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Pierogi with Sausage and Peppers

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You’ve experienced the pierogi, right? Mashed potatoes encased in dough can’t really go wrong, and this Pierogi with Sausage and Peppers is a mighty fine way to enjoy these little Central/Eastern European envelopes of comfort. Creamy potato, crisp-tender sweet peppers, caramelized onions, hot sausage (or sweet, if you like), fresh basil and garlic are an epically flavorful combination, and the vibrant red, orange, yellow and green colors make for an eye-catching result. Grab a bag of your favorite pierogi and you’ll be the man or woman of the hour in just 30 minutes.

We prefer our pierogi sauteed, but you can boil them if you prefer a more moist dough.

As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Peppers offer important vitamins that help to keep you from getting sick, like vitamins C and E.
  • Onions provide your body with a flavonoid that can help prevent cancer.
  • Basil gives your body vitamin K, which help your blood clot correctly so you don’t bleed too much.

You can probably imagine the glorious aroma that this flavor combination emanates:

Since pierogi seems to originate in the vicinity, let’s learn a few things about Ukraine:

  • The worst nuclear power plant accident happened in Ukraine in 1986.
  • Lynxes aren’t uncommon in Ukraine.
  • Popular Ukrainian dishes, like Kiev Cake and Chicken Kiev are named after the capital city.

 

Adapted only slightly from: Pierogi with Sausage and Peppers

Pierogi with Sausage and Peppers
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound potato-and-onion pierogi (about 12 pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 sweet or hot Italian sausages (about 12 ounces), casings removed and crumbled
  • 1 8-ounce package baby bell peppers, halved or quartered lengthwise
  • ½ onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ***Optional: ¾ cup chicken stock if you choose to saute pierogi instead of boil.
  • ½ cup torn fresh basil
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pierogi as the label directs. Reserve ¾ cup cooking water, then drain. ***Alternatively, saute the pierogi as the label directs and use ¾ cup chicken stock in place of cooking water.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt.
  3. Add the pierogi to the skillet and toss. Add the butter and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water; cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the butter melts, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Stir in the basil.

 

Vegetable Couscous with Moroccan Pesto

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vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-veggies-simmering-in-plated-from-above-5

It really doesn’t get better than this Vegetable Couscous with Moroccan Pesto – Meatless: check. Healthful: check (how does zucchini, swiss chard, carrots, onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, almonds, raisins, and couscous rate on your health-o-meter?). Inexpensive: check (it costs $11 to make this meal). Gorgeous: check (are you seeing all of this color?). Cultural: check. Mouthwatering: check. This dish really highlights how seriously delicious vegetables can be, and the pesto lends fantastic vibrance and loads of flavor.

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-ingredients-on-board-1

Tips (unsponsored): Make this dish the prettiest (and healthiest) it can be by using rainbow Swiss chard and multi-colored carrots – Sprouts is almost guaranteed to have both. We used golden raisins for this recipe.

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-swiss-chard-1

Any dish involving a little twine-tied bundle of flavor is a fun change from the norm:

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-onions-and-flavor-bundle-in-pot-2

We don’t think there’s a healthier picture than this:

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-mixing-the-veggies-3

If you haven’t used cinnamon in a savory dish before, it’s delicious. The warm spice adds a dimension of flavor that is interesting and distinctive.

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-veggies-simmering-in-pot-4

Couscous is Morocco’s national dish and is derived from crushed wheat. We prefer the larger texture of Israeli couscous. You can find it as well as whole wheat couscous at Trader Joe’s.

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Let your kids run their fat little fingers through the pre-cooked couscous – it’s a fun sensory experience. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • Parsley is a good source of folic acid, which protects you from anemia (a condition that makes you feel tired).
  • Cinnamon helps to keep your blood sugars at a healthy level.
  • Eating almonds can help you keep a healthy weight.

