Deva by Definition

Let's Cook: A Passover Primer

After a long list of some intense posts, I thought I would write something that's a bit lighter. Because it's Passover, I wanted to share with you a recipe for a tasty breakfast, lunch or snack that's both versatile and Passover-friendly: Matzo Brei. The above is my first attempt at Brei this year, and I got my liquid-to-matzo ratio a bit off.

Matzo Brei is almost like a French Toast, but made with matzo. I've also seen it compared with chilaquiles or huevos rancheros, made with tortilla strips. You can make it sweet or savory. My preference is for sweet, drizzling it with honey as breakfast. Made savory with some smoked salmon it makes for a perfect breakfast or lunch (or even dinner). It's simple, easy to prepare, and something you can enjoy throughout the year.

Matzo Brei

This is a simple recipe and one that can feed one or many. The ratio is simple: 1 egg per sheet of matzo. As written, this recipe serves two, but you can increase or decrease to make enough for your crowd.

You'll Need:

• 2 sheets matzo
• 2 large eggs
• butter for your skillet
• Salt
• toppings, including honey, sauteed mushrooms and onions (for savory), smoked salmon and cream cheese, or just salt and pepper

What You'll Do:

1. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. In a medium-bowl, whisk the eggs together with a pinch of salt
2. Run the matzo under some cold water until it is soft but not soggy - like a cracker that's just been dipped into soup. Break it up into small pieces and add it to the eggs, mix well to combine
3. Melt butter into your skillet. Once melted, add the egg and matzo mixture to the skillet and stir occasionally, until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through and the matzo is starting to get a little crispy around the edges.

Serve your brei with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Makes two servings

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Sweet Sunday Breakfast: Pancakes

A Simple Saturday (Recipe Post!)

Sweet Sunday Breakfast: Pancakes

I love pancakes. They are so simple and so delicious, especially when devoured late on a Sunday morning with a hot cup of coffee. Topped with butter and syrup? Divine.

A few years ago, I posted a pancake recipe, but I am convinced this one is better. The pancakes are light and fluffy, thin and versatile. My previous pancake recipe was heavy on the baking powder, but this one is lighter, giving them a flavor not unlike some of my favorites from a restaurant. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe for pancakes as much as I do.

Simple Pancakes

Makes 4 servings of 2 pancakes.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg

What you'll do:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-heat on your stovetop. While the skillet is preheating, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk in the milk and egg until all ingredients are incorporated. The batter may be a little lumpy, this is okay.
2. Test the skillet by adding a few drops of water. If the water sizzles and evaporates quickly, you are ready to cook. If not, give the skillet another minute to warm up. 
3. Cooking about two pancakes at a time, spoon the batter into rounds into the skillet, using 3-4 tablespoons of batter per round. Allow the pancakes to cook on the first side until bubbles rise to the surface of the cakes and the edges begin to look dry - approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and allow to cook another 1-2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
4. Remove cakes from the skillet onto a warm, towel-covered plate. Repeat step three with the remaining batter until it is gone. Turn off the stove and serve the pancakes hot with butter, maple syrup, or any other delicious topping. 

Enjoy!

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A Simple Saturday (Recipe Post!)

Make it: A Recipe for Jalapeno Cream-Cheese Stuffed Wontons

A Simple Saturday (Recipe Post!)

It has been a little while since I've posted anything on a Saturday, but I made some kick-ass French Toast this morning and wanted to share my how-to. Now, I know everyone makes French Toast, but this was honestly the first time I really got my French Toast to be dense, firm, and eggy. Normally, my French toast comes out of my skillet a little soggy, and while good, isn't so great when I want to sprinkle it with powdered sugar (or in this case, douse it in butter and pancake syrup).

 

This French toast was quite tasty, and held up to being sliced into triangles quite easily. It also was incredibly simple to make. The recipe as written makes two slices of French toast, but if you want more, double or triple the recipe!

Cinnamon French Toast

You Will Need:

2 Slices Whole Wheat bread
1/2-2/3 cup of 1% milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon of butter

What to do:

1. Heat a medium-sized non-stick skillet over medium heat. In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and cinnamon until very thoroughly combined. Working one slice of bread at a time, coat both sides of the bread until it is soaked through with the egg mixture. I do this by allowing each side of the bread to rest in the egg and milk mixture for about thirty seconds. 

2. Once the bread is thoroughly doused, melt the butter in the skillet. Heat the French toast once side at a time, for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, until the toast is golden brown and firm throughout. 

