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Monthly Archives: October 2016
Prepare to have your taste buds engaged! This recipe for Swedish Meatballs produces a wonderfully flavorful meal that is well worth the effort. This recipe can be made with just ground beef, but it comes alive with a mix of beef and lamb (or beef, lamb and pork!). The addition of nutmeg and allspice with a slight hint of cinnamon really warms up the flavors and deepens the creamy gravy augmented with sour cream. Are you intrigued now? If so, let’s get to it! Save Print Swedish Meatballs Ingredients For the meatballs: 12 oz ground beef (or 8 oz ground beef and 4 oz ground lamb or pork) ½ onion, finely diced or grated ½ tsp allspice ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp summer savory ¼…
Earlier this year, I was perusing a book on old style cocktails from very high end establishments around the world. I came across this smoked old fashioned and decided to try it. With a few adjustments, I found something that has never failed to impress and delight friends and acquaintances. Now, I want to share it with you so you can share it with your friends! Save Print Smoked Old Fashioned Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Earlier this year, I was perusing a book on old style cocktails from very high end establishments around the world. I came across this smoked old fashioned and decided to try it. With a few adjustments, I found something that has never failed…
Lunch… today I decided to make a quick lunch and share the results with you. It is a simple meal of pancetta, shaved brussel sprouts, and tortellini fried in butter and the pancetta renderings. The only seasonings… a little salt (very little since we are using panceta, a type of Italian bacon), freshly cracked black pepper, and minced garlic. Simple, but quite delicious. And need I mention fast! Tortellini with Pancetta and Brussel Sprouts Ingredients: 4 slices of pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch squares 4 – 5 brussel sprouts, shaved (cut into a chiffonade) 6 oz fresh cheese tortellini 2 tsp butter 1 small clove garlic, minced salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste shredded Italian cheese (optional) Preparation: Begin by cooking the pasta per…
It is now soup season and this one is tasty… and easy! This recipe has become one of my favorite ways to enjoy cauliflower. The simplicity of the recipe belies the wonderful depth of flavor this soup has. Since most of the cooking happens in the oven, you gain some time to finish other tasks if desired. Also, this soup can be tweaked to suit your tastes, but I am delivering my ‘go to’ recipe here. Ready, set, let’s cook! Coriander Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Prosciutto Bark Ingredients: 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into flowerets 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp ground coriander salt fresh cracked pepper 3 slices prosciutto 3/4 cup vegetable broth (or chicken stock if desired) 1/2…
Here is another recipe I used to cook for the family when the girls were little. It is a great recipe to put together quickly, then eat later after the chops have cooked in the gravy for a bit. Even the gravy has a super simple shortcut, which I will provide in the Notes below. I paired this dish with White Rice and Sauteed Garlic Green Beans as a complete meal. Season each side of the pork loin chops with salt and pepper. Add the onion and garlic powder to the flour and stir to incorporate. Flour each side of the chops and shake off the excess. Save the flour for a later step. Heat a medium frying pan or skillet over medium medium high heat. Add the…
This dish is a great side for many main dishes – steak, chicken, pork, etc. Also, this dish can be tweaked for different flavor combinations. Today, I’ll write up the basic recipe… and in the Notes below I will discuss some of the options for additional flavor enhancements. Sauteed Garlic Green Beans Ingredients: 6 oz fresh green beans 1 clove garlic, slivered salt pepper 2 tsp olive oil Preparation: In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering, add the green beans and toss to coat. Cook the green beans for about 5 minutes tossing them to keep them from burning. Add some salt and pepper to taste, tossing to distribute. Then add the garlic and toss to incorporate. Continue…
Well, I am sure everyone knew I was up to something when I made a loaf of banana bread, right? Of course I was… I had this idea for banana bread french toast and I just had to try it. And guess what? It was delicious! So I am here to share with you what I did… let’s get cooking! Banana Bread French Toast Ingredients: 4 slices of banana bread, approximately 3/4 inch thick 2 eggs, beaten 1 tbsp whipping cream 1/4 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional) 1/4 tsp allspice ((optional) 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional) butter Preparation: Add the vanilla, cream, and spices (if desired) into the beaten eggs and mix well. Heat a griddle or large frying…
Ahhh… with Autumn falling here, I feel like baking a bit more. To kick off the baking season, here is a quick and simple but incredibly tasty recipe for banana bread. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made in a single bowl with a spatula or spoon to ease cleanup, easily tweaked by adding nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, etc. I based it on Elise’ recipe on Simply Recipes. It also makes a fabulous muffin – perfect for a party or breakfast! So, let’s get baking! Save Print Banana Bread Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 60 mins Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Note: To make regular sized muffins, bake for 20 – 25 minutes in a…
One of simplest meals to make is a stir fry… I said it before and I’m sure I will say it again. The reasons are simple enough too; you can create any number of flavor combinations using the same basic ingredients. As a matter of fact, I previously posted a recipe for Garlic Chicken Stir Fry. Tonight, I used cashews, sliced garlic and oyster sauce to create another variation. Garlic Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Oyster Sauce Ingredients: 1 chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch cubes 1/2 onion, sliced radially 1 carrot, sliced 1 stalk celery, sliced 1 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets (approximately 1 small crown of broccoli), cut into bite size pieces 1/2 red pepper, sliced 3 garlic cloves, thinly…
I am going old school tonight with the proverbial Sunday chicken dinner… except I opted to twist this meal a little. In reality, it does not take a lot of effort, but it does take a little bit of time. Shall we get started making some Smoked Chicken Noodle Soup? Smoked Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients: 1/2 whole fryer chicken 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 onion, divided (1 part large sections, the other diced) 2 carrots (one halved lengthwise, one diced) 3 stalks celery (2 halved lengthwise, 1 diced) 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp dry thyme leaves 2 tsp dry rosemary, crushed 2 tsp sage 1 bay leaf black pepper kosher salt 5 cups of water 2 cups egg noodles 1/2 cup white wine…