Marathon: of Cooking

I am fortunate enough not to have had any major surgeries.  Right now, someone very near and dear to me is recovering from the granddaddy of surgeries and is suffering from nerve pain.  To me, the only thing worse than nerve pain is a combination of nerve pain and no decent food in the house.  So yesterday, I got out a bunch of pots, pans, knives, and dishes, and got to work.

Dish #1: Summery Italian Casserole
4-5 servings of pasta of choice (I went with whole wheat/omega enriched (good for healing) bowtie pasta)
1 cup favorite pesto sauce
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 to 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

• cook pasta according to directions on package
• spread 1 tbsp olive oil on the bottom of a casserole dish
• pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, arrange cooking rack in middle of oven
• I didn't do this in the interest of keeping the flavors simple in case stomachs were sensitive kiddos wanted to try the dish, but I recommend mixing the ricotta with a little salt and pepper, lemon juice, and fresh basil
• arrange pasta, cheeses, and ricotta layer by layer in this order: pasta, pesto, ricotta, then parmesan.
• cover the top of the casserole with a good layer of parmesan, then the bread crumbs
• bake for approximately 1/2 an hour

Dish #2: Teriyaki chicken with stir-friend green beans and soba noodle salad
soba noodle salad
5-6 servings soba noodles
2 large red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
optional: 1 tbsp chile paste
2 tbsp soy sauce or bragg's aminos

• cook noodles according to directions on package
• rinse cooked pasta with cold water to chill, then dress with a small amount of sesame oil to prevent sticking
• mix vinegar, chili paste, and soy sauce in a bowl, then whisk in sesame oil to emulsify
• toss dressing into noodles with bell peppers and onions
• serve cold over fresh greens

teriyaki chicken
2lb favorite cut of chicken.  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and made some tofu for myself, which was delicious with the marinade.
Teriyaki sauce of choice
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil

• cut chicken breasts in half through the center of each breast to have quicker-cooking paillards, pound if desired.  I did not.
• marinate the chicken/tofu in the oil, garlic, and sauce for a minimum of half an hour
• prep grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.  It's too hot here to cook outside, so I used my cast iron grill pan
• cook chicken for approximately 5-7 minutes on each side, or until white and tender in the center.  tofu should get nice and crispy but not black.  I cannot say enough about how disgusting burnt tofu can be!

stir-fried green beans
1.5 lbs fresh haricots verts
4 chopped green onions
2 tbsp sesame oil
soy sauce or bragg's aminos to taste
optional: 1 tbsp chile paste or fresh chili peppers

• pre-heat sesame oil to medium-high in a large cast iron skillet, preferably 2 or more inches deep to catch splatter
• add green beans about 5 minutes before the onions, then season with bragg's and chili paste
• stir, brown, and keep stirring green beans until fully cooked

We kept leftovers of the chicken, tofu, and soba noodle salad, and got to feast on the casserole, green beans, and some amazing green chile enchiladas and spanish rice made by another friend.  It was hard, but I think I did a decent job of keeping portions of each pretty small.  It's a low-mileage week for me, so I need to watch the starch.

The hubby did every single dish and helped me wipe down the counters before we flew down the road to deliver the food.  He also prepped the fresh green beans, what a guy!  I got to come home to a clean kitchen and get ready for the work week.  I am lucky to share my life with such a thoughtful man.