Aloo Paratha (Potato and Pea Stuffed Flatbread)

I saw this recipe a few weeks ago on Simply Life's blog and it jumped out at me! I have never eaten or made anything like this, but it sounded great! It has been bookmarked since and I bought a few things last grocery trip to be able to make it.

With my most recent semester ending this past weekend, it feels like things have finally slowed down around here. It was the perfect time to jump back in the kitchen and cover myself in flour!

Our recipes differ slightly, so please compare our two to use the ingredients/techniques you prefer.

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp (or 1 pkg) yeast
1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 small can cooked, peeled potatoes
1 1/2 Tbsp ghee, gently melted
1 1/2 Tbsp neutral flavored oil (I used olive oil)
1/4 tsp paprika, additional for top
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk together the flours, yeast, and 1/2 Tbsp salt in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon until everything comes together. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest at room temperature for an hour or two. (At this point the dough can be refrigerated up to 14 days for later use.)

Dust dough with flour and turn out onto a greased baking sheet, pressing into desired shape. Loosely cover the dough again and let rest an additional 40 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the filling by combining the potatoes, salt, oil, paprika, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Gently melt the ghee, which is a clarified butter (I found in my ethnic aisle). I popped mine in the microwave in a small bowl for 10 seconds at a time. Add to the bowl and using the back of a fork, mash everything together, leaving a little texture. Gently fold in the peas, taking care not to mash them.

Pre-heat the oven to 450°. Flatten the dough to the edges of the baking sheet to form a large rectangle. Cover half of the rectangle with the filling, leaving a 1/2" border. Wet the border with water and fold over the dough. (I used the foil to help fold over the dough easily.) Seal the border by pinching closed with your fingers.

Lightly brush the top with the ghee and sprinkle with paprika and salt. Cut three slits in the top with a serrated knife.

Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly, slice, and enjoy!

This was so delicious! While the ghee smelled strong, almost like Parmesan cheese, it tasted silky smooth and buttery. The bread was hearty and bold, while the filling was muted and delicious. Johnny and I both really enjoyed this one!

I'm submitting this to:

Friday Firsts - Sweet Tomatoes

Hi everybody! Happy Friday! If you need more information about Friday Firsts click the link above or on the sidebar.

My first for this week is visiting Sweet Tomatoes! Johnny's brother Mark and sister-in-law Kelly (Hi Kelly!) took us out to dinner while we were up at their house.


Trip #1 = my gigantic salad. There was so much stuff piled on here that Johnny asked me twice if I was going to be too full to keep eating! (Clearly he underestimates my stomach's capabilities.)

Trip #2 = a bowl of their gumbo. Slightly spicy, but full of delicious flavor!

Trip #3 = 4 cheese foccacia, 3 seed bread (THE BEST), and a corn muffin with honey butter.

Trip #4 = Garlic alfredo.

Trip #5 = More of the delicious 3 seed bread and the cherry cobbler.

Trip #6 = Tiny baby frozen yogurt cone!

Kelly's baked potato...

...and Kelly's Oreo sundae!


Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



If you would like to display the Friday Firsts button as a badge in your post or on your side bar, you can copy and paste the following code:

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To whet your appetite

A few months ago I was able to review an item from CSN. In case you have never checked them out, they have over 200 stores with everything from bathroom vanities to awesome kitchen appliances and gadgets.

I have the opportunity to review a second item and my mom and I spent 45 minutes on the phone browsing together oohing and aahing over the selection! The final selection was a suggestion of my mom's and I'm really excited about it! You'll have to come back in a few posts and see what I chose and how I like it!

Friday Firsts - On the Horizon

Sorry guys, no first from me this week. Still in my funk.

However, I went shopping Tuesday and bought a bunch of awesome things that will guarantee future, exotic firsts! I also have an exciting new kitchen accessory coming my way, another first!

So this week we will say that my firsts are "on the horizon." Thank you for your patience!


Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



If you would like to display the Friday Firsts button as a badge in your post or on your side bar, you can copy and paste the following code:

<a href="http://www.dinneratchristinas.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://glc.dinneratchristinas.com/i/fridayfirsts.png" alt="Friday Firsts / DinnerAtChristinas.com" style="width: 220px; height: 220px; border: none"/></a>

Left you hanging

Sorry guys! I feel like a bad blogger because I haven't updated in awhile.

