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.

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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.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

For my third recipe last week I selected one from my Cooking for Two cookbook. I like these types of cookbooks because it means limited leftovers and the scale for the ingredients is already figured out for me. I don't have to put my limited math skills to work.

This recipe was good. I'm a fan of Mexican food and particularly like enchiladas. This was a combination between enchiladas and lasagna. If I were to do this again, I'd do more layers and more tortillas.

I had to read this recipe like 5 times to figure out what they were asking. I still didn't really get it, so I did it the best I could. The recipe below isn't word for word as they had it, it's been simplified by my experience.

Beef Enchilada Casserole
It says it serves 2, but you can easily get 3 or 4 out of this.

• 6 (6") corn tortillas (does matter if you use yellow or white)
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• 1 (10oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes (I couldn't find Ro-tel so I used about a cup and half of diced tomatoes with green chili's in them)
• 8 oz Lean Ground beef (be sure to drain the beef after you cook it)
• 2 tsp Vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced (if you want a spicier dish use the seeds)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth (I used chicken broth because that's what I had.)
• 6 oz Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• Salt and pepper

Adjust oven wrack to the middle position and heat oven to 450F. Grease a 9X5 inch loaf pan. Toast 2 of the tortillas in a 10 inch nonstick skillet (they will overlap) over medium-high heat until bubbling and spotty brown, about 2 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Transfer to a plate and repeat twice more with remaining 4 tortillas. (JW Note: I wondered about this step and whether it was necessary. If / when I make this again, I would skip this. I don't think it added anything to the texture or flavor. )

Trim the tortillas to 4 1/2 inch squares, reserving the trimmings. Tear the trimmings into small pieces, combine with the tomatoes and their juice in a food processor, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Cook the beef in the skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meet with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the processed tortilla mixture.

Add the oil and onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, 2 tsp of minced jalapeno, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (JW Note: I put all the jalapeno in. I didn't see a need to sprinkle it on top later.)

Stir in the tomato sauce and beef froth and simmer until slightly thickened and reduced to 1 cup, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce mixture, 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro and hot sauce into the tortilla-beef mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange 2 tortillas in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spread half of the beef filling over the tortillas evenly. Repeat with 2 more tortillas and the remaining beef filling, ending with the last two tortillas on the top. Cover with the remaining tomato mixture. Bake until the filling bubbles lightly around the edges and top of the filling begins to brown, 15-20 minutes. (JW Note: Put it on a baking sheet. I'm just sayin'.)

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese and remaining minced jalapeno and continue to bake until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese is browned in spots, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

JW Note: I served this with sour cream on top and it added a nice creamy and cooling flavor to the whole thing.

Chicken with Orzo, Asparagus and Parmesan

This past weekend I watched Julie & Julia. At the end of the movie they indicated the "Julie" part of the movie was based off a true story. I didn't know much about Julia Child before I saw that movie, but it got me interested enough to put her book on hold at the library.

As I watched Julie go through the cookbook I thought about all the recipes I've made in the past years. Some I've liked, some I've not, many not too adventurous, but interesting and I enjoyed doing it.

Then I got to thinking about the process of cooking. I tend to follow recipes "a bit" and then add in my own two cents. While I see nothing wrong with that, I've decided that I'm going to make a concerted effort to follow recipes. I mean actually measure and use the right ingredients instead of substitution.

Tonight I made Chicken with Orzo, Asparagus and Parmesan. I started by reading the entire recipe through. I've learned my lesson a couple of times about not reading it through and then getting half way into it to find out I'd done something wrong.

After reading through it a couple of times, I measured out my ingredients. I've had these little prep dishes for some time and figured, why not use them. Measuring out the ingredients gave me a chance to actually see how much certain amounts were.

Ahem, back to the recipe. After I had everything sorted, I started from the top and followed the entire recipe to the nth degree. The result was a flavorful, balanced dinner. Delicious.

Chicken with Orzo, Asparagus and Parmesan

Serves 2

• 1/4 cup Flour
• 2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8oz each)
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 T Olive oil
• 3/4 cup Orzo
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, about 3 tsps
• 1 tsp Minced fresh Thyme (now I didn't have fresh thyme so I used dried)
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 T Lemon juice
• 1 3/4 cup Low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" lengths
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Its important you pat the chicken dry. Excess moisture will not let you get the golden brown you want with the chicken. Working with one breast at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat 1 T oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay chicken in the skillet and coke until well browned on the first side, 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the thickest part registers 160-165 on a meat thermometer. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil and put in the oven to keep warm.

Wipe out the skillet. Add 1 T oil and the orzo to the skillet and toast over medium heat until light golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shallot, 2 tsp of garlic, 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/4 tsp lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, cover and continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed, the orzo is al dente and the asparagus is crisp tender, 4-6 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, whisk 1 T lemon juice, 1T oil, remaining 1 tsp garlic, remaining 1/2 tsp thyme, and remaining 1/4 tsp lemon zest together in a small bowl.

Off the heat, stir in Parmesan and remaining 1 T lemon juice into the skillet and season with salt and pepper.

Lime Marinated Skirt Steak and Mexican Rice

You'd think being unemployed that I'd really be aware of what I was cooking. But the truth is, being unemployed has opened my eyes up to actually using what's in my freezer and/or pantry. Granted vegetables and what no have to be purchased, but they are generally not the most expensive item in the shopping cart. Meats and processed foods are. So, I'm eating through my freezer. The parental units are coming at the end of May and somehow my freezer ends up with more food than one person can buy (Dad loves to shop for meat).

