On that note, here's the menu) all of which, except one, will be leftovers for next week. Not quite sure how it's all going to fit in my freezer though....
Tonight was Pad Terr. This is my version of Pad Thai and is named after my husband Terr because it is one of his favourite things (after lasagne, of course). Wide Pad Thai noodles, chicken, peppers, green onion, white onion, carrot, bok choi, garlic, bean sprouts and a soy/teriyaki/sweet chili sauce. The 2 keys here are cinnamon and sesame oil. Just a pinch of cinnamon goes very well with the teriyaki and ginger flavours and a few drops of sesame oil right at the end give it a very nice nutty flavour. Also, cook the onion, carrots and the white "stem" parts of the bok choi for at least 5 minutes before you add the chicken so that they are tender at the end. They are "hard" vegetables and need more time to cook; you don't want hard carrots with soft peppers. Add the leafy parts of the bok choi near the end, just before the bean sprouts and the noodles. I bought Rose brand noodles at Superstore (98 cents for about a pound of noodles!) though I had to guestimate how long to soak them for (35-ish minutes) as there were absolutely no instructions on them. The hubby declared that they were the best noodles in this dish yet (I've tried about 4 different varieties)!
Tomorrow is orzotto (orzo pasta cooked like risotto) with ricotta and spinach stuffed chicken thighs wrapped in prosciutto. They key here is to use the leftover ricotta/spinach mixture from the chicken in the orzotto to make it super creamy. Add a can of diced tomatoes (drain the liquid) and you're golden. The chicken is a bit finicky as the filling likes to leak out while you're trying to stuff it and it gets a little messy, but it's so worth it! Another of Terr's favourites.
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| Chicken thighs with the stuffing, before rolling |
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| stuffed, rolled and wrapped. Ready to be baked |
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| orzo cooking in chicken broth, much like risotto |
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| Orzotto with ricotta, spinach, tomatoes and prosciutto |
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| Dinner! |
One night will be potato chowder (I use milk and chicken broth instead of cream and puree some of the potatoes with some of the liquid at the end to give it a thicker, creamy consistency). Dress it up with bacon bits, cheddar cheese and green onion.
It's definitely fall and time to bring on more comfort foods...like chili! This is one of the few instances where I cook with rice. Throw about a cup of uncooked, instant brown rice with the tomatoes, and it will cook as it absorbs all the tomatoey flavour. I also add a poblano pepper for a bit of smokey heat (poblanos are about the same size as green peppers except they are a much darker green and are kind of oblong. They are more smokey than hot, but do have a bit of heat. Great in Mexican dishes).
The other favourite on the menu is pita pizzas. Easy and oh so delicious. Not quite take-out pizza, but probably better for us. Mmmmm, pizza.
All of the above, except for the pita pizzas, will be leftovers next week, along with the spaghetti with meat sauce and the crock pot roast beef with tomatoes, green peppers and brown rice creation that the hubby invented last week that are already in the freezer.
I hope this has inspired you. As much as I dislike summer coming to an end, I do love comfort food like chilis and soups - they're hearty and filling and warm you up.
Bon Apetit!
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