luscious

BEST TURKEY EVER!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 21:58:00 +0000

BEST TURKEY EVER!!!!!

Thanksgiving 2016. After 20 Years of attempting to roast the best, most juicy Turkey ever year after year after year............It finally happened! This is my story of THE BIRD OF 2016! FINALLY!

In preparing to cook Thanksgiving Dinner this year for my mother in law, my husband and our daughter, I decided to trek to Trader Joes this year. I have learned that Trader Joe's quality of food is far superior to almost any grocery store I have ever been to in the World, and I am one of those that visits all grocery stores everywhere I travel! We all have our Hobbies I suppose!

My most recent excursion was to Iceland. I learned a lot about local branding and selection! Iceland grocery stores are very small and have a very limited supply of options. Strangely enough, the largest department in their grocery store was the frozen ICE CREAM! Shocking! I concluded it was because all the ice cream is made locally! Everything else would need to be off a cargo boat shipped in, and that is costly. The craziest thing is, "Iceland Water Co." is the best water I ever put to my lips, it was so pure and so refreshing. Sounds crazy, but, see for yourself. We can buy it bottled in the U. S. The purity is best experienced when it is very cold. Everyone on our trip converted to water from Iceland as a first choice. The ironic part of this is Iceland's tap water is what they bottle!!! How lucky are they? WOW!

When I arrived to Trader Joes, I wondered over to where the Turkey's were waiting to be chosen! I saw, Organic, Free Range Birds that were fresh to frozen TJ branded birds, and finally to the lucky champion bird of 2016! The bird was 14.5 lbs. and more than we needed, but, we love the leftovers. This particular bird was, branded Trader Joes, and was "pre-brined", and frozen.

I brought it home and refrigerated it to thaw it over 2 days. It was perfectly thawed on Thanksgiving day and I pulled it from the refrigerator an hour before cooking it to bring it's temperature down. This helps the bird to cook more evenly and to keep the protein from becoming tough from being shocked by quick temperature changes. I preheated my oven to 400 degrees. This is to crisp up the skin and to get the golden brown suntan! After 30 to 45 minutes I turned down the temperature to 325 degrees and cooked it for a remaining 3.5 hours.

The night before Thanksgiving, I creamed together an herb butter. This is what I did:

Ingredients:

* Two sticks of salted butter at room temperature

* 1/2 c. EACH of finely chopped herbs, fresh sage, fresh thyme off the stem and fresh parsley

* t. salt, and t. pepper and 1 heaping t. garlic powder and onion powder

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and remove onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap or wax paper. roll it up like a log and close the ends with a twist and refrigerate over night. Pull it when you pull your bird to rest before cooking, 1 hour ahead and let it become room temperature.

Turkey Prep:

* This involved only one thing, but a very important ONE. Remove the bird from the packaging, take out the neck and organs. ( put them aside for now). DO NOT rinse the bird., just let the juices drip off into the sink and set place the bird into your turkey roasting pan. Take a hefty roll of paper towels and dry that bird until it is parched! Dabbing and dabbing and using the whole role if you need to! The bird will not take the herb butter to wet skin, so dry away!!!

* When good and dry, rub the herb butter all over the whole bird and be generous, all over and put some into the cavity of the bird as well. Do not feel like you have to put this under the skin, it is best on top. Don't ask,, just trust me from my over 20 experiments before! Once smeared and thick coated, add kosher salt to the bird. Stuff the bird with the following ingredients:

Stuff: In mixing bowl combine:

* Cut up 2 stalks of celery, one small onion quartered, one cut up apple, 6 cloves of garlic whole, and the juice and fruit of 2 halo's or oranges. I'm sure lemon would be wonderful as well. Salt and pepper the mixture and stuff into bird Cavity with some sprigs of sage and thyme.

Be sure to tie the legs together for even cooking if your bird is not already tied.

Once your bird is completely stuffed and buttered up, put it in the oven that is preheated to 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes. The goal is a beautiful, crisp golden brown skin. Once that is achieved, put the lid on your roaster and cover to finish cooking for 3.5 hours at a reduced temperature of 325 degrees.

Gravy Prep:

* Take the packaged organs and the neck and put them into a small pot with water half way, approx. 6 cups. Add plenty of salt, 3 T. and some pepper. Add a few sprigs of fresh Thyme and Sage, a stalk of celery and a half of an onion and 4 cloves of whole garlic. Cook on medium until it comes to bubbling, and lower to low for 2 hours. Keep an eye on the water level always keep it covering the ingredients generously. When the bird is finished and you set the bird to rest, drain all the juice from the roaster and the contents of the organ pot and juices into a colander that is resting in a medium stock pot. This will be your gravy. Put over medium heat and add flour ( approx. 1/2 c.maximum slowly while whisking ). This should thicken pretty quickly. Once you have your desired thickness, add 2 T. of butter to give it a beautiful shine and flavor. Serve!

When the bird is finished being roasted, remove the roaster from the oven and uncover it, put it on a plate to rest at room temperature. Do not leave it in the roaster, it will continue to cook and to dry out. Let it rest for 25 minutes. The juices will settle down and remain in the bird ready to kiss your palate with a juicy taste of Thanksgiving Turkey! It will stay juicy days later as well. AMAZING!

Carve bird carefully by removing the wings first, followed by the leg and thighs on each side at the junction of the leg joint to the bird. Do not separate them. Place them on a serving tray, Next we do the Breast by cutting right down one of the sides of the middle breast bone. Cut all the way down past the tenderloin and then cut towards the breast bone at the bottom of the breast meat into the first cut at a 90 degree angle. Remove the entire breast on each side and lay on serving dish. Continue to cut the breast meat into slices of your choice. I choose to do 1 to 2 inch thick cuts. It stays moist that way!

Serve garnished with fresh herbs and fresh cranberries for color around it.

Since Thanksgiving 2016 is over, You have an entire year to practive and assure yourself that 2017 will be your story to share about your BEST TURKEY EVER! Happy Holidays, and many blessings!

Seared whole herbed, roasted chicken with a mushroom and leek wine sauce.

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 22:38:00 +0000

Yeilds: 6 servings

For chicken:

2 whole leeks chopped fine and cleaned (remove the bottom root and top stems)
1 lb. of fresh white mushrooms and porcini mushrooms sliced
1 whole small chicken
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh minced garlic
1 c. white wine
1 lemon sliced thin
1 medium peeled onion
1 T.black Truffle butter plus 1T. to finish at end
1 T. fresh thyme leaves plus about 10 sprigs of thyme.
1 T. fresh sage leaves chopped
1/2 c. chopped italian parsley
2T. olive oil
2T. butter

Directions:

Rinse and clean and dry chicken the morning you are serving it for dinner. Allow it to become very dry at room temperature. Pat it carefully dry with a paper towel. Coat the inside and outside of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Allow this to rest all day or overnight covered in refrigerator.
One hour before cooking it, remove from refringerator, allow to rest on counter at room temperature for an hour, letting the butter rest next to it. At this time you should preheat your oven to 425 degrees farenheit.
After an hour, rub the room temperature butter all over the exterior generously. stuff with lemon slices, onion and fresh left over thyme sprigs.Tie the drumsticks together and put into roasting pan.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350.

MEANWHILE:

In a medium skillet add olive oil and leeks, saute on medium to medium high, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add in chopped mushrooms, continue to cook mushrooms to desired tenderness.
Add in garlic salt and pepper thyme leaves, sage leaves, and truffle butter. Mix all together and remove ingredients to a bowl.
Add wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan for drippings, add 1 T. truffle butter to pan and whisk all together reducing for 5 minutes. Add all the ingredients from the bowl to the skillet, Combine.
Pour the skillet ingredients all over the top of the chicken and finish baking at 350 until done, 165 - 170 degrees. *** 20 minutes per pound.

*** Serve on platter on a bed of parsley.

Enjoy!.

Ratattoulie, Vegetable Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 16:08:00 +0000

Recipe: Serves 4 to 6 as a meal with crusty french baguette.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes

Prep time : 10 minutes

Ratatouille is a wonderful vegetable stew full of heart-healthy veggies. I used to make this on the stove top in a saute pan, but, I then discovered the art of roasting vegetables. Roasting vegetables maintains all the nutrients and provides a ton of intensified flavors! This makes for a great meal anytime of year. It is a perfect time for Estero, Fort Myers and Naples veggie lovers to visit The Farm and purchase all of these vegetables local and fresh every day!

