Month: March 2014

How to Host Brunch and a Blueberry Scones Recipe

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How to Host Brunch

Brunch. blueberry scones, cinnamon rolls, bacon apple cinnamon rolls, ham biscuits
Brunch buffet, with fresh baked blueberry scones (recipe below) and bacon apple cinnamon rolls.  We also served bagels and hot ham biscuits with peach mustard.

How to Host Brunch

Sometimes, as a personal chef, you are challenged to cook in tough situations.  Last weekend I had the opportunity to prepare brunch for 75 people for a groundbreaking ceremony. The site is a vineyard currently under construction. (more…)

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2 Ingredient Pina Colada Sorbet #Recipe

2 Ingredient Pina Colada Sorbet. Perfect Summer dessert and great Daniel Fast Dessert
2 Ingredient Pina Colada Sorbet. Perfect Summer dessert and great Daniel Fast Dessert

I wanted needed to make a dessert  that could help me keep my sanity while Doing the Daniel Fast.  Something slightly sweet, all fruit with no sugar added.   I think I’ve come up with a good one.  Here’s a 2 ingredient Pina Colada Sorbet recipe that I made in my Nutri Bullet. Just freeze some diced pineapple and blend it in the Nutri Bullet with 1/2 a cup of sugar free, pure coconut water with pulp. (adjust the amounts to fill at or below the fill line on your Nutri Bullet or blender)  Pour into a container and freeze for about an hour or two, remove from the freezer before its frozen solid.  Scoop and serve…..that’s It!

2 ingredient sorbet in my NutriBullet. Only frozen pineapples and coconut juice
2 ingredient sorbet in my NutriBullet. Only frozen pineapples and coconut juice

This is as easy as it looks.  used;

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks (cut up some fresh pineapple)

1/2 cup coconut juice, no sugar or additives

Blend, Freeze (not solid) until scoopable….that’s it!

Put Frozen pineapple chunks into the Nutribullet cup up to the fill line.  Pour in Chilled coconut juice
Put Frozen pineapple chunks into the Nutribullet cup up to the fill line. Pour in Chilled coconut juice. Blend, pour into a separate container and freeze (NOT solid) until it’s scoopable
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Meatless Meals-Roasted Vegetables with Sweet Potato Steak #Recipe

Sweet Potato Steaks with Roasted Veggies
Sweet potato steaks topped with roasted vegetables

I’m a meat lover, that’s no secret, but once in a while the time comes to lighten up.  Well, for me that time has come, so I’m starting the Daniel fast to help get me on track.    This recipe for Sweet Potato Steaks with roasted vegetables really filled the bill.  The fennel turns candy sweet when roasting; it’s absolutely incredible.

These are the finished veggies after roasting for an hour and fifteen minutes.
These are the finished veggies after roasting for an hour and fifteen minutes.

Sweet Potato Steaks with Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables

2 zucchini

2 yellow squash

1 onion

1 red bell pepper

4 Roma tomatoes

1 fennel bulb

2 cloves of garlic

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables and place in a roasting pan that is about 2 inches deep.

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh thyme, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and roast at 400° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Directions for Sweet Potato Steaks

Cut the sweet potato into "steaks" about a half inch thick.
Cut the sweet potato into “steaks” about a half inch thick. Saute in olive oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add 1/4 cup of water and steam for 5 minutes.Top with roasted vegetables and serve
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How to Make Homemade Pasta WITHOUT a Machine

homemade pasta without a machine
You can make homemade pasta WITHOUT a machine. It’s easy, fun to make and delicious to eat. This pasta dish is served with a braised chicken sauce, but you can serve it with a variety of tasty sauces

This quick video shows you how to mix and shape your fresh, homemade pasta

Pasta dough recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

½  teaspoon salt

Handmade Pasta Drirections

Put your flour into a large bowl.  Add beaten eggs, olive oil and salt.  Mix all the ingredients together and put onto a lightly floured counter top.  Knead your pasta dough until it becomes smooth, about 5 minutes.  Be careful not to knead in too much flour, it’s better to have a softer dough than a stiff one.

Wrap the pasta dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Cut off a piece of pasta dough (keep the rest of the pasta dough wrapped in plastic until you are ready to use it)  and roll it into a rope.  Cut off 1/2 inch piece of dough and flatten it out with  the heel of you hand. Roll  the pasta around the lightly floured handle of a wooden spoon.  Slide the pasta off the spoon handle and continue with the rest of your dough.

Let the pasta dry on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for about 10 minutes.

Boil the pasta in salted water for 3-4 minutes or until its tender.  Drain your pasta, add it to your sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Serve and enjoy

I served my pasta with the a braised chicken sauce and it was absolutely delicious.  My kids went nuts for it

Braised Chicken Pasta Sauce 

2 tablespoons olive oil

 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks

 

5 chicken Italian sausage links, casing removed

 

1/2 cup chopped onion

 

1/4 cup chopped carrots

 

2 cloves chopped garlic

 

2 tablespoons tomato paste

 

2 cups chicken stock

 

1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 

Salt to taste

½-1 cup of water

Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.  Brown chicken thighs and remove from pan.  Break the sausage into chunks with a spoon in the pan and brown sausage.  Remove from pan.

 

Lower the heat. Sauté onions and carrots until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

 

Add tomato paste into the pan with the carrots, onion and garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Add chicken thighs and sausage to the pan.  Next add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, oregano and salt to the pan and stir to combine.

 

Let this simmer over medium-low heat for about an hour adding a ½ -1 cup of water if the sauce gets too thick.

Brown the chicken thighs in olive oil
Brown the chicken thighs in olive oil
Brown the sausage in the same pan
Brown the sausage in the same pan
Add tomato paste to the sauteed vegetables
Add tomato paste to the sauteed vegetables
Add diced  tomatoes and chicken stock. simmer for about an hour, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick.
Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock. simmer for about an hour, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick.

 

 

 

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