I am kind of laughing to myself as I post this recipe...it's supposed to be near 100 degrees on Tuesday. I doubt seriously that I will be making soup anytime soon but I also know that the seasons change here in the Chicago area. Sometimes twice in a day! In all seriousness...I will probably start working on this recipe towards the end of Summer to take advantage of some fresh vegetables from the farmer's markets I go to. Perhaps I will rename this recipe farmer's market soup.
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 C. thinly sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 C. chopped green pepper
1/2 C. chopped sweet red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into half inch cubes
49oz. chicken broth
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 C. pearl barley
1 3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
In a large skillet, saute the onion, mushrooms, green and red peppers and garlic in butter until tender. Transfer to a 5qt. slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low or until chicken and barley are tender.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Bacon and Tomato Spaghetti
This sounds like a quick summer supper that will let you take advantage of some tomatoes from the yard...and spinach if you have it. The balsamic vinaigrette will give the dish some great flavor!
8oz. cooked spaghetti
1/2lb. thick sliced bacon strips, chopped
2 C. cherry tomatoes, halved
3 C. fresh baby spinach
1/4 C. balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 tbsp. drippings. Saute tomatoes in drippings until tender. Drain spaghetti; still into the skillet. Add the spinach, bacon, vinaigrette, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
8oz. cooked spaghetti
1/2lb. thick sliced bacon strips, chopped
2 C. cherry tomatoes, halved
3 C. fresh baby spinach
1/4 C. balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 tbsp. drippings. Saute tomatoes in drippings until tender. Drain spaghetti; still into the skillet. Add the spinach, bacon, vinaigrette, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Southern Style Brisket
If you check my freezer at any given time (and move the pork roasts out of the way), you will most likely find a brisket. Brisket is a truly wonderful think. I love it barbecued but I also like it roasted with salt pepper and garlic on a cool fall day. I think Caputo's now carries brisket year round because I buy them every couple of weeks! I am going to try the barbecue sauce...I wonder if it will hold up to the one my brother in law made a couple of weeks ago which was worthy of bottling and selling!
For the brisket:
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. mustard powder
2 tsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 pound point end brisket, preferably with a 1/4 inch thick fat cap
For the barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. chili powder
3/4 C. apple cider vinegar
3/4 C. ketchup
1/3 C. fresh lemon juice
1/3 C. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 C. packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper
Remove the brisket from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking and let sit at room temperature. Soak a few handfuls of mesquite or hickory wood chips in water 30 minutes; drain.
Preheat a grill to low, then prepare for indirect heat; for a gas grill turn off the burners on one side. For a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side, once the temperature reaches 200 degrees. Scatter the wood chips on top. Position a drip pan under the grate on the cooler side of the grill.
Put the brisket fat side up on the grill over the drip pan. Cover and grill, undisturbed until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket registers 185 to 200 degrees, 3 hours, 30 minutes to 5 hours. If using a charcoal grill, leave the vents nearly closed and scatter 6 to 8 unlit charcoal briquettes and a handful of prepared wood chips on top of the lit coals every 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove brisket from the grill, wrap in foil and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Pour drippings from the drip pan into a bowl and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce; heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the chili powder and cook stirring until brick red, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 1/2 C. water, the vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, allspice, and 3/4 tsp. black pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk the reserved drippings, then whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons into the barbecue sauce. Thinly slice the brisket against the grain. Serve with the barbecue sauce.
For the brisket:
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. mustard powder
2 tsp. packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 pound point end brisket, preferably with a 1/4 inch thick fat cap
For the barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. chili powder
3/4 C. apple cider vinegar
3/4 C. ketchup
1/3 C. fresh lemon juice
1/3 C. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 C. packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper
Remove the brisket from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking and let sit at room temperature. Soak a few handfuls of mesquite or hickory wood chips in water 30 minutes; drain.
Preheat a grill to low, then prepare for indirect heat; for a gas grill turn off the burners on one side. For a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side, once the temperature reaches 200 degrees. Scatter the wood chips on top. Position a drip pan under the grate on the cooler side of the grill.
