Category: RECIPES

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS inspired by and adapted from Darryl’s Corner Bar in Boston
Easy to prepare with a strong molasses flavor yet superbly sophisticated and unforgettably delicious, while the braising of the lamb shanks mellows out the complex flavors and will win you many praises at the dinner table!

4-6 large lamb shanks or shoulder
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 shallots, THINLY sliced
2 large carrots, FINELY diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup dry red wine
1 cup HOMEMADE or QUALITY beef broth
2 cups HOMEMADE or QUALITY chicken broth plus more as needed to keep lamb shanks immersed
1 LARGE sprig FRESH rosemary
6 sprigs FRESH thyme
3 FRESH bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground Porcini mushrooms** (OPTIONAL)
8 ounce can plain tomato sauce
1/3 cup QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons QUALITY tomato paste
1 packed heaping tablespoon brown sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and trim-color pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
zest of one LARGE orange, plus juice
1/4 cup chopped FRESH parsley
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced

  • Tie the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaves together with some twine OR place in a cheesecloth bag. The cheesecloth bag is my favorite way to make it easy to fish out at the end.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°.
  • Season lamb shanks with FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy oven-proof pot. I like to use my enameled cast iron crock pot
  • Generously brown the lamb shanks on all sides and transfer to a plate. 
  • Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.
  • Saute the onions, shallots, carrots, celery and garlic until softened, 6-8 minutes.
  • Stir in the ground Porcini mushrooms if using.
  • Add the red wine and orange juice, bring to a boil, and de-glaze pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Boil for 2 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except for the butter and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil.
  • Return meat to pan.
  • Cover with the lid and place the hot pot on the lowest rack in the preheated oven.
  • Bake for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the meat is very tender, turning the lamb shanks over halfway through. 
  • Remove the cover during the last 30 minutes of cooking until the lamb shanks are nicely browned on top. 
  • Remove the herbs and bay leaves.
  • Skim from surface of cooking liquid.
  • Bring braising liquid to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
  • Return lamb to pan; cook for 2 minutes.


  • Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate tented with foil and place in the warm oven with the oven door open. 
  • Place the pot on the stove top.  If needed use a slotted spoon to remove any herb sprigs/leaves.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. 
  • Simmer until thickened. 
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes with some gravy spooned over top.



NOTE:

  • **STRONGLY recommended for the BEST flavor (use a spice/coffee grinder, blender, or pound to grind them in a ziplock bag)
  • Alternatively, to speed up the thickening time, you can dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water and then stir the slurry into the gravy.  Bring it to a simmer and stir for a couple of minutes until thickened.



BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS

BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS serves 4

1 pound QUALITY Ground Beef
9 ounces QUALITY bacon extra crispy, rough chopped
1½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
⅓ cup QUALITY ketchup
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 LARGE egg
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
  • Form into tablespoon size balls and place an inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes.
  • Serve with Special Sauce or your favorite burger condiment.

SPECIAL SAUCE
1 cup Dukes mayonnaise
⅓ cup QUALITY ketchup
¼ cup dill pickles, minced

  • Combine all ingredients together in mixing bowl.
  • Transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.

MAGIC LEMON COBBLER

MAGIC LEMON (insert favorite flavor here) COBBLER

Magic Cobbler is so fun and super easy to make. A tender buttermilk cobbler with sweet and tart lemon pie filling–this dessert is so fresh and perfect with a big dollop of ice cream or whipped cream. 

½ cup 1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
21 ounce can lemon (or flavor of choice) pie filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Place the stick of butter in a 9×9-inch square baking dish and place it in the oven to melt for 5 minutes until fully melted.
  • Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
  • Pour in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and whisk just until combined.
  • Pour the batter evenly over the COOLED melted butter in the pan (do not stir).
  • Spoon the pie filling over the batter. If the butter is too hot it will bake the edges too fast and create a chewy edge!
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes until the edges of the cobbler are golden brown and the center is set.
  • Cool slightly before serving.


