Chinese ‘Take Out’: Garlic Chicken

Living in manhattan, I end up consuming a lot of take out food. The thing I tend to order to most is Chinese take out. I’m a sucker for a good combo plate of garlic chicken with rice. After testing out a few different recipes I’ve figured out a way to make one of my favorites a little more healthy and less fried than the one I order from Number One China up the street…

‘Take Out’ Garlic Chicken

1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs cornstarch
5 cloves garlic(minced)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts(diced into pieces)
1 bag frozen broccoli or oriental veggies

In a blender or food processor combine honey, soy sauce, warm water, crushed red pepper, back pepper, cornstarch, and garlic. Blend until everything is combined into a chunky marinade. In order to get the most delicious garlic flavor I recommend marinating your chicken overnight in the sauce.
Dice your chicken into small pieces and cover with half of the sauce. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, reserving the remaining marinade for cooking.

Heat a medium/large skillet with 1 tbs of oil, carefully remove chicken from marinade, and sauté for 5 minutes until chicken is mostly cooked. Add in reserved marinade and cook for 2-3 more minutes until it begins to boil and thicken. Cook frozen broccoli/veggies according to package and stir into the pan with the chicken. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Somewhere since cooking this I’ve misplaced the picture I took so I’ll try and get one up soon.
Enjoy!
-Charlie

Spanish Rice

The neighborhood I live in has a very large Dominican population. Naturally it always smells amazing in my building as they cook all sorts of yummy ethnic food. I’m always a little jealous of what they might be eating because I’ve got a huge soft spot for anything with a spanish/south american flavor. I made this rice to go with taco night this past week and it was so delicious, cheap, and easy to make. For once I feel like the smells coming from my apartment might have made the Dominicans jealous 🙂

Spanish Rice
2 cups whole grain rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 tbs Taco Seasoning
1 tbs Chili Powder

If you have a rice cooker put the rice, amount of water your machine requires, seasoning, and tomatoes with juices all into the machine. Stir and press go.

To cook via stovetop follow rice cooking directions for amount of water. Stir in seasonings and tomatoes(with juices). Simmer until rice is cooked thoroughly.

It would also be lovely to add some fresh chopped cilantro into the rice after its cooked.

Enjoy!
-Charlie

Baked Spirals with Brussels Sprouts

This past week I had an unexpected 90 minutes free in a week that had every single second booked up and planned. When I saw a variation of this posted on a list of vegetarian comfort foods I kind of turned my nose up at the thought of warm apples mixed in with my pasta. Although I was skeptical I decided to give it a shot by changing things up to my tastes. I was so pleasantly surprised with the freshness of this dinner. It was a perfect fit for the transitioning seasons as fresh ingredients change out in the markets.

Baked spirals with Brussels sprouts

1/2 box spiral pasta
1 pound Brussels sprouts chopped
2 cloves garlic diced
3 tbs evoo
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup asiago cheese(plus a bit more to sprinkle on top)
1 apple cut into tiny chunks

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook for 7 minutes then add chopped brussels sprouts to the boiling water and cook for 3 more minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy water and drain pasta/sprouts. In a large bowl combine pasta, sprouts, olive oil, apples, garlic, walnuts, cheese, and reserved water. Stir to combine until cheese is melted. Bake in a rectangle baking dish at 350 for 20-35 minutes until slightly browned on the top.

Happy Cooking!
-Charlie

Baked Penne with Rosemary Garlic Bread

When I was first learning how to cook I would tend to stick to Italian food. How hard is it to mess up melted cheese and sauce? This is one of my favorite simple dinners to make and has been a go-to date night meal many times.

Baked Penne with Rosemary Garlic Bread

For the pasta:
1 box penne pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the bread:
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp rosemary
Italian bread
4 tbs butter spread softened

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta. While pasta is cooking combine the ricotta, mozzarella, salt, nutmeg, parsley, and egg in a large bowl. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to cheese mixture. Stir in pasta sauce and spread mixture into a baking pan. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until cheese on top is brown and bubbly.

Meanwhile make a foil packet containing garlic cloves and 2tbs of olive oil. Seal it up and place in the oven for about 20 minutes until garlic has roasted. After garlic is finished carefully remove contents and mash together with butter spread, rosemary, and a few grinds of pepper. Spread on Italian bread and toast in oven for 7-10 minutes until crispy.

Enjoy!
-Charlie

Kale Tomato Soup

Guilty. I’ve been ignoring my darling thrifty foodies for the better part of two months. Sorry for the winter delay but I am back. This week I’ve been exploring kale. I’ve heard all of those artsy types preaching the gospel of kale for quite some time, but I’ve just now jumped onto the train. This past week I have been under the weather and was searching for foods that basically act like a multivitamin. Almost every site I read said kale-
I made a delicious Italian wedding soup with kale a while back(…coming to thrifty foodies soon) so I wanted to see how it would fare in a hearty tomato soup. I loved how the flavors melded together and the splash of beer gave this soup such a warm undertone. Perfect for these final nights as winter transitions into spring.

Creamy Kale Tomato soup

2 28 ounce cans of diced tomato
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 bottle IPA beer(the rest for drinking…)
3 garlic cloves diced
1 small chopped onion
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbs olive oil
10 leaves chopped basil
1 bunch of chopped kale
1 1/4 cup sour cream

Heat olive oil in a soup pot. sauté garlic and onion until cooked through. Drain and rinse one of the tomato cans. Add rinsed tomatoes, second can of tomatoes(with juices), and veggie stock, and 1/2 tsp thyme to the pot and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Blend the mixture in small batches in a blender. Stir in chopped kale and basil leaves, cover, and cook on low for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream until heated through being careful not to boil as the cream will spoil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!
-charlie

Grilled Balsamic Portobello Mushroom with Parmesan crusted toast

Hello everyone and happy Christmas eve eve! I hope you’ve all made it home and are surrounded by your families and friends for this upcoming holiday. A few weeks ago I had a leftover Portobello mushroom from cooking some italian food that I decided to experiment with. I adore getting grilled Portobello at restaurants but it never occurred to me to attempt creating my own version at home. This would be a perfect pre-christmas festivity meal as it’s not a very heavy dinner and is quick to prepare.

Grilled Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms(on Parmesan crusted toast)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Splash of lemon juice
A few healthy grinds of pepper/salt

Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, and salt/pepper and pour over mushroom in  plastic baggie. Let marinate for 1-2 hours. Heat a grill pan and cook 7-8 minutes on each side until tender.

while your mushrooms are grilling butter two pieces of bread and sprinkle them liberally with grated parmesan cheese. place them in the taster over on 350 degrees for about 5-8 minutes until browned.

 

Enjoy!

~Charlie

 

 

Penne Alla Vodka

If I could have Vodka sauce running through my veins I would be totally alright with it. I love the taste of it and the creamy unhealthy nature of having a thick sauce made of cheese and cream. I’ve been looking for a simplistic way to make my own sauce because in the grocery stores up here a jar of pasta sauce can run you around $7. I found that you can buy that huge 23 oz jar of tomato puree and make a hearty sauce for half the cost. Here’s my take on a thrifty penne alla vodka.

Penne Alla Vodka

1 Large can of Tomato Puree(23-28 oz)

2 tbs EVOO

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper(more if you like your sauce to have a kick)

1 clove garlic(diced)

1/2 onion(diced)

1/3 cup vodka(it doesn’t matter the brand- go for whatever you can afford and make yourself a dinner cocktail) 

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 

1 box penne pasta

 

Heat up the Olive Oil in a medium sauce pan and sauté crushed red peppers, garlic, and onion for about 2 minutes until golden. Slowly pour in your tomato puree. Be careful not to pour too quickly as to make the oil freak out and a splatter when the tomato puree comes in contact with it. Pour in vodka and bring to a slow simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in heavy cream and stir in parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick you can add in 1/4 cup of the water from your pasta to thin it. 

 

Chicken Divan

Happy thanksgiving week everyone! Whenever I’ve got a big week ahead of me I always like to make something delicious for the week ahead of time that will last a few meals. Casseroles. Simple and delicious- Every southern ladies favorite past time…and we all know that everyone has a southern lady deep down inside of them just itching to come out and play. When I get to the beginning of the month and I’m anxiously waiting for my ridiculous NYC rent check to clear I tend to be pinching pennies when it comes to food money. This family recipe is one my mom used to make every week or two growing up and it brings back such fond memories of family dinners in Georgia. It costs just under $10 to make and will last days (and even tastes better after a day in the fridge)

Chicken Divan

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1-cup light mayo

1 tbs lemon juice

1/2 bag frozen broccoli

1/2 bag frozen mixed veggies

1 cup diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 stick butter or butter substitute melted

 

Preheat oven to 350. Layer the veggies and chicken on the bottom of a square-baking dish. Mix together the soups, mayo, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture on top of the chicken. Melt the butter and mix together with cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Pour the breadcrumb mixture over the top of everything and spread out evenly. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Serve over rice.

