Braised Lamb Shanks

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

Turkey with Stuffing & Gravy

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!)

Pork Loin

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).

Beef Stroganoff

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.

Barbecue Pork Ribs

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!

Tomato Meat Sauce

There is nothing more comforting than a rich hearty tomato meat sauce with my pasta. I had this craving the other day and whipped this dish up for a few friends that came over. It was unusually cold out so this really hit the spot. I love how easy pasta sauce is to make and it’s even better the next day for left-over’s. This is a standby for me if I need to feed a lot of people and don’t have a ton of time to cook. Feel free to add bell peppers, roasted red peppers, basil, or anything else to this sauce to make it your own!

Tomato Meat Sauce

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Ground Italian Sausage (I like to use spicy)
1 Teaspoon Salt & Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Large Onion, chopped
5 Stalks Celery, chopped
1 Pound Mushrooms, chopped
1 28-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
1 28-Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
2 Bay Leaves
Small Handful Italian Parsley, chopped

In a large stock pot, over medium high heat cook ground beef and Italian sausage with salt and pepper until browned, remove and drain grease. Next add 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, chili powder, and oregano to the pan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery until just translucent, then add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms soften up a bit. Add the Meat back to the pan and the rest of the ingredients. Turn heat to a simmer and cook for at least an hour, stirring occasionally until all flavors are well blended and sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over your favorite pasta along with a lot of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a little sprinkle of parsley.

Steak Marsala

I love a good steak, and prefer to cook them at home so I know that it will be good. My friend Sue came over the other night and requested steaks with a gravy and I thought why not do a marsala and mushroom sauce, it would go perfect with steak! The result was perfection, I will defiantly make this dish again. I know there is a lot of butter in the sauce, but it really seasons it well and gives it a nice sheen. I served this with my mashed potatoes and oven roasted asparagus. Thanks for the great company and inspiration Sue!

Steak Marsala

¼ Cup Olive Oil
2 Shallots, finely chopped
1 ½ Pounds Mushrooms, sliced
2 Cups Dry Marsala Wine
1 14-Ounce Can Beef Stock
4 New York Strip Steaks
1 Stick Butter
3 Scallions, chopped thin
1 Tablespoon Chopped Italian Parsley


Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the shallots and mushrooms and cook over medium high heat until they become soft, remove and set aside.
Wipe the sauté pan with a paper towel and add another couple tablespoons oil to the pan, and place over high heat until just starting to smoke. Season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper and then place into the sauté pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side until a crust has formed and steaks are medium rare. Remove the steaks from the pan and cover with foil to rest.
Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine and then add the beef stock and reduce by 1/3. Add the mushrooms back to the pan and stir in the butter one tablespoon at a time until the sauce thickens and becomes a gravy-like consistency. Stir in the scallions and parsley and serve over the steaks.

Hoisin Glazed Rack Of Lamb

I wish I could afford to eat lamb more often, it is so delicious! This recipe is really simple, easy to make and has a ton of flavor. I also love that this dish doesn’t use the traditional rosemary or mint as the flavoring for the meat. I love to serve this with a simple veggie, like shown or over a bed of mashed potatoes. This sauce is absolutely incredible, I usually make a double batch and store it in the freezer for a last minute sauce for pork, chicken, or fish.

Hoisin Glazed Rack of Lamb

2 Racks of Lamb, frenched
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 ¾ Cups Hoisin Sauce
2/3 Cups Honey
3 ½ Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons Fresh Cilantro, minced
½ Teaspoon Hot Chili Sauce
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Place rack of lamb in a roasting pan, fat side up, rub the tops with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

To create glaze, mix all remaining ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl.

Place lamb in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Take the lamb out of the oven and quickly brush liberally with hoisin glaze. Return immediately to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes.

Take the lamb out of the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, cut into single chops, drizzle with more glaze and serve.

Steak & Frites

I love a delicious steak, and pared with the best frites ever, how could you possible go wrong? I had a craving for this the other day and had to cave in to this unhealthy but completely decadent delicatessen. I got my frites recipe from my Cooks magazine (from last spring I think?). They turn out completely hot crispy and perfectly golden brown. Don’t be tempted to take the easy route on these, it takes a few steps but after you have these frites you will never pick up that frozen bag of fries in the grocery store again!

