You Eat Like That Every Day?

Baked Eggs over Quinoa

2017-04-14T16:10:00.003-05:00

This is one of those typical dishes for me, when I wanted something for breakfast, but didn't have a lot on hand by way of "sides". I had eggs, but none of the other typical breakfast-type foods. Hey, it was grocery day !

So, I scavenged around my pantry, and found quinoa. I figured, why not ? I like both eggs and quinoa, it can't be all that bad ! It was so delicious...and if you think about how healthy this is for you, well, that's an amazing side benefit.

Baked Eggs over Quinoa

For the eggs:

6 large eggs

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Butter each cup of a 6 cup muffin tin lightly. Crack eggs into cups one at a time, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven, and bake 10-15 minutes until whites are cooked, but yolks are still soft. Remove from oven and let sit for approximately 5 minutes, until cool and set enough to remove from muffin cups.

For the quinoa:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

2 cups water (you can also use vegetable or chicken stock)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon rosemary salt

1 teaspoon pepper

In a medium sauce pan, bring water to a boil, then stir in quinoa, olive oil and butter. Reduce heat to simmer, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. You can tell when the quinoa is cooked when the liquid is mostly absorbed, and they start to break apart into little curls (approximately 20 minutes). Remove from hear, and stir in rosemary salt and pepper. Let it for a few minutes before plating, and topping with an egg (or two !).

Pistachio Caramel Monkey Bread

2017-02-14T14:29:00.000-06:00

There are probably hundreds of different recipes for monkey bread. They can be sweet or savory, put in muffin tins, or bread or cake pans. You can use almost any kind of raw dough, so creating a recipe like this is so much fun !

They had those refrigerated biscuits on sale at the grocery store, so I purchased a couple, then used what I had on hand to complete this. The pistachios are normally used as a salad topping at our house, and I have to say I would add them to this again ! So simple, and so tasty !

Pistachio Caramel Monkey Bread

2 tubes refrigerated biscuits (I used the large buttermilk variety, but any will do)

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup plus 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pistachios, shelled

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine one stick of butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, salt and pistachios. Cream together until smooth. Spread half of the mixture into the bottom of a tube or bundt pan. Melt the other stick of butter in a small bowl, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix together well. Cut biscuits into quarters, then roll each piece into a ball, and dip in the melted butter mixture. Layer "doughballs" on top of the pistachio mixture. When pan is half full (one tube of biscuits), spread remaining pistachio mixture across the biscuits, and then complete rolling the biscuit dough into balls, as above. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a bit crunchy. Immediately invert the cake pan onto a cookie sheet or platter, and let cool as long as you can keep your hands off !! Pull apart and enjoy !

Swedish Toffee Creams

2017-01-31T10:02:00.000-06:00

A very old and dear friend passed away recently, so we attended the celebration of her life this last weekend. Carol and I worked together many years ago in a department store, and shared a love of sweet treats. So, it seems fitting that her family had some amazing food at their house, as part of the tribute to her.

The one thing that stood out for me were these cookies. They were so different than anything I have had. I was discussing what might be in them, thinking it was a closely guarded family secret. As I worked on this conundrum, someone passed me the recipe ! These cookies on their own are delicate and buttery, but when you add the filling, well...

The original recipe, from Gwen Norberg (Carol's mom), recommends doubling the filling part of the recipe, so your guests and cookie aficionados can add as much filling as they like. I would agree ! I found the most efficient way to create these was to start the filling, then let it cool while you bake the cookies.

Swedish Toffee Creams

For the filling:

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 egg yolks , beaten

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

In a small saucepan. combine flour and sugar, gradually whisk in milk, then beaten egg yolks, mixing well. Cook over low head, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to boil and become thick. Remove from heat and let cool. Once mixture is completely cool, cream together butter and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and add to the cooked mixture.

For the cookies:

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup dark corn syrup

1 1/3 cups uncooked quick oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. I microwaved the butter in my mixing bowl to streamline the process. Then, stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoon full onto parchment paper, making sure to leave plenty of room in between, as they spread out quite a bit. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven, and let sit on cookie sheet for an additional 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Once the cookies are cool, spread the filling between two cookies to make a "sandwich". This is best done right before eating, so the cookies maintain their crispy texture.

