Category: TOPICS & CATEGORIES

Chicken Paillard Sandwich

Paillard means that it is flat because you have pounded the heck out of it with either a meat seasoning hammer or a small cast iron skillet. The reason for flattening the chicken breast is that it will cook more quickly and it will cook evenly.

INGREDIENTS

  • Chicken Breast – Lightly oiled
  • 1 TBL EVOO
    MARINADE – MIX IN A BOWL THE FOLLOWING:
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 TBL Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 TBL vinegar
  • 2 TBL soy sauce
  • 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
  • 1 TBL granulated sugar
  • 1/4 grated onion

STEP BY STEP

  1. Start in the morning
  2. Lightly oil chicken breast
  3. Put into a heavy duty baggie
  4. Pound with a meat hammer or cast iron skillet or soup can till about 1/4 in thickness
  5. Put into a new baggie (or bowl) and cover with marinade
  6. Agitate about every two hours
  7. After 6-8 hours, pat the chicken lightly with paper towel and discard the marinate.  It can go down the garbage disposal.
  8. Put a few drops of olive oil on a skillet, and turn it to medium heat.
  9. Once the oil starts smoking slightly, sear the chicken in a hot skillet
  10. This will only take about 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second side.
  11. Serve on flatbread or a bun or bread with mayo, lettuce and tomato

Alternately, after Step 7 you can dip the breast in egg and then in bread crumbs.  This will make more of a steak that you can serve flat on a plate with vegetables and mashed potatoes on the side.

 

Sweet Potato Gnocci

Any potato can be used, but the sweet potato has a deeper flavor than white.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Peeled and boiled sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 C cane syrup
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp alspice
  • 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 C ricotta – drained and set onto a paper towel
  • salt
  • white pepper
  • 2 C AP flour
  • 2 TBL EVOO

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put all into a food processor
  2. Have a container of chicken broth available
  3. Process ingredients drizzling in broth until the dough comes together into a ball
  4. Remove it to a floured surface and finish by hand
  5. Roll into a thick rope
  6. Cut off pieces about the size of a golf ball
  7. Roll into a thinner rope about the diameter of your thumb
  8. Use a bench knife and cut off one inch pieces
  9. Using a fork, press and roll creating the traditional gnocci groves
  10. In water that is at a light boil, drop in about 8 at a time
  11. Let them cook until they start to float to the surface (2-5 minutes depending on size)
  12. Remove them and set onto a paper towel

CREATE YOUR BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

  1. Put a stick of butter into a skillet over medium heat
  2. Add a bit of sage, parsley and oregano
  3. Once completely melted, add 1 TBL of EVOO
  4. When it starts to brown (first around the edges) add your gnocci
  5. Cook and toss until well covered.
  6. DO NOT LET YOUR BUTTER BLACKEN or it will turn bitter and ruin the dish
  7. Serve on a plate topped with crumbled feta cheese

 

 

Pitas from Scratch

INGREDIENTS


  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 2 C bread flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 
1 C lukewarm water
  • 1/4 C yogurt
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 2 tsp sugar
    TOPPING FOR FINAL RISE (Step 7)
  • 1 TBL olive oil to coat bowl
  • 1 TBL coarse salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix and knead the dough ingredients for at least 5 minutes together to make a soft, smooth very slightly sticky dough.
  2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
  3. Preheat the oven to 500°F, with a baking stone on the middle rack.
  4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces, and shape each into a ball.
  5. Cover, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Roll balls into 6″ flattened circles and cover with a damp cloth to rest for 10 more minutes.
  7. Place pitas on the hot stone.
  8. Bake for 3-4 minutes, until puffy. Turn them over, and bake for one more minute.  The key is to set the top and bottom so the inside has a chance to expand.
  9. Remove from the oven, and place on a rack to cool.
  10. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
  11. Once the pitas are cool, separate the two sides of each to make 16 thin rounds. These will become your pitas.
  12. Brush rough side with oil or butter, and sprinkle with salt

