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Category Archives: Cooking

A Warm and Cozy Dessert Anytime – Irish Apple Cake

it has been a very hectic week around here, which is why I haven’t had a chance to really post anything since a few days ago. I have been busy at work and with meetings at Sean’s school, Michelle was away on business and then came home, Sean has been busy at school and then sick and spring break is upon us with Easter right around the corner. It feels like we haven’t even had a chance to breather lately and the weather has been helping, with snow falling here on and off all day. Anyway,enough complaining about all of that stuff and let’s try to get down to some cooking! I had made this dessert last week as a nice Irish dessert that seemed perfect for right around St. Patrick’s Day and I got the recipe from The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook. It is for an apple cake that makes use of just a few ingredients and it does not take any time at all to put it together. In about an hour you can have a nice dessert so it is a good one to keep in mind anytime you have a few apples around and you want a dessert in a hurry.

Irish Apple Cake

2 large cooking apples, such as Granny Smith

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

2 eggs

1-2 tablespoons milk

confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

For the Streusel Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup superfine sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round springform cake pan. To make the streusel topping, sift the flour into a medium bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or bread crumbs. Stir in the superfine sugar and set the topping aside.

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. To make the cake, sift the flour into a medium bowl with the baking powder, ground cinnamon and the salt. Place the butter and the superfine sugar in a separate large bowl and beat them together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little bit of the flour mixture with the last addition of egg. Gently fold in half of the remaining flour mixture, then fold the rest of the flour mixture in with the milk.

Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top of the batter. Cover the top with the sliced apples and then sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the apples. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until the top is browned and firm to the touch. Let the cake cool in the pan before removing the sides of the springform pan. Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

This cake tastes great when it is a little bit warm and you can serve it with some ice cream or fresh whipped cream on the side. It rose more than I thought it would at first as I was a little concerned as I put the batter in the pan that it seemed to dry, but it all came out nicely in the end and the cake was moist and flavorful. If you do not have superfine sugar you can make your own simply by processing granulated sugar in the food processor for about 1 minute. This is a nice dessert to make since it uses things you typically have around the house so you can throw it together if you need something last-minute for home or to bring to someone else’s home.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Hopefully this week will be better than the last and I will have more time to get on here and share some recipes. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on March 28, 2015 in Brunch, Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit

 

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A One Pan Favorite – Chicken and Potatoes Sheet Pan Supper

One pot meals are always a favorite of mine no matter what time of year it may be. Anything that can get you a meal in one dish that tastes great and gives you fast and easy clean up is usually a winner in my book, particularly when you are rushed and need to get a lot of things done. Lately that seems to be the case around here nearly every day, with lots of work going on for Michelle and me and Sean keeping pretty busy with school as the school year comes up on their last break of the year before summer comes around. he’s been busy picking classes for his first year of high school next year so it’s been chaotic for all of us, which makes an easy meal to cook all the better for during the week. This recipe, from the Kitchn, is for a simple chicken and potatoes roasted together on a sheet pan. I did change it around just a bit as I added some carrots to the mix to really make it a complete meal in one, but it could stand on its own as the original as well.

Chicken and Potatoes Sheet Pan Supper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of one lemon, grated on a fine microplane or grater

2 teaspoons Italian herbs, poultry seasoning or other spice or herb blend that you prefer

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pounds mixed chicken parts, bone-in and skin-on (thighs, legs, drumsticks and/or breasts)

4 russet potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For easier clean-up, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. You can also use just a bare sheet pan if your prefer. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon zest, seasonings or herbs that you are using, salt and pepper until they are well blended.

Spread out the chicken and the potatoes on the sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle the oil and herb mixture evenly over the chicken and potatoes. Using your hands or a pair of tongs, flip and move the chicken and potatoes around until each piece is evenly coated with the mixture.

Place the sheet pan on the middle rack in the oven and allow the chicken and potatoes to roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken pieces register 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken meat and the potatoes are tender. If the chicken skin is not crisp enough to your liking, run the tray under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin is crispy.

transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving dish or platter and serve hot.

