Old School, New Twist

Remember cracking open that big ol' can of Manwich sauce?  My challenge for the day was to make that same throwback flavor but keep it REAL, (high fructose corn syrup is the 2nd ingredient in the canned stuff, followed shortly by sugar and corn syrup) and bulk up the veggies in it.  On the side were roasted broccoli and parsnips.  If you haven't had roasted parsnips before I encourage you to try them, they are delicious (think zesty carrots)!  Please note that I literally did not measure a thing. I added, tasted, then added some more to suit my palette. It's fun to not always follow a recipe, give it a go and trust your tastebuds!  Enjoy this classic flavor makeover.

Ingredients:

4-6 parsnips
1 crown broccoli
2T. olive oil
salt/pepper

Heat oven to 425. Cut parsnips into about 2" lengths (shaped like small fries).  Toss in olive oil salt and pepper. Place on cookie sheet and roast for about 35-45 minutes.  Cut broccoli into florets and toss in olive oil.  Add to cookie sheet about 10-15 minutes before parsnips are done.  Toss occasionally.

2 lb. of ground meat - I used venison (we have plenty from my husbands hunting excursion)
2 carrots minced
1 onion minced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 red bell pepper minced
1 celery stalk minced
ketchup (probably used 3/4-1 cup)
worcestershire sauce (1T. about)
red wine vinegar (1-2T.)
franks red hot (4-5 dashes)
brown sugar (1T.)
dry mustard (1t.)
paprika (1. t)
water (1/4 c. to make it saucy)
cheddar cheese
hamburger buns

Heat a non stick large skillet and brown the ground meat, when cooked through, remove from pan and set aside, drain on paper towels if greasy.  Sauté all the veggies in a 1T. of olive oil until softened and add the meat back into the pan.  Next step, dump the flavorings, ketchup to water. Taste as you go.  Let simmer for 15 min.  Serve on hamburger buns and top with cheese if you please.

New Year, Fresh Start

Make everyday a day worth living, this my friends is my mantra for 2013.  It is so easy to go through the motions of life, work hard, check off your to do list, plan, execute, plan. It is becoming more and more apparent to me how short and unexpected life really is.  So this year I am making an effort to have fun, make meaningful connections, pay it forward, and love myself as much as I love my family.  Good food certainly has it's place in my new year of better life. To kick off 2013 with a bang I made roasted lobster tails, latkes, and black eyed pea salad. The lobster was luxurious, the latkes a family favorite and the salad added that extra bit of good luck (and tastiness!) we all could use when making a fresh start.  So here's to you and yours, have a happy new year.  

Ingredients:

Black eyed peas - 1 can rinsed and drained
1 mango diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 jalepeno minced (leave seeds and ribs in for extra heat)
cilantro
3 scallions, minced
white wine vinegar - 1-2T
salt and pepper
agave 1-2 t.

Mix all the ingredients together and season with vinegar, salt, pepper and agave nectar to taste.

For the lobster, heat oven to 350.  Using kitchen shears cut down center of entire tail put in oven about 20 minutes or until flesh feels firm. Serve with clarified butter

The latkes are SIMPLE!  Follow Ina Garten's recipe and enjoy!

Elegant Dinner for a Special Occasion

My, oh my, Christmas dinner. Let's just say this one was a winner.  My husband proclaimed it to be the best pork chop he has ever ate, SCORE!  The twice baked sweet potatoes and the cauliflower gratin were delicious accompaniments.  I followed recipes for all these dishes and have the links listed below.  The pork was from 2 different recipes, the stuffing inside the pork from cooking light and the pork cut and technique were from Everyday food. This meal was a bit labor intensive but everything can be made in advance and baked later in the day, so it's perfect for entertaining.  If you have a special occasion on the horizon, this meal will have your guests and family drooling!

For the twice baked sweet potato recipe go here (I would advise to leave some of the sweet potato in with the skin so the skins don't collapse or tear on you)

The cauliflower gratin by Ina Garten was delish go here for the recipe

The stuffing and port sauce for the pork can be found here

The cutting method, temperatures and cut can be found  here (I cooked our pork until 143 degrees, turned out perfect. I also left the chine bone in, which was a mistake by the butcher, it didn't allow for the beautiful frenched bone to come off with the pork, but I think it kept the pork more moist)

All is Calm, All is bright

Ok, ok, so my Christmas Eve wasn't as calm and bright as I would have hoped. The dreaded stomach bug attacked me about 10 minutes before the long anticipated meal was set before my family.  I sat, attempted to be in denial about my future, and ate a few bites. I was in bed by 8:30.  The food, however, looked amazing and judging by the moans coming from my family I can only assume it was as enjoyable to eat as it was to look at.  On the side was garlic broccolini and smashed potatoes, but the real wow factor was the Pomegranate braised short ribs. I ripped the recipe directly from Everyday food Magazine and wouldn't change a thing, delicious...or so I 'm told.

