July | 2016 | onedadskitchen

Feeling Fancy on a Weeknight – Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Raspberries

I know most people want something that does not take much effort on a weeknight. You’re tired after a long day at work and the last thing you want to, especially in the summertime, is spend a long time in the kitchen in front of the stove making dinner. I feel the same way; there are just some nights where you don’t want to do it. The great thing is that there are so many good recipes out there that you can do in under 30 minutes and have a really nice meal on the table without working up a big sweat in the kitchen. All it takes is a little bit of planning on your part each day or at the start of each week so you can be sure you have all of the ingredients on hand. Then you can crank out your dinner and have it on the table fast. A great example of a dinner that looks fancy but takes no time at all is this one from Food Republic for pork tenderloin with balsamic raspberries. It is an elegant looking dish that you can have on the table in about 30 minutes.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Raspberries

2 pork tenderloins (about 3/4 pound each)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the middle position. Rub the pork tenderloins with the olive oil and sprinkle each tenderloin with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and brown the pork on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting pan and roast it for about 10 to 12 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees. Remove the tenderloins from the oven and let the meat rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat and cook the shallots, stirring, until they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.Stir in the balsamic vinegar, the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.

Season the sauce with pepper, add the raspberries, and heat the sauce until the raspberries are just warm.

Cut the meat into slices and serve with the warm balsamic raspberries.

It is a very simple dinner to make but it looks pretty fancy when you get it all on the plate. You get a really nice sauce with the vinegar and raspberries and we all loved the flavor the sauce provided to the pork. You could use the sauce pretty successfully with other cuts of pork if you prefer, like boneless cutlets or chops or even bone-in chops. I served the pork with some Brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes, but you can make it really easy on yourself and just put it together with some rice and a salad or a baked potato and salad and have everything ready to go. Anytime you can get a main dish done in about 25 minutes and have it look fancy and taste awesome is a pretty good deal to me.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 12, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, Sauce

Tags: balsamic raspberries, Easy weeknight dinners, Food Republic, Food Republic pork tenderloin with balsamic raspberries, pork tenderloin recipe, pork tenderloin with balsamic raspberries, raspberries

Let’s Get Wild! Creamy Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

11 Jul

For a lot of people, when you are deciding on a side dish to make with your dinner, the easy fallback is always to go with white rice or a potato. They are great sides to make, no doubt about it, and you don’t have to think much about them to make a baked potato or cook up some white rice. However, once in a while you need to have something different. It can get pretty boring if you eat just plain white rice all of the time. We eat a lot of rice in our house so I actually always have a few different options available that we can use for rice. There is always white rice, but I also have brown rice, jasmine rice, arborio rice for risotto and wild rice. I also try to keep a good selection of beans and other grains like quinoa or couscous around for those days when we really want something different. Now not everyone is a big fan of the wild rice option. Sean would prefer I didn’t make it since he doesn’t really care for it, but Michelle and I both like the flavor and texture it provides to a meal. Technically, wild rice is a combination of four separate grasses and the grain that is harvested from them. There are three species that are grown in North America – Texas wild rice, Northern wild rice, and wild rice – and one species that is grown in China. If you want to learn a little bit more, the Wikipedia entry on wild rice is interesting.

In any case, you can find wild rice pretty readily in most supermarkets. The great thing about is, that like other grains, when it is uncooked it can last almost indefinitely so you can get some to keep in your pantry and always have it available. I find that it goes particularly well with chicken dishes and fish and takes to a sauce really nicely, so this recipe from Delish for creamy lemon chicken with wild rice seemed like a great dinner to cook.

Creamy Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

6–8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) or water

1 chicken stock

2 lemons

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup wild rice

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Preheat a large cast iron skillet on high heat. Rinse the chicken and pat dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels; season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Cook the chicken skin side down in two batches until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish skin side up and set it aside.

Reduce the skillet heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and chicken stock; scrape the bottom of the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the zest and juice of one lemon, then cut the remaining lemon into wheels and add it to the sauce. Stir in the heavy cream; bring the mixture to a boil and place the chicken in the skillet skin side up in a single layer. Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the wild rice according to the package directions.

