The Saucy Gourmet

Liebster Blog Award

2012-02-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

Wow, this is just what I needed.
I did not have a great week last week. My laptop of 5+ years finally said goodnight. Okay, I admit it, sometime I hold onto things longer than I should.

I mean, I have kept Gordy around for 30 years, just teasing schmoppie!
I FINALLY have everything loaded on my new laptop and am ready to blog again.

In the meantime, I received wonderful surprises from 2 of my favorite blogger friends

Anita from Recipe with Pictures

and

Carrie at Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

First of all I want to thank you both for including my blog in your favorites.

This is my first nomination and award and it really made my day. Thank you so much.

Liebster is German and translates to the English word“dearest”or” favorite”.

It’s meant for up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers.”

Here are the rules
•Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
•Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
•Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
•Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve
to be noticed. (Some say just 3 or more blogs of less than 200 followers each).
•Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

One of the responsibilities that goes with accepting the Liebster Blog Award is an amazingly difficult one, that of choosing five blogs to nominate for the Award, in turn.

After much head-scratching, I finally narrowed it down to five blogs to pass the honors on to. In no particular order:

Amy at Amy's Cooking Adventure
Sherry at Rosemary and the Goat
Valley Writer at Adventures of Valley Writer
Becka at Elegant Eggplant
Emily at Life on Food

Thank you again Carrie and Anita, it means so much to me!!!

Thank you O Olive Oil....Pear and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pecans

2012-01-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

This salad was the PERFECT choice to go with our Fried Oysters!

The other day, the door bell rang and the dogs went nuts. I looked out the door and no one was there, but there was a huge box on the porch. Oh how I love getting presents!!! I was SO excited to open it, especially when I saw the O Olive Oil return address. It was my prize from the eRecipeCards.com contest. 6 wonderful bottles of their Citrus Olive Oils. Perfect, I was craving a yummy salad to go with our fried oysters. Now, I had to decide which oil to use. So I took note what I had in the fridge and went to the O Olive Oil website and decide to try their recipe for Asian Pear and Baby Greens Salad with Blue Cheese and O Clementine Olive Oil and O California White Balsamic.

I just had to make a couple of modifications.

I did not have Asian Pears, but I did have some Barlett Pears that needed to be used. So I

whisked together 4 tablespoons O Clementine Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons white balsamic, a little salt and pepper and one pear, thinly sliced. Wow, what a great idea, not only does it flavor the pears, but it kept them from browning while I prepared the salad.

I also did not have any baby greens, but I did have fresh spinach.

So I tossed the spinach with the pears and the dressing and divided the salad among our plates. I sprinkle each salad with some crumbled blue cheese and toasted pecans. Oh it was the perfect combo!!!

Pear and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pecans

4 tablespoons O Clementine Olive Oil
2 tablespoons O California White Balsamic Vinegar
Good kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
3 pears, cored, and in medium thin slices
¾ cup pecans, toasted
½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Whisk O Clementine Olive Oil, O California White Balsamic, salt and pepper to blend. Add pears.

Place spinach leaves in a large bowl. Gently toss with pears and dressing. Divide greens among 6 salad plates. Top individual salads with blue cheese and pecans.

Crispy Panko Coated Fried Oysters with Easy Homemade Cocktail Sauce

2012-01-26T18:46:00.000-05:00

Oh how I LOVE fresh oysters!!!

I love to eat them raw with Frozen Champagne Mignonette or homemade cocktail sauce. I love them in Oyster Shooters, especially PAMA Shooters. And I love to eat them fried. Actually, I have NEVER met an oyster I did not like!
The other day I was dreading making dinner, nothing sounded good and I just could NOT make a decision. As I wandered over to the fresh seafood section in the store, I spotted some fresh oysters, I was so tempted to get a dozen and have Gordy shuck them when he got home from work, but I had all ready decided we would be having raw oysters Saturday night for a birthday I was hosting.

We have a great outdoor kitchen, perfect for a raw bar and the beautiful weather here in Florida is supposed to continue right through the weekend!!

Then I noticed the pints of shucked oysters, YUM fried oysters. I snatched up a pint and ran home to prepare them. Oh now I could not wait for dinner!
Just some quick info on oysters that I have picked up:
Only eat raw oysters in months WITH an "R" (not: May, June, July and August), reason, the warmer waters during those summer months can lead to higher levels of bacteria in the waters, and that can not be a good thing. Sometimes you can find shucked oysters during these months, but these oysters should ALWAYS be cooked.

Also, if buying shucked oysters read the label, they come in many different sizes. More often then not, they are going to be small (12 oysters per pint) extra small (18 oysters per pint) or yearling (19 oysters per pint). Small are the best choice in my opinion for frying, but all will work, as I learned 20+ years ago. Quick flash back, as I have mentioned before, I grew up in MD, seafood was a staple on our table, and I love it. Gordy and I had been married about 3 years and he moved me to the Evergreen State. Tacoma, WA to be exact. East Coast meets West Coast. Oh boy did I have a lot to learn. In Tacoma, due to all the rain, 'Our kids don't tan, they RUST!" and they don't sell the oysters I am used to, they sell Japanese Oysters. I was so excited the first time I found oysters in the grocery store and the price was right. I snatched them up and ran home to prepare them. When I dumped them out on a paper towel to drain, I counted 4 OYSTERS, they were huge. I was so UPSET, that would be 3 oysters for me and 1 for Gordy and I had no idea how they were going to taste. They were okay, but I prefer the smaller ones for frying. Anyway, back to dinner.

I started by preparing the cocktail sauce. I stirred together some ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish.

I added the juice of about 1/2 lemon and stirred in some salt and pepper. I covered the bowl and put it in the fridge. On to the oysters. In a small bowl, I placed the flour, in a second small bowl, I whisked an egg with some of the oyster "juice". In a third small bowl, I place the panko. I drained the oysters on a paper towel and blotted them dry.

I dredged the oysters in the flour shaking off any excess,

then dipped them in the egg mixture

and gently rolled them in the panko.

I placed them on a baking sheet and put them in refrigerator for at least an hour, this helps the coating dry, which helps the coating "stick" to the oysters

In my cast iron skillet, I heated the oil and added the breaded oysters. I don't add too many oysters at once as this would drop the oil temperature and make the oysters greasy. I fried each oyster until golden brown, turning as needed to keep from burning.

I drained the fried oysters on paper towels. I love to serve them warm with cocktail sauce and a side of salad. I will post the recipe for the Pear Walnut Salad tomorrow!

Crispy Panko Coated Fried Oysters
with Easy Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Cocktail Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (or to taste)

salt and pepper

Oysters

1 pint oysters or 12 freshly shucked oyster

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumb)

2 cups peanut or canola oil

For the cocktail sauce: In a small bowl, combine ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a small bowl, place the flour. In a second small bowl, whisk the egg with some of the oyster "juice". In a third small bowl, place the panko. Dredge the oysters in the flour shaking off any excess. Dip the flour dredged oysters in the egg mixture. Shake off any excess and roll oysters in the panko being sure to completely coat. Place on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil to 325 degrees. Add the breaded oysters and fry until golden brown about 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve warm with cocktail sauce.

Saucy Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut Stuffed Pork Chops

2012-01-24T08:27:00.002-05:00

I love to make stuffed pork chops, they are so easy and make such an elegant presentation. I love them stuffed with Apple, Bacon Sage and Fontina, I love them stuffed with Blue Cheese, Grapes and Rosemary
and I love them stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms and Walnuts!

