Three Mushroom Tart

I made this a few times after meeting my husband but I believe the last time may have been a distance birthday.  It was the weekend my husband met my parents at their NC home.  A few of us drove/flew there in order to attend a local symphony concert where my Dad, dressed in his tux, was to direct the symphony in Radetzky's March.  At the time, we didn't know what song so it was all a surprise to us when he appeared on stage at the end.  Back story is that earlier that year he attended a silent auction and won the bid to  conduct during an evening performance.  It was hilarious because during the piece, he stopped conducting and turned to face the audience and the audience roared with laughter as the symphony played on, not missing a beat.  It was all good fun.  That weekend is still a very fond memory of mine.  But that Sunday was my birthday and we had these tarts for a mid-day meal.  I recall that day as if it were yesterday.

This hails from April 1996 Gourmet Magazine, a well used issue of mine.  When I recently set out to make this, I couldn't recall where the recipe came from and looked for hours this past weekend until I found it.  I forgot I have a directory of all the recipes that I make (or would like to make) from my magazine collection.   But I was literally thumbing through the index of dozens and dozens of magazines scanning for it until I found it.  The directory is handy in that it is in alphabetical order and lists exactly where to find a recipe in my hundreds of magazines.  

So here's how you make this.  

Thaw a 1 Package of Puff Pastry or if you are talented make your own.  I have to admit, I've been watching The British Baking Show Master Class and plan to make my own soon.  That'll be for another day.

Read the recipe through and do all your prep in advance.  

Make sure you have a variety of 3 mushrooms.  You need at least one to have an appearance similar to enoki, or in my case Wegmans opened up nearby and I spied Beech (my new favorite).  

For the mushrooms -  8-10 Button, 8-10 Baby Bella (or Shitake), 6 oz Beech.  Pick out 4 of the best of the Button and Baby Bella that will be sliced for the top.  Take the rest and clean, trim the stems, and dice.  You should have about 3 Cups of diced Mushrooms total.  

To a skillet, add 2 TBL Unsalted Butter.  Add 1/2 Cup Minced Shallots and cook over medium heat to sweat, about 3 minutes.  Add diced Mushrooms, 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, Salt and Pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is evaporated.  Add 1/4 Cup Sherry with 1 TBL Balsamic Vinegar and cook until the liquid evaporates.  Place this mixture in a bowl to cool.  Can be made in advance up to this point.

Preheat oven to 425.  Roll Puff Pastry and place in a rectangular tart pan.  

In a measuring cup, combine 1/3 Cup Heavy Cream with 1 Egg.  Add this to the cooked mushroom mixture.  Pour this into the prepared tart pan.  Slice the Button and Bella mushrooms into 1/4" slices and arrange them in rows along the long sides of the tart pan.  Place the Beech mushrooms down the center.  Brush with the Juice of a Lemon.

Place in hot oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.  Don't open the oven door for the first 20 minutes.  Rotate the tart pan once and cook for final 5 minutes.  The pastry and filling should puff to a height taller than the tart pan.  Remove tart from oven and let rest for a few minutes before removing the rim.  Let rest another 5 mintutes and slice into 3-4 pieces.  Each tart will feed 3-4 depending on what else you serve.  A salad of some sort is highly recmmended.  

Zucchini Lasagne (Inspired by Rachel Ray)

I always get a new dish idea each time I watch Rachel Ray.  Her cooking is a simple style to make and is always tasty!  I tape the show daily and when I have time, I scroll through the guest lists.  Tim Tibow was on recently.  He has been following a Keto diet for years and this dish falls into that category.  Simply put, he explained he eats meat and good fats but avoid carbs and sugar.  BTW, he looks awesome.  I'm not on the Keto diet, or any diet for that matter, but this dish looked perfect for me and my family.  It also looked perfect as a reheated leftover.  On days my son has to work directly from arriving home from school I love to have things like this in the refrigerator.  It affords him to a real meal before work since he works the dinner shift. 

I only saw the dish made and didn't pull up the recipe so it isn't Rachel's verbatim but close enough.  You can go to her show's website and see exactly what she did.  She didn't use Marinara in her meat and I added it because the acid of the tomato balances the fat.

This made 8 zucchini halves allowing 2 per person.  The ratios I selected worked perfectly.  If you feel you want some carbs warm crusy bread comes to mind.  For a Vegetarian version, roast in Olive Oil, Sliced Mushroom, Wedges of Red Onions, 1/2" Diced Bell Pepper, and 1" Cubed Eggplant for about 20-25 Minutes in a 350 degree oven tossing very 6-8 minutes - obviously omitting the meat.

I bought 4 Medium Zucchini on the plumb side.  Preheat oven to 350.  Rinse and cut off both ends and slice down the middle.  I used my melon baller to scoop out the seeds creating a well.  Don't go all the way to the ends so nothing can fall out.  Place on a sheet pan and brush with Olive Oil, sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and Roast for 15-20 min till sizzling.  Set aside when done.  