Add the cooked wild rice to the skillet to absorb the sauce. Garnish the dish with parsley and serve in the skillet immediately.

The wild rice can take anywhere from about 25 minutes to close to an hour depending on what type you buy, so I started my rice the same time I started the chicken and had both done at about the same time. If you like lemon sauce this one is certainly for you. The lemon really stands out and the sauce goes well with the chicken and the rice. You could make this an almost one pot meal if you put some vegetables in alongside the chicken when you bake it, like peas, asparagus, broccoli (it seems to need something green to me) or any other vegetable you prefer that will take well to baking and the lemon sauce. The dish thickens up nicely when you add the rice into it and it makes for a nice hearty meal during the week that is easy to make. I used chicken thighs because that is what the recipe called for and I always have them on hand in the freezer since they are inexpensive, but you could use any type of chicken pieces that you like best; just adjust your cooking time to be sure it is cooked through all the way or not overcooked (as could easily happen with boneless breasts).

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 11, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Rice, Uncategorized

Tags: creamy lemon chicken, creamy lemon chicken thighs with wild rice, creamy lemon chicken with wild rice, Delish, Delish creamy lemon chicken, wild rice, wild rice recipe

Decadent, Delightful and Delicious – White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

10 Jul

I am not much of a baker myself but I do like to try to make things every now and then beyond the pies that I make. That being said, there are people I know that are much better at baking and do things a lot more extravagant than I can do. It has to be a recipe that really interests me for me to want to venture over to the baking side and make things, but it does happen now and then. That is what happened when I saw this recipe from Williams-Sonoma for white chocolate raspberry cupcakes with a raspberry butter cream. They just looked too good not to try to when I looked over the recipe it looked like something that I could actually make a pretty good go of without trouble. I actually combined this recipe with a recipe I saw for raspberry buttercream because I wanted to have a more predominant color to the frosting.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

For the cupcakes:

2 cups (10 oz./315 g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (8 oz./250 g) granulated sugar

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) milk, at room temperature

2 oz. (60 g) white chocolate, chopped and melted

1 container (6 oz./185 g) fresh raspberries

For the raspberry buttercream:

1 cup fresh raspberries

½ cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

Chunk of white chocolate, for shaving (optional)

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

To make the cupcakes, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat until they are blended, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with the milk in 2 additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat the mixture just until it is combined. Stir in the white chocolate just until it is blended, then gently fold in the raspberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing the batter evenly among the cups.

Bake the cupcakes until they are puffed and light golden and the center springs back slightly when touched, about 25 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

To make the raspberry buttercream, add the raspberries to a food processor. Pulse the raspberries until they become a thick sauce. Push the raspberry puree through a sieve to extract the juice and get rid of the seeds. Set the raspberry sauce aside.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high for about 2-3 minutes to get a creamy fluffy texture. Add in the powdered sugar and raspberry sauce on low-speed until they are combined. If the frosting is too runny add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick add some milk.

Spoon the buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. Shave curls from the chunk of white chocolate and sprinkle over the cupcakes if desired or top with a fresh raspberry, if desired.

The cupcakes can be stored on the counter at room temperature for a day or two and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I admit it was a bit of work to get the raspberry sauce through a sieve to get all of the seeds out but the hard work is well worth it to give you a smooth raspberry sauce for the frosting. These cupcakes are very tasty, with the raspberry and white chocolate shining through. If you prefer to have cupcakes without a whole raspberry inside, you could certainly take the whole raspberries and make a sauce from them and then pipe it into the center of the cupcakes so you get the raspberry flavor without the whole raspberry in there, but I liked it with the raspberry inside. I think they came out well and tasted better being in the refrigerator where the buttercream firmed up and had a great texture. This makes a great summer dessert as an alternative to making a cake or pie.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 10, 2016 in Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Picnic Fare, Snacks, Uncategorized

