Jason Cooks

Chicken Piccata

2012-02-16T20:54:00.004-05:00

I came across this recipe on the Williams Sonoma website and thought I'd give it a whirl...I'm so glad I did as it was absolutely delicious! It took me 30 minutes from start to finish to make this meal including a mixed greens salad with my house dressing, and sauteed yellow squash. This would be a perfect recipe if you want a homemade recipe in a hurry.
Chicken Piccata
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each 8 to 9 oz., cut in half horizontally and pounded 1/4 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. minced shallot
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs. capers, drained
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in it. Shake off the excess.

In the nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Place 2 pieces of chicken in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter or individual plates. Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in the pan and repeat to brown the remaining chicken.

Reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in the pan. Add the shallot and cook until softened and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter, the capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and pass any remaining sauce alongside. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

2012-02-09T21:30:00.002-05:00

As you now I absolutely love Indian food, but a lot of times it takes hours of cooking and prep work. My friend Lisa sent me this recipe for a slow cooker Tikka Masala, so I had to try it immediately and was pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

15 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 Medium Onion, diced

2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

2 Teaspoons Garam Masala

½ Teaspoon Indian Chili Powder (or cayenne pepper), optional if you like spice

2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Kosher Salt

½ Bunch Fresh Cilantro

1 English Cucumber, diced

Juice, One Lemon

½ Cup Heavy Cream

Rice

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, chili powder (if using), and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt in slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the sauce, cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

For the garnish, toss the cucumber, cilantro, ¼ teaspoon salt, and lemon juice together, cover and let sit for flavors to meld.

Twenty minutes before serving, cook rice per instructions.

Just before serving, stir the cream into the chicken Tikka Masala. Serve over the rice with the cucumber relish.

Indian Curried Shrimp

2011-12-17T22:01:00.002-05:00

My co-worker Katie introduced me to this recipe and I have made it a few times since I got it. I must admit that I’m a bit addicted! This recipe is super easy to make and takes very little time and ingredients, while yielding amazing flavor. The only call out is that you must use Indian chili powder, which is much like cayenne pepper.

Indian Curried Shrimp

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 large yellow or red onion diced small (or 2 small onions if needed)

1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)

1 teaspoon red Indian chili powder (you have to use Indian red chili or the taste will be altered and you can add more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt (or too taste)

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined)

chopped cilantro, for garnish

Steamed Rice

Heat oil in large skilled over medium heat, add onions and cook until just starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Next add ginger and garlic, continue to sauté over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until garlic is cooked and fragrant.

Add Chili powder, cumin and salt, cook another 5 minutes, while stirring often to keep the onions from burning.

Add tomatoes, and continue to cook for 15 minutes until sauce is a rich dark red color. Add shrimp and cook until bright pink and cooked through.

Serve immediately over rice with a generous amount of parsley as garnish.

Boef Bourguignon

2011-12-12T19:38:00.004-05:00

I love this dish, but hate waiting hours for it to cook, so I created this quick cook version, which is just as good. Using steak instead of a pot roast enables you to cook the meat quickly, while the demi glace provides that deep rich flavor you would normally get from a slow roasting method.

Boef Bourguignon  

¼ Pound Bacon, diced 

4 NY Steaks, about 12 ounces each 

3 Cloves Garlic, minced 

1 Bottle Good Chianti Wine 

3 Cups Beef Stock 

2 Tablespoons Double Concentrated Tomato Paste 

2 Teaspoons Beef Demi Glace (I use Williams Sonoma Brand) 

1 Bouquet Garni (3 sprigs each of thyme, rosemary, and oregano) 

1 Pound Frozen Pearl Onions 

8 Large Carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick slices, on a diagonal 

Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 

2 Tablespoons flour 

2 Pounds Crimini Mushrooms, sliced ½ inch thick 

1 Bunch Parsley 

2 Tablespoons Thyme, minced  

Heat a large heavy bottom paan on high heat, with 3 tablespoons oil until smoking. Add steaks and cook until seared on each side and medium rare, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and cover with aluminum foil. 

In the same pan, sauté the bacon on medium heat, until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain fat, except 2 tablespoons from the pan.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the Chianti wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping all browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Next add the beef stock, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

Add onions and carrots, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, until the vegetables are tender (about 25 minutes). 

With a fork combine the 2 tablespoons butter and flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce, continue cooking until sauce is thickened and glossy. 

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms separately in 2 tablespoons butter, until browned and tender.  Add the steaks, mushrooms, and bacon to the pan, cover and reheat steaks gently for 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

2011-05-24T00:10:00.001-04:00

There is nothing better than a fresh, simple salad for dinner on a nice warm day. I got off work yesterday and ventured into Whole Foods and came upon these delicious heirloom tomatoes and knew immediately that I needed to have them for dinner. I added some fresh herbs, mozzarella cheese, and home made croutons, it was delicious! I can't wait to have the left overs for lunch today.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 Small Loaf Crusty French Bread

2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, divided

1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, chopped

3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped

2 Large Heirloom Tomatoes

3 Regular Red Tomatoes

1 Pound Small Mozzarella Cheese Balls

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Cut the crust off the bread and tear the remaining loaf into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 1/3 cup of the olive oil, squeezing the bread to help absorb the oil. Sprinkle lightly with a bit of salt, and place on a baking sheet. Toast stirring a few times until the croutons are golden brown, about 15 minutes, let cool.

Using a wooden spoon or muddler, pound the oregano and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl to release the oils from the herb. Add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, vinegar and basil and whisk to combine.

Stem and chop tomatoes into large pieces and add to the vinegar mixture. Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces, if necessary, and add to the tomato mixture, stir well to combine. Let rest for about 15 minutes to let flavors meld together, stir again. Serve in a bowl with the fresh croutons.

Boozy Cupcakes

2011-03-21T23:37:00.006-04:00

I spent the last weekend puttering around the city checking out all the tourist attractions with my friend Damon who was visiting from Portland…we went to the Navy Pier and rode the Ferris Wheel, looked at the Millennium Park Bean Sculpture, enjoyed the beautiful harbor on Lake Michigan, and did a bit of shopping on Michigan Avenue, it was so much fun! Thank god the weather is finally getting warmer here so we could enjoy our time outside and not freeze.

We also spent a lot of time in the kitchen cooking up some yummy meals. My favorite recipe was for these Boozy Cupcakes they were absolutely amazing! I only had one cupcake pan so I made one batch of cupcakes and one 9-inch cake. Damon found this recipe which has excellent step by step instructions and pictures, so make sure to check it out. The only thing I would change would be to add Chopped Pecans to the top, which we did with the cake, it really added a perfect balance to the sweetness of the cake. Cheers!

Boozy Cupcakes

Cake:

1 Cup Guiness Beer

1 Stick + 1 Tablespoon Butter, cut into pieces

2 Cups Brown Sugar

¾ Cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

¾ Cups Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners (or 12 cupcakes and one greased 8-9 inch cake pan).

Combine Guinness and butter in a large saucepan, heat to melt butter, remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa and sugar. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, then add Guinness mixture and whisk to combine. Next, add the baking soda, and flour and whisk to combine. Pour into cupcake pan and bake 25 minutes for cupcakes, or 35 minutes for cake, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Gnache Filling:

12 Ounce Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

½ Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Teaspoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place bowl over a double boiler. Add the butter and Bailey's and stir until combined. Set aside and cool until thick enough to be piped. Meanwhile, cut a portion from the center of each cupcake, pipe cooled gnache into cupcakes.

Frosting:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

4 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

4-6 Tablespoons Irish Whiskey

Chopped Pecans (optional)

Place butter in a mixing bowl and beat at medium-high speed for a minute until light in color and fluffy. Add the Irish Cream and Whiskey and mix to combine. Next slowly add the powdered sugar and adjust with more to create a spreadable consistency. Ice filled cupcakes and top with chopped pecans (if desired).

Beach Shrimp

2011-02-15T22:33:00.004-05:00

I braved my first blizzard here in Chicago! It was actually a ton of fun, and absolutely amazing. I got over two feet of snow where I live and it drifted to the top of cars in front of my house. I was up until about 3am watching the weather, we even had thunder and lightening during the storm, so strange! There were gusts up to 50 mph as well, so it was definitely a doozy of a storm ;)

No onto the food...this is another easy and delicious recipe from my friend Doug. We made this one night and then sat in the living room and watched a few movies and literally pigged out until we couldn't eat any more shrimp! This would also be great for parties as an appetizer, or even served over rice for a light dinner. We decided to make it easy and used bread as our side dish, which we dipped into the yummy sauce.

Beach Shrimp

4 lbs large raw shrimp (frozen actually works best but fresh is fine)
1 16 oz bottle zesty Italian dressing
1/2-1 t freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, halved
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/2 C butter, cut into small cubes

Place shrimp, dressing, pepper and garlic in 9x13 baking dish.
Juice 4 lemon halves over ingredients and stir.
Add lemon halves, sprinkle with parsley and dot with butter.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes (for frozen shrimp) or 20-25 minutes (for fresh shrimp, stirring halfway through.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Chessmen Banana Pudding

2011-01-17T20:24:00.004-05:00

My good friend Doug made this yummy and very easy dessert when he was in town this last fall, and I finally got around to asking him for the recipe! I'm a huge fan of banana in desserts and this really is quite delightful and so easy to make. Thanks Doug for the recipe!

Chessmen Banana Pudding

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies
6 bananas sliced
2 cups whole milk
1 5-oz box instant French vanilla pudding
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz container whipped topping

Line bottom of 9x13 dish with one bag of cookies.
Layer bananas on top.

In a bowl combine milk and pudding and blend with an electric mixer.
In another bowl combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding and stir until well blended.
Pour the mixture over the bananas and cover with the second bag of cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Turkey Meatball Soup

2011-01-04T22:04:00.002-05:00

I’m sure you all think that I’ve fallen off the face of the earth, and I almost did! What actually happened is that I fell down the rabbit hole and ended up in the beautiful Windy City of Chicago! Yes, I’m officially a mid-westerner as of November. I got a really great job opportunity and decided to take the dive into a new adventure! I’ve been enjoying the City very much so far and am finally getting back into the kitchen, and what a beautiful kitchen it is, I feel so lucky! This time of year is always insane for me but I just wanted to send out a hello to all my internet friends and let you know that I miss blogging!

Now on to the food…This is a delicious and hearty soup that my friend Therese makes every year on Christmas Eve for her party. Well I’ve been cooking it up for several years and finally remembered to get out my camera last time I cooked and shoot some pictures to share. Cheers to a happy New Year and many bowls of warm comforting soup! Thanks Therese for this yummy recipe!

Turkey Meatball Soup

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1 Large Carrot, chopped

2 Stalks Celery with leaves, chopped

4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

½ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil, tightly packed

¼ Cup Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley, tightly packed

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

½ Small Head Green Cabbage, chopped

4 Swiss Chard Leaves, washed dried and chopped

1 Parmesan Rind, about 3x3 inches

10 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Teaspoons Salt

2 Pounds Small Turkey Meatballs (I love the one’s from Trader Joe’s)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add the onion, carrot, celery, herbs, garlic, and greens and cook, stirring, until the greens are beginning to wilt (5-10 minutes). Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes), reducing the heat if necessary.

Add the chicken stock, parmesan rind, and meatballs, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partly covered 30 minutes. Adjust flavor with salt.

Remove the rosemary sprig, ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and serve.

