A Foodie's Delight

Dark Chocolate Fluffer-Nutter cookies...

2011-11-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

3 C all purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

2 sticks butter (1/2 lb) at room temperature
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

10 oz dark chocolate chips
10 oz peanut butter chips
1 C chunky peanut butter
1 small jar of marshmallow fluff

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda together.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.

Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Make sure that the flour mixture is completely combined before adding more.

Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture.

Drop cookies onto un-greased baking sheet, and bake around 9-11 minutes or until golden brown along the edges.

Yields about 36 cookies.

Chicken and Bean Soup

2011-04-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... It's been a while yet again. Call me busy-exhausted. LOL. Not to mention poor.

On the up-shot, being poor meant that I got to try some new ideas with stuff I hadn't done in a while. Last night was one of them, and I liked it so much I figured I'd pop it up here so others can try it, too.

Serves: 12-14 people

6 cloves garlic, minced
2 c mixed beans/lentils/split peas
8 c boiling water
1 c dried vegetables
2 Tbsp freeze-dried red onions

2 quarts water
2 c chicken stock
2 chicken leg quarters
2 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed *OR* 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 Tbsp dried sage *OR* 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp Crushed Red Chile Flakes (optional)
1 Tbsp ground black pepper

12 oz dried pasta *OR* 8 oz uncooked barley

1 c sour cream
2 c diced tomatoes, drained

Take the first grouping of ingredients and let sit for between 5-12 hours to plump everything up.
In a large stockpot, bring the 2 quarts of water and the stock together with the leg quarters.
Bring to a boil, and add seasonings.
Reduce heat to medium and let cook about 30 minutes.
Add the bean mixture, water included, into the pot.
Cook about 2 hours.
Remove the chicken and shred it. If there is skin still on it, remove it, too.
Add the pasta or barley, and let cook on medium high until almost done.
Temper in the sour cream.
Mix in the diced tomatoes.
Let finish cooking until pasta or barley and beans are completely done.

Serve with your favorite artisan bread and enjoy!

Easy Spicy Chicken Soup

2011-01-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

A little back-story... I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. One of the reasons this blog was sort of put on the back burner. As the weather has been turning colder, I've been getting worse and worse. It's difficult sometimes to get enthused about something that could, potentially, set you back several days just from doing it. And when it's something that you normally love, it's just worse.

So - that being said... I just made a really simple, very tasty soup tonight. My husband was hit hard by some sort of bronchitis-like something that currently has him on antibiotics and cough syrup with codeine in it for sleeping. Keeping that in mind (and the fact that I've also been feeling less-than-stellar), I scoured the freezer and found a few things to start working with: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a small package of roasted, chopped Anaheim chiles that I'd put away from the summer, and a pound of frozen mixed veggies. Soup it is, I thought...

It makes about 12 servings.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped up into bite-sized pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced (adjustable to your preference)
2 Tbsp no salt seasoning mix from Costco (highly recommend it - tastes great!)
1 roasted Anaheim chile, minced (optional - if you don't like spice, don't add it)
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 lb frozen mixed veggies

Bring 10 cups salted water to a boil
Add the chicken, garlic seasoning mix and chile
Add the macaroni, and stir once it comes back to a boil
Let cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add the mixed veggies
Salt and Pepper to taste.

This literally took me about 20 minutes from start to finish, and gave me plenty of time to sit down between times.

Other short cuts I like are getting the pre-minced garlic. It's great if your hands are really bothering you.

Turkey Enchiladas

2010-12-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Enchiladas are one of those go-to foods for me. If I'm feeling blue, or want something super filling and only have a little bit of meat, or leftovers, I make enchiladas. They're tasty, and very very filling. I don't make them like most people do, though...

Filling:

2 lb meat, cooked, your choice
2 c cooked rice (spiced how you like)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
1/2 c queso fresco, cubed
1/2 c cotija, cubed

6 medium or large flour tortillas
3 cups enchilada sauce (homemade or package, your choice)
1 c shredded colby jack cheese
1/2 c black olives, sliced
1/3 c chopped cilantro

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees f.
Mix meat, rice, peppers, and cheeses all together in a hot pan and mix until fully combined.
Divide into 6 equal parts, and ladle into the tortillas
Roll tortillas around the filling, and place into a baking dish
Ladle over the enchilada sauce (Yep - no dipping the tortillas)
Top with the shredded cheese and black olives
Bake for 20 minutes
Top with cilantro and serve

Stuffed Shells

2010-09-27T06:04:00.001-07:00

This is a bit of a departure from your normal stuffed shell recipe. I like it because it's not as tomato-y as what you may find elsewhere. It also has meat in the stuffing, rather than in the sauce. The meat is completely optional - if you don't add it, add in about 3 cups of shredded zucchini.

yields about 32 stuffed shells

1 box of jumbo shell pasta, cooked to al dente (about 10 minutes)

stuffing:
1 lb small curd cottage cheese
1/2 lb ricotta
12 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained of liquid)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb ground sausage, browned and crumbled
2 eggs
nutmeg (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter or oil
2-3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp garlic
3 c cold milk
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 cans flavored tomatoes (drained)
salt and pepper to taste

Asiago cheese (topping)

Noodles
Follow the package directions to cook to al dente
Drain and rinse with cold water, separating the shells from one another, until cold

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Stuffing
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl

Sauce
In a saucepan, melt butter, and mix in flour to make a roux
Blend completely and cook until just starting to smell nutty
Add the garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly
Whisk in the cold milk a little at a time, making sure it doesn't get lumpy
Once milk is completely added, add each of the cheeses, blending before adding the next one
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
Add in the tomatoes and, switching to a wooden spoon, add the tomatoes in
Season with salt and pepper and let simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Building The Dish
In a large, 9" x 14" x 4" deep pan, put down a ladle or two the sauce
Stuff the shells individually, and place them side by side until they are all in
If necessary, layer the shells - make sure the layers are even all the way across
Ladle the remaining sauce over the top
Sprinkle with Asiago cheese

Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 35 minutes.

Parmesan Crusted Pork

2010-09-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Actually, this can be done with chicken as well, if you'd rather. The trick is to try and make it about a 1/2 inch thick, and even across the whole portion of the meat...

1 lb white meat (pork or chicken), butterflied flat

1 c flour
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp black cracked pepper
1 tsp Kosher salt

3 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Set up your breading station: Pan 1 has the seasoned flour, Pan 2 has the eggs, Pan 3 has the cheese.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat up vegetable oil to between medium and medium high
Make sure that the vegetable oil is about 1/4 inch deep - no more
Bread the pieces of meat and then lay gently and carefully into the heated pan
Let cook until golden brown, and flip
Let cook again until golden brown
Remove and place onto a broiling pan
Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked

**Note that chicken is a little more delicate than pork is, so it may take less time to finish it off in the oven**

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

2010-08-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Serves about 5 very hungry people.

3 thawed chicken breast, cut into chunks 1-2 bites big

Breading:
3 cups cheese crackers (your choice of flavor - I love the 4 cheese)
30-40 Extreme Buffalo Wing Pringles chips (the ones with Frank's Red Hot on them)

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup milk
1/4 c Frank's Red Hot sauce

Heat oven to 375 degrees F
Crunch the crackers up into a powder, in a ziploc bag, with a rolling pin
Pour breading into one large container
Mix the wet dredge well in another container
Place pieces of the chicken into the wet, and let soak a few minutes
Remove and place into the breading, and coat completely
Lay onto a cookie sheet
Repeat until all the pieces are done
**you may need 3 cookie sheets, to make sure they don't get crowded**
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil onto the chicken
Place into the oven and cook about 12-14 minutes
Remove and serve with your favorite dip

Potato Cakes

2010-08-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

I came up with this recipe last night when I was at a loss as to what to do with potatoes. Sometimes, going in a completely different direction can lead to good things - this being one of them... This does have the option of being easily vegetarian, which is great.

Yields about 20 potato cakes, 3" diameter

4-5 fist-sized russet or Idaho potatoes, washed and large diced (about 1" cubed)
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
**optional ingredients can include shredded onion, bacon, garlic, whatever you want**
up to 1 c all purpose flour (depending on what is needed)
Salt
Pepper

Boil potatoes to just past done (not easily mashed, but smash-able*)
Drain and place into a medium bowl
Smash potatoes but leave some chunks, and add eggs and milk.
Add flour, 1/3 cup at a time, until the mixture is thick and does not easily drop off a spoon

In a medium saute pan, heat 1/2" olive oil and 1 Tbsp bacon fat (optional)
Take one large spoon-ful of the dough and place into the oil, then spread til it's about 3/4" thick
Repeat until you have 3 or 4 in the pan at one time
Fry until golden brown, then gently and carefully turn
Fry until golden brown
Place onto a paper towel to drain
Repeat until finished

*think potato salad done, rather than mashed potato done

Excerpt

2010-07-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from "The Making Of A Chef" by Michael Ruhlman. At this point, Mr Ruhlman is interviewing the president of the Culinary Institute of America, Mr Ferdinand Metz.

