Saturday, January 30, 2010

Warm Blue Cheese Dip Recipe


Warm Blue Cheese Dip Recipe
Bacon and garlic give this crowd-pleaser an extra kick.
By Klaus Fritsch
From Morton's The Cookbook


Serves 8 to 10

You Will Need
Ingredients
8 slices hickory-smoked bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
2 tbs. chopped fresh chives
2 tbs. chopped almonds
Crackers, trimmed fresh vegetables, or sliced baguette, for serving

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat about 8 minutes or until nearly crisp. Drain bacon and wipe skillet dry.

3. Return bacon to pan, add garlic, and cook over medium heat until bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes. Make sure garlic doesn’t burn. Drain on paper towels.

4. Using paddle attachment of electric mixer, beat cream cheese in bowl until smooth. Add cream; beat well to mix. Fold in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives.

5. Transfer to 2-cup baking dish; top evenly with almonds. Bake about 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crackers, baguette slices, or vegetables.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Aunt Frances’ Louisiana Gumbo

Aunt Frances’ Louisiana Gumbo
Ingredients
• 1 whole chicken, boiled and deboned (save stock from boiled chicken)

• 2 pounds smoked sausage, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 1 bell pepper chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 stalks of celery, chopped

• 2 handfuls parsley

• 2 handfuls Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning mix

• cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

Over low heat, add oil to a large stock pot and heat for a minute or so. Add flour and stir until clumps are gone. Increase heat to medium-low.

Stir mixture constantly over medium-low heat for one hour, or until the roux is the color of a penny.

In a separate pan, saute celery, onion and parsley until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to roux mixture. Increase heat to medium and pour in chicken stock. Then add chicken, sausage and seasoning.

Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until gumbo has reached desired consistency. Serve with white rice.

Jambalya New Orleans Saints

Jambalaya
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced

• 1 pound smoked pork chops, cubed

• 2 tbs.. oil

• 4 onions, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 green peppers, chopped

• 1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds bay leaves

• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp. each black, white and red pepper

• 3 1/2 cups chicken stop

• 1 pound boned chicken

• salt

• 2 pounds peeled shrimp

Directions

Brown sausage and pork. Add onions, garlic, green peppers, and saute five minutes. Add rest of ingredients except shrimp and salt and cook 25 minutes covered. Add salt and shrimp. Do not overcook shrimp. You can turn heat off and add shrimp and cover and they will cook.

Serve with three cups white rice.

Crawfish Etouffee for New Orleans Saints fans

Crawfish Etouffee
Ingredients
•1 lb crawfish tails with fat (if you can find it, with fat, substitute 1 tbs.. butter for fat)

• 1/4 lb butter

• 1 cups celery (chopped)

• 1/4 cup bell pepper (chopped)

• 1 cup green onions (chopped-tops and bottoms separated)

• 3 tbs. flour

• 1 tbs. dry parsley or 2 tbs. fresh parsley (dry parsley probably easier)

• 1 tbs. paprika

• 1 can Chicken broth

• salt and pepper to taste (as much or little as you like)

• white rice

Directions

Melt butter in large stock pot. Add celery, bell pepper, green onion bottoms and sautee until clear.

Add crawfish fat and flour and simmer, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Add chicken broth, parsley, and paprika and cook over low covered for 15-20 minutes.

Add crawfish and salt and pepper to taste. Then simmer for 12-15 minutes. Then add green onion tops and more parsley (2 tbs.). Serve over hot white rice.

Muffuletta SAndwiches for Super Bowl Party Saints vs Colts

Muffuletta
Ingredients
Garlic Aioli:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon original Tabasco sauce

• 1 garlic clove, crushed



Spicy Olive Filling:
Ingredients
• 1 cup pimento-stuffed olives, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar



Sandwich:
Ingredients
• 1 large loaf French or Italian bread, about 22 inches long

• 8 ounces sliced hard salami

• 8 ounces sliced deli ham

• 8 ounces sliced Provolone cheese


Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.

Combine mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce and garlic in small bowl; stir until well blended.

Combine green olives, black olives, roasted red peppers, Tabasco sauce, olive oil and sugar in medium-size bowl until well mixed.

Cut bread in half, horizontally, with serrated knife, but not all the way through; open flat. Spread both cut sides with garlic aioli mixture. Arrange salami, ham and cheese on bread evenly. Spoon spicy olive filling lengthwise down center of loaf.

Place sandwich on large piece of foil; close tightly to seal. Place on large baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.

Cut into serving-size pieces. Serves 12.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Honey Garlic Americas Cut

Honey-Garlic America’s Cut



I always have a slight sweet tooth,

but this combination of lightly

frequency and taste of honey with

dash of garlic in this marinade

sauce. I found that this is perfect on

the grill and a perfect sizzle in your

frying pan. This sauce could be use

in chicken or pork chops. Try it out

when you want quick easy dinner.



