Author: jane

Ham and red pepper frittata

Ham and red pepper frittata

Michael and I have declared Saturday mornings to be brunch mornings — it’s the only day of the week where we have time to actually cook breakfast. But we still like to have some simple but delicious recipes for lazy Saturday mornings, and this frittata we made yesterday morning is both simple and delicious.

Frittatas are great because they are quick and easy to make, and they allow for you to substitute almost anything you have on hand into the filling. For this frittata, we used some leftover cooked ham we had in the fridge, as well as some red peppers and onions. We both gave it two thumbs up, and will definitely be making more frittatas in the future.

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Kabocha squash curry

Kabocha squash curry

This simple vegan curry was a hit with both Michael and myself. It’s full of Indian spices, and was delicious when served over rice. Though the recipe originally called for zucchini as the main ingredient, we chose to use a kabocha squash instead, which is a Japanese pumpkin. One unique feature of kabocha squash is that the skin is edible — you can simply wash it and then it’s ready to cook and eat. We think it was the perfect substitution for this recipe, but feel free to use zucchini, cauliflower, or another vegetable if you prefer.

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Green bean and red potato hot dish

Green bean and red potato hot dish

According to Minnesotans, this recipe would be considered “hot dish.” When I moved to Minnesota last year, I had no idea what “hot dish” was, but I soon found out that it was essentially a casserole — usually with a cream of mushroom or chicken soup. Michael made this green bean and red potato hot dish last week with the green beans that my parents gave us.

The verdict? Michael says it was one of the best “haaaaat dishes” he’s ever eaten. I, on the other hand, have never liked green beans all that much. But I liked this casserole too — especially the delicious red potato topping!

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Garden-fresh polenta pizza with homemade pesto

Garden-fresh polenta pizza with homemade pesto

Michael went to the farmer’s market at the University of Minnesota this past week, and picked up some fresh veggies for our kitchen. While we didn’t have anything specific in mind to make, we figured we could cook something delicious with them. While browsing the internets, Michael found a polenta pizza recipe that looked good–but we didn’t have the ingredients it called for. So we made our own, substituting homemade pesto and grilled veggies as pizza toppings.

This polenta pizza recipe is chock-full of fresh garden veggies, and was as delicious as we had hoped. While it’s not difficult to make, it does take a bit of time, as the polenta crust needs to chill in the fridge before the pizza can be assembled.

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Fresh blueberry pie

Fresh blueberry pie

This pie is brought to you by my parents, who drove to Minnesota for our wedding with a 5 quart pail of freshly-picked blueberries and the gift of a Kitchenaid stand mixer (thanks, mom and dad!).

I don’t have a lot to say about this pie, except that it’s delicious and fairly simple to make. I mixed the pie crust in the Kitchenaid, and then put the filling together while the dough was chilling in the fridge. This pie does need to cool for about 2 hours after baking, so it pays to plan ahead with this recipe.

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Carrot, sausage, and rib stew

Carrot, sausage, and rib stew

Michael made this simple and delicious stew for lunch today when we finally cleaned out our fridge after returning home from our honeymoon. We found an abundance of celery about to go bad, and 4 already-opened bags of baby carrots — and so immediately thought stew.

This delicious stew takes a couple hours to simmer on the stove, and so it would also be a perfect recipe to cook in a crockpot on a busy day. Michael and I enjoyed the hearty combination of flavors from the bratwurst, pork ribs, and shiitake mushrooms. We served this simple lunch with rye toast and baby dill pickles, and recommend that you give it a try too!

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Provencal stuffed peppers

Provencal stuffed peppers

A couple months ago, Michael and I stopped by a Barnes and Nobles bookstore on our way home from the mall. In the entrance-way, we found several cookbooks with enticing recipes pictured on their covers. I selected the vegetarian cookbook, which boasted over 300 recipes, and proudly brought it home.

Today I finally made the first recipe out of it — which was, in fact, the recipe pictured on the cover. These stuffed peppers are filled with delicious vegetables, and make a simple, light summer meal. If you have a garden, this would be a perfect way to use some of its bounty. Michael and I served the peppers with a grilled bratwurst, rice, and homemade applesauce.

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Beef stroganoff

Beef stroganoff

When Michael returned from a conference in Spain this past weekend, he mentioned that he had eaten stroganoff while he was there. While stroganoff is by no means a Spanish dish (it’s actually Russian), it did remind him of how much he liked it. My knowledge of stroganoff, on the other hand, was limited to the Hamburger Helper variety. So Michael decided that we had better make the real thing.

Just as he promised, the beef stroganoff we made was delicious. Not only that, but it’s a simple recipe made with common ingredients. The hardest part is patiently waiting for it to simmer on the stove while you’re smelling its delicious aroma. Next time, we think that julienned red and green peppers would make a tasty addition.

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Plantain-stuffed chicken and ham roulades with plantain fries

Plantain-stuffed chicken and ham roulades with plantain fries

After being out of town visiting family and soon-to-be family for a couple weeks, I was ready to get back in the kitchen and cook up something delicious. So I told Michael that I’d make him anything he wanted for dinner last night, and when we met after work to go grocery shopping at Whole Foods, he had the recipe for these tropically-flavored roulades from My Gourmet Connection in hand.

The recipe itself is simple but delicious–it looks far more complicated than it is to make. I did halve it, as I was just cooking for the two of us, but I other than that I followed the recipe. While frying up the chicken, I breaded and fried the leftover plantain, along with a sliced tomato, in the remaining egg and bread crumbs to create a quick vegetable side dish.

The verdict? These simple roulades are delicious — Michael told me it was the best homemade meal he’d had in a long time. The crispy plantain fries provide a wonderful contrast to the tender plantain filling in the chicken roulades. Served with a leafy side salad, it’s a perfect weekend meal that I will surely be making again.

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Oven-roasted garlic and rosemary sweet potatoes

Oven-roasted garlic and rosemary sweet potatoes
Oven-roasted garlic and rosemary sweet potatoes

This simple and delicious sweet potato recipe is a recent discovery of mine — and it’s so good that I’ve made it at least once a week since.

I found a recipe for roasted potatoes in Michael’s Betty Crocker cookbook a couple weeks ago, and fully intended to follow the recipe. But then I opened the cupboard door and saw some sweet potatoes. A few modifications and thirty minutes later, this savory side dish flavored with rosemary, thyme, and roasted garlic came out of the oven.

I served this simple side dish with ham and cheese grits, fried andouille and red peppers, and a salad. It was a hit with both myself and Michael! Try this delicious dish for yourself by following the simple recipe below:

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