Steak & Frites

4 Russet Potatoes, cut into a square and then into fry sized pieces
3 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1-48 Ounce Bottle Vegetable or Peanut Oil, for frying
4 New York Strip Steaks, 1 inch thick (or a favorite steak of your own)
Salt & Pepper
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 Pound Crimini Mushrooms (optional)
1 Teaspoon Herbs de Provence (optional)

Rinse potato strips in large bowl of cold water until all start is gone and water runs clear, about 3 rinses. Lightly dry with towel. Sprinkle with corn starch and lay in a single layer on a cookie cooling sheet and let rest until coating forms on the frites, about 20 minutes. Heat oil to 325 degrees in heavy deep skilled (I always use my cast iron dutch oven for this). Fry frites in two batches until almost slightly browned and soft, about 5 minutes, remove and let sit until cool, about 20 more minutes.
While frites are cooling prepare steak and mushrooms…
Season steaks generously with salt and pepper, set aside and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Heat a couple tablespoons butter in a large skillet with herbs de province, add mushrooms and sauté until tender, reduce heat to low to keep warm.
Heat a couple tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed, or cast iron skillet with over high heat until oil just starts to smoke. Add steaks and cook without moving for 4 minutes, turn over and continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes or until desired doneness. Remove from pan, place one tablespoon butter on each steak and cover with foil to rest.
To finish frites heat oil to 375 degrees, cook in 2 batches until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, remove to paper lined tray and season heavily with salt (you can add herbs if desired).

Ginger Chicken

It was about five years ago that I first had this dish, I was in New York visiting my friend Nick and we went to Planet Thai, which is in Williamsburg Brooklyn. I thought the ginger chicken sounded good so I ordered it and immediately fell in love. When I got home I was on a mission to make this dish just like the restaurant and after many recipes, and lots of messing around with ingredients this is what I came up with. I need to make this dish more often because it is really healthy and super quick to prepare. I like to serve this with jasmine rice, but it’s good with any type of rice so just make whatever you have on hand.

Ginger Chicken

3 Tablespoons Oil
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
1 Pound Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 Large Onion, cut into thin strips
4 Inch Piece Ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar, I use Marukan Seasoned Gourmet Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped

Heat oil over high heat in wok or heavy bottomed frying pan until almost smoking. Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through, 3-4 minutes, next add onions garlic and ginger and cook until onions just start to wilt, about 3 minutes more, then add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine, continue to cook until sauce comes to a boil and thickens slightly, a few more minutes. Add a handful of chopped cilantro and serve over a bed of rice with a sprinkling of cilantro over top of entire dish.

Hoisin Glazed Chicken with White Rice

Hoisin sauce is a full flavored, sweet sauce that goes great with chicken, shrimp, or rice noodles. It’s made from garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, soybeans and red chili peppers. I love to use this in stir-fry’s or even to baste chicken, or port skewers with. I also have a delicious recipe for hoisin glazed lamb chops that is out of this world. This recipe is another one of those that you can throw together last minute and much healthier than the fried Chinese takeout food that leaves you feeling sick for the next week.

Hoisin Glazed Chicken with White Rice

2 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
½ Cup Hoisin Sauce
2 Cups Rice
3 Cups Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
Handful Chopped Cilantro

In large sauce pan bring water to a boil, add salt and rice and bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. In the meantime, add a small amount of oil to a non stick frying pan and cook chicken until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes, add hoisin sauce and cook until bubbling, reduce heat to low. To serve rice onto plate or bowl and top with chicken, sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

This is a nice healthy quick meal to fix and has a lot of flavor. I love the taste of wild rice and the firm texture of all the different grains. If you want to make this more healthy you can definitely leave out the butter and the cheese. I of course add extra cheese to mine, but that’s ok right?

Wild Rice with Chicken and Asparagus

2 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1 Bunch Asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Cups Wild Rice
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil
Handful Parmesan Cheese

In large sauce pan, heat the butter, add rice and salt, cook until fragrant. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, add oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook chicken for about 5 minutes, add asparagus and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is tender. Add the chicken mixture to the rice and stir, serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over the top.

Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those things that brings me back to my childhood. I have always loved meatloaf, but hardly ever make it. It is one of the quickest main dishes I have ever made and it’s great for leftovers, so go ahead and give it a try. This is definitely the traditional version of a meatloaf, especially with the ketchup on the top, but why try to fancify something that is so good just as it is?

