I am thinking.....

Nothing good starts from this phrase... but I believe this is going to be good. I eat out a lot when I am at work and am now working in Seattle, I have a feeling I might come across some great restaurants with some great food, if I do I will let you guys know and ....wait for it......try and recreate it!! I work primarily in a Ethnic food area, but will do my best at getting out and about more...this might be fun and challenging as well.... let's see what I come up with.

Butternut squash Cous Cous

Israeli Cous Cous...one of my favorite sides, I have been working on many variations of this and really love what butternut squash brings to the plate and to this tiny vessel of love that is Israeli Cous Cous. This serves as a pillow for any meat, and with enough love and squash can be a main course for the vegetarian in your life.

2 cups of butternut squash, you can get this packaged or fresh
1 cup of Israeli Cous Cous
2 cups of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, if you bought a fresh squash, peel the skin off of the whole squash, get rid of the seeds and cut in cubes. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic the cubes and put in the oven for 20-30 minutes, check tenderness with a fork, squash is much like a potato and the fork will go right through when done..Simply follow the directions on the box for the Cous Cous, I have never been good at box directions, so I won't try to repeat it here...all I ask is that you substitute water for the broth of your choosing, this all depends on your main course. Use beef broth or stock for all red meat, all white meat varieties use chicken stock or broth, for you vegetarians out there use veggie stock or broth.

Thanksgiving Chicken

One of my favorite foods is a whole chicken, it has so many ways it can be cooked and has a purpose after it has been cooked. I thought I would try cooking a whole chicken the way I did this Thanksgiving turkey. I of course was in charge of the bird this year and I will never let my sister know how terrified I was. I watched cooking channel for 16 hours on my weekend, thank goodness the Seahawks were on a bye-week. I didn't want to brine the turkey and I had already showed my skills and mastery of injecting fowl to my family. So I took a recipe from my new favorite chef Anne Burell and made it fit what I wanted for me and my family.



1 whole chicken, with parts
3 cups of carrots, no need to get fancy here, just rough chop, or use the mini ones like I did
3 cups of celery, same idea as the carrots
7 green onions, reserving 3 for the cavity of the chicken
1 whole shallot, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon of sage
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of rosemary
1 lemon
1 Granny Smith app




There is some preparation to this chicken, so this is not for the faint at heart. Don't be afraid! Live dangerously!! First thing you need to do is take out your stick of butter and let it get to room temperature. Chop sage, thyme, rosemary, take 2 of the 6 garlic cloves, mince finely, sprinkle some salt and drizzle a little oil on the chopped cloves smash it with your knife and run the chopped garlic back and forth with the flat part of the knife till they are completely crushed, grate a teaspoon of the lemon rind into the butter, then squeeze some of the lemon juice to flavor it even further. Put this in the butter and mix...do this well in advanced so that it has time to flavor the butter...try to do this at least 2 hours before dressing the bird. Put back into the fridge to get  a bit solid.

Preheat oven 350 degrees, bring the chicken out of the fridge an hour before cooking to come to room temperature. To butter rub a bird you need to get in between the skin and the meat, this is a delicate process. This needs to be done with some finesse ...start with the breast...using your fingers separate the skin from the meat working your way down...do not try to separate both breasts of the chicken in one swoop...they need individual attention....so repeat on the other side, work the butter down to the leg and the thigh...flip and repeat on the back part of the chicken. In the cavity of the chicken put half of the granny smith apple, lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, and the left over green onions. In the pan your planning to cook this magnificent bird in, layer the bottom with all the veggies from above...on top of that include the pieces and parts from inside the chicken that we usually throw way, this will make for some fantastic stock later on. Set rubbed chicken on top of this mountain of flavor and put in the oven for an hour and 15 minutes or so...internal temperature should be 165 degrees. Once this is done..don't be in a rush to cut the chicken open, let it rest for 15 minutes and finish up all the lovely sides you plan for this.

Getting prepared for daily postings

I found a time issue with running a blog, so what I have been doing is getting a collection of recipes and pictures to post weekly, I have about 4 now and by next week will have enough to start posting weekly without going silent for days and days. I also want to hear from you,the people that are looking at this blog...tell me your recipes, post them share them with me and every one that is here. I am going to start doing some vegetarian dishes as well to accomodate my new friends at my new job....although I am a dedicated meat eater, I know that alot of people out their choose differently. So Maggie...for you I will be doing some veggie dishes and think I will start with your pumkin addition to mac and cheese :). Thanks for everyone that has been watching this blog...we are about to hit 1000 hits!!! Have fun and keep cooking, life is delicious!!

