First Make a Roux

Firecracker Ribs

2011-07-03T12:20:00.005-05:00

The Fourth of July makes me think of cookouts, grilling, burgers and barbeque. What better way to celebrate than with some “Firecracker Ribs.” This is my family’s favorite rib recipe, courtesy of H.E.B. grocery store. The rub is slightly smoky, a little sweet, and can be made with as much heat as you like. When it’s cold out, we bake them in the oven, but they’re best smoked outside on the grill. These babies are so flavorful you don’t even need sauce. When I serve them with sauce, it’s always Fischer & Weiser’s Roasted Blueberry Chipotle Sauce. Yum!

Baby Back Ribs with Firecracker Rub

4 lbs pork ribs

1/4 cup ground cumin

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

Heat charcoal 40 minutes until covered with a light layer of gray ash or heat one side of gas grill on High 10 minutes with lid closed.

Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle rub over all sides of ribs; press to adhere.

Place charcoal on one side of grill or reduce gas heat toward Low. Place ribs on cool side of grill, bone-side down. Close lid and cook ribs 75 to 90 minutes. Turn after 45 minutes. Add coals to keep chamber air temperature at 300 degrees. Ribs are done when meat pulls away from the bone tips.

Cut ribs between bones and serve.

For a milder version of the spicy rub, reduce cayenne to 2 teaspoons.

Serves 4

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

2011-05-14T09:24:00.003-05:00

It's a tradition in many southern households, especially those with a Louisiana influence, to serve red beans and rice on Mondays. I've heard that the tradition stems from using meats like ham and sausage in the beans leftover from Sunday's meal and that since Monday was usually a busy wash day, a pot of beans left simmering on the stove didn't require much attention from the cook.

I didn't grow up with this tradition, but I have incorporated this dish into my family's weekly menu. We attempt to have a meatless Monday most weeks, although many times it ends up being a "less meat" Monday! As Mark Bittman suggests, if we have meat at all, we treat it as a condiment in the meal and not the main event.

I don't have piles of laundry to wash on Mondays, but I am short on time most days, so I have come up with a pressure cooker version of red beans and rice that takes about 30 minutes.

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (Pressure Cooker Version)

1 pound small kidney beans
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
3 cups beef broth
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
salt to taste
3 tbsp parsley, chopped

Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.

In the pressure cooker, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in 2 tbsp olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Rinse beans, and transfer to pressure cooker along with beef stock and sausage. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the beans. Drizzle one tablespoon oil on top. Add bay leaves, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, & thyme.

Lock lid in place and bring to high pressure. Cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure and open lid. Return cooker to medium heat and bring beans to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, mashing some beans into the broth to thicken as desired, about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 8

NOTE: For a vegetarian version, replace the beef broth with vegetable broth and omit the sausage.

Pantry Organization

2011-03-12T09:13:00.010-06:00

My pantry is relatively small (3.5 ft by 3.5 ft by 8.5 ft tall). I installed Elfa shelving in place of the standard fixed shelves. What I love about the Elfa is that the shelves can be moved around to customize the space.

I was inspired to reorganize my pantry after reading a "Good Housekeeping" article about Jamie Lee Curtis' organizing tips. Sadly, the online version does not have her kitchen pictures, featuring deep drawers filled with plastic containers, each labeled on the top. Her tips about making product packaging more pleasing to the eye really intrigued me; it seemed so "doable." Armed with my trusty label maker and some clear plastic organizers, most of which I had on hand already, my daughters and I spent a couple of hours repackaging and labeling my pantry contents.

I turned the large plastic containers on their sides thinking that I could stack them if I needed to. It also helps not to have to look behind stuff to find what I need. I love to use clear plastic and glass containers so that I can see at a glance what I'm low on and need to restock. The 8 and 16 ounce plastic deli containers are the same ones I use for my personal chef clients to package soups and sauces. In the pantry they are handy for things like nuts, pasta and raisins.

The white snack bin on the lower shelf is my daughter's idea. She likes to have her chips, Ramen noodles and crackers readily available. The wooden bin next to it was recycled from a gift basket and it holds packets of hot chocolate, dip and soup mixes.

Canned goods sit on lazy Susans on another shelf. The rolling cart with baskets (also by Elfa) underneath that shelf is great for storing things like bread, napkins, trash bags, onions, potatoes, etc. And a door rack holds bottles, jars, and more deli cups.

Where, you might ask, are the spices? Well, that's another post...

Mimi's Potato Salad

2011-03-12T07:26:00.011-06:00

Today I’m making a big batch of potato salad for a good friend’s birthday party. The barbeque will be catered, and although the meat and sauce from this particular place is awesome, most BBQ joints don’t have great potato salad, so I offered to make some for her.