Smoked Pork Green Chili

2016-12-12T08:36:00.000-06:00

I had never experienced anything like this before I moved to Denver many years ago. There aren't may restaurants that don't have some version of this on their menu, and certainly no self-respecting taco shop would be without their own"special recipe" for green chili.

My version incorporates many of our homemade sauces and canned goods, so I will offer alternates to those, unless you want to start canning ! The real key for this version was roasted hatch chiles. We grew some on our garden, but I was also able to locate some at a local grocery store for the first time this year. They are seasonal, so I roasted as many as I could get my greedy hands on, and froze them for use later. They peel very easily after being frozen, which is a bonus when you are using this many in a dish.

I wish I had taken the picture sooner...this is the aftermath of a chili cook-off I entered with this recipe. I won for the "Most Spicy" !!

Smoked Pork Green Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

12 roasted Hatch chiles, peeled and seeded

3 serrano chiles

8 cups chicken stock

3 pounds smoked pork, shredded or diced (regular roast pork will work here)

2 cups green enchilada sauce (my recipe, here or store bought

*http://eatlikethat.blogspot.com/2012/10/green-enchilada-sauce.html

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon each, salt and pepper

2 teaspoons chipotle powder

1/2 cup jalapeno hot sauce (Tabasco brand from the store)
1/2 cup masa or corn meal

2 cans Great Northern beans

In a large Dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add chiles and continue to cook until all vegetables are soft. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the beans. Adjust stock/moisture level to your tastes. Cook for approximately one hour, then stir in the beans. Simmer for at least another half hour so all flavors can combine. Serve wit your favorite garnishes, mine is this simple cilantro lime cream:

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup cilantro, leaves only

2 limes zested and juiced

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Candied Jalapenos

2016-11-07T10:40:00.001-06:00

So, what do you do when you "over-purchase" hot peppers at the Farmer's Market ? You make candied jalapenos ! I honestly have never tried these; however, I am now a huge fan. I have always loved the combination of sweet and spicy, but this takes it to a new level. The side bonus is 3 small jars of the sweet syrup, infused with peppers, which will make an amazing glaze for some Cornish game hens I have in the freezer !

These are so easy, and are great with cheese and crackers, or incorporated into a sandwich, salad or snack !

Candied Jalapenos

3 pounds red and green jalapenos, sliced

2 cups apple cider vinegar

6 cups sugar

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons hot chili powder

3 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons celery salt

In a large stock pot, mix together vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 10 minutes. Stir in sliced peppers, and cook for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, start your canner with boiling water, and reserve 10 half pint jars. Bring water to a boil, and boil jars for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, place peppers in sterilized jars. Bring remaining syrup to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Pour hot syrup over peppers up to 1/4 inch from the top of the jars. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, then cool and store. Any extra "syrup" can be canned along side the peppers, and used for glaze for meats.

Potato Leek Soup

2016-11-01T12:23:00.002-05:00

I really love this soup. It's fairly simple to make, is vegetarian, and dairy free, so easy to share with people and not worry about dietary issues.

The first time I had potato leek soups was many years ago in Ireland. Before that, potato soup for me was chunky, creamy, with bacon, maybe carrots. So, when we were served this at a dinner, I was blown away ! It still tastes creamy, warm and comforting, but was different than anything I had ever had.

This recipe makes a large batch, but freezes well, so save some for later, or share the love !

Potato Leek Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large leeks, thinly sliced and washed thoroughly (I try to choose those with the largest white portion)

5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

8 cups vegetable stock

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

2 teaspoons Vegeta (this is a salt/spice mixture available online or in ethnic food stores)

2 teaspoons pepper (or to taste)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and saute until soft. Pour in vegetable stock, then slowly add potatoes, to prevent splashing. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until potatoes are soft enough to be blended.

Using a blender or immersion mixer, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in spices, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes, tasting for seasoning. Serve hot with bread or toasted bread crumbs on top, for texture.

