Sunday Dinner - Weeds

Verdolagas con carne de puerco y chile

adapted from Doña Lupe’s Kitchen

This was a bigger hit than I was expecting. Verdolagas, also known as purslane are actually a common weed. I think I have them growing in my garden right now, but instead I paid a dollar for them at the Farmers' Market last Saturday. They actually tasted pretty good if you can believe it. Not a real strong flavor, especially after being boiled for ten minutes. The texture reminded me a lot of asparagus. They're supposed to be pretty good for you apparently. I think we'll definitely make it again, providing we can find more verdolagas. I just don't feel right about pulling my weeds out of my garden. I'd rather pay someone else for the weeds they pulled out of their garden. Wait a second...

1 bunch of well cleaned verdolagas, ends trimmed then chopped into about 1-inch sections
1 pound boneless pork chops, cubed (get pork with the fat NOT trimmed off)
1 small onion, sliced into rings
1 clover of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
3-4 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeded, de-veined and minced
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro, about 1/4 cup

Salsa verde
sour cream

Boil the verdolagas for about ten minutes. Drain and set aside.

Season pork with salt and pepper. Fry the pork until very crispy and browned. Scoop out and set aside.

In the frying pan you fried the pork in, add the onion and fry until caramelized. Add the tomatoes, chiles, garlic, and salsa verde and cook down until you have a soupy sauce. (I used about 1/2 cup of salsa verde and served some on the side as well.) Add salt and pepper to taste and chopped cilantro, then add the pork and verdolagas.

Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The recipe recommends serving with beans, rice, and tortillas. I served with tortillas and brown rice. I thought it tasted best served over brown rice with a little sour cream on top.

Peach Ice Cream
from use real butter

I loved this peach ice cream recipe!

3 large peaches, peeled, pitted, chopped
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice

Cook peaches and water in a covered saucepan on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until soft. Give it a stir a few times. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Purée mixture in blender with remaining ingredients (leave some chunks if desired). Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator or over an ice bath then freeze in your ice cream maker.

Carson’s Corn Bread
from use real butter

4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Grease an 8×8-inch square pan with butter or cooking spray and dust with flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk, yogurt (or sour cream), and sugar. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir together until just blended. Don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Just take care not to overbake or else the cornbread will be too dry. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Texas Caesar Salad
adapted from Bon Appetit

I liked this salad. Not as much as the Mexican Caesar salad, but I still really liked it.

• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeno chili, seeded, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 8 cups bite-size pieces romaine lettuce (from 2 heads)
• croutons
• 1 tomato, diced
  
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 ears sweet white corn, kernels removed, sauteed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Feta cheese
  

• Puree first 9 ingredients in processor until smooth. Gradually add olive oil and process until blended. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Combine romaine lettuce and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan.

Pork and Lemon Orzotto and Caesar Salad Dressing

I've been slightly obsessed with orzo lately, and also wanting to try some risotto recipes, so this recipe jumped out at me. While we were in Springfield, we stopped at a Salvation Army and I grabbed Giada's "Everyday Pasta" cookbook for a measly three dollars! I was not disappointed at all. Very tasty little dish, but something tells me that mushrooms would make a nice addition to the little party that is Pork and Lemon Orzotto.

Pork and Lemon Orzotto
from Every Day Pasta by Giada De Larentiis

Orzotto
3 1/2 cups reduced- sodium chicken broth
3 T unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 lb. orzo pasta
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Herb Vinaigrette
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

Pork chops
3 Tbs olive oil
4 boneless pork loin chops, about 2 inches thick (although my pork chops were barely 1 inch thick)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

For the orzotto, in a medium saucepan, bring the 3 1/2 cups of broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

Melt 2 Tbs of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the pasta, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar or tight-sealing plastic container. Shake well and set aside.

For the pork, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, carefully place the pork chops in the skillet. Remove the pork from the pan and cover loosely with foil to rest. Pour off the excess oil from the pan and return it to medium heat. Pour the 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the skillet and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat.

To finish the orzotto, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the broth from the pork skillet, the Parmesan cheese, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and the salt and pepper.

Spoon the orzotto onto a serving platter (or onto individual plates). Slice each chop into 1/2 inch thick strips and arrange the meat on top of the orzotto. Drizzle with the herb vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Caesar Salad Dressing
adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Parties!

I love this salad dressing so much. It's become a bit of a problem. I don't have any in the house right now and just preparing this blog post and thinking about it is literally causing my mouth to fill with saliva. I just might go make some when I'm finished here. It is that good.
nocoupons

• 1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature*
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good mild olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the dressing, place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube (as though you were making mayonnaise), until thick. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.



