Giada runny mac & cheese

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_31017,00.html


This was pretty terrible and flavorless. I am also blaming the poor cheese quality from Costco. I'm going back to Fresh Fields. Also there is a typo in the recipe. Errors I read in the reviews, after I made this, show that the flour, milk, and cream ratios are off. Thanks FoodNetwork.

Butter, for greasing dish
12 ounces wide egg noodles
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) grated Fontina
3/4 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan
3/4 cup (packed) grated mozzarella
4 ounces cooked ham, diced, optional
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leavesPreheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.
Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ham, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Fontina, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Stuffed shells with artichokes

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce by Giada

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_36324,00.html

I made this because after watching about 3 Every day Italian shows by Giada, I decided to try out this "frozen friendly" recipe. I was cooking for one today and it was so much food that I made 2 frozen batches of shells. Economical, fattening. "Jumbo" barilla shells are quite tiny, so a lot of time was made stuffing tiny shells. When cooked it looks like any Joe Schmo baked pasta dish.

Changes: No frozen artichokes at the store. Used canned hearts. Used white and red onions, leftovers from taco night. Did not use fresh parsley, because it's a waste of greenery.

Verdict - Not super fantastic that I would make again, due to the stuffing of a thousand shells and I know I will be eating frozen shells for weeks.

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Turkey Meatball soup

Artichoke and Meatball Soup
http://www.whatwereeating.com/recipes/milf-meatball-id-like-to-fork

SPY Comments: Pretty tasty and easy to make. 7/10
Mike wasn't sure about the Basil.

For the Meatballs:
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey, (not lean)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 lg clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
8 dashes worcestershire sauce

The Rest:
3 tbsp canola oil
3 fresh artichokes
juice from one lemon
1 medium onion, sliced
15 shitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
8 pieces fresh okra, whole
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl. Gently mix all the ingredients into the ground turkey until just combined. Try not to over-work the meat, too much mixing and fooling around with will lead to tougher meatballs. Place about and 1/8 of a cup of the seasoned meat into your hand. Rolling the meat between both your hands, form into a meatball. Set aside and repeat this process until all of the meat has be formed into meat balls.

Fill a large bowl half way full with water. Add the juice from one lemon to the water. Trim and peel the stem and base of an artichoke. Remove all of the leaves and the choke (the white hairlike inedible part of the inside of the flower), leaving only the artichoke heart. Cut the heart into quarters and place in the lemon water immediately. Repeat this process with the other two artichokes, working individually. The flesh of artichokes will oxidize (turn brown) rapidly unless they are in an acidic environment, so work quickly and keep them immersed in the lemon water until ready to use.

Preheat a dutch oven or other oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil to the pot. Once the oil and pan have heated, brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches so you don’t over-crowd the pan. Remove browned meatballs from the pan. Set aside and reserve.

Reduce the heat beneath the pot to medium. Add the sliced onions to the pot. Saute the onions for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the mushroom halves to the pot and stir. Saute the mushrooms and onions for another five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and thyme to the pot. Stir and saute for 1 minute longer.

Deglaze the pot with the balsamic vinegar, making sure to scrape up all the little pieces on the bottom of the pot.

Add the stewed tomatoes and beef stock to the pot. Stir. Raise the heat to high. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drain the artichoke hearts. Add the reserved meatballs and drained artichoke hearts to the pot. Allow the ingredients to just come to a boil.

Once the pot has reached a boil add the whole okra. Cover the pot with the lid and place the pot into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake the meatballs and artichokes at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the artichokes are tender when pierced with a fork and easily slide off. Remove the pot from the oven. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings as necessary with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve hot in a bowl with some crusty artisan bread to sop up all the glorious juices. Enjoy!

Wild Mushroom Macaroni and Three Cheeses with Truffle Oil

Whoa. This recipe is pretentious. Other than the initial cost of the oil and fresh herbs pretty standard costs for mac and cheese. Wonderful deep flavors. Maybe too intense for a BBQ? NO need to mix cheese with the panko. It's cheesy enough.

1 1/2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp oil or bacon fat
1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
2 2/3 cup whole milk
4 oz herb chevre, crumbled
4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
4 oz parmigiano reggiano, separated in 2 2oz piles
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp fresh sage, minced
2-3 tbsp white truffle oil, depending on how strong you like it (yes,
this is some rich mac-n-cheese)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup panko
10 oz elbow pasta
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat
and cover. Place a large saute pan with 2 tbsp oil or lard over medium
heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for
7-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully cooked and slightly
caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of kosher
salt and black pepper then deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar. Allow
all of the vinegar to cook out, then remove the mushrooms from the pan
and set aside.