Tags: cupcake recipe, cupcakes, raspberry butter cream frosting, raspberry buttercream, white chocolate raspberry cupcakes, White Chocolate Raspberry cupcakes with raspberry buttercream, williams-sonoma, Williams-Sonoma white chocolate raspberry cupcakes

You Can Bake a Cherry Pie Very Long John, Just Bake This One

09 Jul

The season for fresh cherries is pretty short so if you like cherries you want to make the most of the time you have them, which is right now. For me cherries are great to just snack on, but there are lots of great things you can do with them as well. They make a great addition to dishes using duck or pork, but naturally everyone thinks of dessert right away when they think of cherries. I am a big pie fan myself, so making cherry pie seems like the natural thing to do. Now the idea of pitting several pounds of cherries does not really appeal to me, as I am sure it doesn’t for a lot of people. However, if you really like cherry pie and want to make some of your own, you can make a good compromise and use some frozen cherries mixed with fresh cherries. The frozen cherries, like most frozen fruit, are packaged and frozen when the cherries are ripe so they have good flavor and the pitting has already been done for you. If you mix this together with some fresh cherries you pit yourself, it makes things a lot easier. If you really want to streamline things, and I did, it is worth investing in a good cherry pitter. I have one from OXO that does a fantastic job instead of doing it myself with a paring knife and ending up with cherry stained hands and cramps in my fingers. Once you have a plan for your cherries, you want to try this cherry pie recipe from Serious Eats. It’s the best cherry pie recipe I have ever tried.

Homemade Cherry Pie

For the Filling:

5 heaping cups pitted cherries from about 2 pounds whole fruit (6 heaping cups), or a mix of frozen cherries and fresh pitted cherries

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 small lemon

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon tapioca starch

Pie dough from your favorite recipe for a double crust or 2 store-bought pie crusts

For the Egg Wash:

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

To Serve (optional):

Fresh or store-bough whipped cream

For the filling: Combine the pitted cherries, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and tapioca starch in a large bowl, folding the ingredients with a flexible spatula until they are well combined. Scrape the cherries into the prepared pie shell and top with the remaining dough, using a solid sheet, cutouts, or a lattice-top design. Trim away the excess dough and refrigerate the pie to ensure that the top crust is completely chilled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and pre-heat to 400 degrees.

For the egg wash (if using): Whisk the egg, egg yolk, heavy cream, and salt in a small bowl. Brush the wash over the chilled top crust in a thin, even layer. This will give the crust a glossy, golden sheen, but it is not necessary in any way.

Place the chilled pie on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake the pie in the oven until the crust is golden, about 1 hour, then loosely cover the pie with tented foil. Alternatively, an empty baking sheet can be placed on the topmost rack of the oven to serve as a shield. Continue baking the pie until the filling is bubbling even in the very center of the pie, about 15 minutes more. If the crust completely covers filling, bake the pie until the pie reaches an internal temperature of 213 degrees on an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the pie. The time can vary considerably depending on the thickness and type of pie plate, the amount of top crust, how long the pie was refrigerated, etc.

To serve: Cool the pie until it is no warmer than 85 degrees on an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the pie, about 3 hours depending on the type of pie plate you use. At higher temperatures, the filling will be runny and thin. Slice the pie into wedges with a sharp knife, pressing firmly against the bottom and sides of the pie plate to ensure the under-crust is completely cut. If you like, serve the pie with whipped cream. Wrapped in foil, the leftovers will keep up to 3 days at room temperature; warm the pie for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven to revive the crust before serving.

