Cook The Hell Out of It!

Blistered Shishito Peppers

2018-05-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have been eyeing these little green peppers in the produce section of my grocery store for months. Shishito peppers? What are they? What do they taste like? How the hell do you cook them? Can my stomach handle the heat?

I finally broke down and Googled the info. Turns out they are mostly mild (more about that in a minute), easy to prepare, and one of the trendiest snacks out there. Who knew? (Obvi, not me.) I cruised onto YouTube and found a bunch of videos on how to prepare these beauties (also, more about that ... now.)

The most popular ways to prepare these are on the grill or sautéed on the stovetop. If you're doing the former, use a grill basket or pan -- they're tiny. Since I refuse to light the grill without assistance (it's a phobia), I tried the stovetop method.

These peppers are thin-skinned, cook quickly and are really delicious. They taste mild and a little sweet, kinda like a green pepper. Not sure if they live up to the viral hype, but I would totally make them again. They would be great as an appetizer, but I used them as a dinner side dish for my Filipino Bistek recipe.

Here's the deal about the heat: Supposedly, about 1 pepper in 10 is a hot surprise. But we ate all of the peppers pictured and didn't hit one hot pepper. At any rate, you've been warned.

What You Need:
1 pack Shishito peppers (about 20)
Coarse salt of your choice
Black Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon

How I did it:

Rinse and dry the peppers.
In a large bowl, combine the peppers with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, about a teaspoon of salt and about a 1/4 of teaspoon of pepper. Toss well.
Add another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet until very hot, but not to the point where the oil is smoking (a few minutes).
Add the peppers slowly -- use care so you don't get splattered. Cook until slightly charred, turning a few times. This will take about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Transfer peppers to a serving dish or bowl. Sprinkle with more salt. Squeeze lemon juice onto peppers and enjoy warm. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Breaded Baked Lemon Garlic Wild Cod

2017-08-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am challenged by fish. I know that I should have more fish in my diet and I do like it, but always get overwhelmed by the thought of how to prepare it. But, that's just me. I usually stick with salmon because it's the easiest for me to prepare. But I saw some fresh, beautiful wild cod in the store the other day and decided to branch out.

I decided to use an easy breading technique for this dish, bake it in the oven and hope for the best. Hubby LOVED it. I served it with steamed baby bok choy and brown rice. Fish phobia over.

What You Need:
1 lb. fresh, wild cod filet (de-boned)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Lemon pepper seasoning
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Sliced lemon for serving

Serves 2.
How To Do It:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coat the bottom of a shallow, oven-safe baking dish with cooking spray.
Place cod filets in baking dish and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and Lawry's Seasoned Salt.
In a small bowl, combine melted butter, panko bread crumbs, lemon juice, parsely, minced garlic, and a shake of seasoned salt and lemon pepper. Mix it together with a spoon until combined.
Press the bread crumb mixture on top of the cod. Make sure it's evenly coated.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Add sliced lemon on top before serving.

Easy Vegetarian Chickpea Chili

2015-03-08T16:27:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe in one of my many magazines. It's from NYC chef Bill Telepan who came up with it as an alternative for the regular fare being served in his kid's cafeteria. Supposedly, the kids loved it. My hubby and I enjoyed it for dinner recently. It's very easy to make and can even be done a day ahead and warmed up on the stove top. I served it with fresh guacamole, chips and a green salad. Leftovers were amazing.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

All the ingredients you'll need.

What You Need:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 ounces tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
3 15.5-ounce cans chickpea/garbanzo beans, with half of the liquid drained in each

How To Do It:

Place oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic and pinch of salt. Cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture is soft.
Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and tomato paste. Mix well.
Add tomatoes and 6 ounces water. Simmer about 20 minutes until it thickens.
Add beans and simmer 10 more minutes.

Spinach and Cheese Tart

2014-09-16T16:35:00.002-07:00

I tried out this recipe from a recipe book I've had for years called "Cooking for Two." This tart is more like a quiche, without the crust. It's very light and flavorful and makes a nice, quick meal for two people. We had it for dinner, but it would make a great breakfast or brunch dish, too.
You can use frozen spinach, just make sure you wring it out really well after defrosting and get rid of all of the water. If you prefer a meatless dish, leave out the bacon, or substitute vegan bacon or sausage. Double the recipe to feed four.

