Casa en la cocina

I love these darn things...

2012-01-22T21:31:00.001-05:00

Tamales de puerco con salsa roja, frijoles negros y ensalada de maíz

Pork filled tamales with red sauce,black beans and corn salad

I love tamales and have fond memories of the sweet tamales (tamales dulces) I had in Mexico, some filled with a sweet corn mixture and some with pineapple. I have never tried to make a sweet tamale at home, but will make savory, usually filled with pork. As much as I love them, I don't usually make them more than once a year because them are time consuming...as such, when I do make them it will usually be a double or triple batch (they freeze fairly well).

I was in the midst of a severe craving for tamales last week, and with leftover pulled pork in the fridge and masa harina in the pantry (a staple), tamales were going to be had. I served these with a corn salad (or relish) and black beans made with adobo and beer. A note about tamales is that as long as you have the basic technique for making them, you can put whatever you like in them...and the corn husks? When I first started making tamales (quite a few years ago now) I used to have to seek out the husks, but now they are easily found in any large grocery store (or your local Aldi). This recipe makes 12 to 15 tamales, but I advise soaking a few extra husks, because if you are anything like me, you will tear a few in the process.

Tamales

adapted from Zaeela Martínez, found in In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs

20 (or so) dried corn husks

2 1/3 cups masa harina

1 tsp. salt

2 cups warm water or chicken stock

4 oz. shoetening

2+ cups of filling of choice

Soaking the corn husks: Place the corn husks in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak at least 1/2 hour.

Making the masa: Combine the masa harina and the warm water or stock in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to combine well. Place into the mixer and start beating while adding the shortening by spoonfuls. Continue beating for 3 or 4 minutes (longer if beating by hand or with a hand mixer) until the mixture is very light and fluffy...this is important so that the finished tamales are not heavy and dense.

Forming and filling the tamales: Remove the corn husks from the water and gently squeeze out the excess, then pat dry with a kitchen or paper towel. Place the corn husks on the counter with the rough side down and the narrow end pointing away from you. Spread a scant 1/2 cup of the masa over the bottom 2/3 of the husk in a rectangle, leaving the narrow end uncovered. Spoon a few tablespoons of your choosen filling into the center of the masa. To enclose the filling, fold the sides of the husks together...the masa will come away from the husk and you can form it over the filling. Fold the sides of the husk in, overlapping them tightly, then fold up the pointed end in, leaving the wide end open.

Steaming the tamales: Arrange the tamales in a steamer with their open ends up, placing a ball of foil in the center to act as a prop. Pour one inch of boiling water into the pan (or up to the bottom of your steaming basket) and lay a clean, damp kitchen towel over the tamales (this helps hold in the steam). Cover tightly and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to maintain a gently bubbling and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour, replenishing with boiling water if necessary.

When are they done?: The tamales are ready when the masa is firm to the touch. Remove from the steamer and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. The tamales may be served in their husks, or unwrapped and placed on individual plates with sauce and sides.

Better without frying...

2012-01-15T16:49:00.000-05:00

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

I found eggplant on sale at a price that could not be passed up, so I snapped up four of these beauties without even knowing what I was going to do with them. The cold weather meant something substantial and comforting, so thoughts drifted to Eggplant Parmesan. But, I hate frying, so I thought I'd lighten things up a bit and roast the eggplant slices instead. So, so glad I did. This dish was elegant in its simplicity, and the taste was divine. It tasted even better the next day (and the next, and the next)...yes, I had this for lunch for three days in a row, it was THAT good. I didn't miss the pasta, but the boys stated that they would have liked some with the dish, but that will be up to you and yours.

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

1 large onion, diced fairly fine
1 tbs. olive oil4 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbs. dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 heaping tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup dry red wine
4 large eggplants
olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 and 1/2 lbs. mozzarella, divided use

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a fairly large pot, saute the onion in 1 tbs. olive over medium high heat oil until softened and just turning golden. Add the garlic, oregano, basil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper; saute an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil before reducing the heat and letting the sauce simmer while you prepare the eggplant.

Brush two baking sheets with olive oil. Trim the ends and slice the eggplants into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on the oiled baking sheets. Brush the top of each slice lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom after 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Spray a "lasagna" pan, or other large baking dish, with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle 1/2 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan, spreading it evenly. Layer in 1/2 of the roasted eggplant to completely cover the sauce. Layer 1 pound of mozzarella slices or shreds over the eggplant...I used fresh here, but the bagged mozzarella "shreds" would work too. Cover the cheese with the remaining eggplant, again arranging it to cover completely. Ladle over the remaining sauce, cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the pan and layer on the remaining 1/2lb. of mozzarella...I did use the bagged shreds here...and bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes to melt and brown the top cheese layer. Let the Eggplant Parm rest on the stove top at least 1/2 hour before cutting. This made 8 large servings.

A Christmas Tradition...

2012-01-04T19:31:00.000-05:00

Poppy Seed filled Kolacky

We were away for Christmas this year, so Ben was not able to compete in the annual Kolacky baking contest. Not wanting us to be without a Christmas Kolacky, his sister sent us one via second day UPS. Undoubtedly, Becky would have won this year as this was the best one that we had ever had. I posted a picture of the Kolacky in a Christmas album on Facebook where a friend saw it and wanted the recipe. Since I was originally going to email it to her, but as I have been so remiss in posting, I decided to share it here. As it turns out, I had already posted this last Christmas, so the recipe can be found here. Ben uses Solo Poppy Seed filling and says that he uses about 3/4 can for each roll (and leftover filling is good eaten right from the spoon :)

While I didn't take a photo this year, another traditional (in the sense that we eat it at all holidays) holiday dish from Ben's family is Escalloped Pineapple. One of my purposes for this blog was to create a recipe collection for my (and anyone else's) future use, but when I looked for the recipe here I found that this must have recipe was not included. Out came the book of handwritten recipes and cooking commenced. This recipe, like the Kolacky, is short on detailed instruction...I've played with it over the years, cutting the amounts of butter and sugar and subbing soft wheat bread for the white, cutting off the crust sometimes, keeping it others. This year I used the whole amounts given for butter and sugar and used the white bread (with crusts). It was just perfect.

Escalloped Pineapple

4 cups white bread cubes

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup margarine (I use butter)

1 can crushed pineapple (I use the large can)

Mix ingredients and bake 30 minutes at 35o degrees.

I find that I usually use more than 4 cups of bread cubes; I use stale bread and keeping cubing and mixing in until the mixture is not too soupy. To get it nice and golden brown with crisp edges (my favorite part), I find that the baking time is usually closer to 40-45 minutes in a 9" x 13" glass baking dish.

A lazy day (finally!!)...

2011-11-12T19:24:00.000-05:00

Sunday Sauce with Veal Meatballs
(that's cheese ooze on the lower left meatball)

Have I ever been busy this fall. A leave of absence from school has been no vacation for this girl, what with coordinating the move for The Caring Closet and getting every thing in order, in addition to all sorts of exciting developments on the home front. Whew!! On top of all that I have decided to learn how to be one of those coupon wizards and build our own stockpile of coupon goodies (silly, silly girl). I did learn the valuable lesson of not trying to shop the ad with coupons on a Friday afternoon (!!), but it was the first chance I had to get to the store last week (a fate echoed this week, although I did manage to get there before noon).

After much stressing, I ended up leaving with an "okay" cart full and a fist full of rainchecks, but my favorite find of the day was two packages of ground veal a bit more than three bucks each (have I mentioned before how I love the Manager's Specials?). My mind went immediately to meatballs and I decided standing in the meat department what we would be having for dinner on Sunday.

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, and FINALLY a day with nothing on the calendar. I did some web browsing to come up with how I would make my sauce using what I had on hand, and since there appear to be about a gazillion different ways, I figured that was okay. There was one particular link that I really liked, especially her directions as to when commence pouring and drinking wine while cooking (including refills!!). So, because the nice writer told me to, and because I had no where I had to be on this Sunday afternoon, I did just that!

See what I'm talking about?

Ben had seen stuffed meatballs on some food program that week, and after he mentioned it a few of times (I think they call those hints), I decided to fill these meatballs with cheese. I have made a "cheater" manicotti before, wrapping string cheese in salami before inserting into the manicotti shell, so I thought I could do something similar here by pushing half inch pieces into the middle of the meatballs.. Wrooong. When I pulled the meatballs out of the oven ,two had leaked their oozy, cheesy goodness, leaving me to worry that all the cheese would leak into the sauce and be lost. Well, that didn't happen. The manicotti had been a short cooking recipe that left the cheese melty and nice...the long simmering of the meatballs allowed the cheese to absorb juices from the surrounding meat, leaving an odd middle, both in appearance and texture. Needless to say, I now admonish you "don't try this at home."

Despite the meatball mishap, this was a most enjoyable dinner. The sauce had a wonder depth of flavor, and the meatballs were unlike any I had made before. The texture of the veal made for a very tender meatball, much more so than beef, or even turkey, and the taste was almost delicate. If you are not opposed to eating veal, give this a try. If you are, try it anyway, just use your protein of choice; you won't be disappointed. Please note...this makes a TON of food. We had it again on Thursday for dinner and I still had leftovers.

Sunday Sauce with Meatballs

For the sauce...
about 1/3 cup diced fatty bacon
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. (or more)crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed between the fingers as adding
1 28oz. can tomato sauce
2 15oz. cans diced tomatoes, I used fire roasted
1 cup dry red wine

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the bacon until the fat has rendered. Add the onions and sweat until soft and just starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and spices, cooking for another two minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and wine; bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a bubbling simmer and proceed with making the meatballs.

For the meatballs...
2 lbs. ground veal (or beef, or pork, turkey, or mixture of)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups bread crumbs, preferably homemade
1/2 tsp. each of coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 450. Mix all the ingredients, except the ground meat, until well combined. Add the meat to the wet mixture and start mixing everything together...using your hands is the best way to make sure everything is incorporated through the meat. Form meatballs to whatever size you like; I used a 2 inch scoop to ensure a uniform size; I got 32 fairly large meatballs. Place then on one (or two) baking sheets as you make them. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs, and rotating from top to bottom halfway through if using two sheets. The meatballs should be firmed up and starting to brown but not necessarily cooked all the way through. Drop the meatballs carefully into the simmering sauce; cover and simmer at least an hour and up to two. Serve over a fairly substantial pasta- I used Dreamfields linguine.

I had to have this!

2011-09-29T14:26:00.000-04:00

Linguine with Clams and Roasted Tomatoes

A few weeks ago I found a recipe in The New York Times for linguine with littleneck clams and roasted tomatoes...the picture alone was enough to make me drool, but after reading the recipe, I knew I had to have this. But what to do? If I served a bowl of pasta with clams in their shells, Chris would go running from the room, and chances were good that Ben would turn his nose up at it too.

A week or so later came a day to cook from pantry stores, and with this dish still stuck firmly in my brain, I went with it. I had a can of minced clams in their liquor and a bottle of clam juice, so I figured that I would substitute those for the whole clams and see what happened. Chris was none the wiser, his only complaint being that the tomatoes weren't cooked into a "sauce" (the boy not being a tomato fan). Ben knew exactly what I was doing, but enjoyed the dish anyway (but why not with whole clams?). I made a few other changes from the original recipe to accommodate what I had on hand, including using some mojo de ajó I had in the fridge instead of the olive oil and sliced garlic (remembered after I had taken the picture, alas). I will definitely make this garlicky, luxurious tasting dish again, but next time I will add a second can of clams and skip the bottled clam juice.

Linguine with Clams and Roasted Tomatoes

1 lb. cherry or tomatoes, halved

6 tbs. mojo de ajó

1 pound dry linguine(I used a 13oz box of Dreamfields)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake, more to serve if desired
1 cup dry white wine
1 small can minced clams with liquor
1 small bottle clam juice

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the tomatoes and the mojo de ajó to coat in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them in a single layer; roast tomatoes for 20 minutes. In a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, cook the pasta until it is 2 minutes from being done to taste. Drain. Return the pasta pot to medium-high heat and add the roasted tomatoes, wine and clam juice. Bring to a boil and add the linguine and can of clams with liquor; reduce heat to medium and cook until the pasta is al dente and the clams have heated through (do not overcook or you will have tough clams and mushy pasta). Divide mixture among serving bowls and serve, garnishing with chopped parsley if you have it on hand.

.Summer's end...

2011-09-03T21:05:00.000-04:00

This bowl of cherry tomatoes has become a fixture on my kitchen windowsill.

This last weekend of summer has been brutally hot, with afternoon temperatures of 100+, so I have kept myself busy indoors, with much time spent in the kitchen.

The mozzarella doesn't show well against a white plate.

I have stocked up the fridge with a Key Lime Pie, Mojo de Ajó, and a variety of salads for the weekend (and coming week), including longtime favorite Three Bean Salad and a Caprese Salad using my homegrown basil and drizzled with the Balsamic reduction that I have recently become so fond of. I also added slivers of red onion to this one since I had a bit left from another salad and it seemed a shame not to use it.

As pretty and practical as it is, I have given up trying to grow veggies in my beds...we have too many rabbits and deer and I just don't have it in me for the heartbreak (at least they are no longer eating my roses :). This leaves me growing in pots on the deck...this year I have basil (as always), cherry tomatoes, and jalapeños. It was time for another jalepeño harvest, so I pickled more, hopefully we will end up with enough this year to get us through the winter.

It also seemed a good time to start putting away pesto for the winter, putting away 1/2 cup portions in small freezer containers, just covered with a slick of olive oil. By next weekend I'll be able to harvest more basil for future use...I can't even imagine paying $2 anymore for the tiny little grocery package when I am cutting it by the armful. I also mixed up some Pesto Cream Cheese for Christopher and I to share over the next week.

Now about the cherry tomatoes...our friends Doug and Sharon Trimmer own Trimmer Hardware here in Hamilton, and every year Doug starts hundreds of tomato plants himself to sell in the spring (they are his babies :). I sent Ben this spring to get me two plants, figuring he would get Romas, or some nice slicing variety, but he came home with FOUR cherry tomato plants. The plants have done beautifully in their pots and we have enjoyed the little bites of sweetness all summer in our salads, as well as roasted with olive oil and garlic slivers (my mouth waters just thinking of it). Well, what was a fairly small, but constant, supply over the summer, in this last week has exploded and I had several POUNDS of the tomatoes.

I have been craving Tomato Pie anyway, so I used two pounds of quartered cherry tomatoes in place of the regular tomatoes and was not disappointed in the least. The resulting pie was not nearly as wet, and the tomato flavor was more concentrated (and sweet), so I think this shall be repeated. If you have not tried Tomato Pie before, now is the time. We have found it to be particularly nice for breakfast with some fresh fruit, especially summer cantaloupe.

Doesn't that make your mouth water?

An easy appetizer (or entree)...

2011-09-01T21:39:00.000-04:00

Creamy Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

I found large packages of huge mushrooms on sale and picked them up knowing that I wanted to stuff them. That, however, was the end of the planning process, and when it came time to actually make my stuffed mushrooms, I didn't know with what I would stuff them. A search through the fridge uncovered a roll of turkey sausage, some cream cheese, and a bell pepper, so off I went :) This exceedingly simple recipe used few ingredients and turned out fantastic. Christopher especially liked these since they used two of his favorite things, mushroom and sausage. These would make a fantastic appetizer, but I served them with a green salad and called it dinner. Enjoy.

Creamy sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2 large pakgs, of large white or cimini mushrooms

1 lb. ground sausage of choice (I used "hot" turkey breakfast sausage)

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 large yellow or red bell pepper, finely diced

1 8 oz. pkg. reduced fat cream cheese

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 359 degrees. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp towel to clean and pull out the stems, leaving a hollow; place on a baking sheet or dish large enough to accommodate them all and set aside. Brown the sausage, breaking into small bits. Remove the sausage to a mixing bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings in the pan. If you have used pork sausage and there is more fat left than needed to saute the onion and bell pepper, spoon some of it out; conversely, if you have used a chicken or turkey sausage, you may need to add a touch of olive oil. Saute the veggies until crisp tender and place into the mixing bowl with the sausage.

