Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Have you Spatchcocked lately? No....really!


So... I know what you are thinking and just get it out of the gutter!!! Ha Ha!
According to Dictionary.com to Spatchcock is to, "split a chicken or fowl for roasting and grilling".
However this also refers to a certain English style of baking a potato. I promise this will be the most delicious baked potato you ever eat! Great for the holidays and entertaining...
I first saw a version of this recipe on an episode of Paula Deen when Chef Robert Irvine was a guest and he made these potatoes. I have tweaked it and changed the type of spud.
It takes a little time but you don't need to babysit it...
6-7 Medium to large Yukon Gold Potatoes ***(Keep them all as close to the same size as possible for even cooking time)
1-1 1/2 32oz boxes of Low Sodium Chicken Broth (Organic is better if your market has it)
Water
Cooking Spray
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
This recipe has 2 parts...part 1 do ahead as to let the spuds cool off.
Part I
Wash the Spuds. Place them in a stockpot and pour in the chicken broth to just cover, if the broth is not enough use water for the rest.
Remember you need to start with cold liquid and cold spuds as they will heat up together and the spuds will cook through. If you don't do this, only the outside of the Spuds will be cooked.(This is a rule in the Potato world!)
Cover & heat on high
Bring to a boil
Uncover and keep on a good simmer 'till FORK tender ***note-do not use a knife, because a knife will always slip out even when the spuds are under cooked
This will take some time 20-30 minutes depending on spud size
When cooked and tender remove from pot and place on a sprayed foil lined baking sheet
Part II
Pre-heat oven to 425
When the spuds have completely cooled take a very sharp knife and cut slices, but only going 2/3 of the way down leaving the bottom intact. Check out the picture above.
Carefully, with a knife separate the slices just a little.
Sprinkle Oil, Salt, and Pepper in that order
Bake for about 25-30 minutes 'till crispy and brown
You will never go back!!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Oscar Small Bite...Asian Tuna & Slaw Mini Cup




This is so cute and delicious!
A word about measurements and ingredients...
I will give you enough in this recipe to make at least 16 cups or more...the slaw shrinks when you add the sauce so you may get more... this sauce recipe will be very generous, you may have leftover to eat with chicken, steak , or fish for dinner during the week.
I use the frozen Sashimi Grade Tuna in the frozen food section of Costco.
Frozen is a key in this recipe, it will give you a little more working time and will be nice and chilled for service.
I always keep this tuna in my freezer, it is great when you want some fish and haven't had a chance to go the market.
You can sear the fish 2 ways....in a hot skillet, a panini press, or even a George Foreman Grill.
The fish:
3 Tuna steaks from the package
Toasted Sesame Oil
Black or White Toasted Sesame Seeds
The Tuna steaks will be individually packaged, run them under cold water for a few seconds
Cut them open
Even though they are frozen rub all over with Sesame Oil and sprinkle liberally with the Sesame Seeds and give the seeds a good press with your fingers.
If you are using a skillet make sure it is hot and only cook the fish 1-2 minutes on each side...if you are using the panini or Foreman cook with lid down for about 2-3 minutes You only want to sear it...it will still be frozen inside this is what we want.
Set fish aside.
For the Slaw:
16 oz bag of Cole Slaw Mix
3 Tbls of Honey
1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Heaping Tsp Pre-minced Ginger
1/2 Tsp Granulated Garlic
Wasabi Paste or Wasabi Dressing/Sauce
Black or White Toasted Sesame Seeds
Put Cole Slaw Mix into a bowl
In another bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients well
Pour just enough sauce over Slaw to moisten
Toss
Take the Tuna to a cutting board and cut it into small cubes as in the picture. Being so cold it will be very easy to cut.
Put the Tuna cubes into a bowl and pour some sauce over to coat and give a gentle toss covering all the fish.
Put portions of the slaw into mini bowls or small containers & top with a portion of Tuna cubes.
Sprinkle with the Sesame seeds and top with a dollop of Wasabi.
Get creative with your serving pieces!
You can also make this recipe into a meal!
Groovy!



Thursday, February 19, 2009

Oscar Small Bite...Stunning! Spaghetti & Meatballs on a Spoon!