Begin the cheese sauce. Add 4 tbsp butter to a medium-sized sauce pan
and place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Once all the butter
is melted and hot, whisk in 4 tbsp flour. Cook the flour, whisking,
for about 30 seconds , just long enough to get rid of the raw flour
taste, but not long enough for the flour to start caramelizing. Add
the thyme, rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring
and allow the herbs to saute for about another 30 secpnds. Slowly pour
in the milk while whisking continuously, so the roux and milk
incorporate smoothly and there are no lumps. Allow the bechamel to
come to a simmer (it won't gain it's full thickness until it does),
stirring occassionally.

While waiting for the sauce to come to a simmer start the pasta.
Liberally salt the pot of boiling water, almost to the point it tastes
like sea water. This may take a few handfuls of salt . Add the pasta
to the water and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the
suggested time on the box.

Once the bechamel has reached a simmer, stir in the chevre, cheddar,
2oz of parmigiano, and truffle oil until all the cheese has melted.
Turn off the heat and and taste the sauce for seasoning levels. Season
with salt and pepper as necessary. In small mixing bowl, mix together
the panko and remaining 2oz of parmigiano reggiano.

Strain the pasta immediately once finished cooking. In a mixing bowl,
toss the pasta, cheese sauce, and mushrooms together. Pour the
macaroni and cheese into a deep glass or ceramic loaf pan and sprinkle
the panko/parmigiano mixture evenly across the top. Bake the
mac-n-cheese in the upper part of the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes
or until the topping is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve
hot. Enjoy!

*if you're lucky enough to have a real truffle, feel free to
substitute shaved truffle for the truffle oil!

http://www.whatwereeating.com/recipes/orgasmic-mac-n-cheese/

Lemon shrimp scampi

Won't make this again. I think I don't like shrimp. I also cannot stand lemon flavors in pasta. That's not normal.



NGREDIENTS

* 1 pound linguini pasta
* 1/4 cup butter
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
* 1 cup bread crumbs
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 1/4 cup light olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add most of the garlic, keeping some for later. Coat the garlic completely with butter. Do not let the garlic brown. Add shrimp, and toss to coat. Immediately remove pan from heat; shrimp will not be cooked yet.
4. Sprinkle the shrimp with breadcrumbs (enough to coat the shrimp), and transfer the entire mixture to a medium casserole dish. Pour wine and the lemon juice over the shrimp. Cover, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes.
5. Remove cover, and bake an additional 5 minutes.
6. In a small saucepan heat olive oil with remaining garlic. Toss the pasta with the olive oil and garlic mixture. Serve the shrimp over the pasta with additional lemon slices on the side.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Shrimp-Scampi-I/Detail.aspx

Omelet from a plastic bag

Conquistahore told me about this one and he got this one from Paula Dean. I think the omelet was very fluffy but something is wrong about eating anything from a plastic bag. Plus it's a waste of a bag.
1. Put egg, salt and pepper, and cheese into ziploc bag
2. Boil water
3. zip bag and dunk into water for 5 minutes
4. Slide out omelet out to eat!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Cordon-Bleu-II/Detail.aspx

Pretty good sauce, I used half and half instead of heavy cream. I used gruyere instead of swiss. Very nice. Not sure if I love it enough to make again.

INGREDIENTS

* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 6 slices Swiss cheese
* 6 slices ham
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Spinach corn mashed potatoes

This was so so to me. Just tastes like mashed potatoes with some corn and spinach that fell into it. It was a good way to get the spinach hater to eat it though. (MIKE)



INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
* 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, stems removed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

DIRECTIONS

1. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain water and mash potatoes together with butter and heavy cream until light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and saute corn 2 to 3 minutes. Stir spinach and garlic into skillet and saute an additional 1 minute, until spinach is wilted. Fold mixture into mashed potatoes. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-and-Sweet-Corn-Mashed-Potatoes/Detail.aspx?strb=1

Easy Jambalaya

I saw this recipe come to fruition many times when Sherri made this. I have evolved this over time, with chicken broth or shrimp broth and less chicken, and using jasmine rice.
INGREDIENTS

* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
* 8 ounces kielbasa, diced
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 green bell pepper, diced
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 2 cups uncooked white rice
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 3 bay leaves
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Saute chicken and kielbasa until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Season with cayenne, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, or until onion is tender and translucent. Add rice, then stir in chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.



http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Cajun-Jambalaya/Detail.aspx

Mini pizzas

Never made my own pizza before. Super easy and a great way to use that 4 year old flour that I have in my pantry. Flour, water, yeast = pizza bread.

