Lemon Madeira Cake

I have made this twice now, and I really like it. Not too sweet, very crumbly, simple and delicious. Goes well with coffee or tea, you can make a glaze/icing for it, or not. For a small one in a loaf pan I halve the recipe, for the full recipe I used an 8x8 square pan. I also used some orange zest and juice since I had an orange handy, and the mixed citrus flavor was nice.

Adapted from: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/my-mother-in-law-s-madeira-cake

Ingredients:
    16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
    1 cup white sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
    grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
    3 large eggs
    1 1/3 cups self-raising flour
    2/3 cup all-purpose flour


Directions:

1. Prepare your baking dish with a coating of butter, and then put in about 1 tablespoon of flour and coax it around until the whole inside surface is covered.
2. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
3. Cream the butter and sugar, and add the lemon zest.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, with a tablespoon of the flour for each (optional to add flour along with the eggs, deduct this from total flour if you do it this way).
5. Then gently mix in the rest of the flour and, finally, the lemon juice.
6. Sprinkle with white or turbinado sugar (about 2 tablespoons) before it goes into the oven, and bake for 1 hour or until a cake-tester comes out clean.
7. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool in the tin before turning out.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Breast

This garlic parmesan chicken breast recipe is almost too simple to post, but I will, because I really like it. It goes well in tacos and other recipes that call for tasty boneless chicken as a base as well.

-       1. Put boneless chicken breast in a big sturdy Ziploc and smash it on a solid countertop with a solid item like a small skillet, metal waterbottle, or meat tenderizer if you have one of those. It should be about ¾ of an inch thick, with the same thickness all over to the extent that is possible. I just smash it until it stops changing shape, it will get pretty flat. 

-        2. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese (powdered kind)

-        3. Saute seasoned-side-down in a cast iron or other nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, in about 2 Tbsp of olive or vegetable oil. If you like it super flavorful, season the other side as well once you get it in the skillet. Give it about 3-4 minutes a side, flipping once. It should get a nice brown or golden brown if the heat is high enough and you leave it alone!

Sesame Ginger Pork Bites

 I adapted this recipe for some yummy pork bites! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/83117/asian-pork-tenderloin/?src=rss

Ingredients
    1/3 cup soy sauce
    2 Tbsp sesame oil
    2 Tbsp vegetable oil
    2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    2 Tbsp brown sugar
    3 green onions, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
    2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
    1 1/2 tablespoons Asian chile paste
    1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
    splash of white vinegar (maybe 1 Tbsp?)

    4 boneless pork chops, or 1 fat-trimmed pork tenderloin (1 1/2 - 2 lbs) chopped into bite sized cubes


Directions
Pour into a medium bowl the soy sauce, sesame and veggie oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Then whisk in brown sugar until dissolved. Add green onions, garlic, ginger, chile paste, vinegar and pepper. Add the cubed meat to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover dish, and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably around 24 hours.

To cook the meat I removed it from the marinade, removing excess but without patting totally dry. In a cast iron (or other nonstick) skillet over high heat I seared it several minutes on each side, stirring and flipping occasionally, until well done. I try to leave it long enough to get a nice brown sear in several places.






The original recipe called for cooking it in the oven, so follow these directions if you choose: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Transfer pork with marinade into an aluminum foil-lined baking pan. Roast in a preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes. Remove, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Goes well with rice and steamed broccoli!

Lots of links from March Adventures

Here are some random things I've made recently or forgot to post earlier!

Goat cheese and cucumber sandwiches
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herbed-goat-cheese-sandwiches-recipe4.mobile.html

French bread recipe, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/homemade-french-baguettes

Way too much info about baking bread
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/08/simple-crusty-white-bread-recipe.html

Easy cobbler using tinned pie filling
http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-any-pie-filling-cobbler-42768?ftab=reviews

Sudden Quiche Lorraine (rich and good - bacon, onion, cheese, in a frozen pie crust)
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/sudden-quiche-lorraine
Ingredients
    1 9-inch frozen deep-dish pie shell
    8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    1 onion, halved and thinly sliced ( I just diced it as normal, once it's all in there you can't tell)
    Salt and pepper
    6 large eggs
    1 cup half-and-half
    1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or any other cheese if you don't feel like grating)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, carefully prick the inside of the pie shell, (without making a big crack in it like I did) then bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; lower the temperature to 325 degrees .

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes; using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the onion to the pie shell.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the half-and-half; stir in the cheese and the cooked bacon. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake until set, about 50 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Date Walnut Kale Salad

From queer as plants: http://queerasplants.blogspot.com/2013/03/date-walnut-kale-salad.html?m=1

1 bunch kale, or 3-4 c
1 avocado
~ 1/2 c Chopped walnuts
~ 1/2 c Chopped dates
Juice of 1 lemon

A rough sketch of a recipe open to your interpretation and preferences.
I used some chopped bagged kale, and massaged it with half of the avocado. The other half of the avocado I diced and tossed in with some dates, walnut pieces, and the fresh lemon juice and toss. Salt to taste.

Fresh broccoli salad

I adapted this from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14280/fresh-broccoli-salad/

Mix the dressing (last three ingredients) in a small bowl, then add it to all the other ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Tastes best after being chilled in the fridge for at least a couple hours, or up to 24 hours. I eyeballed a lot of the ingredients (except the dressing, that I measured) so feel free to adjust according to what you like best.

• 1 large head fresh broccoli, chopped into small florets
• 1/4 red onion, diced into small bits
• 3 or 4 Tbsp bacon bits
• 1/2 cup raisins, plumped in hot water

• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  
  
  

Deena's Baked Pasta with Italian Sausage and Mozzarella

I freaking love this recipe. It's time consuming and makes a big mess, but it's so hearty and delicious. One of my favorite comfort foods when I'm feeling like pasta.

Today I made it with some spinach and yellow squash, but you can always leave that out or steam it on the side.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb pasta of your choice - elbow, penne, rigatoni all work great
1/2 lb or 2 links Hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 yellow squash, diced
1 or 1 1/2 jars pasta sauce of your choice. Plain marinera is great, or leave out the pesto
1 Tbsp. pesto (optional)
4 oz (approximately) fresh spinach, sliced
4 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Boil the pasta until al dente, rinse with cold water, and set aside. A little olive oil mixed through can help prevent sticking if it will be sitting for a little while.
3. While pasta cooks, saute the sausage and onion in a large nonstick pan or iron skillet over medium heat. Break up the sausage and cook until browned with no remaining pink spots.
4. Add the yellow squash to the pan and cook until softened.
5. Add the marinera sauce and mix well. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the pesto and mix well.
7. In a very large mixing bowl, combine the chopped spinach, mozzarella, cooked pasta, sausage marinera sauce, and most of the parmesan.
8. Prepare a large baking dish by coating it with olive oil, then pour everything into the pan. Sprinkle with additional parmesan to taste.
9. Bake 30 minutes or until mozzarella is bubbly.

Veggie tofu stir fry

http://minimalistbaker.com/tofu-that-tastes-good-stir-fry/