Thursday, February 27, 2014

Spanish Rice

Leave it alone!!  That is one thing I have learned about making Spanish rice...once you add the liquids, cover the pan and WALK AWAY!

2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1 1/2 C. uncooked white rice
2 C. chicken broth
1 C. chunky salsa

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Stir in onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix rice into skillet, stirring often.  When rice begins to brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

This is another chicken dish that can probably done on the grill as well.  Oh, outdoor grill, how I miss you.  The snow pile in front of the crawl space door is smaller than it was a week ago but I am watching the weather on the news and the pile is going to grow over the weekend.   TTTTHHHPPPBBTTT!  Until the weather improves, this will be an indoor dish.

3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. lime juice

In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley.  Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.  Sprinkle with 2 tsp. garlic powder and lime juice.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Taco Stuffed Shells

For many years, stuffed shells were my favorite dish at my favorite local restaurant, Armand's.  Then I learned to make stuffed shells and they turned into a family favorite (which I am thinking I haven't made in a while).  Then, Armand's closed; that was a sad day.  Anyway, here is a spin on stuffed shells I haven't tried.

1 1/4lbs. lean ground beef (or a beef/turkey mix)
1 3oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
18 jumbo pasta shells
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 C. taco sauce
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 C. mashed tortilla chips
1 C. sour cream

In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Add cream cheese, salt and chili powder; mix and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.  Toss cooked shells in butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill shells with beef mixture and arrange in a 9x13 inch bakng dish; pour taco sauce over shells.  Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Remove dish from oven and top with cheddar and jack cheeses and tortilla chips; return dish to oven to cook for 15 minutes more.

Top with sour cream and serve.

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

OK, I'll be the first to admit this is not a meal that is friendly to the waistline but I figure it this way, I am not going to make this every day or even once a week so I'll be fine...sometimes you just need some comfort food...in the world's longest winter, you just need comfort food.  I had to laugh, yesterday on the radio they were talking about a new index to measure for the combination of cold and snow; it's called the Winter Misery Index or WMI.  Let me tell you that my WMI is about 10,000,000,000 at this point, maybe I will start making this once a week!

1/4 C. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped baby carrots
1/2 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
4 C. chicken broth
1 10oz. can of peas, drained (wonder if I could use frozen here)
4 C. diced cooked chicken meat
2 C. buttermile baking mix
2 tsp. dried basil
2/3 C. milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Cook and stir the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in butter until tender.  Mix in the flour, sugar, salt, 1 tsp. dried basil, and pepper.  Stir in broth, and bring to a boil.  Stirring constantly, boil 1 minute, reduce heat, and stir in peas.  Simmer 5 minutes, then mix in chicken.  Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the the baking mix and 2 tsp. dried basil.  Stir in milk to form a dough.  Divide the dough to 6 to 8 balls.  On floured wax paper, use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball of dough into a circular shape; place on top of chicken mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cover with foil and bake for 10 more minutes.  To serve, spoon chicken mixture over biscuits.

Taco Pie

We had taco pie now and again when we were kids.  It was different from the one here.  I am going to try this because I am interested in how it's going to taste with baked sour cream.  It seems weird to me but who knows it could be delicious.  This is also something that would be quick and easy for when the kids are here and actually it's something they could get started.

1 8oz. package refrigerated crescent rolls
1lb. ground beef (lately we've been doing a mix of beef and turkey for our tacos)
1pkg. taco seasoning
1 16oz. container sour cream
8oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 14oz. bag tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of square cake pan and bake according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skilled over medium high heat.  Add the taco seasoning and stir together well.  When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and cheese, finally top with tortilla chips.

Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Apricot Streusel Loaf

As we sit here on the 26th of February with no hopes of it getting warm thinking perhaps, as I come across these recipes, I should just start planning for Christmas 2014 baking now.  I love apricots...and I don't even have to sub in pecans because they're already there.

1 6oz. package dried apricots
1/2 C. pecans
1 1/2  tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. margarine or butter
1 8oz. container sour cream
3 large eggs. beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x5 metal loaf pan.  Chop apricots and pecans; set aside.  In a large bowl, mix baking powder, baking soda, 2 C. flour, and 1 C. sugar.  With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut 1/2 C. margarine into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in sour cream, eggs and vanilla until flour mixture is just moistened.  Stir in chopped apricots and pecans.  Spoon batter evenly into loaf pan.

