Cornish Game Hens - 2 ways!

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Yes, some people will not agree with me on this one, but I think Cornish game hens are so cute that I always want to buy them for dinner! I hesitated for a long time because Nick informed me he was not a fan - then I found out the only place he had had them was in a mess hall in Iraq - yeah, time to change his opinion. I told him he had to at least try them :) I think he approved. I made two, each a bit different, just so he had some variation. They were very juicy!

Pesto Style:
Mmmmm..pesto sauce, makes everything better.

• 1 Cornish game hen
• 3 tb pesto sauce
• 1 tb Italian dressing
• garlic clove, mashed
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse and pat the hen dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, inside and outside. Separate the skin from the meat and massage pesto sauce under the skin and all over the hen (as much as desired). Fill the cavity with the zucchini, dressing and the mashed garlic clove. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.

Italian Style:

• 1 Cornish game hen
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  
• garlic clove, mashed
  
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse and pat the hen dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning, inside and outside. Separate the skin from the meat and massage the italian dressing under the skin and all over the hen (as much as desired). Fill the cavity with the zucchini, last 1 tb of dressing and the mashed garlic clove. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.

Chicken Stir Fry

Adapted from Kikkoman

I usually like to make my own sauces and whatnot, but I was in Whole Foods not long ago and spotted some stir fry sauce I wanted to try. I was planning on making a quick meal for lunch and figured, why not?! I followed the recipe on the back of the bottle and it turned out well! Kikkoman has lowered their sodium levels too, so I didn't feel as guilty eating it. This made a decent amount! Nick and I will have lunch for two days :)

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into chunks
• 1 tb corn starch
• 1 tb low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tb sesame oil
• 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (I like PictSweet Summer Vegetables with Cracked Pepper)
• 1 small bag of frozen snow peas
• 1/2 cup Kikkoman stir fry sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Coat the chicken in the corn starch and soy sauce. Add 1 tb sesame oil to a big skillet or wok and brown the chicken on both sides. I cooked mine until pretty much cooked through. Remove chicken and place in a bowl. Add another 1 tb sesame oil and add the vegetables (mixed and snow peas). Cook until almost tender. Add the chicken back in with the stir fry sauce. Cook for approximately 5 minutes. Top with toasted sesame seeds!

Italian Frittata

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I think I've become obsessed with the frittata concept and experimenting with different flavors! They're just so easy and fast, and pretty delicious! I tend to have a lot of Italian-ish ingredients in my fridge, so I used whatever I could find that sounded good together :) This is great for a group too since it makes a decent amount! As Duncan put it, who was over for the frittata, this is a yummy egg pizza!

• package of sliced prosciutto (about 3 ounces)
• diced pepperoni (about 2 ounces)
• approx. 1/2 teaspoon rosemary (I had dried on hand)
• approx. 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• approx. 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• approx. 2 tb capers, chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch of pepper
• 1-2 tb fresh grated Parmesan
• approx. 6-8 thin slices fresh mozzarella
• approx. 6-8 tb pesto

In an ovenproof skillet, brown the prosciutto, pepperoni, and rosemary. Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, red peppers, capers, pepper, parmesan cheese, and basil and pour into the skillet. Cook, until almost set; top with the mozzarella cheese and pesto sauce. Broil until set in the center, about 5-7 minutes. 

Loaded Frittata

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I've been wanting to try another frittata and decided this past weekend was a good time! I hit up the farmer's market a block from my house for some of the fresh ingredients. We had a guest crash in our spare bedroom and he definitely approved - considering he woke up to a home cooked brunch :) This was delicious. One piece is pretty filling, but it's just as tasty leftover. Feel free to get creative with the ingredients..that's the fun part!

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I used Mild)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (small size)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (small size)
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt
• 1 cup high quality, sharp cheddar (I used extra sharp)
• 1 cup cooked maple bacon, chopped (good quality)

In an ovenproof skillet, cook the sausage and crushed red pepper, breaking up the meat, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels (to drain some of the grease). In the same skillet, add the peppers and shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage. Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour into the skillet. Cook, scrambling the mixture, until almost set; top with the cheddar cheese. Broil until set in the center, about 5 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon.

Saturday's Slow Cooked Ribs

Courtesy of SlashFood
Nick has been wanting to make slow cooked ribs in the crock pot for quite some time. Obviously, I fully supported this decision. Saturday was the day and boy were they fall off the bone delicious! They were so tasty that he bought two more racks on Monday and plans to make them again soon. This makes me happy.

Buy some baby back ribs, cut each slab in half to make sure they fit in your cooker and peel off the silverskin (silvery white connective tissue on the underside of the ribs). Then, simply layer the ribs with barbeque sauce and set the timer. Nick used 3-4 pounds of baby back ribs in our 5-quart slow cooker. Nick cooked them on low for 7 hours.

Tangy BBQ sauce
1 cup ketchup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
¾ tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic)
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and whisk together in a medium bowl.  Layer sauce with meat in a slow cooker. Makes about 2 cups.

