Beef Stir Fry with Broccolini and Red Peppers

Like Chinese take-out, but the greasiness and saltiness not so much? Yeah, me too. I like to cook dishes that remind me of all that I love about Chinese take-out but in a healthier way. Like Sriracha Pork Noodles and now this dish, Beef Stir Fry with Broccolini and Red Peppers.

Pleased to report it was a George family crowd pleaser, though one child would have preferred it with broccoli over broccolini. BTW, that would be a fine substitution if you can't get broccolini at your market or if you know it will be met with certain resistance.

XOXO,
Amy

Beef Stir Fry with Broccolini and Red Peppers
1 cup long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1 1/4 to 1 3/4 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1 pound broccolini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced thin to the dark green parts
1 1/2 cups unsalted beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over high heat. Add beef and cook, tossing often, until only slight pink — about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Note that the beef will continue to cook through after you remove it from the heat, so you don't want to overcook it on the stove. Dump liquid left in the skillet into the sink.

Add broccolini, peppers and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet. Cover and cook, uncovering to toss halfway through, for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and green onions and cook until fragrant — about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl with beef and toss gently to combine.

Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Add to skillet and bring to a boil; cook until thickened and glossy — about 1 minute. Serve veggies and beef over rice and drizzle sauce on top.

Cauliflower Pasta Bake

Cauliflower is having a moment now that someone figured out how to rice the vegetable, but I still like to eat it in a more naturally occurring state.

I came across this Ina Garten recipe and thought my kids would like it. Pasta, cheese and a bread crumb topping sounded like a kid-friendly dinner to me. Read on for their honest reactions:

Son #1: "If you're going to make pasta, why don't you use tomato sauce?"

Son #2: "Why couldn't you have made baked ziti?"

Well, too bad for my boys. My husband and I loved this dish, which can serve a crowd or a family of 4 for a few days. Another plus? You can prep this in advance and bake it when you are ready.

Hope you like it as much as I did!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cauliflower Pasta Bake

1 pound medium pasta shells
Olive oil
Large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 tablespoons sage leaves, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
Zest from 1 medium lemon
2 1/2 cups freshly grated fontina cheese (about a 13 ounce piece with rind)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 quarter cup panic bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and put into large bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Saute cauliflower (in batches, adding more oil as needed) in a single layer until lightly browned. Transfer to bowl with pasta.

Add the sage, capers, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl with all of the cooked cauliflower and pasta.

Mix together. Add grated fontina cheese and stir to combine.

Place half of the pasta mixture in the baking pan. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese. Place remaining pasta on top.

If you are preparing this ahead time, let cool, then cover with foil and refrigerate.

Before baking:

In a small bowl, stir together panko, parmesan, parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle on top of the pasta. Bake for about 30 minutes, until browned and crunchy on top. Serve hot.

Chicken Stew with Sausage and Cannellini Beans

We all have those meals we love to make for family and friends.

Mine include Baked Ziti, Cajun Turkey Jambalaya and Turkey, Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili.

And this favorite, straight from the pages of the Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook. The first time I made this -- way back in 2012, I was hooked. It was my first time cooking with fennel and the amazing flavor it imparts to the dish is addicting.

I've since served this up to many of our house guests, but hadn't made it recently. So glad I did. This stew does require some prep work, which makes it great for a weekend, not to mention cold, cloudy days.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Chicken Stew with Sausage and Cannellini Beans

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound mild or sweet sausage links, sliced
2 onions, minced
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (remove the stops and the core and cut in half first)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
2 bay leaves
2, 15 ounce cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach
Shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

Cut off extra fat from chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

Over medium-high flame, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet. In batches, brown chicken on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Place cooked chicken in bowl until next steps.

Heat remaining oil in the pan. Add sausage and brown well. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Reserve 1 tablespoon of fat in pan and pour off the rest.

Add onions, fennel, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and red pepper to pan and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add 1 cup broth and stir to smooth out any lumps.

Transfer to slow cooker. Add 3 cups of broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Add chicken, sausage and any juices in the bowl. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on low.

Remove chicken to large plate or cutting board and shred into small pieces with two forks.

Skim off any fat on top of stew and remove bay leaves.

