Winner Winner Chicken Dinner for the Brain Dead

You all know that yours truly respects the time limits we all have in our lives, especially when it comes to pulling together a tasty dinner that you can get on the table in lickety split time.  This is, of course, especially important for us Thursday brain dead-ers.

This recipe has simple ingredients that you likely have on hand.  Five ingredients, one pan and you have a great and generous dinner for 2.  Think of it as a very loose fake paella of sorts.  You can definitely make it with rice and even add shrimp to round it out if you'd like.

Even if you're feeling lazy and have zero energy, you can do this!  So get started already!  You're hungry, aren't you?

Here's what you'll need:

                               2 medium boneless chicken breast halves

                                          1/2 C orzo

                                          1 540 ml can chopped tomatoes

                                          1 medium onion

                                          1/2 C baby peas

                                          (olive oil)

                                          Watch the how to video here:

 

And there you have it!

15 minutes of effort

for this easy peas-y (literally!) one pan chicken dinner!

Chinese Eggplant and Italian Sausage? Yes!

I looove eggplants.  There are so many varieties of them around...

(Credit: www.bonappetit.com)

For more information on how wonderful eggplants are for you, click here.

My hands down favourite is the Asian (Chinese or Japanese), eggplant.  Tender and fast frying without the addition of tons of oil like other varieties, its subtle taste can win over the non-eggplant lover. 

I love Chinese eggplant dishes.  This is one of my absolute favourites.  Try mixing it up by adding or substituting shrimp in it.  If you want a complete Chinese dinner,  make my fried rice and pork and pepper dishes (click on them for links to recipes).  Just don't get too good at it or else your family and friends will be calling you for take-out!

Here's what you'll need:

                                      4 Chinese eggplants
                                      1 lb. Italian sausage
                                      2 garlic cloves
                                      2 green onions
                                      1/4 C soy sauce
                                      1/4 C hoisin sauce
                                      2 T rice vinegar
                                      2 T canola oil
                                      1 T sesame oil

(By the way, in the video, I say 1/2 C of soy sauce.  

Ignore my faux pas.  It is, indeed, a 1/4 C!)

Watch the how to video here:

Yummy!

Sausage with silky eggplant in a soy hoisin garlic sauce!



Gnocchi with Sweet Potato and Sage

I love gnocchi.  These delicate little Italian potato dumplings are like a little taste of heaven.  Throw some butter, sage and sweet potato in with them and you have wonderful combination of flavours - sweet, herby and creamy, all in one great dish.

 

You can try making gnocchi from scratch but frankly, the vacuum packed kind that you can get from the grocery stores these days are not only super affordable but are also quite excellent in quality!

 

For under $10, you have a satisfying and delicious dinner for 2!  Throw in a nice green salad and some lemon gelato to round out your meal.  Oh, and by all means, why not indulge in a glass of robust red wine!  Aren't you dying to get started?  I know you are!

 

Here's what you'll need:

                                     1 500 gm package gnocchi
                                     1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
                                     1 bouquet sage, leaves removed, chopped
                                     1/4 C + 2 T butter
                                     2 T olive oil
                                     Parmesan cheese

                                     To prepare the sweet potato:
                                     Toss cubes in olive oil.
                                     Spread on  cookie sheet,
                                     separating cubes from each other.
                                     Roast in  350 degree oven
                                     for about fifteen minutes.

Watch the how to video here!

 

Here it is...

The delicate taste of tender gnocchi dumplings

with roasted sweet potato and butter fried sage,

topped with the robustness of parmesan!

What a combo!

Buon Appetito!

20 End Tables of Note

It's Home Day Fridays!  Time to shop this weekend? Maybe you're ready for a little accent piece?

These tables are the end!  Well actually, end tables!  They are important pieces of furniture and are wonderful accents to your room.  They also act as hosts to your various living needs: a place to set the remote, your evening cup of tea or perhaps a book.

There is an end table for every budget and style to suit your needs.  Below are 20 selections that caught my eye and that I hope will inspire you to see what "end" you can go to.

And by the way, don't be afraid to mix and match to create your own look.  We don't need to be "rule kittens" and have everything matchy-matchy all the time, now, do we?

 

Geometric tempered glass table ($300)

Wood and Metal Accent Table ($150)

 

Antique Silver 3 Drawer Mirrored Night Table ($300)

Round Espresso Wood Accent Table ($200)

 

Makayla Mother of Pearl Accent Table ($270)

 

Kayla Antique White Accent Table ($150)

Marilyn Mirrored Round Accent Table ($399)

Bailey Poppy Red Accent Table ($150)

Zarah Gold Mirror Top Accent Table ($270)

 

Ericson Pecan Finish Round Side Table ($427)

 Chrome Finish Ceramic Cone ($336)

Square White Lacquer Balbo Side Table ($522)

 

Gold and White Iron and Marble ($1173)

 

 Langley Branch Gold Leaf Table ($608)

 

 Mallory Oval Glass and Nickel End Table ($421)

Jonathan Adler Meurice Antique Brass Tray Table ($690)

 

Hidden Treasures Round Cream Accent Table ($242)

 

Novo Antique Brass Starburst Accent Table ($550)

 

Corinth Scroll Brass Accent Table ($620)

 

Caper Tiered Square Glass Brass Antique Table ($710)

Guacamole for the Brain Dead

Why pay for a tiny tub of guacamole when you can make a mound of the real thing in minutes?  You + your food processor = guac in minutes!  The processor is a Brain Dead Cook's best friend.