I used 1.25 lbs of Ground Chuck.  Add 1 TBL of Olive Oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.  Dice 1/2 small Onion.  Sweat the onion til it glistens - about 3 minutes.  Add meat and cook lightly, breaking it up but keep it chunky so it doesn't resemble bb's.  Because it is going into the oven, don't cook it throughly to prevent it drying out completely.  Season with Salt & Pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp Oregano and 1 TBL Fresh Parsley.  I had fresh made Marinara on hand.  Add about 1/2 Cup Marinara and stir to combine.  Turn off heat.  

This is the good part.  In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt 4 Oz Mascarpone in 1/4 Cup of Heavy Cream, stirring the entire time.  It will make a nice smooth sauce.  Remove from heat when smooth.  

Make sure the zucchini are close together.  Top each one til almost overflowing.  Top with the white sauce.  Using 8oz Mozarella Cheese, top each with cheese.  Then Dizzzle with a tiny bit of good Olive Oil and sprinke with Oregano.    

You can assemble up to this point.  You can even make ahead and refrigerate overnight.
If you do that, remove from refrierator while the oven is warming.  

So when ready, preheat oven to 375.  Add pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 min.  I wanted the mixture bubbly and the cheese browned so I switched to a convection broil for the last few minutes.  In any event, stay close by so you don't over cook this.  

The zucchini was still al dente while the filling was warm and bubbly.  This was a delicious meal.  I can see making it as a group for a large family gathering, it's very forgiving.  Like I said, it can be made in the morning or even the day before.  Perfect for a snowy winter dinner with warm bread and a glass of Chianti!  

Other options, you can make baby versions using baby zucchini and serve 1/2 as an appetizer or serve a platter of them on an hor's doeurve table. Want to reduce calories, use ground chicken.  An absolutlely perfect recipe!!

Hor's Douevre Platters

I follow Cheese by Numbers on Instagram.  I know her posts look so simple but it's actually harder than it looks.  So while I practice one of my latest happy hour bite platters, I'll post them, mostly so I recall what I've done.  I bought this cool looking platter for about $15 and love the size and shape!  It can be dinner for 2 or a platter to serve many with drinks ahead of dinner. 

Below is a simple pre-dinner platter using a dinner plate.  We have a new media room and I made this one night while we enjoyed a cocktail.

Emeril's Breakfast Stratta

My Mom used to make a breakfast stratta for certain family events.  I realized at Thanksgiving, during a conversation about Christmas morning breakfast traditions, that I have never made her stratta or any stratta for that matter.  

This December, while watching Rachel Ray, Emeril was a guest and what do you think he made?  A stratta! But it was tall because it was made with large cubes of bread rather than sliced bread.  It was the traditional "make the night before and bake in the morning" affair so I dedcided to give it a try.   Wow, it was delicious - and of course it doesn't hurt that it is made with Gruyere Cheese!

He calls his a Morning Breakfast Bake and he uses Canadian Bacon.  My family prefers Sausage so I crumbled sauage patties instead.  I did omit the garlic because I don't like garlic for breakfast but for brunch or "we're having breakfast for dinner" I would probably add it.  Feel free to swap out Shallots for the Onion.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 TBL Butter and to it add: 6 Crumbled Breatfast Sauage Patties and cook for about 5 minutes while stirring often. Add 1 Small Onion Diced and 1/4 tsp Salt and cook until the onion has sweated, about 2-3 minutes.  Have ready 1 pound of prewashed Baby Spinach.  Add half of the spinach to the skillet and once it is reduced in volume, add the other half.  Once it is wilted, remove the skillet from the heat.  

Butter a 9" x 9" x 2 3/4" - in other words tall baking dish.  Cut a Loaf of Bakery Bread (some suggestions are Italian, Sour Dough, Boulle or my favorite is Pane di Casa if you have a Harris Teeter) to 1 1/2 " cubes.  Grate 8 oz. Gruyere Cheese.  

Add the bread to the dish and top with sausage topping and grated cheese - preserving about 1/2 Cup of Gruyere for the top.  It works well to get the topping between the cubes of bread.  Just keep building until all the topping is gone and 3/4 of the cheese is used.   

In a bowl beat 10 Eggs,  2 Cups 1/2 & 1/2, 1 Cup Milk, 1/2 tsp Pepper, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg.  Gently pour egg mixture over the bread and toppings.  You may have to re-distribute any topping that got disrupted.  Press gently so the bread comes into contact with the egg mixture.  Top with about 1/2 Cup of preserve Gruyere.  Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.  

In the morning, remove dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.   Preheat oven to 400.  Bake incovered for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown and "set".  Let rest for 5 minuted before cutting into generous squares.  Serve with fresh fruit.  If you want to go crazy,  serve Vermont Maple Syrup along side of it for a light drizzle.  

Hopefully this dish will be part of your holiday tradition or your favorite "we're having breakfast for dinner" meal on that cold January night!  Enjoy!!

Avocado Caprese Salad

This was another video that was floating around.  You hardly need a recipe.

Heat 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar with a Pinch of Sugar over medium heat.  As soon at it starts to simmer, remove from heat.  The water will evaporate to create a more concentrated thicker Balsamic Glaze. 

