Meeting RACHAEL!!!

So this one isn't food related, but, had to post a blog to let you guys know that I actually got the pleasure of meeting the inspiration behind this blog, RACHAEL RAY!! What you see on tv is what you get in person. She was sweet, bubbly and personable and even more beautiful in person than she is on TV. She definitely exceeded my expectations and was a joy to meet!!. Here are pics from that night! Thanks Rachael for an awesome experience!!



Mole...Pronounced Mo-lay

Hey guys!! So, my apologies for not posting this the other night. I was just too sleepy to do it so sorry that I inadvertently lied to you all and didn't actually post two blogs in one night. But, here is the second one. This one is a great one for a cold night or maybe even a game day party! Here is Rachael's "Mole Chile" with "Baked Fresh Chili Fries" and "Ranch Dipper".

First up is the dipper. Like the buffalo sauce from the last blog, you can make this first and let it sit. The longer it sits, the better it gets! All you have to do is chop your fresh herbs, combine them with the buttermilk, sour cream and hot sauce and you are good to go. Makes a great dipping sauce that you could use for lots of different snacks too!!!

Next up, the chili fries. Now, like most of you, i assumed these were gonna be fries covered with chili, but no. These are actually chili peppers that are sliced and then baked!! First, slice up your jalapenos and poblanos. Make a breading station of the flour, milk mixture, and bread crumb mixture. Coat the peppers in the flour, then milk mixture, then bread crumb mixture!! Place on a baking sheet and then place in the oven until done. Now, I put these on just a baking sheet, and forgot to turn them, so they didn't get crispy enough and were soggy on the bottom. One way to combat this is to actually remember to turn them lol. What I will probably do next time I make these is to put them on a cooling rack and then on my baking sheet just like I would to make bacon in the oven. This way, the heat wraps all around the peppers and they cook evenly on both sides because lets face it, I'm gonna forget to turn them again :) Once they are done, take them out and serve with the ranch dipper!

Lastly is the Mole Chili. This one is really good. Very smoky flavored and it's so good! First up add in your Ancho chilis to a pot and add in your entire quart of beef stock. Rachael Tip: To seed your anchos, if they are really dried out, just cut off the ends and pour out the seeds. If they are still a little pliable, use a pairing knife to cut off the end and then split the pepper open down the side and scrape out the seeds. Heat these up to a boil an then simmer for 10 minutes so the chilis can reconstitute. I've heard Rachael describe these as "spicy raisins", which is how Bobby Flay describes them, and when i opened the bag, they actually smelled like raisins! Then, heat your oil in a skillet. This one calls for vegetable oil. I actually didn't have any but I had some safflower oil. It's a high heat oil like vegetable oil so it works fine. But, when it runs out, I will be switching back to vegetable oil. From taking my nutrition course this semester, it actually has the lowest levels of bad cholesterol than any other oil. EVOO is a great substitute because of the antioxidants in it and they are both nice fats to use to lower LDL's which helps reduce the risk of heart disease. So , there is your health lesson for the day!! Back to the chili. So, heat the oil and then add the bacon. Once it is crisp, add in the ground sirloin and raise the heat up to high and let the meat go for about 7 - 8 minutes. Once it's browned well add in the veggies and let them go for another 5 - 6 minutes. At this point, add your anchos and stock to the food processor and pulse until the anchos are broken down! My food processor overflowed when I did this so if yours is a little small you may wanna add some of the stock and leave some in the pot so it doesn't overflow. Add your tomato paste to the meat mixture and cook for a minute then add in the ancho stock, the tomatoes and spices. One of the ingredients that may seem a little odd in this one is the unsweetened cocoa powder! Sounds crazy but the flavor in this chili is fantastic so don't leave it out! Let it simmer to combine all the flavors for a few minutes and it's ready to serve. The recipe calls for white extra sharp cheddar, raw purple onion and chopped pickled vegetables to go on top. All we used was the cheese so on the toppings go with what you like!!

This one is definitely a great alternative to  a traditional chili with beans. Dawn doesn't really like chili because of the beans but this one, she enjoyed. Hope you guys enjoy it as well. Have a great one and until next time, Happy Cooking!!

Manwich Smanwich!!

Hello everybody!! So here is the first of two blogs I'm posting tonight! This one takes on two classic American dishes, Sloppy Joes and Buffalo Chicken Wings, and combines them into one awesome dish, "Sloppy Buffalo Joes". The side dish takes on a gameday pub favorite, fried potato skins and makes them into "Mashed Potato Skins"! So first up, lets make the sauce!!

Now making the sauce is pretty simple. All you do is combine all the ingredients in a bowl and it's done. It's a good idea to mix it up early on so that is can just sit and the flavors can combine. The longer it sits, the better it gets!!

