to a week

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

I love quiches, but I never make them because I always think about how much work it is to make a pie crust. This recipe is great because instead of a pie crust, you coat the bottom of your pan with sauteed onions (which is better than a pie crust anyways!). 

My grandma Kate used to always make "Baked Eggs" when we would go to visit her as small children. I LOVED baked eggs, and eventually started to ask my mom to make them at home, and then even further down the line started making them in my own apartment. This recipe has some of the same elements of Baked Eggs that I love (quiche-like consistency, brown and melty cheese), but replaces the white bread with vegetables making it way more healthy. 

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever kind of vegetables and/or cheese you have in the house. I used broccoli and cheddar because it is such a classic combo, but I could imagine this being terrific with peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and a whole host of other goodies. 

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter 

1 large onion, sliced into half moons

 3-4 cups chopped vegetables 

8 eggs 

1 cup milk

 1 cup cheddar or other cheese, grated 

tsp salt

 ½ tsp black pepper

Directions

Set the oven to 400 °F. 

There are two ways to make this quiche. If you have a cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet, you can make the quiche right in the skillet. This cuts down on dishes. Otherwise, start with a regular skillet and later transfer everything to a pie plate to bake. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your onion slices and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over them. Cook the onions until they are golden brown and starting to caramelize. If your pan is oven-proof, simply remove it from the heat and spread the onions evenly across the bottom. Otherwise, butter a pie plate and scoop the onions into it, creating an even layer on the bottom. The onions add a crust-like texture and a bit of crunch. 

A note on vegetables: For things like broccoli, cauliflower or winter squash, I suggest steaming or cooking them before adding them to the quiche to ensure they’ll be fully cooked. For tomatoes, zucchini, spinach or any other quick-cooking vegetable, just use them fresh. Spread the vegetables evenly over top of the onions. The dish or pan should look fairly full. In a bowl, use a fork to lightly beat the eggs with the milk, cheese, salt, and pepper, just enough to break up the yolks and whites. 

This is a savory custard mixture. Pour the custard over the vegetables and onions and enjoy watching it fill in all the free spaces. 

Bake the quiche in the oven for 1 hour. Once the surface is lightly brown all the way across, it’s fully cooked. Let the quiche cool for about 20 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve with a side salad.

Beef Stroganoff

I love beef stroganoff, even though I rarely make it or eat it. We had some friends over for this dish, and it was funny how everyone associated beef stroganoff with Hamburger Helper. I think that is most people's memory of this creamy, meat-y, noodle-y dish. This version blows that version out of the water. Whatever preconceived notions you may have about stroganoff, throw them out the window and get ready for a comforting bowl of goodness!

I never really realized it before, but beef stroganoff is basically a beef stew with the addition of sour cream and mustard, served over noodles. We had a delicious smelling beef stew bubbling on our stove top, and I was decidedly nervous about adding sour cream and mustard to something that already tasted and smelled so great. Shea slowly added each ingredient though, stirring carefully not to break the sauce, and it ended up creamy, tangy, and perfect.

Beef Stroganoff

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients
1 lb beef chuck or other cut
 salt and pepper
 2 tbsp butter
 2 onions, chopped
 2 large carrots, chopped
 1 tbsp flour
 2 tsp paprika
 4 cups water
 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 1 lb mushrooms, chopped
 1 lb egg noodles
 ½ cup sour cream
 3 tbsp mustard

Directions
Chop the raw beef into bite-sized pieces and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Toss in enough beef to cover the bottom of the pan. You may need to cook the meat in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Brown the meat on all sides, then set it aside on a plate.

 Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle with the flour and paprika, then cover with water. Drop the meat back in the pot. Cover the pot with a lid, but leave it askew so the steam can escape. Cook on medium-low heat for 2 hours. This process will make the beef tender and turn the water into beef stock. If you’re using a less tough cut of beef, you don’t need to cook nearly as long. Simply brown the meat, then substitute the water for 1 cup of beef stock and cook for 20 minutes. It’s a lot quicker, but of course tender meat is more expensive!