They are so easy to prepare. I just diced up some red onions, mushrooms and walnuts.

In a large skillet, I sauteed the onion in a tablespoon of butter until tender. I added the mushrooms and garlic, cooked about one minute longer. I tossed in the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of walnuts; stirring and cooking just until spinach was wilted.

I removed the stuffing from pan to a bowl.

I cut a deep slit into each pork chop, forming a pocket and stuffed in about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture into each chop

and sprinkled with pepper.

In the same skillet that I prepared the stuffing in, I cooked the chops in oil for 4-8 minutes on each side,

until lightly browned.

I removed the chops to a plate leaving any stuffing that fell out in the pan, and stirred in 2 tablespoon of flour and salt into the skillet until blended. I gradually stirred in about a 1/2 cup of wine, 3/4 cup of chicken broth and1 tablespoon lemon juice, stirring to loosen any browned bits from pan. I brought it all to a boil; cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes or until thickened. I returned the chops to the skillet, covered them with a lid and simmered about 15 minutes. To serve I placed one pork chop on some bow tie pasta and topped with some sauce and sprinkled with some chopped walnuts. It was another stuffed pork chop hit!!!

Saucy Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut

Stuffed Pork Chops

(print recipe)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided

3 teaspoons minced garlic

4 boneless pork loin chops (1 inch thick and 6 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add mushroom and garlic, cook one minute longer. Add the spinach, and 2 tablespoons walnuts; cook and stir just until spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Cut a deep slit in each pork chop, forming a pocket. Stuff 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each chop; secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with pepper. In the same skillet, cook chops in oil for 4-8 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove chops and keep warm.

Stir flour and salt into skillet until blended. Gradually stir in wine, broth and lemon juice, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chops to skillet, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve pork chops and sauce over pasta; sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Key West Roaster. The Perfect Birthday Dinner for Apollo

2012-01-17T13:01:00.000-05:00

We LOVE roast chicken in our house, it is SO versatile!! I love to do it on the grill or in the oven. I always find the largest one in the store because there is so much to do with the leftovers!!! Gordy always wants to know why our chickens come with "meatless" legs.....it is because the chef can't resist eating them as she carves. Perks of being the chef :)

My new favorite recipe is a combo of curry and lime. While it is roasting in the oven, the aroma is INCREDIBLE!!! I used some O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, giving the rub just a little more citrus flavor. If you don't have any flavored oil, canola or olive oil works just fine. I combine my oil with curry powder, salt and pepper.

After drying the chicken, I rub a little inside and stuff the cavity with sliced Key Limes (regular limes work fine)

And then rub the outside well with the remaining mixture. I roast the chicken for about 2 hours, then combine some key lime juice with some mango chutney. I baste the chicken and roast for about another 20-30 minutes. For this dinner, I tossed some unpeeled potato chunks in the pan when I basted with the chutney. I served it with some fresh peas, OH what a great dinner.

Gordy had to clean up after Apollo as I was making his birthday dinner. He loves chicken and has a drooling problem (Apollo, not Gordy)!!!! I can't believe my baby boy is 7 all ready.

Key West Roaster
(print recipe)

1 oven stuffer roaster
2 tablespoons citrus flavored oil or canola oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 large lime, cut in half
1/4 cup mango chutney

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove giblets from chicken.
Combine oil, curry, salt and pepper; rub roaster inside and out with mixture. Place one lime half in cavity.
Place roaster breast side up in a pan. Cook, 2 to 2 1/2 hours basting during last 20 minutes with a mixture of 1/2 lime, juiced and 1/4 cup mango chutney. A thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh should register 180° F.

Any Day Gourmet, Even Tuesday, Saucy Gourmet Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

2012-01-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

This has always been a family favorite in our house. It is not your typical DRY meatloaf that everyone avoids, this meatloaf is VERY saucy, just like me! My mom has made it ever since I can remember, I loved it as a child growing up and I love it as a mom. Both my children love it, except for the year our son turned 4. He sat down to dinner one night, I put a plate of meatloaf in front of him and he exclaimed he DID NOT LIKE meatloaf. I told him that was fine, it wasn't meatloaf, it was a giant meatball, He gobbled down all his dinner and to this day, we still call meatloaf, a giant meatball

And if you are lucky enough to have any left over

they make great Meatloaf sandwiches!

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

(print recipe)

1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1(15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 egg
2 pounds ground chuck
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat oven to 400. Mix tomato sauce with sugar, vinegar and mustard until sugar is dissolved, set aside. With fork, slightly beat egg, add onion, cracker crumbs, chuck, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup tomato sauce mixture. Combine lightly but thoroughly. Shape meat into an oval and place in shallow baking pan. Pour remaining sauce on loaf. Bake 45 minutes basting occasionally.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

2012-01-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

I know just about everyone and their brother has posted a blog about Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon. Sorry, I just can't resist finally posting one. I mean, it is one of our favorite meals and it is perfect for a casual dinner, a dinner party, or a buffet. I love to make it the day before, and let it flavor over night.

As I mentioned in my last post, I made this for company Thursday night and it was a hit (as you can tell by the picture above). I like to serve over mashed potatoes, but it is wonderful over noodles or rice. Julia's recipe is time consuming, but OH BOY, IS IT WORTH IT!!!

To start, I set my beef cubes out on paper towels, while I fried my bacon. I did not have a chunk of bacon (salt pork) so I just used 6 piece of bacon cut into strips. After the bacon was lightly browned I removed it from the pan and brown the beef, a few pieces at a time, removing the pieces as they browned.

After I browned all the pieces, I added my sliced carrots and onions to the oil.

When they were lightly browned, I added the beef and the bacon. I sprinkled on 2 tablespoons of flour and tossed lightly to coat the beef. I put the casserole uncovered in the middle of my preheated oven for about 4 minutes. I lightly tossed the meat again and returned the casserole to the oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coats the meat with a light crust). I removed casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

I stirred in a bottle of wine, I used a Pinot Noir (best choice I had on the wine rack after the holidays) but I prefer a Chianti and 3 cups of beef stock. I added the tomato paste, garlic,

thyme and bay leaf.
I brought it all to a simmer on top of the stove and then covered the casserole and put it in the oven. Every so often, I gave it all a good stir and checked the heat so that liquid was just simmering. I cooked it for about 3 hours. I removed it from the oven and when cool enough to handle I transferred the bourguignon to another container and allowed it to cool to a safe temperature to put it in the fridge.

About 2 hours before our guest were arriving, I removed the bourguignon from the fridge and skimmed off the fat. I put it back in my dutch oven and popped it into a 350 oven while I prepared the onions and mushrooms.

To remove the skin from the onions, I placed them

in boiling water for 3 minutes and then transferred them to cold water.

I cut the stem end off and popped them out of their skins, gently.

It's kinda fun, most pop right out.

I prepared my herb bouquet with fresh thyme, parsley and bay leaf.

I heated 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil until bubbling in my skillet. I added onions and sauteed over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them around so they will brown as evenly as possible, they will not be uniformly brown and that is okay!

I transferred the onions and oils to a small casserole and added a 1/2 cup of the stock, a little salt and pepper and the herb bouquet. I placed the onions in the oven and cook for about 50 minutes until they were tender but still holding their shape, and most of the liquid had evaporated. I the removed herb bouquet and set the onions aside.

While the onions were in the oven with the beef, I quartered my mushrooms.

In the same skillet I browned the onions in, I heated the remaining oil and butter over high high and after the butter stopped "foaming" I added the mushrooms. I tossed and shook the pan for about 5 minutes, just until lightly browned.