Next up lets get the potatoes started. So for this one you use a couple pounds of baby yukon gold potatoes. I have a hard time finding these around Birmingham so what i use is the green giant small yellow potatoes. They come in 1 lb bags so just get two bags and you're good! Quarter the potatoes and put them in a pot. Add just enough water to cover them and then heat them to a boil. Rachael Tip: Put the lid on the pot to bring it up to a boil, but when they do, take the lid off. Otherwise, the starches in the potatoes will cause the water to overflow! Arrange your bacon on a baking sheet sitting on a cookie sheet and place in the oven and back 12-15 minutes. Remove it, chop it and set it to the side!

While the potatoes are boiling, you can start to work on the sloppy joes! Heat the oil over medium-high heat and then add in the ground chicken. Break the chicken up and let it cook for 5 - 6 minutes. Rachael Tip: Use a wooden spoon or wooden kitchen paddle to break the meat up. They work great! You could use a potato masher, but, ground chicken is a little more wet than ground beef so it might prove a lil tricky. This is a "Ryan tip", lol, but you could also use this nifty tool from pampered chef if you know anyone that sells it. It's made specifically for breaking up meat. It is a star shaped tool and it works great. When I lived with my aunt in Tuscaloosa after moving there for work in 2008, she had one and it works great!! But anyway, back to the meal at hand. After the chicken has browned for  a few minutes, add in your carrot, celery, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and let it go for 7-8 minutes. Anytime you order wings out, you usually get some celery and carrot sticks to go along with it. That's what the celery and carrots are here for! While the veggies sweat out, toast your hamburger buns. Once the vegetables sweat out, add in your sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes. Pile your buffalo joes onto the buns and top them with the blue cheese crumbles and a couple slices of dill pickle. After making these, you will never make manwich again!

To finish off your potatoes, drain them and put them back into the hot pot. Add in the buttermilk, salt and pepper and mash them to your desired consistency. Fold in your chives, cheddar and bacon and you are ready to serve. These are fantastic and would make a nice side dish to several different casual meals!!

This one is definitely a winner. My friends have a lower heat tolerance than I do and when asked if they were too hot, my friend Dawn replied, "Nope...it's a good hot". Until next time, enjoy and happy cooking!!

Sloppy Buffalo Joes 

2 Tbs. EVOO
2 Lbs. ground chicken or turkey breast
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
2 Stalks celery, chopped
1 Yellow onion, finely chopped
2 - 3 Cloves garlic, grated
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
¼ - ⅓ C. hot sauce
1 C. tomato sauce
1 C. chicken stock
8 Good quality burger rolls, toasted
1 C. blue cheese crumbles
2 Large dill pickles, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large skillet with EVOO over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with a wooden spoon, cook 5 - 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook 7 - 8 minutes more. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile sloppy buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles.

Mashed Potato Skins

6 Slices bacon
2 Lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes, halved
1 C. buttermilk
¼ C. fresh chives, chopped
½ C. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, yellow or white
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

 Preheat the oven to 350°.
 
Arrange the bacon on a sheet pan and bake for 12 - 15 minutes until crisp. Cool and chop.
 
Put potatoes in a medium sauce pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes with buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives, cheddar and fold in bacon.

Take-out, without the going out!

Hello All!!! Time for another awesome recipe from Rachael! On the menu today is a great take-out style meal that's totally easy to make at home. Here's "Teriyaki BBQ Beef or Chicken Noodle Bowls". 

My mom and Aunt Marla came up today so I decided to cook lunch for them. I wanted something I could get a small amount of groceries for as well as would be pretty simple to fix. I found this recipe last week when it was featured on Rachael's talk show during her "What's For Dinner" segment. It looked and sounded really good and I had some of the ingredients already in the pantry and fridge so I didn't have to buy too many ingredients. So first things first, you start the teriyaki BBQ sauce. 

You start out by mixing all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a pot and place it on the stove. Bring it up to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  You'll notice that one of the ingredients here is a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger. Rachael Tip: Store your ginger in the freezer. If you store your ginger in the pantry or in a basket on the counter, it will shrivel up and go bad on you. But, if you peel it and the put it in the freezer you get a long shelf life and it won't shrivel on you! So anyway, you let the sauce simmer 20 minutes to combine flavors and then remove the ginger. 

Meanwhile, put your water on to boil in a large pot for your broccoli or broccolini and pasta. I used the broccolini here rather than broccoli. The broccolini is a little bit more tender in my opinion and in this I think it works well. Once the water comes up to a boil, salt it liberally and then drop your chopped broccoli or broccolini. Let it cook for about 5 minutes then remove it and drop the past and cook to al dente.

While the water is coming up to boil, place the blank steak or chicken in the freezer to firm up. Rachael Tip: If you put the meat in the freezer for about 15 minutes, it will firm up and make it easier to thinly slice. You can use either beef or chicken for this recipe. I chose to use beef. When i went to Publix, they actally had some beef that had been cut up into strips for stir frying or fajitas. I did still put it in the freezer and then slice the strips in half to make them a little bit thinner, as thinly sliced strips work better in this dish. While you are slicing he meat, heat a tablespoon of either vegetable or peanut oil over high heat until it smokes. I had safflower oil on hand from a previous recipe. It has a high cooking temp like that of peanut or vegetable oil so if you have that or any high temp frying oil, you should be fine. Once the oil begins to smoke add the meat and brown. Once it is browned, add in the edamame, broccolini and sauce and combine it together. Saute a minute or so to heat the edamame through. The recipe calls for some scallions finely chopped as a garnish. I don't particularly care for the flavor of raw scallions so instead I added them into the dish when I added the edamame and broccolini. If you like the  raw scallion flavor, by all means use it as a garnish. That's what I really enjoy about these recipes. They are versatile and leave you room to bend and tweak them to fit you and your needs. 