3. Remove the toast from the skillet, turn the stovetop off, and if you wish, cut into triangles. Serve with your favorite toppings, such as powdered sugar and lemon juice, or butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!

  

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All About Food

Make it: A Recipe for Jalapeno Cream-Cheese Stuffed Wontons

A Recipe for Pan-Fried Breaded Pork Chops

I didn't eat pork until I'd been with The Boy for a few years, and had been making pork for him for at least a year. My first attempts at cooking pork for The Boy were amusing at best - he ate it every time, appreciating my efforts, but I often caught myself wincing as he cut up what looked to me like hockey pucks.


Eventually, though, I learned, and after a while, my curiosity got the best of me, and I fixed myself a pork chop one night to try for dinner. To my surprise, I liked it, but even then, we don't fix pork that often, preferring beef and chicken for our nightly meals. One night, I got the idea to lightly dredge the pork in some breadcrumbs before pan-frying it, and the resulting dish was a resounding success. The pork was moist and flavorful, with some crunch from the breadcrumbs. It was a dish that I've now made several times and eagerly devoured every bite.


This dish is simple and you can make as many or as few chops as you would like. As written, it serves four people, but I have halved it with great success, freezing the remaining pork for another day.


Pan-Fried Breaded Pork Chops

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes



Ingredients:


1 pound thin-cut pork loin chops

1 - 2 cups bread crumbs. You can use plain or seasoned

2-3 tablespoons canola oil


How-To:


1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. You want it to be hot enough to cook the pork, but not so hot it smokes or splatters. 

2. Place the bread crumbs into a shallow dish. Lightly dredge each pork chop in the crumbs, pressing them into the meat. If you need, add additional crumbs to the dish to ensure you can coat all of the chops. Discard any unused crumbs.

3. Pan fry the chops up to three at a time in the oil for 3-6 minutes per side (this will depend on how thick or thin your pork is) until the pork is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, and the outside is golden and crispy.

4. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with barbeque sauce for dipping (if you would like), mashed potatoes, rolls, and your favorite veggie.

A Recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning

Taco seasoning. We all have used it at one point or another, whether it's from a canister at the grocery store, or in a little packet. I used to use taco seasoning from the store until the night we ran out - I forgot to buy some. I had a pound of ground beef cooked, sitting on my stove, waiting to be seasoned, and since I was in a pinch, I used Google. 

That was at least four years ago. I don't remember where I found my first taco seasoning recipe, or the second, or third. what I do know is that the seasoning recipe has evolved through the years to a recipe I feel comfortable calling my own. I always use the same ingredients, but the ratios always vary - sometimes I like it with more spice, sometimes less cumin, but the basic recipe will always remain the same. Recently I've been cooking without measuring the seasonings, but today I decided to measure my ingredients so I could share the recipe with you.

This seasoning is simple to make and use, and can be made with ingredients that most of us have in our spice cabinets. The cumin gives it a warm smoky flavor, while the cayenne pepper and chili powder add spice. Each recipe makes enough for one pound of cooked meat or vegetarian taco base. 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Makes 3 tablespoons seasoning

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5 Tablespoons ground cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. To use, cook one pound ground beef, diced chicken, or sliced beef until cooked through. Drain and return to heat. Add seasoning mix along with 2/3 cups water, mix until all of the meat is coated with seasoning and simmer until the sauce is reduced, approximately five minutes. Enjoy!

What is a recipe you make all the time?

My Favorite Recipe Resources

It's no secret that I love to cook and bake. I make most of our meals from scratch, finding recipes that I love and filing them away for future meals. My friends often ask me what cookbooks I keep on hand, anticipating that I have several, but in fact, I only have a few (though I want many many more). This is as much due to preference as economy, but those few cookbooks have been well-used and well-loved. My cookbooks are not the only place I turn to when I am looking for a good recipe, so I thought I would share just a few of my favorite recipe resources.

Cookbooks: As I mentioned above, I do turn to cookbooks quite frequently. I only have a few but it's because they have proven themselves to be reliable time and again. The three I have are Veganomicon, Everyday Foods: Great Food Fast, and Rachael Ray's 30-Minute meals for All Occasions. I love these cookbooks for their collections of classic and creative cuisine, and they hold a few of my most-cooked recipes: mini meatloaf, chickpea cutlets, and chicken with Dijon mustard cream sauce. I love the Great Food Fast cookbook for being organized by seasons instead of just cuisine, and I love that the Rachael Ray cookbook is organized from simple small meals to ones you might serve for a dinner party.

