Update/Chicken Piccata

I wanna update a few things...one I had the baby:a beautiful bouncing baby boy! Second that biscuit recipe from the previous post, is basically your own personal adaptation of what's on the back of the baking powder can. 2 cups flour, about 1/3 cup of shortening, some baking powder and soda, about 3/4 cup of milk....the important part is getting your crumble of dry ingredients and shortening. Once you have a good crumble, just add milk until everything combines well and gives you a relatively sticky dough. But here is where this recipe differs from many you see...do NOT knead the dough. The flakiness will be destroyed and the dough will be tough if you overwork it. Pat it into a ball and roll it till desired consistency. Make your cutouts and bake at 350 till golden brown.

Chicken Picatta...I made it (and tasted) for the first time the other day...let me just say: AMAZING! The lemon flavor is intense, but so good with the garlic and butter in the sauce. I adjusted Rachael Ray's recipe, (which is a common thing for me, she's a source of inspiration for me) to what my family tends to like. I recommend throwing this into the regular rotation, its a simple meal and it really classes it up I think!

Homemade Biscuits

I'm attempting homemade biscuits...having grown up in the deep south, I'm ashamed that I've never tried it before. Honestly, I've never made biscuits outside of a can or box mix..its sad I know! They look like they'll be nice and flaky and tasty I just hope it actually turns out that way. Gonna work on a honeybutter to go with them and the awesome crunchy baked chicken, brussells sprouts, peas, and mac and cheese I'm making for dinner. I'll update with the biscuit recipe if it worked!

Wow...too long

I can't believe its been so long since I last posted, and to my followers and fans, I'm truly sorry. Many of you know the updates in my life since then. But for those that don't I'll let you know what's up. Since my last post I have found out I was pregnant, learned that while I may have been hired by a foodie paradise, working there meant no time for anything else much less cooking new masterpieces, and am now a stay at home (almost) mom. As I eagerly await my LO's arrival, I'll be working on updating more frequently. I hope I'll have enough time to be a true kitchen ninja and tear up some new recipes, though babies tend to impede such activities for awhile.

My activities as of late have been quite domestic, though quite less kitchen oriented. I've been attempting to set up a nursery and get the rest of this house into something resembling a baby friendly abode.

However, with warmer weather approaching, I am itching to pull out the grill, make a batch of lemonade, and really get down in the kitchen, so I aim to be less of a stranger. What new recipes have you guys tried that you loved as of late?

I will tell of my husband's failed attempt at pork enchiladas. He unfortunately didn't read the directions closely enough and the proportions of sauce inside and outside the tortilla weren't quite right, that coupled with insufficient bake time and it certainly left something to be desired. They were more taquitos than enchiladas and were according to him completely inedible. As far as he's concerned, pork has no place in Mexican food and I'm hard pressed to get him to eat chicken or turkey in that format.

Well I'm off Ninjas. Keep adventurous in the kitchen.

Protip:

When making pulled pork, get a larger shoulder and split the rewards for different seasonings after about 6-8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Make half into pulled pork sandwiches, the other half can become tasty carnitas!

Post Frequency

I know I hardly update this blog enough, but since I've recently been hired (and am currently in training) at Market District, which is basically an amusement park for foodies, this will change. I have to admit, the Kitchen Ninja has been having a recipe block (as well as an energy block things are crazy at the Ninja House). Look forward to more updates in the coming weeks and months as I start to get my footing underneath me again. In the meantime, check out cafepress.com/kitchenninja and stock up on Kitchen Ninja gear. Also, scroll down and check out the blog on pantry staples. These are essential to any fully functioning kitchen. I'll talk to you guys soon and Happy Cooking!!!!!!!!!!!

Mexican Food is my favorite go to!

Everyone has a go to meal, for some its sammies, for others some sort of pasta dish, and for others its pizza. My go to, Mexican food. Now I have no illusions that there is one flavor profile to encompass the cuisine of an entire country. However, Mexican restraunts do all seem to be consistent in their flavor profile across a range of dishes. The difference is the addition/omission of a couple of ingredients. I also love how you don't have to be even remotely careful with your food, its just as good if everything is thrown in a giant pile or wrapped in a tortilla. That being said, the seasoning basics for (my favorite dish) fajitas and frozen veggie combos make this dish easier than pie to throw together in a few minutes because they're easy items to stock.