INDIVIDUAL STUFFED MEATBALL PIES

INDIVIDUAL STUFFED MEATBALL PIES serves 4 adapted from TASTY
1/2 pound pizza dough, divided
1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
FRESH ground sea salt and trim-colored pepper
1 1/2 cups tomato puree
1/2 tablespoon FRESH chopped basil
1/2 tablespoon FRESH chopped oregano
6 ounces tomato paste
1/2 pound mozzarella slices
1 pound SMALL meatballs
1 cup caramelized onions
1 cup bell peppers (red, green and yellow), chopped and sauteed
Parmesan, to serve

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Cut pizza dough in half and roll out 4 medium discs of dough.
  • Spray the inside of 4 small springform pans with cooking spray and lay in one of the dough discs.
  • Press the dough into the corners.
  • Lightly rub the dough with avocado oil, some of the minced garlic, salt and pepper on the dough and brush to cover the surface.
  • Air the bottom of the dough with a fork.
  • Bake until the dough is cooked and lightly golden brown, 10-15 minutes.
  • Mix together the tomato puree, basil, the remainder of minced garlic, oregano and tomato paste in a bowl.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Into the partially cooked bottom layer of pizza dough, shingle a layer of mozzarella slices and then a layer of the homemade marinara sauce.
  • Spiral the meatballs in the dish as tightly as possible. Cover with more marinara sauce.
  • Add a layer of caramelized onions, and more sliced mozzarella.
  • Add the peppers on top of the mozzarella.
  • Cut the second piece of dough into strips to form into a lattice pattern on top of the pie.
  • Brush with more of the oil, FINELY minced garlic, and kosher salt.
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until the dough on top is browned and the sauce, meatballs, and cheese are heated through.
  • Plate the pies, serve with extra marinara sauce and grated Parmesan.
  • Enjoy!

EPIPHANY – KING CAKE for MARDI GRAS

Mardi Gras 2022 falls on Tuesday, March 1st this year and is also known as Fat Tuesday, the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Fat Tuesday is EXACTLY what it sounds like – time to party and EAT! 
Carnival runs from Epiphany, the 12th night, January 6 through March 1, 2022 so I thought this would be a good time to re-run this recipe for Mardis Gras King Cake.  I threw in some history for you also since King Cake isn’t just for Mardi Gras though that is what it is most famous for these days.
I often make this cake without the Mardi Gras colors, but using traditional Christmas colors.

A king cake (sometimes rendered as kingcake, kings’ cake, king’s cake, or three kings cake) is a type of cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas season in a number of countries, and in other places with Mardi Gras and Carnival.

The “king cake” takes its name from the biblical three kings. Catholic tradition states that their journey to Bethlehem took twelve days (the Twelve Days of Christmas), and that they arrived to honor the Christ Child on Epiphany. The season for king cake extends from the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Twelfth Night and Epiphany Day), through to Mardi Gras day. Some organizations or groups of friends may have “king cake parties” every week through the Carnival season.

Related culinary traditions are the tortell of Catalonia, the gâteau des Rois in Provence or the galette des Rois in the northern half of France, and the Greek and Cypriot vasilopita. The galette des Rois is made with puff pastry and frangipane (while the gâteau des Rois is made with brioche and candied fruits). A little bean was traditionally hidden in it, a custom taken from the Saturnalia in the Roman Empire: the one who stumbled upon the bean was called “king of the feast.” In the galette des Rois, since 1870 the beans have been replaced first by porcelain and, now by plastic figurines; while the gâteau des Rois Also known as “Rosca de Reyes” in Mexico.

In the southern United States, the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain and it is associated with Carnival, which is celebrated in the Gulf Coast region, centered on New Orleans, but ranging from the Florida Panhandle to East Texas. King cake parties in New Orleans are documented back to the eighteenth century. The king cake of the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted bread similar to that used in brioche topped with icing or sugar, usually colored purple, green, and gold (the traditional Carnival colors) with food coloring. Cajun king cakes are traditionally deep-fat-fried as a doughnut would be, and there are many variants, some with a filling, the most common being cream cheese and praline. It has become customary in the New Orleans culture that whoever finds the trinket must provide the next king cake or host the next Mardi Gras party.

Some say that French settlers brought the custom to Louisiana in the 18th century where it remained associated with the Epiphany until the 19th century when it became a more elaborate Mardi Gras custom. In New Orleans, the first cake of the season is served on January 6. A small ceramic figurine of a baby is hidden inside the cake, by tradition. However now, the tradition is giving way to the baby being supplied and the customer placing the baby were ever they wish in the cake. Whoever finds the baby is allowed to choose a mock court and host the next King Cake party the following week (weekly cake parties were held until Mardi Gras).

