Dollars to Donuts posts Tagged ‘eating out at home’

Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken Parmesan

Posted by Dawn Welch

ovenchickenparmPrep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min

I am a crispy girl all the way, meaning the crumb coating on chicken Parmesan better be crisp and crunchy, not soggy. Over the years of making chicken Parm, my absolute favorite dish ever, I’ve come up with a few tricks for getting the chicken super-crispy—without frying. Yes, without frying. Not only does oven-baking save you from an oily cooktop, but it really shows off the flavors in the bread crumbs and marinara sauce while staying on the (somewhat) lighter side.

The trick is to bake the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet instead of layered in a baking dish. The heat circulates around the chicken more thoroughly, ensuring the most surface area comes into contact with that hot air. I also bake the chicken part way without sauce, which really helps that crumb coating to crisp up.

Ingredients
1 cup bread crumbs
1⁄2 teaspoon each dried basil and dried oregano or 1 teaspoon Italian Rub
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 large egg
11⁄2 cups homemade or store-bought marinara, warmed
1 cup grated whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Pasta, for serving

Season the bread crumbs. Place the bread crumbs in a medium bowl and toss with the herbs and salt.

Pound the chicken breasts. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a cutting board with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place 1 chicken breast on top and cover with another sheet of plastic. Pound the breast until it’s super-thin, about 1⁄4″ thick. Remove the plastic and set the cutlet aside; repeat with the remaining breasts.

Bread the cutlets. Set a rimmed baking sheet at one end of your work surface. Place the bread crumbs next to the baking dish. Beat an egg in a shallow pie plate or bowl and place next to the bread crumbs. Set the chicken next to the egg. Using 1 hand (this will be your “breading” hand—try to keep the other hand clean), dip a cutlet into the egg, making sure the egg coats both sides, and then place it in the bread crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over the cutlet, making sure both sides are evenly coated, and then place the breaded cutlet on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken and place in the baking sheet (try to fit all of the chicken on the baking sheet in 1 layer).

Bake, sauce, and bake some more. Bake the cutlets until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan, if using, and with some pasta on the side.

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Sicilian Pasta with Tuna and Capers

Posted by Dawn Welch

sicilianpasta

Canned tuna is a great value, so why just use it for tuna salad? Paired with pasta and capers, it makes a great, rustic, and flavorful dinner that seems fancy even though it’s pretty bare bones.

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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1⁄3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juice (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon + 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spaghetti
2 cans (6 ounces each) olive oil–packed tuna, drained
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄2 lemon

Make the sauce. Pour the oil into a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook gently over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 11⁄2 minutes. Add the parsley and capers and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt, and simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Boil the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add the tuna and serve. Break the tuna into small flakes and add to the sauce along with the pepper. Add the sauce and the butter to the pasta, tossing gently until the butter is completely melted (add a little pasta water if the pasta seems dry). Squeeze the lemon half over the pasta, toss, divide the pasta among 4 bowls, and serve.

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Eating Food Out at Home – Steak, Pasta, Salmon, Pizza & Burgers

Posted by Dawn Welch

Most of the food I cook at home isn’t very different from the food we serve at the Rock (except instead of paying for dishwashers, I enlist my kids!), and I love it, but sometimes I like to cook a bit outside the box.

Like most people in the food business, I get inspired by eating in restaurants. Aside from the obvious convenience of having someone else do the shopping, cooking, and cleanup, it’s a great way to discover interesting ingredients and flavorings, and of course there’s the indulgence factor. Even a trip to a “continental” restaurant makes a simple steak, seafood or pasta dinner seem more festive than the everyday.

The obvious downside is the expense: Virtually any food you cook at home is going to cost you less than a meal in a sit-down restaurant, and even ordering takeout food can easily run $30 or more.

So once a week I try to shake up the routine and get a little of that restaurant flavor on the table, even home-made pizza or grilled cheese burgers cook up better at home. Sometimes it just means cooking up something a tad more exotic, or using an unfamiliar flavor or ingredient that’s sure to get everyone’s attention and make dinner seem a little more special than the everyday fare.

And while many of the ethnic foods that I favor aren’t necessarily that expensive, when you make them at home, you control what goes into each dish, how much oil is used, and the quality of ingredients that make it onto the table. It’s also a fun reminder of some of the far-flung spots I’ve been lucky enough to visit.

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Lasagna Recipe from The Today Show!

Posted by Dawn Welch

threecheesewhitelasagnaPrep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min

Extra creamy and decadent, this casserole is like macaroni and cheese dressed up for company. Many kids and even adults aren’t fans of ricotta cheese, which is how I came up with this Cheddar and Monterey Jack–loaded alternative to the traditional lasagna. Sautéed onions and a mix of beef and pork give the dish some backbone, while a little Parmesan sprinkled over the top offers up an irresistible golden-brown crust. You could make this even more like macaroni and cheese if you wanted by using elbow macaroni or even ziti in place of the lasagna noodles.