I am now selling homemade guacamole to accompany Gloria's delicious salsa, I also have fresh tomato-basil bruschetta made with Scott's 20 year old Heirloom seeded tomatoes. You will find veggie and cheese and meat stuffed breads and quiches as well as many pestos and wonderful appetizer delights, along with my famous 3rd Generation Red Sauce!

Ratatouille recipe:

1 large sweet onion cut into large wedges

1 medium size eggplant, any of the varieties are fine. I like the Japanese eggplant, if you use them you will need 2.

1 large zucchini chopped in large chunks

1 large yellow squash chopped into large chunks

1 lb large mushrooms cut in half

1 red pepper cut into strips

1 green pepper cut into strips

2 large Heirloom tomatoes chopped and seeds drained off. cut into large pieces

10 cloves of garlic peeled and left whole or crushed with the side of a knife and your palm of your hand...this allows the garlic to release all its love and flavor.

1/4 c. olive oil plus

1c. crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste along with 1/4 t. of each: dried oregano, basil and rosemary.

gremolata ( chopped herb condiment for garish and to finish a dish).

zest of half of a lemon with it's juice

3 T. each of FRESH chopped fine,, thyme, Italian parsley and basil put aside for garnish.

kosher salt and pepper to your taste. Start with about 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Taste at end of roasting and add more to taste if you like.

1/4 c. aged balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup of fresh grated aged sharp provolone cheese or Asiago........Parmigiano Romano if you like is fine...but, I like a pungent flavor from the sharp provolone.

hot red pepper flakes to your liking

Directions:

Cut all veggies as large chunks, put all into a large stainless bowl and put the eggplant to the side in a separate bowl, salt the eggplant and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Add the eggplant to the bowl of veggies.

Drizzle olive oil all over the bowl of vegetables, add all dried herbs, garlic and hot pepper flakes, garlic and crushed tomatoes. Your hands are your best tool, so dive in and massage all the vegetables well with the oil and herbs.......show it your love!

Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring twice during the cooking process. If it appears dry,,add extra olive oil...........it provides the lubricant for the veggies to become tender and very flavorful!

Remove from oven, add gremolata, serve and top with cheese of choice, extra red pepper and olive oil if you like along with a toasty, crunchy warm baguette ........you are now living a true Tuscan evening. If you want to beef this up, add at the end a can of drained cannelloni beans...........a perfect protein filler!

* Other Tips: if you like olives,,,add them. Add capers if you like. serve over rice, risotto, pasta, polenta, or serve with a large crusty chunk of bread!

ENJOY!

Nanette Lush
Cell 610.357.3878

http://www.nanettestable.com
http://www.nanettelush.blogspot.com

Goodbye Caprese! HELLO Tomato Tower! Celebrate the TOMATO!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 16:44:00 +0000

TOMATO GOAT CHEESE AND PESTO TOWER!

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I have posted a recipe. Where have I been, what have I been doing if I am not in the kitchen? Well, the answer is I miss my kitchen, but, not for long. I have been extremely involved in building our new home in Florida...this involves a kitchen of course! It also involved me selecting all fabrics, wall coverings, bedding and beds, all decor and color palates for our new Cielo Home! We have been in up to our ears in fabrics and making very important lasting decisions. Nerve racking is an understatement. haha. This recipe is the best summer salad that I have been making during all those quick night meals as we have been so busy and need a quick, light, refreshing salad! I guarantee you will say Goodbye to the Caprese salad, and Hello to the Tomato Tower!!!!!!!

This is the perfect time of year to use up all those beautiful, sweet juicy tomatoes from our gardens. The tomato tower is layers of delicious, and bright flavors that are surprises that will make you sure to go in for a second bite! The layers start with a large ripe thick tomato slice, next layer is goat cheese ( chevre), topped with another layer of tomato, topped with fresh pesto sauce, topped with cooked or roasted beet slices, ( if you don't like beets, as all of us do not, replace this layer with hearts of palm or artichoke hearts). you top the beets off with a little more cheese, pesto and chopped tomato is your cherry on top of this sundae! The dressing is balsamic and olive oil drizzled all over the towers, don't forget to salt and pepper these bad boys, that brings out all the sugars and sweetness of the tomatoes!

That is the recipe,,,no big instructions on this one friends, just put it all together and make your tomato tower a part of your next creation! You will be sure to impress, and you will love that you did not have to work hard. So cool off as the summer comes to a close and enjoy those last sweet juicy tomatoes of the season!

Fresh Farm to Table Garden Chicken Balsamico!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 18:08:00 +0000

FRESH FARM TO TABLE GARDEN CHICKEN BALSAMIC!

Living in Florida has brought many wonderful blessings, the obvious ones being the wonderful sunny warm weather and abundance of breath taking landscapes, beaches, and sunsets that will hold you captive wishing they lasted much longer than they do.

Florida has surprised me in many ways too....We have amazing seafood, especially known for our Grouper and Stone Crabs. The biggest surprise has been the produce. We have access to the freshest ingredients all year long with amazing variety too.
I am so blessed to live only a mile or two from our local farm......They have a wonderful selection of fresh vegetables and fruits that are picked daily. I literally bought zucchini and tomatoes that were just picked on the spot. If I could put into words how brilliant, bright, flavorful and juicy all these vegetables and fruits are I would make you want to hop on the next plane to see and taste for yourself. There is simply nothing better than the flavor profile of fresh off the farm produce........it is full of natures work that tastes like heaven...so sweet, succulent, and juicy...it melts in your mouth!

The best part of going to the Farm Stand is seeing what they have fresh that day, filling up your basket and going home with your prizes and making up a great dish....that's what I did yesterday....and all I can say is WOW! Fresh is the only way to GO!!!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil ...up to 1/2 c............used as guided below..............
1/2 vidalia sweet onion sliced into thick slices
2 T. minced garlic
1 whole roasted head of Garlic............( In 400 degree oven cut the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, salt with kosher salt, wrap in foil and bake until tender and caramelized on top). approx. 15 to 20 min. depending on your oven.).

Fresh Heirloom Tomato or the best you can find......RIPE!!!!! and Ready!..........sliced into 1 inch thick slices and top so all the chicken is covered...( If you cannot find the amazing fruit I can,,,,,,,Use Fresh, plum tomatoes..they cook up very sweet as long as you olive oil them and salt and pepper well............they roast into sweetness you will love.
Herbs de provence to taste....a few sprinkles....
1/2 cup of fresh chopped Basil
2T. Fresh Parm. cheese or Romano...grated
1 T. Capers
1T. balsamic.............good Balsamic or Balsamic Glaze....this is IMPORTANT....
salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
1/2 c. white wine
1 sweet or hot banana pepper,,light pale green and long, sliced into long thin strips.

* 8 chicken tenderloins..cleaned and stripped of the membrane. Salt and pepper each side and allow to sit for a few minutes.

Directions:

First, Preheat oven to 4oo degrees and roast the head of garlic as instructed. for 15 to 20 minutes until caramelized and tender.

In a 14x9 pan add 1 to 2 T. olive oil, add minced garlic and rub the bottom of the pan with it. Put chicken tenderloins into dish salted and peppered each side.

Prepare your onions, peppers, and tomatoes.............squeeze out your roasted garlic and chop finely.

Now..layer your tenderloins with onions first, tomatoes, second, salt and pepper all....then, add, roasted garlic cloves evenly, fresh banana peppers and capers. Finally, top with parm. cheese or fresh romano..etc..grated. Add wine.

Cook in 400 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, no pink.

Remove from oven to rest for a few minutes as you put the final touches on this amazing fresh Farm to table Delicacy!

Top this with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil gently and light, add freshly chopped basil leaves, and drizzle with GOOD aged, Balsamic vinegar..should be syrup like and a bit sweet. If you do not have access to this product, use a balsamic glaze but, not too much...just a drizzle to hit the back of your palate.

enjoy!

