Battle of the Cornish Hens

Okay so today was day 2 of Be Courageous in the Kitchen where I did battle with the cornish hens. Besides the fact that I roasted them upside down (I know rookie mistake) they cooked up perfectly.

I actually used Giada deLaurentiis's recipe for Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hens. I followed the recipe and baked them according to her directions and they turned out great. Forrest complimented me on how perfectly the chicken was cooked, but he wasn't a fan of the citrus flavor. I personally liked the kick of citrus.

Not so frightening after all. Here are a few battle images:

Fresh Ingredients

My grandma's juicer

Bird Bath

Finished Product

Perfecting the Pesto Sauce

I tried making pesto sauce a few weeks ago. Forrest thought it was delicious, but I knew something about it wasn't just right. This time though, I think I got it spot on. You can do so much with pesto sauce once you make it. You can spread it on some toasted bread and top with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, you can use it as a sauce on pizza (like the Tiffany pizza mentioned in an earlier post) or you can toss any kind of pasta in it to get a nice change from tomato-based sauces. All you really need to make pesto is food processor and a few essential ingredients.

Also as a side note: My mom asked me the other day where do I get all of the recipes I post on my blog. In case you are wondering the same thing...almost all of my recipes are original. However, I do give credit where credit is due to chefs I borrow recipes from. I try to post a link to their recipes or give the title of the cookbook. If I don't mention another chef's name, or provide a link, then the recipe comes from my own experience and creativity.

Pesto Sauce

2.5 oz of fresh basil (I used a package of Infinite from Trader Joe's b/c my basil has burned up in the Virginia Heat)

2 cups fresh spinach

The juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

3 cloves garlic, roasted

olive oil

To roast the garlic:

Preheat the oven to 400-425

Cut off the top 1/4 inch or so of a whole garlic head

Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper

Wrap in aluminum foil and roast for about 15 to 20 mins until tender

(I used a small head of organic garlic...if you use a larger head it will take longer)

Remove and let cool

In the food processor:

Add the basil and about 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add 1 cup of the spinach and 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add the 2nd cup of spinach and 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add the toasted pine nuts, the roasted garlic cloves, and the lemon juice, salt and pepper and 2 more tbsp of olive oil and process

Continue adding olive oil until the sauce is more saucy and less leafy and until all of the ingredients are well processed

Now if you want to make this in larger quantities go right ahead. I have a very small food processor (but very mighty) so I can only make smaller portions, but make a bigger batch, freeze half and save it for another day!

So for last night's dinner I used this pesto sauce with Trader Joe's Cheese Tortellini, but you can use any kind of pasta for this dish. I always add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the following recipe for sautéed mushrooms. You will love it!

Sautéed Mushrooms:

1 large package of button mushrooms or baby bellas

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup Marsala wine (or any wine you have around the house)

2 tbsp olive oil

First remove the stems from the mushrooms and either wipe with a paper towel or remove the outer skin

Then preheat a large skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil to medium heat

Add shallots and garlic, cook until tender

Add mushrooms and toss with shallots, garlic and olive oil

Add the wine and cook until tender

Be Courageous: Battle of the Spare Ribs

Hello readers!

I have been out of town on a much needed vacation with the hubby. One night I made the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa (this time I used Grouper and grilled after marinating it in Tequila Chili Lime marinade and I added back in the avocado for the tomatillo salsa). These were a huge hit! I also made the Three Amigos Casserole and after feeding four for dinner 5 people enjoyed left overs in the days following.

Now this week's theme in the kitchen is Be Courageous. I am taking on two recipes this week that I have tried so hard to avoid in the past few years because I am a bit of a perfectionist and I really HATE screwing things up...especially in the kitchen. So instead of running the risk I have run in the other direction from these two ingredients: Spare Ribs (or any ribs for that matter) and Cornish Hens.

