on the Menu: January 31
Andrew and I love food and enjoy using our creativity in the kitchen. On the Menu is a series that documents recipes that Andrew and I made last week with our edits, notes, and ideas for improvement.
Monday, Deconstructed Falafel Salad
This recipe was an unexpected home run. Absolutely scrumptious. Easy to put together, and all of the ingredients make it fresh and so flavorful. For extra pizazz I made my own hummus and pita chips, but you could get store-bought to save time. I use this recipe for the hummus, and add extra cumin, salt, and lemon. I also spend a few minutes shelling the raw chick peas, but don’t obsess over getting every single one. Shelling does make for extra creamy hummus. Edits: We added cherry tomatoes and substituted arugula for kale (preference) and we would do both again. Next time, we want to leave out the parsley and mint, or at least chop it super finely and hand mix with the arugula. The parsley and mint stick to everything (including your throat as you eat) and isn’t a pleasant mouthfeel, IMO.
Tuesday, Baked Chicken Breasts + Simple Salad + Sautéed Mushrooms
When I tell you this is the best baked chicken I have ever had, I MEAN it. You HAVE to make this recipe, people. You HAVE to. I think it’s because the mayo seals in moisture and the panko and the cheese give the outside of a chicken a beautiful crisp. The chicken is so juicy. It was incredible. We skipped the brine because of time (but honestly felt like we weren’t missing anything when eating it), and as usual, we changed up the spice blend slightly: salt, garlic powder, paprika, mushroom umami powder, and thyme. We doubled all spices (except the salt) as we usually do with Skinnytaste recipes. It was such a flavorful chicken. We paired the chicken with a super simple salad: arugula, sliced shallot, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar drizzle, and sauteed mushrooms in butter with salt and pepper as the other side. Delicious. We’ve already made it again if that tells you anything.
Wednesday, Tortilla Soup
It is very unusual for us to make more than one new recipe in a week, but this week we had three. Miraculously, they were all winners that we’d make again (and already have in some cases). This tortilla soup was one of the recipes in the lineup of newbies. It was divine. So flavorful. I was concerned when making it that it was going to be too similar to Andrew’s chili recipe (his chili is different from many chilis I’ve eaten), but once we tasted it, that was not the case at all. The recipe is made for a slow cooker, but we adapted it for stovetop (cooked it for an hour on the stove). Other edits: we omitted the water and used a full 32 oz carton of chicken stock, and also added a 15oz can of black beans. We saved time frying up tortillas for the topping and just crunched up chips instead, and topped with sour cream and scallions. SO. GOOD. I loved it so much, that I’m making it again for my lunch this week. This recipe could easily be made vegetarian. You could sub veg stock for chicken stock and just omit the chicken, and I think it would taste just as good. I’ll probably do that next time I make it.
Thursday, Paprikash
Unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe to give you because it’s a family recipe of Andrew’s, but this was my first time eating paprikash and it was so delicious. Sort of like chicken and dumplings meets the texture of macaroni and cheese, but instead of cheese sauce, it’s a thick, paprika stew sauce. So good. Comfort food at its finest!
Friday, Tortilla Soup leftovers.
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