Justin & Meredith Winokur's Kitchen Cooking Notebook
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posts/2020/06
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Puy Lentil Stew -- back to top
Meredith made Puy Lentil Stew. The lentils were really old but since the stew simmered for over two hours, they were fine. As usual, this was really good! Served with a bit of allepo pepper
Quinoa TexMex Bowls -- back to top
Meredith prepped Quinoa TexMex bowls. It was sautéed onions, bell pepper, and zucchini with cumin, chili powder, and oregano. The quinoa was oddly sticky but still worked fine. She also served it with a bean mixture of canned pinto beans with cilantro, jalapeño and some Pace Salsa.
Served with guacamole and some more salsa.
Thai Red Curry Tofu Soup With Sweet Potato Noodles and Vegetable Roll Ups -- back to top
Soup is based on a recipe from Cook Republic (LOCAL).
The rollups are inspired by Peas and Crayons (LOCAL). Her notes:
But just cream cheese, street corn dip, sprinkle of garlic powder, zucchini, bell peppers, and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.
Turkey Arugula Patties -- back to top
Our normal turkey arugula patties
Pickle Slaw (and leftover Brisket) -- back to top
Meredith made a Pickle Cabbage Slaw from a recipe from What's Gaby Cooking. It wasn't bad but needed more time to pickle.
We also had leftover brisket in taco form.
Chocolate Protein Donuts -- back to top
Meredith made chocolate dounts for National Donut Day using this Tone it Up recipe (LOCAL). I don't think she was particularly impressed.
Grilled Shrimp, Tomato, and Corn Salad -- back to top
We made Grilled prawn shrimp, corn, and tomato salad from Ottolenghi Simple. I grilled the corn in a foil packet since it was from frozen. I also grilled the onion whole, but next time, I will slice it and put it in the basket with the tomatoes. I really liked grilling the tomatoes in the basket like this!
The recipe was pretty good. Caroline was a bit unsure but that may have had nothing to do with the recipe.
We also ate it with homegrown fresh radishes on bread.
Cauliflower, Cheddar, and Quinoa Cakes -- back to top
Modified from the Broccoli, Cheddar, and Brown Rice Cakes recipe from Cooking Light (LOCAL) to use cauliflower for broccoli and quinoa for rice.
We served it with greek-yogurt ranch (Penzeys Ranch powder in greek yogurt).
Meredith and I liked them but Caroline was not a fan (she did try a few bites but didn't like it)
Coconut and Lemon Bliss Balls -- back to top
Meredith's Notes:
Followed this recipe (LOCAL), except I did 4 medjool dates and 1tsp of honey because I didn’t have the patience to measure out 1/4 cup of honey. Also, used a whole scoop of Tone It Up coconut protein powder. And didn’t roll them in coconut to coat. About 200 calories for 2 balls.
Koefta Burgers and Veggies -- back to top
This was a repeat of grilled Koefta burgers burgers. We used ground chicken instead of turkey but it was otherwise the same.
We also grilled veggies. It was zucchini, eggplant, and onion. I just did it with some oil and salt. I kept tossing it as needed and I grilled it pretty hot. It was really good!
We also had leftover slaw but it was more pickled and better.
We ate outside with friends visiting. We did a really good job distancing. They brought their own food and sat far away.
Salmon Tacos and Peas -- back to top
We made salmon tacos. I grilled salmon following the method of seared salmon except on the grill. I did mine and Meredith's with salt, cayenne, and smoked paprika. I did Caroline's with just salt.
At the same time, I grilled veggies in the basket. We tried something different. The tomatoes went right in the basket but the onion (smaller chunks than usual) and the corn were in open foil packets. It worked okay for the onions and corn but it was also hard to stir the tomatoes. Honestly, I think it would have all been fine in the basket.
Meredith also made Spring Peas and Prosciutto
I also grilled chicken for tomorrow's lunch
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad -- back to top
We made chicken Caesar salad. I grilled the chicken yesterday and Meredith prepped SkinnyTaste's Caesar Dressing. The dressing was super lemony when eaten alone but was actually fine in the salads.
We served the salad with tomatoes and hard-"boiled" eggs (in mine). I also put some French's (like) onions.
It was a nice, easy and healthy lunch.
Potsticker Stir Fry -- back to top
Potsticker Stir-fry. Also added some broccoli slaw
Salad with Salmon and Spicy Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette -- back to top
Meredith made a Spicy Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette. Her notes:
I mixed up a quick batch of our cilantro green sauce, mixed a big spoonful with some lime juice and a bit more olive oil, and have a pretty tasty salad.
