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Mmm… best hot dog fixings…ever!
LOL! Well, maybe not ever. Pretty good for just a ‘goofing off in the kitchen” item this afternoon. I had a few hot dogs open that needed to be cooked and started out thinking “beenie-weenies” –things improved from there.
Slice the dogs and dice some onions, jalapenos, and bell peppers and brown them, then add a can of tomatoes with green chilies, a can of rinsed black beans, and a generous sprinkle of ancho pepper powder. Fry flour tacos in hot oil, fold and drain on paper towels. Fill the shells with the meat and bean mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese, then toast them under a broiler until the cheese melts. I garnished them with fresh peppers and a dollop of sour cream dip. 
I had taken 3 pictures of the tacos and was sitting here at the computer looking at them, trying to decide which one should go to my Flickr page when Mrs J made the call. Do you like one of these better than the others? Are your tastes similar to Mrs J’s? No fair peeking!
Your dog wants steak
Managed to finish another patio bench for container plantings, and put together a second tomato rig with wire cage to hold a grape tomato I ran across. I was going to put in a cherry tomato called “Husky Red” but a little reading told me that it was a fairly compact tomato bred for containers and would likely not need the tall cage. I put it in a container with a relatively short wire frame that I used last year on a grape tomato that outgrew it in no time.
On the bench are cilantro, the compact cherry tomato, and fernleaf dill. I have been looking for parsley but haven’t found any yet, nor have I seen any Roma tomatoes. I did plant a couple of “Better Boy” tomatoes and some “Big Bertha” green peppers out in the big garden around back, along with basil that was extra.
The latest bench shows some design improvements over the first one, mitered joints and no end grains showing. One of these days I may buy some real nice lumber and try something more advanced.
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Braised Italian Chicken
Happy Thursday. I don’t know about you, but I could have used the weekend two days ago, it’s been that kind of week. Let’s get right to tonight’s ingredients: chicken and vegetables. This was really just my excuse to be able to test drive a recipe I’ve been thinking about for a while. I came across a recipe for an Italian braised chicken in a white wine sauce served over pasta and my first thought was, I wonder if you could do that with a traditional red sauce? I love chicken cacciatore, but the texture of the chicken leaves a lot to be desired. I could go with a traditional chicken parmesan, but that isn’t quite the same, the meat isn’t permeated with sauce flavor in the same way. This recipe gave me just what I was looking for, a nice textured chicken packed with flavor.
In case Italian chicken isn’t a favorite, I posted two other chicken recipes this week: Barbecue Chicken with Spinach and Grilled Lime Chicken. Next week: I’m taking requests. What would you like?
Now for tonight’s recipe:
Braised Italian Chicken
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
- Olive oil
- Flour
- Dried: basil, oregano, rosemary, cayenne pepper, pepper, salt, thyme
Sauce:
- 6-8 green onions, chopped
- 1 small zucchini cubed
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 4-6 button mushrooms, washed and sliced
- 2 tsp crushed garlic or equivalent
- 1/2 cup good red wine
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes or equivalent (I use unsalted)
- 2-15oz cans of tomato sauce (again, I use unsalted)
- 2 tsp dried basil (or fresh equivalent)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (opt)
- Pinch of rosemary
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 10-16 oz of favorite pasta (I like angel hair with this dish)
Bowl, Saucepan, Skillet, Baking dish or Dutch oven
In a bowl, mix together about 2 cups of flour and a good amount of the spices. Wash and dry thighs. Dredge in flour and fry in large skillet in about 1/2 cup of olive oil (I start with skin side down and do not touch it until it moves easily when I nudge it with a fork, then I flip it). When browned on both sides, remove to a plate with paper towels to drain a bit. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add diced vegetables, cook until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute, then add wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to mix well. Let simmer, covered, on the stovetop while chicken browns.
In baking dish, add enough sauce to come 1/2 way up the side of the baking dish. Nestle chicken in the baking dish, skin side up. Now here is the important part, ladle additional sauce AROUND the chicken as needed, but DO NOT cover the top. Leave enough room for the browned top of the chicken to remain above the sauce. This lets it braise and the skin still stay crispy. Bake, UNCOVERED, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, check to make sure the sauce is barely bubbling, if it is boiling, reduce heat to 300 degrees. Chicken is done when it gives easily, but not falling off the bone.
Leave remaining sauce on the stove to simmer on low while the chicken cooks, you’ll probably want extra for the pasta. Prepare pasta just before chicken is done. Serve with salad or green beans and a nice deep red wine.
Prep time is a lot on this meal, so I suggest it for weekends or special guests. I also doubled the sauce and froze 1/2 for another meal.
Tonight we also get a glossary: What is braising? What is deglazing?
National Ravioli Day…NO I’m Not Kidding You
JeffreyW's Ravioli, photo by JeffreyW
JeffreyW's homemade ravioli, photo by JW himself
Ravioli w/ Rosemary Basil Cream Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream*
- 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary (or one sprig fresh)
- 4 – 6 fresh basil leaves, minced
- 20 oz frozen cheese ravioli
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp green onion tops, chopped
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 saucepans
Combine cream & spices in saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer until reduces to ½ cup, about 15 minutes. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and return to pan. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper & cream sauce. Toss. Add scallion tops and parmesan.
*You can absolutely substitute whole or non-fat milk for heavy cream and mix well with 1 tbsp flour
Arrivederci!
I don’t normally worry about disappointing my waiter. Our final dinner in San Diego, it was clear I might have done just that and my gushing over my dinner was not going to sway him.
Arrivederci Ristorante is a neighborhood restaurant, which is always the best kind. We stumbled upon it after aborting another dinner plan on the way to the airport. It was charming and the staff was friendly and very good at their craft.
The wine was excellent and the food was impressive.
It was clearly a local hangout and quite busy on an early Sunday afternoon. We had two hours before our flight and I was not all that hungry, even though the menu held many temptations. My original order was for what looked like an excellent soup. It must have been, because they were sold out.
I then went with my standby. I’m from a very traditional Italian family. Good sauce on good pasta with a great bread is really all you need. Meatballs or sausage are an option, not a necessity. (I look at pizzas much the same way – if your crust and sauce are not excellent it doesn’t matter how much stuff you throw on top, you’ll never overcome that deficit.)
You’d be surprised how badly most restaurants do this simple dish, treating it almost as a throw away. They put all their effort into fancy pastas, cream sauces and sun-dried tomatoes topped with fancy cheeses and multiple additions. Often they are good, very good, but I really judge an Italian restaurant on the basics. A great sauce is a requirement. I’m quite often disappointed.
Arrivederci looked promising. The dipping sauce they served with the most excellent bread was fresh, tangy with just the right amount of spice. It was kissed with fresh basil, so it didn’t overpower the delicate tomato flavor. They took it seriously.
So when the soup was unavailable, I knew exactly what I wanted. A simple pasta, sauce and meatballs. I was not disappointed. The sauce was fresh, well spiced, light and served on top shelf linguine that was perfectly al dente. The meatballs, which are quite often done poorly, were perfect. Moist, filled with flavor, not filler, a good complement to the sauce.
So how did I come to disappoint my waiter? I was only able to eat about a quarter of my plate (as you can see from the picture above, I could have served 4 with it) and since we were about to board a plane I couldn’t take leftovers with me. I assumed TSA would frown on a doggy bag. No matter how he tried to convince me, I could neither clean my plate nor take leftovers with me – though I would have really liked to have them at lunch today at work. No matter how much I raved about my meal, I don’t think I convinced him how wonderful I found it. The face he made when he walked away was priceless. It was sweet. I’d go there again in a heartbeat.
They also have a pizzeria down the street which I can only assume is some of the best pizza anywhere.
My friend had one of their gnocchi plates, which was equally delicious – and the gnocchi was light as a feather and the sauce was delicate, not overpowering as some cream sauces can be. We finished the meal with a really good coffee. Dark, rich with a chocolate finish (we’re coffee fanatics and love a good brew). From staff to atmosphere to food and drinks, there was nothing to disappoint here.
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Vegetarian Delights
Cross posted at Balloon-Juice
I’m travelling, en route to San Diego, so you’re on your own – no keggers and try not to riot. Tonight we’re going vegetarian with two recipes. I’m often asked for vegetarian recipes, so I’m always on the lookout for good ones, can’t wait to see what you guys come up with. Next week: Fruit Desserts
I love black bean burgers, but the frozen ones can leave a lot to be desired. So I’ve been looking around for a good recipe. I found this one, but cannot tell you where, sorry to say. I’ve changed up few things, made it a bit spicier and a bit moister. Grill or fry on medium heat to keep the burgers from drying out. Makes 4 good sized burgers, though you may want to double the recipe to serve 6-8 people.