Garlic Confit

2016-08-17T13:13:00.002-05:00

It was quite awhile ago that I made a recipe for a sauce that called for garlic confit. So long ago, in fact, that I can't recall the original recipe. The garlic confit, however, I most definitely remember.

My husband is a big garlic fan, he will even eat the cloves raw sometimes. I like it roasted, or chopped finely and used in recipes. This confit garlic is almost like candy. You can eat it alone, or in recipes, but it also has this amazing by-product. You get a nice batch of garlic infused olive oil, which I have used for grilling vegetables or even to start an omelet, in place of butter.

And it's super simple to make. I can almost guarantee, if you like garlic, you will wind up doubling or tripling this batch !

Garlic Confit

2 cups good quality olive oil

30 cloves of garlic, peeled

In a medium sauce pan, combine olive oil and garlic. Simmer over low heat, being careful not to boil, until the garlic is soft and golden brown. Remove garlic from oil and let both cool. Store garlic in the refrigerator, and oil is fine in a bottle on the counter.

Lemon Chicken with Tortellini and Spinach

2016-08-07T21:47:00.001-05:00

I almost always find there is a "roundabout" way to my best recipes. This was one of those...

My husband saw a recipe on a friend's Facebook page, and asked if I could make it. So I purchased the ingredients needed, then set about making it. Then I started thinking...he loves tortellini, so why not use that as the pasta ? And since it was originally a lemon chicken recipe, why not marinate the chicken with lemon pepper ? I love mushrooms, I should add those as well ! Oh, wait...and onions, and a fresh tomato from the garden...

You can see where this is going. All that really remained from the original recipe was lemon, and chicken. It maybe had spinach, but at this point I had already veered away so far, what else could I do to it ? Substitute a hard goat cheese for parmesan, of course ! And this was the result:

I promised my husband I would post the recipe, so he can make this when I am not here. It may seem like a lot of steps, but it was really not hard at all !

Lemon Chicken with Tortellini and Spinach

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

Marinate with:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon agave or honey

2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Marinate at least 3 hours or overnight

For the rest of the dish:

1 small onion, diced finely

8 ounces fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 medium tomato, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used garlic infused, but any good olive oil is fine here)

2 packages cheese tortellini ( I used dry, but fresh will work as well)

3 cups fresh spinach

3 lemons, zested then juiced

1/2 cup salted butter

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

4 ounces hard goat cheese, grated (or parmesan, if you prefer)

Start a large pot of boiling water for the pasta (whatever kind you choose, following package directions). In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, remove chicken breasts from marinade and place in the pan. Cook on one side approximately 5 minutes, then turn and cook and additional 5 minutes. When chicken is lightly browned on each side, and cooked through, remove from pan. Place on a plate to cool, then cut into bite sized pieces.

Check your pasta water, you should be ready to add dried pasta at this point. If using fresh, wait...

In the same saute pan as the chicken, add the diced onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add mushrooms and tomatoes. Saute this mixture until everything is soft and combined, remove from heat. If you are making fresh pasta, add this to the pot of boiling water, and cook while you dice the chicken breast.

At this point your pasta should be cooked. Drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of liquid. Saute spinach in the liquid until it reduces down, then stir in the mushroom, onion and tomato mixture. Add the tortellini back to the pot, along with the chicken. Stir in the lemon juice, butter and pepper. Make sure it is all well combined, then top with lemon zest and grated cheese.

"Magic" Chicken with Golden Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

2016-06-16T16:19:00.002-05:00

A couple of years ago, I made a dip to take a party, made from Greek yogurt, cilantro and lime. I unfortunately left it at home, so I needed to find some way to re-purpose it. I decided it might make a good marinade, and the "magic" chicken was born.

During summer, a simple grilled meat and salad is the perfect dinner. It is simple to throw on some beets when grilling your protein, and then incorporate in your salad. Goat cheese and beets are a pretty classic combination, but I love the golden beets even more than the red, because they are more mild. This dinner was a really great summer salad !

"Magic" Chicken with Golden Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

For the chicken:
3 four ounce chicken breasts
1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 limes, zested and juiced
Salt and pepper
In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, cilantro, zest and lime juice. Salt and pepper chicken breasts generously. Place chicken in the yogurt mixture, and let marinate overnight. When ready to grill, preheat grill to high, and cook chicken 4-5 minutes on each side until completely cooked through.

