Penne in a Garlicky Butter Sauce with Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes

What a recipe title.  But I couldn't leave anything out, it was all so good!  So here's what happened. It was either go out, and we were both pretty exhausted from a long weekend of singing and performing, or stay in and wing it. I just couldn't force Pianoman to go anywhere. And I really didn't want to go anywhere either. I gathered together all the things I needed for this recipe right off my shelf and refrigerator. You probably have most of them in your kitchen right now too. And for those of you who own the cookbook, the recipe is there already for you.  It's one that you might pass by and not think too much of.  Think about it one more time. It's the best, I mean best, and easiest sauce for your pasta. And the add-ins are endless.  Try this one evening, and tell me if it isn't just delicious!

PENNE IN A GARLICKY BUTTER SAUCE WITH CHICKEN, 

SUN DRIED TOMATOES AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Start with one whole chicken breast. Mine was partially frozen, which I like better for slicing or cubing.  I cubed mine and tossed it with lemon pepper seasoning, some crushed dried rosemary, a little paprika, salt and pepper. Into a little bit of hot olive oil it all went until cooked through and beginning to brown.  Remove this to a bowl, cover with foil and set aside. And p.s., if you want meatless, by all means skip this step!

Boil 8 ounces of penne pasta or whatever kind you like according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Saute a medium onion and 3 large cloves of garlic that have been very finely chopped. When I say very finely, I mean it.  I do mine in my food processor until it is really finely chopped.  This way, when you saute it you'll get all the flavor in the sauce and no chunky pieces  when you eat the dish.  Seriously.  So, saute the onion and garlic until soft but not browned. Add to this 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 1/4 cup of olive oil, a good handful of chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Heat all this through. Then add whatever suits your fancy.  I added 1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes and 1 small jar of artichoke hearts which were thoroughly drained. Gently mix these into the sauce. Add the chicken back in as well.  Then add the drained pasta.  Toss everything together well.  Distribute onto your dinner plates.   Sprinkle with freshly shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. This will serve more than 4 generously. 

Things you'll need at a glance:

• 1 chicken breast
• 8 oz. penne pasta or your favorite
• Butter
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Chicken broth (I used Better Than Bouillon Organic. It's convenient, easy, I can make as much or as little as I like, I don't have to open a big box of broth, it's very good)
• Olive oil
• Fresh parsley
• Your choice for add-ins, or none at all! (Some of my favorites are black olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, toasted walnuts or pinenuts, etc.)

Enjoy and let me know how you loved it!

Cauliflower Quiche

Does the sound of cauliflower just not thrill or excite you very much? Give it a chance!  I decided to experiment tonight. I had a whole head of cauliflower in my refrigerator just begging to be used for something or throw it out!  Here's what I came up with:

CAULIFLOWER QUICHE

2 cups cauliflower florets, broken up into small florets

1/3 cup of sliced or slivered almonds

1 Tbs. butter

2 green onions, tops and greens sliced thinly

1 small clove garlic

2 cups of cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Asiago cheese OR Parmesan

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups of milk (try not to use skim in a quiche)

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. of oregano

2 Tbs. flour

1 big spoonful Dijon mustard

1 nicely frozen, ready to use, why make your own, deep dish frozen pie crust!! lol

 

• Steam the cauliflower florets in the microwave for about 4 minutes until soft. Drain well and set aside. 
• Melt the butter and brown the almonds, remove them from the pan to a small dish and set aside.
• Add a bit of olive oil to the same pan and saute the green onions and garlic for a minute or two to soften.

Assemble all of this on a baking sheet on your counter.

• Using a pastry brush, spread about a Tbs. of Dijon mustard around the bottom and sides of the crust.
• Layer the cauliflower in the bottom of the pan.
• Top with your sauteed onion/garlic mixture, and then distribute the shredded cheddar over the vegetables.
• Sprinkle half the toasted almonds over the top of the cheese.
• Whisk together the 3 eggs, milk, salt and pepper, oregano, and flour and pour over the top.
• Sprinkle with the Asiago or Parmesan and sprinkle with the remaining almonds.

Carry it over to your oven which has been preheating at 375 degrees. If some of the filling does not fit, don't stress.  Bake for about 55 minutes, maybe a few minutes less. The top will be beautifully browned, puffy, and delicious looking! I am serving this with a combination salad of romaine, fresh spinach, tomatoes and fresh blueberries with raspberry vinaigrette. But if blueberries are not in season, switch that out for diced pears or apple.

