Post Pan Pasta: Sisters Cook

Greek Pizza

Samantha came over last night and I thought I’d make a pizza for us. I stopped at Giant for ingredients and walked past the olive bar, which smelled pretty good and made me think up this pizza. It turned out really good, even with just the pre-made store brand pizza crusts! Since the crusts come in packs of two I made 2 pizzas, which means Chris will try it tonight (and I get to eat it again!).

Ingredients:

Two 12” pizza crusts (or make your own)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 handfuls of kalamata olives, pitted & chopped

about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

about 4 oz of crumbled feta cheese

about 12 oz of fresh spinach

crushed or minced garlic (4 cloves or 4 of those little frozen cubes of minced garlic)

olive oil

salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Saute the sliced onion in a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt until it gets soft and turns light pink/white. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Saute the spinach in another teaspoon or two of oil and a sprinkling of salt in the same pan just until it wilts. Set it in a colander in the sink to drain off its liquid. You can remove spinach from the pan in batches, as its done, since this is a lot of spinach and the part at the bottom of your pan will cook faster.  Or you can cook it in batches.

3. Assemble the pizzas as follows:

• Rub a layer of garlic on each crust. This is a really good time to use those frozen chopped garlic cubes, just let them defrost a bit and spread one or two over each crust. If you use fresh chopped garlic, add a little olive oil to it to help spread.
• Lay down some spinach leaves (about 1/4 of what you’ve got per pizza). Try to pull them apart a bit so they’re not in big clumps. You don’t have to entirely cover the crust, in fact you don’t want to. Make sure they are drained enough or your crust will get soggy. 
• Lay down some onion (again put about 1/4 of what you’ve got on each pizza).  Spread them out!
• Lay down a thin layer of shredded mozzarella. 
• Add more spinach and onions to fill in gaps (using it all up).
• Top with feta and kalamata olives. (Use half of what you have for each pizza).
• Sprinkle heavily with oregano. Less heavily with black pepper and red pepper flakes.

4. Bake according to your pizza crust directions. Mine took about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

5. Let cool, slice, and enjoy! 

-Aliza 

9am

Kale and Toasted Almond Salad

I think I finally made my best version of this recipe, which was introduced to me by my roommates last summer, Molly and Sam (thanks guys!). It’s ideal because the kale gets cooked just enough by the hot almonds, plus there’s citrus (helps you absorb the iron in the kale) and protein. And just a little sweetness from roasted red peppers. Here’s the method:

A medium-sized bunch of kale (maybe like 6-8 stalks)

1 cup of slivered almonds

A few roasted red peppers (from a jar), cut into small pieces

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese 

Juice from half a lemon

1. Rinse the kale and cut out the stalks, then cut bunches into shreds (chiffonnade style if ya wanna be fancy about it). Place in a bowl.

2. Heat a couple table spoons of olive oil in a heavy pan and saute the almonds until brownish. Be generous with the oil and make sure it gets very hot. Should be sizzling slightly - but be careful not to burn the almonds. 

3. Pour the almonds and hot oil onto the kale, and immediately toss. The hot almonds/oil should start to gently cook the kale and it turns brighter green!

4. Squeeze the lemon juice over it, then toss in the roasted peppers and parmesan. Add fresh ground pepper if you like.

Best right away but good later too!

-Hannah

10pm

White Beans, Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes & Shallots over Spaghetti Squash

Sometimes I try to just make something with whatever I have in the house. Sometimes it is successful, sometimes it’s not.  This was a very successful make-it-up-as-you-go recipe. Enough so that it deserves to be written down and made again… on purpose. 

Measurements will be rough…. Serves two hungry people

Ingredients:

1 can of white beans (cannellini)

2 small zucchini, sliced into rounds

2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

1 shallot, chopped

olive oil

1 smallish spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, de-seeded and cooked in the microwave  cut-side down in 1/4 cup of water in a shallow dish for 7 minutes or until strands can be easily taken out with a fork (strands should be tender but NOT cooked to the point of limp mush)

fresh thyme (I had this in my fridge from an incredible lasagna recipe that I really should post. And I learned this is one herb WAY better fresh.)

parmesan cheese to garnish

Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat about 2T of olive oil. Add sliced zucchini. Saute, stirring regularly for about 5 minutes. Add chopped shallot and cook briefly until its aroma begins to come out.  Add cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until liquid begins to come out of cherry tomatoes and they wrinkle up a bit. Add entire can of beans, including liquid, which will mix with the tomato liquid to become a bit of a sauce. Keep cooking until zucchini reach desired texture, but try to avoid the sauce drying up - I like them pretty well cooked.  This will also depend on how thickly they were cut. If you need to, put a lid of the skillet to keep the moisture in. You can also throw a couple T of water or broth back into it. It’s not a very saucy dish - you just don’t want it to be dry.  When the zucchini is cooked enough Add 1-2 T chopped fresh thyme, cook 1 minute more, and season to taste with salt & pepper. 

