What are your thoughts on leftovers?

I am perfectly happy with leftovers as-they-are for lunch (or even breakfast), but when it comes to dinner, I usually want things in a different form.  Which is one of the great things about roast chicken – the leftovers are endlessly adaptable.  Soups, pastas, enchiladas, sandwiches, you name it.

Last night, we went with tostadas.

Grilled tortillas, black beans (homemade this time and on hand, but canned just as often), spinach, a bit of cheese, tomatoes, avocados and my favorite chipotle-lime cream (with yogurt last night).  Combined with some heated-until-crispy leftover shredded chicken.

So easy, fresh and so good – meals like these give leftovers a good name.

I am infinitely curious about what people eat and make for dinner at home.  Not “magazine” weeknight dinners, or even blogs that showcase only one component or require endless time, but real dinners.  To be honest, if I make dinner 3-4 nights a week, I consider that a HUGE success.  I know there will be a dinner or two out, plus perhaps take-out and a ‘single gals’ dinner of popcorn or wine and cheese.  

So every so often, I thought it would be fun to showcase a real weeknight dinner.  Some of course will be more fun than others, but that’s life, right?

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While there are very few things I love more than roast chicken for dinner, I think it might be Billy’s absolute favorite.  That, plus how easy it is, and the guaranteed leftovers means that it is without a doubt the most often repeated dinner I make.

This is the version I most often make – the crispy skin and short cooking time keep it in constant rotation – although I did through a lemon and some garlic in the cavity on a whim.  Instead of my usual green salad with vinaigrette, I went for a super fast riff on Zuni’s bread salad.  Toasted bread, tossed with a warm garlic vinaigrette and pan drippings, plumped currants, pine nuts and arugula.

Perhaps not the healthiest of Monday night dinners (at least not for me, as I think the skin is the main course), but definitely makes for a happy way to start the week.

What is most often in your dinner rotation?

Filed under: Entrees, FOOD & DRINK, Salad Tagged: Chicken, weeknight dinner ]]> http://caitlindentino.com/2012/05/22/weeknight-dinner-roast-chicken-bread-salad/feed/ 3 caitlindentino Roast Chicken http://caitlindentino.com/2012/05/21/weekend-update/ http://caitlindentino.com/2012/05/21/weekend-update/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 16:44:02 +0000 caitlindentino http://caitlindentino.com/?p=4025 ]]>

This weekend was good for the soul… sunshine and friends, good food and a bit of relaxation.  The only problem with weekends like this, is they make Mondays a bit tough.  There was a barbecue in Dolores Park, giant beers and pretzels at the Biergarten, the best spicy crab and garlic noodles at PPQ, ice cream and movie time to start.

But as the weekend left, so did the sunshine. Which, being in San Francisco, I have to get used to as “summer” heads our way.  I think tonight might just call for a simple roast chicken…  That and the promise of a long weekend, might just get us through this week after all.

A few recent conversations with friends, sometimes over morning coffee, other times late into the night, have had me thinking about happiness.  Everyone has a different outlook on things, but more often than not, I try not to dwell on the negatives.  I am optimistic by nature, or more likely, by teaching – my mom is crazy positive, even when you would least expect it.  Of course there are rough patches (hell, some patches seem like they will be indefinite) but even during those times, there can be bits in the everyday that bring us joy.

I read this post this morning, as well as the recent string of Things I’m Afraid to Tell You posts on many blogs, and they were good reminders to that trying to be happy really can help.

I think I am going to pick up The Happiness Project for my next read – and see how it goes.  Anyone else want to join in?

Being not much of a dessert person, it is often a footnote on my menus … just a little something sweet that complements the dinner.  If my husband had his druthers, dessert would be the star, and dinner the afterthought.  But alas, I am the one who likes to cook.

That being said, when looking for desserts, seasonal and EASY are often the two most important factors. I love making simple vanilla ice cream taking cue from the season or menu for a topping, but this time decided to switch it up a bit.  Panna cotta, which is also a cream based dessert, seemed to be the perfect fit.

This one was inspired by Cannelle et Vanille, but adapted from a Food & Wine recipe, as the batteries in my scale were dead and my store only had powdered gelatin.  The cream and vanilla bean give it a lovely richness, but the real star is the yogurt, which gives it a bit of tartness, and in my book “makes it sing.”  Particularly complementary to the season’s sweetest strawberries!

I also love just serving it in simple glasses or ramekins, another notch in the easy belt, versus the traditional unmolded style.

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Yogurt & Vanilla Panna Cotta

Serves 8
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2½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups plain yogurt (good quality or greek)
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
2¼ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (1 envelope)
3 tablespoons water

Seasonal berries, for serving

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In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, yogurt, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until evenly moistened, about 5 minutes.

Uncover the cream mixture and bring just to a simmer over moderately high heat. Remove from heat, add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove the vanilla bean and save for another use. Pour the panna cotta mixture into eight 4-ounce ramekins or small glasses and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the panna cotta is set but still jiggly, at least 3 hours.

Serve in the glasses, with berries.

Optional – if berries aren’t sweet enough, slice and sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of sugar to let macerate.  Serve with berries and their juice.

NOTE:  The panna cottas can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Whoops – thought this went up before I left for vacation, but apparently it did not.  Well. enjoy while I sort out a few photos from Mexico… xx

If it is not yet apparent, friends & dinner is my favorite thing ever – and I particularly love the combination at home.  On Saturday, we had a few friends over and did another version of spring favorites.  You may notice that the many of the ingredients below mimic those found at the first “spring dinner” – some in a new way, some the same.

It was much warmer this time around, so the overall feel was a bit lighter, but definitely just as good.

We started with ...

