Category Archives: Fall/Winter Favorites

March 6, 2018 · 5:58 pm

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce (slow cooker)

INGREDIENTS:

6 ea          Chicken Thighs, bone-in skin removed (about 2 1/2 lbs)

1 tsp          Oil

2 cans       Coconut Milk (light okay)

2 Tbs        Basil Leaves, dried

2 tsp         Salt

3/4 tsp      Pepper

2 Tbs        Yellow Curry Powder

1 Tbs         Chili Powder

1 Lg           Red Onion, chopped

8 cloves    Garlic, minced

2 ea           Jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

1 Tbs        Cornstarch

1 Tbs        COLD water

1 tsp         Ginger, freshly grated or minced

1/3 cup    Cilantro, freshly copped

DIRECTIONS:

Remove the skin from the chicken using your fingers and a serrated knife. Salt and pepper each thigh.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil (or you can use nonstick spray.)

When the oil is hot, add 3 chicken thighs. Don’t put them too close together, you want to avoid steaming.

Cook for about 2 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Then flip the chicken over to brown the other side for about 1-2 minutes. Remove chick to plate.

Repeat searing process with the other 3 chicken thighs. If there is still enough grease in the pan then you won’t need to add oil.

meanwhile, in a slow cooker combine coconut milk, basil, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, yellow curry and chili powder (to taste). Stir to combine.

Add the chopped red onions, garlic and jalapenos. Add the browned chicken and stir to combine.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken from the cooker and transfer to a plate or cutting board. Let cool for a couple of minutes.

Add ginger to the slow cooker.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon COLD water. Stir until it’s not lumpy. Add this to the crockpot and stir.

Shred the chicken, removing the bones and any tough bits. It should just be falling apart.

Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir. Return the lid and cook for another 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro.

Serve with rice, cauliflower rice or naan.

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Filed under Chicken Dishes, Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, International Inspirations, What's for Dinner?

March 6, 2018 · 5:09 pm

Pork Ragu with Creamy Polenta

CB8070DB-D00F-448A-9198-74DFBC61F89BINGREDIENTS (Pork):

3 lbs          Pork Shoulder, skinless, boneless and cut into 3 pieces

1 Tbs         Vegetable Oil

1 Lg           Onion, finely chopped

6 cloves    Garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbs         Tomato Paste

1/2 cup     Red Wine, full-bodied

28 oz         Tomatoes, can of whole peeled

4 sprigs    Thyme

2 sprigs    Rosemary

2 ea           Bay Leaves

tt                Kosher Salt and Pepper

INGREDIENTS (Polenta):

1 1/2 cups  Polenta, coarse (not quick cooking)

1/4 cup        Butter, unsalted

1/2 cup        Parmesan, plus more for serving

1/2 cup        Parsley, fresh and chopped

tt                   Kosher Salt and Pepper, freshly ground

tt                   Olive Oil (for drizzling)

DIRECTIONS (Pork):

Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook pork, turning often, until evenly browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and pour off pan drippings.

Wipe out any burned bits from pot, but leave the golden-brown pieces (doing this will keep the finished sauce from tasting bitter). Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to brown and caramelize, 12-15 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened in color, 5-8 minutes.

Add wine and cook, scraping up and browned bits until reduced by about half, 5-8 minutes.

Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then add thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, stir in 2 cups water. Add pork with any juices accumulated on the platter; season with salt and pepper.

Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pork is falling apart tender, sauce is thickened (it will be thicker than a typical pasta sauce), and flavors have melded, 2 1/2 – 3 hours.

Using two forks, break up pork into pieces or shred it (your choice); taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pork can be cooked 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill in sauce.

DIRECTIONS (Polenta and Assembly):

Bring 6 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot. Whisking constantly, gradually add polenta; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking often, until polenta is tender and creamy, 20-25 minutes (if polenta becomes too thick too soon, loosen mixture by adding more water and continue cooking). Add butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan to polenta and whisk until melted; Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon polenta into bowls or onto a platter and top with pork. Scatter parsley and more Parmesan over top and drizzle with oil.

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, What's for Dinner?

November 28, 2016 · 4:35 pm

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Thyme, Pecans and Parmesan

0D7AF02F-9064-4866-8EB1-65E6B3FD3817.jpegINGREDIENTS:

3 Tbs          Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup      Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed

1 clove       Garlic, grated

3/4 cup      Pecans, chopped

2 tsp          Fresh Thyme, chopped

tt                Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1 cup         Parmesan Cheese, grated

4 sm         Sweet Potatoes

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Line a square baking pan with aluminum foil.

