Herb-Marinated Tofu With Greens And Crunchy Veggies

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Tofu
14 oz. extra firm tofu
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice or a combination of both
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/3 cup basil or parsley, firmly packed
4 Tbsp fresh oregano, mint or tarragon
1/4 tsp salt
dash of red pepper flakes
For the Salad
Use whatever vegetables you have! I used:
2 bunches of any lettuce greens, chopped into 2-inch pieces
Handful of kale leaves separated from stems, then chopped into 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and sliced in coins 1/4-inch thick
5-6 radishes, thinly sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced in coins 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup of snap peas, ends removed

PREPARATION

1. First, press the tofu. Remove the block from it’s packaging, pat dry, wrap in a paper towel, and put on a plate. Put another plate on top of the tofu and put a weight on it. (Any “weight” will work — a jar of pickles, a 28-oz. can of tomatoes, a small handheld weight — as long as it’s heavy.) Leave it for 15-30 minutes.

2. While you’re waiting for the tofu, make the marinade: Put the Dijon, Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, 1/4 cup of olive oil, herbs, salt, and red pepper flakes into a food processor and blend until smooth.

3. When the tofu is done being pressed, remove the paper towel, blot it dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. In a mixing bowl, combine the tofu cubes with 1/2 of the marinade and gently toss to coat. (Feel free to use your hands, since the tofu will still be a little delicate.) Place in fridge and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

4. While the tofu is marinating, add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the marinade left in the food processor and blend. This is your salad dressing!

5. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the tofu is finished marinating, place the cubes on the baking sheet, and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing the cubes around a few times so they bake evenly.

6. While the tofu is cooking, think about your options. You can make a salad with your vegetables, and add the tofu to that. Or you can eat them with sautéed greens. Or you can stick them in some Tupperware and into the fridge and eat them another time. Or, if you made more than you need right away, you can split them up and do one thing with them tonight and one thing with them tomorrow.

7. Execute your decision from step #6. If you’re going with the salad, toss all the salad ingredients into a salad bowl, add some dressing and the baked tofu. Enjoy!

Breaking Bad "Rock Candy"

Ingredients:

-2 cups water
-1 cup white corn syrup
-3 1/2 cups sugar
-1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Then add:

-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-3 drops of blue gel food colouring

Boil the mixture and then continue stirring it on the heat until it reaches 300 degrees F (use a candy thermometer to measure the temp). At that point, pour it into a tray to cool. It will harden up in about an hour and then smashed it into pieces.

Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple or use some fresh pineapples if you'd like.
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)

Directions:

1. To make the teriyaki sauce, place the crushed pineapple, soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic a bowl, whisk them together. Pour half of the teriyaki sauce in a resealable plastic bag and reserve the other half. Place the chicken breasts in the resealable bag, close and give it a good massage to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.

3. When ready to cook, turn on the broiler and place the rack in the middle position. Place the marinated chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet and spoon some of the chunky pineapple/ginger from the marinade on top of the breast. It will help keep the chicken moist. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, for a total of 16-20 minutes. Discard any remaining marinade in the bag.

4. While the chicken is broiling, heat the reserved teriyaki sauce (that you had previously set aside in step 1) in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until thickened slightly.

5. When chicken is done, Slice the chicken, pour the teriyaki sauce over top and serve immediately.

TIP: Keeping the chicken in the marinade overnight will make it even tastier.

TIP: Instead of broiling, the chicken can also be grilled for 6 minutes on each side.

Salsa Verde Chicken

Start with a bunch of chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts were used here, but you can also try boneless dark meat for extra flavor.

Pour in a bunch of salsa verde, either homemade or store bought. (And if you like spicy food, I would also recommend adding in a jalapeno or two here with the stem removed.)

Then add in a bottle of beer. A local beer was used here but I recommend using a Corona or Modelo Negro.

And then add the step that I didn’t photograph — cumin! You definitely want cumin to help round out the flavor profile and bring in a little of that earthy, peppery goodness.

Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat. Then once the chicken shreds easily with a fork, shred it all up and give it a good toss with those juices that remain.

And then serve it up however you'd like. I loved using it to make a simple taco.

