Texas Surprise Garlic Meatball Appetizer

Texas Surprise Garlic Meatball Appetizer

50 to 60 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
12 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves (stems removed)
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers (optional)
6 cloves fresh garlic
6 oz. hot pork sausage
6 oz. mild pork sausage
2-1/4 cups buttermilk baking mix

Blanch 50 to 60 cloves garlic in boiling water 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. In food processor fitted with shredding disc, grate cheese. Remove and set aside. Allow cheese and sausage to come to room temperature before mixing. In dry food processor bowl, chop parsley and peppers, if used, using steel blade. Use garlic press or side of wide-bladed knife to crush 6 cloves garlic. Add to processor, along with sausages and baking mix. Process until well mixed. Add cheese, and process only until well combined. Shape into 50 to 60 small balls, inserting a whole blanched garlic clove in each. At this point, balls may be frozen for baking at a later time. To bake at once, place balls on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot as an appetizer, plain, or with a bowl of plain yogurt for dipping.

Vermont Cheddar Gougères with Smoked Salmon Filling

Vermont Cheddar Gougères with Smoked Salmon Filling

VT_Cheddar_Gougeres_950x712_72_RGBGougères:
1 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) Salted Butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 large eggs
6 ounces Sharp or Extra-Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)

Filling:
8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 -1 cup finely minced smoked salmon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon hot sauce
About 3 tablespoons Sour Cream
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

To make gougères: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In saucepan, heat water, butter, salt and sugar until butter is melted. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture breaks away from side of pan and forms smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest for two minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, stirring quickly so egg doesn’t cook, until dough is firm, smooth and waxy. Add all of cheddar, all but 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, mustard and red pepper, and stir until well blended. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with large plain tip. Pipe dough into two dozen small round mounds, evenly separated. Sprinkle tops with remaining Parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until completely golden brown.

To make filling: Beat together cream cheese, salmon, chives and hot sauce. Stir in sour cream to achieve proper consistency for filling. Stir in red peppers. Make small slit in side of each gougère. Scrape filling into pastry bag or plastic bag. Cut off corner and squeeze some of filling into each gougère.

Caramelized Onion and Apple Tassies

Caramelized Onion and Apple Tassies

8 TaCOATblespoons (4-ounces) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
4 bacon slices
1 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely diced
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/2 cup (2-ounces) aged White Cheddar cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon crème fraîche
1 extra large egg

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating at low speed until well blended. Shape the mixture into 24 balls. Place on a baking sheet, cover and chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and finely chop; set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet and return to medium heat and add the butter. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the apple, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and cool completely. Once cooled, add the cheese, crème fraîche, egg, and cooked bacon, mixing until combined. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Place the dough balls into the cups of a lightly greased 24-cup mini-muffin pan. Press the dough up the sides of the cups to form a cup. Divide apple mixture evenly between the dough cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the tassies from the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Garlic Puffs

Garlic Puffs

puffs1 small head fresh garlic, separated into cloves
½ cup butter
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs

Cover garlic cloves with boiling water. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain, peel and finely mince. Melt butter in water in saucepan. Add garlic, flour and salt all at once. Cook, stirring, until mixture forms into a ball. Cool slightly, and then add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until mixture is smooth. Drop by less than teaspoonful’s onto greased sheet. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325º and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until golden. Remove from oven and cut in half. Cool. Fill with Garlic Filling.

Garlic Filling:

1 small head fresh garlic, in cloves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds

Cover garlic cloves with boiling water. Cook until cloves are tender. Peel and mash. Whip cream. Stir in garlic and remaining ingredients. Fill puffs.

Grilled Steaks with Blue Cheese Garlic Sauce Recipe

Grilled Steaks with Blue Cheese Garlic Sauce Recipe

4 Bfood-3-600x400eef Loin Tenderloin Steaks (Or other cut of beef)
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, grated

Preheat grill. Bring steaks to room temperature. Add sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to both sides of steak. Place on grill and cook until desired doneness. For sauce, add crumbled blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, milk, butter and garlic to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 – 3 minutes, or until cheese is mostly melted and sauce is very fragrant. Serve sauce over grilled steaks.