For the salad:
2 medium golden beets
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups mixed greens
9-10 garlic scapes (or green onions, if these are not available)
4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
2 tablespoons pepitos
Rub the beets in the the olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place on the grill, and cook while chicken is grilling, turning frequently. Remove from grill, let cool, peel and dice. Toss scapes in olive oil and lightly grill, then chop. Arrange salad ingredients on a platter, top with your favorite dressing ( we like a citrus vinaigrette) and serve with chicken.

Pickled Ginger

2016-06-14T07:13:00.000-05:00

Post number three in the "lovely pickled things" series. Pickled ginger is mostly seen in Asian cuisine, in a strange pink form. This version is a much more zesty version, and I like to use the brine from it in vinaigrette as well. It is so versatile ! I used a mandoline to cut the ginger thinly. We actually have enjoyed just pulling a slice from the jar to snack on every now and again.

Pickled Ginger

1 cup peeled and thinly sliced fresh ginger

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pickling spice

Place ginger in a pint jar, cover with remaining ingredients, and give a jar a good shake. Let sit on the counter for one hour, or refrigerate. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Pickled Onions

2016-06-12T06:47:00.001-05:00

As a follow up the previous post, pickled onions !

We love these on so many things. And, you are starting to see these more and more on the Food Network shows, so apparently I am "trending". They are so simple to make, I keep a jar in the refrigerator all the time. Try them on tacos, burgers, pizzas...any other ideas ?

Pickled Onions

2 large red onions, sliced

1 cup cider vinegar

2 cups water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pickling spice

Place onions in a quart jar, cover with remaining ingredients, and give a jar a good shake. Let sit on the counter for one hour, or refrigerate. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Homemade Pickling Spice

2016-06-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

This might seem like a little bit of overkill, but I use this a lot at home. It's not just for dill pickles anymore. There will be a few recipes that follow where I will show you how (think pickled onions, pickled garlic, brining mix)! It is very expensive to purchase in the spice section at the regular grocery store, and if you buy these in the bulk section (in the small packages rather than the plastic containers), you can make this entire batch for the price of one 1 ounce bottle.

Homemade Pickling Spice

3 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons allspice berries
1 1/2 tablespoon ground mace
3 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
3 to 4 bay leaves, crumbled
3 tablespoons whole cloves
1 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

Place peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small saute pan. Heat and stir until fragrant, being careful not to scorch or burn them. Seeds may pop or crack while you are toasting them. Gently crack peppercorns and seeds in mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife on cutting board.

Toss together with other spices. Store in tightly sealed plastic or glass container.

Goat Cheese and Crab Alfredo with Blistered Grape Tomatoes

2016-02-18T18:51:00.002-06:00

I often joke that I am the queen of leftovers, but when there are only two people in your household, you do tend to end up with several odds and ends of food. And, I love to grocery shop, so I often have odd combinations of ingredients on hand that can make for some creative meals.

I had made goat cheese alfredo for dinner earlier in the week, but I made an enormous batch, so we had quite a bit left over. I had originally planned to make some crabmeat grilled cheese sandwiches, but I just wasn't feeling it when it came time to start dinner, and I had this large bowl of pasta to use up. Enter, the crab....

This was so easy to put together, so I will start with the alfredo recipe, and then add the other ingredients. My husband said his lunch leftovers the next day were the best lunch he has ever had. That's pretty high praise !

Goat Cheese and Crab Alfredo with Blistered Grape Tomatoes

3 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

8 ounces crab meat, flaked (you can use the imitation kind here, it will work as well)

1 pound fresh linguine

8 ounces grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons basil, cut chiffonade

Before you start the sauce, preheat the oven to 375. Toss the grape tomatoes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and place on a shallow baking sheet. Roast tomatoes in oven until the skins start to split, approximately 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest while you prepare the rest of the dish.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute garlic until soft. Add flour and stir until flour starts to turn golden. Slowly add cream and milk, and stir over low heat until sauce thickens. Start a pot of water for the pasta, salt water well. Add goat cheese, and continue to stir until melted. Stir in crab meat, and remove from heat. When water for pasta comes to a boil, add linguine, and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and combine with sauce. Serve in individual bowls, topped with tomatoes and basil.