This pie turned out perfectly. In the past when I have made cherry pie, even if I used cornstarch or tapioca, it always seemed to run too much. This one held together perfectly, even with using frozen cherries that I thought for sure would bleed out. The tapioca was just the right amount and chilling the pie for 30 minutes before cooking seemed to help in holding everything together and making the perfect crust. You can mix and match the cherries to suit what you like, using sweet and sour cherries if you like. A couple of things to note that Serious Eats comments on: first, the ratio of fruit to sugar in this recipe helps to boost the tapioca starch so that it gelatinizes well. Second, use a glass pie plate if you can because it helps to crisp the bottom crust well so it cuts nicely and holds up. A final note from me is that I used instant tapioca since I couldn’t find tapioca starch at any local store here. I was worried about how well it would work instead of tapioca starch but all went well for me. This pie is easily one of my favorites.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 9, 2016 in Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Pie, Uncategorized

Tags: bake a cherry pie, cherry pie, cherry pie recipe, fresh cherry pie, Serious Eats, Serious Eats cherry pie

Get in the Swing of Summer- Arnold Palmer Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

08 Jul

Whenever we do happen to go out someplace to eat, if I am not getting a cocktail (I prefer a Grey Goose martini on the rocks with olives) or a beer (I try different beers but I am a Guinness fan myself), I stay away from sodas and the like. I’ll have a soda every now and then at home but it is not my first choice. Instead I find that I very often like to have an Arnold Palmer – a mix of iced tea and lemonade. There is something about the flavor combination I really enjoy, with the sourness of the lemonade going nicely with the distinct flavor of the iced tea. It is a particularly refreshing drink in the summertime as well. I can remember Michelle and I having them while we watched the horse races at Saratoga Springs years ago. So what could be better than having a cold, refreshing Arnold Palmer in the summer? Bringing that flavor to your dinner table of course! I found this recipe from The Kitchn for Arnold Palmer pan-roasted chicken thighs that was the perfect combination of flavors and ease that made it right for trying out.

Arnold Palmer Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

For the brine:
4 cups water
4 black tea bags, like Lipton or Twinings
3 (2-inch) slices of lemon peel about an inch wide
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the chicken:
2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on, about 4 to 6 (or a combination of chicken pieces you like)
Olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags and the lemon peel, cover the pot, and let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and remove the tea bags. Stir in the sugar and the salt and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag and pour in the tea and lemon juice. Refrigerate the chicken for 2 to 4 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels, and season it with pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down and evenly spaced apart. Cook the chicken until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden-brown, adjusting the heat if the skin begins to burn, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Carefully flip the chicken, skin-side up, and scatter over the lemon slices, tucking a few slices underneath the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for another 10 to 12 minutes. Brush the skin with honey and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees registered on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken pieces.

This recipe does take a little bit of planning ahead so that you can brine the chicken, but it is certainly worth the little bit of effort to do it. I used a mix of chicken pieces when I made it because that is what I had on hand, but I think you could do this one pretty well with just thighs, drumsticks, breasts (bone-in or boneless) and even chicken wings. The chicken had the nice lemony flavor along with the sweetness of the honey and the hint of iced tea from the brine. The brining also helps to keep the chicken moist and plump, making it taste even better. You could serve this with just about any type of sides that you want, but it goes great with some rice (use some of the sauce from the chicken to flavor the rice) or even a nice salad on the side. It’s definitely one I will keep in my chicken rotation.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 8, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry

Tags: Arnold Palmer, Arnold Palmer pan-roasted chicken, Arnold Palmer pan-roasted chicken thighs, pan roasted chicken, pan-roasted chicken recipes, The Kitchn, The Kitchn Arnold Palmer pan-roasted chicken

Whipping Up Some Whiskey Glazed Steak with Grilled Potatoes

07 Jul

If you are a meat-eater then steak is probably at the top of your list of foods that you love to have for dinner. We love steak in our house and while we each seem to have our favorite cuts (Michelle loves New York strip, Sean likes London broil and I like Rib-Eye) just about any type of steak can do really well for a meal if it’s prepared correctly. The big problem with steak of course is that it tends to be very expensive. I try to get it on sale when I can and make the most of some of the less-expensive, lower cuts of meat and make them work, which is why London broil can be such a great choice. If you prepare it right it can be just as tender as any other steak and it costs much less than what you will pay for tenderloin, rib-eye, strip steak or sirloin. Very often when I see steak recipes that I really like I look for ways to adapt it for lesser cuts of beef. That is what I did with this recipe from Guy Fieri of Food Network. The original recipe calls for flat-iron steaks, which can be kind of pricey around here. I decided to give it a try with a London broil I got on sale instead to see how it would come out. Also, since I don’t have a grill to cook everything outside, I had to break out my trust cast-iron grill pan for this one. I think it did just fine.