Roasted Garlic & Blue Cheese Dip

Roasted Garlic & Blue Cheese Dip

6 lg. Heads fresh garlic
16oz. cream cheese
4 oz. Blue cheese
3/4 C. Milk
2 tsp. Chopped fresh parsley

Remove outer covering on garlic. Do not peel or separate the cloves. Place each garlic head on a large square of heavy aluminum foil. Fold up the foil, so the cloves are completely wrapped. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove garlic from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Separate cloves and squeeze cloves to remove cooked garlic. Discard skins. In food processor, mix cheeses, milk and garlic until smooth. Place in serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve as a dip with crudités (mixed vegetables) or crackers for dipping. Makes 5 cups.

Million Dollar Chicken

Million Dollar Chicken

3 1/2 pound whole chicken, preferably organicdc7b5a58fedc27c12e5627a81523216e
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
1 lemon
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh thyme
Olive oil
1 slice sourdough, cut 3/4-inch thick (day old bread is perfect!)
Maldon salt

For the Creme Fraiche Glaze:
1 cup creme fraiche
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon shallots, grated on a fine zester
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

The day before you plan to cook the chicken, season it well inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the garlic, 1 of the lemons, the bay leaf and thyme. Refrigerate. (The bird can be trussed with butcher twine if you are so inclined, but it is not necessary.) On the day/night you plan to cook the bird, take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to roast it. Preheat the oven to 425 to 450 degrees. In a pan large enough to accommodate the chicken, oil the pan lightly with olive oil, place the piece of sourdough in the center of the pan and then put the chicken on top of the bread. Drizzle the bird with olive oil or brush with butter (we use olive oil at the Grill). Place the pan in the oven and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, basting it every 12 to 15 minutes with the fat and drippings that render from the bird. While the chicken roasts, assemble the glaze by combining all of the ingredients and whisking them together. When the chicken is almost done (the juices are running pink and/or the legs are beginning to wiggle a bit when you give them a shake), take a pastry brush and slather on a bit of the creme fraiche glaze. The glaze will begin to caramelize. Brush on another layer and let this last glazing caramelize. At this point the chicken should be cooked through and nicely golden brown. The sourdough underneath the chicken will be nicely browned and crisped on the side in contact with the pan, and moist and juicy on the side in contact with the chicken. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into serving pieces. Cut the sourdough into 2 to 4 pieces and serve with the chicken. Garnish with lemon wedges and sprinkle it with Maldon salt.

No Boil Baked Penne

No Boil Baked Penne

1 jar pasta sauce (26oz)
1 1/2 cups water
15 oz. ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 C. parmesan cheese
1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled
8 oz. uncooked penne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9×13 pan; set aside. Combine sauce, water, ricotta 1 C. of mozzarella, sausage, parmesan and penne. Pour into 9×13 pan and cover with foil. Bake for 55 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until bubbly.

Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus

Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus

73ff3adc4df2a2931378b353865d2cc51 bunch of asparagus, about 20-25 spears, stems removed
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together oils, brown sugar and garlic. Set aside. Bunch together 5-6 asparagus spears and tightly wrap a piece of bacon around the bundle. Place on the wire rack seam-side down and repeat. Using a pastry brush, a spoon or even your hands (I did this…), brush the spears thoroughly with the oil/sugar mixture. Give each bundle a hefty sprinkle of sesame seeds. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Serve warm.

Caliente Cheese & Egg Brunch Dish

Caliente Cheese & Egg Brunch Dish

8 eggs
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 C. minced green bell peppers
2 T. sliced black olives
2 T. chopped green chiles

Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan. Heat oven to 375°F-190°C. Combine eggs and Tabasco sauce in a mixing bowl. Use high speed on mixer to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well then stir in cheeses, green pepper, olives and green chiles. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Cut into 8 pieces.

Hot & Spicy Seasoning

Hot & Spicy Seasoning

11/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
11/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. basil, dried
11/2 tsp. thyme, dried

Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.

Chili and Spice Seasoning

Chili and Spice Seasoning

1/4 C. paprika
2 T. dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Mix together all ingredients. Store in airtight container.