Have you tried my Broccoli and Swiss Cheese Quiche ???  It is delicious!  This recipe and a hundred pages of great recipes, stories and photos are included in my cookbook, "Singingirl Cooks!" It's for sale.  If you don't own a copy and would like to, ask me!

Very, very good!

New Fashioned Potato Salad

This is a maiden voyage for me with blogging. I'm sure this initial post is going to look quite silly and amateur to just about everyone. But give me a minute, and I will get it together. My friend, Susan, will be rolling on the floor over this, but I'm trying. Anyway, on to this recipe.

Don't those store bought containers of potato salad just leave you a little cold? Tons of mayo and no personality??  Kick up your potato salad a notch this holiday weekend and try this recipe. Finely chopped colorful vegetables give this great flavor.  I used my food processor to achieve the really small chop for the vegetables. If you don't have a processor, just chop away by hand. The overall   result should be uniformly small pieces of vegetables resembling confetti that you will mix into the salad. No one wants to chomp into a huge piece of jalapeno or onion. 


Start with:
3 to 4 lb. of potatoes
1/2 of a red onion
1 small jalapeno, seeded
1 medium carrot
1 medium stalk of celery
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt (such as Emeril's Essence)
Freshly ground black pepper and extra salt to taste


Boil the potatoes whole with the skin on until firm tender, adding a generous amount of salt to the boiling water. Drain and allow to cool until you can handle them.


Place the onion, jalapeno, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley in your food processor and process until they are chopped very small. Place in a large mixing bowl.


Mix the mayo, sour cream, mustard and seasonings together.


When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins. This is a whole lot easier to do after they're cooked. Cut them into edible sized pieces. You should have about six or seven cups of potatoes. Dump these into the large bowl with the vegetables and toss gently to mix. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and vegetables and gently mix again. Check for seasonings. Cover and chill.


Enjoy everybody. Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend. And don't give up and buy that store bought stuff, EVER! 


If you like this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment for me, and thanks for stopping by. I need encouragement to go on! And from time to time, I will bother you about my cookbook Singingirl Cooks! which is proudly for sale and full of recipes, pictures and stories just like this. Ask me about it.

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips...Yum!

Yesterday was Taco Salad night.  We love that around here. And even though everyone has their take on a taco salad, I'm offering up my method here, along with the recipe for awesome, crunchy, better than store bought, thick, restaurant style tortilla chips. I posted my recipe for Chicken Taco Salad back in July. You can click on this link, and it'll take you to the recipe. I make Salsa Lime Dressing to go with my salads, and it's delicious, recipe for that is included on the same page.   And of course I don't forget my new fav cheese of choice in the salad, Cabot Hot Habanero and Seriously Sharp Cheddar. Seriously hot and seriously good.

I like a crunchy texture and always add crushed up, store-bought tortilla chips but decided to try a recipe I had seen on line for homemade chips. Fun to make, your kids will enjoy making the tortillas into shapes and seasoning them.  I made some of mine with just kosher salt and garlic powder and some with Emeril's Seasoning. Here's the simple recipe....

HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLA CHIPS
1 1 lb. pkg. 6" diameter corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
Your imagination with seasonings

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. With a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the tortillas into wedges. One 6" tortilla with make 4 tortillas. Place on a cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.  Place a small amount of oil (I wouldn't use olive oil for this) into a dish, and brush each tortilla lightly with a little oil.  Sprinkle each with your choice of seasoning. I know someone who used Ranch Seasoning Mix with some powdered garlic, and the chips came out tasting better than a Dorito!  After seasoning, bake the chips for 10 to 11 minutes. No need to turn!  Remove from the oven and transfer to some paper towels.  While they are warm, give them an extra little hit of seasoning.  Delicious! and Baked not Fried!!!

Enjoy, and tell me who didn't like these!!!

Seasoning Tip~ Another great idea for seasoning ~ Cinnamon and sugar!

