Friday, October 2, 2009

Cranberry Sauce

Only recently in the last few years that I found that I really like the cranberry and turkey combo, cause that jellied crap from a can always gave me the icks. But fresh is so good, and last year my uncle Bob had this with his Thanksgiving dinner, and I fell in love with it, I want to make it all the time and spred it on toast and just eat it, it's that good. I'm very excited to post this and have this cause it will be a regular staple on my turkey dinner menu.

Cranberry Sauce
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1-16 oz bag fresh cranberries
1 c. apples, finely chopped or grated(irecommend grating)
1-2 oranges, juiced and pulp
splash of lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 or dash of nutmeg

Put cranberries, sugar, water, and apples in pan over medium heat and cook until the cranberries "pop" and the apples are softened. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until well cooked.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Spaghetti Carbonara

I made this today for my pasta dish and it was AMAZING! Two other people did carbonara and it's funny how different each one of ours was. But not to be bias or full of myself but this one is really yummy, and easy.

Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 2 ( you can adjust if y ou want more)
1/2 lb angel hair spaghetti (you can use regular or any kind of long stands)
5 slices of bacon, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 egg yolks
1/2 c. cream
1 c. reserved pasta water
1/2 c. parmasean cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg
black pepper, TT (to taste)
Bring a pot of water up to boil and salt it fairly heavily, you want your pasta just under al dente, so have it done and ready by the time you are doing the sauce and have it in the strainer over your water. Then whisk egg yolks and cream togerther. Then in a skillet crisp your bacon up, then add the olive oil and garlic and saute for about 1 min, don't burn your garlic. Then add your pasta and using tongs turn to coat with bacon and garlic. Slowly add your pasta water and cream and yolks slowly turning the pasta around to prevent scrambling. Then add the parmasean, nutmeg and pepper. Let sit for about 1 min and serve.

What is also good with this are some veggies, I personally like to saute zuchinni with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper, then add diced tomatoes until they warm through and put on top of your pasta. It's delicious!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Quinoa stuffed bell peppers

I have recently come across a great grain called Quinoa(keen-wah) and it's super versatile and ridiculously good for you. I made this today and it was really good. It is a good meatless meal that is filling.

1/3 c. quinoa
2/3 c. vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 c. carrot diced
2 T red onion(optional)
1/3 c. black or kidney beans (which ever you have)
2 T. olive oil
1/3 c. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 c. shredded mozzerella
2-3 bell peppers, doesn't matter which color just pick big ones that stand up straight.

Bring broth or stock to boil, then add quinoa cover and reduce heat for 15 mins, or until the broth is absorbed and the quinoa splits. Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil. Then cut the tops off the pepper and take out the middle, ribs, and seeds. Place in the boiling water and boil for 5 mins. Remove and set aside. In a skillet heat up the oil, add the carrots and saute for about 3 mins, then add the onion and saute for anothe 5 mins. Add the beans and spinach. Then add the quinoa and chili powder. Mix all together. Spoon the quinoa mixture in the bell peppers and top with cheese. Place in a shallow baking dish and pour in enough water to cover the bottom, about 1-2 inches. And bake at 350 degrees for about 20 mins.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Potato Croquettes

These are perfect for using your leftover mashed potatoes, but you could use freshly mashed they just don't have a really good stablility but definately works too.

1 1/2 c. mashed potatoes (season with salt, pepper, and butter if not already seasoned)
1/4 c. finely diced ham
1 T green onion finely sliced (you could use fresh chives or none at all if you don't like onion)
1 1/2 tsp parsley
1 egg, beaten
Breading
1 c. breadcrumbs (i used panko which I like best)
if using non seasoned crumbs add:
2 T italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 c parmesean cheese(add even if you have seasoned crumbs)
1 egg, beaten

In large bowl combine the potatoes, ham, green onion, parsley and about half to three quarters of the first egg. Add the rest to your other one. Stir until all combined. Then using a scoop or large spoon shape a ball out of the potato mixture. Then coat in the other egg and transfer to the breadcrumbs and cover and pat gently into it to stick. place them on a plate or sheet pan and freeze or refrigerate for 10 mins or so and then deep fry in 350 degree oil for about 3 to 5 mins until golden. They are soooo good!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Peach Cobbler

After having a dream about going out late at night trying to steal the nice old man's peaches (he lives around the corner) I decided I needed to buy my own peaches and make cobbler since his peaches have been taunting me for two weeks now. I made this yesterday, and yum!

