Notes on Prime Rib Roast

Found this in Fine Cooking...

We’ve all been there. You’re cooking a big, expensive roast for a large family gathering when the doubts begin to set in: Is it done yet? It is undercooked? (Or worse: Is it overcooked?) Well, I’m here to take that worry away with a simple method: Reverse Searing.

When you cook a roast, you typically brown the outside first to develop a deeply flavored crust before finishing it in the oven. Reverse searing is the opposite. You cook the roast slowly in a low oven until it’s just about done, and only then do you sear it in a scalding hot pan or blazing oven. Not only does the reverse sear work, but it works beautifully, keeping the inside of the roast cooked to the same rosy color from the center to the very edge, where a savory, deeply browned crust meets it.

Here’s why it works: Large cuts of meat, such as standing rib roast or even beef tenderloin, cook more evenly at lower temperatures. As the roast nears doneness, the lower heat prevents the meat’s internal temperature from spiking to overdone, which can happen in a blink when roasting with high heat. As an added benefit, searing already-cooked meat takes less time than searing raw meat, and less time searing helps keep that sad gray outer ring of overcooked meat at bay.

With this genius method, you can cook the meat hours ahead of the final sear, allowing you to pull the rest of the meal together without worrying about when the meat will be done.

Good to know…

Temperature Trumps Time

The times given for roasting in the following recipes are a guide and will vary depending on your oven, the size of the roast, and whether you use grain- or grass-fed beef. Use an instant-read thermometer and rely on temperature to gauge doneness.

Sitting Out Is Safe

The USDA, which errs on the conservative side, says it’s OK to leave an almost-cooked roast out at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Two Ways To Sear

Searing on the stove allows for more control since you can see the browning, but the oven is hands off with less smoke and spattering. The choice is yours.

No Rest Required

If you roasted well ahead of the final sear, you don’t need to let the roast rest before slicing. Go ahead and carve away.


As the time gets closer to that Christmas meal, I need to do a little planning ahead.  I'll add anything I can think of that will help.

Holiday Eats Part 1

Time for the Holidays!
We have some holiday traditions every year, like Prime Rib on Christmas, tons of munchies on New Years Eve, etc. and each year I try to add another item for the tradition.  Doesn't happen every year, thank God, but on occasion I like to make it something everyone can get behind and know is going to happen.
So...even though Julie really doesn't like Onion Soup, it is a higher end, classic, comfort food for me. I found the following recipe on Tasting Table, so we'll see how this goes...

IRISH ONION SOUP

Recipe adapted from James Klucharits, ABV, New York City, via Tasting Table

Serves: 4
Cook Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
2 medium Yellow onions - halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces
3 Tbsp. Irish whiskey
1 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. plus a pinch Kosher salt
1 ½ Tbsp. All-purpose flour
1 clove Garlic - finely chopped
½ cup Dark Irish beer (such as Guinness)
6 ½ cups Beef stock or broth
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Day-old baguette, eight ¾-inch-thick slices
Sharp cheddar (preferably Irish cheddar), eight ¼-inch-thick slices

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter.  Once the butter has melted and the white foam subsides, add the sliced onions cook, using a wooden spoon to stir occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 20 minutes.
Add the Irish whiskey, if you have a gas burner; carefully tilt the pan toward the flame to flambé the onion-and-whiskey mixture. If you have an electric or induction cooktop, use a long match to flambé the whiskey (or you can skip the flambéing altogether).
Stir in the granulated sugar.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a darker shade of brown; 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the pinch of kosher salt, all-purpose flour, finely chopped garlic.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Then, while stirring, pour in the dark Irish beer.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dark beer is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes.
Add the beef stock, remaining 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper.
Bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes.
Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler to high.  Divide the soup among 4 oven-safe bowls and set them on a rimmed baking sheet. To each bowl, add 2 bread slices.
Cover each slice of bread with 2 pieces of the sliced sharp cheddar.
Set the rimmed baking sheet on the upper-middle oven rack and broil until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes (watch the cheese closely, as broiler intensities vary). Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

I'll also be trying the following, since Julie is such a fan of 'funeral potatoes'...