In a bowl, stir together the olive oil and brown sugar until combined. Stir in the garlic, pecans, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Fold in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Set the topping mixture aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut each sweet potato crosswise into 1/8-inch slices, cutting only three-fourth of the way through the potatoes so that stay intact. Place the potatoes, sliced side up, in the prepared baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until the potatoes are browned on the outside and tender in the center, 50 to 60 minutes, sprinkling the topping over the potatoes during the last 10 minutes of roasting. Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Let cool slightly before serving. Serves 4.

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus

November 21, 2016 · 1:41 pm

Portuguese Baked Eggs

5FF2255A-2E16-4B11-B8FF-BD98F36D664AINGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup           Olive Oil

3 ea                  Bell Peppers, any color thinly sliced

1 md                Red Onion, thinly sliced

2 ea                  Beefsteak Tomatoes, cut into wedges

8 cloves          Garlic, thinly sliced

1 ea                   Jalapeno, with seeds (we prefer without), halved lengthwise

1/4 cup            Basil Leaves, fresh

2 Tbs                Oregano Leaves, fresh

1 1/2 tsp           Chili Powder

1 tsp                  Paprika

tt                       Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 cup                 Ricotta

6 lg                    Eggs

1 cup                  Sharp White Cheddar, grated

1/4 cup              Parmesan, grated

For Serving     Country-Style Bread

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes.

Add tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, basil, oregano, chili powder and paprika to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and liquid is thickened, 20-30 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Discard jalapeno.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Transfer bell pepper mixture to a 13 x 9″ baking dish. Using the back of a spoon, make 6 evenly spaced divots in the mixture. Spoon a dollop of ricotta into each divot, then crack 1 egg into each. Top with cheddar and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake, rotating dish halfway though until Parmesan is melted and egg whites are almost set but yolks are still runny, 15-18 minutes.

Serve baked eggs with toast. (Yolks will continue to cook as dish sits, so serve right away if you prefer for eggs soft.)

DO AHEAD: Bell pepper mixture can be cooked one day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

 

 

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Filed under Breakfast Bests, Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus, International Inspirations, What's for Dinner?

November 17, 2016 · 4:41 pm

Healthly Refried Beans

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs           Olive Oil

1/2 md       Onion, diced

2 cloves     Garlic, minced

1 tsp            Ancho Chili Powder, or other chili powder

1 can           Pinto Beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed (or dry, soaked overnight.

2 cup        Chicken Broth, low-sodium (more if needed)

tt                 Salt and Pepper

2 Tbs         Cilantro Leaves, fresh and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chili powder and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the beans and chicken broth and cook until beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Mash the beans coarsely with the back of a wooden spoon, adding more chicken broth to moisten, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the cilantro.

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, International Inspirations, Party Picks, Vegetarian Fare

November 2, 2016 · 6:14 pm

Butternut Squash Black Bean Chili

INGREDIENTS:

2 lg                   Onions

3 lg                    Bell Peppers

4-6 cloves       Garlic, minced

1-4 ea               Jalapeños, minced

4 cups             Butternut Squash, cubed

2 cans             Diced Tomatoes (14 oz), undrained petite

2 cups             Vegetable or Chicken Broth

4 Tbs               Chili Powder

1 tsp                Cumin

1 tsp                Paprika

1 tsp               Cocoa Powder

3 cups            Black Beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot coated with cooking spray, sauté the onions, bell peppers, garlic and jalapeños until softened, about 7 minutes. Add butternut squash, tomatoes, broth and spices. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes and when it is the desired thickness, use a potato masher to break down some of the butternut squash, so that it becomes part of the body of the chili (optional.) Add three cups of black beans. Simmer for ten more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as well as salt and pepper. Add browned ground beef if a non-vegetarian option is desired.

Serve with avocado, radish, Greek yogurt, cheese, lime, cilantro and jalapeño.

The chili is even better the following days, so make ahead if possible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus, Vegetarian Fare, What's for Dinner?