Grapesicles

Grapesicles

48 green seedless grapes, rinsed
48 red seedless grapes, rinsed
16 6-inch wooden skewers

Thread six grapes, alternating grape colors, onto each wooden skewer. Place skewers into the freezer for 30 minutes, or until frozen. Serve immediately.

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Stir-Fried Sweet Carrot Slivers

Stir-Fried Sweet Carrot Slivers

1 T. EVOOIMG_7854
8 oz. pre-Shredded Carrot
¼ C. Orange Juice
2 tsp. light Brown Sugar
Salt
Scallion, minced

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in carrots and cook, stirring constantly to prevent sticking, until they soften, 2-3 minutes. Add orange juice and brown sugar and season with salt to taste. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and let cook until carrots are softened a bit more, another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle scallions over carrots and serve.

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

1 quart-sized jar with lidfiddle1
2 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rock or sea salt
4 dried chiles
1/2 tsp. whole Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp. rice wine
1/2 star anise
1 T. brown sugar
1-inch piece of unpeeled ginger
1/3 cinnamon stick
1 lb. or more vegetables, such as string beans, slice carrot, daikon radish, etc.

Dissolve salt in boiling water and set aside to cool. Add pickling spices to jar and add cooled water. Cover and shake to mix. Fill jar with vegetables (e.g., fiddleheads), making sure brine covers them. Tighten lid and put aside in a cool, dark place for a minimum 24 hours; a week is better. You can continue to replenish the jar with vegetables by adding more salt, sugar, and wine.

Sweet and Sour Brisket of Beef

Sweet and Sour Brisket of Beef

1 beef brisket (4 tEK0401_Brisket_jpg_rend_sni12col_landscapeo 5 pounds), trimmed of fat
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 packet onion soup mix (1.25 ounces)
1 can tomato soup (10.75 ounces)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 T. light brown sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar

Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge the brisket in the flour, then shake off the excess. Place the brisket in a 4½ -to 6-quart slow cooker. Place the onion soup mix, tomato soup, and pepper in a small bowl with ¼ C. of water and stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the brisket. Cover the cooker and cook the beef on high heat until it is quite tender, 6 hours. Remove the brisket from the cooker and place it on a platter. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Strain the liquid that is left in the cooker. Spoon off as much fat as possible or use a gravy separator to remove the fat from the liquid. Pour the strained and defatted liquid into a 2-quart saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and vinegar and stir until the sauce heats through and the brown sugar melts. Slice the brisket, pour enough sauce over it to moisten it, then serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Meaty Ziti

Meaty Ziti

1 pound ground beef round
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
8 ounces uncooked ziti (2 C.)
1 (9-ounce) package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1 (8-ounce) package pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (2 C.)

Crumble ground beef into a nonreactive large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, 4 to 5 minutes until beef browns all over and is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes or marinara sauce, garlic, oregano and basil. Spoon 1 C. meat sauce on bottom of a 3-quart glass or ceramic casserole. Arrange ziti in an even layer on top of sauce. Pour remaining meat sauce over ziti. Spread creamed spinach evenly over the top with a knife. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. (Dish can be made up to 1 day in advance to this point. Refrigerate until baking time.) Bake ziti on center rack of preheated 375-degree oven 30 minutes until bubbling. Remove baking dish from oven and carefully remove aluminum foil and set aside. Scatter mozzarella evenly over top and re-cover dish with foil. Let ziti rest 10 minutes until cheese melts. Serve at once. Makes 6 to 8 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 366
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 3g

Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

1 large, uniformly-shaped russ89306e2170c725ccadea44ce4fd71911et potato, scrubbed well and sliced into 1/8″ rounds*
Cooking spray
3/4 C. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
2 T. crumbled bacon (about 2 slices) – I used real bacon bits
Chopped parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring sliced potatoes to a boil in cold, salted water to cover for 5 minutes. Carefully drain, and transfer slices to a paper-towel lined countertop or cutting board. Pat to dry. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, and lay out potato slices so they are overlapping on it. Spray lightly with additional cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese & bacon. Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated oven until cheese is melted & bubbly. Serve with chipotle ranch sauce (recipe below). Serves 2.