Today's Battle: Casita Cory vs. Spare Ribs

Winner: Casita Cory

Okay, now maybe you are not afraid of ribs and have cooked them a billion times, but for me this was more of a mental challenge. I thought ribs were only for men with smoker-grills and hairy chest. But today with neither a smoker-grill nor a hairy chest I mastered the art of cooking ribs...my style...oven style.

I used Tyler Florence's Ultimate BBQ Ribs.

I pretty much followed it spot on except that I used Spare Ribs and his recipe calls for Baby Back Ribs. I wanted to get a picture for the blog and to document my first ever attempt at making ribs, but Forrest and I flew into those bad-boys so fast they didn't stand a chance. If you follow his recipe it is so easy and that BBQ sauce could go on anything..pork chops, chicken, chicken wings, or pulled BBQ sandwiches.

You will love it! And be courageous in the kitchen :)

Throwback: My First Original Recipe

When I first moved out into my own apartment I decided to really commit to cooking my own food. For the first few months I followed many recipes very strictly, never straying from the directions. One day in the spring I decided to make my own recipe using some of my favorite ingredients. I have worked on it over the years and it really is a big hit with my family. You can add other ingredients you might like to it as well.

Also while making this dinner at my parents house after my mom's last surgery I got to use her awesome camera to get the pics. For Christmas I think Santa is going to bring Casita Cory an awesome camera like that so that the images on my blog can be more professional!!!

Three Amigos Casserole

In cooking I have found that there are three ingredients I use more than anything else: beans, corn, and onions. Expect no less in this recipe.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ear of corn, shucked, slice kernels from the ear

2 cans of either diced tomatoes with green chilies or fire roasted

1 package of Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, or 1 bag of 10 min brown rice (in a bag)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large skillet add 3 tbsp olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

In another deeper skillet at 2 tbsp olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

Grease a clear baking dish with a spray oil or rub olive oil on the inside of the pan

Pat down the chicken breast with a paper towel.

Cut them into 1 inch cubes and season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin.

Place in the first skillet and cook, rotating occasionally until all of the pieces are cooked through.

Remove and let cool, about 10 minutes.

Cut into smaller pieces and set aside.

In the deeper skillet add the onion and green pepper and cook until they start to become tender.

Add the fresh corn kernels and cook until they become tender.

Add in the the black beans and the tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper.

(if you want to kick it up a notch add in tsp cracked red pepper)

Lower to a simmer and cook for about 7 minutes.

Cut off the heat and mix in the chicken.

Prepare your rice...however it is you need to do it just follow the box directions. (I cheat here and use TJs frozen rice because it is so much easier)

Mix the rice into the deep skillet with all of the other ingredients then transfer to the baking dish.

Top with the cheese and bake at 425 until the cheese starts to brown and form a delicious crust.

You will love it!

Berry Delicious Smoothie

Smoothies are just plain awesome. I love having them for breakfast or after a workout. Primarily I should say that if you enjoy smoothies or think that you might enjoy smoothies you should invest in a Magic Bullet. You get about 6 individual cups that attach to the blender-piece and make it so much easier to clean. Also it is much smaller than a traditional blender. For about 50 dollars you just can't beat it.

Berry Delicious

1 scoop Aria Women's Soy/Whey Protein Powder (Trader Joe's) You can replace this with one tbsp almond or peanut butter

1 tbsp old fashioned oats

1 cup frozen berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)

1 cup rice milk (or almond or soy milk)

1 large spoonful of plain nonfat greek yogurt

Blend until smooth and enjoy :)

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Summer Quinoa Salad

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. We have been running around like crazy enjoy the beautiful outdoors...waterskiing, wakeboarding, surfing and sunsoaking. I must admit it has been awesome, but I am glad to get some time this week to get back into the kitchen! Last night's dinner was super delicious and also very healthy.