Meatloaf

1-1/2 Pounds Ground Beef
1 Onion, finely minced
2 Stalks Celery, finely chopped
1 Cup Bread Crumbs (I used crushed up saltines because I was out of breadcrumbs)
½ Cup Ketchup, plus more for the topping
2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
2 Eggs

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Place in a 9x13-inch baking pan or on a cookie sheet and form into a large “loaf”, top with ketchup. Bake at 375-degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Chicken Adobo

This is a traditional Filipino dish and can be made with pork or chicken. I usually only cook with white meat, but with this dish I used dark to keep it traditional. If you do substitute pork, just use a pork tenderloin and cook until falling apart, about 1 ½ hours. When I first heard of this dish I was a little hesitant due to the large amounts of vinegar and soy sauce, but was in love after I smelled it cooking and then bit into the juicy tangy chicken. I also love how truly easy this dish is, and with using the dark meat I made and entire meal for 6 people for about $10, definitely a reason to put this in your recipe box.

Chicken Adobo

5 Pounds Chicken, preferably dark meat and on the bone (I used 12 Thighs)
1 ½ Cups White Vinegar
1 ½ Cups Soy Sauce (don’t use the low sodium)
6 Cloves Garlic, crushed and peeled
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
4 Bay Leafs

Clean Chicken and place in 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with flour and sugar, then add all remaining ingredients to pan, cover and marinate for 3 hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees, and bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until chicken is tender and falling off the bone, turning every 20 minutes. Skim off fat, place chicken on a bed of rice and top with the sauce.

Strata

Anything that resembles bread pudding has to be delicious, right? This recipe does just that, but more on the savory side with the addition of cheese and sausage. I also love this recipe because it can be made the night before. It’s perfect for brunch or even for a yummy savory dinner treat. This recipe can be cut in half, or even doubled if you are having a large amount of people over for brunch. Thanks Wendy for this delicious recipe!

Strata

1 Loaf French Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 Eggs
½ Cup Milk
1 Large Sweet Onion, diced
1 Pound Spicy Sausage
8 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, cut into cubes

In large bowl add eggs and milk and mix together, add bread and mix until combined. Sauté onion until over medium high heat with oil until translucent, about 5 minutes, add to bread mixture. Next, brown sausage in sauté pan, drain grease and add to bread mixture. Mix well and let sit for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight to ensure bread absorbs all liquid. Place mixture into 9x13-inch baking pan and dot with cheddar and cream cheese to evenly distribute throughout strata.
Place into pre-heated 350 degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until center of strata is set and top is golden brown.

Jen's Blackout Lamb Stew

Only Jen could pull this look off!
Yummy!

My nick-name for this stew is “black out lamb stew” because when I went to my friend Jen’s house for dinner the electricity was out. Thank goodness she had a gas stove! I brought over some candles and lanterns and another friend brought over an ipod player that was battery powered. It was so much fun hanging out in the candle lit house sipping wine and having a good time. I believe it is the first time I have ever been disappointed to have the power come back on. The funny thing is when the power did come on we immediately turned the lights off and pretended it was still out. Jen was a trooper and prepared the meal wearing her camping headlight, in case you were wondering what the heck the picture was. I hope to have another black out party soon!
Now for the food…I can’t ever get enough lamb and was so excited when I got invited over to Jen’s for lamb stew. This is a very healthy recipe and has a ton of flavor. The combination of the potatoes, lamb with the veggies and rosemary, delicious! I never thought of adding collard greens to a stew, but loved the texture, color and flavor they brought to the dish, and they don’t get soggy like a lot of other leafy greens would. I made my new favorite no-knead bread to go with the stew, and we had Williams Sonoma peppermint brownies and ice cream for dessert. Thanks for the delicious and fun night Jen!

Jen's Blackout Lamb Stew

1 Pound Lamb, fat removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Teaspoon Pepper
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
6 Cups Vegetable Stock
3 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 –inch thick slices
2 Large Celery Stalks, cleaned and cut into ½-inch thick slices
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
5 Red Potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley, minced
5 Large Collard Green Leaves, roughly chopped

Mix flour, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt together and toss with lamb to coat. In large stock pot heat olive oil over medium high heat and brown lamb. Add stock, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, and rosemary, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and meat is tender. Add parsley and collard greens and continue to cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

I am a huge fan of pork, but only like it when it has a lot of flavor. In this dish I use herbs de province, one of my favorite seasonings, to bring out all the delicious flavors. The key to really good pork chops is not over cooking them, there is nothing worse than a tough dried-out pork chop! You can also substitute chicken if you are not a huge pork fan. I usually serve a simple mashed potato or mixed green salad with balsamic dressing to make a quick and easy meal.

