This recipe is my favorite way to cook and eat potatoes. It’s so simple: just cut the potatoes, mix with some oil, salt and pepper, and pop in the oven. But even better than the simplicity of this dish, is the taste. Unlike with French fries, you can actually taste the potato flavor with roasted potatoes.
3 Russet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Thoroughly wash, then dry, the potatoes. Cut into ½ inch cubes. There’s no need to peel the potatoes first – in fact I think the peel is the best part of the potato, and the most nutritious. Place potato cubes on a baking sheet.
Add the oil, salt and pepper to the potato cubes. Mix with your hands till the ingredients are well combined. Roast for 32-38 minutes, until golden brown.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Eating Out -- Making It Spiritual
A few days ago, I wrote about eating out and taking out -- not out of desperation, but in a planned way.
While it is easy to continue your mealtime spiritual practices when you take out, eating out can be a challenge. Our son is 5, and we have been praying together for meals his entire life, so he sees nothing odd about praying out loud when we are at a restaurant. Just yesterday when we were at a fair, he started us in a singing prayer. He didn't mind at all that there were other people around us.
My hunch is that he will mind when he is older. You may feel a little uncomfortable praying out loud in public. So how can you celebrate the spiritual dimension of eating when you're eating out? Here are some ideas:
1. Pray silently -- Have a moment of silence to allow each person around your table to pray silently. You can help your children be ready for silent prayer by talking about it at home before you leave for the restaurant. Tell your children that when you are at the restaurant, they can pray silently however they want. If your family has a favorite prayer at meals, say that your child might want to pray that prayer silently.
2. Give thanks -- Our family recently started a spiritual practice of giving thanks to God before we pray. Invite those around the table to say for what they want to thank God (just be sure you let everyone know they can pass if they choose). You can follow this time of thanksgiving with silent prayer.
What are your ideas?
While it is easy to continue your mealtime spiritual practices when you take out, eating out can be a challenge. Our son is 5, and we have been praying together for meals his entire life, so he sees nothing odd about praying out loud when we are at a restaurant. Just yesterday when we were at a fair, he started us in a singing prayer. He didn't mind at all that there were other people around us.
My hunch is that he will mind when he is older. You may feel a little uncomfortable praying out loud in public. So how can you celebrate the spiritual dimension of eating when you're eating out? Here are some ideas:
1. Pray silently -- Have a moment of silence to allow each person around your table to pray silently. You can help your children be ready for silent prayer by talking about it at home before you leave for the restaurant. Tell your children that when you are at the restaurant, they can pray silently however they want. If your family has a favorite prayer at meals, say that your child might want to pray that prayer silently.
2. Give thanks -- Our family recently started a spiritual practice of giving thanks to God before we pray. Invite those around the table to say for what they want to thank God (just be sure you let everyone know they can pass if they choose). You can follow this time of thanksgiving with silent prayer.
What are your ideas?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Eating Out and Taking Out
If you've been following this blog for a while, you might be under the impression that I’m a home-cooking zealot. So what I’m going to suggest next may shock you.
When you plan your menu for the week, you can plan times to eat out or order take out. By even suggesting such a thing, you may be thinking I’ve abandoned the call to make meals that nourish both body and soul. But I’ haven’t. Really.
There is a difference between planning for these non-home-cooked meals and turning to the take out menus in desperation. When you plan to go to a favorite restaurant, or pick up dinner from your favorite take-out place, or try a new restaurant, or order pizza to be delivered, these become special events. When you know you’re going to have a stressful day, having someone else do the cooking may be the perfect stress release.
Sharing a meal at a restaurant with your friends, diving into Kung Pao chicken or pizza around your family’s dinner table can all be celebrations.
Stay tuned for some suggestions about how eating out and taking out can nourish both body and soul.
When you plan your menu for the week, you can plan times to eat out or order take out. By even suggesting such a thing, you may be thinking I’ve abandoned the call to make meals that nourish both body and soul. But I’ haven’t. Really.
There is a difference between planning for these non-home-cooked meals and turning to the take out menus in desperation. When you plan to go to a favorite restaurant, or pick up dinner from your favorite take-out place, or try a new restaurant, or order pizza to be delivered, these become special events. When you know you’re going to have a stressful day, having someone else do the cooking may be the perfect stress release.
Sharing a meal at a restaurant with your friends, diving into Kung Pao chicken or pizza around your family’s dinner table can all be celebrations.