Christmas Peppermint Bark ice cream sandwiches!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Christmas Peppermint Bark ice cream sandwiches!!!!

This is the EASIEST most amazing festive and delicious dessert that your friends and family will never forget! There is no baking and only three ingredients! NO EXCUSE for not making this! It's a Keeper!

Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate wafer cookies or mint chocolate
1/2 gallon of peppermint bark ice cream......( I found all this at Fresh Market!)
1 container of crushed candy canes......or make them yourself

Directions....

Put a small dip of ice cream on the candy pieces and roll it around.............Then put it between the cookies.............EAT.........or FREEZE and serve whenever!

This is a FUN, FAMILY treat to make over Christmas! ENJOY!

Chicken, Pancetta and Mushroom Cassoulet

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 05:32:00 +0000

Chicken Pancetta and Mushroom Cassoulet from Bologna Italy
Yeilds: 6 servings

It is not uncommon for Northern Italy down to Tuscany to prepare large and hearty dishes to sustain the hard working folks of the Northern Regions,,,,,,Parma, Bolognia, Venezio, etc......... Pancetta and Proscuitto are made in these northern regions of Italy. These areas get very COLD in the winter and the locals love the hearty meals for this time of year!

Large Italian families are common, and if not, large Italian neiighborhoods require lots of food always! You will always find a person in the neighborhood that is known for always having an open door and lots of food and bread! This is normal to us Italians. It is heart warming and delightful. Just make sure you bring a bottle of wine, lots of love, appreciation, and an APPETITE! :)

If you ever are hungry, come to my home...you are always welcome, and I will feed you so you are content and happy! :)

Mange my friends on this amazing hearty stew like dish that is so authentic and flavorful you will never forget it! ENJOY from my Italian family in Chieti, Italy, Abruzzo, Italy, and Wilmington DE. for those that came here to start our Italian American Heritage! Grazie!

This dish is once again Comfort food! But, this one is light in calories, but, LARGE in flavor! A girls dream! I loved making this, because, I knew it was growing in flavor over time,,,I could not wait to taste the final product. I hope you try this. It is a perfect dish for any occasion...........mostly for your family dinner or a dinner party and or a family Event! ENJOY!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast with bones and skin

1c. chopped pancetta

Olive Oil

1 bag of baby frozen onions thawed, plus one small sweet onion chopped fine

2T. minced fine garlic

1 lg. can of peeled whole tomatoes

1c. dry white wine

1 c. chicken stock

1T. fennel seed or,,,,if you can, use a chopped up fennel bulb...that is what I prefer!

1t. crushed red pepper

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 cup of steamed fava beans or if you do not have access to that, use a ford hook Lima bean that is frozen...you can use a northern bean as well...whatever you like.

1t. oregano

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

1T. worcestershire sauce

sauce

1 rind of fresh parmegiano reggiano cheese

1/2 lb. of orzo pasta or your favorite kind....( Just make sure to salt your water like the ocean!)

1/2 c. fresh chopped parsley

1/2 to l lb of pasta of choice,,,,,,,I chose Orzo.

Directions:

In large skillet brown and caramelize chicken breasts in 2T. olive oil, salted and peppered on both sides and seared on both sides until golden. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

In same skillet add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and add in the onions and garlic to the pancetta and chopped fennel bulb if you choose to use the fresh bulb instead of seed! Salt and pepper to taste. Add in Crushed red pepper, 1 cup of mushrooms, oregano, thyme, Worcestershire. Cook for 8 minutes.

NOW add in the wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan.......also, add in the parm rind and next is the canned whole tomatoes in a rustic chop.

Cook on medium high for 15 to 20 minutes or until fennel is fork tender and tomatoes are broken down. Taste to see if you need more salt and pepper.

Boil a medium pot of water and 2 T. salt . When comes to a boil, add in pasta of choice...I chose orzo. Cook until al dente,,approx. 8 min. in a medium boil. Drain well when done and set aside.

Combine in large bowl all ingredients and top with fresh parmegiano reggiano cheese and red pepper to taste and DIG IN! Do Enjoy!:))

Cheesy Chicken and Veggie Pot smothered in Buttermilk Bisquits!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:10:00 +0000

Cheesy Chicken and Veggie Pot smothered in Buttermilk Biscuits
The Ultimate Comfort Food!
Yields: 5 servings

When the weather changes and starts to show signs of cold nights and the need for a warm fire you know it is time to pull out the Big Guns and bring some serious comfort food to your family. I already have a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings and for Chicken Pot Pie,,,,So I asked my husband which of those would he like for dinner and he said,,,how about Chicken and Biscuits.........I do believe this is his go to comfort food from his childhood. So,,,that, is how this recipe came about, but, I will say,,this is not your average dish,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I decided to bring some cheese into the picture,,,and let me tell you.........It is a WINNER!

For starters: If you know me, you know I made my own stock with the chicken breasts bone in and onions, carrots, celery, garlic salt and pepper! But, you can cheat and use store bought stock if you like. If not, look up my stock recipe and make it! It's so easy!

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts with skin and bones for flavor salted and peppered generously with olive oil and baked, shred the meat when done for recipe.

1 medium onion chopped

2 T. minced garlic

1 heaping cup chopped carrots

1/2 bag of frozen peas

1 c. frozen corn

1c. chopped small fresh green beans

1 t. ground thyme

2T. butter plus 2 T. butter again

2 T. olive oil

1t. ground sage

salt and pepper as directed

2 c. half and half or whole milk

1 c. 3/4 c. heated chicken stock 1/4 c. cooled stock reserved for vegetable medley.

3T. flour

1 c. cheese of choice,,,I used 2 % milk fat Colby Jack

1/2 c. parmegiano reggiano grated cheese

1 can of buttermilk biscuits or homemade biscuits.............I chose to use a can this time...sometimes I make my own.

Directions:

Grease a 9x9 glass pan...or whatever you have closest to that.

Heat oven to 350

Bake chicken as directed first. In large saute pan combine the olive oil, 2 T. of the butter, onions, carrots and cook for 10 minutes on medium high until carrots are starting to cook. Add in the green beans. Add corn and peas and deglaze with 1/4 c. of chicken stock....simmer until carrots are still crisp but tender as well. Season the veggies with salt and pepper to taste, sage, thyme and allow this to simmer for 4 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside.

Now you will need to use a medium sauce pan. Add the other 2 T. of butter and melt it on medium heat. Add flour and whisk into a rue...allow the rue to become slightly light caramel in color. When it does turn, add in heated chicken stock and whisk quickly to see it thicken. Add in warm half and half, continue to stir, when you see it thicken, add in Parm cheese and Colby Jack,,,stir well, salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat.

Now is the fun part! In a large bowl, mix together the drained veggies, shredded chicken, and cheese sauce mix well. Put in your pan, add biscuits on top,,as many as you like. I used 5,,but, would use 9 next time. Put a dab of butter on each biscuit and sprinkle some more cheese on top if you like.

Bake for 20 min. at 350 or until browned on top to your color preference. NOW........let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. ENJOY! :)

Lentil Soup, My 180th Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 18:33:00 +0000

AUTUMN LENTIL SOUP
180th BLOG!

Crisp Autumn air, the smell of football ,my favorite sweater hugging me, and the fall foliage color show all speak to me saying, "Soup's ON!" I am visiting my daughter in PA. The air is so crisp and fresh, screaming FALL to me. I always cook for her when I visit so she can have some home cooked meals. Tis the weather and the season, we decided to make some soup. So Autumn Lentil soup was dinner! It was so delicious. Makes plenty of soup for a couple of meals and or even some to freeze for that next busy evening when you need a quick meal that is still very tasty! I have soup secrets that are key to making soup full flavored. Check it out and don't tell anyone our secrets! :)

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of brown lentils rinsed

3 beef short ribs

olive oil

1/2 c. dry white wine

5 large cloves of garlic minced

6 slices or 1/2 c. of chopped pancetta

2/3 c. chopped celery, carrots, and sweet onion EACH
3 to 4 c. chopped kale leaves, stem removed

salt and pepper to taste

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 star anise** ( first secret!)

1 2 inch parmesan rind (second secret!)

