You Want Me to Cook?

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Curry-Tomato Sauce with Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Chickpeas

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – August 24, 2011

For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Recipe originally published in Every Day with Rachael Ray – May 2011.

It had been a while since I had made (and eaten) a vegetarian meal and I had been staring at this recipe for a long time. I’m not sure why I was hesitant to make it. It had many of my favorite things (curry, pasta, tomatoes) and had some healthy elements (whole wheat pasta, chickpeas, vegetarian). Still, I never seemed to have a taste for it. In fact, I bought all the groceries and didn’t make it for almost three weeks.

Finally, I sucked it up one night and made it. Ringing endorsement, right?

Sure, it looks like a pasta you’d want to eat, but it wasn’t as chunky as the one pictured with the recipe. I also didn’t realize what a difference the parsley made in presentation… not that I wasn’t going to eat it. Their dish looks prettier, that’s all.

Daily Recipe Round-up for January 6, 2012

If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two. I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. That’s the point of this blog.

Every Day with Rachael Ray

French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup

4 Servings

30-minute Meal

Prep 5 min

Daily Recipe Round-up for January 5, 2012

Every Day with Rachael Ray

Gruyere Cheese Fondue with Roasted Potato Spears

6 Servings

Prep 15 min

Cook 25 min

Cheesy Chicken Bagel Pizzas

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – August 23, 2011

For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Recipe originally published in Cooking Light – September 2011.

I often look for recipes that I can use to spice up my leftovers. Funny thing, though, I rarely have leftovers to spice up, especially when it comes to extra chicken. Usually I buy just enough when I’m making a sauce or casserole. If I’m not using an entire rotisserie chicken, I’ll cut up the rest as treats for my dogs.

My generosity to the dogs has not been without consequence. The following has actually happened:

One pug has drooled all over the floor to the point of having to wipe up the puddle. He eventually looked like a rabid dog with the spit bubbles forming all over his mouth.
While I was getting the rest of the groceries from the car, the sack that contained the chicken was drug from the kitchen to the living room by same pug. The other pug was betting on another sack and was munching on the bread I had brought home.
Our Chihuahua drew blood when I was trying to give her a piece of the chicken because one of the pugs made a move. She decided it was going to be hers come hell or high water. She got the chicken… and a little extra flesh.

Now when a chicken enters the house, I sense they all know part of it is for them. I honestly don’t want to find out what would happen if they didn’t get a taste.

Even with the craziness of the rotisserie chicken, I decided that I wanted to try these chicken bagel pizzas because I usually have a lot of this stuff on hand. I ended doubling the recipe using only the white meat of the bird. I chopped up the rest of the dark meat as treats for the dogs… for which they gave me much love.

It isn’t too far from the published photo with the recipe and it definitely looks eatable. I think I let the cheese brown a little too long because it is starting to look a little charred.