This will be a very short post because the recipe for the Spaghetti and Meatballs is in the 2009 Archive, January 5th. The Archive is located on your right, scroll down to the date you want.
How great is this presentation!? I showed it to Mikee and as soon as I took the picture, he slurped it down in 1 swallow!
Here is how it's done...
Take a small fork with only a few strands of the pasta and swirl it as tight as you can around the fork.
Once it looks nice and tight use you finger to push it carefully onto the spoon. Wipe off any extra sauce. What makes this pretty is the nice clean presentation.
Then trim a Meatball into a square with a good sharp paring knife. Make sure to dip it in the sauce just to coat.
Place the square in the middle of the pasta and sprinkle carefully with grated Parmesan Cheese.
***KOSHER note: Use any Kosher meatball recipe that you like and instead of the cheese use a pretty leaf of basil in the middle of the pasta.
Sparkly earrings are optional!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Oscar Small Bite, Creamy Won Ton Cup



Elegant and very rich, these cups are pretty easy and no frying involved... You can also use Neufchatel or Low Fat Cream Cheese to lower the fat. You will need 3 important pieces of equipment...a food processor, a mini 24 muffin pan, (easy to find), & a large zip lock bag to use as a pastry bag to squeeze mixture into cup neatly.
This recipe is made with Shrimp, but I will also provide a KOSHER SUBSTITUTE.
Action!
24 Won Ton Skins
Canola oil for brushing Skins
2 8oz bricks of Cream Cheese softened at room temp.
1 Tsp Granulated Garlic
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper or to taste "Some Like It Hot"
2 Tbls Low Fat Mayo
1 Pound of cooked Shrimp Tail Off coarsely chopped ****Kosher Substitute 4-5 Sun Dried Tomatoes Packed in Oil
2 Finely Chopped Scallions divided, leave about 1/3 for garnish
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Brush both sides of Won -Ton Skins with the oil and mold them into the muffin cups making sure there is a nice cavity to put your filling...if you have trouble with this, make some small tin foil balls and put the in the cups to bake ....of course remove them when the cups are cooled.
Bake the cups till they have bubbles forming on the dough and are just golden. About 10 minutes, but watch them!
They will crisp up as they cool.
Set aside.
In the food pro put the Cheese, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Cayenne, Mayo, & Shrimp give it some pulses and scrape down the bowl so that everything blend together.
When it is smooth add 2/3 of the Scallions and give it just one good pulse.
Fill your large zip lock bag with the mixture and squeeze it to a corner of the bag and cut the tip off just a little, about an 1/8 of an inch.
Begin squeezing the mixture into the cups...be generous!
Sprinkle the reserved Scallions on top of each cup.
Arrange on a platter.
Cut! Print!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Small Bites this week leading up to the Oscar's



My aim this week is to share some ideas for small bites to serve Oscar night...(Don't forget to check my archives for other little noshes!)
This first one is really fun... Polka Dot Salami Chips. Don't freak out...almost all of the fat cooks out. They get so crispy delicious. Kosher variation included.
Once again, method is key. You can vary meats, mustards, & cheese. Presentation is really cute don't you think?
I used:
Cooking Spray
1/4 lb of Italian Hard Salami sliced thin but not transparent
Spicy Brown Mustard
1/4 lb Smoked Gouda Sliced very thin
***KOSHER NOTE: Use Kosher Salami, Spicy Mustard, tiny dollop of Sauerkraut(Drain it)
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Line a large baking sheet with foil and give it a light spray
Arrange Salami slices on baking sheet
Bake about 10 minutes***you have to keep an eye on it...it can burn very quickly
When you take them out of the oven use a slotted spatula as they will have rendered alot of fat, put them on paper towels and gently blot the grease. ***they will be delicate.
When they are cool arrange them on a platter
Put a nice dot of the Mustard in the middle of the chip
Using a small cookie cutter or freehand cut Cheese into shapes and place on top of the Mustard
So cute!
Enjoy!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Be the MASTER of your own Dressing!

