tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60859660624424020222024-03-05T08:04:48.557-06:00Lauren's Kitchen EndeavoursLaurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-88810871973628967612009-03-18T15:32:00.002-05:002009-03-18T15:33:47.174-05:00Lauren's Kitchen has moved!I finally got my new site up, so take a look and let me know what you think!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.laurens-kitchen.com/"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">http://www.laurens-kitchen.com/</span></strong></a>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-51080731281308938762009-03-09T11:54:00.020-05:002009-03-12T15:18:45.292-05:00Risotto Torte with Broccoli, Spinach, and Sweet Italian Sausage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxm01WLbbeARC9Rbimr_G1JeTqNFaOo7vSIoHgXb-PnzrepppgLqP-XXLKyOvbY0MRaCcwKmeMbPc-3feqdED3EUmqH-2jQXks2M7a5v-cQ0uG9Xt5n81tiFTmnlKceRlw8PBrNBb7Mw/s1600-h/RisottoTorte2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312395178884719186" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxm01WLbbeARC9Rbimr_G1JeTqNFaOo7vSIoHgXb-PnzrepppgLqP-XXLKyOvbY0MRaCcwKmeMbPc-3feqdED3EUmqH-2jQXks2M7a5v-cQ0uG9Xt5n81tiFTmnlKceRlw8PBrNBb7Mw/s400/RisottoTorte2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>After having quite the fun time (NOT) trying to update my blog while my laptop was out of commission, I decided to shelve it until I could get things running again. I'm happy to say that as of today, March 12th, 2009 @ 3:15 pm CST, I have my laptop back up and running again! </div><div> <br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I had quite a few leftover vegetables and I was looking for a delicious way to use them. I stumbled across a recipe for a Risotto Torte online, and decided to add in some vegetables for me, and some protein for my husband in the form of italian sausage. You can use mild or sweet, but I just happened to have sweet italian sausage on hand. The result is a light, fluffy risotto, with many satisfying flavours.</div><div><br /></div><div>Risotto is one of those dishes you can cook whichever way is more comfortable to you. The intensely laborious constant stirring while gradually adding stock method, of which, I'm a big believer, and the make certain your measurements are right on and just let it sit with occasional stirs, of which, I'm not a big believer as I'm terrified I'll burn the bottom. So, I wrote this dish for those of you who are not paranoid, but me, I'm a gradual stock adder. :)<br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><ul><li>4 oz. broccoli, cut into small florets </li><li>4 oz. spinach</li><li>4 oz. sweet italian sausage, casings removed </li><li>1/2 C dry white wine </li><li>1/2 and onion, chopped</li><li>1 sweet bell pepper, chopped </li><li>4 1/2 cups stock </li><li>2 garlic cloves, crushed </li><li>4 oz. Parmesan, coarsely grated </li><li>4 eggs, separated </li><li>2 Tbs. olive oil </li><li>salt and ground black pepper </li><li>4 Tbs. butter </li><li>oil for greasing</li><li>chopped parsley, for garnish (optional) </li><li>1 1/4 cups Arborio rice<br /></li></ul><p>Directions:</p><div>Blanch the broccoli and spinach for 4 minutes, then drain and reserve.</div><div><br />Brown the sweet italian sausage in a skillet. Drain the grease and set on a paper towel to absorb any additional grease/</div><div><br />In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion, garlic and pepper in the oil and butter for 5 minutes until they are soft.</div><div><br />Stir the rice, cook for a minute then pour in the wine. Cook, stirring the mixture until the liquid is absorbed.</div><div><br />Pour in the stock, season well, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until risotto is tender, stirring occasionally.</div><div><br />While that is simmering, grease a 10 in. round deep cake pan and then line the base with a disc of waxed paper. Preheat the oven to 350.</div><div><br />Stir the cheese into the rice, allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the egg yolks.</div><div><br />Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and carefully fold into the rice. Add the spinach, broccoli, and sausage. Turn into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour until risen, golden brown and slightly wobbly in the center.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVokCD6isTkHQajXrm8zcGlBhoIP1A3aY2WTYUSPrTLD61bo13yeaUECG5pTvhK2vDM7XruKEEKwhpn1rYXsMbLYHn7z9wayuZ3-wCbq6K75KMDUsigzAccyW5949JjowRHjI1qnrvkRs/s1600-h/RisottoTorte1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312395109741429186" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVokCD6isTkHQajXrm8zcGlBhoIP1A3aY2WTYUSPrTLD61bo13yeaUECG5pTvhK2vDM7XruKEEKwhpn1rYXsMbLYHn7z9wayuZ3-wCbq6K75KMDUsigzAccyW5949JjowRHjI1qnrvkRs/s400/RisottoTorte1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Allow the torte to cool in the pan, then chill if serving cold. Run a knife around pan and shake out onto serving plate. </div><div></div><div>Garnish, if desired.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV61fmLpzh5ogaDuL-Pk_NfG3xN0B6EjkOB7vZhCkWy5pv_PaRfmuS5Aplm7_QufHRBAlkKcb9SejFiysUXdf9UhIwu7ITd0qtK_KpFHh77LgbTdUWbIwme6JXuamwJ-sfnL408UPWmKg/s1600-h/RisottoTorte3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312395238827719746" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV61fmLpzh5ogaDuL-Pk_NfG3xN0B6EjkOB7vZhCkWy5pv_PaRfmuS5Aplm7_QufHRBAlkKcb9SejFiysUXdf9UhIwu7ITd0qtK_KpFHh77LgbTdUWbIwme6JXuamwJ-sfnL408UPWmKg/s400/RisottoTorte3.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-57940933508121282712009-02-28T17:29:00.005-06:002009-02-28T17:34:16.632-06:00Crab Salsa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6anLLKGdRK0_iMR6Z90BzrD6z1DaHDbKxZfDl401yW-lwTIS6hP2QLQguEi5mFJheT7RFCLY7NSfBhqyCzja4D8zXxdF4n97QA_9jv1ysxLqCDoyMtvyDD7Abw_e4KiZgnjddwgTt8c/s1600-h/Crab+Salad3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307994815807780962" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6anLLKGdRK0_iMR6Z90BzrD6z1DaHDbKxZfDl401yW-lwTIS6hP2QLQguEi5mFJheT7RFCLY7NSfBhqyCzja4D8zXxdF4n97QA_9jv1ysxLqCDoyMtvyDD7Abw_e4KiZgnjddwgTt8c/s400/Crab+Salad3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div>My parents are in town this weekend, and my Father has this wonderful, light recipe with crab, cilantro, lime, olive oil, and peppers! It's got just the right amount of spice!</div><div> </div><div><strong>Ingredients:</strong></div><ul><li>2 shallots, chopped finely</li><li>1 lb. lumb crab meat, shredded</li><li>1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped</li><li>2 big handfuls of cilantro, chopped</li><li>1/2 a red or orange bell pepper, chopped finely</li><li>2 limes, juiced</li><li>olive oil</li><li>sea salt and cracked black pepper</li></ul><div><strong>Directions:</strong></div><div> </div><div>Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, season to taste.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4wphjcS8QgixvKdbFSaZwRMQhXKGT3H8yzlxcJ7YSdlZdZuz-W5xtZUQ6f16g5OQqOQI-jB37o5CRz3AHNLqJp1IGid-yKhsoiNBsusbgCXZxyxq6KV2ejfNJDoJPYGmE5U7n0Ct0AY/s1600-h/Crab+Salsa1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307994767325393410" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4wphjcS8QgixvKdbFSaZwRMQhXKGT3H8yzlxcJ7YSdlZdZuz-W5xtZUQ6f16g5OQqOQI-jB37o5CRz3AHNLqJp1IGid-yKhsoiNBsusbgCXZxyxq6KV2ejfNJDoJPYGmE5U7n0Ct0AY/s400/Crab+Salsa1.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-9345486145173117802009-02-24T21:04:00.008-06:002009-02-24T21:26:01.531-06:00Honey, Orange, and Sriracha Glazed Chicken Thighs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOSF5pftKy6OyhzNbToTbwDVDRzWVaviY1cqWaQGFBkFmL62srBeyMW5ySniofvvl5sY10EAldaalD7aJAlwEIvsbwew7D4znot4M4dFX1UoeuDarLnNmh1a-iFGqf1oSJvuROZ1Fqgo/s1600-h/IMG+3621a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306567203841050866" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOSF5pftKy6OyhzNbToTbwDVDRzWVaviY1cqWaQGFBkFmL62srBeyMW5ySniofvvl5sY10EAldaalD7aJAlwEIvsbwew7D4znot4M4dFX1UoeuDarLnNmh1a-iFGqf1oSJvuROZ1Fqgo/s400/IMG+3621a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There are days when I come home from work, and I have absolutely no idea what to make. I had some chicken thighs defrosted, and a hankering for something sweet and spicy, and I thought honey and Sriracha would be a really nice mix. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Feel free to play with the flavours. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I wrote the recipe to be fairly mild, but ended up adding another 1/2 tbsp to the sauce mix, which made the sauce itself pretty spicy, but the finished chicken was delicious and juicy with a slight hint of spice.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients:</span><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 skin on, bone in chicken thighs </span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sea salt and fresh cracked pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1/4 cup honey</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2 tbsp sriracha sauce</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">4 tbsp cup fresh squeezed orange juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1 tbsp olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked</span></li></ul><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Directions:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Liberally season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and set aside in an oven safe baking dish.