My Not-So-Famous Turkey Chili (Yet)

October, football, falling leaves, cooler weather. Only two of those things apply to me here in south Florida. Be that as it may, the weather this week did actually take a plunge into the 70s! (Is anybody laughing right now?) So I thought a cool weather recipe would be in order. My last blog entry, Mushroom Chowder, was kind of a cool weather recipe and a huge hit as well. With all the talk about it from my friend, Cathy, and how it came in second place in her church contest, I decided I had to make it this past week and remember what I did that made it so good.  You gotta try it.   And even though this will be another meal-in-a-bowl type of recipe, I'm doing it anyway because who doesn't need another chili recipe to consider?

The inspiration for the recipe that I use came from Alice's Restaurant Cookbook, which I purchased in 19...., well back a long time ago. Alice May Brock was a hippie, and I guess so was I.  I have to say here that I have never used anything but beef when making chili.  This time around I took a chance on turkey, and I have to tell you it is delicious! It isn't so much that turkey has that much less fat than, say, ground sirloin.  Ground turkey is still 90/10 ratio for fat. It's just that I was feeling a tad more conscious today about the beef thing.  Go ahead and use whatever your choice of meat is, but if you haven't given turkey chili a try, don't turn your nose up until you try it this way and tell me how great it is afterwards!

MY NOT-SO-FAMOUS TURKEY CHILI (YET)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, mostly seeded, and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 lb. of ground turkey (not ground turkey breast)
2 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
4 Tbs. of chili powder (or more to your liking)
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. of salt (add more to taste)
Lots of freshly ground pepper
2 whole bay leaves
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. basil
2 tsp. or more of Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper and Tabasco to taste
2 cans of dark red kidney beans, drained

Okay, this looks like a lot of ingredients. But you probably have most of the seasonings.  So let's go.

In a large skillet, saute the onions, peppers, jalapeno and garlic in the oil until soft. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, brown the chopped meat. Drain the fat, and then add the sauteed vegetables to the meat in the large pot.  Add the two cans of tomatoes, juice and all, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of your spoon. Add the tomato paste and all the rest of the seasonings up to but excluding the kidney beans. Give it all a good stir, cover and simmer this for a good long time, a couple of hours at least, stirring occasionally and checking for seasonings.

Towards the end of the cooking session, add the kidney beans. I like to use the dark red beans, they show up nicer in the chili, and I definitely don't add them earlier on, they get mushy.

Remove the bay leaves before serving!

Serve this in big bowls and pass around all the favorite chili toppings such as sliced jalapenos, shredded cheddar, chopped raw onions, extra hot sauce - and don't forget to pass around a piece of cornbread. For those of you who own my book "Singingirl Cooks" check it out on page 99.  Now what channel is the game on???





This recipe and more than one hundred pages of other great recipes, stories and photos is for sale. Just ask me!

Alice May Brock would be proud of me!

Mushroom Chowder

Yesterday, my long time gal-pal from State College, PA days, Cathy, sent me a picture of a recipe she made from my book "Singingirl Cooks!"  She told me she was going to be entering it in a contest at her church.  I'll be anxious to know how far up or down the list of entries it placed!  In the meantime, she said it was delicious, and it is.  With fall kind of around the corner for you up-north friends and family, this chowder has terrific flavor and tastes like you were laboring over it all day, even though it comes together in no time. Try it and tell me how you liked it!  Thanks, Cathy, for choosing something from the book for a contest and for sending me this picture to use today.

MUSHROOM CHOWDER

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup diced potatoes (2 large) 

1 cup finely chopped celery (2 large stalks)

1 cup diced carrots (2 or 3)

1 clove of garlic, chopped fine

1 tsp. dried thyme

Freshly ground pepper

4 Tbs. melted butter

1 big handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1 pkg. of dry onion soup mix (such as Lipton)

1/4 cup cooking sherry

1/4 cup of flour stirred into 1/2 cup of water

2 cans of chicken broth (or you can use stock)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half & half

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot, saute the mushrooms, potatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme and pepper in butter until soft over medium heat, ten minutes or so.  Add the onion soup mix and parsley, stir to combine, then pour in the chicken broth and sherry. Stir, then cover and simmer on low for another 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the flour into the water until smooth and add to the pot.  Add the milk and half  & half to the soup over very low heat, along with the Parmesan cheese and continue heating on low, do not boil, until nicely warmed and looking absolutely gorgeous. Serve immediately.   Reheat any leftovers over low heat.

Note~ I don't add salt to this recipe because there is quite a bit in the dry onion soup mix. Add extra to taste after you've put the whole thing together.