Add the cream cheese and stir until well combined and the cheese is melty. Add the egg and combine again. Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps, heaping as necessary to use it all. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling has set and the tops are nice and browned. Let rest for 5-10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

All nice and toasty from the oven.

Add a salad and call it dinner.

A different twist on an old standby...

2011-08-18T09:06:00.000-04:00

Bell Pepper Puttanesca with turkey Italian sausage
and whole grain penne

Now to keep up with the bell pepper theme of the last post. On another recent occasion of bell pepper bargains, I decided to make one of my pantry favorites, substituting the fresh red bell peppers for the canned, diced tomatoes I would normally use. I love puttanesca, not only for its ease of preparation, but for the savory, spicy, and salty flavors that suit me so well. This recipe makes a lot, so it's perfect for freezing half for a later, hectic, day.

Red Pepper Puttanesca

2oz. can anchovy fillets, in oil

6 red bell peppers, seeded and diced fairly small

6 cloves garlic, minced (2 tbs.)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 finger pinch of coarse salt and a generous grinding of black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red papper flakes

6oz. can tomato paste

1 1/2 to 2 cups dry white wine

1/2 of a 2oz. jar of capers, drained

1 heaping cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

The anchovies break up quite easily.

In a fairly large nonstick pan, warm the olive oil with the anchovies and their oil over medium heat until they break apart (this doesn't take long if you assist with a wooded spoon). Add the garlic and bell peepers and continue to saute until tender. Season with the salt, pepper and pepper flakes, stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes, or until the paste just starts to darken. Add the white wine to achieve the desired consistency and bring to a boil before adding the capers and olives; heat through and taste for seasonings before serving. Enjoy.

Bell pepper bounty...

2011-08-11T09:18:00.000-04:00

$1.50 a package! Really!!

I know you've all heard it before, but here it goes again...bell peppers are one of my favorite veggies, especially the red ones (and avocados, and summer tomatoes, and summer corn :). Well, lucky me, I keep finding these packages of six huge bell peppers at Kroger for only $1.50!! Just like 'day old' bread, it bothers me not in the least to buy "day old" peppers, especially when the red, orange and yellow ones are usually $1.50 EACH.

I like to cut the side into strips and dice the tops and bottoms. Now I'm ready to cook from the prepped peppers for a week. And if I'm not going to use them all within the week they are ready for the freezer to be used this winter when I am unlikely to find these bargains.

I had really been in the mood for a repeat of the chilies rellanos I had created using midget sweet peppers (kinda like midget bells), so I thought I'd make it again, this time using the bottom thirds of some of these beauties. This could easily be a more traditional looking "stuffed pepper" by using four whole bells and baking a bit longer.

Ready and waiting.

Oh, look at these just out of the oven :)

Just looking at this photo makes me want these all over again.

You can find the recipe here if you too are jonesing for some

chorizo goodness.

A new kid favorite...

2011-08-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

Red Chili Enchilada Meat Loaf

I recently picked up a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Mexican, and must say that I am ready to try just about every recipe in here. The first up on a busy night was the Red Chili Enchilada meat Loaf (pg. 125) and this was a definite kid pleaser. Chris had seconds, went looking for thirds, and was disappointed to find it all gone. If you are looking for an easy dish the kids will love, be sure to give this one a try, just don't try to feed too many with it, because they'll be asking for more.

Red Chili Enchilada Meat Loaf

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbs.)
2 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 pkg. corn muffin mix
2 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
additional salsa to serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the first seven ingredients. Shape into a ball and place in a 9 inch pie pan lightly covered in cooking spray; flatten into a 6 inch circle.* Prepare the muffin mix according to package directions and spread over the meat in the plate. Bake for 50 minutes or until a temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese; cover loosely and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with additional salsa and any other Mexican inspired sides you desire.

*This was how directed in the recipe. by time the meatloaf reached 160 degrees, the cornbread was browner than I would have liked. In the future I will spread the meat out flatter, leaving less of a gap between it and the edge of the plate.

So simple, so delicious...

2011-08-03T21:16:00.000-04:00

Burger on wheat kaiser roll with avocado, smoked mozzarella and balsamic reduction.

The onion rings are also drizzled with the reduction.

One of the delicious things we had when we ate at Robert Irvine's restaurant was the balsamic reduction we had with the bread and drizzled over the fried green tomatoes. We were having burgers one night last week and I asked Ben what gourmet direction he wanted to take them using the nice piece of smoked mozzarella I had on hand. Without hesitation he said he wanted them drizzled with a balsamic reduction, some balsamic reduction it was (so fortunate too, that I has an unopened bottle of balsamic vinegar in the pantry). I simmered the bottle (in a nonreactive pan, of course) until it was reduced by about 3/4, with a nice syrupy consistency. This did take a while and you have to be careful not to inhale the fumes directly, but it was simple and only required that I check it occasionally to make sure that it did not burn. What was left I put into a plastic condiment bottle and stored back in the pantry to use later. I would highly recommend giving this a try, even if it means going out and buying a (moderately priced) bottle just for this purpose.

Same burger (mine), with the addition of tomato.

Vacation dining...

2011-07-27T21:14:00.002-04:00

Low Country Boil

When we vacation, we typically rent a villa rather than stay in a hotel. Not only are we able to feel more "at home" where ever we may be, but we are also able to prepare most of our own meals ourselves. This is not only a money saving gesture, for quite honestly, our own meals are usually as good (or better) than we would have if we dined out. One dish we always make whnenwe travel south is the Low Country Boil pictured above (click here for the recipe). A new addition to the southern repertoire will be the Key lime Pie of the previous post.

Now don't get me wrong...we do enjoy eating out, we are just more selective about our dining dollars than we were in our reckless youth ("reckless" here meaning "before we could cook so well"). On one of our early trips to Hilton Head, we did like most other tourists and ate at the Crazy Crab in Harbor Town, a mediocre tourist trap in the truest sense (if anyone feels that it has improved in the last few years, please let me know.)

This trip we decided to try Chef Robert Irvine's eat!, just across the street from Shipyard Plantation where we were staying. Ben and I are both fans of Chef Robert's antics on the Food Network, and even the little guy Christopher likes him from Worst Cooks in America. In ten years of going to Hilton Head, our meal here was probably one of the best we have ever had on the island. And yes, those are pictures of Chef Robert on the wall, and the waiters were all dressed in short sleeve black polos. showing off their "gun shows." No one ever said the man had a small ego :)

Tried for photos, but the lighting was no good.

A basket of crusty bread was served alongside olive oil with a drizzle of balsamic reduction, quite a delicious start and Christopher was "forced" to finish the last piece. We ordered the fried green tomatoes to share. Ben does not normally care for this dish (that Chris and I love), but he found these to be quite delicious. Supposedly the micro-sprouts that came with the tomatoes were very good too, but I wouldn't know since Chris swooped in so quickly and gobbled them up :) Being a "real" restaurant, there was no children's menu, so Chris ordered the Carolina shrimp and house fries. The fries (he reported) were good as fries go, but nothing special. The coconut pecan crusted shrimp, however, he declared to be divine (and I can report that they were huge). Ben ordered a pork and gnocchi dish he adored, while I ordered the blackened snapper. I'd give just about anything to know how the red pepper and goat cheese coulis was made...yummy!! To finish, we ordered the tabasco ice cream. Ben and Chris said they got a hint of the tabasco; I didn't, but did find it to be a very delicious cinnamon ice cream. Overall, a very pleasurable experience and we will be returning.

Another place i have to mention is the Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe where we had breakfast late one morning. We will be sure to visit this busy little cafe again (and again). It was homey, fast, cheap, and delicious...what more could one want in a breakfast place. Chris had french toast, Ben had the shrimp hash, and I had a breakfast version of shrimp and grits, complete with red eye gravy and a fried egg on top...yum, yum, yum!!

Breakfast Shrimp and Grits

Okay, looking at the photo now, I'll admit that this is not the prettiest dish ever, but it sure was good!

A southern delight...

2011-07-23T20:59:00.000-04:00

Key Lime Pie

We love key Lime Pie and this is something that we ALWAYS get when we travel down south. Just days before we left this year I read April's post at Mama Loves Food about this decadent treat. "Could it really be so simple?" I asked myself. Well, I decided that I would just have to find out. On our first grocery trip to Publix I walked past the bakery special of the week, whole key lime Pies for a mere $6.99 each, and sought out the ingredients to make my own (and I ever so glad I did!). This pie was one of the simplest desserts I have ever made, and undeniably, also one of the tastiest. I started with the 3/4 cup of key lime juice, and after a taste added another 1/4 cup, resulting in a tarter pie than one will usually be served in a restaurant, but one perfect for us. Serve this pie chilled with a dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream and you won't be disappointed (and DO NOT use Cool Whip...the real stuff is just sooo much better and a cinch to make). I'm not ashamed in the least to share that I had the last piece for breakfast before we headed home, perfect with coffee.

Key Lime Pie

3/4ths cup key lime juice (or as much as 1 cup if you prefer a more tart pie)

2 cans sweetened condensed milk (14 ounce cans)

2 eggs

1 graham cracker pie crust

Whipping the cream for the pie.

Combine key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and eggs in a bowl and whisk until the ingredients are well blended. Pour into pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool, serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Heading south...

2011-07-08T08:23:00.001-04:00

Last summer we went to Edisto Island, SC and had a wonderful time, but this year we head back to Hilton Head, as we have most years. Something about the place just keeps drawing us back, and it's not Harbor Town or South Beach, as we have no plans to visit either this year. We do plan on spending many hours on the beach at Shipyard Plantation and pedaling bikes around the many paths. Also in the plans is dinner one night at chef Robert Irvine's eat! (but never again the overpriced, mediocre Crazy Crab). Dinner in will most certainly include Low Country Boil, mandatory dining whilst visiting the low country for which it is named. So, I'll be seein' y'all soon now, ya hear.

Some new summer tipplers...

2011-07-07T08:21:00.000-04:00

Rye Tea

Summer is here so it is time for easy, breezy adult beverage for the hot, sultry evenings. Ben had read about Rye whiskey and wanted to give it a try. We both tried it on the rocks, but found it to be too sweet. So what to do with a nearly full bottle of Rye? I looked up recipes for cocktails using Rye, but they all seemed too complicated, and would necessitate the purchase of yet more bottles of liquor (we don't keep much on hand). Pouring a glass of iced tea one evening, it occurred to me to try it with a shot of the Rye. Eureka!! A refreshing and pretty darned tasty use for the Rye...all it needed was a shot of citrus in the form of a big, juicy lemon wedge.

Rye Tea

1 shot Rye Whiskey

tea. sweet or not, your choice (I chose not)

juicy lemon wedge

Fill your desired glass with ice; squeeze a wedge of lemon over the ice before dropping it in the glass. Add a shot of Rye and top off the glass with tea. Drink and enjoy :)

Readers of this blog know that I love coconut. That said, i don't like piña coladas, I find them to be too thick and sweet. I was shopping a Kroger this week when I found a can of coconut juice. This set my mind to turning about making a margarita using the juice...I love coconut and I love margaritas, what could be more perfect? Well, my dear friends, just for you (insert big smile here) I played with the ingredients, did away with the triple sec after the first try, brought in the leftover Coco Lopez on subsequent attempts, and came up with a pretty good Cocorita.

Cocorita

3 shots coconut juice
2 shots tequila blanco (did I mention this was a potent one? :)
1 tsp. Coco Lopez
1 juicy lime wedge

Fill your glass of choice with ice; anchor a juicy wedge of lime on the side. Into a cocktail shaker add the coconut juice, tequila, and Coco Lopez. Shake vigorously a few times and pour over the ice in the glass. Before drinking, squeeze in the lime and drop the wedge in the glass. Drink and enjoy :)

I love sitting on my deck.

Too easy to believe...

2011-06-30T19:56:00.001-04:00

Grilled tuna and French potato salad on baby arugula

I was looking at Gina's blog the other day and was intrigued by the grilled tuna she had so simply prepared. I have never grilled tuna, but since I had some frozen tuna steaks in the freezer that I had picked up at Aldi to try, I thought it was time to give it a go. I prepared mine a bit differently by brushing the tuna with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and grilled it to medium instead of rare. This fish was so absolutely delicious that we will be doing this again, and soon!! We had ours with a French style potato salad (vinaigrette instead of mayo) and it all went together perfectly for dinner on a hot summer day.

Easy Grilled Tuna

tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick

extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Let the tuna sit on the counter for a half hour or so to come to room temperature. Brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, one minute each side for rare and two minutes for medium. Let rest for five minutes and enjoy, that easy!

French Potato Salad

3 lbs. small potatoes (I used Yukon Golds)

1 small red onion, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly

2 handfuls fresh parsley leaves (I used flat leaf), chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs, Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Wash the potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces (leave that peel on there!); cook in boiling water until tender but not mushy. While the potatoes are cooking, cut up the onion and parsley and set aside. Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and garlic; taste and season as desired with the salt and pepper, but be pretty generous. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and toss immediately into a serving bowl with the vinaigrette. Toss, adding the onion and parsley. Let sit on the counter to come to room temperature, tossing occasionally. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers, but let come to (near) room temperature before eating.

Note: We used no additional dressing for the arugula; there was enough vinaigrette on the potatoes for the greens as well.

1st of the season (sort of)...

2011-06-26T12:23:00.001-04:00

I couldn't wait for my own plants, so I bought 2 pounds of jalapeños from the grocery (gasp! not even the farmer's market? you ask). We do what we have to do...I've been wanting more of these unprocessed pickled chilies since we ran out of them last December. These are the best we have ever had, crisp and ever so slightly sweet. Click here to see how to make these for when you have your own bumper crop (or great find at the market, or even the grocery store).

Coo coo for co-co-nuts

2011-06-19T23:15:00.000-04:00

¡Pastel leche de coco para dia del padre!

Wow, it has been a while. I won't bore you with the details, just suffice to say that I've been really, really busy, but I never forgot about any of you. Here's to some more time spent together and I'll try to do better about posting :)

I was kidding Ben earlier this week that he wasn't getting anything for father's Day since Nicole's graduation had fallen on Mother's Day, making us otherwise occupied. Well, I fibbed, because I just can't resist a reason for a celebration...especially when we are celebrating my dearest other half. It was a rainy day, meaning no grill (big sigh here), so I got out the next best thing, my cast iron skillet, and seared up some sweet and spicy pork chops for the daddy grub. Chris has been bugging me for some time to make a coconut cake, and as he is his daddy's little double, I honored that request today.

This cake starts with a white cake mix in a box. For this, I offer no apologies. I have never claimed to be a baker of great talent, so why not use the mix when I'm not going to be able to make something better. This cake is a riff on tres leches, or three milk cake. Despite the use of Coco Lopez, a sweetened coconut cream, and sweetened shredded coconut, this cake is not overly sweet, nor is the coconut flavor so strong it tastes fake (you know what I mean). I will be making this one again soon!

Coconut Milk Cake (pastel leche de coco)

1 box white cake mix of choice
1 can Coco Lopez cream of coconut, divided use
unsweetened coconut milk, amount may vary*
1 cup whipping cream
shredded, sweetened coconut

Prepare the cake mix as directed, substituting unsweetened coconut milk for the water. The cake may be made in any form you like; I used two 9" rounds. Once the cake(s) have cooled to room temperature, place on a plate and poke all over with a wood skewer, going all the way through the cake. Thin 1/2 cup of the cream of coconut with 1/2 cup of the coconut milk. Spread some of the coconut mixture over the top of the cake, letting it soak in and don't worry if it runs down the sides. Once this is absorbed, spread on some more and repeat until all the coconut mixture is used (this may take a while). With this amount of liquid the cake will be very moist, but not "wet" like tres leches cake sometimes is.

Whip the cup of cream until stiff peaks form; fold in 1/4 cup of the coconut cream and taste for sweetness. Add a bit more if desired, but be careful to leave the cream "spreadable." If doing a layer cake, invert one layer rounded top down onto the serving plate and spread a few spoonfuls of the whipped cream over the newly flat "top." Sprinkle on a handful of the shredded coconut if desired (I did). Carefully place the second layer, rounded side up, on top of the first and frost the cake with the remaining coconut whipped cream (I just spread mine on with a butter knife, but please feel free to pipe it on if you like). Sprinkle some of the shredded coconut over the top and refrigerate for several hours before serving. I did not toast the coconut first, but I will when I make this cake again.

