Quick, Comforting, One Pan Chicken with Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts

11/24/2015 by Laura 2 Comments

Thanksgiving week. I cannot believe it is here already. So much has happened in the last few months. I’m still waiting to exhale; to take in a deep breath and let it out, without stopping half way. Those of you who follow my blog know Dave had major surgery in August. You can read about it here. In the midst of all this, I lost my Dad. He passed peacefully on September 25th, after a long illness. Like all families (eventually) do, ours has experienced a shit storm in 2015. A Job change, cancer and the loss of a parent. It has been one of the most challenging periods in my life. I am grateful for going through it, and coming out on “the other side”. I honestly wasn’t sure I could, but I did! We did. Thank you for your support.

Dave began 8 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments in mid-September. It was extremely rough. Nothing you can prepare for, but something you have to endure; one day at a time. And that is what Dave did, he endured and persevered. He ended up spending his last two weeks of treatment in the hospital. Dave (and I) received fantastic care throughout this entire process. I will be forever grateful to the staff on 12-East at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, as well as the Swedish Cancer Care Treatment Center. Dave is improving everyday. It is a slow process. There is still a long way to go after treatment stops.

It has been hard cooking for just myself, for a lot of reasons. Dave and I have always looked forward to cooking meals and eating together; Dave doing the shopping and the clean up! I learned so much about things I never thought about, prior to Dave’s illness, mostly because I just never had to. Like….what day the garbage gets picked up, how much “output” is created by 2 large golden retrievers, how many pans I dirty when I cook, and that I have no clue how to turn on the music or watch a movie on our system! Thankfully, the music is on again, and I am catching up on Netflix!

I’m posting this recipe as it was something I made once or twice over the past few months. It goes together quickly, it’s comfort food and even a little on the healthy side. You can easily control the portions and amount of leftovers. For me, I stretched this recipe into two dinners and one lunch. For some reason, I always seem to have Brussels Sprouts and Delicata squash around, this time of year. Both are also great added to a salad with a few walnuts, goat cheese and dried cranberries, or to this chicken dish!

For the One Pan Chicken with Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts

2, 4, 6, or 8 chicken thighs, depending on how many people you are feeding (I used 4)

olive oil

salt, pepper

one, finely sliced shallot

1, 2, or 3 Delicata squash, halved, seeded and sliced

6-8 Brussels sprouts, per serving, halved

1/2 cup dry white wine

Heat the oven to 350′. Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat and skin, and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Warm 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a heavy, oven proof skillet. Brown the thighs on both sides over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots to the pan to brown with the chicken. Remove to a plate, and set aside. Wipe the pan to remove any burnt, potentially bitter bits, and excess oil. Return the pan to the heat, give the Brussels sprouts about five minutes in the pan, sautéing gently. Remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the Delicata squash, adding a little more oil, if needed. Return the chicken to the pan, then add the Brussels sprouts and top with the shallots. Add a little more salt and pepper, the 1/2 cup of dry, white wine and place the entire skillet in the oven. Cook about 30 minutes, until thighs register 165′ on a meat thermometer. Let rest about 10 minutes and serve.

Of all the things I’ve learned over the past few months, I learned that Dave and I can make it through anything! His last treatment was November 2. We are going to Hawaii on January 5th, where we will celebrate his birthday with both our Mom’s. We will return to cooking, photographing, blogging and eating together soon!

Have a great evening and a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Laura

These beauties are Stellar’s Jays. We have had a pair hanging around for years. The go crazy for peanuts!

Boeuf Bourguignon – Updated

08/30/2015 by Laura Leave a Comment

What a blustery, wintry weekend here in Seattle. We have not had heavy wind and rain like this for months. The weather put me in the mood for a comforting, hearty meal like Boeuf Bourguignon. I was really surprised when I brought this recipe up for reference yesterday. I could not believe it had been over two years since I first posted it! And, like may bloggers whose skills have improved over time, I was totally appalled by the earlier photos. So, here is one of our very favorite meals, looking a lot better than it did a couple of years ago.

Ingredients

Olive oil for sautéing

1/4 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (Regular “Sunday” bacon is ok too!)

4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes and patted dry with paper towels

Salt and Pepper

1 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, diced*

4 stalks celery, diced

6 sprigs of thyme

3 bay leaves

2 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 cup chopped, fresh parsley leaves, plus extra for garnish

1 bottle dry red wine, pinot noir preferred

12-15 small, button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

12-15 pearl onions – I like the convenience of the frozen ones

4 tablespoons of butter, divided, for sautéing onions and mushrooms

2-3 teaspoons of Bisto for thickening

Cook the bacon cubes in a little oil in a heavy Dutch oven that has a lid. When bacon cubes are crisp, remove from pan and set aside. Add meat in batches, not overcrowding the pan, and brown on all sides over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Remove from pan and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium and add onions, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and parsley. (I tie the herbs together with a cooking twine, making it easy to remove the stems, when finished cooking.) Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer 5 more minutes.

