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Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp and Ginger Stir-Fry

partysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:30:20 -0800

As much as I love talking and thinking about Thanksgiving, sometimes it's nice to take a quick break from the all-American feast and enjoy a simple Asian-inspired meal.

In this recipe, shrimp is combined with a gingery soy sauce, chunks of red pepper, and slivers of green onions. Served on a bed of rice, it makes for a light and flavorful alternative to the season's plethora of comfort foods.

Remember a recipe is merely a guide, and many vegetables, from red onions to broccolini, can be used in place of the ones listed in the ingredients. To learn the method, read more.

Shrimp and Ginger Stir-Fry
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp, tails removed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, white and green parts separated
white rice, for serving

Directions

To make ginger juice, place finely grated ginger in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl.With a spoon, press down firmly until juices are released. Discard the solids; whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1 cup water; set sauce aside.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon oil; repeat with remaining shrimp. Set shrimp aside.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan; cook bell peppers and white parts of scallions over medium-high heat, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Whisk reserved sauce; pour into pan, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute. Add shrimp and green parts of scallions; stir until coated with sauce, 30 seconds more. Serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Skillet Chicken Stew

partysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:00:39 -0800

You don't need all day to make a flavorful and rich chicken stew. This quick-cooking skillet comes together in under an hour. The chicken is coated in flour before being flash-seared. The flour helps thicken the sauce which is a mixture of chicken broth, mushrooms, scallions, and yogurt. Although the recipe says to serve the saucy meat on a bed of cooked rice, feel free to pair it with your favorite stew side, be it mashed potatoes or egg noodles. For the simple yet scrumptious recipe, read more.

Skillet Chicken Stew
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika, plus more for seasoning
Salt and pepper
4 chicken leg quarters, split at the joint to separate legs
1 tablespoon butter
One 8-ounce package cremini or white mushrooms, halved
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced separately
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, paprika and 2 pinches each salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the mushrooms and scallion whites to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir the yogurt and scallion greens into the pan sauce; season with salt, pepper and paprika. Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce.
To serve, mound some rice on each of 4 plates and top with the chicken.

Serves 4.

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Fasy & Easy Dinner: Fresh Corn-Rice Salad

partysugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:50:44 -0700

During the Summer, it's hard not to take advantage of the plethora of farm stand produce that's available. This recipe utilizes the season's bounty of corn and tomatoes. There's no fancy ingredients or exotic spices, thus the pure and colorful freshness of the veggies is highlighted. By mixing in cooked rice, the salad becomes substantial enough to make up a whole meal. To learn the uncomplicated technique, read more.

Fresh Corn-Rice Salad
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn
1-1/2 cups cooked rice, cooled
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh arugula
1 small red onion, cut in thin wedges
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
Tbsp. rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

Husk corn and remove silk with a stiff brush; rinse. Cook corn in boiling, lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Remove corn; let cool. Cut corn off the cob in planks. To cut planks, place an ear on its side on a cutting board. Holding the corn firmly with fingers away from the blade, cut off a side of the corn. Rotate and repeat until all sides are removed. Use a spatula to gently move planks to salad.
Combine cooked rice, tomatoes, arugula, onion and jalapeño pepper. Transfer to serving bowl; top with corn.
Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 10 to 12.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad

partysugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:50:49 -0700

Who says chicken salad has to involve globs of mayonnaise and chopped celery? This recipe gives the classic salad a Southwestern-style twist.

Cooked shredded chicken is tossed with rice, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, and green onions. A quick ground cumin vinaigrette flavors the mixture. For a hearty variation, serve the salad in warmed tortillas sprinkled with cheese.

This salad is also delicious the next day, making it perfect for back-to-school lunches or late Summer picnics. Get the recipe and read more.

Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup brown (or white) rice
1 cooked chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), shredded (about 4 cups)
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired), minced
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

Cook rice according to package instructions. Spread on a baking sheet; refrigerate until cool.
Meanwhile place cooled rice in a large bowl; add chicken, beans, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, vinegar, oil, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Salmon With Sugar Snap Peas Over Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:00:08 -0700

Salmon is remarkably versatile and can be cooked to perfection in a multitude of different ways, from roasting to searing to grilling. One of my favorite ways to prepare this pink-fleshed fish is by poaching it in water until it's just barely cooked through, which results in an ultra-moist piece of seafood.

Work a savory salmon dinner into your hectic schedule tonight by adding leftover fillets to an already-simmering pot of rice. Cooking multiple elements of a dish together simultaneously not only saves time, but it also saves resources like water and energy. Bring together this one-pot dinner in under 30 minutes when you read more.

