Salmon with Potato Salad

side from the potatoes taking quite a bit longer to cook than the recipe budgeted, this was a very easy, straightforward dinner. This is the first time in Real Simple's month-o-meals plan that featured salmon, and I for one was ready! I rather enjoyed the addition of the horseradish and scallions to the dressing that went onto the potatoes. This was a far lighter approach to potato salad than I usually attempt, and I was surprised at how nicely the spicy horseradish was balanced by the rest of the vinaigrette.

I should mention that the recipe calls for watercress. Right. I'll have to put in a call to the produce manager at my local super-duper market and see if they could start carrying it.



Salmon with Potato Salad



Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

* 1 pound new potatoes (about 10)
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
* 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 2 scallions, sliced
* 1/2 small bunch watercress, thick stems removed (about 2 cups)

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil.

2. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Cut into quarters.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Season the salmon with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

5. In a large bowl, combine the horseradish, vinegar, scallions, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

6. Add the potatoes and watercress to the dressing and toss to combine. Serve the salad with the salmon.

Tip

This dish is also delicious chilled or at room temperature. Flake the salmon and serve it on top of the salad.

Nutritional Information

Calories 497; Fat 26g; Sat Fat 4g; Cholesterol 108mg; Sodium 723mg; Protein 42g; Carbohydrate 22g; Sugar 1g; Fiber 2g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 54mg

Roasted Pork Chops with Polenta

t's the beginning of the fourth and final week of Real Simple's 28-meal plan, and this was definitely a fun, easy meal to create. I realized, once again, that I'm a fan of polenta, especially when paired with creamy, melty Gruyere cheese. Also, I probably would never have thought to fix grape tomatoes this way, so huzzah for another new discovery.


Roasted Pork Chops with Polenta




Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 25m

Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick; about 2 1/2 pounds total)
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
* 4 cloves garlic, sliced
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 3/4 cup instant polenta
* 6 ounces grated Gruyère (1 1/2 cups)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Season the pork with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, along with the tomatoes, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, for 2 minutes.

Balsamic-Glazed Pork with Lentils

educe, Reuse, Recycle. In this stunning meal that ended the third week of Real Simple's plan, I managed to save the planet AND time. I'm incredibly talented, you see.

Once I basted the roasting pork with the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, I knew I'd have more in the pan than in the meat. Therefore, I decided to REUSE the glaze after it came out of the oven by putting back onto the heat on the stovetop to REDUCE it. The result was this crazily flavorful finish for the pork; sweet, tangy, and perfectly seasoned from its time in the pan with the pork and its drippings. You better believe I'll RECYCLE the leftovers into lunch and dinner tomorrow, and will undoubtedly make this a SUSTAINABLE addition to my regular menus.


Balsamic-Glazed Pork with Lentils



Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

* 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
* 1 red apple, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
* 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Bring 4 cups water to a boil.

2. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

5. Transfer the pork to oven. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, basting with the glaze twice during the last 5 minutes. Let rest before slicing.

6. In a medium bowl, toss cooked lentils with the apple, celery, parsley, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the pork and any pan drippings.

Tip

These lentils are also delicious with chicken or a firm white fish, like sea bass or halibut.

Nutritional Information

Calories 477; Fat 16g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 92mg; Sodium 449mg; Protein 43g; Carbohydrate 42g; Sugar 14g; Fiber 12g; Iron 7mg; Calcium 54mg

Thanksgiving: Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts

amilies tend to cling to some traditions more closely than others. My family expects roasted Brussels sprouts at every holiday gathering. More specifically, they demand that I make my now infamous dish, with its roasty caramelized sprouts and lemony finish. This year I decided to see how they'd do with a secondary veggie (a helper dog, if you will).

Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts



Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and peel 1 lb of carrots. Trim off ends, then halve lengthwise and crosswise. Cut larger pieces again as needed. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper, and load into baking pan. Wash and pat dry 1 lb Brussels sprouts. Slice sprouts in half, discarding loose outer leaves. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper, and load into baking pan cut side down. Move both pans into oven. Check carrots after 20 minutes; carrots should be fork tender but not mushy. After 20 minutes, turn sprouts to prevent cut side from burning; roast an additional 10 minutes. Dress with lemon zest and juice.