Poached Halibut or Cod

INGREDIENT

  • A nice fresh piece of cod or halibut
    – Alternately, you can use sole, tuna, talapia
  • 1/3 C cream
  • Chopped chives
  • 1 TBL red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 C mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat sauce in a big skillet (water, broth, etc)
  2. Add 2 TBL capers
  3. Sprinkle of red pepper flakes or powder
  4. Nestle halibut into the liquid
  5. Based as it cooks
  6. Cover and simmer 4-5 minutes each side – barely a simmer though
  7. Plate and top with parsley and lemon zest
  8. Drizzle with EVOO

Alternate:  At Step 7, top with the following topping – THEN top with parsley and lemon zest, but no EVOO.

  • 1/3 C cream (whisk about 5 minutes)
  • 5 minced chives
  • 1/4 C mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 TBL red wine vinegar

Layered Bread Slices – Tea Sandwiches

Bread must be very thin
Bread must be very thin

INGREDIENTS

  • THIN pieces of bread – rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, tortillas, etc
  • Softened cream cheese, butter, or even layers of cheese

ribbonSTEP BY STEP

  1. Decide on your flavor combinations:
    – rye and Swiss
    – pumpernickle and cheddar
    – sourdough and cream cheese
    – whole wheat and butter
    – tortillas and manchego
    – chocolate and strawberry
    – peanut butter and jelly
  2. Stack bread, binder, bread, binder, bread, binder and bread
  3. If you are using a hard cheese, put the stack into the microwave for about 30 seconds
    – otherwise just spread evenly
  4. Put into refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
  5. Just before serving, cut off crust, then cut in half, in half and in half
    – you will get eight stacked layers of bread

Pizza Pot Pie

This is my own recipe that was created based on a video showing a Pizza Pot Pie as created by Chicago Pizza and Grinder Company at 2121 N Clark Street.  Allowances have been made for my own tastes.

INGREDIENTS

  • Use a ceramic bowl with little (or no) lip
  • 1/2 C clarified butter

SECRET SAUCE

  • You can make whatever sauce tickles your fancy. Chicago Pizza uses a sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, sausage, tomatoes and more that simmers for eight hours.  Truly a sauce worth tasting.
  • Here are several of my own sauces.
  • Grandpa’s Bolognese
  • Basic Marinara

Here is another recipe that I found when I was researching this recipe.  It looked really good too.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Brush the bowl and the rim heavily with melted clarified butter
  2. Lay down layered slices of Provalone, Mozzarella and Manchego cheese
  3. Put in three of your favorite toppings:
    – mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, black olives, etc.
    – Just three though, because otherwise it will become too soupy
  4. Top with your favorite sauce
  5. Cover with flattened pizza dough
  6. Brush clarified butter across the top
  7. Bake at 450º for 12-15 minutes
  8. Run a spoon around the rim to loosen the crust
  9. Invert and flip out on your serving plate

Here is a fairly complete step by step video made by Courtney Budyzn

 

Sabaione (or Sabayon)

Also called Zabaione or Zabaglione to the Italians, who claim they invented it.  I call it Lemon Curd.

Sabayon

  1. 1/2 C granulated sugar
  2. 3 egg yolks – cream together eggs and sugar in a double boiler
  3. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla or 1/2 vanilla bean – seeds removed – beans into sugar
  4. Add 2 TBL dry white wine plus 1/2 tsp vinegar.
  5. Continue to whisk until mixture starts to thicken.  (8-15 minutes)
  6. Take on and off as require to keep at a low temperature
    Watch out for eggs cooking against the sides of the bowl.
  7. This is your sabayon.  Set aside for later use.

Creme Fraiche Custard

  1. Make creme fraiche.
  2. Mix 1/2 C cold creme fraiche and 1/2 C cold heavy whipping cream.
  3. Beat in Kitchen Aid until it doubles or even triples in size.
  4. Fold together whipped creams and sabayon.
  5. Put into serving dishes and top with blueberries, peaches, plumbs or nectarines – in winter use pears or soaked dried frigs, apricots, strawberry, blueberry, grapes, prunes, etc

This must be made at the last minute, and served immediately, or it deflates and separates and becomes watery.