Herbed Pork Tenderloin

So I bought a pork tenderloin this weekend, thinking I could stuff it or butterfly it, well come to find out I bought the wrong kind, I needed to buy a roast, not a tenderloin. Oh well...when the cook makes a mistake it is an opportunity to show your true skill.


1 package of pork tenderloin, this package usually contains two small tenderloins
6 slices of thin prosciutto
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 bunch of parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons of  fresh basil, chopped
2 table spoons of fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


First thing I did was take the pork out of the package, I trimmed the ends taking about a half of an inch off each end. Then I butterflied each loin. If you don't know how to do this, use You Tube, type in the search "butterfly pork tenderloin". These have many helpful videos. I will start doing mine as soon as I get a stand for my camera. After you do this, salt and pepper the inside of the pork. Arrange the pork end to end, then spread out the prosciutto to connect the two flat pieces of pork. Chop all the other ingredients, the fresh really work here and substituting may change the flavor. After the herbs are chopped down, put in a bowl and add olive oil, stir together then spread out over the pork, coating evenly. Now here comes the tricky part, you are going to make a roll out of this, so just be careful when you come to the second flat piece to continue to roll and it will flow into each other. Your next job is to truss the pork, meaning tying the pork so that it stays in the nice roll you have made, your going to want to tie at least 5 pieces of string up and down the pork. cut all excess string off and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, while this is coming to temperature  in a medium sauce pan at medium high heat, put a little oil down and sear all sides of the pork for at least 3 minutes each side. You want a nice caramelization on all sides. Put in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Take out and let rest for 5-7 minutes.

Chimichurri Sauce

So to wrap this meal up we made a Chimichurri sauce for the steak...

1 tightly packed cup of parsley, just the leaves
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano
8 cloves of garlic
2/3 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of red onion
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
large pinch of red pepper flake
half a lemon or less to taste

Put the parsley, oregano and about half the oil in a food processor or blender and spin. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend briefly. Keep adding the rest of the olive oil slowly and blend until you get to the consistency you like. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as you like. You may omit the lemon juice if you would like a little less tart flavor.

Spanish Rice

This was amazing, my first attempt at Spanish rice that did not come from a box.

2 cups of Basmati rice (any rice can be used, this just happens to be my favorite)
1 small green poblano pepper, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped (any red pepper, or pepper will do make sure it is not too hot in heat)
1/2 white onion, diced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

So rice sometimes escapes me in how to cook it perfectly, so I am not going to give instructions  just follow the package and it should be just fine. The only advice I can give you is substitute chicken or beef broth for water to give the rice some flavor. While your rice is cooking you can prep all your ingredients, chopping all the peppers, garlic and onions. Put oil in a medium sauce pan and add all the veggies except the garlic and tomatoes. Saute on medium heat for 8 minutes then add garlic, saute for another 4 minutes and reduce heat to low add rice, then tomatoes. Heat through and stir constantly as to not burn the rice.

My favorite time a year

Comfort foods come to mind when this season comes around. I see stews, soups, roasts, and meatloaf in my future....i would like to give people healthy options this fall season and will do my best to make some really fantastic dishes. Of course there will be my occasional meal that your going to just want to have it the way it is suppose to be, fat and all. This weekend I am going to make stew. This is my second favorite, pot roast is my absolute top comfort food. Stay tuned I have some great food coming your way this weekend, time to turn in my BBQ tongs for the slow cooker!!

Not Your Mother's Brussel Sprout's

Brussel sprouts.... believe me, if you would have said to me 4 years ago... "Angie, you are going to love brussel sprouts, I promise" I would have laughed!! 

1 pound of brussel sprouts, cut in half
5 slices of prosciutto, diced
2 table spoons of  olive oil
1 lemon
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste


In a medium sauce pan add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan , turn heat to medium high, add the prosciutto. If you bought thin cut, this will take about 5 minutes, for thicker cuts cook for a bit longer. The prosciutto needs to be crispy, regardless of the cut...take out of the pan set on a paper towel to drain... Cut the Sprouts in half while waiting for the crispy goodness to happen with the prosciutto. Take the crusty bottoms of as well. Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan, medium high heat... add the sprout halves....turn them cut side down to get a good caramelization on them, after 8 minutes of heat stir the sprouts around a bit and hold for 2 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and lemon and turn the cut side down on all of them, cook for 2 more minutes, pull off the heat, top the sprouts with the prosciutto and serve...Delicious!!

Cold and Flu Season Soup

The change of the weather always brings about colds and the flu. My favorite soup when I am sick is broth, chicken or beef. It is a blank canvas, you can add just about anything to it and have it be delicious.