PIZZA DOUGH
This dough is easy to handle and will give you a crispy crust that's also tender.
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

PIZZETTE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND RICOTTA

4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Pizza dough

12 ounces small red, yellow, and orange cherry tomatoes, halved


Mix goat cheese, ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, basil, and lemon peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 18-inch round. Using 2 1/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 30 rounds. Divide rounds between prepared baking sheets. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake pizzette until golden, about 11 minutes. Cool slightly. Spread cheese mixture over each. Top each with 3 or 4 cherry tomato halves.

Makes 30 pizzettes.
Bon Appétit
March 2007
Giada De Laurentiis

SPY changes:
None really, recipe to the T. this is easy, but takes a long time due to waiting for the yeast to rise. I feel the rolling of the dough for 30 mini pizzettes felt like a long time. Cost, 5.00 for goat cheese, 2.50 for ricotta, 3.00 for fresh basil, .50 for a lemon, 4 year old flour = free.



This is the champagne of beers.

Wow, these flavors are awesome and curry is a new spice that I want to further explore. Tastes so different and exotic--really--a breath of fresh air. They are tiny and cute and great for snacks or for lunch boxes. The sauce itself is good for other things such as dipping chicken or fries into them.

BOMBAY SLIDERS WITH GARLIC CURRY SAUCE

Dinner rolls work well as buns for these mini burgers. Allow three burgers per person and top with tomato, red onion, and cucumber slices.
click photo to enlarge
1 cup mayonnaise, divided
6 1/4 teaspoons curry powder, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced

2 pounds ground turkey
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon hot chili powder or Hungarian hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 small dinner rolls, cut horizontally in half, lightly toasted

Mix 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 1/4 teaspoons curry powder, and next 3 ingredients in small bowl for sauce. Let stand at room temperature while preparing sliders.

Place turkey, next 6 ingredients, remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise, and 4 teaspoons curry powder in large bowl. Mix with fork or hands just until blended (do not overmix). Divide mixture into 12 equal portions. Using wet hands, form each portion into patty about 1/2 inch thick.

Preheat broiler or heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. If broiling patties, brush rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil and arrange patties on sheet. Broil (or cover patties in skillet and cook in batches) until cooked through, pressing patties down lightly with spatula before turning over, about 3 minutes per side (or 4 minutes per side if cooking in skillet).

Place patties on bottom halves of rolls. Top each patty with sauce. Cover with roll tops. Place 3 sliders on each of 4 plates and serve.

SPY changes:
The internal temp was about 125 when cooking under the broiler for 3 on each side. Ground turkey should be 165 ish. I was using a toaster oven, so maybe it doesn't get as hot, I had to add time, so it came out to be 4-5 minutes on each side. They get really tiny and I should have gotten dinner rolls instead of small sandwich rolls.



http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/237320

Easy Entertaining - Pork roast

Anne from work gave me this recipe. Super easy and looks very elegant. Moist and Supple. This can't go wrong

Pot-roasted Pork in White Wine with Garlic, Fennel, and Rosemary

Show: Oliver's Twist Episode: ABBA Mania

1 (3 pound/1.5 kilogram) pork loin, off the bone and skin removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 to 3 large knobs butter
Olive oil
8 cloves garlic, skin left on
1 handful fresh rosemary, leaves picked
4 bay leaves
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1/2 (750 ml) bottle Chardonnay

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
With 2 or 3 bits of string, tie up your pork loin, do this any way you like. It doesn't have to be fussy, you just want to keep the meat in a snug shape while it's cooking. Season generously with salt and pepper, then roll the meat in the fennel seeds until covered.
In a casserole pan or roasting tray, fry the meat for a couple of minutes in half the butter and a little olive oil, until nice and golden.
Throw in the garlic, herbs, fennel, and wine, then cover the tray loosely with some wet greaseproof paper and cook until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 150 degrees F. As the pork loin is off the bone it cooks very quickly. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest on a plate. Then, without using any more heat, finish off your sauce in the pan, scraping any goodness off the bottom and adding the rest of the butter. Remove any large bits.

