Mario Batali's Eggs in Hell

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a daytime show called,  The Chew.  Have any of you heard of this???  I rarely watch tv, especially daytime television so I had no idea about it.  It is basically a network food/talk show with some high profile chefs like Michael Symon and Mario Batali.  It seems to be hosted by Clinton Kelly of What Not to Wear fame but since I only watched about half of one episode that is still to be determined... Anyway, in the few moments of the show I did watch I saw a ridiculously easy Mario Batali breakfast/brunch recipe.  Eggs in Hell, which is effectively eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.  Made over the weekend and they were yummy!  Or at least I thought so, the husband is not a big fan of runny yolk so he won't go near a poached egg.  For those of you with the same appreciation as me for the golden good stuff; hope you enjoy!  Its spicy so beware!


Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
• 3 cups basic tomato sauce
• 8 farm fresh eggs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Place a skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until just smoking. Add the chopped onion, garlic, jalapeños and chili flakes and cook until softened and light brown, about 7 minutes. 

Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to a simmer and carefully crack the eggs one by one into the tomato sauce.

Cook until as set as desired. I like it when the whites set but the yolks are still quite runny, about 5-6 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with cheese. Allow to cool 3-4 minutes before serving.

Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola, and Brown-Butter Pecans

I am not one to shy away from bold flavors.  Foods that are known for being either loved or loathed or some of my favorites, for instance brussels sprouts and gorgonzola cheese.  Which is why this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine is right up my alley!  Throw in some brown butter for good measure and this is one tasty pasta dish.  This is a heavy dish so a little will go a long way... trust me!


Ingredients: 
20 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed (4 cups) 
3-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
Freshly ground black pepper 
1 lb. dried orecchiette 
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter 
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans 
2 large shallots, minced (3/4 cup) 
3/4 cup heavy cream 
4 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled (1 cup) 
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 



Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, set a heavy rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 500°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Fine Cooking's version
Slightly prettier than mine...

In a food processor fitted with the medium (4 mm) slicing disk, slice the Brussels sprouts. Transfer them to a large bowl, drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss until well coated. Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and spread the Brussels sprouts on it in a single layer. Roast, stirring once about halfway through the cooking time, until the Brussels sprouts are tender and flecked with charred bits, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette according to package directions until just al dente.
In a medium heavy-duty skillet, melt 1/2 Tbs. of the butter over medium heat. Add the pecans and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is deeply browned and the pecans are toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Off the heat, add 3 oz. (3/4 cup) of the Gorgonzola and stir until melted.
Drain the orecchiette and return it to the pot. Add the Brussels sprouts, Gorgonzola sauce, and lemon juice and toss well. Serve, sprinkled with the pecans and the remaining Gorgonzola.


Enjoy!

Puff Pastry Chicken

If you are looking for an easy week night dinner that will impress the fam, this is it! I first had this dish years a go at a friend's house.  When I realized how simple it was to make, I knew it should not be saved simply for guests! Serve along with some fresh green beans and a creamy mash potato and dinner is on!  Enjoy!


Ingredients:
4 medium chicken breasts
A few pinches of salt and pepper
1 package boursin cheese (you can find in the specialty cheese section at your grocer)
1 package puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.  Unroll puff pastry and cut each sheet in half, set aside.  In the meantime, using a meat tenderizer flatten chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper.  Place chicken breasts towards the end of each pastry sheet.  Spread equal amounts of cheese over each great.  Wrap the chicken with the pastry and pinch the edges closed.  Quickly whisk one egg and brush over puff pastry with a pastry brush.  Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray and place the wrapped chicken on top.  Bake for appox 40 mins.

