Honey Mustard Grilling & Marinade Sauce
I love this grilling and marinade sauce. It is so easy to make and is extremely versatile. You can use it on pork or chicken while grilling or as an overnight marinade.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Honey
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
In a small size bowl whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic. Prepare your grill. Spread one side of the pork or chicken with the sauce and place sauce side down. Baste the top and grill for 6 minutes or more/less (depending on which meat or fish you are grilling). Turn your meat and baste one more time with remaining sauce. Cook another 6 minutes or more/less until done. If you decide to use this as a marinade place the meat in a ziplock bag and pour the sauce over the meat. Zip the bag and give a good shake. Place in the refrigerator overnight and remove when ready to cook. You are going to love this sauce!
Bok Choy Gratin
I had a bunch of baby bok choy in my fridge that needed to get used before making its way to the trash can. I grew up in a household that didn’t believe in wasting food and it pains me to throw food out. I would rather create a disaster meal then throw food away. This is how I created this dish and it actually turned out quite tasty.
INGREDIENTS
1 Sliced Yellow Onion
1 Diced Tomato
10 Chopped Garlic Cloves
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter
6 Small Bunches Baby Bok Choy
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Tear off the bok choy leaves, wash & dry them. In a large skillet melt the butter over a medium low heat. When the butter is melted add the garlic and onions. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bok choy leaves. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large glass baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the vegetables. Place, uncovered into the oven and bake for 35 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Serves 4
Avocado & Corn Salad
This salad is a nice change of pace and super easy to make. I served this salad with lamb chops last night.
INGREDIENTS
2 Peeled & Diced Avocados
2 Chopped Green Onions
10 Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cup Fresh Cooked Corn
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Ounces Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
In a large serving bowl, toss together the tomatoes, avocados, green onions, tomatoes and corn. Dust lightly with the black pepper and kosher salt. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving to blend the flavor. Serves 4
Super Moist Chocolate Layer Cake
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
2 Cups Sugar
5 Eggs (Room Temperature)
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
4 Squares (1 Ounce Each) Melted & Cooled Unsweetened Chocolate
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
Preheat your oven to 325° F. In a large size bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add alternately to the batter along with the buttermilk. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting:
1 Cup Softened Butter (2 Sticks)
8 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk or Cream
3 Squares (1 Ounce Each) Melted & Cooled Unsweetened Chocolate
In a large size bowl combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat at a low speed. Stir in the milk and melted chocolate. Beat until fluffy. Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting. Place the second layer on top of the frosting and frost the top layer and sides. Serves 10
Homemade Ricotta
Homemade Ricotta sounds like a lot of work, I know, but trust me it is actually pretty darned easy. If you rinse the pot with cold water before pouring in the milk it will save you some serious cleanup. The reserved liquid whey can go into soups, stews and curries. It can also be used to cook pasta and rice. The liquid whey will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
INGREDIENTS
1 Gallon High Quality Organic Whole Milk
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (Typically 1 Large Lemon)
You will need a large colander for this recipe. Line the colander with a layer of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to save the whey). Wet the cheesecloth to hold it firmly in place. To make the ricotta you will need a large heavy pot. Rinse the pot with cold water before pouring in the milk. Bring the milk and salt to a gentle simmer over a medium high heat. Stir in the lemon juice and continue to simmer gently for 2 minutes. You want the curds to begin to form and float to the top. They will first look like spatters of white and then gather into soft clumps that look like little clouds. You will see the liquid begin to clear of cloudiness and the curds firming up, but not hard. This is when you need to scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Let the curds drain thoroughly in the colander. If the curds are very soft press gently to extract just a little of the moisture, but do not squeeze dry as you don’t want to dry out the cheese. Transfer your homemade ricotta to a large bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Make 1 1/2 pounds.
Chicken Breasts Cooked In Parchment Paper
I just cannot believe how easy it is to cook a meal in parchment paper. The chicken breasts came out very tender and flavorful. If you have not tried this method of cooking before you might want to give it a try.