The classic king cake is oval-shaped, like the pattern of a racetrack. The dough is basic coffee-cake dough, sometimes laced with cinnamon, sometimes just plain. The dough is rolled out into a long tubular shape (not unlike a thin po-boy), then shaped into an oval. The ends are twisted together to complete the shape  (HINT: if you want to find the piece with the baby, look for the twist in the oval where the two ends of the dough meet. That’s where the baby is usually inserted.) The baby hidden in the cake speaks to the fact that the three Kings had a difficult time finding the Christ Child and of the fine gifts they brought.

The cake is then baked, and decorated when it comes out. The classic decoration is simple granulated sugar, colored purple, green, and gold for the colors of Carnival. King cakes have gotten more and more fancy over the years, so now bakeries offer iced versions where there’s classic white coffee cake glaze on the cake before it’s decorated, and even king cakes filled with apple, cherry, cream cheese, or other kinds of coffee-cake fillings.

King cakes are available at bakeries all over South Louisiana, but only after January 6 through Mardi Gras Day.

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which starts on Ash Wednesday. Popular practices also include wearing masks and costumes, overturning most social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades and such. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition. In English, the day is called Shrove Tuesday, associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins.

This is my version of this yummy yeast bread/cake.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE (makes 2 cakes)

PASTRY
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup melted butter

FROSTING/GLAZE
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon water

  • Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the butter.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • When yeast mixture is bubbly, add the cooled milk mixture.
  • Whisk in the eggs.
  • Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg.
  • Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.
  • Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
  • When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with SILPATS or parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins.
  • Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
  • Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches).
  • Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side.
  • Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings.
  • Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet.
  • With sharp knife make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  • Push the doll into the bottom of the cake.
  • Decorate with beads.
  • Frost while warm with the glaze.

CIDER GLAZED ANCHO CHILI RUBBED BABY BACK RIBS

SLOW BAKED is the key to this flavorful, tender, falling off the bone recipe.

CIDER GLAZED ANCHO CHILI RUBBED BABY BACK RIBS

Prep Time: 15 minutes         Cook Time: 3 hours 26 minutes

RIBS
2-3 pounds baby back ribs, patted dry
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Preheat the oven to 275°.
  • Line large baking sheet with 2 layers of heavy duty foil. I line it in both directions.
  • Remove the fat membrane from the ribs.

RUB
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder, optional we eliminate this since I’m deathly allergic
½ teaspoon onion powder

  • Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 2 teaspoons.
  • Season the ribs all over generously with salt and pepper, then rub with the remaining spice rub.

  • Place the ribs on the baking sheet.
  • Cover with foil and bake until cooked through and JUST until the meat starts to fall from the bones, 2 ½ to 3 hours.

GLAZE
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar


  • Whisk together the cider, sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, reserved spice rub and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened and reduced by half.
  • Pour into a bowl.

  • Remove the ribs from the oven and carefully uncover.
  • Carefully brush the ribs all over with the glaze.
  • You can do this next step one of two ways. A) Broil, turning once or twice with tongs, until the sauce begins to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). OR B) return the rack uncovered to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. This second method is actually our favorite way.
  • Let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Cut in-between the bones, brush the meat with some of the glaze that fell onto the sheet pan, and serve.


GRANNY’S HAM & TATER SOUP

GRANNY’S TATER HAM & TATER SOUP
6 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 leek, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped small
1 stalk celery, chopped small
1 ham steak, fat trimmed and diced
5 cups HOMEMADE chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped FRESH Italian leaf parsley
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/3 cup butter
12 ounce can evaporated milk

  • Melt butter in large saute or stock pot.
  • Add carrots, shallots, leeks, potatoes and celery, sauteing 3-4 minutes.
  • Add chicken stock and parsley.
  • Season with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add stock and simmer until potatoes are tender.
  • Add ham pieces and evaporated milk.
  • Season to taste and simmer 10-15 minutes more.

NOTE: This recipe is also delicious and gives you a smoother texture if you mash or slightly puree the vegetables before adding the ham pieces.

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

Mac & Cheese is ALWAYS a favorite in MOST households! This one is a simple version that is quick to make and in the right dish looks elegant enough for company.

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

PASTA
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
1 pound elbow macaroni with ridges 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
  • Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan.
  • Add the salt and macaroni.
  • Bring the water back to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain WELL.