Crab Cakes

Sorry I am late to post... again! So much for resolutions!  Anyway, here is a recipe I think you will really enjoy.  I have been making these crab cakes for years now as both an appetizer as well as a delicious entree alongside a fresh salad! The recipe comes from the hubby's beloved Pacific Northwest!  My in-laws have a cookbook from Portland Restaurant, Wildwood that has perfected the crab cake.  The addition of heavy cream and panko bread crumbs makes for one of the best crab cakes I have ever had!  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked Dungeness crabmeat, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 tbls diced red bell pepper
3 tbls diced shallots
3 tbls chopped parsley
3 tbls fresh lemon juice
1 tbls dry sherry
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
pinch of salt
pinch of ground white pepper
pinch of celery salt
dash of tabasco
4 tbls clarified butter

Thaw crabmeat if frozen.  Gently squeeze crabmeat to remove excess moisture, breaking up any larger pieces.

In a large bowl, mix together 3/4 cup of the panko (reserving the remaining for the coating), bell pepper, shallots, parsley, lemon juice, sherry, cream, egg, salt, pepper, tabasco, celery salt and paprika.  Combine to  make batter, add crabmeat and mix well.  Divide mixture into desired # of balls.  Form patties and coat with the remaining panko.  Refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

In a large nonstick pan, heat clarified butter over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and add crab cakes.  Sear until golden brown and slightly crispy, about 4 - 5 minutes on each side.  Add more butter or canola oil as needed to prevent crab cakes from sticking.

Thinking about Thanksgiving??

Big Bro's Smoked Turkey

Last weekend my family threw an early Thanksgiving Potluck.  It was great fun with great food!  More importantly it got me thinking about all the pressure home cooks put on themselves for the Thanksgiving meal.  Why are people so afraid to make this holiday meal?  Is it because it is the one Holiday that is wholly focused on the meal?  Yep, that's probably it.  However,  if you think about it what is so complicated about it?.  Turkey, potatoes, vegetables, and pie.  Nothing too elaborate.  I am here to tell you anyone can do it!  Here are some ideas for your holiday as well as my personal menu!


My Family's Thanksgiving Menu :

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup -
recipe already on indy epicure



Big Bro's Smoked Turkey 
not sure what all he does but I know it involves a Big Green Egg and deliciousness!

William Sonoma Dry Brined Turkey

I use to go through the effort of a liquid brine but last year I tried WS's dry brine and I will never go back!  It creates the most moist bird I have ever had and it is so much simpler than the traditional brines.  After its rinsed I simply season with a fresh herb and salt rub.  You can not get any easier than that!

Fennel Herb Stuffing

• 2 loafs of crusty country-style bread cut into 1inch cubes
• 2 cups finely chopped fennel bulbs
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 2 tbls fresh thyme finely chopped
• 2 tbls  fresh sage finely chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 cups turkey stock

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toast until light golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables, thyme and sage.. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until vegetables are soft. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine bread crumbs, vegetables, parsley and desired salt and pepper in a very large bowl. Add turkey stock by 1/4 cupfuls to mixture until desired moistness. Transfer to buttered dish. Cover dish with buttered foil; bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is browned, about 30 minutes longer.

 Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes 

• 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tbls unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper

Cut potatoes into cubes and place them in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily. With a hand mixer mash the potatoes, butter and cream until very creamy. Add sour cream and salt and pepper till desired taste. Serve immediately.


Corn Spoon Bread

• 1 pkg. corn muffin mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 can (8 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (8 oz.) cream style corn
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 1- 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Pour butter and corn into prepared dish. Blend in sour cream. In separate bowl, beat eggs and stir into casserole along with muffin mix. Blend thoroughly. Bake 35- 40 minutes or until center is firm.

Martha Stewart's

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

•  3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• salt and pepper

Butter Bacon Brussels Sprouts

• brussels sprouts
• 5 slices Bacon
• approx. 2 tbls butter
• salt and pepper

Steam brussels sprouts till tender but still somewhat firm and set aside.  Cut bacon in small pieces and cook in skillet till desired crispness.  Add butter and cook until melted.  Add brussels sprouts and salt & pepper and toss until well coated.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake-recipe already on indy epicure

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

$10 Mussels!

