Hoisin Glazed Chicken with Orange Rice

So this is going to be a 2 part recipe. The chicken and the rice. Can be eaten together, or use separately. Either way, they are both delish and easy. Sometimes as a student, I end up cooking and eating just one thing. For example - the other day I made mashed potatoes, and just ate those. HA. So complete. Therefore, I am attempting to make sure I eat more whole and complete meals *please note I did have a veggie on the side, it just didn't fit on the plate!

Have you tried hoisin sauce before? It is a Chinese dipping sauce - or - how I usually explain it to people is that it is like a Chinese bbq sauce! It is extremely flavourful and taste amazing with chicken - so why not? And ORANGE RICE? Wha??? It was SO good. But I need to make an important note about this - PLEASE DO NOT USE CHEAP CONCENTRATED FAKE ORANGE JUICE - it will actually taste like chemicals - honestly I have tried this - so please, please don't. Please for me? Kay thanks.

Pasta with Broccoli Goat Cheese Pesto

Love broccoli. Mini green trees, who wouldn't love them. But what do you do with the stems? I feel like it is a waste to throw it out, however it is woody and a big stringy so not the best part to just eat raw.

Why not hide it somewhere, but let it still feel like it is important? Like a sauce of some sort. Or a pesto. Excellent idea if I do say so myself!

Red and Golden Beet Salad with Red Onions and Oranges

I found golden beets at the market today! How exciting! Well, it is exciting for me - shut up I know I am a foodie nerd. Listen, I watch the food network all the time and they always use beets with beautiful colour - red, golden, rainbow.. simply amazing. And I NEVER get to do that! One reason is because I am poor, but mainly it is because of where I live. There isn't a whole whack of variety in produce all the time. And that is okay with me, because that means they are not shipping food from all over the world only to rot in my fridge a day after I get it.

Anyways, I found these bad boys and I think they were super cool. So I wanted to show em off in a gorgeous salad. So I did. And I liked it.

It is super easy, light and refreshing. Makes me feel... summery.

Blue Cheese, Fig and Caramalized Onion Crostini

Final recipe with figs here today. A few posts ago I introduced figs as my New Food Challenge #6. Since figs are a delicacy in the student world, I tried my best to stretch my dolla and make 3 different smple recipes. Now I know there are a hundred thousand other recipes that you can do with figs. I tried to pick some easy ones that showcase the true figgy flava. But this is all this poor student can afford for now.  I stuffed figs with goat cheese and drizzled them with honey and thyme THEN I wrapped them in prosciutto and blue cheese and topped with a little balsamic reduction. But I left the best for last. Well my fave anyways. AND they are so pretty. Don't you think? Bring these to your next party and I guarantee a show-stopper moment.

Hoisin and Garlic Baked Salmon

When I visit the parentals, I usually get a care package to take back with me made by my dad. It usually contains chicken, cheese and butter (as if I can't find that stuff where I live ahah). But this time, I got a real treat.

Salmon. 2 pieces to be exact.

 

Which used to be even better, but now I live with my bf and have to share the other piece with him. Dam... so many compromises.

Butterless Butter Chicken

Do you love Indian food? Do you know what restaurants in your area serve the real stuff? The authentic dishes? Do you know how much butter is actually in butter chicken? Do you consider yourself a connoisseur when it comes to butter chicken? Really? You do??

Well good for you.

Because I don't.

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Pizza

Whoa nelly! It is pizza for breakfast again.

You know what the best part of this pizza was? The fact that when I made this I am pretty sure I was drinking a ceasar as a hangover cure... and then I spilt it on the pizza (post picture of course - or probably while I was drinking to juggle a camera and a drink is one hand). And I ate it anyways (clearly I did... I was hungover)

Beet and Goat Cheese Risotto

It's the big V-day tomorrow and I have the perfect dish. Why? Because it pleases both the coupled and singles out there. Hear me out...

Lemon, Asparagus, Pea and Goat Cheese Risotto

Date night again and this time, we are taking things up a notch with the infamous risotto. "Oh no not risotto! Leave it to the chefs in the restaurants!" HA - no way, we ARE professionals, especially if you wear a hat in the kitchen. At least that is what I like to think.....*awkward silence*

 Anyhoo....You know my general rule that anytime I am cooking with wine, it ends up being a special meal because I am not about to use up my weekend fuel on a weekday dinner. But the main reason why this dish is for date night is because it does take quite a bit of time and attention and if I am putting THAT much effort into something, I may as well share it with someone.