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 package of gluten free noodles (optional)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon of Tumeric
2 clove garlic
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce (substitute with a teaspoon of miso)
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Siriacha sauce) The hotter the better!!
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan bring broth up to low boil. You can put all the ingredients in the broth except for the noodles have the flavors mingle a bit and let the mushrooms cook. In 7-8 minutes add the noodles and follow the package instructions. There you have it, a quick and easy broth to make when your feeling a bit under the weather.

Pear Broccoli Slaw

Ok, i don't have a picture of this but I made it last weekend and thought it was a great twist on an old favorite. It is super simple and goes good with any BBQ.

1 semi ripe pear (not to squishy, but not as hard as a rock)
1 package of broccoli colslaw mix. (can usually find this in the produce section)
2 tablespoons of greek yougurt, plain
1 tablespoon of celery seeds
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of spicy mustard
1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, always do this to your taste


Super easy!!! Cut the pear in lengthwise slices, then cut those in half, add all the igredients to the bowl and mix. I like my slaw more dry then sloppy. Let this sit for 15 minutes in the fidge, nothing more then that or the pears will start to turn brown. If you want to make his ahead, soak the pear in a leamon water bath before adding it to the salad. You can more yogurt, or a lttle mayonaise for a punch of flavor. Have this as a side, or use it fo pulled pork or chicken topping.

Pretzle Rolls

Pretzel Rolls!!

1 packet of active dry yeast
1 cup of hot water, at least 120 degrees
4 1/2  cups of flour, all purpose
4 tablespoons of butter, salted
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 table spoon of salt, course ground for the top of the rolls

So these are my new favorite to use as buns, I even experimented with shaping it into a hot dog bun.

Empty packet of yeast into a large mixing bowl, pour hot water into bowl, at least 120 degrees with the sugar and let sit until the yeast becomes active. Usually takes 4-5 minutes. While your waiting for the yeast to work, in a small sauce pan melt butter on a low heat, be careful not to burn the butter. Once the yeast has become active you can add the flour, salt and melted butter. Mix dough till smooth, if your dough is too wet add flour. I find it easier to knead the dough on a smooth surface like the counter or a cutting board, make sure you sprinkle flour on the surface so the dough doesn't stick. In a bowl put the olive oil in and spread around with a paper towel. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with a thin kitchen towel. The dough needs to rise for 1 hour in a warm area. I usually put it in my oven, I don't turn it on, it is just a climate that works for breads.
After the hour is up, punch dough down, sprinkle flour on the same surface you used in the beginning and let dough rest for a few minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it easier to shape and knead. Once the dough has rested, knead all the air out of it. Start making any size ball you would like, it all depends on what your making these for. I vary the size from small to large. If I am just making a roll, i make the balls a bit smaller, if I am looking for a bun I make them a bit bigger. After you have made the balls put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a towel and stick them in the oven, still in the off position. They need to rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Take rolls out and turn oven on to preheat at 425 degrees. In a medium sauce pan add 5 cups of water, bring to a low boil add baking soda before you get it to boil... doing it after proves to be very messy. while the water is coming to boil, whip egg in a small bowl. Drop rolls in the water 1-2 at a time, they only need about 1 minute in the water, flip after 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to get them out and put them on the parchment paper baking sheet again. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow X on the top of the roll. Brush roll with the egg wash and sprinkle salt on top. Put in the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes. The tops should be a deep golden brown, you will want to watch them as to not burn them. You will love these as anything, we generally don't wait for a burger or sandwich meat to eat them, we just grab the mustard out of the fridge and scarf them down.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

These were delicious!!!

1 Pound of lean ground Turkey
1 Pablano pepper, chopped
1 Medium shallot diced
1 Clove of garlic minced
4 Slices of your favorite white cheese
4 Hamburger buns (get creative, find out which ones you like the best)
1 Teaspoon of ground cumin
1 Teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 Teaspoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Put ground Turkey into a bowl and combine all the other ingredients. Mix ingredients gently, over mixing will cause the burger to fall apart. Keep the burgers cold as well, the colder they are the more you have time to shape them. I usually toss the ingredients together then let them hang out in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes let them firm a bit. Pull them out and form them gently into patties, don't pack them down, they just need a bit of forming, put a little finger print in the middle so they don't shrink. Turkey generally does not shrink, but I do it anyway. In a large frying pan on medium high heat cook for 7 minutes each side, after the first flip, add cheese. I use a white cheese, it is a healthier option and melts better. I like Pepper Jack, Montery Jack...or Mozzarella.  This is great paired with a pasta salad or a regular salad. Lisa made a simple salad with Romaine , corn, tomato from our garden and avocado  she topped it with an little bit of ranch, cut with 1 tablespoon of olive oil....Light and healthy, good meal for the start of a long week of work!