After the beef was fork tender, I removed the pan from the oven and distributed the cooked onions and mushrooms on top I put the cover on my dutch oven and simmered 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
As mentioned earlier, we like it over mashed potatoes, but it is yummy over noodle or rice.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon
(print recipe)

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 white onions, small
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Saute lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and saute until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.
Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).
Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.
Add onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.
Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.
Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.
Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.
Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.
Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

Spicy Lasagna Soup

2012-01-05T10:26:00.003-05:00

Burrrrr, it has been cold in Florida this week.

We had to cover up all the plants, especially our Meyer Lemon tree as it all ready has blossoms.

And Gordy came up with a wonderful way to save my herb garden, without carrying ALL the pots on to the lanai.

Wednesday was the worse of it, so I spent all day in the kitchen, with the oven going!! We were having company Thursday night for dinner and I was craving Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon! It is so much better the next day, so I started it Wednesday as soon as I got off work. I am working on that post also, hopefully I will have it posted this weekend.

I had planned on thawing one of our homemade lasagnas for dinner, but forgot to take if out of the freezer. But it was so chilly outside, a big bowl of soup sounded so much better. Soup or lasagna, what a hard decision. Thanks to my friend Kevin over at Closet Cooking, I was able to have both. Earlier in the week, he posted his Lasagna Soup recipe, I had to try it!!!

I gathered up all my ingredients and got started while the Boeuf Bourguignon was in the oven.

I crushed the fennel in my mortar and pestle.

I removed the casing from the sausage and browned them in my dutch oven for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as it browned. I added the chopped onion and sauteed until tender. I added the garlic and the crushed fennel and sauteed until fragrant, about a minute. I am not sure what type of Italian sausage Kevin used in his recipe, I had some spicy Italian Sausage in the fridge, so I decided to hold off adding any red pepper flakes until I got a better idea how hot the spicy sausage would make the soup.

I added the chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, and pepper, brought it all to a boil, then I reduced the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. I did not have any homemade chicken broth, so I used Better Than Bouillon, since the broth tends to be a little saltier than homemade, I did not add any salt. It was easier to add it later than to make the soup too salty.

When it was time for dinner, I gave the soup a good stir and checked the seasoning. I did add a little red pepper flakes but no additional salt. I turned up the heat and added the pasta. I cooked it all for about 7 minutes.

While the pasta was cooking, I mixed up the topping for the soup. I stirred together ricotta cheese, fresh grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella. When the pasta was al dente, I removed the soup from the heat. To serve, I filled our bowls with the soup, put a generous scoop of the cheese mixture in the middle and sprinkled it all with some fresh chopped basil. It was so good and warmed me up all the way to my toes!!! Thanks Kevin for sharing!!! This is a do over, actually I can hardly wait to have the leftovers for dinner tonight. FYI, it is warming in Florida and my Meyer Lemon blossoms survived. NO more frost please, my tender plants can't handle it.

Spicy Lasagna Soup
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)
(print recipe)

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
1 onion , diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using spicy sausage decrease or delete)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
4 cups chicken broth
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
12 ounces pasta
4 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 handful fresh basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart as you go and set aside. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flake and fennel and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes and remove from heat.

Mix the ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella and serve the soup garnished with a tablespoon of the mixture along with the basil.

Chicken Barley Chili

2011-12-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

The plan for last night's dinner Chicken Pot Pie, YUM!

I had made a Key Lime Roasted Chicken last week and had plenty of leftover chicken in the freezer. Sounds great, huh. Yeah it did, until I got on the scale yesterday. 6 pounds I gained over the holidays and they aren't officially over yet. Dinner was going to have to be a little healthier and I knew just what to make, Chicken Barley Chili. A friend had made this at a pot luck and it was a HUGE hit!

We have been using a lot of barley in our house, but most of it has been going into our home brews. I have just started cooking with barley recently and don't have a lot of experience with it. About.com says "Whole grain barley is a healthy high-fiber, high-protein whole grain boasting numerous health benefits. When cooked, barley has a chewy texture and nutty flavor, similar to brown rice. Although soup is the most popular way to eat barley, you can use it like any other grain such as couscous or rice."

Sometimes the best recipes are right on the box. They most likely use a recipe that is well tested and yummy, I mean they do want you to buy their product again, right.

Luckily, I had all the ingredients I needed.

In a large saucepan, I combined the undrained tomatoes, salsa, chicken broth, water, chili powder, cumin and one cup of barley. Over high heated I brought it all to a boil; covered and reduced heat to low. I simmered it about for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I then added one can drained and rinsed black beans,

one can undrained corn,

and my thawed chopped chicken.

I increased the heat to high until the chili came to a boil. I covered the pan and reduced the heat to low. I simmered for another 5 minutes, or until barley was tender. This dish is a great make ahead meal. It can simmered on the stove longer if needed and just add a little more chicken broth or water if it becomes too thick. It is also wonderful re-heated! It is great served with a little sour cream and cheese on top and is wonderful served with a side of cornbread. Due to the extra pounds, we had to skip the cornbread this time. Matter of fact, I am thinking Friday, when Gordy has the day off, we are going to start the task of "undecorating", this will be a great meal, WITH cornbread (think of the calories we will burn hauling all those totes)

Chicken Barley Chili

(print recipe)

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce jar) salsa
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup Quaker quick Barley
3 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, undrained
3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
cheddar cheese
sour cream

In 6-qt saucepan, combine first 7 ingredients. Over high heat bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, corn, and chicken; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. If upon standing the chili becomes too thick, add more chicken broth or water until chili is desired consistency

Perfect Meal for the First Week of Winter....Braised Beef Short Ribs

2011-12-22T07:11:00.000-05:00

Weather forecasters are saying we are going set some record temperatures Christmas week in Florida. Record High that is for the first week of winter. But that doesn't stop me, I still love to make hearty foods this time of the year, I mean, it is down in the 60's when we eat dinner outside. The other day I was craving something yummy I had on our last cruise, Braised Short Ribs. So I got out my Royal Caribbean Cookbook and attempted to copy their recipe.

I salted and peppered the short ribs

and browned a few of them at a time in a ovenproof pan

Removing them to the pan lid as they finished.

When I had removed them all, I reduced the heat and added chopped onions, celery and carrots and sauteed them for about 5 minutes.

While the veggies were cooking, I cut the ribs into pieces. I then poured off the excess fat from the pan and added a bottle of wine to deglaze the pan. I simmered the wine for about 15 minutes, reducing it until it was thick.

I added some beef broth and returned the ribs to the pan. I brought everything to a boil. Put the lid on my pan and popped it in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours. When the meat began to fall off the bones, I took the pan out of the oven and set it aside to cool. After about 15 minutes the pan was cool enough to handle so I transferred the meat and sauce to another pan and put it all in an ice bath to cool it enough to place it in the fridge.

The next day, most of the fat had solidified on the top,

So I removed it. I returned the beef and sauce to a pan and cooked it for about another hour on medium heat, uncovered. I know this dish takes 2 days to make, but trust me, it is WORTH it!!! The ribs and sauce are wonderful served over mashed potatoes.

