WIAW #60: Crispy Kale and Shiitake Parmesan Rigatoni

Last Tuesday, Aaron and I arrived in our new apartment. For 6-9 months we will call San Angelo, Texas home.

It is definitely a nice change to have two bedrooms and bathrooms. Not to mention a couch! I do not miss our studio apartment on the seventh floor. We even have a "porch" here. Worth it.

It wasn't until Friday that we finally got our stuff, including most importantly my kitchen stuff. No one told me how good it feels to open all the new things you got on your wedding registry. I love everything from my Kitchen Aid mixer to the set of dessert bowls.

Because of that, my WIAW is a bit light today. This is the only meal I've photographed other than a grainy one of Thai food on a hotel bed. It's sad. I hope you will forgive this transgression. I'm so happy to have my kitchen back!

I’m still low on some of those “essentials” you eventually stock up on when you’ve lived in a kitchen for a while. Unfortunately when moving, all those nearly empty bottles and packages that would give your recipe the exact “umph” it needs, doesn’t get packed by DoD movers. They don’t pack cleaning supplies either…or alcohol.

The next day I ended up breaking out that mixer and making my very own pasta. Anyone know how to make noodles with your mixer?

But when I made this recipe, I relied on what I had for a lunch for one. I felt like getting creative and after binge-watching Master Chef Juniors while unpacking, I decided to quick-fry some kale and shiitake mushrooms to top my rigatoni during my first recipe in my new kitchen.

I love homemade kale chips, so I thought, wouldn’t a nice topping of extra crispy kale and mushrooms be delicious on a creamy base of pasta? Yep. If you have some extra time and want to omit the oil, you can definitely bake the kale pieces. But…the mushrooms won’t get crispy in the oven easily.

These crispy vegetables would also be awesome topping on a number of recipes.

This isn’t my normal everyday lunch obviously. This would be an impressive special occasion meal (that actually isn’t hard) with the addition of crispy prosciutto, even fresh cherry tomatoes. The Parmesan sauce is little decadent, but hey, if you eat like me on a normal basis, you deserve it. And your guests will be super impressed with this multiple textured meal. 

You’ve got crispy, chewy, and fresh. No molecular gastronomy required….

Crispy Kale and Shiitake 

Parmesan Rigatoni

(Makes 2 meal servings)

Ingredients:

8oz. Dry Rigatoni

Water and salt for boiling

1 1/2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. milk

4 tbsp. grated Parmesan

Garlic powder

Black pepper

Sea salt

Zest of one lemon

1 cup kale, shredded into 2 inch square pieces

5-6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut into 1 inch pieces, stems cut in half

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

In medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta to water, return to boil and cook until al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile in saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium high. Working in batches, carefully toss in kale and stand back as oil will spit. Cook until oil stops spitting and kale is crispy and dark in appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and lemon zest. 

Repeat with remaining kale and shiitake. Mushrooms will take a little longer than kale to fry. Wait until kale is finished and oil is at it's hottest and fry for 3-5 minutes, until crispy. Set aside.

Once pasta is cooked and drained, toss in butter, milk and cheese until coated. Season with lemon zest, and desired salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Transfer pasta to plates and top with kale, mushrooms, remaining lemon juice and more cheese if desired.

Serve immediately so pasta stays hot and kale remains crispy.

(Tip: for easier cleanup, use a bowl instead of hot pan to mix sauce and cheese will congeal to pan.)

Love,

The Cuisiner

What is one of your favorite unexpected dishes to make?

Crispy Tofu and Arugula Summer Salad

After a month of no grocery shopping, I started getting desperate with meal prep. Finally on Sunday, Aaron and I went shopping and stocked up as we had practically eaten everything in the pantry minus a can of tomatoes, and the remaining half cup of peas I didn’t add into the last week’s meals.

That means that the first week after a grocery shopping trip is always heaven. Oh, I can have fresh veggies or a snack? Awesome! We have more than rice? Great!

So with that abundance, comes this Japanese-inspired Arugula salad with crispy glazed tofu. I ate this whole thing in about a minute.

I’ve never actually cooked tofu on my own before but felt inspired after seeing these step-by-step instructions from One Ingredient Chef. He makes it look so easy, and after doing it, I realized how simple it really is to cook crispy, delicious tofu.