Whiskey Glazed Steak with Grilled Potatoes

1/2 cup whiskey, such as Jack Daniels ( I used Maker’s Mark myself, but whatever you have is good)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Four 8-ounce flat-iron steaks, filet mignon steaks or other cut of steak ( I used a 2 pound London broil)
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

If you are cooking on a grill, pre-heat a grill to medium-high heat. Whisk together the whiskey, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic. Add the steak, turn a few times to coat the steak with the marinade and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, quarter each potato lengthwise to form wedges and put them in a medium pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water to cover by 1-inch and add salt until the water tastes like sea water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Remove the steak from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade into a small pot and bring it to a boil. Boil the marinade for 2 to 3 minutes until it is slightly reduced, making sure the sugar does not burn, to make a glaze and sauce for the steak.

Grill the steaks until an internal temperature on an instant-read thermometer reads about 130 degrees F, 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing with the boiled marinade several times in the last few minutes of grilling time. If you are cooking the filet mignon steaks or another cut of steak , you will need to increase your cooking time to account for the thicker cut of the meat. For the London broil, I cooked it for about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a large plate to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. While the steaks grill, add the potatoes to the grill and grill until they are well-marked and crispy, turning to grill all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the potato wedges to a bowl.

Toss the grilled potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the chives, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the garlic cloves from the remaining glaze and serve it drizzled over the steaks with the potatoes on the side.

Since I used my grill pan, I did the steak first and while it rested I put the potatoes on to grill them up. The glaze for the steak is a little on the sweet side and there is definite dominant flavor of the whiskey so if that’s not your thing the glaze might not be for you. However, I loved the flavor it imparted onto the steak and everyone else seem to really enjoy it as well. The potatoes were the big hit, with all of them getting gobbled up right away. The London broil worked out quite well with this dish so I think you could easily substitute in whatever cut of steak you prefer here to fit the recipe. I served it with some fresh green beans, sautéed onions and corn on the cob to round out the meal.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 7, 2016 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Potatoes

Tags: food network, grilled potatoes, Guy Fieri whiskey glazed steak, whiskey glazed flat iron steak, whiskey glazed steak recipe, whiskey glazed steak with grilled potatoes

It’s Summer. It’s Hot. Keep it Simple with the Ultimate BLT

06 Jul

The warm weather has really started to kick in here lately, with temperatures regularly up in the 90’s now as July gets underway. That means the house is going to be warm and humid and you are not going to feel like doing much cooking when it comes to making dinner. Sure it could be easy to just go out and grab something or order in a pizza or sandwiches, but you can still make something quick, easy and tasty all on your own. I am one of those people who could eat sandwiches pretty much any time of the day so I have no problem having one for dinner now and then, especially when it gets warm out. When I saw this recipe from Bon Appetit for what they call the Ultimate BLT, well it seemed like the perfect time to give it a try. I mean, it is bacon after all, how could you go wrong? You get lots of options with this one so you can be as plain or adventurous as you like.

The Ultimate BLT

¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar (optional)

4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder (optional)

4 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided (optional)

¼ cup pure maple syrup (optional)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 pounds thick-cut bacon

2 heads of romaine lettuce, separated into individual leaves

4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick

16 ½-inch slices of your favorite bread, toasted

2 avocados, sliced (for serving)

Mayonnaise (for serving)

Flaky sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

If you are making the brown-sugar rub for the bacon, whisk the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in a small bowl.

If you are making the maple-mustard glaze for the bacon, whisk the maple syrup, mustard, cayenne, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt in another small bowl.

For making plain bacon, divide the bacon between 2 wire racks set inside large foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake the bacon, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until it is brown and crisp, about 35–50 minutes (depending on the thickness of the bacon). Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

For flavored bacon, generously sprinkle the desired amount (you’ll have enough rub and glaze for 1 lb. bacon each) with rub or brush with glaze about 5 minutes before the bacon is done cooking. The rub should be melted and bubbling and the glaze should look thick and caramelized.