CHEESE SAUCE
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 shallot, diced
4 tablespoons WONDRA flour 
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
2 cups WHOLE milk 
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar (or mix with some Jack cheese if you prefer, but we like the strong sharp)

  • Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan.
  • Add shallot, sautéing until soft and translucent.
    Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until the roux bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes.
  • Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and then whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk followed by the vinegar.
  • Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
  • Add the cheese and stir until it melts.
  • Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.

TOPPING
heaping 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted 

  • In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the butter until the crumbs are moistened.
  • Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs.
  • Bake until the dish bubbles around the edges, about 15 minutes.

CRANBERRY BLISS BARS ~ COPY CAT RECIPE

CRANBERRY BLISS BARS ~ STARBUCKS COPY CAT RECIPE

I LOVE these bars, but you can only get them once a year at the holidays so a copy cat recipe was a necessity! Not to mention Starbucks charges almost as much for one bar as I can make a WHOLE batch. These taste just like Starbucks in my opinion!

BLONDIE COOKIE BAR LAYER
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups PACKED brown sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 teaspoon PURE orange extract
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch QUALITY cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup white chocolate chips, chopped
3/4 cup Craisins, chopped

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper (which makes it easy to lift out of the pan) or spray generously with non-stick baking spray.
  • Add melted butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed.
  • Add in eggs, orange extract, vanilla extract beating until mixed well.
  • Add in ground ginger, baking powder, salt and flour, beating JUST until blended. DO NOT OVER MIX!
  • Fold in white chocolate chips and Craisins by hand.
  • Spread evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.
  • Bake 18-22 minutes until set and golden brown at the edges. DO NOT OVER BAKE or your bars will be hard as rocks.
  • Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
  • Allow bars to cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

FROSTING/TOPPING
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon PURE orange extract
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/3 cup Craisins, chopped SMALL
6 ounces white chocolate, melted

  • Beat cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Add orange extract and vanilla extract mixing well. If too thin, add remaining powdered sugar.
  • Top cooled bars with frosting.
  • Sprinkle with chopped Craisins and drizzle the white chocolate almond bark over the top.
  • Cut into triangles or squares.  I recommend chilling them for at least an hour before serving and keeping them in an airtight container chilled to store.
  • Enjoy!

NOTES:

  • This recipe works as a gluten free bar really well. Swap out the all purpose flour for Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.
  • They freeze REALLY well! Be sure to thaw overnight before serving.

LEFTOVER PRIME RIB BEEF STROGANOFF

At the price of meat these days I am trying to use every single little piece and let nothing go to waste! So far our Christmas dinner Prime Rib has also become Prime Rib quesadillas, prime rib barley soup, prime rib beef stroganoff, Prime Rib dip sandwiches and prime rib hash. And the Christmas eve turkey breast also became hot turkey sandwiches, cold turkey sandwiches and turkey tetrazinni.

LEFTOVER PRIME RIB BEEF STROGANOFF serves 4
Prep 5 minutes Cooking 15 minutes Total Time 20 minutes

1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 SMALL shallot, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon WONDRA flour
½ teaspoon FRESH chopped tarragon
½ teaspoon dried ground sage
½ teaspoon FRESH chopped thyme
FRESH ground salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup Beech Mushrooms stemmed, sliced small
3/4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon QUALITY Worcestershire sauce
½ tablespoon Dijon Mustard (OPTIONAL)
1/2 cup leftover prime rib roast, sliced into 2 inch strips
1/8 cup sour cream
4 ounces egg noodles, prepared per package
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped parsley or chives (OPTIONAL)

  • Heat the over medium high heat deep skillet.
  • Add minced shallot and garlic and cooking for 1 minute to start sweating the shallot.
  • Add butter and melt with the shallot and garlic.

  • Sprinkle flour over the shallot and garlic until all of the flour is absorbed.
  • Add seasoning tarragon, ground sage, thyme mushrooms and salt & pepper to taste stirring to combine.
  • Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard if using, blending the flavors.
Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer (reducing heat as necessary to maintain a low simmer) for about 10 minutes. Gravy should thicken while simmering.

