Cooking On The Quiver River

How to cook a steak indoors

2011-11-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

Growing up, Pete cooked steaks every Friday night. We celebrated the work/school week being over by sitting all around the kitchen table, enormous ribeyes falling off the sides of our plates, baked potatoes on the side, and smiles on our faces. I of course, demanded that Pete cut my steak for me, dipped my medium-cooked steak in ketchup (the horror!) , and gave all my leftover fat back to Pete as payment for his hard work. These days, much has changed. Now that I pay for every meal I eat, steak isn't as common as it used to be. And when I do eat it, I want it still moo'ing. I would hurt someone if I saw them put a beautiful steak in ketchup, and I keep the fat to myself.

When I do treat myself to one at home, I want it done right. And without a grill, one might think this is impossible. Well, think again. Cooking inside would never be my first choice if I had a big yard with a charcoal grill, but if we are talking gas versus indoors, same thing in my book. Plus, with the weather getting cooler each day, you'll thank me.

First step is to buy a good steak. Cut corners on other things, but not on steak. For this week, I got a NY Strip.

Next step is prepping. You'll first want to get your steak to room temperature. You'll also want to preheat the oven to 400. And then take a cast iron skillet and put it on top of the stove on high heat. I used a griddle because it's all I had. Let it heat up at least 10 minutes or so.

Take your steak and drizzle a little olive oil on both sides. Then season however you would like. I just used salt and pepper, but everyone has their favorites. Now throw the puppy in your cast iron grill (or griddle) and sear each side for about 2 minutes. Then take the steak (while still in the skillet) and throw it in the oven, cooking about 5 minutes for rare, 7 minutes for medium rare. The final step is letting it rest at least 5 minutes...this is the hardest part I know, but please don't cheat. Those juices are going to taste so much better in your mouth than on your plate. Enjoy!

2011-10-22T22:24:00.003-04:00

I always keep tofu at home. Frankly, I like it. And I don't always want meat in every meal. Plus, it keeps longer than meat, so I stock up on a few packages when I go shopping. I have learned that I really like tofu the most when I prepare it in thin slices instead of cubes. This recipe was found on Cooking Light. It was easy, and I had all of the ingredients here. I added some toasted sesame seeds at the end for fun.

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
2 1/4 cups chopped asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce with garlic (such as KA·ME)
1 pound extrafirm tofu, drained and cut lengthwise into 9 pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup preshredded carrot (i didn't have so i skipped)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add bag of rice, submerging bag completely in water. Boil 10 minutes. Carefully remove bag from pan, leaving boiling water in pan. Add asparagus to pan; cook 1 minute. Drain.
While rice cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Sprinkle tofu with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add tofu to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Combine rice, asparagus, 1/2 teaspoon salt, carrot, and sesame oil. Serve tofu over rice.

Aunt Deane's Chicken Pot Pie

2011-10-22T21:27:00.004-04:00

I love chicken pot pie. I used to go to the Ear Inn every Tuesday for pie night, where they make the most heavenly pot pie, which I smother in enough Coleman's mustard that my nose runs with each bite. Ok, maybe not appetizing to you readers, but it gets me excited just thinking about it. I made Aunt Deane's version last week, and it seriously lasted me an entire week! Normally, I get sick of leftovers really fast, but I suppose the combination of my love for this dish and her yummy recipe was enough to override it. This calls for a pour crust which may bit a bit different than what you are used to. It's much easier than rolling out a pie crust, but feel free to substitute with already made crust from the grocery if you prefer that style.

Ingredients:

1 chicken

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can veg-all, drained (i used 2 cans)

1 cup flor

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 cup milk

1 stick margarine, melted

1/2 t. pepper

Simmer chicken in salted water until tender and then debone. Cut up chicken and put in casserole. Combine soup and broth and pour over chicken. Mix dry ingredients with milk and melted margarine. Pour over chicken. Bake 35-40 minutes until brown at 425.

Brunswick Stew

2011-09-18T18:07:00.003-04:00

This is one of Papaw's recipes that I grew up eating. I had to improvise a bit from Papaw's version, and believe me, you will too. The "wild meat" it calls for was definitely wild when he cooked it. Maybe rabbit, squirrel, whatever one could find....it probably made its way into this stew. Because this dish makes enough for a crowd, Papaw would cook it outside in a wash pot. And you'll never believe what he used to stir the pot: a drill with a coat hanger whisp! This is a lot of work, but it is the definition of comfort food to me, so worth the time and effort. I halved the recipe below, and it still made a ton!

Ingredients:
1 fat hen
1 fryer
4 lbs. hamburger & wild meat (i used half beef and half pork)
2 lbs. chopped potatoes
2 cans tomato paste
1 qt. butterbeans (i used frozen baby lima beans)
1 can white shoepeg corn
1 lb. chopped onions
1 bottle Lea & Perrins worcestershire
salt, black and red pepper to taste

Papaw's instructions: Pressure cook hen in 3 cups water. Boil fryer until tender. Strain all stock and pour into large cooker. Add beef, wild meat and onions to stock. Cook potatoes separately. Add Lea & Perrins and tomato paste to meat. Shred the chicken and add to the pot. Blend up meat when all is added by using a drill with coat hanger whisp. Add beans and potatoes. Cook on low heat about 4 hours. Add shoe peg corn last.

Sally is scared to death of pressure cookers (one blew up on her once, and she'll never forget it - scaredy pants!); if you are too, here are her instructions:
Cook hen until tender. Boil fryer until tender. Strain all stock. Add ground ground beef, wild meat and onions to stock. Cook potatoes separately. Add worcestershire, tomato paste. Shred chicken and add to the pot. Blend up meat when all is added. Cook on low heat about 4 hours. Add beans, potatoes and corn last.

One side note: Don't use all of the stock leftover after the chicken is cooked. The point of this stew is to not have too much broth. It should be hearty.

Grits En Fuego

2011-09-11T10:50:00.003-04:00

Ready for some fire in your mouth? Well, if you are out of 151, cook up these grits. I'll list the recipe I used below, but the fun in this dish is that you really don't have to follow a recipe. You can make it less spicy if you want, vegan if you prefer, or whatever your heart desires. I serve it with crumbled bacon and an egg over easy on top. The yolk makes this dish just heavenly!

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil (I used bacon grease cause I keep it real)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 onion, diced

1 3/4 cups vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth too)

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1 can hot Ro-tel tomatoes, not drained (if you can't handle heat, use mild)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (monterey jack would be fantastic too)

salt & pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute garlic and oniion for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add grits, broth and rotel, stirring frequently. As the mixture thickens, slowly add the cheese and cook for 10 minutes. If mixture gets too thick, add water or mlk.

Now here comes the fun: Top with whatever you like! Some ideas: corn, jalapeno pepper slices, bacon crumbles, or sour cream!

Betty's Breakfast Casserole

2011-09-08T21:13:00.005-04:00

(i'm not gonna lie, this pic is yuck)

I spent Labor Day weekend celebrating my oldest and bestest friend in the whole wide world's upcoming wedding. A bachelorette party has many secrets, but one that I reveal is that on Sunday morning we were a lot of girls, we were hungry, and we were hungover. Volunteers were needed to cook a big breakfast, and I raised my hand. I knew Betty's casserole would be the perfect choice; plus, I could prepare it the night before when I was still halfway together. I doubled the recipe below to make 2 casseroles, and it wasn't even really necessary. 1 was plenty to fill a large crowd. Congrats to Mary Margaret and thank you to Betty!

Ingredients:

6 slices white bread, crust removed
1 lb. ground pork sausage or ham (we used hot jimmy dean)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese or monterey jack (i used less than this, and it was fine)
6 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
2 cups half and half
1 4-0z can green chilies

Lightly butter each slice of bread. Place in a 9x13 casserole dish. Brown and drain sausage and sprinkle over bread. Add cheese. Beat eggs and add salt, mustard, and half and half. Beat eggs again and pour over mixture. Refrigerate at least overnight or freeze. Remove foil and bake 45 minutes at 350 or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Roasted Cauliflower

2011-08-28T11:22:00.002-04:00

Cauliflower has a bad reputation. You don't see it a lot. You don't eat it a lot. Most people choose its friend, broccoli, when they are looking to add a side dish. But don't overlook this guy, my friends. This is a delicious recipe, from Simply Recipes, to serve it year-round.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Slice the cauliflower info florets and put in single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

2011-08-28T11:12:00.004-04:00

While the rest of NYC was freakin out about Hurricane Irene, I just relaxed and did some cooking. Not exactly an exciting Saturday night for most, but I made the best of having to stay inside! This is a recipe that I have been using for years. Pork tenderloin is a great cut, but sometimes can be lacking in flavor. This marinade definitely brings some flavor to the party.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. water

1 t. packed brown sugar

2 t. lemon juice

2 t. vegetable oil

1/8 t. ground pepper

1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 lb.)

Make a marinade with all ingredients and put in a shallow glass dish or plastic bag. Add pork and turn to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate, turning occassionally, at least 1 hour but no longer than 24 hours. Heat oven to 425. Remove pork from marinade and put in a baking pan. Bake uncovered 27 to 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160. Cut pork crosswise into thin slices.

Zucchini Carpaccio

2011-08-07T19:31:00.003-04:00

Ah...late summer...my favorite time of year for all things food. Everything just tastes SO good. Minimal preparation is encouraged and practiced over here at Casa Burnett. All that work in the kitchen can wait for winter! I went to the farmers market yesterday and loaded up on all kinds of goodies: beets, corn, tomatoes, peaches, garlic, and zucchini. Tonight I made a super simple dish that I would highly recommend for an easy appetizer or side dish.

Ingredients:
1 lb. zucchini
4 T. pine nuts (i used slivered almonds)
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. fresh lemon juice
fresh ground pepper
fleur de sel
6 T. shaved Parmesan Reggiano

Slice the zucchini super thin, using a mandoline. Arrange the slices, slightly overlapping, on a serving tray. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge. Toast the pine nuts over medium heat in a dry saute pan until slightly brown and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice. Drizzle the dressing over the zucchini; season with salt and pepper and top with pine nuts.

Bourbon Bella Steak Sauce

2011-08-07T19:19:00.004-04:00

I found some flat iron steaks in my freezer over the weekend - what a nice surprise! I wanted a summertime meal but have no yard for a grill, so I put the indoor machinery to work. I used the stovetop grill pan for the steaks and roasted both beets & corn in the oven. I had some baby bella mushrooms that I put to good use by pairing them with my favorite ingredient of life, bourbon.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces sliced baby bells mushrooms (any type work work)

1/2 vidalia onion, sliced (any type would work)

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon creole mustard (any brown type would do)

2 tablespoons bourbon (tonight's selection: Redemption)

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat with the butter. When the butter is melted, add in the mushrooms and the onions. Stir and cook until onions are fragrant and softened. Pour in the chicken broth, mustard, bourbon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 2 minutes. Serve over any type of steak or pork and enjoy!

Fatteh

2011-05-24T20:10:00.006-04:00

Fatteh is Arabic for "crushed" or "crumbs." This dish is basically a layered dish that starts with stale flatbread, then topped with meat and a chickpea mixture, then yogurt and nuts. As you can imagine, there is a lot of room for variation. This is definitely a dish to make when cleaning out the fridge. My pal Irene and I recently took a cooking class for cooking on a budget at Whole Foods, and this was one of the featured recipes....so not only is it delicious, but it's also easy on the pocket. I'm going to list the exact recipe below, but please improvise. I ended up throwing out my chicken after the first serving and eating it vegetarian style because I wasn't happy with the quality of the meat I had purchased from a new store. I used pistachios instead of pine nuts too....it's what I had at home...and worked perfectly. And I didn't have any stale flatbread to use up, so I just bought a bag of pita chips...just perfect!

Ingredients:

For the chicken and marinade:

2 t. sweet paprika

1 t. cumin

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 T. cooking oil, like canola or grapeseed

4 small chicken thighs (about 3/4 lb), skins and bones removed

For the pita and chickpeas:

Three 6" round flatbread or pitas

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for cooking

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, coarsely chopped

one 14 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

salt & pepper

For the topping:

1 cup strained yogurt, at room temperature

juice of half a lemon

3 T. cooking oil, like canola or grapeseed

1/3 cup pinenuts

3 T. honey (optional) - I recommend

6-8 mint leaves, torn into small pieces (optional) - I skipped this...no like mint.

Marinate the chicken: Combine the spices in a medium bowl. Add the oil and stir into a thick paste. Add the chicken and use your hands to rub the mixture into the meat. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Prepare the bread: Preheat the oven to 450. Cut each piece of bread in half to make into 2 thin rounds. Brush one side of each round with some olive oil, then cut each round into 8 triangular wedges. Place the braed slices on a sheet pan and bake until crispy and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, turn off the oven, and set aside to cool.

Cook the chicken: Coat pan with oil and heat over med-high heat. Cook chicken above 4 min or until golden brown. Flip and cook until done, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Cook the chickpeas: Heat 2 T. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Add tomato, chickpeas and the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

Assembly: Spread the bread chips on a large shallow bowl or rimmed platter. Spoon some of the broth over the chips to soften them. Tear chicken into bite-size pieces and place them over the chips. Spoon the chickpea mixture over the chicken and drizzle in the rest of the broth. Top with yogurt and a squeeze of lemon. Top toasted nuts over, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with mint.

Potato Salad, Lisa Style

2011-05-08T17:15:00.004-04:00

Potato salad in New York is gross. It's just so....white. I grew up on the yellow stuff, and that's what I like. This potato salad recipe is for the mustard-based potato salad lovers ONLY! Everytime I make this, I always get asked for the recipe. It's the closest thing to traditional southern potato salad served at meat & 3's down home.

Ingredients:
5 lbs. potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 cups mayonnaise (don't touch that diet crap here..or really ever for that matter)
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1 cup chopped onions
2 T. prepared horseradish
sea salt to taste
8 hard cooked eggs, chopped
3 dill pickles, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in a serving bowl. Stir the onion, salt and pepper into the potatoes while they are still hot to soak in the flavor. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard and horseradish to the potatoes and mix well. Gently stir in the eggs and pickles. Finish off with a generous grinding of black pepper on top and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes enough for a large bbq party....I usually half it and still have too much.

Aunt Deane's Red Beans and Rice

2011-04-25T21:37:00.005-04:00

It's Monday....so you know what is for dinner. You got it - red beans and rice, darlin. When I spent a few years living in Louisiana, this was a given. It's a bit of tradition down there. Why, you ask? Well, laundry day was usually on Monday, so the women would cook a big ole pot of beans while they kept busy washing their clothes. My Aunt Deane submitted her recipe for red beans and rice for the family cookbook, which is the version you see here. This is not the traditional recipe that I was served down in Louisiana... this one used ground hot sausage and ground beef instead of the traditional link smoked sausage or andouille...think a little less soupy and more of a thick consistency. But it was easy, and I enjoyed it. Prewarning: It makes a lot....I'm going to freeze half for later.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. hot sausage

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped
2 cans Hunt's tomato sauce

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes (cowboy up and use the spicy version)
3 cans dark red kidney beans
cooked white rice, for serving

Saute onions and peppers. Add meat and brown. Add Ro-Tel, tomato sauce, beans, salt and pepper. Cook slowly for 2 hours or overnight in a crockpot over low heat. Serve over rice. (And if you are anything like me, add some Crystal hot sauce!)

Jan's Broccoli Salad

2011-04-23T20:21:00.004-04:00

My sister submitted this recipe for the family cookbook, but like many of the Burnett recipes, it's a bit high on the calorie count level. Don't be fooled by the word "salad" here. I've missed out on my sister ever cooking for me, so I've never tasted her version to confirm this is the exact same. However, I have had similar salads and can let you know that this turned out great. It's simple to throw together to serve at a bbq or a potluck at work. I of course, will be consuming this entire dish myself I am sure. Hello, mayonnaise. I love you.

Ingredients:
3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped red onio
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or cashews (I used pine nuts b/c it is what I had)
6 bacon slices, cooked and chopped (I only had 3 and it was fine)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
2 T. wine vinegar (I went with white wine vinegar)

Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix last 3 ingredients in another bowl. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and stir well. Chill and serve.

Shrimp in Garlic & Chile Sauce

2011-04-23T20:06:00.003-04:00

I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer. It's great to break out a few just for a simple meal for myself, or the entire bag to serve to a bigger crowd. In Chinese culture, one is to eat shrimp for happiness and well-being. You don't have to ask me twice...I like both of those things! This is a great alternative to Chinese delivery, and I can definitely promise no MSG from this meal.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 t. cornstarch
1 t. sugar
2 t. Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine for cooking)
2 t. soy sauce
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. vegetable oil
1.5 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T. minced garlic
1 1/2 t. minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 t. sesame oil
rice (for serving)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Heat a skillet over high heat and add oil. Next, add the shrimp and cook 1 minute. Add garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in broth mixture and coo 1 minute or until shrimp are done and sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in green onions and sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage

2011-04-18T18:30:00.007-04:00

Broccoli Rabe is one of those ingredients I never ate until I moved to New York. Now it's just about everywhere, and it is easy to prepare. The mild but slightly bitter flavor makes any meal a little more interesting. Since it is in season, I picked up a bunch at the grocery and then hunted for an easy recipe for one of my favorite dishes at old school Italian restaurants, Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage. Most commonly made with orecchiette, this dish is really quick and easy to throw together.

Ingredients:
salt
1 lb. broccoli rabe, trimmed
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced (not diced)
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 lb. hot italian sausage, casings removed (you could use sweet too)
1/2 lb. dried pasta (use what you have, but use shapes not noodles)
Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Boil broccoli rabe for 5 minutes or until it's fairly tender. Meanwhile, put the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Now add the sausage and brown. Remove broccoli rabe with spoon and drain, reserving water. Dice the rabe just a little bit to make it easy to eat and add to sausage mixture. Cook the pasta in the boiled water, drain and reserve a bit of the pasta water. Add pasta to the skillet and a little bit of the pasta water and toss until well mixed. Add salt and red pepper, adding more water if needed. Serve immediately with Parmesan on top.

Red Curry Tofu

2011-04-13T20:51:00.005-04:00

The definiton of fish sauce is "a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment." Does that sound as delightful to you as it does to me? Ok, probably not. And when you open the bottle, it smells...well, like fermented fish. But when you cook with it, oh when you cook with it, it brings such depth and new flavors to your food that you'll immediately start expressing your love for fermented fish all over town. I have lots of recipes that incorporate fish sauce, but this one was easy for a Wednesday night; plus, I had all of the ingredients on hand. Experiment with fish sauce - I think it's one of those "you either love it or hate it" things, but if you love it, let me know, and I'll send over many ways to use it!

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup coconut milk (I buy a can and freeze what I don't use)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. lime juice
1 t. Thai red curry paste (you can freeze this too)
1 t. sugar
1 T. vegetable oil

Take the tofu and cut into 1/2" slices and blot dry between paper towels. This will take a few pieces.

Combine everything except tofu and oil into a bowl and mix together.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat and add tofu. Brown on 1 side (about 10 minutes) then flip and brown on the other (about 5 more.) Add the sauce to the pan and simmer until it thickens. Serve over rice.

Pesto-Topped Flounder Packets

2011-04-10T20:08:00.005-04:00

I've started moving away from recipes and just making my own creations in the kitchen. Not only is it fun and a creative outlet, but it saves me a trip to the store because I usually end up just using what is in the cabinet or refrigerator. I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to cook fish, which is cooking with pesto in a foil packet. There really is no set recipe. I've made using whatever I have at home and each time it turns out perfectly. Light, healthy, delicious.

Basic Ingredients:
Fish - Tonight I used Tilapia, but I've used Catfish and Flounder in the past. Pesto - Store bought or homemade.
Lemon - Fresh squeezed
Salt & Pepper
Foil

Additions: shallots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, zucchini, tomato, be creative!

Preheat oven to 400. Place each filet on a square of heavy foil and tuck under any thin edges to make thickness equal. Cover your fish in lemon, salt & pepper, garlic, onion and then top with pesto. Add any other ingredients at this time. Bring together the two opposite ends of the foil and seal with a double fold. Fold the sides together to completely close, but remember to leave room for steam. Place pouches in a baking pan and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until your fish flakes with a fork.

Dragon Breath Pasta

2011-03-27T20:18:00.007-04:00

I decided to just whip up something random for dinner tonight instead of hunting down a recipe or going to the grocery. Because I wasn't sure if it would be worth posting, I didn't write down any measurements. I don't think you could mess this up. It only took about 15 minutes total to make so try this out when you want something delicious that doesn't take a lot of time. And it will leave you with a nice suprise - Dragon Breath! (so don't make for date night)

Ingredients:

Pasta (I had adorable mini-wheels - Use whatever is in your cabinet), cooked

Bacon - I used 4 slices, which was plenty

Onion - I used about 1/4 of a red, diced

Garlic - 2 cloves, sliced

Cream - I just used the rest of the container I had....probably a between 1/2 -3/4 cup.

Pesto - I just used the store-bought kind

Parmesan Cheese for serving

Red Pepper Flakes for serving

Cook the bacon and then dice into bite-size pieces. Cook the onion in the bacon grease and then add in the garlic, making sure not to let it burn. Add the cream and bacon and heat over low heat until a bit thick. Then add in the pasta and pesto and mix together. I used about 2 spoonfuls of pesto, but taste as you go. You'll probably want to add in some salt & pepper too. Put into a bowl and top with grated parmesan cheese & red pepper flakes.

Aunt Deane's Macaroni & Cheese

2011-03-21T21:19:00.003-04:00

No, this doesn't involve a blue box. Or that weird boxed cheese that doesn't need to be refrigerated. This is the real deal.....and definitely worth the few extra steps. Aunt Deane submitted this recipe for the Burnett cookbook, and I just got around to trying it tonight. Many of the recipes from the cookbook are a bit hard for me to try as a party of one, but I was able to use this adorable tiny Le Creuset cocotte for this and divide the recipe by 1/3. It''s a good thing I didn't make the entire thing...I might have eaten it all. It was delicious, and I even have leftovers for tomorrow! Feel free to get creative here - Try different cheeses or add in some additional ingredients. I had some jalapenos and bacon around, so I added that in as well. I followed the cooking instructions exactly as written and wouldn't change a thing. I will definitely be making this again. That Aunt Deane knows her stuff; All those years in home ec really paid off!

Ingredients:

1 cup elbow macaroni (I used little shells because that is what I had)

1 1/2 T. margarine

1 cup soft bread crumbs (I used panko - delicious)

2 T. margarine

1 1/2 T. flour

1/8 t. mustard

1 t. salt

1 1/2 cup milk

1/3 lb. sharp or medium Cracker Barrel Cheese

1 T. grated onion (I diced mine - I wanted to taste)

Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until tender or about 9 minutes. Melt 1 1/2 T. margarine in a saucepan. Add crumbs and toss. Remove to bowl or waxed paper and save for topping. Melt 2 T. margarine in same saucepan. Add onion and cook lightly Add flour and blend until smooth. Add milk, mustard and salt. Stir and cook until it thickens. Remove from heat. Grate all the cheese and add half to the sauce. Reserve remainder for topping. Stir occassionally until cheese is melted. Drain macaroni and add to sauce. Pour mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole. Top with grated cheese and then buttered bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until slightly firm and nicely browned. If the casserole is refrigerated before baking, increase milk to 1 3/4 cup and bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 4-5 as a main dish.

Look how cute this dish is!

Interior Shot

Edamame Tofu Salad with Sesame Chili Dressing

2011-03-12T20:39:00.005-05:00

Yes, it's still me writing this. I'm sure you're already worrying about me. Lisa? Tofu Salad? No way! One of my team members at work is super duper healthy and always eating nuts & berries and that sort of nonsense. I give her a hard time about it of course, because I am good at that sort of thing. One day she was eating a tofu salad from this place called Fresh & Co., and she offered me a bite, which I took, expecting to be disgusted. Instead, I wanted more! It was delicious and had such a great combination of flavors and textures. I told the team that I was going to re-create the dish and bring it in, which I did this past Monday, making a few changes along the way. The girls all raved about it and voted it to be ever "fresher" that the Fresh & Co. version, which was the ultimate compliment to me! I have all of the ingredients at home, and if you don't, highly suggest you make the investment. If you don't know what else to do with Mirin or Sesame oil, just contact me and I can send tons of recipes! This is definitely going to be on my recipe rotation, which should keep the co-workers happy!

Salad Ingredients:

4 ounces soba noodles, cooked

1 pound firm tofu (marinated & fried, see below)

2 cups shelled edamame (I blanched for 2 minutes)

1 -2 cups shredded cabbage (napa is preferred, but i used normal cabbage and it was fine)
2 carrots, grated

Fried Tofu Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, sliced

4-5 slices (1/8-inch thick) of fresh gingerroot

1 cup water

1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup tamari or shoyu (I used soy sauce)
Coconut oil (I used canola oil)

Dressing:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed

5 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons mirin (or sake)

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons chili sauce (Thai )
¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons hot pepper sesame oil

Garnish:

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

To prepare tofu:

In the morning, combine all ingredients for marinade. Cut tofu into 1/2” slabs, and then cut slabs into triangles. Put marinade and tofu in a glass storage container with a tight-fitting lid for ½ hour to 8 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor in the tofu.

Heat ½ of the coconut oil in a skillet to medium high. Remove tofu from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. This will protect you from sputtering oil. Place ½ of the tofu pieces in oil and brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining oil and tofu. Set aside.

Combine all the dressing ingredients except oils in a small bowl. Drizzle olive oil and sesame oil in slowly and whisk well to incorporate. Dress cooked soba noodles with 2 tablespoons of the dressing while still warm.

Arrange noodles, tofu, edamame, carrots and cabbage in separate piles on a large serving platter. Garnish noodles with the sesame seeds. Put dressing in a small pitcher. Try to have prettier plates at your job than I do.

Undressed:

Dressed:

Papaw's Country Ribs

2011-03-12T20:26:00.003-05:00

The closest grocery to me is sometimes great, sometimes good and sometimes lame. It really depends on when you visit, as well as how many peeps have been there before you. I went last Saturday to find something to cook, and the only thing left in the very tiny baby teeny weeny meat section was some baby back ribs. Now, I've never made ribs in my life...(that's a man's job) and it seems like a total sin to do such a thing indoors. But hey, after almost 10 years in New York, I've learned to accept the fact that I don't have a yard, a grill, a smoker or anything cool that normal people in America have. Luckily, Papaw came to the rescue with his Country Ribs recipe. I kind of fiddled with this honey apple bbq sauce from another cookbook that I would not repeat, but the ribs came out good enough to try again. A good option when you don't feel like dealing with the smoker...or don't own a smoker.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup hot water

ribs

salt & pepper

Mix vinegar and hot water. Smear over side of ribs. Salt and pepper and cook at 300 for 1 1/2 hours or until dry.

I served with baked beans, coleslaw and jalapeno cheddar biscuits, yall.

Pork Medallions with Chili Maple Sauce

2011-02-05T20:24:00.003-05:00

Last week was "Clean Out The Freezer" week at my apartment. Lucky for me, my freezer is full of fun stuff, mainly meat. My grocery store nearby my apartment is fantastic, but I prefer to get my meat somewhere else, so usually when there is nothing left in my entire fridge and cabinets, I have meat.

This week's recipe challenge: Pork Tenderloin. I have tons of recipes to use with pork tenderloin, but I wanted to try something new. I came across this great recipe on Epicurious.com that had really good reviews and even better, had ingredients that I had on hand at home. I love the mix and spicy and sweet. Chinese five-spice powder is one of my favorite combination of spices; it combines all five flavors of sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. You can make it yourself if you want, but I suggest the lazy route of buying a bottle on the spice aisle. I have tons of recipes that I can share with you using the spice, so if it's just sitting on your shelf gathering dust, let me know.

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
1 green onion, chopped

White rice, cooked

Cut tenderloin crosswise into 6 slices. Using meat mallet, pound medallions between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and five-spice powder.

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add pork; cook until brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.

Add next 3 ingredients to skillet. Boil until reduced to scant 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce over pork; sprinkle with green onion.

Hangover Cure

2011-01-15T21:07:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty sure the Brits have always thought they are smarter than us Americans. Well, did you hear that they found the cure to the hangover? The bacon sarnie! The bacon what, you say? Because they have to be weird and have silly names for everything, a "sarnie" is just a sandwich, a name they made up too, but apparenly isn't good enough for them. Looking for any excuse to eat bacon, I went for it.

Ingredients:
4 slices of the best bacon you can find
2 slices bread
room temperature butter
ketchup or HP sauce, or both

Cook the bacon the way you like it. Then drain it on some paper towels. Butter 2 slices of bread. Fold over bacon slices on the buttered side of 1 slice of bread. Now cover it with HP sauce and ketchup.

Wait, what's HP sauce you say? HP Sauce has a malt vinegar base, blended with tomato, dates, tamarind extract, sweetener and spices. If you don't have it, there is no reason to go out and buy. Ketchup with do the trick. But hey, if you want to try it, Amazon sells it.

Now cover with other piece of bread, buttered side down and smush together. Slice in half and serve.

And if that doesn't fix your headache, have a bloody mary. Always does the trick for me.

That Thomas Keller knows his stuff

2011-01-15T20:41:00.004-05:00

A guy doesn't run some of the best restaurants in the country without knowing a thing or two about food. But when someone tells me to use one of his recipes, I immediately think it has to be complicated, expensive and involve some difficult technique. Friends have told me about this recipe for a while now, and I had the opportunity to try it at my friend Joe's on New Years Day, and it is delicious. So simple, but so flavorful. So I went out and bought a chicken - deciding to give it a try on my own tonight....SUCCESS!

Ingredients:

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken (get the good stuff here -it's worth it)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
Unsalted butter
Dijon mustard

The first step should start as early as you can. Rinse the chicken and dry dry dry it, both inside and out. If you leave water, it will steam the chicken, and there will be no crack, I mean, crust, to enjoy. I patted mine down with paper towel and then put in the fridge for a few hours to keep drying.

About an hour before you are ready to start cooking, take the bird out and let it come to room temperature. Go ahead and preheat the oven to 450...oh, and take the batteries out of the smoke detector and open every window in your house.....believe me.

Salt and pepper inside the bird and then truss the chicken. Truss? Whatdayasay? Yep, trussing. It's easy. And it makes a difference. Do it. Don't know how? Watch this.

Now lay the chicken in a roasting pan and salt the bird. Don't be shy. You want to see the salt. Use at least a tablespoon....I used more I am sure. Throw a little pepper on there too.

Now roast for about 50 minutes or until the bird is done. Your oven is going to go crazy. Fat is going to go all over the place, making really cool noises, but also lots of smoke. Don't freak out. Don't mess with the chicken. Just sit down and get excited for dinner.

Remove the chicken and add thyme to the pan. Baste the chicken with pan juices and then let it rest on a cutting board for about 15 minutes. This might be the hardest part of the whole recipe.

Then carve that baby up, baste with butter, and serve with dijon mustard on the side for dipping.

Frou Frou Grilled Cheese

2011-01-10T19:19:00.004-05:00

Forget the grilled cheese whose only prep work was to remove a little square of plastic. This sandwich takes only about 1 more minute and uses fresh delicious ingredients (what's in that square of "cheese" anyway?)

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread (a nice fresh loaf is preferred, but I used store brand wheat)
olive oil (or butter if you don't have)
tomato
fresh mozzarella
pesto (homemade is always best, but the store-bought kind works just fine)
salt & peppper

Preheat your pan, griddler, panini maker...whatever you got, on medium heat. While it heats up, you can make your sammy. Put a bit of olive oil on 1 side of both pieces of bread. Flip over and spread the pesto on both slices. Slice your tomato really thin and cover an entire side of one piece of the bread. Then slice your mozzarella and put on top of tomatoes, covering with salt and pepper. Cover with other piece of bread and grill just like you would a grilled cheese. I lowered the heat a bit to make sure that my cheese was definitely melted before the bread burned. Slice and serve when bread is golden brown and cheese is melted inside.

And put those nasty cheese squares back in the fridge....you know they'll last forever in there anyways.

(really bad shot, sorry)

Fancy Pants Salad

2010-12-31T16:05:00.004-05:00

So you're having a dinner party but all of your time needs to be spent on perfecting your entree? Happens all of the time. Don't let your starters suffer, Missy. This salad is pretty, tasty and much more fancy pants than a Mesclun or Ceasar. We have served this at Christmas Eve the past 2 years, and everyone loves it. People even go back for seconds...seriously... seconds on salad? Who does that? It's that good, people.

Ingredients:
1 bag (5 ounce) baby greens
1/2 large head iceberg lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large romaince heart, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup pecans, toasted in a 325 degree oven, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 T. balsamic vinegar

Place greens in a large bowl. Add pecans, cranberries and blue cheese. Drizzle olive oil over salad and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. Add balsamic vinegar and toss to coat again. Serve

To make ahead of time: Go ahead and toast those pecans early. The lettuces can be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for 3-4 hours.

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-31T15:13:00.003-05:00

Every Christmas Eve is spent at Mamaw's in Drew with my Mom's side of the family. We meet up and visit, drink Mamaw's punch & eat her famous cheeseball, and then proceed to a family feast. The staples of the meal stay the same but in the past few years, we've tried incorporating different side dishes into the mix. After dinner comes....you guessed it, PRESENTS!

Here is a shot of the spread this year (Mom didn't want me to take a picture because we didn't use pretty serveware)

The feast menu:
Honeybaked Ham
Jezebel sauce (recipe featured last December)
Glenn's beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce
3 Green Salad with blue cheese, toasted pecans and dried cranberries
Gayla's Potatoes
Pineapple Casserole
Broccoli and Gruyere Gratin
Corn Pudding
Rolls

Here is my plate:

The 2 family recipes I want to share from this meal (and the cookbook) are below:

Gayla's Potato Casserole - This recipe is created by my "Aunt" Gayla Marley, but was submitted by my cousin Lesley Smith. She told me that they have had this at a many Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings and that it's always a crowd pleaser. I would have to agree - this is delicious and a great alternative to ordinary mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:
5-7 big red potatoes
1 small carton cottage cheese
1 small carton sour cream
3/4 stick of butter
Milk
Garlic salt
Salt & Pepper

Peel the potatoes and cute them into chunks. Mash them with an electric mixer. Add salt, pepper, and garlic salt and a dash of milk. Add cottage cheese and sour cream. Mash it all again in the mixer. Grease a 9x13 casserole and put the potato mixture in. Melt the butter and pour it on top. Bake on 350 uncovered for 1 hour.

Corn Pudding - This recipe, submitted by Jan Burnett, might be easiest recipe in the world. Don't judge the ingredients!

Ingredients:
2 cans (16 ounce each) creamed corn
1 package (6 ounce) Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup margarine, melted

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Hope all of you had a Merry Christmas! Here's to more eating in 2011!

Roll It Up

2010-12-20T21:44:00.004-05:00

A few years ago, my friend Elise & I decided to borrow "someone's" fancy smancy apartment to cook a gourmet meal while he was out of town. And then we remembered that we were poor and preferred to spend our money on booze instead of fancy ingredients. After searching epicurious.com, we found a fun little recipe that not only looked delicious, but inexpensive and easy too. I think we were shocked that it turned out to be good - after splitting the grocery bill, I think we spent $4.00 each on dinner.

I've kept this in a steady rotation since then. It's especially enjoyed after some carb-heavy days. I always add Sriracha for an extra kick!

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8-10 Bibb lettuce leaves (you could use romaine or iceberg if you want)
1 carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned (i left this out)
Chopped peanuts (optional)

Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons lime juice
Add half a garlic clove, if desired

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the garlic in the oil until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the pork, five-spice powder, soy sauce, and brown sugar and cook until the pork is browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Scoop the pork mixture into the lettuce leaves. Garnish with the carrot, cucumber, and peanuts.

Serve with dipping sauce. I've even had without the sauce, and it's still good.

Tips & Tricks

2010-12-18T16:32:00.002-05:00

Working in the Home division has its perks. First of all, I know the best time to buy Le Creuset - AND I get a discount on it! Another benefit is that I learn great tips & tricks on products all of the time. I know that thread count is just a marketing scheme, which food processor is the best (Cuisinart Elite, if you need one), and countless other little factoids that I love to bring up to people that don't care.

I read a great article in the Times today with loads of little tid-bits on how to use and care for nonstick cookware. I was going to send it to my Mom, but then I realized that a lot of people don't know these things already, so I decided to share it with all of you.

Basically, the rules for nonstick cookware:
1. Pre-season your pan (read the article to figure out how to do this)
2. Use a lower heat than you would with stainless steel.
3. Do not put in the dishwasher, even if says it's dishwasher-safe. Seriously. Believe me. Stop being lazy.
4. Don't use metal utensils...use nonstick friendly to avoid scratching off the nonstick coating.

And my two-sense for nonstick cookware?
Invest in 1 good nonstick pan for eggs. I have the Calphalon Unison, which I would recommend. For the rest of your cookware, bump it up a notch and stop fiddling with your food - it won't stick if you leave it alone. Sure, nonstick can be healthier, but oil and butter are delicious ingredients that I refuse to leave out of my cooking anytime soon.

A Thanksgiving Grows in Brooklyn - Cranberry Chutney

2010-11-28T17:00:00.007-05:00

I didn't get to go home to Mississippi for Thanksgiving, so I joined forces with some good friends in the neighborhood and had a spectacular Thanksgiving feast. Needless to say, we all cooked entirely too much, but it was all delicious! I had this cranberry chutney at Mary Margaret's house last year, and she managed to get the recipe for me from her co-worker, Kim. So here's to you Kim: I don't know you, but I like your chutney!

This isn't just for Thanksgiving, but can be served anytime. Mary Margaret served it with pork tenderloin, and it really complimented it well.

Ingredients:
1 bag of fresh cranberries
Less than 2 cups sugar - I wasn't really sure what this meant, so I used 1.75 cups.
1 cup water
1 T. grated orange peel
1 cup orange juice (this took about 3 oranges)
1 cup golden or dark seedless raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 t. ground ginger

In a 3 qt. saucepan over medium heat, heat cranberries, sugar and water to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook a few minutes more for flavors to mix. Cover and refrigerate or process and can.

I would personally cut the orange flavor a bit, maybe use a little less zest, next time. But taste as you go along, to get to your liking. Enjoy!

Shoepeg Corn Casserole

2010-11-28T16:50:00.005-05:00

This is a staple at every Burnett Thanksgiving, so since I wasn't going home this year, I decided to bring this dish along with me to celebrate with friends down the street. Now, this is not a fancy dish. Actually, it's kind of embarrasing to even tell you the ingredients. But at the end of the day, this tastes like home, which means it tastes damn good!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 can french-style green beans, drained
1 can shoe-peg corn, drained
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 pint sour cream
1 stick melted margarine
1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed
salt & pepper to taste

Mix first 8 ingredients. Add salt & pepper. Place in a 9x13" dish. Melt oleo and mix with Ritz. Spread on top of mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Blake's Turkey Fry

2010-11-20T16:44:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of all things Thanksgiving, I have to post a turkey recipe, right? I don't know a thing about cooking turkeys, but my friend Blake Oliver from Monroe, LA has been bragging about his fried turkey for years. He was nice of enough to share the recipe with me, so I figured I would share with all of you. I can't exactly fry this turkey in my apartment just to show you a picture of how it should look...if you happen to try to make this, send me a picture of the final product!

PREPPING:
First pick your bird, should range from 13 to 15 lbs. In order to know how much grease you will need, place the turkey in the frying pot using water to judge the height. It should be about 6 in. from the top of the pot with the turkey in.

The night before cooking, you must inject it. Use one bottle Cajun Butter and one bottle Tony’s Injection per turkey. (This may seem like a lot, but it’s worth it.) While injecting, focus on the breast and legs - you can shoot some in the other parts for cooking flavor, but the breast and legs are obviously most important. You then want to rub the outside and the inside with some good spices which will create a great crust. The Cajun Butter kit comes with a pretty good one.

** The most important part of the injection process is to make all of the juice fit. You have to work the needle back and forth to really cover all of the meat or you will end up with pockets of seasoning which you don’t want. I always put a good bit on the very top where it forms bubbles in-between the skin and breast.**

Next, put the bird in the refrigerator over night. The next day you must take it out of the refrigerator long enough to allow it to reach room temperature before cooking.

COOKING:
Heat the grease to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the turkey in the grease using the metal plated stabilizer deal with the handle. (WEAR GLOVES) The temp will go down -this is good. You want to cook it at 350 Degrees for 3- 3 ½ minutes per pound.

After the long and exciting wait, TURN OFF THE GAS FIRST, then remove your turkey.
Drain the grease over the pot as it will have pockets of hot grease still stuck in some of the crevasses of the cooked turkey.

Let cool, cut and enjoy!

Hot Wing Dip

2010-10-03T20:47:00.003-04:00

So, as many of my friends know, I am in love. Head over heels, butterflies in the stomach, truly, madly, deeply in love....with buffalo wings! I limit myself to only eating them during football season, and during this time, I eat them every single weekend. My cousin Cliff submitted a recipe for the cookbook that I knew I was definitely going to make the second I saw it, Hot Wing Dip. I've had this at a party once and had to be removed from the premisis. This is a bad thing for me to know how to make....

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
1 cup Frank's red hot sauce
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces cooked and chopped chicken breast (I would probably add a bit more if I were making this again to make it a little chunkier)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Cliff recommends serving with club crackers or tortilla chips. I went with Frito Scoops and carrot sticks - delicious!

Chickity China the Chinese Chicken

2010-09-27T20:52:00.003-04:00

I'm tired. I'm broke. I'm hungry. A quick solution? Chinese food. However, I don't feel like getting the MSG sweats or eating mystery kitty cat meat. So, what's a girl to do? Make it at home, silly goose. Not only is it just as cheap, but it's gotta be better for you! I ended up using a lot of stuff I had around, so just remember: you don't ever have to follow a recipe 100%. Improvise with what you have and avoid a stupid trip to the grocery for 1 ingredient that won't make a difference. I got this recipe at a budget cooking class at Whole Foods a few years back. This is about as easy as it gets.

8 ounces whole wheat linguine (I used angel hair b/c it's what I had. You could also use rice)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I used a boullion cube + 1 cup water)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil, divided (i don't even know what this means - I used vegetable oil)
1 pound frozen Nature’s Rancher Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins, thawed and cut into strips (I used chicken breasts and just sliced & diced evenly in cubes)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 cups small fresh broccoli florets (from about 1 large crown)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips (I didn't have carrots but I did have water chestnuts and that adorable baby corn so I used this instead)

Cook linguine according to package instructions, drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, combine broth, soy, vinegar, pepper and cornstarch in a bowl. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. When very hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside. Add remaining oil, garlic and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add broccoli and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add soy mixture and chicken, stir well, and cover. Lower heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Toss with linguine and serve.

