KimDeC

Braised Chicken all'Arrabbiata - Angry Chicken

2010-03-15T21:23:00.000-04:00

This translates to "Angry Chicken" in Italian. This recipe was recommended to me by a co-worker. He found it in Food & Wine Magazine and thought it was worth passing on. He was right! I've been wanting to make something with polenta as an alternative to pasta, and this fit the bill! It was wonderful!

This recipe was adapted from Food & Wine.

4 chicken breasts, pounded flat

salt and pepper

3 TB Olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

6 garlic cloved, minced

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake

1 bay leaf

1 green pepper, diced

1 small poblano, diced

1 TB tomato paste

1 cup white wine

28 oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved

2 TB red wine vinegar

2 tsp Herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 400.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large cast iron enamel braiser, heat the oil over med high. Add chicken, and brown on both side, but don't cook all the way through. Transfer to a platter.

In the remaining oil, saute onion, garlic, red pepper flake and bay leaf. Add more oil if needed. When onion softens, add the peppers. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and deglaze all the brown bits from the pan. Add tomatoes with their juice, vinegar and Herbes de Provence. Bring to simmer.

Add the chicken and nestle into the sauce. Place in oven and braise for 35 minutes.

Serve over soft polenta.

What a great change from the norm! I added some cream and butter to my polenta to make this extra yummy!

Pork Tamales

2010-03-05T14:55:00.000-05:00

Another "hats off" to the Mexican culture. This is one of the most economical meals, yet pretty labor-intensive. It's fun, and worth the effort if you have a Sunday to spare! I made the pork a day in advance, so I had plenty of time to assemble and steam the tamales.

Tamales are like mini cornbreads that are stuffed with meat and/or cheese, then wrapped in corn husks and steamed.

Shredded Mexican Crock Pot Pork

(1) 2 lb pork butt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 TB of adobo sauce
2 1/2 cups of water
1 cup chicken broth
Squeeze of 1/2 a lime

Heat a cast iron pot on med-high, and coat the bottom with olive oil. Sear the pork butt on all sides, and place into the crockpot.

Place the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot and set on LOW for at least 7 hours. Shred with fork when cooled.

Tamales
adapted from Joy of Cooking

1 - 4oz package of corn husks
3 cups of Masa flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 to 1 cup of shortening
2 1/4 cups of chicken broth, warmed
1 1/2 cups of shredded chihuahua cheese or queso fresco

In a large saucepan, add the husks and water to cover. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Weigh the husks down with a heavy plate to keep them submerged. Let sit for 1-2 hrs until pliable.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the masa flour and the baking powder. In another large bowl, beat the shortening until fluffy. About 2 mins.

Gradually add the masa mixture and beat on high speed. Slowly beat in the chicken broth, use about 2 cups. You may need more. Continue beating until dough looks like mashed potatoes, about 2 mins. The dough is ready when a 1/2 tsp of dough dropped into a glass of cold water floats.

Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste. Cover the mixture until the husks are ready.

Drain the husks, let dry. Set aside 16 of the biggest husks.

Place a steamer insert in the bottom of a deep stockpot. Fill the bottom with water to fill about 1 inch. Water should not touch the steamer. Line the bottom and sides of the steamer with more of the husks.

Start assembling the tamales by laying the husk rough side up on a work surface, with the pointed end closest to you. Spread about 1/4 cup of the masa into a 4-inch square, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border at the pointed end and a 1 inch border on all other sides.

Add some pork over top of the masa. Sprinkle with cheese.

Fold the left and right sides, the fold the pointed end up, and tie with a strip of husk.

Stand the tamales upright in the steamer, and repeat with the rest of the husks. Leave room in the steamer for expansion, and cover the tamales with husks. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and steam over med heat until the husks peel away from the filling. 1 to 1 1/4 hours time. Add more water to pot if necessary.

Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 mins. Serve!

Freeze for up to 1 month.

Lasagna with Besciamella and Sausage

2010-03-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

This lasagna sure was time-consuming, but worth every minute! It's a mish-mash of a few different Lidia recipes from Lidia's Family Table. I did not make my own pasta for this, simply because it would have added even more time to the process. But, I did pick up some wonderful fresh pasta sheets from Carlino's Italian Market. They worked wonderfully with this dish.