As I said, I added carrots to the mix to round out the meal and a little bit of onion as well. You could put just about any type of vegetable you would like in the mix and I think they would roast nicely, like squash, turnips, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, parsnips or whatever you like best. I used only chicken breasts when I made it because that is what I had on hand but any pieces will work well. the only thing I found is that I needed to add a little bit more olive oil to the mixture with the herbs in order to get the consistency where it would drizzle nicely. With the original amounts it seemed more like a paste to me, which is fine if you don’t mind spreading it on with your hands. another tablespoons of oil though will do the trick I think. Overall it was a fast and easy meal that was perfect for a weeknight, with a nice mix of lemon and herbs (I used dried Italian seasoning on mine) to coat everything. You can serve this with a salad and you have the perfect meal in minutes.

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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A Spicy Start to Spring with Crispy Potato and Chorizo Tacos

While the weather here has not completely warmed up to my liking just yet, it is slowly getting there. We had another 3 inches or snow of snow this past Friday but luckily most of it has melted away already, even though it has been windy and chilly here. the promise of spring is coming with warmer weather on the horizon towards the end of this week so maybe I will actually be able to walk out onto the back lawn without worrying about slipping and falling on the ice. in the meantime, I decided to warm things up in the kitchen a little bit by making a nice spicy meal for dinner the other day. I had picked up some freshly made chorizo when I went shopping and wanted to make something with it that was quick and easy so I decided to try out this recipe, which I found at Serious Eats, for crispy potato and chorizo tacos. With only a few ingredients needed it seemed like an easy meal that would come together quickly and promised to taste great.

Crispy Potato and Chorizo Tacos

1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3 large potatoes)

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon white vinegar

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 pound fresh chorizo

12 warm soft tortillas, corn or flour, for serving

1 onion, minced, for serving

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Homemade or store-bought salsa or salsa verde, for serving

Avocado slices, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

2 limes cut into 8 wedges each, for serving

Place the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are just cooked through, about 5 minutes after coming to a boil. Drain the potatoes and let them rest over sink until they are mostly dry.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat until the oil is lightly smoking. Add the dry potatoes, shake the pan to distribute the potatoes and oil around the pan, and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally until the potatoes are very crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium non-stick or cast iron skillet set over high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, until it is heated through. Continue cooking, stirring and tossing frequently, until all the liquid has evaporated from the pan, some fat breaks out, and the chorizo starts sizzling, and eventually is quite dry and well-browned, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the cooked chorizo to the pan with the potatoes. Toss the ingredients to combine them and season to taste with salt. Serve the chorizo and potato mixture immediately with tortillas, onions, cilantro, salsa, avocado slices, sour cream and limes on the side.

This meal comes together as quickly as any traditional taco meal might and you get something different for sure. I really liked the combination of the potatoes and chorizo and the heat and spice of the chorizo transferred really nicely to the rest of the dish. Combine it into a taco with some fresh avocado slices, salsa and sour cream and you have a real treat. I think Sean was little skeptical when I told him what I was making, but it seemed to go over pretty well for dinner as he gobbled up several of the tacos for dinner. you want to get the potatoes really crispy and the chorizo nicely browned and crispy to really get the most out of it. I think this dish worked really well and I’ll be making it 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!

chorizotaco2 chorizotaco1

 
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Posted by on March 23, 2015 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork, Potatoes

 

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Dark Meat Chicken Recipes – Bon Appétit

Dark Meat Chicken Recipes – Bon Appétit.

While sometimes boneless chicken breasts can be a great answer to make for dinner, I find you can get a lot more flavor out of chicken thighs and legs and use them much more often myself. They also are usually a lot cheaper to buy so you can get a better deal than the white meat. Bon Appetit has put together 25 recipes of dark meat chicken that you can add to your cooking rotation of tasty meals. Check it out!

