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Peach Crisp…Dreamy!

Posted by on August 20, 2010

I am a big cheater on this one.  In the past, I’ve gone through the trouble of blanching fresh peaches, then into ice water, peeling the skin, pitting and cutting up the peach.  I made this dish in winter and purchased the frozen, ready to use peaches….I could not tell the difference. Prep time for this dish is about 20 minutes.

Peach Crisp
For the peaches:

2 lbs. frozen peaches, thawed
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh or bottled

Topping:

¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 ½ cups oatmeal, quick or old fashioned
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
One pinch nutmeg
1 stick butter, softened

1) Butter or using cooking spray, coat  a  9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside. Place thawed peaches in a large heavy pot. Add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a bubble, this should take 5-7 minutes.   Pour into prepared baking dish.
2) Preheat oven to 350’. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients well.   Work butter in with your fingers.  Sprinkle crumbs evenly over cooked peaches.
3) Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serves 10-12.

*If you make ahead, refrigerate. It is best to warm, uncovered,  in the oven at 350’ for 20-25 minutes to make the topping crisp again.

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Roasted Whole Chicken with Fresh Herbs, Wine, and Potatoes…..

Posted by on August 14, 2010

We had our beloved newly engaged cousin Patrick and his lovely fiance, Shelygan over for dinner last night.  Mustn’t forget that we also had Patrick’s Mom, Sheila over as well.  Have I mentioned that she introduced Joe and I to each other roughly 8 years ago????  Another story for another time….

This was a very special occasion which of course, was very deserving of a very special celebratory menu.  I did what I usually do, I poured over different menus over and over again, changing every last detail of what I’d  be serving.  Whenever planning a menu for entertaining, I am sure to come up with something that will allow me to be with my guests, that’s the point, isn’t it?

Anyway, I’ve completely had it with the heat.  I confined myself to my kitchen, with a/c of course, and turned on my oven.  What’s not to love about lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and wine?  You put all of the deliciousness under the skin so that the meat has unbelievable flavor, even if eaten without the skin.  This dish is special enough for company, and easy enough for a weeknight.  Don’t forget to save the carcass for stock.  Wrap in plastic wrap and into a freezer bag, label and date.  Delicious stock for later!

Roasted Whole Chicken with Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Potatoes

1 3-4 lb. whole roasting or fryer chicken (roasters are larger, I love fryers)
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 medium size russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups white wine, can be sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot grigio
1 16 oz. package petite frozen peas

1) Line a baking sheet that has 1” sides with non stick foil. Preheat oven to 325’.
2) Peel potatoes and cut into wedges. **Place in large bowl, cover potatoes with water. Set aside.
3) Remove rosemary and thyme leaves from stems, chop finely. Put into a small bowl. Peel garlic and mince, put into herb bowl. Add olive oil,  1 teaspoon kosher salt and  1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. If you make ahead, you must refrigerate.
4) Remove giblets and rinse chicken. Pat dry with paper towel. Carefully run your fingers under the chicken skin, just to make space for the spices and garlic. Generously rub the spice mixture under skin throughout the entire chicken. Rub remaining mixture on outside of chicken and don‘t forget the underside. Place on prepared sheet.
5) Roast chicken for an hour.
6) Drain potatoes well. Put back into large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, add  1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well with your hands. Remove chicken from the oven and carefully arrange potatoes on same sheet as chicken trying not to overlap.
7) Roast another hour. Internal temperature of chicken should be 170’ or higher.
8) Remove from oven, allow to rest for about 10 minutes tented with foil. Carve and arrange chicken pieces, potatoes and peas on a serving platter. Pour juices over chicken and potatoes. YUM!
Makes 4-6 servings.

*If you would like to use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken, simply put herbs under each piece. (4 breasts or a whole cut up chicken) Arrange potatoes and chicken on baking sheet at the same time. Bake at 375’ for 45 minutes. Add wine and bake another 15 minutes. Add peas and bake another 10 minutes.
**I soak the potatoes in water to keep them from turning brown while waiting to be cooked and to remove some of the starch.  I think they absorb more flavor after soaking.

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Homemade Italian Turkey Sausage….

Posted by on August 10, 2010

This is so incredibly simple and can be used in omelets, as a pizza topping, in quick pasta dishes, soups, *meat balls, and other traditional Italian dishes, just to name a few.  I like to toast the fennel first to bring out the flavor, this will give a true Italian sausage flavor.  If you like hot sausage, simply add more red pepper flakes.  Enjoy!

Turkey Italian Sausage

1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoon granulated onion powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more)
1 ¼ lbs. 93/7 ground turkey
½ teaspoon salt

1) Heat a small skillet over medium heat and toast the fennel seeds for a couple of minutes, watch closely and give the pan a shake every 30 seconds.  You will start to smell a lovely licorice scent.
2) Add olive oil to pan. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Give a quick stir and add ground turkey. Season with salt.  Cook through, stirring often and breaking up meat with a spoon.