Serves 2.

What You Need:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 scallions, sliced
1 slice bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked spinach, drained
1/4 cup fresh basil
5 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

How To Do It:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add scallions, beacon and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer bacon mixture to a bowl and stir in spinach, basil and cheeses. Place the mixture in a small pie dish.
Combine the milk and eggs and pour over the spinach mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake 30 minutes until set.
Serve warm, cut into wedges.

Saute the bacon, scallions and minced garlic.

Add the scallion mixture, cheeses and cooked spinach to a bowl. Mix.

Place the mixture in a pie or tart dish.

Pour the eggs and milk on top. Season.

Cook until firm. Cut into wedges.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

2014-07-20T20:10:00.001-07:00

If you want to impress at a potluck, this is the dessert. It's rich and decadent and amazing. I recently took this on a picnic in the park during with friends, but it would be equally fun during the holidays. Plan to make this cheesecake a day or two ahead because it has to set in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!!

What You Need:
Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup crushed Oreos
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use reduced fat)

Filling:
3, 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (don't use reduced fat)
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, divided
6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges (or mini peanut butter cups. I found these at Trader Joe's.)

Makes 12-14 servings.

How to Do It:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar, cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter in high for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread over crust to within 1 inch of edges.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour 1 cup into a bowl; set aside. Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer.
In a microwave, heat 1/4 cup fudge topping on high for 30 seconds or until thin; fold into reserved cream cheese mixture. Carefully pour over filling; cut through with a knife to swirl.
Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
Microwave remaining fudge topping for 30 seconds or until warmed; spread over cheesecake. Garnish with peanut butter cups. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

***When is the cheesecake done?
Gently shake the cheesecake. If the cheesecake looks nearly set and only a small circle in the center jiggles slightly, it is done. (The center will firm up during the cooling time.) Using a knife to test a cheesecake may create a crack in the top and will not work for cheesecakes made with a large amount of sour cream because it won't give an accurate test. Cheesecakes made with sour cream should jiggle a little more and will have a larger soft spot in the center.

Loving My New Gourmet Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

2014-07-09T09:29:00.003-07:00

I went to the L.A. Winefest at Raleigh Studios earlier this summer and stopped by a booth selling the most amazing olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The guys from Leonardo e Roberto's Gourmet Blends were super helpful putting together dozens of amazing combinations to choose from -- pomegranate balsamic vinegar and lime olive oil, dark chocolate balsamic vinegar and blood orange olive oil, etc..

I settled on this basil olive oil, white balsamic vinegar combination. It's heaven on a Caprese salad. These blends are a little on the pricy side, but if you feel like splurging, or want a great gift for a cook, I highly recommend. They are worth it. More info about these gourmet blends is at www.gourmetblends.us.

Spicy Smoked Tilapia

2014-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

This was the first time we tried fish in the electric smoker and it turned out really nice. I chose tilapia because it's a very neutral, firm fish that does well on the grill. It's a great dish for a backyard barbecue. If you don't have an electric smoker, you could forgo the smoke flavor and grill the tilapia on the barbecue with this marinade and spices. It keeps the fish very moist. Just use low and slow heat. The cooking time will be less.

Grilled tilapia is on the left in the photo above. Served with salad with my homemade Caesar dressing and croutons, stuffed portobello mushrooms and my pal Andrew's famous pinto beans.

Serves 4

What You Need:
4 tilapia filets, patted dry with paper towels
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix, found in the market's spice aisle
1/2 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil

How To Do It:

Place the tilapia filets on a large plate and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning on one side. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
Load the smoker wood tray with the wood chips of your choice. We used a combination of hickory and mesquite. Preheat the smoker to 180 degrees.
In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, orange juice, lime juice, oil and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning.
Smoke the tilapia on the top rack of the smoker for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Apply marinade every 30 minutes while smoking. The tilapia is done when its flaky and white.

Smoked Ham with Mustard Apricot Glaze

2014-05-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

I made this ham for Easter, but who says you can't enjoy a good piece of ham anytime of the year? This would be really good during the summer months with some potato salad, baked beans, cornbread. Mmmmmm. I was totally skeptical about the simmering process, but it really infused the ham with some great flavor and made it extra juicy. You'll want to pick the skin off and it it by itself. Go ahead. I won't tell anyone.

