Not sure why, but a stir-fry never comes to mind when I’m thinking of what to serve guests. Some of our grown children (and a significant other) were coming for Sunday supper and one of them adheres to a plant-based diet. This time stir-fry did pop in my head because I knew we could easily whip up a bunch of vegetables, put some aside for the non-meat eater, then add chicken to the remainder.

Of course, what’s a dinner party without a few appetizers to get you going? Here we took a major shortcut and purchased pre-made dumplings and sushi, both veggie and fish. But The Mr. did make a slightly-spicy Japanese Gyoza Dipping Sauce from scratch (recipe follows).

Both the pork bun dumplings and the green veggie dumplings were pan-fried for a crisp exterior.

We had a mix of three varieties of sushi that included vegan, tuna and shrimp rolls; one wrapped in brown rice.

Pour Gyoza dipping sauce into small individual little bowls.

When you have cooked all of the veggies and they are keeping warm in a covered bowl, then it’s time to stir-fry the chicken in the wok. At this point, select a fry pan big enough to accommodate enough vegetables for those eating plant-based and put it on a burner over medium heat. Once the chicken is cooked through, divide the veggies between the wok and hot fry pan. Divide the sauce accordingly, stir and let thicken for a minute or two.

There were even some leftovers for our guests to take home for lunch the next day…

Yes, this warm, cozy fall recipe is a great way to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, but why wait around until after T-Day hoping you just might have enough leftover mashed sweet potatoes on hand? Go ahead and bake a few now before making this luscious, velvety soup. Then when you’ve got about a half hour, you can whip it together and have it ready to eat in no time.

I think using a homemade chicken broth instead of water adds additional depth of flavor, but if you’re sticking to vegetarian, a veggie broth or water will do just fine. You can also substitute cilantro in place of basil as a garnish if that’s what you prefer.

Want a heartier meal? Grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches make great companions. We made ours from Ezekiel 100% sprouted whole grain bread slices (no flour, no gluten). My go-to for an added flavor punch is a schmear of Dijon mustard. Additionally, although I didn’t have any at the time, a few slices of tomato in that sandwich would take it over the top.

Next time you’re serving sweet potatoes for dinner, cook up a few extra and put them aside, and you’ll be ahead of the game in making this soup again—because, yes, you’ll want to.

Recipe adapted from one found in Better Homes & Garden Magazine

French Chicken in a Pot shares some similarities with braised chicken—both are cooked in covered pots in low-temperature ovens to yield tender, flavorful meat. Unlike braising, however, where lots of liquid is added to the pot, this chicken is placed in a dry pot and left to cook in nothing more than the essence of its own juices. The amount of incredibly yummy natural jus that comes out while cooking is amazing considering it isn’t braised in liquid.

The amount of jus will vary depending on the size of the chicken; season it with about 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice for every 1/4 cup. FYI, the cooking times in the recipe are for a 4 1/2- to 5-pound bird. A 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound chicken will take about an hour to cook, and a 5- to 6-pound bird will take close to 2 hours.

With only a handful of veggies, herbs and spices, this is one of the simplest dinners you can prepare. Next time I will scatter the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary around chicken AFTER I flip the bird so that they don’t scorch. The original recipe has you add them when you first put the chicken breast side down (as seen in my photo below), but I indicated otherwise in the directions.

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated

When the weather cools, there’s nothing quite like roasting Autumn veggies to bring out their caramelization. Two particularly complementary pals are Brussels sprouts and sweet potato, not only in taste but in contrasting color and texture.

Yes, it may be too late to harvest certain fresh herbs, but our rosemary, sage and thyme were still salvageable, if yours are not, just buy them at the supermarket. We served the roasted veggies as a side to crispy-skinned chicken breasts that were rubbed and basted with the same mixture of olive oil, spices and herbs, making them perfect companions on the dinner plate.

If you prefer a little crunch, top with a couple of crumbled strips of cooked smoked bacon.

I’ve had this blog in my “back pocket” ever since last May before the hot summer temps made their presence. I figured the weather was too hot to be appropriate for posting but now that Autumn has taken hold, it’s perfect.

Leave it to chef/author Molly Stevens to come up with an equally elegant version of a holiday fare beef rib roast for a smaller crowd, and in less time too! The high heat method here works perfectly for a small 2-rib roast. Carving the meat off the bones prior to cooking provides an opportunity to slide rosemary between the bottom of the roast and the bones adding depth of flavor to the meat.

While it is preferable to season the roast as far ahead of time as possible, it can also be done in just a few hours, which is what happened to us. Realizing it was a holiday without dinner plans (say what?), I suggested retrieving our prime rib from the freezer and making a special meal from that. (It had been a steal at the supermarket a few weeks prior at 50% off.)

