as we head into the weekend, i just can't wait for the adult beverage that soon awaits me.
today i came across two articles that just to happened to do with a few of our fav drink mixers, and both are guaranteed to teach a lil something about keeping our drinks as pure as possible:
1) Serious Eats: DIY vs. Buy: Should I Make My Own Sour Mix? (spoiler alert: the answer is YES. and it's very simple.)
2) Food Republic: What's Really In Your Orange Juice? (spoiler alert: 'fresh-squeezed' carton = mechanically separated OJ crap)
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
recipe: horseradish cream sauce
i first made this last year when i slow roasted a brisket... mmm. i decided to whip up a batch this week for the leftover sirloin tip roast we had from earlier in the week. the recipe i used was Alton Brown's Horseradish Cream Sauce - it was so yum the first time i didn't test out a new recipe (or change anything). some horseradish sauces are a bit too horseradishy... this is well balanced.
ingredients list:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup finely grated fresh horseradish
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
to make: add all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and whist until smooth and creamy. refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight so the horseradish flavor settles & the melds with everything else. it can be stored in an aPlace all of the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld.
Monday, February 20, 2012
recipe: fiesta chicken
this was a throw-together meal of its finest. i was lacking ingredients, but had to had to use the chicken tenders thawed in the fridge and headed down a mexican path...
ingredients list:
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 a red pepper, diced
- 1/2 a (small) onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
- 1/2 garlic powder
- dash cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- dried cilantro
to make: sautee chicken in vegetable oil over medium high-heat, flipping once. after chicken has been 'flipped', add the onion and red pepper and cook until the pepper and onion are soft. add garlic, chicken broth, green chilis, garlic powder, cayenne, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until broth has cooked down. add sour cream and salt & pepper to taste, and cook until the mixture has thickened. sprinkle with cheddar cheese and a few dashes of cilantro before serving.
***
i don't always have luck with throw-togethers, but this was yummy. i wish i had rice to serve it with b/c that would have been perfect. i think... 6.5 ******~. it's a bit spicy, so if you're not into that i'd cut back on the green chilis. for me it was just enough kicker.
ingredients list:
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 a red pepper, diced
- 1/2 a (small) onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
- 1/2 garlic powder
- dash cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- dried cilantro
to make: sautee chicken in vegetable oil over medium high-heat, flipping once. after chicken has been 'flipped', add the onion and red pepper and cook until the pepper and onion are soft. add garlic, chicken broth, green chilis, garlic powder, cayenne, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until broth has cooked down. add sour cream and salt & pepper to taste, and cook until the mixture has thickened. sprinkle with cheddar cheese and a few dashes of cilantro before serving.
***
i don't always have luck with throw-togethers, but this was yummy. i wish i had rice to serve it with b/c that would have been perfect. i think... 6.5 ******~. it's a bit spicy, so if you're not into that i'd cut back on the green chilis. for me it was just enough kicker.
recipe: sauteed green beans
made these to go with last night's din... i used a combination of 2 recipes, Sauteed Green Beans and Garlic Green Beans, both from allrecipes.com.
ingredients list: (for 2)
- 2 cups (roughly - i didn't measure) fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup onion
- 2 sliced bacon, diced & uncooked
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- salt & fresh cracked pepper
to make: in a large pan, sautee bacon over medium heat. once it gets to a point where it's about half way cooked, add the onion and sautee until the onion is browned and the bacon is crisp, adding garlic for the last minute of cooking.
while bacon/onion mixture is cooking, boil green beans in a small pot of water for 4 minutes. rinse under cold water and pat dry. add the butter and green beans to the saute pan with the bacon/onion/garlic mixuture, and sautee for about 5 minutes until cooked through and the beans have a slight char to them. remove to a small bowl, and stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.