*You can use 2 medium-sized potatoes rather than 1 large. Also, I like to leave the skin on but you can peel the potatoes if you prefer.

Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

1 T. ranch dressing
3 T. sour cream
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne (adjust more or less depending on how spicy you want).
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Place all ingredients in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Refrigerate any leftovers

Fast Pasta Sauces

Fast Pasta Sauces

1. Chopped black olives with a little juice, Italian bread crumbs, a tsp. each of EVOO and Red Wine Vinegar
2. A tsp. of olive oil and a tsp. of red cider vinegar.
3. A small package of pepperoni, a small package of feta cheese, salt & Pepper
4. 1/2 pound of bacon cooked crisp and crumbled , a large tomato diced very fine and a C. of baby spinach chopped fine.
5. Butter, Parmesan cheese, pepper and a splash of heavy cream
6. A small package of Goat Cheese, crumbled, a C. of diced spinach, some red onion
7. A heaping T. of pesto, 1/4 C. of ricotta cheese and a splash of EVOO
8. Zest of one lemon , the juice of a lemon and 2 T. of half and half cream
9. Strips of smoked ham, green peas, and a little half and half or cream
10. 1/4 C. of marinara, 1/4 C. of Alfredo Sauce and a tsp. of red pepper flakes
11. Pressed Garlic, Dribble of EVOO, pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
12. Chopped Fresh Tomato, Pressed Garlic, and Dribble of EVOO
13. Chopped anchovies, EVOO, chopped black olives and bread crumbs
14. Pesto, Ricotta Cheese and EVOO
15. A nice handful of chopped fresh herbs (your choice) and EVOO
16. A can of tuna, drained, capers, pepper and chopped parsley

Italian Lentil and Barley Soup

Italian Lentil and Barley Soup

Add a simple loaf of Italian or French bread and some olive oil for dipping, and you’ve got a great meal!
The lentils do take a long time to get tender when cooked on the low setting. If you start the soup just before you go to bed in the evening, it’ll be ready by lunchtime the next day when cooked on low heat.

picfAONS81 cup lentils
1/3 cup pearl barley
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups broth (chicken, vegetable, or leftover Thanksgiving turkey)
2 1/2 cups water
14 1/2 ounces Italian-style or regular stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (optional)

Sort through lentils to remove debris and shriveled beans, then rinse. Add lentils to crockpot along with carrot, celery, onion, garlic, dried herbs, and bay leaf. Pour in broth, water, and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low heat for 12 to 14 hours, or on high heat for 5 to 6 hours. Discard bay leaf. Just before serving, stir in parsley and vinegar (if using).

Sausage Corn Chowder

Sausage Corn Chowder

1-2 lb. sausage, depending on your families appetites, browned, crumbled, drained
4 cups cubed frozen hash browns or 4 cups cubed potatoes
1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 can evaporated milk (may use low fat)
2 cups water
1 T minced onion (dried is fine)
pepper to taste

Dump in crock pot, stir well; cook all day on low or half a day on medium. Serve with grated cheese, oyster crackers, or CheezIts. Serves 6 plus, depending on appetites. Even better the next day and seems to freeze well also.