</span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In a separate bowl, combine the honey, sriracha, orange juice, olive oil, and picked thyme leaves and stir until thoroughly mixed. Arrange the chicken thighs in the dish and spoon 1/2 of the mixture on top of the chicken thighs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Bake for 25 minutes, and remove from the oven. Spoon the remaining honey sriracha sauce over the thighs and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the juices run clear.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Serve with rice and a lovely salad.</span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZH6Pfton-1w-XkMT86leZfzaDr5A2lvQopzYpxq1bh_wVnSbRBgFNaiRPL-kG-A0hyujdineOmkn2Os7choLvRKzShHU2nysJaIEy7-aVq6AzZmphqeT0tKgY_2cI_Au9n6AZ9N9OS8/s1600-h/IMG+3611a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306567984560677298" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZH6Pfton-1w-XkMT86leZfzaDr5A2lvQopzYpxq1bh_wVnSbRBgFNaiRPL-kG-A0hyujdineOmkn2Os7choLvRKzShHU2nysJaIEy7-aVq6AzZmphqeT0tKgY_2cI_Au9n6AZ9N9OS8/s400/IMG+3611a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-20179657390106572522009-02-22T13:22:00.007-06:002009-03-12T15:11:49.264-05:00Creamy Oven Baked Macaroni and Cheese<span style="font-family:verdana;">If you're like me, Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. A boxed childhood lunch, this creamy made-from-scratch recipe will prompt you to toss out every box of Kraft Mac and Cheese you have in your pantry!<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWugDvAufAJF74_RyfRIlAjR1CDs3BEig87t7eAlJpSAub9MhF6PRlz5h8EBhhRYUZBiQn3XPvx9QKiFvgAdAG8PC2A1BKaIF1S4xqwz6jYBJWf00zwuTJGUj4GuRIjocNUBZr3cIoRU/s1600-h/IMG+3485.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305705472661616114" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWugDvAufAJF74_RyfRIlAjR1CDs3BEig87t7eAlJpSAub9MhF6PRlz5h8EBhhRYUZBiQn3XPvx9QKiFvgAdAG8PC2A1BKaIF1S4xqwz6jYBJWf00zwuTJGUj4GuRIjocNUBZr3cIoRU/s400/IMG+3485.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOd_Z9Sp-jph7k0bQFCc2C_Hbn_09JH5jHK1EJJ1SHG8VRS_GBKAlNKZg0fYJ7Xh9jFhWZdihQIcngWCptK3283X5m_yBDRuh_MOEH3ZagbeKh-EwhXVx7-cNXOV36nILT_1MaoPLKm5o/s1600-h/IMG+3385.jpg"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 8oz. box of elbow macaroni, cooked and drained</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 Tablespoons butter</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 Tablespoons flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup milk</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1/2 cup heavy cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 tablespoons Ricotta<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Directions:</span></p><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Prepare macaroni by directions on box and drain well. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to remove lumps. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Slowly pour in milk and cook, while whisking, until thickened. Pour in heavy cream slowly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Season with salt and pepper. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add cheeses and stir until melted. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add macaroni and stir. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Pour mixture into 2 qt. casserole dish. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Bake for 20 minutes.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQac43Jfzs_xsaKouXcn3QqCkq4Zey4YBiOl2dmJsEsrdo6gJwH5SQAzUi61-sNxLVEDCcewuDLsc7A7lHaU9NfZgVzbLPdf5MM8Mp6SxJ51uI5ncs-_UDNCTmXPrUeJG8Q2A06PjuEc/s1600-h/IMG+3491a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305705635393813426" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQac43Jfzs_xsaKouXcn3QqCkq4Zey4YBiOl2dmJsEsrdo6gJwH5SQAzUi61-sNxLVEDCcewuDLsc7A7lHaU9NfZgVzbLPdf5MM8Mp6SxJ51uI5ncs-_UDNCTmXPrUeJG8Q2A06PjuEc/s400/IMG+3491a.jpg" border="0" /></a>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-85216001429630861322009-02-22T13:20:00.002-06:002009-02-22T13:22:07.254-06:00Braised Hoisin Short Ribs<span style="font-family:verdana;">First and foremost, I LOVE braised meat. When it's so tender it falls off the bone, you know it's the most tremendous comfort food. This recipe, by David Leiberman in <strong>Dave's Dinners</strong>, is a fantastic way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon, prep is only a few minutes for the ribs, and you can work on the sides within the last 30 minutes of the main's cook time.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCf8srsQyGj2H-AqdD8emftRwifczkdB7UTqDzri8lcswUIYj3meefjyLcM6x9F9vUO27pzW8XAnU1_saS6DmoXZbZiDgjVMtnuNdqRLaoJEIi5WwLxjJFVxyMOMM01V2iblOtnrVvlU/s1600-h/IMG+3504a.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305699993864582018" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCf8srsQyGj2H-AqdD8emftRwifczkdB7UTqDzri8lcswUIYj3meefjyLcM6x9F9vUO27pzW8XAnU1_saS6DmoXZbZiDgjVMtnuNdqRLaoJEIi5WwLxjJFVxyMOMM01V2iblOtnrVvlU/s400/IMG+3504a.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients </span></strong><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">For the ribs:</span><br /><br /><ul><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 pounds beef short ribs, about 10 ribs </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Salt and freshly ground pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 tablespoons vegetable oil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">10 to 12 garlic cloves smashed </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">12 ounces good ale (recommended: Bass) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup hoisin sauce </span></li></ul><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Directions<br /></span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot with a lid (Dutch oven) over high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, in batches if necessary. Remove the ribs and pour off all but a couple tablespoons of the rendered fat.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Return the pot to the stove, lower the heat to medium and saute the garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes. Add the ribs back to the pot. Add the beer and the vinegar. Stir and then cover and bake for 2 hours. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Remove the pot from the oven. Pour the hoisin sauce over the ribs, return the pot to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Remove ribs and ginger from sauce. Strain fat from the top of the pot so that you're left with just the good stuff. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxYV-X2goy2aPVNVzHr_ybthYw0rHhr_ZeDSySzko4W5iQ7ays1eqOVnFIr8Ybs52LujnB9AZphLcZm57AtVIiMYkWjkbJ2Q79ww7ekmG5PKz_keTMI8YTGFH3LrUIBL1Kxcl3NmE-BA/s1600-h/IMG+3485a.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305700723377250082" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxYV-X2goy2aPVNVzHr_ybthYw0rHhr_ZeDSySzko4W5iQ7ays1eqOVnFIr8Ybs52LujnB9AZphLcZm57AtVIiMYkWjkbJ2Q79ww7ekmG5PKz_keTMI8YTGFH3LrUIBL1Kxcl3NmE-BA/s400/IMG+3485a.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Serve with </span><a href="http://laurenskitchenendeavours.blogspot.com/2009/02/creamy-mashed-yukons.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Creamy Mashed Yukons</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and </span><a href="http://laurenskitchenendeavours.blogspot.com/2009/02/sesame-snow-peas.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sesame Snow Peas</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-60178550683984800842009-02-22T13:13:00.002-06:002009-02-22T18:41:22.213-06:00Sesame Snow Peas<p>Sesame Snow Peas: </p><br /><ul><br /><li>1 pound snow peas </li><br /><li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil </li><br /><li>1 tablespoon dark sesame oil </li><br /><li>1 teaspoon sesame seeds </li><br /><li>1 teaspoon rice vinegar</li><br /><li>Salt and pepper </li></ul><br /><p>Rinse the peas and trim off the ends. </p><br /><p>In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oils and heat. </p><br /><p>Add snow peas and saute until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes. </p><br /><p>Season with salt and pepper, to taste. </p><br /><p>Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and toss. </p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-15728979608634529852009-02-22T13:11:00.002-06:002009-02-22T13:15:29.093-06:00Creamy Mashed Yukons<p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Creamy Mashed Yukons: </span></p><br /><ul><br /><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled </span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 stick butter, melted </span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup half-and-half </span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Salt and pepper </span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 bunch chives, chopped </span></li></ul><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Boil potatoes until fork tender. </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Heat the butter and half-and-half over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and mash with a hand masher. </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add hot liquid to potatoes and whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth. </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add chives and mix before serving.</span> </p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-79766689587246608352009-02-19T10:48:00.008-06:002009-03-12T15:12:38.539-05:00Lasagna BologneseWeston and I had a lovely trip throughout Italy last year for our 2nd anniversary, from Rome to Positano, from Monte San Savino to Florence, from Pisa to Maranello. The focus was heavily on food, and nowhere did we find better food than in tiny walled towns in Tuscany.<br /><br />Our trip was a huge eye opener for me, especially when it came to Lasagna. My Mother's recipe for lasagna included cottage cheese and loads of Mozzarella, so I had always made it with cottage cheese and loads of Mozzarella. But, then I discovered what Lasagna in Tuscany really is like. It's not as heavy and cheese laden, the pasta is always best when it's fresh, and there wasn't a trace of cottage cheese anywhere, just a lovely nutmeg flavoured Béchamel (Besciamella) sauce.<br /><br />Since we had a new pasta machine, I decided to try and recreate what we ate in Italy, and Mario Batali's recipe for Lasagna Bolognese was my guide through the whole process. I plan to add this to our repertoire more often. There's nothing like a delicious lasagna to make you feel comforted!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeH6BnHKR-xh2b4CYvvQrsUrLfSqXpOwWUpdRtidsOGX2BdiJVBsI0fmfE8UwVN4mbJKmXdfW9RhOy12h8OE2JYvMBZ_31l5VB2KzpzaVqUQI2Rvuf9caCCyGaOCE4DAPeAtHaiosfdA/s1600-h/IMG+3431a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304551734823614962" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeH6BnHKR-xh2b4CYvvQrsUrLfSqXpOwWUpdRtidsOGX2BdiJVBsI0fmfE8UwVN4mbJKmXdfW9RhOy12h8OE2JYvMBZ_31l5VB2KzpzaVqUQI2Rvuf9caCCyGaOCE4DAPeAtHaiosfdA/s400/IMG+3431a.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMGonrCD7pBxklXuONmk_y6jT4o_COiLo4UUytVBmoMuZLq7wzCMnu54mpwmkDKwqR2QYGfNfMEK4ii-Q9AjOr16f2Gs65318-nz6mk5n9hEeojYbuQKILLY2uHOkXTNhJ9waA1LgZzU/s1600-h/IMG+3400a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304551834725429026" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMGonrCD7pBxklXuONmk_y6jT4o_COiLo4UUytVBmoMuZLq7wzCMnu54mpwmkDKwqR2QYGfNfMEK4ii-Q9AjOr16f2Gs65318-nz6mk5n9hEeojYbuQKILLY2uHOkXTNhJ9waA1LgZzU/s400/IMG+3400a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />Ragù:<br /><ul><li>1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil </li><li>2 medium onions, finely chopped </li><li>1 carrot, finely chopped</li><li>4 stalks celery, finely chopped</li><li>5 cloves garlic, sliced </li><li>1 pound veal, ground </li><li>1 pound pork, ground </li><li>4 ounces pancetta, ground </li><li>1 8-ounce can tomato paste </li><li>1 cup milk</li><li>1/2 cup white wine</li><li>1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper </li></ul><p>Béchamel:</p><ul><li>5 tablespoons unsalted butter</li><li>1/4 cup flour </li><li>3 cups milk </li><li>2 teaspoons salt </li><li>1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg </li></ul><p>Lasagna:</p><ul><li>3/4 to 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, about 7 by 4 inches, or dried lasagne noodles blanched for 6 minutes and refreshed </li><li>1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano </li><li>Oil for brushing<br /></li></ul><p>Cooking Instructions:</p><p>Ragù: </p><p>In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil. </p><p>Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and sweat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are translucent. </p><p>Add veal, pork, and pancetta to the vegetables, and brown over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together. </p><p>Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, thyme, and 1 cup water, and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 11/2 hours (if the ragù becomes too thick, add a little more water or wine). </p><p>Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.</p><p>Béchamel: </p><p>Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth. </p><p>Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. </p><p>Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until it is just about to boil. Add the milk to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until the sauce is very smooth. </p><p>Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat and season with salt and nutmeg. </p><p>Assembly: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with melted butter or oil, and layer in the following order from the bottom: ragù, pasta, béchamel, and grated cheese (saving about 1 cup béchamel for last topping), making 3 to 4 layers of pasta, finishing with ragù, béchamel, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled over the top. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMnkbhkz_17KHT9a82rhi9rifc58tavsx_c5zsGOCEUfzt3aOpj6344H0rUcDKc9gHko6S1QEhHSZkU84vaBI-xWAOdsBUxI9k0NSohhoeSwgkqV32_DnNMtufqrXrQtibBYjCrSWceg/s1600-h/IMG+3388a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304551965975157122" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMnkbhkz_17KHT9a82rhi9rifc58tavsx_c5zsGOCEUfzt3aOpj6344H0rUcDKc9gHko6S1QEhHSZkU84vaBI-xWAOdsBUxI9k0NSohhoeSwgkqV32_DnNMtufqrXrQtibBYjCrSWceg/s400/IMG+3388a.jpg" border="0" /></a>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-68993965315994448492009-02-10T20:19:00.003-06:002009-02-10T20:30:51.960-06:00Sage Rubbed Pork Chops With Warm Apple Slaw<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kAOeG6WVna0XDo6LGepKxiATvBV9j2rOVMhyphenhyphenTJ7uOhNm9VGwCn6sxBbFnutQ0KLrm1qQ-AxCyrwco8e5OoD4i3Ho6in_BEeYiz7Rx7SRfLOhY9a8vwnesVRZzk0dKOFCZ-MC2oqeVAk/s1600-h/IMG+3202a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301359001948723906" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kAOeG6WVna0XDo6LGepKxiATvBV9j2rOVMhyphenhyphenTJ7uOhNm9VGwCn6sxBbFnutQ0KLrm1qQ-AxCyrwco8e5OoD4i3Ho6in_BEeYiz7Rx7SRfLOhY9a8vwnesVRZzk0dKOFCZ-MC2oqeVAk/s400/IMG+3202a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">If there's anything I love more than pork chops, it's pork chops paired with apples or sage. I came across this recipe by Elie Krieger, and adapted it just a bit to work with what I had. I cut the time down on this recipe by very coarsely grating the apples and carrots, but if you have the time, julienned vegetables would be most appropriate in this dish. I also loved the rice vinegar, so feel free to go a little liberal with the amounts.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">6 tsp chopped fresh sage </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 large cloves garlic, minced </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 tsp salt, divided </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Freshly ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 (3/4-inch) bone-in pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 large onion </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 large Granny Smith apple, cut in 1/2, cored </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 head green cabbage, cored </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 large carrots </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 tsp olive oil, divided </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 tbsp rice vinegar </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3/4 cup chicken broth </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Directions:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Combine the sage, garlic, 1 tsp of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Rub this mixture all over the pork chops and let the chops sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion, apple and cabbage and julienne the carrots (very thin sticks).<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick frying pan until hot but not smoking. Add the chops and brown on both sides, 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Carefully wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining tsp oil over moderate heat and add the onion, apples and remaining tsp fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is soft and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots, vinegar and tsp salt and continue cooking until the cabbage and carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and return the pork chops to the pan burying them in the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook just until the pork chops are just slightly blush in the center, 5 to 7 minutes longer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">To serve, arrange the warm slaw on individual plates and top with a pork chop and pan juices. </span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-25154150004883880902009-02-08T19:37:00.009-06:002009-03-12T15:13:03.692-05:00Fresh Pepperdalle with Broccoli and Cheese Sauce<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknp0Cbwf6LdohavzPAW34_8czuw5liVL8MKc_M5cU-_scReDKO2B4UfV-GCwr5k-MRgZyo2T6Kl2RuJfQdtELno5ZFhE6_SV7l5zAJeZaZ5ajRrCKSWeQW5JQAct5JSV6AFRziWVNfF0/s1600-h/IMG+3271a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300607163816777538" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknp0Cbwf6LdohavzPAW34_8czuw5liVL8MKc_M5cU-_scReDKO2B4UfV-GCwr5k-MRgZyo2T6Kl2RuJfQdtELno5ZFhE6_SV7l5zAJeZaZ5ajRrCKSWeQW5JQAct5JSV6AFRziWVNfF0/s400/IMG+3271a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My husband, Weston, is the dough maker in our household - bread, pie crust, cookies. In a recent episode of Jamie At Home, Jamie made this delicious dish with fresh pasta and sprouting broccoli. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As we'd just received a pasta roller for Christmas, he decided to try his hand at making some Pepperdalle. He originally intended to make tagliette, but later realized the pasta was too thick, and thus it was dubbed Pepperdalle. :)<br /><br />Either way, it was fresh and delicious and every bit as nice as the fresh pasta we'd had in Tuscany in March of last year. I don't think we'll ever buy boxed pasta again!<br /><br />Now, how do we get rid of the 5 lb. of spaghetti we bought from Costco a few months ago?