Sunday, January 29, 2012

Rosa Mexicana Guacomole

PRE-STORY: Rosa Mexicano is an incredible Mexican restaurant that makes tableside guacamole. By that, I mean the best guac I've ever had. So imagine my surprise when they asked if I wanted the recipe. Uh...YES, thank you very much.

DISH: Appetizer
SOURCE/ADAPTED FROM: Rosa Mexicano Restaurant
PREP TIME: ~15 minutes

• 1 Haas Avocado
• 3 Tablespoons Onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Jalepeno Chile, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato, chopped (discard juice and seeds)

In a bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon, thoroughly mash the following ingedients into a juicy paste (using the salt as a grinder).
• 1 Tablespoons Onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Jalepeno Chile, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Holding the avocado in the cup of the hand, split the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the seed. Slice the avocado lenthwise in approx. 1/8" strips, then across forming a grid (cut through the flesh only, not into the skin). Scoop the avocado out of the skin with a spoon.

Add the avocado to the paste and thoroughly mix together, then add the rest of the ingredients and fold. Add jalapeno chiles and salt to taste.

RATING/DIFFICULTY:
5 OMG Calories Don't Count

Easy Peasy

SERVED WITH:
TOSTITOS® ARTISAN RECIPES® Roasted Garlic and Black Bean Tortilla Chips

FINAL NOTES:
Ok, perhaps I'm confused on the recipe, but what I read and what I do is two different things. I read that I'm suppose to use 1 Tablespoon of the 3 Tablespoons of Onion, 1/2 teaspoon of the 1 teaspoon of Jalepeno, etc. to make this. What I do is use the full amount both lists of ingredients. I've made this on a couple of occasions, including feeding a crowd on New Year's Eve to rave reviews. Either way, I'm positive this is a keeper!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Pasta e Fagioli

PRE-STORY: I found out TODAY it's National Soup Month. It's the 20th!!! A little late, so poor Dude in in for a lot of soup over the next 11 days.

DISH: Soup
SOURCE/ADAPTED FROM: Food Network, Pasta and Beans: Pasta e Fagioli, Rachel Ray
PREP TIME: ~15 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes

• 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 pound (about 3 slices) pancetta, chopped
Added 1 Hot Italian Sausage link, 1 Sweet Italian Sausage link - made meatballs with the pancetta and sausage
• 2 (4 to 6-inch) sprigs rosemary, left intact
• 1 (4 to 6-inch) sprig thyme with several sprigs on it, left intact
Added 1 (4 to 6-inch) sprig Oregano
• 1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes I used one small can tomato sauce and a 14 oz can of diced Italian Tomatoes
• 2 cups water Instead of water, I used 1 Cup Sangiovese wine and 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups ditalini I used elbow macaroni

• Grated Parmigiano or Romano, for the table
• Crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits lightly. Since I made the meatballs, I browned the meatballs in the olive oil. Add herb stems (next time, I will take the herbs off of the stems and chop them, I didn't like the big bits in the soup), bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomato sauce, water (wine/broth mix), and stock to pot and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta (next time, I'll cook the pasta separately then add to the mix before serving, that way I could make sure there was enough liquid). Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup and place pot on table on a trivet. Let soup rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.

SERVES / NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serves 6

Calories: 365; Total Fat 10 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 18 grams; Total carbohydrates: 50 grams; Sugar: 8 grams Fiber 9 grams; Cholesterol: 13 milligrams; Sodium: 1,101 milligrams

RATING/DIFFICULTY:
3 Good but Needs Tweakin!!!

Easy Peasy

SERVED WITH:
Wegman’s Garlic Italian Bread.

FINAL NOTES:
I have a feeling this will be even better tomorrow. As you read above, there are still some things I would have done differently but overall, the flavor is there and oh so filling!!!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Parmesan (Garlic) Chicken Wings

PRE-STORY: Wegman's is my happy place and often it is the source of inspiration. Tonight, I was wandering around the meat department and they had ready to cook parmesan garlic chicken breasts. Well, I remembered some parmesan wings I made for a get-together I had in Dec so I decided to add some garlic to the mix.

DISH: Chicken
SOURCE/ADAPTED FROM: 365 Ways to Cook Chicken, Parmesan Chicken Wings Oreganata
ACTIVE TIME: ~15 minutes COOK TIME: 45 minutes

• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley Eyeballed Amount
• 2 teaspoons Paprika Eyeballed Amount
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano Eyeballed Amount
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil Didn't have any basil, well, I had fresh but forgot about it until after they were in the oven
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt Eyeballed Amount
• 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper Eyeballed Amount
• 1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Butter or Margarine, melted Used Brummell & Brown Yogurt Butter Spread
• 1 pound Chicken Wings, disjointed and tips removed Used wings/drumettes mix
Added 2 cloves minced Garlic
Added sprinkling of Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a paper bag I used a bowl , combine cheese, parsley, paprika, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss to mix. Pour melted butter into a shallow bowl.

Dip chicken pieces into butter, then place in paper bag and shake to coat. Place chicken on foil-lined baking sheet and bke for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

SERVES / NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serves Makes 12 mini-drumsticks

RATING/DIFFICULTY:
5 - Make this for your friends!!! Great recipe for a party...I know, I've made them for a party!

Easy Peasy

SERVED WITH:
Wegman’s Butternut Squash, Baby Spinach, and Craisens mix and Wegman's Mac and Cheese. (Have I ever mentioned I love Wegman's?!?!)