Beef Short Ribs

8 beef short ribs, bone in
salt and pepper -- to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 (750 ml) bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
6 cups beef stock

Preheat oven to 350. Season ribs with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy bottomed ovenproof pan over high heat, heat oil and brown ribs in batches on all sides. Transfer ribs to a plate as your work.
Using the same pan, reduce heat to medium and saute onions, celery and carrots for 5 minutes. Pour off excess fat and deglaze with wine, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce wine for 15 minutes or until thick and syrupy in consistency. Return ribs to pan and add stock and enough water to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover and braise in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender and easily separates for the bone. Allow ribs to cool in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate. The next day, remove solidified excess fat and return to medium heat, uncovered. Cook for 1 hour or until liquid has reduced by three quarters, frequently spooning sauce over ribs to keep them moist. Serve over mashed potatoes.

I Always Get Kisses When I Make These Cookies, Hershey Kisses!!!

2011-12-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

I have saved the best cookies for last. These are Gordy's favorites and the only ones he requests every year. The deal is, I will make them if he takes the wrappers off of the Kisses. I have a kiss problem. There are about 53 in the bag, and I need about 45 for the cookies. There is no way there would be 45 kisses left if I opened them!!!!

The ingredient list for these cookies is VERY short. 4 ingredients to be exact. Peanut butter, sugar, eggs

and Kisses. That is why they are so good!

I combined the peanut butter, sugar and eggs and stirred until thoroughly combined

The dough is sticky, so I coat my hands with a little bit of flour and roll into 1 tablespoon balls.

The cookies bake for about 12-14 minutes. I do have to watch them carefully. Not enough time and they are too soft, too much time and the bottoms are scorched. I do recommend baking these directly of non stick cookie sheets. Silicone lined pans do not brown the cookies enough. (even though they are pictured on a silicone liner, it is just for picture purposes). As soon as the cookies are done, I gently press a kiss in the center of each one. Really, it is THAT easy.

Peanut Butter Kisses
(print recipe)

1 jar (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
42 Hershey kisses (a 9 ounce package contains 53)

Heat oven to 350. Have cookies sheets ready. With a wooden spoon stir peanut butter, sugar and eggs in a medium size bowl until thoroughly combined. (Dough will be slightly sticky) With floured hands, roll level tablespoonfuls into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until cookies look dry with tops crackled. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate Kiss in center of each cookie. Cool on cookie sheet 1 to 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield:
"42 cookies"

Chocolate Peppermint Sticks

2011-12-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

These cookies are the most requested cookies in our house during the holidays. They are pretty easy to prepare, especially with some of the time savers I have discovered over the last 29 year of preparing them.

My mom was the first to make these chocolate and mint wonders, I can't remember how many years ago. The recipe is in one of my favorite cookbooks that I no longer have, thanks to our black lab Jingle Belles

She joined our family 7 years ago, a Christmas present I received on December 23. I always say she is the gift that keeps on giving.

She is an angel now compared to her puppy years, don't get me wrong, she still has her naughty little moments but she is SO much better than she was.

She enjoys her life here in Florida,

especially snoozing with her brother Apollo.

But as a 6 month old pup, she was asked to leave obedience class, not once, but twice. At the group lesson she was asked to leave because she was such a distraction to the other puppies. The instructor recommend that we take private lessons. After 15 minutes of our one on one instruction, the trainer said, "there is nothing I can do, there is no hope, she is way to stubborn. Good luck!" Hence the reasons she fits right in with me, she is stubborn like me and we found out she has a veracious love of cookbooks and shoes, just like me. I lost numerous pairs of shoes and way to many cookbooks to that little girl, but I would never trade those wonderful puppy memories, okay, maybe I could have done without the dead squirrel through the doggie door. She was the main reason I made it through the year Gordy was in Iraq, she kept me so busy, I had no time to miss him.

Oh yeah, back to the cookies. As you may have guessed by the tales of Belle, my Magician in the Kitchen was consumed (or shredded) 7 years ago, but luckily my mom still had her's. She refuses to give it to me, but she has agreed to share the missing recipes with me. What a mom!!!

I combine all the ingredients for the cookie bottom and spread it in a pan.

One secret I have learned is to line the pan with parchment paper, it makes slicing the sticks SO much easier.

After the cookies have cooled, I mix up the icing. Years ago, I was out of peppermint extract, no worries, I substituted Creme de Mint, for the extract and the milk, adding just enough to make the icing spreadable.

Using my off set spatula, I try to get the icing smooth, but it does not have to be perfect. I pop the bars into the fridge to set the icing for about 10 minutes.

The chocolate topping is so easy. I just melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a small saucepan. If you are out of unsweetened chocolate, which happened to me this year, no worries. I used cocoa powder, following the substitution directions on the box. I like to spread the chocolate coating with a silicone paint brush. It goes on smooth and the clean up is a breeze!!!

When it is time to cut the sticks, I just slide them out of the cookie sheet unto a cutting board.

I use a pizza cutter to cut them into little sticks or squares. These are the perfect cookies for the holidays, they can be made ahead and frozen

Chocolate Peppermint Sticks
(print recipe)

Cookies
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks butter, softened

Frosting
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring, if desired

Chocolate Coating
4 ounces squares unsweetened chocolate
4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350.
To make the cookies, beat eggs, sugar together by hand until thick Add the cocoa and the flour, mix well. Add peppermint, vanilla and butter, spread into 11X17 inch pan greased pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Do not over bake . Cool

To make frosting, beat powdered sugar and butter until creamy. Add peppermint and enough milk to desired consistency for icing. Add green food coloring if desired. Frost cooled cookies.

Coating melt chocolate and butter. Paint on frosted cookies, Chill 10 minutes before cutting.

Snowballs

2011-12-15T08:09:00.000-05:00

These cookies are so easy and just a few ingredients.

I start by crushing my cream filled chocolate cookies in my food processor.

Just for future reference, I counted the cookies as I put them in. One row of cookies, 15 cookies, will make about 1 1/2 cup crumbs. I used a row and a half for these cookies.

I toasted my pecans in the oven, let them cool slightly, and they pulsed them in my food processor.

I then combined the cookie crumbs, the finely chopped pecans, 1/3 cup flaked coconut and 3/4 cup powdered sugar.

I gave it all a good stir until all the ingredients were well distributed, breaking up any lumps.

I then added the sticky parts, the corn syrup and the strawberry preserves. Using a wooden spoon, it did not take me long to get it all combined.

I used my cookie scoop for form the balls, but because these cookies are SO rich, I divided each scoop in half, making the cookies about a tablespoon each. I rolled each cookie in powdered sugar

and placed them on a cookie sheet. Because the most of the powdered sugar absorbs into the cookies, you may have to roll them again.

I have found that rolling them again just before you serve them works best. They only keep about 4 days, but you will be lucky if you can keep them around that long. ENJOY!!

Snowballs
(Print Recipe)

2 1/4 cups cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies crumbs
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup strawberry preserves

Stir together cookie crumbs, pecans, 3/4 cup powdered sugar and coconut in a bowl. Stir in corn syrup and preserves.

Shape mixture into balls using 1 level tablespoon of mixture for each. Roll balls in remaining 3/4 cup of powdered sugar; roll again to coat well.

Store in airtight container up to 4 days.

Conch Chowder in Homemade Bread Bowls

2011-12-09T07:36:00.001-05:00

The other day, the weather had turned chilly in Florida, I even had to put on a sweatshirt and a pair of socks so I could keep the sliding glass doors open. With the "chilliness" in the air, I thought it would be a good time for some chowder. Oh, Conch Chowder in Homemade Bread Bowls sounded prefect.

I had one last pound of the conch we bought in Key Largo in the freezer. While the conch thawed, I made bread bowls. I was craving sourdough bread bowls, but had no sourdough starter, so I found a recipe on Chef in Training.

