Shrimp and Grits

I have had Shrimp and Grits (the composed dish) at a few restaurants over the past couple of years.  Before that, quite frankly, I had not heard of it.  In those restaurants, I discovered that there is quite a variation in dishes, building on the two key components, of course: Shrimp and Grits.
I like all the versions I have tasted, although some are more memorable than others.  The other day, when I visited my favorite seafood monger, Indian River Seafood, they had some very nice large white shrimp on sale (their sales revolve around what is plentiful from that day's catch, not what is "left over", unlike some big box stores...I LOVE my local vendors!) These shrimp were swimming in the Atlantic Ocean the day before yesterday.
Anyway, I decided to try my own version of Shrimp and Grits.  Hubby gives it the thumbs-up, so here it is:

To Prep:
Clean the Shrimp (some people leave the shells and heads on; I don't)
Chop all the herbs, garlic and the spinach (keep separate)
Grate the Cheese (plus some extra!)
Gather all the spices
Measure out the liquids and grits
Slice and quarter the Chorizo

For the Grits:
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups water
1/2 cup white wine (I used Vendange California Chardonnay)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup white Quick Grits
1/4 cup Parmesan or Asiago Cheese (Asiago is a spanish sheep cheese, a bit bolder flavor)
1 tsp. of Smoked Paprika (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. Dried Red Chili Flakes (more if you like heat--but be careful, they are potent and can overwhelm the dish!)
1/2 tsp. cracked Black Pepper
Kosher Salt (to taste)
Put the Stock, Water, Wine, Cream, Paprika, Chili Flakes and Black Pepper (don't add salt yet) in a large saucepan, heat to a slight boil on medium high (it will take a bit longer, but you should stir it occassionally to reduce the chance of scorching the cream)
While whisking, add the grits, and keep whisking for about a minute, gradually turning the heat down to just simmer.
When the grits thicken slightly and the heat is on low-medium low, add the parmesan cheese, add salt to taste and let simmer while you make the other ingredients.

For the Spinach:
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Butter
10 oz. Chopped Fresh Spinach Leaves
1 clove Garlic
a Dash of Kosher Salt

In a large Saute Pan, heat the Olive Oil on medium high to just below the smoking point.
Add the Spinach, stir
Add the Butter, Garlic and salt
Heat, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and dark green--about 3 minutes
Add all to the Grits (don't drain the juice--add it all) Stir together.

For the Shrimp:
12-18 Large Fresh Shrimp
1 clove Chopped Fresh Garlic, or Garlic Powder (to taste)
Cracked Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
A few red Chili Flakes, according to your taste for heat

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, salt and pepper
In the same Saute Pan, after you add the spinach to the grits, wipe the pan, and add another tablespoon of EVOO and heat on medium high to just below the smoking point again, then add the seasoned shrimp and the butter after the shrimp, and saute until they are just pink (the bits of garlic, butter, pepper, paprika, and salt will give it a nice color) and curled, but not too tightly--be careful of overcooking!

Plate the Grits while the shrimp are cooking (it won't get cold; the shrimp cook FAST!), and top with the Shrimp, and garnish with fresh Dill, Parsley and Grated Parmesan or Asiago. You may serve with toast points, or crusty bread (my personal favorite is anything Sourdough! LOL)

I hope you enjoy. I would love to hear if anyone tries this dish, how you like it, how easy or difficult you found it, and if you altered it....I always love to hear about variations! Thanks for reading!

Roasted whole chicken

First I would like to apologize. I don't have internet at home right now so it is not as easy for me to post stuff like I want to. I also am sorry but I do not have a picture for this recipe.  It turned out really good so I hope you will try it too.

1 whole roasting chicken
1/2 can/bottle of beer (your choice)
garlic powder
onion powder
poultry seasoning
sage
butter
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. set roasting pan on stove top on medium heat. pour in the beer and add 2 tbsp of butter. let it heat to a slight bubble then add in the rest of the seasonings. (reserve a little of the seasoning to put on top of chicken). While beer is heating up make sure to rinse your chicken extra well and pat dry. Remove the pkg of "innerds". Place your chicken in the pan and sprinkle with the reserved seasoning. Put aluminum foil over top and place in oven for about 30 min. remove foil and crank heat up to 450. After 15 minutes, reduce heat back to 350 and leave the foil off. (if your chicken is getting too brown, put the foil back on). When you reduce the heat take this time to spoon the juices from the pan over the chicken. It should be smelling wonderful in your kitchen right now.
Check your chicken for doneness. It should be completely cooked after about an hour in the oven.