<br /><br />Ingredients<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">For the pasta</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 large free-range or organic</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> eggs </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 cups pasta flour, plus extra for dusting </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sea salt </span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">For the cheese </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">sauce:</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 cup whole milk ricotta</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">5 ounces sliced fontina or other nice melting cheese (I used Jarlsberg) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">5 ounces freshly grated Parmesan </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 pound broccoli</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 large free-range or organic egg yolks </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 small bunch fresh marjoram, oregano or thyme tips, leaves picked (I used thyme)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Extra-virgin olive oil </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;">Directions:<br /><br />Crack the eggs into a food processor and add the flour. Pulse frequently and listen for the sound changing to a rumble - this means the dough is coming together nicely. When the dough is the consistency of bread crumbs, turn the power off and test the consistency by pinching the dough. If it's a bit sticky add a little more flour and pulse again.<br /><br />Tip the dough mixture onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball using your hands. Give it a little knead until smooth, then divide your dough into 4 equal parts. Start on the thickest setting of your pasta machine and run the first bit of dough through 4 or 5 times, moving the rollers closer together each time until the pasta is silky, smooth and about as thick as a CD.<br /><br />Flour your finished sheet generously, then fold it up and cut across into 1/2-inch strips. Gather all the slices together and toss them through your fingers, with a little flour, to open them up and make your pile of tagliatelle. Place to 1 side and repeat with the rest of the dough.<br /><br />Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. In a bowl large enough to rest on top of the pan, put your creme fraiche or sour cream, fontina or other melting cheese and your Parmesan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the bowl over the pan for the cheeses to slowly melt. It won't take long.<br /><br />Meanwhile, trim any dry ends off the broccoli, then finely slice the stalks diagonally and leave the florets whole (cutting any larger ones in half).<br /><br />At this point the cheese sauce should be lovely and oozy, so remove the bowl from above the pan and drop the pasta and broccoli into the boiling water. Boil hard for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked through.<br /><br />Whip up the 2 egg yolks and the marjoram, or other chosen herb leaves, into the sauce. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving a little of the cooking water, and quickly toss them with the sauce - the heat from the pasta will be enough to cook the eggs through. If the sauce is a little thick, add a few splashes of cooking water to make it silky and loose. Taste and season, if necessary.<br /><br />Serve as quickly as you can, with some extra Parmesan sprinkled over the top and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-56929270907083208452009-02-07T21:23:00.006-06:002009-02-08T20:56:20.665-06:00Melt In Your Mouth Beef Stew<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-GoiV3Jxfju2NEvXfTLtJ0IpwmDKJz56LVr9VUpsTVvbHrfhXcuqvy0_S_At8E7mWLVd93GdbILxwRR4Q5skLKrqwAE6gtNBnQmXUBZUxKyfLlrBDfcQn6PyLc5Lf7C6IQqoO1cfb_Y/s1600-h/IMG+3245a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300262140009528146" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-GoiV3Jxfju2NEvXfTLtJ0IpwmDKJz56LVr9VUpsTVvbHrfhXcuqvy0_S_At8E7mWLVd93GdbILxwRR4Q5skLKrqwAE6gtNBnQmXUBZUxKyfLlrBDfcQn6PyLc5Lf7C6IQqoO1cfb_Y/s400/IMG+3245a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's still February, and just barely cool enough to pretend like it's still the winter here in Dallas. I wanted beef stew, and because I've been slowly working my way through Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Cook With Jamie. I found his Melt In Your Mouth Shin Stew and decided to work with what I had. Allow yourself plenty of time, as this stew benefits from loads of time in the oven. I served this with my </span><a href="http://laurenskitchenendeavours.blogspot.com/2009/02/root-vegetable-mash-with-orange-zest.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Root Vegetable Mash with Orange Zest</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and some butter wilted spinach, and my husband claims this is now in his top 5 of dinners we've ever eaten, a huge compliment given how well we've eaten in the past.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 sweet yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">8 cloves of garlic, unpeeled </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">a few sprigs of fresh thyme</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 bay leaves </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">A small handful of crimini and baby bella mushrooms</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cinnamon stick</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1.5 lb. chuck, cut into 1.5" chunks</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">sea salt and freshly ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 tablespoon flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 cans good-quality diced plum tomatoes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1.5 cups of a good quality dry red wine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup beef stock</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Preheat your oven to 350ºF. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">In</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> a heavy-bottomed ovenproof saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil and gently fry the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs, mushrooms and cinnamon for 5 minutes until softened slightly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Meanwhile, toss the pieces of beef in a little seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add the meat to the pan and stir everything together, then add the tomatoes, wine and a pinch of salt and pepper. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Gently bring to the boil, cover with a double-thickness piece of tinfoil and a lid and place in your preheated oven for 3 hours or until the beef is meltingly tender and can be broken up with a spoon. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Taste and check the seasoning, remove the cinnamon stick and rosemary sprigs and serve.</span></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-67894934016409991702009-02-07T21:05:00.003-06:002009-02-07T21:21:44.352-06:00Root Vegetable Mash with Orange Zest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxuWe5ssazIkz6kDocr0pdpK0FrEeIrDElhzD6frkDCb0LIseSJdaiuvwSV6TBgq3KvupCTh13or6_thxGJdEpv2ePJtMrCyzQqQw3f_CGQbuXph6_vB1RfXujpzDtwZ4AKIDDuOe0AQ/s1600-h/IMG+3237a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300260906978676354" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxuWe5ssazIkz6kDocr0pdpK0FrEeIrDElhzD6frkDCb0LIseSJdaiuvwSV6TBgq3KvupCTh13or6_thxGJdEpv2ePJtMrCyzQqQw3f_CGQbuXph6_vB1RfXujpzDtwZ4AKIDDuOe0AQ/s400/IMG+3237a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes, and had a single huge one leftover from the </span><a href="http://laurenskitchenendeavours.blogspot.com/2009/02/black-bean-sausage-and-sweet-potato.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Black Bean, Sausage, and Sweet Potato Soup</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> of last week. I knew I was going to be making a beef stew with a note of cinnamon tonight, and thought the flavour of sweet potatoes would better match the lovely rich flavour of the stew than regular old Russets.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 large sweet potato, or 2 medium into potatoes, chopped into 1.5" cubes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 or 5 medium carrots, 1" chop</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 tbsp butter</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/3 cup heavy cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pinch cinnamon</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1 tsp orange zest</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">In a large pot, bring enough salted water to cover the potatoes and carrots to a boil.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and carrots, boiling until fork tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Drain the potatoes and carrots when they are done. Add butter and cream, a little at a time, and mash the vegetables to a slightly creamy, yet still slightly chunky consistency. Add the pinch of cinnamon and the orange zest. Salt and pepper to taste.