*For meat balls, simply toast the fennel, allow to cool, and mix all seasonings and raw ground turkey together in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Add to traditional meat ball ingredients.
*For breakfast sausage, simply add 1 teaspoon ground sage to the raw mixture.  Shape into patties and cook in a hot pan with a little olive oil.  Enjoy with Vanilla Yogurt Whole Grain Pancakes.

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Simple Grilled Steak with Rub….

Posted by on August 3, 2010

Who doesn’t love grilled steak and potatoes?  It is a summer staple here in the US.  I think the leanest and most flavorful cuts are sirloin and flank steak.  Cook them from medium (warm pink center, sirloin picture above), medium rare(cool redish pink center), to rare (pretty dang red, or “moo-ing”) for the most tender result.  The more well done they become, the less tender.  Marinate the sirloin for 30 minutes to a couple of hours, it is a pretty tender cut of meat.   Marinate a flank steak anywhere from 2-24 hours.  The key with the flank steak is to slice it thinly against the grain.   Be sure to serve with those delicious juices you see on the plate.  Serve with Twice Baked Potato Casserole (below) and a crisp salad with a homemade Creamy Yogurt Ranch Dressing.  Delicious!

Simple Steak Rub

2 ½ lbs flank steak or lean sirloin steak
1 fresh lime, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons canola oil

For the rub:

1 teaspoon salt, I like kosher
1 teaspoon each:
 Dried oregano
 Black pepper
 Garlic powder
 Onion powder
 Sugar
 Paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Zest of the lime you will be using above

1) You will need a large container with a lid, I like to use one large enough that the steak can lay flat. Zest lime, set zest aside and spread out on a small plate to dry. (it will dry quickly on the counter) Juice the lime and rub the juice into the steak. Rub the canola oil into the steak as well, evenly coat.
2) Mix all dry rub ingredients together, add zest. Rub generously into prepared meat, coat evenly. (be careful not to “contaminate” the rub by touching the steak and going directly into the rub)  Allow to marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour or as long as you like. Save any remaining rub in an air tight container, label with contents and date. 
3) Grill over medium heat on preheated grill. For a 1” thick piece of steak, medium, grill for 5 minutes per side allow to rest tented with foil for at least 15 minutes before carving. For flank steak, slice thinly on a diagonal, against the grain. Serve with the au jus.

The sure fire way to know the doneness of a piece of meat is with an instant read thermometer.  You can pick one up at most any store with a kitchen department.  They cost from $5-10.  You simply insert into the thickest part of the meat and wait for a couple of minutes for it to completely register.  Do not leave in meat while cooking in the oven or on the grill with the cover closed!  Meat continues cooking when you remove it from the heat, so always allow it to “rest” for 15 minutes to retain juices and finish the cooking process.

*Internal temperatures for different degrees of doneness:
Rare-120′ to 130′
Medium rare- 130′ to 140′
Medium- 140′ to 150′
Medium well- 150′ to 160′
Well- 160+

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Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread, Coffee Talk!

Posted by on July 29, 2010

Good morning!  I’ve had requests for zucchini recipes and the first thing that came to mind is zucchini bread.  This bread is hearty, made with whole grain, and freezes well. 

Imagine a nice visit with your girlfriend on the deck, a hot cup of coffee and a delicious piece of homemade zucchini bread…. (try to block out all the interruptions from the kids, fighting, crying, and questions)  Just be in the moment….

Back to reality.  Make this bread, you and your family will LOVE it!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
4 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Spray 7 mini loaf pans with Pam for Baking. Set aside.
2) In large mixing bowl, mix oil through zucchini, set aside.  Mix all remaining dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture all at once and mix until dry is just incorporated into wet. Divide evenly among mini loaf pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely and wrap tightly in cling wrap. Place into labeled and dated large freezer bag to freeze.

*you may add raisins, chocolate chips, or nuts if you wish. Add them to the dry ingredients. This will prevent them from all settling to the bottom.  You may need an additional pan depending on how much extra ingredient you add.

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Grilled Margarita Flat Bread Pizza….

Posted by on July 28, 2010

Grown up pizza anyone?  This is extremely delicious with the flavorful tomatoes and fresh basil available at this time of year.  This goes together in minutes.  Enjoy with a salad or serve as an appetizer at your next deck party.

Grilled Margarita Flatbread Pizza

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh clove garlic, halved
1 package whole wheat flatbread (5 pcs.)
4-5 ripe plum tomatoes
2 large fresh mozzarella balls, sliced thinly, or 4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 small bunch fresh basil

1) Place olive oil and sliced garlic in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
2) Preheat grill on high for 8-10 minutes, lower to medium heat and turn off half of the grill for indirect cooking.
3) Collect all ingredients on a tray and have ready at the grill. Place flatbread on the part of the grill without heat. Close lid for 2 minutes. Open, flip flatbread and brush with garlic infused olive oil, add a few slices of fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes. Close lid for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh basil leaves. Enjoy as a vegetarian entrée or an appetizer.

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Classic Slow Cooker Pulled Pork…..

