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!!

Brown Sugar Salmon

My son watches different food vloggers.  A few weeks ago he asked if we could have salmon made the way a gal he follows makes it.  I figured, sure why not. 

First have salmon fillets cut to the size each person wants.  I tend to buy mine with the skin in tact.  I use my Tupperware marinating container and if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one.  To the container, add 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce.  Add Sprigs of Fresh Dill.  Add Fresh Salmon and top with more dill.  

NOTE:  1/3 - 1/2 Lb per person is a nice size portion - center cut if you can get it.  If you buy the whole side that you plan to cut yourself, use the tail portion for whomever likes theirs more done.  Let the salmon marinate in the soy for about 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon of a foil lined sheet pan and top generously with Light Brown Sugar - at least a 1/4 Cup each.  You can get it ready of to this point if you are having company.  Place the sheet pan directly in the refrigerator.

Place in preheated oven for about 20 mintes for medium temperature.  For medium rare temerature, add those fillets after about 5 minutes into cooking so they are ready at the same time.  

Remove from the oven when the sugar has bubbled and formed a light crust.  If at the end you want it a bit more crustier, use your broiler for a minute.  Add the drizzle from the sheet pan directly on the fish or on one of the sides you plan to serve.  Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes before removing from the sheet pan.  

Interesting combination but tasty.  We actually made it a second time.  

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.  

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.

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.

From Valerie's Kitchen - Leek and Bacon Flatbread

I caught an episode of Valerie's Kitchen and she made a simple flatbread for a party.  The ingredients sounded very good together and the results were amazing!  I normally make my own dough but I found a 1 Pound Ball of Fresh Whole Wheat Dough at the store on sale for $1 (normally $2.99), so I couldn't pass it up. It made two flatbreads.  

When we ski in Park City, we eat at a restaurant called the Silve Star Cafe.  They sell something like this at lunch for around $12 and I've had it many times.  I never thought to make my own but now I will. 

Either make your favorite dough and let proof or remove store bought dough from the refriegerator and place in an olive oiled bowl to proof - coat the dough lightly with oil.  Cover with wrap and place in a warm location.  It should take a least an hour rise and should double in size. 

In the meantime, remove the roots from 2 Medium Leeks.  Slice them thinnly until you get to the tougher dark green portion.  To an 8 oz containter of Creme Fraiche add Freshly Ground Nutmeg to season.  Saute the Leeks til tender.  Cut 6 Slices of thick Bacon into lardons (1/2" cuts along the short dimension) and sautee until crispy.  Grate 4 oz Gruyere Cheese.  

For the Flatbread.  Preheat over to 425.  Cut dough ball in half and roll it thinnly keeping its oblong shape.  I like to use a pastry cloth dusted with flour to keep it from sticking.  Take a large sheet pan and turn it over.  Place the dough on the pan diagonally. Top with 1/2 of the Creme Fraiche.  Add 1/2 of the Grated Gruyere.  Add desired amount of leeks and bacon.  Grind Salt and Pepper to taste.  Bake in oven until the crust is golden and cheese browned slightly.  Remove from oven and drizzle with good quality Olive Oil.  

For Vegetarian, change up the toppings to suit your diet.

(Depending on what type you make, you can add things like Freshly Grated Parmesan, Red Pepper Flakes, Dried Oregano, Fresh Basil, etc).  Let rest for a few minutes and cut  diagonally as pictured.  Serve at once!

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.

"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.

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.

Tomato Basil Soup

Lately, I have eaten Tomato Basil Soup but have never attempted to make it ~ until today.  I found a nice recipe in my California Fresh Cook Book published by Jr League of Oakland-East Bay.  If you are a vegetarian, on a tight budget, or just like fresh homemade food, this is a recipe for you!

What made this particularly special is that I made it with my son, whom I homeschool and we served the soup in warm Panera Bread Bowls.  