Prepare streusel:  In bowl, with fingertips, mix remaining 1/2 C. flour, 1/4 C. sugar, and 1/4 C. margarine, softened, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle streusel topping over batter.  Bake loaf 60 to 70 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely on rack.




Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Sirloin Steak Oreganato

This is another recipe from my Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cookbook.  I can remember when I was a kid, there was a Greek family that lived down the street from us.  They used to grill steaks with lemon.  That has been a favorite flavor combination for a long time.  The recipe calls for the steaks to be broiled but I bet this would be really good grilled too.  I wonder if we'll ever get the grill out of the crawl space under the house.  The door to the crawl space is currently behind almost 2 feet of snow.

1 medium lemon
2 garlic cloved, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, 1 1/4 inches thick; about 1 1/2lbs.

Preheat broiler.  Grate peel and squeeze juice from the lemon.  In a 12x8 baking dish or deep ceramic platter, mix lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt, oregano, and pepper.  Add steak, turning to coat both sides.

Place steak on rack in broiling pan. Place pan in broiler at closest position to heat source.  Broil steak, turning once and brushing with any remaining marinade after turning, 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare, or until desired doneness.

Transfer to platter.  Let stand 10 minutes; keep warm. To serve, thinly slice steak.  Spoon any juices from the broiler pan over slices.

Smothered Chicken and Peppers

I have seen recipes for smothered pork chops but never for chicken.  This looks yummy.  I will use chicken breasts though.  I am not a fan of dark meat.

3 tbsp. all purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, each cut in half
2 tbsp. olive oil
1lb. medium red potatoes, each cut in half
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. cider vinegar

On waxed paper, mix flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.  Use to coat chicken.

In a non stick 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until golden brown; transfer to bowl.  To drippings in skillet, add potatoes, diced peppers, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper; cook until vegetables are golden.

Return chicken to skillet.  Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook, stirring often, 10 to 15 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife and potatoes are fork tender.  Stir in brown sugar and vinegar; heat through.

Mushroom Barley Soup

I wonder if I can get Chris to try this.  He eats far more mushrooms than he did when we first met.  I love mushrooms, I always have.  For a lot of people, the texture is offensive...not for me.

3/4 C. pearl barley
1 1/2lbs. mushrooms
5 medium carrots
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 medium celery stalks, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 14.5oz. cans beef broth
1/4 C. dry sherry
Fresh oregano leaves for garnish
Crusty bread

In a 3qt. sauce pan heat barley and 4 C. water to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 30 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, cut mushrooms into thick slices.  Cut carrots lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4 inch thick pieces.  In a 5qt. Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add celery and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.  Increase heat to high, add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, until all liquid evaporates and mushrooms are lightly browned.

Reduce heat to medium high; stir  in tomato paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add beef broth, carrots, sherry, barley, and 4 cups of water; heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until carrots and barley are tender.  Garnish and serve hot, with crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

A friend posted this on FB the other day and from her hearty recommendation, I tucked it away and sent Chris to the store for a pork roast.  Do you believe we didn't have any in the freezer?  Anyway...here is the recipe...I am currently in the "cook in the oven" stage...we're about 30 minutes from dinner and I am starving!

  • 3-4 lb. pork roast
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried cilantro
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • light sprinkle of cayenne pepper, optional
  • 16-oz. jar of green salsa
  • 1 can beef broth
  • ½ c. milk
  • 10-12 small tortillas (corn and whole wheat blend tortillas are my current fav) suggested condiments: finely shredded cabbage, guacamole or sliced avocado, and green salsa.
Please note, I used red salsa (I like it better).  I also skipped the dried cilantro.  We've got corn tortillas, cheese and sour cream.

Place pork roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle roast with garlic, onion, and chili powders, oregano, cilantro, cumin, and cayenne. Pour salsa and beef broth over roast. Cover and cook on high 6-8 hours or low 8-10 hours, until meat shreds easily.


When meat is done, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Take pork out of the slow cooker and shred on a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or a baking mat to make cleanup easier. Discard any large pieces of fat.

Pour ½ cup of cooking liquid and ½ cup of milk over shredded pork. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove meat for serving with tongs to leave excess fat behind.