There are a thousand different versions of potato salad, but in my mind very few can come close to my grandmother’s. As I attempt to write down the recipe I’m reminded that so much of trying to recreate family recipes is in “remembering the taste” and not following the recipe that may have been written down. Upon reading my version, some family members may say, “no, she didn’t use red potatoes,” and “there’s too much relish in that.” In the years of eating Mimi’s potato salad, what I remember is a lot more eggs and relish than you would think, and not a lot of mustard. I also remember the flavor of celery, but not so much the crunch—thus the celery seed. Texture is also key—while most potato salads are chunky or lumpy, Mimi’s was smoother. The variety of potato you use can also make a difference. I like to use red potatoes, although a white would probably work too, and I have also used Yukon Gold. And you absolutely MUST have diced pimento… Oh, and don’t forget the paprika on top! That’s what I remember.

Mimi's Potato Salad

2 lbs red-skinned potatoes
7 eggs, boiled
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup sweet relish
½ tsp celery seed
2 oz jar diced pimentos
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
dash paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Place potatoes in a large stock pot with enough water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook about 30 minutes or until tender. Some of the potatoes may split open slightly. While you want them to be tender, they shouldn’t be falling apart. Pour out hot water and add cold water to the pot. Once the potatoes are slightly cooled you will be able to peel them with your hands. Place peeled potatoes in a large bowl and mash until they are the consistency you want. It’s best to mash the potatoes while they are still warm.

Coarsely chop 6 of the boiled eggs (reserve one for garnish). Mix chopped eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, relish, celery seed, pimentos, cayenne and parsley in a medium sized bowl. Add egg mixture to potatoes and stir until well combined. Add more mayo until it is the texture you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice remaining egg and place slices on top of potato salad. Sprinkle with paprika and additional parsley if desired.

Chill for at least 4 hours.

Serves 8

Pecan Pralines

2010-12-26T17:50:00.004-06:00

I have a friend that makes fabulous pralines. She gave me the recipe and it goes something like this: "Place softened butter in a cast iron skillet. Add sugar and mix with a wooden spoon for 20 minutes." I wanted to make my pralines as good as hers so although I did exactly as she said, I didn't have much luck. She says this recipe was given to her by her grandmother. I'm thinking her grandmother didn't have an electric mixer.

Some praline recipes I've run across say to cook until mixture reaches 240 degrees. Well, I don't get along with my candy thermometer. Perhaps I need a new one. It always fogs up when I'm using it, so I can never tell if my candy is at the soft ball or the "cement" stage. Even so, candy thermometer or no thermometer, electric mixer or no mixer, I've never been able to make really good pralines.

Last year another friend gave me a recipe for microwaved pralines. I tried it and it was a huge fail--the candy got too hard before the 12 minutes were up. I passed the recipe on to a couple of other friends and they raved about it, so this morning I decided to give it another try. This time I microwaved at 80% power--something I always tell my personal chef clients to do so that they don't nuke their food to death--and voila! Perfect pralines! The salt and cinnamon are my additions. If you've got 12 minutes--you've got yourself some homemade pralines. Tip: Place in a covered container out of sight so that you won't eat them all in one day.

Microwaved Pecan Pralines

2 c. sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 c. pecan halves

Combine all in a 2-1/2 quart microwavable dish. Microwave on high (works better at 80% on my microwave) for 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and beat with a spoon until mixture thickens. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper or a buttered sheet pan.

Not Quite Mama's Sweet Potato Pie

2010-11-10T09:11:00.006-06:00

My Mama made the best sweet potato pie. Mama was my father's mother. She and my grandfather, Poppy, made huge meals each time we visited and Mama always had at least two freshly baked sweet potato pies waiting on the stove top. Sometimes more, because she wanted you to take one home with you. You couldn't eat just one slice of Mama's pie--it was so good you had to go back for seconds. Too bad they weren't as pretty as they were delicious. In order to get the filling to the perfect consistency, the pies had to be baked until the crust was almost black. No worries--Mama would just flake off the overdone crust, leaving a firm, but moist filling--and no crust! I don't know why Mama made her pies this way. I never asked. Maybe she didn't know she could make a shield for the crust edge with aluminum foil. Maybe she knew and just didn't want to bother with it. Maybe she just didn't like pie crust!

Mama didn't have a recipe for her pies. She would just throw in a little of this and a little of that, but I watched her make them for years and although my version is not quite hers, it's a really good copy--minus the ugly crust. My "cheffy" side couldn't resist garnishing with ginger whipped cream, which is a modified version from a recipe I found in Gourmet magazine.

At the end of my first year as a personal chef I baked sweet potato pies and gave them to each of my clients as gifts during the holidays. Every holiday season clients and friends ask if they can place an order for a pie. No can do--these pies are a labor of love, and this love is not for sale. But I will share--and perhaps you can make one for someone you love.

Sweet Potato Pie with Ginger Whipped Cream

1 unbaked pie crust (9 inch)

2 large sweet potatoes

1/4 cup butter -- room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 medium eggs

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground ginger

Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash sweet potatoes and prick them several times with a fork. Place potatoes on a foil covered baking pan. Bake for one hour. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the insides and place in a large bowl. Don’t use any of the stringy fiber from the ends of the potatoes. Discard the potato skins.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, beat the potatoes until smooth. With the mixer running on low, add butter. Then add both sugars. Add eggs, one at a time. Add evap milk and vanilla. Add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and salt.