***
i can't tell you what these tasted like because i don't eat green beans (or many other green vegetables for that matter), but kyle really enjoyed them so that's a good sign. if i did eat beans, i'm pretty sure cooked in bacon grease and onion/garlic is the way to do it. can't go wrong cooking anything like that : )
ingredients list: (for 2)
- 2 cups (roughly - i didn't measure) fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup onion
- 2 sliced bacon, diced & uncooked
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- salt & fresh cracked pepper
to make: in a large pan, sautee bacon over medium heat. once it gets to a point where it's about half way cooked, add the onion and sautee until the onion is browned and the bacon is crisp, adding garlic for the last minute of cooking.
while bacon/onion mixture is cooking, boil green beans in a small pot of water for 4 minutes. rinse under cold water and pat dry. add the butter and green beans to the saute pan with the bacon/onion/garlic mixuture, and sautee for about 5 minutes until cooked through and the beans have a slight char to them. remove to a small bowl, and stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.
***
i can't tell you what these tasted like because i don't eat green beans (or many other green vegetables for that matter), but kyle really enjoyed them so that's a good sign. if i did eat beans, i'm pretty sure cooked in bacon grease and onion/garlic is the way to do it. can't go wrong cooking anything like that : )
Sunday, February 19, 2012
recipe: garlic bread
garlic bread isn't anything that really needs a recipe, but i had so many glasses of wine before/during cooking tonight i needed a cooking temperature refresher. garlic bread is so simple if it's not cooked to the perfect level of crispy it just sucks. so... as adapted from Garlic Bread 2 recipe from allrecipes.com, your basic garlic bread:
ingredients list: (scaled to 4 servings)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp parsley
- dash paprika
- 1/2 loaf italian or french bread, halved lengthwise
to make: preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, and garlic powder. brush mixture over cut sides of bread, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese, parsley, and paprika. bake for 8 minutes, then change oven to broil and cook for an additional 2 minutes until golden brown. (if you wanted cheesey garlic bread, add the mozzarella (or whatever cheese you're using) right before broiling).
***
yum! simple, garlicy, toasty, but soft. 7*******.
ingredients list: (scaled to 4 servings)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp parsley
- dash paprika
- 1/2 loaf italian or french bread, halved lengthwise
to make: preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, and garlic powder. brush mixture over cut sides of bread, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese, parsley, and paprika. bake for 8 minutes, then change oven to broil and cook for an additional 2 minutes until golden brown. (if you wanted cheesey garlic bread, add the mozzarella (or whatever cheese you're using) right before broiling).
***
yum! simple, garlicy, toasty, but soft. 7*******.
recipe: roasted red potatoes
i love roasted taters. crispy & seasony, but soft potatoey yum inside. usually when i make roasted potatoes, i have a hard time getting them to the crispy level. i read through a ton of roasted potato recipes on foodgawker.com earlier - all the photos that had a nice crisp finish had one thing in common - high heat. i used that as the premise for these:
ingredients list (serves 3):
- 6 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil (i used 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp mushroom & sage OO)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
to make: preheat oven to 400 degrees. place all ingredients EXCEPT the potatoes in a large bowl, and mix until combined. add potatoes and toss until the potatoes are completely covered in the seasoning mixture.
grease a small baking dish, and add potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish. bake the potatoes for 1 hr, until golden crispy, making sure to gently stir the potatoes every 15 minutes or so (they WILL stick if you do not stir).
***
yum! these had a great level of crisp, seasoning, and were still nice and tender. they were a bit salty (and i personally love salt), but if you're not the biggest fan you may want to cut back and add more at the end if needed. i think from now on my roasted potatoes will all be at 400 - the 350 i've been cooking them at just doesn't bring them up to the texture they need. 7*******.
ingredients list (serves 3):
- 6 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil (i used 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp mushroom & sage OO)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
to make: preheat oven to 400 degrees. place all ingredients EXCEPT the potatoes in a large bowl, and mix until combined. add potatoes and toss until the potatoes are completely covered in the seasoning mixture.
grease a small baking dish, and add potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish. bake the potatoes for 1 hr, until golden crispy, making sure to gently stir the potatoes every 15 minutes or so (they WILL stick if you do not stir).
