My Grandma's Meat Lasagna

My Grandma makes a very basic meat lasagna that can be easily adapted to suit your tastes. Add or omit whatever you'd like. The basic recipe is eight ingredients but my Grandma usually kicks it up a notch by adding some minced veggies to her sauce. The layers are simply noodle, meat sauce and cheese. If you want to fancy it up you could add spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese layers. Prep is fairly quick (it can be made and assembled up to a day in advance) and the lasagna cooks in under an hour.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 stalk celery, minced (optional)
1 large carrot, peeled & minced (optional)
3-4 large mushrooms, diced fine (optional)
2 14-ounce cans tomato sauce (I use 1 can sauce, 1 can diced)
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (optional)
1 pound of cheese (mozza, cheddar or whatever you want)
9 lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. Brown onions in oil. Add beef. Season with garlic power and Seasoning Salt. Cook until meat is browned. Drain excess fat. (My Grandma doesn't do this but I can't help myself!) Add carrot, celery and mushrooms and cook a few minutes until fragrant.

2. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and Italian Seasoning. Season with salt & pepper. Simmer slowly for 20-30 minutes.

3. While sauce is simmering, cook lasagna noodles in salted water, as directed by package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4. Prepare cheese by shredding or thinly slicing - your preference. I prefer to have shredded cheese for my layers and thin sliced cheese for the top.

5. When sauce has reduced slightly (if it's runny, simmer longer), arrange 3 noodles lengthwise across a baking dish. Cover with an even layer of meat sauce, followed by an even layer of shredded cheese. Top cheese with 3 more noodles, another layer of meat sauce and another layer of shredded cheese. Finish with the last 3 noodles and a layer of cheese slices.

6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees (F) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.


Tastes better than it photographs!

Baked Mac & Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Smoked Cheddar

I was craving carbs last night so I "whipped up" a really quick and simple homemade mac and cheese. It's really not as difficult or scary as it seems. You could make it even more quick and simple by leaving out the onions and bacon, but I suggest you leave them in!

Ingredients:

6 cups whole wheat pasta noodles
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
salt & pepper
1/2 cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
5 sliced bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until cooked al dente (should still be slightly firm to the bite). Drain and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Toss well to coat noodles in oil so they will not stick together. Set aside.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook down until reduced and browned, about 15 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add flour and whisk continually until a paste is formed (this is called a roux). Add milk and bay leaf and continue stirring until sauce thickens slightly (this is a basic French Béchamel sauce). Add shredded cheese a bit at a time and continue to stir until cheese has melted. Add caramelized onion and diced bacon and stir together.

4. Add cooked noodles to cheese sauce mixture and stir together to coat. Pour into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over top and then top with breadcrumbs. Cut 1 tablespoon of butter into 4 small chunks and drop onto top of breadcrumbs in a few places.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and crispy.

This post is linked to Twister Tuesday at GNOWFGLINS.

Lemony Seafood Pasta

Summer is nearly done. Holidays are over, the days are getting shorter, the weather cooler and the rain is falling. Soon we will be cooking butternut squash soup and crock pot roasts. In the meantime, keep the spirit of summer around a little longer with a light, simple and fresh pasta dinner.

I threw this together quickly before heading out to work one night. I put it in a pyrex "to go" container and snapped a picture. It tastes better than it looks!

Serves 2

10 ounces of penne, linguine or fettuccine, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 large shrimp, peeled & de-veined
10 large sea scallops
3 tbsp butter
8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
handful of fresh chopped parsley and basil
fresh grated Parmesan

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

2. Stir in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced.

3. Add shrimp and scallops to sauce pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning seafood half way through, until shrimp and scallops are cooked and opaque.

4. Remove pan from heat and add butter. Stir until melted and sauce is thickened. Toss in tomatoes and cooked pasta. Sprinkle fresh herbs over top and toss gently to incorporate.

5. Divide evenly between two plates and sprinkle with more fresh herbs and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade.

Farfalle with Roasted Tomatoes & Asparagus in Brown Butter

After my success with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce, I thought I would try brown butter again. This time, it is pure butter, caramelized, then mixed with garlic, tossed with fresh roasted tomatoes and asparagus and bowtie pasta and garnished with fresh grated Parmesan, parsley and a drizzle of white truffle oil. Fresh n' Easy!

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living

Serves 4

6 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt & pepper to taste
5 cups cooked farfalle (bowtie) pasta or other pasta of your choice
4 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
White Truffle Oil for drizzling (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tomatoes and aspargus on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Roast in hot oven for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus is tender.

2. While veggies are roasting, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foaming and nutty brown colour. Add garlic and fry, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower heat.

3. When veggies are finished, remove from oven and add to butter & garlic filled skillet. Toss gently to coat.

4. Add cooked pasta to skillet and toss gently to mix with veggies and coat with butter. Stir for a couple minutes until pasta is heated through.

5. Spoon pasta into bowls. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of Parmesan and half a tablespoon of chopped parsley. Finish with a light drizzle of white truffle oil.

The bread in the photo is super delicious Seed Bread from A Bread Affair. Pick some up at the Coquitlam Farmer's Market this Sunday!

Herb & Garlic Penne with Summer Squash

I picked up some local summer squash at the Farmer's Market last week - one yellow and one green. Perfect for a simple and yummy pasta dish. This is a 20 minute meal and can be made even faster if you pre-cook your pasta and pre-slice your zucchini.

Serves 4 (adjust pasta amount for more or less)

4-6 cups penne pasta, cooked & drained per package directions
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 large green zucchini, sliced very thin
1 large yellow zucchini, sliced very thin
3/4 cup shredded or fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (I used lemon basil, yum!)

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat.

2. Add chili flakes, garlic and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

3. Stir in pasta. Add Parmesan and fresh herbs and mix together. Turn off heat and stir until pasta warmed through.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Top with more fresh herbs and Parmesan.

Curried Lemongrass Chicken

The chicken marinade comes from Food & Wine Magazine. Their recipe calls for stir frying the chicken with a calorie rich caramel sauce. I can do without the excess sugar so I just went with the marinade portion of the recipe then stir fried the chicken with aromatics and vegetables. I served it over plain vermicelli noodles and topped it with left over Spicy Almond Dressing. The finished dish was very spicy. If you aren't into spice, omit the chili peppers where you see fit.

Marinade:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Thai chili pepper, cut in half & seeded
1 stalk of fresh or jarred lemongrass, cut in half and smashed (If using fresh, see here on how to prepare it. Follow directions on preparing for soup.)
1 tbsp mild curry powder
2 tbsp sucanat
1 tsp salt

1. Add everything, except chicken, to a shallow bowl and mix together well. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Stir Fry:

splash of cooking oil
1 piece lemongrass, minced
1 green onion, sliced thin
1 Thai chili, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 red onion, minced
marinated chicken, marinade discarded
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced thin then cut into quarters
1/2 large red pepper, diced



1. Add oil to a wok and heat over medium-high heat.

2. Add lemongrass, green onion, chili and onion and stir fry for a couple minutes.



3. Add chicken and stir fry until all sides of chicken are no longer pink. Place lid over wok and let chicken cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and red peppers. Stir everything together. Place lid back on the wok and cook for another 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. (Internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees.)



5. Pour contents of wok over cooked rice or noodles. Top with fresh cilantro.







This recipe was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on July 16, 2010!

Wonton Soup with Baby Bok Choy & Shirataki Noodles

Now that you've made wontons, it's time to make wonton soup. My version of wonton soup is very easy because I use a powdered wonton soup mix (Lee Kum Kee brand). It's probably not good for me (MSG! ACK!) but it's quicker and easier than boiling chicken and fish bones for a few hours to get the perfect homemade wonton soup broth. To make the broth more "interesting", I add in a few aromatics to spice it up a bit. The results are quite tasty.

I also add Shirataki Noodles to my soup, which are gluten free and made from yam starch. They can be found in the cooler section of your local Asian market or specialty grocery store. My package looked like the one on the bottom in this picture:

But I've also seen these ones at IGA in the Asian foods aisle (not refrigerated).

Read a review of the noodles here and here.

Wonton Soup with Baby Bok Choy & Shirataki Noodles:

Serves 2 (entree) or 4 (appetizer)

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 tbsp wonton soup mix (my mix called for 2 tsp per 1 cup water)
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 inch piece ginger, cut in half
2 Thai chilies, left whole
8 pieces of baby bok choy
1 pkg Shirataki Noodles
12 fresh or frozen wontons
1 green onion or chives, sliced thin, for garnish

Directions:

1. Fill stockpot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add wonton soup mix and stir well to dissolve. Add garlic, ginger and chilies. Simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Drain and rinse shirataki noodles under cold water. Add to the soup along with wontons and simmer for another 5 minutes.

3. Add baby bok choy. Place lid on pot and leave to simmer for 5 more minutes.

4. Remove chilies, garlic and ginger. Spoon soup into bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions or chives, if you wish!

Soba Noodle Salad

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

The cast of characters:



Dressing:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp garlic chili sauce
1 tsp sucanat
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp grape seed oil

1. In a container with a tight fitting lid, add all ingredients and shake well to combine.

Salad:

12 oz soba noodles, cooked per package directions and cooled
1 mango, peeled and julienned
1 small red pepper, julienned
1/2 cup snap peas, sliced vertically
2 carrots, sliced then julienned
3 green peppers, sliced thin on a bias
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
prepared dressing (may not need all of it)

1. Place chilled soba noodles in a large serving bowl.

2. Add vegetables and herbs. Toss to combine.

3. Shake dressing again and drizzle 1/2 over top of salad and toss well. Add more dressing to suit your tastes.

Variations:

- Add some cooked, diced chicken or shrimp. Use this sauce to marinade the chicken or try the marinade from my Vietnamese Salad recipe.
- Add fresh, chopped cilantro.
- Kick it up a notch by adding finely sliced fresh Thai chilies.
- Serve the noodles warm and lightly stir fry the vegetables (peppers, carrots & peas) then toss.
- Use rice vermicelli noodles instead of Soba noodles.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I watched an episode of David Rocco's Dolce Vita the other day where he made five different kinds of meatballs. The beef meatballs were made with ricotta cheese and sun dried tomatoes and braised in a smooth and silky tomato sauce. I decided it was a "must try" dish so on tonight's menu: simple spaghetti and meatballs a la David Rocco, served with Terra Breads Italian Cheese Bread.

Meatballs:

1lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 egg
1 cup parmigiana cheese, freshly grated
1 glove garlic, minced
handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Use you hands to get all the ingredients blended and evenly distributed.

2. Shape meat into small balls, about the size of a golf ball, then pat down to form an oval. This will allow for even cooking.

3. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add meatballs to pan and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. We're just looking for a quick sear to brown the meat, not to cook the meat.

4. Remove meatballs from pan and set aside until ready to use.

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

1. Using the same pot that was used to cook the meatballs, add a bit more oil and heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium.

2. Add partially cooked meatballs to the pot and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. Serve sauce and meatballs over cooked spaghetti noodles. Top with more shredded parmigiana cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

Tip:

Save a small amount of the uncooked meatball mix for soup! I used about 3/4 of the mix to make meatballs for this recipe and with the reserved 1/4 mix, I rolled small meatballs (large gumball size) and baked them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. When cooled, I placed in a seal-able container and refrigerated until I was ready to make my soup.

Pasta e Patate

Another day, another pasta dish. You can't beat the ease of preparation when it comes to Italian cooking (usually). Tonight's recipe comes from David Rocco's Dolce Vita on Food Network Canada.

"Pasta e Patate" is a traditional recipe from Naples. It's a very rustic dish that can be served as a soup or pasta dish (by simmering and reducing the broth). It's a very interesting dish. Pasta and potatoes? How odd. But the starch from the pasta and the starch from the potatoes come together to make such a rich, creamy sauce... it's almost like a risotto of the pasta world. It would probably be delicious with some chorizo and diced plum tomatoes. A sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley wouldn't hurt either. You could skip the prosciutto for a vegetarian dish but... I wouldn't. :)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4-5 slices prosciutto or pancetta, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 fresh chili pepper, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups small pasta or broken spaghetti
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese, chopped fine
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, freshly grated

1. Heat EVOO in a large sauce pan. Add proscitto and cook until crisp.

2. Add onion, celery, carrot, chili pepper, salt and pepper. Saute until onions are soft.

3. Add potatoes. Let saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to prevent the potatoes from sticking.

4. Add water, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir then add pasta. Mix together well. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add a little more water, 1/2 cup at a time, as the pasta and potatoes absorb the liquids.

5. Add pecorino cheese. Cook for a few more minutes until cheese has softened and sauce is thickened and creamy. If you would prefer a soup, add more water.

6. Spoon into serving bowls. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with fresh grated parmigiano cheese. Let cool before serving. (David Rocco says it is best at room temperature. I find it too good to let it sit long enough to find out if he's right!)

I served this with a side salad, fresh garlic rubbed toast and a glass of milk, although a dry red would be nice too.

Quick Pasta Dinner

It's my first day off and I'm coming off a night shift. I have no groceries and no desire to cook. This is always my dinner dilemma day. I considered take out, ice cream and skipping dinner altogether but none of those options were very appetizing. Enter the Quick Pasta Dinner. Made from ingredients most everyone would have on hand, even when the fridge is bare. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and could be made in one pot, instead of the two that I use. Pair with a crisp, cold white and you're in fast food heaven - REAL fast food, that is!

Olive Oil, Garlic & Parmesan Pasta:

Serves 2

Pasta of your choice (spaghetti, linguine, penne etc.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed chilies
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (or more if you like it cheesy!)
1/4 cup pine nuts
large handful fresh parsley, chopped (freeze dried or dried works too)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper and salt to taste.

1. Cook pasta per package directions and drain.

2. While pasta is cooking, mince garlic and chop parsley. Toast pine nuts for a minute or two in a dry saute pan over medium low heat, just until the nuts start to brown. Remove nuts from pan and set aside.

3. Heat oil in saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed chilies. Saute for 2 minutes.

4. Add drained pasta to the saute pan and stir together with garlic and chilies. Add pine nuts. Saute for another couple minutes.

5. Remove pan from heat. Add Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. If needed, add generous a drizzle of olive oil.

6. Stir together. Spoon into bowls and top with another sprinkle of fresh parsley and more crushed chilies.

Vietnamese Salad

This recipe comes from an old, old, old issue of Canadian Living Magazine. The recipe is actually called Vietnamese Bun but I changed the name to avoid confusion. In Vietnamese, "bun" is pronounced "boon" and refers to a "fresh, light salad of grilled meat, herbs and rice vermicelli". It's very similar to the flavours of Thailand so it's one of my favourites!

Serves 2 entree salads or 4 appetizer salads

Marinade:

8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water or 8 metal skewers
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 green onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch section of fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
1 red Thai chili pepper, sliced
2 tbsp peanut oil
4 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sucanat
1 lemon grass stalk, peeled, trimmed and bruised with the back of a knife
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Add marinade ingredients to a shallow glass dish and mix. Set aside.

2. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut each piece in half lengthwise and place into the dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Thread chicken accordion style onto soaked bamboo skewers. Place on oiled grill over medium-high heat. Turn once. Cook for approximately 8 minutes until nice grill marks appear and chicken juices run clear.

Dressing:

2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp peanut oil
2 tsp gluten free soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch section fresh ginger, minced
4 tsp sucanat
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
1/3 cup water

1. While chicken is marinating, whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Salad:

8 oz (250g) rice vermicelli noodles
1 5 inch length of cucumber
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil, chopped
1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup bean sprouts
1 carrot, julienned
1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

1. In a large bowl, cover vermicelli with boiling water and soak until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, ensuring noodles are separated. Blot dry with paper towel. Divide among 4 serving bowls.

2. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips then cut those strips again into 1/8 inch strips.

3. On each bowl. sprinkle vermicelli with basil and mint.

4. In rows, neatly arrange lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, bean sprouts and carrots on top of each bowl.

5. Pull chicken off skewers, if desired, and place on top of each salad bowl. Sprinkle with peanuts and remaining basil and mint.

6. While eating, pour a little sauce at a time over the salad and toss to to combine.

Variations:

- To make it fun, place all the vegetables and garnish on a serving tray and allow each person to dress his/her own salad.
- Skip the salad and just make the chicken for a chicken satay appetizer.
- Use shrimp or beef instead of chicken.
- Add diced red chilies for more heat.

Gwyneth's Turkey Ragu

Another recipe from Goop. The first time I made this was just before my sister gave birth to her first baby. I cooked up a big batch of ragu, packaged it up in zip lock containers and sent it to her house to freeze until it was needed.

This time around I tinkered with the ingredients a bit, adding extra veggies and herbs. My changes are marked with an asterisk (*).

Turkey Ragu

1 lb. ground turkey (at room temperature)*
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 medium or 1 large onion, diced
1 stalks celery, diced*
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4-6 white mushrooms, sliced*
2 15 oz. cans plum tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 tsp herbes de provence or Italian herb blend* or 1 tsp oregano* and 1 tsp basil*
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil for sauteing


1. In a sauce pan over medium low heat, saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil. Cook until soft.

2. Add the red pepper flakes and fennel seeds (bash a bit with back of a spoon before adding). Add the mushrooms, basil and oregano.

3. While the veggies are cooking, brown the turkey in a skillet over medium heat. Add the herbes de provence or Italian herb blend.

4. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir well.

5. Add the tomatoes and stir well. If desired, blend the sauce using an immersion blender. I did this because I prefer the texture of a less chunky sauce. It's also a good trick if you have picky kids because the vegetables become "hidden".

6. When turkey is browned and cooked through, add it to the sauce. Mix well and bring to a boil.

7. Add the red wine, stir well then bring to a boil again.

8. Turn the heat down to low. Partially cover the sauce pan. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

9. Taste often and adjust your seasonings as needed.

10. Serve with pasta of your choice. I used a mix of whole wheat and brown rice penne.

Variations:

-Eliminate the turkey for a delicious vegetarian Arrabbiata sauce.
-Turn your ragu into a classic meat-lovers Bolognese Sauce by adding ground veal to your ground turkey.

No Fuss Clean Out Your Fridge Stir Fry

A few nights ago, my first day off and coming off a night shift, I didn't feel like making dinner. It was one of those days where you feel like eating but can't find anything to eat even though your fridge and freezer are full. I kept opening the fridge door, rummaging around and closing the door again. By 730pm I still hadn't made dinner. I had not eaten since lunch and was on the verge of having 2 scoops of frozen yogurt and calling it a night. Somehow, somewhere I found the motivation to cook. I pulled out all my near wilted vegetables, improvised a sauce and made a pretty decent vegetable stir fry.

Make your own No Fuss Clean Out Your Fridge Stir Fry very easily. Use whatever you have.

Mine looked like this:

2 cups broccolini
1 cup snap peas, trimmed
1 cup green beans, trimmed & cut in half
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 white mushrooms, quartered (more would have been nice, but it's all I had!)

For the sauce I mixed the following:

1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp agave syrup
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (like sriracha)
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
pinch salt (because I used low sodium soy sauce and felt the sauce needed salt)

I blanched the green beans and broccolini for a couple mins then added them with the snap peas to a hot wok with a drizzle of peanut sauce. After stir frying for a few mins, I added the onions and mushrooms. After another couple minutes I added the sauce and stirred to coat the veggies, then lowered the heat and simmered for about 8 minutes while the accompanying buckwheat noodles cooked on the burner next door.

Total prep and cook time, about 25 minutes.

For a sauce, if you don't have those ingredients, just add a bit of vegetable broth, garlic and soy sauce to the pan. Or use a bottled stir fry sauce. If you have chicken or beef or tofu, throw that in too. Use whatever veggies you have on hand. Serve it on rice, noodles or all alone.

Stir fry is an anything goes meal. So take whatever you have and go with it! Much more satisfying than 2 scoops, pizza delivery or drive through fast food.

Cat Cora's Seared Scallops Over Buckwheat Noodles

See Cat's recipe here. My version is slightly modified to simplify cooking. You could also use rice vermicelli noodles if you can't find buckwheat noodles.

Serves 2-4

dressing:
3 oz brewed jasmine tea (strongly brewed)
4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup mirin or rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp agave syrup or honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

main:
16 large scallops
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

enough buckwheat or soba noodles to serve your guests

1 cup sliced sugar snap peas or sliced green beans, blanched
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 green onion, sliced, for garnish

dressing:
1. can be made in advance. mix all ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid. store in fridge until ready to use.

main:
1. cook noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse. Place in bowls and coat with some of the dressing.

2. season scallops with salt & pepper. heat olive oil in a pan. sear scallops 1 1/2 - 2 mins per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.

3. toss veggies in bowls with noodles. place scallops on top. drizzle with more dressing. garnish with sliced green onion.

4. slurp your noodles like when you were 6 years old!