Teriyaki Hens

I enjoy using cornish game hens as they are already perfectly portioned for you. The one drawback for me is that you really need to cook them with the skin on which means any seasoning I put on the skin usually gets discarded as I choose not to eat the skin. So, my biggest disappointment with this recipe is that I didn't get the full flavor of the sauce since it is brushed on the skin...I should have put some on the side in small bowls to use a dipping sauce...maybe next time....

Teriyaki Hens

2 Cornish game hens (about 1 1/2 lbs each), halved

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1 small red chile peppers, halved (remove seeds for less heat)

1 bunch scallions

1 grapefruit, halved

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Season the hens with salt and pepper and place skin-side up in a roasting pan. Roast until the skin is slightly crisp, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, ginger, 1 chile pepper and 1/4 cup water in a pot. Cut half of the scallions into large pieces, and zest and juice half of the grapefruit; add to the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Brush the hens with a few tablespoons of the sauce and continue roasting until golden, about 8 more minutes. Serves 4.

Broiled Halibut with Ricotta-Pea Puree

The halibut in this recipe turned out well after making it for the first time, that I would make it again...not so much for the pea puree! I like peas and I like ricotta, but I don't like peas mixed with ricotta.

Broiled Halibut with Ricotta-Pea Puree

3 small carrots, quartered lengthwise

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 6-oz center-cut skinless halibut fillets (1 3/4 inches thick)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 10 oz pkg frozen peas

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

1 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil and preheat 5 minutes. Meanwhile, brush the carrots and onion with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the fish with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the paprika; brush to coat the fish evenly with paprika. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, place the fish in the center and scatter the onion and carrots around. Broil until the fish is golden and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the peas in a bowl with 1/4 cup water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the peas and liquid to a food processor and pulse with the ricotta, butter and a pinch of salt to make a slightly chunky puree. Divide the puree among plates and top with the fish, carrots, onion and pan juices.

Tilapia with Green Beans

I've been purging cooking magazines over the past two weeks as I had a year and a half's worth of Taste of Home, Bon Appetit, and Food and Wine that needed to be gone through! I tore out the recipes I thought I would try within the next six months or so and recycled the rest (after letting Ally have a little fun with them first). As I was going through the magazines, I've come across several recipes which I have made over the last few months but had yet to blogged, so here are some "new" recipes.

Tilapia with Green Beans
2 Tbls all-purpose flour
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
2 Tbls chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 6-oz tilapia fillets
4 Tbls unsalted butter
1/2 lb thin green beans or haricots verts
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lemon

Combine the flour, oregano and parsley in shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Melt 3 tbsp butter in the skillet, then add 2 fillets and cook until golden brown on the bottom about 4 minutes. Flip and cook through, 1 or 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 fillets. Add the green beans and garlic to the skillet and cook about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the tomatoes and cook until just softened, about 1 more minute. Stir in the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water, then cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tbsp butter until just melted. Divide the fish and vegetables among plates. Garnish with oregano. Serves 4.

White Chili

It doesn't seem appropriate to be posting, much less making a chili during the summer. In the 2 1/2 years I've lived in Wyoming, I've learned that summer is filled with 50 degree rainy days...which we just had a week of recently. So, although I typically reserve soups and chili recipes for the fall and winter months, I did make this White Chili last night. Warning - this soup is SPICY...and gets SPICIER the longer it sits (as in we couldn't even eat the leftovers!).

White Chili (ToH)
3 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 jar (15oz) Alfredo sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 to 2 cans (4oz each) chopped green chilies
1 1/2 cups frozen gold and white corn
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 small sweet yellow pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbls ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp white pepper
1 to 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salsa verde and chopped fresh cilantro, optional

In a 5 or 6-qt slow cooker, combine the first 15 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through, stirring once. Serve with salsa verde and cilantro if desired. Serves 12 (1 cup each).

Cold Tortellini Chicken Salad

I'm always on the look out for recipes that I can make at the beginning of the week and enjoy for lunch throughout the week. I find that lunch is the hardest meal for me to plan. It's always that meal that I feel I eat the same thing all the time, but I don't want to go to the trouble of making someone "elaborate" for just me at lunch time. So, I've started collecting recipes that I am labeling "lunch"...although they very well could be used for dinner as well....but in my household the recipes will serve me for lunch, as many of them contain ingredients (or a combination of) that my husband won't eat.

This "lunch" recipe was found in a Woman's Day magazine:
Cold Tortellini Chicken Salad
9-10 oz cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 Tbls Italian seasoning (I thought this was WAY too much...I would decrease to 1 Tbls)
1 cup light buttermilk ranch dressing
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
(The recipe doesn't call for any additional vegetables, but I added broccoli florets and diced red pepper)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse and cool. Prepare other ingredients and toss together. Add pasta to mixture; chill before serving. Serves 6.