Serve with tortillas, finely shredded cabbage, guacamole or avocado, and green salsa.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Blue Cheese Toasts

This is an appetizer toast to Chris (pun intended).  This caught my eye because of Chris' love of blue cheese.  We'll be trying this for sure.

16 slices  firm white bread, crusts removed
4oz. blue cheese, softened and rind removed
2 tbsp. margarine
2 tbsp.  finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease large cookie sheet.  With a rolling pin, roll each bread slice paper thin.  Spread about 2tsp. softened blue cheese over 1 slice of bread; top with second slice, pressing gently to form a sandwich.  Repeat with remaining bread and cheese.

In a small saucepan, melt margarine over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in basil.  Brush some basil mixture over the top of each sandwich.  Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters, cut each quarter in half.  Arrange triangles on cookie sheet.  Bake 12 minutes, or until golden.  Serve hot.

Apricot Glazed Smoked Ham

Chris has an idea that we are going to do a cook off for Easter dinner.  Maybe ham and lamb.  I like the glaze idea in this recipe I found in the Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cookbook.  We'll talk about the results of this "cook off" after Easter. :-)

Half fully cooked smoked bone in ham (7 pounds)
1/2 C. apricot jam
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 14.5oz. can reduced sodium chicken broth
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove skin and trim all but 1/4 inch fat from ham.  Score fat just through to the meat, into 3/4 inch diamonds.  Place ham on rack in medium roasting pan.

Insert meat thermometer into center of ham careful that pointed end does not touch bone.  Bake 1 1/2 hours.  Meanwhile, prepare glaze.  In a cup, mix jam, mustard, and ginger until blended.  Brush glaze over ham.  Bake ham another 30 minutes or until thermometer reaches 140 degrees.  Place on a large platter.  Let stand 15 minutes, keep warm.  Slice and serve.




Sunday, February 23, 2014

Braciole

Chris made this for dinner a few months ago...sometimes I get behind with my recipe entry.  It was out of this world...melted in your mouth!

1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced  
1 C of blended Pecorino and Provolone Blended ground cheese  
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
1 cup Pinot Grigio
1 Jar of Barilla Spaghetti Sauce with Garlic 
 

Directions

Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside. 
Lay the flank steak on a board and use a meat tenderizer to pound out the steak. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. If you don't have butcher's twine, use toothpicks to hold together the meat.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta sauce. Cover partially and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.
 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Fajita Vegetables

This sounds yummy, will serve with soft corn or flour tortillas and some margaritas.

Nonstick cooking spray
(2 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp fajita seasoning
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz) bag frozen pepper & onion stir-fry vegetables
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans(white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
2 tbsp light sour cream (optional)
3 tbsp shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese (optional)
3 tbsp packaged guacamole (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium size bowl, combine chicken, chili powder, fajita seasoning, cumin and garlic; toss to coat. Coat an unheated large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken, half at a time in h ot skillet until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally.
2. Place chicken in a 3-1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. Add undrained tomatoes, stir-fry vegetables, and cannellini beans. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
3. Optional: If desired, top individual servings with sour cream, shredded cheese, and/or guacamole.
Yield: 6 Servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories: 261, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 88mg, Sodium 294mg, Sugars 7g, Carbohydrates 22g, Fiber 7g, Protein 41g

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

The photo of the this recipe is what caught my eye...beautiful orange sweet potatoes dotted with black beans.  There are a lot of flavors going on here.  Can't wait to try it.

2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder, or to
taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water, or more as needed
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
and drained
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for
garnish (optional)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Combine sweet potatoes, chipotle pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast sweet potatoes in the preheated oven until the outside is crunchy and inside is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Cook and stir remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, ancho chile powder, cumin, and dried oregano together in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
5.Pour tomatoes and water into the onion mixture and bring to a simmer. Add cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
6.Stir black beans and cooled sweet potatoes into the onion-tomato mixture. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Simmer until heated through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro. 
theme

Beer Baked Irish Beef

Top o' the mornin' to ya!  Or top of the evenin' as the case may be.  This looks like it will be worth a try on or about St. Paddy's day next month.

6 slices bacon, diced
1/3 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground allspice
2 1/2lbs. cubed stew meat
4 carrots, peeled and sliced in 1 inch pieces
4 large onions, cut into eighths
2 cloves, garlic, chopped
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
12oz. Irish stout beer

Place the bacon in a large nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat until crisp and brown. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

Place the flour, salt, black pepper, and allspice in a large plastic zipper bag, and shake a few times to combine. Place the beef stew meat into the bag, and shake to coat the meat with flour mixture. Place the meat pieces in the skillet with the bacon drippings, and cook the meat until brown on all sides.