Getting back to cooking

After tking some time off from blogging I am ready to resume with cooking and sharing my recipes, life was a bit complicated for awhile and there is no time like the present to get back to what I love. Hopefully in 30 days I will be in my new home cooking from my new kitchen, typing my blogs in my new office :) Tommorrow I will kick things off with my one of my favorite Turkey Burgers!! I know, I went from fried chicken to Turkey burgers. Don't worry, I will have comfort food and healthy food, I will also be doing some health alternative tips to some of my more calorie busting meals. I hope everyone had a great summer of fun, sun and BBQ.

Fried Chicken

For this meal I definitely have to forget about calories and fat content, but every once and awhile I love a good fried chicken, I was living in Yakima, WA for 3 years and anyone that knows Yakima can attest there is not much to do in that town. So every Friday night I would make fried chicken trying it different ways, trying to come up with the right taste. So this is what my years of research and development came up with..

1 Whole cut up chicken (you can buy this, do it yourself, or ask your butcher to do it)
1 Half gallon of buttermilk
2 Cups of Chicken broth
2 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Teaspoon of cayenne pepper
3 Tablespoons of Johnny's Seasoning Salt (anything MSG free in this category of spices will be fine)
1 Half gallon of canola oil
4 Cups of flour for dredging
2 Tablespoons salt and pepper

Take chicken parts. garlic, chicken broth and buttermilk and let soak in a bowl in the fridge for a least 4 hours, the longer the better on this. The buttermilk breaks down the toughness of the chicken to make it super tender. Upon taking it out of the fridge, let stand at room temperature for at least a half hour. Put  flour on a separate dish add all the spices and salt and pepper. Mix them so it will coat the chicken evenly; dredge chicken so all the parts are coated well. Let them sit on a cookie rack with a pan underneath while waiting for the oil to come to a cooking temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Only drop in a few parts at a time, let swim in the oil for about 20-25 minutes until the skin is a nice golden brown, on the same rack they came from return them and do this with all the chicken. as your frying bring oven to 350 degrees, once all chicken is done place the rack in the oven for an extra 10-15 minutes. This allows the extra oil to come off and finsih cooking.

Whew....been on a bit of a break

After taking sometime to get settled in my new diet, I will be doing some recipes this week. I have been meaning to post some new ones, just have been a bit busy. I have a Pizza recipe, spaghetti sauce, fried chicken, and something I had tonight for my diet was homemade sloppy joe's. The diet has been amazing, and I ma on day 8 of a 52 day protocol. To date I have lost 10 pounds and will measure tomorrow. I am gonna be doing some adjustments to my recipes to accommodating healthier living as well. I am however going to list all the things I had for my last meals before going on a diet

Lisa's BBQ sauce

I never have to worry about making sauces or gravy's of any kind, she is amazing with sauces and can turn whatever I cook into a masterpiece...enjoy!

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 Teaspoon:

        Granulated garlic

        Onion Powder

        Pepper

1 Tablespoon of:

       Chili powder

       Cumin

       Paprika (smoked paprika if you have some)

 1/4 Teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes      

In a small sauce pan cook these ingredients on medium heat 4-5 minutes

Add:

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup Diet Coke

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  

Fall off the bone ribs

For a long time now I have been wanting to have those ribs like I get at that Outback restaurant, they just fall right off the bone the minute you pick them up, they are not too smoky and really rely on the quality of the BBQ sauce to make them good. I did these in my Crock pot, and think I will do that from now on. You have to try these!! Thanks to my Rachel Ray magazine for some inspiration.

2 Racks of baby back pork ribs
1 White onion, rough chop
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Sprigs of Rosemary
2 Cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce ( I used the Tabasco kind for a little extra kick)
1 Box of beef stock
Salt, to taste

First you have to let the rack of ribs set out for a good 20 minutes to take the chill off of them, this will make it easier to take the membrane off the back of them, also known as the silver skin, this is a must. If you don't do this your ribs will not fall off the bone!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-RL_f8qdJE (YouTube help if you need it). After this is done rub salt on the pork and let them rest for another 15-20 minutes. In the biggest crock pot you have add all the ingredients in and put the ribs on top of all the aromatics, I cut my ribs in 3 sections as to fit better. I put them on the highest setting for 4 hours and then put them on a rack in the oven for the last hour to dry out a little bit. Your oven should be around 250 degrees Fahrenheit. While the ribs are in the oven make the BBQ sauce. Lisa is my sauce maker so I had her give me the recipe she used for the ribs last night. I will post that in a separate post.

