Menu of the Week #4

This week was a mix of new recipes and some old standards for us. I discovered a new way to make Brussels and cauliflower that I think you will enjoy too. We have to keep our veggie game up to trick family into eating enough, am I right?

Menu of the Week

The menu of the week was mostly "hit" and one big miss. Keep reading to see which night bombed!

What I Cook on Repeat

I'm often asked what I like to cook the most, and frankly I do not have an answer because I do not like repeating recipes that much. In fact it used to drive Jim crazy that I always wanted to try something new instead of recreating a successful dinner that he loved.

I think it was partly due to the fact I FELL so hard and so fast IN LOVE with cooking. Like anything obsessive, you can imagine my craving for knowledge was so great that I was ravenously consuming recipe books and food blogs for new cooking techniques and new ingredients to try.

Pressure Cooker Chicken, Lentil, and Bacon Stew With Carrots

I'm learning that my pressure cooker is an amazing device for making flavor-packed stews in very short order. In this version, lentils are flavored with big chunks of bacon, chicken stock, carrots, onions, bay leaves, and fall-off-the-bone tender chicken. It all cooks in under an hour from start to finish.

Skirt Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri and Carrot-Citrus Hash

This recipe card from plated.com is bent, torn, stained ... all proof that this is an awesome dinner. I have made it probably once a month for the last six months and if you know me, you know I don't repeat recipes very often.

There is something about the sweet citrus carrots and the addictingly hot chimichurri sauce that seeps down over the steak. Jim and I clean our plates!

Menu of the Week + Chicken & Dumplings Update

Our menu of the week consist of one of Jim's most favorite meals: Chicken and Dumplings. There were two other stars on the menu that I guarantee will be making a comeback on our menu board in a few weeks. The Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree was amazing. Keep reading for links to recipes.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken Soup

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up your home and your family with a hot bowl full of healthy vegetables and hearty shredded chicken. Spiced with cumin, curry and paprika, the onions, celery and carrots are simmered along with shredded chicken, chickpeas and chopped zucchini. This Moroccan soup is more likely to be served as a light supper rather than as a first course. These will be leftovers the family will ask for! Reheat  and serve over rice, quinoa or couscous.

This recipe is highly customizable! Use what vegetables your family likes, or what vegetables you have on hand. Here is what I used:

Olive Oil
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Garlic
Dry Sherry
Ginger
Chicken
Chickpeas
Crushed Tomatoes
Chicken Stock
Spices
Zucchini
Chicken Bouillon

I know I didn't list amounts above, that is because you should feel free to use as much or as little of the ingredients as you like. Here is the step by step pictorial of what I did:

Chicken Hash over Creamy Polenta

This was a totally random and made up dinner that ROCKED! I wanted something comforting, filling and wholesome - and I also wanted to use up produce that was on it's last leg in my house. I pulled every vegetable I had out of the fridge and then roasted two chicken breasts. All the ingredients are slow cooked in my dutch oven with wine and chicken stock and then served over the creamiest and most delish polenta. I didn't know what to call it, "everything but the kitchen sink chicken and veggies dinner?" Doesn't sound appetizing. A "hash" is a great way to maximize leftovers or use up produce before it spoils. Although a traditional "hash" usually contains potatoes of some sort, I replaced the starch with polenta and then named my recipe Chicken Hash over Polenta.

By the way, Jim is absolutely terrible at coming up with recipe names. I should start a list of his suggestions. My sweetie pie means well, but I'm pretty sure he would have named this "the really good chicken and vegetables."

Both Jim and I enjoyed this meal so much that I made it twice...and photographed it twice. I usually don't take pictures of a dish I've already posted, BUT I've made some improvements to my "kitchen studio."

I have invested in an EGO light and a small tabletop tripod. Can you tell the difference? Above is the new photo I took this week, below is my first run with this recipe that I took about a month ago. 

Here is the step by step photos from my first run at Chicken Hash over Polenta:

Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce is known to Italians as Ragù alla Bolognese, to the French as Sauce Bolognaise and to Jim as Meat Sauce. Jim isn't far off, this is a meat-based sauce for pasta originating in Bologna, Italy. Sometimes Bolognese sauce is thought of as a tomato sauce, but actually the authentic recipes have only a small amount of tomato concentrate.

I first became interested in Bolognese after watching Tyler Florence make Tagliatelle Bolognese on his show Tyler's Ultimate. The addition of milk to this meat sauce was so intriguing to me, I just had to make this myself. I loosely followed Tyler's recipe, and edited here and there along the way.