I got the recipe for the Summer Quinoa Salad from a friend who found it on the NY Times online Health section. I am not a member so I can't access it anymore, but I remember it. Also I changed quite a few things in this recipe because it just so happened to be what I had around the house. I used red quinoa, persion cucumbers, lemon juice (instead of lime), cherry tomatoes and white wine vinegar because it was what I had on hand. Also for the avocados for garnish I doused them with lemon juice to keep them beautifully yellow-green longer.

Summer Quinoa Salad

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 avocado sliced (for garnish)

Cook the quinoa according to the directions: rinse and strain the quinoa until the water runs clear, add to water and bring to a boil. Lower temp to a simmer and cover. Cook until all of the water has been absorbed by the quinoa and they have broken open. Set aside and let cool.

In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.

Place the diced cucumber into a colander, add salt and toss. Let sit for about 3 minutes then rinse with cold water.

Add the diced cucumber, minced onion, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro to a large bowl.

When the quinoa has cooled add it to the bowl and mix with the lemon juice dressing.

Garnish with avocado slices.

What's so great about that dish is that you can take it to an outdoor BBQ and because it has a vinaigrette style dressing you don't have to worry about it like you would a mayo based dressing. Plus SOOO much healthier for you than a pasta salad or potato salad :)

Grilled Pork Loin

Marinade:

1 cup red wine (you choose a flavor you like)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

salt and pepper

2 tsp Italian season mix

1 tbsp vinegar

Add the above ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and shake until well mixed. Add in the loins and put in the fridge for about an hour.

Preheat the grill to medium heat and take out the pork loins and let them sit at room temp until the grill is ready.

Grill the pork loins for about 5 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of about 150 to 160 F.

Remove and cover with aluminum foil and let stand for about 5 minutes.

Slice the tenderloin and serve with the Summer Quinoa Salad.

The tenderloin was perfectly tender!

I hope you enjoy!!!

Put Your Man (or Teenager) to Work in the Kitchen :)

Tuesday is a very busy day for me. I start off at 6:30 in the morning with my bootcamp class, then I pass a few hours at the pool, spend some time working on homework, catch a nap, then off to the gym to teach my step class. After that I shower quickly at the gym and head straight to church for my women's Bible study. I get home way too late in the evening to cook dinner. And let's be honest, I'm not giving up my nap time or pool time to make dinner in advance. Also Forrest and I really try to avoid buying prepared foods or anything prepackaged or over-processed. So, the wonderful husband that I have has offered to cook dinner on these hectic days...under one condition...that I make sure we have the ingredients and leave him some pretty easy to follow directions. Last week he actually picked up chicken and asparagus and grilled them and baked up some delicious sweet potatoes. He is becoming quite the sous-chef.

Anyhow this week I had an idea for a Southwest Pizza so I left him the following directions and we had a super healthy and delicious dinner...and I didn't have to make it...which sometimes is just awesome :)

Southwest Pizza

1 can black beans

1 ear of corn

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

2 tsp cracked red pepper

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 large whole wheat pizza crust

1 1/2 cups Lite Mexican Cheese (Trader Joe's)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat

Shuck the ear of corn and remove any "hairs", drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill pan, rotating until all sides are slightly charred

Remove and let cool, then cut the kernels off

Rinse the can of black beans and drain them. Gently roll them in a paper towel to make sure they are dry.

Place the whole wheat pizza crust on a pizza stone and drizzle 2 tbsp of olive on the top and spread evenly

Add salt, pepper, and cracked red pepper

Pile on the black beans, corn, green pepper, red onion, and tomato

Top with the cheese

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned on top (light brown...no burning here)

Remove and let cool a bit before slicing and serving.

Chop up the cilantro and top the pizza with it for extra flavor. Scallions would work well here too.

If you want to make sure your sous-chef is successful in the kitchen leave them these directions, and probably pull out all of the tools they will need. If you have time you can pre-chop the onion, green pepper, and take care of the corn earlier too. If you leave them the chopping to do....some directions like "remove the skin from the onion" might also be helpful.