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

2010-09-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

I was having my friend Patti over for dinner last week and wanted to make something really hearty and delicious and came up with this recipe. Portland has been getting quite cold lately and I thought a really yummy pasta and meat dish was in store. I was craving lamb, so I immediately thought of a lamb ragu and then decided to go all out and make my favorite pasta from scratch as well. I hope you enjoy!

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, finely diced

1 large sweet onion, finely diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

2 pounds ground lamb

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 pound pappardelle pasta

8 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved

½ bunch parsley chopped

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Add the lamb, coriander, cumin, rosemary and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until the liquid is reduced by 2/3rds, 3-4 hours.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, shaking well. Add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Place in large serving bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2010-09-03T01:56:00.008-04:00

I know this isn't the best photo but, oh well, it's the best I have! I actually forgot to take pictures while making this dish and ran into the house to grab my camera just as everyone started eating to capture this one, LOL!
This is a favorite recipe of mine, because it is super easy to make and can be made a day in advance and tossed into the oven for dinner the next day. I was throwing a birthday party for my friend Susan which was mid-week so I chose an easy and delicious menu of Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Black Beans, Spanish Rice [except I substituted corn for the peas], and of course my home made Salsa and Guacamole! For dessert I made my famous Chocolate Cake Deluxe with a yummy Cream Cheese frosting instead of my traditional Chocolate Gnache. The nice thing about this menu was that I was able to make everything, except the rice, a day in advance so it literally took one hour to pull everything together!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

6 Chicken Breasts, skin on, bone in (or substitute 2 pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, skinned, meat removed from the bone and finely diced or shredded).
2 28-Ounce Cans Enchilada Sauce
24 Corn Tortillas, cut in half
1 Pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
8 Ounces Queso Fresco, shredded

First prepare the chicken: Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts, skin side up, on large baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake until just cooked through (or internal temperature reads 160 degrees farenheight), about 45 minutes. Let cool, remove skin and bones and chop or shred chicken into small pieces, set aside.
To assemble casserole: Coat the bottom of a very deep (3 inches or deeper) 9x13-inch baking dish with just enough enchilada sauce to coat. Next place 12 of the tortilla halves over the bottom of the dish to completely cover (they will overlap a bit). Coat the tortillas with a generous amount of enchilada sauce, 1/3 of the chicken 1/4 of the sharp cheddar and queso fresco cheeses. Now layer again with 12 tortilla halves, enchilada sauce, chicken, cheddar and queso fresco cheeses...repeat one more time finishing with a layer of tortillas on the very top with a thin layer of enchilada sauce (you may have a bit left over), and the remaining 1/4 cheddar and queso fresco cheese.
Bake casserole in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 45-60 minutes or until bubbling and cheese on top is lightly golden brown. Let rest for a few minutes to set up before serving. (serves 10)

Bee & Mason

2010-08-17T19:20:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to my friend Francisca who just started her own blog Bee & Mason. She has just opened up a cute little shop in Portland, OR selling vintage and antique items that she finds. I know this is a food blog, but I'm sure you know how hard it is to be a blogger and not have any traffic at first. Go ahead and check it out, she tells great stories and has a great eye with her photography!
Cheers!

Braised Lamb Shanks

2010-08-16T23:46:00.004-04:00

I love that my friends tell me that they are tired of looking at old recipes! My friend Francisca just told me on Saturday that she couldn't look at the tart recipe any longer, I love it. I dug through my archives and found this recipe and picture that I haven't posted and decided this would be my next post! I know it's not the best summer dish, but living in Portland you do have those cold days now and again, so here is the recipe to welcome the rain. I would recommend polenta or my delicious Mashed Potatoes for the side dish, enjoy!

Braised Lamb Shanks

6 lamb shanks, well trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
2 yellow onions, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups diced canned tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a large
oval Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the 1/4 cup vegetable oil.
Working in batches, brown the shanks on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes
total, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Transfer to a platter.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan.

Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the vegetables are golden and translucent, 5 to 8
minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from
the heat and add the wine. Return the pan to medium-high heat and
bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits.
Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and lamb shanks and bring
to a boil. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat
is almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs,
transfer the shanks to a large serving bowl and cover loosely with
aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, remove the bay leaves from the cooking liquid and discard.
Skim off the fat. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Stir
in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour some of the sauce
over the shanks and garnish with parsley. Transfer the remaining sauce
to a sauceboat.

*Recipe from Williams Sonoma

Raspberry & Peach Tart

2010-07-28T15:46:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite Summer desserts, easy, fresh and delicious! I make many variations of this recipe depending on the season and what's fresh. My friend let me pick some raspberries from his garden and I thought they would go well in this dish. I did cheat and use canned peaches, but I actually prefer them to fresh because they don't brown and have a slightly firm texture compared to fresh.

Raspberry & Peach Tart

Tart Pastry
1/2 Cup Cold Butter, cubed
1 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Egg Yolk, beaten
2-3 Tablespoons Ice Water

In a mixing bowl cut butter into flour until pieces are pea sized. Stir together egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Add remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, till all the dough is moistened. Gently knead the dough just till a ball forms. Press into the bottom of a 12 inch tart pan. Poke all over with a fork and bake at 350 degrees until just lightly browned, about 12 minutes, set aside to cool.

Tart
2 Cups Fresh Raspberries (or any other berry that's in season)
1 28-Ounce Can Peaches in heavy syrup, drained and juice reserved
2 8-Ounce Packages Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Corn Starch

Start by making the filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar together with just enough peach juice to create a thick frosting consistency. Spread over bottom of cooled tart pastry.
Next cut peaches into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange along with berries to cover cream cheese.
To make the glaze, in a small sauce pan, combine remaining peach juice with 1 teaspoon corn starch over medium heat, cook until just thickened. Let cool slightly and then brush over entire pastry.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to set up.

Grilled Pork Loin

2010-07-18T12:30:00.002-04:00

If you know me well, you know that I'm a huge pork fan. I just love the lean meat and the mild flavor as it allows you a lot of freedom to make it meld with any dish. I made this particular recipe to go with my Summer Succotash and it was a perfect match with the fresh vegetables. I also used a bit of chunky finishing salt at the end to really bring out the flavor of the pork and add a bit of crunch. So the crystals on the bottom picture are not snow!
I made this dish on my charcoal BBQ and used an indirect heat, slow cook method which was surprisingly easy, so make sure to give it a try!

Grilled Pork Loin

2.5 Pounds Pork Loin Roast
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Sweet Paprika
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Oil
Finishing Salt, optional

Remove any excess fat off the pork roast. Mix all spices to create dry rub. Drizzle just enough oil over the roast to coat and cover with dry rub, cover and let sit at room temperature for one hour.
To create indirect heat on your grill, fill a chimney completely full of charcoal briquettes (do not use wood here it burns to hot and quickly). When charcoal is ready pour onto 1/2 of the grate and you are ready to BBQ.
Place pork roast directly over coals and cook just a few minutes on each side to brown the outside and create a crust. Next move the pork roast to the side of the grill without any coals, cover with lid and let cook without moving until it reaches 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 1 hour. Remove roast from grill and place on plate and tent with foil, let rest for 10 minutes (internal temperature will continue to increase to about 155 degrees).
Cut roast into desired thickness, sprinkle with finishing salt, and serve.

Summer Succotash

2010-07-11T17:54:00.003-04:00

I know it seems as if I've fallen off the face of the earth this year, but I really haven't! Thank you everyone for your kind words to continue my blogging! Also, a thanks to my friends who have been complaining about how tired of the last post that I did :)
To be honest I really haven't been cooking a lot this year, and if I have, I've been re-visiting all my old recipes so I haven't had a lot of recipes to post. Low and behold I woke up this week eager to try something new and threw a last minute dinner party, so alas, a new recipe!
I can't help but smile when I hear the word succotash, it immediately transports me back to when I was a kid watching cartoons and hearing "suffering succotash"!
I was intending on serving this as a bed for fish or scallops, but the seafood just didn't look too good, so I ended up making a delicious BBQ Pork Loin, in which I will blog a bout soon!

Summer Succotash

12 Ounces Bacon
1 Large Sweet Onion, finely diced
2 Large Cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 Pound Frozen Sweet White Corn
1 Pound Frozen Shelled Edamame
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 Pints Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Lemon
Salt

In a very large skilled fry bacon until very crisp, remove to paper towels to cool. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from pan, return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic, salt lightly and saute until soft and just beginning to get a bit of color. Next add corn, and edamame cover and cook for 6-8 minutes until thawed and heated through. Add tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and stir, cover and cook a few minutes until tomatoes are just softened and start to burst. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Now add chopped parsley and basil and juice of the lemon. Crumble bacon over top and mix, salt to tase and serve at room temperature.

Salt Crusted Potatoes

2010-04-26T13:55:00.002-04:00

I've seen many versions of salt crusted potatoes and thought I would give it a whirl. I love the sweetness of a baby red potato and then with the salt crust, yum! This really is the easiest recipe ever. Also, the skins of the potatoes come out super crisp and tender like parchment. Enjoy!

Salt Crusted Potatoes

2 Pounds Baby Red Potatoes
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Bay Leaves

Scrub potatoes and dry. Then toss with just enough olive oil to coat.
Place 1" of salt in a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the potatoes in a single layer, scatter a few bay leaves. Next place potatoes in salt and press into the salt so they are almost covered. Bake in a 375 degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Brush a bit of the salt off and serve immediately.

Mexican Chicken Chili

2010-04-09T16:55:00.005-04:00

I made this a while ago when I was not feeling well, as I wanted something warm and a bit spicy. I loved the complex flavors, the subtle spice, and the amazing flavor all the ingredients added! I used a recipe from Williams Sonoma for White Turkey Chili, but changed a lot of the recipe, so here it is. I wish I would have thought of adding some crispy corn stips...maybe next time!

Mexican Chicken Chili

1 Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1Large Yellow Onion, diced
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Pound Anaheim Chilies, roasted, peeled and diced
1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
7 Cups Chicken Stock
3 Cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro, minced
Shredded Jack Cheese & Sour Cream for serving

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil and fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side, remove and place on a plate. Add the diced onion, cumin, and garlic and saute until soft and just turning golden. Next add the anaheim chilies, jalapeno, and chicken stock, and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Add the chicken to the pot and simmer until just tender, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from pan and cool slightly, shred chicken, discarding any bones, and add meat back to the pot. Next add the beans, oregano, and cilantro, and flavor with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for about 30 more minutes so all flavors meld together.
Serve topped with jack cheese and sour cream.

Red Onion & Gorgonzola Flatbread

2010-03-20T13:15:00.003-04:00

My good friend Patty has had this recipe hanging on her fridge forever, so I decided to go ahead and make it. We both almost fell over because it tasted so amazing! We had such a fun time together in the kitchen rolling out the dough, caramelizing the onions and sipping on champagne! We made this as an appetizer, but could have easily eaten it for dinner. I changed the recipe a bit from the original, by adding more rosemary, caramelizing the onions first, and also making one large sheet pan of flat bread versus the individual rounds the original recipe called for. I might even be really bad and add some crumbled bacon to this dish next time I make it!
Original recipe from "Sunset Magazine, 2007"

Red Onion and Gorgonzola Flatbread

1 Package Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Semolina Flour
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Large Red Onion
2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves, minced
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
6 Ounces Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water (about 100 degrees). Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flours 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 teaspoons salt. (Dough will be stiff.) Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place to rise until 1 1/2 times its original volume, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, cut the onion in half and thinly slice. In a medium sized frying pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt, saute on very low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with olive oil. Turn risen dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough just until it feels smooth, about 10 times. Roll out and place into baking sheet. Stretch dough to cover entire sheet, should be about 1/4 inch thick. Cover dough with gorgonzola, caramelized onions and rosemary. Bake until browned and sizzling, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

2010-02-23T01:52:00.004-05:00

I can't imagine anything better than these biscuits, wow they were amazing!!! I saw this recipe in my Bon Appetite magazine and almost ate the page with the picture of these on them. I had a few friends over for dinner and made these at the request of one of my guests, such a great choice. They are the perfect texture; crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of flavor. I had one for breakfast and lunch the next day...hello treadmill, here I come!