What You Need:
5-7 pound fully cooked, bone-in ham
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 onion, cut in chunks,
1 medium carrot, quartered
For The Glaze:
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons mustard powder
4 tablespoons whole grain mustard with garlic
4 tablespoons orange juice

How to Do It:

About three hours before you plan to start cooking the ham in the smoker, place it in a boiling pot of water on the stove top seasoned with the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves, onion and carrot. Reduce heat to low and simmer the ham for 20 minutes. Remove from the liquid and put it on a large cutting board on the counter. Let the ham cool for 30 minutes.
Baste the ham with glaze every 30 minutes or so. Make sure to reserve some of the glaze to baste the ham during the smoking process.
Preheat the electric smoker to 225 degrees.
Place the ham in an aluminum tray and put it on the smoker. Baste the ham every 30 minutes until it registers 160 degrees F. It will take about 3 hours to cook.
After it's done cooking, remove the ham and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice and serve. Leftovers freeze well.

Produce Paradise and the 'Egg Slut' ... Field Trip to Grand Central Market Downtown Los Angeles

2014-05-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

I recently took a field trip to the historic Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles with my friend Laura. Founded in 1917, you can read all about the history of the market here.

It's come a long way from 1917 and now reflects the growing gentrification of downtown. Go in the morning and it's filled with local residents doing their produce shopping. Go after noon and it's filled with hipsters and white collar workers getting lunch. There are tons of food stalls, but the produce is the real star -- it's dirt cheap. Most fruits and vegetables are pre-packed in $1 bags -- 5 ears of corn, several avocados, a dozen beets, green peppers, chile peppers, etc... I stocked up. There's also a pupuseria, a spice market, Mexican bakery (bought some excellent dulce de leche cake slices) and too many Chinese take-out places.

Laura and I ate at a place called Egg Slut. Yes, the name sucked us in, so to speak. It's a counter at the edge of the market facing Broadway. We both had "The Slut," a coddled egg served with crostini or a biscuit.

It was about 100 degrees that day. If you go during the summer, definitely go early. It's open-air and not air conditioned. Once the cooking starts, the temp rises fast. Parking is free for 1 hour, enough time to go in and get what you need. Overall, a super-fun place with great, bustling energy.

Looking down through the market.

The counter at Egg Slut.

The "Slut." It's just a coddled egg (an egg baked in glass) with chives and toast.

You want booze, this guy will hook you up.

Cheese, cheese and more cheese.

Herbal remedies in the Chinese herb market. Don't know about the "Colon Cleanse."

No sticking your hand in the jar!

Tons of candy.

Pupuseria.

Hipster coffee bar. Iced latte hit the spot.

Eggplant and Tomato Gratin

2014-03-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

"Gratin" in French means "crust." This is a very loose interpretation of a Julia Child and Jacques Pepin gratin recipe. Their original recipe does not call for cheese, but I added it because I thought it would taste good and I love cheese. I used their method for pre-cooking the eggplant, which worked out nicely. Overall, this was pretty easy and makes a tasty side dish. You could also serve it as a meatless dinner or lunch with a nice green salad.

What You Need:
1 large eggplant, ends trimmed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 medium tomatoes, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup shredded Swiss and Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dried bread crumbs

How To Do It:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Use 1/4 cup olive oil to grease a large sheet pan. Place eggplant slices on pan, press into olive oil and turn each slice over. Lightly salt and pepper the slices. Place in the oven to roast for 15 minutes. Remove to cool for a few minutes.
Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and sprinkle bottom of the dish with 1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence.
Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and pepper.
Lay one roasted eggplant slice in the baking dish, layer one tomato slice next to it. Continue until one layer completely covers the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 tablespoon herbs de Provence. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat this process one more time so you have two layers of vegetables and cheese.
In a small bowl, using a fork, mix together 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence, dried bread crumbs and 1/4 cup olive oil. The mixture should be slightly wet and crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the entire baking dish. Drizzle olive oil lightly over the top.
Bake the casserole uncovered for 45 minutes or until the top is brown and the gratin is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Slice the eggplant 1/4" thick.

