Tasty Tuesday

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon."
-Doug Larson

Hello! I hope you are well and taking time to enjoy the season! Make sure to slow down and remember what is really important: Family! The recipe I am sharing today is a great way to treat your family when they awake - it is a YUMMY and filling breakfast! ENJOY!

"My soul is dark with stormy riot, Directly traceable to diet."
-Samuel Hoffenstein


Berry Breakfast Cobbler
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 2 cups assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries,etc.), diced small
* 2 cups prepared pancake batter (your choice)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
* 1/4 cup real maple syrup

Equipment Needed:

* 4 - 4" ramekins

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Butter bottom and inside of ramekins.
3.) Pour sugar into one ramekin.
4.) Turn ramekin until all inside surfaces are coated with sugar.
5.) Pour remaining sugar in 2nd ramekin & repeat.
6.) Continue until all ramekins are sugar-coated.
7.) Reserve excess sugar.
8.) Evenly distribute fruit among ramekins.
9.) Combine pancake batter, and vanilla in small bowl.
10.) Spoon over fruit.
11.) Sprinkle with reserved sugar.
12.) Place ramekins on center rack of oven.
13.) Bake 25-30 min (until centers are firm and tops lightly browned).
14.) Mix mascarpone with maple syrup in small bowl.
15.) When cobblers are done, remove from oven.
16.) Top each cobbler with a dollop of mascarpone.


Thought of the Day:

"Whatever you are be a good one."
-Abraham Lincoln

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday: Brine & Roast a Turkey

"He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart."
-J.A. Shedd

Hello! I hope you are well! Can you believe Thanksgiving is NEXT week! I cannot! I was recently asked by a friend how I brine my turkey, so I decided to share that technique here. Brining your bird really does produce a flavorful turkey! ENJOY!



What is brining?

Brining was a traditional method of preserving foods before the days of refrigeration, and it is a technique that has regained popularity. Cooks of all types are discovering that a good brine bath adds flavor and juiciness to pork, chicken, turkey and even shrimp. After the food is brined, it is then roasted or grilled.

A brine bath penetrates into food much more deeply than a marinade. Water from the brine enters each meat cell, making the meat juicier while infusing it with flavor. When cooked, the meat or poultry will not necessarily taste salty; it will just taste juicy and delicious!

How to make a basic brine:

To make a basic brine, mix a 1/4 cup kosher salt for every 4 cups of liquid. (The salt should be kosher salt because it does not contain additives.) You can use water only or mix in other flavorful liquids, such as orange juice, apple cider or wine. Brown sugar, lemon zest, garlic, ginger, sage, rosemary and cinnamon sticks are a few flavoring ingredients that can be used. Heating the liquids helps to dissolve the salt and meld the flavors, but be sure to cool the brine completely before adding meat, poultry or fish.

Submerge the food completely in the brine, using nonreactive containers or sealable plastic bags. Then cover and refrigerate.

Shrimp only require 30 to 45 minutes of brining. Individual cuts of meat, such as pork chops or chicken breasts, take 2 to 4 hours. A pork tenderloin can be brined overnight, while a whole turkey is best after 24 hours of brining.

Always discard brine solutions; do not reuse them!

After the specified time remove your turkey from the brining bag/container, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

For a 16 lb. turkey:

1.) Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 425°F.
2.) Roast the turkey for 25 minutes.
3.) Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and roast for 45 minutes more, then begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes with your choice of basting liquid.
4.) Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F.
5.) Total roasting time will be around 3 to 3 3/4 hours.
6.) Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.


Thought of the Day:

"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart."
-Seneca

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

"There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can."
-Laurie Colwin

Hello! I hope you are well! In my neck of the woods it is COLD, so it is definitely time to start Souper Saturday again! Keep warm and Enjoy!


Chicken Rice Soup: Asian Style

Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
* 32 oz + 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 1/2 cups Asian slaw (see below)
* 1/4 tsp dried pepper flakes
* 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
* 2 Tbsp finely chopped lemon grass
* 1 cup jasmine rice (uncooked)
* 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
* 2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1.) Drizzle oil around sides of pot & tilt pot to distribute evenly.
2.) Heat oil on high, until oil faintly smokes.
(Caution: if oil smokes too much, pan is too hot)
3.) Add garlic, ginger, and chicken stock.
4.) Bring to boil.
5.) Reduce heat to medium.
6.) Add slaw, pepper flakes, chicken, lemon grass, rice, & cilantro.
7.) Simmer 10 min.
8.) Garnish with green onions.


Asian Slaw:

Ingredients:

* 1 cup Napa cabbage, sliced thin
* 1/4 cup celery, grated
* 1/4 cup carrot, grated

Directions:

1.) Mix together and set aside to use for soup recipe.
2.) Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Thought of the Day:

"Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning?"
-Coleman Cox

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

"Beautiful soup, so rich and green
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth of beautiful soup?"
-Lewis Carroll

Hello! Hopefully you get a chance to slow down and relax this weekend! Maybe even take some time for yourself! I know I am going to try! I find that cooking always relaxes me - I know some people feel like it is work (and it can be), but when you can just slow down and cook a delightful dish the rewards are endless! Enjoy!

"I live on good soup, not on fine words."
-Moliere


Escarole, Bean and Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 lbs mild Italian pork sausage, loose
* 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
* 1 cup finely chopped onions
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups escarole
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 32 oz + 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 can cannellini beans, drained
* 1 cup ditalini pasta
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
* 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1.) Shape sausage into bite-sized balls.
2.) Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in large soup pot on medium.
3.) Add sausage balls and cook, turning to brown all sides, 3-4 min.
4.) Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Discard pan drippings.
5.) Return pan to heat; add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and onions.
6.) Cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 min, until onions are translucent.
7.) Add garlic; cook, stirring until softened, about 1 min.
8.) Add escarole; cook, stirring occasionally, 1-2 min, until wilted.
9.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10.) Stir in stock, beans, and browned sausage; heat to boiling on medium-high.
11.) Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
12.) Add pasta; simmer 10 minutes more.
13.) Stir in parsley and lemon juice.
14.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

"A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting."
-Abraham Maslow

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

Hello! The weather became much cooler in my neck of the woods this week and I was looking forward to making soup on a regular basis again... Wouldn't you know, as I am typing this, the weather forecast pops up and says it is going to be in the 90's this week!! Definitely not soup weather! Oh well, add this to your recipe box for use on a cool fall evening and enjoy!!

Lentil Nutrition Facts:

1.) Lentils contain high levels of proteins, including essential amino acids. They a major source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world.

2.) Lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals.

3.) Lentils are one of the best vegetable sources of iron. This makes them important in a vegetarian diet, and useful for preventing iron deficiency.


Lentil & Chick Pea Soup
Servings: 12 cups

Ingredients:

* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 cup mirepoix (finely diced carrots, celery & onions)
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 cups green lentils, rinsed
* 28 oz can of cut Roma tomatoes
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 64 oz vegetable stock
* 1 Tbsp basil
* 1 tsp coriander seed or ground coriander
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp turmeric
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
* 2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
* 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
* Salt to taste
* Naan

Equipment Needed:

* Hand-held or regular blender

Directions:

1.) Pour olive oil into a heated stockpot on medium.
2.) Add mirepoix & garlic; cook, stirring, 5-6 min, until soft but not browned.
3.) Stir in lentils, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, and seasonings.
4.) Cook, covered, 30-35 min.
5.) Puree briefly w/ hand-held blender, to thicken (don't puree all the lentils).
6.) Stir in garbanzo beans and cilantro.
7.) Season to taste with salt.
8.) Simmer about 5 min on medium until heated through.
9.) Serve warm with Naan.

"Lentils are friendly—the Miss Congeniality of the bean world."
-Laurie Colwin

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was tiring, but good! I made this
recipe for dinner the other night. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!


Balsamic Marinated Pork Chops
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/8 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp soy sauce
* 2 tsp dry mustard
* 2 Tbsp rosemary
* 1 Tbsp minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* salt and pepper
* 4 Boneless center-cut pork chops, patted dry

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400°.
2.) In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil and spices. Set aside.
3.) Heat oil in large non-stick skillet on medium high.
4.) Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper.
5.) Sear pork until it is until golden brown, 2-3 min each side.
6.) Transfer pork to large baking dish.
7.) Pour marinade evenly over pork.
8.) Bake on center rack of oven until pork reaches 150°, 8-10 min.
9.) Plate pork and pour marinade over top prior to serving.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Wordless Wednesday!