Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions (Mujaddara)

Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: America's Test Kitchen TV (Season 15) 
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (September 2014)

I recently tried a recipe from Food52 that everyone rated very highly for Mujaddara and I was unimpressed. I love lentils, rice and caramelized onions, but the flavor was lacking. All the spices went into the yogurt sauce, which made it gritty to me.

So I decided to finally try ATK's version which had been on my Try list for a while. It did not disappoint. This was really delicious. Yes, it is a lot more work that the Food52 recipe, but probably worth the trouble.

You have to make the crispy onions first, which involves salting and pre-cooking the onions in the microwave, rinsing to remove the salt, then drying them, before frying in a lot of oil. I almost substituted normal caramelized onions instead, but decided to try the original recipe at least once.

The crispy onions are definitely delicious, but I still might go with caramelized onions next time, which I also find delicious. I'd probably use 2 T of fat for the 2 pounds of onions and let them slowly caramelize, but finish up with some high heat to crisp them a bit in parts. It will still take a long time, but will be simpler. Also, I found the onions to be too heavy and filling for me. I actually still felt full from the fat the next morning, which is not a feeling i enjoy.

The yogurt sauce is simpler with just lemon, garlic and salt, and it was perfect. The rice and lentils were much more flavorful as the spices were added when they were cooked together (after par-cooking separately.)

Overall, this is a great recipe. I hope that I can streamline it a bit and make a little faster now that I know what I'm doing. It is very delicious.

Mexican Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 minutes 

Cool Time: 30 minutes 

Assemble Time: 15 min 

Hold: up to 24 hours 

Cook Time: 45 min

Cool Time: 15 min 

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes 

Recipe Source: Make Ahead Cook (book) 

This is the first really new recipe that I've tried from this cookbook that I don't recognize from the magazines or tv shows. It might be featured in one of their other million cookbooks, of course. 

I don't mind that they are using old favorites, because I like what I've learned about making things ahead of time from working through this book. But, it is nice to try something completely new to me. 

This recipe was from the "Oven Ready Casseroles" chapter, which is casseroles to make the night before. I decided to do an experiment with this and make two smaller casseroles instead of one large one. I put the second one in the freezer (without the cheese on the very top). 

It was about 45 minutes total of work, and it was fairly easy work. Not much to chop and prep other than the scallions, garlic and cheese. 

It tasted very good. The inside corn tortillas did become quite mushy even though I did spray them with oil and microwave as directed. But it all tasted fine and the texture was not a problem. The ones on top got nice and crunchy. 

The frozen version was almost just as good. The top was not as pretty or crunchy, but overall it was still great and so nice to pull out of the freezer. It did take a while to cook from frozen. I cooked it like the lasagna and put in cold over, turned on to 400 and it took 70 minutes to heat through. Then I finished as directed without the foil and adding the cheese. 

This is almost a good gluten-free recipe, but it does use 3T of flour to thicken the filling. You could probably use corn starch or something else instead. 

Make Ahead Beef and Bean Burritos

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Assemble/Wrap: 20 minutes
Finish Time: 6 minutes

Grade: A

Recipe Source: Cooks Country April 2013,
Make Ahead Cook (book)

I actually had tried the recipe from Cook's Country last year but never added it here. We liked it, but I forgot about it.

The recipe in the Make Ahead Cook is almost exactly the same except the ingredients were increased in a mostly proportional way (although not exactly) to make 8 burritos instead of 6. This larger version is more logical since it uses a pound of beef and 8 tortillas instead of 12 oz and 6, which leaves you with some waste.

These freeze nicely and the recommended way to serve is to microwave for 5 minutes and then bake in over for 5 minutes with some cheese sprinkled on top. That works really well.

This recipe may become a staple since these are so easy to pull out of the freezer and prepare quickly. They taste great too, and I'm sure the individual ingredients could be substituted easily for different variations. (The beans, meat, etc.)