Last post I introduced the concept that anyone can make risotto.... which is true...mainly because you can put anything in it and it will taste great. So feel free to experiement, thats what I did and it actually turned out wonderful.

Lemon, Asparagus, Pea and Goat Cheese Risotto
Time: 1 hr.         CPS: 4 servings ($2.61) without wine ($1.86)    L of D: Graduate

•  About 5 Asparagus Spears
• 1-2 cups of frozen peas
• Zest of 1/2-1 lemon
• 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of goat cheese
• 1/2 small onion or 1 shallot
• 1 1/2 cups of Aborio rice
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• Splash of olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Begin by setting up your basic risotto recipe. For detailed instruction, read here for my step-by-step instructions on how to make risotto.

Short form: Heat chicken stop in a pot on the stove. Chop onion or shallot and drop in a pan with olive oil (or butter) over medium high heat. Saute until translucent. Add aborio rice and toast until slightly golden brown. Add wine and all rice to soak up the liquid stirring occasionally. Slowly begin to add chicken stock to rice, one ladle at a time. Add a ladle, allow rice to soak up liquid stirring occasionally, add another ladle. Approx. 30 minutes total so far.

When you are nearing your last few ladles, you can start working on your other ingredients. Chop tough ends off asparagus and cut the rest into bite size pieces. In a frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and toss in asparagus. Toss around in frying pan for only a few minutes, until the asparagus turns a bright green. Remove from heat.

Once you have added the last of your chicken stock, and your rice is nearing al dente (slight crunch) add your peas. They take 1 minute to cook. Add lemon zest and asparagus. Add goat cheese and remove from heat. Give a few final stirs, add salt and pepper to taste and allow the residual heat to melt the goat cheese. No butter needed, goat cheese is creamy enough.

Garnish with asparagus tips and lemon curl so you look all fancy and shit.

How To: Make Risotto

Risotto - are you scared?

Well I'm not so snap out of it!

 Risotto is nothing to be scared of. In fact it is something to love. And a great recipe to have in your back pocket. Why is that? Because it is like a blank canvas on the road to flava town. Add anything you want to it and I guarantee it will taste great. The worst part about it though is that it takes a long time (in a student's world 45-1 hr means 3 chapters read or 2 tv episodes watched online). And you can't set it and forget it.

Balsamic Pear and Goat Cheese Dip

What better way to show up to a party, then with a bottle of wine? Or perhaps a 26er of Jack Daniels? Maybe some Tequila? Or perhaps one BAD ASS dip. 

Although some may prefer some alcohol ... ... hmm... I say I prefer the dip. Well this dip at least. 

Mussel Marinara

It's date night again and instead of going out we are staying in for a romantic meal and a good movie. Now usually we up our budget a little and get ourselves something special, but the reality is, mussels are NOT that expensive. For a 2lb bag here in Ontario, it is only around $5... ya thats right... FIVE BUCKS! Which means there is room in the budget for dessert. Best day ever.

Gnocchi with a Pesto Cream Sauce, Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

A little while ago I wanted to make one of my good friend a birthday dinner. And even though I know she loves me and would be grateful if I fed her a can of beans, I still wanted to do something a little extra special. Birthdays are a time of celebration! Especially those quarter of a century ones .... haha

Yellow Chicken Curry ... with a Ton of Other Stuff

In my experience, a stir fry has been a staple in the student kitchen. It is an easy and quick way to get a whole meal that taste great. But there are only so many stir frys you can handle in a week. So, I turned my attention to curry! Same concept, cooking up a bunch of veggies, tossing it with a sauce and serving on rice. But since I was completely new to the world of curry, I often stuck to the jarred sauces (such as this one which is quite delicious in my opinion). 

Shrimp Pasta with Garlic White Wine Sauce

Do a little dance, make a little love, cook yummy food tonight...uh yea... cook delicious food tonight woo!

Yep that is exactly what I was singing when I was making this dish. Booty shakin and all.