This serving has way too much broccoli in it. Mom will be proud.

Got My Red Beans Cookin'

2010-09-27T20:36:00.003-04:00

Ok, this was made last week especially for the Saints game on Monday night, but I am just getting around to posting. Seems like I should have made them yesterday instead...bad Saints, bad bad bad! No shortcuts were taken here ladies and gents.....I'm talkin authentic Monday red beans n rice. I brought some Camellia beans home with me from my last trip to New Orleans, and they kept taunting me every time I opened my cabinet. "Eat me, Lisa. Eat me," they would say. Adios red beans. Smell ya later.

1 pound red kidney beans, dry
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced

1 large smoked ham hock
1 to 1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced on the bias
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

Tony Cachere's - a nice heavy pour makes me happy

Cayenne Pepper

Black Pepper

Some people soak the beans overnight, but you don't have to. Instead, bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about an hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

While the beans are boiling, sauté the Trinity until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the ham hock, sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve generously over white rice. Tasted even better the next day!

Back to Basics: Southern Green Beans

2010-09-19T20:32:00.003-04:00

I picked up some fresh green beans from the farm yesterday. I worked especially hard on these beans, weeding the beds one week and fertilizing another. I've never been so attached to a vegetable -sounds like I need to step up my love life. I didn't want to totally cook these down too much; I wanted to be able to taste the freshness. So I altered a basic recipe with ingredients I had on hand.

Green Beans - I grabbed a handful, probably 1/2 lb., trimmed and cut into pieces

1 piece bacon, cut into pieces

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. sugar

Cook green beans in 1-inch simmering water, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Return skillet to stove, add bacon and brown. Add chopped onions to the pan and cook until tender with the bacon. Add cooked green beans to the pan and turn to coat in bacon drippings and onions. When the beans are hot and bacon crisp at edges and onions translucent add vinegar to the pan and season with beans with sugar. Cook 1-2 minutes and serve.

Corn Chowder

2010-08-29T16:48:00.010-04:00

I picked up some fresh sweet corn at the farmers market yesterday, along with some other goodies that you will see appear over the next few posts. I am a sucker for sweet corn; if I walk past it, I must buy it. However, I feel like I've cooked it every which way already this summer. UNTIL....I found this great recipe for corn chowder on simplyrecipes.com, which turned out to be delicious. You can really taste the great fresh flavor of the corn within the soup.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 strip of bacon
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 large carrot, chopped
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
3 ears of sweet corn, kernels removed from the cobs, cobs reserved
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups milk
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped (I used green because my tummy hates the red ones)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (I used a little tiny bit of dried)

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon strip and fry until the bacon renders its fat, but doesn't begin to brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes.

Break the corn cobs in half and add them to the saucepan. Add the milk and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Make sure the heat is as low as can be and still maintain a gentle simmer to prevent scalding the milk on the bottom of the pan.

Discard the cobs, the bacon strip, and the bay leaf. Raise the heat, add the potatoes, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.

Raise the heat, add the corn kernels and the thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Just Beet It

2010-08-21T18:52:00.003-04:00

Beets. Oh how I love you. I love you in salads, roasted all by yourself, and even just your greens. Even though beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, suprisingly they are very low in calories. Let's also not forget all the powerful nutrients they have to protect against heart disease and cancer.

My mom doesn't like beets, so I never grew up eating them, much less cooking them. Luckily, they are super easy. And don't even think about throwing the greens away - I recently started cooking them and am obsessed. You can cook just like any other greens, and they are delicious. The best part is that one vegetable makes 2 sides. I served with some chicken/feta/spinach sausage for a nice light meal.

For the beets:
Clean off any dirt with a paper towel, but do not wash. Trim the roots and stems to 1/2." Place the beets in an oven-proof baking dish and cover (foil works fine). Bake at 400 degrees for one hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Then simply slip the skins and root off with your fingers.

For the greens: (from simplyrecipes.com)
1 pound beet greens
1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped (I have made it without bacon and it is still good)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup of water
1 T, sugar
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/6 cup of cider vinegar

Wash the greens in a sink filled with cold water. Drain greens and wash a second time. Drain greens and cut away any heavy stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat. Add onions, cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally, until onions soften and start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar.

Katy's Catfish Gumbo

2010-08-15T09:41:00.003-04:00

My friend Katy Simmons knows a thing or two about catfish. Her dad is one of the biggest catfish farmers in the Delta, so she knows more ways to cook with catfish than you can imagine. I grew up eating Simmons Catfish and thanks to Katy's sweet birthday present for me, I have a bag in my freezer! I made her catfish gumbo and took a big helping to the office for lunch - everyone kept coming in to see what the delicious smell was. I ended up sharing it with two co-workers, and they were wowed!. Katy and I both prefer to make a roux for more flavor, but that is the hardest part, which isn't hard at all, just a little time-consuming. So grab some catfish and get to stirrin...you won't regret it.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups beef broth
1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes
1 package (10 oz.) frozen sliced okra
1/2 t. thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. salt
2 1/2 lbs. Simmons catfish, cut into 1" cubes
Cooked rice

If making a roux: In a skillet over medium heat, mix 3 tablespoons oil with 3 T. flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns dark brown, about 30 minutes.

If not making a roux, which is stupid and I don't recommend: heat oil in large stockpot.

Next step is to add celery, green pepper, onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add beef broth, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, oregano and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add catfish and continue simmering 15 minutes or until catfish flakes easily. Remove bay leaf. Serve over cooked rice.

The Perfect Saturday

2010-08-14T17:49:00.004-04:00

I have absolutely enjoyed this beautiful Saturday 110%. The weather was perfect, and everything and everyone I encountered was cheerful. You have no idea how rare this is, so I took it all in and wore a smile the entire day.

The majority of my time was spent at the Red Hook Community Farm out in Brooklyn. My volunteer task today was weeding the green beans. My quads are going to hate me tomorrow, but it felt good to put my hands in the dirt and get a little sweaty. Everything was green and beautiful - hard to believe the picture below is in Brooklyn, right?

The best part of the farm is that I never go home empty-handed from a hard day's work. They have a great little farmers market where I can load up on goodies growing right where I've been standing all day. I can't even begin to put into words how delicious these tomatoes are....they are seriously like candy! I started eating them straight and finished half of the box immediately. Sure, tomatoes are in season, I know, but these seeds must be laced with crack or something - never tasted anything quite like it. Lesson of the day: Support your local farmers!!!

Since I was on a tomato-high, I bought some big boys too in order to make the best sandwich you will ever eat in your life. You don't believe me? Well, you are an idiot obviously. Make this NOW, while the tomatoes out there are so delicious.

Ingredients:

Mayo, no diet crap

2 slices bread (white bread is the best, but I didn't have any)

1/2 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

1 BIG handful plain potato chips (i use kettle cooked because they are the bomb.com)

Spread mayo on both sides of bread....if you are on a diet, go with one, but whatever you do, do not leave off the mayo. Top with tomato sliced. Then season with pepper....keep going, keep going, yep that's perfect. Place a big handful of chips on the sammy and squash the whole thing together with your hand. Cut in half and enjoy the most delicious summer sandwich ever. Like I said, the perfect Saturday......

Pulled Pork Sliders

2010-07-26T20:24:00.002-04:00

These sliders are so cute, so delicious and so easy to make! I have served them on mini rolls smaller than these for work pot-lucks, as well as full-size buns for the real deal! I don't even see the point of writing this out in usual recipe format....it's THAT simple. First, you need pork shoulder; I went with a half shoulder, a little over 4 pounds. Then you take a 2 liter of Coke - no diet stuff. Brown the shoulder in a dutch oven in a bit of oil on all sides. Then put the shoulder in the slow cooker and cover it in Coca-Cola......yes, you heard me right. DO IT! Then turn on the slow cooker on low while you are at work; when you get home, it will be falling off the bone. Take it out and shred it with a fork, mix with bbq sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's cause I didn't feel like making any from scatch) and serve on Martin's mini potato rolls with some delicious coleslaw...and if you are lucky like me, Zapp's Creole Tomato chips. Yum yum in my tum tum!

Lemon Pepper Shrimp with Orzo

2010-07-24T13:57:00.003-04:00

I don't really have a good story about this dish. I saw it in Cooking Light a few years ago and saved it with other recipe snippets I keep in my little notebook. I made it a while back and shared with my Mom, who also enjoyed it. It's simple, light, and really lets the flavor of the shrimp shine through. I usually have these ingredients on hand, so it's easy to throw together for myself or for company.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
7 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic (I used fresh garlic - it's the best)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.

While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

Elote (Mexican Corn)

2010-07-24T13:56:00.004-04:00

I discovered elote during my first year in NY at this great little place, Cafe Habana. It took me forever to realize the secret ingredient is mayonnaise. I always bring this to outdoor cookouts in the summer - everyone loves it! Cotija cheese can be found at any Mexican grocery store, but if you can't find it, I've heard Parmesan is a good substitute.

Ingredients:
Ears of corn (however many you want)
Cotija chese
Mayonnaise
Cayenne Pepper
Lime

Shuck corn, leaving husk on. Wrap husk back and grill for roughly 15 minutes, turning, until hot.. Remove husk, slather each ear with mayo and then roll corn in the cheese to stick. Sprinkle with cayenne and lime juice and enjoy!

Martha Williams' Creole Catfish

2010-07-15T20:00:00.004-04:00

Martha Williams is a close friend of the family and an excellent cook. Our old house was right around the corner from hers, and I grew up sitting in front of her and her husband, Mr. E.D., in church every week. My dad grew up with all of her sons, so we spent time with the entire Williams clan whenever we could. My fantastic friend, Katy Simmons, shipped some famous Simmons catfish to me for my birthday, and I wanted to try out Mrs. Martha's recipe. It was very light, yet flavorful, and super easy to make. I served it with collard greens and squash casserole - a true Southern feast. The only thing I changed was that I added a bit of Tony Chachere's to the fish to add a little kick - delicious!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. catfish filets

1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 T. salad oil

2 t. salt

2 t. chopped onions

1 t. fresh basil leaves

1/4 t. black pepper
4 drops Tabasco hot pepper sauce

Place fish in a greased baking dish. Combine all ingredients and pour over fish. Bake at 500 about 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Grilled Shrimp with Dijon-Garlic Glaze

2010-07-05T18:31:00.003-04:00

I'm leaving for New Orleans on Wednesday (woo hoo!) and trying to avoid going to the grocery. Taking inventory of my freezer, it was a little bit on the side of uninspiring....ground beef, frozen vegetables, blah blah blah... I eyed some frozen shrimp and decided that they were the winner of the evening. I used the indoor grill pan, because I am lazy, but I really feel that using a real grill is the way to cook these puppies. The flavor was great; not too much to overpower the great flavor of shrimp, but just enough to make it interesting. If using a grill, you could use skewers to make cooking easier - no one likes overcooked shrimpies! Definitely serving at my next cookout.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 T. dijon mustard
2 T. honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juioce
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Stir with whisk in small bowl. Brush one side of shrimp with mixture. Grill for 1-2 minutes. Turn shrimp, brush with glaze and cook 2 minutes of until shrimp are done.

Lentil Tacos

2010-06-27T18:48:00.003-04:00

I love meat. I really do. It's delicious. However, sometimes I decide to give the animals a break and have a vegetarian meal. Note: I do not want hippie food. I do not eat hippie food. Hippie food is lame. These lentil tacos have a ton of flavor; you won't miss the meat. Promise.

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 package (2.25 ounce) taco seasoning
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat) - I didn't use this time but if you have, it really adds a nice flavor
2 teaspoons adobo sauce - same note as above
8 taco shells
toppings: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping teaspoons sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Pete's Breakfast Sandwich

2010-06-20T19:29:00.003-04:00

In honor of Father's Day, as well as the recent passing of Jimmy Dean, it was a no-brainer when it came to deciding what recipe to feature next. This sandwich has been a staple in the Burnett household for as long as I can remember. Pete used to be the only one that would eat it, because of course, he "created" it, but both Jan and I both have grown to love it. We request it for breakfast whenever we go home, even though it grosses Sally out. Don't leave out the mayo - it is the best part!

Happy Father's Day to the most rad dad around, Pete Burnett! Love you!

Ingredients:
Jimmy Dean sausage (Hot is the Burnett preference) - RIP JD!
Eggs
Mayonnaise (Pete will only eat Blue Plate)
White bread (preferably cheap store brand)
Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown sausage in pan. Drain and set aside. Scramble eggs in same pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix together. On one side of the bread, spread with butter. On the other side, spread with mayo. Fill with egg/sausage mixture and grill in pan until buttered sides are brown. Slice and serve.

Broccoli Slaw

2010-06-07T20:45:00.007-04:00

I had an impromptu rooftop bbq the other night and was on the hunt for a quick side. Potato salad? Takes too long. Macaroni salad? Mayo Glop City. I went to my lovely neighborhood market, Brooklyn Fare, to take a look at their pre-made sides and found a great looking broccoli slaw. I had seen the bagged mix in the grocery, but I had never had it before. I was so suprised to realize how yummy it was that night on the roof. I picked up some broccoli on yesterday and found an easy recipe tonight. With my trusty food processor, whipping this up was super simple and even though I plan on eating tomorrow with my lunch, I took a bite to taste..... yum yum! Try this as a new side this summer for something different.

Ingredients:
2 heads broccoli
1/2 cup golden raisins (Feel free to improvise here; cranberries or currants would be excellent substitutions)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup slivered almonds (or whole almonds that have been roughly chopped)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

Shred the broccoli in a food processor, using the grater disk. In a large bowl, combine the shredded broccoli, raisins, red onion, and almonds.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed.

Allow to sit for 30 minutes (or an hour in the fridge) so the flavors can mingle.

I read in some of the recipe reviews that some people added bacon....mmm.....bacon. Just passing on the suggestion.

Roasted Eye of Round

2010-06-06T21:24:00.004-04:00

Eye of round was on sale today at the grocery, so I decided to pick one up for dinner. I have never made it before but I found a simple recipe online that looked easy enough. It turned out to be a bit more medium than the usual rare I prefer, but that's my fault for cooking it a bit too long. Don't worry - I wouldn't have posted it if it wasn't worth it - definitely a tasty EASY meal that I would make again. Use the leftovers for a french dip sandwich the next day...if there are any!

Ingredients:
Roast:
1 eye of round beef roast
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

Gravy:
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place eye of round beef roast in roaster or pan uncovered. Season heavily with salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.

Roast in oven for 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Do not open oven door or the heat will be lost.

Allow the roast to sit in the oven for 20 minutes per pound. A lot of the reviews for the recipe suggested letting it sit 1.5 hours even if it was on the smaller side. This was a mistake on my part. I don't like brown meat. I like red meat. Very very bloody red meat. But hey, beginner here with roast - I'll get it next time! But take this as my warning. I would stick with the 20 min rule if you like a more pink roast.

Gravy:
When roast is done, remove from the pan and make a gravy with the juices by adding gravy ingredients from above. Stir ingredients right in the pan the roast was cooked in (on top of the stove), scraping up the flavorful bits from the pan. Cook over low heat until thickened, adjusting seasonings to taste. A teaspoon of beef bouillon may be added for extra flavor if needed. If the roast didn't have much in the way of drippings, add a tablespoon of butter to the gravy.

Next, just slice and serve with the delicious gravy. Don't be upset by the lack of color on my plate below. It's not pretty, I know, but it's summer - and I have decided I need to eat fresh sweet corn with as many meals as possible.

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken

2010-06-01T21:06:00.003-04:00

I had some chicken pieces I needed to cook tonight, but no recipe. I looked for one in a hurry at the end of the day that I had all of the ingredients for so I would not have to make a trip to the store. Eureka! Compliments of myrecipes.com, Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken to the rescue! I didn't follow my usual format because frankly, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out ----and I was busy cooking some sides as well. Turned out to be a fantastic dinner that I would definitely repeat again! The mix of sweet and spicy is super tasty. The only thing I would change is doubling up on the honey/vinegar mix at the end. I served with a fresh sweet corn saute and some good ole southern fried cabbage.....yum yum.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (I used 1 t. because I love cayenne pepper)
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used a 3.5 lb. package of chicken pieces)
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side. (Since I used bigger pieces than thighs, I did 10 minutes on each side instead. Raw chicken = Yuckfest 2000)

Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well.

Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-05-29T19:18:00.006-04:00

We recently had a pot luck at work this past Friday to kick off the beginning of summer...or well, when it starts to feel like summer at least. I decided to bring Curried Chicken Salad, that I served in small pita halves. Everyone loved it! I tripled the recipe below to make roughly 30 pitas. But if you use the recipe given here, it will be an excellent lunch for at 2 days at least. Feel free to serve on top of greens or in a pita like I did.

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts (roughly 1 lb.)
1/2 cup light or regular mayo
1 t. honey
2 t. curry powder
1 t. ginger
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion (both green and white parts)
I like to add a little more variety here:
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup red seadless grapes, halved (not pictured)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (not pictured)

Place the chicken breasts in a pot with enough hot water to cover them. Simmer gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, never letting the liquid boil. Make sure the chicken is done by slicing it in half to make sure it is no longer pink. When the chicken is done, set it aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and green onions and mix well.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, tear or cut into bite-size cubes and mix with mayo mixture. Add a little more mayo if you want until the salad is the consistency you want. Last, add the green onion. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Pickled Shrimp

2010-04-17T16:48:00.004-04:00

I was recently invited by a lovely couple I know over to their new apartment for Easter brunch. Like a good Southern girl, I know that you never show up empty handed to a party. So I decided to make Papaw's Pickled Shrimp. This is a very common dish down South, but no one in New York has even heard of it. It's a simple appetizer that looks very elegant when displayed in any sort of glass or crystal serving dish.

My plan on Easter was to attend a Baptist Church in downtown Manhattan, run back to Brooklyn to pick up the shrimp and then be a bad Baptist and drink mimimos with friends all afternoon. However, little did I know that the people of Mariners Temple Baptist Church do not kid around when it comes to Easter Sunday service.. At around the 3 hour mark, they were still goin strong...and I was LATE to brunch. So unfortunately, I had to sneak out of church early, forego the trip to Brooklyn to retrieve the shrimp and just proceed uptown, grabbing a bottle of Prosecco along the way. The brunch was fantastic, and I got stuck eating the entire serving of pickled shrimp all by myself over the next days, which I totally loved. Poor me, I know. Next time, I promise to share.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. cooked, peeled shrimp

3/4 cup vinegar

2 1/2 T. capers and liquid

2 dashes Tabasco

3 or 4 pods of garlic

1-2 onions, sliced and separated into rings

1 1/3 cup salad oil

2 1/2 t. celery seed

2 t. salt
8 bay leaves

few dashes of Lea & Perrins

The first thing I did was go ahead and just slice the onions thinly for rings, as well as peel a few cloves of garlic.

I decided not to post the pics of the whole shrimp de-heading process because, well, they just aren't pretty. Unlike most people, I like de-heading the shrimp. So, if you ever need any help decapitating these yummy little monsters, give me a call. Once de-headed, I threw these fellows into some boiling water (I added a little Old Bay because I have it), and cooked for only 3 minutes. They don't have to be fully cooked, as the pickling process will continue to cook them even further. I drained them immediately, and then I peeled and de-veined them, leaving the tail on.

The next, and final step, just involved mixing all of the ingredients and then adding the shrimp and onions to the mixture. I added in some peppercorns as well, from a suggestion from my pal Mary Margaret. The shrimp need to marinate in this at least overnight to achieve the full pickeld flavor.

I decided to serve these in a cute Mason jar from The Container Store so that the dish would travel well, but really anything clear would do. You'll need a slotted spoon for serving. Yum Yum!

Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream

2010-03-29T20:54:00.008-04:00

I have a really bad habit of going to the grocery store without a list. I tend to buy whatever looks good at the time, as well as what is on sale, and what I "think" I have on my list of things of cook. This results in me having really random stuff that doesn't go together and having to call for pizza delivery after I get home from the store and am starving. I went through my cabinet and freezer this morning and found many of the ingredients below. Thanks to the lovely internet, I was able to find a recipe that contained many of the ingredients I had on hand. I just had to buy a can of tomatoes and some heavy cream. Yes, you read correctly; I HAD to buy heavy cream. The internet told me to. This turned out to be a really great dish that I will definitely make again. I used hot sausage instead of sweet, and it was delicious.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Go ahead and chop up the onion and garlic. I would also start boiling the water for the pasta. Follow the directions for al dente pasta and save 1 cup of the reserved water for later.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add sausage and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about 5 minutes.

Oh, yes, you'll want a glass of wine. Red, white, who cares? This is a lovely Bordeaux that I bought over the weekend.

Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender and sausage is browned, about 3 minutes longer.

See? All nice and brown.

Add tomatoes and cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sausage mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked pasta to the pan.

Toss over medium-low heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved liqued from pasta by 1/4 cupfulls as needed.

Transfer pasta to dish. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. And serve. Look how pretty!!!

