Steak with Brandy Mushroom Sauce, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, and Parmesan Potatoes

One of these days I'm going to remember to take pictures while I'm cooking.  Unfortunately I get so caught up in the cooking that I all but forget everything else. 

Blueberry came over tonight for dinner. As usual she was thrilled to be not only my cousin, but my guinea pig.  We have yet to toss aside whatever it was I made and order pizza. So she's pretty confident whatever I make will be good.

Tonight's menu was Steak with Brandy Mushroom Sauce, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, and Parmesan Potatoes (I had some Parmesan cheese I needed to use up, can you tell?)

First the steak. I totally splurged and bought the New York strip they recommended in the recipe.  One relatively good sized steak fed both Blueberry and I so it wasn't too bad.  My dad would probably faint if he knew how much I paid a pound, but we won't tell him. It's my little secret.

The broccoli I had seen on Barefoot Contessa. I love broccoli. But like chicken, I get real tired of it real quick. It's one of the only real vegetables I'll consider eating on a regular basis.  Therefore, I need to be creative with cooking it. This recipe proved to be good, different and well, GOOD.

The potatoes were mostly because I liked the photo in the magazine. But really when you mix red potatoes and Parmesan cheese, could you even go wrong? I think not. 

Steak with Brandy Mushroom Sauce
Makes 2 Servings

• 2 Beef New York strip steaks (8oz ea, 1 inch thick)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 T Extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz Button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 T Minced Shallot
• 1 T Tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp Flour
• 2 T Brandy
• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

Season steaks with salt and pepper; sear in oil in a large saute pan over high heat for 6 minutes, turning once. Remove from pan; let steaks rest until sauce is ready. (Note: of course I didn't actually do this step. I BBQ'd the steaks instead).

Add mushrooms and shallot to pan that was used to cook the steaks; saute over medium-high heat until any liquid is evaporated.

Stir in tomato paste; cook until it begins to brown. Add flour; cook sauce for 1 minute.  Deglaze pan with brandy; reduce until liquid is almost evaporated. Add broth; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.  Serve over meat.

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Serves 6:

4 to 5 pounds broccoli

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.


Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.


Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Serves: 6

• 1 1/2 lb small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 " slices
• 3 T Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375F. Place baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
Toss potatoes with oil in a bowl. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and parsley; add potatoes and toss gently until potatoes are coated.

Arrange potatoes on the preheated baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender, 30-35 minutes.

Alaskan Cod with Hoisin and Ginger Sauces

I'm not a huge fish fan, but I know I have to get it into my diet some how.  I like white fish that is not too fishy tasting, of which cod is perfect. Halibut being the other perfect white fish to me.

Last night I made this recipe. It was good, but not great.  All the flavors I love were all there, but somehow they just didn't do it for me.  Still, I feel obligated to share it. Who knows? You may LOVE it...and I hope you do.

Alaskan Cod with Hoisin and Ginger Sauce
Serves: 4

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 1/4 teaspoons hot chili paste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 7-ounce Alaskan black cod fillets

Steamed rice

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir hoisin and chili paste in another small bowl. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add cod, skin side up. Cook 2 minutes, then turn cod over. Spoon hoisin mixture over fillets, dividing equally. Transfer to oven and bake until fish is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Place 1 fillet in each of 4 shallow soup bowls. Spoon ginger sauce around fish and serve with steamed rice.

Basque Chicken

Ah Espana!  How I love your cuisine!  And this recipe does not hold back on the bold Spanish flavors. 

I'm a big fan of Paella, but frankly it just takes too long to make Paella correctly. That and I'm not a big fan of clams, mussels etc.  So Paella for me is a little boring in that I only like the chicken, the chorizo and the shrimp.

This recipe though, really brings together many of the traditional, or what I think of as traditional, Spanish rice dishes.  Its a simple one-dish meal that will put a delicious dinner on the table in under an hour. 

The ham and olives in this dish, which you find quite a bit in Basque cuisine, add a nice salty side that balances nicely with the rice and the flavors of the dish.