I also went for an extra layer this time, and added Besciamella sauce. It definitely added a wonderful creaminess to the meal and it wasn't very hard or time-consuming to make.

What you'll need:

Pasta sheets, cooked
1 cup Italian sausage, cooked
Simple Tomato Sauce (recipe to follow)
Besciamella sauce (recipe to follow)
3-4 TB of butter (for the baking dish)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6-8 oz of shredded mozzerella cheese
8 oz fresh ricotta
1 egg

Oven at 375F.

Prepare the sauces first, set aside to cool.

Remove the sausage from the link casing, and cook until brown and crumbly. Mix the ricotta with the egg, and set aside.

Prepare the pasta sheets, and cool in ice water. Spread them onto a cookie sheet that is lined with a kitchen towel so the water absorbs.

Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking sheet with the butter, on all sides. Set up your "station" and get ready to assemble.

*Note, you can also use a 9x13 pan and increase the ingredients just a bit. The pasta is cut to fit this size, anyway. But I always find that a 9x13 pan makes way too much for a small household.

Layer the bottom of the pan with a little bit of sauce. Drizzle with the Besciamella.

Layer with pasta sheets, and spread on the ricotta/egg mixture.

Next, a layer of sausage.

Layer with more tomato sauce, bechemel, and the 2 cheeses...

Repeat the layers until the pan is full, folding over the pasta is needed:

Ready to bake...

And done. Let sit uncovered for 20 minutes to settle before cutting into squares and serving.

Simple Tomato Sauce
Good with: Pastas, Gnocchi, Baked Pastas

by Lidia Bastianich

(2) 35oz cans of San Marzano Tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped in small pieces
1 medium carrot, chopped in small pieces
1 rib celery, chopped in small pieces
6 TB olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried peperoncino (red pepper flakes)
1/2 tsp honey

Sieve the tomatoes through a mesh colander, pushing the flesh through, scraping against the sides to extract all pulp and juice.

Put the chopped onion, carrot, celery pieces into a food processor to finely mince.

Pour oil into a sauce pot, stir the vegetables over med-high heat. Add salt. Cook 3 mins or so to let them soften, but not brown.

Pour the tomatoes and juices into the pan and stir with the veggies. Rinse the bowl and the tomato cans with the water, and pour this into the pan. Stir in bay leaves, honey, and peperoncino. Turn up heat and cover. Bring sauce to boil, stirring, and check frequently.

Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer. Cover and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally.

Remove the cover, raise heat to gradually reduce. Cook for another hour, stirring often to ensure no sticking. Turn heat down as sauce thickens. Add more salt if needed.

When sauce has reduced by about a quarter, and is concentrated but still pourable, remove from the heat. Let cool. Remove bay leaves.

Besciamella --- Bechamel, or Cream Sauce
by Lidia Bastianich

2 cups milk
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 TB butter
2 TB all-purpose flour
2 TB freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Pour milk into saucepan; add the seasonings and bay leaf. Bring almost to a boil and keep hot.

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, put in flour and whisk to form a roux. Keep whisking 3-4 minutes until the roux darkens a bit.

Pour in hot milk in a stream, stirring to mix the roux into it. Stir constantly until sauce boils. Adjust heat to keep a steady bubble as the sauce thickens (about 3 minutes).

Pour the sauce through a fine sieve, and add the grated cheese.

Can be used within 3-4 days. Do not freeze.

Mango Salsa (and how to cut a mango!)

2010-02-26T22:11:00.003-05:00

This salsa didn't last long. The flavors all mend together so perfectly...I served this with my homemade baked tortilla chips.

1 mango
½ cucumber, diced
¼ red onion, diced
½ jalapeno, diced
1 TB lime juice
⅓ C cilantro, chopped
salt/pepper to taste

Peel and chop the mango. Toss with remaining ingredients.

How to cut a mango:

Slice the "cheeks" off the sides, and cut criss-cross marks into the flesh. Invert the slice, and trim the cubes out.

Parma Rosa Veggie Pasta

2010-02-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

A quick, successful meal!

1 lb penne or pennoni
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 package of your favorite frozen veggies
2 TB tomato paste
1 tsp oregano
salt/pepper to taste
1/3 cup light cream
1 frozen basil cube
1 3/4 cups of chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta and drain. Heat olive oil in a stainless skillet. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add the frozen veggies and saute briefly. Add tomato paste and oregano, salt, pepper, and basil. Cook about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta, cream, tomatoes, and cheese. Toss and serve immediately.

