Just Peachy!

            

            As I peel myself off of the sofa to write this next entry, I must say that tonight’s meal was so satisfying that Chris and I are both literally sitting on the couch in somewhat of a stupor.  After being together so long, you would think that there would be little that Chris and I don’t know about each other.  However, while we were having dinner tonight and each of us proclaimed, “I really like pork chops!” our bewildered expressions back at one another said, “You do?!”  Needless to say, pork chops will be back for an encore shortly.

            One thing that I do know very well about Chris is that his Grandpa Caffrey was so special to him and was a very important part of his childhood.  Let’s just say, if I had a dollar for every time I heard a “Walt story,” I think my student loans would be paid off.  When I make meals, Chris always quotes his grandfather and says “Well, it’s got good flavor!”  I recommend you check out this recipe for Roasted Pork Chops and Peaches taken from the August 2010 issue of Real Simple magazine, as it can be said without a doubt that the pork chops “have got good flavor!”

Slainte!

Recipe:

-1 10 oz. package couscous (so this didn’t turn out so great as my side)  Anyone have any tips???

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-4 pork chops

-kosher salt and black pepper

-2 peaches cut into wedges

-1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges

-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

- ½ cup fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

-Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the couscous according to the package directions.

-Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

-Add the peaches, onion, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.  Return the pork (and all accumulated juices) to the skillet.  Transfer the skillet to oven and roast until the pork is cooked through and the peaches are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  *I transferred it all to a Corningware dish before putting in the oven.

-Sprinkle with the basil and serve with the couscous.

Enjoy!

Fire up the Fall Fiesta!

            It is plain to see everywhere you go, that fall is upon us.  With this brings the return of Lincoln’s youth population, as UNL is now in session.  Included in the masses of coeds are my little brother (can you really call a 22 year old little?) and his friends/roommates, otherwise known as the Shirley Court Ranch-hands.

            Because I am often concerned about what these guys do for meals, I thought we would invite them over for a meal to really start the year off right.  What I came up with was a delicious mix of Mexican marvelous-ness.  Now, I am about to stop tooting my own horn, but will end by saying that Chris and I were in complete agreement that this was easily the best meal of the week.  And, contrary to Ethan’s snide comment, this was not the first time my oven had been used…clearly he reads my blog which often includes evidence of oven use.  You would have to ask him to be sure, but I think even he who thrives off of making fun of me, was impressed. 

            Below you will find the recipe for the Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde taken from the Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight cookbook.  I am also including the recipe for the guacamole I made taken from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible.  I recommend you make this meal immediately!  We also served black beans, Spanish rice, and of course for my college age friends, a few Coronas!

Slainte!

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Recipe:

-1 cup chopped onion

-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 (7-ounce) bottle salsa verde (such as Herdez)

-2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

-1/3 cup (3 ounces) less fat cream cheese, softened

-1 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

-8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

-cooking spray

-1/4 cup (1ounce) crumbled queso fresco

-1/2 teaspoon chili powder

-4 lime wedges

-cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation:

-Preheat over to 425 degrees.

-Place first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.  Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl.  Stir in ½ cup salsa mixture.  Reserve remaining salsa mixture.

-Bring broth to a simmer in a medium skillet.  Working with 1 tortilla at a time, add tortilla to pan; cook 20 seconds until moist, turning once.  Remove tortilla; drain on paper towels.  Spoon about ¼ cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up.  Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.

-Pour reserved salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder.  Bake at 425 degrees for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serve with lime wedges.

Guacamole

Recipe:

-3 large ripe avocados

-juice of ½ lime

-1/2 onion finely chopped

-1 medium tomato, seeded and minced

-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

-salt

Preparation:

-Pit and skin the avocados.  Place flesh in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until somewhat chunky.

-Add the lime juice, then the onion and tomato.  Mix well, then stir in the cilantro.  Season with the salt to taste.

Enjoy!

A Hit or a Miss?

Following a hit the evening before, I suffered somewhat of a miss.  While Chris insisted that the Spaghetti Carbonara was “good” I couldn’t help but interpret his statement as “this is really stinkin’ dry, but I’m not going to say anything because I can tell my wife is trying really hard at this cooking thing.”