Thai Red Curry Shrimp

2010-03-22T20:59:00.006-04:00

I don't hide my love for ethnic food. It's yummy, usually inexpensive, and exposes me to flavors and tastes that I didn't experience growing up down south. Usually, it's cheaper to order delivery if I am in the mood for Thai food. However, this recipe might be one of the easiest ever, and I have altered the ingredients for 2 people, so that I can have leftovers for lunch the next day. The ingredients are easy to find in NYC, but even if you have to hunt them down, there are tons of recipes online that include these things, so don't worry... they won't go to waste. It really is a delicious meal and one of the easiest things I know how to make. The rice takes longer to cook than the actual dish!

The ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon red curry paste (this adds a good amount of spice, but I actually prefer more)
1 teaspoon sugar
12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup coconut milk (feel free to use light if you are watching the calories)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (I like to use a bit more)

Why not make things easy and just go ahead and chop your ingredients now?

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 2 things noticed: I need a new nonstick pan PRONTO!....and this is very Medusa-esque. I am pretty sure I made up that word. I like it.

Add onion and curry paste to pan, and sauté 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sugar; sauté 15 seconds.

Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring frequently.

When they are pink throughout, those boogers are done.

Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce; cook 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and basil. (Oops, forgot to take a picture.)

Serve with rice and your choice of side. I went with haricot verts because that is what I had. Feel free to use anything. Told you it was easy. And delicious, right?

Irish Stew

2010-03-15T20:51:00.006-04:00

Well, it's obvious why I chose this, right? Today it St. Patty's Day, otherwise known as Green Beer Day. I remember going to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Jackson when I was little and wanting some of Daddy's "green drink" so bad. Knowing him, he probably gave me a sip when my mom looked the other way! I can't really figure out what makes this stew Irish besides potatoes, but hey, what Papaw says goes.

Ingredients: (full recipe):
5 lbs. roast, cut into bite size cubes (I used beef already cut for stew and diced a bit more)
1 qt. water, in container
1 large onion, chopped
salt, pepper, garlic powder
2 1 lb. can tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
5-7 potatoes

Cook first ingredients on high until boiling. This picture looks, well, brown.

Add the tomatoes and paste. Cook on low for 2 hours. You may have to add more water.

While cooking, peel and dice the potatoes. To prevent them from browning, keep covered in cold water until you add to the stew.

After 2 hours is up, add the potatoes and cook for 30 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

And serve.

Ok, I am not gonna lie. At the end of the day, this is a very basic stew. It's a bit bland for my taste buds, so I decided to doctor things up a bit. I took a pic of what I added below, but you can add whatever you like. Once I added these things, it definitely didn't taste more Irish, but it definitely added a bit more depth. If I were going to make this again, I would try adding Guinness and some red wine to give more flavor. Now, you just relax and treat yourself to some yummy Irish whiskey. You deserve it. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chicken Curry (kind of)

2010-03-08T11:40:00.008-05:00

In case you didn't know already, Mark Bittman is a food writer who has a weekly column for the The New York Times called The Minimalist. Even if you don't read the dining section first thing on Wednesday morning like me, you are probably familiar with one of his 6 cookbooks. The best thing about Bittman is his simplistic recipes; they are perfect for the people out there that like to cook, but really have no idea what they are doing...aka ME. This chicken curry recipe is not necessarily "authentic," but hey, there is chicken and there is curry....therefore, it is named appropriately. This is perfect for a weekday night when you don't feel like making something fancy pants, but don't want to order greasy chinese delivery either.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp corn, grapeseed, or olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow curry powder, or to taste
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)*
1 cup sour cream
Minced fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Bittman also recommends adding slivered almonds and a dash of chile pepper flakes. If you want to use yogurt instead of sour cream, just make sure that the yogurt never simmers. If it does, it will curdle.

Before you start slicing those onions, start the rice. Just follow the directions on the back of the box. This isn't rocket science people. Now, get to slicing.

Put the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

When hot, add the onions (and optional raisins), sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium, sprinkle with half of the curry powder, and continue to cook a minute or two.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle it with the remaining curry powder.

Move the onion to one side of the skillet.

Add the chicken in one layer. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side.

Flip.

Transfer to a plate.

Add the sour cream and stir constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture is nice and thick.

Return the chicken to the skillet and cook for a couple more minutes, or until cooked through, turning once.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve with rice. No cilantro or parsley in my kitchen tonight so I skipped this step.

Crawfish Monica

2010-03-02T20:36:00.010-05:00

If you've ever been to Jazzfest in New Orleans, then you've definitely had Crawfish Monica. And if you've ever had Crawfish Monica, well then you know what heaven is gonna be like. I'm talkin cream, pasta, garlic, butter....yep, like I said, heaven.

You can change this up as much as you like. If you don't have fettucini, use whatever pasta you have around. They usually serve it with rotini at Jazzfest, so if you want to be traditional, go that route. Also, you can always substitute shrimp for crawfish, which is what I did. Believe me, if I could find crawfish, I would have used it. I love New York and all, but they really don't know what they are missing out on by not having crawfish up here.

Ingredients:
1 pound fettuccine
3 tbsp butter
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
Creole/Cajun Seasoning to taste
1 cup peeled, seeded plum tomatoes
1 pound crawfish tails
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions, (green part only)

So like I said, I went with shrimp instead of crawfish. I ended up buying frozen because I didn't like the look of the fresh. Plus, I mean, hello? If someone wants to devein shrimp for me, I am NOT going to stop them. A quick way to thaw shrimp? Run cold water over them in a colander, and you have unfrozen shrimp in about 6 minutes.

While the water is running, get your ingredients chopped. Shown below is garlic, chopped roma tomatoes, and onion.

By the time you are done chopping, the shrimp should be thawed. However, you want to dry these little boogers or else they will hold water and be gross. So I just lay them out on paper towel.

And then put another piece on top, patting them dry.

Now boil some water with some salt, and then add your pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pasta package. I know, real exciting stuff here.

In a large saute pan, melt 1 T. of butter

Then add the onion and sprinkle with cajun seasoning. I used Tony's...and I have a very heavy pour. Come have a drink with me; I'll prove it.

Saute for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and more Tony's. Saute for 2 minutes.

Now sprinkle even more Tony's on the shrimp.

Add the shrimp to the pan and saute 1 minute.

Then add the garlic and season with another healthy shake of Tony's.

Add the cream and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cheese. Mix well.

In the meantime, drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Ok, I admit it. This is when my friend showed up, and I totally forgot to continue to take pictures. I blame that heavy pour I referenced earlier. =) But I promise, you don't need pics of the next steps. Turn the sauce into a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta and green onions (I didn't have these at home so skipped). Mix well. Mound the pasta in the center of each plate and serve.

Here is a shot of what it should look like. Thank you, Google. This is much prettier than anything I would have taken.

Grilled Skirt Steak

2010-03-01T00:03:00.013-05:00

If you know me at all, you know I like spicy. Spicy this, spicy that, you name it, I want it. And if isn't spicy, I'll probably pull some hot sauce out of my bag and make it that way. Yes, I have hot sauce in my purse. And 3 bottles in my drawer at work. I can't get enough.

Most skirt steak recipes are with served with chimicurri sauce or either cooked for fajitas. I didn't want either of those, but I had this beautiful piece of meat that was calling my name. Skirt steak is one of my favorite cuts - the flavor is so much better than a lot of others and because I prefer my meat cooked rare, it's a perfect cut for me.

This recipe is super simple, easy and has a lot of flavor.

Once again, I forgot to take the recipe shot but it's all simple ingredients:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs beef skirt steak, cut in 6-inch pieces
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper kosher salt to taste

First step is making the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and whisk together thoroughly.

Now take the skirt steak and cut into 6" pieces. Mmmmm....beef. This is obviously not cut yet.

Add the skirt steak, and toss in the marinade until all the pieces are coated evenly. I only had a little over a pound of beef, but I didn't change the marinade...which is probably why it had a decent kick. Cover the bowl and let sit, at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Remove skirt steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt. Cook about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare on a very hot, preheated outdoor grill, or on a grill pan indoors. It's still freezing in NY, so grill pan wins. I like my meat rare, so I think I would do more like 2 minutes on each side.

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remember my lesson in resting? Well, read it again if you don't. The next step is the most important with a tough cut like skirt steak: Be sure to slice against the grain for the tenderest results. Pretty, right? Blurry too. Oh, shaky hands. How I love thee.

Honey Sesame Pork Tenderloin

2010-02-17T18:54:00.001-05:00

My lovely cousin, Shelley Sheppard, submitted this recipe for the cookbook, and it sounded so delicious. I love every ingredient that is in this dish --- and we all know I love pork. I love it so much that I feel like the need to write a haiku about it:

Cooked, cured, smoked

I love it all so.

My dear swine.

Here are the ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 T. sesame oil
1 - 1.5 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup honey
2 T. dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sesame seeds

First, mix the soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a large plastic bag. Marinate tenderloin in it for at least 2 hours, preferably all day. My ziploc bags were too small, so I went with this plastic container. I put the pork in the marinade before I went to sleep, so it was very well-marinated when i cooked it for dinner the next evening. This picture is kind of gross, but I figured I'd show it anyway. I would normally write what I think this looks like, but I am trying to get you to cook this, not throw up.
Preheat oven to 375. Combine honey and brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Speaking of "honey" and "sugar," I've been in a bad habit of calling people this at work lately. I am pretty sure it's considered inappropriate, possible even flirtatious, at the office but it's just fun to say it with a southern drawl, a la Scarlet O'Hara. Do it! See? Told you so.

Remove tenderloin from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Roll tenderloin in honey mixture, then roll in sesame seeds. Shelley wrote that she normally leaves off the sesame seeds, but since I had them in my cabinet, I figured I would use them.

Roast in a shallow pan for 20-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160. You can also grill it, which is what Shelley does. Unfortunately, there is no grill in my apartment, so I had to take a trip to Oven-City. Let the meat rest a while after taking it out of the oven or off the grill to let the juices redistribute. This is one of the hardest things to do, but you should do ANYTIME you cook meat. I know how hard it is not to cut it right away and dig in, but seriously, don't! You'll lose all the delicious juices...and then you'll be sad. Like, cry like a baby sad.

Don't be frightened by the picture below: No pans were harmed in the making of this meal. It's just "suga" and "hunay" - an overnight soak and it came right off.

I served this wish some squash and some leftover rice from the night before. It was very flavorful, but I think the tastes of the grill might make it a bit better than the oven, so if you have that option, go with the grill. Also, I would toast the sesame seeds next time to add more flavor.

Chicken Andouille Gumbo aka Who Dat!?! Gumbo

2010-02-13T09:57:00.002-05:00

I made this a few weeks ago when the Saints won the NFC Championship , so I figured that I should make it again for Superbowl. So now, of course, I consider this gumbo to be lucky, and have a feeling that you'll be able to find me every Sunday this fall in my kitchen stirring a roux.

I totally forgot to take the ususal pic of ingredients, so I'll just list them out here.