V-Day Menu featured in CCCN

2010-02-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

In print! This was a fun project...hoping to work with Mary at CCCN again soon :)

Kid-Friendly Cavatelli with Chicken, Peas & Carrots

2010-02-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

This was adapted from a Giada recipe. Get the original recipe here. I kept mostly everything the same, except I used mini cavatelli, and added some grilled chicken for protein. Lilly gobbled this up, but I thought it was missing something. Maybe that's why it's kid-friendly! Anyway, it gets great reviews on the site, so enjoy!

Valentine's Day Menu

2010-02-03T16:04:00.023-05:00

This is a very special entry for me! I was called upon by the fabulous Mary Bigham of WC Dish to create a menu for Valentine's Day. This menu will be featured in Wednesday's edition of Chester County Cuisine and Nightlife. Thanks for another great opportunity, Mary!

Valentine's Day. Even if it is a Hallmark holiday, it looks like it's here to stay - and with it comes expectations...am I right?

I wanted this menu to appeal to those who wanted restaurant quality food, without the hassle of reservations, babysitters, parking, crowds, prix fixe menus, not to mention the $$$$. It also works well because the courses are rich in taste, but light enough to avoid any after-dinner food comas!

I suggest cooking the meal together, after all, this is Valentine's Day. But if one person insists on taking over, let the other person be the taste-tester, bartender, and do easy jobs like slicing bread, assembling apps, etc.

On with the food!

Sparkling Pomegranate Fizz

1 Bottle Prosecco

1 Pomegranate

2 oz of POM Pomegranate Juice (or you can choose to juice the pomegranate seeds)

2 champagne flutes

cocktail rimming sugar, or 2 crushed red lollipops

If using cocktail rimming sugar, dampen the rims of each flute, then dip into the tin and rotate. Add 1 oz of POM to each glass, then fill with Prosecco. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds.

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Love Tap App: Fig, Chevre and Honey Creme
on Crunchy Baguette

While you two lovebirds are working closely in the kitchen, make this appetizer to munch. Figs and honey are known aphrodisiacs, so watch out for those love taps!

1 baguette (Toast the slices, or serve fresh!)

1 package of a local artisan goat cheese (Carlino's has a great selection.)

1 jar of honey cream

2-3 figs cut into wedges (or 1 small jar fig preserves)

Slice the baguette on an angle, into 1/2 inch slices. Spread goat cheese, then honey cream. Top with figs.

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"Oh Baby, You're So Fresh!" Salad

Baby Spinach, fresh (enough for 2)

3/4 cup of POM pomegranate juice

1/4 olive oil

1/4 orange juice

3 TB of a good quality red wine vinegar

1 tsp orange zest

1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (Support local!)

1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

kosher salt, pepper (to taste)

Toasting the pine nuts: In a dry skillet over medium low, add the pine nuts. Shake frequently to ensure even browning. Remove, set aside to cool.

The dressing: Place the POM in a saucepan over medium high heat, and reduce until it measures about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and whisk in the olive oil, OJ, vinegar, orange zest, salt & pepper. Continue whisking until blended into an emulsion. (You'll probably have extra to save for later.)

Mix it up: In a mixing bowl, add the greens, and drizzle dressing just to coat. Toss.

Plate it: Plate the greens, and top with the gorgonzola, pine nuts, and pom seeds.

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"Love Me Tender" Pork Loin

Ingredients (4 servings):

2-3 lb center cut pork loin

1 small yellow onion (peeled and slice in half)

1 fennel bulb (coarsely chopped) - Save stalks.

4 carrots (peeled, cut into large chunks)

5 red potatoes (cut into large chunks)

1 small sweet potato (peeled, cut into large chunks)

1 bottle of white wine (Choose one you'd drink!)

2 tsp Herbes de Provence

Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Olive Oil

1 TB cornstarch

Preheat oven at 350°F.

Get a skillet hot over medium-high. Rub the pork with olive oil, salt, pepper. Add about 1 TB of olive oil to the skillet and add the pork to sear until browned on both sides.