Return meat to pan. Bring back to a slow simmer. Cover and cook about an hour. (Because I had extra cooking time available, I continued this phase about three hours. You could also transfer this to a crock pot and cook on low, 6 hours at this stage.)

In a separate pan, sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of butter until they are browned. Do the same with the mushrooms.

Add the onions, mushrooms and bacon to the pan. Return to simmer and cook an additional 30-40 minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste. I chose to thicken the stew up a bit with, you guessed it, a little Bisto. Serve with mashed potatoes, great bread and a hearty red wine. My absolute favorite Washington Syrah, from L’Ecole 41 pairs perfectly with this dish!

Have a wonderful evening,

Laura

*Here’s a mini dicing lesson….

Peel the carrots and then cut them into uniform lengths, based on their thickness.

Slice the rounded edges off to form a rectangular carrot. Slice the rectangle into planks. Cut the planks into strips. Proceed to dice.

Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

05/26/2015 by Laura Leave a Comment

“Life is what happens while your busy making other plans.” We both have a lot going on, leaving very little time for this piece of my heart. I will get back to regular posting soon, and I promise to end the year with a bang! Meanwhile, I want to share this quick and easy casserole with you. It saved us from expensive takeout Monday night.

After spending the weekend pruning, planting, mowing, trimming, mulching and composting, neither of us were anxious to grocery shop and then cook. After digging through the pantry and the refrigerator, we came up with this version of baked rigatoni. Not your typical Memorial Day fare, but a great week night meal. This recipe makes about 8 servings; enough to freeze for a future “I don’t feel like cooking” dinner. Enjoy!

Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

1 package Rigatoni, Ziti or Penne dry pasta (about 12 ounces) – cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, about 24 ounces

1 can diced tomatoes, drained, about 14 ounces

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 sweet yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 small eggplant, diced into 3/4″ cubes

2 lbs. Italian Chicken sausage

1 12 ounce package mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

2-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Prepare the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain the pasta and let it cool in the colander.

Prepare a large baking dish / casserole by lightly spraying with oil. Pre-heat the oven to 350′.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper and eggplant. Saute about 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add another Tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms, about 6 minutes, until soft. Transfer the mushrooms to the mixing bowl. Add the last Tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the sausage thoroughly. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sausage cool down a bit. Transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl. Add the cooled pasta, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning and mozzarella cubes to the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Top with the grated parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes.

Enjoy with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

In memory of our beautiful kitty, Phoebe.

Chicken “Tortilla” Soup – Paleo Friendly

02/21/2015 by Laura 1 Comment

Dave and I continue to explore Paleo eating. The elimination of grains, beans, legumes, sugar, dairy and alcohol has benefited us both greatly. I mentioned earlier we had excellent blood pressure readings at our recent physical. We received our blood work results last week and they were the best in years for both of us. Dave’s were actually better than mine. I attribute that to his twice daily walks with the dogs and a lower stress life style. I intend to join him more frequently on the walks, which will help with my numbers and the stress!

We don’t feel deprived or miss much of anything eating this way. But when we were both craving Chicken Tortilla Soup, I was concerned with what I could substitute for the standard corn tortilla. I had 4 or 5 sweet potatoes sitting on the counter smiling up at me! A-ha…. I will julienne and toast them. It was a perfect solution and it worked beautifully.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Sweet Potato Strips

inspired by this recipe from Food & Wine magazine

6 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 quarts chicken bone broth or homemade stock

3 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)

2 bay leaves

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Lime wedges, for serving

Julienne 1 large sweet potato. Oil a baking sheet with coconut oil. Place the sweet potato strips on the baking sheet. Place in a 300′ oven to toast. Stir every 15-20 minutes to ensure even cooking. This process will take about an hour. Cook until the strips are dry and crunchy.

Warm 2-3 Tablespoons of coconut oil in a large heavy soup/stock pot. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to a large skillet. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and sauté until they are a little brown. Set aside.

Blend the soup using an immersion blender or by transferring the contents to a blender. Add the chicken, bring the soup back to a simmer, and simmer until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl. Top with sliced avocado and the toasted sweet potato strips. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if using, and serve with the lime wedges.