November 2, 2016 · 6:00 pm

Pumpkin Cornbread Mini Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup              Cornmeal

1/4 cup               Flour

1 Tbs                  Sugar

1 1/2 tsp            Baking Powder

1/2 tsp               Baking Soda

1/2 tsp               Salt

1/2 cup              Pumpkin Puree

1 ea                    Egg

1 Tbs                 Oil

1/3 cup              Fat Free Milk or Buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

I double the recipe to get 20 nicely sized mini muffins. I use the Williams – Sonoma mini muffin tin (24.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl combine all of the wet ingredients and stir. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon mix into muffin tin. They will rise slightly when baking.

Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown. Let rest for 2 minutes before removing from tin.

Serve with honey, maple syrup or preserves.

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Filed under Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus, What's for Dinner?

September 6, 2016 · 6:58 pm

Shrimp and Vegetable Tagine

9C695AA0-DF90-4528-BCD5-B3033A0F39F4

1/4 cup      Flat-leaf Parsley, chopped

3 Tbs          Cilantro, chopped plus whole sprigs for garnish

2 Tbs          Lemon Juice, fresh

1 Tbs          Sweet Paprika

1 tsp           Ginger, ground

pinch         Saffron Threads, crumbled

1/3 cup       Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 lbs      Shrimp, large, shelled and deveined, tails left on

2 1/4 lbs     Plum Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

3 cloves      Garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp      Cumin, ground

tt                  Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 large        Carrots, thinly sliced

1 large        Sweet Onion, thinly sliced

4 large       Red Bliss Potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced

1 ea             Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips

1 ea             Yellow Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 ea          Preserved Lemon, peel only, thinly sliced (see Note optional)

1/2 cup        Green Olives, Pitted

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, combine the parsley with the chopped cilantro, lemon juice, paprika, ginger, saffron and olive oil. Add the shrimp, toss to coat with the marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes with the garlic and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down and slightly thickened, 10 minutes.

Spread the sliced carrots in a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the onion, potatoes and bell peppers, lightly seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Spread the tomato sauce on top. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the preserved lemon and olives to the casserole and arrange the shrimp on top in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the shrimp are pink and curled, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Raise the heat to moderate and cook the tagine uncovered, stirring once or twice, until the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes; don’t let the vegetables burn on the bottom. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and top with the shrimp. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve.

Make Ahead

The tagine can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. Rewarm before proceeding.

Notes

Preserved lemons are a Moroccan ingredient made by macerating whole lemons in lemon juice and salt until they’re very soft. They’re available at specialty food shops and from kalustyans.com.

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, Fish Favorites, International Inspirations, Moroccan Tagines, What's for Dinner?

August 25, 2016 · 3:28 pm

Crockpot Cabbage Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb          Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

2 md       Onions, diced

1 Tbs        Olive Oil (optional)

1 md        Head of Cabbage, chopped

2 md        Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 tsp     Salt

1/4 tsp     Pepper

A/N          Cooking Spray

3/4 cup    Brown Rice (uncooked)

3 cups      Beef or Chicken Broth

DIRECTIONS:

In a very large pot, brown the ground meat and onions with olive oil. (If you choose to use beef you can omit the olive oil.)

Remove pot from the heat and add cabbage, carrots, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place rice at the bottom of the crockpot.

Pour meat/cabbage mixture on top of the rice.

Pour broth on top.

Cover, and cook on “low” for 4-6 hours.

Stir before serving.

Serve with soy sauce and apple sauce.

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Filed under Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, What's for Dinner?

August 25, 2016 · 3:02 pm

Thai Drunken Noodles

IMG_6062

INGREDIENTS:

2 pkg              1/4-inch-wide flat rice noodles, 14 ounce

1/4 cup           Vegetable Oil

1/4 cup           Thai Chilies, chopped

1 1/2 lbs          Chicken, ground

1/4 cup           Fish Sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)

1/4 cup           Black Soy Sauce

1/4 cup            Golden Mountain Sauce or Light Soy Sauce

1 Tb                  Sugar

4 lg                   Plum Tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges

4 ea                   Anaheim Chiles or Italian Frying Peppers or 2 Green Bell

Peppers cut into strips

1/2 cup            Thai Basil Leaves, fresh

DIRECTIONS:

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and Thai chiles; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients and sauté until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add noodles, tomatoes, and Anaheim chilies; toss to coat. Transfer to large platter sprinkle with basil leaves, and serve.

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Filed under Asian Cuisine, Chicken Dishes, Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, International Inspirations, What's for Dinner?