In 2017, I’m committing to trying one new dinner recipe per week. Can I stick with it? Time will tell. 😉
My first recipe was a bit of a dud in the sense that it was boring. But week two went better!
This week’s recipe
I tried an Orange Beef stir-fry recipe from my ATK Quick Family Cookbook and 5/6 of us thought it was a winner (person #6 wasn’t strongly opposed either).
So, I think this one is going to go into rotation around here.
Yay!
It is a very, very good feeling when you find a good new dinner recipe, isn’t it?
I’m not much of a recipe modifier, but I added green beans and just sauteed them lightly.
Also, I served the chili-garlic sauce on the side because I tasted a bit and quickly concluded that 4/6 of my family would be crabby with me if I put 2 teaspoons of it in the sauce (so much fire!)
So, Joshua and I added a little at the table, and all was well.
I’ll put the recipe for this up in a separate post so that it’s easy to find in the future, rather than buried in a cooking rut post.
The only bummer about this recipe is that it calls for flank steak, which isn’t super duper affordable. But all the other ingredients are not expensive, and as I always remind myself, even expensive cuts of meat are always cheaper than getting takeout for my family of 6.
(My number one cheap food rule: Cook at home, Kristen!)
Plus, the sauce and beans are cheap, as is the rice I served it over. It all evens out. 😉
Next week’s recipe
I haven’t decided for sure, but I think I’m gonna go on the hunt for a new broth or tomato based soup to try, as I already have a fair number of cream soup recipes.
Your turn!
What new recipe did you try this week? And what are you planning to make next week?
Jean
Sunday 15th of January 2017
Sat. morning I messaged my daughter to see what she would like for dinner as her husband was working an extremely long day and would not be home. Granddaughter chose chicken pie. We usually buy frozen chicken pies, a specific brand, because we like the gravy, but the frozen pies are getting more expensive with less chicken (and this one has no vegetables so it means making sides). Yesterday I picked from two recipes and my own creativity and made a "great", if I say so myself (the granddaughter did) chicken pot pie. (http://www.friendsfoodfamily.com/friends-food-family/2011/02/thomas-kellers-chicken-pot-pie.html and http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-pot-pie-recipe.html) Here is my recipe: Chicken pot pie For 2 children and 3 adults, I used
1 large chicken breast. I pan fried, but could oven roast or boil. 1+ cup pared and cut up potatoes. 1+ cup pared and diagonally sliced carrots (Could use frozen carrot and pea mixture) 3/4 cup sliced leeks. (Could use onions.) about 1/2 cup frozen peas. 2 boullion cubes 4 tbl unsalted butter 2-3 tbl flour 2 cups liquid (vegetable water and stock made in pan that I pan fried the chicken breast). 1/8 cup (or less) heavy cream salt peppercorn thyme bay leaf I used Everglade seasoning
I seasoned the chick breast with Everglade seasoning and pan fried it. While doing that I simmered the vegetables. Now you could do that in individual pans adding thyme (fresh 1 stick or a few shakes), a bay leaf, a few shakes of salt, and some peppercorns. I chose to do each vegetable in the same pot while I was cooking the chicken. I reused the water and saved it at the end of the vegetable cooking. When the chicken was done, I added about 2 cups of water to the fry pan with 2 bouillon cubes and scraped the bottom of the pan. I then melted the unsalted butter in a saucepan, added the flour and stirred while it blended for about 2 minutes, then added 2 cups of hot stock (from the chicken frypan and the vegetable saucepan) and let that thicken slightly, then added the heavy cream and blended. I had sliced up the chicken and added with the vegetables to the pie plate, poured the gravy over the chicken/vegetable filling and topped with a pie crust (homemade or premade). I then brushed with an egg wash. Cooked at 375 deg. for 45 min. Everyone liked it.
Camille
Friday 13th of January 2017
Have you ever tried riced cauliflower instead of rice? It is my new favorite thing!
Esther
Friday 13th of January 2017
So far this month I have tried several new recipes, all from my new ATK cookbook that I got for Christmas (the complete TV show cookbook, a mammoth beast of a book). Filipino Adobo chicken (everybody liked), vegetarian curry (everybody cleaned their plates, even though they didn't rave about it), an Italian soup (a big hit), a lentil soup (very good), and brownies (just took out of the oven). Not sure what I'll make next. . . .
Suzan
Friday 13th of January 2017
Is it possible to share this recipe? Thanks
Karen.
Friday 13th of January 2017
Egg fried rice. So this is not new for normal people, but why pay a guy to make it for me (even if it's super good) when I could do it myself? Got a five-of-seven acceptance rate. The one who won't eat scrambled eggs evidently smelled it cooking, and she told me even before we sat down she wouldn't eat it. And the man of the house who says rice and eggs aren't filling enough enjoyed it but supplemented with a ham sandwich. Which, fine. Excellent solution. He wasn't expected to be here anyway. ;)