Stir in beans and spinach. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes to wilt spinach. Add chicken, stir and allow to heat through.

If stew is too thick, add hot broth.

Ladle into bowls and season with salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan.

Turkey & White Bean Chili

This soup is cozy, slightly spicy and easy enough to make on a weeknight.

Plus, it's got beans. My husband is on a mission to eat more legumes, much to the horror of my children.

One of my boys did taste this chili and said it was pretty good. But he still cooked himself mac & cheese instead.

Fine by me. The turkey and lime in this dish are super tasty, so I'm enjoying the leftovers.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Turkey & White Bean Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (juice from 1 medium/large lime)
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 8-10 minutes.

Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano. Stir and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds.) Add beans and stir. Then add broth and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes

Remove 2 cups of the bean mixture and puree in a blender or food processor. Return bean soup to pot and add turkey. Cook until heated through.

Add tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes more. Dish up into bowls and top with more cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.

Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas

I have high hopes for 2018 — for my business, my family and my country. Leaving nothing to chance, I decided on a New Year's Day dinner of black-eyed peas and collard greens. Southern culinary tradition has it that you eat these foods on January 1 to bring you luck, prosperity and wealth in the new year. Who can argue with that?

Of course, to soak up all the yummy juices I baked cornbread, too. Making these foods comes naturally to me, thanks to the Tennessee side of my family. Beans and cornbread equaled a regular supper (we didn't say dinner) growing in my family. I'm pleased to say my husband and daughters now enjoy it. If you've never tried it, this wintertime meal is cozy and comforting. Give it a try. 

Wishing you luck, prosperity and wealth in 2018.

XOXO,

Amy

Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas

1 pound dried black-eyed peas

6 cups chicken broth 

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 leftover ham bone with some ham remnants or 8 ounces of ham

4 sliced of bacon cut up into half-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Soak beans in water overnight. This step is optional. The beans will probably be fine if you skip this step; you'll just have to let them cook a bit longer.

Rinse beans and place in slow cooker.

Add all other ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with greens and cornbread.

Eggnog Banana Bread

My sons discovered they like eggnog this year, and now we have two half-full containers of the festive drink sitting in the fridge. So I started thinking about ways to use it up (I didn't know about Amy's Eggnog Pancakes until yesterday!) along with the ripe bananas on my kitchen counter.

My first experiment was a recipe for banana bread with the spices used in eggnog, but we found it kind of bland.

A few online searches later and I hit upon a combination of recipes that uses up some eggnog, is generous with cinnamon and nutmeg and includes an extra kick from rum or bourbon.

This bread stays moist thanks to the banana, there is limited sugar and you definitely get that eggnog-y taste.

The kicker is the icing and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

I prefer serving this warm, but my kids like it room temperature — with a glass of eggnog on the side, of course!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Eggnog Banana Bread
Inspired by recipes from Cooking Light and Taste of Home

1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/8 cups white whole wheat flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup eggnog
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons bourbon, rum or brandy

For the icing:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon or rum
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Note: This recipe will make 3 mini loaves, 18 muffins or 2 larger loaves. Fill your pans or muffin tins 3/4 full.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bread pans or muffin tins with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. In a second large bowl, use and electric or stand mixer to beat together the eggs, eggnog, bananas, sugar, butter and rum. Beat until well mixed.

Add dry ingredients to eggnog-banana mixture in two batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrap edges of bowl as needed.

Pour into loaf pans or muffin tins. Bake loaf pans 35 to 35 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes.

While bread cools, mix powdered sugar, rum and heavy cream in a small bowl until a smooth icing forms. Use a fork or whisk dipped in the icing to drizzle over the bread. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Eggnog Pancakes

Breaking culinary news: It's the last day of the kids' winter break, and I decided to whip up pancakes — using up leftover eggnog — for daughter Penny. I've put cinnamon in pancakes and French toast but never nutmeg. Why? Such wasted opportunity. It's soooo good. Thumbs up endorsement by Penny, too.

Don't waste your eggnog! Make pancakes instead!

XOXO,
Amy

Eggnog Pancakes
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup eggnog

Mix together dry ingredients. Add egg and eggnog and blend thoroughly. Cook on lightly greased griddle, flipping pancakes just once.