'Mr Metz had told me one puts one's values on the plate; in fact, he suggested that this was the final and distinguishing element one brought to the basics of cookery. "The thing you add is your own sense of standards and quality," he said.

'I asked him to clarify what he meant when he said one puts values on a plate.

'"You know an artist is represented by his or her paintings or drawings or sculpture, the quality of it," he said. "I think we project our values by the food we have on the plate, not necessarily in the same artistic sense, but in the sense of flavors we offer. I always feel that when I put food on the plate for my family - anybody - I'm saying, 'I feel good about this. This is what I believe is good food. If it's not good food, I wouldn't put it there. This is what I like, this is my standard, this is what I believe is good food and I hope you enjoy it.' I think you make a value statement every time."'

I honestly believe that I have never seen anything as succinctly put as this. It is the epitome of how I feel about food. Never give someone what you feel is second rate. It is a reflection of yourself and of your ideals, and you show others how you feel about both yourself and your ideals with it.

~M

Family Style Lasagna

2010-07-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

yields 1 lasagna pan (14" x 9" x 4" deep) filled to the top

Sauce:
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 cans chunk tomatoes, Italian flavor
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans mushrooms -or- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sauteed in butter
1 bunch fresh basil, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Cheese filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese, drained
1 lb fine curd cottage cheese, drained
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1 lb chopped spinach (drained) -or- 3 medium zucchini, shredded
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh-grated is best)
salt
pepper

2 boxes uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 Cups water

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

For the sauce:
Mix the sausages together and brown.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and tomato paste.
Mix together until smooth
Add mushrooms and mix until combined.
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add basil and salt and pepper to taste.

For the cheese filling:
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until completely mixed.

In a large, 4" deep lasagna pan (13x9), do the following to layer:

sauce (with no meat, just to cover the bottom of the pan
Noodles, just meeting one another, covering the bottom of the pan
Cheese filling
Noodles
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese
Noodles

Repeat until you have used up all of the cheese, and then top with noodles and sauce.

Top with the cheese, and then add the noodles.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove tin foil and test noodles for done-ness. They should now be soft.
Bake another 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is nice and bubbly.

Let rest about 15-30 minutes.

Serve.

On Egg Cookery

2010-07-26T20:30:00.001-07:00

Egg cookery is not glamorous. It is relegated in the culinary world most times to either the pantry or A.M. chef, or to the weekend brunch chef, and otherwise forgotten. Today's world looks on the idea of the egg and the myriad of dishes that can be made with it either as a main dish (an omelet, for instance) or an ingredient (take the plethora of cakes, pies and pasta that is made with it) as a mere convenience - some even look at it as a necessary evil because of it's higher cholesterol content than some other protein-rich substances. Be that as it may, to me there is very little that makes it other than a perfect single serving item. It even comes pre-packaged.

Eggs aren't necessarily pretty on the plate (unless you work at it), and when cooked incorrectly will both taste and smell foul. Why is this? There are a few things that you need to understand about an egg. First of all, the protein structure. I could go on and on like a chemist or a scientist about what happens when heat is applied, etc. Simple is always good for most people, though. What happens is this: When an egg cooks, the proteins within it turn solid, trapping the water portion of the egg within it. That water is necessary for the egg to maintain its look and mouth-feel.

If you *over-cook* the egg, the proteins tend to over-stretch itself, and eventually break. This lets out the water, and turns your eggs rubbery and unappetizing. If you've ever stepped away from your eggs and when you've come back, you've wondered who dumped a quarter-cup of water into the pan, I'll tell you: YOU did. You let the eggs overcook. Not only that, you'll find that the eggs smell sort of... well... rotten. That's the sulfur that's inherent in egg structure. Release that, and it's all over.

So, how to cook a proper egg? Well, it depends on how you like your eggs, first of all. Hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, fried, over easy, sunny side up, or scrambled... There's a lot of choices for an egg, which is one of the wonderful things about them.

So, I'll visit each of them in turn and give a little information on how best to cook them, depending on how you want them...

Until then, ponder this: Out of all the meat-based proteins in the world, the egg has all of the omega acids necessary for our body to stay healthy.

~M

Bacon for Dessert...

2010-07-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

So, my last entry in Iron Chef did not win - I lost by 3 points. I was disappointed in myself, if only because I didn't feel I gave it my all, and didn't bring my 'A' game.

But, that's OK - there's a new Iron Chef challenge for me...

Now, there's 8 of us (normally) that participate, so, we normally have two people in each category. It breaks down to Appetizer, Entree, Dessert, and Drinks. The drinks portion is normally a separate flavoring from the main secret ingredient, as it's sometimes difficult to figure out how to put peas into an appetizing form that one would want to imbibe... The last time we pulled, dessert and drinks were given to the same person...

This time has been no different, and I have been given Dessert and drinks. I already know the secret ingredient - Bacon.

To that end, I'm going to put together a medley of tasty bacon-based desserts to see which would stand out the most on a plate, and which will fail and burn in a fiery death of shame and woe...

I have such ideas as these:

Orange-cream puff pastry, dipped in chocolate, with bacon brittle
Apple filo dough with maple-glazed bacon
Pear and bacon tartlet with sugared bacon crumbles
Bacon carrot cake with a macadamia nut bacon brittle
Bacon chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with maple ice cream

I think these are all fairly good ideas and they should translate fairly well throughout the tasting...

If YOU have any ideas that you think would do well, let me know and I will consider mixing them in...

Street Vendor Tacos...

2010-07-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

About five years ago, I did an externship at a local Caribbean/Florida/cum Northwestern restaurant and catering company.

Prior to that, while I had gone through "International Cooking", I hadn't had too much in the way of understanding much of anything that was regional in the way of Hispanic foods. I knew they were spicy, and I knew that I liked a lot of it. I also knew that most of what I got in the so-called "Mexican" restaurants (read chain restaurants like Azteca and the like) were *not* Mexican at all, but a Tex-Mex blend of ideas and components that, while tasty, really had nothing to do with South or Central America or its eating habits.

Imagine my surprise when the five women and four men I worked with at my externship showed me what different regions did, even within a 100 mile radius of Mexico city. I learned there how to make street tacos, and they quickly became my favorite treat in the world. I normally didn't have a way to make them for just myself, as it has a lot of condiments involved, and I don't necessarily want to eat 20 of them at a time...

So, since last night I was guaranteed to have at least 3 people besides myself to feed, I figured it was a perfect time for me to make tacos.

Makes about 20 small street tacos

20 small soft corn tortillas
2 lbs chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
1 Tbsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

optional toppings:
cotija cheese crumbles
queso fresco (mild white cheese)
pico de gallo
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
lettuce

Cook the chicken with the chiles and garlic salt in the olive oil on medium high heat until they are just brown.
Remove from the heat and steam the corn tortillas until they are pliable.
Add chicken, and your optional toppings.

Enjoy!

Drinks!!!

2010-07-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

In honor of my "fabulous" daytime job, I have opted to post mixed drink recipes. Whoot!

Nutty Irishman

1/2 Irish Cream
1/2 Hazelnut Liqueur

Mix in whatever proportions deemed necessary, and serve.

Black-Hearted Wench

2 shots Captain Morgan's spiced rum
1 cup Sunny D or Tampico orange drink

Mix and serve.

Raspberry Vodka Sour

2 shots raspberry vodka
1 cup sour mix
2 shots grenadine

To make it a sparkling sour, remove the grenadine, and add a cup of Sprite.

Basic Sour Mix
(yields 2 cups)

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 c lemon juice (more or less)
1/2 c lime juice (more or less)

Heat water and sugar on the stove until the sugar is dissolved
Add about 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of lime juice - or thereabouts - until the desired flavor of the sour mix is achieved.
Stick it in the fridge to chill.

Grilled Lamb Loin...

2010-06-23T07:25:00.001-07:00

Today is our anniversary, so I thought I'd do something a little special... Grilled, marinaded loin of lamb, cous cous, and some sauted green beans.

As a side note, lamb really should be served medium rare to rare. It is delicious and tender this way.