Pour batter into pie shell. Bake for about 45 minutes. When the pie crust is golden brown, carefully cover the crust with an aluminum foil ring. Then continue to bake for about 15 additional minutes, or until a tester inserted into pie comes out clean. Cool at least one hour before cutting.

Serve with Ginger Whipped Cream.

Serves 8

Ginger Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups well-chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, add the sugar and the ground ginger, and beat the mixture until it holds stiff peaks.

Makes 3 cups

Catfish and Grits with Creole Sauce

2009-07-29T08:02:00.005-05:00

This year the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) annual conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. I am always inspired by one particular meal at our conferences, and this year was no different. We were treated to a soul food cooking demo by world-renowned chefs, Frank Brigtsen (Brigtsen's Restaurant) and Leah Chase (Dooky Chase Restaurant). Frank, who has recently opened his second restaurant, Charlie's Place, paid homage to his mother with a Mustard & Cornmeal Fried Catfish with Stone Ground Jalapeno Cheese Grits with Creole Sauce recipe.

We joyfully watched the friendly banter between Frank and Ms. Leah, who have a genuine mutual respect and love for each other. For the benefit of those that are new to Creole cuisine, Frank explained the mirepoix or trinity and professed his love for Paul Prudhomme's seasonings. Ms. Leah, patiently stirring the grits while Frank cooked the catfish, told us about a New Orleans Holy Thursday tradition of eating green gumbo (gumbo z'herbes), and made us laugh about how Barack Obama sat down to a bowl of her gumbo and immediately started pouring in the hot sauce without tasting it first.

Now I can make grits--Frank said so (I'll tell you later about the Chef's Knock Out judged by Mr. Brigtsen, himself)--and I've definitely fried my share of catfish--but after tasting Frank's catfish, I really don't want to make it any other way. The mustard batter and blend of flour and cornmeal is key to the recipe, but the other trick is pan-frying the battered catfish immediately after it has been dredged in the dry mix. Frank explained that when you batter in advance the dry mix becomes wet and the crust won't be crispy.

Mustard & Cornmeal Fried Catfish
with Stone Ground Jalapeno Cheese Grits
& Creole Sauce

Creole Sauce:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced green bell peppers
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced yellow onions
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried whole-leaf sweet basil
1/2 tsp dried whole-leaf oregano
1/2 tsp dried whole-leaf thyme
1 tbsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
6 cups canned whole plum tomatoes (pureed with their juice)
1 tbsp granulated white sugar

1) Heat the olive oil in a pot over high heat. add the bell peppers and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2) Add the onions and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and clear.
3) Reduce heat to low. Add the sweet basil, oregano, thyme, salt, cayenne, black pepper, white pepper, and garlic.
4) Add tomato puree and sugar. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Grits:

8 cups milk
4 tsp salt
4 tbsp very finely chopped fresh jalapeno peppers
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups stone ground grits
4 cups grated sharp Cheddar Cheese

1) In a heavy-duty pot over low heat, add the milk, salt, and jalapenos. Cook just until the milk is scalded.
2) Add the butter and grits and whisk until thoroughly blended. Cook until the grits are thick and tender, whisking occasionally.

Catfish:

4 eggs
1 cup yellow mustard
1 cup Zatarain's Creole mustard
2 cups milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups yellow corn flour*
4 cups yellow corn meal
about 1 cup Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic seasoning
3 1/2 lbs catfish filets, cut into thin strips, about 2 to 2-1/2 ounces each
Vegetable oil for frying

1) In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until frothy. Add the yellow mustard and Creole mustard and whisk until well blended. Add the milk and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
2) In a separate mixing bowl, add the white flour, corn flour, corn meal, and 3/4 cup of the seafood seasoning. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
3) heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. The oil should be about 1/4 inch deep, so that it comes up the sides of the catfish, but not over the top.
4) Season the catfish pieces lightly and evenly on both sides with the seafood seasoning.
5) Dip the catfish pieces into the (wet) mustard batter and then into the (dry) seasoned flour batter. Place the battered fish pieces immediately into the hot oil. Fry until crispy on both sides, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Place the fried catfish pieces on paper towels to drain.
6) To serve, ladle about 1/2 cup of Creole sauce onto each serving plate. Place about 1/3 cup of grits in the center of each plate. Top with two pieces of fried catfish. Serve immediately.

*if you can't find corn flour, you can substitute masa flour or Zatarain's fish fry.

Note: I only used one cup of cheese when I made the grits and they were still very good.

