I was just cooking for the two of us, so I made enough sauce to top two chicken breasts (next time, I'm trying it with pulled pork in the slow cooker), plus a little extra for fry-dippin'. Shouldn't have much trouble increasing it though- I taste it throughout and adjust amounts anyway, so these measurements are approximate. Adjust to your taste. Isn't that the best way to make barbecue sauce?
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1 clove diced garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 cup hulled strawberries, chopped
habanero pepper, diced (leave seeds out for less spice)*
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
dash or two of cayenne pepper (optional)
I also tore a couple basil leaves and added them because my plants are out of control!
You can prepare this in advance, if you want- put everything in the saucepan, bring it up to a boil, stirring occasionally, then drop to a simmer. Let it go for about an hour, coming back once in a while to give it a stir, until it has reduced down to sauciness.
But I made it while I was cooking dinner, so I didn't add all the water at once. I let the sauce simmer the entire time I was cooking dinner, about an hour, adding a big splash of water whenever it started getting dry, stirring and letting it reduce again. I have no idea if this is better or a waste of effort. Do what works for you.
*Okay, look. This pepper scared the bejesus out of me. I had rubber gloves on before I even got close to it. I knew I was going to somehow accidentally find a way to get "spicy" into my eyeball (luckily I was wrong... this time) Plus, I like spicy food, but I want to be comfortable while eating it. I want to enjoy, not test my endurance. The pepper was seriously like an inch long, and I was terrified. I cut the stem end off and gave it a little massage to break up the membranes, then squeezed all the seeds out. I felt brave when I added the entire pepper after it was diced, rationalizing that if it was too spicy, I could always make more sauce to dilute it. By the end of the hour, I had added about half the seeds, and was pleased with the level of spice. Sheen-on-the-face spicy, not sweating-bullets spicy.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Bread
Here's how I usually do bread. Like my tuna salad post, this is another "duh" entry that is being posted simply because it may help someone. In some way.
Grab a baguette, or whatever crusty loaf of bread happens to be in the freezer/on the counter that week.
Cut some nice thick slices, 1-2 per person. From here, it can go a few different ways. It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure!
A) butter both sides of bread or
B) drizzle with olive oil or
C) pour a puddle of oil into a plate and dip all sides of bread into it, including crust
Now season to taste. Or skip this step entirely. Up to you. Sometimes I do too. Other times I season with nothing but Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper. Sometimes I use garlic powder. Sometimes I'll bother to cook garlic in the butter/oil I use on the bread first, which is really special. I take into account what I'm serving the bread with. There may be a seasoning combination to complement the meal (garlic bread with pasta), or there may be one to supply a flavor your meal may be lacking (sometimes a little honey drizzled over the top of finished bread does wonders to soothe a mouth-fire).
If I'm already using the oven to make dinner, I throw in the bread in the last 10 minutes or so. Sometimes directly on the oven rack, sometimes on a metal cooling rack set into a baking sheet (way easier). Let it heat through and crisp up a bit. Turn on the broiler at the end if you want it a bit more brown.
If the oven is not already on, sometimes I will throw the bread into my skillet and toast it over medium. Otherwise I broil it on low until it's heated through, tanned, and crispy on the outside.
I used to butter and broil sandwich bread, which isn't nearly the same. I believe it was Mark Bittman who opened my eyes to all the wonderful things you can always have "on hand" by utilizing your freezer. I have been cautioned that this dries bread out, but I have never noticed a difference in taste. I love pulling a loaf of frozen-solid French bread out of the freezer, easily slicing off a few pieces without squishing it, re-wrapping and sticking it back in the freezer for next time. Always having "good" bread on hand is one thing that did wonders for my cooking appetite!
Grab a baguette, or whatever crusty loaf of bread happens to be in the freezer/on the counter that week.
Cut some nice thick slices, 1-2 per person. From here, it can go a few different ways. It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure!
A) butter both sides of bread or
B) drizzle with olive oil or
C) pour a puddle of oil into a plate and dip all sides of bread into it, including crust
Now season to taste. Or skip this step entirely. Up to you. Sometimes I do too. Other times I season with nothing but Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper. Sometimes I use garlic powder. Sometimes I'll bother to cook garlic in the butter/oil I use on the bread first, which is really special. I take into account what I'm serving the bread with. There may be a seasoning combination to complement the meal (garlic bread with pasta), or there may be one to supply a flavor your meal may be lacking (sometimes a little honey drizzled over the top of finished bread does wonders to soothe a mouth-fire).
If I'm already using the oven to make dinner, I throw in the bread in the last 10 minutes or so. Sometimes directly on the oven rack, sometimes on a metal cooling rack set into a baking sheet (way easier). Let it heat through and crisp up a bit. Turn on the broiler at the end if you want it a bit more brown.
If the oven is not already on, sometimes I will throw the bread into my skillet and toast it over medium. Otherwise I broil it on low until it's heated through, tanned, and crispy on the outside.
I used to butter and broil sandwich bread, which isn't nearly the same. I believe it was Mark Bittman who opened my eyes to all the wonderful things you can always have "on hand" by utilizing your freezer. I have been cautioned that this dries bread out, but I have never noticed a difference in taste. I love pulling a loaf of frozen-solid French bread out of the freezer, easily slicing off a few pieces without squishing it, re-wrapping and sticking it back in the freezer for next time. Always having "good" bread on hand is one thing that did wonders for my cooking appetite!
Savory Strawberry Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
Strawberries, a few per serving, cleaned and sliced thick (or leave whole if they are small)
2 T. strawberry jelly/jam/preserves
1/4 cup lemon Juice
1/4 cup diced onion
Spice rub
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat: 400F
Heat a medium skillet on medium-high. Rinse chicken and pat dry, then roll in brown sugar mixture. Place chicken in hot skillet and sear, undisturbed, for about a minute. Flip and sear other side, about a minute, then turn heat down to medium and add strawberry jam and lemon juice. Stir until jam has melted into liquid, flipping chicken breasts to coat. Place chicken into glass baking dish and drizzle sauce over top.
Add strawberry slices to hot skillet and sear on each side for a few seconds. Carefully place slices on top of chicken, sprinkle with onion, and place in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Slice chicken on a diagonal, drizzle with sauce, and top with strawberries.
Served with strawberry salad and bread.
Strawberries, a few per serving, cleaned and sliced thick (or leave whole if they are small)
2 T. strawberry jelly/jam/preserves
1/4 cup lemon Juice
1/4 cup diced onion
Spice rub
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat: 400F
Heat a medium skillet on medium-high. Rinse chicken and pat dry, then roll in brown sugar mixture. Place chicken in hot skillet and sear, undisturbed, for about a minute. Flip and sear other side, about a minute, then turn heat down to medium and add strawberry jam and lemon juice. Stir until jam has melted into liquid, flipping chicken breasts to coat. Place chicken into glass baking dish and drizzle sauce over top.
Add strawberry slices to hot skillet and sear on each side for a few seconds. Carefully place slices on top of chicken, sprinkle with onion, and place in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Slice chicken on a diagonal, drizzle with sauce, and top with strawberries.
Served with strawberry salad and bread.
Strawberry Salad
Served with Savory Strawberry Chicken because I can't get enough strawberries.
Sliced strawberries
Baby spinach, a mixture of spinach & romaine, or any other leafy greens
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Colby cheese, shredded
Sunflower seeds, shelled
Pecans, chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
This is a great picnic salad. Assemble salad ingredients in a large aluminum pan ("lasagna" pan) and allow everyone to dress their own salad so it doesn't get soggy.
Sliced strawberries
Baby spinach, a mixture of spinach & romaine, or any other leafy greens
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Colby cheese, shredded
Sunflower seeds, shelled
Pecans, chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
This is a great picnic salad. Assemble salad ingredients in a large aluminum pan ("lasagna" pan) and allow everyone to dress their own salad so it doesn't get soggy.
I can't get enough of this stuff!
Pork Chops with Easy White Wine & Dijon Reduction
2 Pork chops
Vegetable oil
Seasoning salt
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1-1/2 T. Dijon mustard (or to taste)
Fresh or dried thyme
Frozen peas
Preheat: 400F.
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Lightly season both sides of chops with salt, fresh-ground black pepper and seasoning salt. Place carefully into oil and cook at a good sizzle for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Don't move chops while they're searing except to flip.
When chops are nice and brown on the outside, place them in a small ovenproof dish and bake for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, toss onions into skillet and drop the heat to medium. It's okay if they get a little browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add wine, mustard, and thyme, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and stirring until lumps are gone. When mixture has come to a bubble, slightly drop the heat and allow to simmer until reduced by half. When pork is done, pour the accumulated juices into the onion mixture and tent pork with foil. Add a few handfuls of peas to the reduction and cook a few minutes more til heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve by spooning onions and peas on pork and pouring reduction over top.
Served with Easy Roasted Italian Potatoes.
Vegetable oil
Seasoning salt
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1-1/2 T. Dijon mustard (or to taste)
Fresh or dried thyme
Frozen peas
Preheat: 400F.
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Lightly season both sides of chops with salt, fresh-ground black pepper and seasoning salt. Place carefully into oil and cook at a good sizzle for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Don't move chops while they're searing except to flip.
When chops are nice and brown on the outside, place them in a small ovenproof dish and bake for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, toss onions into skillet and drop the heat to medium. It's okay if they get a little browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add wine, mustard, and thyme, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and stirring until lumps are gone. When mixture has come to a bubble, slightly drop the heat and allow to simmer until reduced by half. When pork is done, pour the accumulated juices into the onion mixture and tent pork with foil. Add a few handfuls of peas to the reduction and cook a few minutes more til heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve by spooning onions and peas on pork and pouring reduction over top.
Served with Easy Roasted Italian Potatoes.
Easy Roasted Italian Potatoes
Potatoes, washed and dried (I use Russet)
Onion, sliced
Butter/margarine, melted
Vegetable oil
White wine/lemon juice (optional)
Italian dressing/seasoning packet
Preheat oven to 425F.
Cut potatoes into chunks (1" to 1-1/2"), enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer or close to it. Mix butter, oil, and wine in whatever ratio tastes good to you- I used 1 part butter, 3 parts oil and 3 parts wine. Toss with potatoes and onions in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish (leave extra liquid in the bowl). Sprinkle with Italian seasoning packet (I used a full packet over a 13x9" dish) or whatever seasonings you like. Roast until soft inside and crispy outside... about 40-50 minutes for a 13x9", depending on the size you cut the potatoes.
Or you can cheat if, like me, you suck at timing and finished the rest of dinner around the 30-minute mark. In this case, the potatoes are already soft but missing that desirable crispiness... simply turn the broiler on high and let it almost instantly gratify you. Reality: a few minutes
Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is the same or as delicious as just waiting for the potatoes to roast. But it works. If you're impatient yet demand potatoes be both soft and crispy, this is the trick for you.
Onion, sliced
Butter/margarine, melted
Vegetable oil
White wine/lemon juice (optional)
Italian dressing/seasoning packet
Preheat oven to 425F.
Cut potatoes into chunks (1" to 1-1/2"), enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer or close to it. Mix butter, oil, and wine in whatever ratio tastes good to you- I used 1 part butter, 3 parts oil and 3 parts wine. Toss with potatoes and onions in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish (leave extra liquid in the bowl). Sprinkle with Italian seasoning packet (I used a full packet over a 13x9" dish) or whatever seasonings you like. Roast until soft inside and crispy outside... about 40-50 minutes for a 13x9", depending on the size you cut the potatoes.
Or you can cheat if, like me, you suck at timing and finished the rest of dinner around the 30-minute mark. In this case, the potatoes are already soft but missing that desirable crispiness... simply turn the broiler on high and let it almost instantly gratify you. Reality: a few minutes
Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is the same or as delicious as just waiting for the potatoes to roast. But it works. If you're impatient yet demand potatoes be both soft and crispy, this is the trick for you.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Christmas Pork Chops
I looooove Mom's baked ham. But few days other than Christmas warrant going to all the trouble and waiting hours. Here's my first attempt at bastardizing this holiday classic.
Boneless pork chops (thicker is better)
Apple cider vinegar
Brown sugar
Whole cloves
Pineapple (I used dried, but you could use canned or fresh too)
Dried cranberries (what I used, but dried or maraschino cherries would be closer to the original... could have swore I had dried cherries...)
Preheat oven to 350F. Find a baking dish just big enough to hold however many chops you'd like to cook, and pour in enough apple cider vinegar to just cover the bottom. Sprinkle in a little brown sugar to sweeten and stir. Sprinkle chops lightly with salt and rub all sides with brown sugar. Place carefully into dish. Sprinkle whole cloves evenly into the liquid or press into meat; I used two cloves per chop. Top with pineapple and cranberries/cherries, placing some on top of pork and some into the liquid. Bake about 35 minutes or until no longer pink inside.
Serve pork topped with fruit. Give vinegar and pork drippings a good stir, remove cloves, and pour over top of pork.
Boneless pork chops (thicker is better)
Apple cider vinegar
Brown sugar
Whole cloves
Pineapple (I used dried, but you could use canned or fresh too)
Dried cranberries (what I used, but dried or maraschino cherries would be closer to the original... could have swore I had dried cherries...)
Preheat oven to 350F. Find a baking dish just big enough to hold however many chops you'd like to cook, and pour in enough apple cider vinegar to just cover the bottom. Sprinkle in a little brown sugar to sweeten and stir. Sprinkle chops lightly with salt and rub all sides with brown sugar. Place carefully into dish. Sprinkle whole cloves evenly into the liquid or press into meat; I used two cloves per chop. Top with pineapple and cranberries/cherries, placing some on top of pork and some into the liquid. Bake about 35 minutes or until no longer pink inside.
Serve pork topped with fruit. Give vinegar and pork drippings a good stir, remove cloves, and pour over top of pork.
Spinach & Artichoke Cups
These are ridiculously easy and tasty. Easy to adapt, and easy to adjust amounts- make a muffin tin full or several to freeze.
Canned biscuits, phyllo dough, or homemade dough I used canned biscuits- one for every three muffin cups
Butter/margarine
Frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
Carrot, grated/shredded
Marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 350F and butter a mini-muffin tin (you can make regular-sized ones, but you're on your own with the timing). Line each cup with a thin piece of dough, overflowing slightly and lightly squishing around the edge to hold. Rub a little bit of butter into each cup of dough and season if you like.
Mix the rest of ingredients together to taste and season however you like. I added a little salt, a teensy drizzle of the artichoke marinade, ground white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Spoon into the cups and top with an extra crumble of cheese. Bake until cups are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Canned biscuits, phyllo dough, or homemade dough I used canned biscuits- one for every three muffin cups
Butter/margarine
Frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
Carrot, grated/shredded
Marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 350F and butter a mini-muffin tin (you can make regular-sized ones, but you're on your own with the timing). Line each cup with a thin piece of dough, overflowing slightly and lightly squishing around the edge to hold. Rub a little bit of butter into each cup of dough and season if you like.
Mix the rest of ingredients together to taste and season however you like. I added a little salt, a teensy drizzle of the artichoke marinade, ground white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Spoon into the cups and top with an extra crumble of cheese. Bake until cups are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
terrible webcam pics... I was hungry.
and my phone was dead.
and I couldn't find the camera...
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