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 pound andouille or other smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (I used beef smoked sausage because that is all I could find)
1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) chicken, cut up (I am a big fan of chicken thighs - they are cheap and sooo much more flavorful than boring old chicken breasts)
1 1/2 quarts water
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 can whole tomatoes, drained and squeezed
handful of frozed diced okra
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have any, so I just skipped this)
Hot cooked rice

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add sausage and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add chicken pieces to pot and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. As mentioned in ingredients, you can use chicken pieces, but I prefer just thighs. They are perfect for this gumbo.
See? All nice and brown.

Add water and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.Remove chicken from pot and cool slightly. Remove meat from bones, discarding skin and bones; shred meat into small pieces and set aside.

Now, time for the roux. Go to the bathroom and then pour a glass of wine. You'll be here for a while.

In a skillet over medium heat, mix remaining 3 tablespoons oil with flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns dark brown, about 30 minutes.

This is how it looks in the beginning:

After 15 minutes:

The final product: a nice dark brown roux:

Now don't be an idiot like me and try to turn around and watch tv while making the roux. I now have lovely second degree burns on 2 of my fingers. Of course, there was no time for a pity party, or else I might have burned the roux!

Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic and cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add mixture to Dutch oven along with bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add chicken and sausage and simmer 15 minutes longer.

When you have about 7 minutes left, throw in a handful of frozen okra. Don't put it in any earlier or it will get all slimy....ewww.

Remove from heat and stir in green onion and parsley; adjust seasoning if needed. Let gumbo stand 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, mound about 1/3 cup rice in each soup bowl, then ladle about 1 cup gumbo around rice.

Oh yeah, at some point, you should have cooked some rice. I listed some of my favorite additions to flavor gumbo below. I have a love for all things spicy, so if I am serving this to anyone besides myself...and you should - it's so good - I usually keep it pretty tame and let each person add extras as they see fit. Since I used okra, it natually thickens the gumbo, so file isn't really necessary...but if you decided to omit, you might need it.

Look how pretty? And soooo good.And like I meant, LUCKY! Congratulations New Orleans Saints, Superbowl XLIV Champs!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

2010-01-18T20:57:00.001-05:00

Hot Italian sausage was on sale yesterday, so I picked it up and then found a recipe which of course involved going BACK to the grocery store. One day I will get organized....just not today. I found this recipe in my notebook of random recipes I want to try out. Anytime I see a recipe in the paper or a magazine, I cut it out and tape it in my notebook. It probably gets more use than other cookbook I have because I know I want to eat EVERYTHING in it. It was really easy to make, relatively inexpensive and super yummy. I ate it with a simple mixed green salad, but it is plenty filling on its own. Obviously, this is not part of the cookbook, but since it's good, I figured I might as well share it.

Ingredients, serves 6:

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, meat crumbled

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 lb. pasta (tube-shaped) - i use penne

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 T. butter

2 T. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (the recipe called for flat, but they only had curly at the store- who cares?)

Freshly ground black pepper

So, first I worked on chopping the garlic and removing the casing from the sausage.

EW.......casing! Yucky!

Now, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the oil to the hot pan, then add the sausage and garlic. Break apart the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's no longer pink.

Then add the cream and simmer over low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. When the pasta is ready, so is the sausage.

Drain the pasta well in a colander and add to the sausage in the pan. Add the Parmesan, butter, and parsley. Yes, my pan is way too small. I'm in the process of moving, and my big boy pan is all packed up.

Mix well.

To serve, sprinkle with a little more of the Parmesan cheese and season with pepper. It's got a nice kick, but don't let the spicy title steer you away...you could always use regular Italian sausage....but the spicy kind is sooooo much better!

Braised Short Ribs

2010-01-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's January, it's cold, I'm broke...basically, braising is calling my name! As you probably already know, braising is a cooking technique in which the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot. Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meats, making it an ideal way to cook tougher cuts.

One person that understands the cold in this family is Aunt Andrea Hairston, who left the flat mild Delta winters for the mountains of snowy Idaho years ago. She submitted this delicious-sounding Braised Short Ribs recipe for our cookbook. I decided to take a stab at cooking at her recipe today, but since I'm a loner, I decided to cut the recipe in half for little old me.

ingredients for original recipe, feeds 4-6:

3 lbs. beef short ribs
3/4 cup rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 t. beef flavored gravy base or 2 bouillon cubes
pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery (i loathe celery, so i left this out of mine)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 1/4 cup water
2 t. salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce

In a heavy skillet, brown ribs with added fat. Fat? How do I get my thighs in this pan? Fine, I'll use butter.

Allow 25-30 minutes for browning. Season with a little salt.

Remove to a 3 quart casserole, cover and bake in slow oven at 325 for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in the skillet in which the meat was browned, combine rice, onions, celery and green pepper. Cook until rice is lightly browned.

After meat has baked for 1 hour, remove ribs from casserole and pour off fat. Place browned rice mixture into casserole.
Top with ribs.
Combine remaining ingredients into a small saucepan and heat to boiling. Pour over ribs and rice.

Cover and bake 1 hour more. Look how yummy!

And serve.... this was delicious. I served with some steamed spinach but any green veg would be great with it. Thanks, Aunt Andrea, for a fabulous recipe!

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

2009-12-31T14:54:00.000-05:00

We boiled some fresh Gulf shrimp for Christmas Eve and decided to make Papaw's cocktail sauce to go along with it.

1 bottle 12 oz. chili sauce
1 sweet pickle, grated
1 small onion, grated
1 T. Lea & Perrins
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. horseradish
1 dash Tabasco

1 teaspoon horseradish? Well, we didn't believe it. No Sir. George would have never put so little horseradish in this. We used half a jar, but I honestly think it could have used a bit more. I think the rest of the Burnetts would agree too. Except the sissy ones of course.

Easy to make. Just put all ingredients into a bowl.

Give it a little stir and serve with some good ole boiled Gulf shrimp!

(sorry for the ugly picture)

Jezebel Sauce

2009-12-31T14:01:00.000-05:00

For as many years as I can remember, we have always had a Honey-Baked Ham at Mamaw's for Christmas Eve. I don't think she'd be mad if I admit on here that it came from the Honey-Baked Ham store; actually, I think that is what everyone prefers. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Well, even though the ham is from a store, the side of Jezebel Sauce is hand-made by Mamaw every year. It's super spicy and one of my favorites.

The ingredients: (which Sally emptied before we got a shot in)

1 18-ounce jar apple jelly
1 16-ounce jar pineapple preserves
2 1/2 ounces horseradish
5 ounces prepared mustard

Mix together with mixer in bowl.

Will keep 2 weeks in refrigerator. Easy enough for you?

Scalloped Potato Grain

2009-12-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

I saw this recipe online the other day and want to cook it for Christmas Eve. However, I believe in the rule of never trying a new recipe out at dinner parties. I learned this from experience of course. This dish is very simple, easy to make, and turned out to be delicious! It's definitely going on the menu next week. Ok, ingredients, you're up.
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling (serves 4-6)

First, preheat the oven to 375.

Then, chop up those 2 cloves of garlic.
Next, peel the potatoes. I have a serious crush on my peeler. It has great memories and always puts a smile on my face when I see it. I know what you're thinking; Lisa has officially lost it. She's in love with her peeler? Well, the lovely Mr. Joseph Ades sold me this peeler. If you've been to visit me in New York, you probably need no introduction to "Peeler Guy." But for everyone else, you've never seen such a sales pitch. Unfortunately, he passed away this February, but thanks to the internet, you can see him in action still. Take the time to view his obituary article, as well as this video. It's a fascinating story.
Kodak made me spend a lot of money with them this year "or else" they were going to delete my pictures....so guess what I purchased? A Peeler Guy Beer Mug - I can't think of a more appropriate time for a cold one! CHEERS!!!!!
Ok, back to cooking. So now you need to slice the potatoes....if you don't have one already, invest in a mandolin now. I just have the simple hand held one by OXO. Doesn't take up too much space and works great. Slice, slice, slice away!
In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.
While that is heating up, butter a casserole dish. I was taking this dish to a friend's apartment, so I went with a disposable one. Then layer the potatoes in an overlapping pattern.
Add some salt and pepper on top. Can you tell I LOVE pepper???
Then add some of the cream mix.
Then top with a handful of Parmesan.
Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes.

Served along with a filet and broccoli, compliments of the Gomez's. Yummy!

Chicken Rotel - for an army apparently!

2009-12-14T21:19:00.001-05:00

I decided for the first post that I should go with something familiar, one of my mom's recipes. I am sure everyone's mom makes this, and although not the most attractive, modern or healthy dish, it sure is good!

First , the ingredients:

2 large chicken or 8 breasts

2 large chopped green bell peppers

2 large chopped onions

1 pound box velveeta cheese

1 stick margarine

1 7-ounce bag vermicelli

1 can rotel tomatoes

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 can tiny english peas

I added in some mushrooms too because I had them, and well, I like them. Also, I had frozen diced green bell peppers because I got a ton of them on sale in Chinatown and have to take advantage! I used about 6 large chicken breasts and thought it was too much chicken - I would choose smaller ones next time. Also, I used the entire package of vermicelli....I am not one to mess with Sally's recipe, but I would suggest using the entire package as well. It didn't seem too heavy on the pasta.

Ok, so here is how it's done.

Chop those onions and peppers....mmm, onions......

Next, boil chicken breasts until done....about 20 minutes. Jan loathes the smell of boiled chicken. I wish I could bottle it and give it to her for Christmas--- Once a bratty little sister, always a bratty little sister!

When it's done, remove the chicken but save 1.5 quarts of that broth, missy. Shred chicken into bite size pieces. I usually just stab with a knife and shred with a fork, but do you own thing.

Set that chicken aside. Using the broth I mentioned earlier, boil the vermicelli, using the directions on the package.

While that is cooking, melt a stick of margarine. Saute the onions and peppers in until tender. I don't have a picture of the sauteed mix - use your imagination people.

Don't drain the vermicelli when done. Add the Rotel tomatoes, mashed, and Worcestershire, and cook for 5 minutes. Add drained peas, onions, and pepper. (and mushrooms if you want) Next, add cheese, cut in chunks and stir until cheese is melted. Add cut up chicken and stir thoroughly.

Place into a baking dish and cook 45 minutes at 350. And here is the final product! Like I said, not so pretty....but so tasty. And why didn't I half this recipe??? I live alone! Welcome to Leftover City, baby. I guess they are family recipes for a reason - to feed a FAMILY.

Enjoy!

Introduction

2009-12-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

Everyone has a favorite family recipe. Either one that brings back memories of favorite family gatherings, reminds them of a special family member or just tastes damn good! These recipes are often scribbled on index cards, the ink fading by the day, or even more common, memorized by the cook themselves and not written down anywhere. The Burnett family has their share of excellent cooks, some deceased and some still stirring away in the kitchen today.

I hope you enjoy these family recipes and comment and contribute often!

Lisa Burnett