Pierogies and Sauteed Veggies

I always need more meatless main recipes in my arsenal. I hope you feel the same and add this to your stash: Pierogies and Sauteed Veggies.

While making homemade pierogies is totally on my culinary task bucket list, this recipe utilizes a good ole box of Mrs. T's mini pierogies that I usually have stashed in my freezer for emergencies.

The entire endeavor of making this takes no more than 20 minutes. And it is a hit with the whole family. My son asks for many extra servings.

You can sub out any veggies you love. I think this summery mix of zucchini and red and green bell peppers is really nice with the pierogies. I sometimes serve this on top of fresh arugula too for a salad situation.

Pierogies and Sauteed Veggies
(Makes 4 servings)

1 box (12.84 ounces) frozen mini cheddar pierogies, such as Mrs. T's (about 28 pierogies)
1 small red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 small green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 small zucchini, trimmed, sliced in half and cut into moon-shaped pieces
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream to serve

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pierogies to boiling water. Cook according to package instructions, usually about 3 to 6 minutes once water comes back to a boil. (I usually go longer, like 6 minutes.) Stir the pierogies occasionally while they cook. If you think they aren't cooked entirely, boil them longer.

Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add butter. Once butter is melted, add peppers, zucchini and onion. Toss frequently and cook until lightly browned about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

Using a slotted spoon or a spider ladle, transfer cooked pierogies directly into the saute pan with the veggies. Toss the pierogies so that they become slathered in the butter and veggies. Add a ladle of water from the pot in which the pierogies boiled to the saucepan with the veggies and pierogies. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

A Can and a Plan: Clams and Spaghetti

Growing up in the 80s, clams and spaghetti was in the daily dinner rotation pretty much weekly.

As a working maniac mom circa 2019, I totally understand why.

1. It's cheap.

2. It's easy.

3. It's fast

4. It's super amazingly delish.

Shoutout to my mom for the inspiration. She worked everyday as an art teacher extraordinaire, schlepped my sisters and me all over the place, volunteered in many town organizations, maintained the house with no outside help and cooked dinner every freaking night for us.

Superwoman, for sure.

So this one is for all of today's moms getting it done.  Because sometimes you need some easy crowd pleasers that involve little time or thought.

And truth be told:  I rocked this out years ago when my and my husband were kicking it newlywed style. It's amazing no matter what your lifestyle.

You can double this recipe to suit the size of your fam. With one son, mine is pretty small. But I got to say, my boy ate quite a few helpings of this.

Clams from a Can and Spaghetti
Serves 4

6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. oregano
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 cup white wine
1 can of Cento whole baby clams (10 oz.)
1/2 cup Cento clam juice
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 to 2 cups of pasta water (as needed)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Be sure to salt your water according to package instructions.  Cook spaghetti according to instructions on your package. Stir so that the spaghetti doesn't stick together and cooks evenly.

While bringing the pasta water to a boil, make the sauce. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano. Cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the clams, clam juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add pasta directly from the pot into the clam sauce using a spaghetti spoon. Ladle pasta water into the clam sauce so that the sauce is abundant enough to coat your pasta nicely. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with fresh parsley.

Serve with grated cheese  and extra red pepper flakes if desired.

Lemon Chicken with Croutons

This is currently a favorite dinner for my husband and son: Lemon Chicken with Croutons. It is from one of my most favorite Barefoot Contessa cookbooks: "Barefoot in Paris."

Perhaps it's my love of all things French from the style to the art to the oldness to the chicness, but this dish is everything. So simple and so elegant.

If you are planning to serve it for company, I suggest roasting two chickens. This is dinner for literally three people, which fits my little family perfectly.

I use way less salt then recommended by my girl Ina. I also dry the chicken before actually placing it in the roasting pan. Other than that, I follow this recipe as is.

The fact that the chicken is served over croutons means you are totally covered for a starch. I usually serve this with string beans and a salad. And wine, of course, Dahling.

The fall is the perfect time to roast things, so get on this recipe stat!

Lemon Chicken with Croutons
Serves 3 to 4
From "Barefoot in Paris"
By Ina Garten

1 (4- to 5-pound) roasting chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the chicken and wash it inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers. Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the lemons inside the chicken. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Cover with the foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. (The onions may burn, but the flavor is good)

Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot.  Lower the heat to medium low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more olive oil as needed. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Place the croutons on a serving platter. Slice the chicken and place it plus all the pan juices over the croutons. Serve warm.

Roasted Plum Tomatoes and Garlic

Tomato season is just about wrapping up. Here is an amazing recipe to use up those delicious plum tomatoes we get our hands on in Jersey. You can also make this easily with small round tomatoes. Simply cut them in quarters.

This dish is a perfect side for roasted meats, cutlets or fish.

When I made this last, I used round tomatoes. I also used dried oregano as I didn't have fresh. I sprinkled the oregano on the tomatoes before baking.

I finished mine with my fresh basil leaves. They aren't listed in the recipe, but they are a nice bright touch right before serving.

It smells soooooo good in the oven.

Roasted Plum Tomatoes and Garlic
Serves 4
From "The Italian Cooking Encyclopedia"

8 plum tomatoes, halved or 4 small round tomatoes, quartered
12 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, to garnish; or 2 tsp. dried oregano sprinkled over tomatoes before roasting

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Select an ovenproof dish that will hold all the tomatoes snugly in a single layer. Place the tomatoes in the dish and push the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves between them.