Like Laura I feel off balance. I haven't been on a good schedule to get everything I need to get done, including meal plans and cooking. There have been some pretty lax meals around here that are definitely not blog-worthy!

I'm finishing up my last 2 weeks of this semester, which has been my most grueling so far. Once that's behind me I have faith it will look up from there.

I am also leaving in about three weeks to go to my parents' for this summer for about six weeks. As with any trip there is always the preparation and planning stress, but because this one is for so long I feel more than the usual amount. I'm also nervous about not seeing Johnny for such a long time and missing him. We've never been apart this long, ever - even after our first meeting! (We met online and after meeting in real life once I moved in with him.)

Unfortunately I haven't worked out since last Wednesday, either. My goal for the Summer Challenge was to try and move more every day. I have moved more in general and am seeing results, but I need to step it up. With food I am very good at tripping and picking myself up to start the next day great again. But for some reason I'm not good at picking myself back up to exercise. I always keep calendars for my progress and every time I look back it was a short trip of a few days that I let turn into me stopping exercise for good. This is a bad habit and one I hope to break as much as it is a challenge for me.

So, anyways that's where I'm at. Just wanted to check in and let you know I didn't fall off the face of the Earth.

Today I'm going grocery shopping and have dinner planned. While in the kitchen I'm also going to make a big whey-free lasagna for Johnny while I'm gone. I make the whole thing, let it cool, and then cut it into single portions to wrap separately for the freezer. I know he's capable of feeding himself while I'm out of town, I just feel bad leaving him without home cooked food I know he loves.

I'll leave you with some pics Johnny took of me last Wednesday, during our 5 mile bike ride! That is the longest I can remember riding in a really long time!

Friday Firsts - Stuffed Pork Loin

Happy Friday everybody! (Click the icon above if you need more information on Friday Firsts!) This was another really fast week for me - in fact Johnny just reminded me that it's Thursday night already! I don't think I've ever come this close to missing a Friday Firsts! This semester ends in about two weeks, so hopefully my life will become less hectic!

My first for this week was cooking a Stuffed Pork Loin! This is something that I've eaten a few times and has intrigued me for years, but was always scared to do myself. Luckily I bit the bullet and saw that it really was pretty darn easy!

Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



If you would like to display the Friday Firsts button as a badge in your post or on your side bar, you can copy and paste the following code:

<a href="http://www.dinneratchristinas.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://glc.dinneratchristinas.com/i/fridayfirsts.png" alt="Friday Firsts / DinnerAtChristinas.com" style="width: 220px; height: 220px; border: none"/></a>

Wanchai Ferry Winner

The winner of the Wanchai Ferry prize pack is...

Congrats to Liza, you're my winner!

Please send your address to christina at dinneratchristinas dot com!

Thanks to all who entered and helped spread the word!

The frozen meal and tea sets were generously provided compliments of Wanchai Ferry and MyBlogSpark.

Stuffed Pork Loin

My dad made a rolled pork dinner last summer when I visited them in NC and I've been wanting to try it since.

I was reminded when I saw Laura's beautiful pork loin in April and thought "I can do that!" even though cooking pork scares me.

Johnny's dad co-owns a meat packing company here in Illinois where he butchers pork. A few weeks ago on a Sunday visit we snagged a fresh 19 inch long loin. I used about 6 or 7 inches of it for pulled pork in the slow cooker, made four 1" pork chops that I pan-fried, and still had an 8 or 9 inch loin!

Before I froze the last loin, I butterflied it, just as Laura had instructed. Today I just unrolled it and decided on stuffing choices.

1 1/2 lb. - 2 lb. pork loin, butterflied
~2 oz. goat cheese (I used basil and garlic flavor)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
the inner stalks and leaves of celery, minced
3 slices of genoa salami
salt and pepper
~1 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350° and cover your work area with wax paper.

First I seasoned the pork with salt and pepper. Then I spread the goat cheese on using a rubber spatula until it was evenly covered.