Once the meat is combined with the veggies and sauce, add in the pasta and toss to combine it all and then serve in shallow bowls. This one is a real winner. The flavors are fantastic. If you are a fan of take out give this a try. It's always healthier to make your own food and control what's in it rather than go out :) Look for another blog towards the end of this week. Until then, Happy Cooking Everybody!!!




Teriyaki BBQ Beef of Chicken Broccoli Noodle Bowls

For Teriyaki BBQ Sauce:
½ C. beef or chicken stock
1 C. organic ketchup
½ C. teriyaki or low-sodium teriyaki sauce
⅓ C. agave nectar or honey
3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
½ Palmful coarse black pepper
1 Inch ginger root, peeled
 
For beef or chicken vegetables and spaghetti:
1 C. frozen, shelled edamame
¾ Lb. flank steak or boneless skinless chicken breast
1 Bundle broccolini or 1 small head of broccoli
1 Lb. whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti
2 Tbs. vegetable or peanut oil
4 Scallions, very thinly sliced on an angle

Preparation 

Place ingredients for BBQ sauce in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes to thicken and concentrate flavor a little. Remove ginger root.
 

Place a large pot of water on to boil.
 

Pour a cup of edamame from freezer to defrost. Add meat to freezer to firm up, about 15 minutes.
 

Trim broccolini or broccoli and cut into 2-inch pieces. Add salt to boiling water and cook to tender crisp, 5 minutes. Remove with spider or slotted spoon and drain well. Add pasta and cook to al denté.
 

Remove meat from freezer and very thinly slice on an angle, against the grain if you’re using beef.
 

Heat oil, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking. Add meat and stir-fry to brow. Add edamame, broccolini or broccoli and pour in sauce. Drain pasta and toss into the skillet to combine.
 

Serve in bowls topped with scallions.

Not Your Mom's Lasagna!

Hey guys!! As promises, second blog in one night! This one is a twist on lasagna that takes it out of the oven and puts it on the stove top. This is Rachaels "Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls"!! 

First up, put on a pot of water to boil for the pasta. The pasta for this meal is a short cut pasta called campanelle. It looks like little flower shaped pasta and works well for this dish because the edges are curled like a lasagna noodle. I've had difficulty finding it and the only place I did find it was at Target. So, if you want to use it you may have to find a target and get it there. If you don't care so much about the pasta, you can use any short cut pasta. Once the water comes up to a boil, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta cooks you can start your sauces. 

This dish has two. One is a bechamel or milk sauce and the other is a meat sauce. The bechamel sauce takes less time so we'll start off with the meat sauce. First up, chop your pancetta. If you've never used pancetta give it a try. It's a rolled, cured meat like American bacon but it isn't smoked. If your local supermarket doesn't carry pancetta, feel free to use bacon. Add a couple tablespoons of EVOO to the pan and drop the pancetta. Let it render out for a few minutes and then add in the meat. let it begin to caramelize and then break it up. Rachael Tip: You can use a wooden paddle to break up the meat or if you have a potato masher, they work great for breaking up the meat! Once the meat is caramelized, add in your onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, all spice, salt and pepper. Let the veggies sweat out a little bit and then add in your tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste out for a minute or until it becomes aromatic. At this point add in the red wine. I use Yellow Tail Pino Noir. It's usually $5.99 at Publix and works great. But by all means, use whatever dry red wine you have at home! Let the wine cook out a minute and then add in your beef stock. At this point, reduce the heat and let it simmer to combine your flavors. 

In seperate pot, you can make your bechamel sauce. First up rub the inside of the pot with cut garlic. This will add just a hint of garlic flavor to the sauce. Add in the butter to melt. Once it is melted whisk in your flower. Rachael Tip: Don't over whisk the flour and butter. The more you whisk it the more thickening power it loses. Let the flour and butter cook out for a minute and then whisk in the milk.  Season with salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg and then reduce the heat to let it thicken up for you. 

Once the sauce is thickened, you are ready to make your bowls!! Toss the pasta with the bechamel sauce. Put a few ladles of pasta and bechamel into a bowl and make a well in the center of the bowl. Ladle in your meat sauce, top with parsley you are ready to serve. To me, this one didn't take like the lasagna I grew up with. But, more than likely, the lasagna I grew up with is an Americanized version of it so maybe this is what a more traditional Italian lasagna tastes like :) Give this one a try! It's now one of my roommates new favorites. Hope you guys like it and until next time, Happy Cooking!!!

"Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls"

 1 Lb. campanelle pasta
2 Tbs. EVOO
¼ Lb. pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped
¾ Lb. ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef
½ Large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 Small to medium onion, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled
½ Tsp. allspice, a couple of pinches
1 Bay leaf
3 Tbs. tomato paste
½ C. dry red wine
2 C. beef stock
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
2 C. milk
Nutmeg, to taste
½ C. grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al denté.
 

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat EVOO in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 - 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 - 5 minutes,add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 - 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrot bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.
 

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 - 10 minutes.
 

Toss pasta with white sauce and ½ cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

A Southern Favorite...Italian Style!

Hello All!!! So it's been 6 months since my last post and for that I give a huuuuuuuuuge I'M SORRY!!!!! Things got a little tight for a while and I didn't get to cook a lot but finally back in the swing of things and have two new ones for you tonight. First one is an Italian twist on a southern classic, chicken and dumplings!!!

This recipe has a different take on the dumplings part of the meal. The dumplings her are gnocchi, or potato dumplings. If you've never tried them, give them a shot, they're great. First things first, put a pot of water on to boil for your gnocchi. While the water is coming up to a boil, you can start the chicken and gravy part of the meal. In a large skillet, add a couple tablespoons of EVOO and brown your boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or both, cut into bite-size chunks. I used all breast meat for this, but the dark meat will give it a little bit richer flavor since it's a fattier cut of meat, so if you want that extra richness by all means go for the thighs. If you want a hint of that you could mix the two. Once you have the chicken browned remove it to a plate and cover with foil. You don't have to cook the chicken all the way through. Once the gravy gets going good you are going to add the chicken back into it to continue cooking through. After you get the chicken browned, add a drizzle more oil and the butter and add in your mushrooms, carrots, celery and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Once the vegetables are softened you add in your flour, stir and let it cook out for a couple minutes. At this point you add in your chicken stock and stir to combine. Slide your chicken back in and simmer to let the gravy thicken and the chicken to continue cooking. 

One  of the coolest parts of this dish is that you make a pesto to mix into the gravy. While the gravy is simmering away you combine your parsley, garlic, basil, pine nuts, Parmigiana-Regianno, salt and pepper. Two Rachael Tips: 1) Toast your pine nuts before you make the pesto. Toasting them will develop their flavor. It only takes a couple minutes on low to medium heat. When you can smell them they are ready to go! 2) Grate in your garlic or finely chop it and mash it with salt to form a paste. Sometimes the food processor can miss a piece or two and  leave big chunks of garlic. Since the pesto isn't really being cooked, just folded into the gravy, this could cause you to bite down on a chunk of raw garlic which you won't enjoy! So any way once you get the pesto ingredients into the food processor, hit it with the chicken stock and turn on. Stream in the EVOO till it comes together to form a nice consistency pesto!

While the gravy is continuing to thicken, the water should be boiling for your gnocchi. Salt the water and drop in the package of gnocchi. They are only going to take a couple minutes to cook. As soon as they float to the top, they are done. Once they are done drain them off. In a skillet melt the butter. Grate in your lemon zest and mix together. Roll the gnocchi in the lemon butter and season with salt and pepper and cook a couple minutes to brown a little on the edges. 

Fold in your pesto into the gravy and you're ready to serve! Put a few ladles of the gravy mixture into a bowl and top with the gnocchi and you're done!! This one is really good. It's a healthier alternative to the traditional chicken and dumplings and it is a really hearty, comfort food kind of meal. Give it a try, you'll love it!! Until the next one, Happy Cooking!!






Italian Chicken and Dumplings 

5 Tbs. EVOO, divided
2 Lbs. chicken tenderloins, diced into bite-sized pieces
4 Tbs. butter, divided
12 large white mushroom caps, sliced
1 C. shredded carrots, store bought
4 Ribs celery from the heart, very thinly sliced
1 - 2 Bay leaves
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 C. chicken stock, divided
1 C. basil leaves
1 Clove garlic
A generous handful parsley leaves
A handful pine nuts, lightly toasted
A couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Lemon, zested
2 (10oz.-12oz.) packages, fresh gnocchi
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place a large pot of water on to boil for gnocchi.
 
Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and lightly brown. Remove to a plate and add another tablespoon of EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter and heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper. Soften 5 minutes, sprinkle in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in 2½ cups stock, slide the chicken back into the pot and simmer to allow sauce to thicken.
 
Place the remaining ½ cup stock in food processor with basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and cheese, salt and pepper. Turn processor on and pour in the remaining few tablespoons EVOO.
 
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat with the zest of 1 lemon.
Salt cooking water and drop gnocchi in the water, cook until the gnocchi floats, drain and add to the lemon butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the gnocchi 2 - 3 minutes in lemon butter until light golden at edges.
 
Turn heat off chicken and stir in pesto sauce. Serve the chicken in shallow bowls and top with lemon butter dumplings.

Asian inspired and fun to open!

