Summer Halibut

I made a recipe this last week, of halibut, roasted with sweet onions, citrus and fresh herbs. It was so delicious and simple, that it felt slightly sinful to eat. Remember that fresh (truly fresh) fish will not have that unpleasant "fishy" flavor, so if yours has that, you may want to seek a more reputable fish monger. Alternately, you could visit a lake or stream near you.   After doing a little research, check out what I found out about the health benefits of halibut:

Just Two Servings of Omega-3-rich Fish a Week Can Lower Triglycerides
Protection against Fatal Heart Arrhythmia
Help Prevent and Control High Blood Pressure
Stroke Prevention
Eating Fish Daily Provides Substantially More Protection against Heart Attack
Fish, Fruit and Vegetables Protective against Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism
Promote Detoxification
Cancer Protection
Lower Your Risk of Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Halibut and Other Fatty Fish Highly Protective against Kidney Cancer
Fish -- Food for Better Thought as We Age
Omega-3 Fat, DHA, Destroys Alzheimer's Plaques
Omega-3-Rich Diet Improves Mood, Reduces Depression

Who knew eating something so delicious would be so good for you?

I recommend serving this fresh steamed or sauteed green beans, and roasted potatoes or quinoa.

4 (approximately) 6oz pieces of fresh Halibut

1 Tbs. Olive Oil

One sweet onion (white or yellow)

1tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbs. butter

2 tsp. fresh thyme

1 Tbs. fresh chives 

2 lemons

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 400*

Slice the onion into thin rings and arrange them in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.  Drizzle them with the Olive Oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Place the pan in the oven to roast for 15 minutes.

In the mean time, season the fish with salt and pepper, garlic powder, half of the herbs, and the zest of one of the lemons and the juice of one lemon.  Lay each fillet in the pan on top of the onions and place in the oven to roast.  You should roast it for 10 minutes per inch of thickness on your halibut steaks.

While your fish is roasting, combine the remaining herbs and juice of the lemon along with the 2Tbs of butter.  Stir to combine.

Once your fish is done roasting, remove it from the oven.  Divide the herb butter in 4ths, and spread each portion over the fish fillets.

Plate, serve and EnJoy!

Bolognese

Ok listen people. I'm not Italian, but I'll be honest and say that I kind of wish I was. Who doesn't love pasta and wine with every meal? Actually, didn't I say this about rice in my "I think I might be Asian" post? I digress... 

In my quest to make a good Bolognese, I looked at 100,000 recipes, and they each claimed to be the only "authentic" version on the web. *(read this in a monotone voice like the pharmaceutical commercials please...I make no claims about this being an "authentic" recipe, so if you happen to have the only authentic Bolognese recipe on earth and mine doesn't even come close to it, please don't yell at me) All I will say is that it's pretty darn yummy. 

I used Anne Burrell's recipe from the food network as a starting point, but modified it a decent amount. I also included heavy cream in my recipe as half called for some sort of cream or ricotta and half did not. I love cream, so I included it. I found that it rounded out the richness of this sauce really nicely.

I recommend making this in a large deep saute pan of sorts (see pics). The large surface area makes it easier to do all the reducing and sauteeing that is required in this recipe.

4 Carrots
3 Stalks of Celery
One large Onion
5 Cloves of Garlic
1 Pound of Ground Beef
1 Pound of Ground Pork
1 Tbs. Porcini Mushroom Powder (this is totally optional, as I realize most people will not have this on hand.

It does however add a nice earthy flavor to your sauce)
2 small cans of Tomato Paste
2 Regular cans of Diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil
3 Cups of red wine
1/4 cup of heavy cream (you don't have to add this, but why not?)

I wonder who will comment on this picture first?

Roughly chop the Carrot, Celery, onion and peel the garlic. Place all of these in a blender or food processor. Process them until a paste forms. Heat a large skillet or saucepan on high heat and place two tablespoons of Olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add your "paste". Season with Salt and cook until all of the moisture has evaporated and your paste is starting to brown. And for crying out loud (no really, you'll be crying from the onion fog in your kitchen) OPEN A WINDOW! and be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves, thyme and half of the basil and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you may need to add more, about 1 cup at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and taste frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook as directed.