Basque Chicken
Serves 4

• 1 T Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 8 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat (I'm not a big fan of dark meat so I used chicken breasts and it was just fine)
• 2 T Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup Diced ham
• 1 T Minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Dry Sherry
• 1 can Whole tomatoes (28oz)
• 2 cups Low sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup converted rice (I had no idea what converted rice was so I used regular old white rice)
• 2-3 sprigs fresh Thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup Chopped green olives (with or without pimientos...its up to you)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Combine paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss in chicken and coat it.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken; brown pieces on both sides.  Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until it's soft. Add ham and garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with sherry (note: if you don't like sherry use white wine or if you don't like alcohol used chicken broth).  Reduce the liquid until it's evaporated.  Stir in tomatoes, broth, rice, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken pieces back in. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until rice is cooked, 25-30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE PAN!  Let it cook. 

Once it's done, toss in the peas, chopped olives, and chopped parsley.  Heat them through. Serve immediately.

Sunday Dinner - Sept 12, 2010

Last night was the second Sunday Dinner.  And the chaos that was my kitchen after displays just how great of an evening it was.  I had 10 people total (including me) and what a fun time we had. The kitchen was an absolute mess by the time all was said and done, and it was well worth the 2 hours of clean up. 

The menu was:

Appetizer: St. Louis Fried Ravioli (Cuisine at Home)

Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognese (courtesy of Tyler Florence), Basil Green Goddess salad dressing over some spring greens (courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa), Olive Cheese bread (courtesy of Pioneer Woman)

Dessert: Pretty little mini brownie bites (courtesy of Pioneer Woman)

The St. Louis Fried Ravioli's were a big hit...especially with Baby Jack (Baby Jack who's no 1 year old).  He seemed to really love those little bits of goodness.  I made enough for 3 per person and discovered that 2 per person would have been fine.  Had a couple left over, that I'm hoping will heat up nicely today.  Scroll down for this recipe.

I made the Bolognese on Saturday fearing I wouldn't have enough time on Sunday for it to sit and cook for hours.  Turned out to be the best thing I've done for the Bolognese.  Things like that are always better the day after...and this Bolognese is no different.

The Spaghetti Bolognese recipe is by Tylor Florence and can be found here.

The olive cheese bread was a HUGE hit.  For the record, there is NOTHING fat free with this bread.  It is full of flavor and something I highly recommend.  My friend Kim saw the recipe hanging on the refrigerator and said, "Oh man, I hope we have this for dinner."  She had no idea we were having it.  When I brought out the bread she all but cried. Joking, but she almost did.  Sent her home with the recipe and the left over bread...she promised to make the bread (and she's not a cook). 

The Olive Cheese Bread recipe can be found here.

The salad was quite good as well. I had been watching Barefoot Contessa (whom I used to really dislike and now kinda like). She was making this Bibb lettuce salad with Basil Green Goddess dressing.  I'm a big fan of Green Goddess dip, so I figured a salad dressing can't be all that bad.  I didn't use Bibb lettuce because it was expensive and didn't look so great. Instead I used a baby spring mix. If I did it again, I'd use a heartier lettuce.  Still, it was good.  I think it would make a great vegi dip too.

The salad recipe can be found here.

The mini brownie bites were the big hit.  Several people didn't believe I had actually made them. They look so fancy, but are so easy to do.  They do take time and planning, but I promise they are worth it.  They are rich, so the small bite size pieces are perfect.  I'm not a huge fan of homemade brownies, so when I do these again, I may use box brownie mix. I'm a rebel that way.

The Mini Brownie Bites recipe, can be found here.


Recipes

St. Louis Fried Ravioli's

• 1/4 cup Flour
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 3 egg
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 T Paprika
• 1 (25 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli (you can either thaw them or not, it's up to you)
• 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
• Grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish
• 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Get your dredging station set up. First bowl, put the flour.  Second bowl, combine milk and egg (whisk together). Third bowl, place breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, and paprika. Dip ravioli in flour tapping it to remove excess.  Then dip it in the milk mixture, and coat with breadcrumbs mixture.  Set aside.  Allow ravioli's to sit for 15 minutes after dredged. Helps keep the breading on the ravioli.


Cook ravioli until golden brown in heated oil.  Allow them to drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.  Put them on a plate for guest, garnish with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.

Heat the marinara and set alongside the ravioli for guests to add to their plates.

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Homemade Chicken and Noodles

No I didn't make the noodles from scratch.

There! Now that that's out of the way.

Have I mentioned I'm slightly obsessed with The Pioneer Woman and her cookbook and blog?  Well if not, guess what, I am.  I LOVE her. 