</span></p><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-21900246830004259612009-02-06T09:40:00.005-06:002009-02-06T10:02:27.185-06:00Black Bean, Sausage, and Sweet Potato Soup<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWIjz9v2lhI-EqHqBFyZz3XFuzsCkg3DVqe3KsSU6td9nRw52NgVj8ylNfh-y32BfUtTsAA9Lt0yfYZHdU8Q_sQuyLNdNdALyIbAP6CcS2bK4PArUHVeEbVgkxUj03n2DFnBcwQGEeJU/s1600-h/IMG+3191a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299714843848467266" style="WIDTH: 414px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWIjz9v2lhI-EqHqBFyZz3XFuzsCkg3DVqe3KsSU6td9nRw52NgVj8ylNfh-y32BfUtTsAA9Lt0yfYZHdU8Q_sQuyLNdNdALyIbAP6CcS2bK4PArUHVeEbVgkxUj03n2DFnBcwQGEeJU/s400/IMG+3191a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>I've been in the mood for sweet potatoes lately, and have found some interesting soup combinations out there online. I found one recipe for black beans and sweet potatoes, and another for sweet potatoes and sausage. I thought combining the two would make for some interesting flavours. I garnished the soup with cilantro and sour cream, and the addition added a fresh flavour to the slightly spicy and sweet base.<br /></p><p>Ingredients:</p><ul><br /><li>1/4 pound Italian sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces </li><li>1 can black beans</li><li>3 cloves garlic, minced </li><li>1/2 a medium onion, diced</li><li>1 bay leaf</li><li>1/8 tsp cinnamon</li><li>1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</li><li>6 cups chicken broth </li><li>1 tablespoon tomato paste </li><li>1 tablespoon water </li><li>1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce </li><li>1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped to 3/4" dice</li><li>salt to taste </li><li>ground black pepper to taste </li><li>handful of cilantro, chopped</li><li>sour cream for garnish</li></ul><br /><br /><p>Directions:</p>Brown Italian sausage in skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Set aside.<br /><p>In a large saucepan or dutch oven, over medium high heat, add oil and add onions, cooking until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, cayenne, and broth, heating through.</p><p>In a small bowl, stir together tomato paste and 1 tbsp water; stir into pot with the Worcestershire sauce. Add the black beans and sweet potatoes and simmer soup, covered, for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. </p><p>When potatoes have cooked through, add 2 cups of the soup, potatoes, beans, onions and all, to a blender and puree. If you have a stick blender, just puree 1/4 of the soup. Add the sausage back into the soup, and simmer for another 5 minutes. </p><p>Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.</p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-70192016719508661162009-02-01T11:37:00.006-06:002009-03-12T15:13:25.232-05:00Creamy Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms over Mini Penne<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD9Zen9LOFYiq6yhKeoPVuA28YDC2GDjyY2zNtYoedHYN7emIjNiBpduaxTCya9DL-2nF5sPumfLvnVYRJD4jU_4Sxby_VBZ-OsQYFbD5msfdvoCem3Y-mNoxT4maQvhKn7Rgo-XVzVk/s1600-h/IMG+3141a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297886576210342258" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD9Zen9LOFYiq6yhKeoPVuA28YDC2GDjyY2zNtYoedHYN7emIjNiBpduaxTCya9DL-2nF5sPumfLvnVYRJD4jU_4Sxby_VBZ-OsQYFbD5msfdvoCem3Y-mNoxT4maQvhKn7Rgo-XVzVk/s400/IMG+3141a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I was given Dave's Dinners as a Christmas gift last year, and I love so many of the recipes it contains. This one is incredibly easy, just brown the chicken thighs, toss all of the ingredients together and wait a couple of hours until the meat is falling off of the bone.<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients:</strong><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 Tbsp vegetable oil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 lbs. chicken thighs, skin and fat removed </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Salt and fresh-ground pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 medium onion, chopped </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 celery stalks, sliced </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 c. flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 c. white wine </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 c. chicken stock </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 c. heavy cream </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 large bay leaves </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">12 oz. mushrooms (I used Criminis and Baby Bellas)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 lb. cooked penne</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Handful of chopped parsley for garnish</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add chicken and brown on both sides, remove, and set aside. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Add onion and celery, and saute for five to seven minutes until softened. </span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Stir in flour until evenly distributed, then add wine, chicken stock, cream, bay leaves, chicken, and mushrooms.<br /><br />Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for two hours.<br /><br />Serve over cooked penne or other pasta. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Garninsh with chopped parsley.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-67899791460960420582009-01-28T12:27:00.005-06:002009-01-28T12:40:23.548-06:00Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta<span style="font-family:verdana;">I haven't cooked any shrimp dishes in a while, and I'd been craving feta for ages. I'm trying my hardest to cook a bit healther, but you'd never know it by my recent posts! So, I found this recipe made by Elie Krieger in her cookbook <strong>The Food Your Crave</strong>, tweaked it up a bit with some of the herbs I had on hand, and we absolutely devoured this dish. </span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtyM22lGygKQ2SsVT2YAIhi4h32rlG8L7-gsEEuXfqNIe0dR-eUEhRajeXoJHh4bLBUJIyuzWwGRwHd8raGcMMJtpPtaNmY-aOrcTQSF65jcdbMcku2jybufIRpkxhICaFNCgDpueSbY/s1600-h/IMG+3126a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296415352176009618" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtyM22lGygKQ2SsVT2YAIhi4h32rlG8L7-gsEEuXfqNIe0dR-eUEhRajeXoJHh4bLBUJIyuzWwGRwHd8raGcMMJtpPtaNmY-aOrcTQSF65jcdbMcku2jybufIRpkxhICaFNCgDpueSbY/s400/IMG+3126a.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 tbsp olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons) </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with their juices </span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2 small fresh tomatoes, on the vine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1 cup chicken stock.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">A good handful of fresh chopped cilantro</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">A tbsp of fresh finely chopped thyme</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 tsp salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2/3 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces) </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;"><p><br /><strong>Directions:</strong><br /><br />Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. </p><p>Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet over a medium-high heat.</p><p>Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. </p><p>Add the tomatoes and stock bring to a boil. </p><p>Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken. </p><p>Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, thyme, cilantro, and shrimp and season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Sprinkle the feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and cheese melts, about 12 minutes. </p><p>Serve over orzo or rice.<br /><br /></span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1aES3-jZkwexo_j9V8Z63dpxUQpoUBGXKC7TLQ7ln8WBAWZjg9cSqSt-8iUKG4i_FHHyuW7cgwM4PHveGbcibxzQ4MquAvYGXyggh0U1gRBvpJlmUZAh2-GITljsGm4wQ9TEiv2h0HQ/s1600-h/IMG+3131a.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296413225197287074" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1aES3-jZkwexo_j9V8Z63dpxUQpoUBGXKC7TLQ7ln8WBAWZjg9cSqSt-8iUKG4i_FHHyuW7cgwM4PHveGbcibxzQ4MquAvYGXyggh0U1gRBvpJlmUZAh2-GITljsGm4wQ9TEiv2h0HQ/s400/IMG+3131a.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></span><br /></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-77375014622422517692009-01-28T09:34:00.005-06:002009-02-02T15:23:09.388-06:00Orange Chicken<span style="font-family:verdana;">I love Chinese food to a fault, and this is one of my favorite simple dishes to make. Nice and spicy with a sweet tangy sauce, it makes even my picky brother-in-law happy to eat something outside of his comfort zone. </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsFE-nC738JDZeW1MySGOFrFAY9MHpbZ2D7luIyI-Yyyojq9XifU1xXF2U0EzbccjyFbzG3NWY8GkW_HiA25EJL5MeEeZpMV8oPBvpkpYqNyc6Bjr_fL-Xm6EcrkThckS1jIqQM0TkUs/s1600-h/IMG+3045a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296368630492587458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsFE-nC738JDZeW1MySGOFrFAY9MHpbZ2D7luIyI-Yyyojq9XifU1xXF2U0EzbccjyFbzG3NWY8GkW_HiA25EJL5MeEeZpMV8oPBvpkpYqNyc6Bjr_fL-Xm6EcrkThckS1jIqQM0TkUs/s400/IMG+3045a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 pound chicken breast (cut into bite-size cubes)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">5 dried red chilies (cut into 1.5 inch length, seeded and soaked in warm water)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 teaspoon minced orange zest</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 cloves garlic (minced)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 inch ginger (minced)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 teaspoons oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oil for deep frying</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Orange Sauce:</span></strong> </p><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 