  • Once gravy has simmered and reduced, slightly thickening, add the sliced prime rib pieces, stirring to coat.
  • Cook an additional 2-3 minutes to heat the meat through completely.
  • Remove from heat and fold in sour cream.
  • Serve immediately over cooked pasta, rice, or potatoes.
  • Top with chopped parsley or chives for garnish.

CHARCUTERIE BOARDS

The greatest meal on a busy holiday eve is a charcuterie board to graze on while you work. 😃

This time of year can be stressful and super busy (normally pre-pandemic) so to make things easier we have gone to making charcuterie boards on the “eve” nights of holidays. The word charcuterie sounds a bit intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Charcuterie Boards are suddenly all the rage, but the culinary art of preparing charcuterie boards dates back to the 15th century. The person who prepares the charcuterie board is a charcutier which literally means “Pork Butcher” in French. The original process/meaning was intended as a way to preserve meat before the invention of refrigeration, especially pork products.

The revived comeback of the charcuterie board brings it front and center to our tables and has been born out of the necessity of our busy lives as well as our love for farm to table and deli style meals that are also quick and easy.

Since the original meaning dealt with preserved meats, adding fermented, farm to table, home canned and prepared foods just falls into place along side the meats.

One of the best things about serving a charcuterie board at your own party is that there are NO RULES! It’s yours for the making – make it as simple or as sophisticated as YOU like. One of the greatest aspects of a charcuterie board is that you can mix it all up to fit EVERYONE’S taste.

You can make these as simple or as sophisticated as YOU like. For us it is ALL about favorites and yummy satisfying and filling “bites” of food. Below is a list of some suggestions for building your own charcuterie board for your next party.

Next year I’m going to do a “DESSERT” charcuterie board for a girlfriends party instead of a cookie exchange.

  • Breads & Crackers – Crostini with toppings, Artisan Breads, Crackers, Fruitcake
  • Spreads – Jams, Chutneys, Dips, Flavored Mustards, Sauces, Dressings, Flavored Honeys, Flavored Horseradishes
  • Fermented/Pickled – Stuffed Olives, Pickles, Green Olives, Giardiniera, Peperoncinis, Pickled Carrots, Baby Corn
  • Cheeses – Cheddar, Havarti, Brie, Baby Swiss, Gouda, Pimiento Cheese, Manchego, Bleu Cheese
  • Meats – Salami, Roast Beef, Pancetta, Prosciutto, Pepperoni, Ham
  • Nuts & Seeds – Pistachios, Walnuts, Pecans, Macadamias, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Chocolate covered raisins
  • Dried fruits – Dates, Prunes, Apricots, Golden Raisins
  • Fresh fruits – Grapes, Oranges, Berries, Apple slices, Pears, Grape tomatoes, Kiwi, Starfruit
  • Decorations – sprigs of Rosemary, Thyme or Basil

 

BEEF (PRIME RIB) BARLEY SOUP

Snowy and cold this winter? It is here! Warm up with a hearty bowl of this beef barley soup using your leftover Christmas prime rib. These tender bits of prime rib with the hearty barley, pair perfectly with a traditional mirepoix of vegetables for one SUPER delicious bowl of soup. If you don’t have any left over prime rib, it’s just as good substituting steak tips, stew meat or even browned ground beef!

I made up this recipe when I got my Christmas wish and we got snow for Christmas (and then some). I was originally going to try and do some after Christmas shopping, but decided to make soup instead. We did splurge on our traditional prime rib for Christmas day and the butcher did cut it much smaller for me and yet we still had leftovers! And even more leftovers. So at the price of beef this year I am determined to find multiple ways to use every piece with no waste.

The butcher always cuts the bones off for me and then ties them back on so I save the bones for soup later in the spring, but this year I’m even adding the fat pieces to the bone bag to be boiled down for some tasty broth 😀

BEEF (PRIME RIB) BARLEY SOUP

Prep Time 15-20 minutes    Cook Time 1 hour    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

1/2 stick salted butter
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced red onion or shallot
1 LARGE clove garlic, minced
4-6 cups homemade beef broth (depending on your desired thickness)
4 cups SMALL chopped prime rib
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup barley

  • Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Add the celery, carrots, and onion, cooking 5-6 minutes, until softened and starting to brown.
  • Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add in beef broth, prime rib, Worcestershire sauce, liquid aminos and barley.
  • Simmer 45 minutes or so over medium heat until the barley is tender.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Serve with some nice sourdough or crusty bread.