It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like bacon, and it can be a very versatile ingredient, fitting into every course of a meal and breakfast, lunch and dinner to boot. You can also cook it in a variety of ways – in the microwave, on the stovetop, on the grill or in the oven. In the New York Times, Mark Bittman has put together 25 easy and fantastic ways that you can use bacon in various dishes and ways. Check it out!
Finding just the right appetizers when you are hosting a holiday party or having everyone over for a holiday meal can always seem like a challenge. You want to go beyond just having cheese and crackers or chips and dip and want to put out something memorable that makes a great snack before the main entrée or a fantastic addition to a buffet table. One of my favorites is to always do something different with meatballs. You can do so many different things with meatballs and a great sauce and then all you need is a platter and some toothpicks and you have the perfect finger food. I came across this recipe recently from the New York Times and decided to try out the recipe for scallion meatballs with a soy-ginger glaze. I initially made a batch and we had some for dinner that night and I froze the rest to have on hand for appetizers at a later date. They are easy to make, make great use of turkey and the glaze is out of this world.
Scallion Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Glaze
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin sweet rice wine, or 1/2 cup sake with 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped peeled ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 whole black peppercorns
For the Meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey
4 large or 6 small scallions, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil
To make the sauce, bring the brown sugar and 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan set over medium-high heat, stirring the mixture until the sugar melts completely. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the soy sauce, mirin, chopped ginger, coriander and the peppercorns. Simmer, stirring the sauce occasionally, until the sauce has been reduced by about half, about 30 minutes. Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the solids and discard the solids.
To make the meatballs, mix the ground turkey, scallions, cilantro, beaten egg, sesame oil and the soy sauce and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl. Roll tablespoons of the mixture together into balls. in a skillet set over medium-high heat, generously coat the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, place the meatballs in the pan and cook, turning, until the meatballs are browned all over and cooked through inside, about 8 minutes per batch. Arrange the meatballs on a heated platter and spoon a little sauce over each meatball and serve the meatballs with toothpicks. If desired, keep the meatballs in the sauce warm in a 200 degree oven until you are ready to serve.
The meatballs themselves are very tasty with the scallions adding a nice layer of flavor to them, but the sauce is the real winner in this dish. The ginger, soy sauce and mirin really stand out to make the sauce sweet and a little sticky and packed with flavor. I could see using this sauce over a variety of other items, such as a pork tenderloin or pork chops or even chicken pieces or boneless chicken breasts. The meatballs are a perfect appetizer for any type of party and you can make them and keep them warm until you are ready for the party.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
Sunday dinners can be a fantastic time to try out new meals that you have wanted to experiment with but don’t have the time during the week, but they can also be the ideal occasion to roll out family favorites and comfort food meals that everyone loves. That’s what I decided on recently when I made some pot roast for dinner. I haven’t made a pot roast in a while since it makes way too much food for just the three of us and frankly the roasts have not been a good buy at the supermarket. However, Sean asked if he could have pot roast as his birthday dinner when we were having family over so I went on a hunt for a roast and found a perfect one that was a great size for a large group of people and had just the right amount of fat to it. I then decided I was going to try out a recipe Geoffrey Zakarian from his new cookbook My Perfect Pantry. It was for a New England pot roast very similar to what I always make with a slight difference in the gravy he makes in the end. It promised to be quite tasty.
New England Pot Roast
One 3-pound beef chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 medium onions, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dry red wine
6 cups beef stock
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Season the roast with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the roast and sear it on all sides until the roast is well browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the roast to a plate.
Add the celery, carrots and onions and saute until they are caramelized on the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and rosemary. Stir the mixture to incorporate the flour into the oil and cook until the flour smells toasty, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the roast back to the pot, along with the beef stock and the potatoes. Bring everything to a rapid simmer and cover the pot tightly. Place the pot in the oven and cook, covered, until the meat is just tender (a knife will slide out easily with no resistance), about 2 hours 30 minutes. Remove the meat to a cutting board and tent it with follow and allow it to rest while you prepare the sauce.