Serving idea:  Serve in same sized bowls, but each one a different shape.  Goodwill is a good source for this hodgepodge of serving dishes.

To create a Sabayon Topping

  1. Pick your liquid:  Can be practically anything based on what you are trying to accomplish.  White wine, chicken stock, grapefruit juice, coffee, ginger ale, etc.
  2. Measure your ingredients:  Generally the ratio is 1:1:1 egg yolk, sugar, liquid – figure one egg per person
  3. Mis-en-place:  which means have everything ready.  This will need to be constantly whisked, so you don’t have time to measure ingredients as you go.
  4. You will be whisking over a double boiler.  I always just make my own.  This is how.  You should NEVER let your water get to a full rolling boil.  Always just a simmer.
  5. Cream together egg yolk and sugar, when the color changes, drizzle in your liquid and start cooking over your double boiler.  Move the mixing bowl on and off the heat as needed.

Here are flavor combinations from Food52.com to try:

Savory:

  • egg yolk + champagne + lemon juice and zest + pinch cayenne
  • egg yolk + white wine + finely chopped rosemary
  • egg yolk + tequila + lime juice + pinch ancho chile powder
  • egg yolk + sake + yuzu + miso paste

Sweet:

  • egg yolk + rum + maple syrup + freshly grated nutmeg
  • egg yolk + whisky + orange zest + honey
  • egg yolk + sherry + sugar (fold in whipped egg whites at the end)
  • egg yolk + beer + sugar + black pepper

Best Burrito Ever

If you’ve ever wanted to use left-over filet mignon, here is the ultimate use.  No filet?  Use any good piece of cooked beef.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-2 oz Left-over beef
  • Optional: thinly sliced ham
  • Shredded cheese – Mexican blend
  • Salsa – strained for about 30 seconds
  • Tiny bit of minced cilantro

STEP BY STEP

  1. Spread a handful of shredded cheese over a flour tortilla
  2. Lay down (optional) ham over top of cheese
  3. Cut the filet in VERY thin slices against the grain
  4. Lay the pieces in a row
  5. Microwave for 60 seconds
  6. Roll up and serve with salsa

Tips: Non-Stick Skillets

This includes teflon, ceramic, and all surfaces that claim to be non-stick.

Please also review my post:  Care of your Cast Iron Skillets

Teflon Tips

Teflon, Ceramic and other non-stick finishes need to be taken care of.  Here are some tips that you may find useful.

  1. Wash and rub a little canola oil into it before first use.
  2. Don’t heat the pan empty.  At least put a little oil into the pan.
  3. Don’t use cooking spray.  There is a propellant that will build up and destroy your pan.  If you must, get a spritzer bottle and put canola into it.
  4. Don’t let the temperature EVER exceed 450.  Ideally, I never even exceed 400º  This Thermapen is one of the best investments you could make.  You will use it nearly every single day.
  5. Don’t let food dry on the surface of your pan.  When the temperature has dropped to 250º (or below) wipe it off with a wash cloth and hot water.  I usually don’t even like to use soap on mine.
  6. If you can’t clean it immediately, at least fill it with water to minimize the chemical effects of the remaining cooking oil residue.
  7. If you do use soap on your pan, occasionally wipe in a little canola oil  (See Tip #1)
  8. Never ever EVER use abrasive cleansers or pads on your pan.
  9. Never put your teflon or ceramics into the dishwasher.  The hot water is OK, but the drying cycle will kill your pan.
  10. For stubborn stains, use a mixture of baking soda and water.  mix and apply the paste.  Leave for an hour, then wipe off.  Repeat if needed.
  11. If your pan has a wooden handle, season it VERY occasionally by wiping with canola oil
  12. Season a hot pan (250º) occasionally with a paper towel and olive oil (See Tip #1)
  13. Never use metal cookware (spatula, whisk, spoon, etc) when cooking with your non-stick pan

THE PENNY TRICK – If you are boiling water, put a penny in the bottom of your pan.  If it boils dry (which will ruin your pan) the penny will start to rattle because of the boiling water beneath the penny.  The rattling will tell you your pan is nearly empty (usually) before your pot is destroyed.