Pumpkin Week: Pumpkin Spice Latte

ll my barista skills paid off when whipping up a tasty variation on my morning coffee. I opted to skip the whipped cream, but if you're feeling extra decadent, by all means, add it!

Pumpkin Spice Latte



Brew a pot of strong coffee. Meanwhile, combine 1 C water and 1 C granulated sugar in a small saucepan on the stovetop over high heat. Boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1 t pumpkin pie spice. (Optional: You could strain the resulting syrup through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth to separate out the spices. I leave them in). Fill a coffee cup halfway with coffee, adding warmed fat-free half and half. Finish with 2T of pumpkin spice flavored syrup. Adjust amount of syrup to taste.

Pumpkin Week: No-Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

his whole disgusting mess made it as far as the trash can. Gross! The facts are these:

- This recipe calls for fat free cream cheese. That's not a real thing. That's a clumpy, wobbly, shiny blob of sadness. Certainly nothing that belongs in a cheesecake.

- I LOVEY orange anything, but omg, the orange peel and juice in this recipe overwhelmed the e-n-t-i-r-e can of pumpkin puree AND the teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Boo, orange.

- The gelatin is a novel idea for getting the uncooked cream cheese to stand firm and deliver, but the shiny, jello-mold essence is just awkward.

- Finally, when you feel compelled to double the sugar content in a dessert because you don't really taste anything in particular, which I did, take it as a sign. Either you need to stop watching network TV, or throw away what you're mixing. In fact, why not play it safe and go ahead and do both.

Therefore, good friends, I cannot recommend this recipe. I tried it, though, and I do hope you'll keep trying similar recipes and let me know if you find a good one!

No-Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake



Ingredients

* 3/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
* 1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute* equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup fat-free milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
* 2 8-ounce packages fat-free cream cheese
* 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
* 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
* 1/4 cup orange juice

Directions

1. For crust: In a medium bowl, stir together crushed graham crackers and melted butter until crackers are moistened. Press mixture onto bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Cover and chill while preparing filling.

2. For filling: In a food processor or blender, combine the reduced-fat cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, 1/4 cup of the milk, the vanilla, and orange peel. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, combine fat-free cream cheese, pumpkin, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 cup milk, and the pumpkin pie spice. Cover and process or blend until smooth.

4. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice; let stand for 5 minutes. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Stir 1 tablespoon of the gelatin mixture into the white cream cheese mixture and the remaining gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.

5. Pour pumpkin mixture over chilled crust in pan. Carefully pour white cream cheese mixture over pumpkin mixture. Using a narrow, thin-bladed metal spatula or a table knife, swirl pumpkin and white mixtures.

6. Cover and chill overnight before serving. To serve, using a small sharp knife, loosen cheesecake from side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Cut into wedges. Makes 12 servings.

*Sugar Substitute: Choose from Splenda Granular, Equal Spoonful or packets, or Sweet 'N Low bulk or packets. Follow package directions to use amount equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar.

Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare as directed through Step 5. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Serve as directed in Step 6.
Nutrition Facts

* Servings Per Recipe 12 servings
* Calories179,
* Total Fat (g)7,
* Saturated Fat (g)4,
* Cholesterol (mg)23,
* Sodium (mg)331,
* Carbohydrate (g)19,
* Fiber (g)1,
* Protein (g)9,
* Other Carbohydrates (d.e.)1.5,
* Fat (d.e.)1.5,
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Pumpkin Week: Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

elcome to the first annual Pumpkin Week! Pumpkin is such an exciting flavor to work with any time of year, but especially during the November and December holidays. I want to spend at least some time - 3 days, anyway - exploring some pumpkin themed deliciousness. It's less scary than Shark Week, its Pumpkin (Three-Fifths) Week!