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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1⁄2 pound lean ground beef
1⁄2 pound ground pork
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup low-fat or whole milk
3 cups homemade Parmesan sauce or store bought Alfredo sauce
9 no-boil egg lasagna noodles
11⁄2 cups (6 ounces) grated Cheddar cheese
11⁄2 cups (6 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Make the sauce. Heat the oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the beef and pork and cook 2 to 4 minutes until the meat is browned. Pour off the extra fat from the pan.

Assemble and bake the lasagna. Stir together the milk and Parmesan sauce and evenly spread 1⁄2 cup over the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ pan. Lay 3 lasagna noodles in the pan lengthwise. Stir together the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses in a medium bowl with the egg. Pour 3⁄4 cup of the sauce over the noodles and top with 2 cups of the cheese-and-egg mixture. Pour 3⁄4 cup of the sauce evenly over the cheese, and follow with 3 more noodles, the meat mixture, 3⁄4 cup of the sauce, 3 more noodles, the remaining 1 cup of the cheese mixture, and the remaining 3⁄4 cup of sauce. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan.

Bake and serve the lasagna. Cover the pan with foil and bake until the cheese is bubbly and brown, about 30 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

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Cajun-Style Red Beans and Rice

Posted by Dawn Welch

cajunredbeansriceEating this dish is like time travel. It takes me back to New Orleans where I learned how to make it as a way to use leftover rice. We love it so much, it’s a special request and like chili, it’s very wallet-friendly.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, ribbed, seeded, and finely chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Tex-Mex Rub
1 can (14 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed, or 11⁄2 cups cooked pinto beans
3 cups cooked white rice
Hot-pepper sauce, optional

Make the Tex-Mex rub. I keep a couple of my own spice blends in the cabinet.  They keep for up to 4 months if stored in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dark, and dry spot. To make a batch of this one, I mix 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons sweet paprika.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the chili powder and Tex-Mex Rub. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, and then mix in the pinto beans and rice. Continue to cook and stir until the beans and rice are heated through, about 5 minutes, adding water if it looks as if the spices or rice are sticking and burning. Serve with hot-pepper sauce on the side if using.

Meaty Red Beans and Rice
This is the version that is on offer at the restaurant, and people go crazy for it. Before sautéing the onion and bell pepper, I brown 1 pound of ground beef and 1⁄2 pound of sliced smoked sausage (such as andouille or kielbasa). Once the meat is browned, I add in the onion, bell pepper, salt, and black pepper, and continue with the recipe above.

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Paella with Spicy Sausage and Shrimp

Posted by Dawn Welch

paellawithsausage

This is my go-to party dish because it seems fancy and expensive. Stretch a pound of shrimp by slicing them in half lengthwise, so it looks like there’s a ton of shrimp in the pan. When I serve it to my family we’re all thinking the same thing: leave some for leftovers tomorrow.

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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
12 ounces chorizo or other spicy sausage, sliced 1⁄2″ thick
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
3–31⁄2 cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 pound (25-30) large peeled and deveined shrimp
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Make the paella base. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until the sausage is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, tomatoes, and wine, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Cook the rice and seafood. Add 3 cups of the broth, the saffron, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through but still firm, about 20 minutes, adding the remaining 1⁄2 cup broth if the pan seems dry before the rice is done. Add the shrimp, cover, and cook until the shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Crispy Salmon Cakes

Posted by Dawn Welch

crispysalmoncakes

When the craving for fish cakes hits, I choose the economical and tasty canned salmon that’s always in my pantry.  Canned salmon is packed with the same big flavors and nutrients that I expect from fresh salmon.  If you haven’t given canned salmon a try, I highly recommend it.

When I serve these to company, everyone wants the recipe. Let me know what you think!

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Ingredients
2 cans (14.75 ounces each) salmon, drained
11⁄2 cups panko bread crumbs
1⁄2 cup tartar sauce or mayonnaise
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced, or 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1 large egg
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3⁄4 cup canola oil

Make the salmon mixture. Mix together the salmon, 1 cup of the panko, the tartar sauce or mayonnaise, scallions or onion powder, the egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Shape the cakes. Form the mixture into eight 3″ cakes that are about 1″ thick. Place the remaining 1⁄2 cup of panko in a shallow dish and press the cakes into the bread crumbs until all sides are evenly coated.

Fry the salmon cakes. Heat 1⁄2 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, fry the salmon cakes in 2 batches until golden brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch, adding the remaining 1⁄4 cup of oil to fry the second batch if necessary. Place the salmon cakes on a paper towel–lined plate to drain, and serve hot.

