#92 :: Eggs in Purgatory

Jamie is working nights this week, so I planned some breakfast/brunch meals for us to have together. This one turns leftover mashed potatoes into a delicious and light brunch. This recipe definitely makes my list of favorites so far on our cooking journey!




Ingredients

• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups mashed potatoes, chilled
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Stir 1 egg in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the potatoes, then the flour. Using a generous 1/2 cup of potato mixture for each, form the potato mixture into 4 (4 1/2-inch) diameter pancakes.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Fry the pancakes until they are golden brown and heated through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pancakes to paper towels to drain. Keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Pour off the excess oil from the pan.

Heat the pan over medium-low heat. Crack the remaining 4 eggs into the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the white is firm, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the eggs over and cook for 30 seconds longer.

Spoon the sauce onto 4 plates. Place a pancake atop the sauce. Top each pancake with a fried egg. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Everyday Italian on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#91 :: Pork & Peppers Mexican-Style

Wow, it's been a long few weeks since we cooked! Jamie and I have both been super busy with work and other activities, so cooking dinner together has been on the back burner for a while. But, last night we were both home and decided to get back on track! This is a recipe Jamie found online and it turned out wonderful. I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch today!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 3/4 pound lean pork, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 each red, yellow and green bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add green onions; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add pork; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Add bell peppers and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until bell peppers begin to soften.

Season mixture in skillet with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms, cumin, chili powder and chipotle pepper, if desired. Cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes until pork is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Top each serving with shredded cheese and sour cream and roll it up in a tortilla, burrito-style.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from TLC Cooking

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#90 :: Cinco de Mayo! :: Shredded Pork Tacos

We had quite the fiesta for Cinco de Mayo! We started with some fresh guacamole and fresh warm tortilla chips, then we had Tortilla Soup (which we made before during our Mexican cuisine week). Finally, we had Shredded Pork Tacos! Oh, and we can't forget the margaritas and Dos Equis!

These Shredded Pork Tacos were absolutely delicious, but they were also a bit spicier than I expected. I only put one chile in, just like the recipe said, but these little guys are apparently hot enough to spice up the whole pot! Be wary if you're sensitive to spicy foods....this is a spicy one! (Though I'm sure you could remove the chipotle chile and make a non-spicy version.)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice
• 1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from a small can), minced (about 4 teaspoons)
• 16 (6-inch) toasted corn tortillas
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add pork, tomatoes (breaking them up) and their juice, chipotle, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves.
2. Using tongs, transfer meat to a large bowl; shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Return meat to pan, and simmer until sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes more. Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper. Proceed to next step, or cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.
3. Spoon pork and sauce into toasted tortillas, using 2 tortillas for each serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes , if desired.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#89 :: Spaghetti w/ Meatballs

I needed a quick fix dinner last night. Does it count if you cook dinner, but not from scratch? :) I took the shortcut route tonight and made spaghetti and meatballs.



I used thin spaghetti noodles, boiled in heavily salted water for 8 minutes. I used a jarred tomato sauce (cooked in a sauce pan on the stove top) and frozen meatballs from a bag (cooked in the oven on a sheet tray). *Gasp* Shame! It was quite delicious though. I also bought a small loaf of Italian bread to go with the spaghetti. A little butter, garlic salt and parmesan on each slice, and a few minutes in the broiler is all it takes!

So did I cheat a little? Maybe. But it wasn't a hamburger from some greasy fast food drive-thru, so it's still a winner in my book!

#88 :: Lemon Pepper Parmesan Baked Chicken

Baked chicken is more of a process than a recipe. Once you learn it, it comes out great every time! Then all you have to do is change up the seasonings. Today we used lemon pepper and Parmesan, but the possibilities are endless!



Dry the chicken (for crispy skin), lay the pieces out on a baking sheet, season with salt & pepper or other spices (this time we used lemon pepper, salt & pepper, fresh lemon juice and Parmesan - YUM!). Then bake it at 375 for about 30-40 minutes until the skin is browned. Fall-off-the-bone-delicious every time!

We also cracked open one of my old favorites -- a can of ranch style beans from Texas. :)

Vegetable Quiche

This recipe doesn't count towards our # because I've made it before and it's already on the blog (find the recipe here: Mixed Vegetable Quiche), but I got a little creative with it this time so I had to share my photo! I made an N out of the extra crust, and I piped sour cream on the top. Gourmet breakfast for the hubby today! :)

#87 :: London Broil

We still had half of our top round left after the Chicken Fried Steak, so Jamie wanted to try cooking a traditional London Broil. I left him in charge of dinner and stayed out of the kitchen. After we ate I said "That was good, where'd you get the recipe?" and he rambled about some little restaurant in South Carolina. I said, "So did you find the recipe online?" and he said, "No, I ate at the restaurant." So, I have no recipe to share really....just Jamie's scattered notes from memory.



Ingredients

* 1 lb. top round
* Juice of 2 oranges
* 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tsp black pepper


Directions

Combine ingredients in a plastic bag and marinate the top round overnight. Remove from the marinade and broil on high for 6 minutes on each side. Let it rest for 10 minutes, slice thinly and serve.


Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (only because it was cold by the time I got to eat it!)