Brush the tomatoes with the oil. Sprinkle with black pepper. Sprinkle with dried oregano, if using. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened are sizzling in the pan. They should not be charred around the edges. Season with salt and black pepper. Garnish with fresh oregano and fresh basil if desired.

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses dried oregano only, not fresh. The Jersey Girl removes the bay leaves before serving. She also garnishes with fresh basil before serving.

Fakeout Takeout: Crab Rangoon Wonton Cups

We do love a Chinese takeout night as much as the next guy, but I find it super fun to make Chinese food at home.

These Crab Rangoon Wonton Cups were a total hit. I would make them again for a party or for our next stirfry night at home.

Now I am in no way an expert in Asian cuisine. I consider myself a dabbler. And, I'm not quite sure how authentic crab Rangoon is. But I do know this version we made recently at home is totally delish, and it's baked. Yay! I try to avoid fried foods as much as possible.

Wonton wrappers can be found in the refrigerated Asian section of your grocery store. I found my package hanging around the tofu and whatnot.

Due to my lifelong food allergies to nuts, peanuts, avocado and various other ingredients, making Chinese food at home is much more peaceful for me mentally than going out to a Chinese restaurant where the potential for cross contamination is possible.

This was fun to make. My son helped me place the wonton wrappers in a standard muffin tin. And he also was the taste tester as shown here:

I did buy a bottle of dipping sauce for the wonton cups but these were so delish on the own they really needed zero accoutrement.

Crab Rangoon Wonton Cups
Makes 12
From www.lemontreedwelling.com

12 wonton wrappers 
12 oz. cream cheese, softened 
1/4 cup sour cream 
4 oz. imitation crab, *substitute 1 can lump crab, drained 
2 green onions, thinly sliced 
1/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce 
1/4 tsp. soy sauce 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup; bake 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Remove from oven and cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, 1 sliced green onion, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Stir well.

Place crab in a small food processor and process until finely chopped. Stir chopped crab into cream cheese mixture.

Spoon filling into baked wonton shells; bake for an additional 8-12 minutes.

Top with sliced green onions. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or sweet chili sauce as desired.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used 8 ounces of cream cheese instead of 12. She also used lump crab meat and not imitation.

Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Basil Dressing

Get your hands on some zucchini, basil and lemon and you got yourself an amazing side.

My Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Basil Dressing goes perfectly with steak, chicken or fish. You can serve it hot or at room temp.

The leftovers make a fab sandwich with provolone or mozzarella. I also like this with hummus and tomato on Italian bread. So yummy!

Zucchini is out in full force right now, so I hope you can make this while we are rockin' the season.

Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Basil Dressing
Makes 6 side dish servings

3 zucchini, both ends trimmed, cut in half to make two 4-inch long logs and then cut into 1/4-inch wide strips. Strips should measure about 1 1/2 inches wide by 4 inches long. Each log should yield 4 to 5 strips.
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chiffonade
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

On baking sheet, line up prepared zucchini. Brush zucchini with 2 Tbsp. olive oil using a pastry brush on both sides. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.

On a grill pan over medium high heat, grill zucchini slices about 4 minutes on each side or until lightly charred in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove cooked zucchini to a serving dish while grilling the remaining zucchini slices. Cover with aluminum or a lid to keep warm.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste until mixture emulsifies. Pour lemon dressing over cooked zucchini. Top with basil chiffonade. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Colorful Chicken Marengo

A plate with a fantastic palette of shades and textures is simply delightful. That's what I have found here in this marvelous Chicken Marengo that called out to me on Pinterest.

This dish features chicken thighs, which are so affordable and great to use to feed a crowd. Canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and olives meld together into an exciting dish that works perfectly with mashed potatoes or rice.

Chicken Marengo has an interesting history. Food historians say it was created in honor of Napoleon's defeat of the Austrians during the Battle of Marengo in 1800. There is dispute however if it was created by Napoleon's own chef or if it was created decades later in remembrance of the historical victory. It's more likely that the dish was created later in the 1800's since many of the ingredients involved in the dish, such as tomatoes, were not readily available at the time of the battle. A world without tomatoes?! What!

I so love a little history lesson.

This is not my recipe, but here are some of my tips for a successful dish. I like to use Kalamata olives instead of the standard black olives. Pre-sliced saves time!

I do not cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces. So, when I put the chicken back in the pan for the final heat through, I do it for more like 20-25 minutes instead of 15.

The recipe says to deglaze the pan. If you don't know what that means here's the definition: Add a liquid (in this case wine) to a hot pan, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get up all the brown bits. Let the liquid reduce to about half.

If your family is anti olive, you can use capers for that salty bite.

This dish reheats wonderfully, and it's a good one to make ahead if need be.

Chicken Marengo
From crunchycreamysweet.com

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion sliced or chopped
14 oz. can Italian tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced black olives, such as Kalamata
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce optional
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired

Instructions:

Mix flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Cut chicken into  2-inch pieces. Toss the chicken in flour and salt and pepper.

Heat up the oil in pan. Place in batches in the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

Add more oil to the pan if needed. Add onion to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softens.

Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.

Add wine and deglaze the pan. Add tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and olives. Bring to a boil. 

Add chicken back to the pan and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.