One of the first dishes I learned to make was a basic hash recipe. Simple, easy, stick-to-your-ribs stuff that was just plain good.
Every time I cook this meal, I'm taken back to my childhood and family. It just makes me happy...
Serves 4 hungry people
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (optional
1/2 lb ground meat (your choice of beef, turkey or pork, or a mix)
3 large Russet potatoes (aka Idaho potatoes)
salt
pepper
In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat olive oil on medium low heat.
Add garlic and onion, increase the heat to medium, and saute until onions are soft.
Add butter and let melt.
Add mushrooms and saute until soft and slightly golden brown.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the ground meat and brown.
Add the potatoes and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms back in.
Season with salt and pepper
Serve.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
FYI - New Linky Goodness...
Just so that you are aware, I have some new links up to the right here. Go ahead and look through them, and show them some love!
Vinaigrette recipe...
I've gotten angry over the years when heading through the dressing aisle at the grocery store. There's just something fundamentally wrong with purchasing large quantities of vinaigrette dressings for over $3 and $4 a bottle - and much of what is in it, you can't pronounce. What is up with that?!
The low-fat ones are the worst, really. If you look at a low-fat dressing, and compare it with it's full-fat counterpart, you'll see what I mean. Look at the back label - no, not under the calories from fat - no, down... a little further - yeah, there ya go. Look at the sugars per gram... And now, look at the ingredients... WOW! High Fructose Corn Syrup? Dextrose? Fructose? Yup - it's in the low-fat one... It's only considered low-fat because it doesn't have a lot of OIL in it... But let me tell you - the sugar will turn to fat once it's in your system... It's just as bad, if not worse than, the full-fat counterpart.
Now, don't stress about it - just don't buy it anymore. Why? Because you don't have to. Honestly, you don't. No really - making your own is so simple it's not even funny. All you need is pretty much in your kitchen right now...
I'm posting all three versions of vinaigrette that I know of. As a note - the "regular" version is my own... The basics of it will be under each heading, and then what you can add to it is in it's own category.
This is all about ratios, so if you can figure out equal parts of something, then you can do this. These all set up to serve about 4 people, give or take a few tsps.
Restaurant Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:3)
1 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard OR yellow mustard
salt
pepper
"Regular" Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:1)
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Low-Fat Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:2:1)
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp fruit juice
1 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Oils:
Any oil you want to use, you can use. Olive, sunflower, hazelnut, walnut, vegetable - you name it, you can use it - you can even use infused oils if it tickles your fancy. The only caveat I need to post is watch the allergies - if someone is allergic to nuts, chances are you don't want to use a nut oil.
Vinegars:
Any vinegar you like the taste of would work perfectly.
Flavorings:
Garlic is an immediate go-to for me... You can also use chopped herbs like tarragon, parsley, sage, rosemary, chives, cilantro, basil, chervil, practically any green herb you can think of. Zests and juices of citrus fruits work well, as do crushed berries. Other flavorings you can try are peppers (hot and mild), and spices as well - the only thing I can say about using spices is to try and make sure you get whole spices, toast them gently, and then grind them as needed. You'll get a lot more flavor out of them that way.
How much to add? Well, it's up to you. A serving of 4, like above, should only have about 3 flavorings in them (otherwise your tongue will get overpowered). Only about 1-2 Tbsp total of the flavorings should be in that dressing.
Unlike what we do at restaurants, where you'd make a huge batch and look for perfect emulsions, this is a simple recipe, so you can put it in a small, well-sealed container, and shake it when you want it.
The nice thing about doing things this way is that you can change it up. Don't want to have tarragon-garlic vinaigrette tomorrow? No problem! This time, use basil and flat leaf parsley.
This is also a great time to start thinking of growing a few herbs in your windowsill. It's cheaper to grow them, and you can grab what you need without worrying about the rest of it never being used.
Oh - almost forgot - this is also GREAT for making marinades!
Enjoy!
The low-fat ones are the worst, really. If you look at a low-fat dressing, and compare it with it's full-fat counterpart, you'll see what I mean. Look at the back label - no, not under the calories from fat - no, down... a little further - yeah, there ya go. Look at the sugars per gram... And now, look at the ingredients... WOW! High Fructose Corn Syrup? Dextrose? Fructose? Yup - it's in the low-fat one... It's only considered low-fat because it doesn't have a lot of OIL in it... But let me tell you - the sugar will turn to fat once it's in your system... It's just as bad, if not worse than, the full-fat counterpart.