Ingredients:

· 4 America’s Cut boneless center pork loin chops, about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches thick

· ¼ Cup of lemon juice ( I prefer using fresh lemon)

· ¼ Cup honey

· 2 Tablespoons soy sauce

· 1 Tablespoon dry sherry

· 2 Cloves garlic, minced

Directions

Place chops in a heavy plastic bag. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chops, turning bag to coat. Close bag; sealed and take out the air. Refrigerate 4 hours to 24 hours.

For the grilled:

Prepare covered grill with drip pan in center banked by medium-hot colas. Remove chops from marinade; reserve marinade. Grill chops 12-15 minutes, turning once and vesting occasionally with reserved marinade.

For the stove:

Place out a non stick frying pan and cooked in high heat or mid-high heat and place chops in the frying pan and pour some marinade sauce over chops. Cook till its no-longer pink before flipping over and place marinade sauce on again. Keep on cooking till chops are fully cooked. This should take about 12-15 minutes total so about seven minutes on each side.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Italian Wedding Soup

From Tracey Koch and Therese Rosso

Serves 6.
Ingredients
For Therese’s meatballs:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-4 tbls. water

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat with the egg, onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper.

2. Add the bread crumbs and cheese and mix until all is incorporated.

3. Using one tablespoon at a time, add in the water so that the meat mixture is soft but still holds its shape.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

5. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the minimeatballs and place them on the lined baking sheet.

6. Bake the meatballs for 13-15 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. Remove from the oven and set aside. This will make roughly 24 minimeatballs
Ingredients
For the soup:
1 tbl. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 qts. (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen petite green peas
24 minimeatballs (pre-baked)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups fresh chopped spinach
3 cups cooked acini di pepe pasta
Directions-
In a 6 quart pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add in the chicken broth and bring it up to a simmer.

3. Simmer the broth for 5-10 minutes then add in the chopped zucchini and peas.

4. Simmer soup for an additional 3-4 minutes and drop in the prebaked meatballs.

5. Allow meatballs to heat all the way through and adjust seasoning of the soup.

6. Before serving, stir in the fresh chopped spinach. Divide the cooked pasta among six bowls, and place four meatballs in each bowl, as well. Ladle vegetables and broth over pasta and serve.

Kitchen helpers: Set up an assembly line and have kids roll out the meatballs with you.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Garlic Cannellini Beans

Garlic Cannellini Beans

Serves: 2 / Preparation time: 5 minutes / Total time: 10 minutes


Ingredients
1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup fat-free, low salt chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place beans in sauce pan with chicken broth, crushed garlic and rosemary.

Simmer 3 minutes to warm through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Or, place ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir well.

From and tested by Linda Gassenheimer. 168 calories (6% from fat), 1 gram fat (0 grams sat. fat), 31 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams protein, 149 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 grams fiber.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Gratin

Roasted Cauliflower & Leek Gratin

SUNDAY SUPPER Dinner in 90 minutes (1 hour active time)

Serves 4-6 as a main course, 8 as a side dish

Roasting the leeks and cauliflower (which you can do well ahead) brings out deeper flavor and a crisp-around-the edges texture. Serve as a side dish with roasted meat, or as a main course with salad and bread. If you don't feel like making the white sauce, gently warm 1 1/2 cups of cream in a saucepan until bubbles form around the edges, then stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour it over the vegetables.
Ingredients
Roasted vegetables
2 small heads cauliflower, about 3 pounds untrimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
-- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large leek
Gratin
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup (generous) grated Parmesan, gruyere or Manchego cheese
-- Kosher salt and white or black pepper
1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 to 2 ounces ham, cut into baton shapes (optional)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
To make the roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400°.
Directions
Cut the cauliflower into florets that are 1 1/2 inches wide. In a large bowl, toss the florets with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender with just a bit of bite and browned, 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic after 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the coarse dark tops of the leek and cut lengthwise. Wash thoroughly, then cut each half into 2-inch lengths, discarding any more dark green ends and checking for hidden dirt.

Separate the layers and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and some salt, then spread out on another large rimmed baking sheet and roast until crispy in some parts and thoroughly soft throughout, about 15 minutes. (You can roast the vegetables several hours ahead and refrigerate before completing the dish.)

To make the gratin: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes, taking care that it doesn't brown. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then bring to a simmer. Maintain the heat so it's bubbling gently; stir often until the sauce thickens and the flour cooks, about 15 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the Parmesan and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat and season well with salt and pepper, then stir in the mustard.

When the vegetables are done, reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Toss the vegetables with the ham, if using, in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan, such as a Pyrex. Pour the sauce evenly over the vegetables. Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the top.

Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, 20 minutes. If you like, run the gratin briefly under the broiler to brown well. Serve warm.

