the apartment kitchen

Caramelized Onion Soup

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:33:31 +0000

I am a major onion eater. I don’t care about the consequences, I could eat them like apples – even if it meant driving everyone around me far, far away. I love this onion soup because it’s easy and I always have everything I need for it right on hand. I don’t call it “French Onion Soup” because I don’t top it with the cheesy crouton garnish (which is delicious, of course). Instead, this is merely an enriched broth that can be made quickly and enjoyed for days.

Vegetarians – don’t just substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth, you won’t get the rich flavor that’s typical for this soup. Instead, use mushroom broth – it has a rich, meaty flavor that’s the ideal substitute.

Caramelized Onion Soup

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

Leftover Potential: Freezes and refrigerates well. Puree the soup for a thick, smooth texture, or reduce it down to make a killer sauce for pasta.

3 Tbsp olive oil

6 onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 (14 oz) cans beef broth

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and toss to coat evenly in oil.

2. Reduce heat to low and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic, and season well with salt and pepper.

4. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, and stir until it reduces completely. Add the broth, and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer until the soup has good flavor, about 20-25 minutes.

Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Parmesan, and an Egg

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:02:09 +0000

This dish almost tasted like carbonara, because of the egg on top. I love dishes like this because they are simple, delicious, and cooked all in one pot. Pasta is also great, of course, for just cooking for one person.

You may have noticed that I usually use whole wheat pasta or pasta made from farro or quinoa (that’s why it always looks sort of darker than your average pasta in my photographs). That’s a personal preference, but of course any and all of these dishes would be just as delicious (if not more so) with regular or flavored pastas.

Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Parmesan, and an Egg

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: the leftover pasta would make a spectacular spaghetti pie.

1 handful spaghetti

1 Tbsp butter

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup peas

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

1 egg

parmesan cheese, shaved or grated, to taste

1. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until tender, 7-9 minutes. Drain and reserve.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the peas and pasta, and toss to combine. Continue to toss until the mixture is heated through. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Using a spatula or tongs, push all the pasta to one end of the pan.

4. Crack an egg into the empty side of the pan. Season it with salt and pepper, and reduce heat to low. Cook the egg until your desired doneness.

5. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and finish with parmesan cheese. Top with the egg and serve.

Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Chicken Enchiladas

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:05:52 +0000

I found the Sweet Potato and Poblano Enchiladas over at Budget Bytes to sound absolutely delectable so I figured I’d give my own version a whirl. Matt and I love enchiladas, but I had never thought of incorporating sweet potatoes into them – it was a match made in heaven. Their natural sweetness balanced the hint of spice, and their creaminess made for a great contrasting texture in the filling. Proof that combining your cravings with what you have in the house can turn into a delicious dinner!

Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Chicken Enchiladas

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Enchiladas not only make awesome leftovers, they are also easy to make in advance. Just keep them refrigerated or even freeze them for a great make-ahead meal.

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 poblano peppers, diced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled, diced

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper, to taste

3 cups shredded chicken (about 2 breasts)

10 corn tortillas

3 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (one 32 oz can)

cheddar cheese, as needed

1 bunch green onions, minced

1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and potatoes, and saute until the onions and peppers are softened, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Stir in the spices, salt, pepper, and chicken. Lightly grease a 9″x9″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Pour a bit of enchilada sauce in the base of the pan. Place a few spoonfuls of filling in the center of a tortilla, and roll to encase. Transfer the enchiladas to the pan.

4. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Garnish with green onions.

Spicy Green Pizza

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:01:26 +0000

I stumbled across the idea for this pizza in Cooking Light – it sounded like the ideal pizza for a snack, side dish (with soup), or light lunch (with a salad). I love using spicy greens, and now is a good time to find them in my area, so I gathered up a mix – arugula, baby mustard greens, and more – but added a pinch of red pepper flakes to give it a little more spice. It’s a sauceless pizza, which makes it great for dipping (in my opinion). I ate it with soup, but I could see serving it with marinara or a garlicky white sauce.