Ways to Doctor a Can of Baked Beans

Ways to Doctor a Can of Baked Beans

1tomato-baked-beans-1. Add pan fried smoke sausage or slices of kielbasa to the beans and heat thoroughly.
2. Heat the beans and spoon them over hot dogs served in toasted buns.
3. Spoon the beans into a baking dish, stir in ketchup, brown sugar or maple syrup, and add a dash of yellow mustard. Top with bacon slices and bake at 375º until heated through.
4. Brown ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet. Stir this into the beans and heat through. This is called Cowboy Beans.
5. Stir enough smoky barbecue sauce to suit your taste into the beans and heat through. You can add a little honey, spicy mustard and a touch of brown sugar to make them even more special.
6. Combine baked beans with a can of black beans for a bean medley and bake at 375º until bubbling.
7. Fold shredded cooked pork into the beans and heat, serve with dill pickle wedges.
8. Add a much chili powder as you like and a can of Tex-Mex flavored chili beans and heat with baked beans.
9. Add a chipotle or dried chile pepper to the beans while they are heating up. Remove the pepper before serving.
10. Season the beans with diced country ham and a handful of chopped sweet onion, then heat and serve.
11. Spoon warmed beans into pita pockets along with coleslaw and pickle relish.
12. Spoon warmed beans over toast as they do in England and serve with spicy English mustard.
13. Add a smidgen of ground cinnamon and a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the beans, heat and serve.
14. Create a fast casserole by layering the beans with browned pork sausage, chopped tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake 375º until bubbling.
15. Add a dab of curry powder, some crushed pineapple, and a handful of chopped scallions to the beans, heat and serve.
16. Add pineapple tidbits, chile sauce and some brown sugar; heat through.
17. Add diced cooked bacon or pancetta.

Rajas & Cheese

Rajas & Cheese

Rajas_Chafing_Dish 1 1/2 large sweet red bell peppers (oil-roasted, peeled, cored and seeded)
3 large poblano chiles (oil-roasted, peeled, cored and seeded)
4 jalapeno chiles (oil-roasted, peeled, cored and seeded)
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 small white onion, diced
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano, toasted
Pinch of kosher salt
3/4 C. Mexican Crema (or creme fraiche or natural sour cream)
2 ounces grated queso Oaxaca (or Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack)
1 1/2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
6 (5 1/2 inch) soft white corn tortillas
Optional Garnish: oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips, and toasted pine nuts
Accompaniment: Salsa Fresca

To Oil Roast the Poblanos, Jalapenos and Red Bell Peppers: Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to 375 degrees F. Roast only 1 or 2 chiles at a time to avoid overcrowding and lowering of the oil temperature. Turn the submerged chiles as the skin starts to blister, after approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side. Turn the chiles as necessary until all sides are blistered, but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow chiles to steam for about 15 minutes and then peel off the skin with your fingers or dull edge of a knife. Do not rinse the peeled chiles. Split open the chiles and remove the veins and seeds. Slice into strips, about 3 inches long by 3/8 inch wide. For added heat, simply cut the jalapenos into strips without discarding the seeds. Set aside the bowl of roasted, peeled, cored, seeded and sliced chile and bell pepper strips. In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to low, add the bell pepper and chile strips, then stir in the cilantro, oregano, salt, crema, queso Oaxaca, and grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously so the mixture doesn’t brown or scorch, until the queso melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately. To serve, lay warm tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa, sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.

Pork Chops Veracruz

Pork Chops Veracruz

4 boneless Pork Chops, about ½” thick
¼ t6a00d8341c660253ef00e54f7143dd8834-800wisp. Salt
2 tsp. EVOO
1 C. chopped Onion
2 tsp. minced Garlic
1 lb. fresh Tomatoes, chopped
4oz can diced Green Chiles
1 tsp. Cumin
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
½ C. thinly sliced pimento-stuffed Green Olives
1 T. fresh Lime Juice

Sprinkle chops on both sides with salt. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chops and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until browned and just cooked through. Remove to plate and over loosely with foil to keep warm. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened and browning, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, undrained chiles, cumin and cinnamon. Cook another 10 minutes, until onions are very tender and mixture is saucy. Stir in olives and lime juice. Return chops to skillet and cook a few minutes until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 292
Fat: 13g
Fiber: 3g

Cheese Cracker Stars

Cheese Cracker Stars

Around my French table Cheez-it ish cheese crackers French Fridays with Dorie Dorie Greenspan8 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 lb. Gruyere, Cheddar, Manchego or Emmenthal, grated (about 1 C.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
pinch Cayenne
1 C. plus 2 T. (275 mL) all-purpose flour