Last week she started a new section for Comfort Foods. With the weather changing I thought, "oh yah, comfort foods."  Her first entry was for Homemade Chicken and Noodles.

The photos alone made me want to make this darn meal.  But the recipe was easy, and the outcome was delicious.  And I have a ton of leftovers.

Go check out the recipe and the photos!  I promise you...you won't regret it.

Steak Tacos

This is a delayed post. A very delayed post. I made these back in early August I think. The cookbook got buried on my desk and the recipe never got entered. Will you ever forgive me?

Good.

Now on to the goodness.

These were pretty good as I recall. My notes on them have drops of the sauce so I'm guessing they were pretty good as it was likely I was writing my notes as I was eating them. 

Easy recipe and very flavorful is what the notes say. Followed by...MMMMM. 

I added a dollop of sour cream to my tacos even though the recipe doesn't call for them. After I remembered thinking, taking the left over sauce and mixing that with the sour cream would be quite good as well.

Anyhow, enjoy.

Steak Tacos
Serves 2 - but is easy to make for more

Herb Paste

• 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro
• 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 T fresh lime juice

• 12 oz Flank Steak (I used strip steak because it was cheaper than Flank that day)
• Salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp Vegetable oil
• 6 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed

For the herb paste:
Pulse the cilantro, garlic, scallions, jalapeno, and cumin in a food processor until finely chopped, 10-12 pulses.

Add oil and process until smooth and resembles pesto, about 15 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Transfer 2 T of the herb paste to a medium bowl, whisk in lime juice and set aside.

For the steak:
Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Using a fork, poke the steak 10-12 times on each side. Salt and pepper the steak. Place the steak into a zip loc bag, add the herb paste. Seal the bag, massage in the paste fully covering the steak.  Place the steak flat and let it marinate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.  You should put it in the fridge during that time. Take it out 15 minutes before you are going to grill it.

Scrap the herb paste off the steak and sprinkle it with sugar. Cook the steak to your liking. I grilled mine, but you can grill it, put it in a frying pan, or broil it.

Transfer to a carving board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Slice the steak thinly across the grain into small pieces, add to the bowl with the reserved herb paste and lime juice. Toss to coat.

Warm your tortillas. Spoon in an amount of steak to each tortilla.

Optional: As I said, I added a dollop of sour cream and I squirted a bit of lime juice over them.

Fried Round Steak

I'm in love! There I said it. Phew that was harder than I thought. But I am, I admit, madly in love with the Pioneer Woman.  Her blog has sustained me through a couple of months of not so busy life and has probably added several lbs to my butt. But I still go back to her and read her blog and make whatever it is she says to make.

Last night that was Fried Round Steak. 

This steak reminded me of a tradition my mom and I have. See each year, in years past, the DadUnit and his pals would go off doing their manly hunting once a year in October.  Mom would cook her version of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. Healthy was not the goal of this meal. It became the "hunting meal".  We've missed the last several years mostly because Dad's health has kept him home and well they aren't living around me.

So last night I used the Fried Cube Steak recipe and had the "hunting dinner". Probably the last think I needed after a week of cruise food, but it was so worth it.

The recipe is below, but do go check out her site because her photos are beautiful.

Fried Round Steak
Recipe from the Pioneer Woman

Serves: 6

• 3 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste
• Salt, For Seasoning Meat
• ½ cups Canola Oil (more If Needed)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. (I used McCormick's Grill seasoning instead of season salt and it could have used more salt).

Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible. 

Add butter to pan right before frying.

When butter is melted, fry pieces of steak in butter/oil mixture. Flip when sides are deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side. 

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

Beef Brisket and Nutella Cookies

Having blogger formatting issues...please ignore the formatting...argh

Did I mention I'm addicted to two new things? Nutella and the Pioneer Woman's website/cookbook.
Growing up I remember my grandmother having Sunday dinners. It was a time for the family to get together and get caught up and eat. Lots of food. Our family was never short on cooking a lot of food. I've been tossing the idea around in my noggin about starting my own new tradition of Sunday dinners. I thought it would be a great way for me to cook big food and see people on a more regular basis.

Yesterday was the first Sunday dinner. I made brisket. I've never made brisket before, and I WILL make it again. It was so good. Flavorful, tender, juicy, man delish. I can't wait to have the leftovers tonight...which is odd for me.

