#simplecooking

[nsdkrecipes]

Simple Salmon with Asparagus & Brown Rice: A Nutritious Dinner!

This Simple Salmon with Asparagus and Brown Rice recipe is a quick and healthy dinner option that’s full of flavor! Tender salmon fillets are paired with vibrant asparagus and served over hearty brown rice, making for a balanced meal that’s easy to prepare. Perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep, this dish is both delicious and nourishing!

[calmdownandcook]

Adaptable Quiche

There is no such thing as the “Quiche Police”

Quiche was one of the first things I learned to make when I was 12 years old. My mother had just returned to the workforce and I was learning to cook to help her out. She said a quiche was easy, mostly assembling things rather than actual “cooking”. Over the years this is what I have learned.

The basics of a quiche are pretty simple. As long as your egg-to-dairy-to-filling proportions are consistent, you can do anything you want. Our family’s “norm” was Spinach and Cheese Quiche but I soon realized that you could turn anything you found into quiche filling by peeking into your fridge and cleaning it out.  There is no such thing as the “Quiche Police”. For a 9-inch pie crust, you just mix 5 or 6 eggs and ¾ cup of some kind of dairy liquid or dairy substitute for a base. Then you can go wild with 2 to 2 ½ cups of solid ingredients for flavor and texture. About 1 cup of this is usually cheese but relax, that’s not written in stone. Now all that’s left is the seasoning. You can increase or decrease according to your taste. It can be as simple as salt and pepper. Want to switch onion salt for regular salt? Perfectly acceptable. A couple of dashes of Tabasco? Sure. Now you get it. Go with what flavors you love.

So let’s begin. First, we need some ingredients. You look in the fridge and find some leftover ham from last night's dinner, a bag of shredded cheese you had planned to use for taco night but went out for pizza instead, and some scallions left over from the salad you made for lunch. Now, make a quiche.

Quiche

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

The Base:

1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (or homemade if doing that brings you joy)

6 large eggs

¾ cup any kind of milk (or dairy substitute)

The Flavor and Texture: 

1 cup cooked ham chopped 

1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like best)

¼  cup of sliced green onions (or finely diced onions, any kind)

The Seasoning:

½�� teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Let's start with the crust.  We always had a store-bought pie crust in our freezer, ready to go. I still keep them in my freezer, there is no shame in that. Store-bought pie crust has vastly improved over the years and you save more in stress and clean-up than you gain in saying it’s a homemade crust. If you are using the dough that comes in sheets and unfolds, unfold it and press it into a 9" pie plate, crimping the top edges if desired. This can be done by simply pushing the tines of a fork around the edge or the internet will offer many other ways if you want to get more fancy. If you have the kind that comes already crimped in its pie dish, you are set and ready to go.  

The one cheffy thing I do is blind-bake the crust. It will make a world of difference and is a good skill to have in your back pocket for dessert pies.

While the oven is preheating, cut a square of parchment paper or aluminum foil 2 inches wider than the pie pan you are using and place it on top of your crust. If you are using parchment paper, it can help to crinkle it up into a tight ball, and then open it up again. This will help it fit better into the pan. Gently pour pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice on top of the parchment paper or foil to fill the pan. This will hold down the crust and prevent the dough from puffing up during baking. I like to use dried beans, they are cheap, easy to pour, and spill less than rice. I keep them in a ziplock bag and use them all year. Bake the pie crust, with the weights for 10 minutes then lift out the parchment or foil along with the weights, and put the crust back in the oven for another 10 minutes. This whole process will give the crust a jump on the baking and keep the egg mixture from giving it the dreaded soggy bottom.

In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, dairy liquid, and salt and pepper. A traditional or immersion blender will also get this done efficiently and leaves no trace of the unbeaten egg.

Evenly sprinkle the chopped ham, cheese, and green onions into the blind-baked pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the top. You may find it easier to put your pan in the oven, on a cookie sheet, it will be pretty full.. Makes the transfer to the oven a lot easier.

With the pan on a cookie sheet, bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is completely set. A toothpick inserted into the center of the quiche should come out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. A quiche can be made the day before you need it and will keep for 2 to 3 days in your refrigerator. It’s delicious served cold. 

Now here is the fun part. 

Be brave, go crazy. 

Remember, for a 9-inch pie crust, you want 5 to 6 eggs and ¾ cup of some kind of milk or dairy substitute for the base and 2 to 2 ½ cups of flavor and filling. About 1 cup of this should (or could) be cheese. If you are leaning towards the full 2 ½ cups of filling, go with 5 eggs so you don’t run over the sides.

Here are some other filling variations to try

A 10-ounce bag of chopped frozen (but defrosted) spinach, squeezed dry of all the water, this leaves 1 cup of spinach. 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups 

6-ounce can (¾ cup) of drained crab meat, ¼ cup of thinly sliced scallions, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups

1 cup of sliced sauteed mushrooms. Saute in butter or olive oil. Be wild and add some crushed garlic, plus 1 cup of shredded cheese. Cook the mushrooms on high enough heat to dry them out and there’s no excess liquid. Total solid filling: 2 cups

4 ounces (½ cup) of Goat Cheese, a bunch of chopped chives, and 2 medium onions caramelized. Two onions slow-cooked in butter until golden brown, when properly caramelized will equal about ½ cup. Finally 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 ½ cups 

2 medium sliced zucchini chopped and sauteed in butter or olive oil until some of the moisture is cooked away. 2 sliced zucchini will cook down to about 1 cup when sauteed.1 cup of shredded cheese.Total solid filling: 2 cups

1 cup of frozen chopped broccoli (defrosted and at room temperature) plus 1 cup of shredded cheese. Total solid filling: 2 cups

8 ounces of sliced and cooked breakfast sausage, with cubes of boiled potato plus 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Sliced Poblano Chili, a few sliced jalapenos (as many as the mood strikes you), frozen corn (defrosted and at room temperature) any combination can be used, as long as you stick to the ration.

Random Add-ins to be used at your heart's content as long as you stick to the ratio

½ cup chopped Artichoke Hearts

¼ cup Slice Green Olives

¼ cup Sliced Black Olives

2 tablespoons of Chopped Chives

2 to 3 tablespoons of Pesto

¼ cup Salsa (red or green)

Sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning

Lemon Pepper (instead of salt and pepper)

When surveyed, people on the interweb like this in their quiche.

Purple Onion, Spinach, Goat Cheese

Basil, Smoked Gouda, New Potatoes 

Caramelized Onions, Ham, Asparagus

Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, Spinach

Artichoke Hearts, Feta, Greek Olives

[foodwithrecipes]

Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun is related to Persia. According to Persian terminology, a rose is made up of gul and aab. In this, Read the full recipe

foodrecipesoffical.blogspot.com

[bentay74]

Tonight Dinner. Simple and Delicious Braised Chicken Rice with Braised Tofu and Egg #homechef #dadchef #homechef #dadchef #homecooking #homecook #globaleats #foods #foodporn #foodstagram #instagram #simpleandhealthy #simpleandtasty #simplecooking #asianfoodchannel #gordongram #healthyfood #foodgasm #foodie #nigellalawson #jamieoliver #chefvalerie #eathealthy #fusioncooking #lovecooking #asianfood #chefsofinstagram #truecooks #asiancooking #food_desires (at HUTONG LOT10) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpAejPnvtK-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[alexxis-79]

Brown sugar longan steamed bun

[hle24]

Onion Boil Recipe

There’s something magical about transforming a humble onion into a show-stopping dish that’s tender, flavorful, and packed with savory goodness. The viral baked onion boil recipe has been taking the internet by storm, and it’s no surprise why. With minimal ingredients, a simple preparation process, and a mouthwatering result, this recipe is a must-try for food lovers. Whether you’re a seasoned…

[andujarmavins]

Elevate Your Cooking with These Simple Techniques

[lovebeweird]

For a simple dinner, these Easy Slow Cooker Meatball Subs are great. Set the slow cooker to work, then all you have to do is put the subs together and bake them until they're done.

Ingredients: 1 lb frozen meatballs. 1 jar marinara sauce. 1 onion, sliced. 1 green bell pepper, sliced. 4-6 hoagie rolls. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Instructions: Put meatballs that have been frozen in the slow cooker. Spread the marinara sauce on top of the meatballs. On top, put green bell pepper and onion slices. Put the lid on top and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours. Warm the oven up to 350F 175C after the food is done. Put the split hoagie rolls on a baking sheet. Use a slotted spoon to put meatballs, onions, and peppers from the slow cooker into each roll. Shred some mozzarella cheese and put it on top of each sub. Put it in an oven that is already hot and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles. Enjoy while hot!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 240 minutes

Ralph B

[tobystephensweekly]

This quick braised tofu recipe combines savory and sweet flavors with a hint of sesame. It's a simple yet flavorful dish that pairs perfectly with steamed rice for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients: 1 block firm tofu, drained and pressed. 2 tablespoons soy sauce. 2 tablespoons water. 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. 1 tablespoon sesame oil. 1 tablespoon brown sugar. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 teaspoon grated ginger. 2 green onions, chopped. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish. Cooked rice, for serving.

Instructions: Cube the tofu using a knife. Combine the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. A nonstick skillet should be heated to medium-high heat. When the tofu cubes are golden brown on all sides, add them and cook. After adding the sauce, toss to coat the tofu. Simmer the sauce for five to seven minutes, or until it has thickened, on low heat. Add sesame seeds and chopped green onions as garnish. Serve hot over cooked rice.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Kaleb

[thescavengergirlrey]

With this Slow Cooker Korean Beef recipe, you can make tender, flavorful beef with little work. When you mix soy sauce, brown sugar, and fragrant spices together, you get a savory-sweet sauce that goes great with rice. This tasty meal is easier to serve when you use a rice cooker.

Ingredients: 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast, sliced thinly. 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce. 1/4 cup brown sugar. 4 cloves garlic, minced. 2 teaspoons sesame oil. 1 teaspoon ginger, minced. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. 2 tablespoons cornstarch. 2 tablespoons water. 2 green onions, chopped for garnish.

Instructions: In a bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Place sliced beef in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce mixture over the beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker 30 minutes before serving. Cook until sauce thickens. Serve over rice, garnished with chopped green onions.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 360 minutes

Jeffrey F

[pocketpicasso]

[dheepk]

[calmdownandcook]

Upside Down Cakes

This is the cake that decorates itself

Pineapple? Yep! Blueberries? Got it! What about rhubarb? This is the cake that decorates itself and goes with the flow as far as seasons are concerned. Look to the upside-down cake when you have some glorious fruit but not enough to make a pie. The cake is basically a dense pound cake base and the fruit is whatever calls to you. Old-school pineapple is always nice, fresh, or canned. You could even be hardcore retro and put a maraschino cherry in the middle of the pineapple rings, but let's take a moment and see what happens when you step out of the box and use whatever fruit you want. To begin, choose your fruit. You could even select 2 or 3 fruits. The size and style of your fruit will be determined by how soft or firm you want it to be in the end. The larger the piece, the firmer the bite. Berries will almost always cook down to a jam but should retain their shape. There are no rules to this except for “whatever you want”. For example, I will peel apples or pears but prefer not to peel peaches (it's a pain in the butt). I like to cut the apples, pears, and peaches into 8 wedges because they can be fanned out and I think it's pretty. You can also cut them into 1-inch chunks and form patterns - or just dump them in the bottom and spread them evenly. Frozen cherries are a nice and easy choice but they have to be totally defrosted and patted dry. Cranberries are “holiday-ish” and look so pretty; the only effort is sprinkling them in the bottom of the pan with the sugar. Remember, if you use cranberries, like any tart fruit,  you should increase the sugar you sprinkle under the fruit from 1/4 cup to ½  cup. Take your imagination further by swapping up to ¼ cup of your fruit measurement for any nuts. Walnuts or almonds are nice with almost anything. You can even add in chopped candied Ginger. This is also very nice around the holidays. Embrace your love of citrus all year round by using oranges or lemons. If you slice them paper thin you don’t have to peel them. The peels will “candy” in the sugar sprinkled on the bottom.

Let’s Make A Cake

The Fruit (the bottom and then the top of your cake)

2 cups of fruit (whatever you choose), 

3 tablespoons melted butter,

1/4  cup sugar (increase to ½  if you are using rhubarb, cranberry, or lemons, yes, lemons)

The Cake

1 cup unsalted butter - softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large room-temperature whole eggs

3 large room-temperature egg yolks

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2  cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) 

For the fruit part, generously grease (with shortening or spray) a 10-inch springform pan. Cut out a circular piece of parchment or foil to line the bottom of the baking pan. Place the parchment (or foil) in the pan. Pour the 3 tablespoons of melted butter onto the parchment, and roll around to distribute evenly. Then, sprinkle the ¼ cup of the sugar that goes with your fruit on top making sure to get it evenly distributed. This will end up on top of what you lined the pan with. (Parchment or aluminum foil). Take the fruit you chose and spread it across the bottom of your pan. You can toss it in half haphazardly, as long as you evenly distribute it across the bottom, or you can arrange it like a beautiful mosaic. Just try to keep the fruit in a single layer. 

Now for the base cake, the key is scraping down the bowl. Be meticulous and take your time when instructed to do so. Place your butter in a large bowl (this recipe makes a lot of batter)! I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one or an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy, smooth, and lightened in color.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the ingredients are well combined, again, light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Combine your eggs and egg yolks in a separate, medium-sized bowl. Then add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and ½  teaspoon salt to your egg mixture. Use a fork or a whisk to lightly beat the eggs and yolks until all egg yolks are completely broken up and salt and vanilla are incorporated.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the egg mixture into your batter, allowing it to gradually become incorporated. Once the egg mixture is incorporated, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour to the batter, about ½  cup at a time until all flour has been added. When you no longer see dry flour, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again on medium speed until the batter is a little fluffier, about another minute.

