Recipes

My Recipe Research: A Dive into Greek Cuisine

/ Callie / Leave a comment

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-and-lamb-casserole-em-pastitsio-em-350934

http://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/greek-lamb-souvlaki-recipe-skewers-with-pita-bread/

https://www.cooklikegreeks.com/en/recipes/old-fashioned-sokolatina.html
I chose the above recipes for Pastitsio, Lamb Souvlaki, and Sokolatina respectively.  As a Dallas native, I grew up in an area with many great Greek restaurants, where I developed an obsession with the cuisine.  In Austin, I have yet to find a great place to eat Greek, so I hope that by trying these recipes I will be able to emulate my favorite dishes myself.

My Three Recipes

/ Ryan Hoffman / 1 Comment

I chose the following three recipes because they are very important to me.  The first two are the most common meals I cook because they are easy and very cheap to make.  As you can see, the noodles even have a price per unit listing on the recipe.  The last recipe I chose because it is the best dessert that my mom makes and every time she makes them I already can’t wait until the next time.  It’s amazing and definitely worth the effort (if only I was good at baking).

Dragon Noodles

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 oz. lo mein noodles $1.13
  • 2 Tbsp butter $0.20
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper $0.02
  • 1 large egg $0.25
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce $0.02
  • 1 Tbsp sriracha (rooster sauce) $0.08
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro $0.22
  • 1 sliced green onion $0.06
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes).
  2. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.
  3. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat.
  4. When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

Mango Tilapia:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
  2. In a shallow baking dish, combine the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry. Place them into the baking dish and turn to coat with the seasonings.
  3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish can be flaked with a fork.
  4. While the fish cooks, combine the mango, onion, avocado, tomatoes, lime zest and juice, jalapeno, ginger, cilantro and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a glass bowl. Stir to blend and set aside at room temperature until fish has finished cooking. Place fillets on a platter and spoon the salsa over them to serve.

Chocolate Cake Mix Bars

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter- softened to room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper & spray with cooking spray
  3. Combine cake mix, butter & egg in mixer bowl & beat with paddle attachment until mix forms into a thick dough
  4. Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan- it will look like there isn’t enough to cover the bottom, just keep working it into a thin even layer (it will cover)
  5. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each type of chocolate chips
  6. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top in a thin, even coating
  7. Separate remaining dough into balls & evenly distribute over the top of the chocolate chips.
  8. Press down to flatten a bit; Top with remaining chips.
  9. Bake 27- 30 minutes
  10. Cool completely before slicing if you aren’t eating warm, right out of the pan.

 

Recipe Research

/ Rom Reiderman / Leave a comment

I chose these 3 recipes because they are simple enough to make even for someone who is not an expert chef. They are also relatively healthy, and use common ingredients that most people have. I have made these recipes multiple times and have always been satisfied with them.

1. Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 3

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
Salt, to taste
1 cup mozzarella
2 cups flour
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup oil, for frying
3 cups tomato sauce
½ cup parmesan
2 tablespoons basil

PREPARATION

  1. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast.
    2. Stuff the pockets evenly with the mozzarella cheese.
    3. Press the edges of the chicken together to seal the pocket.
    4. Separate the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs into 3 separate bowls.
    5. Being careful to keep the chicken from opening, dip the stuffed chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.
    6. Dip the floured chicken into the egg, then the bread crumbs, coating it evenly.
    7. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 180°C.
    8 .Fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides.
    9. Place ⅔ of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the chicken on top.
    10.Top with the rest of the tomato sauce, then sprinkle the parmesan and basil on top.
    11. Bake for 20 minutes.
    12. Serve!

 

2. Grilled Citrus Salmon and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 3

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
Salt, to taste
1 cup mozzarella
2 cups flour
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup oil, for frying
3 cups tomato sauce
½ cup parmesan
2 tablespoons basil

PREPARATION

  1. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast.
    2. Stuff the pockets evenly with the mozzarella cheese.
    3. Press the edges of the chicken together to seal the pocket.
    4. Separate the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs into 3 separate bowls.
    5. Being careful to keep the chicken from opening, dip the stuffed chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.
    6. Dip the floured chicken into the egg, then the bread crumbs, coating it evenly.
    7. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 180°C.
    8 .Fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides.
    9. Place ⅔ of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the chicken on top.
    10.Top with the rest of the tomato sauce, then sprinkle the parmesan and basil on top.
    11. Bake for 20 minutes.
    12. Serve!

3. Chicken Spinach Alfredo

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 3-4
2 tablespoons oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 strips cooked bacon, chopped
5 ounces spinach
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 cups heavy cream
250 grams cooked rotini pasta
1 cup parmesan cheese
½ cup parsley, chopped

PREPARATION
1. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Cook the chicken until no pink is showing.
3. Add the garlic, bacon, spinach, salt, and pepper, cooking until spinach is wilted.
4. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pasta, cheese, and parsley, stirring until the pasta is coated evenly.
6. Enjoy!