Tonight I made Lime Marinated Skirt Steaks and Mexican Rice. Two things here. One, skirt steaks are a GREAT alternative to flank steaks. They are generally less expensive and you get the same type of flavor and meat as you would with flank. Skirt steaks generally take a marinade quite well too.

Two, I've been searching for years for the perfect Mexican rice. The Mexican rice that transports me back to Guadalajara Mexico and the exchange mother's rice. I've never come close. Until tonight. It's quite possible I've stumbled onto an award winning Mexican rice. It started with a Rachael Ray recipe and as in traditional Jenn manner I "added" to it. I channeled Mexico tonight and am still sitting in the goodness of this rice.

As for the lime marinade, I wasn't a huge fan. It really didn't have any lime flavor to speak of. The jalapeno overshadowed the entire thing. If I make this again, I'd cute the jalapeno amount in half.

Lime Marinated Skirt Steak

Serves 4:

• 3 tablespoons Fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, ribbed, seeded and diced
• 1 1/2 pounds Skirt steak

1. In blender, combine lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and jalapeño; purée until smooth. Transfer to a shallow dish or large resealable plastic bag. Toss with steak to coat. Let stand at least 30 minutes, and no more than 2 hours, to infuse with flavor.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high, until very hot. Cook steak, in two batches if necessary, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Jenn's Famous Mexican Rice

What? I'm allowed to name it.

Serves:4

• 2T Butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup Enriched white rice
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 1 cups chicken broth
• 2T chopped cilantro

Melt butter. Sauté onion in butter for 2 to 3 minutes to soften in. Add rice and sauté rice in over medium-high heat, 2 or 3 minutes.

Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into a measuring cup. Add enough broth to equal 2 cups liquid.

Add drained tomatoes to rice. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil.

Cover rice, reduce heat and simmer, and cook, 18 to 20 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and add cilantro. Stir to combine well and serve.

Strip Steak with Balsamic Cream Sauce and Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

On Saturday I had favorite GalPal Claudia over. She's my leftover taker. We have this deal that I cook and what ever is left, I freeze. Once a month or so we meet - she buys lunch/breakfast and I give her leftovers. It's a perfect business deal. I love cooking and she loves to eat leftovers. While she can cook, and does, she will never turn down a leftover.

Of course, she's also very good at stroking my ego by saying things, sarcastically, "Too bad you can't cook."

It got me wondering why I cook. Aside from the obvious to feed myself, I could just as easily feed myself with a PB&J. No, for me it's deeper than just feeding, its about creating. I'd say it's about following a structured set of directions, but if you've read this blog long, you know that I struggle with following instructions. Though I've vowed to get better at it. Anyhow, cooking is a release that allows my creative side to shine. I've thought about getting into the cooking industry as a job, but have to wonder if I'd enjoy it as much if I did it all the time.

Regardless of my reasons, I enjoy it, others enjoy it, and so I say...let them eat cake!

This particular recipe was good. It wasn't great, but it was good. It can be quite elegant I think. If you were making a special meal for a loved on, and wanted to impress, this would do the trick. Minimal effort with a lot of bang for your buck.

Strip Steaks with Balsamic Cream Sauce

Serves: 4

• 3 Strip steaks (10-12 oz each), about 1 inch thick
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup Heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Finely chopped chives

Pat steaks dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil. (So you know I didn't put these on the stove right? I BBQ'd mine. Though I think having done them on the stove would have added to the flavor of the sauce. Some day I'll break down and cook a steak on the stove.)

Add shallot to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. (I added a Tablespoon of butter because I hadn't cooked the steaks in the pan)

Stir in vinegar, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until syrupy, about 1 minute.

Add cream and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper.

Slice steaks and serve, passing sauce to table.

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

Makes 4 cups

• 2T Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1 1/2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Snipped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 450F; coat a baking pan with nonstick spray.

Combine oil and seasonings in a bowl. Add potatoes and toss to coat with oil mixture. Place in a single layer on prepare baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

Stir, then road an additional 20 minutes.

Toss potatoes with Parmesan cheese, chives and salt and pepper.

Spaghetti Cabonara

Last Friday night I had Blueberry over for dinner. I enticed her with telling her I was making Spaghetti Cabonara. She didn't even have to think about it, she was all in.

See here's the thing about cabonara, it has raw eggs in it. I realize the warm pasta is supposed to cook these eggs, but I can not get past the raw egg thing, so I never EVER make cabonara the way it's supposed to. I cheat and use an alfredo type sauce.

This past Friday, I cheated even more and pulled a recipe from the old brandy snifter for Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo. To it I added peas and bacon, and voila cabonara. Sorta.

Regardless, it was fantastic. I got the seasoning dead on with the pepper and Parmesan cheese and I've gotta say, we were stuffed after. Blueberry went home with the leftovers and I'm sure she enjoyed them the day after.

Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo - Carbonara

Serves: 4

• 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups Whipping cream
• 2 cups Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 box Fettuccine
• Salt and lots of pepper
• Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• 1 cup peas
• 4 slices bacon; cooked and crumbled

Cook bacon; drain on a paper towel and crumble.

Place the butter in a large heatproof bowl. Using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer set on low speed; beat until smooth. Add the cream and Parmesan cheese.

Stir until well blended; set aside.

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and immediately add the hot pasta to the butter mixture in the large bowl. Using two forks, toss the fettuccine in butter mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss in peas and bacon. Garnish with basil.