Remove spaghetti squash strands from the squash shells. Place squash strands onto plates and season with a splash of olive oil and salt. Stir that around. Then top with the bean/zucchini/tomato mixture. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!

-Aliza 

9pm

Chai Tea Cupcakes

I made these yesterday and they were quite yummy. More like a muffin in some ways. Not overly sweet, but the frosting definitely puts it in the realm of dessert.

I halved the original recipe and ended up with about 9 cupcakes.  Here’s what I did, only slightly annotated:

For about 9 cupcakes:

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (or a pinch) salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom — I found in my cabinet something Hannah had brought back from India that included some cardamom pods. I broke open about 6 of them, smashed them a bit in my mortar & pestle and put them into my loose leaf tea baller thing and let that steep in the  milk during the step with the tea bags, but only for a couple of minutes because that raw cardamom WAS STRONG!
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I actually forgot to add this, but would do it next time.)
1/4 teaspoon cloves - used whole cloves from the magic bag of stuff from Hannah and threw them into the hot milk & pulled them out when I removed the tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
between 1/4 and 1/2 c. applesauce 
1/2 cup milk 
2 chai tea bags

FOR THE FROSTING
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (up to 1/4 teaspoon more, if desired)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake papers.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom (if using powdered), ginger, nutmeg, and cloves (if using powdered); set aside.

In a small saucepan, warm the milk until it just simmers. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the chai milk to cool to room temperature. 

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add 1/4 cup of apple sauce and mix until just incorporated. 

Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over batter and mix until just combined. Add 1/2 of the chai milk mixture, mixing on low until combined. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat until just mixed. Scrape the bowl, then add the remaining milk and mix until combined. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is thoroughly combined, but do not over mix. If it seems too dry (it should be a nice smooth batter) add a tablespoon or two more of applesauce. 

One thing that is great is because there’s no egg you can eat the batter… which might be the reason I only ended up with 9 cupcakes… hmmm….

Fill each cupcake liner with 2 tablespoons of batter and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar and cream together. Once combined, beat in rest of sugar, then mix in the vanilla. Add the cinnamon and mix until thoroughly combined. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. If your frosting is too stiff or dry, beat in up to 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

-Aliza 

8pm

Kristen’s Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili

Kristen made this for Jenna and me on Thursday and it was so good that I made it again today (Monday). She made it in a crockpot, but I adapted it to a regular pot. If you make it in a crockpot it’s easier — just throw all ingredients in the crockpot and… crockpot it. She didn’t roast the squash. She just precooked it for about 4 minutes in the microwave so she could cut it.

Ingredients:

1  butternut squash, peeled & cut into chunks and roasted in the oven with olive oil and a bit of salt @ 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

2 cans of black beans, drained & rinsed

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes (put the juice in the pot too)

1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce

2 small cans of green chilis (put the juice in the pot too!)

1 onion, chopped

Spices to taste: paprika, chili powder, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon

cheese to top

Method:

In your biggest pot, saute the onion in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes. Now, add everything else, except the spices & cheese. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low and simmer covered for 20 minutes. If it starts to get too thick you can add some water. Stir every so often. I added the spices at the end, so that I could kind of taste how it worked and what it needed once the other flavors had blended together, though there may be something to be gained from having the spice in there cooking with everything longer. You decide! 

Serve topped with cheese, with corn muffins on the side :) 

9pm

Herbed Bulgur Lentil Pilaf

Made this recipe tonight and served it with Brussels Sprouts with cranberry-pistachio pesto (recipe for that to follow).  Kristen sent me this recipe almost a year ago from Ellie Krieger and this is my first time trying it. We really liked it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup green lentils

1 cup bulgur

4 c. broth

2 t. olive oil

1 smal red onion, finely diced

1 yellow pepper, finely diced

3 T chopped parsley ( I didn’t have any and used more chives & basil instead)

2 T chopped fresh basil leaves

2 T chopped fresh chives

1 t lemon zest ( I skipped)

1 t lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

* I added in 2 handfuls of grape tomatoes, cut in halves

Directions:

Place lentils and 2 c. broth in a small saucepan & bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes (mine was about 20 min).  Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and 2 c. broth in another saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is gone and bulgur is tender, 13 - 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils. 