The best baby back ribs you will ever have...

Have to come back tomorrow for more information....but this is the first time I tried this and this is how I have wanted them to come out since I have started cooking ribs, fall off the bone de-lish-ous!! I will include the best BBQ sauce recipe that Lisa has made :)

Farewell Fajitas

I went to my sisters last night to cook dinner for her and her husband, he is gonna be gone for a bit and wanted to send him off with a home cooked meal. The request was Fajitas, the trade off is being able to cook in my sisters new home in North Tacoma...My sister and I like dark meat of chicken, Wes and Lisa like white meat, I did a combination of both, but if you want you can do one or the other. You can omit the spicy ingredients or add more depending on how spicy you want the fajitas to be.

3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken (white or dark meat)
1 yellow, red, orange bell pepper (green omitted due to Lisa's aversion to them), julienne
1 Jalapeno pepper, julienne
1 Yellow onion, julienne
3 Limes
3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Bunch of Cilantro (fresh is best in this case)
1 Tablespoon of each of these:
      Roasted Cumin
      Paprika
     Chili Powder
     Crushed Red Peppers
     Oregano
2 Teaspoons of Cayenne Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Gloves of garlic, minced
Salt to taste

Add the chicken to a bowl, add olive oil and all the spices in this bowl including the garlic and a good dash of salt, mix the chicken around with your hands making sure each piece is coated thoroughly with spices and oil. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. While your waiting chop vegetables, try to make them close to the same size to promote even cooking. Pull chicken out of fridge and let sit for a half hour or so, using a large skillet on medium high heat, let the pan get hot and then put the chicken in to brown on each side, don't over crowd the pan or you will end up steaming the chicken instead of browning. You want to cook them for about 10 minutes on each side. Let them sit and cool for about 10 minutes then slice them in long strips fit for a flour/corn tortilla. Using the pan you cooked the chicken in, saute vegetables till tender, not so much, about 8-10 minutes, squeezing lime into the pan as they cook. Use cilantro to garnish and have both lime and cilantro for the fajitas for people to put in their fajita, serve and enjoy!!

Healthy Meatloaf

No picture, but I made this on Saturday, the beef was not missed, and with the proper seasoning anything has great flavor, this was a cross between something I had at my sisters this week and my creation. Although my sister tried to kill me with uncooked turkey (hehehehe) she really didn't but I swear she was trying to kill me , I forgave her and made my Turkachick Meatloaf..

1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground chicken
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary, minced (don't deviate from fresh, there is a big difference with Rosemary)
2 slices of day old bread, chopped
1 egg

Don't complicate this, this is meatloaf... mix all these ingredients together in a large bowl until well incorporated. Not too much, but enough to get things working together. Let the mixture hang out in the fridge for about an hour, put in a bread pan. Put in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit....let rest for 20 minutes..serve with smashed potatoes and green beans....gravy optional :)

CAMERA!!

I have a new camera and will be starting back with the blog as of this weekend....I have made some great stuff this week and want to include these, they will not have pictures but if anyone makes them and takes a picture that would be great...if not I can make them in the coming weeks and post a picture with it. Its good to be back and sorry I have not posted in awhile :)

PORK is done!!

After smoking the pork but for 5 hours, I have finished it off in my oven, I cooked it the rest of the way at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. I waited till it hit 173 degrees internal temp and lowered the heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually a big piece of meat and will need to rest after cooking. After it hits 180 degrees internal temperature, take it out to rest for at least 25-30 minutes. After it cools pull on the meat with two forks, it should shred and look like roast beef. you can add your favorite BBQ sauce or make your own. I happen to live with an original sauce maker and leave that up to Lisa to make. I will post the recipe she uses tonight.

So the process begins....

Today we are smoking our pork butt, we actually found one this time with the shoulder bones attached, this will give the meat plenty of flavor with the added bones. This morning I woke up at 6am to take it out of the fridge to bring it to room temp. I soaked my wood chips in water, this allows them to not burn right away when you put them on the charcoal, for this piece of meat I have chosen apple chips and hickory. You can smoke on either type of grill, charcoal is best, but with gas you can make a smoker box out of aluminum foil and set it in the corner of the gas grill. We will be cooking the pork on indirect heat, this means off to the side of the main heat source, with charcoal just pile them in the corner, with gas use one burner. You want a steady heat of 220 degrees Fahrenheit. 

