Catch-Up

Pan Fried Ruby Red Trout with Horseradish Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Roast Chicken with Garlic and Sage (and Butter!)

Sweet Dumpling Squash with Chipotle Pulled Pork Stuffing and Montery Jack Cheese

Tomato, Chicken & Cranberry Bean Soup with Garlic Toasts

Hello Readers, 

The last time I posted I think it was summer, which has THANKFULLY turned to fall here in TX.  The nights have been much cooler-- in the 50's, and the days are only reaching highs in the mid-eighties.  Cindy is luxuriating in the cooler weather, insisting on spending her days outdoors in the backyard.  (In the heat of the summer she preferred her 'den' on the cool wood floor under the dining room table.)

As it is finally fall, I have started cooking accordingly.  Brussels Sprouts, Roast Chicken, Baked Squash, HOT SOUPS... hallelujah!  Recipes to come.  Just a little teaser to start your day!

Pan Fried Ruby Red Trout with Horseradish Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Believe it or not, this is like a 20 minute dinner.  I was craving mashed potatoes, and these really hit the spot.  They were great with the fish, but they are also killer with any kind of beef.  This is also an easy dinner because if you’re like me you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator (mustard, mayo, breadcrumbs, bacon, sour cream, honey etc.)

For the Fish...

1/2 lb ruby red trout (two filets), with skin

1 tablespoon dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Salt & Pepper

Grapeseed or another good neutral frying oil

Pat the filets dry with a paper towel and season them on both sides with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and mayo together.  Spread this mixture on both sides of the filet, then gently press the filets into the breadcrumbs to coat.  

In a hot hot skillet, add about two tablespoons of your oil.  Fry the fish for about 2 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  Serve with a wedge of fresh lemon.  

For the Mashed Potatoes...

1 lb. small new potatoes, skins on

2 tablespoons butter 

1/4-1/2 cup milk or cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon prepared creamy horseradish

Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Wash potatoes and place in boiling water, leaving the skins on.  Cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.  Drain potatoes and mash with milk/cream, butter, sour cream and horseradish.  Season to taste with S&P.  

For the Brussels Sprouts...

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

2-4 strips bacon

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Blanch brussels sprouts (I cooked mine in the same water that I cooked the potatoes in) and remove them from boiling water after about 20 seconds with a slotted spoon.  Transfer to an ice bath and drain when cool.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  

Chop the bacon into ‘lardons’.  In a large skillet, cook lardons until fat is rendered.  Remove lardons from skillet with a slotted spoon.  Add butter to the skillet (my bacon was quite lean, so I needed a bit of extra fat for frying.  If your bacon renders plenty of fat, feel free to skip the butter).  

Add brussels sprouts to hot skillet with bacon fat (and butter), and saute until they are lovely and browned and caramelized.  Remove from heat, drizzle honey over top, and stir the bacon lardons back in.  Season to taste with S&P.  

Spaghetti with Bitter Vegetables and Bacon

It has been tough cooking this week- between work and all of the celebrating I've had a hard time focusing on putting together meals. The other night I came home, rather uninspired, but then came up with this yum dish from the leftover ingredients from Tuesday's fall inspired meal.

Spaghetti with Bitter Vegetables and Bacon

• 1-2 Bacon Slices, rough chopped
• 1 Endive, sliced
• Raddicchio, sliced
• Fennel, sliced
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• Anchovy Paste (optional)
• Cumin
• S&P
• Parsley, chopped
• Parmesan, shredded

First I sauteed the bacon until just crisp, then added in the vegetables and garlic and sauteed until still quite crisp. When the pasta was very al dente, I added it to the pot with 3-4 ladles of pasta water and covered. I cooked over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the pasta was cooked through. Lastly, I tossed in a tsp of anchovy paste, dash of cumin, chopped parsley and a hefty handful of parmesan.

Sometimes the easiest meals are the best ones! And I loved being able to repurpose the same set of ingredients in a completely different dish.