The bowls were good, but the chowder would have been much better in sourdough. I need to start a sourdough starter this week. If any of my readers have one they would like to share, please let me know in the comments below.

I drained the conch, saving all the wonderful juices in a bowl below.

While the conch was draining, I fried up some chopped bacon for a couple of minutes and then added some chopped garlic. I squeezed out the rest of the juice from the conch, and seared the conch in the bacon. I added chopped onions and celery and sauteed for about 2 more minutes.

In the pot went 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 4 cups of chicken broth, 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, 2 carrots, diced, 3 potatoes, diced and 1 can diced tomatoes. I need 2 cups of conch broth, but I only had 1, so I added that and 1 cup of clam juice. I brought everything to a boil, lowered the heat, covered the chowder and simmered until the veggies were tender.

I like a little hot sauce and a little dry sherry in my chowder, but Gordy does not. So I just add some to mine when I serve it.
If you can't get your hands on any conch, this recipe is also wonderful with clams. Remember, if you use the canned clams, drain them into a bowl, you want to use that rich broth for in your chowder.

Conch Chowder
(Print recipe)

1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 pound conch Meat, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onions, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, fresh
2 carrots, diced
2 cups clam juice (or any a combo with any conch juice you may have)
3 potatoes, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste
dry sherry, if desired
hot sauce, if desired

Fry diced bacon in pot until crispy. Add garlic and fry for about 30 seconds Add the conch meat and sear for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onions and celery and saute for 2 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Oh So Easy Bourbon Balls, A Family Favorite!

2011-12-08T07:31:00.001-05:00

These little morsels are one of my most requested cookies over the holidays. Not sure why I only make them once a year, I guess it keeps them special.

The house is decorated, the only thing missing is the wonderful aromas from the kitchen. To solve that, it is time to get on the apron and get baking.

I figured I would start with Bourbon Balls. You can always tell a well used reicpe by the cookbook page.

This recipe is SO easy to make. The hardest parts are waiting until the chocolate sets up so you can roll them and not eating all the "dough"

This time of the year, I buy my chocolate in bulk from Sam's Club. For that reason, I always use my kitchen scale to make sure I am getting an accurate measurement. I love chocolate, and in my mind, there is NEVER enough chocolate, but for this recipe you don't want too much chocolate since it will be sticky and make it hard to roll the balls.

To make this recipe even easier, I finely chop both the vanilla wafers and the walnuts in my food processor.

I melt the chocolate on the stove and then remove it from the heat.

I stir in the sugar and corn syrup and then mix in the bourbon. According to the recipe, for a milder bourbon flavor, you can use 1/4 cup of bourbon plus one tablespoon of water. Or to make Rum Ball, just substitute rum for the bourbon. Never tried either of these, we love our Bourbon Balls just the way they are!

I then add the chopped wafers and nuts

and stir until well blended. I let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes to firm up the chocolate and make it easier to roll. I don't recommend putting it in the fridge the chocolate gets too hard, 30 minutes on the counter is just right.

I roll 1-inch balls (mine are never exact, and I am okay with that) and toss them in sugar to coat.

Into my container they go, and then they are hidden for a week or so. The secret to these wonderful cookies, is to put them in a sealed container and IGNORE them for a week. I think this really mellows the flavors. (and it keeps cookie thieves from eating them all before Christmas)

Bourbon Balls
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookies for Christmas, 1985
(print recipe)

1 6 ounce package (1 cup) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup bourbon
55 vanilla wafers
1 cup walnuts pieces
sugar for rolling

In a heavy saucepan heat chocolate piece over low heat untill melted, stirring contantly. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and corn syrup. Stir in bourbon until will mixed.
In the bowl of a food processor, add vanilla wafers and nuts. Blend until finely chopped. Stir into chocolate mixture and mix well. Let stand about 30 minutes.
Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in additional sugar. Store in a tightly covered container about one week to mellow flavor. Makes about 30

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

2011-12-07T11:48:00.001-05:00

You will not believe how EASY this recipe is to prepare. I had to share it in a quick post today for all those who need a quick and easy meal during the holidays!!!

Yesterday Santa and I spent the most of the day finishing up the Christmas decorating. I am happy (and relieved to admit) it is all done!!! The last of the empty totes will go up in the attic today. I did have a problem, by the time dinner rolled around, I was exhausted. Santa was sitting at the kitchen bar making me feel guilty. I had promised Gordy and Santa that I would make fried chicken (Santa needs to put some pounds back on before the 24th, he is looking a little thin) but that was not going to happen. First, I was pooped and second, I never made it to the store to buy some cut up chicken. I did have some chicken cutlets in the freezer and knew they would thaw fast. (that is why I stock up when they are on sale, for emergencies) After the cutlets thawed, this meal took just minutes to put together. Panko is the key to this recipe and the brown butter sauce with the capers is incredible for how few ingredients are in it!
You gotta try this!

Just in case you are curious, above is a little snippet of what I have been doing this week :)
Now it is time to start the cookies. Gotta do the Bourbon Balls first, so they have a week to mellow before my Christmas Tea next Wednesday. Check back tomorrow, I hope to post about these yummy morsels.

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

adapted from Food and Wine

1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1-2 cups panko
4 skinless, boneless chicken cutlets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
6 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons capers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Set the flour, eggs and panko in three separate shallow bowls. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the eggs and coat thoroughly with the panko, pressing lightly to adhere.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of canola oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook over moderately high heat until browned and nutty, about 4 minutes. Stir in the capers, lemon juice and parsley; spoon over the chicken and serve.

This Ain't My Grandma's Pot Roast.....Gourmet Pot Roast with Root Vegetables

2011-12-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

There is just something comforting about the aroma of a pot roast cooking all afternoon. It brings back memories of my childhood.
I am very lucky, my family has longevity running on both sides. I had 2 of my Great Grandmothers living until I was well into my teens and I lost my first Grandparent when I was 26. I loved my grandparents dearly and miss them so much, especially this time of the year. My Grandfathers could not have been more opposite in appearance but similar in personalities. One was well over 6 foot and well over 200 pounds, my other grandfather was much smaller of statue. They were both hard working men, one a steel worker, one a coal miner. They were very quite men, they said very little, but loved with all their hearts. Now my Grandmothers could not have been more opposite in both appearance and personalities! My Baba was from a small coal mining town in PA, very old fashioned with influences from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland. She was a little chubby and was happiest in the kitchen, cooking from scratch every day. My Grandmom was from Virginia, rail thin and happiest out of the kitchen. She always seemed to "get the vapors" when it was time to do the dishes. I always remember Baba in an apron and smelling of fresh bread and cookies. I don't think my Grandmom owned an apron. But don't get me wrong, my Grandmom cooked everyday, good hearty southern food. She could make some awesome crab cakes, a saucy meatloaf, the perfect sweet tea and melt in your mouth pot roast, so tender you never needed a knife to eat it. She always served it with boiled potatoes and green beans cooked the "southern way", simmered all day in fat back and slathered in butter. It was good, but not great.

This pot roast ain't my grandma's pot roast!!! There are no potatoes and no over cooked green beans. It is still fork tender but the flavors and aromas are incredible, I would say it is a cross between a pot roast and beef stew, YUM. The first time I made it, Gordy said, "That smells wonderful, are you trying something new out of Julia Child's Cookbook again". It is the perfect meal this time of the year. I put it on the stove and spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up the decorations in the house. The best part is the leftovers, dinner last night was wonderful, but dinner Wednesday night will be ULTRA WONDERFUL!! This is a dish best made a day or two ahead.