Pomegranate Glazed Short Ribs

To get the recipe from Everyday Food go here

Chicken Soup, Southwestern Style

The holidays are over, and I am ready to share all of my recipes I made over the course of the past week.  First up is a beautiful and tasty southwestern inspired soup. I made this soup while my parents were in town visiting for Christmas.  We had just returned from viewing Christmas lights at the botanic gardens on a cold and breezy night, and this was the perfect remedy to warm us up.  I managed to make the soup mid-afternoon and reheated it upon our return.  My favorite part of the soup is the endless amount of toppings to pile on, and since it's healthy, why not have seconds?  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Ingredients:

1.5 lb. roasted chicken breast, shredded (roast your own, bone in skin on, 350 for 35-40 min. salt pepper and coat with olive oil OR buy a rotisserie chicken)

2 poblanos diced

1 fresno chili diced

1 Anaheim  chili diced

1 white onion diced

4 garlic cloves minced

1 can diced tomatoes

4-6 cups of chicken stock

1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed (such as navy or white kidney)

1T. of agave syrup

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Swirl olive oil in bottom of a dutch oven or soup pot, on med/high heat.  Add all the peppers, onion and garlic season with salt and pepper and sauté until veggies are soft.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock (I added 4c. then add more later if it needs it) bring to a boil, simmer for about 15 minutes.  Pulse the soup with an immersion blender just until the soup is partially pureed (soup should still have some chunks of veggies), this allows the soup to thicken slightly, and allows for a great texture.  Add the chicken, beans and agave, let simmer for another 15 minutes.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with lots of delicious toppings (ideas below).  Enjoy!

Topping suggestions:

lime wedges

queso fresco

jalepeno

avocado 

scallions

cilantro

tortilla chips

salsa verde

Weeknight Pasta

I recently have found a new love for frozen pasta.  They are so easy and quick to make, come in a huge variety of flavors, and are perfect when you can't muster up a thought for dinner.  Bonus, kids totally dim them! You can bulk up the pasta with healthy veggies and other flavorings to fit your families tastes.  In this particular dish the addition of toasted breadcrumbs on top catapulted it from good to awesome, so I would recommend not skipping that step.  Otherwise, mix it up and enjoy!

Ingredients:
family size frozen tortellini - (I used spinach pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese)
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 onion, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 bunch of rainbow chard
1/2c. seasoned bread crumbs

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss onions and squash in 1-2T of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until veggies are tender and slightly caramelized (turn once halfway through baking).  Boil frozen pasta according to package.   Meanwhile chop the chard leaves (discard stems or save for veggie stock) and sauté in olive oil and season with salt and pepper, cook until leaves are wilted and tender and set aside in a bowl.  Wipe the chard pan clean with a paper towel and put back on heat.  Add 2t. of olive oil to pan and add bread crumbs and a touch of salt, toss and toast the crumbs for 3-5 minutes on med heat and set aside.  Add the chard, pasta and roasted veggies together and toss to combine ( add a ladle full of pasta water to the dish make a light sauce).  Top each potion with bread crumbs. Yum, yum, yum!

And. I'm back.

 It has been a rough and hectic couple of months for me as some of you may know. While I am writing none of this to gather sympathy, I feel the need to put it out there in the world, as part of letting go and moving on.  My dog, Zoe, whom has been with me through college, single life, marriage, and motherhood passed away in September, heart wrenching.  Shortly after we discovered I was pregnant, only to find out a month later that it ended in a miscarriage. Words just can't describe how hard a miscarriage is, both physically and mentally.   In light of recent events, I know my problems are hardly much to talk about and I have SO much to be thankful for. I lead a beautiful and blessed life.  And so it's time to get back to being me, talking food, finding joy and happiness in the little things, and enjoying life.  

                                  Panzanella with Mediterranean Flair

To kickstart my return to blogging I made an easy and versatile salad.  It would make a wonderful side dish with your holiday meal or light lunch/dinner.  I hope you enjoy!

For the *Vinaigrette:

2t. dijon

zest of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, grated

4T. olive oil

2T. lemon juice

salt/pepper

2t. honey

*make sure to taste for seasoning!

For the Salad:

1/2-3/4 of day old baguette cut into 1" cubes

2T. olive oil

salt/pepper

1 avacado, sliced

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 english cucumber, diced

8oz arugula

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 soft boiled eggs, halved or diced (add eggs into cold water, heat to boil, turn off stove and cover for 7 minutes, cool eggs to stop the cooking)

 

Add all the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid, shake vigorously until combined.  In a large sauté pan add olive oil and bread cubes, season with salt and pepper.  Coat bread with oil and cook until it becomes crunchy and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.  In a large salad bowl combine all of the salad ingredients, including the bread, and toss with as much vinaigrette as you like.