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and tomatoes and cook until tender, another 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the lentil and bulgur. Stir in the herbs, lemon juice & zest, salt and pepper.  Mix all to combine.

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry Pistachio Pesto

This recipe came from Mom. Also extremely delicious. I used a little more than 1/2 of the pesto for this dish ( I guess you could use it all, but I felt like the amount I used was plenty) and I am planning to use the rest to make some kind of flatbread with some goat cheese. 

Directions:

1.5 lbs brussels sprouts  - trimmed, cut in half and ready for a pan saute

3 T olive oil

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 c. toasted pistachios

1/2 c. dried cranberries

2 cloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh parsely (I used basil)

Process all ingredients (except sprouts!) in food processor until the nuts and cranberries are the size of large breadcrumbs.

Saute the sprouts in a bit of olive oil until lightly browned on the edges. Add 1/3 c. water, cover and steam them a bit until tender, but not mushy. This only takes a few minutes. If they’re not tender enough add more water & repeat.  Toss with pesto. Taste  and add more salt if needed. 

8pm

Gruyere Tarte with Caramelized Onions

Gruyere, caramelized onion and thyme tarte. We also added green apples.

Ingredients:
One pie crust at room temp
1.5 cups grated gruyere
1 large Vidalia onion
1 granny smith apple
Several sprigs of fresh thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the onion thin and sauté it in plenty of butter until caramelized.
2. Slice the apple into thin pieces and toss them in with the onions for the last 2-3 minutes.
3. While the onions and apples are browning, sprinkle half the grated cheese onto the pie crust, leaving a one-inch border. Sprinkle a generous amount of fresh thyme leaves and add some salt and pepper.
4. Put the onions and apple over the cheese and then add the rest of the cheese and thyme.
5. Crimp or fold in the crust so that it just covers the edge of the filling.
6. Brush the edges with cream or egg wash.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

-Hannah

12pm

Mmmm… pasta with lentils, mushrooms, tomatoes, and yellow peppers.

This is a very cozy dish I concocted. It is really yummy and belly-warming. I am currently trying not to eat it all because I know Chris wants some too! This will be more of a narrative recipe, because I didn’t measure anything.

1. Make some pasta. A small shape that the lentils and veggies can get stuck in would be good. Small shells? Probably about 1/2 a lb of pasta.

2. Make some brown lentils. You will need maybe 2 cups of cooked lentils. Cook them up in some broth if you have it.

3. In a big pan, so you can add everything to it eventually, saute 1/2 an onion, a box of cherry tomatoes cut in halves, a yellow pepper cut into bite sized pieces, and  chopped mushrooms in some olive oil. I used 3 big white mushrooms, plus an entire bag of these frozen wild mushrooms from Woodstock Farms that I am becoming a big fan of.  I got them at Whole Foods, but from a google search it looks like Hannaford and Wegman’s have them too. They really have a lot of flavor. When I use them I get my other veggies sauteed pretty much to the point I want them to be before I add the frozen mushrooms. 

4. As the veggies are cooking they will start to express some liquid (mostly from the tomatoes, though fresh mushrooms should let out some liquid too) that will become the basis of the sauce. Add in some bouillon at this point (maybe a teaspoon). I like this one  - it’s a paste, actually, and of course I get the veggie one.  Don’t let the veggies cook so much that that sauce/liquid starts to cook off, but cook them enough so that the liquid starts to come out. 

5. Now! Mix it all together! Add the drained pasta to the veggies and add in the cooked lentils. To finish, stir in 2 tablespoons of butter (so decadent!) and some chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and possibly garlic powder & oregano depending on your bouillon and the flavorfulness of your mushrooms. 

This reheats very well, too, and sticks to your ribs!

-Aliza

12pm

Sweet Potato Won Tons with Mushrooms, Bok Choy, and Miso Sauce

I found a recipe on Epicurious the other day for miso soup with sweet potato dumplings that looked pretty interesting. It happened to be from the chef from Green Zebra, a restaurant in Chicago that Kelly took Chris and me to a couple of years ago when we were visiting.   The restaurant was very cool, so I thought I would try the recipe. I went out an got the ingredients, but then when I got home to cook I didn’t feel like soup, so I took the won ton part of the recipe and respun it into this. The original recipe is here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Miso-Soup-with-Sweet-Potato-Dumplings-240809?mbid=ipapp

My version was pretty tasty. I would definitely make it again! 

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 T canola oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

a couple of heads of baby bok choy, chopped

1 package Hen of the Woods mushrooms (I found these at Yes! Organic Market. Shitake or any other flavorful mushroom would be good.)

