Eating and Cooking

Comfort Food Makeover: Chicken Fried Steak

2013-07-12T19:01:00.001-07:00

My kitchen has been churning out a steady stream of recipes from my newest cookbook: America's Test Kitchen Comfort Food Makeovers. Full of delicious recipes with 50-75% less fat and calories. What's not to love???

Today, I give you:

Chicken Fried Steak

Calories: 993 down to 580, Grams of fat: 65 - down to 20, all thanks to baking, not frying, and a really unique secret ingredient.

For the Steaks:

2 Boneless Strip Steaks, cut in half and pounded 1/2 thick

1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Flour

2 oz Funyuns (!), crushed

4 Egg Whites, beaten

1 Tb Canola Oil

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. Spread Panko on baking sheet and toast at 425 until golden.
Line a baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top and spray with cooking oil.
Get 3 dishes, flour in one, egg whites in the next, toasted panko, funyun crumbs, oil, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Dip steaks in flour, then egg, then panko. Press panko lightly to adhere.
Roast steaks until 150-155 degrees, about 10 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

While the steaks are in the oven make your gravy.

For the Gravy:

4 oz Breakfast Turkey Sausage

1 1/2 Cups Milk, 2%

2 tsp Cornstarch

Salt & Pepper

Cook sausage until no longer pink.
Stir in 1 cup of milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
To avoid lumps whisk together 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl, then gradually whisk into gravy.
Simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Pineapple Relish

2013-01-19T17:19:00.003-08:00

I got a new cookbook over the holidays!

Thanks Mom & Dad

In case you haven't already gleaned it, Americas Test Kitchen is my absolute favorite cooking show/book/website. I'm really excited to go through this book full of quicker, easier recipes. I've made a few already and bookmarked MANY more dishes I can't wait to try.

First up: this simple spice rubbed pork chop. I halved the recipe to feed 2, you can easily double it to feed 4.

Spice Rub
3/4 tsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cayenne

Rub 3/4 to 1 inch thick boneless pork chops with the spice rub
In a nonstick skillet heat some oil on medium. Cook pork chops about 5 minutes on each side. The brown sugar in the rub will burn if the heat is too high, be careful.
Once the chops reach 145-150 degrees remove from pan and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the relish. Wipe the skillet with paper towels.

Pineapple Relish

1 cup Pineapple pieces

1 Tbs Brown Sugar

1 Tbs Lime Juice

1 Tbs Cilantro

Add the pineapple, brown sugar and lime juice to the skillet. Heat on high for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

My wife said it was one of the best pork chops she's ever had and she can't wait for me to make it again.

Croque Monsieur

2012-12-29T16:03:00.001-08:00

Did you know that a humble grilled ham & cheese sandwich becomes a French bistro classic if you use Gruyére cheese? Well you do now! Behold the Croque Monsieur! The best use of leftover holiday ham.

Tips:
- Don't be shy with the butter!
- Grate your cheese; slices won't melt well.
- Add a small amount of your favorite mustard.
- To melt your cheese without burning your bread grill your sandwich in a skillet then finish it in the oven or microwave.

Chris' Ultimate Pumpkin Bread

2012-12-14T05:05:00.000-08:00

Hooray for my first Baking post!

If you're anything like me you'll agree that there is no such thing as Fall without Pumpkin. Pie, Bread, Muffins, Seeds, Ice Cream, Lattes and Coffee Creamer, Rolls, even snuck into Mac n' Cheese. Give me ALL THE PUMPKINS!!!

This recipe is adapted and expanded from the very incomplete Bobby Flay recipe here http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500191_162-2104698.html

Preheat oven to 350

In this Pan:

1 Stick unsalted butter
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Ground Clove
1/4 Tsp Ground All Spice
1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger

Melt the butter on low heat and add the spices. Swirl them in the pan until your entire house is WONDERFULLY fragrant. This blooms the spices and really takes the flavor to another level. You may need to turn the heat up to medium low, butter should be warm and fragrant, not foaming. Remove from heat and let the butter cool.