Cut Avocado in half and remove the pit.  Brush with Lemon Juice to keep from turning brown.  Cut Mozzarella Pearls  and Grape Tomaotes in half.  Add these to the avacado cavity.  Drizzle with Oil Olive and Balsamic Glaze.  Add S&P and Basil.  Serve at once. 

Chicken Roulade

You've seen the quick videos that show a dish being prepared, well this one caught my eye.  What I like most about it is that it can be made most of the way and finished in the oven in about 20 minutes give or take whether or not I had to refrigerate it first.  I like a meal like this  because I can get it mostly ready then dinner can be on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta.  



Preheat oven to 375.  


Each chicken breast will net 2 roulades.  First, rinse 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts and filet each in half resulting in 2 full sized breasts but half as thick.  Place in a gallon zip lock and pound them to get a consistant thickness.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Add S&P and Pesto.  (NOTE: I added Basil Leaves instead of pesto, so either way can work.)  Add 2 or 3 Thin Roma Tomato Slices and Grated Mozzarella Cheese.  Roll the chicken breast, starting with the pointed end and secure with a tooth pick.  Heat a skillet over medium and add Olive Oil to coat.  Brown all sides of the chicken.  It will not be completely cooked through and will have to be finished in the oven.  

Once browned, top with Mozzarella Cheese, drizzle with Olive Oil and add S&P and a Basil Leaf. Add Grape Tomatoes to the pan and place in hot oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve over hot Pasta. 

If making this ahead:
Once the roulades are browned, let cool and refrigerate .  Remove from the refrigerator as the oven heats to 375.  Heat the skillet and add Olive Oil to coat.  (If you don't heat the skillet first, the chicken will absorb the oil resutling in a greasy finsihed product.)  Add the Chicken Roulades and top with Mozarella and drizzle with Olive Oil and S&P and a Basil Leaf.    Add grape tomatoes and place in hot oven.  May need 20-22 minutes to finish so it is cooked thoroughly and hot in the center.  Serve over hot pasta.  

Some other roulade ideas are Brie and Asparagus or Ham and Swiss.  

Potatoes Anna

This is a very old classic recipe.  It's simple to make and cooks in the oven.  

Peel 2-3 lbs Potatoes.  I used small Russets for this, because that's what I had on hand.  Cut a 1/2 Stick Butter into small cubes.  

Preheat oven to 425 and spray a 10" oven safe skillet with cooking spray.  I used my All-Clad stainless skillet.  

Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes to 1/16" and arrange them into the pan in a shingled, circular fashion.  After each layer, season lightly with Salt and Pepper and after every 2 layers, dot with butter cubes.  Make 6 layers in all and dot the top with butter.  

Cover the skillet and place in hot over for 40 minutes.  Remove lid and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes til a deep golden brown.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.  The "pancake" should easily be removed from the pan and place on a plate with the bottom side upward.  Serve at once, sliced into wedges.

Asian Inspired Orange Thyme Chicken Thighs

I was going for something quick and juicy but full of flavor.  This made up recipe did the trick.  First rinse and pat dry 8 Chicken Thighs (originally I made 4 thighs but the next time I made 8).  If they are too wet, they don't brown well, so pat them dry with a clean paper towel.  Season both sides with Salt, Pepper and Thyme.

Heat a skillet, large enough to fit the chicken in a single layer, over medium heat.  Add 3 TBL good quality Olive Oil.   Let the oil heat through.  Dust the thighs very lightly with flour and place flour side down.  This will add a touch of a crunch without it being a breading or a coating.  Dust the upward facing side lightly with flour.  Once chicken is golden brown on first side, flip over each thigh.  When the second side is golden brown, remove from pan and place on a dish, tent with foil allowing steam to escape.

Pour out any excess oil.  De-glaze skillet with 1/2 Cup Orange Juice.  Carefully get the browned bits from the pan.  Should take about 3-5 minutes, stir all the while.  Add 1/3 Cup Orange Marmalade to the pan and stir to combine.  Season with Salt and Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes.

Return thighs to the pan and heat through.  Add any juice from the plate to the sauce.  Serve with good quality rice and vegetables of choice.

Chick-Fil-a Knockoff Sandwiches

I have made these now 3 times and the third time they were very close.  The first time I made them the chicken was too thick.  I fileted the breasts making them thinner but they were far too big around.  The second time, I added  flour because the recipe didn't have enough corn statch but that didn't work very well.  

This third time, I cut the breast in about half, and the I fileted the thinner end into two pieces and the thicker side was fileted into 3 pieces.  These were the perfect size.  The other change I made the third time, was from my tempura days, I decided to double the corn starch the recipe called for and I added Baking Powder - that made all the difference in the world.  Instead of 2 breasts, I graduated to 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts which netted 18 peices of chicken.  My son ate most of it!  I think I got 1 sandwich from that batch.  

Harris Teeter sells Boneless Chicken Breasts for $1.99 a pound and you can't beat the quality, no hormones used, and the pieces for the sandwich ends up somewhere around $.35-$.40 each!  Not bad.  