This is a very economical answer to pricey store bought dressings. NOTHING is better than homemade dressing. This Master dressing mix can be made with so many different ingredients ,but the proportion is what's important. There are a lot of chefs that conflict on the right oil to acid ratio...some say 3:2 (Oil to Acid), but I prefer the 2:1 ratio. This leaves room for varying the acid levels at the time of serving. Let me explain...
I use a large jar ( I use a pasta sauce jar), *remember to put whatever jar you use in the dishwasher. The following measurements are based on what my jar will hold.
1 1/2 cups of my favorite oil
3/4 cups of my favorite vinegar or citrus acids (Lemon, Lime, etc.)
1 Tbls Oregano
1 Tbls Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tbls Dijon or Grainy Dijon Mustard
Wha-La! Now you have a base that will last for up to 2 weeks depending on how much you use.
Store in the fridge...but take it out about 10 minutes before you use it, the oil will be too cold and solidified.
Every time you use it shake it really well...you can pour it right on the salad or do some add-ins.
I will shake it up pour what I need in a small bowl and then whisk in other herbs, lemon or lime juice, Worchester,(that is so not on spell check!)sauce, ginger... You can also add in mayo or yogurt. It is limitless....
***you can even use it as a marinade!
Play with it...let me know what you come up with!
Have fun!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Secret Candy Stash! Cute!

Alexis and her friend Jackie came home from college and hit Mommy's special candy spot!
We have a beautiful antique punchbowl handed down from my parents...it is quite large and really beautiful, but it just sits on the bar empty, so I started a tradition and began filling it with leftover Halloween candy. It was a hit with Mikee, & when Alexis saw it she went crazy! Now I keep it filled all year round...I think Mom & my little sister enjoy sneakin' in there too!
I was inspired to do this by my Nana Pearl...she used to keep a cigar box in her kitchen filled with nick-naks for me to play with, whether it was some thread, tape, buttons,a yo-yo, crayons, or even a candy, I always rushed to that box as soon as I got to her house! Things were so much simpler back in the day...that box provided hours of fun, and she always added something new.
So my wish is that everybody gets a special box where family and friends know that when they come over to your house there is a special treat waiting for them...don't forget to keep it full!
(It doesn't have to be candy, the little ones will enjoy nick-nacks too!)
Have Fun, you are never too old!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Asian American Pantry and another Episode of Not done with that leftover Spaghetti just yet !!!


There are certain Asian ingredients that I keep in the house at all times, they are so versatile and when I am in the market' if I see some fresh Bok Choy that looks crisp and clean I grab it!
My Asian pantry....(These are from the regular market so don't get you knickers in a twist!)
In the Fridge always on hand:
Wasabi Paste in the tube / I also save extra Wasabi from the Sushi takeout
Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Thai Fish sauce
Pre-Minced and fresh Ginger
Oyster sauce
Mirin
Sesame Oil
Hoisen sauce
Thai Sweet and or Hot Chili Sauce
Teryiaki Sauce and or Glaze
Wonton and or Egg roll Wrappers
Specialty Produce:
Bok Choy
Napa Cabbage
Snow or Sugar Snap Peas
Bean Sprouts
Prepackaged Stir Fry Veggies
Cole Slaw Mix
I could go on but you get the picture let's not get nuts!
In the pantry cabinet:
Chinese 5 Spice powder
Powdered Ginger
Toasted Sesame Seeds White and or Black
Mung Bean Thread or Rice Noodles and I always have Regular Pasta Noodles
Rice Wine Vinegar
Nori/Toasted Seaweed for Rolls
What I have pictured above is such a go to dinner...It does involve other pantry items.I always keep raw peeled and deveined frozen shrimp, scallops, chicken, or steak in the freezer. I always have scallions, mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, onions, chicken or beef stock/broth, etc. on hand.
This can be made Kosher, just do veggies, chicken or beef!
Let's get cookin'! Serves 1-2 people
In a pre-heated 450 degree Toaster Oven put
4-6 Large Frozen Raw Peeled Deveined Shrimp
4-6 Large Frozen Scallops
Place on a foil lined toaster oven tray and cook for 1o minutes till Shrimp is pink and a little curled and Scallops are tender
Remove from oven and set aside
2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
1 to 1 1/2 Tsps Pre-Minced or Grated Fresh Ginger
1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 to a Tsp of Wasabi Paste depending on your heat preference
1 Tbls Oyster Sauce
2 Tbls of Honey
1 Tsp Fish Sauce
1 Tsp Sesame oil
2 Finely chopped Scallions green and white parts
1/4 to 1/2 LB of the noodles of your choice, I even use Angel Hair
Green parts of a large Bok Choy
Add any other veggies you like...sliced mushrooms, thin sliced carrots, thin sliced zucchini, Napa cabbage, etc.
Except for the Shrimp and the Scallops bring all items to a boil.
****If you are using fresh Noodles break them and boil till tender...if you are using leftover Noodles boil for 3 minutes
Then add Shrimp and Scallops simmer for another 2-3 minutes
****If using Chicken, I would use cooked
****If using Steak I would use Raw sliced thin and simmer for 15 Minutes without noodles, then add noodles****see Noodle note above!
This post was so long I'm Naming this dish The Great Wall of China Soup!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Fast Chicken, Left Over Pasta Side Dish, Spinach Bake with Leftover Garlic Bread Croutons