Oh so nice with a cup of coffee (or glass of milk if you're Christopher). Ben and Chris both were so kind to point out that i was serving white cake on a white plate (and with white cups!)...guess I'll have to rectify that and buy some more dishes :)

*I use coconut milk from the carton, but if you won't have a use for that much coconut milk use canned coconut milk instead. I also made coconut rice from this carton and will drink what is left...I LOVE coconut milk, something I unfortunately can't say about the kind that comes from a cow :(

A wonderful gift...

2011-02-07T08:41:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed (or not) that I have blogs listed in my sidebar. These are blogs that have resonated with me for some reason or another (when I used to have more time I would visit five random new blogs a day), and I enjoy returning to them to read the latest adventure. Rosemary, the fine food writer behind Sprigs of Rosemary, is one of my readers as well, and after exchanging a few emails about blogging she sent me a most kind gift, a box of Penzeys Spices. I am not familiar with this company, but Rosemary has mentioned them on her blog and I can't wait to try these out. In the meantime, I encourage you all to go visit Rosemary at her beautiful blog.

A local goody...

2011-02-06T14:30:00.000-05:00

Not too long before Christmas, Ben brought home some jelly and hot sauce made by a fellow he knows at the university. Vic grows his own hot peppers and uses these to make jellies and hot sauces that he sells locally. The hot sauce was a standout for the clear, fruity habañero flavor, but it is definitely a scorcher, so not one to be used as generously as Tabasco. The jelly was the real winner, however, the sweet blackberries the perfect sweet counterpoint for the very pleasant back heat of the habañero...we ordered a box to give as Christmas gifts, we liked it that much, and yes, we will be buying more for our own use as well. If you are interested in giving either, or both, of these a try, you can contact Vic at:

Vicious Vic's
P.O. Box 71
Bath, IN 47010

Our favorite use for Vic's jelly is on toasty English muffins, but yesterday we found a new and tasty use for this wonderful treat. I was making a baked brie to take to a neighborhood party and was pondering whether to go savory with pesto, or sweet with apricot preserves. Ben suggested using the jelly instead. I did, and am I ever so glad, as were the neighbors who raved over the gooey goodness. I told Ben to make sure he passed it on to Vic that he had a winner here.

Habañero Blackberry Baked Brie

1 8oz. wheel of Brie (Camembert works too)
1 prepared pie crust (purchased or home made)
Habañero Blackberry Jelly
slivered almonds, toasted
1 egg, beaten (you won't use it all)

Consider this recipe as a "Master recipe," one that you take the technique and change up the toppings to whatever suits you, sweet or savory.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Open the pie crust on your counter and lay the brie wheel in the center. Top the Brie with a few tablespoons jelly and some toasted slivered almonds. Lift one edge of the pie crust to the center of the wheel and then start lifting and folding, completely encasing the Brie.

Brush the surface with the egg, brushing a little under the folds to help seal them. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Oozey, gooey goodness after the first cut

Kitchen Tip -Toasting Nuts

Toasting any kind of nut before using in your recipe will bring out a fuller flavor, and could not be any easier. If using a small amount, just put in a small dry skillet and toast over med-high heat for a few minutes until golden, stirring often as to not burn the nuts. If needing a larger quantity, just spread on a dry baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for a few minutes, or until golden, again stirring frequently to avoid burning.

This sauce is good on anything...

2011-01-29T16:27:00.000-05:00

Grilled Chicken, Brown Basmati Rice, and Steamed Broccoli

with Thai Red Curry Peanut Sauce

This is the most amazing sauce and would taste good on any protein you may want slather it one...I was even dipping tortilla chips in the leftover sauce, it's that good. If you make it with the 2 oz. of red curry paste, it will have a bit of heat, but not so over powering that non-lovers of the hot and spicy can't enjoy it too...if you do like things warm, add more curry, or do like Ben and I did and dribble on a bit of Sriracha.

Thai Red Curry Peanut Sauce

2 cups coconut milk (or 1 can)
2oz. Thai red curry paste (or more, to taste)
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar (you may need a bit more if using natural peanut butter)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbs.)
2 tbs. Thai fish sauce
1 tsp. coarse salt

Combine the ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

More Tex Mex goodness...

2011-01-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

Texas Style Chili with Beer and Masa

I was paging through the November 2010 of Food and Wine magazine and the recipe for this chili set off strong cravings for me. Don't be intimidated by the number or type of ingredients- I get my dried chilies and masa at Aldi or Kroger, they're easy to find. This chili was so rich and delicious...perfect for a cold, wet day.

Texas Style Chili with Beer and Masa

adapted from Food and Wine magazine, Nov. 2010

2 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

about 2 cups boiling water

2 canned chipotles in adobo

1 cup strong brewed coffee

one 12-ounce bottle/can of beer

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbs.)

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

4 cups beef stock

1/4 cup masa harina, or fine cornmeal

1/4 cup cocoa

chipotle hot sauce

shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion, diced avocado and warm corn tortillas, for serving

Heat a large skillet. Add the ancho, pasilla and guajillo chiles and toast over moderately low heat, turning, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a heatproof bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender. Add the chipotles and coffee and puree until smooth. Add the beer; pulse until blended.

Heat the oil in a large, enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add half to the pot. Cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate. Lower the heat to moderate and brown the remaining beef. Return all of the meat to the casserole and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cloves and cook until fragrant. Add the chile-beer mixture, cocoa, and the beef stock; bring to a simmer, stirring. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 hours.

Ladle 1 cups of the sauce into a measuring cup and whisk in the masa harina. Whisk the mixture into the pot and simmer until the sauce thickens, 15 minutes. Season the chili with salt and hot sauce; serve with cheddar, onion, avocado, and tortillas.

Pork chops made (super) easy...

2011-01-23T15:37:00.000-05:00

Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce,

Gnocchi and Steamed Veggies

Some pork chops purchased on sale, a few tablespoons of mustard and sour cream make for one of the easiest week night dinner imaginable. My little man Christopher absolutely adored this dish, even picking up the bone to make sure he chewed off all the meat...I didn't dare tell him that the sauce was mustard based!

Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce

4 nice pork chops, bone-in or not
salt and fresh ground black pepper
canola oil, just enough to keep chops from sticking
2 heaping tablespoons grainy mustard
1 cup sour cream (heavy cream would work too, but I used light sour cream)
1 cup chicken stock

Season the chops well with salt and pepper; heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat until the pan is very hot. Brown the chops for four minutes per side, working in batches if necessary to prevent crowding the pan.

Remove the chops from the pan and set aside, Use the stock to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up all the yummy brown bits. Whisk in the mustard and sour cream. Nestle the chops into the sauce, including any juices that have accumulated on the plate; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes or so to finish cooking the pork chops through, being careful not to overcook. Serve, spooning the sauce over the pork and whatever starch you choose, and enjoy the easy deliciousness.

For you garlic lovers out there (2)...

2011-01-21T09:46:00.000-05:00

Baked Shrimp Scampi

I just wanted to share with you a couple of the dishes I made using the mojo de ajó. The first is a redux of the baked shrimp scampi that I made back in April, but in keeping with the Mexican theme, I used fine egg noodles instead of the ravioletti. If you decide to try this, just make sure you leave the pasta a bit undercooked before you layer on the shrimp and everything else.

This was delicious served with a salad of avocado topped romaine dressed with a bit of lime juice and extra virgin olive oil. And to wash it all down? Why a refreshing margarita of course!!

Mojo de Ajó and Balsamic Marinated Steak

with Mojo de Ajó Roasted Zucchini and Bell Peppers

This dish was both fantastically easy and fantastically delicious. I mixed a few spoonfuls of the mojo de ajó with some balsamic vinegar in a gallon zippered bag before adding a flatiron steak to marinate for the day in the fridge.

The steak was grilled to a nice medium rare, and while it was resting I mixed together some more mojo and balsamic on a cutting board to make a board dressing. The steak was laid on the dressing, sliced thin, and give a nice swish in the dressing before serving, um, um, good.

For the veg I just tossed sliced zucchini, a diced onion, and yellow bell pepper with a few spoonfuls of the mojo before roasting in a large glass baking dish at 450 degrees for about a half hour, stirring a few times during the roasting. Crusty bread to clean up the plate was perfect with this.

For the garlic lovers out there...

2011-01-20T09:22:00.001-05:00

I love Rick Bayless and his take on Mexican food. I''d been watching recorded episodes of his show Mexico: One Plate at a Time (I do love our DVR )and savoring every moment, but when he made mojo de ajó I knew I had to make it too. Mojo de ajó is basically a sauce made of garlic roasted in olive oil and it is also used used as the base for many other recipes. This made two pint jars that I stowed in the fridge and used for the next few weeks to season many wonderfully tasty dishes.

Mojo de Ajó

4 heads garlic, peeled, cloves left whole

2 cups olive oil (don't use your extra virgin here)
1 tsp. coarse salt

Bake in a small covered dish at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Add...

juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. (or more) of crushed red pepper flakes.

Bake for another 20 minutes and allow to cool before mashing well. Stored in the refrigerator this is supposed to last one month, but if you're anything like me it won't last that long.

Isn't a burger just a chopped steak?

2011-01-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

Pepper "Steak" with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I grew up eating both pepper (with a tomato gravy) and salisbury steak (with a brown gravy), and still find them delicious, easy, and comforting (not to mention cheap) dishes to make, especially with mashed potatoes. Mom always made pepper steak with green bell peppers (which for some reason she called mangoes) and used condensed tomato soup for the gravy. I much prefer red bell peppers and will use these over green if given the chance, and rarely use condensed soups anymore for cooking (although they did play a huge role while I was learning to cook :). I was really craving this for dinner one (cold) evening, but a search of the freezer turned up no cubed steak. What I did find was a package of burgers made from ground round...same thing!!

Pepper Steak

4-6 nice sized chopped steaks or burgers
1 large onion, peeled, quartered, and cut into thick slices
2 large bell peppers, seeded, quartered, and cut into thick slices
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 cups (16 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth

Season the beef well with salt and pepper before browning on both sides in a heavy lidded pan, working in batches if necessary so as to not crowd the pan. Remove the beef and set aside, reserving the drippings.

Add the sliced onion and peppers to the drippings in the pan, season with salt and pepper, and saute over medium high heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

Once the onions and peppers are tender, stir in the tomato sauce and beef broth. Nestle the beef into the future gravy and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice. or egg noodles, thinning the gravy with a bit more broth if necessary.

A cold weather make over...

2011-01-16T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hot Chicken Salad Sandwich and

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken salad is a fail safe go to for leftover chicken or that rotisserie bird you picked up on the cheap from the grocery, but the chilly air of the season demands something a bit more substantial, and well, just not so picnic-like. This cold weather makeover was just the ticket served up with some leftover chicken noodle soup, a combo sure to knock the chill off you.

Hot Chicken Salad

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
1 small onion, finely diced
leafy center of a head of celery, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 tbs. lemon juice
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 cup light mayo
1 cup (or more) 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine the chicken, onion, celery and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly mix in just enough mayo to moisten lightly, about one cup. Spread into a lightly sprayed baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is nicely browned.

We had this on some crusty whole grain bread with some leafy lettuce. The leftovers made fantastic wraps for lunch for the next few days.

An almost guilt-free treat for upcoming games...

2011-01-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

I made this dip last week when Miami played in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. It is almost completely guilt free and the cayenne added a nice bite (but not overly hot). If you put it in a large bread bowl like I did, you will probably want to double the recipe (I wish I had).

This dip was a riff on the recipe I use for the Cucumber Dill Sauce I like to serve with salmon. In the past when I have been using a recipe from my blog, or a bookmark, I lug my big (17"!) laptop to the kitchen and plop it on the counter, where it takes up way too much room. My sweet husband gave me an iPad for Christmas and this was the perfect opportunity to test it out in the kitchen.

Cucumber Dip with Dill

1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup light nayo
1 cucumber, seeded and finely diced, keeping the peel if at all possible
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbs.)
1 tbs. dried dill
1/2 tsp. cayenne
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Mix the ingredients well and refrigerate several hours or overnight to meld the flavors. Serve in a pretty bowl or a hollowed out bread round, using the cut up insides as dippers.

Ben couldn't wait...

It started with a bag of peppers...

2011-01-08T15:30:00.000-05:00

The two pound bag of wonderful that started it all...

chilies rellanos con arroz blanco y ensalada aguacate

Mexican stuffed peppers with white rice and avocado salad

We were given a Costco membership for Christmas (thanks Becky!) and headed down after the new year to check it out (spending $60 we didn't need to while we were at it)...One of my "must have" purchases was a two pound bag of mini sweet peppers. I know you've all heard it before, but sweet bell peppers (especially the red ones) are one of my all time favorite things to eat and there were just so darn cute (did I just say that food was cute?). I decided in the produce aisle that I was going to make stuffed pepper, but figured on something reminiscent of those I grew up eating (hamburger and rice anyone?).

pulling off the casings

The peppers came home and were stashed away in the veggie bin for a few days, awaiting a free day to do some cooking. In the meantime, my thoughts traveled to Italy and I decided to stuff the peppers with Italian sausage and top it all with fresh mozzarella. Then I stopped at Kroger for a few things...and my thoughts traveled to Mexico (I'm an international traveler don't ya know). What did I find on sale but chorizo links (smiling here), and knowing that I had queso chihuahua at home, chilies rellanos was now the direction I was going.

not many seeds to remove

When you think of chilies rellanos you probably think of the ubiquitous breaded and deep fried ones found in most Mexican restaurants...but a chili rellano is really just a stuffed pepper (chili), usually with a tomato sauce, that can have a wide variety of fillings, may be fried (or not), and may even use chilies other than the traditional poblano...and the chilies themselves may be fresh, dried, or (gasp) canned.

I mused several possibilities for my (finally) chosen direction, but decided to go as simply as possible and let the ingredients speak for themselves. Three ingredients for the chilies, four for the sauce (and one of those was salt!) and we had for dinner a dish that Ben declared one of the most flavorful dishes he has had anywhere, at any time. I must say I agree...this one is a keeper that I will be making again, and even though I've been really, really good about not getting seconds, with this one I just had too...

Chilies Rellanos

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. small chilies of choice (I think jalapeños would have been fantastic)
1 lb. fresh chorizo, removed from casings if necessary
7-8oz. queso chihuahua, or jack cheese, shredded
1 28oz. can tomato sauce
2 chipotle cubes, or 2 canned chipotles in adobo, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (1 heaping tbs.)
big three finger pinch of coarse salt

Brown the chorizo, breaking it up into fairly small bits; drain well and set aside to cool. Cut off the tops of the chilies and pull out whatever little membrane and seeds are inside- I did as many as fit in a 9"x13" dish without crowding. Simmer the tomato sauce with the chipotle, garlic and salt for 10-15 minutes to marry the flavors (and make sure the cubes are dissolved, if using). While the sauce is simmering, toss the shredded cheese with the cooled chorizo to mix well. Stuff the peppers, using the tip of your index finger to really pack in the filling, and set them aside on a plate...it won't be the end of the world if a pepper splits a little, you'll just put that side down in the dish.

Spray a 9"x13" baking dish well with non-stick spray (the sauce will splatter a bit while baking and this will really ease your cleanup) and pour the tomato sauce into the bottom. Lay in the stuffed chilies and place uncovered into a 350 degree oven. Don't worry if it seems like a lot of sauce, it will reduce during cooking. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the peppers are very tender and the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve the chilies with white rice, spooning some of the sauce over the rice.

Did you have ham for the holidays?

2011-01-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

Kale and White Beans with Ham

We had family over New Year's Eve for a late lunch/early dinner and enjoyed a delicious ham. Once the family had departed and the cleanup was underway. I dropped the ham (with lots and lots of meat still on it) right into a stock pot. I put in just enough water to cover and set the pot to simmer for an hour while I dealt with the house. Before we started our House marathon for the evening (yes, we had an exciting evening planned :), I set the pot aside and let everything cool in the wonderfully rich broth. During a break in episodes I took all the meat from the bone and shredded it back into the broth before stashing it away in the downstairs fridge.