Give it a try! Use the spices I listed above or use some of your favorites.
~As always,
Happy eating and good cooking!
Teresa

Sliders for the Superbowl

 I made two different types of sliders for our private  Superbowl party.  The first one was 100% Ground Round Beef, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a bit of granulated sugar to ensure a good carmelization.  I cooked them to a medium, which left them juicy, but they held together well.  I topped them with an organic tomato slice, caramelized onions, sauteed crimini mushrooms, Irish Cheddar cheese, and organic arugula.  The condiment was a choice of  homemade horseradish sauce or homemade ketchup from organic tomatoes.  The "bun" was actually a sliced sourdough baguette, which made for a nice presentation.

The second type of slider was from a mixture of the same ground beef as above, and ground pork; about a 25% beef, 75% pork ratio.  I cooked this to just shy of well done, topped with Manchego Cheese, sauteed crimini mushrooms, caramelized onions, organic tomato, balsamic vinegar braised shredded cabbage (which turned out awesome!), and arugula.  This bun was the Publix bakery french hamburger buns, cut into fourths.
I served both types of sliders with a kosher dill pickle.  Of course, there are other snacks as well, but these were the hit of the party (so far, since the Superbowl is still on!)
This is the first time I have made sliders, and it was a lot of fun--I think I will do this more often!!

Beautiful Food

Sauteed Baby Octopus, Fresh Kale and Crimini Mushrooms, served over Short-Grain Rice

Hearty Chili and a Really Good Grilled Cheese Sandwich at the Moonlight Cafe in Mentone, AL

Crispy Roasted Duck w/White Wine Gravy and Steamed Broccoli and Short Grain Rice

Homemade Venison Lasagna

Look at these wonderful veggies! I simply roasted them with a bit of EVOO

I am behind

Wow Mary! I have really gotten behind in posting on here. No internet at home and I only get random times to get out and get online. I usually can't remember all the things I wanted to do when getting the chance to get online. I have started making lists of things I want to look up along with checking emails, etc.
I don't have any pictures for this, but I thought I would post a recipe of something that my husband has had and made before. I personally have not had or made this. Not sure if I actually could or not. I am still working on the whole idea of it. Maybe some of the more adventurous people reading this will give it a try!

SQUIRREL DUMPLINGS

1 SQUIRREL – CLEANED AND GUTTED

POT OF WATER, BOILING

1 ONION

2 RIBS CELERY

SALT & PEPPER

(SOME PEOPLE LIKE CARROTS AND POTATOES)

* THIS IS DONE JUST LIKE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS.

PARBOIL SQUIRREL UNTIL MEAT FALLS OFF BONE. DRAIN. STRIP ANY MEAT OFF THE BONE AND TOSS BONES IN GARBAGE.

RE-FILL POT WITH FRESH WATER AND BRING UP TO BOIL AGAIN. ADD YOUR VEGETABLES AND THE MEAT AND SEASONINGS.

WHILE WAITING ON WATER TO COME TO A BOIL MAKE YOUR BISCUIT DOUGH. (HOMEMADE IS BEST, BUT YOU CAN USE THE CANNED STUFF).

WHEN WATER IS BOILING, DROP DOUGH BALLS INTO POT. BOIL UNTIL DOUGH IS SOFT AND COOKED.

SERVE HOT!

~TERESA - VIA DENNIS

Photos of Food I Have Made

I thought since I was behind on posting here, I would at least upload some of the food I have been cooking over the past few months.....

 BOAR'S HEAD ABRUZZESSE SAUSAGE, WHITE BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

 VENISON CHILI WITH SWEETWATER VALLEY FARM 2008 RESERVE AGED CHEDDAR CHEESE AND HOMEMADE CORNBREAD

 LOCAL CAUGHT SAUTEED GOLDEN TILEFISH OVER FRESH SPINACH AND SAFFON RICE

 VENISON BURGER AND FRESH VEGGIE SAUTE SKILLET WITH MINI-BOWTIE PASTA

 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS COOKED IN WHITE WINE CREAM SAUCE OVER FRESH SPINACH AND SPAGHETTI, GARNISHED WITH AGED ASIAGO CHEESE

THE ORGANIC VEGETABLE BOUNTY FROM MY LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET, WITH WHICH I PREPARED MOST OF THE ABOVE DISHES!

Re-Thinking Christmas Gifts

Christmas Day is 19 days from today.

This year, things are different.  My "have" and "have not" columns are flip-flopped.  In years past, I have had (some) disposable income, but I was working so much that I didn't have time to even think about gifts on more than a material level, much less go out and acquire them.
So most of my shopping was done online, depending on Fed-X and UPS to deliver.  I usually have money, but no time.
This year, my disposable income level has significantly diminished but I have time.  That actually makes me happy.
I have also been able to slow down enough to listen to people around me about what is becoming more important in a more cultural way due to the tough economy.  Lately, that voice has been telling me that I need to pay more attention to my closer neighbors; to help the economy by buying things that are produced and manufactured locally and sustainably; to respect the earth and people, and animals.