Crispy Baked Pork Chops and Goat Cheese Creamed Spinach

2015-12-30T13:48:00.001-06:00

When we find those big pork loins on sales, we usually buy a whole one, and portion it out into nice, thick pork chops. In the summer, those are amazing on the grill, but you need to find something more creative for winter preparations.

My original idea was panko and parmesan crusted pork chops, but I couldn't find the panko, it was lost in my pantry somewhere. I did have some pressed rice we purchased at an Indian market, so I thought I could put that in the food processor with parmesan and some herbs. It was nice and crispy, we really loved it.

Then, creamed spinach...I am obsesssed. There is something so comforting about the green, creamy goodness, it was the perfect accompaniment to my crispy chops. I decided to add goat cheese at the last minute, just to make it more interesting. It was sooo good, I know you are drooling right now !

Crispy Baked Pork Chops and Goat Cheese Creamed Spinach
4 six to eight ounce pork chops, thick cut
1 cup pressed rice
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375. In food processor, combine presssed rice, parmesan cheese and spices. Pulse until crumbly, and place in a flat pan. Dip pork chops in melted butter, then roll in the pressed rice mixture. Place in a baking pan, and put in oven. Bake 45 minutes to one hour, until pork is cooked through.Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

For the spinach:
8 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Melt butter in a large sauce pan, add flour and stir constantly until completely combined and it starts to turn golden. Slowly add milk. Simmer over low heat until sauce begins to thicken, then stir in goat cheese. When cheese is completely melted, add spinach and seasoning. Continue to stir until spinach is completely cooked. To serve, place spinach on plate first, and top with pork chop.

Shiitake and Spinach Farrotto

2015-12-16T16:20:00.001-06:00

My husband thought I made up the name "Farrotto" but it is an actual thing. It's a risotto like dish made with farro. It isn't easy to find in my normal grocery store, so when I see it, I snatch it up ! And I honestly haven't made anything but farrotto with it, because this is soooo good !

It is a bit time consuming, but not hard at all. And this dish is vegetarian, could be vegan if you leave off the cheese. Farrotto doesn't get as creamy as regular risotto, but I am OK with that, because it's still very, very tasty.

Shiitake and Mushroom Farrotto

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups farro
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups fresh spinach
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shaved aged goat cheese

Add olive oil to a large saute pan over medium heat.In a separate pan, heat vegetable stock until warm, and keep it on a simmer while you are preparing the other ingredients. Add garlic and onions, and saute until both are soft. Stir in farro, and saute until farro is slightly browned. Slowly stir in the white wine. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. Start adding the vegetable stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all the liquid is absorbed. Do not get impatient during this process, or the texture will not be as nice. After the last addition of stock, stir in the spinach and mushrooms. Continue to stir gently until vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat, and sprinkle shaved goat cheese over the top. You can also use parmesan cheese here if you don't like goat cheese, but I like the strong flavor the goat cheese brings to this dish.

Chocolate Cherry Piecaken

2015-12-03T08:47:00.000-06:00

I decide I want to try to make one of these, and now suddenly it's trendy ? How did that happen ? I would think a lot of home cooks might shy away from this because it looks difficult,. I have to admit, I was a bit afraid of how to get a pie inside a cake.

Turns out, it's not that hard. And when you think about the endless flavor combinations, why wouldn't you do it ? This was my first try, so I went with a classic, cherry and chocolate. To simplify it and make it more approachable, I am only going to give instructions and technique, rather than recipes.

Trust me, you will want to make a trial run with some less expensive and less time consuming ingredients.