Enjoy!

For those of you who do not remember what is under the snow, here are some “first signs of spring” shots from my garden.

Italian Wedding Soup

10/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

As I say goodbye to the best summer ever in the Pacific Northwest, I try to convince myself there are benefits to the cooler weather. I replace my t-shirt with my favorite sweater, my flip-flops with my awesome purple suede boots, and snuggle into a bed fitted with soft flannel sheets and a fluffy down comforter. Drifting off to sleep, I dream about SOUP! Not July’s cold, fruity, melted popsicle like soup but hearty, hot, fill your belly, warm your soul, go on to live another day kind of soup! Butternut Squash Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Lentil Soup, Beef and Barely Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup (always on hand in the freezer for unplanned cold or flu), and soups I have yet to invent, soups from foreign lands, made with spices, beans and grains I have never tried. I snap out of my pre-winter doldrums and find myself almost giddy with excitement. I have stock to make, bones and veggies to roast, broth to clarify, beans to soak, and recipes to research. Where’s my tureen? I think I need a new stock pot! “Dave, I’m heading to Restaurant Supply, I’ll be back in an hour”!

It has been pouring heavy, bone-chilling rain all week. We’ve had a fire three nights out of five. I finally made time to make a pot of soup. I absolutely love Italian Wedding Soup. I have no idea when or where I first had it, but I always order it when it’s on the menu! I love the combination of the rich broth, the little one-bite meatballs and the strong, bitter greens, traditionally endive. In researching recipes, I learned this soup has nothing to do with weddings. Per Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of variations of this soup. My version is a combination of Whole Foods and Ina Garten’s recipes tailored to what I had on hand.

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound ground chicken Italian sausage

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Mince the garlic, parsley and oregano. Place the meats, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, eggs, milk, garlic and herbs in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together. Add a few more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet and falling apart. Make a “test” meat ball. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the skillet. Fry the test meatball until done, about 4 minutes on each side. Taste the meatball and adjust the seasoning. Proceed making small meatballs with the remainder of the meat. The chicken mixture is a little sticky. Dampening your hands with cool water will help. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350′ to set the meatballs. Set aside until ready to add to the soup.

For the Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts rich chicken stock – I used the new Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth – It’s as close to homemade stock as you can get!

1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, organic diced tomatoes

16 ounces small pasta, I used mini-shells

16 ounces baby kale, or chard, or spinach or endive or any combination

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Percorino Romano cheese

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer slowly. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta. Cook about 5 minutes, drain and add to the soup.*** Return to a slow simmer. Stir in the grated cheese. About 5 minutes prior to serving, add the greens. Cook just until the greens slightly “melt” into the soup. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with additional grated cheese and a little minced parsley.

***Both of the recipes I referenced instruct you to cook the pasta in the soup. NEVER do that with any pasta. You will end up with a big, cloudy, sticky mess. As a matter of fact, it is often best to keep the pasta out of the soup entirely, until ready to eat. Just place a little pasta in the bowl and then pour the hot soup over it when ready to serve.

Build a big roaring fire, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio, and hunker down with your hot bowl of soup. We’ve got about 5 more months of this!

Have a great evening,

Laura

Rigatoni with Sausage, Eggplant, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

03/26/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

One of my favorite resources for quick, weeknight meals is Saveur Magazine’s weekly email of Simple Weeknight Meals. Sourced from previously published recipes, they often call for ingredients that you probably have on hand. Today’s recipe, inspired by traditional pasta alla norma, is a great example. I made a couple of modifications to suit our taste. You could easily omit the sausage to make a hearty, vegetarian pasta dish.

pasta alla norma Laura, inspired by Saveur Magazine, Oct. 10, 2013, Rigatoni with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Spicy Sausage

For the pasta

1 medium eggplant, cut into ¾″ cubes

5 tbsp. olive oil

12 cremeni mushrooms, sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage, we like Isernio’s Italian Chicken Sausage

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, undrained and crushed by hand

16 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand

8 oz. rigatoni

2 – 4 oz. Pecorino Romano or parmesan, grated

Heat oven to 500°. (Yes that is correct.) Put eggplant and mushrooms into baking dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp. oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Bake, turning occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 325′.

Roasting the eggplant and mushrooms at this high temperature brings out a wonderful rich, smoky flavor.

Heat remaining oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chile flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up into small pieces until browned, 16–18 minutes

Add tomatoes and half the basil, season with salt, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to tomato sauce. Stir in reserved eggplant and mushrooms and toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil and season with salt.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish you roasted the eggplant and mushrooms in. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 325′ for about 15 minutes. Serve with a tossed green salad and a big bold Chianti.