Migas Quiche

/ mef2457 / 2 Comments

MIGAS QUICHE

We all know the feeling: waking up on a Sunday morning with a pounding headache and an apprehensive curiosity as to how much money you spent at the bars (and on that slice of meat-lovers pizza at 2 a.m.) the night before. You stumble into the kitchen anxiously awaiting a breakfast taco buffet that will serve as the cure to your hangover, but as expected, an empty carton of milk and last week’s Chinese take-out stare blankly back at you from the empty shelves in the fridge. You could cave in and eat those borderline rotten rice noodles, OR you could sink your teeth into a warm, fluffy quiche that you made the day before that will certainly be the ailment to all of your hangover problems.

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Ingredients

6               eggs

¾ c           milk

½ c           onion, chopped

½ c           tomato, diced

½ c           shredded cheddar cheese

1 c            corn tortilla chips, lightly crushed

1               jalapeno, finely chopped

1               premade pie crust

1 T           cilantro, chopped

1 T           butter

 

Directions

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Remove premade piecrust from fridge to bring up to room temperature

In a sauté pan heated to medium high…

  • Add in butter until melted
  • Add onions and jalapeno and let cook until the vegetables have taken on a slight char, stirring frequently
  • Add tomatoes and cook until softened
  • Remove from the stove top and let vegetables cool to room temperature

In a large mixing bowl…

  • Crack the eggs into the bowl and add milk, cilantro, and salt & pepper for seasoning
  • Whisk to combine

In a pie dish…

  • Unroll piecrust into the pan and press the dough firmly against the edges
  • Scatter crushed tortilla chips, sautéed vegetable mixture, and cheese around the pan
  • Pour the egg mixture over the top (the pan should be quite full)

Put in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the top of the quiche is lightly browned and bubbly

 

*Avocado Crema

This *optional (but not) sauce is for the hung-over-go-getter in you. If you are feeling especially ambitious during your post-party endeavors (or want to add some class to your meal to make up for your lack- there-of the night before) top your quiche with this velvety crema to finish off the dish.

Ingredients

1 c            sour cream

1               lime, juiced

¼ c         milk

1 T           chive, finely chopped

1               avocado

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a blender, add sour cream, milk, lime juice, chive, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.

 

 

THE GUAC RECIPE I NEVER GAVE YOU OUR FRESHMEN YEAR

/ rdp935 / Leave a comment

It’s been two years now since my freshmen year, and what a two years it’s been. Many things have changed, but one thing has remained a constant throughout my time in college — all of my closest friends have asked me for my guacamole recipe at one point or another.

In two years from now, we’ll all be out in the real world living totally different lives than the ones we live today. I’ve definitely had my fair share of memories in college, but there’s one in particular that always comes back to me when I think about my time in Austin. On Sunday nights in the spring of freshmen year, my friends and I would pile on to my cheap couch to watch our favorite show (Hint: This recipe was almost titled “Guac of Thrones”). Absolute silence was demanded with the exception of one thing — the crunch of a blue tortilla chip loaded with guacamole meeting its final destination, our mouths.

As for the recipe itself, it is a result of many trial and error sessions with my friends. I’ve tried different types of tomatoes, using different fruits instead of mangos, orange juice, and many other secret ingredients. In all, I’ve probably tried over 30 different variations of this recipe, but this variation is the champion of them all. I’ve never shared it publicly, but my hope is that it finds its way onto your coffee table surrounded by the ones you love and care about the same way it did for me.

Enjoy!

LIST OF INGREDIENTS

makes enough for 5 hungry college freshmen.

prep time: 30 minutes

IN THE KITCHEN

  • 3-4 avocados, pitted and peeled
  • 2/3 cup mango, skinned and diced
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced (toss out the juicy center)
  • 1/3 cup of cilantro ( I usually put more… but that’s because I love cilantro.)
  • 1/3 cup of red onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (Don’t. Touch. Eyes.)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely chopped (or mintzed… see what I did there Phoebe?)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon salt (not tablespoon… I’ve made that mistake several times… Erin I’m looking at you.)

AT THE STORE / WHAT TO BUY

  • 3-4 avocados  (depending on how big they are… and get ’em relatively soft)
  • 1 red mango (it should be kind of squishy.)
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1 lime
  • salt
  • don’t forget tortilla chips! If they have lightly salted, that’s your best option.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • pit and peel avocados.
  • mash avocados to desired consistency in a large bowl.
  • skin and dice mango and add 2/3 cup into bowl.
  • dice roma tomatoes, tossing out the juicy center. Add to bowl.
  • finely chop 1/3 cup of cilantro and add to bowl.
  • dice 1/3 cup of red onion and add to bowl.
  • seed and finely chop 1 jalapeño and add to bowl.
  • finely chop or mince 1 tablespoon of fresh garlic and add to bowl.
  • juice 1 lime and add to bowl.
  • add 1 teaspoon of salt to bowl.
  • mix ingredients thoroughly with a spoon.
  • optional/recommended: chill for 1 hour before serving.
  • serve in a bowl with tortilla chips.