Sliced Baked Sweet Potatoes

These Sliced Baked Sweet Potatoes were a fun and delicious accompaniment to the Ham dinner we had for Easter.  Each potato is an individual serving and offers the pre-cut perfection of scalloped potatoes without the added fat and calories.

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time:  about 45 minutes

Servings:  4

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons of dried herbs

      I used a fresh blend of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

3 tablespoons grated sharp cheddar cheese

1-1/2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Method:

• Peel potatoes and rinse them.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut potatoes into thin slices but not all the way through.
• Put potatoes in a baking dish.  Fan them slightly.
• Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with butter.  
• Sprinkle with herbs.
• Bake potatoes for about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with cheeses.
• Bake potatoes for another 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, cheeses are melted and potatoes are soft inside.  Check with a fork.

Recipe Links:

I found the original recipe in a box of cookbooks handed down to me from my Mother-In-Law. It was printed on a a recipe card and was being used as a book mark. 

Here's another posting.

Chicken Cacciatorre

Served over spaghetti squash and featuring boneless and skinless chicken thighs, this is a delicious and low calorie version of the classic dish.

The original version of this dish calls for using a whole, cut-up chicken, and serves it atop egg noodles, rice, or polenta.  I made it a couple of times that way, and it was delicious.  Nonetheless, my wife did not like the "picking out the bones" and "working around the skin", etc.  She suggested that we try it with boneless and skinless thighs.   

All of the flavor, much less of the fat, and none of the work...  That's my wife for you...my better half...!

Prep Time:  about 15 minutes

Total Time:  about 1-3/4 hours

Servings:  8 to 10

 Simple mise en place:  Sliced peppers, sliced onion, crushed whole garlic cloves, herbs and spices

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion sliced "with the grain"

6 to 8 cloves garlic, crushed

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 green or yellow peppers, sliced

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown chicken in batches over medium high heat in a large dutch oven - set browned chicken aside.
• Add onion, garlic, and salt and pepper and saute for about 5 to 6 minutes.  There should be enough moisture from the onions to lightly deglaze the pan.
• Add rosemary, oregano, and pepper flakes.
• Add tomato sauce and water.
• Add chicken and more salt and pepper.
• Place the peppers atop the chicken and cover with a tight fitting oven proof lid.
• Place in 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Recipe Links:

Here is the Original Video Recipe... a Tribute to Italian Chicken Hunters...

The Mysterious Eddie B's Pancakes

This delicious Pancake recipe came to me via my inbox.  As you can imagine, I get a lot of the "You need to try this..." type email.  Last Friday, I was forwarded the message below, without anything further to go by...

I went online, Googled "Eddie B", and did my best to find the source of this recipe.  No Luck.  Nonetheless, we decided to give it a try.  The dish turned out so good, that I decided to go ahead and Post.  If you know who "Eddie B" is, please let me know, so that I could give credit where credit is due.

In this version, "B" is for Blueberries.

April 2011 Update:  
Eddie is from California and offers the following links:
The Produce Exchange
We Only Pick the Best

Steak and Mushroom Pie

This delicious recipe started out as a mother's Birthday request. When asked what she wanted for her birthday dinner, my mom replied "Something with Kidneys". 

After searching around for something the whole family would enjoy, I settled on "Steak and Kidney Pie". Nothing like a British recipe for a Polish Grandmother's birthday party, right...?

One thing, however, that I did not anticipate is the fact that Kidneys have become extinct in my little part of the world... Either that, or they never really existed... Try as I may, locally finding this specific culinary item was not a last minute option.  

After wondering what to do, I decided to push on and adapt a Steak sans Kidney Pie...or as it turned out a Steak and Mushroom Pie...Enjoy!

Prep Time:  about 30 minutes

Total Time:  about 3 hours

Servings:  6

Ingredients:

2 pounds Chuck from the shoulder, nicely marbled, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

3 cups beef stock

8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, cut into quarters

1 large white onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bouquet garni - use fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1 box (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Method:

• Toss the meat in a sealable bag containing the flour and some salt and pepper.
• In a large dutch oven over medium low heat, saute the onions and garlic in oil until lightly browned.
• Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides. 
• Add the beef stock, slowly at first.  Scrape browned bits from the bottom with a heat proof spatula.
• Add the mushrooms and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add the bouquet garni and the bay leaves.
• Cover and transfer the dutch oven to the oven and cook at 320 degrees F for two hours.

Start filling on the stove...

...and finish it in the oven

• Take filling out of the oven and remove the bouquet garni.  Leave the mixture to cool for 20-30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Fit pie crust into 9-inch glass plate.
• Spoon beef and mushroom filling into crust-lined plate.  Top pie with second crust; seal edges and flute.  Cut slits in several places in top crust.
• Cover crust edge with a pie shield (or 2-to 3-inch wide strips of foil) to prevent excess browning; remove foil during last 10 minutes of baking.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Links:

Here is an awesome video recipe for Steak and Kidney Pie.  This video provided the underlying inspiration for this dish.

