5 TIny Kitchen Confessions

1. I'm taking a spring break! Well, I've been blogging while on my spring break, but the week after spring break, I'm not making anything new or exciting. With having family here for a long weekend, eating out a few times, etc etc, we are going to have quick and easy meals for next week.
2. Most of my pots, pans, and cooking tools have come from my grandmother and great aunt. When my great aunt was moved to a nursing home, my grandmother, who lived next door, brought me over and helped me pack a box of stuff to help with my first apartment. Then she gave me all kinds of her extra things. I haven't had to buy anything since.
3. I'd take savory over sweet, any day. I'm not much of a dessert person, but I love crunchy, salty, and savory foods. 
4. I cook, Jerry does the dishes. It is the perfect arrangement. We do have a dishwasher, though...so...
5. In the summer, I try to never use the oven, but prefer to use the grill. My mom would always get mad if we used the oven in the summer because it made the house hot...I guess it stuck.

-Carly

Low-Fat Artichoke & Sundried Tomato Stuffed Manicotti

One of Jerry's favorite foods is stuffed shells, though it is likely been years since he's eaten it, since stuffed shells really is not the most healthy dish. So, I was very excited when I saw a suggestion for using fat-free cottage cheese in place of ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Adding a larger portion of veggies, makes this dish even more appealing. I desperately search our usual grocery store for whole wheat shells, but I couldn't even find regular white shells! So I opted for whole wheat manicotti, which had great results.

Serves:

2-4 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups steamed artichoke hearts, coursely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 (16 ounce) container fat-free cottage cheese
• 10 oz fresh spinach, coursely chopped
• 1 cup dried tomatoes, re-hydrated
• 1 egg
• 12 manicotti shells, cooked and drained
• 1 (15 1/4 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce, or homemade if you are up for it!
• 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat, sprinkling your oil over it. Saute your onion, garlic, Italian seasoning until tender.
3. Add the artichokes and cook for about 3 minutes. Finally add the spinach a little at a time, until it is wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese and egg.
4. Carefully stuff each manicotti with the mixture. I find that using my hands rather than a spoon was more frustrating than anything. 
5. Put 1/2 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan and arrange the manicotti on top of it.
6. Top with the remaining sauce and your shredded cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until hot.
7. Enjoy!

-Carly

Greek-Inspired Turkey Burgers

Feta-cheese, roasted red peppers with hints of mint make these lean turkey burgers incredibly savory and delicious. For a protein-focused meal, these are an easy-to-prepare and extremely satisfying. 

Makes:

4 1/4 lb turkey burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped onion (red or yellow)
• 2 Tbsp dried mint or 3/4 cup fresh mint
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1.5 oz crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dried tomatoes, rehydrated and chopped
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• cooking spray
• pita or whole wheat burger buns (optional)
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, (bottled peppers work best) cut into strips

Cooking:

1. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the onion, mint, breadcrumbs, feta cheese, lemon juice, dill, tomatoes, and ground turkey. Stir to fully combine. Divide the mixture 4 equal parts, making into burger patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Heat a large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Cook the patties for about 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked throughout.
3. Put your burger onto a bun or pita if desired, and top with the roasted red peppers.
4. Enjoy!

Notes:

• These patties can be frozen, if used within 2 months! Be sure they are in an air tight container! I made the four patties and froze 2 for a future meal.
• These would be great on the grill when the weather starts to warm! 
• An olive tapenade would also be delicious as a topping for these burgers.
• I prefer to use dried tomatoes rather than oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes as they are easy to re-hydrate but do not have the added fat from oil. Melissa's has dried tomato products that you simply have to soak in hot water for a few minutes then are ready to go. Another great bonus? They taste just as good!

-Carly

Massaman Curry

Jerry and I have quite an affinity for Thai food. Spicy curries are so filling and satisfying and make a complete meal all in one bowl. They are also easier to make than you might expect! My only suggestion is to have all your ingredients measured and ready to go, as the process of cooking goes very quickly. This recipe has chicken in it, but you can easily omit it, or replace it with beef if you prefer.

Serves:

2-4

Ingredients:

• 1-2 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
• 1-2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14 oz light coconut milk
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium tomato, sliced into small wedges
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1/3 cup onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1 red chili, or 3/4 tsp red pepper chili flakes
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts or cashews
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp whole cumin seed
• 1/2 white pepper
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Cooking:

1. Heat a wok, large frying pan, or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around, adding the onion, ginger, garlic, and chili. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the stock, bay leaves, turmeric, chopped nuts, ground coriander, whole cumin seeds, white pepper, lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a light boil.
3. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat. Stir in the coconut milk and potatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, allowing to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender.
4. Add the red pepper and tomato during the final 10 -15 minutes of cooking time. Keep the curry uncovered if you like it thicker, or covered if you would like it thinner. 
5. Taste the curry and adjust your seasoning. You can add fresh coriander, if desired. Serve with jasmine or basmati brown rice.
6. Enjoy!

I accidentally poured half a jar of red chili flakes in this when I first made it, and I desperately tried to scoop out as much as I could. Thankfully it wasn't nearly as spicy as we might order it in a restaurant, so it worked out well. Jerry complimented me by saying that this massaman was better than any he'd ever ordered in a restaurant. Always nice to have a satisfied customer!