Fall Inspired Meal

I'm a fiance! WHOOP! This exciting event, along with the Jets win, my 26th birthday and the beautiful cool weather brought me further into my "fall is totally my season" mood so I decided to make a fall inspired menu of roasted chicken legs with rustic cheddar mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables.

Apple Roasted Chicken with Rustic Cheddar Potatoes and Sauteed Bitter Vegetables

• 2 Chicken Legs, marinated in Delmonico's Spiced Apple Marinade
• Red Potatoes
• Milk
• Butter
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar
• Scallions, minced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, grated
• Fennel, sliced
• Endive, sliced
• Radicchio, sliced
• Red Onion, sliced
• Cider Vinegar
• Honey
• Cumin

After marinating the chicken for about an hour, I roasted it in a 450 degree oven for 45 minutes. When the chicken had about 15 minutes to go, I boiled and mashed the potatoes with the milk, butter, cheddar, garlic and scallions and kept warm. Lastly, I sauteed the fennel, endive, radicchio & red onion with about 2 tsp cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey honey and 1/4 tsp cumin. It's best to cook over high heat, covered, for about 6-8 minutes, tossing half way through to get a nice caramel on the veggies.

This was a delicious dinner! The bitter vegetables tasted especially great with the slightly acidic and sweet addition of the honey and vinegar along with the depth of flavor from the cumin.

Personal Pizzas: Radicchio Breakfast Pizza and Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Is there anything better then personal pizza? How about two! Mini-tortillas (5" or so) are the perfect thing to keep around for an easy weeknight pizza. I decided to make 2 versions- a Radicchio Breakfast Pizza and a Buffalo Chicken Pizza.

Radicchio Breakfast Pizza

• Radicchio, sliced
• Shallots, sliced
• 1 Piece Bacon, rough chopped and cooked
• Cheese of choice, shredded
• 1 Egg, remove apx 1/2 of egg white
• Cilantro & Parsley, rough chopped (optional)

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

• Buffalo Chicken, chopped
• Scallions, chopped
• Blue Cheese, crumbled
• Soy Sauce
• Celery, leaves and stalk chopped
• Shallots, sliced

I coated the tortillas with vegetable oil and broiled one side until brown and crisp. For the breakfast pizza I layered on the cheese, radicchio, shallots & bacon, mashed flat, then carefully placed the egg on top. It's definitely easier if you drain off a bit of the egg white. For the buffalo chicken pizza, I sprinkled the tortilla with the soy sauce then layered the remaining ingredients. These pizzas went under the broiler for about 60 seconds and dinner was served!

As you may know, I have a "thing" about putting soft fried eggs on top of dishes because there is nothing better then rich egg yolk dripping over...well practically anything! Eggs have lately been on my mind after watching an episode of Jamie at Home where he made a tasty egg-topped pizza...I just had to make one! This was a super yummy and satisfying 15 minute dinner. The best part is that you could use practically anything you have on hand and it is guaranteed to be great!

Paul's Raw Collards Salad (with Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Mac n' Cheese)

Thank you Paul, or perhaps more accurately THANK YOU MRS. THOMPSON for this dinner.  It is truly a winner.  

Our friend Paul made this exact dinner for us a year or so ago in Chicago, and I've been meaning to make it again (and again) ever since then.  I'm sure many of you are thinking "Raw collards!? Blech."  The vinegar in the apples softens the greens, and along with a bit of olive oil and some toasted nuts creates a bright, flavorful side dish.  I'm not into the whole raw-food-diet thing, but if you are this collard salad could be perfect for you (with a  few modifications).  I made a few modifications to Paul's recipe as my apples were a little mushy and I thought some pickled onion would fit right in with the greens and apples.  

Paul says they typically marinade their pork in a mixture of Alessi marinade and some Liquid Smoke.  I forgot both at the grocery store, so I used this recipe instead.  The pork tasted great and after a turn on the grill came out a gorgeous, charred molasses-brown color.  