Whisk together:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour (10 ounces)
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt

In baking it's always important to use the correct amounts of dry ingredients. It's best to weigh your flour. If you have a kitchen scale, now is the time to use it.

Whisk together:

2 eggs, beaten
15 ounces Canned Pumpkin
Spiced Melted Butter, Cooled
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently until just incorporated. Pour into a buttered and floured 9" loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 1 hour. Or as long as you can stand ;)

Awesome bonus: Store the bread in a airtight container and it will actually become MORE moist and sweet overtime thanks to the brown sugar!

OH, and did I mention my wife's HONEY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING?!?!
Just blend Cream Cheese, Honey and Powdered Sugar.

Pizza Margherita

2012-12-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Behold! The mother of all Pizzas! Classic, thin, simple pizza that is strikingly similar to the "real" pizza they make in Italy (or Brooklyn). If this recipe sounds good you should also check out my Calzone post (Click Here) and also my Veggie Pizza post (Click Here).

Since this is a very simple dish with a very short ingredient list, quality ingredients are paramount. Use San Marzano tomatoes, Fresh Whole Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and good quality Olive Oil along with your preferred Pizza Dough.

All Purpose Pizza Sauce: In a food processor, process a few tomatoes with a pinch of salt, a small crushed clove of garlic and a tablespoon or so of olive oil.

Bellisimo!

Pizza Tips:

Rest your dough! Even if you're using fresh store bought dough it's always best to let it rise and relax in a warm area for as long as possible. The texture will be better and it will be easier to roll/stretch out.
Make/buy your dough ahead of time! You can freeze it!
Make your sauce ahead of time! You can freeze it!
Don't over sauce your dough or use too many toppings with a high moisture content, such as fresh veggies. The top of your crust will be doughy and underdone.
When using pepperoni: place between layers of paper towel and microwave for a short time (30 secs to a minute). You'll be amazed how much grease comes out. Added bonus: your pepperoni will be nice and crisp when they come out of the oven.
Use plenty of olive oil on your pizza pan. It tastes great and will keep your pizza from sticking.
Cook your pizza on a lower oven rack at a high temperature, 400-500 degrees.

Presto!

If this recipe sounds good you should also check out my Calzone post and also my Veggie Pizza post.

Italian Oven Fries

2012-11-02T02:08:00.000-07:00

Making homemade fries isn't the easiest, cheapest, or healthiest thing in the world. Sometimes it IS worth it but sometimes you need a good oven fry recipe. I'm not sure how much healthier these are but you won't need a big pot of oil so no hot fat popping onto your arms/face/clothes/stovetop.

These fries go great with my Turkey Sliders! Check them out here: http://eatinandcookin.blogspot.com/2012/10/turkey-burger-sliders.html

Todays recipe is brought to you by: http://www.marthastewart.com/349033/italian-fries

Ingredients:

Russet Potatoes, Sliced (approx 1/3 inch thick)

Olive Oil

Butter, cut into little cubes

Romano Cheese, Grated

Salt & Pepper

Dried Italian Herbs (Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Parsley etc)

Ready for the oven

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400, Slice potatoes and rinse them in cold water, then dry them on paper towels.
Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with Olive Oil. Evenly coat with the Dried Herbs and plenty of Grated Romano Cheese. Don't skimp on the cheese!
Optional (but not really) - Sprinkle a modest about of butter evenly across the baking sheet.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of your fries, turning the fries over halfway through. Take them out when they are Golden and season immediately with Salt & Pepper.

PRO TIP: 50 minutes is too long to wait for fries IMO. Next time I'm definitely going to par-cook them in the microwave first. After the potatoes are sliced, rinsed and dried put them in a microwave safe dish, toss with the olive oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook at least 5 minutes on high. This should cut the oven time in half.

Ready for the plate

Ready for YOUR FACE!

Try these fries with this Turkey Slider recipe! So good! http://eatinandcookin.blogspot.com/2012/10/turkey-burger-sliders.html

Turkey Burger Sliders

2012-10-30T01:55:00.000-07:00

Trying out some new recipes from a new cookbook (a gift from my in-laws, Thanks!) This is the first time I've ever bothered making sliders instead of full sized burgers but It's always nice to try something different. Of course you could just make these into 4 full sized quarter pound patties if you want. A nice tasty, and healthier, alternative to cheeseburgers. The Wife and I enjoyed them a lot with a side of Italian Oven Fries.