Posted by on July 19, 2010

What’s not to love about pulled pork?  Well, for one thing, the fat.  I use lean pork loin roast, most recipes call for pork shoulder.    In addition to the lean meat, you don’t have to work around all kinds of bones, grizzle, and large pieces of fat.  It makes for much quicker and healthier preparation. 

If you’re entertaining a crowd, like most of us do in the summer, make this ahead and serve it warm in a crock pot.  If you have guests arriving at different times, say for a graduation party or open house, food will remain hot for every guest.  Serve with small rolls that are easy to eat and can withstand the juicy meat and slaw.  You do not want to use hard rolls as the filling would “squish” out when you bite into them.

The pork is sweet and spicy so I love to pair it with a simple red cabbage salad with slight acidity, it’s a great flavor combination. 

The thing I love most about it is not having to cook while you have guests.  Sooooo simple!

Classic Pulled Pork Sandwiches
In the Slow Cooker

3 tablespoons canola oil
4 lbs. pork loin roast, cut in half
1 cup cider vinegar
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup dark molasses
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard or 1 tablespoon regular yellow
2 teaspoons granulated onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1) Turn slow cooker on low. Season the pork roast with salt and pepper. Preheat large skillet over medium high heat and brown pork roast on all sides. Place meat in slow cooker.
2) Deglaze pan with a little water. Add all ingredients to the pan, mix well and bring to a bubble. Pour over meat and cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Meat should be very tender.
3) Remove meat from cooker, set aside. Skim as much fat as possible from the top of the sauce.  (There will be very little)  Using two forks, shred pork and add back to sauce. Serve over soft mini buns. 1 1/4 lbs. of cooked pulled pork will easily feed a family of four.  Freeze leftovers for another hot busy day!

For the simple red cabbage slaw:

1 head of red cabbage
olive oil
cider vinegar
salt & pepper

Core the cabbage and very thinly slice.  Place in a large mixing bowl.  Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cabbage.  Sprinkle two pinches of kosher salt and pepper over cabbage.  Gently toss to coat.  Drizzle one tablespoon over cabbage, toss.  Taste.  Add more seasoning if necessary.  Serve alongside the sandwiches.

*The reason for putting warm ingredients into the slow cooker is that time won’t be wasted in the crock pot getting up to cooking temperature.
**If you’ve made the pork ahead, warm in microwave before putting intot he crock pot.  The crock pot is more for holding warm food,not for actual re warming.
***Freezes well

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Orange & Ginger Glazed Chicken Kabobs….

Posted by on June 3, 2010
As you can see, I’m on an Asian kick!   Instead of Chinese “take out,” I’m going to call it Chinese “make in.”    Be sure to buy a good size chunk of fresh ginger, about two times the size of your thumb.  Use a whole fresh orange, the zest of the orange will give a very intense orange flavor.  Feel free to add red pepper flakes to the sauce if you like it spicy.  For sides, do anything you like.  I love brown jasmine rice and simple stir fry vegetables.  Would also be great with Thai peanut noodles..yum!
Orange & Ginger Glazed Chicken Kabobs

For the marinade:

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces

For the glaze:

Zest and juice of one large orange
Enough orange juice to measure 1 cup
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 slices fresh ginger, the size of a quarter
Sesame seeds
Orange slices & fresh green onions for garnish

1) If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 15 minutes before skewering chicken. Skewer chicken and place in a pan or container where they can lay flat. Whisk all marinade ingredients well and pour over skewered chicken. Marinade in refrigerator for an hour. (You can also marinade chicken pieces in a bag and skewer chicken later, I find this very messy.)

2) Wash and dry the orange. Zest the orange and set zest aside. Juice the orange into a 1 cup measure. Add enough additional orange juice to measure 1 cup. Pour into a small sauce pan, add ginger slices, and reduce over medium heat to ½ cup. Add honey and continue to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and remove ginger slices. Add toasted sesame oil and orange zest. Allow to cool.

3) Preheat grill. Cook kabobs over medium high heat for 10-12 minutes. Generously brush glaze over chicken. Watch closely, the sugars will burn if you’re not careful. Place on serving platter, brush with additional glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and orange slices. Serve with steamed or vegetable fried brown rice and simple stir fried snap peas. Serve additional glaze on the side.

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Vegetable Fried Brown Rice….

Posted by on June 1, 2010

Fried Vegetable Brown Rice

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cold cooked brown rice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables or petite peas, thawed
½ cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1) Heat a large non stick skillet over high heat. Add oil. Add eggs, all at once, stir constantly and break into small pieces. Add rice and green onions. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over rice. Heat through, stirring often to prevent scorching. Add mixed vegetables and bean sprouts. Taste. Season with more soy sauce if necessary. Top with sesame seeds.

Remember, be creative, add whatever vegetables you like!

To make this a quick dinner entree, add some leftover pieces of rotisserie chicken or thinly sliced leftover grilled steak or pork!  Simply stir fry in the pan at the very beginning, remove from pan before adding eggs, then add back to pan after adding the rice.

Enjoy!

Angie

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