In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the remaining basil and 1/4 of cream. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

The Ultimate Man's Meal

I made this pot roast recipe a few years ago at my sisters house and while I expected it to be a hit with her husband, I have to admit I was a little skeptical myself. I do love beer, maybe it's the German, Scottish and Irish in me?  My genetics scream for meat, potatoes and copious quantities of glorious wheaty beer. My only downfall is my distaste for Guinness. However, I have finally found a way to use Guinness that pleases me oh so much!  Despite my title of this being the "Ultimate Man's Meal", this really does please everyone I've ever made it for, despite gender (including a girls weekend in the mountains).

The cut: Start with a cut of beef from the chuck (shoulder).  Since these cuts have a lot of fat marbled within the meat, first trim off the excess from the outside of the roast.

Tip:  This recipe calls for you to sear the meat in a pan on top of the stove, then add the remaining ingredients and place the whole shebang in the oven, so think carefully when choosing your pot.  Choose one with a tight fitting lid that will be oven safe. Also, when searing the meat, don’t move it around until it is ready to turn! It needs constant contact with the pot to develop that dark, rich flavorful crust.:

1 boneless chuck pot roast 3 – 3 1/2 lbs.
Salt & pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Cups mushrooms, stemmed, halved (3 1/2 ox.)
1 1/2 Cup onions, diced
2/3 Cup carrot, diced
2/3 Cup celery diced
1/4 Cup garlic, thinly sliced
1/2t. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3 Tbs. tomato paste
1/2 Cup pretzels, finely ground (I put them in a zip loc and pound them to a pulp with a rolling pin..Fun and stress relieving :-)
2 bottles Guinness or other dark beer (12 oz. each)
2 Cups beef broth
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce


Preheat oven to 325

Trim: meat of excess fat and season with salt & pepper. Heat oil over medium-high in an ovenproof Dutch oven. Sear roast on both sides until brown, 8-10 minutes total. Remove roast from the pan.

Sweat: Mushrooms, vegetables, and seasonings in the pot for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cook 2 minutes, then stir in the pretzels.

De glaze with Guinness, scraping up the brown its on the bottom of the pan; stir in broth, Dijon and Worcestershire. Return the seared roast to the pot and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot, then transfer to the oven; braise roast for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove pot from the oven and turn the roast over.

Add: Carrot chunks, then cover and return pot to the oven. Braise another 45 minutes, or until the meat is spoon-tender. To serve, transfer roast and carrots to a platter and cut meat into chunks. Bring sauce to a simmer, skimming off fat, then spoon it over the roast.

Garnish with: parsley.  You can certainly add potatoes to this during the cooking process, but it is so good served over mashed potatoes.

enJoy!

Beef, It's what's for dinner

One of my favorite meals is Beef Stroganoff.  I've taken years to perfect it with just the right amount of rich beefy flavor and creamy goodness in the sauce.  The beauty of this dish is that you can use almost any cut of beef and while I have never done it with ground beef, I know it would be just as good.  There are not a lot of ingredients in it either, making for a nice "on the fly" meal.  This is delicious enough to serve for a dinner party, but easy enough to prepare on any hurried evening.  Although this is traditionally served over noodles, it is excellent served over steamed white rice.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Wide Egg Noodles
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 pound of beef (sirloin and rib eye are my favorites)
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound of white mushrooms (although any kind would be good)
1 Medium yellow or white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
3 cups of beef broth
1 teaspoon of dill
1 cup of sour cream

Directions:

Prepare the noodles as directed on the packaging.

While the noodles are cooking, slice the beef across the grain in as thin of slices as possible.  The thinner you slice, the more tender the beef will be once cooked and of course the faster it will cook.  To make this easier, I like to put my beef in the freezer for about 15 minutes prior to slicing it.  This will firm it up enough to make your slicing much easier.

Toss the sliced meat with the flour, salt and pepper to lightly coat your meat.  This is called dredging.  Set this aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Chop the onion in medium dice
Slice the mushrooms (whatever thickness you like)
Crush the garlic cloves

Place a large skillet over high heat and put the butter in the pan.  As soon as it melts, add the beef and fry until it starts to brown and cooked through.  Add the mushrooms, onions and garlic and continue to cook until the onions and mushrooms are starting to soften.  Don't be afraid to get some good browning on your ingredients at this point.  The more you brown, the more flavor you get.  Although, be careful not to actually burn.  That flavor is not such a good one! 

Reduce the heat to medium and add the white wine.  Cook until the wine is reduced in half. 