This recipe is adapted from The Chew Cookbook from the show on ABC. Click here to see/watch the recipe http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Turkey-Sliders-Clinton-Kelly. In my adaptation I dropped the egg white, added some cheese for extra flavor, reduced the onion and toasted the buns and cooked the patties in BUTTER!!!

Makes 8 Sliders or 4 Quarter Pounders

Ingredients:

1 Lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Yellow Onion, Grated (about 1/2 Cup)
2 Tbs Dijon Mustard
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Romano Cheese, Grated (or Parmesan, Asiago or another hard, dry cheese)
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

8 Potato Buns, Slider Buns, Dinner Rolls etc

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl lightly beat the Yolk then add the Turkey, Mustard, Cumin, Romano, Onion, Salt & Pepper.
Add some of the Bread Crumbs and begin to mix until combined. Add more bread crumbs as necessary for the mixture to be cohesive. Don't over mix!
While you let the mixture sit melt some Butter on medium heat in a skillet and toast your Buns. Once toasted remove buns and wipe out the skillet with paper towels.

Mmm... Toasty Buns!

Heat oil on medium heat in the skillet while you shape the mixture into 8 equal patties. Once the oil is hot add a bit of butter to the skillet and swirl the oil and butter together. Put the patties in the pan and leave them alone for 4 minutes. Season the top with extra salt & pepper. Then, turn them over and give them (at least) 4 minutes on the other side.

Note: It's very important that the turkey gets fully cooked to 165 F. Use a meat thermometer or cut into one of the sliders. There should be NO pink and the juices should be clear. Don't worry about over cooking them, the grated onion and breadcrumbs will make sure they stay juicy.

Before

After

Spread the buns with Mayo, Ketchup and Dijon and top with tomato and lettuce. You may need to toothpick the sliders together.

Oven Fries Recipe Coming Soon!

YUM!

Spaghetti al Limone

2012-10-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Time for another easy, yet impressive, delicious weeknight pasta dish. All you'll need to make this dish is a few simple ingredients and a little trick. This is the first time I've tried this recipe and it came out really good. This is definitely going to be something we make often from now on.

As usual this recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. Click here to watch the video recipe. I love their show, books and sites and so should you!

If you like this recipe definitely check out my Pesto Alla Trapanese post, also from ATK.

Sic Parvis Magna - Greatness from small beginnings

Zest and juice 1-2 lemons, mince 1 medium shallot and grate 1 oz of Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/2 cup grated). You can do this as you bring the water to a boil and/or as the pasta cooks.
Boil 4 quarts of water, seasoned with 1 TB Salt. Don't over salt the water. Boil 1 LB of Pasta according to box directions. I prefer thin spaghetti.
Before you drain the pasta reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water AND at least a 1/4 more for later. This starchy pasta water is an important ingredient, don't skip this step!
Return empty pot to stove on medium heat. Add 1 TB Olive Oil and 1 minced Shallot. Cook for 2 minutes; stir occasionally.
Pour in the 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water and 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream. Simmer for 2 minutes. Make sure you use cream and NOT half and half or milk. The cream balances the lemons acidity and helps coat the pasta.
TURN OFF THE HEAT. Quickly add your cooked pasta, 3 Tbs Olive Oil, 2 Tsp Lemon Zest, 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice, 1 Oz Parmigiano Reggiano and 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper. Toss to combine, then cover and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add up to an additional 1/4 cup of pasta water if you want a thinner sauce. Add Salt & Pepper to taste. Top with chopped fresh basil and some more grated parmigiano. Serve immediately with bread.

Quick. Easy. Delicious.

For another great pasta dish check out my Pesto Alla Trapanese post, also from America's Test Kitchen.

More great pasta recipes from America's Test Kitchen.