Per main-course serving: 246 calories, 9 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat (6 g saturated), 21 mg cholesterol, 281 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Garlic Spinach


Chicken Breast Stuffed with Garlic Spinach
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds (2 large halves) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned, thinly sliced

3 large cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1/2 cup raisins

6 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

Pan sauce, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butterfly each chicken breast by carefully slicing it horizontally almost in half but not entirely through. Open up the breast so it is flat. Using a meat mallet, pound it if necessary along the center seam so you have as uniform piece as possible. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms about 5 minutes or until just tender. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in the raisins and cook 1 minute. Add the spinach and sauté about 3 minutes or until it cooks down and starts to wilt. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Evenly divide and place the spinach mixture at one end of each chicken breast leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese on the spinach. Roll up the chicken, encasing the stuffing and tucking in the ends. Tie with kitchen string if desired.

In the same skillet, add more oil if needed, heat over medium heat. Add the chicken rolls and brown on each side. Once browned, transfer to the oven and bake 13-15 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from the oven and transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm.

To make a pan sauce: Set the same skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup Madeira or white wine to the skillet and deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits. Most of the wine will evaporate. Stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until it melts. Strain the sauce.

Cut the chicken rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve with the sauce if desired.

From and tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 362 calories (35% from fat), 14 grams fat (4 grams sat. fat), 19 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams protein, 510 mg sodium, 99 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

chicken breasts with garlic chili ginger sauce

Gently Cooked Chicken Breasts With Garlic-Chili-Ginger Sauce
Adapted from Zak Pelaccio

Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 8 ounces each
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 5-inch-long piece fresh ginger root, peeled
8 fat garlic cloves
4 jalapeño peppers
1 quart chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, more to taste
Cooked rice, for serving
Sesame oil, for drizzling
1 bunch roughly chopped basil, for serving
1 bunch roughly chopped cilantro, for serving
1 bunch thinly sliced scallions, for serving
1 European cucumber, thinly sliced, for serving.
Preparation
1. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise and season with salt and pepper.

2. Slice about an inch of ginger root into thin rounds and place in a large pot. Coarsely chop remaining ginger and place in a blender. Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves and add to pot. Coarsely slice remaining garlic and add to blender. Thinly slice 2 jalapeño peppers and add them to pot. Halve remaining peppers, discard seeds and coarsely chop flesh; place in blender.

3. Add chicken broth to pot and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces to broth and let liquid come back to a simmer. Immediately turn off heat, cover pot and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into a piece of chicken to test for doneness. If it is not done, bring broth back to a bare simmer, then turn off heat, cover and let sit for an additional minute or two.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce and brown sugar until sugar mostly dissolves. Set aside. To the mixture in blender add fish sauce and lime juice along with 1/4 cup broth from pot. Puree, if necessary adding a little more broth to help mixture move in blender. Taste and add a pinch of salt and more lime if needed.

5. When chicken is done, transfer to a cutting board and slice. Remove garlic and pepper from broth and discard, if you like. To serve, heap rice in 4 shallow bowls and top with chicken slices. Spoon several tablespoons broth over chicken and rice, then drizzle with sweet soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle on the herbs, scallions and cucumber. Serve garlic-chili-ginger sauce on the side; have additional sesame oil and sweet soy sauce on table for more drizzling.

Yield: 4 servings.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Castilian Garlic Soup

Castilian Garlic Soup

The three essential ingredients in this soup--garlic, bread, and water--all need to be of good quality. Do not be tempted into thinking that stock is an improvement since it masks the other flavors. Beyond that, though, you can improvise around the local variations in ingredients: lard is used rather than olive oil in Zamora, for example, and pepper seeds and chopped tomatoes are added in León. You can also sauté the garlic first. Usually the bread is broken into small pieces so it swells into sops, but I like this fried-bread version given to me by Vale Riana, who was born in the Burgos countryside but cooked for a Madrid family for thirty years. Garlic soup was often eaten early on winter morning before going out into the bitter cold, and I really enjoy it that way.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

3 cups water
4 plump garlic cloves, peeled
3 inch length of French bread or an equivalent chunk of coarse crusty bread, not processed or steam baked, and at least 1 day old
3 oz olive oil
1-2 tsp pimentón de la Vera smoked paprika (May be mild, bittersweet or spicy-hot)
Salt
4 eggs
Preparation:

Heat the water in a flameproof casserole. Chop or pound the garlic to a paste, using a mortar and pestle, a garlic press, or the blade of a knife. Add the garlic to the water and leave it to cook through for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the bread very thinly (leave the crust on) and fry it in the olive oil, sprinkling a little pimentón and salt in the oil. Add the bread and oil to the water and simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes. You can leave the soup for several hours or overnight at this stage.

Just before serving, poach the eggs in the soup: break each egg, in turn, into a ladle and lower into the soup. Remove from the heat as soon as the white is set and serve into deep bowls. The idea is to stir the soup around so the egg breaks and continues cooking in threads.