-Carly

Chipotle Black Bean Burritos

Wraps, burritos, soft tacos...put it in a whole wheat wrapper and it is likely something that we will like and enjoy. These chipotle-flavored bean burritos are low in fat and calories and are perfect for making on a weeknight.

Makes:

6-8 burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, mined
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup salsa of your choice
• 1 package whole wheat tortillas
• 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 avocado, sliced

Cooking:

1. Heat your oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the garlic to the pan cooking for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the chile powder and salt, cooking another 30 seconds, continuing to stir constantly. 
2. Add the water and beans, bringing to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the salsa. Partially mash the beans.
3. Warm your tortillas by a method you like best.
4. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture onto the wrap. Top with about 2 Tbsp of cheese, a few tomatoes, some lettuce, 1 Tbsp green onions, 1 Tbsp sour cream, and a couple slices of avocado.
5. Roll up the burrito.
6. Enjoy!

-Carly

On this (Partial) Week's Menu...

As an elementary school teacher I am afforded the privilege of school breaks and I am just starting out my spring break this weekend. Not much is planned as Jerry doesn't have spring break, but we have some family coming to visit later this week. So, I only planned meals for the next few days, while I give myself more time to plan for what I can make for our family, especially for Easter on Sunday. That way I can head to the grocery store on Wednesday to re-stock.

Sunday:

Spiced Red Lentils with Poached Eggs, Whole-Wheat Naan & Roasted Carrots

Monday:
Mediterranean-Style Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad

Tuesday:

Tempeh Coconut Curry with Basmati Brown Rice

Wednesday:

Red-Lentil Rice Cakes with Spinach Salad

Does anyone have any new spring dishes they are trying? I had quite a hard time finding red lentils here in Morgantown, but I finally found some, thankfully! I would have been bitterly disappointed to not be able to make the two red lentil dishes this week! Hopefully they will be worthwhile!

-Carly

BBQ Pork Pizza

Oh, this is just the perfect weekend blog post! Jerry and I always treat ourselves to a meal that is, let's just say, a little bit less healthy than our usual fare. This is typically preceded by an extra long run for me and a race or extra hard workout for Jerry. Enter in Jerry's favorite food: pizza. Now there is a wonderful brewery in town that has an amazing wood-fired pizza oven, called Mountain State Brewing. They are lovely and have delicious pizza with creative toppings, yummy sandwiches, and of course, beer (my favorite is the Coalminer's Daughter Oatmeal Stout). We love it there, but in keeping a tight budget we don't tend to go there as often as we might like. One night Jerry had a foot out the door saying, "I want the Cuban pulled-pork pizza from Mountain State!" Not wanting to go out myself, and not wanting to pay $20 for a fancy pizza, I told him: "I can make that for you." Within an hour I was scouring the internet to figure out how to make pulled pork (great, it takes all day...well, I don't have all day...great, you are supposed to cook with a pork butt or shoulder cut of meat, I only have a small pork loin...A SMOKER?!?!), and trying to find a way to not completely mess up my promise of the same pizza to Jerry. Well, somehow I figured out a way to cook the meat in about 30 minutes, and make it taste just like it does at Mountain State. So, either I am a magician or perhaps they don't do all that fancy stewing, smoking, either. You decide!

Serves: 

2

Ingredients:

• whole wheat pizza dough (see here for my whole wheat dough recipe)
• 1 tsp smoky pork rub (I used Mitchell Steak Seasoning from Penzey spices)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 lb- 1 lb lean pork loin
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

Cooking:

1. Prepare your dough and preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Prepare the pork loin with the rub.
3. In a cast-iron bean pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat your oil over med-high heat. Once it starts to glisten, add the onions and garlic to the pot, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes, until the onions starts to become translucent.
4. Push the garlic and onions to the side, then using tongs, put your pork loin in, searing one side. Keep that side down for 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Continue until all sides of the pork loin have been seared.
5. Pour in the cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Cover with the lid and place in your oven for about 30 minutes. The internal temp of the pork loin should be 145°.
6. Increase the oven temp to 415°. Stretch out your dough onto a large pizza pan or pizza stone. Then either with a fork and knife, or two forks, begin to pull apart the pork loin. It should look shredded as you go. I remove any pieces of fat that might be present.
7. When the pork is shredded, mix in the remaining barbecue sauce. If it looks dry, you can add more. Then spoon this onto the pizza as your sauce.
8. Top with the mozzarella and green peppers.
9. Pop in the oven for about 13-15 minutes, or until the crust and cheese begin to brown.
10. Slice into 8 pieces.
11. Enjoy.

Notes:

• We will still go to Mountain State and order this pizza! They have a wood-fired oven and you just can't replicate that. But this is a good, less expensive, alternative for a night in!
• The first time I made this the measurements for barbecue sauce, vinegar and brown sugar were spot on, but the second time I needed a little more of each as it was a little dry, so I added more. 
• My cast-iron bean pot is the perfect tool for this dish, as it goes from stove-top to oven without a problem. You could easily use a heavy skillet and then transfer everything to a glass covered casserole dish for baking.
• If it is St. Patrick's Day, you should definitely arrange your bell peppers to that they are in the shape of shamrocks:

Erin go bragh! (Not that this dish has ANYTHING to do with Ireland...I just made it on St. Paddy's Day.)

I was so thrilled when Jerry exclaimed: "This is perfect! It tastes just like it!" Yes! I did it, and I did it without "traditional" (read: time-consuming) means. I hope you will like this too!

-Carly