My husband is from Seattle and therefore we can be complete seafood snobs.  It is very hard being a seafood snob in a completely, land-locked state.  One place I can always count on is Costco. Unfortunately, the selection is usually pretty slim. That's why I was extra  excited when I saw PEI mussels,  4 pounds for only $10!  I have never made steamed mussels before but it was ridiculously easy! I used another Tyler Florence recipe, increasing the amount of butter and adding a good amount of red pepper to give it a spicy twist!  They were delish!  Even better with a nice crusty bread and a Hoegaarden!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds mussels 
• extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables cook down to a pulp, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the white wine. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the sauce remaining in the pot and swirl to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Brendan's Mustard& Herb Rack of Lamb

One of our best friends from Chicago is an over the top, awesome cook!  He is the first person I call when I don't know how to prepare something or I am looking for some guidance with menu planning.  While we were still living in Chicago he was also the friend I could call up, make a completely outlandish request for dinner, show up at his house, and he would have actually made it!  Oh how I miss that!  One night, he made the best tasting lamb chops I have ever had!  When we moved away, I had to have the recipe so I could replicate the deliciousness! Hopefully he doesn't mind me passing it on to all of you!  :)  His trick in making these so AWESOME is in the grilling technique.  Grilling two racks intertwined together so all the drippings fall on top of each other and basically baste themselves!  Again.. my pictures are sub par.... A bit blurry... probably from the wine consumption of that evening... :)
PS.  this was wonderful with a good Oregon Pinot Noir!

Ingredients:
2 frenched racks of lamb
Small bunch of fresh thyme
Small bunch of fresh parsley
Small bunch of fresh oregano
Small bunch of fresh rosemary
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
about 2 tbls of stone ground or dijon mustard
1 tbls olive oil
(if you like you can add some bread crumbs to the paste to thicken, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't)

Finely chop all the herbs and mix with garlic, olive oil and mustard to make a paste.  Coat the lamb with the herb paste and refrigerate for about 1 hour.  Over a very hot grill, sear all the sides nicely until the fat begins to drip.  Intertwine the racks and move to indirect heat.  Continue grilling with racks standing up until internal temperature reaches 130.  Remove from grill and let rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into chops.  Enjoy!

Carbonara!!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a very Happy Halloween!  I know we did, which is why I haven't posted in while!  Between Halloween, tailgates, and dinner parties we have been a busy bunch! We have all probably gained a few pounds and my kids a few cavities, but all worth it for good times with new friends and family!
On to today's recipe. Since we have already thrown caloric count to the wind,  lets talk about a tried and true classic...  Carbonara!  Carbonara is so dang good that even though you know how ridiculously fattening it is you just can't help yourself!  It is also one of the quickest weeknight meals to pull together considering the high likelihood that you already have all the necessary ingredients on hand.  There are a couple of different ways to make Carbonara.  I personally like the purest and simplest way which consists of a total of 6 basic ingredients.  If you see a recipe which calls for heavy cream, avoid it! Adding cream to this already decadent recipe seems not only over the top, but kind of gross if I am being honest.  No offense, Paula Deen.  The recipe I started using a few years a go is based off of Tyler Florence's, with just a few changes, like increasing the amount of garlic and adding an extra egg.  Hope you like!  I don't see how you couldn't!  P.S.  Sorry for the poor lighting on the photo...


Ingredients: 
1 pound spaghetti or linguine (I like linguine)
2 tbls Extra virgin olive oil
4-5 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut into small slices
4-6 garlic cloves
3 large eggs
1 cup  parmigiano reggiano, plus more for serving

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs and cheese together stirring well to prevent lumps, then set aside.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm Drain the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use for the sauce.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta/bacon and saute for about 3 minutes, until crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for about 1 minute to soften. Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble.  Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.  Enjoy!

Grilled Steak and Brie Sandwich

Mayor's Race

Another Wabash Win!

