PAN SEARED CHICKEN with LEMON and CHIVE SAUCE

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with LEMON and CHIVE SAUCE
CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless thin sliced chicken breast steaks
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup +1 tablespoon WONDRA flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 shallot minced
1 tablespoon WONDRA flour
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
1 tablespoon FRESH minced chives
1 tablespoon COLD unsalted butter

  • Generously season chicken steaks with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil and butter in skillet over medium heat.
  • Dredge chicken in beaten egg and the 1/4 cup flour, shaking off excess.
  • Sear chicken breasts in skillet for 2 minutes per side.
  • Remove chicken steaks to plate and keep warm.
  • Add shallot and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes until softened.
  • Add the 1 tablespoon of flour and cornstarch, stirring to coat shallot 30 seconds or so.
  • Slowly whisk in broth and bring to a simmer 5-10 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice, chives and butter.
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve over chicken.

BUTTER BRAISED PORK ROAST ala SLOW COOKER

BUTTER BRAISED PORK ROAST ala SLOW COOKER
3-4 pound pork loin
1 bunch green onions, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
4-5 FRESH sprigs of thyme leaves
1 cube KNORR cilantro
1 cube KNORR chipotle
1 cube KNORR garlic
1 tablespoon MONTANA MEX sweet seasoning blend
1 Pinch red pepper flakes
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup butter, divided

  • Blot pork roast dry and generously season with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.
  • Sear all sides of roast 1-2 minutes.
  • Place roast in slow cooker.
  • Wipe out skillet of excess oil.
  • Melt butter in skillet.
  • Whisk in seasonings and thyme leaves.
  • Add onions, sautéing a minute.
  • Add garlic and sauté another minute.
  • Pour over pork roast.
  • Cook on LOW 5 hours.
  • Move pork roast to a plate to rest and cover with foil.

GRAVY
stock from slow cooker
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon better than bouillon chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon WONDRA flour

  • Melt butter in saucepan.
  • Whisk in cornstarch and flour.
  • Add chicken stock and whisk until smooth.
  • Add renderings from the slow cooker and whisk until smooth and thickened.
  • Adjust seasoning and serve over mashed potatoes with gravy.

BALSAMIC GLAZE for FRUIT

One of my favorite summer treats is juicy red ripe watermelon and sweet navel oranges drizzled with a thick and sweet balsamic glaze with a bit of Cotija cheese (Mexican Parmesan) sprinkled on top.  You can use ANY balsamic vinegar, but I like to use flavor infused (pear or coconut pineapple are my favorites) for a bit of extra flavor.

BALSAMIC GLAZE for fruit
1 3/4 cups QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar

  • In a small saucepan bring balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, whisking often,  until reduced by half.
  • Whisk in sugar and bring back to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, whisking often, until glaze coats the back of a spoon.
  • Cool before pouring into squeeze bottle or cruet. Will keep in refrigerator 2 months or so.

BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD with BACON VINAIGRETTE

BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD with BACON VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 teaspoon sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 shallot, halved and sliced thin
8 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, roots trimmed, halved and sliced thin
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

  • Whisk together vinegars, liquid aminos, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Add shallot slices and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Microwave for 1 minute until steaming.
  • Stir making sure shallot are submerged.
  • Recover and let cool 15 minutes.

 

  • While vinegar mixture is cooling cook bacon until rendered and crisp.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in shallot mixture, stirring well.
  • Add Brussels sprouts, red cabbage and green onions, tossing and cooking 2 minutes until well coated.
  • Transfer to a large salad bowl and sprinkle with cheese and almonds, gently tossing again.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.

STUFFED SHELLS

STUFFED SHELLS
24 JUMBO pasta shells
2 CUPS shredded Mozzarella cheese

BALSMELLA (Italian Bechamel)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup WONDRA flour
2 1/4 cups WHOLE milk
1/2-1 teaspoon FRESH grated nutmeg
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste

  • Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
  • Whisk in flour cooking 2 minutes until golden.
  • Whisk in milk and nutmeg, bringing to a simmer.
  • Reduce heat and cook, whisking periodically for 10 minutes until thick.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper.

