Hope the day has found you all well. It has been a busy day for me, a bit of work, a bit of gift shopping(two of my five siblings have birthdays this month) and a little fun. But now as I sit here with a cup of hot earl grey tea, I can start to tell you about tonight's dinner which was Portobello Burgers with green sauce and smoked mozzarella. If you have ever had a portobella mushroom, they are a delight to eat. Once cooked, they actually have a somewhat beefy taste and I have ordered them in restaurants before where they were served like steaks.
Here are the ingredients......
2 tablespoons evoo and another 1/4 cup(got it)
4 large portobello mushroom caps(had to buy these and had to do a little searching, the first couple of stores, only sold the pre-sliced shrooms and that would not do. I did find some finally some about as big around as a hamburger bun)
Salt and pepper to taste(got it)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar(got it)
1/2 pound fresh smoked mozzarella sliced(bought Cappiello brand, I think it has a little bit more smokiness to it, any brand will do, but if you can get Cappiello)
4 crusty rolls slit(had to buy these and feel free to buy whatever kind you happen to like of the crusty bread)
1/2 medium red onion(got this)
4 leaves romaine lettuce(got some of this on hand)
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves(got some of this already)
1/2 cup fresh leaf parsley(got it)
3 tablespoons capers(got them)
1/4 cup pignoli nuts(had to buy these)
1 clove garlic(got it, but bought more anyway, since rachael likes to use this stuff like it is going out of style)
The juice of 1/2 lemon(ok, had to buy a lemon, was not going to use the imitation stuff i have)
1/2 cup grated parmigiano regiano or romano cheese(got this already)
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the two tablespoons evoo and mushroom caps. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and saute, 5 minutes on each side. Add vinegar and coat the mushrooms in it. when vinegar has evaporated, turn mushrooms cap side up and cover with sliced cheese. Turn off heat and cover pan with foil. Let stand 2 to 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
To make sauce, combine basil, parsley, capers, pignoli, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse grind until finely chopped and scrape into a bowl. Stir in evoo, salt and pepper and grated cheese.
Slather bun tops with green sauce. Place 2 portobello on each bun bottom and top with red onion slices, lettuce and bun tops.
The verdict............these are what veg-heads lke myself call the perfect meatless dish. It is tasty, filling and really a nice twist to that old cheeseburger standard. Plus the use of balsamic vinegar is a ice touch as it adds a nice tangy flavor. My friend said she thought this was a really great tasty item. As a side dish, I serve a little pasta salad I had grabbed at the store.
This was really easy to make, so if you are just starting to cook, preparing this will not only inspire confidence in you, it will impress anyone you are cooking for.
Until tomorrow...........
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Asparagus Pasta Salad
TGIF..........finally, I have been so looking forward to the weekend. Work has been fun,I have laughed a lot this week with friends, especially one that I call "Boo" and have been able to help her and others get stuff done, but it will will good to sleep in some tomorrow.....but I am working sunday.
Really needed a tasty meal tonight, so I was happy to see Asparagus Pasta Salad, a good solid veg-head dish, and it has one of my favs in it....Asparagus.....so here we go.........
Ingredients
1 small shallot or 1/2 large shallot, finely chopped(had to buy these)
1/3 cup evoo (got lots of this)
1 pound asparagus, thin spears(bought these and they look really fresh)
2 endive, cored and thinly sliced(had to buy these and unlike the asparagus, they were not looking to fresh at the store...damn you Hy-vee store and your lack of fresh vegetables........my friend karen warned me that this hy-vee store would screw me on the produce at times, but I did not listen)
1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped)ok, still had some bellpepper left over from the other night)
1/2 pound bow tie pasta cooked to al dente and cooled(bought a pound...hey I like pasta, what can i say)
1/2 cup frozen green peas(actually have had a bag of these in my freezer for like 2 years)
1/4 cup chopped parsley, a couple of handfuls(got it)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar(got it)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper(got it)
Heat shallot and oil in a small pan on the stovetop over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Allow oil to cool back to room temperature.
Hold a spear of asparagus at each end and snap it. The spear breaks where the tender tops meet the tough bottoms. Line the broken spear up with the bundle of cleaned asparagus. Cut the spears using the guideline of the snapped spear. Par boil the asparagus tops in 1 inch simmering water covered for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cool under cold running water and drain. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces on an angle and add to a bowl. Combine chopped, cooked asparagus with shredded endive, red bell pepper, cooked pasta, green peas and chopped parsley. The peas will defrost as you toss salad. Pour vinegar into a small bowl and whisk in cooled shallot oil. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Season salad with salt and pepper, to your taste and toss again.
