Jerk Pork

In Chicago there are many great Jamaican/Caribbean eateries offering up delicious dishes like Escovitch Fish or Jamaican Beef Patties.  My favorite Jamaican dish would have to be Jerk Chicken.  Jerk is a Caribbean take on grilling/barbecuing in which the meat is seasoned and marinated in spices such as Allspice and Nutmeg, with added heat imparted via the Scotch Bonnet or Habanero peppers.  My family is such huge fans of Jerk that we do everything from Jerk Ribs to Jerk Shrimp.  Having prepared Jerk Chicken before (everyone loved it!), I was eager to try Cook This Not That's recipe for Jerk Pork.  I have to say, this dish was true to the Caribbean Jerk taste.  I normally use a prepared marinade which is great, so when I first tasted the pork it was quite surprising that it tasted exactly like it had been prepared with a bottled version but it was from scratch which made it even better!  What are some of your favorite Caribbean dishes?

Jerk Pork

Ingredients

• 2 Habanero/Scotch Bonnet peppers, stemmed & chopped
• 8 Scallions, roughly chopped
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp Allspice
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste
• 1lb Pork Loin

Preparation

1. Place the peppers, scallions, lime juice, oil, garlic, allspice, nutmeg, and a good pinch of salt & pepper in a food processor or blender.  Pulse until the mixture forms a paste with the consistency of pesto, adding a bit of water if it's too dry.
2. Place pork (chicken drumsticks work great, too) in a sealable plastic bag and pour the jerk marinade over it.  Squeeze out the air, seal the bag, and rub the pork around to make sure it's evenly coated.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but preferably overnight.
3. Preheat a grill, Remove the pork from the marinade and season with a bit more salt and pepper.  Grill, cooking on all sides, for about 10 minutes, until lightly charred and cooked through.  (An internal thermometer inserted into the center of the pork will read 140 degrees.)

*Makes 4 servings

*240 cals, 11g fat (2g saturated), 510mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $2.23

*Compare to: Macaroni Grill Prime Pork Loin, 670 cals, 24g fat (6g saturated), 1,820mg sodium, $14.99

Served w/ Brown Rice & organic Black Beans

Chili Glazed Salmon

Cook This Not That scores again with this delicious recipe.  This glaze is one you will want to use over and over again and not only on fish; Super Bowl Sunday is coming up and I already have plans for that sauce! To accompany the salmon I prepared Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (delishcreamygoodness!) and asparagus sauteed in white wine.  If you've been trying to eat healthier like I myself, this meal is a sure fire way to revamp your regular ol' boring fish dish.  Enjoy!

Chili-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Asian-style Sweet Chili Sauce
• 2 Tbsp low-sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh Ginger
• 1 tsp Sriracha or other spicy chili sauce
• 4 Salmon Fillets

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and sriracha in a mixing bowl.  Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Use a brush or a spoon to lacquer the salmon with chili glaze
2. Bake the salmon until the glaze has begun to lightly caramelize and the salmon flakes with gentle pressure, about 10 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.

*Makes 4 servings

*330 cals, 14g fat (2g saturated), 560mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $3.83

*Compare to: Applebee's Orange Glazed Salmon, 790 cals, 24g fat (4.5 saturated), 3,000mg sodium, $13.49

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled (I actually left the skin on mine)
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 5-6 cloves Roasted Garlic
• Salt & Black Pepper

Preparation

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Cook until a knife inserted into the flesh meets no resistance, about 25 minutes.  Drain.
2. While the potatoes boil, combine the milk, butter, and garlic in a small saucepan and heat until butter is melted.  Keep warm.
3. Use potato masher or large wooden spoon to break up the large chunks of potatoes in a rough puree.  Slowly add the hot milk mixture to the potatoes, using a large spoon to beat continuously.  Season w/ salt & pepper.

*Makes 4 servings

*180 cals, 8g fat (5g saturated), 360mg sodium

Margarita Chicken

Right here right now, I'm going to proclaim that this is not only the best dish I've made from Cook This Not That  but it is the best dish I have EVER cooked!  When I took my first bite the flavors began to do the Cuban Shuffle all around my mouth, can you tell I've taken Zumba, lol?.  Mexican/Hispanic cuisine has been a long time favorite of mine but never have I tasted anything like this where the flavors just came alive.  Being that I'm a "spice snob" when it comes to recipes I tend to add a little something extra.  First, I seasoned the chicken with granulated garlic, sea salt, and a Latino spice blend of Adobo y Sazon and let it marinate in a little bit of lime juice and olive oil; this has got to be the reason the chicken ended up perfectly tender.  Oh, and did I mention how easy this dish is to prepare?  I can see myself cooking Margarita Chicken at least 3 times a month!  What are some of your favorite foods?