STUFFING
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 SMALL onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup QUALITY DRY sherry

  • Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add onions, cooking 3-4 minutes until softened.
  • Add garlic, cooking until fragrant.
  • Add ground beef and pork, cooking until browned, breaking up meat pieces into fine.
  • Drain off excess grease.
  • Stir in sherry and cook 5-6 minutes until nearly evaporated.
  • Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Stir in Balsamella sauce.

TOMATO SAUCE
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 small red onion, chopped
24 ounce can whole tomatoes
1 KNORR beef gel packet
3/4 cup moscato white wine
Juice from 1 lemon
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced into a paste
3 tablespoons Classico sundried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground red pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

  • Heat avocado oil in a large saute’ pan over medium high heat.
  • Add onions and garlic sauteeing until tender.
  • Whisk together the beef gel, wine, pesto and juice from the tomatoes.
  • Add seasonings, blending well.
  • Add tomatoes and gently crush.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.

ASSEMBLY

  • Spread 3 cups of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish.
  • Spoon meat mixture evenly into shells, arranging shells on top of red sauce in baking dish.
  • Cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove foil and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake another 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.
  • Let rest 5 minutes.
  • Garnish and serve with remaining tomato sauce.

NOTES:

  • I like to cook the shells the day before, chilling in the refrigerator over night so they are pliable and easy to work with the next day.
  • A potato masher helps to make a finely minced meat.
  • If you have any extra meat mixture I either sprinkle it over the shells or freeze to use later in a lasagna.

PINEAPPLE STRAWBERRY SALSA

PINEAPPLE STRAWBERRY SALSA
1 pineapple, sliced, grilled and chopped
1/2 cup small diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
2 quarts strawberries, cleaned and chopped

  • Toss everything in a salad bowl.
  • Chill several hours before serving.

PORK CHOPS in TOMATO GRAVY

PORK CHOPS in TOMATO GRAVY
4 bone-in pork chops
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 onion, diced small
1 celery rib, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 tablespoon QUALITY tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon FRESH minced thyme leaves

  • Combine paprika, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper until well mixed.
  • Pat pork chops dry.
  • Rub chops on both sides with spice mixture.
  • Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon to drain on paper toweling
  • Add chops to bacon grease and sear 4-5 minutes.
  • Transfer chops to a plate browned side up.
  • Add onion, celery and garlic to pan, sauteing until softened.
  • Add flour and tomato paste, stirring and cooking until well mixed.
  • Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, thyme and bacon pieces.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Lower to a simmer, return chops to pan browned side up and simmer 8-10 minutes until chops register 145°.
  • Transfer chops to rest on a platter and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes.
  • Season gravy to taste and keep warm.
  • Serves over prepared pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.

EGGS BENEDICT with LEMONY HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Eggs Benedict is one of my all time favorite special breakfasts. I am not a Canadian bacon fan though and much prefer a tavern style ham or better yet leftover Easter ham :D. And the English muffin has to be crispy, but not too crispy so it soaks up the Hollandaise sauce!  This is also a recipe I try to make in conjunction with white cake so nothing goes to waste since one uses egg whites and the other egg yolks.

Eggs Benedict is a multi-taskers recipe and requires more prep work than anything!  Using super FRESH eggs also makes it better!

Despite the name sounding Dutch,  Hollandaise  sauce began in France and was originally known as Sauce Isigny, after a town in Normandy famous for its butter and cream. Hollandaise is one of the five mother sauces in French cuisine. Sauce Isigny is also still listed in French reference books.  Ironically though according to Wikipedia the sauce can actually be traced back to the middle ages crediting it’s origins to 1651 in La Varenne’s Le Cuisinier François for “asparagus with fragrant sauce”.

EGGS BENEDICT with LEMONY HOLLANDAISE SAUCE serves 2

2 English muffins
4 LARGE, FRESH eggs
4 slices tavern ham, warmed

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
4 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks
Juice of 1 SMALL lemon – 1 tablespoon TART lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon Frank’s original hot sauce
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
  • In a separate small bowl, beat the egg yolks.
  • Mix in lemon juice, whipping cream, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
  • Temper the egg mixture by adding a small spoonful of the hot melted butter to the egg mixture and stirring well. Repeating this process a spoonful at a time to slowly combine without curdling the sauce.
  • Once the butter has been completely incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan, cooking on LOW heat, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.

EGGS

2 tablespoons vinegar – I like to use apple cider vinegar to add a bit of tang to the egg.