Marinade:
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
4 long sprigs Rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Trim the lamb and butterfly it so that it lays fairly flat and is cut fairly even, about 1-2" thick.
Place it into the marinade for up to 4 hours, turning every hour or so.

Heat the grill to about 250-300 degrees, and place the lamb onto the grill.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn 40 degrees clockwise.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn over.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn 40 degrees clockwise.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then remove from heat and place on a warm plate.

Cover loosely with tin foil and let sit about 5-10 minutes for carry-over cooking.

Slice against the grain of the meat to create long strips.

Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Delicious home-made Crock-pot Beef Stew

2010-06-07T07:42:00.001-07:00

I haven't been able to run test recipes for a while now, and for that I apologize. It seems like whenever I get the chance, two seconds in something happens and I have to put everything on hold. *chuckle* This recipe is for those who think that those beef stew packets are all that... :-) You don't need to spend so much money on those things, though. Trust me.

Dredge mix:
2 c flour
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
salt
black cracked pepper

2 lbs beef, cubed into bite-sized pieces

5 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp Butter

4 c water, beef or veggie stock

1 bunch celery, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
6 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
5 large potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cups frozen petite green peas

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Dredge beef well in the flour, then add, a little at a time, into the skillet.
Cook until brown and place into the waiting crock-pot.
Repeat until all the beef is done.
Add all the vegetables, withholding the garlic and peas.

Melt butter into the hot skillet and add remaining flour mixture.
If needed, add a little extra butter or flour to make the roux paste.
Cook until the flour smells nutty and turns a dark brown. Be careful not to burn it.

Slowly add your water/stock about 1 cup at a time, and stir until mixed with no lumps. As it gets more soup-like, you can add more stock at a time until completely mixed.

Add the sauce to the crock-pot, turn on high, cover, and leave sit for about 3.5 hours.

Test the potatoes with a fork, and if almost fork-tender, add the garlic and lemon juice.

Let sit another 30 minutes.

Add frozen peas, and remove from heat, stirring.

Serve with crusty bread.

Potato Stir Fry

2010-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

I couldn't figure out what to serve with my Thai Chicken bites, so I looked in my pantry to see what I had... I found red, yukon, and russet (Idaho) potatoes, and I knew I had a bag of stir fry veggies. So, I figured I'd just see what happened.

Serves 4 hungry people (when served with the Thai Chicken Bites)

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 red potatoes, diced
1 large yukon gold, diced
2 russet potatoes, cleaned and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 16 oz package stir fry veggie mix (your choice)
salt
pepper

Heat olive oil to medium high.
Add all potatoes into the pan and let cook, stirring after 5 minutes, to allow for browning.
Add garlic, sage and red pepper.
Continue to cook until potatoes are mostly browned.
Add stir fry veggies, and cook until completely heated through.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Thai Chicken Bites

2010-04-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

I created the Thai Fried Chicken a while back, and it was such a tasty treat that I wanted to make it more regularly - but without the super deep fry of the original. So, last night, I tried a pan fry of it, and was happily surprised at the results. This has a very mild flavor of sweet chili sauce - if you want more, simply let the chicken marinade in it for several hours before you crumb and cook it.

**Oil should only come up about a 1/4" at most in the pan you're using - I prefer a larger pan, 14" in diameter.**

Serves 4 hungry people when accompanied with the potato stir fry

2 large chicken breasts, cut to 1/2" thick slices

The wash:
1/2 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
1/2 cup honey mustard
1 egg
1/4 c milk
salt
pepper

3 cups Panko bread crumbs (or thereabouts)

Heat olive oil in a large pan to medium-high heat
Set oven to warm, and have a capture tray out

Combine all wash ingredients together in a pie pan.
In a separate pie pan, place the panko bread crumbs.
Take your chicken slices and dip them into the egg wash, then transfer them to the panko.
Cover completely with panko, then lay gently (away from you, please) into the oil.
Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and repeat.

Please into the capture tray, and place into the warming oven until all chicken is done.

Sprinkle with a bit of your favorite salt, and serve.

If you want, serve a side of the thai chili sauce/honey mustard mix for a dip.

Basic Hash

2010-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

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.

FYI - New Linky Goodness...

2010-03-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-03-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

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!

One Pot Chicken Paprikash

2010-03-02T15:50:00.001-08:00

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!

Basic Cheese Sauce...

2010-03-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

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.

Easy Peasy Scratch Mac & Cheesey!

2010-02-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

No, this is not low fat, and it’s not low calorie… But it’s ooey gooey goodness. And that’s ok on occasion.

The software:
1 package large elbow macaroni noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3 cups chilled whole milk
4 cups grated cheese of your choice
1 package sliced cheese of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

The hardware:
1 large stockpot
1 medium sauce pot
1 whisk
1 spatula
1 9x11x2 baking pan, greased

In a large stockpot, bring 4-6 quarts of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile…

In the saucepot, melt the butter and mix in the flour over medium heat.
Stir gently with a whisk until a nutty smell starts.
Gently add in the milk a little at a time, whisking briskly to avoid clumping.
Once the roux is smooth and creamy, add the remaining milk.
Add the grated cheese, one handful at a time, stirring constantly. Do not add the next handful until the first one is melted.
Turn heat to low.
Don’t worry if it’s sort of watery-looking. That’s ok - the excess will be taken in by the noodles as they finish cooking.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Add the noodles to the now-boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes LESS than the directed time on the package.
Don’t worry that it’s going to be sort of toothy.
Drain noodles and put back into the pot.
Add sauce to the noodles and mix together fully, and turn off the heat.
Place the mixture into the greased baking dish .
Layer the sliced cheese onto the top of the dish, then place in the oven for ½ hour.

Let cool about 10 minutes and serve

FYI - basic classes now available!

2010-02-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Do you:

*want to learn basic cooking techniques one-on-one?
*want to learn how to make healthy, easy meals?
*want to do it all in a "standard" kitchen, using basic equipment?
*happen to be in the Portland/Beaverton area?

If you are looking for a way to get away from boxed meals, take-out, and get back to being healthy again, look no further.

Graduating from Western Culinary in 2005, I was trained to work in a kitchen, and do small-service catering - but my first love is teaching about the wonders of food. I believe that the first thing we need to do to maintain a healthy body and spirit is to start with good food, and go from there. With good food, we can give our body good energy. With good energy, we can feel better, do more, and build healthy, positive relationships with ourselves and with those around us.

The US Surgeon General says that if Americans don't start living a healthier lifestyle, by the year 2015, over 70% of us will be overweight and unhealthy. Over 40% of those will be obese and unhealthy, and over 20% will be super-obese. The easiest way we can start to change these statistics is to start eating healthy. Cut out the boxed meals, reduce the take out and fast food, and start cooking from scratch again. Think you don't have time? Think again. Much of what is good for you can be prepped in advance, and cooked within 20 to 30 minutes.

I understand that it's difficult to find the time sometimes. I'm not advocating that everything be made from scratch all the time. But there are choices that can be made every day - I believe that we, as consumers, can either make those choices ourselves, or allow others in large food corporations, to make the choices for us and take away our right to a healthy body and mind.

Whether you are ready to kick-start your family into trying something new, or you just want to learn a few basic techniques, try giving me a call.

**note - this is a great course for young adults and first-timers living on their own - please no more than two people for each course**

This is a full day course, and currently only available on Saturday or Sunday, with 3 weeks prior notice. Menus and food options are chosen at the time of the booking. Start time is 10am, at the market of your choice, and then traveling to your home, so that you are able to use your own kitchen, and see how to use it to your best advantage.

The course includes the following:

*Shopping - Believe it or not, your choices at the market decide your overall health. I'll teach you what ingredients to look for on labels that are good choices, verses not so good choices. If this is summer, I highly encourage a trip to the local farmer's market.

*Prepping - Once home, we will go over some basic ways to prep things down for easy, quick meals. This will include cutting up and labeling of meats (if you eat them), and then taking care of fruits, cheese and veggies.

*Cooking - Techniques are provided based on the menu chosen beforehand. It can be anything from stir fry to roasting, from a cheese board to steamed veggies.

*Afterward - Critiquing of the over-all experience, and re-visit on how to make good food choices when shopping.

Course cost is $250 for one person, and $350 for two, and is due no later than 1 week after booking.

Cancellation policy:
If the course is canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the date, then a full refund is provided.

If the course is canceled 1 week prior to the date, then a half-refund is provided.

If the course is canceled less than one week prior to the date, except in extreme cases (death in the family, urgent hospitalization, etc), there is no refund.