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-plated-from-side-6

Let’s learn a few things about Morocco and it’s people:

  • It is considered rude to refuse meat at a meal.
  • Most people don’t have a bathtub in their home, so they all bathe together in public baths.
  • Morocco has coastlines along both the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

vegetable-couscous-with-moroccan-pesto-collage

Adapted only slightly from: Vegetable Couscous with Moroccan Pesto

Vegetable Couscous with Moroccan Pesto
 
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Prep time
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Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and some stems)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley (stems reserved for couscous)
  • 2 tablespoons whole almonds
  • ½ clove garlic
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • For the Couscous:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 14 -ounce can peeled tomatoes, halved (plus their juices)
  • 3 small carrots, cut into chunks
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup raisins
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1½ cups whole-wheat (or Isreali) couscous
Instructions
  1. Make the pesto: Combine the cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds and garlic in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt; process until smooth.
  2. Prepare the vegetables for the couscous: Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the onion. Tie the reserved parsley stems and cinnamon stick together with twine; add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the parsley and cinnamon.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the couscous as the label directs. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Top the couscous with the vegetables and pesto.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 525 Fat: 29 g Saturated fat: 9 g Carbohydrates: 60 g Sodium: 1,364 mg Fiber: 11 g Cholesterol: 30 mg

 

Foil Packet Fish (Tilapia with Potatoes, Red Onion, Tomatoes and Smoky Red Pepper Oil)

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foil packet tilapia, plated-1

Imagine a tin foil dinner that is wonderfully flavorful and abnormally exciting. Behold Tilapia with Potatoes, Red Onion, Tomatoes and Smoky Red Pepper Oil! This may be our favorite way to eat tilapia: the vegetables end up perfectly tender and juicy, and the sweet, flaky fish positively melts in your mouth. The red pepper oil lends vibrance and interest with it’s cumin, paprika, garlic, and sherry vinegar. Delicate textures with a bold oil make for THE most perfect foil packet meal to enjoy anywhere from home to the woods to the fire pit at the beach.

foil packet tilapia, ingredients-1

Tip (unsponsored): We love the fish we find in the non-frozen section at Costco or at our local Asian market. This recipe calls for you to add a splash of wine or water before closing the foil packet. We suggest using wine for the lovely depth of flavor it offers. If you’re like us and don’t drink alcohol but use small amounts to cook with, check your local grocery store for mini chardonnay bottles. Our local Walmart carries a six-pack of mini, plastic chardonnay bottles that are perfect for cooking – no wasting the rest of a big bottle or freezing in cubes required.

foil packet tilapia, placing fish on veggies-1

You’ll want to par-boil your potatoes beforehand. Easy as can be, simply assemble and grill.

foil packet tilapia, folding the foil -1

Twelve minutes later, you’ll be enjoying the best fish you’ve ever made.

foil packets on grill-1

Here’s the magical oil that makes all the difference:

foil packet tilapia, Smoky Red Pepper Oil-1

(*Insert the gurgling sound Homer Simpson makes when he sees doughnuts here.)

foil packet tilapia, pouring Smoky Red Pepper Oil on fish-1

Have your kids help you place vegetables on each foil packet, taking note of the beautiful aroma of the fresh herb you choose. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Fish, such as tilapia, contain a lot of marvelous nutrients, but are most well-known for their omega-3 fats, which are great for your brain and which your body can’t make on it’s own so you must supply it through the food you eat. These acids are believed to lower your risk of all the major diseases you hear most about, such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
  • Red potatoes’ skins are full of iron, which helps your blood to oxygenate your body.
  • Red onions help your heart stay strong by keeping your blood vessels healthy.

