YumSugar

Sunday Dinner: Bacon Fried Rice

YumSugar — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Now that Christmas is over, take a break from your time spent in the kitchen in favor of some rest and relaxation with family. Tonight, piece together some pantry staples like eggs, bacon, and onions, to make an Asian takeout-inspired supper sans the grease.

Up the vegetable quotient by adding frozen carrots and corn. Or, to make it more substantial, serve this fried rice with a skillet-fried egg on top. For the recipe, read more.

Sunday Dinner: Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe

YumSugar — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:00:28 -0800

During the days leading up to Christmas, it's best to keep your everyday meals as straightforward as possible. That doesn't mean you have to subsist on boxed macaroni and cheese or TV dinner.

Instead, roast a whole chicken tonight, so you have something to fall back on for the beginning of the week when you're occupied with other tasks.

The recipe is straightforward: season the chicken, tie its legs together, and roast it alongside potatoes until everything is tender and browned. Get your week off to the right start when you read more.

Sunday Dinner: Shrimp and Feta Cheese Quiche

YumSugar — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:00:16 -0800

It's been cold and wet outdoors this weekend, so tonight I'm going to indulge myself by making a gorgeous savory pastry that takes inspiration from French country cooking, the Mediterranean, and the fruits of the sea.

I don't plan on toiling over a crust from scratch. Instead, I'll parbake some store-bought pie dough, then fill the tart with a sumptuous filling of shrimp, feta, and roasted red peppers. The result is a sophisticated update on a rustic classic. For the recipe, read more.

Sunday Dinner: Whole Grain Pasta With Chickpeas & Escarole

YumSugar — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:30:35 -0800

For supper this evening, make friends with another penne dish that's not all carbs and cheese. This one calls for the exotic yet accessible leafy green known as escarole, which lends a mild bitterness, a resilient crunch, and a bright flavor to the pasta.

With whole-grain pasta and hearty, filling chickpeas, there's no need to bring meat into this meal at all, which is good for your wallet, your waistline, and your carbon footprint. Wishing it were dinnertime already? For the recipe, read more.

Sunday Dinner: Cracker-and-Parmesan-Crusted Fish Fillets

YumSugar — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:00:45 -0800

If you're a fan of Brown Sugar Cinnamon Ritz Crackers or the original variety, then you'll absolutely flip for this Parmesan-encrusted sole dish.

It achieves a browned, crispy exterior with the help of crushed Ritz crackers, which have a light crunch. Old Bay, the classic seafood seasoning, adds just the right amount of spice.

Can't locate sole? Then substitute another relatively flat, delicate, white fish like tilapia, sand dabs, or flounder for this dish. See the easy recipe when you keep reading.

Sunday Dinner: Black-Eyed Peas With Pork and Greens

YumSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:30:06 -0800

Pork chops may be filling and healthful, but because they're a leaner cut, they aren't always full of flavor.

To keep your taste buds dancing, incorporate the other white meat into a classic Southern staple that's got major sass: the Hoppin' John.

A medley of black-eyed peas, brown rice, kale, and pork come together with the help of tomato, broth, vinegar, and paprika. Enjoy a dish that's got a little bit of everything when you keep reading.

Sunday Dinner: Whole-Wheat Flatbreads With Lamb & Yogurt

YumSugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:30:25 -0800

Ever since I made pasta with lamb and tomato ragu, I haven't been able to stop singing the praises of ground lamb. If you love ordering lamb at restaurants but have never made it at home, ground lamb is the perfect starting point, since it requires no special handling.

Prepare the quick, from-scratch recipe for wheat pitas below or, in a pinch, use store bought pitas or tortillas. The textural contrast of the grainy bread with Greek yogurt and ground meat is incredibly satisfying. For the fun, hands-on recipe, read on.

Sunday Dinner: Sirloin Stew With Dill Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:30:02 -0800

Earlier this month, Party and I were enticed by one reader's rendition of beef stroganoff. If you, too, found yourself salivating over her creation, here's another dish that you need to bookmark! Unlike the classic course, which has sour cream and mushrooms, the ground beef in this recipe becomes a stew with the help of a roux, beef broth, and Worcestershire. Pile it on top of herbed egg noodles, serve with a salad, and you've got a speedy (and guest-worthy!) dinner. Curious? Then read more.

Sunday Dinner: Halibut With Leeks, Mushrooms, and Clams

YumSugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:30:20 -0700

There's no better way to really catch Fall fever than to prepare a steamy seafood dish that also incorporates the season's top produce picks.

For dinner tonight, sauté aromatic leeks and unconventional hen of the woods mushrooms in butter, add broth, and simmer halibut and clams in liquid until just barely cooked.

The resulting meal, which is delicate both in texture and flavor, makes for an enjoyable end to the weekend. Ready to cook it? Then read more.

Sunday Dinner: Drunken Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:30:52 -0700

For this week's Sunday night chicken dinner, I can't wait to apply the mainstream meat to a home-cooked Southeast Asian meal.

I love preparing ethnic foods at home, and this spicy noodle stir-fry, with its complex flavors, comes together in mere minutes, thanks to quick-cooking (and inexpensive) ground chicken.

Craving Thai takeout, sans the grease? For the recipe, read more.