This "Masterclass" provides a Tried and True approach to a similar and Classic dish.

Best Baked BBQ Ribs

This is a very simple way to prepare fall off the bone baby back ribs. These delicious ribs are prepared almost "hands-off".  They are just as good - if not better - than any ribs I've bought out.

Prep Time:  about 30 minutes

Total Time:  about 7 hours

Servings:  6 to 9  

Meat:

3 racks of pork "baby back" ribs - about 2 pounds each

Dry Rub:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup salt

1/8 cup brown sugar - dried

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

BBQ Sauce:

5 parts "K.C. Masterpiece" BBQ sauce, 1 part Honey

Method:

• Remove ribs from packaging, clean and pat dry.  Be sure that the membrane on the inner (stomach) side is removed and that all excess fat has been trimmed.
• Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Leftover rub can be stored in a moisture proof container for future use.
• Sprinkle ribs about an hour before cooking with the rub and allow meat to come to room temperature.  Do not over season.  The spices should become a nice red liquid coating after sitting.

A good overall dusting of the spices is all that you need.

• Wrap the ribs in foil and cook at 200 degrees for 6 hours.  After the first 4 hours, remove the aluminum foil and cook uncovered for the last 2 hours.  

• Remove the ribs from the oven and turn up the heat to Broil.  
• Generously sauce all sides of the ribs.
• Place sauced ribs back in the oven, meat side down. 
• When sauce begins to bubble, flip the ribs and broil just until sauce bubbles again.  
• Remove from oven and serve.

Recipe Links:

Here is the original post for the Best Ribs In The Universe.

Influence #2 - Online Cooking School

I am guessing that I am like all Food Bloggers in that any conversation with me will find its way to food and cooking eventually.  It really doesn't matter what subject the initial conversation started on; if I'm at work or at play; even the time of the day...


I think I have always been intrigued with food and cooking.  It has only been in the last couple of years, however, that I have really taken a serious Interest in it.  As you can probably tell from the postings on this blog, I am for sure an amateur/novice cook who has a lot of fun in the kitchen.


I think what triggered it all was the Internet and my discovery of the "Video Recipe".  One day, after years of so and so results with written recipes, I stumbled across a video post for Stuffed and Rolled Pork Tenderloin.  Watching that video recipe transformed my whole understanding of cooking, and perhaps also transformed my life.  


For someone like me, who has never taken a culinary class, video recipes are "Gold".  They are my Number One Influence.  

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

My Number Two Influence is no doubt an online cooking school called Rouxbe.  This program has also had a transformative effect on my life and my cooking.  Like Video Recipes, these "Video Classes" have helped me to become a better and more confident cook.


I like the program so much, that I have become a Rouxbe Cooking School affiliate partner.  This allows me full access to the school and the videos and also allows me to share with you a full access, no-videos barred pass to their site.  All you have to do is go click over to the Rouxbe Online Cooking School from this Blog and redeem the 14-day Gift Membership.

Here are a few sample videos to give you an idea of what the program offers:

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Recipe Links:


Here is a video I looked at today called the Basics of Plating.  I will never look at or prepare a Plate of food the same ever again!


Here is a link to Chef John's Video Recipe Blog Foodwishes.  The Original and the Best!

Cupid's Cupcakes

 Red Velvet Cake and Ice Cream pair up for a "Match made on Heaven"

I stole the idea for these delicious cupcakes from a Patriotic themed "Ice Cream Cupcake" published by Taste of Home last summer.  The original recipe featured a red, white, and blue theme for the 4th of July.  

Cupid inspired me to tweak that original recipe in celebration of Valentine's Day with a red, pink, and white theme.  These hand held deserts are a great way to enjoy your Cake...and your Ice Cream too!

Prep Time:  about an hour (includes baking)

Total Time:  about three hours (includes initial freezing and decorating)

Servings:  36

Ingredients:

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) red velvet cake mix

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

red food coloring

3 cups heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme

pink colored sugar and Valentine's themed sprinkles

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare cake mix batter according to the package directions for cupcakes.

After some trial and error, one tablespoon of batter per cup was just right.

• Fill paper-lined muffin cups about a quarter full.  Once baked, the cups should be 1/2 full. 
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks to cool completely.

• Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the softened ice cream and mix until a consistent pink color is achieved.
• Working quickly, spread ice cream over cupcakes.  Freeze for at least 1 hour.

• In a large bowl, combine cream and marshmallow creme; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Pipe over cupcakes; decorate with sprinkles and colored sugar.  
• Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Recipe Links:

Here is a link to the original Patriotic Cupcakes recipe.