Add the beef broth, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil.  Add the dill and continue to cook until the broth is reduced by about half (approximately 5 minutes). ***Alternately, you can add one and a half cups of water and 1 Tbs of beef bullion paste and skip the reducing process, but do make sure to bring the liquid to a boil before proceeding*** 

Turn the heat off and stir in the sour cream.

Do not bring the stroganoff back to a boil once you have added in the sour cream, this will likely cause it to separate and create an unappealing texture to your sauce.

Serve piping hot over the warm egg noodles.

enJoy!

Tom Kha Gai...I don't speak Thai..

But I sure do like their food. Haha!  Tom Kha Gai is that delicious Thai soup with coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms and as my friend calls them "leaves and twigs".  Don't eat the leaves and twigs, but they sure make the soup taste good.  I was astonished when I found out how easy this soup was to make.  It does require a few special ingredients, but most are available at your local grocer.  However, I would encourage you to venture into your local Asian food markets.  The items (specifically produce) that they sell are usually less expensive, and much better quality than what you find at your grocer.  Kaffir lime leaves really make a difference in this recipe, and you will most definitely not be able to get those at your regular grocer. Don't be intimidated!  Go in there and ask questions if you don't know what things are.  I have never been to an Asian market where they were not more than happy to help me identify things.  Please note that the chili paste in this recipe is similar to Sriracha, but a little thicker and spicier.  If you choose to use the sriracha, you will want to use a little bit more than what is called for.

Tom Kha Gai
Chicken Coconut soup with lemongrass

Ingredients:

Lemon Grass, Galangal Root, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Ginger Root

1 Tablespoon of red chili paste
2 shallots finely chopped
1 Tbs vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
8 large slices of peeled fresh galangal or 4 slices of fresh ginger (slices should be about 1/2 inch thick)
1 large lemongrass stalk.  One large stalk is equal to about 4 of the little ones found in most grocery stores or about 16 inches long.  Crush each piece with a hammer or the backside of a knife to release more flavor.
16 kaffir lime leaves or the grated zest of 1 large lime
2 14 ounce cans of coconut milk
1/4 cup of lime juice
2 Tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 Tbs light brown sugar
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin slices
1/2 pound of fresh white mushrooms sliced
Fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large soup pot over medium heat, place the oil and heat until shimmering.  Add the chili paste and shallots and stir until fragrant and shallots are slightly softened.  Add the broth, galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves.  Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minute.

Reduce heat to low and add in the coconut milk.  Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.  Add the lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken pieces and simmer until tender.  The thinner your slices, the quicker they will cook, so keep an eye out so you do not over cook your chicken.  Add the mushrooms and simmer for 2 more minutes.

Serve piping hot, with extra Sriracha for those who like extra heat.

enJoy!

Meatballs!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was a nanny in Sweden for a year, and while  I missed my family intensely, I really LOVED my time there.  Believe me when I tell you that Swede's are serious about thier meatballs!  My mom made swedish meatballs for years, and it is one of my all time favorite meals to this day.  I have since learned that hers was not necessarily the most authentic recipe, but a classic in the King house none the less.  I have made a few adjustments to her recipe over the years, just to make it my own and man is it good!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/4 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 1/4 tsp nutmeg if you don't have cardamom)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of flour

 2-3 cups water
1 Tablespoon beef bullion

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients in the first section.  Make sure not to overwork your mixture or the meat will take on and oddly pasty consistency.  Mix it just until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.  Form golf ball sized balls and set aside.

Place the oil in a large saute pan until it is 1/2 an inch up the sides.  Heat on medium high heat until it is shimmery looking.  Place your meatballs in the pan and cook, turning them frequently so that they are brown on all sides and cooked through.  Remove your meat balls and drain all but a 1/4 cup of the oil.  Make sure not to loose all the little bits that have fallen off of your meatballs, this will add extra flavor to your gravy.

Place your pan back over medium heat (with the leftover oil in it) and add the flour.  Stir the mixture around until a paste forms.  Allow this to cook for about a minute.  This is called making a roux (pronounced roo) Add in your water and bullion, stirring to incorporate with the flour mixture.  Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes.  If your gravy is too think, add a little water.  If it is too thin, mix some more flour and water (one part flour, two parts water) and add into your gravy 1 Tablespoon at a time until your gravy is a good consistency.

Right before serving, put a dash of cardamom or nutmeg and the heavy cream and stir to incorporate.

