An Inspired Kitchen

Tandoori Chicken with Toasted Coconut Rice Pilaf

Toasted Coconut Rice Pilaf ingredients

I really want to barbeque, but the weather continues to be the pits and I am sick of grilling in the rain in so-called summer.  Earlier in the day, I made a  Greek yogurt, lemon, fresh ginger, garlic, and garam masala spiced marinade and let the chicken tenders marinate in the refrigerator.  I have a cast iron ridged skillet that I love to use to grill indoors. I usually prefer to cook smaller pieces of meat because they cook quickly and there is always some smoke involved even though I have a great down draft fan.  These chicken tenders are easily cooked on the outdoor grill and take 6-8 minutes total to cook, but you can also cook them in a skillet.  The coconut rice is delicious and goes really well with the chicken.  I also use it as a side dish for Thai chicken satay.  The coconut milk and toasted coconut really make the rice special.  Try not to leave out the lime slices because it really adds a little zing to the rich coconut milk.  I heated some naan bread up in the oven and made some green beans to round out the meal.  7 WW points without rice.  Click here for chicken recipe….  Click here for coconut rice recipe….

Tilapia with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

This is such a wonderful, healthy, fresh way to cook fish and it’s quick.  You can use any kind of fish filet.  We have lots of fresh  fish available locally like salmon, ling cod, halibut and live spot prawns, but unless I know the fish is absolutely fresh, I like to buy frozen fish because it is usually flash frozen right after it is caught and hasn’t been sitting around on ice thawing out for several days and getting smelly.  This is especially true for shrimp, scallops and tilapia.  Trader Joe’s has nice frozen tilapia filets that I like to keep on hand in the freezer. Dethaw it in the refrigerator for a day.  Use any fresh herbs for the best flavor, but if you don’t have them around, use dried.  4 WW points Click here for the recipe….

Crimp a piece of foil and drizzle with some olive oil and lay the fish filets on top.  Equally distribute the vegetables over and grill for .

Orzo with Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes, Corn, and Oregano Pesto

This is a great warm side dish or cold pasta salad.  I was inspired by Giada’s recipe, but wanted a little more zing from the artichokes and used marinated artichoke hearts instead.  The cherry tomatoes and corn add great color, and the fresh oregano pesto with walnuts or pine nuts adds a little crunch.  You can grill corn on the cob and then cut it off the cob, but I just had frozen which was fine.  You can also use fresh basil instead of oregano.  I have found the secret to making a good pasta salad is to taste it before you serve it because it always seems to need more vinegar or salt.  The pasta just draws all that in and leaves the salad a little flat.   Click here for the recipe….

The weather looked like it was going to give us a break today, so we thought we would go to the Farmer’s Market and wander around.  The colors and the freshness of the produce inspire me to want to buy everything and bring it home.  The first of the season strawberries are just getting to market, and since it is such a short season, I knew I wanted to get some today and have them for dessert.  I am going to keep it simple and just slice them and put them in a dish.  They need nothing else to showcase what a true strawberry should taste like, not even a sprinkling of sugar they are so ripe and perfect. 

Chocolate Brownie Cookie

This cookie is pure chocolate bliss and has a wonderful soft and chewy bite.  It really does taste like a brownie. The batter is easy to make and you don’t really need a mixer.  I use Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips and you melt half for the dough and put the rest in the batter which contributes to the rich chocolatey bite.  It’s best to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to make sure the cookies stay nice and puffy when they bake.  If you want to make them even fancier ~ put some white chocolate chips in a baggie and microwave it for 20 seconds and smoosh it (that’s a technical cooking term) around and heat it for another 10 seconds until it is smooth and free of lumps.  Cut a tiny end off one of the corners and drizzle the white chocolate back and forth over the cookies.   At Christmas, I have sprinkled crushed candy canes on top of the white chocolate drizzle which is nummy. These cookies also freeze well.  Click here for the recipe….

Barbequed Grill Basket Beef and Vegetables – Shish Kebabs without the fuss of skewers!