Mac n' Cheese... do you know the drill by now? Make a roux with equal parts butter and flour, let toast a little then whisk in milk or cream, then cheese.  Season with mustard/hot sauce/S&P whatever you like!  Stir cooked pasta in with your cheese sauce and serve as-is or top with breadcrumbs/more cheese/butter and broil in the oven for a crispy browned finish.  I used goat cheese & parmigiano reggiano for my mac n' cheese-- it was what I had in my cheese drawer.   

Paul's Raw Collards Salad 

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch fresh collards, rinsed

2 red skinned apples (the firmer the better), diced

1/2 a small white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted walnuts (I used hazelnuts)

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pickling spices

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a sauce pan heat water and vinegar, and whisk in sugar until combined.  Add a big pinch of salt.  Place pickling spices in a tea-ball in the water/vinegar mixture.  Bring to a boil, then add diced apples and thinly sliced onion.  Bring to a boil, stir gently, then remove from heat.  After 3-4 minutes transfer apples/onions/pickling spices and about 1/2 of the liquid into another (heat-proof) container and refrigerate for several minutes.  

2) Meanwhile, cut the bigger ribs out of the collards and slice leaves into thin ribbons.  Place in a large salad bowl.  

3) Remove the apples/onions from the pickling liquid with a slotted spoon (they should be warm-room temp at this point) and add to the collards.  Drizzle about 1/4 cup olive oil on greens, add nuts and stir well.  If the greens look dry, add a little splash or two of the pickling liquid.  As the salad marinates, the collards will soften.  Season with salt if neccessary and let salad sit for 10-20 min before serving. 

My notes:  I didn't have a tea ball so I just left the pickling spices in the apple/onion/liquid mixture.  I didn't mind this, though if you get a bite of a big peppercorn it can be somewhat unpleasant.  

Chicken with Lemon and Capers

The boneless, skinless chicken breasts they sell now are SO gigantic they can definitely be split between two people, especially if those two people are R & myself, who need to cut down our food intake in general. Cutting the breasts in half and pounding them out makes them the perfect size for a lemon caper chicken or even breaded chicken cutlets.

Last night I made my version of Piquant Chicken with Lemon and Capers, but I didn't have wine so I substituted water and added random ingredients like mustard and anchovy paste. It was good, but would probably have been better if I had stuck to the recipe...lesson learned!

J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS!

Last night was the first Jet's game of the season, so R & I came up with a menu of fancified football fare. And even though the Jets lost (seriously?! 1 point?!) this dinner was definitely a winner.

Roasted Buffalo Chicken with Celery Slaw and Yucca Fries

Buffalo Chicken recipe courtesy of Food and Wine Magazine's Grace Parisi

• 1 pkg Skin-on Chicken Wings
• 1 pkg Skin-on Drumsticks
• 2 tbs Flour
• 1 tbs Old Bay
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs Butter, melted
• 2 1/2 tbs Franks Red Hot
• 2 tbs Worcestershire

Celery Slaw

• Celery, sliced - plus leaves, chopped
• Carrots, shredded
• Radicchio, thinly sliced
• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• Scallions, thinly sliced
• Pepperoncinis, minced
• Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing

• 1 Garlic Clove, mashed
• 1 tbs Mayo
• 1 tbs Mustard
• Dash Cider Vinegar
• Buttermilk
• Maytag Blue Cheese

*Combine first five ingredients, then stir in blue cheese

Start by preheating your oven to 500 degrees. While the oven preheats make your salad, cover with a wet paper towel and place in the fridge until you are ready to eat. At this time you can also make the salad dressing. I would recommend making a large quantity so that the buttermilk doesn't go to waste.

When your oven is preheated (apx 15 minutes) combine the flour, Old Bay and salt and toss with your chicken. Place the chicken a baking sheet (foiled & coated with vegetable oil) and cook in the oven for 45 minutes, turning halfway through, until browned and crispy. The yucca fries can be cooked at the same time as the chicken but only need about 15 minutes. Cut the fries julienne style, and coat in vegetable oil, paprika and salt. Layer on a baking sheet (foiled and coated with vegetable oil) and cook for 15 minutes, or until crispy. When the chicken is done remove from the oven and toss in the mixture of butter, Franks Red Hot and Worchestershire. When the fries are crispy, remove and toss in a brown paper bag with a sprinkling of salt.

