Hair Health: 5 Fave Comfort Foods

By Jordan Willard | January 21, 2015 0 Comments

There is nothing like indulging on a warm, tasty meal on a cold winter’s day. However, after a long, exhausting day of trekking against harsh winter winds, sometimes the thought of cooking a meal from scratch can be too much. Well curly girlies, it is time to toss out the frozen dinners, because I have some delicious dinner solutions that are so simple to whip up, the meal practically cooks itself. Check out some of our favorite recipes, guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out!

Sunny Anderson’s Easy Chicken and Dumplings

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves 8. Makes About 15 Dumplings)

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon
• medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 whole (5 to 6-pound) chicken, skin on, cut into 8 pieces, including neck
• 6 cups water
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 5 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves
• Small bunch parsley stems, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves
• 2 fresh sage sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus
• 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• Special equipment: Kitchen twine

Directions
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt 1/4 cup butter and lightly saute the onions and garlic, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, water, and stock, making sure liquid covers meat. Tie the thyme sprigs, parsley stems, and sage sprigs together and add to the pot along with the peppercorns, and celery. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken until it is “fall of the bone” tender, about 30 minutes, skimming off scum as it simmers. Remove the chicken from the pot to a cutting board and let cool. Remove the herb bundle and the celery and discard. Reserve the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull it from bones and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour with the remaining chopped herbs and the tablespoon of salt. Make a well in the middle and pour 1 cup of the reserved chicken stock, including fat, into the well. Using a fork, slowly stir the stock into the flour. Repeat, adding more flour and/or stock until a soft, doughy consistency is reached. Add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it gets too sticky. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the dough into 2-inch squares, then cut the squares in half on the diagonal into triangles.

Return the stock to a simmer and slowly add the dumplings, allowing some excess flour to remain on the dumplings to increase the body of the broth. Be careful not to let the dumplings touch as they are added to the pot. Cook until the dumplings rise to the surface. If the broth does not thicken to your liking, mix together 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl with a fork. Slowly add the mixture into the broth to help thicken the soup. Stir in the reserved chicken and ladle into serving bowls.

Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson (2009) and foodnetwork.com
For more on this Recipe: Sunny Anderson’s Easy Chicken and Dumplings

 

Pat and Gina Neely’s Grilled Flank Steak with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and Asparagus

photograph by Tina Rupp
*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves about 4, with leftovers )

• 1 tablespoon salted butter, plus 1 stick slightly softened
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 pound gorgonzola cheese,crumbled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 pounds large asparagus, trimmed

Directions
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and simmer until reduced by half. Whisk in the gorgonzola until it melts. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush the steak lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the steak, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning once. Remove from the heat and cover with foil. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, paprika and onion powder in a small bowl. Reserve 4 teaspoons and store the rest in an airtight container. (Seasoning will keep in the pantry for up to 6 months.) Mix the stick of softened butter with 3 teaspoons of the seasoning in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.

Toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning mix and 1 tablespoon olive oil; add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the asparagus in a grill pan over medium heat until tender, turning once, about 6 minutes total. Reserve 4 stalks for the sushi.

Reserve a quarter of the steak for the sushi; cut the rest into -inch-thick slices. Top with the gorgonzola cream sauce, reserving about 1/2 cup for sushi, and serve with the asparagus and some barbecue butter.

Recipe courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely, Food Network Magazine, and foodnetwork.com
For more on this Recipe: Pat and Gina Neely’s Grilled Flank Steak with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and Asparagus

 

Pat and Gina Neely’s Southern Style Sushi

Use your leftovers from the flank steak recipe the following evening, with Southern Americana adaptation of a Japanese classic!

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Makes 12 Pieces)

• 1 1/4 cups cooked long-grain rice, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup leftover gorgonzola cream sauce, plus more for dipping
• 2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
• 2 tablespoons leftover barbecue butter, softened
• 4 leftover stalks grilled asparagus, cut into thirds
• 6 ounces leftover grilled flank steak, cut into 12 1/2-inch-wide slices
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Combine the rice, cream sauce and gorgonzola in a large bowl until the rice is coated and creamy. Form 1 heaping tablespoon of rice into a small sushi-like cylinder. Repeat to make 12 pieces. Place a small dollop of the butter on each cylinder and top with a piece of asparagus, pressing gently into the rice. Refrigerate the rice cylinders until set, about 10 minutes.

Wrap a slice of steak around each rice piece and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional sauce for dipping.

Recipe courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely, Food Network Magazine, and foodnetwork.com
For more on this Recipe: Pat and Gina Neely’s Southern Style Sushi

 

Sunny Anderson’s Pasta, Pancetta, and Peas

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

• 16 ounces fettuccine
• 8 ounces pancetta, diced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, saute pancetta in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In the same pan, saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add peas and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, pasta and pancetta. Moisten pasta with some of the reserved pasta water. Toss to incorporate, season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve, sprinkled with lemon juice.

Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson (2009) and foodnetwork.com
For more on this Recipe: Sunny Anderson’s Pasta, Pancetta, and Peas

 

Sunny Anderson’s Lamb Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Makes about 12 kabobs)

• 12 (6-inch) wooden skewers
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bag pita bread, at least 6 loaves

For the Tzatziki Sauce:
(Makes about 2 ½ cups)

• 2 cups Greek strained yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Special equipment: food processor

Directions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper Oil, for brushing 1 bag pita bread. Preheat grill to high.

Soak skewers in water for 25 to 30 minutes. In a large bowl combine lamb, scallions, onion powder, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste. Form meat around skewers, making an oblong sausage shape pressing and securing firmly. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove skewers from refrigerator. Brush grill with oil. Grill kabobs until charred on the outside and medium-rare on the inside, turning only once, about 3 minutes each side. Brush pita lightly with oil, and grill briefly on both sides to warm. Remove lamb kabobs from skewers and place 2 on each pita. Drizzle with Tzatziki Sauce to serve.

For the Tzatziki Sauce:
Using the food processer, add the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, hot sauce, lemon juice and zest in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson (2009) and foodnetwork.com
For more on this Recipe: Sunny Anderson’s Lamb Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

 

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