Sticky Bars

INGREDIENTS

First Batter

  • 1 C Brown sugar
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C toasted pecans
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
    Sift together the below ingredients
  • 1 C flour
  • 1 tsp coarse salt – Maldon salt
  • 1 tsp Baking powder

Second Batter

  • 1 stick browned butter
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 C flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 TBL coarse salt
  • 1/2 C toasted pecans

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heavily butter a glass baking casserole pan
  2. Mix 1/2 C pecans into your First Batter
  3. Add half of  your First Batter and spread till flattened
  4. Add spooned dollops of all remaining batter across top
  5. Add second batter in between the dollops
  6. Swirl to flatten and marbelize
  7. Top with your remaining pecans
  8. Bake 350º for 35 minutes
  9. While still hot from the oven, sprinkle with Maldon salt

 

Cinnamon Rolls and Monkey Bread

Cinnamon Rolls and Monkey Bread

This is my own recipe.  Others will be similar, but this one will serve your well.  The batter is the same.  The difference is how the bread is assembled.  The first ten steps are the same.  The difference starts at Step Seven.

Monkey Bread allegedly gets its name because monkeys tend to clump together at night, so all you see are the tops of little monkey heads. Anyway, that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

YEAST SPONGE

  • 3 TBL honey – optional:  granulated sugar
  • 2 TBL yeast
  • ½ C warm water – more or less

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 2 C AP flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 C granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

1 extra C AP flour for Step 4 –  Set aside

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1 C warm lowfat milk – more or less
  • 1 TBL
  • 2 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
  • 2 TBL yeast
  • 6 TBL softened butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Egg white set aside for later use

FILLING

  • 1/3 C granulated sugar
  • 1/3 C dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 C Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
  • 3 TBL softened butter
  • OPTIONAL:  Crushed Pecans
  • OPTIONAL:  3/4 C raisins or Craisins

FROSTING – OPTIONAL

  • 2.5 C confectioner sugar
  • 2 TBL softened butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • whole milk – 1 tsp at a time

Alternately, you can use Pillsbury biscuit dough and cut each biscuit in quarters (half and then half again)

STEP BY STEP

  1. PREPARE YOUR SPONGE IN A SMALL GLASS BOWL
    • Combine sugar, yeast and warm water
    • Set aside for 15 minutes
    • If it does not get puffy and bubbly, throw it out.  Your yeast is too old.
  2. COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH
    • Mix 3 C of your flours
  3. INITIAL COMBINATION OF WET AND DRY
    • Add your sponge and wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
    • Mix to combine
  4. SPOON IN DRY INGREDIENTS
    • Add your reserved flour spoon by spoon until the ball is formed and firm or until all the flour is gone.   The ball should be a little on the wet side
    • Add pecans or raisins – refrain from adding both
    • Knead by hand for 5-7 minutes more
    • Shape and put into greased bowl.  Cover bowl with plastic, and let dough rise for 30 minutes
  5. REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT
    • This gives a chance for all of the flavors to completed combine
    • Alternately, let rise 4 hours on the counter
  6. NEXT MORNING PREPARE YOUR FILLING
    1. In Bowl #1 combine half your sugars plus half your CinnaSugar plus 1 stick melted butter.  This should be very wet.
    2. In Bowl #2 combine the rest of your sugar, and CinnaSugar  – leave dry – do not add melted butter
  7. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO CREATE
    1. Decide if you want MONKEY BREAD or CINNAMON ROLLS

STEP BY STEP FOR MONKEY BREAD

The first SEVEN STEPS are the same for both recipes.