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

3 3/4 Cups Unbleached Bread Flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 Pound Thick Cut Bacon, cooked until crisp, drained and broken into small pieces
12 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 Cup Fresh Chives, chopped
1 3/4-2 Cups Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and position rack just above center of oven.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, add butter and cut in until texture of course meal. Add bacon, cheese, and chives, mix to incorporate into flour mixture. Add buttermilk to moisten, toss with a fork, add more buttermilk if needed (up to 2 cups total) to just bring dough together. Place a generous 1/2 cup batter for each biscuit onto baking sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Thai Green Curry Shrimp

2010-02-16T13:49:00.002-05:00

I was planning on making curried lamb shanks, but when I saw these amazing shrimp at the Asian market, I just had to change my menu! I just recently posted a recipe for home made Thai Green Curry Paste, but you can easily substitute any Thai Green Curry Paste, which you can pretty much pick up at any grocery store these days. I wanted a clean, fresh, healthy flavorful curry so I used Thai & Indian eggplant, sweet potato (which was everyone's favorite!), sweet pea pods, and your basic Thai basil, lime wedges, and cilantro as an accompaniment to the dish. This is a very saucy recipe so make sure to serve with rice so you get to enjoy all the yummy curry sauce!

Thai Green Curry Shrimp

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Large Sweet Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced
3-5 Tablespoons Green Curry Paste (depending on how spicy you like your curry)
1 Lime, zest and juice
2 13-Ounce Cans Coconut Milk
1 13-Ounce Can Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
6 Thai Eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
6 Indian Eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 Pound Fresh Snap Peas
2 Pounds Large Shrimp, peeled and devained
Thai Basil, Cilantro, and Lime Wedges, for garnish

In a dutch oven or very large skilled, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook until tender. Next add the ginger and curry paste, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next add lime zest and juice, coconut milk, chicken stock, sugar, and salt, cook until all solids from coconut are disolved and bring to a simmer. Add the eggplant, and sweet potatoes, loosely cover and cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Next add the pea pods and shrimp cook until shrimp are just cooked through and pink, only a few minutes. Garnish with basil, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve over jasmine or white rice.

Thai Green Curry Paste

2010-02-10T14:27:00.003-05:00

I was craving something totally different for dinner the other night and got inspiration from my Indian Curry cookbook. I wasn't in the mood for Indian though, so I thought why not try to make a Thai Green Curry? It was much easier that I thought it would be and turned out very yummy! I just hopped into the car and headed to the Asian market and they had everything I needed for the curry paste.
I ended up using the curry in a coconut and shrimp curry recipe (which I will share in a few days), and it turned out so good...not too spicy, but it still had a bit of a kick, and the flavors were divine! This recipe is from the Food Network, one of Tyler Florence recipes.

Thai Green Curry Paste

2 Tablespoons Coriander Seeds
1 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds
1 Tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns
8 Fresh Thai Green Chiles
2 Shallots, Coarsely Chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, smashed
Small Handful Fresh Cilantro
2-Inch Piece Galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Lemon Grass Stalks, white part only, coarsely chopped
Zest 1 Small Lemon
2 Teaspoons Dried Shrimp Paste
1/2 Cup Water

Heat the coriander, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a small dry skillt for 2 minutes until fragrant. Put the seeds in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill and process the spices until they form a powder.
Put the spice blend and all remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine. Pour in the water to help grind everything down into a paste.

Beet & Cabbage Coleslaw

2010-02-06T23:27:00.002-05:00

My friend just made this and it's delicious! I also love how easy it
is to make, and it's beautiful.

Beet & Cabbage Slaw

1/2 Cabbage, shredded
1 Beet, shredded
3/4 Cup Italian Dressing
Salt & Pepper

Mix cabbage and beets with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yum, enjoy!

Dungeness Crab

2010-02-04T22:09:00.002-05:00

Do you ever have those weeks that turn into months and then you wonder where your time has gone? I feel that I was in a work coma for the last few months and I suddenly found myself at home tonight missing my food blog and wondering why I haven't posted in so long?
I immediately fired up the laptop and scanned through my pictures knowing that I had TONS of exciting dishes that I hadn't written up recipes for yet, and what do you know? I had one...the lonely little Dungeness crab you see above!
I have been cooking, just neglecting my camera in lieu of eating as soon as the food was ready not worrying about my presentation or writing down my ingredients as I go. Oh well, at least I'm back and excited about food again! I have a couple of good friends coming over for dinner tomorrow, a perfect excuse to try some new recipes and warm up the camera again. I also re-painted my kitchen, and put in a tile back splash today, so I have nothing to hold me back! Ok, now for the crab...I picked some up when I was at the coast last. They are so easy to prepare, and so delicious. I also get a sick kick out of cracking the shell with the mallet, its a very stress releaving dinner!

Dungeness Crab & Sorts

Dungeness Crab
White or Red Potatoes
Corn
Cheap Beer
Old Bay Seasoning
Butter
Lemon Juice

In a large pot, place a steam basket in the bottom and pour in 1 inch of beer. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil. Next add the potatoes and corn, sprinkle generously with the Old Bay, cover turn the heat down to medium and steam until potatoes are almost soft. Next add the crab, continue steaming to heat crab through, about 5-10 minutes or so. Plate everything and sprinkle with Old Bay, and a bit of course salt. I like to dip my crab in melted butter mixed with a bit of fresh lemon juice, but you can do as you like. Enjoy!

Turkey with Stuffing & Gravy

2009-11-24T16:43:00.000-05:00

It’s that time of year again, get your turkey, stuff it, put it in the oven, cross your fingers, pray, meditate, do a little dance and hope that you don’t ruin everything on Thanksgiving day. I’m totally kidding of course!
It seems that November is suddenly over, so I thought I would at least wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and show you what I do every year for dinner. My family is coming up from Boise, so I'll be in the the kitchen cooking away, I can't wait! I do have several posts I need to get typed up, so December should be full of yummy new recipes. Now on for my family's traditional Thanksgiving dinner...
Making a turkey can seem very daunting, and I was horrified when I threw my first Thanksgiving for 12 people when I was 19 years old! All I can say is take a deep breath, read how EASY it is to cook the perfect turkey, then sit back, relax, and enjoy the delicious aroma that will put you into an immediate happy place.
I use the most magical cooking tool ever, the Reynolds Oven Bag! I don’t have time to baste the turkey every 15 minutes. I have cooked over 20 turkeys in Reynolds Bags and they have turned out perfect and juicy every single time.
The stuffing recipe is from my grandmother and I always serve my delicious mashed potatoes and a few other side dishes that guests bring. Enjoy!

Turkey and Stuffing

1 Large Turkey (I usually get a 20 pound turkey to serve 10-12 people with left over’s)
2 Yellow Onions, diced
2 Large Carrots, cleaned, peeled, and shredded
4 Stalks Celery, diced
1 Stick Butter, melted
2 Loaves White Bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Box ‘Jiffy Mix’ Corn Bread, baked as a ‘Johnny Cake”, cut into ½ inch cubes
4 Extra Large Eggs, lightly whipped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
Turkey Seasoning, such as Herbs de Provence (optional)
Reynolds Turkey Sized Oven Bag

Make sure to unthaw your turkey, it takes about 5-6 DAYS to unthaw your 20 pound bird in the fridge, so plan ahead. Remove turkey from plastic and take out all innards inside the cavity and throw away. Clean bird thoroughly, especially the cavity of the turkey, and remove any feathers that might be hanging out under the wings or legs of the bird. Pat your turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out, set aside.
For the stuffing, sauté onions in a large sauté pan with 3 Tablespoons olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium high heat, then add celery and continue cooking until onions are transparent and celery is just slightly softened, about 4 more minutes, remove from heat.
In a very large bowl add the diced bread, cornbread, eggs and melted butter, stir until well combined (bread should stick together slightly. Next add onion/celery mixture and salt and pepper, mix thoroughly. Taste stuffing, it should be well flavored, add more salt if necessary.
Generously salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity and then place stuffing mixture into the cavity and under the backside of the bird, secure flap of skin with skewer or toothpicks. Now drizzle olive oil all over the turkey and rub in with your hands to ensure every part is covered. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. If desired sprinkle with a dried turkey herb mixture (such as herbs de Provence). Put turkey into bag, place on large cookie sheet or roasting pan and cook as directed on Reynolds bag package.
When turkey is done cooking, cut corner of bag open and pour juices from turkey into large saucepan, let turkey rest while you make the gravy. When gravy is complete, move turkey to serving platter and enjoy!

Gravy

Drippings from Turkey

1-2 Quarts Chicken Stock
¼ Cup Flour
½ Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper

Take large saucepan with turkey juices and place over high heat, add 1-2 quarts of chicken stock to make the amount of gravy necessary for your party. To thicken gravy, mix flour and milk together with whisk until well combined, pour into stock, bring to a boil while continually whisking. Gravy will thicken once it has come to a boil. If gravy is not thick enough add more flour/milk mixture. When gravy reaches desired consistency, flavor with generous amounts of salt and pepper (don’t be shy here, or your gravy will be bland!)

Roast Squash

2009-10-27T12:39:00.003-04:00

Roast squash is one of my favorite fall items, I love the sweet yummy flavor that it has. I like how versatile it is because you can use it as a side dish, a snack or like I have done here, added to a salad. Taking the skin off the squash is the hardest part of the process, make sure you have a very sharp knife or heavy duty vegetable peeler!

Roast Squash

1 Squash (Acorn or Butternut are my favorites)
Olive Oil
Brown Sugar
Salt

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and skin. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes and place on a non-stick baking pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil and then lightly sprinkle with salt and brown sugar. Bake at 400 degrees until sugar starts to caramelize and squash is just tender, about 20-30 minutes. Serve hot or let cool and use on salads or enjoy as a snack.

I made a simple salad using some mixed greens, a seared steak and a pungent blue cheese...the sweet squash and blue cheese together were to die for!

Beef Ragu with Pappardelle

2009-10-13T23:20:00.004-04:00

I was looking through my new Sur la Table catalog a couple weeks ago and stumbled upon the "Wild Boar Ragu Kit" which would set you back $80, yikes!!! This immediately made me curious about a two things...Can I make this with beef instead (yes), and can I make this dinner more amazing for less than $80 (yes)...which led me to this recipe. Then I realized that the "kit" didn't include the fresh veggies, wine, or stock you would actually need to make this amazing dish, adding another $20+ to your meal. Normally I don't squawk at the prices of good ingredients, but I was a little shocked that the kit had so little, at such a large price (and working for Williams Sonoma Inc...I'm used to expensive foods and such).
Ok, I'll get off my soap box now and talk about the important things, like this outstanding recipe! In my attempt at serching the interweb I found many recipes that peaked my interest, but ultimately ended up doing a little of this, and a little of that to create my own "Beef Ragu with Pappardelle." I must admit that it's a time consuming recipe, but if you enjoy puttering in the kitchen on a day off; this is the perfect Fall meal. I almost fainted mid-cooking because the aroma of the dish wafting throughout the house was completely intoxicating! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Beef Ragu with Pappardelle

3 Pound Beef Chuck Roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Basil Leaves
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Sprigs Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
2 Large Carrots, peeled & diced
2 Stalks Celery, diced
1 Onion, diced
2 Shallots, diced
1 Pound Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 Tablespoon Flour
4 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 16 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 Bottle Cabernet Wine
1/2 Head Garlic, cloves peeled and separated
4 Cups Beef Stock
1 Pound Fresh Pappardelle, or other fresh pasta
Chopped Parsley
8 Ounces Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
8 Ounces Pecorino Romano Cheese Curls

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Place a large 6-8 Quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil and heat until it is almost smoking. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Working in 2 separate batches, add beef to the hot oil cook until browned on all sides. Remove from Dutch oven and transfer to a plate and set aside, continue with next batch, remove from pan.

