garlic – Page 14 – The Pajama Chef

SRC: Blueberry Burgers

June 3, 2013June 5, 2015 Sarah

Blueberry burgers? You must think I’m crazy. And you might be right. However, to borrow a phrase from Katie who blogs at This Chick Cooks and introduced me to this fabulous recipe, these burgers might sound so wrong, but they taste so right. Ben and I made these burgers last week for our Memorial Day dinner and let me tell you–they do not disappoint!

Unfortunately, we don’t have a grill at our apartment so we had to cook them indoors on the George Foreman, but they still were a tasty introduction to summer eats… and a great recipe for this month’s Secret Recipe Club post! I love SRC days because they encourage me to broaden my culinary horizons while introducing me to a new blogger.

If you’re new, you might be a bit confused. SRC? What’s that? Let me explain. It’s a pretty amazing blogging club. Basically, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog… all while keeping your assignment a secret! Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

Katie writes This Chick Cooks with a focus on eating and cooking real, whole foods. It is her mission to feed her family well, and she has plenty of recipes to accomplish that. She has tons of wholesome, tasty recipes–including many for muffins and coconutty treats… two of my loves! 🙂 Aside from making these unique burgers, in the future I’m definitely going to try Coconut Cream Larabars, Cornmeal Apple Cheese Muffins, and Creamy Corn and Chicken Summer Soup. They all sound so amazing, but for now, let’s talk about these burgers!

Blueberry Burgers are so fresh and tasty. I totally get the sentiment that fruit in burgers is just weird, but hear me out. The sweet, ripe burst of blueberries throughout is a sophisticated [Ahem… Can burgers be sophisticated? I vote yes.] foil for the salty, vinegary tang from the balsamic and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the bite of minced garlic and this meat really shines.

When I first saw this recipe, I wondered how to top these burgers. Normally I’m a cheeseburger-all-the-way kinda girl, but I thought these burgers bursting with juicy berries were perfect with just a bare minimum of fresh burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, onions, and ketchup [some unpictured because I forgot the sliced tomato and onion on the countertop until I was halfway done with my burger…ha!]. My homemade pretzel rolls [click here for the recipe!] made these burgers even better. Thanks, Katie–I enjoyed checking out your site and will be back soon. 🙂

Now, before the recipe, I do want to make one shameless plug–I recently made a Facebook page for The Pajama Chef. Please take a moment to check it out and like it here. Thanks!

Blueberry Burgers

Servings: 5
Time: 20 minutes
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from This Chick Cooks

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup blueberries [fresh or frozen]

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Add pepper to taste, then gently mix in blueberries. Shape into burgers, then cook as you normally would. On our George Foreman, this took about 8-9 minutes. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and desired condiments.

Be sure to check out other great recipes from this month’s SRC round-up at the linky below. Have a happy Monday!

Recipes, Rice, Sides

Mexican Rice

May 28, 2013May 31, 2013 Sarah

Oh my goodness. This RICE! Normally, rice is Ben’s obsession, but this time, it’s mine. This Mexican Rice is seriously amazing. It’s the closest restaurant-style replica recipe that I have ever successfully made. Ben agreed, and thought this was better than something you could get at a restaurant. And for a guy who likes to eat out, that’s saying something!! So many recipes online or in cookbooks claim to be restaurant-worthy, but most of the time, they’re lying. Well this one? Not so much. It’s just like the rice you’d get at your favorite local hole in the wall Mexican place.

When I first saw that the recipe called for three jalapenos, I have to admit that I was a little nervous [even considering my recent love of spice]. But really, I needn’t have been afraid–this rice had the perfect amount of kick. Not too spicy, not too bland. Stirring in cilantro at the end and adding a squeeze of lime juice to each serving definitely balanced out the flavors and gave the rice a little something special.

At first glance, this Mexican Rice recipe might look a bit intimidating. Even if it has good flavor, isn’t it a bit overkill to go through all these steps of rinsing and sautéing the rice, then cooking it on the stove and in the oven? NO! Not at all. Don’t skip a step–each is necessary to make this light and fluffy without a bit of gloopy, gloppiness that can all too easily happen when a bunch of stuff is added to rice. The texture isn’t sticky or mushy. It’s just perfect. And when paired with homemade tacos and refried beans, well, it’s just like eating at a restaurant But at home, for a fraction of the cost… and with all the leftovers you could want. 🙂 I know I’ll be making this rice over and over again for many tacos nights in our future, and I hope you will too. Enjoy!

Mexican Rice [from Food.com]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes [15 ounces]
1 medium onion [yellow or white]
2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup canola oil
3 medium jalapenos, minced and divided [deseed as desired–I deseeded two]
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, wedged

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes and onion. Puree until smooth, then pour into a measuring cup and reserve 2 cups. Discard excess [or save for something else, like salsa, or eat with a spoon…].