  • Fill a medium size pot with about 3 inches of water and bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer.
  • Add vinegar (the vinegar helps the egg stay together all in one place)
  • Crack each egg into a separate ramekin.
  • GENTLY pour each egg into the water in separate areas.
  • Cook the egg in simmering water for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft you want your egg yolk.
  • GENTLY Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.

ASSEMBLY

  • Toast the English muffin and LIGHTLY butter.
  • Top each toasted side with a slice of ham.
  • Top the ham with the poached egg.
  • Top with Hollandaise sauce.
  • Serve and enjoy immediately.

PINEAPPLE ORANGE ROAST HAM with APPLE BUTTER GLAZE

PINEAPPLE ORANGE ONION ROAST HAM with APPLE BUTTER GLAZE
1 LARGE navel orange
1 medium red onion
1 pineapple, rind removed, halved
7 pound fully cooked bone-in ham
1/4 cup ginger beer
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/2 cup apple butter (see note)
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Cut half of the pineapple into slices and the other half into chunks.
  • Arrange orange slices, onion slices and pineapple rings in roasting pan.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of ginger beer over ham.
  • Cover with foil, sealing edges.
  • Bake 60 minutes.
  • While ham is baking puree pineapple chunks with the apple butter and honey.
  • Transfer puree to a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add brown sugar and liquid aminos, blending well. Simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup.
  • Remove ham from oven, uncover and brush 1/3 cup of syrup over ham and return to oven for 5 minutes.
  • Brush another 1/3 cup of syrup over ham for another 5 minutes.
  • Brush with remaining glaze and return to oven uncovered for final 10 minutes.
  • Use an immersion blender on the remaining pieces in the drippings to build a gravy from if desired.

NOTE: This recipe also works with orange marmalade or apricot pineapple jam.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

During this isolation time, I’m returning to more and more scratch cooking – even more than I normally do 😀 I wanted to make some of my homemade COWBOY BROWNIES, but they called for sweetened condensed milk and I didn’t have any and was NOT going out to get any so decided to dig out the recipe to make my own.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK – Makes 1 1/4 cups.
This Homemade version of sweetened Condensed Milk recipe makes a super delicious, made from scratch version of sweetened condensed milk for baking. It also makes a GREAT coffee mate or protein drink additive 😀

2 cups WHOLE milk
3/4 cup sugar, honey, or maple syrup (depending on the flavor you’re looking for)
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

  • Whisk together milk and sugar, honey or syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • Whisking often, bring to a low simmer and whisking often, simmer until milk has reduced by half, about 30-45 minutes.
  • Once reduced, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
  • Allow to cool COMPLETELY!
  • Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CREAMY FRENCH ONION ARTICHOKE DIP

CREAMY FRENCH ONION ARTICHOKE DIP
The original recipe called for:
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
15.5 ounce container of french dip
15.5 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon scallions
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • Whisk cream cheese until fluffy.
  • Stir in dip and artichoke hearts, cheese, 1/4 cup green onions, parsley, garlic powder and pepper.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
My version calls for:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
KNORR French onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • In a small food processor pulse artichoke hearts, garlic, green onions and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
  • In a small mixing bowl blend together the sour cream, Knorr mix and cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add artichoke mixture and blend well.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

BUTTERMILK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK & PEPPERED COUNTRY GRAVY

BUTTERMILK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK
2 cups buttermilk
2 LARGE eggs, beaten
4 pork cube steaks
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/3 cup WONDRA flour
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Place steaks in a single layer in a shallow dish.
  • Pour buttermilk over steaks and chill 1-2 hours.
  • Heat oil and butter in large skillet.
  • Combine flour and bread crumbs in shallow bowl.
  • Add beaten egg to another shallow bowl.
  • Season pork cube steaks with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge steaks through eggs and then flour before adding to hot oil.
  • Sear until golden, flip and sear other side.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes and peppered gravy.

PEPPERED GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper + (to taste)

  • Melt butter into bottom of pan you just cooked the chicken in.
  • Scrape up any of the chicken pieces and mix into new butter.
  • Add flour slowly, stirring until absorbed by butter and golden brown.
  • Slowly add first the milk and then the cream.
  • Stir constantly until thickens.
  • If necessary sprinkle in more Wondra until desired thickness is reached.
  • Serve over chicken and mashed potatoes.