If you can’t get your head around tofu, I understand. The glaze I used (also inspired by One Ingredient chef) would be delicious on chicken, pork, salmon, or shrimp.

For SUPER EASY instructions on how to make delicious, crispy tofu for any meal, head over to the One Ingredient Chef.

I like a crispy topping heavy salad, if you don’t, pick and choose some of the crispy toppings depending on your preference and pantry. Make it your own! This is a fabulous salad for a summer dinner with Jasmine iced tea.

Crispy Tofu with Japanese-inspired Arugula Salad

(Tofu recipe adapted from One Ingredient Chef)

makes 1 large, dinner sized salad

 

 

Ingredients:
3 ¾ inch slices of extra-firm tofu, about 1/3 of a block (I got mine at Trader Joe’s)
1 tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
Warm salted water
3 oz. arugula or salad mix

Tofu glaze:
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
½ tsp. garlic powder
Squirt of sriracha
Black pepper

Toppings:
½ fresh avocado, sliced
1/8 cup Dried cranberries
¼ cup Fresh blueberries
pick and choose
Wasabi peas and almonds
Coconut chips
Toasted Sesame seeds
Chia seeds
Kalamata olives

Dressing:
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sriracha hot sauce
1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, chopped
1-2 tsp. fresh garlic, chopped
optional: 1 tbsp. orange juice

Directions:

Follow these instructions for crispy tofu, using the tofu slices, warm water, and oil for frying.

Once pan is cooled add all the ingredients for the tofu glaze to the same pan that you fried the tofu in over medium-low heat. Once the glaze begins to caramelize, add tofu and gently toss. Turn off heat.

To assemble your salad, first add arugula to a large plate. Pour half of the dressing over the greens.

Add toppings to your salad and pour the rest of the dressing over top. Add crispy tofu slices on top of the salad and pour remaining glaze of the salad if desired.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Happy Earth Day!

And since it’s Friday:

Some live music from Adele.

Apple Cider Teriyaki with Chicken and Rice Noodles

Aaron and I love all types of Asian food and often we like to mix it up. I wouldn’t call it “Asian fusion” because that’s fancier than what we make but our “Korean Teriyaki” mixes all types. I stumbled across packaged rice noodles at Trader Joe’s last week and decided to give it a try. They were in the refrigerated section and came in two plastic packages. For the two of us, one 6oz. package was enough for a reasonable dinner. Of course he ate all the leftovers and wanted more!

 

I made two versions of this meal but much preferred the second which is featured here. I did a couple things differently this time.

First, while I love teriyaki sauce, I DO NOT like all of the added sugar. Most recipes call for nearly a cup of sugar for each recipe. I wanted to find a solution while still keeping the lovely tangy sweet flavor. My solution: apple cider. Now since it is winter it may be harder to find fresh apple cider for most of you. I found some at my farmer’s market. I like fresh, local apple cider with no extra sugar-just apples. Your sauce will agree. I’ve tried orange juice before but the extra citrus flavor added to much to the sauce. I wouldn’t recommend bottled “apple juice” as that has just as much sugar as…well, sugar!

If you come up with another idea let me know! But for me, the apple cider is definitely a keeper.

Second, fresh ginger and fresh chilies make the difference. I can do without the chili, (as one little one was ENOUGH spice for me,) but the ginger really makes the difference.
This is also the perfect recipe for leftover chicken if you have it. I used leftover char grilled chicken, cut up. It was perfect! But if not, I’ve listed regular chicken breast as the ingredient in this recipe.

Note: While this makes great leftovers, the noodles aren’t as nicely chewy as they are freshly cooked.

This is definitely a keeper, though. And you might want to consider making more as it’ll go fast!

Apple Cider Teriyaki with Chicken and

Korean Rice Noodles:

Makes 2-3 dinner sized portions

 

Ingredients:

6 oz. Rice Noodles

1 chicken breast, chopped into chunks (or 1 cup, chopped leftover chicken)
3-4 large carrots, julienne cut
¾ cup favorite green vegetable-green beans, broccoli, asparagus, peas etc.
4 oz. favorite mushrooms, sliced (recommended baby portabella or shitake)
3-4 green onions, chopped, separate white and green parts
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1-2 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
Garlic powder
Black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes or fresh hot peppers, chopped
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

 

Apple Cider Teriyaki Sauce: (can make ahead of time)

¼ cup soy sauce, reduced sodium

¼ cup fresh apple cider
1 tbsp. agave nectar or honey
2 tbsp. rice or white wine
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
½ tsp. chili powder

 

Directions:

To make teriyaki, add all ingredients together in a small sauce pan until heated. Set aside in a bowl. Noodles should still have a good bite.