Scalloped Potatoes

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1½ pounds firm, waxy potatoes (such as russets)—peeled, thin slices (crosswise)
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ pound cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
1 egg
1¼ cups whole milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a shallow, 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In the dish, arrange the potato slices in layers, sprinkling each layer with onion, cheese, salt and pepper. Finish with a thick layer of cheese and dot the top with the remaining butter.
Beat the egg and milk together. Pour this mixture carefully over the potatoes. Cover the dish with buttered foil.
Bake in the center of the oven until the potatoes are tender and the topping is golden, 1½ hours. If you'd like the top to be more browned and crisp, remove the foil 15 to 20 minutes before you finishing baking. Serve warm.

And, one for breakfast?  Let's see how this goes over...

OVERNIGHT TEX-MEX EGG BAKE

Serves: 10
Prep time: 20 min

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. bulk spicy pork sausage
5 cups frozen hash brown potatoes – cubed or shredded
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles, undrained
3 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz.)
6 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup salsa
Sour Cream
Avocados

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Drain on paper towel.
Spread frozen hash browns in baking dish. Sprinkle with sausage, green chiles and 1 ½ cups of the cheese.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt with fork or wire whisk until well blended. Pour over potato mixture.
Sprinkle with remaining 1 ½ cups cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 12 hours.
Bake uncovered 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve with salsa, avocado slices and sour cream.

Mid Week Leftovers

The way I cook at my house, there are usually leftovers.  Since I'm usually the only one who eats them for breakfast (or most other times for that matter...I tell myself that it's a matter of convenience that the girls aren't excited about dishing something up then nuking it for a minute or so until hot enough to eat), I need to find interesting ways to use some of what I have.
This time it's chicken; grilled, roasted, baked, it doesn't matter I just need to cut it off of the bone, remove the skin and cut or shred into pieces.
I make this every once in a while and it usually doesn't stick around very long...

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CAZUELA

Serves 6+

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion quartered and sliced thin
2 Cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp Mrs. Dash, or other multi spice blend
¼ cup Beer
1 lb. approx. Grilled chicken, diced or shredded into small pieces.
1 can diced green chiles
½ cup of your favorite salsa – fresh or jarred
1 can petite diced tomatoes (can be: plain, with lime & cilantro, with chiles, etc.) or can use Rotel.
1 Can Rosarita Red Enchilada Sauce
12 corn tortillas cut into large pieces
2 lbs. shredded cheese (I prefer a mix of Pepper Jack and Cheddar)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Add onions and garlic and sweat for 3-4 min until just tender.  Add spices and cook for 2-3 min. until onions are softer and spices are well incorporated.  Add beer and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 2-3 min.  Stir in chicken and cook for 3-4 min. until well mixed into the onions and garlic.
Mix in green chiles, petite diced tomatoes and salsa and cook until sauce is reduced and somewhat thick.  Add in Enchilada sauce and cook for about 5 min. until everything is well incorporated and heated through.
In a large Dutch oven, put a layer of sauce on the bottom, then layer with tortilla pieces, sauce then shredded cheese.  Continue layering in the same pattern until you’re out of sauce – should do 3 layers.  You may have left over tortillas, and you may have to grate more cheese, but this should have a good layer of cheese on top.
Cover and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until bubbling around the outside.  Remove lid and bake for another 10 min.
Serve with sour cream, cilantro, salsa, diced olives or whatever else you would like.

October Already

Wow, already into Q4 and that means the holiday season begins, from Emily's birthday on the 7th to Halloween, to the 'Eating Holidays' (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year).
We do like to go out to dinner to celebrate birthdays, however when it's during the middle of the week and usually very busy I'll make a favorite dinner.  Last night it was Emily's birthday, and she requested 'Red Chicken'.

RED CHICKEN

Serves 4 (plus a little left over)

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs. Chicken 4 legs/4 thighs, bone in but skinless
Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 14oz. cans diced tomatoes, regular or Italian style
1 pkt. Lipton Onion Soup Mix.
¼ c. Red Wine (can use white wine, beer or all stock)
¼ c. Chicken stock
Splash Balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine Tomatoes, Soup mix, Wine, Stock and balsamic in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy, oven-safe Dutch oven (Le Creuset)
Add garlic, S&P and bay leaves to oil and stir until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (don’t over cook, garlic gets bitter)
Brown chicken pieces, in batches if necessary.  Once browned, situate all pieces in the Dutch oven with as many pieces as possible touching the bottom of the pot.
Pour tomato mixture over chicken and lift the pieces so it settles in between, under and covers the chicken.
Cover and put Dutch oven in the oven on 350°F for 2-3 hours (convection if available), checking about ½ way through to make sure nothing is burning and stirring to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
When done, chicken should fall off of the bone.  Remove the bones and cartilage, but leave the chicken in larger pieces for ease of serving and presentation.
Serve over steamed rice.