Margarita Chicken


Ingredients

• 1/2 can (14-16oz) Black Beans drained
• 1/4 tsp Cumin
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp Canola/Olive Oil
• 4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (6oz each)
• 1 cup prepared salsa, preferably Salsa Verde
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• Chopped fresh Cilantro

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Combine the black beans and cumin in a saucepan and heat all the way through.  Squeeze in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, but warm before serving.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and sear in the hot pan for 3-4 minutes on the first side, until a nice crust develops, then flip.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then spoon salsa over meat, top with the cheese, and place in the oven.  Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is fully melted and bubbling, no more than 5 minutes.  Divide the beans among 4 plates, top with chicken, and garnish with cilantro.

*Makes 4 servings

*330 cals, 12g fat (4.5 saturated), 480mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $2.49

Compare to: TGIFriday's Sizzling Chicken & Cheese, 1,200 cals, $11.49

"This is what Mexican food should taste like"-Rachel

Meatballs w/ Polenta

My girlfriend Rachel loves pasta so I decided to make one of the pasta dishes featured in Cook This Not That. This dish turned out to be very flavorful and filling.  Check out how great the pictures came out!  Can't wait to get a real camera of my own.


Meatballs w/ Polenta


Ingredients

• 8 oz ground Sirloin
• 8 oz ground Turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
• Salt & Black Pepper
• 1 slice White Bread, torn into small pieces and briefly  soaked in milk
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 cup dried Polenta, prepared according to package instructions

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Combine the sirloin, turkey, egg parsley, Parmesan, fennel seeds, & 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl.  Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add to the bowl.  Use your (clean clean clean!) hands to gently mix the ingredients together.  Form meatballs the size of golf balls, about 1" diameter, being careful not to overwork the meat.  Place the meatballs in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, until nicely browned all over.
3. While the meatballs bake, heat the oil in a large saute' pan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.  Add the tomatoes, plus salt and pepper to taste, and simmer while meatballs finish cooking.
4. Transfer the meatballs straight from the oven to the sauce.  Cook for at least 10 minutes (preferably 20-30), turning the meatballs so that all parts have a chance to simmer in the sauce.  Serve the meatballs and sauce over soft polenta, topped w/ a bit of chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.

*Instead of using polenta I used Whole Grain Spaghetti.  Also, I made homemade garlic bread using a Whole Grain Demi French Baguette from Whole Foods.

*Makes 4 servings

*380 cals, 14g fat (4.5 saturated), 1,010mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $2.99

*Compare to: Romano's Macaroni Grill Spaghetti & Meatballs Bolognese, 880 cals, 37g fat (14g saturated), 2,400mg sodium, $10.99

Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Sandwich

I'm a lover of sandwiches--hot and cold, and luckily for me Cook This Not That  has an entire section dedicated to the sandwich.  Being that I'm such a sucker for a good sandwich, I decided every week I will pick a sandwich from the book to make for dinner (last week was the A1 Swiss Burger).  This week's winner is the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich!  Who knew that Buffalo Chicken could be such a healthy meal?

PS- The Blue Cheese dip is to DIE!  From now on, it will be a staple in my kitchen! 

Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
• 1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
• Juice of half a Lemon
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 Chicken Breasts (6 oz each)
• 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 3 Tbsp favorite Hot Sauce (Frank's Red Hot works best here)
• 2 Tbsp. Butter, melted in the microwave for 20 seconds
• 4 large Romaine Lettuce leaves
• 4 sesame buns, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat grill or grill pan.  While it's heating, combine the blue cheese, yogurt, and lemon juice, plus a pinch of salt & pepper.  Stir to combine, set aside.
2. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and the chili powder.  Add the chicken to the hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then flip.  Add the onions to the perimeter of the grill (if using grill pan, you'll need to wait until you remove the chicken to grill the onions).  Cook the chicken until firm and springy to the touch, another 4-5 minutes.  Remove, along with the grilled onions
3. Combine the hot sauce and butter and brush all over the chicken after removing from the grill.  Place one large leaf of romaine on the base of each bun.  Top with a chicken breast, the blue cheese sauce, grilled onions and top half of  the bun.

*I adapted the recipe using a Wheat bun instead of Sesame and Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo Wing Sauce instead of Frank's Red Hot, feel free to adapt it to your liking.