Now, don't stress about it - just don't buy it anymore. Why? Because you don't have to. Honestly, you don't. No really - making your own is so simple it's not even funny. All you need is pretty much in your kitchen right now...
I'm posting all three versions of vinaigrette that I know of. As a note - the "regular" version is my own... The basics of it will be under each heading, and then what you can add to it is in it's own category.
This is all about ratios, so if you can figure out equal parts of something, then you can do this. These all set up to serve about 4 people, give or take a few tsps.
Restaurant Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:3)
1 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard OR yellow mustard
salt
pepper
"Regular" Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:1)
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Low-Fat Vinaigrette
(ratio 1:2:1)
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp fruit juice
1 Tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground mustard or yellow mustard
salt
pepper
Oils:
Any oil you want to use, you can use. Olive, sunflower, hazelnut, walnut, vegetable - you name it, you can use it - you can even use infused oils if it tickles your fancy. The only caveat I need to post is watch the allergies - if someone is allergic to nuts, chances are you don't want to use a nut oil.
Vinegars:
Any vinegar you like the taste of would work perfectly.
Flavorings:
Garlic is an immediate go-to for me... You can also use chopped herbs like tarragon, parsley, sage, rosemary, chives, cilantro, basil, chervil, practically any green herb you can think of. Zests and juices of citrus fruits work well, as do crushed berries. Other flavorings you can try are peppers (hot and mild), and spices as well - the only thing I can say about using spices is to try and make sure you get whole spices, toast them gently, and then grind them as needed. You'll get a lot more flavor out of them that way.
How much to add? Well, it's up to you. A serving of 4, like above, should only have about 3 flavorings in them (otherwise your tongue will get overpowered). Only about 1-2 Tbsp total of the flavorings should be in that dressing.
Unlike what we do at restaurants, where you'd make a huge batch and look for perfect emulsions, this is a simple recipe, so you can put it in a small, well-sealed container, and shake it when you want it.
The nice thing about doing things this way is that you can change it up. Don't want to have tarragon-garlic vinaigrette tomorrow? No problem! This time, use basil and flat leaf parsley.
This is also a great time to start thinking of growing a few herbs in your windowsill. It's cheaper to grow them, and you can grab what you need without worrying about the rest of it never being used.
Oh - almost forgot - this is also GREAT for making marinades!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
One Pot Chicken Paprikash
I spent a month when I was 15, wending my way through Eastern Europe. One of the stops I made was in Budapest, Hungary, where I was introduced to the most simple of dishes - Chicken Paprikash with spaetzle. At the time, I didn't think much of it - when you're 15 and wandering through Europe, do you really pay that much attention to the food? Well, technically, yes I did - if only because it was so amazing.
My host family there fed me an amazing home-cooked meal of roasted chicken, smothered in a creamy paprika sauce, with homemade spaetzle noodles, and then sat and watched me eat it. Being from the US, I'd never experienced anything like that meal. It was only well after that night that I learned why they had sat and watched me eat. It was their appreciation for food, and wanting to make sure that their guest was appreciating it as well. Something that many of us here in the West simply take for granted. It was a humbling experience, and the flavors of Eastern Europe stuck with me. I still love stroganoff and paprikash... And I make my own whenever possible.
***Note*** I do not make my own Spaetzle - I normally simply use Egg noodles for this. I admit, I have not been that adventurous yet. But give me time... I will.
serves 3-4 people
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
4 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 c water or stock
4 c egg noodles
1 c sour cream
corn starch slurry
In a large skillet, cook chicken in the olive oil.
Add garlic and paprika and saute about 7 minutes.
Add the stock or water and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles and cook, covered, about 10 minutes.
Add the sour cream, and mix together, cooking for another 5-7 minutes.
Add the corn starch slurry.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer about 2 minutes, and serve!
My host family there fed me an amazing home-cooked meal of roasted chicken, smothered in a creamy paprika sauce, with homemade spaetzle noodles, and then sat and watched me eat it. Being from the US, I'd never experienced anything like that meal. It was only well after that night that I learned why they had sat and watched me eat. It was their appreciation for food, and wanting to make sure that their guest was appreciating it as well. Something that many of us here in the West simply take for granted. It was a humbling experience, and the flavors of Eastern Europe stuck with me. I still love stroganoff and paprikash... And I make my own whenever possible.
