Week 15: Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto and Spring Break!

This week was spring break. We started off by driving to Southern Oregon to see family and friends, drink some wine, and relax. On the way we stopped in Portland to see a friend and had breakfast at Slappy Cakes. Though it felt odd paying to make my own pancakes, the experience was memorable and the food was delicious. You order your batter type and toppings, then cook it on the hot griddle in your table! My favorite was sweet parsnip batter. I recommend this to anyone stopping in Portland!


The day after we got home I went up further north to spend a couple days with my family. My parents are weeks away from remodeling their kitchen, so I helped pack it all up! It's down to pioneer living for them :) Aside from all the hard work, we had a fun girls' day out and decorated pottery at Pottery Nook in Arlington. To top it off, I got to babysit the newest little cutie in our family!

But now, I get to relax back at home and get down to the cooking and spring cleaning! I experimented last night, and it turned out well. I was even told I could make it again, but with more bacon :)

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 T Olive Oil
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/4 C onion, chopped
1 C Arborio rice
1/4 C Dry Sherry
2 1/2 C chicken broth
1 C sliced mushrooms
3/4 C Asparagus, cut into about 2 length pieces, woody bottom snapped off
Salt and Pepper to taste
3-4 slices cook bacon, cut into small pieces
1/8 C grated Parmesan

To Make: (10 minutes prep, 30 minute cook time)

1. Heat chicken broth in a small pot, do not boil.
2. Cook bacon and chop vegetables
3. Heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic, rice, and onion. Cook until onion in translucent.
4. Add sherry. Cook and stir until all liquid is absorbed. Add vegetables and salt and pepper.
5. Continue by adding chicken broth 1/4 Cup at a time, stirring until all liquid is absorbed. It will seem like the rice is about to burn. Then add liquid. Continue routine until rice is soft when tasted and starches are released. Grains will grow to about 3 times the size.
6. When nearly done, add bacon so it heats again. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.

Ready for more liquid.

Not ready for more liquid.

Week 14: Deviled Egg Chicks

Easter was a big family event this year! We had 11 people at the table, plenty of food, and a lot of laughs. Now that we are all grown up, we bring dishes to family dinner to help mom out. This year I brought fruit salad and the deviled eggs, my favorite Easter dish. I saw in passing on Pinterest these adorable eggs and I did my best to remember what they looked like. They turned out to be a big hit!

Ingredients:

18 eggs
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 T mustard
1T white vinegar
Salt and Pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t Parsley
Olives
Carrots

To Make:

1. Put eggs in large pot with cold water that completely covers the eggs. Put on High and let boil. Reduce heat and cover for 20 minutes. Then run cold water over eggs until no hot water remains. Using a utensil, tap all eggs to crack them. The water under the shell helps make them easier to peel. Let cool completely.

2. When eggs are cool, Cut tops about 1/3 down and remove yolk. Set aside yolks in a separate bowl. Keep the tops. Cut the bottom slightly off so the egg sits upright. A small muffin tin can also be used to help the eggs sit upright.

3. Using the yolks, add mayonaisse, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, and paprika. This will make a creamy deviled egg mix. Add more flavoring as needed to suit your tastes. Some people like to add relish to their deviled eggs.

4. Put the mix in a bagggie and cut off the corner to make an icing tube. Over fill the bottom eggs. Add the egg tops to look like hatching chicks. Finely chop olives for the eyes and carrot slices for the nose. Now you have baby chick deviled eggs!

Week 13: Stove Top Beef Stroganoff

I was lazy and made Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff the other night. Don't get me, wrong, it's quick and easy, but nothing beats the real thing. This is my simple stove top recipe. It can also be done in the crock pot if you want to prep it early!

Ingredients:
1-1.5 lb cubed round steak, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 white mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 family sized can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 cup sour cream
parsley, fresh or dried
noodles

To make:

Brown the steak in a large pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms.

Add cream of mushroom soup. Cover and simmer for about half an hour, until soup thins and mushrooms are cooked. Add sour cream and cheese and stir. Do not boil the sour cream or it will curdle. Serve over freshly cooked noodles. Garnish with parsley. Salt and pepper can be added to taste.

I like to use the Asiago for a little added flavor. Add more or less mushrooms depending on your tastes. Simmering the mushrooms not only cooks them, but they absorb all the flavors and turn our delicious! I buy the 6 packs of noodles from Costco and use a whole bag in this recipe. It makes 6 large servings or about 8 smaller servings. This recipe reheats great too. We had a lot of leftovers to enjoy all week long.

Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear from you! 

No new recipe this week :(

I was sick most of last week, so that beef stroganoff from scratch I planned will have to wait. Check in later this week to see it!

Week 12: Spinach and Bacon Risotto

If you have never tried to make risotto, do it!! I know everyone talks about how hard it is, but they are lying. It does take time and you do have to stand there the whole time, but it is actually quite easy! I had a co-worker join me for making dinner on Friday and she did a wonderful job making risotto for the first time.