I'm not what you would call a pastry chef, but I'll try this...

Freshly baked Madeleins are probably as close to perfection as you can get in the baking world...not too sweet, not too cakey, just right! 
You can usually find Madeleins in bulk and individually wrapped at Costco, or sometimes Super Target carries them in their bakery, but these delicious taste treat sensations are difficult, if not impossible to find freshly baked.  I even searched the four French Bakeries in the Salt Lake Valley and NOT ONE of them makes Madeleins.
So...since we have a Madelein Pan (purchased at what I would assume was an incredibly ambitious time a few years ago), when I ran across this recipe I was very curious if this would satisfy my urge for freshly baked goodness...

Madeleines

Recipe adapted from "My Paris Kitchen" by David Lebovitz

Yield: 16 individual cakes 

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS
Place the eggs in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed, adding the sugar a little at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated.  Turn the mixer to high and whisk until the eggs have doubled in volume, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Cover the bowl and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. (Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the butter for brushing the pans.) Add the honey and cook, stirring until smooth, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 30 minutes.
Stir the butter and honey mixture (rewarm to liquefy if necessary) into the batter until smooth. Cover the batter and allow to rest for an additional 30 minutes or up to an hour.
To make the Madeleines, preheat oven to 400°. In 2 madeleine molds, brush 16 indentations with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Using a tablespoon, fill each indentation in the molds three-quarters full with batter. The batter will be quite thick so just 'eyeball' it. Tap the pan on the counter to distribute the batter evenly. Bake until deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 30 seconds, and then tip them out onto a cooling rack.
Eat the Madeleines plain, with coffee or serve with whipped cream and strawberries.

Almost Fall in the Rockies

So, we're having our share of summer storms this year, and as usual there is a lot of thunder, lightening, and rain...gotta love the Rocky Mountains!
In wracking my brain over what to make for dinner, and looking outside to see storm clouds and rain, even though it is in the high 70's I felt the need for comfort food...Shepherd's Pie.
It has been a LONG time since the last time I had attempted this dish, and followed a recipe that was marginal at best (tweaking as I do).  I decided to give it a better try this time.  I used a large soufflé dish, and will probably make it in a lower profile dish next time, but it turned out pretty damn good, if I do say so my damn self...


SHEPHERD’S PIE
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 lbs. potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg yolk
½ cup cream
½ tsp. Mrs. Dash
½ tsp. Italian Herb seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 ½ lbs. ground beef
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 stick butter, divided
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 tsp. Worcestershire, eyeball it
4 dashes Soy Sauce
½ cup frozen veggies, about ½ bag, to taste
½ cup shredded cheese, whatever you like (Cheddar, Jack, Parm)
Directions:
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine 4 Tbsp. butter, sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef. Season meat with Mrs. Dash, Herbs, salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped garlic, celery and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a bowl, mix butter and flour together to make a paste. Stir paste, broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce into meat and cook for 3-4 min. to cook out the raw flour taste. Stir in frozen veggies.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and veggie mixture. Sprinkle cheese over meat, then spoon on potatoes evenly.  Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned.
Serve with a simple green salad for a relatively quick, easy and comforting Fall dinner!  ENJOY!

Mid Summer Already...

Mid Summer already...

Actually, it's mid August.  Damn, where does the time go?
So much has happened since my last post, but one thing that hasn't changed is the fact that I still cook.  Maybe not quite as creatively as I have in the past, but at least we don't starve.
One of my favorite dishes, when done correctly, is Chile Verde.  I have never made it though...until now.  I think it came out pretty well.

Chile Verde
Serves 6 w/leftovers

Preheat Grill to Med/High and preheat oven to 350.

6 lb. bone in Pork Roast
Mix the following in a bowl and dry rub the pork:
-1 Tbs. Lawry's Season Salt
-1 tsp. Lemon Pepper
-1 Tbs. Garlic Powder
-1 Tbs. Cumin
-1 tsp. Oregano
Coat the pork w/Veg. Oil
Grill the pork on all sides until well browned.
Mix the following in a bowl and then add to the bottom of a large dutch oven:
1 lg. sweet onion sliced
5 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
1/2 Lemon - grilled w/Pork
1/2 Lime - grilled w/Pork
3 Bay Leaves
4 oz. 7-Up
2 cans Green Chiles
1 jar Herdez Salsa Verde

Convection Roast on 350 for at least 3 hours, until fork tender and shreds easily.  Remove lemon, lime and bay leaves toward the end of the cooking time.  Just let the juices drain out, no need to squeeze.  Not only are they hot as Hell, the rinds are bitter at that point.