The verdict..........this was a pretty decent pasta salad and I made it in 25 mins to boot.........tasty and filling...........and the cats give it a kittylicious two paws up as they tucked into some of the pasta with a real zeal.
If you are not a fan of asparagus as I know some people are, I would say, give this dish a try and it might change your mind about the vegetable.
Everyone have a good weekend...............
Really needed a tasty meal tonight, so I was happy to see Asparagus Pasta Salad, a good solid veg-head dish, and it has one of my favs in it....Asparagus.....so here we go.........
Ingredients
1 small shallot or 1/2 large shallot, finely chopped(had to buy these)
1/3 cup evoo (got lots of this)
1 pound asparagus, thin spears(bought these and they look really fresh)
2 endive, cored and thinly sliced(had to buy these and unlike the asparagus, they were not looking to fresh at the store...damn you Hy-vee store and your lack of fresh vegetables........my friend karen warned me that this hy-vee store would screw me on the produce at times, but I did not listen)
1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped)ok, still had some bellpepper left over from the other night)
1/2 pound bow tie pasta cooked to al dente and cooled(bought a pound...hey I like pasta, what can i say)
1/2 cup frozen green peas(actually have had a bag of these in my freezer for like 2 years)
1/4 cup chopped parsley, a couple of handfuls(got it)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar(got it)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper(got it)
Heat shallot and oil in a small pan on the stovetop over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Allow oil to cool back to room temperature.
Hold a spear of asparagus at each end and snap it. The spear breaks where the tender tops meet the tough bottoms. Line the broken spear up with the bundle of cleaned asparagus. Cut the spears using the guideline of the snapped spear. Par boil the asparagus tops in 1 inch simmering water covered for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cool under cold running water and drain. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces on an angle and add to a bowl. Combine chopped, cooked asparagus with shredded endive, red bell pepper, cooked pasta, green peas and chopped parsley. The peas will defrost as you toss salad. Pour vinegar into a small bowl and whisk in cooled shallot oil. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Season salad with salt and pepper, to your taste and toss again.
The verdict..........this was a pretty decent pasta salad and I made it in 25 mins to boot.........tasty and filling...........and the cats give it a kittylicious two paws up as they tucked into some of the pasta with a real zeal.
If you are not a fan of asparagus as I know some people are, I would say, give this dish a try and it might change your mind about the vegetable.
Everyone have a good weekend...............
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Winter Pasta Dish
Well, tonight I am typing this on a strange pc, as I am staying in Independence tonight, which as most know is the worst place on the face of the earth, and yet the food is good:-).......Tonight's dish is Lentils and Pasta with Greens........I have to say, that I honestly could not remember ever having eaten a Lentil.
I will list out the ingredients, but I can say that my friend surprised me with the fact that she had ever single ingredient I need except two, so here we go.....
I had to buy the following two items
2/3 cups fried lentils, green or other variety(had to buy this and got green as suggested)
1 pound swiss chard(had to buy this and I have never eat this before, but I got the chard, it did not say swiss, but I figure chard is chard.......I hope)
Here is everything she already had
2 bay leaves
Coarse Salt and freshly ground pepper(ok, well turns out she did not have coarse salt, she said she figured salt was salt, so I set her straight with a bit of salt knowledge........she laughed and called me a nerd)
10 to 12 ounces of pasta(I used bowtie)
3 tablespoons evoo
1 small boiling onion chopped(she had onions, not sure if they are boiling onions, but again, I am not sure what a boiling onion is)
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can,14 ounces, vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
A handfull chopped fresh parsley
Cover lentils with water and bring to a boil. Add bay leaf and cook until lentils are tender, 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of water over a high heat for pasta(On a side note, I have made a mental note that as her next gift, my special friend is getting herself a new set of pots and pans from me, although I prefer doing all the cooking in this relationship, her pots/pans are just not doing it for me......a change is required and as soon as possible, a trip to crate and barrel is called for)
When the water boils, ass salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
Preheat a large skillet and add evoo. Add remaining bat leaf, the onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes over medium heat. Add wine and cook to reduce liquid, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute more. Add vegetable broth and Swiss Chard, cover. Once greens have wilted, season with allspice, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until greens are tender, about 10 minutes.