FINAL NOTES:
Another very versatile recipe. Play with the seasonings. Put the mix on chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, coat sliced potatoes, etc. It's also easy to double, triple, quadruple for a party. AND other then the cooking, it takes no time to prepare. If you are having a long open house, have a couple batches prepped and a batch cooking while others are being served.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

PRE-STORY: The week after Christmas, I decided to make comfort food. I’ve made beef stew once before using a braising method but decided to try a crock pot recipe. Thing is, picking one is difficult so I just combined a few together.

DISH: Beef
SOURCE/ADAPTED FROM: A mix of Beef Stew recipes from allrecipe.com
ACTIVE TIME: ~30 minutes TOTAL TIME: ~7 Hours

• 1 pound Stew Meat

• 1 Tablespoon Flour, plus 1 teaspoon
• Salt

• 1 Tablespoon EVOO
• ~ 4 Baby Carrots cut into bite size pieces
• ¼ pound Fresh Green Beans (only because I had them)
• 2 small potatoes, cubed
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
• Pepper, to taste
• 2/3 C Boiling Water
• 1 Package Dry Onion Mushroom Soup Mix
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Onion, diced
• ~ 5 Button Mushrooms, cut into 4ths
½ C Red Wine (original recipe called for a Tablespoon…I laughed)
• 1 Cup Beef Broth

• 2 teaspoons Flour mixed with water

Mix flour and Salt. Dredge meat in flour mixture. Heat EVOO in large skillet over medium high heat. Add stew meat and cook until evenly browned on the outside (do this in batches). Transfer to slow cooker along with carrots, potatoes, parsley and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together boiling water and soup mix. Pour into slow cooker.

In same skillet melt butter, add onion and cook until softened. Add to slow cooker. Pour red wine into skillet and break up brown bits. Pour into slow cooker. Add beef broth. Add water to cover food in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. Reduce to low and cook for 6 hours.

SERVES / NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serves 4 (Leftovers were even better)

RATING/DIFFICULTY:
3 - Good but Need Tweaking - I would rate it higher for taste, but there is just so much you can do with this recipe.

Easy Peasy

SERVED WITH:
Wegman’s Clover Rolls.

FINAL NOTES:
As comfort food goes, beef stew hits the spot. You can mix/match recipes, add/subtract ingredients, play with seasonings, etc. It is a great item for the new cooks out there! Here’s a helpful hint my mom has passed on to me: too salty, throw in more cubed potatoes (can also be used to thicken broth).

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Lamb Chops with Mushroom Pesto and Root Vegetable Pancakes

PRE-STORY: Well hello there! Yes, I'm still alive and yes, I'm still cooking. There are many recipes that I need to share but this is what I made last night. It was so good, it prompted me to share the deliciousness…

DISH: Lamb

SOURCE/ADAPTED FROM: Tasting the Wine Country, Sharon O’Connor’s/Menu and Music – Recipes from Romantic Inns and Resorts. This particular dish is from Belhurst Castle in Geneva, New York

ACTIVE TIME: ~1 Hour TOTAL TIME: ~1 Hour

MUSHROOM PESTO INGREDIENTS: I halved the recipe but I’m listing the full ingredients. All other changes are highlighted in Italics.

• 4 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Plus More For Blending Pesto
• 8 ounces Porcini, stemmed Shiitake, or Cremini Mushrooms, chopped I used a mix of 50% cremini and 50% shiitake
• 3 Garlic Cloves I didn't half the garlic
• 2 Green Onions, white part only, chopped saved/sliced the greens for garnish
• ¼ Cup Pine Nuts • ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese I didn't half the cheese

To make the pesto: In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, or until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the garlic, green onions, and pine nuts and sauté for 3 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine the mushrooms, garlic mixture and Parmesan. Puree until smooth. I added more olive oil in the processor to help make it smooth. Less than ¼ cup. After the lamb was done, I rewarmed the pesto in the pan that the lamb was cooked in (with the juices) for serving.

LAMB CHOP INGREDIENTS: Truth be told, this recipe is actually for venison chops but Dude hasn’t been lucky in the bow hunting arena and Wegman’s didn’t have venison chops. Lamb seemed like a good substitute (and less expensive than veal chops)

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 8-Ounce Lamb Chops again, I halved this, so I used 4 lamb chops
• Salt and Pepper to taste Salt I used a mix of kosher salt and Gray Salt from my salt box and no pepper….cause I hate pepper

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté for 3 -4 minutes on each side for medium rare.

ROOT VEGETABLE PANCAKE INGREDIENTS: I did not half this and I had enough to make 8 pancakes.

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ Cup Buttermilk
• ¼ Cup Milk Used Skim
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
• ¼ Cup Each grated peeled Parsnip, Carrot, Potato, and Rutabega Used Turnip instead of Rutabega
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil I cooked on my griddle so I used a lot less olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. In a large frying pan, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking (I used my griddle so I used a drop of olive oil where the pancakes would be and sprayed Pam to prevent any potential sticking). Drop in ¼ cupfuls of batter to form 3 pancakes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 – 3 minutes on each side, or until well browned. Transfer to a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter. Serve warm.

To Serve: Arrange pancakes on warmed plate and pace two chops on top. Top each chop with a dollop of mushroom pesto and serve immediately.

SERVES / NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serves 4 (Mine Served 2)

RATING/DIFFICULTY:




Difficulty: Just Tri - The average home cook can make this!

SERVED WITH:
Maiche salad with warmed pine nuts, dried cranberries, feta cheese and Balsamic Vinigerette. And a really good 2008 Zaca Mesa Syrah.

FINAL NOTES:
We were a little afraid of the pancakes, but to quote Dude, “These taste just like regular pancakes”. This would be good for a special occasion, i.e. Valentine's Day, Anniversary, etc..