Chipotle Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Grade: B+

Make Again: Yes
  
Recipe Source: Everyday Food (July 2009)

Crazy summer for me so far, and very little cooking. This fall is going to be crazy as well, and after that I am hoping going to get my life back and not be so busy anymore. But I need to eat real food, so I am going to try to cook once or twice a week and make enough to freeze my leftovers.

Last summer I got re-inspired to cook from the iPad version of Everyday Food. I did not renew my subscription, but I may do that again later. For now, I'm getting inspiration to cook from their daily video, where they do one recipe from the magazine (new and old) in a 3-4 minute video. I'm really enjoying them.

This was a nice recipe. Very simple and it tasted good. My favorite part was it fit into my plans to freeze extras very well. I shredded some cheese up, cut the chicken into small bite side pieces, and made burritos from the leftovers. I got 10 (in 8" tortillas) wrapped up and frozen for future meals.

I used boneless chicken breasts and only cooked the chicken for the 25 minutes with the rice, so it was faster than their times.

I will probably do this again when I run out of the leftovers, because it was so easy.

Soft Chicken Tacos

Prep Time: 17 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Grade:C
Make Again: No
Recipe Source: Light & Healthy 2010 (The Best of America's Test Kitchen)
Cook's Country TV (registration required, but free - at least for 2011) 

This wasn't horrible, but still disappointing overall. The sauce which consists of Orange Juice, chipotle, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic and cilantro, almost could taste like a spicy, sweet sauce. However, the flavors of the orange juice and chipotle never married, and they were very distinct in the sauce and didn't go together. I cooked the sauce even longer than suggested, but it didn't help.

The recipe is easy and fast, so I was a little disappointed that I didn't love it.

Black Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010

I have no idea if this recipe originated somewhere else.  I didn't find it from searching on the various Cook's Illustrated web sites.

These are good.  I subbed roasted peppers for the fresh and also scallions for the shallot.  It all worked well.  The one problem with the recipe was that it said that the breadcrumbs should cook for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  That would be way too long for me.  They started to burn within 7 minutes.  I prepped other ingredients while they toasted, so this was a pretty quick recipe.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Assemble Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minute


Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2003)  
Recipe Source: Cover & Bake 

I first made these years ago and I really liked the recipe.  I've made them several times since then, but have never added my thoughts here.  I do prefer a red sauce over a green sauce, so I love this recipe much more than my last enchilada attempt. 

I lightened the recipe by using half the cheese and boneless breasts instead of thighs.  I also used less sauce because I made it too spicy this time. 

The one tip I took from the green sauce recipe, which is somewhat similar in many ways, was to cook breast whole, then tear the cooked then cooled chicken in larger pieces first, then chop more with a knife.  I liked that method.

These are really good and I will continue to use this recipe.

Mexican Rice

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes


Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (September 2004)

This is a yummy simple recipe.  It calls for 2 fresh tomatoes, but I make this sometimes with canned tomatoes, which works fine.

The easy part of the recipe is that you put the tomatoes and onion into the food processor to puree instead of needing to dice.  I actually add the jalapeno in there too, and it works fine.  (I leave some out for adding in later as the recipe instructs.)

The only time consuming part is "frying" the dried rice for 6-8 minutes before adding any liquids.  The recipe calls for 1/3 c. of oil.  I used 1.5 T. instead, and that was just fine.

This is definitely a good recipe to use when making any Mexican food.

Enchiladas Verdes

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Assemble Time: 10 minutes
Cook: Time: 20 minutes

Grade: C- (only because I don't like Tomatillos)

Make Again: No

Recipe: Amercia's Test Kitchen TV Show (Season 9)
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2008)


I've always made or ordered a red sauce when I've had enchiladas, so I wasn't sure if I would like this one.  Well, I didn't like it. 

The recipe itself is good.  Although somewhat time consuming, the work was fairly easy (other than peeling the roasted poblanos.)  I was cleaning my kitchen all along, and I enjoyed making these.  But I just don't like the green sauce.  I used the canned tomatillos, and maybe fresh would have been better, but I will stick to the red sauce version in the future.  

The chick part of the recipe was very delicious though, and I used the leftover broth to make Mexican rice which I will report on next.