If you're feeling adventurous, cut your meat in strips. If you're counting on using this as a go to throw together, then keep some beef tips, strips, or chicken tips on hand. Throw the meat in a skillet to begin cooking. Once its mostly cooked through begin adding your spices. Here's where it gets a bit weird for those of you who need exact measurements...you're going to have to play around with it some. There is no magic combination of exact measurements that will give you the flavor you associate with Mexican food. The key ingredient, however, is cumin. I love cumin, so rich in flavor it dominates Mexican food and will give you that fresh from the taquiera flavor. In addition to cumin, garlic powder, oregano (dried), s&p, and some chili powder. Adjust to taste, but a 1/2 a teaspoon to a teaspoon of each will probably do ya. If you like it, throw in some dried cilantro. Then you need an acid, I prefer tequila if I have it, otherwise, I use apple cider vinegar (gives the perfect flavor). Then put in your frozen onions and peppers (as many as you can stand!), cover and allow to simmer. Once your veggies are soft and the onions are translucent your meat should be cooked through. Serve it up with warm whole wheat tortillas and brown rice for a more healthful version and/or corn salsa. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

In our house, we always have colby jack cheese and salsa on hand, since we eat this so much. The thing I really love about this flavor combo is it can compensate for cheap cuts of meat that are otherwise difficult to pull off, so this can be a budget saver as well! Try it with ground turkey or chicken thighs and substitute onions/peppers for diced tomatoes and green chiles for a poultry taco, or better yet, throw in some sliced or pulled pork! Next time pork shoulder is on sale grab one, cook it in the crock pot all day then split in half. One half combine with your favorite barbque sauce for pulled pork sandwiches and the other half make carnitas using this combination of spices (just hold off on the vinegar/tequila).

The point is, its a versatile flavor profile, that with some innovation can turn a boring, difficult meat into a delicious taco or fajita! Watching carbs? Throw your meat mixture over a bed of lettuce and top with your favorite salsa for a taco salad!

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats

These treats make my dogs drool over the thought of them. They're simple, wholesome, and healthy-what more could you want out of a treat for your loyal pup? The husband calls them Mamma's Biscuits because our dog Jordi literally goes crazy and will do anything in his repertoire of tricks in order to get one! An added bonus, these treats are human grade! (its not too far off of a peanut butter cookie)

First of all the ingredients are very few (only 4 in fact):

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup of milk
1 cup of your dog's favorite peanut butter

Preheat oven to 375

Mix your dry ingredients separately so that the baking powder is well incorporated into the mixture.

Mix together your milk and peanut butter until smooth, then gradually add in flour mixture until it's all incorporated.

Knead the dough until you you're happy with its texture (this is an oily/dry dough, its never very smooth but it is workable). Roll the dough out until its a 1/4 inch thick and cut into your favorite shapes. Bake it for 16-20 minutes, times will vary based on size of your biscuits and the intensity of your oven. These can burn easily, so use the lowest time and give it extra time as needed. As a variation, mix in some honey for a sweeter flavor.

Three Cheese Lasagna and Italian Bread

As the title states, thats what's for dinner tonight (to quote my favorite tv cook). Additionally, there's no meat in this dinner and the bread is homemade. I did have my bread machine mix up the dough, saves you some time because you can do other things during that hour and half. Then its just as simple as shaping, proofing, prepping and baking! If the way it smells is any indication, this is going to be awesome! The lasagna, will also be homemade (save for the pasta, which will be no boil). I prefer to make my own tomato sauce when making lasagna. While this is obviously not a vegan dish, it does qualify as vegetarian, but will satisfy the meat eaters in the family too. Its important to scale back meat quantity. The average American woman only needs approximately 5.5 oz of meat/bean proteins a day-I guarantee you get more than that! If anyone wants either of these recipes, comment. If there's enough interest, I'll post it on Kitchen Ninja's facebook page and on here.

pro tip: when mixing together a cheese mixture for any baked pasta dish, mix in at least egg to help hold the dish together.