Roasted Vegetables
I feel that I should explain at least what these are, since they are in the photo :) I bought a package of fresh stir fry vegetables from Whole Foods, dumped them in a roasting pan, and tossed them with olive oil, fresh rosemary, juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Sea Bass with Lime Ginger Sauce & Sake Soy Bok Choy

Courtesy of Plated Perfection 
I'll admit, I became obsessed with the chilean sea bass I had in Vegas at Joe's Steak & Seafood...to the point where I almost got it two nights in a row there. I restrained myself and made my friend get it ;) However, I saw chilean sea bass at the seafood counter and decided it was time to try to imitate what I had at Joe's. It was pretty darn close, in my opinion! I did get the skin removed from the fish at the seafood counter, I personally love doing that. The fish flakes so easily and it melts in your mouth! This sauce was enough for about two fillets.

Sea Bass with Lime Ginger Sauce
- 2 Chilean Sea Bass fillets
- dash of pepper
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 3 tb soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 green onion, green parts, sliced

Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Grate the zest from the lime. In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, oil, diced garlic, and black pepper. Place the fish on the lined broiler pan. Brush the fish evenly with some of the sauce and broil 4 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven, brush with additional sauce, and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and just flakes when tested with a fork. Top with green onion.

Sake Soy Bok Choy
- 2 baby bok choy (or however much you desire to make - adjust as necessary), rinsed
- 1 tb olive oil
- 3-4 tb sake (definitely approximate)
- 2-3 tb soy sauce (also approximate)
- dash of salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Toss the bok choy in and toss in the sake and soy sauce. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes (just keep your eye on it).

Mediterranean Salmon

Courtesy of Plated Perfection
Harris Teeter informed me recently that Alaska Wild Salmon is only in season for a bit longer, so I took advantage and purchased some. I decided that would be my healthy lunch to take to work! I was also craving my homemade tzatziki sauce, so I figured I'd combine my efforts. I always throw the tzatziki sauce together on a whim and never follow the same measurements or recipe, so I recommend making this to your liking - taste along the way! The salmon was super easy to make, and then I just topped it with the sauce and some feta crumbles...yum in my tum. (This is over one serving of salmon and about 4+ servings of sauce; I wanted to make extra to have around this week).

- 1 filet wild salmon (approximately .5 pound)
- 2 lemons
- 1 tb dried oregano (half for salmon, half for sauce)
- few dashes of lemon pepper seasoning
- dash of salt
- 1 tb olive oil
- 1 larger container of non-fat greek yogurt (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 tb fresh chopped dill
- 1 tb fresh chopped mint
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- approximately 3 inches English cucumber, peeled and diced (these are seedless)
- 1 tb crumbled feta

Place a large sheet of aluminum foil in a baking dish (any oven-proof dish). Coat the foil with half of the EVOO and put the other half of EVOO on top of the salmon. Place salmon on foil. Sprinkle with a dash of salt, lemon pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon, and oregano. Fold the foil on the ends and create a tent above the fish. Bake at 400 for approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

In the meantime, it's time to tzatziki! Mix the greek yogurt, 1/2 tb oregano, juice of 1.5 lemons, dill, mint, garlic, and cucumber. BAM! You're done.

Top the salmon with a hefty serving of tzatziki and your desired amount of feta. Top with additional dill (optional).

Chicken Yakitori with Bok Choy

Chicken Yakitori (Adapted from Cooking Light)

• 1 cup sake
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 36 (3/4-inch) cubes
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 5 cilantro sprigs
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into pieces for skewers
• Cooking spray

Soak the skewers, if wooden in a bit of water for about 20 minutes. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Remove ginger with a slotted spoon, and place in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce mixture, pepper, chicken, garlic, and cilantro to ginger in bowl; toss well. Cover and chill 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Bring remaining soy sauce mixture to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; slowly add vinegar and oil, stirring with a whisk. Divide soy sauce mixture into 2 equal portions (about 1/4 cup each); set aside. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken and red bell pepper pieces alternately onto skewers. Place the skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Cover and grill for 8 minutes or until done, turning after 4 minutes and basting occasionally with 1/4 cup reserved soy sauce mixture. Place skewers on a serving platter; serve with remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce mixture.

Bok Choy (Adapted from Steamy Kitchen Blog)

• 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (using the jar of ginger works too)
• 3 tablespoons water + 3 tablespoons white wine
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by trimming the stem off - don't trim too much - just the end. Cutting the thick stem off will ensure that the bok choy cooks evenly. Separate out the leaves, keep the tender center intact and clean under running  water. Drain. Place wok or saute pan on your stove and pour in the cooking oil. Add the garlic and ginger. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the ginger and garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When the aromatics become fragrant and light golden brown, add the bok choy leaves. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the garlicky, gingery oil for 15 seconds. Pour in half of the water and wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a bit of sesame oil on top. Top with remainder of the water and wine. Cover and simmer for another couple of minutes.

Ham, Eggs & Avocado

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Well, I just got back from Las Vegas, where I have been for the the past 9 days, so I apologize for the lack of activity! On a plus side, I visited MANY amazing restaurants while there.  My wallet may not appreciate it, but my taste buds sure do! I took today to get my life back in order, which means I cooked something :) This is a super easy dish to make...and fast!

1 ham steak
2 eggs
Cooking spray
1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tb salsa verde
salt & pepper to taste

The ham steak should be pre-cooked, so this really only involves a bit of heating and browning. Spray a skillet and cook on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Spray the skillet with more cooking spray, if needed, and crack two eggs. Cook for about two minutes, flip, and cook for another two minutes. (Cook to your preference). In the meantime, dice up an avocado and mix with lime juice. Top the ham steak with the eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with the avocado on the side and top with salsa.