Beef Tacos, Burritos, Nachos and Tortilla Pizzas

2012-09-28T01:09:00.000-07:00

IT'S TACO NIGHT!!! Nothing authentic about it but it's time for some crazy-tasty ground beef in a crispy corn shell with a ton of toppings! You can (AND SHOULD!) double this recipe to feed a crowd or to ensure you have lots of leftovers to make delicious Burritos,Tortilla Pizzas and Nachos!! The flavor far surpasses a packet of taco seasoning and any fast food taco filling. We make this one all the time, it's SO good and easy.

This is yet another recipe from Americas Test Kitchen. They know their stuff, check them out.

I <3 this book.

First, get your spices ready in a small bowl.

2 Tbs Chili Powder

1 Tsp Cumin

1 Tsp Coriander

1/2 Tsp Oregano, dried

1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Tsp Salt

Next, chop a medium yellow onion while you heat a few teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, then add 3 cloves of crushed garlic. Cook 1 minute more.
The skillet should still have some oil in it, if not add a touch more. Add the seasoning and stir for 1 minute. This step really brings out a ton of flavor from the spices, and It's makes your house smell great!
Add 1 lb of 90% lean ground beef and break it up. If you don't use 90% you'll wind up with orange, greasy meat.
While the meat is cooking combine the following in a cup:

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth, low sodium
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
2 Tsp Vinegar, preferably cider
1 Tsp Brown sugar, preferably dark

Once the meat is no longer pink add the liquid mixture to the skillet. Stir and let simmer uncovered for at least 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone.

It should look like this

While the meat is simmering you can fry your tortilla shells (I recommend Mission brand extra thin yellow corn tortillas) or warm flour tortillas for burritos:

Then get your favorite toppings ready:

Tomato, Avocado, Onion, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Sour Cream, Black Beans and the ever present Chipotle Tabasco

You have no idea how hard it was tot take this picture before devouring these!

Seriously. Make these. And invite me over.
Also check out my Enchiladas Verdes and Mexican Meatballs

Enchiladas Verdes

2012-09-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Corn Tortillas filled with Chicken, Cilantro and Monterey Jack covered with a Chile & Tomatillo sauce and topped with Queso Fresco and Crema Mexicana (sour cream). This one ain't for a weeknight, trust me, but if you're looking for an amazing weekend meal or just have the extra time or inclination these make an impressive, delicious dinner. While this recipe does have a fair amount of steps and clean up it's really straight forward, not too complicated at all. Of course, if you want to simplify this recipe you can skip the sauce and just make some great Chicken Taco Filling.

This recipe is adaptated (yet again) from Americas Test Kitchen. Those guys are awesome. Watch their shows on PBS and Check out their website: http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=14761&incode=M**ASCA00

AND this cookbook is amazing! I use it all the time!

1 Lb Chicken Breasts, skinless
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
1 Med Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Tsp Garlic, pressed/minced
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Coriander

First, lets poach the chicken. You could poach it in water but that'd be bland and boring. So, chop a yellow Onion, saute it, add the Garlic, Cumin and Coriander and cook for 30 seconds until wonderfully fragrant. Pour in the low sodium Chicken Broth. Bring your enhanced chicken broth to a simmer and add 1 pound of skinless chicken breasts (I used bone-in today but boneless is easier). Cover, let the chicken simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken is 160 degrees. Don't forget to turn the chicken over half way through. Remove chicken and let cool. Reserve at least 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.

Swimming in flavor

While the chicken is cooling lets make our sauce.

3 Med Poblano or Jalapeno Chiles
1 1/2 Lbs Tomatillos
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Garlic, pressed/minced
1/4 Cup Cooking Liquid (our enhanced chicken broth)

Preheat your broiler. The recipe calls for Poblanos. I have trouble finding them around here, even at the super mercado, so tonight I'm using a mix of Anaheim and Jalapeno. Any green chiles will work. Halve the chiles and remove the ribs and seeds (if you love heat leave some jalapeno ribs/seeds). Remove the paper husk from the tomatillos and give them a quick rinse. If you have large tomatillos cut them in half as well. Toss the chiles and tomatillos in a bit of vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Broil on the middle rack until they begin to get black and charred. Rotate the sheet for even cooking. Let cool.
Once cool enough to handle peel the blackened skin off the chiles. Leave the skin on the tomatillos. Throw the roasted chiles, tomatillos, garlic, salt, sugar and cooking liquid in a large food processor or blender and pulse until slightly chunky. Give your sauce a taste, it may need a touch more sugar or cooking liquid.