***Note*** I do not make my own Spaetzle - I normally simply use Egg noodles for this. I admit, I have not been that adventurous yet. But give me time... I will.
serves 3-4 people
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
4 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 c water or stock
4 c egg noodles
1 c sour cream
corn starch slurry
In a large skillet, cook chicken in the olive oil.
Add garlic and paprika and saute about 7 minutes.
Add the stock or water and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles and cook, covered, about 10 minutes.
Add the sour cream, and mix together, cooking for another 5-7 minutes.
Add the corn starch slurry.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer about 2 minutes, and serve!
Basic Cheese Sauce...
So, the discussion has been brought up yet again about whether Velveeta should be included in anyone's diet. My personal conviction is that Velveeta serves as a warning to all who would choose to go completely plastic in their diet - as long as they wish to be recycled when they die, go ahead. But, honestly, it's one molecule away from being a plastic itself.
The real question is, why would anyone want to *eat* that?! Well, because we've been told that eating quick is now preferable to eating healthy. Not only that, but obviously, a cheese sauce must be extremely difficult to make if companies constantly make packets of powdered substances and bricks of food-grade plastic to consume.
WRONG!!!
Let me tell you what - I guarantee that I can teach you how to make a good cheese sauce - and one that is super easy and simple. Don't believe me? Try the following out, and let me know what you think.
Simple Bechamel Sauce (that's French for Cream!)
Software:
1 lb of cheese, grated
2 c milk (you can do skim, 1%, 2% or whole)
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter or oil
Hardware:
1 medium-large sauce pot (stainless is preferred)
1 wooden spoon
1 whisk
In the sauce pot, over medium heat, melt butter or heat oil.
Once completely melted or heated, add the flour and stir with the wooden spoon.
Cook flour until you smell it turn nutty, stirring often.
Cook another minute after you smell the flour turn nutty, then...
Switch to the whisk and slowly, 2-3 Tbsps at a time, add the milk while whisking (this keeps the lumps down to nothing).
Once one portion of the milk is absorbed, add a little more milk, and repeat until you have a nice smooth mixture, and then add the remaining portion of the milk.
Whisking slowly, let the milk heat up for about 7 minutes. Then start adding the cheese, a hand-full at a time. Do not add more until the last handful is completely melted.
Let cook another 10 minutes or so, and it will be done.
You can use pretty much any type of cheese you wish in this - even two or three different types of cheese if you prefer. You can also add in half milk and half stock, if you prefer, to add an alternative flavor to it.
This sauce is great on veggies, making mac and cheese or potatoes au gratin. If you increase your flour and oil/butter ratio equally, you can make it thicker - which would be great for a fondue.
The real question is, why would anyone want to *eat* that?! Well, because we've been told that eating quick is now preferable to eating healthy. Not only that, but obviously, a cheese sauce must be extremely difficult to make if companies constantly make packets of powdered substances and bricks of food-grade plastic to consume.
WRONG!!!
Let me tell you what - I guarantee that I can teach you how to make a good cheese sauce - and one that is super easy and simple. Don't believe me? Try the following out, and let me know what you think.
Simple Bechamel Sauce (that's French for Cream!)
Software:
1 lb of cheese, grated
2 c milk (you can do skim, 1%, 2% or whole)
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter or oil
Hardware:
1 medium-large sauce pot (stainless is preferred)
1 wooden spoon
1 whisk
In the sauce pot, over medium heat, melt butter or heat oil.
Once completely melted or heated, add the flour and stir with the wooden spoon.
Cook flour until you smell it turn nutty, stirring often.
Cook another minute after you smell the flour turn nutty, then...
Switch to the whisk and slowly, 2-3 Tbsps at a time, add the milk while whisking (this keeps the lumps down to nothing).
Once one portion of the milk is absorbed, add a little more milk, and repeat until you have a nice smooth mixture, and then add the remaining portion of the milk.
Whisking slowly, let the milk heat up for about 7 minutes. Then start adding the cheese, a hand-full at a time. Do not add more until the last handful is completely melted.
Let cook another 10 minutes or so, and it will be done.
You can use pretty much any type of cheese you wish in this - even two or three different types of cheese if you prefer. You can also add in half milk and half stock, if you prefer, to add an alternative flavor to it.
This sauce is great on veggies, making mac and cheese or potatoes au gratin. If you increase your flour and oil/butter ratio equally, you can make it thicker - which would be great for a fondue.
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