This makes sense, because in my heart I have always wanted to be  steward of the land, and a good neighbor, but in practice I have fallen short--'way short.

To that end, I have finally come to a place in my life where I can start practicing some of what I know is the right way to live, and by doing so I will help others (by buying local), be a better steward of the land (by making sure that I buy organic, seasonal, sustainable practice goods as much as possible), and help my family and friends by gifting things that are less materialistic and more appreciated (I hope) than the next, latest electronic gadget.

I also have been preaching to my own family about organic, sustainable, local, seasonal, blah, blah, blah.  We have discussions about it whenever we get together.  My family agrees with me that those practices are admirable, and ideally they would like to adopt these philosophies, but there are downsides, of course.  The biggest roadblocks my family has to this (and I am sure they are not the only ones), are the following:

1. Locally grown (and especially organic) products are from small farmers in our area, and they cost more than the grocery stores.  My family knows the reason, but at the end of the day cost is cost.
2. Sourcing the locally-grown products is more time and/or labor intensive for the consumer, and face it, if we are going to have any money with which to eat, we generally don't have time to go track it down.
3. It is more difficult to find a variety of fresh foods/vegetables all year long, and most of us don't have the time, let alone know how to preserve foods by canning/freezing, drying, etc.

So here is my Christmas gift to my family (there are 3 household represented in total, besides mine)

I will deliver a certain dollar amount of organic, local, sustainable-practice, seasonable groceries to their homes each month.  I will include recipes that I have tried myself that will vary each month according to the product selection and personal tastes (I will also try to pick products that they will like and use).  This way, we will be sure to spend some family time together each month throughout the year, they will have a useful gift that is replenished throughout the year, they don't have to take the time to source all the different aspects of the products, they get to support the local farmers and sustainable practices, and they (and I) get to support the "Buy American" movement that is the "call to arms" this holiday season.

Some of the products I can include seasonally will be:

*Seasonal vegetables of all kinds grown locally from our farmers markets and private gardens (from the barter system)
*Local honey
*Goat's milk products like milk, cheese, skin products, etc.
*Humanely raised, sustainable practice, free range, hormone and antibiotic-free, pasture finished (in some cases, organic) proteins such as beef, lamb, goat, wild and domestic pork, venison, fish and seafood, poultry, and eggs
*Seasonal Organic Fruits, (especially local citrus here and when I go to Alabama, all kinds of fruits and berries, both wild and from our local markets up there--hey, that counts as local if I live there part of the time!)
*I am sure that this list will grow as I spend the time developing a list of dependable sources of products that appeal to me and my family.

I think the only limitations will be how much I can afford, and how much time I can devote to sourcing things, but that is also dependent on how resourceful I am!

My family is a pretty adventurous bunch of eaters, like me, so I can source cuts of meats that a lot of people would leave at the processor's, odd vegetables that farmers may not be able to sell as easily in the farmer's markets, etc.  I am lucky in that way.

I know that this won't work (or be appreciated) by every family in America, but my I know my family will like this type of gift.  Will it work for yours?

The slogan this season is "Buy American--Are You In?"

I am in.

Rustic Spanish Chicken Thighs, Fresh Spinach, and Cauliflower Puree

I bought some Murray's brand free range, organic chicken thighs the other day, and was reminiscing about the "finca" that was near the house we rented while living in the Andalucian region of Spain when I was young.
A finca is a small farm, and in 1960's Spain, they were self-sustaining.  The farmers raised (or gathered) all their own food, so the barnyard contained small livestock such as rabbits, goats, and chickens for the proteins which they used in their meals.
I was an adventurous child, often wandering for up to a mile into the woods, which is how I thought I found this "hidden" place that was all my own.  Mind you, in my universe (I was six years old) I was the ultimate adventurer, exploring far and wide through the woods and discovered this random little farm with its friendly (to me) guard dogs, and incredibly warm and welcoming owners completely on my own.
It was my discovery, these were my people.  
The reality was that my mother had actually scoped out the area using the (completely mundane, in my opinion) dirt road that led from the highway past our house to the farm, and had met the neighbors, relating to them my precociousness in advance of my arrival. Hmph. I didn't know they had been warned.  At least the woods were mine.
Lucky for me, they loved kids.  All Spaniards love kids.  And so, they invited me into their home and taught me the ways of the farm.
We fed the barnyard animals, we collected the eggs, we weeded the garden and picked the vegetables that we would use for lunch and to sell in town, and we hunted wild mushrooms, asparagus and snails in the woods beyond the farm walls.  This is one of my very favorite memories of Spain; I was part of this family, sharing in the work and the life of this little farm.  No experience was held back because of my age or gender.
I was allowed to participate in the production process of the farm, from maintaining the garden and picking the vegetables, hunting and gathering wild mushrooms, asparagus, and snails (yes, the French claim the corner-market on Escargot, but the Spanish Snails are 'way better than any of the fru-fru French snail dishes I have tried).  I helped feeding, raising, and butchering the animals that we ate.  I learned to chop off a chicken's head rather than wringing its neck, so that it doesn't suffer as much, dip it in boiling water so the pin feathers pluck out easier.
I learned to humanely kill the rabbits and goats, and how to clean, skin and butcher them, preserving and using the pelts of each, and making sure that every edible part of the animal was utilized, including organs and bones.  I learned that every part of the animal is really tasty if it is prepared and cooked properly.  Honestly, I can't remember anything that they served me that I didn't like!
Most dishes are served very simply, without over cooking, over spicing (although smart spicing is incredibly important!), heavy sauces, etc.
And this brings me back to this century, and the chicken thighs, fresh spinach, cremini mushrooms, and cauliflower which were on my counter awaiting preparation.
I kind of miss the fact that I didn't have to butcher the chicken, pick the spinach and cauliflower, and hunt the mushrooms myself, but oh well.....here are the recipes that I developed to honor my time in Spain:

For the cauliflower puree:

• one large head of cauliflower, cut into large pieces
• 7-9 whole Cremini Mushrooms, (also known as Baby 'Bellas), cut into quarters
• drizzle of Goya brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 head of Garlic, cut in half lengthwise
• sprinkle of sea salt, cracked black pepper to taste
• heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. unsalted Butter (I love Kerrygold brand-it is Irish, not Spanish, but my people made their own butter, and there is no brand that I know of sold here in the states from Spain)
• 1 teaspoon of fresh Rosemary, finely chopped and divided in half

Pre-heat the oven to 400*F
Spread the cauliflower, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp. of the Rosemary and Garlic (cut side up) on a cookie sheet
Drizzle with olive oil
Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes to roast evenly
Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on about halfway through cooking time

                         (I start the chicken when the veggies are halfway done roasting, so everything finishes at the same time)

When done, remove from oven, transfer cauliflower to a food processor and pulse on the Puree setting
Chop the Mushrooms into smaller pieces (how small is up to your taste)
Add the cream, a bit at a time, while pureeing, to get a whipped potato consistency
Add the butter and the rest of the Rosemary
Add more salt and pepper if necessary (taste first!)
Fold in the Mushrooms and plate this first for the best presentation

For the chicken (cook this before the spinach so you can use the drippings to flavor the spinach):

• 4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in (makes for more juicy and flavorful chicken)
• mix up a dry rub of 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. smoked paprika (Goya makes a smoked paprika you can find in most Publix Supermarkets), 1 tsp. sea salt, 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper, and finely chopped rosemary and thyme
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (I use spanish Goya brand, because it is the most fragrant/flavorful)

Heat the oil in a large (cast iron if you have it, since the Spanish farmers cook most often in cast iron) on medium-high
Rub a small amount of oil on the chicken (like you are putting Coppertone suntan oil on yourself; not too much)
Rub the chicken all over with the dry rub and let sit for about 5-10 minutes
Add the chicken, skin-side down, to the pre-heated oil (be careful of splatter)
Cook chicken until skin is dark golden brown, turn over and cook the other side until it is the same color and the internal temperature is about 165*F.  If the skin browns too quickly, transfer it to a baking dish, and finish the cooking in the oven with the veggies at 400*F until the temperature is right.  There may be a bit of pink at the bone, but if the chicken is 165*, is free-range organic (or from your local sustainable farmer), you don't have to worry. Just make sure the juice is clear.
Allow the chicken to rest while you finish and plate the Caulifower and Spinach.

For the Spinach:

• Approximately 10 ounces of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tsp. of the leftover oil and drippings from the sautee pan (pour off the excess)
• salt, garlic, and pepper to taste
• 1 pat of unsalted Kerrygold Butter
• 1/4 fresh lemon, juice and zest

In the still-hot skillet from the chicken, pour off all the oil except for approximately one tablespoon, making sure to save all the little flavorful bits in the bottom of the pan.
Add the garlic if the pan isn't too hot (careful not to burn it), and add the spinach leaves.
On medium-high, cook the spinach leaves, stirring/turning constantly until they are completely wilted and dark green
Add a small amount of salt and pepper (there will be some residual seasoning left from the chicken)
Add the butter and stir in
Add the lemon juice and zest, give a quick stir, and plate over the Cauliflower Puree for the best presentation, and add the chicken on top
Serve with Crusty Sourdough Bread (alas, the authentic Spanish bread called Pan--pronounced, "pahn"--doesn't exist here in the USA)

Enjoy, and think of Spain!