When Life Gives You Lemons... Make Lemon Bars

2009-04-11T14:50:00.005-05:00

If you don't know this by now, I'll admit it. I'm not much of a baker. Baking is too precise and doesn't fit well with my ADD personality; so naturally, we don't have many home-baked goodies in our household. My son PJ used to make wonderful lemon bars, but he's moved out on his own and lives in another state. Last week at the urging of my 6 year-old niece, I decided to try my hand at them. I didn't use PJ's recipe--he used the one in our 30+ year old Betty Crocker Cookbook. First I discovered the index pages had been ripped out of the book. Then I found the pages where the lemon bar recipe might have been were permanently glued together with some kind of sugary mess! So I turned to my faithful Google and after some brief comparisons, decided on my girl Ina Garten's version. I only used one tablespoon of lemon zest and 3/4 cups of juice but these bars were still really, really tart--but delicous. And they were so easy, even I couldn't mess them up!

Lemon Bars

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes 20 squares

Dilled Crab Salad

2009-03-12T08:16:00.006-05:00

My friend Mark Tafoya and his partner Jennifer Iannolo at the Culinary Media Network are preparing to publish the Gilded Fork Cookbook and they've asked for volunteers to test and photographs some of the recipes. One of the recipes I tested was Dilled Crab Salad on Artichoke Bottoms, part of their Summer Picnic menu. The recipe could be served as an appetizer on artichoke bottoms or on a bed of lettuce as a salad. What I loved about this recipe was the combination of fresh flavors--lemon, dill, cucumbers. The lump crab was a little pricey, but well worth the extra dollars. I also liked that the preparation was super simple and fast (about 20 minutes), but the final presentation was very impressive. After tasting the appetizer and salad, my mom and I enjoyed the remaining crab salad on water crackers with a glass of white wine from Argentina. Perfecto!

Dilled Crab Salad on Artichoke Bottoms

Serves 16 as an hors d’oeuvre; serves 4 as a salad

6 ounces jumbo lump crab meat, picked over to remove any shell bits
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced to 1/8” thickness
1 red bell pepper, 1/8” dice
2 celery stalks, strings removed and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fine quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sweet cider or raspberry vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 15-ounce cans artichoke bottoms

Prepare the vegetables:
Peel the cucumber and halve it lengthwise. Using a small spoon, gently remove the seeds and slice thinly into 1/8” slices. Dice the red bell pepper to 1/8” dice, then remove the strings from the celery, cut into lengthwise strips, and dice to 1/8” dice. Finely mince the dill.

Make the salad:
Pick over the crab meat to remove any stray pieces of shell or cartilage. Leave the large lumps intact. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil and lemon juice to form an emulsion. Add the diced vegetables and dill and stir to combine. Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to further break up the lumps.

At this point you may add a splash or two of the vinegar and mix until the salad reaches the desired consistency. It should be neither too dry nor too wet. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the crab salad in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Just prior to serving, open the can of artichoke bottoms and carefully shave off the bottom end of each so the artichoke bottoms sit flat and level.

Service:
If serving as an hors d’oeuvre, place one or two heaping tablespoons of the crab salad on each artichoke bottom and garnish with a small sprig of dill. If serving as a plated salad, line the serving plates with lettuce leaves, place the salad on top, and serve immediately with a crusty baguette.

Brazilian Shrimp

2009-03-10T18:20:00.006-05:00

This is my new favorite shrimp recipe. Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine by way of Epicurious.com it's called "Brazilian Shrimp Stew" or "Moqueca de camarao." I suppose it is a stew, but a stew sounds very pedestrian to me, and this recipe is anything but. I used fire-roasted tomatoes and red and green bell peppers for color (also, I just happen to like red bell peppers best). I reduced the amount of cayenne pepper the original recipe called for by one-half and it was still plenty spicy. I absolutely adore coconut milk and its appearance in this recipe did not disappoint. I've never tasted dendê or palm oil, so I left it out. Maybe next time I'll try a drizzle. Of course, I would eat this with rice.

Brazilian Shrimp

1 1/4 lb large shrimp in shell (21 to 25 per lb), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon dendê (palm) oil*

Toss shrimp with black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic, and lemon juice and marinate, covered and chilled, 20 minutes.

Purée tomatoes with juice in a blender until smooth.

Cook onion and bell pepper in olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cayenne, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and remaining teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomato purée and simmer briskly, stirring, until mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and bring to a boil, then add shrimp mixture and cook, stirring, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in dendê oil and remaining 4 tablespoons cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

* Available at Brazilian and West African markets and most Whole Foods. Fiesta in Austin probably has it too.