Spread batter evenly and lightly into the prepared pan over the fruit and use a spatula to gently smooth the surface of the batter. Try not to disturb the fruit. Wrap the outside of the pan in aluminum foil on the small chance there is any leaking juice. Transfer to a 350F oven and bake on the center rack for 80-90 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or ideally with a few moist crumbs. This is a long cooking time but it is a big dense cake with lots of fruit.

Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes and then run a knife around the sides (do an excellent job of this so removal will be easy). Don’t let the cake cool any more than this because the sugar on the bottom will harden and will make removal very difficult. Flip on a plate but be wary, the melted sugar and butter you placed on the bottom of the pan will be freakishly hot. Remove the parchment or foil if it turns out with the cake. If any fruit remains stuck to the bottom of the pan, don’t let it break your heart, you can stick them back into the top of your cake and no one will be the wiser.

Make the cake you want.

Don’t let a recipe boss you around. Did you go to H Mart and buy a can of lychee nuts? This would work. Here’s a brief rundown of things to inspire you.

Any orchard fruit is nice and a good opportunity to make a design if sliced into wedges.

Berries are easy but remember to not make too thick of a layer they can lose their shape at the end of cooking.

Bananas work but can be brown and mushy (sorry, I banana-shamed). They are, however, delicious when paired with walnuts.

Rhubarb is one you’d want to increase the sugar that is initially sprinkled in the pan to ½  cup. Arrange in spokes to impress your friends with your artistic talent.

A fig, cut in half, and placed face down is one of the best you could hope for.

Apricots are tasty but often expensive, try canned ones. If the canned ones come in halves, slice them into wedges.

Avoid super watery fruits like any melon or something like a Kiwi. It will water down your cake batter and not necessarily taste good cooked.

Avocados and Tomatoes are fruit but don’t be a weirdo and try these.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream can cover up any craziness that has gone wrong in the fruit pattern. The cake part of this recipe is very straightforward and the fruit is where you get a chance to shine. There are, however, some fun things you can do with the cake batter to turn up the flavor by adding some simple things. Try adding one or two of these flavors during the final mix of the cake. You can add 1 teaspoon of Almond Extract or 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest. A splash (2 tablespoons) of rose water can be very exotic. For some spice, try adding 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and or ½ teaspoon of Cardamom (my favorite). 

Shake off the “pineapple” part of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. You don’t need a ton of fruit and I hope you find this empowering. You are the decider, you are in control.

Mea culpa-

The first time I made this cake for the photo (blueberries and raspberries), I forgot to do the step where you sprinkle the sugar on the bottom of the pan. The cake was fine, maybe not as shiny and pretty, and definitely not as sweet. BUT it was fine. Not the end of the world. Anything you bake and get cake in the end is an achievement.

[dailytrendingtopics]

Boost Your Self-Esteem Through Simple, Soulful Cooking: Akari Hasegawa's Approach to Home Meals

[hartmd]

This Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili is a comforting and flavorful meal perfect for chilly days. The addition of pumpkin adds a rich and creamy texture while enhancing the nutritional value of the dish. It's easy to prepare and makes for a satisfying dinner option.

Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef. 1 onion, chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 1 can 15 oz pumpkin puree. 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed. 1 can 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed. 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes. 1 cup chicken broth. 1 tablespoon chili powder. 1 teaspoon cumin. 1 teaspoon paprika. Salt and pepper to taste. Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro.

Instructions: Add the ground beef to a skillet with chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until the beef is fully cooked. Put the slow cooker on high and add the cooked beef mixture. In a slow cooker, put in diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Also add pumpkin puree and black-eyed beans. Mix things together well. Put the lid on top and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Add shredded cheese, sour cream, or chopped cilantro to the top of the hot dish.

Stacy

[toberziegly]

This flatbread is based on recipes from the Mediterranean and is full of healthy ingredients and fresh flavors. It is simple to make and takes little time. It's great for a light lunch or an appetizer.

Ingredients: 1 pre-made vegan flatbread or pizza dough. 1/4 cup hummus. 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved. 1/4 cup sliced black olives. 1/4 cup diced red onion. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. 1/4 cup chopped cucumber. 1 tablespoon olive oil. 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Instructions: Turn on the oven and heat it up to 400F 200C. Put the bread on a baking sheet that has parchment paper on it. Put a thin layer of hummus on top of the flatbread. On top of the hummus, put the cucumber, red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Add lemon juice and olive oil to the toppings. Add pepper and salt. Put it in an oven that is already hot and bake it for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Take it out of the oven and let it cool down a bit before cutting it. Cut into pieces and serve hot. Have fun with your Mediterranean flatbread!

Erin F