Before

After

Ready!

Now that the sauce is ready and the chicken has cooled lets finish our filling and tortillas and get this bad boy in the oven.

1 1/2 Cups Monterey Jack, grated
1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped

Shred the chicken, grate the cheese and chop the cilantro and toss together in a bowl. Add salt to taste. You can also add more cumin or anything else you like now.

All that's left is to prep your tortillas and fill them. I recommend Mission brand extra thin yellow corn tortillas.

Quickly fry 12-14 tortillas in a small amount of very hot (but not smoking) corn oil, about 10-15 seconds each. Put each tortilla between paper towels as you go.

Enchiladas Assemble!!

Preheat your oven to 350. Get a 13x9 glass baking dish and pour enough sauce to cover the bottom.
Fill each tortilla with 1/4-1/2 cup filling, depending on tortilla size and roll. Place enchiladas seem side down in the dish. Repeat until dish is full or you are out of filling or tortillas. (At this point you can refrigerate the dish overnight and bake when ready, just increase the baking time)
Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce and top with Queso Fresco, Monterey Jack or your cheese of choice. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Like this!

Serve immediately with crema and a side of black beans.

These are SO good! AND as good as they are tonight they are EVEN better the next day! Make them for people you love, then ask them to to the dishes ;)

Quick Pic: Better BLTs

2012-09-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

What's the difference between an OK sandwich and a GREAT sandwich? Doing that little bit extra. Get a loaf of good bread, slice it and toast it gently. Then step up the flavor with with a tasty spread. I'm not a big Mayonnaise fan but if you mix it with smokey Chipotle Tobasco and put it on a bacon sandwich the results are amazing. The smokey heat of the Chipotle with the salty & sweet smokiness of Applewood Smoked Bacon make this sandwich a cut above the rest.

Toasted French Bread, Roma Tomatoes, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Baby Spinach and Chipotle Mayo. The only thing missing is some nice avocado. Mine weren't quite ripe yet.

Drooling? Make it! Like it? Got some sandwich secrets of your own? Let me know in the comments!

Breakfast Burritos for the Freezer

2012-09-16T18:16:00.002-07:00

I LOVE breakfast burritos. I also love to spend as little time as possible on breakfast on a workday. So I'm making Sunday's breakfast and breakfast for the whole week in one fell swoop.

I got my inspiration from Kim's blog Stirring the Pot here: http://mykentuckyhome-kim.blogspot.com/2012/09/lets-talk-freezer-meals-burritos.html
and also Here:http://mykentuckyhome-kim.blogspot.com/2012/08/spicy-chorizo-zucchini-and-egg.html
She's got lots of good stuff posted, check her out.

I'm cooking up Chorizo, Zucchini, Onion and Potato, along with a big batch of Scrambled Eggs and topping them off with Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Manchego cheese and Chipotle Tobasco sauce.

Looks good. Smells even better.

Fill em

Wrap em, stack em

This is the first time I've thrown a Zucchini in the mix and it was fantastic! They were so good we were lucky to get 5 (out of 9) into the freezer for later! Looking forward to breakfast this week. I'm also looking forward to trying this filling in a taco as well.

Freeze em

Here's a rough recipe. Exact measurements aren't essential:

1 Small Zucchini (Diced)

1 Small Onion (Diced)

2 Small Potatoes (Diced)

1/2 - 3/4 Lb Chorizo

Cook the Chorizo on med-high first, try to get some browning on it, once cooked through add the veggies. Lower heat and cover. Let the veggies soften and the flavors meld. Pour mix into a bowl, scrap out the pan and melt butter and scramble the eggs.

9 Eggs

1 Big Splash Milk/Half and Half/Cream

1-2 Tbs Butter

Salt & Pepper

You know how to scramble eggs, right?