When greens are tender and no longer bitter, uncover and stir in drained pasta, lentils and parsley. Adjust seasonings and serve with crusty bread.
The verdict..........ok, I liked this really well, great vegetarian dish. My friend enjoyed this, as did her dog..............so over all....this was a good meal.
I will be back cooking in the home tomorrow, so the next post will be a bit more rebust........
until tomorrow..........
I will list out the ingredients, but I can say that my friend surprised me with the fact that she had ever single ingredient I need except two, so here we go.....
I had to buy the following two items
2/3 cups fried lentils, green or other variety(had to buy this and got green as suggested)
1 pound swiss chard(had to buy this and I have never eat this before, but I got the chard, it did not say swiss, but I figure chard is chard.......I hope)
Here is everything she already had
2 bay leaves
Coarse Salt and freshly ground pepper(ok, well turns out she did not have coarse salt, she said she figured salt was salt, so I set her straight with a bit of salt knowledge........she laughed and called me a nerd)
10 to 12 ounces of pasta(I used bowtie)
3 tablespoons evoo
1 small boiling onion chopped(she had onions, not sure if they are boiling onions, but again, I am not sure what a boiling onion is)
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can,14 ounces, vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
A handfull chopped fresh parsley
Cover lentils with water and bring to a boil. Add bay leaf and cook until lentils are tender, 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of water over a high heat for pasta(On a side note, I have made a mental note that as her next gift, my special friend is getting herself a new set of pots and pans from me, although I prefer doing all the cooking in this relationship, her pots/pans are just not doing it for me......a change is required and as soon as possible, a trip to crate and barrel is called for)
When the water boils, ass salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
Preheat a large skillet and add evoo. Add remaining bat leaf, the onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes over medium heat. Add wine and cook to reduce liquid, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute more. Add vegetable broth and Swiss Chard, cover. Once greens have wilted, season with allspice, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until greens are tender, about 10 minutes.
When greens are tender and no longer bitter, uncover and stir in drained pasta, lentils and parsley. Adjust seasonings and serve with crusty bread.
The verdict..........ok, I liked this really well, great vegetarian dish. My friend enjoyed this, as did her dog..............so over all....this was a good meal.
I will be back cooking in the home tomorrow, so the next post will be a bit more rebust........
until tomorrow..........
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Gone Green Chile
Hope everyone had a good day. I certainly have,Wednesday my friends Amara, Karen and myself head down and serve lunch at the local soup kitchen. It is something I like to do and it also makes the "chef" in me kind of smile, I think maybe just being in the big kitchen is what does it.
Anyway, tonight's dinner was Chili for "Veg-Heads", as i vegetarian, i was happy to see this recipe turn up. Cooking is something you can put a lot of love into, and I think a great vegetarian dish is something that can really show that aspect of cooking off. Lot's of my friends think you have to have meat in a dish to make it complete, so anytime I can whip up a veg-head dish that people find tasty and filling, I feel like I have accomplished something.
Here are the ingredients....
2 tablespoons evoo(as you can guess, I got this)
1 medium onion, chopped(got one already)
1 medium bell pepper, red or green seeded an chopped(had to buy this and I bought one of each to use half of each one. I like to make my food colorful looking when possible and thought the red and green combination would like nice and add flavor)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped(not a fan of the jalapeno, but I bought one and I mean one pepper from the store, checker kind of gave me a look when she saw I had bagged up one little pepper)
4 gloves garlic, minced(I got these already,but man rachael loves using garlic. I do not think I have had one recipe yet without garlic)
1 cup vegetable broth(had to buy a can, I mean no one keeps veggie broth around)
1 can, 14 ounces black beans drained(actualy had this. i was shocked to find it in the pantry)
1 can, 32 ounces, crushed tomatoes(ok, had to buy this, but I like fresh, so i bought tomatoes and crushed them myself)
1 can, 14 ounces, red kidney beans, drained(had to buy it)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin(got plenty of this already)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder(ditto on this, got this stuff everywhere it seems)
6 dashes cayenne sauce like Tabasco(got this already)
a few good pinches course salt(got it)
1 cup refried beans(had to buy a can)
shredded chedder cheese, for garnish(this is optional but I bought some to shred)
Chopped scallions(had one left over from the other night)
Tortilla chips for dipping(I bought these, and got some black bean, blue corn and white corn ships. Again, I think the color combination looks good and add that extra something to the meal to make it seem all the more special)
Heat oil in a deep pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and saute, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minutes more. Add broth and scrape up any good stuff from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the liquid by half, 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans and season with cumin, shili powder, tabasco sauce, and salt. Then stir in the refried beans. You might think the refried beans an odd addition, but it is mostly a thickening angent in this dish.