SPY changes.

a. Whole foods has pork loin roasts already tied in 1.75 pound ish size. For a party of 4 people this is enough and saves work.

b. No roasting pan. Primitive I know, but Alton Brown always says that these things don't add flavor, what you really need when you see "roast pan" is a way for air to circulate under the roasting item. A great way to do this is via old vegetables like carrots or onions.

c. I didn't have a shallow pan that can also go on the stovetop, a future purchase. But for now, you really just need to sear the meat. Do this via regular means.

d. This is where I get techno on ya. Meat thermometers are awesome. Time is a bitch and also people's ovens are always off and do not always match the times on recipes. Temps are best, roast until 150. In case you are wondering, 145 is medium rare so 150 is medium. Scary? Never, that nasty parasite and sickness from rare pork that people have warned you about (Trichinella) dies at around 137 so your health is a OK and you will be eating delicious moist pork.

e. Side dishes - since rosemary is expensive and what else you got to use this for, use it for a side of veggies that you put along with the roast. Just sprinkle veggies or potatoes with rosemary, olive oil, and salt and bake along with it, around 45 minute. awesome!








http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_18942,00.html?rsrc=search

Old World Vegetable Soup

I love Dave Lieberman and his cost conscientious recipes. Today we are trying his Old World Vegetable recipe that was from his grandmother.

Well, this is tasteless! Just water with some vegetables and noodles. bleh. Won't make this again.

Old World Vegetable Soup
Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman
See this recipe on air Sunday Jan. 21 at 9:00 AM ET/PT.
Show: Good Deal with Dave Lieberman
Episode: Grandma's Visit
1 large onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons oil or unsalted butter
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup barley
8 cups chicken stock, water, or a combo
4 cups water
3/4 cup elbow pasta
1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans
1 (10-ounce) package frozen mixed garden vegetables
1/4 cup roughly chopped dill leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Saute the onions in oil until lightly browned. Rinse the split peas and barley in water and place in a large pot. Add the chicken stock and water and cook over medium-high heat. until almost tender, about 1 hour. Add the pasta and cook 10 minutes longer. Then add the lima beans and vegetables, cook until the vegetables are tender. Season with dill, salt and pepper.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35412,00.html

Corn Mashed Potatoes and Beer Marinated Steak

2 recipes in this one folks. Today we are trying out a Bon Appetite magazine recipe.
First the
Beer Marinated Hanger Steak

Very flavorful. Perhaps too flavorful since it was marinated for a day with salty soy sauce. It didn't help that I bought tenderized flank steak. Tenderized means that the meat is almost chopped up--imagine cutting slits into a steak so there is much more nooks and crannies for sauce to hang on to. If I make this again, I would pick regular hanger or skirt steak. This tenderized version was a lot more salty, I do not think it was the intention of the magazine. Didn't have dark lager, so I used Miller Light. Atrocious I know. But I tried to compensate by putting Coke Zero in it. I have no idea if that was right. It's dark.

The mister liked it, reminds him of Korean beef BBQ. I would not make this again probably unless asked.


1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup dark lager beer (such as bock, märzen, or Samuel Adams Black Lager)
2 1/2 pounds trimmed hanger steaks (about 3 pieces)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Whisk first 7 ingredients in medium bowl, then whisk in beer. Pour marinade into large resealable plastic bag. Add steaks, seal bag, and chill 1 day, turning bag occasionally.

Spray large ridged skillet or grill pan with nonstick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry; discard marinade. Place steaks in hot skillet and cook until well browned and thermometer inserted into center registers 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to carving board and let rest 5 minutes.

Slice steaks thinly across grain. Arrange on platter; spoon any accumulated juices over and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/236873

The second is another Bon appetite recipes, the Saffron Corn mashed potatoes.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES WITH CORN

I find this very delicious. I love corn and I love potatoes. I didn't have fresh corn, so I used frozen instead. Could anyone really tell the difference other than Tom Colicchio? However, when smelling this, the first thing I think of is shrimp. The reason is the saffron. My only experience of this is with paella or any other shrimp dishes. I feel this is very seafoody, but it's just by association. Saffron = shrimp. Also there are saffron threads in the potatoes. To an unsuspecting guest, this can look like large red lint.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

1 3/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add corn and garlic; sauté until onion is golden and corn is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add cream, butter and saffron. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Mash until smooth. Stir in corn mixture. Season with salt and pepper.


http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/103640