Boil rice noodles according to the package and rinse with cold water in a colander. Set aside.
In a large pan, add olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, white parts of the onion, and ginger, over medium heat.  Sauté until onions softened then add mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms begin to brown. Add 1/4 of prepared teriyaki sauce and cook for two minutes, stirring.

Add carrots and green vegetable, along with chicken. Sauté until vegetables and chicken are cooked. Add red pepper, black pepper, and dash of garlic powder.

Add 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds and rest of teriyaki sauce and mix well. Add rice noodles to the pan and mix until well coated in the sauce.

Serve with green onions and extra sesame seeds on top. Eat immediately while hot.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Baked Mini-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Happy Monday everyone! What are you looking forward to this week?

Because it is Monday (that night of the week you don't feel like cooking) I thought today would be the perfect time to share with you my mini-grilled cheese sandwiches.

What makes them so special you ask? Well, think all of the grilled cheese you love in bite sized easy to eat, easy to make form.

I made these babies with some classic tomato soup on the rare occasion I was all by myself but they would be perfect with homemade chicken soup or as pass around appetizers with creamy marinara sauce or even pesto!

I made mine with parmesan cheese, a little basil and fresh garlic but these babies would be so delicious filled with sharp cheddar and dill or grated swiss and rosemary. Make your own and your family will love it. These are perfect for play dates too! (College students’ study parties included)

Baked mini-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

makes 8 mini sandwiches

Ingredients:

About ½ one French baguette (white or multigrain), 16 slices
2/3 cup of parmesan, mixed Italian blend, or your favorite cheese
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil (1 tsp. dry)
1 tsp. sea salt
Fresh black pepper
1 tbsp. very softened butter, not melted


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl gently toss cheese, garlic, basil, salt, and a little cracked pepper together.

Lightly butter one side of the 16 slices of bread making sure the slices fit together.
On a baking sheet arrange 8 slices evenly, butter side down.  Spoon a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on top of each of the 8 slices. Top each with another buttered slice of baguette.

Carefully place mini sandwiches in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Flip each sandwich and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until each min-sandwich is golden brown and cheese is nicely melted.

Serve with your favorite soup, salad, or tapenade!

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for the new vegan Conscious Box! If you’ve never tried Conscious Box, you will love the sample of all natural products, great coupons, and the best way to introduce you to some great companies from all over the US!

Keep checking back because...

I have two other reviews/giveaways coming up soon that you will not want to miss!

Next week, check out my “Back to School” giveaway from GoPicnic all-natural and super convenient ready-to-go meals.  These great meals are perfect for school lunches, the office, travel, and especially for the hungry college students on meal plans in your life! Not to mention their gluten-free, kosher, and vegan varities!

Don’t forget to come back soon for my giveaway from local Philadelphia-area chocolatier, Designs by Francine Artisan Chocolate! I'll be giving away a sample box of her amazing homemade tea-infused chocolates!

Fair trade, locally made, and all!


See you soon!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

WIAW #13: Valentine's Day Eats and Sick Day

Change of plans today unfortunately Readers,

I am currently experiencing a major sick day here in London. I have no idea if it is a bug or my horrendous lack of sleep the past few days. With said, my post today will be shorten but WIAW must go on.

Especially since I have to share my Valentine’s Day eats with you!

I finally did the WIAW button right!!!!! Thanks Jenn for the lesson!

Now as you know, I am over here in England until April and my darling Aaron is back at school in Philadelphia. But does that stop Aaron from totally winning at Valentine ’s Day? Of course not.

Yesterday morning at 10 am (England time) I received a giant customized bouquet of 12 long stem roses with a beautiful card. (Pictures to come, promise! I hurts too move right now.) And apparently more to come when he visits in March…hmmm….