Next I sprinkled the minced garlic and celery evenly over the goat cheese. I layed the three pieces of salami so they went across the entire loin. Beginning at the end closest to the salami, I started rolling tightly pushing the ingredients in as needed, until I reached the other end.

I secured with toothpicks because I don't have any butcher's twine. (Tip: When using toothpicks in your cooking always count how many you have used. This way you can re-count when you remove them and avoid the risk of injuries or choking.)

Pour a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the rolled pork in and turn to coat in the oil. Sprinkle the top with more salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pork when a meat thermometer reads 160-170°. Tent and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Slice using a sharp knife and serve displaying the beautiful rolls.

I served with some couscous and fresh corn on the cob! It was really juicy and flavorful. The goat cheese stayed really creamy, which gave the bites containing it a nice texture.

Quick Cherry Dessert & Summer Challenge

Whenever I grocery shop with Johnny it reminds me of shopping with a kid. He sees things on end caps or is reminded of foods he used to love and gets all excited. It's always really random things too.

Take the last grocery trip we went on together, Johnny got really excited about a bag of frozen cherries he saw while I was grabbing fruit for my smoothies. "I love cherries!" he exclaimed and asked if there was anything I could do with them. I shrugged and threw them in the cart, thinking "sure I'll come up with some quick dessert."

Tonight was a pretty lax night in the kitchen for me. I was just reheating some slow cooker split pea soup, so I decided I'd make a dessert (if you could even call it that). Johnny and I are huge fans of fruit in their natural state, so this is not a gooey, sickening sweet dessert. This is more just a nice summer evening end of dinner treat.

1 bag of frozen cherries
1 tsp corn starch
~2 Tbsp brown sugar
~1/2 cup oats
dash salt

Dump the bag of cherries into a baking dish. Sprinkle the corn starch over them and roll to coat them. Sprinkle the oats and brown sugar evenly over the cherries and add a dash of salt. Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes until warmed and bubbly. Run under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp up the top. Serve warm. Yields 4-6 servings.

Yum, this hit the spot! Delicious, natural tasting cherries with just a hint of a crunch and extra sweetness in a bite here or there.


I keep forgetting to blog about this, but I joined Biz's 101 days of Summer challenge!

My goal is to move more to tone up and lose some inches! I've lead a pretty stagnant life in the last year and I really want to change that.

There are 50 participants including my mom and my cousin, so I have a lot of motivation! Each Sunday the group page is updated with our progress, so make sure to click the button in my sidebar if you want to keep up with us.

Let me know if you joined the challenge and what your goals are! I'll help cheer you on and we can be healthy together this summer! Also, please feel free to e-mail me for support, leave comments, and ask how I'm doing with my goal. I can use the constant reminders and motivation and will gladly return the favor for you!

Friday Firsts - Baby Bananas

Happy Friday everybody! (Click the button if you need more information on Friday Firsts!) In the words of Pioneer Woman "Has this week been particularly crazy, hectic, bizarre, frenzied, and nuts…or is it just me?" It flew by for me, which in terms of getting homework done isn't always the best thing! We had a pretty uneventful Memorial Day because Johnny came down with a man-cold, so we just hung out at home and ordered take-out ribs from The Patio, a Chicagoland chain.

My first for this week are Baby Bananas! I've never had these before, but was inspired to try them when I saw them under the regular bananas. They came really green in a little plastic bag that said it was important for their environment to ripen until they were yellow.

The bag said the best way to enjoy them was by peeling from the bottom, so who was I to argue? To be honest, I couldn't tell that much of a difference between these and a normal banana. They're supposed to have a more concentrated taste, according to the package. I like mine still a little green, so perhaps if I let them ripen all the way they'll be sweeter? Otherwise I think I'll just stick to regular bananas!

Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!



If you would like to display the Friday Firsts button as a badge in your post or on your side bar, you can copy and paste the following code:

<a href="http://www.dinneratchristinas.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://glc.dinneratchristinas.com/i/fridayfirsts.png" alt="Friday Firsts / DinnerAtChristinas.com" style="width: 220px; height: 220px; border: none"/></a>

Roasted Cabbage Nests

I have not made these in a long, long time. They used to be a favorite of ours and then I just forgot about them, sadly! The cabbage looked great last grocery trip and I was reminded of delicious cabbage nests, so I grabbed a small head.