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

4 Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops, 3/4-1 inch thick
Kosher Salt
Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Herbs de Provence
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, next coat generously with Herbs de Provence. Heat Olive Oil in pan over medium-high heat in heavy bottomed skillet, add pork chops. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, or until dark golden brown, and an instant read thermometer reads 150 degrees. Let rest covered for a few minutes to re-absorb juices and serve.

Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls)

This recipe is from my friend Taven’s mom, a native of Hawaii. She is an amazing cook and I am so blessed to have been shown this recipe. My amounts are what I remember, as she doesn’t really measure anything. What I love about egg rolls is you can really improvise and change up any of the ingredients with things that you love. I made over one hundred of these for my Christmas party a couple weeks ago and they were a huge hit! Please enjoy this yummy treat.

Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls)

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Ground Pork
1 Bunch Scallions (Green Onions), cleaned and chopped into 1/8 inch slices
4 Stalks Celery, cut in half lengthwise and then into ¼ inch slices
2 Carrots, peeled and shredded
1 Pound French Cut Green Beans, frozen
1 Pound Bean Sprouts
1 16 ounce can Bamboo Shoots, julienned
1 16 Ounce Can Water Chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Package Frozen Lumpia Wrappers (I like to use Menlo Brand)
Eggs
Vegetable Oil

In large frying pan brown beef and pork, drain off grease and place in large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan and sauté scallions, celery, and carrots until tender, about 5 minutes, remove add to bowl with meat. Add 2 more tablespoons oil to pan and sauté green beans until tender, about 6-8 minutes, add bean sprouts and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until tender. Add water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, continue to cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to meat mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper, mix well, and place in refrigerator until cool, about 1 hour.
Beat 1 egg with 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Brush lumpia wrapper with egg wash, place 3 tablespoons meat mixture into wrapper, and wrap tightly (follow directions on inside of package). Continue rolling lumpia until all filling is gone.
Heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees in large heavy pot. Working in batches add a few lumpia to the oil at a time and fry until dark golden brown, about 5 minutes, drain on paper towels or wire rack, serve with soy sauce.
Lumpia can be cooled in refrigerator and re-heated in 375 degree oven for 10-12, minutes or until crispy.

Gumbo

I love gumbo and this version captures all those yummy southern flavors. This would be a perfect dish to serve for a dinner party or on a cold winter night. This is a pretty time consuming recipe, it took about 3 hours, so make sure to plan ahead when serving this dish. I like gumbo served on its own, but you could always serve it over rice, which is the most popular way to serve this dish. This makes about 6 quarts of gumbo, so please use a large enough dutch oven!

Gumbo

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1/2 cup flour

6 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic minced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish 4 cups beef stock

1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice

2 cups frozen sliced okra

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.
Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes, the roux will become quite thick, add more butter if necessary. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add beef stock, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the shrimp, cook until shrimp just turn pink and are cooked through, garnish with chopped parsley.

Seafood Paella

I don’t make this dish often but should because it is so delicious! I love all the different flavors and the mixture of all the different meats that you put in. It is a little expensive to buy all the ingredients, but well worth it. This would also be a great dish to make for holidays as an alternative to ham or turkey. This recipe serves 6, but you can add more rice if you want to stretch it out a bit more.

Seafood Paella

1 pound shrimp
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound chorizo or spicy sausage sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
1 pound mussels
1 pound clams
1 teaspoon saffron (combined with 2 Tablespoons boiling water)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
4 bay leaves
3 roma tomatoes, minced
1 pound frozen peas
3 cups medium grained rice
6-8 cups chicken stock

1 Bunch Parsley, chopped

1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In 16” paella pan (I use my Le Creuset 5 1/2 quart briaser pan) heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium high heat, add shrimp and cook until just pink, remove from pan. Add 2 more tablespoons vegetable oil, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through (no pink in the middle), remove from pan. Add chorizo to pan and cook until golden brown, do not drain grease. Add onion, garlic and bay leaves, and cook until translucent and slightly golden, then add peas. Next, add tomatoes and cook until soft, add rice and cook until all oil/liquid is absorbed. Turn heat down to medium, add 4 cups chicken stock, and saffron mixture, cook while stirring occasionally until all liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock at a time and cook until rice is al dente. (this should take about 20 minutes and mixture should never boil rapidly, but instead simmer slightly, or your liquids will evaporate too quickly). Turn off heat and stir in shrimp and chicken. Next add mussels and clams hinge side down and place in oven. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until mussels and clams open and cooked through (discard any that do not open). Cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley and a lemon wedge.