Jamaican Beef Stew with Rice February 27, 2014

I decided to try this recipe because I liked the spices listed and thought that it would give a different flavor to the meal and I was right. The stew was spicy but the spice didn’t hit until you had a chance to taste all the other flavors. I would make this again!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef stew meat (such as chuck), cut into 1 inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 habanero chilies, seeded and minced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup rum
• 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A-1
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add beef to pan and cook without moving until well-browned on one side, about 6 minutes. Stir to loosen meat, and add onions and carrots. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium and add habaneros, garlic and rum. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes before adding chicken broth, allspice, cinnamon, hot pepper sauce, thyme, bay leaves, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, tomatoes, soy sauce, and steak sauce.

Return to a boil, cover and transfer to oven. Continue cooking until meat is tear-apart-tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours longer.

When stew is done, remove from oven and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. If stew is not thick enough, reduce over the stovetop until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately with rice.

Chili Waffle (er Pancake) Sandwiches with Cheesy Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, and Avocado February 25, 2014

I made this recipe because I wanted a change in pace for breakfast. It says to make waffles but I couldn’t find my iron so I did pancakes instead. I also used buckwheat flour which is why they are so dark. I enjoyed it. The eggs could have used a bit more salt but overall a nice twist on the standard Saturday morning meal.

Ingredients:

For the Chili Waffles:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (or other chili garlic paste)
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the Cheesy Eggs:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar

For the Sandwiches:

• 8 strips bacon, cooked
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into sections

Directions:

For the Chili Waffles: Preheat a waffle iron. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sambal oelek, sriracha, and butter.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk until just smooth. Pour half the batter onto the waffle iron and cook until waffle is golden brown and crisp. Repeat with remaining batter. This amount of batter will be enough to make two large, round, deep grooved waffles. Depending on your waffle iron you need to divide the batter differently.

For the Cheesy Eggs: In a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat, melt butter, then stir in eggs and cheese. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the eggs are soft but still slightly runny. Remove from heat.

For the Sandwiches: Place 2 pieces of waffle on each plate, then divide the bacon between each piece of waffle, place the scrambled eggs on top of the bacon, then top the eggs with sliced avocado and squeeze the lime over top. Scatter sliced scallions over each plate and serve immediately.

Chinese Noodles with Baked Sriracha Ribs February 23, 2014

I know this calls for pork ribs but we had moose ribs at home so I used those and then had to laugh at the image of them on the plate. These were my LARGE dinner plates. I am glad I used a game meat of the glaze would have been overpowering. Not as spicy as I though (but then again I like hot food) we really enjoyed this meal.

Ingredients:

For the Ribs:

• 2 racks of baby back ribs
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon ground chili, such as ancho
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle of light-flavored beer

For the Glaze:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Sriracha
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek), divided

For the Noodles:

• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1/4 cup sliced mixed mushrooms, such as Portobello, shiitake, and oyster
• 1 small fresh red chili, thinly sliced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 12 ounces fresh (8 ounces dried) Chinese egg noodles
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 275°F. Combine ginger, black pepper, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly with fingertips.

Place ribs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet and coat with rub on all surfaces. Place in the oven to roast until fat is beginning to render and ribs are softened, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Meanwhile, lay two 12- by 24-inch sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil out on the countertop and fold their edges tightly together to form one large sheet.

Remove ribs from the oven and set them on top of the foil. Return them to the rimmed baking sheet with the foil. Pour apple juice and beer on top of the ribs, then fold up foil and seal tightly to create an enclosed package. Return to oven and continue cooking until ribs are completely tender, about 1 hour longer.

While the ribs are cooking, prepare the glaze by mixing honey, Sriracha, 1 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Remove ribs from oven and raise oven temperature to oven to 375°F. Discard liquid, return ribs to baking sheet and generously brush with glaze. Return to oven until glaze is burnished and sticky, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside, loosely tented with foil.

Heat chili oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add sliced fresh chili and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add egg noodles and cook according to package directions (fresh noodles will be ready in 2 to 3 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl. Add mushroom mixture to noodles, along with remaining 1 tablespoon chili sauce. Toss to combine.

Divide noodles among four deep-sided bowls. Slice ribs and place a few in each bowl of noodles. Garnish with scallions and cilantro and serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef With Lime Crema and Pinto Beans February 10, 2014

So many roasts, so many recipes to try. Normally I only like black beans but I decided to give this recipe a try anyways. I surprisingly enjoyed it. It’s easy to make and the beans have a good flavor. I really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless bottom round or chuck roast (in one whole piece)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
• 1 cup dried pinto beans, well-rinsed and picked over
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, plus additional as needed
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1 cup sour cream, preferably Mexican crema
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 whole lime
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
• Flour tortillas

Directions:

Place meat in the slow cooker and add garlic, onion, jalapenos, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, beef broth, and tequila. Season with about a teaspoon of salt. Cook on low until beef is tender and beans are cooked, 8 to 10 hours, adding additional broth as needed to keep beans saturated and submerged.

Mix sour cream with lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl.