1 large can of tomato puree

2 large boxes of chicken stock or 64 oz. homemade chicken stock

crushed red pepper to taste and is optional

Israeli cous cous 1/2 c. is also optional,,,,I like to use it to make this a meal!

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

In large pot add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil salt and pepper the beef ribs and sear on both sides on medium high heat. Add in the pancetta and brown it. Add in garlic and onion and brown all of this for a few minutes.

Add in carrots and celery. Salt and Pepper to taste. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in wine and stir allowing the alcohol to reduce for a few minutes.

Add in your chicken stock and tomatoes, and all herbs. Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes. Now add in the lentils and kale and cook on medium low until lentils are tender.

Time is approx. 1 to 2 hours. I like my soups to cook low and slow. So be patient and let this cook on medium low, for 2 hours and you will get the best results. Just stir occasionally. Keep the lid on for the first hour stirring frequently and controlling the heat so you are not boiling the soup.***( last secret! ). ENJOY!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Heavenly Linguine and Clams and Wine Sauce Class 101!

It's about time, isn't it? I can hardly believe that I have never blogged my linguine and clams recipe! I had no idea I had not done so until last week when I got an email from a very special student and friend of mine from North Carolina, Karen!

Karen emailed me requesting my recipe for linguine and clams. She had recently enjoyed a nice pasta bowl full of this at a local restaurant, and really wanted to attempt to make it herself at home. After sharing all the many blessings and updates on her life, she asked me to guide her through this. Karen expressed a concern about how to handle cooking with the wine!

I loved that Karen wanted to learn this technique, she was one of my "All Stocks Class",,where the students learned three stocks, chicken, beef and seafood. Once you learn this, you are unstoppable in the kitchen! Now, with this technique, the sauces you can create will be unstoppable as well. See, Karen is a natural in the kitchen, she didn't even know that she is going to learn another cooking technique that will lead her down a new road of sauces, glazes, reductions and many delicious results!

The next day, I wondered over to Costco for my normal shop.
COINCIDENTALLY?????????? they had a HUGE bag of Manila clams for only 15.00 from the Florida Keys....I jumped up and down! I thought to myself, god is working here! Karen needs her recipe and look what I fell upon, so Heavenly Linguine and Clams was BORN! SO, Cooking class on wine sauce 101 will begin!!!!!!!!!!!

COOKING with WINE CLASS 101:

It is not uncommon for a good cook like Karen to get inspired when eating a good meal out and hoping to come home to re create it herself! I love that inspiration and I think it is what makes a good cook a great cook!

Great re created meals start with the importance to use your senses, every one! Our vision is where we begin.............this is where I think Presentation and freshness come in full force! We have the expression that we eat with our eyes first, so think color and freshness when it comes to our eyes!

Then our sense of smell is actually where we start to taste our food. Sounds crazy, I know, but, think about it. We taste first with smell. I have an interesting way of proving this to you. Think about all those meals you have made all day..for example, Thanksgiving! By the time we sit down as the chef or home cook, we are exhausted of course, but, we also are not very hungry! The reason is, we filled up on the smell of food all day long! Personally, I have had this experience a lot being in the restaurant business. It is a true fact, I know first hand that this is TRUE!

Next, we taste and eat! This is the obvious part, but, not so simple. The reason is, we must identify all the ingredients. This starts with the fat in the dish, recognizing is it butter, olive oil, etc....then, what is the Mise en place, ( pronounced french term, meez en plas)...or the starter ingredients and prep, ie: garlic, celery, carrots, onions etc......, next, the obvious food parts, in this case is pasta and clams.

Now the hardest part, what is in the sauce? This is where it helps to have the knowledge of the type of sauce typically used in the dish. Then the trickiest part,,,,,,seasonings! This is where your tiny taste buds on your tongue have to win the oscar! This involves detective work and a strong palate and awareness of herbs and flavors! This cannot be taught over night,,you must earn this award from experience!!!!!!!!

We have established all the important senses and their role in the re creation of an amazing dinner out, now, you have to DO IT! So, gather your imagination, put pen to paper and write your recipe from memory and all those senses we just learned about and then go shopping and re create your favorite meal out!

Karen, Here is my favorite version of Linguine and Clams,,,you can use all the ingredients or not. I happen to use Proscuitto Ham in my favorite version below,,but, you can leave that out and keep it neat if you like! I hope you enjoy Friend and amazing teachers pet! :) ENJOY!

Linguine and Clams: 5 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 dozen Clams, cleaned and rinsed

1 lb. fresh Linguine cooked in very salty water!

4 cloves garlic

1/4 c. Extra Virgin olive oil

4 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped Italian Parsley

1 c. Fresh Parmegiano reggaino grated

1 c. dry white wine

Kosher Salt and Crushed black pepper to taste

2 T. capers( optional)

1/2 t. red pepper flakes plus a pinch at serving ( optional)

3 slices finely chopped proscuitto de parma ( optional)

2 finely chopped shallots

1/4 c. clam juice

In large sauce pan add butter, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes to season the oil and butter. Add shallots and proscuitto and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. I do not want you to salt at this point because the proscuitto is salty. We will salt at the end! Cook for 2 minutes stirring. Add the white wine, clam juice, and rinsed clams, cover and steam until all the shells are open. ( approx. 4 minutes). Taste the sauce and salt as needed with your kosher salt and cracked pepper too!

When pasta is done cooking take your thongs and move the pasta from the pot into your serving bowl, add all the cheese to the pasta and a pinch of red pepper flakes and toss well. Now add all the clams and sauce, toss well and top with fresh parsley and SERVE! ENJOY NOW..............You just passed wine sauce 101!

The Ultimate BBQ Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 19:16:00 +0000

The Ultimate BBQ CHICKEN

SUMMER TIME! We all love the idea of spending a hot summer day with friends having a barbecue! Recently, I decided that with all my experience living in the South for the past 9 years, it was time to bottle my own sauce! I have a whole bunch of taste buds that really love it sweet, spicy, savory and deep in flavor! These little guys on my tongue are not the easiest to impress sometimes. This was one of them! I spent a lot of time composing this BBQ Symphony. Needless to say, I really am pleased with the results and hopeful that your taste buds will sing with praise too!

Ingredients:

1 orange plus the zest

1/2 c. soy sauce

1T. minced garlic

1T. minced ginger

3T. rice wine vinegar

1 medium onion chopped fine

1t. or more to taste of Sriracha sauce ( Thai hot sauce)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1t. smoked paprika

1t. chili powder

1/4 c. wine, or Bourbon

1 star anise pod

1 c. baby cherry tomatoes whole

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. molasses

2T. canola oil

Directions:

In medium saute pan heat up the canola oil and saute the onions. Cook for 4 minutes until transparent. Add garlic and ginger. Stir. Add in the rest of the ingredients stirring after each additional item. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and keeping a watchful eye on it. The sauce will thicken and the tomatoes will burst, that is what you want. Taste to make sure you have the right amount of salt and pepper.

Now bake your chicken of choice , I like to use chicken thighs! I salt and pepper them and bake them in the oven for 25 minutes at 375, the skin will be crispy on top. Add the sauce on top of each piece of chicken and put it back in the oven for 3 minutes to finish it off. This is a sweet, salty, slightly spicy pop of flavor for sure! ENJOY!

Lamb or Turkey burger with Spinach, feta and pine nuts!\\

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:13:00 +0000

Serves 4

Lamb, or , turkey burgers with spinach, feta cheese and pine nuts:

Every time I go onto my blog to check things out, I notice that some of the most searched items surprise me! One item that is searched more than anything is my , chicken and black bean burger! This burger was inspired by my daughters love for black bean burgers, so I mixed it up with some ground chicken! The fact that it is summer time and this is a hot item of interest, I decided to do some more burgers for all of you! This is one of my husbands favorites! The lamb is so yummy and the spinach adds that Greek element,,,so we needed to go the whole way to finish this burger and add in the feta cheese, and pine nuts! I also find this burger to be just as wonderful with Ground Turkey as well!! I love ground turkey, and it is just about my favorite new ground meat! Go for this if you are not a lamb lover! OPTIONS are there, and, trust me, you will NOT lose flavor here! I adore ground turkey! :)

There are some twists to this burger that are so divine you will be surprised a hint of a spice you might never guess, but, is a subtle aromatic that is delightful!
There are also two toppings to make if you like and those recipes are included and are very simple as well. One is a honey and mint pesto and the other is my take on tzatziki , a cucumber, red onion and yogurt salad similar to the one my polish grandmother used to make,,but, less bad for you! I use plain yogurt and she used sour cream! Both are amazing in different ways!