Spicy Green Pizza

Adapted from Cooking Light

Makes 1 pizza (serves 3-4)

Leftover Potential: Reheats well, especially if crisped in the oven. Great with Roasted Tomato Soup

10 oz pizza dough

olive oil, as needed

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 cups broccoli florets, finely chopped

5 cups spicy baby greens (arugula, mache, mustard greens, etc.)

pinch red pepper flakes

2-3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Use your hands to stretch the pizza dough out – for this pizza, I wanted it thin, so I stretched it out then placed it onto an oiled baking sheet. Then I continued to press it into the pan until it was about 1/4″ thick.

2. Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, garlic, and broccoli, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the baby greens and the pepper flakes. Toss to combine until the greens are slightly wilted.

4. Transfer the toppings to the pizza. Top with mozzarella cheese, and bake in a 400 degree oven until the crust browns and the cheese is melted, about 10-12 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Soup

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:55:23 +0000

A bit of a bug put me in the mood for soup. I immediately thought of tomato soup – I love it and generally only make it in the summer when the tomatoes are the ripest. But it sounded so good, I thought I would try it with good quality canned tomatoes and roast them to boost their flavor. I used olive oil for richness and balsamic to bring out their sweetness and acidity, and was really happy with the results. After I made, I ran around my house with a spoon forcing everyone to taste. What did I discover? No one (no one) in my house likes tomato soup, leaving me with the whole pot to myself! (Oh yea)

Roasted Tomato Soup

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

Leftover Potential: Delicious reheated and comforted me all week.

2 large cans (32 oz) whole tomatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, as needed

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

4 cloves garlic

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

salt and lots of pepper, as needed

1. Drain the tomatoes, and reserve the juice. Halve the tomatoes and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes evenly with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they are slightly blistered and lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 7-9 minutes.

3. Add the drained tomato juice to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced almost entirely.

4. Add the roasted tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, and continue to simmer until good flavor develops, about 10-15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Panfried Pork Chops with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:21:34 +0000

What? You think I’m using way too many mushrooms? Well, you’re right. I even hid the mushrooms from you in the meatball sub (I put mine on as a last minute addition after I’d assembled and photographed Matt’s sandwich). I admit it, I am a mushroom addict. There is reason to my madness – they were massively on sale at my market last week. And, I’m totally in love with them.

So yes, I made a mushroom sauce for some pork chops over the weekend. But this sauce has tomatoes stirred in, which gives it acidity and a really nice body (i.e. you add tomatoes and you’ve got insta-sauce). So I figure this could be a tomato-onion sauce, a tomato-corn sauce, a tomato-cauliflower sauce, a tomato-sausage sauce…you pick. Or, if you’re a mushroom obsessed diner like me, you can leave them in.

Either way, don’t worry. I’m out of mushrooms. For now, anyway…

Panfried Pork Chops with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: I had two pork chops leftover, which made for some pretty decent sandwiches with some of the leftover sauce and some arugula.

4 thin pork chops

salt and pepper, to taste

flour, as needed for breading

1 egg, lightly beaten

breadcrumbs, as needed for breading

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 basket mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/3 cup crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.

2. Dredge the pork chops in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Be sure they are fully coated each step of the way.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and panfry until they are golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven (be sure it’s totally oven safe – no plastic handles, etc.) and bake until cooked through. Lower the oven temperature to simply keep the pork warm, if needed.

5. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes more.

6. Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes. Stir in the herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the cooked pork chops to the sauce. Serve immediately.

Meatball Sub

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:50:19 +0000

After a long day (ok, ok – roller skating and running errands), I just wanted something simple and comforting. Cheese is my biggest weakness, and this sandwich totally hit the spot for me. I used some meatballs and sauce I had already made for pasta, and sandwiched them with some cheese on a leftover baguette. It used up a lot of leftover food, but none of my roommates noticed that as they gobbled it down.

Meatball Sub

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: The meatballs can be reheated and eaten alone or with pasta.

