Every December my family meets in Wisconsin Dells at the Chula Vista Resort. We rent a large sweet that sleeps 14 people. It's fully equiped with a kitchen, hot tub, fireplace and many other ammenities. This year, each of us chose a meal to prepare. I drew the short straw, so I made breakfast.
To be honest, I didn't have many ideas on what to make. After all, I wasn't in my kitchen, so it was difficult being creative. I finally decided to bring our always trustworthy Sturdiwheat pancake mix.
It took me less than 10 minutes to mix the batter. It took equal parts water and pancake mix in a bowl. I made enough batter for 25-30 "original" pancakes and 10-15 buckwheat pancakes. Both are always very good. Today, however, I didn't have cooking spray so I used the old school technique of buttering the girdle. It made the pancakes a little crispier than normal. Butter always makes things taste better, too.
We all had fun eating pancakes this morning. It doesn't get much better than a lazy morning with family and food.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Blueberry coffee cake
I'm not a big "baker," but I do enjoy making a simple dessert once in a while. This morning, I thought a soft and crumbly coffee cake would serve us well with a fresh cup of coffee.
I had a box of baking mix and on the side was a blueberry coffee cake recipe. It was an easy recipe that called for egg, oil, sugar, blueberries and the mix. I substituted the oil with apple sauce. Not only is apple sauce a healthy alternative, it also makes cake and cookies softer. I stirred in all of the ingredients and baked it in an 8x8 pan at 350-degrees for 45 minutes.
I love the smell of goodies in the oven, especially when fruit is an ingredient. The blueberries were extremely fragrant and the cake made our house smell like a bakery. We enjoyed a piece of cake while it still was warm. The apple sauce made it very moist, too.
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons apple sauce
2 1/2 cups Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix
1/2 cup sugar1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
Beef prime rib roast and sausage with lentils and artichokes
I apologize that I didn't have the opportunity to write about our wonderful meal last night sooner. It took me all night to recover from the aftermath...I ate way too much and had a lot of dishes that needed my attention. With that said, it may have been the best, highest quality meal that I've ever made. Since I started this blog, my awareness of cooking and flavors has expanded ten-fold. I'm starting to feel a little pressure now to repeat these wonderful results. If my culinary skills continue to improve, I'll be in for a life of tremendous meals.
The menu was robust and included a beef prime rib roast, sausage with lentils and artichokes and Swiss chard with garlic and basil. I also baked a dozen pop overs that were provided by Sturdiwheat.
Beef prime rib roast
The preparation started on Wednesday. I picked out a beautiful prime rib roast (7 pounds) and marinaded it overnight. I'm slightly upset as I "shot from the hip" on the marinade and didn't write down the measurements of the ingredients. It was full of flavor. It was great.
I started with an onion, 6 cloves of garlic, a little orange juice and some olive oil. I made sure I didn't add too much liquid since I wanted a consistency that was similar to paste. I added oregano, rosemary, sage, ground pepper, salt, white pepper and red pepper flakes (great for winter cooking--claims to raise body temperature) and blended everything in a mini-food processor. I cut holes in the roast so the marinade would penetrate the outer sheath. After setting it in a stainless steel mixing bowl, I covered in with Saran wrap and refrigerated overnight.
I took the roast out of the 'fridge an hour before I cooked it. To roast, I put it on a baking pan with one cup of water and waited until the internal temperature was 130-degrees. It took approximately two hours in the oven at 350-degrees. It was nothing short of amazing! The "paste" was unbelievable. I'm kicking myself for not writing down the recipe.
Sausage with lentils and artichokes
This "side dish" could have been the entire meal. It was very rich and oh, so good. With an earthy taste, it was very nutritious as well. If you're reading this, you must take my word on this one. Make it as soon as you have the opportunity. It will blow you away. Who knew that some day I would cook with lentils and artichokes?
In a large frying pan, I heated extra virgin olive oil on medium heat then added garlic. I smashed the garlic instead of mincing it. Shortly after the garlic, I added the onions. I sauteed the garlic and onions until the onions looked transparent (2-3 minutes) and added the chicken sausage and bay leaves. About two minutes later, I added the artichokes (drained), sage, oregano sauteed for 4 to 5 minutes more.
The second part of the preparation came with the Beluga lentils. I prepared them according to the package instructions and had them waiting on the side to add to the vegetables. Along with the lentils, I added the chicken stock. Everything cooked together for abut 20 minutes. The goal was to stir until the chicken stock reduced completely. Then, I added buttermilk. It gave the final product a hint of sourness. It was so good; it was unexplainable
Swiss chard with garlic and basil
I also sauteed a bunch of Swiss chard. I'm beginning to love leafy green vegetables. That's a good thing, right? When I started the Swiss chard, it almost didn't fit in the frying pan. When it cooks, it shrinks, though. I fried it in olive oil and chicken stock and added garlic and basil. It's a favorite side dish of mine.
There's no great way to conclude this entry. This meal was fantastic. I wish I could think of a better adjective, but you'll just have to take my word on it and make it yourself. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Ingredients (sausage with lentils and artichokes):
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 yellow onion, diced
10 ounces chicken sausage (Trader Joe's basil & pesto chicken sausage)
3 small bay leaves
12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, quartered (drained)
2 tablespoons sage
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups cooked Beluga black lentils
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups buttermilk
Music: Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet
Weather: 5-degrees and frigid
The menu was robust and included a beef prime rib roast, sausage with lentils and artichokes and Swiss chard with garlic and basil. I also baked a dozen pop overs that were provided by Sturdiwheat.
Beef prime rib roast
The preparation started on Wednesday. I picked out a beautiful prime rib roast (7 pounds) and marinaded it overnight. I'm slightly upset as I "shot from the hip" on the marinade and didn't write down the measurements of the ingredients. It was full of flavor. It was great.
I started with an onion, 6 cloves of garlic, a little orange juice and some olive oil. I made sure I didn't add too much liquid since I wanted a consistency that was similar to paste. I added oregano, rosemary, sage, ground pepper, salt, white pepper and red pepper flakes (great for winter cooking--claims to raise body temperature) and blended everything in a mini-food processor. I cut holes in the roast so the marinade would penetrate the outer sheath. After setting it in a stainless steel mixing bowl, I covered in with Saran wrap and refrigerated overnight.
I took the roast out of the 'fridge an hour before I cooked it. To roast, I put it on a baking pan with one cup of water and waited until the internal temperature was 130-degrees. It took approximately two hours in the oven at 350-degrees. It was nothing short of amazing! The "paste" was unbelievable. I'm kicking myself for not writing down the recipe.
Sausage with lentils and artichokes
This "side dish" could have been the entire meal. It was very rich and oh, so good. With an earthy taste, it was very nutritious as well. If you're reading this, you must take my word on this one. Make it as soon as you have the opportunity. It will blow you away. Who knew that some day I would cook with lentils and artichokes?
In a large frying pan, I heated extra virgin olive oil on medium heat then added garlic. I smashed the garlic instead of mincing it. Shortly after the garlic, I added the onions. I sauteed the garlic and onions until the onions looked transparent (2-3 minutes) and added the chicken sausage and bay leaves. About two minutes later, I added the artichokes (drained), sage, oregano sauteed for 4 to 5 minutes more.
The second part of the preparation came with the Beluga lentils. I prepared them according to the package instructions and had them waiting on the side to add to the vegetables. Along with the lentils, I added the chicken stock. Everything cooked together for abut 20 minutes. The goal was to stir until the chicken stock reduced completely. Then, I added buttermilk. It gave the final product a hint of sourness. It was so good; it was unexplainable
Swiss chard with garlic and basil
I also sauteed a bunch of Swiss chard. I'm beginning to love leafy green vegetables. That's a good thing, right? When I started the Swiss chard, it almost didn't fit in the frying pan. When it cooks, it shrinks, though. I fried it in olive oil and chicken stock and added garlic and basil. It's a favorite side dish of mine.
There's no great way to conclude this entry. This meal was fantastic. I wish I could think of a better adjective, but you'll just have to take my word on it and make it yourself. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Ingredients (sausage with lentils and artichokes):
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 yellow onion, diced
10 ounces chicken sausage (Trader Joe's basil & pesto chicken sausage)
3 small bay leaves
12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, quartered (drained)
2 tablespoons sage
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups cooked Beluga black lentils
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups buttermilk
Music: Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet
Weather: 5-degrees and frigid
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Candied almonds and walnuts
I woke up this morning and saw snowflakes outside my window. Immediately, I became more excited for Christmas. As snow accumulated throughout the day, my mind started wondering towards holiday treats.
With a baby and a beautiful wife bringing holiday cheer my way, it's easy for me to think of this as the most wonderful time of the year. So, without further ado, I got a start on filling our house with sweet sugary goodness.
I looked for all of the nuts that we had in our cupboards and found a bag of walnuts and half a container of almonds. I recalled the candied walnuts I had made a few weeks ago for my chestnut soup and repeated that recipe. As I expected, they turned out wonderfully.
The almonds, on the other hand, were a disaster. I poked around online for a recipe for candied almonds and found one that called for 1/2 cup water, 1 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. I brought the glaze to a boil an added two cups of almonds. Then came the problem. The recipe was clear that I was supposed to cook the almonds until the liquid fully evaporated and the consistency was syrupy. The reviews said over and over to cook the almonds longer than your instincts told you. Well, my instincts must have been correct because the almonds and the syrup turned black and burned. Needless to say, the almonds are outside in our garbage so they don't make our entire house smell like it's on fire.
The walnuts were good, though.
Music: Venessa Carlton - Ordinary Day
Weather: 20-degrees, blizzard conditions
With a baby and a beautiful wife bringing holiday cheer my way, it's easy for me to think of this as the most wonderful time of the year. So, without further ado, I got a start on filling our house with sweet sugary goodness.
I looked for all of the nuts that we had in our cupboards and found a bag of walnuts and half a container of almonds. I recalled the candied walnuts I had made a few weeks ago for my chestnut soup and repeated that recipe. As I expected, they turned out wonderfully.
The almonds, on the other hand, were a disaster. I poked around online for a recipe for candied almonds and found one that called for 1/2 cup water, 1 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. I brought the glaze to a boil an added two cups of almonds. Then came the problem. The recipe was clear that I was supposed to cook the almonds until the liquid fully evaporated and the consistency was syrupy. The reviews said over and over to cook the almonds longer than your instincts told you. Well, my instincts must have been correct because the almonds and the syrup turned black and burned. Needless to say, the almonds are outside in our garbage so they don't make our entire house smell like it's on fire.
The walnuts were good, though.
Music: Venessa Carlton - Ordinary Day
Weather: 20-degrees, blizzard conditions
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Chicken soup for the soul
Nothing combats a gloomy and sick day quite like chicken noodle soup. When I woke up this morning with a scratchy sore throat, I knew I had to make chicken noodle soup. It's a classic home remedy and "good for the soul."
I started with two large pots on the stove. I cooked carrots, celery and onion in my cast-iron pot and boiled the chicken breasts in water and chicken broth to make the stock in the other. The ingredients were ready nearly simultaneously. I cut the chicken into small chunks and dumped the stock into the cast-iron pot with vegetables. I added the noodles and let everything cook together for 10 minutes. I added the parsley and it was ready to eat.
It was very hearty and extremely satisfying considering the cold symptoms. I love chicken noodle soup!
Ingredients:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
24 ounces chicken broth
3 cups water
5 stalks celery
14 ounces carrots
1 onion
1/2 cup Italian parsley
12 ounces whole wheat blend noodles (wide noodle style, like egg noodles)
Salt, pepper and Nature's Seasoning to taste
Garlic and basil seasoning to taste
Music: Sanctus Real - Audience of One
Weather: 19-degrees
I started with two large pots on the stove. I cooked carrots, celery and onion in my cast-iron pot and boiled the chicken breasts in water and chicken broth to make the stock in the other. The ingredients were ready nearly simultaneously. I cut the chicken into small chunks and dumped the stock into the cast-iron pot with vegetables. I added the noodles and let everything cook together for 10 minutes. I added the parsley and it was ready to eat.
It was very hearty and extremely satisfying considering the cold symptoms. I love chicken noodle soup!
Ingredients:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
24 ounces chicken broth
3 cups water
5 stalks celery
14 ounces carrots
1 onion
1/2 cup Italian parsley
12 ounces whole wheat blend noodles (wide noodle style, like egg noodles)
Salt, pepper and Nature's Seasoning to taste
Garlic and basil seasoning to taste
Music: Sanctus Real - Audience of One
Weather: 19-degrees
Friday, December 4, 2009
Kettle Chips
I was watching Tyler's Ultimate with Tyler Florence on the Food Network when I saw him making homemade potato chips. It looked fairly easy and fun, so I bought some potatoes and made my very own kettle chips.
In a large pot, I added 75/25 canola and olive oil and cooked over medium heat. I added green onion, thyme, rosemary and fresh garlic. The goal was to cook the herbs until they were crispy and shinny. This allowed the oil to be infused with the flavor of the herbs. Then I took the herbs out with a slotted spoon and left the oil. This is what I fried the potatoes in.
The potatoes needed to be sliced very thin. When held to the light, they appeared transparent. I put the potatoes in ice water to keep them from going brown. This process extracted the starch from them. I set them on paper towels and let them dry before I tossed them in the pot of oil.
I fried the potatoes in batches until they were golden brown and crispy. I took them out of the oil and placed them on a baking sheet covered with paper towel. Immediately, I added fresh ground pepper and sea salt. I prepared the salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle. The chips cooled very quickly and were ready for consumption. I bet you can't eat just one.
Ingredients:
4 large Yukon potatoes
Canola oil and olive oil (75/25)
2 cloves garlic
3 spring fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
Ground pepper and sea salt
Music: Train - Calling All Angels
Weather: 24-degrees with snow
In a large pot, I added 75/25 canola and olive oil and cooked over medium heat. I added green onion, thyme, rosemary and fresh garlic. The goal was to cook the herbs until they were crispy and shinny. This allowed the oil to be infused with the flavor of the herbs. Then I took the herbs out with a slotted spoon and left the oil. This is what I fried the potatoes in.
The potatoes needed to be sliced very thin. When held to the light, they appeared transparent. I put the potatoes in ice water to keep them from going brown. This process extracted the starch from them. I set them on paper towels and let them dry before I tossed them in the pot of oil.
I fried the potatoes in batches until they were golden brown and crispy. I took them out of the oil and placed them on a baking sheet covered with paper towel. Immediately, I added fresh ground pepper and sea salt. I prepared the salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle. The chips cooled very quickly and were ready for consumption. I bet you can't eat just one.
Ingredients:
4 large Yukon potatoes
Canola oil and olive oil (75/25)
2 cloves garlic
3 spring fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
Ground pepper and sea salt
Music: Train - Calling All Angels
Weather: 24-degrees with snow
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Roasted broccoli and sauteed baby reds (with Mediterranean crusted salmon)
What started out as a very ordinary dinner turned into an extraordinary meal with roasted broccoli and sauteed baby red potatoes. The main dish was a precrusted salmon from the frozen food section in the grocery store, but the side dishes catapulted this meal over the top.
I didn't eat many green vegetables growing up, so I'm just now becoming familiar with their taste and diversity in preparing them. Tonight, I tossed broccoli in olive oil and added thinly sliced garlic and roasted them in the oven at 425-degrees. When I took the pan out of the oven, I added fresh basil. It was utterly spectacular! The broccoli had a deep roasted flavor. The edges were blackened and crispy. The garlic jazzed it up just enough and the basil gave it a hint of earthy sweetness, but just being roasted made the broccoli fabulous.
The potatoes were also amazing. I used my Dutch oven and melted a tablespoon of butter. I threw the baby reds in the pot (they were all very small and approximately the same size) and sprinkled them with sea salt and freshly ground pepper then covered the pot. I made sure they cooked in their own juices. They came out extremely tender and flavorful. Butter, salt and pepper was all these potatoes needed.
Both of these side dishes were great. I'm in a very good mood right now because they came out as a very pleasant surprise. I started out with a simple dinner idea and it turned into a gourmet meal. I love when that happens!
Music: Kriss Kross - Jump
Weather: 35-degrees (the last "warm" day of the year...)
I didn't eat many green vegetables growing up, so I'm just now becoming familiar with their taste and diversity in preparing them. Tonight, I tossed broccoli in olive oil and added thinly sliced garlic and roasted them in the oven at 425-degrees. When I took the pan out of the oven, I added fresh basil. It was utterly spectacular! The broccoli had a deep roasted flavor. The edges were blackened and crispy. The garlic jazzed it up just enough and the basil gave it a hint of earthy sweetness, but just being roasted made the broccoli fabulous.
The potatoes were also amazing. I used my Dutch oven and melted a tablespoon of butter. I threw the baby reds in the pot (they were all very small and approximately the same size) and sprinkled them with sea salt and freshly ground pepper then covered the pot. I made sure they cooked in their own juices. They came out extremely tender and flavorful. Butter, salt and pepper was all these potatoes needed.
Both of these side dishes were great. I'm in a very good mood right now because they came out as a very pleasant surprise. I started out with a simple dinner idea and it turned into a gourmet meal. I love when that happens!
Music: Kriss Kross - Jump
Weather: 35-degrees (the last "warm" day of the year...)
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