Meanwhile, in another pan on medium heat, melt the rest of the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat them with garlic and butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let the mushrooms cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they brown and shrink. Turn off the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook the noodles (or any pasta) according to the package instructions. Try to time it to coincide with finishing the stew. Check on the beef. If the water has reduced to approximately a cup of thick, flavorful liquid and the beef is tender, it’s done! If not, let it cook a little longer. Once it’s ready, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and mustard. Turn the heat down to low to keep it warm until the pasta is ready. Once again, taste and add more salt, pepper, and paprika if needed. Put the noodles into bowls and top with the stew. Sprinkle a little paprika over top

Chicken with Lemongrass (Ga Xao Xa Ot)

While spending 4 months in South Dakota, Seamus and I were predominantly the beneficiaries of my Mom's fantastic cooking. My mom specializes in gourmet sandwiches, roasting meats, Italian food, etc., but she doesn't cook a lot of Asian foods typically. Every once and a while Seamus and I would cook something that we learned from our Thai cooking class for my parents. I was always worried that they wouldn't like it because it is so different from what they normal eat, but every single time we made something, both my Mom and my Dad loved it. In fact, my Mom loved our Asian cooking so much that she  gave me The Complete Asian Cookbook for Christmas this year.

The Complete Asian Cookbook  is a 700 page encyclopedia of recipes from all over Asia. It includes gorgeous full-colored pictures and detailed descriptions of ingredients and cooking methods. If you are looking to add just one cookbook to your shelf about Asian food, I would recommend this book.

This is the first time I cooked out of this new book. I was worried that our lemongrass wasn't fragrant enough when I was cutting it up, but the flavor came through perfectly in the finished dish. The addition of sugar and fish sauce near the end of the cooking paired with the lemongrass flavor gave this dish the taste that you would expect in any Vietnamese restaurant. I also added some snap peas to our dish, just for a little extra color and a serving of veggies. Enjoy!

Chicken with Lemongrass

Courtesy of "The Complete Asian Cookbook" by Charmaine Solomon

Ingredients

1 lb chicken (cut into stir-fryable pieces)
3-4 stems lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Directions

Gently bruise the lemongrass using a mortar and pestle. Please the lemongrass in a bowl with the spring onion, salt, pepper and chicken and toss well to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the chili and stir-fry for a further 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the peanuts, season with the sugar and extra pepper and stir well. Add the fish sauce and toss to distribute evenly, then serve with rice or noodles.

French Onion Soup

I was out running errands, and when I came back into the apartment I was met with the sweetest, most delicious smell. Seamus was making French Onion Soup! Neither of us had ever made this soup before, but we were just talking about how we don't eat French food very often (because it is so often expensive), and when we saw it in our "Good and Cheap" cookbook, and thought we would give it a try.  I wasn't around when Seamus cut the 6 large onions for this recipe, but I have to think that the delicious smells and tastes were worth the tears!

Seamus used 6 large onions while making this recipe and served it with some stale bread and melted cheese. Perfect!

French Onion Soup

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients

4lb onions, any type 
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter
2 bay leaves
8 cups beef broth
1 and 1/2 cups cheddar, grated

1 tbsp vinegar, any type (optional)
3 tsp salt
6 slices bread

Directions

Chop each onion in half lengthwise, peel them, then cut them into half- moon slices. These big slices are fine since you’re cooking the onions for so long. Slice the garlic as well. Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover the pot with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes. When you come back, the onions should have released a lot of moisture. Give them a stir. Pour in the vinegar and put the lid back on. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. When the onions at the bottom start to stick and turn dark, add a splash of water to unstick them. Don’t worry, the onions aren’t burning, just caramelizing. The water helps lift off the sticky, delicious, sweet part!

Once the onions are very dark and about a quarter the volume they once were, add all the water and a bunch of salt and pepper. Cover the pot again, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for another hour. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls. Now it’s time to make cheese toast! If you want classic French onion soup— with the toast directly in the soup, which makes it a bit soggy—place a piece of bread on top of each bowl of soup, sprinkle with cheese, then heat the bowls under your oven’s broiler until the cheese is bubbly.