1 recipe chicken meatballs

1 recipe tomato sauce

fresh mozzarella cheese, as needed

1 baguette, halved, cut into four equal pieces

hot peppers, as needed

1. Toss the meatballs in the tomato sauce.

2. Top one half on the bread with mozzarella cheese. Run this under the broiler until the cheese is golden and meltified.

3. Spoon meatballs and sauce onto the other half of the bread, sprinkle with hot peppers, and sandwich with the cheesy side.

Balsamic Glazed Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Spinach

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:29:38 +0000

This was a fifteen minute dinner from start to finish – the perfect kind. I love the addition of balsamic vinegar to pasta, it’s sweet and thick and makes an almost instant “sauce”. I added mushrooms for earthiness and spinach to make it hearty, but you could easily add other vegetables, or some kind of meat (bacon would be awesome!).

Balsamic Glazed Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Spinach

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: Reheats well, flavors intensify while it sits.

handful of spaghetti

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

6 mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cups spinach

2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (depending on how concentrated you want the flavor)

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and reserve.

2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 3-5 minutes more.

4. Add the spinach and toss until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

5. Add the pasta and balsamic vinegar, and toss to coat. Continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cornbread

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:37:04 +0000

A super-cold weekend made me want to make a big pot of chili. And since I couldn’t just make chili (I’m a classic over-achiever and can’t resist surprising Matt with something extra), I made this very easy cornbread. No mixer required, and only 8 ingredients needed. It has a very light flavor (a little sweet, with a good texture) that makes it the perfect accompaniment to chili.

Super Easy Cornbread

Makes one 9“x9“ pan

Leftover Potential: Keeps well in an airtight container for a few days.

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9″x9″ baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal and milk. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a small bowl, mix the egg and oil to combine. Add to the cornmeal mixture and mix until completely blended.

4. Fold in the corn kernels. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

This Month’s Packed Lunch

theapartmentkitchen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:56:50 +0000

One of the fabulous suggestions I’ve received for the blog was from my brother’s girlfriend, Brenda. She said she hates taking boring lunches to work but can’t think of new and exciting things to take. Also, she doesn’t want to spend too much time doing it. The solution? A new monthly segment called “This Month’s Packed Lunch”! Each month, I’ll give you new ideas of things to liven up your lunch, whether you take it to work, school, or are planning a picnic and need something tasty.

The first lunch couldn’t be simpler, but seems sort of out of the ordinary. This sandwich tastes really good cold, making it ideal for just tossing together and taking with you in the morning. It’s made with sausage, which sure beats you average turkey or ham sandwich. The relish I made yesterday is the perfect complement, and I added some pepperoncinis (one of my favorites) to add some acidity and a slight kick. I always say the best sandwiches are simple, and this one has it all: amazing texture from the bread, a great spread (which keeps the bread from becoming overly soggy while it sits), and just a little bit of spice. If you don’t like spicy foods, a good, garlicky pickle would be a good replacement.

Sausage Sandwiches with Onion Relish and Pepperoncinis

Makes 1 packed lunch.

Leftover Potential: This can be made with leftover sausages or, when you’re prepping this sandwich the night before, cook a whole package of sausages. Then search “sausage” on my sidebar for lots of great sausage recipes to make for dinner!

1 or 2 sausages (depending on how hungry you plan on being – I used Italian chicken sausage)

1/3 baguette, halved

onion relish

2 pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook the sausages in a saute pan until browned evenly on all sides. Continue to cook until they are cooked through (you can pop your pan in the oven at 350 for a more even cooking if you like), about 6-8 minutes. Let cool completely. You can either slice the sausage or keep it whole.

2. Tear some of the excess bread from the center of the baguette to make more room for the sausages. If you’re keeping your sausages whole, tear out enough bread that the sausages will fit perfectly inside.

3. Spread both slices of baguette with onion relish. Add the sausages and sprinkle with the peppers. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Wrap in foil or place in a plastic bag and take to work. The sandwich can be warmed, if you like, but it’s good cold too. Pack chips and a drink!