I served mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed carrots and a layered salad with dinner. Then for dessert I made Nutella cookies. I can't even express how good those were. The brisket recipe belongs to the Pioneer Woman. I've pasted it below for you so you don't have to go to a new website. I tried to follow the recipe to the T, but didn't have lemons. Shocking, I know.  I used white vinegar instead. Hard to tell if it made any different in the taste, cuz it was still good. I had a 7.5 lb brisket and cooked it for 5 hours - give or take.

Beef Brisket
Recipe from Pioneer Woman

•  2 cans Beef Consomme
• ½ cups Lemon Juice
• 1-½ cup Soy Sauce
• 5 cloves Chopped Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke
• 10 pounds Beef Brisket
• ½ cups Lemon Juice
• 1-½ cup Soy Sauce
• 5 cloves Chopped Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke
• 10 pounds Beef Brisket

Combine first five ingredients in large roasting pan (a disposable is just fine). Place brisket in the marinade, fat side up. Cover tightly with foil. Marinate in refrigerator for 24-48 hours. When ready to cook, place pan covered in foil into a 300-degree oven. Cook brisket for approximately 40 minutes per pound.

When fork-tender, transfer whole brisket to a cutting board. Slice against the grain and place slices back into the cooking liquid. Serve immediately, spooning juice over the slices. Barbecue sauce may be used, if preferred.

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Now the Nutella Cookies....you will love these.

I love what the author says about Nutella because I feel the same way. The author writes: " Nutella and I have a history together and most of it involves a spoon and late nights highlighting my textbooks in college. A few tiny spoonfuls were enough to satisfy my sugar cravings and keep me going late into the night. However, its rich, almost luxurious flavor, made it seem like I partaking in some fancy dessert. Ever since then I always keep a small jar around, smearing over some fresh fruit, but I usually just sneak a small spoonful late at night."

You can find the recipe here. Enjoy!

White Chicken Enchiladas and Nutella Brownies

No, the two don't necessarily compliment each other, but Nutella brownies...come on? That's just evil. Satan does have a food and it's called Nutella brownies.

The White Chicken Enchilada's recipe was delish with a capital D. I'm not a fan of "white" enchiladas usually. I'm more traditional tomato base usually. This, however, is a Pioneer Woman recipe. And if you've not read her blog or know who she is go there now. I'll wait.

This recipe is, what I consider, fool proof. There may be several ingredients, but it's easy to put together and worth every step.

The surprising ingredient to me in this recipe was paprika. In a Mexican dish I would have thought chili powder instead, but the paprika adds a nice warm flavor that was completely unexpected. It's kinda like when you add nutmeg to white sauces or cheese sauces and people go, "What is that little flavor?" Same idea.

Make this recipe. If you make no other recipes in 2010...make this recipe.

White Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 6

• 2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken - if you like really meaty enchilada's I'd bump this up a cup or so.
• 2 cups Chicken broth
• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 12 whole Corn Tortillas
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2-½ cups Monterrey Jack Cheese, Grated
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Picante Sauce (optional)
• Cilantro, Chopped

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain. (If you're health conscious, you could nuke these in the microwave...but the enchiladas won't be as good...I promise you that.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.
Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

Faint. Repeat as needed.

Nutella Brownies
These brownies were confusing to me. I was expecting the Nutella to be IN the brownie mixture..instead it's just the frosting. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that before.

Still this makes a good solid, moist brownie from scratch. I'm not usually a fan of brownies from scratch because I think the box brownies do just fine.

Chocolate Fudge Nutella Brownies

• 4 - one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoons pure vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips, optional
• 1/2 - 1 whole jar of Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour a 9 X 13 inch glass or non-stick baking pan.

Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not burn. Remove from heat.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, add sugar and stir until well mixed. Add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat well with a wooden spoon. Fold in flour and mix just until smooth. Do not over mix.

This is also the time to fold in chopped nuts & chocolate chips. But you really don't need anymore sweet in these brownies.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Cool for about 15 minutes, then spread desired amount of Nutella over warm brownies.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

In 1986 my parents gave me a gift, they got sent to Saudi Arabia. Part of that "gift" was for the Boeing Company to pay for me to attend a boarding school in Switzerland. The real gift, I soon found out, was that Nutella was everywhere.

I had never had Nutella before then and some days I curse the very event of discovering it. Chocolate and hazelnut...does it get much better?