P.S. This recipe and more than a hundred pages of other great recipes, stories and beautiful food pictures can be found in my book "Singingirl Cooks!" If you don't own a copy and would like to, please let me know. Thanks!

Chili Cheese Mini-Bites

I've been making a lot of muffin/cupcake shaped things recently, Banana Ginger Snap Cupcakes and Carrot Coconut Cupcakes with Marmalade Buttercream Icing and today isn't any different. The major difference is that this recipe is a tasty little appetizer and not a full-blown, bag-your-diet sweet treat. I was thinking about that line from Julia Roberts' upcoming movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" where she says "leave no carb behind."  Very funny.  So in this recipe, I have left all carbs behind, and you and anyone else eating one can feel comfortable knowing you're eating a cheesy, spicy, veggie-filled little tidbit.  I'm mildly hooked on Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese these days, and I thought a combination of that plus the Seriously Sharp Cheddar would be a good combo.  They're great. Try them next time you're making appetizers.

  

CHILI CHEESE MINI-BITES 

1 Tbs. butter
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tomato, chopped (I used a Roma)
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup black olives, sliced (I used half a dozen)
2 oz. Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese
2 oz. Cabot Seriously Sharp Vermont Cheddar
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
S&P to taste

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and coat a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Melt the butter in a small pan and saute the onions, garlic and tomato until the onion is soft. Remove from heat and transfer this mixture to a medium sized mixing bowl. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Shred both cheeses.
• Beat the eggs and add them to the vegetable mixture along with the remaining ingredients.
• Fill each mini muffin tin with a heaping Tablespoon of the mixture.
• Bake for ten minutes.
• Remove from oven, allow to sit for a minute, then run a knife around the edge of the cups and place on a serving dish.
• Serve warm. These can be reheated easily. Or, serve cold like a quiche.
• Makes a few less than two dozen, and only about 30 calories each, and a trace of carbs.

Peggy is always where the food is!

Hot Habanero Mac and Cheese

Never one to leave well enough alone, I even had to take dear old Fannie Farmer's classic baked macaroni and cheese and do something different with it. You see, I had this block of Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese around and part of a box of corkscrew pasta and got a brainstorm.  This was really, really good. Definitely not for you if a little heat turns you away from a dish. And definitely not for you if you're counting calories this week. Thankfully, I do not make these kinds of calorie-laden dishes very often. But there comes a time in everyone's life when nothing else will do to accompany that main course except a helping of crunchy-topped, creamy on the inside, and spicy through and through, mac and cheese.  Of course, you can make this recipe without the habanero cheese and enjoy it just as well.  

HOT HABANERO MAC AND CHEESE

3 cups of corkscrew shaped pasta

4 Tbs. butter

4 Tbs. flour

1 whole clove of garlic, peeled

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup half and half

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Cabot hot habanero cheese

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbs. butter, melted

• Preheat the oven to  400 degrees.
• Shred the cheese and pack into a 2-cup measuring cup. Set aside.
• Toss the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Set aside.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and pour back into the pot. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan melt the butter, and add the whole clove of garlic to flavor the sauce.
• Add the flour, salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.
• Pour the milk and half & half in gradually, whisking constantly.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until very thick. Discard clove of garlic.
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until completely melted.
• Pour this sauce over the pasta and stir to coat well.
• Transfer the mac and cheese to a buttered baking dish (or just use a cooking spray)
• Sprinkle with the Panko breadcrumbs.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Vegetable, Beef and Barley Soup

It's cold again in south Florida. Where is the warm and mild weather I ask? I can't exactly be thinking picnics in the park and ice cream desserts. I'm stuck in a soup rut!!!  So here comes another addition to my list of soup recipes, hearty and delicious vegetable beef and barley soup. Since I didn't use a soup bone and used vegetable broth rather than beef broth, you could exchange the beef in this recipe for chicken very easily, I would guess, and have a great outcome.