Hello all!! So it's been a while since I've blogged but here is the latest! On the menu was 'Ginger-Garlic Fish in Parchment" and "Lemon-Chive Noodles"!! First up, let's go fishing!

So the original recipe for this calls for Sea Bass. Sea bass is an endangered fish due to overfishing so it's very hard to come by these days and according to the girl at the fish counter in Publix, can cost up to $99.00 a pound! You can use any firm white fish for this recipe. I had intended to use Mahi Mahi but they didn't have it that day at Publix. They had haddock so that's what I used. It tasted great but next time I'll use a little bit thicker cut of fish. Anyway, this one is a really easy recipe and you are really just learning a method. You could change out the veggies and make a different sauce and could make this any style you want! First thing to do is cut up the veggies. Rachael Tip: When you clean the shiitakes, don't run them under water. Get a damp towl and wipe them off. Most wild mushrooms now days are cultivated so they'll come pretty clean. Running them under water will make them rubbery and tough. So anyway, wipe down the mushrooms and pull the stems. The stems on shiitakes are too woody to eat. Slice those along with the scallions, ginger and garlic and divide each into four piles. Then combine the Tamari, honey, and vinegar in a bowl. At this point you are ready to make your packets. Rachael Tip: Use a bowl to make the packets. Place the parchment paper over the bowl and then put in a fourth of the vegetables, with the fish on top. The bowl will give you some stability when you are ready to close the pouches. Spoon 1/4 of the sauce mixture over the fish. To seal the pouches, fold the top down and then fold up the sides. Repeat for the other 3 pouches and then place on a baking sheet. Put in your preheated oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Once you are done you just cut open the pouches and you are ready to go. Heads up, don't bite down on the ginger, it's a little strong ;) This one is simple but a lot of fun to make. And again you can change up the ingredients and give it whatever flavor you want!

The side dish for this is really simple but a really interesting flavor combination. To get started, heat a pot of water to boil for your pasta. When it boils, salt the pasta water and drop the fettuccini and cook till about a minute shy of al dente. The pasta will continue to cook when you add it to the lemon/chicken stock tea.  While the pasta is cooking, heat the chicken stock, tamari, and sliced lemon in a pot over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes. Rachael TIp: Don't let the mixture actually come to a strong rolling boil. If you do, the lemon juice will bitter. 7-8 minutes will just have it starting to simmer so when it starts to simmer and boil, turn the heat off.  At this point, add the chives to the mixture and toss it with the pasta for a minute or two so the pasta absorbs some of the lemon stock and finishes cooking. Serve the noodles along side the fish in parchment. I'll admit that I was a little apprehensive about lemon flavored noodles but it is actually a really refreshing combination and one that I found to be quite enjoyable. Definitely give it a try!   

Hope you guys enjoy this one. It's a lot of fun to make and the flavors are great! Probably be a few weeks before i blog again, but as always, I'll be back. Until then, Happy Cooking!!! 








 "Ginger-Garlic Fish in Parchment w/ Lemon-Chive Noodles"

Parchment Paper
4 (6 - 7oz.) portions sea bass
1 Bunch scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces on an angle
½ Lb. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
3 - 4-inch knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
4 Large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbs. tamari sauce
Lemon Chive Noodles:
1 Lb whole-wheat fettuccine or pappardelle noodles
2 C. chicken stock
1 Tbs. EVOO
2 Lemons, zested and sliced
½ C. tamari sauce
1 Bunch chives, chopped into 1-inch lengths
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.
 

Rip off 4 pieces of parchment to form packets each about 12-inches long. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place a piece of parchment in a shallow dish then in the center of the paper stack ¼ of the scallions and shiitakes, layer with slices of ginger and garlic and top with fish. Combine the honey, vinegar and tamari and pour ¼ of the sauce over fish. Fold over the top of the parchment then roll the sides in to form a sealed pouch. Repeat with remaining parchment and ingredients. Arrange the pouches on a baking sheet and roast in hot oven 12 - 14 minutes.
 

Lemon Chive Noodles:
 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil add thepasta and cook until just shy of al denté. Drain.
While pasta water comes to a boil, heat the stock, oil, sliced lemon and tamari sauce and allow to reduce over medium-high heat, about 7 - 8 minutes. Toss cooked pasta with sauce for 1 -2 minutes to absorb flavor, add in reserved zest and chives then serve as first course or side dish. Spice it up with pepper or hot sauce to pass at the table.

Spring is in the air!

Hey guys! So here it is the last of the three blogs in one day! This meal was cooked last Monday night and for this one I actually had to double the recipe due to cooking for 7! On the menu was Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with lemon Dijon Pan Sauce, Blackened Squash, and Spinach with Bacon! Now the only Rachael recipe in this meal are the chicken roll-ups. But the veggies along side go great with them!!

