Brisket with Ginger, Orange Peel, and Tomato January 31, 2015

When cooking for New Years Eve, I look for simple recipes that I can make and forget. This brisket recipe fit the bill. I was able to put it together and let it cook away until it got tender and developed a great flavor. Big enough to feed us and a couple friends it was enjoyed by all.

Ingredients:

• One 3- to- 5- pound veal or beef brisket
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 small spring onions, trimmed and halved, or 2 medium onions, thickly sliced
• 6 carrots, peeled
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups veal, beef, or chicken stock
• 3 small tomatoes, halved
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley, plus ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• One ½- inch slice of fresh ginger
• 2 lemons
• 2 oranges

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the brisket with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

 

Pour the oil into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the meat for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove, and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic cloves to the Dutch oven, cooking until they are just beginning to soften, adding more oil if necessary. Raise the heat, pour in the cider vinegar, and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the white wine and continue stirring, allowing the liquid to reduce for a few minutes.

 

Put the meat back in the pot, along with the stock. Bring to a simmer, and add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, ginger, and leek top. Using a straight peeler, remove the zest in long strips from one of the lemons and one of the oranges. Add to the pot. Cover, and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

 

Lower the oven temperature to 275°F, and continue cooking for 2 to 2½ more hours, or until tender.

 

Remove the meat and vegetables from the pot. Discard the citrus peels, thyme and parsley sprigs, ginger, bay leaf, and leek top. If cooking in advance, let the pot cool, and refrigerate the brisket in the sauce.

Uncle Jack’s Mac-and-Cheese January 29, 2015

Ok so healthy this recipe is not. I mean, just take a look at the ingredient list. However, in my continued quest to find a home made mac n cheese that I like I decided to give this one a try. You know what? I actually didn’t mind it, however my hubs preferred some other one I made (that I have long forgotten by now).

Ingredients:

• 1 (16-oz.) package elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups (16 oz.) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• Vegetable cooking spray

 

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Stir together cream, next 5 ingredients, cooked macaroni, and 2 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl.

Pour macaroni mixture into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 6-qt. slow cooker; sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese over macaroni mixture.

Cover and cook on HIGH 3 hours; reduce slow cooker to LOW, and cook 1 hour.

Whole Chicken Stuffed With Tomatoes and Feta January 27, 2015

Ok so yes, when you look at the photo I am clearly using cotija cheese instead of Feta but you know what? I had a bunch of that at home and it is a great substitute for Feta. It is a bit less salty so you will need to add some (most recipes, including this one from “The Foods of the Greek Islands” cut back on salt due to the saltiness of Feta). Though it may appear there is a lot to do, this recipe is quite simple.

Ingredients

• 4lb free range whole chicken
• 1 lemon, halved
• salt and pepper
• 2/3 cup chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped oil pack sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup sweet red wine
• 2lbs small new potatoes or chopped medium potatoes

 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Rub the chicken inside and out with the lemon. Salt lightly and sprinkle with black pepper.

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, 3 tbsp of olive oil, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes.  Stuff the chicken with this mixture and sew it closed with twine or close with skewers/toothpicks. Place the chicken, breast side down, in a baking dish that holds it snugly.

Roast for 20 minutes. Pour the wine over the chicken, reduce the oven temperature to 375 and continue roasting for 20 minutes. If the skin is getting too dark, cover with foil.

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a roasting pan. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Carefully pour the juices from the chicken over the potatoes and toss well. Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the potatoes and roast for 40 minutes more or until everything is done. Serve the chicken with stuffing and potatoes. Top with the sauce in the pan.

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder Pasta January 25, 2015

We had a few spare pork butts from our sausage making so I decided to give this recipe a try. Between the pork and the pancetta is is very fatty. I cooled the pork so I could separate the fat but then I opted to cool the entire sauce overnight and scoop out the fat. I am very glad I did. The recipe is salty so I wouldn’t recommend salting your pasta.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pound bone-in pork shoulder
• 8 ounces finely diced pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound tube-shaped pasta, cooked
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon

 

Directions:

Place pork shoulder, pancetta, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, crushed fennel, thyme and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

 

Remove pork from slow cooker and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves from sauce. When pork cool enough to handle, shred meat and discard fat and bones. Return meat to sauce, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Allow to warm through.

 

When ready to serve, toss sauce with cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan and lemon zest.

One Pot Pasta Primavera January 23, 2015

This one pot pasta was my least favorite of all the ones I have made so far. Mostly because there was way too much liquid which I believe came from all the veg. You can’t boil it down because the noodles become mushy and when you drain it you lose a lot of flavor. I enjoyed all the veg in it and would suggest you try it minus one cup of liquid.

Directions:

 

• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 8 ounces linguine, uncooked
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 pound broccoli crowns, cut into large florets (about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 ounces sliced white button mushrooms (about 1 cup)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (less for milder heat; more to increase heat)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• Additional salt and pepper to taste
• Additional Parmesan cheese for serving, if desired

 

Directions:

 

Add the broth, linguine, onion, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to a large pot set over high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.

As soon as it comes to a boil, set the timer for 7 minutes and start tossing constantly with long-handled tongs.

Continue boiling and tossing. As soon as the 7 minutes is up, add the peas, parsley, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan, and lemon zest and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for 1-2 more minutes, until the pasta and veggies appear tender. Remove from heat.