Valentine's Day

Since we have been dating, Jules and I make it a point NOT to fight the crowds, put up with shitty prix fixe dinners, bad reservation times, etc.  Instead, we always make something tasty at home.
This year was no exception, the menu worked out very well and was quite delicious...

Mixed Spring Greens Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Slivered Almonds, Candied Bacon and a French Vinaigrette

Grilled Filet Mignon
Butter Poached Shrimp
Sauteed Asparagus with slivered almonds
Creme Brulee
















Candied Bacon:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb. sliced bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

Cut the bacon into 1-inch strips.

Slowly brown in a large skillet over medium heat. When beginning to crisp and rendered, pour off the fat.

Put pan back on heat, add sugar and toss until caramelized. Spill out onto a non-stick tray or SilPat.

French Vinaigrette:

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 Tbsp hazelnut oil

2 Tbsp peanut oil

1/4 cup cream

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Add the oils, blending well and then blend in the cream.

Adjust for seasoning and reserve.

Butter Poached Shrimp:

Butter poaching is a fairly classic technique involving slowly cooking food, usually shrimp or lobster, in a rich bath of butter. The end result, if done properly, is a succulent dish, slightly salty and buttery from the cooking liquid in which it swam. It is a sublime way to cook that is used in many high-end restaurants to produce memorable dishes.

Still, butter poaching doesn't have to stay in the restaurant. You can do it at home, too. Sure, you're going to need a lot of butter, but it will be so worth it.

INGREDIENTS

4 sticks butter, sliced into tablespoons-sized chunks

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium shallot, finely sliced

1 pounds 18-20 count shrimp, peeled, deveined, uncooked

DIRECTIONS

In a skillet over medium heat, add the butter, garlic and black pepper.

Melt the chunks of butter until you have a skillet full of melted butter.  Try to keep the temperature low to avoid separating the butter.

Immediately after the butter has melted, add the shallot and shrimp.

Cook them for 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp has cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Creme Brulee:

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter, for greasing

6 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons sugar, plus more for browning

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with a kitchen towel. Butter six 4-ounce ramekins and place in the dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream.

Divide the custard among the ramekins.  Place the dish in the oven and pour enough hot water into the dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 1 hour, until the custard is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Let the custards cool in the hot water bath at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Remove the custards from the water bath and let cool completely. Wrap the ramekins in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To serve, sprinkle the tops of the crème brûlées with an even layer of sugar and use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately.

NOTE: The crème brûlée can be prepared through step 3 and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Weeknight Comfort Food

Now, I have really never been one for Chicken (or fill in your favorite meat here) Pot Pies.  Usually they are dry and flavorless with overcooked veggies and chicken.
Well, for some reason I was jonesing for some chicken pot pie...I know, WTF?!
I ran across this recipe (well, something like it) and made some adjustments.  I must say it was pretty damn good! Chicken was perfect, veggies were as well, and the sauce...tasty.  I used puff pastry for the crust on the top and it did the trick.  I have issues with bad/marginal crusts, but how can you go wrong with puff pastry?
It did take a decent amount of prep time, between cutting all of the veggies, grilling the chicken, etc. but if I have the time I'll definitely make this again!

PERSONAL CHICKEN POT PIES

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and diced (about 3)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 oz. mushrooms, diced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2/3 cups white wine

1 tsp chicken bouillon/caldo

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 Bay leaf

2 medium red-skinned potatoes (about 1/2 pound), diced

2 small plum tomatoes, finely chopped

1 17 -ounce box frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions, celery, mushrooms, carrots and garlic and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and Mrs. Dash.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add the wine; simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 more minute.

Add chicken stock, the heavy cream, bay leaf, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 12-15 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, tomatoes and caldo.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Set out 4 8-to-10-ounce ramekins. Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.  Gently roll out the pastry so it is extended by about 1/2 inch in each direction.  Using a ramekin as a guide, cut out 4 rounds slightly larger than the ramekins with a paring knife.