            Anyway, I suspect where I went wrong with this next one was cooking too much pasta and not enough of the sauce.  In a nutshell, I am awful at knowing how much pasta will be enough for two people.  Perhaps I should have registered for that tool that measures out pasta servings?  Does anyone know where I should pick one up because this really isn’t the first occasion I have made this mistake!

            Now, I realize that I am making this out to be somewhat of a flop, but I would still recommend this dish as it was really pretty tasty even if it did, in this instance, require double the water to get it down!  If someone tries this and has success, please let me know!

Slainte!

*Recipe taken from Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight cookbook

Recipe:

-8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

-1 cup chopped cooked ham

-1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese

-1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-2 large eggs, lightly beaten

-1 garlic clove, minced

-1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation:

-Cook pasta according to packing directions.  Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

-Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add ham, and cook 2 minutes until thoroughly heated.  Add pasta, and stir well.  Combine cheese and next 4 ingredients; stir with a whisk.  Add reserved cooking liquid to egg mixture, stirring with a whisk.  Pour egg mixture over pasta mixture; stir well.  Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.  Sprinkle with pepper.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice…Very Nice!

This next dish is probably one of my all time favorites!  I love it so much that my sister made it last year for lunch to celebrate my birthday.  It is so yummy, in fact, that it was a close second to my nephew Carson yelling “Happy Birfday Hera!” when I arrived to eat the birthday lunch as top things that happened that day.  Although my sister has made it countless times for me, I had never prepared it myself.

            Because of Chris’s late work schedule, the fact that it takes two hours to bake was very nice.  I put it in the oven when I got home from work, finished the rest of my housework, watched a few shows on DVR and had a delicious meal ready when he got home.  I think what I love the most about it is the taste of the rice.  I was a bit nervous that Chris wouldn’t like it as much as I do, but his proclamation that it was “really stinkin’ good” told me it was safe to add it to our list of dinner staples.

Slainte!

Recipe:

-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

-11/2 Cups regular rice

-1 can cream of celery soup

-1 can cream of chicken soup

-1/4 cup butter

-1/4 cup milk

-1/4 cup Dorothy Lynch dressing

Preparation:

-Pour rice in bottom of greased 9x13 pan

-Mix soups, butter, milk, Dorothy Lynch together

-Stir ½ of mixture with rice and spread evenly on bottom of pan

-Place chicken on top of rice/soup mixture

-Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

-Cover tightly with foil

-Bake 2 hours at 300 degrees

Enjoy!

Food + Family=Two Great Loves!

There are few things I love as much as food and family.  One such thing in my life is, of course, travel.  So this week when I decided to take a meal to family members, I was faced with the question of “What food would travel best to family?”  I knew the answer was something baked which would (hopefully) keep its warmth and arrive in Omaha a temperature similar to the one in which it left Lincoln.  The answer I arrived at was a simple pasta bake served with salad and garlic bread.  For dessert, I served carrot cupcakes made from scratch.  You didn’t really just fall for that, did you?  Ok, ok they may have come from a box.  But, that doesn’t mean I didn’t mix them up and pour the batter into the cute paper cups!  That’s the same as from scratch, right? 

            Anyway, pasta to me is always such a comforting food.  Or is that just carbs in general?  Regardless, I thought perhaps this simple meal might be a nice change of pace for my brother Brent and his wife Abbie, who have spent more days in the hospital over the last month than they have at home.  Their adorable 3 month-old son Kale was diagnosed with a heart condition around a month ago resulting in him undergoing open-heart surgery.  For those of you who couldn’t imagine how a family could make it through such an ordeal, I would encourage you to meet Brent, Abbie and Kale as they are a portrait of strength and have handled each day with abundant grace.  I am so blessed to have all three of them in my life, and feel so proud of them each time I visit.

            For me, when people I love are in need of comfort and support, I always want to be doing something or bringing them something.  I feel that food is an excellent way to help out in a variety of circumstances and families appreciate meals whether they have just had a baby, lost a loved one, suffered an injury, etc.  Of course, you always feel a bit nervous when preparing a meal for others.  But in this instance, I was confident I could trump hospital food!

Slainte!

For the pasta bake recipe I used simply click on the link below:

            

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/pasta-bake/Detail.aspx

*If planning to take this dish to others, I would recommend a temperature sealing carrying case.  The one I used is basically an insulated picnic basket.  Not sure where it came from, but is a great gift we received for our wedding.

