Breakfast Casserole

Adapted from Food.com (http://www.food.com/recipe/breakfast-casserole-supreme-35775)
Ingredients
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 (24 oz) bag frozen hashbrowns (cubed not shredded)
12 eggs beaten
1/2 - 1 lb sausage, ham, or bacon, crumbled or cubed and cooked
2 C cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Spray a 9x13 pan.
Spread frozen hashbrowns on the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle chopped onions on top.
Add salt and pepper.
Sprinkle meat on top.
At this point you can continue or put the casserole in the fridge overnight.
Pour beaten eggs over top.
Sprinkle cheese over top.

Bake at 350F for about an hour or until the eggs have set.  Serve with salsa or ketchup.

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients (can't remember where I got this recipe from...)

• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef/pork
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Chile pepper sauce to seasoning (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground meat, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
2. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

(not my picture, but they do look like this!)

Creamy Avocado Pasta

This is  an easy, vegetarian/vegan substitute for fettuccine alfredo and is ready in 15 minutes!

Adapted from here: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/

Ingredients:
1 medium avocado
lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon + zest if desired
2 garlic cloves
kosher salt to taste
2 T extra virgin olive oil
6oz pasta of your choice -- I usually use whole wheat fettuccine or spaghetti
fresh ground black pepper

1. Prepare pasta to al dente.
2. To make sauce: combine garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and blend in food processor until smooth.  Add pitted avocado and salt.
3.  When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain and add sauce. Mix until combined.  Add black pepper and lemon zest.

Note:  It does not keep well, so make sure to eat it in one sitting!  This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Sweet pulled pork - Crock pot

Sauce
1/3 c. ketchup
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 can root beer/cola
1/2 c. bbq sauce
2 t. ground mustard
2 t. brown sugar
salt & pepper

Optional
sriracha
white onions
shredded cheese

Not optional
1 small-medium pork roast

Mix all sauce ingredients in a slow cooker.  Measure by eye and adjust to fit your preferences or what you have on hand.  Add pork roast, cook on low for at least 6 hours.  Sauce will thicken. 

Spicy black bean quinoa salad

In a medium/large bowl, prepare dressing.  Toss in salad ingredients, chill before serving.  Makes about 8 side servings.





 Salad
1-2 c. quinoa, cooked and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 cups corn (or 1 bag frozen)
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno OR 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
1/4 fresh coriander OR 1/8 cup dried

Dressing
3 small limes, juiced
1 t. cumin (optional)
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Haandi Chicken

This recipe comes from a good friend whose judgement I generally trust, however, I was skeptical. I needn't have been. Ah-May-Zing!
We always double this recipe, but we have a billion children.

Pardon the terrible picture. Hey... even ugly food can taste good!

Haandi Chicken
1lb chicken, cubed
2 onions, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz coconut milk
2 Tbsp sour cream (we use Plain Greek Yogurt as it doesn't bother my Lactose Intolerants)
1 tsp each: coriander, chili powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic salt
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
8 oz pineapple pieces
1/2 c cashews
Red pepper flakes

Cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until just tender. Add chicken and cook until browned. Don't over cook (about 2-3 minutes). Add all spices except cilantro and pepper flakes. Add coconut milk, sour cream and pineapple. Simmer on low about 4-5 minutes but don't let it come to a full boil. 1 minute before serving add cilantro and red pepper flakes. Serve over rice. Garnish with cashews (my favorite part!).
Haandi Chicken

The Rules...and some yummy fish

Here it is...the inaugural Eng Family Food recipe posting! I'm so wracked with indecision, I need Marion's decision matrix to pick a recipe! But first, the rules (you know how we love rules):


1. You must have ACTUALLY TRIED the recipe to submit it.
2. Indicate any CHANGES to the recipe you made (or just post the recipe as you made it).
3. LABEL your post (in the sidebar to the right) with the main ingredients, allergens, or other important features to make searching easy.
4. Pictures are AWESOME, though not required :).


That's it, folks! The simpler, the better! So without further ado, here's my first submission:

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia


I tried this one a couple weeks ago and looooooved it.  We served it with rice and steamed broccoli on the side, but anything could work.  The result was super flavorful, fast (approx. 20 minutes, start to finish), and light (great for a hot summer day). Five stars!

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

serves 2

1 pound tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated, about 1 tablespoon
1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional - I did not use)
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup white wine (I substituted water)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (easy on the sesame oil...)
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish

Heat the oven to 475°F. Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and lay in a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.

Put the garlic, grated ginger, chopped jalapeño (I omitted), and cilantro in a small food processor with the white wine (or water), soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whir until blended. (Alternately, you can finely chop or mash the aromatics in a mortar and pestle, then whisk together with the liquid ingredients.)

Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. It will be very moist and even a little gelatinous still.

Serve immediately over brown rice or orzo, garnished with the additional scallions and cilantro.

here's the original blog post:
Ginger-Cilantro Baked Tilapia recipe