Serve over the carbohydrate of your choice.  I personally like them over rice.  Swedish tradition is to serve with boiled potatoes, and it would certianly be good over wide egg noodle as well. Make it your own :-)

Swede's also serve a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side, which is the perfect compliment to the meatballs, and you can actually purchase lingonberry jam at IKEA stores if there is one near you.

enJoy!

Dip Me Frenchie!

I was craving a good brew pub type meal this weekend, and decided to try to replicate my favorite brew pub's french dip sandwich.  I successfully did so and this was unanimously agreed to be one of my best "restaurant" meals so far.  I have made french dips in many ways before, with pot roast, roast beef etc, but this time I decided to try a new approach.  I was watching "Diners, Drive In's and Dives" on the Food Network recently and Guy Fieri was at a diner who was sharing their secret to a perfect Philly Cheese steak sandwich.  They used ultra thin slices of rib eye steak, and of course the reaction from Guy when he ate the sandwich was convincing enough for me to take the plunge and purchase the pricey rib eye for my French Dip this time around.  I must say, that this is the secret to the perfect steak sandwich.  The extra marbling on a rib eye gives it the extra umph that it needs to be tender, melt in your mouth beefy goodness. I also made a batch of oven fries that were truly restaurant worthy.  I'll give you both recipes since this was the perfect combination. The recipe may seem sort of lengthy, but if you prep (slice, smash and season) all of your ingredients before begining, the actually is a pretty quick meal to prepare.  This recipe makes 4 generous sized sandwiches and plenty of fries to accompany.

Ingredients:

3 medium Russet potatoes

1/3 cup Olive Oil

5 Cloves of garlic (Smashed)

Salt

Pepper

1/2 tsp fresh or dried Rosemary

4 6-8 inch pub style sandwich buns
1- 1 1/2 Pounds of boneless Rib eye steak (depending on how meaty you would like your sandwiches)
2-3 teaspoons of Montreal Steak Seasoning
3 Tablespoons of Butter
1 Large sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 Bell pepper (color of your choice), sliced thinly
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 large Shallots, sliced thinly
1 cup of white wine
3 cups of beef stock
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
4 slices of Provolone Cheese

Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees.  Also at this point, place your steak in the freezer to let it firm up for ease of slicing.

Rinse and slice your potatoes into large steak fry sized pieces.  Imerse them in water to soak for at least 10 minutes.

Place your 1/3 cup of Olive Oil in a small saucepan along with crushed garlic.  Place on stove over medium heat.  As soon as you hear the garlic sizzle (2 minutes). remove the pan from heat and let sit for 3-4 minutes.  Strain out the garlic chunks and set aside to cool slightly.

Remove your potato "fries" from the water and pat to dry.  Arrange them on a large cookie sheet (with an edge) so that you have a single layer of potatoes.  You want each potato to touch the surface of the pan.  Drizzle with the garlic oil and sprinkle with Salt, pepper and rosemary.

Place in your oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.  When the timer goes off, you will want to take a spatula and carefuuly scrape your fries, turning them over to allow the other side to cook.  Cook for another 20 minutes or until lightly brown and tender when a knife is inserted.

Now, on to your steak sandwiches.  I would start making these right after you put your fries in the oven.  Remove steak from the freezer and trim the outside edges of the fat that may be there.  Don't worry, there is plenty of fat in the rest of the meat, you don't need the extra.  Place your steak on it's side and with a very sharp knife, start slicing the meat as thinly as you possibly can.  You may need to cut your steak into smaller more manageable pieces to accomodate the slicing process.  Once the steak is all sliced, sprinkile the montreal steak seasoning on it, toss to distribute and set aside.

Slice the onion, bell pepper mushroom, and shallot.

One warning here...Do NOT rinse your saute pan at any time during this process.  The caramelization from each step of cooking is an important part of the flavor for the sauce that you will make as the last step of this recipe.

In a medium sized skillet (not Non-Stick), place 1 Tablespoon of the butter over high heat.  Once the butter has melted, add your onions and bell peppers.  Reduce your heat to medium high, and saute until the oinons have started to caramelize.  Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Place another Tablespoon of the butter in your pan, along with the mushrooms.  Season with a little salt and saute them until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Place the last Tablespoon of butter in your pan, along with the meat and increase the heat to high.  Saute the meat , stiring it frequently, almost stir fry style.  To prevent over cooking and since the meat is so thinly sliced, you will want to remove it from the heat while a little bit of pink remains.  Remember that the meat will continue to cook slightly once removed fromt the heat.  Remove your meat from the pan and set aside.  Preferably in a dish that you can keep on the stove top.  That way the meat will stay warm while you make the sauce.