Put the brisket fat side up on the grill over the drip pan. Cover and grill, undisturbed until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket registers 185 to 200 degrees, 3 hours, 30 minutes to 5 hours. If using a charcoal grill, leave the vents nearly closed and scatter 6 to 8 unlit charcoal briquettes and a handful of prepared wood chips on top of the lit coals every 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove brisket from the grill, wrap in foil and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Pour drippings from the drip pan into a bowl and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce; heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the chili powder and cook stirring until brick red, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 1/2 C. water, the vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, allspice, and 3/4 tsp. black pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk the reserved drippings, then whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons into the barbecue sauce. Thinly slice the brisket against the grain. Serve with the barbecue sauce.
Shepherd's Salad
Food Network Magazine calls this Shepherd's Salad. I call it Farmer's Market Salad because you can get what you need for this salad at a mid summer farmer's market. Try it and let me know how it tastes.
Combine 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped cucumber, 1 chopped Italian frying pepper (I am not even sure what this is but I will improvise), 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion and 1/2 C. chopped parsley in a bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Combine 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped cucumber, 1 chopped Italian frying pepper (I am not even sure what this is but I will improvise), 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion and 1/2 C. chopped parsley in a bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Quick, write it down!
I have those moments every so often when I am throwing something together and I think I should add this to the blog only to get caught up in something and not get it done. I went to the farmer's market today and got a couple of small summer squashes. I sliced them thin; broke out the mandoline...still have all my fingers.
I sauteed the squash in olive oil until it wilted. While it was sauteing, I added fresh cracked pepper, a little sea salt, and some heirloom tomatoes I had sliced. Right before pulling it off the flame, I added 2 cloves of crushed garlic.
I put the mixture in a bowl and topped it with some feta cheese and a little panko. I just finished it and it was delish!
I sauteed the squash in olive oil until it wilted. While it was sauteing, I added fresh cracked pepper, a little sea salt, and some heirloom tomatoes I had sliced. Right before pulling it off the flame, I added 2 cloves of crushed garlic.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Thomas Jefferson's Vanilla Ice Cream
I found this recipe in one of my magazines. Thomas Jefferson is known to be a food lover. He is credited for writing down the first recipe for this tasty treat.
2 qt. heavy whipping cream
1 C. sugar
1 vanilla bean
6 egg yolks lightly beaten
In a large heavy saucepan, combine cream and sugar. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise. With a sharp knife, scrape seeds into pan; add bean. Heat cream mixture over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
In a bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly.
Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 160 degrees; stirring constantly but gently. Do not boil. Transfer immediately to a bowl.
Place bowl in ice water bath for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard vanilla bean. Press waxed paper onto surface of custard. Refrigerate until cold.
Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two thirds full; freeze according to manufacturers' directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. When ice cream is frozen, transfer to a freezer container; freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving. Repeat with remaining mixture.
2 qt. heavy whipping cream
1 C. sugar
1 vanilla bean
6 egg yolks lightly beaten
In a large heavy saucepan, combine cream and sugar. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise. With a sharp knife, scrape seeds into pan; add bean. Heat cream mixture over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
In a bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly.
Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 160 degrees; stirring constantly but gently. Do not boil. Transfer immediately to a bowl.
Place bowl in ice water bath for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard vanilla bean. Press waxed paper onto surface of custard. Refrigerate until cold.
Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two thirds full; freeze according to manufacturers' directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. When ice cream is frozen, transfer to a freezer container; freeze for 4 to 6 hours before serving. Repeat with remaining mixture.
Chimichurri Monkey Bread
Here is a spin on monkey bread I haven't seen before. Usually monkey bread is sweet. This savory treat will be fun at a party once this heat wave breaks...heck I may have a party to celebrate the break of the heat wave! I shouldn't complain because I love summer so much more than winter and my herbs are doing so well (providing I keep watering everything) but it's been hot and the heat waves have been lasting weeks instead of a few days. Ah well, I will be looking on these days fondly come January and February.
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
1/4 C. olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 12oz. tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Combine the first 9 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Cut each biscuit in half and shape into a ball. Roll in herb mixture.
Place biscuit pieces in a greased 10inch fluted tube pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
1/4 C. olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 12oz. tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Combine the first 9 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Cut each biscuit in half and shape into a ball. Roll in herb mixture.
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