Udon Noodle Hot Pot* with Beef and Shrimp

02/01/2014 by Laura 2 Comments

Inspired by all the Chinese New Year recipes this past week, I really wanted something hot and spicy with lots of noodles. I pulled an older cook book off the shelf, Lemongrass and Lime, by Mark Read, 2001. The Beef Hot Pot recipe is the inspiration for our big bowl of hot steamy noodles with lots of veggies, beef and shrimp. I used the new Thai Ginger Broth from Swanson’s. I was a little leery when I saw it and actually bought beef stock too, just in case it was not what I hoped it would be. I have to say – it’s a winner and will become a pantry staple at our house.

For the Hot Pot* with Beef and Shrimp

1 pound top sirloin steak, sliced thin in strips

1/2 pound of large prawns, cooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed

6 bunches baby bok choy, sliced

2 red Fresno chills, sliced – seeds and veins removed (you could use jalapenos if you want it hotter)

2 large shallots, sliced thin

3 stalks celery, sliced including the leaves

3/4 pound Shitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 pound snow peas, ends removed and sliced diagonally

1 big handful of mung bean sprouts

3-4 Tablespoons fish sauce, depending on your desired taste

2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

3-4 packages of fresh Udon Noodles, or any other noodle you like: Soba, Rice Stick; cooked, rinsed and set aside

1 quart of stock, beef or Thai Ginger Broth

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped – for garnish

6-8 green onions, sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Prep the steak, shrimp and veggies as listed. To make slicing the steak easier, pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Once all your ingredients are prepped, bring the broth to a boil in a large pan or wok, that you have a lid for.

Add the shallots and chilies, fish stock and oyster sauce, simmer for about 5 minutes, add the celery, mushroom and snow peas, cover and simmer about 4 minutes. Make sure the broth is simmering, add the noodles. Simmer about 3 minutes, covered. Add the steak, stir to combine simmer about 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and bean sprouts. Cover and simmer about 3 more minutes. Lastly, add the shrimp, cover simmer 2-3 more minutes until the shrimp are hot.

Serve in big soup bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. I really liked this cooking method. No stir frying in hot oil! You could vary the ingredients to suit your taste – vegetables, tofu….the possible combinations are endless.

*Hot pot, less commonly steamboat, refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. Vegetables, fish and meat should be fresh. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in the winter. Wikipedia.

Laura’s 8 Layer Lasagna Bolognese

01/03/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

Christmas and New Year’s have come and gone but there is one more holiday dinner that tops our list. Hopefully this will become a tradition, as this is the second year of the “post-rehersal” band family dinner. I am very excited to host the Fentons and their families this year. Need to know more about the Fentons? Follow this link: http://www.fentonstwang.com/

The Menu

Laura’s Lasagna Bolognese
Grilled Vegetable Platter
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew – our Vegan option (post to follow)
Tossed Green Salad
Sourdough Bread (previously posted)
Southern Pecan Coconut Cream Cake (posted 01/03/14)

The Lasagna

Depending on how big of a pan of lasagna you are making, you may need to double the sauce recipe. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until you are ready to assemble the lasagna. I received a new lasagna pan that is HUGE, so I tripled the sauce recipe. http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/91156-chefs-lasagna-pan.aspx

Bolognese Sauce (adapted from 25 Favorite Classics, Food and Wine Magazine, September 2003)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1/4 pound mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

Two 28-ounce can Italian whole tomatoes, chopped, with their juices

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic, pancetta, carrot, onion and celery and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and pork and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the mortadella and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, nutmeg and 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and basil and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick. I like to simmer this sauce at least 4 hours.

Reduce heat to very low, stir the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and 1 tablespoon of basil into the meat sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Béchamel Sauce (adapted from Cuisine at Home, February 2004)

I doubled this due to the large size of the lasagna I am making.

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup finely diced yellow onion

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

pinch if nutmeg

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups of whole milk

10 ounces Boursin or Aluette cheese

8 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 egg, beaten

Saute the onion for the béchamel sauce in melted butter over medium heat. Add cayenne and nutmeg and cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour to make a light rue. Cook about 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the Boursin in small pieces and whisk until smooth. Set aside 2 cups of the sauce to top the lasagna. Cool remaining sauce for 10 minutes. Whisk in the spinach and the beaten egg. Set aside.