Place rosemary, thyme, and parsley together and tie with kitchen string, set aside. Add carrots, celery, onion, shallots, and mushrooms to Dutch oven and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasioinally, until vegetables are softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste, and stir to combine. Add wine; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan. Add tomatoes, garlic, beef stock, herbs, bay leaves, and galic cloves. Return meat to the Dutch oven and bring to a simer over medium-high heat. Cover the dish and place in the oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 3 hours.

Place the Dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half and thickened. Using a wooden spoon press the meat against the side of the pot to break up into shredded pieces. Remove the herbs and bay leaves and turn to low.

Fill a large pot with water and cook pasta until just al-dente, add to ragu and stir with shredded romano cheese to combine. Serve in large bowls with chopped parsley and shaved romano cheese as a garnish.

Pork Loin

2009-10-06T01:02:00.003-04:00

I personally think pork should be illegal because it is so delicious! I think I could eat it every day, especially if it came in bacon form. I decided to do a more healthy pork lunch last Sunday that was really quick and easy to make. I simply roasted a pork loin with some herbs and it was amazing. The key to really good pork loin is to not over-cook it, as it dries out very quickly once it gets overdone. Also, giving it a good rest after cooking helps drive the juices back into the meat as well. Since I was making this for lunch I wanted an easy side dish to go along side, so I made my yummy Oven Fries and an arugula salad with my House Dressing. Enjoy!

Pork Loin

3 Pound Pork Loin
Olive Oil
Salt
Herbs de Provence

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously salt pork loin and then cover with herbs de provence. In a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat add enough olive oil to just coat bottom of pan. Add pork loin and sear on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the pork loin to the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Remove, cover tightly with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving (meat will continue to cook while resting).

Guacamole

2009-10-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love guacamole and could just sit in front of a large bowl of it and eat myself like it's Thanksgiving. Luckily I don't make it that often, so I'm not that out of control! This is a very simple recipe and you need to make this with my favorite Salsa recipe which was just recently posted. I like my guacamole a little chunky, but feel free to process the avocados as much or as little as you like. You will also notice that I left the avocado seed in my guacamole...did you know this helps it from turning brown?

Guacamole

4 Ripe Avocados
Roma Tomato
Juice from 1/2 fresh Lime
1/4 Cup Salsa
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

Cut avocados in half and remove the seed. Next cut avocado into cubes while still in the skin, then scoop into bowl with a large spoon. Using a fork smash the avocados to desired consistency. Cut tomato in half, remove stem and seeds, then cut into a fine dice, add to bowl. Add the lime juice, salsa, garlic salt, and cumin and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning with salt. Let sit for a few minutes before serving so flavors all meld together.

Salsa

2009-09-29T13:26:00.002-04:00

I have been making this salsa recipe for years and it seems to be ever-evolving, as I like to experiment with different peppers, roasting, and variations, but this is my favorite salsa. It is inspired by my friend Silvia's salsa (which is a secret recipe) but I have tweaked it enough that I feel comfortable sharing this recipe with you all. I like to roast all my veggies so it adds a bit of smoky flavor to the dish, and what I've been doing recently is using more peppers, but removing all the seeds and ribs so it's not too spicy. I hope you enjoy this as much as my friends and I do!

Salsa

1/2 Sweet Onion, skin removed and cut into two thick slices
2 Roma Tomatoes, cut in half and seeded
2 Jalapeno Peppers, stemmed seeded and ribs removed
1 Serrano Pepper, stemmed seeded and ribs removed
1 Poblano Pepper, stemmed seeded and ribs removed
1 Large Clove Garlic
1/2 Bunch Cilantro
28 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

Turn broiler on high to pre-heat. Cover a large baking sheet with foil and place onion, tomaotes and all peppers skin side up on tray. Broil until peppers are blackened and onion and tomato are slightly charred. Place roasted veggies into the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and pulse until just chopped up. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until well chopped. Add more salt if necessary, enjoy!

Mole Verde

2009-09-18T12:48:00.003-04:00

This recipe is a lot of work, but well worth it. I love the rich flavor of the mole sauce and it is different than anything I have ever tasted. The main base of the mole sauce is pumpkin seeds, which is unusual, but they give a lot of flavor to the dish. You can find raw pumpkin seeds at your Whole Foods market or you can order them online. I think this would also be really yummy with pork, but it's traditionally served with chicken. For a side dish I made my Spanish Rice (except I added black beans instead of peas) and then of course I had to make salsa and guacamole to go along with it.
This recipe is from the book "Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless (a must have for those of you who like traditional Mexican food!)

Mole Verde

1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds, hulled and unroasted
13 Ounce Can Tomatillos, drained
3 Serrano Chilies, seeded
5 Large Romaine Lettuce Leaves
1/2 Medium Onion, roughly chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 Large Sprigs Fresh Cilantro
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
6 Black Peppercorns
3/4 Inch Cinnamon Stick
2 Cloves
1 1/2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts, bone in
1 Small Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Start by cooking the chicken: Bring 6 cups water and the salt to a boil in a large saucepan with the diced onion. Add the chicken breasts, skim off any grayish foam that rises during the first minute of simmering, partially cover and simmer over medium heat for about 12 minutes, until the breasts are barely done. Let chicken cool in the broth. Remove, strain the broth, then spoon off all the fat that rises to the top.
Mole: Heat a medium skillet over medium-low for several minutes, then pour in the pumpkin seeds in a single layer. When the first one pops, stir them constantly for 4-5 minutes, until all have toasted and popped. Cool completely. In batches, pulverize the seeds in a spice grinder. sift through a medium-mesh sieve, then stir in 1 cup of the broth.
Drain canned tomatillos and place in the blender or food processor with the raw chiles. Tear the lettuce leaves into rough pieces and add to the tomatillows along with the onion,garlic and cilantro. Pulverize the spices in a mortar or spice grinder, add to the blender then process until smooth.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium. When hot, add the pumpkin seed broth mixture and stir constantly as it thickens and darkens, 4-5 minutes. Add the vegetable puree and stir a few minutes longer, until very thick.
Stir in 2 cup of the chicken broth, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Season with the salt and, if necessary, thin to a light consistency with a little broth.
Just before serving, add the chkicken to the simmering sauce. When heated through, remove the breasts to a warm serving platter, spoon the sauce over them and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.

Chicken Parmesan

2009-09-10T12:43:00.004-04:00

I'm laughing a little bit right now because I am realizing how many chicken recipes I've been making lately...I guess I'm on a chicken craving or something! At least I mix it up a bit and make different versions, so it doesn't really count-right?
I made a batch of my yummy Tomato Meat Sauce and the thoughts of it on plain pasta for left-overs just didn't sound too good so I decided to mix it up a bit and make chicken parmesan. This is such a sinful dish because you bread and fry the chicken and then top it off with melted cheese, but it sure is tasty! I just wouldn't recommend it very often:) I did do a small side of pasta and some mixed greens sauteed with butter and garlic, so it was a little balanced.

Chicken Parmesan

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Batch Tomato Meat Sauce (or 1 jar of your favorite store bought pasta sauce)
2 Eggs
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Oil

Start by heating up the pasta sauce and keep warm on the stove. Next to prepare the chicken place one breast in a large zip lock bag and pound to 1/2 inch thickness, do the same with the second chicken breast. Next break the eggs and beat on a large plate or dish, set aside. For the breading combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on another large plate. Coat the chicken breasts with the eggs and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture pressing to coat evenly. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium high heat, place chicken in oil and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes and flip and cook other side until golden brown, another 3-4 minutes, then drain on a paper towel for a minute.
Next turn your broiler on high. Place the chiken breasts on a heavy baking sheet, spoon enough pasta sauce over the chicken to coat, then sprinkle with the mozzarell cheese. Place in the oven and broil until cheese is melted and starts to turn golden, just a minute or two. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-09-04T13:03:00.004-04:00

There is nothing better than a good chicken enchilada, at least I think so. I was wanting a quick Mexican dinner and decided to whip up a batch of chicken enchiladas. I did cheat a little bit, actually quite a bit, but who cares, right? I started off with a rotisserie chicken, so I wouldn't have to cook my own chicken and used store bought enchilada sauce instead of making my own. They turned out pretty darn good if you ask me! They literally took 20 minutes to assemble and a few minutes in the oven so it's a great week night meal.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skinned and shredded
1 28 Ounce Can Enchilada Sauce
1 13 Ounce Can Enchilada Sauce
12-14 Corn Tortillas
8 Ounce Package Cotija Cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. To make the enchiladas, start by mixing the shredded chicken with the small can of enchilada sauce, set aside. Crumble the Cotija cheese and set aside and coat the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish with enchilada sauce.

Spoon a good amount of the chicken into the tortilla and top with a bit of the Cotija cheese, fold edges in to cover and place seam-side down into the baking dish.

Continue with the rest of the tortillas until pan is full. Now pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas to cover evenly. sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake until hot an bubbly, about 30 minutes or so. Serve immediately.

Easy Roast Chicken

2009-08-21T12:33:00.005-04:00

I think it's quite funny that I have been writing a food blog for two years, cooking for 20 and never in my life have I roasted a whole chicken! I have made a couple versions of roasted Cornish hens, I've whipped up a ton of Thanksgiving Turkeys, and I've made MANY chicken recipes, just never the basic roast chicken. I knew it was easy to roast a chicken, I mean seriously, how much different is it than roasting a turkey, or a chicken breast? I wanted simple, flavorful crispy skin, and decided to use very basic ingredients. It turned out moist, tender, and made the house smell absolutely delicious!

Easy Roast Chicken

1 Chicken
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Clean chicken thoroughly removing all innards, wash and pat dry with paper towels. Generously salt and pepper the cavity of the bird, then tie legs together with kitchen twine and fold wing tips underneath the bird. Next drizzle outside of bird with olive oil to coat, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs. Place bird on a roasting or wire rack rack on a foil lined baking sheet (makes clean up so much easier!). Roast chicken in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until liquids run clear, and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, about 45 minutes. Tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes for the juices to go back into the bird. Slice meat and serve, bon appetite!

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

2009-08-07T21:26:00.001-04:00

I found this amazing recipe on Recipe from OurBestBites.com and had to immediately go to the kitchen and whip it up. I’m not much of a bread maker, but I thought this recipe was so easy and delicious I had to give it a try. I was completely shocked at how amazing the bread turned out, it had the perfect texture, flavor, and my friend Patti and I gobbled it up. I served it on a plate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You must try this one out, it’s so good…I’ve been craving it ever since.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

1 Cup Warm Water (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 Tablespoon Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 Tablespoons Butter, divided

2 Tablespoons Crushed Dry Rosemary

2 1/4-2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly. While the yeast is getting bubbly, combine 2 C of the flour, salt, 1 Tbsp. rosemary.

Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Mix well. (I put it in my stand mixer with the dough hook on). Slowly add remaining flour to make a very soft dough--try and resist the urge to add too much flour. You probably won't use the entire extra 1/2 c. of flour. I usually only use about 1/4 cup. You want a soft, wet dough.

Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

Lightly flour work surface and transfer dough onto this surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into a round loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cover and allow to rise another 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and mix with remaining tablespoon of rosemary. Brush on loaves and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly golden-brown. Serve immediately (if you can) with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (if you want) and feel your butt get bigger (you will. It just happens. And it's worth it.)

Chicken Marsala

2009-07-29T12:20:00.005-04:00

I think the hardest question to answer (and I get this question a lot) is "what's your favorite thing to make?" Well, I don't really have a favorite thing to make, as I love being in the kitchen making anything, but chicken marsala would definitely be one of my top 5 favorite things to eat! I have been making chicken marsala for years, and I don't think I will ever get tired of it. I learned how to make this dish way back when I had my first job as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant in Yakima, Washington when I was 15. I know I was the dishwasher, but I was also very good at putting my nose in the kitchen and learning lots and lots of valuable cooking tips. To this day, I think that was the best job I ever had because I learned how to make numerous recipes and desserts. The owner Diane was very sweet, and was always willing to let me ask questions and show me how to make her delicious recipes, and I will always be greatful for that.

Chicken Marsala

4 Boneless Skineless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 Green Onions, finely chopped
1 Pound Crimini Mushrooms, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
12 Ounces Marsala Wine (I just buy the 12 ounce bottle of marsala cooking wine which is kept by the vinegars in the grocery store)
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
Oil (for frying the chicken)
Flour
Salt & Pepper

Place a large heavy bottomed frying pan (do not use non-stick) over medium high heat and add the butter, garlic, green onion, and mushrooms, saute until mushrooms are just barely soft-Remove from pan.
Next, place about 2 cups flour in a paper or plastic bag along with a tablespoon salt and pepper and shake to combine. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour to coat. Heat 1/4 inch oil in your frying pan over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook chicken until golden brown and fully cooked, about 12 -15 minutes total. Remove chicken from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain any remaining oil from the pan and place back on the stove over high heat. Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine-IT MAY IGNITE-please be careful! Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan and let the alcohol burn off. Now add 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture to the chicken broth and whisk together then add to the pan. Using a whisk stir constantly until marsala sauce comes to a boil and starts to thicken-just a couple minutes. Add mushrooms back into the pan and season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve place the chicken on a plate and spoon a generous amount of mushrooms and sauce over the top, enjoy!

Greek Taziki Sauce & Appetizer

2009-07-24T12:20:00.003-04:00

I had a mad craving for Greek food the other day and decided that instead of going out to eat I would cook and invite a couple friends over. I love that Greek food can be really simple or really complicated to make, and being lazy I went with the easy recipes. I decided to make my personal favorite Taziki sauce and then I just added onto that with olives, fresh veggies, hummus, pita bread, feta cheese, and some lamb burgers so we could turn this appetizer into a meal by making gyros. It was so nice to be able to just sit outside in the backyard and relax and graze on the appetizer, which so easily transitioned into dinner. This would also be a great appetizer if your throwing a large party, or need a heavy snack during mid-day. Opa!

Greek Taziki Sauce

4 Cups Whole Milk Yogurt
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice From 1/2 Lemon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

The secret to making a good thick taziki sauce is to drain the yogurt first. Simply line a colander with 2 layers of paper towels and dump in yogurt. Let drain over a bowl for 2 hours, you will lose half the volume of the yogurt, so make sure to use the full 4 cups.
Next place the thickened yogurt into a mixing bowl, add the garlic, cucumber, olive oil, lemon and salt and stir until well combined. Cover and let rest for at least one hour before serving so that the flavors can develop (the longer it sits the more pronounced the garlic will be). Stir again and place into your desired serving dish.
To make a full appetizer plate cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, fetta cheese, and warm pita bread and hummus, and serve.

And The Winner Is...

2009-07-22T13:14:00.005-04:00

I feel just horrible that I am doing this late, but it's better late than never, right? I have been living at work the last couple of days, and I completely spaced doing the drawing...oops!

Well without further ado, her is my little munchkin Muppet to pick the lucky winner! I think he was a bit nervous...

And the lucky winner is Pam-For the Love of Cooking. Congratulations Pam, Yeah, Meow!!!

I think Muppet had more fun playing with the papers than doing the drawing! Oh life as a cat is so rough sometimes!

Peach & Berry Crumble

2009-07-19T15:05:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love berries, all types of berries and it's definitely berry season here in Portland. I was having friends over for dinner last week and saw all these delicious blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries at the grocery store, and had instant inspiration for dessert. I then walked by the peaches and immediately picked up a bag of those too and put some of my berries back, (as I have a weakness for peaches as well and just couldn't decide on one or the other!)
I love the more traditional biscuit type of topping that my mom usually makes, but was really swayed when I saw Darlene's delicious little berry crumbles, which you can read about here that she posted on here blog, so decided to go that route instead. Well, the end result was absolutely amazing. I have to admit that we only ate half the dessert during my little dinner party and I ended up having the other half all week for breakfast and dessert!

Peach & Berry Crumble

Filling
6 Fresh Peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
1 Pint Blueberries
1/2 Pint Raspberries
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour

Crumble Topping
1 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cups Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Oats
1 Stick Butter, diced

Combine the peaches, blueberries, raspberries, sugar and flour in a large bowl stirring gently, then place into a large greased baking dish or 9x13 inch baking pan.
To make crumble topping combine all dry ingredients, next cut in the butter and mix with hands until mixture resembles small pebbles. Pour topping evenly over fruit.
Bake crumble in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling and topping is dark golden brown. (I always put my dish on a foil covered baking pan just in case it bubbles over.) Let cool slightly and serve alone or with ice cream if desired!

Happy 2nd Birthday Blog & Cookbook Giveaway!

2009-07-16T01:44:00.003-04:00

Where does time go? I just can't believe that my blog is already 2 years old, Happy Birthday Blog!!!! I have enjoyed capturing all my cooking adventures on film and actually writing up the recipes so I can re-create them instead of wonder "what did I put in that dish?"
Also, I have met many wonderful blogger-friends which brings me to my Giveaway! I am going to put everyone that posts a comment on this posting into a hat and pull out a lucky winner. What's the prize? One of my favorite cookbooks, Tyler's Ultimate, which has beautiful pictures and a variety of recipes that are easy to follow and down to earth. Please provide a link to your blog, or your email address so I can contact you if your name is drawn. I will be picking and announcing the lucky winner Monday, July 20th!

Good Luck!

2009-07-12T13:43:00.002-04:00

There is nothing better than that first sweet taste of fresh corn on the cob during summer. I just picked up some corn on a whim when I was at the store this week and crossed my fingers that it would be sweet and delicious, well I was not disappointed! I love corn grilled, boiled, baked in foil, actually any which way, but this is my favorite way to prepare it.

Corn on the Cob

Corn
Butter
Parmesan Cheese
Paprika

Cook the corn your favorite way, I usually husk mine and just throw it on the grill, but it was raining so I couldn't, so I boiled it for a few minutes. Next cover it in butter, Parmesan cheese and paprika. The saltiness of the cheese really brings out sweetness in the corn and the paprika just adds a hint of interest. Please enjoy!

Dark & Stormy

2009-07-07T11:15:00.004-04:00

Do you ever go out for dinner, have a drink and wonder what was in it? Well I had that experience recently at Toro Bravo, a local Tapas Restaurant. I had a drink called the Dark and Stormy, and yes I ordered it just because of the name! I was surprised with the simplicity of ingredients and the wonderful full flavors that drink has to offer. I had a couple friends over and decided to make this as our featured cocktail. It's refreshing and perfect for a hot summer afternoon!
In reading recipes there is quite a debate on wether to use lime or not, I went ahead and put it in, as I always love the bright citris flavor it adds. Also, it is said that you must use Goslings Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer, no othere substite will do. I personally think any high quality dark rum would be just fine. I could only find ginger beer at Whole Foods and New Seasons, my regular grocer only sold ginger ale, which is much different. Cheers!

Dark & Stormy

2 Ounces Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 12 Ounce Bottle Ginger Beer
Ice
Lemon

Fill a large tumbler with ice, add rum and ginger beer, stir. Add lemon as garnish, if desired.

Cornbread and Fig Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

2009-06-21T02:44:00.004-04:00

Do you ever wish you had 34 hours in a day instead of 24? I have been feeling that way this entire year! I have hardly cooked anything, let alone tried out new recipes (hence the lack of newness on my blog) and am really bummed about it. I have been working a lot and quite frankly when I get home I’m ready to go to bed! Even this last week on my day off I went on a scavenger hunt in my freezer and discovered a batch of alfredo sauce, so I just boiled some pasta and dinner was served. That was pretty darn fancy compared to my meals as of late, but I thought it might be a little crazy to post “leftovers from my freezer” as a blog entry. Hopefully I can figure out a better schedule and get inspired in the kitchen again. I have tons of recipes on the back burner I’m dying to try so I really do need to hit up the grocery store and start cooking.

Ok, now on to the exciting part of this entry, the stuffed Cornish game hens. I was watching the Food Network and saw Tyler make these delightful treats and decided to whip them up for a dinner party that I had forever ago. The stuffing is a very nice combination of sweet and savory because it is made with cornbread, figs, and sausage, so you really get a nice hit of flavor from all these different ingredients. I tried the glaze that he used, which is quite a bit of work to be honest and think next time I make this dish I will simply coat the hens with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped rosemary.

Cornbread & Fig Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

1 1/2 Cups Dried Figs, pitted and roughly chopped

1/4 Cup Honey

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

3 Cups Warm Water

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper

Stuffing

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Small Onion, Minced

1 Tablespoon Rosemary Leaves

1 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 8x8 Inch Pan Cornbread

1 Cup Rehydrated Figs, Chopped

Salt

Pepper

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

1/2Cup Chicken Stock

4 Cornish Game Hens, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each

4 Tablespoons Butter, softened

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Begin by re-hydrating the figs. In a large mixing bowl add the figs, honey, lemon juice and cover with warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 25 minutes until the figs are tender and soft. Strain the figs and reserve the liquid - as this will be the base for the glaze.

To make the stuffing, heat a little extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently sauté the onions with rosemary. Add the sweet Italian sausage and continue to sauté until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, scrape it all into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and figs and season well with salt and pepper. Give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and set it aside while you work on the hens.

Wash and clean the birds. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and fill with stuffing. Dot the top of each bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Lay out on a roasting tray and pop into the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While they are roasting, set the fig liquid over medium-high heat and add balsamic and butter. Reduce until syrupy and baste the birds with 10 minutes to go. When done, an instant-read thermometer should registers 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Gary’s Tomato Soup

2009-06-05T13:09:00.000-04:00

I had this soup at my friend Val & Gary’s house and immediately fell in love. I knew I had to have the recipe so I could re-create this masterpiece at home. It has the best flavor of any tomato soup I have ever had and a perfect thick creamy consistency you would never get from a store-bought soup. I know its summer and soup is the last thing you’re thinking of eating, but being in Portland we get a rainy chilly day once in a while even during the hottest parts of the year. I’m going to make this soup every time that happens and fix myself a nice grilled cheese to go along side. I know is seems strange to add pesto and parmesan to the soup, but it really adds a ton of flavor and finishes off the soup perfectly. Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe Gary!