Remove the browned meat to a slow cooker, and add the carrots, onions, garlic, parsley, rosemary, marjoram, and bay leaf to the cooker.

Pour the beer into the skillet, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, scraping all the browned bits of flavor from the bottom of the skillet. Pour the beer into the slow cooker, over the meat and vegetables. Cover, and cook on Medium setting until the meat is very tender, 4 to 5 hours.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf, and sprinkle the stew with the reserved bacon pieces.


Friday, February 21, 2014

Caramelized Bacon

Now, that's better.  I had lost my mind with the spinach for a moment.  This is a recipe from Ina Garten.  I am a fan of hers and this is something I wouldn't really expect from her as most of her recipes are sophisticated and refined.  She is quoted in the magazine, saying, "This is the most outrageous hors d'oeuvre I've ever made, and maybe the most addictive.  I can see this turning up at a party in the not so distant future.

1/2 C. light brown sugar, lightly packed
2/2 C. chopped or whole pecans
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2lb. thick sliced applewood smoked bacon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place a wire baking rack on top.

Combine the brown sugar and pecans in a food processor and process until the pecans are finely ground.  Add the salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and pulse to combine.  Add the maple syrup and pulse again to moisten the crumbs.

Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise and line up the pieces on the backing rack without touching.  With a small spoon, evenly spread the pecan mixture on top of each piece of bacon, using all of the mixture.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is very browned but not burnt.  If it's underbaked, the bacon won't crisp as it cools.

While it's hot, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside to cool.  Serve at room temperature.  The caramelized bacon can be made early in the day and stored at room temperature.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Who am I?  I am reading my Food Network Magazine for March 2014; it is devoted to bacon.  What is the first recipe I want to try???  Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing!

5 slices of bacon, roughly chopped
1/4 C. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar or honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of spinach (not baby spinach), tough stems removed
2 c. seedless red grapes, halved
4oz. blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 C.)  I wonder how goat cheese would taste here??
Croutons for topping

Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes.  Remove to paper towels; reserve the drippings in the skillet.

Whisk the vinegar, sugar, mustard and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper into the drippings.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

Place the spinach in a large bowl and pour the warm dressing on top; ad the brapes, blue cheese and the reserved bacon and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with croutons.

More Pizza!

We continue to perfect the pizza here at the Wick household.  Here are some of our latest endeavors.


Pepperoni and Sun Dried Tomatoes


Canadian Bacon and Green Peppers



Meat Lovers aka Pepperoni and Italian Sausage


Breakfast in Bed

Chris and I try to get a date night now and again that involved one of our favorite pass times.  This date night was actually a Sunday morning.  We went to The Chopping Block in Lincoln Square for a demo class...read sit and eat!  The class was called Breakfast in Bed...everything we made was delicious and not overly difficult.

Let's start with the mimosas.  When you start the day with a mimosa, it's going to be a good day.

12oz. sparkling wine (we used Adami Prosecco NV Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy)
12oz. pulp free orange juice, chilled (orange juice should only ever be pulp free)

Pour 3oz. of the sparkling wine into each champagne flute
Top with 3oz. of orange juice and serve.

Chef Matt, bless him, was generous with the champagne.

At each place at the kitchen bar, there was a lemon poppy seed muffin.  They were outstanding.
These were a non yeast or quick bread.  The trick to nice even muffins is not to overwork the dough...FOLD your ingredients.

2 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp. lemon zest
2/3 C. plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp. poppy seeds
1/2 C. milk

For the lemon glaze:
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl, and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, lemon zest and 2/3 C. sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Add the eggs, one at a time,  beating well after each addition.  Stir in the poppy seeds.

Fold the dry ingredients into the batter, alternating with the milk, until just combined.  Be sure not to overmix the batter.

Divide the batter evenly into the paper liners.  Sprinkle the tops with the 2 tbsp. sugar until the tops are springy and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.  Allow to cool.

While the muffins are cooling, prepare the glaze.  Stir together the powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice in a bowl until smooth.

Once the muffins are cool, use the back of a spoon to spread the glaze onto each muffin.  Allow the glaze to harden, if desired, about 1 hour.