For dessert on this particular night, I thought the kids might enjoy ice cream sundaes. They did, and so did I unfortunately. For three days, it was all I could think about. Uh-oh, is it just me or does an ice cream sundae sound amazing right now? Everything we used was store-bought except for this delicious hot fudge sauce.

One of our family's favorite restaurants to eat out at growing up was El Torito. They had this fabulous Mexican Caesar salad. I've been holding on to the recipe for years now waiting to live somewhere where I can actually purchase pepitas and cotija cheese. Well, luckily I found this recipe that substitutes Parmesan and pine nuts. While I'd still like to try the real thing someday, this will at least fulfill the craving. The cilantro pesto dressing is SO GOOD! I think we'll have it again on Sunday.

Cilantro Pesto Dressing:

1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 C. pine nuts, toasted*
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
juice of one lime
splash of white vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. In a food processor or blender combine garlic, pine nuts, cilantro, lime juice and vinegar. Process until everything is well-combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
2. While machine is running, pour olive oil in a stream until dressing reaches desired consistency and flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dressing will be on the thick side.

* To toast pine nuts: Put pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shaking pan or stirring nuts frequently, toast until they take on a light brown color. Don’t leave them unattended because they will burn quickly! As soon as they are toasted, remove them from the pan to a small bowl to cool. Make sure you toast enough to use both in the salad dressing and in the salad itself!

Caesar Salad:

Chopped romaine lettuce
toasted pine nuts
shaved parmesan (parmigiano reggiano) cheese
fried tortilla strips*

1. Just before eating, put lettuce in a salad bowl.
2. Top with desired amount of pine nuts, cheese and tortilla strips.
3. Add some cilantro dressing and toss well.
4. Divide salad among plates or bowls and top each serving with sliced carne asada if desired.

* To make tortilla strips: Heat some oil in a deep fryer or in a deep skillet or dutch oven. While oil is coming to temperature, stack a few corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut the stack in half and then slice into thin strips. When oil temperature reaches 350 degrees, fry tortilla strips in small batches, stirring them so they don’t stick together. Drain on paper towels and toss with a little salt while still warm.

I honestly can't remember if El Torito serves their entrees with a scoop of sweet corn cake. Most likely, since that reminds me of our family restaurant dinners growing up as well. And the honey-lime enchiladas, that's just a gem I came across first on MyKitchen Cafe and have seen many times since. It's a keeper. I only made a couple of changes this time. I added more enchilada sauce and used less cream. Not really by choice, more by obligation. I've gained about all I wanted to and I still have eight weeks before Claire will grace us with her presence. I also added some cilantro and I substituted half of the Monterrey Jack cheese for pepper jack- just for the extra kick.

Parmesan Chicken, Barefoot Contessa style

This is one of my favorite quick and easy meals to make. It's very tasty and can easily be made kid-friendly. I just love how the vinaigrette from the salad soaks into the breading on the chicken. I love the way the chicken tastes with the warm tossed salad on top. I think we'll have this again soon.

PARMESAN CHICKEN

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

FOR CHICKEN:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 extra-large eggs

1 ¼ cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

unsalted butter

Good olive oil

Salad greens, washed and spun dry

FOR VINAIGRETTE:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)

½ cup good olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

1. Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/2 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. You can pound the meat between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.

2. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a 200-degree oven. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

How I made this kid-friendly: I cut one of the breasts into about 6 small pieces. I dipped each tender in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the bread crumbs. (I waited until after I had prepared Franny's to add the parmesan, so it would be dairy-free.) Then I heated some margarine (yuck, again, only so franny's could be dairy free) and some olive oil and prepared some delicious chicken nuggets for the girls. They didn't even ask for ketchup! Then of course I added butter to the pan and parmesan to the bread crumbs for Bobby and I.

Al Fresco

I mentioned the other day that I came up with a new salad dressing recipe, but I wanted to wait to tell you about it until I could take a picture. I am proud to present to you Ranch Dressing with Avocado and Lemon... or Avocado Lemon Ranch- whichever you prefer.


I usually use a buttermilk ranch dressing mix and follow the directions, and then I just mash up an avocado and mix in some lemon juice and add that. I bought a ranch dressing mix, but somehow it didn't make it home with us from the store yesterday. Luckily I found a recipe for ranch dressing made from scratch and just added the avocado to that.

Avocado Lemon Ranch

1 c buttermilk
1 1/4 c mayo
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley
1/2 T minced onions
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp salt
juice of half of lemon
1 avocado, mashed

Mix the first eight ingredients together, then add avocado mixed with lemon juice.


Erin's chicken and spinach stuffed shells and homemade oreos. Erin made these for us after Sophie was born and I've been dying to have them again ever since.