Put the butter, cheese, salt, white pepper and cayenne in a food processor and pulse until the butter is broken up into uneven bits and the mixture forms small curds. Add the flour and pulse until the dough forms moist curds again — these will be larger. There are times, though, when you pulse and pulse and never get curds — in that case, just process for a minute, so that everything is as moist as possible. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it gently until it comes together. Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a disk, and wrap the disks in plastic. Chill for at least an hour or for up to 3 days. Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll the dough out between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to a scant 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Using a small cookie cutter– I use a cutter with a diameter of about 1¼ inches (3 cm)– cut the dough into crackers. Gather the scraps together, so you can combine them with the scraps from the second disk, chill and roll them out to make more crackers. Place the rounds on the baking sheet, leaving a scant inch (2.5 cm) between the rounds. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the crackers are lightly golden and firm to the touch; transfer the crackers to a rack to cool. Repeat with the second disk of dough (and the scraps), making certain that your baking sheet is cool. You can serve these while they’re still a little warm, or you can wait until they reach room temperature.

Oven Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Coconut

Oven Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Coconut

1 T. olive oil
2 (to- to 6-ounce) pounds salmon fillets, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/4 C. heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 T. sweetened flaked coconut

Pour olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Season the salmon pieces with the seasoned salt on both sides. When olive oil is hot, add the salmon and cook it 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove salmon from skillet and set it aside. Add spinach to pan juices in skillet. Pour cream over spinach and sprinkle coconut on top. Place salmon pieces back in skillet on top of spinach and place skillet on center rack of preheated 400-degree oven. Bake salmon 7 to 8 minutes until it is opaque and juices are bubbling. Serve at once.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 348
Fat: 19g
Fiber: 1g

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

d7d4f6edb6c2e2983b5c8ccd469f600f1 pound tilapia fillets, or other thin fish fillet
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon)
1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish

Heat the oven to 475°F. Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and lay in a 9×9-inch or 8×8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Combine the garlic, grated ginger, chopped jalapeño, cilantro, white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small food processor. Process until blended. (Alternately, you can finely chop or mash the garlic, ginger, jalapeño and cilantro in a mortar and pestle, then whisk together with the liquid ingredients.) Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. It will be very moist and even a little gelatinous, still. Serve immediately over brown rice or orzo, garnished with the additional scallions and cilantro.

Yield: 2 Servings
Calories 268
Fat: 6.2g
Fiber: 0g

One-Bowl Chicken Souvlaki

One-Bowl Chicken Souvlaki

4 C. s781101967_jtwqP-Mhredded cooked chicken
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½” cubes (3 C.)
2 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped (1/4 C.)
8 Kalamata Olives, pitted
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped (2 C.)
1/2 C. plain yogurt
1/2 C. crumbled feta
1 tsp. oregano (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper
1/4 C. chopped parsley or mint
Pita bread

Combine chicken, cucumbers, scallions, olives and tomatoes in bowl. Mix up feta and yogurt — you can do this by hand if you like chunkier dressing or in a food processor if you like it smooth. Mix in the oregano, if using. Pour dressing over chicken mixture and stir just to coat. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley and serve with crisped wedges of pita bread.

Pine Nut Cookies with Rosemary

Pine Nut Cookies with Rosemary

mld102246_1106_rsmrypinem_vert3 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, plus more for topping cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely chop rosemary in a food processor. Add pine nuts; pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups flour, the baking soda, ginger, and salt; set aside. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture. Add cream; mix until well combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg, then remaining 1/4 cup flour. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with fingers, and top each with a pine nut. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 13 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on sheets on wire racks. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 3 days.

Roz’s Easy Microwave Risotto with Pear and Fennel

Roz’s Easy Microwave Risotto with Pear and Fennel

½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove minced
¼ cup olive oil (est)
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 cups chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 pear, peeled & chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced

Stir first three ingredients together with a tablespoon of oil in a microwaveable bowl – microcook 3 minutes. Stir in rice and microwave 2 more minutes. Stir in 2 ¾ cup broth and ¼ cup wine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or glass cover and microcook 9 minutes. Carefully swirl bowl around to mix a bit without uncovering and cook another 8 minutes. While rice cooks, drizzle fennel with oil to coat and add salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 350 degrees on a parchment lined pan. Peel pears, toss in oil, season with salt and pepper and add to the fennel pan after 10 minutes have elapsed. Remove rice from microwave and stir in cheese and remaining ¼ cup broth, stirring until creamy. Stir fennel and pears into rice and serve.