Gary’s Tomato Soup

2 28-Ounce Cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (Muir Glen brand is always good)
½ Stick Unsalted Butter
1 Small Onion, finely diced
2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Cup Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper
Pesto & Parmesan Cheese, For Garnish

Drain the diced tomatoes in a strainer collecting the water/juice in a bowl. Push down with a large spoon to get them as dry as possible. Add water to the collected juice to make a total of 3 cups of reserved juice.
Melt butter in a 5 quart stock pot; add onion and sauté until just browning over medium low heat. Add the drained tomatoes, light brown sugar and tomato paste, cook for about 15-20 minutes to dry out and caramelize the tomatoes without burning them so they are a deep, dark red color.
Mix in the all purpose flour and cook for a minute or so to incorporate. Add chicken or vegetable broth and the reserved 3 cups of tomato juices, scraping the bottom of the bowl to release the browned tomato bits. Then add the cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat, uncover, and carefully blend in the pot with a stick blender until as smooth as you like. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Turn heat back on and heat soup back to simmer then turn heat off.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a dollop of basil pesto and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

2009-05-26T10:42:00.004-04:00

I know this isn't much of a post, but I just had to get something new on here! I've been on vacation to Philadelphia the last week and ran out of time to take pictures and post new recipes before I left! I spent a couple days in Philly, I did some shopping and ate out a lot. The last three days of my vacation I went to the Jersey Shore, it was beautiful and sunny, I think I even got some color (even though I wear 50 SPF). I decided that I need to be wealthy so I can vacation for a living, LOL.
Ok, now on to the food...I was trying to think of a yummy, but easy appetizer for a dinner party and walked into the most delicious looking asparagus at the store, so I though why not do that with some prosciutto? All you have to do is blanch the asparagus for a few minutes in salted boiling water until they are barely tender, then shock in an ice bath to cool. After that you roll them up in a little prosciutto blanket, and voila...appetizer!

Chocolate Mousse Torte

2009-05-14T11:54:00.002-04:00

I had some co-workers over for dinner last week and wanted to make something extra-special for dessert. I was looking though my Tyler’s Ultimate cookbook and came across this amazing recipe. He called it Cracked Chocolate Earth, but I personally didn’t care for that so I’m posting it as Chocolate Mousse Torte as it is so light and airy like mousse, but so rich at the same time. Everyone loved the dessert and we all talked about how amazing it was. I think this is my new favorite chocolate recipe!

Chocolate Mousse Torte

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
1 Pound Bittersweet Chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips)
9 Large Eggs, separated
¾ Cup Sugar
Powdered Sugar, for dusting
Whipped Cream, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Put the chocolate and butter into the top of a double boiler and heat over simmering water until melted. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color. Whisk a little of the warm chocolate mixture into the egg-yolk mixture to temper the eggs, then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.
Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, and add into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is set, the top starts to crack, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 30-40 minutes. Let the cake stand for 10 minutes, then release the sides of the pan. Serve at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Manhattan & My New Tattoo

2009-05-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

I don’t usually like whiskey, but if it’s sweetened up and ice cold, it’s pretty darn good. My friend Greg discovered the most delicious cherries when he was at the Secret Society (if you haven’t been there you need to try it out!) The brand is Luxardo, they are a bit expensive, $15 per jar, but well worth it. The Cherries are packed in a thick almost molasses-type flavored syrup. Also, go for the good vermouth, it really makes the difference in a good cocktail.

Manhattan

3 Ounces Whiskey
2 Ounces Sweet Vermouth
Few Shakes of Bitters
Luxardo Cherries

Drizzle a martini glass with a bit of the Luxardo cherry syrup. In a shaker full of ice, add the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, shake until well chilled. Pour into martini glass and garnish with a few cherries. Cheers!

Now for the tattoo…I totally got called out by an “anonymous” commenter from my last post (although I think I know who you are). I just got this a few weeks ago, and wanted it to heal before I posted it. It’s a French whisk on my left forearm. LOL, leave it to a foodie to get a whisk tattoo!

Sinful French Toast

2009-05-02T11:43:00.001-04:00

I had something similar to this when I went to San Francisco earlier this year and have been thinking about it since. The other morning I decided to get into the kitchen and see if I could re-make this recipe. What I was shooting for is a bread pudding-like interior with a slightly crispy exterior and then a cinnamon and sugar crust. I know it sounds completely indulgent, ok, it is! I won’t make this often, but what a treat it was.

Sinful French Toast

3 Egg Yolks & 1 Whole Egg
1 Cup Whole Milk
4 Slices Bread, use a dense bread such as French or brioche
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Vegetable Oil

In a deep dish mix together the eggs and milk, soak the bread in this mixture until completely saturated. In a large frying pan, heat ¼ inch of oil to 325 degrees. While oil is heating combine the cinnamon and sugar on a plate and set aside. To cook the French toast, fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove toast from the oil and drain, then dredge in the cinnamon sugar until completely coated, remove to a plate and continue cooking the rest of the toast. Serve immediately.

Oven Fries

2009-04-26T13:23:00.004-04:00

I love french fries and was craving them the other day and decided to make oven fries. Making double fried fries is a lot of work, a huge mess, and they are so bad for you! This is a super easy recipe and can be done with russet or red potatoes. I just love a crispy golden fry, and this is the recipe to take care of that craving!

Oven Fries

2 Large Russet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Herbs de Provence

Pre-heat a large baking sheet in a 400 degree oven. Cut the potatoes into large fry sized pieces, leaving the skin on. Toss with a generous amount of olive oil, salt & pepper, and herbs de Provence. Arrange fries on the pre-heated baking sheet and bake until just tender turning half way through, about 30 minutes total. Turn on broiler and roast fries until golden brown and crisp, turning often.

Cream Puffs

2009-04-21T15:51:00.001-04:00

I would have to say that cream puffs and chocolate éclairs are one of my favorite desserts. I just love the eggy flavor of the dough and then the lightly sweet cream filling, yummy! I made these for dessert a couple weeks ago and of course everyone loved them. They are pretty easy to make and can also be frozen if you need a last minute dessert! I like to use fresh whipped cream, but you can also use a whipped topping, or pudding for the filling. If you want to make them into éclairs, just add some chocolate gnache over the top, it’s even better if you serve them at the table with a bowl of warm gnache so everyone can put as much on as they want.

Cream Puffs

1 Cup Water
½ Cup Butter
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Flour
4 Eggs
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
½ Cup Powdered Sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan combine the water, butter, and salt and bring to a boil. Add flour all at one time while stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. Next add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Drop dough by 15 heaping tablespoons (I used a greased 2 ounce ice cream scoop) onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till golden, cool on a wire rack.
Cut tops from the puffs; remove soft dough from the inside. For the filling, whip together cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fill each puff with the cream mixture and serve immediately, or keep chilled until ready to serve.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book

Beef Stroganoff

2009-04-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

For Easter this year I decided to do something a little out of the ordinary…Beef Stroganoff! I have been craving this dish for quite a while now, I saw Tyler make it on the Food Network, and my food-blogger friend Pam made a version recently, which you can read about here. I remember eating this delicious and hearty dish at my grandmother’s house growing up…I don’t know the key to her success, but it was always really good. I have experimented with several recipes, but never got it just right. I did a combination of Pam and Tyler’s recipes and it was pretty darn good. I had 6 people over for Easter lunch and everyone finished their plates, so I guess it was a success, please enjoy.

Beef Stroganoff

3 Pound Beef Chuck Roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Flour, for coating beef
1 Large Sweet Onion (Walla Walla, or Vidalia), cut into thin strips
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch-thick slices
1 Stalk Celery, cut into ¼ inch-thick slices
1 Teaspoon Salt & Pepper
¼ Cup Dry Sherry
6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, stemmed, minced, and divided
1 Sprig Rosemary, stemmed and minced
4 Cups Beef Broth
3 Bay Leaves
1 ½ Pounds Crimini Mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 ½ Pounds White Mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
16 Ounces Sour Cream
½ Cup Parsley, minced and divided
1 Pound Egg Noodles, prepared per package instructions

Season beef with salt & pepper, then dredge in flour to coat. Coat bottom of a large dutch oven with olive oil and heat over high until just smoking, add ½ of the beef and cook until browned on all sides, remove and set aside. Add more oil to just coat bottom of pan and add remaining beef, and cook until browned on all sides, remove and set aside. Turn heat down to medium and add a little more oil if necessary to coat bottom of pan, add onion, carrots, celery, and salt & pepper and cook until onions are just soft. Deglaze the pan with the sherry, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to bring up all browned bits. Add ½ of the thyme, the rosemary, beef broth and bay leaves, browned beef, and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in a pre-heated 300 degree oven and bake until meat is very tender and almost falling apart, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and place on stove top.
To prepare mushrooms add butter, mushrooms, remaining thyme, and ¼ cup parsley to a large sauté pan and cook over high heat until just tender. Add mushroom mixture to dutch oven along with the dijon mustard and sour cream, adjust seasoning to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve over egg noodles and garnish with remaining parsley.

Jessica’s Lemon Cake

2009-04-14T23:12:00.001-04:00

My co-worker Jessica talked about a lemon cake that her grandmother used to make and one day she surprised me and brought it in. Well, I must say I was blown away by the flavor, and how moist it was, then even more shocked to hear that it started with a cake mix! If you know me, you know that I generally make everything from scratch. This is just one of those recipes I had to make because I was craving it. The good thing about this recipe is that it’s very simple and quick to make, definitely something you should keep in your back pocket if you’re in a time pinch and need a quick and easy dessert. Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s recipe Jessica! The only thing I request is that you don’t start calling me Sandra Lee, which would just be downright disrespectful :)

Jessica’s Lemon Cake

Cake
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Box Lemon Jello
4 Eggs
¾ Cup Vegetable Oil
¾ Cup Water

Glaze
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Lemons, juice and zest

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom only of a 9x12 inch cake pan.
To make the cake combine all cake ingredients to the bowl of your mixer and mix over medium speed for 4 minutes, and pour into the cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool and poke holes all over the top with a skewer or chopstick for the glaze to soak in.
While cake is cooling, combine the lemon zest & juice, and the powdered sugar, whip with a whisk until well combined. Brush glaze over the top of the cooled cake and serve.

Barbecue Pork Ribs

2009-04-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

I don’t think there is anything better that a really good barbeque. I was craving pork ribs the other day so I invited some friends over and made them for dinner (not my friends, the pork ribs). I have tried doing a long indirect-heat grilling before but the meat tends to get a little too dry, so I decided to experiment cooking them in the oven and finishing them off on the grill so they would pick up a nice crust and smoky flavor…well they turned out perfect. The ribs were very moist and tender and the crunchy crust was absolutely wonderful. You can serve them like this or put a bowl of barbecue sauce on the table for people to add on their own.
I served this with a big pan of cornbread, my favorite pasta salad, white wine sangria, and a delicious lemon cake for dessert (I'll be posting that recipe very soon). I think I gained about 10 pounds during this meal, but it was definitely worth it. Oh, don’t forget the roll of paper towels at the table, these things are messy!