Chocolate Cherry Piecaken

1 batch chocolate cake batter (store bought mix is fine, or your favorite homemade recipe)

1 8 inch baked cherry pie, chilled (again, store bought, or your favorite homemade)

*tip-baking in a foil pan will assist in removal to cake later

Chocolate frosting (I wouldn't skimp here, homemade chocolate frosting is THE BEST)

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a spring form pan with non-stick spray, and line bottom with parchment paper. Pour approximately half of the cake batter in the bottom of the pan. Make sure the sides of the pie are loose from the pan, then gently, but quickly, invert the pie into the spring form pan, on top of the batter. You did it ! Success ! Then evenly pour the remaining batter over the top of the pie. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely, remove from spring form pan and frost.

Goose Meatballs with Red Sauce

2015-12-01T13:13:00.002-06:00

I know, it's going to seem like all wild game, all the time for a bit...

Everyone wanted to know if I was going to make sausage with some of the meat I have stocked away. I hate to admit it, but that's not one of my favorite things to make, or eat. It did get me thinking about spaghetti and meatballs, however. Who doesn't love those !

These were much simpler to make than even I could have imagined. Add some homemade red sauce, and noodles, and you won't even know the difference between these and regular, super tasty meatballs !

Goose Meatballs with Red Sauce

2 pounds goose meat, cut into small chunks

1 pound ground pork

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 to 1 cup water

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Using a meat grinder (I just used the small one for the Kitchen Aid mixer, it worked like a champ!), grind the goose meat and garlic cloves together. Mix together the remaining ingredients except the oil. Adjust water so that the meatballs are very moist, but not watery. In a large fry pan, heat oil until meatballs sizzle when added. Brown meatballs on all sides, but do not completely cook through. Add them into the simmering red sauce, once it is complete.

Red Sauce
2 quarts tomato juice
2 quarts diced tomatoes
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 ribs celery, cut in large chunks
1 large onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
Bunch of basil, oregano, parsley and thyme, tied together.

Place everything in a large stock pot together, and simmer slowly for 6-8 hours. Drain or scoop out all the large bits, and let it return to a simmer. Add meatballs, when they are cooked.

Cook all of these together, for approximately 30-40 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Serve over your favorite pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese, if you wish.

Goose Stroganoff

2015-10-20T08:50:00.001-05:00

I am so fortunate to have a coworker who loves to hunt, but doesn't know how to cook ! The deal we made is, he hunts, I cook, and we split the results.

I have to admit, the only goose I have ever had is roasted, or jerky. I know it can be very gamey tasting, so the challenge was to transform it into something that anyone would say..."WOW ! That's really good, what is it ?" This recipe totally fits the bill. The goose meat is so rich, the sauce complements it perfectly. You won't even know it's a waterfowl, it is so amazing. If you don't have access to wild goose meat, find some !

Sorry no picture, we ate some and I gave away the rest. Trust me, it was delectable !

Goose Stroganoff

3 pounds goose meat, skinned and deboned

1 bottle pinot noir, split

2 tablespoons Montreal grill spice

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 small onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 quart been stock

1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1 cup sour cream

The night before, mix together 3/4 of the bottle of wine, grill spice and cinnamon. Add goose meat, and marinate overnight. In the morning, remove meat from the marinade and dice into bite sized pieces. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper, and toss the meat in the mixture. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven, and sear meat until brown on all sides. Place meat, onions, garlic and beef stock in a crock pot. Deglaze pan with the remaining wine, and add to the crock pot. Stir in spices. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, until meat is tender. Turn heat to high, and add mushrooms. In a small jar, shake the milk and flour together, and add to the crock pot. Let thicken for 1 hour, then stir in sour cream. Serve over buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Hatch Green Chili Egg Souffle

2015-10-12T08:37:00.003-05:00

I started out wanting to make something like a chile relleno casserole, but I wanted it to be crunch, like a real chile relleno, and it wasn't. As it turned out, it was fluffy, cheesy, and spicy, making a perfect brunch/lunch/dinner dish.

You could use roasted poblanos, if you can't get the hatch chiles.

Hatch Green Chile Egg Souffle

12 roasted Hatch green chiles
8 cups Mexican quesadilla cheese (cheddar jack can substitute)
8 eggs
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
5 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons flour
Chili powder and green onions to garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9 by 13 pan with non-stick spray. Scrape charred skins from chiles and de-seed. Flatten and make a layer on the bototm of the pan with 6 of the chiles. Spread half of the cheese over, then layer the rest of the chiles, and the remainder of the cheese. In a blender, mix the eggs. milk, salt, pepper, garlic and flour until smooth and foamy. Pour over cheese and chiles. Sprinkle with chili powder, and place in oven. Bake for 415-60 minutes unti puffy and middle is set. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, then garnish with green onions and serve.