This is my personal blend of simple ingredients for an authentic dip.  And it's soooo good for you too!

Here are some fun facts about avocados (Source: WebMD)

"Avocado Varieties

There are more than 80 varieties of avocados.

The most common is the year-round Hass

avocado, whose original mother tree still

stands in California.

 

Alligator Pear

The avocado is also known as an alligator

pear, because of its shape, green skin, and

rough texture of the Haas variety. (The

Florida avocado has a shiny, smooth surface.)

 

Avocado Production

The two main U.S. producers of the fruit are

California and Florida. The Golden State far

outranks the Sunshine State, however, with

more than 6,000 groves accounting for about

90% of avocado crops.

 

Avocado Nutrition

Avocados are a good source of fiber,

potassium, and vitamins C,K, folate,

and B6. Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15

grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and

only 2 grams saturated fat. One globe

contains more than one-third daily value of

vitamin C, and more than half the day’s

requirements of vitamin K.

 

Avocado in Salads

Consider adding avocado or avocado

oil to your salads. Recent research shows that

antioxidants such as lycopene and beta-

carotene are better absorbed with the healthy

monounsaturated fat avocados have in

abundance.

 

Super Bowl Guacamole

What would guacamole be without avocados?

On Super Bowl Sunday, Americans eat about

8 million pounds of guacamole. For Cinco de

Mayo, the tally is closer to 14 million."

 

So the mighty little avocado is truly worth

your efforts on a Brain Dead Thursday!
 
(Now please forgive the lack of pictures on

this post.  It was Cameraman Dave's and my

anniversary so time was tight!)

 

Here's what you'll need:

                                    2 ripe avocados

                                    Juice of 1 lime

                                    1 medium tomato

                                    2 trimmed green onions

                                    1 garlic clove

                                    1/3 C cilantro, packed

                                    1/2 t coarse salt

 

In your processor in this order:

Add lime juice, salt, garlic, onions and cilantro.

Process until fairly smooth.

 

Cut tomato into 6 wedges.  Halve each wedge.

 

Cut avocados into quarters.  Remove peel, of course.

 

Add tomato and avocado to processor.  Pulse until it reaches a consistency you like.

 

Blend through with a spoon.  That's it! 

A dip dripping with dietary delights:

Nutritious, easy to make and of course, delicious!

 

Simple Chinese Fried Rice

Don't you just love fried rice dishes at your local Chinese joint?  Don't you wish you could make them at home?  Well, you can. 

The ingredients are simple enough but the real trick is to use cold dried out rice -- I know, yummy!  Make sure you use long grain rice.  After it's cooled in the pot, spread across a cookie sheet and pop it into your fridge overnight so it will be ready to prepare for next night's dinner.

What gives fried rice its "authentic" flavour?  For me, it's a combo of 5 spice powder and white pepper.  There are many recipes out there for fried rice but give this a try and tell me you don't love it!

Pair it with the recipe post for Hoisin Pork and Peppers for a complete dinner!

Here's what you'll need:

                                   4 C cooked rice (about 1 C dry rice)

                                   1 C frozen mix of peas and carrots, thawed

                                    (not in the pic because I was thawing them in the microwave!)

                                    2 eggs

                                    5 T soy sauce

                                    1 T sesame oil

                                    1/2 t white pepper

                                    1/8 t five spice powder

                                    1 green onion, chopped
                                    Canola or vegetable oil for frying

 

 Watch the how to video here:

                             Wow!  Holy Olympic stir-frying, Batman!

                              That was a work-out!  But well worth it!

In the end...

Great authentic tasting Chinese fried rice!

 

 

 

 

Hoisin Pork and Peppers

How easy is this dish?  A little chopping, a little frying, some ready made sauces and you have a great authentic tasting Chinese dish in minutes!

 

I used pork but you can easily use beef or chicken for this recipe. 

 

I wish I had had some unsalted chopped peanuts or cashews on hand as a garnish.  By all means, have this as an add on if you like nuts.

 

Pair this dish with my Simple Chinese Fried Rice for a complete meal!  Yuuum!

 

Here's what you'll need for 2 people: 

                                  3/4 lb (750 gms) pork loin, cut into strips

                                  1 red pepper cut into strips, then halved

                                  3 large mushrooms cut into thin slices

                                  2 T hoisin sauce

                                  2 T oyster sauce

                                  1 green onion, chopped

                                  Canola or vegetable oil for frying

                                 

                                       Watch the how to video here:





 

Sweet hoisin pork, crunchy red peppers & silky mushrooms...

Don't you just want to dig your chopsticks into this?

I know you do!