Fast forward three days later...I pull the pot from the fridge and scoop off the layer of fat that has collected and solidified at the top, and bring the whole thing to a boil- I figure there are 4 or 5 cups of broth- before adding a pound of kale, prewashed and cut curtoesy of Glory Foods. Some seasonings, a simmer and some canned white beans and we had a whole pot of deliciousness. The broth was so good I had to sop up every drop in my bowl with the crusty whole grain bread I bought just for the occasion. This made so much that we ate half for dinner and I put the other half away in the freezer for one of those soon to be here again school nights when I don't feel like cooking.

Kale and White Beans with Ham

the meat and broth from one meaty ham bone

1 lb. prepared kale

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbs. sugar

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

2 15oz. cans great northern beans

Bring the broth to a boil, add the kale, sugar, vinegar, a big pinch of salt, a generous grinding of pepper, and a sprinkle of pepper flakes (if using); bring to a boil again before reducing the heat, covering and simmering for an hour (or so) Uncover and add the beans, draining only if you are worried about the sodium content or want a less soupy finish. Simmer to warm the beans through and taste the broth to adjust the seasonings. Serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread.

Tasty on the skinny...

2011-01-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

Future Skinny Buffalo Dip...

Ben and I love Buffalo Chicken Dip, but it's not the friendliest thing to eat for one's figure so it was time for a makeover. I've tried using fat free cream cheese before but was never a fan of the taste, so I use the 1/3 less fat, or Neufchatel, for daily use. I figured that it would be okay here thought since I was using so much hot sauce, and it was, giving the creamy consistency needed without the extra fat. I also opted to skip adding bleu cheese crumbles or topping it with the usual shredded cheddar and it still tasted very good with the celery sticks and baked tortilla chips I had just for this purpose.

Skinny Buffalo Dip

8oz. pkg. fat free cream cheese

8-10 oz. can chicken breast, well drained

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot (or more, to taste)

Mix the ingredients well and you're ready to go. Keep it super skinny and microwave or bake in a small dish until hot. If you are serving to company you may want to bake it sprinkled with a handful of 2% sharp cheddar cheese (fat free cheese doesn't melt right). Serve with celery sticks and baked tortilla chips.

A decadent New Year's treat...

2011-01-02T15:33:00.001-05:00

Baked Lobster Tail, Fillet Mignon,Harvest Rice Blend,

and Bleu Cheese and Pomegraaete Topped Salad

Usually we have corned beef boil on New Year's Day, but this year we wanted to change it up a bit and went all out. Earlier in the week I had seen Tyler Florence do an ultimate surf and turf with baked lobster, and having both lobster tails and some nice beef fillet in the freezer I knew exactly what we were going to have. This lobster was so buttery and delicious, and I have to agree with all the reviewers who said the crumb topping would be good on anything...I even topped the fillets with them before popping them under the broiler.

I did deviate from the recipe and used some leftover slices of roasted garlic bread to make the crumbs and skipped adding additional garlic (if you look closely at the bread you will see that it is full of whole roasted cloves). We had the tails and fillets with a rice blend of brown, red, and wild rices (a steal at Costco) and a salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and topped with bleu cheese crumbles and pomegranate arils. You have to give this super easy to make luxury a try sometime soon...get the recipe here.

Making the crumbs in the food processor.

Rather than splitting the tails, I used kitchen shears and snipped off the bottom shell.

This huge container of rice was only $6 and change at Costco and it was so nutty and delicious.

1/1/11

2011-01-01T13:54:00.000-05:00

Chorizo makes everything taste good...

2010-12-29T09:05:00.001-05:00

Tacos de Chorizo y Papas

If your kids love tacos (which ones don't?), but you would like to change it up from the usual "taco meat", you need to give these chorizo and potato tacos a try...they are just as easy and inexpensive to prepare, and you'll love the change...

Chorizo and Potato Tacos

16-20oz. pkg. refrigerated shredded potatoes
2 tbs. canola oil
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 lb. fresh chorizo

Serve with crunchy tacos or soft tortillas of choice and your favorite taco toppings- we used just shredded queso Chihuahua, and Tapatío hot sauce. On the side we had shredded romaine, avocado, pickled jalapeños, and white beans dressed with diced red onion, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, and garlic.

Brown the chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat (cast iron works nicely for this); once browned remove to a paper towel lined plate and drain off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium heat, add the oil and once it is hot, add the potatoes in an even layer. Cook until browned all over, about 20 minutes- the trick is to not fuss with the potatoes too much, but to allow them a chance to brown before flipping them. Once the potatoes are brown, add back the chorizo and toss to combine before heating through. Serve with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy.

And the winner is...

2010-12-27T14:51:00.001-05:00

Maddie, Becky, Ben, Kallie, and Sandy

I hope that everyone had a wonderful (and safe) Christmas. The five of us traveled to Toledo to spend Christmas with Ben's family. On Christmas Eve my beautiful mother-in-law prepared a lavish (and most delicious) spread for seventeen (yes, I said 17) and then it was off to the Christmas tree for the Walgreens gift exchange. This has become a fun tradition where we draw names the day before and then go shopping at Walgreens to find the "perfect" gift for a whole $5!! This adventure has resulted in some very interesting finds, including some unexpectedly nice ones...although, I have a double dare issued to Ben to actually try the beer and nuts he got from cousin Nick this year ;-)

The real event of the evening was the 3rd Annual Kolacky Contest. Ben enters this contest, not I, as he has told me I'm not "allowed" to because I'm not "blood" (Slovak that is). Who's to argue?...he makes a fine kolacky and it's one less thing for me to make each year :-) The kolacky are judged on appearance, how much filling makes it to the end of the roll, taste, and similarity to the original (that would be Chief's, Ben's grandmother). Cousin Maddie entered for the first time and snapped up the first place prize, proving to everyone that she is the reincarnation of Chief in whose honor the contest was started. Ben perfected his pastry this year, but cut back on his poppy seed filling...a move that resulted in a slide from last year's second place winning (after his mother's, who can argue?) to third this year :-( There's always next year...but he's going to have to compete against Christopher who says he's entering next year :-)

I'm giving you the recipe that everyone uses. This recipe does not include a lot of detail, but is as it was passed down from Chief, so it is up to each baker to interpret it...Ben's family traditionally uses poppy seed filling for the large rolls pictured here, but there are a multitude of fillings available. Ben's Aunt kallie makes absolutely delicious, melt in your mouth, small kolacky and my favorite of these have an apricot filling.

Kolacky

1 pkg. yeast (proofed)

2 sticks butter

2 tbs. sour cream

1 cup half and half

4 egg yolks (beaten)

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tbs. sugar

4 cups flour

Mix together, add yeast mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Punch, knead, and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll to 1/4" thickness in a rectangle. Spread filling 1" from edge, roll up, and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow to rise two hours covered with plastic wrap. Brush with butter, pierce holes in the top with a toothpick or fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Oh my easy Tex Mex goodness...

2010-12-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

Chile Rubbed Pork Chop with

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

We had had chili earlier in the week and there was still half a cast iron skillet of cornbread left (made with diced jalapeños :). I had some fresh chorizo in the fridge (bu,t of course), so I knew I wanted to make a cornbread stuffing using the chorizo. But what to have with? I was paging through the January 2011 issue of Food and Wine magazine, and near the very end I happened across a recipe for grilled chile pork chops and I had my answer.

Now it's 10 degrees and snowy outside, so I was not going to venture outside to cook these, so i just seared them up nicely in the same skillet I used for the chorizo and aromatics. The pork was juicy and ever so flavorful, while the stuffing was delicious with a bit of heat from the chorizo. Ben commented that the stuffing would have been nice inside some nice fat chops, and that would have made a very nice way to serve them (although this was so much easier).

Chile Rubbed pork Chops

(adapted from Food and Wine, Jan 2011)

4 thin pork chops, loin or sirloin, bone-in or bone out, your choice

1 tbs. ancho chili powder

1 tbs. ground corriander

1 tbs, Mexican oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

juice and zest of 1 lime

1/4 cup olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

lime wedges, for serving

Place the chops into a glass dish. Combine the remaining ingredients well and rub over the surfaces of the chops to cover completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. A half hour before cooking set the chops on the counter to come to room temperature. Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place in the chops, working in batches if necessary so as to not crowd the pan, and leave to cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip the chops and cook the other side for 4 minutes; remove from the heat and keep warm while cooking the remaining chops (if necessary). Serve the chops with lime wedges.

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

5 cups crumbled cornbread, left uncovered overnight on the counter
1/2 lb. fresh chorizo, removed from the casing and crumbled
1 large yellow onion, diced
inner leafy parts of a head of celery, chopped
2 jalapeños, finely diced (optional- mine were in the cornbread)
2 cups (or more) chicken stock

1 egg

Cook the chorizo over medium heat until almost cooked through; if there is a lot of visible fat in the pan, spoon it off, otherwise, don't worry about it. Add the diced onion and celery and continue cooking over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Add the chorizo mixture to the cornbread and toss to combine. Pour one cup of chicken stock into a measuring cup and beat in the egg until completely combined; pour over the cornbread and toss to combine. Add more stock as desired (some people like their stuffing "wetter" than others). Turn into a baking dish and place uncovered in a 350 degree oven until the egg is set and the edges and top are browned and crispy, about 45 minutes.

For the Brussels sprouts haters out there...

2010-12-22T10:04:00.000-05:00

Bacon Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

and Grilled Steak topped with Bleu Cheese

(lot, and lots of bleu cheese...umm, umm, um)

I like Brussels sprouts just fine, as do Ben and Nicole, but Matt and Chris do not (although I blame Chris's dislike on hearing his brother state years ago That HE didn't like them). One of the latest cooking show rages is to saute the sprouts with bacon or pancetta...and the promise is always that this is a dish for those who swear they hate Brussels sprouts. I like the sprouts anyway, and bacon is always good...so if this would make the boys like them too, than all the better.

I halved these and broke them apart into leaves before cooking, which was a little time consuming, but I really liked how this allowed more of the sprouts to brown up into caramelized goodness, so it was worth the effort. Now if I could say they were a hit with the boys (big sigh)... Matt wasn't home to try them and Chris only ate them begrudgedly, still convinced he didn't like them before one bacon glazed leaf ever touched his lips. Oh well, the rest of us really liked them...

Bacon Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

1 1lb. pkg. fresh Brussels Sprouts (if you have a choice, get the smallest ones you can get)

1/4 lb. bacon, diced

coarse salt & fresh ground black pepper

Wash and dry the sprouts; with a paring knife, halve and cut out the bit of core before breaking apart into leaves. In a large non-stick pan saute the bacon over medium heat until crispy; remove to a paper towel lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan. Add the leaves, season with salt and pepper, and saute over medium heat until cooked to your preference (I like a lot of browning but don't want them too soft). Just before serving toss in the reserved bacon. One pound of sprouts will give you four generous servings.

A little beer is always good...

2010-12-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

Beer Brat with Caramelized Onions

and Twice Baked Potato Casserole

I found a family pack of brats on sale and knew immediately what I wanted to make...so a trip back to the bakery for some nice hot dog buns and a trip to produce for onions and I was off...

Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions

1 pkg, fresh brats (I used 8 from a larger pkg.)

2 lbs. yellow onions, peeled, halved & sliced thickly

4 tbs (1/2 stick) butter, not margarine

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

12 oz. bottle/can of beer (whatever you have around)

good quality buns and a coarse grain mustard to serve

Place the brats in a baking dish and then in a 350 degree oven; cook, turning occasionally, until nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Place the onion and butter in a fairly large pan with a lid; season with salt and pepper, cook the onions over medium heat until richly browned, stirring occasionally, about 25-30 minutes.

Pour in half the beer to deglaze the pan- make sure you scrape up all the good bits. Nestle the cooked brats into the onions and pour fat from the baking dish (on to paper towels and into the trash is easy). Using the remaining beer, deglaze the baking dish; pour this liquid into the pan with the brats and onions. Cover the pan and simmer 10-15 minutes; uncover and raise the heat to medium- cook until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve the brats in good sturdy buns smeared with grainy mustard and a generous amount of the onions.

These onions were delicious; reminiscent of French onion soup. Since Christopher would not eat them with his brats (ketchup...yuk!!), I had some left over. I spread these on flat bread and topped it with some Swiss cheese before putting it in the oven to get all nice and toasty...supper yum ;-)

Now that's some good (cheap) steak...

2010-12-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

Steak with Mixed Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze,

Fresh Green Beans and Whole Grain Rice Blend

Almost every morning I get a new recipe from Epicurious.com and when I saw this one I just knew I had to make it. I bought a large inexpensive piece of sirloin and used 1/2 for this meal, sticking the other half away in the freezer (I'll probably make this again). This dish was incredibly easy to make, and by making sure not to cook this too long, even the inexpensive sirloin is tender and flavorful...dare to cook this well done though and I think you'll have leather. The pomegranate sauce was divine...you have to try this...

Steak with Mixed Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze

1 1 1/4-pound top sirloin steak (about 1 inch thick)

Peppercorn mélange, coarsely ground

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 cup pomegranate juice

4 teaspoons (packed) light brown sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Sprinkle steak very generously with coarsely ground peppercorn mélange and salt. Sprinkle each side of steak with half of chopped rosemary. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to platter to rest. Add pomegranate juice, golden brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to skillet; boil until reduced to scant 1/4 cup glaze, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season glaze to taste with salt.

. Slice steak; divide and arrange alongside what ever you are serving it with. Drizzle glaze generously over steak and serve.

I still had half the bottle of pomegranate juice left so I made a vinaigrette. This sweet tart dressing was perfect over greens with a sprinkling of walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles. I also mixed some with dijon mustard and basted some salmon with it before broiling; that was super good too.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1 cup pomegranate juice
4 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Whisk all the ingredients together and store in the fridge. Shake well before using. I had mine around for about three weeks and it did not seem to lose any quality during that time.

Some (belated) Thanksgiving treats...

2010-12-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

We had an overabundance of marshmallows in the house left over from various scouting events this summer and fall, and knowing that they won't keep until spring (not and remain soft anyway), we needed some ways to use them up. Chris wanted to make a contribution to the Thanksgiving sweets selection, so he used one bag to make some cereal treats, using a corn cereal instead of rice crispies (Hey, ya gotta use what you have). You can't tell it from this action shot, but the marshmallows Chris microwaved to soften became HUGE...which got us to wondering what would happen if we nukerated the fist sized marshmallows we had in the pantry from Grandma S...we've yet to try that :-)

All set and ready to cut...

Chris cutting them up and stacking on a plate...and yes, he does have a cheek full...

Yum yum, and a nice change from the ubiquitous rice crispies...

I made pilgrim hats cookies last year for the November Cub Scout pack meeting and had been requested to do it again, so that was good for another two bags. The first step is to "glue" the marshmallows to the fudge stripe cookies with a bit of chocolate frosting (or vanilla)...

We also had chocolate bars left from the summer so I used those to make the coating; you could use chocolate chips. Run a heavy knife over the chocolate and place in a microwavable bowl with a good glug of cream.

Microwave at 50% power for two minutes and then stir until all the chocolate bits are melted.

The cookies were placed on cooling racks over waxed paper. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies to cover completely; the excess will drip below and leave a nice finish on the cookies. Leave the cookies for a few hours and the chocolate will firm up again; albeit, not quite as firm as the original chocolate since a bit of cream was added, but it is the cream and the tempering of the chocolate from the stirring that gives it the glossy look.

Once the cookies were firm I scrapped the chocolate from the waxed paper and microwaved to use it again.

The finished pilgrim hat cookies...I thought I had bought a small tube of yellow icing to pipe on buckles but found that I had instead bought gel (fail! as Christopher would tell me). The cubbies had just wrapped up their popcorn sale for the year so I popped some scout corn and used the kernels as the buckles, using a bit of frosting as glue again. The leftover chocolate? The remelted chocolate was drizzled over graham crackers and dusted with sprinkles. So easy, but these things were devoured.

Long time no see (read)...