1 package won ton wrappers ( you won’t use them all.)

2 T white miso paste ( I got a really nice one called Miso Master, also from Yes!)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Sesame oil

Method:

Saute the garlic and shallots in the oil until fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes. Peel and mash the baked sweet potatoes (baked in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until nice and soft). Mix the garlic mixture into the sweet potatoes. Add the salt & pepper. This is your wonton filling.

Put about 1 tsp of filling in a won ton wrapper. Wet the edges and gather them up and pinch together to seal. You will have a little purse. Make all your won tons. 

Put a pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, prepare your mushrooms. Basically, you are sauteeing your mushrooms, but if you have hen of the woods, there is a nice way to do it:  Cut the mushroom (it’s one big thing) into bite sized pieces (but not too small, just a size that wouldn’t be crazy on a fork.. maybe each piece is really 2 bites.) Heat a pan with olive oil and some salt. Put the mushrooms in and let cook about 3-4 minutes on each side. Don’t move them around while they’re cooking. Let each side get a nice brown to it.  Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain off extra oil.

When your water has reached a boil, add won tons. Don’t crowd them. Do them in batches if you need to (you probably will).  Cook for about 3 minutes, until the wrapper begins to get translucent.  Remove from water with tongs or slotted spoon. At some point, throw your bok choy  in there for a few minutes, too.

Make the miso sauce. Take some of the water from the won ton pot (about a cup) and put it in a bowl. Mix in 2 -3 T of the miso paste and maybe a teaspoon of sesame oil. Adjust to taste to make sure your sauce is strong enough. If you like it saltier, add some soy sauce. A lot will depend on the miso paste you have.

Now, in a large shallow bowl (or a wok!) combine the mushrooms, cooked won tons, drained bok choy, and scallions.  Toss gently with the sauce.  Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings. 

-Aliza

10pm

Veggie Cobbler topped with cheddar biscuits

yum!!! I just made this and while it has quite a few steps, it came together quickly. The original recipe called for onions, celery, rutabaga, carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, and red lentils. I think you can put pretty much anything in this, as long as you keep the can of tomatoes (it helps make the sauce) and use roughly the same amount of veggies. I was considering trying white beans instead of the red lentils and I bet that’d be good, too. Other ideas: kale, corn, sweet potato, peas, probably anything!!

Heres what I did:

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 carrot, chopped
8 oz shitake mushrooms (I had a frozen bag from whole foods. I thought this recipe would be a good candidate for using the frozen ones and it was)
1 cup green beans, cut into small pieces
1 Cup white potatoes ( I used some from a can of diced new potatoes, so they were already cooked)
14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 oz red lentils
2 T corn starch
3 to 4 T water
1 cup veg broth
Salt, pepper
Chopped parsley

Biscuits:
1 c. Flour
1 t salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 oz butter, cold
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1/2 c. Skim milk

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions, leeks, carrot, garlic for 3 minutes. Add all the other raw or frozen veggies you are using and cook about 5 min more.

2. Remove pan from heat and add tomatoes, lentils, and pre cooked veggies you are using (such as canned potato). Mix the corn starch with the water and add to the pan, along with the stock, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. . Transfer to an oven proof dish, cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

3. Make the biscuits. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour with your fingers until the mixture is mostly pea sized pieces. Stir in the cheese an parsley. Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl and add enough to the dry ingredients until dough forms, reserving some egg mixture to brush the tops of the biscuits. Knead on a floured surface and roll out to 1/2” thick. Cut into 2” diameter circles (I used my 1/3 cup measuring cup as a cookie cutter).

4. Remove dish from oven and arrange the circles around the edge of the veggie mixture in a ring. Brush tops of biscuits with egg/milk mixture. Turn oven up to 400 and bake for 10- 12 minutes.