If for any reason I am forced to cancel the class, there will be a full refund, and I will offer to re-schedule the course for you.

****Please note - I schedule these classes based on my current work schedule. I am normally able to adjust my schedule accordingly, but there may be occasions where I am unavailable for specific dates.****

My own little soap box...

2010-01-11T12:08:00.001-08:00

One of the biggest concerns in America (because no where else will you see quite so many frivolous lawsuits) is having healthy food, being healthy, and maintaining a healthy weight.

The real facts about health are more muddied than the Mississippi river in flood season, and there are new "facts" that come up each day about foods... One day you'll be told that margarine should be eaten because it's better for you than butter... Suddenly you're told that it's not, because of trans-fats and other nasty items lurking in wait to suddenly destroy your body.

You're told one day not to eat beef, only to be told the next day that it's actually fairly healthy and you can have it, just as long as all the fat has been removed... And a few months later, beef is once again on the no-no list.

The question is, how did we get to where we are today? Why is it that, of all the nations, we have the most food available per capita, and yet we are filled with hatred and fear toward it? Why do we have one of the highest obesity rates in the world, with Diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, and stroke leading the way in death and disability each year?

100 years ago we had virtually no issues with any of these so-called "Western" diseases. And yet, over the last 100 years (actually, over the last 50 years where it's REALLY taken off), we have had doctors, advertisers, food scientists and other snake oil salesmen try and tell us what we *should* eat, how much, when, why, and how... We've been told that low-fat, low salt, low (or no) meat, high carb, low carb, no carb, high protein, low protein, massively pre-processed foods (or should I say FUD) is good for us, and we should eat it...

We've tried all the latest fad diets, health recommendations, food regimens, exercise and other abuses, all leading to an even higher rate of obesity and obesity-related issues - even if we aren't obese... We've spent the last 50 years brainwashing our children to eat whatever the news tells us, and supplementing it with fast food and quick snacks from the local Kwik-E-Mart (I'd get started on spelling, but that's a different rant altogether - along with Foto.).

I have no doctoral degree, and I don't even claim to understand what goes on inside a carrot when it's cooked versus when it's served raw. I don't know how the digestive tract breaks down foods, and I honestly could care less about whether the percentage of beta-carotene is higher or lower in one food or another. I have a different kind of suggestion from everyone else... It's a little radical, and it could potentially tick off your doctor or nutritionist - not to mention salesmen and fast-food restaurant companies all over the country, but just hear me out...

Try not eating so many overly-processed foods... I'm not saying cut them out completely. Why? Because while it IS possible to do it, it can be a difficult thing for us to do. But just try not eating as many... If what you're eating has a lot of ingredients that you can't pronounce, chances are, they're not found in nature... If they aren't found in nature, ask yourself if you really want to eat it...

I'm not saying that they're the worst things for you - but a lot of what we eat just doesn't need to be that overly processed. There's a reason why other countries who DON'T eat a lot of overly processed foods don't have the same issues with weight and weight-related diseases that the US does... They don't have the same level of processed foods that we do.

So, just throwing it out there to think about... I know, it's a radical idea. Perhaps, it's an idea whose time has come... Maybe the next time you decide to make Velveeta cheese dip, try doing it from scratch, with real cheese, rather than Velveeta - could make a difference - you never know.

Tasty Vegan Indian Curry

2010-01-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Before you say EWWW yuck, give it a chance. It's actually quite tasty, and if you don't want it to be Vegan, it's easy to add chicken or shrimp to it, too. This becomes a complete protein when served with rice.

Serves 8 hungry people (with the rice cooked below can serve up to 12)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
4 potatoes, cleaned and cubed
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c water or veggie stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 celery heart, diced
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp ground Coriander seed
1-2 Tbsp green curry powder
2 cups garbanzo beans (chick peas), pre-cooked
3 carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
3 cups green beans
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 c water or veggie stock
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick pan, Heat olive oil on medium high heat
Place potatoes into pan and let fry about 6 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally
Add salt and crushed red chilis
Add water or veggie stock and stir
Add in garlic, celery and onion, and stir until combined
Cook about 4-5 minutes, stirring fairly constantly
Add Turmeric, Coriander and Curry powder, and combine completely
Add garbanzo beans, carrots, broccoli, green beans and red bell pepper
Stir to combine, and add the 1/2 c water or veggie stock
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice below

RICE

1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 c rice
1/2 c slivered almonds, without skin
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water or veggie stock

In a medium saucepot, heat olive oil on medium high heat
Add rice, slivered almonds and kosher salt
Stir to coat completely with olive oil and let toast until just lightly brown on the rice
Add enough water or veggie stock to cover by about 1"
Reduce heat to simmer and place lid on the pot
Let cook about 15 minutes, or until rice is done

Serve with the curry

Really good French Toast

2010-01-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

First, I am not a huge fan of French Toast. I grew up with a mother who loved to cook very heavy breakfasts - while many people would love it, I did not - my stomach just can't handle dark whole wheat 28 grain bread dipped in egg at 6am before school...

In trying new ways to get my daughter (who is just barely 2) to try new things, I came across a brilliant way to make French Toast that she would eat. I kept in mind that she doesn't mind fruit, and doesn't mind toast if it's sweet - and she likes to have some texture, but not huge crunches (unless it's popcorn - and that's a different post).

So, since she wasn't eating the egg that I would make her in the morning, I figured I'd dip some bread into the egg, lightly sweeten the batter, and then see what we got... And we got a really tasty piece of breakfast...

2 slices of blueberry Streusel bread (or the fruit bread of your choice) FROZEN
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla creamer
1 tsp sugar

Break the egg into a flat-bottomed dish and whip the creamer and sugar in
Place the bread into the mix and let soak on both sides until completely wet
Preheat a 12" pan to medium heat
Place 1 Tbsp butter into the pan and let that melt
Place each of the pieces of bread into the pan and pour any additional batter over the top (shouldn't be more than 1-2 Tbsp at most
Turn over once it's just golden brown

Serve with a little bit of butter and, if you like, a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Perfect Turkey Recipe

2009-11-26T09:32:00.000-08:00

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees (trust me on this)

Remove the turkey from the brine (you did brine it, didn’t you? Well, either way...)
Pat completely dry, both inside and out
Place chopped celery and carrots on the bottom of the roasting pan (it works better than a rack)
Place turkey on top, breast-side up
Oil up turkey, and sprinkle both inside and out with salt and pepper
Quarter an onion and stuff inside the turkey
Take a good hand-full of the following herbs: Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Flat-Leaf parsley
Stuff them into the turkey as well
Place bird into the oven and roast for ½ hour - NO MORE THAN THAT.

Reduce heat to 350
Continue to roast turkey until done.

For a 14 lb turkey cooked this way, the average cooking time (unstuffed) is 2 hrs, give or take a bit. For it to be served at or around 6pm, you will want to start it at 3:45, and check the temperature (or attempt to move a leg around) at 5:30 or so. If you have need of it, the Food Network has a turkey calculator that can help you with the time... You want to bring the internal temperature to 162 degrees - remember, removing the bird from the oven doesn't immediately stop the cooking process - there will be carry-over cooking that will bring the temperature up to 165, which is recommended by the FDA...

Let it sit for about a half hour before carving, to allow juices to re-distribute.

Why the carrots and celery on the bottom? Well, it adds to the aromatics that you’ve placed on the inside of the turkey, and will help flavor it… Aroma goes a long way toward flavor…

The Best Darned Chili Mac EVER!

2009-11-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not into diner food, per se. Honestly speaking though, if my husband offers to cook for the night, I'm all for it, even if it IS chili mac from a box and a can. Still, I know that even diner food can be absolutely delicious if the person cooking it pays attention and does it lovingly.

The other night I was not in the mood to cook at all. Strange, I know, but still... So, there I was, defrosting some pork carnitas cuts, and trying to figure out a way I could make them into something that sounded tasty... And, I decided on chili. But I needed something more, since my daughter, being a young 22 month old, can't handle a lot of spice. BUT, she loves a food adventure, and really likes flavor. So, I considered what I had...

Looking in my pantry, I found a bag of wheel noodles, some butter, some flour, some milk, and some cheese... So, technically speaking, I *could* make it from scratch... And, the idea was born...

1 lb pork carnitas, cut to 1/2 inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes with green peppers and onions
1 can (small) tomato paste
1 can "chili" beans (they have the spices already in them)
1 packet chili seasoning

Heat a pan to medium-high heat
Add Pork and begin to cook, moving around to brown
Once mostly cooked, add the garlic
Continue to cook until pork is done
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beans and seasoning
Reduce heat to low, stir to combine, and let simmer

MEANWHILE....

Bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil
Add 2 cups dry wheel pasta
Stir once water starts boiling again

While that is cooking...

2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 c whole or 2% milk
1 c shredded cheese

Melt butter in a pan on medium heat
Add flour to the pan, and whisk to combine together
Cook on medium-low heat, whisking until you smell the flour get nutty
Add the whole milk a little bit at a time, whisking to combine
Once smoothly combined, add shredded cheese to the mix

Once pasta is cooked, drain, and add cheese sauce to it

You can either place the mac and cheese on the bottom of the plate and pour chili over it, OR you can mix the two together completely.

Another great way to do this is to make hashed browns and serve the chili over them.

Enjoy!!!

Chile Chicken Chowder (my twist)

2009-11-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

So, I was watching Paula Dean the other night and already had a good beef stew cooking, and she started making poblano chicken chowder. I was totally intrigued. I really love making a good chicken tortilla soup, and I adore chicken corn chowder, so the idea of a somewhat-combination really got me going... I had to put my own twist on it, though, as I really love to have potatoes in my chowders... And I prefer to thicken most of my soups with corn starch rather than roux. So, here it is. Enjoy!

Yields: 12-16 servings, depending on your hunger level...

1/4 cup olive oil
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
5 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 lbs gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
1/8 cup minced garlic
2 to 3 small poblano peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice -OR-
2 to 3 small anaheim peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
2 quarts water or chicken broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
3 cups diced (large pieces) grilled chicken
1 Tbsp corn starch, mixed into
1 pint heavy cream

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat
Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin, and thyme
Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften
Stir in the chicken bouillon
Add the chicken broth, potatoes, corn and cilantro, and cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender
Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken is heated through
Add the cream and corn starch mixture
Bring up just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about two minutes, stirring constantly

Serve garnished with some fresh tomatoes and tortilla chips

If you really want to make the nice warm burn come alive, add both the poblanos and the anaheims. I found the flavor to be really fabulous.

Asparagus with Lobster and Cream Sauce...

2009-10-22T12:16:00.001-07:00

OK - so, you think you can't have lobster because it's so expensive. Actually, it's not all that expensive if you get it on sale, and if you're mixing it into other things, like in this dish. I picked up 4 lobsters for about $24 total at my local store - they were having a sale - and if you look around, you may surprise yourself. It's a bit of work to pick them, but it's really tasty. If lobster isn't your thing, you can also do this with shrimp or crab as well...

Serves 4 people

4 small lobsters (about 1 lb each - you'll get about 5 oz of meat out of each), picked clean
1.5 lb pencil-thin asparagus, chopped into 1.5" long pieces
2 medium shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
nutmeg
salt
pepper

Heat 12" non-stick skillet on medium heat
Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter and let melt
Add shallots and garlic
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg*
Let sweat for about 6 minutes, until super fragrant - do not let brown
Add asparagus, and cook about 6 minutes - stirring every few minutes
Chop lobster into bite-sized pieces
Add cream and let cook until starting to thicken, stirring every few minutes
Add lobster and parmesan cheese
Let cheese thicken, and lobster fully heat up

Serve over baked potato or linguine pasta

*Nutmeg should be used with caution. I'd say only 2-3 scrapes on a microplane, if you're not used to the flavor. It brings out the sweetness of the lobster, but can overpower it if you aren't careful. No more than about 5-6 scrapes tops in this dish, at this serving size.

Tex-Mex Rice...

2009-08-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

I can't call this Mexican rice - it's not. It's not technically Spanish rice, either... It's hispanically inspired, thus the tex-mex. I did this in my 10-cup rice cooker, but you can do it in a single pan with a good lid. It's easy to do, inexpensive, very tasty, and leftovers are great in a tortilla.

Prep time: About 15-20 minutes
Cook time: About 20 minutes
Serves 6-8 hungry people

1.5 lbs ground meat (I like 2/3 turkey, 1/3 pork)
4 cloves garlic
1 pasillo pepper, minced
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 jalepeno pepper, minced (you can seed and de-vein for less heat)
1 large red onion, diced
2 cups black beans, cooked
2 cups rice, cooked
1 cup corn, cooked
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat in a pan and, once almost completely done, add garlic and peppers
Stir to combine, and let cook a few minutes
Add onion, and cook for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat, until softened
Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine and heat

I like serving this with homemade guacamole, cotija cheese, and creme freshe.

Enjoy!

~M

Oaxacan-inspired Shrimp Salad

2009-07-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

So, I play around in the kitchen a lot with different foods and ideas. Many times, the weather inspires me to put together whatever it is I end up serving. Other times, it's budget that constrains me... Tonight, both of these were in play, but there was nothing cheap about what came of it...

There are two componants to this salad - the first is the meat, namely shrimp. You can also do this with tilapia fillets if you like, or scallops. I wouldn't recommend any seafood that was meaty or dark, since this ends up being really delicately flavored... The second is the rest of the salad, which can be prepared up to several hours in advance...

Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: About 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb 51-60 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 can (12 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh or flash-frozen (now thawed) yellow corn
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 habanero pepper, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 avocados, diced
1/2 package of queso fresco cheese, diced
2-3 Tbsp Kosher salt
1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a plastic ziploc bag, combine the first portion of the ingredients together, and let marinade at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients together, and let sit in the fridge until the shrimp have finished marinating.

Heat a large skillet to high heat. Once you see the beginnings of smoke come off the pan, add all the shrimp at once, and stir constantly. This size shrimp should be perfectly cooked in about 1-2 minutes.

Add to the salad, and let chill in the fridge. Season to taste and serve cold.

Lime Coriander Garlic Aoli

2009-07-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Condiments, when good, are the best things in the world for food... I came up with this to go with Tilapia, since it's such a bland fish. I like to spice up my flavors and go wild with them, so this was a perfect way to do it. This aoli (basically, a home-made mayo with garlic added), has the flavors of coriander seed, lime, parsley, thyme, and chives in it. The color is green, and the taste is delicious. I recommend using it on fish tacos, onion rings, and burgers, too!

3 egg yolks
5 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
2 tsp fresh lime zest (off the 1/2 lime from above)
2 Tbsp coriander seed
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp thyme
2 Tbsp chives
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

In your food processor, add all ingredients together, reserving the olive oil.

Blend, and slowly stream in olive oil until you get a nice emulsion going.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and blend for another minute or so.

This will keep in your fridge for about a week or so. It makes about 1 1/2 cups of aoli.

Enjoy!

Toad In The Hole

2009-06-21T09:55:00.001-07:00

Sounds a bit off, but really, it's rather tasty, if you like toast and over-easy eggs. Enjoy!

serves 1

2 eggs
2 slices bread
butter
salt
pepper

Heat a flat pan or skillet to medium.
Using a cookie cutter or knife, cut a hole in the middle of your bread (a 2" hole is recommended)
Place butter into the pan and spread to cover the bottom of it
Place bread onto the bottom of pan
Crack eggs into the hole, and season with a little salt and pepper
Let sit about 2 minutes, or until the whites are firm
Flip, and let sit another two minutes

Serve!

Tex-Mex Braised Beef Short Ribs

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

OK, so this is really heavy on beef fat. Why? Because these are short ribs, and even if you get some of the cleanest-cut beef in the world, it will still render down. Deal with it. Skim it off, remove it, and move on. These are tasty, and if cooked properly, they'll melt in your mouth.

This is actually a mild version of what I normally would make. If you want to add some heat to it, include 2 serrano chiles to it, stabbed but left whole. This will flavor the whole thing, but you can remove the chiles at the end...

Oh, when looking for different flavored boullion cubes, look to your "international" or "mexican" aisle of the supermarket - or go to a local mexican supermarket. They're sure to have it...

4 lbs beef short ribs
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander seed
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp water

2 pablano or passillo peppers, diced
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 boullion cube garlic
1 boullion cube onion
2 cups water

Rub the short ribs with the spices, salt, olive oil and water combination. Let marinade for 24-48 hours in the fridge.

12 hours prior to being ready to serve, place all the ingredients together in a large crockpot, and set to low. Walk away and enjoy the rest of the day.

When you're ready to serve, fish out the bones, and fork-pull the meat from the remaining gristle and fat.