I think this is a burger to make for a special occasion! I made this today for my new and awesome friends, Bev and Lee. They just closed on their home today in Naples. This makes for a special occasion for sure,,,but, also a very stressful day. Who wants to worry about dinner on a night like this? NOT ME! So, hopefully they are enjoying this wonderful lamb burger with all the fixings and salads along with roasted sweet potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes all in the mix!

Hope you all enjoy these recipes and I hope Bev and Lee start off their evening with a special adult beverage and finish with their special celebration dinner followed by a long, well deserved snooze! :) Love you my friend! :)

Ingredients:

1lb. ground lamb
1/2 c. good crumbled feta cheese
2/3 c. cooked and drained spinach either fresh and in olive oil sauteed or steamed and drained well
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. pine nuts
1 1/2 t. crushed, minced garlic
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. cinnamon
1T. chopped fresh dill and mint each
Pita bread for 4 burgers

Mix all ingredients together gently and do not over mix. Over mixing and fussing causes the proteins to tighten up and become tough. Form into burgers and grill on your grill on medium high heat at first on one side until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Have the other half of the grill on medium to medium low heat and flip the burger onto that area to finish cooking for another 5 minutes or until the burger is done to your preference. This should create an 8 oz. burger to about medium rare to medium. Cook less if you like rare lamb, which is perfectly safe and fine!

Mint and honey pesto:

1 c. mint leaves loosely packed
1 T. honey
1/4 c. pine nuts
olive oil as needed
salt and pepper to taste
juice of one lemon

In small Cuisinart add all ingredients and blend well. Add the olive oil as needed means until you have a creamy mixed texture,,not runny but well blended. I used about 1/2 c.
This is perfect to top the burger with along with my version of tzatziki, the recipe is below!

Tzatziki , my way :

1 whole English cucumber sliced thin
1/2 small red onion sliced thin
2/3 c. to 1 c. to taste of plain Greek yogurt
1 T. chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. minimal and or to taste of apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar....just keep it lite and white!
juice of 1 lemon

In medium bowl mix all ingredients and refrigerate 2 hours before serving! Enjoy

Assembly:

Take pita bread and stuff with romaine lettuce if you like, burger, top with pesto and tzatziki sauce and extra feta if you like! EAT AND ENJOY! :)

Veggie Pot Surprise Soup with Star Anise

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 02:36:00 +0000

Veggie Pot Surprise Soup with Star Anise!

This is not going to be a recipe as usual.........No, I have plenty of soup recipes on my blog! THIS IS A TIP!!!!!!!!!!!! A tip of the day!

I have fallen in love with Asian food over the past 7 years. I have made it a point to learn how to recreate many dishes I have really enjoyed over the years. One soup I love is PHO....It is a Vietnamese soup....pronounced like FU as in our naughty American four letter word begins! Most Americans pronounce this incorrectly! Myself was included on this for a long time, I thought it would sound like PHO sounds in English,,(FO)....but, NO!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a close Taiwanese friend that has set us straight on all of this..., TRUST ME!

I decided to start to experiment with one of the KEY ingredients in PHO, the STAR ANISE! The full bodied, woody star of flavor! I buy them at my local grocery where they sell Authentic, Mexican spices. They will be in a small bag. This is the KEY to a successful PHO..which has such a special and stimulating flavor burst that takes soup as we all know it to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL!!!!!! I chose to make the soup in the picture, which is my "diet veggie soup"...but, I kicked it up with 2 Star Anise pieces and I am not kidding,,can you say,,"A WHOLE NEW WORLD, Ariel?" lol...LOVE IT!

I will NEVER be the same since I met up with PHO and Star Anise! MY SECRET to amazing soup......all kinds...the STAR ANISE is the STAR of all SOUPS!

Give it a try and put this special spice into your soup next time you make it! I know you think it will be a strong flavor and it is the opposite!............IT IS SO AMAZING ! It is a secret that you must unfold! :)

ENJOY!

BLT Quiche!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 23:43:00 +0000

BLT QUICHE!

A good friend of ours was so kind recently to watch our dog, Sadie. She is not an easy pup, but she is adorable. We thanked him with a large bottle of his favorite top shelf adult beverage, and then we thought I should make him some home cooking since he is not into cooking and he was so gracious for his kindness.

I decided to make a few things, but, one was this amazing Quiche to make his days easier for a week! This can be a breakfast as a quiche only or a brunch, lunch, or even a dinner! The reason is, you can serve this as just a bacon, egg, and Cheddar quiche topped with fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh herbs,,,or add a simple tossed salad dressed in olive oil and vinegar or Ranch dressing right on top of the quiche before you serve it! YUM........

Ingredients:

1 pie shell

1lb. of apple wood smoked bacon cooked and chopped

3 eggs

1 c. milk

3T. flour

1c. Hellman's mayonnaise, light

salt and pepper to taste

1 12oz. package of shredded cheddar cheese

1 t. chopped fresh chives and 1 t. or to taste as well of chopped parsley

2 small tomatoes sliced to cover the top of the pie

Salad: To your liking...I personally like a simple mixed green salad with salt pepper olive oil and lemon juice and minced garlic to taste.

Directions:

In medium mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, mayo., flour, salt and pepper to taste and whisk until smooth and silky. Add in bacon, all of the cheese to except for 1/2 c. to top quiche before you cook. Mix well and add to thawed pie shell that you have put into a pie dish and pressed down to fit the dish and poked fork wholes all over for even cooking and no bubbling. Add egg the quiche mixture top with tomato slices, herbs and cheese.

Bake at 350 until golden brown, approximately 40 minutes or until center is not giggly! If the crust starts to get too dark,,which it should not, but, if so...cover at that point with foil for less browning on top while it cooks through the center! Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. If serving with the salad,,add to the top right before serving...It is a very nice presentation!

ENJOY!

Firecracker Gazpacho!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 18:29:00 +0000

FIRECRACKER GAZPACHO!

Summer is HERE! So is the 4th of July! In honor of the fourth of July, I decided to make a spicy gazpacho. This is the perfect summer soup with crunchy, fresh vegetables and tasty garnishes, you can eat all of this for NO GUILT! 0 to 2 pts. on weight watchers and little to no calories! I think this also could make a great drink with lots of crunch with a splash or two of vodka, after all, I love to EAT my bloody Mary's!

I made this in honor of my long time friend Diane who has had a rough year,,but, I know loves her bloody Mary's the way I do! ENJOY Di,,,! Thinking of you! :) Cheers!

Ingredients:

5 plum tomatoes chopped

1 bottle of Spicy V8 juice

2T. of minced garlic in a jar

1 dill pickle and 1/4 pickle juice

4 large Spanish olives

1 hot house cucumber seeded and chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

1 lemon juiced and 1 lime juiced

2 T. plus as taste salt

2 t. plus as taste pepper

2 T. horseradish

1 red onion chopped

1/4 c. champagne vinegar

1 red bell pepper chopped

cayenne pepper to taste...careful here! ( Do a little at a time..you can always add, but, not take away! ).

Tabasco to taste and Worcestershire sauce, about 5 splashes.

Kosher salt and cayenne pepper mixed for rim of glass and any garnishes you want, I chose a lime, celery stalk, pickle, olive, pepperincini and pickled okra............a chunk of cheese or a slice of bacon are great other ideas! :) YUM!

Directions: In large bowl dump your spicy V8 in. Now start to rough chop all the ingredients one by one and one by one pulse to a more fine texture in a blender or small Cuisinart. After each item is pulsed in the Cuisinart, add it to the bowl. Add all seasonings and mix well. Now, refrigerate overnight or at least for 6 hours. The longer the better. Serve and love!

Summer Berry Tartin!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 21:50:00 +0000

SUMMER BERRY TARTIN!