4 c. peeled, sliced peaches
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2-3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
cinnamon

In large saucepan put peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water together, stir and bring to boil. Once it's boiling reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 10 mins. While you wait on the peaches heat the oven to 350 degrees, then in your pan, it needs to be at least a 3 qt pan I used the 9X13 pan. Cube your butter into even pieces and place in pan and put in oven to let the butter melt. Pull it out once it's competely melted. In large bowl add the rest of the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder and sift and combine. Then add the milk add 1/2 c. first and if it isnt' completely mixed and still dry, add more milk to make it easier to use. It will be a thick paste but don't add more than 3/4 c. milk. Then carefully spread your flour/sugar paste over the butter, DO NOT MIX!! Spray your spatula with cooking oil to help spread. then carefully spoon the peaches over the top and gently pour the sugar syrup over the peaches. Then sprinkle as much cinnamon as you want over the top. Bake at 350 for 35-45 mins.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Marinades

Well when Mark and Britteny came back from Germany a few weeks ago, we were eating dinner at my parents house and my dad was all worried the food wouldn't be cooked since he had to go to the store....gasp!! I had to remind him I am trained somewhat in this area ( 2 years of school so far) Anyway he was very worried about me marinating the chicken and was pulling out all the gross packed stuff that you add oil and vinegar to. Yeah, I know how to make my own without all the salt, but for some reason I am not to be trusted in my dad's beloved kitchen. So here I am proving that I can make several marinades and so can everyone else. You just need certain ingredients and then whatever you want.

The first thing is you need an oil of some kind, any will do, but extra virgin oilve oil is the best, then something acidic, and then whatever seasonings you want.

Cilantro-Lime (I'm not doing measurments for this, just make as much as you need depending on how much you are making)
extra virgin olive oil
lime juice
fresh chopped cilantro leaves
cumin
tiny pinch of red pepper flake
black pepper
oregano

Lemon-herb
evoo (annoying rachael ray saying)
lemon juice
fresh or dried of each
thyme
rosemary
oregano
garlic
black pepper

Steak (mike's favorite)
soy sauce
wochesshire(can't spell it)
chopped green onions
little brown sugar
ginger
pinch red pepper flake

Bob's philly beef
soy sauce
fresh garlic minced
red pepper flake

Oven fried chicken
buttermilk
franks red hot (any buffalo sauce)
soak chicken over night or all day
then bread in break crumbs, but i add
oregano, thyme
rosemary
cumin
chili powder
parm cheese

Once you have the method down it's so easy here some ideas of the two main ingredients

evoo
canola oil
soy sauce
woschestshire?

lemon juice
lime juice
pineapple juice
vinegar (any kind)
buttermilk
sour cream

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Spicy grilled shrimp

In honor of summer and the yummy smell of the grill grilling this shrimp on kabob skewers is super yummy...I made it for my demo on monday, and I didn't want to be like everyone else and do a scampi or alfredo.

Shrimp, as many as you like, raw, cleaned, and deveined
1/2 c. buffalo sauce (franks red hot is what I used)
2 T. rice wine vinegar (any will be fine)
2 tsp. lime juice
1 T. wochesshire( i don't know how to spell it)
( you may need more if doing a lot of shrimp)

Pour half of the mixture over the shrimp in a bowl and let sitfor 15-20 min
Meanwhile heat up the grill and clean it well and spray or oil it to prevent sticking
Skewer the shrimp on the kabobs(if you don't have any it's okay, it's just easier to turn then over
Place the shrimp skerwers on the grill and brush shrimp with rest of the mixture. It will only take 2 to 4 min to grill the first side, once it's pink and starting to curl turn over and brush the other side with the mix. this side will only cokk for another 1 to 3 min. Do not over cook they will get tought and icky. Grilled veggies will go nicely, especially if you marinate them in extra virgion olive oil, salt, pepper, and just a little bit of the hot buffalo sauce. Then grill them until tender. zucchini and yellow squash is good, cut them on a bias so there is a bigger surface area to grill.