Creamy Biscoff Liquer

2015-09-21T12:11:00.001-05:00

For years, I made homemade Irish Cream. I mean, I made gallons of it. It's good, don't get me wrong. I loved that I could control the level of flavors, the amount and kind of booziness. It just got a little predictable. Every party, every event, it was expected.

Then I saw this recipe:

http://www.celebrationgeneration.com/blog/2012/12/11/creamy-nutella-liqueur/

It seemed similar, but not the same. So I tried it. It is good, but I kept thinking I could use this as a base for something even more unusual. Then, I discovered Biscoff. I never knew this existed. Who knew they had pureed cookies into a peanut butter like consistency ? And it is sooo yummy....

So here is what we refer to in my house as "Boozy Cookie". Drink at your own risk !

Creamy Biscoff Liquer

1 cup creamy Biscoff spread

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups vodka (less if you want it a little less boozy)

Place Biscoff, sugar and vanilla in a sauce pan. Simmer over low until mixture starts to warm, then slowly add cream one quarter of a cup at a time, stirring thoroughly. Warm through until mixture is completely melted, then stir in vodka. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. This tastes best when it sits overnight. Shake well before serving.

Old School Chicken ala King

2015-03-06T08:23:00.000-06:00

Everyone has that favorite dish that reminds them of their childhood. In many cases, it was some pre-packaged food your mom prepared for convenience, and you might love the memory of it more than you would if you actually ate it today.

Or in the case of this one, they simply don't make the boil in a bag chicken ala king that my husband loved as a child. So, I couldn't really do any testing with this one, I just had to go from memory.

I am going to guess my version has a bit more chicken than the old school kind. But otherwise, the flavor was very, very close. Once it's complete, you have another dilemma...do you serve it with toast or noodles ? Ray said toast, I wanted noodles, so we did both. Equally good, and this makes amazing leftovers !

Old School Chicken ala King

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 cups chicken stock

1 large onion, finely diced

1 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1 cup frozen peas

1 small jar pimientos

1 small jar mushrooms

Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken breasts in chicken stock, and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove from the stock and cut into bite size pieces (you will want to let them cool a bit to make them easier to handle). While chicken is cooling, add onion to the stock, and increase heat to medium. Cook until onion is tender, about 10 minutes, then reduce heat back to low. In a jar or container, combine milk and flour and shake until well blended. Slowly stir mixture into the stock, to avoid lumps. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, then add the chicken back in, along with the peas, mushrooms and pimientos. Continue to simmer until the sauce is the consistency you like, and peas are cooked through. Taste, and add salt and pepper as you like.

Shakshuka-Spicy Tomato Stew with Eggs

2015-03-03T09:58:00.000-06:00

Anyone who knows me knows I am a Food Network addict. There are times when my husband thinks our television doesn't get any other channels ! So, many of my recipe inspirations come from things I have seen on shows there. I especially love the competition shows.

I can't remember on which show I first saw shakshuka, but I do remember it was a breakfast challenge of some sort. I make a similar dish that has spinach and chick peas, but this one seems so much more interesting. And then, it seemed like it was stalking me...it kept popping up on TV, and then suddenly on my news feed, it was everywhere ! So, of course, I had to try to make it myself. I followed a recipe the first time, to make sure I had the technique, then I made it from memory. So, this is my version. Apparently, from the research I did, it is North African in origin, but there are many different versions, with different levels of spice. This one was quite spicy, and the feta adds a nice, creamy texture. We ate it for dinner, but you could do breakfast, brunch, it would be good any time of day.