Let the sauce sit for a few minutes, and then spoon off any fat that has risen to the surface (or pour the sauce into a fat-separating measuring cup, pour off the fat and add the sauce back to the pot). Return the sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the mustard and horseradish and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the parsley, if using.
Carve the meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices against the grain, and serve with the sauce and vegetables.
I di use a much bigger roast than the recipe so I increased the time to 3 1/2 hours instead of 2 1/2 since I had almost a 6 pound roast. I also did not use the red potatoes as Sean wanted mashed potatoes with the meal instead. The meat was cooked perfectly and was very tender, just the way you want it. The sauce had great flavor thanks to the horseradish and I really enjoyed it as a change of pace from the regular gravy we make with a pot roast. I think it was perfect with the rest of the meal and would certainly try it that way again for the flavor.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
Hectic week seem to drive me crazy when they come along. This week it is seemed like it has been one thing after another every time I turn around. I finally got settled with my new computer and had a lot of work to catch up on. Throw on top of that that we had Sean’s birthday, my birthday, lots of work to do, Christmas cards, shopping for Christmas presents, and all of the other daily chores and assignments that come up around here and I just have not seem to have time to do much of anything lately. Add to that that Michelle will be traveling again shortly so I haven’t had a lot of opportunity to do much cooking lately either. One thing that I have been able to put together though, was an easy recipe for another one of Sean’s favorites, chicken tenders. Chicken tenders are always a great option for younger kids but they can be a crowd pleaser for just about anybody and make a great easy dinner when you need something to fall back on. This particular recipe that I am using today comes from Food Network and is from Patrick and Gina Neely. It’s a pretty simple recipe for chicken tenders with a simple honey mustard sauce to go along with it.
Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce
Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Honey Mustard Sauce, recipe follows
For the Honey Mustard Sauce:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the vegetable oil or peanut oil in a Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet to 350°. Cut the chicken breasts into long strips and set them aside. Beat the 3 eggs in a separate bowl and measure the flour into another separate dish. Measure the breadcrumbs into a pie plate or shallow bowl and season them with the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken strips into the flour, then the beaten eggs and allow any excess to drip off. Then dredge the chicken strips in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides, and remove the pieces to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Fry the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pan while cooking. Serve the chicken tenders with the honey mustard sauce.
For the honey mustard sauce, mix the Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. This sauce can be made ahead of time and held in the refrigerator for up to one week.
These chicken tenders come out nice and moist on the inside with very crispy skin, which is perfect for what you want. These are great for all kinds of occasions beyond just weeknight dinner. You could use them to make a batch for a party or for when you’re watching the game or as an appetizer. The mustard sauce has good flavor to it and you could certainly use that for anything else besides the chicken if you have other appetizers that you like to dip in a honey mustard blend. This is certainly a better alternative than anything that you could buy frozen in a bag at the supermarket and these easy enough to make where you probably have all the ingredients on hand at home most of the time.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
Sean’s birthday was last week and he had a little get together with some of his buddies this past weekend where they hung out, played video games, watched movies and ate a ton of food. Besides the pizza that we ordered from our local pizzeria, I also made a few things for the guys to eat while they were playing. It was a finger food kind of party so that everything could be eaten easily without interrupting the flow of their gaming. Of course no Sean party is ever complete without his all-time favorite – cheese fries. Sean has been loving cheese fries since he was a little kid and we pretty much have to order them out wherever and whenever we go someplace so it seemed only natural that I would make some for the party. Cheese fries don’t really need much of a recipe, but I did get this one from Rachel Ray because she makes use of a really great tasting cheese sauce to go over the fries to top them off.
Cheese Fries
1 bag frozen french fries, any brand or shape that you like (crinkle cut, thin cut, steak fries, waffle fries, etc.), prepared to package directions
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese
Place the french fries on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and cook the fries according to the directions on the package. While the french fries are baking in the oven, prepare the cheese sauce. Place a large saucepan set over medium heat and add the butter. Melt the butter until it stops bubbling and then add the all-purpose flour. Stir the flour and butter together for about 1 to 2 minutes to create a roux. Use a whisk to stir as you pour the milk into the pot. Keep stirring continuously until the milk begins to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula to stir in the cheese to the milk mixture. When all of the cheese has melted take the sauce off the heat. Remove the french fries from the oven and place them in a bowl or on a serving platter. Cover the fries with the warm cheese sauce and serve, with extra sauce on the side.