During my surgery recovery last November I wasn't eating. The drugs they gave me during the surgery took away my appetite...except I craved Nutella and fritos. Not together mind you. I found Nutella on sale and bought several jars.

Then a friend from work told me about a gelato recipe she tried and I just had to try. See I had recently become the owner of a 1/2 pint Hamilton Beach ice cream maker (oh and BTW, it's pink) and I figured, I surely did need to try this recipe.

It was pure bliss. I don't think I cooked it long enough since we never really got gelato consistency...but more like a thick milkshake consistency. Still it tasted just fine by me.

This is a Food Network Recipe and can be found here.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish 

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

French Breakfast Puffs

I'm not a baker. I enjoy baking cookies and the occasional dessert. But by and large, I'm no baker. I had decided this year to learn how to bake bread. After a disastrous episode with pizza dough I think I've moved past that.

I was thumbing through a great cookbook a GaLPal had picked up for me for my birthday back in December. I hadn't actually cracked it since then, and all but forgot it was on the shelf. Yesterday it called to me.

The story behind the cookbook is a woman who was jet-setting her life through big cities, falls for a cowboy and finds herself on a farm. No sushi or Starbucks around. Still she manages to put together dinner for a working hard husband (she calls the Marlboro Man) and their kids. It's a great read if you like cookbooks. Full of fun, and easy, and I'm hoping delicious recipes. I flagged about 50. What else is really interesting about this book is she took all her food photographs. Those mixed in with some good ol' farm type photos and you have yourself an excellent book!Don't want to buy the cookbook? Never fear, she has a website.

One that really stood out were these French Breakfast Puffs. I love cinnamon toast and the fact that you kinda combine them into a donut like cake with it dredged in sugar and cinnamon...what's not to like?

French Breakfast Puffs

Recipe from Pioneer Woman

Photo courtesy of
Pioneer Woman

• 3 cups Flour
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• 1 cup Sugar
• ⅔ cups Shortening (Crisco)
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2 sticks Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening. Then add eggs and mix again.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

In a bowl, melt 2 sticks butter. In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly, then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Super Chewy Chocolate Cookies

I'm not usually a baker. But watching American Test Kitchen last week I decided I HAD to try the recipe they did on chewy chocolate cookies. I followed the recipe word for word, which you have to do in baking, and the cookies are quite possibly the best chocolate cookie I've tasted. Rich. Super rich, but they are good.

Super Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Makes 16 cookies

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (about 2 1/2 ounces), plus 1/2 cup for coating
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt plus 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup (see note)
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened (70 degrees)
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (about 2 1/2 ounces, see note)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (see note)

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Place ½ cup granulated sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl.

2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl once with rubber spatula. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly (do not chill longer than 30 minutes).

3. Divide dough into 16 equal portions; roll between hands into balls about 11/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, drop 8 dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat. Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart; repeat with second batch of 8. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 11 minutes. Do not overbake.

4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature.

Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce

Its been a while since I've posted any recipes. Sadly its been because I haven't been cooking. But alas, I'm finally getting back into some sort of routine now that a job has been found.

Tonight I wanted to use up some homemade pesto I had the fridge. I'm not sure how long pesto will last, but I figured it would be good to go ahead and use it up before I forget and then feel bad when it's gone bad.

I also had some chicken that needed to be used. And so I put them altogether. This recipe can be added to or deleted to depending on how many you're cooking for. I've adjusted it to serve 4 since I think most people cook for around that number.

Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce

Serves: 4

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound fettuccine
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup Basil Pesto
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

How you cook the chicken is entirely up to you. I chose to cut it into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet; cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Be sure to get your water on for cooking your pasta. I used fettuccine tonight, but I'm sure you could use any pasta you have on hand. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.

When the chicken is done, deglaze the pan with the wine. Allow that to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the pesto, stir to combine. Add the cream. Stir and be sure your heat is on medium-high (a slow simmer so you don't burn the cream).

If you're sauce isn't too saucy, add pasta water to it. Toss pasta the sauce.

Apple Brie Spinach Salad

I love salads. I, sadly, turn back to the same old salad on a nightly basis: romaine greens, tomatoes, olives, croutons, sunflower seeds, and cheese. Every night. B-O-R-I-N-G! When I have guests over I really try to pull a new salad recipe out - if I can find on that will match the menu. I mean we all know you can't have a Caesar salad if you're doing Chinese food, right? You do know that right?

