Fall is here!

Now that school is back in full swing, so is my resolve to try at least two new recipes each week. I'm going to play catch up for the next few weeks, posting recipes that have been a hit at my house.

Here's one more grill recipe in honor of the cooling weather...this was delicious with some rice and grilled squash!

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 1/4 c tomato sauce
• 2T red wine vinegar
• 2T fresh basil, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4t cayenne
• 2lb shrimp

1. mix garlic, oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and cayenne
2. evenly coat shrimp with marinade and refrigerate about one hour
3. thread shrimp onto skewers, discarding marinade
4. lightly oil grill and grill skewers 2-3 minutes per side. Enjoy!
   

Grill Time!

This is one of my newer favorites! One nice thing about this is that both the butter and the spice mixture can be done ahead of time. Then, when it's about 30 minutes away from dinner time, just rub the spices into the meat and throw on the grill! I double the butter and put some on top of mixed vegetables. This is spectacular grilled but also good made inside in the skillet.

London Broil with Bleu Cheese Butter

• 3T bleu cheese
• 2T soft butter
• 1T black pepper
• 1t garlic salt
• 1t onion powder
• 1/4t cayenne pepper
• 2lb London Broil
• 2T olive oil

1. mix cheese and butter in bowl (fork works best)
2. in a second bowl, combine pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and cayenne
3. when ready to cook the meat, preheat grill at a low setting
4. rub steak with olive oil-coat with spice mixture on both sides and rub in by hand (try not to breathe in the spices!)
5. lightly oil grill grate and grill for 10-12 minutes per side
6. let steak sit for 10 minutes after removing from grill--serve with dollops of bleu cheese butter
   

Aloha!

On Sunday nights, I generally make something very easy, like tacos, hamburgers, etc. I found this recipe and thought that even though it's a little more involved than my usual Sunday meal, it looked like a fun alternative. And since we recently went to Hawaii, it was a fun, reminiscent meal. A couple of notes:
-I highly recommend using the Hawaiian style buns instead of regular hamburger buns. I used them on a lark and thought it made a BIG difference
-If your chicken breasts are thick, butterfly them before you marinate (I did this and ended up with four sandwiches instead of two...leftovers!)
-Don't be afraid to overgrill the pineapple! I grilled for about two minutes on each side and that was NOT long enough...it was still cold in the middle.
-I know that people say to only flip meat one time, but when it comes to chicken, that is bad advice. A chef-friend of mine once told me to turn chicken more often because it allows the juices to keep flowing through the meat. My chicken has been super-juicy ever since! I turn mine every two minutes.

Here we go...

Hawaiian Chicken Burgers

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 2 slices thick bacon
• 2 hamburger buns
• 1 T soft butter
• 1/4 teriyaki sauce
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 slices pineapple
• sandwiches fixins (I recommend mayo, lettuce, and tomato)

1. Place chicken and soy sauce in a Ziplock back--marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours
2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp
3. Heat grill (or stovetop grill pan)
4. Discard chicken marinade. Grill chicken 4-5 minutes per side, basting with teriyaki sauce before each turn.
5. Place Swiss cheese on hot breasts. Cover the breasts to allow cheese to melt, and place hot bacon on top of cheese.
   
6. Grill pineapple slices 3-4 minutes per side; place on top of chicken breasts.
7. Brush butter on buns and grill until toasty.
8. Put chicken breast on top of hot bun, arrange desired condiments on top, and enjoy!
   

Meatloaf with a BANG

This is, by far, M's favorite meatloaf recipe. I love how moist and tender it is! It is spicier the next day, which I'm sure is part of the reason M loves to have it for lunch the next day.

Tex Mex Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 c crumbled cornbread
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c grated pepperjack cheese (cheddar would work also)
• 1/2 c finely chopped onion
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. mix all ingredients (by hand words the best!)
3. place baking rack on cookie sheet; form meat into loaf shape on the rack
4. cover loosely with foil; bake for 30 minutes
5. remove foil; bake for 30 more minutes
   

Amazing Brownies

I'm honestly a big believer in brownie mixes. They are easy and usually just as good as homemade. But this recipe is the exception to that rule. They take just a little extra time but the result is well-worth it!

Tips:

1. I use cake flour in this recipe. If you use regular all-purpose flour, omit the extra two tablespoons. The result will be a slightly heavier brownie.