The chicken roll-ups are an interesting dish. It's kind of a light twist on Chicken Cordon Bleu. The first thing to do is to butterfly the chicken breasts making two cutlets out of each breast, and then pound them out. I used a skillet to do this. I would recommend getting a meat mallet, if you are like me and don't have one, and using that. The skillet works but for me I didn't get the cutlets thin enough so the roll-ups wouldn't stay closed. So, I'll be investing in a meat mallet ;)  But I digress. Once you have the cutlets pounded out, you need to blanch the asparagus. Trim the ends off first. Rachael Tip: Take an asparagus spear and hold it at each end. Bend it until it breaks. Line up the other asparagus spears next to the one you broke the end off of and trim the rest of the spears to the same length. This way you have them all the same length and you won't trim them too short! Once they are trimmed you will wanna put a pot of water on to boil. When the water boils, salt the water and drop the asparagus and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Remove it and you are ready to assemble the roll-ups! Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Then lay on a piece of provolone cheese and prosciutto ham. Take 3 asparagus spears and lay them at the end of the cutlet and roll it up. Once you have them rolled place them in the hot skillet seam-side down and season the outside of the cutlets with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and cook for 4 - 5 minutes and then flip and cook for 4 - 5 minutes more! Once you have them all cooked remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. In the skillet you cooked the roll-ups in, add the butter and melt. Once you have it melted, add the flour and combine it and let it cook for a minute. Then add the chicken stock and Dijon mustard and scrape up the drippings from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce thicken and then remove from heat and add in the lemon zest and juice and parsley and pour over the chicken! I actually add a drizzle of honey to the sauce as well. The first time I made the dish the lemon was a little heavy for me so this time i added the honey to help balance it out. If you don't think you'll like the honey, by all means leave it out!

Now these side dishes are incredibly simple but taste really great! The squash is actually something I learned from my Aunt Lori! Take your squash and slice it fairly thin but not too thin. Heat some EVOO over medium-high heat. Once it's hot drop the squash and season with salt and pepper. I put a lid on it to help draw out the liquids sooner. All you have to do is keep turning the squash as it shrinks down and softens up. You will let the squash till all the liquids have evaporated out of the pan and the squash has browned up at the edges. The slight charred flavor you get compliments the squash perfectly!! Couldn't be any easier!

The squash you've seem me do before. Take 4 - 5 pieces of bacon and chop it up. Add it to a skillet with EVOO over medium-high heat and let it crisp up a few minutes. Wilt in your spinach and season with pepper and nutmeg. Last time I made this I mistakenly added salt and it was too salty with the salt of the bacon there as well. This time, it actually did need a little salt so be sure you taste it before serving and adjust your seasonings. 

This one was a simple one and it was fantastic. This was the first time i've actually doubled a recipe but it came out great. A quick tip. When you are buying your squash or spinach, buy twice as much as you think you need because both are gong to wilt down a good bit. Hope you guys enjoy this one. If you get a chance give it a shot, you'll love it! Just a heads up, it might be a couple weeks before i blog again. With all the gas i'm spending driving to work all the time, it's straining my finances so it might be a few weeks before i cook but rest assured, i'll be back! Enjoy and until next time, Happy Cooking!!

"Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Dijon Pan Sauce"

2 (6oz.) Pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 Thin slices provolone cheese
4 Thin slices prosciutto cotto
12 Thin spears asparagus, trimmed of touch stems and blanched in salted water 2 minutes, drained
1 Tbs. EVOO
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 C. chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
½ Lemon, zested and juiced
¼ C. chopped, flat-leaf parsley, a handful
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets

Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag (with slider tab). Add a tablespoon of water to each bag and pound into ⅛-inch thick cutlets

Arrange the 4 cutlets on work surface. Season cutlets with salt and pepper on the side facing up. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice cheese and 1 slice ham. Starting on 1 side of the breast, place a small bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Wrap and roll the chicken around the asparagus. Wash hands.

Heat about 1 tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, using tongs, add the chicken roll-ups to skillet with seam side down. Season the roll ups with salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and cook 4 - 5 minutes, turn roll-ups over and cook another 4 - 5 minutes. Remove cooked roll ups to a serving plate. Add 2 tablespoons flour stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard, scraping up any drippings from the bottom of the pan, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley and spoon over chicken.

"Blackened Squash"

2 Lbs. squash, sliced

2 Tbs. EVOO

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the EVOO in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples and wafts smoke, add the squash and season with salt and pepper. Put a lid on the pot to get the liquids out of the squash. Cook the squash, turning every so often until all the liquids evaporate out of the pan and the squash is browned at the edges. Serve as a side dish.

"Sauteed Spinach with Bacon"

1 - 2 Bags triple washed spinach

4 - 5 Slices thick cut bacon, chopped

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt (if needed) and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Chop the bacon and add into pan to crisp 4 - 5 minutes. Once the bacon is crisped up, start wilting in spinach. Once the spinach is wilted down season with salt (if needed), pepper and nutmeg. 1 teaspoon would be about one turn of the pan freshly grating it. Toss with the spinach and transfer to a serving dish.