Stay tuned for some suggestions about how eating out and taking out can nourish both body and soul.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Chicken with Summer Vegetable Salsa
This dish was born at this year's summer feast hosted by "our farm," Homestead Farm, a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm near Millington, Maryland. Forty of us, including the people who actually own and work the farm, Luke and Allison Howard, gathered for a feast -- that we had to prepare. Most of the ingredients were grown right there on the farm. We were divided into teams, and each team worked on one -- or in some cases (like Kathleen and me) two -- dishes.
The first dish we worked on -- a salsa for one of the appetizers -- didn't have a recipe. We just chopped and added ingredients into the bowl and came up with -- something delicious! Really, truly delicious. Kathleen and I loved it so much, we made sure to write down the ingredients before we forgot.
This salsa is too good to be relegated to a dip accompanied by chips. Then it hit me: use it as an accompaniment to chicken. What an inspiration! The combination of flavors and textures (the lightly crispy chicken and the perfectly ripe vegetables) makes this a summer-time hit.
Chicken with Summer Vegetable Salsa is a fleeting pleasure, to be enjoyed when vine-ripened tomatoes are plentiful. Don't even think of trying this with canned tomatoes or even hot-house tomatoes.
Serves 4
2 ears of corn
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil -- divided
4 tomatoes (vine-ripened), seeds removed and chopped -- about 3 cups (These can be red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, or a mix)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped the same size as the tomatoes -- about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Shuck the corn, then rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill the corn on all sides until there are slight brownish black grill marks (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove corn from grill and set aside to cool.
Combine chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic and half of the cilantro into a bowl. When the corn is cool enough to touch, remove the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Add the corn to the bowl with the other vegetables. Add salt to taste. (Yes, that means be sure to taste it. You may need to add more cilantro and salt, which is why you should hold back from adding all the cilantro at the beginning).
Set the salsa aside while you prepare the chicken.
Put the flour on a plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, being sure to coat the entire surface of each breast. Shake off the excess flour. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add the chicken. Cook on the first side for 4-5 minutes till golden brown. Flip using tongs. Cook the second side for another 4-5 minutes. (Be sure to check that the chicken is completely cooked through by slightly cutting open the thickest part of the largest breast. Eating raw chicken is neither appetizing nor healthy.)
Plate the chicken. Spoon the salsa over each portion. And avoid the temptation to be greedy -- divide the salsa evenly!
The first dish we worked on -- a salsa for one of the appetizers -- didn't have a recipe. We just chopped and added ingredients into the bowl and came up with -- something delicious! Really, truly delicious. Kathleen and I loved it so much, we made sure to write down the ingredients before we forgot.
This salsa is too good to be relegated to a dip accompanied by chips. Then it hit me: use it as an accompaniment to chicken. What an inspiration! The combination of flavors and textures (the lightly crispy chicken and the perfectly ripe vegetables) makes this a summer-time hit.
Chicken with Summer Vegetable Salsa is a fleeting pleasure, to be enjoyed when vine-ripened tomatoes are plentiful. Don't even think of trying this with canned tomatoes or even hot-house tomatoes.
Serves 4
2 ears of corn
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil -- divided
4 tomatoes (vine-ripened), seeds removed and chopped -- about 3 cups (These can be red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, or a mix)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped the same size as the tomatoes -- about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Shuck the corn, then rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill the corn on all sides until there are slight brownish black grill marks (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove corn from grill and set aside to cool.
Combine chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic and half of the cilantro into a bowl. When the corn is cool enough to touch, remove the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Add the corn to the bowl with the other vegetables. Add salt to taste. (Yes, that means be sure to taste it. You may need to add more cilantro and salt, which is why you should hold back from adding all the cilantro at the beginning).
Set the salsa aside while you prepare the chicken.
Put the flour on a plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, being sure to coat the entire surface of each breast. Shake off the excess flour. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add the chicken. Cook on the first side for 4-5 minutes till golden brown. Flip using tongs. Cook the second side for another 4-5 minutes. (Be sure to check that the chicken is completely cooked through by slightly cutting open the thickest part of the largest breast. Eating raw chicken is neither appetizing nor healthy.)
