Muffuletta

This is one of the best sandwiches in the USA.  We only have it once a year, around Mardi Gras, as it's a classic New Orleans dish.  SO, what is a muffuletta?  Its a large pressed sandwich, loaded with olive spread, deli meats and provolone.  A traditional muffuletta contains salami, and mortadella.  I say, why stop there?  I load the sandwich with other deli meats like proschuitto, pastrami,
There are several reasons why I love this dish

1.  It's a NO COOK main dish
2.  It's a makeahead dish
3.  You have creative control over what you choose to put in the sandwich
4.  It's a showstopper
5.  It's delicious!
Happy Mardi Gras!

Muffuletta

Olive Salad

1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped coarse

1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped coarse

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (1/2 cup)

¼ cup fresh minced parsley

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 garlic clove

Sandwich

1 large (9-inch) round Italian or French Bread

8 ounces thinly sliced Mortadella

8 ounces thinly sliced provolone

8 ounces smoked turkey breast

8 ounces hard salami OR Pastrami

1.  For the olive salad.  Combine all of the ingredients together, cover, and refrigerate for 8 or up to 24 hours.

2.  Assemble Sandwich:  Cut the round loaf in half horizontally and remove most of the inside bread, leaving the crust and ½ inch of bread. Place each half next to each other. Take 1/2 of the olive salad and spread on the inside of the bottom half of bread.  Layer mortadella, provolone, turkey and salami or pastrami on each half of the bread.  The meat and cheese should cover the entire surface area of the sandwich.  Spread remaining half of olive salad on top of meat and cheese.  Carefully pick up the top half of the sandwich on top of the bottom half.  Press down lightly.  With plastic wrap, or foil, tightly wrap sandwich and set between two plates, weighted with several heavy cans.  Refrigerate sandwich for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.

TO SERVE:  Unwrap sandwich and slice into wedges.

Guilt-Free and Guilty Superbowl Pleasures!

Because life is all about balance... The Superbowl tends to be a day of mindless snacking, beer drinking, TV watching, and debauchery.  My goal this year is to not eat myself sick.  And, one of the easiest way to do that is to fill your coffee table with healthier food options....DUH!!  Bring out the heavy stuff for a meal, and keep the lighter stuff within arms reach.

Superbowl Day Line-up

Black and Tan!

Black and Tan 

A show stopper drink!  Enjoy a black and tan, at home!  The tan part should be a pilser, pale ale or a light lager (we used Kona Longboard), and the black should be a stout (we used Guinness).  Pour the lighter colored beer into a pint chilled glass, filling just over half way.  Then, using a bent spoon lowered into the glass, carefully and slowly....pour Guinness over the spoon to layer it on top of the lighter beer. This takes some practice, but it's worth it!! 

Black Velvet

Fill a champagne flute 2/3 with sparkling wine, the top with Guinness! Cheers

Don't want to enter a food coma during the Superbowl???  Try these "Guilt-Free Pleasures"!!

Baked Chicken Wings with Classic Buffalo Sauce, and Honey BBQ sauce
Grilled Garlic-Lemon Artichokes
Caramel Apple Nachos (take a tart, crisp, apple...and slice it into thin slices.  Arrange apple slices neatly on a plate.  Top with caramel sauce, and sprinkles! Done!)

In case you want to indulge, because every now and then, it's good to indulge, you can enjoy these "Guilty Pleasures" too!

Chili Dogs Make the chili ahead of time, and reheat in either a crock pot, or on the stove.  About 15 minutes before serving, grill hot dogs and buns.  Careful not to burn your buns!!  Assemble the hot dogs, and pile high with chili.  Add cheese, onions, jalapeno's, cilantro, sour cream etc.  Yummm!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

All these recipes feed a CROWD of people.  So, start cooking ahead of time, stock up up your fridge and freezer, so on game day you're not running around like a chicken with your head cut off.  

Chili

I love a good bowl of chili, and I love versatile recipes.  This is a straightforward, classic chili.  It can be adjusted to your liking for spiciness.  I prefer an all beef chili, but you can do half beef, half pork. (see the versatility??)  I recently went to a GREAT spice store, called Penzey's Spices, and  invested in Southwest Seasoning.  It smelled AMAZING, and is loaded with flavorful spices and herbs.  It worked beautifully with this chili.  I like to serve this chili with cornbread.  However, sometimes I get clever and serve it over a cornbread waffle!  (Just put the cornbread batter into a waffle maker!)  You can top this chili with cheddar cheese, or cojita cheese, you can add some chopped up onions, or cilantro.  You can add sour cream if you'd like.  Make it your own!!

NOTE: This chili tastes the BEST when it's raining outside, there is a fire going, and you're wearing sweats and comfy slippers.  I know it's not scientific, but it's been proven.

Classic Hearty Chili

2 15 oz. cans pinto beans
4 cans diced tomatoes, DO NOT DRAIN
2 lbs. onion, chopped
1 1/2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 1/2 pounds ground beef (OR 2 1/2 pounds beef, and 1 pound ground pork)
3 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste

(I added 1 1/2 T. Southwest Seasoning from Penzeys Spices, but that's hard to find.  Just use what you have.)

Pour pinto beans, and diced tomatoes into a very large pot, over medium heat.  In a skillet, over medium-high heat add olive oil, when oil is hot, but not smoking add garlic and onion.  Season with salt and pepper and saute garlic and onion until the onion is translucent, brown and very fragrant.  Add chopped parsley to onion mixture and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes. Until the parsley has wilted slightly, and the onion mixture is dry.  Add onions to pot with beans and tomatoes.  Do not wash out skillet.

Return the same skillet where the onions and garlic were cooked, to heat and add the ground beef, or beef/pork combo.  Season the ground beef with salt and pepper, and brown meet.  When beef is cooked, drain meat of juice and RINSE with water.  (I know this sounds strange....but it gets all the grease off the meat.... we want the chili to be hearty, not greasy!)  Add browned meat to pot with beans, tomatoes, and onion mixture.  Add spices.  Stir to combine all the ingredients, cover pot and set to a simmer for two hours.  Remove lid, and simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Artichokes

This recipe was a go-to dish for us when we were growing up.  Mom found an easy way to perfectly cook the artichokes, and then we threw a little dressing on there, and tossed them on the grill.  These make a great side dish, but also a really great snack!  Sometimes we just whip one of these up and munch!

Grilled Artichokes

4 large artichokes, stems trimmed

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 up lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp. minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Take each artichoke and rinse with cold water.  Place artichokes on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave artichokes on high for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the artichokes.  While artichokes are cooking, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Remove from microwave, carefully remove plastic wrap (watch out for steam!!), and let cool for five minutes or so.  Heat your BBQ or grill pan on medium-high heat.

Cut artichokes in half, remove the thistly, bristly, hairy stuff on the inside of the artichoke.  Careful to leave the heart of the artichoke in tact (the heart is the BEST part of an artichoke!)

Use a pastry brush to brush olive oil-lemon mixture all over the artichoke, making sure to get in between the leaves.  Once artichokes are brushed in the olive oil-lemon mixture, place onto a hot grill, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the artichokes are nicely charred (NOT BLACK!).  Grill marks, smoke....yummm.

Place on a large dish, and serve!  No dipping sauce needed!!

Chinese New Year Menu!!

Celebrate Chinese New Year with this yummy menu!!

Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Cups

Chicken and Crab Egg Rolls

Bang Bang Cauliflower

Bang Bang Cauliflower

I just randomly came across this recipe, it sounded delicious, and low and behold, it was!!!  Cauliflower absorbs the flavors of what it's being seasoned with.  Therefore, its a GREAT base for wonderful, flavorful dishes.  Cauliflower is also super trendy right now.  It's being used a substitute for calorie rich foods, so instead of chicken nuggets, there are cauliflower nuggets!!  There is also cauliflower rice, and cauliflower steak!!  I love a hearty, versatile ingredient that can be used in multiple ways!!

Bang Bang Cauliflower 

1 medium-large head of caulilflower, cut into bite sized florets

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup mayo (I've successfully substituted plain Greek yogurt!)

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Siracha to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a rimmed baking sheet for easy clean up.  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Set up your work space.  Have your bowl of cauliflower florets in a large bowl, next to that have a small bowl with the beaten eggs.  And, finally a medium-large bowl with panko bread crumbs.  Season the eggs and the panko with salt and pepper.  Dip the cauliflower florets into the beaten eggs, making sure they're completely coated.  Then dip the egg coated florets into the panko, gently shake the bowl to make sure the florets get covered in panko.  Place breaded florets on prepared baking sheets, and bake until cooked, about 30-35 minutes.

While the cauliflower is baking, make your sauce.  In a large bowl bombine the mayo, (or Greek yogurt), chili sauce, brown sugar, and Siracha in a bowl.  Mix until are well combined.  Taste!  Adjust seasonings as needed.

When the cauliflower is fork tender, remove from oven.  Let cool about 5 minutes, and then put in bowl with bang-bang sauce.  Gently fold sauce over the cauliflower until it's covered in sauce.  Pour cauliflower onto serving dish, and garnish with fresh, finely chopped parsley.

Cheers!!

Baked Chicken Wings w/ Two Classic Sauces

The other day, I met someone who went most of her life thinking that chicken wings were pointless.  She said, "there is no meat on them", or "too many bones", and, "what is the big deal?"..... then she tried chicken wings, and now she's thinking, "where have these been all my life?? Why didn't anyone tell me how amazing these things are??"  It's because they wanted all the wings for themselves!  Chicken wings are a family favorite! They can be a appetizer, or a casual messy meal.  They can be made ahead of time, and made in bulk!  Make sure you have lots of napkins ready, as these are messy little bites.

The sauces in this recipe are straight up, classic sauces.  One slightly spicy, classic Buffalo Sauce.  And, the other is a bold Honey BBQ sauce.  Both are delicious, and both leave your fingers sticky.  I started making my own sauces because I'm SO FUSSY!  I want to control the flavor profile and spice level of the sauces, and the best way to do it is to make it yourself.  Try your sauce, it may not be right the first time.  Re-season and taste again!  Make it your own!  Try drizzling blue cheese dressing over the top of the wings with Buffalo Sauce.  It's a party in your mouth!!

Baked Chicken Wings

5-10 pounds chicken wings, defrosted if previously frozen
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375.  For easy clean up, cover s baking tray with foil, and spray with cooking spray.  Generously season the chicken wings with salt and pepper, and place on baking trays.  Roast until done, about 35 minutes.  IF you want them a little crispier, about 10 minutes before the wings are done, take a cooling rack, and place it on top of a rimmed baking sheet.  Transfer the almost cooked wings to the prepared baking trays and bake at 425 until crispy.

Place desired amount of wings in a bowl, pour sauce over wings.  Gently toss wings to coat in sauce.  Pour on a plate with a side of carrot sticks.  Yum!!

Classic Buffalo Sauce

3/4 cup hot sauce
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional!)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Put all ingredients in a bowl, whisk until smooth.  Taste, adjust seasoning as needed.  This sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time. 

Honey BBQ sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4-1/2 cup honey (I prefer 1/4 cup, but this all depends on your sweetness preference)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

Put all ingredients in a bowl, whisk until smooth.  Taste adjust seasoning as needed.  Sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time!