Fresh Pea & Fava Puree and Ricotta with Lemon Zest
Great with grilled bread - eaten solo or piled together for the perfect bite.  This is the same Jamie Oliver version as before (and several other dinners in the meantime), but with favas too, as they were available at my farmer’s market.  Good ricotta doesn’t need much, but a little sprinkling of lemon zest and a drizzle of good olive oil takes it over the top!

And for dinner ...

Little Gems with Pickled Green Strawberries
I saw the green strawberries at the market, and decided to attempt the same method from a recent salad at Cotogna – with a quick pickle.  I used the same recipe as when I pickled grapes, and added roasted beets and goat cheese to the little gems.  As for the vinaigrette, I added a few smashed ripe strawberries in place of honey for sweetness, and love the ying and yang of it.

Spring Risotto with Preserved Lemon
When looking around for different versions of spring risotto, I found one on Food 52 that added chopped preserved lemons at the end.  I loved that idea, and used it myself — I didn’t follow the whole recipe (which called for Pernod instead of the usual white wine) and just did a fairly traditional version with asparagus and spring peas, but I did sub green garlic and fennel for onions, which made it particularly “springy” too me.

yet, the pièce de résistance (in my book) was the ...

Whole Roasted Brazino with Caper Butter
I have never roasted whole fish before (grilled once) and must say, I am hooked. Super simple but so tender and delicious!  I stuffed it with lemon, fresh rosemary & oregano and followed this technique.  Served it with caper butter and it was perfect!  Added bonus it comes across as quite a showstopper.

And for dessert ...

Yogurt Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
A truly perfect dessert for spring and summer.  In fact, it was such a hit that I had to make it again on Sunday when some friends dropped by.  Suffice it to say, we will be following up with our own post on this one.

Have you had a chance to capture spring yet.  What are your favorties?  And can you believe that summer is almost here?

As salads go, spring versions tend to be lighter, showcasing baby lettuces or the new harvest of the season.  This salad does both, but in an amped up way that nods a bit to the winter right behind us.  This one was made by my friend Catie, and it may be my favorite yet.

First in are carrots (go for the thinner, new carrots if you can) and asparagus, roasted until golden, but still crisp, followed by pickled pink beets and shaved fennel.  Lots of baby spinach and a big handful of dill add body to the mix.  It all comes together with a mustard seed vinaigrette (or rather, a mustard-shallot vinaigrette with coarse ground mustard).

Added bonus is with all those vegetables, it doubles as a salad and a side – which hits a nice note in my book.

When we had this at Catie & Jimmy’s, she served it with herb roasted pork and duck-fat potatoes (crazy-good), but I think it would be equally at home with roast chicken or grilled salmon, on a weeknight or for dinner with friends.

But either way, you may need to finish it off with chocolate-chip bread pudding – she did, and plus, we gotta balance those veggies some how!

In truth, I actually made this a few weeks ago, but I didn’t get a post up before the weather turned sunny and warm, when shepherd’s pie was the furthest thing from my mind.  But today, the rain is back, so here some perfect comfort food, that is actually a bit lighter than you would think.

My friend Catie first made it and raved, so I figured it was worth a try.  Good grass fed beef and thick cut bacon really make it in my mind, as does the cauliflower-for-potato swap.  This wasn’t something I grew up with, but will definitely come into my cold-weather rotation.  I recommend getting in on the table before the sun is here to stay!

Catie’s Shepherd’s Pie
slightly adapted from Catie Grimm

½ pound pork bacon, cut into 2 inch slices
1 large onion, diced (would normally use yellow, but only had red on hand)
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1½ pounds organic grass fed ground beef
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1-2 teaspoons worcestershire (optional)
1 cup chicken broth

2 large heads cauliflower, trimmed, chopped and steamed until very soft
2 tablespoons olive oil and/or 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

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Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a large frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked; remove bacon and drain off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat, reserve remaining.   Sauté onion in bacon fat for 10 minutes or until just soft. Add carrots, mushrooms and celery to pan and sauté for another 10 minutes, or until soft, adding more bacon fat if needed.

Add ground beef to pan and sauté until brown, just a few minutes. Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika, add tomato paste and worcestershire if using. Add back in reserved bacon and add chicken broth; cook down broth until 60% evaporated.

Place cauliflower in food processor and puree with olive oil and/or milk until smooth.  Add ¾ cup cheese and pulse; season with salt and pepper.

Pour ground beef mixture into a 9×13 baking dish, or just keep in pan, if oven safe.  Pour mashed cauliflower over beef mixture (optional lattice work with a fork) and sprinkle any extra cheese on top.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

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As spring has truly sprung, I am really starting to dig this backyard business.  It isn’t laid out and “styled” in a way that it gets much use {yet}, but it is fun seeing things come into bloom.

First we had camellias, and now these awesome huge pink clustery-flowers.  A quick google search leads me to believe they are from a Pink Trumpet Tree, but if you know for sure what they are, please let me know.

Regardless of the name, they make me happy … and that’s all that matters, no?  Who knows, I may even be inspired to start planting something.

Anything growing in your garden?  For beginning gardeners, where is a good place to start?

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Billy and I spend the past weekend down in Palm Desert, celebrating a dear friend’s wedding and soaking up some serious sunshine!  I’m talking 104ºF — which is crazy hot, particularly in April!

Although warm, it was such a treat to hang in the pool with friends during the day and then dance our tootsies off at night.  And perhaps enjoy a few margs along the way.

It sure makes me excited for summer, and a few other short trips we have planned in the next few months.  And considering San Francisco is not known for its summer – these little getaways are so great!

Do you have any trips planned?

Also, how great is this house we drove by … quintessential Palm Springs!

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