***
yum! these had a great level of crisp, seasoning, and were still nice and tender. they were a bit salty (and i personally love salt), but if you're not the biggest fan you may want to cut back and add more at the end if needed. i think from now on my roasted potatoes will all be at 400 - the 350 i've been cooking them at just doesn't bring them up to the texture they need. 7*******.
recipe: herbed sirloin tip roast
i had bought this 3 lb roast super-cheap at price chopper a few weeks ago. i planned to make a pot roast with it, but the more i read about this cut of meat it seemed like it would be tender enough that i would be better just plain roasted. i snagged the Herbed Rubbed Sirloin Tip Roast recipe from allrecipes.com - it seemed well-reviewed and easy enough. the only thing i changed was injecting garlic all over... because it's the right thing to do.
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/4 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 (3 lb) sirloin tip roast
- 3 cloves garlic, each sliced in half lengthwise
to make: in a small bowl, mix first 8 ingredients (everything up to & including thyme). stir in olive oil, and allow mixture to sit about 15 minutes.
preheat oven to 350 degrees. using a knife place 9 slits into the top of the roast (the fatty side), and place the garlic clove halves into each of the slits. rub the herb mixture all over the roast, then place in a large roasting pan on top of a wire rack. pour a cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
cook for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until internal temperature is about 135 degrees. cover and let sit 15 minutes before slicing - at rest the roast should rise up to 140-145 degrees, which is medium rare.
***
this was delish... it was extremely juicy, a nice medium rare, and the rub had a ton of flavor. for the price, awesome. i think this was the first tip roast i've made, and i could definitely buy it again. 8 ********. i served this with roasted red potatoes, garlic bread, and sauteed green beans (recipes to follow : )
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/4 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 (3 lb) sirloin tip roast
- 3 cloves garlic, each sliced in half lengthwise
to make: in a small bowl, mix first 8 ingredients (everything up to & including thyme). stir in olive oil, and allow mixture to sit about 15 minutes.
preheat oven to 350 degrees. using a knife place 9 slits into the top of the roast (the fatty side), and place the garlic clove halves into each of the slits. rub the herb mixture all over the roast, then place in a large roasting pan on top of a wire rack. pour a cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
cook for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until internal temperature is about 135 degrees. cover and let sit 15 minutes before slicing - at rest the roast should rise up to 140-145 degrees, which is medium rare.
***
this was delish... it was extremely juicy, a nice medium rare, and the rub had a ton of flavor. for the price, awesome. i think this was the first tip roast i've made, and i could definitely buy it again. 8 ********. i served this with roasted red potatoes, garlic bread, and sauteed green beans (recipes to follow : )
3rd annual macaroni and cheese bowl
so... this is where i ended up yesterday. since skiing is out, eating is in. this was the 3rd annual macaroni & cheese bowl in albany, sponsored by the Times Union to benefit a local food bank. so eating for a cause kiiind of makes it guilt-free... all 30 different restaurants, 30 different mac & cheeses. OMG. heaven.we started out working the perimeter, eating every full mini-portion of M&C we were served. this tactic was a mistake. 30% through the event i was getting full. we started getting picky at that point... it's amazing how some mac & cheeses i would normally probably think were fine if served at a restaurant i was kind of "meh" about eating in comparison to some others. if your M&C is in ANY way shape or form bland, it's immediately apparent next to the ooey gooey cheesy neighbor M&C (which really is a testament to how hard M&C is to master... i'm still searching for a recipe with the perfect texture & zingy cheese flavor).
a few standouts from the amazing yum category were Pump Station and Farmer Boy Diner. for those that had lobster, crab, or tuna in your M&C and didn't post a forewarning about it, it's actually a pretty disgusting surprise. no thanks.
i felt like hot garbage by the time the event was over, but what a cheesy delish journey it was : )
Thursday, February 16, 2012
recipe: thai chicken noodle soup
this was din din last night, inspired by the chicken boob in the fridge that needed cooking, leftover coconut milk that need to be used, and a freezer full of chicken broth. i'm sure traditional thai chicken soup has more complex ingredients, but this was made using what i had on hand, so it's a nice 20 minute easy dish.