Roast in the oven on a baking sheet.

Slice tomatoes 1/4" thick and season.

Roasted eggplant.

Layer in baking dish. Top with cheese and repeat.

Make the gratin topping -- herbs, bread crumbs, olive oil.

Sprinkle gratin on top.

Bake until golden and bubbly.

Nice crispy top, gooey cheese and yummy eggplant. I served it with pork chop schnitzel and an arugula salad.

Creamy Chickpea/Garbanzo Bean Salad

2014-02-27T13:38:00.001-08:00

In an effort to incorporate more lean protein into my diet, I've been into this creamy chickpea salad lately. This dish makes a tasty side or lunch. It's one of those super simple recipes that's healthy, packed with flavor and can be adjusted easily to meet your own tastes. Here are a few suggestions:

Add chopped fresh parsley
Stir in a few dashes of hot sauce
Replace scallions with minced red onion
Add less Greek yogurt if you want it less creamy
Add chopped red or yellow peppers

Serves 4-6

What You Need:
1 12-ounce can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 scallions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup 0% Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

How To Do It:
Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover and chill in refrigerator for a few hours.

Product Review -- Fleischmann's "Simply Homemade" Quick Bread

2014-02-25T14:45:00.001-08:00

I was browsing the baking aisle at the grocery store and this quick-bread mix caught my eye -- Fleischmann's "Simply Homemade" stoneground wheat no knead bread mix. I love fresh bread, but the thought of making it from scratch always intimidated me. This seemed like a nice way to test the bread-making waters, so I though I'd try it out and review it for you.

The package says it takes less than an hour. That's close. From start to finish it took me a little over an hour. You only need water, everything else is provided. I guess this is considered a "quick" bread because it uses fast-acting yeast and takes only 25 minutes to rise. You also don't need to knead it, just mix. That said, I did not find that it rose significantly. I guess I was expecting a larger loaf, but this recipe makes one that's about 8 inches long. Perfect for one meal if you have a family of four or five. I'd serve it with a pot of chili or soup.

It made the kitchen smell wonderful. Husband loved it and finished off a couple of slices. Overall, it was pretty easy to do and made a delicious, fresh-tasting loaf, although a little small. I'll probably make it again. If you try it, or have made any other quick breads, let me know your thoughts!

Instructions on the back.

Package comes with everything you need.

Add warm water to activate the yeast.

Add bread mix to the foaming yeast.

Mix into a ball. The package said you could use a spoon to do this, but I found it easier to use my hands.

Form into a small loaf, place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Let it rise for 25 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until golden and crusty.

Serve hot with butter!

Braised Red Cabbage

2014-02-11T11:53:00.002-08:00

This looks so pink and pretty. But besides that, red cabbage is healthy and tasty. This is a simple recipe and makes a great side dish. If you're a vegetarian, substitute the chicken stock for vegetable broth.

What You Need:
1 head red cabbage, cored and sliced
1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced
1 can low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup raisins, golden raisins or currants
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

How To Do It:

Add sliced onions and cabbage to a large, deep skillet or pot on the stove top.
Add the rest of the ingredients -- wine, broth, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, oil and raisins to the skillet. Toss well.
Cover and bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low heat. Braise cabbage until it's soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Toss while cooking, about every 30 minutes.

Start with a head of red cabbage.

Core the cabbage and cut into thin slices. It doesn't have to be perfect!

Thinly slice a large brown onion and toss into a large pan or pot.

Add the cabbage and the rest of the ingredients. Toss well.

Simmer on low heat for a few hours until soft.

Follow Cook The Hell Out Of It on Twitter!

2014-02-07T17:55:00.001-08:00

Follow Cook The Hell Out Of It on Twitter @cooklikehell! Tweeting about food with gusto, passion and love!!

https://twitter.com/cooklikehell

Baked Cheesy Artichoke Dip

2014-01-26T14:47:00.001-08:00

This is one of the best dips. Ever.

I have been making it for years for every holiday gathering, barbecue and party. Every time I serve it, it's gone within minutes and people want the recipe. It's obsessive.

The ingredients are pretty simple. Mainly cheese. Cheeses. I use reduced fat cream cheese which is kind of a joke considering this is not a diet food. But I found that the dip comes out less oily in consistency and makes no difference in taste.