Our dilemma was the time factor, we had only about 7 hours until suppertime. So we did a quick-thaw method of the 5-pounder in some warm water, and then got busy thumbing through Molly’s All About Roasting cookbook to find this gem. And we highly recommend making the light and flavorful Horseradish Cream Sauce as an accompaniment.

When purchasing the meat, ask your butcher for a small-end (or first-cut) roast, meaning a roast cut from the loin end of the steer, where the meat is tender, flavorful and leaner than at the large end…

… And, you’re welcome!

Recipe from Molly Stevens “All About Roasting”

Orecchiette with Sausage and Arugula—A ragu of ground pork and wild fennel from Sardinia served as the inspiration for this quick and easy pasta dish. Dry vermouth and citrusy lemon zest perfectly balance the richness of the Italian sausage and the pepperiness of baby arugula.

Orecchiette is a coin-sized, saucer-shaped pasta ideal for catching flavorful bits of sausage, scallions and fennel seeds; if you can’t find orecchiette, small shells and cavatelli work well, too.

Our preference is usually for the hot spicy sausage but I went with the sweet this time around. And as is customary for us, I reduced the amount of pasta down from one pound to 12 ounces (which is how many boxes are packaged nowadays anyway). It’s easy to do, but don’t forget to reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. You will need it to build the sauce.

Recipe from 177milkstreet.com

Traditional Bangkok-style Pad Thai—where it is the ultimate street food—is dry and light bodied, with a fresh, complex, balanced flavor. It should be reddish-brownish in color, not bright red and oily. It also happens to be one of the most ordered take-out dishes in America.

Commonly, Pad Thai is a stir-fry dish made with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, peanuts, a scrambled egg and bean sprouts. Here is an easy and approachable version made with ground beef and can be made in about 20 minutes.

The typical sauce is made with tamarind paste, palm sugar, fish sauce, and garlic. Now I’ve previously gone the make-it-yourself route, and the easiest and best way to make pad Thai is to make the sauce in advance and use as little or much as you need—which you can refrigerate up to a month; but for this quick recipe, go ahead and buy an already prepared jarred version.

Bulk up the serving size of this Beef Pad Thai recipe by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice Pad Thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving. And OK, if you insist, add in a scrambled egg or two.

Glazed Salmon with Garlic-Miso Marinade is definitely an Asian-influenced approach brimming with pronounced flavors. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, just increase the amount of honey and use white miso instead of red. 

In case you are not familiar with miso paste, here’s a quick summary: White miso has a higher percentage or rice while red miso has more soybeans in it. A white miso is sweet while a red miso has a deep umami flavor. A white miso has a whitish to light beige color while a red miso is also reddish brown in color. White miso is used for mayonnaise and spreads while a red miso, the saltiest most pungent variety, is used for stews, braises and glazes. And they both last forever in the refrigerator. (There are also yellow and black miso pastes available.)

One pound of salmon easily satisfies two healthy portions of fish, but could also serve three people depending on appetites and other sides.

It’d been over 3 years since I blogged about, or made, these tasty babies. My bad because they are delicious! In this recipe, tangy, garlicky marinade made with lots of fresh oregano pairs perfectly with full-flavored lamb. And the halloumi cheese, unlike most which melt at high heat, holds up well to grilling, so it makes a great addition to a kebab.

I made numerous changes this time around. For starters, I recalled the halloumi could easily crumble as it was threaded onto the skewer, and/or fall off into the grill, so for that reason and the fact that I wanted more of the outside to get brown and crispy, I cut it into smaller pieces and pan-fried it.

Next, I added red bell pepper and purple onion chunks to the outer ends of the skewers. This increased the veggie quotient and also utilized some leftover pieces in my vegetable bin that might otherwise have spoiled. The amount of cubed lamb was increased from 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, and the sizes of the chunks were cut a bit larger at about 1 1/2 inches.

Instead of 16 smaller cherry tomatoes, I used 10 large, but that could change depending on how many skewers you use altogether. Everything fit onto 5 for us, but if you thread the cheese, you’ll likely use more. This time I made the orzo salad which I didn’t make before, and sooo glad I did, it was a wonderful pairing with the other ingredients!

Adapted from a recipe by Adeena Sussman from Fine Cooking

Sometimes a good salad is just the ticket to satisfy your craving. And this Tuna, Escarole and Chickpea Salad with Warm Herb-Garlic Vinaigrette is hearty enough to stand alone for dinner. Good-quality tuna is the fabulous secret weapon for this easy but satisfying meal. Its silky texture and slightly briny flavor makes this salad feel substantial.