Grilled Pork Chops and Green Beans

It's finally feeling like summer here in Wyoming, which means you can smell the grills going around the neighborhood! There were a lot of walkers out last night as my husband was grilling our dinner....I wonder if they were thinking that the meat he was preparing smelled good...as I often do when walking past others' houses (then wishing we were grilling out that night)?

Grilled Pork Chops (ToH)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and pepper. Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag (or do your mixing in the bag and save yourself a dish to wash!). Add pork chops; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. If grilling the chops, coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chops, covered, over medium-heat or broil 4-in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Serves 4 - 5WWpts.

Green Beans with Butter Sauce (ToH)
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 Tbls olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (I could have used a little less, so adjust this to your taste)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

Place the beans in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1-in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat remaining ingredients until butter is melted. Transfer beans to a serving bowl; drizzle with butter mixture and toss to coat. Serves 4- 4WWpts.

Happy 7th Anniversary

June 7, 2003

My husband and I are celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary! This anniversary is quite different than any other we've celebrated in the past, as it's our first with our precious baby girl. Here's a glimpse of previous years' anniversaries.....

5th Wedding Anniversary, Boulder, Colorado

6th Wedding Anniversary, Oahu, Hawaii (pregnant with Ally)

Although we didn't get to go away for our anniversary this year, we made the most of it at home by going out to dinner (and lunch!) and enjoying a decadent dessert (that I worked on for three days!!).
I am posting the link to the dessert recipe here....it's quite lengthy, so I'm not going to re-type the recipe. If you are looking for a show-stopping dessert, this is one to consider. It's good enough to make again (although not sure that I will ever get around to it) and my only tweak for next time would be to double the amount of caramel for the caramel layer.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

This is a fairly quick dish, full of vegetables, and seemed great for warmer weather. My husband and I agreed that this might be better cold....guess we'll test that when the leftovers get eaten! I'm not a huge salt person, however I felt this dish needed some salt (besides what I used in the pasta water).

Creamy Pasta Primavera (ToH April/May 2010)
2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-in pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into strips
2 tsp canola oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, saute asparagus and carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in cheese, cream and pepper. Drain pasta; toss with asparagus mixture. Serves 6 - 5WWpts

PS. Happy Birthday, Dad!!

Spinach-Pesto Ravioli

My husband and I enjoyed these easy ravioli's quite some time ago, but since I've been behind on my blog the past few months, I'm posting the recipe now. The recipe was found in a Food Network magazine and was intended to be an appetizer; we ate them as our dinner with a side salad.

Spinach-Pesto Ravioli
16 spinach ravioli
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbls pesto sauce
1/2 cup bottled vinaigrette

Boil the ravioli as label directs. Drain and pat dry. Fry the ravioli in the olive oil until golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Mix the pesto sauce with vinaigrette. Place the ravioli on skewers (if using as an appetizer, otherwise skip this and just use a fork) and dip in the sauce.

My favorite Captain and our Memorial Day menu

We had a great Memorial Day! The weather was warm which was great for all the yard work my husband was able to get done and it allowed us to grill out and enjoy our dinner on the deck (with Ally playing in her exersaucer just inside the screen door). We were able to pull out the fire pit after Ally was in bed and enjoy some smores and a glass of wine....great way to wrap up what for us was a 4 day weekend!

My favorite USAF Captain and our baby girl

Our menu for Memorial Day consisted of Marinated Veggie and Beef Kabobs and New England Baked Beans. I've never made baked beans from scratch....Bush's baked beans have served us well for quite some time, and I now know why baked beans are so convenient out of a can...it's time consuming to make them from scratch! The taste was worth the effort, just may not be something I do again in the near future.

Marinated Veggie and Beef Kabobs (ToH)

1 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 tsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbls garlic powder

2 tsp seasoned salt

2 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 beef top sirloin steak (1 1/2 lbs), cut into 1-inch cubes

8 cherry tomatoes

1 large red onion

1 medium green pepper

1 yellow summer squash

1 medium zucchini

In a small bowl, combine first eight ingredients. Pour half the marinade into a large resealable bag. Add the beef; seal bag and turn to coat. Pour remaining marinade into another large resealable plastic bag; add tomatoes. Cut remaining vegetables into 1-in pieces; add to bag. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate beef and vegetables for at least 2 hours. Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade from beef. Drain vegetables, reserving marinade for basting. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread beef and vegetables. Grill, covered over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness, basting frequently with reserved marinade and turning occasionally.

New England Baked Beans (ToH April/May 2010)

1 lb dried great northern beans

1/2 lb thick-sliced bacon, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add enough water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour or until beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. return beans to Dutch oven; add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are almost tender. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 Tbls drippings. Saute onions in drippings until tender. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid; place in an ungreased 3-qt baking dish. Stir in onion mixture and bacon. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender and reach desired consistency, stirring every 30 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid as needed. Serves 12 (2/3 cup each).