Note that much of the liquid will have evaporated, but not all. And that’s okay! Let the pasta sit for a couple of minutes to cool; the sauce will continue to thicken during that time. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

 

 

Isan-Style Thai Sliced Steak Salad January 21, 2015

We have a lot of Asian sauces and spices around the house due to the variety of recipes that I like to make (you may have noticed). We still had some steaks left from our half a cow so I decided to give this recipe a try. The sauce was a lot milder than I expected but paired with the tomatoes and steak very well.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, bottom four inches only, sliced as thinly as possible into rounds
• Kosher salt
• 2 flat iron, flank, skirt, or hanger steaks, about 12 ounces total
• Ground white or black pepper
• 3 medium cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons Thai red pepper flakes (more or less to taste, see note above)
• 1 small green thai chili or 1/2 small Serrano chili, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (more or less to taste)
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime (more or less to taste)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

 

Directions:

Combine vegetable oil and lemongrass in a small skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until lemongrass is golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer set in a small saucepan. Transfer crisp lemongrass to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Set aside.

 

Season steak generously with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 teaspoons of reserved lemongrass oil to a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet (reserve remaining lemongrass oil for another use or discard, see note above). Heat over high heat until lightly smoking. Cook steak, turning frequently, until well browned and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 125°F for medium, 3 to 8 minutes total depending on thickness (see note above). Transfer steak to a cutting board and set aside.

 

Combine garlic, pepper flakes, and Thai chilies in a mortar and pestle and pound into a fine paste (see note above). Add sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice, and pound until the sugar is dissolved. Taste dressing and add more sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, or pepper flakes to taste. It should be strongly spicy, sweet, salty, and acidic.

 

Thinly slice steak against the grain and transfer to a large bowl along with any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board. Add fried lemongrass, tomatoes, onion, mint, basil, and dressing. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Sausage, Cauliflower, Turnip and Kale Potpie January 19, 2015

So the original recipe for this meal does not call for turnips but I happened to have a bunch in the freezer so I threw them in. They added more body to the meal and a slightly sweet taste. This was simple to make, felt a tiny bit healthy and was gone in a flash.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and meat broken into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
• 1 pound turnips, peeled
• 2 sheets puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), each cut into 4 rectangles

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a large bowl.

Add the onions, rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the kale, turnips, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the kale mixture and cauliflower to the sausage and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish and top with the puff pastry, overlapping the rectangles slightly.

Bake until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Samosa Pie January 17, 2015

I love samosa’s so when I came across this recipe and saw that I had most things at home I knew I had to make it. I will say that it wasn’t as good as the original samosas. Part of what I love about them is the dough/filling ratio which is much less in this recipe. The flavors overall are good.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 tbsp garam masala (or curry powder)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• salt
• 1½ lbs potato (about 2 medium russets), diced
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup green peas, frozen or fresh
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed (1/2 a 17-oz package) OR homemade single pie crust recipe

 

Directions:

Heat ghee or butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add jalapeno and garlic; cook 1 minute more.

Stir in ground turkey, garam masala, turmeric and 1½ tsp salt. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.

Stir in diced potatoes and water; cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in peas, carrots and cilantro. Taste, and adjust seasoning – you’ll probably need more salt.

Transfer mixture to a 2-quart (2 L) baking dish. Roll out pastry and place over top. Cut a few steam vents.

Bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Chicken in Tomato Sauce With Chickpeas and Kale January 15, 2015

This recipe is something I made because I had every ingredient in my pantry and freezer. The flavor is good but as I have mentioned before, whenever I come across a recipe that calls for a bread crumb topping, it made way too much.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated with a Microplane
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• Pinch of dried red chili flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups lacinato (Tuscan) kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 2-inch ribbons

 

Directions:

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the breadcrumbs and toast them, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer breadcrumbs to plate and set aside.

 

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sear on both sides until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

 

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and remaining 1 tablespoon each oregano and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, their liquid and the stock and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce has thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

 

Stir in chickpeas and kale and cook until chickpeas are warmed through and kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Top with the breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

Moroccan Pot Roast With Dried Cherry Couscous January 13, 2015

This recipe is hands down our favorite pot roast of all time. The flavors of the spices are exotic enough to be interesting but not enough to turn someone away who isn’t a big foodie. The cherry couscous is the perfect base for it.

Ingredients:

For the Pot Roast:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut into large chunks
• 1 cup beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon ras-el-hanout (see note above)
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 3 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 whole lemon, pierced several times with a fork
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

For the Couscous:

• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 2 medium cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup dried, tart cherries, chopped
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

 

Directions:

For the Pot Roast: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

 

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until nearly smoking. Season roast with salt and pepper and brown meat on one side, about 4 minutes total. Flip roast, scatter onion, carrot, and celery all around, and continue to cook, stirring vegetables occasionally until roast is browned on second side, about 4 minutes. Add beef stock and tomatoes, scraping up any browned buts from bottom of the Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer.

 

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, ras-el-hanout, paprika, mint, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Scrape ras-el-hanout mixture into Dutch oven and stir to combine. Add the whole lemon, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook until roast is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours total, removing lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

 

Meanwhile, For the Couscous: Combine chicken stock, garlic, and cherries in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add couscous, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Strain out extra broth if necessary and discard garlic. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Add parsley and lemon zest. Stir to combine and cover to keep warm.

 

Discard bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and whole lemon from pot roast and skim fat from the surface. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Serve meat and vegetables with couscous, spooning gravy on top.