VEGETABLE, BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

1 lb. beef for stew, substitute 1 lb. of chicken breast if you prefer

1 Tbs. oil

4 carrots, sliced

2 stalks of celery, chopped, use the celery leaves

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, including liquid

3 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup water

1 pkg. frozen mini corn on the cob

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup barley

Cut the already cubed stew meat into smaller, bite sized pieces. Heat the oil in a soup pot and brown the beef (or chicken).  Add the rest of the already chopped up ingredients except the barley. I used my food processor for the onion, garlic and parsley, and then gave the celery a bit of a coarser chop.  I don't like too many big pieces of onion hanging around in the soup.... Check the seasoning, cover and simmer on low for a good long while, two hours even. Add the barley and continue cooking until everything is nice and soft and smelling delicious, probably another hour or more if using regular barley (not the quick cooking kind.) When you're ready to serve, remove the bay leaf first. Then ladle the soup into a bowl. Add one ear of corn to each bowl and attach one of those cute little corn-on-the-cob holders so you can easily pick up the corn and munch away.

The next day, you can thin this out with some more broth or tomato juice.  Now go make this! Baby, it's cold outside!!!

I bought Glory brand seasoned cooking base, the roasted vegetable flavor. It's so much better than bouillon and less expensive than cans of broth. There's even a brand out there called Better Than Bouillon. These cooking bases are in the 4 to 5 dollar range, but refrigerated they last a long, long time and come in handy for kicking up the flavor of your soups and sauces, vegetables, etc.

I just had to include a shot of Ms. Peggy the Pug, who always seems to be under my feet, or under the food, looking for something, anything to drop down.  Not this time Peggy!!!

Tortellini Soup With Chicken and Spinach

Looking for a delicious soup that is quick and easy to make? The idea for this soup came from my sister's friend. But as with most things I make, I can't leave well enough alone. Having made a few changes, here is the simple recipe for a great meal in a bowl.  This is so good, it's a must try!

Tortellini Soup with Chicken and Spinach
1 lb. boneless chicken breast tenders
2 32 oz. cartons of chicken broth
2 cups water
1 large onion, peeled and left whole
1 clove of garlic, peeled and left whole
1 pkg. fresh spinach
3 or 4 carrots, shredded or sliced thin, your choice
1 pkg. (I used a 9 oz. pkg.)  tortellini

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Season the chicken tenders with your favorite seasoning. Today I used Emeril's Original Essence. It's a good all purpose seasoning to use for just about anything. Season the chicken liberally and brown it well on both sides. Remove to a plate to cool.

In a large soup pot, pour in the two cartons of chicken broth and water, add the whole onion and garlic clove, and the sliced or shredded carrots, cover, cook slowly and allow the onion and garlic to become soft. In the meantime, shred the cooled chicken into bite sized pieces.

When the onion and garlic are nice and soft, remove and discard them. The idea here is to flavor the broth but not have any pieces of onion or garlic floating around in your finished soup. Add the shredded chicken and spinach. Give it a gentle stir, cover and let it simmer through until the spinach is all wilted, just a few minutes. Boil the tortellini separately and set aside.  Some of the Emeril's Essence will come off the chicken and will flavor the soup such that you won't have to add any extra salt, pepper or any other seasonings. How easy is that?

When you are ready to serve, place as many tortellini in each bowl as you like, then ladle the soup over the top of the tortellini and offer a sprinkling of Parmesan if you like.  From start to finish you can have this on the table in less than an hour.  This is a keeper.

Note - I originally dropped the tortellini into the soup and cooked them along with the spinach. It was delicious, but the next day my small tortellini had grown to the size of small donuts!  LOL!  They soaked up quite a lot of the liquid.  Unless you think you'll be serving the entire recipe, it might be best to cook them separately and add them to the soup when you're about to eat it.

Kale Soup - Go Green!

All this talk about going green... how about a recipe for delicious kale soup to start the new year off? This concoction turned out to be a real winner for me and everyone else who tried it. And I actually felt like I was doing something good for me with all those dark leafy greens in there, lots of garlic and tomatoes, and no meat! Here's the recipe:

KALE SOUP
2 medium to large onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups potatoes, diced but not too small
1 lb. chopped kale
5 cups of vegetable stock
1 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper
1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans

Start by heating the olive oil in a very large soup pot. Over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and saute until soft but not browned. Add the diced potato and cook a few moments longer. Rinse the kale well, and remove any tough, woody stems. If you buy the bag already chopped, which I did ;-) then it's all pretty much done for you except to give it a once over to make sure the tough stems, etc. are removed.  Okay, so add the whole bag to the pot. It will seem like it's just not all going to fit. But as it sautes it will wilt just like spinach does. Lower the heat to medium low and continue to saute until wilted down. At this point, add the 5 cups of liquid. Now you can buy cans of vegetable broth or you can use a cooking base like I did. This is the first time I've ever bought a seasoned vegetable cooking base, and I have to say it is waaaay different than using bouillon; specifically, it is less salty and has much more flavor. There's a brand out there called Better Than Bouillon or Glory Seasoned Cooking Base just to name two.  Whichever you use, make 5 cups of it and add it at this time to the soup pot along with the can of tomatoes and the rest of the seasonings. Stir well, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer this for a good hour or so.  Remove a cup of the soup to a blender, let it cool for a few minutes, and then blend until smooth*. Return it back to the pot to give the soup nice color and texture. Remove the bay leaf. Add the beans and heat through. Serve!

*Have you ever tried to blend hot things in a blender? It explodes! So let the soup cool down for a few before blending.

A note on the photo.... I have friends who will strangle me because I used a flash to take this photo, leaving the food very unnatural looking. I couldn't help it! It was nighttime and I had no other choice. Apologies to all the fabulous food photographers out there.

Sesame & Panko Crusted Tofu with Toasted Coconut & Pineapple Rice

This dinner idea came to me in bits and pieces. I had all the ingredients but wasn't quite sure how I wanted to put them together. The tofu I bought several days ago. It was calling to me to please do something with it or throw it out. This is what I came up with.... And I should start by saying, please give tofu a try! It's soy, it's good for you, it's high in protein, it's low in cholesterol, low in carbs, economical, a great alternative to meat,  it goes well with everything, just like that neutral shade of lipstick you have. (I'm talkin' to the girls now....)

THE MARINADE:
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and blotted dry. I wrap the whole block of tofu in paper towels and press it until most of the packaging liquid is removed from it.
2 green onions, finely chopped
Fresh ginger, 1 inch finely chopped (use powdered if you don't have fresh, to taste, probably 1/4 tsp.)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Sesame oil, 2 Tbs.
1 8 oz. can pineapple chunks. Open the can, drain into a cup, and use half the juice for this marinade. The other half of the juice you will use for cooking the rice (below). The pineapple chunks you'll use in the rice also.
1 tsp. salt
Ground black pepper

Cut the tofu into five slices. Cut each slice in half the long way, then cut it into 4 pieces. You should wind up with about 40 pieces of tofu. (In other words, you should get 8 chunks from one slice of tofu.) Throw those into a large zip-lock bag and add the above marinade ingredients. Refrigerate.

THE CRUST MIXTURE:
Using three bowls, place a couple handfuls of flour in one, 1 egg plus a little water in another bowl, and in the third bowl place 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs, 2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste. I buy the sesame seeds and toast them myself in a dry pan for a few minutes until browned.

Get some canola or another light oil hot in a pan, not olive oil. Place half the tofu chunks into the flour, stir to coat, shake off the excess flour. Then place the pieces into the egg/water mixture and stir to coat, then drop them into the third bowl of Panko/sesame seeds/salt and pepper. Fry on medium to medium-high heat, turning until nicely browned. Remove to paper towels to drain.  Repeat the process with the other half of the tofu, adding a little more oil to the pan if necessary. They turn out crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and just downright excellent.

THE RICE: 
Brown or white rice, you'll need 1 cup of raw, whichever you choose
1/4 cup or more of coconut, toasted in your toaster oven for a few minutes until nicely browned.
Pineapple chunks (from the can that you opened for the juice in the marinade)

I used brown rice. I made 2 cups of it, using mostly water and the rest of the pineapple juice to measure 2 cups of liquid for 1 cup of uncooked rice, and I added a few drops of sesame oil. Cook according to the package directions.

When the rice is done, remove it from the heat and stir in the pineapple chunks and the toasted coconut, reserving a sprinkle to garnish the entire plate. I chopped the chunks of pineapple smaller too.

You are ready to plate!  I am serving this with a simple saute of the three vegetables that I had on hand, but it certainly was a good choice; red pepper, yellow pepper, zucchini, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper. The combination of those vegetables was delicious, but you can use whatever you like or have on hand.

Listen kids, I know this sounds like a lot of work. It was. Nothing that a cocktail won't smooth out :-) The whole process was really NOT that serious. And the end result was well worth a bit of effort. If you just can't handle the thought of tofu, then there'll be no convincing you otherwise. For the rest of you, please try the recipe and then let me know what you think. If nothing else,  just leave me a note and let me know you stopped by.