  1. Roll dough into a long tube
  2. Put the melted butter solution into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Put the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a paper bag.
  4. Cut off pieces of the tube and roll them in a ball so that you have a ball just about the size of a really big grape… you know the kind.
  5. Put the balls into the butter bowl
  6. Once all balls are cut, toss them to coat all balls evenly.
  7. Drop into the bag containing your cinnamon mixture and mix to cover
  8. Prepare 1 shallow VERY WELL GREASED baking pan.
    • Ideally a bundt pan is used, but not everyone has one of those handy.  You don’t want to use a deep baking dish though, or they will not cook all the way through.
  9. For an extra coating, melt together ½ C brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 2 TBL butter
  10. Pour evenly over into bottom of your pan.  Sprinkle crushed pecans
  11. Put the balls into the pan
  12. Spoon half remaining wet mixture over top
  13. Sprinkle half dry mixture over top as well
  14. Squish the balls a bit to make sure they are all evenly distributed
  15. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place or the warming tray of your oven until doubled in size (about an hour)
  16. Preheat oven to 350º and bake 30 minutes
  17. Spoon remaining wet mixture over top
  18. Sprinkle dry mixture over top as well
  19. Bake another 10-20 minutes – or 190º internal temperature
    • pull out if top starts to blacken
  20. Invert onto a serving plate and let cool 10 minutes.  Serve with forks

STEP BY STEP FOR CINNAMON ROLLS

The first SEVEN STEPS are the same for both recipes.

  1. On a floured surface, roll dough into a kind of flat rectangle
  2. Fold the rounded sides toward the center, and roll again
  3. Repeat one more time.  You should now have a nearly perfect rectangle.
  4. In Step 6 above, combine both mixtures into a single mixture.
  5. Spread mixture over your rectangle leaving about 1/2 inch dry edge
  6. Roll into a tube starting with the side opposite the dry edge.  Roll as tightly as possible 
  7. Use egg wash on the unbuttered edge to seal the roll
  8. Using dental floss, cut the tips off
  9. Cut into half, then half again
  10. At this point, you will have four rolls. Estimate thirds and cut each of the four rolls into thirds – so you have twelve equal pieces
  11. Place (cut side down) into a well-greased 9×12 baking dish
  12. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place or the warming tray of your oven until doubled in size (about an hour)
  13. Preheat oven to 350º and bake 15 minutes
  14. Remove and sprinkle CinnaSugar over top
  15. Bake another 10-20 minutes – or 190º internal temperature
    • pull out if top starts to blacken
  16. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Serve frosted or not
  17. OPTIONAL:  FROST THE CINNAMON ROLLS
    1. Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and orange zest
    2. Add milk ONLY until consistency will spread easily
    3. Spread over each roll and serve warm

FROSTING

  • 2.5 C confectioner sugar
  • 2 TBL softened butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • whole milk – 1 tsp at a time

 

 

 

 

 

Zoodles

INGREDIENTS

  • Corn from 1 ear of corn
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 avocado – diced
  • Tomatoes
  • Red onion
    VINAIGRETTE
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • zest and juice from one lime
  • 5 mint leaves – chopped
  • 4 basil leaves – chiffonade strips
  • 3 TBL EVOO – Emulsified into the other ingredients
  • salt and pepper to taste

STEP BY STEP

  1. Use a Benriner spiral cutter and cut your zucchini into thin ribbons.
  2. Remove the kernels from your ear of corn
  3. Saute the corn in hot EVOO
  4. Add your zucchini ribbons
  5. Toss with 2 TBL basil and 2 tsp mint
  6. Add salt and pepper
  7. Add red onion slivers
  8. Add tomatoes
  9. Toss with vinaigrette (above)
  10. Toss gently with 1 diced avocado

 

Tips: Peppers

  • Before working with peppers, coat your hands with just a bit of olive oil.  This will protect your skin, and then you can just wash your glove off afterwards
  • The seeds and vein contain most of the heat in a pepper
  • Most of the seeds will be near the stem
  • Green jalapeños will turn red if left on the vine
  • Green bell peppers are just unripe red bell peppers
  • Hatch chilies have the best flavor out of many similar peppers
  • A pepper gets “hotter” if it is stressed during growth
  • A dried pepper should still be slightly pliable
  • When cutting a bell pepper, use the outsides and keep the core intact.  It will stay fresh for 3 days longer.