Empanadas

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Rest Time: 20 minutes
Assemble Time:15 minutes
Bake Time: 30-45 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (April 2004)

I often make these with ground turkey so I add some more spice to it - usually some cumin. These are very good. A little time consuming to make, but since you can freeze them for later, it is worth it.

I usually make the dough a little thinner, so I can get more out of the recipe. This requires more care when you are forming them so the dough doesn't stretch, but it usually works ok. I want a slightly higher meat to dough ratio, so this works for me.

Chilaquiles (Skillet Tortilla Casserole)

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The Best Chicken Recipe

I really liked this one. It was a nice skillet meal for two that I cut in half for a single serving and it worked out really well. My final product doesn't look that pretty, but it was very tasty.

I actually changed the recipe somewhat drastically, because it called for what I thought was too much chips and cheese. My final product was still very rich and flavorul but something that wouldn't leave me full for hours and hours. I didn't have the cilantro and it would have benefited from it. I didn't have a plum tomato so used some Chipotle salsa instead of the minced chipotle and the tomato. That worked well, but made the dish look a little less appetizing than it would have with the tomato added later. And I used minced onion instead of a shallot, and used less oil. Even with all my changes, I think I can safely say the original recipe would be excellent, and my version is also very good.

SKILLET TORTILLA CASSEROLE (for one)

1 boneless chicken breast (5-6 oz)
salt and pepper
1/2 T vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 ounce tortilla chips broken into smaller pieces
1 medium ripe tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
1 ounce cheddar cheese, grated
1 T cilantro, minced


1. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. If tortilla chips are very salty, be cautious with the salt.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in ovensafe 10" skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and brown on each side for 5 minutes.

3. Move chicken to the side, add 1/2 teaspoon oil and onion and saute a minute. Add garlic and chipotle and pinch of salt if needed. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add broth and stir up an browned bits. Stir in half of tortilla chips. Cover, and cook until chicken reaches 160-165. Preheat broiler while chicken is cooking.

5. Remove chicken and cut or shred. Return to skillet with half of cheese (2 T), half of cilantro, and remaining tortilla chips. Stir to moisten.

6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and put in broiler until cheese starts to brown. Top with cilantro. Let cool a bit before serving.

Black-Eyed Pea Tacos

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Every Day Foods (April 2004)

It was a perfect time to use this recipe, because I found some frozen black-eyed peas in the freezer that were over a year old! (last used here) I wasn't sure if they would taste ok, but they did. I also had some leftover goat cheese, and corn tortillas and cilantro, so everything was aligned for this dish. I love it when I don't have to buy anything to make a recipe, especially a unique one like this. I used up some corn I had blanched and frozen last summer from the farmers market and it still tasted great. (So much better than store bought!)

I thought this recipe sounded strange the first time I read it, but I love goat cheese, so I tried it. I find it very tasty and I have made it several times since the first time. I don't even really like corn tortillas, but the combo of ingredients of this one work with them. I do spray them with a little non-stick spray and heat them in the oven, making them more tasty. I also don't used canned peas, but frozen. So these need to be started cooking right away while prepping other ingredients, since they take 20 minutes to cook.

Overall, I think this is a good, healthy, unique meal.

King Ranch Casserole

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2007)

I heavily modified this recipe, which I will describe more below.

I really liked how this turned out. I have tried some of the chicken casseroles from Cover & Bake, and this seemed a little bit easier and less rich to me. It was spicy and flavorful, and I liked the reddish creamy sauce. I always like casseroles in the winter, so I can see myself making this again. The prep took a while, but really, there was some free time in there where I was able to clean up in my kitchen, so it didn't feel like a lot of work.

I didn't want to make as much to serve 8 people, and I wanted it to be a little bit lighter. However, it is by no means a "light" recipe. I just know that ATK casserole recipes often are too "saucy" for me and also the sauces that use cream, are often to rich for me. So I adjusted accordingly - using less cream, less cheese and more tomatoes. I have some ideas for future changes so I am going to record the ingredients here. I think I will skip the jalapeno in the future and just use pepper jack cheese in addition to using a diced tomato with chiles in it.


