Reheat, enjoy!

Some recipes fair better as leftovers than others. We wanted to gather up our favorites from this blog, as well as from around the web. Happy leftovers!

• Chicken Pot Pie, The Remix
• Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche
• Stroganoff, The Remix
• Tofu Vegetable Hot Pot (Cooking Light)
• Quick Vegetarian Chili (Cooking Light)

Thai Vinaigrette

In a quest for healthy eating, we cracked open The Joy of Cooking to search for some homemade salad dressing recipes. We settled on the Thai vinaigrette because of its balance of spicy and tangy. We modified the original recipe a bit to add some sriracha and bottled, instead of fresh, lime juice. This is a dual purpose recipe, as it can also serve as a marinade for fish or chicken.


A note on the gadget we used. The combination mixer, pourer, and storer is from The Pampered Chef: Measure, Mix & Pour. The side of the bottle offers easy to follow dressing recipes. It was very handy, but a whisk and your favorite container would do just fine.


Prep time: Under 5 minutes (chill for at least an hour before using)

Ingredients: 

1. 1/2 cup of lime juice (fresh or bottled)
2. 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
3. 1.5 tablespoons sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
5. Salt to taste
6. 1/2 tablespoons sriracha
7. 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients. In a slow and steady stream, add the vegetable oil. For best results, chill over night, and mix well before using. 

Refrigerator Walnut Cookies

Cookie recipes never cease to make me feel like queen of the kitchen. This is one of the rare recipes where the results are not a direct result of hours of preparation, and as a bonus, is a family favorite. Any type of nut would work with the recipe. These cookies can be prepared the night before, and actually taste better the day after.

Prep: 10 minutes (plus 30+ minutes for chilling)

Bake time: 10 to 13 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flou
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar    
3. Add the egg and vanilla
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture (will be crumbly)
5. Add the walnuts
6. Chill the dough for 25 minutes. Once chilled form into log, about 10 inches long
7. Chill for an additional 30 minutes, or overnight, in wax paper
8. When ready to bake, cut into thin slices, no more than a quarter inch
9. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10-13 minutes, or until slightly browned
10. Cool on wire rack

Chicken Pot Pie, The Remix

An old school recipe that is not for the faint-hearted or time crunched. Chicken pot pie, even with store bought pie crust, is an involved recipe. However, the payoff is immeasurable! Eating this pot pie right out of the oven makes all the chopping, waiting, and baking worth it. This recipe adds a bit of heat to the classic recipe, with touches of red pepper flakes and Sriracha.


One way to cut down on prep time is to buy a frozen vegetable mix. Be careful not to overdo it with too many vegetable varieties. This recipe's charm lies in its simplicity.


Quick note: if using frozen pie crust, don't forget to defrost it the night before. Also, don't worry if the crust breaks. Most store-bought crust can be put back together just by re-rolling the crust.


Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk

2 unbaked pie crusts

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, and celery. 
3. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
4. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, red pepper. 
5. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk, creating a roux. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Set aside.
6. Line a nine-inch pie plate with one of the crusts. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid, onion mixture over. 
7. Cover with top crust, making sure you have a tight seal. Cut away excess dough. Make about four slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Broiled Tilapia with Parmesan

This recipe may be my new favorite fish recipe. Tilapia is a very light, white fish, that does not have a very strong taste. The Parmesan coating adds a nice crust, while the broiling method makes this recipe a good fit for a quick mid-week meal. I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com, but modified it to suit a spicier, less savory taste bud.

Be sure to adhere to the very short broiling time, because it is very easy to overcook the fish.

On a thrifty note,tilapia is one of the most inexpensive fish, especially if bought frozen. If using frozen fillets for this recipe, be sure to defrost them overnight.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 9 minutes

Ingredients: 

• • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated or ready made)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2.5 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular, not light)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
  • 1/2 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 6 tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler and take butter out of the fridge to bring to room temperature
2. Line broiler pan with aluminum foil
3. Mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, red pepper flakes, sriracha  and lemon juice.
4. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Place the pan on the top rack and broil for 3 minutes. 
5. Flip the fillets over and broil for 3 minutes. 
6. Remove the fillets from the oven. Cover the top and sides with the cheese mixture.
7. Broil for 3 more minutes or browned and the fillet flakes easily. Serve with vegetables and mashed potatoes.

Weekend Meal: Soy Glazed Salmon

In the new year, the Galley Kitchen vowed to do one fish dish a month. So far so good! This weekend, we broiled some salmon in a simple soy sauce marinade that gave the meal an Asian flair. We adapted this recipe from Sunset Magazine to better fit what was in the pantry and to suit our tastes.