When beans are tender and pot roast yields to a fork, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve meat and beans with warm tortillas and crema.

Short Rib and Ricotta Gnocchi February 8, 2014

I love short ribs. I love that when we got our half a cow it came with short ribs. I have tried to make potato gnocchi multiple times and failed so I decided to give this recipe a try. It was AWESOME. The lightness of ricotta instead of potato made the gnocchi a perfect match for the rich short ribs and sauce. This is a time consuming meal so I wouldn’t recommend it for a weeknight.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bone-in short ribs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic, minced finely
• 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

 

Directions:

Start the short ribs. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a heavy oven-proof dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat and sear each side of the short ribs until they a a nice caramelized brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the dutch oven and set aside (do not rinse out).

Purée celery, carrots and onion in a food processor.

Add to the dutch oven along with the minced garlic over medium heat. Sauté until tender, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in tomato paste and sauté another minute.

Add wine and deglaze pan, making sure to incorporate any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add sage, thyme and bay leaf then beef stock and stir well, cooking until it starts to bubble.

Add short ribs to the dutch oven and cover. I like to coat the ribs with the braising liquid. Place in preheated oven and cook for about 3-4 hours, until the short ribs are very tender and fall off the bone (I do mine in 3 hours and they’re quite tender). This will still need a seasoning of salt and pepper when it comes out of the oven.

Start the gnocchi. When the short rib is about 30 minutes from coming out of the oven, start prepping the gnocchi. They can be cooked right before the ribs come out. Stir together the ricotta, eggs, the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Add flour, stirring to form a soft, wet dough. If too sticky to roll out, add a little more flour. Shape the dough on a well-floured surface with lightly floured hands into 2 (1-inch-thick) ropes. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces with a lightly floured knife. Put in 1 layer on a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bring a medium to large pot of salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) to a boil. Starting with half the batch, add few of the gnocchi at a time to the pot and stirring occasionally until half the gnocchi are in the pot. Cook until cooked through (cut one in half to check), 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain in colander.

Finish short ribs. Take the short ribs out of the oven and remove them from the sauce. With two forks, pull the meat off the bone, removing the fat/bones and discarding. I like to leave some big chunks of meat along with some shredded meat. Some ribs are more fatty than others. If there is a lot of fat on top of the sauce, use a baster and remove some of the fat.

If the sauce is too thin, place on burner over medium- medium-high heat and reduce the liquid until the sauce is thicker. Season with sea salt/pepper to taste after reducing. Put the meat back into the sauce and toss to coat. Spoon sauce/ribs into each bowl or plate and top with gnocchi. I like to add some more sauce to the top. Enjoy!

Asian salmon with rice noodles and vegetables February 6, 2014

Why don’t I cook more with rice noodles? They are so yummy and pick up so much flavor. This salmon dish is simple even though its a three part meal (which my husband loves). I had everything on hand (except the rice noodles) so it was not much effort to throw together.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce (if you want to make this dish gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce, not a regular one)
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
•  a pinch of ginger (powdered)
• 1 and 1/4 pounds salmon
• 8 ounces very thin rice noodles
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus and whatever other vegetables you like
• salt & pepper
•  a drizzle of olive oil

Directions: To prepare the marinade, in a medium bowl, combine the sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, a pinch of ginger and whisk to blend. Place salmon in a baking dish, skin-side down. Pour the marinade over the salmon, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the salmon uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees in the same baking dish in which you marinated it. Remove the salmon from the oven, pour the marinade from the baking dish into a small saucepan. Preheat the broiler. Slide the spatula under the salmon the remove the skin. Broil salmon (without the marinade or the skin) for about 5 minutes (or more, depending on your broiler), until it caramelizes nicely. Remove from pan. While the salmon is broiling, reduce the sauce (the marinade) in the sauce pan on the stove top by boiling it down a little bit. Toss reduced sauce with the noodles.

Pasta with Squash, Bacon and Goat Cheese February 4, 2014

This summer I grew squash but it didn’t want to store properly. I decided to roast it off and freeze it for later use. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. The goat cheese surprisingly mellowed out much more than expected. The squash added a bit of sweetness and overall it was a great meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 two- to three-pound squash, peeled and diced
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced,
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1 pound pasta
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook the bacon in a large pot until nice and crisp. Remove the pieces, and keep about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Toss in the squash and garlic and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let be for 25 minutes.

With about ten minutes left, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.Add half of the goat cheese and salt to the squash. Mix well. Then dump in the pasta, and mix again.

Plate the pasta, crumble the other half of the goat cheese over top, and season with more salt and pepper. Crumble the cooked bacon over it all and serve up.

Potato-Chip Crust Salmon February 2, 2014

We have TONS of salmon and a weakness for potato chips so it was only a matter of time until I came across a recipe that combine both. Surprisingly this wasn’t as salty as I expected. The lime juice added a good bit of tartness. Simple to make and a good change of pace.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of salmon
• A couple handfuls of potato chips, crushed
• Zest of 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the potato chips, lime zest, dill, and olive oil.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then coat the salmon with the mixture.

Place in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes.