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Showing posts from March, 2010

Takeover Dinner 3/29/2010

It’s great to share my recipes with friends. I especially enjoy doing it with wine involved. I've prepared a few appetizers, entree, and dessert for the ones I love most. It’s going to be a challenge with my time and being at another location, but it’s all about time management and organizational skills. I believe once my friends see the passion, time, and energy they will notice how serious cooking is to me. After getting a boost of enrolling in school and finding a friend just got a job in Vegas as a Chef I am ready to launch this career. I enjoy entertaining and catering all day every day. Here are a few recipes that I hope you will enjoy some day.

Dont wait Mac n Cheese

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1 teaspoon olive oil 1\4 cup onion finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup 2% milk 2 bay leaves pinch of salt 2 cup medium elbow pasta 1 1\2 cup Gouda cheese 1 cup Havarti cheese 1\2 cup mozzarella 1 teaspoon coarse blk pepper Heat oil in a medium pan. Add onion, occasionally stirring; 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic, flour, and bay leaf to the pan until thickens; about 2 minutes. Add Gouda, Havarti, and 1\4 cup mozzarella; including salt. Preheat oven at 375 degrees Meanwhile boil pasta until slightly tender; add 1\4 teaspoon olive oil to prevent from sticking. Remove pasta and drain. Add pasta to cheese mixture. Bake in a 8x10 pan for 25 minutes. Servings 3

Old-Time Beef Stew

Old-Time Beef Stew 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 tablespoons cooking oil 4 cups water 1 large onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 bay leaf 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 6 medium carrots, bias-sliced into 3/4-inch chunks 1 pound small white onions, peeled and halved 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1/2 cup cold water 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Snipped fresh parsley (optional) In a large pot cook all the meat at once in hot oil over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown, stirring occasionally. Drain off excess fat. Add the 4 cups water, sliced onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, bay leaf, and allspice. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots, halved onions, and potatoes. Return to boiling;

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Serves 6 • 1 - 16 ounce can garbanzo beans • 2 tablespoons Tahini • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1/2 cup roasted red pepper (we used bottled) • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin • 1 teaspoon ground coriander • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper * • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • Fresh ground pepper Drain& rinse chick peas/garbanzos, reserving liquid. In small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt and mix throughly. Put garbanzo beans in the bowl of food processor with chopping blade and sprinkle the spice mixture over the top evenly. Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and roasted red peppers, and blend until well mixed. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Once the hummus becomes smooth, add some of the reserved liquid from the garbanzos while it is being processed, until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve with toasted pita bread or as a dip or spread with almost anything. COOKS NOTE: Use less cayenne if you don'
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Spiced Salmon with Yellow Peppers Serves 2 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon ground cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil ¾ pound salmon fillet (skin on), cut into two pieces 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼ inch strips ¼ cup fresh orange juice In a small bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper. Spoon out a heaping ½ teaspoon of this spice mix and set aside. Stir 1 teaspoon of the oil into the remaining mix to make a paste. Pat dry the salmon fillets and rub the paste on the top of the fish (but not on the skin); set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pile the bell pepper strips and sauté, stirring and tossing a few times, until they begin to brown and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Pour in the remaining 1- ½ teaspoons oil; when i

Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes 20 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 ¼ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 ¼ cups packed dark-brown sugar ¾ cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chip Shift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda Preheat oven 350. Beat butter and sugars with a mixed on medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low, Add flour mixture; beat until combined. Mix in chocolate chips. Using a 2 ¼-inch ice cream scoop (about 3 tablespoons). Drop dough on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden around edges but soft in the middle, about 15 minutes. Let cook for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Cookies can be stored a
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Raspberry Coolers Make 3 Combine 2 pint of raspberries 1 lemon (sliced ¼ inc; optional) 1 vanilla been (split, seeds scraped, pod reserved; or ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract) ¼ cup sugar in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a pay of simmering water. Cook, stirring, until raspberries heave released most of their juices, about 12 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently with the back of a spoon; discard solids. Let cool. Pour ¼ cup syrup into each of ice-filled glasses. Top each with 1 cup seltzer. Serve with lemon wedges.

Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

Rice Stuffed Tomatoes Servings: 6 • 6 large fresh tomatoes at room temperature • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh white mushrooms • 1 cup chopped onion • 1 - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained • 2 teaspoons minced garlic • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/2 cup quick cooking rice • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (use Vegan Parmesan Cheese) Preheat oven to 400ºF. Use tomatoes that are fully ripe. Cut a slice from the top of each tomato; remove pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell; set aside. Chop tomato pulp (makes about 3-1/2 cups). In a large skillet over high heat, heat oil until hot. Add mushrooms and onion; cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, reserved chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Stir in rice. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for

Three Bean Enchiladas

Three Bean Enchiladas Servings: 6 Serving Size: 2 Enchiladas • 1/2 cup dried kidney beans • 1/2 cup dried navy beans • 1/2 cup dried pinto beans • 6 cups water • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup chopped onion • 2 cloves garlic , minced • 1 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained • 12 (6 inch) corn tortillas • Vegetable cooking spray • 1 (10 oz.) can prepared enchilada sauce • 1/2 cup shredded low fat Monterey Jack cheese Sort and wash beans; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil; cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; return to Dutch oven. Add 6 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid (add water, if necessary, to make 1/4 cup. Place beans blender or food processor; add reserved 1/4 cup liquid, onion, and next 5 ingredients. Pr

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Makes 24 appetizers • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice • 1/4 cup orange marmalade • 3 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce • 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes • 1 pound large (21 to 24 per pound) shrimp, shelled, leaving tail and first shell section intact, and deveined • Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs In a measuring cup whisk together lime juice, marmalade, garlic paste, coriander, 3 tablespoons oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste and reserve 1/3 cup mixture in a small bowl or ramekin for dipping. In a large sealable plastic bag combine shrimp with remaining mixture and marinate, chilled, tossing occasionally to coat shrimp, 45 minutes. Drain shrimp and lightly pat dry between paper towels. In a large non-stick skillet pat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over moderately high heat until