My ingredient list (pictured above):

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  (the LARGE jug in the background)
1/4 pound bacon
1 medium onion
3 celery stalks
3 carrots
5 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup milk  (I used 2%)
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, hand-crushed
2 cups dry red wine (more about the wine later)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

I recommend serving with:
1 pound dry tagiatelle, pappardelle, or other ribbon pasta
1 handful fresh basil, hand-torn, for garnish
1 T ricotta or freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

When I open a bottle of wine my first instinct is to check out the cork. This isn't a snobby thing to do, you can actually tell a lot about the wine you are about to enjoy by inspecting the cork. I don't believe sniffing a cork will tell you anything, it's most likely going to smell like cork. I always check to see if wine runs the length of the cork, that could mean that wine has seeped out, allowing oxygen in, which would change the taste of the bottle.

This particular cork had some wine crystals form on the bottom of the cork. Having this sediment in the bottle neck and attached to the underside of the cork indicates the bottle was most likely stored on its side for a long period. This type of storage is recommended, as it lets the sedament form on one side of the bottle and also keeps the cork moist, helping it form a better seal. If you have a cork with lots of gunk at the bottle neck and on the cork, you may want to decant the bottle and also use a strainer to keep the sedament from getting into your glass. 

The technical term for "wine crystals"  is tartaric acid crystals. This isn't a bad thing, it's natural in many, many red wines and also found in white wines.

And I've said it before, I will say it again...I strongly suggest cooking with wine you would also drink, please don't buy the cooking wine. {I realize I sound like a broken record.}

I've covered the wine stuff, and I've also poured myself a glass while I prep veggies. {happy girl}

Asian Sesame Ginger Salad

No, I didn't make the dressing homemade - I used Marie's from the grocery store. But the reason I love this Asian Sesame Ginger Salad is because I fool myself and sneak in fruits, veggies and protein.

I seasoned two boneless and skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then seared on the grill.

Next, I use my mandolin to slice and julienne some carrots.

Then thinly slice and dice a tart granny smith apple.

So here are our ingredients, a sliced granny smith apple, julienned carrots, the Marie's Sesame Ginger dressing and these fabulous almond accents that are butter toffee glazed.

I toss all the ingredients with the lettuce mix and then add a little bit of the dressing

Then toast some sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. These go fast, don't walk away.

Voila, a very filling lunch with spicy and sweet Asian flavors. The carrots add crunch, the glazed almonds a little sweetness and the green apples a tartness. A lot of us are eating more salads these days, don't get stuck in a rut - be creative!

Hungarian Pot Roast (revisited)

I've been asked, "Why did you start a food blog?" This is my answer! I made this Hungarian Pot Roast sometime last year - read the post here - and I made it again last week with the suggested improvements. It was AWESOME!

Read my post on Hungarian Pot Roast for the FULL description. Here I'm just going to post how I changed the original recipe. When the onions were sauteing, I added more hot paprika than the original recipe calls for. (Because in the end, the sour cream added to the sauce really cools it off.) In addition to the tomatoes and onions, I added about one cup of baby carrots to the crock pot. When I removed the cooked meat from the slow cooker, I put all the juice and vegetables in my dutch oven and set the meat aside, did not shred or cut into slices.

I served the pot roast and sauce over pasta shells...Jim's favorite.

Topped with chunks of roast.

Then spooned the sauce over the top. The carrots made this a better pot roast in my opinion.

I also like that I kept the sauce/vegetables and the pot roast separate this time, instead of adding everything back to the crock pot or back to the dutch oven. I really let this boil down until reduced by half before I added the sour cream. Also, note that I added an extra 1/2 cup of sour cream this time because I had some in the fridge that was just a few days until I had to throw it out, so I used it as opposed to losing it. And instead of adding the sour cream directly to the pot of boiling liquid, I added about a cup of hot boiling liquid to sour cream, stirred until smooth and then added to the large pot. This prevented lumpy sour cream in the sauce. It's like tempering an egg.

Like I said in the original post, this is a perfect set-it and forget-it recipe. Loads of flavor! Big hit at my house!! My next post will show you what I did with the leftovers.

Short Ribs served over 3 Cheese Risotto

You guys know how I love to photograph each step of my meals, it helps me remember what I did and it is how I learn from other food bloggers too. This was a really special meal, and it kills me that I don't have more photographs. For one I was in a huge rush to put this together and my camera battery was also dead. These few pictures I do have were taken just before serving this meal to guests and taken with my phone.

Short ribs are special, they are one of my favorite things to cook and to eat. They are easy to prepare, impressive to serve, and taste so good when cooked slow and low they fall right off the bone.

Jim and I were having friends over for dinner and I had planned to make short ribs, but I had misjudged my time and had to really rush to get this put together and in the oven. They need to cook for 3 hours at least. My recipe is loosely based on this one from Giada.

Short ribs can be expensive, so I just watch for sales at the meat counter. You want to buy about a pound per person. I was serving four, so this recipe used four pounds of beef short ribs.

Ingredient List:
Short Ribs
Salt and Pepper
Onion powder
Garlic Powder
Olive Oil
1 large Onion
3 cloves garlic
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
5 roma tomatoes
1 cup red wine
3 T dijon mustard
2 cups beef broth

Preheat the oven to 350.