Mary's cooking

Wow Mary! You are definitely more adventuresome than I am when it comes to cooking. I will try new things and do some experimenting, but I guess I am just too picky. I think that comes from being forced to eat some things as a child even after I said I didn't like it. Oh well, we each have our own tastes, likes, dislikes, etc. That's what makes us who we are.
I do enjoy seeing your pictures and reading your recipes on here. It makes my brain start working. lol
Thank you for bringing the more... adventurous level to our food blog!

Red Wine Poached Stuffed Figs

Red Wine Poached Stuffed Figs

I was shopping in Publix the other day, and saw my hairstylist, Ernie Heinrich, who had an armful of groceries (he is just like me in that we always go in thinking that we will just pick up a few things and who needs a cart for that?). Among his armload of goodies, he had two containers of fresh figs; he asked me if I liked figs.  I replied that I did, and told me that they were on sale--buy one get one free.
What I declined to tell him is that I have never cooked (with) fresh figs in my life, but the ones he had in his arms looked very good.  So I was seduced by the BOGO.

I didn't use them for a few days, because I truly didn't know what to do with them, but tonight, I got to thinking about the taste of figs, and wondering how I might incorporate them into dinner.
Sometimes my brain decides to be adventurous, so I as I looked at the figs in the package I let my mind remember the taste of figs, and mentally built a meal around some flavors that I thought might complement the figs.

The skin of the figs looks kind of like pears, and when I handled them, they seemed to have a similar texture and structure, so I thought they might do well in some kind of poaching liquid, and then my mind floated to red wine. Mmmmm......

I had the last 1/2 pound of bulk pork country sausage that I got from my farmer in north Georgia in the refrigerator, and then I looked in the pantry and saw some prepared artichoke bruschetta.  I thought it might need a bit more bite, and when I looked in the refrigerator again, the crumbled goat cheese spoke to me.  The last ingredient that I selected was some celery, which I minced to give it a bit of crunch.

I browned the sausage in a saute pan (I have a great anodized 12" saute pan with 3" rounded sides that are just right for doing that fancy flip to turn ingredients that the TV chefs do!--I use it for almost everything!).  As the sausage was browning, I scooped the insides of 8 golf ball sized figs out, and when the sausage was cooked, I poured off all but about 1 tbsp. of the sausage grease, and added the fig insides and about 3 tbsp. of the bruschetta, and about 2 oz. of the goat cheese.  I warmed this mixture in the saute pan, added the celery at the last minute so it wouldn't get soft, and then spooned the mixture into the scooped out figs.

Then I washed the pan out and sauteed the fresh asparagus tips in some olive oil, butter and garlic, and plated them over some saffroned rice.

Then, I placed the stuffed figs in the same sautee pan and poured about 1/4 bottle of Mad Housewife Cabernet Sauvignon in the pan, and let the figs poach, covered, on the stovetop for about 15 minutes (this doesn't have to be exact--the figs are actually forgiving of extra time on the heat).

I took the figs out of the pan with tongs, placed them on the plate, sprinkled with some more goat cheese, and spooned some of the wine over top of the figs.

I told my husband that we were either going to have a successful grand experiment, or scrambled eggs if it didn't taste good.

We will have scrambled eggs tomorrow night.  Tonight, the stuffed figs were a home run!  It is actually very easy to prep, and takes only a short time to pull together and cook. Oh, I also served some crusty sourdough french bread with it.

My "I Think Eddie Would Approve" Chicken Rollatini

We have a local Italian Restaurant that has been in the same location, and owned by the same Italian family for more than 20 years. Giusseppe's in Fellsmere, FL is my favorite Italian restaurant and I feel like I am being disloyal when I eat at another Italian restaurant, so I don't. Now, this is tradition at its best--the father, Giusseppe, opened this restaurant in the early 1980's, and when he retired, his son (who was a very good chef in his own right in the Washington DC area), moved to Indian River County with his entire family, and took over the business.  As much as I loved Giusseppe's cooking, Eddie's is even better!  One of my hubby's favorite dishes there is the Chicken Rollatini, and I got inspired the other day to try to replicate it myself.  I think it turned out rather well, and hubby gives it his stamp of approval.  There is only one drawback to this, and it is a big one...if I can make rollatini that Gary likes as well as Eddie's, what is the incentive to EVER go out to eat? (Did I goof up royally??)