Jamie and I exchanged many an e-mail about pumpkin cupcake recipes. I was woefully unprepared to help her with an upcoming baking project, so I went digging on the interwebs. What I found on Cake Central turned out to be an incredibly delightful treat. After decorating these cuties, Jamie and I retreated to the comfy couches and chit-chatted about all sorts of life's best; punctuated, of course, by lots of "mmmm"s and a few "whoa"s. We knew right away this recipe was a hit!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
submitted by corpsequeen



Ingredients

* Cupcake ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp ground cloves
3 eggs
1 cup pumkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar

———————————–
Pumkin Pie Buttercream ingredients

1 cup soft butter (I used unsalted sweet cream)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4tsp powdered ginger
1/4tsp ground cloves
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp vanilla

*pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for all spices*

Instructions

Pumkin Pie Cupcake Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. In a seperate bowl mix eggs, pumpkin, and canola oil.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients, careful not to over mix!
5. Bake for 12-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Pie Buttercream directions:
1. Whip butter until soft and even then add spices while mixing on low.
2. Add powdered sugar slowly, one cup at a time until combined.
3. Beat on medium for 2 mins.
4. Add vanilla and milk if necessary to achieve the right consistency.

Borscht

sing some gorgeous pink and white striped, bulls-eye style beets (not sure about the variety) and purple-skinned carrots from the garden, I made a soup that I've only recently learned to love - borscht. The beets were so incredibly sweet and awesome, but because they were mostly white inside, the resulting soup wasn't the signature garnet red I hoped to achieve. I was afraid the crazy long boiling process would leave everything a mushy, starchy mess in a bowl, but I was happy with the resulting texture, particularly when I added the customary dollop of sour cream.

However, this recipe was something of a dud, in that it really lacked depth of flavor. I could keep salting it, but that's not the answer here. The beet flavor was perfect, but the "broth" (water the roots boiled in) only made for sad, thin bath water. My instincts tell me to:

a) substitute chicken stock for the water
b) roast the carrots, beets, potatoes and even the cabbage
c) incorporate garlic - sauteed with the onions, roasted with the veg, or both

The only real change this makes is that the soup stops being vegan (fine with me) by adding the chicken stock - for the record, it was upgraded to vegetarian when I added sour cream.



Borscht I
courtesy of DeeDee, printed on allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ready In: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Servings: 8
"Only one medium beet is used in this recipe for a meatless vegetable and cabbage soup which will serve a large group."
Ingredients:
6 cups water
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper,
divided
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium beet
1/2 cup canned peeled and diced
tomatoes
3 potatoes, quartered
1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
3 cups finely shredded cabbage, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup diced potatoes
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place water, salt, carrots, 1/2 of the bell pepper, celery, beet, tomatoes, and quartered potatoes in a large stock pot over high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Melt 1/3 cup butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of sauce from skillet, and set aside. Stir half of the cabbage into the skillet with remaining sauce, and continue simmering 5 minutes more, or until tender.
3. Remove beet from boiling liquid and discard. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon or tongs, and place in a bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the cream. Mash together until smooth.
4. Return the 1/2 cup of reserved onion-tomato sauce to the stock pot. Stir in diced potatoes, and simmer until just tender but still firm, approximately 5 minutes. Increase heat to a low boil, and stir in remaining cabbage, tomato sauce, and mashed potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes more. Stir in remaining bell pepper, season with black pepper, and serve.

Pomegranate Pork Cutlets with Spinach

iven my busy schedule, the long prep and baking time of Thursday's featured Real Simple dinner (Mushroom and Herb Strata) just wasn't going to happen. Good thing I have an inspired solution in my back pocket. Pomegranates are in season, and available at my supermarket. Remembering the awesome pairing of pom and pork, I banged out this little number in mere minutes. The spinach was a variation on last Wednesday's side, which featured golden raisins.

THURSDAY:



Pomegranate Pork Cutlets with Spinach

2 T vegetable oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 thin-sliced pork cutlets
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
10 oz bag baby spinach
1 C pomegranate seeds
1/2 C pomegranate juice (I bought this in a bottle)
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Season cutlets with salt and pepper and cook 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through; remove from pan. Add garlic to remaining oil and cook just until garlic starts to turn golden; add spinach and a pinch of salt. Grate nutmeg over wilting spinach, add pomegranate seeds to warm.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, add pomegranate juice and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil. Reduce by half, until syrupy. Drizzle reduction onto plate or directly onto cooked cutlets.

Asian Beef and Mango Salad

inally, a salad. I've been waiting for a big ol' plate of greens, and this installment of Real Simple's plan was a big hit with my belly. At first, I worried that the beef would be dull, since all the seasoning is added at the end of the cook time. BUT - not to worry; the beef and the dressing pack in plenty of flavor.



