Hectic Holiday (Eating) Season is Upon Us

This holiday season is particularly hectic at our household. Not only are we gearing up for time spent with our family, but we are also hitting the end of Semester (ahh, I remember it well). In a household with one graduate student and one college instructor, we're getting double whamied with Finals (both the taking and the grading). With heads spinning, we can barely think about what to have for dinner tonight, much less holiday gift giving, and I don't know when the last time the dishes were done.

Tempting as it is to bring home fast food, or even $4 frozen meals from the grocery store - we've opted for the healthier, less expensive, easy meal at home (and I'm not talking about a bowl of cereal here folks-- c'mon, we've all done it). No, I'm talking about deliciously easy meals, with easy leftovers:

PARMESAN ENCRUSTED TILAPIA

Ingredients:

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspooons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound total)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º. In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the paprika and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.


Source: Everyday | Rachel Ray

TUNA PUTANESCA & PENNE

Ingredients:

Salt
1 pound penne
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Two 6-ounce cans olive oil–packed tuna, lightly drained
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
Calamata olives, pitted and chopped (a handful) - optional
One 28-ounce can diced Italian tomatoes
Flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (a generous handful)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
   
2. While the pasta is working, heat a deep skillet over medium heat with the Olive oil. Add the tuna, flaking it with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the capers and olives and heat until warmed through, 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, lower the heat a little and simmer for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add a ladle of the pasta cooking liquid to the sauce. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss.
   

   Source: Everyday | Rachel Ray

PASTA FRITTATA

Ingredients:

12 ounces cooked spaghetti
3 ounces sliced green onions (& any other vegetables you want to add)
3 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetable spray or margarine
3 heaping tablespoons shredded Fontina -optional
6 medium eggs
2-1/2 cups half and half
5 teaspoons cornstarch
Dash nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
   
2. Beat eggs, half and half, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg thoroughly until all ingredients are completely blended.
   
3. Blend the spaghetti, green onion, parmesan, and bacon in a bowl until evenly mixed.
   
4. Coat a 1-1/2-quart round baking dish, including walls, with spray or margarine. Empty the spaghetti mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.
   
5. Add the frittata batter to cover the fillling mix.
   
6. Bake in a 350-degree F oven for about 25 minutes until center is set. When center is set, cover the frittata evenly with the Fontina and bake until cheese is golden. Turn off the heat and open oven door. Let the frittata set in the open oven for 15 minutes for the batter to set more firmly and make removing from the dish easy.
   Yield: 4 servings
   

   Source: About.com

GREEK TUNA SALAD

Ingredients:

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted Calamata olives
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 10-ounce bag mixed salad greens, such as Mediterranean or European mix
Two 6-ounce cans olive oil-packed solid light tuna, drained and flaked

Directions:

1. Put the lemon zest and juice into a screw-top jar. Press the garlic and salt together with the side of a knife until the garlic is mashed; scrape it into the jar. Add pepper to taste and the olive oil. Screw on the lid and shake well until blended.
   
2. Put the tomatoes, olives and onion in a large salad bowl. Shake the dressing again and stir about half into the salad. Add the greens and toss. Gently stir in the tuna, then taste the salad and add a bit more dressing if needed.
   

   Source: Everyday | Rachel Ray

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Creativity in the Kitchen

Photo by matthew dean martin.

One really easy way to add a little creativity to your world is by re-introducing a standard dish or meal in a new way. The great thing is, you don't have to come up with it. There are so many great resources out there for fabulous foods, all you need to do is come up with the main ingredient, and Web sites like The Food Network, All Recipes, or Epicurious will do the work for you.

Most all of us grew up eating peanut butter or tuna sandwiches - well, why not enliven the old standards with new twists?

I saw this recipe on Everyday Food (season 1 repeat) & fell in love with it:

Tuscan Open-Faced Tuna Sandwich:

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 (6 ounce) can solid white tuna packed in water
2 TBSP capers, rinsed
1/4 red onion, chopped (optional)
1-2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 TBSPextra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Slice of toasted Sourdough bread

1. Rinse the Cannellini beans and capers
   
2. Drain tuna, empty into a bowl & flake with fork
   
3. Mix Tuna, Capers, Beans, Onion, and Tomato in bowl
   
4. drizzle with olive oil, mix to coat
   
5. Add lemon juice, garlic and parsley, toss.
   
6. salt and pepper to taste
   
7. pile onto toasted sourdough bread

Also good stuffed in pasta shells, or on a bed of lettuce. You can use white wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice if you like & it's just as fabulous.