Preheat a large pot over medium heat.  Once hot, add 1/4 C Butter, 1 Medium Coarsely Chopped Vidalia Onion, 2 Medium Diced Carrots.  Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  

Meanwhile, rinse and quarter, 8 Medium Vine Ripe Tomatoes.  Coarsely chop 1/4 C. Fresh Basil.  Add Tomatoes, Basil, 1 tsp Salt, 3/4 tsp Sugar, 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper to the pot and stir to combine.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add 2 Cups of Chicken Stock (use Vegetable Stock for a vegetarian version).  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  

At first we both thought the soup looked a tad bit thin, probably on account of my increasing the tomatoes from 5 to 8, so I added 1 Tbl uncooked Basmati Rice to the soup and once it was cooked, I blended it in for a heartier version.  That is an option for you depending on your tastes.  

Either using a blender in batches, blend soup until smooth and return to a clean pot or using a hand blender, whirl until the soup is blended.  The hand blender will not make a completely smooth soup.  If you want a silky smooth soup, use the blender method.  

While soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 300 and add the desired number of bread bowls and bake until crusty.  Remove a circular top and hollow out the bowl.  Turn off the oven, but return the bread bowls to the warm oven until ready to serve.

Once soup is done, season if necessary and serve in the warm bread bowls.  What a delicious lunch we had!!

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!!

Salmon, Scales on, Cooked in the House

Every time I hear the word "salmon", it reminds me of an early episode of American Idol where Kellie Pickler was describing to Simon a dinner she had the night before.  She told him she a eaten saLmon for the first time, pronouncing the L.  He didn't quite know at first what she was talking about and finally he said something like, oh, salmon, saying it properly.  She looked at him dead serious and said you know there is an L in there.  It was too cute.

As my son says, moving on...
We have been cooking salmon more often than in the past and the main reason is that I have found a suitable way to cook it.  I have a previous post where I grill it and that is divine, but at times I don't want to mess with the grill.  I like my salmon just under done, firm but tender and ever so slightly, soft.  My husband wants his rare.

The first line of success is that we shop for 2 pieces of Salmon that are different thickness.  We always buy the salmon the day we are cooking it and I don't want any leftover.  The fillets should be firm to the touch, have relatively little to no smell, and be very bright in color.  The fish for dinner last night came from the Mandeville Seafood Market on Highway 59 and it was super fresh.  I think it was around $9.99 a pound.

For this preparation, I preheat the oven thoroughly to 350 and I preheat an empty pan over medium heat.  I rinse the fish and pat it dry.  I add a drizzle of olive oil to the flesh side of the fish and add S&P.
I begin with my piece of salmon.  I add it to the skillet, FLESH side down.  After about 4 minutes or so, and once browns, it will easily lift from the pan in 1 piece.  I turn it over now scale side down. 

At this time, I add the thicker piece of salmon to the skillet, SCALES side down.  I sprinkled dill on the the flesh side of both pieces.  I place the pan in the oven for 8-10 minutes depending on how thick it is.  While it is finishing in the oven, I thinly slice a lemon.  When I remove it from the oven, I place each piece of salmon on our respective plates.  I add 1/2 TBL butter to the fish and let it melt over the flesh.  Next, I layer the thin sliced lemon and sprinkle a bit more dill.  My husband likes capers so I add them at this time. I tent the plates with a piece of foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.

For this meal, I happened to have risotto that I made the day before and had that warming on the stove.  When we were ready to eat, I sprinkle my fish with a pinch of Hawaiian Black Salt that I bought this summer.  It was crunchy and really tasty.  I felt it complimented the fish well, you know, Hawaii & Salmon, a good combination.

NOTE:  If you both like the same doneness, just stick to one or the other preparation.  I hope you give this a try.  Salmon is a really great fish for a lot of reasons.  The nutritional value is superb. 

Applewood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with a Honey Mustard Glaze

I brought this to a New Years Eve party a few nights ago.  It was cooked here and carved there.  Here's my recipe for Applewood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Port Loin. 