 

Rustic Freeform Fruit Tart

Use this link to make your Pastry Dough, or just use puff pastry.

    • After you have your crust, toss your selected fruit with
  • 2 C fruit,
  • juice and zest from one lemon,
  • 1/4 C sugar and
  • 1/4 C fruit jam.
    • Mix 1/4 C panko crumbs with
  • 1/4 C sugar and
  • 1 TBL cinnamon

This will be used to keep your tart from getting soggy

  1. Roll your crust out on a floured surface
  2. Transfer to a parchment sheet
  3. Dust with 1/2 of your Panko mixture, leaving approx 2-inch border
  4. Layer your fruit, maintaining the border
  5. Top with the last of your Panko mixture
  6. Fold up the sides to create a bowl containing the fruit
  7. Bake in preheated 375º oven for 45-60 minutes
  8. Let cook 5 minutes before cutting

Tips: Frozen or Canned Food

Most food is flash frozen at the peak of ripeness.

Berries – These have a very short season, so frozen is the best way to get ripe strawberries, blueberries, raspberries 10 months out of the year.  Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.

Spinach – Greens freeze very well.  You can thaw these in the fridge overnight, or place them in a bowl of water for 30 minutes.  Leaf for leaf, frozen spinach costs quite a bit less than fresh as well.

Tomatoes – These don’t freeze well so should be canned, or bought canned or sun dried and placed in oil.

Vegetables – Frozen peas are much better frozen than canned.  They are frozen at the peak of ripeness.  The canning process can tend to make them mushy.  Thaw them overnight in the fridge in a bowl of water.

Lemon juice – Don’t buy that plastic lemon shaped container, or even the green bottles of juice.  Squeeze lemons yourself and then freeze in water bottles.  Thaw in the refrigerator.  There may be some separation of the juice and the pulp, so shake before using it.

Grapes – These don’t freeze or can well.  Raisins can be rehydrated overnight in water.

Broccoli – This does not freeze well.  It becomes mushy.  It is marginally OK to use in a stir fry, but fresh is so much better.

Salmon – Of course it is better fresh, but it is also very expensive.  Canned salmon is not THAT bad, and is about a fifth of the price of fresh.  If budget is no matter, go fresh.  For most of us canned salmon is good enough for most of what we do.

Cindy’s Eggs

INGREDIENTS

  • Tomato pieces
  • Frozen chopped spinach
  • Optional sliced ham
  • Cheese
  • Egg
  • More Cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Grease a muffin ring (or steel tuna can)
  2. Preheat your skillet to about 350º
  3. Put in about 1/4 C tomato pieces (heated)
  4. Put in 2 TBL chopped spinach (heated)
  5. Put sliced ham in, if you wish
  6. Push it down so it is all kind of flat
  7. Sprinkle in some cheese, and make a well in the center
  8. Break your egg yolk/white into the well
  9. Sprinkle on a bit more cheese
  10. Cover with a mixing bowl and pour about 1/2 C water into the hot pan
  11. Let cook 4 minutes
  12. Meanwhile toast two pieces of bread
  13. Carefully remove your ring (with the egg) to the top of your toast
  14. Remove the ring and serve

 

Sweet Mini Peppers

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bag small multi colored sweet peppers
  • 1/2 LB sausage
  • Mozzarella – shredded
  • Sharp cheddar – shredded