This pizza was fabulous. You could serve it with guacamole, sour cream or for a healthier dish with pico de gallo (Trader Joe's has an awesome pre-made Pico that is a big hit!) We ate it straight up and loved it!

Let me know how you like it.

P.S.: This is all that remains....

Grocery must-haves

I really enjoy grocery shopping. Most women head off to their favorite retail store to grab a new bag, some stylish shades, or a sexy pair of heels. After a rough day at work you can find me wandering through the aisles at Trader Joe's. Sometimes I worry they are going to ask me to leave because I have spent around an hour and a half there on numerous occasions.

Food comforts me. I grew up in my grandmother's kitchen helping her cook my grandfather breakfast, preparing lunch, getting the supper ready, and almost every holiday and Sunday I would put in extra hours learning to cook like her. I know it may sound cliché, but ever since she passed in 2007 I cook more often because I feel connected to her when I am in the kitchen. My grandma was allergic to milk products and I think now about how I use almond milk to make so many delicious desserts and how she could have enjoyed food so much more if I had known about it then.

Anyhow back to the shopping, something about looking through foods, touching and smelling fresh produce and imagining what amazing meals the raw ingredients can turn into really inspires me. Sometimes I think I enjoy the grocery shopping almost as much as I do the actual cooking.

Today I thought I might let you in on a few things I almost always include on my weekly grocery list. Also as a side note...Forrest is a human garbage disposal, so all of the things I will list here I usually buy in doubles and sometimes triples. For example: there are 2 1/2 dozen eggs in our fridge right now...we will clear through them in approximately 6 days (and that is if I do no baking...which I cannot promise!)

I am a huge bargain shopper...so I do compare prices between stores, but some ingredients I can only find at Trader Joe's.

The Casita Cory Grocery Favorites:

cage free eggs (sometimes Organic)...like I said, when you go through 2 dozen in a matter of days organic starts to get a bit pricey so I try to alternate weeks...one week organic the next simply cage free...and check out this note on eggs

almond milk here are two articles: the first is a comparison of soy, almond and rice milks the second is about 10 Benefits of Almond Milk

almond Butter we here at Casita Cory really use both peanut butter and almond butter...so here is a comparison...I actually prefer the taste of almond butter with my mom's homemade strawberry preserves :)

almonds are you starting to notice a trend? haha Almonds are my mid morning snack and here are some of the many health benefits of adding almonds to your diet

onions I usually buy a bag of sweet red onions and a bag of yellow. Onions add so much flavor to everything and also are good for your health...read here about how

garlic again an ingredient I add to tons of dishes to add flavor and see how it works for you

spinach we add spinach to our omelets in the morning, salads or sandwiches at lunch, and often add them to pasta dishes or serve sautéed as a side for dinner...now here is what spinach can do for you...

tomatoes I always buy a few vine tomatoes and then a pint or quart of grape or other miniature tomatoes. Here are 10 Health Benefits of Tomatoes

mushrooms Throw them into an omelet, a salad or a pasta dish and find out how they are good for you here...

greek yogurt We started replacing our regular yogurt with greek yogurt just recently. Read why you might want to here...

frozen berries Forrest makes a PowerSmoothie every morning. Frozen and fresh berries work hard to fight those free radicals reducing your risk of cancer and other diseases...read here about it

frozen yogurt Forbes.com writes about how it is all the new rage in desserts...Trader Joe's has a great nonfat plain frozen yogurt...just add your favorite fresh berries and some melted dark chocolate for a delish and healthy dessert...

honey add to a hot mug of green tea or a peanut butter or almond butter sandwich...or top some of that greek yogurt with it for a snack...and while you are at it read how it's working for you!

avocados Obviously this is a guacamole staple, but slice it up into salads or on a sandwich, or take that guacamole and slap it on a turkey sandwich...and here is why the avocado is making a comeback...

Well I think that is it for now. Believe me...that's never all I buy at the grocery, but those are some of our favorite things to throw in the cart :)