First, rinse and filet the chicken breasts.  Add no more than 9 or 10 pieces to a 1 gallon Zip lock bag.  For each bag: add 1/2 Cup Dill Pickle Juice, I like Mount Olive Hamburger Dills.  Marinate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Meanwhile get dry ingredients ready.  1/2 Cup Corn Starch, 2 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt, and 1 tsp Pepper.  In a bowl, beat 1 Egg with 2 TBL Buttermilk.  After marinating, open bag and squeeze the open end, so the chicken remains inside, and drain the juice. To the bag add the egg mixture and massage.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  Again, pour out any excess liquid and add the dry ingredients.  Zip the bag closed and massage the dry ingredients until you know the chicken is coated.  In the meantime, heat a pot (I use my iron pot) with 4" Canola Oil until 375 on a thermometer.  Preheat oven to 275.  Add a cooling rack to a sheetpan.  Add 4-5 pieces of chicken to the oil.  Once it begins to look opaque around the edges, flip each piece over.  Cook until the same golden brown.  Place on the ready cooling rack and place in the oven. Let the oil get back to temperature before adding more pieces.  Continue cooking until all the chicken is done.  

For serving, lightly butter and brown a Soft Style Hamburger Bun. Add chicken and top with pickles.  Enjoy!!

Pictured, I made dish of Baked Beans that my sister C turned me on to and is posted here on my blog. Go to the search tab on the top right corner and type in Baked Beans  and it should come up.  

Linguine Carbonara

We had 2 snow days which has extented our New Year Holiday and left me motivated to try some new dishes! I figured Pasta Carbonara is perfect dish for a cold winter night.  

This one was pictured in Williams-Sonoma's Christmas catalog and caught my eye.  They used to print the recipes within the pages but now you have to go online and their test kitchen posts all of their ideas in their recipe section.  I had to do a bit of hunting but finally located the one I was looking for.

They used a fat spaghetti shape and I used Linguine.  I think both are suitable.  I read all the time about adding reserved pasta water to dishes but this is the first time I actually did it.  My family competely loved this dish and I can still imagine the delicious flavors, even now, so needless to say, this recipe is a keeper!  

I served it with a simple salad but you can pair this with all manner of things, a Grilled Veal or Pork Chop, Ribs, Boneless Chicken Breast, Italian Sausage, Cheese Toast, even Seared Scallops, but you get the idea, it's versatile! I can even invision adding Orange Zest to this dish for a new dimension.

This makes 4 servings and in my household more like 3 because 1 person, whom we shall not name, ate 2 of them!  Cut 6 Slices of Thick Smoked Bacon Crosswise into 1/2" Lardons.  (NOTE: Lardons are my new favorite Bacon shape!)  

In a preheated skillet, cook Bacon, stirring often, until crispy.  In the meantime, get a pot of water boiling for pasta and ready 2 Cloves of Garlic in the garlic press.  In a bowl, beat 2 Eggs and add 3/4 Cups Parmesan Cheese.  Mince 1 Tbl Fresh Parsley.  Once you remove the cooked bacon, press the garlic into the bacon fat and cook til fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and add to the dish with the bacon.  

When ready, cook 12 Oz Pasta til al dente and reserve about 1/2 Cup of Pasta Water.  Strain pasta and return to the pot.  Add the Egg and Parmesan Cheese mixture.  Toss to coat until cheese is melted.  Add pasta water as needed to create a sauce that just coats the pasta.  Top with the Bacon, Garlic and place in Pasta Serving Platter.  Serve onto pasta plates, grate additional Parmesan to order and top with parsley and freshly ground salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

My son took a photo using a filter and though I am typically against filtering my food photos and don't even edit them, I have to admit this one looks pretty appealing.  You be the judge.

Sheet Pan Dinner (Chicken Thighs and Vegetables)

I came across a recipe I clipped from a late issue of Sunset Magazine.  Since our weather has been cooler, I was in the mood for a new dinner idea in order to use the oven and this was perfect.  I went to a spice store recently where bought Chinese 5-spice.  Bonus.  It's a nice aromatic and made the kitchen smell good.

Preheat oven to 425.  Drizzle Olive Oil on a sheet pan to give a light coating.  Rinse 8 Chicken Thighs and place on paper towels so they dry.  Peel 1 Medium Sweet Potato and cut in 1/4" slices.  Peel 2 Granny Smith Apples and section into 8 wedges each.  Peel 4-5 Small Carrots and cut lengthwise.   Peel 1 Large Red Onion and slice into 1/4" slices, keeping the rings intact.  Clean 1 Bulb of Fennel and slice into 1/4" slices.  (NOTE: 2 stores I visited were both out of fennel so it's not pictured).  Place all the vegetables on the sheet pan in a single row or shingled if it's tight, then wiggle the Chicken thighs into the gaps.





In a small bowl, microwave to melt 2 TBL Butter and add to it 2 tsp Honey, 1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-Spice.  Coat the skin side of the thighs with the glaze.  Place in hot oven.  After 15 minutes, baste chicken with drippings.  Cook for another 15-20 minutes until the chicken is golden browned and crispy.