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2015 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Poultry

 

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Why is it Still Cold? Looks Like Time For Another Soup – Chicken and Barley Soup

We are still experiencing windy and cold weather here today in my area of New York and even though Spring starts tomorrow night, we are expecting 2 to 4 inches of snow tomorrow, which does not bring a smile to anyone’s face around here after all of the snow and cold we have had this winter. In any case,cold weather, and even early spring weather that can be chilly, is still a good time to break out the soup recipes and make something nice and warming. This particular recipe that I found at the Kitchn worked perfectly with some leftover chicken that I had. It is for chicken and barley soup and makes use of chicken, some veggies and barley to create a hearty and warming soup.

Chicken and Barley Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 quart chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup pearl barley

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

Parsley, to garnish, if desired

Heat the olive oil or vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the carrots, celery, onion, oregano and salt. Stir to coat the vegetables with the oil and herbs, then cover the pot and allow the vegetables to sweat until the onions are translucent and the carrots are softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, water and the pearl barley to the pot. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and then cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. All the soup to simmer until the barley is cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover the pot and add the cooked chicken. Allow the chicken to warm through, about 2 to 3 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Taste the soup to adjust the seasonings and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper to suit your tastes. Serve the soup immediately and garnish it with parsley, if desired.

If you do not have any cooked or leftover chicken in the fridge, you can easily add some uncooked  cubed chicken after you have sweat the vegetables and cook the chicken until it is no longer pink and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. the lemon juice adds a nice touch to the soup but I found 1 tablespoon to be plenty and left it at that. I really liked the barley with this soup and it added great texture and flavor overall to make the soup a bit heartier than just your standard chicken soup or chicken and rice soup. You could always add different vegetables or other veggies if you prefer and this soup is hearty enough to stand on its own as a meal, though some nice crunchy homemade bread with it does go rather nicely. Hopefully it will be the last soup recipe of the winter for us here!

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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A Chilly Day Calls for a Simple Soup – Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

Just when you thought that winter might actually be over sometime soon around here, it seems to come roaring back over the last day or 2 with really high winds and really cold weather every time you step outside the house. Even though a lot of the snow that we have has melted away at this point, there is still a lot of ice out there because the temperature is not warmed up nicely. Cold and windy days call for a nice warm meal and this particular recipe is perfect if you do not have a lot of time to put a detailed soup together but want something that is going to give you that warm feeling. This recipe comes from Marcus Samuelsson and is for a very simple black bean and sweet potato soup that you can put together in about 15 minutes and then have it all cooked and done within another 30 minutes. With just a few ingredients necessary you be surprised just how much flavor you get.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a medium dice

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Add the chicken or vegetable broth, black beans, diced sweet potatoes and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Serve the soup topped with the fresh parsley. Add a dollop of sour cream or avocado for extra texture to the soup.

You can pretty much make this soup with it just what you have around in the pantry and have it any night of the week. If you want to make it a more vegetarian meal you can use vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth. I really liked the combination of the black beans and the sweet potatoes together and the cayenne pepper added just the right amount of heat to give the soup a little bit of a kick. I did not have any avocado on hand but I think it would go really well on top for some added flavor and texture. The soup actually thickened up nicely over the course of a day or 2 in the refrigerator and was even better when I had it for lunch in the following days. I will definitely make this one again as it is easy enough to put together any time you feel like having it and it does make a great lunch with a half of a sandwich or a little bit of a salad or just on its own.

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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A St. Patrick’s Day Treat – Skillet Soda Bread

Most people really only give much consideration to Irish soda bread on St. Patrick’s Day and may not think about it much the rest of the year. The problem is that most of the soda bread you find in local stores this time of year is very dense, very dry and very crumbly and just does not taste that good. Even some of the mixes I have tried over the years have been disappointing and I wanted to try to make one this year that would have the great crust a soda bread should have but the tender bread that was not tough to eat. I came across this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen last week and it was simple, basic and sounded perfect so I went about giving it a try to see how the bread would be.

Skillet Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon melted butter, optional

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the center position. Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead it gently and briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.

Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place it in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place it in the heated oven. Bake the bread until it is nicely browned and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the top of the loaf with the tablespoon of melted butter, if desired. Cool the bread for at least 30 minutes before slicing it. Serve the bread slightly warm or at room temperature.