Grease the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the fennel stalks in the center of the pan (your pork will rest on this). Place the seared pork on top of the stalks, and arrange the onion halves on either side. Add 1 cup of the wine to the pan. Cover with foil, and bake in oven for 45-mins to 1 hour, depending on the size of your roast.

Meanwhile: Toss remaining vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence.

Remove the pan from the oven, and check your wine level. If it seems dry, add more. Add the vegetables to your pan and return to the oven for approx 45 mins, covered. Remove the roast from the pan, wrap in foil, let rest. If there are a lot of pan juices, remove them and set aside.

Raise the oven temp to 400° Leave the vegetables uncovered in the pan, and return to the oven for browning. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

While the veggies are roasting, heat the pan juices in a saucepan over medium-high. Mix the cornstarch with 1 TB of COLD water in a glass, and add to saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, stirring until thickened.

Slice the pork, and serve with the gravy and the vegetables. Use the rest of the wine to drink with the meal. Leftover pork is great for sandwiches for the week!

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My Love is Hot Like Lava Cakes

Ingredients (4 servings):

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use a 70% dark chocolate bar)
1 1/2 sticks salted butter (diced, room temperature)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
Butter for ramekins

Powdered sugar for heart design (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F

1. Melt chocolate on low flame in double boiler. Remove from heat. (If you don't have a double boiler, improvise by placing a glass bowl over a small amount of boiling water in a pot.)
2. Stir in diced butter, until melted and creamy.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until blended.
4. Stir in melted chocolate. Gradually add the flour, stirring well.
5. Butter 4 individual ramekins (Tip: Use the butter wrappers!)

6. Pour the chocolate mixture into the ramekins, leaving a little room at the top.
6. Cook for about 10 minutes.
7. Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve, or serve straight from the ramekins.

Optional design: Cut out a heart stencil from any kind of paper or doily, and place atop the dessert. Add powdered sugar into a sifter and sprinkle over the stencil.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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Shopping List

Prosecco

White Wine

Pomegranate

POM Juice

Baguette

Goat Cheese

Gorgonzola Cheese

Honey Cream

Figs

Pine Nuts

Pork Loin

Baby Spinach

Fennel

Sweet Potato

Herbes de Provence (spice aisle)

Pantry List:

Olive Oil

Salt/Pepper

Rimming Sugar (optional) or 2 lollipops

Red Wine Vinegar

Onions

Carrots

Potatoes

Cornstarch

Baking chocolate

Butter

Eggs

Sugar

Flour

Powdered Sugar (optional)

Ice Cream (optional)

Parmesan Parsley Potatoes

2010-02-03T14:37:00.000-05:00

Another healthy version of french fries to keep off the winter L.B.s! These are a great side to just about any meat or fish. Or...

Add these to your Superbowl menu with some sour cream and chives!

You'll need:

2 russet potatoes
about 1/4 cup of olive oil
fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt

Over at 425F.

Put a baking sheet in the oven and get it nice and hot while you prepare the potatoes
Wash and dry the potatoes. Rub each potato with some of the oil, and coat lightly with kosher salt.
Cut each potato into wedges. (Cut in 1/2 longways, then cut each half into fourths. Each potato should yield 8 wedges.)
Add the potato wedges to a bowl, and add the olive oil, and a little more salt. Toss to coat.
Place the potatoes on the hot baking sheet in a single layer (they will sizzle!). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Shake the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Remove potatoes from oven, and place back into the bowl. Toss with fresh parsley and Parmesan.
Serve!

Ice Cream Cupcakes!

2010-02-03T12:41:00.000-05:00

I can't even bake, so I won't pretend this was my idea. LB's little friend was having a birthday celebration at school, and she wanted our help making this fun version of a cupcake! Found somewhere on the innernets, but I don't know where. I just have the print out at my fingertips, and I'm copying it here for you to enjoy, with some changes I made on my end.

You'll need:

1 baking sheet
1 box of cake mix
water/vegetable oil/eggwhites - follow measurements on cake mix box
1 box of 18 ice cream cones (flat bottom)
2 containers of frosting
Sprinkles for decorating
3 ziploc bags (1 for batter, 2 for frosting)
1 empty pizza box for transporting

Oven at 350F.

Make the cake batter according to box directions.

Place cones on baking sheet. Add the batter to a ziploc bag and seal. Snip off a small hole in the corner and squeeze the batter into the cups for easy filling. Fill each cone a little more than 3/4 full. See how much I filled them?? I'd fill them just a liiiittle bit more next time! They didn't puff up as much as I would've wanted them to.