This recipe showed the vegetables carmelized.  There were quit a bit of drippings and carmelizing was not going to occur, so I made a quick decision, to place thighs on a plate and covered them lightly with foil to rest.  I moved all of the vegetables to a new sheet pan and continued cooking for 15 minutes total, flip them all once halfway through the cooking process.  Plate and serve hot.

This meal would be good either made in advance, while waiting for company to arrive, or even the day before.  It could be warmed for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 300.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Peach Salsa

We've been eating lighter now that it's hot.  Yesterday I had a hankering for Shrimp Tacos with a zesty Peach Salsa, so I picked up what I needed just before dinner.  Let's say this was a nod to Louisiana.

The Peach idea came from years ago, when a guest chef at the local farmer's market found things at the booths and cooked fish and served it with a simple fresh peach salsa.  I thought it was the coolest idea.  We are talking 15 years ago, so though there is no way I could duplicate what he did I made my own quick Salsa.

Rinse Shrimp, peel devein, pat dry, and add 5 to each skewer, this just makes for easy grilling.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and season with Blackening Seasoning on both sides, I like Paul Prudhomme's the best.

For the Salsa, Dice 2 Ripe Peaches.  Mince a few strips of Jalepeno - use them to your liking depending on how much heat you want.  Add 1 tsp Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice.  Season with 2 tsp minced Cilantro and if you want, 2 tsp Minced Red Onion.  Drizzle with 1 TBL Olive Oil and stir.

Shred lettuce, I used Red Cabbage and Spinach, but you can use micro greens, napa cabbage, sprouts of any sort, really whatever you want.

Preheat Grill til hot and grill shrimp, turning once.  Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet so they are pliable.

We have taco tenders and I recommend them. Assemble tacos by placing shredded greens in the bottom, add 3 shrimp and top with Salsa.  We sampled Gluten Free Tortillas but I didn't care for the texture at all.  I would stick with flour tortilla's or if Gluten Free is needed, I would rather make my own with gluten free flour.

"The" Cowboy Steak

If you like grilling and chilling with a group this is the steak for you!!!  Last fall I was looking at meat at Sam's and saw these wonderful freshly cut steaks labeled Cowboy Steak.  Even when I was leaving the store, the attendant asked me if there were any left because he had his heart set on bringing one home for dinner. We compared notes on cooking methods because they are not only huge but thick as well.  I have since cooked them a few times and each time they were delicious.

This is a huge steak on account of having the entire rib-bone but the presentaion is awesome!  One steak sliced can feed 4 adults.  It's so large that I made the marinade on a sheet pan, added the steak, then flipped it a few times over a 1 hour timeframe.

Marinate the Cowboy Steak in whatever you like but I normally use Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Fresh Garlic, Fresh Parsley, Freshly ground Salt and Pepper.  Because of  the vinegar, don't marinate it for more than an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Preheat the grill.  Grill the steak in order to get cross grill marks about 2 minutes X 2 for each side.  Place on a clean sheet pan and finish it in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending on thickness and doneness you are aiming for.  Let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice in 1/4" slices.

For cross grill marks, I like to place the meat diagonally on the grill (ie 1:30 and 7:30), after 2 minutes, flip over keeping the same diagonal.  Then flip over again AND rotate to the opposite diagonal (ie 10:30 and 4:30) then flip over 1 last time keeping that same diagonal.  If you practice using the same flipping method when you grill, you will always know where you are in the process and get perfect results.

Pasta Night - for Everyone!

Our club offers a pasta night once a week.  It's a really cool concept.  Two times now I have done my own Pasta Night at home ~ once on account of having leftover Rigatoni and last night intentionally using a really good Italian Gluten Free Penne.  

In the even years, my family holds a week long family get-together at Thanksgiving with about 28-30 of us all eating meals together.  We change up some of the dinners from year to year.  Based on the the head count as it builds each day prior to Thanksgiving Day, we decide which dinners are for a smaller group vs the full group. 

This meal is cool because it's cooked to order and the selections are chosen by the diner which works well when trying to accommodate various dietary restrictions.  I have been trying to work this out to serve it for a large group.  Having a few cooks and multiple pans will make it possible for a large group.  I'm also thinking the kids eat first, then adults afterward.

It's all in the prep, then it goes together quickly and with a big group working together, that part is fun.  The more ingredients you have, the more combinations you can offer. 

For last night, for three of us, this is what I served.  I already had the Marinara made, so that saved a step.  I have a vegetable plot in our community garden and had some Broccoli and a small Red Cabbage that I picked about an hour before prepping.  I also picked some Thia Basil from the community garden and I had some Fresh Parsley in my herb pots.  I just bought Sugar Snap Peas and a Yellow Squash.  I also had 2 links of cooked Italian Sausage from the night before that I cut into 1/2" slices.  I also had a locally grown Onion that I bought last Sat at our local farmers market.  So you can see where this is going with all of these fresh ingredients.  