As far as my personal adjustments, I used one 10.5 ounce jar of oil-packed tuna that provided exactly 1/2 cup of oil for the dressing; the can of chickpeas was 19-ounce as opposed to 15-ounce; and I introduced some kalamata olives for a salty bite.

Olives (a fruit rather than a vegetable) are one of those foods that you either love, or you hate—and we happen to love them! Even though they are small, they’re loaded with tons of powerful antioxidants and vitamins which give them the power to possibly prevent cancer, improve heart health, and protect us from chronic diseases and conditions like osteoporosis. What’s not to like about that?!

Ingredients

• 10.5-oz. jar good-quality tuna in oil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• 2 Tbs. minced shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small head escarole, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 19-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler (a heaping 1/3 cup)

Directions

1. Strain the oil from the tuna into a 1 cup measure. Add oil, if necessary, for a total of 1/2 cup. In a medium bowl, flake the tuna into large pieces and set aside.
2. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the oil and shallot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the lemon juice, parsley, rosemary, and pepper flakes.
4. In a large bowl, toss the escarole, chickpeas, olives and onion with enough of the warm vinaigrette to coat the greens well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
5. Divide the salad among four dinner plates and top each with a quarter of the tuna. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the tuna, top with the cheese, and serve.
   

Adapted from a recipe by Abby Simchak Donovan from Fine Cooking

According to 177MilkStreet.com, where we got this fabulous recipe, the rich and hearty ragu was inspired by a recipe from Portland, Oregon, chef Vitaly Paley. Ground cinnamon, a hefty pour of red wine and crushed tomatoes build layers of flavor over a base of garlic, portobellos and Italian sausage.

It is highly recommended that you don’t use Italian sausage links, even if the casings are removed. Bulk sausage is better because its grind tends to be finer than that of link sausage, so the meat breaks apart more readily during cooking.

Choose a full-bodied, dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. For a pop of color and another flavor booster, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. It’s definitely a nice twist on pasta with meat sauce.

Dig Mexican cuisine? Then you must try this twist on a weeknight dinner to break up the usual suspects of tacos, burritos, enchiladas… you get my drift. We even made our own corn tostadas—and it was super-easy. Thanks Fine Cooking for the suggestion!

Charred corn and chicken have great summery flavors, but what really makes this tostada sing is the chipotle-lime cream sauce that holds everything on the base. You can buy prepared tostada shells or, as mentioned, make them yourself following the directions in the tip below.

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Tostadas

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30 min. + marinating time
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients

• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced, plus 2-1/2 Tbs. sauce (from one can of chipotles in adobo sauce)
• 1 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil; more as needed
• 2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
• 3 ears corn, husked
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 8 tostada shells
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Prepare a medium-high (400°F to 475°F) gas or charcoal grill fire.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the minced chipotle and 2 Tbs. of the adobo sauce with the oil, zest, oregano, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for anywhere between 20 minutes and 1 hour.
    
   

   
3. Brush the corn lightly with oil and season generously with salt. Grill the chicken and corn, turning the chicken once and the corn a few times, until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 7 minutes, and the corn is charred in spots, about 12 minutes.
    
   

   
4. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for a few minutes, and then cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and cut the corn off the cob. (Doing so in a small rimmed baking sheet helps keep the kernels from flying about.)
   
5. Mix the sour cream with the lime juice, the remaining 1/2 Tbs. adobo sauce, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Spread evenly onto the tostada shells.
   
6. Top with the corn, chicken, and cilantro. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.
   

To make your own corn tostadas:

Arrange eight 6-inch corn tortillas on baking sheets in a single layer. Brush lightly on both sides with canola oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in a 400°F oven, flipping once, until golden and crisp on both sides, 9 to 12 minutes.

 

 

Be careful, because there’s a fine line between when they are done and when the tostadas are overdone, so keep a close eyeball on them.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Ruth Kaplan from Fine Cooking

We are all familiar with iconic pairings such as peanut butter and jelly, gin and tonic, movies and popcorn, football and beer, to suggest just a sampling. But few duos impress like steak and sauce, am I right? Well this Seared Skirt Steak with Garlicky Tequila-Lime Salsa Verde recipe will surely win you over if you harbor any doubt at all.

No grill required. Here, a sautéed steak is drizzled with an elegant pan sauce made from basic pantry ingredients that comes together in about a half hour or less. The dressy preparation demands remarkably little effort on your part.