2010-12-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

Cholula Chipotle Wings

Hello everyone...it's been awhile, hasn't it? I wrapped up my first semester of grad school yesterday and does it ever feel good to be done. A few other students have told me that the first semester is the hardest and that it gets easier now...let's just hope that's true :) I certainly learned that I need to improve my time management skills...and to think, I always thought those were pretty good :) Oh well...I'll write about the past semester sometime soon on my other blog if you're interested in the gory details.

I've got lots to share, and with it nearly being Christmas, lots more to come...so here's hoping for some consistent writing efforts (for a while anyway). When I last wrote in October, I had earlier in the week received a shipment of Cholula salsas picantes (hot sauces) to review. The Cholula has a wonderful flavor and for that I would recommend it; but if you are looking for heat, you'll want to look elsewhere. I found the original to be a wonderful addition to a fried egg on toast (Christopher's comment- "You want some egg with your hot sauce?"). The Chili Garlic we sprinkled on our Pasta de Picadillo where it added a very nice note. The Chili Lime I'm not to sure of, I'm going to have to try it with some chicken or fish. The Chipotle I found to be very tasty, with just a touch of sweetness to set off the smokiness. This one I have found particularly enjoyable sprinkled on cheese pizza. Remembering how much I liked the chipotle maple sauce I had tossed my oven baked wings with, I decided to try the Cholula Chipotle as a wing sauce. I took some crispy wings from the oven and tossed them in the Cholula, no butter or anything else added, and this was indeed a wonderful use for the sauce, and it could not have been any easier. If you are looking for a "hot" sauce with a lot a flavor but a mild heat, Cholula is a must try.

A new twist on a Cuban favorite...

2010-10-29T09:40:00.000-04:00

Picadillo con Frijoles Negros, Arroz Amarillo, y Aguacate

Pasta de Picadillo

One of my favorite, and oh so easy Cuban dishes is Picadillo...think of it like a Latin American sloppy joe or meat sauce, and it can be used as is, or as a filling for empanadas or chiles rellanos. Normally we have this with white or yellow (saffron) rice, black beans, and avocado, but we had just had rice the night before, and while I was desiring the salty and sweet flavors of the dish, I felt like mixing things up a bit, so I tossed it with a whole wheat farfalle (bow tie pasta, Christopher's favorite shape)...no rice or beans, and the avocado was on the salad served on the side. Either way you make it, this is an easy and wonderfully tasty dish that you should really try...

Picadillo

1 lb. lean ground beef (I use turkey)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped fine
1 med. green bell pepper, chopped fine (I've made it without too)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup raisins
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 6oz. can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1/2 heaping cup small Spanish olives, halved (pimento stuffed or not)

Cook the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil over medium high heat until softened and just starting to turn golden; add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the ground meat and brown it, breaking it up into small bits. Add the remaining ingredients, except the olives, mix well, reduce heat and simmer for a half hour or so...it will be nice and thick...taste it for seasoning and stir in the olive halves. If you really like a salty bit, you can stir in a few tablespoons of drained capers. Use in what ever manner you wish and say yum.

The soup time of year...

2010-10-24T09:38:00.000-04:00

Minestrone

The chill in the air signals that it is time to start making soup...I know, I know, there are all kinds of warm weather, usually chilled, soups, but to me, soup belongs to fall and winter, and as much as I may try to like the "summer" soups, they just don't do much for me. I have made this minestrone recipe for years and it is most certainly a family favorite...make it a meal with some crusty bread and a salad (and pat yourself on the back for a job well done)...

Minestrone
adapted from Williams Sonoma Soups

1 med. onion, diced
1 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic. minced (2 tsp.)
1 large carrot, diced small
1/4 small cabbage, sliced thin
1 med. zucchini, diced small
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
1 tbs, sugar
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
6 cups beef (or vegetable) broth
1 15oz. can cannellini or great northern beans
1/2 cup elbow macaroni or small shells (I used whole wheat)
3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese, shredded, for serving

Sweat the onion in the oil over medium heat until softened; stir in the garlic, cabbage, zucchini, and seasonings, cook for a few minutes more. Add the undrained tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduced the heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the pasta and beans (drain if you wish, I don't), bring to a boil, and cook uncovered just until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and top each bowl with a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan.

Cook once, eat a bunch...

2010-10-23T10:34:00.000-04:00

Slow Roasted Pork with Pan Gravy, Hush puppies, and Mixed Veg

Boneless pork loin is one of my favorite sale items...this lean meat is infinitely versatile, and at $1.99 a pound ($1.77 the following week), one of the more economical protein choices available. Normally I will cut the loin up into several portions...a small roast, some nice chops, and chunk up the ends...but this time around I roasted the whole thing on a Sunday and then made different meals from the already roasted pork throughout the following week...what a great time saver! This meat was so tender and flavorful; and while I used a smokey and slightly spicy rub here, the possibilities are endless, just use a generous amount of whatever herbs and spices you like for the rub and then follow the roasting guidelines (you will not be disappointed)...

Slow Roasted Pork Loin

I whole pork loin (however large you like)
a very generous amount of herbs and spices, use whatever sounds good, I used the same dry rub I had used on my pork spareribs, but added some cayenne.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rub the pork loin all over with whatever herbs and spices sound delish to you at the moment, just make sure you use a lot; if you have the chance to do this the night before and refrigerate, all the better. Place the loin, fat side up, in a roasting pan pour a cup of chicken stock into the bottom of the pan, and roast for 10 minutes; reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and roast 20-25 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Remove to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

While the loin was resting I placed the roasting pan over two burners on my stove, and over medium high heat, deglazed the pan with some more chicken stock. I poured this into a small saucepan, brought it to a boil and thickened it with a cornstarch slurry. I used this as a sauce over the delicious, tender pork slices...it had an almost BBQ flavor that was very nice with the pork and the hush puppies I had on the side.

One of our favorite uses of the leftovers was to make "pulled pork"...I just shredded some up, topped it with our favorite bottled BBQ sauce (Jack Daniel's Original No. 7), and served it on soft buns...umm, umm, good...

My second product review...

2010-10-22T07:14:00.000-04:00

Well, what is it...

It's a 4-pack of Cholula Hot Sauce!!


Let's see...we have Original, Chili Garlic, Chipotle, and Chili Lime...

I love this unexpected perk of food blogging...being asked to cook with and write about food products, things I love to do anyway. It does, however, mean that I need to get back to some original and creative cooking...I've still been cooking, but mostly from my quick and easy repertoire...this calls for some recipe creating (and I still have seven bottles of Jarritos waiting in the pantry too!!)...

Funny...there seem to be more peanuts than BEFORE I took out the bottles...

The end of summer...

2010-10-17T08:21:00.000-04:00


The last of Christopher's tomatoes...

The end of summer...its enough to make me cry...soon enough it will be cold and miserable here (at least for me). This October has been full of crazy weather, high 80's on some days, followed by low 60's, and some of the nights have been in THE THIRTIES...but, this is Ohio and we really can't expect to be consistent...

With the unpredictable weather, Christopher and I harvested the last of our container crops last week. I pickled more jalapeños, dried herbs, and have been cooking with the bell peppers...but that last basket of cheery red tomatoes? Tomato Pie!! This simple pie is one of my favorite treats of summer and a fitting way to end the summer tomatoes. Give this a try if you have any (good) tomatoes lying around and try to make summer last just a bit longer...

Tomato Pie

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes (summer tomatoes are the best)
2 tbs, cornstarch
1 prepared pie crust (purchased or homemade)
1 cup light mayo
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shreds (I used 2%)
a big handful fresh basil (we grew this too)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the tomatoes into smallish chunks, no need to peel, if there is a lot of the wet, seedy pulp, go ahead and let that fall out; let the tomato rest in a bowl while you prepare the crust, basil, and mayo. Prepare the crust in a pie plate, sprinkle a handful of the cheese on the bottom and set aside; mix the mayo and the remaining cheese; julienne the basil. In this time some liquid has accumulated around the tomato chunks...pour that off and toss the pieces with the cornstarch.

Layer 1/2 of the tomatoes in the pie plate, sprinkle on 1/2 of the basil, and drop a bit less than 1/2 of the mayo-cheese mixture in tiny spoonfuls across the top. Take your fingertips and spread out the mayo a bit for better coverage. repeat the layer with the remaining ingredients. Place the prepared pie on a cookie sheet to catch any drips and bake for 10 minutes. reduce the heat to 350 and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbly and thick, and the mayo-cheese topping is nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before serving. Best warm or at room temperature. This is a wonderful light lunch or dinner served with a green salad, or it makes a great breakfast all on its own...I should know, I ate this for the rest of the week.

Tomato Pie Perfection...

Now that's better...

2010-10-16T20:22:00.000-04:00

Jersey Breakfast

Long time no read 8-( This whole school thing has left me thinking that there just are not enough hours in the day, but after this past week (don't ask), I feel the need to spend some time here...so let's see if I can pick up where i left off (and maybe bank a few posts too)...

After our experiment with The Lipitor Special, I still had better than half of the Taylor Pork Roll left, and not being one to waste anything (not intentionally, anyway), I decided to make the Jersey Breakfast sandwich mentioned in the Wiki post I had read to find out what the blasted thing was in the first place.

I sliced the roll thin, no more than 1/4", slit the edges to keep it from curling, and browned it nicely on both sides. The pork roll actually crisped up nicely and had a taste (somewhat) reminiscent of bacon. I layered this on toasted English muffins with fried eggs (no runny yolks) and the remaining white American cheese, which wasn't so bad on its own without the offending Miracle Whip. These weren't too bad, and while I won't be in a hurry to buy the pork roll again, this was truly the better way to prepare it...and hey, if its on sale, I might just buy it again just to make these...

The Lipitor Special...

2010-09-23T10:36:00.000-04:00

The Lipitor Special (and if you eat it all, you'll need a Lipitor)

Ben and I were shopping again at Jungle Jim's (International Market) when we found a package of Taylor Pork Roll. I had never heard of this product before, but Ben was reminded of a Michael Symon recipe he had read online and quickly pulled out his PDA to look it up (good use for a smart phone if you ask me :-). The recipe is for a sandwich/burger called the Lipitor Special and was touted as a "Hangover Helper". I'm always up for trying new things, even those ungodly bad for us things that Ben finds, so we bought the roll.

My burger...2 slices of bacon, egg cooked through

We both love Michael Symon, so much that we are planning to road trip to Cleveland sometime JUST to dine at one of his restaurants, so I followed the recipe exactly as given (despite the use of Miracle Whip and American cheese). The "burgers" were pretty good,but a bit on the sweet side and terribly difficult to eat...I ended up pulling out my slice of pork roll and feeding it to the dog, not that she minded. We decided on some changes that might encourage to make this again...a smaller roll, or perhaps an English muffin...a 1/2 rather than 1 inch thick slice of pork roll...reduce the bacon to 2 slices...extra sharp cheddar instead of the American...and finally, mayo instead of the Miracle Whip. I'll be sure to let you know if we make this again.

One very good thing that came from this was the pickled onions. I used Symon's recipe from his cookbook, Live to Cook, and they were fabulous. We will be topping many things with these, especially considering how easy they were to make.

Pickled Onions
adapted from Michael Symon

1 lb. red onions, sliced
white vinegar
sugar
Kosher salt
1 tbs. mustard seeds (I used 1 tsp. ground mustard)
1 tbs. coriander seeds ( i used 1 tsp. ground coriander)
1/2 tbs. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbs. black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves (I halved them lengthwise)
1 bay leaf

Place the onion slices in a clean jar and add enough water to just barely cover; por out the water into a large measuring cup and replace 1/2 of it with vinegar. Pour the liquid into a non-reactive saucepan and add the remaining seasonings, using 2 tbs. of sugar and salt for 3 cups of liquid; bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Pour the liquid over the onions (they will wilt some), screw on the cap and refrigerate (I did let mine cool first) for up to one month (they won't last that long).

The Lipitor Special

1 good quality brioche hamburger bun
4 slices smoked bacon
1 one-inch-thick slice of Taylor pork roll
2 slices white American cheese
1 egg
pickled red onions
1 tsp. Miracle Whip
pickled jalapeños (I used mine)

Cook bacon till crisp in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Set the bacon aside but reserve fat in pan to fry the pork roll for 1 minute per side (I did spoon off a lot of bacon fat before proceeding). After flipping pork roll, top it with cheese to melt. Remove pork roll and set aside. Cook egg over easy (I cooked Ben's this way, but cooked mine till the yolk was set). Drain excess fat from pan and toast bun in the pan—it’ll still soak up that good bacon grease. Place Miracle Whip on bun, top with pork roll, bacon, egg, jalapeños, and pickled onions, and eat immediately. Ben dipped his O rings in the runny yolk like it was ketchup and declared it delicious.

I love Mario (Batali, not the brothers)...

2010-09-19T11:39:00.000-04:00


Pollo alla Diavola

Ben and I recently had two weeks sans children, leaving us able to eat what ever we wanted, how ever spicy we wanted it. One night we had Mario Batali's Devil Chicken made with an incredible amount of crushed red pepper, flavored with sweet smoked paprika, and finished with spicy smoked paprika. The taste was incredible (we especially liked that final dusting with the spicy paprika), deep and smokey; if you don't like things quite so hot, just cut the amount of crushed red pepper but leave the smoked paprikas, they completely make this dish. The leftovers made delicious sandwiches, requiring only crusty rolls and a slice of provolone.

Pollo alla Diavola
adapted from Mario batali's Italian Grill

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 oz. orange juice
6oz. lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 tbs. crushed red pepper flakes (yes, 5)
2 tbs. pimentón dulce (sweet Spanish smoked paprika)
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Pimentón picante, for serving (hot Spanish smoked paprika)

Several hours before cooking, and up to the day before, mix the juices, olive oil, pepper flakes, sweet paprika, and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a gallon zip-lock bag; add the chicken and refrigerate until needed. Grill the chicken until just done and let rest. Serve with a generous sprinkling of the hot smoked paprika.

Pasta alla Diavola

We had this chicken with a nice pasta that was very easy to put together and continued that flavor profiles of the chicken.

reserved marinade from above
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
6 (or so) cups chopped veggies (I used yellow zucchini, onion, and green bell pepper)
olive oil, as needed
1 lb. cooked pasta of choice (I used whole grain penne)

Drizzle the veggies with a bit of olive oil and roast or grill to your desired doneness, remembering that the longer you cook them, the sweeter they will become...I cooked ours on the grill in that grill basket that has become one of my favorite cooking tools. In a medium saucepan, boil the marinade with the wine and stock until it becomes syrupy, but at least for 5 minutes (think food safety). Toss the pasta, veggies, and sauce together and serve.

More sauerkraut...

2010-09-15T09:14:00.000-04:00


German Sundae

First the potatoes...

I STILL had some of that jar of sauerkraut left, along with three small boiled potatoes I had reserved from making the German Potato Salad. As I won't be able to attend the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival in my hometown of Waynesville this year, I thought I would recreate one of my favorite eats, one that I get every year that I go, the German Sundae. This dish is comprised of (very, very) buttery roasted potato slices topped with sauerkraut, shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, and an olive on top. I know, you're thinking that that sounds gross, but really, it is delicious and I wouldn't lie to you about that!

then the kraut...

Since I was in charge this go around, I thought I would construct a better for me "Sundae" while I was at it. I took the three small red potatoes (warmed) and broke them up into chunks; I used these as the bottom layer, like the original, but omitted the (ton of) butter. On top of this I layered my leftover kraut (warmed), and topped that with a handful of 2% extra sharp cheddar cheese shreds, a sprinkling of (real) bacon bits, a dollop of fat free sour cream, and a nice ripe olive...yum, yum, yum. Be adventurous and the next time you have a bit of leftover kraut, be sure to give this a try ;-D


then every thing else and eat it up yum...

I can make that!!

2010-09-12T07:23:00.001-04:00


Reuben with Homemade German Potato Salad

I had leftover sauerkraut and bacon from last weekend's Pretzel Burgers. The German potato salad we had purchased from the deli had been pretty good, but I knew I could do better...and for the sauerkraut?...some deli corned beef and I was ready to make Reubens, the perfect companion for the potato salad. We will occasionally buy Read German Potato Salad in the can as an easy side, but no more, this salad was just too easy, and too damn tasty to ever buy the can again.