Serve as filling for tostadas, quesadillas, tacos, enchilladas, whatever you'd like...

and enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls

2009-04-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Makes 30 small “snack” egg rolls, or 15 large egg rolls

This actually contains 2 recipes, one for roasted corn and black bean Pico De Gallo, and one for the actual southwest chicken egg rolls… The Pico De Gallo is great for a chip dip, served mixed in a salad, or even as part of a chili…

Pico De Gallo

5 large red tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 large yellow tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 12 oz can black beans, rinsed
2 c frozen corn, roasted in the oven with olive oil
2 oz cilantro, chopped
1 large lime, (just the juice and zest of it)
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: The longer you let it sit, the better the flavors mix together.

Southwestern Chicken Egg Rolls

2 pkg medium or large egg roll wrappers
1 whole chicken, roasted, picked and chopped
1 full recipe of Pico De Gallo
1 lime, juice and zest
2 oz cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together (except the wrappers), and let sit about 1 hr
When ready, get a small dish of water to help seal the wrappers
Follow wrapping instructions for making egg rolls
Make sure egg rolls and wrappers are kept under damp cloths or paper towels to keep them supple
Try not to let them touch one another, and lay a damp paper towel between layers if necessary
Heat vegetable or peanut oil to 360 degrees
Carefully deep fry each one until skins are turning a golden brown
Remove and place onto a drain rack
Serve hot, with sour cream, and enjoy!

Easy, one-pot potato curry

2009-03-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Serves 6

1 onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 large baking potatoes, cubed
1 ½ c water
2 Tbsp kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1 pkg (12-16 oz) frozen mixed veggies
¼ c cornstarch slurry (half and half cornstarch and cold water, mixed)

Heat a skillet to medium high and add olive oil and onion
Cook on medium high, stirring constantly, until onions are just tender
Add chicken, garlic and curry powder
Continue to cook until chicken is just barely done
Add potatoes, water, salt and pepper
Cover, and let cook on medium heat about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are just done
Add frozen mixed veggies, stir, and cover again
Cook another 3-5 minutes, or until veggies are cooked and heated through
Add slurry if necessary, and bring up to a boil
Let cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly

Serve and enjoy!

Red Flannel Hash

2009-03-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Want to know what to do with your corned beef leftovers... Well, if you had any? This is an old family recipe of mine that I loved - even though, I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of beets. If you aren't a huge fan of beets, either, don't worry. Trust me, you'll find that it's actually quite tasty. If you ARE a huge fan of beets, this is a fun way to get them into your diet.

2 large baking potatoes, cleaned and diced
1/2 c water
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 large onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can diced beets**
8-10 oz corned beef, cooked and diced

In a large frying pan, place diced potatoes onto the bottom
Add water and seasoning
Cover and let steam on medium heat until water is completely evaporated (about 10 minutes - potatoes should be completely cooked at this point and just need browning)
Add onion and olive oil, and stir to combine completely
Add beets and corned beef
Stir to combine completely
Cook about 5 minutes to completely heat through
Serve

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

2009-03-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

1 package corned beef
12-16 oz dark beer
12-16 oz beef broth (or water and 2 beef boullion cubes)
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb carrots, chopped
4 LARGE baking potatoes, cleaned and chopped
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
1 large onion, chopped

In a large crock pot, place 1 chopped potato on the bottom
Lay corned beef over top, and seasoning packet
Add garlic, celery, carrots and onion
Add remaining potatoes and cabbage
Add all liquid and boullion cubes

Season with salt and pepper to taste
Slap lid on
Turn on around 10 or 11am at low, to serve by 7pm.

Enjoy!!!

Fresh, easy mayo...

2009-03-16T10:24:00.000-07:00

Mayonnaise is *so* easy to make, it's hard to believe anyone would honestly buy it unless you're making HUGE batches of stuff for a party. This is so much healthier for you, not to mention easier on your budget - and it only takes about 5 minutes!

The one thing to note is at the very last portion of this recipe: Do not keep for more than a week. Because this does not have preservatives, this will not keep safely past the 1 week mark. Also, as this is an emulsion, it won't freeze very well - thus the small portion yield. But - it's really great to do, and if you don't use Mayo very often, it's a great thing to do Sunday night after you've planned the week's meals.

Yield: 1.5-2 cups

2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard OR
1 tsp mustard
4 to 5 teaspoons lemon juice or white champagne vinegar
1-1/2 cups olive oil
4 tsp hot water (to help pasteurize the egg yolks)

Beat yolks, salt, mustard, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in food processor and blend
Add about 1/4 cup oil, drop by drop, beating vigorously all the while
Beat in 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and hot water
Add another 1/4 cup oil, a few drops at a time, beating vigorously all the while
Beat in another teaspoon each lemon juice and water
Add 1/2 cup oil in a very fine steady stream, beating constantly
Mix in remaining lemon juice and water
Slowly beat in remaining oil

If you like, thin mayonnaise with a little additional hot water

Cover and refrigerate until needed

Do not keep longer than 1 week

Amazingly simple chicken noodle soup

2009-03-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Time: about 30 minutes
Yields: about 8 large servings

1 whole rotisserie chicken
2 quarts water
2 chicken boullion cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 long fresh rosemary twig
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
1 large yellow pepper, minced
3 large carrots, peeled or chopped
6 medium celery stalks, chopped
4 c uncooked pasta

Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Debone and strip rotisserie chicken completely, removing skin (reserve the bones for stock if you wish)
Bring water to a boil
Add herbs, garlic, and boullion cubes
Cook on medium high about 5 minutes
Add carrots and celery and let cook about 10 minutes
Add chicken and noodles
Let noodles cook to al dente and season with salt and pepper

Serve and enjoy!

Summer Feast

2009-02-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

This goes great with the pesto from my last post... Enjoy!

serves about 8 people

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
3 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into small strips
2 bell peppers (I prefer one red and one yellow)
1 lb asparagas, chopped into 1" pieces
1 lb zucchini, chopped into 1" long pieces, and quartered
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp pepper
1 lb ravioli (I like spinach and cheese ravioli) cooked and drained
1/2 c pesto sauce

In a 14" wide sautee pan, heat olive oil and butter to medium-high heat.
Cook chicken til just done.
Add peppers and asparagas (reserving tips).
Sautee for about 6 minutes, moving fairly constantly in pan.
Add zucchini, asparagas tips and season.
Cook another 2-3 minutes.
Add ravioli and pesto sauce.
If necessary, add up to 1/2 c of reserved pasta water.
Mix completely and serve.

Best Pesto EVER!

2009-02-24T10:11:00.001-08:00

My husband calls this the Elvis Pesto - as in, the King of Pestos... Even though there isn't a banana, a slice of bacon or a drop of peanut butter anywhere near it. But, I have to say, it's the best pesto I've ever made, and that's saying something. The secret? The aged gouda - I kid you not, it's the best stuff ever.

yields about 1 c pesto

5 cloves garlic
1/2 c toasted pine nuts
1/4 c 3-yr-old aged gouda (you can get it at Costco)
3 fronds basil, all leaves
1 stick rosemary (about 4" long), stripped of leaves
1 c thawed spinach leaves, wrung in a cloth to dry out excess water
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
2 tsp kosher salt
Olive Oil as needed

Blend together in a food processor until completely chopped.
Remove feeder from top of processor and, with processor running, drizzle olive oil into mix until just wet. Do not add too much!

Add to pastas, chicken, pork, or use as a spread on sandwiches or breads.

Rustic Tuscan Soup

2009-02-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

This is my version of what the Olive Garden serves... My husband has stated several times that this is SOOO much better, it's not even funny.

Serves about 8 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb thick-cut prosciutto, cut into small bits
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs mild Italian sausage
5 lbs potatoes, small cubed
4 stalks celery, small diced
2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1/2 gal water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 pint half and half
2 bunches Kale, de-veined and chopped

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil to medium high.
Add prosciutto and garlic and let cook over medium heat until meat begins to crackle
Add the sausage, breaking it up into small chunks
Cook until sausage is completely cooked through
Add potatoes, celery and salt
Add water and bouillon
Bring to a boil, and reduce to a quick simmer
Let cook until potatoes are just fork-tender
Add half and half and stir
Add kale and stir through
Cook another 5 minutes on medium heat

Serve with rustic bread.

Haluski

2009-02-09T13:05:00.001-08:00

This is an old depression-era recipe from the Hungarians in my family. It’s extremely inexpensive, and can be served with practically any veggie you like to make a complete meal. This is actually a half recipe (we Hungarians are big eaters, with big families).