This is a fast and easy recipe that kids of all ages seem to love and they can easily help you with this one in the kitchen as well. You can always add extra toppings to the fries if you want to shake things up. Try adding some sliced scallions, crumbled up pieces of bacon (a Sean personal favorite) or even some jalapeno peppers or other peppers if you want to make them a little spicier. You could also put some herbs or spices on the fries before you add the cheese sauce if you want some different flavors or try using different cheeses to get a bit of a different flavor to the dish. It’s a great party snack that you can put together pretty quickly with just a couple of ingredients and all of the kids really liked this one.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
Just before Thanksgiving came around I had a turkey that I had purchased at the supermarket. Even though we weren’t going to be home for Thanksgiving, it’s hard to pass up a bargain when they’re selling fresh turkeys for $.79 a pound so I picked up one and decided I would make it after Thanksgiving and try a different approach with a new recipe. I had seen before Thanksgiving recipe from Food Network that was made by Bobby Flay for a roast turkey with mustard maple glaze that sounded delicious and looked relatively easy to make. It incorporated some different ingredients to make the glaze, such as maple syrup, horseradish, Dijon mustard, and chili powder. There was also a nice gravy that went along with it, so I decided this was going to be the one to give a try to, and I’m glad I did.
For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 heaping tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the turkey:
1 17 -pound fresh turkey, patted dry (neck and giblets removed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
10 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
12 cups homemade chicken stock
3 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 large stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large onions, quartered
For the gravy:
1 stick unsalted butter
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Splash of dry white wine (optional)
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as sage, parsley and tarragon)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
To make the glaze: Whisk the maple syrup, mustard, horseradish and chile powder in a bowl and season the mix with salt and pepper. Cover the mixture and let it sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The glaze can be made up to 2 days in advance; store the glaze, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before using.
Prepare the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Rub the outside of the turkey with the butter and season it liberally with salt and pepper. Put 4 cups of chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep it warm over low heat.
Place the carrots, celery and onions in a large roasting pan and place a roasting rack on top. Put the turkey on the rack, place the roasting pan in the oven and roast the turkey until it is a light golden brown, about 45 minutes.Tent the turkey loosely with foil if it is browning too quickly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, baste the turkey with 2 cups of the warm stock and continue roasting, basting with 2 more cups of warm stock halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 155 degrees, about 1 hour. After the turkey reaches 155 degrees, begin basting the turkey with the maple glaze; continue roasting, basting with the glaze every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 20 more minutes.
Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a large cutting board. Tent the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest at least 45 minutes before slicing. Strain the drippings into a bowl and discard the solids. Add enough of the remaining chicken stock to make 6 cups of liquid.
To make the gravy: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until the flour is light golden brown, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the stock-drippings mixture, then bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the gravy begins thickening and the flour taste has been cooked out, about 10 minutes. Add more stock until you reach the desired consistency. If desired, add a splash of white wine and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, reheat the remaining stock in a saucepan over low heat. Remove the legs and wings, then remove the dark meat and shred. Remove the breasts and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Place the meat on a platter and ladle some of the warm stock on top.
I think this recipe was fantastic. The glaze that was on the turkey made the skin perfectly brown and gave it a nice taste. The combination of the mustard and the maple syrup along with the horseradish, really did it for me. The original recipe uses 17 pound turkey so quantities are quite high. The turkey I bought was only 11 pounds so I cut the recipe by about one-third when I was making it. I think if you have a large bird, even bigger than 17 pounds, this recipe would work out pretty well. The meat was perfectly cooked and everything came out nice and juicy. Everyone seemed to really like the gravy as well. This is definitely a recipe that I will use again.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
Fun, unusual and forgotten designations on our calendar.
Happily Ever After Lives Here
a little bit naughty a little bit nice
Letting Life Lead
Simple and delicious dinner inspiration
onedadskitchen 