Asian Beef and Mango Salad

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground beef
* 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 head Boston lettuce, torn
* 2 Kirby cucumbers, cut into thin strips
* 1 mango, cut into thin strips
* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
* 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Stir in the hoisin, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, and the Sriracha.

3. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, the remaining teaspoon of soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

4. Divide the lettuce, cucumbers, mango, cooked beef, cilantro, and peanuts among bowls. Drizzle with the dressing.

Tip

Sriracha, with its distinctive rooster logo and green cap, can be found with other chili sauces in most supermarkets. You can also use Tabasco sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories 347; Fat 18g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 69mg; Sodium 580mg; Protein 27g; Carbohydrate 21g; Sugar 13g; Fiber 3g; Iron 4mg; Calcium 66mg

Shrimp with White Beans and Toast

hat I'm loving most about this Real Simple plan is that I'm picking up new techniques as well as new recipes. Tuesday of Week 3 brings us a novel concept: toasted bread.

Oh sure, I've made toast before - plop it in the toaster, host a 90-second dance party in the kitchen, and then POP! toast is done! I've even made the oven variations of baguette with garlic butter roasted for a few minutes before being topped with bruschetta. Or in loaf form topped with melty cheese for ooey, gooey, "put-on-your-eatin'-dress" bread. Why, then, did it take until today for me to make toast on the stovetop?

The sauce that resulted from the butter and white wine was quite a tasty way to cook the shrimp. I was a bit whateverish about the white beans, as I didn't think they brought the same level of impact that maybe some fava beans could have. Also, the local farmers who sell arugula to my supermarket were on strike, so I had to do without (good a guess as any why I couldn't find it in the produce section, right?).

TUESDAY:



Shrimp with White Beans and Toast
Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 15m

Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

* 4 slices country bread
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 4 cloves garlic, sliced
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 pound frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
* 4 cups baby arugula (about 3 ounces)

Directions

1. Spread the bread on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

2. Cook the bread in a large skillet over medium heat until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet.

3. Wipe out the skillet and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

4. Add the wine and bring to a boil.

5. Add the shrimp, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and simmer until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Fold in the beans and arugula and cook just until the beans are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over the bread.

Tip

This hearty shrimp-and-bean mixture is also delicious served over pasta.

Nutritional Information

Calories 458; Fat 20g; Sat Fat 11g; Cholesterol 218mg; Sodium 704mg; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 32g; Sugar 4g; Fiber 5g; Iron 6mg; Calcium 166m

Chicken Paprikash

ore like Chicken Craprikash. Hehe. Heh.

Seriously, this was not great. Due to the freakishly short cook time, the tomatoes didn't really break down, and the onion and pepper were still on the crunchy side. Admittedly, I didn't cook the chicken per the directions; I simply added the leftover roasted chicken from Wednesday's Red Currant Glazed goodness. The sour cream helped a lot, but the paprika just didn't give this dish any tangible flavor. When I've made pork paprikash in the past, the sauce was spicy and thick. I think I shall go back to that approach.

MONDAY:



Chicken Paprikash

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 40m
Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* 1 bell pepper, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 6 ounces wide egg noodles
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
2. Cook the chicken until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot.
3. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes (crush them with your hands as you add them), paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Nestle the chicken in the vegetable mixture and simmer, partially covered, until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Top with the chicken, sour cream, and dill.

Ravioli with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

looked forward to this dish all week, and maybe it was my fault for getting my expectations way too high, but this one wasn't quite what I hoped. Each of the individual components tasted great individually, and they're all some of my favorites, but together they were dry and somewhat dull. Boo.

FRIDAY:




Ravioli with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m | Total Time: 20m
Ingredients

* 1 pound cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)
* 6 slices bacon
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped
* 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. Cook the ravioli according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Break into pieces when cool.
4. Wipe out the skillet. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the pecans and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the Brussels sprouts, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Stir in the vinegar. Add the bacon and toss to combine. Serve over the ravioli. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and top with the Parmesan, if desired.