Divide the filling among the ramekins, filling each nearly to the top. Brush the rim and outer edge of 1 ramekin with the beaten egg.  Set a puff pastry round on top and gently press around the edge to secure the dough. Repeat. Brush the remaining egg over the pastry.

Transfer the pot pies to a baking sheet and bake until the pastry is domed and golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.  Caution: filling will be hot for quite a while!

Weekend Brunch and Leftovers

I do a good amount of cooking during the week.  Consequently, when the weekend comes around I have a lot of leftovers.
One of my favorite leftover dishes for a Sunday morning is a Frittata.  Call it a Spanish/Argentine Tortilla, a quiche w/o the crust or whatever, Frittata works for me.  It's a healthy, tasty one pan meal that everyone will LOVE!  Even Lauren, who hates eggs, devours it...

Note: Can be eaten hot, out of the oven; or at room temperature, so it's great for a brunch or a party item.

JD's Frittata

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
2 shakes Mrs. Dash, or whatever seasoning you wish
2 potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced (mandolin)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 red, yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced
1 zucchini sliced in 1/4in. discs
1 handfull of baby spinach
4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 grilled chicken thigh, diced
3 cooked breakfast sausage links, diced
1/2 cup corn
8 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Like I said, this is an opportunity to use what you have in the fridge.  If you have leftover brie, use it!  If you have leftover steak, use it!  Whatever works for you...meats, veggies, etc.  I love to add grape tomatoes, sliced in half but didn't have any last weekend.
In a 10" non-stick saucepan, on medium-high, heat Oil and butter until butter stops foaming.
Add potatoes and stir fry for about 2 min. until they start getting soft.
Add onions, garlic, Mrs. Dash, and peppers - cook until they start to smell delicious, about 2 min.
Add mushrooms and cook until they start to render their juice, about 2 min.
Stir everything else (except eggs) in and cook for a couple of minutes, until well combined.

Add eggs and lightly stir, making sure egg covers the bottom of the pan.
Drop the heat to medium and cover for about 10 min. After about 6 min., it helps to run a heat resistant spatula around the perimeter every once in a while to make sure the frittata unsticks from the side of the pan.
At 10 min. uncover and shake it as well to detach it from the bottom of the pan.







Grab a plate that is larger than the pan, place it over the top of the pan - flip the frittata so the top/uncooked side is on the plate.
Slide frittata back into the pan and let that side cook for about 3 min, until it's golden brown (if needs be, add a little more olive oil to the pan before reintroducing the frittata).

Slide Frittata onto serving plate and allow to cool for about 5 min. before slicing.

Garnish with any fresh herbs used in the frittata, flowers, cheese, tomatoes, etc.

I like to slice it like a pie and serve it in wedges.

You can add any kind of hot sauce, cheese, ketchup (?), sour cream/creme fraiche, whatever you want...






I like mine with Sriracha...

Super Bowl

I seriously can't believe I missed posting around Super Bowl..At least we ate well!

Big Papi's Wings
Chips and Queso
Salsa
Char Shu Pork and Steamed Rice
Veggie plate and Chips with Onion Dip
Various Cheeses and Crackers

Pretty basic, but lots of munchies.

This week however, I did make a couple of dishes that were pretty damn good...(if I do say so for my damn self:)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 whole roasting chicken, cut in quarters, (For a lighter version, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2” pieces)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 sprigs rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 can diced tomatoes, Italian style

1/2 cup white wine

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 med/large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 med/large yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced

2 zucchini sliced in 1/4 in. discs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a bow l to capture the juices.

Stir in onions and mushrooms; cook for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, oregano, tomatoes, and wine.

Place chicken pieces and any juices that have accumulated in the bow l on top of the cooked vegetables. Add more salt and pepper. Place pepper slices and zucchini on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Serve over Linguine or Fettuccine with some freshly grated/shredded Parm.

Last night, I was jonesing for Stroganoff, but when I got home from the office, all I had thawed was chicken, so I gave it a whirl. Turned out pretty tasty.  I added a little lite soy sauce, 'cause that's what I do with Stroganoff.

Chicken Stroganoff

Serves: 4+

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 medium onion, chopped

8 oz. fresh button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup chicken broth

¾ cup white wine

 

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1 Tbsp Lipton Onion Soup Mix

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream cheese

Hot cooked egg noodles

White rice

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil over med-high heat.  Cook the onion, garlic and mushrooms until soft, add chicken and cook until it is no longer pink.