#86 :: Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

Most of the food on our blog lately has been very health conscious. I needed a break from that! I just mentioned to Jamie a few weeks ago how I missed Texas Chicken Fried Steak (not the "Country" Fried Steak they have here in Ohio). Then I caught an Alton Brown show on Food Network about Chicken Fried Steak and how it's different from Country Fried Steak. That made me want some even more...so we went for it! Comfort food at its best! We did (at least) include some roasted broccoli, so it wasn't 100% bad.....

We don't have a mallet, so we pounded them flat with the bottom of a sauce pot. It was kind of fun getting out some aggression! The only way we strayed from the recipe was the buttermilk. We didn't have buttermilk, which makes the crust a little crispier than regular milk. It still turned out delicious though. I was pleased that I didn't totally ruin it my first time trying...

Ingredients

-- Steak --

• 6 (6-ounce) beef top-round steaks*, tenderized and at room temperature
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Meat Tenderizer seasoning
  
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
• 4 to 5 cups peanut or canola oil

-- Cream Gravy --

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup leftover seasoned flour
• 4 cups milk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or your favorite pepper sauce), or to taste

Directions

*Note: If you prefer, you may substitute thin sliced rib-eye steaks, sirloin steaks, or chopped steaks for the tougher top-round steak.

Prepare the Meat Seasoning by combining all ingredients together and mixing until well blended. Place mixture in a tightly sealed glass or plastic container, and store in a dark place for future use. Shake before each use to remix ingredients. Makes about 1 1/3 cups seasoning.

For the Steaks: Have your butcher twice-tenderize the steak if possible. Cut the steak into equal portions and, if needed, lightly pound steaks with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick, set aside to come to room temperature.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and place the sheet on the oven rack; heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels. Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep 11- to 12-inch diameter cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, to 375 degrees F (oil should pop loudly when a drop of egg mixture is dropped in).

Combine flour and meat seasoning in a large shallow dish. In a second large shallow dish, beat the eggs, baking powder, and baking soda; stir in the buttermilk (the mixture will bubble and foam).

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and lightly sprinkle each side with meat seasoning to taste. Working with three steaks at a time, dip each steak into the egg mixture then dredge in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour, and dip again in the egg mixture. Using a long-handled meat fork or long metal tongs, very gently place the wet steaks into the hot oil (be extremely careful...there will be regular "explosions" of very hot oil as steaks cook). Fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until breading is set and deep golden brown. Gently turn steaks and fry for another 3 minutes (oil temperature will drop to around 335 degrees). Transfer the steaks to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then transfer them to the wire rack in the oven. Bring the oil back to 375 degrees and repeat the breading, cooking and draining process (use fresh paper towels) with the three remaining steaks.

For the Pan Drippings Cream Gravy: After the chicken fried steaks are removed from the pan, pour off the oil through a strainer. Leave about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of pan drippings in the bottom of the skillet along with as many of the browned bits and cracklings (from the seasoned coating) as possible. Return any browned cracklings from the strainer to the skillet before starting the gravy.

Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Sprinkle with enough leftover seasoned flour to absorb most of the oil, approximately 1/4 cup. Blend with a wooden spoon or whisk, scraping loose browned bits from the bottom and sides of skillet, until mixture becomes bubbly, smooth and golden brown. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly and mashing out any lumps, until the gravy begins to boil. Lower heat and whisk mixture continuously until it is smooth and reaches desired consistency (gravy should have a loose consistency--it will thicken as it cools). Check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Add the Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, whisking until smooth.

Transfer the chicken-fried steaks to individual plates. Spoon a generous amount of gravy over each steak. Serve immediately, placing any remaining gravy in a small bowl. Accompany with mashed potatoes, greens, black-eye peas, and cornbread, or biscuits.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe from BigOven.com

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#85 :: Artichokes

While we were walking around the Westside Market, we came across some artichokes for $1.50 each. Since we're trying new things and I've never cooked an artichoke before, I grabbed a couple to try them out. I cooked them tonight and wasn't that impressed. Yeah, they tasted pretty good...but it seemed like an awful lot of work for a little bit of goodness. They did, however, smell wonderful! I guess I expected them to smell bad, like asparagus, but they smelled almost floral.



I found several ways to cook them...broiling, boiling and steaming. Since I don't have a basket for steaming, I chose to boil them. I had to create a contraption to hold them upside down so they would stay put in the pot and cook correctly. After a few tries, I came up with this....a strainer and a lid.



I think I'll stick to the bag of frozen artichoke hearts. But at least now I can say I know how to cook an artichoke!



Recipe/Instructions from Good Eats on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (taste)
2 out of 4 stars (prep)

#84 :: Lemony Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Seafood and pasta is a favorite of ours, and this one was another great combo! The recipe called for shrimp, but we used a combo -- shrimp, scallops and calamari. The extra bonus was that the leftovers tasted even better than the original dinner.





Ingredients

* 6 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
* 2 lemons, zested and juiced
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound medium shrimp (21 to 25), peeled, de-veined and butterflied (reserve shells)
(we used a mix of seafood - shrimp, scallops & calamari)
* 1/4 onion
* 3/4 pound thin linguini (we used angel hair)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped


Directions

In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside.

Meanwhile make a quick shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the remaining marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.



Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars