Gumbo

This is dedicated to my cousin Mark.  The thing that makes Gumbo so special is the roux.  It needs to be a deep dark brown, and has a nutty, burned popcorn smell at first.  But, that is the base to a spectacular Gumbo.  I prefer to serve the Gumbo over smooth mashed potatoes, it brings a layer of creamy-ness and silkiness to the stew.  Also, don't fear the okra!!  It's added at the end, straight from frozen, so it doesn't have time to develop a slimy texture.  Good luck, and enjoy!!
This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Gumbo

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained)
3 3/4 cups chicken broth at room temperature
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
8 oz. Andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
2 cups frozen okra
2 lbs extra large shrimp (21-25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1.  Heat a large stew pot over medium high heat, and add flour.  Toast flour to a golden brown, about 5 minutes.  It takes some time for the flour to turn golden brown, but doesn't take long for it to go from golden brown to black, so keep an eye on it, and keep the flour moving.   Reduce heat.  When the flour is golden brown, add vegetable oil and whisk oil and flour together.  Keep whisking until the roux is smooth and deep dark brown color and very fragrant., about 10 minutes.
2.  Add onion, bell pepper and celery to hot roux and cook over medium heat, stirring often until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about another minute.  Combine chicken broth and fish sauce in a 4 qt, liquid measure (or separate bowl), and add the broth and fish sauce combo one cup at a time to the roux.  Make sure to stir after each addition until the roux is thick and silky, smooth and lump free.
3.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 40 minutes.
4.  Skim excess fat from the surface of the Gumbo.  Carefully remove chicken from gumbo, and transfer to a plate.  Let chicken cool, and then shred into bite-size pieces.  Put shredded chicken back into gumbo, and add sausage and okra.  Simmer about 5 minutes.
5.  Add shrimp and continue to simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Taste gumbo, season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Enjoy!

Pasta Wheels with Turkey Pesto Meatballs

I've been on a quest to lead an "unprocessed lifestyle".  I'm starting with food.  I walked through the grocery store and came across spaghetti Oh's, and thought to myself, "I can make that!"  At this particular grocery store the only circular pasta I could find was wagon wheels.  They worked perfectly, and the kids loved the fun shape!  I looked through some recipes, and found some great inspiration.  I often double this recipe because it's sooo good, and makes great leftovers.  I've also been known to bring a warm bowl to my kids and their teacher's at school.

Pasta Wheels and Sauce

1 onion chopped fine

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 (28 oz. can) diced tomatoes

Prepared Meatballs (recipe below)

8 oz. small circular pasta (wagon wheels work well)

1.  Cook onion and oil in a large pot over medium heat until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add broth and tomatoes to pot and simmer until tomatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

2.  In a separate pot cook pasta according to manufacture's instructions.

3.  Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth and return to clean pot.  Return to simmer.

4.  Add cooked meatballs and pasta to tomato sauce mixture.  Gently combine.  Serve, garnish with parmesan cheese.

Turkey Pesto Meatballs1 cup homemade pesto (click link for Besto-Pesto)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup bread crumbs

1.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently combine with a wooden spoon.

2.  Scoop a generous teaspoon of meat and shape into a tiny ball.  Lay formed balls on a baking sheet.

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Lightly coat with oil.  When skillet is hot, place prepared meatballs in a single layer in the skillet and cook.  Shake pan gently to rotate meatballs.  Do not overcrowd the skillet.  You may have to do this in two batches.

4.  When meatballs are cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.  Remove from pan and let drain.  Set meatballs aside until ready to use.

Besto Pesto

There is no need ever to buy pesto.  It's too garlicky, its too chunky, is not basil-y.  Just don't do it.  In California you can find fresh basil year round.  My advice to make double, triple batches and freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray, or in half cup tupperware containers

This pesto goes great on pasta, sandwiches, chicken, salmon, pizza...pretty much everything.  You're welcome.

Besto-Pesto

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth.

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!

Karin's Espresso Shortbread

I've had dreams about this cookie.  I woke up drooling and hungry.  I'm in a cooking club with some ultra hip foodie lovers.  We meet once a month with a specific theme, and we discuss food and we eat.  We've had some absolutely delicious, high quality, foods over these past few years.  For the first few years in December, we would meet to exchange cookies.  Karin made "Coffee-spice and Crystalized Ginger shortbread" from Epicurious.  She tweaked the recipe a bit, switched out the coffee and made it espresso, and developed a bold cookie. It's FULL of a strong coffee flavor, NOT sweet but SPICY, with great crumbly texture, and beautiful powdered sugar drizzle.  These cookies need to be enjoyed alone on a rainy day.  (These cookies are NOT for sharing!!)  Get a small plate, a cup of coffee, a book or a newspaper (put your phone down for a minute), and enjoy a break.  Think happy thoughts, eat spicy cookies, drink strong coffee, listen to the rain.  Everyone needs an indulgence from time to time.

Karin's Espresso Shortbread

adapted from Coffee-spice and Crystalized Ginger shortbread by Epicurious.com

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons instant espresso
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup, two sticks butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons water (maybe more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
OPTIONAL: 6 tablespoons crystallized ginger

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2.  Add flour, brown sugar, espresso, ginger, cardamon and salt into a food processor for 5 seconds.  Scatter butter around the top of the dry ingredients and pulse until most clumps begin to form.  (this dough will be very crumbly...its OK, do not panic!)
3.  Pour crumbs onto a cutting board, and use clean dry hands to form the dough into a ball.   (The dough may still seem crumbly at this point, again, that's okay....short bread is supposed to be like that.)  Divide the dough into two equal parts, and put each part into a 9 inch diameter tart pans with a removable bottom.  Press dough firmly into each tart pan.
4.  Bake for 25 minutes, rotate pans and positions in the oven, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or until the cookies are a dark golden brown, and have a SLIGHTLY soft center.  Remove from oven and cut each warm shortbread into 12 wedges.  Let cool completely.
5.  Make glaze by combining powdered sugar, water and vanilla.  Either use a off-set spatula to spread the glaze on top of the shortbread, or use a spoon or fork to drizzle the glaze over the top of the shortbread.  ("It looks like spiderwebs"-Jett, age 3).  Let glaze set until solid, about one hour.
OPTIONAL: chop the crystallized ginger and sprinkle on top of glazed shortbread, before the glaze has set.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

I could probably do a blog entirely devoted to cookies.  They are my favorite thing to bake. These soft pumpkin cookies, a recipe from Cooks.com, are a perfect Fall treat.  They are classic and simple to make, I usually double the recipe, and use one whole can of pumpkin.  I also prefer Libby's canned pumpkin.  I've tried the others, it's not the same.  After making these Soft Pumpkin Cookies, I brought them to a tea and cookies party.  And, one of my friends, Louise, a champion baker, proclaimed.  "These cookies the best pumpkin cookie I've ever had!"  But, if that didn't validate them enough, I gave them to my kids.  Brutally honest cookie lovers.  My youngest son, DEVOURED these cookies, the oldest one said, "these are better than I thought they'd be", and my daughter looked at one and said, "I only eat cereal." 

Soft Pumpkin Cookies
from Cooks.com

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter (one stick), at room temperature

1 cup canned pureed pumpkin

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line un-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Gently combine with a whisk to aerate the flour mixture, and evenly distribute the spices throughout the dry ingredients.

3.  Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer, beat until mixture is fluffy.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla, and continue to beat until mixture is well combined.  Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.  Add flour mixture to butter-pumpkin mixture, one heaping cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

4.  Drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake one tray at a time, for 15-18 minutes.  Let cool on tray for two minutes then let completely cool on cookie racks.

5.  Make Glaze, and drizzle onto baked and cooled cookies.

Glaze

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all Glaze ingredients into a small bowl, mix until glaze is smooth.

Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over cookies.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

Fall is about family, giving thanks, love, warmth and comfort food. This soup is full of flavor, and full of all the wonders of fall. I recommend eating this soup on a rainy day.

This soup does contain bacon, and chicken broth. Two tablespoons of olive oil, and vegetable broth can be easily substituted to make this soup vegan. The only "thing" about this soup is that it uses every pan in your kitchen, plus the blender!! So, be ready for some dishes, but it's totally worth it!!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Foccacia

• 4 pieces of thick cut bacon
• 1 small-medium onion, or 1/2 large onion, chopped fine
• 60 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 cups chicken broth (16 ounces, homemade is best)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Garnishes: chopped cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, sour cream, basil, or croutons.

1. In a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat, cook the bacon, careful not to burn the bacon.  When done, remove bacon from pan, and set aside to drain.  DO NOT POUR out bacon fat from pan.  Immediately add onion to bacon fat, and saute until onion is translucent and cooked, scraping up all the browned bits.
2. Add drained tomatoes to onions.  Saute until the tomatoes start to caramelize, and begin to break down.  Add in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper and sugar.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes, until mixture is thick, and tomatoes have broken down further.  Turn off heat, and let soup cool slightly.  Use the simmer time to chop up the bacon that you cooked earlier.  
3. 1-2 cups at a time, puree soup in a blender.  The soup will be hot, therefore the steam from the soup will create pressure in the blender.  IF you have too much soup in the blender, the blender will explode open, and you will be covered in hot soup.  This is not fun, this is painful and dangerous.  SO, 1-2 cups of soup, in the blender.  Puree until smooth, and then strain into another large saucepan.
4. Return soup to a simmer, stir in basil and heavy cream.  Do not let soup boil.
5. Pour into soup bowls.  Serve with crusty bread, or grilled cheese sandwiches.  Garnish and serve!

Shrimp Burgers and House Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce

Shrimp Burgers

with Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 scallions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste (be easy on the cayenne)
1 tablespoon canola oil
Lemon wedges

1. Put shrimp in a food processor and pulse until there is an even mix of finely minced shrimp, and coarsely chopped pieces, about 7 pulses.
2.  Whisk mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, lemon zest salt, pepper and cayenne together in a large bowl.  Gently fold shrimp and bread crumbs into mayonnaise mixture.
3.  Scrape shrimp mixture onto small baking sheet, divide into 4 equal portions, and loosely pack each into 1 inch thick patty.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one minute (or up to one day).  NOTE: This would be a good time to make the Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce!!
4.  Heat oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Gently lay shrimp burgers in skillet and cook until crisp and browned on both sides, 8-10 minutes.  Gently transfer burgers to platter and serve with lemon wedges.
To assemble: Serve on soft brioche buns with lettuce, tomato, avocado and tartar sauce.

Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, let sit for 15 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Burrito Mojado's

I'm a sucker for food magazines, and I'm a sucker for America's Test Kitchen, so when I saw the "Special Collector's Edition" of ATK magazine featuring the Best Mexican Recipes, I had to pick it up.  The magazine was sold as soon as I saw "Chicken Mojado Burritos".  These are those giant burritos smothered in red and green sauce that you see at awesome Mexican restaurants.  My sister introduced me to the Chicken Burrito Mojado, and it very quickly caught on with my family.  I don't eat out that often, but I always get the Chicken Mojado Burrito, and now I get to make it at home!!  The red sauce is killer, the green sauce is a bite of pure freshness, the chicken is moist and full of flavor.  Eat this with a knife and fork, and it's good when shared, and it makes great leftovers too.   I recommend serving it with the "Literal Top Shelf Margarita".

Chicken Mojado Burrito

adopted from America's Test Kitchen

2 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
6 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 package of LARGE flour tortillas
2 avocados, halved, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups tomatillo sauce (recipe included at bottom)
1/2 cup Mexican crema

1.  Bring 1 1/4 cups broth, rice, beans and 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder and 1/2 teaspoons salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cover and reduce heat to low, and cook until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes.  Remove rice from hear and let sit, covered for 10 minutes.  Add scallions and fluff with a fork to incorporate; cover and keep warm.
2.  Meanwhile, cook oil, garlic and remaining 3 tablespoons chili powder in large saucepan over medium high heat until fragrant 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce and remaining 1 cup broth and bring to simmer.  Nestle chicken into sauce.  Cover and reduce to medium-low and cook until chicken registeres 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
3.  Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool slightly.  Using two forks, shred chicken with 1/4 cup sauce and 2 Tablespoons cilantro in bowl.  Set remaining sauce aside.
4.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheet with alumnium foil.  Wrap tortillas in damp dish towl and microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute.  Lay warm tortillas on counter.  Mound rice across the center of each tortilla, close to the bottom edge, then top with chicken avocado and Monterey Jack.
5.  Whisk 2 tablespoons cilantro into the green tomatillo sauce.  Add tomatillo sauce on top of chicken on tortilla.  Working with one tortilla at a time, fold sides and then bottom of tortilla over filling, pulling back on tortilla firmly to tighten it around filling; continue to roll tightly into burrito.  (Burritos can be held up to 1 hour before baking.)  Place burritos seam side down on prepared sheet, cover tightly with foil, and back until hot throughout, 20 to 30 minutes.

6.  Before serving, reheat red sauce in saucepan, over medium heat until hot, about 3 minutes, loosening with water to achieve perfect consistency.  Reheat green sauce in a separate saucepan.
7.  Arrange burritos on individual plates.  Pour red sauce all over burrito.  Top with tomatillo sauce, and drizzle mexican crema over the top of burrito.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Tomatillo Salsa

1 pound tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
salt
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
sugar

1.  Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.  Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Toss tomatillos and onion wedges with vegetable oil and transfer to prepared baking sheet.  Broil until tomatillos are spotty brown and skins begin to burst, about 7-10 minutes.  Transfer tomatillos and onions to food processor and let cool completely.
2.  Add cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Pulse until slightly chunky, about 20 pulses.  Let sit at room temp for 30 minutes, add olive oil and sugar to taste.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Snack Cake

The kids are back in school, the weather is getting slightly cooler, and there is an abundance of zucchini in the garden.  This cake is super moist...and it would be considering it has buttermilk, zucchini and applesauce in the recipe!  The cake has a bright orange and chocolate flavor, the chocolate chips are just delightful, they melt in your mouth and make the cake extra chocolatey.  My kids like this cake as an after school snack....served with baby carrots and cucumber of course... and NO, the cake doesn't taste like zucchini.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Snack Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2 eggs
Zest of 1 large orange
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups grated zucchini (do NOT peel the zucchini.  Just grate it.  Get a colander and line it with paper towels, put the grated zucchini in the colander and let it drain until ready to use.)
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (divided use)

1.  Preheat oven to 325 and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish, and set aside.
2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, whisk gently.
3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in orange zest and vanilla extract.
4.  Add the flour and cocoa powder mixture and the buttermilk to the butter and sugar alternately.  Start with adding third of the flour mixture, and half the buttermilk.  Then, add another third of flour of mixture, and remaining buttermilk.  Finish up with the last third of flour mixture.   Make sure the batter is thoroughly combined after each addition.
5.  Fold in applesauce, zucchini (make sure the zucchini has been drained of all liquid) and 1 cup of chocolate chips.
6.  Pour batter into prepared baking dish, add remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to top of batter and bake for about 50 minutes, or until when the cake passes the fork test.  (Stick a fork in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is done....hence the phrase "stick a fork in me, I'm done" 

House Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad is my favorite salad.  It's so simple. Almost too simple, like if one thing gets messed up it could ruin the whole salad.  So, each component needs to be spot on.  Let's start with the dressing.  I used a mayo based dressing because I'm afraid of raw eggs.  Bring on the anchovies though!  My favorite part of Caesar salad is the fact that it pairs really well with a crisp glass of champagne.

Caesar Salad

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil based mayonnaise
1 2 oz. can anchovies, drained
1 Tablespoon Capers
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (optional, used to thin out the dressing if need be)

Put all ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth.  Taste.  Adjust seasonings if needed with lemon juice, pepper and olive oil.  There should be enough salt in the dressing with the anchovies, and capers.  Set dressing in fridge until ready to use.

Salad
Romaine Lettuce, rinsed, and roughly chopped
Caesar Salad Dressing
Parmesan Cheese
Croutons (homemade is best, see note)
Chicken or Shrimp, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and grilled.
Black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: garlic clove

OPTIONAL STEP: Rub a fresh garlic clove over bowl being used to serve the salad.  Add lettuce to bowl.  Top with Parmesan cheese, fresh croutons, and grilled chicken or shrimp.  Add salad dressing and gently toss salad.  Taste.  Add black pepper to salad.

To Make Croutons: Take a day old baguette and cut into cubes.  Brush olive oil on bread cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper (if you're adventurous add some garlic powder to the croutons....I'm not a fan of garlic powder).  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  If the croutons need more time in the oven, add another few minutes.  When they're golden brown, remove from oven and let dry out and cool on the counter.

Moscow or Irish Mule

I accidentally ordered an Irish Mule at a restaurant.  But, I'm glad I got one, it was delicious, and I would have never ordered one on purpose. LOL!  This drink is best served in a copper cup.  It's icy, crisp, a bit spicy and refreshing.

Moscow Mule

1 lime wedge
ice
2 oz. vodka
Ginger Beer
Mint Leaf

Squeeze a lime wedge into the copper cup.  FIll cup with ice.  Add two oz. vodka, top with ginger beer and mint leaf.  Stir drink with a spoon or straw.  Cheers!

Irish Mule

1 lime wedge
ice
1 oz. vodka
1 oz. Irish Whiskey
Ginger Beer
Mint Leaf

Squeeze a lime wedge into the copper cup.  FIll cup with ice.  Add vodka and whiskey, top with ginger beer and mint leaf.  Stir drink with a spoon or straw.  Cheers!

Spicy Bloody Mary

In the words of Ron Burgandy, "it stings the nostrils".  This is a SPICY Bloody Mary, and it gets you with every ingredient.  It's perfect for Sunday Morning brunch.  The trend in Bloody Mary's is heavy garnishes....The best garnish is the Spicy Bacon.  It's rare to have an extra slice of spicy bacon, but on the rare occasion it works out.

Spicy Bloody Mary

2 oz. Absolut Pepar

Mr. T's Bold and Spicy Bloody Mary Mix

A dash Tobasco Sauce

A dash Worcestershire Sauce

Ice

Garnish:

Spicy Bacon

Large Grain Salt

Pickle Spear

Jalapeno Stuffed Olives

Lime Wedge

Rub a sliced lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass.  Dip the wet rim of the glass into the large grain salt.  Fill Pint glass with ice.  Pour 2 oz. Absolut Pepar over ice, fill to rim with Bloody Mary Mix.  Add a dash of Tobasco, and a dash of Worcestershire Sauce.  Use a long spoon or a straw to stir.  Garnish with Spicy Bacon, Pickle Spear, 2 jalapeno stuffed olives on a toothpick and the lime wedge.

Cheers!!

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Hoisen Chicken Lettuce Cups

Hoisen Chicken Lettuce Cups

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 pound sliced white button mushrooms
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I've successfully substituted 1 1/4 pounds of ground turkey), diced into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz. chopped water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup hoisen sauce (available in the Asian section of the grocery store)
1 teaspoon salt
4 green onions
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
crunchy chow mein noodles
chopped fresh cilantro
Iceberg lettuce rinsed and drained.  Carefully pull apart leaves to make "cups"

1.  Heat a large wok, or heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan, and when oil is hot add ginger, and mushrooms.  Saute until ginger is fragrant, and mushrooms are cooked through, and soft.
2.  Add chicken and water chestnuts mushrooms and ginger.  Add more oil if necessary.  Cook until chicken is cooked through.
3.  Add hoisen, salt, green onions, Worcestershire, and rice vinegar to pan.  Combine all ingredients, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes until chicken and sauce are hot and well combined.

To serve: Put Hoisen Chicken in one serving dish, and top with crunchy chow mein noodles and fresh cilantro.  Put the lettuce cups in another serving dish.  Scoop the hoisen chicken into the lettuce cups.  Eat with fingers.  YUM!

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