2. When a recipe calls for vanilla, I frequently divide that amount into half vanilla extract, half almond extract. If you don't have almond extract handy, use the full amount of vanilla. (I keep almond extract on hand at all times...it's amazing how often you use it!)

3. Be SURE to let the chocolate/butter mixture cool completely or the result will be a very heavy, overly chewy brownie.

Ok...here's the recipe!

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 oz unsweetened (baking) chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 t salt
  
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 1 cup plus 2 T cake flour
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan (or a 9x9 pan if you prefer more cake-like brownies). Do NOT flour the pan.
3. In saucepan, melt butter and chocolate. Let cool COMPLETELY.
4. Beat eggs and salt until light in color and foamy.
5. Gradually add sugar and flavorings, beating until thick
6. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in cooled chocolate with a few swift strokes. Do NOT use the electric beater.
7. Stir in flour just until combined.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Delicious! :)

Chicken Pot Pie

This is probably my favorite homestyle item to make, and leftovers warm up nicely. I have included vegetables that I generally use; however, any vegetable that holds its shape well that you like will work nicely. Other options that I sometimes include are potatoes and mushrooms. Just be sure that the total amount of veggies remains about 2 1/2 cups and definitely not over 3 cups. If I'm throwing all health considerations to the wind, I sometimes make the mushroom gravy to go with it, but I try to stick with as much non-fatty vegetables as possible. Also, canola oil can be used instead of the butter, but since it's really the only fat in the whole recipe I don't worry too much about it.

I know some people who love to make their own pie crust. I do not fall in that category. I buy the pie crust dough in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. This saves every one in my house from hearing me yell at flour and butter and also keeps me from cleaning up the horrible mess that is my kitchen after making pie crust.

Chicken Pot Pie
(mushroom gravy recipe follows)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed (raw)
1 c sliced carrots
1 c frozen green peas
1/2 c celery, chopped
1/3 c butter
1/3 c onion, chopped
1/3 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t celery seed
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2/3 c milk (I've used skim or 2%, just keep in mind that skim won't solidify quite as much)
2 pie crusts

1. pre-heat over to 425 degrees
2. in saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery and add just enough water to cover.
3. boil for 15 minutes and drain
4. meanwhile, in saucepan, cook onions in butter until soft; stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed
5. when mixture is bubbly, remove from heat and slowly stir in broth and milk
6. simmer until thick, *stirring constantly*
7. place pie crust in oiled pie pan
8. pour chicken mixture into bottom pie crust
9. cover chicken mixture with liquid
10. cover with top pie crust and slit
11. bake for 30-35 minutes and let sit 10 minutes before cutting

Asian Lettuce Wraps

These aren't too hard, just have your ingredients measured out before you start cooking in the wok.

Keep in mind that white rice cooks in about 20 minutes but brown rice takes about 40. I like to get my brown rice on the stove, then measure out my other ingredients. When the rice has about 15 minutes left, start heating up the wok and both pots will be ready about the same time.

• 4 c water
• 2 c uncooked rice
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 1 t garlic, chopped
• 14 oz firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
• 2 carrots, grated
• 3 T hoisin sauce (available in the Asian section of the grocery store)
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1/2 t chili paste (such as Sriracha)
• 1 head iceberg lettuce

1. in saucepan, combine water and rice-bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer 20 minutes for white rice or 40 minutes for brown rice
2. heat oil in wok to medium high
3. cook pork, onions, and garlic for about 5 minutes
4. add tofu, carrots, and sauces, stirring frequently-cook about 5 minutes
5. remoce from heat and add sesame oil and chili paste
6. serve rice and stir fry mixture with individual lettuce leaves
   

Easy Baked Chicken

Me and mine have been sick this week...thank you Texas allergy season. This cut down on my cooking this week a lot...and when I did cook, it was easy peasy sandwiches or pasta with some pre-made sauce.

I did, however, cook two great meals. This chicken recipe is one of M's favorites, even though whenever I cook it he thinks it's the first time I've made it. I usually serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans. Make plenty so you have leftovers for lunch the next day!

It is equally good cooked with chicken breasts or chicken tenders.