STEP BY STEP

  1. Brown the sausage
  2. Meanwhile, cut the peppers into half – keeping the stem intact
    Use the top half in a salad or something like that
  3. Let the sausage cool a bit
  4. Toss the sausage with the cheeses
  5. Stuff mixture into the peppers
  6. Bake at 325º for 5-8 minutes

 

Party Sub

If you want to be a hit at your next party or potluck, consider making a six foot sub.  HINT:  It is not really six foot long, it just looks that way.

subrollINGREDIENTS

  • 6-8 sub sandwich rolls
  • about 24 slices of provalone cheese
  • 24 slices of ham
  • 30 slices of salami
  • 1 onion – sliced very thin
  • 2 bell peppers – cut into very thin strips
  • 1 head of iceberg lettuce – shredded
  • 4 tomatoes – sliced thin
  • EVOO
  • Optional – Dijon mustard or ketchup

STEP BY STEP

  1. Here is the key:  Cut the tips off all of your sub rolls.  They will eventually fit together (end to end) so that they look like one huge sub (see below).
  2. Cut them lengthwise into sandwich buns
  3. Put thin layer of onions on the subs
  4. Spread lettuce onto the subs
  5. Put tomato and bell peppers on the lettuce
  6. Add your meats, and end with your cheese
  7. Optional – Put on a baking tray and place under the broiler for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese
  8. Set them up on a large tray (as shown to the right) and cover with a towelsub

 

Israeli CousCous

Israeli couscous (about the size of a small pea) is a larger pearl than standard (North African) couscous, which is about the size of a grain of rice.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 T EVOO – to fry
    PREPARE COUSCOUS
  • 1 C Israeli couscous
  • 3/4 C chicken stock (alt: vegetable stock)
  • 1 C water
    FOR THE DRESSING – WHISK TOGETHER
  • 2 T honey
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 C red wine vinegar
  • 2 T EVOO – for dressing
    TO BE COMBINED WITH DRESSING
  • 2 roma tomatoes (seeds removed – small chop)
  • 1 cucumber (seeds removed – small chop)
  • 1 bunch scallions (greens only – 1/4 inch pieces) reserve some for garnish
  • 2 C fresh chopped parsley
  • 1 C fresh chopped cilantro – reserve some for garnish
  • 1/4 C baby peas – strained
  • 1/4 C fresh chopped mint
  • salt and pepper to taste – or use [thnder-powder]
    FOR THE FINAL STEPS – ASSEMBLE SALAD
  • 8 leaves romaine lettuce – washed, but left whole
  • 1/4 C feta cheese (alt: tofu) for garnish
  • garnish with reserved cilantro and scallions
  • OPTIONAL:  Toasted sesame seeds or chopped pistachio

STEP BY STEP

  1. Toast couscous in EVOO using a large heavy deep pot
  2. Fry / toast over medium heat till slightly browned (5-8 minutes)
  3. Add water and broth, bring to a simmer and lower heat
  4. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  5. Transfer couscous to a colander and let rest while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
  6. Combine dressing ingredients – whisk together
  7. Toss with all other salad ingredients
  8. Toss gently with couscous and serve over lettuce leaves
  9. Top with cilantro leaves, scallions, and a bit of feta cheese

Salmon Rillettes

INGREDIENTS

  • Fatty part of the salmon – Belly – about 6-8 ounces
  • Smoked salmon – also about 6-8 ounces
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • 1/2 onion – finely minced
  • 1 TBL prepared horseradish

STEP BY STEP

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet
  2. Let butter rest for 30 seconds, then pour off about half (clarified butter) into a separate container (to be used later)
  3. In remaining butter sautee minced onion
  4. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper
  5. Cook salmon for about 1 minutes – DO NOT overcook
  6. Add horseradish and stir until combined
  7. Crush all ingredients together with a fork until roughly combined
  8. Put loosely into a mold (a glass bowl to be turned upside down later)
  9. Top with clarified butter
  10. Put into refrigerator for 2-3 hours (or overnight)
  11. Turn out on chilled plate and serve with toast points, pita or crostini

 

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