Fiesta Spaghetti

 

I know, I’ve been missing in action.  I’ve been leading a blessed and busy life.

You know I’ve said it before; I love one dish pasta dishes in the spring and summer as everything is in there.  You don’t even need to make a salad.  This one is no different.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, and my friend, Judy, who has a birthday today who I know would love this dish, comes my Fiesta Spaghetti. 

Ground chicken in a taco-style sauce with fresh corn, Poblano and black beans.  It’s topped with cheese (I like Muenster for the melting quality), avocado, a little fat free sour cream and a few crumbled blue corn chips for good measure. 

You are going to love this and you’re going to want to make this instead of tacos for your next gathering.

So here we go!

Serves 4

7 ounces whole grain or fiber fortified spaghetti, cooked per package directions

1 large Poblano pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon

1 ear corn

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 tablespoon Saigon Cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2  tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Toppings:  Chopped avocado, muenster cheese, shredded, blue corn chip crumbles and fat free sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cook pasta per package directions and reserve a little of the starchy cooking water.

Place pepper on rack on cookie sheet and drizzle with oil.  Bake for about 20 minutes until skin bubbles.  Let cool.

Microwave corn in husk (remove some of the silk before cooking); about three minutes.   Let cook, husk and remove from cob.  Reserve the corn.

Add the rest of the olive oil to a medium skillet.

Brown the ground chicken. 

Mix together the cinnamon, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, oregano and garlic salt. 

Add to chicken along with a couple of ladles of the starchy cooking water.  Reduce heat.  Cook for about five minutes until the flavors combine, stirring occasionally and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Toss with pasta and serve with toppings.

Enjoy.

Lucky 13 Recipe II: Dan My Man's Lighter Fish Nuggets and Fried Pickles - And a Confession

Every once in  a while this home cook's recipes don't work.  But I don't feel so bad when I see Bobby Flay's test kitchen helpers tell him that he needs to work on something during an episode of one of my favorite shows, "Thowdown." 

Today, I'd like to confess to you that I tried something new, and I failed.  But hey, life is all about taking risks, right?   Can't play it safe; not even in the kitchen. 

Such was the case with the lamb shank I cooked for our 13th anniversary.  Don't get me wrong;  it was flavorful.  The "lemon broth" I made to go over the lamb and the veggies gave this dish a hearty deconstructed "stew-like" quality. 

But I'd never tried to roast lamb shank before.  I had only braised it.  Had I taken the time to do a Google search or gone here Food Network Cooking Guide for Lamb, I would have quickly learned that the butcher's instructions given when I purchased the shank weren't going to work as I thought they would.  I guess you can roast lamb shank, but it takes some special way of doing it which I haven't mastered yet.

                                         My failed attempt at a Deconstructed Lamb Stew
                                                  Tasty, but it wasn't quite there...


I made a promise to you all when I started this blog that I wouldn't post any recipes that didn't work.  My photos might not always turn our perfectly because I am not a great photographer.  I am still learning the art of plating.   That's what makes this blog my "adventure."  But I want the recipes that I post for you to work when you try to recreate them. 

I hope you will say, "Mary Kay, I appreciate your candor and you not wanting me to waste my time making something that won't turn out that good.  Oh, and by the way, you are looking pretty foxy these days.  I can tell that power yoga you are doing is really working."

...Maybe the later is wishful thinking on my part.  :.)

Okay, let's get serious! 

I always know that Dan's fried fish recipes turn out wonderfully.  He is my loving husband and my "fry daddy."  As promised, I am bringing you his creation tonight.

We don't fry food very often, for obvious health reasons.  When we do, we've learned to make it a little lighter.  Like any indulgence, this is a once every few month deal - nothing to be put into your regular meal rotation.  Let's face it; it's hard to make anything fried truly "healthy."

It was only a few years ago when Dan and I really started "cooking."  Up until then, we opened a lot of boxes.  Neither of us has had any formal culinary training - we both watch a lot of Food Network!   And now look at us - winning cooking contests - getting recipes published.  

Cooking is something that we love doing together.  When I am developing a recipe, he will help me gather ingredients and vice versa.  The couple who cooks together, stays together. 

Over the years, Dan's prepared other cook's "fried" fish recipes and they've turned out great.  And he's often used boxed beer batter to make the process either.  But now he's come up with his own beer batter recipe that is light and fluffy and frankly, it's going to knock your socks off.