Chicken Rollatini (or Roulade)

Special Materials:

Butcher string

Meat pounder

Large sauté pan w/min. 3” sides for pan frying

Oven dish

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, butterflied

4-6 slices whole milk Mozzarella Cheese (slices are easiest, but of course, good quality fresh

               mozzarella is best)

4-6 slices of Prosciutto

Fresh Tarragon leaves, chopped to approximately 4 tablespoons (or a pinch of dried for each breast)

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper

For the breading:

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Powder

All Purpose Flour

1-2 Eggs (I use duck eggs, because there is more yolk ratio for richness and you only need one, but

                      use 2 chicken eggs)

Panko Bread Crumbs

For the Gravy:

4 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

Fresh Garlic (or powdered)

1 cup Chicken stock

1 cup White Wine

1 squeeze of fresh lemon juice

4 oz. Crimini Mushrooms, sliced

Preparation:  *note—The chicken breasts can be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated before breading because it is a bit labor-intensive to do all these steps at once.

Butterfly each half of the chicken breast, and then cut that in half, so that you have four pieces.

Pound out each piece of chicken until it is uniformly thin, but be careful that you don’t make holes.

Lay one layer of prosciutto and then one layer of mozzarella on each breast, and then roll up as tightly as possible.  Tie up with butcher string. (you may cover each piece in Saran wrap and put in the refrigerator at this point).

Preheat the cooking oil to about 280-300 degrees.  You don’t have to get the oil blazing hot, because we will be finishing off the chicken in the oven, and with chicken, the risk is burning the outside without cooking fully through.  Remember, the middle of the Rollatini should be 160-165F degrees when it comes out of the oven, but it can be around 150F coming out of the oil.

Make your breading station with three pans; one AP Flour pan, one egg wash pan, and one Panko breadcrumb pan.

Dip each breast in AP flour then egg wash, then press and roll in the Panko to get them to stick well.  Let them rest on a plate for a minute or two (this makes the Panko stick better while in the fry oil).

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

Place them in the oil and cook until light golden brown on all sides.  Don’t let the Panko get dark, because it will brown further in the oven.  Take the rollatini out of the oil and blot them lightly on a paper towel, then transfer them to the oven dish.

For the gravy:

Pour off the oil out of the sauté pan, but reserve the golden bits in the bottom of the pan.  Let the pan cool to warm, then add 2 Tablespoons of butter, and the fresh garlic, and let the garlic cook on medium-low heat until almost translucent and very aromatic, then turn up the heat to medium high and immediately add the mushrooms in one layer so they sear well. 

When the mushrooms are seared, turn the heat back down to medium, add the rest of the butter, and 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour and stir until bubbly and golden.  Add the white wine and chicken stock and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.   Cook down until it thickens to the right consistency.  If it gets too thick, add more white wine (or chicken stock, but my preference is the wine).

Sautee the spinach (if your timing is perfect, you can use the same pan as the gravy as soon as it is finished), and plate that first as a bed for the Rollatini.

When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165F, remove from the oven, plate over the sautéed spinach, and spoon ¼ of the gravy and mushrooms over each plate. 

Sprinkle with some fresh basil or parsley and serve with Crusty Italian Bread.

Braised Lamb Shanks

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

This picture didn't turn out exactly as elegant as I had wished, but the dish turned out exactly as I had hoped.  There is nothing more succulent than the deep flavored, fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks.  This is also a "man's meal".  If you have a carnivore in your household, make this dish and he will slave away all day in the yard, building fences, creating stalls for your horses, planting gardens--whatever you wish.
Here, I fixed it with Saffroned Short Grain Rice and a medley of Crookneck Summer Squash and Crimini Mushrooms, which I sauteed in a bit of olive oil and butter.

Ingredients:

1 lamb shank per person--this recipe is based on two servings, so double the veggies, etc. for four and so on (they look like something Fred Flintstone would eat, don't they?)

1 onion, chopped

2-3 medium carrots

6-8 healthy sized cloves of garlic

1 10 oz. can tomato paste

2 medium stalks of celery

1/2 bell pepper

Salt and pepper

1/4 bottle Petit Syrah Red Wine (or other semi-dry to dry red wine) (save the rest to drink with dinner!)

Vegetable Stock or Veal Stock (I prefer Vegetable to let the Lamb flavor shine)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, puree the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic

Season the Lamb Shanks with salt and pepper

Heat about 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a very big sturdy sautee pan or Dutch Oven to medium-high on the stovetop (the oil should shimmer but not smoke).

Sear the shanks well on all sides.  Make sure they are really brown on as much of the surface as possible to develop the flavor, and also to render some flavor and bits for the next step--Remove the shanks to another dish on the counter to rest and pour off almost all the fat from the pan; reserve the lamb bits that accumulated in the pan and add a touch more EVOO to the hot pan.

Add the pureed vegetable mixture to the hot pan the lamb was in, and cook them to death on med-med high heat.  Cook them for about 20 minutes at least, and when they look almost burnt, add the tomato paste and cook it about 5-10 minutes more.  You should not be able to taste any rawness or individualized veggie flavor in this mixture--it should all meld together.