I bought an entire Pork Loin.  It was about 10 lbs and cost about $20.  You can clearly see it can serve a lot of people.  I cut it into 3 pieces, a 2 lb roast for later use and I cut the remaining piece in two so they would fit into one of my roasting pans, side by side, without touching. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together, 1/4 Cup Honey, 3 Tbl Stone Ground Mustard, a Splash of Red Wine Vinegar and White and Black Pepper to taste.  I purposely didn't add salt to the mixture.

I scored the fat side of the loin to give it "some teeth" because I wanted the glaze to permeate the meat and for the bacon to stay put when I carved it.  I think the idea was successful. 

Lightly coat the meat with some of the glaze. 







Next, count out the number of strips of bacon needed, about 4 per loin as pictured, and cut it in half.  I used good quality Thick Sliced Applewood Smoked Bacon.  Drape the bacon over the honey glazed side.  Using kitchen string, tie the meat to hold the bacon in place.  If you look at the picture you can see how to do it.  First, you loop once around and tie it off.  Next as you go along, twist the string away from you, before looping around so it self loops.  Continue on until you get to the end and tie it off.  Butchers used to tie in this manner, but now they use stretchy elastic string that destroys your handy work when you remove it, so I always opt to tie my own.  If all else fails, loop it around and feed the string through to self loop.  The result should be that you use one continuous string.

Place the loins in a roasting pan and Glaze again.  Season with Pepper and a small amount of Kosher Salt to taste.   If you want to make a pan sauce, add a quartered onion for flavor.  I served mine with the au jus as to not compete or over power the honey glaze.  Place in the oven for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes.  After 45 minutes, I glazed for a final time.  NOTE: For the last 15 minutes of cooking time, turn the oven up to 400 to crisp up the bacon.  Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.  Remove the string once it is ready to carve keeping the bacon in tact.  Using a very sharp knife, carve as thinly as possible, still getting full slices of meat.  This ways it's tender and easy to eat.

You can serve as an entree or with small rolls for sandwiches.  It's very versatile and goes with many side dishes.  What's best is that you can serve this dish at all times of the year.   And like your favorite jeans, you can dress it up with holiday fare or dress it down with barbeque style sides.  Happy New Year and may 2013 bring you joy!

Chicken Parm Meatballs

OK, I made these but I didn't make them up.  My friend pinned a photo and I pinned it after reading the recipe.

I made a slight variation on account of the chicken coming in 1 lb packages.  I am actually going out to dinner tonight so these are for my son and his babysitter, L.  They are going to eat them over pasta with marinara.  The only real change I made was, with 2 lbs of chicken (the recipe called for 1 1/4 lbs) I increased the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese and I also adjusted quantities to my taste.  I reduced the fennel in case my son isn't crazy about the flavor.

Here is the link to the blog from which the recipe comes from.  It's a neat blog.

http://www.dinneralovestory.com/chicken-parm-meatballs/

Next time I may make them using 3 lbs of chicken because they smell really good!  Oh, and I tasted one without the mozzarella cheese and they are good, so a definite 3 on lbs next time.

Here's what I did.  In a bowl mix, 2 lbs Ground Chicken,  3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs (I make my own by freezing the ends of the bread and grinding them up while frozen when I have 15-20 ends.  I store the frozen crumbs in a zip lock bag.) 3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, 1/4 Cup Diced Onion, 1 Tbl Chopped Parsley, 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, 3 Cloves Pressed Garlic, 1/2 tsp Fennel, 1 Beaten Egg, Zest of 1 Lemon.

Preheat oven to 400 and line 2 sheet pans with foil.  Mix the meatball mixture together by hand and using a scoop so it goes faster, scoop enough that they will be larger than a golf ball. Finish shaping by hand.  Mix together 2 Tbl Marinara Sauce and 3 Tbl Olive Oil.  Brush this on the top of each of the meatballs and bake for 15 minutes. 

This is how it's written.  Switch to the broiler.  Cover each meatball with Marinara and top with a Slice of Mozzarella Cheese.  Broil until golden, about 3 minutes.