I am happy to report that baby Kale was dismissed from the hospital today!  For updates on Kale, visit:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kalesoneson

Espress-o Yourself!

            When I think about espresso, many things come to mind.  Namely, the way I got myself through both undergrad and graduate school.  I also have a great deal of nostalgia for chocolate covered espresso beans, as I consider them to be a primary way Chris earned his way into my heart.  He will likely be embarrassed that I mention this, but he would frequently bring them to me while I was studying at the Hewitt in college.  He probably quickly realized that I wouldn’t shoo him away until they were gone, and they thus provided him quite a bit of time to make small talk with me, convince me to go on more dates with him, etc.

            So, when I came across this quick and easy recipe for Espresso Cream Crunch, I thought it would be an excellent way to repay Chris for the countless number of beans he brought me, and of course be an excellent post-football practice treat.  This recipe was found in Martha Stuart’s Dinner at Home cookbook.  I mean, if Martha can’t help me treat my husband, who can?

            The recipe instructs you to use a chilled bowl, and I would highly recommend you take these instructions more seriously than I did!  In fact, I ended up “chilling” the mixture in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.  Other than that small hiccup, and my grocery store not carrying the instant espresso powder (so I used a flavored instant coffee powder), the recipe is very easy and was a HUGE hit with Chris.  It even brought him back to a time nearly four years ago when flirtation and jitters were bountiful.  You be the judge of whether the jitters were a result of our budding romance or over consumption of espresso! 

Slainte!

Recipe:

1 ¼ Cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

¼ cup chocolate covered espresso beans (about 30)

Preparation:

Whisk together cream, sugar, and espresso powder in a chilled bowl (Martha isn’t messing around here) until soft peaks form.  Refrigerate cream mixture until ready to use.

Lightly crush espresso beans on a cutting board, 1 at a time, with the side of a large knife.  Just before serving, gently fold crushed espresso beans into cream mixture.  Spoon into bowls.  Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Guest Griller!

           

           Welcome back dear reader!  I apologize for the seeming sabbatical I took from cooking last week.  I began Monday with all the new school year resolve I could muster, but found being alone in the evenings and cooking for one was, well, downright depressing.  Not only that, but when you do cook for one, it seems you can live off of leftovers for quite some time.  This, of course, is what I did until my mother arrived on Thursday to take me out for a proper meal.

            By Saturday, I was ready to celebrate a serious rare fall occurrence…Chris had Sunday off!  So off to the Farmer’s market and store I went in search of ingredients for our celebratory dinner.  While both outings were successful in their own right, I must admit that I had to laugh at myself when taking stock of my Farmer’s market finds which included fresh honey, some butternut squash, fresh cut flowers, and a headband.  This alerted me that I have not yet arrived in my quest for culinary stardom. Maybe some things will never change.  Perhaps a Farmer’s market will always be to me an equal opportunity environment for picking up not just produce, but art and jewelry as well.

             Armed with all the necessary ingredients and supplies, I enlisted my partner in crime to aid in the preparation of “Grilled Salmon with Apricot-Mustard Glaze.”  When I say enlisted, I should really say that I recruited my husband to turn on the grill and give me a brief tutorial on its proper use.  This is indeed the same man who knows how to run our complex coffee pot, which I have not yet began to wrap my brain around…but that for another day.

            While the meal sounds complex, I assure you that it was not!  I honestly had a more difficult time locating some of the ingredients at the grocery store as I did combining them for this meal.  The result was delicious salmon served with orzo and pineapple which earned not only a two thumbs up from Chris, but moved him in such a way that he cleaned up the kitchen afterwards! 

            The recipe was taken from a cookbook I purchased called Cooking Light-the essential dinner tonight cookbook.  Not only does this cookbook provide healthier meal options, but it solves my “what not to pair” dilemma by giving a recipe and suggesting appropriate sides.  Were you honestly thinking I had come up with the orzo and pineapple? 

            Below is a step-by-step account of how to try this for your self.  I highly recommend enlisting the help of a good-looking man/grill master…

Slainte!

Recipe:

Salmon:

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

1½ teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Glaze:

¼ cup apricot nectar (I could not locate this at the store and omitted and it turned out great!)