German Potato Salad

2 lbs. small red potatoes
1/2 lb. bacon (I used thick cut peppered bacon)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs, good quality mustard (I used German mustard)
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 bunch scallions, green and white parts, chopped

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water; bring to a boil, salt generously and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle. While the potatoes are cooking, dice the bacon and cook in a large saute pan over med-high heat until crisp; remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside, reserving the drippings in the pan. Over medium heat whisk in the vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt; cook until bubbly and starting to thicken (this will not take long). Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice into thin rounds or cut into small cubes (your preference) and toss in the pan with the vinegar mixture. Toss in the chopped scallions and reserved bacon before serving hot, at room temperature, or cold (we had it at room temperature).

From a pretzel to a burger...

2010-09-11T09:34:00.001-04:00


Brezelburger mit Sauerkraut, Speck und Senf

Okay, that would be a pretzel burger with sauerkraut, bacon and mustard (Ben is the German wiz in the house). Last weekend we knew we wanted burgers and whilst shopping at Jungle Jim's (International Market) we set off seeking some nice buns (for burgers, of course). What drew our attention were some very handsome pretzel rolls...and what do pretzels need but mustard and cheese (sauce)? So off we went, now seeking mustard and cheese. Well, one thing led to another, and in the search for a "good" mustard, we ended up with a German mustard, which lead to sauerkraut (Bavarian style), which lead to bacon, which lead to the creation of our "Pretzel Burger" (isn't it wonderful how our minds wander?). We picked up some German potato salad at the deli and had that alongside our burgers with some additional sauerkraut. While I could not finish mine (okay Ben, no more 1/2 lb. burgers), I can definitely say it was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten.

Since we are kinda nerdy, and like to match our beverage to our food, we also went seeking some German beer (Reisling just wouldn't cut it for a burger of this magnitude). What we found was a Lithuaian triple bock (close enough, right?) by the name of Before and After, and coming in at a whopping 12% alcohol, this is a very apt name indeed. This beer did not taste as strongly of alcohol as I had feared, and being a bit on the sweet (and dark) side, I quite liked this one, more so than Ben, the beer aficionado of the family. Funny, I don't like sweet wine, but I like sweet beer (oh, well).

The recipe that follows isn't really a recipe so much as what we put on our burgers; which toppings you decide to use and in what quantities is entirely up to you, we just hope to provide a little tasty inspiration.

German Pretzel Burger

Honking 1/2 lb. patties ready for the grill

burger patties grilled to your liking (we used 80/20 chuck cooked to medium)
pretzel rolls, split and toasted
crisp, cooked bacon (we used thick cut peppered bacon)
extra sharp cheddar cheese slices
good quality mustard (please, something better than the cheap yellow stuff)
sauerkraut, squeezed dry and warmed through

Assemble your burgers, using as much. or as little, of the listed ingredients. Ben put the bacon slices under the cheese on the grill and melted everything to a nice ooey gooey goodness.

The burger up above was Ben's, this is mine, not piled quite so high.

A steak, a potato, and a glass of wine...

2010-09-10T07:51:00.000-04:00

Grilled Steak, Steamed Broccoli, and a Salted Baked Potato

We had some nice rib eyes tucked away in the freezer (they lasted a whole three weeks), and with the weather being so nice, we decided to throw them on the grill. Ben's initial suggestion was a rice pilaf to accompany, but as we have been eating so much rice, I suggested baked potatoes (we don't eat so many potatoes). The only food I remember ever really liking at The Cracker Barrel (a popular chain restaurant for those unfamiliar) was a salt crusted baked potato (if that's all I remember you can rightly guess that I wasn't highly impressed). This potato was what I had in mind and this was a very successful imitation indeed. I especially loved the salty crisp skin and will most certainly make these again. We had a wonderful bottle of Gascón Malbec from Argentina with this meal...this particular wine is one of my all time favorites. If you like a full bodied dry red wine be sure to give this one a try sometime.

Salted Baked Potatoes

medium baking potatoes
canola oil
kosher salt

Scrub the potatoes clean several hours before you wish to bake them so that they will be completely dry. Pierce the potatoes several times each, and place the in a bowl; drizzle with a bit of canola oil and turn them around in the bowl to coat completely. Sprinkle the potatoes with a generous amount of kosher salt, turning them so that all sides have some salt adhere to them. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and place the potatoes directly on the rack above the sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the skin is crispy. Serve the potatoes so that each person may crack that delicious skin them selves and top however you like to top baked potatoes (we used fat free sour cream).

Dinner for a busy night...

2010-09-08T21:10:00.000-04:00


Greek Olive Chicken served on a bed of Greek Salad

I have had this recipe written on a recipe card for so long that I don't even remember where I got it. This is a super easy and delicious dinner option for those busy nights. We had this sliced and served over a Greek salad made of romaine, red onion, tomatoes halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and finished with a lemon vinaigrette.

Greek Olive Chicken

1 large lemon, thinly sliced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbs, olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and layer the lemon slices on the bottom; arrange the chicken breasts on top of the slices. Mix the olive oil, garlic, chopped olives, and oregano; spread this mixture evenly over the top of the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

So many chilies...

2010-09-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

Our jalapeño plants continue to to give us heaps of chilies, so I just had to try this simple pickling method I found in The New York Times. I had a pound of jalapeños so I simply increased the amounts given in the recipe...yes, we really do eat that many chilies. I did add some sugar to the recipe to balance the vinegar, and the result was fantastic. These ended up being crisp like a fresh chili, while having a nice pickled flavor...the best of both worlds. As I'll be picking another batch next weekend, I think some more of these will be in order.

Tangy Salted Chilies
adapted from The New York Times

3 oz. fresh chilies of choice
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp.white sugar

Slice chili peppers very thinly. Place them in a jar and stir in vinegar, salt, and sugar. Cover loosely with a lid, or with cheesecloth and a rubber band. Refrigerate for five days, then close lid tightly. Keep stored in refrigerator; peppers will last for several weeks or months.Adjust the recipe accordingly for a larger quantity of chilies.

Makes about 3/4 cup

The time is here...

2010-08-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

Wow...I can't believe the summer is over already. I have officially started graduate school, and while excited, I would be lying if I didn't admit to a bit of trepidation as well...it's about time I kick start this creaky brain of mine, say good bye to my life of leisure (Ha!!), and get back to a more rigorous routine (intellectual anyway :-). My friend Trish shared a most helpful article from The Chronicle of Higher Education (thanks dear :) full of info for new grad students. I have already followed some of the hints offered, and in the near future may also be adding a grad school blog and/or website to help "brand" myself. The "Mary Brand" sounds pretty funny doesn't it?

I'm going to continue cooking, and continue taking my (bad) photos, but I daresay that I won't be posting as often. Please don't forget about me though, I am still aiming for the weekends and breaks, and I will continue to READ food blogs, because hey, a girl still has to read about what she loves...

I'll leave you for now with this wonderfully delicious peach pie I made this weekend. I will tell you though, Ben and I had a bit of disagreement over this one...I intentionally did not use much sugar, and while I loved that the peaches retained a certain tartness against the sweetness, Ben did not think it was sweet enough. If you decide to try this and like things a bit sweeter than I, you may wish to add more sugar. Enjoy!

Streusel Topped Peach Pie

1 prepared pie crust, homemade or purchased
For the filling:
3 lbs. ripe peaches, pitted and sliced thin, retaining the skin
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 heaping tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
For the topping:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar
large pinch of salt
6 tbs. butter
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a deep dish pie plate with the prepared crust (I don't have a deep dish plate, so I put the excess filling into an a buttered individual casserole dish). Mix the peach slices with the other filling ingredients until well combined and coated; spoon into the prepared crust. Mix the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl; cit in the butter until the mixture resembles large crumbs. Stir in the chopped walnuts and spread evenly over the top of the peaches.

Place the pie on a cookie sheet to catch any drips (foil would be helpful too...I wish I had remembered). Bake for 1/2 hour; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 50-60 minutes, or until nicely browned and the juices are thick. Let the pie rest for an hour or two before serving. Vanilla ice cream is nice with this, especially if you go with the lower sugar as I have made it.

um, um good...

A breakfast (or dinner) treat...

2010-08-22T09:35:00.000-04:00


Chorizo and Potato Breakfast Burrito

It's no secret that I love burritos for breakfast, and this one with chorizo and potatoes is particularly nice for a weekend morning. I think of this as being a "breakfast" burrito because of the eggs, but truly, it would be delicious any time. This makes a lot of filling, but a gentle reheating in the microwave will give you breakfast for another day or two after as well, and this is never a bad thing.

Chorizo and Potato Breakfast Burritos

1 lb. small, thin skinned potatoes
1 large onion, diced large
1 tbs. olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
12oz. Mexican (fresh) chorizo
8 eggs, beaten
To serve: large flour tortillas, cheese of choice, fresh (or pickled) jalapeño slices, salsa of choice, and avocado slices (unfortunately, I did not have one this morning)

Dice up the potatoes into small, bite sized pieces and toss with the onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees F on a foil lined baking sheet for 30 minutes. Meanwhile. cook the chorizo in a large saute pan until cooked through; remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Wipe the pan with a paper towel to remove most of the fat and pour in the eggs; scramble until almost done and fold in the chorizo. Place a portion of potatoes with some chorizo and egg into a large flour tortilla, garnish as desired, roll it up an eat :)


Now pick that bad boy up and eat it ;-D

These jalapeños came from our deck garden.

Mahogany's Cafe and Grill, Hamilton, Ohio

2010-08-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

It was with much anticipation that I had lunch with my friend Tracey at Mahogany's Cafe and Grill, a new restaurant in Hamilton. I was doubly excited by the prospect of this restaurant for it not only touted real southern style food (my oh my, heaven on a plate), but was opening in the second ward of Hamilton, an economically disadvantaged area of the city that would welcome a much needed new establishment with open arms.

I have found that anticipating a restaurant too much can lead to heightened expectations that can be hard to live up to. I think this is what happened when I first ate at certain BBQ joint that opened on Hamilton's west side a few years ago...the food wasn't bad, but nor was it the BBQ nirvana that I so badly wanted, and I left disappointed.

Well, I am very excited to report that Mahogany's lived up to those expectations and we will be returning here often. Even the 10 year old wanted to return to dine that very evening and bring his grandparents. Christopher and I both love fried catfish, and because of that whole not frying at home hangup of mine, have had to get out fix at The Texas Roadhouse, which has proved satisfactory, until now that is. Ben and I ate there last night and I could not even consider ordering it there again after having it at Mahogany's. If you are anywhere near Hamilton you must stop in for a visit; meanwhile you can visit them at their website, or on their Facebook page.

We ordered the fried green tomatoes to share. This was one dish that I came in knowing I was going to order (I do love fried green tomatoes, as does my 10 year old gourmand), and I was not disappointed. The crisp breading around the tart tomato was perfect, and the chipotle spiced sauce was an unexpected, but very delicious departure. Chris snatched one of these off the plate so quickly that I had to have him put it back so I could snap the picture :)

I ordered the fried catfish with buttery grits and fried okra. As I said earlier, I won't be ordering catfish at the Roadhouse any more, this was just sooo good. The grits were tender and decadently buttery (I didn't say this was DIET food), and the fried okra, which is often quite tasteless, was full of bright and tart okra flavor.

Chris ordered the fried catfish with fries and mac and cheese. All I can say is that the boy dug in and kept eating until he couldn't eat anymore. Both the fish and the mac and cheese was "really good" (the boy's words), but despite his heroic efforts, he could not eat it all. We both took food home (the portions were huge) where the boy later had a "catfish snack," eating not only his, but mine as well!

Tracey had the fried tilapia with mac and cheese and the basil corn. She said that her food was as delicious as we found ours to be, and that the corn, fried with butter and basil, was a delicious and different take on the common veg.

Accompanying our meals were huge sweet potato muffins. This was one of the best muffins I have ever eaten...Tracey and I were still talking about them days later. Liz Rogers, the owner of Mahogany's, told us that they are filling take out orders of these heavenly muffins by the dozen, and I can see why...I think we'll have to get some for breakfast sometime. I ended up taking half of mine home and Chris ate that too!!

Note: This was a wonderful place and I will definitely return here often, but discovered a disappointing little fact after leaving the restaurant. I received the bill and scribbled in a generous tip (the cute, friendly waiter did a great job) without really looking at the amounts (my bad). The next day Ben was looking at the receipt and found that a 15% gratuity had already been added in...can't say I expected that as we were not a large group. So all said, the cute, friendly waiter received a $10 tip on a $30 bill...not bad at all (for him). This won't keep me from returning, but I will certainly pay closer attention to my bill in the future.

More bargain dining goodness...

2010-08-17T06:23:00.000-04:00

Borsetti with Bacon Cream Sauce,

garnished with a Christopher home grown tomato

One of this week's grocery bargains was a 20oz. package of fresh borsetti filled with chicken and bacon (like ravioli, but shaped like little drawstring bags) for $3,49. Minus the dollar off coupon I had, this was too good to pass up (I couldn't make it myself for this cheap :). I did not want a tomato based sauce for this delicate pasta, and the small amount of bacon I had left in the fridge (that needed to be used, seems to have become a recurring theme here of late) made me think carbonara. Something about the eggs, however, did not seem right, so I just made a creamy sauce without the eggs. I diced up one of Christopher's beautiful home grown tomatoes and sprinkled this over the top of the prepared dishes...perfect!

Pasta with Bacon Cream Sauce

1 pkg. pasta of choice, fresh or dry

4 slices bacon, cut into thin ribbons

1 small onion, diced (I used a vidalia)

2 tbs. butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

1/2 cup grated parmesan

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare the pasta according to directions and set aside to keep warm; while the pasta is cooking start preparing the sauce. In a large saute pan brown the bacon over medium heat, once browned, add the onion with a bit of salt and pepper and cook until softened and just turning golden, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter and once melted, stir in the flour, cooking a minute or two to get rid of the raw flour taste. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, just a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan until melted. Taste to adjust the seasoning (you will probably want more pepper) before tossing the reserved pasta in the pan to coat with the sauce. Serve garnished with fresh parsley and diced, fresh, summer tomato.

Another first...

2010-08-16T07:53:00.000-04:00

BBQ Pork Spareribs, corn on the cob and homemade slaw

I don't order ribs in restaurants (gasp!)...I know, I'm weird, but I don't fancy the prospect of eating these messy things in public, and quite possibly (especially for me) ending up "wearing" my dinner. That said, I've never made ribs at home either...oh, sure, I've made the "country" style ribs, but those aren't really ribs, are they?...and whenever we have had a rib urge, have subsisted on packaged Montgomery Inn ribs from the grocery.

This week I found a huge pork sparerib rack at Kroger for $1.19 a pound and decided it was time for us to give this whole rib thing a try. An internet search revealed a plethora of cooking methods, and I ultimately decided roasting them in the oven (at a higher temp. and shorter time than recommended by many) with a dry rub, and finishing them on the grill with BBQ sauce. I came up with a basic rub that added a fantastic taste, and crust, to the ribs (some cayenne added to the rub would have been good too). I had planned on making my own BBQ sauce as well, but learned that one should not take off for the shower without remembering to turn the heat down under the sauce...how was it that Ben put it?..."It doesn't smell so good anymore." Jack Daniels Original No. 7 to the rescue (my favorite bottled sauce). These ribs were delicious and tender, but with a crisp crust from the rub (my favorite part) that was saltier than expected (but not in a bad way, just unexpected) considering the amount of salt to all the other ingredients. Ben was figuring how he would like to change the grilling end a bit to be able to get more sauce baked on them, but all an all, especially for a first attempt, these were outstanding.

BBQ Pork Spareribs

1 large rack of spareribs
2 tbs. brown sugar
2 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. coarse salt
1 tsp. onion powder
BBQ sauce of choice, as needed

The day before you plan to have them, take the rib rack and cut into smaller pieces (if you wish) for easier handling. Remove the silver skin and rub both sides of the pieces with the rub (use it all). Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Look at that delicious crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with foil (don't skip this, was the sugar and drippings will bake onto this instead of your pan). Place the ribs in the pan, fat side up, and roast for 45 minutes, turn over and roast an additional 45 minutes. The smell will be fantastic, and when you remove them from the oven, the meat may already be pulling away from the bone.