Serves 6-8 hungry people
5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and washed
1 lb cottage cheese
1 lb bacon

½ c all purpose flour
1 egg

Dumplings:
Take 2 medium-large potatoes out of the 5 lbs and shred them.
Combine the shredded potatoes with flour and egg
Season with salt and pepper
Set aside

Chop bacon into ½ inch pieces and fry on medium heat

Bring 4 qts water and 1 Tbsp salt to a rolling boil
Chop remaining potatoes and place into boiling water
Drop dumplings into water, using large spoon to separate into about 1” balls
Cook until potatoes are tender and dumplings are done
Drain potatoes
Drain off bacon
Combine bacon, potatoes dumplings and cottage cheese

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot

Mexican dipping sauce

2009-02-09T13:03:00.002-08:00

1 c crème fraiche (or sour cream)
½ tsp fresh cilantro, minced
½ tsp fresh chives, minced
½ tsp lime zest
1 tsp lime juice
½ tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients together and serve with potatoes

Oven Fried Potatoes

2009-02-09T13:03:00.001-08:00

3 medium potatoes, washed and unpeeled

1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 Tsp granulated garlic
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
½ Tsp smoked paprika

3 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Slice potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices
Lay on large cookie sheet that’s been lined in foil (easy clean-up)
Coat both sides with olive oil
Mix spices together and sprinkle on both sides
Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Serve warm

Chicken with Salsa Verde

2009-02-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

Chicken with Salsa Verde

Serves 4

4 large chicken breasts, thawed
1 c salsa verde
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 c salsa verde (held in reserve for serving)

Combine all ingredients into large zip-lock bag and let marinade for 4 hrs in the fridge
Preheat grill to 300 degrees
Pound chicken breasts to even thickness
Place chicken on clean, pre-heated grill
Leave un-touched on grill about 2-3 minutes
Turn 15 degrees around on same side (for grill marks)
Leave another 1-2 minutes
Turn over to other side and leave on grill about 2 minutes
Turn 15 degrees around on same side (for grill marks)
Leave another 1-2 minutes
Remove from heat and cover with tin foil about 5-10 minutes
Serve with a side of Salsa Verde for garnish

Chicken with smashed "dirty" potatoes and gravy

2009-01-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

Comfort abounds in this classic dish. I modernized it a bit, gave it a little twist, and came up with something delicious that was easy to make, very little mess, and quick to create.

Serves about 4 hungry people

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 large chicken breasts, skinned, boned and sliced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 onion, thinly diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg powdered chicken gravy
1 pkg powdered turkey gravy
2 c cold water

4 large baking potatoes, UNPEELED, and diced
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 stick butter
2/3 c milk

In a large skillet, heat olive oil, and add onion
Cook on medium-high heat, stirring, until onion turns slightly clear
Add garlic and chicken
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Cook until chicken is just done, then add gravy mixes
Add water and stir until combined
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, and let cook

Meanwhile...

In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil
Add diced potatoes and cook until just fork tender
Drain and place back into pot
Place onto VERY low heat and let potatoes dry a bit
Add 1/2 the butter and smash together
Add milk, and season to taste
Add the remaining butter and stir until completely combined

Serve with veggies and enjoy!

Decadent Bolognese sauce...

2009-01-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

I can't take credit for the idea behind this... It's all Guy Fieri's fault for inspiring me to make something this good. If you haven't seen the Italian Stallion meal that he does on Guy's Big Bite, I highly recommend it. This is my version... It takes a LONG time to simmer, but it's well worth the time...

2 Tbsp olive oil
6 large pork picnic ribs, cut in half
salt/pepper

1 lb hot italian sausage
1 large white onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
2 16 oz cans italian seasoned diced tomatoes
2 8 oz cans sliced mushrooms

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large, deep non-stick saucepan, heat olive oil to almost smoking
Season ribs with salt and pepper and place carefully into pan
Do not move the ribs for a good 3-4 minutes
Once a nice dark gold crust has been created, turn the ribs
Brown all sides
Place all pieces into oven-safe pan and place in pre-heated oven for 2 hrs

Meanwhile...

Place sausage into pan and brown
Place vegetables and garlic into pan
Cook until onions just go translucent
Add tomato paste and stir through
Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir completely
Lower heat to low and simmer slowly

Once ribs have roasted in the oven...

Remove from the oven and place into the sauce
Continue to simmer another 3-4 hrs

Serve with noodles or over rice

Twice-baked Sausage-stuffed Potatoes

2009-01-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

I cannot take credit for this one… I found it at www.allrecipes.com, and tweaked it to my liking. Yum! Enjoy.

Serves 4 hungry people

4 large baking potatoes
½ lb ground meat
1 medium onion
8 large fresh sage leaves
¼ c fresh (not packed) oregano leaves
6-8 thyme stems, de-leaved (keep the leaves, not the stems)
2 long stalks tarragon
3 cloves garlic
1 c sour cream
4 Tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper
2 c shredded cheese (for topping)

Slice potatoes in half and bake in the oven or microwave until completely cooked through.
Let cool and scoop out insides of potatoes carefully.
Brown ground meat in a pan.
In a food processor, or with a sharp knife, mince onion, herbs and garlic together.
Add salt and pepper and mix together.
Mix ½ the herb mixture into the browning meat.
Add potatoes to the meat and mash together.
Add remaining herb mixture, sour cream and butter, then stir.
Stuff the completed mixture back into the potato jackets
Top each with a ½ c of shredded cheese.
Place under broiler and melt cheese.

Serve.

There will be leftover stuffing – I’ve found it’s a great snack to munch on for later, or dip for crackers.

Suizza Meatballs

2009-01-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

Tired of the same old Swedish Meatballs? Try this version! It's a GREAT alternative.

Makes about 8 servings (4 meatballs each with about 2 c noodles)

Meatballs:
2 lb sage sausage (whatever brand you choose)
1 lb ground turkey

Sauce:
2 tbsp oil or melted butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
½ c water
1 ½ c milk
2 c Colby-jack cheese, shredded
1 ½ c swiss cheese

1 lb egg noodles cooked per instructions and drained

Directions for Meatballs:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Mix meat together completely
Roll into 1” balls and place on a jelly roll or other lipped pan
Bake about 25 minutes or until nicely brown and cooked through.

Directions for Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil
Add flour while whisking briskly
Switch to a wooden spoon and stir over medium low heat until it smells nutty and begins to turn color
**SLOWLY** add water while whisking briskly to get rid of lumps
Let sit about 4-5 minutes, then slowly add milk while whisking briskly
Cook about 10 mins on medium low, stirring constantly
Add cheese about a ¼ c at a time, stirring constantly

Mix noodles and cheese sauce together
Add meatballs and stir to combine

Arroz Con Pollo

2008-12-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

Ah, the quintessential gringo meal... Found at every Mexican-American chain restaurant. Why? It's mild, not overly intimidating, and fills the comfort spot in our souls that demands creamy, cheesy, chicken-y goodness. This particular meal is one of my husband's favorite, and even our 10-month-old loves it. It's not spicy, just nicely spiced, and it keeps the chicken breast meat tender and juicy with this type of cooking. The greatest part? One pot, which means easy clean-up afterwards.

Easy one-pot Arroz Con Pollo
Serves 8 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ c Arborio rice
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, seeds and membrane removed, minced
2 ½ c chicken or vegetable stock
2 small cans mushrooms, undrained OR 1 lb quartered fresh mushrooms*
1 ½ lbs diced tomatoes, undrained
3 large chicken breasts, diced
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp cumin
1 pkg enchilada sauce
1 c sour cream
4 c grated Colby jack cheese

• In a 14” non-stick skillet or large sauce pot, melt butter and olive oil together
• Pour rice into pan and start stirring rice occasionally
• Let cook until just turning brown, and add about 4 Tbsp of the stock
• Stir through the rice, and add another 4 Tbsp when the first 4 are absorbed
• Add the onion, chile and garlic, and stir completely, keeping everything moving fairly quickly
• Once a light to medium brown color is achieved on the rice, add the mushrooms (*if using fresh mushrooms, add about ½ c extra of stock) and tomatoes
• Add chicken breast
• Add seasonings (Except the enchilada sauce)
• Add the remaining stock
• Let simmer about 20 minutes, covered, checking rice every so often for tenderness
• If necessary, add extra stock and continue to cook until rice is tender
• Add enchilada sauce and sour cream and stir completely
• Add cheese and mix together completely
• Serve with warm tortillas or tortilla chips

You can kick up the heat on this by leaving the seeds and membrane of the chile intact. Remember, if you are not used to dealing with them, you should use some food-grade gloves and wash your hands, the cutting board and the knife thoroughly after you are finished with it.

Turkey Stock...

2008-11-28T11:50:00.001-08:00

Don't throw away the turkey carcass!!! One of the best things in the world is home-made turkey stock...