It's also the kind of party food that you can make the day before, put in the refrigerator and take it out and bake it when you're ready. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

Seriously, you HAVE to make this dip. Seriously, I'm not kidding.

What You Need:
1 8-ounce package of reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 greens onions, sliced OR 1/4 cup red onion chopped
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Generous dash hot sauce
Generous dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

How To Do It:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand held mixer until smooth. Add the mayonnaise and beat until creamy and smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
Pour dip into an oven-safe gratin dish.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until its golden brown and bubbly and heavenly.
Serve with corn tortilla chips. Watch your guests devour.

Use canned artichoke hearts.

Beat the mayonnaise and cream cheese until smooth.

Add in the other cheeses, chopped artichoke hearts and onions.

Blend in the seasoning.

Pour into a small casserole dish.

Bake until bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.

Coffee Heaven -- The New Percolator

2014-01-08T16:13:00.001-08:00

I gave my husband an electric percolator for Christmas. Before you judge, it's what he really wanted. After a long speech about the evils of heated plastic in coffee makers, most of which I ignored, I relented. He wanted it to use at work, but when he was off during the holidays, we used our new percolator every morning. All I can say is, I'm hooked. Evils of plastic aside, this all-metal percolator makes amazing coffee. Strong and smooth. No paper filters needed either. It's easy to use, but the grounds have to be adjusted for percolator use -- a coarser grind.

I ordered another 12-cup one for home use. It looks very retro and cute on our kitchen counter. Here's the link for the percolator we have. There are a lot of others out there, but this one works great. No, I'm not a paid endorser for Presto.

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-02822-Stainless-Steel-Coffee-Percolator/dp/B002LVUIK8

Even Grumpy Cat likes the new percolator.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

2014-01-05T11:15:00.005-08:00

This is an easy and tasty slow cooker meal that requires few ingredients and little time to prepare. Don't skip the browning chicken step, though. It adds flavor and only takes a few minutes.

Serves 4.

What You Need:
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar pasta sauce of your choice
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked spaghetti

How To Do It:

Place the mushrooms and onions in the slow cooker.
Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet and heat on medium high heat until the oil is glassy. Add the chicken breast to the skillet and lightly brown on each side. Don't cook the chicken all the way through.
After it's all browned, place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and cover with sauce. Sprinkle the dried basil and dried oregano on top. Add the bay leaf.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours.
Remove the bay leaf. Remove the lid and top the chicken breasts with the Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Turn the slow cooker to low heat. Cover the slow cooker and let the cheese melt for 30 minutes.
Serve with cooked spaghetti.

The ingredients you will need.

Add onions and mushrooms to the slow cooker.

Brown the chicken breast.

Add the sauce and herbs.

Cook for 4-5 hours on high heat.

Top with cheeses, cover with lid and let it all melt.

Yum. Ready to serve.

Lentil Soup

2014-01-02T17:16:00.004-08:00

This hearty lentil soup is healthy, filling and really easy to make. Lentils don't take long to cook, so this soup can be done in about an hour. I used red lentils in this recipe that I picked up at the Armenian grocery store (it's what I had in the cupboard) and as they cooked, the lentils turned a greenish hue. The result was a soup that looks a lot like split pea and tastes a little like it, too. You can use brown lentils as well and substitute the vegetable stock for chicken broth if that's what you have on hand. Overall, paired with some nice cheese, red wine, bread and a green salad, it makes a great dinner.

What You Need:
2 pieces of salt pork or bacon (omit this if you are a vegetarian)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cup dried lentils (I used red lentils I purchase at the Armenian market, but you can also use brown lentils)
32 ounces of vegetable broth
1 cup water, and more if needed
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

How To Do It:

In a soup pot or Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until thin and glassy on medium heat. Add salted pork or chopped bacon and cook for a few minutes, stirring often. If you are a vegetarian, omit this step and go to step 2.
Add celery, onion and carrots to the pot. Stir well with bacon and let cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pot and let it cook for 5 more minutes until the vegetables are soft and the bacon is crisp.
Pour 32 ounces of vegetable broth into the pot. Add the 1 cup water. Stir and bring to boil on high, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Check the consistency of the soup. If it is too thick for you, add more water until you get the consistency you want. Check the taste and add salt and pepper to your preference.