We are trying out a gluten free diet so I precooked and cooled a very good Italian Gluten Free Penne made by a company called Schar.  I made Afredo Sauce and had that near by.  I quickly steamed the sugar snap peas and the broccoli each for about two minutes and placed them in separate bowls.  I thinly sliced the onion and the cabbage and placed them in separate bowls.  I recently bought a new Mandoline and made waffle shaped slices with the Summer Squash.  You can add whatever you want though, sauteed peppers, roasted eggplant, sliced zuchinni, sliced (or quartered) mushrooms, cooked bonelss chicken breast, raw shrimp, capers, pressed garlic, etc.  The larger the group, the larger the offering.

I have a 12" All-Clad skillet that is perfect for this meal.  Heat the pan over medium heat and add a TBL of Olive Oil.  Add the ingredients that the diner requests.  Sauté these together for a few minutes adding Salt and Pepper to taste.  Add the pasta and toss for about 1 minute.  Add Alfredo and toss for about 30 seconds til combined and hot.  If the sauce thickens too quickly, have water ready and add a splash or two as needed.  

For plating, in a pasta plate, add marinara to the bottom and swirl.  Add the freshly cooked pasta to the plate and top with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and garnish with Italian Herbs and S&P if needed.  Eat at once with a salad and hot crusty bread.  

Wash the pan and utensils and begin again.  

Other sauces that can be added instead of just Alfredo and Marinara are Pesto, Tepenade, a Roasted Red Pepper topping, and even a Marsala or Picatta.  So with the combinations, the dishes are endless.  

For a big group, set out the pasta plates and the ingredients buffet style.  Allow each diner the chance to add to the bowl what they would like.  Then they can bring it to the cook who can make the dish to order.  NOTE: If using raw Shrimp or any raw meat, the plate has to be washed before serving.  I would have raw shrimp near the cook who can add it directly to the pan and all other meats I would precook.

Another option is have everyone gather in the kitchen, allow the cooks choice on the combinations, enjoy them one by one as they are done by sharing straight out of the pan onto small plates.  

Have fun and photograph all the selections as the dishes are finished.  

Shrimp and Grits

Last year was the first time I had Shrimp and Grits - if you can believe that!  I lived near New Orleans for 26 years.  The way it happened was, we were in the city for a Saints game and were surprised no one was at the entrance.  We inquired as to where everyone was only to learn that the game got moved from Noon to 3:30pm.  Since we lived 45 minutes away, we decided to go to Mr. B's for brunch and to look at artwork in the French Quarter.  There was a jazz combo playing and everyone seemed to be enjoying typical New Orleans Brunch fare.  We saw (and smelled) the Shrimp and Grits.  As the servers, ladened with dishes lined up their arms bustled by, that delicious New Orleans Barbecue scent lingered around us.  With that, we both ordered it!  The following week, I cooked the same dish for dinner and even a few times since then.  Now in NC where fortunately the shrimp is very good, I made Shrimp and Grits for dinner last night.  My son, who used to eat just three shrimp and not finish them, piled his plate high and ate every remaining shrimp.   I just had the five I photographed!  Oh well, next time I'll have to cook more.

Peal and devein enough Shrimp for those you are serving.  I had 1 1/2 pounds of Shrimp - after it was cleaned.   Place single layer on a paper towel lined plate in order to dry the exterior so it will brown.

You will need to find a Barbecue Shrimp Seasoning (I only use LaDon's) prior to attempting this dish.  To a small pot, add a few TBL of the Barbecue seasoning to 2 TBL butter, 1 Tbl Olive Oil, 1 TBL Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and Juice of 1 Lemon (zest the lemon first for a garnish).  Heat until melted.  Swirl to combine.

Cook enough Grits counting on 1/2 cup cooked grits per serving.  The way Mr. B's cooks their grits is they use milk.  Milk can be very salty so I use a ratio of 1/2 Cup Milk and 1 1/2 Cups water.  Cover and heat over medium high heat til it boils.  With fork in hand, slowly add the 1/2 Cup Grits stirring all the while until combined.  Add a 1 tsp Salt and 1 Tbl Butter.  Turn to low and cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir again, turn off heat, and cover to allow to finish.  Stir one last time to make sure they are cooked.

Heat an empty skillet over medium high heat.  Add 2 TBL Olive Oil and 1 TBL Butter.  Add Shrimp and cook quickly tossing all the while to ensure all the shrimp are cooked.  This only takes a matter of minutes.  Top with Lemon Zest and Fresh Parsley.

For plating, to a pasta plate, add the barbecue seasoning, top with grits and top with Shrimp.  Enjoy with crusty warm bread and a salad and maybe even a jazz tune.

Smashed Baby Red Potatoes

Before we relocated, I began getting rid of magazines, dozens and dozens of them.  I tore out all sorts of recipes and stuck them in a folder to add to my personal cook book.  This recipe is in that folder and I just bought herbs and a variety of baby potatoes plus we are grilling rib eye steak tonight.

This is simple enough that if you are entertaining you can at least boil the potatoes in advance.  You can also make them ahead entirely and have them ready for the oven after guests arrive.

In my estimation, any single herb or combination of herbs will do, just base it on what you are serving with them.  You could even use only minced chives or only minced parsley and serve with a side of sour cream for dipping.  Tonight though, I used Thyme.