So here we go:

Ingredients: 

60 ounces canola or vegetable oil
1 lb. white fish, such as snapper, sole or flounder
1/2 cup hamburger dill chips
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt, plus a little extra for seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1 tbs.)
1 tbs. paprika
1 tbs. seafood seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 extra large egg
8-10 ounces light beer


Other: 

A couple of unpeeled garlic cloves (optional)
Basil and parsley (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oil to 360 degrees.  Dan recommends that you use a candy thermometer. 
If using the unpeeled garlic and herbs (recommended), these are added to the oil while it is preheated.  Remove herbs before adding the fish and discard.  This step will "infuse" the oil with wonderful flavor. 

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, dill weed, minced garlic, paprika, seafood seasoning, and onion powder.  Add egg.  Using a fork, blend the egg with the dry ingredients until mixed well.  You will start to see "pearls" form from the wet flour. 

Add in the beer and whisk well until completely blended. 

Cut fish into nuggets or bite-sized pieces.  Season with a little salt.  This helps to "dry" the fish slightly and makes the batter stick.

Dip fish into batter and CAREFULLY drop into hot oil.  Cook for about a total of three minutes.  Do not over crowed the pan - cook in batches.   Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Salt the batches of fish lightly as they come out of the oil. 

Repeat the batter and frying process with the pickles, but do not salt the pickles before or after cooking as they are salty.  The pickles may only take about 2 minutes.  Adjust cooking time accordingly.

Serve immediately.

See you soon!  Oh, I am working on an un-stuffed cabbage recipe tonight. If that works, I might bring that to you later this week instead. 

Cheers!

Game Day Food

Game day food is DELICIOUS, but it's not always  figure friendly. 

My Steelers were in the playoffs this weekend – and unless you’ve been living on some deserted Island since Sunday, you probably know that we are Superbowl bound. 

Besides having my Terrible Towel on hand, which is thoughtfully modeled here by our dog, Eddie, I wanted the snacks for tonight’s game to be both tasty and healthier options.

Now keep in mind, those man football shirts make me look like a linebacker, so don’t let that fool you. I don’t think any woman looks great in a football shirt.  I also did a bit too much "Aqua Net" on the "do," but who cares what you look like when you’re watching the big game, right?   Please judge the content, not the style, as I might not be ready for prime time just yet.  LOL.   Let me tell you, these recipes work.  You will lose weight if you just learn to sub out butter and salt for other flavors. 

Parmesan Pierogie Popper

I started with a Parmesan Pierogie Popper.  These are simply frozen mini Cheddar Cheese and Potato Pierogie drizzled with Olive Oil, light Parmesan Cheese mixed with Garlic Powder (equal parts).  I bake them at 400° for 18 – 20 minutes until golden brown.

Garlic Buffalo Wings

These wings are lighter because they are marinated first to give them a little kick.  You can drastically cut down on the amount of butter and salty hot sauce that you put on them.  Of course, you can adjust this to taste.  I like to bring the hot sauce with me to the table.

I cut fresh chicken wings by separating the wing part from the drumette.  I marinated the wings for about an hour and a half in –


2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
½ Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Bottled Minced Garlic
¼ cup Olive Oil


Once ready, I grilled the wings up on an indoor grill.  Hey no comments about the grill pan on my flat top stove.  It’s my stove and I’ll do what I want to.  Seriously, indoor grilling is fantastic when it’s cold or rainy outside.


Note:  Before I receive emails, yes, I know I said “Dan and I” instead of “Dan and me!”  

Grill the wings for a few minutes on each side until they get those nice grill marks.  Transfer wings to a cooking sheet topped with a rack and sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake wings in 400° for 18-20 minutes (longer depending on your oven and how meaty are the wings).  You want to make sure that the juices run clear.   Some ovens might require that the wings be baked for 30 minutes.  I suggest also putting them under the broiler for five minutes at the end to crisp them up.

Once the wings are cooked to your liking, toss them in two tablespoons of melted butter and two tablespoons of good quality Hot Sauce.  I prefer a Mexican hot sauce; more of less to taste, of course.
Serve the wings with Celery sticks and baby Carrots!  I like to make my -


Lite Green Onion and Gorgonzola Dressing


One Package of Green Onion Dip Mix (suggest Hidden Valley®)
16 oz Light Sour Cream
4 oz crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
¾ cup 2% Milk
Teaspoon Dry Dill Weed
Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Chives

Whisk together all ingredients.  Chill for at least an hour.

Yes, I did forget to mention the Gorg cheese on the video...  Sorry....  Honest truth... game was on and my camera man (Dan) had better things to do...

Try these dishes on Superbowl Sunday and let me know what you think. 


Go Steelers!