Add the wine and some of the stock, and while stirring, let it come to a boil, then add the shanks and snuggle them down into the mixture.  Then add the rest of the stock to cover or almost cover the shanks. Cover tightly, or put the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven.  Let this cook for at least 2 hours.  This is the easy part, because the longer you let it cook, the better the flavor of the juices develop and the more tender the meat becomes.  Just make sure that the liquid doesn't reduce down so far that the bottom burns.  If the juice becomes too reduced (too thick) before you are ready to serve, simply add more stock--it is that easy!  Do be sure to taste the sauce a few minutes before removing from the oven to test the seasoning, add more if necessary.  This dish also goes well with roasted potatoes and probably potatoes of any kind!

Baked tilapia

BAKED TILAPIA

Tilapia is, in my opinion, an easy fish to cook. It is a light fish. It works well with baking but not as hardy for frying as catfish is. That is my personal opinion.

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly drizzle your tilapia with a little EVOO (olive oil). Make sure both sides of the fish are evenly coated. Sprinkle it with old bay seasoning, a little bit of dill, and some salt & pepper. Go easy on the salt when using the old bay. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top of the fish and into the pan. You can also put a couple pats of butter into the pan. Sprinkle the fish with some garlic powder being careful not to use too much. You want the flavor of the fish to come out and not be overpowered with all your other seasonings.

Place in oven and bake for appox. 15 – 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Test a piece for doneness before serving.

• Garnish with some fresh parsley and some fresh cut lemon slices or wedges. Serve immediately.

~Teresa

Baked chicken with blueberry reduction

CHICKEN WITH BLUEBERRY REDUCTION SAUCE

Chicken – whatever parts your family likes best

salt

pepper

poultry seasoning

garlic powder

Reduction ingredients:

blueberries – about 2 good handfuls

pancake syrup, ¼ cup

apricot preserves, 2 tbsp.

Applesauce, ¼ cup

apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp.

Preheat oven to 350.

Drizzle a baking dish with a little Extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tbsp.) Season your chicken and place in oven.

Blueberry reduction

In a saucepan over medium heat, place blueberries and rest of ingredients let heat through stirring occasionally. Do not let it burn. It should begin to thicken pretty quick. You can add a little water if it gets too thick.

Pull chicken out of oven and flip it over. Pour reduction sauce over all the chicken and return to oven. Leave it for remainder of cook time. (approx. 15 min.)

• Total cook time will vary depending on the amount and cut of chicken you have. The reduction sauce should take approximately 15 – 20 minutes total.

~Teresa

Pasta party!

Here is a pasta dish I made recently. I have posted some recipes on my FB page and my good friend, Mary reminded me that I need to post them on here. Sorry to be so lax in posting lately. Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with vegetables and spinach pesto

whole wheat penne pasta

1 onion, chopped

bell pepper – 1 green and 1 red, chopped

cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

olive oil

salt & pepper

pesto

spinach, I used frozen and just gave it a quick rinse to thaw out.

pistachios - a good handful

olive oil

2 garlic cloves

parmesan cheese

basil

salt

I don't measure when I cook so my amounts here are just estimates. Play around with your measurements, using a little at a time, until you get the amounts that taste right to you.

Get a pot of water boiling and salted. Put your pasta in the water and cook for about 7 – 8 minutes. You want it to be al dente.

Meanwhile, put your pesto ingredients into a food processor and blend. Keep blending together until you get a consistency similar to a lightly loose frosting. It should have just a slight thickness to it. Once it is done, set aside.

Put your vegetables in a pan over medium heat to saute except for the cherry tomatoes. Those will go in last so they don't turn into mush. Add the cherry tomatoes when the vegetables are soft and the onions are just translucent.

By now your pasta should be done. Remove from heat, drain, and add it to the vegetable mixture. Mix it all together well. Add the pesto and mix well.

Serve hot with a nice loaf of garlic bread, or whatever bread is your family's favorite.

~Teresa

technical difficulties

For some reason I have been having problems with loading things on here. I can't upload any pictures and I also can't load some documents.
I just can't figure this one out! I have a bunch of pictures I would like to share but can't get it to work now for some reason. Not doing anything different than I have before.
Grrr. It is very aggravating!

less is good

The hubby and I have been on this diet. It is working. Mostly we are just eating less. There is a program supported by my Dr.'s office that does actually work. I am getting off it simply because the cost is more than we can afford. I just don't understand why so many complain about the state our country is in regarding obesity and yet, all the healthy foods cost so much more. When the economy is bad like it has been for a few years now people generally just cannot afford the foods that are good for you.

I had to get really creative with our meals because of what is allowed and what isn't. I believe that I can continue this new cooking method after going off the diet. Please encourage me all you can.