Crawfish Etouffee

2009-02-28T11:20:00.003-06:00

1 stick butter
2 cup Onions -- chopped
1 cup Celery -- chopped
1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper -- chopped
1 lbs peeled crawfish tails
2 clove Garlic -- minced
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or clam juice
1 tsp salt
pinch Cayenne
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
3 tbsp chopped green onions

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and saute until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crawfish, garlic, bay leaves, white wine and chicken stock or clam juice. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and green onions and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

Serves 4

Braised Oxtails

2009-02-19T12:28:00.006-06:00

I'm here to confess one of my guiltiest pleasures--no, it's not chocolate or fine champagne--it's oxtails! Look up the word "unctious" in the dictionary--you should see a picture of some braised oxtails! My husband and kids won't go near them, so I wait until he's away on a business trip and order McDonald's for the kids. Then I steal away to the grocery store and pick out a package of the meatiest oxtails I can find. Patience is required for this endeavor as this is no 30-minute meal. The pressure cooker can be a timesaver, but perfectly cooked oxtails will still take at least 2 hours.

Serve over steamed rice or even better, mashed potatoes.

Braised Oxtails

2 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup flour

4 pounds oxtails

1 onion, chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices

14 oz can whole tomatoes

1 cup red wine

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pressure Cooker:

Preheat oven to 350. Season the oxtails with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker oven and brown the oxtails on all sides. Add onion, celery, garlic cloves, tomatoes, red wine, bay leaf and thyme. Bake, covered for 2 hours. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Release pressure and carefully place oxtails, vegetables and liquid into a 9x12 baking pan. Add carrots to the pan. Place baking pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes.

Note: This recipe can also be made in a dutch oven. Simply bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 2 and a half hours. Then remove the lid, add carrots, and bake an additional 30-45 minutes.

Serves 4

Holy Guacamole!

2009-02-12T09:06:00.007-06:00

My good friend Anna makes the best guacamole ever. Chunks of perfectly ripe avocado with just the right amount of onions and tomatoes. We open up a bag of tortilla chips, pour up a couple of icy margaritas, and that's all she wrote. I can never make Anna's guacamole as good as she can, so I created my own "signature" dip. A really simple recipe, but a wonderful juxtaposition of flavors and textures--smooth, crunchy, tart & hot. It's called "Green Guacamole" because all the ingredients are green, including a surprise ingredient.

Green Guacamole

3 ripe avocados

2 jalapeno peppers (seeded and diced)

1/2 Granny Smith apple (finely diced)

1/8 cup cilantro (chopped)

2 limes (juiced)

salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocados roughly with a fork. fold in apples, peppers, and cilantro. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dig in!

Serves 2 to 6 (depending on how hungry you are!)

Optional: If you're into onions--add some sliced green onions.

Quick Pantry Dinner

2008-10-02T12:17:00.009-05:00

There are some days when even "inspired" cooks cannot think of what to make for dinner. Last week I had one of those days. I had invited my sister over and I wanted to make a special grown-up meal just for us. But after spending the day planning a weeks' worth of menus for my client families, I drew a blank. Seems I could figure out what they wanted to eat, but I had no idea what I wanted to eat.

After a quick inventory of my pantry and fridge I came up with a few ingredients that I had on hand that both my sister and I loved--gorgonzola cheese, pasta, spinach, pine nuts. That'll work! After a couple of drinks to calm our nerves--we (well, I watched) finally caught the dwarf hamster that had been hanging out under the dishwasher all day (but that's another post). I put the pasta on to boil and got started on dinner. As the incredible smells drifted through the house, my sister suggested that we add some bacon. Couldn't hurt. I chopped up a few slices to brown. What we ended up with was an exceptionally good "grown-up" dinner that was lightning fast (10 minutes maybe?) and didn't require a trip to the grocery store.

The key to any quick pantry meal, of course, is use what you have on hand. This recipe handles substitutions well. Don't have spinach, use broccoli or peas; no penne, try fusilli; no bacon; why not ham? You get it.

Penne with Spinach & Gorgonzola

16 oz penne pasta
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
1 6 oz bag baby spinach
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 slices of bacon, chopped finely
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the pasta according to package directions in salted water. When it's finished cooking, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Discard the bacon drippings and wipe the skillet out with paper towel.

In the same skillet, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and cook at medium heat just until tender, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the cream and gorgonzola cheese and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted, another 2 minutes.

Combine the pasta and spinach mixture in large bowl, tossing to coat evenly. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and bacon.

Serves 4

Note: You can also garnish with a little shaved or shredded Parmesan (two cheeses can't be bad!)

Shhh.... it's meatloaf!

2008-09-11T08:55:00.006-05:00

Until I became a personal chef I never really liked meatloaf. It just wasn't one of those meals that "inspired" me. Too boring. Then I discovered that many of the people who hired me to cook for them were really into comfort food, and one of those comfort foods was meatloaf. I tweaked and tested and was finally able to come up with a classic meatloaf recipe that was flavorful, moist, and passed my taste tests. I played around with different versions--an Italian meatloaf with sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and provolone cheese, a barbecued turkey meatloaf for those who wouldn't or couldn't eat beef and pork, a Southwestern meatloaf with corn and peppers--flavors that truly inspired me. These became some of my favorite recipes.