tsp chicken broth</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 tbsp soy sauce</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 tsp Chinese rice wine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 tsp sesame oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 tsp rice vinegar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">5 tsp sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 tsp red pepper flakes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 tsp corn starch</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">Salt to taste</span><br /></li></ul><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Frying Batter:</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 cup water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 oz. all-purpose flour</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 oz. corn starch</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 tsp baking soda</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 egg</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 teaspoon cooking oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 small pinch of salt</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Directions:</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Mix the orange sauce ingredients and set aside.Mix the frying batter and dip the chicken meat into the batter. Heat up a pot/wok of cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying, drop the chicken pieces into the oil and deep fry them until they turn golden brown or crispy. Transfer them out onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrXfn4mfjSZyhePJKkhB1XuqB8F6Bhk2VYNxQOijhnp9xqmDOfDxFlGRLZLddJ0GBV0L_RJ9dmlWLpmB266-2KxbWuTaIA2PUefS9Q7UpVUhlUpkfaXb1iuISPZ5l33TUsvGyp6p5JHY/s1600-h/IMG+3023a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296369771245064162" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrXfn4mfjSZyhePJKkhB1XuqB8F6Bhk2VYNxQOijhnp9xqmDOfDxFlGRLZLddJ0GBV0L_RJ9dmlWLpmB266-2KxbWuTaIA2PUefS9Q7UpVUhlUpkfaXb1iuISPZ5l33TUsvGyp6p5JHY/s400/IMG+3023a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In a wok, add 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and quickly stir-fry the minced garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add in the dried red chilies and toss around until you smell the spicy aroma. Follow by the minced orange zest and then chicken. Quickly stir the chicken around before adding the orange sauce mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce thicken. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed white rice and steamed broccolli.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-90172251935404049462009-01-23T09:47:00.010-06:002009-03-12T19:32:11.100-05:00Guinness Steak and Cheese Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO405bDViWKJjP69EojWEMhTbos3U3MasGFbYSsszjxQ4qVwb6rbtL705nsMGXdaaB6TwHwj5e2Eg0miPib2zhIWzg7tAa_OAtdIHMDAYNuxJDeUjQBEmnbiIRT3c3CrECTgtqhVCrIo/s1600-h/IMG+2999a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294520605716893858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO405bDViWKJjP69EojWEMhTbos3U3MasGFbYSsszjxQ4qVwb6rbtL705nsMGXdaaB6TwHwj5e2Eg0miPib2zhIWzg7tAa_OAtdIHMDAYNuxJDeUjQBEmnbiIRT3c3CrECTgtqhVCrIo/s400/IMG+2999a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I've recently received Jamie Oliver's cookbook that goes along with his show, Jamie At Home. It's a wonderful cookbook, and I love how he integrates his vegetable and herb growing methods along with the appropriate recipes. This cookbook has gotten a bit of a workout over the past few weeks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I've made this lovely recipe for Guinness Steak Pie before, and have experimented using different beers. This latest time, I used a local Texas brew, Shiner Bock, but I've used Guiness, Bass, Newcastle, and others, and I have to say - the Shiner Bock has to be my favorite!<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><ul><li>2 - 2.5 lb. Beef brisket, cut into 1 inch pieces</li><li>1 lb. Store bought puff pastry</li><li>3 red onions sliced</li><li>Sprig of rosemary</li><li>3 cloves of garlic, minced</li><li>1 tbsp butter, and more for greasing the pie plate</li><li>2 sticks celery - finely sliced</li><li>2 carrot sticks - peeled and sliced</li><li>8 oz. field mushrooms (portabella, crimini); as many as you like; sliced\</li><li>1 pint Guinness or other dark beer</li><li>1 heaping tbsp flour</li><li>Beef stock</li><li>7 oz. of shredded white cheddar cheese</li><li>1 egg, beaten </li><li>1 8 oz. package frozen peas</li></ul><strong>Preparation</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Sauté onions over low heat on the stove top with a good glug of olive oil, salt and pepper until slightly browned in a deep, heavy dutch oven, about 10 minutes.</p><p>Stir in a sprig of rosemary, and add in the 3 cloves of minced garlic.</p><p>Add 1 tbsp butter, celery, carrots, and mushrooms.</p><p>Add the beef wirh a pinch of pepper and salt.</p><p>Add 1 pint of Guinness, and stir in 1 heaping tbsp of flour.</p><p>Pour in beef stock to top off stew; liquid should barely cover beef</p><p>Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, pulling the stew out halfway through and stirring</p><p>Remove stew filling from the oven and stir in 1 handful of shredded white cheddar cheese</p><p>Roll out puff pastry to about 3mm</p><p>Grease the entire oven safe bowl or pie pan that is about 4 inches deep and 8-10 inches in diameter with butter</p><p>Line the bottom of a the pie pan with the puff pastry. </p><p>I like to blind bake my lower puff pastry to ensure a crisper bottom. This is an optional step, but it yields better results.</p><p>Pour in the stew filling and sprinkle the other handful of shredded cheddar cheese on top of stew filling.<br /></p><p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWxJU2q_ohx3TiwFYG70kwljK9bhHty3ixg6hF3tikeFTHEEQl3s6a2EMqm9KFOJHi46OvPsRHbchesurj1bbkAE9L_Gv7pQmY9x1BMixrmVKIxSyqOsbCocMUNYikKVeQBHGi8e2udE/s1600-h/IMG+2937a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294521521162183666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWxJU2q_ohx3TiwFYG70kwljK9bhHty3ixg6hF3tikeFTHEEQl3s6a2EMqm9KFOJHi46OvPsRHbchesurj1bbkAE9L_Gv7pQmY9x1BMixrmVKIxSyqOsbCocMUNYikKVeQBHGi8e2udE/s400/IMG+2937a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul></ul><ul><br /><br /><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li></ul><p> </p><p>Brush the outer edge of the puff pastry with the beaten egg (this will act as a glue when you put the top on)</p><p>Cover with another piece of puff pastry that has been lightly scored with a knife.</p><p>Press around the edges so the top puff pastry is sealed to the bottom puff pastry.</p><p>Fold in excess puff pastry that is draping over the bowl so it looks a little organic and wrinkled.</p><p>Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.</p><p>Put pie in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden.</p><p>Towards the end of the cook time for the pie, cook a package of frozen peas according to package directions, once pie is finished cooking, pull out of the oven; spoon peas over top of each pie serving. As you can see from my pictures, I added the peas to the stew right before I put the stew in the oven. Either way works!</span></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-64669647186315486792009-01-16T16:00:00.007-06:002009-01-17T17:06:39.790-06:00Savory Tomato and Sweet Onion Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EapJ3VS2A3yMMBLegEVHl5MxBWkGRZ7zmzDgy8O7gBpdUU1vfJs2HHg-tuDuBPjtJFoWxrV1saQd5WmbZd7rN28zYpVApY9pI0K9ymt6rXFaQKDc-KIdyQYCJihOylL-qK4afaIN4I0/s1600-h/IMG_+1616a.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292016319405212162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EapJ3VS2A3yMMBLegEVHl5MxBWkGRZ7zmzDgy8O7gBpdUU1vfJs2HHg-tuDuBPjtJFoWxrV1saQd5WmbZd7rN28zYpVApY9pI0K9ymt6rXFaQKDc-KIdyQYCJihOylL-qK4afaIN4I0/s400/IMG_+1616a.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzqXSvXXz1wgvjLgVSaKDI0WFP0lO8G0P0EVobzY8NeJO4diMTR0pSYW9OpF0EQsUNQu6tDQHkTW-Hka1tNaQx74kYCkFnR1QvvdpjqteVVDrhF6RLqdLBc_BGI5uQ9Ev-xmyKuNAdTE/s1600-h/IMG_+1616a.jpg"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">One of my favourite places on the internet is a large message board full of random topics. Last year, one of the members of that forum's Cooking Crew started an Iron Chef type of competition among the board members. This was my entry for Battle Tomato.<br /><br />I've used this crust before in various savory quiches, and it always turns out so light, and flaky, with just a hint of spice. I thought the flavour would work really well with a layered pie of tomatoes and sweet onions. The tomatoes were incredibly delicious and flavorful on their own, but combined with those sweet onions and the gorgeous soft cheeses, this dish was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.<br /><br /><strong>Savory Crust Ingredients</strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1 pinch each - paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne powder, dried oregano, and thyme.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1/2 teaspoon salt </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small rectangular pieces </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Ice water in a spray bottle</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">In the bowl of a food processor combine flour, paprika, salt, galric powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, and butter and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While the motor is running, spritz water inbetween pulses until dough comes together to form a ball. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a flat disc. Refrigerate overnight or at least one hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Remove from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface to desired shape and thickness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><strong>Pie Filling Ingredients</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1 egg </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">2 pounds peeled ripe tomatoes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Salt and freshly ground black pepper </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1/3 cup plain bread crumbs </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">4 tablespoons mayonnaise </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">3/4 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onions </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1/2 cup grated fontina cheese </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil </span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">2 tablespoons grated Parmesan</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface to fit a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Place the pastry in the pie pan and crimp edges decoratively. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, then line with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights (I didn't have pie-weights, so I used bulk cannellini beans) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Remove foil and pie weights, and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Crack the egg in a small bowl, reserving yolk for the filling, separately. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork, then brush the surface of pie crust with a light coating of egg white and allow to cool. Peel tomatoes. Boil some salted water, and cut a shallow X on the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds, and then into an ice bath.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Slice the tomatoes, discarding the stem and root ends, into 1/4-inch slices and lightly season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the bread crumbs in the bottom of the pie crust. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise with the reserved egg yolk and stir until smooth. Place a layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the piecrust over the breadcrumbs, using about half of the tomatoes, then top with half of the sliced onions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Drizzle with half of the mayonnaise mixture, half of the thyme and basil, half of the fontina and half of the mozzarella cheeses. Top with half of the remaining breadcrumbs then top with the remaining tomato slices, remaining onions, remaining fontina and mozzarella, remaining mayonnaise mixture, and remaining thyme and basil. Top with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with the olive oil. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Cover with the Parmesan cheese, place in the oven and bake until bubbly hot and golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature</span>.</span></span></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-86350609512449894692009-01-13T20:47:00.011-06:002009-03-12T19:00:09.680-05:00Spaghetti Alfredo with Roma Tomatoes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOdbOC5LLo97UpxvTn30R5qQu-vdayecyCec-QTWq0Q7fTCqIDsbcISyTTGI9A-QYkazuNXgKLv2DtTXBO_D7GpGMq8SM7jgJPdVX0u3TD39XDjWXMhlmSvZvkecAJEd2JELffg-LM-4/s1600-h/IMG+2873a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290976086733961250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOdbOC5LLo97UpxvTn30R5qQu-vdayecyCec-QTWq0Q7fTCqIDsbcISyTTGI9A-QYkazuNXgKLv2DtTXBO_D7GpGMq8SM7jgJPdVX0u3TD39XDjWXMhlmSvZvkecAJEd2JELffg-LM-4/s400/IMG+2873a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">My husband was working late tonight, and I needed something quick, simple, and easily portioned to make for dinner. So, after tearing through my crisper looking for veggies, I decided upon some nice looking Roma tomatoes in an Alfredo sauce. I wrote the recipe to serve 4-6.<br /><br /><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/2 cup sweet butter</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 garlic cloves, minced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup heavy cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup half and half</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2-3 fresh roma tomatoes, cored, seeds removed, and diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/4 tsp white pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/2 cup grated fresh parmagiano reggiano</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">3/4 cup mozzarella cheese</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 box of spaghetti, or 12 oz of pasta of your choice</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, cream, pepper, and bring to a simmer, while stirring often. Add the parmagiano and simmer sauce for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and is smooth. When the sauce has thickened, add the mozzarella and stir until smooth and creamy, constantly stirring. Add the chopped tomatoes until warmed through. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta according to package directions. Toss and serve. </span></p><p></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-69819924183620000482009-01-13T15:58:00.006-06:002009-01-14T19:54:20.469-06:00Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlXHcw3CzaQ-SbqoQVM_sTr33EyRMW4GmBFS0n2X6LycUc6Xzo5Tf2KKfG5ox_S5I4qEcsAhHIIJrFXQIHuqe24RDfajXvjNh5Dfa_T07BuUs26k6Kr0dyx4JuyfqeDbgeN_hHU-YD2c/s1600-h/Picture+053a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290916007872188978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlXHcw3CzaQ-SbqoQVM_sTr33EyRMW4GmBFS0n2X6LycUc6Xzo5Tf2KKfG5ox_S5I4qEcsAhHIIJrFXQIHuqe24RDfajXvjNh5Dfa_T07BuUs26k6Kr0dyx4JuyfqeDbgeN_hHU-YD2c/s400/Picture+053a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOACVrQweyH9RJvq38-ijXHwkZnSc3BEB7r0EgC-mp0eid29a_JSPycm-B3nKeP2Ke2CDN_yxPUirG_t-_dkHwzkKbYLJvel6RAgDUcvCCJ-ZV1Z79y-9zsX2SQPN625NuHDgdIhADfY/s1600-h/Picture+053a.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Since it's the New Year, I was looking around for ways to cook a bit more healthful food for my husband and me. I received Elie Kreiger's cookbook for Christmas, and have started cooking some of the dishes I've found in there. This one was a fantastic excuse to use the last of our lemons from our lemon tree. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I love how the broth is thickened with whisked eggs, lemon juice, and hot broth, and <em><strong>not</strong></em> cream. It's a lovely thyme-scented soup, that gives you just enough oomph to feel satisfied, but not so much that you feel like you've inhaled an entire plate of pasta, or chicken. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">4 tsp olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">8 oz. of skinless boneless chicken, cut into bute sized chunks.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Pinch of sea salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 medium onion, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 stalks celery, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 medium carrot, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 bell pepper, diced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 tbsp of fresh thyme</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">6 cups chicken broth</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup orzo</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 large eggs</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">3 tbsp fresh lemon juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Freshly ground black pepper, to taste</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to the pot. Stir occassionally until cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pepper, and thyme. Stir occasionally over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat to low.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Meanwhile, heat the remaining one cup of broth in a sauce pan until it is hot and not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gently whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the lemon and eggs mixture, while continuously whisking. Add the egg micture to the soup, stirring well until it is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.</span></p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-79351264797796349642009-01-12T20:47:00.006-06:002009-03-12T15:13:40.411-05:00Peanut Noodles with Chicken, Cabbage, and Peppers<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">From my friend over at </span><a href="http://jenniferscooking.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Jennifer's Cooking</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">, Jennifer has recently received a new DSLR, and her pictures are just gorgeous! I drew inspiration from her newly posted Sesame Peanut Noodles, and decided to make some Peanut Noodles with Chicken, Cabbage, and Peppers.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBLrYN44QZ6jrW1CD1ygEs5gkA8wFLEtucBKJNMEZZfUWG9GDxWt8RCae0IHz8MuoFhGCnzhgOGFLTqytzB8F7SlxCS45MlgdTEeLDbxhubBAoqSjJ4TTPezQqTzy1MOBMKBFtstg5Y8/s1600-h/Picture+076a.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290814236950276034" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBLrYN44QZ6jrW1CD1ygEs5gkA8wFLEtucBKJNMEZZfUWG9GDxWt8RCae0IHz8MuoFhGCnzhgOGFLTqytzB8F7SlxCS45MlgdTEeLDbxhubBAoqSjJ4TTPezQqTzy1MOBMKBFtstg5Y8/s400/Picture+076a.