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Huevos Rancheros: Oklahoma’s Penicillin

Posted by Dawn Welch

huevosracherosPrep time: 12 min
Cook time: 30 min

After a long and crazy day at the Rock, I totally crave a bite of comfort for dinner. For my family, huevos rancheros fits the bill—it’s our chicken soup. I usually have all of the ingredients in my fridge too, so not only is it friendly on my wallet and totally delicious, but it’s easy to throw together. Sometimes, when I’m too beat to bother with frying the tortillas, I’ll throw in the towel and use store-bought chips instead. In fact, huevos rancheros is a great use for the last few chips in the bag—and I get more chill time (and sometimes that’s worth a heck of a lot more than money!).

036963-huevosrancheros-625x465

Ingredients
3–4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas (4″–6″)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large red or green bell pepper, seeded, ribbed, and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large eggs
1 cup grated Mexican Blend cheese
Hot sauce or salsa for serving

Fry the tortillas. Heat the oven to 250°F. Warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and fry until crispy and brown on each side. Transfer it to a paper towel–lined plate (an opened-up brown paper bag works too) to drain, and then put it on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to stay warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, reducing the heat and adding more oil if necessary.

Cook the vegetables. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the same skillet you used for the tortillas, cooking them until the onion and pepper soften and the garlic is fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, chili powder, and cumin, bring to a strong simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the tomatoes begin to break up, about 5 minutes.

Fry the eggs and assemble. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack 4 eggs into the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and fry until the white is opaque, about 3 minutes. Place the tortillas on 4 plates. Slide 2 eggs onto 2 of the tortillas and top each of the 2 plates with a quarter of the tomato mixture and some cheese. Serve the first 2 portions immediately while you fry up the second batch of eggs.

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Veggie-Loaded Chicken Fried Rice

Posted by Dawn Welch

chickenfriedriceFrozen vegetables are true assets. Picked at their peak sweetness and flash-frozen to preserve nutrients and flavor, there’s just no reason to turn your nose up at frozen broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn, green beans, pearl onions or peas. Defrost 12 ounces of chicken and this side dish transforms into a chop-smacking main meal.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
12 oz. chicken breast, chopped
4 cups frozen Asian-blend vegetables (or 4 cups of mixed frozen vegetables such as broccoli florets, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, pearl onions, peas, or snow peas)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons prepared Asian sauce (such as black bean, hoisin, or teriyaki)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 cups cooked brown or white rice

Heat the canola oil in a wok or large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat for 11⁄2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, then stir in the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the frozen vegetables along with the salt and 3 tablespoons of water and cook, partially covered, until thawed, 3 to 6 minutes (depending on what kinds of frozen vegetables you used). Add the scallions, soy sauce, Asian sauce, and sesame oil, toss with the vegetables to coat, and then stir in the rice and cook until all the grains are coated with sauce. Serve immediately.

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Turkey BLT Sliders

Posted by Dawn Welch

turkeybltslidersHaving some ground meat in the freezer definitely comes in handy — especially when I have a kitchen full of hungry kids clamoring for food! Mini burgers are a great solution. They’re the perfect handheld size, and grown-ups love them too, so really they’re a win-win snack (double the serving for a meal). These turkey burger BLTs are extra-yummy, but you can scratch the BLT part if you don’t have the fixings and just top them with ketchup, mustard, pickles, or Swiss. Any kind of ground meat works here, even super-lean and flavorful bison. Oven-cooking the bacon and burgers is a lot less messy than pan-frying, though of course the burgers are great grilled, too.

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Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey (light or dark meat, or a combo of the two)
6 mini buns or dinner rolls, about 3″ in diameter, split
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (1⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2–3 lettuce leaves, torn into 3″ pieces
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Cook the bacon. Adjust 1 oven rack to the uppermost position and leave the other in the middle position. Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisped and browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Pour the bacon fat from the baking sheet into an airtight container (or top off the bacon fat you already have stored in the fridge) and refrigerate. Wipe off the baking sheet and turn on the broiler.

Make the burgers and the mayo. Sprinkle the salt and the pepper over the ground turkey and gently mix to combine (squeezing and compacting meat makes for tough burgers). Divide the turkey into 6 mounds and lightly roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet and flatten them with your hands into patties slightly larger than the buns (the burgers will shrink a little with cooking). Arrange the buns, cut-side up, on a second baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Broil the burgers on the upper rack until cooked through and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. While the burgers cook, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Toast the buns. Take the burgers and buns out; set the burgers aside. Brush the cut side of the buns with some melted butter and broil just until lightly toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oven and spread each bun with the garlic mayonnaise. Place a patty on each bun bottom, top with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and the bun top, and serve.

D2D
Save the fat left over from cooking bacon in an airtight container in the fridge. Use it instead of butter or oil for sautéing or roasting vegetables or pan-searing chicken.

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