Magazines: When we bought our house, my mom got me a subscription to Everyday Food magazine, and I look forward to its arrival every month. Each issue is filled with delicious, simple, seasonal recipes designed to appeal to a variety of tastes. I don't always get to cook from an issue right away, but I keep them filed away for those days when I just don't know what to make. Earlier this year a delicious recipe using winter vegetables, chicken, and bacon was a huge hit, and the deserts are always amazing.

In addition to Everyday Food, I do some cooking from Real Simple magazine, with my favorite being their beef stroganoff recipe. Like Everyday Food, the recipes in Real Simple are easy and quick to prepare without lacking on flavor or creativity. If you are ever stuck in a food rut, I'd recommend either of these to help break out of it.

Websites: Of course, my biggest "cookbook" is the internet, and I have found several recipes I turn to over and over by simply googling what it is I want to make. I do have a few websites I turn to often for new ideas and recipes, including AllRecipes, Eat, Live, Run, and Smitten Kitchen, but there are so many recipe resources out there that I would miss many if I tried to list them all here. Smitten Kitchen has given me my favorite zucchini bread recipe, and Eat, Live, Run has supplied me with a good chicken chili recipe that I adore.

I know that there are countless recipe resources out there, and I have only touched on a few. If you are looking for a new cookbook or a new recipe and haven't checked out any of those that I've listed, I highly recommend you check them out. If you have a suggestion for a cookbook, website, or magazine I haven't listed here, please share it in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you all!

Simple Crock Pot Pulled Pork or Crock Pot Pulled Chicken

When I first started dating The Boy, I knew that pulled pork existed, but I didn't eat pork then. My mom made (still makes) amazing crock pot barbeque beef that growing up I loved to eat on rolls for dinner, and then for lunch later in the week. When we moved to Cincinnati, I discovered, amazingly, that a local restaurant had pulled barbeque chicken on their menu as an alternative to pulled pork and I loved it. Still do, for that matter.


Recently, however, I've made the plunge into occasionally eating pork and decided to try my hand at preparing both pulled pork and pulled chicken, all with the aid of my crock pot. I love how simple it is to put most of the ingredients into my crock pot in the morning, switch it on, and come home to a house that smells delicious. A few quick steps and an hour later and dinner is ready and on the table without having to do a lot of work! My recipe for the pulled pork (or chicken) is simple. I don't yet make my own sauce but I hope to someday soon, but it is delicious. The best part? Leftovers the next morning. Sadly, I do not have any pictures of this delicious recipe, but I will take some next time I prepare it!


Pulled Pork or Chicken

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 8-9 hour


Serves 4 (and there will be leftovers)


Ingredients:


1 pound pork tenderloin or 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups barbeque sauce (I use Hickory Brown Sugar by KC Masterpiece)


How-to:


1. In a large crock pot, combine the pork or chicken and the chicken broth. Turn the crock pot on low, cover, and allow to cook for 8-9  hours or until the meat is cooked through and pulls apart easily.


2. Using two forks, shred the meat into pieces and mix with the broth. Add the barbeque sauce and mix well. Allow the meat to cook along with the sauce for at least one hour. When ready to serve turn the crock pot off to avoid burning.


3. Serve on your favorite sandwich roll. Refrigerate leftovers immediately and enjoy them! We enjoy our sandwiches alongside oven-baked frozen onion rings or some crunchy potato chips!

Recipe: Cheese Quiche

Recently, I attended brunch-themed potluck dinner. Being a fan of savory brunch food (though I have nothing against pancakes), I struggled with determining what to bring: did I want to bring an egg casserole? French toast bake? Then it dawned on me: I could bring a quiche.

You see, growing up, my mom would make quiche infrequently, but when she did it was a meal I couldn't wait to sit down to. The house would be filled with the warm aroma of baking pie crust and eggy filling, and each warm, cheese-filled bite was perfection. The only thing better was eating the leftovers cold the next day. A quick search led me to a recipe similar to the one she still uses today, and after a few adjustments to the recipe, I had a delicious, savory, cheese-and-custard pie baking away in the oven.

The quiche I grew up with and made is very simple - just eggs, milk and cheese, but you can add some finely chopped onion, bacon, or even broccoli if you want. To make things a bit easier (and because I am terrible with making my own pie crust) I use a frozen crust, but if you'd prefer, you can go crust-free or even make your own!


Swiss Cheese Quiche

Adapted from The Betty Crocker Cookbook



Serves 6

Preparation and cooking time: 1:15

Perfect on a cold fall evening for dinner, or as leftovers for breakfast, this quiche is both simple and versatile. I use 2% milk in place of half and half to make it a bit lighter. Half and half or cream amp it up to the next level of decadence. Enjoy!