All saucy...

Finish the ribs on the grill, slathering with a liberal amount of your favorite BBQ sauce. You may also wish to throw some wood chips on the grill to give the ribs a smokey touch...Ben used hickory chips, and I'm oh so glad he did. Once all the BBQ sauce is nicely cooked onto the ribs, bring them in, cut between the bones into 1 or 2 rib portions, pile them up on a platter. Now take them to the table with a big pile of napkins. This huge rack (4+ lbs.) served four.

um, um, um, all gone...

Hot and cold on a summer day...

2010-08-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spicy Honey Ginger Salmon a bed of whole grain brown and wild rice, with a cooling side of Creamy Cucumber Salad

I was in the mood for salmon, but not just any salmon. I wanted some of the sweet and spicy Asian flavors that I love so well. This would be easy enough to accomplish with a few ingredients and a quick trip under the broiler...perfect food in that it is simple, quick, and delicious. But what to serve with it? Earlier in the week I had been making the vinegar based cucumber salad that Christopher loves so much when Ben reminded me that he like sour cream based cucumber salads too. This was it. The cool creaminess would be the perfect foil to the sweet spiciness of the fish, and as cucumber becomes somewhat crisp when salted and drained, it would be a wonderful textural foil as well (and it was, on both counts :).

Spicy Honey Ginger Salmon

1 lb. skinless salmon fillets

2 tbs. honey

2 tbs. soy sauce

1 tbs. ground ginger (not powdered)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

large pinch of coarse salt

Mix the honey, soy sauce, ginger, pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. If you have the time, prepare this earlier in the day and just let it sit on the counter to marry the flavors; you may also wish to use a smaller amount of pepper flakes if you don't like things quite so spicy. About 1/2 hour before dining, line a heavy weight baking sheet with foil (easy cleanup). Place the fillets on the foil and spoon some of the marinade over each, turning the fillets for even coverage on both sides; let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you preheat the broiler. Broil for 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness, until nicely browned and just cooked through- be careful not to overcook. The honey in the marinade will burn on the foil, but not affect the salmon. Serve the salmon, spooning over any marinade you may have left.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers

salt (table salt is good here)

1 small vidalia onion (or other sweet onion)

1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)

fresh ground black pepper

Peel the cucumbers if they have a thick or waxy skin, otherwise, don't bother. Slice thinly and layer in a colander in the sink, salting the layers as you proceed; leave them here for 2 hours or so.

Peel the onion and quarter lengthwise, slice thinly. Combine the onion with the sour cream and a generous grinding of black pepper. Take as handful of cucumber slices and squeeze as much liquid out as possible before dropping them in the bowl of sour cream. proceed until all the cucumber has been squeezed dry and added to the sour cream. Stir to combine well and taste to see if you want more pepper (I did); chill until ready to serve. Any leftovers may accumulate some liquid on top during storage...just pour this off and enjoy your even crunchier cucumbers.

I forgot about the Jarritos!!

2010-08-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

Jarritos al Pastor

As you may (or may not) recall, I received 11 bottles of Jarritos soda back in June to do a product review. After preparing one chicken dish and one cocktail, the box got tucked away in the pantry and forgotten about (sigh). Reminded by the little guy that I still had the soda (HE didn't forget),

I drug the box out of the pantry. I took the bottle of Piña (pineapple) and used it as the base of a marinade for al pastor (yeah, I know, this isn't a big stretch). Remembering the delicious result the long marinade of the chicken produced, I decided to let the pork experience the same long bath. The pork turned out scrumptious, tender, and moist, just as the chicken had, and the depth of flavor was incredible. While not everyone may like a fruit flavored soda, Jarritos has proved itself to be a wonderful marinade base for meat...I'm thinking a Latin/Asian fusion dish for the mandarin :)

I also took the opportunity to break out the jalapeños en eccabeche that I had made at the beginning of the month. These turned out every bit as delicious as I had hoped. I had had a nagging fear that the processing time would overcook the veg, but this was not the case, and they were still nice and crisp. Unfortunately, Ben and I ate half a jar in this one sitting (I guess there are worse things to over indulge in :), so I shall need to make some more of these before summer's end.

Jarritos al Pastor

2 to 2 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin

1 bottle Jarritos Piña

1 large onion, cut into a large dice

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 can chipotles in adobo, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. oregano (preferably Mexican)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 20oz. can pineapple chunks

1 tbs. olive oil

Slice the tenderloin into one inch slices, don't worry about trimming off the fat unless there is a lot (there usually isn't). Mix the remaining ingredients, except the pineapple and oil, in a gallon zip lock bag; add the pork slices and stow in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days (Mine was 3 days), turning occasionally.

When you are ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade to a foil lined serving platter (easy cleanup). Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice for another use, and place in a medium bowl. Remove the onion chunks from the marinade and add to the pineapple; drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and toss to coat.

Light your grill (I used gas) and once it is hot, grill the pork until it is just cooked through; throw away the foil, revealing a clean platter, and remove the pork to rest for 5-10 minutes. While grilling the pork, cook the onion and pineapple in a grill basket until tender and starting to brown (this actually took longer to cook than the pork).

Once the pork has rested, cut it into thin slices and pile in the middle of the platter. Spoon the cooked onion and pineapple around the outside and serve (if someone doesn't want the pineapple, they can easily get just the pork). Serving suggestions: warm corn and/or flour tortillas, grated queso cotija (or other cheese), chopped onion with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, salsa of choice (I used salsa ranchera), and lime wedges...we had all of these :-)

Other stuff...

I like to make my own salsa ranchera, but as this can be a bit time consuming, I have also found a favorite to purchase at the grocery. I like the Herdez brand, available in the Latin section of most groceries. All the salsas are good, but salsa ranchera, of medium heat, is, by far, my favorite.

I decided to use the reserved pineapple juice in a riff on the classic margarita. This was the perfect cocktail to go with the spicy complexity of this meal.

Pineapple Lime Margarita

1oz. tequlia blanco or plata (white or silver)
1oz. triple sec
1 oz. pineapple juice
1oz. lime juice

Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and pour over ice. Garnish with a wedge or slice of lime and a pineapple chunk. Makes one drink.

Michael Symon redux...

2010-08-11T07:28:00.000-04:00

Michael Symon's Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken

I had scored both goat cheese and a rotisserie chicken dirt cheap at Kroger, and used them both one night when I was in need of quick, easy eats. I love Michael Symon and his approach to cooking, and I've made his mac and cheese recipe a few times now, but have always made it as a side, and left out the chicken. This was so incredibly good with the shredded rotisserie chicken folded in, that I jut had to share it again. This would make a perfect weeknight meal accompanied with a green salad.

Hot and bubbly out of the oven.

These mushrooms need to be used...

2010-08-10T08:15:00.001-04:00

Peppered Pork Marsala

I had bought a pound of mushrooms at a fantastic price, stuck them in the fridge, and then had a few days spell of not cooking (hey, it happens). Now I had the mushrooms sitting on the counter, contemplating what to do with these before they perished. I have been craving pasta of late, so I decided to do a marsala dish, but changed it up a bit by using a peppered pork tenderloin thrown on the grill, instead of the usual chicken. This was a tasty adaptation, and one certainly worth repeating.

Peppered Pork Marsala

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb. (see note)

1 14-16 oz. pkg. spaghetti (I used whole grain)

1 lb. mushrooms, wiped, trimmed, and sliced

1 medium onion, diced (I used a vidalia)

4 tbs. butter, divided

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup Marsala

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbs, cornstarch

Grill the pork until barely cooked through , or to desired doneness (it is safe to eat today's pork with a tinge of pink in the middle). Alternatively, brown it on all sides in a heavy skillet (like cast iron) before finishing it in a 35o degree F oven for 20 minutes. However you cook it, be sure to let it rest 5-10 minutes before slicing it very thinly. Cook the pasta al dente. rinse, and set aside to keep warm.

For the sauce: Saute the onions over medium heat in 2 tablespoons butter until tender and just turning golden, 10-12 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until they have released their liquid and become quite dry (think concentrated flavor :). Season fairly generously with the salt and pepper, add the wine and stock. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, more to cook off some of the alcohol and blend flavors than to reduce. Measure the cornstarch into a small cup or bowl and mix with a few tablespoons of stock or water to make a slurry. Reduce the heat to med-low and stir in the slurry; cook for a minute or two to thicken. Taste to adjust seasoning and turn off the heat before stirring in the last 2 tablespoons butter. Serve immediately.

To serve: Portion the cooked spaghetti onto plates and spoon over the sauce. Fan some of the thinly sliced pork over the top and a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley. By slicing the pork thin I was able to get 5 servings from a scant pound of pork with no complaints. Serve with a green salad.

Note: For ease of preparation, you may choose to use a premarinated tenderloin as I did, but if you would prefer to use one not already marinated, just rub it with some olive oil before rolling it in crushed peppercorns mixed with a generous amount of coarse salt. While you could do this just before cooking, the pork will be more flavorful if you can do it several hours before hand, or even the day before. I have used this method and it gives you very tasty pork You can also rub the meat with dijon mustard instead of the oil, and come to think of it, a bit of dijon whisked into the sauce would have been very nice.

Gone camping...

2010-08-09T10:56:00.000-04:00

Fried Chicken, Green Beans, and Biscuits with Pan Gravy

We went camping this weekend at Governor Bebb Preserve in rural Butler County (otherwise known as "the sticks"). While this park only offers primitive camping (no water, one port-a-let), it is one of our favorite places to camp, or to just spend a day, and you can find us here at least a few times during the spring to fall camping season.

We usually eat well while camping, because with a grill and a camp stove you can cook just about anything you can at home. This time around we thought we would do something that we don't do at home. The whole family loves fried chicken, but this is something I refuse to make at home, not in my kitchen, not on my deck (or anything deep fried for that matter). We figured that using the campstove and cooking on a picnic table, we were safe from mess and odor. Frying the chicken did indeed prove to be a messy endeavor, even using a splatter screen (reinforcing my stance against doing this at home), but the results were oh, so gooood. After spooning off most of the frying oil, I made a pan gravy with the "leavin's" and served this over biscuits that we had brought along. Uum, uum good!!

We did not have a thermometer for the oil and I believe we probably had it too hot, but we got delicious crispy skin while retaining juicy flavorful meat, so mission accomplished. There are several trains of thought about preparing chicken for frying...some think it should be soaked in buttermilk, some think it should be soaked in a brine...I decided to do both, and with the addition of salt and sugar, made a "buttermilk brine." The night before we left I got the chicken soaking in this "brine" in a gallon bag, and prepared another bag with heavily seasoned flour in which to dredge the chicken (homemade "shake and bake",,,is that stuff even still around?).

Southern Fried Chicken with Pan Gravy

This recipe is for camp cooking

2 lbs. chicken parts (we used 6 legs)

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbs. lemon juice)

1 tbs, coarse salt

1 tbs. sugar

2 cups flour

seasonings of choice- I used ground pepper, table salt, garlic powder, paprika, and dried parsley flakes

canola oil, as needed

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

Place the chicken, buttermilk, salt, and sugar in a gallon sized zip bag; seal and mush it around to combine everything; refrigerate over night. If your chicken will be hanging out in a cooler like ours did, you will probably want to seal it in an additional gallon bag (unless you are VERY trusting that the bag won't leak). Put the flour in another gallon bag and season VERY generously with whatever you like, but you should certainly include salt and pepper.

Our breading station

When you are ready to cook, heat a cast iron skillet and 1/2 to 1'" of canola oil (we used about 3 cups) until very hot- you will want the oil to reach about halfway up the sides of your chicken. Dredge the chicken heavily in the flour (a surprisingly thick amount will adhere) and place carefully, skin side down, into the hot oil. Cook until richly brown on the first side and turn over (you don't want to turn it too much and risk breaking off the crust). Cook the second side until brown, and remove when the chicken is cooked through (I can't give you a time here...Ben has a weird ability to just "know" when chicken on the bone is done...I don't share this ability). Cook the chicken in batches so as to not crowd the pan, and remove to a paper towel lined plate when finished, just cover lightly with foil to keep warm (and keep the pesky flies off of it).

When all the chicken is fried, spoon off most of the oil into a heat resistant bowl to cool (then you can pour it into a plastic bottle to dispose of it, don't dump it on the ground). Pour what is left of the flour into the pan with the oil and cook until a nice golden color (this will happen very quickly). Using a whisk, stir in a small amount of milk until smooth, then slowly whisk in the rest of the milk, scraping up any brown bits from the pan too (that's the best part). Turn off the heat and serve with the chicken and biscuits. I found the seasonings in the flour to be enough, but Ben added some pepper, so have that handy for any who want it :)

We also cooked some green beans (with some bacon :) to go with this fried feast.

The next morning we made a Mountainman Breakfast, our third time making this dutch oven meal, but the first time to actually do it while camping. We were also able to warm up leftover biscuits from the residual heat.

Mountainman Breakfast, biscuits with honey, coffee percolated on the campstove, and OJ...what a great start to a morning outdoors :-)

A view of the creek near our camp site.

Christopher, all on his own, decided to start weeding the playground. Now he wants to go back with garden tools and finish the job. I think this is a beautiful idea, as the parks in Butler County have suffered severe cutbacks and can use all the help they can get. Chris and daddy are also scheming a service project for their Webelos den (the last cub scout rank)...I love my guys :-)

I've never done this before...

2010-08-06T08:54:00.000-04:00

Salade Lyonnaise and Stuffed Mushrooms

I have never poached an egg before. I can fry a beautiful egg with a runny center, but have always found the idea of dropping that same egg into simmering water to be a bit intimidating. An article by Mark Bittman in The New York Times (and the luscious photo) about Salade Lyonnaise convinced me that I had to give this poaching thing a try.

I prepared the dressing, had the greens ready, stuffed mushrooms (courtesy of the Kroger produce department) and bread in the oven, table set, drinks poured...yes, you get the idea, I was putting off poaching those darn eggs. Well, it got to the point where there was nothing left to do, so I got the water simmering (per Bittman's instructions) and dropped in the first egg, and Eureka!, it came out okay...better than okay, it even LOOKED good, with the white very nicely formed around the yolk...Bittman advises that fresh eggs keep their shape better, so my eggs must have been REALLY fresh :)

My first poached egg...not too bad :-)

Feeling much better about the whole thing, I started poaching them two at a time.

This experience was a success, and before dinner was over Ben was talking about poaching eggs in wine as we had seen one of the Iron Chefs do (can't remember which one). Since I was serving this as a dinner salad, rather than a first course, I modified the quantities given in the original recipe. This salad is a definite keeper, despite making a poor choice a greens...I was school shopping at Meijer, and not wanting to make another stop, picked up the best they had to offer, spring greens, which were much too delicate for the warm dressing and eggs. But the taste, oh the taste, was rich and decadent, and also reminded me of the simple greens of my youth wilted with a warm bacon dressing, uuummm...

Salade Lyonnaise

adapted from Mark Bittman

16 oz.s torn frisée or other strong-tasting, sturdy greens
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
12 oz. bacon, diced
4 tbs. finely diced red onion
4 tbs. sherry vinegar
2 tbs. Dijon mustard
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
6 eggs

Put greens in large salad bowl. Put olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When hot, add bacon and cook slowly until crisp all over, about 10-12 minutes; remove to a paper towel lined plate, reserving most of the drippings in the pan. Add the onion and cook until softened and turning golden, 4-5 minutes. Add vinegar and mustard to the skillet and bring just to a boil, stirring, then turn off heat.

Meanwhile, bring about two inches of salted water to a boil in a small, deep skillet, then lower heat to barely bubbling. One at a time, break eggs into a shallow bowl and slip them into the bubbling water. Cook eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towel. If necessary (it was for me and my procrastinating), gently reheat dressing, then pour over greens (they should wilt just a bit), toss and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each portion with a handful of the reserved bacon and 2 eggs, serve immediately. Each person gets to break the eggs and let the yolk run over their salad. I did not use all the bacon and tucked it away in the fridge for another use.

This made three dinner sized salads. Make sure to serve with some nice crusty bread to wipe up your plate, because you dO NOT want to leave any of this behind.

Pollo Sabroso

2010-08-05T10:40:00.000-04:00

Pollo Sabroso (Delicious Chicken)

I saw this chicken on Gina's blog earlier this summer, and the mouthwatering photo made me want it badly. I finally made it this past weekend, but was left a bit disappointed. I used a package of mixed chicken pieces, and while the smaller pieces like the wings and legs were absolutely delicious (higher skin to meat ratio), the breasts were disappointing. Despite marinating for better than 24 hours, the dry seasonings were not able to penetrate into the thick breast meat, leaving the bulk of the plain chicken, just that, plain. I will make this again, using a package of drumsticks, but will reserve the larger pieces for 'wet" marinades.

Pollo Sabroso

adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

3 lbs. chicken pieces of choice

1 tbs. vinegar

1 tbs. soy sauce

2 packets Sazón (in the Latin section of your grocery)

Adobo seco (again, in the Latin section)

garlic powder

dried oregano

Place the chicken in a glass dish just large enough to accommodate it in a single layer. Sprinkle the chicken with vinegar and soy sauce, it will be just enough to wet the surfaces.. Sprinkle generously with the adodo, garlic powder, oregano, and 1 pkt. sazón. Using tongs, not your hands, turn over and season generously again, and use the second pkt. sazón. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Grill until cooked through and the skin is deliciously crisp.

Citrus leavin's...

2010-08-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

Lime Water

What do you do with your limes, lemons, and oranges after you have zested and juiced them for your latest culinary creation? Instead of throwing them away, drop them unto a pitcher, fill it up with water, and pop it in the fridge. All day long you have nice, refreshing, citrusy water to sip. Depending on how many spent halves you have dropped in (citrus combinations are always good), you may be able to fill the pitcher up two or three times before the fruit is truly spent.

Porky goodness...

2010-08-03T12:14:00.000-04:00

Bacon and Bleu Cheese Stuffed Pork Chop

with Garlic Smashed Potatoes and roasted Asparagus

Let me start by apologizing for that washed out photo...it does a terrible injustice to how delicious these chops turned out. That said, I love it when whole pork loins go on sale. I will buy one (or two) and make lots of good things to eat that week (and later, using freezer magic).

This was the end of a loin...I sliced off four nice thick chops and cubed up the (not so pretty) ends that I had left. I knew I wanted stuffed chops (darn influence of the Triple D), but was unsure what direction I wanted to go...sweet and fruity, "regular" stuffing, cornbread, or something savory and cheesey. Savory and cheesey (and a bit salty) won out. These pork chopped were delicious served with garlic smashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. The pan juices were spooned over the chops and potatoes for dining decadence...yum, yum, yum.

Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

4 1 to 1 1/2 inch boneless pork loin chops

4 oz. bleu cheese crumbles

4 oz. bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

1 bunch scallions

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fry the bacon in a cast iron skillet or other heavy bottomed pan; drain and crumble, reserving the drippings in the pan. Mix together the cheese, bacon, and chopped scallion; set aside. season both sides of the chops generously with the salt and pepper. Using a large knife, butterfly the chop without cutting all the way through.

Spoon 1/4 of the cheese mixture onto one half of each butterflied chop. Pull the other half over to cover, stretching it a bit as necessary (this is easier than you may think); secure with wood toothpicks to close. I used two toothpicks on each chop, just be careful that both ends of the pick are left exposed for easy removal later.

Heat the pan and drippings over medium high heat until very hot. Sear the chops on each side until nice and brown (I unfortunately did not let my pan get hot enough, so did not get the hard sear I wanted). Place the pan in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the pork is just barely cooked through and the stuffing is all oozy. Remove the chops to a plate, cover with foil, and let rest. Place the pan back on a burner over medium high heat and deglaze using the wine or stock. Scrape up any brown bits and loose stuffing and boil a few minutes to reduce slightly. Spoon this pan sauce over the pork (and potatoes if you are having them) and serve.

Making escabeche...

2010-08-02T11:33:00.001-04:00

Jalapeños en Escabeche

Making escabeche...I'm not refering to the pickled fish dish here, but Jalapeños en escabeche, or pickled jalapeños, escabeche in Spanish referring to a brine or pickling marinade. I have long been a fan of pickled jalapeños, but never had eaten them pickled with other vegetables until a trip to Mexico in 2007. I especially liked the crisp, spicy carrots (zanahorias) and started buying them at home (look in the Latin section of your grocery). Our jalapeño plants are going crazy this summer so I thought I'd make my own. This will need to sit at least a week to be their best, but the leftover bits that didn't quite fit into the jars were very tasty indeed.

Jalapeños en Escabeche

adapted from Simply Recipes

1 lb jalapeño slices

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, quartered and sliced

1/2 of a small head of cauliflower

1 head of garlic, cloves, peeled, halved if very large

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cups cider vinegar

2 tbs. coarse salt

1 tbs. sugar

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

Slice the jalapeños, carrots, and onion roughly the same thickness, and break the cauliflower into little florets. In a fairly large nonreactive pot, saute the veggies and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes (they are smelling fantastic at this point).

Ladle the hot veggies and brine into 4 sterilized pint canning jars, leaving 1/2' head space. Stick the handle of a wooden spoon down into the jars to remove any air bubbles before lidding and processing in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Cool and store in a cool place for at least a week before eating (I hope we can wait that long :).

Note about processing...I gave away all my canning supplies a few years ago when it seemed like I just wasn't going to do it anymore (who knew), so I did not have the large pot with the lift out rack for hot water processing. Since I was just using piny jars, and a small quantity at that, I was able to process these in my tall soup pot. The pot was just large enough for the 4 jars to fit inside without touching, and tall enough for the water to cover them by one inch- I just rested the jars on a dish cloth inside the pan to keep them from knocking around. To ensure I had adequate water in the pot, I filled it with the jars sitting in it, and held them down to keep them submerged. To speed the process, I brought the water up to a boil while I was cooking the peppers so I was ready to go as soon as the peppers were. It wasn't perfect, but perfectly adequate for canning a small amount without having to purchase (and store) the equipment.

Sangria economics...

2010-08-01T10:25:00.000-04:00

The Aldi Sangria

All spring and summer we have been enjoying the wonderfully priced produce at Aldi. For 99 cents I have been purchasing cantaloupes, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, and most surprisingly, pineapples (although they have gone up in price recently...to a whopping buck fifty nine).

I love sangria in the summer...it is fruity and light, and a bit lower in alcohol than some other libations (at least the way I make it :). I call this economical version "The Aldi Sangria," as even the wine is from Aldi, the $3.29 a bottle Winking Owl chardonnay...don't let the extraordinarily low price put you off, it is no worse than other "house" or "table" wines served all over. The only thing not from Aldi is the triple sec- I had to get that at Kroger, but I stayed with the economic and low alcohol theme here ($5 and half proof). For the next big gathering I have I am going to triple this and serve it in a big glass jar with a ladle. I have also done this with the Winking Owl shiraz, using citrus, give either one (or both!) an try before summer ends...

The Aldi Sangria

1 bottle Winking Owl wine

- chardonnay if you want sangria blanca, shiraz if you want the more traditional sangria roja

1 cup triple sec

several cups of fruit, cut into bite sized pieces if large

-citrus slices are always good, but use what you like, and use a lot of it

Mix the wine, triple sec, and fruit in a glass pitcher. The pitcher above had pineapple, kiwi (these two on their own are particularly good), cantaloupe, and blueberries. Refrigerate for several hours, or better yet, until the next day. Serve over ice in a pretty glass, being sure to get some fruit in each portion (this you will eat with your fingers before getting another glass, yum, yum).

Bones and shells...

2010-07-31T11:56:00.002-04:00

Here is the process I used in dealing with the ham bone I used in the jambalaya. This same method will work for other dishes, but if you are making bean soup, you may just wish to cook the bone with the beans (just remove the bone at the end and add back the meat).

Whenever we have ham, I intentionally leave quite a bit of meat on the bone- not only is serving easier this way, but it leaves the bone meaty for other uses. I simmered the bone covered all morning while I was busy with other things and just checked it every now and then, turning the bone around in the stock each time. The water covered about 3/4 of the bone when I started and used no added seasonings, ham having plenty already.

I removed the bones and meat to a plate to cool...as you can see, the meat fell off in pieces.

Once it was cool enough to handle, I shredded up the meat, leaving it in fairly large pieces, and discarded the fat, bones, and silver skin. I ended up with roughly 2 cups of meat.

I strained the broth into a large bowl- this removes any small bones, as well as pieces of fat that have broken off unto the stock.

A few hours in the fridge solidified the fat. This I skimmed off to brown the ham for the jambalaya. This fat can be reserved to cook with, just make sure to refrigerate it, or discarded. The stock below is gelatinous, like loose jello, a good sign that it simmered a long time. If not using the stock now, just ladle into freezer containers for later use, I find 2 cup portions to be most helpful.

I used 4 cups for the jambalaya and still had 2 cups leftover for the freezer.

I have been saving the shells from shrimp in the freezer with the intention of making stock. After peeling the shrimp for the jambalaya I had the shells from 4 pounds of shrimp and decided to go ahead and make it. I put the shells in a medium pan with about 5 cups of water, a teaspoon of salt, small handful of whole black peppercorns, and a Bay leaf.

I left this to simmer while I made dinner (about and hour). I turned off the heat and just left it until I was leaning up after dinner.

Strain the broth into a bowl, pressing on the shells with the back of a spoon to get out all of the liquid. I tasted the stock, and with the addition of a bit more salt, would have been perfectly good to sip on its own. I can't wait to see what idea hits me to use this wonderful stuff.

I ended up with 4 generous cups of stock to tuck away in the freezer. This took practically no effort. And to think, I could have just thrown the shells away, which is what I have done for years :-(

A frozen treasure...

2010-07-30T09:07:00.000-04:00

Cajun (Brown) Jambalaya with Ham and Shrimp

(And yes, I know that my place setting is mixed up.)

Finding all that 10 month old zucchini in the freezer last week sent me on search to see what else had been stashed for too long. Uncovered...one meaty ham bone from Easter...not terribly old, but I felt I should use it anyway. The first use that comes to mind with a ham bone is a bean or lentil soup of some sort, but it is really, REALLY hot and humid (75% yesterday), and who wants to eat a heavy, rib-sticking bean soup in this kind of weather? (Do rhetorical questions get a question mark?)

I considered the contents of the freezer (the one in the kitchen where things don't get "lost"), and a bag of shrimp made me think jambalaya (yes, I still seem stuck down south, I need to move there already). I'm sure most are familiar with this rice dish of Louisiana fame, or at least of Zatarains fame (watch the commercial here)...

Jambalaya is an infinitely versatile dish (and one that can be made to fill the hungry tummies of many, if needed). "Creole," or "Red," jambalaya is made with tomatoes, while "Cajun," or "Brown," jambalaya is made without. I asked the boys which they preferred and they voted for the no tomato variety (I should have guessed that without asking), so Cajun it was. This dish turned out every bit as rich and tasty as I had hoped, with the sweet shrimp contrasting beautifully against the overall "haminess" of the dish. Chris thought it a bit spicy, so I would probably cut the cayenne by half in the future, especially considering that Ben and I added Tabasco anyway (Crystal Hot Sauce would have been a better choice). I used okra here, but if you don't have it readily available, or don't like it, substitute a scant pound of whatever veg you do have. Today I am just going to give you the jambalaya recipe, and the next post will cover the process to get here, as well as the shrimp stock I ended up making as well :)

Cajun (Brown) Jambalaya with Ham and Shrimp

2 cups (about) shredded ham
4 tbs, fat- canola oil or rendered ham fat
4 cups ham stock
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2' pieces
1 cup diced onion, 1 medium
1 cup diced green bell pepper, 1 large
1/2 cup diced celery, 2 stalks
(onion, bell pepper, and celery make up the Trinity in southern cooking)
1 tbs. sweet paprika
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Bay leaf
(or use 2 1/2 tbs, prepared Cajun seasoning)
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

In a fairly large pot (mine is 5 qt.), saute the ham in the fat over medium heat until it is nice and brown. Remove the ham and set aside, leaving as much of the fat in the pan as possibly. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery; sweat until tender but not brown, 10-15 minutes. Add the seasonings and cook another minute until fragrant. Add the ham, okra and rice, turning to coat the rice well. Add the stock and bring to a boil; cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the shrimp; cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes- the residual heat will cook the shrimp without running the risk of overcooking them. Serve with hot sauce (optional), crusty bread and a green salad. We had a loaf of sweet Italian, and the slight sweetness of the bread was a fantastic counterpart to the spiciness of the dish.

A boy's request...

2010-07-29T10:24:00.000-04:00

Banana Smoothie

Christopher has been on a banana smoothie binge this week (but who could argue a healthy treat like this?). Every morning this week he has started his day with a smoothie accompanied by a peanut butter chip waffle (I made a stack of these on Monday). He was pestering me this morning to put this simple breakfast on the blog, so I got out the camera and here it is :)

Banana Smoothie

banana (frozen or not)

low-fat or fat-free vanilla yogurt (I buy this in 32oz. containers)

low-fat or skim milk

This is not really a "recipe," I just drop things in and blend away. This vanilla yogurt and milk base is good for amy variety of smoothies (we've tried a bunch).

Drop a few spoonfuls of yogurt into your blender (maybe 1/2 cup or so). Add one banana broken into pieces (frozen ones are particularly nice for this) and 1/2 cup or so of milk. Blend until smooth and pour into a tall glass; stir in a little additional milk to reach the desired consistency (think milkshake). If I have them around, Chris likes a maraschino cherry on top with a bit of the syrup drizzled in (a trick to make any kid drink "fancy"). Serve

A potato salad time of year...

2010-07-28T13:17:00.000-04:00

Potato and Green Bean Salad

with a Lemon Vinaigrette

Summer is the season for potato salad, and there have been an abundance of them in the food blogs and magazines as of late. While I like all sorts of these salads, my preference is for those that don't use much (if any) mayonnaise (same for slaw). The August edition of Food and Wine magazine had an interesting dish using potatoes and green beans. Called a "salad," it really didn't seem like one to me since it was served hot and the vegetables were buttered (?), but liking the flavors used, I decided to make my own, one I felt comfortable calling a salad. We had this with Ina Garten's Tuscan Lemon Chicken, another of her recipes that has become a family favorite (we really like Ina, and yes, we also love the flavor of lemons!). The only thing I would change in this recipe is to maybe whisk in a teaspoon or two of dijon mustard into the vinaigrette. Please give this picnic friendly potato salad a try...

A note about that nifty green colander you'll see below...this Tupperware colander was my mom's and may quite possibly be as old as I am (gasp)...all I know is that this thing has always been around, and now it's mine. This colander has been in weekly use since at least the early 70's, a testament to the durability of old Tupperware (don't think the same can be said for the new stuff).

Potato and Green Bean Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette

1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes

3/4 lb. fresh green beans

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

1/3 cup (tightly packed) finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic minced (1 tsp.)

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Prepare the vinaigrette first and let it sit on the counter while you prepare the rest of the salad. In a medium sized serving bowl, combine the red onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic: season fairly generously with the salt and pepper before setting aside.

Scrub the potatoes, and leaving on the peel (I leave on the peel more often than not, even for mashed potatoes), cut into bite sized pieces; place into a pan of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, 8 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and toss in the serving bowl with the vinaigrette while still warm, this will help the flavors absorb into the potatoes. Set aside to cool, tossing occasionally.

Wash the green beans, snap the ends and then into bite sized pieces. Place in a small microwave safe bowl, cover with a saucer, and cook on high for three minutes. Remove immediately and rinse with cold tap water until no longer warm to the touch- this stops the cooking while setting the bright green color, and is a whole lot easier than that whole ice bath thing.

Once the potatoes have cooled to room temperature, toss in the green beans and serve. If you are making this ahead and have refrigerated it, let it come to room temperature before serving.