In the pan that you have used to cook all of the other ingredients, place your shallots and saute for a minute to start softenening them.  Add in your white wine and bring to a boil.  Let the wine to reduce by half before proceeding.  Add the beef stock and garlic powder and bring to a boil.  Let boil for one minute and them remove from heat.  At this point, you will want to taste your sauce.  If it is too strong, add a little bit of water.  If it is too weak, add a little more beef stock, and of course salt and pepper as desired.

Now the assembly begins:  Slice the buns in half the long way, but do not slice them all the way through.  You will want a "hinge" on one side for easier assembly and eating.  Place a quarter of the meat in each bun.  Top with mushrooms, onions and bell peppers.  Lastly, Place a slice of the provolone cheese on top, you may need to break it in half to cover the surface adequately.  Place all 4 sandwiches on a cookie sheet and place under a hot broiler just long enough to melt the cheese.

Cut the sandwiches in half and plate them with a serving of fries and a cup of the sauce and enJoy!

Mmmm....Soup

Ok, fall is officially here! There is nothing like a good hearty soup on a fall/winter eve. This recipe is from WIlliams Sonoma, and although it is a little more labor intensive due to the corn procedure described, I promise it's worth it! The sweet potatoes give it a surprising twist that make this so much more interesting than your normal corn chowder. And please don't leave out the hot sauce, it really gives this soup an acidic kick that makes it over the top good!








Sweet Potato Corn Chowder
Ingredients: 


5 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced firm, baked smoked ham
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 large sweet potato, about 1 lb., peeled and cut
into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. hot-pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Directions:
Holding 1 of the ears of corn by its pointed end and steadying its stalk end on a cutting board, cut down along the ear with a sharp knife to strip off the kernels, turning the ear with each cut. Repeat with 2 of the ears of corn. Put the kernels in a bowl and set aside.

Score the kernels on the remaining 2 ears of corn by running the tip of a sharp knife down the length of the ear. Place each ear in a bowl and, using the back of a knife, scrape down the length of the ear to squeeze out the pulp from the scored kernels. Set the pulp aside.

In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the ham and cook, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.

Add the onion and bell peppers to the pot, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, sweet potato and the 1 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the ham and corn kernels. Cover and cook until the potato is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn pulp, cream and hot-pepper sauce. Cook just until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot. Serves 8.

                                                                               enJoy!

Baby it's not so cold outside!

I've talked a couple times about my love of fall, and although it's technically here, the weather thinks otherwise.  So what do I do?  Crank up the A/C and make chili.  I know people, it's not so eco friendly, but I really needed this pick me up :-)

There are a 100,000 chili recipes out there, so deciding on one is truly a difficult task.  My mom always just bought the chili seasoning packets, but that goes against my "scratch" philosophy of cooking so my search ensued.  Here is what I came up with for today, I kind of combined three different recipes, as each of them had things that looked particularly good to me.  This chili is really rich, with a nice heat level that warms you up without burning off your taste buds and is sort of a cross between classic and southwestern chili.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 1/2 pounds ground meat ( I like ground chuck)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (yellow or white preferably)
8 cloves of Garlic - minced
2 teaspoons California Chili powder
2 teaspoon New Mexico Chili powder
2 teaspoon Pasilla Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
14 1/2 ounces chicken stock
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2, 15-16 ounce cans of prepared chili beans (Pintos with jalapenos and seasoning)

1/4 cup flour or Masa Harina if you want a more southwest flavor
1/2 cup water

Directions:

Combine all of your dry seasonings in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large pot, heat your olive oil on high heat until shimmery.  Add and brown your ground beef, onion and garlic together until the beef is almost cooked through.  Add your dry seasonings and saute until fragrant.

Add all of your liquid ingredients and beans and bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer on low heat for an hour to allow the spices to fully bloom.   Combine the flour and water and mix until no lumps remain.  Add the mixture to your chili and let simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the flour to cook through and thicken your chili.

Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips... really whatever your little heart desires.

enJoy!

Meatloaf? Really?

Always look your best
in case the mister comes home early!