Chorizo and Potato Tacos

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chorizo-potato-tacos-black-bean-salsa-00000000041502/

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 25m

Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

* 1 pound fresh chorizo or Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 russet potato (8 ounces), cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces
* 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
* 4 radishes, cut into small pieces
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 8 hard taco shells, warmed
* 1 avocado, sliced
* 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the chorizo and potato over medium-high heat, breaking up the chorizo with a spoon, until it is browned and the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the beans, radishes, cilantro, lime juice, oil, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Fill the taco shells with the chorizo mixture, black bean salsa, avocado, and sour cream.

Tip

Cilantro stems are so tender you can chop them up right along with the leaves.

Nutritional Information

Calories 871; Fat 61g; Sat Fat 21g; Cholesterol 110mg; Sodium 2,004mg; Protein 36g; Carbohydrate 47g; Sugar 2g; Fiber 10g; Iron 4mg; Calcium 100mg

Red Currant-Glazed Chicken with Spinach

ooray for another first - as many times as I've made chicken in the past decade, this was the first time I bought a whole roaster and broke it down into 8 parts. But its all strategery, good friends - I loaded up the roasting pan, kicked back and enjoyed the show. Once dinner was done, I stashed the skin and other inedibles in the freezer for this weekend's chicken stock.

Adding the red currant jelly at the 10 minute mark was the key to getting that gorgeous golden brown finish on the skin. I basted the chicken with about half the peppery jelly and then topped off the rest when I plated the meal. However, I nearly doubled the cook time to 45 minutes just to get the chicken up to temperature.

As has been the case with most of the Real Simple plan, its the side dish that I'll be talking about for a while. Who puts raisins with spinach? Apparently, I do, because YUM! I'd totally make this spinachy goodness again.

WEDNESDAY:



Red Currant-Glazed Chicken with Spinach

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 25m

Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup red currant jelly
* 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup golden raisins
* 1 10-ounce package fresh spinach, thick stems removed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425° F. In a small bowl, whisk together the jelly and red pepper.

2. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

3. Roast until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes, basting with the jelly mixture twice during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

5. Add the garlic and raisins and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add the spinach and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, tossing, until spinach begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the chicken.

Tip

Swiss chard also works well in this easy side dish.

Nutritional Information

Calories 536; Fat 26g; Sat Fat 6g; Cholesterol 119mg; Sodium 541mg; Protein 40g; Carbohydrate 38g; Sugar 30g; Fiber 3g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 137mg

Meatballs with Couscous and Feta

lease repeat after me: "Couscous and water do not mix. I will only mix couscous with stock." Meatballs are usually a safe dish, but wow, did I step in it when I made Tuesday's menu. My standing policy on onions is that they're awesome cooked, but otherwise I will politely pass. Why, then, did I dump half an uncooked, chopped red onion into a bowl with turkey (and dried apricots?), thinking they'd magically cook in the few minutes they were on the stovetop? Also, I followed- naively - the recipe's instructions for the couscous, which came out dry, bland and gummy. What I'd already known is that couscous is best with chicken stock and always needs some sort of seasoning. If you're noticing a brown mess on my plate, that would be the white wine reduction I made with the pan drippings as a last-ditch effort to give the couscous any flavor.

On the bright side, the feta and cucumber were really tasty, especially with the lemon dressing.

TUESDAY:



Lamb Meatballs With Couscous and Feta
Serves 4 (I made the full recipe so I'd have leftovers)

Hands-on Time: 25m

Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground lamb or beef (I subbed 99% lean ground turkey)
* 1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 small red onion, half finely chopped and half thinly sliced
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 cup couscous
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
* 1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
* 4 ounces Feta, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat broiler. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, apricots, coriander, chopped onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Form the meat into 1 ½-inch balls (about 20) and place them on a broilerproof baking sheet. Broil until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place the couscous in a bowl. Add 1 cup hot tap water, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

5. Serve the couscous with the meatballs, tomatoes, cucumber, Feta, and sliced onion. Drizzle with the dressing.

Tip

Crumbled Feta sold in the supermarket is often dry, flavorless, and treated with additives. For tastier results, buy a block of cheese and crumble it yourself.

Curry Shrimp and Snow Peas

es, good friends, I fixed a shrimp dish. AND I liked it! For those of you who haven't heard me whine about shrimp, here's the deal - the tails gross me out. Not to the same extent that lobsters served in their shells make me barfy, but still, they're pretty disturbing. So, setting aside years' worth of refusing to make or even touch tail-on shrimp, I jumped into another fun "Hey! Let's try new things!" adventure and made it work. The best part of this dish, far and away, is the incredible bean sprout and snow pea salad on top. The lime juice and basil make it so phenomenally bright, and the vegetables are so crisp that they totally enhance the creaminess of the shrimp curry and rice beneath.