¼ cup apricot preserves (I did more than this due to not being able to locate the nectar)

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1-½ teaspoons white wine vinegar

1-½ teaspoons honey

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Spray

Steps:

1. Prepare grill
2. To prepare fish, sprinkle fillets with garlic, kosher salt, and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. To prepare glaze, combine nectar and the next 6 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to ¼ cup (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat; set aside.
4. Place fillets, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray.  (Also have good-looking man explain how to spray on the cooking spray without letting the can catch fire).  Grill 2 minutes; carefully turn over, and grill 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.  Brush each fillet with the glaze; grill 30 seconds.

Sides:

-Orzo; cook orzo as instructed while the glaze for the salmon is simmering.  After draining, combine with fresh spinach, butter, kosher salt, and black pepper.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

-Freshly cut pineapple; do I really need to expand here?

*Serving with St. Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale (found at the Still) was the cherry or should I say apricot on top of this delicious meal!

Enjoy!

Dinner for One!

            Football season in Nebraska=dinner for one at the McQuillan household.  This coupled with the continuous increase in temperature today, led to a severe decrease in motivation to cook for yours truly tonight.  After about an hour of silently arguing with myself and explaining the reasons why I should just make a sandwich, or better yet, head out for some fast food, I made a compromise.  I would make dinner using the (limited) ingredients I have in my kitchen, to avoid going out in the heat.  Thus, tonight’s fare consisted of potato gnocchi and urban grilled summer squash.

            While it doesn’t seem like these two would go well together, it seemed to really hit the spot tonight!  The squash was wonderful and just the right combination of onion, squash, and olive oil.  Gnocchi seems to always be a go-to meal for us, and I probably love it so much because I can’t eat it without thinking of an amazing evening spent with close friends in Florence, Italy.

            Preparing this meal tonight reminds me that cooking really isn’t so bad once I give in to myself and go for it.  It also makes me reflect on my struggle to adequately pair items together to form a complete meal.  This seems so strange to me as I have perfect confidence in my abilities to pair shoes, jewelry, etc. with an outfit.  To each her own, I guess!  Perhaps there is some guide book I have missed on how to do this more effectively?  OR, maybe I could start a show on Food Network similar to the one on TLC and call it “What Not to Pair.”

            More on that topic later, when I actually figure it out.  Now, back to the topic at hand.  Tonight’s recipe was taken from Mollie Katzen’s Get Cooking, and is called “Urban Grilled Summer Squash.”  This cookbook was lovingly given to me by mother in law, Patty, who likely knew her son was soon to starve to death upon his marriage to me.  It is super cute, and has many practical recipes.  This one included olive oil, red or yellow onions, salt, garlic, squash  (which is beyond prevalent at local farmer’s markets), and black pepper.  If you would like details, please let me know.  Until next time, stay cool!

Slainte!

Who is Mrs. McQuillan and why is she mastering meals?

Welcome Readers!  Perhaps I should start this initial post out less presumptuous and greet my mother and sister, as they may be the only ones to actually read this.  In any case, I will begin this blogging venture by explaining both my mission and myself.

            My name is Heather McQuillan, and I have recently set off on the adventure of matrimony with my husband, Chris.  We live in Lincoln, Nebraska where Chris works as an equipment manager for the University of Nebraska and I work as a therapist for Child Guidance Center and coach cheerleading at Lincoln Southwest High School.  Chris and I are nearly two months into our marriage, and I often find myself telling him how I wish I would do the following: 1) write for fun; and 2) finally learn to cook. 

            For the three years of our courtship, I have chalked up my inability to actually do either of these things to my lack of time, funds, proper cooking essentials, energy, etc.  I come to you now from a place in which my schedule has significantly relaxed and per my recent nuptials, I am armed with a kitchen full of professional tools, gadgets, and appliances.  So, it seems the only thing I am lacking these days is…excuses!

            So here I am, preparing to revisit an old love (writing) in pursuit of what I hope will become a new one (cooking).  Through this blog, I will chronicle my trials as I (hopefully) transform from cooking catastrophe to culinary champion.  Because I know that I am not the only woman who desires to solve her domestic dilemmas, I hope that I can facilitate the generation of ideas, inspiration, and discussion for women like me who want to open a cookbook and not be filled with confusion or break out in a cold sweat.

            To Chris, thank you in advance for your patience during this project.  I promise that you will be the winner at the end of all of this!  Ina has Jeffrey, Giada has Todd, Julia has Paul…and I have YOU! 

Slainte!