Serve in bowls topped with the shredded cheese and scallions with plenty of tortilla chips for dipping.
The verdict..........this was pretty good, I am a big fan of hearty dishes like chili's that you can eat by the dipping of a chip. I think this could also be served as a snack type item for dipping at a party instead of a dinner.
Over all, i can see myself make this again during the late fall, maybe as something to eat while watching football.
Untl tomorrow...........
Anyway, tonight's dinner was Chili for "Veg-Heads", as i vegetarian, i was happy to see this recipe turn up. Cooking is something you can put a lot of love into, and I think a great vegetarian dish is something that can really show that aspect of cooking off. Lot's of my friends think you have to have meat in a dish to make it complete, so anytime I can whip up a veg-head dish that people find tasty and filling, I feel like I have accomplished something.
Here are the ingredients....
2 tablespoons evoo(as you can guess, I got this)
1 medium onion, chopped(got one already)
1 medium bell pepper, red or green seeded an chopped(had to buy this and I bought one of each to use half of each one. I like to make my food colorful looking when possible and thought the red and green combination would like nice and add flavor)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped(not a fan of the jalapeno, but I bought one and I mean one pepper from the store, checker kind of gave me a look when she saw I had bagged up one little pepper)
4 gloves garlic, minced(I got these already,but man rachael loves using garlic. I do not think I have had one recipe yet without garlic)
1 cup vegetable broth(had to buy a can, I mean no one keeps veggie broth around)
1 can, 14 ounces black beans drained(actualy had this. i was shocked to find it in the pantry)
1 can, 32 ounces, crushed tomatoes(ok, had to buy this, but I like fresh, so i bought tomatoes and crushed them myself)
1 can, 14 ounces, red kidney beans, drained(had to buy it)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin(got plenty of this already)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder(ditto on this, got this stuff everywhere it seems)
6 dashes cayenne sauce like Tabasco(got this already)
a few good pinches course salt(got it)
1 cup refried beans(had to buy a can)
shredded chedder cheese, for garnish(this is optional but I bought some to shred)
Chopped scallions(had one left over from the other night)
Tortilla chips for dipping(I bought these, and got some black bean, blue corn and white corn ships. Again, I think the color combination looks good and add that extra something to the meal to make it seem all the more special)
Heat oil in a deep pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and saute, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minutes more. Add broth and scrape up any good stuff from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the liquid by half, 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans and season with cumin, shili powder, tabasco sauce, and salt. Then stir in the refried beans. You might think the refried beans an odd addition, but it is mostly a thickening angent in this dish.
Serve in bowls topped with the shredded cheese and scallions with plenty of tortilla chips for dipping.
The verdict..........this was pretty good, I am a big fan of hearty dishes like chili's that you can eat by the dipping of a chip. I think this could also be served as a snack type item for dipping at a party instead of a dinner.
Over all, i can see myself make this again during the late fall, maybe as something to eat while watching football.
Untl tomorrow...........
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Creole Surf and Turf
Hope everyone had a great day. Work was really busy, I was swamped, but it was a good swamping, helped my best friend run some reports for her client and well, doing that kind of thing makes me feel pretty good and needed. Plus she works as hard as I do,so helping each other out is just a a good thing to do. Anyway, tonight as the title says, it is surf and turf, specifically Creole Chicken Breasts with Crab and Artichoke Stuffing.
Here are the ingredients...