Plate the chicken. Spoon the salsa over each portion. And avoid the temptation to be greedy -- divide the salsa evenly!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Peter's Favorite -- Spaghetti and Meatballs
My absolute favorite meal as a child was my mother’s spaghetti and meatballs. I don’t know where she learned to make this Italian-American favorite – there is no Italian heritage in her family, and she grew up in a town in the mountains of central Pennsylvania not known for having a substantial Italian-American population. Yet this recipe is reminiscent of some of the best spaghetti and meatball meals I have had at restaurants in the Little Italy section of my hometown, Wilmington, Delaware. The tomato paste gives the sauce both sweetness and depth of flavor, so there is no need to add sugar. The long simmering time creates a hearty sauce.
While I have been making my mother’s recipe for spaghetti sauce since I was in high school, her recipe for meatballs was only okay. Whenever I made them, pan fried on the stovetop, the meatballs came out looking more like cubes or pyramids than balls. And while the taste was acceptable, it wasn’t exceptional.
Then it hit me: convert my wife Kathleen’s recipe for the best-ever hamburgers to make meatballs. And instead of pan frying them, bake them in the oven. This version of meatballs is not only easier to make than my mother’s recipe – they taste much better. (Sorry Mom!)
There are other recipes for delicious tomato sauce that use fresh tomatoes and herbs. But this is still my favorite. This is also my son’s favorite, and he requests Daddy’s spaghetti and meatballs on his birthday and at least once a week.
Serves 4
Sauce
28 oz. can tomato sauce
12 oz. can tomato paste
2 small cloves (or 1 large clove) of garlic, minced
Water (enough to fill the can of tomato paste that has been emptied of its original contents)
1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, garlic and dried herbs in a large pot (a Dutch oven works well). Heat over medium-high heat till the sauce starts to simmer, then turn to low and simmer for one hour, being sure to stir every few minutes.
As sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Meatballs
1 egg
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground beef
¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind from the green canister; buy a block of good quality Parmesan and grate the amount you need. Trust me, it makes a difference.)
Combine the egg and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl till the eggs are slightly scrambled. Add the ground beef, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Mix lightly, but combine the ingredients thoroughly. Form the meat mixture into balls the size of a walnut. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper). Bake the meatballs in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
While meatballs are baking, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. (Note: if you love spaghetti, invest in an inexpensive kitchen gadget that easily measures the correct serving size. Mine is a plastic disc with holes for 1, 2, 3 and 4 servings.)
Drain spaghetti, and toss with approximately ½ cup of sauce. Serve the meatballs and the remainder of the sauce in a separate bowl.
(Note: The leftover sauce freezes well. In fact, you may want to double the sauce recipe and freeze the leftover sauce in 1 ½ - 2 cup containers. The frozen sauce can be quickly defrosted, re-heated and used as the topping for a quick meal of pasta. This sauce is much better – and more economical – than anything you can buy in a jar.)
While I have been making my mother’s recipe for spaghetti sauce since I was in high school, her recipe for meatballs was only okay. Whenever I made them, pan fried on the stovetop, the meatballs came out looking more like cubes or pyramids than balls. And while the taste was acceptable, it wasn’t exceptional.
Then it hit me: convert my wife Kathleen’s recipe for the best-ever hamburgers to make meatballs. And instead of pan frying them, bake them in the oven. This version of meatballs is not only easier to make than my mother’s recipe – they taste much better. (Sorry Mom!)
There are other recipes for delicious tomato sauce that use fresh tomatoes and herbs. But this is still my favorite. This is also my son’s favorite, and he requests Daddy’s spaghetti and meatballs on his birthday and at least once a week.
Serves 4
Sauce
28 oz. can tomato sauce
12 oz. can tomato paste
2 small cloves (or 1 large clove) of garlic, minced
Water (enough to fill the can of tomato paste that has been emptied of its original contents)
1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, garlic and dried herbs in a large pot (a Dutch oven works well). Heat over medium-high heat till the sauce starts to simmer, then turn to low and simmer for one hour, being sure to stir every few minutes.
As sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Meatballs
1 egg
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground beef
¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind from the green canister; buy a block of good quality Parmesan and grate the amount you need. Trust me, it makes a difference.)
Combine the egg and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl till the eggs are slightly scrambled. Add the ground beef, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Mix lightly, but combine the ingredients thoroughly. Form the meat mixture into balls the size of a walnut. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper). Bake the meatballs in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
While meatballs are baking, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. (Note: if you love spaghetti, invest in an inexpensive kitchen gadget that easily measures the correct serving size. Mine is a plastic disc with holes for 1, 2, 3 and 4 servings.)