*Makes 4 servings

*387 cals, 15g fat (5g saturated), 912mg sodium
*Cost per serving: $3.81
*Compare to: Chili's Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich, 1,560 cals, 86g fat (14g saturated), 4,010mg sodium, $8.79

My 1st Culinary Class!

A while back I participated in a Top Chef themed birthday party at the Kitchen Conservatory, while there I found out they offered culinary classes of all sorts.  When I finally realized attending culinary school wasn't the best choice for me I decided to enroll in my first class at the conservatory.  Last night I attended the Knife Skills class and received such great information.  

I didn't realize how much technique went into handling a knife.  Not only is technique important but most important is the knife's sharpness; having a sharp knife makes your life so much easier.  Of course, with any product, you get what you pay for and for years I have been using some of the worst knives thinking  I just didn't know how to handle them.  What you learn in a knife class is that a good knife will do all of the work for you. The instructor taught us how to carve a turkey correctly (which will yield the most amount of meat), cut veggies (the onion was life changing for me), and which knives to use for different tasks.  For taking the class, each participant received a free Wusthof pairing knife along with 20% off any Wusthof products purchased that night and 10% off regular priced items.  Last night I took the first step towards building my cookware collection and I purchased the 8" Wusthof Classic Santoku knife.  A Santoku is comparable to a Chef's Knife with the leading difference being the pockets on the blade that creates air and prohibits food from adhering to the knife.  All together, my first culinary class was very enjoyable and I look forward to taking more classes in the future!  Have you taken any cooking classes, which was your favorite?

Kitchen Conservatory

8021 Clayton Rd.

Saint Louis, MO 63117

314-862-COOK

8" Wusthof Classic Santoku

Wusthof Grand Prix II Pairing Knife

Chicken Adobo

Keeping in line with my new healthier lifestyle, I have started to cook more meals from the Cook This Not That book that I own.  Many of you have probably heard of the "Eat This Not That" book which gives you healthier restaurant menu alternatives, Cook This Not That is the same concept except they provide healthier versions of menu items from popular restaurants for you to prepare at home.  I love the fact that it allows me to eat many of the things I loved eating before without taking in all the calories; the items in this book range from 200-400 calories.

Last night I prepared Chicken Adobo.  Adobo, a dish that is native to the Philippines, is created when vinegar and soy sauce is reduced to a thick syrup.  While you can add any protein, I used chicken since the recipe called for it.  Below is the recipe along with the calories per serving, enjoy!

Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
• 4 Cloves Garlic, peeled & crushed
• 4 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp coarsely ground Black Pepper
• 1lb skinless Chicken Thighs
• 2 cups prepared Brown Rice

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients.  Bring to a bare simmer, cover, cook doe 20-25 minutes, until chicken in very tender and cooked all the way through.
2. Remove the chicken from the pot and bring mixture to a vigorous boil.  Continue to boil for about 10 minutes, until the cooking liquid reduces by half and is thick enough to cling easily to the back of a spoon.
3. Return the chicken to the pot and heat through. Discard bay leaves.  Serve the chicken with the rice and the reduced sauce.

*Makes 4 serving

*230 cals/serving, 2g fat (.5 saturated), 880mg sodium

*Coat per serving: $1.46

*Compare to: PF Chang's chicken w/ Black Bean Sauce, 900 cal/serving, 48g fat (6g saturated), 5,550mg sodium

New "Life" Resolution

Recently I decided to finally take control of my personal health and wellness.  Through the years I have made several attempts at this, while some were successful they only provided temporary results.  This is mainly because I wasn't mentally ready to make a permanent change and also the avenues I took didn't lend themselves to a "lifestyle" change which is what needs to take place when you're ready to become a healthier individual.  This past September I joined the YMCA which was my first step towards a better Me.  For a few weeks I was a regular at the gym but I have to admit, the holiday season got the best of me (excuses!) and I fell off the wagon.

It's now the first month of a new year, a time for most people to forget the trials of the previous year and start fresh.  I've never been a person to set "New Year Resolutions" but for this year I decided to try something different.  The goals that I set for myself this year are goals that will extend far beyond 2012.  They are in place to help me have a more full life.  Starting with my eating and exercise habits, I have made the commitment to my body to take care of it to the best of my ability and give it the nurturing it needs.  I am happy to say that since I have made this decision I have lost 4 lbs!  I am back in the gym and I have even gotten my girlfriend to join me which makes it so much easier.

Whatever your resolutions are for this year I wish you great luck in achieving them.  Remember to stay focused and committed...and BE GREAT!

-Theresa