Happy Monday!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend! The fam and I had a fun full weekend of football games, haunted houses, and bike races!  Andrew even met Indianapolis Mayor, Greg Ballard at his bike race. Not quite the celebrity as Rahm Emanuel but we still took the photo op!  All my years living in Chicago, I never once met the Mayor: or even had a chance sighting.  Less than 3 months in Indy and whatta ya know!

On to today's recipe... A yummy Steak and Brie sandwich topped with balsamic arugula. With all my recipes using arugula, I am running the risk of looking a bit like a one trick pony here... but  I just can't help it, I love it!  It's the perfect green to add to just about anything.  If you are in the mood for a change though, watercress would work just as well.  Hope you like!  I know you will like how simple it is to make!

Ingredients:
2 small baguettes (I use take and bakes so they fresh and warm!)
3/4- 1 pound of  steak ( I like to use a thin cut ny strip or a flank)
brie
arugula
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Season steak with salt and pepper and marinate for 20 mins in equal parts balsamic and olive oil. Dress arugula with balsamic and olive oil and set aside . Over indirect heat, grill steak until medium rare. Remove from grill and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Cut a fresh baked or warmed baguette in half . Spread an ample amount of brie on one half and lay steak on top.  Top with arugula and onions.  This recipe should make about 4 sandwiches. 

We had garlic fries on the side last night.

1 bag frozen french fries
canola oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
tbls finely chopped parsley
shredded parmesan
1/2 tbsp of butter
salt

Pan fry french fries in canola oil until golden and remove from grease.  Pour grease out of pan and put french fries back in.  Add butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, and salt.  Toss until all the fries are evenly coated.

Chipotle and Green Chili Short Ribs

Good Morning!  Hope everyone had a great weekend, I know we did!  My big bro came down from Chicago to visit and like any good foodie family we made an amazing meal Saturday night!  Everyone in my family loves to cook, so when we get together you can ensure there will be a delicious meal and plenty of cocktails!  Followed by lots of patting on backs for another well executed meal.  It's a little bit ridiculous, but I love it!  :)
This past weekend's meal came from my brother's quest to find a more "refined" version of a chili.  He wanted the spice and heat you get with chili, but not all the soupiness of it, if soupiness is a word!  :)  Thats where Bon Appetit and epicurious.com came in...  A spicy short rib dish! I have always braised my short ribs in the more traditional red wine sauce, but these were phenomenal!  The above picture is from epicurious.com, because in the midst of all the beers and conversation I completely spaced on taking a picture.  We served ours on top of some cheddar mash potatoes! Yum!



Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 8 3-inch-long meaty beef short ribs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies

• 3 large fresh Anaheim (California) chilies, stemmed, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl; sprinkle all over short ribs. Place ribs on plate; cover and chill 1 hour or up to 1 day. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add half of ribs and brown on all sides, about 9 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining ribs. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic to same pot; cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes, lime juice, and chipotle chilies. Return ribs to pot, meaty side down, in single layer. Bring to boil; cover and cook in oven until ribs are just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. 

Remove pot from oven. Tilt pot; spoon off fat. Place pot over medium heat and simmer uncovered until sauce coats spoon and ribs are very tender, about 25 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 30 minutes, refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

Bring ribs to simmer over medium heat; add chili rings. Simmer until chilies soften, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs and sauce to large bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro; garnish with lime wedges.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Short-Ribs-in-Chipotle-and-Green-Chili-Sauce-107644#ixzz1b31taWNs

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Hope you all had a great weekend!!! No stories or nostalgia to share with today's post...  Just a quick pasta recipe. For those of you reading regularly, you know I am a bit of a carbo-loader, so it should come as no surprise that I make pasta on a pretty regular basis.  This particular bowl came about when I had some chicken Italian sausage that I wasn't quite sure what to do with.  Its now in my regular weeknight dinner rotation.  Hope you enjoy as much as my family!