Drain spaghetti, and toss with approximately ½ cup of sauce. Serve the meatballs and the remainder of the sauce in a separate bowl.
(Note: The leftover sauce freezes well. In fact, you may want to double the sauce recipe and freeze the leftover sauce in 1 ½ - 2 cup containers. The frozen sauce can be quickly defrosted, re-heated and used as the topping for a quick meal of pasta. This sauce is much better – and more economical – than anything you can buy in a jar.)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Making Meals Social Idea -- Weekly Potluck
We human beings are social. We benefit from sharing meals with other people. Yet when you live alone, having social meals can be a challenge.
After I graduated from college, I moved across the country for a new job. I did not know even one person within hundreds of miles of my new home. My co-workers were friendly, and I often ate lunch with people from the office. But most meals I ate alone.
I found a church home, and in a few weeks, some people from church invited me to a Bible study and potluck dinner. Once a week, several of us got together to eat, to study scripture, and to get to know each other. The group was diverse: while I was the youngest at 21, the oldest was more than 50 years my senior. In a sense, it was a singles potluck. Several of us had never been married. Some were divorced, separated or widowed. And some were married, but their spouses were not at all interested in any church activities, so they came alone.
These dinners became a highlight of my week. I enjoyed the opportunity to dig into scripture, the variety of food (most of it delicious), the challenge of figuring out what I could bring to share, and the connection with other people. We never assigned who would bring what dish, yet we always enjoyed a feast. The weekly potluck was a true celebration.
If you're looking for ideas to bring to a potluck, check out older posts, and look for future posts. Many of the recipes can easily be doubled and be perfect to share with others.
After I graduated from college, I moved across the country for a new job. I did not know even one person within hundreds of miles of my new home. My co-workers were friendly, and I often ate lunch with people from the office. But most meals I ate alone.
I found a church home, and in a few weeks, some people from church invited me to a Bible study and potluck dinner. Once a week, several of us got together to eat, to study scripture, and to get to know each other. The group was diverse: while I was the youngest at 21, the oldest was more than 50 years my senior. In a sense, it was a singles potluck. Several of us had never been married. Some were divorced, separated or widowed. And some were married, but their spouses were not at all interested in any church activities, so they came alone.
These dinners became a highlight of my week. I enjoyed the opportunity to dig into scripture, the variety of food (most of it delicious), the challenge of figuring out what I could bring to share, and the connection with other people. We never assigned who would bring what dish, yet we always enjoyed a feast. The weekly potluck was a true celebration.
If you're looking for ideas to bring to a potluck, check out older posts, and look for future posts. Many of the recipes can easily be doubled and be perfect to share with others.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Pork Milanese
Using a classic cooking method in a new way can lead to the creation of a scrumptious new dish. Take the classic recipe – Veal Milanese – and swap out veal for boneless pork chops, and the result is one of my favorite ways to eat pork.
This dish looks and tastes elegant, yet is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare. In just minutes, you can wow your family and your friends.
This recipe can be easily doubled. To double the recipe, either use two skillets, or cook in two shifts, warming the first batch of pork in a 200 degree oven.
Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops
¼ cup flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Trim fat from the pork chops. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chop on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chop. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chop till it is about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chops.
Put the flour on a plate. Combine the egg and water in a pie plate. And put the bread crumbs on another plate. Take one of the flattened pork chops and thoroughly coat with flour, being sure to shake off the excess. Dip the floured chop in the egg mixture. Then put the chop in the bread crumbs and coat all sides. Repeat with the remaining chops.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the chops. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, till the chops are slightly brown on both sides. Serve while hot.
This dish looks and tastes elegant, yet is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare. In just minutes, you can wow your family and your friends.
This recipe can be easily doubled. To double the recipe, either use two skillets, or cook in two shifts, warming the first batch of pork in a 200 degree oven.
Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops
¼ cup flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Trim fat from the pork chops. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chop on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chop. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chop till it is about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chops.
Put the flour on a plate. Combine the egg and water in a pie plate. And put the bread crumbs on another plate. Take one of the flattened pork chops and thoroughly coat with flour, being sure to shake off the excess. Dip the floured chop in the egg mixture. Then put the chop in the bread crumbs and coat all sides. Repeat with the remaining chops.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the chops. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, till the chops are slightly brown on both sides. Serve while hot.
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