HAIL Caesar!!!

This recipe is a cross between my other favorite food network star and my sister.... Caesar salad dressing, my sister by far is better at this then I will ever be, but i took the eggs out and added Ann's idea of using Dijon mustard, we like this for the garlic, this is not a date sort of dressing, so no kissing after this!!!

1 cup grated Parmigiana , plus a block for shaving

1 lemons, juiced

4 garlic cloves,crushed

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of anchovy paste

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rub it out!!

This weekend I am doing a smoked pork butt, this is good for the delicious food that is a pulled pork sandwich, Lisa and I have been working on this for the last 4 years, and yes it does take that long to make perfection. I am not sure if we are there yet, but we have combined our skills to come up with the adventure this weekend. We have a small smoker in our backyard and the right ideas. Last weekend was marinating, this weekend will be rubs. A rub is a mixture a spices designed to flavor the meat, this is a dry way of marinating.

Depending on the size of meat follow these instructions, this is the basics:
1 part salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, onion powder

For a Pork butt or other BBQ flavors add:

2 parts chili powder
1 part cumin, and smoked paprika
Dash of cayenne peeper
Dash of ground mustard (optional)

Dry rubs, are not a specific science. This is your opportunity to get to know the spices around you
add the flavors you like, thyme is a good substitute for oregano, as well as basil. Crushed red pepper is a great addition to both rubs. Be creative, taste the herbs and spices and find your flavor profile. Each meat is more receptive to different spices.

Kale Chips

Ok, this is a healthy substitute for potato chips, if you do them right you won't even know the difference. I am having user error issues with my camera will have a pic of them when I get the camera working again.

1 bunch of Kale
salt and pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the Kale leaves and remove the spine from them and discard. rip leaves up, no specific size just chip size. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and drizzle some oil over them, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a lot of salt, be generous. Swoosh (technical term) it around on the cookie sheet so all of the leaves get coated. Put in the oven for 8-10 minutes, check for crispiness and enjoy :) Good healthy way to get kids to eat veggies as well.

Nutritional inormation

I am currently looking for a way to post this or at least give a calorie counter for you all to use....(thanks Shell for the idea)!!

Short Ribs

Not a favorite in my house but I like to cook them because of their flavor and how you can change them with just the ingredients you use. They also have the fat and the marrow of the bone that just gives the rib a flavor unmatched in just a plain steak. I have made these sweet, spicy, barbquey and plain. Tonight I am making them spicy, would go well with the asparagus I made last night...hehehe.

I started with my basic marinate:
2 teaspoons of salt
2  tablespoons of crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups of beef broth
1 table spoon of butter
1/3 cup of white wine
1tablespoon of flour

Take all those ingredients and marinate the short ribs 8-24hrs. More is best in this situation.

Take a large pan add oil and a table spoon of butter, when pan is hot place the ribs fat side down, cook for 7 minutes or until brown, flip to the other side and cook for another 7 minutes, use wine to de-glaze pan, cook for an additional 5 minutes and transfer to a casserole dish, reserving all left over juices. Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, set ribs in to cook. Take reserve marinade and put in the skillet you just took the ribs out of. Heat this to a boil and reduce heat, add flour and stir till flour cooks out, about 5 minutes. Add gravy to the ribs in the oven and cover with foil for 1 hour. Let rest after taking ribs out and serve!!

Noodlesotto!!

For those of you afraid of making risotto, I UNDERSTAND!!! Watching cooking shows intimidated me so that i didn't even want to try making it.. So what I did to reduce the fear is practice. I made risotto with noodles, which have the same starchy quality as rice, using the risotto flavorings and seasonings.

1 serving of noodles of your choice (ANY noodle will do, if they are long break them so that it is easier to stir them)
1 box of chicken or beef stock
1/2 onion diced
1 package of mushrooms, chopped
2 gloves of garlic
1/3 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon of butter (unsalted)
1 tablespoon of oil
Salt and pepper

In a small sauce pan bring broth to a simmer, just need some heat on it as to not  put cold chicken stock in the pan.  On medium heat in a larger skillet, melt butter and add oil; add onions and let them sweat a little, about 5-8 minutes; add garlic and saute for another 5 minutes. Add noodles, let them get coated with flavor and soften a little. Ladle 2 scoops of stock in to noodle mixture, stir constantly....this is where you beat the starch out of it and get that thickness. Every time you add liquid, stir to release more starch....Repeat this process, but wait till the liquid cooks down and out before adding more. After the 4th time of adding liquid, each time adding 2-3 ladles of liquid, check noodles, they should be al dente. In this last step make sure liquid is almost gone in the pan and add the white wine. Add 2 more ladles of stock then add the mushrooms, they will adsorb the excess liquid, make sure this is your last step. Add salt and pepper to taste after mushrooms have cooked down a bit. Grate Parmigiana-Reggiano over the top, give it a last stir, then serve. This dish is not meant to sit and wait, so make this the last thing you prepare. You can garnish it with grating a little cheese on top