• I have never been a fan of meatloaf.  I've tend to be slightly aloof to the typical American family dinners that tend to be heavy boring fare that was popular in the 50's and 60's.  This is probably an opinion fostered by my childhood spent in Indonesia, where my first favorite dish as a child was an Indonesian version of Chicken soup (recipe to come later), loaded with lemon grass, ginger and tons of other ingredients.  Polar opposite of your typical American family dinner, our house was not one of mediocre fare on any day of the week.  Thus my opinion has always been that meatloaf and pot roast are boring dishes that usually come in a microwave container.   My lovely sister ( who loves to prove me wrong :-) introduced me to this recipe.  Thank goodness too, because this recipe is a true winner.  I find that the addition of a few vegetables and the balsamic vinegar make this meatloaf an over the top delicious version. 
•  
  This recipe makes a large loaf, with a total of 2 pounds of meat.  If you don't have a large family, I would encourage you to either half the recipe, or make two loaves and freeze one of them for re-heating at a later date.  If you choose to make and freeze, please cook it before you freeze it.  Lowering the temperature of your meat and combining it with all of the ingredients, will cause the start of bacteria growth.  Refreezing it without cooking is not really the safest thing to do.
  
  This recipe also calls for three different types of meat.  While this gives it an amazing well rounded flavor, please don't be afraid to use your own combination of meats.  All beef, beef and veal, or even pork and beef.  Be creative, it's my first rule in cooking.
  
  Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf
  
  3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
  1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan
• 1 cup ketchup, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, onion, garlic paste, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined.

Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the remaining ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake themeatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Easy weeknight dinner

I made this pasta for the first time about a four years ago and liked it so much that I make it at least once a month.  This is pretty good for a someone who rarely makes the same thing twice.  I love this dish because it's almost as easy as making hamburger helper, but tastes just like a restaurant dish.  I have added and subtracted may of the ingredients at one time or other and it always turns out great, as long as you always include the Italian sausage.  And please do not substitute the Italian for any other sausage.  You will not get the flavor that you need for this dish out of any other sausage.  I would also recommend sticking with pork sausage, but that is because I can't imagine it any other way :-)

This is Cavatappi Pasta

Italian Sausage Pasta

1 pound of cavatappi pasta (anything curly or with grooves in it, i.e fusili, rigatoni etc)
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Pound ground Italian Sausage, loose or casings removed  (I like the hot kind)

1 pkg of sliced mushrooms

1/2 of a medium onion, diced finely

1/2 cup of white wine
1 medium Can of crushed or diced tomatoes (I prefer diced)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, divided in half

Direction:

Cook your pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside.  Do NOT rinse the pasta.  The starch that is on your pasta needs to stay there.  This will help the sauce cling to the pasta better once you combine your pasta and sauce.

Place your oil in a large saute pan on medium high heat.  Add the sausage and break up into chunks, cooking until it is almost done, but little bit of pink still shows.  Add in your onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent and sausage is cooked through.  Turn the heat down to medium and pour the wine into the pan and let reduce for two minutes.  Add the can of tomatoes and reduce until almost all of the liquid is gone, approximately three to four minutes.  Add the heavy cream and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Stir to combine and pour the sauce over the pasta.  Garnish with more Parmesan cheese as desired.

enJoy!

Saturday Salmon

I've made this salmon two Saturday's in a row now, and I'm still not tired of it!  This fabulous recipe came from my sister Amy and her grill loving husband Neil.  The first time I had it, I did not think I was going to like it because if the profuse amount of parsley and sun dried tomatoes, but it is so good, I promise.  It is fresh, light, easy and really quite healthy.  I usually serve this on steamed white rice or quinoa.

Saturday Salmon


4 6oz Salmon Filet's
1bunch of parsley
1 8oz Jar of sun dried tomatoes
Purchased jar of sun dried tomato and oregano vinaigrette
3/4 cup Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 untreated cedar planks for grilling.


12-24 hours ahead of time, immerse your cedar planks in water and let soak overnight.


Preheat your grill and set it to medium/medium low depending on your grill and prepare your salmon.


Remove the stems from your parsley and chop it fairly small.  Place in a bowl and set aside.  Drain your sun dried tomatoes and chop them to the same size pieces as the parsley.  Combine with the parsley and 1 Tbs of the dressing and toss well.


Brush your cedar planks with olive oil.  Brush your salmon with olive oil and place your salmon fillets on the cedar plank, at least an inch apart.  Take your tomato parsley mixture, divide it into 4 portions and heap it on top of each salmon fillet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.