These instructions say to bake for 15-20 minutes. But mine were still very wet in the center. I think we ended up baking these for about 30 mins. Just keep a close eye on them, and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean, they are done. COOL COMPLETELY, or you will have a melty mess.

Take a pizza box, and cut 18 "X"s into it. fold the tabs in and you'll have a nice snug place for each cone. Transfer the cones to the pizza box and get ready to decorate.

Add the frostings to the 2 ziploc bags. Snip a corner off, to form a pastry bag, and squeeze the frosting onto the cones in a spiral to form the shape of a soft-serve cone.

Decorate!

Does this face say it all, or what?

*A tip for transporting*
We made a makeshift "tent" over the cupcakes with chopsticks and ClingWrap.

Panko Herb-Crusted Flounder

2010-02-01T15:55:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of the new year and bandwagons of health and fitness, I present to you: a nutritious dindin. I wanted a thick whitefish for dinner, and the local fish monger only stocked frozen Chilean seabass. I had no time to wait, and defrosting fish in a microwave is a major food faux pas. Instead, the nice man at Hill's Seafood in Exton steered me to the fluke flounder. It was just what I was looking for.

You'll need:

1 lb Fluke flounder

1/4 cup of olive oil

3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, chopped (or frozen Dorot cubes)

Kosher salt

Cracked pepper

1 large handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

Oven at 400 F

Add olive oil to a heated skillet over medium high. Add panko, parsley, garlic, salt & pepper. Stir until breadcrumbs are browned.

Grease an 8x8 in glass pan. Add the flounder and gently coat the top with half the panko mixture. Layer with tomatoes. Add the rest of the panko and dot with butter cubes.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. Internal temp should be 140 F. Serves 4.

I served this with my Peppery Arugula Salad and Parmasean Parsley Potato Wedges.

Roasted Vinegar Potatoes

2010-01-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

Do you love boardwalk fries doused in malt vinegar? ME TOO! But these are the next best thing without the guilt. Say hello to Roasted Vinegar Potatoes!

You'll need:

1 small sack of baby potatoes, cut in halves or quarters (I chose TJ's Teeny Tiny Potatoes)

1/4 cup of a GOOD quality red wine vinegar (or malt vinegar)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 cup olive oil

2 good sized pinches of kosher salt

black pepper

Oven at 350 degrees. Place an ungreased cookie sheet into the oven to get it hot.

In a bowl big enough to hold the potatoes, add the vinegar, cumin and chili powder. Toss potatoes into the mixture. Let soak for about 10 mins.

Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to the potatoes and toss again. Scatter onto the preheated cookie sheet (Watch, they sizzle!) and roast for about 40 mins to1 hour, depending on the size of your potatoes. Turn occasionally.

Serve warm.

I served these with my Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and it was a great compliment to the vinegar in the chimichurri.

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

2010-01-24T21:04:00.009-05:00

Chimichurri is an Argentinean marinade or dressing for steak. There is a red version as well, but I've only had the pleasure of enjoying the green. My first taste was a jarred one, and while it was really good, this one packed a much fresher, flavorful punch. The texture was completely different from the jarred as well.

Skirt steak is so tasty because of the amount of fat it bears. It's a long, thin cut of beef from the "plate" section of the cow. It's the same steak that is typically used in Mexican cuisine for fajitas, and Chinese use it for stir-fry dishes. Taste and cook time make skirt steak a great choice. Flanks are usually about 4 inches by 1 ft long or more.

You'll need:

1 skirt steak

For the chimichurri:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar (make sure it's a GOOD quality - a nice, deep red.)

juice from 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (stripped from stems)

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup olive oil

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Throw the first 5 ingredients into a blender and puree.

With the blender running, slowly add the oil (through that little hole!), peppers, and salt.

Done!

If you want another layer of flavor, add 1/2 a poblano pepper to the mix!

Store in the fridge for up to 1 day, or freeze extra for next time!

I served this with my Peppery Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Roasted Vinegar Potatoes.