Ahem.

So over the weekend I had some lovely girls over for girl talk and food. Other type of food was being brought over, so I opted to make a salad. Simple. I chose the Apple Brie Spinach Salad that I've had in my recipe box forever.

In the end I didn't follow the recipe. I wanted to, but got so caught up in the making of the salad missed some very significant parts. The recipe is still downstairs and will be made correctly over the next couple of days because I have all the ingredients AND because the way I made it was so good, I'm sure the right way would be even better.

Apple Brie Spinach Salad

Serves 6

• 2 large Apples, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Maple syrup, divided
• 5 cups Fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 round Brie or Camembert Cheese (8 oz), cubed
• 1/3 cup Pecan halves, toasted
• 1/4 cup Apple cider
• 1/4 cup Vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove Garlic, minced well

1. Place apples on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with 2T maple syrup. Broil 3-4 minutes. Turn; brush with remaining syrup. Broil 3-5 minutes longer or until crisp-tender.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, cheese, pecans and apples. In a small sauce pan; combine apple cider, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and garlic; bring to a boil. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

3. Serve immediately.

******************

Jenn's Notes:

Right, so that whole step about baking the apples? I completely missed. I simply diced up my apples and tossed them in the salad and THEN read the recipe. Lesson here...READ the RECIPE first! Although I'm not a huge fan of cooked apples, so I wondered how the dressing would taste if I put that maple syrup in it as well. We shall see.

I also didn't use spinach. While I LOVE raw spinach, I felt more like baby spring greens.

The Recipe that Never Was

If you're a long time reader you know that my ability to "follow" a recipe is not one of my strong suits. That's why I cook and not bake. I have mad skills in the kitchen and I know how to swap out ingredients and am relatively confident something good will come out of it.

This last weekend I had some friends over on Sunday. I had a menu and knew what I'd be making. I knew I had all the necessary ingredients and I was all set.

Then I watched the Food Channel. One of the shows the host was making a pasta salad that I just had to make. It didn't seem all that off from the pasta salad I already had on my menu. I ran upstairs and pulled off the recipe.

I started cooking.

Here's roughly what I came up.

Jenn's Somewhat Following A Recipe Pasta Salad

• 1 cup of uncooked small pasta - like small shells, orzo, tiny spaghetti pieces.
• 1/2 cup give or take, grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup give or take sliced black olives
• 1 small can of corn, drained
• A bunch of basil - chiffonade
• 1/2 red onion, diced fine
• A hefty handful of slivered almonds - toasted

Dressing:

• A hefty squirt of Dijon mustard - probably about 1 T
• Juice of one lemon
• A hefty spoon full of sugar
• 2 T give or take of a finely diced shallot (or small white onion)
• Olive oil to emulsify the dressing - probably like 1/2 cup

Toss it all together - chill and serve.

This is literally what I wrote down. As I read it back I laughed at myself and my "give or take" measurements. Still in the end, the salad was outstanding and I'd make it again in a heartbeat.

Now - here's the real recipe.
Gina's Orzo Salad

Only a few common ingredients. Still my point is - I had something to start with, but adding the Jenn touch and ended up with a pretty darn good pasta salad that I'll make again...someday. Maybe today.

Open Face Chicken Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise

I've had this recipe for years and vaguely remember making it at a friends house several years ago. I remembered it being good and light. Yesterday I had PhotoGirl and the Yank for dinner. It had been a hot sunny Saturday and I wanted to make something light and a bit less heavy. So I pulled out this recipe. It's easy. It's light. And it was quite tasty.

I'm not a fan of ground chicken meat though. It gets way too mushy and feels, well, gross. The mixing of the mayo mixture with the chicken can cause the chicken to have a weird texture after cooking. So do NOT over mix. In fact, if I made this again, I'd skip that part and just cook the chicken with salt and pepper.

Open Face Chicken Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise

Recipe from Food Network.com
Serves 4:

• Olive oil
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 1/4 cups Chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons Chopped, drained Cornichons or dill pickles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Brine from pickle jar
• 2 Green onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds Ground chicken
• 4 1/2 inch Thick slices country white bread
• 4 1/3 inch Thick slices of tomatoes

1. Brush grill with oil; prepare barbecue (medium heat). Mix mayonnaise, 1 cup chopped basil, cornichons, brine, and onions in small bowl. Season basil mayonnaise with salt and pepper.