The other day when I was watching Ina Garten she said of one of her recipes- "Do you ever cook something so good you just wonder...did I make that?" I felt that way about this meal. I've always been so fearful of making Buffalo chicken because I'm so particular about my Buffalo wings, but I couldn't believe how easy it was. The chicken was crisp but because it was bone-in, stayed really moist. The sauce was just enough to dress the chicken without totally overwhelming it. The celery slaw was the perfect accompaniment- crisp and refreshing, and helped to cool the hotness of the chicken. The yucca fries were delicious and even my "I only eat regular fries" boyfriend, loved them. I will definitely make this for my next football event as it required such little preparation, allowing me to hang out and watch the game!

Side note- this dinner cost about $20 to make...

Grilled Sockeye Salmon, Fresh Corn Polenta and Spinach

While the rest of Austin was wearing burnt orange and celebrating the first UT game of the season, Trevor and I were home enjoying this simple Saturday night dinner.  I made Jacque's Fresh Corn Polenta with the savory addition of a fluffy grated pile of parmigiano reggiano.  Trevor grilled the salmon, seasoned simply with S&P, and when it came off the grill I topped it with a pat of butter, fresh chopped tarragon and chives, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  The spinach was sauteed in olive oil with shallots, S&P and nutmeg.  Nothing better than a simple, healthy meal that takes 15 minutes to throw together.  Except maybe getting married at a UT Tailgate.  

Family Dinner: Sauvignon Blanc-Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toast, Nicoise Salad

With our younger sister Whitney back in the city (yay!) I am re-instituting family dinner. Yesterday I picked up fresh mussels and vegetables from the farmers market for a delicious and easy dinner of Sauvignon Blanc-Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toast and Nicoise Salad.

Sauvignon Blanc-Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toast

Recipe courtesy of Grace Parisi, Food and Wine Magazine

• 4 lbs Mussels
• 1/4 c. Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Shallot, minced
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c. Dry Sauvignon Blanc
• 4 tbs Unsalted Butter
• Parsley, finely chopped
• Thick Crust Bread, Olive Oil, Garlic

Nicoise Salad

• Red Potatoes, boiled and cut into bite sized pieces
• Green Beans, quick boiled
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Anchovies
• Capers
• Romaine
• Nicoise or Kalamata Olives
• Dressing: Mustard, Cumin, S&P, Vinegar, Olive Oil, Minced Parsley

First I made my salad by boiling the beans, potatoes and eggs and allowing to cool to room temperature. You can serve this salad hot but making it ahead of time is much easier. I plated the vegetables and remaining ingredients on a bed of romaine lettuce and set aside until we were ready to eat.

Next, I added the olive oil, garlic, shallot and salt and pepper to a large pot over medium-low heat. I cooked for 3-4 minutes or until the garlic was slightly browned and tossed in the mussels. My mussels were already clean so I just gave them a quick rinse and tossed any open ones, because it means they are dead. If you aren't sure if it's alive or dead, tap on the shell with your nail- if it closes up, its still good to eat!

After adding the mussels and tossing for 1 minute, I added in the wine and covered tightly, allowing to steam for 5 minutes or until the mussels opened. Using a slotted spoon, I removed the mussels to a serving dish. I added the butter and parsley to the liquid and stirred until combined. Be sure to taste test to ensure the levels of salt and pepper are right, then pour over the liquid over the mussels and serve.

For the garlic toast, toast bread brushed with olive oil then rub a raw garlic clove on the toast. So simple and so delicious!

This was such an easy and yummy meal! This would be a great thing to serve for a dinner party because there is really no maintenance needed. All of your prep can be done in advance then you only need to spend 10 minutes cooking the mussels. I also love this dinner for company because it forces you to slow down, relax and interact with your food and friends! The broth was delicious and I probably could have dunked a whole loaf of bread in it. The salad was a surprise star due to the fresh and local ingredients. The only thing that would make this dinner better is if Caitlin were there and we can't wait for her special guest appearance!