ingredients list:
- 1 boneless chicken breast
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (or more to taste... i only had 1/2 cup avail)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 tsp basil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tbsp red chili paste
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt to taste
- 1/3 box of Thai rice noodles
- cilantro for garnish
- olive oil
to make: bring chicken broth to boil in a large pot, then add all ingredients EXCEPT the sliced mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, rice noodles, and cilantro and continue cooking on high heat for about 15 minutes, until chicken has cooked through.
while soup/chicken is cooking, heat a small skillet over medium low heat, and saute the mushrooms in olive oil until golden, adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking, then add mushroom/garlic mixture to soup.
remove chicken breast from the soup, and shred with 2 forks. return to pot, making sure soup is still boiling. add rice noodles, and remove from heat. let sit for 8-10 minutes, until noodles are soft, stirring frequently. add a dash of cilantro before serving.
***
i wasn't sure how this would come out, but i actually liked it. it was a little too lemony for kyle, but i'm into lemony soups so it was just right for me... that can easily be adjusted though. it seemed like a lot of heat that was being added with the Sriracha/chili paste, but it was only a tiny little kick and kind of just right for this. i'd give it a 6.5 ******~.
ingredients list:
- 1 boneless chicken breast
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (or more to taste... i only had 1/2 cup avail)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 tsp basil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tbsp red chili paste
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt to taste
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms (i used baby bellas)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 box of Thai rice noodles
- cilantro for garnish
- olive oil
to make: bring chicken broth to boil in a large pot, then add all ingredients EXCEPT the sliced mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, rice noodles, and cilantro and continue cooking on high heat for about 15 minutes, until chicken has cooked through.
while soup/chicken is cooking, heat a small skillet over medium low heat, and saute the mushrooms in olive oil until golden, adding the garlic for the last minute of cooking, then add mushroom/garlic mixture to soup.
remove chicken breast from the soup, and shred with 2 forks. return to pot, making sure soup is still boiling. add rice noodles, and remove from heat. let sit for 8-10 minutes, until noodles are soft, stirring frequently. add a dash of cilantro before serving.
***
i wasn't sure how this would come out, but i actually liked it. it was a little too lemony for kyle, but i'm into lemony soups so it was just right for me... that can easily be adjusted though. it seemed like a lot of heat that was being added with the Sriracha/chili paste, but it was only a tiny little kick and kind of just right for this. i'd give it a 6.5 ******~.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
recipe: red curry chicken
love red curry... we tried Robert Irvine's Spicy Red Curry Chicken recipe from foodnetwork.com tonight for din dins. since i had just had red curry from the new Thai place down the street just 2 week ago i knew exactly what i was hoping it would taste like... and it was pretty damn close. i followed his recipe verbatim, except used bone-in chicken that i baked for the first portion:
ingredients list:
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2-3 tsp Thai red curry paste (note: we used 3, but i still wanted it spicier. i like curry to reach runny-nose heat, this was just a small zing)
- 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed (or boneless breasts... whatever works)
- salt & fresh ground black pepper
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (his recipe calls from shiitake, i used baby bellas)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- green onion, cilantro, or toasted peanuts for garnish
to make: preheat oven to 350 degrees. heat a large pan over medium-high heat, adding in 2 tbsp vegetable oil. season chicken with salt & pepper, then saute until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. remove chicken from pan, and place in a baking dish to cook at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
while chicken is cooking, in a small bowl whisk the coconut milk with the curry paste and fish sauce until combined. add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet, then sautee the mushrooms and red pepper until golden, about 5 minutes. stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. add the cooked chicken, red curry mixture, and water and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes, ensuring chicken is fully cooked through.
garnish with green onion (or whatever you like), and serve with rice or rice noodles.