1 and 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets pounded thin(already had chicken from the other night, so good to go here)
Coarse salt and pepper to taste(got it)
A few pinches poultry seasoning(I am not going to be using this, i have never been big on using poultry seasoning, but you can if you want)
2 shallots, finely chopped(had to buy a few)
1 rib celery from the heart, finely chopped(use it if you want, but as you may have read in previous posts, i hate celery with a passion, so no on the celery)
2 tablespoons evoo(got it)
1 can, 15 ounces, artichokes water, drained and chopped(had to buy this cause I mean, who keeps can artichokes around)
1/2 cup chicken broth(got it)
8 to 10 ounces canned crabmeat(had to buy, but got lucky and my grocers seafood counter had it on sale and it seemed better to get then a can)
2 slices white bread, toasted and buttered(had to buy bread)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning(had a jar of this in the spice cabinet)
1 pat butter(got butter and as I have said before, if you have to buy it, for the love of god, buy real butter and not "I can't believe it's not butter"......cause trust me people, I can believe it's not butter, cause it sucks)
1 cup dry sherry(had to buy this, cause really the only people that keep sherry around the house are really little old women with drinking problems, who always seem to have a candydish sitting around with a big pile of old fashion ribbon candy that is so old it is all stuck together in one big mess)
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water or broth
On a side note, as I type this, John and Kate plus 8 is playing in the background and well, I have to agree with most people, Kate really does act pretty bitchy, of course John seems like a douchbag, so i guess they balance out......
Ok, so season the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning(if you use it). Set aside.
For stuffing, in a skillet over medium heat, saute shallots and celery(if you like that vile weed) in evoo 2 or 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and broth, cook 1 minute more. Add crabmeat and heat through, breaking up the meat. Cube toast into small dice and add to pan. Season with Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper and then combine ingredients until bread is most. Remove from heat.
Place small mounds of stuffing on cutlets and roll up. Secure with toothpicks. At this point i should say that it is good to always read the entire recipe before going to the store. Had I done this, I would have known i would need toothpicks and would not have to use chopsticks that I snapped in half instead
For sauce heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add evoo and butter to pan. Place chicken roll-ups in pan and brown, 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken. Add sherry and cook to reduce by half, 1 or 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add cornstarch liquid and stir to thicken sauce. Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 mins.
You can serve this with a green side salad and maybe some french bread.
The verdict. Well since i am dieting,and trying to do the vegetarian thing,I am not trying this, but my friend, she is a liking this one a lot, plus as I type this, i can still see my cats working over a chicken roll-up, so the cats dig it too. As for me, i will say it smelled awesome and i did try the sauce and it is to die for, so over all I will say this was a success, although it took me around 40 mins, but really that was because I stopped to check out Kate from the show, cause although she does seem mean, she is cute and I am after all a guy and we get distracted o'h so easily............
Until tomorrow............
Here are the ingredients...
1 and 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets pounded thin(already had chicken from the other night, so good to go here)
Coarse salt and pepper to taste(got it)
A few pinches poultry seasoning(I am not going to be using this, i have never been big on using poultry seasoning, but you can if you want)
2 shallots, finely chopped(had to buy a few)
1 rib celery from the heart, finely chopped(use it if you want, but as you may have read in previous posts, i hate celery with a passion, so no on the celery)
2 tablespoons evoo(got it)
1 can, 15 ounces, artichokes water, drained and chopped(had to buy this cause I mean, who keeps can artichokes around)
1/2 cup chicken broth(got it)
8 to 10 ounces canned crabmeat(had to buy, but got lucky and my grocers seafood counter had it on sale and it seemed better to get then a can)
2 slices white bread, toasted and buttered(had to buy bread)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning(had a jar of this in the spice cabinet)
1 pat butter(got butter and as I have said before, if you have to buy it, for the love of god, buy real butter and not "I can't believe it's not butter"......cause trust me people, I can believe it's not butter, cause it sucks)
1 cup dry sherry(had to buy this, cause really the only people that keep sherry around the house are really little old women with drinking problems, who always seem to have a candydish sitting around with a big pile of old fashion ribbon candy that is so old it is all stuck together in one big mess)
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water or broth
On a side note, as I type this, John and Kate plus 8 is playing in the background and well, I have to agree with most people, Kate really does act pretty bitchy, of course John seems like a douchbag, so i guess they balance out......
Ok, so season the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning(if you use it). Set aside.
For stuffing, in a skillet over medium heat, saute shallots and celery(if you like that vile weed) in evoo 2 or 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and broth, cook 1 minute more. Add crabmeat and heat through, breaking up the meat. Cube toast into small dice and add to pan. Season with Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper and then combine ingredients until bread is most. Remove from heat.