Ingredients:
8 ounces of bow tie or penne pasta
3-4 tbls of olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced                                           
1 medium onion sliced thinly and cut in half
1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped or sliced
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes cut in half
package of precooked chicken Italian sausage (like Amy's or Trader Joe's), cut into small pieces
1/4- 1/2 cup of pasta's starch water
1 cup of parmigiano reggiano ( I probably use more  :) )
red pepper flakes




Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of the starchy water to use in making the sauce. Meanwhile, in a deep skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and garlic.  Add sausage and cook until pieces begin to brown.  Add vegetables and continue cooking until they are tender and golden and sausage is browned evenly.  Pour in pasta and cheese and slowly stir in water till you have the desired consistency of sauce.  For extra heat, stir in some red peeper flakes.  Sprinkle shaved parmigiano reggiano over top and serve.

I also suggest pouring yourself a nice glass of Cabernet!

The Hubby's Favorite Soup & Sandwich- butternut squash soup and chicken salad

As you know, the family and I had a grand 'ole time at the orchard last week!  I loved apple picking, but seriously will I ever get through all these apples??? Between the apple pie I posted, and the apple crisp I made at the end of last week I don't think I can stomach another apple dessert. Even my kids are turning down my suggestions to make more pie or crisp; with a la mode to boot! That is just sad... especially when I still have a full basket of apples sitting on my counter!  Fortunately, I have some non-sweet related apple recipes up my sleeve. They also happen to be some of my husband's favorites!  Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup; perfect for an Autumn evening!
And guess what??? I was actually somewhat organized and planned ahead by making Roasted Chicken last night so I would have leftovers to use!  Yeah Me! BTW, if you haven't tried the Roasted Chicken recipe on here yet, you are missing out!  It is delicious!!
Anyway, on to the recipes...

Chicken Salad Ingredients:

2 tbls light mayo
3 tbls sour cream
1-2 tsp stone ground or dijon mustard
pepper to tasteabout 2 cups of shredded chicken (leftover from roasted or rotissierie chicken)
1/2 of a medium size red onion, finely chopped
1 large apple,  finely chopped
2 handfuls of red grapes, cut in quarters
1/4 shaved almonds                                                      

french baguette ( I like the take and bakes so its nice and crusty)
arugula or mixed baby greens

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix mayo, sour cream, mustard and pepper.  Stir in remaining ingredients and stir till completely blended.  Serve on a baguette on top of a bed of arugula or mixed baby greens/  I personally prefer arugula.




Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients:
You will absolutely adore this soup!  I love it as a first course for Thanksgiving too!
 
 2- 2 1/2 pounds peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into chunks
2 large tart apples, peeled and cut into slices
1 large sweet onion chopped (like a vidalia or walla walla)
1 tbls olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbls butter, chopped into small slabs                       
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup apple cider
1- 2 tbls curry powder                      
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
couple dashes of tabasco

crumbled blue cheese and chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400.  Place squash, apples and onion on a non-stick baking sheet or one lined with foil. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the top and
place slabs of butter sporadically through out baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for about 45 minutes or until squash is very tender and apples and onions begins to caramelize.  Remove from oven and move to a 4 quart soup pot.  Add stock, cider, curry powder and nutmeg and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and blend until silky with hand blender or remove in batches and blend in a counter blender.  Once soup is completely smooth in pot, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream.  Add a few ashes of tabasco for a little kick.  I actually think the tabasco makes this soup so don't be afraid to try it!  Serve by itself or for a little extra flavor I like to sprinkle some chopped walnuts and blue cheese over the top.  The blue cheese melts perfectly in the soup and is a delicious complement to the sweetness of the soup!  The walnuts just add a nice texture to your bite!  Enjoy!