And what did I send him two weeks ago via Royal Mail so it would get there by V-Day at a whopping cost of £25 shipping? (Not that matters…) I sent a box of customized Scottish goods complete with a Scottish Parliament Whisky snifner, book on his Scottish clan and his tartan on a lamb’s wool scarf, chocolate pralines, and St. Andrew’s golf ball set complete with the course’s dirt and grass rubbed on the golf balls. I did okay. Love you baby.

And for my eats of course:

Late Breakfast (Had the day off from class)

Bowl of Dorset super cranberry, cherry, & almond muesli with Rachel’s organic Rhubarb yoghurt (surprisingly delicious,) raw honey, fresh organic strawberries and blueberries.

Organic Earl Gray tea with raw honey and splash of semi-skimmed milk.

(are you getting the sense I enjoyed my Whole Foods trip on Sunday?)

Lunch

Laundry and library searching

Afternoon

Cup of delicious Fairtrade Filtered coffee. I found a place! But sadly for my own reasons idk if I’m going back. Bummer.

Crazy Marks & Spencer (Wegman’s equivalent) prepared Valentine’s Day Dinner with my roommate Beth (All this for two people for £ 20! Champagne and chocolates included!)

First Course

Baby Plum Tomato Ducey Camembert Tartlet

My own arugula (Rocket here) side salad with fresh blueberries and dried apricots in a honey Dijon orange vinaigrette

Main Course

Duck L’orange

Garlic Mushroom caps

Quinoa (my addition)

Dessert

Belgian Dark chocolate soufflé with single cream, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries

Rose Champagne and box of chocolates

Food coma to follow.

Notice how with even this over indulgent dinner I managed to sneak in some fruits and veggies? That’s my Veggie goal this month!

This was great day with my roomie since Aaron was so far away, I had a great time preparing this! It was easy too since all you had to do was pop the prepared food in the oven! Love fancy prepared meals here!

Okay now I’m going to bed again to sleep and wear off this stomach ache… I’m miserable.

Hope you had a good Valentine’s Day! What did you do or not do?

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Travel: Left my Heart in Scotland

Considering these are from last week I figured I should post them already. Today, Sunday is my first “break” since our first week going on a month ago before classes! How is that possible? But here it is, and on my Lazy Sunday I will writing my paper on “The ethnic divisions in Modern Britain,” and enjoying some homemade nachos to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday that I won’t even get to watch! (It airs at about 1 AM here) But first, these pictures.

If you haven’t been following this, last weekend I went to Edinburgh, Scotland. On Sunday we took a tour of the Lowlands with the highlight in St. Andrew’s, Scotland. It was so amazingly beautiful I could hardly believe it. It is absolutely my kind of city. “New Town” was built in 1763.

Yeah. So imagine a modern bustling city with restaurants, businesses, shops of all kinds in buildings on average older than the entirety of the United States.

I could so live here.

“Our” Street. (For three days in Edinburgh)

Yes, a real live Police Box. Any Doctor Who fans?

Edinburgh at night.

Next day: Full Scottish vegetarian Breakfast. This pub gave us a discount since where we were staying. Vegetarian haggis and vegetarian sausage with scrambled eggs, toast, fried tomato, broiled mushrooms and Heinz beans.

Really good!

And tea.

Holyroodhouse Palace: The Queen’s official residence in Scotland.

We found the only photographer to ask to take our photos.

So pretty. Could I live here Your Majesty?

Tour of the lowlands. Sadly we couldn’t make it to the Highlands.

On the way to St. Andrew’s. Photo-tastic! Notice my hometown newspaper.

St. Andrews, Scotland.

I couldn’t believe I was actually here!

The famous St. Andrew’s golf course bridge.

Pretty Pretty.

The spot of the voted “Best Fish n Chips in the UK,” in Anstruther, Scotland.

More of Anstruther.
 

Our tour group at the edge of Edinburgh before my camera died.

I am so glad we got to go to Scotland. I almost wish it would have worked out for Aaron and I to go study at St. Andrews. He” got in,” but I wouldn’t have so I would have been happy studying at University of Edinburgh. So amazing. I wish you could have all seen it. If you ever get the chance, I recommend it. These are a small sample of the nearly 300 photos I took this weekend and I would haven't taken more if my camera did not die. Who knows, maybe Aaron and I can live there one day.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner