tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54095917391711857022024-03-13T06:22:42.573-07:00Easy EpicureanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-54186098791666757722013-04-07T15:53:00.002-07:002013-04-07T15:53:08.567-07:00Banh Mi - Style Chicken Burgers <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Vietnam has been high on my list of must-visit countries for some time now. I can't wait for the chance to see the colonial architecture of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, rice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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paddies, the Mekong Delta and - of course - the FOOD. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The banh mi was inspired by Vietnam's history of French colonialism. It combines classic French ingredients (baguette, pate, mayonnaise) with classic Vietnamese ingredients (cilantro, pickled vegetables and hot peppers). The banh mi sandwiches that you will find in the US are delicious but far from light. I played around with a few recipes and came up with this lightened up version using ground chicken, fat free Greek yogurt and a whole wheat bun. I served it with an easy red cabbage slaw and some steamed veggies for a great weeknight meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u><b>What you'll need: </b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 lb ground chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 Tbs sliced scallions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 large handful of fresh cilantro</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 Tbs soy sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 radishes (thinly sliced)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 c shredded carrots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 tsp rice wine vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp sesame oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 English cucumber (thinly sliced)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pickled jalapenos (for garnish)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 Tbs mayonnaise (heaping)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 c fat free Greek yogurt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 1/2 tsp sriracha (Asian hot sauce)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp garlic powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">olive oil </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 Tbs chicken stock</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3-4 whole wheat rolls (depends on the size burger you want)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>How to do it:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First, prep the pickled veggies that will be one of your burger toppings. This is one of my favorite parts of the burgers. I love putting cold crisp veggies on hot dishes. Combine the sliced radishes, shredded carrots, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro and a pinch of salt. If you like spice you can also add about 1/2 tsp of the pickling liquid from the jar of jalapenos. Mix well and chill until your burgers are ready.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next, combine your meat and spices. Put the ground chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add the scallions, soy sauce, 2 cloves finely minced garlic and 2 Tbs chopped cilantro. Combine all of the ingredients without over mixing and then form into 3-4 patties. Ground chicken can be really sticky. I find that it helps to form the patties with damp hands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let the burgers sit out and warm up a bit before you cook them. Now is a good time to make your sriracha yogurt sauce. Combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt and garlic powder in small bowl. Add the sriracha (or other hot sauce) to taste. I used 1 1/2 tsp. You may want to start with 1 tsp and then add more if you like. Add a generous pinch of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Mix well and pop into the fridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now you are ready to cook the burgers. If you're like me you've been tasting the pickled veggies and that delicious sauce and now you're STARVING. Don't worry, these burgers cook quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Your pan and oil should be hot when you hold your hand over but not so hot that its smoking. You should hear a nice, satisfying sizzle when you put the burgers into the pan. If you don't quickly fish it out and wait until your pan is hot enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cook the burgers on 3 minutes per side. Then add about 2 Tbs of chicken stock to pan. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to somewhere between low and medium. Cook for another 3 minutes and then remove the cover to let the moisture evaporate for about 1 minute. Adding the chicken stock really helps keep turkey and chicken burgers moist. They can dry out easily since you have to be careful to cook them all the way through. I use this last minute to lightly toast the buns.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So all of your components are ready and your kitchen smells awesome. Now it's time to artfully craft your burger. Slather the top and bottom of your bun with the sriracha sauce. Put a few slices of cucumber on the bottom and then top with the patty. Pile the pickled veggies on top along with a few jalapenos and a few tablespoons of fresh cilantro (whole leaves) - really pile it on there as a substitute for lettuce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This burger is as satisfying as your classic cheeseburger but it is full of new and exciting flavors. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-39220024915475492372013-01-20T07:42:00.003-08:002013-02-08T12:52:26.054-08:00Roasted Chicken & Honey Mustard Potatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have you ever heard of <a href="http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2006/07/engagement-chicken" target="_blank">engagement chicken</a>? It's a recipe for roasted chicken that is supposed to be so amazing that your boyfriend will be moved to propose to you after eating it because it is the type of meal a wife would make. This is not that chicken recipe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">While I do think the concept of engagement chicken is a pretty ridiculous I totally agree that a roasted chicken is a beautiful thing. Roasting a chicken is actually incredibly easy yet the finished product seems impressive. I highly recommend it for company or a special occasion. It allows you to do a little work up front and then you're free to entertain your guests, drink wine, fold laundry.... whatever it is you rather be doing instead of sweating over a complicated recipe that you may just mess up at the last minute anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I paired this lemony roasted chicken with roasted potatoes in a honey mustard glaze. If the oven is going to be on you may as well use it to make your side dish. Again, the work for the potatoes is done mostly ahead of time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>One note: I find that chickens (especially organic) really don't feed more than 2-3 people. If you are planning on serving a larger group make an extra chicken or two and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong>LEMONY ROASTED CHICKEN</strong></span><br />
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What you'll need:</span></u></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 whole chicken <span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(I recommend organic whenever possible. I think mine was about 4-5 lbs)</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4 cloves garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs rosemary</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs Dijon mustard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 c olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">red pepper flakes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>How to do it:</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First you'll want to take the chicken out of the fridge about an hour before you want to start cooking. You don't want to put a cold chicken (or any type of meat) directly in the oven. Also, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">While you wait for the chicken to come to room temperature and the oven to heat prepare the rub for the chicken. First chop the garlic gloves and zest the lemon. Be careful to only remove the yellow parts and not the white pith, which is very bitter. Combine about 3/4 of the garlic and all of the lemon zest in a bowl. Add the honey, rosemary, mustard and the juice of half the lemon. Add a generous pinch of salt (about 1/2 tsp), a good amount of black pepper and some red pepper. Combine with a fork or whisk and then slowly stream in about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After the chicken is at room temperature remove the neck and giblets from the cavity, put it in a roasting pan (preferably one with a rack that will elevate the chicken) and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and paprika. Be sure you add a bit of salt inside the cavity too.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Put the two lemon halves (one has been squeezed, one hasn't) and the remaining garlic in the cavity. Now spread the rub you prepared all over the chicken. Make sure you lift the skin a bit and get some right on the breasts. Dont' neglect the thighs and legs and be add a little to the cavity as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">At this point I sprinkled a bit more olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika on top for good measure. I also recommend that you tuck the wing tips under the bird before you put the chicken in the oven. You can see from the photo of my finished product below that I forgot this step and my wing tips burned. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you do have a roasting rack I recommend putting an inch or so of water in the bottom of the pan. This will help to keep the chicken moist and will stop the drippings from burning and sticking to your pan. Skip this step if you don't have a roasting rack. In that case you may want to put the chicken on a bed of an onion and/or some celery and carrots. It helps to prop up the chicken a bit and makes a pan sauce. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Put the chicken in the oven and cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 45-60 more minutes. I think I cooked mine for about 50 more minutes after the initial 15. This will depend on your oven and the size of the chicken. I recommend using a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast about 45 minutes in. You want the temperature to be about 165. The temperature will continue to rise while it rests.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once the chicken is ready remove it from the oven and cover with tin foil. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before carving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Carve and enjoy!</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">HONEY MUSTARD POTATOES</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb waxy potatoes <span style="font-size: x-small;">(<em>I used an awesome mixed color medley from Trader Joe's. Avoid russets; which is what you would usually use for a baked potato)</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs Dijon mustard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 Tbs olive oil, divided</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">red pepper flakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 handful fresh parsley, chopped</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">How to do it:</span></u></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes and then cut them into chunks - about an inch or so in size. Add them to a roasting pan. I sometimes use cookie sheets for roasted potatoes but you'll want a pan with somewhat higher sides for this dish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Dress the potatoes with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a generous amount of salt (about 1/2 tsp) and black pepper. Combine well so all potatoes are coated. <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Roast the potatoes for about 30 minutes. Turn them over one or twice so that the potatoes brown evenly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">While the potatoes cook prepare the glaze. Combine the mustard, honey and olive oil in a bowl. Add a good pinch of salt, black pepper and a bit of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once the potatoes are browned and nearly done, remove the pan from the oven and mix in the glaze - coating the potatoes evenly. Return to the oven and cook for another ten minutes or so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>Karl noted that these would also taste great with some bacon fat so if you happen to have any leftover from breakfast feel free to add that to the glaze</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After 10 minutes remove them from the oven and taste. Add another sprinkling of salt if you need and add the fresh parsley. Delicious!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><u>Some tips for making these dishes together:</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Prep the chicken </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Make the rub</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Prep the potatos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Make the glaze</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add pototoes to oven when chicken has about 30 more minutes to go</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add glaze to potatoes when you remove chicken and rest it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Potatoes will be done when chicken is fully rested</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-70206598417519343772013-01-05T08:21:00.001-08:002013-01-05T08:24:39.760-08:00New Year, New You: Turkey Breakfast Sausage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Fp3PebODpk/UOhN5NXBnBI/AAAAAAAAATU/ygoSA5mIu_s/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Fp3PebODpk/UOhN5NXBnBI/AAAAAAAAATU/ygoSA5mIu_s/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy New Year (a bit late)! OK, so I'm also really tardy with this post. Holidays, travel, broken computer - blah, blah, blah. I'm back now. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Like most people I resolved to be healthier this year. Luckily, experience has taught me that you don't have to sacrifice everything you love in order to eat in a more healthy way. That is one of the things I love most about cooking. When you prepare your own meals you control what goes into it and, more importantly, what doesn't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Karl and I looove to have breakfast sandwiches on Saturday mornings. You really can't beat a bacon, egg and cheese on an English muffin. And I honestly think the sandwiches I make at home are better than what you would get at a diner. Plus, we don't need to put on real pants. I also love a good sausage patty with my eggs but even turkey sausage often has a lot of added fat and fillers. It's pretty scary if you read the ingredients on the average box of breakfast sausage. Ick. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I decided to try to make my own breakfast sausage using extra lean ground turkey. This is a lighter substitute for bacon (and wayyyyy better for you than prepared sausage) and the patties were really easy to make. This recipe makes about 10-12, depending on how large you make them. You could even freeze them and then microwave one to make a quick weekday breakfast later on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>What you'll need:</u></strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzFC7_YdUnc/UOhNY-JIyXI/AAAAAAAAASk/OHYWJ8Hm0UY/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzFC7_YdUnc/UOhNY-JIyXI/AAAAAAAAASk/OHYWJ8Hm0UY/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb extra lean turkey sausage</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 tsp onion powder </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 tsp thyme</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp ground fennel seed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp ground sage</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">generous pinch red pepper flakes (1/8 to 1/4 tsp depending on how spicy you like it)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs maple syrup (use the real stuff)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">drizzle of olive or canola oil for cooking the patties</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>How to do it:</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Put the ground turkey into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt through maple syrup. Crack a good amount of black pepper on top. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nGCoyCgDZY/UOhNeihhLzI/AAAAAAAAASs/yL8Z4XqNHBs/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nGCoyCgDZY/UOhNeihhLzI/AAAAAAAAASs/yL8Z4XqNHBs/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Mix up the meat and spices with your (clean) hands. Lean ground turkey is pretty sticky and annoying to work with. If you start with wet hands it will be a bit easier. Thoroughly combine without over mixing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next heat a non stick skillet and add a bit of oil. Once the skillet is hot scoop the turkey mixture in. I used a 1/4 c measuring cup but next time I think I would use a 1/3 c. At first you will keep the sausage in these little round balls but don't worry - they'll be patties soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After the sausage browns on one side flip it and then use your spatula to push it in patty. It is very important that you push down on the side that's already browned. If not the mushy turkey will get stuck in your spatula and will basically ruin your life. Trust me. I am speaking from experience.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYpvVZWQAc8/UOhNjy_Om1I/AAAAAAAAAS0/PQWHBX6tnXw/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYpvVZWQAc8/UOhNjy_Om1I/AAAAAAAAAS0/PQWHBX6tnXw/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">See? Push on the browned side. Cook a few minutes per side until each side is browned like this.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XN-bijgYpFs/UOhNpGJCiyI/AAAAAAAAAS8/8tt0iwflorY/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XN-bijgYpFs/UOhNpGJCiyI/AAAAAAAAAS8/8tt0iwflorY/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then drizzle about one tablespoon of water into the pan and cover for a minute or so until the water evaporates. This helps to deglaze the pan and the steam ensures that the turkey is cooked all way. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4AywCayQQL8/UOhNulgzzgI/AAAAAAAAATE/JsLvgs6h-u8/s1600/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4AywCayQQL8/UOhNulgzzgI/AAAAAAAAATE/JsLvgs6h-u8/s320/Turkey+Breakfast+Sausage+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I like tons of flavor in my sausage so I sprinkled it with a bit more salt, pepper and red pepper once it was cooked. You can do the same or you can cook a small test patty and then adjust your seasonings as necessary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The patties are great on a breakfast sandwich (see above) or crumbled into an omelet, served next to scrambled eggs, with french toast. You name it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They reheat easily in the microwave (30-60 seconds). You can also put them in a single layer on a plate in the freezer. Once they freeze throw them into a freezer baggie. This makes it easy to grab one at a time later on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-80535213052031601652012-12-01T08:48:00.000-08:002012-12-01T08:53:42.194-08:00Lamb Kofta and Kale Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Middle Eastern food is awesome. Regrettably it's something that I wasn't introduced to until relatively recently - but it quickly became one of my favorite cuisines. The flavors are quite close to the Mediterranean flavors in Italian dishes (another favorite) but the introduction of new spices and combinations will wake up your taste buds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now, a disclaimer. I haven't traveled to the Middle East (yet!). So I do not claim any level of authenticity here. Nor can I adequately distinguish between the cuisines of different countries within the region. What I can say is that these dishes taste really good and are easy to make. Karl lived in Iraq for two years so I make this lamb kofta to give him a taste of one of his favorite Iraqi dishes so he doesn't get the crazy idea to run off and live there again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have also made the kofta with ground beef and it worked out well. This is not a dish where I would recommend substituting ground chicken or turkey. Leaving a little pink to the meat helps to keep the kofta moist and that wouldn't be safe when using chicken or turkey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The kale salad is delicious and could be made as a side dish for the kofta or on it's own. The dressing for the salad is vegan and uses sesame paste (tahini). Tahini is a great ingredient but you may not have it on hand. In that case, you can substitute peanut butter and add a bit more sesame oil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong>LAMB KOFTA</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb ground lamb</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 clove garlic (minced)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp cumin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp turmeric</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2-3 shakes of red pepper flakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">handful fresh cilantro (chopped)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">olive oil (drizzle)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">chicken stock (splash)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">fresh basil leaves (for serving)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>How to do it:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine lamb through cilantro in a large mixing bowl. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine well with your (clean!) hands and then portion into patties. Kofta is often served kebab-style on a skewer. I skip this when I make it inside but I would recommend using the skewers if you are using an outdoor grill. Either way, make your patties more oval/oblong to mimic the traditional shape. I make them rather small - getting 8 patties out of this mixture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Heat a saute pan and drizzle with olive oil. Make sure the pan is hot enough to sear the meat but not so hot that the oil is smoking. Add the kofta to the pan (careful not to crowd them) and then DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Let them do their thing for a minute or two. Once the meat has properly caramelized you will be able to turn the patties with little to no resistance. If they seem difficult to turn then they are not ready yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once you have turned all of the patties lower the heat, add a splash of stock to the pan and put a lid on it. Let the patties continue to cook and steam for about 5 minutes. This should leave the kofta juicy with a bit of pink in the middle. Serve with kale salad, rice or pita and hummus. The kofta in Iraq was always served with fresh basil leaves so we add that as well. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">KALE SALAD</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u>What you'll need:</u> </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 large bunch of kale (washed and chopped)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 shallot (minced) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 clove garlic (minced)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs tahini paste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">juice of 1 lemon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs rice vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">dash of cayenne pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp sesame oil </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 cup oil oil </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (toasted)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>How to do it:</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This salad is so easy, it's practically ridiculous. It's also really good for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I bought pre-washed and chopped kale from Whole Foods. I used half of this (below) and estimate that would be about equal to one large bunch of kale. If you buy the bunch, wash, dry and chop it. I think this salad is best when the kale is chopped pretty fine, so I gave this kale an extra chop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine the minced shallot, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl. Use a whisk to combine well. Add salt, pepper and cayenne and taste it. Add more salt if necessary. Add the sesame oil and then slowly stream in the olive oil. You can skip the measuring and slowing stream in oil until the dressing has doubled in volume. That will usually do it. Taste the dressing and adjust seasonings as necessary.This recipe makes enough dressing for about two bunches of kale. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you are toasting your own seeds, add them to a dry pan and toast over a warm burner for just a few minutes. Keep a careful eye on them - they burn quickly. As soon as they're done remove the pan from the heat and salt the seeds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine the kale, dressing (about 1/2 of this recipe for 1 bunch of kale) and seeds in a large bowl. Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes or so before serving so the dressing has a chance to wilt the kale a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This salad makes a hearty side dish and a great lunch. Enjoy!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-28889129550170103202012-11-28T19:32:00.000-08:002012-11-29T15:17:14.243-08:00Meatless Wednesday? Chickpea Stew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">would like to preface this post with a fact: I love meat. But the thing is, it has become more and more apparent that Americans eat too much of it. It's taking a toll on our health and our environment and I'd be hard pressed to find someone who couldn't benefit from eating more vegetables and whole grains and fewer animal products. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://markbittman.com/" target="_blank">Mark Bittman</a> and<a href="http://michaelpollan.com/" target="_blank"> Michael Pollan</a> both have great philosophies on this subject. Neither villianize those of us who enjoy a good steak or some delicious bacon but they do promote eating the best quality meat in smaller quantities and less frequently. Bittman even goes as far as eating vegan before 6 pm but then he has whatever he wants for dinner. This is the way he has chosen to keep the majority of his diet plant-based. You needn't go this far if you don't want to. A great way to start is to practice <a href="http://www.meatlessmonday.com/" target="_blank">Meatless Monday</a> or Wednesday, or Sunday. Whatever day of the week that works for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Karl and I re watched <a href="http://www.takepart.com/foodinc/film" target="_blank">Food,Inc</a> this weekend. It was just the energizer we needed. Since moving into together we have gotten into the habit of larger, more luxurious meals that contain more meat than either of us ate before we lived together. We're committing to being more conscious about the food we buy and consume. I hope you will too. I promise you will be making the right choice for your health, your wallet and your world. You will also be seeing more meatless options featured on my blog - so hopefully your taste buds will benefit as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here is an easy chickpea stew recipe to get you started. If you use vegetable stock this recipe if vegan. Either way it's delicious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/285465-nutrition-information-on-chickpeas/" target="_blank">Fun fact</a>: One cup of chickpeas contains more than 25% of your recommended daily allowance of protein and more than 40% than the recommended daily allowance of fiber. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need:</strong> </u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 small yellow onion (diced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I celery stalk + the leaves if you have them (diced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 large carrot (peeled and diced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cloves garlic (minced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">olive oil (a few drizzles)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 Tbs rosemary</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">zest of 1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">generous pinch of red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp turmeric</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">chicken or vegetable stock (1 box = 32 oz)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp salt (+ a few more sprinkles)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">black pepper </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">water (~ 1/2 cup if necessary)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>How to do it:</strong></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Dice the onion, celery and carrot. Mince the garlic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with a generous drizzle of olive oil and add onions. Lower the heat and sweat the onions. You want them to soften but not take on color. Once they start to soften, add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute or so and then add the celery and carrots. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Add the rosemary, bay leaf, red pepper and lemon zest. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is me adding the lemon zest. The zest of one lemon will usually be about 1/2 -1 Tbs worth. Use a microplane or other hand grater and be careful to only take of the yellow, not the white stuff (pith), which is really bitter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Drain the chickpeas and rinse them well. I like organic canned chickpeas because they have less of that <em>stuff </em>coating them (ie. sodium). You could certainly use fresh chickpeas but you will need to soak them for at least 8 hours before you prepare the stew. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add the chickpeas to the pot. Cover with a box of stock - your choice. I used chicken stock because I always have it on hand but you could easily substitute vegetable stock to make this dish vegan. Add the turmeric, salt and several turns from the pepper grinder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bring the stew to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer on low heat for about an hour. If the stew gets too thick add a little bit of water. I ended up adding 1/3-1/2 cup of water. Now be sure to taste the stew. Make sure the chickpeas are tender. Make sure there is enough salt. I find that people tend to be shy about adding salt. If you are preparing your own fresh meals it is very unlikely that you will overdo it with the salt. Packaged foods tend to be the major sodium bombs. Fresh food does require some salt to bring out the flavors. A teaspoon or two won't kill you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now, the next part can be done in a few different ways. You want to add some body to the stew without adding extra fat, so you will puree or mash half of the stew- leaving the rest of the chickpeas whole. I have a fantastic immersion blender, which makes this easy. I just put about half of the chickpeas in a bowl and pureed what was left in the pot. You could do the opposite and put half in the blender to puree. In a pinch you could even use a potato masher to break up some of the chickpeas, which will thicken the stew.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Which ever approach you take, combine the pureed/mashed chickpeas and the whole chickpeas back in the pot. Add a generous drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with some fresh bread and enjoy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Psst... It's even better leftover. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-65441811210107711662012-11-23T06:44:00.001-08:002012-11-23T06:44:39.537-08:00Pumpkin Chipotle Chili<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love the fall. I love the weather, the leaves, sweaters and pumpkin flavored delights. I'd seen recipes for pumpkin chili in the past but I've never tried them - until now. This easy slow cooker chili combines familiar Thanksgiving flavors with smoky chipotle. Delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you're all turkeyed out, feel free to use ground beef. If you're a vegetarian or vegan leave the meat out all together, use 3 cans of beans and substitute vegetable stock. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I used a slow cooker to make the chili. It was so easy to throw the ingredients in in the morning and then come home to chili all ready to eat. That said, you could easily make this on a stove top too. See stove top tips below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you serve this over roasted butternut squash instead of rice. Roasted sweet potato would also work well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need:</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 package ground turkey (~1 lb)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 bell peppers (yellow or orange) - diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 medium onion (yellow or red) - diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cloves garlic - minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">olive oil (drizzle)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 can pumpkin puree - NOT pumpkin pie filling (15 oz) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 can fire roasted tomatoes (15 oz)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 can black beans (15 oz) - drained and rinsed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs paprika</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs + 1 tsp cumin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs oregano</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs chipotle chili powder <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I used 1 1/2 but it was pretty hot. I recommend starting with 1 Tbs and adding more later if you like)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp cinnamon </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp nutmeg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 bay leaf</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">chicken stock (about 1/2 of 1 qt box - more if you are doing this on the stove top)</span></div>
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1 handful chopped fresh cilantro + more for garnish</div>
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">How to do it:</span></u></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This recipe is so great because it only requires a little chopping and browning.Then you get to sit back and wait for your delicious and healthy meal. First, dice the onion and peppers and mince the garlic. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OUxZ_DJymSg/UK-F_Mg3_hI/AAAAAAAAANA/DAJA-JjJpro/s1600/Pumpkin+Chipotle+Chili+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OUxZ_DJymSg/UK-F_Mg3_hI/AAAAAAAAANA/DAJA-JjJpro/s320/Pumpkin+Chipotle+Chili+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>I had 1/2 yellow onion and 1/2 red onion leftover in the fridge, so I used a combo.</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next, lightly coat a hot pan with olive oil and brown the ground turkey. Once it has firmed up a bit add it to your slow cooker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now you want to add your onions and garlic to the pan and saute them quickly. You don't want to get any color on them or cook them very much. This is just to take some of the bite out of these ingredients, which can be pungent. Add the onions, garlic and raw diced peppers to the slow cooker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">OK, now it's time for everything else to go in. Add the pumpkin, tomatoes, beans, paprika, cumin, oregano, chipotle, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaf, salt and a few turns of black pepper. Stir it well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pour in enough chicken stock to cover. Keep in mind that the slow cooker traps in moisture so the chili liquid wont really reduce the way it would on the stove top. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7z-WWwlcrTM/UK-ICvXkenI/AAAAAAAAANY/9JVWUspzBQE/s1600/Pumpkin+Chipotle+Chili+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7z-WWwlcrTM/UK-ICvXkenI/AAAAAAAAANY/9JVWUspzBQE/s320/Pumpkin+Chipotle+Chili+009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cover and cook on low. Since I was going to be at work all day set my slow cooker's timer for 8 hours and then it switches to warm. I recommend that you let the slow cooker do it's thing for at least 4-5 hours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When you're almost ready to eat, remove the cover and let it cook on low a bit. This will allow some of the liquid to evaporate and the chili will thicken up a bit. Taste the chili and see if it needs a bit more chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. If it did get too dry for your liking add more chicken stock. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Right before you're ready to eat add the cilantro. Serve over roasted butternut squash and offer a selection of garnishes, such as cilantro, chopped raw red onion, shredded cheese and tortilla chips. As you can see, I opted for all of the above. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><u>Tips for stove top prep:</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you don't have a slow cooker or want to make this in a shorter amount of time, here's how:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1. Brown turkey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2. Add onions and garlic, saute until they start to soften.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3. Add peppers and cook for 1 minute or so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4. Reduce heat and add pumpkin through black pepper. Stir well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">5. Add chicken stock. The liquid will reduce during the cooking time so make it a bit soupier than you want your final result to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">6. Simmer for an hour... but longer is always better. If you cook it for more than an hour cover it partially with a lid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">7. Add cilantro.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">8. Eat and enjoy!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-72777350609588817112012-11-18T15:44:00.000-08:002012-11-19T10:36:47.021-08:00Meatballs and Sunday Sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I often say that I grew up in an Italian American family and this is partly true. The reality is that the ratio is only 25% Italian but that 25% has always played a larger role than the 25% Swedish and 50% Polish that make up the balance. This probably has a lot to do with the part of Connecticut where I grew up - as it seemed everyone was at least a little bit Italian either by blood or marriage. Personally, I think it also has a lot to do with the food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you grew up in a family or an area like I did, you knew exactly what I meant when I said Sunday sauce (though your family may call it gravy). I would also bet that just reading those words brought back the smell of your grandmother's kitchen, the image of heaping plates of pasta, slowly cooked meats and perhaps some antipasti. I picture my Mama's kitchen, green carpet and all (yes, carpet in a kitchen). When I was young we would go to my grandparents' house on Sundays. We would eat at around two or three in the afternoon but everyone showed up early. My grandmother's Uncle Doc would bring fresh hard rolls topped with sesame seeds, which we would eat with soft butter for breakfast. The ladies would hunker down in the kitchen, looking at the circular for the sales of the coming week and my uncles would watch football with my grandfather in the living room. We weren't there as company - just a family spending a relaxing Sunday together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Around noon Mama would give me a piece of Italian bread (I prefer the coolie, as I called the end) smothered in some of the rich sauce that had been bubbling on the stove since early morning so I could help her "test" it. Once we sat down for the main meal I would be flooded with flavors that were both new and exciting at the same time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Italian food in America is often criticized. People point out that Italian American food is different than what you might find in Italy and that it has become too main stream. Many consider it unrefined or simple. Last year I read a <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Travels/Italian-American-Food" target="_blank">great article</a> that explored the evolution of Italian food in America. It made me have an even greater appreciation of a cuisine that was already so special to me. As with all cultures, Italian American food - particularly the iconic vision of a pot of tomato sauce and meatballs simmering on a stove top - is a vessel for sharing what is best and most precious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sadly, my family stopped this tradition quite a few years ago. People moved away and families got busier. It's not quite the same but every few weeks I try to do a Sunday dinner of my own. Karl and I may run a few quick errands but most of the day is spent at home, quietly enjoying each other's company and the comfort of our apartment. Allow yourself to step back for a Sunday (a Saturday will do) and spend the day at home, cooking for whoever is most precious to you. Salute!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong>SUNDAY SAUCE</strong></span><br />
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What you'll need:</span></u></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb Sweet Italian sausage links </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb beef short ribs </span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: xx-small;">*This is how I made it.I usually like a combo of pork and beef but at least one will do. Some other options are beef braciole, beef or veal shank, bone-in pork chops, pork neck bones. I do love hot Italian sausage but I think it affects the taste of the sauce too much. If you really want to use it do a 50/50 split of hot and sweet links. If you don't eat pork or beef use chicken thighs and legs with the bone.</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 cup (or so) extra virgin olive oil </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">1/2 yellow onion (diced)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cloves garlic (finely diced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cans tomato puree (28 oz each)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">** <em>Ideally, these will be San Marzano. They are markedly better and sweeter than other varieties of tomato. It MUST be puree. To me, the delicious buttery quality of this sauce is inextricably linked to it's smooth texture. There is a time and place for chunkier, rustic tomato sauce. This is not it. </em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs oregano (slightly less if you use fresh, which I did)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 handful fresh basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 of red wine (drinkable)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 tsp salt (+ a few more sprinkles)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">freshly cracked black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs butter</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><strong>How to do it:</strong></u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Heat a heavy bottomed pan and lightly coat it with olive oil. The pan needs to be hot enough to sear the meat but not so hot that the oil is smoking. Add the sausage links and brown on both sides. Remove, and set aside on a plate. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Do not crowd them. Brown them on all sides and then remove and add to the plate with the sausages. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Turn the heat down to low and add a bit more olive oil. Add the diced onion and sprinkle with a bit of salt.You want to sweat the onions, which means they will become fragrant and give off moisture but they won't brown. This helps to keep them soft and ensures that they will melt into the sauce later on. Once the onions start to soften add the garlic. Like the onions, you want the garlic to soften but not to brown. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Once the garlic is soft add the red pepper, oregano and a few torn basil leaves. Saute for a few minutes until fragrant. Next, add the tomato paste and turn the heat up a bit. You want to cook the tomato paste for a few minutes to wake it up (as Rachael Ray says).The tomato paste will be sticky and may even brown on the pan again. Now add the red wine to deglaze the pan. You don't need much - a hearty splash will do. I won't lie and say that this splash doesn't come directly from my own glass sometimes. Well, if I make this sauce later in the day. Scrape up any dark bits from the bottom of the pan and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or two.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Now it's time to add the tomato puree. Reduce the heat to low and add both cans of tomato to the pan. Then gently add a bit of water to each can in order to get all of the tomato out. You want to fill each can 1/2 - 2/3 of the way full with water. Add the water to the pot. Add the salt and sugar. Add the browned meats back to the pan and leave the pot uncovered to simmer for at least 3 hours, ideally the better part of a day. If you are letting this bubble away all day loosely cover it after a few hours so that it doesn't over reduce and become too thick. This sauce isn't meant to be super thick.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">When you're almost ready to eat add the butter and a few more torn basil leaves. Cook your favorite pasta to al dente and enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;">MEATBALLS</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u>What you'll need:</u></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup panko bread crumbs</span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup milk</span></div>
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1 lb lean ground turkey</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 lb lean ground beef </span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: xx-small;">*You can use any combination of meat that you like. For holidays and other special occasions I would usually use a mix of ground beef, pork and veal - often sold together as 'Meatloaf Mix'. For normal days I use the lean meats so that I can have more of it more often :)</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 handful chopped fresh parsley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs oregano</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 egg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 Tbs grated pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">red pepper flakes (a few shakes)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All purpose flour (few tablespoons)</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">How to do it:</span></u></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the panko to a large mixing bowl and cover with the milk. Let the milk soften the bread crumbs a bit and then add the remaining ingredients through the pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. You don't to over mix it because this will make the meat tough but you do want things fairly evenly distributed. This is particularly important if you are using more than one type of meat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Next, prepare a meatball rolling station. You will need a small bowl of water and a sheet pan. Roll the meatballs into whatever size you like. I find that a golf ball size or slightly larger works well. Wetting your fingers with the water in between rolls will help to reduce sticking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once all of your meatballs are assembled sprinkle a bit of flour over them and roll the balls around to lightly cover them on each side. The flour will help to create a sealant and will make it easier to brown them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I find the next step to be really important: browning. Some people pop the meatballs right into the oven. I know that a lot of people even throw raw meatballs RIGHT INTO THE SAUCE. Shudder.I don't like the sound of that. I think that browning the meatballs adds a necessary crispness and depth of flavor.It also helps to protect the inside of the meatball and keep it moist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Lightly coat a hot (not scalding) saute pan with oil and brown the meatballs in batches, careful not to crowd them. Your goal is not to cook them fully. You just want to firm them up. If you are using all beef or the meatloaf mix your meatballs can probably go directly from the pan into the sauce pot. I find the ground turkey to be particularly soft so I like to pop them into a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes before putting them into the sauce. If not they tend to fall apart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once the meatballs come out of the oven you can add them to your sauce. I usually like to let them simmer <u>very gently</u> for about 30 minutes before we're ready to eat. If you make the meatballs early in the day hold off on adding them to the sauce until 30-60 minutes before dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Serve over pasta or with some fresh bread!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-36300920680278912932012-11-11T07:55:00.000-08:002012-11-23T07:08:26.669-08:00Election Night Roasted Eggplant Parmigiana<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Or should I call this 'Good Luck Eggplant Parmigiana'? I won't gloat, but this dish definitely made an excellent night for me even better (#4moreyears). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Karl was out of town on election night, leaving me to sweat it out by myself. I knew that I needed something comforting but also easy because I planned on being glued to CNN all evening. I also wanted it to be healthier than the usual fried version of this dish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The results were delicious, just like the election. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need*:</strong></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 large eggplant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">cooking spray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">tomato sauce (a few cups)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pecorino romano cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">fresh mozzarella (Don't bother using the shredded variety. This really makes the dish - I used 4 oz) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A few fresh basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">**<em>As I mentioned, I made this dish for just myself so this recipe doesn't make very much. I recommend doubling the recipe if you are making it for more than one person... because you will want leftovers. </em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>How to do it:</u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Thinly slice the eggplant. Many recipes recommend that you peel the eggplant and salt it for at least 30 minutes before breading and frying. Since I wanted something easier and healthier I skipped all of that. And, you know what? I may never do it the more complicated way again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Spray your sheet pan with the cooking spray and coat both sides of the eggplant with cooking spray, salt & pepper. I used two pans for one large eggplant. You may need to roast in batches if you're doubling the recipe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Roast the eggplant for about 20 minutes. You will need to watch it pretty carefully and turn the slices a few times to ensure even cooking. You want them to end up looking something like this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now it's time to assemble. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees. Put a thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom of the casserole, layer eggplant slices, more sauce, some grated pecorino romano cheese, sliced fresh mozzarella and basil. Continue with the layers until you use everything up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As is the case for most dishes, the quality of your ingredients really matters here. It's simple to make but it won't be nearly as good if you use jarred sauce and shredded mozzarella from a plastic bag. I make my own sauce every couple of weeks and I usually have some available in the fridge or freezer. It is easier, cheaper and more delicious than buying the processed kind. I'll post the <a href="http://easyepic.blogspot.com/2012/11/meatballs-and-sunday-sauce.html" target="_blank">recipe</a> next time I make it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I bought a large 8 oz ball of fresh mozzarella but you could also get a tub of the mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once you're all assembled, cover the dish with tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil for the last 10 minutes or so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving so it can set up a bit. I served it with pasta. It will also be great leftover... particularly on a nice roll with some extra cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-37508952301491584032012-11-11T07:21:00.001-08:002012-11-11T07:22:46.808-08:00Easy Panzanella Salad with Rosemary Garlic Flank Steak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was trying to think of an interesting way to use the <a href="http://easyepic.blogspot.com/2012/11/croutons-are-delicious.html" target="_blank">croutons</a> that I made last weekend and I decided to make a panzanella style salad. Panzanella is a traditional Italian salad that uses stale bread that softens up again when mixed with fresh vegetables and a nice vinaigrette. It's super easy to throw together, especially if you have croutons already made. If not, you can easily toast up some cubed bread seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with some olive oil. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Karl is still working a crazy schedule so I decided to pair the salad with flank steak since it grills up so quickly.I just prepped everything ahead of time and then was able to finish up dinner in 15 minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>Flank Steak - What you'll need: </strong></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 flank steak (mine was about 1.2 lbs)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbsp rosemary (finely chopped - fresh, if possible)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbsp garlic powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">zest of 1/2 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">black pepper (several turns of the pepper grinder)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">drizzle of olive oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>Flank Steak - How to do it:</strong></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove the flank steak from its packaging and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine the rosemary, salt, garlic powder, red pepper, lemon zest and black pepper. Mix together and slowly drizzle in a bit of olive oil until the mixture is the texture of wet sand. Rub the mixture on the steak (really massage it in) and let sit for at least an hour. If you are going to let it sit for longer cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before you're going to cook it. You never want to put cold meat onto a hot grill.It will make the meat seize up and it will be tough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I used an indoor countertop grill to make my flank steak. An outdoor grill would be the ideal choice but if you don't have access to either you can use the broiler in your oven. Just be sure to put the cooking rack fairly close to the broiler and to leave the oven door open a crack. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If your steak has been sitting awhile you will want to gently pat it again with paper towels before cooking. Meat should always be dry before cooking. If there is too much moisture it won't sear when it hits the grill - it will steam and turn grey and you may throw a fit (like I've been known to do when this happens to me... just ask Karl). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Most flank steaks will take about 6-7 minutes per side for medium rare. Adjust the time to cook the meat to your liking... but I recommend that you don't cook flank steak beyond medium.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When you remove the steak from the grill or broiler DO NOT CUT IT RIGHT AWAY. Put it on a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. This is a very important step and allows the juices to redistribute. If you cut it right away you'll notice that all the juice runs onto your cutting board and your meat is dry. To occupy your hungry self during this waiting period I recommend that you pour some wine and get the table ready. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once the meat has rested, thinly slice it against the grain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u><strong>Panzanella Salad - What you'll need:</strong></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 English cucumber (or one regular cucumber peeled)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 bell pepper (whatever color you choose... but I recommend you stay away from green in order to add more color to your salad)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 red onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A heaping handful of grape tomatoes (use whatever you have that looks good)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 handful fresh parsley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A few fresh basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4 Tbsp red wine vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp dijon mustard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 clove garlic (finely chopped)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2-3 cups of <a href="http://easyepic.blogspot.com/2012/11/croutons-are-delicious.html" target="_blank">homemade croutons</a> (or cubed bread that you have toasted in a hot oven)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Panzanella Salad - How to do it:</u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Chop the cucumber and peppers into good size chunks. You want the pieces to be large enough to compete with the croutons. Halve the tomatoes (or chop larger tomatoes into chunks). You don't want to leave the tomatoes whole even if they're small. The natural juices of the tomato mix really nicely with the vinaigrette. Thinly slice the onion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Next, make the vinaigrette. I really like to use old mustard or jam jars to make salad dressings. Shaking dressings helps to emulsify them and you can easy pour and store the dressing this way. You can certainly make this in a bowl and use a whisk to combine but I swear this is easier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and oregano in the jar. Now add a few shakes of red pepper, a few grinds of black pepper and salt. I recommend starting with a 1/2 teaspoon. Close and shake. Taste the dressing.It won't taste perfect because you haven't added the oil yet but it should taste good. Add more salt if you think you need it. Now add the olive oil. Close and shake. Your dressing should be a nice golden color. Taste and do any last seasoning adjustments. You may even want to double the recipe so that you have some extra to use later in the week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now you're ready to compile the salad. In a large bowl combine your croutons and chopped veggies. Add a handful of chopped parsley and a few torn basil leaves. About 15-20 minutes before you're ready to eat, add the vinaigrette. Gently mix every few minutes to ensure that all of the bread soaks up some of the liquid. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>A note on timing:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>If you're planning on making these two dishes together this is the way to do it.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1. Make rub and season meat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2. Chop veggies and herbs for panzanella (toast bread if necessary)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3. Make dressing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4. Grill meat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">5. Compose salad and add dressing while meat is grilling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">6. Drink wine and set table while meat rests </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-81425003270494333452012-11-05T13:18:00.000-08:002012-11-05T15:43:06.185-08:00Some Comfort: Pork Chili Verde<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This has been a rough week. Between Hurricane Sandy and some other sad news, I felt the need for a warm bowl of comfort. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We were very lucky to be left unscathed by the storm but an emergency means that Karl's work kicks into high gear -resulting in lots of late nights and odd meal times. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After several late-night cheeseburgers and fries I decided to make something healthy and rejuvenating... and something that could simmer on the stove until whatever time Karl was able to make it home for dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Pork Chili Verde</strong> was just the answer. Slightly smoky and spicy, with a bit of tang from the tomatillos. Delicious. Feel free to substitute chicken if you don't eat pork (although, I couldn't imagine why) or remove the pork and substitute vegetable stock if you want to keep it vegetarian. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>What you'll need: </u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 pork tenderloin (mine was 18 oz)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt & pepper</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 jalapeno</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cloves garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cubanelle or poblano peppers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4 tomatillos </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cans white beans (cannellini)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 can green chiles (4 oz)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs coriander</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs paprika</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tsp cayenne pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 box chicken stock (1 Qt)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 handful fresh cilantro + more for garnish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sour cream (for garnish)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>How to do it: </strong></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">First, dry the pork well with paper towels and cut it into cubes (1 inch or so) - season liberally with salt and pepper. Then prep all of your vegetables. Dice the peppers, onion and jalapeno (leave the seeds in if you can handle some spice). Mince the garlic or use a microplane later to grate it directly into the pot. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse them well under warm water to remove the sticky stuff. Dry and roughly chop them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Heat the oil in a heavy pot and add the pork. Make sure the oil is hot enough. The pork should sizzle when it hits the pan. Lightly brown the pork on all sides and then remove it and set it aside on a plate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now lower the heat and add the onions. The onions will start to sweat and get soft but they shouldn't take on much color or get hard. Once they start to soften add the garlic, jalapeno and peppers. Season with a bit more salt and pepper and sautee for a few minutes until all vegetables have softened. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add pork back to pot (+ any juices that accumulated) along with the beans (drain and rinse them first), bay leaf, tomatillos, green chiles, oregano, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne and another sprinkle of salt. Mix gently to incorporate them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now add the chicken stock. I had already used a little bit from this box for another dish earlier in the week, so I also added about 1/2 cup of water. If you do the same you may just need to add a bit more salt to account for the lack of seasoning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Partially cover the pot and let the chili verde simmer for at least an hour... but the longer the better. Stir occasionally. Taste it after the pork has cooked all the way through (10 mins or so) and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Before serving add a generous palm full of chopped fresh cilantro.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Serve it over rice or with some fresh bread on the side. Top with cilantro and sour cream and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hope this recipe helps to bring a sense of calm and normalcy after this crazy week. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-27065743585875758802012-11-03T16:02:00.002-07:002012-11-03T16:05:20.060-07:00Croutons Are Delicious<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Am I right? I could eat those boxed croutons alone as a snack. But you know what's even better? Homemade croutons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This week we accidentally let the better part of a delicious loaf of sourdough bread get stale. I can only attribute this to the crazy storm and the chaos that followed because Karl and I usually eat nearly the whole loaf the first night I bring this bread home from Whole Foods (with plenty of olive oil, of course). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I almost threw the poor bread away and then I thought - CROUTONS!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>What you'll need: </strong></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Some good bread that you foolishly let get stale (I used 2/3 of a round sourdough boule. It ended up being about 3 cups cubed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin - don't mess around)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tablespoon butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 teaspoon</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">garlic powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pepper (freshly ground)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Rosemary (dried)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Fresh parsley (about a handful)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pecorino Romano OR Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (2-3 Tbs, freshly grated)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>How to do it:</u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and cut the bread into cubes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then, add the olive oil and butter to a sautee pan over low heat. Add the garlic powder, a generous pinch of salt, several turns of the pepper grinder and two or so shakes each of the red pepper and rosemary. Once the butter has melted fully and the mixture is bubbling lightly (don't let it burn!) add a handful of chopped fresh parsley and then remove the pan from the heat.<em> Carefully</em>, taste your mixture. Does it need more salt? A dash more red pepper? If so, add it now.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5HRBUxvVz8/UJWd_rosrMI/AAAAAAAAAFc/r5LkdJ7nlD0/s1600/November+2012+104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5HRBUxvVz8/UJWd_rosrMI/AAAAAAAAAFc/r5LkdJ7nlD0/s320/November+2012+104.jpg" width="320" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Please disregard the fact that I'm using a cutting board intended for meat. It was clean :)</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add the bread to a mixing bowl and pour the delicious oil/herb/butter mixture over it. Gently mix so that all of the bread gets covered. Once the oil has been distributed fold in the freshly grated cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This next step is crucial. Avoid the urge to eat this bread right now. It will be even better after you toast it! Spread the bread onto a sheet pan. Be sure to use a large enough pan (or 2 if necessary) so that each piece will have a chance to get golden and delicious. Pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes. You will need to keep a fairly close eye on this, as bread goes from perfectly toasted to absolutely ruined in a matter of seconds. Make sure you use a spatula to turn the bread a few times while it's cooking. Again, make sure all pieces and sides have a chance to toast up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once everything is toasty and delicious remove it from the oven and lightly sprinkle with a bit more salt. The croutons are now ready to be thrown into a salad or on top of a bowl of soup. They should also keep in the cabinet for a week or longer if you put them into an airtight container. However, I doubt they'll last that long. Mine may not even last long enough for me to make soup to pair with them!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349784431675649890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409591739171185702.post-8220908830418290082012-10-30T10:23:00.002-07:002012-10-30T10:49:45.270-07:00Chicken & Veggie Curry <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn't realize that I liked curries until about a year ago. Turns out, what I don't particularly like is <em>coconut milk</em>, which is in many curries. But curry on it's own? Delicious. My boyfriend and I started to frequent a great local Indian restaurant a bit too often so I started making this <strong>chicken curry with tons of veggies</strong>. It's healthier and cheaper, so you can have more wine with dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you do like coconut milk feel free to use it in place of half and half. Likewise, I don't love ginger but if you do add some <em>fresh ginger</em> when you add the garlic. Veggies can be swapped out as you like. Use what you like and, ideally, what's in season.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What you'll need:</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 bell pepper (I used green, but any color will do)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 medium white or yellow onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 Tbs tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Chicken stock (I love to use the resealable stock in a box. You will only need about 1/2 of one.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2-3 cups fresh spinach</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Half and Half (1/4 to 1/2 cup)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 Tbs butter </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Curry powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turmeric</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Coriander (ground)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cayenne Pepper (can substitute hot sauce or red pepper flakes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Salt & Pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Generous handful of fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Scallions, chopped for garnish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Rice, for serving</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">First, cut the chicken breast into cubes - about an inch or so in size. Season the chicken with a generous tablespoon of curry powder, a teaspoon or so each of the turmeric and coriander, a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper and a good amount of salt and pepper. Rub it together. You can't be afraid to get your hands dirty if you want to make something </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">delicious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then chop the pepper and onion into 1 inch pieces and thinly slice the garlic. Be sure to wash your hands and knife and use a new cutting board so you don't kill anyone.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2scEFAWYgc/UJAFgtinaZI/AAAAAAAAAEA/P3NuYJOuW8o/s1600/October+2012+%25283%2529+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2scEFAWYgc/UJAFgtinaZI/AAAAAAAAAEA/P3NuYJOuW8o/s320/October+2012+%25283%2529+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Second, heat a large skillet (preferably one with high sides and avoid nonstick pans if you can) on medium or so heat. Coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Make sure your pan and oil are hot enough so you'll hear a sizzle when the chicken goes in, but not so hot that the oil is smoking. If you overheat your oil take it off the heat, wipe it out and start again. Once the pan is ready add the chicken, but don't crowd the pan! The point of this step is to get a nice brown on all sides of the chicken. If you're not using a nonstick pan, some of the chicken bits will stay in the pan and create a really nice flavor. Don't worry if your pan starts to look a little sticky and brown. Once the chicken is nicely browned on all sides take it out of the pan and set aside on a plate. The chicken should not be fully cooked yet. It will finish cooking later on in the sauce. Your kitchen will have started to smell amazing by now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Third, turn the heat down a bit and add the onions. You want them to soften but not brown.You may need to add a bit more oil if the pan has gotten dry. Once the onions start to sweat add the garlic and pepper. After all the veggies are a bit soft (I like the pepper to stay pretty firm) add the tomato paste and increase the heat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Be sure to mix it in the veggies very well. The mixture will feel sticky and may stick to your pan. That's alright. Once the tomato paste is really fragrant, begin to pour the chicken stock in. Add enough to barely cover the veggies and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the good bits that are stuck to the pan. Then add in the chicken that you browned earlier (and any juices that have accumulated). Then add a bit more chicken stock, if necessary. You want the chicken to be covered by about 1/2 -3/4 (I used a bit too much in my photo below...).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put a lid on the pan, but leave some space for steam to escape. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the chicken slowly finish cooking (5-10 minutes) <strong>before </strong>you start tasting and adjusting seasoning. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly so that the sauce can reduce. Add another tablespoon of curry powder and more salt and pepper. Put a bit more seasoning than you think you need because you will add spinach and half and half later and this will dilute it a bit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next, add about 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach to the pot. It will seem like a ton at first but spinach cooks down so much. Use tongs to gently fold the spinach into the sauce. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now add the butter and half and half (a few swirls around the pan). You want to add a slight creaminess to round out the spice, but not enough to make it heavy. Taste again and reseason if you need to. If it is too spicy add more chicken stock and/or half and half. Stir in a palm full of chopped fresh cilantro. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Serve with rice and top with freshly chopped cilantro and scallions. I added some roasted delicata squash on the side because we can never get enough vegetables.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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