Black Bean and Cheddar Burgers
- 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained, or dry equivalent
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (about 1-1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs soaked in 1 to 2 tbsp milk
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped, pickled jalapeno
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsps minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Serve with:
- 4 hamburger buns
- Tomato and avocado slices for garnish
In a mixing bowl, with a potato masher, mash half of beans into coarse puree; add remaining ingredients. Work mixture together by hand until it holds together easily. Shape mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Oil a large piece of aluminum foil, place on a grill set to medium heat and place burgers on the foil. You can also fry these on medium heat in a covered, well oiled skillet. Cook for about 8 minutes per side or until browned on outside and heated through to center. Serve on buns, topped with tomato and avocado.
The pasta caprese has appeared here before. I make it both vegetarian and gluten free, so it’s my go-to recipe for company. From one of our Thursday Night Menus (link includes my favorite chocolate cake):
Pasta Caprese
- 9 oz dry pasta
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 4 oz cubed mozzarella
- salt & pepper to taste
saucepan and large serving dish
Prepare pasta according to package directions. While it’s cooking, mix remaining ingredients together. Drain pasta completely (dab with paper towels, if necessary) then add to tomato mixture. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors blend. Serve warm or you can refrigerate and serve cold. Add a nice loaf of bread for a complete dinner.
I use a fairly expensive mozzarella for this dish because it’s softer, tastier and absorbs more flavors. Any locally produced mozzarella would work. Also, my local farmers’ market has a pasta vendor, who hand-makes many flavors of pasta. This dish works very well with flavored pastas – fire roasted chili, lemon pepper, tomato basil, red bell pepper – the list goes on. You can also change-up the cheese to a Queso Blanco (again, use a fairly expensive or locally produced one), use cilantro instead of basil and use a chili flavored pasta for a whole new dish. The possibilities are endless.
Gyros
Some of my favorite fast food. I bought a 5 lb brick of the lamb loaf already cooked and sliced, and froze it in meal sized portions. There is enough left for one more meal for the two of us. I like the nan loaves but they are not ideal for gyros, at least these aren’t. They are just a tad thick, and they break rather than fold. Great flavor, though.
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Portuguese Beef and Pasta
Years ago, when I was first learning to ski, I was very frustrated by the amount of time I spent on my ass and not skiing. Someone told me that if I wasn’t spending a lot of time picking myself up, I wasn’t really skiing. I needed to push my limits to get better. In other words, it was all good. I find that information works for a lot of things in life. Cooking is no exception.
This week, I spent a lot of time on my figurative ass, playing with the new crock-pot making various recipes. There were epic failures. The first thing I tried was a slow cooker meatloaf. It called for a basic meatloaf recipe – I have a favorite – and then cook all day on low. The results were not stellar. More like steamed meatloaf. An unappetizing color and texture. Not the nice deep brown of a good baked loaf. I was able to salvage it by cutting it into thin slices and frying it up for sandwiches.
I'll stick to these scalloped potatoes from now on.
The next failure was the scalloped potatoes. This called for a slightly modified recipe, a bit more moisture than in the baked method. The flavor was fine, the texture was horrible. Kind of like if you reheated some that you baked. Rubbery and chewy. I’m not sure how you could modify the recipe to get a creamier texture. I’d love to hear any ideas in the comments.
The rest of the week was spent making traditional slow cooker foods – soups and a lovely pot roast. It wasn’t a total loss. I did learn that for a fool-proof slow cooker recipe it’s best to have a recipe that can cook, unattended, all day without risk of ruin. Both the potatoes and the meatloaf really could not have cooked any longer than they did. They would have turned out even worse.
So that was adventures in cooking this week. What foods do you use your slow cooker for successfully? Anything usual that we’ve never thought of? Hit the comments. Next week I think our theme will be Mardi Gras, and I’m hoping you’ll come prepared to share some favorite drinks as well as Cajun food recipes. Someone should bring the King’s cake recipe, too.
Here’s one of my favorite fool-proof slow cooker recipes:
Portuguese Beef & Pasta
This works best if you cook the pasta separately and either add it to the beef the last 15 minutes or serve the beef over the pasta. This is one of those slow cooker recipes that the longer it cooks, the better it gets, usually 10 hours minimum for best flavor.
- 1 lb round steak, cut into thin strips, remove excess fat
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2-14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 8 oz dry macaroni**
Slow-Cooker and saucepan
Add beef, salt, pepper, onion, green pepper, garlic, paste, diced tomatoes, water, bay leaf & red pepper to Slow-Cooker. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions (usually 8-10 hours on low) until beef tears easily with a fork. In saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well (you don’t want any water in your beef mixture) and mix beef and pasta and serve.
**Ditilani works really, or any tiny pasta, like tiny elbow macaroni or tiny bow-ties.
TaMara
jeffreyww
LFern7
indylib
