Lemon Yogurt Cake and Lemon Curd

As you may have noticed if you follow my blog, I'm not always on the lookout for the next best healthy recipe.  My sister gives me a lot of flack about that, so when I came across the Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Yogurt Cake (no butter) I decided to make her day.  

So I made the cake (minus the glaze), spread lemon curd (for which I'm sure you can find a recipe, but I just picked some up at the store) on each piece, and topped it with freshly whipped cream and boysenberries.  It was delish. 

Kung Pao-Style Chicken

I adapted this recipe from The Best 30-Minute Recipe.  It originally called for shrimp, but since I'm not a shrimp girl... you get chicken.  Also, the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes - which I loved, but my children did not.  The second time I made it I cut down to 1/4 teaspoon, which was perfect for them (but I really missed the kick).

Ingredients

3 T vegetable oil

1 lb chicken

1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin

1/2 c roasted unsalted peanuts

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 t red pepper flakes (1/4t if you're cooking for kids)

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded

2 T hoisin sauce

1 T rice vinegar

2 t toasted sesame oil

4 scallions, sliced thin

Instructions

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 T of oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking.    Add chicken and cook until done.  Transfer to a clean bowl. 

Add remaining T oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add bell pepper and peanuts and cook until pepper is softened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer to bowl with chicken.

Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to oil left in skillet and return to medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in broth.  Break bricks of ramen into small chunks and add to skillet.  Bring to simmer and cook, tossing ramen constantly with tongs to separate, until ramen is just tender but there is still liquid in pan, about 2 minutes.

Stir in hoisin, vinegar, and sesame oil and continue to simmer until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in chicken, peppers, and peanuts.  Sprinkle with scallions before serving.  

The Best 30-Minute Recipe

For the past few weeks I've been making dinners from The Best 30-Minute Recipe.  I've been shocked really at how consistently good every recipe has been.  I checked my copy out from the library and it's due today.  I like it so much though that I just ordered my own copy on Amazon.  

I've probably made about 10 recipes, each one of which turned out well, and 4 of which I'm already planning on making again.  So look forward to posts on Kung Pao Chicken, Cheesy Ravioli Bake, and Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad.   

 

Q & A

My friend Debbie is hosting Bunko at her house next week and wanted an idea for a "fresh, yummy, easy spring-ish dinner."  My first thought was, does it feel "spring-ish" in other parts of the country?  Really?  I'll still be making stew well into April here in Michigan.  

I've gotten over my jealousy however, and here is my recommendation.  I would make this Zesty Spring Salad and this Sun-Dried tomato quiche recipe.  If you want a little more you could throw in an appetizer.  I would bake some brie, top it with a jar of cranberry chutney, and serve it with crusty bread.  If you want a lot more, you could get a half or a quarter of a ham and some good mustards (honey, chipotle, etc.) to eat with it. 

I wish I was going to be there!  (For the food... not so much the Bunko :)

Zesty Spring Salad

From the Favorites Cookbook

Ingredients

1/3 c pecan pieces

2 T sugar

1/2 head green leaf lettuce, torn into pieces

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, torn into pieces

2 kiwis, peeled and sliced 

1 orange, peeled and sliced

1 cup strawberries, halved

1 avocado, chopped

Dressing:

1/3 c vegetable oil

2 T sugar

zest and juice of 1 orange

zest and juice of 2 limes

Instructions

Caramelize pecans by mixing with sugar in small skillet over low heat until sugar melts.  Spread on foil and cool, then break into pieces.  

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Toss salad ingredients together with pecan pieces, add dressing to coat and serve.  

Presidents Day Brunch

Here's why I love Presidents day: you forget about it.  There's no anticipation and then suddenly you realize, "Hey!  I have Monday off!"  Unless you are my 3 year old ex-neighbor, Aida.  Last year she invited us over for breakfast to celebrate and we each got to wear a different president's hat.  We all looked dashing in our three corner GW hats and Honest Abe top hats.  I believe her mom got to wear a Martha Washington bonnet.  So this post is for you Aida.  If you were here I would make you this breakfast on President's Day.

And just down the street from Aida is today's guest chef, Marianne Viray.  That's right, of panini fame.  She is my cooking kindred spirit.  Marianne and her husband James have traveled all over the world and today she is going to share one of her favorite  international food finds.

MENU

Rosti

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Blueberry Smoothies

Rösti by Guest Chef Marianne

Rösti is a Swiss potato dish that my husband and I couldn’t get enough of on a trip to Switzerland two years ago.  It’s a common breakfast eaten by farmers and mountain-folk (lots of those there). I however, ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Loved the simplicity. Some consider rösti the Swiss national dish.  This is one of my traditional New Year Day dishes, along with some Swiss Fondue.  No time like the winter for the heavy cheese dishes!

Ingredients:

5-6 boiled potatoes, chilled and grated (or get a bag of frozen hash browns and thaw before use)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ c. chopped ham or bacon

½ c. chopped mushrooms

½ c. diced sweet onion

1 tsp. thyme leaves

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1 c. grated cheese, Gueyere is authentic

 1. Lightly toss hash browns with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic.

2.  In non-stick frying pan, saute onion, bacon or ham, and mushrooms for a few minutes in 1 TBS. oil and pour grated potatoes on top. 

3.  Mix and fry on low for a minute, mix ½ of cheese into potato mixture and form into cake by patting it down with spatula. Let cook for about five minutes.

4.  When crust forms, turn carefully (using a plate to flip it over) and brown other side. Top with remaining grated cheese.  Put frying pan in broiler for a minute till cheese bubbles – looks so pretty like that!  Garnish with sliced cheery tomatoes if you like.

5.  If you want to be REALLY authentic, top with fried egg.