Unlike other fish recipes, this one specifically calls for a filet with skin. The soy sauce and sesame seed mixture blends well with the stronger salmon taste. The skin acts as a welcome vehicle for the sesame seeds and adds a flaky texture.


A note: if using frozen fish, be sure to defrost it at least 6 hours before broiling


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

• 1 cup soy sauce 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves, or 1 big clove)
• 4 pieces (about 6 oz. each) salmon fillet, with skin (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a medium pot, mix soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Stir constantly until it is reduced by 1/3
3. Reserve  3 tablespoons glaze into a small bowl and set aside. 
4. Line broiler pan with foil and pour remainder of the soy sauce mix. Set salmon pieces in dish, skin side up and let stand 15 minutes. Turn salmon pieces over and bake for 15-20 minutes, until it is opaque at the edges, but still translucent in the center.
5. Increase oven to broil. Evenly spread half the reserved glaze on the salmon and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds. 
6. Broil 6 inches from heat until sesame seeds are toasted. Drizzle the remaining soy sauce mix on the salmon. Serve with a side of rice and steamed vegetables. 

Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche

A quiche is one of those rare rich, calorie packed food few have tried to de-fatify. The rich creams and cheeses in a quiche make for a guilty pleasure meal. With this recipe, we try to cut down on carb and fat intake by eliminating the crust and all its flaky, buttery goodness.


We tweaked the original Cooking Light recipe , (used 2% milk and cheddar instead of 1% and Swiss cheese, and a few others). The extra calories are definitely worth it. We also opted for a side salad, instead of the side of toast.


This quiche should last two people about  three dinners.


Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 45 mins

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• Cooking spray/oil to grease pan
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 10 oz package of frozen broccoli florets, steamed/defrosted (chopped broccoli pieces also works well)
• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch pie plate.


Sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and sautee under tender and place in pie plate.


In a large bowl, mix the milk, cheese, parsley, mustard, pepper, cumin, egg whites, and eggs. Pour egg mixture over the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Appetizers: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

It's time to use that red pepper you roasted to make roasted red pepper hummus. It's no secret that The Galley Kitchen loves hummus, we've done the classic recipe and its edamame counterpart. Today we look to a colorful alternative and add a roasted red pepper. The pepper gives the hummus a slight kick, but not enough to turn off those adverse to some spice.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

• 2 15.5 oz cans of chick peas (drained)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (the squeeze bottle kind or fresh, whatever)
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil (enough to cover 1/3 of the peas with oil)
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium roasted red pepper, sliced into quarters

1. Place the garlic and pepper in a food process and pulse until blended.
2. Add the chick peas, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until all ingredients are mixed.

Roasting a Red Pepper

Roasted red peppers bring a complex texture and taste to any dish, from sandwiches to hummus. The ease and convenience of buying bottled, pre-made roasted red peppers is tempting, but doing it at home saves money and gives a tiny sense of accomplishment. Who doesn't love playing with fire a bit? 

• Before you start, prepare a bowl with cling wrap, as you'll need it quickly after the pepper is roasted.
• If you have a gas stove, you can roast the pepper directly on the range. If an open flame is not to your liking, you can roast them in the oven.
• With either method, use tongs to make sure all sides of the pepper are equally heated. On a gas range, turn it up to high and blacken all sides.
• When it is blackened, transfer the pepper to the bowl and cover it. The steam helps loosen the skin. Do not lift the cling wrap and let steam escape.
• The pepper will be cool enough to handle in 15-20 minutes. 
• Cut a small slit by the stem and remove it. 
• To peel the skin, lay the pepper on a cutting board and begin peeling. An easy way to do that is by rubbing the skin with your thumb.
• Slice the pepper, using the ribs as a guide line. To remove any remaining membrane and seeds, use a small teaspoon and scrape the inside.

Really Spicy Tofu

You have been warned: this is really, really, REALLY spicy. The mix of peppers gives this dish a complex heat, but it does have a kick. If tofu doesn't tickle your palate, chicken will fit the bill. Just be sure to cube and brown it before adding the rest of the ingredients.


Ingredients:

• • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 pound firm tofu, cubed
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped (to reduce the heat, use 1 pepper)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (to reduce the heat, use 1 teaspoon)
• Brown rice (optional)

1. Heat peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium. Brown the tofu for at least 3 minutes.
2. Once browned, toss in onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper and garlic for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and coat vegetable. 
4. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly. Tastes great over brown rice!