Chefs Ron and Matt put together our frittata and hash while we enjoyed our muffins and mimosas.

Eggs Florenting Frittata

2 tbsp. butter
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut into medium dice and washed
4 C. baby spinach (you decide if you want the stems left on or not)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 eggs
1/2 C. half and half
1/2 C. ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste (yes, it's here twice; don't taste the raw eggs though)
1 roasted red pepper, cut into strips
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, rough chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a nonstick saute pan or cast iron pan over medium heat and add the butter.  Gently saute the leeks until softened; 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook until just wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk together the eggs, half and half, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, red peppers and parsley.

Before adding the eggs to the pan, be sure that your pan is quite hot.  Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan.

Cook on the stovetop for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat to create a golden brown color on the exterior of the frittata.

Slide the pan right into the oven and continue to cook until the eggs are just set, about 15 minutes.  This can also be done in the broiler in about 5 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then invert the frittata onto a plate or cutting board.  Slice into wedges and serve with Easier Than Ever Hollandaise Sauce (recipe to follow).

To roast a pepper, place it directly on your gas burner and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin is completely blackened on all sides.  Place the pepper in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for about 15 minutes.  Remove the skin and seeds from the pepper, resisting the urge to rinse it, and cut as needed for your recipe.

The hollandaise sauce was to die for.  I wanted the pan and the spoon when everyone had gotten some for their frittata.

Here is the plain frittata.



Easier Than Ever Hollandaise Sauce

2 egg yolks
2 tbsp. water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 stick butter, cut into 1 tbsp. sized pieces
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Place the yolks, water, lemon juice, and butter in a slope sided saucier pan.

Place over medium low heat and whisk until the butter melts.  Continue to whisk until the sauce becomes thick and is steaming, about 5 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

This next dish may have been my favorite and yet celery root is ugly and I probably never would have tried it on my own.

The frittata with holladaise sauce.



Sweet Potato and Celery Root Hash

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium dice
1 medium size celery root (think 12 inch softball), peeled and cut into medium dice.  Chef Ron used a knife to take the peel off of the celery root.  It's pretty thick and would probably eat your potato peeler and spit it out.
1/2 red onion, small dice
1/2 red pepper, small dice (we used some of the roasted red peppers leftover from the frittata)
1 tbsp. fresh chives, minced
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, rough chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a saute pan over medium high heat and add the grapeseed oil.  Saute the sweet potatoes and celery root, tossing occasionally, until caramelized and softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the onions and peppers and continue to cook until  tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the chives and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add a couple of tablespoons of butter right at the end to finish.




The next recipe was for sausage patties.  Now, breakfast sausage is not my all time favorite thing in the world but this was amazing.  While it was cooking, my mouth was actually watering!

Apple Sage and Fennel Breakfast Sausage

1lb. ground pork
1 tbsp. fennel seeds, toasted and cracked in a mortar and pestle or with a spice grinder.
1 tart apple, peeled and grated
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and grated (use a food processor)
1 egg
1 tsp. sea salt
Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. fresh sage, rough chopped
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Grapeseed oil as needed

Heat a griddle over medium heat.

To make sausage patties, mix together the pork, fennel seeds, apple, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sage, and nutmeg.  Form the mixture into twelve patties about 1/4 inch thick.

Brush the griddle with grapeseed oil to coat lightly.  Cook the sausage patties until golden brown and crisp on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes.  Flip and repeat, adding more oil to the griddle if needed.  Continue to cook until the second side is browned and the sausage is cooked through to an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

Serve hot.



We talked a bit about the flavors in the sausage marrying if the ingredients were allowed to sit longer before cooking.  When I make this, I will mix it up and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then cook in the morning.

Well, we had some bread, some eggs, some potatoes, some booze...now it's time for crepes!  For those of you that are local, Chris got a crepe pan for Christmas so if you're looking for a nice breakfast, give us a call!

Crepe Batter

1 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. granulated sugar
Pinch salt
2 eggs
1-1 1/4 C. whole milk
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Additional melted butter for cooking the crepes

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together the eggs and 1 C. milk in another bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until the batter comes together.  Add the melted butter and stir to combine.

Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days in the refrigerator.  Adjust with reserved milk, if necessary, so the batter has the consistency of heavy whipping cream.