Place small mounds of stuffing on cutlets and roll up. Secure with toothpicks. At this point i should say that it is good to always read the entire recipe before going to the store. Had I done this, I would have known i would need toothpicks and would not have to use chopsticks that I snapped in half instead
For sauce heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add evoo and butter to pan. Place chicken roll-ups in pan and brown, 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken. Add sherry and cook to reduce by half, 1 or 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add cornstarch liquid and stir to thicken sauce. Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 mins.
You can serve this with a green side salad and maybe some french bread.
The verdict. Well since i am dieting,and trying to do the vegetarian thing,I am not trying this, but my friend, she is a liking this one a lot, plus as I type this, i can still see my cats working over a chicken roll-up, so the cats dig it too. As for me, i will say it smelled awesome and i did try the sauce and it is to die for, so over all I will say this was a success, although it took me around 40 mins, but really that was because I stopped to check out Kate from the show, cause although she does seem mean, she is cute and I am after all a guy and we get distracted o'h so easily............
Until tomorrow............
Monday, June 8, 2009
Autumn Comfort Food
Well I am writing a bit earlier then normal because i have some great news.........one, tonight's dinner I had never had before, at least as far as the combination of some of the spices........and two, I have had a fantastic hair day today, I mean really, I had like four compliments on it and i swear, today I could have used my hair as currency in like the far east, it was just rocking today.
Anyway today's dish is Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage, so let's get right into the ingredients.
Coarse Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(Ok I got this stuff already)
1 pound penne rigate or rigatoni pasta cooked until al dente(Had to buy this and I went for the penne rigate as I have never been a fan of the rigatoni and I cannot say why,I guess I have never had a dish where I looked at the cooked and thought "rigatoni, nice choice"........but that is just me, you get whatever you want)
2 drizzles EVOO(I have this, and in case you are new to the blog, evoo is extra virgin olive oil)
1 pound bulk sweet sausage(had to buy this and I recommend when you are at the store, bypass the butchers counter and just get a one pound pack of sausage that is flavored with maple and sage, should be where they keep the bacon)
1 medium onion diced (got it)
4 gloves garlic minced(already got this, but I did by some new toothpaste, as I have noticed that garlic is a growing trend in rachaels dishes)
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried(I got lots of the dried, so I will use it over the fresh, because I find that with bay leaves, the dried seems to hold the flavor of the herb, just as well as the fresh)
4 to 5 leaves fresh sage, slivered(I have this, it is dried, but I am going to use it instead of the fresh, because I got like a half pound of the stuff, don't ask me why I have so much, but I need to start using it)
1 cup dry white wine(got it)
1 can, 14 ounces, chicken broth(had to buy this, which I hate using canned broth when homemade chicken stock is better...........but I am out....I might one weekend do a bonus blog entry and discuss how to make homemade chicken stock, it takes around 10 hours, but is easy)
1 cup canned pumpkin(had to buy it)
1/2 cup heavy cream(had this already)
2 pinches ground cinnamon(already have this)
3 pinches ground nutmeg(got this too)
Romano or Parmigiano cheese, for grating over pasta(I already have a container that already has both these cheese grated)
Put a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta. When water boils, add salt and pasta. cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, in a deep pot over medium heat, pour in 1 drizzle of evoo and brown sausage in it. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain and return pan to heat. Add second drizzle of evoo to pan and saute onion and garlic 5 minutes, till soft and sweet. Add bay leaf, sage and wine to pot. Reduce wine for two minute. Add broth and pumpkin and combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer 5 minutes.
To serve, return drained, cooked pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove bay leaf from sauce and pour sauce over pasta. Toss pasta ans sauce 1 to 2 minutes over low heat so pasta can absorb flavors. Top bowls of pasta with freshly grated cheese, and serve with green salad on the side.
The verdict...........this is by far the best dish I have made so far. The pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon, while at first sound like an odd choice for pasta, add such a fantastic flavor, it is hard to describe. This would be the perfect dish to eat on a chilly late fall day, a combination of flavors both familiar to the taste buds and yet all new at the same time. Very filling and honestly something I would buy at a restaurant.
The word from the feline community???? This is a hit with my cats too.
Well, that is pretty much it for tonight, good food, great hair, happy cats........a better way to end a blog entry, I cannot imagine.
Until tomorrow............