Salmon With Sugar Snap Peas Over Rice
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain white rice
1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed
Kosher salt and pepper
4 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Directions

Mix the rice and 2 1/3 cups water in a medium skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Slice the salmon on a diagonal into four 3/4-inch-thick pieces. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on top of the partially cooked rice. Cover and cook 7 minutes.
Scatter the peas over the salmon and rice. Cover and cook until the rice and peas are tender and the salmon is opaque and beginning to flake, 3 to 5 minutes.
Mix the soy sauce, scallions, vinegar, ginger, and sugar in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce over the salmon, rice, and peas and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 418, Protein 32g, Carbohydrate 49g, Sugar 5g, Fiber 2g, Fat 9g, Sodium 706mg

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Pork Tenderloin With Onion Marmalade

partysugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:50:58 -0700

Just because it's the middle of the week doesn't mean you can't enjoy a hearty and delicious pork dinner. This recipe uses pork tenderloin, a cut of meat that cooks quickly in the oven or on the grill. When topped with a caramelized onion and honey jam, the pork becomes rich and flavorful. Serve on a bed of rice seasoned with orange and cilantro for a meal that is balanced and satisfying. To check out the mouth-watering recipe, read more.

Pork Tenderloin With Onion Marmalade
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 sweet onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Juice and grated peel of 1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500°.
Place the pork in a roasting pan, rub with the olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn over and roast for another 10 minutes. Remove the tenderloins from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in the cumin and half the orange juice; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and cook for 5 minutes more. Let cool.
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil, stir in the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then the remaining orange juice and the cilantro. Season with salt.
Spoon the rice onto plates and sprinkle with the grated orange peel. Cut the pork diagonally into 1/2-inch slices and place on the rice. Spoon the onion marmalade over the pork and serve extra on the side.

Serves 4.

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Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:15:51 -0700

If you were at the Waikiki Spam Jam Festival that was held over the weekend, chances are you would have come across this island snack. Do you know what it's called?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Sweet and Sour Chicken

partysugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:50:10 -0700

Instead of ordering out tonight, consider whipping up this homemade rendition of the classic takeout dish. Chunks of chicken are tossed with crisp vegetables and an uncomplicated sauce made of apricot preserves and soy sauce.

Served on brown rice, this dish is healthier than the restaurant counterpart because there's no deep-frying involved. If you're a vegetarian, substitute tofu for the chicken. Look at the recipe when you read more.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
From Eating Well

Ingredients

2 cups instant brown rice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
1 5-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Directions

Prepare rice according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds.
Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in water chestnuts and the chicken.
Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Beef and Asparagus Stir-Fry

partysugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:50:49 -0700

Since the majority of you are looking forward to asparagus season, I thought it would be appropriate to feature a quick, effortless meal that incorporates the tender green spears. This recipe takes an Asian spin on the vegetable and combines it with seared beef sirloin.

Chili oil, sherry, and hoisin sauce come together in a fragrant, spicy sauce that coats both the asparagus and beef. Serve over steamed rice for a meal that is filling, yet healthy. Get the recipe when you read more.

Beef and Asparagus Stir-Fry
From Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. dry sherry
1 tsp. chili oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 lb. slender asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Steamed rice for serving

Directions

Lightly season the beef with salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce, sherry, chili oil and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
In a wok or large fry pan over high heat, warm the peanut oil. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, add the beef and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly seared, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
Add the onion and asparagus to the pan and cook until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 15 seconds.
Return the meat and any juices from the plate to the pan, add the hoisin mixture and stir well. Simmer briefly until heated through.
Divide the rice among shallow bowls, top with beef and asparagus, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Jasmine Rice Pudding Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:30:25 -0700

One of my favorite desserts to make at home is rice pudding, because I can easily watch it on the stovetop while I'm prepping other items for dinner. Since most of us have rice, honey, and milk on hand, it's possibly the tastiest way to clean your pantry. Although many rice puddings call for arborio or other short-grained Italian varieties, try the longer-grain jasmine for less starchiness. Jasmine rice will not only maintain its texture, but it also has a wonderful aroma. To ensure the pudding is smooth rather than sticky, rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking it. See a basic jasmine rice pudding recipe as well as one that's more complex in flavor when you read more.

Beginner Jasmine Rice Pudding
From Saveur

Ingredients

6 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup clover honey, plus more as needed
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed well
2 oz. dried apples, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp. butter, plus more as needed

Directions

Put the milk, honey, and salt into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer; do not let it boil. Stir in the rinsed rice, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is very soft and milk is nearly absorbed, 30-40 minutes.
Add the apples and raisins and continue to simmer until the apples are softened and pudding is very thick, 5-10 minutes more. Just before serving, stir in the butter. Serve plain or drizzled with additional honey or butter, if you like.

Makes 6 servings.

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Expert Jasmine Rice Pudding
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons Malibu rum or other coconut-flavored rum
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
6 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
6 passion fruits, halved, juice and seeds scooped into bowl
Special equipment: 8 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups

Directions

Combine raisins and rum in small bowl. Let stand at room temperature while preparing pudding.
Combine nonfat milk and next 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer; remove from heat. Allow to steep uncovered 1 hour. Strain coconut broth.
Rinse rice in medium bowl of cold water. Drain. Repeat 2 more times. Cook 1 cup coconut broth and rice in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add remaining coconut broth; cook over low heat until rice is tender, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 6 tablespoons sugar (mixture will be thick). Transfer to large bowl; cool.
Whip cream in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold half of whipped cream into cooled rice. Drain raisins. Stir raisins and lime peel into rice. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Divide mixture among eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each pudding. Place puddings on rimmed baking sheet. Broil until sugar caramelizes, watching closely to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Spoon passion fruit over puddings.

Serves 8.

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