Hot Brie Pasta

Hot Brie Pasta

½ lb. ripe Brie
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh basil, julienned
1- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tomatoes, seeded and cubed
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ lb. pasta (fettucine, linguine, or capellini all work well)
½ cup peas
Parmesan

Remove rind from Brie and cut into irregular pieces. Combine with next 6 ingredients and let stand 2 hours at room temperature. Cook pasta al dente, drain, and add raw peas (frozen are acceptable, but of course must be thawed first). Toss hot pasta with Brie sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve at once.

Provencal Tomato Tart (Tarte aux tomatoes)

Provencal Tomato Tart (Tarte aux tomatoes)

tomato tart

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Defrost 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (preferably all-butter pastry) from a 14–17-oz. box according to package directions. If the package contains 1 sheet, cut the pastry in half; if the package contains 2 sheets, just use 1. Roll out the dough slightly on a floured surface to smooth it out.

Place the pastry sheet on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet and use a paring knife to gently score a 1/4” border around the edge. Using a fork, prick the pastry all over inside the border to release steam while baking.

Spread the bottom of the dough with a thin layer of Dijon mustard, and then cover with a single layer of snugly packed tomato slices, preferably heirloom tomatoes in several colors, that have been sprinkled with sea salt and drained on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and chopped fresh thyme. Top with grated Gruyere cheese. Bake until the crust is golden and the tomatoes have collapsed. It should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Check at 20 minutes and continue to cook until pastry is golden. Remove the tart to a rack and let it cool for 20 minutes or so before slicing it into wedges.

Variations: Add slivers of kalamata olives over the cheese before baking. Or sprinkle the cooked and cooled tart with torn bits of fresh basil right before serving.

Fresh Corn & Dungeness Crab Chowder

Fresh Corn & Dungeness Crab Chowder

DSC632911 lb. Dungeness crab meat
2 cups fresh corn kernels (3 ears), cobs reserved
3 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on
1 cup diced Walla Walla Sweet onion (or any sweet onion)
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup diced fennel, plus a few fennel fronds
2 cups chicken broth (can substitute veggie broth or water)
3 cups whole milk
3 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
salt & pepper

Cut the corn cobs into 2-inch chunks. In a large pot, heat the chicken stock until it begins to simmer. Add the corn cobs, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. While the cobs are cooking, prepare a roux. Melt 2 T. of butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Strain the chicken stock mixture into a bowl and discard the cobs. Return the pot to the stove and add the remaining 1 T. of butter. When the butter is melted and sizzling, add the onion, bell pepper and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk the roux mixture into the onion mixture, then add the potatoes, corn, 1 cup of the reserved chicken stock, and 3 cups whole milk. Bring the chowder to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Taste the chowder and adjust the seasoning as needed. Just before serving, stir in the crab (reserving a few nice pieces for garnishing), sliced basil, and fennel fronds. Garnish with a few additional pieces of crab meat and serve immediately.

Dilled Crab Salad

Dilled Crab Salad

16 ounces flaked crabmeat
3 C. fresh sugar snap peas, halved widthwise
2 medium cucumbers, sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1/2 C. thinly sliced red onion
1/2 C. snipped fresh dill
1/3 C. prepared ranch dressing
1/3 C. sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Boston lettuce

In a bowl, combine the crab, peas, cucumbers, red pepper, onion and dill. Combine the dressing, sour cream and lemon juice; mix well. Pour over crab mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Jelly Doughnut Muffins

Jelly Doughnut Muffins

6541_l2 C. all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1 C. milk
6 T. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
~4 T. jelly, any flavor (I used raspberry)

1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin C. with muffin papers. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the sugar. Lightly beat the eggs in another bowl. Beat in the milk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Fill each muffin C. about 1/3 of the way and make a well in the center with a spoon. Add ~1 tsp. of jelly and then top with the remaining batter. Bake for ~15 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a shallow bowl and place the sugar in a second bowl. When the muffins are baked let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Dip the tops of the muffins in the butter and then in the sugar and place on a wire rack to cool completely. I like these muffins best when they are really fresh and still a little warm but they will also keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