For the lasagna

Prepared lasagna noodles or pasta sheets, enough to create 4-5 layers of pasta in your pan

1-2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese – or more – depending on the size of your pan and recipe

1 pound Grated Parmesan cheese – or more – depending on the size of your pan and recipe

Spray your lasagna dish with non-stick spray. Cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of béchamel sauce. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the noodles. Spread a layer of meat sauce over the béchamel sauce. Top with a generous layer of mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan.

Layer another layer of pasta. Cover with a thin layer of béchamel. Cover the béchamel with a layer of meat sauce, then mozzarella, then parmesan. Repeat two more times., finishing with a layer of noodles.

Spread the last noodles layer with the reserved béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly at 375′ for approximately 45-60 minutes. Let the lasagna “rest” for a least 20 minutes before serving.

The Fentons – L to R: Norman, Snake, Blackie, Howard, Mrs. Chaz Fenton, and Chaz

Sometimes, a couple of pictures tell the whole story!

Laura and Dave’s Beef and Bean Chili

11/30/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Knowing we were heading into a turkey frenzy, we decided a batch of chili was just what we needed, last Wednesday night. Our chili has beans and we usually use a couple different kinds. This time it was half kidney beans and half black beans. We also use beer, as part of the liquid. I stumbled upon a Smoked Porter, from Alaskan Brewing Company, which I thought would be perfect. (Just learned, this is a seasonal beer, released annually in November, so we will have to stash a couple.) While way too smoky for either of us to drink, it was perfect in our chili. I had not intended to post this….until we tasted it. It was so darn good, we had to write it down so we can make it again!

For the Chili

Prepare the beans: Soak a total of 3 cups of dry beans in cold water, overnight in a large pot. We used Black Beans and Red Kidney Beans. Drain, rinse. Cover with cold water and simmer about an hour. Drain and rinse again, until ready to use. (Yes – you could use canned beans. I prefer starting with dry beans.)

4-5 pounds beef stew meat

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 green bell peppers, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons of chili powder

1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (you can add more, if you like)

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

1 bay leaf

2 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1 22 ounce bottle, Smoked Porter

1 cup of beef stock

1/2 cup dark, strong coffee

1 Tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper

For thickening:

1/3 cup Masa mixed with 1/2 cup of cold water – mix into a smooth paste in a small bowl.

Brown the meat in a couple of tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, over medium high heat. Brown in batches, do not crowd pan. Set meat aside. Sauté the onions and bell peppers about 5 minutes in the same pan. Add the spices and salt and pepper. Pour in the beer, the stock and the diced tomatoes with their juice. Return the meat to the pan. Add the beans. Bring to a simmer and cook 4-6 hours. (You could certainly cook this all day in a crock pot.)

To thicken the chili add the Masa mixture the last hour of cooking. Return to simmer and cover the pot.

Serve in big bowls – garnish however you like – grated cheese, sliced green onion, sour cream, and avocado are our choices.

*My recipe is inspired by Food TV, Devon’s Award-Winning Chili, Devon Fredericks from the Barefoot Contessa Tex Mex Episode, March 2010.

Székelyalmás (Pork with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce) with Farro

11/22/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

A friend recently asked how I come up with all the different things I end up cooking, which I thought was a great question! My personal email box is filled with blog posts from my favorite bloggers, daily recipe blasts from Saveur, Food and Wine, Bon Apetite, and Food Network TV, just to name a few. While most of these are deleted after a quick glance, there are those that stand out do to their uniqueness, or familiarity, or implied adventure into the unknown.

This Transylvanian recipe, published by Saveur in February of 2012, was so delicious and different! I made it with pork chops, but I could see making it with a whole pork loin, and being a very elegant presentation. Though the recipe recommended white rice, I served the dish with farro. The nutty farro went perfectly with the sauce! http://www.saveur.com/gallery/Transylvanian-Recipes?page=6

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 pork loin chops – boneless, bone in – your choice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup flour

2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 red Fresno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 1/2 cups hard apple cider (Buy a 750ml bottle, and serve the rest with the meal!)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. finely chopped marjoram

1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsp. each oil and butter in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork on both sides with salt and pepper, and dredge half the pieces in flour; add to skillet, and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a plate, and set aside; repeat with 2 tbsp. oil, remaining butter, and remaining pork and flour; transfer all pork to plate.

Return skillet to heat, and add remaining oil; add apples, garlic, onion, and chile, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add cider, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add stock, cream, and mustard, and bring to a boil; return pork to skillet, and add marjoram. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with parsley; serve with rice or *farro.

*If Farro is new to you, check out the great article here from NPR’s Kitchen Window!

http://www.npr.org/2013/10/02/227838385/farro-an-ancient-if-complicated-grain-worth-figuring-out