Add oil to a large [10-12 inch] straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven [with a tight fitting lid] and set over medium-high heat. While oil is heating up, place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 2 minutes or until water runs clear. This is similar to rinsing quinoa–it removes the starch from the rice to make it nice and fluffy. Do not omit this step! Shake rice to remove excess water.

Next, drop a few grains of rice in the oil. If they sizzle it is ready. Add rice to oil and cook for 6-8 minutes, constantly stirring, until rice is lightly golden and translucent. Reduce heat a little if the oil starts to splatter, and add up to another 2 tablespoons of oil if it seems too dry.

Reduce heat to medium, then add 2 jalapenos and garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions and chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove and stir well. Return to oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and stir in remaining jalapeno and cilantro. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze on each serving before enjoying.

Time: 55 minutes [20 minutes active].

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Notes: You can use 12 ounces fresh ripe tomatoes but since I made this before tomato season, I opted for canned. If you use fresh tomatoes, the recipe recommends supplementing with salsa if you need to get up to 2 cups AND to add 1 tablespoon tomato paste to the mix as well.

Linked up with: Weekend Potluck.

Main Dishes, Pizza, Recipes

Taco Pizza

May 24, 2013January 5, 2017 Sarah

Some people are pizza purists, and some people are me. I like trying the most ridiculous and random types of pizza ever. My most recent favorite at a local pizza place? Pecans, sweet onion marmalade, gorgonzola and fresh rosemary. So, so good. That is definitely a combo I will be ordering again and maybe even recreating at home! And I am sure it’ll be nothing but good. But for now, this Taco Pizza I made from Budget Bytes is my favoritest homemade pizza of all time. A high honor, and for good reason.

Tacos and pizza are amazing on their own, and together in one dish is a party you don’t want to miss! Each bite has layers of hot and cold ingredients and is just so flavorful!

When thinking about this pizza, it’s hard to tell what the best part is–the refried bean/salsa sauce? The crunchy corn? The cheese? [oooh cause you can’t have pizza without cheese!] Or the fresh, cold pico, cilantro, and sour cream on top of it all? I’m not sure, but you pretty much can’t go wrong with this idea because it’s so versatile. Any taco filling would be fabulous on this pizza. I think next time I might add some shredded chicken and sauteed peppers and onions for a fajita-type pizza. Oooh! And chunks of avocado and a drizzle of guacamole salsa. That’s what I’m talking about!!

Even without meat though, this veggie pizza is super filling, and your family will be fighting over the leftovers. Ben and I sure were! Haha. Just kidding. I think.

It’s a good thing I didn’t make this yesterday on our fourth anniversary! 🙂 Instead, we spent the day picnicking at a local winery and enjoying each other’s company. Better than squabbling over a delicious pizza, methinks. Teeheehee. Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Taco Pizza

Servings: 4-5
Time: 30-40 minutes
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from Budget Bytes
Ingredients:

1 batch pizza dough
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, minced + more for sprinkling
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 [15 ounce] can refried beans
1 cup salsa
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, onion, and cilantro for pico de gallo. Add black pepper to taste, set aside.

Add oil to a small saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Then stir in beans, salsa, and taco seasoning and cook until heated and smooth. Remove from heat.

Roll out pizza dough on pizza pan, par-baking crust if desired for 5-7 minutes [I usually skip this step!]. Then remove from oven and top with bean mixture, cheese, and corn. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream [spoon into ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and squeeze over pizza]. You can also add a dash of hot sauce if that’s your thing. Enjoy!

P.S. SHAMELESS PLUG! Please check out and like my new blog Facebook page… thanks!

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Kale Fried Rice

April 29, 2013May 3, 2013 Sarah

I must say, I was a bit skeptical when I first saw this recipe posted on Kristin’s blog. I mean, fried rice is great and so is kale, but the two together? Kinda weird, eh? Umm, no. Turns out, most definitely not.

This is our new favorite dinner!! Well, maybe not our but most definitely mine. Ben likes it, but I devour it. What can I say? I know what I like. And I like this… this salty-sweet, nutty, garlicky, chewy fried rice starring everyone’s favorite healthy green–kale–and just enough egg and chicken ~~to make your manly man happy~~ for some filling protein.

I am hard-pressed to tell you just what’s so great about this dish. The sauce is pretty phenomenal. Made up of white cooking wine, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and… wait for it… MAPLE SYRUP [also known in our house as may-PELLL sir-RUUUUP. Yes, we are weird. Thanks for asking.], this sauce is pretty much incredible. It’s unmistakably Asian, but with a bit of unexpected sweetness. Totally craveable, I can see this being a great marinade for grilled chicken, tofu, or even some fish. Maybe add a little crushed red pepper… mmm, mmm.

Beyond the sauce, though, fried rice is a great easy weeknight dinner. It’s super quick, especially if you make the rice ahead of time [see the note at the end for details!]. Plus, it’s practically a one-skillet meal. The original recipe didn’t call for chicken or eggs, but I added them to make it a bit more filling. Totally not necessary though–it’s great without!! No matter how you make it, I seriously can’t get enough! I’ve made this for dinner two weeks in a row, and it’s on the menu plan again this week. I am hopelessly addicted. There are worse addictions, right? 🙂 Enjoy!!

P.S. If you missed it, be sure to check out my birthday post from Saturday… I turned 28 and have big culinary goals for the next 2 years in my 30 before 30 project. 🙂

Kale Fried Rice [adapted from Iowa Girl Eats]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups brown rice
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
5 cups water
1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken, shredded [I used some from a roasted chicken]
4 tablespoons white cooking wine
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 eggs, beaten
sesame seeds, for garnish
sliced green onions, for garnish ,

Directions:

Prepare rice in chicken broth according to package directions.***

After rice is almost done, bring water to boil in a large skillet or wok. Then add kale and reduce heat to medium, cooking for 4-5 minutes until tender. Drain kale in a colander set in the sink and leave to cool.

Return skillet to stove then heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, use a spatula to press as much water out of the draining kale as you can. A few presses against the side of the colander should squeeze out a lot of water.

After onion is soft, add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add kale and chicken, and saute for 2 minutes.

Next, whisk together wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup.

Reduce heat to medium, then dd rice to skillet and toss to combine. Pour in sauce and toss again. Cover and cook until rice is heated through, about 5 minutes [note: this step is not necessary if rice has not been refrigerated.]

Lastly, make a hole in the center of the rice mixture and pour in the eggs. Quickly stir eggs into the rice mixture to incorporate, then cook for another 2 minutes to ensure eggs are fully cooked.

Serve with lots of sesame seeds and green onions as garnish!

Time: 20 minutes [if you make rice ahead of time], 60 minutes [if you make rice fresh].

Yield: 4 servings.

***Note: I usually make the rice a day or so ahead of time, as day-old refrigerated rice tends to work better for fried rice and this step takes 40-45 minutes.

Linked with: Weekend Potluck.

Main Dishes, Pork, Quinoa, Recipes, Sides, Vegetables

Pork Chops with Quinoa, Kale, and Blood Orange

April 12, 2013April 12, 2013 Sarah

I’ll be totally honest: before this spring, I had never tasted a blood orange. Of course I’d heard them hyped up online and in food mags, but for some reason had never had them in real life. Crazy, huh? So I picked up some during the same shopping trip where I found some majorly discounted pork chops nearing their expiration date [no problemo, just throw them in the freezer]. I came home and this dinner promptly appeared on our plates. Cool, huh?

Well, it wasn’t QUITE that simple. I had to mix some things up and do a little work, but other than that, this dinner was a cinch to throw together. And quite tasty too. So after we devoured it, I quickly wrote down what I did so I could share it here with you!

I’m not sure what the best part of this dinner was: the sweet, garlicky, vinegary pork chop? The tender sauteed kale? The nutty ‘n citrusy quinoa? I don’t know, but what I do know was that each bite was just so darn good! And it’s pretty fabulous that this dinner comes together in about 30 minutes. You gotta try it! If you don’t get around to til after blood orange season has passed, then try it with regular navel oranges, or grapefruit, or even clementines. The more I think about it, the citrusy freshness was definitely my favorite part. Enjoy! 🙂

Pork Chops with Quinoa, Kale, and Blood Orange [a The Pajama Chef original]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 pork chops
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 blood orange: zest all of it, juice half of it, and slice the other half of it
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 bunch kale, washed, dried, stems removed, and chopped
freshly ground black pepper
salt
garlic powder

Directions:

Place pork chops in a shallow bowl. Whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper, and half the blood orange zest. Pour over pork chops and marinate for 10 minutes as you start preparations for the quinoa and walnuts.

Prepare quinoa according to package directions–but instead of just using 1 cup water, use juice of 1/2 the orange and make up the difference with water. Also add the remaining half of the blood orange zest.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a small skillet set over medium heat. Cook for 7-8 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally. When toasted, chop walnuts.

Now, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops and marinade to the pan and saute for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through. [Don’t forget to watch the walnuts!] Remove pork chops from pan to a plate; cover to keep warm.

Add kale to hot skillet, stir to coat with pan juices. Saute until kale is tender, and season with pepper, salt, and garlic powder as desired.

Serve pork chops on top of kale and quinoa, dressing with pan juices, chopped walnuts, and blood orange slices.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 2 servings.

Linked up with: Weekend Potluck.