She also used some leftover salmon
Gnocchi with Peas and Green Beans -- back to top
Meredith made this from What's Gaby Cooking (LOCAL). The biggest note is that Meredith used green beans in place of peas.
Cooking the gnocchi like this (hybrid boil + pan) not only gave it a really good texture, but the gnocchi absorbed so much flavor. We will have to experiment with this method including with additional flavors!
We liked the overall dish though Caroline wasn't super into it (too green!)
Shrimp and Corn Fritters -- back to top
I made Shrimp and Corn Fritters from Ottolenghi Simple. I followed the general recipe with a bit more shrimp and then heavy on the spices. I also used only one lime since I didn't want it to be too much. Also, I used roasted corn from Trader Joes.
The only real change was that I baked them on a tray for about 15 minutes at 400.
They weren't bad but they also weren't the kind of thing we would rush to do again. And Caroline downright did not want to eat them!
They also let out an odd liquid. I didn't thing shrimp were very fatty but there was a lot on the tray. See this photo(full-size)
Meredith also made green beans from the Gaby Dalkin recipe but only use 2 tsp and it was fine. We added this note to the recipe. They were really good again and also smelled really good!
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet -- back to top
Meredith made an Enchilada Skillet from Ambitious Kitchen (LOCAL)
She followed the basic recipe with a few minor notes:
It was really good. We both really enjoyed it and even Caroline ate some (she basically had some sour cream and then fat-free greek yogurt with a bit of this).
I was thinking while eating it that Emily would really like this. Then Meredith pointed out that she found it from Emily's Pinterest board!
Tuna Pasta Salad -- back to top
Meredith made Pasta Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tuna, and Oregano Vinaigrette.
She used Banza Chickpea pasta instead of regular. Since the box of Banza is only 1/2 lbs equivalent, she halved the recipe except the tuna (essentially doubling tuna). It worked really well doubled! It was nice having more there and upped the protein. She also used green onion and "maybe" went heavy on the red pepper
Breakfast for Dinner -- back to top
There wasn't anything particularly special but I wanted to note it for the future. We had breakfast-for-dinner with a mix of stuff.
I made Caroline some Brioche French Toast. In the past (A,B) we used The Kitchn's recipe, we discovered a little while ago that is it really just easier to "wing-it". Crack one egg into our plate-bowls. Add some milk (almond milk this time), some maple syrup, and some almond extract (really helps). That makes enough for 3-4 slices of Brioche.
I also made scrambled eggs with Trader Joes Everything Bagel Seasoning, cheese, and green onion. And some bacon.
We have decided we are done with frozen hash browns and instead made tater tots. Whereas hash browns need tons of oil and are very hands-on, the tots came out really good by just spreading them out well, baking them, and then letting them sit in the oven!
Pesto Chicken Salad on Salad -- back to top
Meredith used rotisserie chicken to make a pesto chicken salad. She used Kirkland Pesto and greek yogurt. It was pretty good!
I made a big batch of pulled pork for us and to bring to a friend's house (with appropriate social distancing).
I used the same Serious Eats guide as before. The biggest changes were that I just used salt, garlic powder, pepper, and coriander in the crust. And I skipped a second coating before the grill.
My biggest complaint was that this one had lots of bits break off as you can see in the pictures. On the one hand, that made for lots of crusty bits in the final product but it also made them really dried out. It may have been because this was boneless. I really don't know! I think I may, next time, save the small pieces and not grill them (or grill them less) to go in later.
I grilled it with indirect heat. I had one burner at full blast and the others off. That held it right at 300°F (according to the grill thermometer). I used wood but also was working so I didn't change the packet very much. It was less smokey than I would have liked.
But overall, it was still very good. And again, unlike the first time, it was not very greasy probably because I cooked it right away.
As with last time, I tried to keep track of the weights. And I also trimmed a bit of fat off.
| When | Weight | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| In Package | 8lbs 1/8 oz | Both weighed and label basically agreed |
| Before cooking | 7lbs 13.75 oz | Includes bag and salt rub but with trimmed fat |
| Post Cooking | 5 lbs 6.5 oz | Actually based on removing 2 lbs 7.25 oz of liquid |
| Final | 3 lbs 10-3/8 oz |
So in all, it was about 45% of the original weight
Chicken Tawook and Miso Marinated Portobello Carpaccio -- back to top
Meredith prepped chicken tawook from What's Gaby Cooking (LOCAL) and then I skewered and grilled them. I used the big skewers which I like a lot except that they are hard to turn and lay flat on the other side. So only one part was really in contact with the grill. Meredith used non-fat greek yogurt for the marinade.