This is one of those dishes where just the base remains the same, but you can switch it up anyway you like. Every time I have made it has been a different adventure based on what was in the fridge at that particular moment. This latest version was absolutely delicious, so I think it's worth repeating.

Cabbage Nests:
1 small green cabbage
4 or 5 green onions (new addition this time!)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Halve the cabbage, discard the outer leaves, cut out the core, and then slice into thin strips about 1/4" wide. Separate the cabbage into ribbons as you add to the bowl. Chop the green onions on a bias and add to the bowl. Toss for a few minutes, turning over to make sure the cabbage is covered in the egg mixture. Place in "nests" (or in this case, a "bed") onto a greased baking sheet. Pop into a 400° oven for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the top and bottom are browned a bit. (Yes, my oven has burnt splatters on the bottom - I'm domestically lazy remember!?)

Topping:
~1 pound home made Italian sausage (courtesy of Dad)
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 leftover onion
1 leftover red potato
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I used Red Gold basil, garlic, and oregano)


In a medium skillet brown the sausage, breaking up as it cooks. Add the chopped green pepper and any leftovers you have on hand. In this case I used half of an onion and red potato that had been previously grilled and was hanging out in my fridge. Once the sausage is cooked and the vegetables are tender, add the can of tomatoes, stirring to incorporate. The tomatoes I used were already perfectly seasoned and tasted great with the sausage. If you use plain tomatoes you may need to adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Scoop a "bed" of cabbage onto your plate and then top with a few spoonfuls of the sausage mixture and tomato sauce. Serves 4.

If you haven't made this yet, you really need to. The roasted cabbage on its own is such a delicious flavor burst, but then to top it with yummy combinations of things puts it over the top!

Like I said, this can be switched up so many ways! You could use tofu or just veggies for a vegetarian version. Add seafood if you're a pescatarian! It's a useful vehicle to use up leftovers in the fridge so you don't waste food or throw anything out. Also, for Celiac sufferers or low-carb eaters this is a great way to enjoy Italian flavors without the use of pasta. The bed of cabbage is so fulfilling, you won't even miss the noodles!

Wanchai Ferry Review & Giveaway!

Last week I received a package of Wanchai Ferry new beef and broccoli frozen meal. It was packed in dry ice, which was pretty cool because it is not yet widely available. I also received two gorgeous tea sets with an iridescent (that word will always reminds me of Dirty Dancing) mugs, tea strainers, and loose organic green tea.

I received the tea sets first and Johnny and I love them. The mugs are gorgeous and wrapped up nicely with the strainer and loose tea in a little net bag. They would make great gifts if you are selfless enough to give them away!

Then a few days later the dry ice pack came with the beef and broccoli. The ingredient list is long, but the majority of it is spices and flavoring for the sauce. I do like that there is no MSG added, but I did not like that there was whey protein concentrate added. It is most likely there to boost the protein (18g per serving), but meant that Johnny could not eat it with me.

The bag contains the loose beef and vegetables, a separate sauce pack, and a separate rice pack. While the beef, veggies, and sauce cook on the stove, the rice is cooked in the microwave. It was a little sweet for my taste (3 sugars listed on the ingredients) and also has 55% of your daily sodium. But I do have to say, I was really impressed with the amount of vegetables and the quality of all the ingredients. There was a ton of bright, green broccoli and the beef was really tender and flavorful. It was also really easy to prepare, with minimal effort in about 10 minutes.

A lucky Dinner at Christina's reader will win a package like the one I received!

Included is a frozen package of Wanchai Ferry frozen beef and broccoli (serves 2), two tea mugs, two tea strainers, and two tins of organic green tea.

There is a chance for three entries. Please leave a comment for each entry.

Entry 1 = Leave a comment below telling me if you have ever tried a Wanchai Ferry frozen meal before.

Entry 2 = Blog about this giveaway and leave an additional comment with a link to the post.

Entry 3 = Tweet about this giveaway and leave an additonal comment with a link or @yourhandle.

Contest will run through midnight June 8th. Winner be announced June 9th.

The frozen meal and tea sets were generously provided compliments of Wanchai Ferry and MyBlogSpark. The review is my honest opinion of the product.