Thai that on for size :)

Hello again!! As promised, here is blog 2 of a 3 blog day lol. This one is a new one for me and one that I was a little nervous to try! On the menu was Chicken Satay and Curry Shrimp with Basil-Lime Couscous. First up, the Chicken Satay!

So this was something new for me. I've never made Thai food before but this came out well. First lets talk about the satay sauce. This was actually really simple to make. First, you microwave the apple juice.  This seemed like an odd ingredient to me, but true to form Rachael is right. The apple juice adds just the right amount of sweetness to the sauce. So anyway, microwave it until warm and then combine with the peanut butter, soy and red curry paste. To make the chicken you heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Now, I don't have a grill pan so i just used my skillet with a drizzle of EVOO and it worked fine. Whatever you are using, cook the chicken till it is browned evenly on both sides. Once done, you can serve this as an appetizer with toothpicks. This was really great. I am not really a peanut butter person but the sauce was fantastic and the chicken had a nice flavor to it with the sauce. This ended up getting eaten before i was able to take a picture of it so I apologize :( On to the curry shrimp. 

First things first, heat some vegetable oil over high heat. Add your shrimp and toss it for about 2 minutes. Be sure when you go to the seafood counter at the market to ask for peeled and deveined and make sure that the tails are off. Once the shrimp cooks for a couple minutes, toss it with you shiitakes, garlic, ginger, scallions, salt and pepper and let it go for a few minutes more tossing it the whole time. At this point you will stir in the curry paste, roasted red pepper, and coconut milk. Rachael Tip: Depending on the curry paste you use, the heat level will vary. The thicker and heavier the paste, the more concentrated and hotter the flavor. If it looks looser you can use the whole 2 tablespoons. If it is thicker than you think it should be, use a little less and if it's not hot enough when you test it, add a little more. After you mix in the curry paste, peppers and coconut milk reduce the heat to low. Simmer it a few minutes and add the peas to heat through! While you are cooking the shrimp curry heat the chicken stock, butter and lime zest to a boil. Once it boils add the couscous and stir it in. Turn off the heat and put the lid on it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Once it is done you are ready to serve. To serve this, you can either add the couscous and top with the curried shrimp or you can do the shrimp first and top with couscous. Rachael's tip is too top the shrimp with the couscous so that it doesn't get too soggy sitting under the shrimp. Garnish with chopped peanuts and it's ready to go. Now i made this dish for one of my best friends, Anna! She had never had Thai food before so it was a new experience for her. The recipe actually calls for lettuce to be added into the dish but as i remember from High School, Anna doesn't like lettuce so i omitted that. But by all means, add the lettuce if you want!

This one was another one of those meals that shows how Rachael is great at getting you to try things you hadn't done before. Anna tried a food she had never tried before and i cooked with several ingredients that i had never used before. The meal was great and just another example of how easy it is to make a fantastic meal! Thanks again Rachael! Pics and recipes below. Enjoy!!

"Chicken Satay"

½ C. apple juice, microwaved until warm
¼ - ⅓ C. peanut butter
2 Tbs. soy sauce or tamari, your preference
2 Tsp. red curry paste
8 - 10 chicken tenders (about ¾ - 1 lb total)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the apple juice, peanut butter, soy sauce and the red curry paste.
 

Add the chicken tenders to the heated grill and cook about 3 - 5 minutes per side.
Remove from the grill and top with the sauce.

"Thai Shrimp Curry with Chopped Lettuce and Basil-Lime Couscous"

2 Tbs. vegetable or other light oil, eyeball it
1½ Lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
6 Oz., about ⅓ lb, shitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
3 Cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1-Inch ginger root, peeled and grated or finely chopped
4 Scallions, chopped into 1-inch pieces, whites and greens
2 Tbs. mild or hot red curry paste
2 Roasted red peppers, sliced
1 C. “light” or unsweetened coconut milk
1 C. frozen peas
1½ C. chicken stock
1 Tbs. butter
1 Lime, zested and juiced
1½ C. couscous
1 C. shredded fresh basil leaves
2 C. chopped iceberg lettuce, ½ small head
½ C. chopped peanuts, for garnish

Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat. Add shrimp and toss 2 minutes then add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, scallions, salt and pepper and cook 3 - 4 minutes more tossing constantly. Stir in curry paste, roasted red pepper and coconut milk and reduce heat to low. Simmer a few minutes then stir in peas to heat through.
 
In a sauce pot bring chicken stock, butter and the lime zest to a boil. Add couscous and stir. Turn off heat, cover pot and let stand. Add basil and the lime juice to the pot and fluff with fork.
 
Serve couscous topped with a layer of chopped lettuce then a few ladles of red curry shrimp. Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Now THAT'S a burger!!!

Hello all!! Sorry I've been MIA for the last few weeks. Haven't had a chance to sit down and actually write a blog! But, to make up for it I have 3 blogs to write today!! The first one is one I have made before but it was just as good or better the second time! On the menu was Turkey Bacon Cheese Burgers with Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce with Citrus Slaw Salad and Memphis Sweet Potato Fries!!