Bacon, Sweet Onion, and Arugula Quiche

I have a love/ hate relationship with Costco.  There is certainly more love, but I hate how I get suckered into buying bulk items that I will never in a million years finish.  One prime example, the massive jar of kimchi I bought after having a pork and kimchi burger at Taylor's Refresher in Napa Valley. (Best burger joint in the world btw!!!)  Even if I was to try to replicate that burger, I would at most need a few tablespoons of kimichi.  At Costco, I bought a gallon.  Ridiculous! 
More recently, I bought the 2 dozen package of organic eggs without looking at the expiration date; a week and a half.  Of course buying 2 dozen eggs for your family of 4 is not absurd, but trying to eat them all within a week and a half is a bit more challenging... Which brings me to Quiche!
I make quiche all the time.  Its great for brunch, its great for dinner, and its one of the few leftovers my family will actually eat.  Like most of my recipes it is very simple to make and you can change out ingredients depending on what you feel like.  I made this one off of what I already had in the fridge!  Which of course included bacon... Hmm, writing this is making me realize so many of my recipes have bacon in them!!!  I am going to need to step away from the bacon for a while! YIKES!


Ingredients:
1 pie dough ( pre-made if you don't feel like making your own.  I like trader joe's)
5 slices of cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 medium size sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
about 3 cups of arugula
about 2 cups of shredded gruyere (you can use swiss if you don't want to splurge on gruyere)
5 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

Mixed greens

Bring pie dough to room temperature and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cook bacon to desired crispness and chop into small pieces, set aside
In a medium size skillet, melt butter and add onions.  Saute until they turn golden.  Add arugula and continuing cooking until arugula becomes just wilted.  Remove from heat.
In a medium size bowl, whip eggs, heavy cream and some salt and pepper together until completely blended.  Place dough in 9 inch pie pan.  Spread onion and arugula mixture over the bottom and sprinkle bacon pieces over the top.  Layer shredded cheese on top and pour egg and cream mix over.
If need be, use a spoon to press down and make sure egg is comletey covering all the other ingredients.
Bake quiche at 375 F for about 45 minutes or until it is puffy and slightly golden.

I like mine with simple mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and a good hefeweizen!

Yum!

Beef Chuck Chili

I've already expressed my complete obsession with the Autumn season! One of the many reasons I love this time of year so much is suorisingly enough, Football! I don't know if it's because I grew up with two older brothers, or because I like any excuse to lounge in front of the tv and eat comfort foods! Chili is the ultimate comfort food, and it is completely synonymous with football. Think about it, how often outside of football season do you eat chili? Most likely, not that often. So you better be sure you are enjoying it, especially if you are only eating it a handful of times a year!

**Good chili is pretty easy to make. A good chili recipe; not quite as easy to relay. Good chili is all about personal taste... I am going to try to provide a base, but how thick or how spicy you make it is up to you! This is definitely a "taste as you go" recipe, as I personally have never followed a recipe when making chili. With that said, know that any measurements I provide are just a starting point and more than likely you will need to increase most of the spices**

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
1 pound chuck roast, cut into small pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 a red pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow pepper, diced
16 oz can of tomato sauce
8 oz can of diced tomatoes
4 oz water
3 tbls chili powder
2 tbls cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
8 oz can of chili beans, medium spice

sour cream
shredded cheddar
green onions


In a 4-5 quart pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until it begins to crisp. Add chuck and brown. Add onions and peppers and cook until they soften and turn golden. Addtomato sauce diced tomatoes, and water. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and oregano. Taste and add more chili powder, cumin or garlic powder as needed. Bring to boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes then add chili beans, continue simmering for an additional hour.

Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions

Sit yourself in front of the tv and/or fireplace and enjoy!

Bacon Potato Hash

Good Morning!!!  Its Sunday morning, so that means a breakfast with the family that doesn't involve the microwave!  We can actually lounge in our pjs a bit longer, take our time making a meal, and eat as a family at an hour earlier than 6pm!  I love the weekends!
In earlier posts, I have mentioned my weakness for carbs; the only other ingredient I could quite possibly love even more is pork.  So, the combination of potato and bacon???  Fantastic! Most of my closest friends know this about me and its a bit of running joke. When out to eat, I typically order pork, my lunch time staple; salami (which of course is made of pork), and if I am trying to perfect a recipe, what would I add?  Most likely, pork!  You put bacon on just about anything and it is instantly delicious!  Just ask comedian, Jim Gaffigan:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4  Hilarious!

