Chickpea and Chicken Curry Stew

 

This stew is a favorite!  My friend Ina (I wish, right?!) says to not let the long list of ingredients scare you and she’s right!  It’s an easy stew to put together and it is sooo tasty!  It’s more of a North African curry, which means earthy and flavorful rather than the spicier Thai curries.  We love all curries but this one satisfies the warm comfort food desires of fall and winter!  

- 2lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (Ina Garten’s original recipe says boneless lamb shoulder, 1 in diced.  Amazing, but chicken is a more normal weekly meat in my house.)

- 1/4 cup Madras curry powder (I’ve used just yellow curry powder if I can’t find that one)

- 1 tsp ground paprika

- 1 tsp thyme 

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1/2 tsp ground fennel

- Kosher salt and pepper

- 1/2 cup olive oil

- 1 cup chopped yellow onion

- 1 tbsp fresh ginger

- 2 tsp minced garlic

- 2 cups chicken stock

- 1 can coconut milk (13.5oz)

- 1/2 cup dry white wine

- 1/2 cup tomato paste (6oz)

- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

- 3 tbsp maple syrup

- 2 tbsp Harissa paste (I’ve left this out or used ground Harissa depending what I’ve found)

- 1 cup carrots, chopped (4 carrots)

- 1 cup celery, chopped (2 large stalks)

- 1/2 cup golden raisins

- 4 cups chickpeas, drained (45oz)

In a medium bowl combine the curry powder, paprika, cumin,  thyme, fennel, 2tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.  Add the seasonings to the chicken (or lamb if using), toss well to coat, and set aside for 15-30 min.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion and ginger and sauté for 5 min, until the onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Raise the heat to medium high, add the chicken and all the seasonings in the bowl, and sauté for 10-15 min, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is evenly browned.  Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, wine, tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, and harissa.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer partially covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  

(I take the thighs out and dice them up after the hour.  Return to the simmering pot.)

Add the carrots, celery, raisins, chickpeas, and 2tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer partially covered for another 30 minutes.  

Serve hot with with rice or couscous.  

This is seriously good!  My kids will eat this.  My husband and I love this for days as our lunch time soup.  For supper, I like serving over couscous.  For my lunch I like serving the hot stew over fresh spinach.  The hot stew wilts the spinach and is a great pairing as well!  (And secret, I normally cut any sugar in a savory recipe in half.)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Any meal that starts like this has to be pretty awesome!

I really do love soups!  I love a warm bowl of soup all year, and especially during the winter.  I love to make a soup a side on Monday night with supper and then eat it for the rest of the week for lunch.  Soups for lunch were one of my favorite parts of Whole30, and this has been the easiest way I found to enjoy that habit during the busier school year.  Such a great way to enjoy whole without feeling like you're cooking all the time!  

- 3 lb plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (28 oz) canned plum tomatoes, with their juices
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Spread the tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In a stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tbsp of olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes for ten minutes, until the onions start to brown.  Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock.  Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.  Pass through a food mill with the coarsest blade.  (I use my blender and do a chunky blend.) Taste for seasonings.  Serve hot or cold.

This soup is so good!  I omitted the butter and tried it first during my last couple days of Whole30.  It is one that I have remade several times since.  I love it as is.  Will enjoys it as is, or some times I send it with 3 meatballs dropped into it.  Try it, so good!

Ina's Weeknight Bolognese

I have to confess:  Ina is my new best friend, or obsession, whatever you want to call it.  I love Ina Garten and can read her cookbooks like novels.  Her beautiful pictures.  Her comments about each recipe.  In the last year, I have read 4 and am already stalking the next one(s!) I want!  I have tried a handful of recipes from each book, and she has never disappointed.  So, I shall share a few from my recent Ina-adventures; this being the first.

A friend who enjoys cooking almost as much as me said this is one of her and her husband's favorites.  A good bowl of spaghetti is always comforting.  But, this according to my friend, "is as close to a bowl of pasta from Italy as I have tasted since Italy."  That review of an Ina recipe was all the reason I needed to try this one!   And now I recommend it to you!  (from Ina Garten's How Easy Is That? cookbook)

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 lb lean ground sirloin

- 4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)

- 1 tbsp dried oregano

- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

- 1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided

- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

- 2 tbsp tomato paste

- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 3/4 lb dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells

- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

- 1/4 cup heavy cream

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large (12 in) skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.  Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape any browned bits.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pepper, stirring until combined.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tbsp of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce.  Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.  When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl.  Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well.  Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

Wonderful!  Absolutely wonderful!  

   It serves as a great change from the American spaghetti supper, not to replace but adds to the meal rotation in a deliciously Italian way.  Double and freeze half for later.  You'll not be sorry!

Baked Shrimp (and Broccoli) Scampi

I discovered that Anna-Kate loves shrimp!  I found this easy and yummy, Ina Garten recipe!  She used only shrimp; I used half shrimp/half broccoli.  From the pictures you can also see how we differentiate plates at our house, without making separate meals.  Will and I love spicy marinara, especially Will!  He and I had our Baked Scampi with angel hair with spicy marinara.  Anna-Kate had her Baked Scampi, broccoli and shrimp separated, with buttered angel hair topped with Parmesan cheese.

- 2 pounds shrimp (I used 1 pound of shrimp and one bag frozen broccoli florets, partially steamed)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine (I didn't have so I didn't use)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
- 4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 1/4 cup minced shallots (I used whatever minced onion I had)
- 3 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 extra-large egg yolk
- 2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Okay, let me just admit that this recipe I have never used fresh herbs or fresh lemon.  I have done this 3 times now and every time I feel certain that something slightly different went into the oven, but every time it was a hit!  The key is mixing the breadcrumbs with butter and dried or fresh seasonings to give it super yummy flavor!


 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, white wine, salt, and pepper.  Allow to sit at room temperature while you mix the breadcrumb mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the rest of the ingredients until combined.

Arrange the shrimp (or the shrimp and broccoli) in a single layer in the dish.  Pour any liquid over the shrimp. Spread the butter/breadcrumb mixture evenly over the shrimp.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  If you like the top brown, you can place under the broiler for 1 extra minute.

Thank you Ina for another hit!  And, thank you Anna-Kate for liking shrimp and reminding me to try something new!

Milk Chocolate Cookies

A friend brought these cookies to us as a treat along with a meal after we had Benjamin.  These cookies were sooo good!  Will asked me and asked me if I had gotten the recipe from her so I could make them for us.  She shared the recipe, so I made them this weekend.  A wonderful chocolate-y goodness in cookie form!

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 8 oz milk chocolate (4 oz coarsely chopped, 4 oz cut into 1/4-in chunks)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.  Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Melt 4 oz coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.

Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium speed until combined.  Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.  Fold in chocolate chunks.

Using a 1 1/2 in ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 in apart.  Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 min (cookies should be soft).  Let cool on parchment on wire racks  Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

So good!  If you are a fellow chocoholic, they are a must try!

Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins

This was a simple, but quite tasty main course. Because it marinates overnight and then only requires up to 15 min in the oven, this is a nice meal if you know you don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner.

- 1 lemon, zest grated
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
- good olive oil
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)
- 1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher Salt
- 3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
- freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 tsp salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the regrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sear the tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10-15 min or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 min. Carve in 1/2 in thick slices. The thickest part will be quite pink (that's fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.

I served this with diced eggplant and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes that had been baked in the oven for about 30 min. With the lemon/garlic flavor of the marinade, I was thinking of sides that had a Greek-flavor to them. Couscous, or roased squash and zucchini, or...