Michael really enjoyed this dinner...you can mix and match any of these dishes, they are easy and fast. The pasta is leftover thin spaghetti, but it's the cooking method that makes it special.
The spinach bake is a little invention of my own and everyone loved it, I made a crouton topping from leftover garlic bread. This bake can even be made ahead and served at room temp.. The chicken is so quick it will be a real go to...very flavorful without a long marinade time. Even the leftovers can be leftovers...in this economy every little bit helps. This is really a pantry dinner...most things you should have on hand.
First things first...lets get the chicken going...
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Granulated Garlic
Onion Powder
Paprika
Grill Cooking spray
Pre-heat grill to 400
Dry Chicken very thoroughly on both sides
Brush both sides with the Oil
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Next sprinkle Granulated Garlic, Onion Powder, and Paprika in that order
Spray one side of Chicken with Grill Spray, lay this side down on direct heat
You will be cooking this chicken 3-4 minutes per side depending how thick the Breasts are, Remember you can always use a Meat Thermometer to check for doneness
When you are ready to turn, spray the other side carefully as not to flare the flame in your face
When the Chicken is done let it rest for 5 minutes...it will be so juicy!
Ok Popeye time for spinach!
Cooking Spray
3 packages of Frozen Chopped Spinach Defrosted
Kosher Salt
1 Egg White
4 Tbls of Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tbls of Bacon Bits Real or Imitation
1/2 Cup of Garlic Croutons or cubed leftover Garlic Bread
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Spray an 8x8 baker with cooking spray
In a clean kitchen towel put the Spinach and squeeze all the liquid out, get it as dry as you can
Place the Spinach in a bowl
Add Egg White and 3 of the 4 Tbls of Cheese, using a fork mix vigorously
Spread Spinach mixture in baker
Sprinkle Cheese and Bacon bits on top
Add Croutons
Spray top with Cooking spray
Bake for 15- 20 minutes
Soooo delish! Bet the kids like it!
Spaghetti Redo
We will wing it with measurements on this one because we use leftover components and it is really a method not so much a recipe
Spaghetti
Your favorite Sauce (leftover or fresh)
Your favorite Grated Cheese
Any other add ins you want like Garlic, Olives, Herbs, Meats, you get the idea
In a saucepan pour Sauce, (The ratio should be 2 parts Sauce to one Part spaghetti)
Heat the Sauce on medium till simmering
Add pasta
Stir
Add Cheese and any add ins
Keep stirring till almost all the Sauce is absorbed
Serve...so good...the Pasta takes in all the flavor...this can be a main dish as well!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Easy Breezy Shrimp

This is not only an easy recipe, but the marinade is good for any fish, chicken, or meat. The shrimp that I have pictured here are from Costco and they are large...they are probably 16-20 shrimp per pound or less...these are great for the grill because you don't need to go through the process of skewering them. I like to leave the tail on for presentation and a cute little handle.
They are great for a main meal or to serve as an Hors d'Oeuvres
This is a quick marinade because of the salt content, just about 30 minutes.
Here we go...
1 (1 1/2 to 2 pounds )Package of Costco Fresh Shrimp Split & Deveined or any fresh shrimp
4 Tbls of Olive Oil
Pinch of Fresh Ground Pepper
1 heaping Tsp of pre-minced Ginger
2 Garlic Cloves smashed
1 Tsp of Thai Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbls of Oyster sauce
1 Tbls of Honey
Pre-Heat Grill 350-400 degrees
Peel Shrimp leave tail on.
Put all shrimp in a ziplock bag.
In a bowl whisk the rest of the ingredients together, pour on the shrimp, zip the bag, and shake to coat the shrimp.
Try to get as much air out of the bag and put in fridge for 3o minutes
Put shrimp on the grill and cook about 2 minutes on each side or till shrimp is opaque and pink.
Do not over cook.
Plate up and enjoy!