Anyway today's dish is Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage, so let's get right into the ingredients.
Coarse Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(Ok I got this stuff already)
1 pound penne rigate or rigatoni pasta cooked until al dente(Had to buy this and I went for the penne rigate as I have never been a fan of the rigatoni and I cannot say why,I guess I have never had a dish where I looked at the cooked and thought "rigatoni, nice choice"........but that is just me, you get whatever you want)
2 drizzles EVOO(I have this, and in case you are new to the blog, evoo is extra virgin olive oil)
1 pound bulk sweet sausage(had to buy this and I recommend when you are at the store, bypass the butchers counter and just get a one pound pack of sausage that is flavored with maple and sage, should be where they keep the bacon)
1 medium onion diced (got it)
4 gloves garlic minced(already got this, but I did by some new toothpaste, as I have noticed that garlic is a growing trend in rachaels dishes)
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried(I got lots of the dried, so I will use it over the fresh, because I find that with bay leaves, the dried seems to hold the flavor of the herb, just as well as the fresh)
4 to 5 leaves fresh sage, slivered(I have this, it is dried, but I am going to use it instead of the fresh, because I got like a half pound of the stuff, don't ask me why I have so much, but I need to start using it)
1 cup dry white wine(got it)
1 can, 14 ounces, chicken broth(had to buy this, which I hate using canned broth when homemade chicken stock is better...........but I am out....I might one weekend do a bonus blog entry and discuss how to make homemade chicken stock, it takes around 10 hours, but is easy)
1 cup canned pumpkin(had to buy it)
1/2 cup heavy cream(had this already)
2 pinches ground cinnamon(already have this)
3 pinches ground nutmeg(got this too)
Romano or Parmigiano cheese, for grating over pasta(I already have a container that already has both these cheese grated)
Put a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta. When water boils, add salt and pasta. cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, in a deep pot over medium heat, pour in 1 drizzle of evoo and brown sausage in it. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain and return pan to heat. Add second drizzle of evoo to pan and saute onion and garlic 5 minutes, till soft and sweet. Add bay leaf, sage and wine to pot. Reduce wine for two minute. Add broth and pumpkin and combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer 5 minutes.
To serve, return drained, cooked pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove bay leaf from sauce and pour sauce over pasta. Toss pasta ans sauce 1 to 2 minutes over low heat so pasta can absorb flavors. Top bowls of pasta with freshly grated cheese, and serve with green salad on the side.
The verdict...........this is by far the best dish I have made so far. The pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon, while at first sound like an odd choice for pasta, add such a fantastic flavor, it is hard to describe. This would be the perfect dish to eat on a chilly late fall day, a combination of flavors both familiar to the taste buds and yet all new at the same time. Very filling and honestly something I would buy at a restaurant.
The word from the feline community???? This is a hit with my cats too.
Well, that is pretty much it for tonight, good food, great hair, happy cats........a better way to end a blog entry, I cannot imagine.
Until tomorrow............
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Dinner with the Boss
I find cooking to be very therapeutic and it has a very mellowing affect on me, especially when i am cooking for someone. There are times I wish they had a kitchen at work, where when needed, I could get away from my stressful desk and go whip up a nice pasta salad or bruschetta at times.
Tonight dinner was "Tony Soprano Steak Sandwiches with Giardinera Relish", I was never a fan of the Soprano's, I preferred "The Godfather', so for my meal, I prefer to call this "A steak sandwich offer you can't refuse"
Here are the ingredients.......
2 pounds sirloin steak, 1 inch think cut into two pieces(had to buy this one and I did buy sirloin, but you could also purchase flank steak, patio steaks or what is also call charcoal steaks. They are all very good cuts of meat for sandwiches or any dish that is not actual the eating of a steak by itself)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar(had to buy a small bottle)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(got it)
1 jar/quart of giardinera salad(bought a jar and for those wondering, this is basically pickled vegetables and peppers, actually tasty stuff to be honest)
A handful of fresh parsley leafs(got this already)
The juice of 1/2 lemon(got it already)
EVOO....(got plenty of this stuff)
1 loaf garlic bread split in half lenghtwise(bought a loaf)
4 leaves Romaine lettuce(already have this, thanks to my failure to find "bibb" lettuce for the other nights dinner and settling at the time for romaine)
Rub each steak with the balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper. Let meat rest.
Drain Giardiniera salad and reserve the juice. Place salad in a food processor with parsley, lemon juice and drizzle of evoo. Pulse-grind the mixture into a finely chopped relish.
Brown garlic bread under broiler and remove from oven.
Wipe a little evoo across a skillet and heat over medium high heat until pan smokes. Add steaks and cook 5 mins on each side. Douse the pan with a few tablespoons of the juice from the pickled relish. Rub the steaks around, picking up the color and juice from the pan. Place steaks on a big cutting board and let rest for 10 mins, allowing juices to distribute.
Slice steaks very thin,on an angle and against the grain. Pile meat on a plate and scrape juice off the board and over the top of the meat. Wipe off board.
Place garlic bread on board and cover bottom half with relish. Put piles of meat on top of relish. Top with romaine leaves and the other half of the garlic bread. Hold bread together with toothpicks and hack up super sub into 4 big chunks.
Just when you thought life could not get better, serve this with some kind of fancy chips. I used cracked pepper and sea salt potato chips.
The verdict............well to be honest, I am really pushing my diet again, so i did not try these at all.....but.........the person I cook for, she thought they rocked and also my cats ate a piece of the meat, faster then I would have thought possible, so that is a big positive review from the feline world.
I can also say that I really enjoyed cooking this meal a lot, it was fun and it did only take around 30 mins. It was a bit of a heavy meal, as I can see as I type this, that my friend has fallen asleep on my couch bless her cute little soul.
Well that is it for tonight. I have to go now and prepare for work tomorrow and also wake of my friend so she can drive herself home.
Until tomorrow...........
Tonight dinner was "Tony Soprano Steak Sandwiches with Giardinera Relish", I was never a fan of the Soprano's, I preferred "The Godfather', so for my meal, I prefer to call this "A steak sandwich offer you can't refuse"
Here are the ingredients.......
2 pounds sirloin steak, 1 inch think cut into two pieces(had to buy this one and I did buy sirloin, but you could also purchase flank steak, patio steaks or what is also call charcoal steaks. They are all very good cuts of meat for sandwiches or any dish that is not actual the eating of a steak by itself)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar(had to buy a small bottle)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(got it)
1 jar/quart of giardinera salad(bought a jar and for those wondering, this is basically pickled vegetables and peppers, actually tasty stuff to be honest)
A handful of fresh parsley leafs(got this already)
The juice of 1/2 lemon(got it already)
EVOO....(got plenty of this stuff)
1 loaf garlic bread split in half lenghtwise(bought a loaf)
4 leaves Romaine lettuce(already have this, thanks to my failure to find "bibb" lettuce for the other nights dinner and settling at the time for romaine)
Rub each steak with the balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper. Let meat rest.
Drain Giardiniera salad and reserve the juice. Place salad in a food processor with parsley, lemon juice and drizzle of evoo. Pulse-grind the mixture into a finely chopped relish.
Brown garlic bread under broiler and remove from oven.
Wipe a little evoo across a skillet and heat over medium high heat until pan smokes. Add steaks and cook 5 mins on each side. Douse the pan with a few tablespoons of the juice from the pickled relish. Rub the steaks around, picking up the color and juice from the pan. Place steaks on a big cutting board and let rest for 10 mins, allowing juices to distribute.
Slice steaks very thin,on an angle and against the grain. Pile meat on a plate and scrape juice off the board and over the top of the meat. Wipe off board.
Place garlic bread on board and cover bottom half with relish. Put piles of meat on top of relish. Top with romaine leaves and the other half of the garlic bread. Hold bread together with toothpicks and hack up super sub into 4 big chunks.
Just when you thought life could not get better, serve this with some kind of fancy chips. I used cracked pepper and sea salt potato chips.
The verdict............well to be honest, I am really pushing my diet again, so i did not try these at all.....but.........the person I cook for, she thought they rocked and also my cats ate a piece of the meat, faster then I would have thought possible, so that is a big positive review from the feline world.
I can also say that I really enjoyed cooking this meal a lot, it was fun and it did only take around 30 mins. It was a bit of a heavy meal, as I can see as I type this, that my friend has fallen asleep on my couch bless her cute little soul.
Well that is it for tonight. I have to go now and prepare for work tomorrow and also wake of my friend so she can drive herself home.
Until tomorrow...........
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