Add the white wine and cook for 2-3 min.  Stir in broth, salt, pepper and Onion Soup Mix. Mix well until dissolved.  Cover and simmer for 15minutes.

Combine flour and sour cream until smooth; add to the skillet.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Wisk in cream cheese with the heat off at the end.

Serve with noodles and/or rice.

Grilling...Yum!

Living in Utah, for a California Boy and a California Girl can be challenging sometimes, especially during the coldest part of winter.  Neither of us take advantage of the skiing or snowboarding very much (like the kids do), and driving in the snow can be an absolute bitch at some times, but the most challenging time can be when its time to grill.  I can honestly say, that I probably grill about 200+ days per year; rain, snow, sleet, hail, night, day, you name it and I'm OK with it.  This winter however, I have kind of wimped out a little and have prepared meals inside much more often than I have on the grill.  It has been good in the sense that I really hadn't gotten a feel for roasting and baking meals before because I relied on the grill, but now I have a little more familiarity in that area.

One of the 'Old Stand By' meals is my London Broil.  It seems to be a favorite, and has even gotten me a couple of small group catering gigs.  The marinade is really what makes this lean meat so tasty:

London Broil

3 lb. London Broil cut of beef.

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 Tbsp Lawry's Season Salt

1 tsp~ fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning
1/4 Cup Beer (MGD or another favorite Pilsner)

Worcestershire Sauce

Soy Sauce

Balsamic Vinegar

A-1 Steak Sauce

Olive Oil

Add all marinade ingredients to a gallon Ziploc bag and shake until mixed well.  Add meat and seal bag as airtight as you can.  Leave bag in the fridge for 1-2 hours turning/massaging every 30 min or so.  DO NOT let meat sit in marinade for any longer than 4 hours at it will begin to "cook" and will make the meat tough.
Heat the grill to high.  Place the London Broil over direct heat and drop the heat to medium.  Cook for about 5 min on each side.  Leave the meat alone between turns.  Check with a meat thermometer and take off of the grill at 120°F for Med/Rare.  Meat will continue to cook after you take it off of the heat so tent with foil and let rest for about 10min. to allow the juices to redistribute into the meat, before slicing.

'Super Busy' Meals

For some reason, not really sure what in the Hell got into me, I thought January was going to be relatively mellow coming off the Holidays and all...Holy Shit, we're busier than ever!
Between work, drill (I didn't take into account that January is Competition Month), dance, Tae Kwon Do, and homework Jules, the girls and I rarely have an extra minute to just sit and take a breather.
Consequently, I need to make sure that dinner is healthy and satisfying.  I have the 'go to meals' but I would really like to add to that list.  So, hopefully this week I'll be finding, trying and adding some quick and tasty stuff...

Jordan Drill Dinner

Wow, these Moms go all out for the Jordan Drill Team for their traditional dinner before a competition!
Last night it was the Sophomores who hosted the dinner.  As a Dad, I didn't get to attend but I did get to help and at least cook a little for the girls.  We took a Tortilla Soup...it was pretty good, if I do say so my damn self!  I obviously had to double the recipe...

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 8 Hours

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound shredded, cooked Rotisserie chicken

1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

1/2 can Pato Tomato Sauce (can use the whole can if desired, but it is a bit 'picante')

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth (about 6 cups)

1 teaspoon cumin, rounded

1 teaspoon chili powder, rounded

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 can sweet corn niblets

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

ENHANCERS:

Tortilla Chips

4 Limes, quartered

Sour Cream
Avocado Slices
Diced Green Onions

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker, mix until ingredients are combined.  Pour in chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.  Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve with your choice of the Enhancers and ¡Disfrute!

Hell, or Opportunity...I'll decide!

Another Hell Week, so I especially need something to decompress when I get home...How about Beef Stroganoff?
Yesterday, I made my Spaghetti Squash Primavera...not exactly a catchy name, but it is tasty...

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 Spaghetti squash, medium size
Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
8 oz container button mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 cup cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced and cut into quarters
(You can use whatever veggie you would like)
1 cup favorite spaghetti sauce
8 oz fresh Mozzarella, sliced in 1/4" slices

Directions:
Fill a large pasta pot 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a boil.
Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and any loose debris.
Add squash to water and boil for about 30 minutes until flesh is soft. Let cool.  Scrape flesh out with a fork, making spaghetti like strings.  Set aside.