Pictured here is a chicken dish I recently made. It is what I will call my chicken wraps.

chicken strips (2 per person or if not dieting as many per person as you like)
1 slice of turkey bacon per chicken strip
2 tbsp olive oil

Seasonings: poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, basil, sea salt <fine>, black pepper. Mix it all together. The amount of each depends on how many chicken strips you have.

Preheat oven to 350.

Lay the chicken strips out and drizzle very lightly with olive oil. Use your hands to be sure they are all well coated. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over top and be sure to cover all sides well. Wrap each strip with one piece of turkey bacon. Spray a baking pan or use a very light coating of olive oil. Place the chicken on the pan and place into preheated oven. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until it looks done. Checking chicken strips is easy, cut a small section in the middle and look for any pink. If it is, cook longer; if it isn't, it's done. Serve with vegetables of your choice. It is delish!

making up for lost time

Ok, so I have been a bit lax on posting on here. Sorry, Mary! I am going to try to make up for it by posting a few different recipes at once. Please bare with me. I will begin typing up my recipes and get them posted on here in the next couple of days. For now, I will post a couple of pictures for you to drool over. hee hee

Omelettes

For a long time, I didn't like omelettes.  I think it was because I never had a good one.  They were always too thick, so either the outside was WAY overdone, or the middle was runny (raw). Yuck.
Then I started watching cooking shows, and their omelettes didn't look anything like any of the omelettes that I had tried (I never tried to make one myself; I am talking about restaurant omelettes---okay, yes, diner/dive restaurants, but still). 
Anyhoo, when I saw the ones they made on these shows, I thought they actually looked appetizing.  The only hitch was that they always mentioned how difficult it is to make a good omelette. 
Well, I bought right into that.  I figured that making an omelette was something only chefs could do.
(rolling my eyes), Wrong.
Now that I have experimented with them, I think they are easy.  There are two main rules.  The first is, don't make it with too many eggs, or in too small a pan.  The pan should be non-stick, big enough to handle the amount of eggs you want (The egg mixture should not be more than 3/8ths of an inch deep) and the sides should be a gradual slope, not too steep. 
The second is, the pan must not be too hot.  On my stovetop, I start on the setting "6"or just past medium, preheat the pan just so the butter melts and starts to bubble gently, add the egg mixture, turn the heat down to "4" or medium-low, and as the eggs coddle a little, stir them gently all around but not so much as to mound them up, then add any other ingredients you want in a line in the middle of the omelette (the way you would for a burrito), let it cook until the egg is almost set, but still moist on top, then with a spatula lift and roll one edge over the ingredients, and roll and slide the whole thing off the pan and onto a plate. 
The omelette above is made with Fresh Free Range Chicken Eggs that I get from one of my dressage students, New York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Seared Sirloin and Crimini Mushroom Pieces, and Chopped Fresh Basil.  I served this with Sourdough Toast for dinner tonight. 
I like omelettes for dinner, because it just seems like kind of a heavy meal for breakfast.
Momma T., do you like omelettes?

My Summer Garden is Growing

Do you remember those cute little seedlings that I had grown from saved seeds in a flat that I took a picture of a couple months ago?  Well, they are growing up very well, and are promising to produce some fruit and such.

Here are some pictures:

On the left is the Heirloom Red Beefsteak Tomato.  When it first started flowering, the flowers would just fall off and not develop into the tomatoes, so I just left it alone and it corrected itself.  I think it was just too humid in those first two weeks of flowering (we had an early heat/humidity wave here in Florida).  Then we had a cool front push through, and the humidity level dropped and voila!  8 tomatoes.  I am happy. They are about half grown now, and will be very large tomatoes.  There are also more blossoms, and the plant is indeterminate, so maybe we will have even more on this plant.  On the right is one of the German Pink Heirloom Tomato, and I had a blossom-end rot issue with them early on, which is caused by a calcium deficiency (I found that out by online research--thanks Bonnie's website!). I didn't have the product that thei recommended, but I do have human calcium supplement pills, so I crushed them up, dissolved them in water, and used them as a drench.  It seems to have worked (and Bonnie's site was a bit pessimistic about anything helping once the plants set fruit). I have 6 tomatoes on that bush so far.  We will see if any survive.

 I don't know if you can see the little sweet peppers on the bush---->  but there are many flowers, and 6 have already begun to form into the bell peppers; the biggest is the one close to the top of the picture, and one just right of center.

And here is one of the three personal mini-watermelons that have set so far on the watermelon vines.  I have a couple more that are just starting to develop, but certainly aren't noteworthy yet.  :-)

The basil is growing at a really fast pace.  I have been cutting it almost everyday, and using basil in almost everything I cook.  All my herbs are producing so well that I am providing fresh herbs to one of my clients, who gives me her free-range chicken and duck eggs in return!  I love bartering with food!  LOL