Tuscan Pasta

Yummy vegetarian pasta dish thats easy to break into ateps for spread out prep. I had to buy the herbes de Provence but it was worth it.
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/tuscan-vegetarian-pasta-392763?ref=amp&ftab=reviews

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces mushrooms
1 lb broccoli cut into florets
2 red bell peppers, julienned
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup tomato sauce or marinara sauce
2⁄3 lb pasta (fettuccine or penne works well)
1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons herbes de provence (approximately)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS
Mix mushrooms, broccoli, pepper, and onion.
Spread on two baking sheets.
Drizzle 1 T. olive oil and sprinkle liberally with seasonings. Mix around until well coated.
Bake vegetables at 450 for ten minutes.
Boil pasta until "al dente".
Mix with mozzarella, vegetables, and sauce and transfer to casserole.
Drizzle remaining olive oil on top and coat top with Parmesan.
Bake at 450 for approximately 20 minutes

Kale salad with white beans

https://minimalistbaker.com/white-bean-kale-salad-with-tahini-dressing/

I didn’t make the croutons or the dressing from scratch, and adjusted some amounts. What I did is below but you can click for the original recipe. 

Ingredients:

BEANS

• 1 15-ounce can white or butter beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (1/2 lemon yields ~1 Tbsp or 15 ml)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 generous sprinkle salt
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

SALAD

• 6 ounces kale (chopped // large stems removed)
• 1 lemon, juiced (1 lemon yields ~2 Tbsp or 30 ml)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 drizzle syrup
• 1 sprinkle each salt + black pepper
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Directions:

1. Add drained beans to a bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and fresh parsley. Toss to combine. Set aside.
2. Add kale to a large mixing bowl with lemon juice, olive oil, syrup, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Use your hands to massage the kale and break down its texture a bit, and to season the salad. Refrigerate for an hour or so to let it settle together. Serve with goddess tahini dressing and the beans mixed in.

Roast yams with honey and chickpeas

https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/02/roasted-yams-and-chickpeas-with-yogurt/

Roasted Yams and Chickpeas with Yogurt
Adapted from Gjelina

You’re going to end up with more yogurt and more chickpeas than you probably need — or fewer potatoes. It’s all a matter of perspective, really.

Serves 2, hungrily, 4, humbly

3 large yams or orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, cut into 4 lengthwise wedges, or 8, if your yams are very thick
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (I used 1; 2 are called for)
1 tablespoon crushed red-pepper flakes (Espelette are called for; I used mild Aleppo)
1 3/4 cups (1 15-ounce can) chickpeas, drained and patted dry on towels
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from approximately 2 limes
2 scallions, both green and white parts, trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with foil, for minimal mess. Coat one, the one you’ll use for the yams, with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Toss yams with honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper flakes. Let sit in bowl for 5 to 10 minutes. Toss chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika and salt, to taste.

Spread yams out on olive oil-ed baking sheet in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, until nicely toasted underneath. Flip/move wedges around and roast for 5 to 10 more minutes, until soft and singed. For extra color, run them under the broiler for a final minute.

Meanwhile, spread chickpeas on second uncoated baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, rolling around once or twice so that they cook evenly, until lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Set aside.

Whisk yogurt, remaining tablespoon olive oil and lime juice together in a small dish, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange yams on plate or platter, drizzle some of the yogurt over, then about half the chickpeas. Garnish with scallions and remaining pepper flakes, plus flaky sea salt, if you have any. Keep extra chickpeas and yogurt on the side. Dig in.

Lemon pepper chicken orzo

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/08/lemon-pepper-chicken-with-orzo/

This is tasty and doesn't take as long as you might think. I stuck the thighs in the oven this time instead of including them in the skillet while the orzo cooks, mainly because I hate feeling uncertain about whether or not chicken is cooked through. 10 minutes on the stovetop plus 35 minutes in a hot oven was enough to have them no longer pink with juices running clear. Get the thighs in the oven ASAP before prepping other things, and it should end up ready around the same time. We did a salad on the side and that was that! Yum!! This makes a lot more pasta than we usually eat so I may do 5 or 6 thighs next time for additional full servings.

INGREDIENTS

4 or 5 chicken thighs, bone in, skin optional (I take it off)
3ish tsp lemon pepper seasoning (lawrys)
2 Tbsp cooking oil - I used vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic
2.5 cups chicken broth (2.5c water plus 2 t knots chicken bouillon powder)
1.5 cups orzo pasta (delallo brand cut #65)
(Optional, I do not use - handful fresh parsley, 2 oz feta, crumbled)

Side dish: steamed broccoli florets

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 convection or 425 regular.

2. Remove skin from the chicken thighs, then season both sides liberally with lemon pepper seasoning.

3. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium flame. Add 1-2 Tbsp oil. When the oil is hot (it should be shimmering not smoking), add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Allow the thighs to cook 5 minutes, until browned, then flip and brown 5 minutes on the second side. Remove to a baking dish and pop in the oven for 35 minutes.

4. While the thighs are baking, mince the cloves of garlic and prep the vegetable or other side dish. Wait until there’s 20 minutes left on the oven timer, then start cooking the orzo:

5. Reusing the skillet where you cooked the chicken, turn the heat down to low. Add the garlic and sauté for about one minute, until fragrant but not browned or burned. 

6. Add the chicken broth and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add one additional teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning and the orzo to the skillet. Stir to combine.

7. Cover the skillet and turn the heat up to high. Allow the broth to come to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer on low for 10-12 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. (If the broth stops simmering, increase the heat slightly to keep it simmering.) Stir several times to prevent the orzo from sticking, especially towards the end when the liquid has reduced. Don’t forget to make your veggie at this point, it’s a good time to steam some broccoli!

8. After 12 minutes, the orzo should be tender and most of the broth absorbed. If there is still too much liquid, allow it to simmer without the lid for a few minutes. It's okay if the orzo is slightly saucy. Just grab the chicken out of the oven whenever the orzo and broccoli are ready and dinner is served.

9. If using, sprinkle the parsley over top along with the crumbled feta. I skip this part and it's still plenty flavorful. 

Chicken pot pie

I tried to make this slightly easier and a less massive amount, so the recipe below includes a few modifications. It was still a big pain, but came out tasty. I’m probably gonna save this for special requests because its so much effort. Next time I will bake the pastry on the side cut into squares, it was too much of a pain to try and get it to fit perfectly on top of the dutch oven.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/m/recipe/chicken-potpie.html

For the filling:

• 1 stick butter, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp. Dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into slices   1/8 inch thick
• 3 oz. white button mushrooms, cut into   1/4-inch dice
• 2 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into   1/2-inch dice
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 sheet frozen puff pastry for topping, thawed 

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

To make the filling, in a dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, bay leaf, onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken, salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. 

Brush the rim of the pot with water. Lay the pastry round over the top and press the edges to seal. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Chipotle sweet potato burgers

Haven’t tried this yet but i want to

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/05/chipotle-sweet-potato-burgers/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sweet potato (1 lb.)$1.00
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels $0.31
• 15oz. can black beans$1.19
• 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce $0.33
• 1/2 cup cornmeal, divided $0.12
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder$0.02
• 1/2 tsp cumin $0.03
• 1/2 tsp salt $0.03
• 1/4 bunch cilantro (optional) $0.19
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (for frying) $0.02
• 4 wheat rolls $1.42
• 1 avocado $1.19
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional) $0.45

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the sweet potato well and then poke it several times with a fork so that steam can escape while it cooks.
2. To cook it in the microwave: wrap it loosely with a paper towel, set it on a microwave safe plate, and microwave on high for five minutes. Carefully squeeze the potato to make sure it is soft all the way through. If it is not, microwave longer, in one minute increments, until it is soft all the way through (mine took 8 minutes).
3. Took cook it in the oven: heat the oven to 400 degrees and then bake the potato for 45-60 minutes, or until it is soft all the way through (either directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet).
4. While the sweet potato is cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Place the frozen corn in a large bowl. Drain and rinse the black beans. Allow as much excess water to drain away as possible, and then add them to the bowl with the corn. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and then add them to the bowl, along with half of the cornmeal (1/4 cup), garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Take one chipotle pepper out of the can, mince it, and then add it to the bowl along with about one teaspoon of the adobo sauce from the can.
5. Once the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and add it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir everything together and then either use a potato masher or the back of a fork to slightly mash the beans. Cover and chill the mixture for 30 minutes to allow the cornmeal to absorb some of the moisture.
6. Divide the sweet potato mixture into four (or six) portions and shape each into a patty, approximately 3/4 inch thick. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of cornmeal to coat the outside of the patties. This will provide a nice crunch to the burger.
7. To cook the patties in a skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over a medium flame. When the oil is hot (it should look wavy on the surface), add two of the patties. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until the patties are golden brown. Add more oil and cook the remaining two patties. Remember to turn the patties carefully as they are quite soft and can fall apart.
8. To cook the patties in the oven, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and then coat lightly with non-stick spray. Place the patties on the foil and then spritz the top of the patties lightly with non-stick spray (this will help it crisp up). Bake for 25 minutes, or until the patties are heated through and the bottoms are golden brown.
9. Spread one tablespoon of mayonnaise on each bun and top with a chipotle sweet potato patty. Slice the avocado and place 1/4 of the slices on top of each burger. Top with extra cilantro leaves, if desired.

Skillet seared salmon with lemon garlic butter

This is my favorite way to make salmon, and I just made this simple sauce for it for the first time tonight. It was lovely over the fish, steamed broccoli, and buttered bowtie pasta. Not the easiest meal, but not the most difficult either. Lots of pots to clean up afterwards though! Lovely Sunday dinner, even the baby tore it up and asked for seconds. Next time I'll double the sauce and serve some on the side for dipping.

https://www.cookingclassy.com/skillet-seared-salmon-with-garlic-lemon-butter-sauce/

Skillet Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients (with Dan's modifications)

1.25 lbs skinless salmon, cut into 5 fillets (about 1-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, very approximately
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1/4 cup chicken broth aka 2oz
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice aka 30ml
3 Tbsp + 1 tbsp salted butter, very approximately  1 tsp honey, very approximately
(I  did not use, but recipe calls for 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, Lemon slices for garnish)

Instructions

Remove salmon fillets from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare garlic lemon butter sauce. In a small saucepan melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly golden and aromatic, about 1 - 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice (I premeasured these in a small mason jar). Let sauce simmer until it has reduced by half (to about 3 Tbsp), about 6 minutes. Stir in remaining butter and honey and whisk with a fork until combined. Set sauce aside or just turn off the burner.

Remove skin from salmon and slice into portion sized fillets, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a (heavy) 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (Cast iron, preheated for 5 minutes, works very well. Once oil is shimmering add salmon and cover the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side then flip - it should have a nice brown sear on the cooked side. Then cover again and cook on the opposite side until salmon has cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from pan promptly to avoid overcooking, dry salmon is the worst.

Plate salmon (leaving oil in pan) and drizzle each serving generously with butter sauce, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Cooking Classy