SUMMER IS HERE! I found myself at the market picking up a few things. Sometimes we run into some really good looking berries, and this was one of them! I could smell the freshness, ripeness, juiciness of these berries. I decided to make a simple tartin for my parents to take to share with my Aunts and Uncles for dessert last night! I know they all watch their diets carefully, so I had to take into consideration keeping it light. I think this is the easiest dessert you will make this summer and the lightest most refreshing! With the fourth of July coming up, I cannot help but thinking this would be adorable as baby finger food tartins since the colors are perfectly ALL AMERICAN RED WHITE AND BLUE! This is a winner! Give it a try at your next party or summer outing! :) ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 pie shell

1 lb. strawberries

1 pint of blackberries

1 pint of raspberries

1 cup of mascarpone cheese...after sitting at room temp. for 10 min.

1 lemon juiced and zested

3 T. confectioners sugar

3 T. rum

3 t. vanilla extract

2 T. sugar

pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange pie shell into a tartin pan, 9 in. or you could just use a pie shell if it is easier for you,,but, this is more of a flat tart so I do prefer a tart pan, they are more shallow. Take a fork and poke fork holes all over the shell to keep it from rising and bubbling! Bake the shell until it is golden brown, approx. 10

minutes. keep an eye on this though...they can burn easily and I do not know your oven. :)

Clean and dry all berries and slice the strawberries. Put all the berries into a bowl and add 2 T. of rum, 2 t. vanilla, 2 T.sugar, small pinch of salt, and all the lemon zest and juice EXCEPT reserve 1T. for the mascarpone mixture. Allow to masserate until you are ready to assemble the fruit.

In small bowl mix the room temp. mascarpone cheese, remaining lemon zest and juice, 1 T. rum, and 1t. vanilla, plus the 3 T. confectioners sugar. Mix well.

When pie shell is done, cool. You can expedite this process by putting it into the freezer if you are short on time. Add and spread the cheese mixture into the shell and level it off. Now put the berries on top in any design you like! Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and Serve and ENJOY!

* You could also top with whipped cream if you like!

A trip to The Italian Market in Philadelphia Today with my mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 20:49:00 +0000

Italian Market shopping at Fante's! Look at my goodies!

Italian Market Produce, where all chefs buy their produce in PHILLY!

Baby Eggplants! So cute!

Kale!

Every kind of Sausage you can imagine made that day!

Mom, checking out the goodies!

Famous painting of the well known DiBruno Bros....But, we buy our cheese from Claudio's!

All kinds of Seafood on ice!

Fresh and LIVE Blue crabs!

When I travel home to The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, there are a few things that have to happen, One, a soft pretzel must meet my lips! Two, I must see my beloved family and do a lot of laughing and crying! Three, a cheese steak must get into my belly at some point, and a trip to The Italian Market is a MUST! Believe me, there are more of these, "MUSTS", but, I am skimming the urgent list first!
Today, Mom and I took my husband to the airport so he could get back to work. We dropped him off at PHL, and onward to the Market we went. We opened the doors to the Market right at 9 am! FYI, The Italian Market is NOT open on Monday's so save yourself that journey and go Tuesday through Sunday, it will be hopping!
We started out at the famous Kitchen store Fante's! They have every kitchen appliance, pot, pan, baking utensils, coffee pot, coffee to drink and to buy, tea to drink and to buy, rolling pin, gadgets you could not even imagine needing, until you see it there! I have never entered Fante's without leaving with my hands full! My mother would find something we both had to have and she would buy it for us and I would find something I knew she had to have and buy it for us! When we enter the store, we enter our, "zone".....we become so focused on everything, it's like we are drugged or like a child in a candy store............I WANT IT ALL! lol.
I think my favorite find today was something I thought I would invent if someone did not do it first, but, of course, as all inventions for the most part, some one thought of it already! Lucky for me they did, because when I tell you about this, I have a feeling they are going to need to order more! It is called the "KING CUBE TRAY". This is a simple silicone ice cube tray, but, the trick is that the cubes are HUGE, making them perfect for slow melting in a cocktail! This is pure genius and yet so simple. I first saw these ice cubes when I was in Napa Valley recently at Bottega Restaurant. They served our cocktails with these huge cubes and our drink never became diluted and watery! I have been on a mission to find these trays ever since then. I'll bet you all google the King cube tray now! Haha.....good luck!
A day at the Market is never complete without a cheese steak. We chose to try Georges today,,,well,,,I think it was ok,,,but, I've had much better and my favorite Philly Cheese Steak is actually in Delaware at Casapulla Sub Shops! They have many locations! I've been eating at this establishment since I was a baby and my grandmother, mother and father the same! I think they have been around forever! They are so good, and there is always a line, even if you call ahead ( which may be a busy signal too! don't quit), you will have to wait a bit,,,but,,,,,,,,WORTH EVERY SECOND! Their Italian Sub is the BEST! Their Cheese steaks are THE WORLDS FINEST! I have a lot of Italian relatives to back me up here!
This was a fun day! I always love spending time with my mom, she is so much fun! We had a few funny experiences like when we both needed to find a restroom and so, we bought a coffee at Anthony's coffee shop on 9th street. The bathroom was down in the basement, yes sir! Down a very narrow and steep staircase that looked like it was built for a doll house! Then, we did have to park the car,,,parking was tight and it took some serious 25 point turns to get into the spot, but, the stubborn Italian came out of me,,,and mom's sign language from the sidewalk along with her screams of fear I was going to hit the car in front of me was quite entertaining! All in a day of loving our beloved Philadelphia! Tonight we celebrate by eating our purchases of sharp Italian cheeses, olives, Broccolirabe, Fresh Branzini, Mediterranean Fish all drizzled with the finest of Olive oils! Salute! May you get a chance to have such a special day soon! :)

Nanette's Table White Bean Salad!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sun, 26 May 2013 16:40:00 +0000

Bean Salad:

Nanette's Table served a very special salad with every panini. We did not believe in French Fries as a side dish, we wanted to be known for our fresh and from scratch recipes. Everything from our homemade soups, fresh roasted vegetables to homemade quiches from scratch were made daily by me, Nanette herself!

I grew up eating Cannelini beans in so many recipes my grandmother Angie made. She always used cannelini beans in her pasta fagioli, she made an amazing bean salad that is so simple, yet every customer I made it for, swore I had some big secret! I had customers ask for second helpings of this salad all the time! See, You do not need french fries when Nanette's Table Bean Salad is a choice! Lucky for you, I am going to share my "big secret"! It was a special request from a very good customer and friend! This is for you Gail!

ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 can of cannelini beans

1/4 c. sliced and lightly chopped RED onion ,not finely just rustic, ( you need your fork to be able to stab the onion)

1 medium tomato chopped

1 medium lemon juiced and half the lemons zest

1to 2 T. garlic from a jar that is minced ( to your taste with the amount) I like a lot!

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Directions:

The most important part of this recipe is how you handle the beans, they are fragile and can get mushy if not handled right. This recipe is few ingredients, but, texture is the most important thing to keep in mind as you put it together!

*** Drain the beans, rinse carefully and air dry on a paper towel on a cookie sheet for the first few minutes, then be sure to remove the paper towel and allow the beans to continue to air dry on the cookie sheet alone.

***Slice your red onion thinly and then rough chop. You want to be able to stab this with a fork so chopping finely is NOT what you are looking for. Slice and chop your tomato into small pieces.

Mix the beans, tomato, onion, lemon zest together in a bowl. Add plenty of salt and pepper. More salt than you might think because the beans soak it up. Add the garlic and be generous with it, again, the beans absorb a lot of these ingredients, so for this to achieve the full flavor, you have to be generous with the ingredients since there are so few. Now add your olive oil. Notice, I did not put an amount of the oil....you have to eye this because of the same reasons,,absorption. I would have to say though it will be anywhere from 1/4 c. to 1/2 of a cup!

This is always better to be made a day in advance. Yes, you are right, it only gets better as these flavors all have time to get cozy! Refrigerate and serve the next day preferably, but, taste first to make sure you have enough garlic and salt,,they are key! ENJOY!