Our summer refuses to get started.  I found myself barbequing in the rain again… sigh….it’s getting depressing. I used to take the time to skewer beef and veggies on a skewer and barbeque them, but with these great grill baskets, I just marinate all the ingredients in a bowl and then tumble them onto the hot grill basket.  You can do it with any protein (including tofu) and any combination of vegetables you like.  Cut everything the same size so they cook at the same time.  Put the tomatoes on 5 minutes before everything is cooked.  I serve baked potatoes on the side and a great salad to round out the meal. You can find grill baskets for a great price at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.  I also cook lots of different combinations of vegetables for side dishes in the grill basket.  Use any marinade you like or click here for the recipe….

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Coleslaw

I had some frozen cod pieces I bought to make a fish chowder last month and decided to make some fish tacos on the grill instead.  Any flaky fish will work – halibut, tilapia, salmon or shrimp. Make a quick marinade for the fish, toss a bag of coleslaw with a cilantro mayonnaise mixture (or you can use prepared coleslaw sauce and add lime juice, jalapeno and  garlic), and serve with some fresh salsa.  I also made a Mexican Salsa Rice and had 1 zucchini in the fridge and decided to put it in there as well.   To grill the fish, I just used 2 pieces of foil and crimped around the edges and put it on the grill and grilled the fish on the foil (easy cleanup!).  To heat the tortillas, just place them on the grill for 30 seconds on each side.  Click here for the fish taco and coleslaw recipe….  Click here for the Mexican Salsa Rice recipe….

I think I have a serious vinegar hoarding problem.  I can’t believe how many vinegars I got out to photograph!  When I travel or go to a fabulous specialty cooking store, I will often bring home a bottle of vinegar because it fits in my suitcase more easily than the gorgeous gateau au chocolat in the pastry case or Moroccan tagine.  Interesting vinegars inspire me to make a fabulous vinaigrette or sauce, and I guess I really need to start making tons of salads and use these beautiful vinegars up! I have my standby basics that I couldn’t live without ~ balsamic, rice, sherry, cider, raspberry, champagne vinegar, and good old red wine vinegar. Some wonderful vinegars that inspire me are curry and mango balsamique, Verjus – pressed from the juice of unripened grapes and used in a classic Provençal chicken dish, cherry balsamic vinegar, cassis vinegar, pomegranate, and the list goes on…… It’s such a humble ingredient, but it can elevate a dish to the next level with concentrated flavors and no extra calories!  I also love balsamic glaze which is balsamic vinegar that has been cooked down and reduced to a syrup.  Trader Joe’s has a good one.  It’s wonderful to drizzle over cooked scallops, or a bowl of sweetened strawberries.  Another time I will show you my salt collection which is a little more under control and my herb and spice collection which is not under control!

Knowing how to make a vinaigrette should be in everyone’s repertoire because it is so easy, delicious and fresh.  You can use any kind of mustard, vinegar and oil and the only thing to keep in mind is the magic ratio of 1 part vinegar and mustard, to 3 times the amount of oil. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon Dijon – or any mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar – any kind or lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  With a whisk, mix well and slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil (or any oil) until it has emulsified.  I have a ceramic olive oil container with a thin spout that is great for drizzling into sauces and pans.  You can add minced garlic, shallots or honey with the mustard and any herbs can be used either fresh or dried.  30 second salad dressing. Taste for seasoning and correct and there you go! 

Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes with Indian Spices

This great side dish is full of flavor and goes well with a simply cooked chicken breast or pork chop and some basmati rice.  I love coriander and cumin, and the fresh ginger really adds a great punch to what can sometimes be boring and bland steamed cauliflower.  The sweet potatoes are wonderfully sweet and delicate.  If you have any leftover, whisk several eggs and cook them together for a quick frittata.  Click here for the recipe….

Ragù alla Bolognese

It’s still raining and I am getting worried that summer is never going to arrive which makes me turn to comfort food.  My family loves spaghetti and we probably eat it at least once a week, but I was in the mood for a little richer sauce and decided to make this classic sauce.  I always have diced prosciutto in the freezer (I scramble it into eggs, sauces, soups etc.) so I knew I had all I needed to make the sauce.  It comes together quickly if you have a food processor to chop all the onions, celery, carrots and garlic (or even easier – Trader Joe’s has pre-diced fresh mire poix mix in the vegetable section), and if you make a double  batch, you can freeze it for another dinner which is always a time saver.  You can use ground beef, pork, veal, or lamb (or probably even ground turkey if you are watching calories).  This sauce is a classic for a reason – it’s delicious!  Click here for the recipe….