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong><br /></span></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 tbsp olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">8 oz of chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">8 oz of cooked spaghetti, drained</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 shallot, finely sliced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/4 head of green cabbage, finely sliced</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 bell pepper (I used an orange bell pepper), chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">3-4 tbsp creamy peanut butter</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 tbsp rice wine vinegar</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 tbsp fresh lime juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/4 cup soy sauce</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 tbsp walnut oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Pinch crushed red pepper flakes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Cilantro leaves to garnish<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Season the chicken breast cubes with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oilve oil in a pan and brown the chicken over medium heat until cooked through.</span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the other tbsp of olive oil to the pan, and add the chopped shallot, and pepper to the pan. Saute until the shallot is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage to the pan and heat and turn until wilted. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, walnut oil, soy sauce and red pepper flakes, and whisk together until smooth. Toss the noodles and the sauce with the chicken and the cabbage mixture. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Garnish with cilantro leaves.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-29963279143777861732009-01-12T19:22:00.008-06:002009-02-22T22:08:36.365-06:00Beer Battered Tilapia Tacos with Winter Veg Coleslaw and Cilantro Cream<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ6ivp3yqs_nf1ragxNvBBepxQ6NOuxtapdV__Fks1wXtTuBwR-dZuOB6GwYGBuSxUN1RZ1PN5SXzXLpBibdb4SPGRUBx2QjP2LLMd7vgV8FvTeBlMMve99inzhKLnptRTFHfdkvcpwU/s1600-h/IMG+2543a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290816029359683314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ6ivp3yqs_nf1ragxNvBBepxQ6NOuxtapdV__Fks1wXtTuBwR-dZuOB6GwYGBuSxUN1RZ1PN5SXzXLpBibdb4SPGRUBx2QjP2LLMd7vgV8FvTeBlMMve99inzhKLnptRTFHfdkvcpwU/s400/IMG+2543a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-pcW2rh_hHMAaWziZ1flE0UXei5_MGRpHn-_pPMGi-J7K0eqWkIAj4T8WEnv-noxqFJAUcfUfctzubKAKp0TGCi8By9jUKXwHPHqOQJnnvaQEXvRoqrsv0C7v_uFljWkc82S-7vVSt8/s1600-h/IMG+2543.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I love a nice fish taco, and although I've lived in TX for nearly a decade, I can't forget the lovely fish tacos from the California Coastal areas of La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jolla</span> and the Beach Cities. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">This recipe is incredibly easy to put together, and the Winter Veg Coleslaw can be made in advance and refrigerated for a couple of days. It's best fresh, though!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">For the Winter Veg Coleslaw, adapted from Jamie Oliver's recipe, you'll need:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 carrots, peeled</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 bulb fennel, trimmed</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">3 radishes</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1/2 a head of red and green cabbage each, outer leaves removed</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Handful of fresh dill, mint, parsley, leaves picked and chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 small red onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 shallot</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 lemon</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup yogurt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 tbsp <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">dijon</span> mustard</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Sea salt and pepper</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Shred the fennel, and cabbage in your food processor using the chopping blade. Flip the blade over to the grating blade and shred the carrots and radishes. You can also use a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mandoline</span> or a grater. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a couple of tbsp of the olive oil, chopped herbs, yogurt, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">dijon</span> mustard.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Pour the dressing over the grated vegetables and mix well to coat, and season to taste with salt and pepper and the rest of the lemon juice.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">For the Cilantro Cream, you'll need:<br /></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1/2 cup sour cream</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1/2 cup yogurt</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">For the Beer Battered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tilapia</span>, you'll need:</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Ingredients:</span><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">About 2 qt. canola or vegetable oil for frying</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 cup all purpose flour</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Sea salt</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 cup good beer</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1 lb. of firm fillets of a mild, white fish (bass, cod, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">tilapia</span>) cut into finger sized strips. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size:85%;">For serving, you'll need:</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">12 to 16 corn tortillas</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">limes</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Make the Cilantro Cream Sauce - mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate for up to 5 days.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">For the fish, fill a large dutch oven or heavy pot with oil to about 2.5". Heat the oil to about 350F , checking the temperature regularly with a deep fry thermometer.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Meanwhile, prepare the batter - mix the flour and 1 tsp of salt in with the beer and stir until smooth. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. </span><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Season the fish with salt and pepper. Work in batches of about 3-4 pieces at a time. Using kitchen tongs, dip each piece in the batter, letting excess batter drain off, and carefully submerge the fish in the hot oil. Fry until golden and booked through, around 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet or plate lined with paper towels. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"></p></span><span style="font-size:85%;">To serve: As soon as the fish has finished frying, transfer to a warm plate and let your guests build their own tacos using the fish, coleslaw, and cilantro cream. I also served with Black Beans cooked with cilantro and onions and a lemon, cilantro rice. </span><br /></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085966062442402022.post-44001277193148174062009-01-12T19:04:00.002-06:002009-01-14T19:54:45.284-06:00Welcome to my Blog!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQDEwrB9zza5PLtymDSiChOYumKx7jX3XzELnI8hOtM_l8gm8A1SiRLFecfYq0d9fqw-huJuhaE-svZI2XC3lYktKsfgbicxZxvl2p0GyuKfrIAdjBOCxQTS9IWR87nOlKI2dVvNNG4s/s1600-h/House+Pics+008.jpg"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290578742769687298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQDEwrB9zza5PLtymDSiChOYumKx7jX3XzELnI8hOtM_l8gm8A1SiRLFecfYq0d9fqw-huJuhaE-svZI2XC3lYktKsfgbicxZxvl2p0GyuKfrIAdjBOCxQTS9IWR87nOlKI2dVvNNG4s/s320/House+Pics+008.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I thought I would start my blog out with a view of where I spend every evening, and most weekends. I love to cook for my husband, and our family and friends, and it hasn't always been something I have enjoyed so thoroughly. In the midst of courting my husband, all I knew how to make was pasta and a few basic pasta dishes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290579618696767922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuC0FfPdjIa6wFNe1fnqiUxq_1L21yGqwQ5CY08dHpAE231dhgr1VejIP81_e0SftYrVyXrGHM6GawGPUUHN03GVhZEtaYRGT3IU4ZQDB7KtMTfjs1NulLbAkC3BSSHYTj4kH1FdlGPw/s320/House+Pics+014.jpg" border="0" /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">My wonderful husband, Weston, and I built our house in the DFW Metroplex throughout 2006, and moved in on December 22, 2006. I was so incredibly happy to have a gas cooktop again, that I really took an interest in developing a cooking repertoire, and ended up with tons of pictures in a folder labeled "Food" on my desktop. I've been a jarred pasta sauce woman in the past, but I realized the error of my ways on our recent trip to Italy, and that affected so much of how I cook now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I do hope you'll enjoy my cooking blog, and I look forward to sharing my Kitchen Endeavours with everyone who visits!</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00405789550221047315noreply@blogger.com0