Rinse the 2 lbs Baby Potatoes and place in a pot and cover with cool water.  Add to the pot,  3 Smashed Cloves of Garlic, 6-8 Sprigs of whatever Herb you plan to use and a 1/4 Cup Salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat and simmer until tender.  Strain potatoes and discard the garlic and herbs.  Leave the potatoes in the strainer for 10 minutes in order for them to dry off.  They will be crispier that way.

Preheat oven to 425.  To a sheet pan, add 2 Tbl Olive Oil.  Place potatoes in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Using either the heal of your hand - or I used the flat side of my meat tenderizer - flaten each potato until it is the thickness of 1/2".  Brush upward facing side with 1 TBL Olive Oil.  Season with Salt and Pepper.  Roast in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.  I turned the potatoes over about half way through cooking.  

While the potatoes are roasting, mix together, 2 TBL Unsalted Butter, 1 Tbl minced Fresh Parsley, 2 tsp chopped Thyme, 1 tsp chopped Rosemary, 1 Pressed Garlic Clove, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.  When potatoes are golden brown, place on serving platter and brush them with the herbed butter.  Serve immediately.  

NOTE:  If you don't prefer the uncooked garlic, you can omit it all together and instead before roasting, quarter lengthwise 2 bulbs of Shallots and place the separated the layers to the pan.  Red Onion will work as well.   

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I used to make this dish in college.  It is a recipe in my McCall's Cookbook, though this is an adaptation of that recipe.  I like to keep the chicken crispy and the oringinal recipe calls for way too much sugar compared to today's standard.  This is a perfect crowd pleaser and can be made in advance and finished in the oven in about 30 min.  It's also perfect for a buffet dinner.

Do the prep first.  Rinse desired number of Chicken Thighs and place in a paper towel lined dish, single layer and season with S&P.  Cut a 1/2 Fresh Pineapple into chuncks.  Cut 2 Peppers (any colors you like) into 1" squares.  To a dish, add flour for dredging and season with S&P and Paprika.  To a measuring cup, combine 1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth, 3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 TBL Soy Sauce.  Have at the ready, 3/4 Cup Sugar, 2 TBL Corn Starch, 2 tsp Freshly Grated Ginger, 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes.  

Heat large flat bottomed sauteuse pan over medium heat.  Add Canola Oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour and add to the hot pan - skin side down  Cook the first side until golden brown and flip the chicken and cook second side until golden brown.
Place on a platter, single layer.  

Pour off all the excess oil.  Place pan back on the heat and add the broth mixture and sugar and stir to combine.  Stir in corn starch and stir until it bubbles gently and begins to thicken.  

Up to this point can be made in advance and finished when ready.  

Preheat oven to 350.  Add pineapple and peppers to the sauce and toss until coated.  Add ginger and pepper flakes and stir to combine.  Add chicken to the pan without layering it.  It should be nestled in the sauce (as pictured) without getting sauce on the top.  

Place in hot oven and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve over Jasmine Rice.

Spiralizer Vegetable Pancakes

I have been intrigued by the Spiralizer for sometime and being drawn to kitchen gadgets, I bought one.  Bed, Bath & Beyond sells the OXO for $40, $32 after the discount.   I chose that one because of the way the suction mechanism works.  It will get lots of use, though I am not so sure about zucchini cut into spaghetti and then cooked like spaghetti because I like my zuchinni carmelized. Because it's so watery, cooking in water seems like the workings for a watery mess to me.  We'll see, maybe it's pictured raw with olive oil and herbs but we are led to believe it's cooked.  

So first up for me was vegetable pancakes.  I make potato pancakes often enough but wanted to try vegetables along with a small Sweet Potato for a change.  They were fun to make and very tasty.  You can combine many vegetables, including things I chose but also, turnips, rutabagas, scallions, shallots, onions, bean sprouts, black olives, zuchinni, summer squash, jicama, etc.  Really anything you are in the mood for.

We just got a local Whole Food a few weeks ago.  They have tri-colored carrots on their immense salad bar so that became my inspiration.  I figured they must sell them as well and I was right.

It takes a little practice to use the spiralizer and the short ends of the carrots didn't work as well because there isn't anything to grip.  The fatter halves worked better, so I cut them in half.

What I spun created 12 nicely sized vegetable pancakes.  Spiralize onto a sheet pan, 1 Small Peeled Sweet Potato, 1 Peeled Orange Carrot, 1 Peeled Red Carrot, 1 Peeled Yellow Carrot, 1 Medium Zuchinni. To this I added 1/2 Red Onion cut along the radius to make long strips.  Place all of the vegetables in a bowl.  Beat 2 Eggs with a few TBL of Milk.  Add to vegetables.  Generously add S&P to taste.  Add enough Flour to coat the vegetables so the excess moisture is absorbed.  Right before cooking, I dusted with a bit more flour so the vegetable mixture isn't soupy.  