I basted them a few times before stopping so it could fully cook the basting.
The chicken was really good. It had a lot of flavor with a good bite. We will do these again!
Meredith also prepped Miso Marinated Portobello Carpaccio. We skipped the step about removing some marinade so they were really sweet but also very good! (though Caroline was not into it).
Charcuterie and Focaccia -- back to top
This was part one (of two) of Father's Day meals. We had a "Meredith Meal" type lunch but Meredith special ordered bresaola for me (along with Spanish Chorizo).
I may be missing something but we had:
Meredith also made Focaccia from The Kitchn (LOCAL). I think she followed the recipe pretty closely. She prepped it the day before, let it rose, then left it in the fridge. She let it rise and come to temperate for a few hours this morning. This was with half the dough. She froze the other half.
Grilled Wings and Juicy Lucy Turkey Burgers -- back to top
Part Two of Father's Day meals. See Part One
The chicken wings were from Kellers but they were really small. I asked for more because of the size and they were still, overall, less weight than usual (and more bone-to-chicken ratio). I was not thrilled with them!
But anyway, I did my normal dry brine but then I tried to grill them. I had some trouble with the grill temperatures. Potentially because my wood burned, not smoked (see the picture). That combined with the small size meant that some were overcooked and a bit dry.
I am absolutely not opposed to trying the grill again but with larger ones. And the oven is still a lot easier (especially since I couldn't taste any smoke flavor).
I also made Juicy Lucy Burgers. A Juicy Lucy is a Minnesota classic with cheese inside the patty. We used the recipe from Lunds and Byerlys (LOCAL), a high-end grocery store there. We used 1.5 lbs of turkey instead of 2 lbs of beef. And WAY less cheese. Maybe we needed more since some melted out but they call for a ridiculous amount. I don't even know how to get four ounces on cheese on a burger. And they make 16 pieces for 8 x 4oz burgers. We did 8 for 4 x 6oz burgers and would have had trouble fitting them.
We did like the flavor though. We would try Worcestershire and garlic powder again for turkey patties!
Like I said, some juicy leaked out of the lucy but it was still good.
S’mores No Bake Protein Bites -- back to top
recipe from Kind of Healthy Recipes (LOCAL)
Potsticker Stir Fry -- back to top
Potsticker Stir-Fry. We had a mix of chicken and pork potstickers
Blueberry Donuts -- back to top
Meredith made Blueberry "Donuts" using the Matcha Glazed Donuts "from Tone it Up (LOCAL). She subbed coconut flour for the oat and added about 1/4 cup of dried blueberries.
A little dry, but pretty tasty otherwise. I hear the dryness is a common issue with protein powder baked goods. May mean I over baked a little.
Tofu Satay and Smacked Cucumber -- back to top
We made Tofu Satay. I do not know what was up today but so many of the tofus fell off the skewer. Some were recovered and others were lost to the grill. I don't know if maybe I cut it poorly or what?
Meredith tried using apple cider vinegar instead of distilled. I couldn't tell the difference but Meredith said it wasn't as good.
Also, instead of the normal relish, Meredith made Smacked Cucumbers. Didn't really "go" with the dish but we preferred it
BBQ Pulled Jackfruit and Grilled Okra -- back to top
Meredith used the jackfruit BBQ recipe from Inspiralized (LOCAL) except just thinly sliced the onions rather than spiralized them. It wasn't bad at all. But it also was less interesting than real pulled pork. And since young jackfruit is apparently not particularly nutritious, we probably won't rush to do it again.
The okra recipe came from The Kitchn (LOCAL). We were very impressed with it and ended up eating a good bit of okra. The sauce was also very tasty! We will be doing this one again soon
And Meredith really felt adventurous and made her own Hawaiian rolls
The coleslaw came out very sweet for some reason.
Meredith made Hawaiian rolls, almost on a whim. They were for the BBQ Jackfruit
She used the recipe from The Perfect Egg. She followed the recipe closely but adjusted the flour down a bit by feel as the dough came together. And she did it all by hand! It was a half batch
They were really good and made for a nice and fun addition to dinner.
We calculated about 210 calories per roll.