Brown some bacon or salt pork in your soup pot.

Add the veggies, garlic and herbs and saute.

Red lentils. Pretty.

In go the lentils.

Then let it simmer until the lentils are soft and broken down. Adjust your seasoning at the end.

A hearty meal.

Caprese Salad Skewer Appetizer

2013-12-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

Modeled after an Italian Caprese salad, these cute little bites are great for a party, or snack time, or anytime. They just happen to be in festive Christmas colors, but you can also serve them at a barbecue in the middle of summer. They are sooooo easy to make.

What You Need:
1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
1 container of bocconcini (small mozzarella cheese balls marinated in olive oil and herbs.) Or you can cut mozzarella slices into small cubes.
Couple dozen fresh basil leaves
Toothpicks

How To Do It:
Take a toothpick and skewer a cherry tomato onto it. Follow with a basil leaf skewered in the middle and a marinated mozzarella ball last. Make sure you leave enough room at one end of the toothpick so guests can pick them up easily. Place on a platter. Keep going until your run out of tomatoes or mozzarella. Drizzle the assembled skewers with a little herb oil from the mozzarella container and garnish the plate with fresh basil.

Smoked Shrimp with Cajun Butter Sauce

2013-10-28T14:39:00.003-07:00

This is another fantastic recipe for the electric smoker. We used hickory wood chips and you could really taste the smoky goodness. The sweeter chips such as apple, pecan or cherry would also be good. The smoking process really suits shrimp well. The low and slow heat, as well as the butter sauce, keep the shrimp moist, sweet and succulent. Make sure you toss the shrimp a few times during the cooking process which takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. These were inhaled by my husband and guests.

Serves 6 to 8.

What You Need:
4 pounds fresh medium shrimp with shells (heads removed, washed and drained)
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
Half a bottle of Italian salad dressing. (I used Kraft Zesty Italian, but any dressing of your choice would work.)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder

How To Do It:

Add a small amount of wood chips to the smoker and preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.
Place the shrimp in an aluminum pan or baking dish that will fit in your smoker.
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients above.
Pour over the shrimp and toss to make sure all shrimp are coated.
Place on the middle rack of the smoker and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, tossing the shrimp a few times during the smoking process. Internal temperature should be 145 degrees F.
Serve with lots of French bread to sop up the sauce and lots of napkin and moist towels.

Four pounds of marinated, medium-sized shrimp with the shell on.

Into the smoker they go. Toss the shrimp a few times during the smoking process.

Soooooo good. Extra napkins will be needed.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joe's - vegetarian, beef and turkey options

2013-10-12T11:50:00.002-07:00

Believe it or not, I was in my 20s before I had a Sloppy Joe sandwich. My mother did not spend her childhood in America, so I don't even think to this day she knows these exist. Typically, Sloppy Joe's are made with that canned sauce, but once you make them from scratch you'll never open a can again. This recipe is really easy and packed with fresh bell pepper, onion and celery. Brown the meat (or meatless crumbles), mix all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it simmer all day.
This recipe is easily made with ground turkey or meatless crumbles. Just follow the same recipe and substitute the ground beef. Leftovers are also great on spaghetti.

Makes 6-8 servings.

What You Need:
1 pound lean ground beef (or 1 pound ground turkey or meatless crumbles)
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
3/4 cups catsup
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

How To Do It:

In a large skillet, saute the onion in about 2 tablespoons of canola oil for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Crumble in the ground beef, turkey or meatless crumbles. Saute until the meat is browned, separating it into small pieces. Remove from heat.
In the slow cooker combine catsup, green pepper, jalapeno, celery, water, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Mix well.
Stir in the ground beef and combine all ingredients well.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5-6 hours or high-heat setting for 3-4 hours. Spoon onto hamburger buns and top with shredded cheese if you want.

Brown the meat with onion and garlic.

Mix all of the fresh vegetables and condiments in the slow cooker.

Stir really well to combine.

After a few hours of simmering it's done.

Pile high on a bun!

Pavlova with Raspberry Sauce and Mixed Berries

2013-09-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Kathy, who lived in Australia for awhile, brought up the idea of making this dessert. In Australia it's very popular. The Pavlova is a layer of meringue on the bottom, topped by a layer of whipped cream and finished with a layer of fruit on top. Named after the famed Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova (the meringue is an homage to her tutu), the traditional Pavlova is topped with passion fruit. Well, I love ballet and I love dessert, so why not. And a dessert that looks like a tutu? Genius.

So the great Pavlova dessert experiment began.

Neither of us had ever made a meringue before and have heard it can be quite tricky. I decided to use a recipe from one of my "Barefoot Contessa" cookbooks because she swore it was an "easy" dessert to master. Still, there were some funny bumps along the way. We didn't cook the meringue at a high enough temperature, so it wasn't as firm as it should have been. I've made the temperature adjustment for this recipe, but you might have to play around with your oven temperature. Just keep it between 180 and 220 degrees F. The Contessa also calls for framboise, but I substituted grand marnier which I already had in the cupboard. It was delicious and I didn't have to spend a fortune for one tablespoon of booze.

Instead of passion fruit, which is hard to find here, we topped with a trio of fresh berries -- blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. The flavors were heavenly. Sweet and fluffy. We ate the whole thing.

What You Need:
4 egg whites at room temperature
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries

Sweetened whipped cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until just firm.

Raspberry sauce:
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup raspberry jam
1 tablespoon grand marnier liqueur
Place the raspberries and sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan, bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Pour this mixture, the jam and the liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator.

How To Do It:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide. Turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.
Place the eggs whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer on high slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks. This will take about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold lightly with a rubber spatula.
Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper to form an even disk.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Then turn the oven off, keep the oven door closed and let it cool down for one more hour. It should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top with all of the whipped cream. Combine the fruit in a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the raspberry sauce to coat the berries.
Spoon the berries into the middle of the Pavlova leaving a slight border. Serve immediately with extra sauce.

Boiling the fruit sauce.

Pureeing the fruit sauce.

The meringue disk.

The finished Pavlova. It was messy, but looked beautiful and was delicious. Four of us ate the whole thing.

VIDEO TUTORIAL -- A One-Skillet Easy Chicken Dinner

2013-08-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a variation of an earlier blog post. I made just a few changes to accommodate what I had handy in my kitchen that day. The original recipe is here.

If you like this video and want more, please subscribe to my YouTube channel here.

Enjoy this recipe and always remember to cook the hell out of it!

Marinated Garbanzo Bean and Cilantro Salad

2013-07-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

Our family friend Gladys brought this over for the 4th of July barbecue and I've been making it ever since. It is soooooo good. Very light and refreshing for summer and super healthy -- no oils involved and packed with protein. The cilantro and garbanzos really mix together well. The key is to make this dish at least a day before you plan to serve it so it has time to marinate. Leftovers are great in work lunch bags, too.

Makes 8 servings.

What You Need:

2 cans (15 oz. each) garbanzos, drained and rinsed

1 cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced crosswise

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper

How To Do It:
In a bowl, combine garbanzos, peppers, onion, celery, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice and sugar; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill overnight.

Easy Baked Lemon Chicken

2013-07-13T08:21:00.001-07:00

I make this quite often. It's really easy and a good go-to recipe for a busy weeknight or a simple Sunday dinner. If you're making it during the week, just let the chicken marinate overnight. If you don't feel like heating up the kitchen, this chicken would also be great on the grill. The lemon flavor is amazing.

What You Need:
3-4 pounds of cut up organic chicken (pieces of your choice - I used legs and 2 breasts)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 lemon, sliced thin

How To Do It:

Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon of each).
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, turning a couple of times. You can also let it marinate overnight.
When you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Drain the marinade into a small bowl, but leave the chicken in the baking dish. Brush the chicken with some of the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Brush some of the reserved marinade and butter on the chicken. Continue to bake until chicken is a nice golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes more.
Remove chicken from oven and garnish with lemon slices.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Mix the marinade.

Pour marinade over chicken and refrigerate for at a least a couple hours.

Remove chicken from marinade.

Reserve the marinade and put chicken bake in the baking dish.

Melt the butter ...

and brush over chicken. Don't be stingy!

Baste a few times with marinade while baking. Brown, crispy and done.