Mushroom and leek quiche with Gruyere cheese!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:02:00 +0000

MUSHROOM AND LEEK QUICHE WITH GRUYERE CHEESE!

NANETTE'S TABLE was known for the weekly quiche! I made a different quiche recipe every week and inevitably ran out by mid week so I had to start making more and more! Quiche is something that most of us love to eat, and rarely get the chance to do so. It is a classic great dish. The most popular cheese I used in quiche was Gruyere! The other popular ingredients were mushrooms and leeks! The combination of all of these ingredients makes a great rich and delicious quiche.
The best part about a quiche si that it is good for ANY meal! Breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner!!!!!!!! It can also be put into mini muffin tins and become a great party appetizer! This recipe I am sharing is a BIG secret. I cannot believe I am sharing it! BUT, it has saved many fearful quiche lovers that were afraid to tackle making one. I also know this recipe saved many freinds with their weekend visitors..make two of these quiches and serve with fresh fruit and croissants, you will look like a gourmet chef! You can take any of your favorite foods and add any veggie or meat to the "base" recipe! Try it and see why!

This is your lucky day!

Ingredients: and "BASE RECIPE"!

2T. flour
1c. milk or half and half or cream,,,your choice..
1c. mayonnaise ( I used Hellmans light)
2 to 3 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

**1 pie shell

Personality:.........this is the flavor part and it can be any veggie or meat or combo plus cheese!

1c. chopped and cleaned leeks
2 c. chopped mushrooms
1T. garlic
salt and pepper
1 c. shredded gruyere cheese
1T. worchestershire sauce
2 T. olive oil

Heat oven to 375. Add all Base recipe ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk well.

In medium saute pan add 2T. olive oil and heat on medium high. Add chopped leeks and mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, garlic and stir cooking until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add pie shell to pie dish, I spray a canola oil spray or olive oil spray to pie pan to prevent sticking. Add mushroom and leek mixture to bottom of shell. Add in the shredded cheese, and top with the "base mix". Bake at 350 until golden brown and cooked through,,,you will see the top crack a bit. 30 to 40 min. usually to cook depending on your oven. ENJOY!

Black Bean Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:38:00 +0000

BLACK BEAN LASAGNA!

I recently have been trying to eat a lot more plant based foods for my everyday eating for cholesterol concerns. I was craving lasagna and thought about how I could take lasagna and make it beefy without the beef! This dish is my new favorite lasagna recipe and I cannot wait to share it with you! I wondered for a moment what my Italian Grandmother Angie would have thought of this, and I came to the thinking that she might really have liked it because she grew up making pasta fagioli,,,,,,,which is pasta and bean soup....beans are a very inexpensive protein and fiber rich food! So, I think she would approve! You can use any bean you like too! I just had black beans in my pantry! By the way,,,this is very easy and quick! ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 box of no bake lasagna sheets

2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce or my 3rd generation red sauce recipe ( I used my favorite jar sauce, Mario Batalli's Tomato Basil sauce)

1 onion chopped

1 stalk of celery chopped

2 carrots chopped fine

1 medium green pepper chopped

3 teaspoons minced garlic

2 T. olive oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1T. oregano

red pepper crushed to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 c.

1 container firm tofu and 1 15oz. container of ricotta cheese ( if you are opposed to tofu,,use another container of ricotta cheese, but, the tofu is completely undetectable and enriches this dish with a high protein ingredient that is good for you.)

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans of black beans or cannelini beans,,or beans of your choice!

Directions: SAUCE: In medium saute pan add olive oil, onions, celery, carrots and green pepper, salt and pepper to taste and saute until tender. Add in garlic and oregano, basil and red pepper. Stir well and then add in your 2 jars of sauce. Mix together and cook on medium high heat to bring together all the flavors for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in drained and rinsed black beans and combine. set aside.

Directions: CHEESE MIXTURE: In Cuisinart add firm tofu and salt and pepper, mix together and add to a mixing bowl along with the ricotta cheese , 2 eggs, 1/2 c. parmesan cheese and the cheddar and mozzarella cheese as well. Salt and pepper the mixture and mix well to combine all ingredients. set aside.

Directions: ASSEMBLY: In 13x9 baking pan, spray with non stick spray. Lay out the pasta sheets on the bottom, top with sauce mixture, sprinkle parmesan cheese on sauce lightly, and add dollops of the cheese and tofu mixture all across the whole pan, about 12 large dollops per layer. Top with noodles and repeat until done. Last layer should have sauce and cheese dollops to lock in the moisture.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until done throughout and bubbly! Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes to set before serving. ENJOY!

Spaghetti Squash and Spinach Marinara

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:38:00 +0000

Spaghetti Squash and Spinach Marinara

While we are still dealing with cold winter nights and long winter days, we need to spruce up our hearty foods with lighter fare but with the same full flavor that warms our bellies! Bathing suits are part of my life now everyday, so I never stop thinking about lighter ways to achieve flavor and satisfying meal options! Northerners are not far from spring break and bathing suits either, so here is a great dish to start off your spring training while you still keep your bellies full and warm!

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 large bag of fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves minced
4 T. total of olive oil
1/2 c. grated Romano cheese, Plus 1/2c. for topping and serving.
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce,,or my red sauce( my favorite jar sauce is Mario Batali's marinara).
crushed red pepper to taste
Italian seasoning to taste or herbs de Provence to taste

In deep 13x9 pan, add water and a cleaned spaghetti squash cut in half length wise and seeded. Salt both squash halves and turn upside down into pan. The skin side up. Add water into the pan enough to steam the squash. Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until tender.

In medium saute pan on medium high heat, add 2 T. olive oil , 2 cloves of chopped garlic and red pepper flakes if you like. Add in the whole bag of spinach..will seem like a lot and it is,,but, we all know this cooks down to nothing fast. Stir constantly until tender, salt and pepper to taste and herbs de Provence dusting..very light just for a back note! Put aside.

Take the cooked spaghetti squash and with a fork, dig out all the squash into a bowl. Try to keep it long and stringy like spaghetti! Don't worry if it breaks,,,it still tastes great! Season all the squash with salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and 1/2 c. Romano cheese. Mix it up.

To serve: Take a personal sized pasta bowl and put the spinach on the bottom, top with some extra Romano cheese, put the spaghetti squash on top again topped with some cheese and finally a big dollop of sauce to your taste. ENJOY!

Corn bread with Plabano pepper, sweet vidalia onion, creamed corn and NY SHARP cheddar cheese!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:05:00 +0000

Homemade Buttermilk Corn bread with Plabano pepper, sweet vidalia onion, pancetta, and NY SHARP Cheddar cheese........Moist and silky a little sweet and savory, and , full of flavor~!
Well, what you don't know, is that this corn bread thing all started in Charlotte, NC...and Charleston, NC..and I have my own little private and quiet..so be quiet..southern thing going on...No one knows but you,,now......Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am sick and tired of everyone thinking they have corn bread figured out. Honestly,,,southern cornbread from my experience could ..well, CHOKE YOU?.. Shhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone. My goodness! Anyway,, It is an honor to have learned from the best southern cooks just how cornmeal works and how much I prefer to make mine moist and succulent! I do wonder what many me maws ago would think of my cornbread! I am sure they would not like it...There's was for dunking! Mine is for eating! All good, either way! :) Do Enjoy! :)

Ingredients: Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 min.in a
greased 8x10 pan.
2 1/2 c. flour
1c. cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. baking powder
2t. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1c. milk
2 large eggs
1 3/4 sticks of melted butter
2T. butter to grease your 8x10 pan
11/2 c. shredded fresh NY Sharp White Cheddar cheese1 c. in the mix and 1/2 c. on top of bread for browning.
1 medium vidalia onion chopped fine
1 T. . chopped garlic
1 medium poblano pepper cleaned and chopped fine no seeds
1 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
10 or more slices of Pancetta ham chopped fine
1/2 can creamed corn
salt and pepper to taste
1 t. smoked paprika

( If you like heat or spice, add 1 T. hot sauce)...plobano pepper can be hot or not,,,it depends on the pepper...so taste it first and then decide on your heat level you hope for. I say this from experience. I have had poblanos that have zero heat, and then again, some that will light my mouth on fire! SO>>>.taste first! :and access! ) Good chefs always taste their ingredients! :)

In medium saute pan, add 1T. olive oil and 1 T. butter, add onions, garlic, pepper and pancetta, salt and pepper, and saute until pancetta is crispy and onions and peppers are tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

In medium mixing bowl add, Flour, cornmeal, sugar, brown sugar, 2 t. salt, baking powder and toss, mixing for a minute. Then add in buttermilk, milk, eggs, melted butter and mix. Add onion, garlic, and pepper and pancetta mixture and combine. Add in creamed corn, 1 c. shredded cheddar, and smoked paprika mix and finally add hot sauce to your desire...I like to add about 2 t. for a medium hot. Or, leave it out all together and add a hot pepper or two more. My suggestions are habanero,,1 maximum, or a jalapeno, or a sorrento, which is my favorite! Your choice!