IKEA Swedish Meatballs -- back to top
I made IKEA Swedish Meatballs for a (responsibly socially distanced) dinner with the Pettits. Earlier in the pandemic, IKEA tweeted the recipe and The Washington Post did a writeup (LOCAL for both).
For the meatballs, I basically followed the recipe but used some red onion. Next time I must dice it up better!!! (see the photo below). I also used panko bread crumbs which I "ground" in my hand a bit. I baked them at 400°F for about 17 minutes rather than frying them. I used 85-88% lean beef and whatever pork Kellers had.
I made the sauce in the Instant Pot so we could travel and keep it warm. I used Better Than Bouillon Chicken instead of beef broth. I also used too much and it was already really salty so I skipped the soy sauce.
You can see in the photo that the sauce was very thick. I may have let the rough go too long or messed up some of the measurements.
But they were really good! Indulgent (especially the sauce) but very tasty.
Again, next time (if there is one) I will grind the onions better.
Warn Zucchini Quinoa Salad -- back to top
Meredith made a repeat of 2020-05-23 for lunch. It was very good!
Spicy Salmon Black Bean Salad -- back to top
Meredith made Salmon Black Bean Salad from The Kitchn (LOCAL). She used the honey smoked salmon we get at Costco
(no picture)
Meredith put together egg salad for a picnic. She used the basic idea from southern deviled eggs with the noted change of mostly greek yogurt and just a spoonful of mayo. It makes it much healthier!
She basically did it like deviled eggs too. She made the "filling" and then added cut of egg whites as opposed to doing it all together. It is different than what I would have done but it worked! The egg salad was very good.
Grilled Shrimp, Tomato, and Corn Salad with Grilled Okra -- back to top
Meredith and I made Grilled Shrimp, Tomato, and Corn Salad and Grilled Okra for us and her family visiting.
We did the same basic thing except I seasoned the shrimp since I forgot it was going in the salad. Also, the okra were bigger and I should have cooked them a bit longer.
I do like the recipe, but I think I prefer it without the salad "dressing" it all. I'd rather have grilled shrimp with a side of corn, tomato, and onions.
As I said, the okra needed more time but was still good.
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet -- back to top
Meredith made Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet for dinner (including her parents) with similar changes to last time
Chicken Tawook and Mushroom Pasta -- back to top
We had Chicken Tawook and Mushroom Pasta for dinner. They were both very good though kind of odd to have together. We also had the chicken with Trader Joe’s Garlic Spread & Dip which is basically toum.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers -- back to top
Meredith made quinoa stuffed peppers from What's Gabby Cooking (LOCAL). She went light on the cheese but I think otherwise followed the general idea of the recipe. Also used pintos instead of black beans.
Sous Vide and Smoked Brisket -- back to top
Meredith's parents are staying with us for a bit and Bill requested brisket. I was happy to oblige.
As usual, this is based on the Serious Eats Recipe. I started with about 11 lbs from Costco and trimmed off some fat. I split it into four bits (potentially not in a good way. Not sure) and had to make a big water bath. This was the largest I have ever done. I was worried that the circulator wouldn't be able to handle it but it worked well.
I did decide to add 1/8tsp of liquid smoke to each bag.
I did about 40 hours at 155°F.
I also followed what I did last time with pork and did not recoat the brisket with seasonings.
I had trimmed off a lot of fat but each bit still had a lot of at least one side. I made the mistake of grilled it with the bit of fat down. The one piece (furthest left in the last picture below) had basically cooked the fat and was dry. The other ones were much more moist (maybe too moist).
I grilled it for about 3 hours at 300°F (according to the mediocre grill thermometer. Two burners off, one at nearly-full blast). I used wood and tried to add as needed. After about three hours, I turned the heat down to keep warm and we ate it about 2 hours later.
The hardened fat piece was dry and cut easily. The other ones were much more moist and were harder to cut. I basically ended up with chopped, not sliced, brisket. That worked fine to mix it all.
We liked it and ate way too much!
I also made green beans on the grill with Fox Point Seasoning
Again, I started to track the weights
| Weight ( |
When | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 11:8.75 | In package | Package says 11.7. LIES |
| 9:6.25 | With fat trimmed off | Measured 2:2.5 of fat |
| 6:10.5 | Without liquid | Measured directly but also measured liquid and the difference is about 1/2 oz! Not bad! |
| 4:8.125 | Final, off the grill |
Depending on whether you count the fat I cut, it was 39% to 48% of the initial weight!
This is the largest sous vide batch I've done. I was worried that the 800W circulator couldn't handle it but it did just fine!
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