***
we both really liked this. it did not have as much heat as i would have liked, so next time i will add additional curry (it may have been taken down a spice notch b/c i added a bit of cornstarch - i like a slightly thicker sauce). other than that, the flavor was on-point and tasted exactly like red curry should: yummy. it was hard to cook a robert irvine recipe without picturing him yelling at my kitchen skills, but i think just watching/reading/or thinking about him is supposed to be stressful ("i milked a whole coconut with my BAHHH hands and have FRESH milk in the amount of time it took you to open that caaaahhnnn of gaaahbadge!!! raaawwwwwrrr"). 7 *******.
ingredients list:
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2-3 tsp Thai red curry paste (note: we used 3, but i still wanted it spicier. i like curry to reach runny-nose heat, this was just a small zing)
- 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed (or boneless breasts... whatever works)
- salt & fresh ground black pepper
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (his recipe calls from shiitake, i used baby bellas)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- green onion, cilantro, or toasted peanuts for garnish
to make: preheat oven to 350 degrees. heat a large pan over medium-high heat, adding in 2 tbsp vegetable oil. season chicken with salt & pepper, then saute until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. remove chicken from pan, and place in a baking dish to cook at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
while chicken is cooking, in a small bowl whisk the coconut milk with the curry paste and fish sauce until combined. add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet, then sautee the mushrooms and red pepper until golden, about 5 minutes. stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. add the cooked chicken, red curry mixture, and water and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes, ensuring chicken is fully cooked through.
garnish with green onion (or whatever you like), and serve with rice or rice noodles.
***
we both really liked this. it did not have as much heat as i would have liked, so next time i will add additional curry (it may have been taken down a spice notch b/c i added a bit of cornstarch - i like a slightly thicker sauce). other than that, the flavor was on-point and tasted exactly like red curry should: yummy. it was hard to cook a robert irvine recipe without picturing him yelling at my kitchen skills, but i think just watching/reading/or thinking about him is supposed to be stressful ("i milked a whole coconut with my BAHHH hands and have FRESH milk in the amount of time it took you to open that caaaahhnnn of gaaahbadge!!! raaawwwwwrrr"). 7 *******.
five guys
i hadn't been to Five Guys in forevas... it was quite a happy pit stop yesterday in the midst of a day full of lame errands. i've always enjoyed Five Guys, but since it's not my favorite -style- of burger i kinda forget it's around. i ordered a double with cheese, tomato, grilled onions, jalapeno, a little bit of green pepper, and mayo (this is not normally what i would get on a burger, but i tend to get carried away since they have the topping free-for-all there. i skipped the bacon to make it "healthy" since i was doing the double... i've done the single patty and it doesn't have enough meat to carry through a proper juicy burger party). i honestly forgot how damn good these things can be... it was a fatty delicious mouth party. toppings (super-fresh toppings) & grease falling everywhere... definitely how it should be. i'm pretty sure i got a mean stare from a mom who was trying to show her young son how to eat properly as i was canibalizing this... i honestly wanted to go over there and how show him how to eat a burger like a champ (not that i'm not for manners, but if you're eating giant burgers, wings, etc, i think even Emily Post's rule is that you just have to go to town).
 |
| hello, lover. did you bring me some lettuce? you shouldn't have. |
Friday, February 10, 2012
recipe: swedish meatballs
these have also been on my "must make them" list for a while now, but there has been zero time for meataballa making the past few weeks. super bowl seemed like a good opp to try them since all i was doing all day was playing in the kitchen and eating like a hoss. most of the recipes i searched for called for using lingonberrries or lindonberry jam... WTF is a lingonberry? sounds like something you'd hear about in a smurf barter, in a bowl of Captain Crunch on the Deep Space 9, or picked by gummy bears (the cartoon, not the confection) in a mythical Swedish forest. anywho... the recipe on Food Network that for Emiril's Swedish Meatballs was both lingonberry-free and well-reviewed, so it sounded like a winner to me. i made it exactly as written (just minor tweaks), as follows:
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/2 cups red onion, finely diced & divided
- 4 & 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 & 1/3 lbs ground meatloaf mix (pork, chicken & veal)
- 1 & 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 & 1/2 cups lo-so beef stock
- 1/4 cup red currant jelly (i also couldn't find this... i used cranberry sauce)
- white pepper
- cornstarch, if needed
to make: in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute 1 cup of the onion in 1.5 tbsp of the butter until soft & slightly golden. set aside to cool, then add the onion to a medium bowl with the meat, 1 & 1/2 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp of the pepper, allspice & nutmeg.
in a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the milk and 1/4 cup of the cream, and allow to sit about 5 minutes until the bread crumbs are soft. add bread crumb mixture and the beaten egg into the meat mixture, and mix until completely combined.
roll mixture into small meatballs, about 1 & 1/2 inches wide. in a large skillet*, heat 1/2 tbsp of the butter. add as many meatballs will fit into the pan (with space for breathing room in between), and cook until browned on all sides, turning frequently, for about 6-8 minutes. use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meatballs to a slow cooker, and repeat process with next batch of uncooked meatballs (adding butter to the pan in between batches, if needed).
when meatballs are done, add remaining 1 & 1/2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup onion to the skillet, and cook until the onion is soft. add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. whisk in the beef broth little by little and cook until the sauce has thickened a little, about 5 minutes. transfer sauce to the slow cooker and bring temperature to high. add in the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper, a pinch of white pepper, onion powder, the remaining heavy cream, and the cranberry sauce, stirring well. cook on high for about 2 hours, then reduce heat to low and cook for an additional hour (if the sauce starts out thin, add a little cornstarch slurry each hour until the thickness builds. i had to do this a few times).
serve alone as an app, or over buttered egg noodles as a meal.
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/2 cups red onion, finely diced & divided
- 4 & 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 & 1/3 lbs ground meatloaf mix (pork, chicken & veal)
- 1 & 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 & 1/2 cups lo-so beef stock
- 1/4 cup red currant jelly (i also couldn't find this... i used cranberry sauce)
- white pepper
- cornstarch, if needed
to make: in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute 1 cup of the onion in 1.5 tbsp of the butter until soft & slightly golden. set aside to cool, then add the onion to a medium bowl with the meat, 1 & 1/2 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp of the pepper, allspice & nutmeg.
in a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the milk and 1/4 cup of the cream, and allow to sit about 5 minutes until the bread crumbs are soft. add bread crumb mixture and the beaten egg into the meat mixture, and mix until completely combined.
roll mixture into small meatballs, about 1 & 1/2 inches wide. in a large skillet*, heat 1/2 tbsp of the butter. add as many meatballs will fit into the pan (with space for breathing room in between), and cook until browned on all sides, turning frequently, for about 6-8 minutes. use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meatballs to a slow cooker, and repeat process with next batch of uncooked meatballs (adding butter to the pan in between batches, if needed).
when meatballs are done, add remaining 1 & 1/2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup onion to the skillet, and cook until the onion is soft. add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. whisk in the beef broth little by little and cook until the sauce has thickened a little, about 5 minutes. transfer sauce to the slow cooker and bring temperature to high. add in the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper, a pinch of white pepper, onion powder, the remaining heavy cream, and the cranberry sauce, stirring well. cook on high for about 2 hours, then reduce heat to low and cook for an additional hour (if the sauce starts out thin, add a little cornstarch slurry each hour until the thickness builds. i had to do this a few times).
serve alone as an app, or over buttered egg noodles as a meal.
* our nonstick skillet bit the dust, and our large skillet is somehow "missing". so i cooked these in a wok. they all rolled into the middle, so i had to cook these in like 37 batches. this recipe took me foreeever.
***
verdict: actually LOVED these. i've had a few "meh" recipes i've made lately, but these i was actually very happily surprised with. superbowl sunday i was kinda too full to really enjoy them, but for leftovers they were great. usually i can eat something ONCE for leftovers, and then i'm done, as-is kyle, so we either just let things sit in the fridge until i'm guilted into eating it, or i just throw it out. these i think i ate about 4 times this week, and kyle 2. (i had made a double batch of the recipe above so we had waaay too many). they were a total mouth party every time. watch out Ikea. 9 *********.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
recipe: twice-baked new potatoes
i've made these taters from allrecipes.com a few times and they've always been solid... they were kinda a no-brainer for super bowl. i prefer using the red potatoes so they are a little more bite-sized... the russets are way too much of a tater commitment.