Barbecue Pork Ribs

2 Full Racks Pork Spare Ribs
2/3 Cup Chili Powder
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Pepper
2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

Pre heat your oven to 275 degrees and adjust the racks so there is one towards the bottom and one rack in the middle of your oven. Place each rack of ribs on a separate baking sheet and remove the tough clear membrane from the back of the ribs using a butter knife (it is really stuck on there so it takes a bit of muscle).
To make the dry rub, combine all spices. Heavily coat the ribs on both sides with the dry rub, you should use all of this mixture, it will completely cover the meat.
Cover the ribs lightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven, one baking sheet on each rack. Bake for 3 hours, turning the ribs over and switching racks every 30 minutes.
Next pre-heat your grill to a medium heat, or let your charcoal briquettes burn for about 45 minutes if using a charcoal grill. Place the ribs on the grill and continue to cook for about 15 minutes on each side until the coating gets a little charred and crispy. Remove ribs from grill and place back on a baking sheet and cover tightly with foil, let rest for 10 minutes. Now cut into single ribs and serve!

White Wine Sangria

2009-04-08T09:40:00.000-04:00

I have been so excited about the sunshine and warm weather the last few days I thought it was time to make a batch of sangria. I usually make a red wine sangria, but felt like that might be a bit heavy yesterday so I switched it up a bit and made it white. I love the combination of citrus with pineapple and peaches and this was my inspiration for this recipe. You can really use any combination of fruit that you like, and berries are always a welcome addition. I like my sangria pretty sweet, but if you like yours a little more tart, then cut back on the amount of sugar. The overall flavor of this recipe is peach/apricot but it could be easily changed to pineapple if you just use pineapple juice in the place of the apricot nectar. In other words, you really can’t go wrong here, just add and taste and adjust to your liking. I know it’s cloudy again today, but if you make a pitcher of this and sit on the couch with a good book and blanket it just might feel like summer!

White Wine Sangria

2 Lemons
2 Limes
1 Orange
1 Red Apple
28-Ounce Can Sliced Peaches in Syrup
28-Ounce Can Pineapple Chunks in Syrup
½ Cup Sugar
12-Ounce Can Apricot Nectar
1.5 Litre Bottle Chablis White Wine, use the cheap stuff here!
12-Ounce Can 7up
1 Bottle Champagne

Cut the lemons, limes, orange, and apple into thin slices and place in a large container. Next add the peaches and pineapple with the syrup. Add the sugar, apricot nectar, and white wine, stir until sugar is dissolved and taste for sweetness, adjust to taste. Just before serving add the 7up and champagne and serve chilled, you may need a few ice cubes! This recipe is pretty large and will be enough for 6-8 people. Cheers!

Chicken Fried Steak-Updated Recipe

2009-04-03T11:27:00.001-04:00

My friends and I were watching the Food Network a couple weeks ago and there was a cook off between Bobby Flay and Paula Dean to see who could make the best Chicken Fried Steak. Well, Paula won and all my friends and I were drooling because the steak looked so good. I have made many versions of this dish, but decided to re-create it one more time to see if I could make it even better…well it was a success! I did a buttermilk crust and double dipped the cube steak so that it had an extra thick layer of crispy coating. To top it off I made my sausage gravy and biscuits, enjoy!

Chicken Fried Steak-Updated Recipe

4 Cube Steaks
2 Cups Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Sweet Paprika
1 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
Vegetable Oil, for frying

Mix together all ingredients except the steak and flour, it will foam a bit when you add the baking powder and baking soda. Place the flour in a pie plate or large low dish.
Now, pre-heat a large skillet over medium high heat with at least ¼ inch of vegetable oil in it to fry the steaks.
Dip the cube steaks in the flour, then into the buttermilk mixture, back into the flour, shake off excess. Dip back into the buttermilk mixture and then into the flour and place into frying pan. Cook until dark golden brown, about 5 minutes per side, remove to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
Serve with Sausage Gravy.

Pulled Pork

2009-03-30T00:40:00.007-04:00

I’m still getting into the swing of things with my new crock pot and decided to make pulled pork. If you don’t know by now, I’m a huge fan of any type of pork…just check out all my recipes for it. Once in a while I get a wild craving for BBQ and considering it’s been cold and raining like a shower here lately I thought I would give the crock pot a good workout and try a new recipe. This recipe is quick and easy and turned out pretty darn good. I think next time I will cut down on the sugar, as I thought it was a bit too sweet. You could also use a butt roast for this recipe if you can’t find the boneless country style ribs, just don’t use a pork loin as it would dry out and not be very good after cooking for so long.

Pulled Pork

4 Pounds Country Style Boneless Pork Ribs
1 Onion, skinned and quartered
4 Cloves Garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Cup Ketchup
¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke
2/3 Cups Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Brown Sugar (I would recommend starting with half this amount and adjust to taste)

Liberally salt and pepper the pork on both sides. In the bowl of a food processor combine the onion, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and olive oil; process until very smooth. Combine the onion mix in a small saucepan with the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until just bubbling. Pour enough sauce to coat the bottom of your crock pot. Place one layer of the pork into the crock pot, then sauce, then another layer, then the rest of the sauce. Cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 8-10 hours. Remove the fat from the top with a spoon and discard. Remove the pork and shred with two forks, place back in pot with the sauce and stir to combine, serve alone or on a hamburger bun for a pulled pork sandwich.

I saw this beautiful magnolia tree in my neighborhood and had to snap a few pictures, spring may actually be coming soon!

Baked Scallops & Asparagus

2009-03-22T11:18:00.000-04:00

I had some scallops hanging out in my freezer and thought I would finally rescue them and make a really easy and quick dinner. Do you ever have those days where you just don’t feel like cooking but can’t stand the thought of take-out? If so, this is the meal for you, as it only takes a few minutes. I baked the scallops at the same time as my asparagus and had dinner within about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Baked Scallops & Asparagus

12 Ounces Scallops
1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Finely Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Bunch Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Pull out a large baking sheet, and place asparagus on one side of it. Drizzle a little olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next mix together the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Drizzle the scallops with a little olive oil and then roll around in the breading to coat, place on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn on the broiler and continue baking for just a couple minutes until the scallops become golden and crisp. Serve immediately.
Serves 2

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

2009-03-18T20:35:00.004-04:00

I have been wanting a slow cooker for over a year and finally decided that it was time to take the plunge and make that happen. I was so excited when the UPS truck showed up at my house with my new slow cooker. I immediately opened it up and checked it out, then found a home for it in my basement on one of my metro racks. I have never used a slow cooker, so I had no idea what to make first. My mom, who is so thoughtful sent me a couple of cooking magazines and I got inspired by a dish I saw in one of them and came up with this delicious Moroccan Chicken recipe. I have read many reviews on slow cooking chicken, and thigh meat turns out the best due to the amount of fat it has, as breast meat will get too dry when it’s cooked too long. As a base for this dish I made a yummy couscous which I made last as a side dish with Moroccan Tagine Chicken.

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

12 Chicken Thighs
2 Onions, coarsely chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 14-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
5 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
12 Ounce Jar Mango Chutney
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons Yellow Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
2 Teaspoons Sweet Paprika
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable Oil

Garnish

1 Granny Smith Apple, diced
1 Mango, diced
½ Cup Sliced Almonds, toasted
1 Cup Coconut, toasted
2 Tablespoons Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet, over medium high heat add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes, remove to a plate. When chicken has cooled slightly, remove the skin and discard. Place the chicken into the slow cooker insert.
Remove all but 1 Tablespoon fat from the skillet and return to medium high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are soft. Add the broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chutney, garlic, curry powder, garam masala, paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Pour mixture into the slow cooker, turning chicken to coat in the sauce.
Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 4 hours. Turn off slow cooker, stir sauce, replace lid and let stand for about 15 minutes to thicken sauce.
Serve over couscous or rice and garnish with the apple, mango, parsley, almonds, and toasted coconut.

Spanish Rice

2009-03-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

I don’t know why I call this “Spanish Rice” except for the fact that it has similar ingredients as my yummy Seafood Paella. I’m not sure if it is Spanish, Mexican, American, or Span-Mexi-Merican? What I do know is that it has a lot of flavor, its vegetarian, has a beautiful color combination, and I want to make it again very soon! I made this dish to serve along side of my Chicken Mole, as I thought just plain white rice might be a bit boring. The recipe is quite simple, it starts with an annatto infused oil, your basic sofrito, and then rice and chicken stock. It has enough flavor and heartiness to be its own meal, or you can use it as a side dish like I did.

Spanish Rice

1 Tablespoon Annatto Seeds (also called achiote seeds)
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced Fine
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Cups Long Grain White Rice
4 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Frozen Peas, thawed
¼ Cup Cilantro, minced (or parsley if you don’t like cilantro)

In a 4 quart sauce pan heat the annatto seed and oil over medium high heat until small bubbles start to form, turn off heat and let sit until the oil turns a bright red, saffron color. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove all annatto seeds and throw away. Next, add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium heat until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and continue to cook until all the rice is coated in oil and has a “chalky” coating on it, just a few minutes. Add the chicken stalk and salt, and bring to a boil, stir and cook for a couple minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add thawed peas and cilantro and stir until well combined, serve immediately.

Hearty Beef Stew

2009-03-11T18:00:00.003-04:00

I have posted a couple other versions of beef stew on here the last couple years, but this is my favorite recipe so far. I keep changing ingredients and trying to make it better and better and this batch came out pretty darn good. What did I do differently with this recipe? Well, I added a few things that I haven’t in the past, stewed tomatoes and wine. It’s a very simple recipe and all you really have to be careful with, is browning the meat. Just do part of it at a time so you get a good sear on the meat and also collect those golden nuggets of flavor on the bottom of the pan. Like most stew’s you do need to let it cook for several hours for all the flavors to meld together and for the meat to get tender. I always buy a chuck roast for stew and cut it into pieces instead of buying pre-cut stewing meat. This way I can trim the excess fat and know that I’m getting a good cut of meat.

Hearty Beef Stew

3 Pound Beef Chuck Roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Large Onions, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
6 Stalks Celery, chopped
6 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped
6 Red Potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Cup Red Wine
1 28 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes with juices
1 28 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
6 Cups Beef Broth
Salt & Pepper
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
4 Bay Leaves
Oil, for browning the meat

In a large heavy stock pot (at least 6 quarts or larger) over medium high heat add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, heat until just smoking. Liberally season the meat with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown half of the meat stirring occasionally until a dark crust forms, remove from the pot, add more oil if necessary and finish browning second half of meat and remove from the pan. Next add the onion and garlic and cook until just starting to get tender, a few minutes. Add the celery and carrots and continue to cook until they are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Next, deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up all browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer on low stirring every 30 minutes until beef is tender, about 3 hours. Remove the bay leaves and serve with fresh chopped parsley as a garnish if desired.

Indian Spice Stuffed Eggplant

2009-03-08T13:12:00.001-04:00

Eggplant is one of my favorite veggies, but I hardly ever make it unless I’m whipping up some Indian food. This is such an easy recipe, your essentially stuffing the eggplant and throwing it into the oven. It is full of flavor and goes so well with the tomato sauce. It’s a little sweet, because of the peanuts, but has tons of flavor from all the yummy spices. I often double the recipe and make this as a main dish for dinner. I always serve it with Naan Bread and Basmati Rice.

