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More Quick Weeknight Fixes
Cut 1-2 blocks of firm tofu into large pieces and marinate for 30 minutes in a thin mixture of hoisin sauce and white wine or dry sherry. Bake in a casserole with chopped green onions and dried red chiles for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and stir in 1/2 cup small peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Great with rice or noodles.
PIZZA EXPRESS: Roll out pre-made pizza dough onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Cafe Drake loves Trader Joe's whole wheat variety. Bake for 3 minutes in a hot, preheated oven. Now take dough out and top with your favorite pizza sauce and any other ingredients you wish! Above we threw this one together in 5 minutes with sliced chicken sausage, chopped green chiles, oil-cured olives, snipped Chinese chives and crumbled ricotta salata and grated Parmesan. Return to oven for about 8 more minutes. Yup, it was a night to clean out fridge remnants!
Pick up an order of Cold Sesame Noodles at your local Chinese takeout and doctor at home with tons of chopped scallions and shredded, leftover cooked chicken breasts. Eat with a green salad for a delicious meal in 5 minutes!
Glazed carrots are a side dish that should be in everyone's repertoire this time of year. Simply peel the freshest ones you can find and saute in a couple of tablespoons of butter till slightly soft. Salt and pepper then drizzle with honey. Add a drop or two of water and cook until done. Turn up heat and stir till a shiny, thick glaze covers all. Substitute cider vinegar for water if you like a crisp, sweet-tart taste.
Roasted string beans are another side that goes with virtually ANYthing! At Cafe Drake we trim and toss them with olive oil and salt and a clove or two of garlic and simply roast in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Careful not to burn and stir at least once! You'll be shocked at the depth of flavor drawn from these humble veggies when prepared as such.
Who says good soup takes all day? For a MidEast treat on cold weeknights, saute an onion and some garlic in olive oil. Add a sprinkling or two of ground cumin and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute then throw in: a quart of vegetable or chicken stock, a chopped zucchini, a can of tomatoes, a can of chickpeas, a bay leaf and a small cinnamon stick. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat while you do other things. Good with toasted bread slathered with herbed goat cheese as seen above at Cafe Drake.
Ah, the Mexican lunchtime classic - La Torta! Cafe Drake switches out a large wholegrain roll for the traditional torta bread, but the name - and basics - remain the same here. Lightly toast a very large dinner roll and slather one side generously with refried beans. Stick back in the oven to warm through then top with sliced pickled jalapenos, shaved red onion, crumbly Latin cheese (or your choice) and fresh springs of sliced green bell peppers and plenty of cilantro. Tomatoes, meat and avocados all make wonderful additions.
Cut 1-2 blocks of firm tofu into large pieces and marinate for 30 minutes in a thin mixture of hoisin sauce and white wine or dry sherry. Bake in a casserole with chopped green onions and dried red chiles for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and stir in 1/2 cup small peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Great with rice or noodles.
PIZZA EXPRESS: Roll out pre-made pizza dough onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Cafe Drake loves Trader Joe's whole wheat variety. Bake for 3 minutes in a hot, preheated oven. Now take dough out and top with your favorite pizza sauce and any other ingredients you wish! Above we threw this one together in 5 minutes with sliced chicken sausage, chopped green chiles, oil-cured olives, snipped Chinese chives and crumbled ricotta salata and grated Parmesan. Return to oven for about 8 more minutes. Yup, it was a night to clean out fridge remnants!
Pick up an order of Cold Sesame Noodles at your local Chinese takeout and doctor at home with tons of chopped scallions and shredded, leftover cooked chicken breasts. Eat with a green salad for a delicious meal in 5 minutes!
Glazed carrots are a side dish that should be in everyone's repertoire this time of year. Simply peel the freshest ones you can find and saute in a couple of tablespoons of butter till slightly soft. Salt and pepper then drizzle with honey. Add a drop or two of water and cook until done. Turn up heat and stir till a shiny, thick glaze covers all. Substitute cider vinegar for water if you like a crisp, sweet-tart taste.
Roasted string beans are another side that goes with virtually ANYthing! At Cafe Drake we trim and toss them with olive oil and salt and a clove or two of garlic and simply roast in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Careful not to burn and stir at least once! You'll be shocked at the depth of flavor drawn from these humble veggies when prepared as such.
Who says good soup takes all day? For a MidEast treat on cold weeknights, saute an onion and some garlic in olive oil. Add a sprinkling or two of ground cumin and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute then throw in: a quart of vegetable or chicken stock, a chopped zucchini, a can of tomatoes, a can of chickpeas, a bay leaf and a small cinnamon stick. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat while you do other things. Good with toasted bread slathered with herbed goat cheese as seen above at Cafe Drake.
Ah, the Mexican lunchtime classic - La Torta! Cafe Drake switches out a large wholegrain roll for the traditional torta bread, but the name - and basics - remain the same here. Lightly toast a very large dinner roll and slather one side generously with refried beans. Stick back in the oven to warm through then top with sliced pickled jalapenos, shaved red onion, crumbly Latin cheese (or your choice) and fresh springs of sliced green bell peppers and plenty of cilantro. Tomatoes, meat and avocados all make wonderful additions.
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