Shakshuka-Spicy Tomato Stew with Eggs

1 large or 2 small onions, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small serrano pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 quart chopped tomatoes

1-2 teaspoons salt, to taste

1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste

6 ounces feta cheeese, crumbled

6 eggs

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. In a large, oven proof skillet, heat olive oil over low heat. Add onions, red pepper, serrano and garlic,and slowly saute until all are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add cumin, paprika, and chipotle powder, and stir until spices start to brown, 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, and simmer until sauce starts to thicken, 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and feta. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste. Make a small well for each egg, and drop into the tomato sauce. Place the skillet on the center rack of the oven, and bake 8-10 minutes, just until eggs are set. Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with cilantro. You can add extra hot sauce at this point if you like, but it shouldn't need it.

You can serve this with crusty bread or pita, but we just eat it straight out of the bowl.

Can Can Taco Soup

2015-02-23T11:39:00.002-06:00

I know, it's all canned stuff, you say !

But, most people have most of these things on hand, or could easily have access to them, and that was my goal. On a cold winter day, everyone needs a "one pot wonder" they can whip up in just a few minutes. And that's where the idea for this came from.

I love anything with some Mexican flavor, and if it requires little preparation, even better ! So, grabbing some canned items, throwing them in a pot and heating them up seems like the perfect solution for a quick dinner. The refried beans in this virtually disappear, they really are just there to add a richness to the soup. You can add or subtract to this as you like, or it is delicious, just on its own.

Can Can Taco Soup

1 jar of your favorite salsa (I like hot, but you choose your temperature)

1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes with green chiles

1 small can green chiles

1 small can refried beans

1 can garbanzo beans

2 cans Mexi-corn (with peppers), not drained

2 cans canned chicken
1 can green enchilada sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Open all of the cans, and put in a large pot. Heat all of these together, until bubbly and hot. Add ins, if you choose:

Pasta

Quinoa

Cheese

Sour Cream

Jalapenos

Now, this isn't quite as inexpensive as my other pantry soups, but if you leave out the chicken, it comes in at under $1.00 a serving !

Hangover Huevos Rancheros

2015-01-02T16:35:00.000-06:00

This started out as a conversation about New Year`s Day food traditions. My husband asked me if we had any, and I said it's really about hangover food, isn't it ? When I think about what I want after over indulging, I think greasy or spicy. When I proposed these options to my spouse, he chose spicy, and here we are.

I started soaking the beans before we left for the evening festivities. When we arrived home in the wee small hours, I put them in the crock pot with some spices, and set it to low. We woke up to some completely cooked, spicy beans, which we topped with cheese, sour cream, salsa and over easy eggs. Oh, on top of tortillas as well, in case you are in no shape to use utensils.

Hanogover Huevos Rancheros

1 pound dried pinto beans
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Presoak beans overnight, rinsing, then covering with water, about 2 inches over the top of the beans. Soak 6-8 hours. Roughly 8-10 hours before you will be ready to eat, rinse beans and place in crockpot. Add spices, and cover with water, about 8 cups. Turn on low, and let cook until beans are tender. Turn off the crockcrock, and mash with a potato masher.

To assemble:
6-8 flour tortillas
6 eggs
Salsa
Sour Cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
When ready to eat, place tortillas between two paper plates, and heat in microwave for 45 seconds. Cook eggs to your liking, and serve with salsa, sour cream and cheese.

Post Thanksgiving Mini Breakfast Frittatas

2014-11-28T11:19:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love planning the menu, cooking all the food, and I especially love the leftovers !

This was an idea I had to use up some of the massive amount of stuffing we have left from dinner. I wanted to re purpose some of it into a breakfast dish, and these little guys turned out perfectly. So good, in fact, that we are running out to get more eggs so we can have more !

These are good warm or cold, and you can freeze them easily, and have a grab and go breakfast later.

Post Thanksgiving Mini Breakfast Frittatas

1 1/2 cups leftover stuffing
1/4 cup leftover mashed potatoes
4 eggs
2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 6 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray. Divide stuffing evenly into muffin cups, then top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Place eggs in a bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Pour eggs into muffin cups, then top with bacon. Bake for 20 minutes, then top each muffin with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes, then enjoy !

For more Thanksgiving leftover ideas, check out my podcast with Fresh and Local !

http://www.mplsfarmersmarket.com/FreshNews/fresh-local-podcast-lisa-zara-leftovers/