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t rosemary
• 1/2 chervil
• 1/2 marjoram
• 1/4 t pepper
• 2/3 c butter, melted
  
• 3 pounds chicken breast or tenders

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
   
2. combine all seasonings, then mix into flour
3. pour half of the butter into 9x13 baker
4. dip each piece of chicken into butter and then flour, then place in pan
5. pour any remaining flour over chicken and moisten with remaining butter
6. cover securely with foil and bake for 20 minutes
7. remove foil and cook for 15 minutes longer
   

My New Favorite Comfort Food

Well, every cook has to have a flop every now and then. Calling last night's arroz con pollo a flop is perhaps an exaggeration and my co-workers and I greatly enjoyed it for lunch today, but I suppose it just didn't live up to my recent string of repeatable recipes. So, I am not sharing the arroz con pollo recipe here.

I was in luck, though...almost in the same moment I realized my disappointment in my dish, M called to tell me that a friend had given him some wild game sausage and asked if I was willing to cook it. He picked up some rigattoni, and we enjoyed an impromptu dinner of grilled spicy sausage mixed with rigattoni, sauteed spinach, and Parmesan cheese.

So, since we had pasta last night and made last-minute plans to eat out with friend's tomorrow night, I decided to make Shepherd's Pie tonight and I'll make the planned Pasta con Broccoli on Sunday night since, as we all know, I do not cook on Friday or Saturday nights. ;)

While not possessing the same depth of flavors as some recent recipes, this Shepherd's Pie is spectacular. It takes the "meat and potatoes" theme and changes it up just enough to remain a stable comfort food while introducing some new textures and making a fairly easy one-dish meal (easy as long as you can manage three pots on the stove at once)

I briefly considered leaving the carrot layer out of this dish-don't make that mistake. The carrots added a slight sweetness and without them I think the potatoes would have needed a lot more butter, an ingredient I am trying to use minimally and that would change the texture of the potatoes in this case.

Shepherd's Pie

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 T butter
• 1 finely chopped onion, divided
  
• 1/2 (or more) grated cheddar cheese, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1 T oil
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 T flour
• 1 T ketchup or Worcestershire sauce (I prefer Worcestershire)
• 3/4 c beef broth

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees
   
2. bring two pots of salted water to a boil
3. to one pot add potatoes and to the other add carrots; let cook 15-20 minutes
4. meanwhile, heat oil in skillet; add onion then beef-drain if desired
5. to beef, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, then add ketchup/Worcestershire and broth; let simmer 5 minutes
6. when potatoes are ready, mash with butter, 1 T onion, 1/4 c cheese, salt and pepper
7. separately, mash carrots
8. in 9x9 pan, layer beef, then carrots, then potatoes
9. top with remaining cheese
10. bake for 20 minutes
    

Fresh (and Easy) Strawberry Pie

Posted by request from WWL and ND. ;)

• 1 8-inch pie crust, baked
• 1 lb fresh strawberries, washed and trimmed, large berries halved
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 c water
• 1 3-oz package strawberry gelatin
• 1 t vanilla
• whipped cream (optional)
  

1. bring water to a boil in saucepan
2. whisk together cornstarch and sugar
3. add sugar mixture to boiling water and whisk constantly until thick, 3-4 minutes
4. remove from heat and add gelatin and vanilla; let mixture cool to room temperature
5. place strawberries evenly in cooled pie shell
6. pour cooled mixture over berries and refrigerate until set
7. serve with whipped cream if desired
   

The. Best. Fish. Tacos. EVER!

There's just no other way to describe these fish tacos. As I told my friend D who joined me for dinner last night, "Out of three starts, I give these 4." The recipe is a little more complicated than I normally do, but if you do what you can the night before, it's not as bad as it looks. And the outcome is MORE than worth it.

Here we go. In order to make this as simple as possible, I've divided up the recipe into separate mini-recipes.

Fish Tacos with Honey Cumin Cilantro Slaw and Chipotle Mayo

Fish Preparation

• 1 lb tilapia, cut into chunks
  
• 1/2 c fresh lime juice

1. place tilapia in flat dish and pour lime juice over fish-cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours

*I marinated the fish for about 10 hours and it was fine.

Chipotle Mayo (this can be done ahead of time and I recommend doubling)

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipoltle chilis packed in adobo sauce
• 1 T reserved adobo sauce
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside until needed.
   