Place the planks with the salmon on your grill and close lid.  Cook for 15 -20 minutes.  When the fish is almost done. drizzle it one last time with some of the vinaigrette dressing.   Fish is done when it can be flaked with a fork.


Please note:  I have made this numerous times without the cedar planks, by placing each fillet on a piece of foil .  It is equally good, but does not have the slightly smoky flavor that the cedar planks impart.  Also, make sure you watch it carefully when cooking as the salmon will cook faster when it is on foil rather than the planks.
You can also substitute any vinaigrette dressing for the sun dried tomato oregano one if it cannot be found.  I have used Italian vinaigrette and added in the oil from the sun dried tomatoes, and that works really well.


enJoy!

Tarragon, how have we never met before?

I hate to admit this, but for you I will...  I have never used or tasted fresh tarragon.  I consider myself a spice/herb connoisseur and I've tasted just about any spice you can think of, and some you've probably never heard of.  So to not have ever tried tarragon is really unthinkable I must say.  In my weekly grocery run this weekend, I spied it in the fresh herb section and decided that now was the time.  After all. if I'm to be a responsible foodie/food blogger, I must know this herb.

Tarragon has a light licorice like scent to it, and a unique but delicate flavor.  It suites white meats and creamy sauces very well.  I decided to properly highlight the flavor,  I would make a risotto and served it with some simple pan fried chicken breasts.  The risotto was so good on it's own, that the chicken seemed pointless.  therefore, I will give you the risotto recipe on it's own.

Spring Fresh Risotto

4 slices of bacon, chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2" cubes
1 medium yellow squash, chopped into 1/2" cubes
1 cup corn kernels (preferably fresh.  I used roasted corn left over from a barbecue)
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1/2 white wine
1/1/2 cups dry arborio rice (no substitute)
6 cups warm chicken broth
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh tarragon
Salt

In a large saute pan, add one tablespoon of the olive oil and the bacon.  Cook until almost crisp, but not crunchy.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Turn your pan on medium high heat and add the squash, zucchini and corn.  Cook for approximately three minutes (should still be slightly firm when bitten into). If your pan becomes too dry, add a little water and continue to saute.  Once the veggies are starting to soften, remove and set aside.

Over medium high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and throw in the shallot and garlic.  Saute until the shallot is turning translucent.  Add the white wine and reduce by half (approximately 1/4 cup of liquid is left in the pan).  Add the dry rice and saute for 30 seconds to absorb the remaining oil in the pan.

Add the chicken stock 1 cup at a time, cooking until almost completely absorbed before making your next addition, stirring constantly.  Continue adding the broth 1 cup at a time until the rice has puffed up and become creamy looking.  Rice should be tender, but with a slight bite left to it.  Once you have reached this consistency, add the vegetables back into the rice along with the fresh tarragon and stir well to combine.  Salt to taste and remove from the heat.  If your rice has become too dry, add more liquid to it.  Your finished product should look saucy and creamy.

Serve warm, topped with the bacon bits.

enJoy!

Salty Steaky goodness!

Pauline (another one of my besties :-) and I share a passion for cooking. Where I am weak, she is strong and vice versa. Our culinary gifts are complimentary to each others, and we have so much fun in the kitchen! We also both share a passion for SALT. This was a random recipe that we made one night that turned into a favorite fallback for steak. I will warn you that it is SALTY, but oh so delicious.



"Steak Robear"
Ingredients:

3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juic
5 garlic cloves (peeled and pressed)
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of cayenne
2 1/2 - 3 lb London Broil (or favorite steak, cut to 1-1 1/2 inches thick)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs Olive Oil

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients (except Mayo and olive oil) in a 1 quart heavy duty zip loc bag. Seal and let marinade for at least 4 hours. Transfer steak to a plate and pour one cup of the marinade into a heavy sauce pan. Bring marinade to a boil and let reduce by half. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook steak, uncovered, until underside is browned, about 5 minutes. Turn steak over, then reduce heat to moderately low and cover skillet. Continue cooking until thermometer registers 120°F, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand at least 15 minutes.

While steak cooks and stands, bring marinade in saucepan to a boil, then pour into a bowl and cool completely. Whisk in mayonnaise until combined well and chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Cut steak across the grain into very thin slices and transfer to a platter, then drizzle with any juices accumulated on cutting board. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled, with mayonnaise.

One last homage to Salt