What do you think of this filling? What do you put in your breakfast burritos? Make it? Like it? Let me know in the comments!

Albondigas

2012-09-13T21:27:00.001-07:00

Mexican Meatballs in a Chipotle Tomato Sauce over Rice. It's a little bit like Mexican Spaghetti and Meatballs. If you like Albondigas Soup you'll like this spicier, tomato-ier cousin. We make it a lot, it's one of our favorites. I picked this dish up from an episode of Everyday Food on PBS a few years back and have tweaked it over time.

Meatballs:

1 Medium Zucchini (Grated, Liquid squeezed out)

1 Medium Yellow Onion (Grated, Liquid Squeezed out)

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Coriander

1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (plain)

1 Egg

1-1 1/2 Lbs Ground Pork

Salt & Pepper

First, grate a Zucchini and an Onion on the big holes of a cheese grater. Using a clean towel, cheese cloth, or paper towels squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Lightly beat an egg in a mixing bowl. Add pork, zucchini, onion, bread crumbs and all the seasonings and combine until mixed.
Form mixture into 16 equally sized meatballs. Place meatballs on a baking sheet as you go.
Put the meat balls into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will help keep them from falling apart and will promote browning in the pan.

Once they're in the freezer it time to make the sauce. It's super simple.

Sauce:

1 28oz Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes

1-2 Chipotle Peppers OR 1-2 Tbs Chipotle Tabasco Sauce

Salt & Pepper

Either of these work well. The peppers give more heat, the tabasco gives more flavor.

Add tomatoes (just the whole tomatoes, not the juice they're packed in) and the chipotle to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season with Salt & Pepper

Start heating a small amount of oil in a large skillet on Med-High. After the 15 minutes remove the meatballs from the freezer and cook them until they are well browned all over. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bring to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and let simmer 5 more minutes.

After simmering

Serve over White Rice and top with Cilantro. (Don't skip the cilantro!)

Rojo, Blanco y Verde

Hecho en mi cocina!
Also check out my Enchiladas Verdes and Crunchy Beef Tacos!

Quick Pic: Veggie Pizza

2012-09-11T22:33:00.001-07:00

I'm trying out my mobile blogger app. Here's tonight's dinner.

Sauted mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, red onion, garlic, cheddar, monetary jack and homemade pizza sauce. Topped with Parmesan and garlic salt.
I use Leonardi's pizza dough from WinCo.

Pizza Tips:

Rest your dough! Even if you're using fresh store bought dough it's always best to let it rise and relax in a warm area for as long as possible. The texture will be better and it will be easier to roll/stretch out.
Make/buy your dough ahead of time! You can freeze it!
Make your sauce ahead of time! You can freeze it!
Don't over sauce your dough or use too many toppings with a high moisture content, such as fresh veggies. The top of your crust will be doughy and underdone.
When using pepperoni: place between layers of paper towel and microwave for a short time (30 secs to a minute). You'll be amazed how much grease comes out. Added bonus: your pepperoni will be nice and crisp when they come out of the oven.
Use plenty of olive oil on your pizza pan. It tastes great and will keep your pizza from sticking.
Cook your pizza on a lower oven rack at a high temperature, 400-500 degrees.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

2012-09-10T21:04:00.002-07:00

Quick & tasty weeknight dinner. You can never have to many chicken breast recipes.

Take boneless skinless chicken breasts, lightly salt them, dredge them in flour, dip in beaten egg yolk, and coat them in a mixture of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and Panko Breadcrumbs. The mixture should be about 2 parts cheese to 1 part Panko.
Place the coated chicken in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This time will help the coating stick.
Heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet on medium-high heat until it foams. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, this will keep the butter from burning. Add chicken to skillet and WAIT. After 3-4 minutes check the color. Turn it when its beautiful.
When both sides are beautiful take them off heat and make sure they are around 155 degrees. If they aren't fully cooked put them on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet (so the coating doesn't get soggy) and put them in the oven until done.
Let the chicken rest on the plate for 5 minutes before cutting into them.