I started by preparing my veggies. I chopped an onion and minced some garlic. I peeled 4 carrots and 2 parsnips and cut them diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices. I peeled 1 large turnip and cut it into 3/4-inch-thick wedges, and peeled some ginger root and minced enough to measure 1/4 cup. I have to admit, I did take a short cut and bought sliced mushrooms and chopped canned tomatoes. We have been decorating our house since early Saturday morning, I was getting a little tired and still had a lot to do.

I patted the chuck roast dry and seasoned it with salt and pepper. In my large dutch oven, I heated some oil and browned the roast on all sides. I transferred the roast to a plate and poured off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

I added the chopped onion to my dutch oven and cooked stirring, until golden. I added the minced garlic and cooked, stirring, 1 minute longer.

In the pot went some Tawny Port and Merlot and I simmered it all for about 5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits and reducing slightly.

One glass of wine went into the chef while the wines simmered. I stirred in some beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger root, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano and brought the mixture to a boil.

I then returned the roast to the pot and topped it with the carrots, parsnips, turnips, and mushrooms. I brought it all back to a boil, reduced the heat and simmered the roast and vegetables, covered for about 3 hours. I poured another glass of wine and went back to decorating the 6th and last tree.

I turned the roast after about 1 1/2 hours and redistributed the veggies. I poured another glass of wine and put lights in the greens over the sliding glass doors.

I removed the roast from the broth and let it cool for about 10 minutes. While the roast was setting, I brought the broth and vegetables back to a boil to continue cooking and to reduce the broth. I also skimmed off some of the fat. To thicken the sauce even further, I added a slurry of cornstarch and water. I sliced the roast crosswise and arranged the slices on a deep platter and spooned the vegetables and sauce over the meat. This will be the perfect dinner tomorrow as I plan to bake cookies ALL DAY. When we cleaned out Baba's house, I took possession of her recipe box, a lot of those recipes becoming family traditions.

Gourmet Pot Roast~adapted from Epicurious

(print recipe)

1 medium onion

3 garlic cloves
3/4 pound carrots
1/2 pound parsnips
1/2 pound turnips
6 ounces mushrooms
a 3-inch piece fresh ginger root
a 28- to 32-ounce can whole tomatoes
a 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup Tawny Port
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Chop onion and mince garlic. Peel carrots and parsnips and diagonally cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Peel turnips and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Peel ginger root and mince enough to measure 1/4 cup. Drain tomatoes and chop.

Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and pepper. In a 5-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown roast on all sides. Transfer roast to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from kettle. Add onion to kettle and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add Port and red wine and simmer, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of kettle, 5 minutes. Stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, ginger root, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano and bring mixture to a boil. Add roast, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and mushrooms and simmer, covered, turning roast over halfway through cooking time, 3 hours total, or until tender. Pot roast may be made up to this point 3 days ahead. Cool roast, uncovered, before chilling, covered, and remove any solidified fat before reheating.

Transfer roast with tongs to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. If necessary skim fat from cooking liquid and bring cooking liquid and vegetables to a boil over moderate heat. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and water until smooth and stir enough into sauce to thicken to desired consistency. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

Cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a deep platter. Spoon vegetables and sauce over meat.

2 Wonderful Salads Made with O Olive Oils

2011-12-01T06:24:00.001-05:00

I was one of the VERY lucky 8 bloggers to win the chance to compete in the eRecipeCards.com and O Olive Oil contest!!! This has been such an exciting week for me, trying new ingredients and then using them in recipes. For the contest, each blogger received 2 bottles of O Oils and Vinegars. I was so thrilled when I opened my box and I had received a bottle of O Meyer Lemon Oil and O Pinot Noir Vinegar, HOW PERFECT FOR ME!!!

I thought the perfect way to try these out would be salads. A Summer/Spring Salad and a Fall/Winter Salad.

I owe a HUGE thank you to Dave at eRecipeCards.com for hosting this contest!! If you have not checked out this wonderful site, you HAVE too!!! eRecipeCards is the Home for Food Lovers, A Home for Food Bloggers who want to be found, as well as a home for Home Cooks who are looking for recipes to follow or ideas to inspire their own culinary creations!

Also, I want to thank O Olive Oils. I had so much fun cooking with your products and look forward to trying more in the future!!! Hint Hint :)

For the Pinot Noir Vinegar..... A Goat Cheese and Cranberries Salad with Port and Pinot Noir Dressing

For the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil............A Scallop Salad with Fresh Mint and Meyer Lemon Dressing.

SO,

If you are looking for a salad perfect for the cooler weather with a warm dressing, this first salad is for you!!!

First I soaked my cranberries in Tawny Port. You can see how much they swelled after sitting for 15 minutes. Both above pictures are 1/4 cup of berries.

I sauteed some chopped bacon and just as it began to crisp, I added some chopped shallot and minced garlic and cooked for about 2 minutes.

I reduced the heat and added my O Pinot Noir Vinegar and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolved. I then stirred in O Extra Virgin Olive Oil and my cranberry mixture. I seasoned it with a little salt and pepper.

I toasted my pine nuts in the oven for about 5 minutes, then removed them to cool a bowl...

...and placed my slices of goat cheese on my silicone lined baking sheet and popped it in the oven. While the cheese was melting, I combined my salad greens with my pine nuts, then tossed in the cranberry dressing.

I plated the salads and topped each with 2 or 3 slices of melted goat cheese. YUM!!!! This makes a great meal on it's own or you can add some grilled chicken.

OR,

If you are looking for a seafood salad with a wonderful combo of flavors, this next salad is for you!!!

I went to our herb garden and cut some fresh mint and cilantro, and then picked the last of the Meyers Lemons on our tree (have I ever mentioned I LOVE living in Florida?).

I removed the stems from the herbs and juiced the lemon and put it all in the bowl of my food processor along with a seeded serrano chili, 3/4 cup of coconut milk, 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil.

I blended it all together, transferred it to a bowl, covered it and placed it in the fridge while I prepared the scallops.

I drained the scallops on paper towels and removed the tough abductor muscle.

I heated the clarified butter in my pan. Clarified butter works best because it has a higher smoke point and will not burn as quickly as regular butter. It is pretty easy to make it at home (check out my Nov 2009 post) or it can be found in most kitchen stores. I thought about browning the scallops in the O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, but these oils are NOT for frying. They are a more delicate oil made from the first press of the olives.

Once the butter was hot, I placed the scallops into the pan and turned the heat up to high. I turned them when they started to cook up the sides and turn opaque and the bottoms were a nice golden brown.

When the bottoms began to turn lightly brown, I removed them from the pan to a plate. While the scallops were browning I whisked 1/3 cup Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar in a small bowl and seasoned with a little salt and pepper.

To serve, I tossed the salad greens with vinaigrette in large bowl and then divided the salad among plates.

I tossed the scallops with 1/2 cup mint-lemon mixture and placed them on top of the salad. I garnished each with some chopped mint, cilantro, and basil leaves.

When I serve this salad, I always pass the remaining mint-lemon dressing. Some like me like it SAUCY, some don't. This salad is very versatile, you can substitute shrimp for the scallops. Also, you can use regular lemon juice or lime juice as a substitute for the Meyers lemon juice.

Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon, Dried Cranberry and Pinot Vinegar and Port Dressing

(print recipe)

1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup tawny port
5 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup O Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup O Pinot Noir vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 log soft goat cheese, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
mixed salad greens
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Combine cranberries and port in heavy small saucepan.   Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; let stand until cranberries swell, about 15 minutes.

