Tofu Parmesan

Sometimes, I just crave something different and light and when I saw the package of tofu at the grocery store ($2.00 to serve the entire family...!?!?) I thought it would be a nice change of pace. Also, I had no idea how good for you tofu was. Not only does it contain a ton of protein but its loaded with iron, magnesium, and tons of other essential vitamins. I'm not saying I want to replace all of my steaks with tofu, but its good to eat occasionally and, and feels like a good meal to have leading up to the gluttonous holidays.

This preparation is so simple and it is really tasty. The flavor of the herbs carries through and the texture is meaty and firm but also has nice crispy edges.

This meal is super easy and was on the dinner table in under 20 minutes. I used extra firm tofu so it didn’t take much to squeeze out the excess water (placed between paper towel and then under a stack of dinner plates for 10 minutes) and sliced it into 4 portions. A light dusting of corn starch, bread crumbs, Italian herbs, salt and peppe and then pan fry for 5 minutes per side. Another 5 minutes under the broiler. So simple!

What you need:

1 lb of extra firm tofu

corn starch

salt and peper

Italian herbs

Breadcrumbs

1 cup marinara sauce (always Rao’s in this house)

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese ( the sandwich slices of mozzeralla work well here)

Fresh basil and/or parsley to garnish

I mixed about 3 tbsp corn starch with 2 tsp Italian herbs (oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary mix) and 1 tsp salt/pepper. Very lightly coat each slice of tofu in the mixture on all sides. Then sprinkle over breadcrumbs and press down to adhere (in hind sight, grated Parmesan cheese would be a really good addition to this mixture, will try next time. Place in a skillet (medium-high heat) with about 2 tbsp canola oil and fry 5 minutes per side or until tofu is nicely browned and crispy (the tofu doesn’t need to reach a certain temp, its all about the crispness we are trying to achieve). Do not over crowd your pan or it will slow down the cooking time. Be very gentle in the flipping process so the breadcrumbs don't come off. Meanwhile, place half of your marinara sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish. When the tofu is finished frying, arrange evenly on top of your marinara. Pour the remaining marinara over the top and next add your mozzarella on the top. Place under the broiler in your oven until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Top with fresh herbs and serve. This goes really well with roasted spaghetti squash or broccolini.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is that friend you can sit next to without saying a word but still feel relaxed and content with their company. It provides solace on a crummy day and thankfully I have a recipe that is really easy to make if you keep a few key ingredients on hand.

First you need some leftovers from a rotisserie chicken (or you can double the recipe and use a whole one). You also need the jelly from the bottom of the container, the congealed chicken juices are crucial to providing flavor. I talk about Borsari seasoned salt a lot, it may seem expensive but a little bit goes a long way. The citrus blend has lemon peel, garlic, basil, rosemary, and a pinch of nutmeg. It's wonderful. This recipe can be easily adapted based on what you have on hand and your needs, use it as a guide.

What you need:

1 lb of shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken plus the congealed juices from the bottom of the container.

1 stalk of celery plus leaves, finely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Borsari citrus blend

1 tsp dried paisley

2 quarts of low sodium chicken broth

1 Parmesan rind

1 cup of small noodles

salt and pepper

Instead of butter and oil I put a few tbsp of congealed chicken fat/juice on the bottom of a soup pot and add the celery, onion, and carrot. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and soften the vegetables over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 5-7 minutes it should be very fragrant and the onions translucent. Next add the Borsari salt (could sub a 1/2 tsp of lemon zest, dried garlic, and pinch of dried basil, and rosemary, and maybe a 1/5 tsp of nutmeg...rough estimate). Cook for one minute then add the broth and chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Drop in the Parmesan rind and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the Parmesan rind and then drop in the noodles and cook according to their package directions. I used rotini and it took about 8 minutes. Time to enjoy : )

Pork and Hominy Stew

This isn't quite pork green chili and it's not quite pozole but it's a little spicy and a lot savory and such a warming comforting bowl of stew. I love using leftover shredded pork from carnitas or leftover shredded pork from a bbq night. If you don't have leftover pulled pork you could easily make this with one of those spicy cilantro chicken sausages that are easy to find in the store these days or some shredded rotisserie chicken. I love hominy, it adds a good amount of starch to the stew without making you feel like a balloon...but I still added one small can of cannellini beans because they are so tasty.

What you need:

All the leftover pork from the carnitas recipe or you could use leftover shredded pork bbq or shredded rotisserie chicken (1-1.5 lbs)

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

2 jalapeño (carefully remove the seeds if you don't want too much spice)

1 poblano pepper

1 small yellow onion

1 finely grated carrot

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

25 oz can of hominy, rinsed and drained

15 oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup of frozen chopped spinach

1/4 cup cilantro

1.5-2 quarts of chicken broth

Begin by chopping your peppers and onions and adding them to a soup pot with a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Begin sweating them over medium heat stirring occasionally. After about 5 minutes add the spices and chopped garlic, and shredded carrot. Add another pinch of salt and pepper. Allow the spices to become very fragrant and and stir so the garlic doesn't burn. After about 3 minutes add the meat and stir to coat it with all of the spices. Now add one quart of broth and the beans and hominy. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the spinach and cilantro. If you feel it is too thick add more broth. Simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn. Serve with hot sauce, more fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and your favorite cheese. We used Cotija because we had some leftover from taco night, it's really mild and creamy. Enjoy!