5. Let cool and enjoy. 4 very hearty servings or 6 decent ones.

-Aliza

Salt

7pm

Early Fall stuffed and baked Squash

I made this yesterday and brought it for dinner at Kristen’s house. I had it as a main dish and Chris and Kristen split one as a side dish. I made it up based on what I saw in the store. I stuffed the baked squash with a mixture of mushrooms, apples, shallots, chives, rice, and the squash pulp itself. I also threw in some sesame seeds and walnuts for crunch, a few dried cranberries, and topped it with a bit of sharp cheddar cheese before baking. It was a very hearty dish, perfect for the change of seasons. Ingredients: 1 acorn squash 4 or 5 white mushrooms, chopped 1/2 a granny smith apple, chopped 1/2 cup raw brown rice ( wild rice would be great) 1 large shallot, chopped A handful of snipped chives A handful of walnuts A few dried cranberries Sesame seeds Salt, pepper, and cinnamon A bit of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1. Cook rice according to package directions. this will probably take 30 minutes, so do this first. 2. Slice squash in half to make 2 cups. Scoop the seeds and darker membrane out of each. Place cut-side down in a baking dish with an inch of water. Bake in 350 degree oven until soft, but not deflated, about 20- 30 minutes. 3. Put a little butter and olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the mushrooms, apples, and shallots with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until softened and slightly browning. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice , chives, sesame seeds. 4. When squash is cooked and flesh is soft, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving the skin in tact so they still stand on their own. Mix the flesh with the stuffing mixture. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a bit of cinnamon. 5. Stuff the skins with the mixture. Push a few walnuts and cranberries into each one and top with the cheese. 6. Dump the water out of the baking pan. Spray 2 small circles of baking spray in the pan and place one squash half on each one. Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese bubbles and browns and filling is warm. -Aliza

10am

Baked Penne Pasta with Wild Mushroom Ragout - adapted

So, this recipe probably no longer deserves the phrase “wild mushroom ragout” because of the changes I made to it, but that’s the original name. I guess what I made is more like a baked penne “macaroni & cheese” with a really nice sauce and some very savory vegetables. Chris says we should just call it Baked Wild Vegetable Penne. Okay….

Here is the original recipe from Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Baked-Penne-Pasta-with-Wild-Mushroom-Ragout-5907

Here is what I made:

Ingredients

6 T butter (divided)

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 a bunch of parsley, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

12 oz. penne or rigatoni

2 1/2 cups milk 

2 1/2 T flour

1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

pinch of nutmeg

salt

pepper

breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Boil a large pot of water and make the pasta. 

2. Meanwhile, melt 3 T of  butter in a pan and saute the onions, carrots, and celery with some salt & pepper. After about 5 minutes add the mushrooms and a bit more salt. Let the mushrooms expel their liquid and continue cooking until the liquid mostly dissapears. 

3. Make the sauce. I pretty much made the sauce as it was written: Melt 3 T of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour & stir constantly until golden. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir until sauce thickens & boils (about 4 minutes). Stir in the cheddar and parmesan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a tiny dash of nutmeg.

4. Combine the cooked pasta, chopped parsley, sauteed vegetables, and the sauce in a baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar. Bake at 425 until golden on top and heated through (took only about 15 minutes). Let set and cool before serving.

Enjoy! 

—Aliza 

12pm

Spicy Honey Kissed Tofu

When I saw Grammy 2 weeks ago she mentioned she made a delicious “spicy honey kissed chicken.” Mom & I both thought it could be easily adapted to tofu, so I asked Grammy for the recipe. She sent it to me and I adapted it tonight and it was YUM! Chris thoroughly enjoyed it, too. We had it with a side of steamed broccoli, which was good to mop up the sauce.

I will write the recipe as it’s written for chicken & note how I changed the cooking technique slightly for tofu.

For the Rub:

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried sage (I left this out, cuz I don’t like sage)

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. black pepper (I went with 1/2)

AND THEN

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken (I used about 3/4 of a block of tofu. I wanted to use the whole block, but I ran out of rub, so if you want to the whole block, increase the amount of rub you prepare. I cut my tofu into 1/2 inch slabs and then cut each slab in half, so they were wide sticks.)

1 T canola oil or corn oil (I used a mixture of veg oil & olive oil, and since I don’t have a non-stick pan at the moment, I used a bit more than 1 T)

3T fresh lemon juice

1 T honey

1 T soy sauce

Directions:

1. Mix the ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl.  Use your fingertips to press the rub all over the chicken, then cut into strips about 1/2” wide. (I cut my tofu first, then pressed the rub into both sides of each piece. Didn’t take long and I wanted to prevent the rub from falling off by handling the pieces as little as possible after putting the rub on).

2. In a large non-stick skillet heat oil over med-high heat, swirl pan to coat bottom.  Cook the chicken  3-5 min, or until nearly cooked, stirring frequently. (I laid the tofu in the heated oil and let it cook for about 4 minutes, NOT STIRRING, and then I flipped the pieces and cooked another 2 mins).

3. Combine lemon juice, honey, and soy sauce, and then stir into the chicken in the pan. Increase heat to high and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. (I just cooked it a couple minutes, stirring once or twice. I ended up with a nice sauce that thickened up a bit during this step.)

Voila! It was YUMMY and very fast to prepare!

-Aliza

8pm