Saute pancetta (or bacon) in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.   Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes.   Reduce heat, add O Pinot Noir Vinegar and sugar; stir until just until sugar dissolves, stir in O Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cranberry mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made 2 hours ahead.   Set aside in skillet at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350F.   Place goat cheese slices on a silicone lined baking sheet. Meanwhile, combine salad greens and pine nuts in bowl.

Rewarm dressing and pour over salad; toss to blend.

Top with warm goat cheese and serve.

Scallop Salad with Fresh Mint and Meyer Lemon Dressing

(print recipe)

Mint-Meyer Lemon mixture:
1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
3/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup Meyer Lemon juice
1/4 cup O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 serrano chile, seeded
Salad:
1 pound sea scallops
clarified butter
1/3 cup O Meyer Lemon Oil
2 tablespoons O Champagne wine vinegar
10 cups mixed greens
1 cup mixed fresh mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and small basil leaves

For mint-lemon mixture:
Puree all ingredients in processor. Cover and refrigerate. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

For salad:
Pan sear scallops in clarified butter.

Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Toss greens with vinaigrette in large bowl. Divide salad among plates.

Toss scallops with 1/2 cup mint-lemon mixture; divide among plates. Garnish with mint, cilantro, and basil leaves. Serve, passing remaining mint-lemon mixture separately.

O Olive Oil Put to The Saucy Gourmet Taste Test

2011-12-01T06:24:00.000-05:00

I was so thrilled when I opened my box and I had received a bottle of O Meyer Lemon Oil and O Pinot Noir Vinegar, HOW PERFECT FOR ME!!! I immediately went to O Olive Oils to learn EVERYTHING!! Gotta admit, I was IMPRESSED! In case you are wondering, as I was, the "O" stands for Organic. You have to follow them on Face Book, the ideas they share are fantastic!!!

There are two parts to the contest, a Product Review and a Recipe Challenge. Darn, I have to taste this wonderful product and then I get to cook with it.

This is part one of the contest.....THE TASTING.

I started with the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. First thing that I noticed was the aroma. Sometimes when I first open a bottle of Olive Oil, I get an overwhelming olive smell that is almost musky, but not with this oil. I did not get any hint of lemon like I expected, but I was not disappointed in the taste.

I am not a fan of bread dipped straight up in olive oil, I usually prefer to blend it with some herbs. But the whole purpose of this post is a TASTE TEST, straight up. I sliced my baguette and dipped away. Thank goodness no one was watching, I gotta admit, I double dipped... TWICE!! The flavor of the Meyer Lemon in the oil is very mellow, just like the flavor of a Meyer Lemon. This oil had bold flavors of olives, with just enough flavor of the Meyer Lemon to make the perfect blend. I think this is due to the way the olives are crushed with the citrus, not infused after they are crushed. The oil gets all the flavor of the citrus which in the case of the Meyer Lemon is perfect. Since a Meyer Lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, the rind is edible, with very little pith and no bitterness. According to O Oil's website, it takes about 1½ lbs. of fresh, whole citrus to make each bottle of oil. This oil will be prefect to prepare my Scallops tomorrow night!!!

OK, I mentioned I am not a big fan of straight up Olive Oil, but I am a HUGE fan of vinegar. I love dipping bread in vinegar. So it was time to try the Pinot Noir Vinegar. I thought I saved the best for last, but it was going to be hard to top the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil!!!

Honestly, not only did I double dip TWICE, I cut a couple more pieces of bread and soaked up every last drop in the bowl!! This is a superior vinegar. As with the oil, the aroma when I opened the bottle was incredible. With some vinegars, when I first open the bottle, you get the overwhelming smell of VINEGAR, strong vinegar. I was impressed, the vinegar had as much of the aroma of wine as it did vinegar. Now don't get me wrong, this is NOT a weak vinegar. I believe it will stand up to any recipe calling for a red wine vinegar. The vinegars at O Olive Oils are made from Napa wines and aged in oak barrels with no chemicals and no preservatives. As mentioned on their website "As soon as the wine arrives from the winemaker’s cave, O’s artisans begin the ancient alchemy of turning wine to vinegar" As with cooking with wine, I won't cook with a vinegar I won't drink. I cannot wait to try this in my salad tonight. I have to prepare it tonight, or I may end up finishing off the bottle with the bread and a glass of wine.

I am going to have to order more of their products! Luckily the very good folks at O Olive Oil have provided a discount code exclusive to users of eRecipeCards.com.

20% discount on ANY order!

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Free shipping on any order totaling $60 (after discount)

Use the promo code

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My glass of wine is poured, it is time to start my Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon, Dried Cranberry and Pinot Noir Vinegar and Port Dressing. A great fall salad!!!!

4th Annual Gator Party

2011-11-29T10:52:00.001-05:00

Every year it is the same thing. I cook for days and have the house spotless, and the only thing everyone notices is the CAKE!!! But what an awesome cake it is and this year's cake was INCREDIBLE, Brie you out did yourself and I have no idea how we will EVER top this!!!! (maybe with a winning football season).

To save some time on game day, Brie did most of the gum paste decorations days in advance and then we sprayed them with polyurethane to preserve them for years to come.

This cake had everything.

Tailgators

A swamp

With hungry Gators!

Scoreboards

And an adorable airplane.

Mel and Brie should be so proud of this CENTERPIECE!!!

You guys put The Saucy Gourmet to shame.

I LOVE YOU, BRIE!!!

Individual Pork Wellingtons

2011-11-22T06:34:00.001-05:00

WOW, I CANNOT BELIEVE TOMORROW IS THANKSGIVING!!!! Gotta admit, I am running a little behind, and I have to blame Royal Caribbean Cruises. Last week, we decided instead of preparing for Thanksgiving and our annual Florida/Florida State Party; we would go on a 5 day cruise to The Bahamas. We had a great time and the food was FANTASTIC!!! Problem was/is now I am running around trying to get things ready for Thanksgiving and the 30 people coming for dinner on Saturday. Good thing is, I am running off the 5 pounds I gained on the cruise, but I cannot go "cold turkey" and not have gourmet meals for our dinners.

These wellingtons are PERFECT!! And believe me, they are so easy and versatile. They can be made with pork, beef tenderloin or chicken breast. The filling can be duexelle (mushrooms, herbs and shallots), goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, or spinach and feta; the combos are endless!!! They can be made the day before, the morning of or weeks in advance and frozen.

Matter of fact, last night's dinner were ones that I had frozen from a couple of weeks ago. I just took them out in the morning and popped them in the fridge to thaw. When it was time for dinner, I just heated them in the oven for about 20 minutes. The sauce for this recipe is wonderful. I used sweet Riesling, plum preserves and Balsamic vinegar. I whipped up a quick salad and had a gourmet meal in minutes.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY WONDERFUL READERS.
I hope everyone has a great day.
GO GATORS!!!!

Individual Pork Wellingtons

1 pound unseasoned pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons butter, divided
6 ounce portobella mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Balsamic Wine Sauce:
1/4 cup plum preserves
1/4 cup sweet wine such as a Gewurztraminer
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Rinse pork and pat dry. Cut into 4 equal pieces and pound with a meat mallet to flatten slightly. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a medium skillet; add pork and sear well on both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside. Melt remaining 2 tbsp. butter in the skillet and add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until all excess liquid has cooked off. Season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold puff pastry and cut into 4 squares. Place equal amounts of the mushroom mixture in the center of each pastry square and top with a piece of pork tenderloin. Brush pastry edges with beaten egg and fold in pastry to enclose pork and mushrooms; pinch edges to seal well. Place seam side down on a baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

To make Balsamic Wine Sauce, simmer preserves, wine and vinegar in a small saucepan for 5 minutes; let cool slightly. Serve with Wellingtons.

Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Tart

2011-11-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

Oh no! I went to use some of my tomatoes for a salad and they were all getting a little soft so they would have to be used TODAY or most likely go in the trash can tomorrow. I looked in the fridge to see what else I had that needed to be used up and there was a half log of Goat Cheese, sounds like a good combo.

Our herb garden still had plenty of basil and I had a box of puffed pastry in the freezer. I knew just how to combine it all together: a Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Tart. We were having grilled steak for dinner, so this would be a perfect match! And it is so easy too. The hardest part really is waiting for the puffed pastry to thaw.

Once it had thawed, I used my pizza cutter and cut a 1/2" strip off of each side of the rectangle. I then brushed the edge of the puff pastry rectangle and the 1/2" strips with the egg white. I used the strips to fit around the rectangle as a border. I placed the pastry on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and pierced it all over with a fork. I let it bake for 8 minutes and removed it from oven to cool for about 10 minutes.

While the pastry was cooling, I cut my campari tomatoes in half and tossed our steaks on the grill. Gordy was in charge of checking the steaks. Mine is done as soon as it sears on both sides, his is done as soon as it burns on both sides. Needless to say, I like mine rare and he likes his well done.

When the tart shell was cooled I brushed Dijon mustard over the inside surface. I added the basil leaves on top of the mustard and arranged the tomato halves on top of the basil leaves. I drizzled some extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes, scattered goat cheese on top and seasoned the tart with salt and pepper. I popped it in the oven just as Gordy was bringing the steaks in to rest. I baked the tart for 15 minutes, until golden brown. It was the perfect pairing!

Campari Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Tart

1 sheet frozen butter puff pastry, defrosted
1 large egg white
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 - 8 large fresh basil leaves
8 Campari Tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
On a clean work surface, lay out the sheet of puff pastry and cut a 1/2" strip off of each side of the rectangle. Brush the outside of the puff pastry rectangle with the egg white and cut 1/2" strip to fit around as a border. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and pierce the pastry all over with a fork. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes.

Brush Dijon mustard over the inside surface of the tart. Place basil leaves on top of the mustard and arrange Campari tomato halves on top of the basil leaves. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the Campari tomatoes and scatter goat cheese on top.

Season the tart with salt and return to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Oh So Easy, Oh So Yummy Cream of Crab Soup

2011-11-19T06:51:00.000-05:00

This soup is too good and too easy not to share, but not much to blog about. It is great alone or with a sandwich. It works great as a starter for a holiday meal or great left over the next day. So here is the recipe. It goes together in minutes. You can use canned crab or fresh, whatever you have available. You can use the recipe below or try to be healthy by switching up the heavy cream and milk (it is not near as creamy and good, but if you use 2 1/2 of skim milk and 1 cup of heavy cream, you save A LOT of calories and fat)

Cream of Crab Soup

2 cans crab meat
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2teaspoon Old Bay Seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry

Combine all ingredients except sherry. Bring to a slow boil. Remove from heat and add sherry.

Chicken Panni with Rosemary Mayonnaise

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, things get kind of busy and I lose track on time and forget to take something out for dinner. No worries, I have a fall back that is a family favorite- Chicken Panni with Rosemary Mayonnaise. And if we are really hungry, I serve it with Oh-So-Easy and Oh-So-Good Cream of Crab Soup. Sometimes I am so organized it scares even me! When I buy fresh chicken on sale, I put it in a ziploc freezer bag with a marinade, which is usually whatever leftover salad dressing I have in the fridge. I let it sit in the fridge overnight and then freeze the chicken, marinade and all. When I need a quick dinner, a fast thaw in a sink of water does the trick. This was one of those night. So out came a pack of chicken, a frozen Rosemary Focaccia bread from Sam's...

...and a quick mix of Rosemary Mayo. I combined 1/4 cup of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and about 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary.

Since I have SO much rosemary, I also sliced my red onions and tossed them with the extra rosemary.

When it was time for dinner, I heated my Cuisinart 4-in-1 Griddler and started by grilling the red onions and rosemary.

After I removed the onions from the grill, I tossed on the marinaded chicken.

I then sliced the focaccia with a serrated knife and spread each side with the Rosemary Mayo. At this point, it becomes a clean-out-the-fridge type of sandwich. Sometimes I add cheddar cheese, sometimes swiss or hot pepper. I sometimes add slice avocado or tomatoes, sometimes even bacon. I assembled what I had on hand and then put it back on the panni press.

And grilled until warm. YUM!

Homemade Pita

2011-11-12T13:54:00.001-05:00

One of our favorite light lunches is toasted pita halves with hummus. I was so excited to find out that Sabra has joined with the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program. Last week I received a coupon for a FREE Sabra product.

How perfect since we LOVE their Supremely Spicy Hummus! After picking up my hummus, it was time to make some pita!! I must admit, I have NEVER considered myself much of a baker, especially when it comes to bread. That is one of the best parts of having this food blog- it makes me try things that I might not otherwise. So I Googled homemade pita and found a recipe on a site I know and trust, Brown Eyed Baker. I just made some minor adjustments since I planned to us my Kitchen Aide for the whole process (OK, I'll admit I am lazy).

I began by adding the yeast in with the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment and "stir" speed, I mixed until well combined. While still mixing, I added the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water, and kept mixing until all of the ingredients formed a ball. NOTE - If some of the flour won't stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all of the ingredients formed a ball, I changed out the paddle attachment for the dough hook and kneaded the dough at speed "2" for 10 minutes. When the dough was done kneading, I placed it in a bowl that was lightly coated with oil. I formed a ball out of the dough and placed it into the bowl, rolling it around in the bowl so that it had a light coat of oil on all sides.

I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise until it doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it had doubled in size, I punched the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 pieces. I rolled each piece into a ball, covered the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it’ll be easier to shape.

While the dough was resting, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees. I was using two baking stone, so I put them in the oven to preheat as well. NOTE: If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough had relaxed for 20 minutes, I sprinkled a light coating of flour on a work surface and placed one of the balls of dough there. I sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and used a rolling pin and my hands to stretch and flatten the dough.

NOTE: You should be able to roll the dough out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick – 6 inches in diameter. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

I placed the discs on a lightly greased baking sheet and let them rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30 minutes. I opened the oven and placed 3 pitas on each hot stone.

They should be baked through and puffy after 3-5 minutes. If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn’t necessary. For this batch, I left them soft so I had the flexibility of reheating them in the oven or the toaster.

When the pitas had cooled, it was time for lunch! I cut 2 pitas in half and popped them in the toaster for about 2 minutes, just enough to make then slightly crunchy.

I gave the hummus a good stir and then spread a little on the warm pita.

YUM!

Homemade Pita Bread for Kitchen Aide Mixer
(adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 packet yeast
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, roughly at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening

Add the yeast in with the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment and "stir" speed, combine well. While still mixing, add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water, keep mixing until all of the ingredients form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all of the ingredients form a ball, change the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead the dough at speed "2" for 10 minutes.
When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it’ll be easier to shape.
While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick – 6 inches in diameter. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30-45 minutes. Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes. If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn’t necessary.