foil packet tilapia collage

Adapted slightly from: Mix-and-Match Foil Packet Fish

Foil Packet Fish (Tilapia with Potatoes, Red Onion, Tomatoes and Smoky Red Pepper Oil)
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $20
Serves: serves 4
Ingredients
  • Tilapia, four 6-ounce skinless fillets
  • 2 cups red potatoes, cut into small pieces and boiled
  • 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 springs fresh thyme
  • 2 splashes white wine
  • Kosher salt, pepper
  • For the Smoky Red Pepper Oil:
  • ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers (or piquillo peppers)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 grated garlic clove
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • *You will need some heavy-duty tin foil.
Instructions
  1. Make the Smoky Red Pepper Oil: Puree the roasted red peppers with the olive oil, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic clove and ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and ground cumin until smooth.
  2. Lay out 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil.
  3. Mound 2 cup vegetables in the center of each, season with salt and pepper and top with a sprig of thyme.
  4. Place the fish on top of the vegetables; season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
  5. Add a splash of white wine.
  6. Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal; fold in the sides to seal, leaving room for steam.
  7. Grill or campfire method: Preheat a grill to medium high or light a campfire and put a cooking grate in place. Grill the foil packets until the fish is just cooked through, 12 minutes.
  8. Let the packets sit 5 minutes, then carefully open and drizzle with the pepper oil.
  9. Oven method: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put the foil packets on a baking sheet; bake until the fish is just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Let the packets sit 5 minutes, then carefully open and drizzle with the pepper oil.

 

Pickles (Zesty Dill!)

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pickle jars in dipper 2-1

pickles asher holding jar -1

There is something sublimely delicious happening right now:  it’s pickle season! We are here to dispel any misconceptions that you might have about making pickles, because they are incredibly easy and so very worth the wait. Our beloved Aunt Jenny (only a few years older than myself) has a most excellent garden in Salem, UT. It is so excellent, in fact, that Blake and I find ourselves green with envy each time we visit her amazing home. In her fertile mountain soil, her garden produces only the finest and most exquisitely beautiful of fruit and produce (think Martha Stewart Magazine). In discussing the supremacy of her garden one day, her pickling method (which is pretty standard) came up. We tasted one of her delightfully zesty pickles and have been hooked ever since.

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There is, indeed, a pickle season. We suggest giving your local Asian market, Sprouts, or farmer’s market a call periodically, starting at the end of May, to ask when they’re pickling pickles are on sale. We find ours for a good price (99 cents to $1.50/lb) at our local Asian Market. You can absolutely get them cheaper if you’re on the lookout. You want the short, stocky pickling cucumbers, sometimes called “Kirby’s.” You never want to use a waxy cucumber for pickling. Look for pickles that are uniform in size, heavy and firm, and straight (you will fit more spears side-by-side in each jar):

pickles from above, how many to stuff in a jar-1

We put plenty of dill (also bought at our Asian market, 59 cents/bunch, we used 3 bunches) in each jar before adding the pickle spears:

pickle jars, dill focus-1

We also enjoy some heat, so we use quite of few whole dried red peppers (usually found with the Mexican spices):

pickle jars, from below with peppers & garlic-1

Your kids will LOVE helping you make pickles. Let them drop garlic and stuff each jar with dill. Be sure not to fill your jars too full to the top:

pickles in jars before liquid-1

There are a few items of equipment that will help making pickles a cinch (unsponsored): a large enamel canning pot, a rack for lowering and removing jars into the water bath, a jar grasper (?) for allowing you to handle hot jars, a funnel for getting brine into jars without a mess, and a magnetic lid grabber (?) for handling hot lids. The set we have can be purchased on Amazon for about $60. We used 8 wide-mouth pint jars (cost is about $10 for 9 jars at Walmart) for this batch of pickles. We aren’t sure we love wide-mouth jars for pickles as they are shorter and only allow for a shorter pickle.

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Six weeks will seem like forever, but good things come to those who wait and you will have some fantastically zesty pickles to slap along side your sammichess (our kids’ pronunciations surface sometimes) and burgers, like this Perfect Burger.