A few tips for risotto:
1. if you add your extras too early, the flavors are more mute. Add them in close to the end for more bold flavors. 
2. Don't use a cream base to cook them! The creaminess comes from the starch of the risotto itself. The texture changes and becomes almost gooey if you use a cream base. 
3. Use a rubber spatula to stir. This way you can get everything off the pan and mix it all in. 
4. Leave the rice in the current liquid until you think it is about to scorch and no liquid is on the pan when you pass the spatula through. When this happens, add more liquid.
5. Eat it quickly :) The texture begins to change if you let it sit too long or try to reheat. This is a one time sort of thing you use to impress your friends or family.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Arborio rice
4 Cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/3 C dry sherry
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/2 t dried thyme
4 garlic cloves
one bunch of green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbs +1 Tbs olive oil
3 C fresh baby spinach
1 C grated Asiago cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

To Make:
1. Heat broth on low heat until it is hot. Do not let it boil. The hot liquid helps keep the rice at a consistent temperature and it will cook more quickly than adding cold broth.
2. Cook bacon on an electric griddle or in a pan. Drain fats, dry and crumble.
3. While bacon cooks, heat 1 Tbs oil in a small pan. Add garlic, green onions, and thyme. Cook until onions are more wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 
4. In a large pan, heat 2 Tbs oil. Add Arborio and toast the rice. It will turn a slight golden color. Add the sherry and cook, stirring constantly. Stir until no liquid remains when the bottom of the pan is scraped. Add 1/2 C of broth, and repeat the stirring process. 
5. Continue adding broth 1/2 C at a time. 
6. After 3 cups of liquid, add the garlic and onion mixture and the bacon to the rice. Continue adding 1/2 C of broth at a time until the Arborio in nearly 4 times its original size and it tender when you bite it. It will have a slightly hard texture still, almost like al dente pasta.
7. Add the cheese, spinach, salt, and pepper and stir. Serve immediately!

This recipe happily served 3 of us, though we did go back for seconds to finish it off. For more than 4 people, double the recipe, or use as a side dish. I like to pair risotto with steak so I feel a little more classy than having steak and potatoes. 

We prefer fresh spinach to slimy cooked, so I added it last. If you like it more cooked, add with the onion and garlic mixture.

If you have any questions, or a favorite recipe you'd like to share, please feel free to comment! I am always looking for something new to try :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has a chocolate chip cookie recipe, they're even on the back of the chocolate chip packages. BUT, I have tweaked recipe after recipe until I have found the easiest, most moist, softest creation we have ever tried. Here's how:

Ingredients: (yields about 3 dozen)

2 3/4 C flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 C (1 stick) room temperature butter
1/2 C Crisco
1 C brown sugar
1 C minus 2T sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (why do recipes always call for less than 1 bag!?)

To Make:

Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

With a wire whisk in a stand mixer, cream butter and shortening until it is light and fluffy. (on hi for about 2 minutes works. I usually have to scrape it out of the whisk and set it for a little longer.)


 Add sugars and beat on hi for 1 to 2 minutes until all mixed together. Batter will be firm at this point. 
Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. (For an extra chocolatey flavor, add 2 t of powder coacoa at this point too!)

 Change out mixer whisk for the paddle and add the chips. Lock the mixer and set to stir until mixed in. (I love the paddle with the rubber attached. I don't have to pause and scrape the side of the bowl anymore!)


Add flour and stir until just incorporated. Do a touch test. You want it to be slightly sticky, but not to stick to your hand. If it is too wet/sticky, add 2 more tablespoons of flour and test again. 

Roll in roughly 1.5" balls and put on a pan. Cover tightly with Seran wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour. (I've never tried freezing, but I'm sure you could. Let thaw completely
 before cooking.

Pre-heat oven to 375º F. After it beeps, let sit another 10-15 minutes. (Not all ovens are actually at the "pre-heat" temperature. Try it and see!)

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until they are domed and puffy and slightly golden brown. They should still look slightly under done. Take out of the oven and leave them on the tray for a minute or two until to complete cooking. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

Keep them in an air tight container and they will last for about a week. They may last longer but we have never made it that far haha :)



 

Week 11: Chicken Fried Steak

My boyfriend loves chicken fried steak and I have always been afraid to try making it, even though it is VERY easy to do! I finally tried it and it was a big hit! This may become a more regular dish at our breakfast table :) My mom helped me with this recipe since she makes it more often. I did add some of my own spicy touches to suit our tastes though. 

Ingredients: (makes 2)
2 cube steaks
1 C flour
1/2 C milk
1/2 t Sriracha 
1 egg
2 cups corn flakes, crushed 
1/2 t + 1/4 t of your favorite steak seasoning
Cooking spray
 

To Make:
Preheat oven to 400º F.
 
Put the flour on one plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and Sriracha. On a second plate, mix together 1/2 t seasoning and corn flakes.
 
Take meat and dredge in the flour so both sides are coated. Then put it in the egg mixture. Allow excess to drip off. Finally, coat both sides in the corn flake mixture. Put on sprayed pan. 

 Spray the top of the steaks lightly with cooking spray as well. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the steaks are cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare your favorite gravy. When the steaks are done, top with a strong serving of gravy and serve.


I like it better baked than fried because the corn flakes stay on better and it doesn't turn out so greasy. I made a very basic gravy to go along with it, but next time will make a more 
 flavorful.



 

 







 Here is my basic gravy recipe too. Makes enough for 2 people:

1/2 C beef broth
1 T corn starch
1/4 C half and half
pepper to taste

Mix corn starch with a little beef broth until it dissolves. Add to small sauce pan with remaining broth and half and half. Bring to a boil over med-hi heat. Stir constantly until gravy thickens. Season with desired amount of pepper and serve.