Roast Chicken, Collards n' Bacon

Happy Labor Day Weekend!  There are hints of fall here in Austin.  The leaves are falling from the trees and it was a cool 80 degrees tonight when we went to walk the dog.  I'm in the mood for comfort food, perhaps knowing that bikini season is coming to an end. 

I took my 2.5 lb chicken, rinsed it, patted it dry with paper towels, and trimmed off some of the excess skin/fat.  I then rubbed the whole thing with soft butter (inside and out) and seasoned it well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (again, inside and out).   My cast iron skillet had been preheating along with the 400 oven, so when the oven was at temp I simply removed the hot skillet, placed my bird inside, and put it back in the oven.  A few bastes here and there and my chicken was juicy, golden brown, and done after about an hour.  

My side dish was inspired by a recent side dish I had a the Hyde Park Grill in our neighborhood.  They offer 'Wok Seared Collard Greens with Bacon", which I ordered the other night.  They were... good... but tasted more like cooking oil than anything else.  I decided to do a version of collard greens with a little more kick in the form of cider vinegar, onion and red pepper flakes. The recipe was partially derived from a raw collard salad that our friend Paul has made for us and wow- it's good!  I can't imagine what a collard green would taste like after being cooked for two hours, when this version cooks for about 10 minutes and tastes just divine.   

Caitlin's Collards with Bacon
Serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil (grapeseed)
5-6 strips bacon, cut into 1 in. cubes/lardons
1 large bunch collard greens, about 4 pounds
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 large pinch red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1) Rinse collards well and cut into 1 inch ribbons, discarding as much of spine as possible.  

2) Heat skillet and add oil.  When oil is just smoking, add bacon, onions and red pepper flakes.  Saute over medium-high heat until fragrant and bacon is cooked through.  

3) Turn heat up to high and add collards in two batches, being sure to stir and blend with the bacon and onions.  Sear collards as well as you can, adding vinegar, salt and pepper towards the end of cooking.  Serve immediately.

Lemony Herb Bulgur Salad with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes, Chicken in Garlicky Crumbs

While the end of summer may seem to be an odd time to start a health kick, I am embarking on one for the next month. With R and I approaching our post, post-college years, it's time for us to get healthy! September is the perfect month to focus on improving ourselves for a number of reasons including....my 26th birthday falls mid month, September signals the start of my favorite season, and it is the first month in awhile where I have limited to no work travel....hurray!

This week I'm focusing on healthy dinner salads and after a bit of internet searching, I was inspired by this and that to make the below dinner.

Lemony Herb Bulgur Salad with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes, topped with Chicken in Garlicky Crumbs

• 1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Bread Crumbs
• 2 Garlic Cloves, mashed into a paste
• 1 tbs Anchovy Paste
• Fresh Parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup Bulgur Wheat, cooked according to package directions
• Spinach, rough chopped
• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• Fresh Basil, Parsley & Cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 tbs Spicy Dijon Mustard
• Cumin
• S&P
• Olive Oil

First I cooked the bulgur according to the package directions, basically 1:2 bulgur:water ratio and cook as you would rice, for 12-15 minutes. While the bulgur cooked, I combined the bread crumbs, garlic cloves, anchovy paste, parsley and S&P with a dash of olive oil. I packed this onto the patted dry chicken breast. Because it wasn't sticking well to the chicken breast, I wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and popped in the fridge to set.

When the bulgur was done cooking and still warm, I tossed with the spinach to help it wilt. I let this mix come to room temperature before tossing in the red onion, cherry tomatoes and a mix of the fresh herbs, lemon juice, mustard, cumin & olive oil.

Lastly I pan cooked the chicken breast, covered on low-med heat, for approximately 10 minutes/side. After the chicken had rested, I sliced and served alongside the salad.

I was a little hesitant about trying bulgur for the first time, but was pleasantly suprised by the great nutty flavor and texture it added to the meal. The bread crumbs on the chicken were also superb! If you think that this is too alternative of a dinner for you, please reconsider as even my meat & potato eating boyfriend was wowed!