Cilantro Slaw (also can be made ahead of time and definitely should be doubled)

• 2 c tri-color coleslaw blend
• 1 c cilantro, minced
  

1. Mix slaw blend and cilantro
2. Add all but 1/4 of the chipotle mayo (if you doubled the chipotle mayo recipe, only add one half of what you made)

Honey Cumin Sauce (I do not recommend preparing this ahead)

• 1/3 c fresh lime juice
• 2 T honey
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 t cumin

1. whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

TO MAKE TACOS:

• 1/3 c flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 c panko bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• 1 c vegetable oil
  
• flour tortillas, warmed

1. place flour, eggs, and panko in separate plates
2. season fish with salt and pepper
3. dip fish first in flour, then eggs, then panko
4. heat oil, then cook fish evenly until brown (about 2 minutes per side)
5. drain fish and brush immediately with honey cumin sauce
6. spread each tortilla with 1 T chipotle mayo, then fish, then slaw
7. ENJOY!!!
   

Upcoming Recipes: Week of April 4, 2010

Although the themes may change, I am attempting to have every day of the week have a "theme." Besides catering to my OCD, it helps me narrow down my recipes choices when setting the menu for the following week.

Here are my recipes for this week.

Sunday (easy night): burgers (homemade)
Monday (M's choice): Fish Tacos with Honey-Cumin Cilantro Slaw and Chipotle May
Tuesday (Mexican): Arroz con Pollo
Wednesday (pasta): Pasta con Broccoli
Thursday (homestyle): Shepherd's Pie

The only one I'm slightly worried about is the fish tacos...wish me luck! :)

My Simple and Delicious Easter Menu

This is my first holiday to host in our new home, and I am excited! It is so easy for me to go completely overboard with not just too many dishes, but too many complicated dishes. The more I cook, though, the more I learn the times that sometimes the easiest recipes can be the most delicious.

I was the only person in my family who enjoyed a holiday ham, so while Thanksgiving and Christmas are both turkey holidays in my family, Easter is strictly for roast beef. I discovered this Crock Pot pot roast recipe last year. I usually avoid using cream of anything soup in my cooking, but since I only cook roast beef on holidays and since it is the best roast I've ever had, I make an exception.

Hope you enjoy my Easter dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

• 2 (10.75) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (this amount can be approximate)
• 1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 5-6 lb pot roast

1. in slow cooker, mix first three ingredients with wire whisk
2. place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture
3. cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours

Now on to the side dishes. Since this is my blog, I'm going to brag on myself a little here: I make the best mashed potatoes I've ever had, and now no one in my family even attempts to make them; them just have me bring them. Personal preferences for potatoes, of course, vary somewhere, so these amounts are starting points ready for personalized tweaking. I usually make a much smaller batch than this recipe, but this would make a holiday-sized bowl of mashed potatoes.

• 1 5-lb bag russet or Idaho potatoes
• water
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, warmed slightly in microwave
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel potatoes and cut into halves or quarters. Place in large stockpot and cover with water. Add bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt.
   
2. Bring to a boil for about twenty minutes or until very soft.
   
3. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water but discarding bay leaf
   
4. Add potatoes to mixing bowl with butter, half-and-half, baking powder, salt, and pepper
5. Beat with electric mixer until smooth, tasting frequently and adding salt and pepper as needed

And now, lastly, the favorite green vegetable in my house: green beans

• 1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 c water or chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic. Saute until slightly brown.
2. Add green beans. Make sure all beans are coated in oil. Saute for about 5 minutes or until some beans are slightly charred.
3. Add salt and pepper
4. Pour in water or brother; bring to a boil.
   
5. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or to desired texture (we like our still a little crispy); remove from heat immediately.
   
6. Do not rinse as this will wash away the garlic flavor

Man Pleasin' Ribs

I'm not as much of a rib person as M is, but this has to be the easiest recipe known to mankind. I have to give credit where credit is due, though: M is actually who taught me how to make these!

• one rack of ribs (we like babyback)
• dry barbeque seasoning (we like Rudy's Rub, https://rudysbbq.com/store/c-3-spices.aspx)

1. prehead oven to 400 degrees
   
2. unwrap ribs and rinse; put in plastic oven bag
3. open seasoning and liberally sprinkle over both sides of ribs, rubbing in with hands (it takes more seasoning than you may think; I would estimate half a cup per side but I eyeball it)
4. tie bag and put on baking sheet; bake for about 50 minutes
5. let cool in bag for about ten minutes; pour onto baking sheet and let sit for another ten minutes
6. cut into individual ribs and serve

Mamma Mia

Sometimes I like something different for my weekly pasta night, and polenta fits the bill! This is an easy recipe that can be made with store-bought or homemade polenta. I haven't braved the homemade yet personally. I like this better than my other half does, but I enjoy the Italian seasoning flavors from the canned tomatoes combined with the fresh parsley.

• 1 package or recipe prepared polenta
• 1 pound Italian link sausage
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T parsley, chopped
• 14.5 oz can Italian stewed tomatoes
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan

1. brown sausage and garlic in large skillet and drain
2. cool slightly; cut sausage into 1-inch pieces and return to skillet
3. add parsley, tomatoes, and tomato paste and bring to a boil
4. remove from heat
5. cover bottom of pan 9x9 pan with half the polenta and top with half the sausage mixture; repeat
6. top with Parmesan and serve immediately
   

Holy Enchilada!

These enchiladas were a great make ahead recipe. Beware, though: you must like spicy food to like these! I had a little bit of trouble locating the salsas, but with a little careful reading in the Hispanic aisle at Albertsons I found the necessary ingredients.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

• 1 bunch cilantro (yes, the entire bunch)
• 1 c sour cream
• 14 oz jalapeno salsa
  
• 14 oz green chile salsa
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 onion
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1. in blender, combine cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno salsa, and 7 oz chile salsa and puree
2. combine chicken, onion, and remaining 7 oz chile salsa
3. fry tortillas in small amount of oil until very pliable
4. pour enough sour cream mixture in bottom of 9x13 pan to cover the bottom
5. put 2T chicken mixture in each tortilla and place seam side down in pan
6. pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas
7. cover with cheese
8. cover with foil (if making ahead, place foil-covered pan in refrigerator until ready to bake)
9. bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes--let sit for about 10 minutes before serving

More Quiche, Please

There is something comical about a large gun-loving cigar-smoking man asking for a quiche dinner.
Here's his current favorite quiche recipe. What man doesn't love bacon?

• 6 slices bacon
  
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 c light cream
• 1/4 t nutmeg
  
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 2 c chopped fresh spinach
• 2 c chopped mushrooms
• 1 c shredded swiss cheese
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. brown bacon; crumble
3. whip eggs, nutmeg, cream, salt, and pepper
4. stir in bacon, spinach, 3/4 c each swiss and cheddar, and mushrooms
5. pour mixture in pie shell
6. top with remaining cheese (I also throw some freshly grated Parmesan on top)
7. bake for 35 minutues-let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving

Notes about bacon and nutmeg:

BACON: A chef at a high end restaurant once told me to try frying bacon in the oven instead of on the stovetop. I tried it once and was hooked. First of all, I don't have to babysit it (especially nice on mornings when I want to run and take a shower), and second of all it crisps up much faster. Place bacon strips on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until desired crispness. If you want to drain the fat off easier, place the bacon on baking racks so it will drip as it cooks.

NUTMEG: Freshly ground nutmeg has changed my life, especially in baking. Whole fresh nutmegs can be purchased locally at Central Market and run about 25 cents each. Invest in a fifteen buck micro grater and you're golden. As long as they're kept dry, the remaining nutmeg lasts for months.

Welcome

It seems appropriate that my first true blog is dedicated to cooking. Of my own choice, I probably spend more time in the kitchen than in any other room of the house, and the horseshoe shaped kitchen is one of the main reasons I fell in love with the home we recently purchased.

I have always loved to cook, but this love came to full fruition over a year and a half ago when I began dating M. The more I cooked, the more he bragged, and the more I cooked. Before I realized it, I was cooking breakfast every morning, cooking dinner every night, and packing M's lunch for the next day. It's a cycle I hope I always continue, as long as my rule is maintained: dinner on Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturday are eaten out.

This blog marks the beginning of my attempt to be more organized in my cooking preparation; namely, setting the next week's menu over the weekend and purchasing all ingredients in one trip to the grocery store instead of trekking to the store almost every day.

So far so good; wish me luck!

Bon appetit!