The warm butter sauce riffs on both a familiar marinade and the ubiquitous Central American green salsa. It is a lot of butter, I agree, so if that bothers you, just be judicious on the amount you allow yourself—because it is sooo worth it; and your steak is a sponge for the intense flavors of the sauce.

Skirt steak—cherished in cuisines around the globe—is a long, thin cut from the beef plate between the brisket and flank. It is best prepared with high heat and quick cooking to preserve the chewy texture and ensure it stays as tender as possible. To maximize tenderness, slice the steak against its clearly defined grain.

If you liked this recipe, Fine Cooking has several more to pair with skirt steak. Chances are, I will be posting some of these in the near future:

• Seared Skirt Steak with Lemon-Parmesan Cream and Balsamic Glaze
• Seared Skirt Steak with Grainy Mustard, Apple, and Tarragon Pan Sauce
• Margarita-Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak with Tomatillo Salsa
• Grilled Skirt Steak with Adobo Butter

By Tony Rosenfeld from Fine Cooking

Notta justa pasta place… Non Solo Pasta (NSP), nestled into a tiny, unassuming strip mall off a major road in Morrisville, PA, this fabulous Italian restaurant has been around for decades. Although it’s not BYO, a preferred option for us, they have a full-scale bar with a long list of available wines by the glass or bottle.

Back in the early 90’s, when there weren’t a plethora of dining options close by our Yardley home, NSP was one place my Ex, neighbors and boating friends often frequented. Then for some unexplained reason, I hadn’t patronized the place in years until my friend Jeremy mentioned going there for dinner after an art opening. Bingo, great idea!

There are no shortage of Italian restaurants in our surrounding area, but having frequented most of them many times over, it was 9 months since we had dinner at NSP after that previously mentioned art opening. When trying to think of where to dine one Friday night, it popped into Russ’s noggin’, so reservations we made.

On this visit, while not packed to the gills, a good two-thirds of the tables were already taken, with what sounded like mostly regulars. Once seated we were quickly given three menus, one of Specials, another with their regular offerings, and a large booklet of drink selections. With so many tempting choices, it took us some time for reflection, so while we pondered our options, the waitress brought us water and a basket of warm crusty rolls. Instead of using the prepackaged pats of butter, we asked for, and received, a dish of EVOO with herbs and red pepper flakes for dipping.

All entrées come with a choice of soup or salad, and both times everyone ordered the side salad with baby spinach, crisp greens, cucumber slices and grape tomatoes. Our after-the-art-opening dining choices with friend Jeremy are pictured below, followed by the second visit meal selections.

Bolognese Bianca with peas over pappardelle.

Italian Wedding Soup

Portobello Mushroom appetizer.

Raviolacci—Homemade ravioli filled with short ribs, sautéed mushrooms and red peppers with a parmigiano, brown butter and sage sauce.

On yet another visit with just the two of us, we first selected a bottle of wine, then we ordered the Long Hots with garlic and provolone as an appetizer. The cheese portion was unusually large (although doesn’t appear so in this photo), and we each tore off some bread chunks, dragged them through the olive oil and topped with a slice of pepper and cheese, perfecto!

Because the portions are more than ample, we both took doggie bags home, and couldn’t even fathom the idea of dessert, although based on what other diners were consuming, the desserts looked very good indeed. Non Solo Pasta will definitely go back into our rotation of Italian eating establishments.

Roasted Long Hots with garlic and sharp provolone.

Chicken and Sausage Cacciatore with peppers, onions, herbs, in a light marinara, accompanied by the best side of potatoes I think I’ve ever eaten!

Lamb & Filet Tips Bolognese—Meat sauce with hints of a full-bodied red wine, Mutti Pomodoro over pappardelle.

We made it back again, coincidentally, after another art opening in which me and my friend Jeremy both had pieces in the exhibit. Luckily we had made an advanced reservation for 5, because the place was packed and we still had to wait for a table.

By this time, we knew that whatever we ordered, it was going to be good. The problem is trying to narrow down our choices from the regular and Specials menus. But with a bottle of red ordered, we got down to the business of choosing.

Positano—A seafood option from the regular menu, was chockfull of colossal lump crab meat with a choice of a light marina or white garlic sauce. Three of us opted for this entrée, one with penne, two over linguine, all with the marina topping.

Bronzino Mediterraneo—A grilled filet of Branzino accompanied by sautéed spinach and perfectly cooked asparagus in a Mediterranean Citronette was a special that night.

Veal Napoletano—Pan sautéed veal in a San Marzano sauce with garlic, kalamata olives and capers also hailed from the regular dinner menu.

If you live or work in the area, Non Solo Pasta is a sure bet when it comes to real good Italian food. You may just want to make a reservation ahead of time…