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/2 lbs small red potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup shredded monte jack cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 oz sour cream, softened (about 1/3 a package)
- 1/3 cup minced green onions
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
- paprika
to make: pierce potatoes, then rub skins with oil. bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until tender. allow to cool to the touch. meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine monte jack cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, onions, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. cut potatoes in half, then carefully scoop out insides, leaving a thin shell. add the potato insides to the cheese mixture and mash together, then stir in bacon. sprinkle potato shells with salt, then stuff with potato mixture. sprinkle with additional cheese, pepper, and paprika. broil for 7-8 minutes or until heated through. (instead of broiling, you can refrigerate these overnight and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes).
***
verdict: yummy. love these. perfect balance of junk food in a potato... nothing not to love. they are not the thin-sliced crispy skins if that's what you're craving, but they are cheesy creamy tasty taters. also good dipped in white bbq sauce. nom. 7*******.
ingredients list:
- 1 & 1/2 lbs small red potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup shredded monte jack cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 oz sour cream, softened (about 1/3 a package)
- 1/3 cup minced green onions
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more for sprinkling)
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
- paprika
to make: pierce potatoes, then rub skins with oil. bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until tender. allow to cool to the touch. meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine monte jack cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, onions, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. cut potatoes in half, then carefully scoop out insides, leaving a thin shell. add the potato insides to the cheese mixture and mash together, then stir in bacon. sprinkle potato shells with salt, then stuff with potato mixture. sprinkle with additional cheese, pepper, and paprika. broil for 7-8 minutes or until heated through. (instead of broiling, you can refrigerate these overnight and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes).
***
verdict: yummy. love these. perfect balance of junk food in a potato... nothing not to love. they are not the thin-sliced crispy skins if that's what you're craving, but they are cheesy creamy tasty taters. also good dipped in white bbq sauce. nom. 7*******.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
recipe: chocolate covered potato chips
i love Cape Cod kettle cooked potato chips... nothing but pure taste of crispy tater, oil, salt. mmmmm. somehow this became a drunken craving to have the salty chips perfectly aligned with dark sweet chocolate. snacky opposite day. works for pretzels, and for jimmy fallon's icecream, so works for me
ingredients list:
- favorite potato chips (the thicker/crunchier, the better... i do not recommend original Lays here)
- few tbsp butter
- 1/2 bag dark chocolate chips
(very inexact measurements... i just kept making them until i got bored and started running out of melted chocolate)
to make: melt butter in double boiler (or a jimmy-rigged bowl over a saucepan filled with water, my fav), then stir in chocolate chips until melted completely. dip chips, then allow to cool on waxed paper.
***
YUM! taste exactly like you would imagine... a perfect drunken lady snack. super easy to make too. 7 *******.
ingredients list:
- favorite potato chips (the thicker/crunchier, the better... i do not recommend original Lays here)
- few tbsp butter
- 1/2 bag dark chocolate chips
(very inexact measurements... i just kept making them until i got bored and started running out of melted chocolate)
to make: melt butter in double boiler (or a jimmy-rigged bowl over a saucepan filled with water, my fav), then stir in chocolate chips until melted completely. dip chips, then allow to cool on waxed paper.
***
YUM! taste exactly like you would imagine... a perfect drunken lady snack. super easy to make too. 7 *******.
recipe: white bbq sauce
 |
| no pic with the wings-a-dippin... too busy stuffing my face |
ingredients list:
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/8 cup apple juice
- 1 tsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
to make: mix all ingredients in small bowl. chill until served.
***
so... i love this stuff. i have leftovers in the fridge, and it's great on everything... left over potatoes, sandwiches, whatever. i'm a big fan of ranch when i eat wings (bleu cheese is too harsh sometimes), but at times ranch is too tangy and obnoxious... this is nice & tangy but still a lil sweet sweet. and it's easy as hell, so worth a shot. i totally need to test it on ribs tho... mmm yeah. 8.5 ********~. UPDATE: this is also good on turkey sandwiches, potato skins, homemade crunchwrap supremes, and pizza crust dip... mmmmm.
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