Steaklicious

ooohhhhh...yum!! the aspargras is a little too done and too spicy, caught both of us off guard tonight, going to put it in a stir-fry this week :) Noodlesotto is in the back ground, will post that recipe tonight as well.

Marinate in the weekend!!

This weekend I am concentrating on the marinating of meats, this is sometimes a lost art because of time, people generally people think marinating takes hours and days. As a rule depending on the meat and the marinate it really only needs a couple hours, for the more spicy ones and hour...you just need the meat to taste like the marinate not be the marinate. This weekend I made 3 basic marinades, one for chicken, and for short ribs.
Basics:
Fresh or powdered garlic
Salt
Pepper or Crushed Red pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chicken or Beef Broth (depending on what meat your marinating)

Marinades can tenderize most meats and inject flavor and juiciness too!

I used this on my delicious steak tenderloins over night in the fridge, i used regular pepper because I don't want to hide the flavor of this great cut of steak. I also subtracted the beef broth due to the size of the cuts as well. In a small skillet heat olive oil and a pat of butter till very hot, you want to sear the meat on both sides. 7 minutes on each side. get that pan hot.....you want to have the dark crust on eat side. after the 7 minutes put them in the oven to rest for about 5-7 minutes, the internal temperature should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit, this is where Lisa reminds me to not mess with the food...i have issues with turning and turning food till I think it is done and not let the pan do the job it was made for. let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes after taking it out of the oven, don't serve too soon or the plate will be a mess with juices running all over the place...meat likes to nap, be patient...it will be delicious. I will post a pic and the side recipes as well tonight.

Stock vs. Broth

Ok....So as much as I like to cook I did not know there was a difference till Lisa was so kind to correct me the other night. Here is how she made it:

3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
5 pounds of soup bones
2 ribs of celery, chopped leaves included
1 potato
1 Parsnip, sliced
6 gloves of garlic, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
5-6 sprigs of parsley
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon of pepper corns
1 teaspoon of salt
12cups of water

Roast the carrots, onion and the soup bones in the oven for 1 hour on 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning to make sure they get nice and brown. In a big pot put all remaining ingredients in with the roasted veggie/meat mix, with the water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down and simmer covered for 5 hours. Skim fat off top after it cools a bit. Drain out bits with a strainer and throw away chunks Then enjoy or freeze for later use :) Truth is stock is much richer and deeper with flavor then broth...this is great for soup bases...which is what she used it for.

Mini Meatball Soup

Ok...even the best chef/cook gets ideas from the people that inspire, this is a recipe from Rachel Ray with an intentional chef twist. (Lisa made this last night.....we are both having soup cravings)

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 Carrot peeled and chopped

1 Rib of celery, chopped

1/2 Medium onion chopped ( I like white onions, they have better flavor)

1 Small bay leaf

1/2 pound of ground turkey 

1/2 ground pork

1 egg beaten

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 grated Romano cheese

1/4 cup of bread crumbs

3 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1 1/2 cups of water

3/4 cups of dried pasta, rings worked best, but can be any kind

1/2 pound frozen spinach.....thaw this and wring out the excess water

In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, cover pot and cook veggies for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. While veggies are cooking combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs and salt and pepper

Uncover pot and add broth and water, increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil, when boiling, turn it down a little and meatballs, make them a little bigger then a quarter because they are going to cook in the broth, when done with meat balls stir in pasta and let cook for 10 minutes. Add spinach to soup and cook for another 5-8 mines till heated through. 

AppeeTIZer!!

Stuffed Mushrooms~
So why is my spelling wrong on appetizer, my sister and I have a way we talk to each other...we make things why more fun then they really are...the word "puss" has been going for I think 4 years now...we have even developed a text game out of it. :)

OK...Back to cooking......My partner Lisa made this for me, it is her day off and likes to show case her talents in cooking as well....