My Version of King Ranch Casserole

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 15-ounce) can petite diced tomato with chiles
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 15 oz can low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
1 cup Fritos, crushed (about 3 oz)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Spray tortillas with cooking spray, and bake on sheet until slightly crisp and browned, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then break into bite-sized pieces.

3. Heat butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions with 1/2 t. salt and cumin until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes and cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.

5. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

6. Add broth and cream, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Stir in chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

8. Add cilantro and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Scatter half of tortilla pieces in 2 quart casserole or baking dish. (Place on rimmed baking sheet if pan may overflow). Spoon half of filling evenly over tortillas. Repeat.

10. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

11. Sprinkle Fritos evenly over top and bake until Fritos are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

12. Cool casserole 10 minutes. Serve.

Black Bean Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes (beans)
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes (soup)
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2005)

I make this soup fairly often, because it is easy (although it does take a while) and very flavorful. Today, I forgot to add the salt to the beans while cooking, which was a shame, but adding it later helped. I find the beans cooked with the ham very delicous and usually think I would happy just eating the beans - but I always make the soup.

Huevos Rancheros

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2006)

I really liked the salsa and the eggs cooked in salsa, but the tortillas didn't do it for me, because they kind of got soggy and were hard to eat. I'd rather put everything in a rolled up tortilla. I will probably make the roasted tomatato salsa again though.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (October 2008)

This was delicious and fairly easy. I did find that it had too much sauce though, which is a common thing for me. So, I saved half of it and froze it, and cooked only 3 chicken breasts, since that it a common size for me to get. Then I was able to make this twice. The frozen sauce tasted just fine to me and still spicy and good.

The first time I had trouble getting the chicken cooked in a timely manner, and I decided my pan was not close enough to the burner. The 2nd time it was. But, then it caught on fire! Luckily, I stayed calm while seeing this big flames in my oven, and got some baking soda and was able to put it out and not wreck the chicken - phew! I didn't want to waste any of the deliciousness of this recipe.

The biggest pain is cleaning the wire rack afterwards. I am going to try to grill these next time, because an easy recipe becomes a pain when you have this to clean.

30-Minute Black Bean Soup

Prep Time:25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Probably not

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was fine, but I didn't love it as much as the long cooking version. Since the long version is not hard, it just takes time, I don't mind doing that one, and will probably stick to that recipe instead. Especially because it freezes so well, that I can have the leftovers when I need a quick meal.

Moroccan-Style Chickpea Soup

Total Time: 26 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was very delicious and super quick. The one thing I would change is to skip brining some ingredients to a boil in a separate saucepan. I believe it would be just fine to have this recipe take a few minutes longer than 30 minutes, and have one less pot to clean.

I used very old saffron, so I wonder if it could just do without. I wondered about the ground ginger in it, but it all tasted very good and I will probably make this again for a quick and healthy dinner.

Skillet Sopa Seca

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This is good and similar to a Cover & Bake recipe for Sopa Seca that I reviewed earlier, although is finished a little faster. In a way prefer being able to finish in the oven, but this one is done faster.

I MUST REMEMEBER to stop using my skillet and use my Dutch oven instead. I am having a lot of trouble with these 30-minute skillet suppers fitting in my pan and it is making cooking a little bit stressful and messy. I am using the asked for 12", but perhaps mine is a bit small.

I used half the amount of called for chorizo, because that was all I had, and I think I would always do it this way, because the chorizo has a strong flavor. I used the cured kind, not the crumbly kind that is easier to find at the store.

I also substituted cheddar for the jack cheese, and kindney beans for the black beans because that was what I had on hand. It was a clean out the fridge and pantry dish for me today.

One Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 21 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

I prefer cooking boneless chicken breasts because I am squeamish around things with bones, so I don't use these types of recipes very often. But I did have some chicken in the freezer that I wanted to use, so I tried this one. It was pretty simple and it does taste quite good. I'm just not sure I will make again when I have so many chicken recipes to choose from.