The second time I reheated these I changed it because the meatballs were not hot in the middle.  This worked much better.  Keep (or heat oven) to 400.  Top each meatball with Marinara.  Add a 1/4" slice of Mozzarella to each Meatball.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and add a shake of Oregano.  Bake for 10 minutes.  

These would also make a good sub sandwich.  Warm oven to 450.  Cut the roll lengthwise and add meatballs.  Add Marinara and top with cheese.  Bake for 5-7 minutes. 

Chicken Thighs with a Mustard Flavored Pan Sauce

This recipe comes from a recent issue of Cooking Light.  I have made it twice already and it was excellent both times. It's also cost effective and lends itself well for a large crowd because of the preparation.  To help matters, it can certainly be made in steps.

Preheat the oven to 425.  Heat a large enough skillet to cook all the thighs all at once.  I suggest making 8 minimum, but if your skillet isn't large enough, work in batches.  Rinse 8 Chicken Thighs and place on a paper towel, skin side down.  Season the upward facing side with S&P and turn over to S&P the skin side.

Once the skillet is hot, add enough Oil to coat the bottom and swirl.  Add the chicken skin side down.  Cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes, and turn.  Cook the second side for 4 minutes.  Remove and place in a glass baking dish large enough so the chicken isn't stacked.  Place in the oven for about 15-18 minutes until done.

Make sauce while it is baking.  Prep everything first.  1/2 Cup Diced Onion, 2 tsp minced fresh thyme (if using dry about 1 tsp), open 1 Can Chicken Broth, 4 tsp Flour, 2 tsp Stone Ground Mustard.  Place the flour in a small bowl and add a few oz of the broth.  Stir with a fork until it's smooth.

Using the same skillet (along with all the lovely juices), over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Add the onion and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the can of Chicken Broth to the skillet.  Temper the flour by spooning some of this hot liquid into the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Now, slowly stir the flour mixture into the skillet, whisking all the while.  Quickly combine to get it mixed in or you will end up with pasta (big clumps of floury balls).  Don't laugh, you know that's what happens.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place the chicken on a platter.  Add all of the juices to the skillet.  Bring this to a boil for about 2 minutes, stirring to combine.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the Stone Ground Mustard.

To serve, place the sauce on the plate and top with the chicken.  Serve with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes and a fresh vegetable.  For a family dinner, bring platter of chicken right to the table and serve the sauce in a gravy boat.  This makes a wonderful family meal!

New Orleans Barbeque Shrimp over Lemon Rice Pilaf

I have been wanting to put these two dishes together for ages.  I finally ended up with all the ingredients to do so.  If you have been to New Orleans, you know the barbeque shrimp is just swimming in butter, literally, about 1 stick per pound of unpeeled shrimp.  As much as I would like to, I just can't consume that amount of butter.  Here is a lighter version with all the parts of the original dish.  I made up both of these recipes.  These quantities are about right for 3 portions.

Get the prep done for the shrimp part of the dish, cook the pilaf, then cook the shrimp.  This dinner goes together fairly easily. 

Peel 1 lb Large Fresh Shrimp (I decided to take the tail off this time but you don't have to.)  Place peeled shrimp in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate. Open New Orleans Barbeque Seasoning (I buy my favorite seasoning by the case and sell it for $5 + shipping - just message me), set out bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Zest 1 Lemon then Juice the lemon.  Set skillet on the stove.

Here is the Lemon Rice Pilaf recipe.  Dice 1 small Vidalia Onion. Heat a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.  Add enough Olive Oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Add the onion and saute for about 3-5 minutes until soft but not browned.  Add 1 Cup Arborio Rice.  Stir until the rice is coated in oil and cook for about 1 minute more.  Begin adding (1) 14 1/2oz  Chicken Broth, a few ounces at a time, and stir after each addition.  Keep adding in this manner until the entire can has been added.  Stir in the juice of 1 Lemon.  The rice will not be done so keep adding small amounts of water until the rice is cooked.  It may need 1/4-1/2 cup of water in all.