8  Large stuffing mushrooms
1/4  pound of ground turkey
1/4  finely diced onion
2  clove of garlic
1/4 dry white wine
2 ounces of cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/8 cup of Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Wipe off mushrooms, DO NOT use water to rinse them, (Wes and Lisa!!) they become rubbery, pull out stems and chop them up finely. Cook ground turkey thoroughly and set aside add onions and garlic to same pan and cook for 2 minutes pour in white wine to deglaze pan and let liquid evaporate add in chopped mushroom stems. take off heat and let cool. In a bowl mix cream cheese and Romano cheese and the egg yolk. Add cheese, meat and mushroom mixture together and fill caps. Bake in an oven for 25-30 minutes at 350 F

So why Intentional chef you ask? Well I have always wanted to be a cook and thanks to my sister for pointing out that the hours suck!! I am a morning person and the thought of having to stay up till midnight every night at a restaurant does not appeal to me. I cook mainly for my family and have entertained in the past. I have tried most foods and since starting this blog I am going to be trying more. My intention was to cook the best food I could and make people happy. Funny thing is, I really enjoy it and can't wait till this blog gets going and have some feedback from others about some of the things I will be posting. Intentional Chef~having a purpose in cooking, that is my definition....

Chicken Cheese Stroganoff

This is my re purposed chicken:

All the left over chicken de-boned, chopped and set aside

1 package of linguine 

1 Table spoon of sour cream

4 Wedges of the Garlic and herb Laughing cow spread cheese

1 Table spoon of cream cheese (my sister would be having a fit right now!)

1 bunch of green onions

1container of crimini mushrooms

1/2 of a white onion diced

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of onion powder

2 cups of chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

First mix the cheeses and sour cream in a small bowl, add half the green onion bunch reserving some of the green for garnish later. add salt, pepper and garlic and onion powder. Mix till smooth and set in refrigerator to get the flavors mixing. Saute onions on medium heat till translucent with the olive oil, add mushrooms when onions are done, saute till you like them. I like mine with a little life left in them, takes about 10 minutes....put chicken in a saute pan with the chicken stock cook through, chicken should be done, if when cutting the chicken and you see some pink parts cook that out before adding the stock. add cheese mixture when chicken is hot...once this is heated add to mushroom, onion mixture. Stir till hot and boiling...watch the temp, should be on Medium low heat, the cheeses will burn if your not careful. while this is heating through boil a package of linguine...add salt to the water prior to adding the noodles because this is the only opportunity you will have to season the noodles, this should take 10 minutes to cook....DO NOT rinse noodles after taking them out of the water. Serve and enjoy!!! A nice crusty bread would be great with this, and I had whole grain noodles. Enjoy!

So after much contemplation and time, my mother Marlene has finally found a signature drink. I thought I would share it all with you to try. :)Use a tall glass 1 part vodka 2 parts cub soda, you can use either sparkling cranberry or pomegranate juice for a splash of flavor and a lime slice for garnish...way to go mom!!!

I am going to re purpose my chicken from last night, my partner and I are famous for saving food and not eating it the next day or within the time she deems it bad..(usually within 48 hours). So tonight I am going to make a healthy version of a hamburger helper. Chicken Cheese Stroganoff. I have not worked out the details so I will get those together and post them later. I just think it is important to reuse leftovers and plan meals better for your family.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food leftovers are the single-largest component of the waste stream by weight in the United States (SoSA, 2011). Some states and counties are now using composting to help with this and adding it to yard waste, some individuals are composting on their own, but the thing is most the food you can eat again and just either don't want to or forget. Best way to do this is use it the next day in a completely new recipe, changing the taste and look.

I am embarking on a new adventure, this will be my blog for posting recipes and pictures of food. I am making a roasted chicken tonight, I am going to melt a half a stick of unsalted butter (can control the salt intake this way), 1 table spoon of salt, a cup of chicken broth and my new homemade spice mix I made with my dehydrator. This is a combination of garlic, peppers and onions, use about 2 teaspoons of that. Mrs. Dash will be a good replacement for this or you can email me and I can make a batch for you. I bought a meat injector today so I am going to inject the chicken with that mixture. If you don't own one of these don't panic...just subtract the chicken broth and get butter to room temperature, mix in spices and salt and rub UNDERNEATH the skin of the chicken. You should put oil on the bird and salt pepper to taste on the skin, you can put some of the pepper mix as well to tie in the flavors. Cook the bird whole breast down for an 1 hour and 15 minutes, if you want to truss the chicken, meaning tying the legs and tucking the wings under you can...I'm not an expert at this and find it more trouble then its worth. When it is done temperature should be 165 F, take it out and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. A simple garlic mash potato and corn serves as a nice side. Remember fresh is best, but if you can't find fresh vegetables, buy frozen, canned vegetables have to high a sodium count.