honey mustard vinaigrette

When weeks are long and busy, you have to make sure there are things to look forward to.  For example, every week we have TNBLTC (Tuesday night bacon-lettuce-tomato club) after classes.  Health-conscious as we are, however, we decided to switch it up with hot dogs one week.  Now, something that actually has to do with this recipe, is that from hot dog night we had some honey mustard left over and I decided to try it out as salad dressing.

Most recipes tell you to use honey and mustard, but pre-made honey mustard is almost better (but let's not get into processed foods...).  As usual, I didn't measure, but if I had to pull some numbers out of my... imagination, I would say: 1-2 tablespoons prepared honey mustard, 2-3 tablespoons (olive) oil, 1-2 tablespoons (apple cider) vinegar, and a good amount of salt and pepper.  It's strong, but if it turns out too sour for your liking, add a teaspoon or so of water.

For the salad itself, you can go wild.  I really like it with chopped up apples and strawberries.  Tip: I always add a little lemon juice to cut apples to keep them from turning brown and because I like the flavor.  In the picture I also sliced up a hot dog (a Leitmotiv, one might say).  You could use any protein, really.  Ham, pepperoni, garbanzo beans*, chicken breast...

* Did you know garbanzo beans are the same as chickpeas?  I didn't.  Also, one cup covers 25% of your daily protein.

easy fish fillets

Easy and tasty fish that doesn't take too long to make.  Because we're using frozen fish, you can easily make it for one person or for as many as you want.  Choose any (cheap) frozen white fish, like cod or flounder.  It goes well with rice or any sort of vegetables.  Most people say run the fish under cold water to thaw it right before using it, but I sometimes just throw it in a bowl of warm water and change the water when it cools down.  Fish cooks fast, so start rice or potatos early.

Once thawed, pat the fish dry.  While a good amount of butter melts in a non-stick pan, season the fish with salt, pepper, and paprika on one side.  When the butter stops bubbling, it's ready.  Cook the fish on high heat (but not high enough to burn the butter) spiced side down.  Season the other side while the fish cooks.  The trick is to not move the fish.  This makes it crispy and keeps it from falling apart.

With a spatula flip the fish after 3-4 minutes and cook it again undisturbed.  If you're serving vegetables with it, I like to throw in frozen vegetables a minute after I flip the fish.  Cooking things together not only spreads the flavor but saves on dishes.  They say fish is ready when you can easily flake it with a fork.  Perfect fish can be flaked with a fork on top but center should be just short of flaky.  Add some lemon or lime juice and enjoy!

fall soup

This soup is a combination of Thanksgiving dinner and pumpkin pie. Secret ingredient: cinnamon. Peel and boil the potatoes; fry some turkey breast pieces with a little bit of oil. In a large pot, heat the cream of pumpkin soup and add seasoning. When the potatoes are done, drain them and add them to the soup. Cut up the turkey and add to soup as well.

Shopping List:
- two 500mL boxes of Crema fina de calabaza from Knorr*
- turkey breast
- 3-4 medium potatoes
- parsley
- a few dashes of cinammon
- dash of nutmeg
- salt, pepper

* If you can't find pre-made cream of pumpkin soup (I've only seen it in Spain so far), you can try making it yourself. According to the lable, it contains about half pumpkin puree, half vegetable puree, water, and cream.

quick'n'dirty shepherd's pie

I feel like to be edgy I have to give my recipes stupid names. So, today I present you with quick'n'dirty shepherd's pie. It's fast (less than 30 minutes), filling, and delicious, if a bit lacking in the presentation department. Perfect cold-weather food or dinner for those feeling-bad-about-yourself-and-watching-youtube-videos-all-night evenings. What you need:

- pan with metal or removable handle
- 1lb (400-500g) ground beef*
- 1 jar or 1 packet of brown gravy
- (instant) mashed potatoes**
- frozen or fresh vegetables
- grated cheese

* I prefer ground beef, but you could also use mixed (beef/pork) or, if you're feeling a little fat that day, ground turkey. Haven't tried it vegetarian, but you could experiment with tofu and whatnot.
** Instant mashed potatoes are definitely good enough for this recipe, but read the package. Some only need water, other require milk and butter, so make sure you get what you need. Home-made are also acceptable.

Get out your vegetables (green beans, peas, carrots, etc.) if frozen. Start by browning the meat with a little oil. Meanwhile, in a medium pot get the mashed potatoes started. If you're choosing the home-made option, try to have them almost done by the time you start the meat. Once that's going, heat the gravy (jar) or boil the water for it (packet). When the meat is cooked through, at the vegetables and simmer until thawed.

Next, dump the gravy over the meat/vegetable mixture and stir. Plop the finished mashed potatoes on top and spread. Add some sprinkled cheese. Broil (with overhead heat) the whole pan until cheese is crispy (make sure the pan's handle won't melt -- and obviously use a pot holder when taking it out of the oven). This should take only a few minutes, so watch it closely. Let cool for a minute, then stuff your face.