This dish is super simple to make. I didn’t have any store bought bread crumbs so I ended up toasting a few pieces of old bread until they were super hard and then putting them in the food processor. Enjoy and have a sensible and thrifty thanksgiving!

~Charlie

Curry Turkey Burger w/ Banana Reduction

As an inspiring artist, I, like so many others in my field, am forced to take on a day job to pay the bills. Any guesses as to mine? Yes, yes, I am a waitress extraordinaire! It allows me the flexibility that I need to take off for auditions with the potential for earning more cash than a job with hourly wages. The other day, our executive chef came up with this fabulous curry chicken burger with what he called a banana ketchup…very Indian inspired! It was delicious, so I decided to try my hand at home. Don’t tell my boss, but I improved upon the sauce and served a turkey burger over a bed of spinach with some oil and vinegar instead of fries! The recipe is extremely easy, quick, and cheap! I got pre-formed turkey patties at the grocery for less than a pound of ground beef! If you want to make your own turkey burger patties from ground turkey, I would suggest adding an egg white to the meat to help hold the burger together when it cooks.

I find that taking a recipe you enjoy and altering it to make it even better is my favorite way to get creative in the kitchen, so try it! You’ll be surprised how amazing your cooking can really be!

Curry Turkey Burger w/ Banana Reduction

1-2 TBSP curry powder
pinch salt
4 Ground Turkey Patties
EVOO
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 TBSP-1/4 cup sugar (to taste)
1 Banana
1 small tomato diced (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
Juice of 1 lemon

The burgers are super simple! Heat a pan between medium and medium high, sprinkle each side of your patty with a dash of salt and a healthy coating of curry. You want the burger to have a beautiful golden color all over. Cook on both sides until slightly brown. To make the sauce, begin by reducing the onions with a touch of EVOO over a medium heat.  Allow the onions to become translucent without getting brown and then add the juice of the lemon and the sugar. The sauce at this point will have a paste-like consistency. You can add less or more sugar, depending on how sweet your want your topping. Lastly, add the banana and diced  tomato. Allow the tomatoes to break down a bit and serve over your cooked burger. If your banana is not quite ripe, throw it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to allow some of the sugars from the banana to break down before you add it to your sauce. Enjoy!

 

 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

This past weekend I had a houseguest up to visit me from Atlanta. As most New Yorkers know, having company can get very expensive. Besides hitting up all of the tourist attractions you’ve seen a million times, ultimately you end up eating out way more normal NYC living. I’m always SO thankful when a friend comes into town with a realistic view of wanting to know with its really like to live in this concrete nightmare. I always try to make a point to cook for my out of town guests in order to give a reality check of what living in the city is really like. It’s not at all as glamorous as your vacation and my Facebook status makes it seem–

This past weekend my vegetarian friend came to stay with me and I was excited to recreate a stuffed peppers recipe I had made for her the last time she was in the city. I used morningstar meat crumbles which taste exactly the same as ground beef but have way less fat content(and we all know that’s an important fact if we’re going to get to ‘project birth weight’ skinny right!?)

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
4 green peppers
3/4 cup Panco bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef or meat substitute
1 egg
1 cup Mexican blend cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 plum tomato, diced
1 packet taco seasonings

Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Brown your meat in a skillet(draining the excess fat if necessary). Return to heat and add in taco seasonings following directions on the packet. In a bowl combine meat, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, beans, and tomato.  Cut off the tops of your peppers. Using a spoon, scrape out all of the inner white ribbing and seeds of the peppers. Fill each pepper with your mixture and bake in a square dish for 30-45 minutes until the tops are browned. Add some more sprinkles of cheese to the top and melt it for 5 more minutes. 

 

These peppers are super easy to prepare and leave you with time to spend with your guests. When you go to the store to pick your peppers you may be wondering about the differences between the green, yellow, and red varieties. I wondered the same thing actually because they were all at different price points.  A quick search on wikipedia shows that “Green peppers are less sweet and slightly more bitter than yellow or orange peppers, with red bell peppers being the sweetest.”…. Who Knew?! So tailor your recipe to how much sweet or bitter peppers your taste buds feel like dealing with 🙂

Happy Cooking

~Charlie