MONDAY:



Curry Shrimp and Snow Peas

Real Simple, Week 2

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

* 1 cup long-grain white rice
* 3/4 cup snow peas, sliced lengthwise
* 1/2 cup bean sprouts
* 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (I used light coconut milk, which cut down the fat content)
* 1 to 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
* 1 1/2 pounds frozen peeled and deveined large shrimp, thawed

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the snow peas, sprouts, basil, oil, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, curry paste, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. Add the shrimp and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they are opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice.

5. Top the rice with the shrimp and curry sauce, then the snow pea mixture. Serve with the lime wedges, if desired.

Tip

Tail-on shrimp make for a pretty presentation. If you prefer not to deal with tails at the table, pinch them off before adding the shrimp to the coconut milk.

Nutritional Information

Calories 621; Fat 29g; Sat Fat 20g; Cholesterol 259mg; Sodium 722mg; Protein 42g; Carbohydrate 49g; Sugar 1g; Fiber 3g; Iron 10mg; Calcium 146mg

Steak with Roasted Carrots and Onions

ack in the day, when I was Livin' La Vida Low Carb, I ate a LOT of steak. Now that its no longer 2004, I seem to have lost my fauxhawk, all my pink shirts, and my Kelly Clarkson "Breakaway" CD. I also seem to have lost interest in beef, at least to some degree. I think my steady, steaky diet pushed me over the edge toward beef overload. Needless to say, after years of not cooking it for myself, it was a nice change to dig in to a steak with a *fantastic* mustard pan sauce.

FRIDAY:



Steak with Roasted Carrots and Onions

Serves 4 (I quartered the recipe for a single serving)

Hands-on Time: 30m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds medium carrots, halved crosswise, thick pieces halved lengthwise
* 2 small red onions, quartered, stem ends left intact
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 4 small Newport or sirloin steaks (1 inch thick; about 1 1/2 pounds total)
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots, onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Roast the vegetables, tossing once, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Season the steaks with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to plates.

5. Add the wine to the skillet and whisk in the mustard. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Stir in the tarragon. Serve the steaks with the sauce, carrots, and onions.

Tip

Try these roasted vegetables with lamb chops or roasted chicken.

Nutritional Information

Calories 392; Fat 17g; Sat Fat 4g; Cholesterol 63mg; Sodium 837mg; Protein 35g; Carbohydrate 19g; Sugar 9g; Fiber 5g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 88mg

Pork Chop with Spicy Noodles

ecipes that don't allow at least some flexibility just aren't worth keeping around. Tonight's recipe from the Real Simple plan worked so well as a pork chop dish, even though it called for pork cutlets. Since the grocery store butcher didn't anticipate my needs in advance, I took a chop and made it work. Oh, did it work. This is easily one of the best meals I've cooked myself in a long time. The udon noodles were new to me, as were cooking with shitake mushrooms. Everything was incredibly easy in this recipe, and I loved how much heat the stock picked up from just one little pepper.

THURSDAY:



Pork Cutlets with Spicy Noodles

Serves 4

Hands-on Time: 30m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

* 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used home-made)
* 1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
* 1/2 pound udon noodles
* 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced
* 1 red jalapeño pepper, sliced (I substituted a red Thai pepper. Spicy!)
* 4 thin pork cutlets (about 3⁄4 pound total) (I used one thick-cut boneless chop)
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 large egg, beaten
* 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 2 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and ginger to a boil.

2. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until the broth is nearly absorbed and the noodles are al dente, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and jalapeño and simmer until the mushrooms are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat with the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko.

5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

6. Slice the pork and serve over the noodles. Sprinkle with the scallions.

Tip

To lower the heat on this dish, remove the seeds from the jalapeño before slicing.

Turkey Burgers with Creamy Romaine Slaw

ven without a grill, its possible to have tasty burgers in no time. The third dinner in Real Simple's plan yields a super-easy sandwich topped with the easiest slaw ever. This isn't one I'd eat every night, but by all means I've got a sure-fire go-to for the next time I'm craving burgers.

