Mid-week Meals

Week nights can get a little hectic, between work, school, and everything else that life entails. Once in a while, it's nice to have something yummy and relatively quick. Here are a few recipes to get you started. Enjoy!

RED POTATO SALAD WITH HERBS

This comes from Janet A. Zimmerman, About.com's Cooking For Two guide. You can always double this to make 4 generous servings. Janet writes, “I cook the potatoes for this salad in unsalted water because salt, which weakens cell walls, can make the outside of the potatoes turn mushy or even start to dissolve by the time they're cooked through. Instead, I season them with salt and vinegar while they're still hot, then add the other ingredients when they've cooled down. The result is a flavorful salad with potato chunks that don't fall apart. If you don't have all three fresh herbs on hand, use just two or even one of them, but don't try to substitute dried herbs.” Makes 2 generous servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

8-10 ounces red potatoes (3-5 small potatoes)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar

1 small rib celery, sliced thin (about 1/4 cup)

1 scallion, sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1 scant tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed

1 egg, hard cooked and chilled

Dressing

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon whole milk plain yogurt

2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

Wash the potatoes and cut them into small chunks about 1/2 inch on a side. (You should have 1-1/2 to 2 cups of potato chunks.) Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to keep the water at a vigorous simmer. Cook the potatoes for 10 to 14 minutes, or until soft but not falling apart. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Toss the warm potatoes with the wine vinegar and about 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let cool.

While the potatoes are cooling, mix the dressing ingredients together.

When the potatoes are cool, toss them with the celery, scallions, herbs and capers. Add about half the dressing and stir to coat, using more depending on your taste. Adjust seasoning.

Peel the hard cooked egg and dice it. Gently fold into the salad.

Notes:

I think the salad is best if it's refrigerated for a couple of hours (it's fine in the fridge overnight), then brought back to room temperature for serving. I usually fold the egg in just before serving because I don't like it to get broken up too much.

For a lower-fat version, use just 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons of yogurt in the dressing.

PEACH CRISP FOR TWO

Another recipe from About.com's Janet A. Zimmerman, who writes, “I make this in two individual size (1-cup) ramekins, but you can use any small baking dish. It's a great way to use up less-than-perfect fruit; it's easy to make; and it bakes quickly.” As with the red potato salad, you can double this for 4 servings, or keep it as is for 2 servings. You can view this online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 large ripe peaches*

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons flour

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Topping

1/4 cup quick–cooking oatmeal

2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

dash salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus more for buttering baking dishes)

1 tablespoon blanched slivered almonds (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Peel and slice the peach, then cut the slices into two or three pieces. You should have about 1-1/2 cups. Place in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon sugar, flour and lemon zest. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary. Toss gently. Pour into two buttered 1 to 1-1/2 cup ramekins or into a small baking dish that holds about 2 cups.

For the topping, mix together the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, and spices. With a pastry cutter or a large fork, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the almonds, if using. (You can do this in a mini food processor if you have one. Don't overprocess.)

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peaches.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the peaches are bubbling. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

* Feel free to substitute other fruit -- plums or pears work well -- or frozen fruit. If you use apples, it works best to saute them for 10 minutes or so in a little butter before baking; otherwise the apples don't cook through by the time the topping is baked.

ICE CREAM FLURRIES

I ran across this recipe from P&G Every Day. The recipe was created by Elizabeth Stark who, along with her husband Brian Campbell, writes a blog titled Brooklyn Supper. I have a feeling it is about to become one of those blogs that I will have to check on periodically! (Hint: you might want to check it out, too!) Elizabeth writes, “Homemade flurries are fun to make and completely customizable. For an entertaining family night in, try setting up a flurry bar with a range of chopped candy, cookies ahdn hot fudge.” Sounds absolutely wonderful!!!

You can check this recipe out online by clicking here.

Vanilla Ice Cream Flurries

Makes: 2 servings; Prep time: 20 minutes, plus time for dessert to chill;
Cost: $; Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups chopped candy or cookie of choice

2 tablespoons hot fudge (optional)

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, use a fork to mix the milk into the softened ice cream.

Stir in the chopped candy or cookies and hot fudge.

Divide mixture between two parfait glasses.

Set both in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Remove from freezer and serve immediately.

Filler Suggestions

Peanut Butter Cup: Fold 3/4 cup chopped peanut butter cups into 2 scoops vanilla soft serve

Cookies: Fold 3/4 cup chopped chocolate chip cookies into 2 scoops vanilla soft serve

Chocolate Chocolate Chip: Fold 3/4 cup chopped chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons hot fudge or chocolate sauce into 2 scoops vanilla soft serve

Candy-filled: Fold 3/4 cup chopped candy of your choice and 2 tablespoons hot fudge or chocolate sauce into 2 scoops vanilla soft serve

STROGANOFF

This is one of the recipes I collected over the years and published in an e-cookbook, titled Off the Wall Cooking.

Hint: There are very many yummy recipes in the book, three of which I'm including in today's offerings.

This recipe is from the wife of a long-forgotten coworker.

1 lb. hamburger

2 onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 – 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 C sour cream

Brown hamburger, onions & pepper. Pour off fat. When brown, add soup & stir in. Add sour cream and lower heat. Stir once or twice, then serve with noodles.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

One of my specialties, also in Off the Wall Cooking.

28 oz. can tomatoes (note)

2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2-6 oz. Cans tomato paste

3 onions, chopped

3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1/4 – ½ lb. Grated cheese

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

2 T honey

1 T vinegar

1 T soy sauce

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything ex-cept cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!

Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Also in Off the Wall Cooking.

I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant (part of a national chain) several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

1/4 C water

2 T balsamic vingear

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 lb. Angel hair pasta

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper, tomatoes & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)

Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)