First up are the burgers. If you've never tried turkey burgers you should definitely give them a shot. It is a different taste and texture but they are fantastic and a healthier alternative to the traditional beef burger! You start out with a couple pounds of ground turkey breast. To the turkey you add chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, lime zest and juice, scallions, salt and pepper. Mix the meat and spices together well. However, you don't wanna over mix the meat it will get too soggy! Once it's mixed score the meat into 4 sections. This way, you get pretty even amount of meat. Out of each section make two patties. The original recipe is for double cheese burgers. The first time i made this meal we did it that way but since we had extra people this time, I decided to just make 8 patties and let everyone have a single burger with a couple patties left over. Rachael Tip: Make the burgers thinner in the middle. When you cook the burgers they will plump it. Making them thinner in the middle will give you a more even burger when they are done. Anyway, after the burgers are pattied out, heat some EVOO in a skillet. Once it ripples and wafts smoke, add the first 4 patties to the skillet. Cook the burgers for 3 - 4 minutes on each side and then remove to a plate and cover with foil. Cook the rest of the burgers the same way. Once done, turn the skillet to  and  top with a slice of pepper jack cheese and a slice of bacon and cover with foil and let cook for about a minute to let cheese melt. Remove patties and add the other patties and do the same with the cheese.

While the patties cook, you heat a tablespoon of oil  in a sauce pot over medium-high heat.  Add in your onions and let them sweat out for a few minutes and then add the salt & pepper, Worcestershire, brown sugar, tomatoes and mustard and let it cook on low. When you are done melting the cheese over the patties, place the patties on a bun and then top with the tomato sauce. The recipe calls for English muffins to place the burgers on, I just used whole-wheat buns. You can use whatever type of bun you want!!

Now lets do the citrus slaw! This couldn't be easier. In a bowl you just combine the orange marmalade, lemon and lime juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk in the EVOO  and then toss the slaw salad mix with it and just let it hang out. Rachael Tip: This is a great slaw to use for a picnic. There is no mayo in it so you can leave it out and not worry about it needing to be kept cold. This one is great with these burgers as well. The citrus is a nice cool-down to the spicy burgers.

Lastly are the sweet potato fries. I absolutely love these! They are really simple to make. First, slice up your sweet potatoes. In a bowl combine the EVOO, cinnamon and paprika. Coat and toss the sweet potatoes in the EVOO mixture and then spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Bake them in the oven for 30 minutes turning them every 10 minutes. These are actually a recipe from The Neely's. But they're great and a nice compliment to this meal!!

Again, you can see why I love Rachael's recipes. This one is healthy and gives you a nice alternative to traditional burgers and slaw. Pics and recipes below. Give this one a try, you'll love it!! Happy Cooking!!!

'Turkey Bacon Double Cheese Burgers with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce"

EVOO, for drizzling plus 1 Tbs.
8 Slices turkey bacon
2½ Lbs. ground turkey breast
2 Green onions, finely chopped
A handful cilantro, leaves finely chopped
1 Tbs. chipotle chili powder
1½ Tsp. smoked sweet paprika
2 Tsp. zest and the juice of 2 limes
1 Purple onion, chopped
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 (15oz.) Can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, lightly drained
2 rounded Tbs. grainy mustard
8 Slices pepper jack cheese, from the deli counter
4 large sandwich size English Muffins, lightly toasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the turkey bacon. cook until crisp, 3 minutes on each side, remove to plate.

While the bacon cooks, combine the turkey breast, green onions, cilantro, chipotle, paprika, salt and pepper, lime zest and juice. Mix the turkey breast with seasonings and form 4 sections, from each, 2 patties. Place the first 4 patties in the pan; cook 3 - 4 minutes one each side. Remove from the skillet and place onto a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

While the first batch of burgers cook heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and soften 3 - 4 minutes, season with salt and pepper and then add Worcestershire, brown sugar, tomatoes, and mustard. Let sauce cook on low.

Add the second batch of burgers to the skillet and cook 3 - 4 minutes on each side. Top with a slice of cheese and 2 pieces of bacon. Tent skillet with foil and cook on low to moderate heat to melt cheese. About 1 minute

Place burgers on muffin bottoms. Top with bacon double cheese burgers, fire roasted tomato sauce and English muffin top.

"Citrus Slaw"

¼ C. orange marmalade
1 Lemon, juiced
1 Lime, juiced
2 - 3 Tsp. hot sauce
¼ - ⅓ C. EVOO
1 Lb. sack shredded slaw salad mix
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove metal top from jar and loosen the marmalade up in microwave 15 seconds. Spoon loosened marmalade into a bowl then whisk in lemon and lime juice, hot sauce and EVOO. Toss slaw salad with dressing and season with salt and pepper.


"Memphis Sweet Potato Fries"

4 Tbs. EVOO
1 Tsp. paprika
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into ½-inch wide strips
½ Tsp. salt
2 Tbs. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425° F.

In a large bowl, mix together EVOO, paprika and cinnamon. Toss the potato strips into mixture, to coat well, and spread onto baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and brown sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.