WEDNESDAY:



Turkey Burgers with Creamy Romaine Slaw

Serves 4 (Since I had a pound of turkey, I made extra; tasty lunch tomorrow!)

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground turkey (I used 99% lean to cut down on the fat content)
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
* 2 scallions, sliced
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 2 leaves romaine lettuce, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
* 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
* 4 soft rolls, split and toasted
* potato chips and pickles, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, gently combine the turkey, mustard, thyme, and scallions.

2. Form the meat into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.

4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss with the lettuce and carrot.

5. Serve the burgers on the rolls, topped with the slaw. Serve with chips and pickles (if desired).

Tip

Resist the urge to press down on the patties as they cook. That will squeeze out the flavorful juices.

Nutritional Information

Calories 376; Fat 19g; Sat Fat 4g; Cholesterol 69mg; Sodium 750mg; Protein 27g; Carbohydrate 25g; Sugar 4g; Fiber 2g; Iron 4mg; Calcium 92mg

Penne with Tomatoes, Eggplant and Mozzarella

nce summer's warm rays have subsided to fall's frosty mornings, I immediately start missing garden-fresh tomatoes. Thankfully, day 2 of Real Simple's plan brings us this incredibly flavorful (and easy!) dish:

TUESDAY:



Penne with Tomatoes, Eggplant and Mozzerella

Serves 4 (I halved the recipe so I'd have leftovers for lunch tomorrow)

Hands-on Time: 30m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound penne (1⁄2 box)
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 medium eggplant (about 1 1⁄4 pounds), cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
* 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
* 2 cloves garlic, sliced
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
* 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Add the eggplant. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, tossing, until the tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the tomato mixture to the pasta, along with the mozzarella and reserved cooking water. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with the mint.

Tip

If you have kalamata olives (or any black or green olives, pitted and halved) on hand, toss in ¼ cup when you add the tomato mixture to the pasta.

Nutritional Information

Calories 533; Fat 28g; Sat Fat 10g; Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 539mg; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 53g; Sugar 7g; Fiber 7g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 336mg

Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes and Lemons

ast month's issue of Real Simple offered a 4-week dinner plan marketed as a shake-up to the tired routines we all fall into at times. I certainly needed the nudge, as I've been doing a terrible job of cooking anything for myself - healthy or otherwise. However, exciting as the menus look, following this easy program is turning out to be a much bigger challenge than it should be.

Part of the problem is my relationship with time; I get so caught up on how long it takes to cook that I'd rather cook a big meal on Sunday eat leftovers for a week, than to commit to all that prep, all that effort, and all those dirty dishes. I also get overly panicked buying a week's worth of ingredients all at once. The recipes are each written for 4 servings, and looking at the easy-to-follow shopping list, there shouldn't be any waste since they follow typical packaged amounts. However, I'm cooking for one. Half an eggplant here, a nearly full bag of carrots there - anything that doesn't get incorporated into a dish means I have to come up with a creative solution OR throw out (waste) unused goods. Until I meet and marry Billionaire Husband, MD, I'm afraid my money anxiety isn't going away.

BUT - I'm not just posting a list of all my fears. With all that out of the way, I'll focus on the meals themselves for the rest of this series. I'm going one week at a time, mostly for anxiety-management but also to allow flexibility in the coming weeks. Here's the first night's dinner:

MONDAY:



Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes and Lemons

Serves 4 (I divided everything by four to get a single serving)

Hands-on Time: 10m

Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

* 1 pound baby potatoes (about 12), halved
* 1 lemon, thinly sliced
* 8 sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
* 4 6-ounce skinless tilapia fillets
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.

2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, lemon, thyme, 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer.

3. Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.

4. Toss the olives with the potato mixture; nestle the fish in it. Drizzle the fish with the remaining oil and season with paprika and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

5. Continue to roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp and the fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tip

To pit an olive, place it on a cutting board and firmly press on it with the side of a chef’s knife (blade facing away from you). When the olive splits, pull out the pit.

Nutritional Information

Calories 374; Fat 15g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 85mg; Sodium 567mg; Protein 37g; Carbohydrate 23g; Sugar 0g; Fiber 2g; Iron 3mg; Calcium 34mg