I have to say it was the best soda bread I have had in a long time. No it does have raisins, or currants or any of that other stuff in it, but it doesn’t need all of that and that is more of the American version of Irish soda bread anyway. The crust on this bread has a wonderful crunch to it just like you want without it being all crumbly so it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it. The bread itself is nice and tender as well and goes really well with your corned beef and cabbage meal, if that is what you are having. You can make this on a baking sheet if you don’t have a coast iron pan or want to use one, but I think the crust comes out great thanks to the cast iron pan. If you can eat it while it is still warm it is that much better, but this will be okay for a day or two covered before it starts to dry out if you want to make it ahead of time. This will be my go to soda bread recipe from now on.

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 on March 16, 2015 in Breads, Cooking, Holidays

 

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Checking in With a Classic – Chicken Marsala

There’s been a lot of work coming my way lately, which is a good thing because it keeps me working, but it also keeps me from doing extra things like blogging. After spending 10-12 hours a day on the computer writing it is hard to find the energy to get back on and write for the blog. Today I have a little bit of a break during the day so I have time to share a recipe I recently tried out at home. Sometimes it is nice to get back to the classics for recipes and I had wanted to make chicken Marsala for a while now and had just not gotten around to it. I finally happened to be down near our local liquor store the other day and made the conscious effort to go in and get a bottle of Marsala wine so that I could make the chicken. I decided to try out this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, which strays from a number of other recipes in that they do not make use of chicken broth in the recipe. I figured I would give it a try to see how it came out.

Chicken Marsala

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

1 cup all-purpose flour

Table salt

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 ounces pancetta or bacon (about 3 slices), cut into pieces 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)

1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 1/2 cups Marsala wine 

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon

4 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and place a large heatproof dinner plate on the oven rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat  a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above the pan surface for 3 to 4 seconds), about 3 minutes. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Halve the chicken breasts horizontally and then cover the chicken halves with plastic wrap and pound the chicken to an 1/4-inch thickness with a meat pounder. Meanwhile, place the flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper; working one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour to coat both sides. Lift the chicken piece from the tapered end and shake it to remove any excess flour; transfer the piece to a large plate and repeat the process with the remainder of the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the heated skillet until it is shimmering. Place the floured cutlets in a single layer in the skillet and cook the chicken until it is golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the cutlets and cook them on the second side until they are golden brown and no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to heated plate and repeat the process with any remaining chicken pieces. When all of the chicken is cooked, return the plate to the oven.

Cook the pancetta or bacon in the now-empty skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until it is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the mushrooms to the now-empty skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and the crisp pancetta or bacon and cook until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits. Return the skillet to the heat and bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and measures about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and any accumulated chicken juices. Whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time. Stir in the parsley and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

I have to say I have had chicken Marsala a number of times and very often the chicken is overcooked and the mushrooms are slimy and the sauce is watery. none of those things occurred with this dish. the chicken was tender with great flavor and the sauce came out perfectly. The mushrooms were not overcooked or watery and came out perfectly and the pancetta (or bacon, which I used this time) was a nice touch to the dish. I served this with noodles for Michelle and Sean and had it over rice myself and it was done perfectly. I even had some leftovers the next day for lunch and it was delicious. I would use this recipe again to make this classic. It is not one I had made in a long time so it was nice to try it 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!

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Posted by on March 13, 2015 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce

 

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Essential Recipes and Tips Your Mother Should’ve Taught You : Food Network

Essential Recipes and Tips Your Mother Should’ve Taught You : Food Network.

There are always some basic recipes everybody should try to know so that you can make some great tasting but easy dishes anytime that you want. Food Network has put together 10 essential recipes and tips that you should know how to do in the kitchen that can help you to make some great meals. Check it out!

hopefully I will have time to post a new recipe tomorrow!

 

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Our Best Irish Recipes – Bon Appétit

Our Best Irish Recipes – Bon Appétit.

St. Patrick’s Day is under 2 weeks away so now is a good time to start planning out some of those great Irish recipes in advance of the day that is everything Irish. Bon Appetit has put together 18 recipes that are Irish-inspired recipes to help you celebrate the day with great drinks, corned beef and fun desserts. Check it out!

 

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