But I also had some clients who wouldn't touch meatloaf. They said they didn't like it, and I completely understood. I realized that I could take my favorite meatloaf recipes and turn them into "burgers". Those people who didn't like meatloaf LOVED my bunless Italian Burgers, Barbequed Turkey Burgers, and Southwestern Turkey Burgers!! It's the same recipe, shaped into a patty! Just don't tell them it's really meatloaf.

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

1.25 pounds ground turkey (85/15)

1 tsp olive oil

1 corn on the cob

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1-2 minced jalapeno peppers

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the kernels off of the corn cob into a medium sized bowl. Add red bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno peppers. In a large non-stick skillet heat the olive oil and saute the corn kernels, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno until tender. Allow to cool slightly. Add the vegetables to the ground turkey along with the bread crumbs, cilantro and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands. Shape into 4 patties.

Brown the patties on both sides over medium high heat in the non-stick skillet (about 3 minutes per side). Transfer the patties to a foil lined baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the patties reaches 170 degrees.

Servings 4

Optional: Add 1/4 cup of diced Monterrey Jack Cheese to the burger mix. Pepper Jack would be awesome!

"Kitchen Sink" Granola

2008-08-23T19:12:00.005-05:00

I was talking to one of my girlfriends the other day about our favorite topic -- diet and exercise -- and the subject turned to what we liked to eat. After a while we both admitted that we just love things that crunch. When it comes to crunchy, the first thing I think about is granola. Not just any granola... It has to be slightly sweet, with some tart and chewy dried fruit thrown in, with a whole lotta nuts and a major crunch factor. Every now and then I'll make a great big batch. It's easy, and much less expensive than what you'd buy at the grocery store. The only drawback is that once I make some, I can't help grabbing a handful every time I walk past the jar.

I call this "Kitchen Sink" Granola because it has everything BUT the kitchen sink thrown in. I can't ever decide what flavor granola to make so I throw in everything I like...dried cherries, raisins, blueberries, cranberries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds...the works!

Sure, this is good enough to eat all by itself, but try it for breakfast in milk (you won't need to worry about it going soggy for quite a while), sprinkle over yogurt for a snack, or put some with some ice cream for dessert.

Kitchen Sink Granola

6 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (cherries, blueberries, raisins, cranberries)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine the honey and oil in a measuring cup.

In a large mixing bowl, mix oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle oats with honey and oil mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon. Line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oats onto the baking sheet into a thin, even layer. Bake for 45 minutes.

Pour the baked oats back into the large mixing bowl and add the dried fruit and coconut. Mix well. Return mixture to the baking sheet (spreading evenly) and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

And the winner is...

2008-08-07T16:45:00.005-05:00

There was so much going on at the USPCA's Annual Conference in Tucson...networking with fellow chefs and industry professionals, classes on everything from making pasta to setting the perfect table, Improv Comedy entertainment, nightly tequila tastings, and an Iron Chef Competition. The accommodations at the Marriott Starr Pass Resort, nestled amongst the cactus-studded Sonoran Mountains, were stellar, the perfect setting for a "just for fun" salsa-making contest, and guess what? Yours truly won! Believe me, the competition was stiff. I noticed fresh pineapple, watermelon, and basil among the other three contestants' ingredients. Try this salsa with your favorite tortilla chips or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish.

Smoky Orange Salsa

4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 navel oranges, segmented and chopped (skin removed)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Chill for an hour before serving.

Yield: 2 cups

A Taste of South Tucson

2008-08-07T11:27:00.009-05:00

This past weekend I was in Tucson, Arizona for the United States Personal Chef Association's Annual Convention. On a culinary trip through Tucson's barrios, we toured a bakery and tortilla factory and one of the city''s oldest fish purveyors. We were treated to fresh baked Mexican pastries and some of Tucson's best botanas--chipotle chicken quesadillas, fish tacos, carne asada burritos, ceviche, margaritas and an amazing Sonoran hot dog. This hot dog is nestled in a slightly sweet and very soft homemade bun, wrapped in bacon, and topped with beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeno sauce, mustard and mayo. But wait, there's more--enough additional condiments to make your head spin--several different types of hot sauce, salsa verde, cucumbers, onions, avocado/lime puree. You would think that after all that I'd be too stuffed to try anything else! But at the end of the tour, with the temperature soaring over 100 degrees, I couldn't resist the Respado from Oasis fruit cones. Overflowing with fruit infused ice, ice cream and topped with fresh strawberries and mangos, this was the perfect ending to an absolutely amazing culinary tour.

I just had to try and recreate the Sonoran hot dog as soon as I got home. Here's my attempt.

Sonoran Hot Dog

4 all beef hot dogs
4 slices bacon
4 soft homestyle hotdog buns
1 can pinto beans, warmed
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup sweet white onion, chopped
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, finely chopped
mustard
mayonnaise

Wrap each hot dog with a bacon slice and brown on all sides in a hot pan. Set aside to drain. Place hot dogs in buns. Top each with two tablespoons pinto beans, two tablespoons of chopped tomatoes, one tablespoon chopped jalapenos. Drizzle with mustard and mayonnaise.

Serves 4

Whole Foods--Paper or...

2008-01-29T12:24:00.001-06:00

You've probably heard by now. As of April 22, Earth Day, you will no longer have the plastic bag option at Whole Foods stores. In place of the plastic bags, Whole Foods will over several options: paper bags, reusable bags made from 80 percent post-consumer waste (recycled plastic bottles), and canvas bags. The paper bags are free, the reusable bags are .99 cents each, and the canvas bags sell for $6.99 and up. Whole Foods is encouraging shoppers to bring their own bags by offering a 5 to 10 cent refund per bag. I was lucky enough to get a couple free reusable bags during a promotional period this month.
It appears that more mainstream grocery stores are catching on too. HEB has their own brand of reusable bags for .99 each. Canvas bags can also be purchased. So why is this important? As a personal chef, I shop 3 to 5 times per week. When my groceries are sacked in those flimsy plastic bags there are sometimes 15 bags per shopping trip. Do the math--that's over 3,000 bags per year! I've heard they take 1,000 to degrade! I know...you can recycle the plastic bags at drop-off stations at some grocery stores. Unfortunately, my plastic bags never make it there. On the up side, whenever possible, I ask for paper bags--more often than not the sackers look at you like you just asked them to dig a ditch! I think I've figured out why. There's not much strategy required in plastic bag sacking. Just be sure to sack the produce separate from the chicken and the bleach separate from the bread and you're good. Sometimes there's only one or two items in each sack! What do they care how many bags you have to carry into the house? Sacking paper requires a little more thought--heavy things on the bottom, flat versus round items, etc.
Anyhow, I love my reusable bags--two from Whole Foods, two from HEB, and an assortment of washable canvas bags. Trick is to remember to take them into the store with you. I've started unloading the groceries and then sticking the bags right bag into my car--preferably where they're visible (front seat). Just doing my part to help the environment.

Gumbo for a Crowd

2008-01-03T17:26:00.001-06:00

If you’ve read the latest issue of my newsletter, you already know that gumbo on Christmas Eve is a long-standing tradition in our family. This year we invited 40-something people to my not-so-big house! The menu is very simple—gumbo, rice, rolls, potato salad (sounds crazy, but this is what we like with our gumbo), a couple of appetizers and desserts, and we end the evening with homemade eggnog (with or without bourbon).

Usually, I make gumbo without a specific recipe in mind. A big ol’ pot should be enough, right? Not exactly! Past experience has taught me that when so many guests are invited, I need to be somewhat concerned about how many servings I’ll actually need. It’s not a good thing to run out of gumbo before everyone has had a chance to get their first serving. Yes... this has happened before.

A reasonable person would assume one cup of gumbo per person would be sufficient. These person obviously does not know MY family and friends! I now know that my adult guests will have an average of 1.5 servings each. Children are a little more difficult to predict, but I allow for a half cup per kid. Having determined these amounts, I decided to make a little over 2.5 gallons of gumbo and 30 cups of cooked rice.

Here are some of the recipes for my Christmas Eve Menu. Enjoy!

Gumbo for a Crowd
Potato Salad
Sweet Potato Pie
Homemade Eggnog

Okra with Shrimp and Tomatoes

2007-12-10T11:27:00.001-06:00

When you say "comfort food," this is what comes to my mind. I believe that comfort foods make you feel safe and secure, and are usually connected to your childhood. Okra was something that could frequently be found simmering on my grandmother's stovetop when we dropped in for a visit. I was a very picky eater as a child, but I always loved okra. I remember my grandmother had a large garden and grew her own, so it was always fresh. My way of keeping those memories alive is to grow four or five okra plants in my garden each summer. It's got to be a matter of nostalgia because growing okra is not for the faint at heart. Here in central Texas, where the summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees, okra grows like crazy! It must be picked daily or the pods will grow to the size of a carrot and will be too tough to eat. Besides, okra plants are prickly--even the so-called "spineless" variety will give you the itchies if you don't wear gloves and long sleeves. I was able, however, to pick enough to freeze a couple of bags of okra for the winter.

A common complaint I hear about okra is that it's slimy. Not if you know how to cook it properly. You must cook the okra in a little bit of oil over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until all of the slime disappears. Some people add a dash of vinegar to help the process along, but I've never found this necessary. This is one of my favorite recipes for okra.

Okra with Shrimp and Tomatoes

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound of okra, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a 10 or 12 inch skillet. Add the okra and cook, stirring constantly, until it is nearly browned, about 10-15 minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add diced tomatoes in their juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook just until the shrimp are pink and curled. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice.

Serves 4 as a main dish.