Arrange the bacon on a large platter and serve it with lettuce, tomatoes, toast, avocados, mayonnaise, sea salt, and pepper alongside for building sandwiches.

Okay, I know I said that this was good for summertime and then the recipe says to put the oven on for 45 minutes. You do have some options here for making the bacon and you can always fry it if you prefer, but I find putting it in the oven on a rack keeps it from sitting in too much grease and makes it crisper. It also lets you cook a large batch of it all at once, which is perfect for sandwiches. Personally, I didn’t try any of the flavored bacon, but the brown sugar rub sure sounds good and it is one I am going to try. I like my BLT pretty basic with one exception – I do like avocado on it. I want crispy bacon, some romaine lettuce or spring mix, good mayo, fresh tomatoes and some nice bread and I am all set. I used spring mix on my BLT along with the avocado and some local tomatoes and I used my favorite homemade bread for the sandwich, though any bread you really like is going to be perfect for you. You can serve this alongside some potato salad, coleslaw or just some chips and you are good to go. I had a basic coleslaw I made myself that I’ll share the recipe for another time. I only made a pound of the bacon, which is more than enough for the three of us for sandwiches and it was a great dinner. I actually got some thick cut bacon from the Fresh Market for this one instead of the usual Smithfield’s I buy and it was awesome. With so many choices on how you want to serve this one, you can do lots of great things with it. Is it the ultimate BLT? If it’s not, it’s pretty darn good anyway.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 6, 2016 in Breads, Cooking, Dinner, Lunch, Pork, Sandwiches

Tags: BLT, BLT recipe, BLT sandwiches, bon appetit, Bon Appetit Ultimate BLT, sandwiches for dinner, The Ultimate BLT

(Blueberry) Turnover a New Leaf

04 Jul

Turnovers are one of those pastries that seem to fit in just about anywhere. They can be tasty for breakfast, make for a fantastic brunch item and can be the centerpiece of your meal as a really nice dessert. While most of us are probably used to having apple turnovers, and they certainly are a classic that you can make yourself, buy frozen in the stores and heat up or get from your local bakery (if you’re lucky enough to have such a thing in today’s world). I love a good apple turnover, but getting good apples for turnovers is not an easy thing to do this time of year. Instead, now is the perfect opportunity to use some of the great summer fruit that is available. Blueberry is always a favorite of mine for pies, so why not for a turnover as well? This recipe from Bon Appetit is for blueberry-blackberry turnovers, but since I didn’t have any blackberries on hand (and while I love blackberries, Sean and Michelle are not big fans of the seeds) I decided to just go with blueberry and make the turnovers that way.

Blueberry Turnovers

For the Turnovers:

1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries

2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface

1 large egg, beaten to blend

¼ cup heavy cream

1 store-bought pie crust, or your favorite pie dough recipe

For the Glaze and Assembly:

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the turnovers, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the blueberries, sugar, ginger, lime juice, salt and 2 tablespoons of flour in a medium bowl until the ingredients are combined. Beat the egg and heavy cream in a small bowl until no streaks remain.

Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 15 x 10-inch rectangle. Cut a thin border around the dough to square off the edges. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then in thirds crosswise to form six 5-inch squares. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg mixture, then mound about ¼ cup of the blueberry filling in 1 corner of each square. Working with 1 square at a time, fold the corner opposite the filling up and over to create a triangle; press the edges with a fork to seal the edges. Place the turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush them with the remaining egg mixture. Cut about a 1-inch-long slit in the center of each turnover. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and juices run from the slits, about 35–45 minutes. Let the turnovers cool on a baking sheet until they are just slightly warm.

For the glaze and assembly, whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, and the salt in a large, wide bowl. Whisking constantly, add warm water a tablespoonful at a time until the glaze is thick and smooth and falls off the whisk in a slowly dissolving ribbon (it should look like sweetened condensed milk).