1 large turkey carcass
2 large onions, rough-chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and rough-chopped
3 large stalks celery, rough-chopped
3 bay leaves
15 cracked peppercorns
6 cloves garlic, cracked
6 fresh parsley fronds and stems
1 4" length of fresh rosemary

Take a LARGE stock-pot or, if you have one, the jam cooker.

Place all ingredients into pot

Fill just to top off ingredients with COLD water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer

Let simmer at least 8 hours.

Cool and strain into containers.

Use now, or freeze for use later. GREAT for cooking rice, potatoes, veggies, bases for soups, stews and gravies... practically ANYTHING

***Tip: Did you know that freezing stock into ice cubes can make measuring easy? 4-6 ice cubes equals 1 cup! Just freeze the stock into trays, then dump into ziplock bags for easy measuring.

Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2008-11-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 lbs yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 head garlic, roasted
1 tsp garlic powder
1 stick butter
2/3 c milk
salt
pepper

To roast garlic:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Place topped head of garlic into a large square of tin foil.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, sprinkling of pepper sprinkling of salt.

Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hr, or until garlic is tender and lightly browned.

Remove from oven and unwrap completely.

To cook potatoes:
In a 12 qt stock pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.

Gently place all potatoes into pot and turn heat down to medium-high.

Let cook about 14 minutes, or until yellow potatoes are very tender.

Drain, and place potatoes back into the pot.

Place on extremely low heat (or if an electric stove, turn off heat just prior to draining and don't turn back on).

Stir lightly while potatoes steam dry for a few minutes.

Add butter, garlic, and milk.

Mash completely together, adding pepper and salt for taste.

A meme...

2008-11-26T09:38:00.000-08:00

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. ~~Nettle tea~~
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. ~~Calamari~~ (even though I'm allergic, I've had it)
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. ~~Foie gras~~
24. Rice and beans
25. ~~Brawn, or head cheese~~
26. ~~Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper~~
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. ~~Sauerkraut~~
35. Root beer float
36. ~~Cognac with a fat cigar~~
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. ~~Oxtail~~
41. ~~Curried goat~~
42. ~~Whole insects~~
43. ~~Phaal~~
44. Goat’s milk
45. ~~Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more~~
46. ~~Fugu~~
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. ~~Sea urchin~~ It’s a texture thing…
51. Prickly pear
52. ~~Umeboshi~~
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. ~~Dirty gin martini~~
58. ~~Beer above 8% ABV~~
59. Poutine
60. ~~Carob chips~~
61. S’mores
62. ~~Sweetbreads~~
63. ~~Kaolin~~
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. ~~Louche absinthe~~
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. ~~Baijiu~~
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. ~~Snail~~
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. ~~Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant~~
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. ~~Horse~~
90. Criollo chocolate
91. ~~Spam~~
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. ~~Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee~~
100. Snake

Apparently, there's not much that I won't try... LOL. I guess going to culinary school helped a lot with that, if only because I got the chance to try a lot of things that aren't in the mainstream, and/or that aren't considered "tasty"... I tried them anyway - where else would I have had the opportunity otherwise? I've even eaten chicken feet (phoenix claws)... They were darned tasty.

~M

Tasty Thai Fried Chicken

2008-09-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

12 chicken legs, thawed, skin on

marinade:
1/2 c honey mustard
1/2 c sweet chili sauce
2 eggs, beaten

4 c panko bread crumbs (for breading)

vegetable oil for frying

Kosher salt for seasoning

1. Place legs into large ziplock baggie
2. Cover with marinade
3. Let rest in fridge for at least 4 hrs
4. Heat oil to 350 degrees F.
5. Heat oven to 324 degrees F.
6. Remove legs from the baggie and dredge completely in panko
7. Gently place into fully heated oil until golden brown, turning half-way through if necessary
8. Place on cooling rack set above a jelly roll pan
9. Repeat all steps until chicken is all fried
10. Place chicken into oven
11. Cover with aluminum foil
12. Bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Hungarian Goulash with Pearl Barley

2008-09-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to use up your zucchini… It's great the first day, and even better the second. I happen to like it served with Italian cheese blend on top.

Serves about 12-14 people

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 pkgs quartered mushrooms
2 cans (6 oz ea) tomato paste
2 cans (12 oz ea) diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 lb beef stew meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces
½ lb ground turkey, browned
½ lb ground pork, browned
2 cups uncooked pearl barley
3 cups chopped zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil and butter in a large, thick-bottomed stockpot.

Sauté onions until glassy, then add garlic and mushrooms.

Cook until mushrooms are tender

Add tomato paste, let sauté, and stir completely into mix.

Add canned tomatoes and seasonings.

Add the water and meat.

Stir to combine, and add the pearl barley.

Stir again, and cover for about 15 minutes on low.

Add zucchini, stir, and cover for another 5-7 minutes.

Serve.

Zucchini Bread

2008-09-10T11:17:00.001-07:00

Heaven knows, I'm a cook... I don't bake. In fact, practically everything I stick in the oven normally either under- or over-cooks, and usually in about half the time that the recipe calls for.

Imagine my surprise and delight to be zucchini-ditched AND find a recipe on All Recipes.Com that worked for me!! So, without further adieu, here's the recipe. Enjoy!

3 Eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
2 c grated zucchini
3 c all purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 325.

Grease and flour two 8x4 pans

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Add oil and sugar, then add zucchini and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients thoroughly, then fold gently into the wet mix until just barely combined.

Divide mix between the two pans.

Bake 60-70 mins or until done.

Mediterranean pasta salad

2008-08-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

3 cups orzo pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 small jars marinated artichoke hearts (with marinade)
1 cup kalamata olives
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
4 oz feta cheese
2 Tbsp lemon zest
salt
pepper

Mix all ingredients together and let sit covered in fridge about 4 hrs. Serve chilled.

Grilled Pork Flatbread Sandwiches

2008-08-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Serves 10 people, or 5 very hungry people.

1-1.5 lb pork shoulder roast, trimmed
1 head romaine lettuce
Small box of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Cucumber dill dip OR tzitziki sauce
Feta cheese crumbles
2 pkgs whole wheat Mediterranean flatbread packages
Olive oil

Marinade:
½ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp crushed dried rosemary
1 Tbsp crushed dried thyme
1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
3 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper

Combine all ingredients into a ziploc bag and place roast into it.

Let sit in fridge for at LEAST 4 hours, if not overnight.

Pre-heat grill to 360 degrees.

Remove roast from Ziploc and shake off excess juice.

Place onto middle of grill and let cook 5 mins.

Turn 30 degrees and grill again another 5 mins.

Flip over and grill another 5 mins.

Turn 30 degrees and grill again another 5 mins.

Turn down heat in middle of the grill and place heat-resistant meat thermometer into meat.

Place meat into middle of grill and let cook 20 mins.

Turn over, check thermometer, and let cook another 20 mins, or until thermometer reads 165 degrees.

Let meat rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Brush both sides of the flatbread with olive oil

Grill for 3 minutes each side, turning gently.

Build your sandwich with sauce, then layer with lettuce, tomatoes, pork and feta cheese.

Shrimp-stuffed Tilapia

2008-08-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Serves 2

4 sides of Tilapia
½ lb cocktail shrimp (cooked)
1 lemon, half zested (reserve zest)
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
Dried dill
4 sheets of cling-wrap, roughly 13” long, and 12” wide

1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp butter

For each serving do the following:

Mix lemon zest, ½ the juice of the lemon, and salt and pepper with the shrimp meat.

Lay one layer of cling-wrap down.

Season the outside of one tilapia filet with salt, pepper and dill.

Lay seasoned side down at the top of the cling-wrap, about 1” from the edge.

Layer on ¼ of the shrimp mix, and place another tilapia filet onto the top.

Season with salt, pepper and dill.

Roll the layered filets into a tube, twisting the ends.

Tie each end into a knot, then wrap with another layer of cling-wrap and knot again.

Let sit in the fridge for about an hour.

When you are ready to cook…

Pre-heat a pot of water large enough to float your fish in.

Once it is gently boiling, place the fish into the water and let cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until fish is firm to the touch and opaque.

When you are ready to serve…

Melt butter into a sauté pan, and heat garlic in the pan at medium heat.

Add shrimp, and the rest of the lemon juice. Stir to heat.

Remove fish from water, and cut from cling-wrap.

Place fish on the serving plate, and layer shrimp sauce over the top.

Serve with anything you like as a side and a veggie.

A nice white pino grigio would be a great addition to this meal