I seasoned the short ribs with the usual S.P.O.G. (salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.) Using my heavy dutch oven I used just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot and heated to medium-high. In batches, sear the short ribs on all sides until nice a brown. Remove and set aside on a plate. My mother seasons her short ribs with S.P.O.G. and then dusts them with flour. See her recipe here.

I diced one onion and added it to the dutch oven along with a couple of carrots and celery stalks that got a rough chop. Let this cook, stirring frequently for about five minutes. Then add three cloves of coarsely chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently for two minutes. When onions are translucent, add five roma tomatoes that have been quartered. Add one cup of good red wine. and 3 tablespoons of dijon mustard. (This is the secret ingredient.) Bring this mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot left from browning the short ribs.

Return the ribs to the pot and add enough beef broth to fully cover the meat. Cover the pot and place in the oven for three hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily off the bone.

Note: Giada removes the short ribs from the cooking liquid and then blends the remaining broth and vegetables into a sauce, pours over cooked pasta and serves the short ribs on top.

I pulled the short ribs out of the cooking liquid and placed on top of 3 cheese risotto. Yum yum yum. Let me say again, "YUM!"

I did however reserve all the cooking liquid and a couple days later, I skimmed the fat from the top and then heated in a sauce pan over medium heat. Once heated through I took my immersion blender to the sauce, added a teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken, and then served over cooked pasta like Giada had originally suggested in her recipe. This was SO GOOD!

Herbed Pork Roast in Wine

I'm stuck in a pork phase. I can't help but love pulled pork, bbq pork, pork roast, pork loin, pork shank. This dinner was prepared some time ago (February?) and has been waiting in my "to post" folder. Unfortunately I don't know where this recipe came from, but as I look back through the pictures, I think it may have been made up.

If you are a regular reader then you have seen my other pork posts. You should know that Boston Butt is Pork Shoulder is Pork Butt is Boston Blade Roast and could even be called Pernil.

I used a Napa Valley Meritage Herb Rub that is loaded with lavender and rosemary.

Because I'm going to sear the pork before roasting, I gave it a nice coating with flour.

Heated a little olive oil in my dutch oven and seared the pork on all sides.

This seals in flavor, juices and also gives the meat a nice crust.

Next, I peeled some potatoes and stuffed them in around the pork.

Then I coarsely chopped some carrots and celery and pushed those down around the pork and in between the potatoes.

Of course I will add a full tablespoon of minced garlic to the pot.

This looks like I added fresh tarragon to the dutch oven.

Sliced onions are added along with a couple good shakes of the Worcestershire sauce.

Next, I poured in my braising liquid - a half bottle of Howell Mountain Cab.

Lastly I added more flavor by sprinkling about a tablespoon of the Meritage seasoning. It looks like there are caraway seeds, thyme, fennel seeds, lavender and rosemary.

Into the oven it goes at 300 degrees for several hours. A good rule of thumb is an hour for every pound of meat.

The onions are nicely caramelized and the meat perfectly fork tender. I enjoyed the wine flavor with the pork and onions, however Jim and I did not care for the way the wine flavored the carrots and potatoes.

For more pork recipes and wonderful roast recipes, check out my other posts:

Pork Tenderloin en Croute

BBQ Pulled Pork

Mexican Pulled Pork

Pot Roast

Hungarian Pot Roast

Mom's Pot Roast

Short Ribs

When I was home for Thanksgiving last year I had the pleasure of cooking with my mom in the kitchen. She’s genius in the kitchen! Just in this one short recipe I gained two REALLY smart tips.

It really doesn’t get much better than slow cooked meats. Low and slow – that’s the way it’s done. My mom makes a fantastic pot roast and used those same basic techniques to create a lovely non-traditional short rib dinner for Thanksgiving.

I snapped a quick picture of my mom who wiped down her granit counter top with a damp cloth then stuck wax paper to the top. Since the counter was damp the wax stays in place as she prepares the meat.

My mom uses her signature seasoning blend which we call “SPOG” – salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.

Genius tip number two: she puts a plastic baggie over her hand to rub the meat so that she doesn’t get seasoning and meat juice under her perfectly manicured fingernails.

To seal in the spices, she pats them all down with whole wheat flour.

In a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil, she sears the short ribs on all sides until golden brown.

In a big roasting pan she adds half a bottle of red wine. Here we use Tobin James red blend.

Next she places all the short ribs, a package of baby carrots and a package of mushrooms in the pan, and then tops off with water until the meat is mostly covered.

Roast for 3 hours at 300 degrees. The meat will literally be falling off the bone, and the carrots will have a wonderfully seasoned flavor. To serve, she put the carrots in a bowl, the mushrooms in a bowl and the short ribs on a platter. We passed everything around the table so guests could help themselves to the pieces they wanted.

The best reason to make this meal for guests is the smell-factor. Your friends and family come over and the first thing they smell when they walk in your home are these short ribs from the oven. They are mouthwatering good! Thanks Mom!