Working one at a time, dip the top sides of the slightly warm turnovers into the glaze, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Transfer the turnovers to a wire rack and let them sit until the turnovers are cool and the glaze is set, about 30 minutes.

I loved the way they turned out, but I have to admit I did make a mistake along the way while I was making them. I did not pay close enough attention to the direction when I was cutting the dough the first time and cut it incorrectly, leaving me with small squares I couldn’t do turnovers with. Instead, I turned those small squares into hand pies and went with those instead. Luckily, I was using store-bough pie dough and had another sheet that I could do them with again. I paid better attention this time and got the turnovers right. They turned out really well, with just the right amount of blueberries. The mix of the ginger and blueberries gave good flavor too that everyone seemed to like. The recipe makes 6 turnovers if you do it right and if you wanted hand pies instead, just cut the squares smaller and use one square for the top and the other for the bottom, crimp the edges and you are good to go. With the glaze on the hand pies they turn out just like the Drake’s fruit pies I love (if you live in the Northeast you know Drake’s pies).

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day, have a happy 4th of July with friends and family, and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 4, 2016 in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Picnic Fare, Pie

Tags: Blueberry Hand Pies, blueberry turnovers, blueberry-blackberry turnovers, bon appetit, Bon Appetit blueberry turnovers, fruit turnover recipe, hand pies

Don’t Go in the Water(Melon)! Make Your Own Watermelon Shark Fruit Salad

03 Jul

It’s July 4th weekend. That means lots of cookouts, parties and barbecues and lots of eating, hanging out with friends and family and fun. The last thing you want to do is cook in the hot kitchen while everyone else is out having fun in the sun. As long as your cooking everything outside you want your desserts to be just as easy for you to put together. Sure you can make or buy some pies, get some ice cream (or make your own) or have a big batch of cookies, but one of my favorite things to do when the weather is warm like this is to make a nice fruit salad. There are so many great fruits that you can use that are in season right now that you can get the chance to put something really great together. If you really want to wow everyone this year, skip the fruit cocktail in a can or jar or the prepackaged fruit tray from the grocery store with the unripe melon and do it yourself. As long as you are doing it yourself, have some summer fun and make this great watermelon shark fruit salad too from Tasting Table.

Watermelon Shark Fruit Salad

1 Baby watermelon (about 2-3 pounds)

4 cups watermelon pieces (from the baby watermelon above)

2 cups bite-size mango pieces (2 mangoes)

1 cup melon pieces (cantaloupe, honeydew, casaba, whatever you like)

1 cup sliced kiwi rounds (2 kiwis, peeled)

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup red seedless grapes

1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks

¼ cup agave nectar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1½ cups bite-size avocado pieces (2 avocados), optional

½ cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, optional

⅓ cup toasted and roughly chopped macadamia nuts, optional

Handful of Swedish fish, optional

To make the watermelon shark, take a sharp knife and cut off the wider end of watermelon so it will stand at an angle. Turn the watermelon upright so that it is standing on its base. Draw a half-moon shaped mouth on the watermelon with a marker, beginning at the stem mark as a guideline. Use a sharp paring knife to cut along your outline and remove the watermelon wedge. Save the wedge to use for the fin for the shark. Use a large spoon to scoop out all of the watermelon flesh into a separate bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, peel off about 1-inch of the outer edge of the watermelon skin, exposing the light green flesh underneath. Cut out small triangles in the exposed light green flesh of the watermelon to make the teeth of the shark. Cut a wooden skewer in half and use it to attach the shark fin to the top of the shark. Using toothpicks, take 2 blueberries and attach them to the watermelon for eyes.

To make the fruit salad, in a large serving bowl, combine the watermelon, mango, melon, kiwi, blueberries, grapes and pineapple. Season the fruit with the agave nectar and lime juice, tossing gently to mix. Fold in the avocado pieces, if using. Garnish the salad with the coconut flakes and macadamia nuts. If you are serving the fruit salad in the shark’s head, fill the shark’s head with as much fruit as you can. Place the Swedish fish among the fruit pieces, if using, and serve.