Indian Spice Stuffed Eggplant

Eggplant
12 Aubergines, Indian Eggplant the size of a golf ball
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
2 Tablespoons Ground Coriander
2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
1 Tablespoon Peanuts, roughly crushed
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

Sauce
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
½ Teaspoons Mustard Seeds
14 Ounce Can Chopped Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
2/3 Cups Water

Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees. Make slits in the eggplant.
Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing together in a small bowl. Carefully stuff the eggplants with the spice mixture.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard seeds for 2 minutes until they begin to sputter, then add the tomatoes, coriander and any leftover stuffing, together with the water. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add the eggplant, cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until soft

Chicken Mole

2009-03-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

I love Mexican food, but don’t make it that often. My friend Andy, who makes the most amazing Mexican food recommended that I buy a cookbook by Rick Bayless. Well I did just that several months ago and have neglected to actually use the book. I finally pulled it off my bookshelf, blew off the dust and decided to try out the Mole recipe. I must say that I was really impressed by the amazing flavor, aroma, and complexity of this dish, it was superb! It was a complicated recipe with many steps, so if you are not an experienced cook, you may want to skip this recipe. If you are like me and enjoy hanging out in the kitchen all day, then you should definitely try this out. I changed a few things from the original recipe, and it turned out just perfect, and all my friends raved about how good it was. I might recommend cutting this recipe in half as I ended up with about 6 quarts of mole sauce. It does freeze well, so if you do make the whole recipe, just use half of it and keep the other half in the freezer for later.

Chicken Mole

5 Ounces Tomatillos (3-4), husked and rinsed
1 Ounce Sesame Seeds
½ Cup Lard
12 Dried Ancho Chiles (6 Ounces), stemmed and seeded
4 Cloves Garlic, peeled
2/3 Cups Pine Nuts
2/3 Cups Dried Apricots (4 Ounces), coarsely chopped
8 Cups Chicken Broth, 2 quart sized boxes
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon, freshly ground
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
1/8 Teaspoon Cloves, freshly ground
¾ Ounce Mexican Chocolate, roughly chopped
1 Slice White Bread, toasted dark brown and broken into several pieces
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Whole Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Vegetable Oil, for frying

First set out all prepare and set out all ingredients.
Spread the tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast them 4 inches below a very hot broiler until darkly roasted and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip over and roast on the other side for 4-5 mintes more, until slightly blackened and soft. Set out two large bowls, scrape the tomatillos, juice and all, into one of them.
In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Scrape them in with the tomatillos.
Measure the lard into a large dutch oven (7-9 quarts) and set over medium heat. Tear the chiles into flat pieces, and when the lard is hot fry the chiles, three or four pieces at a time, flipping them continually with tongs, nuntil their interior side has changed to a lighter red color, about 20-30 seconds, don’t fry so they smoke or the mole will be bitter. As the’re done, remove them to the empty bowl, driaining as much fat as possible back into the pot, continue until all chiles are fried. Cover with hot tap water and place a small plate on them to keep them submerged. Let stand for 30 minutes.
With the pot still over medium heat, fry the garlic, stirring regularly, until browned and soft, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the bowl with the tomatillos. Add the pine nuts to the pot and stir until they’re lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and add to the tomatillo bowl. Add the apricots as well.
Use tongs to transfer the rehydrated chiles to a blender. Add 2 ½ cups water. Blend the chiles to a smooth puree, adding a little extra water if necessary to keep the mixture moving through the blades, place puree back into the bowl
Without washing the blender jar, scrape the tomatillo mixture into it. Add 1 cup of the broth along with the cinnamon, pepper, cloves, chocolate, and bread. Blend to a smooth puree, place back into the tomatillo bowl.
Check the fat in the pot; If there’s more than a light coating over the bottom, pour off the excess; if the pt’s pretty dry, film the bottom with a little more lard. Set over medium-high heat. When quite hot, scrape in the chile puree and stir nearly constantly until the mixture has darkened considerably and thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the remaining chicken stock to the pot and stir to combine. Partially cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Check the consistency: the mole should be thick enough to coat a spoon, but not too thickly. If it’s too thin, simmer it over medium-high heat until a little thicker.
Taste and season with salt and sugar, it should be a delicate balance of salty, sweet and spicy. Add more salt or sugar to taste.
To prepare the chicken: In a skillet large enough to hold all pieces of chicken, heat enough lard to cover the bottom of the pan over medium-high. Fry chicken, turning occasionally until nicely browned. Reduce heat to low and cover chicken with ½ of the mole sauce, turn to coat. Cover with a lid and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 2 hours. Sauce will continue to thicken and turn a very dark deep red color. Serve chicken with the mole sauce, garnish with a little fresh cilantro.

Cream Wafers

2009-03-02T01:39:00.002-05:00

I remember these cookies growing up and to this day they are still my favorite. My mom and dad came through town this last week and my mom brought these and a homemade loaf of banana bread. It was really funny because I was just talking to a co-worker the week before about these amazing cookies that my mom always made me growing up. I couldn’t remember the name of the cookie, nor describe how they taste, besides delicious. I handed them out to a few of my co-workers and it was a universal thumbs up for this recipe, and no one could find the right words to describe them because they are so different than anything you have ever tasted. They are light, fluffy, buttery, sugar, and amazing, and that’s about the only way I can think of these delicious treats. You can color the frosting with any color of food coloring, but my mom always made it pink or a light peperminty green, enjoy!

Cream Wafers

Cookies:
1 Cup Butter, at room temperature
1/3 Cup Whipping Cream
2 Cups Flour
Granulated Sugar

Filling:
¼ Cup Butter, at room temperature
¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Food Coloring

Cookies: Mix thoroughly butter, cream, and flour. Cover and chill.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll about 1/3 of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick on a floured board. Cut into 1 ½-inch circles.
Transfer rounds with spatula to a plate filled with granulated sugar; turn each round so that both sides are coated with sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Prick rounds with a fork about 4 times.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes or just until set but not brown; cool.
Filling: Cream together butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Tint with a few drops food color.
Assemble cookies by placing a thick layer of filling between 2 cookies.
*Recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook

Pasta Primavera

2009-02-27T01:16:00.001-05:00

I worked a really long day last week and was starving after work. Normally I would just grab something on my way home, but I wanted to be in the kitchen and have a yummy homemade meal and came up with this light pasta dish. I just grabbed all my favorite veggies, some shrimp and fresh pasta and threw it all together. This dish is very quick to make and you can literally use any type of veggies you like. Pasta Primavera simply means Spring Veggies in Italian, so do your own thing and enjoy!

Pasta Primavera

1 Pound Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Shallots
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
8 Ounces Mushrooms, sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Pound Asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
Handful Fresh Basil, chopped
Handful Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Pound Fresh Linguini (I used half regular and half spinach linguini)
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Parmesan Cheese, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta per the package directions until almost al dente. While pasta is cooking, drizzle a little bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add shallots and garlic and cook until just tender. Next add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and asparagus, and continue cooking until almost tender. Add the basil, parsley, shrimp, pasta and chicken stock. Cook until pasta is al dente and shrimp is cooked through, just a few minutes more. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Veggie Samosas

2009-02-24T01:13:00.001-05:00

If you have been an avid follower of my blog, you know that I love cooking Indian food. I just love the spices, the intense flavors, and aromas that come out of these dishes. Indian isn’t something that you can whip up at the spur of a moment, and many times it tastes better the next day, after all the flavors meld together, but it’s well worth all the wait and effort. I have a hard time with appetizers, especially when it comes to Indian cuisine and wanted something to go with dinner the other night, so I decided to dive into the world of fried deliciousness. What transpired in the kitchen was the perfect blend of veggies, spices, and fried dough, a truly perfect appetizer if you ask me. This recipe is wonderful as a standalone, but also goes well with a mango or apricot chutney and store bought is definitely accepted here, as most of the flavor comes from the samosa.

Veggie Samosas

3 Large Russet Potatoes, skinned boiled and mashed
¼ Cup Frozen Peas, thawed
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Red Onion, finely minced
2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and finely minced
2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Peppermint, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Package Spring Roll Wrappers (these are in the refrigerator section by the veggies)
Vegetable Oil, for frying

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl until well combined, season with more salt and lemon juice if necessary.
Lay out several spring roll wrappers and with a pastry brush gently wet the edges with water. Place a heaping teaspoon-sized amount of filling in the middle of the pastry. Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling to form a long cylinder, then fold in the long sides to seal (see photo for more detail). Continue until all filling is used.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a large heavy bottomed pan to 350 degrees. Fry samosas until golden brown on all sides and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately, or keep hot in a 200 degree oven on a wire rack until ready to serve.

Broccoli Stir Fry

2009-02-19T20:43:00.001-05:00

There is just something about a simple stir fry that is so satisfying! I love broccoli, but only if it’s perfectly cooked and not soggy. I was at the store the other day and the broccoli just jumped out at me so I decided to take it home and throw it into a stir fry. I just added a few ingredients I had in the fridge and then used a little soy sauce and oyster sauce to flavor it with. If you have some Thai basil around that is another great ingredient to throw in at the end, it adds a yummy sweet, almost licorice type flavor.

Broccoli Stir Fry

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin slices
1 Head Broccoli, cut into little spears
6 Stalk Celery, sliced
1 Small onion, sliced
1 Pound Mushrooms, quartered
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, finely minced
Vegetable Oil, for frying
¼ Cup Oyster Sauce
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Heat a wok over high heat and add a little oil, fry chicken until browned and almost cooked through, remove and set aside. Next add a little more oil and cook the broccoli until just browned, but still crunchy and remove. Add the celery onions, mushrooms, and ginger and cook until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and broccoli back to the pan and pour in the oyster sauce and soy sauce, cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and broccoli is just tender. Serve plain or over steamed rice.

Bloody Mary Mix

2009-02-14T14:33:00.005-05:00

If you know me well, you know that I can’t resist a really good bloody mary! My friend Greg makes the most delicious bloody mary mix I’ve ever had. I have asked him for the recipe many, many times and he just rambles off a large list of ingredients with no quantities whatsoever. I was lucky enough over new years to actually whiteness the making of the mix, and immediately started writing down quantities as he was adding them to the tomato juice. It’s a lot of ingredients, but it has a wonderful depth of flavor and is truly the best mix I’ve ever had. I drink the mix in the morning sometimes for breakfast, and to be honest, I never miss the vodka when it tastes this good. If you need a little hangover cure, then throw in some vodka, add a couple celery stalks, pickled asparagus, and olives.

Greg’s Bloody Mary Mix

1 Large Bottle Tomato Juice (46 Ounces)
1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
5 Ounces A1 Steak Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Olive Juice
1 Tablespoon Pickle Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Horseradish, or more to taste (don't use creamed style)
Few Dashes Tabasco

Mix all in a large pitcher and enjoy!

Brownies

2009-02-12T00:47:00.004-05:00

I’ve never been one to have much of a sweet tooth but, this last week I just haven’t been able to get enough sugar. Then to top it off, the Food Network was broadcasting shows this morning all featuring chocolate. I went to work thinking about chocolate and had to fire up the oven and make a batch of brownies as soon as I got home. This is a recipe I have had for years, and have really enjoyed it every time I make it. I usually do a brownie mix, because it’s so quick and easy, but tonight I thought it would be so much better to have the ultimate, chocolaty, moist, dense, delicious brownie that you can only get from scratch. I’m not a fan of chocolate chips or nuts in my brownies, but if that something you like, please feel free to throw them in!

Brownies

2 ½ Sticks Butter (18 Tablespoons, cut into small pieces)
12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (buy the best ones you can find)
1 ¼ Cups Flour
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
4 Eggs
2 1/3 Cups Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla

In a double boiler, add the butter and chocolate chips, stir occasionally until melted, remove bowl from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, set aside. Place the eggs into your mixer bowl and beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until light yellow and well combined. Next add the vanilla and blend until just combined. Remove the bowl from you mixer and fold in the chocolate mixture until blended. Next add the dry ingredients to the batter in three additions, gently folding each addition with a spatula.

Pour the batter into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool on a wire rack before removing from pan or cutting into squares.