You'll need:


1 deep dish frozen pie crust (I use Marie Callendar's)

5 ounces grated swiss cheese

4 large eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper


1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Place the pie crust onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle four ounces of the cheese into the bottom of your pie crust, reserving one ounce for later.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, lightly beat together the eggs before whisking in the milk. Whisk until combined, then stir in the salt and pepper.

3. Pour the filling into the pie crust until it just reaches the top. Place into the oven and bake for 55 minutes before sprinkling the top with the remaining cheese. Bake for another 5-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Let the quiche stand for ten minutes before serving.

I enjoy my quiche with crusty bread and lightly steamed vegetables or a lightly tossed salad. I love it even more as cold breakfast the next day. Enjoy!

Ginger-Soy Chicken Stir Fry with White Rice

Occasionally, things come up and The Boy and I don't have time to get to the grocery store until we've run out of most of the things we need to make a meal. This was especially true on Wednesday night, when we found ourselves staring into our fridge at dinner time, not knowing what to make and only seeing milk, juice, condiments, and chicken. We had no vegetables and just a few strawberries. We did, however, have the condiments, chicken, and in the pantry - rice.

With that knowledge, I started working on whipping up a delicious but simple chicken stir-fry with a ginger-soy sauce that we would enjoy over some medium-grain white rice. Now, I know that brown rice is better, nutritionally, but we both prefer white. We aim to get mostly whole grains and lots of veggies, so I think the occasional bowl of white rice and slice of delicious white bread is perfectly fine.
This whole meal came together in twenty minutes.

Ginger-Soy Chicken with Rice

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6 boneless, skinless chicken tenderloin pieces, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh grated ground ginger
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup uncooked medium grain white rice.

Directions:

1. In a large saucepot, prepare the white rice according to the package instructions.

2. While the rice cooks, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken and saute, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, approximately 10 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, ginger, sriracha, and sugar. Add the sauce to the chicken and toss to coat. Continue to stir the chicken while the sauce evaporates and when the sauce has fully coated the chicken and has reduced by half - about two minutes - remove from heat and turn your burner off. Do not walk away from the pan after adding your sauce as the sugar can burn very quickly.

4. Serve the chicken over the rice. Enjoy. If you desire, you can saute some frozen stir-fry vegetable mix to enjoy with the chicken and rice. As we were out of everything vegetable-like, we enjoyed this as simply chicken and rice.

Dinner for one: A recipe for Tofu stir-fry in a ginger-soy sauce.

The Boy, as I type this, is heading home from the airport. He was gone overnight on a business trip – which meant that tonight I got to fix dinner all for myself. Normally, this can be a challenge, and when he goes out of town I often find myself living off of leftovers, soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, when he went to Japan last fall, I made a stronger effort to get creative in the kitchen when he goes out of town, and tonight, my dish was a winner – one in progress, but still very delicious.

When we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake last month, we stopped in a small shop that sold all sorts of spices, sauces, dips, and jams, and while there I stumbled upon possibly the best form of ginger I have ever eaten.

The ingredients: ginger and vinegar. It’s hot in the way that ginger is hot, and I thought it would make a delicious addition to a tofu stir-fry for dinner, so that’s exactly what I made.

Tofu, veggies, ginger and soy sauces, and just a touch of brown sugar served over rice. It was delicious. A little milder than what I expected, but still fantastic. I looked online to see if the SoHot sauces are available in the States, and they appear to only be available in Canada, so next time I make it I may experiment a bit with fresh ginger. This made a LOT of stir-fry – I have leftovers for at least one more meal, if not two. It’s still a work in progress, but this is the recipe.

Serves 2-3

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2 cups assorted fresh or frozen veggies. I used carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms for this one

2 tablespoons grated ginger, or 2 tablespoons ginger sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon oil

To Make:

1. Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it’s warm, carefully add the tofu. Allow the tofu to cook, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown, approximately 8-10 mins. Add the vegetables, tossing them with the tofu until they are heated through and crisp-tender, which will take 3-5 minutes

2. While the tofu is cooking, combine the ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small dish. Once the vegetables and tofu have finished cooking, add the sauce and toss to coat. Add the water to thin the sauce slightly if you need additional. Stir frequently until the sauce is mostly thickened and evaporated, two minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

The sauce will be mild, sweet with hints of ginger and soy and is superb. For stronger flavor, you can add more soy or more ginger. I like eating mine with a little soy sauce sprinkled on top.

Enjoy!