Cook the Shrimp.  Heat an empty skillet over medium high heat.  Add 3 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Add shrimp and cook until almost done.  Add the juice of the lemon and half of the zest.  Add 1 Tbl Barbeque Shrimp Seasoning and stir to coat.  Add 1/2 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce.  Add the lemon slices, toss to coat and remove from heat.  Serve at once over the lemon rice pilaf with the lemon zest and fresh rosemary garnish.  Serve with warm crusty bread.  The sauce doubles and triples well to allow for dipping.

Trout Amandine (Inspired by Luke, a John Besh restaurant)

Our friend, J, once again went fishing and caught trout, redfish, and a tuna.  We were recipients of all three.  Although I had something planned for dinner the night he brought the fish over, those plans went out the window.

My husband found a recipe for John Besh's Trout Amandine on a blog written by a food journalist who ate at Luke's.  I decided to give it a try.  I read through a blog post several times.  He never paid tribute to the origin of the recipe.  Normally, you would think, if you ended up with a recipe for a New Orleans' favorite dish while dining in a favorite New Orleans' chef's restaurant, the post might cross over from the dining experience itself to obtaining a recipe.   You know, meeting the chef, a tour of the kitchen, or the waiter secretly stealing a recipe, but no, nothing is mentioned.  I had to read the recipe a few times as well, because something didn't seem right as it pertains to the sauce.  I made it as written but I have my doubts that it's directly from John Beshs' mouth.
 
You should know by now, if you are a frequent reader, that your success will come if you get all the prep first. What's neat about this type of cooking is that trout is a thick fish.  This dish can be made and finished in the oven so it is served piping hot.  Trout is also long, so it's best to have a spatula made specifically for fish. 

Rinse 1 Fillet of Trout per person and let dry on a paper towel.  These quantities work for 3 people so increase as needed.  Season the fillets with Salt, Pepper, and Something like Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's, or Paul Prudhomme's Creole Seasoning.

Using 2 flat bottomed dishes, add to one 1 Cup Buttermilk and to the other 1 Cup Flour.

For the sauce, have at the ready 1 Stick UnSalted Butter, 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds, (I would Zest the Lemon first) but you need the Juice of 1 Lemon, 1 TBL Fresh Chopped Parsley.

Now for the fun part.  Preheat oven to 300.

Preheat the empty pan for the fish over medium heat.  Add 1/2" Olive Oil and heat thoroughly.  Dredge the fillets, one at time, in the flour, the buttermilk and back in the flour.  Place fillet in the hot oil and repeat.  Turn once after the first side browns, about 5-7 minutes.  (NOTE: As the second side is cooking, preheat the empty skillet to being used for the sauce to medium high.)  Cook the second side for about 5-7 minutes and place on a sheet pan and finish in the warm oven.

As soon as the fish is in the oven, make the sauce.  Add the Butter to the pan.  Once it melts and begins to brown along the edges, add (and here is where I didn't like the recipe)  add the Almonds, Lemon Juice and the Parley.  Cook until the almonds brown.  Season with Salt.  Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

You can brown almonds in butter but not with the moisture of the lemon and mine didn't brown.  I kept debating on doing it the way I felt was right but I thought I would give this a shot on account it is "John Besh's".  I would've browned the almonds, added the lemon juice for about a minute to reduce and thicken slightly, then finished with the parsley for the last 30 seconds or so.   Never one to pass up a chance to garnish with lemon zest, or better yet, I would've added the lemon zest it to the buttery browned nuts for 10-15 seconds right before I added the lemon juice.  The oil form the rinds would've made that butter delicious.  So for next time, those changes...

Anyway, I'll have to check out Luke's and order it for myself.  None the less, the dish was tasty, and fattening, and I will make it in the future.  To keep it light though, you can serve with sliced Creole Tomatoes served with salt and some warm crusty bread...you know so that sauce doesn't go to waste.