Seared Scallops

2007-11-30T20:16:00.001-06:00

There's something to be said for "spur of the moment" cooking. One day last week I found myself blissfully alone at home in the evening. My husband and his brother had gone off to Dallas to cheer for their beloved Cowboys and the girls were spending the night with their grandmother. I wanted to make a meal for just me not considering anyone else's preferences or criticisms. I knew just the thing--scallops. No one in my family appreciates them the way I do. I stopped at the supermarket on the way home and shamelessly asked the guy in the seafood department for three--yes, three scallops. Having just prepared 40 meals for my clients, I didn't have the energy to think my way through any particular recipe, so scallops, Gewurztraminer, and a good movie in hand, I made my way home.

I found jalapenos and lemons in the fridge, and shallots in the pantry. I always have plenty of butter on hand. Here's my impromptu recipe

Seared Scallops in Spicy Lemon Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
16 sea scallops, patted dry
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon juiced and zested
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Sear scallops quickly on both sides in the oil.

Remove scallops from saute pan and set aside. Add one tablespoon butter and saute shallots and jalapenos. Deglaze pan with white wine and lemon juice. Add remaining butter, whisking in one teaspoon at a time until incorporated.

Return scallops to pan and cook for two minutes, turning once. Stir in lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked pasta.

Serves 4

Jalapeno Cranberry Relish

2007-11-14T10:11:00.001-06:00

I never met a cranberry I didn’t like. Cranberry sauce, cranberry relish, cranberry chutney, cranberry granola…and my latest guilty pleasure—Cranberry Cosmopolitans. In my mind, cranberries go with everything. That’s one of the reasons I look forward to this time of year. Fresh cranberries are plentiful, even in Central Texas. I actually like to eat cranberry sauce all year long--with pork, chicken, even barbequed brisket (I know that’s blasphemy here in Texas), but I made a warm cranberry chipotle sauce that was absolutely born to go with barbeque.

One day last year my local supermarket was out of fresh cranberries!!! And this was about a week before Thanksgiving. I was so distraught I went to another store and bought several bags. Of course, I didn’t get to use them all, so I threw the bags in the freezer. And guess what? They freeze beautifully! I pulled out a bag a few days ago to make a relish to go with baked chicken for an impromptu dinner party and I could not tell that it was made from frozen cranberries.

Jalapeno Cranberry Relish

24 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in food process or blender and blend. If you like it hotter, add another jalapeno pepper or two. Place in a container and refrigerate overnight.

Makes about 1 quart

Chicken Salad with Grapes & Walnuts

2007-11-05T13:11:00.001-06:00

Just to let you know, you'll be seeing more blog entries from me on a regular basis from now on. I have literally been working night and day to launch my newest venture, Dinner Made Simple, Now You're Cooking and although I've had lots to blog about, I haven't had the energy to get it down in writing. I so admire Shuna Fish Lydon at Eggbeater who is not only in the middle of opening a brand new restaurant, but who blogs almost daily anyway!

Right now, as I long for some semblance of routine in my life, the chicken salad that one of my clients requests each and every week for lunch comes to mind.

Chicken Salad with Grapes & Walnuts

8 oz Chicken, Breast
2 tbsp Light Lemonaise
2 tbsp Plain Non-fat Yogurt
1 cup Seedless Red Grapes, cut in half
1 cup Celery, sliced
1 tsp Tarragon, dried (or one tablespoon fresh)
1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp Shallots, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer chicken in water until no longer pink. Cut chicken into cubes. Mix chicken, lemonaise, yogurt, grapes, celery, shallots, walnuts and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

rice, glorious rice!

2007-06-18T19:35:00.002-05:00

I LOVE rice. I grew up in Beaumont, Texas, which has to be the rice capital of the world! My grandmother is from South Louisiana where she undoubtedly ate a lot of rice growing up too. When I got married my husband (northeast Texan) used to tease me and say that I would eat rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This wasn’t too far from the truth. A favorite breakfast in Southeast Texas is eggs and rice. This is a great way to use up rice that’s leftover from dinner the night before. Basically, you scrambled an egg in butter or oil and added the rice and seasoning and maybe some cooked, crumbled bacon, making a stir fry of sorts. When I was a young girl, cayenne pepper was my seasoning of choice except when I had my brief love affair with what I thought was an exotic seasoning at the time—cinnamon.

The rice I grew up eating was a pretty standard long grained white rice. I didn’t know about much else. During my “hippie” stage in the ‘70’s I discovered brown rice, but I didn’t really know how to cook it properly and so I didn’t like it. Today my pantry contains not only long-grained white rice, but jasmine rice, Arborio rice, basmati rice, wild rice, long-grained brown rice, short-grained brown rice—I love them all. Check out Rice 101, a primer on rice varieties and tips on storing and cooking rice.

Almond Rice Pilaf

1/2 cup Almonds, slivered and toasted
2 tbsp Butter
2 cup Long Grain White Rice
1/2 cup Onions, chopped finely
1 can Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Water
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

Melt butter in skillet over low heat. Add onion and cook until softened.

Add rice, cook and stir until rice is lightly browned and fragrant.

Add broth, water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil two minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

Stir in almonds and parsley.

Serves 4