Of course you don’t have to use the shark’s head, but hey, it’s a great centerpiece for the table, looks great and the kids love it. It’s really easy to make and Tasting Table has step by step pictures you can follow in their link. I used a baby watermelon but if you feel ambitious you could certainly use a larger one and the same thing and have much more fruit in it. Use any fruit that everyone really likes so you get a good mix of flavors, but don’t forget to use the agave nectar (or honey if you prefer) and lime juice so you get that added flavor to the fruit. The Swedish fish were just a nice touch at the end.

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!

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Posted by MikeG on July 3, 2016 in Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Holidays

Tags: fruit salad, fruit salad for July 4th, fruit salad recipe, Tasting Table, tropical fruit salad, watermelon shark, watermelon shark fruit salad

Don’t Take it Off! Skin-On Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Panzanella

01 Jul

When it comes to cooking chicken, boneless, skinless chicken breasts seem to be what everyone really wants to use. They are the healthier option when it comes to eating chicken and in my family it is Sean’s personal favorite for a meal. The problems I have with boneless chicken breast are one, they are often the most expensive chicken pieces in the store and two, you really need to do a lot to them to add some flavor to them. Don’t get me wrong – I love boneless breasts, but I find the thighs have more flavor to them. When I do use boneless breasts it is very often in chicken salad, a stir-fry or in soup. However, lately I have been going a different route with chicken. I find that I buy a whole chicken and butcher it up myself into pieces. This is often cheaper than buying boneless chicken and only takes a few minutes to do if you have a good boning knife and cleaver. I also buy bone-in breasts when they are on sale and then just take the breast meat off the bone with my boning knife and save the bones in the freezer for when I have enough to make some chicken stock. This gives me everything I want. So when I saw this recipe from Bon Appetit for crispy chicken cutlets with tomato panzanella it sounded great. I could leave the skin on the chicken breasts, Sean gets the white meat he wants and we get great flavor – everyone is happy.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Panzanella

¼ small onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup torn country-style bread, (from about ¼ small loaf)

2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound cherry tomatoes

Pinch of sugar

¾ cup parsley leaves with tender stems

Combine the sliced onion and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar in a small bowl. Season the onions with salt and pepper and set the bowl aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the torn bread; season it with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing the bread, until it is golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bread to a medium bowl. Wipe out the skillet.

Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the bones and cartilage from the chicken breasts. Save the bones to use for making stock at a later time. Pound the chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until it is about ¼” thick; season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the empty skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook 1 chicken breast, skin side down, until it is golden brown and nearly cooked through, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken breast and cook it until it is cooked through, about 1 minute more; the second side will not brown. Transfer the chicken breast to a platter. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken cutlet and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil (there is no need to wipe out the skillet).

Cut half of the tomatoes in half. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the same skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the whole tomatoes; season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes are lightly blistered and starting to burst, about 5 minutes. Toss in the sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Transfer the tomatoes to the bowl with the croutons. Add the pickled onion with the pickling liquid, the halved tomatoes, parsley, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss it all together. Serve the chicken with the panzanella spooned over it.

This is a great weeknight meal that does not take a lot of effort. I did not have cherry tomatoes on hand that day but I did have some whole tomatoes that I cut up to use instead, though I think the cherry tomatoes would make it better. Pickling the raw onions helps to take out a lot of the bite that raw onions often have, but if you are not a fan of raw onion you can always leave it out. You might want to try it with red onion instead. I find red onion more pleasing when it is raw or pickled. The chicken was done nicely and the crispy skin really added to the flavor of the dish. If you are a stickler for boneless chicken and don’t want the skin you can always leave it off and cook it that way, but I think in this recipe it loses something without the skin. I used torn-up bread from my favorite bread recipe since I make that bread all of the time, but any french bread our sourdough or anything like that will do nicely. I served it with some green beans and leftover mashed potatoes, though you don’t need any potatoes at all with this meal.

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!