Heat a small nonstick saute pan over medium heat and add just enough butter to coat the bottom.

Ladle in just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan and be sure to swirl the pan so the batter is in an even layer.

Cook until the crepe is set up and the edges are golden brown, about 1 minute.  Flip and continue to cook an additional 15 seconds.  Transfer to a plate and continue to prepare more crepes.

The crepes made in class were filled with apples and topped with whipped cream...they were GOOD!

Crepes with Sauteed Apples and Chantilly Cream

Crepe batter (from recipe above)
3 tbsp. butter
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 C. granulated sugar
3 tbsp. cognac, brandy, or dark rum
1/2 C. sliced almonds, toasted

For the Chantilly cream:
1 1/4 C. heavy whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds removed; or 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1/4 C. powdered sugar

Cook the crepes according to the instructions, and set aside on a plate.

To prepare the apples, melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the sliced apples and sugar and toss to coat.  Saute the apple, stirring occasionally, until the apples are caramelized and tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Carefully add the liquor to the apples and flambe.  Fold in the almonds.

To assemble the crepes, lay the cooked crepes on your work surface. Spoon about 1/4 C. of the filling on the bottom third of the crepe.  Roll the crepe up and place on a platter.  Continue with the remaining crepes.

To prepare the Chantilly cream, whip the heavy cream with the vanilla bean pulp or paste, and powdered sugar until it forms soft peaks.

Top each apple crepe with a dollop of the Chantilly cream and serve.

We cooked our crepes after they were filled until the outsides were golden brown.  I actually started eating them before I took a photo so please excuse the partially eaten crepe!



If you get a chance, go to a cooking class.  We've had such fun at them, gotten great recipes and met some wonderful people!






Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Mexican Chorizo Hash

I am trying to find some yummy recipes that get out veggies in.  I am going to try and sell breakfast for dinner to Chris.  He's not quite as sold on it as I am.  This is a great dish to season our brand new cast iron skillets with!

2oz. raw Mexican chorizo
1 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. coarsely chopped roasted red peppers (found in a jar)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 6oz. package baby spinach
2 tsp. olive oil
2 1/2 C. refrigerated shredded hash browns
4 large eggs

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chorizo to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Add onion, bell peppers, salt and black pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Add spinach; stir until spinach wilts.


 Remove sausage mixture from pan.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add potatoes; cook 8 minutes or until bottom is crisp.

Stir in sausage mixture.  Make 4 egg size spaces in pan with a spoon.


Crack 1 egg into each space.  Cover and cook 4 minutes or until egg yolks are slightly set.



We sprinkled a little shredded cheddar over the top before serving.


Per serving (serving size=1 egg plus 1 C mixture)  279 calories, 11.1g. fat, 12.7g. protein, 33.1g. carbs, 4.7g. fiber, 206mg. cholesterol, 2.3mg. iron, 616mg. sodium, 68mg. calcium.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I found this in the March 2014 issue of Health Magazine.  It's a pretty safe bet to say that I get way too many magazines!  I will be honest and tell you that I don't eat artichokes so that will be a revision I make when I make this for myself, but I can see this as a lunch staple over the summer.

3 C. chopped zucchini
4 C. chopped baby spinach
2 C. cooked whole wheat pasta, preferably a short shape such as penne
1 15oz. can of chick peas
1 6.5oz. jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, not drained
1 2.5oz. can sliced black olives, drained
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1/4 C. fresh goat cheese

Place zucchini in a bowl.  Add 1/4 cup water, cover leaving it slightly open to vent steam, and microwave on high until tender; 4 to 5 minutes.  Uncover, drain and let cool.

Divide spinach among 4 bowls, Microwave each, uncovered, for 1 minute on high to wilt, if desired.

In a bowl, toss pasta, chickpeas, artichoke hearts with marinade, olives, tomato, basil and oregano.  Toss in zucchini.  In a separate bowl, whisk oil, vinegar and mustard.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss with pasta mixture.

Divide mixture among bowls with spinach.  Top with cheese and serve.

Per serving: 335 calories, 15g. fat, 3mg. cholesterol, 10g fiber,  12g. protein, 43g. carbs, 691mg. sodium, 4mg. iron, 102mg. calcium

Chicken Scarpariello

 Every so often Chris gives me a cooking "challenge".  I was laid off from my job a few weeks ago so I have some spare time and ha...