Preheat the oven to 250 and have ready a sheet pan with a cooling rack inserted.  Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add 1/2" Canola Oil.  Make small pancakes and place in hot oil.  Flip over one time once golden brown.  You can add additional S&P if needed to the cooked side.  What's neat is because the spirals come out as very long strands, you have to break them apart and the result is that no 2 are alike.  

Place the cooked pancakes on the cooling rack and place them in the oven once they are all cooked.  Serve warm!

Roasted Cauliflower with Gruyere Sauce

A few weeks ago, we traveled to Chicago, a city I recommend you put on your 'don't miss' list!!  It was fantastic.  There is so much going on and so much to do in a very small square area that you will never be bored. I mostly walked every where I went, even if it was a mile away.  We were go, go, go, from the time we got there until the day we left, with museums, shopping, Wrigley Field for a game, and dining.  

On one of the nights, we went to Gibson's Bar & Steakhouse. It was very good, with the exception that for the first time ever, I was served an end piece of Prime Rib.  Normally, at least in my experience, those slices are saved for Medium Well diners.  I was disappointed that it was over done, when I ordered medium, and too dry for my taste.  I should've sent it back but the piece was large enough that I could find medium in the thicker areas and left the medium well behind.  Would I return, meh, maybe not.

The restaurant, as with most steakhouses, is ala carte.  The side dish we chose to share was something we had not eaten before.  Roasted Cauliflower with a Gruyere Sauce.  We couldn't finish it all and my son had 3 servings.  It was relly good.  When were returned home, I made what I thought was close to the dish.  

Preheat oven to 350.  Rinse and cut , 1 Cauliflower to desired size.  Place on a sheet pan and drizzle and coat in 1/4 Cup Olive Oil.  Add S&P to taste.  Place in oven for a total of 20-25 minutes, turing over the cauliflower after 15 minutes, to ensure even roasting.  

While cauliflower is roasting, make Gruyere Sauce.  For béchamel, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 Tbl Unsalted Butter.  Once it stops bubbling, add 3 Tbl Flour.  Stir for about 3 minutes total, without letting it brown.  Add 1 Cup Whole Milk and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  It should bubble gently.  

Using a grater box, grate 5-6 oz Gruyere Cheese and add Gruyere to béchamel.  Add S&P to taste.  Add Roasted Cauliflower to the sauce, toss gently to coat, and place in buttered casserole dish.  

Pictured, I took 2 slices of a Rosemary Boule that we had from the previous night, and I tore them into randome pieces and added to the top. Then I sprinkled with Parsley and Paprika.  You can easliy use Panko Bread Crumbs instead.  Place in hot oven for 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and hot.  Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.

For a variation and bolder flavors, you can toss the cauliflower in hazelnut oil before roasting.  Before adding flour to the butter, add a medium shallot, minced, and let this sweat.  Then add the flour and continue on.  For the topping, instead of bread, use roughly chopped hazelnuts.  Season with nutmeg instead of parsley and paprika.

Grilled Skirt Steak

I found skirt steaks recently and they are not always available unless you really look or ask.  The first time I had skirt steak was at the Fog City Diner in SF.  This was in the 80's, mind you, but that was the dish to order.  It was served, unsliced, with a huge pile of delicious shoe string fries!

This past Friday night, I made up my own quick marinade.  Skirt Steaks are long so I cut it in half.  One end is thicker than the other so if you want them both the same done-ness, place the thick one on the grill first.  For the marinade, I used about 2 Tbl Soy Sauce, 1 Tbl Rice Vinegar, 1 Tbl Stone Ground Mustard, 2 Tbl Brown Sugar, 2 Tbl Water, 1/4 tsp Coriander and Cracked Peppercorn to taste. You can add Garlic or even Red Pepper Flakes for more bold flavor.

Years ago, I bought a neat Tupperware container for marinating.  It has a waffle design so the marinade touches whatever you are marinating.  You add the lid, a similar design, and just flip the container e very so often.  It all goes in the dishwasher.  I highly recommend investing in something like this if you marinade a lot; I use it just about weekly.  I make my marinated right in the container and simply add the meat.  Marinate the skirt steak(s) for at least an hour.  When ready, preheat the grill with the lid shut, to at least 600-650 degrees.

Oh, I should add, we finally replaced our infer-red grill!  I am back to doing what I love!!

To grill the steak, place on the grill on the diagonal.  You are going to cook both sides twice to get cross marks.  For medium rare, cook the first side for about 3-3.5 min then flip and cook for another 3-3.5 minutes.  Then turn 90 degrees to the marks you have on the first side and cook for at least 3-4 minutes.  Then finally flip to the 2nd side again and cook for at least 3-4 minutes.  The grill will cool down so you may even had to go 4 minutes on the second cooking.  NOTE: Think about your flipping before you mess with this so your marks are good. 


I served mine with oven made Fries.  I thinly cut elongated New Potatoes and tossed in good quality Olive Oil and cooked til crispy.  They take over an hour in a 375 oven, turning about every 20 minutes. 

The skirt steak can be grilled and served whole or can be sliced after resting for 5 minutes.  The sliced steak is delicious leftover in a Fajita or Steak Quesadilla!!