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As you prepare and enjoy these with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of homemade pickles:

  • Cucumbers offer a good amount of fiber, which is retained even after pickling. Fiber helps your body digest things properly and keeps your digestive tract clean.
  • Cucumbers also provide your body with iron, which helps your blood to oxygenate your body.

pickles collage

Pickles (Zesty!)
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 8 jars, 80-95 pickles
Ingredients
  • 8 c. water
  • 4 c. vinegar
  • ½ c. kosher or sea salt (do not use table salt)
  • 8 lbs pickling cucumbers (sometimes called "Kirby's)
  • 16 whole cloves garlic
  • 2-3 bunches fresh dill
  • whole dried red peppers (6 for hot or 2 for mild spice)
  • You will need 8 sterile canning jars with lids (wash with soap and water or in dishwasher).
Instructions
  1. Mix the water, vinegar and salt in large pot.
  2. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce heat to low boil.
  3. Meanwhile, rinse and dry your cucumbers. Cut into spears, discarding the ends.
  4. Drop 2 cloves garlic, 2-6 red peppers, and ¼th bunch (or more) dill into each jar.
  5. Pack 8-10 spears tightly into each jar.
  6. Ladle the hot brine into each jar, being careful not to overfill (leave ½ inch space at the top).
  7. Screw lids on jars, only until the lids give you some resistance (they will finish securing in the water bath).
  8. Lower jars into the water bath in batches and let process for 15 minutes (water should be at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. It is not uncommon to have a jar break). Remove each jar using jar tongs.
  9. You will hear popping sounds from the jar lids as they cool. This means that the lids are securing properly.
  10. After jars have cooled, remove the outer lid ring and test the seal. If it comes off easily, then that jar won't have the proper shelf life.
  11. Let stand 6 weeks before eating.

 

 

Indian Shrimp with Cauliflower

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indian shrimp with cauliflower-1

You’re craving something healthy yet substantial tonight, we can tell. This Indian Shrimp with Cauliflower has your name all over it. At 430 calories and brimming with cauliflower, peas, potatoes and shrimp, this exotic dish is a delightful change from the norm. Garam masala, cilantro, garlic, onions and tomato paste bring on the depth of flavor. Bordering on too thick to be a stew but not completely out of the category, heap spoonfuls onto your grilled naan or pita and experience a new and rustic way of enjoying shrimp.

Tips (unsponsored): We love the raw shrimp from Costco (not all raw shrimp are created equal). We use the larger of the two sizes for this dish. We like the naan we find at Trader Joe’s (this dish was photographed with pitas, which work just as well). If you don’t use much garam masala, grab just a bit in the bulk section of Sprouts if you’ve got one close by. Do not overcook the shrimp! Overcooked shrimp are tough and dry. We found the cook times stated in the recipe for the shrimp to be accurate.

indian shrimp with cauliflower, shrimp-1

Let your kids break off florets of cauliflower from the head. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • Cauliflower gives your body lots of vitamin K, which keeps you from having problems with inflammation.
  • Peas contain folate, which can help prevent obesity.
  • Shrimp is a good source of copper, which strengthens your body tissue.

indian shrimp with cauliflower in pot-1

Let’s learn a few things about India and it’s people:

  • Hockey is popular in India.
  • Many children in India have jobs to help contribute money to their families.
  • Many households consist of brothers, plus their wives and children.

indian shrimp with cauliflower collage

Adapted slightly from: Indian Shrimp with Cauliflower

Indian Shrimp with Cauliflower
 
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Prep time
Active time
Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $20
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
  • 3¼ cups chicken STOCK
  • 2 small russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each), peeled and diced
  • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 pieces naan or other flatbread, warmed and cut into wedges
Instructions
  1. Toss the shrimp with ½ teaspoon garam masala in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until the edges are golden, about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.
  2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, the remaining 1½ teaspoons garam masala and the cilantro. Cook, stirring to coat, 30 seconds. Stir in the stock and the potatoes. Cover, bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, then uncover and add the cauliflower. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the shrimp and peas; simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with more cilantro. Serve with the naan.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 430 Fat: 11 g Saturated fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 58 g Sodium: 960 mg Fiber: 10 g Protein: 28 g Cholesterol: 145 mg

 

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