2. Mix chicken and 1/2 cup basil mayonnaise in large bowl. Using wet hands, shape chicken mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush bread with oil.

3. Grill bread until crisp and golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer bread to plates. Grill burgers until firm to touch and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

4. Spread bread slices thickly with basil mayonnaise. Top each bread slice with tomato, 2 basil leaves, burger, and dollop of basil mayonnaise. Garnish with remaining chopped basil.

Espresso Caramel Bars

I really don't need to explain do I?

I mean, espresso and caramel in a bar. It goes without saying that this is a home run.

It may look like a lot of steps, but they are easy steps. You just have to plan for the cooling off times.

Espresso Caramel Bars

Crust:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 12 whole (6 ounces) cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled or 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Caramel:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Layer:

• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 3/4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• Special equipment: a candy thermometer

For the crust:
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

For the caramel:
While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

For the chocolate layer:
Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the springform pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.

Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

Asian Beef Skewers

I love me some Asian flavor. Usually it involves some ginger, some lime, some rice wine vinegar, some brown sugar...and all that combined is yummy goodness.

This recipe, however, had some unexpected items in it. Not unexpected as in "I don't have them in my pantry" but rather as "really?" The end result was yummy goodness. Which is, in my humble opinion, the reason I cook.

Now if you've a keen eye, you may notice that the photo is of chicken, not beef. Chicken is what I had on hand, and I've gotta say, after doing chicken with this, I now feel the need to try it with beef.

Asian Beef Skewers

• Coarse salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds top sirloin beef or shell steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

So the recipe calls for mixing all this stuff together and then basting the meat as you go. I decided to take about a quarter cup or so and marinade the chicken in it for 30 minutes or so. Then I didn't baste until I took the chicken off the grill and it was resting.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, curry paste, and 1 tablespoon oil. Reserve half the sauce for serving.

Thread beef, and any vegi types on a skewer. Place on prepared baking sheet, and brush with sauce.

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat; line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Soak four 12-inch (or eight 6-inch) wooden skewers in a pan of warm water; set aside. JW Note: I BBQ'd mine. Why broil when you can BBQ.

Chili-Lime Chicken Kebabs

I get recipes sent to me via misc websites. Allrecipes being one of these sites. AllRecipes is nice because the recipe pages allow you to change how many you're feeding and automatically adjusts the ingredient list measurements for you.

Every once in a while a recipe hits me as something I MUST have for dinner that night. This recipe is one of those. I hadn't seen my friends for a week or so and invited them all over for Chicken kebabs.

I doubled this recipe and did steak as well as chicken. It was worth it.

Chili Lime Chicken Kebabs

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• skewers

Note: I'm particular about raw meats and so I doubled this recipe and put the steak in one zip loc bag and the chicken in another.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Season with chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. JW Note: So I completely misread this recipe and I mixed everything together. It was still fantastic.

Place the chicken in a zip loc with the sauce, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade.

Grill skewers for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear.

Soy Marinated Flank Steak

Ah Monday! A new week, 4 new recipes waiting patiently for me to work their magic. This week something amazing happened. I picked 4 recipes that I didn't need to buy any ingredients for. Weird, right? I have finally hit that point where a well stocked pantry and freezer apparently means no need to grocery shop (besides the cat food).

Tonight's recipe was what I would consider very simple and very tasty. I like simple recipes that give you a big bang for the simplicity. It proves yet again that fancy doesn't mean good, but that simple can be just as good.

As usual, I didn't buy flank steak. Skirt steak to me is way cheaper and you get the same taste really.

Soy Marinated Flank Steak
Serves 6:
JW Note: I used one third of a skirt steak and cut this recipe in half.

• 1 cup Soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons Cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground pepper
• 2 pounds Flank steak

1. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, red-pepper flakes, and pepper. Place steak in dish and cover dish tightly with plastic wrap. Swirl dish so that marinade coats the top of steak. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, turning steak occasionally.

2. Heat grill to high. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off. Pour marinade into a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

3. Clean and lightly oil hot grates. Grill steak, covered, 6 minutes; turn, brush with glaze, and grill until medium-rare, 6 minutes more. Let rest 8 to 10 minutes before slicing.

JW Note: I didn't use a 9X13 pan. I used a good old fashion zip loc bag. And I marinaded for 2 hours.