Peppery Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

2010-01-23T21:27:00.001-05:00

This salad is simply one of my favorites for many reasons:

It goes with just about any meal (beef, italian, chicken, etc)
It's not complex, yet full of flavor.
Since arugula (a.k.a. rocket) is a sturdy green, you can make it about 30 minutes ahead of time while dinner is cooking, and it won't wilt.
It's a nice, peppery, leafy green that's packed for of good-for-you-stuff.
It's stupid easy.

Tonight I had it with my Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (recipe to come). Great compliment to the dish.

You'll need:

2 nice handfuls of arugula (rocket), rinsed and spin-dried.
Juice of half a small lemon
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cracked black Pepper

Squeeze the lemon into a bowl and add the oil. Whisk until blended into a milky-yellow emulsion. Drizzle over the arugula and toss well. Top with cracked pepper.

Making Homemade Yogurt

2010-01-21T15:58:00.002-05:00

In my quest for eating more organic/less processed foods, I wanted to try making my own yogurt. I figured my daughter could benefit from it too (that is, if I could get her to eat more than one bite). I found this cute little yogurt maker online, made by Salton, for about $20. All together now..."Awwwww."

The process was easy, but time-consuming. Definitely a Sunday project.

You'll need:

4 cups of fresh, organic 2% milk
1/3 cup of non-fat instant dry milk
1/2 cup organic yogurt (this will be your starter)

In a medium saucepan, add the milk and the dry milk (Dry milk creates thicker yogurt and takes less time for fermantation). Slowly bring up the heat and get the mixture hot over medium-low. Keep stirring, and DO NOT BRING TO A BOIL.

Once the milk is hot, but NOT boiling (170 degrees if you're using a thermometer), remove the pan and place it in your refrigerator (on a dishtowel so you don't melt your shelves) and let it cool to about 110 degrees (lukewarm). Stir every few minutes. It should be in the fridge for about 20 mins total.

Remove the milk from the fridge and add in the yogurt (starter), stirring slowly. You'll want to blend the yogurt thoroughly, but don't use too much vigor while stirring to avoid bubbles.

Turn on your yogurt machine.

Remove all the lids from the jars, and drop about a tablespoon of your favorite preserves in each jar, for a "fruit on the bottom" treat. If you like cooking with yogurt, leave some plain.

Gently pour the mixture into each glass, leaving about 1/4 inch space at the top. Fasten the lids, and place the jars in the yogurt maker and cover. Leave for 8-10 hours.

When time is up, refrigerate your jars until set.

It's a good practice to keep a 1/2 cup of your end product to use as a starter the next time you make it.

Mmm! How rewarding! And I love bringing these cute, little jars to work with me!

My recipes featured in our local foodie paper!

2010-01-15T10:42:00.004-05:00

Woohoo! I've been mentioned in Chester County Cuisine and Nightlife again! They are featuring 3 of my favorite recipes, and I even roped in the help of my former boss (a.k.a. favorite wine connoisseur) for some wine pairing suggestions.

Big thanks to the "Big Ham", Mary Bigham from wcdish.com :)

Click the picture above for a larger view of the article :)

Yay me!

Chorizo and Roasted Potato Hash

2010-01-09T19:22:00.001-05:00

This is totally a breakfast meal, but I made it for dinner. What a comfort meal! Serve with salsa, or sour cream, or just by itself, but it's really satisfying. I'll definitely be eating this again for bfast tomorrow, but I'll top it with an overeasy egg. MMM.

Adapted from a recipe found on The Crepes of Wrath.

2 links of chorizo sausage, removed from the casing
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
4 red potatoes, quartered
3 eggs, beaten
1 TB enchilada sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flake
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning
1/4 cup + 1 TB extra virgin olive oil

Oven at 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the potato quarters with the 1/4 cup of EVOO, salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic powder, and adobo.

Scatter the potatoes onto a greased cookie sheet and place in oven. Roast for 20 mins, tossing often.

While potatoes are roasting, get a stainless steel pan hot on med-high. Add the 1 TB of EVOO. Saute the peppers and onions until crisp-tender. Add the sausage and crumble with a wooden spoon. Cook for at least 8-10 mins. When sausage is cooked thoroughly, add the enchilada sauce to the eggs and whisk. Add egg mixture to pan, and scramble til egg is cooked through.

Add potatoes to pan when egg is cooked. Serve with your choice of salsa, sour cream, buttered toast, etc. A great idea is topping it with another fried egg. SO having this for breakfast tomorrow!