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Cooked pasta

Directions:

Using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts until slightly flatten. Season with salt and pepper, and dredge both sides of chicken in flour. Shake off the excess flour.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and oil in a large skillet. Fry chicken breasts in hot oil, about 5 minutes each side, until cooked through and golden brown in color. Transfer chicken breasts to a plate.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet, add garlic and capers. Add lemon juice, wine, and chicken stock, bring to boil, scraping off the brown bits from the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

Return chicken breasts to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. Transfer chicken to a large plate, pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with cooked pasta.

Heirloom Caprese Strata

This recipe serves 4 people.

For this recipe, I used 8 slices of multigrain grocery store bread. But, you can use any kind of bread you want, as long as it yields 4-6 cups of torn cubes.

Ingredients

8 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
8 slices multigrain bread, torn into rough 2-inch pieces (4-6 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, divided

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2 Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl, and whisk vigorously until the whites and yolks are combined and the mixture starts to bubble. Whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Add the torn pieces of bread and toss everything together so that the bread is completely saturated.
3. Melt butter in a large cast-iron skillet (if you don’t have cast-iron, just make sure you’re using something oven-proof) over medium heat. Swirl the butter around the bottom of the skillet, and tilt the pan so that the butter coats at least 1 1/2-inches up the sides. Add the bread and egg mixture, and spread it over the bottom of the skillet in a full, even layer. Top with sliced tomato and sliced mozzarella, then sprinkle with half of the basil leaves.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the egg is completely cooked through. Take the strata out of the oven and let it sit for at least 5 minutes in the skillet before serving
5. To serve, cut 4 equal slices and garnish with the remaining basil. It’s great served with a green salad, but also perfectly delicious on its own.

So your recipe calls for “an onion.”

So your recipe calls for “an onion.” That’s not very specific, and you may find yourself at the grocery store staring at mountains of varieties. Dinner isn’t going to be ruined if you use a red onion where you should use a yellow onion. That said, there are some onion best practices, and here they are.

Best for almost everything major: roasted meat dishes (pot roast, rack of lamb, roast chicken, etc.) or as a flavor base for sauces, soups, and stews. Yellow onions are the most common variety you should cook with. They have thin layers of white flesh and a tough, brownish-yellow skin. They’re very astringent — astringency is that sharp, almost spicy flavor that onions are known for — but also have a lot of sugar. When cooked, this onion loses its astringency, gets super sweet, and turns a light brown color.

Best for frying, for making rings, for French onion soup or for baked gratins and roast veggie dishes. Sweet onions are similar to yellow ones, but their distinct flavor is better for certain things. A sweet onion has thick layers, which makes it great for slicing into rings. Because of its high sugar content and a low sulphur content, it is very sweet without being as pungent or spicy as other types of onion. They are great for frying — think battered things, like onion rings or the infamous bloomin’ onion — and are also perfect for French onion soup, since they add so much sweetness. They’re also perfect for roasted vegetables (while yellow onions are good for meat roasts, which have a more savory flavor), and in baked gratins. ALSO KNOWN AS: Vidalia onions, Walla Walla onions.

Best for salsa or vegetable chutney, or in sautéed or stir-fried vegetables for extra crunch. White onions are less common, and are used mostly in Mexican cooking. They’re larger than other varieties, with thin, papery skin. They are sharp, astringent, and not very sweet, and they’re super crispy because of their high water content.

Best for guacamole, pickling, slicing thin for salads or grilled, on burgers, and on sandwiches. Red onions are milder, and add a little bit of color. A red onion is crisp and a little bit sweet, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It isn’t as pungent as a yellow onion (read: less “onion breath” and fewer tears while slicing), but still has a pretty strong flavor.

Best for salad dressings, mignonettes, and cooked vinegary glazes or in egg casseroles or as garnishes. Though a shallot is not technically an onion, it has a similar flavor and is less overpowering. Shallots grow in clusters with multiple cloves, like garlic, but their flavor is really similar to that of a mild red onion. It’s sweet with a little bit of spiciness. Shallots are the best choice for vinaigrette and mignonette (a super chunky vinaigrette that’s eaten with oysters or other shellfish), or in cooked vinegar sauces (like balsamic glaze or gastrique). Shallots are also great in quiche or other egg dishes, since they’re smaller than onions and aren’t as chunky. Also, thinly sliced shallots are a great, simple garnish for vegetable dishes, either raw or fried.