Add ingredients to greased pan and top with the remaining cheddar cheese and bake! ENJOY !

.

Braised Beef Short ribs in Red Wine Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:38:00 +0000

BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS IN RED WINE!

Finally Florida has had some cool weather so we can feel like it really is WINTER! The weather always effects our food cravings, so, right away my mind and stomach went to a braised winter dish. What could be better than Braised Beef ribs? Nothing according to my husband! I personally think this could be a wonderful dish for the SUPER BOWL too! It is hearty and delicious! If you ask me, this is better than a bowl of chili and it also goes really well with cornbread! I am making a special cornbread to go with this dish! That recipe will follow this one! I'll take a bet on the game this Sunday with you! I'll bet you make this dish because after you see the picture............You are going to get a strong craving that you can only satisfy one way!!!!!!! I think I just won a bet! ENJOY!

Ingredients:

8 beef ribs
11/2 c. chopped celery
11/2 c. chopped carrots
11/2 c. chopped onion
5 cloves of garlic chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
3 T. tomato paste
1 t. thyme or 10 or so fresh sprigs tied
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1 c. sliced shitake mushrooms or
2- 4 c. beef broth
1 bottle less one glass for you of course!

Preheat oven to 300...or turn your crock pot on low!

Either way you choose to cook this dish oven or crock pot,,,the following steps are the same.

In large dutch oven roaster, heat on medium high. Add olive oil and butter and melt. Add onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and saute until slightly tender about 5 minutes stirring and salting and peppering. Once the veggies are done, remove from pan. Add a drizzle more of olive oil and add in beef ribs. Salt and pepper ribs on all sides and brown until caramelized and golden. Add the veggies back into pot. De glaze the pan with wine...all of it, except a big glass for the chef at large! Now mix well and add in the beef broth...you should have enough liquid in the pot to cover all ingredients for slow braising!

Now you either turn on your crock pot and cook overnight on low..about 6 -8 hours,,depends on your slow cooker. I like my ribs falling off the bone. OR...bake at 300 for bout 4 hours. Check after 3 hours to see how the meat is doing...and stir. Cook until your desired tenderness... I have learned that all ovens are different and this is subjective... ENJOY!

The Kitchen Sink Frittata!

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:29:00 +0000

THE PERFECT FRITTATA!

The EGG! Yes, The EGG! My father and mother grew up in a time when eggs were served for dinner and lunch often! Why? Well, the depression and an inexpensive protein that was affordable. My grandmother Angie often more than not made my father Pepper and Egg sandwiches in his lunch box! I know, It is hard to imagine. My father tells me he used to get offers to trade their sandwiches everyday he brought a pepper and Egg sandwich. He usually took them up on it, obviously, because they had lunch meat or something that he rarely had the chance to eat either! Some things never change at the cafeteria, generation after generation, our children still "trade" their food!
In honor of the Pepper and Egg sandwich and my Grandmother Angie and Dad, I decided to make a frittata for dinner the other night. A lot of us are accustomed to omelets, a very french original that has become very American in hotels and brunches. In Italy, we make Frittatas all the time, breakfast, lunch or dinner. What is a Frittata? Well, I'll give you a hint, it starts with EGGS! This frittata, is really special though because it started one day of the week making roasted veggies in olive oil and garlic along with chicken. The leftovers of the roasted veggies inspired me to use them up and hence the Frittata was created for dinner along with whatever cheeses were in my cheese drawer and then I thought, well, I need milk or cream, didn't have any, but, I did have mexican crema! Problem solved and dinner was started!

Yes, the kitchen sink Frittatta! We are in difficult economic times and this dish took care of leftovers, I am a big believer of waste NOT! And it was delicious and economically prudent for sure! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 slices pre cooked boars head bacon...chopped
4 EGGS
2/3 c. mexican crema, or ( cream, or half and half or sour cream, mascarpone, or creme fraiche)
1/2 c. Asiago cheese shredded
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano cheese grated
1/2 c. Sharp Provolone cheese shredded
basil to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped roasted red pepper from a jar

Yields 4 servings,
Bake on 350 for 40 minutes

Grease: 8x10 pan

Veggies: Roast 1 small chopped up small zucchini, 1 small yellow squash, 1 c. chopped onion, 2 bunches of spinach...top with olive oil, salt pepper and basil to taste, red pepper flakes if you like. top with foil, bake on 400 for 25 minutes until tender.

In medium mixing bowl, add EGG, crema, salt and pepper to taste whisk until mixed completely. Add in grated cheeses and chopped roasted veggies and bacon.
Mix together and pour into baking dish. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the middle is cooked through. It will cook on the sides first into the center last. ENJOY!

We like this with hot sauce or Chulula sauce. Delicious with a side salad or a piece of crusty bread! Yummy! ENJOY!

Rustic Chicken Cacciatore

noreply@blogger.com (Nan) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 21:47:00 +0000

Rustic Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore is such a classic old italian recipe. Every Italian has their own version of this dish. A little bit of History during the Renaissance, 1300-1700 AD, Tuscan Italians became well known for "re-birthing" and or Renaissance gastrique. Soups, stews, roasts, and pastries were the familiar foods that later provided the beginning of spreading their influence further into Europe, hence, France's Loire Valley developing the start of French cuisine, again strong Soups, Stews, and Roasts along with cheeses and Pastries. I feel that my cooking has always leaned into french cooking with my core being all about Italian influence. I find that so interesting when you reflect upon the history of Italian food and it's influence on French cooking......we really don't fall too far from the tree do we? My heritage comes to me honestly in my approach to cooking. Chicken Cacciatore is a lean if you will into french cuisine as well,,,I choose to braise this dish with Red wine,,,most Italian cooks use white wine and they cook this on the stove top, not in the oven. I like the french influence of this dish by using a red wine for depth of flavor and color being very rustic in nature as a stew almost. Braising is another french influence, providing for a very tender chicken. I find it interesting to lean into all types of cuisine and techniques,,this is a very subtle example, but, with great results! ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 red pepper chopped into 1 " pieces

1/2 yellow pepper chopped into 1" pieces

1 whole onion chopped rustically

4 boneless chicken breasts cut in thirds, or four cut up chicken pieces. Thighs and legs and breasts work best.

1 c. flour

1t. basil

1 t. oregano

1/2 t. red pepper flakes ( optional)

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes and juice

5 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped

2 cups red wine

1 c. chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. rigatoni boiled until aldente and drizzled with olive oil and parmesan cheese

1 /2 cup parmesan cheese to top your serving dish

1 bay leaf,,save until right before you put into oven to braise.

In large saute pan add half olive oil, Salt and pepper your prepared chicken on front and back sides. Dredge in flour and brown in saute pan on all sides until golden brown and pretty. Remove chicken when done and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the pan along with onions and peppers and garlic salt and pepper and Saute for 10 minutes.Add in tomatoes chopped up and all their juice. Salt and pepper and add in all herbs. This is called layering flavor. Every time you add a new ingredient you should add enough seasoning to keep the flavor level even.

Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring regularly. Add in red wine and allow to meld flavors for 10 more minutes, stirring regularly,

Now, put all the chicken and sauce into a dutch oven or oven safe dish and add chicken stock...mix well and add in a bay leaf.

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

Cook the rigatoni, serve the chicken Cacciatore on top of the pasta and top with plenty of pecorino romano cheese slices or grated. ENJOY!