Cooking

March madness meals

Sonya Verlaque

30 Minute Sesame Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry

This stir fry has a flavorful sauce and is full of colorful vegetables to pack in nutrients and protein. It also meal preps well, so you can make it and split it up with rice in airtight containers for your weekday lunches or reheat for a quick dinner.

Ingredients - For the sauce:

•  1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
•  a cup water
•  3 cloves garlic, minced
•  2 tablespoons brown sugar (or sub 1 tablespoon honey)
•  1 tablespoon (toasted) sesame oil
•  1 tablespoon rice vinegar
•  1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
•  1 tablespoon sesame seeds
•  ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
•  ½ tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch

For the chicken:

•  1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
•  1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey
•  ½ teaspoon garlic powder
•  Freshly ground salt and pepper

For the veggies:

•  ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
•  2 large carrots, thinly sliced
•  1 white onion, chopped
•  1 red bell pepper, chopped
•  12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half

For serving:

•  ½ cup roasted cashews, chopped
•  Scallions
•  Extra sesame seeds

Instructions

First make your stir fry sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and arrowroot starch (or cornstarch). Set aside. Add ½ tablespoon sesame oil to a large pot and place over medium heat. Once oil is hot add in ground chicken and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Quickly begin to break up the meat and cook until no longer pink. Once cooked, transfer meat to a bowl and set aside. Keep heat in pan. In the same pot, add ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Add in chopped onion and sliced carrots and cook for 2-4 minutes until onions begin to soften. Next add in green beans and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 6-8 minutes or until green beans are slightly tender but still have a bite. Add cooked ground chicken back to the pot with the veggies. Immediately turn the heat to low and add in the sauce. Cook for an additional 2-4 minutes over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Serve with rice or quinoa and garnish with roasted cashews, a few extra sesame seeds and scallions. Serves 4.

Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness Beef Stew is hearty, rich and perfect for supper and is even better the next day. This is a recipe that can be made on the stove top, or in the crockpot easily as well. This makes about 8 servings which you can freeze or also enjoy as a packed meal prep.

Ingredients:

•  1 teaspoon vegetable oil
•  4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
•  3 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces or stew meat
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
•  2 large onions, sliced
•  3 cloves garlic, minced
•  2 tablespoons tomato paste
•  2 tablespoons flour
•  2 ½ cups Guinness beer
•  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•  1 tablespoon brown sugar
•  2 ½ cups beef broth
•  2 sprigs thyme
•  1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
•  1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
•  ½ cup chopped parsley

Instructions: In a large Dutch Oven or pot, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches so not to overcrowd the pot, brown the beef pieces on all sides, about 1-2 min per side. Remove and reserve with the bacon. Turn the heat down to medium. If necessary, add a little more oil. Stir in the onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the flour and tomato paste, mixing until well combined. Cook for a minute or two, until the paste turns a dark red color. Then, pour in the beer, using a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the beef and bacon back into the pot, plus the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and continue cooking until the beef is falling-apart tender and the veggies are cooked, about 1 more hour. If, by this point, the stew is not thickened to the desired consistency, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Let it cook, uncovered, until thickened. You can also add a slurry of equal parts flour and cold liquid (water, beer or broth) to thicken even further. Discard the thyme sprigs and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve!

To make in a crockpot: Follow all the instructions for cooking the bacon, searing beef, sautéing onion and garlic, adding flour + tomato paste and deglazing with the Guinness on the stove. You can use a skillet instead of a Dutch Oven for that. Transfer everything to the slow cooker, then add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. Then, add the veggies and cook for another 2 (or 4) hours. Stir in parsley, adjust seasoning and serve!

Easy St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

My kids love to "help" in the kitchen. I do like to make entremets and more complex cookies or custards, but when the kids want to bake I try and find a recipe that has a shorter ingredient list. These green leprechaun cookies are fun looking and easy enough for a 6 year old.

Ingredients:

•  1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix (about 3 cups)
•  2 large eggs
•  1/3 cup vegetable oil
•  1/4 teaspoon Kelly green gel food coloring
•  3 tablespoons granulated sugar
•  6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions: In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, and oil until a sticky dough forms. Add the green food coloring and stir until evenly mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350EF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place granulated sugar in one small bowl and powdered sugar in another. Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to portion out the dough. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and the tops have a crackled appearance. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.