Easy Beef and Shrimp Stir-Fry

2010-01-05T14:18:00.000-05:00

This was dreamed up as a result of leftovers from New Year's Eve. I made a hanger steak and some steamed shrimp, but had a lot left over. And born, was this yummy stir-fry!

I'm typing this by memory, so bare with.

left over steak, sliced thin

leftover shrimp, cut into bites

1 bag of Harvest Hodgepodge from TJ's

Rice (I used Organic Brown Rice from TJs - frozen)

1 TB Olive Oil

3 TB Lite Soy Sauce

1 tsp fresh ginger (I used frozen Dorot cube)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup beef broth

1 tb . cornstarch

1 tb. water

Add the soy, ginger, sugar to a bowl. Marinate the meat in the mix.

In a HOT stainless steel pan, add Olive Oil and frozen veggies. Stir fry til crisp tender. add the meat, marinade and shrimp.

Stir til hot. Add broth. Combine the cornstarch and water, add to pan. Stir till thickened and serve over cooked rice.

If I had more ingredients, it could have been a better sauce. But, this was tasty and did the trick!

Layered Cabbage, Sausage & Potato Casserole

2010-01-05T13:47:00.001-05:00

This is adapted from a Lidia recipe, from the book "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy". She uses beef, but I though sausage would be a great alternative. I halved the measurements to make a smaller casserole.

Oven 425 degrees.

1 TB rubbed sage
2-3 sprigs of rosemary - stripped from the branch
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 TB Kosher Salt
1 lb red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 links of mild italian sausage, removed from the casing
1/2 stick butter
1/2 head of cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/2 inch shreds
1 cup white wine
1/2 lb of fontina cheese, shredded

In a food processor, mince the sage, rosemary, garlic, 1/8 cup of the EVOO and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt into a paste (pestata).

Add the potatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 TB EVOO, and a bit of the pestata. Toss well to coat.

With the sausage removed from the casing, place in a bowl and add some of the pestata for flavoring. Careful not to douse it.

In a 1 quart casserole dish, brush with EVOO and 1 TB of butter. Arrange 1/2 the potatoes in a single layer, then top with 1/2 the cabbage. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Distribute all the sausage, in a single layer, over the cabbage. The casserole dish should be about 1/2 full. Press everything down with a wooden spoon if it's over 1/2 way full.

Dot the top of the sausage with small cubes of butter, using about 1 1/2 TB. Add the other half of potatoes on top of the sausage. Add the rest of the cabbage. Season with salt again. Stir all of the remaining pestata into the white wine and pour into the casserole. Dot with the rest of the butter.

Tent the casserole with foil, but ensure the sides are sealed. Set in the oven and bake about 2 hours until meat and veggies are tender and almost all liquid is absorbed.

Remove the foil, and sprinkle the fontina over the top. Bake for another 15 mins until cheese is melted, bubbly and brown.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve family style.

Roast Beef

2009-12-28T16:58:00.000-05:00

I'm not a huge beef eater, but I love the smell of a roast in the oven. I served this roast with Smashed Potatoes and oven-roasted carrots. YUM!

3 lb. top round roast

Seasonings:
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 TB Herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1 tsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients and rub onto the roast.

Place roast fat side up, in a 9x 13 pan and add 1/4 inch of water.

Cook in in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should be 140°F. For medium, it should be 155°F.

Remove roast from oven and tent with foil. Let sit for 15 mins before carving.

Homemade Playdough!

2009-12-25T21:58:00.001-05:00

In my daughter's kindergarten class, the moms take turns making playdough for the classroom. It was my turn, and while I was a little worried how it would turn out, I was pleasantly surprised!

It's FUN and EASY to do with your kids. Best of all, it's safe if digested. This playdough, if kept in an air-tight container, won't dry out!

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups iodized salt
3 cups of water
2 TB vegetable oil
1 TB cream of tartar
few drops of food coloring or unsweetened "Kool-Aid" 1pkg.

Mix first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan (everything but the food coloring).
Cook over medium low heat, until the dough starts to form a thick dough. Remove from heat. Let cool a bit, but handle while still warm.

Place on a wood cutting board and break into balls. Add a few drops of food coloring to each ball, alternating colors. I used the NEON pack of food coloring and made purple, pink, green and blue.