INGREDIENTS
2 Chicken Breasts
8 Strips of Organic Bacon
1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onions
6 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Cup Salsa
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In two large pieces of parchment paper place 4 strips each of the organic bacon. On top of the bacon sprinkle the chopped green onions, chopped jalapeno and chopped garlic. Place the chicken breasts on top of the bacon pile and salt and pepper the tops of the chicken. Place 1/2 cup salsa on top of each chicken breast. Close up the parchment paper up around the contents and tie the top with butcher string. Place in a baking pan and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Open the parchment packages and transfer to either a serving platter or individual plates. Serve with a green salad and diced pineapple. Serves 2
Cooking Parchment
I love cooking in parchment packets or “en papillote.” It gives big rewards without much effort. Cooking chicken or fish with vegetables in a sealed parchment paper packet may look fancy, but it’s actually a great no frills technique. Just place a few ingredients into the packets and let them do their work. You can prepare most ahead of time. They lock in flavor and moisture and are impressive looking. You can fold pretty much any way you want as long as you create a tight seal. Create your own recipes with protein, vegetables and herbs that you have on hand. Cook in the oven or on the grill.
Technique: Fold a 14×12” piece of parchment paper in half. Using kitchen shears cut the parchment into a heart shape. Arrange vegetables and herbs on one side of the paper. Top with fish or chicken. Add olive oil or butter and a splash of wine to keep the meat moist and create a sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the edges of the paper with a beaten egg white for a tighter seal. Working from one end begin by tightly folding the open edge of the paper. Continue folding the paper’s open edge to form a seal. Transfer the packet to a rimmed baking sheet and bake or grill.
Chicken Asiago Burgers
These burgers are absolutely EXCELLENT! A nice change of pace, but still satisfies the burger urge.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Chicken
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Grated Asiago Cheese
4 Hamburger Buns
Mix the ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and Asiago cheese in a large size bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Place the patties on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat your grill. When you are ready to grill the burgers remove from the fridge and let sit out for 10 minutes. You want to take the chill off of the meat before putting on the grill. Cook the burgers on the frill for 5 minutes on each side until well done. Place one burger on the bottom half of each bun. Garnish as you like. Serves 4
Grilled Flank Steak
Barbecue weekend is here! Here is a tried and true Grilled Flank Steak recipe. The key is the marinade so it takes a little planning ahead.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Flank Steak
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
4 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
4 Chopped Shallots
In a large measuring cup or mixing bowl combine the garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, hot sauce, kosher salt, brown sugar and chopped shallots. Mix well. Place the steak in a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade in the bag over the steak. Press out the excess air and turn the bag around to get the steak coated. Refrigerate overnight turning the bag occasionally. To grill the steak Remove the steak from the refrigerator and remove from the bag. Place on a large plate and let sit for 45 minutes to room temperature. Prepare the grill to a medium hot fire. Grill the steak for 6 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from the grill and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain. Transfer to a serving platter. Serves 4
Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Parmigiana is a Southern Italian (Campania & Sicily) dish made with layers of tomato sauce and a combination of Parmesan & mozzarella cheese. Serve this dish with a side of spaghetti and a salad and you have a delicious meal. Chicken Parmigiana also makes a nice grinder!
INGREDIENTS
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Beaten Eggs
5 Tablespoons Butter
2 1/2 Cups Marinara Sauce
4 Large Slices Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Pound the chicken breasts to get them good and flat. Salt and pepper the chicken. In a medium size bowl (you want to be able to get the chicken breast in the bowl) beat the eggs. In another bowl or I like to use a plate place the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken in the beaten eggs and then the breadcrumbs. In a large skillet over a medium heat melt the butter. Place the chicken in the skillet and brown for 15 minutes making sure to turn so they cook on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Set aside. Add the marinara sauce to the skillet and heat thoroughly. Add the chicken breasts back to the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes. Place the mozzarella on top of the chicken and then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese has melted. Remove the chicken along with the sauce from the skillet and transfer to a serving platter. Serves 4