Pack the coating on

Notes:

Any hard cheese will work. Pecorino Romano works especially well!
Regular breadcrumbs are not recommended, can be used in a pinch. Panko crumbs will result in a crispier crust.
Add some seasoning to the flour, egg, and/or breading mix. A sprinkle of Nutmeg compliments the Parmesan well. If you like heat add some Cayenne Pepper. Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Paprika, Mustard Powder... Experiment.
You may need more/less butter and oil depending on the size of your pan and how many chicken breasts you're making.
It's a good idea to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Not too thin, you don't want your chicken to cook through before the breading is crisp. Not too thick, you don't want the breading to burn because the chicken isn't cooked through yet.
The real trick to this recipe is to get the breading to stay stuck to the chicken. If you use just the egg yolk (not the white), use plenty of cheese, let the chicken sit in the fridge for a bit, and don't mess with the chicken too much once it's in the pan it'll stay in place.

Pictured: Beauty

Quick Pic: Bruschetta

2012-09-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick post for a quick appetizer:

Salt & Pepper to taste

Good bread + good tomatoes + good mozzarella + fresh basil + olive oil = Great appetizer!

Pesto alla Trapanese

2012-09-06T21:34:00.002-07:00

Pesto alla Trapanese is a Sicilian variation on a regular basil pesto. It's quick, easy, fresh, delicious AND requires almost NO cooking skill. This one is SO simple. With the right quality ingredients ANYONE can make this impressive, restaurant quality pasta dish!

Here's what you'll need

1/2 Cup Packed Fresh Basil
10-12oz Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
1oz Grated Parmigiano Reggiano (spring for the good stuff, now is not the time for cheapo parmesan)
1/4 Cup Toasted Almonds (skinless, slivered)
1Clove Garlic (crushed, mined or pressed)
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (again, spring for something good)
1 Pepperoncini (Stems and seeds removed)
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
1 Tsp Salt
1 lb Pasta (I recommend thin spaghetti or linguine)

Toast the almonds in a skillet on medium heat until fragrant, toasty smelling. About 2 mins. Put the garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and toasted almonds in a food processor. Pulse until almonds start to form a paste, you don't want hunks of almond in your sauce. Add the Basil, Tomatoes, Pepperoncini and salt to the processor and pulse while drizzling in the 1/3 cup of olive oil.

Meanwhile, have your salted pasta water boiling. As soon as the pasta is al dente drain it and return it to the pot. Pour on your pesto and the the ounce of grated Parmigiano.

The smell is incredible when the pesto hits the steaming pasta!!!

Toss and serve with bread.

Presto!

Try this quick and easy recipe and let me know how it turns out! I'd love to see/hear about your results!

This is yet another recipe I got from Americas Test Kitchen. I seriously love those guys! http://www.americastestkitchen.com/ You can find this recipe and more like it in this book:

Calzone

2012-09-04T20:05:00.001-07:00

I'd been craving calzone for awhile before I ran into this article: http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/08/secrets-to-perfect-calzones/

OHMANLETSDOTHIS!!!

I made one on Sunday. It was really, REALLY good. Even better than I expected. It was even better today, after the filling and sauce spent the day in the fridge.

I'm using store bought pizza dough. Leonardi's brand from Winco is best IMO.

Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano with Garlic and Fresh Basil and an egg as binder.

Wrap it up. 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with pizza sauce

OH YEAH!

So good. So easy. Looking forward to experimenting with different fillings; spinach, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, BACON...

Thanks America's Test Kitchen. I <3 you.

Check out this cookbook, I use it all the time!

Big Pot of Beans

2012-09-03T16:18:00.002-07:00

I'm making a big pot of beans today. Have a look:

Mirepoix - Carrots, Onions, Celery with Yellow Bell Pepper

Bean Melange - Equal parts Pinto, Pink and Navy. I soaked them in brine overnight.

BACON!!!

Soften the Veggies in Bacon Fat. You wish you could smell this.

Cover with water and a couple teaspoons of Liquid Smoke. Let simmer for several hours.

Now we play the waiting game...
...
...
... and done!

Bacon makes everything better.