This recipe is a little piece of Heaven for your Sunday morning. Not to mention, ridiculously easy!  (Easy, is usually the common theme with any of my recipes)

Ingredients:

6-8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
approx. 10-12 small yellow fleshed potatoes (like a yukon gold)
1 medium sized sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

fried egg(s)

In a large skillet,  cook bacon and garlic in olive oil until bacon begins to crisp.  Add potatoes and onions and cook for approx. 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and crispy and onions have caramelized.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a fried egg, over easy.

Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Curry

Yesterday was ugly. Rainy and grey. A take-out Thai day. I always think of Thai food on gloomy, wet days. The days where the humidity in the air is far more chilling than the actual temperature itself. Thai is my rainy day stew. It is completely satisfying, without making you want to settle down for a long winter's nap. So yesterday, Mother Nature decided; I was having Thai. Since I am still quite new in town, I have yet to find my local, dependable Thai Restaurant. However, I happened to have a refrigerator full of nearly expired vegetables; so it actually worked out in my favor to make my own! Not to mention, it gave me another last minute recipe to post! :)
Thai is one genre of food that tends to be intimidating for the home cook to attempt. But if you think about it, it really should't be. For the sole reason that even if it's not very pretty to look at, chances are it will still be pretty tasty! Admittedly though, I too was once afraid. Until a friend passed on a recipe that was very similar to this one and was the perfect building block for any coconut curry. Feel free to do the same by increasing or decreasing the spices or substituting the chicken out for beef, shrimp, or all vegetables. They will all work wonderfully!

Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, julienned or sliced thinly
1 carrot, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 of a red bell pepper sliced thinly
13.6 oz can of coconut milk
1 tbs red curry paste
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbs roasted red chili paste
3-4 small chicken breasts, cut in half and sliced into thin strips
large handful chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook until onions are golden and carrots have soften.
Stir in coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and red chili paste. Add chicken, bring to a simmer and cook about 8 mins until chicken is done. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over rice or vermicelli noodles.

Pour a pint and dig in!

Pantry Shrimp Pasta

So, first let me vent a bit... I do not have a final presentation picture for this dish and I am beyond frustrated about it!  I actually made it for dinner tonight.  Because it was late and I was being lazy, I took the picture with my iphone instead of my camera.  Later, I went to back up my phone to my computer and hit the restore button; which caused me to lose all my recent photos. Ughh! Fortunately, my husband took a picture while I was cooking so at least there's something... But the plating on the final dish was oh so pretty! :( 
(If any of you know a trick to get the pictures back let me know!)

Ok, so on to the meal...

It is always crazy in our household.  My children are 5 and 2 and are systematically trying to sabotage my quest to actually be a "put-together" mommy.  My husband is a workaholic and a bikeaholic.  The combination of all these things makes for a lot of last minute menu planning.  Thanks to my home away from home, Trader Joe's, I almost always have a bag of frozen shrimp on hand.  Shrimp is the easiest and fastest thing to prepare when you are short on time; or short on patience.  It cooks through in minutes and somehow makes you feel a bit more sophisticated than if you were eating chicken; Again.


I like to call this dish Pantry Shrimp Pasta because everything you need is likely on hand in your pantry.  If they are not, perhaps you should consider stocking your pantry with the basics.  :)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of olive oil (approximately, I never measure olive oil...)
3 tablespoons of butter
juice of 1 lemon or about 1/4 cup of lemon juice 
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced 
1 full handful of fresh parsley finely chopped (you can substitute dried if you must)
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 16 oz bag of thawed uncooked jumbo shrimp
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
salt to taste

8-10 ounces long pasta (I like linguine or angel hair)

In a deep saute pan heat olive and butter over medium high heat until butter is melted.  Add lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and bread crumbs.  Cook a few minutes until garlic and bread crumbs start to turn golden in color.  Add shrimp and cook until cooked through and opaque in color.  Season with desired amount of salt and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Add drained pasta to skillet and stir. (The bread crumbs help to coat the pasta and thicken the dish in absence of a cheese. )  Dish up and eat!

Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza

Prosciutto & Arugula pizza with lemon

TGIF!!! The weekend is here and that means potlucks and get-togethers with family and friends!  It also means inevitably having to think of something to bring; other than your standard 7 layer dip!   One of my all time favorite things to to prepare is a yummy Prosciutto and Arugula pizza.  I love it not only because it is so simple but also because it is incredibly versatile with the ingredients you choose to use.  There are many different versions of this popular pizza, but I personally have never enjoyed the traditional tomato sauce based ones.  In my opinion the tomato sauce tends to steal from all the delicious salty and nuttiness of the prosciutto and arugula.  I use an olive oil base and much prefer it! The versatility comes into play with the different cheeses you choose or the way you choose to dress the greens; either fresh lemon or a balsamic reduction.  Both are equally fantastic!  As for the roasted garlic, that's also a personal preference but in my family we can never have too much garlic!  The recipe below lists the basics you need, but go ahead and get creative! There is virtually no way to make this pizza not taste anything but GOOD!!

Ingredients:

store bought pizza crust ( I like Boboli thin crust)

approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil

4-5 cloves of roasted garlic

fresh mozzerella cut into slices

cheese of your choice ( I like goat cheese)

arugula

6-8 slices of prosciutto

shaved parmigiano reggiano

juice of half a lemon or 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar  (this depends on your preference for a balsamic reduction or a simple lemon juice and olive oil dressing)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Brush olive oil on pizza crust with a pastry brush.  I like to use the infused olive oil from the roasted garlic.  (If you don't have time to roast garlic, you can simply infuse the olive oil by heating it in a saute pan with some chopped garlic).  Spread the garlic on the pizza crust and layer with mozzarella, goat cheese, and small amount of parmigiano reggiano.  Bake for pizza crust's suggested time.

***If using a balsamic reduction, prepare while pizza is baking.  Bring 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil then reduce heat to simmer until the vinegar evaporates about 1/2 way in pot and becomes thick and syrupy.  If using lemon dressing, dress arugula in advance with juice of half a lemon, and about 1/2 a tablespoon good olive oil***

When pizza is fully cooked, remove from oven and scatter with arugula.  Evenly distribute prosciutto over the top and sprinkle on shaved parmigiano reggiano.  If you used the lemon dressing, you are now finished!  If you are using the balsamic reduction, drizzle balsamic over the top and now you too are finished!  Commence Eating! Enjoy!

Simply Delicious Roasted Chicken

Friends are always asking me for quick and easy weeknight dinner recipes. One of my favorite go-to recipes is a Roasted Chicken from acclaimed chef Thomas Keller of Napa's French Laundry. The idea of store-bought rotisserie chickens sitting under heat lamps for hours has always grossed me out. I was convinced I could make a chicken that was not only fresher, but also better tasting. I found this recipe on one of my favorite food sites, epicurious.com and not only was it incredibly easy but it was also the best tasting roasted chicken I had ever had! The salt rub assures incredibly moist meat with perfectly crispy skin that even my children ask for! That would never happen with a precooked rotisserie bird, now would it??? I usually serve this dish with a simple side of roasted fingerling potatoes that can roast in a separate pan along side the chicken; getting dinner prepped, cooked, and on the table in just over an hour! How easy is that??!!

Ingredients:

3-4 pound organic whole roaster chicken
Kosher or freshly ground sea salt
Freshly ground pepper


Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird and place in a roasting pan.

Now, salt the chicken so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1-2 tablespoons) Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then dig in!!!  Yum!