Hood Canal Creamy Crab Chowder

Hood Canal Creamy Crab Chowder

ingredients1 lb. cleaned Oregon Dungeness Crab Meat, reserving liquid from shell
4 strips of bacon diced
1 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped Celery
1/4 C. chopped bell pepper
4 C. Water
2 Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
2 C. diced potatoes
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can cream style corn
2 T. chopped Pimiento
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 T. flour
1/4 C. Skim Milk
2 T. butter
Chopped fresh Parsley for garnish

Pick over meat to make sure it is free from any shell. Fry bacon until crisp. Add onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper; sauté until tender. Add reserved crab liquid, water, bouillon and potatoes, bring to a simmer, breaking up bouillon cube. Add evaporated milk, corn, pimiento and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are nearly tender. Add crab, stir, and return mixture to gentle simmer. Combine flour and milk, blending until smooth. Add to chowder, stirring until slightly thickened. Add butter, stir until melted. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

taco-seasoning-recipe6 T. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper)
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 T. paprika
3 T. cumin
2 T. Kosher salt
2 T. black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a jar or a container with a lid and shake, shake, shake.

Mozzarella Sticks with Buttermilk Dip

Mozzarella Sticks with Buttermilk Dip

The secret to getting restaurant quality mozzarella sticks at home is using panko-style breadcrumbs and making sure that each piece of cheese is double dipped for an extra crispy crust that is free of any holes for the cheese to escape from during frying. Freezing the mozzarella sticks prior to frying ensures that the crust has time to adhere to the cheese in the dry environment of the freezer. As with all frying, make sure to carefully monitor your oil temperature and allow it to rebound in between batches. Because the mozzarella sticks are frozen, it might be a good idea to make a double batch to keep on hand for any last minute game day parties.

12 stick s of string cheese or 12 pieces of mozzarella cut into 4 x 1/2 inch sticks Mozzarella-Sticks-with-Buttermilk-Dip-1024x768
1 1/2 cups panko-style breadcrumbs
4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 eggs
1 cup of all-purpose flour
Canola oil for frying

1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced green onions
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dredge the mozzarella sticks: Spread the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates (pie plates work well for this). Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well. Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat them lightly. Drop a piece of cheese into the flour and roll it around until it is well covered. Shake off the excess flour and dip the cheese into the egg mixture before rolling it in the breadcrumbs until well coated. One last time, dip the breadcrumb coated cheese back into the beaten egg and roll again in breadcrumbs to create an extra crispy coating. Set aside on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining cheese sticks. Once all of the mozzarella has been breaded, place the plate into the freezer uncovered and freeze until the breadcrumb coating is firm, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the buttermilk dip: In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fry the mozzarella sticks: Pour enough oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to come to a depth of at least 2 inches. Using an candy thermometer, heat oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°. Fry the mozzarella sticks in batches, being careful not to overwhelm the oil, until crispy and browned on the exterior, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mozzarella, allowing the oil temperature to rise back to 350° between batches. You can place the finished mozzarella sticks in a 200° oven to keep them warm while the others fry. Serve immediately with buttermilk dip.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

DSC_050913 eggs
2 C. grated zucchini
2 C. sugar
1 C. vegetable oil
1 T. vanilla
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. chocolate chips (I used the darkest one I could find)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl beat the eggs until foamy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Mix in the zucchini and oil. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins and bake until golden and muffins spring back to a light touch. About 15 minutes.

Cheeseburger Chowder

Cheeseburger Chowder

P11408991 lb. very lean ground beef
2 red skinned potatoes, scrubbed well and cubed
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 C. corn
1 beef bouillon cube
1 1/2 C. water
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/2 C. milk
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 C. grated cheddar cheese

In a soup pot brown the ground beef, drain off any fat. Stir in the potatoes, celery, onion, bell pepper, corn, bouillon cube, water and salt. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Whisk together the flour and milk. Slowly add to the meat mixture and cook until thickened and bubbly. Add the cheese and heat, stirring, until it melts.