Store in an air tight container. Enjoy this fun project with your kids. Lilly loved kneading the dough and watching the dough take on the colors!

White Turkey Chili

2009-12-21T15:34:00.000-05:00

Hi! I've missed you too! I've been in one of my cooking slumps, which doesn't mean I haven't been cooking - so much as I haven't been cooking anything NEW. A lot of repeats, and I'm not going to bore you with those!

This one was a winner, and a great wintry meal. Adapted from Simply Recipes. Serves 3-4.

1 - 15 oz. can white cannellini beans (drained)
1.5 cups of chicken stock
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 large onion, minced
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 - 4oz can green chilis - chopped
1.5 cups diced turkey breast
kosher salt/white pepper to taste
shredded cheddar and tortillas to garnish

Combine beans, stock, garlic and half the onions in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Add additional stock or water to your preference.

In a separate skillet on medium heat, add oil and let the pan get hot. Add the pepper and remaining onions and cook til tender. Add green chilies and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Add to bean mixture. Add turkey and salt to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes or more (up to 30 mins) until the chili has thickened.

Other suggested garnishes: Avocado, green onion, queso fresco, cilantro.

My Savory Stuffing

2009-11-30T15:29:00.002-05:00

I loooove me some stuffing at Thanksgiving time! This is my go-to recipe every year and it's just delicious! No apples, no sausage, no pecans, no oysters, no giblets....just plain ol' savory goodness from a mirepoix and some spices... enjoy!

4-5 cups or so of dried bread cubes (This year I used Trader Joe's cubes, which were a mixture of white bread and cornbread)
mirepoix - equal amounts of finely chopped celery, onion, and carrot) I chopped about 3/4 cup of each.
3/4 stick of salted butter
2 mushrooms chopped (optional - I added these for flavor only)
3 1/2 cups of chicken broth
2-3 TB fresh or dried parsley
2 TB sage (or to taste)
1 TB thyme (or to taste)
kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a deep skillet on med high, melt the butter. Add the mirepoix and mushrooms. Saute until tender. Melt in more butter if this is a little dry.

In a mixing bowl, add the bread cubes and mirepoix mixture. Toss to coat. Add parsley, sage and thyme. Toss to coat.

Add the chicken broth, a little at a time, tossing thoroughly. Adjust to your liking...I like mine on the moist side, so I sometimes add more depending on the amount of bread cubes. Give it a taste test, and add more sage/thyme if necessary. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Adding rosemary is a nice touch, too.

Place in a covered casserole dish and bake for 40 mins.

Enjoy!

Creamed Cauliflower

2009-11-29T21:30:00.001-05:00

This is a Thanksgiving must for me! I first had it at my MIL's house when I was married. I did my best to recreate it by memory, and I think I've nailed it...thanks Judy!

1 head cauliflower
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. flour
1 c. 2% milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Cracked black pepper on top, or season throughout with white pepper

Cut the cauliflower into large florets. In a pot large enough to hold the cauliflower, add the cauliflower and cover with water. Bring to boil. Boil until fork tender.

Drain, and let cool in a colander for easy handling.

Either chop the cauliflower by hand into small bits, or use a hand-cranked processor to accomplish this. Set aside.

For the sauce:

In a deep-sided skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and make a roux. Add the milk a little at a time, constantly stirring with a whisk. Add the chicken broth and season with salt. Keep stirring with the whisk until the mixture is thickened and remove from heat. Add in the cauliflower and stir to coat.

Serve with cracked pepper on top.

Simple! Awesome side for any dinner, but especially Thanksgiving!

Papa DeC's Ham & Bean Soup

2009-11-14T19:12:00.000-05:00

This is another childhood favorite of mine. I remember my dad doing most of the cooking, and his specialty was crockpot meals. This was one I would wait ALL day for, and when it was ready, I'd devour bowl after bowl. I loved the big chunks of ham and the creamy limas. It's thicker and tastier the 2nd day, too!

Yes, it's good, but it's also CHEAP and EASY.

1 meaty ham hock
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
8 cups water
1 bag of Goya Large Lima beans
kosher salt / cracked black pepper

Combine all in a crockpot and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Remove ham hock and separate the meat from the bone, returning the meat to the crock. Season with salt and pepper. Careful with the salt, since the ham is already salty.

Enjoy this childhood fave of mine!